The icon of St. Tikhon helps. Miracles of healing when turning to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. Life at peace
Many healings occurred on the day the elder’s relics were found. The reliquary with the incorruptible relics of the saint gathered a lot of people, and everyone could see with their own eyes how, by venerating the relics, the most seriously ill patients were healed: the blind gained sight, the deaf began to hear, and the tongue-tied instantly got rid of speech defects; mental illness.
The holy image of Tikhon of Zadonsk helped to get rid of protracted, advanced, and complex illnesses. A nun, who had suffered from dropsy, cirrhosis of the liver, and ascites for 6 years, came to Zadonsk to pray to the saint, and within 24 hours her illness, so firmly rooted in her body, disappeared.
Hand of Tikhon of Zadonsk
(Photo from the site svt-georg.orthodoxy.ru)
Tikhon often appeared to those asking for recovery in a dream. After giving birth to a stillborn child with heavy bleeding, a woman recovered just like that. She prayed to Tikhon for a long time both at home and in church. After a monk appeared to her in a dream, to her surprise, she woke up absolutely healthy.
Having consumed the blessed oil over the tomb of Tikhon of Zadonsk, a Tula peasant was healed from three years of severe paralysis. The parents of a 5-year-old boy made a promise to Saint Tikhon to venerate his tomb if he would help their child get rid of speech problems. After his parents’ vow, the boy began to speak individual words, and when he visited Zadonsk with his parents, all speech difficulties stopped.
Prayerful appeals to Tikhon of Zadonsk for help even led to healing from cholera. Thus, through fervent prayers, the loving wife achieved the recovery of her already dying husband. There are numerous healings with the help of St. Tikhon from severe inflammatory diseases, vision problems, and hysteria.
To this day, the holy spring of Tikhon of Zadonsk attracts many people suffering from eye diseases. Vision problems go away almost instantly after praying to the saint. There is a known case when Tikhon appeared to a little boy who was losing his sight due to an undiagnosed disorder. In a dream, the child began to cry, and when he woke up, he opened his eyes and realized that he could now see and that his illness had passed.
A woman with a growth in her lower eyelid listened to the doctors’ disappointing forecasts: the growth was growing, and the eye was about to lose its functions. Arriving in Zadonsk, the woman wiped her eye with a blanket from the saint’s tombstone - and miraculously the formation disappeared from the century.
Tikhon Zadonsky. Icon
(Image from pravoslavie.ru)
With their last hope they turned to Tikhon Zadonsky to heal panic attacks, frightening visions and mental disorders. One young girl experienced these conditions very acutely, and every day her suffering increased threefold. The patient's seizures lasted for several hours, and their source remained unknown to the doctors. In the intervals between attacks, Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk appeared in the dreams of the girl, as well as her mother. It was his image that the woman asked a nun she knew to bring.
Touching the image of the saint only slightly reduced the strength of the girl’s attacks, but her calming was obvious. Subsequently, the patient was taken to the monastery to the tomb of the saint. After staying in the monastery for several weeks, the girl began to feel better, but her illness did not leave her, periodically returning in the form of terrible attacks. Only after a year of diligent prayers to the mother of the suffering girl, an old man appeared in a dream, saying that she had only one doctor, and she should ask him for recovery. A second trip to Tikhon’s tomb and sincere prayers over the relics finally freed the girl from seizures that never returned. After being healed from fits of rage, the exhausted woman, having spent two days at the relics of Tikhon of Zadonsk, gained so much strength that she was able to walk more than 24 miles to her home.
All prayers to St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, the Wonderworker, Bishop of Voronezh
Commemoration: July 19 / August 1, August 13 / 26 (Presentation and second discovery of the relics)
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk is a great Christian teacher and preacher, the author of famous works: “On the Seven Holy Mysteries”, “Addition to the Priestly Office”, “On the Sacrament of Repentance”, “Rules of Monastic Life”, “Instructions for those who have turned from the vain world”, “Treasure spiritual things collected from the world”, “On true Christianity” and many others. A missionary and eradicator of pagan superstitions and customs, an extraordinary ascetic and man of prayer, an archpastor imbued with humility and love for his flock. He had the gift of clairvoyance and miracles. Very quickly after his death, he acquired popular love and good fame as a miracle worker and defender of Christians. At the official opening of his relics, up to 300 thousand pilgrims gathered in tiny Zadonsk!
Saint Tikhon is the heavenly patron of monks and church clergy, missionaries and catechists, and seminary students. They pray to Saint Tikhon for the gift of meekness and gentleness, ascetic deeds, for deliverance from any illnesses, but especially from mental illnesses: sadness and despondency, from alcoholism and drug addiction, mental insanity and demonic possession. Saint Tikhon helped a considerable number of people regain their sight and the ability to walk; they also turn to him for help in extreme need and poverty.
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Troparion to Saint Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh, Wonderworker of Zadonsk, tone 8
From your youth you loved Christ, O blessed one, you were the image of all in word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity and humility, and thus you moved into the heavenly abodes, where you stood before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, pray to Saint Tikhon for our souls to be saved.
Kontakion to Saint Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh, Wonderworker of Zadonsk, tone 8
Successor of the Apostles, adornment of the saints, Teacher of the Orthodox Church, Lord of all, pray to grant greater peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.
Prayer to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, the Wonderworker, Bishop of Voronezh
O all-praised saint and saint of Christ, our Father Tikhon! Having lived as an angel on earth, you, like a good angel, appeared in your long-ago glorification: we believe with all our souls and thoughts that you, our merciful helper and prayer book, through your honest intercessions and grace, abundantly given to you from the Lord, ever contribute to our salvation. Accept therefore, blessed servant of Christ, even at this hour our unworthy prayer: free us through your intercession from the vanity and superstition that surrounds us, the unbelief and evil of man; strive, quick intercessor for us, with your favorable intercession to beseech the Lord, that He may add His great and rich mercy to us sinners and unworthy His servants ( names), may His grace heal the unhealed ulcers and scabs of our corrupted souls and bodies, may our petrified hearts dissolve with tears of tenderness and contrition for our many sins, and may He deliver us from eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna; May He grant to all His faithful people peace and quiet, health and salvation, and good haste in everything, so that having lived a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity, let us be worthy to glorify and sing the all-holy name of the Father with the Angels and with all the saints and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Common prayer to Saints Mitrofan and Tikhon, Voronezh wonderworkers
O great saints of God, strong and our intercessors and prayer books, all-validated saints of Christ and miracle workers Mitrofan and Tikhon! Hear us, who come to you and call you with faith. Remember us at the Throne of the Almighty and pray for us unceasingly to Christ our God, for you have been given the grace to pray for us. Pray with your intercession to our All-Merciful God, that He may give peace to the Church of the Holy Ones, whose shepherd is the strength and zeal to strive for the salvation of people, and to all of us - the gift that everyone needs: true faith, firm hope and unfailing love, may He save us from famine, destruction, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, internecine warfare, deadly plagues, sudden death and from all kinds of evil; May He grant good growth in faith to the young and infants, comfort and reinforcement to the old and weak, healing to the sick, mercy and intercession to the orphans and widows, correction to the erring, and timely help to the needy. Do not disgrace us in our hope, make haste, like the fathers of love for children, for us to bear the yoke of Christ in complacency and patience, and guide us all in peace and repentance, unashamedly end your life and be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, where you now dwell with the Angels and all the saints, glorifying God, glorified in the Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Prayer to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
- Prayer to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, the Wonderworker, Bishop of Voronezh. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk is a great Christian teacher and preacher, a missionary and eradicator of pagan superstitions and customs, an extraordinary ascetic and man of prayer, an archpastor imbued with humility and love for his flock. He had the gift of clairvoyance and miracles. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk is the heavenly patron of monks and church clergy, missionaries and catechists, and seminary students. They pray to Saint Tikhon for the gift of meekness and gentleness, ascetic deeds, for deliverance from any illnesses, but especially from mental illnesses: sadness and despondency, from alcoholism and drug addiction, mental insanity and demonic possession. Saint Tikhon helped a considerable number of people to restore their sight and the ability to walk; they also turn to him for help in extreme need and poverty
Akathist to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
- Akathist to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
Canon to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
- Canon to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
Hagiographic and scientific-historical literature about St. Tikhon of Zadonsk:
- Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk - Orthodoxy.Ru
Works of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
- What does Christ's Transfiguration teach us?- Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
The icon of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk is known for numerous healings of physical and spiritual ailments. To this day, any prayer near the face of a saint certainly receives a response.
The great saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was distinguished by his ardent love for the Lord. He lived in the harsh times of the 18th century, when the way of life was in many ways different from what we are used to now. But his creations and works, already in those times when the people were blinded by lack of faith and demons, kindled ardent love and fiery faith in the hearts of every person. To this day, prayers addressed to the theologian Tikhon have not lost their power and help in healing depression, drunkenness, and mental insanity.
History of the icon
The images of the Right Reverend Saint were painted during the life of an associate of the church. The reason for such ardent love was Tikhon’s righteousness, his holiness and high church rank. The saint's contemporaries, regardless of their civil status, wanted to have lifetime portraits of the bishop in their home, because they saw in him the radiance of true righteousness and humble comprehension of the depths of faith and love for the Lord. Tikhon did not really like to pose, considering such extensive worship undeserved. The artists had to contrive and paint it in secret while the bishop went about his daily affairs.
Bishop Tikhon possessed the gift of insight, was able to read the thoughts of his interlocutors, and was distinguished among all the righteous by his ability to perform divine miracles. His predictions include the bright events of the life of Alexander I, especially the collapse of Napoleon and the liberation of the Russian lands.
The saint loved to have conversations with ordinary people, comforting and helping in everything. Sacrifice and intercession before the Lord knew no bounds: for each soul that came, the saint raised fervent prayers to Heaven, asking for the highest intercession, and then bestowed money. Death overtook the great bishop in 1783 on August 13.
And now, exactly 63 years later, the incorruptible relics of the elder were found, accompanied by numerous healings. The image of Saint Tikhon was removed from the relics of the late saint. This was done due to many disagreements in the iconographic interpretation of the holy image. After all, at that time there were countless icons of Tikhon of Zadonsk. But it was quite difficult to determine the time of their origin, authorship, as well as the accuracy of the image of the holy ascetic.
Where is the image of Tikhon of Zadonsk
The image of the saint and ascetic of the Orthodox Church can be found in many churches in Russia. The ardent love of people forced them to paint lifelong portraits of the church educator Tikhon. But the main place of veneration, where pilgrims from all countries flock, is the city of Zadonsk, where the pilgrim spent the last days of his righteous life. The elder was buried under the altar in the Cathedral Church of the Zadonsk Monastery.
In 1861, the relics of St. Tikhon were discovered. Countless numbers of pilgrims came to Zadonsk in order to experience the blessed help of the saint. Eyewitnesses of those events report that every sick person was healed: the blind received his sight, the lame became stronger, and the deaf regained their hearing.
Description of the icon
The image of Tikhon appears before the viewer's eyes mainly from the waist up, but there are also options for painting the saint in full height. Tikhon's body is covered with bishop's vestments, demonstrating holiness and church dignity.
With his left hand the pilgrim holds the staff, and with his right hand he sends a blessing to each praying soul. Also on the icon there is a particle of incorruptible relics placed in a reliquary in the lower right corner. That is why even more grace-filled help descends from the icon. It is customary to make copies from the face similar to the real original, so there are no visible differences in the variations of the holy image.
How does the icon of St. Tikhon help?
Healings near the gracious image of Saint Tikhon never cease to amaze and inspire faith in everyone who, with the last hope, turns to the pilgrim with a prayer request. The icon heals panic attacks, riots, frightening visions, depression, drunkenness, and mental disorders.
People's memory knows of cases of grace-filled help to blind and completely blind people, whose ailments instantly disappeared after reading a prayer near the image of the pure and righteous Tikhon. Prayer requests to the saint even cure cholera, paralysis and epilepsy.
The holy image will help everyone overcome and get rid of protracted illnesses, advanced and complex cases.
Prayer before the icon of Tikhon of Zadonsk
“Oh, Holy Minion of God Tikhon! Having lived a righteous life on earth, you glorified your existence forever. We believe with all our souls in Your intercession before the Lord God for our speedy salvation. After all, You are the zealous helper of every lost soul. Accept our prayers and do not turn away in difficult times. More than ever, we need Your protection and intercession from evil, denigrating and dark thoughts. Save us from unbelief, anger and demonic captivity. Have pity, God’s quick helper, because only Your intercession will add God’s mercy to the unworthy and sinful servants of God (names). Heal lingering illnesses and corrupted souls with your grace-filled help. Let tears of joy dissolve the stone captivity of our sins, and we will be delivered from the torments of hell and the fire of the devil. Give the righteous people who bowed their knees before you peace and salvation, health, holiness and angelic purity. With all the angels and the whole council of saints, be glorified, Great Tikhon. We sing Your name, and the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
The day of veneration falls on August 13th. God's minion distinguished himself by living a righteous life and was elevated to the ranks of saints. His life and high position did not denigrate his soul, but, on the contrary, made him a great and beloved saint of the Lord. May his intercession help you heal your illnesses and get rid of your addictions. We wish you peace in your soul. Take care of yourself I and don't forget to press the buttons and
Saint Tikhon is known for his help in healing from demonic possession. In particular, N.A. Motovilov, assistant to St. Seraphim of Sarov, was healed after 30 years of illness, which consisted of a strong demonic action, during the discovery of the relics of Tikhon of Zadonsk, which was accompanied by a visible appearance of St. Tikhon himself.
A great ascetic, an outstanding writer and theologian, an ardent prayer book - all this is about one person - about St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. He lived and carried out his ministry in the 18th century, in a completely different environment from ours, among people who were perhaps not much like us. But even today his creations continue to ignite people’s hearts with the flame of faith, and today any prayer, any appeal to him certainly finds a response. With special hope, they turn to the saint with prayer for the healing of mental illnesses: depression, drunkenness, insanity, demonic possession.
Timofey Savelyevich Sokolovsky (that was the name of St. Tikhon before he became a monk) was born in 1724 in the village of Korotsko, Valdai district, Novgorod province. His father, Savely Sokolov, served as a psalm-reader in a local church. By the way, he received his last name while studying at the theological seminary (this was the tradition of those years), and by birth he bore the last name Kirillov. The father of the family died when Timofey was still just a child. Left without a breadwinner, the widow and orphans literally became beggars. Therefore, from childhood, the future saint knew the price of work, the price of bread.
When Timofey was fourteen years old, his mother brought him to Novgorod to study - she wanted her son to enter a theological school. Her eldest son, who was a clerk in Novgorod, helped her in this. He took his brother into his care and petitioned for his enrollment in the Novgorod theological Slavic school at the bishop's house. The poor family could not give more to their child. But this turned out to be unnecessary: Timofey showed such diligence and ability for science that he was soon recognized as one of the best students at the school. Actually, the school existed for only a short time; in 1740, through the efforts of Novgorod Bishop Ambrose, it was transformed into a Theological Seminary. Timofey Sokolovsky, as the most capable student, was transferred there and received government support.
However, “government support” did not at all mean a carefree, well-fed life: at that time it only gave the right to receive free bread and boiling water. But this was enough for Timothy - after all, the main thing was that he received the opportunity, without burdening his family, to study and comprehend the depths of the Orthodox faith. But it took a long time to study. In general, the future saint spent a significant part of his life in the seminary, first studying (almost 14 years - after all, the new seminary was sorely short of teachers), then teaching Greek and theology and heading the department of rhetoric.
Monasticism
On April 10, 1758, Timothy was tonsured a monk with the name Tikhon. And a year later he had to leave Novgorod, which had already become his home - at the request of Tver Bishop Athanasius, he was appointed archimandrite of the Tver Zheltikov Dormition Monastery and rector of the Tver Theological Seminary, teacher of theology and present in the spiritual consistory. At this time, he became a bishop - on May 13, 1761, in the St. Petersburg Peter and Paul Cathedral, he was consecrated Bishop of Kexholm and Ladoga, vicar of the Novgorod diocese. But the second period of life in Novgorod turned out to be short-lived. The new obedience assigned by the hierarchy called him to St. Petersburg to preside over the St. Petersburg Synodal Office. From there, Bishop Tikhon moved further to Voronezh, where at that time Bishop John of Voronezh and Yelets died, and Bishop Tikhon was appointed to the Voronezh see.
Having received serious power and great opportunities, Saint Tikhon finally launched the activity that he apparently dreamed of and towards which he had been working all his life. Previously, only to the extent of the opportunities given to him by teaching, he disseminated true knowledge about God among the laity and clergy and encouraged them to pure faith. Now he could write and publish theological works, preach, observe and help the clergy in their ministry. In the very first year of his priestly ministry in Voronezh, Bishop Tikhon wrote a short teaching “On the Seven Holy Mysteries.” This was followed by the work “Addition to the Priestly Office on the Mystery of Holy Repentance.” This work is of particular interest because in it the saint teaches two approaches to constructing a confession for the laity: feeling a person’s deep repentance and contrition for his sins, the clergyman must encourage and console him, reminding him of God’s mercy and forgiveness in order to prevent the penetration of despondency in his heart. Otherwise, the priest needs, on the contrary, to remind the person about judgment, about death reward, in order to awaken in him regret for sins.
Saint Tikhon cared both about the spiritual and intellectual growth of the clergy, and about their protection from unlawful punishment. He preached a lot, including especially for the clergy, calling for this purpose teachers from the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, publishing books and sending them to the district towns of the diocese. Vladyka constantly participated in the education of future archpastors, opening Slavic schools in all cities, and then establishing two theological schools in Ostrogozhsk and Yelets. In 1765, through his works, the Voronezh Slavic-Latin school was transformed into a theological seminary. At the same time, the bishop was the first to prohibit corporal punishment of clergy in his diocese.
Dream of youth
Probably, from an early age, Saint Tikhon wanted a solitary monastic life - constant prayer, simple life, silence... But he had many talents and gifts that should have found their application in another environment - in the city, in theological schools, in upbringing and education clergy and strengthening the Church of Christ. Therefore, the Lord for many years did not allow him to fulfill his dream and retire to prayer in a quiet small cell.
But then the moment came when incessant worries, matters to which the bishop invariably treated with great zeal, undermined his health and exhausted his strength. He began to experience heart and nervous attacks, and even the mildest illness gave rise to serious complications. In the end, the lack of strength began to affect matters: the saint could no longer pay attention to everything that required it. But the bishop was extremely strict and exacting – first of all, towards himself. He could not afford to occupy the department, knowing that he did not fully meet the high requirements that he himself set for this position. Therefore, he persistently asked permission to retire, which he received on December 17, 1767. He was given a pension and allowed to settle wherever he wanted.
At first, the ruler chose the Tolshevsky Transfiguration Monastery (40 versts from Voronezh), but in the spring of 1679, due to climatic conditions unsuitable for his health, he moved to the Zadonsky Monastery.
There the bishop spent the remaining years of his life, receiving the name “Zadonsky” because of this. Having been freed from the labors of the archpastoral, the saint, nevertheless, did not give himself rest. He lived in an ascetic environment, eating the simplest food and taking on the hardest work (chopping wood, making hay, and so on). Strict with himself, he was soft and indulgent towards others, although he had a naturally hot temper. They say that after a stern remark made to his cell attendant, he bowed to the ground before him and asked for forgiveness.
Light of Faith
It must be said that the saint was not able to fully fulfill his desire for solitude even while in retirement. His cell became a source of spiritual enlightenment for a large number of people who flocked there from different places and asked for advice and prayers. However, the bishop was in no way burdened by this. He loved to talk with ordinary people, comforting people in the most difficult situations and even helping with money to those who needed it. Children often came to him from the monastery settlement. He was respected by the surrounding nobles and landowners, taking into account his opinion when he pacified their conflicts or interceded with them on behalf of the peasants. Everything that the saint received as a gift and as a pension went to charity.
Freed from a large number of worries, freeing up time, the saint continued to write his works in peace. This is how his best works appeared - “Spiritual Treasure Collected from the World” (1770) and “On True Christianity” (1776).
The Christmas liturgy of 1779 was the last in his life. After this, his strength was extremely weakened, but he continued to work: in 1782 his spiritual testament appeared, in which he gave thanks to God for all the good deeds to him and expressed his hope in mercy in eternal life. And the next year he was gone. This happened on August 13, 1783. “His death was so calm that I seemed to fall asleep.” The bishop was buried in the Zadonsk Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.
Pilgrims still flock to his relics. His spiritual legacy still helps different generations of people find their way to God. His works contain centuries-old wisdom, but even now they are able to provide an answer to the most pressing, pressing question.
Description of healing by N.A. Motovilov, assistant to St. Seraphim of Sarov, from demonic action that lasted about 30 years.
<...>During the all-night vigil from August 12 to 13, after the transfer of the incorruptible relics of St. Tikhon and the saint of God to the cathedral, I had the happiness, standing in the altar of this cathedral in the chapel of St. Alexy, Metropolitan and Wonderworker of Moscow, having closed my eyes for something, to see His Eminence Anthony, Archbishop of Voronezh and Zadonsk, who came up to me, took me by the hand and tangibly shook it, and told me in a voice that was clear to me, clearly audible: “That’s good, that’s great, thank you for being here.” And when, on the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God, in the altar of the Intercession of Her All-Honorable One in the same cathedral, I was preparing for communion of the Most Pure Mysteries of the Lord and stood with my eyes closed, I had the good fortune to see St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, the newly-revealed wonderworker, standing near the altar cross opposite the Image of the Mother of God “ Life-Giver,” located opposite the throne in this altar. The saint stood with his head bowed down before the Queen of Heaven, and drops of tears flowed from his eyes, in the same way that his sacred face is depicted in the prints of previous ancient editions of his works. This continued until I had to go to communion of the Life-giving Mysteries of Christ.
Here in Voronezh<...>when at the all-night vigil of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist I stood near the relics of St. Mitrofan, who stood on the occasion of the change of the canopy above the place of his former tomb opposite the tomb of the Most Reverend Anthony, someone invisible, but clearly audible, approached perceptibly and said to me: “What do you think?” , “Where is the healing from my internal illnesses that was promised to me by the Most Reverend Anthony on behalf of St. Mitrofan,” and you are waiting for some kind of obvious sign about this, but is it really<го>It’s not enough that you were honored, even with your eyes closed, but still not in a dream, but clearly have the happiness of seeing two Voronezh saints: Anthony and Tikhon - after all, it was not ghosts you saw, but them themselves - so here’s a sign for you, that the term of your internal suffering is over. This gift of God has been given to you, keep it and do it,” and a few words were added that personally relate to my life.
TIKHON ZADONSKY
An article from the open Orthodox encyclopedia "Tree".
Tikhon (Sokolov) (1724 - 1783), bishop b. Voronezh and Yeletsky, Zadonsk miracle worker, saint.
In the world, Timofey Savelyevich Kirillov-Sokolov, was born in 1724 in the family of Savely Kirillov, a sexton in the village of Korotsk, Novgorod province, Valdai district.
His father soon died. The family remained in such poverty that one day the mother decided to give her youngest son to a rich coachman who wanted to adopt him. Her eldest son, Peter, who took his father’s place as clerk, begged her not to do this. “We’ll teach Tim to read,” he said, “and he’ll be a sexton somewhere!” But the years passed, and Timofey often worked for the peasants all day for one piece of black bread.
In 1737 he was sent to the theological school at the Novgorod bishop's house.
In 1740, he was admitted to government support at a seminary established in Novgorod.
Timofey studied well, even at night. And his playful peers teased the serious boy, sang praises to him and burned incense with their bast shoes. Due to a lack of teachers, the years of study amounted to 14 years. He completed the course when he was 30 years old.
In 1754, after graduating from the seminary, Timothy was left there as a teacher, first of Greek, then of rhetoric and philosophy.
In 1758, Archimandrite Tikhon was tonsured a monk. Parthenius (Sopkovsky) and was appointed to the position of prefect of the seminary.
In 1759, with the rank of hieromonk, he was transferred to the Tver diocese. There he was appointed archimandrite of the Zheltikov Monastery.
In 1760 he was appointed rector of the Otroch Monastery, with the determination to be the rector of the Tver Seminary and a teacher of theology.
He gave lectures on moral theology, for the first time in Russian instead of the Latin language generally accepted at that time, and at the same time it was so fascinating that many strangers gathered to listen to him.
Bishop of Khutyn
On May 13, 1761, he was consecrated Bishop of Kexholm and Ladoga so that, while managing the Khutyn Monastery, he would be the vicar of the Novgorod Bishop.
The dedication was providential. The young archimandrite was supposed to be transferred to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, but in St. Petersburg, during the election of the Novgorod vicar, on Easter, his name was taken out of 8 lots three times. In great excitement, Bishop Tikhon entered Novgorod, the city in which he spent his youth. Among the clergy who met him were his former peers, and he playfully reminded them of their childhood pranks. In Novgorod he found his older sister living in great poverty. He received her with brotherly love, wanted to take care of her, but she soon died. The saint performed the funeral service for her, and in the grave the sister smiled at him. In Novgorod her grave was revered. When all the members of the Holy Synod went to Moscow for the coronation of Empress Catherine II, Bishop Tikhon remained in St. Petersburg and conducted all synodal affairs.
Bishop of Voronezh
In 1763 he was transferred to the Voronezh department.
Here, as the Savior said, “the harvest was plentiful, but the laborers were few” (Matthew 9:37). The diocese was huge: from Orel to the Black Sea, and it was neglected. There were few clergy, the population, widely scattered, became wild and ignorant and superstitious. There were many non-believers among the upper class. The young bishop eagerly set to work. He traveled around a huge diocese, almost all covered with dense forests or steppe, often just on horseback. He started schools and preaching, which had not happened before. He taught the people to honor God's temple and priests, and demanded mercy from the rich and noble towards the poor. And morals began to soften. Once in Voronezh they celebrated the pagan god Yaril on the square. Suddenly the ruler appears and with his fiery word stops the outrage. And the next day all the people came to him in repentance. Since then, the Yarile holiday has been stopped forever.
Having accepted control of the Voronezh flock, Saint Tikhon directed his attention to improving the moral state of the clergy. He printed for distribution to priests his essay, called “The Priestly Office on the Seven Holy Mysteries,” and in addition published “An Addition to the Priestly Office on the Mystery of Holy Repentance.”
In the year of his arrival at the Voronezh See (1763), Saint Tikhon recreated the Voronezh Seminary. He personally led the seminary, constantly talked with students and attended classes, drew up special rules for seminarians, spent large amounts of money (including his own) on maintaining and encouraging students, invited the best graduates of theological academies and seminaries to teach, and began creating a library. Through the labors and prayers of St. Tikhon Voronezh Seminary firmly stood on its feet. Due to the lack of teachers in the seminary, he took care of the education of spiritual youth. To edify the people, St. Tikhon in Voronezh open teaching of the Law of God on Sundays, before the liturgy, in the cathedral church. For those who could not, for some reason, listen to these teachings in person, the saint wrote Christian instructions, and wrote an essay for reading, “Flesh and Spirit.” For this purpose, he wrote reflections on certain sayings of the Holy Scriptures. Preaching the rules of Christian life, Saint Tikhon was at the same time a strict denouncer of contemporary vices. The destruction of the national holiday "Yarila" and the riotous Maslenitsa fun in Voronezh serve as a monument to the ardent and pious zeal of the Voronezh shepherd. For poor and needy people to St. Tikhon always had free access. He called the poor (according to Chrysostom) Christ’s and his brethren.
Only four years and seven months did Saint Tikhon rule the Voronezh flock. Monastic exploits, pastoral labors, worries and sorrows, which were the result of various obstacles to the fulfillment of his good intentions, upset his health. He was attracted by solitude and prayer: he petitioned for his retirement.
In 1767, he was dismissed from managing the flock and was given a pension in the amount of 500 rubles. For his retirement, the saint first chose the provincial Tolshevsky monastery, but due to the unfavorable terrain for his health, he moved in 1769 to the Zadonsky monastery.
Here he first of all gave away all his things, leaving for himself only the most necessary things. He also gave away his pension. During his very modest dinner, he always lamented about those who did not have even this. He often went out under the guise of a simple monk to the market square to ask visiting peasants about their needs and send them help. He loved to gather poor children to himself, teach them prayers and give them bread and small money: he always remembered his bitter childhood. He strictly observed the statutes of the Church, zealously (almost daily) visited the churches of God, often sang and read in the choir, and over time, out of humility, completely abandoned participation in the services and stood at the altar, reverently protecting himself with the sign of the cross. His favorite cell pastime was reading the lives of saints and patristic works. He knew the Psalter by heart and usually read or sang psalms on the way.
The saint endured many temptations, lamenting the forced abandonment of his flock. Having recovered his health, he was going to return to the Novgorod diocese, where Metropolitan Gabriel invited him to take the place of rector at the Iveron Valdai Monastery. When the cell attendant announced this to Elder Aaron, he said: “Why are you raging? The Mother of God does not order him to leave here.” The cell attendant conveyed this to the Right Reverend. “If so,” said the saint, “I will not leave from here,” and tore up the petition. Sometimes he went to the village of Lipovka, where he himself performed divine services in the Bekhteevs’ house. The saint also went to the Tolshevsky Monastery, which he loved for its solitude. For solitary prayer, he locked himself in his cell, and from there his prayerful sighs reached his cell attendants; "Lord Jesus, have mercy on me!" He was seen illuminated by a blessed light. Once he was honored with the appearance of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ.
St. Tikhon worked, did charity, built an almshouse in the city of Livny, Oryol province, at the church of St. George. He took part in all those who suffered and cared about the conversion of schismatics to Orthodoxy and, at the same time, did not cease to put his thoughts on paper.
He spent his day like this: he always attended the early liturgy, and wrote after it; at dinner I listened to the reading of the Old Testament and, after a short rest, read the lives of the saints and the works of John Chrysostom, and after Vespers - the New Testament. This normal daily routine was interrupted by works of mercy, receiving visitors and working in the garden, which he loved very much. He never refused to welcome the poor. His favorite pastime was his literary works: “Spiritual Treasure Collected from the World” (1770), “True Christianity” (1776), “Cell Letters” and others. He dictated them to his cell attendants, usually walking around the room. Until recently, his works were the favorite reading of pious Russian people and had a tremendous influence on Russian religious literature and preaching.
The saint lived in the simplest surroundings: he slept on straw, covering himself with a sheepskin coat. His humility reached the point that the saint did not pay attention to the ridicule that often rained down on him, pretending that he did not hear them, and said afterwards: “God so pleases that the ministers laugh at me - I deserve it for my sins.” my". He often said in such cases: “Forgiveness is better than revenge.”
One day the holy fool Kamenev hit the saint on the cheek with the words “don’t be arrogant” - and the saint, taking this with gratitude, fed the holy fool every day.
But not everyone understood Christ’s ascetic, and he had many occasions to show his humility. He loved everyone, but he had especially close friends. Such was especially the schemamonk Mitrofan, an elder of high spiritual life, to whom the saint entrusted his spiritual children, novice ascetics, and to him alone he revealed his visions. He also loved the monk Theophan for his pure childish soul and called him “Theophan is my joy” because he knew how to console him in sorrowful moments.
The saint did not like to talk about worldly affairs and only during the war did he follow the military actions in the newspapers. But he never missed an opportunity to preach the word of God - either in the monastery or outside its walls. He especially loved the city of Yelets for the piety of its inhabitants and called it Zion. He helped the poor there, especially after the fire. He visited one poor widow on every visit, left her money, and took her boys in to raise him. He stayed with his friends - the merchant Yakov Feodorovich Rostovtsev and Kosma Ignatievich Sudeikin - and through them he distributed alms. He especially loved Rostovtsev’s eldest son, Dimitri, who, living with his father, led an almost monastic life. The saint instructed him to sell the precious materials that were given to him, and to distribute the money to the poor. Once the saint saw a completely healthy boy, Rostovtsev’s grandson, and said to him: “Get ready, Sasha, for the heavenly things, get ready, my dear, for the heavenly fatherland.” Three days later the boy died. Sudeikin was a church elder all his life; he lived near his church in voluntary poverty, because he gave all his fortune to the poor. He set up a school near his home.
One day Cosmas came to Father Mitrofan during the 6th week of Great Lent. There was no dormitory in the Zadonsky Monastery and everyone had to take care of themselves. According to the charter, fish is allowed during Lent only on Palm Sunday and the Annunciation, and Fr. Mitrofan has already bought it for Palm Sunday. But, seeing Cosmas, he said: “There will be Palm Sunday, but Cosmas will not be there,” and ordered the fish to be cooked. But while they were having dinner, Saint Tikhon unexpectedly entered. The friends were so frightened that he found them breaking the fast that they both fell to their knees and asked for forgiveness. But the saint said: “Love is higher than fasting” - and, in order to calm them down, he ate several spoons of fish soup. Cosma was amazed. He knew that Saint Tikhon was a great faster, and in his excitement he related the prediction he had heard in childhood that a great saint of God would live in Zadonsk: “I can’t attribute this to myself,” the saint noted. Nevertheless, he forbade his friends to repeat this story.
Saint Tikhon's charity was not limited to Yelets and the outskirts of Zadonsk; He established an almshouse near Tula, entrusting it to one priest. Sent to the city of Livny Fr. Mitrofan with financial assistance. He even sent alms to his distant northern homeland. He especially loved helping peasants. Zadonsk stood on a high road, and the house of St. Tikhon was a real hostel. He put the sick in his own bed. He performed the funeral service and buried the deceased himself. When Zadonsk turned into a city, he, avoiding noise and crowds, sometimes went to the village to visit his friends or simply to one secluded place that he loved and where the Tikhonovsky Monastery subsequently arose. Nevertheless, he avoided these departures whenever possible.
Saint Tikhon did not give his blessing to everyone who wanted monasticism. He usually gave these persons advice to live in the world as a Christian. But he cared very much about those in whom he saw a real inclination towards monasticism. Thus, two of his spiritual daughters took monastic vows and gave them the names Margarita and Eupraxia and rebuilt the burnt Eletsky monastery.
Another example: Saint Tikhon often visited his friends, the landowners Bekhteevs. On one of these visits, their children, having received a blessing, left and only the youngest, Nikander, remained to listen to the instructions of the saint. Leaving, the saint blessed him with the words: “May the blessing of God be on this young man.” A few years later, Nikandr Alekseevich, at the behest of his parents, entered military service, but soon returned and announced that he wanted to enter a monastery. His parents got scared and, leaving somewhere, locked him up and ordered him to be guarded. That same night Nikandr Alekseevich fled, crossed the Don by boat and landed at the Zadonsk Monastery, which was 12 miles from his parents’ house. Saint Tikhon was waiting for him on the shore. “I knew that you would leave your parents this night,” he said, “and I went to fetch Fr. Mitrofan to meet you." He entrusted it to the spiritual leadership of Fr. Mitrofan, and Nikandr Alekseevich remained in the monastery forever. But he did not bless him to receive tonsure, and Nikander lived in the monastery as a novice until his death. He distributed his share of the inheritance to the poor, and for his livelihood he learned a trade. His grave was honored among the graves of the righteous there.
Saint Tikhon carefully concealed his grace-filled gifts of insight and miracle-working. He could clearly see the thoughts of his interlocutor, predicted the flood of 1777 in St. Petersburg, and in 1778, the year of the birth of Emperor Alexander I, predicted to Nikandr Alekseevich many events of the reign of Alexander I. In 1812, Bekhteev said, from the words of the saint, that Russia will be saved, and Napoleon will die. “The Lord God listened to him on many occasions,” wrote one of his cell attendants. Saint Tikhon healed this cell attendant during his dangerous illness with the words: “Go, and God will have mercy on you.” (The gift of miracles of Saint Tikhon manifested itself even after his death, and with great power.)
Saint Tikhon devoted the last years of his life to prayer and almost complete solitude, preparing for death. Except Fr. Mitrofan, Bekhteev, Sudeikin and cell attendants, he did not receive anyone. At this time, Zadonsk became a city, and a prison was temporarily placed in the monastery. Saint Tikhon had already stopped making his appearances completely; he only visited this prison at night - for the sake of comfort and concern for the prisoners. Whenever possible, he worked for them. Thus, he saved two brother clerks who had been exiled innocently, and their position was returned to them. Three years before his death, he heard a quiet voice: “Your death will be on a weekday.” After this, he was told in a dream: “Work for three more years.” A year and three months before his death, he was struck by paralysis on the left side, and he finally fell ill. Shortly before his death, he saw in a dream that he had to climb a high staircase and many people following him and supporting him. He realized that this ladder marked his path to the Kingdom of Heaven, and the people were those who listened to him and would remember him.
During the last days of his life, his loved ones began to come to say goodbye. Blessing them, he whispered: “I commend you to the Lord.” But he stopped taking it two days before his death. He lay in complete memory, with his eyes closed, and said a prayer.
He died on August 13, 1783, at 6:45 a.m., at the age of 59. The day was Sunday. The funeral service was performed by his close friend, Bishop Tikhon (Malinin) of Voronezh. He was buried in a specially constructed crypt under the altar of the cathedral church of the Zadonsk Monastery.
In 1846, on the occasion of the construction of a new church in the Zadonsky Monastery in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, it became necessary to dismantle the dilapidated stone church and altar, under which the deceased archpastor was buried, and move his coffin for convenience to another place. Then it was discovered that the crypt where the saint rested had collapsed from ancient times, the coffin lid was crushed by bricks, and the coffin itself was close to destruction. The bishop's vestment, in which the Right Reverend Tikhon was buried, despite being in a damp place for half a century, was found intact and almost unchanged in color. His body was also found incorrupt and remaining in the position and form in which the saints of God rest in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. As a result, the body of the saint was placed in a new tomb, placed in the warm monastery church. At the same time, Archbishop Anthony (Smirnitsky) of Voronezh reported to the Holy Synod twice, bringing to general attention the miracles performed at the tomb of St. Tikhon and the general desire for the discovery of the relics of this hierarch. The Right Reverend Anthony wrote about the same thing to Emperor Nicholas I. In 1860, the Right Reverend Joseph (Theological) confirmed the previous reports of Archbishop Anthony and testified about the miraculous healings that had once again taken place at the tomb of St. Tikhon.
The healings from his relics were countless and continue to this day. Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk is one of the most beloved saints by the Russian people.
The works of Saint Tikhon were published at different times, but their complete collection in 16 volumes was published in 1826. The first volume contains only the biography of Tikhon.
Used materials
Http://www.ortho-rus.ru/cgi-bin/ps_file.cgi?1_1451
http://pokrov.gatchina.ru/Holy/Holys/500.htm
http://days.ru/Life/life4431.htm
A new surname - Sokolov - was assigned to him later by the authorities of the Novgorod Seminary.
“I can’t help it, I’m depressed,” you can often hear even from those parishioners whose experience of life in the Church has already allowed them to cope with many other internal problems. Melancholy, defeatism, mood swings, chronic fatigue from oneself and circumstances - it seems that this is characteristic of believers of this particular time more than any other. But it is worth remembering: the saints experienced the same feelings. Some are accurate: for example, Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (August 1, August 26 BC), who struggled with despondency all his life, being prone to it by his spiritual nature. His example shows us that much can be done with this tendency - even one so strong that it cannot be completely overcome. And the Lord will certainly come to the rescue...
Without a piece of bread
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (in the world Timofey Savelyevich Sokolovsky) was born in 1724 in the family of a rural sexton. Soon after his birth, he lost his father, and his mother was left with six children in monstrous need, so the boy was brought up, as they would say now, in a crisis large family. He was almost given to be raised by a neighbor, a coachman, since there was nothing to feed the family, but the older brother begged his mother not to part with the baby. When Timofey became older, he had to hire himself out to rich gardeners for a piece of black bread a day. The early years spent in hopeless poverty left their mark on the spiritual makeup of the future ascetic.
At the request of his older brother, who undertook to support the boy from his own, rather meager, funds, Timofey was enrolled in the Novgorod Theological Slavic School at the bishop's house. The future saint was among the best students and during his high school years he already taught Greek at his school. As his spiritual powers developed, the full depth of his theological education was gradually revealed to Timothy, who was patient and hardworking. Continuing to lead the modest, solitary life of a young teacher after graduating from the seminary, he became increasingly inclined to accept monasticism.
Among the devastation
In April 1758, Timofey Sokolovsky was tonsured a monk with the name Tikhon. After tonsure, he was called to St. Petersburg and ordained a hieromonk, then he was the governor of a number of monasteries. In 1763, in Novgorod, where his spiritual path once began, Archimandrite Tikhon was invested with the rank of bishop. And almost immediately he was appointed to the Voronezh department.
The cathedral city made a painful impression on the bishop: the church buildings were striking in their dilapidation, and church life in its neglect. In the huge diocese - from Voronezh to the Black Sea - there was a shortage of clergy, and the population, scattered across the steppes, was ignorant and superstitious. The archpastor needed to take care of more than eight hundred churches. Can a mortal man have so much power?
The tireless performance of his duties resulted in a complete breakdown of the nervous system for the saint. He was almost unable to serve due to dizziness, trembling hands and fainting. Realizing for himself that his failing health would not be restored, Bishop Tikhon wrote to the Holy Synod a request for retirement. They refused him, advising him to undergo more intensive treatment, and the bishop found himself in a hopeless situation. Having the skill of obedience, he continued to work until insomnia and frequent rushes of blood to the head made it impossible for him not only to serve the Liturgy, but also to generally perform the duties of governing the diocese. Then, on the instructions of the empress, he was sent out of state. The new place of residence of the archpastor was the Tolshevskaya Transfiguration Monastery, and then he moved to the Zadonsky Mother of God Monastery, which is 90 versts from Voronezh. There the ascetic wrote books that were the fruit of his thoughts about eternity and people: “Spiritual Treasure Collected from the World” and “On True Christianity.”
The only way is to serve people
During the years spent in retirement, the saint was at times overcome with particular force by a difficult, restless state of mind. The ascetic grieved that he had worked little for the Church. Clean air and rest from nervous overloads significantly strengthened his poor health, because of which he left the work of a bishop relatively young, at the age of forty-three. And now solitude and leisure in a leisurely living monastery seemed more burdensome to a soul full of strength than any other task; The saint was increasingly overcome by gloomy boredom, prompting him to look for something to do outside the monastery walls. But the departure did not work out at all, and the words of the simple, but respected Elder Aaron in the monastery - “The Mother of God does not order him (that is, Bishop Tikhon. - Ed.) to leave" - prompted the bishop to completely tear up the already written petition to return to affairs.
This period of life - uncertain and completely unfilled outwardly - was one of the most important in the life of the saint. It was a time of desperate and complete struggle with thoughts, overcoming the spirit of sadness, hopelessness and despondency, and rethinking one’s life circumstances. And the soul ultimately acquired the invaluable experience of overcoming - and with it the courage to console the desperate, who have experienced the loss of the meaning of existence and are perishing in gloomy uncertainty. The supernumerary bishop decided not to try anymore to change his current position, internally coming to the conclusion that the only way to get rid of melancholy for him was to serve people in the place and state in which he found himself, and to devote himself completely to works of spiritual and physical mercy.
The saint began to often appear in the monastery courtyard under the guise of a simple monk and strike up conversations with surrounding residents and pilgrims. The interlocutors, seeing an ordinary monk in front of them, bluntly revealed their needs to him. And unexpectedly for themselves, they received financial assistance. The rumor about the merciful ruler grew, and over time the poor themselves began to come to his cell. The archpastor took no less part in the fate of the suffering and sick. In the small house where he lived, he set up a kind of hotel for those who suffered some kind of illness on the way to work or on pilgrimage. In addition, he did spiritual alms, praying with tears for the needs and illnesses of people who knew him closely and not so closely. One day, his very ill former servant came to the Bishop to say goodbye. “Go, and God will have mercy on you,” the Zadon ascetic admonished him touchingly. At the same time, the sick man was not only comforted, but after some time, through the prayers of the saint who loved him, he completely recovered. Vladyka's cell attendant John Efimov, who related this incident for biographers, completed his description with the words: “He (Bishop Tikhon. - Ed.) had great and living faith, and the Lord God listened to him on many occasions.”
“Cry and you will be consoled”
In his writings, which are now read by many not only for edification, but also for consolation, the Bishop in no way avoided the topic of melancholy and grief and did not belittle the importance of human emotions. “We see in the world that people are crying,” he writes in the collection of spiritual notes “Spiritual Treasure Collected from the World.” - They are born crying, live crying, die crying. People cry because they live in the world - a place of crying, a deplorable vale.<…>Cry too, Christian!<…>Cry before time runs out, while tears are useful. Cry - but you won’t cry forever. Cry and you will be consoled.” He, who had known poverty and abandonment by people in his very difficult childhood, was very familiar with this state. But what was just as familiar was what made the tears of hopelessness finally subside — the feeling of God’s help and being under the shelter of a loving Heavenly Father. “You feel His help when you feel the memory of death in yourself, when it comes to your mind that you are earth and will go to earth. You feel His help when you feel the fear of Gehenna and eternal torment. You feel His help whenever the desire for Heavenly blessings comes. You feel His help when for sin you feel death and sadness, for virtue you feel peace and joy within yourself. You feel His help when your conscience is comforted in troubles, misfortunes inflicted unjustly.”
The constant subject of reflection of the Zadonsk ascetic were Christian dogmas about the incomprehensible greatness and omnipotence of God, about His omniscience, omnipresence and goodness, about His good care and providence for man. All this gave rise to holy feelings of gratitude, hope, patience and love in him. During one of his visits from the Zadonsky monastery to the Tolshevsky monastery, the saint, praying alone in an empty church, around midnight knelt before the altar and in fiery prayer asked the Lord to show him the bliss prepared for those who had endured earthly sorrows to the end. And the Lord did not hesitate: the ruler saw the sky open and light shined from it, and heard a voice: “See what has been prepared for those who love God.” The saint fell to the ground and, when the vision ended, in extreme shock and blessed trembling he could barely reach his cell.
Elevating himself more and more spiritually, the saint weakened physically every day. The illnesses that had once forced him to retire returned to him again. Feeling the approach of death, Vladyka Tikhon went into seclusion, from where, out of his undying love, he answered his spiritual children only in writing. He died at the age of 59, in a peaceful spirit, saying goodbye to friends and loved ones. The last letters of this spiritual father fully reflected that gracious peace of heart that was granted to the ascetic who suffered so much from unaccountable melancholy and a sad spirit after many years of labor. It is no coincidence that people often turn to him in prayer with requests for help in overcoming despondency, despair and finding peace of mind in difficult life situations.
Newspaper "Orthodox Faith" No. 14 (561)
