St. Theodosius of the Caucasus - the famous hieroschymon of the Russian Orthodox Church, who served in the Caucasus, Athos, Jerusalem and Constantinople in the 19th-20th centuries. He was the leader of the female community, belonged to the “unremarkable,” but he did not submit to any center, living as closed as possible. So far, much in his biography remains distorted and not completely clear. The main source of information is the memories of women who lived with him, as well as books based on his memories. All these documents often contradict each other, contain suspicious and often obviously inaccurate data. It is noteworthy that the hero of our article is not officially recognized as a saint. This was refused by the Synod Commission after Metropolitan Gideon, who served in the Vladikavkaz and Stavropol dioceses, glorified him as a locally revered saint. At the same time, Gideon promotes the veneration of the elder. He is glorified by some groups of non-canonical Orthodoxy. In this article we will talk about his biography, the beliefs connected with him and what they pray to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus. Let us dwell on the place in which his relics are stored today.
Childhood
Officially, St. Theodosius of the Caucasus was born in the Perm province in 1868. However, in some lives it is indicated that he was born in 1800, which seems implausible, since in this case it will be necessary to admit that he died at 148 years old.
In other lives, 1841 is indicated as the date of birth, but this is doubtful, since then he should have lived up to 106 years. Apparently, the date of birth of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus was recorded with someone else's words.
Reliable is the date of November 4, 1862, which is based on information contained in the archives. His name at birth was Fedor Fedorovich Kashin. The Orthodox claim that his parents were called Catherine and Fedor, they were faithful pious Christians, while they lived extremely poorly, raised many children, trying to convert everyone to Orthodoxy. It is not known how reliable this information is. Note that most of the data relating to his life before leaving for Athos, seem unrealistic. Some scholars insist that all information about the saint until 1878 is mythical.
Arrival at Athos
It can definitely be said that St. Theodosius of the Caucasus left for Mount Athos. However, in some lives, it is alleged that he independently left home at the age of three. He went to Athos with the pilgrims, persuading the abbot of the monastery on the spot to take him to the monastery.
From another source you can learn that he came to Athos as a young man, and from another - that he did this in 1889, that is, when he was already 20 years old.
If you believe the guide "Sputnik of the Russian pilgrim on Mount Athos," the saint Rev. Theodosius of the Caucasus began to live in the cell of the Belt of the Virgin at Iversky Monastery, where he took tonsure. A cell on Athos is called a monastic settlement with an adjacent land plot, which can be very extensive.
Metropolitan Nile ordained to the holy dignity Theodosius, about which there is a corresponding certificate from December 1897. He was allowed to accept confession. In 1901, the post of Ioannicius was successively inherited by the hero of our article.
Scandal
There are many controversial episodes in the life of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus, because of which the Russian Orthodox Church still does not officially recognize him as a saint. Most sources report that he was forced to leave Athos. Anna Ilyinskaya claims that the brethren rebelled against him, having buried manure in a pit. Theodosius got out from there, following the advice of the Mother of God. After that, she gives unlikely information that the monks wrote a letter to the king, in which they accused Theodosius of having placed a woman in his cell under the guise of a monk. After that, the king ordered to send him to prison. Then, in a dream, an angel appeared to the monarch, who ordered the monk to be freed. Submitting, the sovereign ordered to bring Theodosius to him and to appoint a priest to the temple. Ilyinskaya further indicates that during his five years of service in Constantinople, he enjoyed universal reverence, the sick and the poor distributed the money that nobles gave him.
This behavior of the monk was not approved by the king, then Theodosius went to Jerusalem. The same information can be found in other sources about the saint. Then from Jerusalem he returned to Mount Athos, and then again went to Jerusalem. Moreover, the reasons why the saint was expelled from Mount Athos are reliably unknown.
It can be argued that he really served in Constantinople, having arranged a courtyard of his cell there, for which he received a reprimand from the local patriarchy.
It is believed that it was in Constantinople that Theodosius met the 15-year-old Tatyana Nikitina, whom he persuaded to go with him to Mount Athos. At the same time, Ilyinskaya claims that they met in Jerusalem. If this is true, it turns out that the monk came to Athos already with the girl who lived with him for some time, and then the anger of the local brethren is quite explainable.
The act of Theodosius turned into a loud scandal, which was widely covered in Russian and Greek periodicals, primarily in the church. The newspapers wrote that the monk had large funds as the abbot of Athos's cell. But at the same time, apparently, he was deprived of ascetic mood. Due to constant visits to Constantinople, Theodosius was weaned from a monastic lifestyle, journalists claimed. As a result, he began to cohabit with 25-year-old Tatyana Nikitina. After persuading her to go with him to Mount Athos, hiding his floor, since women are not allowed on the mountain. He cut her hair, changed clothes, and issued a male passport in Turkey. Arriving at the holy place, with its flowering and tender appearance, she constantly attracted the attention of others, as a result, the secret was revealed.
Obviously, after such an offense, he was irrevocably expelled from Athos. Moreover, in the guidebooks for 1907 all information about Theodosius has already been removed. In particular, it was alleged that Hieromonk Peter succeeded Ioannikia.
Life in Jerusalem
Several publications entitled "The Life and Miracles of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus" tell us that he went to Mount Jerusalem from Athos. At the same time, Ilyinskaya writes that for several years he still served in Constantinople, but then he asked permission from the king to leave for the Holy Land. Apparently, the king in this context should be understood as the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
In another source, telling about the life and miracles of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus, it is alleged that from 1909 to 1913 he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, regularly conducting services near the Holy Sepulcher.
There is also information that in the Holy Land he accepted the great schema. It is obvious that in Jerusalem the monk continued to live with Tatyana, since in all the lives of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus it is indicated that they fled to Russia together.
Homecoming
It is further reported that in Jerusalem the monk met a retired general whose name is unknown. He invited him to return to Russia. The general, who himself came to bow to the Holy Sepulcher, took upon himself the paperwork for the departure of the old man.
In 1913, Theodosius returned to his homeland. At the same time, everything here was not without scandals. Deacon Andrei Kuraev talks about the report of the head of the Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem, which contains an appeal to the Russian consul on the expulsion of Hieromonk Theodosius from Jerusalem. The document is dated 1914. He was accused of behavior incompatible with monastic vows.
Ilyinskaya claims that Theodosius managed to take out from the Holy Land many golden sacred vessels and crosses. Together with nun Tatyana, he carried them in mattresses and pillows. Many researchers believe that this export of jewelry from Jerusalem was banal smuggling. It is possible that the general, who was trying to return the hero of our article to his homeland, did this disinterestedly.
As a result, Theodosius and Tatyana arrived in the village of Platnirovka, where the general was from. They began to live with him.
Stavropol region
The next place with which the life and miracles of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus are associated is the Stavropol Territory. For an unknown reason, they soon left the village of Platnirovka. This is stated only that the Mother of God ordered him to settle in the area of the monastery, known as the Dark Beeches. It was in him that, until his death, the schema-monarch Hilarion Domrachev, who is considered the ideologist of Russian imyaslavl, lived. From this we can conclude that Theodosius was his supporter or even ally. For example, Vladimir Lermontov in his novel "Delphany" directly indicates that the elders lived together. However, the archives associated with Hilarion do not contain any mention of Theodosius, although many of those with whom the shimonk spent the last years of his life are listed there. There is no mention of the hero of our article and another well-known imyaslavets Anthony Bulatovich.
Based on this, a number of researchers conclude that Theodosius was in the Dark Beeches after the death of Hilarion, most likely in 1917. However, in these places he did not get along, moving closer to the Gorny farm of the Krasnodar Territory, which is three kilometers further.
It was then that several women joined him. Researcher Oleg Boltogaev, who spoke with local residents, claims that the monks were allowed to occupy several abandoned houses, which are called huts here. These are primitive dwellings, which were quickly and quickly built in one or two days.
The monk’s life, written by Sergei Shumilo, states that Theodosius prayed for seven days and nights, standing on a large stone, until the Lord indicated to him the place where the church should be built. After that, the Mother of God allegedly appeared to him, who indicated the place for the temple and prosphora. Shumilo writes that in those places there was a periwinkle, which was not anywhere else in the district. This legend is refuted by Boltogaev, who visited these places. He claims that periwinkle grows everywhere.
Lyudmila Breshenkova, based on the materials of the book of Metropolitan Gideon, writes that several nuns and two teenage girls, whose name was Lyubov and Anna, lived with Theodosius. It was the latter who were with the old man for the next 30 years, and then they began to tell descendants about him, compiled manuscripts about his life and amazing miracles.
Shumilo claims that during this period Theodosius was an old man of all-Russian scale. Many pilgrims came to him who craved counsel and salvation. On the day he took up to five hundred people. People came from the Kuban, the Caucasus, from Ukraine, Siberia, Belarus, the rest of Russia. He spoke with everyone in their native language. Boltogaev writes that the monks who lived on the Gorny farm were unsociable. Around their buildings there was a high and dense fence, and a piece of a railway rail hung on a tree, in which they began to knock as soon as an unknown approached the buildings.
Ilyinskaya in her works gives absolutely unbelievable information that the authorities came to the old man on a string of black cars. People in suits that came out of them gave Theodosius money so that he would pray for them. Because of this, according to Ilyinskaya, for some time the Soviet government did not touch him. In particular, the spiritual daughter of Theodosius was supposedly the wife of the All-Union Warden Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, who worked in the Kuban in the 1920s. As if Kalinin himself came to these places to meet with the monk. After examining the monastery, he issued a document that the elders have a shelter here. After the Civil War, many street children and old people remained. Theodosius collected all of them, for each he found deeds.
Boltogaev claims that these legends have nothing to do with reality. In his opinion, if Kalinin had come to Gornoye at least once, information about this would have remained in the district, and Soviet schoolchildren would have talked about this for several decades in the lessons on the history of their native land. In addition, the wife of the All-Union elder Ekaterina Ivanovna Lorberg was a convinced revolutionary, a Jew, and a member of the Supreme Court of the USSR, so she could not be the spiritual daughter of Theodosius. Finally, in two huts built in haste, it was physically impossible to establish any shelter.
But the information that Theodosius taught local children to read and write, Boltogaev managed to find. One of the locals by the name of Katalevsky said that it was from the monks that he learned to read and write. He came to their cells several times a week. They taught him to read, count, write and pray. However, they did this not disinterestedly. Instead, they took a rabbit, flour, chicken or duck.
The arrest of the elder
In the first years after the Civil War, the old man was not touched, but then he was still arrested. True, it is not known exactly when this happened. Some sources mention 1925, others - 1927. The circumstances of this arrest are also different.
Some write that Theodosius knew in advance what had happened and waited for him to come. During the arrest, he allegedly washed the feet of either the nuns or those who came to arrest him.
Some sources mention that the young novice Love, who served him until his death, went in exile for him.
Theodosius was released from prison in 1931. He settled in Mineralnye Vody. The monk did not accept the declaration of Metropolitan Sergius, which was understood as the policy of unconditional loyalty of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Soviet government. Moreover, he created a house church in which he performed services until his death in 1948.
After his death, the schemons Epiphanius Chernov and the schema nun Varvara Moza began to lead the community.
The dispute over canonization
The study of the life of Theodosius and his popular veneration was raised by the Stavropol diocese in 1994. The decision was made by the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints under the Moscow Patriarchate. Its members concluded that it was not possible to consider a monk a saint. In total, the canonization of Theodosius of the Caucasus was refused five times. However, this did not stop Metropolitan Gideon.
In April 1995, in Mineralnye Vody, the solemn acquisition of the remains of an old man was made. In August 1998, the relics of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus were transferred from St. Michael the Archangel Church to the Intercession Cathedral, the construction of which has just been completed. More than seventy thousand pilgrims and local residents took part in the procession and subsequent services. They came from all over the Caucasus, from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Siberia, even near and far abroad. The relics of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus and today the main shrine of the Intercession Cathedral.
Despite the fact that the elder was not canonized, the Russian Orthodox Church does not resist his veneration. In 2016, the Bishop of Alansky and Vladikavkaz Leonid blessed the traditional pilgrimage trip to Mineralnye Vody to bow to the relics of Theodosius of the Caucasus.
Today, one of the streets on the territory of the village of Goryachevodsky in Pyatigorsk bears the name of an old man.
Prayers
It is believed that it makes sense to offer prayers to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus after his death, as he continues to work miracles. For example, eyewitnesses say that luminous poles are regularly seen above his grave. Constantly asking for help in prayers to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus. It is believed that, first of all, he helps the fair sex. After all, it was not in vain that even the female community existed under him. It is best to turn to the saint in the Intercession Cathedral or on the grave of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus. Where its burial is located we will prompt any resident of Mineral waters. The monk found peace near the Intercession Cathedral.
In the Caucasus, everyone will tell you what they pray to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus. In most cases, he is asked to strengthen his faith. There is one more thing in which the elder traditionally helps. They pray to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus for help in getting rid of ailments.
It is believed that the strength of the old man is so great that the effect can be even if you decide not to come to the Caucasus, do not visit Mineralnye Vody. You can still read the prayer to the holy elder Theodosius of the Caucasus. If you apply sincerely, he will certainly help. Here is the full text of the prayer to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus.
O holy servant of God, reverend Father Theodosius!
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During the years of battle, father, you helped the Orthodox people to defeat the enemy and adversary, and you saved many here, and even from despondency, grief and despair, you will end your life with delight. By the help of your faith I am strengthened in my hope, for the Lord will not leave our Fatherland, the Mother of God will keep His inheritance, and Her anger through prayers for mercy will be fulfilled.
Your laborious feat of Christ’s foolishness for the sake of surprise, father, is not only of us earthly, but also of celestials who have appeared to you. All bo can do the prayer of the righteous, which is followed by strong faith.
You weigh our needs and sorrows, reverend Father Theodosius, weigh and our desire to be with Christ. Having passed the narrow and thorny path of earthly existence, you bear the grave of yer from your brethren, from infidels and fellow tribesmen. Remember us, older than God, at the Throne of the Lord, as if you had promised to help everyone, they will turn to you.
The memory of you, father, has not been impoverished in the lands of the Caucasus until now: with faith and hope, Orthodox people flow to the place of your repose, asking for intercession and help.
We ask Theodosius, most reverent father: help us, in our difficult times of life, in sorrow and suffering, implore the Head of the Lord’s world, may He soften the wicked and coarse human hearts and pacify the peoples of the Caucasus, and ruin the wicked advice of schismatics and heretics who rise up against the Russian Church The saint.
By your prayers, holier of God, God forgive us all sins, let the arrows of enmity and the machinations of the devil pass us. Ask the Creator and the Provider of life for our time to repent, from the perdition of deliverance, sick health, fallen restoration, sorrowful consolation, upbringing in God's transfiguration, good preparation departing to eternity, departing repose and heavenly kingdom inheritance.
Wake up, Father Theodosius, patron and helper to all the faithful of the land of the Caucasus. May the Holy Orthodoxy be strengthened and multiplied on it and in all of Russia by the Great. We, with your prayers, we strengthen, glorify the Life-Giving Trinity and your name sanctified by God, now and evermore and forever. Amen.
You can also read the akathist to St. Theodosius of the Caucasus.
Miracles
Many different miracles are associated with the hero of our article. For example, it is alleged that people from all over the country came to the desert in which he settled after his arrest. He healed some, and gave important and useful instructions to others. At the same time, he refused some if they turned to him insincerely. He ordered one woman to immediately go home and part with the illegitimate husband with whom she was living at that moment.
Once a man was brought to him on crutches. The father talked with him for a long time, exposing him of sins, which the disabled person had already forgotten about. He wept bitterly with repentant tears. At the end of the conversation, the old man brought him a mug of muddy water, ordering him to be baptized and drink everything to the bottom, since all his sins were in the cup. As soon as the man complied with the order, he stood up, throwing his crutches to the side, and took several steps. Since then he has been completely healthy. Before Theodosius, the former disabled person fell to his knees, beginning to thank him with tears in his eyes. The father instructed him to return to the world and no longer sin. This immediately became known in all neighborhoods. Numerous pilgrims began to flock to the desert.
Another time, a large group went to the old man, in which there were many adults and children. On the road that led to his farm, they left only in the evening. At this time, dogs appeared in front of them, guarding a flock of sheep nearby. Everyone stopped in fear, but at that moment in the distance they noticed a man with a stick. This was Father Theodosius. He told them that he went out to meet them so that they would not be afraid. When asked how he found out about their visit, he replied that the Mother of God informed him about the pilgrims on the road, who were afraid on the road.
It is believed that Theodosius performed many miracles during the Great Patriotic War. This is described in detail by his spiritual daughters, who remained to serve him until his death.
As if once Theodosius passed by wagons with ammunition. Eyewitnesses claim how he pushed them to the side by the power of prayer. After some time, an enemy raid occurred. Just in the place where they stood earlier, a shell hit. A strong explosion and large destruction were supposedly avoided only thanks to Theodosius.
Another time during the German offensive, the elder took the children out of kindergarten and took them to shelter. On the way, they were bombarded by enemy bombers, but by a lucky chance no one was killed.
Many miracles connect St. Theodosius of the Caucasus with icons. It is said that the family in which he grew up was very large. All gathered together only during dinner. Once, when everyone was seated at a table, a dove flew out of the red corner, where there were many icons, which sat right on Fedor’s hand. The boy stroked him, and his mother told him to let him go, stop playing and start eating. The hero of our article raised his hand up as far as he could, the bird took off and again disappeared behind the icons. The whole family was struck by such a guest, only after many years they guessed that it was a divine sign.
When the old man once prayed on a stone, his spiritual daughter Ekaterina from Rostov saw how the horns broke out, and an unusually bright light lit up the entire gorge. After that, a woman of unearthly beauty came down to the monk, who had a long conversation with him.
Since then, the holy places of Theodosius of the Caucasus have been considered the vicinity of Mineral waters. They say that here he helped thousands of people. He delivered some from physical illnesses, others healed in a word from spiritual torment and suffering. The main thing is that he treated everyone without exception, taking him on the true path to salvation. They say that he always knew in advance what request this or that person would turn to him, foresaw the remaining life and even the death of all his interlocutors. Thanks to the prayers of the elder, the holy spring Theodosius of the Caucasus scored in these places, the water from which still has the property to heal the afflicted. Now many people worship this man, and pilgrims from all over Russia come to holy places.