No wonder the sun of Kiev is called the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Around it, the history of Kievan Rus revolves for centuries. Its radiance began with the quiet light of the lamps that lit up in the caves of the laurels almost ten centuries ago. Today the relics of the holy ascetics rest in g
robes of near and distant caves. The holy relics of Mark the Undertaker are also among them. There are 120 of them.
Mark the Undertaker. Life
After the adoption of the holy angelic image, this holy ascetic lived in a cave during the time of the holy father Theodosius in the late XI - early XII centuries. Imitating the exploits of the holy Pechersk fathers, he refined his flesh with great abstinence, his copper hollow cross, where he poured it, served as a daily measure of water, and dry bread that the monk did not eat every day. The reverend dug up entire streets in caves, and not only for prayers, but also for the burial of a dead fraternity. This was his special obedience.
Constantly working in his charitable deed, he had no desire to receive earthly blessings, while waiting for a great reward in Heaven. And even if they gave him some kind of payment, he immediately distributed it to the poor and wretched.
Blessed Mark the Undertaker finally defeated the enemy of the human race, "having a ghost", having killed his flesh, not only by confinement in a cave, but by vigil, fasting, abstinence from sleep, hunger, hard physical labor and iron encirclement. He, almost like an angel, showed himself incorporeal in fact, and therefore was not afraid of death, or rather, she was afraid of him, like a voice and an archangelic trumpet, because the Lord had endowed this holy ascetic with such powerful miracles that even the dead obeyed him, and all this was confirmed by miracles.
Miraculous deeds
Many very interesting stories are associated with St. Mark the Undertaker. Once he was exhausted, having bothered, and made one of the graves narrow. On the same day, one of the monks fell ill due to illness, and since there was no other grave, they put him with great difficulty in this cramped place. The brotherhood did not like this, and she began to murmur against the monk Mark, since she could not pour oil on the deceased.
Then the reverend asked the deceased brother to move a little and, due to the cramped bed, to pour oil on himself. Suddenly, according to the monk, in some miraculous way, the deceased raised himself a little, took the oil in his hand and poured it on himself crosswise. Then, having returned the vessel and recovering, he lay down and rested. At the sight of all this, a startling fear and awe seized.
Monk's Resurrection
There was another case when St. Mark the Undertaker did not have time to prepare a place for the newly appointed monk. Another monk, wiping the deceased with a sponge, went to the cave to look at the place where his body would rest.
Having met Mark on his way, he asked whether the place was ready. But he asked to tell the deceased to wait a little longer. But the monk said in surprise that he had already wiped the monk's dead body and left. Arriving at the monastery, he saw the brethren singing over the deceased. Then he said to the dead brother all the words that the prp conveyed to him. Mark, that the place is not ready yet and needs to wait.
As soon as he said the words conveyed by blessed Mark, the soul instantly returned to the deceased. He opened his eyes without speaking, and lived the term that Mark had so requested. In the morning, when the place was ready, the body of the deceased was laid, and the spirit immediately went to God.
The brothers Fephilus and John
Here is another story that was associated with the pr. Mark. Once he prepared a grave for the brothers Theophilus and John, the latter the Lord called earlier another brother, and he was buried in the place which the eldest - Theophilus was supposed to take. It was slightly higher in location.
Theophilus was not in the monastery at that time; he was sent to obey. Upon returning, he first washed tears of sorrow over his departed brother, and then was very indignant at seeing that his brother was put in his place, and was indignant at the monk. Then prp. Mark asked the dead man to move down a little, and he immediately fulfilled the request of the reverend. Struck by what he saw, Theophilus greatly repented and then behaved piously all his life, shedding tears in his death’s memory every day and thus leading himself to physiological blindness, but spiritually looking. Now the relics of the holy brothers Theophilos and John rest near the relics of St. Mark.
Ascetic Holy Relics
Blessed Mark the Undertaker was exhausted by wearing heavy iron chains. He spent day and night in unceasing prayer in strict fasting, as the Lord Himself did.
God revealed to the saint the time of his death, and when it came, he called the monk Theophilus, with him they fasted and prayed for a long time. Pr Mark himself dug up the grave and after his death was buried in the nearby caves. His holy relics were the chains, the cap and the miraculous copper cross, with which he consecrated with his lips.
The result of anthropological research showed that prp. Mark introduced himself at the age of about 40 years.
Cap prp. Mark
Now, many who come to his holy relics through their prayers receive healing and resolution of various fateful cases.
Pechersk ascetics became carriers of the grace of the Holy Spirit and perfect morality. Their imperishable relics in the Lavra caves are a gift of Divine Grace for a special love for others and the holiness of life.
Rev. Mark the Undertaker wore a hat in the iron frame of the icons, which was 4 kg in weight. Today it is stored in the Lavra in the temple "Life-giving spring." From Monday to Friday at 8:30 a.m., Saturday at 10:30 a.m., except Sunday, prayers are performed in this temple with donning a hat. At this time, the holy ascetic is asked for help and intercession.
The Orthodox Church solemnly commemorates his name as part of the Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Reverends Resting in the Near Caves on January 11 and October 11 according to the new calendar.
Heavenly patrons
We should never forget about our holy heavenly protectors, who, hearing our prayers, are ready to bring them to the Lord at any moment.
Some people, together with the pectoral cross or on special days, wear the pectoral icon of St. Mark the Undertaker or the icon of some other holy patron saint. So believers try to defend themselves from the machinations of evil spirits, receive healing from illnesses, and become tempered by fortitude in various everyday situations.
In his constant prayer, Mark the Undertaker addressed the beloved Lord with an appeal: “Vladyka the Humane, Lord Jesus Christ, my Most Holy King!”
Troparion St. Marku begins with the words: “Having died the carnal lusts of many abstinence ...”
The kontakion to the saint sounds like this: “The doctor is pretty and the miracle worker love, faithfulness, we will please, asking him ...”.
Holy reverend Father Marche, pray to God for us!