St Stephen, Bishop of Perm (1396)

Saint Stephen, Bishop of Perm (+1396), was born around 1340 into the family of Symeon, a reader of Ustyug. With the help of his pious mother Mary, Stephen from childhood showed extraordinary zeal in the service of the Church: in one year he learned to read and helped his father in the divine services.

The saint was tonsured in his youth in the monastery of Saint Gregory the Theologian in Rostov. The monastery had a rich library. Stephen wanted to read the lives of the fathers in the original, and so he learned Greek. Arseny, Bishop of Rostov (1374–1380), ordained him hierodeacon. In 1379 Saint Stephen went to Gerasim, Bishop of Kolomna, and asked his blessing to go to preach in the land of the pagans, Perm.

In 1383 Saint Stephen was consecrated Bishop of Perm. He shepherded his flock faithfully, protected it from the attacks of other tribes, and interceded for it.

In 1390 the bishop went to Moscow on church business. Saint Stephen loved Sergius of Radonezh ardently and wanted very much to see him, but for lack of time he could not manage to go to the monastery. Saint Stephen prayed, looked towards the monastery and said: “Peace be with thee, spiritual brother!” The Venerable Sergius, who was sitting at table with the brethren, stood up, prayed, bowed towards the place where the holy bishop was travelling, and answered: “Rejoice thou too, shepherd of Christ’s flock, and the peace of the Lord be with thee!”

In 1395 Saint Stephen again went to Moscow to settle the affairs of his flock, and died there.