Venerable Theodosius the Abbot (+1074)

The Venerable Theodosius the Abbot (+1074), founder of the Russian monastic rule and father of monasticism, was born near Kiev, in Vasilevo. From his youth he lived as an ascetic in his parents’ house. When he was fourteen his father died, and he was left under the supervision of his strict and domineering mother. She punished her son more than once for his striving towards ascetic life, but the Venerable Theodosius held firmly to the path he had chosen. At twenty-four he secretly left home and, with the blessing of the Venerable Antony, was tonsured a monk in the Kiev Caves monastery. Four years later his mother found her son and begged him with tears to come home, but Saint Theodosius himself persuaded his mother to stay in Kiev and become a nun in the convent of Saint Nicholas.

In the monastery Saint Theodosius worked more than the others and did the brethren’s tasks himself as well. He was the first to come to church and did not stir from his place until the service ended. In 1054 the Venerable Theodosius was ordained hieromonk, and in 1057 he was chosen abbot. His labours gathered many monks to the monastery. He built a new church and introduced the rule of the monastery of Studios. In the rank of abbot the Venerable Theodosius took on the hardest obediences. He usually ate only bread and greens, and spent his nights in prayer. The venerable father cared especially for the needy. Saint Theodosius foretold his death and died in 1074. He was buried in a cave he had dug himself, where he used to spend Great Lent. In 1091 the saint’s incorrupt relics were uncovered. In 1108 he was canonised.