Saints Zosima and Savvaty, Solovetsky Wonderworkers

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Zosimus and Savvaty of Solovetsky - these saints never crossed paths, but through their deeds they created a common cause. That is why they are revered by the Orthodox as a single whole. The main asset for them is that they were the founders and important figures of the Solovetsky Monastery.

Lives of the Saints

Since they are among the leading positions of the most revered saints, it is not surprising that there are several days of memory of Zosima and Savvati. Here is their list:

April 30;
June 3;
July 7;
12th of August;
August 21 and 22;
The 20th of October.

Regarding the lives of Zosima and Savvaty Solovetsky, it is worth knowing that they were zealous followers of Christianity and were engaged in educational activities for a long time.

Hegumen Zosim Solovetsky was born near Lake Onega in the village of Tolvue. His parents tried to raise him in love for the Lord. After their death, he gave away all his property and became a monk. When he was looking for a secluded place, he met the Monk Herman on the coast of the White Sea. He told him about a deserted island, where he spent 6 years with Saint Sabbatius.

Around 1436, the comrades safely reached their destination. God showed him a vision of the church, blessing the place. With his own hands he made a cell, and then began to cultivate the land. In the fall, Herman went to the mainland and was unable to return due to weather conditions. He had to overcome many temptations over the winter. But he persevered and did not renounce his faith. In the spring, his friend returned with a supply of food.

When several hermits arrived there, a decision was made to build a wooden church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This became the basis for the future Solovetsky Monastery. Zosimus was elected abbot. The relics of Saint Sabbatius were transferred here to them. He knew about his death and prepared for it. He was buried behind the altar of the Transfiguration Church. Afterwards a chapel was built there. In 1566, the relics of both saints were transferred to the chapel of the Transfiguration Cathedral.

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The Church of Saints Zosima and Savvatiy Solovetsky is located in Moscow in the Golyanovo district. Detailed information about it can be found on the temple’s website on the Internet.

Venerable Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky

This year, August 21 marks the 20th anniversary of the great consecration of the temple by Patriarch Alexy II.

The great Russian saints - Reverends Zosima and Savvaty - are unique historical figures and amazing miracle workers who made a huge contribution to strengthening the spiritual and geographical borders of our Motherland. Savvaty laid the foundation, and Zosima with great diligence continued the work of building monastic life in Russia to the greater glory of God.

Through prayers addressed to Saints Zosima and Savvaty, numerous miracles were performed. Only according to the lists of the 16th-17th centuries, about a hundred posthumous miracles of the saint are known. Zosima and Savvatiya. And how many of them are performed these days through the prayers of the holy saints of Solovetsky!

One of the monks of the monastery named Mitrofan said that when he was still a layman, a merchant and sailing on the sea, one day such a strong storm arose that the ship began to be flooded with waves and everyone on it fell into despair and tearfully prayed to the Savior and the Mother of God. But suddenly they remembered the Monk Zosima of Solovetsky, called him to their aid and immediately saw the saint sitting at the stern of the ship and hitting the waves with his monastic robe, which is why the excitement immediately stopped. And he steered the ship until he brought it to the shore.

A certain elder Theodulus accidentally slipped, fell and hurt himself so badly that he could not go to church and lay in bed all the time. The Monk Zosima came to his cell late one evening, prayed and healed Theodulus.

A layman named Nikon was severely tormented by demons. When they brought him to the relics of the Monk Zosima, he appeared to him, delivered him from the demons and sent him home healthy.

One blind peasant received healing at the tomb of the saint, but due to his lack of faith he became blind a second time. Then he returned to the relics, repented, prayed and was again healed by the monk.

Often the Monk Zosima appeared praying together with the Monk Savvaty. So one day the monk Joseph, while on the island of Kuzovo, climbed the mountain at night to pray and, looking at the Solovetsky Islands, saw two pillars of fire rising from earth to heaven from the middle of the monastery. When he told other monks about what he had seen, they told him: “These are the founders and leaders of the Solovetsky monastery, the Monks Zosima and Savvaty, shining from their graves, for they are spiritual pillars, enlightened by Divine grace.”

Reverends Zosima and Savvaty healed a demon-possessed woman, Maria.

The Monks Zosima and Savvaty, the leaders of the Solovetsky monastery, performed many other miracles. And may the miracles mentioned here serve for our spiritual benefit and the glorification of the saints of God and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, wondrous in His Saints.

The Monk Savvaty
performed his monastic feat in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery.
This was in the year 1396. When he learned that in the far north, in the sea, there was an uninhabited Solovetsky island, after praying to God, at night he left the monastery, heading his way to Solovki. Having traveled about 800 versts, he reached Savvatiy the seashore. Local residents, having learned about his intention to settle on this island, strenuously dissuaded him, describing the harsh conditions and the extraordinary difficulty of life on the island. What he heard only made Savvaty happy. Deprivations and difficulties fully responded to the dictates of his heart to achieve the desired solitude.

On the Vyga River, in the village of Soroka (now the city of Belomorsk), he met his future roommate in Solovki, monk Herman, who lived at the chapel.
All this happened in the summer of 1429. Herman had already been to Solovetsky Island and invited Savvaty not only to accompany him to Solovki, but also to stay with him on the island. Arriving at the place, the monks erected a cross, built a cell, and through work and prayer began their new life in unbearably difficult conditions. In the Far North it was impossible to find plant-based fasting food all year round; it was impossible to survive in the harsh winter cold without warm clothing and shelter - all this had to be obtained with great difficulty.
They collected mushrooms, berries, fished, ate grass and tree bark. And the elders of God patiently endured all the climate changes in their miserable huts, warmed by their love for the Lord. Together they lived here as hermits for six years. After this time, Herman left the island and moved to the Onega River, while Savvaty was left alone. One day, while performing prayers, the monk Savvaty received news from God that his death was approaching. After such a warning, Savvaty wanted to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. By God's Will, Saint Savvaty safely traveled from the island to the “mainland” and arrived on the river. I go to the chapel. At that time, by the Providence of God, Abbot Nathanael visited there, arriving to care for the baptized Zyryans. The abbot gave Holy Communion to Savvaty and asked him to wait in the chapel while he gave Holy Communion to a sick man in another village.

The Monk Savvaty
died peacefully in the chapel during prayer, sitting in a doll and robe with a censer in his hand. This was September 27, 1435. Returning from the village, Abbot Nathanael buried the deceased ascetic. On Solovetsky Island the relics of St. Savvaty were transferred under Abbot Zosima in 1465. All believers, flocking to him, received relief from grief and healing of illnesses through the prayers of the Reverend.
A year after the death of the Monk Savvaty, the Monk Zosima appeared as the successor of his exploits on the deserted Solovetsky Island.

The Monk Zosima
was the son of rich and pious parents from the village of Tolvui, which lay not far from Lake Onega. Zosima led a hermit's life from his youth. His solitude took place not far from his parents' house, but he longed for greater asceticism. His wish came true. One day he met an elder named Herman, who, in a spiritual, frank conversation, told the young hermit about the life of the Monk Savvaty on Solovetsky Island. Zosima remembered the conversation. Soon his father died, and his mother went to a monastery. Having distributed the family estate to the poor, Zosima and German went to Solovetsky Island. This was in 1436.
On the very first morning after arriving on the island, the Monk Zosima had a prophetic vision. Coming out of his hut in the morning, he saw an extraordinary light illuminating the entire surrounding area, and in the east, on the mountain, a huge, beautiful temple towering above the ground appeared to him. Zosima and German remained to live on the island.

In the first winter, Zosima was left alone on the island, because Herman went to the mainland to acquire what he needed to set up a monastery, and was unable to return due to strong winds. Then the hermit had to endure numerous cruel attacks by unclean spirits who tried to expel him from the island. The saint defeated them with prayer. Some time later, Zosima discovered a shortage of food supplies and was very embarrassed by this, but, as before, he relied on God’s help. Soon two men came to him, bringing with them sleighs full of bread, flour and butter. They said they were going to sea to fish. Zosima waited for a long time, but did not wait for these people to return and realized that help was sent to him from God.

Soon other monks began to arrive on the island. Rapid construction of the monastery began. The arriving inhabitants cut down their cells and built a small church with a refectory in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The Novgorod archbishop ordained Zosima and made him abbot of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery.

Soon after his dedication, the new abbot ordered the construction of a large temple in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord and precisely on the spot where he had a vision on the first morning after arriving in Solovki. There they laid the foundation and began to build the church. Zosima and his brethren in 1465 transferred the relics of Savvaty from the Vyga River and placed them behind the altar of the Transfiguration Church that was built. From that time on, miracles began to be performed at the tomb of Savvaty, and the sick received healings.

Hegumen Zosima lived in the monastery for 42 years, of which he was its abbot for 26 years. Anticipating the approach of death, he began to prepare for the transition to eternity. He made himself a coffin and dug a grave with his own hands. Pointing to a successor and giving spiritual instructions to the brethren, Abbot Zosima departed to the Lord. Saint Zosima died on April 17, 1478. He was buried behind the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral next to the grave of Savvaty Solovetsky.

Soon after his repose, the monk appeared to the monk Daniel and told how, by the grace of God, he passed unhindered by
the air demons and, without being detained by them, was canonized.
If the Monk Savvaty was the founder of Solovetsky, the first monk who lived on the island in feats of fasting and prayer, then the Monk Zosima should be recognized as the founder of the Solovetsky monastery and its first beautifier.

What do they ask from the icon of saints?

In any difficult situation, we are constantly looking for outside help. First of all, a believer offers his prayers to the Lord. These saints were no exception. You can ask for help not only in special religious buildings, but also at home. Such requests should not be regarded as a quick fulfillment of what you want. It all depends on how much you believe in God. Only in such a situation will you receive his favor. How do Zosim and Savvaty Solovetsky help? For the most part, they are asked to:

solving difficult life situations;
ending a difficult period in life;
strengthening faith;
healing from physical and mental illnesses;
protection from misfortunes, especially violent ones;
getting rid of envious people, attacks of evil forces, quarrels and discord in the family.

Most often they use their own words, but you can also use a special prayer to Zosima and Savvaty Solovetsky:

“Oh, our reverend and God-bearing fathers Zosimo and Savvatie, earthly angels and heavenly people, close friends of Christ and saints of God, your abodes are glory and adornment, all But the northern countries, and especially the entire Orthodox Fatherland, are an insurmountable wall and a great intercession! Behold, we, unworthy and many sinners, with reverent love for your holy relics, falling down, with a contrite and humble spirit, we diligently pray to you: pray unceasingly to our gracious Master and Lord Jesus Christ, for there is great boldness in those who have it, so that His all-effective grace may not depart from us, may the protection and intercession of the Most Holy Lady of our Mother of God abide in this place, and may the true zealots of the angelic life never fail in this holy monastery, where you, God-bearing fathers and began flax, immeasurable labors and sorrows, tearful and all-night vigils, unceasing prayers and with prayers make the beginning of monastic life. To her, saintly saints, most favorable prayers to God, with your warm prayers to Him, protect and save us and your holy village from coward, flood, fire and sword, invasion of foreigners and deadly ulcers, from enmity and all kinds of disorder, from all misfortune and sorrow and from all evil: may the most holy name of the Lord and God be reverently glorified in this place, in peace and silence, and those who seek Him may find eternal salvation. Oh, our blessed fathers, Zosimo and Savvatie! Hear us sinners who live unworthy in your holy monastery and under the roof of your protection, and through your powerful petitions to God, ask our souls to forgive us their sins, live and correction and the reception of eternal blessings in the Heavenly Kingdom: to all believers, in every place and in every need They call on you for help and intercession, and those who flow into your monastery with reverent love, do not cease to pour out all grace and mercy, preserving them from all opposing forces, from all adversity and from every evil situation, and giving them everything they need spiritually and physically benefit. Most of all, pray to the most merciful God, that He may establish and strengthen His holy Church and all our Orthodox Fatherland in peace and silence, in love and unanimity, in orthodoxy and piety, and preserve This is forever and ever. Amen."

Venerable Zosima of Solovetsky, abbot, Savvaty of Solovetsky, Herman of Solovetsky

Brief life of St. Zosima, abbot of Solovetsky

The Monk Zosima, abbot of Solovetsky, the great luminary of the Russian North, founder of the monastic community on Solovetsky Island, was born in the Novgorod diocese, in the village of Tolvue near Lake Onega.
From a young age he was raised in piety and after the death of his parents Gabriel and Varvara, he distributed property and took monastic vows. In search of a secluded place, the monk went to the coast of the White Sea and at the mouth of the Suma met with the Monk Herman (July 30), who told him about a deserted sea island, where he and the Monk Savvaty (September 27) lived for 6 years.

Around 1436, the hermits, having successfully completed their sea voyage, landed on the Solovetsky Islands. God blessed the place of their settlement with the vision of the Monk Zosima of a beautiful church in the air. The monks built a cell and a fence with their own hands and began cultivating and sowing the land. One day in late autumn, the Monk Herman went to the mainland for the necessary supplies. Due to the autumn weather, he was unable to return. The Monk Zosima spent the entire winter alone on the island. He endured many temptations in the fight against demons. He was threatened with starvation, but two strangers miraculously appeared and left him a supply of bread, flour and butter. In the spring, the Monk Herman returned to Solovki with the fisherman Mark and brought a supply of food and fishing gear.

When several hermits gathered on the island, the Monk Zosima built for them a small wooden church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord with a refectory. At the request of the Monk Zosima, an abbot was sent from Novgorod to the newly created monastery with an antimension for the cathedral church. This was the beginning of the famous Solovetsky Monastery. In the harsh conditions of the remote island, the monks managed to organize a household. But the abbots, who were sent to Solovki from Novgorod, could not stand living in unusually difficult conditions, and the brethren elected the Monk Zosima as abbot.

The Monk Zosima set about organizing the internal life of the monastery and introduced a strict dormitory system. In 1465, he transferred the relics of St. Savvaty to Solovki from the Vyg River. The monastery suffered oppression from the Novgorod boyars, who took away the monks' fish catches. The monk was forced to go to Novgorod and seek protection from the archbishop. On the advice of the archbishop, he went around the houses of the boyars and asked them not to let the monastery fall into ruin. The influential and wealthy noblewoman Marfa Boretskaya ordered the Rev. Zosima to be expelled with dishonor, but then she repented and invited him to dinner, during which he suddenly saw that six of the noblest boyars were sitting without heads. The Monk Zosima told the vision to his disciple Daniel and predicted a quick death for the boyars. This prediction was fulfilled in 1478, when the boyars were executed during the capture of Novgorod by John III (1462–1505).

Shortly before his death, the monk himself prepared a coffin for himself, in which he was buried behind the altar of the Transfiguration Church († April 17, 1478). Subsequently, a chapel was built over his grave. His relics, together with the relics of St. Savvaty, were transferred on August 8, 1566 to the chapel, consecrated in their honor in the Transfiguration Cathedral.

Many miracles were witnessed when the Monk Zosima and the Monk Savvaty appeared to fishermen who were perishing in the depths of the sea. The Monk Zosima is also the patron of beekeeping and the guardian of bees; he even received the title “beekeeper.” People often resort to the Monk Zosima when they are sick. The many hospital churches dedicated to him testify to the great healing power of his prayers before God.

Complete Life of St. Zosima, Abbot of Solovetsky

In 1436, St. Zosima buried his parents, distributed the inheritance to the poor, and together with the Rev. Herman Solovetsky went to Solovetsky Island. Their journey was successful, and they landed on an island near a freshwater lake. Here, having built a tent for themselves from tree branches, the hermits performed an all-night vigil, praying to the Lord to bless their intention. The Lord consoled them with a prophetic vision: in the morning the Monk Zosima, coming out of the booth, saw an extraordinary light illuminating the entire surrounding area, and in the east, in the air, a beautiful and great church. Surprised by this vision, the hermit hurried into the bush. O. Herman, noticing a change in the face of his roommate, asked him if he had seen anything unusual? Etc. Zosima told him everything he saw. At the same time, Saint Herman, remembering the miraculous expulsion of the laity from the island under Savvatiya and the prophecy that monks would live here, said to St. Zosima: “Do not be horrified and be attentive; It seems to me that through you the Lord will gather many monks.” Story about. Herman was consoled by St. Zosima about the events under Savvatia, and they decided to build a monastery. Having prayed to God, the hermits began to cut down the forest for buildings, erected a fence and cells. They earned their own food with their own hands by cultivating and sowing the land. But these physical labors in no way weakened their prayerful deeds.

However, the hermits had to endure many trials before they saw their monastery inhabited by monks. At the end of winter, Herman sailed with the fisherman Mark, who wished to share solitude with the monks, and also brought a sufficient amount of food and seawater for fishing. Soon Mark took monastic vows and was the first disciple of the monks. His example was followed by many coastal residents who, sailing to the island, built their cells near the cells of St. Zosima and Herman and earned food through the labor of their hands. The Monk Zosima, seeing the multiplication of disciples, built a small wooden church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the place where he had a prophesied vision of a temple in the air; He added a small refectory to the church and opened a hostel. Thus the Solovetsky monastery was founded, preserved to this day by the mercy of God, despite all the trials it has experienced.

Having established a monastery, St. Zosima sent one monk to Novgorod to Archbishop Jonah with a request to appoint an abbot and for a blessing for the consecration of the temple. Saint Jonah appointed Hieromonk Paul as the Solovetsky abbot, who, upon his arrival in Solovki, consecrated the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. But this abbot, unable to bear the difficulties of desert life, soon returned to Novgorod. The same thing happened to his successor, Abbot Theodosius. Then the brethren of the Solovetsky Monastery decided in a general council not to take abbots from other monasteries, but to choose from among themselves. Carrying out their decision, they sent messengers to the Novgorod archbishop with a request that he call their father, Zosima, and ordain him to the priesthood and abbess, although not without resistance from the humble elder. Saint Jonah of Novgorod did just that: calling the saint to him with a letter, he convinced him to accept the priesthood and abbot. Having received rich sacrifices from citizens for his monastery, consisting of money, clothes, vessels, and food supplies, the monk was honorably released by the bishop to Solovki. With joy the brethren welcomed the return of their respected and beloved abbot. The sign of God's grace further strengthened the general reverence for the teacher. abbot. When he celebrated the first liturgy in his monastery, his face shone like the face of an Angel, and the church was filled with a special fragrance. At the end of the service, the monk blessed some merchants who were in the monastery at that time with prosphora, and they, leaving the church, carelessly dropped it. Passing by, the monk Macarius noticed a dog that was trying to grab something but could not because of the rising flame. Approaching, Macarius saw that it was a prosphora lost by the merchants. Picking it up, the monk brought it to the venerable abbot and, to the considerable surprise of everyone, told his vision.

With the multiplication of brethren, the former wooden church turned out to be cramped. Etc. Zosima built a new one, of large size, in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and also erected many cells and expanded the monastery. In addition, to bless his expanding monastery, he decided to transfer the relics of the Monk Savvaty, who died on the Vyga River and was buried at the chapel there. The monk was finally confirmed in this intention by a message from the monks of the Kirillo-Beloezersk Monastery. “We heard,” the monks wrote, “from strangers from your country about Solovetsky Island, that from ancient times it was uninhabited due to the inconvenience of the sea route, and now on this island, by the will of God and the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, through your efforts, the Monastery of the Honest Transfiguration was built Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, many brethren gathered and everything worked out perfectly. Only you are deprived of one good thing - you have forgotten the Monk Savvatiy, who lived in this place before you, who died in fasting and labor, like the ancient reverend fathers, perfect in virtue. He loved Christ with all his soul, withdrew from the world and received a blessed death. Some monks of our monastery, while in Novgorod, heard the story of the God-loving John, how on the Vyga River he was honored to see the Monk Savvaty and receive spiritual instruction from him, and, upon his death, buried him with Abbot Nathanael. John told our brothers how God, through the prayers of the Monk Savvatius, miraculously saved him and his brother Theodore from drowning at sea. We heard that other signs and wonders were performed at his tomb. He is a saint of God, and we are witnesses of his virtuous life, because this blessed father lived with us for a long time in the Kirillov Monastery. Therefore, we give you spiritual advice - do not be deprived of such a gift, hurry to bring the Venerable and Blessed Savvaty to you, so that his relics will be located where he worked for many years.”

Such a message could not have been more consistent with the wishes of the teacher himself. Zosima and the Solovetsky brethren. Having prepared the ship, they set off with a fair wind to the Pomeranian coast. Having reached the Vyga River and dug up the coffin of the teacher. Savvaty, they found the relics incorrupt, unharmed, and the clothes themselves - an extraordinary fragrance filled the air. Singing sacred songs, the Solovetsky monks carried St. raku onto the ship and with a fair wind they safely reached their abode. Initially, the holy relics were placed in the ground, behind the altar of the Assumption Cathedral, and a chapel was built over them. Many sick people, coming here with faith, received healing through the prayers of the monk.

Father Zosima prayed fervently every night in this chapel, and often the morning dawn found him praying. The merchant John, who was at the burial of Savvaty, and with his brother Theodore, having a special love for him, painted an image of the monk and, with generous alms, presented it to Abbot Zosima. Having reverently accepted and kissed the image of the original Solovetsky, Fr. Zosima placed him in the tomb chapel and addressed the monk with the following words: “Although you have ended your temporary life in body, do not depart from us in spirit, guide us to Christ our God, instructing us to keep the commandments of the Lord, to wear our cross and follow our Master. Having boldness towards Christ and the Most Pure Mother of God, be a prayer book and intercessor for us unworthy who live in this monastery, which you are in charge of; Be a helper and intercessor before God to our brotherhood, so that through your prayers we may remain unharmed from evil spirits and people, glorifying St. Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

Before his death, the elder (schemamonk Zosima Solovetsky) fell ill and for a long time, however, did not dare to accept the schema. He thought that if he recovered, then he, as a schema-monk, who, as the most respectable elders, was naturally respected, would no longer be allowed to work along with the brethren, but he wanted to work until his last breath for the good of his native monastery. What an instructive trait of ascetic character, especially for those who strive for higher dignity and ranks in the hope of pleasant peace! (Olonets Eparch. Vedom., 1910, No. 14)

The Monk Zosima, having reached venerable old age and sensing the approach of his death, began to prepare for the transition to eternity. He made a coffin for himself and often looked at it with tears, remembering his death. When illness befell him, he called the brethren and told them: “Here I am departing from this temporary life, and I am betraying you to the all-merciful God and the Most Pure Mother of God; tell me who you want to have as abbot instead of me!” On this occasion, the students' shared love for their teacher was expressed. Everyone said with tears to their dying abbot: “We would like, our father, to be buried with you, but this is not in our power; may the One who announced your departure from this life, Christ our God, give us through you a mentor who would guide us to salvation; May your blessing and prayers rest upon us - having taken care of us in this life, do not leave us orphans after your departure to God.” The monk answered: “I told you, children, that I am betraying you into the hands of the Lord and the Most Pure Mother of God, and since you have placed your trust in God, the Most Pure Mother of God and my humility regarding the abbot, then let Arseny be your hegumen - he is capable of managing the monastery and the brethren,” - with these words the Monk Zosima handed over the abbess to the pious monk Arseny. “Here I appoint you, brother, as the builder and steward of St. this monastery, and all the brethren, gathered together in love for God. Take care that any of the monastic laws are not lost, such as: regarding the conciliar church service, eating and drinking at meals and other monastic customs established by me; let it all be whole and inviolable. May the Lord direct your steps to do His commandments, through the prayers of the Most Pure Lady, Our Lady, the Virgin Mary and all the saints, as well as His saint, the Venerable. Savvatia. May our Lord Jesus Christ protect you from all enemy slander and confirm you in divine love. Although I am separated from you in body, repaying my debt to nature, I will remain with you relentlessly in spirit. You will know that I have found grace before God when, after my departure, the monastery will spread, many brethren will gather, this place will flourish spiritually and will not have scarcity in bodily needs.”

Having said all this to the brethren, he kissed them for the last time, blessed them all, and with the raising of his hands prayed for the monastery, his spiritual flock and himself; Finally, he crossed himself and said: “Peace be with you!” After that, raising his fading eyes upward, he said: “Master, Lover of Mankind, grant me to stand at Your right hand when You come in glory to judge the living and the dead and to reward each according to his deeds.” Then the Monk Zosima lay down on his bed and gave up his soul to the Lord, for whom he worked all his life. This was on April 17, 1478. Having performed the funeral service, the monks buried their abbot in a coffin, which he himself had prepared, behind the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral, and subsequently built a chapel over his grave, in which they placed St. icons. All believers, flowing here with prayer, received relief from grief and healing of illnesses through the prayers of the monk. The Moscow Council, which was under Metropolitan Macarius in 1547, decided, along with other Russian saints, to commemorate the Monk Zosima on the day of his death, April 17. August 8, 1566 St. his relics along with the relics of St. Savvaty were moved to the chapel built in honor of these miracle workers. Currently, the relics of St. Zosima are kept in a richly decorated shrine in the Zosima-Savvatievskaya Church.

Icon of the Saints of Solovetsky

The legends that have reached us about them speak of their sinlessness. They devoted a lot of time to studying church books, observing fasts, and helping the suffering. For all this they were gifted with the ability to work miracles. It is not surprising that this is why a large number of believers constantly strive for him.

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You can find it in numerous churches in Russia. Here is a list of places where you can see it:

Intercession Cathedral in Moscow;
Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral;
Iconostasis of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra.

There are several options for spelling it. The most popular is the full-length image of saints. Between them on their arms is a white temple. This is a symbol of the monastery they founded. Above them may be depicted the Most Holy Theotokos on a cloud, blessing them.

Many consider the icon of Zosima and Savvaty to be the patroness of beekeeping. Therefore, those who have an apiary often turn to them to significantly improve their affairs. The very first circulation occurs after hibernation, and then throughout the year. Before the end of the season, everyone prays for a normal winter.

The saints never ignored those who really needed their help. The brethren who inhabited the monastery always felt paternal guardianship from the abbot. He tried to combine his severity and exactingness with love for the Lord. The main task that he set for himself was to follow the laws of God and the example of St. Savvaty.

In order to count on the favor of the saints, it is advisable to first say words of gratitude. This will endear you to the saints more. Try to be sincere as well, otherwise it won't matter.

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God bless you!

Watch also the video story about the icon of the Solovetsky saints:

Arkhangelsk diocese

Reverends Savvaty, Herman and Zosima of Solovetsky

Memory of St. Savvaty - September 27/October 10

St. Herman – July 30/August 12

in the Cathedral of Solovetsky Saints – August 9/August 22

in the Cathedral of Karelian Saints – May 21/June 3

The Monk Savvaty, the Solovetsky wonderworker, along with another saint of God, the Monk Zosima, is considered the founder of the greatest shrine of the Arkhangelsk land - the Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery. “No information has been preserved from which city or village the Monk Savvatiy came, who his parents were, and how many years from birth he took on the monastic form” (18, 600).

What is known for certain is that, already an experienced elder monk, the Monk Savvaty labored in the famous Vologda Kirillo-Belozersk monastery, where, “working for the Lord day and night, he mortified his body with fasting, labor and perfect obedience to the abbot and brethren.” For this he enjoyed love and respect from the abbot and the monastery brethren. However, the Monk Savvaty remembered that praise in earthly life should be sought not from people, but from God. The good reputation he acquired in the Cyril Monastery weighed heavily on him; in addition, the Monk Savvaty strove with all his soul for a harsh ascetic life away from people. Therefore, with the blessing of the abbot, he left the Kirillo-Belozersk monastery. His path lay on Lake Ladoga, where on the island stood the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior, founded at the end of the 9th century, where “the monks led the most austere life” (19, 3 – 4).

Arriving at Valaam, the Monk Savvaty was “joyfully received” into the ranks of the monastic brethren. Within the walls of this monastery, “imitating the laborious exploits of the monks there and constantly multiplying his labors, the ascetic spent considerable time.” At the same time, “as in the Kirillov monastery, he surpassed everyone in asceticism, so that his virtuous life became known to everyone on Valaam, for he exhausted his flesh to the extreme limits and already during his lifetime became the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit” (18, 602) . In the Valaam monastery, the monk “did not escape the glory and respect of the brethren” (19:4) and therefore again began to think about leaving for the desert, inaccessible to vain glory and human rumor.

The Lord fulfilled the desire of the Monk Savvaty. From people the ascetic learned about the existence of an uninhabited Solovetsky Island in the middle of the White Sea, which needed to be reached by sea for two days. “Listening to stories about the deserted island, the monk rejoiced in spirit and was overwhelmed by the ardent desire to settle on it for feats of silence” (18, 602). However, the Valaam abbot and the brethren did not want to let go of the elder, who was a model of virtue for the entire monastery. Therefore, Savvaty had to secretly leave Valaam. “It was seven hundred miles or more from the Valaam Monastery to the White Sea. And God’s help accompanied him, and he was protected by the action of the Holy Spirit, and he was guided by the grace of Christ to the very sea” (20, 161).

When the Monk Savvaty reached the coast of the White Sea, local residents willingly told him about Solovetsky Island, that it was suitable for living: it had fresh water, forests, and lakes where fish were found. They also talked about why no one dared to settle there. The route to Solovetsky Island lay only across the sea, was extremely dangerous and took two days. Only in calm weather, when the sea was calm, did fishermen swim up to him in boats. In winter, communication with Solovetsky Island was completely interrupted.

Hearing about the desire of the Monk Savvaty to settle on this uninhabited island, people were amazed. They asked him in bewilderment: “What will you eat or wear on the island, being at such an old age and having nothing? And how will you live alone at a far distance from people, when you are no longer able to do anything for yourself?” The monk answered them: “I have such a Lord who makes the nature of an old man young. He enriches the poor, gives the needs of the poor, clothes the naked, and with a little food satisfies the hungry to the full, just as He once fed five thousand people in the desert with five loaves of bread” (18, 604).

“Listening to the speeches of the saint, people who had reason were amazed at God’s love for mankind and the wisdom of his teaching. Others, who did not have even a good thought, mocked him and insulted him for his imaginary foolishness” (20, 161). Despite this, the Monk Savvaty firmly believed that with God’s help he would be able to endure all the hardships of desert life on an uninhabited island in the middle of the endless sea. His faith was not disgraced. The Lord helped Savvaty find a person who wanted to share the desert life with him. This man was the monk Herman, who lived at the chapel in the village of Soroka on the Vyga River. The Monk Herman was a native of Totma and a Korelian by origin (20, 161). He did not learn to read, but “his mind and heart, without school or books, were brought up in the strict rules of Christian morality and piety” (1, 34). The Monk Herman had already visited Solovetsky Island together with local fishermen. He confirmed to the Monk Savvaty everything that the local residents told about this island. After consulting with each other and praying to God, the ascetics decided to go to Solovetsky Island. Having prepared the boat, as well as some necessary supplies and things, the Monks Savvaty and Herman set sail across the White Sea, placing all their trust in the Lord. This happened in 1429 (19, 5).

By the grace of the Lord, their journey turned out to be successful. The weather was clear and the sea was calm. Having landed on the shore, the monks found a beautiful place where they decided to settle. They erected a cross and a small cell there and “began to live in the Lord in unceasing labor, prayer and singing psalms” (19:5). “The saints worked with their hands and praised the Lord with their lips, approaching Him through unceasing prayer and singing the psalms of David” (18, 605). This was the beginning of the Solovetsky Monastery.

The local residents did not like the fact that monks settled on the uninhabited island. “We are the direct heirs of this island and have the undeniable right to own it” (19, 6), they said, as if forgetting that they had previously considered the island uninhabitable. One local fisherman had a desire to live on Solovetsky Island and moved there with his family. He settled near the desert monks. It was obvious that someone had to leave these lands forever.

There is a well-known saying: “Man proposes, but God disposes.” The fisherman hoped that the monks could not stand the proximity of his family and would leave. However, it was not the monks who had to leave Solovki, but he and his family. Here's how and why it happened.

One Sunday, after prayer, the Monk Savvaty went out to cense the cross that had been erected at the time when he and Saint Herman settled on the island. Suddenly he heard the sounds of blows, screaming and crying of a woman. Savvaty considered this to be a demonic obsession. Having made the sign of the cross, he returned to his cell and told the Monk Herman about what he had heard. Saint Herman followed the noise and saw a sobbing woman, who turned out to be the wife of a fisherman. Through tears, she told the ascetic about what happened to her: “When I was going to the lake to see my husband, two bright young men met me. Having grabbed me, they beat me with rods, saying: “Get out of this place. You cannot live here, because by the will of God it is intended for the residence of monks.” After that they became invisible” (1, 20). In memory of this miracle, the mountain in the middle of Solovetsky Island was named Sekirnaya.

Having learned about what had happened, Savvaty and German thanked God, who designated Solovetsky Island as a dwelling for monks. The fisherman, hastily gathering his family, left Solovetsky Island forever; none of the local residents dared to settle on it.

Reverends Savvaty and Herman lived together on the island for several years. Then Saint Herman “sailed to the Onega River to acquire the needs of life” (1, 21). Savvaty was left completely alone. At first he was saddened by the departure of his companion, but then he began to strive even more zealously. “Deepening his mind in a constant prayerful conversation with God and turning his eyes full of tears to Him, the monk sighed day and night, wanting to renounce the body and unite with the Lord. Only the Lord knew what his stay on the island was like, what his fast was like, what his spiritual exploits were like!” (18, 606).

At the end of September 1435, the Monk Savvaty, during prayer, received news from God about the proximity of his death. He was not afraid to die, because he had an ardent “desire to be resolved and to be with Christ” (Phil. 1:23), but he wanted to prepare for death in a Christian way - by confessing and partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Having prayed to God, he left Solovetsky Island and set sail on the sea in a small boat. “Through his prayer the sea calmed down” (18, 606). Two days later, Saint Savvaty found himself on Vyga, at the very chapel where he had once met the Monk Herman. At this time, Abbot Nathanael was there, “arriving to visit Orthodox Christians.” The Monk Savvaty turned to him with a request: “I ask you, father, to wash away the sins that I confess to you, and grant me communion of the Holy Mysteries.” To these words of the elder ascetic, Abbot Nathanael replied: “God will forgive you, brother,” and, after a pause, said with tears: “Oh, if only I had your sins, reverend!” (1, 21). Anticipating his imminent death, Savvaty asked Nathanael to give him communion as soon as possible. The abbot suggested that he wait until the morning, because he still had to go to a neighboring place to give communion to the sick man. To this the Monk Savvaty answered: “Father, do not put it off until the morning - after all, we do not know whether we will breathe air until tomorrow, and even more so how can we know what will happen then” (18, 607). In the end, Nathanael fulfilled the request of Saint Sabbatius, and then went to the sick man. After communion, Elder Savvaty “prayed long and earnestly, thanking God for communion and for all His mercies, and then, entering his cell, he began to prepare for his departure from this life.”

By the inscrutable will of the Lord, the Novgorod merchant John, who found himself in Vyga on his trade business, became a witness to his righteous death. This was the last person worthy to hear the instructions of the Monk Savvaty. “He, having entered into a conversation with the merchant, taught him love of poverty, mercy and other good deeds.” The ascetic refused the gifts that the merchant offered him and invited John to stay on Vyga until the morning to “see the grace of God.” The merchant wanted to set off as quickly as possible, but a storm arose at sea and he had to stay.

The next morning, having come to Savvaty for a blessing to set off on the road, John found him already dead. The saint departed to the Lord during prayer. He was dressed in a mantle and a monastic cap. When Abbot Nathanael returned, he and John buried the body of St. Savvaty with honor. “Both of them - Nathanael and John - recalled with surprise how one taught him the Holy Mysteries and how the other was privileged to hear the dying instructions of the monk” (1, 22). Subsequently, in 1465, the relics of St. Savvaty were transported to Solovki.

The Monk Savvaty died on September 27, 1435. This day, October 10 according to the new style, became the day of remembrance of the Solovetsky Wonderworker.

Saint Savvatius laid the foundation for monastic life “in the father of the ocean-sea,” on the Solovetsky Islands. The successor of his work, who glorified this place, marked by the many years of labor and prayers of the Monk Savvaty, was another monk - the Monk Zosima. Venerable Zosima of Solovetsky

†1479

Memory – April 17/April 30

in the Cathedral of Solovetsky Saints – August 9/August 22

in the Cathedral of Karelian Saints – May 21/June 3

The birthplace of the Monk Zosima, who “was destined to found the famous Solovetsky monastery on an uninhabited island” (19, 11), was the village of Tolvui (or Shunga) (20, 147) on the shores of Lake Onega. In those days, these lands belonged to the region of Veliky Novgorod.

The parents of the future ascetic Gabriel and Varvara were peasants. They “raised their son in piety and good morals” (1:24). Young Zosima “was quiet, peace-loving, meek, retired from youthful games and occupied himself with deeds pleasing to God” (19, 12).

The parents made sure that their son knew how to read and write. Thanks to this, the youth Zosima fell in love with reading books of spiritual content, from which he “acquired pearls of reason.” Getting acquainted with the lives of the ancient desert monks, he wished with all his soul to lead the same godly ascetic life.

Wanting to devote himself to serving the Lord, the Monk Zosima “on reaching adulthood did not want to get married, he left his parents’ house, put on a black dress and settled in a deserted place” (1, 24). This deserted place was “near his house” (19, 12). Perhaps young Zosima sought to imitate the life of the 4th century Egyptian ascetic, St. Anthony the Great: at the beginning of his exploit, before leaving for the desert, this saint also lived alone near his native village, preparing for a harsher life away from people. Zosima's father had already died at that time. The mother, on the advice of her son, took monastic vows in a nearby convent (20, 147). The Monk Zosima distributed the property left over from his parents to poor and poor people.

Information about a virtuous life and monastic deeds gleaned from books seemed insufficient to Zosima. He wanted to find an experienced spiritual leader, “who would show by his own example what a young man who wants to live virtuously should learn.” The Monk Zosima constantly prayed to the Lord about this. His prayer was heard. God gave the young ascetic a mentor in monastic work. He became the associate of Saint Savvatius, monk Herman. He told the young man about deserted life on Solovetsky Island, as well as “all the details about the life and exploits of the Monk Savvaty” (19, 12). Zosima was inflamed with the desire “to be the heir of the Monk Savvatius and asked Herman to show him this deserted island and instruct him in monastic life” (1, 25). Herman, seeing the ardent desire of the pious young man, agreed. Together the ascetics set off on a sea voyage to Solovetsky Island. Arriving there, they set up a hut (“tabernacle”) and celebrated the all-night vigil in it, praying to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother to help them in their desert life.

The next morning, the Monk Zosima was granted a vision in which he was shown the future of the Solovetsky monastery. Coming out of the hut, “he saw a bright ray of light and was horrified to see such an extraordinary phenomenon. Turning his gaze to the east, he saw a vast and beautiful church and, not daring to look at it for a long time, because he was not yet accustomed to such revelations, he rushed into the bush in trepidation.” The amazed Zosima told about his vision to the Monk Herman, who revealed to his associate the mysterious meaning of the vision: “Do not be horrified, my beloved, and believe that through you, I think, the Lord wants to gather many monks here” (19, 13). Herman also told Zosima about how the angels forced the fisherman’s family to leave the island, intended by God to establish a monastic monastery on it; as we know, he was a direct witness to this miracle.

Subsequently, what was revealed in the vision of the Monk Zosima came true. However, “the hermits had to endure many trials before they saw their monastery inhabited by monks” (1, 25). Saint Zosima had to fully experience difficulties and hardships, which were sometimes associated with danger to his life.

As we remember, the connection between the hermits and the mainland was supported by the Monk Herman. He periodically went there for supplies. One day, due to bad autumn weather, he did not manage to return back in time. Zosima had to stay on a desert island completely alone for several months. At first he grieved over his loneliness, but then, casting his sorrow on the Lord, he began to “apply labor to labor, constantly remaining in fasting and prayer” (19, 14). He had to fight demons, from whose “weak insolence” he defended himself with the sign of the cross and prayer.

Here is one of the prayers with which he repelled the attacks of demons: “Eternal God, Beginningless King, Creator and Lord of every creature! Thou art the King of kings and Lord of lords, Thou art the Savior of souls and the Deliverer of those who believe in Thy name, Thou art the Hope of those who work and the Hope of those sailing on distant seas, Thou art the Teacher of Thy servants, Thou art the Lover of all good things; You are the Comforter of those who mourn, You are the joy of the saints, You are the glory of God the Father and the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit, You sit at the right hand of the Father and reign forever: I pray to You, humbly falling, hear the voice of my prayer at this hour, Most Holy King, Most Good Lord, and do not turn away your face Thy from the prayer of Thy servant, but save me from the mouth of the fierce serpent, who has dissolved his mouth and wants to devour me, protect me from the evil of the devil, so that, protected and protected by the militia of your holy angels, I will escape this destruction and receive salvation from You, my Master, in whom I believe, in whom I trust and glorify inseparably with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever” (19:15).

Another test that the Monk Zosima had to endure was hunger. However, remembering the words of the psalmist King David - “cast your worries on the Lord, and He will support you” (Ps. 54:23) - he did not feel fear for his fate, and the Lord Himself, who commanded His disciples: “do not worry and do not speak : “What should we eat?” or: “what to drink?” or: “What should you wear?”... because your Heavenly Father knows that you need all this. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33), helped St. Zosima. “Two strangers appeared to him and handed him a supply of bread, flour and butter, saying: “Take, father, and use, and we, if the Lord commands, will come to you.” After that, the unknown guests disappeared. The Monk Zosima realized that these were angels: not a single person at that time could have reached Solovetsky Island. He hastened to thank God for His care. Thanks to the supply of food that the angels brought, Saint Zosima was able to survive the winter.

In the spring, the Monk Herman returned to Solovetsky Island. He arrived not alone, but with the fisherman Mark, who remained on the island as a novice. Subsequently, he took monastic vows. Gradually, the monastery on Solovki was populated by new people who wanted to spend monastic life in it. “Sailing to the island, they built themselves cells near the cells of Zosima and Herman and earned food through the labor of their hands” (1, 26 – 27). In the place where the Monk Zosima saw the wonderful temple, a wooden church appeared in honor of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. From her the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery got its name.

The Monk Zosima was elected abbot of the monastery. True, this did not happen right away. Initially, Novgorod Archbishop Jonah appointed Hieromonk Pavel to this position, who, however, could not bear the difficulties of life on Solovki and left the monastery. The same happened with his successors - Theodosius and Jonah... Apparently, the Lord's will was that the Monk Zosima become the shepherd and mentor of the Solovetsky monks. At the request of the brethren of the monastery, Archbishop Jonah ordained him as a hieromonk and appointed him rector of the Transfiguration Monastery. Having visited Novgorod and received donations from the pious residents of this city in the form of money, vessels, clothes, and food supplies, Abbot Zosima returned to his monastery.

Upon his return to the monastery, the monks witnessed a wondrous sign, which indicated that the Monk Zosima was worthy of the rank of servant of God entrusted to him. When he celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Transfiguration, “his face was illuminated with grace, like the face of an angel, and the church was filled with a wondrous fragrance. The brethren rejoiced that the Lord had given them a mentor filled with the grace of God” (19, 17).

Under the leadership of the Monk Zosima, the monastery continued to be built. During his abbess, the relics of St. Savvaty were transported with honors to the Solovetsky Monastery and placed in a tomb behind the altar of the church in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. This happened in 1465. At this solemn event, the merchant John was present, the same one to whom the Monk Savvaty gave his last instructions before his death. “The merchant John, who was at the burial of Savvaty, and with his brother Theodore, having a special love for him, painted an image of the monk and with generous alms handed it over to Abbot Zosima” (1, 29). Healings began to take place from the relics of the deceased ascetic, which testified to his holiness. Many hopeless patients, who with faith called upon the prayerful help of St. Savvaty, got rid of their ailments at his tomb.

After his elevation to the rank of abbot of the Solovetsky monastery, the Monk Zosima once again had to visit Novgorod. There he met with the famous widow of the mayor Isaac Boretsky - the proud and powerful Martha. At that time she was at the height of her power. “It is believed that in terms of the size of property, Martha Boretskaya was third after the Novgorod ruler and monasteries. Marfa Boretskaya owned about one thousand two hundred peasant farms.” She had sons from her second marriage. “In Novgorod itself, at the Nerevsky end on the Volkhov bank, there was a large courtyard with a “wonderful house” of the Boretskys” (16, 34–35). The abbot of the then small and poor Solovetsky Monastery was forced to go to this proud, fabulously rich boyar as a humble petitioner.

The reason for his trip to Novgorod was that “many of the boyar settlers, noble servants and coastal residents, having completely taken control of the fishing in the lakes, forbade fishing for food for the monastery, and the Monk Zosima and all the brethren were insulted and reviled, even boasting to disperse them.” (19, 20). The people of Martha Boretskaya especially often oppressed the monks. The Monk Zosima managed to persuade many influential Novgorodians “to prevent the monastery from being ruined.” They, as well as Archbishop Theophilus, promised to help the monastery and gave Abbot Zosima many donations. Only Marfa Posadnitsa did not even deign to listen to him. The proud noblewoman ordered her servants to drive him out of her yard as the last beggar. In his humility, the Monk Zosima patiently endured the undeserved insult, but said to his disciples: “the time will come when the inhabitants of this house will not walk around their yard, the doors of the house will be closed and will not open again: this yard will be empty.” In the end, the wayward noblewoman changed her anger to mercy and “gave the monastery ownership of the land, approving this donation with a charter” (1, 30 – 31). Moreover, she even invited Abbot Zosima to her house for dinner. They seated the guest in a place of honor and tried to treat him to something more delicious. But no matter how hard the mayor tried to treat the guest from the heart, he refused her treats and sat at the table, filled with sadness: at a cheerful feast of the Novgorod nobility, he saw a vision that horrified him. The six most important boyars, who so carefreely feasted at Martha’s, sat without heads...

Subsequently, these people were actually executed. In 1477, Grand Duke Vasily III conquered Novgorod. The boyars, whom the monk saw without heads during the feast, laid their heads on the block. The courtyard of Martha Boretskaya also fell into disrepair. Her two sons became victims of the power struggle between Novgorod and Moscow, and Martha herself, along with her little grandson Vasily, was arrested and sent into exile at the beginning of 1478, first “to Moscow, and then to Nizhny Novgorod. There she was tonsured under the name of Mary in the Conception Monastery, where she probably soon died” (16, 57). So the Lord, Who “scattered the arrogant in the thoughts of their hearts, cast down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble” (Luke 1:51-52), overnight crushed all the power and authority of the arrogant Novgorod noblewoman.

On April 17, 1479, at a ripe old age, the Monk Zosima departed to the Lord. He prepared for death in advance, as pious people of that time did: he prepared his own grave and made a coffin. He appointed monk Arseny as his successor. Having said goodbye to the inconsolable brethren, he bequeathed to them not to deviate from the monastery charter, and also made the following promise: “You will know that I have found grace before God when, after my departure, the monastery expands, many brethren gather, this place will flourish spiritually and in there will be no shortage of bodily needs” (1, 32). After this, he turned to the Lord with a prayer: “O Master, Lover of Mankind, grant me to stand at Your right hand on the last day, when You come in glory to judge the living and the dead and to reward each according to his deeds!” (20, 157). With this prayer on his lips, the Monk Zosima rested in the Lord.

The brethren buried the saint's body behind the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral. “On the ninth day after his repose, he appeared to the monk Daniel and announced that, by the grace of the Lord, he had been delivered from the spirits of the air and their many snares and was numbered among the saints.” Soon miracles began to happen from his tomb. “We have repeatedly seen the saint of God during a storm ruling ships and saving them from sinking. Sometimes they saw him in church standing among the brethren. And he appeared many times at sea and on land, helping in needs and situations” (19, 24). And to this day the Monk Zosima helps those who turn to him with prayers for help and intercession.

The Monk Herman lived longer than the Monk Zosima. During the abbess of Arseny, he went to Novgorod on monastery business. There, having reached the monastery founded by the Monk Anthony the Roman, Elder Herman accepted a righteous death. The disciples were unable to bring his body to the Solovetsky monastery and therefore buried Herman at the chapel of the village of Khavronyina on the banks of the Svir River. Already under the new abbot, Abbot Isaiah, his incorruptible relics were found and transported to Solovki. In 1547, Saints Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky were canonized. Later, in 1692, the memory of their companion Saint Herman began to be celebrated.

On icons, Saints Zosima and Savvaty are most often depicted together. Although these ascetics never met each other, they are united by the fact that the Solovetsky Monastery was founded through their labors. The Monk Savvaty laid the foundation for it, being the first to settle on Solovetsky Island. Thanks to the Monk Zosima, the Transfiguration Monastery grew, became filled with brethren, gradually becoming the majestic northern shrine that it is to this day.

Sometimes you can find icons of Saints Zosima and Savvaty, in which they are depicted among beehives. This is due to the fact that among the people the Monk Zosima was revered as “the patron of beekeeping and the guardian of bees.” According to popular legend, he made a pilgrimage to the shrines of the East, from where he brought bees to Rus' in a hollow reed stalk. On the day of his memory, April 30 according to the new style, bees were taken to apiaries. There, having prayed to Zosima and Savvaty, “they walked around the apiary with a lit candle, sprinkled it with blessed water” (21, 165). This is associated with the appearance of beehives on some icons of the Venerables Zosima and Savvaty.

In pre-revolutionary times, the relics of St. Zosima and Savvaty were in silver tombs in the main church of the Solovetsky Monastery - Preobrazhensky, and the relics of St. Herman rested hidden in the monastery church, consecrated in his honor.
There they remained until 1920, which became fatal for most of the monasteries in the Arkhangelsk province. Only in 1992, after more than seven decades of desolation of the Solovetsky Monastery, they returned again to the walls of the revived monastery. To the list

Portal "Wonderful Diveevo"

Prayers to our venerable and God-bearing fathers Zosima, Savvaty and German, Solovetsky Wonderworkers
About the venerable and God-bearing fathers Zosima, Savvaty and German, earthly angels and heavenly people, close friends of Christ and servants of God, your abodes are glory and adornment, all the northern countries, more than that of our entire Orthodox fatherland, an insurmountable wall and great intercession! Behold, we, unworthy and many sinners, with reverent love for your holy relics, bowing down, with a contrite and humble spirit, diligently beseech you: pray unceasingly to our merciful Master and Lord Jesus Christ, for you have great boldness towards Him, that His all-pervading grace may not depart from us, may the protection and intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos remain in this place, and may the true zealots of the angelic life in this holy monastery, where you, God-bearing fathers and rulers, never become lacking, with immeasurable labors and penances, with tears and all-night vigils, with unceasing prayers and with prayers began the monastic life. To her, saintly saints, most favorable prayer books to God, with your warm prayers to Him, protect and preserve us and this holy village of yours from cowardice, flood, fire and sword, invasion of foreigners and deadly plagues, from enmity and all kinds of disorder, from all misfortune and sorrow and from all evil: may the Most Holy Name of the Lord and God be reverently glorified in this place, in peace and silence, and those who seek Him may find eternal salvation. About the blessedness of our fathers, Zosimo, Savvaty and German! Hear us sinners, in your holy monastery and under the roof of your protection, living unworthily, and through your powerful petitions to God, ask our souls for forgiveness of sins, correction of life and eternal blessings in the Kingdom of Heaven: to all who believe, in every place and in every need call you for help and intercession, and those who flow into your monastery with reverent love, do not stop pouring out all grace and mercy, preserving them from all resistive forces, from all misfortunes and from all evil circumstances, and giving them everything they need for their souls and bodies. benefit. Most of all, pray to the most merciful God, that He may establish and strengthen His holy Church and our entire Orthodox Fatherland in peace and silence, in love and unanimity, in orthodoxy and piety, and preserve and preserve it forever and ever. Amen.

Saints Reverend Zosima and Savvaty, Solovetsky

Prayer 1

Oh, reverend fathers, great intercessors and quick hearers of prayers, saints of God and miracle workers Zosimo and Savvaty! Do not forget, as you promised, to visit your children. Even though you have departed from us in body, you are still with us in spirit. We pray to you, O venerable one: deliver us from fire and sword, from the invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare, from corruptive winds and from sudden death and from all the attacks of demons that come upon us. Hear us sinners, and accept this prayer and our supplication, like a fragrant incense, like an acceptable sacrifice, and revive our souls, the evil deeds and advice and thoughts killed. And just as you raised up a dead damsel, and healed the inhealable wounds of many, and delivered those who were tormented by evil from unclean spirits, so also you took us, held in the bonds of the enemy, and delivered us from the snares of the devil, brought us out of the depths of sins, and through your merciful visit and intercession from the enemy Protect us, visible and invisible, by the grace and power of the Most Holy Trinity, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2

Oh, our reverend and God-bearing fathers Zosimo and Savvaty, earthly angels and heavenly people, close friends of Christ and saints of God, glory and adornment of your monastery, an insurmountable wall and the great intercession of the northern country, and our entire Orthodox fatherland. We, unworthy and many sinners, fall with reverent love to your honorable icon and with a contrite and humble spirit we diligently pray: pray unceasingly to our gracious Master and Lord Jesus Christ, for those who have great boldness towards Him, may His all-pervading grace and protection not depart from us and the intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos from this place, and may the true zealots of the angelic life in this holy monastery never become scarce, where you, God-bearing fathers and rulers, made a beginning with immeasurable labors and penances, currents of tears and all-night vigils, unceasing prayers and supplications monastic life. To her, saintly saints, most favorable prayer books to God, with your warm prayers to Him, protect and preserve us and this holy village of yours from cowardice, flood, fire and sword, invasion of foreigners and deadly plagues, from enmity and all kinds of disorder, from all misfortune and sorrow and from all evil, that in this place, in peace and silence, the Most Holy Name of the Lord and God may be reverently glorified, and those who seek Him will find eternal salvation. Oh, our blessed fathers Zosimo and Savvaty! Hear us sinners, living unworthily under the roof of your protection, and with your powerful petitions to God, ask for forgiveness of sins for our souls, correction of life and eternal blessings in the Kingdom of Heaven; to all the believers, who in every place and in every need call on you for help and intercession, and who with reverent love flow into your monastery, do not stop pouring out all grace and mercy, preserving them from every resistive force, from every adversity and from every evil circumstances, and giving them everything they need for mental and physical benefit. Most of all, pray to the Most Merciful God, that He may establish and strengthen His Holy Church, and may preserve and preserve our entire Orthodox Fatherland in peace and silence, in love and unanimity, in orthodoxy and piety, forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion to the Venerables, Tone 4

Your fasting and equal-angelic life, Reverend Fathers Zosimo and Savvaty, made you known by the universe, with various miracles, God-bearing, enlightening with faith those who call upon you and honor your honorable memory.

Troparion to the Venerables, Tone 8

Like the all-bright lamps that appeared in the father of the ocean of the sea, the venerable fathers Zosimo and Savvaty, you, having taken up the cross of Christ on the frame, diligently followed that and, drawing near to the purity of God, were enriched from there with the powers of miracles. In the same way, we kindly flow to the crayfish of your venerable relics and touchingly say: O Reverend, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

KONDAC, VOICE 2

Having been wounded by the love of Christ, the venerable one, and taking up His cross on His frame, they naturally carried Him, Divinely armed against invisible enemies, and, through unceasing prayer, like a spear in the hands of the possessed, they powerfully defeated the demonic militia of nature; The grace of the Lord is received to heal the ailments of the souls and bodies of your honest relics flowing to the crayfish, you emit rays of miracles everywhere. Thus we call to you: rejoice, reverend fathers Zosimo and Savvaty, fertilizer for the monks.

Akathist to our venerable and God-bearing father Zosima, Savvaty and Herman, Solovetsky Wonderworkers

Kontakion 1

The chosen saints of the Lord and great miracle workers, / the luminaries of Christ’s Church of the Most Bright, / who shone with piety in the lordships of the desert of Northern Pomorie, / and the whole country of Russia, shining with many miracles, / Our Reverend Fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane, / as having boldness towards the Lord, / favorable with your prayers to Him / save us from all troubles and evils, so that we joyfully call to you: Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Ikos 1 The angels have truly appeared on earth and the people of heaven through your life, our blessed fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and German: for in the flesh, as without flesh, the angelic residence on earth has been completed, all the beauties of the world and temporary pleasures, as they are capable of imputation, but through purity and fasting I will bring forth to God is approaching. Now it is worthy for him to stand with the bodiless, accept from our love the praise brought to you by the sips: Rejoice, having loved the One God with all your soul; Rejoice, having served Him with honor and righteousness from your youth. Rejoice, you who have hated the corruptible beauty of this world; Rejoice, having escaped the wisdom of worldly temptations and vanity. Rejoice, having clinged with all your love to doing the commandments of the Lord; Rejoice, having removed yourself from this world and all attachment to it. Rejoice, having chosen a monastic life to please God for your own sake; Rejoice, you who loved the narrow and sorrowful path with all your soul. Rejoice, seeker of wisdom for Christ, longed for beads and precious stones; Rejoice, loving bearer of Christ’s burden, light and good. Rejoice, thou who imitated mortal flesh as a disembodied angel; Rejoice, you who showed us the heavenly habitation on earth. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 2 Seeing yourself, Saint Savvaty, for the sake of many of your virtuous corrections, everywhere in your monastic sojourns you are revered and blessed, and fleeing the vanity of this world of glory, seeking eternal reward in heaven, you rushed to the Solovetsky stream, and there, in secret and visible to no one, you worked invisible and to God who sees everything. Having thus obtained what we desired, we are instructed by blessed Herman to do this, and you joyfully cried out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2 Having steadily fixed your mind from your mother’s womb to God, and taken out the heavenly things, philosophizing and seeking, completely rejecting those below you, the god-wise Zosimo, you were jealous of the life of the Venerable Savvatius, and in your empty father, where you would accomplish your deeds pleasing to God, you settled together with the blessed Herman , and with them you will inherit the residence of Mount Jerusalem. In the same way, reverently praising the zeal of desert living, we call to you: Rejoice, love for the sake of Christ, love in yourself for the world has trampled down; Rejoice, having despised all the sinful sweetness of this age. Rejoice, you who are like Abraham, not only in faith and hope, but also in your voluntary emigration from your family and home of your father; Rejoice, all-red desert and blessed planting. Rejoice, most diligent and zealous of silence; Rejoice, sincere lover of difficult desert feats. Rejoice, more so in the wilds and mountains than in the villages of the world, who have deigned to wander about; Rejoice, in the impassable deserts, united in labor and observance of the commandments of the Lord, having loved to strive. Rejoice like gold, having been tempted in the crucible of desert bitterness; Rejoice, you who valiantly endured many temptations from demons and people. Rejoice, the prophet of God Elijah and the baptizer of the Lord John imitated the character of desert love; Rejoice, rustic father of like-minded companions and love-silence dwellers. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 3 The heavenly powers, sent to serve those who want to inherit salvation, have served you wonderfully, fathers of love for God. Whenever the inhabitants of the world, chilled by the silence of you, Savvaty and Germana, wanted to live on an island near you with their wives and children, the angels, with a formidable reprimand and punishment of the fishermen’s wives, stopped them from undertakings contrary to God: but for you, Father Zosimo, who was in the hibernation besides the brush, angelic the service required for nutrition was taught. For this reason, let us sing to God, who saves His saints: Alleluia.

Ikos 3 Having the tide of the sea in an abode for himself, inhabited by no one, and abiding in it, like in a God-created paradise, outside the rebellions and worries of everyday life, and besides vain worries, he has labored piously and godly, for the blessing of God, studying day and night in the law of the Lord, and at every hour, with an untroubled mind and a pure heart, lifting up fervent prayers and supplications to God. For this reason we cry out to you with joy: Rejoice, you who have always desired to walk blamelessly in the law of the Lord; Rejoice, having always had your Lord before your eyes. Rejoice, having protected all your paths with the fear of the Lord; Rejoice, in sobriety we will spend our entire lives wisely. Rejoice, you who have completely captured all the thoughts of your mind into the obedience of Christ; Rejoice, having presented your pure hearts as a dwelling place to the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, you who did not let your eyes sleep during the all-night vigils of the Lord; Rejoice, you who endured sorrows in the teaching of death and in heartfelt sighs to the Lord. Rejoice, you who labored with sincere love to praise God and sing psalmody; Rejoice, you who have continually raised prayers to God with your heart and lips. Rejoice, having found the hidden Kingdom of God within your heart; Rejoice, as the intelligent ones ascend to the heavenly vision. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 4 The storm of this multi-rebellious life has comfortably passed, Reverend Fathers, and the fierce waves of passions and temptations, from the world and the flesh and from the spirits of malice, raised up, without sinking or shaking the ship of your souls, the sails of unceasing prayer hailed, and alleviated by non-covetousness, by grace controlled by God. In the same way, you have reached the serene refuge of the eternal belly, crying out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4 Hearing and knowing from the Divine Scriptures, as all who labored in piety, I crucified my flesh with passions and lusts, in pious wisdom, about the Reverend, with these feats subsequently, I strived to put to death my souls existing on earth, in fasting, vigils and in all the labors of monastic life courageously enduring sorrow. For this reason, as good ascetics of piety, we crown you with praises of calico: Rejoice, thou whose bodies have withered toil and withered the diseases of abstinence; Rejoice, all carnal wisdom, warring against the spirit, subduing the spirit. Rejoice, having extinguished the flames of passions with tears of repentance; Rejoice, having purified your souls like gold in the furnace of abstinence. Rejoice, you have put away the old man with his passions; Rejoice, having clothed yourself worthily with the garment of dispassion and the glory of incorruption; Rejoice, you who have hated the temporary sweetness of sin; Rejoice, you who have inherited endless joy in Heaven. Rejoice, before death, in the world and crucify your flesh with its sweetness; Rejoice, having manifested the glory of the future life in yourself before the resurrection. Rejoice, you have shown us the path of fasting to the inheritance of paradise, lost through intemperance; Rejoice, having presented to all in a dead and corruptible body the immortality and incorruptibility of the next century. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 5 God-bearing and many-bright stars appeared to nature, Reverend Fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Herman, with luminous corrections of the commandments of the Lord, illuminating the souls and hearts of the faithful, and floating in the nights of sinful darkness in the abyss of the sea of life, showing a reliable path to the blissful haven of the Heavenly Kingdom. In the same way, we sing to the benefactor of God, who have shown you as leaders and teachers of salvation: Alleluia.

Ikos 5 Having seen the malice of the hater of human salvation, the unclean souls of darkness, your godly life, blessed fathers, I raised up manifold temptations and fears against you, sometimes invading fear and confusion in your thoughts and hearts, sometimes transforming; in various ghosts of wondrous animals and reptiles, I rush with rage at you, hoping to turn you away from the deed pleasing to God and expel you from the desert: but you, with firm faith in God the Provider, powerfully and with the weapon of prayer and abstinence against your enemies, taking up arms against your enemies, will be victorious to the end and overthrow them power. For this reason, singing a victorious song, we appeal to you: Rejoice, spiritual warriors of invincibility; Rejoice, armorers of Christ's good victory. Rejoice, ascetics, who courageously took up arms against the wiles of the evil one; Rejoice, strong pillars, not shaken by the attacks of the enemy. Rejoice, you who destroyed all the arrows of the devil like pride; Rejoice, you have imputed all the hardships and insurance costs to nothing. Rejoice, for you are in the flesh, having conquered the incorporeal and invisible enemies; Rejoice, as you are lying in graves, you are overthrowing the enemy militia. Rejoice, victors of glory, crowned by the Heavenly Crowned One; Rejoice, champions of goodness in those who fight against the ruler of the darkness of this age. Rejoice, for the angels were amazed at your feat; Rejoice, for the assembly of the faithful rejoiced in your glory. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 6 The will of God preached by the angels about the population of monastics in the Solovetsky outflow has been fulfilled by you, blessed fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and German: for this is a barren and uninhabited desert, abundantly watered with your sweat and tears, appearing like a flourishing heliport and a verbal paradise, where the faces of monasticism, teaching you well, bearing fruits pleasing to God, you sing the angelic song to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6 Shine forth, O God-bearing fathers, with the light of piety, like a God-bright luminary, illuminating everywhere with the luminous rays of your deeds and virtues. Therefore, we, sinners and darkened by the darkness of passions, in the light of your godly deeds flowing towards the day of light and salvation, we praise you, singing: Rejoice, disciples of Christ's good obedience; Rejoice, Masters of your rabbi Blasia and Vernia. Rejoice, most industrious workers of Christ’s grapes; Rejoice, you who fulfilled the most diligent commandments of Christ. Rejoice, you who have bowed your heart in submission to the yoke of Christ’s humility and meekness; Rejoice, in the footsteps of Christ the Lord, who taught about poverty, diligently in the poverty and lack of wealth that followed. Rejoice, according to the word of the Lord, having traversed the path of this temporary life through sorrowful and cramped paths; Rejoice, like the rain, having washed away your souls with currents of tears. Rejoice, O most beautiful Bridegroom who has preserved the beauty of his virginity; Rejoice, in every holy thing, in all your good deeds that have pleased Him. Rejoice, having glorified your Lord in your souls and bodies; Rejoice, from the Lord, according to the inheritance of glorification on earth and in Heaven. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 7 Although you would save many, the Most Merciful God will show you to be not just teachers of a host of monastics, but like preachers of God, proclaiming the name of God in the countries of Lapland. For the people who dwell in these places, and who did not know God until then, but who were very fond of idolatry and wickedness, in your lordship, O Reverence, lives, signs and wonders, having seen the first dawn of saving knowledge of God and piety, and from you having learned to sing praises to the true God : Alleluia.

Ikos 7 Having wondrously and gloriously completed the path of your salvation, having founded a wondrous and divine monastery for the salvation of the monastic, blessedly accepting the end of your life, our fathers, Zosimo, Savvatiya and Germane, are of ever-memorial: both after your death, everlastingly live us, your children , you never leave, not in spirit, but still abiding to us, but also in giving us your whole-giving relics, like a priceless treasure. For this reason, we joyfully bless you, calling: Rejoice, you who have fought a good deed in all your life; Rejoice, having been crowned with glory and honor from your Lord Christ. Rejoice, for having labored for a time, you have entered into eternal rest; Rejoice, for having walked the narrow path, you have reached the bliss of the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, even if not together, but in equal struggles, you fought on earth; Rejoice, for your equal life, as you enjoy joy and gladness together in Heaven. Rejoice, thou who in the father is empty, like a city, a monastery founded by a monk; Rejoice, you who have gathered the hosts of monks in Christ the Bose. Rejoice, guardians of your flock, ever cheerful, and in these days of temporary life, not resting from deeds of charity; Rejoice, sons of the Kingdom, who live in Heaven and do not leave the earthly. Rejoice, in your spirit you are with the holy angels, and abiding with us sinners forever; Rejoice, from your honest relics flowing streams of mercy upon everyone. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 8 Strange and wonderful, great and beautiful, having seen the church that appeared in the air, yet this place, on which the monastery of monks was named, was filled with horror, Father Zosimo, from the wondrous vision. Moreover, having understood God’s revelation in this, encouraging you to build a monastery, and also seeing the future glory of this place, with a tender heart and lips you sang to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8 All orthodox Russian people, glorifying your holy and equal-angelic life, in all kinds of needs and sorrows flow to your help and intercession, most wonderful fathers: for grace has been given to you from God to pray for us, to deliver and save us from all troubles and evil flowing to the shrines of your venerable relics, and invoking your holy name in every place. Moreover, having confessed your wonderful good deeds, we write a note of gratitude to you, calling: Rejoice, inexhaustible sources of Divine gifts; Rejoice, vessels of mercy and love for people who do not depend on you. Rejoice, as you offer fragrant incense to God for peace; Rejoice, for through your silent intercessions every blessing from the right hand of God has been brought down upon us. Rejoice, for those who are in sorrow and need have received the knowledge of a helper; Rejoice, in the circumstances and misfortunes of the speedy accomplice. Rejoice, healers in the sick, and helmsmen and deliverers in the storm of the afflicted; Rejoice, intercessors and comforters in all troubles and temptations. Rejoice, faithful, piously honoring you, for your opposing supporters; Rejoice, all Russian lands, in the election of a prayer service and intercessor. Rejoice, you who work glorious miracles on earth and sea; Rejoice, you have unenviably extended help to those who call for help in every possible way. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 9 Having adorned yourself with all the God-red graces of the virtues, O most praiseworthy Zosimo, you most of all appeared, most red in soul and body, worthy of anointing yourself with the priesthood with the Divine ointment. Moreover, when in the holy temple you performed the first Divine service before the throne of the Lord, seeing your whole face covered with the light of grace, like the face of an angel: the whole temple, as a well-known testimony of your dignity, was filled with a great fragrance. For this reason, everyone, thanking God for their shepherd, cried out with a joyful heart: Alleluia.

Ikos 9 It is not possible to sing and glorify through Vetian good broadcasts the great and innumerable, great and glorious, and surpassing all earthly understanding, performed by you, Reverend Fathers, at every time of miracles. Moreover, let us not appear through silence, like a servant who hid the treasure of his Master, from lips that are not even trained and do not have a word of wisdom, but driven by love and gratitude, we dare to extend a song of thanksgiving in memory and glorification of your miracles, calling to your face: Rejoice, miracle workers of great honor and blessing; Rejoice, soul and body healed from sickness. Rejoice, you who enlighten the blind with the grace of God; Rejoice, lips bound by dumbness, resolving blessings. Rejoice, you who are relaxed and correct infirmities; Rejoice, you who grant uprightness to the lame. Rejoice, you who were captivated by your intercession from bonds and who freed captivity; Rejoice, you who are dead by the power of God and who are resurrected by your prayer. Rejoice, you who perform grace-filled healing in all passions and illnesses. Rejoice, you who give peace and spiritual enlightenment to those languishing in circumstances and misfortunes; Rejoice, for those who follow the Lord’s path along narrow and sorrowful paths, giving divine help. Rejoice, our Reverend Fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 10 Having accomplished the feat of salvation well, renouncing this temporary life and departing to the eternal and blessed life, O blessed Zosimo, you consoled your disciples, saying that, while you are separated from them physically, you will not depart from them and your abode in your spirit. It is from this very deed that you fulfill your word, not only invisibly co-present with us and watching over everything, but also visibly many times, together with the blessed Savvaty and the venerable Herman, appearing at the right time to those who call you for help and cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 10 An insurmountable wall and a solid cover, salvation was taken away and the weapon of victory was given to us, Reverend Fathers, your warm prayers to God, on the day of this fierce battle, when, through our sin and iniquity, the strongmen and weapons of war attacked us with fire and sword in your heritage, to destroy your shrines and lay them in ruin and trampling, but to conquer your spiritual children and destroy them with a worthless death; On the other hand, having been able to do no evil, they themselves were especially filled with coldness and dishonor, while those who hoped for your help were girded with joy and gladness about their salvation. Giving thanks to God for this, we confess your intercession and protection, and cry out to you warmly from the depths of our souls: Rejoice, good shepherd, who defend your flock from destructive enemies; Rejoice, as eagles cover their chicks under their wings. Rejoice, having overshadowed us with the cover of your prayers on the day of battle; Rejoice, O wrath of God, righteously driven upon us, having been quenched by your intercession. Rejoice, you who did not allow your property to be trampled and stolen; Rejoice, having preserved your hopes from the fiery ignition. Rejoice, you who trusted in us and freed us from the destruction of mortals; Rejoice, you who wonderfully preserved those from wounds and ulcers, from bonds and captivity. Rejoice, having turned your enemies' pride and arrogance into stupefaction and dishonor; Rejoice, we who live in your monastery, unskilled and unarmed, clothed in joy and gladness. Rejoice, vigilant guardians of the faith and piety of the fatherland; Rejoice, you who appeared for the fatherland and were courageous warriors after death. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 11 Songs of praise and prayer, all-contrite, bringing the long journey and the dangers of the sea to nothing, flow to your whole-bearing power kings and princes, saints and nobles, rich and poor, near and far, every age and sex, and every union of the faithful , and as if from an inexhaustible source, according to each of their needs, accepting abundant healing of the soul and body, they glorify and magnify God, who has given such grace to you, singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 11 By the light of Divine grace, in the depths of the earth, in wondrous signs and wonders, from the first days of your repose your relics shone forth, worthy and righteously the faces of monasticism, worn out from many years of protection, placed with reverence on the church candlestick, in the temple created by your name, piety the great and holy imitator of your exploits, confessor and martyr, Saint and First See of Russia, Philip. And we now, piously rejoicing in your glory, the truly honest shrines of your relics and lovingly kissing you, loudly call to you: Rejoice, luminary lamps, gloriously placed on the church candlestick; Rejoice, arks of honesty, not with stones and gold, but with the grace bestowed upon them. Rejoice, like three stars illuminating the midnight darkness; Rejoice, for there are three pillars that affirm the Orthodox faith within the borders of Northern Pomorie. Rejoice, sources of heaven, pouring out seas of miracles; Rejoice, dear beads who adorn the Church of Christ. Rejoice, brightest mirror of piety and virtue; Rejoice, the Church and the Fatherland have been invincibly taken away. Rejoice, heavenly fulfillment of the most fragrant cries; Rejoice, most fruitful vines of the Divine. Rejoice, all-blessed fathers, glorified grief from God and angels, and blessedness from men; Rejoice, for your joy, holy and perfect, endures forever. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 12 Your Divine grace, dwelling in all your bodies, sometimes the Most Blessed God reveal to the reverent monk Joseph in the form of two fiery pillars, from earth to heaven above your tombs, ascending and shining with an indescribable light: truly, for you are, Reverend Fathers, spiritual pillars of light, lordship high virtues and the light of knowledge of God, and signs and wonders, which illuminated the spiritual darkness in the midnight countries. For this reason, to God, who glorifies His saints, we sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 12 Singing in songs the deeds and labors of your God-pleasing life, the glorious deeds and works done in every kind of goodness and miracles, praising and glorifying, we are perplexed, venerable fathers, what we should call you out of duty: for your virtues and talents are many, for this reason they are fitting for many you and naming. Moreover, being satisfied with small things in many, we write this to you with love: Rejoice, angels of earth, for you have lived through angelic life on earth; Rejoice, people of heaven, for you are related to earth; you hate the earthly, but love the heavenly. Rejoice, most patient fasters, who spent their entire lives in fasting; Rejoice, worthy hermits, who served the Lord in the untrodden deserts. Rejoice, teachers and mentors who lead your affairs on the path of salvation; Rejoice, spiritual leaders, who lead many souls to Heavenly villages. Rejoice, martyr of the same morality, as you bravely fought your passions; Rejoice, imitator of the apostle, who enlightened the darkness of unbelief in the knowledge of God with lordships. Rejoice, prophet of the like, secret and future carrying out and prophecy; Rejoice, to all the saints of oneness of integrity, exploits for the sake of and pleasing God. Rejoice, performer of the mysteries of grace and miracles; Rejoice, citizens of heaven and friends of God and His saints. Rejoice, our venerable fathers Zosimo, Savvaty and Germane.

Kontakion 13 About our Reverend Fathers, Zosimo, Savvaty and Herman! Kindly accept from us humble and unworthy this praise offered to you, and with your favorable prayers to God protect us from all misfortune and adversity, from illness and famine, from fire and sword, and invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Most of all, by your intercession, keep us strong from the invisible enemies who are seeking to destroy us, so that, having escaped their many-witted snares, we will live righteously and pleasing to God in the present world, and in the Kingdom of Heaven we will be worthy to sing with you to Christ our God: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Ikos 13 Kontakion this verb is spoken three times, also the 1st ikos and the 1st kontakion

Prayers

Troparion

By the will of the Divine mind / you moved into the desert / and there, fixing your mind on the heavenly abodes, / living like an angel on earth, / in prayers, and labor, and fasting, you became your disciple. / Then God, seeing your good will, / multiply your children in the desert, watered by streams of your tears. / But, as if you have boldness towards God, / remember the flock that you gathered, wise, / and do not forget, as you promised, / visiting your children, / Reverend Zosimo, our Father.

Solovki is a place of glorification of a large number of wondrous saints of the Russian Land, which is why the Council of Solovetsky Saints is celebrated annually on August 22. But the eldest and most important among them are the Monks Zosima, Savvaty and Herman of Solovetsky, whose memorial day is celebrated the day before - August 21. This indicates their special role: they are pioneers, creators of the holy monastery and patrons of Solovki for all times.

The holiday dates back to the event that occurred on August 21, 1566, the day when the relics of Saints Savvaty and Zosima, almost 20 years after they were canonized (1547), were transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Solovetsky Monastery. Until the revolutionary events of the 20th century, they stayed there together, while the relics of St. Herman continued to be in the chapel next to the Church of St. Nicholas.

On August 21, 1992, the saints united under the shadow of one church; now the shrines with their holy relics reside in the Trinity Cathedral of the Solovetsky Monastery. Paradoxically, this became possible thanks to representatives of the atheistic authorities who wanted to violate the relics of the saints, but through their actions unknowingly contributed to the reunification of the saints. God is marvelous in His saints, and they, like Him, are not mocked. The Bolsheviks dug up the relics of St. Herman and took photographs in memory of the sacrilege committed (as the Nazis took photographs against the backdrop of the atrocities they committed). Then they found the relics of Saints Zosima and Savvaty hidden in a cache; they searched for them purposefully, for a long time, with questions. At first, the relics of the saints were placed in the anti-religious museum in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Solovetsky Monastery, in 1940 they were sent to Moscow, and in 1946 to Leningrad. During the difficult years of the war, the relics of the saints were in Moscow; they were probably more needed here than in Solovki. The return of the relics of the saints from exile took place through the efforts of Patriarch Alexy II; by August 21, 1992, His Holiness himself brought them to Solovki.

The monks returned to their island at the moment of the revival of monastic life, and the island, in turn, was preparing for the meeting of the monks: they washed every corner, polished everything to a shine. At that moment, one of the many Solovetsky miracles was revealed: during cleaning, a piece of ordinary brown paint broke off from one of the doors and a “piece of blue sky” or “a piece of blue water” was exposed. Restorers carefully removed the top layer, under which they found the icon “The Arrival of St. Savvaty and Herman on the Island,” a miraculously preserved shrine of the pre-revolutionary monastery. The icon depicts scenes: the monks in a karbas sail across the White Sea to the island and install a cross on the island. Judging by the fact that the icon hung upside down, most likely it was not reverently disguised in order to preserve the shrine, but was used specifically for economic purposes: the board is large, solid, and can serve as a door. The icon served, and the saints waited for more than half a century to return to their island. Obviously, these doors were washed and painted many times over the years, but the icon was not shown, and only when the saints returned to the island was the image revealed.

In the Russian North, already in the 17th century, an icon was painted on which the three of Savvaty, Zosima and Herman Solovetsky were depicted. In 1602, Abba Herman (as the brethren of the monastery called him) appeared in Totma to Presbyter Gregory, who composed a troparion for St. Herman, and at the same time the icon was painted. The image was miraculous; people who flocked to it received healing from serious illnesses.

Since the 90s of the 20th century, icons depicting Saints Zosima, Savvaty and Herman began to be painted on Solovki; now these saints are inseparable in the iconography of the Russian North. On the mainland, traditions change with difficulty. In churches in different cities, including Moscow, the icons traditionally depict St. Zosima and Savvaty without St. Herman, and not only on pre-revolutionary icons, but also on modern ones. Icon painters say that some customers ask to make copies of ancient icons, but St. Herman is not there. In church calendars, until recently, on August 21, according to the old tradition, only the names of St. Zosima and Savvaty were indicated, the name of St. Herman was not next to them, so it was all the more gratifying to finally see the names of all the Solovetsky wonderworkers dear to my heart in the 2022 calendar. When I venerate the icon of Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky in my Moscow church, I also turn to Herman, greet his invisible presence, and ask for prayers.

Glorified at the Makarievsky Cathedral in 1547, Zosima and Savvatiy of Solovetsky never met in life; in history they were united thanks to the Monk Herman, who first brought Savvatiya to the island in 1429, and a year after his death - in 1436 - the Monk Zosima. If we name the names according to the chronology of events, then it would be more correct to say this: German - Savvaty - Zosima, since Herman in 1428, a year before his arrival with the Monk Savvaty on the island, having visited this place, chose it for prayerful solitude. But he did not dare to stay here alone because of the peculiarities of the White Sea, which is deprived of navigation 8 months a year, does not freeze, but turns into a pool with dangerous drifting ice floes, thereby cutting off people from communication with the mainland. For many years no one dared to settle on the island; Savvaty and German were the first.

At the same time, traditionally the names of the saints are pronounced in a different order: Zosima - Savvaty - German, despite the fact that Zosima was the last of the three of them to arrive on the island. Probably because he was the builder of the first temple, the creator of the monastery, and also one of its first abbots.

Each of the saints had their own mission on Solovki. The Monk Savvaty is a disciple of the Monk Kirill of Belozersky, who sought solitude, who first left the Kirillo-Belozersky and then the Valaam monasteries in search of solitude, leaving under the cover of darkness, since his loving brethren did not want to let him go. He was the ascetic who sanctified and blessed the Solovetsky land, erecting the first cross on the island (later there would be hundreds of them), creating the preconditions for the emergence of a monastery.

The Monk Zosimas is an educated man from a wealthy family who gave away all his property and became a monk. He did not want to be a rector, and only at the decisive request of the brethren did he accept this responsibility. He wanted to pray in solitude, but instead he had to perform administrative functions, for example, go to Novgorod to negotiate with the boyars, seek their protection of the monastery from the claims of dashing people. Many miracles on Solovki are associated with the name of St. Zosima.

The Monk Herman carried out a special mission: he was a pioneer scout, a faithful friend, an associate, a unifier, and a keeper of memory. He represented the image of a humble monk, ready to help his neighbor in the most ordinary matters. Its constant function was to deliver food and things needed for the monastic household from the mainland to the island. Every time he set out on a journey across the icy White Sea, he took risks and showed miracles of courage. A tireless worker, he was born into a poor family, was illiterate until the end of his life, but with his zeal the lives of Saints Sabbatius and Zosima were recorded; he wanted to preserve the memory of them for posterity and he himself dictated his memories to his students. He modestly distanced himself from the exploits of his spiritual friends and was canonized only 150 years after their glorification, but it is obvious that not a single important decision was made without consulting him. Saint Zosima, who saw the “temple in the air,” first of all hastened to tell Herman about it, who said that it was necessary to build a temple and immediately “rolled up his sleeves.” Herman brought to the island the first student and future tonsure of the monastery - Mark. It can be said that the Monk Herman stood at the origins of all important monastic affairs. He stayed on the island for 50 years, outliving both Savvaty and Zosima, and died on the way, doing his usual job of delivering important cargo for the brethren of the monastery, and he was already over 60 years old at that time. 5 years after the death of St. Herman, in 1484, his relics were found incorrupt on the banks of the Svir River and transferred to the Solovetsky Monastery. 20 years earlier, in 1465, the Monk Zosima brought the relics of the Monk Savvaty to the island and buried them behind the altar of the Assumption Church (Savvaty left the island to receive communion before his death). It was as if the monks were gathering under one roof in order to go into exile together after many years, and then return to the Island together.

There is an opinion that if a person comes to Solovki, it means that the monks invited him to visit and blessed his arrival. And not only churchgoers go, but also just tourists, and sometimes atheists. The arrival of each of them has a meaning, known only to the Lord and the Monks Zosima, Savvaty and Herman Solovetsky.

Solovki came into my life thanks to my grandmother Maria Ivanovna Steshova, whose memorial day is celebrated on August 10. It was on this day that they called me and offered to write the story of “my Solovki.” This is one of the “non-random accidents”.

My grandmother left us as an inheritance an icon depicting saints “unknown” to us. They were not immediately identified, but we identified them “by chance” from a book I bought many years ago during my student years. From that moment my journey to Solovki began, first unconsciously, then consciously. One day I asked my mother: “Where would you like to go most in the world?” Mom replied that we would never be able to get to where she would like to go. And yet I asked to name this unattainable place of her dreams. Solovki. In 2013, we ended up there as pilgrims, and in 2016 I was invited to work there as a guide. All these amazing coincidences are not coincidences at all, we Orthodox already know about this, but every time we are surprised, like the first time. I never took my bag with my phone to class, I left it at the department, but that day for some reason I took it. When the phone rang, I didn’t turn it off, but even answered an unfamiliar number, despite the lecture, all this was necessary in order to hear the question: “Would you like to work as a guide on Solovki this summer?” Without hesitation I said, “Yes.” My work colleague was surprised at my agreement, asking: “Are two jobs not enough for you?” Over time, I realized that then the Lord sent me to a “spiritual sanatorium”, to the monks for strengthening of the spirit and consolation in grief. How wonderful it was to begin and end my working day with the blessing of the saints, falling to the shrine with their relics.

But the Solovetsky family story did not end after visiting Solovki. Quite recently, I came to the realization that the day of remembrance of St. Herman is August 12 and that he is definitely the heavenly patron of my grandmother, whose memorial day is celebrated on August 10, since in addition to the proximity of the dates of their memory, they are related by their professional activities: my grandmother transported cargo during the war on a barge from Astrakhan to the burning Stalingrad. Who else but Reverend Herman could help her on these river trips, who else but him would know all the difficulties of transporting goods by water over long distances in difficult conditions. But my grandmother was on a barge that the Nazis bombed, and she was there with her three small children. And everyone survived. The barge was burning in front and behind, but the Amu Darya remained unharmed.

Perhaps I also needed to go to Solovki precisely in order to find out about the Monk Herman, whose image is not on my grandmother’s icon. Perhaps the grandmother knew nothing about the saints from her icon, since she never talked about them. And how this icon appeared in her possession also remains a mystery. My mother recalled that one relative took away from my grandmother an icon that had once been given to her, and my strict grandmother suddenly began to cry, and then went to the market and bought the most affordable icon for her. Most likely, it was just this icon: the monks came to console the grandmother.

On August 10, 2016, precisely on the day of memory of my grandmother and shortly before the celebration of the day of memory of St. Herman, I was leaving Solovki and Mother Nikon (Marina Vasilievna Osipenko), the author of a book about the Solovetsky monastery - the soul and heart of the monastery’s Pilgrimage Service - gave me the almanac “Solovetsky Sea” "with a dedicatory inscription and a designated date. I didn’t pay attention to the date then, completely concentrating on the text; I saw the date “accidentally” only last year, just when the memorial dates and professional functions of Reverend Herman and Grandmother Maria were compared. My Solovetsky story never ends and constantly sends me to Saints Savvaty, Herman and Zosima of Solovetsky and my grandmother. Thank God for everything! For every new discovery, for new knowledge, for meeting new people. Thank God for our beloved Reverends. On Solovki their names are often not listed, they simply say: “I’ll go to the saints,” because for us, the “sad guys,” our saints are one whole!

Irina Fedorkova