Feofan was born in the Oryol region to the priest Vasily on January 10, 1815 and at birth was called Georgy Govorov. As the son of a priest, who was extremely pious and highly respected, the smart, talented child followed the path of his father and entered the Theological Seminary.
Feofan the Recluse
The boy’s mother was incredibly kind; it was from her, whom George was very similar in appearance, that he inherited this character trait, as well as meekness. So the future monk spent his childhood happily surrounded by a loving family and communicating with three more brothers and three sisters.
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After the Seminary there was the Theological Academy. Feofan was lucky to have interesting and intelligent teachers who stimulated his already inquisitive mind to receive an even better education and to expand his ideological and spiritual boundaries.
Already at the Academy, George’s penchant for solitude was noticed, his prudence, hard work and sedate behavior were noted. Subsequently, Feofan recalled his years of study with delight. After graduating from the Academy, George became a monk, taking the name Theophanes.
He was engaged in teaching and achieved very good results with students. The solid basis of his teaching was Christian love for his students. Feofan not only taught his students, but also organized useful work and interesting recreation for them.
Spiritual reading calms the soul
Thanks to his outstanding qualities, the monk quickly climbed the career ladder and rose to the rank of cathedral hieromonk of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and then to the rank of archimandrite and rector of the monastery. Conducted extensive preaching work. Each of his sermons was alive, came from the heart, but was not a speech with memorized and truisms.
In 1847, a trip was organized as part of the Spiritual Mission to the Holy Places, and Theophan visited Jerusalem, ancient monastic settlements, where he did enormous spiritual work, had conversations with holy elders, and studied the most valuable manuscripts. Feofan, having great abilities for foreign languages, mastered French and Greek, and became acquainted with Arabic and Hebrew. In addition, he learned icon painting, carpentry and turning.
When the Crimean War began, Feofan returned to Russia and again turned to teaching. And when he rose to the rank of Bishop, he began to organize parochial schools in order to improve the level of education of the people. He also founded a diocesan educational institution for women. In 1866, Feofan petitioned to allow him to retire to the Vyshenskaya Hermitage to accomplish a new spiritual feat and become a recluse.
The monk wrote a lot in order to enlighten sinners, answered questions from the population, and guided those in need on the true path. Feofan created a large number of works that any Orthodox person should definitely get acquainted with.
The monk deified nature, admired its splendor, and often watched the stars with a telescope. He read a lot and had a very large library of not only Russian, but also foreign works in foreign languages, which he read in the original. Unfortunately, the library of Theophan the Recluse was lost.
Theophan the Recluse died very calmly (in the winter of 1984) and a few years later he was canonized.
Prayer for a meeting
Elder Theophan teaches that sincere prayer is a meeting with God, who hears and loves him. A conversation with the Almighty while turning to him in prayer should, according to the elder, be the basis of life, and not an episodic incident.
At the same time, we must try to remove the barriers that our vanity creates, which prevents us from completely dissolving in prayer and feeling the presence of the Higher Powers nearby.
Prayers to Saint Theophan the Recluse
First prayer
Oh, Saint, Father Theophan, glory and joy to our land! Accept these humble and warm prayers of us sinners who worship you with love. It is in vain that the Lord’s verb was fulfilled on you: “I will glorify those who glorify Me,” we fall with tenderness before your holy relics, having the healing power, like the chosen one of Divine Grace, we cry to you: bless you and have mercy, the bishop of the true God, our Russian power, unshakable courage for the warrior grant and keep all people carefree and bring them to repentance, give a good upbringing to infants, teach young people, ask for health to the sick and mourning, grant us all everlasting joy in the Lord, and let us all please you with gratitude, saying this: We magnify you, Holy Hierarch Father Theophan and honor Holy memory of yours, pray for us to Christ our God. Amen!
Second prayer
O holy hierarch Father Theophan, glorious and wonderful recluse to the bishop, God's chosen one and servant of the Mysteries of Christ.
God-wise teacher and a fair expounder of apostolic words, a copyist of fatherly philanthropic legends, an elegant preacher of Christian piety and a skilled mentor of spiritual life, a zealous zealot of monastic deeds and an intercessor of grace for all people! Now to you, the God who stands in Heaven and prays for us, we fall down and cry out: ask the All-Bountiful God of the Russian Church and our country for peace and prosperity, the saint of Christ - worthy protection of Divine truths, good feeding of the flock, fair shame for false teachers and heretics; to those who strive - humility, fear of God and purity of soul and body; for the teacher - knowledge of God and wisdom, for the students - zeal and God's help; and to all Orthodox - confirmation on the path to salvation, so that together with you we glorify God's Power and Wisdom, our Lord Jesus Christ, with His Beginningless Father, with His Most Holy, Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion, tone 8
Teacher of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and purity, ascetic Vyshinsky, Saint Theophanes the God-wise, with your writings you have explained the Word of God and you have shown to all the faithful the path to salvation, pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4
Theophany of the same name, Saint Theophan, with Your teachings you have enlightened many people, with the Angels now standing before the Throne of the Holy Trinity, pray unceasingly for all of us.
Greatness
We magnify you, Holy Hierarch Father Theophan, and honor your holy memory, for you pray for us to Christ our God.
About the sick person
Watch the video
Theophan the Recluse in his works gives very valuable advice to sick people. He writes that there is no need to fight the disease, because the disease came from God and serves for the benefit of man. The disease indicates that the individual is going the wrong way, in the wrong direction, that he needs to stop, think and change his life, take the path of spiritual growth and enlightenment.
You don’t need to go to church all the time when you’re sick, but you need to pray at home more often. Even a short prayer “Lord have mercy,” according to Feofan, will help better than thousands of doctors and advising people.
short biography
On November 28, 2014, in his homeland, in the village of Chernava, now the Izmalkovsky district of the Lipetsk region, a monument to the saint appeared.
It stands exactly on the site of the unpreserved house of his parents: priest Vasily Govorov and his wife Tatiana.
The opening of the monument was part of the preparations for the 200th anniversary of the ascetic. After all, George - that is his worldly name - was born on January 10, 1815.
Parents
Yegor's family, as his family called him, was distinguished by its religiosity and piety, being an example for the residents of Chernava.
- Father, priest Vasily, was the permanent dean of the district for 30 years.
- The mother, the daughter of a clergyman, took care of the house and raising children: the Govorovs had four sons and three daughters, and one of the brothers, Simeon, died in childhood.
The saint's sisters later became wives of clergy, and the brothers also served the Church as rural clergy. The most capable of all the Govorov children turned out to be Yegor, who received a spiritual education and then even became a bishop.
"Ringer or Bishop"
The boy grew up cheerful, sociable, and playful. That didn’t stop him from especially loving the services, where he stood for hours, and the ringing of bells. The boy often climbed the bell tower of the Vladimir Church, of which his father was the rector. Here he sometimes helped the bell ringers, or simply watched and listened. And apparently he was praying.
One day he was “forgotten” at the belfry after the service. The servants locked the bell tower and went home. Realizing that his parents would miss him and scold him, the resourceful Yegor thought of descending to the ground using a rope that stretched from the main bell.
The prank did not go unnoticed, but the father did not swear, only saying:
“Well, Yegorushka, you will either be a bell ringer or a bishop!”
These words turned out to be prophetic.
Home education and school education
When Georgy grew up a little, his father began to take him to services as a sexton. Education children o. Vasily received homework: they were taught either by the priest himself, or by their mother, Tatyana Ivanovna. She, for example, as the saint recalled, knew the lives of the saints so well that “she was not inferior to theologians.”
Interesting fact
George had another spiritual mentor, even if he was no longer on earth - St. Tikhon Zadonsky. The family often made pilgrimages to his resting place, although the saint of God was glorified by the Church only in 1861. Thanks to frequent visits to his monastery, Yegor, the son of a lay priest, saw monastic life from childhood.
The boy began to learn to read and write at the age of seven. Relatives recalled that Fr. Vasily even performed a prayer service to the prophet. Naum, for whom many parishioners who loved the priest prayed. It soon turned out that Yegor studied quickly, with desire, despite his restlessness, so his father decided to send him, only eight years old, to the theological school in Livny.
Relatives recalled that at first his studies were not easy, but after two years Georgy was among the best students who were sent to the Oryol Seminary. Here, too, the young man showed success, as they wrote in the documents, “excellently good.” It is believed that then he began to seriously think about the monastic path. The seminar note notes:
George “is edifying in his dealings with his comrades; sets an example of hard work and good morals; meek and silent,” like a monk.
Academy
At the same time, George still loved science and read books voraciously. By the end of the seminary, he, of course, wanted to continue his education. However, he understood: most likely, the fate of a rural priest awaited him. In addition, the rector of the seminary, Archimandrite Sophrony, demanded that the students know the textbook by heart, and this is precisely where the future saint was not strong, even if he was the first student. So the rector would not recommend him to the Academy.
But when he was almost a graduate and began to look for a rural parish, it turned out that the Oryol bishop, His Eminence Nikodim, personally ordered to send him to the Kyiv Theological Academy - the only one from the entire graduating class.
George plunged headlong into his studies at the blessed place of asceticism of his beloved Pechersk saints. He would later call the Kiev Pechersk Lavra an “unearthly monastery.” It was here that he fell in love with the monastic way of life, long services, and solitude. Studying continued to make me happy.
Theophan the Recluse. Unfinished self-portrait
His classmate, later Metropolitan, famous Church historian, theologian, Macarius (Bulgakov) recalls:
“No one wrote better than him, only due to his modesty he could not read his works loudly.”
Many researchers of the saint’s biography say that the death of his beloved parents finally pushed George to choose his future path. The mother died in 1838, the father a year later.
On February 27, 1841, George accepted monasticism with the name of St. Theophan the Confessor. He graduated from the Academy as a hieromonk. His graduation essay “Review of Under-Law Religion” (about the religion of the Jews of the Old Testament) was read even in the Holy Synod. Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov), himself a brilliant scientist, personally gave a brief review:
“This work contains so much information and considerations about the Law of Moses that they serve as sufficient evidence of the knowledge of the author, giving him the right to a master’s degree.”
Master of Theology in the Field of Education
Later, the saint himself compared himself to a ball rolling back and forth - wherever it was directed. This is an image of his humility, obedience, but there is a certain bitterness here. Dreaming of solitude and asceticism, the “learned monk” immediately after his ordination found himself the rector of a theological school in Kyiv, forced to immerse himself in administrative affairs. But this was just the beginning:
- a year later he was sent to Novgorod as a seminary inspector, teacher of logic and philosophy; obedience lasted three years;
- since 1844 Feofan was already at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy; soon he will also be appointed inspector here; despite the fact that he was “unbearably” burdened by this work, the hieromonk coped well, and wrote about his torment only in letters to his confessor: “I would have gone to church and sat there”; but no:
- from 1847 to 1853 Hieromonk Theophan works in the Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem; the blessed Holy Land gives him an enormous amount: here he improves his knowledge of languages, learns icon painting, begins to translate the Greek “Philokalia” into Russian; when the Crimean War began, the mission was recalled; I had to return through Europe; so o. Feofan managed to see cultural monuments and visit legendary temples; he is also the head of the mission, Archimandrite. Porfiry, they didn’t even get a reception from the Pope, Pius IX; all this enriched his knowledge about Europe, its culture, and non-Orthodox Christians.
Upon returning home, God's lessons in obedience continued: from 1855, having barely begun teaching at the already familiar Theological Academy of St. Petersburg, Fr. Feofan, already an archimandrite, moves to the position of rector of the Olonets Theological Seminary, an educational institution that does not even have its own premises.
Having barely had time to deal with his problems, he learns that he is again being sent to the East - as the rector of the embassy temple of Constantinople, as he knows the region and speaks languages. Can not argue with that…
He lived in Constantinople for less than a year: the archimandrite’s father was recalled again now - to the post of rector of the same St. Petersburg Theological Academy.
Later, looking back at this time, marked by intense intellectual work, many church and secular awards, but so filled with vanity, far from truly monastic life, prayer, solitude, he will say:
“True obedience obeys without seeing any reason and despite one’s reluctance.”
Such was the lesson taught to the learned monk not in a monastery, where he would humble himself before the brethren, but in the midst of worldly life, which probably made him grieve more than once, perhaps grumble humanly, but still repeat over and over again, turning to the Lord:
“Not as I want, but as You…”.
The main thing of obedience was still ahead.
Bishopric
In February 1859, the rector, Archimandrite Theophan, received another award: to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Academy, he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 3rd degree.
And a few months later, he was appointed Bishop of Tambov and Shatsky. It was not only a large, very populous diocese (there were more than 2000 priests and deacons under the leadership of the Bishop), but also, as they would say now, problematic. Schisms and sectarianism flourished here. And the numerous clergy were poorly educated.
At his new obedience, Vladyka set to work with the same zeal: during his short reign of the Tambov flock include:
- publication of the collection “Letters on Christian Life”;
- manuals for priests “How to write a sermon”;
- the transformation of the Kazan Monastery into a center for preaching, where the clergy were directly taught this work;
- restoring order in the Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery, torn apart by unrest: it was deliberately given to the Tambov diocese for several months, knowing the wisdom of the Bishop - with his experience, intelligence, tact, he will certainly reconcile the warring parties.
Work on the Tambov field continued until 1863, when Vladyka was again sent to a new obedience - to the Vladimir diocese. More than a million inhabitants, about 10,000 clergy, 28 monasteries, 270 schools... Truly, “the harvest is many, but the workers are few.” The Bishop again had to work to correct the spiritual life of his flock and fight against schisms and sects.
The Bishop opens an Orthodox brotherhood and is working on a women's diocesan school. And he writes bitterly to his spiritual friend, St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) , already living alone in retirement:
“I’m completely fussed. And very often I rush to follow your path. How would this work out! I can't see the gate due to my myopia. Sometimes you are ready to take up the pen and write a petition about it; Yes, something is bothering me in my chest. And I remain with one desire. We will sit by the sea and wait for the weather. And the sins are still weighing me down, and the passions are still hitting my sides...”
"To serve in another way"
The saint wrote a petition to the Synod on March 11, 1866. The active, intelligent, beloved bishop had recently turned only 51 years old. He, of course, had long been in mind as a future metropolitan, a member of the Synod. So the “demarche” was not understood at first. Even St. It seemed to Philaret (Drozdov), known for spiritual wisdom, that Vladyka was abandoning the cross given by the Lord and leaving obedience.
The Holy Dormition Vyshensky Monastery is the place of the spiritual exploits of St. Theophan the Recluse. Photo 2015
He had to explain:
“I am looking for peace so that I can more calmly indulge in the activities I desire... with the indispensable intention that there will be a fruit of labor that is not useless and not unnecessary for the Church of God. I have in mind to serve the Church of God, but to serve in a different way.”
The Synod, albeit with dissatisfaction, granted the request. Vladyka was first appointed rector of the Assumption Monastery on Vyshe. But after a while he left management, and during the Great Lent of 1872 he finally retired, locking himself in a cell, accepting the long-desired feat.
Why did a highly educated man at the peak of his career go into seclusion?
Subsequent years showed that the saint was not guided by his own will. The Lord, seeing that the ascetic, having gone through all the lessons of humility and obedience, had matured to be not just a bishop - the spiritual leader of many flocks, blessed not “peace”, but new labors - for the sake of saving the souls of his neighbors. Thus, St. Petersburg once emerged from many years of seclusion to the feat of senile service. Seraphim of Sarov, ripe for the Kingdom of Heaven. But Bishop Theophan needed... just to retire there from the cycle of worldly affairs!
Museum exhibitions of the Holy Dormition Vyshensky Monastery
What is the meaning of the shutter
The Lord himself did not consider that he was performing a feat at all:
“There’s nothing reclusive here. I locked myself away so as not to be disturbed, but not in the form of the strictest asceticism, but in the form of unhindered bookishness... I laugh when someone says that I am in seclusion. This is not the same at all. I have the same life, only there are no ways out or tricks. The seclusion is real - don’t eat, don’t drink, don’t sleep, don’t do anything, just pray... I talk to Evdokim, walk around the balcony and see everyone, correspond with each other... I eat, drink and sleep to my heart’s content. I have a simple solitude for a while.”
But only in the silence of this solitude could he comprehend his enormous life experience, put it on paper for the benefit of the souls of many people. It was this work, blessed by the Lord, that became the main thing for the bishop “in retirement.” He again performed obedience - as he had long been accustomed to:
- translated patristic texts;
- endlessly answered letters from spiritual children; Up to forty of them came daily - the saints wrote a response to each;
- He served in a small church next to his cell, which he himself consecrated in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord.
Death and glorification as a saint
Thus passed 21 years of “paradise,” as the saint put it, of a life full of prayer and work. In recent years, Vladika was very ill, blind in one eye, but never complained. On the patronal feast of his cell church, Epiphany, January 19, 1894, he died quietly. The cell attendants were at the festive service, so at the hour of death the saint was alone.
The glorification of the saint took place at the Council in 1988, timed to coincide with the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. By this time, his honest remains had already been found and carefully preserved.
Where are the relics of the saint
It is known that the saint was buried in the Vyshenskaya monastery, in the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. After the monastery was closed during the Soviet years, its premises were occupied by various Soviet institutions, and the Kazan Church fell into disrepair. It is known that there was an attempt to plunder the saint’s grave, but the relics themselves remained hidden, inviolable.
Cancer with relics
In 1973, several clergy managed to enter a closed church on the territory of a psychiatric hospital, which occupied the premises of a former monastery. These were Abbot Mark (Lozinsky) from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, hieromonks Eleutherius and George . With them was also the rector of the only functioning church in the area, St. Sergius in the village of Emmanuilovka, Fr. Georgy Glazunov . They managed to clear the saint’s resting place of debris and serve a memorial service. After some time, they visited the grave again - then they managed to find the remains of the coffin and take away the honest relics.
For the next 14 years, they, as well as the tombstone from the grave, which they also managed to remove, were in Emmanuilovka.
O. George, rector of the temple, recalls:
“Over the years there have been many reports of miracles. Sometimes I regret that I did not write them down, and some have already been forgotten... One boy, who had not walked since birth, was brought from afar three times, I laid him right on the relics, like a baby, although he was two and a half years old. My parents first bathed him in the spring of St. Theophan, and then brought him, and I laid him on the relics. And so, when they brought him in for the third time, during the service he begged to fall on the floor, his mother put him down, and he ran. The parishioners say: “Why don’t you take the child, he’s running around the church and preventing you from praying!” - and she stands and cries with joy throughout the service, she can’t say anything: the boy hasn’t walked since birth, but here he ran!..”
Meanwhile, the canonization of the saint drew attention to the abandoned monastery in Vyshe. By 1990, some of its buildings were returned to the Church, and since 1993 the monastery was revived - now as a convent, although initially the monastery belonged to one church, and the sisters had to live outside the territory still occupied by the mental hospital.
Only on June 29, 2002, the saint’s relics were transferred to the revived monastery. Now you can still venerate them in the Kazan Cathedral, but the shrine is not hidden, as before the revolution, but in a shrine.
Proceedings
The most complete collection of the saint's works to date, the publication of which was completed by 2010, contains 25 volumes. And, probably, his most read work by Christians is “Thoughts for Every Day of the Year,” short reflections that are now often placed in church calendars.
"The Outline of Christian Moral Teaching"
According to the author himself, the work, created in 1891, explains to the believer what exactly he must do for his salvation. From the foundations of Christian morality, which lie in the “economy of our Salvation” by God, life in His church, the author moves on to the rules of Christian life in the world.
Interpretation of the Gospel – “Gospel Story”
Today, in the complete collection of works of the saint, it ranks 25th, the last volume.
The book was not published during the author’s lifetime; it is the fruit of the painstaking work of modern researchers of his work. This is a parallel interpretation of all 4 Gospels, a systematic presentation of the events of the earthly life of the Lord.
The index provided with the book helps you to navigate the understanding of a particular passage.
“What is spiritual life, and how to tune in to it?”
This is also a modern edition of the saint’s letters addressed to one of his spiritual children, a certain young woman taking her first steps in conscious church life.
There are 80 letters. The short headings given to them by the publishers reflect the contents of the messages.
This allows the believer who seeks St. Feofan's answer to specific questions of spiritual life, it is better to navigate through the book.
However, it is better to read it in full. From the pages of his letters the saint appears as a wise, very kind mentor. A monk and ascetic, he not only respects, but deeply values family. For example, this instruction of his will most likely be understood and supported by many:
“And I was at a loss: what would it be? Here's what! Grandma was a little sick. Well, grandma is a victorious word. There is no warmer place for granddaughters than grandmothers; no, and for grandmothers, faces are more valuable than good granddaughters. And we must thank God for this. And you console your grandmother more often and listen more carefully to what she says. The elders have wisdom acquired through the experiences and labors of life. And they often casually, in simple phrases, express such wise lessons that you won’t find even if you look for them in books.”
And here is a very serious instruction - advice to someone who has lost prayer:
“Where did your prayer go?!” After all, she went well, and you already felt her good effect in your heart. I'll tell you where she went. Having prayed once or twice fervently and with warmth... having experienced such immediate help as a result of prayer, you thought that your prayer had already been established and therefore there was no need to worry much about it: it would go well on its own.
Having allowed such a thought, when you stood up for prayer, you began to read the prayers carelessly and hastily, and stopped watching your thoughts. Because of this, attention was scattered, thoughts diverged in different directions - and prayer was not prayer. They did this once or twice, and the prayer completely disappeared. Start acquiring prayer again and asking the Lord for it.
From this you will learn that you should never consider any spiritual work as established, and especially prayer, but always behave as if you were beginning to perform it for the first time.”
“Thoughts for every day of the year according to Church reading”
This is a collection in which the saint offers a brief interpretation of passages of the Gospel and the Epistles of the Apostles, which are read every day in church. Unlike many other works of the Bishop, this work went through more than one edition during the saint’s lifetime.
Interesting fact
“Thoughts” first appeared in the publishing house of the Panteleimon Monastery of Mount Athos (1881).
In Russia they were published at least 5 times after that, the last one 2 years before the revolution, in 1915.
Translation of the Philokalia
The saint began to work on this fundamental work even before his ordination as a bishop, during his stay at the Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem. The compiler himself calls it “an interpretation of the hidden life in the Lord Jesus Christ.” The translation of the works of the holy fathers of antiquity, their words dedicated to inner life, the fight against passions, and the Christian spiritual order, was first done by St. Paisiy Velichkovsky in 1793. However, as St. writes. Feofan in the preface, the translation had some imperfections, and much was incomprehensible to the 19th century reader.
Work of St. Feofana received the name of the “New Russian” translation of the “Philokalia”. It is this five-volume work that has been republished many times over the past decades.
Many rightly consider the Philokalia to be monastic reading, so there are also short excerpts from it intended for the laity. This collection is excerpts from the work of St. Feofan, only one volume - compiled in 1929 by Archimandrite Yuvenaly, who was the rector of the Kazan Monastery in Harbin, China, where there were then many Russian emigrants who fled from Soviet power.
Edited by Fr. Juvenalia “Philokalia selected for the laity ” has also been republished several times in recent years in Russia.
Other
Among the hundreds of works of the saint, beloved by believers, are also:
- two collections of sermons, 1859 and 1861; the first is called “The Word of Archimandrite Theophan” , appeared even before his episcopal consecration; the second came out of the press of the ministry on Tambov land;
- lectures united under the general title “The Path to Salvation” (1868); already during the author’s lifetime the work went through five editions;
- published as a separate book on the largest Psalm 118 (“Blessed are the blameless on their journey...”) (1891);
- the saint's letters, which he allowed to be published during his lifetime; Thus, in 1892, the collection “Letters to Various Persons on Objects of Faith and Life” appeared;
- editions of letters published after his death are the same 20-40 letters a day that he wrote to his spiritual children; the precious messages were carefully preserved by them, and in 1898-1901 the admirers of the Bishop managed to compile several collections of them; these are “Letters on the Christian Life” (as many as four issues);
- the saint’s work “Ancient Patericon”, published in 2009; until that time, its original manuscript (305 sheets) from the saint’s pen was kept on Mount Athos by the brethren of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery;
- Interpretation of the Epistles of St. ap. Paul , which was also published by the Panteleimon Monastery, partly during the author’s lifetime, partly after his death (1890-1895); it contains 8 volumes; to date, a revised, more modern edition based on the Athos edition has been published: for example, an index compiled by the monks of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery has been added to it;
- interpretations of selected psalms: drafts of this work were found in the saint’s papers after his death; At the same time these interpretations were published, and in recent years they have been published again;
- another translated work by the Athonite elder St. Nicodemus, "Invisible Warfare" ; Nowadays Orthodox Christians, many of whom love this book, do not always pay attention to the name of the translator, thanks to whom it was published in Russian
- a book about Christian psychology “The Incarnate Economy” ; Nikolai Vasilyevich Elagin planned to publish this work of the saint in 1889; however, for unknown reasons, the work was not published. It was possible to fulfill the saint’s blessing only 120 years later, in our days.
