"Save me, God!".
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The history of Orthodoxy contains many images of saints who, through their thoughts and deeds, earned the love of true Christians, and their faces to this day are a symbol of righteousness and piety for everyone who turns to them. Such an example is Saint Gerasim of Jordan, about whose life you will learn in this article.
Life of a Saint
The Monk Gerasim was born in Lycia, and from a young age he was known as a very pious young man. He was ordained a monk and went into the desert, later settling near the Jordan, where he founded his monastery.
For some time, Gerasim’s thoughts were shrouded in the heresy that Jesus has only the Divine nature. But the Monk Euthymius helped him in time to realize everything and turn to faith.
In his temple, the monk established strict rules for himself and his companions:
- solitude five days a week;
- plenty of time for handicrafts;
- constant prayers;
- refusal of boiled food and fire;
- using dry bread, plant roots and water as food;
- communion on weekends.
Each of the monks had very few material goods: old clothes and matting for sleeping. The door to their cell was never locked, so that every traveler could enter and rest.
The saint was the highest example of asceticism. And at the hour of Saint Euthymius’s death, he saw the soul of the deceased being carried up to Heaven by an Angel. After what he saw, he immediately buried the body of his mentor.
Gerasim himself passed away quietly into another world. Until his death, he was helped in his labors by a lion, who, after the death of the saint, died on his grave and was buried next to him. Therefore, the lion is depicted at the feet of the saint on all icons.
Memorial Day of Gerasim of Jordan - March 17.
The best article for you, go to: Saint Agapit of Pechersk: life and prayers
Calendar, when according to the church calendar is Leo's name day
Saints with the name Leo are venerated 14 times.
- January 12 - Leo, archimandrite;
- February 2 - Leo the Great Makellus, king;
- March 3 – Lev Patarsky, martyr; Leo I of Rome, pope;
- March 5 – Leo of Catania, bishop;
- May 31 - Leo, martyr;
- June 20 - Lev Ershov, martyr, priest;
- July 14 - Leo, reverend;
- July 24 - Leo, Rev.;
- August 31 - Leo, martyr;
- September 20 - Lev Egorov, venerable martyr, archimandrite;
- September 24 - Leo, martyr;
- October 24 – Leo Optina, reverend;
- November 25 - Leo I of Rome, pope;
- December 20 – Leo.
Saint Gerasimos of Jordan and the lion
In his life, Gerasim of Jordan and the lion is one of the most interesting stories in Christianity. It not only amazes with its incredibleness, but is also very instructive.
It was thanks to his meekness and humility that Gerasim received God's enormous grace, such that even the most terrible beast served him as a rational being.
So there is a story that one day on his way the monk met a lion who was suffering from a splinter in his paw, howling and groaning in pain. The elder, not afraid of the predatory beast, took out the splinter, cleaned and bandaged the wound. And the lion, which was later named Jordan, began to wisely follow him everywhere, like a disciple. This fact was very surprising not only to those around him, but also to the saint himself. The lion was given housing at the monastery and named the symbol of the temple. And since then, on all the icons of the monastery the monk is depicted with a lion.
Origin of the name and its meaning
In the history of the Orthodox Church, many saints with this name have been glorified. Leo is an ancient name, it comes from the Greek Leon or the Latin Leo, but has the same meaning - “king of beasts”, although in Hebrew it means “heart”.
Saint Leo of Catania
The ancient era is characterized by the flourishing of splendor and beauty; they tried to emphasize royal greatness and belonging to a noble family with the help of a name, predicting a royal life for children. Later, synonyms Lio, Levon, Levko, Leys, Love, Lvey appeared in many countries.
What does Gerasim Jordansky help with?
The saint, famous for his ascetic activities, became an example of humility and devotion to the Lord, faith, and people. And, standing before the face with his image, believers ask:
- give strength (physical and moral) to accomplish any task and fulfill your mission on earth;
- teach meekness and prudence;
- help you find yourself in this world.
Sincere prayer to the saint can completely change a person’s life, but only under one condition - great faith and great desire.
O sacred head, reverend father, most blessed Abvo Gerasim! Do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God. Remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy father, for your spiritual children, as if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love. Remember us, unworthy, at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God: for grace has been given to you to pray for us. We do not imagine that you are dead: even though you passed away from us in body, you remain alive even after death. Do not give up on us in spirit, keeping us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the devil and the snares of the devil, our good shepherd. Even though your relics were hidden on earth, your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the Heavenly Powers, standing at the Throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices. Knowing that you are truly alive even after death, we bow down to you and pray to you: pray for us to Almighty God, for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, from bitter ordeals,
In you, father, it is known that you were saved in the image of the cross, for you followed Christ, and you taught in deed to despise the flesh, for it comes: be diligent about the souls, things more immortal: in the same way your spirit rejoices with the Angels, Reverend Gerasimos.
Inflamed with heavenly zeal,/ you preferred the cruelty of the Jordan desert over all the sweet world;/ wherefore the beast obeyed you even unto death, father,/ dying obediently and compassionately at your tomb,/ I glorify you thus to God,/ praying to the weakling, and for us, // Father Gerasima, remember.
O sacred head, reverend father, most blessed Abvo Gerasim! Do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God. Remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy father, for your spiritual children, as if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love. Remember us unworthy at the throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God: for grace has been given to you to pray for us. We do not imagine that you are dead: even though you passed away from us in body, you remain alive even after death. Do not give up on us in spirit, keeping us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the devil and the snares of the devil, our good shepherd. Even though your relics were hidden on earth, your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the heavenly powers, standing at the throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices. Knowing that you are truly alive even after death, we bow down to you and we pray to you: pray for us to the omnipotent God, for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, from the bitter ordeals of the demons of the air princes and may we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we be heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous, who from all eternity have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His beginningless Father, and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.
And today, one of the most important places for Orthodox people remains the monastery of Gerasimos of Jordan (Israel), which was built in 455 by the monk himself near the Jordan River. The ideal location of the monastery not far from the real site of the Baptism of the Lord makes this place desirable for many pilgrims.
St. Gerasim is an example of true humility in Christianity, which only a truly strong-minded person can achieve. And Gerasim of Jordan and the Mother of God are a symbol of deliverance from all spiritual troubles and the beginning of a righteous life.
The best article for you, go to: St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow: life, icon, temple
God bless you!
You will also be interested in watching a video about Saint Gerasimos:
Leonid among the merchants and an incident on the road
There is no real information about the saint’s parents - too much time has passed, and Leo was by no means of noble origin. His father and mother were simple bourgeois and did not have much wealth. Therefore, from an early age, Lev Danilovich Nagolkin (1768 - 1841) was forced to work to help his family. It is also unknown whether the saint had brothers and sisters.
Lev stood out from the rest of the boys from his native Karachev, in the former Oryol province. The young man had a quick and agile mind, and working in the city quickly taught him to communicate with different people. But despite his rich life experience, Leo never received any education.
Having matured a little, Lev takes the position of clerk for the Bolkhovet merchant Sokolnikov. The merchant was selling hemp and linseed oil. Nagolkin lived in the house of his employer, which stood on the central square of the city, next to the central bazaar.
Thanks to his intelligence, Leo quickly became the merchant’s confidant and dealt with transactions outside the city. It is known for certain that he independently transported goods to Sukhinichi (Kaluga region), where he entered into transactions with St. Petersburg traders.
Later in the life of Lev Optinsky there will be an entry:
“In his youth, the saint walked so often along the road between these two cities that he knew it by heart.”
The road was rough and bumpy, but there was no other way. It was there that an interesting incident happened to Leo. During the journey from the forest, a wolf jumped on the young man and grabbed his thigh with his teeth. Then he jerked his head and tore out a piece of flesh from his leg. The lion, distinguished by great strength, strangled the wild beast with his hands. However, the leg could not be healed completely and the old man walked with a limp until the end of his life.
The Beloberezh monastery became the second monastery in the life of Leo Optinsky
Years passed and Leo began to mature. His business always ended successfully, and the merchant highly valued the experienced worker. So high that he decided to give him his daughter as his wife. However, the future elder refused - already at that time he realized that he wanted to serve the Lord God. Therefore, Leo soon goes to look for himself in Optina Pustyn.
Leo becomes a monk and devotes himself to spiritual sciences
The monastery of Optina Pustyn was in a bad state for a long time. Therefore, when Leo came to the monastery, restoration work was going on there. The then abbot of the monastery, Abraham, did his best to restore the buildings and fill the premises with monks again. The strength of the young Leo came in handy after all.
He zealously set about all the construction work and did not spare himself. For example, the saint dug a ditch alone, although Father Abraham wanted to hire a dozen workers for such a difficult task. Later, Hieromonk Lev Optinsky confesses that in those years he seriously undermined his health.
Leo took up the study of theological sciences no less carefully. The young man began to study the works, learn prayers and fulfill all the vows required by the monk. However, he soon had to leave Optina Pustyn and move to the Beloberezh monastery.
It stood far from established roads and offered greater privacy. Here the young man comprehended the Word of God under the guidance of Elder Vasily, who spent many years on Valaam. It was in the Beloberezh monastery that Leo was tonsured a monk. In addition, he was given a church name - Leonid. On December 22, 1801, he was elevated to the rank of hierodeacon, and two days later - hieromonk.
During his monasticism, Leonid more than once demonstrated his devotion to the Church and the Word of God. Once on one holiday, the abbot of the Beloberezh monastery demanded that the monks go to serve. However, the brothers did not listen to the abbot and did not hold the holiday. Moreover, they demanded relaxations in the charter.
Optina Pustyn is the very first and last monastery in the life of Leo Optina. In his youth, he participated in the reconstruction of the monastery, and later, at the end of his life, he organized the eldership of the monastery
Vasily did not follow the lead of the rebellious monks and ordered Lev and another monk to lead chants. It is worth noting that the saint spent the whole day carrying hay from a nearby village and was terribly tired. But he overcame fatigue and performed the entire sacrament with another brother.
It is also described in the life of how Leo saved his brother from suicide. One day one of the monks became mad. He climbed the highest bell tower of the monastery and began shouting that he would jump, but the angels of the Lord would catch him and lower him to the ground without harm.
Lev heard this and ran up the bell tower. At the last moment, the saint managed to grab the fallen monk and dragged him to the platform. After some time, the monk came to his senses and was afraid of the fate Leonid had saved him from.
Leonid becomes abbot, accepts the schema and leaves for Valaam
The abbot of the Beloberezh Monastery, Vasily, was old when Leonid joined the brotherhood. A few years later, the abbot relieved himself of his duties. The brothers consulted for a long time about the election of a new abbot of the monastery.
As a result, Leonid could not stand the controversy and went to fulfill his duties. Meanwhile, the community finally came to a consensus. Thus, in 1804 the monk became abbot of the monastery.
The saint was not happy about the new position. She added many new concerns to his responsibilities. This prevented him from completely focusing on the Lord. However, he did not complain and did all the necessary work. Very quickly he gained authority among the people around him.
He became famous for his straightforwardness and love of truth, and was always ready to help in trouble. Slowly, pilgrims flocked to the monastery. Every year there were more and more petitioners and Leo decided to leave for Valaam.
Before leaving for Valaam, the abbot takes the schema and is given a new name - Leo. On the island, he settles in a distant cell and completely devotes himself to prayers to the Lord. However, very quickly a thin stream of pilgrims begins to reach him again, which gradually turns into a full-flowing river. Leo lived only six years after the destruction of the Valaam monks.
The Monk Leo of Optina did not immediately return to his first monastery. First, in 1817, he went to the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery. The saint continues to delve into theology and reading spiritual works. More than ten years later, in 1829, Lev finally returns to Optina Pustyn.
It is interesting that Leo became a follower of the teachings of eldership. He revived some in his native monastery. This allowed him to become fully involved with his flock. For the rest of his life, he helped many people spiritually. Among whom was the future saint of the North Caucasus, Father Ignatius, in obedience.
September 1841 became Leo's last. The monk begins to rapidly fade and stops eating. Until his death, the saint cleans himself and prays intensely. Lev Optinsky died on October 11, 1841 (23 new style).
Prayer to Saint Leo of Optina for suicides and the unbaptized
Thanks to the salvation of the monk in the Beloberezh monastery, it is believed that the saint helps suicides and those who died unbaptized.
Prayer to Lev Optinsky for repose :
Master, Lord, Merciful and Humane-loving, we cry to You:
- I have sinned and been lawless before You, I have not revealed Your saving commandments and the love of the Gospel to our despairing brother (our despairing sister).
- But do not reprove us with Your wrath, punish us with Your wrath, O Lord of humanity, weaken, heal our heartfelt sorrow, may the multitude of Your bounties overcome the abyss of our sins, and may Your countless goodness cover the abyss of our bitter tears.
- To her, Sweetest Jesus, we still pray, grant to Your servant, your relative who died without permission, consolation in their sorrow and firm hope in Your mercy.
Names of saints mentioned in the monthly book. Men's names. L
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Known since 1476 as the Temple of the Presentation under the Pines. The current stone church in the early Baroque style was built in 1698-1701 at the expense of the local order. The temple was closed in 1932 and converted into a factory workshop. Some icons of this temple are in the Tretyakov Gallery. The temple was returned to believers in 1993.
Thrones
- Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple
- Mch. Longinus Sotnik
- Prophet Elijah
Address, telephone numbers and directions
Driving directions
from the site nakarte.ru:
Temple website
:
Schedule
: Saturday, Sunday and holiday at 8 o'clock matins and Liturgy, the day before at 17.30 - vespers, prayer service.
Telephone
: 917-93-89
Address
: Barashevsky lane, 8/2
Directions
: M. "Chistye Prudy", tram. 3, 39, metro station "Kitai-Gorod", troll. 25, 45, 83.
Nearest metro
:
- Metro "Chistye Prudy"
- Metro "Kitay-Gorod"
Clergy:
The rector is Priest Sergius Kryukov.
Attention!
Clergy membership and service schedule information may be out of date. If you have additional information about the composition of the clergy of the temple, about changes in the schedule of services, about the history of the temple, about upcoming and past events at the parish, about the shrines and icons of the temple, about travel options to the temple, etc., please provide them in the comments section.
