Our holy father Antony The Founder of the Caves Monastery

(10 July)

In the reign of the Great Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, ruler of the lands of Rus’, it was pleasing to God to manifest a luminary of His Church and a teacher of monks, our ever-memorable, holy and God-bearing father, Antony.

St Antony was born in the town of Liebech and, at an early age, felt the desire to become a monk. The Lord inspired him to go to Greece and there to be tonsured. St Antony soon set out on his journey, reached Constantinople and from there, went to Mount Athos. Here he visited the holy monasteries where he saw monks imitating the angelic image. From this experience, St Antony was inflamed with an even greater love for Christ and, wishing to imitate the life of these holy monks, he went to one monastery and besought the abbot to tonsure him. The abbot could foresee Antony’s future holy life and his virtues and, acceding to his request, he tonsured him in the monastic life.

Everyone rejoiced at St Antony’s struggles, obedience and submission. Quite some time passed since Antony settled on the Holy Mountain when the abbot, being inspired by God, released him and sent him back to Rus’. The abbot sent for him and said, «Antony, return to Rus’, so that you can be an example and affirmation for others there, and let the blessing of the Holy Mountain be with you!»

St Antony accepted this blessing as if it was from God’s mouth, and he set out for Rus’, where he arrived at the city of Kiev. While wondering where to settle, he visited the local monasteries, but it was not pleasing to God that he should remain in any of them. The saint went into the hills and desolate places, and came to Berestovo. Here he found a cave which was once dug by Varangians (Vikings) and, having prayed, he settled in it, and remained in great moderation.

After the repose of the pious Prince Vladimir, the godless Svyatopolk ascended the Kievan throne. He began to kill his brothers, including the holy passion-bearers, Boris and Gleb. When he beheld such bloodshed, St Antony again left for the Holy Mountain. At the time when the God-fearing Prince Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk and occupied Kiev, a presbyter by the name of Ilarion was becoming known for his piety, fasting and understanding of the Divine Scripture. While living in Berestovo, he often walked to the Dniepr to that hill where the Caves Monastery now stands. At that time there was only an impassable forest.

On this location, presbyter Ilarion dug a small cave, about fourteen feet square, and secretly began to struggle in it, abiding in psalmody and prayer. At this very time, the abbot of the monastery on the Holy Mountain where St Antony lived was again instructed by God to send Antony to Rus’, as he was needed there.

Accepting the abbot’s blessing, St Antony once more set out to Kiev. When he arrived, he went up on the hill where presbyter Ilarion had dug his cave and, as he liked the spot, Antony prayed with tears to God saying: «O Lord, let the blessing of the Holy Mountain Athos be upon this spot, and the prayers of my father who tonsured me, and strengthen me to settle here.»

The saint remained there and began to live a strict ascetic life, being always in prayer. For food, he had only dry bread and water every other day, or even every third day. Often, when he was standing at vigil both day and night, Antony took no food for an entire week. Many people found out about him and his ascetic life, and they began to visit him. Some of them expressed the desire to live with him. The blessed Nicon was one of these; then came St. Theodosy, at twenty-three years of age.

After many years, Prince Yaroslav reposed and the princely power passed on to his eldest son, Izyaslav. By this time St Antony had become renowned in Rus’ for his virtues, like the great ascetic St Antony of Egypt. The Christ-loving Prince Izyaslav found out about him and came with his retainers to ask a blessing and prayers. From this time, word began to spread even more, and many came to him to be tonsured. At that time, there came to St Antony, blessed Varlaam, a son of the nobleman John, then Ephraim the eunuch, a servant of the prince, and they both were tonsured by blessed Nicon, upon St Antony’s command. St Antony and the brethren had to endure much because of this tonsure. The angry nobleman John came to the Cave with many retainers, and drove away Antony’s God-chosen flock, taking his son, blessed Varlaam, away from the Cave. He tore off his monastic clothing, dressed him in bright, nobleman’s garments, and sent him home by force. Prince Izyaslav also became angry with St Antony when he heard of the tonsure of Varlaam and his own servant, the eunuch Ephraim. He ordered the arrest of blessed Nicon, and angrily threatened to send him, together with Antony and the brethren, to prison and to fill in the Cave itself. When he saw the prince’s wrath, St Antony decided to leave the cave and go with the brethren to another land. When the princess found out about the saint’s intention, she besought the prince that he not drive away God’s servants by his anger, pointing out that God had chastised her own native land, Poland, for banishing monks. Prince Izyaslav heeded the princess’ intercessions and sent a plea to St Antony to return to his place. He returned, and the frightened sheep of his flock again gathered in peace about their shepherd. Still more people, seeking salvation, came to the saint, and about twelve people gathered around St Antony. They dug a large cave and built a chapel and cells in it, and Antony lived there for forty years.

St Antony gathered together the brethren and told them that God had gathered them there with the blessing of the Holy Mountain. «Live together. I will give you an abbot, but I want to live in solitude as before.» He appointed blessed Varlaam as abbot, and he closed himself up in one of the cells of the cave. Soon, however, Antony moved from there to another hill and dug a new cave for himself (which is now located under the Great Caves Monastery).

Blessed Varlaam and the brethren continued to live in the first cave. Gradually the brotherhood grew and it became too crowded during the common prayer in the chapel. The idea came to them to build a small church above the cave. They went to St Antony and received his blessing for this undertaking.

The brethren built a small church, named in memory of the Dormition of the Theotokos, above the cave. Soon after this, Prince Izyaslav built a stone church in memory of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, his own protector. He built a monastery there too, and implored blessed Varlaam to be its abbot. Putting his hope on wealth, the prince hoped to make his monastery superior to the Caves Monastery. The intention of the prince, however, remained in vain: many monasteries have been built by kings and nobles, but they are not like the ones erected by holy prayers and tears, fasting and vigil.

Blessed Varlaam went to the Monastery of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, and the brethren had to choose another abbot. They met together, came to St Antony and asked for an abbot:

«Whom do you want?»

«Whoever is chosen by God, the Most Holy Theotokos and you, honourable father,» they replied.

The saint then said, «Let him who among you is obedient, meek and humble be your abbot.»

They asked Theodosy to be their abbot, to which St Antony gave his blessing. The brotherhood, which numbered twenty, rejoiced and bowed to the earth before Antony.

The number of brethren grew larger and soon rose to one hundred persons. Seeing this increase in monks, St Theodosy conferred with the brethren about building a monastery. When he went to St Antony, the latter joyously said, «Blessed is the Lord God, and may the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos and the fathersof the Holy Mountain be with you, and may they help you.»

St. Antony then sent a brother to Prince Izyaslav to ask for the whole hill above the caves.

The prince rejoiced when he heard of the monastery’s increase, and he gave them the hill they asked for. Upon this hill, St Theodosy and the brethren built a large wooden church decorated with icons; they also built many cells and surrounded the monastery with a stockade. The monks then moved from their caves. The monastery continued, however, to be called «of the Caves» (Pechersky) since the monks had formerly lived in caves.

After this, St Theodosy began to seek a definite monastic rule. By God’s will, through the prayers of St Antony, Theodosy became acquainted with the monk Michael, from the Studite Monastery. He had come to Rus’ from Greece with Metropolitan George. St Theodosy discussed the rule of the Studite Monastery with Fr Michael, and also learned more about this rule from the blessed eunuch Ephraim, who had visited the holy places. St Theodosy established this rule in his monastery and, from there, all the monasteries of the lands of Rus’ took the rule. This is why the Caves Monastery is venerated before all the monasteries of the North Slavic regions.

During the abbacy of St Theodosy, our holy father Nestor, the Chronicler of Rus’, the writer of this life, entered the monastery. As he himself writes, he was seventeen years of age when, on the blessing and advice of St Antony, he was received and tonsured by St Theodosy. In his chronicle, St Nestor, while explaining why the monastery was called «of the Caves» (Pechersky), briefly relates the struggles of the founder of this monastery, St Antony. Blessed Bishop Simon and his co-ascetic Polikarp, also testify to his miracles.

St Antony led a solitary life in the other cave, glorifying God in prayers and struggle, and maturing in all virtues. Therefore, God glorified him, and the saint shone forth in Rus’ with the gift of wonderworking and most of all, with the gifts of healing and prophecy. He gave the ill special herbs, blessed them and prayed over them, and they received healing from all illnesses. After St Antony, blessed Agapit was his imitator in such healing.

The following incident testifies to St Antony’s prophetic gift. Once, three of the Yaroslavich princes -Izyaslav of Kiev, Svyatoslav of Chernigov, and Vsevolod of Pereslavl’ — prepared to go on a march against the Polovtsians, and they came to St Antony for a blessing. He foresaw their defeat and, weeping, he told them, «For the sake of your sins, you will be defeated by the barbarians. Many of your soldiers will be drowned in the river, some will languish in captivity, and others will fall by the sword.»

This prophecy was fulfilled on the Alta River, where the princes themselves barely managed to escape — Izyaslav and Vsevolod to Kiev, and Svyatoslav to Chernigov — while the Polovtsians spread out over the lands of Rus’, ruined it and led away many inhabitants into captivity. He also made a prophecy concerning Shimon, the son of Afrikan, the Varangian (Viking) prince who was at battle together with the princes of Rus’. He foretold to him his deliverance from death, by God’s Grace, during the battle with the Polovtsians, and he also told him that he would eventually be buried in the Caves church. He also foretold the miraculous building of this church, and all this came to pass.

Upon returning from battle, Shimon told St Antony, «I was lying among the slain, covered with wounds. But I received unknown strength from God, and carried myself away from there and was healed of my wounds, and I found all of my warriors unharmed.»

Shimon also related: «Twice, I saw in the air the likeness of a church which was to be built, in which I was supposed to be buried. This vision appeared near the Alta River and, earlier, on the seashore when I was driven away by my uncle, Yakun (Haakon). From Varangia, I came away to Rus’, to Prince Yaroslav.»

Shimon also brought a belt and a golden crown and gave them to St Antony, saying, «I took these from before an icon of Christ on the Cross when I left my native land. There was a voice from the Lord that the foundation of this church should be measured out with this belt. And let this crown be hung over the table of oblation.»

The chronicler recalls another attack which the saint had to endure. As once before, the prince of darkness, the devil, tried, through Prince Izyaslav to remove St Antony from Kiev. After the defeat of the Kievan princes by the Polovtsians, the Kievans began to agitate for their prince, Izyaslav, to lead them out once more against the enemy, who was penetrating throughout Rus’. The prince would not consent, and so the people rebelled and freed the imprisoned Polovtsian prince, Vseslav, and made him their prince. Prince Izyaslav fled to Poland. During the seven month reign of Vseslav, Izyaslav warred against him, aided by Boleslav the Bold, King of Poland. Vseslav secretly fled to Polotsk, and Izyaslav occupied Kiev. Someone had slandered St. Antony to the prince, saying that he had liked Vseslav, and had given him advice, and so Prince Izyaslav was very angry with the saint.

At this time, St Antony was looking after the ill Isaaky the Recluse, whom the devil had beguiled, appearing to him in the form of Christ, and leaving him near death. Satan hated seeing the saint care for Isaaky, and strove to drive Antony away from him. Thus, he aroused Izyaslav to banish the saint from the Kievan princedom. For a while, Satan attained what he desired. When Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov found out that his brother was angry with St Antony, he sent for the saint secretly and took him to Chernigov. Antony selected a spot for himself near the city, dug out a cave for himself and settled there. Later, a monastery was built on this spot. Prince Izyaslav soon realized the innocence of this holy man, and understood the activity of the tempter, and sent for Antony, beseeching him to return to Kiev, to his God-chosen flock. The meek and humble Antony returned to his brotherhood.

St Antony continued in his struggles, fasting, keeping vigil and praying. He thought diligently about the stone Caves church prophesied through him. He consulted with St Theodosy, and they prayed to the High Creator, that He bless and help them create the church in the name of His undefiled mother — our Mistress the Theotokos. When St Antony gave himself up to such prayer a great miracle occurred! Though they did not leave the monastery, he, with St Theodosy, were miraculously seen in Constantinople (i.e., two angels appeared there under their forms), from which event they obtained both the means and the stonemasons to erect the Caves church.

The Greek stonemasons arrived and informed everyone of the miracle. Hearing this, St Antony was amazed. When the stonemasons asked concerning the spot for erecting the church, St Antony prayed for three days. Then, by God’s inspiration, Prince Svyatoslav arrived and donated one of his fields for this pur-pose. When he heard this, Antony prayed to the Lord that He might indicate by some means exactly where He desired that the church be built. In the morning, there was dew everywhere on the ground except ‘where the church was to be built. On the second night, Antony asked that, on the next morning, all the ground be dry, except that the spot where the church was to be built be bedewed. God granted this request to St Antony, and on the third day, Antony blessed this spot. and with the golden belt, dedicated to Christ, which was received from Shimon, he had the foundation measured out — thirty belts in length and twenty in width — as it was revealed to Shimon.

St Antony blessed the site and the start of the building, and then began to prepare himself for his departure to the eternal temple. St Antony comforted his children, promising that even after his repose, he would not forsake this holy place, but would always watch over it.

Thus, having lived in the second cave for sixteen years, the saint reposed there on 10 July, 1073, at the age of ninety, in the reign of Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, Prince of Kiev and in the reign of Romanos Diogenes, Emperor of Byzantium. The saint’s honourable relics were placed in the cave in which he reposed, under the great monastery.

According to his promise, by God’s Grace, St Antony did not forsake the holy place of his asceticism. After his repose, both he and St Theodosy were seen together in a vision by holy iconographers in Constantinople who, like the devout stonemasons, were instructed to go to Kiev to decorate the holy Caves church.

St Antony helped all those who came to his grave seeking help, as can be seen in the lives of St John the Much-Suffering and blessed Erasmos.

Let us now glorify the All-Good and man-befriending Lord for giving such a wonder working founder of monasticism to the lands of Rus’. St Antony’s struggles, carried out in secret, in the solitude of a cave, can be described by no-one, but are known only to Him Who sees the hearts of all men. Therefore, we should try less to narrate Antony’s great struggle, than to diligently pray, «that we too may be partakers of his trustworthy promise,» and be worthy to end our lives in repentance and mercy and thus, together with St. Antony, like children with their father, have our names written in the book of eternal life, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord and Saviour. Amen!