THE LIFE OF Saint Anthony of Siya

THE LIFE OF
Saint Anthony of Siya
DESERT-DWELLER OF THE NORTHERN DVINA1

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1 The Life has been compiled and translated from the condensations of the ancient Life which are to be found in the Russian Lives of Saints (Supplementary Volume, Dec. 7) and in the periodical Russky Palomnik, 1895.


Commemorated December 7

SAINT ANTHONY OF SIYA is one of the many Saints who looked upon St. Cyril of White Lake and his testament as an example for emulation. Following in everything St. Cyril and the ascetics of the Northern Thebaid, he was, just like them, a follower of the hesychast school of "sobriety," and this is underlined in his Life, where the "inward activity" (of Jesus Prayer) is mentioned, to which the Saint "paid diligent heed." For the sake of silence and vision he went to a desert island. All of his instructions, words, and the facts written in his Life bear witness that the Saint was penetrated through and through with the Gospel teaching. In him there stands out a trait characteristic of all the Saints of St. Cyril's school: unacquisitiveness.

Like the other ascetics of the Northern Thebaid, he sought out a location which might inspire in the soul an elevated feeling, a feeling of God's presence. Yet the same wilderness that moved and exalted the soul was at the same time a threatening power, full of every possible danger. However, he lived even in the midst of wild beasts unharmed, having attained the state of dispassion. He lived in the midst of deep snow "as in a cave."

Where did St. Anthony and others acquire such strength that they could thus conquer the very laws of nature? Even as earlier St. Paul of Obnora, he was "a chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit." And here is the key to the Saint's supernatural life: he lived, as St. Seraphim of Sarov was to explain it centuries later to Motovilov, having acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit...

IVAN M. KONTZEVITCH


ST. ANTHONY OF SIYA

KONTAKION, TONE 8

FROM THY YOUTH, O Saint, thou didst refine thy Besh in fastings and prayers,+ and taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Christ.+ Wherefore thou didst joyfully finish thy course even to the heights,+ where with all the Saints thou dost stand before the Holy Trinity:+ and now, visiting thy flock, remember those who honor thy holy memory.+ that we all in thanksgiving may cry out to thee:+ rejoice, O divinely-wise Anthony, instructor of the desert.



On the wide Northern Dvina River, in the vicinity of St. Anthony's wanderings: fishing boats in the midnight [not setting below the horizon during the polar summer] sun of summer



An old engraving of the city of Archangelsk




Thou wast born in a bumble but and didst walk as a citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Simple wast thou, a tiller of the land, namesake of the First-called of the Apostles and emulator of him. Akathist to St. Anthony: First Ikos


SAINT ANTHONY of Siya was born in the year 1477 in the village of Kecht, which is thirty miles from the city of Archangelsk on the banks of the Dvina River, and in holy Baptism he was called Andrew in honor of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-called (November 30). The parents of the Saint of Christ, whose ancestors were from Novgorod, were peasants who were quite well-to-do by the standards of that time. His father's name was Nicephorus and his mother's Agatha. While laboring in their occupation, they nonetheless did not give themselves over entirely to worldly cares, but they found time for prayers and good deeds. Keeping strict watch over the purity of their hearts, and preserving a God-pleasing order in their family life, the pious couple often visited the temple of God, made large contributions for its benefit, and fervently entreated the Lord that He might give them children. The Lord heard their prayer and gave them a first-born son, Andrew. Later they had other children also, sons and daughters, but they all yielded the first place to Andrew, both in mental and moral qualities and in outward appearance. Andrew was handsome of face, tall, and had good health. The moral qualities of his meek soul disposed the hearts of his near ones in his favor.

From his earliest years Andrew was quiet, mild, and meek, and it is not astonishing that he was very much loved by his parents. When he was seven years old his parents sent him to learn reading and writing. To the astonishment of his teacher, the child quickly learned reading and writing and came to love the reading of Divine books. And besides this, his loving parents gave him the opportunity to study the painting of icons. Farm labors no longer artracted Andrew; but with greater love and zeal he gave himself over to his beloved occupations-he painted icons and read whatever books of a spiritual and instructive nature he could receive in his village. With certainty one may assume that in these years he became acquainted, in addition to the service books, with other writings of the Holy Fathers as well; he could encounter these in the collections of Holy Fathers which were widely circulated at this time. It is known that later, in his monastery, there was a large library, and the writings of the Holy Fathers occupied the first place in it. These occupations strengthened in the soul of Andrew even more those pious habits and dispositions which were instilled in his childhood by his parents.

The time came when his parents grew old and, sensing the approach of death, they gathered all their children together and exhorted them to live piously. "Children," they said, "behold, we have come to deep old age, and severe afflictions have come upon us, as you see yourselves, and death already stands before our eyes. We entrust you to God and His Most Pure Mother. They will take care for you throughout your life and will be your Helpers in all your deeds. And you, children, live in all respects in the way in which you have seen us living. May the mercy of the Lord be with you unto the ages-" With special love and in detail they instructed also their first-born son Andrew, and then in peace they departed to the Lord, having travelled the earthly path irreproachably. At this time Andrew was 25 years old.

After the death of his parents the blessed Andrew settled in Novgorod and spent five years there, serving a certain nobleman. This nobleman was likewise pious and a good man. He came to love the labor-loving Andrew very much, and he gave him his own daughter for a wife. But it was not for long that the Lord ordained this pious union to continue: within a year the wife of Andrew died. Soon his father-in-law died also. The loss of these dear ones served as a sign for the orphaned-one of the Divine Will: that he, having left the world, should entirely follow Christ. Having become a stranger to every thing worldly, to worldly joys and entertainments, and having become accustomed to spending his life in attending church, the thought of God, and labor, Andrew again went home. But he did not remain long in Kecht. Having sold his part of his parents' possessions, and having given the proceeds to the poor, he left his native place for good.


By mind and by experience didst thou come to know entirely the vanity of temporat sweetness, and having come to the age of perfect manhood, like unto the Founder of thine ascetic labor, at the age of thirty didst thou give thyself over to the service of the Lord.
Second Ikos


THE BLESSED ONE came to the bank of the river Kena, where, near Lake Keno, St. Pachomius1 had founded a monastery dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Lord. When the future ascetic, on the way to this monastery, was overtaken by the darkness of night not far (three miles) from it and lay down to rest, and after he had prayed fervently to God to be shown the path of salvation – he was made worthy of this vision: in a light sleep there appeared before him a dweller of heaven, a shining elder with grey hairs; he was clothed in white garments and in his hands he had a cross. He said to the blessed one: "Take up your cross and follow after me; labor and do not fear the devil's nets, for you will be a man of spiritual desires, an upbringing of the wilderness, and you will be an instructor for many monks." The elder signed him with the cross and, after saying: "By this conquer the evil spirits," he became invisible.

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1 + about 1515; commemorated the first Saturday after Theophany.


The heart of the blessed one was filled with spiritual joy. Awakening after this, he spent the entire night in prayer of thanksgiving to God, and in the morning, entering the monastery with tears of joy, he prayed again before the icon of the Saviour which was on the gates, and falling down at the feet of the superior, he humbly entreated him to receive him into his flock. St. Pachomins, the founder and superior of the Monastery of Keno, did not conceal from Andrew the difficulties of the monastic life and pointed out to him what severe labors he would have to undergo in this monastery which was being established; but nothing frightened the chosen one of God. He only increased his entreaties and indicated his past life, in which one could not but see indications from Above to leave the world. For an experienced ascetic and clairvoyant elder such as St. Pachomius already was, the Divine fore-choosing of Andrew could not be doubted, and he clothed the blessed one in the monastic garb, changing his name to Anthony in honor of St. Anthony the Great (January 17). This was in the thirtieth year of St. Anthony's life, 1508.

The Elder Pachomuus entrusted the beginning monk for his ascetic upbringing to no one else, but took this labor upon himself. The seal of Anthony was very great. Guided by St. Pachomius, while zealously attending the Divine services he mantully fought against the passions, slept extremely little, and fasted strictly, taking food every other day and even that in a very moderate quantity. For a year he labored in the bakery, fervently working for the brethren. He was distinguished by every virtue and firmly resisted every temptation from the evil spirits. All the brethren loved the Saint, but he was humble and meek, and praises were for him a burden.

It came then to pass that there no longer remained a hieromonk in the monastery. The choice of St. Pachomius and the brethren rested upon St. Anthony. And so the Saint had to go to Novgorod and accept the rank of priest. This fact, after he had returned to the monastery, yet more inspired the Saint to increase his labors of continence. In the monastery of St. Pachomius there was an infirmary, and St. Anthony labored not a little time in it: he prepared water, washed the sick, and cleaned their clothing, mixing his deeds with words of love and comfort. And the prayers and thanksgiving of the infirm monks served for him as the best reward.

In general St. Anthony, since he was sound in body, accompanied the spiritual activity with increased physical labors, and often he labored in the fields. By this path he purified his soul and mind from the passions, and mortified the flesh and every attraction toward the world.

And then there came the time for the Saint to leave the monastery which had raised him up, and himself to serve for the salvation of others, preparing himself for this by the labor of solitude. With deep humility he began to entreat the blessing of St. Pachomius for this. The latter, seeing his perfec tion, gave him all needful counsels and blessed him, saying: "May the Lord bless you, my child; may whatever the Lord wills be done!"


From the monastery didst thou depart into the wilderness, where thou didst erect a church, and there for seven years by unceasing labors, prayers and fasting, didst thou please the Lord.
Fourth Kondak


HAVING RECEIVED the blessing of the superior, St. Anthony, to gether with two other pious monks, Alexander and Joachim, departed from the monastery of St. Pachomius and, after travelling along the river Onega to the stream Shelksna, they went along this stream, through forests and impassa ble thickets, until they came to the river Emsa, into which the Shelkana flows, to the cataracts which are called the Dark Rapids. This place greatly pleased the anchorites. They built a cabin here, and after some time they built also a small wooden church dedicated to the Wonderworker St. Nicholas, and some cells.

For seven years St. Anthony lived in this place far from the noise of the world, serving God, when the silence of the wilderness was broken only by the sounds of the inspired monastic prayers and the singing of the feathered inhabitants of the forest. But then the local inhabitants rose up against the Saint and his disciples, the number of which had increased by four; for by this time Isaiah, Elisha, Alexander (another), and Jonah had also come to St. Anthony. The local inhabitants feared that with the foundation of a monastery their land would be taken away from them, and they began to drive away the monks. St. Anthony accepted this trial with submission to the Will of God, and he meekly went away from his persecutors together with his disciples.1

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1 Up to the time of the Russian Revolution there was a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at this place. The local inhabitants until very recent times lived in extreme poverty, and according to the common opinion this was because of their unjust treatment of St. Anthony; however, in the 19th century, when they began to venerate the Saint with faith, their condition became much better.


Hearing the noise and the hindrances of the nearby inhabitants, thou didst remember the words of Christ, to flee from persecutors, and thou didst bring with thee thy disciples.
Fourth Ikos


And so the monks went about the northern lands which lie in the region of the Dvina, passing through the impenetrable forests, gorges, and swamps which lie near the White Sea, and the mossy places and inconstant marshes and the many lakes, seeking a suitable place, wherever God might instruct them to stay. Once, at this time, St. Anthony stood at prayer; the monks were praying humbly and the Saint, as their intercessor, stood before them with his hands raised on high. At this very time a hunter whose name was Samuel came out to the place where the monks were standing. For a long time he did not dare to go up to them. The wondrous picture of the praying monks in the midst of the forest astounded the hunter. Finally, being convinced that what he saw was real, the hunter went up to the Saint and received his blessing, and when the Saint asked him to show them a place convenient for monastic labors, he brought him with his disciples to a distant lake, which was called Michailov, into which the river Siya flows. This place was even more remote than the place where the monks had settled before, having impenetrable gor gorges and dense forests, and great thickets and swamps, and mossy places and inconstant marshes, where there dwelled wild beasts, bears and wolves, deer and hares and foxes, a great multitude of them, which were like herds. There were many lakes round about, and they were very deep. And the place was surrounded by waters as by walls. There were not many paths which had been trod by human feet, and one could enter or leave only by one way. About the holy monastery there were many lakes, and the river Siya flowed from one lake to the next, and they were as if bound by the river Siya in a kind of union, so that visitors, when they saw this, marvelled at the unutterable wisdom of God.

No one had ever lived in this region; but hunters, when they visited this place, often heard the sound of bells and the singing of monks, and they even saw monks cutting the trees. Therefore the people living closest to this place were convinced that it had been appointed by God Himself as a place for a monastery.


Thou didst become like to a God-guided star, leading tby companions to the place whereon thou wast the first to erect the Cross of the Lord, and with tears didst thou pray to the Master Christ to preserve thee from enemies visible and invisible and confirm thee in patience to bear thy cross.
Fifth Kondak


THE PLACE on Lake Michailov was very pleasing to the soul of St. Anthony. Here he built a chapel and cells. This happened in the year 1520, in the 42nd year of St. Anthony's life; and thus the foundation of the Monastery of Siya was laid. Until 1524 the monks had nothing. The Saint himself, together with the other monks, cut trees and worked the earth, and by this means they obtained for themselves a scant living. They also ate wild plants: berries, roots, herbs, and mushrooms. Often they endured severe hunger. Once their hunger was so great that the brethren of St. Anthony murmured against him and were prepared to separate. At this time there came to them an unknown man who brought oil, flour, and bread and gave money for the building of the monastery. Having received the blessing of St. Anthony for his further journey to Novgorod, the benefactor departed and never returned again. Having received this unexpected help, St. Anthony began fervently to put the monastery in order; and at this time the following trial occurred.

The collector of taxes for the ruler of Novgorod, Basil Beber, thinking that the builders had much money, hired thieves and wished to plunder the monastery. But the Lord preserved His chosen one. When the evil-doers wished to attack the monastery, it seemed to them as if it were surrounded by a multitude of armed men. They told the collector of taxes about this, and he, knowing that the monks had no defenders, understood that the elders were being preserved by heavenly beings, and he repented of his evil thought and, falling at the feet of St. Anthony, begged forgiveness. The Elder meekly forgave the guilty one, and this served as a cause of great glory for the Godpleaser. From this time on many people began to come to the Saint and, receiving the tonsure, comprised a considerable community.

Seeing the increase of the brethren, St. Anthony sent two of his disciples, Alexander and Isaiah, to Moscow to the Grand Prince Basil Ioannovich, with the request to allow the establishment of a monastery and to give land for this. St. Anthony had been known to the Grand Prince even earlier as a man of holy life. Therefore he was kindly disposed to this request, and not only did he allow the establishment of the monastery, but he also awarded lands to it, and gave everything necessary for its beginning. With joy Alexander and Isaiah returned to their teacher, and the whole brotherhood fervently prayed for the health of the good Tsar. This was in the year 1544.

The Elder, rejoiced by this, energetically undertook the building of the monastery. Thus he built a church in honor of the Life-giving Trinity. St. Anthony himself painted the main icon of the Holy Trinity and entreated that this icon, being preserved in the monastery, would remind the brethren of his soul.

But the church that had been built with such effort soon burned in a fire caused by a candle which the candle-lighter had forgotten to extinguish before one icon. The fire could not be put out, for when the church burned the brethren, apart from the sick and the servants, were all laboring in the fields. The monks only saw with sorrow in place of the church a pile of ruins, and they wished to separate. But the Saint, even though he was saddened, nonetheless trusted in the Will of God and persuaded the monks to remain; and increasing his prayers and fasting, he began to build new churches. The monastery buildings apart from the church remained unharmed. At the same time the Lord visibly consoled his chosen servant. The church burned, but the icon of the Holy Trinity which had been painted by the Saint was found in the midst of the monastery completely unharmed. And it was triumphantly brought into the church of the Life-giving Trinity when its building was completed. Soon from this icon, by the prayers of the Saint, the infirm began to receive healing. Besides the church of the Holy Trinity, St. Anthony built two other churches: one dedicated to the Ahnunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God, with a wing dedicated to St. Sergius of Radonezh, to whom the Saint often appealed in his prayers; and another in honor of St. Andrew the Firstcalled. The Annunciation church was heated, and it had a refectory.

When the monastery was completed the brethren entreated the Saint to take upon himself the rank of abbot. For the salvation of those who entreated him the humble Elder accepted this rank, and for several years he gov erned the monastery.

In governing the monastery the Saint gave to everyone a good example. Daily he was in the church of God, and standing at the Divine service from beginning to end, he did not lean on his staff or against the wall. And he watched over the brethren so that they would observe good order in church: that they should not go from place to place and would not go out except out of extreme necessity. He ordered that the brethren should without fail perform their cell rule of prayer also. At the end of prayer the Saint was the first to begin work, and here he gave the brethren an example of love of labor. He loved also divine books, and he collected many volumes of the Fathers and Teachers of the Church. Spending his nights in prayer, the Saint rested only for a short time, forgetting himself in sleep after the meal. His food was just as meager as that of the brethren. His clothing was old, covered with patches like the clothing of paupers, so that no one from outside could recognize the Saint as the Superior of the monastery. With concern he supervised the monastery labors, the kitchen and bakery; he encouraged the brethren who were bearing these difficult obediences and counselled them to avoid idle conversations. With special love he visited the monastery infirmary, instructed the sick monks to bear their infirmities with gratitude and to pray unceasingly, remembering the approaching hour of death. The Saint appointed a special supervisor to take care of the sick.

The strict cenobitic life was established in the monastery: food and clothing were common and equal for everyone. Intoxicating beverages were totally prohibited; it was ordered that they should not be received from visitors either, and that those who brought them should not even be allowed in the monastery. And by this rule the blessed one was able to chop off the head of the serpent of drunkenness and uproot it entirely. The Saint was also much concerned for the poor brethren; he advised the monks to give unstinting alms and he himself not infrequently did this in such a way that the brethren might not know, fearing to evoke their complaints.

Hearing of the Saint's strict life, many began to come to him asking his prayers, and some entered the brotherhood. Some seventy monks were gathered together in the monastery. Many among them were distinguished by the sanc tity of their lives and their spiritual labors; one of them, Jonah, later wrote the Life of his spiritual father and instructor.

In the monastery of St. Pachomius St. Anthony died to the world; his life in the wilderness by the Emsa River was a preparatory school for him; and his life in the Monastery of Siya was the time when the God-pleaser, the man of spiritual desires, served his Lord, laboring for the salvation of his lesser brothers. He was in truth "an instructor for many monks," as the shining elder had prophesied. Not being satisfied with his own instructions, the Saint gave the monks the opportunity to learn for themselves the essence and ways of the spiritual activity, by gathering in the monastery library the works of many of the Eastern ascetics and Fathers.


Considering every glory from men to be the cause of losing the glory of God, thou didst secretly go away to an island alone, where thon Sidst give thyself over to unceasing prayer, labor, and fasting.
Ninth Kondak

Yet further didst thon flee into a gorge, and didit settle in the depths of the mountains and undertake the severest labors, despising the demons fearsome spectacles.
Tenth Kondak


SAINT ANTHONY was weighed down by the glory of men. After several years of governing the monastery, having chosen in his place Theognostes, a man experienced in spiritual life, he left the abbotcy and, together with one simple monk, he departed from the monastery into a solitary place. At first St. Anthony settled on an island in Lake Dudnitsa, two miles from the monastery, upstream on the river Siya. This island was very beautiful and convenient for desert-dwelling. The Saint went about the island, examined it entirely and came to love it: the island was surrounded by the lake, on whose shores impenetrable forests grew, and on the island there was an extensive swamp, overgrown with moss. St. Anthony settled here, built a small hut and a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and he began to labor in silence, unceasing prayer, and labors even more zealously than before: he felled trees, cleared a place for sowing, dug the earth with his own hands, sowed wheat, and lived by his own labors; and the wheat that was left over went to the morastery. At night, after the evening rule of prayer, the ascetic milled grain until time for Matins; during the summer nights he stripped to the waist and gave himself over to be eaten by mosquitoes.

The Lord granted to the ascetic the gift of clairvoyance. A young. monk of the Monastery of Siya, Philotheus, being engaged in warfare by the tempter, thought of going into the world, renouncing his monasticism, and getting married. But the good thought came to him to go beforehand to the Saint in the wilderness and receive a blessing from him. Seeing Philotheus, the ascetic turned to him with these words: "How is it, my child, that you have come here being disturbed by an evil thought? You wish to go into the world, to renounce monasticism, and you think you can conceal it from me."

Hearing this secret from the mouth of the Saint, Philotheus became terrified, fell at his feet, and acknowledged everything. The ascetic raised him up, encouraged him, and after instructing him let him go back to the monastery.

After some time St. Anthony went away to another solitary place three miles from the previous place. This place was in the mountains and was surrounded by mountains as by walls; and in the valley between these mountains was a lake, which was called Padoun. At the base of these mountains stood the cell of the Saint, and around it were twelve birch trees, as white as snow On the mountains there grew such a tall forest that from below it seemed to reach to the heavens. Most melancholy was this place, so that one coming to see this wilderness would have great contrition, for the very sight of the place could bring the beholder of it into tender feeling. Here the Saint made a raft out of logs, and from it he fished on the lake for his food. While he was fishing he would bare his head and shoulders to be eaten by mosquitoes and gnats: whole hives of the insects would fly to him and cover his body, and the blood would flow along his neck and shoulders; but the ascetic would stand unmoving, not touching them with a single finger.

In the winter the Saint's cell was covered with snow, and he lived under the snow as in a cave, and sent up to God his fervent prayers with warm tears. Paying diligent heed to the inward activity, he joyfully strove toward the heights, remaining much in silence, removing his mind from all cares, and conversing purely with God, sending up his prayer like incense to heaven.

Thus did the Saint spend two years outside his monastery in both of these wildernesses.

In the meantime Theognostes renounced the abbotcy. The brethren entreated the Saint to be their abbot again, saying: "Father, do not abandon us, your children," the brethren said with tears. "Come to your monastery and remain with us. And if you do not come, we will all scatter like sheep that have no shepherd."

St. Anthony yielded to their entreaties. Again he began to govern the monastery, giving to all an example of pious and ascetic life. From old age he no longer had the strength to perform physical work, but he did not grow drowsy in prayer nor weak in fasting. And then there appeared in St. Anthony the gift of working miracles--the reward of his holy life.

Before the very feast of the Transfiguration, the monks labored the entire night at fishing, but they caught nothing. Saddened, they came to the monastery, but the Saint encouraged them and again sent them to the lake, to the Red Cape, saying: "Children, show obedience and you will see the glory of God, for the Lord is merciful: the Life-giving Trinity will not forget your labors and will not abandon the brethren who faithfully serve the Lord in this holy place and who are hungry on the great feast."

The monks set out for the place that was indicated to them, let out their net, and caught such a multitude of fish that they were eating it for a long time after the feast. From that time on they began to call this fishing place "Anthony's."

From his severe ascetic labors and from old age the body of St. Anthony withered and grew weak. His sight grew dim, his legs grew swollen, and the monks had to lead him to church. Like an olive tree under the burden of its fruit, he bent down towards the earth, bent over by his years and labors. His bodily powers declined; he had accomplished his earthly path, and his purified spirit was already prepared to arise into the heavens towards our Saviour, Whom he had served for his entire life. The repose of the Saint approached.


Finishing thy luminous life, like a child-loving father thou didst order everything carefully in thy monastery; thou didst confirm in writing the rule of common life; in vigil and prayer thou didst not taste of repose, until thou didst give over to the Lord thy holy soul.
Eleventh Ikos


SEEING THE INFIRMITY of their instructor and expecting that he would soon die,the brethren entreated the Saint to give them a written rule and indicate to them a successor in the governing of the monastery. The Saint fulfilled the entreaty of his sorrowing disciples. he appointed as the builder of the monastery Cyril, and as abbot in his own place Gelasius. Gelasius at that time was beyond the White Ses, on the river Zolatitsa, having been sent there on business. Cyril was in the monastery, and the Saint addressed himself to him with his final instruction: he exhorted him to preserve the monastic rule inviolate, concerning the church services, concerning food and drink; to love the brethren equally and to be the servant of all; to judge concerning monastery matters with all the brethren at trapeza, and to do nothing without taking counsel of them, so that there might be no dissatisfaction in the monastery; he prescribed that the sick brethren should be visited and that special care should be taken for them.

Then the Saint turned to the assembled brethren and exhorted them not to grow faint in prayer, to have mutual love and oneness of mind, to remove themselves from anger and evil words, to submit to the elder, to preserve purity in body and soul, to have food according to the rule of the monastery and to flee drunkenness entirely, and to preserve without any infringement the c;nobitic rule of the monastery.

So that his instructions might have greater force, the Saint gave the brethren a testament written with his own hand, which contained also the rules of monastic life. Here we quote these rules of the great Saint of Siya:

"And whichever of the brethren are complainers and schismatics (that is, violators of brotherly unity) and do not wish to live according to the monastic order nor submit to the abbot and brethren, should be banished from the monastery so that the others will have fear." However, after sincere repentance they should be accepted again and kept as brethren, as also were to be those who had left the monastery during the lifetime of the Saint and took from the monastery's funds, if they have repented. "Before everything else may you have the fear of God in your hearts, that the Holy Spirit may dwell in them, and that He might instruct you and set you on the true path. Among yourselves have love and submission in Christ to one another, by which you will cover up your many sins. In the common life live in equality both in body and spirit, in food and clothing, according to the commandment of the Holy Fath ers. Do not give the abbot in the refectory anything in food or drink above what the other brethren receive. Let there be the same equality also in clothing and shoes. Do not keep intoxicating beverages in the monastery and do not receive them from visitors. Women should not spend the night in the monastery at all, and likewise men from the world should not spend the night with the brethren and should not live in the cells. Give the poor sufficient to eat and drink and give them alms, lest this holy place should come to know want. And the brethren who are well should not be left without monastic obedience for the sake of their salvation, with the exception of the sick. Do not allow the peasants to make fields and yards near the monastery, except for a place for cows, and let that be beyond the lake. Preserve this, I entreat you, and may the mercy of God be with you." Then, having entrusted his monastery to the Mother of God and St. Sergius, St. Anthony prepared for his end.


St. Anthony's Monastery reflected in the waters of the Siya River



The Catholicon (Main Church) of St. Anthony's Monastery



THE RELIQUARY OF ST. ANTHONY OF SIYA At the Saint's head (left), the Icon of the Holy Trinity which he painted himself; at his feet (right), his Abbot's staff (as preserved before the Revolution).



RARE ICONS IN SIYA MONASTERY
The icon-painting school of Siya, started by St. Anthony himself, was known for its exquisite beauty, as is evident from these two icons from a 17th-century "Siya Gospel." At left, icons from the Church calendar for the month of March; at right, a symbolical icon of the Evangelist Matthew.


When the brethren asked where his body should be given over to burial, the Saint replied: "Bind my legs and drag my sinful body into the wilds and trample upon it in the moss in the swamp, that it may be eaten by beasts and reptiles, or else hang it on a tree to be eaten by birds, or else throw it with a stone into the lake."

But the monks said outright that they would not do this, but would honerably bury his body. On the eve of his repose the Saint received communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. On the next day, 7 December, 1556, before Matins, having bade farewell to the brethren, when the monks Andronicus and Pachomius had offered incense in his cell and at their teacher's word had left the cell, the Saint of Christ, having folded his arms in the form of a cross, peacefully gave his soul unto the Lord. In all he had lived 79 years, of which 37 he had spent in the region of Siya, both in the monastery and the wilderness. The orphaned brethren honorably buried his holy relics in the church of the Life-giving Trinity, on the right side near the Altar. The brethren adorned his grave with icons and candles, and every day they came to pray for the repose of his soul, and believing in his boldness before God, they asked his intercession.

The priest of the nearby village, Chariton, had envy towards the memary of St. Anthony, and once he expressed himself sacrilegiously regarding him. After this Chariton suddenly became blind, and soon he understood that the Lord was chastising him for his blasphemy against the Saint. Then he began to repent for his transgression, and he fervently prayed and his sight was restored. Giving thanks to the Lord and His Saint, Chariton went after this to the Monastery of Siya and labored in monasticism.

During his lifetime St. Anthony loved to paint icons. Even up to this century there were preserved holy icons painted by his own hand. And even after his repose he was a patron of those who undertook this God-pleasing work. Thus the abbot of the Monastery of Siya, Pitirim (15771586), being concerned over the proper adornment of the monastery, painted many new icons and restored old ones. Once Pitirim became ill. His infirmity increased all the time, and death began to threaten him. The sick man prayed to the Life-giving Trinity and St. Anthony. And behold, once at night, falling into a light sleep, he saw how a magnificent elder, adorned with gray hairs, was walking from the tomb of the Saint with a sack.

"Do you wish to be well and finish what you have begun?" he asked Pitirim. "I wish to, but I cannot," replied the sick man. To this the elder said: "The Holy Trinity heals you, do not grow faint in your work; I, the Abbot Anthony, have come to visit you in your affliction." The Wonderworker touched the sick abbot. Pitirim felt himself to be well and with new zeal he began to occupy himself with icon-painting and the adornment of the churches of the monastery.

A merchant from Holmagor whose name was Carpus was sailing on the sea off the shore of Tersk, beginning from the river Varzuga. In his boat, among other goods, there was a supply of fish for the Monastery of Siya. A great storm arose; the waves rose like mountains and lashed the boat; and the oarsmen already despaired entirely of salvation. Suddenly Carpus saw not far from him an elder who spread out his mantle over the boat and protected it from the waves.

"You called on many for help," said the wondrous elder to the astonished merchant, "but you did not call on me. Yet in your boat there is a part also for our monastery. But God will grant stillness."

"Who are you, O man of God?" asked the merchant. "I am Anthony. the Abbot of the monastery at Lake Michailov, on the river Siya," said the elder, and became invisible. From this time the storm began to grow still and a favorable wind arose. Coming safely to the Monastery of Siya, Carpus gave thanks for his salvation to St. Anthony, and soon received the monastic tonsure in his monastery.

A certain Timothy, whose surname was Ryabok, who lived seven miles from the monastery, became blind and could see nothing for two years. The feast of the Life-giving Trinity approached, and pilgrims were going to the Monastery of Siya. When the blind man heard the movement of people he wept bitterly that he was unable to go with the God-fearing people. Praying warmly to the Most Holy Trinity and the Saint, Timothy asked that he be conducted to the monastery, and the whole way he continued to pray mentally. Suddenly he felt that he began to see a certain faint dawn, and then he began to see green: this was the forest through which he was walking. Rejoicing, Timothy feared to believe his healing and did not say anything to his companions. Desiring to test his eyes, he began to examine the road on which he was walking, and he could make out the path. His heart was filled with joy and rapture, but he restrained himself and did not yet speak about his healing. Coming to the church of the monastery, Timothy saw the wonderworking icon of the Life-giving Trinity and other icons, and he saw the burning candles: and then in the hearing of all he gave thanks to the Lord and His Saint for his miraculous healing.


St. Anthony's second hermitage amid twelve birches on Lake Padoun



Holy Cross Church at St. Anthony's first hermitage, on Lake Dudnitsa, where the Saint settled in order to escape the noise and bustle of communal life and give himself over to Divine vision in the absolute silence of the forest wilderness. This photograph, together with the one on the previous page, was taken in 1895. There is hardly any hope that it still exists today, since the whole of northern Russia is densely settled with Soviet slave labor camps (Gulag).

The following four miracles were preserved in the Siya Monastery archives and were published separately in the periodical The Russian Monk, 1913, no. 9, a publication of Pochaev Monastery.

A short time passed after the blessed repose of St. Anthony, and there remained in the monastery few reliable witnesses who remembered him well. At that time one of the brethren of the St. Anthony of Siya Monastery became very interested in the devout life of God's saints, and being filled with reverence toward the great ascetic labors and miraculous deeds of the life of St. Anthony, he was greatly sorrowed that his Life remained unwritten owing to the negligence of the brethren. Fear came upon him when he imagined to himself the heavenly chastisement which could come upon him if he, having a perfect opportunity, having known the life and labors of the Saint, did not describe it for the saving instruction of future generations. Being moved by such pious intentions, this labor-loving monk called in prayer upon St. Anthony's help, and he began with fervor to write his Life.

His good intention was greeted by dissatisfaction and murmuring by the brethren of the monastery. "Before, no one dared to write, and is this one going to start composing Lives of Saints?" said some of them in their dissatisfaction Others even allowed themselves to make offensive remarks about the Saint. All of this astonished and disturbed the compiler of the Saint's Life, and he left off his work; but then, in his perplexity, he was enlightened by a special vision of the Saint. Once, in his cell where he was writing the Life, during a light sleep the monk saw the Lives of Saints written, as it were, on icons, and in the choir of the many glorified Saints, higher than any of them, there was St. Anthony the Great. By him there was another monk unknown to him who, pointing to St. Anthony the Great with his finger, said, "Why do you have doubts, and why are you faint-hearted? The one of whom you have begun to write the Life was like this Saint. He has the same name and he was an imitator of his life; therefore, put off all doubts and begin this matter without disturbance." Being encouraged by this, the monk, without any more wayering at all, began to write the Life of the Saint.

Many years after the death of St. Anthony, his holy monastery was subjected to a terrible trial. One after the other, all the great ascetics and disciples of the Saint died, apart from the Hieromonk Titus, and among the new monks there were few who were disposed to support the previous ascetic spirit of faith and piety, so that the monastery began visibly to decline. The situation worsened especially when, because there was no worthy candidate, an abbot was chosen from another monastery.

The new superior turned out to be of impure behavior and he was given quite strongly to drinking wine. Together with two monks who had come with him, he was constantly drunk, and by this he violated the very chief commandment of the founder of the monastery. The young monks, being themselves infirm in monasticism, were scandalized and took from him a bad example.

Certain of the monks who remained faithful to the testament of St. Anthony were deeply grieved over this, and often, when they came to the Hieromonk Titus, they would beg him forcefully, since he was a close disciple of the reposed Abba, to remind the abbot who had forgotten his responsibility, that the holy founder of the monastery had strictly forbidden any alcoholic beverages to be kept in the monastery, and all the more had he forbidden that they be drunk. In his simplicity and meekness the meek Titus for a long time refused to fulfill the entreaty of the brethren. And then the Saint himself gave him a threatening reminder.

Once, late in the evening after the usual rule of prayer, Titus lay down to sleep and he saw St. Anthony coming to him into his cell, accompanied by two of his disciples who had died not long before this. In his right hand the Saint held the superior's staff and in the hands of his companions there were huge bundles of switches. Titus saw himself serving the Saint, who began to reproach him angrily: Why, seeing the impure life of the abbot, and knowing the strict testament of the founder of the monastery about alcoholic beverages, did he not remind the abbot about this and keep him from this shameful way of life which corrupted the brethren? After this, turning to one of those who accompanied him, the Saint commanded him to bow Titus' head and hold it in this position, and his other companion he commanded to beat him mercilessly with the switches until he bled. With tears Titus began to entreat him to forgive him this sin, and for the future he promised not to give himself over to a faint-hearted silence. The Saint's companions likewise began to entreat fervently for his forgiveness and even gave their word for him. Only then, yielding to the fervent pleas of his disciples, did St. Anthony change his anger to mercy and, once more strictly ordering Titus to speak to the abbot, he became invisible.

After this the Hieromonk Titus no longer wavered, but boldly went to the abbot and told him in detail about his vision, and with tears implored him to cease his impure way of life. The abbot was deeply moved by what he heard, sincerely repented, and with God's help, by the prayers of St. Anthony he completely changed his way of life.

When Gelasius, the successor of St. Anthony, was abbot of the monastery, there worked for a long time on the monastery farm the laborer Simeon, a man who was dishonest and cunning. He often stole the monastery's dairy products without chastisement and unnoticed, and sold them outside for his own profit. Knowing how to cover up the traces of his crime and having no fear of having to give an answer at God's Judgment, this laborer not only did not think of stopping his evil deed, but on the contrary, the longer he acted in this way the more decisive and bold he became. Thus the theft of monastery property continued for several years. But then the heavenly patron and founder of the monastery stopped the criminal activity of this sinner and converted him to the right path.

Once, on a Sunday, together with other monastery laborers, Simeon came to Matins and saw St. Anthony, who had entered the church. Leaning on his staff, he walked up to the abbot's place and stood at the right side of Abbot Gelasius, his disciple. After having stood for a short time in one place, he put his staff against the wall, took the censer, and began to cense the church, the abbot, and the brethren, and then again he went up to the place of the superior, and taking the superior's staff in his hand he began to go around to the brethren. Approaching one of the monks, whose name was Bassian, who at that time was the monastery's cellarer, St. Anthony began furiously and mercilessy to beat him on the shoulders and to reproach him angrily because he, the cellarer, had such a careless attitude toward the performance of his duties and looked poorly after the servants and laborers who were negligent in their work and were taking profits for their labors as did, for example, this laborer here. At these last words he pointed to the laborer Simeon and, leaving the cellarer, the Saint approached him. Wrathfully he said, "And why did you come here and not cease to rob the Most Holy Trinity and our worthiness, and do much evil, evoking murmuring among the brethren?" He spoke these threatening words and, lifting Simeon, the Saint pushed him with great force against the church railing and became invisible. Being thunderstruck by such a frightful vision, the laborer Simeon cried out, became dumb, and was com pletely paralyzed.

Since the vision was seen by the chastised one alone, the abbot and the brethren were in extreme perplexity. The laborer was taken to the grave of the Saint, and after Matins a moleben was served for the healing of the sick one.

Being chastised from Above and undergoing torments, the laborer Simeon fervently beseeched the Lord for the forgiveness of his sins and for healing, and his prayer was heard. After three days St. Anthony again appeared to him, exhorted him as a father to sin no more in the performance of his responsibilities, and gave him complete healing. "Now you are well," the Saint said to him; "see to it that you sin no more, lest something worse come upon you. And now go and tell the abbot and the brethren everything that has hap pened to you."

Simeon, rejoicing over the miraculous healing and filled with tears, went to the abbot and the brethren, offered sincere repentance, related concerning the chastisement which had occurred to him and of the healing given to him through the Saint. Those who heard this glorified God Who had given such great grace to His Saint, Anthony of Siya.

One of the brethren of the St. Anthony of Siya Monastery, whose name was Cyrion, was sent on a monastery errand to the village of Siya which was nearby. Staying there for a while, he had the habit, because of his old age and his infirmities, of going frequently to the bath. For this excess care over his corruptible body he once received a threatening warning through a vision. Two men appeared to him with whips in their hands who beat him cruelly until he had wounds, inspiring him by this to discontinue this habit, which was not fitting for monks to be much concerned over his body when his chief concern should be for the salvation of his soul.

Many other miracles also occurred by the prayers of this great Saint of God to the glory of the Holy Trinity.

The numerous miracles performed at the grave of St. Anthony inspired the brethren of the monastery of Siya under the above-mentioned Abbot Pitirim to petition Tsar John the Terrible that the Saint be joined to the choir of Saints. This was done just 23 years after the death of the Saint, in the year 1579. Thus was St. Anthony joined to the choir of Saints venerated by the whole Russian Church.


St. Cornelius of Komel

THE SAINTS of the Russian Thebaid in the 16th century are innumerable; but here it is impossible not to mention at least St. Cornelius of Komel (†1537, May 19). After passing through difficult ascetic struggles in the White Lake Monastery, he undertook a life of wandering and went finally to the forest of Komel. After being ordained priest, he lived in the forest as a hermit for 19 years, and only at the age of 60 did he build a church and found a monastery.

Almost in every Life of the Northern Saints we see a repetition of the same thing: when one of God's chosen monks, after going through outward asceticism in a monastery, ripens for a life of silence, then, being blessed by his abbot or elder, he goes away into the forest denseness, and like a swimmer who throws himself into the boundless ses, subjects himself to the abyss of dangers and sorrows which are bound up with the solitary life in the wilderness, something which is possible only with a fullness of faith and a total giving of oneself over to God's Providence. And there, after he has gone through the school of inward perfection, he again enters into contact with men. But at the first opportunity he again strives and thirsts to continue his life of silence. So it is in the life of St. Cornelius: having built his first monastery, he goes away to Lake Sura with his disciple Gennadius. Then, having returned again to his monastery at the insistence of his brethren, the Saint "felled trees and sowed fields, not merely so that they might eat their own bread, but so that they also might feed those that had none." The Life gives the teaching of the Saint on the preserving of purity, on mental prayer, self-observation, and the battle with passions. Especially did the Saint insist on the two highest commandments of the Gospel: love for God and neighbor. Like his older contemporary St. Nilus of Sora – and indeed like all the great Saints of the Northern Thebaid-St. Cornelius belonged to the Greek Hesychast school.

Five disciples of St. Cornelius are known: St. Gennadius of Kostroma (+1565, Jan. 23), who continued the Saint's monastery on Lake Sura, St. Herodion of Lake Ily (+1541, Sept. 28), who was commanded by an angel to build a church; St. Philip of Irab (+1537, Nov. 14), who left St. Cornelius for a life of silence alone for 15 years, then for five years counselled the people who flocked to him: St. Cyril of New Lake (+1532, Feb. 4), a clairvoyant wonderworker who had a revelation of the approaching "Time of Troubles" for the Russian land; and St. Adrian of Poshekhonge (+1550, Mar. 5), who founded a monastery after a Divine revelation, and then was killed by robbers.

IVAN M. KONTZEVITCH