Saint Zosimas,
Igumen of Solovki a great luminary of the Russian North, was the founder
of coenobitic monasticism on Solovki Island. He was born in
Novgorod diocese, in the village of Tolvui near Lake Onega. From his
early years he was raised in piety, and after the death of his parents
Gabriel and Barbara, he gave away his possessions and received monastic
tonsure.
In search of a solitary place, he journeyed to
the shores of the White Sea, and at the mouth of the Suma he met Saint
Herman (July 30), who told him of a desolate sea island, where he had
spent six years with Saint Sabbatius (September 27).
Around the year 1436, the hermits crossed the
sea and landed at the Solovki islands. There Saint Zosimas had a vision
of a beautiful church in the sky. With their own hands the monks built
cells and an enclosure, and they began to cultivate and sow the land.
Once, in late autumn, Saint Herman went to the
mainland for provisions. Because of the autumn weather he was not able
to return. Saint Zosimas remained alone on the island all winter. He
suffered many temptations in struggles with the demons. Death by
starvation threatened him, but miraculously two strangers appeared and
left him a supply of bread, flour and oil. In spring Saint Herman
returned to Solovki with the fisherman Mark, and he brought supplies of
food and rigging for fishing nets.
When several hermits had gathered on the
island, Saint Zosimas constructed a small wooden church in honor of the
Transfiguration of the Lord, and a trapeza. At the request of Saint
Zosimas, an igumen was sent from Novgorod to the newly-formed monastery
with an antimension for the church. Thus the renowned Solovki monastery
had its start. In the severe conditions of the remote island the monks
knew how to economize. But the igumens sent from Novgorod to Solovki
could not stand life in such harsh conditions, and so the brethren chose
Saint Zosimas as igumen.
Saint Zosimas occupied himself with building up
the inner life of the monastery, and he introduced a strict cenobitic
life. In 1465 he transferred the relics of Saint Sabbatius to Solovki
from the River Vyg. The monastery suffered from the Novgorod nobles, who
confiscated catches of fish from the monks. The saint was obliged to go
to Novgorod and seek the protection of the archbishop.
On the advice of the archbishop, he visited the
homes of the nobles and asked them not to permit the ruin of the
monastery. The influential and rich Martha Boretskaya impiously gave
orders to throw Saint Zosimas out, but then repented and invited him to
a meal. At this meal he suddenly saw that six of the illustrious nobles
sat without their heads. Saint Zosimas told about this vision to his
disciple Daniel and predicted an immanent death for the nobles. The
prediction was fulfilled in the year 1478, when the boyars were executed
during the capture of Novgorod by Ivan III (1462-1505).
Shortly before death, the saint prepared his
own grave, in which he was buried beyond the altar of the
Transfiguration church (+ April 17, 1478). Later on, a chapel was built
over his relics. His relics and the relics of Saint Sabbatius were
transferred to the chapel dedicated to them at the Transfiguration
cathedral on August 8, 1566.
Many miracles took place when Saint Zosimas and
Saint Sabbatius appeared to fishermen who were perishing in the depths
of the sea. Saint Zosimas is also a patron of bee-keeping and preserver
of beehives, and he is even called "Bee-keeper." Beekeepers pray to
these saints for an increase of bees.
Those who are sick hasten to Saint Zosimas,
asking to be healed. The many hospital churches dedicated to him attest
to the curative
The Transfer of the Relics of Saintts Zosimas
and Sabbatius of Solovki took place on August 8, 1566, on the third day
of the altar-feast of the Solovki monastery of the Transfiguration of
the Lord. The relics of the saints were transferred into a chapel of the
Transfiguration cathedral, built in their honor.
The Life of Saint Zosimas is found under April
17; the Life of Saint Sabbatius on September 27.
