The Uncovering
of the Relics of Saint Metrophanes, Bishop of Voronezh (1832)
The memory of the deep piety and pastoral virtues
of St Metrophanes (Macarius, in the schema) was revered at Voronezh from
the time of his death (November 23, 1703). His successors, the Voronezh
hierarchs, considered it their sacred duty to make annual remembrance of
the first hierarch of their flock, together with his parents, the priest
Basil and Maria.
The people of Voronezh and its environs came to
the Annunciation cathedral, where memorial services were offered at his
tomb. Contributing to the intense remembrance of St Metrophanes was also
his dying request that prayers be said for him. For this purpose the
saint, even during his lifetime, had built a chapel at the cathedral in
honor of the holy Archangel Michael (his patron saint), and in it a
special priest served the Liturgy. Although succeeding generations did
not know the saint, they also revered his memory.
The veracity of the sainthood of the first
hierarch of the Voronezh diocese was also confirmed by his incorrupt
relics, attested during their repeated transfers from one temple to
another. In the year 1718, Metropolitan Pachomius of Voronezh, about to
begin the construction of a new cathedral, gave orders to demolish the
old Annunciation cathedral. The body of St Metrophanes was temporarily
transferred into the church of the Unburnt Bush. In 1735, the body of St
Metrophanes was transferred into the new cathedral, during which time
the incorrupt state of his relics was again observed. At the place of
the burial of the saint, panikhidas were customarily served for him.
By 1820 it was noticed that the number of those
venerating St Metrophanes and thronging to Voronezh, had extraordinarily
increased. Grace-filled signs also increased. Archbishop Anthony II of
Voronezh made repeated reports to the Holy Synod about the miracles, and
he petitioned for a resolution for the glorification of the saint. The
Holy Synod then prescribed that records be kept of miracles at the grave
of St Metrophanes. In the year 1831, after seeing the incorrupt body of
the saint, Archbishop Anthony together with commission members of the
Holy Synod, Archbishop Eugenius of Yaroslavl and Archimandrite
Hermogenes of the Moscow Savior-Androniev monastery, became convinced in
the miraculous intercession of St Metrophanes before the Throne of God.
The Holy Synod then issued its resolution adding St Metrophanes to the
ranks of the Saints. Since then, the Russian Church celebrates the
memory of the saint twice during the year: November 23, the day of his
repose, and August 7, the day of his glorification.
Archbishop Anthony II (1827-1846) established
in the Voronezh also the following feastdays in honor of St Metrophanes:
June 4, the Feast of his namesake St Metrophanes, Patriarch of
Constantinople; April 2, the saint's day of consecration as bishop in
1682; and December 11, the day of the transfer of the relics of St
Metrophanes in 1831.
Saint Metrophanes left behind a Spiritual
Testament. Its original is preserved in the State Historical Museum.
Upon the testament is the unique authoritative signature of the saint:
"This spiritual dictate is attested to by me... Bishop Metrophanes of
Voronezh."
On the lower cover (inside) is an inscription
from the eighteenth century: "This is the book of testament or last will
of the Voronezh schemamonk Macarius, written in the God-saved city of
Voronezh, in the house of His Grace the bishop and schemamonk Macarius,
who reposed in the month of November on the 23rd day in the year 1703,
and was buried on the 4th day of December."
On the day preceding the Uncovering of the
Relics of St Metrophanes, Archbishop Anthony of Voronezh went to church,
so as to lay out the new vestments prepared for the relics. Suddenly, he
felt so weak that he was barely able to go about his cell. Troubled by
this, he sat and pondered and then he heard a quiet voice: " Do not
transgress my legacy."
This he did not understand right away, and
instead thinking about his own plans, he gathered up his strength and
opened the closet where the vestments were, and there he caught sight of
the monastic schema, brought shortly before this by an unknown monk who
had entrusted it to him and said that it soon would be needed.
Seeing this monastic schema, the hierarch then
realized that the words, "Do not transgress my legacy," was actually the
will of St Metrophanes, that they not place upon his relics bishop's
vestments, but rather to clothe them in the schema. By this and by his
extreme humility, he indicated the deep spiritual connection with his
patronal saint (in schema), St Macarius of Unzhensk
