|
 St.
Sergius, the founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra, was born of wealthy Rostov
boyars on May 3, 1314. On the fortieth day the local priest baptized the
child, naming him Bartholomew. From his childhood he grew accustomed to
solitude and sought his salvation through prayer, fasting and work. In
1337, at the age of 23, after his parents’ death, he decided to
leave for the desert together with his elder brother Stephen. The brothers
chose to found their hermitage in a clearing surrounded by thick forest
on a low hill, later called Makovets (a term often used to indicate the
top of a hill). They built for themselves a cell and a small church, which
they dedicated to the Lifegiving Trinity. That was the birth of the monastery,
which later served as a source of pride and inspiration to the people
of Russia.
The life of a hermit was very difficult and required a good deal of perseverance
and will. Stephen could not take the rigours of winter and the scarcity
of food. He preferred life in an urban monastery and left Bartholomew
for Moscow.
For about two years Bartholomew remained alone in the desert, and in silence
and prayer he prepared himself for his monastic vows. After taking them
with the name of Sergius, he lived even more austere ascetic life in solitude,
reading the Bible, working in his garden and unceasingly praying.
Despite the distance of his hermitage, word concerning the exemplary ascetic
life of St. Sergius soon spread everywhere and pious monks began coming
to him in search of guidance. Later farmers and city dwellers used to
come from all over for St. Sergius` blessing and advice and the n settled
in the area of the monastery. The Mongol yoke, which weighed heavily on
the country, caused its ruin and forced people to leave the most exposed
regions and seek refuge in the wilderness.
Having become abbot of the monastery, St. Sergius did not change anything
in his life and continued to work for all. He remembered the words of
Christ, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve”
(Mt. 20:28 ). He was not only a father but also a servant to all those
who came to him, giving an example of humility and work. Saint Sergius
officiated every day, and he himself prepared alter bread, grinding wheat
and making dough. He also prepared food, made boots and habits for the
monks, carried water form the spring and left a bucket at each monk’s
cell. He himself built 3 or 4 cells for other monks. He spent the night
praying, eating only a little bread and water and never spent an hour
without working.
Numerous miracles took place and many people were cured by St. Sergius`
prayers. Gradually he became famous all over the country. Many pilgrims
as well as suffering and poor people came to him for consolation.
In his lifetime already he was revered as a saint.
 For
a long time the number of the monks was limited to twelve. Then new candidates
arrived and the community began to grow. The saint refused no one the
right to enter the monastery. Among his disciples and followers there
are about 70 canonised saints. In central and north-eastern Russia they
founded about 50 monasteries, which became centres of orthodox piety and
spiritual enlightenment.
In 1380, Prince Dimitry Donskoy of Moscow came to seek St. Sergius` blessing
before leading his army for the Orthodox faith and for the liberation
of his native land from the Mongol yoke, which greatly oppressed Russia
since 1237. Having received the saint’s blessing to go against the
godless enemies, the Grand Prince won a great victory over the army of
the Tartar Khan Mamai on the Kulikovo Field on the 8th of September. It
was the first major Russian victory against the Tartars. After that, Moscow
Princes became the patrons of the Trinity monastery.
St. Sergius entrusted his holy and pure soul to God on September 25, 1392.
His successor as abbot of the Trinity monastery was St. Nikon, first among
his disciples. |
