Tikhon of Zadonsk
Encyclopedia
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was a Russian Orthodox bishop and spiritual writer who has been glorified
(canonized) a saint
of the Orthodox Church.
He was born in the village of Korotsk, in the Novgorod region, Russia
. He was tonsure
d a monk
at the age of thirty-four. He was later consecrated Bishop of Voronezh
. He served as bishop for a little under seven years and retired to the monastery
of Zadonsk
because of poor health and lived there until he died. During his lifetime he created many spiritual works and because of his great wisdom, holiness, and asceticism, he is considered an equal to the Holy Fathers
of the Orthodox Christian Church.
On May 14, 1846, during the construction of the new cathedral
at Zadonsk, Saint Tikhon's relics were uncovered and were found to be incorrupt. His relic
s were kept in Zadonsk, and due to the reports of the many miracle
s that occurred near his relic he was made a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1861. His feast day is celebrated on August 13, Julian calendar
(August 26, Gregorian Calendar
). As a result, another feast day, the Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was instituted to be celebrated annually on May 14.
The life and works of St. Tikhon inspired Dostoyevsky, and are reflected in several of the characters in The Brothers Karamazov
.
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
(canonized) a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the Orthodox Church.
He was born in the village of Korotsk, in the Novgorod region, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He was tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
at the age of thirty-four. He was later consecrated Bishop of Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
. He served as bishop for a little under seven years and retired to the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Zadonsk
Zadonsk
Zadonsk is a town and the administrative center of Zadonsky District of Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Lipetsk, on the left bank of the Don River, from which it takes its name...
because of poor health and lived there until he died. During his lifetime he created many spiritual works and because of his great wisdom, holiness, and asceticism, he is considered an equal to the Holy Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
of the Orthodox Christian Church.
On May 14, 1846, during the construction of the new cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
at Zadonsk, Saint Tikhon's relics were uncovered and were found to be incorrupt. His relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s were kept in Zadonsk, and due to the reports of the many miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s that occurred near his relic he was made a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1861. His feast day is celebrated on August 13, Julian calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
(August 26, Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
). As a result, another feast day, the Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was instituted to be celebrated annually on May 14.
The life and works of St. Tikhon inspired Dostoyevsky, and are reflected in several of the characters in The Brothers Karamazov
The Brothers Karamazov
The Brothers Karamazov is the final novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Dostoyevsky spent nearly two years writing The Brothers Karamazov, which was published as a serial in The Russian Messenger and completed in November 1880...
.
Several sayings of Tikhon of Zadonsk
"Try to know yourself, your own wickedness. Think on the greatness of God and your wretchedness. Meditate on the suffering of Christ, the magnitude of Whose love and suffering surpass our understanding. Ascribe the good that you do to God alone. Do not think about the sin of a brother but about what in him is better than in yourself .... Flee from glory, honors and praise, but if this is impossible, be sorry that such is your lot. Be benevolent to people of low origin. Be freely and willingly obedient not only to those above you but to those below .... The lowlier we are in spirit, the better we know ourselves, and without humility we cannot see God."
"Just as the body has an ear, so also does the soul. Not everybody has an ear that is open, nor does every soul. God commands the soul: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, turn away from evil and do good, etc. The soul whose ears are open, hears and listens to God speaking and does what God commands. Truly, such a soul cannot but hear God and obey His commandments if it has its ears open. Men listen and carry out the commands of earthly kings and lesser authorities, and will not a soul listen to God speaking if it has its ears open? Of course ! And with what fervor and delight will it not listen and say to Him: Ready is my heart, O God, ready is my heart (Ps. 107:2)"
"For love does not seek its own, it labors, sweats, watches to build up the brother: nothing is inconvenient to love, and by the help of God it turns the impossible into the possible .... Love believes and hopes .... It is ashamed of nothing. Without it, what is the use of prayer? What use are hymns and singing? What is the use of building and adorning churches? What is mortification of the flesh if the neighbor is not loved? Indeed, all are of no consequence .... As an animal cannot exist without bodily warmth, So no good deed can be alive without true love; it is only the pretence of a good deed."
External links
- Tikhon of Zadonsk article from OrthodoxWiki
- St Tikhon. Bishop of Voronezh and Wonderworker of Zadonsk and All Russia Orthodox iconIconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
and synaxarion