Eleazar, the name of the saint in the world, was born in the 14th century, about 1386, in a family of wealthy peasants. His parents valued education and gave his son to study literacy. At that time, in the peasant environment, the case is rare. Eleazar became interested in religious literature, read a lot and decided to devote himself to the Lord. His parents had other plans, they had already looked after his fiancée. The young man had to leave his father’s house. He came to the Snetogorsk monastery and took tonsure under the name Euphrosin. The life of the monastery seemed to him animated, distracted from focusing on prayer. Then Euphrosin went to hermit to the bank of the river Tolva. However, the news of him and his righteousness attracted other monks, soon enough to open a monastery. The monk drew up the Charter of the monastery, but it was rather of a recommendatory nature. Theological questions were not raised there. Although Euphrosyne was interested in theology and even made a trip to Constantinople to clarify how many times to sing «Hallelujah» in glorification, 2 or 3. I didn’t get an exact answer, but I thought 2 was enough. During the schism, the Old Believers referred to the saint, defending their point of view.
In 1447, a church was erected in the monastery in the name of 3 saints: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. The monastery grew, so, preferring solitude, settled in a hut nearby. He refused to become abbot, but was the confessor of the entire brethren. They called the monastery St. Eleazar.
He lived a long life and died in 1481 at the age of 95. On his grave lay a spiritual testament, which Euphrosyne wrote with his own hand and an icon, which was written during his lifetime by the disciple of the monk, Ignatius.
Memorial Day
28 May
July 3 (transitional) – Cathedral of Pskov Saints
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Lives of Saints
