Bishop Theoktist of Novgorod was remembered by the residents of the city as a builder bishop.
His passion was the construction of new stone churches and the renovation of existing ones. And also, he was the first bishop who was ordained in St. Sophia of Novgorod.
This event happened on July 28, 1300.
During the 7 years of his ministry, Theoktist made a lot of efforts to pacify princely civil strife, reduce the tax burden for Novgorodians and resolve eternal disputes with Pskov.
Constant nervous tension affected the saint’s health; in 1307 he voluntarily left his post and returned to the Annunciation Monastery. No longer an abbot, but a simple monk. There he took a vow of silence and spent the last 3 years of his life in it.
When Saint Theoktist departed to the Lord, his body was buried under cover in the Church of the Virgin Mary.
The first mention of a miracle at his tomb dates back to 1653. From that time on, miracles occurred continuously, which served as the basis for canonization in 1664.
Catherine’s reforms had a heavy impact on Russian monasteries. Some of them were closed, including the Annunciation Monastery. Therefore, in 1786, on February 5, according to the new style, the relics of the saint were transferred to the St. George Church of the Yuriev Monastery. In the 19th century, a chapel of the saint was built in this temple; his relics were transferred to a silver shrine.
Revolutionary fans took the shrine in 1917. The saint’s grave is lost. Only in 2015, during archaeological work, scientists discovered it. The relics of the saint were carefully transferred to the Spassky Cathedral of the Yuryev Monastery, where they rest to this day.
The date of the transfer of the relics in 1786 became the day of remembrance of the saint.
Days of Remembrance
February 5
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