Miracles of St. Arseny. Name Arseny in the Orthodox calendar (Saints) Kontakion of St. Arseny

Life of St. Arseny the Great

He was born in 354 in Rome, in the b-go-che-sti-howl of the hri-sti-an-sky family, who gave him a good-ro-neck re-pi-ta- nie and about-ra-zo-va-nie. I studied co-chi-non-nia of all ri-to-ditch and philosopher-so-fov and ho-ro-sho knew both Greek and Latin languages, one -ko left the su-et-ny life of the worldly and pre-not-breg of the el-lin-sky lyu-bo-wise-ri-em, consecrating himself to the service of Bo -gu. When he joined the clergy of one of the Roman churches, he was elevated to the rank of dia-co-na.

Im-pe-ra-tor Fe-o-do-siy (379-395), right-wing at that time East in-lo-vin-noy of the Roman im-pe -rii, searched for his sons Ar-ka-diya and Go-no-riya teach-te-la, someone would teach them both philosophy, and divine wisdom not only in a word, but also in the example of one's good-ro-de-tel-noy life. Hearing about the about-ra-zo-van-no-sti and the blessings of the dia-co-on Ar-se-niya, he instructed him to resurrect his own their sons. Against in-whether, but with a user-di-em, he took up the pre-extra-op-tion of the youth. One-on-one you-with-a-thing, with someone he was surrounded, he-got his spirit, striving to serve God in without-silence-of other-che-sky life. The venerable Ar-se-niy began with tears to pray to God, so that He would lead him on the path of spa-si-tel-ny. And one day I heard a voice from above, saying: “Ar-se-niy! Run away from people, and you will save yourself. Then, having taken off his luxurious clothes and put on a strange-no-thing, he secretly left the palace, boarded a ship and sailed to Alek -sandria, from-ku-yes immediately-len-but in a hurry to the skete wilderness.

Pro-go-dya-hearing under the guidance of pre-do-no-go av-you John-on-Ko-lo-va (pa-min 9/22 Nov-Jab -rya), the pre-beautiful Ar-se-niy soon transcended into the movement of many fathers-pu-styn-ni-kov. When he again prayed that the Lord would teach him to be saved, then in response to this there was a voice from heaven, saying: “Ar-se- ny! Hide from people and pre-wai in silence, this is the root of good-ro-de-te-li. Since then, the pre-excellent Ar-se-niy has been pouring outside the skete, in a secluded cell, having taken the feat of silence, with - going to church only on holidays and Sundays, don’t talk to anyone, observing complete silence . When foreign-ki, under-vis-zav-shi-e-sya in the skete desert, ask-shi-wa-whether he is, why is he hiding but from them, the saint replied, “God knows how I love you, but I can’t be at the same time with God, and with people, in the same way as in heaven, although there are a lot of higher forces - you-sya-chi you-six or de-syat-kov you-ssyach, but they all have yut one-well-lu and in some way one-but-soul-but glorifies God, but on earth there are many wills of people, and each to-go-lo-ve-ka their thoughts-whether; each of us has different personal intentions and thoughts, and for some reason I can’t, having left God, live with people " . The venerable Ar-se-niy said about himself that he did not need anything, because he died for the world; let no one consider him more alive (that is, alive for the world).

One wandering monk, in a way that was pre-better, didn’t hear a single word from him, and when he came to the -on-dob-no-mu Mo-i-sei (pa-myat 28 av-gu-hundred / 10 september-rya), then he accepted him with ra-do-stu, pre-lo-lived to-breathe and get-to-drink food, and the monk recognized the best venerable Mo-and-sey, who gave him great love -bob. Another monk, having learned about this, began to pray to God, speaking like this: “Lord! Tell me which of them is more perfect and deserves more bless-y-yes-your-she: is it the one who hides-va-et- is it from people for the sake of You, or the one who accepts everyone the same way for You? And in response to his prayer, this any-wise-monk had the following vision. He saw two ko-slave, sailing along some very large river, in one ko-slave on-ho-dil-sya like Ar-se-niy, and the Spirit of God ruled over his slave, observing him in great silence, in another he was pre-by -good Mo-and-sei, but his slave is managed by An-ge-ly of God, wetting honey into the mouth of Mo-and-sei. That monk told about this vi-de-nii to others, more experienced in movement, and everyone found that it was more perfect -dob-ny Ar-se-niy, pre-would-va-u-shchi in silence, rather than pre-be-dob-ny Mo-and-sey, with-ni-ma-yu- who is a stranger, because God Himself would have been with the first, and with the second there would have been only the holy An-ge-ly.

Pre-excellent Ar-se-niy continued to pre-wat in silence, more and more deepening in god-thought . He burned with such a strong love for God that he was, as it were, on fire because of his fiery prayers. The pre-advance not always hung up in the same place, but sometimes re-se-lyal-sya from the skete empty place not in more secluded and silent places, moving away from people who come for be-se-dy, since they are on-ru- sha-li in a way his soul-shev-ny.

The venerable Ar-se-niy taught: “There are many such people, some of them are all-che-ski-st-ra-yut-s-observe chi- a hundred that body-forest and for this they kill their bodies in a stom, bde-ni-e and many labors; but ma-lo such, some-rye roar-no-both-re-ga-yut their soul from sin vanity-glory, mountains-to-sti, sreb-ro-lu -biya, for-vi-sti, bra-not-on-vi-de-niya, anger-va, pa-my-evil-biya, condemnation. Such dreams-ru-zhi chi-stay body, but their soul is dirty, they are like coffins, sleep-ru-zhi once-beautiful, inside -ri is full of bones of deaths. Blessed is the one who stares-ra-et-sya preserves the thread from filth, both body and soul, true-tin-but bless-we-wives-pure-hearted (and not just the body), because they will see God.

About yourself, a ve-li-ki av-va often said such words: “Ar-se-niy! What did you come here for? You came here not for a rest, but for work, not for a le-no-sti, but for a move. Come on, work hard and don’t be lazy.” Often he said the same pre-excellent and such words: “Many times I regretted the words, some of them - but my mouth, but I never regretted silence. Blessed Ar-se-niy and the gift of bless-dat tears.

A great mover and silent-nick spent 50 years in foreign labors and movements, in a stom and a prayer of blessing pleasing God. He stayed in the ski-te for forty years, for ten years he lived in the place, on-zy-vav-shem-sya Tro-gin, near Va-vi-lo-na, on-pro- tiv city-ro-da Mem-fi-sa; then, the pre-beautiful spent three years in Ka-no-pe, near Aleksandria and in some other desolate places, so that no one knew about his life, so he returned to Trogin again, lived there for two years and read about the State - de-aged at the age of 95 years in 449 or in na-cha-le 450, deserving from the modern-men-ni-kov to the title of Ve-li-ko-go .

Prayers

Troparion to the Monk Arseny the Great, tone 8

Thou hast cultivated barrenness with the streams of thy desert, / and from the depths of sighing a hundred labors thou hast borne fruit, / and thou wast the lamp of the universe, shining miracles, Arsenios our father. / Pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

Translation: With streams of your tears, you cultivated the barren desert, and from the depths of your lamentations you multiplied the fruit of your labors a hundredfold, and became the luminary of the universe, shining with miracles, Arseny, our father; pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion to the Monk Arseny the Great, tone 3

Thou hast shone forth from Rome, like a great sun/ and thou hast reached the Tsar's city, most blessed,/ by thy words enlightening this and deeds,/ driving away all foolishness and darkness. reverend.

Translation: From Rome you shone like a great sun and reached the Royal City (Constantinople), blessed, enlightening him with your words and deeds, dispelling all the darkness of unreason. Therefore, we honor you, glory of the fathers, Arseny.

Prayer to the Monk Arseny the Great

Oh, sacred head, earthly Angel, heavenly man, silence zealot, silence lover, reverend and God-bearing our father Arseny, we fall down and pray: pray to the Lord, God and Savior our Jesus Christ Yes, grant us, His sinful and unworthy servants, All of His own good gifts for the salvation of the soul: righteous faith, good hope, unfeigned love, unshakable blatonomy, Christ-consistent wisdom, and all the virtues, in the holy Gospel They were commanded: let us imitate the body of your pleasing life and, together with you, let us be vouchsafed eternal salvation and receive the Kingdom of Heaven inherit. She, pleasing God, do not despise us, but help us, by your heavenly intercession, piously end your temporary life, achieve a good end, peaceful and shameless, and be rewarded with the bliss of paradise: let us glorify humanity and generosity in the Trinity glorified and worshiped by God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your holy intercession, forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Kondak 1

Chosen saint of God, most bright lamp of the way, and God-wise mentor of the monks, our reverend father Arseniy! From the angels stand before the trinitarian God, and having acquired much boldness towards him, pray for the salvation of us sinners, and with your prayers free those who call you from all troubles:

Ikos 1

An angel in the flesh and a man of heaven knows you, Reverend Father Arsenios. You were jealous of the purity and holiness of your life, the incorporeal forces, and you surprised the earthly, showing everyone a wondrous image of spiritual perfection in yourself. We also praise thee and say:

Rejoice, ancient Rome, holy vegetation:

Rejoice, venerable branch of pious parents.

Rejoice, chosen from youth for spiritual exploits:

Rejoice, from the youth of the one God, loving with all your heart.

Rejoice, well-trained in earthly wisdom:

Rejoice, gifted with heavenly wisdom.

Rejoice, thou who hast inscribed the law of Christ on the tablets of thy heart:

Rejoice, thou who didst walk immaculately in all the justifications of the Lord.

Rejoice, protected by the fear of God:

Rejoice, former rhetorician and theologian.

Rejoice, unharmed chastity of soul and body:

rejoice, holy and godly living on earth.

Rejoice, Arseny the great hermit.

Kondak 2

Seeing the heart-seeing Lord, the immaculate purity of your soul, Father Arseny, put you in the deacon of the holy Roman church, and serve the most pure and life-giving Christ's mysteries, and, as a worthy vessel of God's grace, lift up prayers of the conciliar for all people, singing the most holy trinity: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

You were filled with Divine reason, Arseny God-wise, as if you were not equal to you in wisdom and piety in the whole kingdom of Rome. Moreover, Tsar Theodosius chose you as a mentor to his sons Arkady and Honoria, and call us to you:

Rejoice, thou who camest from the west to the east to shine with thy God-wisdom among the people:

Rejoice, from the old Rome to the new Rome, having settled on new spiritual feats.

Rejoice, teacher and mentor of kings:

Rejoice, rulers of the earth to the kingdom of the mountain leader.

Rejoice, at the royal court diligent asceticism in Christ:

Rejoice, days for teaching, nights for prayer devoting.

Rejoice, from Tsar Theodosius we love and honor the former:

Rejoice, thou who was called the father of the king and his sons.

Rejoice, venerable senatorial rank:

Rejoice, in the glory of the kingdom of the earthly humility of the holy overflowing.

Rejoice, thou who sent forth fervent prayers to God:

Rejoice, kneeling many knees.

Kondak 3

Strengthened by the power of God, reverend father, you desired the work of the Lord in the silence of the wilderness, but accepting the wrath of Tsarevich Arcadius, you intended to secretly leave the royal court and hide in the desert, but you could unhinderedly sing to God the seraphim song: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having a great desire to save your soul, Father Arseny, prayed to God to show you the right path to salvation, and you heard the voice of heaven saying to you: "Arseny, run away from people, and be saved!" Meanwhile, from the royal court, you secretly left, clothed in thin robes, and you came into the wilderness of the skete, asking the desert fathers to make you a monk. About this we gloriously call you:

Rejoice, secretly taught spiritual asceticism from the Lord Himself:

Rejoice, thou who was instructed by the voice of heaven to be silent, soul-saving.

Rejoice, leaving the royal house, and inherit the kingdom on high:

Rejoice, despising all the glory of this world, and receive eternal heavenly glory.

Rejoice, desiring to work alone in the wilderness for Christ alone:

Rejoice, holy angelic image earnestly asking yourself.

Rejoice, miraculously tempted from the great John Kolov in humility:

Rejoice, showing unfeigned humility in that temptation.

Rejoice, receiving tonsure into monasticism at the hands of his saints:

Rejoice, foreshadowed from him, as a monk you will be pious.

Rejoice, in the silence of the desert good labored:

Rejoice, unremittingly abiding in fasting and prayers.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 4

Having escaped the storm of passions, Father Arseniy, you reached the harbor of grace-free passionlessness, and in the wilderness of the skete you lived like an angel, God instructed you to perfect silence, you surprised all the fathers of the desert with your wondrous life, and urged them to glorify God and sing to him: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing again the voice of heaven: “Arseny, run away from people and wake up in silence: for this is the root of sinlessness,” you retired to the deepest desert, reverend, and silently closed your mouth, avoiding human conversations, but take out talking with God in your heart yours. For this reason we also cry out to you:

Rejoice, height of silence, easily climbed by the chosen of the chosen:

Rejoice, depth of humility, worthy of God's favor.

Rejoice, thou who was most clairvoyant and like an ancient prophet:

Rejoice, full of the gift of foresight.

Rejoice, fleeing from people, but do not be separated from God:

Rejoice, silent with your lips, do not stop crying to the Lord in your heart.

Rejoice, true servant of Christ, faithfully fulfilling all His commandments:

Rejoice, in Christ, all your neighbors sincerely loving.

Rejoice, rule of the monastic silent life:

Rejoice, image of spiritual perfection.

Rejoice, for the angels marveled at him:

rejoice, people praise God about him.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 5

God-pleasing source of tears of prayer, your eyes are the source, reverend father, and you were filled with so much divine tenderness, as if you were crying out during your prayers. In the same way, you teach us by your example to pray to God with tears, and sing to Him in tenderness of the heart: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

You were seen to be all fiery, standing up in prayer, embraced by seraphim love for the Lord, and ascending with high thought from earth to heaven, Father Arseny. Marveling at this first-fruits of your glory, we bless you with these praises:

Rejoice, spiritual adornment of the Skete desert:

Rejoice, glory and praise to Egypt.

Rejoice, power of silence:

Rejoice, abode of Christ's peace.

Rejoice, inexhaustible source of tears:

Rejoice, fragrant censer of prayers.

Rejoice, beautiful organ psalmody:

Rejoice, unshakable pillar of patience.

Rejoice, thou who didst hate soulful idleness:

Rejoice, you weaving your koshniki with your hands.

Rejoice, having conversed with God in unceasing prayer:

Rejoice, secretly contemplating visions of heaven.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 6

You were a soul-saving preacher, Father Arseniy, who came to you all, teaching with your silence more than a rhetorical blessing all the faithful, who saw in you a perfect ascetic in Christ, strong before God and people, his face, like the face of an angel of God, shines with heavenly light. The same and crying out to God who glorified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Having shone with your great virtues in the deserts of the sketes, like the most bright sun, Father Arseny, the whole world lit up the glory of your exploits, and your silent life, which God has given as an image to all silent people, and as a rule known to salvation. All the same, we gloriously cry out to you:

Rejoice, faithful executor of Christ's commandments:

Rejoice, thou who didst instruct people by your example of perfect God-wisdom.

Rejoice, showing the angelic life on earth:

Rejoice, beautifully beautiful holy church of Christ with your deeds.

Rejoice, risen to the top of the Christian virtues:

Rejoice, descending into the depths of the humility of the saint.

Rejoice, good maker of heavenly grapes:

Rejoice, bringing sweet fruit to Christ.

Rejoice, spiritual discourse acquiring:

Rejoice, beloved prayerful thought.

Rejoice, desert-loving throat, like a forerunner:

Rejoice, vessel of the Lord, filled with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 7

Although the Lord reveals the perfection of your desert father, Father Arsenios, of a silent life, showing one from them in a vision how your ship in great silence is not men and not angels, but the Lord Himself is controlled: and so everyone knows to be created, as if running from people with God Thou united, calling to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

New and marvelous was your life, reverend father, in silence and silence extreme carried out by you in the desert of sketes: marvelous is your vigil and vigils of your all-night vigils, in them, lifting up your hand at sunset, you stood there praying until the sun rises. Surprisingly, we cry out to you:

Rejoice, reverend, spiritually fructifying the barren desert:

Rejoice, God-bearer, from Egypt with your virtues shone throughout the world.

Rejoice, father, beautiful fathers:

Rejoice, god-wise kindness of the desert dwellers.

Rejoice, protector of poverty:

Rejoice, companion of angels.

Rejoice, seer of divine visions:

rejoice, as the unknown and secret God has revealed to you.

Rejoice, for by you, instruct the former to salvation:

Rejoice, for by you the erring ones have found the right path.

Rejoice, luminary, shining with the rays of God's wisdom:

Rejoice, river of many waters of the teachings of the divine.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 8

Thou didst love the wanderer's life on earth, Father Arsenios, who did not have a city here, but the coming, heavenly Jerusalem, seek out, you went from place to place in the desert of the Egyptian skete, and so, as if incorporeal, poor and silent, you dwelt, calling to Lord: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Thou, Arseniy, our father, had deepened your whole mind in Bose, and thou didst adhere to so much unceasing bogomyly, as if you had forgotten many times about food and drink. Teach us, lazy and negligent, to be vigilant in prayers to God, but we call you with gratitude:

Rejoice, consecrated vessel of God's grace:

Rejoice, rich treasure of virtues.

Rejoice, for the hour of death has always remembered thou:

rejoice, for you did not put the day of judgment in oblivion.

Rejoice, for thou didst sob to the highlander, remembering eternal torment:

rejoice, for thou didst weep all the days of thy belly, and escape the fire of hell.

Rejoice, thou who with perfect humility cast down all the temptations of the proud Belial:

Rejoice, invulnerable abiding by his kindled arrows.

Rejoice, hands of your saints with boldness uplifting grief:

Rejoice, from sunset to sunrise in the prayers of the Lord coming.

Rejoice, filled with divine love:

Rejoice, pain in the face of the saints.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 9

You faithfully fulfilled all the commandments of Christ, reverend father, and only God pleased you, as if you were given a great gift of spiritual reasoning and knowledge of human thoughts, but you spoke to your disciples, as if you were a multiplier about the verb, you foretold him, you repented, but never about silence, hereby teaching them to avoid soul-damaging idle talk, may they be able to sing favorably to their creator: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Vitiy surpassed the multilingual ones with the gift of words, reverend, but with your silence more than a word, you taught all the benefits that came to you for the sake of the soul, instructing them to keep their mouths from verbosity and condemnation of their neighbors, and even us worthy to improve with your prayers, let us call you:

Rejoice, earthly angel and heavenly man:

Rejoice, faithful follower of Christ.

Rejoice, laying guardianship with your mouth:

Rejoice, silent imitator of the perfections of Jesus.

Rejoice, thou who instructed thy neighbors by thy silence:

Rejoice, you who marveled at the height of your virtues.

Rejoice, acquiring spiritual poverty:

Rejoice, meek and gentle heart.

Rejoice, hating every pleasing of the flesh:

Rejoice, sweetly enduring desert bitterness.

Rejoice, smelling of rotten water like aromas:

Rejoice, instead of a soft bed, spreading a rogozin to yourself.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 10

Thou hast acquired spiritual salvation all the days of thy belly, reverend father, and thou hast received this faithfully; in praise, we sing to God, wondrous in his saints: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

The wall of the fence appeared to the faithful, Father Arseny, according to your honest assumption, keep them with your prayers from all the temptations and embitterments of the devil: you received grace from the Lord to help the earthly, prayerfully calling on you:

Rejoice, victorious, crowned from the right hand of Christ:

Rejoice, adorned with the glory of eternal glory in heaven.

Rejoice, blessed from generation to generation on earth:

Rejoice, joyful companion of the angels.

Rejoice, blessed co-heir of all the saints:

Rejoice, repose in the bosom of Abraham.

Rejoice, settled with the elect of God:

Rejoice, vouchsafed the sight of Christ.

Rejoice, having received good things prepared for the righteous from the ages:

Rejoice, having received the citizenship of Jerusalem on high.

Rejoice, indwelling, tamo, from nowhere you will run away from any disease:

Rejoice, illumined by the light of the three-solar Deity.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 11

Singing with the angelic armies, bring the mountain of the Most Holy Trinity, Arseny God-blessed, and pray for the people who faithfully honor your holy memory. We pray to you, reverend: pray for us sinners to the Lord, glorifying your name today and pleasing your deeds: let us be imitators of your virtues, and together with you we will be able to sing to the Triune God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

You were the light-giving lamp of the virtues of the Gospel during your lifetime, Father Arseny, you are such even after death, instructing us to the true pleasing of God with your soul-saving sayings, written down in the books of the Holy Fathers, drawing spiritual edification from them, we cry out to you:

Rejoice, pure mirror of God's life hidden in God:

Rejoice, candle, burning with a flame of love for the Lord.

Rejoice, perfect ascetic in Christ:

Rejoice, good mentor of monks.

Rejoice, follower of the Gospel of Christ:

Rejoice, guardian of apostolic traditions.

Rejoice, filled with heavenly wisdom:

Rejoice, fertilized with prayerful thought.

Rejoice, mind, illuminated by rays of divine light:

Rejoice, having bound your tongue with silence for the glory of God.

Rejoice, in your silence, the gracious former teacher:

Rejoice, thou who taught the true pleasing of God, thy disciples

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 12

Ask us the grace of the Lord, reverend servant of Christ, and be our leader in the kingdom of heaven. We pray diligently: help us weak and sinful, imitate your virtue, God, and not please the world, so that we can sing favorably to the Creator: Hallelujah.

Ikos 12

Singing your holy silent life, Father Arseniy, we marvel at your prayerful thinking, as if you were with God with your mind, now, when you have passed from temporary exploits to eternal bliss, all the more you are inseparably with God, and God abides in you, even beg do not stop for those who honor you and cry out:

Rejoice, krine of holiness and purity:

Rejoice, fruitful tree of the garden of Jesus.

Rejoice, you who have grown up in the depths of holy humility:

Rejoice, exalted even to the mountains of heaven.

Rejoice, inhabitant of the highest Zion:

Rejoice, Trinity beholder of glory.

Rejoice, friend of all the saints:

Rejoice, reconciler of sinners with God.

Rejoice, faithful to the index of the ascetic silent life:

Rejoice, zealous intercessor for all those who honor you.

Rejoice, instructing our souls for salvation:

Rejoice, strengthen our bodies in labors.

Rejoice, Arseny, great hermit.

Kondak 13

Oh, great servant of God, our reverend Father Arseny! Graciously accept this little prayer of ours in praise of you, brought with faith and love, and implore the Lord who is beloved by you and has loved you: may He save and have mercy on us sinners, deliver eternal torment, and vouchsafe in the kingdom of heaven with the saints to sing to him: Alleluia.

This Kontakion is read three times, then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are read.

Prayer

Oh, sacred head, earthly angel, heavenly man, silence to the zealot, silence to the lover, reverend and God-bearing Father Arseniy! We fall down and pray: pray to the Lord, God and our Savior Jesus Christ, may He grant us sinful and unworthy servants, all our own useful gifts for the salvation of the soul: faith is right, hope is good, love is not hypocritical, piety is unshakable, wisdom is Christ-consecutive, and all virtues, commanded by them in the holy Gospel: let us be imitators of your godly life, and together with you we will be able to receive eternal salvation and inherit the kingdom of heaven. Hey, God's servant! Do not despise us, but help us, with your heavenly intercession, piously end your temporary life, achieve a good, peaceful and shameless end, and be rewarded with heavenly bliss: let us glorify philanthropy and generosity in the Trinity of the glorious and worshiped God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your holy intercession, forever and ever. Amen.

He was born in Veliky Novgorod. Nothing is known about his parents. Even in adolescence, he decided to devote himself to the Lord. He was able to enter the monastery only in 1373. Here he lived for 11 years, being considered a model of monastic life by the brethren. But Arseny himself did not think so and strove for more intense prayer, for this he went to Athos, where he fulfilled all existing obediences. Best of all, he was able to forge vessels, the fame of the saint's needlework spread far beyond the boundaries of the Svyatogorsk monastery. So three years passed. It's time to return home. The abbot of the monastery blessed him with the icon of the Mother of God, which is now known to everyone as Konevskaya.

Then Arseny began to asceticize on Valaam. In his prayer, he appealed to God with a calling, so that He would indicate a place where a new monastery could be built. Once, when the saint was at sea, he was carried by a storm to the island of Konevets. It is located on Lake Ladoga. It was here that he began to ascetic, erected a cross, erected a small chapel. Life in the harsh northern conditions was hard, but he did not leave prayer. Previously, on the island, residents from the shore grazed horses, they thought that they were guarded by spirits that live under a stone. Every autumn, as a sign of gratitude, they left one horse at the stone. The animal died of hunger, and people thought that the spirits had taken it. The monk soon found out about such pagan behavior of the inhabitants. To debunk this myth, the saint sprinkled the stone with water, prayed, and the spirits flew away in the form of ravens.

Born in 354 in Rome, in a pious Christian family who gave him a good upbringing and education. He studied the writings of all rhetoricians and philosophers and knew both Greek and Latin well, but left the vain life of the world and neglected Hellenic wisdom, devoting himself to the service of God. When he entered the ranks of the clergy of one of the Roman churches, he was elevated to the rank of deacon.

Emperor Theodosius (379-395), who at that time ruled the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, was looking for a teacher for his sons Arcadius and Honorius, who would teach them both philosophy and divine wisdom not only in words, but also by the example of his virtuous life. Hearing about the education and piety of Deacon Arseny, he entrusted him with the education of his sons. Against his will, but with zeal, the monk took up the education of young men. However, the high honor with which he was surrounded burdened his spirit, which aspired to serve God in the silence of monastic life. The Monk Arseny began to pray to God with tears that He would direct him to the path of salvation. And one day I heard a voice from above, saying: “Arseny! Run away from people and you will be saved." Then, taking off his luxurious clothes and putting on a wanderer's, he secretly left the palace, boarded a ship and sailed to Alexandria, from where he immediately hurried to the skete desert.

Passing obedience under the guidance of the Monk Abba John Kolov (Comm. 9/22 November), the Monk Arseniy soon surpassed in asceticism many desert fathers. When he again prayed that the Lord would teach him to be saved, then in response to this there was a voice from heaven, saying: “Arseny! Hide from people and remain silent, this is the root of virtue. Since then, the Monk Arseny settled outside the skete, in a solitary cell, having accepted the feat of silence, coming to church only on holidays and Sundays He did not talk to anyone, observing complete silence. When the monks who labored in the skete wilderness asked him why he was hiding even from them, the saint answered, “God knows how I love you, but I cannot be with God and with people at the same time, because in heaven, although there are a lot of higher powers - thousands of thousands or tens of thousands, but they all have one will and therefore unanimously glorify God, but there are many human wills on earth, and each person has his own thoughts; each of us has different intentions and thoughts, and therefore I cannot leave God and live with people.” The Monk Arsenios said about himself that he did not need anything, because he died for the world; let no one consider him more alive (that is, living for the world).

One wandering monk, visiting the monk, did not hear a single word from him, and when he came to the Monk Moses (Comm. 28 August / September 10), he received him with joy, offered to rest and refresh himself with food, and the monk recognized the best of the Monk Moses, giving him great love. Another monk, learning about this, began to pray to God, saying this: “Lord! Tell me, which of them is more perfect and deserving of Your greater grace: is it the one who hides from people for Your sake, or the one who accepts everyone also for Your sake? And in answer to his prayer, this wise monk had the following vision. He imagined two ships sailing on some very large river, in one ship was the Monk Arseny, and the Spirit of God controlled his ship, observing it in great silence, in the other was the Monk Moses, the ship was controlled by the Angels of God, putting honey into mouth of Moses. The monk told about this vision to other, more experienced ascetics, and everyone found that the Monk Arseny, who remains in silence, is more perfect than the Monk Moses, who receives strangers, because God Himself was with the first, and with the second there were only holy angels.

The Monk Arseny continued to remain in silence, more and more delving into the thought of God. He burned with such intense love for God that he was constantly on fire because of his fervent prayers. The monk did not always asceticize in the same place, but sometimes he moved from the skete desert to more secluded and silent places, moving away from people who came for conversation, as they disturbed his peace of mind.

The Monk Arseny taught: “There are many such people who try in every possible way to maintain bodily purity and for this they mortify their bodies by fasting, vigil and many labors; but few are those who jealously protect their souls from the sin of vanity, pride, love of money, envy, fraternal hatred, anger, remembrance, malice, condemnation. Such people are outwardly pure in body, but their souls are dirty, they are like coffins, decorated on the outside, but full of stinking bones inside. Blessed is he who tries to save both his body and his soul from filth, truly blessed are the pure in heart (and not just in body), because they will see God.

The great abba often said the following words about himself: “Arseny! Why did you come here? You came here not for rest but for work, not for laziness, but for achievement. Strive, work, and do not be lazy.” Often the monk also spoke such words: “Many times I regretted the words that my mouth uttered, but I never regretted silence.” Blessed Arseny also acquired the gift of blessed tears.

The great ascetic and silent man spent 50 years in monastic labors and deeds, pleasing God with fasting and prayer. He stayed in the monastery for forty years, lived for ten years in a place called Trogin, near Babylon, opposite the city of Memphis; then the monk spent three years in Kanops, near Alexandria and in some other desert places, so that no one knew his way of life, then he returned to Trogin again, lived there for two years and there he rested in the Lord at the age of 95 years in 449. or at the beginning of 450, having earned the name of the Great from his contemporaries.

See also: " The life of our venerable father Arseny the Great"in the presentation of St. Demetrius of Rostov.

Troparion of St. Arseny

Thou hast cultivated barrenness with the streams of the desert with thy tears, / and from the depths of sighing a hundred labors Thou hast fruitful, / and Thou was the lamp of the universe, shining miracles, Arseny our father, / pray to Christ God to be saved to our souls.

Kontakion of St. Arseny

Thou hast shone forth from Rome, like the great sun, / and thou hast reached the Tsar’s city, most blessed, / enlightening this with thy words and deeds, / driving away all foolishness from the darkness.

Prayer to the Monk Arseny the Great

Oh, sacred head, earthly angel, heavenly man, silence to the zealot, silence to the lover, reverend and God-bearing Father Arseniy. We fall down and pray: pray to the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, may He grant us, His sinful and unworthy servant, all His useful gifts for the salvation of the soul: faith is right, hope is good, love is not hypocritical, piety is unshakable, wisdom is Christ-following and all the virtues , in the holy Gospel commanded by Him, let us be imitators of your pleasing life and, together with you, be vouchsafed to receive eternal salvation and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Hey, God's servant! Do not despise us, but help us, with your heavenly intercession, piously end temporary life, a good, peaceful and shameless end to acquire and heavenly bliss, let us glorify philanthropy and generosity in the Trinity of the glorious and worshiped God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and yours holy intercession, forever and ever. Amen.

Venerable Arseny the Great

Born in 354 in Rome, in a pious Christian family, which gave him a good upbringing and education. He studied the writings of all rhetoricians and philosophers and knew both Greek and Latin well, but left the vain life of the world and neglected Hellenic wisdom, devoting himself to the service of God. When he entered the ranks of the clergy of one of the Roman churches, he was elevated to the rank of deacon.

Emperor Theodosius (379-395), who at that time ruled the eastern half of the Roman Empire, was looking for a teacher for his sons Arcadius and Honorius, who would teach them both philosophy and Divine wisdom not only in words, but also by the example of his virtuous life. Hearing about the education and piety of Deacon Arseny, he entrusted him with the education of his sons. Against his will, but with zeal, the monk took up the education of young men. However, the high honor with which he was surrounded burdened his spirit, which aspired to serve God in the silence of monastic life. The Monk Arseny began to pray to God with tears that He would direct him to the path of salvation. And one day I heard a voice from above, saying: “Arseny! Run away from people and you will be saved." Then, taking off his luxurious clothes and putting on a wanderer's, he secretly left the palace, boarded a ship and sailed to Alexandria, from where he immediately hurried to the skete desert.

Passing obedience under the guidance of the Monk Abba John Kolov (Comm. 9/22 November), the Monk Arseniy soon surpassed in asceticism many desert fathers. When he again prayed that the Lord would teach him to be saved, then in response to this there was a voice from heaven, saying: “Arseny! Hide from people and remain silent, this is the root of virtue. Since then, the Monk Arseny settled outside the skete, in a solitary cell, having taken on the feat of silence, coming to church only on holidays and Sundays, and did not talk to anyone, observing complete silence. When the monks who labored in the skete wilderness asked him why he was hiding even from them, the saint answered, “God knows how I love you, but I cannot be with God and with people at the same time, because in heaven, although there are a lot of higher powers - thousands by thousands or tens of thousands, but they all have one will and therefore unanimously glorify God, but there are many human wills on earth, and each person has his own thoughts; each of us has different intentions and thoughts, and therefore I cannot, leaving God, live with people.” The Monk Arseniy said about himself that he did not need anything, because he died for the world; let no one consider him more alive (that is, living for the world).

Venerable Arseny the Great was born in 354 in Rome, in a pious Christian family, which gave him a good upbringing and education. Having studied secular sciences and being fluent in Latin and Greek, the Monk Arseny acquired deep knowledge, connected with a pious and virtuous life. Deep faith prompted the young man to leave the sciences and prefer them to serve God. He entered the clergy of one of the Roman churches and was elevated to the rank of deacon.
Emperor Theodosius (379-395), who ruled the eastern half of the Roman Empire, heard about his education and piety and entrusted Arseny with the education of his sons Arcadius and Honorius. Against his will, obeying only the command of Pope Damasus, the Monk Arseny was forced to part with the service of the holy altar. At that time he was 29 years old.
Having arrived in Constantinople, Arseny was greeted with great honor by the emperor Theodosius, who gave him the command to raise the princes not only wise, but also pious, protecting them from the hobbies of youth. “Although they are royal sons,” said Theodosius, “they must obey you in everything, as their father and teacher.”
With zeal, the monk took up the education of young men, but the high honor with which he was surrounded weighed down his spirit, striving to serve God in the silence of monastic life. In fervent prayers the monk asked the Lord to show him the way of salvation, and the Lord heeded his petition. Once he heard a Voice: "Arseny, run away from people and you will be saved." Then, having changed luxurious clothes for a wanderer, he secretly left the palace, boarded a ship and sailed to Alexandria, from where he immediately hurried to the skete desert. Arriving at the church, he asked the presbyters to accept him among the brethren, calling himself a miserable wanderer. However, his appearance indicated in him not a simple, but a noble person. The brethren took him to the Monk Abba John Kolov, glorified by his holy life (Comm. 9 November). He, wanting to test the humility of the visitor, during the meal did not seat Arseny among the monks, but threw him a cracker, saying: "If you want, eat." With great humility, the Monk Arseny fell to his knees, crawled up to the lying biscuit and ate it, moving into a corner. Seeing this, Elder John said: “He will be a great ascetic!” Having received Arseny with love, he tonsured the novice ascetic.
With zeal, the Monk Arseny began to undergo obedience and soon surpassed many desert fathers in asceticism. Once, at a prayer, the monk again heard a Voice: "Arseny, run away from people and remain in silence - this is the root of sinlessness."
Since then, the Monk Arseny settled outside the Skete, in a solitary cell, having accepted the feat of silence, rarely left the seclusion, attending church only on holidays and Sundays, did not talk with anyone, observing complete silence. To the question of one monk - why is he hiding from people like that, the ascetic answered: “God sees that I love everyone, but I cannot be at the same time with God and people. The powers of heaven all have one will and unanimously glorify God, but on earth each person has his own will and people's thoughts are different. I can’t leave God and live with people.”
Being in unceasing prayer, the monk, however, did not refuse the coming monks advice and guidance, giving brief but wise answers to their questions. One day, a monk from Skete, who came to the great old man, saw him through the window standing at prayer, surrounded by flames.
The needlework of the Monk Arseny was the weaving of baskets. To do this, the leaves of date palms, from which baskets were woven, he soaked in water. For a whole year, the Monk Arseny did not change the water in the vessel, from which a putrid smell emanated. When asked why he did this, the monk answered that by doing so he humbles himself, since, while living in the world, he was surrounded by fragrant smells, and now he endures the stench, so as not to feel the stench of hell after death.
The fame of the great ascetic spread far, many wished to see him and thereby broke the silence of the ascetic, as a result of which the monk was forced to move from place to place. However, those who thirsted for instruction and blessing found him.
The Monk Arsenios taught: many take upon themselves great feats of fasting and vigil, but few keep their souls from hatred, anger, remembrance, malice, condemnation and pride, such are like painted coffins filled inside with stinking bones. One monk asked the monk what he should do when, while reading the psalms, he does not understand their meaning. The elder replied that we should continue reading the psalms, since the evil forces flee from us, not enduring the power of the word of the Divine Scriptures. The monks had to hear how the monk often forced himself to exploits with the words: “Work hard, Arseny, do not be lazy, you have not come to rest, but to work.” The monk also said: “I repented many times about my words, but never about silence.”
The great ascetic and silent man acquired the gift of grace-filled tears, with which his eyes were constantly filled. He spent 55 years in monastic deeds, earning the title of the Great from his contemporaries, and died at the age of 95 in 449 or 450.

Here is how the biography of Arseny the Great is presented in the Fatherland, compiled by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov:

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov: "Abba Arseny" (from "The Fatherlander")
1. Abba Arseniy the Great was brought to monastic life by the miraculous destinies of God. He was the tutor of Arcadius and Honorius, sons of Theodosius the Great, Emperor of the Byzantines, and was called their father. According to his importance, according to his personal merits, according to his learning, Arseny enjoyed special honor among the courtiers. According to the state of the world, he belonged to the senators, and together he belonged to the church clergy, having the rank of deacon. From his sayings and events from his life that have come down to us, an unusual frankness and frankness is visible in his character. He acted in accordance with his goal, his resolute good intentions, not allowing himself considerations that could distract him from such action. Once he found it necessary to punish Arkady for some youthful hobby, and punish him so hard that the pet would not allow himself this hobby again. Anger seized Arkady. He planned to kill Arseny. The intent of the prince was revealed to Arseny. At night, Arseny took off his clothes as a courtier, put on the rags of a beggar, left the palace, boarded a ship leaving Constantinople for Alexandria. In its vicinity there was a wild desert, Skete, in which thousands of monks spent the most exalted residence: Arseny went there. He was numbered among the many holy ascetics, and soon, under the guidance of the Monk John Kolov, he achieved special spiritual progress.
2. Another special trait was noted in the character of Arseny the Great by biographers. When he was at the imperial court, none of the courtiers surrounded himself with such magnificence as Arseny, and in Skete no one observed such strict monastic poverty, no one wore such a sackcloth attire as Arseny; he replaced the abundance of fragrant suits with stinking water, in which palm branches were soaked for his needlework, and which, constantly unchanging, but only added, was in his cell 2. monastic life, strove for it with all the desire of the heart.
[A similar trait is seen in the character of Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. This saint, a strict ascetic, was completely non-possessive, non-possessive to the point of absolute poverty; but during the divine service he furnished himself with extraordinary order and extraordinary brilliance. What is this phenomenon? Is it a manifestation of vanity and vanity according to custom and in the spirit of the world? No! it was a manifestation of disinterested and high sympathy for the graceful. For this reason, splendor stood next to non-acquisitiveness, brilliance covered strict asceticism, - and easily left the Monk Arseny shadows and images of the elegant, to which his heart was not partial, - rushed entirely to the essentially elegant. One, truly graceful - God].
3. Having learned about the plan of Arcadius and while still at the royal court, Arseny prayed to God like this: Lord! teach me how to be saved? and there was a voice to him: Arseny! run from people and you will be saved 3.
4. In the Skete, Arseny again prayed to God, saying: Lord! teach me how to be saved? And he heard a voice saying to him: Arseny! run away from people, be silent, be silent: these are the roots of sinlessness 4.
[Thus God, who knows the heart, called His chosen vessel to the hermit life, knowing its capacity for it].
5. Arriving at the Skete, Saint Arsenios explained his intention to accept monasticism to the presbyters. They took him to an old man filled with the Holy Spirit, John Kolov. The elder wanted to put Arseny to the test. When they sat down to eat bread, the elder did not invite Arseny, but left him standing. He stood with his eyes fixed on the ground and thinking that he was standing in the presence of God before His Angels. When they began to eat food, the elder took a cracker and threw it to Arseny. Arseny, seeing this, discussed the elder’s deed as follows: the elder, like the Angel of God, knew that I was like a dog, even worse than a dog, and therefore he gave me bread the way a dog is served: I will eat bread the way dogs eat it. After this reflection, Arseny got up on his hands and feet, in this position he approached the cracker, took it with his mouth, took it to a corner and used it there. The elder, seeing his great humility, said to the presbyters: he will become a skilful monk. After a short time, John gave him a cell near him and taught him to strive for his salvation 5.
6. Abba Arseny once asked one of the Egyptian elders about his thoughts. A certain brother saw this and asked him: Abba Arseniy! why are you, being so versed in the learning of Greece and Rome, asking about your thoughts this, which is alien to all learning? Arseny answered: I know the sciences of Greece and Rome, but I have not yet learned the alphabet, which is taught by these, who know nothing in the learning of the world.
[The knowledge that the Egyptian communicated was delivered to him by the fulfillment of the gospel commandments. This knowledge is acquired in the soul itself, in it they have an experienced, indisputable proof for themselves; they are striking news for a scholar of the elements of the world, who has received all his knowledge from outside, deprived of a correct self-view, which is revealed only in the light of the teachings of Christ. Blessed is Abba Arseny, who duly honored the Wisdom that descended to men from above, and humbled before her the wisdom that arose from the fall of man. Many, very many, preferred the second to the first, destroyed themselves and their followers, having removed the light of Christ from themselves, remaining with their own light].
7. One day, Abba Evagrius said to Abba Arsenius: why do we, with all our learning and our development, have nothing, while these rude Egyptians have such sublime spiritual work? Abba Arseniy answered: we will draw nothing for spiritual living from the teachings of the world, but they acquired their spiritual living through exploits.
[Christian prosperity is delivered by the fulfillment of the gospel commandments in self-denial: it is obvious that earthly learning, which has its origin in the fall of mankind, cannot take any part in the renewal of mankind by the Redeemer. It becomes a great obstacle in this matter, if it is not resolutely subordinated to the Wisdom of God, if we introduce our corruptible principle, our spirit of pride and enmity against God into the cause of saving people, into the cause of God].
8. The brother asked Abba Arseniy to instruct him. The elder said: Strive with all your might, so that by your inner work according to God, everything external is defeated.
[Inner doing is also spiritual doing. It consists in attentive verbal and mental prayer, in weeping of the heart, in remembrance of death, in self-reproaches, in the consciousness and confession of one’s sinfulness, and in similar deeds performed by the ascetic inside the soul, in oneself].
9. Abba Arseny said: if we seek God, then He will appear to us, - and if we keep Him in ourselves, then He will abide with us 8.
[The saying is from the most exalted monastic feat! it signifies that by true feat one must attract the grace of God into oneself, and having received it, keep it in oneself by true feat. Those who gave way to laziness and heedlessness, after receiving grace, lost it.]
10. A certain monk said to Abba Arseny: thoughts disturb me, saying: you cannot endure either fasting or ascetic labors; visit at least the sick, for this is a matter of love. The elder, realizing that his thoughts were inoculated by demons, told him: go, eat, drink, do nothing, just do not leave the cell silence. The elder said this, knowing that the silence in the cell would lead the monk to the proper habitation, if the monk patiently abides in silence.
11. They told about a certain brother who came to the Skete with the aim of seeing Abba Arseny, the following: this brother came to the Skete church and earnestly asked the clergy to give him the opportunity to see the elder. They said to him: Stay here for a while and you will see him. The brother answered: I will not eat any food before I see him. Then the clergy sent one of the skete brethren to escort the strange brother to the elder's cell, which was at a very distant distance from the skete church. Having reached the cell and knocking on the door, they entered the cell; greeting the elder, they sat down, and sat for a long time, remaining in silence. Finally the skete brother said: I'm leaving, pray for me. The strange brother did not dare to start a conversation with the elder and said to the skete: I am going with you. They both went out together, and the strange brother of the skete asked: take me to Abba Moses, who had become a monk from among the robbers. When they came to the abba, he received them very cordially, gave them wise and holy instruction, and let them go, expressing great love. Then the brother of the skete said to the wanderer: behold! I took you to the stranger and to the Egyptian: which of the two did you like better? He answered: but the Egyptian was more to my liking. - Some of the Fathers, hearing this, prayed to God, saying: Lord! Reveal to me the secret of the matter: one flees everyone for the sake of Your name, and the other accepts everyone for the sake of Your name. And so! in a vision two great ships appeared to him on vast waters. In one ship he saw Abba Arsenius floating silently, and the Spirit of God with him, and in another, Abba Moses, sailing in the company of Angels who fed him with honey flowing from honeycombs.
[Such was the testimony of God about the truly silent monk].
12. Abba Mark said to Abba Arseny: for what reason do you avoid society and conversation with us? Arseny answered: God knows that I love you, but I cannot be together with God and with people. In heaven, thousands and thousands of thousands have one will, but among men the will is manifold: and therefore I cannot, having left God, be with men.
[When a monk has assimilated his work, and becomes its essential necessity, then he does not have the opportunity to move on to another work, even if this other work has its own spiritual dignity. Abandonment of habitual doing is, as it were, abandonment of life].
13. One day some Fathers came from Alexandria to Abba Arseniy to meet with him. One of them was the uncle of the eldest Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria, called the non-possessor. Abba Arseniy was ill at the time and refused to see him, fearing that others would not come and disturb him; at that time he was in the rocky mountain of Troy. The fathers returned, upset. This was followed by a barbarian raid; The elder left the mountain and moved to live in Lower Egypt. Hearing this, the fathers again came to see him. The elder received them cordially. My father was with my father. This brother said to Abba Arseniy: Do you know, Abba, that we came to visit you on Mount Troy? The elder answered him: after I did not receive you, you ate bread and drank water, but I - believe me, my son - did not taste either bread or water, did not even sit down, but remained in prayer for you until It was not revealed to me that you returned safely to yourself. I did this because you worked for me. However, forgive me. The visitors went from him comforted 10.
[In order to heal the carnal judgment about the act of a spiritual husband, about an act that, in appearance, could seem like a sharp violation of God's commandment about love for one's neighbor, Saint Arseny told the secret of his behavior regarding the visitors he did not receive and the Divine revelation that had been to him about them, from which power was evident. his prayers and that fulfillment of the commandment, which only Spirit-bearers are capable of].
14. The brother came to the hut of Abba Arseny - this happened in Skete - and through the door hole he saw the old man as if on fire. The brother was worthy of the vision. He knocked on the door; The elder went out and, noticing a change in his brother's face, asked him if he had been here for a long time and had he seen anything? My brother said he didn't see anything. The elder, after talking with him, let him go 11.
15. Abba Arseny told about a certain Scythian, great in asceticism and glorious in faith, but who sinned in it through ignorance, the following: The Scythian said that in Holy Communion we receive not the body of Christ, but the image of the body of Christ in the form of bread. Two elders heard about it. Knowing that the speaker was great in residence, they understood that he was saying this not out of malice, but out of ignorance and simplicity. They came to him and said: father! We have heard of a certain brother that he uttered an opinion that was inconsistent with the teaching of the Right Faith, namely, that in Holy Communion we do not receive the body of Christ, but the image of the body of Christ in the form of bread. The elder answered: I said it. They began to convince him: do not think so, father, but confess according to the tradition of the holy, catholic, apostolic Church. We believe that the bread is the very body of Christ, and that in the cup is the very blood of Christ - by no means images. Although it is incomprehensible how bread can be a body, but since the Lord said about bread: this is my body, we believe that bread is the true body of Christ. The elder said to this: if I am not convinced by experience itself, then I will remain in doubt. They suggested to him: let us pray to God during the whole next week, so that He will explain the sacrament to us, and we believe that God will reveal it. The elder gladly accepted the offer; he prayed to God like this: Lord! You know that I do not believe not out of malicious obstinacy. Lord Jesus Christ! Reveal this mystery to me, so that I do not go astray because of unbelief. Also, the elders, having come to their huts, prayed to God during the whole week about this mystery, and said: Lord Jesus Christ! reveal this secret to the elder, so that he does not remain in unbelief and does not destroy his work. And God listened to them. After a week they came to the church, all three sat down on the same mat, and their eyes were opened. When bread was offered at the holy table, then they, these three elders alone, saw a baby instead of bread. When the hieromonk stretched out his hand to break bread at the holy meal, the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven with a knife in his hand, slaughtered the baby; poured out his blood into a bowl. When the hieromonk broke bread, the angel cut the baby into small pieces. When they began to receive the holy mysteries, bloody meat was served to the unbelieving elder. Seeing this, the elder was frightened and cried out: Lord! I believe that the bread is your body! and immediately the meat on his hand turned out to be bread, according to the custom of the sacrament. He took communion, praising God. The elders said to him: God knows that people cannot eat raw meat, and therefore He covered His body with the appearance of bread, and His blood with the appearance of wine. The two elders gave thanks to God, who did not allow the feat of the third elder to become futile 12.
16. When the time of death came for Abba Arseny, then the brethren who were with him saw that he was crying. The brethren said to him: father! are you afraid too? He replied: I'm afraid! The fear I feel at the present hour has been with me since I became a monk.
17. It was said about Abba Arseny that he constantly had a handkerchief on his knees while he sat at needlework, because of the tears that fell from his eyes.
18. Archbishop Theophilus of blessed memory, before he died, said: blessed, Abba Arseniy! you always had this hour before your eyes 13.
__________________
1 Chetiy Menaion, the life of the Monk Arseny the Great, on the 8th day of May.
2 Memorable Tales, chapters 4, 18 and 20.
3 Alphabetical Patericon and Memorable Tales.
4 Alphabetical Patericon and Memorable Tales.
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Alphabetical Patericon.
12 Alphabetic Patericon, Prologue, April 3rd day. - Dmitry Alexandrovich Shepelev, whose body rests in the church of St. Sergius in the Sergius desert near St. Petersburg, conveyed the following about himself to the rector of this desert, Archimandrite Ignatius 1st, the following: he was brought up in the Corps of Pages. Once upon a time great post, when the pages were ready and were already approaching the holy mysteries, the young man Shepelev expressed to his comrade walking beside him his resolute disbelief that the body and blood of Christ should be in the cup. When the secrets were taught to him, he felt that he had meat in his mouth. Horror seized the young man: he stood beside himself, not feeling the strength to swallow a particle. The priest noticed the change that had taken place in him and ordered him to enter the altar. There, holding a particle in his mouth and confessing his sin, Shepelev came to his senses and used the holy secrets taught to him.
13 Patrolog. pag. 861, cap. 5.

Troparion, tone 8:

Thou hast cultivated barrenness with the streams of the desert of thy tears, / and from the depths of sighing a hundred labors thou hast borne fruit, / and thou art the lamp of the universe, shining miracles, Arseniy our father, / pray to Christ God to be saved to our souls.

(Minea May. Part 1. - M., Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2002;
Paternik, compiled by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov).