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Venerable (Monastic)16th century

Venerable Athanasius of Syandemsk

died c. 1550

Also known as Athanasius of Vologda

A disciple of St. Alexander of Svir who founded a monastery between two lakes in the Vologda land.

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Athanasius, Abbot of Syandemsk

Life

Venerable Athanasius of Syandemsk was a sixteenth-century Russian monastic, a disciple of Saint Alexander of Svir, who founded a hermitage in the forests of the Olonets region of Karelia, in the Vologda land.

Following the death of his teacher, he established the Dormition hermitage on an island of Lake Syandem (Synadem), not far from the city of Olonets. Difficulties with the local inhabitants led him to return for a time to the Svir monastery, where he served as abbot, before withdrawing again to his forest hermitage, where he died in great old age around the year 1550.

Troparion1 hymnReadHide
TroparionTone 8

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile,
and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance.
By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe!
O our holy father Athanasius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline4 momentsReadHide
  1. before 1533Disciple of Alexander of SvirAthanasius entered monastic life as a disciple of Saint Alexander of Svir, founder of the Trinity (later Alexander-Svirsky) Monastery.
  2. after 1533Founds the Dormition hermitageFollowing his teacher's death, Athanasius established a hermitage on an island of Lake Syandem in the forests of Karelia, near Olonets.
  3. c. 1550ReposeAfter serving for a time as abbot at the Svir monastery and then returning to his hermitage, Athanasius died in great old age and was buried on Roschinsk island.
  4. 1720Translation of relicsHis incorrupt remains were translated to a church dedicated to Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria, built above his burial site.

Contributions & Legacy

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Monastic Life and Foundation

Athanasius was a disciple of Saint Alexander of Svir (1448–1533), the founder of the Trinity Monastery in the Novgorod lands. As a disciple, he would have entered monastic life under Alexander before the latter's death in 1533.

After his teacher's repose, Athanasius withdrew into the forests of Karelia, near the city of Olonets, and established the Dormition hermitage on an island of Lake Syandem. According to the synaxarion, the criticism and hostility of the local inhabitants prompted him to return to the Svir monastery, where he became abbot (igumen). He later went back to his hermitage in the woods, where he reposed in about the year 1550 at a great age.

Relics & Shrines

Saint Athanasius was buried on Roschinsk island. A church dedicated to Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria was later built above his resting place. In 1720 his relics, found incorrupt, were translated to this church.

Companions1 figureShowHide
Teacher: Athanasius entered monastic life as a disciple of Alexander of Svir, and after his teacher's repose withdrew to found the Syandemsk hermitage.
Venerable AlexanderAbbot of Svir
Related Saints5 saintsShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

Fellow disciple of Alexander of Svir: founded a monastery in the Kostroma forests.
Venerable Gennadiusof Kostroma
Fellow disciple of Alexander of Svir: labored near Lake Vazhe in the Olonets region.
Venerable Nikephorosof Vazheozersk
Fellow disciple of Alexander of Svir: a solitary by Lake Vazhe.
Venerable Gennadiusof Vazheozersk
Fellow disciple of Alexander of Svir: founded a monastery on the Oredezha River near Lake Ladoga.
Saint Macariusof Oredezhsk
Fellow disciple of Alexander of Svir: a nobleman converted by Alexander who founded Ondrusov Monastery.
Venerable AdrianAbbot of Ondrusov

Browse similar saints by calling and place.

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 18