Fool-for-Christ11th century

Venerable Arcadius of Novotorsk

11th century (reposed 1077)

Also known as Arcadius of Vyazma and Novotorsk

A youth of Vyazma who embraced poverty and the path of folly for Christ, living by alms and prayer in silence and meekness.

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Life

Arcadius of Novotorsk, also venerated as Arcadius of Vyazma, was an eleventh-century ascetic of Rus' who took up the path of folly for Christ before entering the monastic life. Born in the town of Vyazma to pious parents who taught him prayer and obedience from childhood, he embraced voluntary poverty, living by alms and sleeping wherever he happened to find himself, bearing his discipline in silence and meekness.

His ascetic path was guided by Saint Ephraim the Wonderworker of Novy Torg (Torzhok), who helped the young man avoid the spiritual dangers of the fool-for-Christ vocation. The two are remembered together for founding a church and monastery dedicated to the Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, where Arcadius later received the monastic tonsure and gave himself to full obedience under Ephraim as his spiritual father.

Within the monastery Arcadius was noted for his diligence in the services: he never missed the Liturgy and was always the first to arrive for Matins. He outlived his elder by roughly two decades, reposing in the Lord on December 13, 1077. His relics, associated with miracles of healing, were uncovered in 1572 and over the following centuries enshrined at the Boris and Gleb cathedral in Novotorsk.

Troparion & Kontakion3 hymnsReadHide

TroparionTone 4

Guided by your spiritual mentor, the Venerable Father Ephraim, an excellent zealot of obedience,
O Father Arcadius, you fled from worldly vanity and were a superb monk;
working diligently, you have received a crown of heavenly glory from Christ God.
And now, together with the Venerable Father Ephraim,
pray for us before the Throne of the Most High,
that we may be delivered from all troubles and sorrows,
and for the salvation of our souls.

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

KontakionTone 2

By directing your mind to the depths of the knowledge of God,
you ascended to the heavenly abodes,
and your life was equal to that of an angel, O Father Arcadius.
You were obedient to your spiritual guide and teacher, the Venerable Ephraim, in all things.
And now, standing with him before the Throne of the Master Christ,
pray unceasingly for all of us.

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

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 Arcadius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!

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

Timeline6 momentsReadHide

1038Boris and Gleb monastery foundedSaint Ephraim establishes the Boris and Gleb monastery at Novy Torg (Torzhok); Arcadius is associated with the founding of a church and monastery dedicated to the Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb.
1053Repose of Saint EphraimArcadius's spiritual father, Saint Ephraim the Wonderworker of Novotorsk, reposes (commemorated January 28). Arcadius continues his ascetic labors afterward.
Dec 13, 1077Repose of Saint ArcadiusArcadius falls asleep in the Lord, having outlived his elder by roughly twenty-four years. December 13 is kept as the feast of his repose.
Jun 11, 1572Uncovering of the relicsThe relics of Saint Arcadius, glorified by miracles of healing, are uncovered. Saint Ephraim's relics are uncovered the same year.
Jul 11, 1677Translation of the relicsThe relics are placed in a stone crypt at the Boris and Gleb cathedral in Novotorsk; July 11 is kept as a feast of this translation.
Aug 14, 1798Placement in a stone coffinThe relics are placed in a stone coffin that had been the resting place of his elder, Saint Ephraim, until 1572; August 14 commemorates this placement.

Contributions & Legacy

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Life and Asceticism

According to the synaxarion, Arcadius was a native of the city of Vyazma, raised by pious parents who instilled in him prayer and obedience while he was still a child. As a young man he adopted the ascetic life of a fool-for-Christ, renouncing settled comfort, living on alms, and resting wherever he happened to be.

The fool-for-Christ vocation carried particular spiritual perils, and tradition relates that Saint Ephraim the Wonderworker of Novotorsk helped the young ascetic to walk it safely. The relationship deepened into one of spiritual fatherhood: when Arcadius entered the monastery, he received the monastic tonsure and took upon himself the discipline of complete obedience to Ephraim.

His monastic life was marked by attentiveness to the divine services. The sources record that he never missed the Liturgy and was consistently the first to appear for Matins. After Ephraim's repose, Arcadius continued in his ascetic labors until his own death.

Saint Ephraim and the Boris and Gleb Monastery

Arcadius's spiritual father, Saint Ephraim, was by tradition a native of Hungary who came to Rus' with his brothers Moses and George. His brother George perished in 1015 at the River Alta alongside the holy Prince Boris, while his brother Moses became a monk at the Kiev Caves monastery.

Ephraim withdrew to the River Tvertsa to live a solitary monastic life and, in 1038, established the Boris and Gleb monastery at Novy Torg (Torzhok, in the region called Novotorsk). The brethren chose him as abbot, and near the monastery the community built a wanderer's home where the poor and travelers could stay without charge.

It was at this monastery that Arcadius became Ephraim's disciple, took monastic vows, and joined the community's life. Ephraim is commemorated on January 28; his own relics were uncovered in 1572, the same year Arcadius's relics were first discovered.

Relics & Shrines

The relics of Saint Arcadius, glorified by miracles of healing, were uncovered on June 11, 1572. On July 11, 1677, they were transferred and placed in a stone crypt at the Boris and Gleb cathedral in Novotorsk.

On August 14, 1798, the holy relics were placed in a stone coffin which, until 1572, had served as the resting place of his elder, Saint Ephraim. This act linked the two saints in their shrine as they had been linked in life.

Companions1 figureShowHide

His spiritual father and elder, who guided his fool-for-Christ struggle; under Ephraim he was tonsured and gave himself to obedience at the Boris and Gleb monastery at Torzhok, and was later enshrined beside him.

Venerable Ephraimof Novy Torg

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints