Saint Paisius of Uglich

Commemorated on January 8.

Saint Paisius of Uglich was igumen of the Protection monastery, near Uglich. He was born in the Tver district near the city of Kashin, and he was a nephew of Saint Macarius of Kalyazin (March 17).

Saint Paisius entered his uncle’s monastery after the death of his parents, when he was just an eleven-year-old child. Under his uncle’s guidance, Saint Paisius led a monastic life of obedience, fasting and prayer, and he was put to work copying soul-saving books.

“A man wondrous of spirit, famed teacher of holiness and most astounding wonderworker, he founded (in 1464) the cenobitic Protection monastery three versts from Uglich at the wish of Prince Andrew, and he was chosen igumen.” Saint Paisius was also “founder and organizer of the holy Nikolsky Grekhozaruchnya monastery in 1489.”

Struggling at the Protection monastery, Saint Paisius lived into old age and died on June 6, 1504. His relics, glorified by miracles, rest beneath a crypt in the Protection monastery.

Troparion

Out of love for Christ, you left your homeland and family,
and when you aspired to the angelic life, you became a follower of your Spiritual Father, Saint Makarios;
and reaching the city of Úglich, you dwelt near the water in the wilderness as directed by an Angel,
creating a beautiful abode of the Mother of God,
and gathering a multitude of monks, for whom you were a guide to salvation;
and you received from the Lord the gift of working miracles.
O Venerable Paϊsios, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion

Adorned with virtues, O God-inspired Paϊsios,
you are the beauty of the Church of Christ,
for you adorned her with monastic contests, O blessed one.
Therefore, we pray that you will entreat the Lord to free us from every attack of the Enemy,
as we cry out to you, "Rejoice, most blessed Father."