The Monk Agapit of Pechersk, Unmercenary Physician ("Medic"),
Commemorated on June 1
The Monk Agapit of
Pechersk, Unmercenary Physician ("Medic"), born at Kiev, a novice
and student of the Monk Antonii of Pechersk, lived during the XI Century. If
any of the monastic brethren fell ill, the Monk Agapit came to him and
selflessly attended to the sick one; he fed him boiled herbs which he himself
prepared, and the patient recovered through the prayers of the monk. Many
laymen also turned for help to the monastic physician possessing the gift of
healing. In Kiev at this time was an experienced Armenian physician, who by one
look at a patient was able to diagnose the nature of the illness and even
accurately determine the day of death. When one of these fore-doomed patients
turned to Saint Agapit, the grace-bearing healer gave him to taste of food from
the monastery refectory, and the patient became well. Enflamed with envy, the
physician wanted to poison Saint Agapit, but the Lord preserved the monk, and
the poison had no effect.
Saint Agapit healed
the Chernigov prince Vladimir Monomakh, – the future GreatPrince of Kiev
(1114-1125), by having sent him boiled herbs. The grateful prince himself went
to the monastery and wanted to see his healer, but the humble ascetic hid
himself and would not accept gifts.
When the holy healer
himself became sick, that same Armenian physician came to him and having taken
a look, he said, that death would follow after three days. Before this he gave
an oath to became an Orthodox monk, if his prediction were not fulfilled. The
monk answered, that the Lord had revealed to him, that He would summon him only
after three months.
Saint Agapit died
after three months (1 June, not later than 1095), and the Armenian went to the
hegumen of the Pechersk monastery and took monastic vows. "It is certain,
that Agapit was a saint of God, – said he. – I well knew, that it was
impossible for him in his sickness to last three days, but the Lord gave him
three months". Thus did the monk heal sickness of the soul and guide to
the way of salvation.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
