Amphilochius of Pochayiv
Portrait of Saint Amphilochius
Saint
Born	27 November 1894
Died	1 January 1971
Venerated in	Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Canonized	May 11, 2002
Feast
Saints Portal

Saint Amphilochius (Ukrainian: Амфілохій Почаївський) was a 20th-century Ukrainian Orthodox saint, from Ternopil oblast of western Ukraine. November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Ukrainian Orthodox Church may refer to: Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America Orthodox Christianity History of Christianity in Ukraine History of Christianity in Lala Land... Canonization is the process of declaring someone a saint and involves proving that a candidate has lived in such a way that he or she qualifies for this. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ... Image File history File links Gloriole. ... The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) is currently separated into three major jurisdictions: that body of Christians from Ukraine who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church (the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate - UOC-MP). ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are usually depicted as having halos. ... Ternopil Oblast (Тернопільська область, Ternopil’s’ka oblast’ or Тернопільщина, Ternopil’shchyna in Ukrainian) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. ...

Early years

The Venerable Amphilochius of Pochayiv was born Yakiv Holovatyuk on November 27, 1894 in the village of Mala Ilovytsya (Mala Ilowica in Polish), in Shumskyi raion of Ternopil oblast in western Ukraine, at that time part of Austria-Hungary. The village of Mala Ilovytsya is located in Ilovetska valley, which is 7 km wide, and is surrounded by the Kremenets mountains. It is the northernmost village of Ternopil oblast, off the main roads surrounded by forested areas. A remarkable tree grows in the village, a 350 year old ash tree. His father, Varnava, had 10 children. As a young soldier he went through the nightmares of the First World War when heavy battles took place in the area between imperial Austria and tsarist Russia at that time. There he saw death and started to understand the gift of life. Soon he was taken a prisoner of war by the Austrians but with God's help Yakiv managed to flee. Pochayiv (Ukrainian: Почаїв) is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine, located 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Ternopil Oblast (Тернопільська область, Ternopil’s’ka oblast’ or Тернопільщина, Ternopil’shchyna in Ukrainian) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... Kremenets (Ukrainian: Кременець, Polish: Krzemieniec) is a city in northern Ternopil Oblast, Volhynia, Western Ukraine. ... Ternopil Oblast (Тернопільська область, Ternopil’s’ka oblast’ or Тернопільщина, Ternopil’shchyna in Ukrainian) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. ... Species See text European Ash in flower Narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) shoot with leaves Closeup of European Ash seeds 19th century illustration of Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus) An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families (see end of page for disambiguation), but... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz...

Joining Pochayiv Lavra

Having returned home he intended to marry but the priest blessed him to join Pochayiv monastery. Yakiv humbly received the blessing and in 1925 happened to be in the Uspens’ka (Dormition) Lavra in Pochayiv. He performed all his duties with love of labour and humbliness and in 1932 he was tonsured a monk through postryh (clipping of hair ceremony) and took the name Joseph (Yosyf in Ukrainian). Since then Pochayiv lavra became home to the monk where he spent some 20 years. He spent much time praying at the miraculous icons of Pochayiv. He was appointed the caretaker of the God’s Mother’s Foot. God’s Mother’s Foot is a rock footprint left after apparition of Virgin Mary in the pillar of fire on the rocks in Pochayiv around 1240 after prayers of monk-refugees from Kyiv destroyed by Mongol-Tatars. Virgin Mary pointed out then where the monastery will emerge and being wrapped in radiance ascended from earth to heaven leaving after her a clear footprint on the rock. Since then the footprint gets constantly filled with healing water. Monk Joseph carried out his duty with great awe and responsibility. He saw, people healing when using and washing with holy water. In 1936 He received the rank of hieromonk (priest-monk). His healing gifts were attracting attention of many people. Archimandrite of lavra blessed monk in this work and allowed him to settle in a little hut near the cemetery. There the venerable Amphilochius had been living in 20 years spending days and nights in prayers. Having dedicated his life to Lord, starets’ gained from God firm faith and gifts of prophesy and healing. God cured through him body sicknesses and hidden spiritual deceases, returning vision to the blind, hearing to the deaf, hope to the wretched. The sick were carried to him from all around the world. The flow of the sick ceased neither at day or night. The street was overfilled with carts. The queue lines were measured in kilometeres. Saint Amphilochius experienced human pain as his own, having compassion to all those suffering and weak. And of himself he used to say: "Do you think I am holy? I am a sinner! And healing you receive according to your prayers and your faith." He had a powerful impact on people. Many of those who did not believe in God after the first conversation with him were returning to church. And in Pochayiv itself, it was hard to find anyone who would not come to him for help at least once. All knew him. Pochayiv Lavra of the Assumption of the Theotokos (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... According to Catholic theology and the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, the body of Mary, the mother of Jesus, venerated by these denominations as the Blessed Virgin Mary or Theotokos, respectively, was taken into Heaven along with her soul after her death. ... Alexander Nevsky Lavra In Orthodox Christianity Lavra or Laura (Greek: Λάυρα, Cyrillic: Лавра) originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory at the center. ... Pochayiv (Ukrainian: Почаїв) is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine, located 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. ... Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Pochayiv Lavra of the Assumption of the Theotokos (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. ... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... The Savior Not Made By Hands (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) An icon (from Greek εικων, eikon, image) is an artistic visual representation or symbol of anything considered holy and divine, such as God, saints or deities. ... Pochayiv (Ukrainian: Почаїв) is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine, located 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. ... Russian Orthodox Icon of the Theotokos Theotokos is a Greek word that means God-bearer or Mother of God. It is a title assigned by the early Christian Church to Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. ... Russian Orthodox Icon of the Theotokos Theotokos is a Greek word that means God-bearer or Mother of God. It is a title assigned by the early Christian Church to Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431. ... Generally, an apparition is act or instance of appearing. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... Pochayiv (Ukrainian: Почаїв) is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine, located 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. ... Events Batu Khan and the Golden Horde sack the Ruthenian city of Kyiv Births Pope Benedict XI Deaths April 11 - Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, also known as Llywelyn The Great Prince of Gwynedd Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon and count of Barcelona (reigned from 1213 to 1276) Castile... Kiev (Київ, Kyiv, in Ukrainian; Киев, Kiev, in Russian) is the capital and largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper river. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... Monastery of St. ... Radiance and spectral radiance are radiometric measures that describe the amount of light that passes through or is emitted from a particular area, and falls within a given solid angle in a specified direction. ... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... St. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A hieromonk in Eastern Orthodoxy is a monk and the priest at the same time. ... Archimandrite (Greek: ἀρχιμανδρίτης - archimandrites) is a title in the Greek Orthodox Church for a superior abbot who has the supervision of several abbots and monasteries appointed by a bishop. ... Alexander Nevsky Lavra In Orthodox Christianity Lavra or Laura (Greek: Λάυρα, Cyrillic: Лавра) originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory at the center. ... St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For prophecy in the context of revealed religions see Prophet. ... Healing is the process whereby the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... SINNER is a German Heavy Melodic Metal Band. ... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Pochayiv (Ukrainian: Почаїв) is a city in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine, located 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. ...

In the summers, the pilgrimage to Saint Amphilochius (then called father Joseph) was increasing, reaching 500 people daily. The souls, hearts and intentions of all people were known to starets’. Father Joseph healed the most persistent diseases but used to tell that not all leave him healthy claiming that bodily health can cause only damage to some - the loss of the soul. God’s servant had had great love in his heart and never used to refuse anyone, paid attention to every person. When being asked how he managed to reach such love, he was answering: "For humility God gives the grace of love". He had a permanent rule: if the sick is brought –he should be called out to such at anytime of the day or night. Pilgrim at Mecca In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. ... St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ... Humility is the state of being humble. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Look up Grace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Arrests and persecutions by Soviet authorities

In September 1939 the area was occupied by the Soviet Bolsheviks. Prior to that time, Pochayiv, like the rest of western Ukraine, was part of Poland, governed by Piłsudski from 1926 to 1935. During the interwar period, Pochayiv was often referred to by its Polish name, Poczajow (Pochayoov). The nearby town of Kremenets (Krzemieniec in Polish) was home to one of the greatest Polish poets - Juliusz Słowacki. Guests from the NKVD started coming to the little hut of father Joseph. Once they bound him and wanted to throw him down from the precipice. But father calmly said: "You will not manage to carry me far away". On the way to the lavra one became blind, another's hand refused to move and the third's foot became immobile. They started begging him for forgiveness. He blessed them and let them go as healthy as before they met him. Bolshevik Party Meeting. ... Office Chief of State, Marshal of Poland Term of office from November 14, 1918 until December 9, 1922 Profession Statesman Political party none (see Sanacja for details), formerly PPS Spouse Maria PiÅ‚sudska Aleksandra PiÅ‚sudska Date of birth December 5, 1867 Place of birth Zułów, in todays... Kremenets (Ukrainian: Кременець, Polish: Krzemieniec) is a city in northern Ternopil Oblast, Volhynia, Western Ukraine. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The NKVD (Narodnyi Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del )(Russian: НКВД, Народный комиссариат внутренних дел) or Peoples Commisariat for Internal Affairs was a government department which handled a number of the Soviet Unions affairs of state. ...

Soon after, the guests from the NKVD came again in the night and ordered him prepare dinner and then asked him to come with them. In the cemetery he was informed about his imminent execution. The venerable father stood calmly while Father Irynarkh, who used to live with him, started reading a prayer. Father Irynarkh then ran out of the house with the words: "Do you know whom you are killing?! He is saving the entire world! Better kill me." The execution was postponed.

Despite the prohibitions, father continued to heal the sick. Even those who were considered uncurable by medical science became cured. The Soviet authorities prohibited people visiting the starets'. Even buses were been cancelled. But this did not stop the people. Soviet redirects here. ... St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ...

In 1962 the authorities attempted to take away the Trinity Church from the lavra. With his courage father Joseph defended the shrine. When he saw the band of militia men near the church, father snatched a key from one of them and gave it to the archimandrite: "The archipriest is the head of the lavra! And you get away from here! People, chase them out!" The locals, being inspired by the words of father, attacked the occupants and chased them away from the gates. This way father saved the monastery. For other uses, see Trinity (disambiguation). ... Alexander Nevsky Lavra In Orthodox Christianity Lavra or Laura (Greek: Λάυρα, Cyrillic: Лавра) originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory at the center. ... Archimandrite (Greek: ἀρχιμανδρίτης - archimandrites) is a title in the Greek Orthodox Church for a superior abbot who has the supervision of several abbots and monasteries appointed by a bishop. ...

This almost cost him his life. Soon after, they came after him in a car known as a "black raven". They bound him, shut his mouth with a towel and took him to the psychiatric hospital. There he was beaten, had his hair cut off and was put into a room with violent patients. Later father Joseph recalled: "There was a dim light in the room and about 40 sick persons. I was constantly injected with medicine from which my whole body became swollen and my skin cracked… Once I was called to the main physician and asked if I can cure all the sick. I said: "I can" and asked them to bring me the Gospel and religious items in order to carry out the water-baptismal prayer. I said that after the prayer, the demons will leave by themselves through windows and doors. The main physician got furious: “You should cure them without prayers!" And I say to him: "It is impossible to cure so. When a soldier goes to battle, he takes a rifle, bullets, and hand-grenades. Our weapons are the Holy Cross, the Holy Gospel, and Holy Water!" For other uses, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... The traditional form of the Western Christian cross, known as the Latin cross. ... For other uses, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... St. ...

After such a conversation father Joseph was forced to remain a long time in the hospital. Help came from the daughter of Joseph Stalin, Svetlana Alliluyeva. As it turned out, the starets’ had once cured her of emotional sickness. The thankful patient did not forget the merciful father and freed him from the hospital. His relatives took him to his village, Ilovytsya. But even there he was betrayed by one of his twelve nephews. One of them happened to be an evil and jealous person. He took father to the forest, beat him and threw into a swamp. Eight hours he lay unconscious in the water. His relatives found him and took him to Pochayiv Lavra. The state of the hieromonk was precarious. The brothers did not dare hope that he would survive till morning. That same night he was tonsured in schema with name Amphilochios (Amfilokhiy / Amfilohiy in Ukrainian]). Soon after he recovered. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Svetlana with father Stalin in 1935. ... Pochayiv Lavra of the Assumption of the Theotokos (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. ...

He settled in the village of Ilovytsya at the house of his niece Anna, where he continued to receive the sick. All the nearby villages knew about the water-blessing prayers conducted by the starets’. A great number of people attended the services. Father used to say that in his court the ground was soaked with the tears of gravely sick people that with all their hearts begged for healing. People from the most faraway republics of the USSR were bringing to him those demonically possessed for healing. Demonic possession, in supernatural belief systems, is a form of spiritual possession whereby certain malevolent extra-dimensional entities, demons, gain control over a mortal persons body, which is then used for an evil or destructive purpose. ...

Death and canonization

God’s servant felt coming of death. Once in the summer 1970 father together with his friend walked the forest path. Having heard a cuckoo he said: "This is the last time I listen to a cuckoo with you…" The same year the saint departed to eternity. Shortly before passing, during an evening meal, father invited all to the table and as if joking said: "The poison is already presented!". The other day father said: "All of you are dear to me but there is Judas among you". The real cause of death of Saint Amphilochius remains unknown until today. It is suspected that he was poisoned by one of his servants. Just before the death he once said: "How terrible it will be when they will start casting the frozen soil on the coffin." He died on January 1, 1971, the snow was blowing and covering everything. Soon after, the sick people who were visiting his grave, noticed that they were returning healthy. And so it was over 30 years! People were going to his grave to tell of their problems and to get healthy. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Genera See text. ... While in the popular mind, eternity often simply means existing for an infinite, i. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... id love to take a shit in your mouth id love to pull down ur tight white boxers and stick my huge penis up ur arse. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ...

Saint Amphilochius stared appearing in dreams to many servants of the Pochayiv Lavra requesting to move his relics there. On May 11, 2002, he was canonized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church after Church commission researched his life. Just before the Easter his relics were uncovered fully uncorrupt. Over 20.000 Orthodox pilgrims arrived to take part in the veneration of Saint Amphilochius. Many healings took place those days when people were coming to touch his relics. Dreaming is the subjective experience of imaginary images, sounds/voices, thoughts or sensations during sleep, usually involuntarily. ... Pochayiv Lavra of the Assumption of the Theotokos (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. ... Relics can be: Relics: the remains of saints (usually bones), honored in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... Canonization is the process of declaring someone a saint and involves proving that a candidate has lived in such a way that he or she qualifies for this. ... Ukrainian Orthodox Church may refer to: Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America Orthodox Christianity History of Christianity in Ukraine History of Christianity in Lala Land... This article is about the Christian festival. ... Relics can be: Relics: the remains of saints (usually bones), honored in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, accepting the canonicity of the first seven ecumenical councils held between the 4th and the... Pilgrims is the name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony. ... Veneration is a religious symbolic act giving honor to someone by honoring an image of that person, particularly applied to saints. ... Healing is the process whereby the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area. ... Relics can be: Relics: the remains of saints (usually bones), honored in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. ...

Today his relics are kept in the depth of the church along with those of St. Job in Pochayiv Lavra of Ternopil' region in western area of Ukraine. Saint Job of Pochayiv Saint Job (1551 - 1651) was Ukrainian Orthodox saint. ... Pochayiv Lavra of the Assumption of the Theotokos (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. ... Ternopil Oblast (Тернопільська область, Ternopil’s’ka oblast’ or Тернопільщина, Ternopil’shchyna in Ukrainian) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. ...

References

Some of the content of this article is based on an essay by Roman Zacharij; Mr Zacharij has released the content of that essay under the terms of the GFDL.

External links

Ukrainian

• (Ukrainian) By First Ukrainian Orthodox TV Channel
• (Ukrainian) By Olena Karetnyk of Orthodoxy in Ukraine
• (Ukrainian) Detailed biography of Saint Amphilochios, Pochayiv Lavra Website, Ukraine

Russian

• (Russian) Venerable Saint Amphilochios, Russian acathistus site
• (Russian) Russian Icon of Saint Amphilochios
• (Russian) Orthodox staretses: Saint Amphilochios by Blagosloveniye internet edition