“O Father Mitrophan, you who took your mind and heart captive in obedience to God, concerned not for yourself but for the glory of God. In tending Christ’s spiritual vineyard, you cut away every branch that bore no fruit with the living and sharp sword of God’s word. By your angel-like faith and pure way of life, you guarded faith and virtue as a strong wall. Now, crowned with a wreath that will never fade, pray for our souls.”
(Sticheron of Saint Mitrophan at Great Vespers, Tone 8)
Saint Mitrophan, devoted to God and his homeland, tirelessly served both through prayer and action. His life provides strength exactly when we need it most. His life shows us what an active, eager Church is like — one calling her children to aid both country and neighbour. He reminds us to uphold the wisdom of our holy fathers and to safeguard our faith, our nation, and ourselves.
“Love the Orthodox faith and the Holy Church with all your soul; honour Her as your mother and hold firmly to Her unshakeable, true teaching. Keep safe and always guard the traditions and teachings set by the holy fathers.”
Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh
The future saint was born on 6 November 1623 in the village of Antilokhovo, in the Vladimir Province. At holy baptism he was named Michael. His parents, Priest Vasily and Mother Maria, were, by the saint’s own account, people of deep faith. The village belonged to the Suzdal Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery and bore a name found nowhere else. At first, it was called “Amfilokhovo,” in honour of Saint Amphilochius of Iconium, a companion and friend of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. Over time, the name softened and slowly evolved, until people knew it as “Antilokhovo.”
We know little of Saint Mitrophan's early days, his youth, or indeed the first forty years of his life. What records remain tell us that he married, had children, and served as a parish priest at the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in the village of Sidorovskoye, about eight kilometres from Antilokhovo. Today’s stone church in Sidorovskoye rises where the old wooden one once stood — the very place where the future saint ministered for around ten years. His parents rest beside this church, and here, at thirty-nine, now a widower himself, he laid his wife to rest. Sadly, her name is lost to history. When builders raised a dam across the Molohta River, the old cemetery disappeared, though a cross and memorial plaque with inscription mark the spot today.
Church of the Nativity of John the Forerunner, Sidorovskoye village, Vladimir Governorate, Russia
After losing his wife, Priest Mikhail chose to give himself wholly to God’s service. In 1663, at the Zolotnikov Dormition Hermitage, he was tonsured as a monk, receiving the name Mitrophan in honour of Saint Mitrophan, Patriarch of Constantinople. The Zolotnikov Monastery, founded on the site where the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God appeared, so captured Father Mitrophan’s heart that he hoped to spend the rest of his days there and find his final rest within its walls.
The Dormition Church, where the future luminary of the Russian Church took his monastic vows, stands today almost unchanged from centuries past. In this quiet retreat, the saint began his spiritual path, but resided there for only three years. Hieromonk Mitrophan dreamed of a simple, hidden life, far away from worldly eyes, but the Lord set him on a different road — one filled with trials and toils for the salvation of others. His spiritual gifts did not go unnoticed. The monks of the Kosmin-Yakhromsky Monastery, some seventy versts from the Zolotnikov Hermitage — quite a journey in those days — had lost their abbot and urged him to lead them. So began the way of the great builder and leader, the road of service to God and country.
Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Zolotnikov Hermitage
As abbot of the Kosmo-Yakhromsky Monastery (village of Nebyloe), Father Mitrophan rebuilt the Spassky Church from wood to stone. This grand yet simple structure has stood for over three hundred and fifty years on the steep banks of the Yakhroma River. The new abbot adorned the monastery’s Dormition and Spassky churches with iconostases and built part of the monks’ living quarters. He cared for both spiritual and practical needs, leaving his successor a large supply of building materials, a herd of livestock, and a stable of horses.
Less than ten years later, in 1675, Patriarch Joachim moved him to the vast Makaryevo-Unzhensky Monastery in the Kostroma lands. This renowned monastery frequently hosted the royal family on pilgrimage. There, the new abbot raised a church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. His wisdom, hard work, and skill in managing the monastery became known to both the Patriarch and the Tsar. When the new Voronezh diocese was created, the Holy Synod proposed him as a candidate for bishop. Both the Tsar and the Synod agreed, and on 2 April 1682, Patriarch Joachim, along with sixteen bishops, consecrated Abbot Mitrophan as Bishop of Voronezh in the Great Dormition Cathedral in Moscow.
Signature of Saint Mitrophan under the episcopal oath at his consecration as bishop
Several months later, Bishop Mitrophan took part in the coronation of two brothers, Peter and Ivan Alekseyevich, as co-rulers of Russia. In June 1682, he presented the sceptre and orb to the patriarch during the unusual double coronation. He also placed the crown on Peter’s head during the ceremony. This was the first meeting between Saint Mitrophan and the ten-year-old Peter I.
The Bishop of Voronezh saw the savage struggle for power and the bloody Streltsy revolt that shook Moscow that summer. The saint never forgot the ten-year-old boy crowned as Tsar and, with a father’s heart, understood what Peter endured during those days: right before the young princes' eyes, their family — the noble boyars — was ripped apart by the angry mob.
Engraving after a drawing by Karl Brozh. Coronation of the sons of Alexei Mikhailovich — Tsars Ivan V and Peter I, 25 June 1682. 19th century
These events served as a stark lesson for Saint Mitrophan. When he arrived at the Voronezh diocese, he was a firm supporter of lawful rule. This wise stance mattered greatly in the newly established diocese, where lawlessness and rough behaviour prevailed. During his time as bishop, the region was a frontier, a “wild field.” Nearby were the Turks and Crimean Tatars. Voronezh, built as a border outpost, was losing its defensive role by the late seventeenth century. The fortress needed repairs, and through its broken walls, people drove their cattle. Many Old Believers fleeing harsh treatment, rebels who opposed the crown, runaway serfs, bands of thieves, and those seeking a free life — often linked with robbery, violence, and raids on merchant caravans moving by river — made their way to the Don River, which flows through all of the Voronezh territory.
Orthodox Christians from Little Russia (now Ukraine) also fled here, running from Catholic oppression. After Cossack raids defending the Church, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth struck back so fiercely that, in 1652, one thousand families from today’s Rivne region, with two monasteries, crossed into Voronezh lands to keep the faith. Two later waves of resettlement from Little Russia followed. Saint Mitrophan helped the new arrivals in every way, giving them land for monasteries, towns, and villages. Ancient monasteries like Divnogorsk, Shatrishchegorsk, and Belogorsk were founded or restored in these years.
Map of border territory at the end of the seventeenth century
Saint Mitrophan can rightly be called the apostle of Voronezh land. He took on weighty tasks in teaching and shaping the church life of his diocese. For the clergy, the times were far from easy. In his letters, the saint often spoke of the harshness of the Voronezh people. But through prayer, teaching, and the example of a good life, the holy bishop carried out a work of giants. Little by little, the people calmed, and old rifts healed. The saint gave special care to fighting ignorance among both clergy and their flock. He also faced a long and hard struggle against widespread superstition, immoral behaviour, the influence of the Old Believers, and various spiritual failings that plagued his diocese. Family life lay close to his heart. He placed marriage, the home’s cornerstone, under firm pastoral care.
With deep care for his troubled flock, Saint Mitrophan knew they needed gentle care, kindness and plain words, not grand speeches. He set up parish schools, looked after the sick and needy, visited prisoners, and stood as a friend to widows and orphans. His home often became a shelter for travellers and a place of healing for the ill. The saint cared not just for the living but also the departed, especially soldiers who died for their homeland. He recorded their names in the Synodikon, remembering them during the Proskomedia, saying, “If the soul is righteous, it is given a greater share; if sinful, it receives God’s mercy.” Many in need received burial at the bishop’s cost.
Another of his labours was the building of the cathedral. Through his efforts, a stone church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos rose in Voronezh.
Monument to Saint Mitrophan in Voronezh
God’s will set Saint Mitrophan at the heart of one of history's great crossroads, bridging two ages: the old patriarchal world of Muscovite Russia and the stormy years of Peter's changes, when the Russian Empire came to birth. Just as Saint Sergius of Radonezh had served the faithful Prince Dmitry Donskoy, so Emperor Peter I needed Saint Mitrophan. He encouraged the Tsar in his great works, blessed worthy projects and never shrank from pointing out mistakes and false paths.
When Tsar Ivan V died in 1696, his brother Peter became sole ruler and soon arrived in Voronezh with grand aims. For Russia to grow as a major power, it needed access to the sea. Both the Tsar and the saint understood this. Peter began building a fleet, and shipyards were set up near the Annunciation Cathedral, where Bishop Mitrophan served. The Tsar often attended services led by the bishop and even sang in the choir. The saint gave all his savings to support the fleet’s construction. With the financial help of the Voronezh bishop, the fleet was swiftly built, and victory was secured on the southern borders. Thus, through the ruler’s labour and the monk’s prayers, the Russian navy was born.
V. P. Krivoruchko. Building the Fleet in Voronezh. Peter I and Saint Mitrophan, the first Bishop of Voronezh. 1990–1992
An abiding joint success of the Tsar and the bishop was the birth of the St Andrew’s flag. Raised for the first time on ships built at the Voronezh shipyards, it became a lasting symbol of unity and inspiration for Russian sailors. Tsar Peter himself designed the sketch for the flag, while Saint Mitrophan blessed and consecrated it. After the successful Azov campaign, Bishop Mitrophan gained the title Bishop of Voronezh and Azov, as the Tsar placed the newly acquired lands around Azov under his care.
This humble ascetic felt both fondness and respect for the energetic and impulsive Peter. He understood the importance of the young ruler’s plans for the nation and firmly supported reforms that benefited Russia. Yet, when it came to matters of faith, the saint stood firm. During one of Peter’s visits to Voronezh, the Tsar invited the bishop to his palace. Saint Mitrophan set out on foot, but upon seeing at the entrance a "decoration" — Greek pagan statues — he turned at once and went home. When Peter learned why the bishop had left, he was enraged. He sent a message demanding the saint’s return, threatening death if he refused. Saint Mitrophan replied, “Until the Tsar removes the idols, which tempt the people, I cannot enter his palace.” He then ordered the church bell to be rung for a vigil. When Peter asked why the bell was tolling on an ordinary day, the saint explained he was preparing for death. The monarch, moved by the bishop’s courage, ordered the statues to be taken down. After this, Peter held the holy shepherd in even higher regard, admiring his rare blend of humility, devotion, and bravery.
During the harsh war with Sweden, Saint Mitrophan’s prayers remained with the Tsar and the nation. He eagerly awaited news from Peter and kept a drawing titled “The Capture of Shlisselburg Fortress by Russian Troops,” a gift from the Tsar, in his cell until his death. The capture of the fortress opened Russia’s path to the Baltic Sea. Tradition also holds that the saint blessed the founding of the new capital. When Peter last visited Voronezh, he took with him the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, which Saint Mitrophan had used to bless the ships. The Tsar brought it to Saint Petersburg and built a church to house it.
First page of Saint Mitrophan’s “Spiritual Testament”
In his “Spiritual Testament”, written in Voronezh a decade before his death, the saint shared his final teachings and reflected on his life’s work. The true worth of this document is that every word stands proven by the saint’s own life — both in spirit and in work. Through the centuries, this testament points to the path we are called to follow, the very road that he himself walked. The original is kept in the State Historical Museum.
“By the boundless grace and inexpressible goodness of our Creator, man, made for eternal life in His image and likeness, shall never come to nothing in any way or at any time. It is his duty in every manner to know and glorify God with the nobility of his soul, to turn to Him, to hope in Him, and to give thanks for all things, as taught by the holy Apostle Paul, through whose wisdom (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:18) all things were created and all works of providence are carried out for the good of man…”
“May all Orthodox Christians remain in the faith of their forefathers, living with diligence in purity, abstinence, holiness, and repentance, setting an example of good works…
And may they hold the Orthodox faith in God with all their heart, honour the one holy Church, established in truth in the East and among us as a mother, and remain firmly in her unshakeable right teaching, holding fast to the traditions and teachings decreed and confirmed by the holy fathers at the councils, keeping them unbroken and unmoved in all things.”
“…So that, with truth, and not with empty pride or vain show, we may live in spirit in God. Wise men have taught every person:
- Work hard, keep moderation — then you will be rich.
- Drink moderately, eat little — you will be healthy.
- Do good, turn from evil — you will be saved.
And so, for each soul and body, the Lord God makes ready salvation, both for this life and the next, with well-being and many years in health.”
From the "Spiritual Testament" of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh
Relics of Saint Mitrophan. Annunciation Cathedral, Voronezh
The end of the saint’s earthly journey came in 1703, half a year after the Tsar founded Saint Petersburg. Before his death, he took the schema, taking the name Macarius, after Saint Macarius of Zheltye Vody, whose monastery he had led before his appointment to the Voronezh diocese. The holy schemamonk Macarius peacefully reposed on 6 December. Peter I, learning of the elder’s grave illness, hurried to Voronezh and, according to tradition, found the saint still alive, and they said their farewells. The Tsar attended the saint’s burial, carried his coffin to the grave, and spoke the famous words: “I have no other holy elder like him left. Let him be remembered forever.”
The saint was laid to rest in the Annunciation Cathedral, the heart of Voronezh’s spiritual life. Destroyed during the tumultuous twentieth century, it has since been rebuilt. Having given generously to the construction of the Russian fleet, the first bishop of Voronezh left no wealth at his death. In his will, he wrote, “I have neither gold nor silver in my cell to offer for the remembrance of my sinful soul.”
Saint Mitrophan’s glorification came in 1832 through the efforts of Archbishop Anthony (Smirnitsky) of Voronezh. His holiness became clear soon after his death. The miracles worked at his tomb and during his raising to sainthood were those of the Gospels: the mute spoke, and the leprous were healed. For the canonisation, Archbishop Anthony (Smirnitsky) recorded ninety-nine cases of Saint Mitrophan’s wondrous help. On 20 August 1832, Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh was glorified among the saints. Between 1831 and 1832, around 60,000 pilgrims travelled to Voronezh, making it one of the largest pilgrimage sites. A year later, a church dedicated to Saint Mitrophan was built in the Pokrovsky Khotkov Women’s Monastery, under the guidance of Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov).
Other Russian saints also honoured Saint Mitrophan. His glorification was foretold by Saint Seraphim of Sarov, and he was deeply respected by Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, Saint Theophan the Recluse, and others, including Patriarch Tikhon, Metropolitan Peter of Krutitsy, and hieromartyrs Tikhon (Nikanorov), Peter (Zverev), and Zachariah (Lobov). Metropolitan Confessor Vladimir (Shimkovich) and other spiritual figures also held him in high regard. Three churches dedicated to Saint Mitrophan stand on Mount Athos, and his icons are venerated in churches across the Holy Land, Greece, and the United States. Worldwide, he is known as a powerful intercessor and a swift helper. New churches are being built, and older ones restored, in his honour both in Russia and abroad.
A. G. Afanasyev after a drawing by I. Kolyshkin. Fragment of the etching “Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh with 39 scenes of miracles.” 1842. Moscow
In the hagiographic icons of Saint Mitrophan from the mid-nineteenth century, the scenes of his miracles clearly outweigh biographical facts. Eyewitnesses left numerous accounts of a flood of miracles accompanying his canonisation. The spiritual writer A. N. Muravyov recalled their impact: “He [Saint Mitrophan] revealed himself before our eyes with such a multitude of grace-filled healings so that we would not only believe through the sacred traditions of our fathers by hearsay, but would ourselves see and touch this new treasure granted to us by the Lord.”
Even in the twenty-first century, Saint Mitrophan continues to show his wondrous help. He does not cease to care for warriors, and especially sailors. Among the most recent accounts stands the saint’s aid to the Russian soldiers now fighting in Ukraine.
“This happened near Chernigov in 2022. The soldiers had lost all their vehicles. The battlefield was filled with the dead and wounded. There was no communication, no transport, and no supplies. Military medic Artemiy R. managed to start a damaged car by the roadside. With surgeon Captain Olga Sergeyeva, they set out to find their comrades. Water, medicine, and food — all were desperately needed. Before climbing into the car, they spotted a small icon beneath the rubble of a house and took it with them. Under constant fire, they drove off in the direction they hoped might lead to safety. The surgeon held the icon close to her chest and from time to time made the sign of the cross with the holy image over their deadly route... By some unknown means, they reached a safe place where the tank regiment had taken position. They gave all the coordinates, and that very day helicopters airlifted all the dead and wounded to Russian territory.
During this whole ordeal, the military medic and surgeon believed that on that dreadful day Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker had saved them. They brought the icon home. A year later, during lunch, Artemiy noticed the saint’s face was blackened by war. He saw the words “…trophan …ozhsky” in Church Slavonic. These word fragments puzzled him, especially as they appeared in Church Slavonic. Artemiy asked a priest, who straight away declared: "That is Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh — the wondrous miracle-worker!" It turned out that early in the war, Artemiy’s mother and aunt had read the Akathist to Saint Mitrophan daily, tearfully begging for the boy and his comrades to be spared. To this day, all the soldiers of the medical unit where Artemiy serves remain alive. After a concussion and a serious spinal operation, Artemiy returned to the battlefield in May. Since then, thousands of icons of Saint Mitrophan have been printed. Soldiers ask for small icons of the saint. They say he acts swiftly to help and has saved lives many times before."
Military medic Artemiy R., May 2023
Exhibition of antique icons from private collections, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh. Voronezh Regional Art Museum named after I. N. Kramskoy
The time of historical change in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries calls to mind our current times. Today, changes in society and the state also force people to choose where their values lie. For those wrestling with decisions, the life of this wise bishop, who steered his flock through sweeping change, lights the way. Saint Mitrophan shows us much: the feat of a life well spent, true faith, love and care, the role of a good steward and builder of both Church and nation, the beauty of meekness and humility, and zeal for God. God grant that we might take at least one of these examples to heart and strive to do good today, following in the steps of this faithful servant of God. May the prayers of this glorious saint give us strength to stand firm on the rock of the Orthodox faith. Pray for us, Saint Mitrophan, for we turn to you with hope!
“You, who plant your chosen ones in your house like olive trees and cedars, O Saviour, by the prayers of your servant Mitrophan, plant in us a life of virtue, so that in due season we may bring you fruits of repentance.”
(Troparion, Ode 9 of the Canon to Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh)
Prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs from the internet
Sources:
1. Archbishop Dimitry (Sambikin), Do Good, Flee from Evil. The Work of Saint Mitrophan on the Voronezh See. Moscow: Ignatius Stavropolsky Publishing, 2003. — 47 pp.
2. S. Vvedensky, Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh as a Church and State Leader in an Age of Change. Voronezh, 1904.
3. The Will of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh. — Video | VKontakte (vk.com).
4. The Spiritual Testament of Saint Mitrophan, Bishop of Voronezh (from the book Lives of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh and Tikhon of Zadonsk. Moscow: Sretensky Monastery Press, 2007. — 288 pp., illustrated. — (Lives of the Saints).
5. "The First Bishop of Voronezh." On the 400th Anniversary of His Birth (1623–2023) and the 320th Anniversary of the Repose of Saint Mitrophan, first bishop of Voronezh (1703–2023) | Voronezh Region Archive Service (arsvo.ru).
