Venerable Nil, following the life of the great Simeon, who lived on a pillar, you have likewise received from life, as much as possible, the same name: “Nil the richly endowed.”
Troparion from the Fourth Ode of the Canon to St. Nil
Two hundred versts from Tver, where Lake Seliger’s waters lie still as glass, stands the Monastery of St. Nil of Stolobny. Its mighty Epiphany Cathedral soars heavenward, crowned by a three-tiered bell tower — a design first dreamed for St. Petersburg’s St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Yet this marvel of stone and faith sprang from humbler roots: a simple hermit’s cell. Here, in the 1500s, led by God’s hand, came a seeker of holy silence. The venerable Nil, for whom the monastery is named, was a monk of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Krypets.
His earthly journey began sometime in the latter half of the 15th century in a village of Novgorod’s Derevskaya Pyatina, somewhere in Zhabensky Parish. Time has obscured his baptismal name, and the identities of his parents remain unknown. Tradition tells us, however, that they were devout Christians who raised their son in the fear of God, instilling in him a love of prayer and a thirst for spiritual reading. When death claimed his mother and father, the young man sought refuge in Krypetsky Monastery.
Of his early monastic years, his life story recounts: “Having taken the vows, Nil girded himself for battle against passion and the Evil One. With burning zeal, he shouldered every task, yielding perfect obedience to his abbot. In all things, he showed forth meekness, humility, and a pure heart. Through fasting and vigil, he conquered the flesh; through tears, he cleansed his soul, becoming a chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit.”
In 1515, shunning earthly glory, Blessed Nil ventured into the wilderness with his abbot’s blessing. From the monastery where he took his vows, he carried a copy of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, his protectress and guide in his monastic struggles. Providence led him to the Seremkha River near Rzhev. There, he built his cell and gave himself to unceasing prayer and fasting. The forest provided his food, springs his drink. Thirteen years passed in this way.
Places of St. Nil of Stolobny’s ascetic labours
Demons assailed him in those years, taking shape as fierce beasts and venomous serpents to drive him from his sanctuary. But the steadfast ascetic repelled them with prayer and the sign of the cross. Failing to frighten Nil, the demons stirred wicked men to visit the hermit. These rogues, hoping to find riches, surrounded his cell. But as Nil stepped forth, holding high the icon of the Mother of God, they beheld a host of armed warriors at his side. Trembling, they fell to their knees, begging Nil for forgiveness. With love, St. Nil accepted their repentance and sent them away in peace.
Word of the blessed elder spread through nearby villages, drawing crowds seeking his counsel and blessing. To the humble monk’s deep sorrow, his tranquil solitude was shattered. In nightly prayers, he wept, beseeching the Holy Theotokos to guide him and show a way out of his predicament.
Here begins the beginning. This is the heart of Russia — at the river’s source, where a chapel’s cross stands. The mighty Volga drinks deep of these holy places, gathering strength and beauty as it flows. This is Seliger.
One night, in a fleeting dream, the venerable one heard the Queen of Heaven command him to direct his steps to Stolobny Island on Lake Seliger. The year was 1528 when the blessed one first set foot on this forested isle, rising lonely from Seliger’s waters. That first bitter winter found him in a mountain cave carved by his own hands. Later, he raised a small wooden cell and a chapel. For twenty-seven years, his labours sanctified this place. Following the example of St. Simeon the Stylite, he denied himself even sleep’s comfort, resting only while standing, supported by wooden hooks fixed to his cell wall.
Such holy feats inspired reverence and veneration among the faithful. Countless pilgrims carried back to their homes carved icons and wooden figures of the saint at prayer, which the Nil-Stolobensky Monastery produced in abundance. Even now, you can find them — for example, in the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow.
Carved wooden icon and sculpture of St. Nil, 1850-1860
The devil envied Nil’s holy life and tempted the locals to wickedness. They set fire to the island’s forest, hoping to engulf the saint’s dwelling. But as the flames reached the mountain, they vanished miraculously.
Another time, robbers broke into his hut. “My only treasure lies in the corner,” Nil told them. The bandits rushed to grab the supposed riches, and blindness struck them. In tears of repentance, they begged the saint for forgiveness. Nil restored their sight through prayer and forbade them to speak of the miracle. The former robbers held their tongues for years, revealing the event only after the saint’s death.
Tales of other miracles abound. Sensing his end drawing near, Nil built his own coffin. A neighbouring abbot brought him the Holy Mysteries. Then, having censed his icons and cell one final time, he committed his immortal soul to the Lord. This happened on 20 December 1554.
Relics of St. Nil of Stolobny in the Epiphany Cathedral of the Nilov Monastery, Seliger, Tver Oblast
In 1667, the Church glorified this God-pleaser, establishing feast days on 9 June and 20 December (his repose). His holy relics now rest in the monastery’s Epiphany Cathedral.
Forty years after St. Nil’s repose, Monk Herman founded a monastery on the site of his labours. By the early 20th century, Nilov Monastery had shed its initial seclusion. Gone was the picturesque simplicity. In its place stood a majestic complex, dominated by the Epiphany Cathedral and the Archbishop’s quarters. A grand granite embankment, punctuated by the Archbishop’s and Svetlitskaya Towers, completed the picture. At the turn of the century, nearly a thousand monks toiled in this sacred retreat. A hospital also lay within its bounds. Every June, the locals held a grand procession across Lake Seliger, and thousands of pilgrims flocked to the hermitage. Even members of the Tsar’s family were known to visit.
The cross procession on Lake Seliger, June 9th, in celebration of the discovery of St. Nil’s relics. Early 20th-century photograph
But shadows fell upon the monastery. In 1919, the authorities seized all church valuables, and St. Nil’s relics were desecrated. Although the monastery struggled on until 1927, darker days lay ahead. By the late 1980s, many of its buildings had crumbled or stood in ruins. For 63 long years, Nilov Monastery served purposes far removed from its holy calling, before finally being returned to the Tver Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church:
1927–1939: A labour commune, a juvenile detention facility;
1939–1940: A camp for Polish prisoners of war;
1941–1945: A hospital;
1945–1960: Once again, a penal colony;
1960–1971: A retirement home;
1971–1990: A tourist base.
But in 1990, the tide turned. Nilov Monastery returned to the hands of the Church, and by 1995, the relics of St. Nil were restored to their rightful place.
Nil-Stolobensky Hermitage today
The chronicles of Nilov Monastery tell of many wonders, but among them, one account from 1995 stands out. An elderly man, adorned with medals, arrived at the monastery, eager to share his story. He had come to give thanks to St. Nil, who had saved his life more than fifty years earlier, when the monastery was still a hospital.
In 1942, during the brutal battles near Rzhev, the man — then a young soldier — was gravely wounded. His abdomen was torn apart, his organs shredded like paper. The doctors exchanged grim looks. Such wounds were fatal, and surgery seemed futile. Around him, others with similar injuries died one by one. He waited, wracked with pain and sorrow, his eyes brimming with tears.
Later, they carried him on a stretcher to a small, dim room. Once a monk’s cell, it now served as a mortuary. The dead were brought here before burial, and space was scarce. The soldier was placed among the corpses. He heard the doctors say he only had a few hours left...
But in that hospital, there worked a nurse — a woman of faith. She came to the young man and told him where he was: the monastery of St. Nil of Stolobny. Her voice was kind, and she spoke softly of the saint’s life and miracles. “Pray to him,” she urged. “Ask for help.” The soldier, filled with desperation, asked her to pray too. She spoke with conviction, telling him that St. Nil had worked many wonders and still did. And so he prayed.
"Nil, help me..." The soldier in the mortuary barely whispered. He felt life slipping away. This was it... Suddenly, a monk with a long, grey beard entered the room. The old man came to his side, laid a hand on his broken body, and gently smoothed over the wound.
“Hold on, son! You’ll live to see another day!”
The soldier, too weak to speak, could only nod. Time blurred. The wounded man drifted into unconsciousness. He awoke with a jolt as someone kicked his leg.
The orderlies were checking the bodies, ensuring each was truly gone. The soldier blinked and spoke:
“Where’s the monk?”
“What monk?” They scoffed.
“The one who just came to see me!”
They exchanged puzzled looks. “There haven’t been any monks here since 1927, unless Death himself paid a visit...” They chuckled under their breath.
They carried him from the room, placing another body in his place.
The orderlies were at a loss. As they argued about what to do with him, the soldier surprised them all. “Fellows, I’m hungry!” he said, his voice stronger than before. “Give me something to eat, anything…”
The orderlies stared at him, speechless. “Hungry?” one muttered. “How could he be hungry? His insides were torn to shreds. Where would the appetite even come from?” Shocked, they called for a doctor. The physician, expecting the worst, removed the bandages — and there it was: the wound had vanished. His belly, once a mass of torn flesh, was whole again. The soldier, now standing on his own feet, had been healed.
In time, he returned to battle and fought until the victorious end. Years later, as an old veteran, he learned that the monastery had been reborn and was once again a place of prayer and service. Deeply moved, he returned to Nilov Monastery to offer his gratitude to his benefactor — St. Nil of Stolobny.
For 33 years now, monastic life has flourished again at Nilov Hermitage. The monastery continues to grow and thrive, developing its farm. The brethren have beehives, vineyards, a fish farm, and even tea production. A bakery and a prosphora workshop fill the air with the aroma of freshly baked bread. They have livestock and a dairy. But at the heart of it all lies the power of prayer. The brethren maintain their devout practice in these challenging times, under the watchful protection of the great ascetic, St. Nil of Stolobny.
O great servant of Christ, St. Nil, our holy father! Though we are lacking in many things, we now pray for one: intercede for us before our Lord, that He may grant us a place at His right hand on the Day of Judgment, and count us among the victors who will sing to Him forever: Alleluia.
(Kontakion 13 of the Akathist to St. Nil)
Prepared by the editorial team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs sourced from the internet.
Materials used in preparation:
1. Venerable Nil of Stolobny: Life, Miracles, Canon, Akathist, Prayers. Nilov Monastery, 2022.
2. Life of St. Nil of Stolobny. Nilov Monastery (nilostolobenskaia-pustyn.ru).
3. Miraculous Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, Valery Melnikov, 2011.
4. About the Monastery of Nilov Hermitage: ledi_oks - LiveJournal (livejournal.com).
5. About the Monastery of Nilov Hermitage: foto-fokus.su.
