St. Theoktista Mikhailovna of Voronezh the Fool for Christ
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- Опубліковано 17 тра 2024
- St. Theoktista Mikhailovna
of Voronezh the
Fool for Christ
(Commemorated on February 22 (n.c.) / March 6 (o.c.)
The blessed woman, St. Theoktista Mikhailovna Shulgina was a lamp of faith and the bearer of a heavy cross in Voronezh during the difficult years of communist atheism. St. Theoktista (just like St. Xenia of Petersburg) took upon herself the feat of foolishness for Christ after the untimely death of her husband.
As a naval officer, he was killed during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. When this took place, Theoktista considered the transience of this temporary life, and despite her good education and noble lineage, she decided to take up the labour of being a fool for Christ.
Blessed Theoktista laboured in Voronezh from 1920-1930. She was of small stature, skinny, worn out, with noble features in her face. She lived in the Voronezh Monastery of St. Alexis until it was closed (1931), and then took shelter with various people. She would wander to different places, often spending nights in the open air.
Many residents of Voronezh highly esteemed Theoktista for her purity and holiness of life, and wanted to receive instructions from her. There were also ill-wishers who hated her, because they could not understand her way of life.
Theoktista, who humbly endured all the burdens that fell as her lot, endured ridicule, didn’t shy from beatings, and always prayed for her offenders. For her great humility and patience, the ascetic was awarded the gifts of the Holy Spirit - insight and the gift of healing through prayer.
Her acquaintances described the holy fool as follows:
“She had a remarkable appearance. She was short, thin, tired, with special features and kind eyes."
The shabby clothes and old shoes that she always wore could not hide her aristocratic manners and good upbringing. Theoktista had a wonderful mind and clarity in the expression of her thoughts. At first, during her wanderings, being a holy fool, she walked barefoot for the first 7 years.
Later, she put on big shoes on the wrong feet, with cut backs that constantly fell, rubbing her legs and it was very uncomfortable. And around the city and on long journeys, she was usually accompanied by some girl.
Anna Vasilievna Anisiforova, who often accompanied the blessed old woman, said:
“When I began to walk with my (spiritual) Mother, I learned to decipher her eccentricities. Once in the village, they brought her sick babies. She kissed some, but not the others, so that they would carry them away. The first ones were happy, and I explained to them that death is waiting for these babies.”
(And) so it was.
Anna Vasilievna also related that Theoktista didn’t sleep nights, but would spend them in prayer and vigil.
When Theoktista went visiting she would pretend to pick insects off herself and kill them, and all the time she would scratch.
Of course, people judged her for this. When she was with outsiders, she would often begin to speak all manner of nonsense, and sometimes would spit etc.
But as soon as the outsiders would leave, a coherent conversation of a clairvoyant Elderess would begin. She had a remarkable mind and a refined way of expressing her thoughts and feelings. It was apparent she was well-bred.
Blessed Theoktista at times lived among various Voronezh residents, but had her own circle of acquaintances whom she constantly visited.
She often wandered from one shrine to another, from the Solovetsky Islands to Kiev. She traveled to Novocherkassk by train, but walked to Zadonsk, barely moving her legs and sometimes choosing the most violent weather. On the way, the ascetic prayed unceasingly.
From the recollections from a spiritual daughter of the Saint, Agnia Likhonosova:
“Mother said that she was illiterate, yet she somehow read the Latin letters on silver spoons. Mother knew both the whole Gospel and the entire church service, and one old nun, with whom I spent the night in Novocherkassk, said that mother knew such church prayers and chants that are rarely read and sung once a year, and not even all priests know them."
Blessed Theoktista was in a hurry to warn the believers about the impending disaster, and also helped financially in difficult times the families of the repressed, healing both physical and spiritual wounds.
Theoktista when asked, would let the people know whether any of their relatives were still alive.
She prayed for people with various diseases - toothaches, pneumonia, etc. She had also predicted a bloody revolution.
Reached capacity: - Фільми й анімація
Saintly mother pray for us and me sinful soul.❤❤❤
Wonderful ❤
So heavenly! keep posting. Don't be discouraged by the lesser number of viewers.
Thank you for your kind comment. Glory be to God for all things! 🙏☦️
@@HolyOrthodoxyi agree. I hope you get more subscribers. They are excellent videos.. Thank you. I marvel at such saints. How does one live even one day as they do??
@@lindaphillips4646 Thank you for your kind words. Obviously, I speak not from experience but these holy saints totally commit to God and abhor the vanity of life and breathe (in prayer) and focus only on the Lord. They are not of this world. (John 17:16) ☦️
@@HolyOrthodoxyindeed, they are not of this world. They become either a great encouragement to those wanting to be faithful or a great threat who prefer to stay as they themselves are, who reduce the saints to nothing but questionable images on paper or wood or walls.
I say with sadness..
☦💝📿💝☦
I am listening to the beautiful music as i type this.. especially 'The Bridegroom cometh..'. ☦🎵☦
These videos are a blessing-especially the ones of the Fools for Christ. Please keep them coming !
Thank you for kind words and all glory belongs to the Lord and His wondrous saints! ☦️
Love the last photo . Eternal thanks
@dianecleary; Glory be to God! 🙏☦️