Barlaam of Khutyn

Saint Barlaam
Icon of Barlaam, 16th century
Died	6 November 1192/1193 Khutyn
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast	6 November

Barlaam or Varlaam of Khutyn (Russian: Варлаам Хутынский; secular name: Aleksa or Aleksei;^[1] died 13 November [O.S. 6 November] 1192/1193)^[2] was a Russian abbot. He founded the Khutyn Monastery.

Life

He was born into a wealthy family from Novgorod.^[1] After the death of his parents, he became a hermit on the Volkhov and handed all of his inheritance to the poor.^[1] He went to live in solitary at Khutyn, where he built a wooden chapel.^[1]

At this time, he had gained many followers as his reputation for holiness was spreading.^[2] So great were their numbers that he founded a monastery, the Khutyn Monastery, which was dedicated to Christ's transfiguration.^[1] He also took the name of Barlaam (Varlaam), and among the benefactors of the monastery was Yaroslav, the prince of Novgorod.^[2]

Barlaam died on 6 November 1192 or 1193, and his grave became a site for pilgrimage.^[3][2] Prior to his death, he had nominated a monk by the name of Antony to succeed him.^[2] Barlaam's relics were enshrined in 1452 and the Serbian monk Pachomius wrote about his life.^[2] He is commemorated in Russian liturgy when bread and wine is being prepared.^[2]

References

Bibliography

•  "Варлаам, преподобный хутынский" . Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (in Russian). 1906.
• Butler, Alban; Burns, Paul (1 January 1995). Butler's Lives of the Saints. A&C Black. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-0-86012-260-9.

External links

• Overview at bogolub.narod.ru