Saint Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod
Commemorated on December 10, September 4
Sainted Joasaph
was born at Proluka, in the former Poltava governance, on 8 September
1705, the feastday of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God. At Baptism he
was named Joakim. He was descended from the old and venerable Little Russian
(Ukrainian) lineage of the Gorlenkovi. In 1712 his father enrolled the 7 year
old Joakim in the Kiev Spiritual Academy. Within the walls of the academy he
felt the attraction towards monastic life. And over the course of 7 years he
studied it further, and finally revealed his intent to his parents. For a long
time his mother and father pleaded with their first-born son not to accept
monastic tonsure. But in 1725, in secret from them, he became a "ryasophor"
("robe-wearing novice") with the name Ilarion at the Kiev Mezhigorsk
monastery, and on 21 November 1727 he was tonsured in monk's-mantle with the
name Joasaph at the Kievo-Bratsk monastery. This event co-incided with the
completion of his studies at the spiritual academy. After the death of His
Grace Varlaam, the Kiev cathedra-chair was governed by archbishop Raphael
Zaborovsky. Archbishop Raphael directed his attention to the evident abilities
of the young ascetic and drew him into still more widespread a service to the
Church. He was entrusted the responsible obedience of the office of examiner of
the Kiev archbishopric. In November 1734 archbishop Raphael ordained the
monk-deacon Joasaph to the dignity of priest-monk, and he transferred over from
the Bratsk monastery school to the Kievo-Sophia archbishop's house. At the same
time he was appointed a member of the Kiev religious consistory. In fulfilling
the office of examiner, he exerted much effort towards the correction of moral
deficiencies among the parish clergy. The consistory office service of the
saint proved a fine schooling for his administrative abilities. During this
time he made a good study of the needs of clergy-servers, noting both the good
points and the failings of the diocese. Herein in clear form developed
Joasaph's many-sided ability for matter, combined with great inner spiritual
efforts. He quickly rose up the ladder of spiritual perfection, to which he
witnesses in his work, "The Conflict of the Seven Venerable Virtues with the
Seven Deadly Sins".
On 24 June 1737
Priest-monk Joasaph was appointed head of the Holy Transfiguration Mgarsk
monastery, with elevation to the dignity of hegumen. Here the hegumen worked
with all his strength to get the monastery in good order, which was an old
bulwark of Orthodoxy in the struggle with the Unia. In this monastery were
situated relics of Sainted Athanasias, Patriarch of Constantinople and Lubensk
Wonderworker (Comm. 2 May). And several times Sainted Athanasias appeared to
Hegumen Joasaph, witnessing to his patronal protection.
In 1744 metropolitan
Raphael elevated Hegumen Joasaph to the dignity of archimandrite. Towards the
end of that same year he was called to Moscow and soon, at the direction of the
Most Holy Synod, he was appointed vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergiev Lavra monastery.
At this monastery of the Monk Sergei he likewise unstintingly fulfilled
obedience to the Church (this year required much exertion for the rebuilding of
the monastery after a conflagration).
On 2 June 1748 at the
Petropavlovsk (Peter and Paul) cathedral in Peterburg, Archimandrite Joasaph
was ordained bishop of Belgorod. Entering upon the archbishop cathedra-chair,
Saint Joasaph strictly concerned himself with piety and the condition of the
churches, with the proper making of Divine-services and especially the moral
condition of his flock. The saint devoted great attention to the education of
the clergy, and the correct observance by them of churchly norms and
traditions. And just as before, the saint worked with all his strength at the
archpastoral service, without regard for his health. To his cell‑attendant
Stefan, on the eve of his repose, the saint forbade him to aspire to the
priestly dignity and he predicted, that in case of disobedience he would meet
with an untimely end. To another dell-attendant Vasilii, the saint indicated
that he would be a deacon, but would never attain the dignity of priesthood.
And this prediction was afterwards fulfilled. On 10 December 1754 the saint
died. Sainted Joasaph was glorified to the ranks of the Saints on 4 September
1911.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
