When The Trinity Appeared to a Northern Russian Monk (St. Alexander Svirsky)

The relics of the saint were found twice. The first time was in the 15th century. The second is in XX. Then, over the course of six months, the remains were subjected to a thorough, comprehensive study: histologists, radiologists, dentists, and pathologists were invited to visit them, the purpose of whose work was to establish the authenticity of the relics. Finally, after a six-month scientific examination, the researchers came to the conclusion that in front of them was the body of Alexander Svirsky, a monk and ascetic who died in 1533.

On November 23, 1998, the relics of St. Alexander were finally transferred to their final resting place - to the Holy Trinity Alexander of Svirsky Monastery.

In the entire history of Christianity, only two people were privileged to see the Lord in the form of the Trinity. This was the Old Testament forefather Abraham and the holy monk Alexander Svirsky.

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Twice in the entire history of mankind the Trinity God was revealed to the physical human gaze - the first time to Saint Abraham at the Oak of Mamre, signifying the great mercy of God towards the human race; the second time - on Russian soil to the holy Venerable Alexander of Svirsky. 

What this appearance meant to the New Testament saint - we will not dare to answer. Let us only strive to honor this land, that monastery that was erected in the north of the Russian land at the behest of God the Trinity and the “New Testament Abraham” himself - our venerable father and wonderworker Alexander.

The Monk Alexander is one of the few Russian saints who was canonized shortly after his righteous death - namely, 14 years later. His disciples and many of his admirers were still alive, so the Life of St. Alexander was written, as they say, “hot on the heels” and is particularly authentic; it contains no “pious schemes,” it reflects the unique face of the holiness of “all Russia, the wonderworker Alexander.”

Brief Life of the Monk Alexander of Svir, the Wonderworker.

Compiled by monk Athanasius. 1905 July 12 days. Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, Olonets province.

Rev. Alexander Svirsky wonderworker St. was born. Alexander on June 15, 1448 in the village of Mandera on the Oyat River on Novgorod land, opposite the Ostrovsky Vvedensky Monastery. They named him Amos. His parents Stefan and Vassa were poor, pious peasants; they gave their children a Christian education. When Amos came of age, his parents wanted to marry him, but he only thought about leaving the world for the sake of saving his soul. 

He learned early about the Valaam monastery and often remembered it and, finally, by the will of God, he met the Valaam monks. Their conversation lasted for a long time about the holy monastery, about its rules, about the three kinds of life of monastics. And so, inspired by this conversation, he decided to go to “northern Athos.” Having crossed the Svir River, on the shore of Lake Roshchinskoye, the Reverend heard a mysterious voice, announcing to him that he would create a monastery in this place. And a great light dawned on him. 

When he came to Valaam, the abbot received him and tonsured him with the name Alexander in 1474. He was then 26 years old. The novice monk zealously began to strive in labor, obedience, fasting and prayer. Then his father came to Valaam looking for him; The monk managed not only to calm the irritated father, but also to convince him to become a monk along with his mother. And the parents obeyed their son. Stefan took monastic vows with the name Sergius, and his mother with the name Varvara. Their graves are still venerated in the functioning Vvedeno-Oyatsky Monastery.

Alexander continued to asceticize in Valaam, amazing the strictest Valaam monks with the severity of his life. At first he labored in a hostel, then in silence on the island, now called the Holy Island, and spent 10 years there. On the Holy Island there is still a narrow and damp cave, in which only one person can hardly fit. The grave that the Monk Alexander dug for himself has also been preserved. 

One day, while standing in prayer, Saint Alexander heard a divine voice: “Alexander, get out of here and go to the place shown before, where you can be saved.” The Great Light showed him a place in the southeast, on the banks of the Svir River. This was in 1485. There he found “the forest was very red, this place was full of forests and a lake, and red everywhere, and no one there had ever lived before.” The monk placed his hut on the shore of Lake Roshchinskoe. 

Half a mile away from it there is Lake Svyatoe, separated from it by Stremnina Mountain. Here he spent several years in complete solitude, eating not bread, “but the potion growing here.” God revealed his lamp to boyar Andrei Zavalishin, and through him later to many people. The monastery began to grow, and the fame of the gift of insight and healing of physical and spiritual ailments given to its abbot soon spread throughout all the surrounding lands. During his lifetime, the Orthodox people blessed Alexander of Svirsky as a saint.

Appearance of the Holy Trinity to St. Alexander Svirsky

In the 23rd year of the Saint’s settlement in the desert, a great light appeared in his temple and he saw three men entering him. They were dressed in light clothes and illuminated by the glory of heaven “more than the sun.” From their lips the saint heard the command: “Beloved, as you see Him speaking with you in Three Persons, build a church in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Consubstantial Trinity... I leave you My peace and give you My peace.”

At the site of the appearance of God the Trinity, a chapel was subsequently built, and to this day the human soul trembles at this place, thinking about the closeness of God to His people. What is striking in the Life of St. Alexander is that despite the great abundance of divine visits given to him, he always remained a humble monk, wanting to serve the brethren and simple villagers who came to the monastery in everything.

Several years before the death of the Reverend, God put into his heart the good idea of ​​creating a stone church in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos with a meal. And then one night, when the laying was already completed, at the end of the usual prayer rule, the Reverend saw an extraordinary light that illuminated the entire monastery, and at the foundation of the Church of the Intercession, on the altar place in royal glory, the Most Pure Mother of God sat on the throne with the Eternal Child, surrounded by a host of ethereal forces heavenly. 

The monk fell face down on the ground before the majesty of Her Glory, since he could not contemplate the radiance of this inexpressible light. Then the Most Pure Lady commanded him to stand up and consoled him with the promise to remain constant with the Monastery and to help those living in it in all their needs, both during the life of the Saint and after his death.

“A year before his death, the Saint, calling all the brethren to him and announcing to them that the time would soon come for his repose from this temporary, sad and sorrowful life into another eternal, painless and always joyful life, appointed after him four holy monks: Isaiah, Nicodemus, Leontius and Herodion for the election of one of them as abbot. 

Then, until his death, he did not stop teaching his brethren to live a godly life. The Monk Alexander died on August 30, 1533, at the age of 85, and, according to his dying will, was buried in the waste hermitage, near the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, on the right side of the altar. In 1547 he was canonized.

Everyone who had various ailments, coming to his honest tomb and falling with faith before him, received abundant healing: the blind received their sight, the paralytic were strengthened in their limbs, those suffering from other diseases received a complete recovery, demons were driven away from the possessed, childbearing was given to the childless.

Our All-Good God, wondrous in His Saints, glorifying His Saint in this temporary life, creating with his hand signs and wonders, deigned to place his incorruptible, honest and holy body after death, like a great luminary, in His Church, so that it would shine there with its glorious miracles."