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Nicon the Great, abbot of the Kiev Caves, venerable (Near Caves)
Dates of commemoration
(Church calendar - Feb 27) Synaxis of all Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves (movable feast on the 2nd Sunday of the Great Lent)
(Church calendar - Mar 23)
(Church calendar - Jul 15) Synaxis of All Saints of Kiev
(Church calendar - Sep 22) Synaxis of All Saints of Tula
(Church calendar - Sep 28) Synaxis of the Saints of the Kievan Caves Monastery, venerated in the near caves of Venerable Anthony
Life
Saint Nikon of the Kiev Caves was the first disciple and fellow-ascetic of Saint Anthony (July 10), the founder of the Kiev Caves monastery, to which he came as a priest. At the monastery he tonsured all the new monks, and among their number was Saint Theodosius of the Caves (May 3 and August 14).
For tonsuring the favorites of the Great Prince Izyaslav, Saints Barlaam (November 19) and Ephraim (January 28 ), Saint Nikon brought the wrath of the prince down upon himself, but he refused to force the new monks to leave the monastery. The princess calmed Izyaslav, and he left Saint Nikon in peace.
When the number of brethren in the monastery had increased, Saint Nikon desired to go into seclusion and live as a hesychast. He went to the Tmutarakan peninsula (on the eastern banks of the Kerchensk straits) and settled in an unpopulated spot. When news of his holy life and spiritual gifts spread throughout the region, many gathered about him, wishing to follow his example. Thus a monastery and a church were founded in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos.
When he returned to the Kiev Caves monastery, Saint Nikon was obedient to Saint Theodosius as his spiritual Father. According to Saint Nestor the Chronicler (October 27), when Saint Theodosius had to go somewhere, he entrusted all the brethren to the care of Saint Nikon. Sometimes he asked Saint Nikon to offer instruction to the brethren in place of himself. Often, when Saint Nikon was binding books, Saint Theodosius sat near him and spun the thread for the binding.
When Prince Svyatoslav drove out his brother Izyaslav from Kiev, Saint Nikon returned to the monastery he founded. He returned under the igumen Stephen. When Saint Stephen (April 27) left the Kiev Caves monastery, Saint Nikon was chosen as igumen of the monastery. He toiled much to adorn his monastery with spiritual books and icons. He died at a great old age (+ 1088) and was buried in the Near Caves of Saint Anthony.
Source:
https://oca.org/saints/lives/2017/03/23/100867-venerable-nikon-the-abbot-of-the-kiev-far-caves
Holy relic type
unless specified otherwise below, "holy relic" means a fragment of a bone of the saint
Holy relic
Location of the holy relic in the Cathedral:
North kliros, reliquary #5
Icon
Troparion
Тропарь преподобного Никона, игумена Киево-Печерского
глас 5
Христова винограда лоза явился еси, Богоблаженне Никоне,/ гроздие принося Ему - добродетели твоя,/ и прочиих, к темже наставляя,/ приводил еси Христу Богу,/ Емуже, молим тя, молися за души наша.
Ин тропарь преподобного Никона, игумена Киево-Печерского
глас 1
Послушания добрый рачитель быв,/ преподобне Никоне приснопамятне,/ церковь бо пречудну Пресвятыя Богородицы/ прекрасно украсил еси./ Темже и мы, чада твоя, любовию вопием ти:/ слава Давшему ти крепость,/ слава Венчавшему тя,/ слава Действующему тобою всем исцеления.
Kontakion
Кондак преподобного Никона, игумена Киево-Печерского г
лас 8
Третье светило пещерное,/ прогоняющее тьму бесовскую,/ восхваляем тя, мудре,/ и по долгу чтим труды и подвиги твоя,/ яже подъят о стаде своем/ и о украшении церковнем,/ воззывающе ти усердие сице:/ радуйся, отче Никоне, красото церковная.
Ин кондак преподобного Никона, игумена Киево-Печерского
глас 4
Духовному твоему наставнику, отче Никоне, всячески прилепився/ и от него наставляемь,/ во всем Христови поработився,/ монахов был еси чиноначальник и преподобных сожитель,/ с нимиже Христа Бога моли непрестанно о всех нас.
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