Venerables Spiridon and Nikodim, Pechersk prosphora bakers. Spyridon and Nicodemus, reverends
IN Every soul, illuminated from above by grace, is simple (Prov. 11:26), there is no guile or flattery in it, it is the vessel and dwelling of God Himself. Therefore the apostle says: “ God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong things."(1 Cor. 1:27)
Our venerable father Spyridon also belonged to the number of such chosen ones. This blessed one came from a certain village, he was not taught the art of books, was not strong in words, but was great in his spiritual intelligence and godly deeds. Having in his heart the fear of the Lord, the beginning of all wisdom, he came to the Pechersk Monastery and began to lead a harsh monastic life here.
Not knowing how to read and write, he began to study book art, although he was no longer young. He thoroughly studied all the inspired psalms of David and knew them by heart. The holy ascetic labored with unflagging zeal and cared for the salvation of his soul; he had a pious custom: every day he chanted the Psalter of David and did not stop until he finished it all on the same day.
The fasting Pimen, who was then abbot Pimen, seeing that Saint Spyridon was distinguished by humility and hard work, was constantly in fasting and prayer and was blameless in everything, entrusted him with an obedience that was acceptable to him: to bake the bread brought to Divine Liturgy for the secret body of Christ, i.e. prosphora.
Blessed Spyridon, having settled in the bakery, did not abandon his previous spiritual exploits, but began to fulfill the obedience entrusted to him with all reverence and fear of God.
Knowing that the labor of his hands was intended for a pure and immaculate sacrifice made by the priest; he fulfilled it, sending praise to God with his lips: whether he was chopping wood or kneading dough, he always sang the psalms of David with his lips in order to finish the entire Psalter every day, as was his custom.
One day, while fulfilling his regular work, this blessed ascetic flooded the oven for baking prosphora. Suddenly, fire burst out of the mouth of the stove and engulfed the roof of the building where the saint was. Blessed Spyridon, taking his mantle, covered the mouth of the stove with it, and, pulling the sleeves of his hair shirt, hurried with it to the well; Having filled it with water, he quickly returned, called the brethren and asked the monks to help him put out the fire.
Having gathered, the brethren saw a wondrous phenomenon: the mantle with which the blessed one closed the mouth of the oven was untouched by the fire and water did not flow out of the hair shirt. The monks quickly extinguished the burning building with water they brought and joyfully glorified God. This blessed Spyridon had one partner in his labors, a certain brother named Nicodemus; He was of one mind in everything with Saint Spyridon. Like this blessed one, Saint Nicodemus also prayed zealously and shared bodily labors with him.
These ascetics worked holyly and pleasingly for thirty years, purely and immaculately fulfilling their obedience - baking prosphoras. Therefore, having reposed in good confession, they are satisfied with the glory of God, which they see not in the form of bread offered, but face to face; With their holy prayers may we also be worthily satisfied with the bread of life - the grace and glory of Jesus Christ, to Him with God the Father and the Holy Spirit befits honor, glory and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Their blessed death followed around the middle of the 12th century. Their relics rest in Anthony's Cave.
Troparion to Saints Spyridon and Nikodim, the prosphora-bearers of Pechersk in the Near Caves, tone 3:
Our blessed and God-bearing fathers Spyridon and Nicodemus, as they acquired boldness towards the Lord by their equal life. For his sake, enrich Christ with incorruptibility and the miracles of your might; We pray to you diligently, ask for cleansing and great and rich mercy for our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4:
Spyridon of kindness krin, and Nicodemus victorious, both holy prosphora, pure bread as a gift to God, and made for yourself as a fragrant sacrifice: pray to Christ God that our souls will be saved.
Troparion, tone 4:
Creating the bread with your own hands, /unceasing psalmody with your lips /as if you offered a sacrifice of praise to the Lord, /with honest Nicodemus, blessed Spyridon, /with him pray to Christ God for our souls.
In contact with
Venerables Spyridon and Nikodim prosphora bakers of PecherskVenerables Spyridon and Nikodim prosphora bakers of Pechersk
Every soul, illuminated from above by grace, is simple (Prov. 11:26), there is no guile or flattery in it, it is the vessel and dwelling of God Himself. Therefore the apostle says: “God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the strong things” (1 Cor. 1:27)
Our venerable father Spyridon also belonged to the number of such chosen ones. This blessed one came from a certain village, he was not taught the art of books, was not strong in words, but was great in his spiritual mind and godly deeds. Having in his heart the fear of the Lord, the beginning of all wisdom, he came to the Pechersk monastery and began to lead here the harsh monastic life.
Not knowing how to read and write, he began to study book art, although he was no longer young. He thoroughly studied all the inspired psalms of David and knew them by heart. The holy ascetic labored with unflagging zeal and cared for the salvation of his soul; he had a pious custom: every day he chanted the Psalter of David and did not stop until he finished it all on the same day.
The fasting Pimen, who was then abbot, seeing that Saint Spyridon is distinguished by humility and hard work, constantly remains in fasting and prayer and is blameless in everything, entrusted him with an obedience that was pleasing to God: to bake the bread brought to the Divine Liturgy for the secret body of Christ, i.e. . prosphora. Blessed Spyridon, having settled in the bakery, did not abandon his previous spiritual exploits, but began to fulfill the obedience entrusted to him with all reverence and fear of God.
Knowing that the labor of his hands was intended for a pure and immaculate sacrifice made by the priest; he fulfilled it, sending praise to God with his lips: whether he was chopping wood or kneading dough, he always sang the psalms of David with his lips in order to finish the entire Psalter every day, as was his custom.
One day, while doing his usual work, this blessed ascetic flooded the oven for baking prosphora. Suddenly, fire burst out from the mouth of the stove and engulfed the roof of the building where the saint was. Blessed Spyridon, taking his mantle, covered the mouth of the stove with it, and, pulling the sleeves of his hair shirt, hurried with it to the well; Having filled it with water, he quickly returned, called the brethren and asked the monks to help him put out the fire.
Having gathered, the brethren saw a wondrous phenomenon: the mantle with which the blessed one closed the mouth of the oven was untouched by the fire and water did not flow out of the hair shirt. The monks quickly extinguished the burning building with water they brought and joyfully glorified God. This blessed Spyridon had one partner in his labors, a certain brother named Nicodemus; He was of one mind in everything with Saint Spyridon. Like this blessed one, Saint Nicodemus also prayed zealously and shared bodily labors with him.
These ascetics worked holyly and pleasingly for thirty years, purely and immaculately fulfilling their obedience - baking prosphoras. Therefore, having reposed in good confession1, they are satisfied with the glory of God, which they see not in the form of bread offered, but face to face; With their holy prayers may we also be worthily satisfied with the bread of life - the grace and glory of Jesus Christ, to Him with God the Father and the Holy Spirit befits honor, glory and worship now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion to Spyridon and Nikodim, prosphora makers of Pechersk, in the Near Caves, tone 4:
Creating the bread with your own hands, /
unceasing psalmody with your lips /
as if you offered a sacrifice of praise to the Lord, /
with honest Nicodemus, blessed Spyridon, /
with him pray to Christ God for our souls.
Troparion of Saints Spyridon and Nikodim, prosphora makers of Pechersk, in the Near Caves
Creating the offerings of bread with your hands, / singing incessant psalmody with your lips, / as a sacrifice of praise to the Lord, / with the honorable Nicodemus, blessed Spyridon, / with him, praying to Christ God for our souls
Kontakion of Saints Spyridon and Nikodim, prosphora celebrants of Pechersk
May you show your kindled love for the Lord,/ to the wonderful Spyridon,/ the burning furnace/ by blocking it with your mantle/ and may you show the source of the waters of the gifts of the spirit living in you,/ with your clothes, carrying water,/ quench the fiery flame,/ thus, as if you have boldness to the Lord, / with blessed Nicodemus, / pray ever for us who sing thee.
Blessed Spyridon came from a simple peasant family. Not taught to read and write, he spoke the language of faith, and his wealth came from virtues and deeds pleasing to God. With the fear of God and the desire for perfection in his heart, he entered the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in 1139 and devoted himself to the most severe asceticism. Having already reached a respectable age, he diligently began to study and memorized the entire Psalter, so that every day he sang all the psalms by heart.
Seeing Spiridon’s piety, kindness and hard work, Abbot Pimen entrusted him with a holy and godly task - preparing prosphora for the celebration of the Eucharist. While chopping wood or kneading dough, Spyridon focused solely on thoughts about the Lord, in which he was helped by the constant reading of psalms. Thus, preparing the loaves for the holy offering, he himself offered to God a sacrifice of praise pleasing to Him.
One day, when he was lighting the stove, the flame suddenly shot up and the floor caught fire. Then the saint covered the mouth of the stove with his robe, then tied the sleeves of his cassock together, rushed to the well and scooped up water with it, and then called on the brethren to help. Having come running to his cry, the monks were amazed to discover that the mantle covering the mouth of the stove remained unharmed, and the water did not spill out of the cassock, so the fire was easily extinguished. Then everyone gave praise to the Lord, who had come to the aid of His faithful servant in such a miraculous way.
A close associate of Spiridon was the monk Nicodemus. He imitated him with zeal both in obedience and in spiritual labors. They were engaged in making prosphora together for thirty years and rested in Christ, reaching old age. Their precious relics rest in the Near Caves.
One of the many miracles arising from the relics of St. Spiridon, happened in the 20th century: “When during Patriotic War Since the Germans occupied Kyiv, the German commandant of the city wished to visit the world famous Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. For this purpose, they found a guide - a monk, a former inhabitant of this monastery. The inspection began from the Near Caves. At that time, the relics in crayfish rested openly, not under glass. The monk guide walked ahead with a lit candle, followed by Germans with flashlights. The commandant walked with a revolver in his hand. Near the reliquary of St. Spyridon Prosphornik, who died 800 years ago, he stopped and asked what these relics were made of. The monk began to explain that these were the bodies of people who, through their holy lives, had been granted incorruption. The commandant took his pistol by the muzzle, and with the handle hit Reverend Spyridon’s hand with force. Dry skin, darkened by centuries, burst on the wrist, and blood gushed from the wound (traces of three dried streams of it are still visible on the saint’s hand). The commandant fled from the cave in horror, followed by his entire retinue.
The next day, on the city radio, the German commandant's office announced that Kiev-Pechersk Lavra opens, and those who wish can move in. Similar notices appeared all over the city on poles and fences.”
The holiday of Spyridon and Nikodim is celebrated on November 13, 2019 (the old style date is October 31). In common people it is also called Matitsa Day. IN Orthodox calendar this is the date of honoring the memory of the Venerables Spyridon and Nicodemus, prosphora bearers of Pechersk.
Story
Spiridon came to the Pechersk Monastery during the ministry of Abbot Pimen. He was already an older man, blameless and hardworking. He was assigned to make prosphora. Nicodemus also practiced the same obedience. For 30 years they baked prosphora, constantly prayed to the Lord God and read psalms.
Spyridon was known for his miracles. One day, the bakery where he worked caught fire - fire escaped from the oven and engulfed the roof. Blessed Spyridon grabbed his robe and plugged the stove with it, then tied the sleeves of his hair shirt and filled it with water. The monks helped him put out the fire. Great was their surprise when they saw that the robe and hair shirt were not burned.
Traditions and rituals
On this national holiday, fishermen begin to fish. They do not pay attention to the weather, since it is believed that if they catch fish on this day, make it as a filling for pies, and every member of the family tastes this concoction, then prudence will settle in the house and everyone will be healthy.
Hunters also go hunting for Spiridon and Nikodim. According to legend, harvested and eaten hare meat will make a man beautiful and attractive to the opposite sex, and hare paws, like a trophy, will bring good luck in life.
On this day, weak chickens are noted for slaughter, which will not be able to survive the winter, and the rest are locked into winter buildings. Chicken dishes appear on the table: pies, cutlets and much more.
Women read prayers for salvation from fire.
To attract happiness and financial wealth, the whole family needs to sit under the matitsa on this day - a beam that supports the ceiling.
Signs
If the bullfinch starts singing, expect winter to come soon.
If the bear's den is located on a hill, there will be a spring flood.
If it's during the day warm weather, then in the next 2-3 days there will be increased wind.
The sparrows chirped loudly - indicating good weather.
If the fishermen had a fight, then all winter fishing will be ineffective.
Dreams that occurred on Spiridon and Nicodemus come true on the 10th day.
If you don’t get enough sleep on this day, your life will be short.