Saint Paisy Velichkovsky of Neamt (Whirledge) Icon - S679

Saint Païsy was born in 1722 in Poltava in modern Ukraine. He was baptized by his father, a priest, with the name Peter. His father died young, and his mother Irene raised her 12 children in piety.

At age 17, Peter decided to become a monk and went searching for a monastery and a good spiritual father. At one monastery, he became a rassophore monk and received the name Platon. But still lacking an experienced elder, Fr. Platon continued his search. After nearly a decade of searching, having advanced in humility but not found an elder, he arrived at Mount Athos. There he was tonsured with the name Paisius (in Russian, Païsy).

Fr. Païsy soon met a young monk named Bessarion, who was also searching for an elder. Fr. Païsy felt compassion for him and talked with him, and soon Bessarion asked him to be his spiritual father. After three days, Fr. Païsy agreed to accept him as a friend and equal, but not as a disciple. For four years they lived in mutual obedience, and more disciples joined them.

In 1754, Fr. Païsy was ordained a priest, and remained at Mount Athos for another 17 years. As his brotherhood grew, they were forced to move several times. Finally, in 1779, the brotherhood moved to Neamt Monastery in modern Romania, where he spent the rest of his life doing important translation work and instructing his disciples in the prayer of the heart, the knowledge of which had nearly disappeared in Russia by this time.

Saint Païsy reposed in peace on November 15, 1794, after receiving the Holy Mysteries. His translations had a tremendous spiritual influence throughout the Orthodox world. His feast is kept on November 15.

In the icon, his scroll reads, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:16), the word of Saint Paul which was his most important teaching.

This icon is offered by Legacy Icons with the permission of the iconographer, Brian Matthew Whirledge.