Venerable
Venerable Arefa of the Kiev Caves
XII век
Venerable Arefa of the Kiev Caves, the Recluse — a monk of the Kiev Caves Monastery, a native of Polotsk; having fallen into the sin of avarice and murmured against God after his cell was robbed, he fell gravely ill, was admonished by a vision of Angels and demons, and, repenting, spent the rest of his life in seclusion, acquiring the gift of true non-acquisitiveness.
Venerable Arefa, a native of Polotsk, labored in the Kiev Caves Monastery in the 12th century. For a long time he kept considerable wealth in his cell, refusing to share even a portion with brothers in need. When thieves robbed his cell, he fell into despair and murmured against God over his lost property, for which he was struck with a grave illness. Near death, he was granted a vision: Angels and demons came to him and argued over his fate — the demons demanding he be given over to them for his avarice and murmuring, while the Angels replied that had he thanked God for what was taken, it would have been counted to him as voluntary almsgiving. Coming to himself, Arefa deeply repented, spending his remaining days in seclusion, in contrition for his sins, renouncing all earthly things, and gained renown as an example of true repentance and non-acquisitiveness. He is buried in the Near (Anthony's) Caves. His memory is kept on October 24/November 6, as well as in the Synaxis of the Fathers of the Near Caves and the general Synaxis of All the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves.
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