Venerable, Fool for Christ Theophilus of Kiev, Fool for Christ

Venerable Theophilus was born in 1788 to a priest's family, in the world Foma Andreyevich Gorenkovsky. In 1827 he was ordained a hieromonk and appointed steward of the monastery, but his soul longed for the hermit's life. To avoid human gossip, vanity, and fame, he took up the great feat of foolishness for Christ's sake. On December 9, 1834, he was tonsured into the great schema, receiving the name Theophilus. Many, including the monastery's brethren, were scandalized by his strange appearance and unpredictable behavior, but the Lord granted the blessed one heavenly revelations and the gifts of clairvoyance. According to tradition, the elder rode in a cart drawn by a young bull that knew the way from the Kiev Caves Lavra to the Kitaevo Hermitage and back by itself. In 1844 he was transferred to the Golosiivo Hermitage. On the day of his death, having received Holy Communion, he returned to his cell, lit candles and lamps, lay down on a bench placed across the threshold, and told his cell-attendant to inform the hermitage's superior to ring the bell for him. He reposed peacefully on October 28, 1853, in his 65th year. He was buried by the northern wall of the Holy Trinity Church of the Kitaevo Hermitage, next to the grave of the Kiev Caves recluse Dosifei. The Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church canonized the hieroschemamonk Theophilus on July 14/27, 1993, numbering him among the saints. His memory is kept on October 28/November 10 (day of repose) and July 14/27 (day of glorification).