Venerable, Canonarch Leontius, Canonarch of the Kiev Caves

Venerable Leontius came to the Kiev Caves Monastery from his youth, where he was tonsured a monk. Possessing a beautiful voice, once he had learned to read he carried out the obedience of canonarch (reader-chanter, announcing the order of services) in the Great Church of the monastery. Having taken monastic orders, he pleased the Lord with constant prayers and abstinence, resembling the perfect holy fathers in feats of prayer and obedience, and became one of the outstanding canonarchs of the monastery. He took up the feat of strict abstinence and attentive prayer, and carefully studied the experience of struggling against passions from the elder fathers. He died young in the 14th century and was glorified by the Lord with the gracious gift of miracles for his selfless feat of salvation. The relics of the holy ascetic rest in the Far Caves. His memory is kept on June 18/July 1, and also on August 28/September 10 within the Synaxis of the Fathers of the Far Caves.