Venerable
Venerable, Faster Zachariah the Faster of the Kiev Caves
XIII–XIV век
Venerable Zachariah the Faster of the Kiev Caves (13th–14th c.) — a monk of the Far (Theodosian) Caves who made it a rule for the rest of his life not to eat anything baked or cooked, and to eat only a meager amount of greens after sunset; he was so formidable to demons that they feared even his name alone, and he was often granted visions of Angels.
Venerable Zachariah the Faster labored in the Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Monastery in the 13th–14th centuries. Having taken monastic vows, he made it a rule for the rest of his life to eat nothing baked or cooked, eating daily after sunset only a small amount of greens. For the strictness of his ascetic feat he was so formidable to demons that they feared even his name, and the venerable one was often granted visions of Angels, with whom, according to tradition, he was found worthy to dwell eternally in heaven after death. His memory is kept on March 24/April 6, and also on August 28/September 10 within the Synaxis of the Fathers of the Far Caves.