Venerable Leo of Optina

Venerable Leo of Optina (Leonid in monasticism; born Lev Danilovich Nagolkin) was born July 10, 1768, in Karachev, Oryol Province. As a young man he worked as a merchant's agent, traveling widely across Russia and gaining broad experience with people of every social class. He entered Optina in 1797, then moved to Beloberezhskaya Hermitage, where in 1801 he was tonsured a monk with the name Leonid and ordained hierodeacon and hieromonk. In 1804 he became igumen there, but soon resigned his post to pursue a life of stillness, and in 1808 was tonsured into the great schema with the name Leo. In 1829 he returned to Optina with six disciples and introduced eldership — spiritual direction through the full confession of thoughts. Despite persecution from opponents of eldership (1835–1836), he was vindicated with the support of Metropolitan Philaret of Kiev. He reposed on October 11, 1841. He was locally glorified in 1996 and canonized for universal veneration at the Jubilee Bishops' Council in August 2000.