Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky

Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky (born Pyotr Ivanovich Velichkovsky) was born December 21, 1722, in Poltava into a priest's family. At 17 he entered monastic life, laboring in the Moldavian sketes of Treisteni and Cârnul, then withdrew to Mount Athos, where he founded the skete of St. Elijah. He later returned to Moldavia and led a large brotherhood at the monasteries of Dragomirna, Secu, and finally Neamț. The chief labor of his life was translating the patristic collection known as the Philokalia from Greek into Church Slavonic (the "Slavonic Dobrotolubiye"), along with many other ascetical works of the Church Fathers, contributing to the revival of noetic prayer (the Jesus Prayer) in Russian and Moldavian monasticism. His numerous disciples spread throughout the monasteries of Russia, laying the foundation for the revived tradition of eldership, including the Optina lineage. He reposed on November 15, 1794, at Neamț Monastery. He was canonized by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988.