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Saint Anthony of the Kiev Caves, left, and Saint Theodosius beneath the Mother of God, a Ukrainian icon of the 17th–18th century

Saint Anthony of the Kiev Caves

Founded the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, the first spiritual centre of Rus

Honoured as
Founder of Monasticism in Russia
Western calendar
Not kept
Orthodox calendar
10 July (23 July on the old calendar)

Anthony, a native of Liubech near Chernigov who was baptised Antipas, became a monk on Mount Athos, whose abbot sent him home with the words, “Anthony, it is time for you to guide others in holiness.” On the wooded hills above the Dnieper near Kiev he found a cave dug by the priest Hilarion and stayed there in prayer and fasting, often eating only dry bread and a little water every other day, and the disciples who gathered round him dug a larger cave with a church and cells. So began the Monastery of the Caves, built with no gold of his own, which became the first spiritual centre of Rus, and Anthony died on 10 July 1073.

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A patron saint is one we ask to pray for us in a particular place, work or need, as many ask Anthony of Padua for help when something is lost, and as Ireland looks to Patrick. A few patronages were declared by a pope, and most grew from long custom. A card says “Patron of” only where a source we checked names one.

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