Saint Euthymius the Great was born in the city of Melitene in Armenia, near the Euphrates River. His parents, Paul and Dionysia, were noble and devout Christians. For a long time, they were childless, but finally, after fervent prayers, they were blessed with a son. His birth was preceded by a divine vision that foretold a great future for the child.
After the death of Euthymius' father, his mother, fulfilling a vow to dedicate her son to God, entrusted him to her brother, Presbyter Eudoxius, for upbringing. Eudoxius introduced the young boy to Otryus, the bishop of the Melitene Church, who warmly took care of him. Noticing his virtuous behavior, the bishop soon ordained him as a reader. Later, Saint Euthymius became a monk and was ordained as a presbyter. He was also entrusted with the oversight of all city monasteries. Saint Euthymius frequently visited the monastery of Saint Polyeuctus, and during the Great Lent, he would retreat to the desert. The responsibility of managing the monasteries weighed heavily on the ascetic, who sought solitude, and at the age of 30, he secretly left the city and headed to Jerusalem. After venerating the holy places, he withdrew to the Pharan Lavra. There, he found an isolated empty hut outside the monastery, where he lived, sustaining himself by weaving baskets. Nearby, Saint Theoctistus also practiced asceticism. Both shared the same zeal for God, will, and purpose. Usually, after the Feast of the Theophany, they would retreat to the Cutilia desert (near Jericho). Once, they chose a rugged place in the mountains and settled in a cave. However, God revealed their seclusion for the benefit of many; shepherds, herding their flocks, discovered their cave and spread the word in the village. People seeking spiritual benefit began to flock to the hermits. Gradually, a monastic community emerged, with several monks coming from the Pharan hermitage, including Marin and Luke. Saint Euthymius entrusted the management of the newly formed monastery to his friend Theoctistus and became the spiritual father of the brethren. He taught his brethren, "Know that those who wish to lead a monastic life must not have their own will, always be in obedience and humility, keep the remembrance of death in mind, fear the Judgment and eternal fire, and desire the Kingdom of Heaven."
To young monks, Saint Euthymius commanded to combine bodily labor with inner contemplation of God. "If laypeople," he said, "work hard to feed themselves and their families, give alms, and make offerings to God, then we, monks, must work all the more to avoid idleness and not live off the labor of others." Abba demanded that monks keep silence in the church during services and at the table. Young monks who wished to fast more than the rest were not allowed to follow their will but were taught to eat the common food at the table with moderation, without overindulgence.
During those years, Saint Euthymius converted and baptized many Arabs, among them the military leader Aspebet with his son Terebon, whom Saint Euthymius healed from illness. Aspebet was baptized with the name Peter and later became a bishop among the Arabs.
The fame of miracles performed by Saint Euthymius spread quickly. People from everywhere came, bringing the sick who were healed. Unable to bear human acclaim and glory, Saint Euthymius secretly left the monastery, taking only his closest disciple, Dometian, with him. He retreated to the Ruva desert and settled on Mount Marda, near the Dead Sea. Seeking solitude, Saint Euthymius went deeper into the Ziph desert and settled in a cave where King David once hid from Saul's persecution. There, Saint Euthymius founded a monastery and established a church in the very cave of David. At that time, Saint Euthymius turned many monastic hermits away from the Manichean heresy, performed miracles, healed the sick and those possessed by demons.
Visitors coming to see the saint disturbed the peace of the hermit, who loved silence, and he decided to return to the monastery he had left, now managed by Saint Theoctistus. On his way back, Saint Euthymius found a secluded place on a mountain and stayed there. Later, his holy body was buried in that place.
Blessed Theoctistus and the brethren met Saint Euthymius and begged him to return to the monastery, but he refused. However, he promised to visit the community on Sundays for communal worship.
Saint Euthymius did not wish to have anyone nearby or to establish a coenobium or lavra, but the Lord commanded him in a vision not to turn away those who came to him seeking salvation for their souls. In time, brethren gathered around him again, and he organized a lavra following the model of the Pharan Lavra. In 429, when Saint Euthymius was 52, Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem consecrated the lavra's church, ordaining presbyters and deacons for the community.
Initially, the lavra was poor, but Saint Euthymius firmly trusted in God to provide for his people. Once, about 400 Armenian pilgrims from Jerusalem arrived at the lavra, hungry. Seeing this, Saint Euthymius called the steward and ordered him to feed the travelers. The steward replied that the monastery did not have enough food. However, Saint Euthymius insisted. When the steward went to the storeroom, he found plenty of bread, wine, and oil. The pilgrims ate to the glory of God, were satisfied, and a three-month supply of food remained for the brethren. Thus, the Lord performed a miracle through the faith of Saint Euthymius.
Once, a monk refused to perform his assigned obedience. Despite Saint Euthymius' attempts to persuade him to obey, the monk persisted in his refusal. Then Saint Euthymius exclaimed loudly, "You will see what reward comes from disobedience!" The monk fell to the ground in a fit of madness. The brethren pleaded with Abba for him, and Saint Euthymius healed the disobedient monk, who, upon regaining consciousness, asked for forgiveness and promised to amend his ways. "Obedience," said Saint Euthymius, "is a great virtue. The Lord loves obedience more than sacrifice, while disobedience leads to death."
Two brothers in Saint Euthymius' community found the strict way of life burdensome and planned to escape. Foreseeing their intent, Saint Euthymius called them and spent a long time convincing them to abandon their harmful intention. He said, "One should not heed thoughts that instill sorrow and hatred for the place of residence, enticing one to move elsewhere. A monk should not think that by moving to another place, he will achieve something good, as good deeds are not determined by location but by firm will and faith. Just as a tree frequently transplanted does not bear fruit."
In 431, the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus, directed against the heresy of Nestorius. Saint Euthymius rejoiced at the affirmation of Orthodoxy and grieved for the Antiochian Archbishop John, who, though Orthodox, defended Nestorius.
In 451, the Fourth Ecumenical Council was held in Chalcedon against the heresy of Dioscorus, who, contrary to Nestorius, asserted that in the Lord Jesus Christ there was only one nature - divine, which absorbed the human nature in the Incarnation (the so-called Monophysite heresy).
Saint Euthymius accepted the confession of the Council of Chalcedon and recognized it as Orthodox. News of this quickly spread among the monks and hermits, and many who had previously believed incorrectly, following the example of Saint Euthymius, accepted the confession of the Council of Chalcedon.
For his ascetic life and firm confession of the Orthodox faith, Saint Euthymius was called the Great. Weary of worldly communion, the holy abba temporarily retired to the inner desert. After his return to the lavra, some of the brethren saw that when he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, fire descended from heaven and surrounded the saint. Saint Euthymius himself revealed to a few monks that he often saw an Angel co-celebrating the holy Liturgy with him. Saint Euthymius had the gift of clairvoyance, saw the inner movements of the spirit, and knew human thoughts. When monks received Holy Communion, it was revealed to Saint Euthymius who approached worthily and who to their condemnation.
When Saint Euthymius was 82 years old, the blessed Sava (the future Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, commemorated on December 5), then still a youth, came to him. The elder received him with love and sent him to the monastery of Saint Theoctistus. He prophesied that monk Sava would shine in monastic life.
When Saint Euthymius turned 90, his companion and friend Saint Theoctistus fell gravely ill. Saint Euthymius visited his friend and stayed at the monastery, bid him farewell, was present at his demise, and after burying the body, returned to the lavra.
The time of his departure was revealed to Saint Euthymius by special divine grace. On the feast day of Saint Anthony the Great, January 17, Saint Euthymius blessed the celebration of an all-night vigil and, calling the presbyters to the altar, told them he would no longer celebrate any vigils with them, for the Lord was calling him from this temporal life. Everyone was filled with great sorrow, but Saint Euthymius ordered the brethren to gather around him in the morning. He instructed the brethren, "If you love me, keep my commandments, acquire love, which is the bond of perfection. No virtue is possible without love and humility. The Lord Himself, out of love for us, humbled Himself and became Man like us. Therefore, we must constantly offer Him praise, especially we who have renounced the tumultuous world. Never neglect church services, carefully preserve monastic traditions and statutes. If any of the brethren struggle with impure thoughts, constantly admonish and teach them, so that the devil does not lead the brother into sin.
I also add another commandment: let the gates of the monastery never be locked to travelers, and offer all you have to those in need, and to those in distress, help as much as you can." Then, after giving instructions on managing the brotherhood, Saint Euthymius promised to remain in spirit with all those wishing to undertake asceticism in his monastery until the end of the age.
After dismissing everyone, Saint Euthymius kept only his disciple Dometian near him and, having stayed with him inside the altar for 3 days, passed away on January 20, 473, at the age of 97.
Immediately, a multitude of monks from monasteries and deserts gathered for the funeral of the holy abba, among them Saint Gerasimus. Patriarch Anastasius with the clergy, Nitrian monks Martirius and Elias, who later became Patriarchs of Jerusalem as Saint Euthymius had foretold, also arrived.
Blessed Dometian did not leave his teacher's grave for 6 days. On the seventh day, he saw his abba, who joyfully announced to his beloved disciple, "Come, child, to the rest prepared for you, for I have entreated Lord Christ so that you may be with me." After sharing the vision with the brethren, Saint Dometian went to the church and joyfully gave up his spirit to the Lord. He was buried next to Saint Euthymius. The relics of Saint Euthymius the Great were in his monastery in Palestine; in the 12th century, they were seen by the Russian pilgrim, Hegumen Daniel.
