Wednesday, September 28, 2022
St. Sergius of Radonezh
The Rev. Nathan Bourne
In the Episcopal calendar of Saints, September 25th is feast day for St. Sergius of Radonezh, the 14th century monk and spiritual leader. Sergius is likely not a name familiar to you. In Western Christianity he doesn’t enjoy the fame and devotion of a St. Francis, St. Anthony, or any of the Biblical Saints. But in the Eastern Orthodox Church, especially the Russian Church, Sergius is one of the most highly venerated Saints.
Early in his life, Sergius had an encounter with a traveling monk that would shape the direction of his life. As a young person he had trouble reading and writing, and his family didn’t know how to help him. Then one day, while searching for a foal that had escaped, he saw a monk praying to God next to a tree. Sergius approached, asked for prayers, and the monk offered him a piece of blessed bread. Sergius took the bread, and his mind opened. He easily learned to read and write, and devoted his life to God. He would then go on to become a monk and founded the Trinity monastery, which grew from a single rough-hewn cabin he built in the woods. He lived and preached simplicity. The monks who came to him would adopt a similar life, living out their faith in close connection with the land and living by their own labor. The legacy of Sergius has been enshrined in the paintings of the 20th century artist Mikhail Nesterov, who was inspired by Sergius’s deep connection to God and the Russian countryside. He found in Sergius a vision of divine harmony and simplicity.
It may feel odd to be venerating a Russian Saint at a time like this, but I believe Sergius has something important to offer the world. At a time when Russian Imperialism and cruelty is on full display, Sergius offers another way. He offers a counter-narrative to military expansion and unnecessary violence. He preached a peace and contentment grounded in God’s love and lived out on the land. Sergius needed nothing more than what he had. So on this day, may we look to St. Sergius in hope and gratitude, praying that his example of a peaceable life will take hold in the hearts of those who seek to follow Christ around the world.