St. Abraham of Rostov

Today is the feast of St. Abraham of Rostov, monk, travelling evangelist, and church builder. He lived in Russia in the 10th century. According to legend, St. Abraham was given a staff by a vision of St. John the Apostle. He then used the staff to smash the stone idols kept in the pagan temple in Rostov, and built the monastary of the Theophany on the temple's site. The staff was later carried in battle by Ivan the Terrible. He later built two parish churches and started charitable organizations. Chosen as abbot of the monastary, he led by working as the servent and performing the most menial tasks. He died of natural causes and was buried in the monastary he had built.

File Under: Saints