Athanasius "the Resurrected", recluse of the Kiev Caves, venerable (Near Caves)
Dates of commemoration
(Church calendar - Feb 27) Synaxis of all Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves (movable feast on the 2nd Sunday of the Great Lent)
Life
Saint Athanasius, hermit of the Near Caves of Kiev, was a contemporary of the archimandrite Saint Polycarp (July 24) of the Kiev Caves. Saint Athanasius was grievously ill for a long time. When he died, the brethren prepared him for burial, and on the third day the igumen came to bury him. However, they all saw the dead man alive. He was sitting up and weeping. To all their questions he replied only: “Seek salvation, obey the igumen in everything, repent each hour and pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, to His All-Pure Mother and to Saints Anthony and Theodosius, to allow you to end your life here. Do not ask me anything else, for I must pray” (There is a similar story of Saint Hesychius [October 3] in THE LADDER of Saint John Climacus, Step 6).
After this he lived for twelve years more in solitude in a cave. During that time he spoke not a word to anyone. He wept day and night, and partook of a little bread and water only every other day. Just before his death, he assembled the brethren, and repeated his earlier words to them, and then he peacefully departed unto the Lord (in about the year 1176).
The monk Babylas, who had suffered illness and an infirmity of the legs for many years, was healed at his relics. “As I lay there,” he told the brethren, “ I cried out in pain. Suddenly, Saint Athanasius appeared to me and said, ‘Come to me, and I shall heal you.’ I wanted to ask him how and when he had returned here, but he became invisible. I believed his words and asked to be taken to his relics. And indeed, I have been healed.” Saint Athanasius was buried in the Antoniev Cave. His memory is celebrated also on September 28 and on the second Sunday of Great Lent.
Source:
Holy relic type
unless specified otherwise below, "holy relic" means a fragment of a bone of the saint
Holy relics
Location of the holy relic in the Cathedral:
North kliros, reliquary #5
Troparion
Тропарь преподобного Афанасия, затворника Печерского, в Ближних пещерах, глас 3
Блаженство плачущих получити желая,/ день и нощь непрестанно плакал еси,/ имея во уме час Судный,/ тем по кончине твоей обрел еси утешение на Небеси,/ преподобне Афанасие./ Подаждь и нам плакатися зде грехов наших выну,/ яко да плача безконечнаго избывше,/ тамо приимем вечное утешение.
Kontakion
Кондак преподобного Афанасия, затворника Печерского, в Ближних пещерах, глас 5
Яко безсмертия тезоименит, по умертвии своем востал еси жив;/ показуя же, яко зело люта есть смерть, плакался еси горько./ Ныне, обретши некончаемую радость,/ молися о нас, яко да плача вечнаго избудем.