Gurias (Rugotin),the Archbishop of Kazan, holy hierarch

Dates of commemoration

Jul 03
(Church calendar - Jun 20) Day of translation of the relics in 1630
Jul 16

(Church calendar - Jul 3) Synaxis of saints of Tver (movable feast on the 1st Sunday after June 29th)

Oct 17
(Church calendar - Oct 4) Day of uncovering of the relics in 1595
Oct 17
(Church calendar – Oct 4) Synaxis of Saints of Kazan
Dec 18
(Church calendar - Dec 5) Day of repose in 1563

Life

Saint Gurias, Archbishop of Kazan, (in the world Gregory Rugotin), was the first archbishop of the Kazan diocese, established in 1555. He was born in the town of Radonezh outside Moscow into the family of a courtier. His parents were not wealthy, and so from his early years he had to serve Prince Ivan Penkov as steward of his estates.

From his youth, Gregory was pious, humble and gentle, and he preserved his chastity. Accused of improprieties with the prince’s wife, Gregory was locked up in an underground dungeon for two years. This undermined his health, but it also intensified and deepened his religious fervor. In prison, he wrote a small booklet to teach children how to read and write. He donated the proceeds from his primer to the needy.

Released from prison, Gregory was tonsured with the name Gurias at the Saint Joseph of Volokolamsk monastery, known for its strict monastic rule. In 1543, he was chosen by the brethren as igumen of this monastery. He administered it for almost nine years, and then he resigned as igumen and lived for two years as a simple monk.

Before becoming bishop, Saint Gurias directed the Trinity Selizharov monastery in Tver diocese for one year. He was chosen by lot to the See of Kazan. Assisted by Saint Barsanuphius (April 11), Saint Gurias devoted himself to missionary activity. In his eight years as bishop there, four monasteries were organized, and the Annunciation cathedral church and ten more city churches were built.

In 1561 the saint fell grievously ill and could no longer perform the divine services himself. On feastdays they carried him into the church, and he either sat or lay down, since he did not have the strength to walk or even stand.

Shortly before his death (1563), he received the great schema from Saint Barsanuphius, and he was buried in the Savior-Transfiguration monastery.

The Uncovering of the relics of Saint Gurias, First Archbishop of Kazan, and Saint Barsanuphius, Bishop of Tver, occurred at Kazan on October 4, 1595. During the construction of a new stone church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord at the Savior-Transfiguration monastery, which had been founded by Saint Barsanuphius, graves with the bodies of the holy hierarchs in the altar-wall were uncovered beneath the former wooden church. The unusual aspect of incorrupt graves filled Saint Hermogenes (February 17) with a pious desire to open the graves before a large crowd of the people.

Saint Hermogenes described this event, “We beheld a marvel we had not hoped for. The coffin of the saint was full of fragrant myrrh, like pure water, and the relics of Saint Gurias were above the myrrh, like a sponge. God gave his venerable and hard-working body incorruption, as is now seen by all. Decay touched only very little of the upper lip, his other limbs were whole, and nothing has disappeared. We touched his burial robe and it held up very firm. Then we opened up the coffin of Saint Barsanuphius and we looked upon the relics of Saint Barsanuphius which were blessed by God with little corruption. Decay had touched the feet of the monk, however the bones were not destroyed, and held up quite well. There was no other sign of corruption in the condition of the rest of his relics, the same was for the relics of Saint Gurias. The burial robe of both saints was strong and like new.”

Many sick were healed, having been anointed with the holy myrrh flowing from the relics of Saint Gurias.

There is a description of the saints in the Iconographer’s Manual under October 4: “In appearance Gurias is grey and bearded, like Basil of Caesarea, with a mitre, omophorion, holding a Gospel in his hands, and dressed in the robes of a hierarch. Barsanuphius is grey and bearded like Gurias, but his is parted at the end. He wears a mitre, the robes of a hierarch, an omophorion and carries the Gospel.”

On June 20, 1613, the relics of Saint Gurias were transferred from the Savior-Transfiguration monastery to the Annunciation cathedral church. At present, the relics rest in Kazan in a cemetery church named for the holy Princes Theodore of Murom and his sons David and Constantine (May 21).

Sources:
https://oca.org/saints/lives/2017/12/05/103478-st-gurias-the-archbishop-of-kazan
https://oca.org/saints/lives/2017/10/04/102850-uncovering-of-the-relics-of-st-gurias-the-first-archbishop-of-ka

Holy relic type

unless specified otherwise below, "holy relic" means a fragment of a bone of the saint

Holy relic

Location of the holy relic in the Cathedral:

South kliros, reliquary #14 - gilded sliver cross

Icon

Troparion

Тропарь святителя Гурия, архиепископа Казанского, глас 4
Правило веры и образ целомудрия,/ учителя добрых дел/ и наставника спасения даде тя Господь/ новопросвещенному граду Казани,/ в немже приобрел еси новыя от язык люди/ и привел еси я Христови./ Сего ради в память твою радостно сошедшеся,/ честне празднуем святое твое успение,/ ты же, отче наш, святителю Христов Гурие,/ моли Христа Бога/ спастися душам нашим.

Ин тропарь святителя Гурия, архиепископа Казанского, глас 4
От младости удалялся земнаго мудрования/ и последовав скорбным путем Законоположителю своему Христу Богу./ Темже и Он тя воздарова на земли нетлением,/ на Небесех же со угодившими Ему архиереи ликовствуеши,/ Гурие святителю,/ моли Христа Бога/ подати отечеству нашему на враги победу,/ и мир мирови,/ и душам нашим велию милость.

Тропарь на перенесение мощей святителя Гурия, архиепископа Казанского, глас 4
Яко крин благовонный,/ мироточивыя твоя мощи/ от вертограда Церкве Спасовы/ в вертоград Церкве Богородичны честне принесошася,/ святителю Гурие,/ яко же бо дар честен,/ тя даровав Христос Пречистей Матери Своей,/ и исполнися храм Ея святый благоухания твоего,/ и возрадовася архиерейский престол,/ приемый тя, первоседателя своего./ Возвеселися же собор верных со святителем и священноначальники/ о преславном цельбоносных твоих мощей пренесении,/ еже мы радостно празднующе, молим тя,/ угодниче Божий:/ моли Христа Бога/ подати душам нашим мир и велию милость.

Ин тропарь святителя Гурия, архиепископа Казанского, глас 3
Добродетельного и благороднаго ради твоего жития,/ извел тя есть Прещедрый Бог/ на первопрестольство богоспасаемаго царства Казани/ и просветил есть учением твоим бесерменьстии языцы./ И многия, святителю Гурие, во избранное Христово стадо привел еси,/ и нищелюбием богоугодно пожил еси,/ и по преставлении твоем много лет сокровенное твое тело/ от недр земных на удивление явися,/ и благоуханнаго мира гроб наполнися приходящим с верою,/ взимающим миро от раки честньгх мощей твоих,/ всем источаеши исцеления,/ святителю Христов Гурие,/ моли Христа Бога/ спастися душам нашим.

Тропарь святителей Гурия и Варсонофия, глас 3
Первии учителие прежде темному,/ ныне же светлому и новопросвещенному граду Казани,/ первии возвестителие пути спасительнаго,/ истиннии хранителие апостольских преданий,/ столпи непоколебимии, благочестия учителие/ и Православия наставницы, Гурие и Варсонофие,/ Владыку всех молите// мир вселенней даровати и душам нашим велию милость.

Kontakion

Кондак святителя Гурия, глас 4
Чувственныя страсти победив,/ чистотою, яко солнце, возсиял еси,/ чисто житие до конца сохранив,/ и от неверия в веру многих ко Христу привел еси,/ и Того ради от Бога нетлением почтен был еси/ и чудесы удивляем./ Молим тя, святителю Гурие,/ молитвами твоими от бед избави нас, да зовем ти:// радуйся, отче предивный, граду Казани похвала и утверждение.

Ин кондак святителя Гурия, архиепископа Казанского, глас 6
Истине основание, и веры утверждение,/ и в поучениих преизряднаго свемы тя, благочестию споспешника,/ апостолом сопрестольника, страстотерпцем сопричастника,/ постником купноревнителя похваляем тя, Гурие святителю,/ и велия таинника Божия благодати.

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