Saint Sergius of Radonezh
Abbot and wonderworker of All Russia
- Feast day
- September 25
- Lived
- 1314–1392
- Patronage
- Russia, students, monastics, peacemakers
Saint Sergius rebuilt the spiritual life of Russia from a hut in the forest north of Moscow, founding the Holy Trinity Lavra and forming a generation of monks who colonised the Russian north with monasteries.
Life
Born Bartholomew to the boyar family of Saints Cyril and Maria of Rostov, he struggled hopelessly with reading until an elder he met in a field gave him a piece of prosphora, after which he read fluently — the scene shown in the famous painting by Nesterov.
After his parents' death he went with his brother Stephen into the forest at Makovets, built a cell and a small church of the Holy Trinity, and lived alone with bears for company until disciples gathered. He refused the office of Metropolitan of Moscow and continued to do the community's manual labour himself, dressed so poorly that visitors mistook him for a workman.
Kulikovo and legacy
In 1380 Grand Prince Dimitri Donskoy came to him before the battle of Kulikovo; Sergius blessed the campaign and sent two monks with him. The victory is remembered as a turning point in the liberation of Rus from the Mongol yoke.
The Holy Trinity–Saint Sergius Lavra at Sergiyev Posad remains the spiritual heart of the Russian Church, and Rublev's Trinity icon was painted in praise of him.
When Saint Sergius of Radonezh is commemorated
The feast falls on September 25 on the Revised Julian (New) calendar used by most Greek, Antiochian and Romanian parishes. Parishes that keep the Julian (Old) calendar — much of the Russian, Serbian and Georgian Churches, and Mount Athos — celebrate it on the civil date October 8, thirteen days later. You can switch between both reckonings anywhere on this site.
See the full liturgical day for September 25, 2026
That page gives the fasting rule in force, the Epistle and Gospel appointed for the day, and every other saint commemorated alongside Saint Sergius of Radonezh. To keep the feast, look for a parish in the USA, Canada or Australia directory, and read the Akathist hymns appointed for private prayer.