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Venerable (Monastic)13th century

Xenophon of Robeika

13th century; reposed June 28, 1262

A disciple of St. Barlaam of Khutyn and superior of his monastery, founder of a community on the River Robeika.

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Xenophon, Abbot of Robeika

Life

St. Xenophon of Robeika was a 13th-century monastic of the Novgorod region of Rus'. A disciple of St. Barlaam of Khutyn, he became the third Superior (igumen) of Khutyn Monastery after the death of Igumen Isidore in 1243.

After stepping down from the abbacy of Khutyn, he founded a monastery on the banks of the River Robeika, not far from Novgorod, where he served as superior of the new community until his peaceful repose on June 28, 1262.

He is venerated in the Orthodox Church as a venerable abbot, with his relics resting for many years in the monastery church, which later became a parish church.

Troparion1 hymnReadHide
TroparionTone 4

You appeared as a beautiful growth in the wilderness, O Venerable Father,
for from your youth you chose a life of purity.
Following your Spiritual Father, your mind was turned toward heavenly things by his teaching;
you dwelt in the wilderness and established a monastery,
and you were a most wise shepherd to your flock,
but to Novgorod, its boast and its strength.
Therefore Christ, like a bright lamp, has enriched you with miracles and glorified you.
O Xenophon, our Father,
pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline3 momentsReadHide
  1. 1243Becomes Superior of Khutyn MonasteryFollowing the death of Igumen Isidore, Xenophon — a disciple of St. Barlaam of Khutyn — becomes the third Superior of Khutyn Monastery.
  2. c. mid-13th centuryFounds the monastery on the RobeikaAfter leaving his position as Superior of Khutyn, Xenophon founds a monastery (identified as Holy Trinity Monastery, with a church dedicated to St. Nicholas consecrated at the site) on the banks of the River Robeika, near Novgorod. According to one account he became igumen of the new monastery in 1251.
  3. June 28, 1262ReposeSt. Xenophon reposes peacefully at the monastery he had established on the Robeika.

Contributions & Legacy

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Discipleship and the Khutyn Abbacy

St. Xenophon was formed in the monastic tradition of St. Barlaam of Khutyn, whose disciple he was. Following the death of Igumen Isidore in 1243, he became the third Superior of Khutyn Monastery, one of the principal monastic houses of the Novgorod region.

According to the hagiographic narrative, St. Barlaam initially sent Xenophon away on a raft with minimal provisions during a storm; after some time Xenophon returned seeking forgiveness and received a blessing to build a chapel. A church dedicated to St. Nicholas was later consecrated at the site, formalizing the monastic establishment.

Foundation on the Robeika

After leaving the abbacy of Khutyn, St. Xenophon founded a community on the banks of the River Robeika, not far from Novgorod. The foundation is identified in the sources as Holy Trinity Monastery, with one account placing his appointment as igumen of the new monastery in 1251.

He reposed at this monastery on June 28, 1262.

Sources and Historiography

The biographical record for St. Xenophon is limited; no information survives regarding his birth date. His original vita was lost, and when it was rewritten in the 18th century, his biographers confused St. Barlaam of Khutyn with St. Barlaam of Kiev, who lived roughly 200 years earlier — a confusion that also attached to his associate Anthony of Dymsk.

The only surviving copy of the vita emerged late in the 20th century. Research by A. G. Bobrov in 1997 questioned the previously accepted 13th-century founding date on the basis of textual evidence from the vita, proposing a different timeline. According to one account, before entering Khutyn, Xenophon took monastic vows at the Lisitsky Monastery under Barlaam.

Relics & Shrines

St. Xenophon's holy relics rested for many years in the monastery church on the Robeika, which later became a parish church. The sources preserve no further detail concerning the relics beyond their location, nor specific circumstances of his glorification.

Commemoration

St. Xenophon is honored on three occasions: June 28, the anniversary of his repose; January 26, the feast of his patron saint, Xenophon of Constantinople; and the third Sunday after Pentecost, the Synaxis of the Novgorod Saints.

Companions1 figureShowHide
Fellow disciple of St. Barlaam of Khutyn who likewise founded a monastery near Novgorod; their lives became intertwined in the later hagiographic record.
Venerable Anthonyof Dymsk
Related Saints2 saintsShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

His spiritual father and the founder of Khutyn Monastery, in whose tradition Xenophon was formed and whose abbacy he later held.
Venerable Barlaamof Khutyn
His patron saint and namesake, on whose feast (January 26) he is also commemorated.
Venerable Xenophonhis Wife Mary, and their Sons Arcadius and John

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 26