Cloud of Witnesses
Venerable (Monastic)13th century

Venerable Elisha of Lavreshev

13th century (died c. 1250)

Also known as Elisha of Lavrishevo

Founder of a monastery near Novogrudok dedicated to Saint Laurence, remembered in the monastic tradition of the western Rus' lands.

October 23New Calendar
Feast Day
November 5Old Calendar
Suggest a correctionContribute
Icon galleryBrowse icons and imagery elsewhere
Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Elisha of Lavrishevo

Life

Elisha of Lavrishevo (Lavreshev) was a 13th-century monastic who founded a men's monastery near Novogrudok, in the western Rus' lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, dedicated to Saint Laurence. He is remembered in the monastic tradition of the region and commemorated on October 23.

According to the received accounts he was of princely origin and abandoned court life to embrace monasticism, gathering a community at the site later known as the Lavrishevo Monastery. He was killed at the monastery around 1250 and afterward venerated as a wonderworker.

His local canonization was affirmed by Metropolitan Joseph Soltan at a council in Vilna in 1514; church-wide canonization is dated to 1984.

Troparion1 hymnReadHide
TroparionTone 3

O Venerable Father Elisha, you struggled wondrously with Saint Laurence.
Emulating your teacher, you threw earthly glory and honor beneath the feet of Christ;
therefore, the Lord has crowned you with the imperishable crown of His glory.

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

Timeline5 momentsReadHide
  1. c. 1225Founding of the Lavrishevo MonasteryAccording to the OCA commemoration, a men's monastery dedicated to Saint Laurence was founded by Saint Elisha around 1225 near Novogrudok, at the place where the Dormition parish church later stood.
  2. c. 1250Death at the monasteryElisha was killed on the night of October 23, around 1250, at the Lavrishevo Monastery in the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; tradition holds that he was slain by a young servant in his care.
  3. 1505Traditional account of a Tatar deliveranceBy tradition, when Tatars approached the monastery in 1505 they saw it filled with cavalry and withdrew, an event counted as a miraculous intercession of the saint.
  4. 1514Local canonizationMetropolitan Joseph Soltan formally canonized Elisha at a council held in Vilna.
  5. 1984Church-wide canonizationHis veneration was extended to the wider Church.

Contributions & Legacy

4 contributionsReadHide

Life and the Founding of Lavrishevo

The accounts of Elisha's origins agree that he was of princely descent but differ in detail. One tradition names him as Prince Rimund of Litovsk, baptized with the name Lavr (Laurence), who became a monk after persecution by his pagan father. Another account describes him as a son of Prince Traidzen who held a high position at the court of Grand Duke Mindaugas of Lithuania before converting to Christianity.

By the received account he abandoned court life and withdrew into the wilderness, where he was found by an Orthodox monk; together they established the monastery. Among the brethren of the community, tradition numbers Prince Voishalk (Vaishvilkas), a son of Mindaugas.

The monastery was dedicated to Saint Laurence, and its name is associated with the baptismal name Lavr / Laurentius. Ecclesiastical records place it near Novogrudok, at the site where the Dormition parish church afterward stood.

Death and Veneration

Elisha was killed at the monastery on the night of October 23, around 1250. Tradition relates that his killer was a young servant, or ward, in his care. After his death his relics were venerated as miraculous, and he came to be remembered as a wonderworker of the western Rus' lands.

His local canonization was affirmed by Metropolitan Joseph Soltan at a council held in Vilna in 1514, and church-wide canonization is dated to 1984. He is buried at the Lavrishevo Monastery. His feast is kept on October 23 (November 5 on the New Calendar).

Miracles & Traditions

Historically Documented: The formal recognition of Elisha's veneration is recorded in the ecclesiastical acts of the 1514 council at Vilna under Metropolitan Joseph Soltan, and later in the church-wide canonization dated to 1984.

Traditional Accounts: The synaxarion tradition relates that after his death Elisha's relics were glorified as miraculous. A further tradition holds that in 1505, when Tatars advanced on the monastery, they beheld it filled with mounted horsemen and withdrew, which was counted as the saint's intercession.

Relics & Shrines

Elisha is buried at the Lavrishevo Monastery, the community he founded near Novogrudok. His relics were the focus of his early veneration as a wonderworker.

Related SaintsShowHide

Browse other saints who share his calling and place.

More Slavic Saints752More Byzantine Saints1282More Monastics1353
Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints