Barlaam of Khutyn

{{short description|Russian hermit and saint (d. 1192)}}

{{Infobox saint

| honorific-prefix = Saint

|name= Barlaam of Khutyn

| birth_date ={{circa|1112}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1192|11|8|1112}}

| feast_day= 6 November

| venerated_in = Eastern Orthodox Church Russian Greek Catholic Church

| image = Barlaam of Khutyn.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Icon of Barlaam, 16th century

| birth_place =

| death_place = Khutyn

| titles =Venerable

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Barlaam or Varlaam of Khutyn ({{langx|ru|Варлаам Хутынский}}; secular name: Aleksa or Aleksy;{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=47}} ({{Circa|1112}} – {{OldStyleDate|13 November|1192/1193|6 November}}){{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}} was a Russian Orthodox hegumen and saint who founded the Khutyn Monastery.

Life

He was born into a wealthy family from Novgorod.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=47}} After the death of his parents, he became a hermit on the Volkhov and handed all of his inheritance to the poor.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=47}} He went to live in solitary at Khutyn, where he built a wooden chapel.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=47}}

At this time, he had gained many followers as his reputation for holiness was spreading.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}} So great were their numbers that he founded a monastery, the Khutyn Monastery, which was dedicated to Christ's transfiguration.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=47}} He also took the name of Barlaam (Varlaam), and among the benefactors of the monastery was Yaroslav, the prince of Novgorod.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}}

Barlaam died on 6 November 1192 or 1193, and his grave became a site for pilgrimage.{{Cite web |title=ВАРЛААМ ХУТЫНСКИЙ - Древо |url=http://drevo-info.ru/articles/11615.html |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=drevo-info.ru |language=ru}}{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}} Prior to his death, he had nominated a monk by the name of Antony to succeed him.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}} Barlaam's relics were enshrined in 1452 and the Serbian monk Pachomius wrote about his life.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}} He is commemorated in Russian liturgy when bread and wine is being prepared.{{sfn|Butler|Burns|1995|p=48}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite Efron|Варлаам, преподобный хутынский}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Butler |first1=Alban |last2=Burns |first2=Paul |title=Butler's Lives of the Saints |date=1 January 1995 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-86012-260-9 |pages=47–48 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dCwqkdk1LcsC |language=en}}