Venerable (Monastic) 19th century

Saint Theophanes of the Roslavl Forests

d. June 15, 1819

Also known as Theodore Talunin · Schemamonk Theophanes

A former Cossack soldier who entered the monastic life and withdrew to the solitude of the Roslavl forests, a place of refuge for many seekers of stillness.

Feast Day

June 15

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Paisios Velichkovsky is described as 'a central figure in the revival of hesychast monasticism.' — Neither the anchor row nor either external source applies this characterization to Paisios. The dossier mentions only that Theophanes lived at Neamts Monastery 'under Saint Paisios Velichkovsky's guidance.' The hesychast-revival description is interpretive editorial content not grounded in the supplied dossier.

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Theophanes of the Roslavl Forests

Life

Saint Theophanes of the Roslavl Forests, born Theodore Talunin in Vladimir Province, was a Russian monastic ascetic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who became renowned for his extreme feats of fasting and prayer. A former Cossack soldier, he turned to the monastic life after his military discharge and spent his final years associated with Optina Hermitage and the hermit fathers of the Roslavl Forest, a noted refuge for those seeking stillness.

He is remembered above all for an extraordinary forty-day fast undertaken during Great Lent of 1819, recorded by the Optina fathers, after which his health rapidly declined and he reposed. He received local veneration in the Smolensk Diocese on August 31, 2017, and is commemorated on June 15.

Timeline 7 moments Read Hide

Until 1791 Service in the Black Sea Cossack army Theodore Talunin, a native of Vladimir Province, served as a soldier in the Black Sea Cossack army until his discharge in 1791.
1790s Sophroniev Hermitage and Moldavia After his military discharge he spent time at Sophroniev Hermitage, then traveled to Moldavia, where he lived for three years at Neamts Monastery under the guidance of Saint Paisios Velichkovsky.
1800 Joins Optina Hermitage Following the death of Saint Paisios, he returned to Russia and joined the brotherhood of Optina Hermitage.
1801 Monastic tonsure He received monastic tonsure at Optina Hermitage.
Great Lent 1819 The forty-day fast Resolving to fast completely for the whole of Great Lent, he abstained from food and sleep, performed 800 daily prostrations, and used cuffs with cords fixed to wall hooks to remain standing through the nights.
June 15, 1819 Repose After completing the fast and receiving communion, he attempted to repeat the struggle; severe cold brought on a grave cough and rapid decline, and he reposed in the Roslavl Forests, dying as he began to make the Sign of the Cross.
August 31, 2017 Local glorification He was approved for local veneration in the Smolensk Diocese.

Contributions & Legacy

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Early Life and Path to Monasticism

Saint Theophanes was born Theodore Talunin in Vladimir Province. He served in the Black Sea Cossack army until his discharge in 1791. Turning to the monastic life, he first spent time at Sophroniev Hermitage before traveling to Moldavia.

At Neamts Monastery he lived for three years under the spiritual direction of Saint Paisios Velichkovsky, a central figure in the revival of hesychast monasticism. After Paisios's death, Theophanes returned to Russia and joined the brotherhood of Optina Hermitage in 1800, receiving monastic tonsure in 1801.

Ascetic Labors

Saint Moses of Optina documented Theophanes's spiritual efforts, recording that he zealously pursued the active virtues of fasting, prayer, and prostrations with extreme non-acquisitiveness and meekness of spirit. During the opening and closing weeks of Great Lent he consumed nothing at all, and during other fasting periods he ate only every third day.

He frequently visited the Roslavl Forest to see the hermit fathers Athanasios and Moses. In 1819, when these fathers inspected Optina Hermitage, Theophanes announced his intention to visit them during Great Lent and to fast the entire period without food, declaring, 'I have faith that I will not die from fasting.'

Throughout this fast he abstained from both sleep and food. Beyond his regular prayers he performed 800 daily prostrations, and he used special cuffs with cords attached to wall hooks so that he could remain standing through the nights without collapsing from exhaustion. He nonetheless maintained a cheerful disposition, heated his cell, and assisted at the church services. Once a week he took only vinegar-water on account of dryness of the mouth. When Father Moses observed his skeletal appearance and remarked that he had worn himself out, Theophanes answered that Christ his Savior had poured out all His blood to the last drop for his sake, and that there was plenty of blood left in him yet.

Repose

After completing the fast and receiving communion, Theophanes attempted to repeat the same struggle. Severe cold, however, triggered a terrible cough and caused his health to decline rapidly. He reposed on June 15, 1819. Before his death, Father Moses asked whether his soul had found peace, and Theophanes replied that with joy he desired to be released from this life. He died while beginning to make the Sign of the Cross.

Relics & Shrines

Saint Theophanes's grave is located beside the Florovka creek at the edge of a ravine in the Roslavl wilderness, where it remains venerated by pilgrims.

Veneration and Legacy

Father Anthony, who was present at his death, later reported that on the fortieth day after his repose Theophanes appeared to him and assured him, 'I always pray to God for you.'

Saint Theophanes received approval for local veneration in the Smolensk Diocese on August 31, 2017. He is commemorated on June 15.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints