Anatoly of Optina

Venerable Anatoly of Optina the Younger (in the world Alexander Alekseevich Potapov) was a hieroschemamonk of the Optina Hermitage. He was born in Moscow, in an old merchant family, about the year 1855, and reposed on 11 August 1922 at Optina. He was called the Younger so as not to be confused with Anatoly the Elder, also of Optina. He is commemorated on 30 July, on 27 June (the finding of the relics) and on 11 October, in the Synaxis of the Elders of Optina.

He finished the district school, then engaged in trade and served as a clerk at Kaluga. He longed for spiritual life from his youth, but his mother would not let him go to a monastery. After her death, in 1885, at the age of thirty, the Kaluga clerk Alexander Potapov came to Optina. Soon the novice Alexander received a blessing to be cell attendant to the venerable elder Ambrose. And already then there appeared in Venerable Anatoly a wonderful gift of love, compassion and foresight.

He was tonsured rassophore in the church of the skete, and later to the mantle, with the name Anatoly. He was ordained hieromonk and almost at the same time, by decree of the Kaluga spiritual consistory, was appointed confessor of the Kazan Ambrosievskaya convent at Shamordino, and fulfilled this service until his death. Venerable Anatoly had the opportunity to leave Optina, but categorically refused, resolved to stay in the monastery until they drove him out. After the first arrest he returned to his monastery barely alive, but with a bright smile and thanks to the Lord on his lips, having condemned no one.

In 1921 the abbot of the monastery, Venerable Isaac, proposed that the elder receive the schema. At the tonsure Venerable Anatoly was so weak that he could not hold the candle himself and pronounced the schema vows in a barely audible voice. After receiving the schema he felt better, began to eat and, little by little, to rise from his bed. On 29 July (11 August) 1922 they came for the elder to arrest him a second time. He did not resist, but asked them to come for him the next day, giving him time to prepare. Seeing the venerable one's great age, the escort yielded. All night Venerable Anatoly spent in prayer, and in the morning his cell attendant found him on his knees and lifeless.

The relics of Venerable Anatoly of Optina were found on 27 June (10 July) 1998 and now lie in the church-⁠tomb dedicated to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.