Anthony of Optina

Venerable Anthony of Optina (in the world Alexander Ivanovich Putilov) was an elder of Optina and abbot of the Saint Nicholas monastery of Maloyaroslavets between 1839 and 1853. He was born on 9 March 1795 in Romanov and fell asleep on 7 August 1865, at Optina. He was glorified in 1996 as a locally venerated saint in the synaxis of the elders of Optina, and at the Council of Bishops of 2000 he was canonized for veneration throughout the Church. He is remembered on 7 August, in the synaxis of the elders of Optina and in the synaxis of the saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl.

Youth

He was born in the Yaroslavl province, into a large merchant family. After his education at home, in 1809 he entered the service of a tax-⁠farmer in Moscow as commissioner and in 1812 spent ten days in French captivity. Flight from captivity brought him to Rostov, where he took the same post as in Moscow. Only in 1816 did he manage to fulfil his dear wish, to leave the world and begin monastic life. On 15 January 1816 he put on the novice's dress and settled in the forests of Roslavl in the Smolensk province, where, on 2 February 1820, he received monastic tonsure with the name Anthony and lived five years.

At Optina

In June 1821 he moved to the skete of Optina and took an active part in its arrangement. On 24 August 1823 he was ordained hierodeacon, in 1825 appointed head of the skete and in 1827 ordained hieromonk. His fourteen years of leadership were for the Optina skete the time of arrangement and firm foundation, outwardly and in spirit, and the beginning of its flourishing. Eighteen years he laboured in the skete, giving all an example by his diligence and tirelessness.

Maloyaroslavets

On 3 December 1839 he was appointed abbot of the Saint Nicholas Chernoostrovsky monastery in Maloyaroslavets. There it fell to him to establish the inner order of the monastery, in the spirit of faith and piety, by the rules of experienced ascetics and on the model of the best Russian monasteries. By counsels, teachings and the power of his prayer he drew many people to himself. Illnesses forced him several times to ask to be released from office, but only in 1853 did he obtain it. On 9 February 1853 he handed the leadership to his successor and withdrew to Optina. On 9 March 1865 he received the schema and ceased to receive laypeople. He fell asleep on 7 August of the same year and was buried in the Kazan cathedral of Optina. His brothers, Jonah and Timothy, were also known servants of the Church.