Athanasius the Younger of Vysotsk

Venerable Athanasius the Younger of Vysotsk (in the world Ammos) was a disciple of the first hegumen of the Vysotsky Monastery in Serpukhov, Venerable Athanasius the Elder, and the second hegumen of the monastery. He lived until 1395, and his birth is placed before 1352. He is commemorated on the same day as his teacher (12 September) and in the Synaxes of the Saints of Radonezh, of Moscow and of Rostov.

Even less is known of him than of his teacher of the same name. The chronicles passed him over. The Word on the Life of our Venerable Father Athanasius of Vysotsk and of His Disciple Athanasius, Hegumen of the Same Monastery, written at the end of the seventeenth century, is not regarded as a reliable source, since it contains clearly untrue information. Yet the monastery's tradition preserves some details. According to tradition, he came from Yaroslavl and was called Ammos in the world, and his parents were Hilarion and Anna. Since he became hegumen in 1382, it may be supposed that he was born before 1352. If we follow the Word, Ammos came to the Vysotsky monastery in 1374, soon after its founding, and was tonsured in 1379.

After in 1382 Athanasius the Elder left the monastery and went with Metropolitan Cyprian, expelled from Moscow, to Kyiv and then to Constantinople, the place of hegumen was taken by Athanasius the Younger, raised to the rank of hieromonk.

The venerable one reposed in 1395, according to the Word, in old age and after a long illness. By his wish he was buried under the staircase of the monastery church. Later the staircase was taken down and a chapel was built on that spot. In 1697 Natalia Naryshkina, the mother of Peter I, built a church in place of the chapel, consecrated in the name of Saint Athanasius of Athos. In the same year Hieromonk Karion (Istomin) of the Chudov Monastery wrote the Life of the venerable ones of Vysotsk. On 24 September 1994 the relics of the venerable one were found. By decision of the Council of Bishops of 2004, Athanasius of Vysotsk was numbered among the saints for veneration throughout the Church. The day of his repose became the common day of commemoration of him and of his teacher.