Feofan Serdobintsev

Feofan Serdobintsev was a Russian hieromonk and icon painter of St Panteleimon Monastery, born in 1870 to Christian Gypsy settled parents at Mordovo-⁠Karaisk, Saratov province. He reposed on 8 November 1933. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Fyodor Yakovlevich in the world, his parents were very devout and raised him in love and humility. The boy was highly gifted, with talent for drawing, singing and study, the best pupil in the village school. In 1888, aged eighteen, he came to Athos and was received as a novice at St Panteleimon, where he was put in the icon workshop. On 1 March 1895 he was tonsured into the mantle with the name Feofan, on 15 August 1900 hierodeacon and on 28 March 1909 hieromonk. The abbot Macarius had told him from the first day to say the Jesus Prayer while painting and to stop if the prayer did not come; so his icons were especially warm. He painted the little church of the Mother of God Quick to Hear on Polyanka in Moscow, requested by Father Aristoklii. In 1927 he was arrested and exiled for two years to the Narym region, then arrested again and exiled for three years. Gravely ill, he was taken in by the brethren of the Moscow metochion; death spared him suffering and a new persecution.