Gavriil Chedaev

Gavriil Chedaev was a Russian hieroschemamonk, former abbot of the Skete of St Elias, born in Tula province, who died at Constantinople on 5 January 1884. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Georgy Nikitich in the world, he was a monk of the Kiev Caves Lavra, where he received the name Gervasius and was ordained hieromonk, and was confessor of Metropolitan Arsenius of Kiev, known as a very devout ascetic who loved stillness. The abbot Paisius greatly esteemed him and recommended him as successor in leading the skete, and the proposal was supported by the Russian consul at Thessaloniki, the philosopher Konstantin Leontiev. Though he had been on Athos only three years, he was elected abbot, but bore the office a short time, because of his age and love of stillness. In 1873 he settled at Rossikon, where he was tonsured into the schema with the name Gavriil. There he lived until his death in a secluded cell, in close spiritual bond with the abbot Macarius. He spent his last two years at the Rossikon metochion in Constantinople, where a grave illness forced him to seek treatment. He reposed at Constantinople on 5 January 1884.