Hilarion of Optina

Venerable Hilarion of Optina (in the world Rodion Nikitich Ponomarev, 1805-1873) was a hieroschemamonk and elder of the Optina Skete, a disciple of Venerable Macarius. He was venerated locally in 1996 and glorified for veneration throughout the Church by the Council of Bishops in 2000, being one of the elders of Optina. He is commemorated on 18 September, the day of his repose.

Youth

He was born on 8 April 1805 in the village of Klyuchi, Novokhopersk district, Voronezh province, in a family of serfs, Nikita Filimonovich and Eufimia Nikiforovna, and was named at baptism after the Holy Apostle Herodion. The family had five children, four sons and a younger daughter, who died in infancy. His father was a tailor and travelled much with orders for the landowners around, and later he too became a monk at Optina, with the name Nifont, worked at the skete's apiary and died in 1849. The household was in the care of his mother, a God-⁠fearing woman, who raised the children in the same spirit and foretold monastic life for Rodion. As a child he was quiet and gentle and often withdrew from those of his age. From childhood he felt in himself a desire for monastic life.

In 1825 he went to Moscow to learn tailoring, stayed there three and a half years, then returned home, and in 1829 the family moved to Saratov, where they opened a tailoring workshop. At Saratov he joined a circle of church people against sectarians and schismatics. This missionary work and attentive reading of the Bible pushed him further toward monastic life. To choose his monastery, he visited many monasteries on pilgrimage for a year and a half (1837-1838). His spirit found peace at Optina.

At Optina

He came to Optina on 13 March 1839. For twelve years (1839-1852) he worked, according to the brethren's needs, as gardener, beekeeper, baker and at many other labours. When Venerable Macarius was appointed head of the skete, he chose Rodion as his cell attendant. On 13 August 1849 he was tonsured into the mantle, with the name Hilarion. In 1852 he was ordained hierodeacon and on 21 April 1857 hieromonk. Until Macarius's death he was his spiritual disciple. On 8 April 1863 he became head of the skete and confessor of the monastery.

On 4 March 1872 he served his last Liturgy. On 9 March he received the schema, keeping his name. The last four weeks before his death he spent sitting in an armchair, without moving. He died on 18 September 1873, in full possession of his mind. In 1996 he was numbered among the locally venerated saints of Optina, and in 2000 glorified for veneration throughout the Church by the Council of Bishops. Since 23 October 1998 his relics have been in the Vladimir church of Optina.

His teaching

He said that the Church is for us heaven on earth, where God is invisibly present, and so we must stand in it with order and great reverence. If you feel anger seizing you, silence will guard you: say nothing until the heart is calmed by unceasing prayer and self-⁠reproach.