Ilarion Kuchin

Ilarion Kuchin was a Russian archimandrite, abbot of New Athos (Simono-⁠Kananitsky) Monastery in Abkhazia, who died in exile at Sukhumi on 8 March 1931. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Ivan Petrovich in the world, he was born in 1842 at Kashira, Tula province, in a family of townspeople, studied at the gymnasium in Tula and worked in the chancery of a factory. Worldly life did not attract him. In 1868, aged twenty-⁠six, he went to Athos and entered St Panteleimon; two years later he was tonsured a rassophore with the name Ilarion, and in 1871 into the mantle. For almost eight years he was guest-⁠master, hospitable like Abraham. He was ordained hierodeacon on 26 September 1876, then sent to the metochion at Constantinople, where he arranged the reception of pilgrims from Russia and Jerusalem on their way to Athos. From 1883 he was steward at New Athos, known for the exactness of his accounts and for his letters to Macarius. By his zeal the New Athos metochion in St Petersburg was built. Later he became abbot of New Athos Monastery. After the revolution he was arrested after serving the last vigil and Liturgy, taken to Sukhumi and then released. He reposed in exile at Sukhumi, in the house of a Russian woman, and was buried in the Mayak cemetery.