Nahum Troitsky

Venerable Nahum Troitsky (Nahum of Radonezh) was among the first disciples of Saint Sergius of Radonezh. Leaving worldly attachments, he came to the star that was rising in the east, the great abba Sergius, the fame of whose God-⁠pleasing life was carried by the talk of the people, drawing those who wished to emulate his desert struggles. The life of the blessed Nahum was, most likely, so modest and unnoticed by those around that the author of the Life of Saint Sergius, who came to the monastery somewhat later, does not even mention his name among the disciples, and the Nikon Chronicle says nothing of him. Had it not been for the wondrous appearance of the great Sergius to the sacristan Irinarkh, in the time of the siege of the Trinity monastery, we might never have learned of this humble disciple of the great teacher.

The event is told by Avraamy Palitsyn, cellarer of the monastery. On one of the hardest days of the defence of the monastery, Venerable Sergius appeared to the sacristan Irinarkh and said to him, "Tell the brethren and all the soldiers: why grieve that word cannot be sent to Moscow? Today, at the third hour of the night, I sent from myself to Moscow, to the house of the Most Pure Mother of God and to all the wonderworkers of Moscow, three of my disciples, Micah, Bartholomew and Nahum, to hold a moleben there. The enemies saw those sent; ask them why they did not seize them." Irinarkh at once told all he had heard from the venerable one, and the commanders began to question their own men and prisoners whether they had seen those sent by Sergius and whether all this had really happened. Then the venerable one himself appeared to them; saying that the elders had been sent on the blind horses which for lack of fodder had been let out beyond the monastery wall, he healed that elder of his illness and at the same time of his unbelief.

On that very day, in Moscow, an elder was seen followed by twelve carts full of baked bread. Moscow was also besieged by enemies. The elder was heading for the Epiphany monastery, where the metochion of the Lavra then was. Those who saw him marvelled and could not understand how he had passed unnoticed through the enemy regiments. "Who are you and how did you pass through such a host?" the people of Moscow asked the elder. He answered them, "We are all from the house of the Most Holy and Life-⁠giving Trinity." When they asked what was happening in the monastery of Venerable Sergius, the elder answered, "The Lord will not give His Name over to the reproach of unbelievers; only you, brethren, be not troubled and do not give way to despair." Meanwhile a rumour spread through Moscow about those who had come from the monastery of Venerable Sergius; Tsar Basil himself asked why they had not been brought to him, many people began to flock to the Epiphany monastery, but there no one saw those who had arrived. When in that monastery there was suddenly found a great abundance of bread, all gave praise to God, Who works wonders through His saints. Nahum is commemorated on 19 July, with the Synaxis of the Saints of Radonezh, and on 5 September, a movable day, with the Synaxis of the Saints of Moscow, in the new style.