Nikodim Goncharov

Nikodim Goncharov was a Russian schemamonk, born at Stary Oskol, Kursk province, into a family of townspeople, who died in 1838. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Nikolai Afanasievich in the world, from youth he left the cares of the world, his home, his parents and his property and wandered through many monasteries of Russia, then resolved to go to Athos. Returning to his town to take leave, he persuaded his two brothers, and others, to leave the world and set out on the narrow way. They reached Athos on 17 September 1836. The Goncharov brothers bought the cell of the Archangels. Nikodim died in 1838, and after three years, by Athonite custom, his grave was opened: the bones were yellow and fragrant. They were taken into the church for the vigil, in the presence of the confessor Arsenius. When Praise the name of the Lord was sung, a fragrance was sensed everywhere; Father Hieronymus saw myrrh like oil flowing from his skull, from the place of the ears, with ineffable fragrance, and ordered the chanting to stop. He said: these ears were never sated with hearing the word of God and every pious writing; Nikodim had been a skilled reader.