Paisy of Siya

Venerable Paisius of Siya († 17 December 1695) was a monk of the Antoniev Siya Monastery in the Arkhangelsk region, treasurer of Patriarch Joachim and great benefactor of the monastery. He is venerated as a local saint, in the Synaxis of the Siya Saints, on the third Sunday after Pentecost.

He was the son of Methodius, a priest of the cathedral of the Solovki Monastery, or according to other sources of a priest of Siya. In 1664 he received monastic tonsure at Siya from his spiritual father, Venerable Theodosius of Siya. About 1670 he was elected cellarer and treasurer. In 1676 he was taken from Siya to Solovki and made steward of the Moscow metochion, and on 30 July 1676, by decision of Patriarch Joachim, was appointed patriarchal treasurer. Between 1676 and 1694 he figures among the judges of the Moscow Treasury Office.

From 1680 he was a great benefactor of Siya Monastery. After the terrible fire of 1658, at his expense in 1685 stone cells for the abbot and brothers were built, the bell tower, the sacristy and the book chamber, the kitchen, the holy gates and a stone church of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh; in Moscow a bell of more than 300 poods was cast for the monastery. His gifts enriched the library: in 1692 he gave 30 books, kept in four sealed chests, to be opened after his death; among them the famous Siya Gospel with many miniatures, made in Moscow at the end of the 1680s at his order and with the help of Nikodim of Siya. With Nikodim he helped bring in 1677 the relics of Venerable Isaiah and Nikanor of Ruchyi. He asked for the founding of the monastery's archimandrity: in July 1692 he personally brought the blessing of Patriarch Adrian, and on 31 July 1692 Archbishop Athanasius of Kholmogory set Hieromonk Nikodim as archimandrite. He gave the archimandrite a mitre brought from Moscow, adorned with small icons, precious stones and pearls.

The funeral service was served by Patriarch Adrian at the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow, then, according to his will and the patriarch's letter of 8 December 1695, the body was taken to Siya. On 13 January 1696, in the presence of Archbishop Athanasius, he was buried in the Holy Trinity cathedral, to the right of the shrine of Venerable Anthony of Siya, near the tomb of the saints Isaiah and Nikanor of Ruchyi. The inscription on the wall says: "In the year 7203, on 17 December, by the will of God the servant of God Paisius of Siya, treasurer of the most holy Patriarch Adrian, fell asleep." Today the place of the tomb is not known. On the day of his death memorial services were served. Nikodim of Siya speaks, in the "History of the Venerable Abbot Theodosius," of his good life and wisdom.

At Siya the veneration of the first saints of Siya is being revived. On 15 July 2008 Bishop Tikhon of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory blessed the celebration of the Synaxis of the Siya Saints.