Theoctistus of Chernihiv

Saint Theoctistus (Feoktist) of Chernihiv, who died in 1123, was for many years a monk and then hegumen of the Kiev Caves Monastery and, from 1113, bishop of Chernihiv, in the Metropolis of Kiev of the Church of Constantinople. He is venerated as a holy hierarch. The date of his death is 6 August 1123. His commemoration is given differently: 5/18 August (according to one Russian source, 6/19 August is the Transfiguration, which is why it is moved to 5/18 August), 28 September/11 October, in the Synaxis of the venerable fathers of the Near Caves, and on the second Sunday of Great Lent, in the Synaxis of all the venerable fathers of the Caves Lavra. His name is remembered in the canon of the Synaxis of the fathers of the Near Caves. The Ukrainian source says only that he was a "churchman", without calling him a saint.

Hegumen of the Caves

His origin is unknown. He came to the Kiev Caves Monastery, it seems, still in the time of Saint Theodosius (died 1074), for between 1074 and 1077 the Caves Paterikon already presents him as one of the first teaching monks, who together with the "fathers" and the hegumen of the monastery healed by prayer and admonished the deluded brother Nikita. From 1103 (the Ukrainian source says after the death of Hegumen John I) he was hegumen. He established good relations with the Grand Prince Sviatopolk Izyaslavich, who made the Lavra in effect his family monastery; thus large sums and land grants came, and the monastery became the most influential in Kievan Rus.

In 1106 he laid the foundation of the Trinity gate church (finished in 1108). In 1108, zealous for the glory of the monastery and of his teacher, he obtained through the Grand Prince Sviatopolk an order of the metropolitan that Saint Theodosius of the Caves be entered "in all the dioceses" in the lists of saints commemorated at festal litanies. This is regarded as the canonization of Theodosius. In the same year he completed the stone refectory of the monastery, begun earlier by order and at the expense of Prince Gleb: some see in him the famous benefactor Gleb Vseslavich, prince of Minsk, others David Sviatoslavich of Chernihiv, who was supposed to have had the second name Gleb. The latter's wife, Princess Theodosia, was Theoctistus's spiritual daughter, and the prince's son, Nicholas Sviatosha, became a monk at the Caves under his guidance. Some scholars call him archimandrite from this year, but it may have been only an honorary address, since the next hegumens remained hegumens.

Bishop of Chernihiv

On 11 or 12 January 1113 (the Ukrainian source says only January) he was appointed bishop of Chernihiv, the consecration being performed by Metropolitan Nicephorus I. It was perhaps thanks to his ties with the princely house of Chernihiv. The consecration caused great joy in the Chernihiv flock, among other reasons because his predecessor, being ill, had not celebrated episcopal services for twenty-⁠five years.

During his time at Chernihiv, the chronicles and other monuments mention his name only twice: once for his participation on 1-2 May 1115 in the consecration of the church of Saints Boris and Gleb at Vyshhorod and the solemn transfer of these princes' relics; the second time in connection with the circumstances of the death and burial of Prince David Sviatoslavich. The Book of Degrees relates that on 1 August 1123, by the dying prince "was the bishop of Chernihiv Theoctistus, and he understood that the prince was about to depart and commanded the canon of the Cross to be sung"; when it appeared that the prince's grave would not be ready by the end of the funeral service, "the bishop said: behold, the sun is setting, tomorrow we shall bury him; some, entering the church, told the bishop that the sun was not setting, but stood in one place; the bishop marvelled and praised God". It is very probable that Theoctistus also took part in other events recorded in the sources without his name: the burial at Chernihiv in 1115 of Prince Oleg, in 1116 of the princess-⁠nun Predslava, in 1120 of Prince Rostislav, and the consecration there of the church of Saints Boris and Gleb, built by David. The Serbian source says that he did much for the ordering of the churches and for the spiritual enlightenment of his flock.

He died on 6 August 1123, apparently at Chernihiv, and according to some later reports "was laid in the Caves Monastery".