Toviya

Toviya was a Russian hieroschemamonk from Kharkov province, abbot of the Skete of St Elias from 1879 to 1885, builder of the skete's cathedral. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

His surname is not known. Before Athos he lived at the Akhtyrka monastery in the Kharkov diocese, where he was tonsured a monk and ordained hierodeacon. On Athos he entered the Skete of St Elias, was ordained hieromonk and then withdrew to the skete of Kavsokalyvia. As abbot he built outside the gates a small two-⁠storey building for the brethren, but his main work was the cathedral church of the skete. In June 1881 the Grand Princess Alexandra Petrovna (in monasticism the schemanun Anastasia) visited the Mountain. He cooperated with the elders of Rossikon and held Hieronymus in great esteem, often asking his counsel. Archbishop Arsenius (Stadnitsky) testifies that Toviya felt burdened by his office and recalled fondly his secluded, contemplative life; for this reason in 1885 he gave up the abbacy.