Vissarion Rastorguev

Vissarion Rastorguev was a Russian hieroschemamonk of St Panteleimon Monastery, born in 1834 at Voronezh, in a family of townspeople. He reposed on 4 December 1907. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Vasily Yakovlevich in the world, he dreamed from childhood of serving God and in 1862 came to Athos, asking to be received as a novice at St Panteleimon. The elders, seeing his boundless love for God and his zeal for monasticism, received him and gave him the obedience of guest-⁠master. On 6 March 1864 he was tonsured into the mantle with the name Vladimir. After five more years as guest-⁠master he entered a period of wanderings. In 1873 he was ordained hierodeacon, then hieromonk, and in 1887 Macarius tonsured him into the schema with the name Vissarion. The elders valued his devotion and labour. He died in complete order and calm: on the morning of 4 December 1907 he went to the altar by himself to receive Communion, and about five o'clock he felt a sharp pain; he departed soon to the Lord.