Zenobius of Otensk

Holy Venerable Zenobius of Otensk (died about 1570) was a monk of the Oten monastery near Novgorod, a philosopher and theologian, known above all for his work "The Showing of the Truth to Those Who Ask About the New Teaching".

News of his life is scant. It is known that he was a monk of the Oten monastery in Novgorod, probably of Novgorodian origin, that he was in Moscow, that he was widely read, and that in 1566 he talked with some clergymen of Staraya Russa about the heresy of Theodosius the Squinter, condemned at the Moscow council of 1554-1555. After that he wrote his main work. His literary legacy includes, besides many writings attributed to him, which shows his authority in Russian book culture, an epistle to the secretary Y. V. Shishkin (1534-1536) on just judgment, a speech of praise for Bishop Hypatius of Gangra (about 1551), an epistle to the monks Gury Zabolotsky, Cassian and Gury Korovin, imprisoned at Solovki (the 1550s), and speeches on the finding of the relics of Saint Nikita of Novgorod (1565) and of Archbishop Jonah (the 1560s). Almost all touch on the heresy of Theodosius and can be regarded as important sources for understanding the question.

His great work, written as ten conversations with three clergymen of Staraya Russa and, at the end, with the Novgorodian Zachariah Shchechkin, treats in turn the existence of God and the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, the Incarnation and salvation, the veneration of icons, of the saints, of relics and of the cross, the keeping of the ordinances, and monasticism and monastery estates. Because of the proofs of God's existence which he places at the head of the work, drawn from the changing of the world, its order and the faith of all peoples, scholars have counted him almost the first philosopher of Russia. He leans on Saint John of Damascus, Saint Basil the Great and other translated sources.

The saint is commemorated on 11 July (a movable date, new style), in the Synaxis of the Saints of Novgorod.