St. Nectarios of Optina

Nectarios Tikhonov came to Optina as a young man and lived for decades in prayer, studying science, poetry and the Fathers. He became the last elder before the monastery was closed by the Soviets, and he often played the fool to hide his gift of insight. He was arrested and exiled to a village, where pilgrims still found him until his death.

• Feast: April 29 (New Calendar)
• Lived: 1853–1928
• Place: Optina Monastery