On July 10th we commemorate Anthony of the Caves, Venerable. Anthony of Kiev was a monk and the founder of the monastic tradition in the Kievan Rus’. He, together with Theodosius of Kiev, co-founded the Kiev Monastery of the Caves. Anthony in his early years was well known for his strict asceticism. He ate rye bread every other day and drank only a little water. With the spread of his fame came those who offered to join him. Eventually, Anthony accepted the company of a few of them. The first was a priest named Nikon. The second was Theodosius. As more monks joined the order, he and Theodosius decided to build a larger stone church to accommodate the ever increasing number of monks. Anthony himself did not live to see the church completed. He died in 1073, shortly after blessing the foundation of the new church, at 90 years old. Shortly before his death he called the monks together and consoled them about his coming death. He also asked them that his remains be hidden away forever. The monks carried out his request. He was reportedly buried in his cave, but no relics have ever been found. Many however have subsequently come to the cave to pray and many of them have reported being healed there.
