ADRIAN OF ONDRUSOV

Saint Adrian (+1550) is one of the very few saints of the Russian Church who are revered as martyrs.

According to the life, Andrei Zavalishin, the secular name of the saint, was one of the Moscow boyars. While hunting near his estate in the northern forests, he met the great ascetic and visionary of God of those times, Alexander Svirsky (1448–1533).

The meeting with the saint changed Andrei’s life. He began to support the ascetic in every possible way with food, often visited him, carried him bread and listened to instructions. Then he himself retired to the Valaam Monastery, where he took monastic vows. Subsequently, as happens with God’s chosen ones, the saint himself founded a monastery on the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga.

By an amazing coincidence, in 1549 Adrian was chosen to become the godfather of the newborn daughter of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Anna. As often happens in the biographies of saints, the approach to the royal throne became an ascent to Golgotha. On the way back, local peasants were waiting for Adrian. Apparently, they were sure that he was bringing royal gifts from the capital. The saint was innocently killed, his body was left without burial in a swamp. Two years later it was found under miraculous circumstances. The day the relics were found became the day of his memory.

One of the episodes from his life tells how once the robbers, who lived in large numbers at that time in those remote regions, tried to expel the saint and his brethren from their territories. Adrian was not afraid and did not yield, and in response he heard an “order” from their chief: “Live!” Soon the saint’s prayer literally saved this villain’s life. This example teaches how precious the prayer of saints is and how defenseless they themselves are. The saints also need help. Whenever possible, we are called upon to help each other, help the clergy and monks, and take care of the righteous people we meet.