Saint Demetrius of Rostov (†1709) — October 28 / November 10 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, October 28 according to the Julian Calendar (November 10 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Demetrius of Rostov.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov (in the world, Daniel Tuptalo) was born in 1651 in the town of Makarov, near Kiev, into the family of a pious Cossack. In 1662 the saint was enrolled at the Kiev-Mohyla College. It was here that his extraordinary talent first appeared: Daniel studied Greek and Latin thoroughly, together with a number of the classical sciences. On July 9, 1668, the blessed one was tonsured a monk and, in honor of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, was named Demetrius. Until the spring of 1675 he labored in the Kiev monastery of St. Cyril. On May 23, 1675, Archbishop Lazar of Chernigov ordained Demetrius a hieromonk. For several years the blessed father served the divine services in various churches and monasteries of Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus.

In 1684 the abbot of the Kiev Caves Lavra, Archimandrite Varlaam, who knew well his former pupil’s learning, his inclination toward scholarly work and his literary gift, commissioned the hieromonk Demetrius to compile readings from the lives of the saints for the whole year. From that time on, the holy father’s entire life was devoted to this work of enormous scope. The work demanded a remarkable strain of strength. It was necessary to gather, compare and reconcile many different sources, and to convey the narrative in a language worthy of its subject yet accessible to the faithful. God’s grace aided the blessed one throughout the twenty years of the work. During these years Demetrius also served in turn as abbot of several monasteries.

The ascetic’s labor drew the attention of Patriarch Adrian. In 1701, by order of Peter I, Demetrius was summoned to Moscow, where on March 23, in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kremlin, he was consecrated Metropolitan of Siberia and sent to the city of Tobolsk. Soon, in view of the importance of his scholarly work and his frail health, the holy hierarch was transferred to the see of Rostov and Yaroslavl, where he arrived on March 1, 1702, with the rank of Metropolitan of Rostov. There the blessed one labored greatly to order the church services and to refute the schism of the Old Believers; he cared for the education of the clergy and founded a school for the sons of priests. Saint Demetrius’s personal life shone with strict fasting, prayer and works of mercy. He prayed much and urged everyone always to remember the day of death and, at every stroke of the hour bell, to offer prayers to the Savior and the all-holy Mother of God. The hierarch kept the doors of his house open to all and received everyone with kindness and courtesy. His compassion toward the poor, widows and orphans was boundless: he never sent away those who asked, while he himself was content with only what was necessary. The holy father reposed in peace on October 28, 1709. On September 21, 1752, his incorrupt relics were uncovered.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov is also commemorated on September 21 (see the reading for that day).