Venerable (Monastic) 12th century

Venerable Mark the Grave-Digger Theophilus, and John of the Kiev Caves

Also known as Mark · Theophilus · John

Kiev Caves monks remembered in the Paterikon; Mark dug graves in obedience, and Theophilus and John were brothers in monastic life.

Feast Day

December 29

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Fathers Mark the Grave-Digger, Theophilus, and John of the Kiev Near Caves

Life

Mark the Grave-Digger, Theophilus, and John are three ascetics of the Kiev Caves Monastery whose lives are preserved together in the Kiev Caves Paterikon. The precise dates of their lives are not recorded, and they are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, commemorated together on December 29. Their relics rest in the Near (Antoniev) Caves of the monastery.

Mark labored as a grave-digger, hollowing out the burial places of the brethren within the caves, and is remembered for a gift of discernment and for the power of his intercession before God. Theophilus and John were monastic brothers bound by a deep mutual love, who asked Mark to prepare a single double grave so that they might be buried side by side.

According to the Paterikon, John died while Theophilus was away from the monastery on its business, and Mark laid him in the upper place of the shared grave. When Theophilus returned and saw that his younger brother had been given the senior position, he was distressed. Mark then addressed the dead man, bidding him give place to his elder brother and lie down in the other place, and the body moved to the lower place of the grave. Witnessing this, Theophilus was deeply humbled.

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Theophilus the Weeper

Believing his own death to be near, Theophilus gave away everything that he possessed, keeping only his mantle, and gave himself over to fasting and to continuous weeping over his sins, so that, as the tradition relates, tears were his bread by day and by night. His unceasing lamentation eventually caused him to lose his sight.

Mark foretold that, as a confirmation of his approaching repose, Theophilus's sight would be restored to him three days before his death, and this was fulfilled. Theophilus was buried in the Near Cave together with his brother John, near the relics of Saint Mark. For his life of penitent tears he is remembered in the tradition as Theophilus the Weeper.

Notes

Named group kept as one row.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints