Saint Hierarch TEODOSIE from Brazi

Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates  today  the Saint Hierarch TEODOSIE from Brazi

Saint Martyr TEODOSIE from Brazi(a monastery in Moldavia) was born in the first half of the XVII th Century, somewhere near Brazi Monastery. His parents were descendents of free peasants since the times of Saint Stephen the Great. They took him to the divine services celebrated there. At the age of 18, he entered as brother in this monastery, but he became monk in Bogdana Monastery. Beeing a pious and quite intelligent monk, knowing the Holy Bible and some of the writtings of the Holy Fathers of the Church, he was ordained, in 1669,   Bishop of RĂDĂUŢI. He often went to Putna Monastery to St. Sthepen’s tomb, where a permanent candle was lit.

În 1671 he was sent to shepard the ROMAN Diocese, where he remained until 1674, when he was elected as Metropolitan of Moldavia(Metropolitan Dosoftei had left the country for Poland, as a refugee), as a recognition of his pastoral activity and his high spirituality. The historian Ion Neculce wrote in The Letopiseţ of Moldavia(the chronical) that the ruler of Moldavia, DUMITRAŞCU-VODĂ CANTACUZINO, was one of the worst personalities in our history. He brought the TATARS in Moldavia to mentain the throne, paying a huge sum of money, which he collected from the poor people and from the income of the monasteries. The Metropolitan TEODOSIE went to the ruler and said: “What is this, your highness? Are you the Antichrist?”. Dumitraşcu got angry and sent him in recluse at Saint Sava Monastery in IAŞI. Coming back from Poland, Metropolitan DOSOFTEI let him free, and Metropolitan TEODOSIE retired to Brazi Monastery, which he loved very much from his youth.. There he built a beautiful church dedicated to Saint George(sfântului Gheorghe). He took care of Bogdana Monastery too. He gave to these monasteries lands, wineyard, orchards, forests and mills.

The historian Ion Neculce also wrote that the TATARS came, in these times, like locusts and robbed the Moldavians, taking away all their fortunes. În 1694, a band of Tatars entered the Monastery of Brazi and tortured the Metopolitan TEODOSIE to give them the money and the ecclesiastical objects and, as he refused, they killed him, cuting off his head. It was after the Day of the Holy Cross.

The monks and Christians nearby the monastery burried him in the Church of Saint George, built by him. This church fell into ruins because of the frequent seisms of Vrancea County. But the egoumen of Brazi Monastery descovered by miracle the remains of the Metropolitan TEODOSIE and burried them again in a cave, where the first hermits  of Brazi Monastery, Teofilact and Sava, lived, cave turned into a Paraclis. SAINT ANTIPA from CALAPODESTI saw his holy remains. The head of Saint TEODOSIE was exposed in Brazi Monastery to be venerated before his official recognition as a saint.

The solemn proclamation of his sainthood was in October 2003, and his celebration wae established at 22 September.

Saint Hierarch and Martyr TEODOSIE, pray for us!