The miracle worker Artemy. Holy Righteous Artemy Verkolsky Youth Artemy Verkolsky Life

Praise the Lord for sending us such bright saints who, by the example of their pious and righteous lives, showed people the great and saving faith in Christ. And that there is no more reliable and faithful hand, which is always ready to support a poor and weak person and guide him on the path of truth. Next we will talk about two famous men.

One of them - Artemy of Antioch - is a great martyr, while Artemy of Verkolsky is considered a holy righteous youth, but not a great martyr. You need to know this so that you don’t confuse them later and correctly address them in your prayers. Their lives are impressive enough to feel the power of their faith and deeds, let’s get acquainted with it.

Life of the Great Martyr Artemy

The future Saint Artemy was born into a noble Roman family and belonged to the senatorial class. He was a participant in the battle between Emperor Constantine and Emperor Maxentius, which took place at the Milvian Bridge in 312. At this time, a Cross suddenly appeared in the sky with the inscription: “With this conquer!” This divine sign made a huge impression on the warrior Artemy and converted him to Christianity.

Great Martyr Artemius was a famous military leader during the reign of the Roman emperors Constantine I (306-337) and his son Constantius (337-361). With them, he was a close adviser and confidant. For his faithful service, he was awarded certificates and made the head of Egypt, endowed with special powers. On behalf of the ruler Constantius, with great honors, he transported the relics of Luke from Patras to Constantinople.

Julian the Apostate

But after the reign of Emperor Constantius, Julian the Apostate (361-363) ascended the throne, a pagan who began to wage a cruel and irreconcilable struggle against Christianity. Executions began everywhere, hundreds of Christians were doomed to a painful death. In Antioch, he ordered two bishops who did not renounce their faith in Christ to be tortured. It was at this time that the Great Martyr Artemy came to the city; the widespread executions of Christians could not leave his noble heart indifferent. And he openly began to denounce the ruler Julian for dishonor, cruelty and pagan errors. Then the angry emperor accused him of complicity in the murder of his older brother Gall. He was immediately arrested, then they cruelly mocked him for a long time, and after that they imprisoned him.

When the holy Great Martyr Artemy once again prayed to his Lord, Jesus Christ himself appeared to him with the angels and said that he should take heart, since He would deliver him from all the pain that his tormentors had caused him, and that a crown of glory was prepared for him. For just as he preached Christ before the people, so He will also confess him before the Heavenly Father. And Christ added that he should be courageous and rejoice, since he would soon be with Him in His Kingdom. And he healed him, because he, wounded by torture, had been without food or nourishment for a long time, fed only by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Execution

After this, the Great Martyr Artemy, delighted by such news, began to fervently glorify and thank the Lord. The next day he was again brought to Julian to force the strong and glorious warrior to bow and sacrifice to the pagan gods. But, having achieved nothing, he again subjected him to terrible and painful torture. But the great ascetic endured all the suffering without a single cry or groan.

The Great Martyr Artemy of Antioch predicted to Julian that he would soon be overtaken by the just punishment of God for the numerous evils that he had caused to Christians. From these words, the emperor became even more fierce and again ordered the faithful Christian to be tortured, but he could not break his will.

At this time, in Antioch, a pagan temple - the sanctuary of Apollo in Daphne - burned down from fire that fell from the sky. Julian, taking advantage of the opportunity, immediately blamed the Christians for this. And he ordered execution for Saint Artemy (362). First they crushed him with a stone, and then cut off his head with a sword.

Retribution

Soon after this, the Roman governor was also struck. The prophecies of Saint Artemy came true exactly one year later. Julian and his army, leaving Antioch, went to fight the Persians. Approaching the city of Ctesiphon, they met an old Persian who asked to be Julian’s guide, promising to betray his fellow citizens for a small reward. But as it turned out later, he deceived them and led the soldiers into the wild, impassable Karmanite desert, where there was neither water nor food. The Greco-Roman troops, hungry and exhausted from the heat, entered into a forced battle with the Persian forces, which were well prepared for the meeting. In a battle with the Persians, a cavalry spear cut his arm, pierced his ribs and lodged in his liver. As a result, Julian, struck down by an invisible hand, groaned heavily and uttered the words before his death: “You have won, Galilean!”

Finding the relics

After the death of the tyrant, the relics of the holy great martyr Artemia were taken from Antioch along with the Christians by the deaconess Arista and took them to Constantinople. Later they were buried in the Church of St. John the Baptist, which was built by Emperor Anastasius I, which later received a second name in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Artemy.

Today the name of the saint is held in special esteem in the city of Patras. The Day of the Great Martyr Artemy is celebrated on October 20 (November 2). He is considered the patron saint of the city and the founder of the monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Girokomiou. On this day, a solemn commemoration is always performed, prayers and an akathist to the Great Martyr Artemy are read. Numerous miracles are performed from his holy relics.

Icons and prayers

On icons, the Great Martyr Artemy is traditionally depicted with long hair and a forked short beard, wearing military armor and a himation. But there are other interpretations.

The prayer to the Great Martyr Artemy begins with the words: “Holy servant of God, Artemy the Righteous!” The second is “Holy Martyr Artemis!”

For the first time, the life of the holy great martyr and warrior Artemius was described by John of Rhodes at the end of the 10th century, then it was processed and supplemented by Simeon Metaphrastus. The ancient Byzantine historians Ammianus Marcellinus and Philostorgius also reported on Saint Artemia of Antioch.

In 1073, a particle of his relics was found by the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. It is also known that holy relics were found in the reliquary cross of the Russian Emperor Mikhail Fedorovich, which became the blessing of Patriarch Philaret.

Saint Artemy Verkolsky

In 1532, in the pious family of villagers Cosmas (nicknamed Maly) and Apollinaria in the village of Verkole, near the Pinega River in the Dvina District, a son was born, who was named Artemy. His parents raised him in good Christian traditions. He was an obedient, meek and God-fearing child, who from the age of five did not like all kinds of children's pranks and fun. He diligently, as much as he could at his young age, helped his father with the housework.

On June 23, 1545, twelve-year-old Artemy was working with his father in the field, when suddenly lightning flashed nearby and thunder struck, at which time the boy fell to the ground dead. The frightened, superstitious peasants considered this incident to be a punishment from Heaven, and therefore Artemy’s body, covered with brushwood and birch bark, was left untreated and unburied in the forest called Sosonia.

Holy relics

A little over thirty years after Artemy’s death in 1577, Deacon Agafonik, who served in the local church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, saw an unusual glow in the forest exactly above the place where Artemy’s remains were once left. This is how the holy youth Artemy was found, which the people brought and placed on the porch of the church of St. Nicholas in Verkola. The Lord glorified him with miracles, as a result of which in 1639 he sent an order to the “local” clergy to compile obvious evidence, which was soon delivered to the metropolitan. And the next year he sent the “created festival” - stichera, litia, poems, glory books, troparion, ikos, kontakion, luminaries, praises and singing under the banner.

Prayers and miracles

Through the prayers of Saint Artemy, many sick people were healed, and especially those who suffered from eye diseases. One day, a resident of Kholmogory, Hilarion, came to the temple, having lost his sight and completely despairing of getting it back. And so the righteous Artemy appeared to the sufferer with a cross in his right hand and a staff in his left, overshadowing the sick man with the cross and telling him that Christ had healed him by the hand of His servant Artemy. And he sent the townsman to go to Verkola to bow to his coffin and tell the priest and peasants about what had happened.

The patient recovered immediately. In 1584, admirers of the holy youth transferred his holy relics from the porch of the temple to the built area.

The Mezen governor Pashkov Afanasy, for the healing of his sick son, in gratitude to the saint, built a temple in honor of the holy great martyr Artemy - the heavenly patron of the holy and righteous youth. In 1619, the relics of the saint were examined and on December 6 transferred to a new church, which burned down 30 years later, but in 1649, on the site of the found relics, a monastery was built under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, where the relics were also delivered.

There is a legend that the holy youth had a sister, the righteous wonderworker Paraskeva of Piriminskaya.

Now the memory of Saint Artemy is celebrated on June 23 (the day of presentation) and the memory of the namesake Great Martyr Artemy).

Life

Holy Righteous Artemy, the Verkola miracle worker, was born in 1532 in the village of Verkola, in the Dvina region, along the Pinega River, two miles upstream from Kevrola.

His parents: father Cosmas, nicknamed Maly, and mother Apollinaria, were peasants of that village. They raised their son in the fear of God and Christian piety.

From the age of five, he began to shun the habits typical of children, did not like children's games, was quiet, meek, God-fearing, obedient to his parents, diligently helped his father in his peasant work, as much as he could according to his age.

Once, when he was 12 years old, he was working with his father in the field, harrowing the ground. Suddenly a menacing cloud approached, it became dark as night, a storm arose with a downpour, a terrible thunderclap erupted over the head of the frightened Artemy, and the blessed youth fell dead. Thus, the merciful and wise Lord God deigned to receive the soul of His righteous servant into His heavenly abodes.

Artemy's fellow villagers, due to their foolishness, did not understand this visitation of God and, out of superstition, considered the unexpected death of the blessed youth to be a righteous judgment of God, punishing Artemy for some of his secret sins.

`The body of blessed Artemy, as if he had died from sudden death, remained unburied and unburied; They laid it in an empty place in a pine forest, on top of the ground, covered it with brushwood and birch bark, and surrounded it with a wooden fence. It lay there for 32 years, forgotten by everyone.

One summer Agathonik, deacon of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Verkole, walked through that forest, picking mushrooms, saw a light over the place where the blessed youth rested, approached and found his incorruptible body. He immediately told the Verkolsky peasants about this. But they, out of their foolishness, simply took Artemy’s body, brought it without any honor to their parish church and laid it on the porch, covering his coffin with the birch bark that covered the righteous youth in the forest.

But the Lord deigned to glorify His saint in the country of Kevrol: from his relics, endless healings began to flow out to the sick.

That year, by God's permission, a malignant fever spread in the Dvina region. Many died from this serious disease, especially women and children. The son of the Verkolsky villager Kallinik also fell ill with this disease. In great sorrow, Callinicus prayed for the healing of his son, then went to church, venerated the tomb of the righteous Artemy and, taking birch bark, covered his incorruptible relics, with faith he hung it to the cross on the chest of his dying son. The patient recovered. The delighted Kallinik told all his fellow villagers about this, who joyfully gathered in the church of St. Nicholas and began to sing prayers and create a memorial for the righteous youth Artemy.

And the Lord had mercy on His servants: the fever in that country soon ceased.

From that time on, the miracles of Saint Artemius began to multiply. A certain man named Pavel, due to a serious illness, had such a crooked neck that his head turned to face backwards and his eyes closed. In such trouble, Paul turned with fervent prayer to God and the righteous Artemy, and the patient’s head straightened, his eyes opened. The healed man hastened to tell everyone in his village about what had happened. After that, at the church of St. Nicholas Verkoltsy built a special chapel, where they transferred Artemy’s relics from the porch, placing them in a new coffin. This was in 1584.

` When they brought the relics of the blessed youth to the chapel, a woman came there with a relaxed baby, asked to serve a prayer service, put her youth to Artemy’s coffin, and the youth’s sick hand was healed.

` Around the same time, one peasant Andrei and a peasant woman Irina, who suffered from eye problems, received health and clear vision from touching the sacred shrine of the newly-minted miracle worker.

` One woman named Maria, who suffered for forty years from a stomach illness so severe that she often died from excessive suffering for two or three hours, heard about the miracles flowing from the relics of Artemy, turned to him with prayer and received a quick healing .

` Seeing the healing multiplying from the relics, two priests, John and Thomas, ordered several icons of the righteous Artemy to be painted on the boards of the old tomb. There were shavings left from those boards. Priest John carefully collected these shavings and placed them in storage at the church. Pious worshipers of the righteous Artemy, who took those shavings with faith, received healing from their ailments.

` One man from Pinega, named Pankraty, was passing through Verkola in 1601. brought one of these icons of Artemy to Veliky Ustyug, and from that image many received healing then.

` In 1619, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod testified to the relics of the righteous man and blessed them to be transferred to the temple itself on the day of remembrance of the saint and wonderworker Nicholas, December 6th. Some time later, Ilarion Artemiev, a resident of the city of Kholmogory, came to Verkola and said that he had been sick with his eyes for a long time, could not see anything and suffered severely, so that he tried to hang himself in despair, and only neighbors who arrived in time prevented this. Having heard about the miracles flowing from the relics of the righteous Artemy, he turned to him with earnest prayer for his healing.

` “At that same hour,” said the healed man, “I regained my sight, and saw in a vision Saint Artemy in white robes with a small staff in his left hand and with a cross in his right. He made the sign of the cross over me and said:

` - Human, why are you suffering? Arise: Christ, through me, His servant, heals you. Go to Verkola, venerate my coffin and tell the priest and all the peasants about this. At these words, the righteous youth, taking me by the hand, seemed to force me to do this and then became invisible. When I woke up, I felt completely healthy, as if I had never been sick. And so I came here to venerate his holy relics."

`The miracle with one peasant from the village of Kivokurye, Ustyug district, Patrik Ignatiev, was especially remarkable. Since childhood, he suffered seriously from a hernia. Hearing about the miracles of righteous Artemy, he prayed to him with faith, made a vow to venerate his coffin and recovered, but then forgot about the vow he had made.

` A few years later, he again felt attacks of a hernia, which began to torment him even more than before. Patrick turned again with prayer to the righteous Artemy and remembered his unfulfilled vow. The sick man’s prayer was heard, but Patrick again forgot about the vow he had made. Then melancholy attacked him and impenetrable darkness covered his eyes. The unfortunate man again remembered his unfulfilled vow, bitterly repented and promised to urgently fulfill his duty. Righteous Artemy again saved Patricius from his illness, and the healed one joyfully hurried to Verkola to Artemy’s tomb, ordered a prayer service to be served for him, kissed his multi-healing coffin with tears and confessed to everyone about the miracle that had happened and his sinful oblivion.

` In March 1636, Afanasy Pashkov, appointed governor there, went to Kevrola and Mezen. On the way, he stopped in Verkola, but he did not visit the shrine of the relics of the righteous Artemy and did not serve him a thanksgiving prayer. In Kevrol, his son, the youth Jeremiah, fell seriously ill with a fever and was already preparing for death. Then the father remembered that he had not served a prayer service to the righteous Artemy, and made a vow to go on a pilgrimage to Verkola. And suddenly Pashkov’s son, who was lying in heavy oblivion, rose from his bed and, holding on to the window, began to ask his father which way to go to the righteous Artemy. Marveling at this, the father brought his son to Verkola. Here they served a vowed prayer service, took birch bark from the miracle worker’s coffin so that the sick person would wear it on his chest along with the cross, and the boy recovered.

` The grateful father created in Verkola, at the site of the discovery of the relics of Artemy, a temple in honor of the righteous youth martyr Artemy. After some time, the temple in Verkola burned down, and the relics of the righteous Artemy were also burned. The local priest Lavrentiy and the parishioners of the Verkolsky village, to protect Artemy’s relics from such accidents, built a special chapel over them, placed them in a new shrine and covered them with a new cover. After that, new miracles began to flow from the wonderworker’s tomb.

` Thus, the righteous Artemy saved a certain Simeon Kazarinov from drowning. After Ilyin's day, he sailed on a ship with his comrades across the Arctic Ocean from Mangazeya to Arkhangelsk. Suddenly a fierce storm arose, and the ship was in danger of imminent collapse. Those who floated were horrified and despairing. Not seeing any hope for salvation from anywhere, they began to prepare for death and, in anticipation of it, say goodbye to each other. Then they came to their senses and began to pray with tears to the Lord God and the righteous Artemy for their salvation, promising to serve a prayer of thanks to the saint of God. And, through their prayer, the sea calmed down, and the drowned escaped inevitable death.

`The glory of healings spread far from the relics of righteous Artemy.

` Metropolitan Cyprian of Novgorod sent again to examine his incorruptible relics, confirmed with his signature the list of healings delivered to him and sent a newly compiled service to the miracle worker to the church in the village of Verkola.

` In 1648, a letter from Tsar Alexy Mikhailovich was sent to Kevrola, addressed to the local governor Anichkov: it was ordered to put the relics of the righteous Artemy in a new shrine and it was allowed to build a monastery on the place where his relics were found, which, according to the royal letter, were the next year they were moved there and placed in the church of the Holy Martyr Artemy, built by Voivode Pashkov.

` At the same time, various healings flowed from the holy relics to everyone who flowed to them with faith. The people gathered in large numbers offered warm prayers to Christ God and His holy saint, righteous Artemy, the Verkolsky miracle worker, glorifying the grace of God, revealed in him to console all Orthodox Christians.

` Subsequently, before the fires, the relics of the righteous Artemy were taken out of the monastery church three times, until finally a stone church was built in the monastery in 1793, consecrated in honor of the righteous Artemy, in which his relics were placed.

His parents - Cosmas and Apollinaria - were peasants. "Both of them were pious and virtuous." Their little son Artemy grew up the same way. He “astonished all his neighbors with his prudence and humility and seemed smart beyond his years; he respected his parents, was obedient to them in everything, was diligent in agricultural work, and was diligent in the Church of God.” Artemy had a quiet disposition and from the age of five began to avoid childish games and pranks. From the same age, he began to help his parents in their daily work. One can only guess about his inner world. He was probably one of those “little ones” whose angels, in the words of the Savior, “in heaven always see the face of My Heavenly Father.”

On June 23, 1544, when the righteous Artemy was helping his father harrow the field, a severe thunderstorm began. One of the lightning strikes hit the place where the boy was standing, after which he “died of horror.” Therefore, he died under strange, unusual circumstances and, most importantly, suddenly. He died the way believers are always afraid to die - without repentance, and as, according to some, only sinners die.

That is why the righteous Artemy was denied even a Christian burial. “Artemy’s fellow villagers considered the boy’s unexpected death to be a righteous judgment of God, punishing Artemy for some of his secret sins. The body of Artemy, as if he had died from a sudden death, remained unburied and unburied; it was placed in an empty place in a pine forest, on top of the ground, covered with brushwood and birch bark, and surrounded by a wooden fence. It lay there for 32 years, forgotten by everyone.”

In 1577, the deacon of the Verkolskaya St. Nicholas Church, Agathonik, while picking mushrooms in the forest, saw a light among the trees. Coming closer, he was surprised to notice that the light was coming from the body of the righteous Artemy, who was lying in a wooden frame. Having discovered that it was “completely intact and unharmed,” Agafonik hastened to tell his fellow villagers about the amazing find. They brought the relics of the righteous Artemy to the village and placed them on the porch of the St. Nicholas Church.

Immediately after this, healings began to take place from the relics of Saint Artemy, as well as from the birch bark that covered his coffin. The first miracle from the holy relics was the recovery of the son of a local peasant from a fever that was rampant at that time among the local population. After the father of the dying boy hung a piece of birch bark from the coffin of the righteous Artemy to his pectoral cross, the child recovered. Having learned about what had happened, local residents began to serve prayers to Saint Artemy, after which the fever epidemic stopped.

In 1584, after prayers to the righteous Artemy, a man named Pavel was healed, whose “face was painfully turned back and his eyes were closed so that he could not see anything.” After this miracle, the residents of Verkola transferred the relics of the holy youth to a chapel specially built for this purpose and placed them in a new coffin. Several icons of St. Artemy Verkolsky were painted on the boards of the old coffin. “One man from Pinega, named Pankraty, who was passing through Verkola, in 1601 brought one of Artemy’s icons to Veliky Ustyug, and from that image many received healing then.” So gradually the name of the righteous youth Artemy Verkolsky became known outside Pinega region.

“In 1619, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod examined the relics of the righteous man and gave his blessing to transfer them to the very church of St. Nicholas. With his blessing and order, the life of Artemy was compiled...”

In the 17th century, a monastery was founded in Verkola in honor of the righteous Artemy. A man who went down in history as “an enterprising, courageous and energetic, experienced administrator, who was at the same time distinguished by his cruelty in dealing with his subordinates,” was involved in its emergence.” This was voivode Afanasy Pashkov, whose name is more familiar to northerners from the famous “Life” of Archpriest Avvakum, who, during his exile to Siberia, ended up in his detachment. Pashkov had an only son, Eremey, whom he loved selflessly. In 1636, when Pashkov arrived at the voivodeship in Mezen and Kevrola, Eremey “fell seriously ill with a fever and was already preparing for death.” The father, distraught with grief, considered his son’s illness a punishment for the fact that, while in Verkola, he did not bow to the tomb of the righteous Artemy and did not serve a prayer service in front of it. After the governor made a vow that he would certainly perform a pilgrimage to Verkola, his son recovered. Moreover, as soon as he got to his feet, he began to ask how to get to Verkola... “The delighted father, in gratitude for the miraculous good deed, built at his own expense a church in the name of the newly-minted miracle worker, the Holy Great Martyr Artemy, on the very spot where the relics of the saint were found. Around the built temple, the governor built a fence and cells for the monastics. This is how a monastery arose near the Verkolsky parish.” This monastery still exists in Verkola today. In the monastery church, consecrated in honor of Artemy Verkolsky (this temple was built in 1793), there were the relics of the holy righteous man, to whose worship pilgrims came from all over Russia.

Currently, the relics of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky have been lost. According to the stories of local residents, in the twenties, when the monastery was closed, the monks, wanting to save them from desecration, took them away and hid them in a now unknown place. In the current Verkolsky Monastery (it was returned to the Orthodox Church in 1991), only the shrine where they rested has survived. Who knows, maybe, by the grace of the Lord, someday they will be found and again, as in the distant times of Holy Rus', people will come to the relics of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky in the shameless hope of his intercession and help.

Icons of St. Artemy, the Wonderworker of Verkola

* Life of the Holy Righteous Youth Artemy, Verkolsky Wonderworker * Option 1:

` The holy righteous Artemy, the Verkola miracle worker, was born in 1532 in the village of Verkola, in the Dvina region, along the Pinega River, two miles upstream from Kevrola.
` His parents: father Cosmas, nicknamed Maly, and mother Apollinaria, were peasants of that village. They raised their son in the fear of God and Christian piety.
` From the age of five, he began to shun the habits typical of children, did not like children's games, was quiet, meek, God-fearing, obedient to his parents, diligently helped his father in his peasant work, as much as he could according to his age.
` Once, when he was 12 years old, he was working with his father in the field, harrowing the ground. Suddenly a menacing cloud approached, it became dark as night, a storm arose with a downpour, a terrible thunderclap erupted over the head of the frightened Artemy, and the blessed youth fell dead. Thus, the merciful and wise Lord God deigned to receive the soul of His righteous servant into His heavenly abodes.
` Artemy’s fellow villagers did not understand, due to their foolishness, this visitation of God and, out of superstition, considered the unexpected death of the blessed youth to be a righteous judgment of God, punishing Artemy for some of his secret sins.
` The body of blessed Artemy, as if he had died from sudden death, remained unburied and unburied; They laid it in an empty place in a pine forest, on top of the ground, covered it with brushwood and birch bark, and surrounded it with a wooden fence. It lay there for 32 years, forgotten by everyone.
`One summer Agathonik, deacon of the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Verkole, walked through that forest, picking mushrooms, saw a light over the place where the blessed youth rested, approached and found his incorruptible body. He immediately told the Verkolsky peasants about this. But they, out of their foolishness, simply took Artemy’s body, brought it without any honor to their parish church and laid it on the porch, covering his coffin with the birch bark that covered the righteous youth in the forest.
` But the Lord deigned to glorify His saint in the country of Kevrol: from his relics, endless healings began to flow out to the sick.
` That year, by God's permission, a malignant fever spread in the Dvina region. Many died from this serious disease, especially women and children. The son of the Verkolsky villager Kallinik also fell ill with this disease. In great sorrow, Callinicus prayed for the healing of his son, then went to church, venerated the tomb of the righteous Artemy and, taking birch bark, covered his incorruptible relics, with faith he hung it to the cross on the chest of his dying son. The patient recovered. The delighted Kallinik told all his fellow villagers about this, who joyfully gathered in the church of St. Nicholas and began to sing prayers and create a memorial for the righteous youth Artemy.
`And the Lord had mercy on His servants: the fever in that country soon ceased.
` From that time on, the miracles of Saint Artemy began to multiply. A certain man named Pavel, due to a serious illness, had such a crooked neck that his head turned to face backwards and his eyes closed. In such trouble, Paul turned with fervent prayer to God and the righteous Artemy, and the patient’s head straightened, his eyes opened. The healed man hastened to tell everyone in his village about what had happened. After that, at the church of St. Nicholas Verkoltsy built a special chapel, where they transferred Artemy’s relics from the porch, placing them in a new coffin. This was in 1584.
` When they brought the relics of the blessed youth to the chapel, a woman came there with a relaxed baby, asked to serve a prayer service, put her youth to Artemy’s coffin, and the youth’s sick hand was healed.
` Around the same time, one peasant Andrei and a peasant woman Irina, who suffered from eye problems, received health and clear vision from touching the sacred shrine of the newly-minted miracle worker.
` One woman named Maria, who suffered for forty years from a stomach illness so severe that she often died from excessive suffering for two or three hours, heard about the miracles flowing from the relics of Artemy, turned to him with prayer and received a quick healing .
` Seeing the healing multiplying from the relics, two priests, John and Thomas, ordered several icons of the righteous Artemy to be painted on the boards of the old tomb. There were shavings left from those boards. Priest John carefully collected these shavings and placed them in storage at the church. Pious worshipers of the righteous Artemy, who took those shavings with faith, received healing from their ailments.
` One man from Pinega, named Pankraty, was passing through Verkola in 1601. brought one of these icons of Artemy to Veliky Ustyug, and from that image many received healing then.
` In 1619, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod testified to the relics of the righteous man and blessed them to be transferred to the temple itself on the day of remembrance of the saint and wonderworker Nicholas, December 6th. Some time later, Ilarion Artemiev, a resident of the city of Kholmogory, came to Verkola and said that he had been sick with his eyes for a long time, could not see anything and suffered severely, so that he tried to hang himself in despair, and only neighbors who arrived in time prevented this. Having heard about the miracles flowing from the relics of the righteous Artemy, he turned to him with earnest prayer for his healing.
` “At that same hour,” said the healed man, “I regained my sight, and saw in a vision Saint Artemy in white robes with a small staff in his left hand and with a cross in his right. He made the sign of the cross over me and said:
` - Human, why are you suffering? Arise: Christ, through me, His servant, heals you. Go to Verkola, venerate my coffin and tell the priest and all the peasants about this. At these words, the righteous youth, taking me by the hand, seemed to force me to do this and then became invisible. When I woke up, I felt completely healthy, as if I had never been sick. And so I came here to venerate his holy relics."
`The miracle with one peasant from the village of Kivokurye, Ustyug district, Patrik Ignatiev, was especially remarkable. Since childhood, he suffered seriously from a hernia. Hearing about the miracles of righteous Artemy, he prayed to him with faith, made a vow to venerate his coffin and recovered, but then forgot about the vow he had made.
` A few years later, he again felt attacks of a hernia, which began to torment him even more than before. Patrick turned again with prayer to the righteous Artemy and remembered his unfulfilled vow. The sick man’s prayer was heard, but Patrick again forgot about the vow he had made. Then melancholy attacked him and impenetrable darkness covered his eyes. The unfortunate man again remembered his unfulfilled vow, bitterly repented and promised to urgently fulfill his duty. Righteous Artemy again saved Patricius from his illness, and the healed one joyfully hurried to Verkola to Artemy’s tomb, ordered a prayer service to be served for him, kissed his multi-healing coffin with tears and confessed to everyone about the miracle that had happened and his sinful oblivion.
` In March 1636, Afanasy Pashkov, appointed governor there, went to Kevrola and Mezen. On the way, he stopped in Verkola, but he did not visit the shrine of the relics of the righteous Artemy and did not serve him a thanksgiving prayer. In Kevrol, his son, the youth Jeremiah, fell seriously ill with a fever and was already preparing for death. Then the father remembered that he had not served a prayer service to the righteous Artemy, and made a vow to go on a pilgrimage to Verkola. And suddenly Pashkov’s son, who was lying in heavy oblivion, rose from his bed and, holding on to the window, began to ask his father which way to go to the righteous Artemy. Marveling at this, the father brought his son to Verkola. Here they served a vowed prayer service, took birch bark from the miracle worker’s coffin so that the sick person would wear it on his chest along with the cross, and the boy recovered.
` The grateful father created in Verkola, at the site of the discovery of the relics of Artemy, a temple in honor of the righteous youth martyr Artemy. After some time, the temple in Verkola burned down, and the relics of the righteous Artemy were also burned. The local priest Lavrentiy and the parishioners of the Verkolsky village, to protect Artemy’s relics from such accidents, built a special chapel over them, placed them in a new shrine and covered them with a new cover. After that, new miracles began to flow from the wonderworker’s tomb.
` Thus, the righteous Artemy saved a certain Simeon Kazarinov from drowning. After Ilyin's day, he sailed on a ship with his comrades across the Arctic Ocean from Mangazeya to Arkhangelsk. Suddenly a fierce storm arose, and the ship was in danger of imminent collapse. Those who floated were horrified and despairing. Not seeing any hope for salvation from anywhere, they began to prepare for death and, in anticipation of it, say goodbye to each other. Then they came to their senses and began to pray with tears to the Lord God and the righteous Artemy for their salvation, promising to serve a prayer of thanks to the saint of God. And, through their prayer, the sea calmed down, and the drowned escaped inevitable death.
`The glory of healings spread far from the relics of righteous Artemy.
` Metropolitan Cyprian of Novgorod sent again to examine his incorruptible relics, confirmed with his signature the list of healings delivered to him and sent a newly compiled service to the miracle worker to the church in the village of Verkola.
` In 1648, a letter from Tsar Alexy Mikhailovich was sent to Kevrola, addressed to the local governor Anichkov: it was ordered to put the relics of the righteous Artemy in a new shrine and it was allowed to build a monastery on the place where his relics were found, which, according to the royal letter, were the next year they were moved there and placed in the church of the Holy Martyr Artemy, built by Voivode Pashkov.
` At the same time, various healings flowed from the holy relics to everyone who flowed with sulfur to them. The people gathered in large numbers offered warm prayers to Christ God and His holy saint, righteous Artemy, the Verkolsky miracle worker, glorifying the grace of God, revealed in him to console all Orthodox Christians.
` Subsequently, before the fires, the relics of the righteous Artemy were taken out of the monastery church three times, until finally a stone church was built in the monastery in 1793, consecrated in honor of the righteous Artemy, in which his relics were placed.
Memorial Days: October 20 / November 2 and June 23 / July 6.

Option 2:

` Righteous Artemy was born in 1532 in Pinega, in the village of Verkole. His parents, Cosmas and Apollinaria, were simple peasants and lived by farming. Both of them were pious and virtuous. Their little son Artemy was just as pious and virtuous. He “astonished all his neighbors with his prudence and humility, so that he seemed smart beyond his years. He revered his parents, was obedient to them in everything, was diligent in agricultural work, and was diligent in the Church of God.” He was distinguished by a quiet disposition, and from the age of five he began to avoid childish games and pranks. From the same age, he began to help his parents in their daily work.
` One can only guess about his inner world and experiences. As well as the fact that he was one of those children whose Angels, in the words of the Savior, “in heaven always see the face of My heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10).
` On June 23, 1544 (according to other sources - 1545), when the righteous Artemy was helping his father harrow the field, a strong thunderstorm began.
` One of the lightning strikes hit the place where the boy was standing, after which he “died of horror.”
` Therefore, he died under strange, unusual circumstances. And most importantly - suddenly. He died the way believers are always afraid to die - without repentance. And how, according to traditional ideas, only sinners die.
` That is why the righteous Artemy was denied even a Christian burial.
`"Artemy's fellow villagers considered the boy's unexpected death to be a righteous judgment of God, punishing Artemy for some of his secret sins.
` The body of Artemy, as if he had died from a sudden death, remained unburied and unburied; it was laid in an empty place in a pine forest, on top of the ground, covered with brushwood and birch bark and surrounded by a wooden fence. It lay there for 32 years, forgotten by everyone.”
` 32 years later, the righteous youth Artemy, innocently slandered and even deprived of a Christian burial by his fellow villagers, began to be revered by them as a saint.
` In 1577, the deacon of the Verkolskaya St. Nicholas Church, Agathonik, while picking mushrooms in the forest, saw some kind of light among the trees.
` Approaching the place from where it came, Agafonik noticed with surprise that the light was coming from the body of the righteous Artemy, lying in a wooden frame in the middle of the forest. As he approached, he saw that it was “completely intact and unharmed.” Agafonik hastened to tell his fellow villagers about the amazing find. They brought the relics of the righteous Artemy to the village and placed them on the porch of the St. Nicholas Church.
` Immediately after this, the sick began to recover from the relics of Saint Artemy, as well as from the birch bark that covered his coffin.
`The first miracle was the recovery of the son of a local peasant from a fever that was decimating the surrounding population at that time.
` After in 1584, after a prayer appeal to the righteous Artemy, a man named Pavel was healed, whose “face was painfully turned back and his eyes were closed so that he could not see anything,” the residents of Verkola transferred the relics of the righteous Artemy to the one made for this there was a special chapel at St. Nicholas Church, placing them in a new coffin.
` Several icons of St. Artemy Verkolsky were painted on the boards of the old coffin. At the same time, “one man from Pinega, named Pankraty, who was passing through Verkola, in 1601 brought one of Artemy’s icons to Veliky Ustyug, and from that image many received healing then.”
` So gradually the name of the righteous youth Artemy Verkolsky became known outside Pinega.
`"In 1619, Metropolitan Macarius of Novgorod testified to the relics of the righteous man and blessed them to be transferred to the very church of St. Nicholas.
“With his blessing and order, the life of Artemy was compiled.”
` In the 17th century, a monastery was founded in Verkola in honor of the righteous Artemy. Moreover, a man who went down in history as “an enterprising, courageous and energetic man, an experienced administrator, who was at the same time distinguished by his cruelty in dealing with his subordinates,” was involved in its emergence.” This is governor Afanasy Pashkov.
` This man had an only son - Eremey, whom he loved selflessly. In 1636, when Afanasy Pashkov arrived at the voivodeship in Mezen and Kevrola, Eremey “fell seriously ill with a fever and was already preparing for death.”
` The father, distraught with grief, considered his son’s illness a punishment for the fact that while in Verkola, he did not bother to bow to the tomb of the righteous Artemy and did not serve a prayer service in front of it.
` After Afanasy Pashkov promised that he would certainly make a pilgrimage to Verkola, his son recovered. And as soon as he got to his feet, he began to ask his father how to get to Verkola.
`"The delighted father, in gratitude for the miraculous benefit, built at his own expense a church in the name of the newly-minted miracle worker, the Holy Great Martyr Artemy, on the very spot where the relics of the saint were found. Around the built temple, the governor built a fence and cells for the monastics.
` Thus arose; there is a monastery near the Verkolsky parish." This monastery exists in Verkola to this day. In past times, in it, in a stone church in honor of St. Artemy Verkolsky (this temple was built in 1793) there were the relics of the righteous Artemy, to which pilgrims came from all over to worship Russia.
` Currently, the relics of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky have been lost. According to the stories of local residents, in the twenties, when the monastery was closed, the monks, wanting to save them from desecration, took away the relics and hid them in a now unknown place.
` Therefore, in the current Verkolsky monastery (it was returned to the Church in 1991), only the shrine where they were located has been preserved.
` Who knows, maybe, by the grace of the Lord, someday they will be found? And again, as in the distant times of Holy Rus', people will come to the relics of the righteous Artemy Verkolsky in the shameless hope of his intercession and help.
Days of remembrance: June 23 (new style - July 6) and October 20 (November 2).
* Prayer to the righteous Artemy Verkolsky *

first prayer

Oh, great servant of God, oh, great miracle worker, holy and righteous Artemy, earthly cherub, heavenly man, interlocutor of angels, heavenly inhabitant!
Look down from the heights of heaven with your bright eye, and send down upon us the rays of God's grace.
Lamp, kindled by God, with your holy prayers, kindle the darkness of our sins, ask the Father of lights for the light of grace for our souls, a quick helper and intercessor for all the faithful.
Everyone, with faith, come prayerfully under the roof of your protection and ask the Lord for your intercession, if we can help you, he gains God’s mercy and is not deprived of the desires of his heart, but asks for grace and receives the Gift for the benefit of the petition.
You are, righteous Artemy, a city planted by God, in which there is a healthy flower of prosperity, and many will be healed from the green shaking ailment.
Oh, if with your miraculous help many blind people were able to see, the deaf were able to hear, the lame person jumped up and walked, the infirmities were able to use the hands, the madness was awakened, the weakness in the veins was strengthened, the congestion was corrected, and those who had injuries were healed!
You also drove away the defilement of demons with your prayer, and resolved other unhealed illnesses.
Thus, holy and righteous Artemy, you are always merciful to everyone. For we also pray for God’s inscrutable goodness, may the Lord forgive us our debts, and may He preserve the Russian state in peace and prosperity, in strength and abundance, and may He strengthen the Orthodox faith, may He satisfy church schisms, and may He save all Orthodox Christians.
We will honestly celebrate your holy memory from generation to generation, glorifying Christ the Lord, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with the Beginning Father and with the Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and to the endless ages of ages. Amen.

second prayer

Holy servant of God, Artemy the Righteous, close protector of the Holy Orthodox Faith and the entire northern region of the Russian country!
Look mercifully at the fervent prayer of us sinners, and through your helpful intercession, ask us from the Lord for forgiveness of our sins, advancement in faith and piety, and protection from the wiles of the devil.
Pray to the Lord, may He keep Orthodox Christians in health, may He grant peace, silence and unhypocritical obedience to all people, our country, and may He grant us all the benefit of the death of Christians.
The Kingdom of Heaven, where all the righteous are with you, always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

prayer three

Oh, great servant of God, holy righteous Artemy, patron of the holy monastery, admiring your name and all Orthodox Christians, I strongly intercede for us to the Lord, great benefactor of the monks of your monastery living here and of all your miraculous relics flowing with faith and love to the race! Look mercifully at the wretched prayer of us, sinful and obscene slaves, and with your omnipotent intercession ask the Lord for forgiveness of sins, advancement in faith and piety, and protection from the machinations of the adversary who seeks to destroy us.
Grant to the brotherhood of your monastery, from the eldest to the last, humility and meekness, all-hearted love and obedience, reverent, holy service and life, and in everything faithful and complacent fulfillment of monastic community, yes, working for the Lord unashamedly and burning in spirit in unceasing prayer for our living benefactors and the departed, let us appear as faithful servants of the Lord, doing good with the talents entrusted to us!
Pray to the Lord, that the Orthodox Church of All Russia, like a well-planted garden, may bloom and bear fruit richly with the fruits of faith and piety!
Pray to the Lord, that through the intercession and intercession of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos, we may all live here a peaceful and God-pleasing life, and after a more peaceful death than Christians, we may be honored in the Most Glorious Kingdom with the mercy of the King of heaven and earth, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, glorifying Him now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

* Troparion to the righteous Artemy Verkolsky *

Troparion, tone 1:

A desert dweller and an angel and wonderworker appeared in your body, Father Artemy: by fasting, vigil, and prayer you received heavenly gifts, healing the sick and the souls of those who flow to you by faith.
Glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him who crowned you, glory to Him who heals you all.

Il troparion, tone 2:

By the command of the Most High, with a cloudy cloud, the sky darkened and the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared with rebuke, you gave up your soul in the hand of the Lord, the wise Artemy, and now you stand before the Throne of the Master of all who come to you by faith and love, giving immediate healing to everyone and praying Christ God will save our souls.

Kontakion, tone 8:

Vozsia today is the blessed memory of the wise Artemy; God-given grace, like rivers, pours out from the healing relics of his wondrous healing, in which we get rid of many different ailments, I accept with faith and cry out: Rejoice, Artemy the Wise God.

Greatness

We magnify you, the passion-bearer of Christ, Artemy, and honor your holy memory, for you pray for us to Christ our God.

The icon of Artemy Verkolsky was painted in honor of the holy Orthodox youth, a true believer in the Lord. His found relics and holy image performed many miracles, helping believers in healing their souls and bodies.

The icon of the pious Artemy Verkolsky is extremely popular among believers. The relics of the wonderworker, like His shrine, heal the most terrible and terrible things, and the life of the Orthodox youth does not leave anyone indifferent to this day. It should be noted that Artemy is not one of the holy martyrs of God. The significance and veneration of the prophet by the Orthodox Church is of a special nature and lies in its extraordinary history.

Life story of Artemy Verkolsky

Artemy Verkolsky was born in Russia, in the village of Verkol. His parents were ordinary peasants living in righteousness and piety. The young man was raised according to Christian traditions, distinguished by meekness, obedience and holiness from childhood. He always helped his father with housework and housework. In the summer of 1545, Artemy worked in the field with his father. Suddenly they heard a loud clap of thunder, followed by a bright flash of lightning. At that very moment the young man, who at that time was only 12 years old, fell to the ground dead. Local residents were frightened by such a sudden death of the boy, classifying this event as the wrath of God and His punishment. It is for this reason that Artemy’s lifeless body was not laid to rest according to all Orthodox traditions. They left him in the forest, covering him with tree branches and lightly covering him with earth.

The body of Artemy Verkolsky remained untouched for 32 years and was abandoned in that very place. In 1577, a cleric named Agathonikos noticed a light coming from the forest. When the deacon approached the extraordinary glow, he discovered that the beam pointed to the remains of a deceased youth. After the discovery of the incorruptible relics of the youth Artemy, the villagers placed them near the outer vestibule of the local temple. Soon the relics of the deceased young man acquired special holy power. Miraculous phenomena and healings began to occur to the residents of the settlement. Tales of the miraculous deeds of the relics of Artemy Verkolsky instantly spread throughout the world. Soon, icon painters began to paint icons with the face of St. Artemy. There is a lot of irrefutable evidence confirming the miraculous deeds of the incorruptible relics and the icon of St. Artemy.

Where is the icon and relics of Artemy Verkolsky

At the site where Artemy’s relics were found, a monastery was built where the incorruptible remains of the saint were placed. The Verkolsky Monastery still exists today. Within its walls is the main icon of Artemy Verkolsky, and with it His relics.

Description of the miraculous icon

The icon depicts the image of the righteous Artemy. The saint is depicted from the waist up, his body covered only by a modest casual shirt. In his left hand he holds an unfolded manuscript with an akathist written on it. In the youth’s right hand is a cross, a symbol of Orthodoxy, serving as a reminder of the suffering of Christ, which He took upon himself to save humanity from punishment for sins.

How does a miraculous image help?

The icon of the righteous Artemy contains incredible power. It is famous for its unimaginable wonders. Orthodox believers turn in prayer to the miraculous image for healing from serious, unbearable diseases. The shrine is capable of giving recovery even to the terminally ill. But why the holy image gained such fame was for numerous healings from diseases associated with the eyes. There have been many cases where completely blind people regained their sight.

Days of celebration

The official day when honors are offered to Saint Artemy Verkolsky, adopted by the Russian Orthodox Church, falls on November 2.

Prayer before the icon of Artemy Verkolsky

“Oh, holy miracle worker! You are a resident of God's Heaven, a righteous man and a saint of the Lord! Hear our prayers! Pray before our Father for our sinful deeds! For we repent and ask for forgiveness and remission of our sins! Become our intercessor! Protect from evil and various diseases! Do not let your spirit fall in difficult times and give you strength to move along the righteous path! We will never forget Your holy name! And we will praise You all our lives, O Most Holy Artemy! May God's will be done for everything! In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

To ensure that troubles and sorrows leave you, start your day right - with prayers addressed to the saints. The holy saints of God are called upon to help and protect the lives of believers. And Artemy Verkolsky is no exception. We wish you strong faith, success, and don't forget to press the buttons and

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