The relics of Saint Alexander Svirsky, a saint who died more than 500 years ago.
The relics of the saints were taken to the laboratory by the Communists to examine why they were so preserved, thinking they would prove that they are embalmed. However, when they began to cut, the saint opened his eyes. The scientist closed his eyes. He tried to cut a second time. The same thing happened. The scientist sewed his eyelids shut and tried again. A tear flowed from the eyelids. The scientist, beaten and humiliated, stopped the work and demanded that the relics be returned to the monastery, saying that there was their place.
The nails and hair are still growing on the saint, and the relics stream myrrh.
Saint Alexander Svirski pray to God for us !!!
Only twice, throughout the history of mankind, our Holy Trinity God has revealed himself to the fleshly human eye: the first time to Abraham at the Moorish Dub, signifying the great mercy of God toward the human race; for the second time on Russian soil, to the Saint Alexander Svirsky. What did this announcement mean to the New Testament saint – we dare not talk about it. We will only strive to honor that land, that monastery that was erected in the north of Russia at the behest of God – the Trinity and Avraam himself and the Most Reverend Father and the Wonderworker Alexander.
To all who strive to fulfill their holy desire and visit the Holy Land of Svirs, we dedicate this text. Reverend Alexander is one of the few Russian saints who was canonized shortly after his righteous end – some 14 years. His disciples and many of his admirers were still alive, which is why the life of the Reverend Alexander was written, as it is said, “while the trail was hot” and characterized by complete reality; it does not contain “godly schemes” and it reflects the unique character of the holiness of “all Russia’s the Wonderworker Alexander”.
The Reverend Alexander was born on June 15, 1448. in the village of Mandera on the river Ojati, in the Novgorod guberniya, near Ostrogovsko-Vavedensky monastery. At baptism he was named Amos. His parents, Stefan and Vasa, were poor, well-to-do peasants and gave their child a Christian upbringing. When Amos was old enough for marriage, his parents decided to find him a bride. However, he thought of only one thing: to leave the world for the salvation of his soul. As a kid, he had heard of the Balaam Monastery, often talked about it, and eventually, in God’s providence, he met the Balaam monks. For a long time, they had told him about the holy monastery, its tipic, and its monastic life. And delighted with those words, Amos wanted to go to “northern Athos”. Crossing the River Svir, on the shore of Roshino Lake, the venerable heard a mysterious voice, telling him to build a monastery there. And the great light dazzled him. When he came to Valaam, the abbot received him as a novice and later tonsured him and named him Alexander in 1474. He was 26 at the time. He zealously, as a novice monk, was attentive in vigil, obeyed, fasted, and prayed. When his angry father came to Valaam monastery looking for him, the Reverend managed not only to calm the angry father, but also to persuade him to become a monk with his mother. And the parents obeyed their son. Stefan was named Sergius, and his mother was named Vassa. Their graves still exist in the Vvedenjsko – Ojat Monastery.
Alexander, however, continued his monastic life on Balaam, imitating, with his life, the strictest Balaam monks. At first he was accomplishing many feats, and then decided to go into the silence on the island today called “Svjatim”, and spent 10 years there. Up to now, a narrow and moist cave has been preserved on this Holy Island, big enough for only one man to fit in. The tomb that St. Alexander dug for himself was also preserved. Once, while praying, St. Alexander heard the voice of God: “Alexander, get out of there and go to the place shown to you previously; you can be saved there.” A great light then showed him a place in the south – east, on the bank of the river Svir. That was in 1485. There he found “a very beautiful pine forest, and the whole area was wooded, the lake clear and beautiful, and none of the people had lived there before.” He set up his cottage on the shore of Roshino Lake. Half way from there is the Svjatim Lake, separated from it by the Stremna Mountain. He was completely lonely there for several years, not eating bread but only the cabbage that grew there. God revealed His cave to Major Andrei Zavalishin and through him to many other people. The monastic family began to multiply, and the word about the gift of clairvoyance and healing of the body and spirit given to the Saint soon flew to all corners of the earth. The Orthodox people honored Alexander Svirsky as a saint during his lifetime. 23 years after settling well into the desert, a large light appeared in his islet and he saw three man come to him. They were dressed in bright garments and shone with the glory of heaven “like the sun.” From their holy mouth, he heard the commandment: “Beloved, as you see the Three Persons Talking to You, Build a Church in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, – to The Holy Trinity … My peace I leave to you, My peace I give you.”
At the place of the announcement of the Trinity God, a chapel was later built, and to this day in that place the soul of man trembles at the thought of the closeness of God to His people. The most amazing amazing thing about the life of Reverend Alexander is, despite the abundance of divine messages given to him, he always remained a calm monk, who wanted to serve the brotherhood and ordinary visitors who came there.
For a few years before his repose, God laid in his heart the gentle thought of building a stone church dedicated to the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin with a dining room. And so… When the foundation was already laid one night, after the completion of the usual prayer rule, the Reverend saw the unusual light that illuminated the whole monastery. And, on the foundations of the Church of the Protection, on an altar seat in imperial glory, sat on the throne our Holy Virgin Mary with Her Son surrounded by a multitude of disembodied powers of the heaven. The Reverend fell face down on earth before the majesty of Her glory, for he could not see the glow of that ineffable light. Then the Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded him to stand up and comforted him with the promise that he would always be with the Family of the monastery and assist in all the needs of those who live in it, both during the Saint’s life and after his death.
One year before his repose, the Reverend invited all his brethren and announced to them that the hour of his departure from this temporary, sorrowful and sad life, into another eternal, painless and always joyful life, would soon come. He ordered that after him one of the four monks : Isaiah, Nicodemus, Leontius or Herodionus should be chosen as the new abbot. And, until the very end, he did not cease to teach his brothers a godly life. Reverend Alexander died on August 30, 1533, at the age of 85, and according to his pre-mortal will, was buried in a nearby solitary monastery, next to the Church of the Transfiguration. In 1547 he was canonized as a saint.
All those who had various ailments came to his venerable grave, and with faith received healing: the blind could see, the joints were hardened to the weak, the demons were chased out, the childless parents were given children.
Our Blessed God, who glorified His comforter and in this temporary life, by creating with His hand signs and wonders, decided to leave his uncorrupted holy body after death, as a great light to His Church, to shine with His glorious wonders.