Tryphon of Pechenga
Encyclopedia
Saint Tryphon of Pechenga ( , , and ) was a Russia
n monk
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
and led an ascetic life
on the Kola Peninsula
and in Lappland
in the 16th century. He is considered to be the founder of the Pechenga Monastery
.
St. Tryphon, baptized as Mitrofan, was the son of a priest
from the Novgorod region. At an early age he felt that he wanted to serve God
and to spend his life as an anchorite
. Regarding himself as being led by God, he set off north to preach the Gospel
to the Sámi
living along the Pechenga River
.
Having requested and received permission from Archbishop
Macarius of Novgorod to found a Church of the Annunciation
up north, Mitrofan was tonsured a monk
with the religious name
Tryphon, and ordained a hieromonk
(i.e., monastic priest). After his ordination and tonsure, Tryphon became leader of the Holy Trinity Monastery
on the banks of the Pechenga River while fervently spreading the Gospel to the people living there.
St. Tryphon died in 1583, and is commemorated on 15 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church
, and is referred to as the "Enlightener of the Lapps". Russian seamen traditionally pray to St. Tryphon when they are in danger.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and led an ascetic life
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
on the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
and in Lappland
Lapland (region)
Lapland is a region in northern Fennoscandia, largely within the Arctic Circle. It streches across Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula . On the North it is bounded by the Barents Sea, on the West by the Norwegian Sea and on the East by the White Sea...
in the 16th century. He is considered to be the founder of the Pechenga Monastery
Pechenga Monastery
The Pechenga Monastery was for many centuries the northernmost monastery in the world. It was founded in 1533 at the influx of the Pechenga River into the Barents Sea, 135 km west of modern Murmansk, by St...
.
St. Tryphon, baptized as Mitrofan, was the son of a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
from the Novgorod region. At an early age he felt that he wanted to serve God
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
and to spend his life as an anchorite
Anchorite
Anchorite denotes someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, and—circumstances permitting—Eucharist-focused life...
. Regarding himself as being led by God, he set off north to preach the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to the Sámi
SAMI
SAMI is a Microsoft accessibility initiative released in 1998. The structured markup language is designed to simplify creating captions for media playback on a PC, i.e. not for broadcast purposes....
living along the Pechenga River
Pechenga River
Pechenga is a river in Murmansk Oblast, Russia . It is the namesake for the Pechenga settlement, Pechenga Monastery and the Pechenga District. The river discharges into the Pechenga Bay by the Barents Sea coast....
.
Having requested and received permission from Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Macarius of Novgorod to found a Church of the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
up north, Mitrofan was tonsured a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
with the religious name
Religious Name
A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for a religious purpose, and which is generally used in religious contexts. Different types of religious names may be in use among the clergy of a religion, as well in some cases among the laity....
Tryphon, and ordained a hieromonk
Hieromonk
Hieromonk , also called a Priestmonk, is a monk who is also a priest in the Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholicism....
(i.e., monastic priest). After his ordination and tonsure, Tryphon became leader of the Holy Trinity Monastery
Holy Trinity monastery
-In Bulgaria:* Etropole Monastery of the Holy Trinity , near Etropole, Bulgaria* Patriarchal Monastery of the Holy Trinity, a monastery near Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria* Ustrem Monastery of the Holy Trinity, near Ustrem, Bulgaria-In Romania:...
on the banks of the Pechenga River while fervently spreading the Gospel to the people living there.
St. Tryphon died in 1583, and is commemorated on 15 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, and is referred to as the "Enlightener of the Lapps". Russian seamen traditionally pray to St. Tryphon when they are in danger.
External links
- Venerable Tryphon the Abbot of Pechenga (Kolsk) Orthodox iconIconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
and synaxarion