Righteous Maxim of Totma, fool-for-Christ

Photo: https://azbyka.ru/ Photo: https://azbyka.ru/
Righteous Maxim was a priest in the town of Totma in the Russian North during the early seventeenth century. He was called Maxim Makarev, son of Pope (priest). He was made a priest, and for forty-five years he lead the ascetic life of a fool-for-Christ, abiding in ceaseless prayer, fasting, nakedness, and with total disregard for his own body.

Righteous priest Maxim was distinguished even during his lifetime by his grace-filled gifts from God. He reposed in deep old age on January 16, 1650 and was buried near the Varnitsa Resurrection in Totma. His holy and laborious life, and the miraculous healings that came from his grave, inspired his contemporaries to compile his Life, but this Life burned in a fire at the Resurrection Church in 1676. Later, in 1680, a new Life was compiled after the first was lost. Meanwhile, the miracles continued happening at the righteous one’s grave.

In 1715, priest of the Resurrection Church John Rokhletsov and parishioners petitioned Archbishop Joseph of Veliki Ustiug for permission to place a grave-reliquary over the relics of St. Maxim in the Church of St. Parasceva, which was built over those relics, and place an icon on the saint’s grave-reliquary. His Eminence gave his permission and blessed them to serve molebens to him as to all the other God-pleasers.

At that time there were yet other memorable miracles that happened at the place of Righteous Maxim’s grave, and these miracles were depicted on the margins of the icons that adorned the God-pleaser’s reliquary.

Photo: https://azbyka.ru/ Photo: https://azbyka.ru/
In 1680, Boris Timofeyev Tarunin of Totma fell sick with a bad fever and lay paralyzed for a half year. When he called to Righteous Maxim for help, he immediately received healing.

In 1691, peasant Aretha Malevinsky could not rise from his bed for nine weeks due to a fever. But when he called for help to righteous Maxim, his sickness went away completely.

Peasant Theodore Vasiliev Mamoshov was ill for nine years, paralyzed. On the night of November 5, 1703, he had a dream in which he saw an old man wearing only a long shirt came to his bed and said to him, “Theodore, stop your sorrowing.” And taking him by the shoulder, he led him to the church to venerate the grave-reliquary of righteous Maxim. When he woke up, Theodore felt so healthy that he was able to walk to the Resurrection Church to venerate the grave of his healer.

Anna Yakovleva Tataurova, in 1705, was out of her mind for a month. Righteous Maxim appeared to her at night in a dream and told her to have two Pannikhidas (services for the dead) served over his grave, promising she would recover if she did so. When she awoke, the sick girl regained consciousness and asked to be taken to the righteous one’s grave, where after two Pannikhidas were served she immediately felt completely healthy.

Troparion, Tone 4

Thou didst please God by thy blameless priesthood, and choose to be a Fool for Christ in the midst of worldly tumult; thou didst take up the Cross and follow Christ, drawing near to Him in unswerving thought and love. Disdaining all things earthly, thou didst receive the things of heaven. Pray to Christ our God to keep thy flock unharmed and to save our souls, O holy Father Maxim.

Kontakion, Tone 4

Thou didst hear the divine voice of the Gospel and joyfully follow it into the heaven of dispassion. Thou didst cleanse thy soul and body by prayer, fasting and stream of tears, extremes of weather, humbled thoughts and being reviled of men; thou didst pray for those who assailed thee and say: O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Even after thy death God glorifies thee with miracles and teaches all to cry to thee: rejoice, holy Maxim, our father.

Translation by OrthoChristian.com

Azbuka.ru

1/29/2017

See also
Holy Righteous Procopius of Ustiug, Wonder-Worker and Fool-for-Christ Holy Righteous Procopius of Ustiug, Wonder-Worker and Fool-for-Christ Holy Righteous Procopius of Ustiug, Wonder-Worker and Fool-for-Christ Holy Righteous Procopius of Ustiug, Wonder-Worker and Fool-for-Christ
Gregory Sobolev
A wealthy German merchant, St. Procopius came to trade in Novgorod the Great. He was amazed that the grandeur of the churches and the piety of the people, and abandoned his former faith, homeland, and wealth, considering the true faith and importance of the spiritual life to be worth more than all these. But the path of his service would not be an easy one…
Holy Fools Holy Fools
Bev Cooke
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In our faith, Holy Fools often serve the same purpose as their Old Testament counterparts: that is, to warn a city, or a parish or a monastery about their failings and turning away from God. But their behaviour often isn’t just that simple, and to be a Holy Fool is a difficult and dangerous calling. It requires someone to reject the values of the world, and sometimes, even to seem to reject the teachings of the church. They forfeit the acceptance of others, and they act in ways that often convince people they are insane. It’s not unusual for holy fools to spend time locked up in madhouses and asylums, or to find themselves mocked, beaten, and thrown out of churches and monasteries. It’s not a way of life most people can tolerate or understand, either to do it or to be around it.
Blessed John, Fool-for-Christ of Moscow Blessed John, Fool-for-Christ of Moscow
Commemorated June 12/25, July 3/16
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Commemorated June 12/25, July 3/16
John feared God alone, and spoke the truth to every person no matter how highly placed. Even to Tsar Boris Gudunov he would often repeat the words: “You, with your smart head in the air, take a look at God’s affairs. God has a lot of patience first, but when He beats, it really hurts.”
Blessed Alypia, Fool-for-Christ of Kiev Blessed Alypia, Fool-for-Christ of Kiev
Sergei Geruk
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Sergei Geruk
Further on in her life we read how she was miraculously freed from prison, and how the Apostle Peter appeared to her. In light of this fact and her later life of prayer, it becomes clear why she prayed so many years directly in front of the large icon of the Apostles Peter and Paul located in the right side-altar of the Demeyevsky Church in Kiev.
Comments
Dylan burrell5/3/2019 6:43 pm
Do u know any free gift healers willing to work with me
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