Поучение слово къ келарю святаго Феодосия, игумена печерьскаго монастыря в Кыеве
The Sacred Stewardship of the Cellarer
The cellarer is reminded that his office is a divine trust, likened to the holy fire of the altar.
Brother, see: you receive this office from Christ's hand and from the throne of his glory. Keep the fear of him before your eyes; strive to finish the work entrusted to you without blame, so that you may also be worthy of the crown from Christ. Let that throne appear to you as the high throne Isaiah saw—the one to which a seraph was sent, holding a coal that did not burn the prophet but enlightened him.✦ So too with you, brother: when you take the key, treat it like fire—and see, it comes from the throne on which Christ is offered every day. If you carry out this service, son N., in the monastic order with heartfelt goodwill, a righteous crown is kept for you, and this key will enlighten and save your soul.12
The Peril of Dishonesty
The author warns against the theft of monastic property, citing the severe judgments of Ananias, Sapphira, and Gehazi.
But if you turn your heart aside to slight anything that belongs to the monastery, or to steal something and hoard it for yourself rather than for the monastery, then this key will burn your soul—here and in the age to come. Gehenna will take you, and the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira will overtake you.✦ For they, having held back from the price of their field, died suddenly; but you will deserve a worse torment if you steal what belongs to others or give it out without order to your own people.3 Gehazi's leprosy will come upon you—not in your body, but in your soul.✦
A Final Charge to Vigilance
The instruction concludes with a call to watchfulness and a prayer for divine protection.
Watch yourself, brother, and watch your office, so that the Lord may save you from all these things through the prayers of the holy Mother of God and of all your saints, now and forever.
Read the original Latin
Брате, се от рукы Христовы и от престола славы его приемлеши сию службу. Имѣй страхъ его предъ очима си: потщися порученое тобе дѣло непорочно свершити, да и вѣнца от Христа достоинъ будеши. И да мнить ти ся онъ престолъ вышний, егоже видѣ Исая, к немуже единъ от серафимъ посланъ бысть, имѣяй угль, не опаляяй пророка, но просвѣщаяй. Тако же и ты, брате, вземляй ключь, акы огнь, а се от престола, на немже жрѣться Христосъ по вся дни, аще сию службу, сыну имярек, в чинъ монастырьскый съ душевною приязнию исправиши, щадить ти ся правѣдный венець и будеть ти сий ключь просвѣщаяй и спасаяй душю твою. Аще ли уклониши сердце твое преобидети что монастырьское или окрадати что и себе притяжати и сбирати паче, а не манастыреви, и будеть ти сий ключь опаляяй душю твою, здѣ и въ будущий вѣкъ, геона тя прииметь и судъ Ананьинъ и Самфиринъ постигнѣтъ тя. Та бо, уемша у цены села своего, напрасно умроста, ты же горцей муце достоинъ будеши, крадый чюжая или раздаваяй безъ чину своимъ. Геезино прокажьство наидеть на тя, – не телесно, но душевно. Внимай себе, брате, и службѣ своей, да спасеть тя Господь ото всѣх сих молитвами святыя Богородица и всѣх святыхъ твоихъ, и нынѣ, и присно.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Isa.6.1-Isa.6.7 — In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isa.6.2 — Seraphim were standing above him; each one had six wings: with two each covered his face, with two each covered his feet, and with two each would fly. Isa.6.3 — And one called to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the fullness of the earth is his glory. Isa.6.4 — The doorposts shook at the voice of the one calling, and the house filled with smoke. Isa.6.5 — And I said, 'Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.' Isa.6.6 — Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. Isa.6.7 — and he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is removed, and your sin is atoned for."
- ↩Acts.5.1-Acts.5.11 — But a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. Acts.5.2 — And he kept back some of the proceeds, with his wife also knowing it. And he brought a portion and laid it at the apostles' feet. Acts.5.3 — But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?' Acts.5.4 — While it remained unsold, wasn't it yours? And after it was sold, wasn't it under your own control? Why did you set this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. Acts.5.5 — But when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard these things. Acts.5.6 — Then the younger men rose, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him. Acts.5.7 — Now about three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Acts.5.8 — But Peter said to her, 'Tell me whether you sold the land for this amount.' And she said, 'Yes, for that amount.' Acts.5.9 — But Peter said to her, "Why has it been agreed among you to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Acts.5.10 — And immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Acts.5.11 — And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.
- ↩2Kgs.5.20-2Kgs.5.27 — Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said, 'Look, my master has let this Aramean Naaman off the hook by not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something out of him.' 2Kgs.5.21 — So Gehazi pursued after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all well?" 2Kgs.5.22 — "Peace, my lord — he sent me to say: 'Just now two young men from the hill country of Ephraim have come to me, from among the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'" 2Kgs.5.23 — Then Naaman said, 'Please, take two talents of silver.' And he urged him, and he bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them before him. 2Kgs.5.24 — And he came to the Ophel, and he took from their hands, and he stored it in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 2Kgs.5.25 — And he came and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant has not gone anywhere at all." 2Kgs.5.26 — Then he said to him, "My heart did not go with you when a man turned from his chariot to meet you. Is this the time to take the silver, and to take garments, and olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and male servants and female servants? 2Kgs.5.27 — Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your offspring forever. And he left his presence, a leper, white as snow.
Notes
- 1 ↩имярек is a liturgical placeholder for inserting the addressee's name; rendered as N.
- 2 ↩жрѣться Христосъ: Christ is sacrificed/offered daily (Eucharistic altar imagery tied to the cellarer's key as from that throne).
- 3 ↩безъ чину: without proper order/rule (not mere chaos)—i.e., distributing monastery goods irregularly to one's own favorites.
Epistles of Theodosius of the Caves to Prince Iziaslav companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit