Abraham and Onesimus of Kyiv Caves explained

Abraham and Onesimus of Kyiv Caves
Titles:	Saints
Death Place:	Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv
Venerated In:	Russian Orthodox Church
Feast Day:	21 August for Abraham, 17 October for Onesimus

Abraham and Onesimus of Kyiv were monks of the Kyiv caves and lived in the 12-13th century.

They, with several others, are commemorated on Saturday after 28 September.^[1]

The others commemorated on that day include:

• Alexius of Kyiv,
• Helladius of Kyiv,
• Sisoes of Kyiv,
• Theophilus of Kyiv,
• John of Kyiv (an infant), and
• John of Kiev (an adult).

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is an orthodox monastery which was founded by the monk St. Anthony Pechersky in 1051 at the caves near Kyiv (now in the center of the city). In 11th century Lavra became the center of spreading of Christianity in Ancient Rus'.^[2]

Abraham and Onesimus were buried at the Near Caves. The feast day of Abraham, the hermit, is 21 August.^[1] The feast day of Onesimus, the hermit, is 17 October.^[3]

External sources

• Holweck, F. G. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co. 1924.

Notes and References

1. https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/1999/08/21/102362-venerable-abramius-the-lover-of-labor-of-the-kiev-near-caves "Venerable Abramius the lover-of-labor of the Kiev Near Caves", Orthodox Church in America
2. Magocsi P.R. A History of Ukraine. University of Toronto Press: Toronto, 1996. p 98.
3. http://www.vgd.ru/CEMETRY/kpl.htm/ КИЕВО-ПЕЧЕРСКАЯ ЛАВРА (Kiev Pechersk Lavra)in Russian