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Repose of Saint Herman, Archbishop of Kazan · Saints and Scripture

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Saints and Scripture Podcast.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Today is Friday, november sixth, twenty twenty six.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today we remember Saint Herman, Archbishop of Kazan.
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  SPEAKER_00: He lived during the sixteenth century and was born in the city of Staritsa.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman came from the old Boyar nobility of the Polavi family.
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  SPEAKER_00: His baptismal name was Gregory.
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  SPEAKER_00: As a young man, Gregory was tonsured at the Joseph Volokolomsk Monastery under Igumin Gurias, who later became Archbishop of Kazan.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: At the monastery, Saint Herman spent time copying books and was a close friend of Saint Maximus the Greek, who was living there in confinement.
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  SPEAKER_00: In 1551, the brethren of the Staritsa Dormitan Monastery chose him as their Archimandrite because of his piety.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: As Archimandrite, Saint Herman cared deeply for the monastery's order and discipline.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: He was a model of humility and meekness and encouraged everyone to keep their monastic commitments strictly.
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  SPEAKER_00: He introduced the rule of Saint Joseph of Volokolamsk to the monastery.
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  SPEAKER_00: After two and a half years, Saint Herman left the Staritsa monastery and returned to the Volokolomsk monastery to live as a simple monk.
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  SPEAKER_00: Around this time, a heretic named Matthew Bashkin appeared in Moscow, denying the holy mysteries and the holy trinity.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman and his father, who was also tonsured at Volokolomsk with the name Philothius, were called to the Moscow Council of 1553.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: The council condemned Bashkin and sent him to Saint Herman for correction because of Herman's holy life and zeal for the faith.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: In 1555, after Kazan was taken, an archiepiscopal see was established there.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Gurias was chosen as archbishop and was tasked with building the Dormition Monastery in Svyask for missionary work.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman was appointed head of this new monastery.
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  SPEAKER_00: Under his leadership, a stone cathedral, bell tower, and monastic cells were built.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman lived simply in a small cell beneath the bell tower and focused on acquiring a library for the monastery.
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  SPEAKER_00: The monastery became known for its good works and became a center of enlightenment in the Kazan region.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: On March twelfth, 1564, after Saint Gurias reposed, Saint Herman was consecrated bishop of Kazan.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Though his time as bishop was short, he worked to build churches and bring the light of Christ to the people.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: In 1566, Ivan the Terrible summoned Saint Herman to Moscow and ordered that he be made metropolitan.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman initially refused this heavy responsibility, but the Tsar insisted.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Once in Moscow, Saint Herman tried to admonish the Tsar for injustices he saw among the Tsar's inner circle.
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  SPEAKER_00: The Tsar responded by saying, You are not yet elevated to metropolitan, and already you place constraints upon my freedom.
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  SPEAKER_00: He then expelled Saint Herman from the metropolitan's quarters and kept him under surveillance.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman lived in disgrace for about two years.
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  SPEAKER_00: He died on November 6, 1567, and was buried in the church of Saint Nicholas the Hospitable.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: In 1595, the inhabitants of Sviosk requested that his relics be moved from Moscow to the Dormition Monastery in Sviosk.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Hermogenes, then Metropolitan of Kazan, visited his grave.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman is also commemorated on September 25th and June 23, marking the translations of his relics.
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  SPEAKER_00: Saint Herman's life reminds us of steadfast faith and humility in the face of trials.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Let us pray.
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  SPEAKER_00: Lord, grant us the humility and zeal of Saint Herman.
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  SPEAKER_00: Help us to remain faithful in our struggles and to serve others with meekness.
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  SPEAKER_00: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.