Abbot Isaiah of Sarov

He was born into a family Moscow merchants, the son of Ivan Grigoryevich Putilov and Anna Ivanova Golovina. He came to the monastery in 1805 together with his older brother Timothy. Jonah (the name of Igumen Isaiah in the world) remained at Sarov while his brother sought out his monastic calling elsewhere and eventually became the abbot of the renowned Optina Monastery, Moses—as he was named at his tonsure.  Jonah was tonsured a monk on September 6, 1812 and given the name Isaiah. He was ordained a hierodeacon on August 15, 1813, and elevated to hieromonk on March 14, 1815. He was selected to be a treasurer in 1822 and continued in that role until 1842. In that same year at the unanimous request of the brethren he was appointed to be the Abbot of the monastery by the diocesan authorities to succeed the deceased Igumen Niphot. On August 15, 1846 he was raised to the rank of Igumen by the Most Reverend Nikolai, Bishop of Tambov^[1] and Shatsk. In 1850 he was honored with a pastoral staff and was awarded a pectoral cross.

Father Igumen always liked to talk about diligence, purity and the strictness of monastics’ life, often recalling the charters and the rules of the monastic life. He often reminded the brethren of the heights of spiritual life and spiritual discernment, reverent worship, humility, and the wisdom of the founder Ioann, the venerable prior of the monastery Ephraim and the humble Abbot Isaiah. Yet, he took even greater joy in recounting the lives of the champions of faith – Macarius, Pachomius, John Chrysostom and others – whom he called “pillars of the Church,” holding them up as models of steadfastness in faith.

He adhered to his cell rule with the modesty typical of him. He used to say,  “A monk without a rule is no monk at all. The holy fathers of old, as we know from history, preserved in unceasing prayer, in extreme silence and fasting and, thereby they were deemed worthy to receive God’s grace, which strengthened them in their feats. As for us, may God help us to at least fulfill this small rule with diligence.” Fr. Isaiah was the embodiment of asceticism and a great zeal for the cause of God. He attended every church service without fail, even unto exhaustion, he had an insatiable thirst for the closest communion with the Savior Christ in partaking of the Holy Mysteries. He used to repeat often, “While we have time, we must take care not to live aimlessly; so that upon the departure from this world we may inherit the kingdom of Heaven, which we cannot merit unless we become as meek children. Without love for God and peace with our neighbor we are unworthy of beholding God. One must strive in every way to please God, to save his soul, which is more precious than the entire world. Poverty and non-acquisitiveness are the necessary assets of a monk; all of the riches of the world are worthless compared to the eternal bliss promised to those who love God.”

He used to constantly admonish the brethren about bearing labors and afflictions without complaint. He used to say, “Chains, long vigils, numerous prostrations and all kinds of bodily austerities profit nothing without spiritual virtues. One should have sincere love for others, be obedient, and endure with humility. Prostrations alone will not save us. God seeks peacefulness. A monk who neglects his salvation insults God. Abstinence, labors, fleeing idleness, keeping the mind fixed on contemplation of God, remaining in the cell – those are the adornments of a monk.”

The ever-memorable Father Igumen Isaiah passed away from his labors on April 16, 1858 on the day of the Feast of Mid-Pentecost at four o’clock in the morning. Before his departure, as a farewell, he partook of Holy Mysteries of Christ followed by Holy Unction. His mind was clear until the last minute. He passed away on the seventy third year of his life, having guided the Monastery for sixteen years, altogether he lived at the monastery for 54 years.  He did not travel out of the monastery with the exception of visiting the Optina Monastery to visit his brother Abbot Moses in August of 1856. The Monastery lost in him a kind and humble father. His coffin was made already in 1850 from cypress, he was laid to rest next to elder Abbot Isaiah behind the altar on the left side next to Dormition Cathedral. He himself wished to be buried there, since he respected Abbot Isaiah, and bore his name out of love for him. He imitated his life, their souls were inseparable, now their bodies found repose side by side. How touching is this constant, unchanging union of hearts.

In the course of sixteen years of his rule Father Isaiah improved the entire monastery significantly and brought it to the excellent condition it remains in at the present time. His interactions with everyone were meek, condescending, simple, fatherly. Due to gentleness and meekness of his quiet character he had a surprisingly meek temperament, gentle, friendly to all, distinguished by a God-pleasing wisdom born of humility. He was loved and respected by all for the exceptional meekness of his quiet character.

^[1] A city located 270 miles south-southeast of Moscow.