St. Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- This is a brief description of the life of St. Basil of Ostrog the Wonderworker.
St. Basil of Ostrog,
the Wonderworker
(Commemorated April 29)
St. Basil was born in Popovo Polje, a village in Hercegovina, of simple and God-fearing parents. From his youth he was filled with love for the Church of God and when he reached maturity he entered the Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Trebinje and there received the monastic tonsure.
As a monk he quickly became renowned because of his genuine and infrequently-found ascetic life. Basil developed a reputation for taking upon himself more and more difficult ascetic labours, each one greater than the previous one.
Later, against his will he was elected and consecrated as bishop of Zahumlje and Skenderia. As a hierarch he first lived in the Monastery of Tvrdosh and from there, as a good shepherd, he strengthened his flock in the Orthodox Faith, protecting them from the cruelty of the Turks and the cunning ways of Latins.
When Basil was exceedingly pressed by his enemies and Tvrdosh was destroyed by the Turks, he moved to Ostrog, where he lived an austere ascetical life, protecting his flock by his ceaseless and fervent prayer.
(Falling asleep)
Tireless in prayer, fasting and physical work and burdened by many spiritual and earthy cares for his flock, the Saint of Ostrog slowly came to the end of his earthly life. He reposed peacefully, without pain or suffering, easily giving up his soul to his Lord on April 29, 1671 in his cell above the Monastery.
At the moment he gave up his soul, his cell shone with an unearthly light. The monks buried St. Vasilije’s body in a grave under the Church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God.
Immediately after the falling asleep of St. Basil, people started coming in great numbers to pray at his grave, just as they were accustomed to doing during his earthly life. Christians and Muslims alike come before his incorrupt relics and find healing for their gravest illnesses and afflictions at the Saint’s grave. Every year on the Feast of Pentecost, there is a great pilgrimage of people there celebrating the memory of St. Basil.
(A dream & the glorification of the Saint)
7 years after giving up his soul to God, in 1678, St. Basil appeared in a dream to Fr. Rafailo (Kosijerevac) the Abbot of St. Luke Monastery in Zhupa near Nikshich, and ordered him to go to Ostrog and open up the Saint’s grave. The abbot paid no attention to the dream and did not go. He had the same dream again but he again ignored it. St. Basil then appeared to the abbot a third time, dressed in a bishop’s vestments, with a censer in his hand. The abbot woke up in fear and trepidation and told the brotherhood of his Monastery about his dream. They agreed at once to make a hasty journey to Ostrog.
Upon their arrival they first informed the Ostrog monks of the abbot’s dream and then took upon themselves a strict fast, all the while serving the complete cycle of daily prayers with Divine Liturgy. They did so for 7 days. On the seventh day, they censed the Saint’s grave and opened it.
Before them appeared the Saint in a glorified body the colour of pure wax, giving out the fragrance similar to that of basil leaves. Then the monks placed his incorrupt body in a case and took it to the upper Monastery, to the Church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos, where it rests to this day.
News of the glorification of St. Basil’s body quickly spread and people began to flock in great numbers to venerate his holy and wonderworking relics. Not only Orthodox Christians, but also Roman Catholics and Lutherans, and even Muslims came to seek help at the great sanctuary of Ostrog. According to their faith and with the grace of God and His Saint, many of them received healing, spiritual help and found consolation.
Even today pilgrims from all parts of the country, of all nationalities and religions come before the Wonderworker of Ostrog. Many people travel to Ostrog from abroad. From the holy reliquary arise prayers in many languages. Many parents bring their children to be baptized before the relics of St. Basil and many name their offspring after the Saint.
Countless confessions have been made and many people have partaken of the Holy Mysteries before the holy relics, while countless others have asked for prayers to be read for their health and salvation.
Many sacrifices and donations are brought to the holy father at the Ostrog Monastery, but the greatest sacrifice of all is that of sincere repentance and the will to cleanse one’s heart before God and St. Basil. Even the godless and atheists have shown respect and honour for St. Basil.
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Thank you for making this. :))) Strong energy at his places in the Balkans.
I have been there during 2019 ,he did me a wonderful miracle too his so sweet and gentle in helping me ,truly he is a wonder working saint, please pray for us in the presence of our Lord kingdom
Thank you for this video.💝 We appreciate it.🙏💕
@yazrooney; Thank you for your kind words. Glory be to God for all things! 🙏☦️
Valaam Monastery
No it is Kovilj monastery singing ❤