Alexei Shepelev

Alexei Goloseyevskiy (Russian: , secular name Vladimir Ivanovich Shepelev, Russian: ; born 14 April 1840 in Kyiv, died 11 March 1917 in Kyiv) was an Orthodox saint and monk, venerated by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. As a child, he was entrusted to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, where he became a cleric. For the last 20 years of his life, he resided at the in Kyiv, serving as a confessor and spiritual guide. The Orthodox Church attributes to Alexei the gifts of prophecy, prayer, and confession.

Childhood Saint Alexei Shepelev was born on 14 April 1840 in Kyiv to a noble family. His father, Joann Shepelev, served as a captain in the Kyiv arsenal. His mother, Maria Shepeleva, attended the unveiling of the relics of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh on 7 August 1832, where she met Bishop Antony, who reportedly told her:

Seven years later, Maria gave birth to a boy named Vladimir, who was mute. Joann died when Vladimir was three, leaving Maria to raise him, instilling Christian values and teaching him love for others. She took him to prisons to distribute alms and visited the Kitayevska Hermitage of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, home to the fool for Christ hieromonk Theophil. Following this healing, Filaret offered to take Vladimir to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra to serve him. On 2 July 1853, the 13-year-old arrived at the lavra. Four days later, Maria died. Filaret took responsibility for Vladimir's education, arranging lessons with professors from the Kyiv Theological Academy and Kyiv University, covering Russian literature, church and Russian history, Scripture, medicine, and likely Latin. Filaret personally guided his moral and ethical upbringing, instructing him to distribute alms to Kyiv's poor during major Orthodox feasts.

In 1905, Alexei received the Order of Saint Anna III degree. In 1913, Metropolitan Flavian awarded him a pastoral staff, typically reserved for an hegumen or higher, despite Alexei being a hieromonk.

A portion of Alexei's relics is housed in the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in Sloboda Oziericka, Smalyavichy district.

Prophecies of Alexei

The Orthodox Church attributes prophetic gifts to Alexei, citing events from pilgrims' lives and his pastoral work. On 1 March 1881, during elevation, Alexei noticed that the particle for Tsar Alexander II was light brown, unlike the white particles, suggesting it was stained with wine. He interpreted this as a divine warning of danger to the tsar, who was assassinated that day.

In 1896, during the unveiling of Saint Theodosius of Chernigov's reliquary, Alexei, tasked with changing the saint's vestments, dreamt of Theodosius requesting liturgical prayers for his parents. When Alexei asked why Theodosius, being saved, did not pray himself, the saint emphasized the power of liturgical prayer. The church cites this to highlight prayers for the dead. Theodosius revealed his parents' names (Nikita and Maria), unknown to the church or folk tradition. Alexei shared this with Metropolitan , who forbade disclosure. Years later, the Vydubychi Monastery's Synodik of the Uglich family recorded Theodosius, then hegumen, listing his parents' names.

The church lists other undated prophecies, often without personal details. The superior of the Nikolskaya Hermitage in Chernigov Governorate lost a cross over the Dnieper, essential for liturgies. Alexei, visiting annually, brought the lost cross. Akilina Stepanova from Tambov Governorate asked whether to send her sick daughter Varvara to a monastery. Learning of a younger daughter, Paraskeva, planning marriage, Alexei advised preparing a coffin for Paraskeva and assured Varvara's recovery and marriage. Paraskeva died two weeks later, and Varvara married. Alexei told a Kharkov woman's son he would become a bishop like Joasaph of Belgorod, returning her 10-ruble offering with 5 rubles, foreseeing her need for rent. Women from Rzhyshchiv tested Alexei by planning to ask for return fare; he offered it unprompted. A Yeniseysk woman sent 300 rubles for prayers, criticized by a neighbor for funding monks' luxury. Alexei returned the money, quoting the neighbor. He invited the K. family for tea, giving the mother jam to eat alone, later explained by her abusive husband's changed behavior. A novice from Kyiv's Ascension Convent was comforted by Alexei, who predicted her troubles would end with a cell assignment.

Teachings of Alexei Alexei advised monks to prepare for death, avoid vanity, obey superiors, cherish cell life, maintain spiritual purity, pray constantly, and read saints' lives. To laypeople, he recommended thinking of Christ, restraining self and anger, being strict with oneself but lenient with others, giving alms, doing good, cultivating humility, and embracing suffering for joy. His sayings include:

Followers of Alexei Influenced by Alexei, Alexander Gotovtsev joined a monastery as Alexei, became a bishop, and was martyred in the 1930s during Soviet persecution. led the Lavra in the 1920s amid closure threats and became a metropolitan. Bishop Vladimir Bogoyavlensky, martyred in January 1918, sought Alexei's prayers; his body was found by Alexei's spiritual son, Archimandrite Antym (Yelenetsky), later imprisoned. Bishops and visited Alexei for spiritual counsel. Bishop Vyacheslav (Shkurko), martyred in 1937, likely compiled Alexei's first biography as a hieromonk.