Savvatiy

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Savvatiy (died September 27, 1435) was one of the founders of the Solovetsky Monastery.

Savvatiy (Sabbatius) was a monk at Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. He heard of Valaam Monastery on the Lake Ladoga and its monks, who had been leading an austere lifestyle. Savvatiy moved to this island and continued to surprise his fellow monks with his amazing patience and humbleness.

Searching for an even more secluded place for complete solitude and silent prayer, he found out that there was a large deserted island in the White Sea within a two-day sailing distance. Savvatiy left Valaam Monastery and settled near a chapel on the Vyg River. There, he met a monk by the name of Gherman (Herman), who had lived in the woods in solitude. Gherman agreed to accompany Savvaty on his voyage to the island and stay there with him. When they reached the island, they erected a cross and a hermit's cell some 13 km from today's Solovetsky Monastery.

After Savvatiy's death, newly-arrived monks began the construction of the monastery which would come to be known as Solovetsky.