Venerable Father Erasmus was a monk of the Pechersk Monastery. He had inherited great wealth from his father, and out of his love for the beauty of the House of the Lord, he spent everything he had on adorning the church. He covered many icons in the Pechersk Church with silver and gold. As he gazed upon them, he also adorned his own soul as a temple and an image of the Living God—not with material silver and gold, but with purity, love, and all the virtues of the monastic calling.

However, a great trial befell the venerable one. When he had spent all his wealth and became neglected by all, the devil began to sow in his heart the thought that he had received no reward for his riches, which had been spent on beautifying the church. He was tempted to believe it would have been better to give his wealth as alms to the poor. Failing to recognise this temptation, he fell into despair and began living negligently, passing his days in disorder and carelessness. But the Merciful and Righteous God, remembering the blessed one’s former virtues, saved him from ruin in the following way.

The Lord sent him a severe illness. He lay mute and blind for seven days, barely breathing and on the verge of death. On the eighth day, the entire brotherhood gathered around him. Seeing his dreadful state, they said in astonishment, “Woe, woe to this brother’s soul, for he lived in idleness and sin! Now he sees something and struggles, unable to leave his body.” Then, as if he had never been ill, Blessed Erasmus suddenly rose, sat up, and said to them: “Fathers and brethren, truly it is as you say—I am sinful and have not repented. But today, our venerable fathers Anthony and Theodosius appeared to me, saying: ‘We have prayed to the Lord for you, and He has granted you time for repentance.’ After this, I saw the Most Pure Lady Theotokos, just as She appears on Her icon, holding Her Son, Christ our God, in Her arms and a great multitude of saints with Her. And She said to me: ‘Erasmus, because you adorned My church and glorified it with icons, I too will adorn you and glorify you with honor in the Kingdom of My Son. Because you always have the poor everywhere, but My church is not found everywhere. Rise, repent, and receive the great angelic schema, and on the third day, I will take you to Myself, for you have loved the beauty of My House.’”

Having told this to the brethren, Blessed Erasmus began to confess his sins openly before all, without shame. Then he rose, went to the church, and received the tonsure into the great schema. On the third day, as foretold by the Theotokos, he departed to the Lord and His Mother.

The relics of Saint Erasmus rest in the Near Caves, with records indicating their veneration since 1638.

The commemoration of Venerable Erasmus has been observed from ancient times on March 9 (February 24, Old Style).