Zosimus of Tuman


Zosimus

A detail of a mosaic icon of Saint Zosimus located in Tuman Monastery
Venerable Wonderworker
Born13th/14th century
ResidenceTuman
Died14th/15th century
Honored inEastern Orthodox Church
Canonized1952 by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church[1]
Major shrineTuman Monastery
Feast21 August [O.S. 8 August]
Attributesmonastic vestments, cross, scroll, silver-haired beard; often depicted with Jacob the New of Tuman

Zosimus of Tuman (Serbian: Зосим Тумански, romanizedZosim Tumanski), also known as Zosimus the Sinaite (Serbian: Зосима Синаита, romanizedZosima Sinaita), was an Eastern Orthodox hermit who was one of the Sinaite monks from the second half of the 14th century who came to Serbia during the reign of Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović (r. 1371–1389).

He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, being commemorated with Jacob the New of Tuman on 8 August.[2]

Biography

According to Svetigora  magazine and the official website of Tuman Monastery, there are no contemporary historical records for the life of Saint Zosimus,[3] instead only folk legends first recorded in the 19th century.[1][4]

It is thought that, like the other Sinaite saints, he was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai, and travelled with him from Sinai to Serbia.[5]

According to legend, Zosimus lived alone in a stone cave near the present-day Tuman Monastery. The construction of the monastery, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, is linked to the name of Miloš Obilić, who governed the Braničevo region during Prince Lazar's reign (r. 1371–1389). It is said that Obilić accidentally shot the hermit Zosimus while hunting.[3] Obilić, who was so badly wounded, took him to his palace in the village of Dvorište to receive help. Zosimus, sensing his end, said to Obilić: "Stop here and leave me to die here." Obilić buried Zosimus in the same place he died and built a church over the grave,[5] roughly in the same location as the present-day monastery.

Relics

The relics of Saint Zosimus are located in the church of Tuman Monastery and were discovered on 8 August 1936. He was canonised by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1962, along with the eight other Sinaite saints.[1][5] However, his feast day only began to be celebrated starting in 1992, when it was officially entered into the church calendar.[1]

The film Čudotvorac tumanski (The Wonderworker of Tuman) was made about the miracles that occurred in connection with him in 2022.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Манастир Тумане". manastirtumane.org. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  2. ^ Stefanović, Jelena (21 August 2023). "Danas je slava Manastira Tumane: Veruje se da ova dva sveca donose isceljenje, stiže veliki broj vernika". Telegraf.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b Krdžić, Iris (21 August 2024). "Danas se obeležavaju SVETI ZOSIM I JAKOV TUMANSKI: Narod veruje da pomažu BOLESNIMA i moli im se za isceljenje". zena (in Serbian). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Свети Зосим Тумански • Радио ~ Светигора ~". svetigora.com (in Serbian). 20 August 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Relics of St. Zosima of Tuman, 14th-century Serbian saint, revested (+VIDEO)". OrthoChristian.Com. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Premijera dugoočekivanog filma "Čudotvorac tumanski" u Mts Dvorani". B92.net (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 June 2025.

Literature

  • Србски свети, Манастир Рукумија, 2000.