St. Alypius the Iconographer of the Kiev Near Caves

St. Alypius the Iconographer of the Kiev Near Caves (commemorated Aug. 30/17) was a disciple of Saint Nikon (March 23), and from his youth he lived a life of asceticism at the Kiev Caves monastery. He studied the iconography of the Greek masters, and from the year 1083 beautified the Caves monastery church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Saint Alipius was an eyewitness of a marvelous miracle, which is told in the tale of the church of the Caves, namely: when the icon painters decorated the altar with painting, then the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God was portrayed. The icon was enlightened and shone brighter than the sun: then from the mouth of the Most Holy Theotokos a pigeon flew out and, flying for a long time (through the church), flew into the mouth of the Savior, pictured on the icon that was in the upper part of the church.