Stolpniki

Main article: Christianity

Carpentry is a rare type of Christian ascesis, in which ascetics kill their flesh in order to achieve a special state of spiritual maturity. The pillars that are known in the Christian church can be counted on the fingers of two hands.

At the dawn of practice, Christianity was a young religion and its followers were often persecuted. Christians existed among a large number of Gentiles who constantly questioned their faith and fortitude. Therefore, they had to demonstrate and perform various feats in the name of their religion, which showed their firmness, the presence of will and the presence of power that is given to them from above.

Simeon Stolpnik

Simeon Stolpnik is considered the founder of the pillar. He lived on a mountain slope in a waterless well, wrapped his body in rough ropes and wore them until wounds appeared. But it was not possible to achieve a complete removal from the world: the hermit was besieged by pilgrims. Simeon found a radical way of privacy.

"He went beyond the walls of the monastery, equipped himself with a pillar - at first a small one, which was 3 meters high approximately and crowned with a platform with a diameter of 1 meter, surrounded by railings so as not to fall," said religious scholar Sergei Khrameshin in 2021.

According to legend, for a spiritual feat, God awarded Simeon the gift of prophecy and healing. The monk died at 69, 37 of which he spent on a convoy.

Seraphim Sarovsky

One of the most famous Russian ascetics is St. Seraphim of Sarov. In winter and summer, the monk walked in the same wretched clothes. In imitation of the ancient saints he wore heavy verigs and an iron belt. According to legend, the devil tried to bring Seraphim of Sarov out of his way. To expel the bese monk and took on the feat of a pillar.

The feat of carpentry took place on stones. One of whom lay on the street and he prayed on it at night, and the other in his cell, where he prayed during the day. The duration of his feat on these stones was 1000 days. He knelt on them.

Maxim Kavtaradze

Over time, the pillar as an ascesis came to naught. There was less and less desire to repeat the difficult spiritual and physical feat.

All the more surprising is the ministry of the modern Georgian monk Maxim Kavtaradze. By 2021, he has lived on top of a 40-meter limestone monolith for almost 30 years. Everything he needs is delivered by winch.