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{{cleanup|Needs to be re-worded in an encyclopedic manner (i.e., less sentimental and melodramatic.)}} The blessed [[starets]] '''Pavel of Taganrog''' (''Pavel Taganrogskiy'', Святой блаженный Павел Таганрогский) dramatically influenced the belief was a layman who led a spiritual and ascetic life devoted to God. While of noble birth he lived a simple life, in God constant prayer, and spiritual outlook of inhabitants gave counsel to all who came to him, Living in the town of Taganrog, Don Land, South of [[Russia]] his faith and lifestyle established him as a [[Ukrainestaretz]]. A plain layman, who lived in Taganrog in deeply influenced the 19th century, he conciliated love spiritual life of southern Russia and worship Ukraine of Russian Orthodox Christians, who flowed to him for a piece of advice and spiritual supportthe nineteenth century. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[March 10]].

Pavel Pavlovich Stoykov was born on [[November 21]] (November 8th [[Julian Calendar|OS]]), 1792, in Malorossia guberniya of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) in a rich noble family. His parents—collegiate registrar Pavel and Paraskeva—were devoutly religious people; they . They infused in the heart of their son belief in God and piety. Since his youth Pavel had felt a flaming love for holy places and making [[pilgrimage]]s to them. He related about himself: "All my desire was to pray to God, my . My intention was to go on pilgrimage to rescue my soul, because surrounding life was full of secular vanity and impeded my holy wish." His father would never let him become a [[clergy]]man; he , but wanted to provide his son with a higher education. Instead of thisBut, the 16-year-old young man Pavel Pavlovich followed the voice of his heart, . He secretly left the home of his parents and went for a year, traveled on pilgrimages to [[monastery|monasteries]] for a year and finally received a . On his return he suffered severe punishment from his father.

When Pavel was 25 years old, his father decided to divide the divided his property between him Pavel and his elder brother , Ivan. With a comfortable inheritance, the The young [[ascetic]] dispensed it his inheritance in Christ's name; his father gave . Then, with his father’s blessing and young Pavel left home forever. He wandered to many of the holy placesof Russia, including several times to the [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev Pechersk Lavra]] and Pochaiv Pochaev Lavra several times. He often went to the north of Russia, visiting monasteries at Solovetsky, Verkolskiy, Kojeozerskiy cloisters and many others.

After 10 years of pilgrimagetraveling, the blessed Pavel settled in Taganrog in between the years from of 1825 to and 1830. Taganrog became the saint's his second home city, where . Here he lived a simple life with no without regard for his noble birth. Blessed Pavel spent During the first years of his life in Taganrog renting , the blessed Pavel rented different flatsapartments. Later, he moved into a house on Depaldo Street (now "Pereulok Turgenevskiy"), that was not far from St. Nicholas Church. Thanks to Through the efforts of the dean of Taganrog county, [[archpriest]] Alexander Klyunkov, this house still exists and is known among people as the "keliya of starets Pavel."

Pavel devoted all of his life to serving God. Although Pavel was not in [[ordination|ordersordained]] into the [[clergy]], essentially he led an ascetic [[monasticism|monastic ]] life in a the bustling town; he . He kept constantly a severe [[fast]] and gave himself to incessant [[prayer]]s. He As he aged he ate a very little. In his old age he and drank only one cup of ''kvass'' with a soaked rusk a each day. He slept also only a little, commonly on a bare bench without a pillow. He put on wore plain peasant clothes and spoke the simple Low-Russian languageof the people. He told no one about his noble birth. Throughout his life he went to the church every day daily to pray; at . At night he made [[All-Night Vigil|all-night vigil]]s. Insensibly he He also accustomed his [[novice]]s to this way of life. While there he was still strong enough, the strength Blessed Paul blessed Pavel traveled often traveled to holy places, including journeys of 3000 ''versts'' to Solovki monastery on foot to Solovki more than once. However, When in his old age he could go no longer; make the treks he dispatched to monasteries the novices and believers who came to him.

Blessed The blessed Pavel was full of love. All of his life, he received everyone in his keliya, liked presented gifts to present people with giftswho came, and gave counsels them counsel on how to live , and instructed them on how to rescue their own souls. For the Living this righteous life , God endowed Pavel with gifts of astuteness and prevision, as well as with gifts to work [[miracle]]s and to heal people. Pavel became was very famous during his lifetime. In the five final years of his life, Pavel never went out left of his house, and ate and slept little. He died at the age of 78, on [[March 23]] (OS March 10), 1879, at during the time of the [[Great Fast]] at the age of 78.

On [[June 20]], 1999, the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] [[canonization|canonizedglorified]] Pavel. Many people saw and remember a unique aureole in the sky over the St. Nicholas Church in Taganrog on the day of Blessed Pavel's canonizationhis glorification. Today many people come visit from all corners of Russia to the shrine with his holy [[relics]], which that are kept at the St. Nicholas Church in Taganrog. The [[chapel ]] at the old cemetery is never empty; the and lamps in front of holy [[icon]]s in his keliya never die down. Thanks to St. Pavel's prayers, believers receive from God healing, consolation, and divine help.

*[http://www.diakom.ru/orthodox/ Orthodoxy in and around Taganrog, photos of Saint Pavel kelya and chapel, and more (Russian)]