ST. TRIPHON'S MONASTERY 175 



landers. Bravely he travelled across the tundras and hills, wandering 

 from one hut to another, often sinking in the swamps and quagmires, 

 suffering from those terrible northern frosts, and patiently bearing 

 every insult for the sake of the Lord. And God blessed his work ; he 

 found those amongst the Laplanders who wished to devote them- 

 selves to the service of the Lord ; and others brought what they 

 could to the new monastery ; they gave money or land, lakes or other 

 property. 



But scarcely had this community of monks been established around 

 the lovely church when a terrible famine visited these distant parts of 

 the North ; severe frosts had killed the crops during several years, 

 and a great want of corn arose. Triphon now entered upon a new 

 field of action, a most difficult undertaking ; he became the provider 

 of bodily food to those who had entrusted to him their souls. 

 Accompanied by some of the brotherhood, he wandered in great 

 humility through the vast district of Novgorod, journeying from town 

 to town, from village to village, begging for alms ; and sending home 

 all he gathered to sustain his brotherhood and his newly converted 

 Laplanders. In this manner he passed eight years, going even as far 

 as Moscow. There he delivered a petition from the monastery to the 

 Tsar, while the Tsar and the Tsarevich Theodore were on their way 

 to church. The kind-hearted Tsarevich came out of the church 

 into the chantry as if by accident ; and taking off his outer garment, 

 sent it to Triphon with the following message : " The Tsarevich wishes 

 that his alms should be the forerunner of those of the Tsar ; let the 

 Holy Triphon use this garment for church attire." The Tsar also 

 gave Triphon church ornaments and other presents. 



Returning to the monastery, Triphon brought joy and comfort. 

 The monks were now provided with fishing grounds and lands. 

 Triphon handed the Tsar's decree for the usage of these fisheries and 

 lands,^ and also the alms collected from Christ-loving people, to his 



^ That remarkable decree of the ist November 1556 reads as follows : " At the entreaties 

 of our children Johan and Theodore, we have conferred upon our Imperial Man of Prayer, 



