Anthony of Kiev, also called Anthony of the Caves (, ; c. 983 – 1073), was a monk and the founder of the monastic tradition in Kievan Rus'. Together with Theodosius of Kiev, he co-founded the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Kiev Monastery of the Caves).
Early life
thumb|Anthony sculpture in Lyubech by [[Giennadij Jerszow]]
He was born in Liubech (present-day Ukraine) in Chernigov Principality and was baptized with the name "Antipas". He was drawn to the spiritual life from an early age and left for the Greek Orthodox Esphigmenou Monastery on Mount Athos to live as a hermit. He lived in a secluded cave there overlooking the sea, which is open to visitors today. In circa 1011, the abbot gave Anthony the job of expanding monasticism in his native Kiev (present-day Kyiv, Ukraine), which had only recently begun its conversion to Christianity.
Return to Kiev
Anthony returned to Kiev, and found several monasteries established on the order of local princes, but these were not as austere as Anthony was used to from his time on Mount Athos. He instead chose to live in a small cave which had been dug by the presbyter Hilarion.
In 1015, his peaceful austerity was interrupted by the death of Vladimir the Great, and the subsequent fratricidal war for the throne between Vladimir's sons Yaroslav and Sviatopolk, and Anthony returned to Mount Athos. When the conflict ended, the abbot sent Anthony back to Kiev, prophesying that many monks would join him on his return.
Establishment of Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Anthony became well known in the area for his strict asceticism. He ate rye bread every other day and drank only a little water. His fame soon spread beyond Kiev, and several people began to ask for his spiritual guidance or blessing. Soon, some people even offered to join him. Eventually, Anthony accepted the company of a few of them. The first was a priest named Nikon. Devoted to the model of the solitary hermit set by his namesake Anthony the Great, Anthony then left his cave for a nearby mountain so he could continue to live the solitary life. There he dug another cave for himself and lived in seclusion there. This cave became the first of what would later be known as the Far Caves.
In time, Barlaam, was called by Iziaslav to head a new monastery, St. Demetrios, which had been built at the gates of the city. The monks requested Anthony to name a replacement, and he named Theodosius.