St. Nikita, a native of Kiev, is one of the first tonsured monks of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. He asceticized there under the Venerable Abbot Nikon (1078-1088). In his youth, monk Nikita, wishing to become famous among the monks, began to ask the abbot to bless him to asceticism alone, in seclusion. The abbot hindered him, saying: "Child! It is not useful for you, being young, to sit idly. It is better for you to stay with your brothers, working together, and you will not lose your reward. You yourself saw our brother Isaac the cave dweller, how he was seduced into seclusion by demons; and only the grace of God and the prayers of our venerable fathers Anthony and Theodosius saved him. Your desire is beyond your strength." Nikita did not want to listen to the abbot's words at all, since he could not overcome his strong zeal for a reclusive life, and therefore, what he wanted, he did. And he shut himself up, barred the door firmly and, without leaving, remained alone in prayer.
A few days have passed since the monk did not escape the devil's nets. While he was singing, he heard a certain voice, as if someone was praying with him. Nikita smelled the ineffable fragrance at the same time. Then the demon appeared before him in the form of an Angel. And the inexperienced ascetic, seduced, worshiped him as an Angel. Then the demon said to him: "Now you no longer pray, but read books and you will be a speaker with God and give a useful word to those who come to you. I will always pray to the Creator for your salvation." Nikita, believing what was said and being even more seduced, stopped praying, but began to read books more diligently, seeing at the same time a demon constantly praying for him. Nikita rejoiced, thinking that the Angel himself was doing the prayer for him.
Soon Nikita improved so much in the study of the Old Testament that he knew it by heart. He also talked a lot with those who came to him from the Scriptures about the benefits for the soul. At the suggestion of the tempter, he began to prophesy, and great fame spread about him, everyone marveled at the fulfillment of his prophetic words. So, Nikita informed Prince Izyaslav about the murder of Prince Gleb Svyatoslavich of Novgorod. Indeed, news soon came confirming his words. This convinced the recluse of the correctness of his chosen path. Nikita did not think about prayer and repentance.
He often talked about the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, but avoided even mentioning the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, avoided talking about the Holy Gospel. Upon learning about this, the holy fathers of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra realized that the monk was in a dangerous state of spiritual charm. They did not leave their brother in trouble. The venerable fathers, having performed many prayers for Nikita, exorcised the demon from him. After that, they asked Nikita if he knew anything from the books of the Old Testament. Nikita swore that he had never read them and even turned out to have forgotten his letters, so his fathers taught him to read and write again. Then, coming to his senses, Nikita confessed his sin and fervently repented. The loving Lord, seeing such great deeds of the blessed one, as well as his former virtues, accepted his true repentance.
In 1096, St. Nikita was elevated to the episcopate by Metropolitan Ephraim of Kiev (the second half of the XI century) and appointed to the chair of Veliky Novgorod.
Since his episcopal consecration, St. Nikita's labors have multiplied, and the feats he performed in the monastery have increased. The subject of St. Nikita's special concerns was missionary activity for the establishment of Christianity, the spread and maintenance of piety in the diocese. During his twelve-year episcopal ministry, he was an example of a virtuous life for his flock. In a word of Praise to St. Nikita, it is said that he secretly gave alms to the poor, fulfilling the word of God: When you give alms, let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret (Matthew 6:3-4).
St. Nikita was a zealous prayer book and intercessor for his flock, and the Lord glorified his virtuous life by giving him the gift of miracle-working. The chronicles have preserved evidence of two cases of miraculous salvation of Novgorod from disasters: in 1097, St. Nikita extinguished a fire that destroyed the city with his prayer, and another time during a devastating drought, rain fell.
Thanks to the works of St. Nikita, several temples were built in Novgorod, which have not survived to the present day, information about which is available in chronicles and ancient lives.
St. Nikita ruled the Novgorod flock for thirteen years and died peacefully in 1108, on January 31.
After the death of St. Nikita, the painting of the walls of the Novgorod Cathedral in the name of St. Sophia of the Wisdom of God was begun according to the will of St. Nikita.
With numerous labors and cares for the improvement of the Novgorod diocese, St. Nikita never abandoned the special feat of hermit monks: under the holy robes he wore heavy iron chains. The saint was buried in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, in the chapel in the name of Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos.
In 1547, under Archbishop Theodosius of Novgorod (1542-1551), a certain pious Christian received a revelation on Easter night during divine service to decorate the tomb of St. Nikita with a veil, which was fulfilled. In the same year, the all-Russian glorification of the saint took place at the church council. A few years later, Archbishop Pimen of Novgorod (1553-1570) opened the tomb with the blessing of Metropolitan Makarii of Moscow (+ 1563). The finding of the incorruptible relics of St. Nikita took place on April 30, 1558. It is noteworthy that, thanks to the blessed help of the saint, mostly the sick with eyes and the blind receive healing.
The relics of the saint were transferred in 1629 from a dilapidated tomb to a new wooden one lined with silver. The Novgorodians brought as a gift to their heavenly patron a lamp with a gilded inscription: "The candle of Veliky Novgorod, all Orthodox Christians, was delivered to the new Novgorod wonderworker Nikita in the summer of 7066, on April 30, under Archbishop Pimen." This "candle" of St. Nikita, along with the ancient tomb, vestments, staff and chains, were later kept in the sacristy of St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod.
In 1956, Nikita's relics were transferred from St. Sophia Cathedral to St. Nicholas Cathedral, and in 1962 to the Church of the Apostle Philip. In 1993, the relics of St. Nikita were returned to St. Sophia Cathedral.