St. Nikita, a native of Kiev, was one of the first tonsured monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery. He labored 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 in private, in seclusion. The abbot prevented him, saying: "My child! It is not useful for you, being young, to sit idly. It is better for you to stay with your brethren, 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, on the other hand, 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 he did what he wanted. And he shut himself in, barred the door firmly, and, without going out, remained alone in prayer. A few days have passed since the monk did not escape the devil's snares. While he was singing, he heard a certain voice, as if someone was praying with him. Nikita also smelled an ineffable fragrance. Then the demon appeared before him in the form of an Angel. And the inexperienced ascetic, seduced, worshiped him like an Angel. Then the demon said to him, "From now on, 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 deceived, stopped praying, but began to read books more diligently, seeing the demon constantly praying for him. Nikita rejoiced, thinking that the Angel himself was doing the prayer for him.
Nikita soon improved so much in his 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, and 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. The chronicles say that Prince Gleb was killed on May 30, 1079. So Nikita's prophecies were fulfilled with amazing accuracy. This convinced the recluse of the correctness of his chosen path. Nikita did not think about prayer or repentance.
Upon learning about this, the holy fathers of the Kiev Caves Lavra realized that the monk was in a dangerous state of spiritual enchantment. They didn't leave their brother in the lurch. The Venerable fathers, having performed many prayers for Nikita, exorcised the demon from him. 
In 1096, St. Nikita was elevated to the episcopate by Metropolitan Ephraim of Kiev (the second half of the 11th century) and appointed to the see of Veliky Novgorod. In the Mural, or a Short Chronicle of the Novgorod Lords, St. Nikita is listed as the sixth bishop of Novgorod.
Since his episcopal consecration, St. Nikita's labors have multiplied, and the feats he performed at 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. 
Saint Nikita was a fervent prayerbook 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 on another occasion, during a devastating drought, it rained. Obviously, this is why he is revered by believers as a protector from fires and the patron saint of agriculture. It is also known that St. Nikita was revered as the defender of the Fatherland, the patron saint of warriors. The chronicler, speaking about the campaign of the Novgorod Prince Mstislav and his victories, notes that Mstislav returned "to his city through the prayers of St. Nikita, Bishop of Novgorod."
Saint Nikita led the Novgorod flock for 13 years and died peacefully in 1108, on January 31.
Despite his many labors and cares for the improvement of the Novgorod diocese, St. Nikita never abandoned the special feat of hermit monks: under his holy robes he wore heavy iron chains. The saint was buried in the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral, in the chapel dedicated to Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos.
In 1547, during the reign of Archbishop Theodosius of Novgorod (1542-1551), a pious Christian received a revelation on Easter night 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 Macarius 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 grace-filled 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 basses. Since the Joachimovsky chapel was small in size, with the blessing of Archbishop Pimen of Novgorod, a semicircular extension was made on the east side of the chapel, connected by an arch to the Nativity chapel. It was under this vault that the relics of the saint were laid in the tomb. The Novgorodians presented their heavenly patron with a lamp with a gilded inscription: "The candle of Veliky Novgorod, of all Orthodox Christians, was delivered to the new wonderworker Nikita of Novgorod 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 the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral.
In 1956, Nikita's relics were transferred from St. Sophia Cathedral to St. Nicholas Cathedral, and in 1962 to the Church of St. Philip the Apostle. In 1993, the relics of St. Nikita were returned to St. Sophia Cathedral.