Saint Ilarion (in the world Rodion Nikiforovich Ponomarev) was born on April 9, 1805, in the family of Nikifor Filimonovich and Yefimiya Nikiforovna Ponomarev. His father, a pious man, worked as a tailor and took monastic vows in Optina Pustyn, receiving the name Nifont.
Rodion spent his childhood and youth in his parental home in the Novokhopersky district of the Voronezh province, being of a quiet and meek disposition. From the age of seven, his mother predicted monasticism for him, and he felt a desire to become a monk.
In 1829, at the age of 24, Rodion moved with his family to the city of Saratov, where he spent nine years. He strictly followed the rules of the Orthodox Church and taught his workers church singing and reading, forbidding idle talk and indecent jokes.
With spiritual maturity came the decision to leave everything and follow Christ. In 1837 and 1838, he traveled to monasteries in Russia, finding peace of spirit only in Kozelskaya Optina Pustyn, where he found elder guidance. On March 13, 1839, Rodion became a novice in the skete dedicated to St. John the Baptist at Optina Pustyn.
In the monastery, there were blessed elders Leonid and Makary. Rodion was appointed as a cell attendant and remained in this obedience for twenty years until the death of Elder Makary in 1860.
On August 13, 1849, Rodion was tonsured into monasticism and became monk Ilarion. On February 10, 1853, he was ordained as hierodeacon, and on April 21, 1857, as a priest.
Saint Ilarion took care of the needs of the skete brotherhood, engaging in gardening, horticulture, and beekeeping. In the last days of Elder Makary's life, he was blessed to continue the elder's ministry.
From April 8, 1863, Ilarion was appointed as the head of the skete and the general spiritual father of the monastery. He cared for his spiritual children and was always ready to help. Saint Ilarion had the gift of spiritual discernment and foresight, enduring slander and calumny with great humility.
In 1870, the elder's health deteriorated, but he continued to attend services. On March 4, 1872, he served his last liturgy, and on March 9, he was tonsured into the schema while retaining the name Ilarion.
On September 18/October 1, 1873, after receiving the Holy Mysteries, the elder peacefully fell asleep in the Lord, leaving an example of remarkable humility and patience.
