Blessed and venerable Polycarp, fruitful in name, was known for his good deeds and ascetic feats. He took the monastic vows in a monastery, where, mortifying the flesh, he always remained in God. Polycarp manifested all the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, and self-control. His mentor was Saint Simon, the bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, who contributed to his spiritual growth and education. Upon returning to the Pechersk monastery, Polycarp continued to preserve and multiply Simon's teachings, recording the lives of the saints for the benefit of others.
After the death of blessed Akindin, the archimandrite of Pechersk, Polycarp was elected as the abbot of the holy great lavra. He strictly observed the monastic rules and became a model of virtue for the monks and laypeople. The great prince Rostislav Mstislavich, inspired by Polycarp's example, aspired to a virtuous life and even wished to become a monk, but he did not manage to fulfill his intention.
Polycarp passed away on July 24, 1182, on the feast of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, and was buried with honor. After his death, the brotherhood could not choose a new abbot, and, praying, they received guidance to choose the priest Vasily. Metropolitan Nikiphor tonsured him as abbot, and he became a good shepherd of the monks of the Pechersk monastery.
