Lev of Optina was an 18th-century Russian monk and abbot who became a central figure in the spiritual history of the Optina Monastery. Born Lev Danilovich Nagolkin in Karachev, he spent his early years working for a merchant before entering monastic life in 1797. After serving as an igumen at White Bluff, he eventually moved to Optina in 1829. He is most famous for establishing the tradition of eldership at the monastery, providing spiritual guidance to people from all walks of life through his ascetic experience.