How does Father Sergius question the pursuit of sainthood?

In Leo Tolstoy’s novella Father Sergius, the protagonist’s pursuit of sainthood is presented as a flawed endeavor because it is consciously sought through pride and the imitation of a model.1

Tolstoy uses the character of Sergius to critique the idea that holiness can be achieved through deliberate effort or external reputation. As Sergius gains fame as a holy man, he eventually realizes that his perceived sanctity is groundless. Through a dream, he is led to seek out a woman from his past, only to discover that she—an ordinary person unaware of her own prosaic goodness—is the true saint.1

Ultimately, the story suggests that sainthood cannot be attained by striving for it or by following a prescribed path of asceticism. Instead, true holiness is found in the humble, unconscious goodness of everyday life, rather than in the performative or ego-driven pursuit of spiritual perfection.1