Saint Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod

Life

Born in Novgorod, Jonah was orphaned at an early age. A certain God-fearing widow took him and raised him. Seeing him as a boy, Michael the fool-for-Christ of Klopsk said to him prophetically: "Little Ivan, study diligently, for you will be archbishop in this great Novgorod." And indeed, later after the death of Archbishop Euthymius, this Jonah was chosen and consecrated to his place. Jonah was pious and merciful as rarely any mortal man. He raised up churches and monasteries and pastored as a true good shepherd. The see of Metropolitan of Moscow was offered to him, but he declined, pleading old age. He reposed peacefully on November 5, 1570, and departed into the joyful heavenly dwellings. A hundred years after his death there was a great fire in Novgorod. In the midst of the fire, the relics of this saint did not burn; on the contrary, after this they began to manifest healing power and to emit a wondrous fragrance.