Venerable
Venerable Barnabas of Vetluga
†1445
Venerable Barnabas of Vetluga, Wonderworker of Kostroma — born in Veliky Ustyug, he served as a priest, and in 1417 withdrew to solitary living on Krasnaya Gora on the Vetluga River, where he labored for 28 years in seclusion, prayer, and fasting.
Venerable Barnabas was born in the city of Veliky Ustyug and served as a priest at one of the city's churches. Leaving parish service, he withdrew for hermit's asceticism. In 1417 he settled on the deserted bank of the Vetluga River, on Krasnaya Gora (Red Hill), where he spent 28 years in complete solitude, "laboring for God in psalmody and prayers, feeding on herbs and oak mast" (acorns and grasses). He became renowned for the strictness of his ascetic life. He died in 1445. His feast day on the Vetluga has long been called "Varnava's Year Day" — on this day, numerous pilgrims from throughout the Vetluga region flocked to the site of his labors, the town of Varnavin, named in his honor. His memory is kept on June 11/24.
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