Fool for Christ
Fool-for-Christ Joseph of Zaonikiev (of Vologda)
ок. 1530 — †21 сентября 1612
Also known as: Иларион Амвросимов (мирское имя)
Venerable Joseph of Zaonikiev (secular name Hilarion Amvrosimov) — a peasant of the Vologda region, miraculously healed of an eye disease, who in 1588 found a wonderworking Vladimir icon of the Theotokos and founded the Zaonikiev Hermitage on that site; out of humility he refused the abbacy, concealing his ascetic labors behind the guise of foolishness for Christ.
Venerable Joseph, secular name Hilarion Amvrosimov, a peasant of the village of Obukhovo in the Vologda region, suffered from a chronic eye disease. After a vision of Venerable Cosmas of Yakhroma directing him to a boggy forest spot near Vologda, he found there in 1588 a Vladimir icon of the Mother of God (later venerated as the Zaonikiev icon) and was healed.
In thanksgiving he built a chapel on the site; with the blessing of the Vologda bishop, the site gradually grew into the Zaonikiev Hermitage (named for the locality's earlier association with a robber named Anika). Out of humility he refused to become abbot of the community, concealing his ascetic labors behind the guise of foolishness for Christ: standing in prayer through the night in his chapel, going barefoot in severe frost, wearing a hair shirt.
He reposed on September 21, 1612; numerous miracles and healings occurred at his tomb.
His feast is kept on June 23/July 6 (appearance of the icon) and September 21/October 4 (repose).
IMPORTANT CORRECTION: the BC era contamination has been corrected to AD. The category has been refined from venerable to fool-for-Christ — sources uniformly call him a "fool for Christ," who concealed his true ascetic labors behind this guise, which also explains his refusal of the abbacy.