Hierarch Moses, Archbishop of Novgorod

IMPORTANT CORRECTION: the category has been corrected from "righteous" to "hierarch" — Moses was an ordained bishop. The date "September 4/17" previously shared by several cards as a contamination has been identified as actually belonging not to him but to the Old Testament Prophet Moses the God-seer, and has been removed from this card.

Hierarch Moses, born Mitrofan, was born to a pious Novgorod family. He secretly left his parents' home for monasticism at the Tver Otroch Monastery, but at his parents' insistence returned and moved to Kolmovo Monastery near Novgorod, where he was ordained hieromonk and later became archimandrite of Yuriev Monastery.

In 1325 he was consecrated Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov by Metropolitan Peter (at about age 31). In 1330, amid civil unrest and fires, he withdrew into monastic seclusion, founding a church at Derevyanitsa; he spent about 20 years in ascetic struggle. He returned to the see around 1352 at the people's request; built the Dormition Church at Bolotovo (1352), founded Skovorodsky Monastery in honor of Archangel Michael (1355) and other churches and monasteries; and fought the Strigolnik heresy and pagan customs. In 1354 he received from the Patriarch of Constantinople the right to wear crossed vestments.

He withdrew permanently in 1359 to Skovorodsky Monastery, where he died and was buried; his relics were found incorrupt in 1686 and have rested openly since 1782.

His feast is kept on January 25/February 7, and also April 19 (the finding of his relics).