Venerable Gennady of Kostroma and Lyubimograd

Venerable Gennady of Kostroma and Lyubimograd, born Gregory, came into the world in the early 16th century in Mogilev, into a devout boyar family. Secretly leaving his parents' home to seek monastic life, he met St. Alexander of Svir, by whose blessing he went to St. Cornelius of Komel in the Vologda forests and received tonsure from him. Together with St. Cornelius he withdrew to Lake Sura near Lyubimograd in the Kostroma region, founding around 1529 a hermitage that became the Transfiguration Monastery. Renowned for strict asceticism and miracle-working, he served as confessor to Tsar Ivan the Terrible and foretold that Anastasia Romanovna would become tsarina. He left spiritual writings and cared for the monastery's peasants. He reposed in 1565; his relics were uncovered and he was glorified in 1644. His feast is January 23/February 5.