John the Hairy of Rostov

About John the Hairy of Rostov

John lived at Rostov in the demanding Orthodox tradition called foolishness for Christ. The church notice remembers him without a permanent home, sometimes resting with a priest or with elderly widows. It describes poverty, patience, and prayer as the setting of his life.

He offered spiritual help to others, including Irenarchus of Rostov. According to the received account, he died on September 3, 1580, and asked to be buried beside the church of Blaise. His titles “the Hairy” and “the Merciful” belong to this local memory. The consulted account preserves these features without supplying a detailed early biography. His calendar commemoration is on November 12.