Basil of Pavlovsky Posad
Vasily Gryaznov | |
---|---|
Born | 1816 Pavlovo-Posadsky District |
Died | February 16, 1869 Pavlovsky Posad |
Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox |
Beatified | 1999 |
Major shrine | Pokrovsko-Vasilevskogo Monastery |
Feast | February 16 |
Basil of Pavlovsky Posad, born Vasily Gryaznov (1816 – February 16, 1869), also known as Holy Vasily, is a Russian saint, glorified in 1999 for living a righteous life.
Life
Gryaznov was born in the village of Evseevo Bogorodskogo County, now known as
During his youth Basil worked at a factory, where he fell under the influence of his workmates and began drinking wine and engaging in acts of vice and passion. He is said to have mourned his sins and asked for forgiveness many a time, before repeatedly falling under the pressure of the bad company he was associated with. In an act of desperation and frustration he recognised his mistakes by changing his name to Gryazny (Russian for “dirty”).
After repenting his sins Basil strived to live a sacred life. His plight became known, and many people came to him for advice on the scriptures. In his home town there were many Old Believers. Upon listening to his sermons up to seven thousand of them joined the official Orthodoxy.
In 1840 Jacob Labzin, a well known businessman and owner of head scarf factories in
Legacy
After Basil's death people continued to address him through prayer, both to praise his righteous life and ask for direction in their own. His work among the poor was continued by Jacob Lazin and his sisters, and in 1894 the Pokrovsko-Vasilevskogo Monastery was built over his grave, now acting as his shrine of worship.
Gryaznov was recognised as a local saint in 1999, and is still praised throughout the Pavlovo-Posadsky District. His day of commemoration is February 16 (Orthodox calendar)[1]
See also
References
- ^ February 16/March 1 Orthodox Calendar Archived September 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- (in Russian)Pokrovsko-Vasilevsky Monastery site
- (in Russian)Merchant Jacob Labzin
- (in Russian)st. Vasily's brief description of a life under Anna's Il'inskaya book