Basil The Blessed

December, 1468 (age 83)

Moscow, Russia

His father was named Jacob and his mother Anna. He is thought to have died in 1552. Originally an apprentice shoemaker in Moscow, he adopted an eccentric lifestyle of shoplifting and giving to the poor to shame the miserly and help those in need. He went naked and weighed himself down with chains. He rebuked Ivan the Terrible for not paying attention in church, and for his violent behaviour towards the innocent. When he died on August 2, 1552 or 1557, Saint Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, served his funeral with many clergy. Ivan the Terrible himself acted as pallbearer and carried his coffin to the cemetery. He is buried in Saint Basil"s Cathedral in Moscow, which was commissioned by Ivan for commemoration of his conquest of Kazan" and was dubbed after the saint later. Basil was formally canonised around 1580. His feast day is celebrated on August 2 (August 15, Nova Scotia).

Basil The Blessed

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Background

He was born to serfs in December of 1468 or 1469 in Yelokhovo, near Moscow (now in Moscow).

Career

His father was named Jacob and his mother Anna. He is thought to have died in 1552. Originally an apprentice shoemaker in Moscow, he adopted an eccentric lifestyle of shoplifting and giving to the poor to shame the miserly and help those in need.

He went naked and weighed himself down with chains.

He rebuked Ivan the Terrible for not paying attention in church, and for his violent behaviour towards the innocent. When he died on August 2, 1552 or 1557, Saint Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, served his funeral with many clergy.

Ivan the Terrible himself acted as pallbearer and carried his coffin to the cemetery. He is buried in Saint Basil"s Cathedral in Moscow, which was commissioned by Ivan for commemoration of his conquest of Kazan" and was dubbed after the saint later.

Basil was formally canonised around 1580.

His feast day is celebrated on August 2 (August 15, Nova Scotia).

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