Basil the Blessed of Moscow

Blessed Basil, Fool-for-Christ of Moscow, who walked barefoot through the city and rebuked even the Tsar.

May 2

Basil was born near Moscow in the late fifteenth century and, while apprenticed to a shoemaker, took up the ascetic path of folly for Christ. He went about the city barefoot in all seasons, owning nothing and speaking hard truths to the powerful, including Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who nonetheless revered him.

He reposed in 1557 and was buried beside the Kremlin; the famous cathedral on Red Square is popularly called by his name.

August 2

Saint Basil the Blessed was a fool-for-Christ who lived in Moscow in the sixteenth century. He went barefoot and half-naked in all seasons, rebuked the powerful without fear and showed compassion to the poor.

He was greatly revered even by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and the famous cathedral on Red Square bears his name.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Basil the Blessed of Moscow is commemorated on May 2. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on May 15 of the civil calendar.

On the New Calendar, Basil the Blessed of Moscow is commemorated on August 2. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on August 15 of the civil calendar.

Also commemorated on May 2

• 

  Athanasios of Alexandria

  Hierarch, Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας

  Archbishop of Alexandria, defender of the Nicene faith.

  Name days: Athanasios, Thanassis, Thanos, Nasis, Athanasius

• Hesperos and Zoe with their sons Kyriakos and Theodoulos

  Martyr, Έσπερος, Ζωή, Κυριάκος και Θεόδουλος

  Holy Martyrs Hesperos, Zoe and their children Kyriakos and Theodoulos, a Christian slave family martyred at Attalia.

  Name days: Hesperos, Esperos, Theodoulos, Theodulus, Zoe, Zoi, Zoey

• Matrona of Moscow

  Holy Woman, Ματρώνα η Μοσχοβίτισσα

  Blessed Matrona of Moscow, the blind ascetic and counselor of twentieth-century Russia.

  Name days: Matrona

• Boris the Baptizer of Bulgaria

  Apostle, Βόρις-Μιχαήλ ο Ισαπόστολος

  Saint Boris, in baptism Michael, Prince of Bulgaria and Equal-to-the-Apostles, who brought his people to Christ.

  Name days: Boris

• Jordan the Wonderworker

  Venerable, Ιορδάνης ο Θαυματουργός

  Venerable Jordan the Wonderworker, an ascetic remembered in the Greek synaxarion.

  Name days: Iordanis, Jordan, Jordanis