David of Serpukhov

Venerable David of Serpukhov (in the world Daniel) was the founder of David's Ascension hermitage, near the city of Serpukhov. He was born in the early 1450s and fell asleep in 1520. He is venerated by the Russian Church among the venerable. His commemoration is on 18 October, the day of his death, and in the Synaxis of the Saints of Moscow.

Daniel was born in the early 1450s. The tradition that he was of noble origin (supposedly from the princes of Vyazma) has not found due proof and the question remains open. He took monastic vows at the Paphnutius-⁠Borovsk monastery, with the name David (in memory of Saint David of Thessalonica), from the founder of the monastery, the monk Paphnutius of Borovsk, now venerated among the saints.

In 1477, soon after the death of Paphnutius of Borovsk, David left the Paphnutius-⁠Borovsk monastery with two novices and two laymen. On 31 May 1515 David and his companions stopped on the bank of the river Lopasnia, a few tens of kilometres from Serpukhov, on lands belonging to Prince Vasily Semyonovich of Starodub, son of Prince Semyon Ivanovich of the line of the princes of Mozhaisk (Rurikids). Here they arranged the first buildings and then raised the church of the Ascension of the Lord, which began the hermitage, known as David's Ascension hermitage. Beside the monastery David planted a lime grove. According to monastic tradition, the brethren were visited by Venerable Joseph of Volokolamsk, who blessed the founding of the monastery. David of Serpukhov fell asleep on 18 October 1520, in the hermitage he had set up; his relics rest under the ground in the cathedral church.