Diodorus of George Hill

Venerable Diodorus of George Hill was abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery at George Hill (Yuriegorsk), near Olonets in northern Russia, and he fell asleep in the Lord on 27 November 1633.

He was born in the village of Turchasovo on the Onega River, between Arkhangelsk and Kargopol, to parents Hierotheos and Maria, who named him Diomedes. At fifteen he went on pilgrimage to Solovki Monastery and stayed there as a novice. At nineteen he was tonsured by Abbot Anthony with the name Damian and was placed under the direction of an experienced elder, the hieromonk Joseph of Great Novgorod. Loving solitude, he often left the monastery for a deserted island, where he stayed for several days. Once he stayed forty days without food or any supplies and wore himself out so much that the brethren found him barely alive. After he was brought back to the monastery he received the Holy Mysteries and recovered. He then lived among anchorites on desolate islands, and finally settled at Lake Vodla, where he spent seven years with his disciple Prokhoros.

Resolving to found a monastery dedicated to the Holy Trinity at George Hill, some sixteen and a half miles from Olonets, he went to Moscow, where he received a charter from Tsar Michael (1613-1645) and funds from the Tsar's mother, the nun and eldress Martha. Metropolitan Cyprian of Novgorod gave him an antimension for the altar, money and supplies for the return trip, a document exempting the monastery from taxes and a priest to serve in its church. Once, as he was returning from Novgorod with alms for the monastery, he met a pious man named John of the village of Amdoma, who had a daughter engaged to be married and told him he wished to give her in marriage. Diodorus was silent for a moment and replied: "Servant of God, wait a while, then act as is pleasing to God." Forty days later the daughter died a virgin.

Shortly before his death he had to travel to Kargopol on monastery business. He took leave of the hieromonk Joasaph and the elder Prokhoros, entrusting them with guiding the monastery, and told Prokhoros that his death was near: "We shall no longer see each other. If it is pleasing to the Lord, we will meet in the life to come." He fell asleep on 27 November 1633 and was buried at Kargopol. After two years his incorrupt body was moved to the Holy Trinity Monastery and buried by the south wall of the cathedral church. His relics rest in a hidden place in his former monastery (now a parish church). A manuscript service in his honour exists. His commemoration is moved to 20 November, because the day of his repose falls on the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign".