George Budilov

Blessed George Budilov was a fool for Christ in the Shenkursk region in the fifteenth century. He is venerated chiefly locally, in the Shenkursk region, where the Church commemorates him on 23 April, the day of the Great Martyr George, who bears the same name. Our source gives no day of his death.

He was born into the family of a peasant of the village of Yarupoli, now vanished, in the parish of Veliko-⁠Nikolaevsk, near the town of Shenkursk. After the death of his parents he began to lead a wild life of foolishness for Christ's sake: he wore a foul and torn garment, covering his body only as much as was needed against bodily shame, and, shunning people, he walked through forests and impassable places. He especially loved to retire to a hill in the middle of a quaking marsh near the Saint Nicholas church of his own parish.

George died not young; the Icon Painters' Manual says he was grey in appearance, in face, beard and hair, like the apostle Peter. The year of his death is unknown; the sources place the event in 1462, 1450 and even 1392. Before his death he commanded that his body be buried on his beloved hill in the midst of the marsh. After some years the parish church of Saint Nicholas, undermined by the rush of the river Vaga, was moved to that hill and set near his grave.

Veneration of him began from his death, and many of his miracles were then proclaimed. Among those with great faith in George was the governor of Vaga, Prince Michael Vasilievich Khvorostinin; in 1514 he wished to see the relics of the saint and, digging up the grave, found them untouched by any corruption. The prince covered the body with earth again, set a stone tomb over it and placed his image on it. From that time the local celebration of George has not ceased, on the day of the Great Martyr George, 23 April, and a special service was composed for him. Bishop Alexander Zakkis, who governed the diocese of Arkhangelsk from 1890 to 1893, extended the celebration, ordering that the name of the blessed one be mentioned at every dismissal in the churches of Shenkursk. The place of George Budilov's grave is not known today.