George Kossov

Holy Confessor George Kossov (Georgy Alexeevich Kossov), also known as Yegor of Chekryak, was a Russian priest, archpriest and elder, born on 4 April 1855 and reposed in April 1928. The Russian Church canonized him on 9 October 2000, as a confessor. He is often called the spiritual heir of Saint Ambrose of Optina. The sources do not agree on his commemoration: one gives 26 January and 26 August (old calendar), another 8 September, with the finding of his relics commemorated on 9 December.

He was born into a village priest's family, in the village of Androsovo in Oryol province (today in the Zheleznogorsk district of Kursk region). He graduated from the Oryol seminary and taught in a village school in Oryol province. In 1884 he became priest in the village of Spas-⁠Chekryak, near the town of Bolkhov, and served there until his death in 1928. He rebuilt the village church and founded a school for boys and girls from the orphanage.

His life was written by Sergei Nilus in the book Father Yegor of Chekryak. He was known for his prophecies, among them the prophecy of the October Revolution. According to one source, the date of his death was 19 April 1928.

After the canonization in 2000, the relics of Confessor George were moved to the cathedral of Bolkhov.