John of Yarensk

Venerable John of Yarensk was a disciple of Saint Philip when he was abbot of Solovki, and drowned in the sea together with Longinus in 1561. He is a saint of the Russian Church. His commemoration is on 3 July, on the third Sunday after Pentecost (in the Synaxis of the Saints of Novgorod), on 21 May (in the Synaxis of the Saints of Karelia), on 9 August (in the Synaxis of the Saints of Solovki) and on 24 June.

Very little is known of his life in the world. He was a disciple and close associate of Metropolitan Philip of Moscow, when Philip was still abbot of the Solovki monastery. In 1561 John, together with another monk, Longinus, drowned in the sea during a storm that wrecked their ship. Their bodies were cast up by the sea near the village of Yarenga.

In 1625 Patriarch Philaret was told of the miracles being worked at their grave. After an inquiry into these miracles, John and Longinus were recognized as saints. On 2 July 1638 the relics of John and Longinus were moved into a church, and their commemoration was established on 3 July.