John the Hairy of Rostov

Blessed John of Rostov, called "the Hairy" or "the Merciful", was a fool for Christ in Rostov in the second half of the sixteenth century, and died in 1580 or 1581. It is said that he was perhaps from Germany. The Orthodox Church honours him as a wonderworker. His commemoration is on 3 September, on 12 November and on 23 May, in the Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov (old calendar). A Serbian source places him wrongly in the fifteenth century.

The reports on his life are few and it is not known how and when he came to Rostov. He lived in the house of a priest of the church of All Saints, who was his spiritual father, sometimes with one of the aged widows, without permanent shelter. He guided spiritually many of the townspeople, among them Venerable Irenarchus the Hermit of Rostov. According to the Serbian source, he was dressed in monastic garments, preached the Gospel by day in the streets of Rostov, and spent the night in the narthex and vestibule of the church. He always carried the Psalter with him and read it, according to that source, in Latin and in Greek. He pursued the labour of foolishness for Christ. He lived in humility, patience and unceasing prayer.

He died on 3 September 1581 (according to other sources 1580) and, according to his last wish, was buried beside the church of Saint Blaise, behind the altar. He was called "the Hairy" because he had abundant hair on his head. The name "the Merciful" he received because of the healings that took place at his grave, and in memory of Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, whose commemoration is on 12 November and whose name he bore.

The relics of the saint are in Rostov, in the church of the Tolga icon of the Mother of God. Beside his reliquary are kept the Psalter and the cypress cross that belonged to him.