Onuphrius of Malsk

Venerable Onuphrius of Malsk (Onuphrius of Izborsk) reposed on 12 June 1492 at the Malsk Monastery and is a venerable father of the Russian Church. His commemoration is on 12 June, on the first Sunday after the Apostles' Fast and in the Synaxis of the Saints of Pskov.

He was a disciple of Venerable Euphrosynus of Pskov. He withdrew to Hay Island on Lake Malsk, four versts from Izborsk. Hearing of the hermit, lovers of the hermit monastic life, who sought salvation far from the world, came to him and increased the number of the inhabitants of Malsk, until the solitary skete grew into the Malsk Saviour-⁠Nativity Monastery. He died on 12 June 1492 and was buried in the church of the Nativity, in the side chapel dedicated to his name. After the death of the venerable one, his disciple and companion, Venerable Auxentius, took his place.

The commemoration of Venerable Onuphrius is also kept on the so-⁠called Malsk Sunday, the first Sunday after the Apostles' Fast. In ancient times on this day abundant snow fell, from which all the crops and plants might have perished, but at the prayers of Venerable Onuphrius the snow melted quickly, without doing any harm, and in that year the harvest was greater than before. From that time an annual celebration was fixed in memory of this miracle.