Varsonofy of Uleima

Venerable Martyr Varsonofy († 1609) was abbot of the Saint Nicholas Monastery at Uleima, in the Yaroslavl region, killed by the Polish-⁠Lithuanian interventionists with fifty monks. He is venerated as a local saint; the memorial service is held on 14 May and on the Saturday before Meatfare.

In 1609 the monastery, where the brothers led by Varsonofy and people from the surroundings were, was besieged by Polish-⁠Lithuanian troops. The defenders' strength melted away, and the last of them shut themselves in the Saint Nicholas cathedral of the monastery, received the Holy Mysteries and listened to the abbot's instruction. Then Varsonofy put on priestly vestments, chose twenty-⁠seven monks from among the brothers and put icons in their hands. At the head of the procession he went out to meet the besiegers, urging them not to do evil to the monastery. The interventionists cut off the abbot's head, and the other monks too were killed. Local veneration of the martyrs began from the middle of the seventeenth century.