Zosima of Ennatka

Venerable Zosima of Ennatka (born Evdokia Yakovlevna Sukhanova, 1 March 1820 to 1 March 1935) was a schemanun at the Protection convent at Ennatka, in the Orenburg region, known by the people as a healer and comforter. She was canonized on 11 June 2006 by Archbishop Nikon of Ufa, as a saint venerated only locally in the diocese of Ufa; this is not a canonization for the whole Church. She is commemorated on 1 (14) March, the day of her birth and death, and our record also gives 21 May.

Life

She was born in the village of Sentsovka in the Orenburg district, in a deeply believing family. Pushed by her father, she married; her husband died in the Russo-⁠Turkish war, and their son died in a hunting accident. After the death of those close to her she came to the Protection monastery at Ennatka and received tonsure into the mantle, with the name Eunicia. More than once she went on foot to Jerusalem, the last time in 1912; she was deeply impressed there by the descent of the Holy Light. Near the monastery she found a spring, the water of which healed many, and beside it later a skete with a chapel of the Holy Trinity was built.

In 1919 she received the great schema, with the name Zosima, from the hands of Bishop Andrew (Ukhtomsky). After that she always slept in a cypress coffin brought from Jerusalem. In 1923 the monastery was closed, and she settled in the village of Novo-⁠Arkhangelovka. Crowds came constantly to her from the regions of Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Samara and Saratov, bringing their cares and illnesses; she helped all with words of comfort and healed them of infirmities. According to the source she lived one hundred and fifteen years, and reposed in the village of Sentsovka in the Sharlyk district.

Canonization

Her relics were found in 2003 in the village of Sentsovka and were first in the Kazan Mother of God church in the town of Meleuz, diocese of Ufa, then taken to the men's monastery of the Protection at Ennatka. On 11 June 2006, on Holy Trinity, in the Martha-⁠Mary convent in the village of Ira, diocese of Ufa, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak performed the service of her canonization as a locally venerated saint. On icons she is shown in a skirt, with a dark kerchief on her shoulders and head, in schemanun's habit.