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Blessed Nikolai Konchanov, Novgorod Fool-for-Christ (+ 1392) Commemorated on July 27 Blessed Nikolai
Konchanov, Novgorod Fool-for-Christ (+ 1392), was born at Novgorod in the
family of rich and illustrious parents. From his youthful years he loved piety,
he went to church zealously, he loved fasting and prayer. Seeing his virtuous
life, people began to praise him. Blessed Nikolai, disdaining glory "from
men", began to practise folly for the Lord's sake. He ran about the city
in bitter frost in mere rags, enduring beatings, insults and mockery. Blessed
Nikolai and another Novgorod fool Blessed Feodor (Comm. 19 January) conducted
themselves as irreconcilable foes and graphically portrayed to the Novgorod
people the pernicious character of their internecine strife. One time, having
overcome his sham opponent, Blessed Nikolai went along the Volkhov, as along
dry land, and threw at Blessed Feodor an head of cabbage, – wherefore he was
called "Konchanov" (i.e. "cabbage-head"). The Lord
glorified Blessed Nikolai with the gift of miracles and perspicacity. Thus,
having been turned away by servants from an invited feast, he left, but
together with him there vanished the wine from out of the barrel, and only upon
the return of the fool and through his prayer did it reappear again. Upon his
death Blessed Nikolai was buried at the end of the cemetery, spread about the
Yakovlev cathedral. © 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. |
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