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.
The relics of Blessed Nikolai rest under a crypt in a church of the GreatMartyr Panteleimon built over his grave.