Venerable Abraham, Archimandrite and Wonderworker of Smolensk

Abraham of Smolensk (c. 1170 – after 1220) became a monk at the Selishche monastery near Smolensk after his parents died, and as a priest became a popular preacher and a man of books; he also painted icons, among them, his Life says, the Last Judgement. The envy of the local clergy and a charge of reading forbidden books brought him to a public trial before Bishop Ignatius; the prince found him innocent, but for a time he was barred from serving. Later he became abbot of the monastery of the Deposition of the Robe in Smolensk. His disciple Ephraim wrote his Life. He was canonized in 1549.