Venerable Gregory, Wonderworker of Vologda

Gregory was born in the city of Galich, in the Kostroma region, of the Lopotov family, a line of nobles. After his parents' death he gave his inheritance to the poor and became a monk at a monastery on Lake Galich. He was ordained a priest and became known as a spiritual guide. At the request of the monks of the Saviour (Yakovlev) monastery at Rostov he was made their abbot, but after two years he secretly withdrew to the forests of Vologda.

There, with the support of Dionysius of Glushitsa, he founded a monastery on the river Pelshma, planting a cross on the bank in a thicket. The first church was built in 1426. He is remembered as Gregory of Pelshma, wonderworker of Vologda, and died in 1442.