The church honors the memory of St. Paisius of Uglich, the founder of the Pokrovsky Monastery near Uglich, a spiritual mentor and wonderworker of the Russian land.
St. Paisius, in the world of Paul, was born in the village of Bogorodskoye near Kashin. His father, John Gavrenev, served Prince Andrei Vasilyevich of Uglich, and his mother, Xenia, was the sister of St. Makarii Kalyazinsky. Since childhood, Pavel was distinguished by his love of reading and church life, and often visited his uncle at the Kalyazinsky Monastery. At the age of ten, he was orphaned and was brought up in this monastery, where he soon took monastic vows with the name Paisii.
Under the guidance of St. Macarius, the young monk grew in obedience, prayer, and labor. He was entrusted with the task of copying the sacred books. Tradition has preserved the memory that the Kalyazinsky Monastery housed the works of St. Gregory the Theologian, copied by the hand of Monk Paisius.
One day, during night prayer, an Angel appeared to the monk and announced that he was going to become a mentor for many. This prediction was fulfilled in 1476, when Prince Andrei Vasilyevich of Uglich asked Paisius to be released to Uglich to found a new monastery. Having received the blessing of St. Macarius, Paisius settled on the left bank of the Volga, three versts from the city, and began the construction of a wooden church in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord. Soon the brethren gathered around him.
Archbishop Tikhon of Rostov ordained Paisius a hieromonk. At the request of the prince, the monk accepted the abbotship and introduced a strict cenobitic rule in the new monastery. Later, with the support of Prince Andrey Vasilyevich, a stone church was built in the monastery in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the monastery became known as Pokrovskaya.
Saint Paisius was not only the founder of the monastery, but also a faithful spiritual mentor. When Prince Andrey Vasilyevich was deprived of power and imprisoned, the saint did not renounce him, but buried him with honor after his death. Later, he took care of the prince's sons, John and Dimitri, who were in prison: he supported them with letters, sent them what was necessary and prayed for them. Prince John, who took the name Ignatius in the schema, was later glorified as a saint.
During his lifetime, St. Paisius was known for his gift of healing, but out of humility he did not attribute miracles to himself. He brought the sick to the temple, performed prayer services, sprinkled holy water or anointed them with oil from a lamp. Through the saint's prayers, many received help and healing. Legend also tells us that during a severe fire in Uglich, the monk took out of the monastery the miraculous image of the Protection of the Mother of God, and after a common prayer, the flames began to subside.
Despite the respect of the princes and the people, St. Paisius remained a humble worker. As abbot, he performed the usual monastic obediences, endured cold and heat, and instructed the brethren with his word and personal example. His life was full of prayer, abstinence, and caring for others.
Having reached a great old age, the monk received a notification from the Lord about his imminent death. For the last time, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, gathered the brethren and bequeathed them to preserve love, obedience and fidelity to the monastic path. On June 6, 1504, the Monk Paisius peacefully departed to the Lord with the words: "Oh my God! I commit my spirit into Your hands." According to legend, healings were performed at his holy remains during his burial.
The Pokrovsky Monastery later survived the devastation, was restored, and in the XX century it was abolished and flooded during the construction of the Uglich hydroelectric power station. According to legend, the relics of St. Paisius, shortly before the flooding, were secretly taken out and hidden on the high Volga coast. Their further fate is unknown.
The memory of St. Paisius of Uglich is preserved in the Church as a memory of a humble ascetic, wise mentor, organizer of monastic life and a prayer book for all who turn to God with faith.