Saint Gennady, in holy baptism Gregory, was the only son of the boyar Ioann and his wife Elena, who lived in the Lithuanian land. From childhood, he loved the church and constantly stayed among the church clergy, which displeased his parents. Departing from them, he took off his bright garment and gave it to the poor, adopting the guise of a wanderer.
Reaching Moscow, he found a friend Theodore, and together they went to Great Novgorod, and then to the Venerable Alexander of Svir, asking for monastic tonsure. The Venerable Alexander prophesied to Gennady that he would become a shepherd of the rational sheep and a teacher of monks, and directed him to the Venerable Cornelius of Komel.
In the Komel Monastery, Gennady was tonsured into monasticism and received the name Gennady. He diligently labored in prayers and monastic services, despite the discontent of the brotherhood. The Venerable Cornelius, seeing this, strengthened him in patience.
After Cornelius departed to the Kostroma region, Gennady continued to strive in prayer and labor, building a church in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord and a second church in the name of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh. He set an example of humility and patience for the brotherhood, working in various monastic services.
Gennady performed many miracles, including healings and prophecies. He predicted that the daughter of the boyarina Iuliana would become a queen, which came true with Anastasia Romanovna, the first wife of Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible. The Venerable also healed the sick and helped the suffering.
He reposed on January 23, 1565, after a brief illness. His relics were discovered in 1644 during the construction of a new church, where the incorrupt body of the saint was found.
