Archimandrite
Venerable Innocent (Stepanov), in the world Jacob, was born in 1825 in the Staroskolsky district of the Kursk province. He came to the Glinskaya Hermitage in 1845, where he worked for many years in the obedience of librarian, scribe, and treasurer. He was distinguished by a wonderful memory, able to quote entire pages from what he had read many years later.
In 1862, he became the abbot of the hermitage. In the morning, he prayed for a long time, so as not to lose devotion to the will of God and the love sent from the Holy Spirit in the labors of the coming day. People came to him for advice, help, and consolation. He was discerning and merciful, listened, supported, prayed for the suffering, and distributed alms. He himself anointed the sick with oil from the unquenchable lamp before the Glinskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
A month before his repose, while lying on his sickbed, he was visited by a benefactress of the monastery, who noticed a radiance around his head. The Venerable one smiled and said to her: “Pray, and you can receive the same.”
