Saint Innokenty (Smirnov) of Penza

He was born in 1784 in the family of a clergyman. As a professor at the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, he wrote a two-volume work titled “Outline of Church History from Biblical Times to the 18th Century,” which served as a guide in church schools.

He was friends with Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov). As an opponent of the mysticism that was fashionable at the time, he was removed to the episcopal see first in Ufa and then in Penza. The people revered him for his ascetic life and the miracles performed through his intercessory prayers.

He passed away on October 10, 1819. He was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church for public veneration at the Jubilee Archpastoral Council in August 2000.