Saint John was the son of Prince Andrew of Uglich and of Princess Helena. From a very young age he possessed a gentle character. He lived in his father’s household until the age of thirty. During this period, the Grand Prince of Moscow ordered the arrest of John and his brother Dimitrios. They were imprisoned and remained in chains for many years. The saint comforted his brother, urging him to pray to God and seek help for the trials they were enduring.
After thirty-two years in prison, Saint John fell seriously ill. He then summoned Abbot Misael to tonsure him a monk and give him the name Ignatios. Having received the great schema of monasticism, he prayed and took the Holy Communion. In the end, he surrendered his soul to the Lord on the 19th day of May in the year 1522. After his repose, myrrh began to flow from his holy relics.
The faithful buried him in the Monastery of Saint Dimitrios of Prilouki, where miracles continue to take place until today through the grace of his sacred relics.
