Fool for Christ
Venerable Joseph of Zaonikiev, in the world Hilarion, was a pious peasant from the village of Obukhovo in the Kubensky district of the Vologda province. For a long time, he suffered from an eye disease and fervently prayed for help from the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, and the saints, especially the holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian. His prayer was heard, and in 1588, by the revelation of Saint Cosmas, Venerable Joseph found in the forest, in a marshy place, an icon of the Mother of God, from which he received healing. In gratitude, he cleared the forest thickets at the place of the appearance of the miraculous icon and built a chapel, in which he placed the icon. He himself settled nearby, taking the monastic vow with the name Joseph.
By the blessing of Saint Anthony, Bishop of Vologda, a Zaonikiev monastery arose at the site of Joseph's labors, named after the robber Anikiy, who once dwelled in this forest. When the monastery expanded and the number of monks increased, by the advice of Venerable Joseph, Anthony was chosen as the abbot. Out of humility, he did not accept the leadership and, hiding his strict labors from others, took on the foolishness for Christ's sake, but at night he stood in prayer in his chapel, walking barefoot in severe frosts.
Venerable Joseph reposed on September 21, 1612, at the age of 83, and was buried in the monastery he founded.
