Ηegumen / Abbot
Saint Joseph was born in the vicinity of the city of Volok Lamsky. His parents were named John and Marina. At the age of seven, he was sent to learn and soon studied the Divine Scriptures. Despising worldly vanity, he withdrew to Borovsk, to the monastery of the venerable Pafnuty, who tonsured him into the monastic order. He always remained in fasting and prayer, obeying his spiritual mentor. He spent eighteen years in obedience to Saint Pafnuty, and after his death became the abbot of the monastery, which he governed for about two years. Then he withdrew with the brethren into the forest, building there a monastery and a stone church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The saint gathered many brethren and established a strict communal life, while he himself dressed like a beggar. He zealously fought against the heresy of the 'Judaizers' and wrote a book to refute this heresy, as well as a rule for his monastery. During a famine, his monastery helped many poor people. The venerable one reposed on September 9, 7094 (in 1515), having lived seventy-five years. His body was laid near the altar of the cathedral church of the monastery.
