Venerable Paul of Komel was born in Moscow in 1317 into a wealthy family. From an early age he was distinguished by piety and mercy, and at the age of twenty-two he secretly left home for a monastery, where he was tonsured a monk in an abbey of the Yaroslavl Diocese.
After some time, he labored in the Holy Trinity Monastery, becoming a disciple of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh. He spent several years near the elder, following his wise counsel. Later, Venerable Sergius blessed Paul for a life of seclusion, in which the monk remained for fifteen years. Afterward, with the consent of his spiritual father, he began seeking a quiet monastery for a solitary life of silence.
Saint Paul lived in various monasteries, including the Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Galich Hermitage, before finally settling in the Komel forest.
On the bank of the Gryazovitsa River he lived for three years in the hollow of a tree, spending his time in prayer and fasting. After this silent way of life, he moved to the bank of the Nurma River, where he built himself a cell and dug a well. Five days out of seven he ate nothing, and on Saturdays and Sundays he partook of a small amount of bread and water. All his days were spent in ascetic feats of prayer.
In 1414 he built a church in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity and gathered a братство, becoming its abbot. Soon afterward, the Pavlo-Obnorsky Monastery arose nearby. The saint composed a strict rule for it. Although, by the elder’s blessing, his disciple Alexei governed the monastery, Venerable Paul continued to offer spiritual counsel to all who sought it from him.
Venerable Paul of Komel reposed on January 10, 1429, at the age of 112, leaving a radiant memory among his disciples. His relics rest in the cathedral church of the Obnora Monastery.
