Bishop
Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk and All Siberia, was born in 1704 in the Chernigov regiment. His father, Nazarius Fedorov, was a "common man." Stephen, as he was called in childhood, entered the Kyiv Theological Academy, where he studied alongside future saints. After being tonsured into monasticism, he took the name Sophronius and was ordained as a hierodeacon, and later as a hieromonk. In 1732, he was appointed treasurer of the Zolotonosha Monastery, and in 1742 he became the abbot of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.
In 1753, by the decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Sophronius was consecrated as the Bishop of Irkutsk. He arrived in Irkutsk in 1754 and began reforms in the diocese, paying attention to the education and upbringing of clergy. The saint cared for the improvement of monasteries and the enlightenment of believers, including pagans. He spent much time in prayer and asceticism, while remaining attentive to the needs of his flock.
Saint Sophronius passed away, preserving his love for the Krasnogorsk monastery, and his memory is honored on June 30.
