- ● Orthodox Remembrance Day: March 31, June 15
● Name means: the dove (Hebrew)
● Metropolitan of Moscow and of all Russia
● Born in Galich in Russia
● Died on 31 March 1461 in Moscow, Russia
Jonah, son of the pious Theodore, entered a monastery in his hometown at the age of twelve
and then came to the Simonov Monastery in Moscow. After many years as a monk, he was
appointed bishop of Ryazan and Murom. After the Moscow Metropolitan Photius died in 1431,
Jonah was elected as his successor and he traveled to Constantinople – today’s Ístanbul – to be
confirmed by Patriarch Joseph II, because shortly before the Bulgarian Isidor Isidore had been
established as Metropolitan, but this was not successful. Metropolitan Isidor spent a short time
as incumbent in Kiev and then in Moscow; In 1438 he traveled to the Council of Florence, where
he agreed to the unification of the Orthodox Churches with the Catholic Church, which was
negotiated there. Jonah, after seven years of vacancy, was unanimously elected Metropolitan of
Moscow and all Russia in 1448 – but as the first Metropolitan without the consent of the
Patriarch of Constantinople. Metropolitan Jonah continued to live strictly ascetic. When in 1451
the Tatars unexpectedly advanced into Moscow, his intercession caused the Tatars to launch
their attack on July 2 – the feast of the laying down of the dress of our Lady; In gratitude, Jonah
built a church dedicated to this resignation in the Kremlin. After Jonah’s death, miraculous
healings occurred at his grave. In 1472, his remains were raised and taken to the Kremlin’s
Dormition Cathedral in Moscow.
Jonas | Jonah Metropolitan of Moscow
10
May
