Makary Zheltovodsky (1351 – 1446) – venerable saint
In pre-revolutionary Russia, the famous Nizhny Novgorod Yarmarka opened its trading season each year with a bishop's service in the cathedral and a religious procession from the cathedral to the Makaryev Chapel, beside which the fair's flags were raised and sprinkled with holy water. Trading in all the stalls began on July 25, when the feast day of St. Makary of Zheltovodsk was celebrated. He had long been venerated as the patron of all merchants on the Volga River, and the wonderworking icon of the Venerable Makary was carried from stall to stall at the fair for the serving of moleben prayers.
The highly revered Makary was born in Nizhny Novgorod near the Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women into a prosperous merchant family. At the age of twelve, the pious youth came to the abbot of the Voznesenskiy Pecherskiy Muzhskoy Monastery, Dionisy, and, falling at his feet, asked to "be counted among Dionisy's chosen flock." The young man who appeared in rags found favor with the abbot, who could not help but notice his naturally keen mind and remarkable memory. In due course, when the young novice was tonsured as a monk, Dionisy took him into his own cell to guide the new monk personally on the path of spiritual endeavor.
At that time the Pechersky Monastery was entirely wooden, from its fence to its church and cells. Its chief treasures were icons and hand-copied books. Makary, who knew how to read and write, became devoted to studying manuscripts, all the more so because his mentor was himself distinguished for his wise judgments and skill "in the divine scriptures." Likely not without Dionisy's blessing, while still young Makary secretly left the monastery — without the knowledge of the monastic brotherhood — to live alone in remote wilderness.
The decision to take up the life of a hermit was not made without serious purpose. The prince of Gorodets, Boris Konstantinovich, may have been privy to the plan. It seems the intention was to found a monastery on the Upper Volga. And so, taking only the bare necessities — a knife, a spoon, a pot, an axe, a spade, some seeds, and warm clothes for winter — the monk set off with a staff in hand and a knapsack on his back along his thorny path.
Makary had to live alone for long decades before, as brethren gradually gathered around him, he founded a monastery that would later be called the Makaryev hermitage (pustyn). Not far away, the sloboda (settlement) of Reshma subsequently arose. History preserved no information about Makary's activities between 1374 and 1434, yet the selfless ascetic was not forgotten. The time came when his name was spoken in the royal chambers of Grand Prince Vasily Vasilyevich the Dark, when the need arose to strengthen the eastern borders of the Nizhny Novgorod Volga region — where the spreading of the Christian faith was especially needed.
The founding of a monastery had become an urgent necessity.
This most important mission was offered to the venerable Makary, and he took upon himself yet another heavy burden. Thus arose, by the Yellow Waters (Zheltye Vody) on the left bank of the Volga River, a monastery dedicated to the Most Holy Life-Giving Trinity. The monastery stood for only four years, however, and in 1439 it was burned down by the Tatars. The Venerable Makary was taken captive and brought to Kazan to the Khan Ulu Muhammad.
When the khan saw the elderly monk, he was struck by his bearing and dignified appearance, and rebuked his warriors for having risked the wrath of Allah by mistreating the holy elder.
Makary was set free and, taking advantage of the khan's goodwill, asked him to release the other captives as well. Ulu Muhammad granted the old abbot's request but forbade him to settle again by the Yellow Waters.
The Venerable Makary traveled up the Volga to the Unzha River. There, choosing a suitable spot, he erected a cross, built a small hut, and dug a well. After his death, the Makaryev Unzha Trinity Monastery arose in this hermitage.
The Makaryev Monastery on the Volga was also revived, opposite the village of Lyskovo, and from 1641 the famous fair — likewise named the Makaryev Fair — was officially opened beside it. In all of this, the life of the great hermit found its continuation: he had opened up the wild lands of the Volga Region, preached the Christian faith, and brought it to great numbers of unbaptized people.