St. Ignatius, Bishop of Rostov, was born into a pious family and was raised in every Christian virtue. Convinced of the vanity of this world, he renounced the world and took monastic vows at the Epiphany Monastery in Rostov the Great, where he later served for some time as rector in the rank of archimandrite.
In 1261, Saint Ignatius was elevated to the episcopal see of Rostov the Great. After becoming bishop, he "received a flock of verbal sheep" and "kindly" shepherded the "church of Christ," "enlightening all darkened hearts and guiding them to the true path." The enlightenment of the Belozero region by the holy faith and the construction of the first monastery in the name of the Holy Trinity on the banks of the Beloozer River in 1269 all took place during the reign of St. Ignatius by the Rostov diocese. He ruled the diocese for 26 years, during one of the most difficult periods in the history of Russia – the Mongol-Tatar yoke. Under these conditions, Bishop Ignatius worked tirelessly and selflessly in building up the Russian Church and the Fatherland, affirming the flock's loyalty to holy Orthodoxy.
In 1274, Saint Ignatius attended the famous Vladimir Cathedral, which corrected church affairs. On two occasions, due to the affairs of the diocese, the saint had to undertake a difficult journey to the Horde with a petition for church clergy. In 1280, he performed the funeral service for Metropolitan Kirill of All Russia. Saint Ignatius is known as the peacemaker of the Rostov princes Dimitri and Konstantin Borisovich; in memory of their reconciliation, the Borisoglebsky Church was founded in Rostov. During his ministry, he built several monastic monasteries and was a true father to his flock.
Saint Ignatius is the only one of the entire host of saints who shone forth in the land of Russia, whom the Lord glorified with the incorruption and healing gift of relics even before their burial. The holy saint of God passed away on May 28, 1288. Numerous believers began to flock to Rostov Veliky to worship the deceased archpastor. Their crying was inconsolable.
The coffin with the body of the saint, dressed in episcopal robes, could not immediately be brought into the temple due to the unusual crowd of people. The rite of burial was performed in the open air. When the coffin was carried to the temple, two pious nuns, Theodosia and Xenia, and some other worshippers saw the saint rise from the tomb and, as if flying through the air, stop over the place that was intended for burial, blessing the assembled people. Having touched the relics of St. Stephen, Archimandrite Stephen, whose fingers were unable to bend from birth, immediately received miraculous healing. At the sight of the miracles with which the Lord glorified His saint, it was decided not to bury the holy relics of the deceased.
The next day, when a list with the names of all the priests and deacons ordained by St. Ignatius during his lifetime was brought to the tomb of St. Ignatius, the deceased saint, as if alive, stretched out his hand and accepted the scroll handed to him.
Saint Ignatius was recognized as a saint after his death and his body was not interred, since the miracles that occurred during the funeral service itself prompted the clergy and people to place his relics openly in the Rostov Assumption Cathedral at the northern gate of the altar, where they rested openly.
According to the chronicles of the XV century, Saint Ignatius is the "great wonderworker" and in the charters of the XVI century he is the "holy wonderworker".