The first Russian patriarch, St. Job of Moscow (John in the world) was born in the second quarter of the XVI century in the ancient Russian city of Staritsa in a family of pious citizens. As a child, John learned to read and write from Archimandrite Herman, rector of the Dormition Staritsky Monastery. The boy loved to read the Holy Scriptures and knew some of the Bible texts by heart. His monastic upbringing aroused in him a desire to serve God in a monastic way. After completing his studies (around 1553), his father wanted to marry him. On the day of the wedding, the young man asked his parents to visit the monastery to talk with the spiritual elder. When he came to Archimandrite Herman, he begged the elder to tonsure him into monasticism.
Saint Job spent more than fifteen years in the Staritsky monastery, having worked his way up from the novice of Elder Herman to the abbot. Under the guidance of an experienced confessor, the young monk cultivated unselfishness and non-possessiveness, obedience and abstinence, learned heartfelt prayer and strict fasting. Saint Job was distinguished by deep humility, meekness, and mercy. He never rebuked or insulted anyone, he had mercy and forgave everyone, and as abbot, he inspired the brethren to spiritual work not so much with his word as with his very life.
In 1571, Saint Job was appointed rector of the Simonov Monastery in Moscow. Diligently fulfilling the obedience entrusted to him, Saint Job, as the abbot of one of the most important monasteries of that time, took part in the affairs of the Church, and often of the state. Since 1575, for six years, the saint headed the Novospassky monastery.
On April 16, 1581, Archimandrite Job was ordained Bishop of Kolomna by Metropolitan Dionysius of Moscow, in collaboration with other Russian bishops. On January 9, 1586, the saint was moved to the ancient Rostov see with elevation to the rank of archbishop, and on December 11, 1587, the Council of bishops appointed the first hierarch of the Russian Church, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia. On January 26, 1589, with the blessing and personal participation of Patriarch Jeremiah II of Constantinople, Metropolitan Job was appointed Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The whole nation was delighted to see this significant event in the history of the Russian Church and state. In 1590, the canonical independence of the Russian Church was confirmed at the Council of the Eastern Hierarchs. The Russian patriarch was assigned the fifth place in the diptych of patriarchs, after the Jerusalem one.
Saint Job was a zealous servant of the Church and a wise pastor. The saint diligently improved church life, took care of the moral condition of the clergy, and maintained deanery in churches. His considerable efforts were aimed at the spiritual development of the people, the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures and patristic books. Especially important was the printing of liturgical books, which were in short supply everywhere, especially in the newly enlightened lands of the Volga region and Siberia. With the blessing of Saint Job, the Lenten Triodion (1589), the Color Triodion (1591), the Octoechos (1594), the General Menaea (1600), the Official of the Episcopal Ministry (1600) and the Service Book (1602) were published for the first time. Patriarch Job was the first to put the printing business on a broad basis.
Under Saint Job, many Russian saints were glorified: Basil the Blessed, the Monk Joseph of Volotsky (the saint himself wrote a canon for him and "corrected the service"), the Kazan Saints Gury and Varsonofy, the Venerable Prince Roman of Uglich, the Venerable Anthony of Rome and Cornelius of Komel, the Blessed John of Moscow, the Venerable Ignatius of Vologda and Martyriy Zelenetsky.
Saint Job used his personal funds and rich royal gifts for works of charity and the construction of churches. Twelve churches were built in Moscow alone between 1592 and 1600, and the Donskoy, Zachatievsky, and Ivanovsky monasteries were founded. Temples and monasteries were built in Siberia and other dioceses. Under Saint Job, active missionary activity was carried out in remote areas of the state, and the Pskov, Astrakhan, and Karelian dioceses were re-established. The seeds of Orthodoxy sown by Patriarch Job later bore their spiritual fruits, thanks to which the northern and southern borders of the Russian state were preserved and consolidated.
During the difficult times of the state troubles of the early 17th century, St. Job preserved true Christian patience, fearlessness and courage. He tried his best to stop the actions of False Dmitry. However, not everyone supported the saint, so after a while the False Dmitry captured Moscow. The high priest and prayer book for the entire Russian people, Saint Job fearlessly denounced the destroyers of state order, who had brought disorder into the Church of God. He spent most of his time in prayer at the Assumption Cathedral. Once, during the Divine Liturgy, supporters of False Dmitry seized the saint, dishonored him, beat him, and then took him to prison in the Dormition Staritsky Monastery, where he once began his monastic feat. Saint Job lived in the monastery for two years. Weakened and blind, he spent all his time in prayer. After the overthrow of False Dmitry, Saint Job could not return to the pontifical throne due to infirmity and blessed Metropolitan Hermogenes of Kazan in his place.
Saint Job died peacefully on June 19, 1607 and was buried at the western doors of the Assumption Cathedral of the Staritsky Monastery. Subsequently, a chapel was built over the grave of the saint. In 1652, under Patriarch Joseph (1642-1652), the incorruptible and fragrant relics of St. Job were transferred to Moscow and laid near the tomb of Patriarch Joasaph (1634-1640). Healings took place from the relics of St. Job.
The veneration of Patriarch Job as a saint is celebrated in various pre-revolutionary manuscripts and hagiographic publications. In the second half of the 18th century, there was an image of Patriarch Job between the wall paintings of the Novospassky Monastery Cathedral.
At the end of the 19th century, under Archbishop Dimitry (Sambikin) of Tver, the day of Patriarch Job's death was commemorated in all the city churches of the Tver diocese. At the same time, with the blessing of Archbishop Dimitri, an icon of the Tver Saints was painted, on which His Holiness Patriarch Job was depicted. The completion of the canonical and liturgical formalization of the veneration of the memory of St. Job has taken place in our days. First, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen and the Holy Synod, the name of St. Job was included in the Cathedral of the Tver Saints (1979), and on October 9, 1989, the church-wide veneration of the saint was established at the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.