Georgiy Budilov was a 15th-century Orthodox blessed holy fool who lived near Shenkursk. Born into a peasant family, he chose a life of asceticism and perceived madness after his parents passed away. He lived in isolation, often wandering through forests or staying near a marshy hill close to the local Nikolai Church. He was known for wearing tattered clothing and avoiding social contact to maintain his spiritual path.
Life and death
Following the death of his parents, Georgiy adopted the lifestyle of a holy fool, wearing minimal and ragged clothing. He frequently retreated to remote areas or a specific hill near his ancestral parish. Although the exact year of his death remains uncertain, historical records suggest dates such as 1392, 1450, or 1462. He requested to be buried on the hill he favored, where a church was later built near his grave.
Veneration
Local devotion began shortly after his death. In 1514, Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Khvorostynin sought the saint's relics and found them incorrupt. The prince subsequently established a stone tomb over the site. For many years, he was commemorated on April 23, the feast day of Saint George. In the late 19th century, Bishop Alexander Zakkis expanded this tradition by including the blessed in services within the Shenkursk churches.