Innocent of Irkutsk was an Eastern Orthodox priest and missionary who served as the first bishop of Irkutsk. Born Ivan Kulczycki around 1680 in the Chernigov Governorate, he later became a monk at the Kiev Caves Lavra. After teaching at the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy and serving in St. Petersburg, he was consecrated as the bishop of Pereyaslavl in 1721. Although intended for a mission to China, he was instead appointed to lead the see in Irkutsk in 1727, where he focused on local missionary work.
Life and ministry
While serving in Siberia, Innocent mastered the Mongolian language to preach to the local population, which led to many conversions. He died in 1731 and was interred under the altar of the Tikhvin church within the Ascension Monastery. His work in preparing for the Chinese mission earned him a reputation as a patron saint for Chinese Orthodox Christians.
Veneration and relics
In 1764, workers discovered that his remains had remained incorrupt. Following reports of miracles, the Russian Orthodox Church recognized him as a saint in 1804. Although the Soviet government seized his relics for museum display in 1921, they were eventually returned to his church in 1990.