Innocent of Irkutsk

Infobox Saint
name=Innocent of Irkutsk
birth_date = c. 1680
birth_place = Chernigov region, Russia
death_date = November 26, 1731
death_place = Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia
feast_day = November 26 (repose)
February 9 (translation and glorification)
September 2 (second translation)
titles = Apostle to Siberia
canonized_date = February 9, 1804
canonized_by = The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
major_shrine = Znamensky Monastery, Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia

St. Innocent of Irkutsk (c. 1680-November 27, 1731) was a missionary to Siberia and the first bishop of Irkutsk in Russia.

In 1721 he was consecrated as bishop of China was unable to gain access to the country. He was therefore appointed to the see of Irkutsk in 1727. He died in 1731 and was buried beneath the altar of the Tikhvin church of Ascension Monastery.

During restoration work on the churhc in 1764, Innocent's relics were found to be incorrupt. After numerous miracles attributed to his intercession, he was glorified a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1804. Since the actual date of his repose coincides with the commemoration of the icon of the Theotokos "Of the Sign" of Novgorod, his feast day was moved to the day prior.

In 1921 the Soviet government confiscated his relics and placed them on display in various museums as a "Siberian mummy". The relics were returned to the Church on September 7, 1990.

This saint is occasionally confused with the later Innocent of Alaska who was named in his honor.

References

*http://www.firebirdvideos.com/saintslives/lifeofinnocentirk.htm
*http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=103399