Saint Cyril of Turov

Cyril was born to wealthy parents in Turov around 1130 and from his youth studied the Scriptures and the Fathers with zeal, even learning Greek. As an adult he gave up his father's inheritance, became a monk, and later lived for a time as a stylite, devoted to the study of Scripture.

For his holiness he was elected bishop of Turov, an office he eventually resigned to devote himself to stillness and writing. He left three surviving works on the monastic life and was regarded by his contemporaries as the 'Chrysostom' of the Russian Church, though he wrote of himself with humility. He died in 1183.