St Macarius of the Yellow Water Lake and Unzha

St Macarius was a starets who led an ascetic life and was famed for his healing powers. In 1434, he founded the Yellow Water Monastery of the Trinity on the left bank of the River Volga, not far from the Yellow Water Lake. In 1439, the cloister was burnt to the ground by Tatars from Kazan, who led Macarius off into captivity. He was released on the condition that he made no attempts to rebuild his monastery on the Yellow Water Lake. Macarius continued to preach the Gospel to the local non-Russian population of Tatars and Mordvins, baptising them in the lake. He then moved to the forests near Kostroma, where he founded a new Monastery of the Trinity on the River Unzha. St Macarius died at the monastery in 1444. The holy relics of the saint were recovered in 1671.