[1] A native of the Duchy of Kiev as a young man David entered the Kyiv Caves Lavra, where he was tonsured a hieromonk and given the religious name Dionysius.

He is known to have spent a number of years living in a cave that he dug out himself on the banks of the Volga River not far from Nizhny Novgorod.

Later, Dionysius founded the Pechersky Monastery on that same spot, which was dedicated in honour of the Ascension of the Lord.

Patriarch Neilus Kerameus was not sure whether he could trust Dionysius and sent two metropolitans to Moscow, who were supposed to depose Pimen and install the archbishop of Suzdal.

The Russian Orthodox Church used to celebrate his feast day on 19 July, but subsequently this tradition died down.