Saint Jonah was born in the city of Galich into a pious Christian family. The date of his birth is not known. His father was named Theodore. He was tonsured as a monastic in one of the Galich monasteries when he was only twelve years old. Confusion broke out among the Tatars, and they fled in terror. In his courtyard, St Jonah built a church in honor of the Placing of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos to commemorate the deliverance of Moscow.