A married priest noted for his piety from childhood, Saint Jonah struggled for years as a missionary fighting against the proselytization of a particularly aggressive Protestant group. Having helped many to see the errors of their teachings and return to the faith of their fathers, the saint was assigned to be the parish priest of the Church of the Dormition in Odessa. He was the image of an attentive and loving father, and he had a particular love for orphans as he himself has also suffered the same misfortune. Saint Jonah was eventually elevated to the dignity of archpriest for his faithful service. He was always to be found in the Divine Services, he kept all the prescribed fasts strictly, and he emphasized the importance of participation in the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist. In his later years, he stood against the pressure of communist-backed Church reformers and stood in solidarity with Saint Tikhon, the Metropolitan of Moscow. For all of this, God healed many of those who had been possessed by demons through his holy prayers.