This article examines the linguistic innovation of Archpriest Avvakum in the genre of hagiography. Particular attention is paid to his departure from the canonical norms of hagiographic tradition and the introduction of colloquial, expressive, and individual authorial elements. It analyzes Avvakum's role as a reformer of the genre, transforming the hagiography from a strictly ecclesiastical text into a work imbued with a personal voice, emotional coloring, and a living verbal texture.