The founder of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is revered by Orthodox Christians, Old Believers and Catholics. According to his life, Bartholomew (this was his baptismal name) lived in the 14th century. He was very devout from childhood and, having grown up, he went, together with his older brother Stephen, in search of a place where they could devote their time to prayer in solitude.
Having chosen it, they founded a church in the name of the Holy Trinity - the future Trinity-Sergius Lavra - and Bartholomew took monastic vows under the name of Sergius. During his lifetime, he performed many miracles, healed the sick and blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the battle with Mamai.
Since 1969, the name of the saint has been included in the Catholic Martyrology - an analog of the Orthodox ‘svyatsy’ (calendar of saints).
From childhood, Seraphim was accompanied by miracles. Once, when he was ill, the Mother of God appeared to him and said that Seraphim would soon recover. And so it happened: his mother took him outside during the procession with the icon of Our Lady of the Sign and he recovered. He often read about the lives of the saints to his peers, but, most of all, he loved to spend time in prayer.
Having taken monastic vows in the Sarov Monastery, Seraphim lived in solitude for a long time - wild animals came to him and he fed them with bread from his hands. The saint cared for the Diveevo Convent, which is considered the fourth earthly inheritance of the Mother of God. Seraphim of Sarov was canonized in 1903.
The granddaughter of Vladimir Monomakh Predislava Svyatoslavna abandoned worldly life at the age of 12. Her father wanted to marry her off, but she secretly became a nun in the Polotsk Monastery, receiving the name Euphrosyne.
One day, an angel appeared to her in a dream and carried her to the bank of the Polota River, where she built the Spassky Monastery (now called the Spaso-Efrosinievsky Monastery) and became its abbess. In 1167, Euphrosyne of Polotsk went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and died there.
The first ruler of Rus’ to convert to Christianity is revered by Christians around the world. After the death of her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich of Kiev, she remained regent under her son Svyatoslav and ruled the state for 15 years. According to the ‘Tale of Bygone Years’, in 955 or 957, she was baptized in Constantinople (today Istanbul) and received name Helen. In the 16th century, princess Olga was ranked among the saints equal to the apostles.
In 1146, the son of Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich of Chernigov ascended to the throne of Kiev. But, after a few weeks, his troops defected to the side of Pereslavl Prince Iziaslav Mstislavich and Igor Olgovich was imprisoned. Having fallen ill, he decided to take monastic vows in the Kiev Theodorovsky Monastery. But, soon, the monk-prince was killed: a crowd broke into the church where he was praying and brutally massacred him. Orthodox Christians venerate Prince Igor Olgovich as a passion-bearer and blessed. He is also present in the Catholic Martyrologist - as Saint Igor II, Prince of Moscow.
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