Evdokia Efrosinya. Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk: a feat of courage

“Then women were more fearless than lions and shared the labors of preaching with the apostles,” the young princess abbess read aloud, addressing the girls from the noblest princely families gathered around her. - “So he writes. Are those apostolic times really over, my sisters?”

“What kind of things do you have?” – Bishop Elijah asked sternly. - “It’s not worthy for a nun to decorate herself with clothes, but you have a whole chest of them, as I see!”

“I have no other clothes that I’m wearing,” Euphrosyne answered calmly.

“What do you have in your chest? Isn't it gold? – Ilya frowned. He was skeptical about tonsures from noble families, considering it - not always unreasonably - stupidity and a whim.

“What is more expensive than gold,” answered Euphrosyne, with effort opening the forged lid of a heavy chest. The Metropolitan looked in and was speechless. The chest was filled to the brim with scrolls and codices in Slavic, Greek and Latin.

“My child,” said Metropolitan Elijah, “my child, how can you carry this alone!”

He ordered two deacons to lift the chest into Euphrosyne’s cell.

“Right here,” she said. – “To make it convenient to open it. And also, Vladyka, I would like a table, on which I will copy these books.”

“My child,” the bishop shook his head, “do you have any kind of fur coat? Frost is coming!

“Vladyka, I only took books with me,” answered Euphrosyne and added: “And three more loaves of bread.”

So, in 1128, her life began at the Polotsk Church of St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God. Euphrosyne was then about 25 years old. Time flew by, other maidens gathered around her - daughters of princes and other noble people. They gathered in order to study the Holy Scriptures, in order to read the words of Christ. Bishop Elijah gave the princess-nun a “place” at the Church of the Holy Savior in Selts, near Polotsk, where the maiden monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior arose, of which Euphrosyne became the abbess.

Imitating the twelve-year-old Christ,

who taught the word of God in the sanctuary, you followed, O Euphrosyne...

It is no coincidence that young Euphrosyne was named in honor of the Alexandrian ascetic. Alexandria is also a famous oasis of learning, famous for its library and Musaeus, the birthplace of the great early Christian theologians Clement and Origen, the homeland of Saints Alexander of Alexandria and Athanasius the Great, fighters against the lie of Arius, who taught that the Son is not God. The great fourth-century woman scientist Hypatia also lived in Alexandria, one of whose students was Bishop Nemesius, who wrote the essay On the Nature of Man. Hypatia herself, who tragically died at the hands of the crowd, never managed to become a Christian...

Venerable Macrina

In that ancient time, in the fourth century - eight centuries before Euphrosyne of Polotsk - there lived St. Macrina, sister of St. Basil the Great, which many researchers now call the “Fourth Cappadocian”. She founded monasteries, engaged in education and performed works of mercy. Her education allowed her to argue with her brother when he, having arrived from the Athens Academy, with youthful boastfulness, began to boast of his learning - and to emerge victorious from the argument.

Wasn’t this dispute with his older sister fateful for the future life of Vasily, who became a defender of Orthodoxy, a profound theologian, a bishop who cared for the poor, and received the name “Great”?

St. Macrina was the mentor of her younger brothers, Gregory, whom the Church glorifies under the name of St. Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter, later also a saint, Bishop of Sebaste. Macrina was not only a learned nun, but also led a strict ascetic life. It is no coincidence that her second name was “Thekla”, in honor of the virgin martyr who followed the preacher of the Gospel, the apostle of languages, Paul.

In wisdom and asceticism, Predslava-Euphrosinia imitated all the great wives of the past, and, of course, her patroness, Venerable. Euphrosyne of Alexandria. This girl was the only daughter of a noble Alexandrian. Having every opportunity to live her life brilliantly, she retires to a monastery, and, so that her inconsolable family does not find her, she chooses a monastery - she knows that in Christ there is neither male nor female. The brethren come to her for advice, for support, for the Gospel word about Christ - and they all find what they ask for.

Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk. Monument in Polotsk

The Monk Euphrosyne of Polotsk also found words for the brethren of the monastery she founded - in addition to the nunnery, named in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord, she was the founder of the men's monastery, in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In addition to the brethren of the monastery, everyone comes to her for advice and judgment - princes quarreling in endless feuds, merchants in trouble, and very ordinary people. Next to Euphrosyne are her faithful companions and friends - her younger sister, like-minded Eupraxia, and her brother Davyd.

Euphrosyne has connections with Byzantium, conducts extensive correspondence, communicates with such great saints and Christian educators of her time as St. Mina of Polotsk and St. Kirill Turovsky.

Euphrosyne looks at her life as a path, as an endless following of Christ, wandering and teaching about His future Passion and the Kingdom. Her adolescent escape to the monastery, her relocation without things - only with books! - in Selts at the end of her life they are crowned with her last journey - to Jerusalem. She goes there to die, saying goodbye to everyone, leaving two monasteries, like two lit candles on the banks of the Western Dvina. She goes where Christ wanted - to Jerusalem, to death.

“Be created, pure wheat, and laugh at the millstones through humility and prayer and fasting, so that pure bread may be brought to the table of Christ,” she says to the brothers and sisters in parting words of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer. Martyria, a martyrdom, testifying to the Risen Christ - this is the fulfillment of her monastic vows. She entrusts her two monasteries to the protection of the Mother of God Hodegetria, leaves her sister Evdokia as abbess in her place and leaves her native Polotsk forever.

She, already an old woman, reached the Holy Sepulcher and lit a golden lamp on it. The next day she fell ill and never got up. She was washed with water from the Jordan, which she did not have to reach. The last, dying gesture-symbol is a request to be buried in the monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified - caused bewilderment among the monks, who proposed burying her in a cemetery for women. The times when “women argued with men in courage,” as St. Gregory the Theologian, left behind. She humbly accepted the refusal. After being ill for about a month, she died on May 23, 1173.

Euphrosyne died, as she wished, in the city where Christ, her beloved since childhood, died and rose again...

Why did you come - by land and by sea,
setting off on your journey with a book?
Why did you come calling yourself sister -
Macrina and Thekla's younger sister?

Alexandria is far to the south,
The sun of the north does not burn your skin.
Your maiden friends recognized your path -
A path in the middle of the night and a path among the waters.

Twelve years old, opening up to the gaze,
He called you his sister-bride -
A youth interpreting the Torah in the Temple,
New Jonah and New Noah.

Do you hear? Throw the nets to the right,
Throw your nets into the abyss of water!
Mast and anchor - look, children -
flying fish lead a round dance.

Your rapid path will last
just like an arrow shoots from a bow.
Wings of a dove, wings of an eagle,
Strong wings of a large eagle.

And from now on there is no need for stories -
Covered on Saturday by the sea wave
Carried away the gates of Gaza at dawn,
He took the gates of death with Him.

Evdokia (Euphrosyne) of Moscow

Saint Eudoxia (Euphrosyne) of Moscow

Venerable Evdokia (Euphrosyne) of Moscow was born in 1353 into the family of the Suzdal prince.
Brothers and sisters:
- Vasily Dmitrievich Kirdyapa, ancestor of the Shuisky princes,
- Simeon Dmitrievich, died in 1402 in exile in Vyatka,
- Ivan Dmitrievich, died in 1377 in the Battle of Pyana,
- Maria Dmitrievna, married the Moscow boyar Mikula Vasilyevich Velyaminov.

It was truly a blessed Christian marriage. The author of “The Lay of the Life...” of Prince Dmitry finds amazing and precise words to describe the life together of the grand ducal couple: “The wise man also said that the loving soul is in the body of the beloved. And I am not ashamed to say that two such people carry one soul in two bodies and both have one virtuous life; they look at future glory, raising their eyes to heaven. Likewise, Dmitry had a wife, and they lived in chastity. Just as iron is heated in fire and tempered with water so that it is sharp, so they were inflamed by the fire of the Divine Spirit and purified with tears of repentance.”

The princess and her husband bore the heavy cross of governing the country during the difficult times of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. In 1380, she suffered a new separation from her husband, and again with great sorrow Evdokia prayed for the salvation of her homeland. Leaving for battle with the hordes of Mamai, the Grand Duke said goodbye to his wife at the door of the Archangel Church, barely holding back the tears of “the people,” whose support Evdokia remained in those days.

By the time of the Battle of Kulikovo, Rus' was surrounded by enemies: the Swedes were in the north, the dominance of the Livonian Order with its 150 fortresses was established in Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania was in the west, the Mongols were threatening in the northeast, east and south. And yet, precisely at this time, the forces of the Russian land are uniting to strike a blow to the Horde.

On August 8, 1380, the clergy sprinkled holy water on three Kremlin gates through which the troops were leaving - Nikolaevsky, Frolovsky (Spassky) and Konstantino-Eleninsky (Timofeevsky), and the Moscow army moved towards Kolomna. Mothers and wives, seeing off warriors to battle, gave them the “final kiss” - this is how they said goodbye to those who were going to certain death since ancient times.
“The Great Princess Evdokia Dmitrievna, and Princess Maria of Vladimir, and other Orthodox princes, princesses, and many wives of governors, and Moscow boyars, and the wives of ordinary soldiers saw them off and from tears and sobs they could not utter a word, kissing their husbands for the last time . The great prince himself could hardly restrain himself from tears; he did not cry in front of people, but he shed a lot of tears in his heart. And, consoling his princess, he said:
- Wife! If God is for us, then who can be against us?
And he sat down on his beloved horse, and all the princes and commanders mounted their horses and set out from the city.
The Grand Duchess Evdokia, with her daughter-in-law, Princess Maria of Vladimir, and with the voivode's wives, and with the boyars, went up to her golden-domed mansion embankment and sat down on the locker under the glass windows. For for the last time she sees the Grand Duke, shedding tears like a river stream...”
And then endless days and nights dragged on: Evdokia prayed for her husband, for the army, for the salvation of the Russian land. Almost never leaving her chambers, according to tradition, the princess could now often be seen on the street distributing alms and feeding the poor in the grand ducal courtyard. In those weeks full of painful anticipation, people involuntarily reached out to her as their only support.

When the Kulikovo field shook from a terrible battle, the Moscow wives relentlessly cried out to Heaven for help, and the prayer of the Grand Duchess Evdokia sounded loudest and boldest of all. And the Lord gave her happiness in the same place where she said goodbye to her husband, to meet Grand Duke Dmitry, who returned with victory.

The news of the victory caused great rejoicing in Rus' along with great sorrow for the dead. Immediately after his triumphant return to Moscow, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich and his comrades again made a pilgrimage to Radonezh. The chronicle says: “And I came to the Trinity to Father Sergius. And the venerable elder took him off the cross near the monastery and, marking him with the cross, said: Rejoice, great lord prince, and rejoice, thy Christ-loving army.” At the same time, the prince asked St. Sergius to serve funeral liturgies and memorial services for the Russian soldiers killed on the Kulikovo field. This commemoration was called Dimitrievskaya parental Saturday, since it took place for the first time on the Saturday before October 26 - the day of the Grand Duke's Angel - in memory of St. Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. And the chronicle records that it was commanded to carry out this commemoration as long as the Russian land stood.

When Tokhtamysh's army appeared on the western bank of the middle Volga, the Russians were taken by surprise. Dejection and horror gripped Moscow when the news of Tokhtamysh's approach reached the city. Since it was already too late to raise the militia, many princes and boyars proposed immediate surrender as the only way to avoid complete destruction. Grand Duke Dmitry ignored their advice. He decided to leave Moscow, which was supposed to defend itself behind stone walls, and at that time gather a new army in the northern lands. He himself went to Kostroma, and sent his cousin Vladimir Serpukhovsky to Volokolamsk to defend the road to Novgorod. Much depended on the behavior of Grand Duke Mikhail Tverskoy, but he remained silent.

But as soon as the Grand Duke left the capital, disagreements began among the residents of the capital city. Many eminent people wanted to escape to safety. The commoners wanted to stay and resist the invaders. The rich who tried to escape were killed and their property was plundered. The gates were closed, preventing anyone from leaving the city. An exception was made only for the Metropolitan, the Grand Duchess with their children and their immediate circle. The Grand Duchess hurried to her husband in Kostroma. On the way, she was barely captured. The Metropolitan, however, preferred to go to Tver.
Not trusting any of the local boyars, the veche chose the Lithuanian prince Ostey, whom the Nikon Chronicle calls the grandson of Olgerd, as the governor of the Moscow army. He managed to restore order in the city and begin hasty preparations for defense. His clear actions and self-confidence impressed the townspeople: refugees from surrounding towns and rural areas rushed to Moscow.
On August 23, 1382, Tokhtamysh’s army appeared at the city walls. Now it seemed that the Muscovites were united in their decision to fight.
The chronicler, however, notes the difference in attitude between the “good people” who prepared for death by praying to God, and the “bad people” who plundered the cellars of the rich and strengthened themselves with alcoholic drinks. For three days and three nights the Horde furiously stormed the city, but were unable to take it. Then Tokhtamysh decided to act by deception and on August 26 proposed a truce, asking only for “small gifts” for lifting the siege. The two Suzdal princes accompanying him swore to the sincerity of this proposal.
Muscovites, not suspecting treachery, believed them. When the gates opened and a procession of Moscow nobility led by Prince Ostey came out to greet the khan, the enemies attacked them and killed everyone. At this time, other detachments rushed into the city. A terrible massacre began. The winners seized the grand ducal treasury and the wealth accumulated by the boyars and wealthy merchants. Golden vessels and crosses, fabrics decorated with precious stones and other precious utensils were plundered from churches. The chronicler noted with particular pain the loss of books, explaining that many books were brought to Moscow churches from surrounding cities and villages in an attempt to save them from enemies. All books were thrown away or burned by the Tatars. When the looting was over, the city was set on fire. “Until then, Moscow was huge and beautiful,” the chronicler narrates, “full of people, wealth and glory... and now, in an instant, all its beauty perished, and its glory turned into nothing. All that was left was smoke over the ruins, bare earth and piles of corpses.”

As soon as the news of this disaster reached Tver, Grand Duke Mikhail sent an envoy with rich gifts to Tokhtamysh. The Khan graciously accepted them and gave Mikhail his label for the great reign of Tver. Meanwhile, the Horde scattered throughout the principality of Moscow, ravaging cities and villages, turning most of the Russian lands into ashes. “The city was taken on August 26, at 7 o'clock in the afternoon, on Thursday, and the fire of the bedrooms, and the people were killed, and some were captured, and others were burned, and others drowned, and others suffocated among the corpses and in the blood. And not only in Moscow did this happen, but also in Vladimir, and in Pereyaslavl, and in Yuryev, and in Zvenigorod, and in Mozhaisk...” - the chronicler reports.

But when the enemies approached Volokolamsk, Prince Vladimir blocked their path: “Prince Vladimir Andreevich stood behind Volokolam with many people. And the Tatars ran at him; He attacked them and killed many, and took others prisoner, while others fled to Tokhtamysh. And Tokhtamysh was afraid, and little by little began to retreat from Moscow...”
At the same time, Tokhtamysh’s scouts reported that Grand Duke Dmitry had gathered significant forces in Kostroma. Tokhtamysh ordered to retreat. On the way back, the Horde devastated the Ryazan principality.
When Grand Duke Dmitry and Prince Vladimir returned to devastated Moscow, the sight of the ashes brought tears to their eyes. Dmitry Donskoy's first order was to bury the bodies that had not yet been buried. He paid one ruble for the burial of eighty bodies. The total expense was 300 rubles, from which we can conclude that 24,000 people were buried at that time.
“And until that time, before, Moscow was a great city for everyone, a wonderful city, a populous city, and there was a multitude of all kinds of people in it, and a lot of wealth and all kinds of ornaments - and in one hour its appearance changed. And there was nothing to look at: just earth, and dust, and ashes, and ashes, and a lot of corpses. And the holy churches stand devastated, as if orphaned, as if widowed... That same autumn, Ambassador Karach from Tsar Tokhtamysh came to Moscow with a grant to the Grand Duke. The prince ordered the Christians to set up courtyards and rebuild the city,” this is how the chronicler describes Moscow after Tokhtamyshev’s ruin.
The invasion of Tokhtamysh in 1382 became a new test for Moscow and the entire Russian land. It seemed that the terrible times of Batu’s invasion had returned. But the Tatars no longer had the strength to further plunder Rus'. And the Russians firmly remembered the victory on the Kulikovo field, which destroyed the previous belief in the invincibility of the Horde and showed that Rus' had strengthened to fight for independence. Tokhtamysh’s raid did not diminish the significance of the Mamaev massacre: the Tatars were defeated in 1382 only because they came “as an exile,” suddenly and stealthily, and Moscow overlooked them and did not protect itself. Everyone understood that now Rus' would not succumb, as before, to the invasions of the Horde and that the Tatars could act against Rus' only by accidental raids.
And again, as before, Russian princes flocked to the Horde for labels to reign. As one might expect, the Grand Duke of Tverskoy declared his rights to the Grand Duchy of Vladimir. However, Tokhtamysh preferred to keep Eastern Rus' divided into several large principalities, confident in his ability to maintain balance between them, especially since Moscow now seemed bloodless and humiliated. Therefore, the khan confirmed to Mikhail the label of the Grand Duke of Tver, but gave the label to the great reign of Vladimir to Dmitry of Moscow. To force both to obey, he left Mikhail's son, Alexander, and Dmitry's son, Vasily, who was then about thirteen years old, in the Horde as hostages. Evdokia let her son go and thereby doomed herself to two years of suffering. In addition to tribute, Tokhtamysh demanded a ransom of eight thousand rubles for Vasily. The amount at that time was huge, and the devastated Moscow principality could not pay the entire amount. Therefore, Vasily had to live in captivity of the khan for two long years.
All Russian principalities were required to resume regular payments of tribute and other taxes in the same amount as during the reign of Khan Janibek, which was significantly higher than the tribute of the period of unrest in the Horde. The Grand Duchy of Vladimir in 1384 had to pay a huge “exit” either in gold (tamga) or silver (tribute). The Novgorodians were surrounded by Black Forest. Moreover, Rus' again had to supply military units to the Khan’s army whenever he requested them.
From the outside it seemed that Tokhtamysh had regained control of Russia, and the Golden Horde now seemed stronger than ever. But nevertheless, Rus' managed to maintain its autonomy and support the national unification. However, the course of history turned out to be more favorable for Rus' than it seemed at first - through the Providence of God and through the prayers of the saints and righteous of the Russian land, hope arose for liberation from the hated yoke. The Grand Duchess of Moscow Evdokia-Euphrosinia also offered many prayers for the salvation of her native land, for which she has been honored by the Russian people with special reverence and love for centuries and glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church.
On May 19, 1389, Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich died at the fortieth year of his life. According to contemporaries, this day was a day of sadness and tears for many Russian people. The chronicler recorded “The Grand Duchess’s Lament for her Dead Husband” - one of the most inspired poetic creations of Ancient Rus'. The Grand Duke was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Children

From Prince Dmitry Evdokia gave birth to eight sons and four daughters.
Sons:
Daniel (born 1371),
Vasily (1371-1425) - Grand Duke of Moscow (Vladimir),
Yuri (1374-1434) - Grand Duke of Moscow (Vladimir),
Simon (died 1379),
Ivan (born 1380),
Andrey (born in 1382),
Peter (1385-1428) - Prince Dmitrovsky from 1389, Prince Uglitsky 1389-1405,
Constantine (born 1389).
Daughters:
Sofia, from 1387 the wife of Prince. Feodor Olgovich Ryazansky,
Maria, since 1394 the wife of Prince. Lugveniya (Semion) Olgerdovich,
Anastasia, since 1397 the wife of Prince. Ivan Vsevolodovich Kholmsky,
Anna, b. in 1387

After the death of her husband

Dimitri Ivanovich handed over the throne to his son Vasily, bequeathing that his mother be his co-ruler. Since 1389, after the death of her husband, she actually stood at the head of the Moscow principality and was the guardian of succession to the throne among her sons.
The princess led a strictly monastic ascetic life, dressed in a hair shirt, and wore heavy chains under her luxurious grand-ducal clothes. Even in front of her loved ones she did not want to reveal her exploits; She organized dinner parties in the Grand Duke's palace, but she herself did not touch the dishes, eating Lenten food.
Human anger and slander did not bypass her. Ridiculous rumors began to circulate around Moscow, affecting the honor of the widow - the princess. These rumors reached the sons. The princes, although they loved their mother and did not believe the slander, still could not help but be embarrassed. One of them, Yuri, turned to his mother with a question about the slander defaming her. Then the princess gathered all her sons and took off some of the grand ducal clothes - the children saw that the ascetic had become so thin from fasting and labors that her body had withered and turned black and “the flesh stuck to the bones.” Yuri and his other brothers asked their mother for forgiveness and wanted to take revenge for the slander. But their mother forbade them to even think about revenge. She said that she would gladly endure humiliation and human slander for the sake of Christ, but seeing the embarrassment of the children, she decided to reveal her secret to them.
Every day Evdokia could be found either in one of the churches or in the monastery. Remembering her late husband, she constantly made contributions to monasteries and donated money and clothing to the poor.

In the capital, Euphrosyne built a large number of churches and monasteries, in particular:
In the heart of Moscow - in the Kremlin - she is building a new women's Ascension Monastery (in wood).
A stone church in honor of the Mother of God and decorated it with the best icons, utensils, and books. It was consecrated on February 11, 1393, in the presence of the entire family, by Saint Cyprian.
Two years later, the Church of the Nativity was painted by the best icon painters - Theophan the Greek and Simeon the Black.
Around 1392, at the expense of the princess, the Goritsky Monastery was built in Pereyaslavl.
Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Pereyaslavl.
In addition, under the leadership of Evdokia, a militia was gathered to protect Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane.
At the request of the princess, the victory on the Kulikovo Field was to be celebrated in Moscow on September 8 with special solemnity.

One of the most significant events in the spiritual history of Russia is associated with the name of Grand Duchess Evdokia. It took place during the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395. The news that the hordes of the formidable commander had approached the borders of Rus' horrified the entire people. Grand Duke Vasily, thanks to the influence of his mother, showed fortitude, gathered an army and went out to meet the enemy. But what could this small squad do in front of the hordes of an invincible conqueror, who claimed that the entire universe was unworthy of having two rulers?
The people, strengthened by faith in God's intercession, prayed to God together with their princess. Evdokia made deep prayers for the deliverance of Rus' from destruction. The prayer of the righteous woman was heard by God. On the advice of his mother, Vasily Dimitrievich ordered to bring the miraculous medicine from Vladimir to Moscow. On August 26, 1395, Grand Duchess Evdokia with her sons, the metropolitan, the clergy, the boyars, and many assembled residents of Moscow met the icon of the Mother of God on Kuchkovo Field.
On that very day and hour, Tamerlane, in a sleepy vision, saw the “Radiant Woman”, surrounded by radiance and many “lightning-fast warriors” menacingly rushing forward. On the advice of his mentors, Tamerlane ordered the troops to turn away from the borders of Rus'.

In 1407, after a vision of the Archangel Michael, who foreshadowed her imminent death, Princess Evdokia decided to accept monasticism, which she had striven for all her life. At her request, an image of the Archangel Michael was painted and placed in the Kremlin church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1407, Evdokia retired to the Ascension Convent, taking monasticism with the name Euphrosyne.
The legend says that the Grand Duchess’s entry into the monastic path was marked by God’s blessing and a miracle. The Grand Duchess appeared to one blind beggar in a dream on the eve of her tonsure and promised to heal him of his blindness. And so, when Evdokia went to the monastery for a “monastic feat,” the blind beggar turned to her with a prayer: “God-loving lady Grand Duchess, nourisher of the poor! You always satisfied us with food and clothing, and never refused us our requests! Do not despise my request, heal me from many years of blindness, as you yourself promised when you appeared to me that night. You told me: tomorrow I will give you insight; now the time has come for you to promise.”
The Grand Duchess, as if not noticing the blind man and not hearing his plea, walked further and, as if by chance, lowered the sleeve of his shirt onto the blind man. He wiped his eyes with this sleeve with reverence and faith. A miracle happened in front of everyone: the blind man received his sight! The people glorified the saint of God together with the one who had received his sight. According to legend, on the day of the Grand Duchess's tonsure, 30 people were healed of various diseases. The tonsure took place on May 17, 1407 in the wooden Church of the Ascension. The Grand Duchess was tonsured and received the name Euphrosyne (“joy”).
And three days later, on May 20, the foundation stone of a new stone church in honor of the Ascension of Christ took place. The Grand Duchess also determined her resting place in this temple. But she did not get to see the completion of construction.

On July 7, 1407, she died at the age of 54. They buried Saint Euphrosyne in the presence of a large crowd of people in the place she indicated for the church under construction, where she rested until 1929, performing numerous healings and bestowing grace-filled help on everyone who came with faith to her multi-healing relics.

The Monk Euphrosyne of Moscow began to be revered as the patroness of Moscow. And after her death, as the legend tells, the Monk Euphrosyne was “worthy of glorification.” It was noted more than once how candles lit themselves at her coffin.

Relics in the chapel of St. Huara, Archangel Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin

She was buried in the cathedral church of the Ascension Monastery.
In 1922, the shrine and the canopy over the relics were removed in order to extract precious metals from it. The relics of St. Euphrosyne remained in a stone tomb under the floor of the cathedral.
In 1929, by decision of the government, the destruction of the buildings of the Ascension Monastery began. Museum staff tried to save the necropolis. The basement of the Judgment Chamber of the Archangel Cathedral was chosen for its placement. The white stone tomb of St. Euphrosyne was damaged and they could not remove it entirely from the ground. The relics of the saint were saved from destruction, but it is hardly possible to highlight them today, because... they are found along with other remains from burials in two white stone tombs from the 15th century.
When opening the burials, among the remains of St. Euphrosyne, in addition to small pieces of fabric from the shroud, they found scraps of her leather monastic belt with embossed images of the twelve feasts and captions to them. These shrines, together with the vessels for oil that were in the coffins, are kept in the collections of the Kremlin museums. The fragments of the saint's stone tomb remain to this day in the same basement.

On May 28, 2008, after the liturgy in the Archangel Cathedral, performed by Patriarch Alexy II in the concelebration of the vicars of the Moscow diocese, her relics were transferred from the Judgment Chamber (the basement of the Archangel Cathedral) to the chapel of the martyr Huar.

In 2006, construction of the Church of St. Evdokia (Euphrosyne) of Moscow began on Nakhimovsky Prospekt in Moscow.
In 2007, the 600th anniversary of her repose was celebrated, in commemoration of which, on August 21 of the same year, a new award of the Russian Orthodox Church was established - the Order of St. Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow.
In 2012, a worship cross to St. Evdokia of Moscow was installed on Rozhdestvensky Boulevard.

Memory

Worship cross of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow on Rozhdestvensky Boulevard in Moscow

In November 2013, in front of the Church of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow on Nakhimovsky Prospekt in Moscow, a monument was unveiled to the spouses of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Demetrius Donskoy and St. Euphrosyne, the author of the monument is the sculptor Dmitry Vladimirovich Kukkolos.

The miraculous icon of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow in the church in honor of the saint

Princess Evdokia. Sketch by V. Vasnetsov for the frescoes of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv

The Venerable Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow, combined the feat of civil service to her people and native land with the monastic feat, restoring the royal dignity of man. It is not for nothing that she is depicted in ancient Russian manuscripts with the royal crown. She becomes the fifth of the holy wives of Rus' with the name Euphrosyne: “Joy”. For her life was a great joy for the entire Russian land.
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St. Paphnutius of Alexandria

In the city of Alexandria there once lived a man named Paphnutius. He was rich, famous, honored, feared God, kept the commandments of the Lord and led a godly life. His wife was also a kind, pious, God-fearing woman. Only one thing bothered them: they had no children; They grieved greatly over this, for there was no one to leave their property to them who could manage it well even after their death. Sad about their childlessness, they constantly prayed to the Lord to give them a child, gave generous alms to the poor, gave a lot to churches and monasteries, in addition, they remained in fasting and prayer, walked around the temples of God and asked God to fulfill their desires. One day Paphnutius went to a certain monastery, the abbot of which, as he heard, was distinguished by his holy life; and to this monastery he also donated a large contribution. While talking with the abbot, Paphnutius received consolation from him. Realizing that this monk was pleasing to God, he told the abbot about his sadness, namely that he had no children. With a bow to the ground, he asked the abbot to pray to God for him, so that the Lord would grant him a child. The Most Good God, who graciously accepts the prayers of all those who fervently pray to Him and call upon Him, heeded the prayers of the abbot and blessed Paphnutius. After this, the infertility of his wife was resolved, and God gave them a daughter, very beautiful. The parents, filled with the greatest joy, sent thanks to God from the bottom of their hearts. At baptism the baby was named Euphrosyne.

From that time on, Paphnutius began to often visit that monastery, gave alms to all the monks, and had great love for that abbot for his useful conversation, and also because, through his prayers, he received what he wanted from God. 12 years after the birth of Euphrosyne, her mother reposed into eternal life; Paphnutius, as before, continued to teach his daughter the Divine Scripture. Having become accustomed to it, the young woman devoted herself to diligent reading of the sacred books. Meanwhile, rumors about her prudence and beauty spread throughout Alexandria. Therefore, many of the noble and noble citizens wanted to have her as the wife of their sons, and vying with each other, they hastened to declare their desire to her father. Paphnutius said:

- Let it be as the Lord pleases!

Among those seeking Euphrosyne’s hand, there was one man who stood out before everyone for his nobility, rank, wealth and glory. He begged Paphnutius to marry his daughter to his son, to which Paphnutius agreed. Having agreed, they set a time for the wedding.

Even before the marriage, Paphnutius went with his daughter to the monastery where the aforementioned abbot lived, whom he revered as a father, and said to him:

“I brought to you, holy father, my daughter, the same one whom God gave me through your prayers; I ask you to pray for her, because I want to give her away in marriage.

The abbot blessed Euphrosyne and then began to talk with Paphnutius about the salvation of the soul, and taught his daughter chastity, humility, fear of God and love for the Creator, and also exhorted her to give alms. All these words sank deeply into the heart of the wise and prudent girl, who was then eighteen years old. Paphnutius lived with his daughter in the monastery hotel for three days. During this time, Euphrosyne listened to church reading and singing every day; She was surprised, looking at the exploits of the monks, and said to herself:

And she was very jealous about imitating their holy life. After three days, Paphnutius said to the abbot:

- We want to go to the city; Let us go in peace, honest father.

Euphrosyne, falling at the feet of the abbot, said:

“I ask you, father, pray for me, so that the Lord will save my soul.”

The abbot blessed her and prayed to the Lord for her:

- God, who knows the fate of every person even before his birth, grant to Your servant this equal reward and recompense with all those who have pleased You from all eternity.

After this, having bowed to the abbot, Paphnutius and his daughter left for the city. This righteous man revered the monastic order so deeply that when he met a monk somewhere on the road or in a city, he invited him to his house, hospitably treated him and asked him to pray to God for him and for his daughter.

Soon the day of commemoration of its founder arrived in that monastery, and the abbot sent one of the brethren to invite the benefactor of the monastery, Paphnutius, to this day. It so happened that the sent monk did not find Paphnutius at home; Euphrosyne, having learned about the arrival of a monk in their house, called him to her and began to ask him about how many brethren there were in their monastery. He answered her:

- Three hundred and fifty-two people.

Then she asked him:

– If someone comes to your monastery and wants to live with you, will your abbot accept him?
To this the monk answered:

- Of course, he will accept it with joy, remembering the words of the Lord: “He who comes to Me I will never cast out”(John 6:37).

The girl also asked him a question:

– Do you all sing together and fast the same way?

“Yes, we all sing together,” answered the monk, “and each of us fasts as much as he wants and can.”

Having asked the monk everything about monastery life, the girl told him:

“I would like to start such a life, but I’m afraid to disobey my father, for he wants to marry me off, carried away by the riches of this vain world.”

Chernorizets told her:

– Do not desire a temporary and fleeting union with a mortal, but devote yourself to Christ: instead of all fleeting and vain blessings, He will give you the Kingdom of Heaven and a stay with the angels. Leave your house secretly and go to the monastery, leaving behind your worldly clothes, put on monastic attire so that they cannot recognize you.

Saint Euphrosyne rejoiced when she heard these words of the monk, and asked him:

-Who will cut my hair?

He answered her:

“Your father will go to our monastery and stay there for three or four days, and at that time you call some monk to you: he will gladly fulfill your desire and tonsure you.”

While they were talking with each other like this, Paphnutius came and, seeing the monk, asked him:

-What prompted you to come to us, father?

The monk replied:

– The memory of the founder of our monastery is coming, and the abbot asks you to come to us and take part in our holiday; for this you will receive a blessing from God.

Paphnutius happily agreed to go with the monk to the monastery and took with him many gifts for the monastery church and brethren. In his absence, his daughter, Saint Euphrosyne, called one of her faithful servants to her and said to him:

- Go to the monastery of St. Theodosius, enter the church there and call the first monk you meet to me.

That servant, by God’s special providence, met one monk who was carrying his handicrafts from the monastery for sale; he asked the monk to go with him to his master’s house, and he agreed. Euphrosyne, seeing the venerable monk, went to meet him and bowed to him, asking him to pray for her. The monk prayed, blessed her, and they sat down. The holy virgin began to speak to him like this:

- Sir, my father is a Christian and a faithful servant of God, my mother is no longer alive. My parent, who has great wealth, wants to marry me off so that all his treasures will not be lost, but I would not want to defile myself with worldly vanities, but I am afraid to disobey my father and therefore I do not know what to do. I spent the entire previous night without sleep, begging God to send me His mercy. And when morning came, I wanted to call one of the ascetic fathers to me in order to hear from him a word of edification and instructions on how I should act. I beg you, father, teach me the way of the Lord, for I know that you were sent to me from God.

Then the elder began to teach her like this:

– The Lord says in the Holy Gospel: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”(Luke 14:26). I don’t know what to tell you more than this. If you can bear the struggle with the flesh, then leave everything and flee from this world, like Israel from the works of Pharaoh. And there are a lot of heirs to your father’s wealth: churches, monasteries, hospitals, hospices, orphans, widows, wanderers, imprisoned and taken captives. Your father can distribute his property to whomever he wants, but you yourself take care of your soul.

To this the girl said to him:

– I hope in God and in your prayers, father, for I think, with help from above, to devote myself to God.

“Do not delay with this intention, my daughter,” the elder answered her, “for whoever puts off completing a godly feat usually later repents of such delay; It’s time to repent now.

Saint Euphrosyne said to the elder:

“That’s why I asked you, father, to come to me; I wanted you to fulfill the desire of my heart, and, having prayed for me, blessed and tonsured me.

Then the elder stood up, prayed and tonsured, by God’s permission, Euphrosyne into monasticism, placing the schema on her. At this he said to her:

– May God, who has granted salvation to all His saints, protect you from all evil.

After that, he went to his monastery, rejoicing and glorifying God. Meanwhile, Euphrosyne began to think in her heart:

“If I go to a nunnery, my father will find me there and force me to leave the monastery and get married; Therefore, it’s better for me to go to a monastery where no one will recognize me.

Deciding to fulfill her intention, late in the evening she dressed in men's clothing and secretly left the house from everyone, taking with her only fifty gold coins, and disappeared that night in a certain place. In the morning, her father came to the city and, according to a special dispensation of God, immediately went to church. And Euphrosyne retired to the monastery where they knew her father. Approaching the gate of the monastery, she knocked and said to the gatekeeper:

“Go and report to the abbot that a eunuch has come from the royal palace and is standing at the gate, wanting to talk to him.”

When the abbot left, Euphrosyne fell to the ground and bowed to him. He picked her up and prayed according to custom, after which they both sat down. Then he started asking her:

- Why, child, did you come to us?

Euphrosyne answered him:

“Father, I served as a eunuch in the royal palace and really fell in love with the monastic life, but I did not find in the city what my soul was looking for. Having learned about the ascetic life of the monks of your monastery, I came to this holy monastery, wanting to asceticize with you.

To this the abbot answered:

Then he asked what her name was. Euphrosyne answered that her name was Izmaragd.

“Child Izmaragd,” the abbot told her, “you are young and therefore cannot live alone in your cell; you need to have a spiritual guide. so that he would guide you in monastic life, teach you the monastic rules and all the customs.

To this the young woman replied:

- Arrange me, father, as you please.

At the same time, she took out fifty gold coins, gave them to the abbot and said:

“Take this, father, and later I will donate all the rest of my property remaining in the city to the monastery.”

The abbot called one of the monks, named Agapit, a man of holy life, and entrusted him with Izmaragd with the following words:

– This young man will henceforth be your spiritual son and disciple; instruct him in virtues so that he surpasses the teacher.

After fervent prayer with kneeling, Elder Agapit took Izmaragd to his cell and instructed him in monastic life. – The new monk had a very beautiful face; when he came to church for Divine services, the devil confused many of the brethren with unclean thoughts, wounding their hearts with the beauty of the new monk; Therefore, the brethren complained about the abbot, saying:

“Why did you bring such a handsome brother into the monastery to tempt the weakest monks?”

Hearing this, the abbot called Izmaragd to him and said to him:

- Looking at your beauty, the weakest of the brethren are tempted; Therefore, it is better for you to remain alone in your cell, struggling in silence and prayer, and not come to church. Your spiritual mentor will also bring food to your cell, so that you do not need to leave it anywhere.

Euphrosyne answered:

“As you command, father, so I will do.”

The abbot ordered Agapit to prepare a secluded cell for Izmaragd; Agapit fulfilled the will of the abbot and brought Izmaragd into that cell, who began to spend time there in prayer, fasting and vigil, serving God day and night in the purity of his heart. Blessed Agapit marveled at his exploits and labors and told all the brethren about them for their edification; the brethren learned from these exploits and glorified God, who had bestowed such strength on the young ascetic.

Meanwhile, Paphnutius, Euphrosyne’s father, upon returning home, hastily entered his daughter’s room and, not finding her there, began to grieve and grieve greatly; with anger he asked his male and female slaves what happened to Euphrosyne, where she had gone. The servants answered him:

“We still saw her last night, but today she didn’t show up to us, which is why we wondered if her fiancé’s father had invited her to his place.”

Paphnutius sent slaves to the house of his daughter's fiance, but she was not found there either. Both the groom and his father, hearing about the disappearance of Euphrosyne, were very sad and, coming to Paphnutius, found him in deep sorrow, lying on the ground and sobbing.

“Did someone seduce her and run away with her?” - they remarked to him.

Horsemen were immediately sent throughout Alexandria to look for Euphrosyne; they looked for her in the houses of neighbors, and along the roads, and on the seashore, and on ships; They walked around many nunneries, fields, deserts, mountains and caves - everywhere they looked for the daughter of the saddened father. Finding her nowhere, the messengers returned with sorrow. And everyone cried for her as if she were dead. The groom wept for his bride, the father-in-law grieved for his daughter-in-law, and the father shed bitter tears for his daughter, as Jacob once did for Joseph, and spoke such mournful speeches:

- Woe to me, my sweet child! Alas for me, the light of my eyes! Alas for me, the joy of my soul! Who stole my treasure? Who withered my branch? Who extinguished my lamp? Who took away my hope from me? Who dishonored my daughter? What wolf tore my lamb to pieces? What place hid her bright face from me? She would serve as the restoration of my family, she would be the rod of my old age, the consolation in my sorrows. Let the earth not hide my body until I find out what happened to my daughter Euphrosyne!

All the friends and neighbors gathered at Paphnutius also lamented and sobbed loudly with him about the unexpected death of his daughter. Finding no relief for his sadness anywhere, Paphnutius came to the monastery, where his daughter was asceticizing in seclusion, and, falling at the feet of the abbot, said:

“Father, do not cease to pray to God that He hears my prayers, for I do not know what happened to my daughter—whether someone kidnapped her, or whether she died in some other way.”

Hearing these words, the honest elder was very embarrassed and, having gathered all the brethren to him, said:
- Brothers, show love, pray to the Lord that He will deign to reveal to us the fate of the daughter of our friend and benefactor Paphnutius.

Throughout the whole week, the monks fasted and prayed, but no revelation came to them, as happened with their other petitions; for day and night Euphrosyne prayed to God so that He would not reveal about her to anyone in this earthly life, and her prayers were stronger than the prayers of all the brethren.

Not receiving any revelation about Euphrosyne, the abbot began to console Paphnutius with these words:

- Child, “Do not neglect the punishment of the Lord... For the Lord punishes whomever he loves”(Heb. 12:5-6). If without the will of the Lord not a single bird falls to the ground, especially nothing could happen to your daughter. I think she chose the good part; and therefore we had no revelation about it from God. If she had fallen into sin (let that not happen!), then God would not have despised such great prayerful work of all the brethren of our monastery, and would have revealed to us about her; I have hope that even in this earthly life the Lord will reveal it to you.

Paphnutius was somewhat comforted by these words and returned to his home, thanking God. Every day he diligently prayed to the Lord and gave abundant alms to the poor. After several days, he again visited the monastery and asked the brethren for prayers. Once, having met with the abbot, he bowed to him and said:

– Pray for me, father, because my grief for my daughter does not go away; my soul has not been consoled in the least, the wound in my heart is increasing, and every day my grief is intensifying.

The abbot, seeing his great sadness, consoled him in every possible way; in one of his conversations with him, he remembered Izmaragd and said:

“We have a monk who leads a very strict life; he came to us from the palace of Emperor Theodosius, and we are all amazed at his holy life. Would you like to talk to him? Perhaps you will receive at least some consolation from this conversation, for he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

“Yes, I want to,” answered Paphnutius.

Then the abbot, not knowing that Izmaragd was the daughter of Paphnutius, called Agapit and said to him:

- Take Paphnutius to Izmaragd so that he can talk to him.

St. Euphrosyne of Alexandria

Agapit and Paphnutius entered the cell of Izmaragda; when Euphrosyne saw her father, she recognized him and burst into tears; and Paphnutius thought that she was crying from prayerful tenderness, but he could not recognize her, for from strong abstinence and all-night prayers her complexion had faded, and Euphrosyne herself deliberately covered her face with a hood so that she could not be recognized. Having prayed, they both sat down, and Izmaragd began his conversation with Paphnutius, telling him about the kingdom of heaven, about the eternal glory that a person can achieve through humility, purity, holiness, alms and love; He told him about leaving the world and that one should not love children more than God, the Creator of everything; pointed to the words of the Apostle that “From sorrow comes patience, from patience experience”(Rom. 5:3-4). Seeing the great sorrow of his father, Izmaragd sympathized with him and consoled him, saying:

- Believe me: God will not leave you. For if your daughter was on a destructive path, then the Lord would have revealed to you about her, through the prayers of the holy fathers who prayed so earnestly about it; no, I am firmly convinced that your daughter obeyed the good Teacher who says in the Gospel: “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; Whoever does not renounce everything he has cannot be My disciple.”(Matt. 10:37; Luke 14:33). God can show it to you in this life. Therefore, stop mourning. Why are you killing yourself with sadness? On the contrary, thank God for everything and do not lose hope, for I, too, when my teacher Agapit told me about your coming to the monastery and about your sorrow, diligently prayed to God that He would give you patience and courage, arrange everything for your benefit and your daughter and would comfort you. I hope that the God of all consolation will not leave you to remain in sorrow until the end: if not soon, then He will still reveal to you about the fate of your daughter, about whom you are so sad.

Then Euphrosyne, fearing that her father might recognize her, since she had been talking with him for too long, said to Paphnutius:

“My lord, now go home in peace.”

Listening to these speeches, Paphnutius both cried and rejoiced, for his heart burned with natural love for Izmaragd and he received a lot of benefit from conversations with him; then he went to the abbot and told him:

“Only God knows, Father, what benefit I received from this monk, and by the grace of God, his words filled my heart with such joy, as if I had found a beloved child.”

After this, Paphnutius, asking all the monks to pray for themselves, returned home. – And Izmaragd lived in that monastery for thirty-eight years, leading a godly life; After this time, he fell into a serious illness, after which he gave up his soul to the Lord. Even before his repose, Paphnutius again came to the monastery to worship and to visit the brethren. After an ordinary conversation with the abbot, he told him:

“Father, if possible, allow me to see brother Izmaragd, for I love him very much.”

The abbot, calling Agapit, instructed him to take Paphnutius to Izmaragd. When Paphnutius entered his cell and saw Izmaragd lying on his bed in severe illness, he fell to his bed and began to say with bitter tears:

- Woe to me! Where are your sweet words, where are your promises that I will see my lost daughter? Now, not only do I not see her, but I am also deprived of you, my comforter. Alas for me! Who will comfort my old age now? To whom will I go, and who will be the consolation of my sorrow? I cry and grieve mentally over separation from you; It’s been thirty-eight years now since I haven’t seen my daughter and haven’t received news about her from anywhere, and my dear Izmaragd is leaving me - Izmaragd, about whom I rejoiced so much, as if I had found my dead daughter. So what should I expect now? Where can you find solace? There is only one thing left for me: to go to the grave with my sadness!

Seeing how inconsolably Paphnutius Izmaragd sobbed, he said to him:

- Why are you embarrassed and killed by intense sadness? Is not the hand of the Lord strong? Or is anything impossible for God? So, stop being sad. Remember that the Lord once showed Jacob alive Joseph, for whom he wept as if dead; the same God will comfort you too.

Paphnutius remained in the monastery and at the same time thought to himself like this:

“Will the Lord reveal something to Izmaragd about my daughter?”

Finally, the third day came, and Euphrosyne, having received a revelation about the time of her departure to the Lord, called her father Paphnutius to her and said to him:

– Almighty God arranged my destiny according to His will and fulfilled my desire; Now I have reached the end of my exploits, having walked the monastic path not by my own strength, but by the help of the One who preserved me among the networks of the enemy; I don’t want you to grieve for your daughter any longer. I am Euphrosyne, your daughter, and you are my father. I am the one you are looking for. For the love of God, I left you, my father, my entire inheritance and my temporary fiancé, and came here, concealing the fact that I was a woman. Now I ask you: do not allow anyone else but you to wash my body; I also beg you, fulfill my promise that I made to the abbot of this monastery: when I asked him to take me here, I said that I have a large property that I intend to donate to this monastery; Therefore, fulfill my promise, bring the remaining property to this monastery and pray for me.

After these words, Euphrosyne gave up her spirit to the Lord. Hearing all this and seeing that his daughter had died, Paphnutius, out of fear and great sorrow, fell into relaxation and lay on the ground as if dead. When Agapit came and saw that Izmaragd had died, and Paphnutius was barely alive, he poured water on Paphnutius’s face, lifted him from the ground and asked him:

- What's wrong with you, Paphnutius?

He answered him this:

Then Paphnutius rose from the ground and fell to the face of the deceased, weeping bitterly and saying:

“Alas for me, my dear child, why didn’t you reveal yourself to me earlier than this hour; Oh, how I would like to die with you! Woe to me that you hid from me, my dear daughter! How well you escaped the snares of the enemy, hid yourself from the vanity of this world and entered into eternal life!

Listening to the words of Paphnutius, Agapit understood this wondrous secret; he was horrified and went immediately to tell the abbot about it; the latter immediately hurried to come there, fell to the holy body of Euphrosyne and began to say with sobs:

- Euphrosyne, bride of Christ and holy virgin, do not forget your companions and this monastery, but pray for us to the Lord Jesus Christ, so that He will grant us, after good deeds, to achieve salvation and be at home with His saints.

Then the abbot ordered all the brethren to gather in order to bury her holy body with due honor. When all the monks gathered and saw this wondrous miracle, they glorified God, who had revealed His strong power in weak flesh. One of the brethren was blind in one eye. He came to the relics of the saint and with tears began to kiss her venerable body - and immediately his eye opened and he received his sight. Seeing this healing, all the brethren magnified the mercy of God, glorified His holy servant Euphrosyne and were edified by her holy life. After this, they buried her at the resting place of the holy ascetic fathers and commemorated her with spiritual joy. And her father Paphnutius returned to his home, distributed his estate among churches and monasteries, the poor and wanderers, and brought the remaining significant part of it to that monastery for his needs, and he himself took monastic vows there. He asked for his daughter’s cell for himself and lived in it god-pleasingly for ten years; after this time, he reposed on the same mat on which his daughter the Monk Euphrosyne died. He was buried with honor next to his daughter, and it was established to commemorate them annually to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, God, wondrous in His saints. Glory to Him forever. Amen.

Troparion of Venerable Euphrosyne of Alexandria, tone 8

IN You, mother, know that you were saved by the image: / having accepted the cross, you followed Christ, / and in action you taught to despise the flesh, for it passes away; / be diligent about souls, things more immortal; / In the same way, your spirit will rejoice with the angels, Saint Euphrosyne.

Kontakion of St. Euphrosyne of Alexandria, tone 2

IN Having longed to receive a higher life, / you carefully left the sweetness of your life, / and you mixed yourself among men, the most beautiful, / for Christ, for the sake of your Groom, / you neglected the temporary betrothed.

Prayer of St. Euphrosyne of Alexandria

ABOUT Our holy reverend mother Euphrosyne! Now your memory is bright, we exclaim to you with tender hearts: you obeyed the good Teacher of our Lord Jesus Christ, who says in the Gospel: Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever does not renounce all his property cannot be My disciple. , and you followed Him with all your life. Ask us, our mother Euphrosyne, for the power and action of the Holy Spirit, to eradicate every sin living in us and create our souls in the temples of God; inflame our hearts with love for the Lord, let us fill our lips to praise Him and complete our walk before the face of God in all piety and purity, so that through your heavenly intercession we will see the glory of God, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

NOTES

The Monk Euphrosyne labored in the middle of the 5th century.

In ancient times, eunuchs were people who served at the royal courts as guardians of treasures, the royal treasury, and especially (as happened at court) as guards at the bedchambers of queens and princesses. For the most part, eunuchs were eunuchs. At the Byzantine court, the position of eunuchs was very honorable.

Those. Having desired to receive Heavenly life, you hastened to leave earthly pleasures.

Prince of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich, nicknamed Donskoy after the Battle of Kulikovo, has firmly entered the memory of people, the history of the Russian state. But no less famous in the Christian world is his wife Evdokia, who later received the name Euphrosyne when she was tonsured.

Dmitry and Evdokia, the daughter of the Suzdal prince, got married at a difficult time for Rus'. The Russian principalities suffered oppression from Lithuania and the Horde, raids by Lithuanians and Tatars ravaged Russian cities and villages. Moscow was burned and looted more than once. To defend the independence of his lands, Prince Dmitry of Moscow united the Russian princes and brought their squads to the Kulikovo field in 1380. But this was only the beginning of the great confrontation with the hordes of conquerors. Every time her husband led troops to the battlefields, Princess Evdokia prayed for the salvation of her native land. After the death of Prince Dmitry, his eldest son, Vasily Dmitrievich, ascended the throne. Having become a widow, Evdokia began to pray with even greater diligence, put on chains and a hair shirt, visited churches, and founded the Alekseevsky and Nativity monasteries in the center of Moscow, in the Kremlin.

It was in devout faith that Princess Evdokia saw support in her opposition to Tamerlane, when he stood near Moscow with a huge army. The princess convinced her son, Prince Vasily, to bring the miraculous icon of the Mother of God to Moscow from Vladimir. The icon arrived in Moscow on August 26, 1395...

Prince Vasily:
Mother, I fulfilled your request. I brought an icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. And you, and the metropolitan, and the boyars, and ordinary people - everyone constantly prays to the Mother of God for intercession. I only rely on prayers.
Evdokia:
I see that you are not strong in spirit. Fear and doubt torment you.
Prince Vasily:
Mother! How can I not grieve?! No one has yet been able to stop Tamerlane. He conquered many lands and peoples.
Evdokia:
My dear son, strengthen your spirit and will with prayers. You must be strong. You need to instill confidence in your warriors.
Prince Vasily:
You know, our squad is weak, there are few warriors. We will not be able to resist the hordes of Tamerlane. If he comes at us, we will fight to the last, but Moscow will fall again, the city will burn, people will die. These bitter thoughts do not leave me...
(Sound of a galloping horse approaching)

Evdokia:
Look, son, look! Rider! Is he bringing bad news or good?
Messenger:
Prince! Prince!!! Princess! Tamerlane leaves with his entire army!
Prince Vasily:
Take a breath, messenger. Aren't you in too much of a hurry with the news? Tamerlane is a cunning fox. Surely he was up to some trick.
Messenger:
I'm telling the truth. The watchmen saw the Tatars folding their tents and packing their carts. They go east. Every single one of them. And they also say wonderful things... Princess, may I tell you?
Evdokia:
Speak.
Messenger:
They say that Tamerlane decided to leave for a reason. It seems that the Radiant Wife appeared to him. She was surrounded by menacing, lightning-like warriors. And they attacked Tamerlane’s army in an all-destroying stream. Tamerlane was embarrassed, told his commanders about this vision and ordered them to retreat.
Evdokia:
Here is the answer, my son, to all your torments and doubts. The Mother of God heard our prayers, took the formidable enemy away from us, and covered Moscow with her veil.

After the miraculous rescue from the hordes of Tamerlane, a new period began in the history of the Moscow principality. The children and grandchildren of Evdokia invested all their strength in strengthening and raising the state. Evdokia herself took monastic vows in May 1407 and received the name Euphrosyne. She laid the foundation of a new temple in honor of the Ascension of Christ. Just two months later, the Monk Euphrosyne died at the age of 54. She was buried in front of a large crowd of people at the foundation of the future temple.

Later, the Ascension Cathedral became a tomb for the grand duchesses and queens of the Russian state. Elena Glinskaya, the mother of Ivan the Terrible, Irina Godunova, the wife of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, and Natalya Kirillovna, the mother of Peter the Great, were buried here.

The Venerable Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow, combined in herself the feat of civil service to her people and native land with the monastic feat. She restored the royal dignity of man. And it’s not for nothing that she is depicted on icons with a royal crown.

Brief life of the Venerable Euphrosyne (in the world Evdokia) of Moscow

The Holy Great Princess Ev-do-kiya was born in 1353. She was the daughter of Suz-dal's prince Di-mit-riya Kon-stan-ti-no-vi-cha († 1383) and his wife-in-law prince-gi- neither Anna. From an early age, I was raised in the spirit of Christ's goodness, Ev-do-kiya from-li-cha-lasya -him, meek disposition. But, living in Suz-da-le and Pe-re-ya-s-lav-le-Za-les-sky, in a troubled environment the inter-domestic races that the appanage princes had with her father, from an early age Princess Ev-do-kiya was turned off I put all my trust in God. In 1367, she became the wife of the blessed prince of the Moscow Dimitriy of the Don. († 1389). Their happy union was a guarantee of peace and harmony between the Moscow and Suzdal principalities. Her love for her husband and children of Prince Ev-do-kiya was sanctified by her love for God. De-la chri-sti-an-sko-go mi-lo-ser-diya princess-gi-nya and her spouse with-what-they-moved-a-sta-and-mo- lit-you. In their lives, they relied on the help of the saints, whose work was so famous in those days. to Russian land.

The time of the life of the holy, blessed, great Prince Ev-do-kiya († 1407) coincides with the era of the great to whose abbot-on-the-Russian-land the Pre-ex-Sergius of Ra-do-tender, secretly-see-the-Holy-Tro- i-tsy. This blessed thing can be considered with full oss-no-va-no-e as the teachings of the pre-excellent Sergius . The saint, the Moscow Metropolitan, was close to the princely family; the spirit of Ev-do-kiya and Di-mit-riya was a student of Pre-do-do-no-go Sergius, abbot of Si-mo-no-va mo-na-sty -rya, Saint Fe-o-dor (later the arch-bishop of Rostov). The Most Reverend Sergius was the godfather of their two children (in total, the princely family had 8 sons and 4 daughters) che-ri).

I have great love for God, the Holy Church and the Motherland of the prince's soul. The movement of Prince Dimitriy to liberate Rus from the mon-go-lo-ta-tar yoke once-de-la- La princess-gi-nya Ev-do-kiya. The march of the good Prince of Moscow Di-mit-riy against Ma-May, who won-nos-but-finished -September 8, 1380 on Ku-li-ko-vom po-le, supported by her side of the mountains mo-lit -va-mi and de-la-mi love-vi. In memory of the victory of the princess, a temple was built inside the Moscow Kremlin in honor of the Birth of the Most Holy God -ro-di-tsy - all-the-world-but-is-to-ri-che-skaya on-the Russians on Ku-li-ko-vo-le came to this holiday. The temple was built by Fe-o-fa-n Greek and Simeon Black. Temple-building and foundation of the mo-na-sty-rey work of the holy blessed princess Ev-do-kiya with -did-the-flourishment of Russian-temple-building-and-tel-st in the 14th century, at which point it happened in the same way to build a temple in honor of the Most Holy Trinity by the Most Holy Ser-gi.

Gradually, the life of the holy princess Ev-do-kiya began to move forward on its own accord. everything is in God's hands. In 1383, the Great Prince of Moscow was obliged to appear to the Ta-Tar Khan Tokh-ta-my-shu. But because of the extreme anger of Tokh-ta-my-sha against Prince Di-mitriy, they decided to send his eldest son to Or-da. on Va-si-lia, who at that time was about 13 years old. Saint Ev-do-kiya let her son go and thus promised herself two years of suffering: Prince Vasiliy was imprisoned in Or-de as a prisoner. In 1389, the blessed Prince Dimitri, before reaching age, fell dangerously ill and went to the State (Comm. May 19/June 1).

The Ov-do-ve-shay princess saw her duty to God first of all at the completion of her re-creation children. At the same time, she started the establishment of a women's monastery in the Moscow Kremlin, giving under it are princely devils. Vi-di-mo, from-at-first-but she thought of this mo-na-stairs as the place of her future-other-ness. At one time, she built several temples and monasteries in Pere-ya-s-lav-le-Za-les-sky. However, not only about the construction of temples of the Du-ma-la Princess Ev-do-kiya: its main co-blood goal after the death of the spouse, the arrangement of the internal mo-on-pole began, the creation of the temple in its own heart. Princess Ev-do-kiya began to lead a secret, moving life. Judging by the lush clothes in which the holy princess appeared before people, it would be impossible to guess that that she was out of her wits, unwittingly, heavy-heartedly. She had to endure a lot of slander.

The holy princess, after the blessed death of her husband, refrained from directly participating in the government -state affairs, but still it is with her co-ve-ness that the transfer from Vladi-mir to Moscow is connected with the miracle -created icon of the Most Holy God, summoned by the march to Moscow of Khan Ta-mer-la-na. The most holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsa responded to everyone’s native prayer. On the day of Wednesday of the icon in Moscow (August 26, 1395) Ta-mer-la-well there was a menacing vision in a dream Light-nos- no Zhen-ny; the intimidated za-vo-e-va-tel from-stepped away from Moscow. In 1407, after seeing her Ar-khan-ge-la Mi-hai-la, having announced the imminent death of the prince hy-nya Ev-do-kiya, “revealed by the Angel from everything on earth from-re-shen-naya” (see aka-fist), re-shi -she wanted to leave the great-princely house and accept the monastery, to which she had been going all her life. According to her instructions, the image of Ar-khan-ge-la was created and placed in the Kremlin church in honor of the Birth of the Most Holy God. go-ro-di-tsy. When moving to the Voz-ne-Sensky monastery, Prince Ev-do-kiya found a blind man who had received his sight , having lost her eyes behind the hem of her clothes, and from various ailments during her procession, 30 people were cured century In the abode, the princess cut her hair with the name Ev-fro-si-niya. In addition to the humility of bearing foreign movements, secret for people, but known to God, holy princess she lived in the mo-na-sty-re of the new named church of Voz-ne-se-niya. Saint Eu-phro-si-nia lived in other lands for several months: on July 7, 1407, peace came to the Lord -duh. Her body was in the gre-be-but in the Voz-seni-sky monastery that was mainly founded by her.

The holiness of the most-precious Eu-phro-si-nii is a pleasure for the miracle of God -she, who has been on her tomb for several hundred years. Many times you saw that there was a candle at the coffin of Saint Eu-phro-si-nii. And in the 19th century, several miraculous works were accomplished here. So, in 1869, having come to the coffin with the relics of the great one, he was overcome by fate . In 1870, the most beautiful Ev-fro-si-nia appeared in a dream to a pa-ra-li-zo-van-noy girl and told her that she was well -vie. The sick man was brought back to life by placing on him a blanket from the tomb of St. Euphro-si. NI. Her spiritual motivation testifies to the fact that neither wealth nor high-social position, neither family ties can be an insurmountable obstacle to the acquisition of God's blessings and holiness .

Complete life of St. Euphrosyne (in the world Evdokia) of Moscow

The name of the most beloved Ev-fro-si-niy in the world is Ev-do-kiya (“Blessed-in-le-nie”). She was the daughter of Suz-dal's Prince Di-mit-riya Kon-stan-ti-no-vi-cha and his wife-in-law Anna. According to the blessing of St. Alexia, mit-ro-po-li-ta of Moscow, January 18, 1366 -shi-elk marriage of Ev-do-kiya with the great prince of Moscow Di-mit-ri-i Iva-no-vi-chem. The wedding will be celebrated according to the customs of those years in Kolomna. This marriage was of great significance for the fate of the Moscow state, cementing the union of Moscow and Suz-dal. th princedoms. The marriage of the young prince and princess “pre-filled the hearts of the Russians,” as they say chronicler.

In difficult times, this marriage was concluded. Za-kan-chi-val-sia so-ro-ka-year-period from-no-si-tel-no-go-co-co-ness in Russia: on-stu-pa- during the time of almost non-stop wars with many enemies - external and internal ren-ni-mi. In addition to the hundred-yang-no-go about the external enemies - Or-de and Lit-ve, the blood continued co-operation of Russian principalities.

In addition, almost in the very year of the marriage of Prince Di-mit-ria with Ev-do-ki-ey svi-rep-va- la in Moscow there was a “frost plague”, the people were dying, you were heard crying and lamenting along the Moscow streets os-ro-those people. This misfortune was joined by another one - a terrible fire in Moscow. A sea of ​​fire engulfed the streets of the city, without pity, but in a fat, de-re-faint building. Are there houses, property, livestock, people died?

Moaning and crying reached the prince's te-re-ma, leaving its mark in the heart of the young princess - and then, somewhere, -la Ev-do-kiya ma-teryu and po-kro-vi-tel-no-tsei of the de-possessed high-priests, widows and orphans.

Moscow had barely risen from the ashes when in 1368 the Lithuanian prince Ol-gerd laid siege to the Kremlin, in which the great prince with the princess, mit-ro-po-lit Alexy and bo-yar. And again Moscow was heard, again the moans and screams of Moscow residents were heard, the be-e-e-th-of-the-to-ts- mi. The entire Moscow land was emptied.

The young princess incessantly prayed for her native land, with all her might she tried to ease the guards of the land -duh. Not even five years had passed since Prince Dimitri needed to go to Orda in connection with a dispute about great prince with the Tver prince Mi-ha-i-lom Alek-san-dro-vi-chem (1399). The first-priest of the Russian Church of the mit-ro-po-lit not only blessed the prince for this trip - eight-de- The seven-year-old old man himself co-led him to Kolomna. In the absence of her husband, Ev-do-kiya and the whole people prayed for the blessed return of the prince. According to the prayers of Saint Alexy and Most High Sergius, Prince Dimitri Ivanovich returned from the Horde to Moscow with a label for the great prince.

The whole life of the great princely lady passed under the spiritual guidance and blessings of the great saints -of the Russian land - Saint Alexy and Saint Sergius, as well as the teacher of the Great Saint go - holy Fe-o-do-ra, abbot of Moscow-sko-go Si-mo-no-va mo-na-sta-rya (later ar-hi -episco-pa of Ro-stov), ​​who was the spirit of Ev-do-kiya. The Most Reverend Sergius baptized Dimitri himself and his two children, including the first-crown Vasily li-ko-prince-che-you-ro-di-elk 5 sy-no-vey and 3 do-che-ri). It was a truly un-blessed Christian marriage. The author of “Words about Life...” by Prince Dimitriy comes up with amazing and precise words to describe the Soviet Union. local life of a princely couple: “The wise man also said that there is a love-spirit in the body of a love- mo-go. And I’m not ashamed to say that two of them share one soul in two bodies and they both have a good life, They look at the future glory, raising their eyes to the sky. Likewise, Dimitri had a wife, and they lived in the whole world. Just as the forest melts in the fire and the water pours out so that it is sharp, so they also burn with the fire of God. of the Holy Spirit, they dissipated and then purified themselves.”

And then the year 1380 came - a new separation from her husband, again sorrow and prayers for the salvation of the Fatherland. Ute-sha-la na-dezh-da na-be-du, pre-said by the pre-precious Ser-gi. The princess, by right, separated with the great prince and fought for the liberation of Ru-si from mon-go-lo-ta -tar-sko-go yoke, - hot-rya-chi-mi mo-lit-va-mi and de-la-mi love. In memory of the victory on Ku-li-ko-vo-le Ev-do-kiya, a temple was built inside the Moscow Kremlin in honor of Rozh- de-stva of the Most Holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy. The temple was ras-pi-san ve-li-ki-mi iko-no-pis-tsa-mi of Ancient Ru-si by Fe-o-fa-Greek and Simeon Black.

The march of ta-tar-sko-go-kha-na Tokh-ta-my-sha in 1382 became a new terrible test for Moscow and the whole Russian land. Di-mit-riy Iva-no-vich left to gather an army in Pere-slavl, and then to Ko-stroma, leaving the army in Moscow -kuyu princess. Because of the danger of taking Moscow, the great princess with her children and the mit-ro-po-lit Ki-pri-an with difficulty su-me-li- You went beyond the city walls, after which Ev-do-kiya went after the prince. On the way, she almost fell into captivity. After three days of siege, the Tokh-ta-my-sha army took Moscow and burned the city, after which it was re-ra-ti-li in the pe-pe-li- still most of the Russian lands. According to legend, Di-mitriy Iva-no-vich cried at the celebrations of Moscow and buried those killed on his own day- gi.

In 1383, Dimitriy Iva-no-vich had to appear to Tokh-ta-my-sh in order to stand up for the right of the great prince -zhe-nie. Because of Tokh-ta-my-sha’s extreme bitterness, he decided to send the eldest son of the great prince to Orda - Va-si-lia, who was about 13 years old. Ev-do-kiya from-pu-la his son and thus condemned himself to two years of suffering - the son was detained in Or- where it's like a lien. Toh-ta-mysh, except-me-da-ni, tre-bo-val for Va-si-lia you-kup - 8 thousand rubles. The amount at that time was huge for us, and the sacked Moscow principality could not pay the entire amount. For this reason, Vasiliy had to live in captivity with the Khan for two long years, after which he managed to escape. On May 19, 1389, the Great Prince Dimitri Ivanovich died in his second year of life. According to contemporary evidence, this day was a day of sadness and tears for many Russian people. Le-to-pi-sets for-pi-sal “The lament of the great prince for her dead husband” - one of the most inspiring Ti-che-skih creations of Ancient Russia. Rowed the prince in the Ar-Khan-Gel-sky village of the Moscow Kremlin.

Di-mit-riy Iva-no-vich re-gave the throne to his son Va-sily, declaring that co-principal he would have had a mother. The Great Princess refrained from direct participation in government affairs. While her husband was still alive, she lived truly in a Christian way, and after his death she lived in a strict fashion -she-sha-moving life, in-de-la vla-sya-ni-tsu, but-si-la under the luxurious great-princely clothes are heavy. Yes, she didn’t want to reveal her movements in front of hers; arranged a dinner party in the prince's te-re, but she didn't like the food, tasted shaya fasting pi-shu.

Human malice and slander did not bypass her. Ridiculous rumors began to circulate in Moscow about the honor of the widows of the prince. These rumors are up to date. The princes, even though they loved their mother and didn’t believe the story, still couldn’t help but be embarrassed. One of them, Yuri, turned to Ma-te-ri with a question about the na-ve-tahs that were ro-cha-cha-sh-ing her. Then the princess gathered all her sons and took off part of the great prince’s clothes - they saw that the movement was so exhausted from the movement and movement that her body was dried up and black and her flesh stuck -la to the bones.” Yuri and his other brothers asked for forgiveness from Ma-te-ri and wanted to take revenge for the crime. But their mother forbade them from even thinking about revenge. She said that she would gladly tolerate humiliation and human evil for the sake of Christ, but when she saw the embarrassment With the children, she decided to reveal her secret to them.

Every day you could meet Ev-do-kiya either in one of the temples or in the monastery. By the way of her su-pr-ga, she is a hundred-yang-but de-la-la contributions to the mo-na-sty-ri, oda- ri-va-la poor days and clothes. As a great princess, she began to think about a monastery, in which she could do everything -to dedicate oneself to God. In the heart of Moscow - in the Kremlin - she is setting up a new women's mo-na (at that time there were two women's mo-nas in Moscow -sta-rya - Alek-se-ev-sky and Rozh-des-stven-sky) in honor of Voz-ne-se-niy. Have you taken a place at the Florovsky Gate? This is where she came from, here she met her husband, returning from Ku-li-ko-va po-la. Near the gate there was a great prince's tower, burned during the march of Tokh-ta -we-sha. At this place of the former prince's residence, the great princess erected her monastic cells. Once upon a time, she built several temples and monasteries in Pere-ya-s-lav-le-Za-les-sky.

One of the most significant spiritual events is connected with the name of the great princess Ev-do-kiya. to-rii of Russia. It came to an end during the invasion of Ta-mer-la-na in 1395. The news that half of the menacing half-co-water when they went to the borders of Russia, they horrified the whole people. The Great Prince Va-si-liy, b-go-da-rya-influence ma-te-ri, showed firmness of spirit, gathered an army and went out to meet the enemy. But what could this little friend do in front of half of the un-be-di-mo-for-e-va-te-lya, approving waiting for the whole universe to be unworthy of having two rights?

The people, strengthened by their faith in the intercession of God, prayed to God together with their princess . Ev-do-kiya so-ver-sha-la su-gu-bye prayers for the deliverance of Ru-si from gi-be-li. The prayer of the righteous people was heard by God. According to the co-ve-tu ma-te-ri Va-si-liy Di-mit-ri-e-vich ordered to bring the miraculous Vla-di-mir-icon -Well, God, Ma-te-ri from Vladimir to Moscow. August 26, 1395, Great Princess Ev-do-kiya with her sons, mit-ro-po-li-tom, spirituality , bo-yar-mi, with many fellow-gathering residents of Moscow, you met the icon of Bo-go-ma-te-ri on Kuch-ko- vom po-le.

On that very day and hour, Ta-mer-lan, in a dream-vision, saw the Holy Zar-Wife, surrounded by si-I-n-em and many -the same lightning-nosed warriors, menacingly rushing forward. In accordance with the advice of his supervisors, Ta-mer-lan gave the order to the troops to return from the borders of Rus.

In 1407, after the sight of Ar-khan-ge-la Mi-ha-i-la, having announced her imminent death, the prince -G-nya Ev-do-kii decided to accept a mo-na-sha-stvo, something she had been striving for all her life. According to her, the image of Ar-khan-ge-la Mi-ha-i-la was created and placed in the Kremlin temple in honor of the Nativity Most Holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy.

The saying says that the entry of the great prince on the mo-na-she-sky path was signified by Bo- we live with a blessing and a miracle. The great princess appeared to one blind beggar in a dream on the eve of her haircut and promised to use target him from being blinded. And so, when Ev-do-kiya went to the monastery for the “foreign movement”, the blind beggar turned to her with a plea: “ God-loving lady, great princess, pi-ta-tel-ni-tsa beggars! You have always provided us with food and clothing, and you have never given us any of our requests! Do not despise my request if you heal me from many years of blindness, as you promised when you appeared to me this night. You told me: tomorrow I’ll give you vision; now the time has come for you to make a promise.”

The Great Princess, as if not noticing the blind man and not hearing his plea, walked further and, as if by chance, dropped on the blind-tsa ru-kav ru-bash-ki. He with bliss and faith wiped his eyes with this ru-ka. In front of everyone, a miracle has happened: the blind man has matured! The people glorified together with the matured pleasure of God. According to the legend, on the day the great prince cut her hair, 30 people were cured of various illnesses. He was tonsured on May 17, 1407 in the village of Voz-ne-se-niya. The great princess in lu-chi-la's name is Ev-fro-si-niya (“joy”).

And three days later, on May 20, the laying of a new stone church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ took place. In this temple the great princess is determined and has her resting place. But she didn’t get to see the completion of the construction. On July 7, 1407, she died at the 54th year of her life. According to the Holy Eu-phro-si-nia, with a large crowd of people in the place indicated by her, she was built temple, where she continued until 1929, performing numerous works and giving blessings New help to everyone who comes with faith to her many healing relics.

And after his death, as the saying goes, the Most Ev-fro-si-niya was “pleased about -slav-le-niya.” More than once, as if at her coffin, the candles lit up on their own.

At the end of the great princess So-fya Vi-to-vtov-na, su-prue -ga ve-li-ko-go prince Va-si-lia Di-mit-ri-e-vi-cha. The great heat did not allow the construction of the temple to be completed, so it stood unconstructed for almost 50 years and, for the son, the wife-of-the-prince-in-law Va-si-lia Tem-no-go - Ma-ria Yaro-slav-na - made a vow to complete the construction- ku. In 1467, the temple was solemnly consecrated.

The Voz-sen-sky temple became a mustache for the great princes and queens of the Russian state. Above the place where they were buried, graves were moving above them. Here were buried Sophia Pa-leo-log (1503) - the second wife of John III, Elena Glinskaya (1533) - mother of John -on IV Groz-no-go, Iri-na Go-du-no-va (1603) - su-ru-ga of Tsar Fe-o-do-ra Ioan-no-vi-cha, Na- Ta-lia Kiril-lov-na (1694) - mother of Peter I and others. Lastly, the Tsar-rev-na and the Great Princess Na-ta-lia Alek-se-ev-na (1728), granddaughter Peter I, daughter of Tsar-re-vi-cha Alek-sey Pet-ro-vi-cha. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were a hundred 35 tombs in the temple.

The mighty os-no-va-tel-ni-tsy mo-na-sty-rya in-chi-va-li under the hush-house behind the right table of the co-bo-ra, near the southern wall -us. In 1822, a se-re-ren-naya r-ka with a canopy was built over the relics.

On July 7, 1907, the Kremlin celebrated the 500th anniversary of the death of the Most Ev-phro-si-nia. This holiday came to life in the memory of those who believe in praying for the Russian land.

The day after the tur-gy, a procession of the cross with the icons of Voz-ne-se-niy in front of them came from Voz-ne -September monastery in the Ar-Khan-Gel-sky Cathedral for laying the icon on the tomb of Demetrius of the Don-Sko-go. In the evening there was an all-night vigil in the abode, during which everyone prayed for a hundred lit with candles. In the morning, the Moscow mit-ro-po-lit served the Divine Li-tur-gy. Upon completion of her presence, there will be anniversary notes, images and leaves with life descriptions. sa-ni-eat pre-po-dob-noy. Many Moscow churches are from 500 years of celebratory services.

In 1922, the ra-ku and the canopy over the relics were removed for the purpose of extracting precious metals from it. The relics of the most beautiful Eu-phro-si-nii remained in a stone coffin under the floor of the so-bo-ra.

In 1929, by decision of the government, the unification of the construction of the Voz-seni-sko-monastery began . The museum worked together to save the necro-field. For its location, you chose the basement of the Judgment Palace of Ar-khan-gel-sko-go-bo-ra. The white coffin of the pre-precious Ev-fro-si-nii turned out to be damaged, and it was safe to take it out who from earth could not. The power of spas would be great from the unification, but it is hardly possible to remove them today, because . they are found together with other remains from behind them in two white-stone coffins of the 15th century -ka.

When opening a good-o-ne-niy among the remains of the pre-similar Eu-phro-si-nii, except for small parts of tissue from the sa -va-na, we found the torn-ki of her skin-no-go-on-she-sko-th on-ya-sa with yew-not-my pictures -I am on two holidays and under-pi-sya to them. These saints, together with na-ho-div-shi-mi-sya in coffins with-su-da-mi for oil, are kept in the foundations of the Kremlin museums. The broken stone coffin remains in place to this day in the same basement.

So the Ar-Khan-Gel Cathedral of the Kremlin became the common family mustache-finger of the great-princely and royal families of Russia. of this state.

The Most-Dear Ev-fro-si-nia, the Great-Princess of Mos-kov-skaya, co-ed-in-the-movement of the civil service Marrying your people and your native land with a mo-na-she-movement, restoring the royal do- man's institute. No wonder they depict her in ancient Russian faces with ru-co-pi-syah with a royal crown. She becomes the fifth of the holy wives of Ru-si with the name Ev-fro-si-niya - “Joy”. For her life was a great joy for the entire Russian land.

Prayers

Troparion of Venerable Euphrosyne, in the world of Evdokia, Princess of Moscow

Through earthly widowhood you left the Heavenly Bridegroom with no wife/ and lived ascetifully in the princely palace,/ after which you left both the palace and your children/ for God’s sake, the Venerable Euphrosy ,/ and having entered the monastery you created,/ you demonstrated many feats in a monastic manner, / and by the grace of God your holy life was mutilated by your blessed death. / And now, standing before Christ God, / pray for our souls to be saved.

Translation: After earthly widowhood, you made yourself a bride to the Heavenly Bridegroom and lived in the princely chambers, and after that you left both the chamber and your children for the sake of God, Euphrosyne, and, having settled in the place you created, in a monastic form you showed many feats and crowned your holy life according to God. blessed death. And now, standing before Christ God, pray for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion of the Venerable Euphrosyne, in peace Evdokia, Princess of Moscow

From your youth, chosen by God to be a saint, / leaving the bright palace of the prince, / you fled to the monastery you created, / and, having swum across the depths of the sea of ​​life, / now the Angels sang a song See Christ God./ Pray to Him unceasingly, O Reverend,/ for may He preserve the monastery , created by you, // and gives us peace and great mercy.

Translation: From your youth, initially chosen by God as a saint, leaving the bright princely chambers, you came to the monastery you created, and, having crossed the abyss of the sea of ​​life, now you and the Angels glorify Christ God in hymns. Pray to Him without ceasing, venerable one, that He will always preserve the monastery you created and grant us peace and great mercy.

Kontakion of the Venerable Euphrosyne, in the world of Evdokia, Princess of Moscow

All the red things of this world, like vanity, have been despised, / and your body has been exhausted by fasting and vigil, / with unceasing prayers you have pleased God, / the Venerable Euphrosyne, / and the gift of healings from Him at You have been granted,/ you have granted sight to the blind, and you have granted healing to many sick people. / Moreover, we joyfully cry out, saying: Glory to God, who glorifies His saints.

Translation: You neglected all the blessings of this world as empty (and unworthy of attention), and having exhausted your body with fasting and vigil, you pleased God with unceasing prayers, Venerable Euphrosyne, and having been worthy to receive the gift of healing from Him, you granted sight to the blind and healing to many sick people. Therefore we cry with joy, saying: “Glory to God, who glorifies His saints.”

Prayer to Venerable Euphrosyne, in peace Evdokia, Princess of Moscow

Oh, reverend Princess Euphrosyne, kind ascetic among wives, most praiseworthy saint of Christ! Accept prayer for us, unworthy, who come to you with faith and love, and with warm intercession to God, ask for the city of Moscow and the people to be saved from troubles and misfortunes, make haste, like a child-loving mother, as a child gathered by you, to bear the yoke of Christ in complacency and patience and strive well to correct your life, even to salvation; in the world, for those who live piously, ask the Lord for strength in faith, prosperity in piety, and for everyone who comes running to you with faith and asks for your help and intercession, always grant healing to ailments, quickly Have consolation and prosperity in all your life, but most of all, pray to the Lord for peace and Through repentance we must endure earthly life, escape from bitter ordeals and eternal torment, and receive the Kingdom of Heaven through your intercession, for as you and all the saints stand before the Lord, may we always glorify the Father and S God and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to Venerable Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow

Kontakion 1

To Euphrosyne, chosen from the royal family of the sovereign, as our strong intercessor and prayer book, let us sing praises to you who honor you. But you, who have boldness towards the Lord, beg Him to deliver us from troubles and sorrows, and in the future heavenly kingdom to gain, so we call to you:

Ikos 1

You acquired truly angelic dispassion while still on earth, O Reverend One, valuing reigns for nothing, glory, abundance of riches, the whole world red, neglecting the youth and beauty of the body, but with unceasing prayers to God, vigil and fasting, having exhausted the flesh and adorned the soul with virtues. Wondering at your life as equal to the angels, we cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, you who sought salvation from your youth; Rejoice in your prayers to God.

Rejoice, who in adversity placed her only hope in Him; Rejoice, having preserved humility in the rank of prince.

Rejoice, in the power of the sovereign, observing meekness towards everyone; Rejoice, you who have shown abundant mercy towards the poor.

Rejoice, you who lived monastically in the palace of the princes; Rejoice, who in the wrath of the royal court showed a fasting life.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 2

Having seen the venerable one in her father’s house diligently keep the commandments of God and advance in piety, from her youth she became more zealous for the salvation of her soul than anything else and chanted to Him in warm prayers to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The saint's mind was strengthened in piety, not seeking earthly joys in marriage, but imitating her husband in virtues more than anyone else and striving for good deeds, striving with diligence for the honor of the highest calling. The venerable life of the saint is praiseworthy, let us cry out to her like this:

Rejoice, thou who loves God above all; Rejoice, for in a life more glorious than the night you did not abandon your prayers.

Rejoice, having learned the fasting life in abundance of earthly blessings; Rejoice, having preserved the purity of your heart in this worldly life.

Rejoice, fertilizer for Christian marriages; Rejoice, ornament of pious women.

Rejoice, you who have given an image of piety to those who live in abundance; Rejoice, who in glory showed the rule of Christian life to those who exist.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High has always preserved you unharmed, venerable one, when many deadly plagues around you have destroyed you, and many times in the presence of godless enemies you have been preserved from their sword and captivity. Moreover, thanking God, you cried out: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having a merciful heart and being comfortable with people who suffer, in all the hail and reign of adversity, in the burning of fire, in the presence and destruction of the enemy, you were the first to come to God, reverend, with warm prayer and to that all people strive. Moreover, I honor your warm intercession towards God for people and quick help for those in need, crying out to you:

Rejoice, you who quenched the wrath of God with your prayers; Rejoice, having found God's help in troubles and misfortunes.

Rejoice, you who have provided shelter for the deprived of shelter; Rejoice, you who provided supplies from enemies to the devastated.

Rejoice, having quenched the sorrows of the needy with compassion; Rejoice, you who with mercy drove away the poverty of the impoverished.

Rejoice, you who had a soul of mercy for everyone; Rejoice, you who have shown love for people in many of your good deeds.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 4

Having overcome the storm of sorrowful thoughts, the young prince, for the sake of his people, went willingly into the dwelling of the angry, evil Hagarians, like a sheep into the bed of wondrous beasts, and again, when your son lived for two years in captivity among godless enemies. But you, pouring out the sorrows of your heart before the Lord alone in warm prayers, you constantly cried out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Sometimes the Hagarians, venerable one, heard your atheism and departed from the reigning city, going after you, wanting to take you into captivity. You, preserved by God, escaped the hands of the enemy, and thanking God, you erected many temples and monastic monasteries. Moreover, leading your warm love to God, you cry out:

Rejoice, you who glorified God with unceasing prayerful praises; Rejoice, having created many temples as a constant sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him.

Rejoice, thou who has loved to wander about in the courts of God; Rejoice, thou who in the worldly life has known the heights of monastic life.

Rejoice, in the glory of your bright reign you have understood the vanity of worldly life; Rejoice, you have prepared a quiet refuge in mansions for those who understand the vanity of the world.

Rejoice, you who always desired the salvation of your soul; Rejoice, you who called those who want to be saved to monastic life.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 5

The God-bearing star appeared, O Reverend One, in your life, when you had renounced marital ties, you devoted yourself entirely to the Lord, working for Him day and night with fasting and prayers and incessantly crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing, the reverend one, that after the death of her husband she was orphaned, she desired to devote herself to the service of the one God, and, on the other hand, education for the sake of her children, until the time of living in the devils of princes and taking care of earthly affairs, she was forced to have thoughts of working in secret for God, exhausting her young body with green fasting, people in light robes and showing themselves red in the face. With respect to those feats known to God alone, let us cry out to her like this:

Rejoice, you who served God in secret; Rejoice, you who have pleased Him in secret from people.

Rejoice, you who rose up to pray like David at midnight; Rejoice, thou who in days of vigil performed earthly deeds.

Rejoice, you who preceded the morning with psalm prayers; Rejoice, until nightfall you remained in the usual care of children and people.

Rejoice, for you have humbled your soul before God through psalms in sackcloth and lamentation; Rejoice, for you appeared before people in the Gospel in the anointing of your head and in the brightness of your face and attire.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 6

In agreement with the wise preacher, you said, O Reverend, in your heart: all in the world is vanity of vanities. Moreover, a quiet refuge from the bustle - you created this holy monastery, if you would retire from the world in it, in peace and silence you would sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

A shining ray of grace has risen into your heart, reverend one, kindled by secret prayers and deeds, even though the ancient enemy cannot tolerate its radiance, wanting to disturb your soul by instigating evil people to speak blasphemies about your life. You, having heard slander, remained in spirit in God and were not confused in thought. We also cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, you who endured unrighteous reproach without anger; Rejoice, you who unabashedly bore the malicious blasphemy.

Rejoice, slandered for zeal for purity of heart in impurity of life; Rejoice, reproached for the mortification of the body in a sweet life.

Rejoice, you who desired only praise from God at His judgment; Rejoice, you who sought only glory in heaven.

Rejoice, having maintained steadfast patience in bitterness; Rejoice, you who through humility have thwarted the machinations of the enemy.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 7

Although the Lord knows your secret deeds in virtues to be performed by people, allow the devil to raise a storm of reproaches and slander against you, so that, having seen your holy life, everyone will glorify God, who is wondrous in His secret servants, ever crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Rev. Euphrosyne showed a new height of virtue, when, seeing her children embarrassed by evil slander about her, I secretly called and opened part of the clothes before them, as if they could see her powerful body, withered and blackened from fasting and her hard labors, and the flesh stuck to the bone; and having driven away such confusion from their hearts, he commanded them to tell no one what they had seen. Marveling at such venerable virtue, let us cry out to her:

Rejoice, in the depths of humility you hid your exploits from everyone; Rejoice, you who showed this breadth of love to your children.

Rejoice, you who patiently bore the reproach of dishonor for the sake of your soul; Rejoice, for the sake of delivering your children from the sin of condemnation, you have shown the purity of your life.

Rejoice, you who betrayed the insults from the people of the Judge to God; Rejoice, you who corrected the evil thoughts of your children for good.

Rejoice, having revealed to them your exploits as a confirmation of the truth; Rejoice, in order to avoid glory, you blocked their lips with silence.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 8

A strange vision of your flesh, as if it were already dead, seeing your sons and understanding your cruel life, possessed by fear, God, who strengthened you in labor, diligently cried out: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

The whole host of slandering people wanted to punish your children, when they saw the purity of your life and brought to light the great malice of those who reproach you; But you, as if you were not malignant, never allowed yourself to take revenge on those who offended you, expecting your justification from God alone. We also cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, meek at heart; Rejoice, gentle in spirit.

Rejoice, patient to insults; Rejoice to those who offend, not being angry.

Rejoice, thou who art like Christ God in enduring insults; Rejoice, you who waited for your only justification from God.

Rejoice, you who have overcome reproach through patience; Rejoice, you who have preserved love for those who offend.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 9

All the angelic nature rejoiced when the Archangel of the Heavenly Powers, standing before the Throne of God, was quickly sent to you, reverend one, to prepare your soul for the outcome, and to God, who was well pleased, crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The stories of many things will not be able to adequately praise your angelic dispassion and the purity of the eye of the soul, for, in the flesh of your being, you were vouchsafed a visit from the Archangel of God and from him you received notification of the outcome of this temporary life. We, honoring the grace given to you from God, cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, you who competed with the Angel in dispassion; Rejoice, you who have been honored with the Arkhangelsk visit.

Rejoice, illuminated by the radiance of the Angel's light; Rejoice, fragrant with the fragrance of the holy thing from the Archangel.

Rejoice, you who were forewarned of the departure from the world from the Lord; Rejoice, detached from all earthly things by the appearance of the Angel.

Rejoice, for the Archangel of God, by his appearance, has driven away the prince of aerial ordeals far from you; Rejoice, for by your grace-filled visit you have been granted victory over the devil.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 10

Wanting to save your soul, reverend one, when you received the news from an Angel about the imminent outcome of this life, you hastened to enter into the monastery you created, and there, working in silence with God, you sang to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You are a solid wall and an invincible fence of the monastery, created by you, reverend one, and the Lord will reveal it to you still coming to your monastery: for you healed many sick people on the way and you entered the monastery not like a newcomer, but like a glorious wonderworker. Moreover, glorifying you, we cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, who promised healing to the blind man by your appearance; Rejoice, you who gave sight to him with the touch of the robe.

Rejoice, you who in your life provided those who were sick with what they needed; Rejoice, you who granted healing to the thirty sick people upon entering the monastery.

Rejoice, you who walked into the monastery in humility, like a beginner; Rejoice, you who entered into the forest by the grace of God, like a most praiseworthy wonderworker.

Rejoice, bringing the grace of God with you into the monastery; Rejoice, having given her a holy adornment through your entry.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 11

You brought an all-contrite song, venerable one, in thanksgiving to the Lord, who made you worthy to receive monastic tonsure, for which you prepared your soul throughout your entire life, but having been separated from this world and confused by nothing earthly, you cried out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Your life in the monastery was shown to the monastics as a luminous light, O venerable one: even though you lived only a few days in monasticism, you showed in yourself a most excellent image of all monastic virtues. Moreover, praising you, we cry out to you, venerable one:

Rejoice, most graceful teacher of the free world of abandonment; Rejoice, rule of fervent prayer for all people.

Rejoice, wise instruction for the perfect cutting off of your own will; Rejoice, there has been a fair amount of spiritual and physical purity.

Rejoice, most beautiful image of mortification; Rejoice, teacher of peaceful living.

Rejoice, you who have understood prayer to God in the form of prayer; Rejoice, mirror of the saint's life on earth.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 12

Filled with grace and good deeds, as if you had accomplished a good earthly course, you passed into peace from earthly to heavenly, where you stood before the Lord rejoicing and cried out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your manifold good deeds to people, we all praise you, Venerable Mother Euphrosyne, who unenviously bestows healing with faith on those who come running to you and cry out to you:

Rejoice, for now you stand before the Lord in heaven; Rejoice, for you will intercede for people before God.

Rejoice, strong fence of your city; Rejoice, unshakable affirmation of your monastery.

Rejoice, praying warmly for the good fortune of those who monk; Rejoice, you who ask God for the affirmation of the goodness of those who live in the world.

Rejoice, remembrance of those who honor your memory before God; Rejoice, you who pray to God for those who glorify you.

Rejoice, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne.

Kontakion 13

Oh, most praiseworthy saint of God, Reverend Princess Euphrosyne! Accept our humble praise and with your warm intercession from the King of Glory ask us for healing in weaknesses, prosperity in virtues, deliverance from enemies visible and invisible, liberation from eternal torment and the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, so that with you we may ever sing to God: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos is read: “Truly angelic...” and the 1st kontakion: “Chosen from the line of the sovereign...”.

Prayer

Oh, venerable princess Euphrosyne, a noble ascetic in women, a most praiseworthy servant of Christ! Accept the prayer for us, the unworthy, who fall to you with faith and love, and with a warm petition to God ask for the preservation of the city of Moscow and the people from troubles and misfortunes, make it possible, like a loving mother, for the child you have gathered to bear the yoke of Christ in complacency and patience and It is good to strive to correct your life, and to salvation; in the world, ask the Lord for firmness in faith, progress in piety in the world, and to everyone who comes to you with faith and asks for your help and intercession, always give healing to illnesses, consolation in sorrows and prosperity in all life, especially beg the Lord in peace and In repentance, earthly life will pass us, bitter ordeals and eternal torment will be delivered from us, and through your intercession we will receive the Kingdom of Heaven, where you stand before the Lord with all the saints, may we always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and to the endless ages of ages. Amen.

Canon of Venerable Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow

Song 1

Irmos: As Israel walked across the dry land, in footsteps across the abyss, seeing the persecutor Pharaoh drowned, we sing a victorious song to God, crying out.

Throw away the darkness of my mind through your prayers, Venerable Euphrosyne, so that I may praise your glorious and luminous memory, singing the Divine song.

Like a river full of water, you, glorious Euphrosyne, with divine streams of grace, you have given water to the faithful host, crying out to God in a victorious song.

Having illuminated your soul with divine radiance, you burned the voluptuousness of your flesh with extreme abstinence, singing a victorious song to Christ God.

Theotokos: With the bright rays of Your Son, Mother of God, enlighten my darkened soul, overcome the confusion of passions, with Your intercessions, O Pure One.

Song 3

Irmos: There is no one holy like You, O Lord my God, who has lifted up the horn of Your faithful, O Good One, and established us on the rock of Your confession.

Having been filled, O wise mother Euphrosyne, with the Divine Spirit, you appeared in His house and, leaving your children according to the flesh and clinging to God, you sang to Him: there is nothing holy than You, Lord.

From the Divine command, Archangel Michael appeared to you, shining rays of Heavenly light on you and holding your tongue, so that everyone knows that he will make his appearance to you.

Having desired to ascend to the high mountain of virtues, the venerable one, upon the appearance of the Archangel, you left your temporary reign of glory and, retreating to the monastery you created, you sang to Christ God: You are the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Theotokos: The ladder, even as Jacob sometimes appeared on earth, on which God, the Light-Bearing Most Pure Mother of God, the Ever-Virgin, was established.

Sedalen

You appeared, Venerable Euphrosyne, in the city of Moscow, like another sun, illuminating the faithful with the rays of your miracles and giving healing to all who come to you with faith and cry out to you: Rejoice, in the world there is praise for the piously living and fertilizer for the monastics.

Song 4

Irmos: Christ is my strength, God and Lord, the honest Church sings divinely, crying out, pure in meaning, celebrating in the Lord.

By fasting and prayer, Saint Euphrosyne, having purified yourself, you were filled with all the light and the house of the Holy Spirit appeared to you.

Through vigils and fasting, the future for the sake of reward, you mercilessly mortified your flesh, blessed Euphrosyne, and now see the Holy Trinity with purity.

Covered in the glory of the red lives of your corrections, you appeared like a sharp sword cutting off the demonic tricks, strengthened by divine power.

Theotokos: The all-bright lamp, the Divine meal, the village of God, the ark and the staff that flourished to the world You appeared to the world, Mother of the Virgin.

Song 5

Irmos: With Thy God's light, O Blessed One, illumine the souls of Thy morning with love, I pray, Lead Thee, the Word of God, the true God, crying out from the darkness of sin.

Shine with light-giving graces, illuminate all of us, reverend mother, and drive away the darkness of temptations and sinful darkness.

To you all intercessor imams, our venerable mother Euphrosyne: do not stop praying to the Lord for us, so that we will not be deprived of His Heavenly Palace.

Like a shining star, you appeared, Mother Euphrosyne, guiding those wandering in the darkness, a quick and reliable helper in temptation and the enemy.

Theotokos: The kindness of Jacob, God loved You and the Word of God willed to dwell in Nyuzha, earthly glory and refuge for sinners You are, Pure Mother of God.

Song 6

Irmos: The sea of ​​life, raised in vain by misfortunes and storms, flowed to Your quiet refuge, crying out to You: lift up my belly from aphids, O Most Merciful One.

Rising like the sun with divine rays, the Venerable Euphrosyne, poured out streams of healing to all who praised your fasting labors and wondrous deeds.

We bless and honor your holy memory and pray to you forever: remember us, Mother Euphrosyne, at the Throne of all the King.

When you only saw, Venerable Euphrosyne, the third-written image of the Archangel who appeared to you, and the bonds of your tongue were loosed, and you glorified the Lord, who works wondrous miracles.

Theotokos: God formed everything by will and contained everything with a word, Your hand holds on, Most Pure One, Who is indescribable by the Divine Being.

Kontakion, tone 2

All the red of this world, as vain, having despised your body with fasting and vigil, you have pleased God with unceasing prayers, Saint Euphrosyne, and having been vouchsafed to receive the gift of healing from Him, you have granted sight to the blind and to many sick people. We also joyfully cry out, saying: Glory to God, who glorifies His saints.

Ikos

Come, fasting class and zealous guardian of purity, let us sing with spiritual songs the Venerable Euphrosyne, who hated the beauty of this world, who left her temporary reign of glory in the monastery created by her, who showed an image to the monastics, who dejected her body with many vigils and fasting, and many for the sake of exploits still in life She received this gift of healing from God, and after death, she endlessly exudes healing to everyone who comes with faith to the more honest race of her relics. We also joyfully cry out, saying: Glory to God, who glorifies His saints.

Song 7

Irmos: The angel made the venerable cave into a venerable youth, and the Chaldeans exhorted the scorching command of God to the tormentor to cry out: Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers.

Listening to the words of the Gospel, you took your cross on your shoulder and you followed Christ, Venerable Euphrosyne. To this you incessantly cry: blessed art thou, O God of our fathers.

You did not neglect the smoldering kindness, Euphrosyne, expecting future reward, and you received the ageless glory of Heavenly bliss and eternal joy. You pour out currents of miracles, and grant healing to bodily illnesses, and fill the souls of those who honor your holy memory with Divine joy.

Theotokos: It is great that the sacrament was performed on You, Virgin Mother: the Son of God became incarnate from You and became Man. To him, rejoicing, we sing: Blessed art thou, O God of our father.

Song 8

Irmos: You poured out dew from the flames of the saints and burned the righteous sacrifice with water: you did everything, O Christ, only as you wished. We extol You forever.

Often studying the law of God and walking blamelessly in the commandments of God, you were the home of the Holy Spirit, blessed Euphrosyne. Moreover, after your death, do not the Lord deprive you of the face of the saints, but now eat with them to God: Exalted to the ages, God, blessed art thou.

By meekness to all you inherited the land of the meek, by love of poverty and alms you received mercy from God, by purity of heart and chastity you were vouchsafed to see God, who ate with all the saints: Blessed are you, exalted to the ages, God.

Often raising your mind to God and looking at the kindness of eternal peace, you subdued the carnal passions of the spirit and, having been adorned in a monastic way, you gained eternal bliss by singing to Christ forever.

Theotokos: God and the unbreakable mountain appeared, O Virgin, from whom the cornerstone was cut off - Christ, Who destroyed the idolatrous fortress and opened the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Song 9

Irmos: It is impossible for a man to see God; the angels do not dare to look at him; By You, O All-Pure One, the Word incarnate as man, Who magnifies Him, with the Heavenly Ones we please You.

Not tolerating the evil enemy of your all-night vigils and green abstinence, and the glory of the earth and the red of this world of contempt, with slander and slander, stir up the soul of your children and their servants, but you, reverend one, for the sake of reproaching slander, you bore God with great patience, entrusting yourself to God.

When you exposed the extreme emaciation of your body to your children, you forbade slander in every possible way to take revenge on the slanderer, betraying yourself to God, who also glorified you with miracles of gifts, blessed Euphrosyne.

You have received the crowns of your deeds and now rejoice in the faces of the saints forever, remember us too, Reverend Mother Euphrosyne, so that through your prayers we may be worthy to improve the Kingdom of Heaven.

Theotokos: Help the faithful in battles, O Most Holy Lady, and also grant victory to our country against all resistance, so that we may magnify You.

Svetilen

You escaped the machinations of the ancient enemy, abhorring all of him and this world’s charms, and you went to the heavenly palaces, where you now rejoice with all the saints.