Efrosinya of Polotsk – the first woman to be canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. According to the place of her birth, she belongs to White Russia, that is, Belarus, as the lands of Ancient Russia between the Dnieper and Drut are now called. You will learn about the life path of this Saint, her exploits and good deeds by reading this article.
Features of life in Polotsk before the appearance of the Mongols
This story should begin with a brief description of the life of the inhabitants of Ancient Russia in order to understand at what time Efrosinya Polotskaya, one of the most educated women of her time, was born.
XII century was the period when the inhabitants of ancient Russia began to actively accept the Orthodox faith. The new faith began to find its reflection in architecture, literature and art.
Orthodox churches were decorated with scenes from the Bible; scriptoriums were opened at many monasteries, where translators from Greek and copyists of books worked; jewelry workshops have become relevant.
Polotsk itself at that time wasone of the largest centers for the production of books, as well as a great place for those who want to get an education. Chronicles were kept here, from which we can now draw knowledge about the outstanding personalities of that time.
Childhood and adolescence of Saint Euphrosyne
The exact date of birth of the Great Ascetic is unknown. Historians have established that Euphrosyne of Polotsk was born, in the world of Predslava, around 1101. The pedigree of the girl looked like from a noble family of Rurikovich. She was the granddaughter of Vladimir Monomakh himself, as well as the daughter of Prince George of Polotsk.
Predslava's father took care of his daughter's education from an early age, she was taught by monks. The prince's house had a very large library, where there were many books, both religious and secular. It was to reading that the girl had a great interest. The description of Euphrosyne of Polotsk and her life is taken from the chronicles that were written by witnesses of that time.
Among her favorite books were: Holy Scripture and the Ps alter. In addition to reading, the girl prayed often and earnestly. Rumors about a wise girl beyond her years quickly spread far beyond the borders of the land of Polotsk, so many of the noble princes dreamed of such a wife.
Decision to become a nun
When Predslava was 12 years old, one of the princes betrothed her. The parents gave their consent, but the girl made a completely different decision. Efrosinya Polotskaya, whose biography from that moment received a new round, secretly went to the monastery.
The abbess of this monastery was the widow of her uncle Roman. When the abbessheard a request for permission to take the tonsure, her first decision was to refuse. The girl was still too young and also very beautiful. Nevertheless, over time, seeing the passionate prayer, faith and mind of Predslava, the abbess gave her consent, not being afraid of the wrath of the girl's father.
So Euphrosyne became a nun.
Cut your hair
During the tonsure, Predslava was given a different name, now she has become Euphrosyne. The choice of this name was not accidental. Euphrosyne of Alexandria, who lived in the 5th century, was an excellent example for a girl. In addition, this name means "joy", so there were several prerequisites for choosing this name.
Efrosinya's parents were saddened by her decision and made attempts to return their daughter home. According to the chronicle, Prince George wept for his daughter as if she were dead, but these tears did not change anything. Euphrosyne of Polotsk remained in the monastery, where she excelled everyone in her zeal for prayer, fasting and night vigils.
Becoming a nun, the girl devoted herself to various sciences. She studied books that she found in church vaults, and these were the works of Slavic theologians, ancient chronicles, as well as the works of Byzantine and Roman enlighteners.
Blessings Saint
Saint Euphrosyne learned about her destiny from a dream. The Angel himself, who appeared in a dream, ordered her to found a new monastery near Polotsk, in an area called Seltso. Having seen such an omen several times, Efrosinya learned that the Bishop of Polotsk Elijah had seen the same dream. These divine signs served toBishop Elijah gave her the Church of the Transfiguration so that a nunnery could be founded there.
Ephrosyne of Polotsk can be described as a woman who became famous for founding and patronizing monasteries. After all, in addition to the convent, she was the patroness and founder of the Bogorodsky Monastery.
At the monasteries, the saint opened schools where novices were taught various crafts, literacy and the art of copying books.
Efrosinya became famous as an adviser, she never refused advice to those who needed guidance on the path to faith. The power of her prayer was so great that she was often approached for help by those who wanted to change and live a pious life. Many who came to her received spiritual support and help. She was able to calm the quarrels and showdowns that often took place between the princes at that time.
Efrosinya's dream
The Monk Euphrosyne had her own cherished dream - she really wanted to visit the holy places of Palestine. She decided to fulfill this desire, being far in her old age.
Earlier, the life of Euphrosyne of Polotsk was devoted to rewriting and writing her own books and teachings for the laity, as well as to improving the life of monks at monasteries. Having reached the planned, she left the monastery for her sister Evdokia and went on a journey.
On the way to Jerusalem, she met with Patriarch Luke of Constantinople. And having arrived at the destination and visited the Life-Giving Sepulcher of the Lord, she stopped at the Russian Monastery.
ExactlyHere she was overtaken by illness. On May 23, 1173, without being cured, Euphrosyne passed away to another world. According to the will of the saint, her body was buried in the monastery of St. Theodosius, not far from Jerusalem.
From 1187, her relics were kept in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, and in 1910 they were returned to the homeland of Euphrosyne in Polotsk, where they are now.
Efrosinya Polotskaya: interesting facts
The Saint was a well-known philanthropist. She made her efforts to ensure that the Polotsk chronicle was not terminated; took care of the constant replenishment of the library of St. Sophia Cathedral with new books.
One of the main attractions associated with her name is the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk. This masterpiece of ancient Russian culture was created by her order and named after her.
The cross had miraculous power, it was used only in especially solemn services. There is a legend that the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk was taken with him on a campaign against Polotsk by Ivan the Terrible. He promised that in case of victory he would return the relic to its place, and despite the great value of the cross, he kept his word.
Unfortunately, the relic was lost during the Great Patriotic War, but in 1997, according to the surviving descriptions, a copy of the cross was made by Brest jewelers.
Ephrosyne was canonized in 1547, in 1984 she was included in the Cathedral of Belarusian Saints. Since 1994, the day of the death of the saintbecame St. Euphrosyne's Day and is widely celebrated in Belarus.
