Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Royal Patrons of the married Life in Christ

On April 16 (April 29, Greg. Cal.) is commemorated St Theodora-Anastasia or Vassa, as she was called, of Nizehorod who lived in the fourteenth century.  She was the daughter of the Boyar of Tver, Ivan and was married to Prince Andrij Konstantinovich.  After being widowed, she was tonsured a nun by the Ukrainian Kyivan Pechersk Archbishop, St Dionysius of Suzdal.  She then spent the remainder of her days in prayer and charitable works.

When the city of Novotorzhok was part of Kyivan-Rus’, three Saints were glorified there by God.  First there was St Ephrem who was a servant of Saints Boris and Hlib and escaped there after the two Holy Princes met a Passion-Bearer’s end.  Then there was St Ephrem’s associate, St Arkady.  The third was Saint Juliania, Princess of Novotorzhok, daughter of the Boyar Maxim Danyliv and wife of the Prince of Vyazemske, Simeon Mstislavich.  During the attacks of the Lithuanian king, Vitovt, Simeon and his wife Juliania left and settled at Novotorzhok.  Prince Yuri Svyatoslavych fell in love with Juliania and even killed her husband in a bid to obtain her as his wife.  As Juliania was steadfast in her refusal, Yuri murdered her and threw her into the river.  Juliania’s Relics were later found floating in the river, they were retrieved and enshrined.  She was Glorified as a miracle-working Saint at Novotorzhok and declared a patron of marital fidelity.