Holy Nobleborn Princess Evpraxia of Pskov

Commemorated on October 16

Holy Nobleborn Princess Evpraxia of Pskov, in the world Evphrosynia, was the daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogvolod Borisovich, and an aunt to holy Prince Dovmont-Timophei (Comm. 20 May). She was the wife of the Pskov princeYaroslav Vladimirovich. Prince Yaroslav fled from Pskov to Livonia and there married a German. Together with the Teutonic knights he several times made incursions upon the Russian lands, and in 1231 he seized Izborsk. After the departure of her husband, Evphrosynia turned to deeds of piety. In the year 1243 she built on the banks of the River Velika a monastery in the name of Saint John the Forerunner, and became its hegumeness. Invited to Livonia for a meeting with her former husband in the city of Odenpa (Bear's Head), she was murdered (8 May 1243) by a step-son, more accurately, the son of Yaroslav from the German. She was buried at the cathedral of the monastery founded by her. Ten days after the death of Saint Evpraxia, there occurred a miracle over her grave: from an icon of the Saviour issued myrh. The icon was called "Saviour myrh-bearing". The countenance of the righteous princess was preserved on two icons. On the one she is depicted at prayer with Saint John the Forerunner and the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. The other icon with her likeness is situated alongside the wonderworking icon of the Saviour.