Xenia of St. Petersburg (Russian: Святая блаженная Ксения Петербургская, born as Xenia Grigoryevna Petrova (Russian: Ксения Григорьевна Петрова), c. 1719–1730 – c. 1803) is a patron saint of St. Petersburg, who according to tradition, gave all her possessions to the poor after her husband died.
Xenia of St. Petersburg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Xenia Grigoryevna Petrova c. 1719–1730 Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Died | c. 1803 Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Venerated in | Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | 1978 and 1988, United States and Russia by Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Russian Orthodox Church |
| Major shrine | Smolensky Cemetery, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Feast | January 24 February 6 |
| Attributes | Wearings rug garments with old Admiral jacket with cross and staff in her hands |
| Patronage | Saint Petersburg |
Her husband had been Colonel Andrey Fyodorovich Petrov, a chanter at the Saint Andrew Cathedral. After his death, Xenia became a "fool-for-Christ" and for 45 years wandered around the streets of St. Petersburg, usually wearing her late husband's military uniform.
Xenia's grave is in the Smolensky Cemetery of St. Petersburg. It has been marked by an ornate chapel since 1902. She was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia on September 24, 1978 (O. S. September 11, 1978) in the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in New York, USA and by the Russian Orthodox Church on June 6, 1988, during the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Her feast day in the Old Style Calendar is January 24, which is February 6 in the New Calendar. In July 2020, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church also resolved to include Xenia of St. Petersburg in its calendar on January 24.[1]
As a saint, she is noted for her intercessions in helping those with employment, marriage, the homeless, for fires, for missing children, and for a spouse.[2] She is venerated in several countries. There are about 40 churches and chapels built in her name.[3]
Literary references
editXenia is a major figure in the historical fiction novel The Mirrored World by Debra Dean.[4]
See also
editFurther reading
edit- Xenia Cherkaev, "St. Xenia and the Gleaners of Leningrad." The American Historical Review, Volume 125, Issue 3, June 2020, Pages 906–914
References
edit- ^ "New decisions of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church: communique." BASILICA.RO. 22.07.2020.
- ^ "Life Of St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg". Father Nektarios Serfes. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "St. Xenia Parish in Concord CA". Saintxeniaparish.com. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
- ^ Dean, Debra (2012), The Mirrored World, New York: Harper Collins, pp. 132–136, ISBN 978-0-06-123145-2
External links
edit- Life Of Saint Xenia Of Petersburg by Nun Nectaria McLees
- Life of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg by Jane M. deVyver
- Saint Xenia of Petersbourg Parish in Canada
- St. Xenia Orthodox Church, Methuen, MA, USA (founded 1989)
- The 35th Anniversary of the Canonization of St Xenia
