St. Euphrosyne, Princess of Moscow

Commemorated on May 17 (also on July 7)

St. Euphrosyne (in the world Eudokia) was the daughter of Prince Demetrius Constantovich and was the wife of Moscow Great Prince Demetrius of the Don. Their happy union brought a pledge of unity and peace between Moscow and Suzdal.

St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, and even St. Sergius of Radonezh, who baptized one of the sons of Demetrius and Eudokia, had a great influence upon the spiritual life of Princess Eudokia. St. Demetrius of Priluki was the godfather of another son.

St. Euphrosyne was a builder of churches. In 1387 she founded the Ascension Women’s Monastery in the Moscow Kremlin. In 1395, during Tamerlane’s invasion into the southern part of Russia, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was transferred to Moscow upon her advice, miraculously defending the Russian land. During Great Lent, the princess secretly wore chains beneath her splendid royal garb. By her patronage, the famous icon of the Archangel Michael was written and later became the patronal icon of the Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin.

After raising five sons, the princess was tonsured as a nun with the name Euphrosyne. She completed her earthly journey on July 7, 1407 and was buried in the Ascension Monastery that she founded.

By permission of the Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)