St. Febronia, Tonsured Euphrosyne, the Wonderworker of Murom

Commemorated on June 25

Prince Peter was the second son of Murom Prince Yuri Vladimirovich. In 1203, he ascended the Murom throne. Several years before this, he had developed leprosy, from which no one was able to heal him. In a vision it was revealed to the prince that the daughter of a beekeeper would be able to heal him: the pious maiden Febronia, a peasant of Laskova village in Ryazan. Thereafter, Peter and his emissaries journeyed to the village.

When the prince saw St. Febronia, he fell in love with her because of her piety, wisdom and virtue, and vowed to marry her after being healed. St. Febronia healed the prince and became his wife. The holy couple loved each other through all their ordeals. However, the boyars did not wish to have a princess of common origin, and they urged the prince to leave her. Peter refused, and the couple were banished. They sailed off on a boat from their native city along the River Oka. The wrath of God fell upon the city of Murom, and the people begged the prince to return along with St. Febronia.

The holy couple was famous for their piety and charity. They died on the same day and hour, June 25, 1228, having received the monastic tonsure with the names David and Evphrosyne. The bodies of the saints were put in the same grave.

Sts. Peter and Febronia showed themselves exemplary models of Christian marriage, and are considered the patron saints of newlyweds.

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