Description
St. Euphrosyne, Princess of Suzdal, was born the eldest daughter of Prince Michael Vsevolodovitch of Chernigov and his wife in a.d. 1212. Because of the fervent prayers of her parents, who were childless for some time before she was born, the Virgin Mary told them three times in a vision that they would have this special daughter. A noble in Suzdal named Theodore helped in her formation and education. When she came of age, she was betrothed to Prince Theodore, the brother of St. Alexander Nevsky, but Theodore died in a.d. 1233 on the very day of their wedding.
St. Euphrosyne left the world and entered a woman’s convent in Suzdal, where she became proficient in the monastic work of poverty, obedience, chastity, stability, constant prayer, and humility so that many were attracted to seek her counsel and guidance, including the abbess of the convent. When the abbess died, St. Euphrosyne was elected abbess. Given clairvoyance, St. Euphrosyne foretold the invasion of the Tartar hordes, and when they came to Suzdal, only her convent was left standing. Peaceful in life, she died a peaceful death in a.d. 1250.