Venerable Constantine, (In baptism Yaroslav), with his children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom
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Lives of the Saints
MAY 21
The Holy Princes Constantine and his sons Michael and Theodore of Murom lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries.
The Holy Princes Constantine and his sons Michael and Theodore of Murom lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries.
Prince Constantine, a descendant of St Vladimir, asked his father, Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov, to give him the city of Murom, which was inhabited by pagans, so he might enlighten this land with the light of the Christian Faith.
The prince sent his son Michael as emissary to the Murom people, but the pagans murdered him. When Prince Constantine arrived in the city with his retinue, the people quieted down and accepted him, but for a long time they would not give up paganism.
Once, they went to the prince’s home, intending to kill him, but the prince came out to the crowd holding the Murom Icon of the Mother of God. The mutinous people unexpectedly quieted down and agreed to accept holy Baptism at the River Oka.
At the place of the murder of his son Michael, St Constantine built a church in honor of the Annunciation, and later on another church named for the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb. Prince Constantine zealously assisted his son, Prince Theodore in spreading the Christian Faith among the people of Murom. St Constantine died in 1129, and was buried in the church of the Annunciation beside his sons, Sts Michael and Theodore.
