Not long ago our monastery festively met the relics of a great Russian saint: a small relic of St. Euphrosinia of Moscow had been brought into the convent. St. Euphrosinia, who was Eudokia in secular life, the wife of holy great prince Dimitry Donskoy, for six centuries has been exemplifying the best characteristics of a Christian woman for all Russian people: as a faithful wife, a loving mother, a wise governor, and a humble nun.

In her life, the great princess treated Moscovites with maternal love and care, as if they were her own children, helping them in all their needs, building monasteries and churches, and governing the county in wisdom. The Moscovites loved the holy princess so greatly that they addressed her "mother" with tenderness.

Now, too, St. Euphrosinia helps anyone who calls upon her name with faith. She herself was a loving mother, who was able to bring up her children in faith, and now with special love she hears maternal prayers and helps those who desire to bring up children in piety. She was a virtuous spouse who created her family, a small church indeed, where she and her husband had a single soul for the two of them, as it were. Even now she extends her help in creating and strengthening families. Especially infertility is often resolved, according to her prayers: a mother of 12 children, she grants her help to many in childbirth. Saint Euphrosinia hears every request!

Her name means "joy". Even though she received it not long before her death, when she was already a monastic, it could be said that all her life she had been a joy for people: both for her holy spouse, and for her children, and for the thousands and thousands of Russian people. And certainly, particularly now is the time when St. Euphrosinia can bestow joy and consolation on all of us.