June 5 (May 23 old calendar)

Saint Efrosinia (whose birth name was Predislava) was the daughter of Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. When her parents wished her to be married, she ran away to a monastery and became a nun. An angel of the Lord appeared to her three times to show her the place where she was to build a new monastery for virgins. She brought her own sister, Evdokia, into monasticism and many other young girls from the ranks of the aristocracy. One kinswoman of hers, Zvenislava, a princess of Borisov, brought all her wealth, clothing and precious jewels, and said: 'I count all the beauty of this world as naught, and wish to give these fine things, prepared for my marriage, to the Church of the Savior. And I desire to espouse myself to Him in a spiritual marriage, and to bow my head beneath His easy, and light yoke.' St. Efrosinia professed her too, and gave her the name Evpraxia.

In old age, St. Efrosinia evinced a desire to die in Jerusalem, and prayed for this boon. God heard her prayer, and she did indeed die in the monastery of St. Theodosius in Jerusalem on May 23rd, 1173, during a visit there.

Thou didst give thy wealth to the poor,/ and despise the rank of princess and temporal betrothal./ Thou didst betroth thyself to Christ thy Bridegroom,/ and thy wreath was spiritual and bodily purity./ Now thou dost stand before Him:/ Remember us who venerate thee,/ O Euphrosyne.

Thou hast adorned thy virginity with almsgiving, as a lamp with oil;/ thou hast entered Christ's bright bridal chamber with the wise virgins./ We bless thee, O Euphrosyne as we honor thy fragrant relics/ and we cry out with compunction: thou hast boldness before Christ;/ pray that we may be delivered from the stench of our passions, and that our souls may be saved.