St. Petersburg, June 8, 2023
Photo: gov.spb.ru
Tuesday, June 6, marked the 35th anniversary of the Moscow Patriarchate’s canonization of Blessed Ksenia of St. Petersburg. In honor of the anniversary, a monument to the beloved saint was unveiled near the chapel containing her relics in the Smolensk Cemetery in St. Petersburg.
St. Ksenia was canonized by the Local Church of the Russian Orthodox Church on June 6, 1988. She was previously canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on September 11/24, 1978.
The feast of St. Ksenia began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg. The service was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg, with the concelebration of a number of hierarchs and clerics, reports the St. Petersburg Metropolia.
His Eminence offered a pastoral word about St. Petersburg’s most beloved saint:
Blessed Ksenia gave up everything and went to preach repentance, helped people, prayed for the city of St. Peter, helped build the church. She did only what she considered necessary for the sake of Christ. She devoted her whole life to Him, and nothing could turn her away from Him—neither persecution nor reproach. St. Ksenia was always with Christ, therefore she was glorified as the original saint of St. Petersburg… The city cannot stand without the righteous, and thank God, the Lord blesses it. We need the help of the saints and confidence in their help. Only he who is with God can win. Therefore, our people should unite, come to churche, pray and strengthen themselves.
Photo: mitropolia.spb.ru
The Metropolitan and those accompanying him then went to the Chapel of Blessed Ksenia in the Smolensk Cemetery to bless a new monument to the saint and pray at her tomb. The sculpture was paid for by donations from faithful Orthodox Christians.
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