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According to historical records, St. Charitina was a Lithuanian princess by birth and labored in asceticism in the Sts. Peter and Paul Convent for women on Sinichya Hill in Novgorod. The time of her ascetic deeds is vaguely indicated in the records, so it must be determined through conjecture. However, this time may reveal something distinctive about the spiritual life of the princess. It is known that the stone church of the monastery, where the relics of the saint rest, was built in 1192. If the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul already existed when Blessed Charitina began to live in Novgorod, then her time in Novgorod should be attributed to the thirteenth century. It is also known that the second half of the thirteenth century was a turbulent and bloody time for Lithuania. In 1265, many members of the Lithuanian princely family fled Lithuania to Russia: Prince Dovmont to Pskov, and the son of Prince Tautvilas with his court fled from Polotsk1 to Novgorod. According to the chronicles, the Novgorodians at that time wanted to kill the Lithuanians who had fled to them because of Lithuania’s previous offenses against Novgorod, but Prince Yaroslav did not allow this to happen. Thus, it becomes clear that Princess Charitina of Lithuania was among those persecuted by the turmoil of the time, apart from her personal affairs. [One version of her Life says that she was to be wed to the brother of St. Alexander Nevsky, Prince Feodor Yaroslavovich, but the young prince died suddenly under mysterious circumstances.—OC.] Rejected by the world, she sought nothing more from it and dedicated her entire life to serving the Lord. Having taken monastic vows, she was made the abbess of the monastery for her virtuous life and remained a model of humility, purity, and strict abstinence for those under her care until her death. Thus, Christian virtue does not need earthly happiness to flourish; it grows even stronger through misfortune and raises its devout follower from earth to heaven. According to records, Princess Charitina reposed on October 5 in either the 6000th or 7000th year (by ancient reckoning—from the creation of the world). Converting this indefinite time to a more specific date, based on chronicles, we believe that the holy princess and abbess completed her spiritual labors on October 5, 6790 (or 1281). Since 1764, the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, where her relics rest underground, has been a cemetery church on the St. Sophia Cathedral side of Novgorod. Her memory is celebrated on October 5/18.
From: Archbishop Philaret of Chernigov (Gumilevsky), Lives of the Saints, with information on feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos, and of appearances of wonderworking icons. (St. Petersburg: The publishing house and bookseller of I.L. Tuzov, 1900), October, 369, IV c.
