Blessed Xenia of Petersburg (XIX)

Blessed Xenia of Petersburg lived in the nineteenth century in Saint Petersburg, then the capital of Russia. Her husband, a court singer, was twenty-six when he died unrepentant of his sins and without Communion. Grief shook Xenia’s heart, and it was then that the Lord called her to foolishness for Christ. To hide her spiritual labours, the saint behaved like a madwoman, wore strange clothing, and called herself by the name of her late husband, Andrew. She distributed her property to the poor and had nothing but the clothes she wore; kind people gave her food. When the building of a stone church began in the Smolensk cemetery, Xenia secretly carried bricks from the forest at night: so she took part in building the church, and by wearing down her flesh helped her soul in the labour of unceasing prayer. Most people did not understand the saint and laughed at her. The blessed Xenia patiently bore insults and besought the Lord for the salvation of those who insulted her. For her tireless labours the saint was granted the gifts of clairvoyance, wonderworking and healing.

“Lives of the Saints”, vol. I, Tbilisi, 2001.

See the extended version of the Life of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg