Holy Martyr Ludmila, Princess of Bohemia (+927)

The holy Martyr Ludmila, princess of Bohemia, was the wife of Prince Bořivoj. The couple were baptised by Methodius, the Moravian bishop and enlightener of the Slavs (commemorated 6 April and 11 May). After becoming Christians they laboured tirelessly to enlighten their subjects with the light of the truth. Prince Bořivoj died early, at the age of thirty-six. After she was widowed Saint Ludmila lived a strict and devout life, and continued to care for the holy Church during the rule of her son Vratislav as well. Vratislav was married to Drahomíra and had by her a son, Wenceslas. After his father’s thirty-three years of rule, it was Wenceslas, at the age of eighteen, who came to the throne. Drahomíra took advantage of her son’s inexperience and began to spread pagan customs in the land. Saint Ludmila stood against this lawlessness. Drahomíra came to hate her mother-in-law and sought to destroy her. Once, when Ludmila was in the town of Tetín, her godless daughter-in-law sent two boyars to kill her. While the saint was standing at prayer, the murderers crept into the palace and brutally took the blessed one’s life (+927). Many healings took place at the tomb of the holy Martyr Ludmila. Later Prince Wenceslas translated his grandmother’s remains to Prague and laid them in the church of Saint George.