St Peter the Wonderworker, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (+1326)

The hierarch Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, was born in Volhynia into a family of pious parents. Before her son’s birth the saint’s mother was shown in a vision in her sleep that he was chosen by God. Peter proved a perceptive boy: he mastered book learning successfully, and at the age of twelve, moved by love for God, he went to a monastery. The blessed one carried out every obedience diligently, gave much time to the study of Holy Scripture, and also learned iconography. The icons Peter painted were given to the brothers of the monastery and to the Christians who came there on pilgrimage. For his God-pleasing ascetic life the hegumen ordained the saint hieromonk. After many years of tireless labour the Lord’s chosen one received a blessing for solitary labour, left the monastery, made himself a small cell and settled in it. Afterwards he founded a monastery there for the monks who gradually gathered, and built a church dedicated to the Saviour. Appointed hegumen, Peter instructed his spiritual children wisely, and the holy father’s fame soon spread far.

In 1308, by God’s will, Peter was appointed Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia. In the first years of his episcopate he had a very hard time: in the country conquered by the Tatars there was no stable order, and because of this he often had to change his place of residence. In this period the saint’s labours to strengthen the true faith and morals in the state were especially important.

In 1325 the hierarch moved the metropolitan see from Vladimir to Moscow. With the blessing of the Lord’s chosen one the foundations were laid in the Moscow Kremlin for the building of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos. The blessed one foresaw the approach of his end, dug his grave with his own hands, and in 1326 committed his soul to the Lord in peace. Granted the gift of wonderworking in his lifetime, the holy hierarch worked countless miracles after his repose too. In 1339 his incorrupt relics were uncovered.

Saint Peter is also commemorated on 5 October together with the other wonderworking hierarchs of Moscow and All Russia (see the reading for that day).