Konstantin of Murom
Encyclopedia
The Holy and Blessed Prince Constantine of Murom
(Russian
: Святой Блаженный Князь
Константин) (? - 1129) was a direct descendant of Vladimir I of Kiev
and the son of Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov. His father at his request assigned him to rule the city of Murom, which at the time was inhabited by pagans, that he might spread Christianity
in that region. According to the traditional account of his life, Constantine first sent his son Michael to Murom as his emissary, but the inhabitants killed him outright, so he was obliged to arrive personally in force at which point populace accepted him. However, he made no headway in converting them to Christianity and at one point they became so insensed that a mob made their way to his house intending to storm the place and kill him. When he appeared before them bearing what is now known as the Murom-Ryazan
icon
of the Theotokos
, they quieted down in response and immediately accepted baptism
in the nearby Oka River
. His son Theodore, with his support, continued the missionary work in the surrounding countryside.
He is commemorated in the Russian Orthodox Church
on May 21
.
Murom
Murom is a historic city in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which sprawls along the left bank of Oka River. Population: -History:In the 9th century CE, the city marked the easternmost settlement of the Eastern Slavs in the land of the Finno-Ugric people called Muromians. The Russian Primary Chronicle...
(Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Святой Блаженный Князь
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
Константин) (? - 1129) was a direct descendant of Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь Old Norse as Valdamarr Sveinaldsson, , Vladimir, , Volodymyr, was a grand prince of Kiev, ruler of Kievan Rus' in .Vladimir's father was the prince Sviatoslav of the Rurik dynasty...
and the son of Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov. His father at his request assigned him to rule the city of Murom, which at the time was inhabited by pagans, that he might spread Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in that region. According to the traditional account of his life, Constantine first sent his son Michael to Murom as his emissary, but the inhabitants killed him outright, so he was obliged to arrive personally in force at which point populace accepted him. However, he made no headway in converting them to Christianity and at one point they became so insensed that a mob made their way to his house intending to storm the place and kill him. When he appeared before them bearing what is now known as the Murom-Ryazan
Ryazan
Ryazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of the Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
, they quieted down in response and immediately accepted baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in the nearby Oka River
Oka River
Oka is a river in central Russia, the largest right tributary of the Volga. It flows through the regions of Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod and is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of Kaluga. Its length exceeds...
. His son Theodore, with his support, continued the missionary work in the surrounding countryside.
He is commemorated in the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
on May 21
May 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
May 20 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 22All fixed commemorations below celebrated on June 3 by Old Calendarists-Saints:* Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine , and Helena, his mother...
.
Sources
- A reference in Russian Orthodox Calendar
- Life of the saint from the website of the Orthodox Church in AmericaOrthodox Church in AmericaThe Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
.