St. Peter of Moscow

Today, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. Peter of Moscow.

Our holy and wonderworking Father Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, was born in Volhynia, tonsured a monk at twelve years of age, and later ordained a priest. He lived in solitude for a time in a desert place north of Lvov and founded the Holy Transfiguration Monastery; afterwards he was sent to Constantinople, where the holy Patriarch Athanasius consecrated him Metropolitan of Kiev in 1308, and he returned to Vladimir, where the Metropolitans of Kiev had their residence at that time (see Saint Jonas on June 15). In 1325, he moved to Moscow, where he founded the Dormition Cathedral, and after his repose in December 21, 1326, was buried there. He was also an iconographer, and two of his icons, the Dormition and the Petrovskaya, are found in the Dormition Cathedral (see also Oct. 5 and Aug. 24).  After Peter's move to Moscow, the Cathedral of the Dormition and several other stone churches were built by Ivan Kalita in the Moscow Kremlin. The foundation of the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in Moscow is ascribed to Peter. He also authored a few sermons and epistles. He is credited with painting a wonderworking icon of the Theotokos known as the Icon of the Mother of God of St Peter of Moscow

 

Troparion:

O Russian Hierarchs,

Guardians of the Apostolic tradition,

Firm pillars, guides of Orthodoxy,

Peter, Alexis, Jonah, and Philip,

Pray to the Lord of all,

To grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls. 

Kontakion:

You were holy as hierarchs;

You taught the people and you were well-pleasing to God.

He has glorified you with incorruption and miracles

As disciples of the grace of God.