On April 28 the Church celebrates a godly and righteous life of St. Great Prince Mstislav-Theodor of Kyiv.

Mstislav was the son of Vladimir Monomakh. He was born in 1076 and was baptized with the name of Theodor. Being only twelve years old he occupied the princely throne of Novgorod. The young man was magnanimous, peace-loving and brave. Also he was deeply faithful and liked to build churches. And because of that he deserved a love of his people.

In 1099 the prince founded the church of Annunciation near Novgorod. He ordered in Tsargrad the Book of Holy Gospel in the precious cover especially for that church, and that is why it became famous.

Fifteen years later the right-believing prince initiated a construction of the church of St. Nicolas the Wonderworker as the sign of thanksgiving for the miraculous healing.

In 1116 Mstislav renewed the fortress of Novgorod.

In 1117 Mstisilav’s father, the Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh, assigned him the co-ruler and transferred him to reign in Belgorod.

After Vladimir’s death in 1125, Mstislav ascend the great throne of Kyiv. He immediately defeated Polovtsians – the old enemies of Russians.

In 1128 the prince of Kyiv founded the church of his heavenly patron – St. Great Martyr Theodore Tyron, and three years later – the church of Dormition Pyrohoscha.

The peaceful repose of right-believing prince was in the days of Holy Easter on April 14 of 1132. The Prince’s corpse was entombed in the St. Theodore church.

The Holy Prince was venerated by people during his earthly life. People called him «the Christ-Loving» because of his virtues. The deep veneration among other nations is indicated in some written sources of XIII-XIV centuries, where veneration of the Holy Prince is on a one line with veneration of Princess Olga or Princes Borys and Hlib.