Xenia of Petersburg

Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, fool-for-Christ.

Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg lived in the eighteenth century. Widowed at twenty-six when her husband died suddenly, she gave away her possessions, put on his military coat, and took up the ascetic path of the fool-for-Christ, wandering the streets of the city for some forty-five years, praying at night in the fields and secretly helping the poor.

The people came to revere her as a woman of God, and her prayers were sought for healing, for families, and for those in need. She is invoked especially for help in finding work, housing, and a spouse. The Church commemorates her on January 24.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Xenia of Petersburg is commemorated on January 24. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on February 6 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Xenia, Ksenia, Xenya

Also commemorated on January 24

• Xenia of Rome

  Holy Woman, Ξένη η Ρωμαία

  Venerable Xenia of Rome and her two maidservants.

  Name days: Xenia, Xeni, Ksenia, Xene

• Neophytos the Recluse

  Venerable, Νεόφυτος ο Έγκλειστος

  Venerable Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus.

  Name days: Neophytos, Neofytos

• Babylas of Sicily

  Martyr, Βαβύλας ο εν Σικελία

  Hieromartyr Babylas of Sicily and his disciples Timothy and Agapios.

• Philon of Karpasia

  Hierarch, Φίλων Καρπασίας

  St. Philon the Wonderworker, Bishop of Karpasia in Cyprus.

• Makedonios the Hermit

  Venerable, Μακεδόνιος

  Venerable Makedonios the Hermit of Syria.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.