NobleBorn prince Roman of Uglich

Commemorated on February 3

NobleBorn prince Roman of Uglich, son of the Uglich prince Vladimir and princess Photineia, and nephew of Saint Vasil'ko of Rostov (+ 1238, Comm. 4 March), was born on 1 October 1235. Upon the death of his father (in 1248) and his older brother Andrei (1261), Saint Roman at age 26 took upon himself the governance of Uglich and became a guarding father for his subjects. He established a poor-house and took into it the destitute, coming to him from everywhere. In the principality he raised up 15 more churches. Saint Roman was present every day at Divine-services, and he conversed often with pious monks. After the death of his spouse in 1280 he devoted himself entirely to ascetic exploits of fasting, prayer and deeds of righteousness. He built on the high bank of the Volga the city Romanov (now Tutaev). The holy prince died peacefully on 3 February 1285 and was buried in the Church of the Transfiguration in Uglich.
In 1486 the relics of Saint Roman were found to be undecayed and were transferred into the new cathedral Church of the Transfiguration. In the year 1595 with the blessing of Patriarch Job – in consequence of the fame concerning miracles – the relics were witnessed to by the Kazan metropolitan (later Patriarch) Sainted Ermogen (Comm. 17 February), and Saint Roman was enumerated in the ranks of the saints. In 1609 during the time of an invasion by the Poles, the holy relics were burned together with the church.