Uncovering of the relics (1486) of St. Romanus, prince of Uglich

Commemorated on February 24

St. Roman lived during the time of the Tatar invasion and the Tatar yoke. He was 23 years old when Batu with his hordes attacked Russia. Having learned about approach of Batu to Uglich, St. Roman together with his father Vladimir, the prince of Uglich, and his older brother Andrew, left for Novgorod. After three years passed, when the Tatars left Russia, he returned to Uglich and after the death of his father and brother he assumed the management of the princedom. He was the trustee of his father’s subjects: he built charity and reception of strangers’ houses using up the greater part of his means. He built up to fifteen temples in various parts of this princedom. Every day St. Roman listened to the service to God, frequently conversed with the god-fearing monks and loved to read soul-saving books. After the death of his wife he devoted himself entirely to the ascetical struggles of fasting, prayer, charity and piety. He died on February 3, 1285 and was buried in the Church of the Transfiguration in Uglich. About 1485 the relics of St. Roman were found incorrupt and were transferred to the new Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration. In 1605 the relics of St. Roman began to work wonders and local veneration of him was established. In 1609 the Poles burned the relics of St. Roman together with the temple in which he reposed; but the ashes of the relics were kept up until now and repose in a secret place in the Cathedral Temple of the Transfiguration, in the chapel named for the Holy Prince.