Royal Saints & Blesseds - Ss Borys and Hlib (Feast Day 24 July)

Saints Borys and Hlib were sons of Saint Vlodomyr (July 15). Saint Borys was named Romanus and Saint Hlib was named David at their Baptism. After their father’s death the eldest son Svyatopolk planned to kill his brothers Borys, Hlib, and Yaroslav in order to seize power. He sent a message to Borys, pretending that he wished to live in peace with him and to increase Borys’s land holdings inherited from their father.

Some of Vlodomyr’s advisers told Borys that he should take the army and establish himself as ruler of Kyiv. Saint Borys, however, said that he could never lift his hand against his own brother. Unfortunately, Svyatopolk was not so scrupulous. He came to the town of Vyshegorod to ask its leaders if they were loyal to him. They assured him that they were ready to die for him.

Svyatopolk sent assassins to the Alta to kill Borys, who already knew that his brother wanted him dead. When they arrived they heard him chanting psalms and praying before an icon of Christ. He asked the Lord to strengthen him for the suffering he was about to endure. He also prayed for Svyatopolk, asking God not to count this against him as sin.

Then he lay down upon his couch, and the assassins stabbed him with their lances and also killed some of Borys’s servants. Wrapping Borys in a cloth, they threw him onto a wagon and drove off with him. When Svyatopolk saw that he was still breathing, he sent some men to finish him off with swords.

After Svyatopolk had killed Borys, he wondered, “Now how can I kill Hlib?” He sent him a message saying that their father was ill and wished to see him. As he was on his way, he received word from Yaroslav that their father had died and that Svyatopolk had murdered Borys.

Saint Hlib wept for his father and brother and was lamenting them when the assassins arrived. They seized his boat and drew their weapons, but it was Hlib’s cook Torchin who stabbed him with a knife.

The martyr’s body was thrown onto the shore between two trees. Later, he was buried beside Saint Borys in the church of Saint Basil.

Saints Bors and Hlib received the crown of martyrdom in 1015. They became known as Passion-Bearers since they did not resist evil with violence.

The Holy Martyrs Princes Borys and Hlibb are also commemorated on May 2.

Troparion — Tone 2

Righteous passion-bearers and true fulfillers of the Gospel of Christ, / chaste Borys and guileless HLIb, / you did not resist the attacks of your brother, the enemy, / when he killed your bodies but could not touch your souls. / Therefore, let the evil lover of power mourn / while you rejoice with the angels standing before the Holy Trinity. / Pray that those who honour your memory may be pleasing to God, / and that all Faithful Catholics may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 3

Today your most glorious memory shines forth, / noble participants in the passion of Christ, holy Borys and Hlibb, / for you call us together to sing praises to Christ our God! / Praying to Him before your sacred images, / we receive the gift of healing by your prayers, / for you are indeed divine healers.