When did they start revering him?
It is impossible to say when exactly the veneration of this saint began. Probably during the first year, as soon as the miracles taking place near the grave were noticed.
At the time of the death of the martyr, the Bulgars were at war with the Russian principalities. This war was quite sluggish and lasted for six whole years. There were practically no military operations; there were isolated “demonstration” battles and many local small skirmishes that ended in robberies.
George Vsevolodovich reigned in Vladimir in 1230. It was to him that the embassy from the Volga region arrived with a request for peace. The prince agreed, but in return demanded that the relics of a Christian martyr be transferred from the lands of the “wicked.” They were transferred to Vladimir, to one of the monasteries. Probably, this transfer can be considered the beginning of the veneration of the saint by the Orthodox Church, although at that time the Church of Abraham of Bulgaria or at least the chapel was not built. But already in the thirteenth century the relics were revered as miracle-working.
Who is this man?
Very little information has been preserved about the saint’s childhood and adolescence. Everything that is known about him comes from the Laurentian Chronicle, named after one of the monks who compiled it. It dates back to approximately the 14th century and is currently kept in one of the libraries of St. Petersburg.
Abraham of Bulgaria, a miracle worker and saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to this chronicle, was not a Slav. The chronicler describes this man as speaking a language other than Russian. Presumably, the saint was a Bulgar. What is another name for this people - Volga or Kama Bulgarians. These are the ethnic ancestors of the Bashkirs, Chuvash, Tatars and other peoples.
The place and date of the saint’s death are known for certain. This man died at the beginning of the 13th century, on the first of April. This happened in 1229 in the town of Bolgar, that is, on the territory of Volga Bulgaria.
What did he do afterwards?
Not much is known for certain about how Abraham of Bulgaria lived after accepting Christianity. This man did not abandon his occupation and continued to conduct successful trade throughout the Volga region. However, after the sacrament of baptism, Abraham not only did business, that is, traded, but also conducted active missionary work, preached, talked about Jesus and Christianity in general.
It is not known for certain when exactly the future saint was touched by the grace of God and he received baptism. However, this man received his name Abraham just after accepting the Christian faith. Unfortunately, the name that the future saint was given at birth is not mentioned in chronicle sources.
The life story of Ksenia of Petersburg
The birth of the blessed one occurred in the years between 1719 and 1730; people do not know anything for certain about her early years. They recognized Ksenia when her great feat of love, patience and meekness began.
The beginning of foolishness was marked by the untimely death of Xenia’s husband, Andrei Fedorovich Petrov, who served as a singer in the court choir. He happened to die without repentance, and this shocked the poor woman so much that she decided to beg the Lord for mercy towards the deceased slave Andrei. And she was then 26 years old.
The young widow decided to renounce not only everything worldly that she owned, but also her own name, vowing to take the path of foolishness and put her life on the altar of love for the creator. Introducing herself by her husband’s name, putting on his clothes, she went out to the coffin and never took them off again. At first, her relatives created many obstacles, feeling sorry for her and loving her, thinking that Ksenia had gone crazy in grief. Ksenia, who never broke her vow from then on, seemed darkened in reason until the end of her life.
Great Service
Having distributed property, donated a house, and once went out into the street in her husband’s caftan on an ascetic journey, she never returned to her past life, and probably begged her husband for forgiveness from our creator, and a place in heaven. In heat and cold, in snowstorms and downpours, she tirelessly offered prayers and resignedly endured adversity.
In those years, the construction of a church at the Smolensk cemetery began, the walls were already raised high. At night, secretly from everyone, Ksenia lifted bricks up the stairs and laid them on the scaffolding. For a long time, builders were amazed, not knowing who was helping them. But later they found out that it was crazy Ksenia.
After some time, people began to notice the peculiarity of the holy fool, and rumors spread about her. After her husband’s clothes finally fell into disrepair and fell apart, Ksenia had to wear miserable rags, but it was always a red skirt and a green jacket, or, conversely, a green skirt and a red jacket. The presence of the Lord is felt more strongly there, she told people if they asked why she went there at night. Over time, they fell in love with her, offered shelter and warm clothes, but the blessed one did not take anything.
They began to notice that if the blessed one took something from a person, trouble soon awaited him. And vice versa, if Ksenia herself gave, it promised good luck and joy. Mothers tried to set up their children so that the blessed one would touch them and bless them, people offered services to the holy fool.
The end of the holy fool's life
According to the chroniclers of that time, Ksenia led an ascetic life for about 45 years. She was buried in the Smolensk cemetery at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Two centuries have passed since the life of the blessed one, but wonderful deeds are being done through entreaties, prayers and requests to her even in our troubled times, and human memory does not weaken. The prayer of Saint Xenia of Petersburg gives peace of mind, hope, and strengthens faith.
Prayer to Saint Abraham
Popular legend says that the martyr is the patron of sick children, so people often turn to him, asking for the health of children. They also pray to the Saint, asking for success in trade affairs and successful entrepreneurship.
The saint is usually prayed to in the following cases:
- in case of severe and chronic illnesses in a child;
- to resolve a difficult life situation;
- for assistance in maintaining monetary records, trade, entrepreneurship;
- to strengthen your faith.
Turning to the Saint, believers read the following prayer.
Ikos 9
You remained uncaught by the evil spirit and the deception of the evil one, the passion-bearer, who was willing rather to die than Christ and the saints who renounced their faith in Him, therefore, as a noble confessor of Christ, we please you and call:
Rejoice, you who have shown wonderful courage; Rejoice, for you were enlightened by the dawn of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, for you have shaken off cowardly fear; Rejoice, for you have protected yourself with the shield of faith.
Rejoice, never-ceasing evangelist of the power of God, perfected in the weakness of mankind; Rejoice, true worshiper, bow down to the Creator in spirit and truth.
Rejoice, man of spiritual desires, seeking Christ in the land of Mohammed’s wickedness; Rejoice, having rejected this ungodly charm.
Rejoice, I will buy a temporary thing, and at the same time an eternal, heavenly one; Rejoice, wanderers and poor, nourished by your righteous labors.
Rejoice, head anointed with the oil of mercy; Rejoice, city of virtues, watered by the blood of suffering.
Rejoice, martyr and miracle worker Abramiya.
Was he always a Christian?
Abraham of Bulgaria was not brought up in the Christian tradition. Presumably this man grew up within Islamic culture. It is likely that under the influence of communication with representatives of the Russian merchants, the future saint not only learned about the basic tenets of Christianity, but also accepted it.
Of course, speaking about the influence of the Orthodox merchants on the worldview of the future saint, one should not understand it as pressure. Traders of all nationalities, including Russian merchants, have always been tolerant and calmly conducted business with people of other faiths. Most likely, the worldview of Christians was closer to the state of mind and corresponded to the personal qualities of the future saint than the religion within which he grew up.
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