GLEB OF VLADIMIR

1 The heavenly patron of the ancient Russian city of Vladimir, Saint Gleb was the son of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky (+1174). According to his life, Gleb was distinguished by an ascetic lifestyle, love of the Holy Scriptures and texts of the Holy Fathers. He lived less than twenty years. Very little was known about the life of the holy prince.

2 A special sign marked the beginning of his glorification as a saint. When in 1238, during Batu’s invasion of Rus’, they set fire to the Cathedral in Vladimir. The fire, which destroyed everything, did not touch the prince’s tomb. A similar miracle was repeated in 1410 during another invasion.

3 Modern times have helped to reveal new amazing details of the saint’s life. Thus, the famous historian of the Russian Church Evgeniy Golubinsky (1834–1912), a specialist in the history of the canonization of Russian saints, came to the conclusion that Saint Gleb was the youngest son of Prince Andrei. At baptism he was given the name Yuri, that is, George, under which he is mentioned in the chronicles.

4 Having outlived his father, Gleb experienced the enmity of his uncles, princes Mikhail and Vsevolod, and was a wanderer in a foreign land. He was unable to return to his hometown, and his body was brought to Vladimir only for burial. Thus, the Lord Provider, through the works of scientists, after many centuries, returns to us the precious details of the earthly path of His saints.

5 The found features of the saint’s biography bring him closer to other great saints of the Russian Church, the Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, who did not want to fight for the princely throne for the love of the Gospel commandments. It also reminds us of the great ancient wanderer, Alexius of Rome who, being of a noble family, voluntarily lived his life in poverty, wandering and uncertainty.

6 The great teacher of spiritual life, Saint Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022) proclaimed that God is humble. “My unproud God,” he called Him. The example of Saint Gleb of Vladimir teaches that this unexpected and perhaps most Christian quality of the Creator and Savior is revealed in the image of forgotten, small, unknown saints.