St. Xenia
St. Xenia of Petersburg has been quite profound in our lives together and her story is so interesting. She was born in around 1730 and passed away around the year 1800 (she was about 71 years old). She was married to quite a distinguished man and after he passed away, she no longer claimed a home. She slept wherever she could find. She was known to sleep on the doorsteps of churches, etc...as well as went around doing many good works for other (in the name of Christ). She has been know as a true "Fool for Christ's Sake and a Wonderworker". She played a part in the building of a church in St. Petersburg. The workers would go home at night and in the morning arrived to their working place and found that most of their hardest work for the day was done. St. Xenia would work in the evenings quietly. One night a few of the workers hid to see who was helping them and sure enough it was her.
Troparion or Dismissal Hymn
Plagal of the Fourth Tone
in Commemoration of St. Blessed Mother Xenia Petersburg
Commemorated on January 24th
In thee, O wandering stranger, Christ the Lord hath given us an ardent intercessor for our kind. For having received in thy life sufferings and grief and served God and men with love, thou didst acquire great boldness. Wherefore, we fervently hasten to thee in temptations and grief, crying out from the depths of our hearts: Put not our hope to shame, O Blessed Xenia.
Until this day St. Blessed Mother Xenia is noted for her intercessions in helping those with employment, marriage, the homeless, for fires, for missing children, and for a spouse.
Anyways, during a time of struggle for Matthew and I in the job hunting world and with finding a place to live, etc....it was very helpful to know about St. Xenia. She was a very cool person and her life is just so neat to reflect on (as with most saints:). Also, some friends of mine, who had just been married for about 3 weeks, back in January were living in a basement suite and it flooded. This was before Matthew and I were married and they came and lived with me for about 3 weeks. We had also told them about St. Xenia and they began to pray her troparion....they were as well looking for work. So, if I have this right....the morning after they prayed the Tropar, the husband received a phone call that he was going to have an interview with this company that he was really wanting to get in on. It was neat and a true witness of God's grace. Anywhoo, to learn more about her life....check out the website
by clicking here
- kris
posted by Matthew Francis at Thursday, September 22, 2005
4 Comments:
We had another blessing in connection with St. Xenia. We had been talking with some of our friends from Church, and our good friend Mark mentioned that he had been to St. Petersburg to the very Church that St. Xenia had built! He brought back for us a candle from that Church and also a small bottle of holy oil from the lamp that burns there. What a great blessing that has been. Thanks once again Mark!
Matthew and Krista,
I was googling St Xenia to find her Troparia and up came your blog. I know this is confirmation for what I am supposed to do; we had the joy of having Vladyka Seraphim at our home for dinner last night and with him was Jordan. I did not get to spend much time chatting with the 30 or so people present, but the one conversation I heard was one in which Jordan told another guest to pray to St Xenia for help in seeking a job. This perked up my ears because I have a very important job interview on Thursday. As the bishop was leaving, I asked him to pray for me and he blessed me and said he would pray, but he also told me to pray the Troparia to St Xenia. So here I am looking it up and I find my friends posting about her after hearing Jordan and the bishop speak of her. It has come full circle. This job I am interviewing for is a promotion that would be very flexible and day shifts only and I know I will love it. If you could, please join me in praying the Troparia to St Xenia so that I get the "full time permanent QI Position" My interview is at 3pm on Thursday. And my friend Corinne is interviewing for the other spot at 1pm--we would love to work together.
It was so very nice to meet Jordan. He was even brave enough to stay over night!
I just Jordan speaking of her last night and then Vladyka Seraphim told me to pray the troparia to her when I asked him to pray for me about a job interview. I found your post because I did a google search to find the troparia! I really enjoyed hosting Jordan yesterday. What a lovely young man he is...and brave enought to stay at our home! I was such a blessing to host Mark's baptismal reception and have our home full to busting!
If you are able, please say the troparia for me...I have an interview on Thursday at 3pm for a job that I really really want: promotion, no nights, very flexible. Thanks!
Ok I am brutal...I thought the first post didn't go through....I don't know to erase it :( Sorry.
Ugh
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