Orthodox saint

St Xenia of St Petersburg

St Xenia of St Petersburg, Fool-for-Christ

Αγία Ξένια η διά Χριστόν σαλή της Πετρουπόλεως · Блаже́ннаѧ Ксе́нїѧ Петербу́ржскаѧ, Хрїста̀ ра́ди ю҆ро́диваѧ · Блаженная Ксения Петербургская, Христа ради юродивая

St Xenia of St Petersburg is remembered on 24 January (6 February on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to St Xenia of St Petersburg for a good and God-fearing husband or wife, a happy marriage, and the return of love and peace between spouses and good husbands for one's daughters.

Feast days

Feast: Repose
Kept on: 24 January (6 February on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar: 24 January 2027
Next, Old Calendar: 6 February 2027

Feast: Glorification (1988)
Kept on: 6 June on both calendars
Next: 6 June 2027

The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.

The life of St Xenia of St Petersburg

Xenia Grigorievna lived in eighteenth-century St Petersburg as the happy young wife of Andrew Feodorovich Petrov. When she was twenty-six her husband died suddenly at a party, without confession or Communion, and Xenia gave her whole life to praying for his soul. She put on his military uniform, answered only to his name, gave her house and goods to the poor, and took up the hard path of foolishness for Christ. For forty-five years she wandered the poor quarters of the city in rags of red and green, praying through the nights in an open field and secretly hauling bricks for the new cemetery church. Mocked at first, she came to be loved by all; her visit was counted a grace and her prophecies came true. She reposed around 1803 and was buried at the Smolensk cemetery, where her chapel has drawn the faithful ever since. Orthodox Christians pray to Saint Xenia for a good spouse, a peaceful family, a home and work.

What the faithful ask of St Xenia of St Petersburg

The faithful pray for

a good and God-fearing husband or wife
a happy marriage, and the return of love and peace between spouses
good husbands for one's daughters
the health and protection of children and loved ones
a home and help with housing
work and help in hard times
the souls of those who died suddenly and without repentance
help in exams and studies

St Xenia of St Petersburg protects

young women from deceit in marriage
families from quarrels
the homeless and destitute
St Petersburg and its people

Patron of

St Petersburg
widows
unmarried women and girls seeking a husband
wives and mothers
families
the homeless and poor
children

Miracles

Mothers rejoiced when she prayed over a baby's crib or kissed a child, believing her kiss brought the child the grace of God; merchants counted her visit to their shop a gift from God.
Source: oca.org
She secretly carried bricks by night to help build the church at the Smolensk cemetery, where she now rests.
Source: oca.org
She foresaw the deaths of Empress Elizabeth and of young Emperor Ivan Antonovich, and warned girls against marrying deceitful men.
Source: О чем молятся Ксении Петербургской: замужество, дети, работа, жилье (NEWS.ru)

Where the traditions differ

Glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1988; devotion is above all Russian. Patronage of marriage, family, housing and work comes from popular Russian piety at her chapel, not from her service texts. Not to be confused with St Xenia of Rome (also 24 Jan).

St Xenia of St Petersburg in our shop

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Prayer services

Name days

These names keep their name day on a feast of St Xenia of St Petersburg:

Prayed to for

Questions

When is the feast day of St Xenia of St Petersburg?

Repose: 24 January (6 February on the Old Calendar); Glorification (1988): 6 June on both calendars.

What do Orthodox Christians pray to St Xenia of St Petersburg for?

Orthodox Christians pray to St Xenia of St Petersburg for a good and God-fearing husband or wife, a happy marriage, and the return of love and peace between spouses, good husbands for one's daughters, the health and protection of children and loved ones, a home and help with housing and work and help in hard times.

What is St Xenia of St Petersburg the patron saint of?

St Xenia of St Petersburg is the patron of St Petersburg, widows, unmarried women and girls seeking a husband, wives and mothers, families, the homeless and poor and children.

What does St Xenia of St Petersburg protect from?

St Xenia of St Petersburg protects young women from deceit in marriage, families from quarrels, the homeless and destitute and St Petersburg and its people.

Whose name day is on a feast of St Xenia of St Petersburg?

The name day of Xenia, Ksenia, Kseniya and Oksana.

Sources

oca.org (read 14 October 2026)
Блаженная Ксения Петербургская (Азбука веры) (read 14 October 2026)
О чем молятся Ксении Петербургской: замужество, дети, работа, жилье (NEWS.ru) (read 14 October 2026)