Passion-bearer Boris

Saint Boris, baptized Roman, was one of the younger sons of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir of Kiev. Together with his brother Gleb he was the first saint of Rus' to be canonized, venerated by both the Russian and the Constantinople Churches. He was probably born in the 990s and, according to the chronicle, ruled Rostov during his father's lifetime.

Prince Vladimir died on 15 July 1015, while Boris was returning with his father's troops from a campaign against the Pechenegs. The Kiev throne was taken by his elder brother Sviatopolk. Boris's retinue urged him to fight for it, but he refused to raise his hand against his elder brother, and most of his men left him. Sviatopolk sent assassins, and according to the hagiographic sources Boris was killed in his tent on the river Alta near Pereyaslavl on Sunday, 24 July 1015, after praying at matins. His servant George the Hungarian died trying to shield him. Boris was buried at Vyshgorod near Kiev; his brother Gleb was murdered soon afterwards and later buried beside him.

Miracles at their tomb led to their glorification: 24 July became their feast, and their relics were translated in 1072 and again on 2 May 1115 into a stone church at Vyshgorod. The Church honors Boris as a passion-bearer who accepted death rather than start a fratricidal war. He is commemorated on 24 July (6 August) with Gleb and on 2 (15) May, the translation of the relics.