Efrosinya Polotskaya

The first Efrosinya's name was Pradslava. Pradslava was born in Polotsk in 1104. She was Vseslav Charodey's granddaughter and Svyatoslav's daughter. A lot of young men wanted to marry Pradslava because she was very beautiful. But Pradslava didn't want to marry and fled to church. She got the name Efrosinya. Efrosinya began to rewrite books and money she got from selling these books she gave to poor people.

Efrosinya Polotskaya (yandex.ru)

One day Efrosinya saw an angel who told her to build a church. So Efrosinya started building a church. Efrosinya opened a women's school there. There were very many women in this school and Efrosinya built the second church which was called the Spass-Efrosinya Church in Polotsk. She gave this church her sacred Cross. But this church was not the last one. Efrosinya built the God's Mother's church. She gave this church an icon of God's Mother. Efrosinya's churches became the centers of elucidation. Efrosinya helped people in their difficult periods of life.

The Sacred Cross (yandex.ru)

At the end of Efrosinya's life she wanted to go to Jerusalem to bow to the sacred Land where Christ lived. And Efrosinya went there. People from different countries where Efrosinya went met her in a very friendly and kindly way. Efrosinya bowed to the Sainted Land and soon died. It was on the 23rd of May 1167 or 1173. Later Efrosinya's body was carried to Polotsk.

Efrosinya became a Saint. Many people consider Efrosinya an enlightener of Belarus land.