Among the many Orthodox saints revered in our Church, there are special saints of God, who are not only glorified by the Lord, but also by believers. The flow of pilgrims to such “folk” saints never dries up; their icons are found in almost every Orthodox family. People who pray to saints celebrate the ambulance that comes through prayers.
One of these saints of God, who is sincerely loved and revered by believers, is the blessed elder Ksenia of Petersburg. In addition to reading the akathist and prayers, there is a pious tradition of writing letters and notes asking for help. How to do this correctly?
How to write notes to St. Xenia
You can ask for anything.
But only about what you really really need, what you really want. The most important thing is to believe that She will help you! And, of course, before sending a note, it is advisable to pray. Here are examples of options for notes to St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg (all names have been changed): Most Holy Ksenia of Petersburg, pray to the Lord for us, the servants of God Olga and Ivan, ask our Lord to bless our family for the birth of a new life, conceive, bear, give birth and raise a healthy baby. We magnify you, Holy Xenia the Blessed, and honor your memory, for you pray for us, Christ our God. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. O holy servant of God, blessed Ksenia! Look mercifully with your eye on us, servants of God Mary and Andrew, tenderly praying to your honorable icon and asking you for help and intercession. Holy Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, pray to the Lord for the servants of God Irina and Paul. Pray to the Lord for the forgiveness of our sins and to give us a healthy baby. Amen. Saint Xenia of Petersburg! Help heal my husband Alesey, guide him on the true path and do not deceive him with your grace. Enlighten him to become a believer, noble, generous, smart and live like a Christian and be happy. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. O holy servant of God, blessed Ksenia! Look mercifully with your eye on us, servants of God Anastasia and Denis, tenderly praying to your honest icon and asking you for help and intercession. Amen. Holy saint of God, blessed Ksenia! I ask you to pray for the servant of God Elena and the servant of God Dmitry, give them the miracle of the birth of a new life in their family. Pray to God to conceive and bear a healthy baby. Amen.
Dear Ksenia! Don’t let me be put in prison, give me strength to overcome all difficulties and give me his love. Amen. Holy saint of God, blessed Ksenia! I ask you to pray for the health of my mother, the fish of God, Marina, so that everything will be calm at work. Amen. Holy Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, our intercessor! We ask you to convey to the Lord our God the prayers of God’s servants Oksana and Eugene for repentance and forgiveness of our sins, for blessing us for the conception and birth of our child in spiritual and physical health. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O holy servant of God, blessed Ksenia! Look mercifully with your eye on us, servants of God Anastasia and Vyacheslav, tenderly praying to your honorable icon and asking you for help and intercession. Amen.
Holy blessed Ksenia of St. Petersburg, beg our Lord to forgive our sins and save the servants of God Svetlana and Yuri from various diseases, grant them the happiness of being parents. Conceive, carry and give birth to a healthy child on time. Amen.
Blessed Ksenia, wish us health, prosperity, understanding in the family, help my husband find a job. Amen. Ksenia, mother, help me with housing and live in peace with my husband. Amen. Holy Mother Ksenia, help my husband Sergius with his work! Intercede, mother, for us sinners! Amen.
Holy saint of God, blessed Ksenia! Help me try on my brother and father, please, so that we can be a friendly family, I beg you, help! Amen.
Ksenyushka, my wife Elena and daughters Valeria and Veronica do not believe in Christ and do not want to go to the Temple. Pray to the Lord to grant them the Orthodox faith! Amen. Vladislav. Dear Ksenia, help me. Let everythnig will be alright. Amen.
A little history: who is Ksenia Petersburgskaya
Residents of St. Petersburg in the second half of the 18th century knew well the wanderer, dressed in pitiful rags in the color of her husband’s military uniform in any weather: a red jacket, a green skirt. As soon as Ksenia appeared on the market, everyone was eager to serve her. Merchants opened their counters: take it - I don’t want it. The cab drivers, noticing the red and green rags from afar, drove the horses, begging the blessed one to ride with them at least a couple of steps. The people knew: the blessed one would not take either clothes or shoes for herself, no matter what winds or severe frost chilled the capital. She won’t take anything for herself, she doesn’t need anything - when entering the house,
Ksenia said: “I’m all here.” But he can take some trifle - a gingerbread, a button, a coin. Take it and immediately give it to someone. And luck began to favor both the one from whom Ksenia took and the one to whom she gave. But if Ksenia did not touch other people’s gifts, then there was a reason: she saw, like an x-ray, the unrepentant sins of the giver. That is why, seeing the holy fool, the merchants tested themselves - hoping for luck, understanding: if you were rejected, this is an unkind sign, something in your soul and life is going wrong. But recognition of Ksenyushka’s insight did not come immediately.
History has not preserved the details of that part of Ksenia’s life when everything went as usual, like everyone else: we don’t even know the exact date of her birth; it is believed to be the first third of the 18th century. We know that her father's name was Grigory and that she was married to the singer of the court choir, Andrei Feodorovich Petrov, a colonel. Andrei Feodorovich and Ksenia Grigorievna lived comfortably. That's all that is known about the life of the saint until the moment when twenty-six-year-old Ksenia Grigorievna Petrova's husband suddenly dies.
The suddenness of death did not just mean the unexpectedness of the loss; for the believer Ksenia, the blow was intensified by the way her husband passed away into another world - without having time to confess and receive communion. For a believer, death without church guidance is scary, and for the afterlife it is very uncertain: the death of an Orthodox person used to be treated with reverent severity.
One can only assume that a revolution took place in the heart and consciousness of the widowed Ksenia: she felt the illusory nature of earthly happiness, the fragility of everything earthly in general. And, realizing this, the young woman rejects this entire fragile world and devotes the rest of her earthly life to serving the other world.
What happened next was preserved in the people's memory in every detail. On the day of the funeral, the young widow put on her husband’s clothes and responded to the condolences of her loved ones that Andrei Feodorovich did not die, but she, Ksenia Grigorievna, died - this is understandable, from now on she is dead to the world. Since then, she did not respond to her name and asked to be called Andrei Feodorovich. Her relatives thought that her mind was clouded from grief. Their suspicions intensified when the next day Ksenia distributed her belongings to the poor, took the money to the temple, and gave her house to a friend, making her promise that she would let the poor there.
All this could not help but seem strange, and relatives insisted that Ksenia undergo a medical examination. However, the commission came to the conclusion: Ksenia Grigorievna Petrova, a widow of twenty-six years old, is mentally healthy and has the right to dispose of her property herself. They did not detain her, and so began the holy fool’s forty-five-year wandering through the streets of the capital.
In her husband's shabby suit and tattered shoes, she endured the vicissitudes of the St. Petersburg climate and open-air life with amazing fortitude and meekness. Only once was she seen in anger, when the cruelty of the boys, who threw stones and clods of dirt at her, went beyond all limits. Witnesses to the ugly scene, who at first watched what was happening indifferently, were so shocked by the sight of the angry Ksenia that they immediately stopped the bullying. This was no longer allowed.
The police could not help but be interested in where the woman was spending the night: after following her, they saw that Ksenia spends nights in all weathers in the field on her knees in prayer.
What should you write in a note to Ksenia of Petersburg?
Believers turn to Blessed Ksenia of St. Petersburg in a variety of life situations with requests for the gift of health, well-being in the family, admonishment of enemies and offenders, reconciliation and forgiveness, deliverance from alcoholism, drug addiction and other addictions, for help in various matters, legal disputes, successes in studies, etc.
In many Russian cities and villages, churches and chapels were erected in honor of this saint. The most famous of them is the chapel at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg, erected on the site of Xenia’s grave.
The pilgrimage here began shortly after her death and continues to this day. The path here is not overgrown, and the walls of the chapel have become smooth over many years, as a huge number of parishioners apply themselves to them every day.
Believers who come here leave notes in special places. People's rumor says: Blessed Ksenia of St. Petersburg helps everyone who desires this with all their heart.
Those who go here for the first time are interested in how to correctly write notes to Ksenia of Petersburg. There are no requirements regarding the type and size of paper, as well as ink, writing style and handwriting. But although there are no specific rules, there are still some recommendations that we will talk about.
How to write a note to Ksenia of Petersburg?
Start the note by addressing her: for example: “blessed wanderer Xenia”, “Xenia the All-Blessed”, Holy Blessed Xenia of Petersburg”, “Most Holy Xenia of Petersburg”, “Holy Blessed Mother Xenia”, “Holy Mother Xenia” or “Oh holy servant of God Blessed Xenia."
In a note to Ksenia of Petersburg, state your request - write as your heart tells you. However, it is worth remembering that the church advises asking only for what you really urgently need.
You can write what you ask for in your own words - in simple modern Russian language, but at the same time it is better to try to comply with Orthodox norms and form.
You can ask in prayer to the saint for the granting of happiness not only to you, but also to other people. At the same time, indicate the name of the one or those for whom the prayer request will be offered. Here are a few examples of such requests.
What is the best model to use to write a note to Ksenia of Petersburg?
*** “Most Holy Xenia of St. Petersburg, pray to the Lord for us, the servants of God Tatiana and Andrei. Ask our Lord to bless our family for the birth of a new life, so that we can conceive, bear, give birth to a healthy child and raise him. We magnify you, Holy Xenia the Blessed, and honor your memory, for you pray for us, Christ our God. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
*** “...patron, I appeal to You for help for my daughter Varvara. Heal her from a serious illness, help her recover, grow up as a healthy and happy child.”
*** “...I pray to You, help me, God’s servant Olga, to meet my beloved and become his wife, to create a Christian strong family, so that we have healthy and smart children. So that my husband and children can live in harmony, amicably and happily, in love and prosperity. Amen";
*** “Saint Xenia, please help my husband and I save our family. Let all the grievances and disagreements be left behind, and we will again find happiness, trust, the joy of a happy life together and raise a child together. Amen".
*** “Oh holy servant of God, blessed Ksenia! Look mercifully with your eye on us, the servants of God Marina and Fyodor, tenderly praying to your honorable icon and asking you for help and intercession. Amen".
*** “Mother Ksenia, I ask you: help me find a job I like with decent pay, a good team and management, so that everything works out and goes well in my new place.”
*** “Holy Blessed Ksenia, help my brother Vladimir in his business, let the white streak in his life begin faster, and everything will turn out well for him.”
The name of the saint (Xenia of Petersburg, not St. Petersburg) is also indicated at the end of the note. You can subscribe and be sure to write the word “Amen” at the end. And remember: no matter what request you make, it will be heard if it is stated sincerely, from a pure heart. After your request is fulfilled, do not forget to thank the saint.
You can write, for example, the following note: “Blessed Ksenia, thank you for hearing my prayers and requests, helping me cope with my vices and passions, and most importantly, finding FAITH. You truly healed me and gave me the Miracle and Joy of Life.”
How to leave a note to Ksenia of Petersburg?
Other rules should be observed during the pilgrimage to the chapel of Xenia of Petersburg at the Smolensk cemetery. A few days before the trip, you need to lead a pious lifestyle: do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, read prayers. It is also worth visiting the church and talking with the priest.
When you approach the chapel, walk around it three times. Place the folded note in a special box or leave it against the wall. Ask the saint for help by touching the wall with your forehead or hand. Then go to the chapel, order a prayer service and place candles at the icons. Don't go home right away, but first wait for some sign from above.
Don't forget to take bread and cookies, candy or other treats with you on your trip. Crush bread for the birds, give sweets to the poor, or leave them against the wall.
If you do not have the opportunity to visit the grave of Saint Xenia in St. Petersburg, you can take your note to another temple or chapel consecrated in honor of the blessed righteous woman. Ksenia's memorial days are celebrated on June 6 and February 6, 2022. Believers say that prayers have great power on these dates.
Pray for yourself and for all your loved ones! Believe that Blessed Xenia will definitely hear you and help you. Ask for help, support, intercession and patronage. Ask and you will be heard!
We hope that our article on how to send a note to Ksenia of St. Petersburg will help ensure that your prayers are heard.
Saint Xenia of Petersburg is loved all over the world. Many pray to her asking her to heal from illness, conceive a child, help with work and other needs.
They confirm their desires - they write notes, a letter to the Saint, but they do not know what a note to Xenia of Petersburg should be, or how to write it correctly; would like to see a sample.
What requests are made to the saint?
People pray to the Russian Saint Ksenia for help in a variety of situations . You can ask her:
- about the meeting of a loved one, about the joining of destinies, about a successful marriage;
- about strengthening faith, about protection in difficult times;
- about help in achieving humility, a successful outcome of the case;
- about pregnancy.
Parents can also seek help in raising the younger generation and guiding their children along the right path.
People come to Mother Ksenia with problems of any complexity. Among those who sought help, there is a widespread opinion about the ability of the icon of Xenia, together with the holy relics, to cause an improvement in the moral side of humanity.
The righteous woman helps those who ask to get out of need, protects them from evil conversations, any bad thoughts and human insolence.
Turning to the Saint icon standing in the house helps in the fight against illness and bypassing sorrowful times. According to the testimony of many people , Saint Xenia gives consolation to everyone who asks her for it.
How to send a note or letter
Residents of St. Petersburg can transfer in two ways:
- Come to the Smolensk cemetery to the Holy Chapel. It is more convenient to write a note at home on any paper. Stand against the wall. Go inside, pray in front of the icon, touch the tombstone above Ksenyushka’s grave. Buy a candle and put it outside in an iron box with sand. There is a wooden box nearby for delivering notes.
- Send a note online (Internet).
Residents of other cities can send a note to Ksenia of Petersburg by mail or online.
For example, by searching in Yandex and typing the words: “write a letter (or note) to Ksenia of Petersburg” - the search will display various Internet resources, for example, the following:
- Notes from Saint Blessed Xenia of Petersburg - group in VK.
- Notes of Blessed Xenia - website.
And others, in which there are people who transfer letters and notes to the chapel for free, and some, perhaps, for a fee.
(The site KseniyaPeterburgskaya.ru is not related to these resources; they are given as an example.)
People turn to the holy fool with their needs, requests for help, and Ksenia of Petersburg helps!
Fools are not sick, not crazy. They deliberately speak incomprehensibly, pretend to be stupid in order to hide their holiness.
Ordinary people with pure souls understand them. As a rule, their speech contains a prediction of an event or indicates what needs to be done.
Prayer service for Xenia of St. Petersburg - how to order and why
A prayer service for Xenia of St. Petersburg can be ordered for any disturbing reason , but women especially often resort to it when asking for a successful marriage.
To order a prayer service, you must:
- With obligatory presence in the Church of Blessed Xenia in St. Petersburg. Typically, time is set aside for reading prayers following the morning liturgy.
- With writing a note for a short service.
- Indicating the names of those who need prayer.
- With a description of the reason (for example, asking for marriage, health, etc.).
- It is imperative to place a lit candle in front of the image of the Blessed One.
Examples of help
Many people have encountered miracles performed by Mother Ksenia.
So, I saved a girl who was in despair from hopelessness, and was already thinking about taking her own life. Out of nowhere came an old woman leaning on a stick, who wished her not to lose heart and further happiness. The words about happiness in her situation sounded strange, I wanted to tell the old woman about it, but she disappeared.
The girl’s circumstances changed unpredictably, everything turned out happily. Later she saw a portrait of Ksenia of Petersburg and realized who the old woman was.
Another example. My husband died. Two sons remain. The family was noble. The wife, left without a husband, did not know how to raise the boys. She prayed to Ksenia. We helped get the guys into the Cadet Corps.
More than once she appeared to people after death, providing assistance when they prayed to her.
Saint Xenia was kind to children; she would not pass by a child without caressing or stroking her. Then it turns out that the patient recovered quickly and the capricious one calmed down. Therefore, mothers, seeing Ksenia, hurried to her and asked her to take the child in her arms or caress her.
Miracles, like Saint Xenia's answers to prayers
Ksenia of St. Petersburg created many miracles in response to the prayers of people in need of her help. Crowds of people flock to the blessed one’s grave, a small, cramped chapel. Those who cannot venerate in person try to touch the tomb with an icon.
- One of the miracles performed by Ksenia is a story that happened in 1911 in Novorossiysk. Then the woman, nicknamed Ksenia, was found to have a lump in her breast, which turned out to be cancer. At that time, the disease was considered untreatable.
The doctors, having tried all the remedies available in their arsenal, refused further treatment of the patient. The weakening of the patient’s body was already so strong that she could not swallow anything else except ice. The patient could not even move her hands.
At the same time, the woman’s relatives received news of a memorial service taking place within the walls of the Church of St. Xenia. This happened on July 21 and during the same day a notification arrived about the arrival of a parcel containing 2 bottles filled with oil blessed by the relics of the Saint.
Knowing about the woman’s illness, her friend, without hesitation, shared one of the vials with the healing liquid with her. Sand taken from the grave of Saint Xenia was placed under the head, and healing oil was used to rub the chest. This was soon followed by relief, which once again testifies to the true strength of Blessed Xenia.
- The Saint miraculously answered the prayers of Olga Ermolinskaya. After a year of communicating with the young man, he confessed to the girl about his infertility. But since the desire to have a baby from this man was great, Olga turned to Ksenia with prayers. She promised that if a girl was born, she would be named Ksenia, in honor of the Saint. After two months, it became obvious that a miracle had happened, Olga became pregnant! As promised, the daughter was named Ksenia.
How to ask Ksenia of Petersburg for help
You can ask Ksenia for help in various ways.
When the chapel of Xenia was closed, people who despaired of receiving help in an earthly way came to the burial place of the Saint to receive it in a heavenly way. They brought notes for Ksenia the Holy Fool asking for help. They attached them to the fence.
Then, from the end of the 19th century, when a small chapel appeared, people came to pray.
Since 1902, it was possible to enter the spacious stone chapel, built on the site of the previous chapel. It contained a lifetime portrait of Ksenia (already aged), painted by an unknown artist.
Let's analyze how parishioners ask for help:
- They write notes and walk around the chapel three times. Then, approaching the icon, they touch their foreheads and ask for help, telling what it is about. After this, they lower the note into a box, which is located on the street under a marble board, and place a lit candle in the sand of an improvised altar built next to it.
- Notes about health or death are handed out to the shop window with 100 rubles (then the priest will read them with prayer). They apply themselves to the image and pass by the priest, who performs the anointing. They pray and kiss the marble tombstone where Ksyushenka rests.
- You can pray by saying a prayer or reading.
- Praying from the heart in your own words can be even more powerful. The cry of the soul reaches the saints more quickly.
- Many receive help by praying in front of an icon in a temple or at home.
- Others read the akathist at home or have a priest read it.
Place in the house for the icon of Xenia the Blessed
Not everyone who needs the help of the righteous woman can visit the site of her grave. In this case, you can purchase an icon of the Holy One so that you can always ask her for painful things and express gratitude.
In accordance with church laws , you should choose the largest room available in the house to place the icon. The icon should be placed in one of the upper corners, so that the face of Xenia of Petersburg looks at the front door.
The spaces next to the icon should not be filled with other faces, objects or things, especially those related to decor. The space surrounding the icon must be free. The shrine itself must always be kept clean.
Examples of how to write a note to Xenia the Blessed with a request
The pilgrims come to the chapel of the saint with prayer requests for help and gratitude for the good deeds she has performed. The righteous woman helps anyone who turns to her with a pure heart and deep faith. The very tradition of writing notes to the old lady has existed for quite a large number of years, and when performing such a ritual, you should also adhere to some rules, namely:
- You are allowed to express your requests to Ksenia of Petersburg on any piece of paper.
- You can also ask in prayer to the Saint for the granting of happiness to another person.
- When composing a letter, you must adhere to established church norms. It should be noted that according to Orthodox customs, you need to write “Petersburgskaya” instead of “Petersburgskaya”.
- It is best to start a letter with an address (for example, Holy God-pleasing Ksenia, Blessed Ksenia).
- And only after this should one write the petition itself: for the birth of a child, for the health of one’s child, for deliverance from an illness.
- Then the names of the person for whom the prayer request will be offered are indicated.
- The stated petition must end with the word “Amen.”
- It is also very important to address the righteous woman in prayer before sending the letter.
Usually the Saint is approached with the following petitions:
- in order to meet true love and successfully tie the knot;
- receive healing from serious or even fatal illnesses;
- experience the happiness of motherhood;
- help in finding a decent, well-paid job.
No matter what request a person makes to the righteous woman, it will always be heard if it was uttered with a pure heart and sincerely.
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The letter itself can be attributed to churches or chapels consecrated in honor of the blessed righteous woman, which exist in many cities and even villages. However, the most favorite place among Orthodox believers is the chapel at the Smolensk cemetery in the city on the banks of the Neva, which was erected on the burial site of the Saint.
Before starting your trip to the shrine, you should carefully prepare:
- go to church;
- do not use indecent words;
- 7 days before the pilgrimage, you must refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages and tobacco products;
- say prayers addressed to the saint;
- On the day of your trip, be sure to take some sweets with you, for example, cookies or candy. Upon leaving the shrine, you should feed the birds and give out alms.
Testimonies of Believers
Ksenia Alferova, theater and film actress, TV presenter, founder of the charity foundation “I am!”:
Blessed Xenia is my patron saint. I know well and feel that she always helps when I ask for her help. She is absolutely alive and dear to me. It’s like sharing with a loved one: he will both protect and help. This is roughly the relationship I have with her. And there are so many similar situations that it’s even difficult to give a specific example. Turning to her and asking for support is the first thing that comes to mind when you are in a family conflict or face other problems. These little miracles happen every day.
We quarreled, but there is no strength to reconcile. And it helps, pacifies hearts, and after a while you suddenly feel softened, the resentment fades away and you find the strength to ask for forgiveness, or the other person comes first.
Alena, 45 years old, teacher, Moscow
I love Ksenyushka very much, I always go to the relics when I’m in St. Petersburg. She is also close to me because she was also a widow. It was no coincidence that we named my youngest Ksenia. When I was pregnant, at the very beginning I was in danger of miscarriage (heavy bleeding, placental abruption). It was very worrying.
At this time, my sister was on a pilgrimage, traveling to various holy places. Everywhere, of course, she prayed for me. She was also in St. Petersburg. Then she calls me and says that when she approached Ksenia’s relics, she felt so calm in her soul for me and she knows for sure that everything will be fine! And so it happened. Thank God, our Ksenia was born. Now Ksenyushka has become even closer to me.
Maria, 43 years old, teacher, Moscow
We got married to Blessed Ksenia on February 6th. We didn’t prepare for the wedding at all: we didn’t know where we would live, our things were all in different apartments. After the wedding, complete uncertainty awaited us. I only now understand that this was impossible. We began to think about whether to go somewhere or not. February, there will be as much money as a wedding gift. I went with these thoughts to the parish library and asked the librarian: “Do you know where we can go after the wedding, so that it’s inexpensive if we get together?”
She said, “I know. It's inexpensive and very good. Near Sergiev Posad." She took a piece of paper, one from the pile that was cut up for notes, and wrote down the phone number with the name of the recreation center. I took the piece of paper, thanked her, began to fold it in half, and suddenly I saw “Blessed Xenia of Petersburg” printed on the back of this piece of paper.
Apparently, the saint knew our absolute disorder and made sure that the beginning of family life would be remembered in some way. It was great there: we were alone at the base for several days, went downhill, skied and skated, and walked in the forest. Already on the way back we were informed that my grandmother, with whom I lived, had broken her arm. Soon, almost immediately, my husband’s mother suffered a concussion. So we wandered between them for the first time. But we will remember Blessed Xenia’s gift for the rest of our lives. If the saints take care of us even about such little things, what can we say about anything else!
Natalya, 59 years old, engineer, St. Petersburg
Now on February 6th, the queue to the chapel of Mother Xenia has been lining up since early morning and right from the entrance to the Smolensk cemetery. When I first came here, back in Soviet times, everything was abandoned, it was impossible to get inside the chapel, the entrance was boarded up, but you could see the trash inside and the remains of a Soviet sculpture of some discus thrower, everything was in ruins - a sad sight.
I knew nothing about Blessed Xenia, I was not even baptized, I studied at the institute, was the secretary of the Komsomol organization. But there was this saying going around our institute during the session, addressed to those who successfully passed the difficult exam: “Apparently, Ksenyushka helped.” I couldn’t understand what kind of Ksenyushka she was, where she worked or lived, or what the institute had to do with it.
But you have to understand that it was also a dangerous time: if I went into church, I saw a man in a black coat following me, watching what and how I was doing. I wanted to be baptized for a long time, but it didn’t work out, because in Leningrad at that time people were baptized only upon presentation of a passport and were immediately told “where they should go”: people lost their jobs and were deprived of the opportunity to continue their education.
But one day I decided to find Ksenyushka at the Smolensk cemetery and went, not knowing anything special. An amazing meeting seriously changed my life. Having wandered alone among the ruins, I came out to the destroyed chapel, and then a little old woman came out to meet me and asked me: “Are you going to Ksenyushka? I’ll tell you everything about her.”
We talked for two hours. The woman briefly described the life of Mother Xenia, faith and prayer, which, despite the prohibitions, destruction, war, never stopped in this place. But most of all I was shocked by the prayer in verse that was born during the blockade. This old woman recalled how there were always people who, despite hunger and lack of strength, came here and prayed to the blessed one, believing that she would not leave the city.
She said briefly to herself: “Everyone for whom I prayed to Mother Ksenia returned from the war alive.” My only request then was to be baptized. And literally after a while I, it seems, on a voucher from the institute, ended up in Yalta, where, during a walk on Palm Sunday, I came across the Alexander Nevsky Church, built in memory of the murdered Emperor Alexander II (here is the connection with St. Petersburg!), in which baptisms were performed without a passport entry, and I received holy baptism. And my life changed, I immediately felt it.
Since then, I have advised everyone in especially difficult situations to turn to God and the patron saint of our city, to come to the Smolensk cemetery. And soon churches began to open, there were more and more believers, but there were also many miracles in those days - they were given almost immediately to everyone who came to the Church and turned to God.
I can testify to one more miracle. A few years later, a friend came to visit me one day, who had been married for 8 years, but suffered from the lack of children. She simply cried that day in despair, saying that there were no prospects, she was tired of going to doctors. And I suggested that she not put it off, but go to Smolenskoye right now. But, as often happens, a person’s path to God is not always simple: a tram ran from my house, and at normal times it took me 20 minutes to get to the Smolensk cemetery, but that time it took two hours.
And the weather was against us, and on the way, my friend suddenly became ill, and she sat on a bench. When we finally arrived, she went to the chapel to pray, and I stayed on the sidelines to wait, only briefly thinking that it would be nice if God had sent me a boy. At that time I already had 2 daughters. And then literally 2 weeks later I found out about my pregnancy, without even doubting that it would be a boy. And my friend gave birth to a son six months after me. But we are both convinced that this is the help of Mother Ksenia of Petersburg.
Alexander, 57 years old, Ramenskoye
I want to talk about my experience of seeking help from Ksenia of St. Petersburg, one of the most beloved saints in our family.
I met her back in 2005 through my wife Irina. She went on an excursion to the town of Sizma, Vologda region. The Chapel of Xenia of St. Petersburg, which is located there, occupies one of the first places in the region in terms of the number of pilgrims. The entire chapel is strewn with notes from people asking for help and support.
After that, we bought several books about the life of the saint and began to pray to her for our nephews for the gift of a spouse.
First for my niece Natalya, starting in 2007, when my older brother (her father) died, she was then 21 years old. In 2013 she got married.
Then in 2010 I began to pray for my niece Tatyana when my sister (her mother) died. Tatyana was 20 years old then. She got married in 2022.
In 2010, he began to pray for his nephew Leonid; by that time he was already 25 years old. He got married in 2022. Lenya’s communication with his future wife Ksenia began precisely at Tatyana’s wedding. Ksenia, as it turned out later, had long since paid attention to him, since Lenya often came to visit her neighbors. Lenya did not take Ksenia seriously for a long time due to the large age difference (about 10 years).
Prayer requests for nephews varied. When visiting any temple, if you found an icon of Xenia of St. Petersburg, then you asked for it for your nephews. Occasionally I read an akathist.
Since 2008, when we moved to live near St. Petersburg, almost every month my wife and I went to the Smolensk cemetery and kissed the tombstone of Xenia of Petersburg.
We recently moved to live near Moscow, but every year my wife and I go to St. Petersburg and always visit the chapel of St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg at the Smolensk cemetery, as well as the Ioannovsky Convent on the Karpovka River and venerate the tomb of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt.
Help from our appeals to these saints comes quickly and very clearly.
Fotinia, 40 years old, employee of the Orthodox service “Mercy”, Moscow
Of the holy wives, Mother Ksenia immediately seemed closest to me. Her feat of love shocked me and became an example. From romantic St. Petersburg, the city turned into a special place for Mother Xenia, and the desire to come there to visit her chapel became a cherished desire. The fact is that I came to God on my own in high school and almost immediately began to dream of an Orthodox family. Thanks to my confessor, I realized that I needed to pray and trust God in this matter. As in everything else.
We got married in the summer of 2003, and in the fall, after our first trip to see friends who then lived next to the Smolensk cemetery, we learned about pregnancy. I immediately came up with a name for my daughter; there was no doubt that the saint closest and dearest to me, with the name I like, is Mother Ksenia. And miracles began at this stage: my husband, with whom we usually have heated arguments, agreed to a funny argument. “She will already have your last and middle names, let me at least choose something!” We began to come to St. Petersburg almost every year and immediately went to see Mother Ksenia.
Now we have four children, and this became possible thanks to the peaceful, hardworking, problem-free eldest Ksenia, whom her patron saint did not abandon even in serious illness. Many of our friends went to Smolensk and brought us oil and holy water from there during those long hospital months.
Sample note from Xenia the Blessed
The letter can be written in your own words, the main thing is that the text comes from the depths of the soul, and there is no special form for writing it. Below are some examples of writing letters by Orthodox believers (all notes begin with an appeal to the Saint):
- “...I ask You to come to help me find a job with decent pay, a good leader and a team, so that I have a job I like and everything works out for me”;
- “...I pray to You, help me, the servant of God Mary, to meet my beloved and become his wife, to create a strong Christian family, so that beautiful and smart children will be born to us, and so that we will have a good home. So that we all live in harmony, friendship and happiness, in love and prosperity. Amen";
- “... patroness, I appeal to You for help for my sister Catherine. Heal her from a serious illness, help her recover and grow up as a healthy and smart child.”
Prayer text to the holy righteous woman:
Oh, holy all-blessed mother Ksenia! Having lived under the shelter of the Most High, knowing and strengthened by the Mother of God, having endured hunger and thirst, cold and heat, reproach and persecution, you have received the gift of clairvoyance and miracles from God and are resting under the canopy of the Almighty.
Now the Holy Church, like a fragrant flower, glorifies you: standing at the place of your burial, before your holy image, as if you were alive and present with us, we pray to you: accept our petitions and bring them to the Throne of the Merciful Heavenly Father, as you have boldness towards Him , ask for eternal salvation for those who flow to you, and for our good deeds and undertakings a generous blessing, deliverance from all troubles and sorrows, appear with your holy prayers before our All-Merciful Savior for us, unworthy and sinners, help, holy blessed mother Ksenia, babies with the light of the Holy Illuminate Baptism and seal the gift of the Holy Spirit, educate boys and girls in faith, honesty, fear of God and chastity and grant them success in learning; Heal the sick and ailing, send down love and harmony to families, honor the monastic feat of a good struggle and protect from reproach, strengthen the shepherds in the strength of spirit, preserve our people and country in peace and tranquility, pray for those deprived of communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in the dying hour: you are ours hope and hope, speedy hearing and deliverance, we send thanks to you and with you we glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Watch another video of the prayer that is said to the blessed one in every need:
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How to correctly write a note to Blessed Xenia Tags: Ksenia Petersburg prayer
Write a letter to Saint Xenia! Your letter will be printed and placed in the chapel with the relics of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg
Blessed Mother Ksenia, I trust in you... I was left alone as a widow with four small children, without a livelihood, without firewood, without clothes! I don’t know how to live, pray before our Lord for me and my children, give me the strength of soul to survive the hard times! Svetlana, Salair, Lord, I pray for your heavenly mercy! Give my unlucky husband the strength to endure the punishment for his crimes, realize his sins and repent! May he return from prison a God-fearing and kind man. Forgive him, and help us forgive him too. Inna, Perm Mother Ksenia, I don’t ask you for money or prosperity. I pray to you only for my daughter, washing my face with tears. My girl was given a terrible diagnosis - leukemia. Mother Ksenia, help! Let death depart from my daughter! Maria, Saratov Reverend Mother Ksenia, help me open my own business. I promise that I will donate 1/10 of the income from the profit to the temple, as was customary with our fathers. Nikita, Yekaterinburg Merciful Lord, do not leave the grieving mother. Mother Ksenia, I pray for help. Help me find my missing son. Natalya, Alatyr
Prayer of Ksenia of Petersburg for marriage
Some people are just unlucky. There is no way they can meet their person. Meetings with the wrong partners just happen. In this case, reading Ksenia of St. Petersburg’s prayer for marriage helps a lot.
Before you start reading the prayer, you should think about what you will ask for. So to speak, feel the situation. Then the words will come from the heart, and not just automatically mumble .
To get into the appropriate mood, you need to imagine two lonely people wandering around the world in search of their soulmate. These two, full of aspiration and desire to make each other happy, cannot meet. And because of this, the souls of their unborn children are sad. And the relatives are worried about the future fate of these two. Everyone is sad, everyone wants their union. This is what we need to pray to the saint for.
By the way, many people are interested in whether it is necessary to visit a church to read a prayer or if they can make a request to Blessed Ksenia at home? There is no strict need to attend church; you can read wherever it is convenient. The house of the Lord is not limited by any walls , it surrounds everywhere, and it is in the soul of everyone.
A visit to the temple is recommended to distract a person from the hustle and bustle, so that he can feel the full degree of holiness of his action.
Prayer for Marriage
O righteous mother Ksenia! You lived protected by the Almighty. She treated thirst and cold, hunger and persecution with humility, with faith strengthened by the Mother of God. The Lord has given you the gift of clairvoyance. You walked with this heavy cross, without grumbling. Glory to you, blessed mother Ksenia!
We stand before your holy face, with the feeling of your invisible presence, blessed by our Father. We ask that our prayers be heard . We ask you to bring them to the bright Throne of our All-Merciful Father. Ask to save the souls who turn to you, to protect them from the evil of the devil! Saint Xenia have mercy!
Ask the Lord to send us a meeting with our betrothed. May he give blessings for the wedding and continuation of the family. Let him bestow his kindness on sinners. Ask for family love and prosperity for us. All-blessed Ksenia! Amen!
What to do on the Day of Remembrance of Blessed Xenia
On February 6 every year, any believer can come to Xenia’s grave or in churches where there is an icon of the saint and ask for help from the blessed one. These days, the Northern capital welcomes pilgrims from all over the world; their lines to the Smolensk cemetery are visible several blocks before the chapel.
Traditionally, on Memorial Day, one should do good, visit the sick, help the elderly and loved ones, and also comfort the suffering. If there are sick people at home, then it’s worth going to church and asking Ksenia for healing with gratitude and faith. The patroness of the family hearth always responds to requests for marriage, liberation from childlessness and the granting of harmony in the family. The saint also helps to acquire humility and strengthen faith, protect against envy, gossip, and deception. On this day it is forbidden to get angry, offend someone, or say bad words, because this can lead to illness and trouble.
Why is Xenia of Petersburg called blessed?
What does "blessed" mean? What kind of feat is foolishness? The word “blessed” means that the saint became famous for her feat of foolishness for Christ’s sake - the most unusual of all types of holiness. The feat of foolishness for Christ's sake consists not simply in the voluntary renunciation of conveniences, comfort, and any benefits of civilization, but also in the renunciation of one's home, of any property, even clothing, and even of permanent human relationships, that is, of everything that binds a person to the earthly world. But that's not all.
It is difficult to even imagine that a person can voluntarily renounce reason - that part of it that is responsible for everyday well-being. Foolishness for Christ's sake presupposes complete disregard for it. Not personal happiness, not health, not material well-being, but the Kingdom of Heaven becomes the center of a person’s aspiration, therefore everything that interferes with this, even your mind, no longer has value.
By the way, the concentration of the entire personality on God is the main difference between the holy fool and all those who neglect the rules of public life for some other reason. The feat of foolishness requires special courage, because a person opposes himself to the world and thereby invites condemnation, ridicule, and outright mockery. But, patiently enduring everything, he overcomes the most important sin in himself, the root of all sins - pride, which is the most difficult to overcome.
As Seraphim of Sarov explained, foolishness for Christ’s sake requires special strength of spirit, you cannot volunteer for such a feat yourself, you will fall short, it is always called by God. Foolishness is a phenomenon of Russian holiness.