Basil of Novgorod

Holy Right-⁠Believing Prince Basil of Novgorod, who died in 1218, is known only from the fact that his grandfather was the Holy Right-⁠Believing Prince Mstislav (in Holy Baptism George) the Brave of Novgorod, and his father the Holy Right-⁠Believing Prince Mstislav the Daring (Udaloy). They passed on to grandson and son the courage, nobility, justice, mercy and the other qualities for which the Novgorodians loved them.

Basil, the son of Mstislav, was set at Torzhok. How old he was is not known; the First Novgorod Chronicle calls him a "knyazhich", a prince's son. In ancient Rus princes' sons were taught the work of rulers very early: they were set on horseback at the tonsure at three, then, still boys, placed over cities and taken on campaigns with a tutor from among the boyars. The cutting of hair was a sign of submission and humility, as at Baptism and at entry into monastic life.

The chronicle says that in 1180 Prince Mstislav Rostislavich passed to the Lord and was laid in Saint Sophia. In 1210 Mstislav the Daring came to Novgorod and was seated on the throne. After that the young prince Basil Mstislavich fell ill at Torzhok and was brought dead to Novgorod; he was laid in Saint Sophia, at the head of his grandfather. After weeping for his son, the prince came to the assembly and said: "I bow to Saint Sophia, to my father's tomb and to you. I wish to seek Galich, but I will not forget you. May God grant me to lie by my father's tomb, at Saint Sophia." The Novgorodians begged him to stay, in vain. Mstislav left and never returned; it was not given him to rest beside Saint Sophia.

Saint Basil is commemorated on 11 July (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the Saints of Novgorod, in the new style.