Igor of Chernigov

Saint Igor of Chernigov, the right-⁠believing prince, in baptism George, was prince of Chernigov and grand prince of Kiev, in 1146, and was killed by a mob in 1147, in a monastery in Kiev, where he was a monk with the name Ignatius. He is venerated as right-⁠believing and passion-⁠bearer. He is commemorated on 19 September, and on 5 June the translation of his relics.

His reign

Igor Olgovich was the son of Oleg of Chernigov and was the chosen successor of his brother, Vsevolod II of Kiev. Although Vsevolod had taken from the Kievans a promise of loyalty, Igor and his family, the Olgovichi, were not loved and there was resistance to his accession. The chroniclers accuse him of being dishonest, greedy, scheming and violent. He had not reigned two weeks when the Kievans invited his cousin and rival, Iziaslav II, to be their prince. Iziaslav, although he had promised not to seek power, attacked and defeated Igor and his brother Sviatoslav.

Imprisonment and monastic vows

Sviatoslav escaped, but Igor got bogged down in marshes and, having an infirmity in his legs, could not flee. He was captured, and Iziaslav threw him into a pit. He stayed there until the autumn of 1146, when, gravely ill, he asked permission to become a monk. Iziaslav let him out, but Igor was so weak that he had to be carried and was nearly dead. He became a monk at the monastery of Saint Theodore in Kiev, with the name Ignatius.

His death

In 1147 a mob fell upon him, wrongly believing that he meant to take Iziaslav’s throne. Iziaslav’s brother, Vladimir, tried to rescue him, but the mob tore down the balcony where Igor had taken refuge and killed him. His body was dragged behind a cart and shown in the market, until Vladimir could take it. It is told that miracles occurred around the body; the saint was regarded as a martyr. It is also said, according to tradition, that at his tomb candles were seen lit of themselves and a pillar of fire above the church. His remains were in the end taken to the Transfiguration cathedral at Chernigov.