Mstislav Yuryevich

Holy Mstislav Yuryevich, in baptism Theodore, was the middle son of Grand Prince Yuri II of Vladimir and Agaphia, and died in 1238, defending Vladimir against the Mongol-⁠Tatars. The Church honours him as a right-⁠believing prince.

His mother was Agaphia, daughter of Vsevolod Chermny. From 1236 he was married to Maria, who also perished in 1238. Nothing is recorded of any children.

After the battle of Kolomna and the fall of Moscow, Yuri decided to gather an army at the river Sit, leaving in the capital his wife and his elder sons, Vsevolod and Mstislav. The Mongols reached Vladimir on 3 February 1238. Under the walls Vladimir Yuryevich was killed before the eyes of his mother and brothers, and the voivode Peter Oslyadyukovich held Vsevolod and Mstislav back from sallying out, advising them to defend the city from the walls. A few days later the two elder sons fell. Mstislav was buried in the Dormition cathedral of Vladimir.

He is canonized as a right-⁠believing prince in the Synaxis of the Saints of Vladimir, together with his brothers Vladimir and Vsevolod, his mother and sister, Vsevolod's wife Christina, and his own wife Maria. He is commemorated on 23 June by the old calendar (6 July by the new).