Xenia of Yaroslavl

Holy Right-⁠believing Xenia of Yaroslavl was the wife of Prince Vasily Vsevolodovich of Yaroslavl, and after his death she ruled the principality on behalf of their young daughter, until 1267. She is commemorated on 24 January, by the old calendar.

Her family origin is unknown. Her marriage to Vasily (who died in 1249) gave her a son, Vasily, who died in infancy, and a daughter, Maria, who in 1249 was no more than three years old and later became the wife of Saint Theodore Rostislavich, prince of Smolensk and Yaroslavl. Xenia governed the principality of Yaroslavl from 1249 to 1267 (according to other sources earlier), when Maria married Theodore. Maria probably died in 1290.

Around 1287 Theodore, who had lived long in the Horde, came to Yaroslavl and found that the city was ruled by his son Michael and his mother-⁠in-⁠law Xenia, together with the boyars; the people of Yaroslavl would not receive him, wanting Michael to be their prince. Theodore went back to the Horde, married the khan's daughter, and after Michael's death took the city with the help of Tatars sent by his father-⁠in-⁠law. It is not known what became of Xenia; perhaps, as was the custom of the time, she became a nun. The year of her death is not known either.

The manuscript "Book About the Saints" counts her among the saints of the city of Yaroslavl, with Anastasia, in the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul.