The day of St.Peter and St.Fevronia

The 8th of July is the Day of St. Duke Peter and St. Duchess Fevronia, Russian Orthodox patrons of marriage, life long love and fidelity.

St.Peter and St.Fevronia

This recently established (in 2008) holiday is supposed to be purely Russian analogue western catholic of the St.Valentine's Day. Officially this day is called The Day of family, love and fidelity, and the symbol of this day is camomile.

I've already posted a story of Peter and Fevronia's life, but it's so charming that it is worth telling it again:

The story of love and fidelity of these two persons dates back to the 13 century.
The Duke Peter defeated a guileful snake who was causing much trouble to the people of his lands, ruled by Peter's brother Paul. But while fighting the snake Peter had got several drops of the snake's blood on him and his body covered with awful scabs. No doctor could help him then. But one day a wise man told him about a devout young peasant maiden, who lived in the most remote part of his lands and healed the incurables and who agreed to heal him. As a reward Peter promised to marry Fevronia when she succeded in healing him, but once healed, he didn't keep his promise and instead sent rich gifts to the maiden. However, soon Peter's body started to get covered with scabs again. Fevronia healed him again and this time they get married.
Peter's brother Paul soon died and Peter was to become to ruler of Murom. But the nobles - the boyars - were huffish and unwilling to have a peasant woman for princess, and they asked Fevronia to leave the city taking with her whatever riches she wants. Wise Fevronia agreed, asking them to let her choose but one most precious fro her item. The boyars readily let her do that, but soon found out that this most precios item was her husband, and Peter together with Fevronia left Murom. The city remained without a prince, and after a short while the boyars started to struggle for the power over the city, and the city of Murom plunged into chaos. So finally Peter and Fevronia were asked to get back and rule the city.
They reigned wisely and happily until their last days,and spent the end of their life in monasteries. They knew they would die on the same day and asked to be buried in the same grave. Though the Russian Orthodox tradition does not allow for a monk and a nun to be buried together, their bodies were twice found to disappear from the original coffins and finally remained in the common grave forever.

These persons were canonized in the middle of the 16th century, and Russian orthodox christians pray to Peter and
Fevronia for a happy family life.

(Still I should admit that historical chronicls do not tell us anything about the deeds of Morom ruler
Peter and his wife Fevronia in the 13th century, thus the whole story is a fantastic mixture of folk
legends about a malicious snake and a wise and virtuous peasant girl.)
According to the modern tradition this day is considered to be good for marriages.
And here is our vision of legendary Saints:

This design is one of 4 pieces from a quaint collection "The Russian Orthodox Icons"

These designs are based on the canonical images of well known and honored persons of the Russian Orthodox religion and performed in the Blackwork technique. We plan to finish stitching the modles of this collection be the end of this year, so the release of the whole collection will take place in 2013.