● Orthodox Remembrance Day: July 24
● Name means: the down-to-earth (from Latin-Russian)
● Prince, Martyr
● Born around 987
● Died July 24, 1015
David was the beloved youngest son of Vladimir I, Grand Duke of Russia, and Olga, his
great-grandmother, was a noble and devout woman. However, tragedy struck the family after
Vladimir’s death when his half-brother Svyatopolk seized the capital Kiev and brutally murdered
First Boris, the elder brother, followed immediately by the killing of Gleb. Sviatoslav, another
brother, managed to escape to the Carpathians, but sadly he too met his untimely demise at the
hands of Svyatopolk’s henchmen. Miraculously, only Yaroslav, who resided in Novgorod –
modern-day Nizhny Novgorod – was able to evade the deadly fate of his siblings.
Yaroslav, who would later be known as the Sage, was determined to avenge the deaths of his
brothers. In a fierce battle in 1019, Yaroslav valiantly defeated the army of Svyatopolk and
chased him into the Tatras, where the cruel usurper met his ignominious end. This triumphant
victory by Yaroslav was a bittersweet moment, as it marked the end of his quest for vengeance
and the realization that he was the sole survivor of his family.
In 1072, the bones of Gleb and Boris were transferred to the newly consecrated Boris and Gleb
Church in Vyshgorod/Vyshhorod near Kiev, and in 1115, another translation took place. The
legacy of Boris and Gleb has endured through the centuries, with many Russian churches and
monasteries named after them, and the city of Borissoglebsk near Voronezh on the Don paying
homage to their memory. Gleb received sainthood posthumously, likely in conjunction with
Boris, on May 2, 1071 (or 1072), when their remains were moved to the Boris and Gleb Church
in Vyshhorod near Kiev. As the first saints of the Russian Church, Boris and Gleb are forever
revered for their bravery, sacrifice, and devotion to their faith.