Orthodox Icon of St. Juliana of Lazarevskaya

St. Juliana of Lazarevskaya

January 2nd
Troparion (Tone 4)
By your righteous deeds you revealed to the world an image of the perfect servant of the Lord. By your fasting, vigil and prayers, you were inspired in your evangelical life, feeding the hungry and caring for the poor, nursing the sick and strengthening the weak. Now you stand at the right hand of the Master, Christ, O holy Juliana, interceding for our souls.

Juliana was born in a noble family in Moscow in the 1530's. She grew up keeping the fasts, living piously and prayerfully. She went to live with relatives after she was orphaned. They mocked her piety, but she stayed her course, always caring for the sick and sewing clothing for the poor. Yurii Osoryin, the wealthy merchant of Lazarevo, admired her piety and industry, and arranged to take her hand in marriage. His parents so loved and trusted Juliana, that they turned over the management of the household to her capable hands. She continued in her life of prayer and care for the poor while raising their six sons and one daughter. During a harsh famine, she gave her last morsel of food to a beggar and went hungry herself. A plague followed the famine, and she was a nurse to the sick. When two of her sons died, she was determined to leave the world and retire to a monastery. Her husband persuaded her to continue to raise the other children; which she did. She intensified her fasting and prayed, sleeping not more than two hours each night. When her husband died, she gave her share of the inheritance to the poor and lived in extreme poverty. She was known for being vivacious and friendly, giving thanks to God for all things. She fell ill on Dec. 26, 1603. She lay in her sick bed all day, but stood all night in prayer. On January 2nd, she summoned the priest and her children. After receiving the Eucharist, she told the priest to prepare the censer for her burial and gave final instructions for godly living to her children. She made the sign of the Cross over herself three times, wrapped her prayer rope around her hands, said "Glory to God for all things! Into thy hands, O Lord, do I commit my spirit!" and closed her eyes in death. The room was immediately filled with light and a sweet fragrance. She was buried next to her husband at the Church of St. Lazarus. Ten years later, when they opened the family crypt to inter their son, George, her body was found to be uncorrupt and exuding myrrh. The purple myrrh was taken to many who were ailing and they were healed.

This Icon is by the hand of Paul Drozdowski of Mt. Laurel, NJ.

Order # drz-15