St. Alexander Nevsky
| Saint Alexander Nevsky Святой Александр Невский |
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Icon of Alexander Nevsky
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| Born |
13 May 1221 Pereslavl-Zalessky, Vladimir-Suzdal (present-day Russia) |
| Died | 14 November 1263 (aged 42) Gorodets, Vladimir-Suzdal (present-day Russia) |
| Resting place | Alexander Nevsky Lavra |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | 1547 by Metropolite Macarius |
| Major shrine | Vladimir; Pereslavl-Zalessky, Saint Petersburg |
| Feast | 23 November (Repose) 23 May (Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl 30 August (Translation of relics) |
| Attributes | Robed as a Russian Great Prince, often wearing armor |
| Patronage | Saint Petersburg, soldiers, borders of Russia |
| Controversy |
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St. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (Russian: Алекса́ндр Яросла́вич Не́вский; pronounced [ɐlʲɪˈksandr jɪrɐˈslavʲɪtɕ ˈnʲɛfskʲɪj]; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) served as Prince of Novgorod (1236–52), Grand Prince of Kiev (1236–52) and Grand Prince of Vladimir (1252–63) during some of the most difficult times in Kievan Rus' history.
Commonly regarded as a key figure of medieval Rus', St. Alexander – the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest – rose to legendary status on account of his military victories over German and Swedish invaders while agreeing to pay tribute to the powerful Golden Horde. He was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolite Macarius in 1547.
From Tales of the Life and Courage of the Pious and Great Prince Alexander found in the Second Pskovian Chronicle, circa 1260–1280, comes one of the first known references to the Great Prince:
"By the will of God, prince Alexander was born from the charitable, people-loving, and meek the Great Prince Yaroslav, and his mother was Theodosia. As it was told by the prophet Isaiah: 'Thus sayeth the Lord: I appoint the princes because they are sacred and I direct them.'
"... He was taller than others and his voice reached the people as a trumpet, and his face was like the face of Joseph, whom the Egyptian Pharaoh placed as next to the king after him of Egypt. His power was a part of the power of Samson and God gave him the wisdom of Solomon ... this Prince Alexander: he used to defeat but was never defeated ..."
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Wikipedia