Russian Saint Valentine's Day: The Feast of Holy Princes Peter and Fevronia

Abstract

In 2008, the feast of family and faithfulness was established in Russia. This day was connected with commemoration of the Russian saints Peter and Fevronia. The initiative came from Murom (a city in Central Russia), because Ss. Peter and Fevronia are originally from the region of Murom however, since 2008 it has become a popular feast in many Russian towns. The feast has its own symbol (the chamomile flower) and awards (the medal of love and faithfulness). The most probable reason for the establishment of this feast was an increased popularity of Saint Valentine’s Day. The feast of Saints Peter and Fevronia, the couple of a prince and a peasant woman, was meant to replace the western feast with a Slavic equivalent. Ss. Peter and Fevronia were locally canonized in 1547, but their veneration is known since the 15th century. The most famous vita of Ermolaj-Erazm was ordered for a menology, but it was refused because of its non-canonical character and replaced by a more canonical one. It is still unknown exactly who these saints were, as there is no clear mention of them in the chronicle. Even if the feast was established more recently, it has already started to form its own traditions, especially in the provinces. This paper is devoted to a comparison of the image of Ss. Peter and Fevronia in hymnography and hagiography and their modern image in the popular feast of the family.