Euphrosyne of Polotsk

Predslava, granddaughter of Prince Vseslav the Sorcerer of Polotsk, was born circa 1104. Refusing dynastic marriage proposals, she took monastic vows under the name Euphrosyne at age twelve, dedicating her royal wealth and intellect to copying sacred manuscripts, establishing schools for young women, and peacemaking among warring princes.

She commissioned the Church of the Holy Savior in Polotsk, featuring magnificent frescoes, and commissioned master goldsmith Lazar Bohsha in 1161 to create the six-armed enameled Cross of Saint Euphrosyne. Undertaking a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in her final years, she died in Jerusalem in 1173; she is venerated across Belarus as the heavenly protector of education and spiritual heritage.