St. Vladimir the Protomartyr of Kiev

Joyous feast! С праздником! St. Vladimir (Bogoyavlenskiy), Metropolitan of Kiev, was one of the senior hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church of his day and much beloved. Together with Sts. Tikhon (Belavin) of Moscow and Anthony (Khrapovitskiy) of Kiev he was a leading contender for the newly restored patriarchal throne of Rus' during the All-Russian Council of 1917 and 1918. In God's wisdom St. Tikhon became the first restored Patriarch of All Rus', St. Vladimir became the Protomartyr of the Soviet Yoke, and St. Anthony became the founder and First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

Before the All-Russian Council was disbursed by the Bolsheviks they martyred St. Vladimir in 1918 while he was in Kiev. As a result of this the Sunday nearest to his feast is the Sunday of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessor of the Soviet Yoke. More on St. Vladimir's life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!