The Holy Martyr Barbara (Yakovleva)

The Days of Remembrance:

September 6 (movable) – the Synaxis of Moscow Saints

February 8 (movable) – the Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church

February 11 – the Synaxis of Yekaterinburg Saints

July 18 – The Remembrance Day of the Holy New-Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and Nun Barbara

The cross-sister of the Saints Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy was one of the first to follow in the footsteps of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and began to serve our people in the Convent founded by her. She was a cell-attendant of the abbess and one of the most devoted sisters. But she was not proud of it, remaining affectionate and accessible to everyone. The family of Elizabeth Feodorovna knew her well and called her Varya.

Where sister Barbara is from and what background she had, we do not know. With her Mother Superior, she voluntarily went to suffering and death, fulfilling the commandment of God: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

All Alapaevsk prisoners knew what awaited them in the near future. They deliberately prepared for the death and prayed to the Lord to make them strong in the confession feat. On July 1918, nun Varvara along with Elizabeth Feodorovna and other members of the Imperial House were thrown into the shaft of an old mine.