Saint Vyacheslav belonged to a noble family that ruled in the principality of the Czech Republic. His grandmother was the holy martyr Lyudmila. The father is the Czech prince Vratislav, and the mother is Dragomira. They had two more sons - Boleslav and Spytignev and several daughters.
Scholarship and kindness
Vyacheslav stood out among everyone for his kindness and special talents. At the request of the father, the bishop called upon the youth the blessing of God. After that, he began to succeed even more, having mastered the Slavic literacy in a short time. Then the prince sent him to the city of Budec, so that he could learn Latin and other sciences, in which he succeeded.
Suddenly Vratislav died, and Vyacheslav ascended the throne at the age of eighteen. As a ruler, he showed his best qualities:
- together with his mother, he worked for better management of the shit;
- took care of family;
- expanded his knowledge;
- feed the poor;
- received wanderers;
- revered the clergy;
- built churches and decorated them;
- loved both the poor and the rich.
Vyacheslav Czech had good intentions in everything, which also pleased God.
Bitter regret
However, some malevolent nobles began to restore the young ruler against his mother. They reported that she allegedly killed St. Lyudmila, his grandmother, and now she wants to deal with him. At first, Vyacheslav believed their slander, sending his mother to Budech, however, he soon changed his mind and returned her back.
At the same time, he repented, shedding bitter tears, asking for forgiveness from his mother and the Lord God. From that time on, he honored Dragomir in every possible way and continued to do good to everyone. The name of the righteous Vyacheslav of Czech was glorified everywhere.
Conspiracy and death
The malicious nobles, realizing that their plan had failed, began to turn brother Boleslav against him. They inspired him that his mother and Vyacheslav wanted to torment him. So they urged him to kill them and take the throne.
Boleslav's mind was confused by such speeches, and bad thoughts about fratricide visited him. To realize this intention, he called his brother to the consecration of the church. He arrived and after the liturgy wanted to return to Prague, but the brother began to hold him back, persuading him to stay for a treat. And Vyacheslav Czech gave his consent.
When he went out into the courtyard, the servants tried to warn him about the atrocity conceived by his brother, but the saint did not believe them and spent the whole day with Boleslav. In the morning the ruler went to church. However, at the gate, his brother caught up with him, who drew his sword from its scabbard and struck a treacherous blow. At the same time, he said that today he wants to treatPrince even better.
Vyacheslav exclaimed: “What are you thinking, brother?”. He grabbed Boleslav and threw him to the ground with the words: “What harm have I done to you?”. Then one of the conspirators ran up, hitting the saint's hand. He quickly went in the direction of the church, the attackers rushed after him, and he was hacked to death at the door of the church. The blessed one died, turning to God with the words: “I transfer my spirit into your hands.”
After that, the conspirators began to beat the squad of Vyacheslav Chesky, rob and drive away everyone he sheltered in his house. They began to incite Boleslav to kill his second brother and his mother. But he replied that he would always have time to do it.
Vyacheslav's body was chopped up and thrown without burial. It was only covered with a veil by some clergyman. The saint's mother burst into bitter tears over the remains. She collected the body parts, and because she was afraid to take them to her place, she washed and dressed her in the churchyard and left them there.
Burial
Having paid her last debt to her son, who died a martyr's death, the saint's mother was forced to leave. After all, she was fleeing from death, which threatened her from her own offspring, Boleslav. She had to hide in Croatian lands. Therefore, when the fratricidal son tried to find her by sending conspirators to her, it was already difficult to do this.
The remains of Blessed Saint Vyacheslav of Czechoslovakia remained in the church for some time, waiting to be buried. Finally, permission was obtained to invite a priest to perform the funeral of the martyr, and it was possible to buryhim.
The blood that was shed at the church doors could not be washed away, despite all efforts. When three days had passed, she miraculously disappeared of her own accord. Soon Boleslav, realizing that he had committed a grave sin, wept bitterly and repented before God.
He sent his entourage and clergy to carry the relics of the saint to the capital city of Prague. There they were placed with honors to the right of the altar in the church of St. Vitus created by Vyacheslav.
The days of memory of this saint are March 4 and September 28 in the old style, and in the new style - March 17 and October 11, respectively.
