You gave your wealth to the poor, O Xenia,

And accepted poverty out of love for Christ;

Having lived a life rivaling the angels,

You were accounted worthy of glory on high.

October 20, 2026, St. Xenia of St. Petersburg is a beloved Fool for Christ. A holy woman who died to herself to follow Christ in 18-century Russia, she is remembered for her piety, her asceticism, and her miraculous intercessions. To this day, we pray to her, asking for her help and her prayers. 1

While we are all called to be saints 2, the majority of us must struggle toward sainthood in our daily lives. We are not able to completely forsake this world to take upon us the mantle of monasticism. Thank God, though, for our monks and nuns! They pray for the whole world. They work great acts of mercy on our behalf.

And in today’s exceedingly atomized and artificial world, acts of mercy toward others are greatly needed. So many of us live far away from the places of our birth. We no longer have direct and immediate contact with our families. For healthcare and end-of-life care, we rely on the government, public services, welfare. Instead of coming together as a community to take care of each other.

But that desire to care for one another is still present, though muted. For example, look at the recent hurricane disasters of the past couple of years, most notably Hurricane Helene. A category 4 storm that slammed into the Big Bend region of Florida in September of 2024, it did then the unthinkable: it carved a path of destruction and catastrophic flooding up through the southern Appalachian mountains. But then something miraculous occurred in its wake. Thousands of people responded to the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina, Tennessee, and other places. Not just donating money, but actually putting boots on the ground to help. Hands were put to the task of rescuing people from floods, clearing damaged road ways, rebuilding towns. Often from complete strangers.

Now, imagine what could be done if it were not strangers that banded together, but actual communities. This is where the Church comes into play. Even in today’s very atomized climate, the Church plays a vital role in keeping people connected; for many, it is the last true connection they have with others in their communities.

A House of Mercy

In the small town of Vitebsk in Belarus, a visible act of mercy is taking place. The Monastic community of Mercy dedicated to St. Xenia of St. Petersburg is actively reaching out to those in need within their Church community and beyond.

Nicholas Kotar, an Orthodox deacon and fantasy author, posted a beautiful video on his YouTube page about the project:

But they need help. This is not a small undertaking. For many of us, it would be difficult to actually lay hands to the work. But an opportunity has been made available to give to the work. If you have the ability to give, you can do so here.

If you cannot give, I know they would appreciate your prayers!

Source:  Thom KP – Tobacco Barn Substack