Saint Anna of Novgorod, before her baptism Ingegerd, was the eldest daughter of the Swedish King Saint Olaf Skötkonung. In 1017, she married the Grand Prince of Kyiv, Yaroslav the Wise, and accepted Orthodoxy with the name Irina. As a grand princess, she actively participated in public life, supporting her husband in his affairs and fostering good relations with the northern countries of Europe.
Under Yaroslav the Wise and Irina, Kievan Rus' reached its highest peak. Yaroslav built Kyiv as the 'City of God,' while Irina founded a monastery in honor of Saint Irene the Great Martyr. In 1051, the Venerable Anthony of the Caves, the founder of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, came to Kyiv.
Irina became the mother of seven sons and three daughters, among whom were the holy and righteous Prince Vladimir of Novgorod and the Grand Prince Iziaslav of Kyiv. In 1045, she went to Novgorod to lay the foundation of the cathedral in honor of Saint Sophia. In Novgorod, she took monastic vows with the name Anna and passed away on February 10 (23), 1051, being buried in the Sophia Cathedral.
The veneration of Saint Anna and her son Saint Vladimir was established in 1439. Saint Anna, like Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, reveals two paths of service: spiritual and earthly motherhood, under the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Her life was a service to the Mother of God, and she became a heavenly patroness and intercessor for her people. In 1991, the relics of the Venerable Anna were returned to Novgorod, where they openly remain, granting gracious help and spiritual joy in troubled times.
