He belonged to the family of the Suzdal Mstislavichs, his grandfather was Yuri Dolgoruky, and his father was the great prince Vsevolod III the Big Nest. After the death of his father, when he was not yet ten years old, his uncle, Saint Yuri, became his mentor. In 1223, the Tatars appeared in the southern steppes, and in 1237, a Tatar storm struck Rus', starting with Ryazan and Moscow. On March 4, 1238, the decisive battle took place on the River Sit, where Saint Yuri was slain in combat, and his companion Saint Vasilko, being wounded, was captured by the Tatars. Despite threats and promises, Saint Vasilko refused to accept the faith of the enemies and was martyred. The Church honors them as passion-bearers and heroic defenders of the Russian land, inspiring warriors in the struggle against the invaders.
