Stephen the great spouse

The holy and right-believing Prince Saint Stephen the Great (Romanian: Dreptcredinciosul Voievod Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt) was ruler of Moldova (in modern-day Romania) from 1457 to 1504. He was a great statesman and military tactician as well as being a devout Orthodox Christian. He was responsible for defending Moldova against the Ottoman invasion, building a church or monastery in thanks to God after each victory.

Stephen the Great was glorified, along with his spiritual father St. Daniel the Hermit of Voroneţ (Sf. Daniil Sihastru de la Voroneţ) and many other Romanian saints, by the Synod of the Church of Romania in 1992. His feast day is July 2.

Life

St. Stephen (also spelled Stefan) is honored as a saint throughout the Orthodox Church. Despite his earthly failings (somewhat comparable to the Psalmist and Patriarch David), he was a great defender of the True Faith against the onslaught of the Ottoman-Muslim Empire during the last half of the fifteen Stefan cel mare referat.