Igor II of Kiev

Igor II Olgovich, also known by his monastic name Ignati, was a Ruthenian prince who briefly held the title of Grand Prince of Kiev in 1146. He was a son of Oleg I of Chernigov and succeeded his brother, Vsevolod II of Kiev, as the chosen heir. However, Igor and his family, the Olgovichi, were unpopular, and resistance to his rule was significant.

Chroniclers of the time depicted Igor negatively, accusing him of dishonesty, greed, scheming, and violence. His reign as Grand Prince was exceptionally short, lasting less than two weeks before the people of Kiev invited his cousin and rival, Iziaslav II, to assume the princely throne. This led to a confrontation where Iziaslav attacked and defeated Igor and his brother Sviatoslav.

While Sviatoslav managed to escape, Igor became trapped in marshes due to an infirmity in his legs and was captured. He was imprisoned in a pit by Iziaslav. During his confinement, and suffering from a grave illness, Igor requested to become a monk. Iziaslav eventually released him, but Igor was so weakened that he had to be carried from the pit and nearly died. He then entered the monastery of St. Feodor in Kiev, adopting the monastic name Ignati.

In 1147, Igor's life came to a violent end. A mob attacked him, acting under the mistaken belief that he intended to usurp Iziaslav's throne. Despite efforts by Iziaslav's brother, Vladimir, to protect him, the mob killed Igor. His body was dragged behind a cart and displayed publicly before it could be recovered. Following his death, miracles were reported in connection with his remains, and he was proclaimed a saint-martyr.

Veneration

Igor II of Kiev is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. His feast day is observed on September 19. He is recognized with the saintly titles of "Right-Believing" and "Martyr." His remains were eventually transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, where they are venerated.