The Holy Blessed Prince Theodore, Smolensk and Yaroslavsky, by the name of Black, was born into a formidable for Russia of the Mongol invasion, around 1237 — 1239, and was called in baptism in the name of the holy great martyr Theodore Stratilat, especially revered by the Russian princes-warriors.
Military feats were destined by God to become famous in Russian soil and St. Prince Theodore. In 1239, when the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy martyr Mercury delivered Smolensk from Batyev captivity, the lad of Theodore in the city was not: he was taken away and sheltered during the war in a safe place. The following, 1240, his father, Prince Rostislav, the great-grandson of the faithful Prince Rostislav, Smolensk and Kiev died. The elder brothers, heirs, divided the lands of their father among themselves, highlighting the younger — lad Theodore little Mozhaisk. His childhood passed here, here he studied scripture, church service and military art.
In 1260, St. Prince Theodore married Maria Vasilievna, the daughter of the Holy Blessed Prince Vasily Yaroslavsky, and became Prince Yaroslavsky. They had a son, Michael, but soon St. Theodore was widowed. He spent a lot of time in his military labors and campaigns, his son was raised by his mother-in-law, Princess Ksenia.
During these years, St. Prince Theodore appeared in the Order. Differing in military feats in the Ossetian campaign, he aroused the special location of Khan Mengu-Temir, who respectfully belonged to the Orthodox Church, who issued the first Khan's label on church integrity to Metropolitan Kirill.
The annals say: « And Prince Theodore Rostislavic, King Mengu-Temir, and his queen, commanding the loving and on his Russia, do not at least let courage for the sake and beauty of his face ». For three years, St. Theodore stayed in the Order, where he married the Tatar princess, who received the holy Baptism. There, in the Order, his sons were born to St. Theodore - Holy Prince David and Holy missus Prince Constantine.
He used the tremendous influence that St. Fedor gained in the Order for the glory of the Russian land and the Russian Church. Orthodoxy was increasingly strengthened among the Tatars, the Ordins learned Russian customs and traditions. Russian merchants, architects, masters carried Russian culture on the banks of the Don, Volga, Urals and further to Mongolia itself. Thus began the great missionary movement of the Russian Church to the East.
After the message came to Theodore « from Russia, from the city of Yaroslavl, that his son was the first, Prince Michael stood », the khan, giving the prince rich gifts and a great squad, let him go to Russia. Once again becoming a prince in Yaroslavl, St. Theodore began to zealously take care of the strengthening and landscaping of his city and principality. His fame thundered throughout Russia, all the princes sought friendship and union with him.