Zofia of Słuck

Zofia Radziwiłł (née Olelkowicz), also Zofia of Słuck (; , 1 May 1585 – 19 March 1612) is a Polish-Lithuanian Orthodox Christian saint. She was the last descendant of the Olelkowicz–Słucki family – princes of Slutsk and Kopyl – who were descended from Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas. She was canonized by the Orthodox Church in 1983. The church of St. Sophia of Slutsk in Minsk is named in her honour.

Early life Zofia was born on 1 May 1585. Her mother, Barbara (née Kiszka), died the same year, and her father, Prince Jurij Semenowicz Olelkowicz, died on 6 May 1586. Zofia was raised by distant relatives, first by the governor of Samogitia province Jerzy Chodkiewicz, of the Chodkiewicz family, who took her to Vilnius, and then by the governor of Brest province, Hieronim Chodkiewicz.

Wedding Because of debts the Chodkiewicz family owed to the Radziwill family, it became expedient to make a match between Zofia and Janusz Radziwill, Prince of Nesvizh and a son of the governor of Vilnius, Prince Krzysztof Radziwill. At that time Zofia was eleven years old.

Rather than accept the verdict the Chodkiewicz family retreated with Zofia to their castle in Vilnius. Janusz Radziwill’s father Krzysztof collected 6,000 troops in Vilnius and prepared for battle against the Chodkiewicz camp with their 2,500 troops. in the Church calendar.