The Day of Saints Adrian and Natalia is the patronal feast of the Church of Adrian and Natalia in Staro-Panovo.

In honor of the saint Hadrian of Nicodemus and his wife Natalia Nicodemus the upper limit of the church temple is consecrated Adriana and Natalia in Staro-Panovo (St. Petersburg). You can see the icons of Hadrian here, Natalia can be seen here.

Adrian and Natalia lived during the reign of the pagan emperor Maximilian (305-311 AD). At this time, there was a real hunt for Christians who did not want to worship the Roman pagan gods (Jupiter, Saturn, Juno, Vesta, Mercury, Victoria), as demanded by Platonist philosophers and the emperor himself. The pagan Adrian was 28 years old, he worked as an official for the emperor. One day, captive Christians were brought to him to have their names written down before execution. Adrian asked what they found in their faith that they were ready to endure torture and die for it. To which the captives answered Adrian that after earthly death, eternal life and incredible peace and happiness awaited them: "Such a reward that we cannot describe, and your mind cannot comprehend." Adrian believed in Christ and joined the Christians, ordering the scribes to write down his name among those doomed to death.

Adrian's wife, Natalia, was a secret Christian. When Adrian was briefly released to see his wife, she thought that Adrian had decided to renounce God, so he was sent home. Natalia did not allow her husband into the house because of this, in order to prevent the betrayal of Christ. They talked through the door. She then accompanied her husband to his execution and held his hands, where he was first mutilated by the executioners, crushing his arms and legs with a heavy hammer on an anvil. Since she believed in divine providence and eternal life after death.

Blessed are you, my lord, for believing in Christ, you have acquired a great treasure. Do not regret anything earthly, neither beauty, nor youth, nor wealth. Everything earthly is dust and decay. God pleases only faith and good deeds.
-- Saint Natalia.

Natalia of Nicomedia is recognized by the church as a bloodless martyr, since during her life after the death of Adrian she wandered, suffered, and endured mental and heart torment. Natalia died from loss of strength over the relics of her husband. Both saints Adrian and Natalia were awarded Kingdom of Heaven.

On the icons, Natalia of Nicomedia is depicted with a scroll in her hands. On the scroll are written the words:

Let everything that is worldly, corruptible, and harmful to your soul disappear from your mind.

Another of the famous bloodless martyrs is Saint Sophia of Rome - a young girl who suffered for her faith during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.

Also on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, a Divine Liturgy, procession and litany took place for those killed during the Siege of Leningrad, which began on September 8, 1941 and ended on January 27, 1944. The Church of the Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia in the south of St. Petersburg is also a siege church-monument in honor of the soldiers, sailors and volunteers who died or went missing defending the city of Leningrad from the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

(See photos below, scrolling works from right to left).