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Holy Venerable Platonida of Argeș (1487–January 30, 1554), in the world known as Despina Milița, was the wife of the Holy Voivode Neagoe Basarab.
She came from a noble family of Serbian despots, being the daughter of John Branković of Serbia (born 1465, died December 10, 1502). Her uncle was Metropolitan Maxim (born George) Branković.
Despina married Neagoe Basarab in 1505, and they had six children (Theodosie, Stana, Petru, Ioan, Ruxandra, and Anghelina), although two sons and one daughter died at a young age. After the death of Voivode Neagoe Basarab in 1521, their son Theodosie (born 1505, died 1521) was enthroned as ruler of Wallachia, but he was driven out by Radu of Afumați and died in Constantinople.
Lady Despina was a patron of the arts, providing material assistance for the construction of Krusedol Monastery. Together with her husband, she founded Curtea de Argeș Monastery, participating in its consecration on August 15, 1517.
In 1520, Neagoe Basarab and his wife began construction of Ostrov Skete in Călimănești, which was completed in 1522, after the death of the ruler.
Lady Despina took refuge in Transylvania together with her daughters Stana and Ruxandra, living a quiet life in Sibiu under the protection of her cousin, the King of Hungary. On January 21, 1526, Ruxandra married Radu of Afumați, ruler of Wallachia. Shortly afterward, in the same year, Stana married Ștefăniță Vodă, ruler of Moldavia. Following Ștefăniță’s death on January 14, 1527, Stana returned to Sibiu to be with her mother and entered monastic life, taking the name Sophronia. In 1529, following the death of her husband Radu, Ruxandra also returned to Sibiu, where she remained until 1541, when she married Radu Paisie.
After spending a short period in Bucharest, where she found none of the former splendors remaining, Lady Despina entered monastic life in 1545 under the name Platonida, returning to Sibiu, where she spent the remainder of her life.
She reposed in the Lord, struck down by the plague, in Sibiu on January 30, 1554.
She was canonized as a saint by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church at its session on July 1, 2025, under the title Holy Venerable Platonida of Argeș, with her feast day appointed for September 26.
She came from a noble family of Serbian despots, being the daughter of John Branković of Serbia (born 1465, died December 10, 1502). Her uncle was Metropolitan Maxim (born George) Branković.
Despina married Neagoe Basarab in 1505, and they had six children (Theodosie, Stana, Petru, Ioan, Ruxandra, and Anghelina), although two sons and one daughter died at a young age. After the death of Voivode Neagoe Basarab in 1521, their son Theodosie (born 1505, died 1521) was enthroned as ruler of Wallachia, but he was driven out by Radu of Afumați and died in Constantinople.
Lady Despina was a patron of the arts, providing material assistance for the construction of Krusedol Monastery. Together with her husband, she founded Curtea de Argeș Monastery, participating in its consecration on August 15, 1517.
In 1520, Neagoe Basarab and his wife began construction of Ostrov Skete in Călimănești, which was completed in 1522, after the death of the ruler.
Lady Despina took refuge in Transylvania together with her daughters Stana and Ruxandra, living a quiet life in Sibiu under the protection of her cousin, the King of Hungary. On January 21, 1526, Ruxandra married Radu of Afumați, ruler of Wallachia. Shortly afterward, in the same year, Stana married Ștefăniță Vodă, ruler of Moldavia. Following Ștefăniță’s death on January 14, 1527, Stana returned to Sibiu to be with her mother and entered monastic life, taking the name Sophronia. In 1529, following the death of her husband Radu, Ruxandra also returned to Sibiu, where she remained until 1541, when she married Radu Paisie.
After spending a short period in Bucharest, where she found none of the former splendors remaining, Lady Despina entered monastic life in 1545 under the name Platonida, returning to Sibiu, where she spent the remainder of her life.
She reposed in the Lord, struck down by the plague, in Sibiu on January 30, 1554.
She was canonized as a saint by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church at its session on July 1, 2025, under the title Holy Venerable Platonida of Argeș, with her feast day appointed for September 26.
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Troparion
Tone 8
You have shown yourself to be a guide of monastics and an example of humility, O Venerable Mother Platonida, for through fasting and prayer you pleased Christ, adorned with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, pray now to the Most Holy Trinity, together with Saint Voivode Neagoe Basarab, that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion
Tone 8. “Protectress of Christians”.
Let us reverently honor her who was once a wise Lady of Wallachia, a faithful wife, a self-sacrificing mother, a merciful benefactor of the poor, a consolation to those who grieve, and afterward a nun fervently praying for all, saying: Rejoice, O Venerable Mother Platonida, who through patience became a vessel of grace!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Tone 8
You have shown yourself to be a guide of monastics and an example of humility, O Venerable Mother Platonida, for through fasting and prayer you pleased Christ, adorned with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, pray now to the Most Holy Trinity, together with Saint Voivode Neagoe Basarab, that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion
Tone 8. “Protectress of Christians”.
Let us reverently honor her who was once a wise Lady of Wallachia, a faithful wife, a self-sacrificing mother, a merciful benefactor of the poor, a consolation to those who grieve, and afterward a nun fervently praying for all, saying: Rejoice, O Venerable Mother Platonida, who through patience became a vessel of grace!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
