Xenia Ivanovna Shestova, Michael’s mother, had been…

Xenia Ivanovna Shestova, Michael’s mother, had been forced during Boris Godunov's repressions against the Romanovs to take a veil, changing her name to Martha (Russian: Marfa).

After several years of exile at Tolvuyskiy pogost, she had settled with her son at the Ipatiev Monastery near Kostroma.

Not until March 24 do the delegates of the council discover the young Tsar and his mother here, sending ambassadors to inform Mikhail about his election to the Russian throne.

As the previous tsars had been either killed or disgraced, Marfa at first opposes to bless her son and let him go to Moscow, protesting that her son is too young and tender for so difficult an office in such troublesome times.

At the last moment, however, Michael consents to accept the throne, but not till the weeping boyars had solemnly declared that if he persisted in his refusal they would hold him responsible to God for the utter destruction of Russia.

Marfa at last relents and blesses Michael with the icon Our Lady of St. Theodore, which is to become the palladium of the Romanov dynasty.