Ephraim of Pereyaslavl was an eleventh-century monk of the Kiev Caves monastery who became bishop of Pereyaslavl with the title of metropolitan. Before entering monastic life he served as treasurer and steward of household affairs at the court of the Kiev Great Prince Izyaslav (Demetrius) Yaroslavich, a post he held during the years of Izyaslav's reign. He is remembered for the public works he undertook as bishop, including churches, fortifications, hospices for the poor and travelers, and public bathhouses.
Ephraim entered the Kiev Caves community under Saint Anthony, the founder of the monastery, and was tonsured by Saint Nikon. By tradition his renunciation of the prince's service provoked Izyaslav's anger, but the prince withdrew his opposition. With Anthony's blessing Ephraim later traveled to Constantinople and settled in a monastery there, where he made a copy of the Studite monastic Rule and brought it back to Kiev at the request of Saint Theodosius, who introduced it into the life of the Caves community.
After 1072 Ephraim was made bishop of Pereyaslavl, holding metropolitan rank. The sources credit him with adorning the city with churches and public buildings and with building stone walls around it in the Greek manner. He took part in the transfer of the relics of Saint Theodosius in 1091. He died in 1098 and was buried in the caves of the Kiev Monastery of the Caves; he is commemorated on January 28, on September 28 with the synaxis of the fathers of the Caves, and on the Second Sunday of Great Lent.
