Часть вторая. Рассказы и размышления на евангельские чтения во дни праздничные

The month of September. 8th day. Nativity of St. Mother of God Gospel of Luke. zach. 54 and 58th, ch. X, 38–42; XI, 27–28. 1. The Savior’s visit to the house of Martha and Mary in Bethany Traveling preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God through different countries and villages of Judea, Jesus Christ once entered a certain village, one must think, Bethany. Here, in this small village, located in the middle of a mountainous country, near Jerusalem, there was a friendly, respectable and wholeheartedly devoted family to the Savior, consisting of two sisters, Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus. As always, the Savior was accepted and greeted this time by the sisters with the greatest joy. The eldest sister, Martha, who probably generally had charge of the house and always performed the duty of hospitality, was especially fussy and diligent in showing external signs of attention to the High Visitor. Having received the Lord into her home, Martha devoted herself entirely to entertaining the deeply revered Wanderer as best as possible, preparing a worthy and decent meal not only for Jesus Christ Himself, but also for His disciples, who accompanied the Savior always and everywhere. While Martha performed external service to the Savior and fussed about household chores, Mary, together with the Lord’s disciples, listened with all her soul to His Divine teaching. Not sharing her sister’s concern for the treat, she, like an attentive student, sat down with the apostles at the feet of Jesus and listened to the teaching of Christ. Among the Jews, as a sign of the humble and respectful attitude of a student or student towards a teacher, they often sat at the feet of the teacher, so that the very expression: sitting at the feet of someone meant the same thing as being someone’s student. The sweetness of the Savior’s words occupied all of Mary’s attention, so that she did not leave Him for a minute. Meanwhile, Martha had so many household chores that she could not cope with them alone and needed her sister’s help. Knowing that Mary, without a special command or permission from the Savior, would not dare to leave Him and take up household chores, Martha then turned to Jesus Christ with simple-hearted trust and said: Lord! or do you not need that my sister left me alone to serve? Tell her to help me. There is no doubt that Martha loved and honored Jesus Christ, but she received Him more as a great earthly guest than a heavenly Teacher. She did not realize that she should no longer be concerned about feeding Christ with animal food, but about receiving eternal food from Him for her immortal spirit. Having received Christ into her home, Martha could not yet rise internally to the thought that he who calls Himself the bread of animals, calling those who thirst to Himself, does not please God by offering Him in abundance the things that perish, but by receiving from Him the things that do not perish, living water, the word of truth and salvation. Loving the Lord, Martha did not renounce her love for the vanity of the world; her concern for the vanity of the world and her everyday cares were so strong that she decided to distract Mary from the saving work, to call her to the vanity to which she herself had indulged. But the Lord did not allow this to happen; He said in response to Martha’s request: Marfo! Marfo! You care and fuss about a lot of things; and only one thing is needed. Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her. So, taking this opportunity, the Savior speaks of the great truth that one must devote more strength and time to God than to ordinary everyday affairs, even if they have good intentions. Christ does not rebuke Martha for her hospitality, but turns her gaze to the highest good and, in the example of her sister Mary, shows her the way to achieve this good. What Martha cared about is not reprehensible, but, having satisfied a person’s bodily needs, it passes and passes without a trace immediately, bringing some benefit and pleasure to our corruptible body. On the contrary, what Mary did, heeding the Divine teaching and caring for the salvation of the soul, brings spiritual, eternal benefits, makes a good part, a better share, which is not taken away from a person even by death, but passes with him into the heavenly and eternal world. Blessed Theophylact (works. Theoph. Part III, p. 157) says the following in explanation of this Gospel passage: “Great good comes from hospitality, as Martha showed, and one should not neglect it, but an even greater good is to listen to spiritual conversations. For with this the body is nourished, and with this the soul is revived. We, Martha, do not exist, as the Savior says so, to fill the body with various dishes, but in order to do what is useful to souls. Note also the divine wisdom of the Lord. He did not say anything to Martha before he received a reason for reproach from her. When she tried to distract her sister from listening, then the Lord, taking advantage of the occasion, reproached her. For hospitality is commendable as long as it does not distract and divert us from what is more necessary; when it begins to hinder us in the most important subjects, then we should prefer hearing about divine subjects to it. Moreover, the Lord does not forbid hospitality, but variety and vanity, that is, entertainment and confusion.” The Gospel story about Christ the Savior’s visit to the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary, is extremely simple and accessible to everyone, so to speak, in its content; but it is very instructive and important for the conclusion and moral lesson that it teaches. It is not for nothing that the Holy Orthodox Church established that it should be read and proclaimed at the liturgy on all the feasts of the Mother of God. This reading clearly shows that the worldly cares that overwhelm each and every one of us, attachments to earthly and low-value concerns, constitute a strong obstacle to the successful achievement of the kingdom of God, to receiving the grace-filled visit of Christ. In fact, excessive worldly care entertains and confuses us in our pursuit of the only thing we need, and hinders us in achieving the grace of Christ. Concern for the things of life is a crafty, invisible and therefore dangerous enemy. Whoever does not stop his worldly cares and does not keep his worries within proper boundaries, they imperceptibly lead him to complete oblivion about eternal, heavenly and truly blessed life. The Lord calls blessed those who do not worry about many things, but who seek the one thing they need, who do not care about the comforts and pleasures of life, but who listen to the word of God and keep it. Let us try, Christians, to listen and fulfill what is commanded to us from the Lord, to walk our life’s path in accordance with the laws and commandments of Christ, to “be wise in heaven rather than on earth.” (See No. 449 “Resurrection leaf.”, appended to the magazine “Sunday Day”). 2. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Most Holy Theotokos was born from elderly, childless, pious parents in the Galilean city of Nazareth. In all of Galilee there was no town more unimportant than Nazareth: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” - the Jews said when they heard that the prophet Jesus had appeared from there. According to the predictions of the prophets, the promised Savior of the world was to come from the royal tribe of David. But since the Babylonian captivity, the descendants of King David little by little lost their rights, and when the Maccabean tribe rose, all the distinction of the royal tribe disappeared and it became along with the common people. In Nazareth lived a pious couple, Joachim and Anna. Joachim came from the tribe of Judah, a royal tribe; Anna was the youngest daughter of a priest from the tribe of Aaron, Matthan. Joachim and Anna were righteous before the Lord and kept His commandments with a pure heart and were known to everyone not so much for the nobility of their origin, but for their humility and mercy. Thus they reached a ripe old age. Their whole life was imbued with love for God and mercy for others; Every year they allocated two-thirds of their significant income: they donated one to the church of God, the other was distributed to the poor and strangers; the rest was used for their needs. And so, they pleased God so much that He vouchsafed them to be the parents of the immaculate Virgin, chosen by Him as a Mother. This alone already proves that their life was honest, holy and pleasing to God, because they were given a Daughter, the Holiest of the saints, most pleasing to God and the most honest of the cherubim. Yes! At that time there were no people on earth more pleasing to God than Joachim and Anna. There were many who lived righteously and pleased God, but they two surpassed others in their virtues and for this they found themselves worthy before God to give birth to the Mother of God. Without a doubt, they received such a high gift for their virtue and holiness. Just as the Lord Himself became incarnate from the Most Holy and Most Pure Mother, so it was fitting that the Mother of the Lord should come from holy and pure parents. The kings of the earth wear clothes made of golden fabrics, and not from simple thread, so the King of heaven wanted to have His Mother, putting on her flesh, as in royal purple, not from ordinary, intemperate spouses, but from chaste and holy ones. This very thing was transformed in ancient times in the holy tabernacle, which God commanded Moses to make from scarlet, scarlet and fine linen. The Virgin Mary, who contained within herself God, who was to dwell with men, meant the tabernacle, as it is said: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and will dwell with them!” ( Rev. 21:3 ). The scarlet, scarlet and fine linen, from which the cover and curtains of the tabernacle were woven, typified the parents of the Mother of God and signified their chastity, abstinence and perfect life in all respects. But God’s will determined for these holy spouses to be childless for a long time, so that at the very conception and birth of the Most Pure Virgins the power of God’s grace, and the honor of the One who was born, and the dignity of those who gave birth, would appear! In this they became like St. Patriarch Abraham and his wife, pious Sarah, who gave birth to Isaac in his old age, according to the promise of God. But we say without doubt that Joachim and Anna were greater and superior to Abraham and Sarah, just as the Virgin Mary was superior to Isaac. However, they did not reach such a high honor soon; They reached it with great fasting and many prayers, shed before God in heartfelt sorrow. Joy comes after sorrow; honor comes after dishonor. So it was with the pious parents of the Most Rev. Virgins, Joachim and Anna. Before the birth of the Ever-Virgin, they had to experience the sorrow and dishonor of barrenness and childlessness. According to the concepts of that time, childlessness was considered disgrace and a severe punishment, all the more regrettable because the descendants of David were given the hope of becoming instruments of salvation for the human race through the birth of the promised Messiah. 50 years passed, their married life, and they endured the reproach of childlessness. According to the law supported by the Pharisees, Joachim had the right to demand a divorce for his wife’s infertility; but Joachim, a righteous husband, loved and revered his wife Anna for her extraordinary meekness and high virtues, and did not want to be separated from her. With heartfelt sorrow, but resignedly, they bore the burden of the test and continued to lead their lives in fasting, prayer and alms, strengthening each other with mutual love and without losing hope that God is always able to have mercy on His servants. On great holidays they used to go to Jerusalem. On the day of the renovation of the church, Joachim came to the church to make a sacrifice together with his other compatriots: but Bishop Issachar rejected Joachim’s offering and, reproaching him for childlessness, said: “The Lord, for the sake of some secret sins of yours, took His blessing from you” (“Earthly Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary” by S. Snessoreva, pp. 12–14). Also another Jew, from the tribe of Reuben, who brought his gifts with others, reviled Joachim, saying: “Why do you want to bring your gift to God before me? Don’t you know that you are not worthy of this?” Joachim, having heard such a reproach, was cruelly saddened and left the church, covered with shame and humiliated... He became sad. Out of intense grief, he no longer wanted to return to his home, but went into the desert, to the shepherds of his flocks, and there he began to weep bitterly about his childlessness and dishonor. He remembered Saint Abraham, to whom God gave a son even in his old age, and began to earnestly pray to the Lord, that he would be granted the same blessing; may he hear and have mercy on him; May he remove the reproach among people and give him the fruit of marriage in his old age, as Abraham once did; may he also be called the father of his child, and may people not reproach him as barren and rejected by God. He supported this prayer with fasting, not wanting to even taste bread after forty days. “I will not eat,” he said, “any food, I will not return to my house; But tears will be my food, and the desert will be my home until the Lord God of Israel hears and visits me.” Also, his wife, who remained at home, cried inconsolably when she heard that the bishop did not want to accept their gifts for their barrenness, and that her husband left her in great sorrow and went into the desert. “Now I’m the most unhappy of all: God rejected me, people revile me, and my husband left me! What else should I cry about now? Is it about my childlessness or widowhood, about my orphanhood or about the fact that I was not worthy to be called a mother?..” Saying this, she constantly shed tears and lamented. Her servant, Judith, consoled her as best she could, but without any success. And who could satisfy the sadness as great as the sea? Left alone, she went into her garden, sat down under a laurel tree, sighed from the depths of her heart and, raising her eyes upward, saw a bird’s nest with little chicks on the tree. Here her sorrow increased even more, and she began to cry out: “Alas for me, alone, the most sinful of all the daughters of Israel, humiliated before all the wives! Others carry their children in their arms and are comforted by them, but I alone am deprived of this consolation; gifts are accepted from others into the church of God, and they are given respect for the fact that they gave birth to children, but I alone am rejected from the church of my God. Alas! Who can I compare myself to? Neither with the chicks of heaven, nor with the beasts! They bring their fruit to You, Lord, but I remain barren. I cannot even compare myself with the earth, because it, vegetating and bearing its fruits to God, blesses the Heavenly Father. I am the only childless one on earth! Woe, woe is me, Lord!.. You, Who gave Sarah a son in extreme old age, You, Who opened the womb of Anna, the mother of Samuel, Your prophet, look at me and hear my prayer, Adonai of hosts! You know how childlessness is reviled among us. Resolve the disease of my heart, open the bonds of my barrenness, so that we may bring what is born of me as a gift to You, blessing and glorifying all Your generous mercy!” An angel of the Lord appeared to the weeping and sobbing Anna and said: “Anna! Anna! your prayer was heard, your sighs passed through the clouds, and your tears reached the Lord. You will conceive and give birth to a blessed Daughter! For her sake all the generations of the earth will be blessed, through her salvation is given to the whole world, and she will be called Mary!” Anna, having heard these words of the angel, bowed to the Lord and said: “As the Lord God lives! If I have a child, I will give him to the Lord to serve. Let it serve Him day and night, praising His holy name throughout its entire life!..” Filled with inexpressible joy, St. Anna hurried to the church with reverence to offer her gratitude and prayer to God for His merciful visit. At the same time, St. An angel appeared to Joachim in the desert and said: “Joachim! God has heard your prayer and will grant you His grace. Your wife Anna will conceive and bear you a daughter, and her birth will bring joy to the whole world. Here are the signs of the truth of what I now proclaim to you: go to Jerusalem, to the Church of the Lord, there, at the golden gates, you will find your wife Anna: she has been told the same thing!” Surprised by this angel's gospel, glorifying and thanking God with his heart and lips for such great mercy, Joachim hurried to the Church of the Lord and there, according to the angel, at the golden gates he found Anna praying to God. He told her about the angel's gospel, and she told him about her vision. Having poured out mutual joy and glorified God for such great mercy towards them, they returned from the holy church to their home, and Anna conceived on the ninth day of December. On September 8, Anna gave birth to a daughter, the Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin Mary, at whose birth earth and heaven rejoiced. (Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A. Glinka. 15–19). Neither the splendor nor the glory of the world surrounded Her cradle; all these earthly advantages faded in the light of the invisible glory prepared from the ages for the Mother of God, called, according to the testimony of the Gospel, Graceful and Blessed from the day of the incarnation of the Savior of the world from Her; Eternal Wisdom hid this gracious secret from the limited human mind: the gracious mystery is received by faith. According to Jewish custom, on the 15th day after the birth of the baby, She was given the name indicated by the angel of God, Mary, which in Hebrew means “lady”, “hope”. Rev. Mary, having become the Mother of the Creator, appeared as the mistress and hope of all creatures. In memory of the Nativity of St. The feast of the Mother of God has been established by the church since ancient times: back in the 4th century. Equal to the Apostles Helen built a church in honor and memory of the Nativity of the Mother of God. This great holiday, the twelfth, universal: it is a holiday of universal joy, because through the Mother of God the entire human race was renewed, and the sadness of foremother Eve was changed into joy. (Compiled from the book: “The Earthly Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary...” by S. Snessoreva. St. Petersburg, 1892 and “The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” A. Glinka. Moscow, 1896). 3. Appearance and moral greatness of the Blessed Virgin Mary The church historian Nicephorus Callistus has preserved for us the legend about the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “She was,” we read from him, “of average height, or, as others say, somewhat more than average, golden hair, quick eyes, arched and moderately black eyebrows, an oblong nose, flowering lips, full of sweet speeches, a face not round and not sharp, but somewhat oblong; arms and fingers are long.” “She was a Virgin,” says St. Ambrose, - not only in body, but also in soul: humble in heart, circumspect in words, prudent, taciturn, lover of reading, hardworking, chaste in speech, considering not man, but God as the judge of her thoughts, her rule was not to offend anyone, to be kind to everyone, to honor elders, not to envy equals, to avoid boasting, to be sensible, to love virtue. When did She offend her parents with even a facial expression? When was she in disagreement with her family, did she become proud in front of a modest person, laughed at the weak, shirked the poor? She had nothing stern in her eyes, nothing imprudent in her words, nothing indecent in her actions: modest body movements, quiet steps, even voice: so her bodily appearance was an expression of the soul, the personification of purity.” Church historian Nicephorus Callistus complements the moral image of the Blessed Virgin in the following way: “She maintained decency in conversation with others, did not laugh, was not indignant, and was not especially angry; completely artless, simple, She did not think at all about herself and, far from effeminacy, was distinguished by complete humility. Regarding the clothes that she wore, She was content with their natural color, which is still proven by her sacred head covering. In short, a special grace was revealed in all her actions.” “Everyone here knows,” wrote St. Ignatius the God-Bearer - that the Ever-Virgin Mother of God is filled with grace and all virtues. They say that She was always cheerful in persecution and troubles; in need and poverty she was not upset; She was not angry with those who insulted Her, but even did good to them; in prosperity meek; she was merciful to the poor and helped them as much as she could; in piety she is a teacher and instructor in every good deed. She especially loved the humble, because She herself was filled with humility. Those who have seen Her give Her much praise.” St. Dionysius the Areopagite, three years after his conversion to Christianity, was honored to see the Blessed Virgin Mary face to face in Jerusalem, describes this meeting as follows: “When I was brought before the face of the God-like, most luminous Virgin, such a great and immeasurable divine light bathed me from the outside and inside, and such a wondrous fragrance of various aromas spread around me that neither my weak body nor my very spirit were able to bear such great and abundant signs and the firstfruits of eternal bliss and glory. My heart fainted, my spirit fainted from her glory and Divine grace! The human mind cannot imagine any glory and honor (even in the state of people glorified by God) higher than the bliss that I tasted then, unworthy, but honored by mercy and blessed beyond all understanding.” The virtues of the Most Holy Theotokos and the grace of the Holy Spirit, which prepurified Her for the great work of being the Mother of God, placed Her above all righteous and holy people and even the powers of heaven. Her zeal for prayer and pious pursuits, ever-virgin purity and chastity, faith in the promises of God, constant attentiveness to the ways of God's Providence, devotion to the will of God, complacent enduring of difficult everyday circumstances, unshakable courage in the midst of the greatest temptations and sorrows, maternal care, warm-hearted warmth towards relatives, and, most importantly, unconditional in everything humility: these are the moral perfections that were constantly manifested in Her, from infancy to her dormition. (Extracted from the book: “Lessons and examples of the Christian faith”, Archpriest G. Dyachenko). 4. Historical memory associated with the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary At the beginning of the 13th century, Rus' suffered a difficult trial. At this time, like a devastating hurricane, fierce hordes of Tatars, led by Batu, swept across the face of our fatherland. Ryazan was among the first cities to fall; others followed her. Within one month, the Tatars destroyed 14 cities and many villages. The Russian land presented a deplorable appearance after this pogrom. Instead of cities, villages, and monasteries, there were only charred ruins in which decomposing corpses lay. Instead of cultivated fields, one could see trampled wastelands, where wolves prowled for rich prey. A heavy yoke fell on the necks of those Russians who survived. The Tatars’ method of collecting tribute was especially burdensome for the Russians. These tributes were usually farmed out to Khiva and Bukhara merchants, who, naturally, could not have any special motivation to be generous and humane. In the Sophia Vremennik, under the year 1240, there is a cry of the Russian land about the death of its children. “Sons, Russian sons!.. I see the yoke of work on your shoulders. Even without you, my beloved children, I remain a poor and homeless widow. But who should I mourn first—my husband or my loved ones? My widowhood is the desolation of cities, honorable monasteries, holy churches, the deprivation of children, teachers, priests, rulers and people.” This unfortunate time lasted for a long time for Russia. Finally, God took pity on His people and erected a prince on the Moscow throne, who had the intention of rebelling against the terrible enemy. The Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry, later called Donskoy, decided to overthrow the Tatar yoke, shameful for Russia. Having learned about this, the formidable Khan Mamai became furious. “Let’s go to Russian soil,” he said, “we’ll burn the churches, we’ll beat up the Christians, we’ll destroy their law.” But the prince was not embarrassed, although his position was far from good. The Lithuanian prince united with the Tatars; even some of the neighboring Russian princes betrayed Dmitry and refused assistance. Lecturer Sergius of Radonezh blessed Dmitry for a good deed and, in the name of God, predicted a happy outcome of the war. On the Kulikovo field, between Nepryadva and the Don, warring troops met, and a slaughter began, bloody and unprecedented on Russian soil. The earth trembled from the cry of the warrior, from the trampling of horses, from the clatter of weapons and the groan of the wounded. Over an area of ​​10 miles, blood flowed in streams. They fought not only with weapons, but also in manual combat. The battle lasted all day with varying fortunes and was finally decided in favor of the Russians. This happy day for the Russians turned out to be the eighth of September, a day that was at the same time a day of great joy about the birth to the world of the blessed Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the world. Our ancestors, of course, saw in such an event not an accidental coincidence, but the special patronage of the Queen of Heaven, who sent victory over enemies who already seemed invincible to the Russian people. This is how Prince Dmitry Donskoy himself looked at the victory first of all. At the site of the battle, he erected a church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in the votive (built according to his promise given before the battle) Moscow monastery, the main church was also dedicated to the memory of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (“Russian pilgrimage” 1896, No. 36). 5. Word of St. Chrysostom to husbands and wives If each of the spouses tries to fulfill their duties, then they themselves will soon see all the benefits of this. If, for example, a wife is ready to tolerate a cruel husband, and the husband does not irritate his angry wife, then perfect silence will reign between them, and their life will be like a pier, free from waves. This is how it was with the ancients. Look: Abraham takes in his nephew, his wife does not blame him for this; Abraham tells her to go with him on a long journey, and she follows him without contradiction. Further, when Abraham, after many troubles, worries and labors, became the master of enormous property and gave the best part to Lot, then Sarah not only was not annoyed at this, but did not even open her mouth and did not say anything similar to what many wives now say when they see that their husbands are sharing their property with their neighbors, and speak, moreover, in front of their inferiors, scold their husbands, calling them stupid, weak, insane, uncalculating. Sarah, on the contrary, did not say or think anything like that, but even approved of all Abraham’s orders. And more importantly, after Lot received his freedom, in choosing the land to own and giving the worst part to his uncle, he suffered a difficult fate. Patriarch Abraham, having learned that he had been taken prisoner, armed all his household and went with only his servants against the strong Syrian army. But Sarah did not restrain him even then and did not say: “Husband, where are you going? You risk danger, rush to obvious death and are ready to shed blood for the person who offended you and took everything that is yours from you. If you do not take care of yourself, then at least take pity on me, who left home, fatherland, friends, relatives and went with you to such a distant and foreign direction; have pity and do not plunge me into widowhood and all the disasters that come with it.” Sarah could have said this to Abraham and, meanwhile, she did not say anything like that, did not even think, but endured everything in silence. See how they both observe their duty. Abraham does not despise Sarah as childless, and does not reproach her for this with anything; Sarah tries to give him some consolation in his childlessness. “You, wife, will object to me that Abraham, on the orders of Sarah, drives away the slave girl.” True, I want to show you that he obeyed her in everything, and she obeyed him. But you, who say this, do not dwell only on this one circumstance, but also consider the previous ones, remember that the slave insulted Sarah, that she was vain before her mistress, and what could be more intolerable than this for a noble and free wife? - So, let the wife not expect virtues from her husband in advance and then show him hers; in the same way, let the husband not expect good behavior from his wife first and then take care of her, because this will no longer be virtue; but let everyone fulfill his duties in advance. Christ commanded that when someone hits us on the cheek, we should offer him the other one; Moreover, a wife must tolerate a cruel husband. I’m not saying that a husband beats his wife, no: this is extreme dishonor not only for the wife, but also for the husband himself who beats her. On the contrary, if you, wife, accidentally choose such a spouse, then do not be annoyed, but think about the reward that is being prepared for you there in heaven, and about the praise that you deserve in this life. And to you, wives, and to you, husbands, I say: God save you from such a sin that would lead a husband to the need to beat his wife. But what am I saying about my wife? It should be shameful for a noble husband to beat or even raise his hand against a slave. If it is dishonorable for a husband to beat a maid, then how much more dishonorable is it to raise a hand against his wife! I place such a husband (if one can call him a husband and not a beast) on a par with a parricide and a matricide. For if we are commanded to leave our father and mother for the sake of our wife, is it not extreme madness to insult the one for whom God commanded to leave even our parents? But is this just madness? And the disgrace that comes from this? What word can even express when the cries and lamentations of a woman are heard through the streets, and when neighbors and passers-by run to the house of the one who commits such dishonor, as if to the dwelling of some beast, which in its lair devours its prey? It would be better if the earth swallowed up that wicked man, rather than for him to appear again among good people! But the wife, you say, shows insolence. Even so, but don’t forget that she is a wife, a weak vessel, and you are a husband. This is why you were made the boss and head of your wife, in order to endure the weakness of your wife, who must obey you. Therefore, act in such a way that your power is respectable, and this will happen when you do not dishonor those subordinate to you. Look at the farmers: how they try in every possible way to cultivate the land, even if it is dry and grows bad herbs, even if it is flooded with water; do the same: then you will be the first to enjoy good fruits and serene peace. When something unpleasant happens in the house because your wife made a mistake, console her and do not increase her sorrow. Even if you have lost everything, there is nothing more regrettable than discord with your wife. Therefore, love for her should be most precious to you. If each of us must bear each other's burdens (Gal. 6:2), then all the more must a husband do this to his wife. Even if she was poor, don’t humiliate her for it; even if she was stupid, do not attack her, but rather correct her; she is a part of yourself, and you are one body with her. But she, you say, is grumpy, a drunkard, angry... If so, then you need to grieve about this, and not be angry, you need to pray to God to correct her, you need to exhort her, persuade her and use all measures to eradicate these vices in her. If you begin to beat and oppress your wife, then her illness will not be cured, because cruelty is pacified by meekness, and not by other cruelty. At the same time, also think about the fact that for your meek behavior with your wife, a reward from God awaits you. Even though you could divorce your wife, do not do this out of fear of God, but endure her great shortcomings, fearing the law given about this, which prohibits driving out a wife, no matter what illness she suffers. For this you will receive an unspeakable reward and acquire the greatest benefits, because you will force her to be more modest, and you yourself will become more meek towards her. They say that one of the pagan sages (Socrates) had an angry, quarrelsome and impudent wife; when he was asked why he, having such a wife, tolerates her, the sage answered that in her house he had, as it were, a school and school of philosophy: “I will be, he said, more patient than others if I study in this school every day.” – Are you extremely surprised by this? And I sigh heavily when I see that the pagans act wiser than us - we, who are commanded to imitate the angels, or better, who are commanded to imitate God Himself in meekness. They say that that sage did not expel his evil wife because she had a bad character; and some claim that he even took her because of her character. But I do not give advice to do this with the intention of choosing an evil wife; I exhort husbands to first use all measures to take a wife who is well-behaved and full of every virtue. The merchant will not send a ship to sea and will not engage in any trade before he has concluded such conditions with his comrade that could guarantee their mutual consent. So you, too, use all means in advance to have perfect inner agreement with the future friend of your life - like a ship. If you make a mistake in choosing a bride and bring an unkind and obnoxious wife into your house, then at least imitate the pagan sage and correct your wife in every possible way, and do not do anything bad to her. And when you begin to endure the marital yoke in agreement with her, then through this you will gain great benefit in everything and great success in spiritual matters... (See “Kiev. List.”, published by the magazine “Sunday Reading”). 6. Exemplary Christian spouses. 1) Mother of St. Gregory the Theologian, Blessed Nonna, was the daughter of good Christians, and her parents raised her according to the rules of Christian piety. But here was her misfortune: her parents married her off to a pagan, and it was bitter, bitter for her, an ardent Christian, to see how her husband, instead of the true God, honors soulless creatures and bows to fire and lamps. In fact, what was it like for her when she stood at her prayer, and her husband stood at his; will she begin to pray to God, and her husband will begin to correct idolatry rituals? Yes, it was hard for her! But to her credit I must say that it was only hard at first. Nonna was a wise woman and strong-willed, and she soon found a way out of a difficult situation, and she made a bad husband good and out of him, a pagan, she also made an exemplary and holy Christian. How did she achieve this? “Nonna fell to God day and night, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her head, she worked tirelessly on her husband, trying to win him in various ways: with convictions, services..., and most of all with her life and fiery zeal for piety, which most strongly inclines and softens her heart, voluntarily allowing herself to be led to virtue. She had to, like water, break through a stone with the continuous fall of a drop, and from time to time expect success in what she tried, as the consequence justified. She asked for this, expected this not only with the fervor of her youth, but with the firmness of faith. And the husband’s mind began to heal little by little, and the Lord began to attract him to Himself with sleepy visions. Once Nonna’s husband imagined that he was singing the following verse of David: “We rejoiced at those who said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 121:1), - unprecedented singing, and along with the singing a desire appeared. When Nonna heard about this, she took advantage of the time to explain the vision in the kindest possible way and speed up the work of saving her husband, so that nothing would interfere with the calling and upset what she had tried so hard to achieve. At that time, many bishops gathered in Nicaea, and Nonna’s husband devoted himself to God and the preachers of the truth, and sought their help for salvation” (Works of St. Gregory 2, 110-112). He became a Christian, deeply understood the calling of a Christian, was ordained a priest, and from that time on he devoted himself entirely to the affairs of his new calling. So, here's an example for you, unfortunate wives! Imitate St. Nonna, and God willing, you will turn your husbands to the good path. Pray fervently to God for them; influence them with persuasion and favors; show them an example of a pious life, believe in the mercy of God, arm yourself with patience and believe that, just as a drop of water breaks a stone with its continuous fall, so you, undoubtedly, sooner or later, will touch the hearts of your husbands and turn these hearts to the Lord. But even if, despite all this, you did not touch them, then what is yours will not be lost; for, through your patience here on earth from men, you will earn for yourself the crown of martyrdom and will be numbered in heaven among those who endured to the end (“Soul Reader” 1890, Jan.). 2) St. Monica, the mother of Blessed Augustine, had a pagan husband named Petrichia, who was rude, angry, and at first treated his wife cruelly and unfairly. But blessed. Augustine says about her: “she obeyed her husband as if she were the Lord; she cared about converting him to Christ, so she spoke to him about Jesus Christ more with holy deeds than with words. So she acquired him for herself and at the same time acquired his love and respect. She bore his shortcomings with such meekness and patience that she never made a single reproach to him. If she noticed that he was angry, she was careful not to contradict him in word or deed; when he was calm, then she gave him an account of herself and at the same time showed him that he was unfairly angry with her.” Thus, between this husband and wife, not only was peace maintained on earth, but the wife even acquired a husband for heaven, since her husband became a Christian, was baptized and died a happy death (From “V. Read.”). 3) St. torment. Natalia, wife of St. much Adriana, serves as an example of true Christian love for her husband and fidelity to him until her death. Adrian was the head of the judicial chamber and enjoyed great honor among the pagan authorities. He lived during the reign of Maximilian, a cruel persecutor of Christians. One day, several Christians were brought into his room, subjected to various tortures. Seeing the unshakable patience of St. martyrs, Adrian asked them: “What reward do you expect from your God for these torments?” They answered: “such as our lips cannot tell, and your ears cannot hear and your mind cannot comprehend.” Realizing the truth, Adrian then said to the scribes who were recording the names of the devotees for torment: “write me down too, since I am a Christian, and I will die with joy for Christ God.” When they reported this to the king, he ordered the confessor to be chained and taken to prison. One of Adrian’s servants hastened to notify his wife, Natalia, who was already a Christian at heart. Filled with joy that her husband had decided to accept the crown of martyrdom, she immediately hurried to him with words of encouragement. Kissing his bonds, Natalia, with all the strength of her deeply believing soul, tried to inspire her husband to the feat set before him. She spent her time in prison with complete selflessness, washing the wounds of St. martyrs and with their words strengthening their faith and hope in Christ. In the midst of the most torment, St. Natalia never ceased to support the courage of the sufferers. “I pray you,” she said to her husband Adrian, when you appear before Christ, offer the first prayer for me, so that they will not force me to marry another pagan husband. Then our union is dissolved." When, after the death of the martyrs, the pagans wanted to burn the bodies of the tortured, a terrible thunderstorm suddenly arose, dispersing all the servants. Then Natalia buried the bodies of the martyrs and retired to her home. The commander of the imperial army wanted to marry her, but she, having learned about this, fled to Byzantium. Here Adrian appeared to her in a dream and said that she would soon be calmed by the Lord. And, indeed, she soon died peacefully, thus remaining a faithful and unchanging helper to her husband, especially in preserving the faith of Christ and achieving the crown of martyrdom. Although Natalia did not suffer along with her husband, St. the church ranked her among the martyrs, with whom she had compassion with her soul no less than they suffered with her body. (Ch. M.). 4) Let us now present an example of a chaste and pious wife from the history of the Russian people. Such was Princess Euphrosyne, the wife of the Murom prince, David Yuryevich. The Prince of Murom, David Yuryevich, fell ill before his marriage: his body was covered with scabs. The beekeeper's daughter, the maiden Euphrosyne, cured him with ointment. The grateful prince married her. The Murom boyars did not like such an unequal and inappropriate marriage: they, as if offended, demanded that the prince either divorce his peasant wife or abdicate the throne. The prince, remembering the words of scripture: God unites, let not man separate, remained faithful to the marriage, but left the throne. In such misfortune, the intelligent and hardworking wife, consoling him, said: “Do not be sad, prince, the merciful Lord will not leave us in poverty.” And, indeed, circumstances soon occurred that forced the boyars to beg the prince to reign again. Now his smart and kind wife Euphrosyne helped him with advice, took up charity work, despised self-interest, loved everyone, was not proud of her position, lived in complete harmony with her husband, mutually faithful and chaste, although she was younger than him. This is how the princess taught one married man. He, admiring her beauty and wisdom, was overwhelmed by bad thoughts. The princess, noticing the temptation, ordered him to draw water from the river, first on one side, and then on the other, and drink it. He obeyed. “Do you find the difference,” asked the chaste princess, “in the water?” - None! “In exactly the same way, female nature is the same,” she noted: “in vain, when you leave your wife, you think about someone else’s.” In their old age, both the prince and princess, with mutual consent, entered monasticism, with the names of Peter and Fevronia. In 1228 on St. They died on the same day on Easter and, according to the will, were laid in the same coffin. (“Russian Saints” by Philaret, Archbishop of Chernigov, part II, St. Petersburg, 1872). 7. Consolation for childless spouses Spouses who do not have children, for the most part, greatly mourn their loss of children. Others have everything: wealth, a high position in the world, health, and good luck in everything, but there are no children who delight the hearts of their parents. And so, the desire to have them sometimes even turns into suffering. What can you say to console such people and what advice can you offer them? The examples of ancient pious childless spouses teach us to find help in prayer in this case. Samuel's mother Anna fervently prayed for the child, and her face burned during prayer, and even her voice was suppressed from excitement; but she was heard and gave birth to a great prophet, beloved by God and who for almost half a century was the best judge of the people of God. No less fervent was the prayer of the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos, who cried: “Look at me now, Lord, and hear my prayer. Resolve the disease of my heart and show the barren fruitful.” And this prayer was heard, and she and her husband were given a daughter, who later became the mother of the Lord. Finally, the prayer of Zechariah and Elizabeth was not in vain, as the angel told him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah: your prayer is quickly heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John, and you will have joy and gladness (Luke 1:13-14). So you, childless spouses, resort to this remedy, and the Lord will hear your prayer too. But you say: “Let’s run; Yes, apparently God does not accept our prayer.” In this case, amplify it, and if it was short and incomplete, then complete it. How? Representation to the Lord that you are not asking Him for children for your earthly joy, but in order to give them to Him and, as it were, to continue your service in them. So, both mentioned Annas gave these promises to the Lord for the success of their prayers. Samuel's mother said: Lord, if you look upon the humility of Your servant, and remember me, and give to Your servant a man's seed, then I will give it before You as a gift until the day of his death (1 Samuel 1:11). And the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos also said: “then, Lord, (i.e., if the request is fulfilled), we will bring the born child as a gift to You, blessing, singing and glorifying Your mercy.” As you can see, such vows are also useful when praying for the gift of children, and therefore add them to your prayers, at least tell the Lord that if He blesses you with childbearing, you will raise children in the fear of God, in the Orthodox faith and in strict obedience to the Orthodox Church. Also strive to combine a pious life with your prayers. Remember that at first childless, but then blessed by God with children, Abraham and Isaac, also the parents of Sampson and Samuel, the Most Holy Theotokos and the Forerunner, were all pious people. Take them as an example. And if you keep yourself like them, you will have not only children, but also grandchildren, and your hope will not fail (Prov. 23:18). (See the book “Prologue in the teaching” by priest V. Guryev, published in 1889). 8. How to raise children? Shortly before the Nativity of Christ, St. lived in the Galilean city of Nazareth. righteous couple - Joachim and Anna; pure, holy love united their hearts; ardent love for God, zealous fulfillment of His commandments, fraternal service to others closely linked their unanimous marriage; Quietly, peacefully their holy life flows in a poor, insignificant town! But here is their grief, here is their misfortune, here is their great sorrow: they have no children. And without children, what joy is family life? They fervently pray to the Lord and ask for a child; but the Lord does not seem to hear them, as if he does not heed their fervent prayer. Thus, the goodness of God loves to test the patience of His chosen ones. Here are the righteous elders Joachim and Anna, and yet they still have no children, no joy, no consolation. “We are great sinners; The Lord is punishing us,” the righteous spouses thought so, but still they did not stop praying to the Lord to give them a child. And the prayer of faith was finally heard by God: they had a daughter, the future mother of the Savior Christ. Thanked St. Joachim of the Lord bowed to the heavenly messenger and went to tell his joy to his wife. A unanimous, holy prayer of gratitude filled the souls of St. spouses... And so, their daughter Maria was born; Relatives and friends came to rejoice with St. elders. Brothers! Let us rejoice, we, together with Joachim and Anna, will rejoice at the birth of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos, and at the same time we will learn from the righteous elders how we can raise our children. There is no doubt that Joachim and Anna were honored to be the parents of God's chosen Mary, who was to serve the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, because they had all the virtues of believers and pious spouses, and therefore they could raise the Most Pure Virgin better than all their contemporaries. It is known that not only physical advantages or disadvantages, strength or weakness, beauty or ugliness, liveliness or lethargy, but also mental abilities pass from parents to children as their natural inheritance. Even in the womb of the mother, the child feeds on good or bad juices and thus perceives the good and bad inclinations of the parents. And after that, children first of all follow the example of their parents. Parents are pious, and their children learn to pray to God from infancy. Parents sacredly observe the decrees of the church, for example, fasts, holidays, and children learn to sacredly observe them. Parents are meek, merciful, honor their parents, and children little by little acquire these wonderful qualities. The virtues of parents will sow in the receptive hearts of children the seeds of holy inclinations for good deeds. The example of a pious mother is especially strong: her gaze alone, expressing reverence and devotion to God, often produces the most beneficial effect on children. The mother stands before the icons illuminated by the lamp with zeal and prays to God; children, standing near her and not yet understanding all the words she utters in prayer, deepen their feelings into the mystery of prayer to the Almighty and sow the seeds of piety in their hearts. Unfortunately, not only good, but also bad inclinations and habits are passed from parents to children. Good parents almost always have good children, while bad parents have bad children. There are exceptions, but they are rare. Who among us doesn't want to have good children? Let us first of all keep the commandments of God ourselves. Let us teach our children good things not so much with words as with the example of our lives. How often do people now complain about the disrespect and rudeness of children! And who doesn’t want to have meek and obedient children? Let us first of all try to cultivate these wonderful qualities in ourselves; we ourselves will never allow ourselves to insult our parents, relatives, or neighbors either by word or deed. How often are we now hearing complaints about the wild, drunken lives of our young people! Fathers and mothers! If you want your children to be sober, chaste, modest, be sober yourself, spend your time wisely and pleasing to the Lord, never break the laws of modesty and chastity. Do you want your children to pray to God for you during your life and not forget to pray for you after death? Pray yourself. Know that with a bad example you, parents, seduce yourself and lead to destruction, and who? Your children! What will happen if children cry out to God against their parents: “Lord, we would not have been so sinful if we had not followed the example of our parents, we did the same as they did, and now we are perishing! Woe to us that we had such parents.” In the name of your love for your children, we ask you: teach them not only by word, but more by example - by your pious life; Don’t do anything bad in front of them, don’t even say anything seductive. May the Mother of God help us raise our children in the fear of God and in Christian piety. (See sheet No. 167, appended to the magazine “Helmsman”). The month of September. 14th day. Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord Evang. from In. zach. 60's, ch. XIX, 6–11, 13–20, 25–28, 31–35 Art. 1. Jesus Christ on trial before Pilate and on the cross The next day after the betrayal of the Lord, early in the morning, members of the Sanhedrin, or the supreme court, after a new interrogation of Jesus, took Him to Pilate, who then ruled Judea on behalf of the Roman emperor. Pilate had never seen Jesus before, but he had heard about Him and for a long time did not want to condemn Him, because he did not find any guilt in Him. But the people, incited by the enemies of Jesus, urgently demanded His execution. There was a custom in Judea, for the sake of the Passover holiday, to release one prisoner. Pilate offered to release Jesus, but the people shouted: “Crucify, crucify Him; let Barabbas go!” And Barabbas was a famous robber. The weak and cowardly ruler, although he was confident in the innocence of Jesus, gave in and condemned Him to death on the cross. This execution was considered the most shameful, and only the worst criminals were condemned to it. The soldiers beat Jesus, put a purple robe on Him and placed a crown of thorns on His head; They put a cane in His hands and, laughing at Him, said: “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat in His face and hit Him on the head with the cane. Then they took Him to execution. The place appointed for His execution was called Golgotha, that is, the place of execution. There were also some good people at that time who cried at the sight of the suffering Savior and looked with horror at the evil deeds of the Jewish leaders. But who grieved, who cried more than His Most Pure Mother? She followed Jesus from afar. She saw how they led Him to be crucified, how they beat and tortured Him. How the Mother’s heart suffered at the sight of the torment of Her Son! How she regretted those sinful people who led Jesus to death! Other pious wives walked with the Most Pure Virgin, and everyone wept bitterly. Jesus Christ Himself carried His heavy cross and, tired of long suffering, climbed the mountain with difficulty. The soldiers forced one person they met, named Simon, to carry the cross. When they reached the top of Mount Calvary, they placed a cross there and crucified Jesus on it, nailing His hands and feet to the cross. What terrible suffering! The Savior’s hands and feet were torn to pieces by sharp nails, and his head was wounded to the point of bleeding by thorns. On the cross, in mockery of Him, they made the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The guards, passersby and Jewish leaders, mocking Him, bowed to Him and laughed at His torment, forgetting how much He helped and did good to people. They said, laughing at Him: “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. Let him now come down from the cross, and let us believe in Him. Trusted in God; Let him now deliver Him, if He pleases Him.” And the Lord prayed on the cross for those who tormented Him; He said: “Father! Forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Together with Jesus, they crucified two thieves on crosses, one on the right, the other on the left. One of them slandered Him and said to Him: “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other calmed down his comrade. “Or are you not afraid of God,” he said, when you yourself are condemned to the same thing? But we suffer just punishment for our evil deeds, and He did nothing bad.” Then, turning to Jesus, he said: “Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your kingdom!” Jesus said to him: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” When Christ was crucified, the soldiers divided His clothes among themselves and cast lots for His outer clothing. At the cross of Jesus stood His Mother and some wives who followed Him; Jesus’ beloved disciple, the Apostle John, also stood. The Lord said to His Mother, pointing to John: “Here is your son,” and to the disciple: “Here is your mother.” And from that time on, John took the Most Holy Theotokos to him and served her like a mother’s son. The suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross lasted from the sixth hour to the ninth hour. In our calculation it would be from twelve o'clock to three in the afternoon. About nine o'clock (that is, three in our opinion) the Lord said: “It is finished!” Then He loudly exclaimed: “Father! “Into Your hands I commend My spirit,” and, bowing his head, gave up the ghost. From the time Christ was crucified, darkness became all over the earth; and as soon as He gave up the ghost, the earth shook, the curtain of the church was torn from top to bottom, the stones disintegrated, and many dead were resurrected. Seeing these signs, many believed, and the centurion, standing guard at the cross, exclaimed: “Truly He was the Son of God!” (From the book “Stories about the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ”, Bakhmeteva). 2. Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord On the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Orthodox Church celebrates three events: 1) the appearance of the Holy Cross to Constantine the Great, 2) the Finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by St. Helena and 3) The return of the Holy Cross from Persia, at the end of the war with the Persian king Khosroes. a) The appearance of the Honorable Cross to Tsar Constantine. At the beginning of the 4th century, the Roman Empire was ruled by several Caesars. Maxentius ruled Italy and Rome, and Constantine ruled Gaul (France), Britain (England) and Spain. The Romans at that time were pagans, and the Roman emperors cruelly persecuted Christians; but, despite all the persecution and oppression, the number of Christians increased more and more in the Roman Empire. Although Constantine was a pagan, he respected Christians for their holy life and, following the example of his father Constantius, was kind and fair to them. In 312, Maxentius, who severely persecuted Christians, declared war on Constantine. Constantine's forces were incomparably weaker than Maxentius, and he felt that he alone could not defeat his enemy. “Therefore,” as Eusebius, a writer of that time, narrates, “Constantine began to think about which God to call to his aid. And it occurred to him that not a small number of former sovereigns, having placed their hope in many gods, were deceived in their expectations and suffered defeat, and that, on the contrary, his father, who throughout his life revered the One Most High God, had signs of His protection. Constantine began to call on Him, to ask and beg that He would appear, admonish him and in the upcoming task, extend His right hand to him. Diligently offering his prayers and offerings, he received the most amazing sign sent from God. “Walking against Maxentius, who was imprisoned in Rome, during the hours of the day, when the sun had already begun to decline to the west,” said the king himself, “with my own eyes I saw with my own eyes the sign of the cross made of light and lying in the sun with the inscription: hereby conquer.” This vision filled with horror both himself and the entire army, which, not knowing where, followed him and continued to contemplate the miracle that had appeared. Konstantin was perplexed, what would such a phenomenon mean? The next night, Christ, the Son of God, appeared to him in a dream with a sign seen in heaven, and commanded him to build a military banner in its likeness and use it for protection from enemy attacks. As soon as daylight appeared, Constantine told his secret to those close to him and then, calling on people who knew how to handle gold and precious stones, and describing to them the image of the sign, he ordered the same to be made from gold and precious stones in its likeness. We once happened to see this banner with our own eyes. It had the following appearance: on a long spear, covered with gold, there was a cross-section at the top, forming with the spear the image of a cross. At the very top of the spear, a wreath of precious stones and gold lay motionless, and on the wreath was the sign of the Name of Savior: the first two letters showed the name of Christ, from the middle of which came the letter r. Later the king had the custom of wearing these letters on his helmet. On the diameter of the spear hung a thin white cloth - royal fabric, covered with various precious stones, shining with rays of light. Embroidered with gold, this board seemed inexpressibly beautiful to the spectators and, hanging on the cross-section, had the same latitude and longitude. On a straight spear, the lower end of which was very long, above the sign of the cross, at the very top of the fabric, hung a chest image made of gold of the God-loving king and his children. The king always used this saving sign, as a defensive weapon, to defeat opposing and hostile forces, and he ordered that similar banners be worn in all troops. Struck by the wondrous vision and deciding not to honor any other God other than what he had seen, Constantine called to him the mysteries of His word and asked them who that God was and what was the meaning of the sign that he saw. They answered him that God, who appeared to him, is the only begotten Son of the One and Only God, and the sign that appeared is a sign of immortality and a solemn sign of the victory over death that He won in the days of His earthly life. Then, having revealed in detail the doctrine of the incarnation, they explained to Constantine the reasons for the coming of the Son of God to earth. Constantine was admonished by their words and, comparing the heavenly vision with a verbal explanation, was confirmed in his thoughts. He began to read the Divine Scriptures. Moreover, he commanded the priests of God to be with him, in the thought that the seen God should be honored by all means of service. Having thus secured himself with good hopes for Him, he finally hastened to extinguish the flame of the enemy fire. Calling on the God of all and calling on His Christ as Savior and Helper, also placing a victorious banner with a saving sign in front of his men-at-arms and bodyguards, Constantine set out with his army against Maxentius, who had strengthened himself in Rome. By the power of God, Constantine overthrew the enemy, who, fleeing, was thrown from the Nitvian bridge into the Tiber, 15 versts from Rome, and drowned. The winner triumphantly entered the reigning city, where everyone greeted Constantine with cheerful faces and hearts, with blessings and inexpressible joy. But, possessing innate piety, he was not at all vain with the people’s exclamations and did not become proud of the praises, but, aware of God’s help, he immediately offered a prayer of gratitude to the Author of the victory. With nationwide monuments and signatures, he told everyone the power of the saving sign of Christ. In the midst of the royal city, he erected this sacred banner and inscribed definitely and indelibly that this saving banner is the guardian of the Roman Empire and the entire kingdom. When a statue of him was erected in the most crowded place in Rome, he immediately ordered that tall spear in the form of a cross to be set in the hand of his image and the following inscription to be inscribed in Latin: “with this saving sign, a true testimony of courage, I saved and freed our city from the yoke of the tormentor and returned the freedom, former splendor and celebrity to the Roman Senate and people.” Subsequently, Constantine and his soldiers repeatedly experienced the power and help of the cross. According to the legend of Eusebius, “where the banner of the cross was shown, the enemies fled, and the victors pursued them.” When the king found out about this, the saving banner, as the most effective means of victory, ordered to be transferred to where he saw any of his regiments weakened. With this sign, victory was immediately restored, because those who fought under it were strengthened by cheerfulness and strength sent from above. Therefore, Constantine ordered those of his shield-bearers who were distinguished by their strength of body, strength of soul and pious disposition to serve solely in the service of this banner. There were no more than fifty such men in number; they had no other duty than to stand around the banner, or follow it as a guard; Usually each of them alternately carried it on their shoulders. The writer of this story, Eusebius, was told about this by the king himself and added the following to his story: “Once, in the very heat of the battle, there was a noise in the army and confusion spread. At this time, the one carrying the banner suffered greatly from timidity and therefore handed over his burden to another in order to flee from the battlefield. When one accepted the banner, and the other left and was already far away, an arrow shot pierced his belly and took his life. Accepting punishment for the timidity of unbelief, he fell and died. On the contrary, for the one who took the saving banner, it became the guardian of his life, so that no matter how many arrows were fired at him, he remained unharmed. Thus, the cross, considered the most shameful instrument of execution, became a sign of the triumph and victory of Christianity over paganism. Since then, Constantine has prohibited punishment by crucifixion; he decorated banners and weapons with the image of a cross on them; He built a tent outside the camp, where he erected a cross, and often retired there to offer prayers to God. Soon after, Constantine was baptized, destroyed all pagan temples and declared the Christian faith dominant throughout the Roman Empire. b) Finding the Honorable Cross of St. Elena. Tsar Constantine, in gratitude for his victory and the wonderful manifestations of God's grace, wished to build a temple in Jerusalem on the spot where the Lord was crucified, in order to make this place an object of universal reverence. His mother, St., helped him a lot in this enterprise. Elena. In 326, she came to Jerusalem to venerate the holy places and find the Cross on which the Savior sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. It was assumed that the Cross would be found on Golgotha, because the Jews were in the habit of burying the instruments of execution at the place where the execution was carried out. But where was Golgotha? The Jews deeply covered the place where the Cross of the Lord was laid, as if anticipating that it would be a sign of their rejection of God. And not only Jews, but also pagans subsequently, out of hatred for Christians, tried to blot out and hide the place of the Savior’s suffering. In 119, by order of Adrian, the cave where Christians gathered to venerate the Holy Cross was filled with earth, paved with stone, and an idol church was erected here. St. Helena, with Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem, spent a long time looking for the Cross of the Lord. Finally, the queen turned to the Jews, and after a threat, they pointed out to her one elderly Jew, named Judas, who knew the location of the Cross, but he began to excuse himself by not knowing. Then they put him in a deep ditch and began to starve him; Having stayed there without food for 6 days, he was finally forced to show what he was looking for to St. a place I heard about in infancy from my grandfather. The idol church located here was destroyed, and when the place was cleared, a cave was opened where the Holy Sepulcher was, and three crosses were immediately found, and separately from them a board with an inscription in Hebrew, Greek and Roman, according to the testimony of the Evangelist John: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. But how was it possible to distinguish the Cross of the Lord from other crosses when all three crosses lay together and the inscription was separate from them? Then God miraculously pointed to the Cross on which the Savior was crucified. This is what the legend tells us. At the time when St. Elena and Macarius were perplexed as to which Cross of the Lord they were carrying the body of the deceased. St. Helena ordered to stop the procession and place the crosses, one by one, on the body of the deceased; and when the Cross of the Lord was laid down, the dead man came to life. The Cross was also placed on the sick woman, and she was immediately healed. St. Helena, the patriarch and all those present at this miracle bowed with joy and reverence and kissed the life-giving Cross; but the crowd of people was so great that it did not allow everyone to approach him, and many wanted to at least see him. Then Patriarch Macarius ascended to an elevated place and from there showed the Holy Cross, erecting or raising it. The people prayed with reverence and cried out: “Lord, have mercy.” And many pagans believed in Christ and were baptized. Thus, the day of the discovery of the Cross became the beginning of the annual feast of the Exaltation and those prayers, worship and kisses that were preserved by the Orthodox Church. In the very place where St. was found. The cross, the church was erected in the name of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The event of finding the Cross of the Lord happened on May 3, 326. Its initial celebration took place on the second day of St. Easter. When Constantine the Great, in gratitude to God for the victory given to him over Maxentius, built the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, then the celebration of the Cross was moved to September 14, since the consecration of the newly built Christian church at the site of the suffering and death of the Savior of the world took place on September 13. c) Return of the Holy Cross from Persia. The memory of this event was added to the Feast of the Exaltation later, in the 7th century. Almost 300 years of St. The Cross of Christ was in the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection, remaining the subject of special reverence for all Christians. But in 612, according to the inscrutable fate of God, a terrible disaster broke out over Jerusalem. Upon the accession of the Greek (Byzantine) emperor Phocas, in 603, Khosroes II, king of Persia, soon declared war on him, which lasted for many years. Heraclius I, who deposed Phocas, continued the war with the Persians, who in 614 crossed the Jordan and besieged Jerusalem, which at that time belonged to the Byzantine Empire. After a bloody battle, they took possession of it, burned the Church of the Resurrection, killed many priests, monastics and many Christians, stole everything that was valuable in the Church of the Resurrection, and, by the way, the Cross of the Lord. For fourteen years the Persians ruled St. cross. Finally, at the end of 628, Saroes, the son of Khosroes, defeated by Heraclius, was forced to return the Cross. Heraclius himself, with the patriarch, the clergy and a multitude of people, met the Cross of the Lord in Constantinople and then accompanied him to Jerusalem, so that there he could also offer thanks to God for the return of St. Cross and for the victory granted to him. Having reached the Mount of Olives, Heraclius took the Cross on his shoulders to carry it to the place of execution. But the patriarch, who accompanied the king, noticed to him that the Son of God carried the cross to Golgotha ​​not in royal majesty, but in the humble form of a servant. Touched by the inspiration of the saint, the king took off his royal clothes, put on his poor clothes and, with his head open and bare feet, carried him into the Church of the Resurrection of St. Cross and placed it in the place from where it was kidnapped by the Persians. Christians looked with joy at the triumph of the return of the Cross of the Lord. In the Temple of Jerusalem, in imitation of the ancient Exaltation, the Honorable Cross was again erected by the hands of the patriarch, and the people again exclaimed in tenderness: “Lord, have mercy.” The Orthodox Church added the Finding and Return of the Holy Cross from Persia to the Feast of the Exaltation, and this addition added more solemnity to this holiday. He is numbered among the twelve, and on this day the church established a fast in memory of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remembering the Exaltation of the Cross, the church especially glorifies its Divine power, as a guarantee of victory and life, and therefore calls it the Life-Giving One and depicts its power with the following prayer: “Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories to our blessed emperor against resistance, and preserving Thy residence through Thy cross” - (troparion of the holiday). Since the power of the cross was especially manifested in the victories of the faithful sovereigns over their enemies, therefore the church on this day prays for the granting of victory to our emperor. (“Sunday Afternoon”, 1888, No. 36, pp. 405–408). The further history of the Cross of Christ is as follows: When Palestine was conquered by the Turks, then to liberate the holy land, Western Christians equipped a large army - the crusaders, which, approaching Jerusalem in 1099, took it from the Turks (July 11). Jerusalem Christians met their liberators, the Crusaders, from St. A cross, the look of which so delighted the crusaders that they saw on the cross, as it were, the crucified Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The joy of the Christians was so great that St. The cross was solemnly carried through the streets of Jerusalem, it was kissed, hugged, cried, and shed with tears of joy, until it was again placed in the Church of the Resurrection. After this, the Turks several times intended to take Jerusalem from the Christian crusaders, but the Cross of the Lord, worn in the ranks of the army, protected and inspired the crusaders against the Turks, giving victory after victory. So Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem, always attributed failures in the war to the absence of the Holy Cross in the ranks of the troops. Under Baldwin III, during the war, the Turks lit thorns in the fields through which the crusaders had to pass, whose death was inevitable, since, on the one hand, the enemies struck Christians with clouds of arrows, and on the other, the acrid smoke did not allow the defenders of the Holy Cross to breathe. Then, in difficult moments of danger, the Bishop of Nazareth, having prayed, erected the honorable Cross of Christ, and the wind, changing direction, drove all the smoke towards the enemies. During the Third Crusade (1171–1188) against Saladin, the Cross of Christ was also in the ranks of the troops, which, being placed on an eminence, during the Battle of Tiberias inspired the pious warriors so that Saladin himself spoke of their bravery and courage with undisguised annoyance. But when during this battle the Ptolemaid bishop holding the Cross of the Lord was killed, the latter fell into the hands of the enemies. A desperate cry rang out in the ranks of Christian soldiers and, despite all the efforts of Christians to take away from their enemies the instrument of our salvation - St. The cross, by the inscrutable fate of God, remained in the hands of the unfaithful Turks. Then the warriors threw down their weapons, no longer thought about escape and salvation, but they themselves threw themselves at the swords and spears of their enemies. The battlefield presented a spectacle of despair, sorrow and terrible grief... Christians, having lost the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, were no longer afraid of losing freedom and dear life. After the battle, the Cross of the Lord was taken by enemies to the city of Baghdad, where it remained for more than 30 years, since Saladin and his successors did not want to return it to Christians for any treasure in the world. Only in 1221, after a successful war, was Wed returned to Christians. The cross, from which from that time on they began to separate and give large parts of the Cross of the Lord, as a blessing, to some large cities. One large part of the Holy Cross is located in Constantinople; its other part is in Jerusalem; The Greeks also have most of it located and stored in a golden ark, which stands behind the throne. Many Russian cities and even villages have small particles of it embedded in altar crosses and reliquaries. And thus, the Cross of the Lord, according to Cyril of Jerusalem, was divided to all ends of the universe, for the salvation of which Christ was crucified for us sinners. 3. How should you depict the sign of the cross on yourself? On the day of the celebration of the cross, it is most fitting to talk about the cross. Yes, it is always proper for us Christians to talk about the cross. The cross is the instrument of our salvation. The cross is our reconciliation with God. The cross is also our life-giving, victorious power, fortress, affirmation and protection. So, reader, conquer with the cross and conquer everything contrary to faith and salvation, internal enemies - your passions, and all visible and invisible - all the power of the enemy. Passions will attack you, your internal enemies at home will rise up against you, for example, anger, vengeance, pride, protect your chest with the sign of the cross, and your enemies will be crushed. Such is the power of the cross! But how should you depict the sign of the cross on yourself? Let's talk about this now. First of all, we must depict the sign of the cross with living faith. The sign of the cross itself is an external sign that can receive meaning only from the internal meaning that we connect with it. And if we do not depict this sign on ourselves with faith in Christ the Savior, who died for us on the cross, with faith and in the gracious power of the cross of the Lord itself - the instrument of our salvation: in this case, our sign of the cross, no matter how much we put it on ourselves, will be devoid of Christian meaning and will remain displeasing to God: without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). You must, secondly, inscribe on yourself the sign of St. cross, according to the establishment of St. church, by joining the first three fingers of the right hand in the name of the Holy Trinity. When we inscribe St. cross with three fingers together: then by the very combination of our fingers we express the same thing that we often express with our lips when making the sign of the cross, saying: in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and, therefore, by the very union of our fingers we confess faith in the Trinitarian God, which is first of all required of us, both, in general, in the matter of our salvation, and, in particular, when using the sign of the cross. On the other hand, this custom of making the sign of the cross with three fingers is also worthy of all our respect because it has always and everywhere been used in the Orthodox Church, not only here in Russia, but also in other countries of the world, and is not a new and private custom. Therefore, you yourself see how inappropriate all the reproaches regarding our Orthodox finger constitution are from the Old Believers: they extremely unfairly mock the three-finger constitution and boast about their two-finger constitution. God grant that they also love the three-fingered addition, as they now love the two-fingered one! Finally, one must place on oneself the sign of St. cross so that the Holy Cross is actually inscribed on us. cross, and so that this cross, according to the instructions of St. church, its upper end touched our forehead, its lower end touched our chest, and its sides touched our shoulders. Otherwise, if our sign of the cross does not contain the actual cross, how can we expect saving actions from it? Believing on himself the sign of St. cross during prayer and imprinting it on our forehead, chest and shoulders, we thereby sanctify and, as it were, dedicate and sacrifice to the Lord our mind with our thoughts and knowledge, our heart with its feelings and desires, and our mental and physical forces with their activities. And therefore, how unreasonably those Christians act who are baptized, even in church, apparently amused by foreign objects, or, instead of depicting the cross, make some hasty, disorderly movement with their hand on their chest, which has no meaning. Such people are like careless warriors who, being among enemies and having weapons, carelessly take them up and point them in the opposite direction, without thinking the least about protecting themselves from enemies. Such a careless sign of the cross brings no benefit to our soul, but only harm. But this still does not mean so much in comparison with what terrible abuses are made of the sign of the cross in our country. Tell me, what do you do when you swear in vain? You are baptized, that is, you make the sign of the cross on yourself and give the guarantee of the Lord crucified on the cross. How do you deceive others? - The sign of the cross. How do you pass off lies as truth? - The sign of the cross. How do you substantiate your slander against your neighbor? - The sign of the cross. How do you get rid of your debts? - The sign of the cross. While the hand of an unworthy Christian makes the sign of the cross, his wicked lips at the same time spew out blasphemies, curses, curses, and various obscene words; his heart boils with anger and vengeance, his mind plots for the destruction of others; and thus the sign of the cross is blasphemed by everyone through our unworthy life and is used as if it were an unsacred image; Even those who have not been baptized hardly dare to commit such blasphemy, and for such blasphemy, according to the word of the Apostle, our destruction will not rest (2 Pet. 2:3). Orthodox Christians! Never abandon the work of the Lord and be afraid to do it carelessly; in the word of God it is written: cursed is man, do the work of the Lord with negligence (Jer. 48:10). Wherever you are - whether in God's church, in a house, on the way; Whether you are eating food, doing work, or going to sleep, always put the sign of the cross on yourself in the proper manner, with reverence and faith in Christ crucified on the cross. Then the Lord, for your piety and reverence, will send down His grace and blessing to you and preserve you from all evil. Do not look at those people who, although they are considered educated, but, imitating some fashion, of course created by the suggestion of the evil one, do not follow the pious custom of being baptized. They are bitterly mistaken and sin... And you try to confess, at every opportunity, the crucified Lord - both in word and with the sign of the cross, and never be ashamed of this confession. “Don’t be ashamed,” says St. John Chrysostom about the sign of the cross - do not be ashamed of the cross, so that Christ will not be ashamed of you when He comes with His glory, and when a sign brighter than the rays of the sun appears before Him” (Explanations, on Gospel Matthew, Conversations 34). (See “Christian Conversations,” appendix to the magazine “Nast. Sobes.” for 1899). 4. Stories about the power of the sign of the cross It is impossible to count all the cases in which St. the men of God struck and drove away St. the cross of the devil and his angels: the lives of the saints are filled with legends about this. I. Know that there is no such passion, no such lust, that could resist the all-conquering power of the cross. These are not our words. “When you,” says St. John Chrysostom, “make the sign of the cross, remember all the power of the cross, all the work of the cross, and you will extinguish the rage and all other passions” (St. Chrysostom, demon. on Matthew 54), you will extinguish all this, in the words of St. Gregory the Theologian (in his words “about human nature”), the “cooling fire” that consumes your flesh, torments your heart. This is one of many examples showing how decisively our flesh is conquered by the power of St. cross! St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, narrates (see “Limonar”, or “Spiritual Meadow”, chapter 3) that a certain presbyter named Conon, performing St. baptism over the Hellenes who turned to the Christian faith, and immersing them in St. waters not only of husbands, but also of wives and virgins - he felt such strong impulses of passion within himself that he finally decided to leave his place of ministry forever and set off to flee to the mountains... But the fugitive was overtaken by the appearance of St. John the Baptist stopped him and marked St. three times. cross, and with this weapon “took away the warfare” of the flesh from him. The presbyter immediately returned to his place, and no longer felt any lust in himself, no matter who he happened to immerse. “If you, my brother,” says St. Ephraim the Syrian, - you will always use St. cross to help yourself, then evil will not come to you, and the plague will not come close to your dwelling” (St. Ephraim the Syrian “words to the honest and life-giving cross”). For the cross, as St. teaches. Cyril of Jerusalem, “great protection given to the poor and weak without difficulty” (Public lecture XIII, 36). II. Protecting ourselves with the holy cross from enemies and from everyday disasters, we must find in it a doctor for our ailments, both mental and physical. “But how,” someone might think, “can the cross heal bodily illnesses when we all have St. cross and, meanwhile, are forced to use other medicines to cure our infirmities? Oh! This does not depend at all on St. cross. The fault is in ourselves. Apparently, we either do not use it, or do not use it as we should, not with living faith and love, not with firm hope, using this saving medicine. But turn to our sacred chronicles, to the biographies of God’s holy men: here, one might say, you will see on every page how multi-healing the power of the cross of Christ is. Let us point out at least some of the countless examples. So, according to the legend of St. Prochorus, disciple of John the Theologian, St. The apostle, with the sign of the cross, once healed a sick man who was lying along the way (Life of St. John the Theologian, Sept. 26). A certain pious Ir, according to the instructions of St. Apostle Philip, drew with his hand the image of the cross of Christ on the damaged members of the ailing Aristarchus, and immediately the withered hand was healed, the eye received its sight, the hearing was opened, and the sick man became healthy (Life of St. Apostle Philip, November 14). Rev. Macrina, sister of St. Vasily V., suffering “from a certain fierce faith on her Persians,” asked her mother to cross the sore spot, and as soon as this medicine was used, she instantly received healing (Life of St. Macrina, July 19). III. But the miraculous cross of Christ not only healed ailments, it even made the human body unharmed either from flames, or from the jaws of ferocious beasts, or from deadly poisons. Yes, St. The First Martyr Thekla crossed “a lot of wood and firewood collected under her for her burning,” and the fire did not dare to touch her body (Life of St. Thekla, Sept. 24). The Holy Martyr Basilissa of Nicomedia protected herself with the sign of the cross and, in the midst of the flames, in a kindled oven, “stood for many hours in the burning fires,” without any harm (Life of the Holy Martyr Basilissa, Sept. 4). Doomed to be eaten by animals, St. The martyrs Avdon and Sennis imprinted St. the cross, and fierce beasts, like meek lambs, kissed the feet of the men of God (Life of the Holy Martyr. Abdon and Sennis, July 1). IV. The power of the cross drives out demons. One day, the devil attacked St. Cyprian. Unable to do anything to get rid of his tormentor, Cyprian exclaimed: “God, help me!” and at the same time crossed himself. The devil immediately, like an arrow, bounced off him and disappeared (“Ch. M.”, Oct. 2 d.). It is impossible not to recall here the remarkable incident that St. tells about. Gregory of Nazianzus. Julian the apostate once decided “to confer with underground demons about the future in one of the terrible caves inaccessible to the people.” But suddenly “the brave man is seized with horror; with every step he becomes more frightened... Struck by accident, as inexperienced in such a matter, he resorts to the cross, this ancient aid, and is marked by it against horrors. The sign worked, the demons were defeated, fears dissipated. But the apostate tries to go further, and again the same horrors. He is baptized again, and the demons subside” (“St. Gregory. or Theologian, word 1, denounces King Julian”). V. In conclusion, let us cite the testimony of heaven about the power of the cross, which is rejected and even condemned by the madmen of our time - the Stundists. One of the doctors of Emperor Constantine the Great, Probian, who converted to Christianity from paganism, accepted all the tenets of the Christian faith only because he found them plausible, but did not allow the cross of Christ to be the basis for the salvation of people - in a word, he did not honor the cross of the Lord. Once he was in the church. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appears to him and, pointing to one of the images of the cross of the Lord, said: “since the crucifixion of Christ, of all the deeds and cases aimed at the general benefit of the human race and to the private benefit of some people, nothing has been done without the cross either by holy angels or pious people” (“Cer. ist. Sosom., book 2, chapter 3”). 5. Why do we worship the cross of Christ? Why do we adore and honor the cross of Christ? Because 1) that Christ, the King and Lord, was crucified on it (John 19:17; John 19:19; John 19:25; John 19:31; Matthew 27:40, etc.), who redeemed us through His suffering on the cross from the sin, curse and death that weighed down the human race. “Having nailed Adam’s bold sin to the cross, He tore (destroyed) the handwriting of our sins (Col. 2:14), reconciled God with man” (Eph. 3:16; Col. 1:20; John 14:27), in which God’s immeasurable love for fallen humanity was manifested. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 2) Here, on the cross, victory was achieved over the devil, the enemy of the salvation of the human race. Through the cross of Christ, his wiles were destroyed and the gates of hell were crushed, and those bound by sinful captivity received freedom and the right to be called sons of God and members of the church of Christ (Matthew 12:20; Luke 11:21–22; John 1:12; Col. 2:15; 2 Cor. 6:16). 3) The Cross of Christ is a victorious sign of the Church of Christ, for by the power of the Cross of Christ, visible and invisible enemies are defeated. The Cross of Christ is a divine weapon to drive away every enemy and adversary (1 Cor. 1:18; Luke 1:71–74: Matt. 12:44). 4) The Cross of Christ is the beginning and the end of our salvation (John 3:16–17; John 3:36). Without the cross we are not Christians, we are not members of the Church of Christ, we are not sons of God. We are born for the cross, we live with the cross and we die with the cross (Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 28:19; Luke 14:27; Mark 10:21; Mark 16:16). The Cross of Christ is our armor, or garment, in which we must put on (Matthew 20:22–23; Mark 10:38–39; Luke 12:50) during our earthly labors, so that we can immediately be distinguished from every other faith or non-believer (Rev. 7:3; Ezek. 9:4). 5) The Cross of Christ is praise for a Christian and a terrible punishment for those who turn away and abhor the cross of Christ, for those who fall away from the Church of Christ because of it and for the enemies of God (Gal.6:14.24; 1Cor.1:18; Heb.13:13; Heb.6:6; Phil.3:18). And, finally, 6) the cross of Christ is a terrible sign on the day of the terrible and final judgment of God for all opponents of the name of Christ (antichrists). (Matthew 24:30). Closely connected with the meaning of the cross of Christ is the question of its shape and the depiction of the sign of the cross by hand. The shape of the cross of Christ was depicted differently at different times, and the oldest of them is undoubtedly the one that was used by the pagan Romans for those crucified on crosses. According to some evidence, it was three-pointed and very similar to the image of the Greek letter (T). And Christians have one that has survived to this day. This form of two types of cross: straight (+) or four-pointed and eight-pointed. Both images of the cross of Christ are holy and venerable because of the Lord Jesus crucified on the cross. But we think that the truest and most correct form of His cross was shown to us by Christ our Savior crucified on the cross, who stretched out His most pure hands and thereby, as it were, attracted both (i.e., Jews and pagans) to reconciliation with God and salvation through His suffering on the cross, death and resurrection. (See the life of I. Chr. according to the ancient and popular history of Skvortsov. Kyiv, 1876, p. 205. In Farrar’s “The Life of I. Chr.”, trans. Lopukhin, p. 436. 1885). As for the depiction of the sign of the cross by hand on the forehead and chest in the form of the cross of Christ, it dates back to apostolic times. According to the testimony of Tertullian and Basil the Great, already in the 2nd century. Christians depicted the sign of the cross on their foreheads at the beginning of each new task, when they entered or left the house, when they got dressed, sat down at the table, went to bed, and so on. Since the times of the apostles, the sign of the cross has been used during worship and the celebration of sacraments. In the evangelists (Matthew 19:13; Matthew 19:15; Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 16:16–17; Luke 24:50) we find indications of the image of performing the sign of the cross, and in the Old Testament we find a prototype of this in cruciform actions and folding of hands (Exodus 12:7; Exodus 12:13 ; Num.21:5–9 ; Ezek.9:4 ; John 3:14 ). The Apostle Paul, comparing the Old Testament prototype with the New Testament image, commands in his letter to Timothy (1-2, 8) the use of raising hands with the sign of the cross during prayer, which serves as a sign of Christ’s victory over the devil through the cross. There is no doubt that the apostles themselves used the sign of the cross and blessed with the sign of the cross in the name of Jesus Christ. (See about the ring for the sign of the cross and the blessing of Bes. Nikanor, Archbishop of Kherson. S.-Pb. 1890. pp. 5, 59, etc.). Wearing the cross of Christ around the neck is also very ancient. It dates back to the first times of Christianity and is an undoubted visible sign of belonging to Christ and His Church, and, on the other hand, it is a sign and protection of oneself by that invisible and saving power that defeats the devil, death and all evil. All this can be seen from the story of the torment of St. Orestes, who, wearing the image of the cross of Christ around his neck, thereby confessed his belonging to the Church of Christ and Christ, and, while serving among the pagan troops (under Lysias), was not afraid of his enemies, visible and invisible, and, armed with the power of the cross of Christ, was not afraid of death and accepted the crown of martyrdom as a sign of victory over the enemies of salvation. (Cheti Menaia, ed. 1837, M. Dec. 13 d. book. 1. sheet 80). The Holy Church, consecrating this saving sign to be worn on the chest, prays: may it be for everyone who wears it, protection and protection from all evil, saving soul and body, and multiplying in him spiritual gifts and Christian virtues; may it be filled with strength and strength to drive away and destroy all the devil’s machinations, to protect the soul and body from visible and invisible enemies, and from all evil. That is why we venerate the cross of Christ. Come, all faithful, let us worship the honorable cross of Christ! (From the magazine “Sunday Day”, 1893, No. 8, pp. 118–119). 6. About the four-pointed cross The Orthodox Church venerates the cross not for the sake of the number of ends, but for the sake of remembering the suffering of the Lord; worships not the substance of the cross, not only four or eight ends, but the Lord I. Christ, crucified on the cross. “We bow to the image of the Honest and Life-giving Cross,” says St. John of Damascus, - even if it comes from other things, not materially, - let it not be! But the image is like a symbol of Christ” (I. Dam. book 4, on faith, ch. 12), and in another place: “having seen the image of Christ’s baptism and the saving suffering that has come into memory, we worship the fallen not as a substance, but as formed” (ibid., ch. VII). In agreement with this view, the Orthodox Church equally reveres both the four-pointed and eight-pointed cross. On Orthodox churches, on sacred vessels and vestments, both types of cross are found. The schismatics claim that the true and life-giving cross of Christ is only an 8-pointed cross, that is, consisting of a straight tree, a transverse tree, a title and a foot. On this cross, in their opinion, I. Christ was crucified; He sanctified this type of cross with His blood. The four-pointed cross is not the true cross of Christ, but a Latin one, and therefore the Orthodox Church, in honoring it, acts unfairly, contrary to the teachings of the church fathers and church custom. Nikon, according to Nikita Pustosvyat, by venerating this cross “violated his immaculate faith in Christ.” Some of the schism teachers reached such blindness that they recognized the four-pointed cross as the seal of the Antichrist. Such a teaching appeared among the schismatics a long time ago. It is found in the writings of the first schismatic teachers (Nicetas, Lazarus, monk Abraham, in the Solovetsky petition, and especially originally presented by Avvakum) and is revealed in detail in the “Pomeranian Answers.” For a long time, all schismatics, without exception, adhered to it. But formed in the 18th century. the agreement of the deacons abandoned the teachings of the founders of the schism and recognized the four-pointed cross. The priests later did the same when they adopted the “District Message.” 1) According to schismatics, the four-pointed cross is not the true cross of Christ, but a Latin cross, and therefore does not deserve honor and worship. But this opinion of theirs completely disagrees with the teaching of the church fathers, who clearly testify that the four-pointed cross is the true cross of Christ. So Rev. Ephraim the Syrian calls the cross that we place on ourselves life-giving, which means it is four-pointed. He writes: “Confirm all udah with the life-giving cross.” He further calls this cross the true cross of Christ, saying: “This was quickly erected in place with a forehead,” and below: “With this weapon we drag Christ our God, who opened the all-unfed womb of hell” (Sk. 102 about praise to the cross). St. Athanasius Vel. testifies that the cross, folded from two trees, should be worshiped. “The image of the cross from two trees copulates. Whenever someone reproaches us from the infidels, as if we were bowing down to the tree, we can, having separated both trees and destroyed the image of the cross, this indignity of the idle tree and stop the mouth of the infidel, as if we honor not the tree, but the image of the cross” (Iss. Ozer. vol. II, p. 250 in the Tablet. 1656, l. 51). In Ch.-Minea under May 7 there is the following story. In 351, during the reign of Emperor Constantius, on Holy Pentecost, May 7, an extraordinary event occurred: at about three o'clock in the afternoon, over Mount Golgotha, the sign of the Cross of the Lord appeared in the sky, its brilliance surpassing the very radiance of the sun. This sign extended from the Place of Execution to the Mount of Olives (c. 2 ver.), “and the latitude of the cross agreed with its longitude.” Obviously, the cross that appeared in heaven looked like a four-pointed cross with equal sides; meanwhile, he was shown to people by God Himself. (For other evidence, see Issue. Lakes, part II, pp. 251–271 and in Arsenyev’s brochure: “On the equal veneration of the Holy Cross, four-pointed and eight-pointed.” Published by the Brothers of St. Peter Metropolitan). 2) According to the schismatics, the four-pointed cross is an innovation introduced by Patr. Nikon, but that is not what the material monuments of antiquity say. In them, along with eight-pointed and six-pointed crosses, there are quite a few four-pointed crosses. Thus, in the St. Sophia Cathedral of Constantinople, turned into a Turkish mosque, in many places on the columns and walls there are four-pointed crosses carved into marble, which have survived intact to this day. In the altar of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral there is the so-called four-pointed Korsun cross. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra houses a Byzantine copper cross, four-pointed, St. Mark of the Cave (XI century) On the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral and on many other ancient Novgorod churches there are four-pointed crosses. In the excavations of Chersonesos, many church marble round columns, capitals and parts of iconostases were found, on which convex crosses, all four-pointed, are depicted. Kherson was deserted at the end of the 13th century or the beginning. XIV century, and the columns, capitals and parts of the iconostasis were made, of course, in a flourishing time and therefore much earlier than the XIII century. On the Moscow Annunciation Cathedral, built under Ivan Vasilyevich in 1488, there is a four-pointed cross. (For other evidence, see Issue Ozer. Part II. pp. 273–279 and Arsenyev’s brochure). Despite such clear and numerous evidence, schismatics do not agree to recognize the four-pointed cross as the true cross of Christ, but call it the Latin kryzh and say that it was not revered in Russia. To prove that the four-pointed cross was not revered in Russia, schismatics refer to the story of the arrival of the papal legate Anthony in Moscow, with Princess Sophia, placed in the Nikon Chronicle. It says here that when the legate entered Moscow, and before him they carried a cross, given by the pope for greater honor, then Metropolitan. Filaret, asked about this by Prince John Vasilyevich III, said: “It is not powerful for him to be able to enter this city, but to come closer. If you do this, even if you want to honor him, then he is at the gates of the city, and yaz, your father, other gates are from the city... Having heard this, the great prince from the saint sent an envoy to that lyagatos, so as not to go out of doors before him, but commanded him to be hidden” (Nik. Let. Part 6, pp. 49-50). But here, obviously, disrespect was shown not to the cross, but to the legate, who by carrying the cross before himself wanted to bring honor to himself and his church. 3) Finally, schismatics say that the four-pointed cross is the seal of the Antichrist. But such an opinion has not the slightest basis either in Holy Scripture or in the works of the fathers and teachers of the church, and is nothing more than an impious blasphemy against the honest and life-giving cross of the Lord. According to St. Hippolytus, Pope, and St. Ephraim the Syrian, who has the seal of the Antichrist on himself will not be able to depict the sign of the cross on himself, but his hand will be tied (B. Council, l. 131, Ephr. Sir. f. 105, l. 298). Meanwhile, each of the Orthodox Christians depicts the sign of the cross on themselves. St. Hippolytus says: “The Lord gave a sign to those who believe in Him, an honorable cross, and to that one (the Antichrist) he will likewise give his sign” (l. 127 in the B. Cathedral), and further: “all who have turned away from God and believed in the lascivious way (Antichrist) have accepted the mark of the vile God-fighter, instead of the life-giving cross of Spasov” (l. 133 vol.). From here it is clear that the seal of the Antichrist will not be the life-giving cross of the Savior, but the mark of the vile fighter against God, or, as John the Theologian says, the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Rev. 13:17). Finally, if the four-pointed cross is the seal of the Antichrist, then why are schismatics marked by this seal? The schismatics object: honoring the four-pointed and eight-pointed cross, Orthodox. The church honors the two crosses of the Lord. - No. “Like an icon of Christ, whether it is complete, representing the entire image of the body to the feet, or shortened, for example, half-length, or representing only an essential part of the image, the face, for example, on an image not made by hands, there is always one icon of the one Christ and is equally revered: so the cross of Christ, whether it is full or abbreviated, as it is, four-pointed and equal-pointed, is always one cross of the one Christ, and is equally venerated in the Orthodox Church.” (m. Filaret). Moreover, if the Orthodox, venerating the eight-pointed and four-pointed cross, venerate two different crosses, then the schismatics, venerating the eight-pointed and six-pointed cross, also venerate two crosses. (Extracted and abbreviated from the book “Guide to the exposure of the Russian schism.” Ed. 2. K. Plotnikova, pp. 138–148). 7. Explanation of the dogma of atonement based on the lives of the saints I. The Holy Martyr Akaki taught St. faith of the prisoners who were with him in prison: “The Son of God, having come into the world, took flesh from the Most Holy and Most Pure Virgin Mary and, having become a man, willingly endured the cross, so that with the wood of the cross he would atone for the sin of Adam’s disobedience and with His free suffering would repay satisfaction for us and give remission to the condemned man, for, being nailed on the cross, He tore handwriting written on us, and forgave sin, and. With His death He crushed death, captured hell, disgracing all the power and authority of the devil; then he rose from the dead on the third day and granted to the human race that everyone would be resurrected and live for endless ages” (Ch. Menaion, May 7th). II. For the Jews, who were waiting for the promised Messiah as a glorious conqueror, the word of the cross, that is, the sermon about the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, according to the apostle, seemed a temptation. It seemed the same to the pagans. In order for them to understand the reality and conformity with the advice of God of the suffering of the Lord, our Savior, St. saints cited Old Testament prophecies, which the Jews themselves treasured. Thus, citing many Old Testament prophecies about I. Christ, St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome, resolving the objection of the Jews about how God could suffer, admonished them: “Our Lord Jesus Christ had two natures: Divine and human; His humanity in His one person suffered for us, but His Divinity was not subject to suffering. Just as a tree illuminated by the sun’s rays, although sometimes cut, is not cut at that time by the sun’s ray, so humanity in Christ, united with the Divine, although it suffered suffering, the Divinity did not suffer” (Ch. M. January 2nd). III. The truth of the redemption and salvation of people through the suffering of the cross and the death of the Lord was confirmed by the appearances of the Crucified Lord Himself. "God! - asked St. Simeon of Divnogorets, I. Christ who appeared to him, how did the Jews crucify you?” The Lord spread His arms in a cross shape and said: “So the Jews crucified Me; but I Myself desired to be crucified.” (Ch. M. May 24th). IV. From King Diocletian, the governor Neanius (baptized Procopius) was sent to torment Christians. On the way there was a voice from heaven to him: “No, who are you going against and who are you rebelling against?” - “Sent from the king,” the commander answered with fear, to kill all those who believe in the Crucified One.” - “Oh, Neanie, are you coming at Me?” - “Who are you, Lord? I cannot know You! At that time, a bright cross appeared in the air, and a voice was heard from the cross: “I am Jesus crucified, the Son of God!” “Neanias asked with trepidation: “If You are truly the Son of God, then how could the Jews abuse You, crucify You and kill You?” Again there was a voice from the cross: “For the sake of the human race, by the will of I have raised this, so that I will deliver sinners from the power of the devil, I will seek the lost and give life to the dead. If I were not the Son of God, could I speak to you?” After these words, the cross ascended to heaven (Ch. M. July 8th). (Sn. book: “Orthodox confession of the Christian faith in the Fourth Menaech.” Archpriest A. Svirelina, St. Petersburg, 1893, pp. 100–107). The month of September. Day 25 Repose of Rev. Sergius, miracle worker of Radonezh Evang. from Luke, count. 24, ch. VI, 17–23 art. I. The Gospel about the paths to bliss, read in the days of the saints who walked this path to the kingdom of heaven One of the Savior’s conversations, heard now from the Gospel of St. Luke, conveyed to us in particular detail by the Evangelist Matthew. This is the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount about the conditions for achieving eternal bliss. The Savior began His sermon with the following words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you because of Me, for your reward is great in heaven.” We often hear in church the words of the Savior conveyed here; they are read or sung at mass, before going out with the Holy Gospel. During Great Lent they are sung after the hours, with the addition of the prayer of the repentant thief: “Remember me, Lord, when you come into Your kingdom.” Let us try to understand these divine words. We will learn from them whom the Savior calls blessed, that is, the happiest people, and how we can achieve such bliss. The bliss that the Savior speaks of is not like earthly joys. We rejoice in wealth, fame, honors; but all this very often alienates us from God. The Lord calls bliss only such well-being that is combined with purity of heart and closeness to God. Blessed are the poor in spirit. A beggar is the poorest, most helpless person; he is fed for Christ's sake; he knows that he has nothing, he bows to everyone, asks everyone for help. Why does the Savior promise the kingdom to those who are poor in their souls? Because he loves the humble, those who consider themselves the lowest of men, are never proud and admit their shortcomings. Such humble people, feeling that they cannot correct themselves without God’s help, earnestly ask Him for heavenly help and sincerely repent of their sins. These poor in spirit respect other people not for their nobility and wealth, but for their kindness and spiritual qualities. They are always ready to humbly serve their neighbors. The Savior himself always set us an example of humility. He deigned to be born into a poor family, endured insults and insults, washed the feet of His disciples and said that the Son of Man “came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life for the deliverance of many.” “Whoever wants to be first among you,” He said to His disciples, “let him be a slave to everyone.” This means that we should all work diligently and humbly for the benefit of our neighbors, without expecting rewards or even gratitude for it. The Lord has always especially loved unfortunate, suffering people. He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” How many times during His earthly life did the Savior help the unfortunate, heal the sick, comfort the suffering; Even now He gives wonderful consolations to those who turn to Him in sorrow. When we suffer from serious illness or poverty, when we lose those we love, when people persecute or offend us, where should we look for consolation and consolation? – In the divine teaching of the Savior, in warm prayer addressed to our Lord, Who, while living on earth, Himself suffered a lot. There are many unhappy children, but they are not forgotten by God. If you are an unfortunate orphan who has neither a kind mother nor a gentle father, know that the Lord, the Heavenly Father, sees your tears and loneliness. If you are sick and cannot take part in the joys of life, do not be discouraged, but be sure that the Lord sees your suffering. Pray to Him, and He will comfort you, give you strength and patience, and, if it pleases Him and is beneficial for you, He will heal you. The Lord calls blessed those who mourn, who seek consolation in Him, pray to Him and remember His suffering. “Blessed are those who mourn,” said the Savior, “for they will be comforted.” Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Learn from Me,” said the Savior, “for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” A meek man knows neither anger nor quarrel; his relatives and comrades love him, and thus he finds a reward on earth; King David speaks about the meek in his psalms: “The meek will inherit the earth and will enjoy the abundance of peace.” What is one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness? In hunger and thirst, a person wants to eat and drink; this is what his body requires, and this requirement must be met to maintain health. But man is not created from one body, he also has a soul; The soul also needs food. This food is truth, goodness, good thoughts and good deeds. A healthy body requires food, but a sick body is disgusted by it. Likewise, a sick soul does not seek truth; but a living and strong soul asks for its food, and the Lord says that such souls are blessed and will be satisfied. Where is the food for the soul? Where is the truth that should nourish the human heart? - In the law of God, in the holy teaching of Christ. There the soul will find peace; mind is guidance for all good things; the will will find rules for earthly life. And a small child can try to learn from the Holy Scriptures the will and commandments of his Creator and heavenly Father. The first and most important quenching of spiritual thirst is, furthermore, the frequent communion of the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord I. Christ. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are those who feel compassion for the suffering of their neighbor and try to help him. Let us remember how our Savior lived on earth, how much good He did, how He received the sick, and preached to the people. With what readiness He went to those who called Him and turned to Him with faith! And we must try to imitate Him; we must not only help those around us, but even look for those whom we can help with something. In any condition and even at any age, you can show mercy to your neighbor. Protecting a weak comrade, helping him in his work, giving him good advice, leading him away from a bad deed, teaching a child to pray to God, comforting him—these are good deeds that we should and can learn to do from an early age. Let us remember that if we do not do this, then the Lord will not accept our prayers, will not provide us with help, and that only those who are merciful to their neighbors will be pardoned by God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. He who does not stop his thoughts on evil, who is disgusted by every sinful pleasure, every immodest desire, has a pure heart. The Lord is the perfection of purity and holiness; therefore, only a person with a pure heart can see Him. What does it mean to see God? - This means, through the power of love, to understand His holiness and constantly have it before our eyes. Every sin, every bad thought is like a stain that little by little spreads throughout the heart and infects everything. Throughout our lives, we must try to maintain the purity of our soul and cleanse it with repentance. King David was a man chosen by God, but fell into sin. He repented from the bottom of his heart, and we repeat the prayer in which he expressed his repentance and asked: “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.” The Savior says that the peacemakers will be called sons of God. So great is the merit before the Lord of those who not only do not offend or scold anyone themselves, but also try to reconcile those who quarrel. We must constantly take care to remove every pretext and reason for quarrel; It is better to sacrifice your pleasure or your benefit than to allow yourself to commit such a sin. To be at peace with everyone, you must keep your tongue from every angry and abusive word. “The tongue,” says the Apostle James, “is a small member, but has many effects; with it we bless God and the Father, with it we curse people created in the likeness of God... Where there is envy and quarrelsomeness, there is disorder and everything bad. And the wisdom that comes from above is pure, gentle, peaceful, full of mercy and good fruits. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among those who keep peace.” We must yield to our neighbors in everything in order to maintain peace and harmony with them; in only one thing we must always stand firm, without fear of hatred or persecution - this is in the Orthodox faith and fulfillment of the commandments of Christ. No scolding, no ridicule should incline us to a bad deed or distance us from a pious act and from fulfilling the commandments of God, and if we bring trouble upon ourselves with our firmness, then we must endure it not only with patience, but also with joy. The Savior said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What terrible tortures the first Christians were subjected to! But neither execution nor the most terrible torture could convince them to renounce Christ and worship idols. The lives of the saints tell how they suffered and died for the name of Christ. The first Christians, by their life and death, established and spread the Christian faith; they commanded us to continue this holy work. We all must certainly try to do this and direct our will and abilities towards this from an early age. (Compiled from the book by Bakhmeteva: “Stories about the earthly life of I. Christ”). 2. A brief account of the life of St. Sergius The Monk Sergius was born in Rostov, in 1319, from noble and pious parents, whose names were Cyril and Mary, and at baptism he was named Bartholomew. They say that before his birth, his extraordinary incident amazed everyone. One day his mother, pregnant with him, came to church, and the unborn baby cried out three times in a loud voice. This made him pay special attention later; but, to the chagrin of his parents, when the seven-year-old boy began to be taught, his progress was weak. The teacher punished him, his parents admonished him; He himself tried as hard as he could, but he was not given a letter. From an early age he had to learn that in everything he must resort to God’s help. One day, in the forest, he suddenly saw a monk standing near a tree in prayer. The boy stopped and, waiting until he finished his prayer, approached him. “What do you need, child?” asked the monk. “I’m learning to read and write,” answered Bartholomew, but I’m doing poorly, and this upsets me. Pray to God for me, holy father, that He will help me.” The elder prayed and blessed the boy, who from then on began to make significant progress. He soon began to prefer reading to children's games. Growing up, he. more and more engaged in reading divine books; and the word of God, taking root in his heart, strengthened him in piety and in all good things. His parents had to move with their family to the city of Radonezh, not far from Moscow. His older brothers got married, and Bartholomew wished to enter monasticism; but his parents considered him too young. They wanted him to test himself first, so as not to repent later. Like a dutiful son, he obeyed; and only after their death, having ceded the inheritance to his younger brother, he went to look for a deserted place for himself. His elder brother, Stefan, who, having become a widow, entered the Khotkovo monastery, wanted to follow his example, and both brothers went together. At this time, the outskirts of Moscow were covered with almost impenetrable forests. The brothers moved several miles away from Radonezh. They fell in love with one place in the forest, and after praying, they began to cut down the forest. They made themselves a hut from leaves and brushwood, and then with their own hands they built a cell and a small wooden church in the name of St. Trinity. This is the beginning of the glorious Holy Trinity Monastery. Stephen, soon after the consecration of the church, went to Moscow and entered a monastery there; but his brother remained firm in his intention to live in the desert. In the 24th year he took monastic vows from one abbot named Mitrofan, and was named Sergius; it was October 7th, St. martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. Mitrofan, blessing him, said: “May God expand in this place a great and glorious monastery.” Then he left, and the young hermit was left alone among the impenetrable forests, which were then filled with wild animals and provided very meager means of subsistence, but faith helped Sergius overcome all the difficulties of a solitary life. Hunger, thirst, bad weather, lack of the most necessary items, nothing could overcome his patience. The hardest hardship for him was the internal struggle, the struggle against fear, despondency and mental weakness. Sometimes, after a long fast, vigil and hard work, he saw terrible visions; he heard voices saying: “Run away from here, don’t expect to live here.” But St. Sergius fought tirelessly, strengthened his spiritual strength with constant prayer, and found in it firmness and peace of mind. He was least afraid of wild animals, although they often reached his very cell. Having once seen a bear near her, which seemed hungry to him, the saint brought him a piece of bread. From then on, the bear began to often come to the cell of the hermit, who sometimes deprived himself of almost necessary food in order to feed the hungry beast. However, St. Sergius did not have to remain completely alone for long. Word of his holy life spread; they began to visit him, and people who wanted to devote themselves to God began to ask permission to settle near him. Sergius presented them with all the difficulties of desert life, but finally agreed to accept those who were not afraid of it. Up to twelve brothers gathered. With the help of St. Sergius, they set up cells and carried out the labors of living in the desert together. A priest came from other places to perform divine services: his own had not yet arrived. St. Sergius did not want to accept the rank of either abbot or presbyterate. He did not want to have any superiority over others, but served everyone, performing the most difficult jobs. He built several cells himself; he chopped wood, carried it, ground it in the mill, cooked food, sewed clothes and shoes, carried water to the mountain and put it in everyone’s cell. But the need to have an abbot became more and more sensitive; and finally, at the persistent request of the brethren and at the command of the bishop, Sergius agreed to accept this position. The bishop ordained him to the rank of presbyter and made him abbot. Sergius, entering the church, prayed for a long time with tears; then, turning to the assembled brethren, he blessed them and committed himself to their prayers, realizing his weakness. Having accepted the leadership, St. Sergius, however, did not change his lifestyle. He taught the brethren with meek words and continued to serve them in all household matters as before. Meanwhile, the number of monks grew; Archimandrite Simon, having heard about Sergius, left his abbot in Smolensk to live in obedience to him, and with his estate helped him create a church larger than before. But the funds of the monastery were still quite meager: Sergius did not allow the brethren to ask for help in the surrounding area, but taught them to hope for the mercy of God. The shortage happened often; For more than fifteen years the monastery was in such a position that it could barely be reached through impenetrable forests. Sometimes there was no wax for candles; then the torches were lit, and under this illumination the divine service was performed. The lack of food primarily befell the abbot, who cared little about himself. Once there was real famine; others had not eaten for two days, and the brothers approached Sergius so that he would allow them to go and ask for bread; but Sergius, having gathered them all for prayer, encouraged them with the mercy of God, telling them: “I believe that God will not leave us and our monastery.” And indeed, the saint’s faith was justified: one pious man sent a lot of food supplies to the monastery and renewed this offering for three days in a row. The power of the Lord more than once justified the saint’s faith. The place where he settled was waterless; The brethren sometimes complained that they had to walk far to get water. “I wanted to live here alone,” answered Sergius, “but God, who wanted a monastery to be erected in this place, is able to give us water, just as He gave water to the people of Israel in the desert.” Taking with him one of the brethren, he descended into the wilds under the monastery; there was some rainwater in a small ditch. The saint, kneeling down, prayed earnestly, and then a spring was formed, in which the water did not become scarce, and from which they still draw. The saint was given the power to perform miracles: he healed the sick through prayer and once raised the dead; but with humility he rejected the glory always bestowed upon him, commanding that he bless and thank God alone. One day the Monk Sergius, according to his custom, was praying for the brethren at night, when he suddenly heard a voice calling him. Having crossed himself, he opened the window and saw an extraordinary light from heaven. “Sergius,” said the old voice, “the Lord has heard your prayer. Look, like these birds the number of your disciples will increase.” And the saint, looking up, saw many beautiful birds surrounding the monastery on all sides. Holy Metropolitan Alexy wished to install St. Sergius as a bishop, preparing a successor for himself. Having called him, he put a golden cross on him and offered to take his rank after his death; but St. Sergius, bowing to him, humbly answered: “Forgive me, lord, from my youth I was not a gold-bearer, but in my old age I want to remain in poverty all the more.” The Metropolitan tried to convince him for a long time. “Forgive me,” the monk resolutely told him, “you want to place a burden on me beyond my strength, you will not find in me what you are looking for, for I am a sinful man.” But, despite all the alienation from the world, St. Sergius kept in his heart an ardent love for the fatherland, deeply regretted its misfortunes, and sympathized with its glory. At this time, Russia was under the rule of the Tatars. For more than a hundred years she had suffered under a cruel yoke; the princes went to the horde to worship the khan, the people were subject to heavy taxes; for the slightest disobedience, cities and entire regions were subjected to devastation and barbarian raids. Russia was not strong enough to overthrow the hated yoke. At this time, on the grand-ducal throne was Dimitri Ioannovich, a young prince who eagerly endured his position and the misfortunes of his fatherland; but it was difficult to enter into a fight with the strong khan; and he, like other princes, had to submit and ride into the horde. However, disagreements arose with Khan Mamai; Mamai sent an army, which was defeated by Demetrius at the Vozha River. Several more years passed; Dimitri did not completely submit to the will of Mamai; and he, in anger, with a large army moved towards the Grand Duke. Dmitry was perplexed for some time, not knowing which path to choose: to submit, or to fight the enormous forces of the khan. Fearing that by a rash act he would involve his fatherland in new disasters, he consulted for a long time with those close to him and went to ask for the advice and blessing of St. Sergius, who has already acquired general respect. The Monk Sergius blessed the prince for the battle, saying: “You should, sir, take care of the flock of Christ entrusted to you by God, and with His help you will receive victory.” Then, having prayed, he blessed all the soldiers who were with the prince, and gave him two monks, Alexander Peresvet and Andrei Oslyabya, as his associates, to whom he presented the sign of the cross on the schemas. The prince and the soldiers left the monastery, encouraged by the words and blessing of the monk. Demetrius went out to meet the Tatars; but, seeing the superiority of their strength, he was confused and perplexed; Suddenly, a messenger from Sergius appeared with a letter in which the monk, reassuring the prince with the help of the Lord, exhorted him to go against the enemy without fear. A fierce battle took place near the Don, on the Kulikovo field, in 1380, and Mamai was completely defeated. This victory, in honor of which Dimitri was named Donskoy, greatly shook the power of the Tatars, although Russia was completely freed from them much later. They say that during the battle of St. Sergius, standing in prayer with the monks in the Trinity Monastery, announced to them the progress of the battle, named the dead and prayed for them. The Lord God showed His mercy to the saint with many signs and wonders. These are recounted in more detailed accounts of his life; but between them there is one miraculous phenomenon that cannot be kept silent about. One night St. Sergius prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, asking for her omnipotent protection for the monastery he created. Having prayed, he sat down to rest a little, but suddenly turned to his disciple Micah and said to him: “Watch, child! Now we will have a wonderful visit.” He had just uttered these words when a voice was heard saying; “The Most Pure One is Coming!” The saint left his cell in the vestibule and, suddenly, was illuminated by an amazing light, and saw in the radiance the Most Holy Virgin with two apostles, Peter and John. Confused, he fell on his face; but the Most Holy Theotokos, touching him, said: “Do not be afraid, My chosen one! Your prayer is heard; During your life and after your death I will constantly be at your monastery.” After that, the vision ended, and the saint, coming to his senses, saw his disciple lying as if dead; he picked it up. “Tell me, holy father,” he said, “what is this wonderful vision? My soul was almost separated from my body.” But the saint himself could hardly speak: his heart was so full of joy, awe and reverence. “Have patience a little,” he said to the disciple, “for my spirit trembles from the wonderful vision.” After some time, he called two pious brothers, Isaac and Simon, and told them about the former vision. Everyone together joyfully thanked God and the Most Holy Theotokos. This miraculous phenomenon is depicted on icons. The monk turned 78 years old; the end of his pious life was approaching. He foresaw him six months in advance and, calling all the brethren, entrusted the leadership to his disciple, the Monk Nikon. In September, he was unable to do so, and having convened the monks again, he gave them the last instructions, took communion of the holy mysteries, and died on September 25, 1392. At the moment of death, the fragrance spread from his body, and his face shone with quiet joy. Thirty years later, his body was found incorrupt. Since then, his holy relics, placed in the cathedral church, have attracted many pilgrims to the monastery, who, through their faith and prayers, receive miraculous healings from illnesses. Deeply honoring the memory of St. Sergius, the church asks for his intercessory prayers and sings to him: “As an ascetic of virtues, as a true warrior of Christ God, you labored in the passion of the great in the temporal life of singing, vigils and fasting, the image of which was your disciple: in the same way the Most Holy Spirit dwelled in you, and by its action you are brightly adorned. But since you have boldness towards the Holy Trinity, remember the flock that you wisely gathered, and do not forget what you promised when you visited your children, O Reverend Sergius, our Father.” (Extracted in abbreviation from the book “Selected Lives of the Saints.” Bakhmeteva, September. Moscow, ed. 1891, pp. 118–130). 3. The simpleton and the gracious old man As the Lord glorified His beloved servant, our venerable father Sergius, with wondrous signs of grace-filled healings and the gift of clairvoyance, this venerable man descended more and more into the depths of humility. “He fled,” says St. Plato, Metropolitan of Moscow, “the vain glory of man as destruction, and considered it an insult to himself that which is often sought with such effort, without neglecting any means, by the proud rulers of the earth: they are guided by one vanity, extending to self-forgetfulness, and they are guided by one fiery, pure, holy love for God and neighbor.” With the increase in the number of visitors, the monastery of Sergius no longer suffered such need as before; The modest needs of the desert dwellers, with their own constant labors, were abundantly satisfied by the offerings of pious visitors and surrounding residents, who, aware of the great spiritual benefit from the inhabitants of the desert, diligently provided everything they needed. So, the monastery of Sergius already abounded in everything needed, but Sergius’s soul was still free from any attachment to earthly things. If he happened to have something unnecessary in his hands, he immediately gave it either to the church or to the poor. The elders who lived with him for many years told the Monk Epiphanius, the writer of his life, that new clothes never came to his body, he never dressed in beautiful or soft clothes. Instead of expensive cloth, the Monk Sergius wore homespun fabric made of simple sheep's wool, and even shabby, which, as unfit, others refused to wear. For the most part, such clothes were sewn by his own holy hands and differed from the clothes of his companions only in that they were all covered with patches, and, in the beautiful expression of St. Plato, “instead of expensive stones, they were richly decorated with drops of his sweat.” He wore these clothes the same both in summer and winter. “For the paradise that we have lost,” Blessed Sergius used to say to his disciples, “we must now put aside our warm clothes; For sin we were once covered with clothing, but now we will suffer deprivation of clothing, so that we may later be clothed in incorruptible garments; we will wear out the flesh in order to receive incorruptible crowns from Christ God.” This is what the humble abbot Sergius thought, this is what he taught, this is what he himself did. One day there was no good cloth in his monastery; there was only one half, rotten, somehow motley and poorly woven. None of the brothers wanted to use it: one passed it on to another, and so it went around to seven people. But the Monk Sergius took it, made himself a cassock from it, and, having put it on himself, did not want to part with it any longer, until, within one year, it all fell apart from rottenness. It often happened that people who, according to the proverb, are greeted by their clothes, when they saw him, did not want to believe that he was the famous abbot Sergius. They usually took him for some wanderer or one of the last workers of his monastery. On this occasion, Blessed Epiphanius tells one incident that perfectly characterizes the humility and meek, benign mood of the soul of St. Sergius. It seems that Epiphanius himself witnessed this incident, which was so deeply imprinted in the soul of the reverent student that he recounts it in full detail. Here is his story. One villager, a simple farmer, heard a lot about him and wanted to see him. At the entrance to the monastery fence, he began to ask the brethren: where could he see their glorious abbot? And at that time the monk was working in the garden, digging the soil for vegetables with a spade. “Wait a little until he comes out of there,” the monks answered the stranger. An impatient visitor looked into the garden through a hole in the fence and saw there a humble old man in torn clothes sewn with patches, working in the sweat of his brow over a ridge. The simple-minded villager did not want to believe that this old man was the same Sergius whom he wanted to see. He again began to pester the brethren, demanding that they show him the abbot: “I came here from afar to see him, I have important business to do with him,” he said. “We have already indicated the abbot to you,” the monks told him; – if you don’t believe it’s him, then ask him yourself. Then the villager stood at the garden gate, waiting for the old man to come out. The monk came out, and the monks who happened to be there pointed him out to the villager, saying: “Here is the one you need.” But the simpleton turned away from him and said: “I came from afar to look at the prophet, and you show me some beggar!.. I worked in vain - I came here: I thought to benefit my soul in your honest monastery, and instead I meet only ridicule... But I have not yet lived to such madness as to honor this wretched old man for that famous Sergius, about whom I have heard so many glorious things!.. This is how the simpleton reasoned, in his ignorance he looked at everything only with his bodily eyes, and not with his inner ones. It is clear that the brethren were offended for the honor of their beloved abbot, and some even said to the monk: “We just don’t dare you, father, otherwise we would drive your guest out of the monastery - he is such an ignoramus! Moreover, he reproaches us as if we were laughing at him!” But the man of God looked at them in surprise: “no,” he said, “why are they kicking him out? He didn’t come to you, but to me, don’t touch him; with his simple-minded words he did me no harm. Yes, even if he had sinned in anything, then it is fitting for us spiritual ones, according to the word of the Apostle of Christ, to correct such people with the spirit of meekness” (Gal. 6:1). And without waiting for a bow from the villager, the saint of God himself approached him and with great humility bowed to the ground... Then he kissed him with love and thanked him for the fact that this simpleton has the proper opinion about his wretchedness. So the humble man rejoices at his dishonor and humiliation as much as the vain man is delighted with the honors and praises of men! But this was not enough. The monk took the guest by the hand, sat him down next to him for the meal, and began to treat him himself. The simple-minded villager, seeing such cordiality of the elder, confided in him his sadness that until now he had not been able to see Abbot Sergius. “Don’t grieve, brother,” the monk consoled him, “God is so merciful to this place that no one leaves here sad.” And he will soon show you who you are looking for.” And so, they were still continuing the conversation when a prince (maybe Radonezh) arrived at the monastery, surrounded by a large retinue of boyars and slaves. The monk stood up to meet the eminent guest, and the prince’s slaves, clearing the way for their master, pushed the villager far away from both their prince and the abbot... Meanwhile, the prince who arrived from afar humbly bowed to the ground to the saint of God, who kissed him and blessed him; then they both sat down, and all the boyars and brethren stood respectfully around them. The embarrassed simpleton walked around them, trying to see through the crowd who it was Sergius; he again asked one of the monks: “Who is this monk who sits to the right of the prince?” The monk looked at him and said reproachfully: “Are you a stranger here that you don’t know St. Sergius?” Then the villager only realized his ignorance and, reproaching himself, began to ask some of the brethren to ask forgiveness for him from the elder, whom he had offended with his ignorance. “It’s right that we men are called ignorant,” he said, “as if I were blind and don’t see who I’m talking to!.. With what eyes will I now appear to the holy elder?” So the simple-minded guest grieved, and, waiting for the prince to leave the monastery, he threw himself at the feet of the monk, begging him to forgive his ignorance and unbelief. But the humble abbot told him: “Do not grieve, child; You’re the only one who judged me fairly: after all, they’re all wrong!” - And he consoled him with an edifying word and sent him away with a blessing... But the kind heart of a simple man was so touched by the humility and love of the great ascetic that he soon came to the monastery again, so as never to leave it; here he took monastic vows and, after laboring for several years, reposed in peace to God... (From the book of Archimander Nikon: “The Life and Deeds of St. Sergius”). 4. Historical merit of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra The beginning of the 17th century was the most unhappy time for the Russian kingdom. As if for some grave sins, God’s punishment then fell on him from all sides. The lineage of the house of Monomakh, which had hitherto reigned in Rus', ceased. Various rogues began to covet the Russian throne, posing as Tsarevich Dimitri, who had recently been killed in Uglich. The Russian people did not know who to believe. He also trusted his deliverer from the fierce wolf, the impostor False Demetrius, Tsar Vasily Shuisky, who was elected to the kingdom by the boyars a little. And the words of the Russian hierarchs, heard from church pulpits to pacify the people, were not valid for everyone then. The solemn public repentance of the Russian people in the presence of the two patriarchs did not last long in those days. “We, honest fathers, are to blame for everything,” the tearful cry of the people was heard in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral in response to the call of the patriarchs, Job and Hermogenes, to repentance, “forgive us, spiritual fathers, and give a blessing, so that we may receive peace and joy in our souls.” But after a few months, the same people of Moscow were ready to dethrone and even deposed the legally installed sovereign and stood in the ranks - some for the Tushinsky thief, some for Petrushka, some for Ivashka, some for Eroshka, some for Martynka and other pathetic, insignificant seekers of the Russian throne. Meanwhile, at the same time, the Russian kingdom was crushed from the north by the Swedes, and from the west by the Poles, supported by the Cossack freemen. Some of the Poles were already in Moscow, took possession of the Kremlin, and their other strongest army, with King Sigismund at its head, stood near Smolensk, waiting for an opportunity to move towards Moscow, establish the Polish prince Vladislav on the throne here and establish all Polish orders, even change the faith in Rus'. What was happening in our Rus' at that time, a contemporary eyewitness, cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Abraham Palitsyn, speaks beautifully about this. “Russia was then tormented by its own people more than by foreigners. Our traitors were guides for the Poles, the first and the last in internecine battles. The traitors brutally executed all those who were strong in virtue, threw them from steep banks into the depths of rivers, and shot them with bows and self-propelled guns; In the eyes of their parents, children were killed, their heads were carried on spears, infants were torn from the hands of their mothers and smashed against stones. Hearts turned to stone, minds became darkened. The fatherland and the church perished. The churches of God were ruined; cattle and dogs lived in altars, horses were decorated with airs and shrouds; the villains drank from the holy chalices; dice were played on the icons. They burned monks and priests with fire, searching for treasures... Bears and wolves, leaving the forests, hovered in empty cities, corvids sat in villages on human corpses. The graves rose up everywhere like mountains. The nights were illuminated not by the light of the moon, but by fires; for the robbers burned what they could not take with them—houses and stacks of grain.” It was during these difficult times for the Russian land that the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed a great service, inspired by the spirit of its founder, St. Sergius, who rested in it. 1608, September 25, on the very day of memory of St. Sergius, Polish military leaders, Sapega and Lisovsky, with 30,000 troops approached the Lavra and demanded its surrender, as a point very important for the Russians in the defense of Moscow itself. The Lavra then had some fortifications, had cannons, and had defenders; but there were only 2,500 of them and the monks. “Our hope and hope is the most holy, life-giving Trinity; our wall and cover is the Most Holy Theotokos; Our assistant and prayer book is St. Sergius. We will not betray the faith and the king, even if they offer us the treasures of the whole world,” the besieged answered Sapieha’s envoys. Praying on this day at the shrine of St. Sergius, all those who were in the monastery pledged by a common oath to sit under siege “without treason.” With the advent of the enemy, the monastery of Sergiev, as the last refuge, was filled with women, old people, children, crippled people of various kinds, who needed to be fed, who needed to be looked after, who, of course, were only a hindrance in defense. And, despite all this, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra withstood with honor and glory a sixteen-month siege from enemies ten times its strongest in terms of army numbers, and a hundred times its most skilled. The mighty spirit of St. Sergius undoubtedly strengthened the besieged at this time. “Miraculous phenomena strengthened faith in the omnipotent intercession of St. Sergius,” writes one secular writer about the then defense of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. - Many saw him walking along the walls of the monastery with prayer and blessing; he appeared to others in a dream and warned them of danger; encouraged soldiers to defend the church and fatherland, reproached those who transgressed the commandments of the Lord.” (Story from the history of the Russian church. Bakhmet., part II, p. 425). Once, when a rumor spread in the monastery that the enemy was undermining it, everyone was preparing for death, since the direction of the undermining was unknown. But on one of these nights, the Monk Sergius appeared to the archimandrite of the Lavra, praying before the church icon of the Most Holy Trinity, and said: “Watch and pray; The omnipotent Lord, according to the multitude of His bounties, has mercy on you and gives you time for repentance.” This appearance of St. Sergius so encouraged the besieged that they not only courageously repelled the attack of the besiegers, but even threw the latter into confusion with their forays. The tunnel was found and blown up. The besiegers were finally forced to retreat from the monastery in shame. On January 12, 1610, the liberated monastery performed a prayer service of thanksgiving to the Lord for its salvation. From that time until now, the Lavra has been performing a thanksgiving service to the Lord on this day with a procession of the cross along the walls of the monastery. Having so happily withstood the siege, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, according to the behest of its founder, as always, and now especially, in difficult times of the fatherland, was a warm refuge for all the unfortunate, weak, hungry, and wounded; and now there were a great many of them in Rus'. “The monks then devoted all their strength and resources to the service of the unfortunate. - says the same secular writer. – Hospitals and hospice houses were established in the monastery itself and in the monastery villages. Archimandrite Dionysius and the monks decided to eat only bread in order to save the best food for the sick. The monastery treasury was also used to help the poor. The monks and servants traveled around the surrounding area, picking up the wounded, hungry and dead; they themselves were in danger from robbers. In the monastery and monastery villages they buried the dead, treated the sick, and sewed clothes and shoes for them. The Archimandrite made sure that the suffering had good food; He himself gave medicines, gave communion to the dying, knowing no peace either day or night. Meanwhile, at the same time, he wrote messages to different cities, exhorting each and every one to stand firmly for the fatherland, to help Moscow with troops and money. For whole days the scribes sat in his cell and copied these messages; and messengers carried them to the most remote cities of the Russian kingdom.” When Patriarch Hermogenes finally passed away in Rus', whose letters called on the people to defend the fatherland, the words of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra were the only powerful call for everyone to take up arms for Holy Rus'. “Remember, Orthodox,” it was written in these letters, “that we were all born of Christian parents, marked by holy baptism, promised to believe in the holy consubstantial Trinity; Having placed your trust in the power of the life-giving cross, for God’s sake, pray to all serving people, so that all Orthodox Christians may be in unity and stand together against our traitors... Have mercy and hasten to this task; help with military men and treasury; about this we beat you with tears and tears from all the Christian people.” For such letters of conscription from both Patriarch Hermogenes and the monastery of St. Sergius, as is known, both the Minins and the Pozharskys responded... People's militias came to Moscow. The Trinity-Sergius Monastery admonished the warriors with prayers and blessings. But since in the Moscow camp discord began to arise between those gathered - the army, the militias and the Cossacks, then here, too, as a peacemaker, a representative of the Sergius monastery, its cellarer, Abraham Palitsyn, appeared; he tearfully begged everyone to work together to save the fatherland; he even offered the Cossacks all the remaining cherished treasures of the monastery - sacred vessels, vestments, etc., if only they would help the fatherland in its difficult moments. And God is merciful!.. The holy feat of the Lavra, through the prayers of St. Sergius, was crowned with complete success. On October 22, 1612, the Russians took Kitay-Gorod, occupied by the Poles, and took the Kremlin from them; Moscow and Rus' were saved. The founder of the now reigning house, Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, ascended the Russian throne; and from that time on, things became better in Rus'. At the head of the clergy, who solemnly performed a prayer of thanks for the salvation of Rus' from hard times in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, was Archimandrite Dionysius of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, since he worked hard to save the fatherland. In his person, then, undoubtedly, St. Sergius himself, invisibly praying and rejoicing for the saved Rus', greatly contributed to the salvation of both the monastery he founded and all of Rus' with his heavenly intercession and the power of his spirit. Happy are you, our Orthodox Rus', that you have such strong prayer books before God and such powerful patrons as St. Sergius of Radonezh, Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk, St. Prince Alexander Nevsky, Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky and many other famous saints, your children! Happy are you, Russian Orthodox people, that, by the way, in the monastery of St. Sergius you have an inexhaustible source of living water, which comforts and strengthens you, especially in difficult moments of your life. (See "Sunday Day", 1889, No. 39). The month of September. Day 26 Repose of St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian Evang. from In., count. 61, 67th, ch. XIX, 25–27 Art., XXI, 24–25 Art. 180 1. Life of St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian Name of St. The Theologian brings to our memory a special friend of Jesus Christ, the patron saint of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom the Savior dying on the cross entrusted to his care. These three persons - Jesus, Mary and John - seem inseparable, connected by unbreakable bonds of pure and fiery love. Let us try to reproduce here what Holy Scripture and tradition told us about St. John the Theologian. St. John came from the Galilean city of Bethsaida, the son of Zebedee and Salomonia, the daughter of Joseph the betrothed, brother of the Apostle James, one of the fishermen of Lake Galilee. He saw the miraculous catch of Peter, who threw down his nets, according to the word of the Lord, and realized that only God can perform such miracles. When the Lord called him and his brother Jacob from fishing, they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus. Having entered the society of the disciples of Jesus, St. John received from the Lord the name “Boanerges”, that is, the son of thunder, as a sign that with his teaching, like thunder, he would announce the world and fill the earth with the true knowledge of God. For his meekness, kindness and virgin chastity, St. John, especially before the other apostles, enjoyed the special love of the Lord Jesus. Everything that the Lord did that was especially important happened in the presence of John: whether He raised the dead, He was accompanied by his beloved disciple; was the Lord transfigured on Tabor, St. John was a witness to His Divine glory; whether the Lord instituted the last mystical supper, preparations for it are made through this pure and chaste disciple; and during this supper, which was the last in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus, with what love He allows His friend to recline on His chest! In the Garden of Gethsemane, where the soul of Jesus was sorrowful, even unto death, He revealed it to this friend, as the only heart capable of understanding all the sorrow of His soul. But in order to become the object of the special, Divine love of the God-man - Jesus, this required a special cleansing of his soul on the part of the disciple. And what an amazing transformation the Lord Jesus brought about in the soul of John! It seemed that the whole soul of the Lord passed into the soul of His favorite. So, when the important moment came, which severely tested the disciples of Jesus Christ, the time of His suffering and death on the cross, then John’s love and his complete devotion to the Lord were revealed in all the fullness of their power and luminosity. Not one of the apostles withstood the terrible test; fear put them to flight when their Divine Teacher was captured by enemies; There were none of them during the suffering and cross of the Lord; only John remained faithful to the feeling of his love. And love for the Lord Jesus led him to the cross of Christ. She is strong, pure and holy, although she was silent at the cross, but the language of feelings did not stop and spoke more eloquently than any word. This voice - a fiery loving heart, unheard by the whole world, was heard by the Lord Jesus from the cross. John’s unparalleled love did not remain without a reward, and the reward was exemplary: Jesus Christ adopted John to His Mother, saying from the cross: Woman, behold Your Son, behold your Mother (John 19:27). The Savior seemed to say this: “Only to you and your love, My beloved disciple, do I entrust My precious treasure: guard it like a son, by whom you are fully worthy to be called.” And who better would the Lord entrust with the care of His most immaculate and most holy Mother, if not such an immaculate one as John was? And he exactly fulfilled the Divine will: he was a faithful guardian of the tranquility of the Mother of God until her most blessed dormition. To see the suffering of the cross with such a loving soul as John’s soul is, as it were, to crucify oneself. What sacrifices does true love not condemn itself to! She does not leave her beloved being even when the whole world leaves him. John saw the Savior’s dying languor and did not leave the cross; he heard His last mysterious word from the cross: having been accomplished, everything was over; but, as if chained to the ground, he stood at the cross, and the shaking Golgotha ​​did not remove him from the horrors of Golgotha. Only when Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus came to take down the body of Jesus from the cross, then only John separated from the cross, adding his funeral ointment - tears of the heart, poured out by the most perfect love, more fragrant than any world. A terrible night for the apostles comes after the burial of the Lord, Saturday comes, another night comes, and the body of the Lord still rests in the tomb. What did John’s tender and loving heart feel at this time? Without a doubt, at this time he, together with the other apostles, indulged in grief, all the more inconsolable because he, like the other disciples, seemed to him as if it was impossible to fulfill the prediction of their Teacher that He would rise again. That is why it happened that they listened with disbelief when Mary Magdalene, the first to see the risen Lord, told them about His resurrection. However, curiosity awakened in Peter and John a desire to see what happened in the Holy Sepulcher. The Apostle Peter, seeing the tomb empty and only the shrouds lying, went back, marveling at what he saw (Mark 16:12); therefore, in a state of mind that does not yet presuppose conviction and confidence. And John, having entered the tomb, saw and believed (John 20:8). His loving heart strove forward, which means that sparks of hope were still shining in him, which for the other apostles seemed extinguished. A few days later, John was with Peter on the shore of Lake Tiberias, when the risen Lord appeared to them in the image of a stranger. But who can deceive the eyes of tender love! John was the first to recognize the Lord Jesus and said to Peter, “This is the Lord.” During the dinner that followed this meeting, Peter had the opportunity to testify to his faith in love and to learn about his future. He also wanted to know John’s future, but received the following answer from the Divine Teacher: “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” The Lord seemed to say to Peter this way: “Take care of the fulfillment of the instructions given to you; and what would be added to you if you knew that I do not want to subject him to a painful death until the very time at which I will be pleased to take him from this world, i.e. until his death." From the words of Jesus Christ, the disciples, however, concluded that John would not die; but the modest and impartial confidant of Christ solemnly and universally declared in his gospel that the words of the Lord do not contain such a meaning: Jesus did not tell him - John that he would not die, but: if I want him to remain until I come. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, ap. John lived in Jerusalem until the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. Here he, together with Peter, preached the faith of Christ, accompanying the preaching with miracles, and was persecuted by the Jewish leaders. From Jerusalem St. John and Peter went preaching to Samaria. After the departure of the apostles to preach in different countries, St. John preached the teachings of Christ in Judea and Samaria. After the Dormition of the Mother of God, Saint John went to preach in Asia Minor. His apostolic activity from the very beginning was marked by miracles. During the journey of St. John to Asia Minor, a strong storm arose at sea, the ship crashed, and John and his disciple Prokhor were thrown ashore. Having reinforced their forces in the nearest village, they went to Ephesus. There they entered the service of a rich woman who ran public baths, and had to suffer a lot from their cruel mistress, who imposed hard work on them and beat them cruelly. The holy apostles endured everything with meekness and served diligently and humbly. The Lord soon glorified His saints. In the bathhouse where they served, one youth Domnus, the son of the city commander, Dioscorides, unexpectedly died. Struck by an unexpected misfortune, Dioscorides died of grief. Then the lady began to blame John and Prokhor for the death of Domna and severely beat them. Lord, through the prayer of St. John, resurrected Domnas and Dioscorides. This miracle greatly affected the inhabitants, and they called John a wizard. St. John explained to them that he performed this miracle by the power of Christ, and the consequence of his preaching was that many believed in Christ, including Dioscorides and their mistress. At the request of Dioscorides, St. John settled in his house and from that time on diligently preached the faith of Christ in Ephesus and other cities. The success of the sermon of St. John aroused the anger of the pagans against him, but the Lord miraculously preserved the life of His apostle. During the feast in honor of Diana, St. John ascended to a height near the church of the goddess and, standing near her idol, began to preach to the assembled people about Christ. Embittered pagans threw stones at the apostle, but the stones, without doing him any harm, beat those who threw them. At the same time, many died from the scorching heat and, through the prayer of St. apostle, resurrected. These miracles converted many people to Christ. The priests of the pagan gods, embittered by the successes of the apostle's preaching, rebelled the people against him. The crowd approached the house of Dioscorides and demanded that John be handed over, threatening to burn the house down otherwise. The Apostle voluntarily went out to the people, and he was taken to the church of Diana, but when they approached the church, the church, through the prayer of John, collapsed, without causing any harm to anyone. Everyone was horrified, and many believed in Christ. Emperor Domitian initiated a severe persecution against Christians. Having learned about the power of the preaching of St. John, Domitian summoned him to Rome and demanded that he renounce Christ. The holy apostle responded with a firm confession of his faith. Then, after severe beatings, the emperor ordered poison to be given to him, but the power of Christ kept him unharmed. After this, Domitian ordered the apostle to be thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, but St. John remained unharmed, like the three youths in the cave of Babylon. The people who were present at the apostle’s torment began to exclaim: “Great is the Christian God!” Hoping to take away from St. The apostle had the opportunity to spread the faith of Christ, the emperor exiled him to the island of Patmos. It was a small, wild and mountainous island in the Aegean Sea, consisting mostly of bare, barren rocks, and exile to this island was considered a severe punishment by the Romans. The chained man was taken to St. apostle to the place of exile. The grace of the Lord did not leave St. John, and the miracles performed by the apostle while sailing on the sea converted his companions to Christ. One day the warriors were sitting at dinner, drinking and having fun. Suddenly one young man, through negligence, fell into the sea and drowned. This misfortune greatly saddened everyone on the ship; The young man's father was tempted to throw himself into the sea out of grief and was barely restrained by his companions. Those sailing on the ship called on their gods for help, some Apollo, some Diana and others. St. John said to them: “You have so many gods! Doesn’t any of them have the power to resurrect the dead?” The next morning St. John prayed to the Lord. There was a strong disturbance at sea, and the drowned young man was thrown alive by the wave at the feet of John. Besides this miracle, St. the apostle calmed the storm at sea, healed the sick, and when there was a lack of water on the ship, he made salt sea water usable. As a result of these miracles, all of John’s companions believed in Christ and wanted to give him freedom; but the apostle convinced the soldiers not to do this and to fulfill the emperor’s command. While imprisoned on the island of Patmos, St. John enlightened the inhabitants of this island with faith in Christ, casting out demons in the name of the Lord Jesus, healing the sick and raising the dead. And here, just as in Ephesus, the rapid successes of the apostle’s preaching armed the pagan priests against him. Before the arrival of John, the priests and wise men enjoyed great influence over the superstitious inhabitants and greatly hated the apostle, who with his preaching converted many people to the faith of Christ. Under the leadership of the sorcerer Kinops, who enjoyed special honor and influence among the people, they used every effort to destroy the apostle; but the Lord put his enemies to shame. Through the prayer of the apostle, all the machinations of Kinops were destroyed, and he himself died at sea. Despite the malice and all the obstacles of the pagan priests, St. John fearlessly preached the faith of Christ and zealously destroyed immoral pagan customs. On the holiday in honor of the god Dionysius (Bacchus), during which various immoral games were performed, St. the apostle came to the church of Dionysius and with a strong word denounced the immorality of those gathered for the holiday and urged them to abandon idolatry and turn to the faith of Christ. Numerous priests of Bacchus attacked the apostle, severely beat him and continued the celebration. Then, through the prayer of the apostle, the pagan temple collapsed and crushed all the priests. Everyone who witnessed this was horrified and begged the apostle to spare them. But the miraculous punishment of the priests of Bacchus did not enlighten the enemies of the apostle. The sorcerer Nukian, who lived in that city, having learned about the destruction of the church of Bacchus, outraged the people against the apostle with various slander and false stories about him, so that they wanted to kill the apostle. When Nukian's deception was discovered, the people seized him and brought him to John. “This evil deceiver wanted to destroy you. Tell us what to do with him,” said the enraged people. The Holy Apostle meekly answered: “Let him go, let him repent.” But the meekness of the apostle did not enlighten Nukian, and he again began to plot against St. John. Then St. the apostle struck him with blindness. This punishment worked. Nukian fell at the feet of the apostle, repenting of his sin and asking for forgiveness. St. John healed him. Nukian believed in Christ and accepted St. baptism and invited the apostle to his house. As soon as St. John entered Nukian's house, all the idols fell and broke. At the sight of this new miracle, all the household of Nukian believed in Christ. Like Nucian, St. The apostle enlightened and converted one woman to Christ. Evil and depraved, this woman forced her son, Sosipater, to endure a lot, who did not agree to lead an immoral life. No longer having the strength to endure his difficult situation in his mother’s house, Sosipater ran away from home to St. John, who preached near that city. A few days later, the mother found her son listening with pleasure to the sermon of the apostle, and, unable to persuade her son to return to her house, she brought a complaint to the judge against John and her son, accusing them of various crimes. The judge, without considering the case, condemned them both to death. But, through the prayer of the apostle, punishment from the Lord struck the unjust judge and the evil woman; The judge's hand dried up, with which he ordered to take St. John, and Sosipater’s mother had both hands dry up and she lost her sight. In horror, the judge fell at the feet of the apostle, asking for mercy, and Sosipater’s mother ran away home. Seeing the repentance and faith of the judge, the apostle healed and baptized him. Then St. John convinced Sosipater to return to his mother and went with him. When they approached the house, Sosipater’s mother came out to meet them, fell at the feet of the apostle, repented of her sins and asked for forgiveness with tears. The Apostle taught her the faith of Christ, healed her and baptized her with all her household. St. lived for more than a year. John was on the island of Patmos and during this time he relentlessly preached the faith of Christ, going around all the cities and performing many miracles. The apostle's powerful preaching, supported by miracles, converted almost all the inhabitants of the island to Christ. Consoled by the success of preaching about Christ on the island, St. At the same time, the apostle grieved for the Church of Christ, which was subjected to severe persecution from the enemies of the faith, and especially for the churches of Asia Minor. The Lord consoled the apostle by revealing to him the future fate of His church. One Sunday, St. John was honored to see the Lord Jesus Christ in all His divine glory, surrounded by angels. The Lord revealed St. John, what a difficult struggle the church will wage with enemies external and internal, but this struggle will end in the glorious victory of the church over all enemies, after which the glorious kingdom of Christ will come. This is the revelation of St. The apostle wrote down the Apocalypse in a book and sent it out to the churches of Asia Minor. After the death of Domitian, Emperor Nerva issued an order to stop the persecution against Christians and gave them permission to return from their place of exile. Then St. John returned from Patmos, leaving a bishop there from his disciples. With great joy and honor the inhabitants of Ephesus greeted St. the apostle, who again settled in the house of Domnos. Returning to Ephesus, St. John preached the teachings of Christ with the same zeal, and for this he went around the cities of Asia Minor. And, in old age, until his death, the apostle did not abandon the work of preaching, sparing no effort. Having worked harder than all the other apostles to spread the faith of Christ, St. The Apostle John died at a ripe old age, over 100 years old, in Ephesus. Feeling the approach of death, St. John and his disciples went out of the city; ordered them to dig a grave for him; then, having given them the last instructions and blessing them, he lay down in the tomb and gave up his soul to the Lord. The whole life of St. John presents an excellent example of a highly moral, Christian life and in fact reveals the basic character of the teaching of Christ - love for God and neighbors. Love for Christ and his neighbors breathed in all the thoughts, desires, words and actions of the apostle. What kind of labors and deeds would St. not dare to undertake? Apostle to glorify the name of his Teacher and Lord, what hardships and torments he was ready to joyfully endure for the faith of Christ! When it was necessary to enlighten a neighbor with the teachings of Christ and save them from sin, for St. For the apostle there were no dangers or difficulties that could stop him. (See story on pp. 233–234). Several times he was subjected to severe beatings, humiliation, and the danger of losing his life for preaching about Christ, and, no matter what, he fearlessly denounced unbelief and vices and taught faith in Christ. This pure love guided all the relationships of the saint. an apostle to his neighbors. He had no enemies; He responded with meekness and kindness to their evil actions and joyfully forgave all insults; He treated his students with fatherly love and tenderness, both in word and deed, instilling in them sincere love for each other. This love for each other was constantly the subject of the apostle’s conversation. Having reached a very old age, so that he could hardly walk and talk, St. John constantly repeated: “children, love one another.” When the disciples asked why he said this so often, he replied: “This is the commandment of the Lord; she alone will replace all the others for you.” Only the enemies of Christ the Savior, heretics who distorted the teachings of Christ and led others into destruction with their false teachings, aroused the wrath of the apostle, and he did not even want to be near these people. Yes, St. The apostle, having once met the heretic Cerinthos in a bathhouse, fled from there and, when asked about the reason for this, replied that he was afraid of the destruction of the building because there was an enemy of the truth of Christ inside it. Besides the apocalypse, St. The apostle John wrote the Gospel and three epistles. The appearance of heretics who rejected the Divinity of Jesus Christ, whom St. denounced with all his might. apostle, prompted him to write the Gospel in order to give believers the opportunity to preserve the purity of the teaching taught by the apostle even after his death. Gospel of St. John wrote in Ephesus, in his old age. At this time, three Gospels had already been written. St. John, having read them, found it necessary to supplement them, because the first Gospels speak more about the earthly life of Jesus Christ. In his gospel, St. John reveals the Divinity of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and according to the height of the teachings set forth by him, he is called the Theologian. Having decided to write the Gospel, St. The apostle imposed a fast on the believers and he and his disciple Prokhor spent three days in fasting and prayer. On the third day there was a strong earthquake, a thunderstorm with thunder and lightning arose. Prokhor fell to the ground in fear. St. John picked him up and ordered him to write what he heard from him. Inspired by the Spirit of God, St. The apostle began his Gospel with the words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word.” Soon after writing the Gospel, St. John wrote letters in which he outlined the rules of Christian life. (Compiled from the article “Pastoral edification,” ed. “Pastor. Interlocutor” and the brochure “The Life of St. I. Theologian,” published by the department of dissemination of spiritual and moral books. M. 1899). 2. About the meaning and power of love Today is the memory of St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, therefore, with his commandment I turn to you, Orthodox. Christians: - Beloved, let us love one another (1 John 4:7). And it is comforting, and beneficial, and fruitful, and glorious to love with Divine and God-pleasing love - we are obliged to do this, we must try to do this, if we really want good things for ourselves both on earth and in heaven, if well-being and salvation are dear to us. But how to get down to business, how to obey the apostle, how can we love each other?.. We don’t know each other - you don’t know me, I’m meeting you for the first - and maybe the last - time. And among all of us, I think, there are few who are close to each other. How can you show us your mutual love? Who needs it now? Are we ready to reveal it?.. Is it possible to apply the invitation of the much-loving apostle to business, to life? It is possible, it is certainly possible. First, listen to what love is, what good it is, what it consists of. Love is such a disposition of the heart by which you desire that everyone - both your own and someone else's, both close and distant, both known and unknown - be pious; this is the highest sign of love, for godliness has a promise, it provides a guarantee of a happy present life and a blessed future (1 Tim. 4:8); then, so that everyone is healthy, safe, unharmed, and happy. Love is such a readiness that you do not spare any skill, nor strength, nor means, nor even life, just to create, support, preserve and prolong the well-being of every neighbor. Love is such a concept, such a conviction that if your neighbor is in poverty, suffers, endures, in a word, is unhappy, then your well-being is not complete, not completely joyful and sweet, because in your heart you certainly sympathize, sympathize and sympathize with him. That's what love is! As you can see, love is the most beautiful quality of the soul, the best of all feelings, the most godly of virtues, the most pleasant of all conditions of Christian life. Oh, if Christian love would always fill our hearts, if we would think and try to live according to its suggestions alone! If only all people were greater throughout their lives; If only we could learn love and its manifestations in our actions and in our mutual relationships! But how can you show it or actually prove it not only to your relatives, your neighbor, your acquaintance, the one with whom you have contact, with whom you meet, but also to someone you don’t know, with whom you don’t see, who is far from you - how to show it in order to fulfill the commandment of the Apostle? Love does not consist only in sharing one’s external goods with those in need, not only in feeding, clothing, serving, sheltering someone; such an expression of love, of course, is very important and commendable, but it is accidental and temporary, and not always possible: there is also love in which love is manifested in larger sizes and in better forms. What kind of love is this, how should you behave for it? Let us love God with all our hearts: let us diligently fulfill His commandments and the commandments of our mother, the Orthodox Church, about prayers, fasting, repentance, communion, about reading the word of God, and others; Let us be hardworking, teaching, edifying, wherever we are, let us be benevolent and beneficent to those around us, whom we meet by chance; Let us always be friendly, non-envious, not angry, everyone, certainly everything - then love or goodness will flow like life-giving air, like beneficial light, like a great river that fruits the desert: I will unintentionally and involuntarily serve you, you will serve others, others will serve others, those in turn will serve others and others, and so on - goodness will reach everyone, and without our knowledge we will begin to serve and help each other, i.e. That is, we will love each other according to the commandment of the Apostle, and also according to the commandment of the Savior. He also commanded: love one another; just as I have loved you, let you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). (See Complete collection of teachings by Archpriest I. Romanov). The greatness and beauty of Christian love, according to the image of St. John Chrysostom “Love is stronger than a wall, it is harder than adamant, and if you were to point to another even stronger substance, the hardness of love surpasses everything. It is not overcome by either wealth or poverty, or better: there would be neither poverty nor excessive wealth if there were love, but there would be only goodness arising from both. From wealth we would have contentment, from poverty freedom from worries, we would not endure either the worries that are inseparable from wealth, or the fears of poverty. But what am I saying about the benefits of love? Imagine how beautiful love is in itself, how much joy it brings, how much pleasure it gives to the soul; this is predominantly characteristic of her. Other acts of virtue, for example: fasting, chastity, vigilance, are associated with labor, accompanied by discontent, vicious desire, arrogance; love, in addition to benefits, also gives great pleasure, but there is no work, and, like a good bee, collecting goodness from everywhere, it deposits it in the soul of the lover. Whether anyone is a slave, she makes slavery more pleasant than freedom; for whoever loves does not rejoice so much when he commands as when he obeys, although it is pleasant to command. Love changes the very essence of things and inseparably brings with it all benefits; she is more tender than any mother, more generous than any queen; She makes the difficult easy and convenient, she makes virtue attractive and vice disgusting. Look: giving away your own seems regrettable, but love makes it pleasant; taking someone else’s property is apparently pleasant, but love does not allow it to be considered pleasant, but makes you run away like a criminal; speaking ill of others seems pleasant to everyone, but love makes it unpleasant, and speaking well seems pleasant; Nothing pleases us more than to praise the one we love. Also: anger has a certain pleasantness in it, but with love it cannot exist; she completely destroys him; if a loved one insults a lover, then there will be no anger, but there will be tears, admonitions, requests: so far is love from irritation! When she sees someone who sins, she cries and grieves, and this sorrow brings her pleasure. Tears and sorrow of love are more pleasant than any laughter and any joy; Those who laugh do not feel pleasure as much as those who cry for their loved ones. If you don’t believe it, then hold back their tears, and they will be upset, like those who have suffered something extremely unpleasant... St. ap. Paul calls love the mother of all good things and prefers it to miracles and other gifts. Just as with golden clothes and shoes, some kind of attire is needed in order for us to recognize the king; and when we see purple and a diadem, we do not demand any other sign of royal dignity, and so it is here: when there is a diadem of love, then it sufficiently distinguishes a true disciple of Christ, not only for us, but also for the infidels. Of this, says Christ, all understand that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). This sign is more important than all signs, because by it the disciple of Christ is known. Let others perform thousands of signs, but if they harbor enmity among themselves, they will be ridiculed by the infidels; on the contrary, even if they did not perform a single sign, if only they sincerely loved each other, they would be respected and blameless by everyone. And we are surprised at Paul, not because he raised the dead or cleansed lepers, but because he said: who is weak and does not faint? Who is tempted, and I am not relieved? ( 2 Cor. 11:29 ) Even if you compare thousands of signs with this, nothing will be equal; and he himself expected a great reward for himself, not because he performed signs, but because he was like the weak for the weak... He was even ready to die of hunger to save his disciples: it is better for me, he says, that he would rather die than let anyone take away my praise (1 Cor. 9:15), he says not in order to praise himself, but so that they would not think that he was reproaching them. He never boasts about his perfections unless circumstances require it, and when he is forced to do so, he calls himself a bully (1 Cor. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:1). What are we worth in comparison with him, who do not want to despise money for our own good and give away even the excess of our property? But he was not like that, but they gave up their soul and body, so that the very ones who stoned and scourged him would receive the kingdom of heaven. This is how to love, he said, Christ taught me, who taught me a new commandment about love, and who Himself fulfilled it. He, being the king of all and a blessed being, did not turn away from the people whom He created from nothing and endlessly benefited, who insulted Him and spat on Him, but became a man for them, dealt with harlots and tax collectors, healed the demoniac and promised heaven. After all this, people took Him, struck Him on the cheeks, tied Him up, beat Him, ridiculed Him, and finally crucified Him; but even then He did not turn away from them and, being nailed to the cross, said: Father, forgive them their sin (Luke 23:34). The thief who at the beginning reviled Him, He brought into paradise; He made Paul an apostle from a persecutor, and betrayed His closest and most devoted disciples to death to save the Jews who crucified Him. So, imagining all this done by God and people, let us imitate good deeds and nurture within ourselves a love that surpasses all gifts, so that we may receive present and future blessings, which may we all be worthy of through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (From the 32nd conversation of St. John Chrysostom, on the 1st epist. to Corinthian). October month. 1 day. Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Evang. from Luke, count. 54 and 58, ch. X, 38–42. XI, 27–28 art. 181 1. History of the event being celebrated The event that marked the beginning of the Feast of the Intercession of the Holy. Mother of God, it happened not here in Russia, but in Greece. It was more than a thousand years before our days. The current capital of the Turkish state, Constantinople, formerly called Constantinople, was once especially distinguished by its magnificent Christian churches. Among many of these churches, the Blachernae Church, dedicated to the name of the Most Holy Lady, stood out especially well. The Orthodox residents of Constantinople, who generally diligently visited the churches of God, especially loved to visit the Church of Blachernae, as the church of their Intercessor, the Queen of Heaven. Some national calamity would occur: pestilence, famine, earthquake, war, and the Blachernae Church would be filled with zealous prayer books from morning to night. So, in the year 903 after the birth of Christ, under Emperor Leo the Wise, in the last days of September, the sad news spread throughout Constantinople that the terrible enemies of Christianity, the Saracens (Arabs), were threatening the Greek state, that the capital itself was in danger. Both old and young rush to churches; Crowds of people rush to the Blachernae Church. Among those praying at that time in the Blachernae Church was St. Andrei, for his strange ascetic life, was nicknamed the holy fool. Andrey was a beggar; he seemed weak-minded, but with this he only tried to cover up his high virtues, his holy Christian deeds, for which many, even during his lifetime, had respect and reverence for him. On the eve of October 1, during the all-night vigil in the Blachernae Church, among the many prayer books was St. Andrei the holy fool with his disciple Epiphanius. The prayer was general and tearful. Suddenly St. Andrei, raising his eyes to the top, sees an extraordinary phenomenon: at the height of the church, in the dome, in the air, the Most Pure Virgin, surrounded by the faces of St. angels, prophets and apostles, holds in His hands an outstretched omophorion (a long, narrow scarf) and overshadows them, as if covering the people; She prays to Her Son and God for the Christian race. “Do you see, brother, the Queen and Lady of all, praying for the whole world?” - asks St. Andrey stood with his student who was standing right there. “I see, holy father,” Epiphanius answers, “I see and am horrified.” Then the phenomenon disappears. Those honored with the vision could not remain silent about it, since it tended to the glory of the Queen of Heaven, to the consolation and encouragement of the discouraged people. The rumor about this vision spread with the speed of lightning throughout all the borders of the Greek kingdom. The inhabitants of Constantinople, having heard about this miracle, were filled with joy and hope that God, through the intercession of the Intercessor of the Christian family, would deliver them from the troubles caused by the enemy invasion of their country. The hope was not false: the enemies of the Church of Christ were soon defeated and driven out. This happened in 911; but, on the occasion of many unrest in the Greek empire, the day of the Intercession was not included in the number of holidays. The honor of establishing this holiday belongs to the Russian church. Orthodox Russia itself has seen many examples of the miraculous intercession shown to our fatherland by the heavenly Intercessor, and therefore firmly preserves the faith that the Ever-Virgin Mary can provide help and protection to everyone, that She prays for us all with Her Son, Christ our God, and causes everyone to be saved, in her sovereign protection for those who come running. This faith served as the basis for the establishment of the holiday of the Intercession of the Intercession in Rus'. Theotokos, which takes place on October 1 on the day when the vision of St. Andrei in Vlahernsk. churches. (Prospect G. Dyachenko). 2. The Protection of the Mother of God over our Orthodox Fatherland Like the Greek empire, our fatherland is not without the patronage of the Queen of Heaven. The entire history of our fatherland represents a continuous series of legends about the mercies of the Mother of God to our kingdom. Monuments of Her innumerable benefits to us, the Russian people, are, as in Greece, holy icons, from which She, the Merciful, poured out Her bounty in signs and wonders on all who, with faith and firm hope, ran under Her almighty protection. We have no city, no country that could not tell about the mercies and miracles of the Mother of God. Go through the entire expanse of wide Mother Rus': visit the cold countries of the north and the warm countries of the south, in the distant east and west, and everywhere you will meet countless holy, miraculous icons. Like shining stars they illuminate all the borders of our fatherland. The times of glory and disaster of our fatherland are associated with the miraculous glorification of our most revered icons of the Mother of God. The most ancient of the icons revered in Rus' is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, called “Vladimir.” It is a copy of those icons that, according to legend, were painted by the Evangelist Luke. It was brought to us, in Kyiv, from Constantinople by the Russian guest Pirogoshchey. In 1115 she was in Vyshgorod, near Kyiv. And when the so-called tithe church was built in Vladimir, the holy icon was transferred by Prince Andrei Yuryevich to Vladimir, to this church, which is why it received the name Vladimir. Andrei Yuryevich, for his exemplary piety, love and zeal for the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, was honored to receive miraculous help from Her. The Suzdal region was often attacked by the Bulgarians, who brutally devastated it. Prince Andrei was forced to defend his possessions from the attack of the Bulgarians and in 1164 he launched a campaign against them. Setting out on the campaign, he took with him the icon of the Mother of God and two priests, who, in vestments, along with the icon, carried the honorable cross of Christ. Before the battle, the pious prince partook of the Holy Mysteries and prostrated himself before the image of the Intercessor with the words: “Oh, Lady Theotokos, those who trust in You do not perish, and I, Your servant, resort to Your protection and protection and believe that the Cross of Your Son is a double-edged weapon against enemies. Pray to the Savior of the world, Whom you hold in your arms, may the power of His Cross be a fire that burns the faces of those who resist, and may Your omnipotent intercession help us and overthrow our enemies 182 . Together with the prince, the entire army prostrated itself before the miraculous image of the Mother of God. With faith in the help and protection of the Mother of God, Russian soldiers rushed against the Bulgarians and defeated the enemies. The prince pursued them and took several enemy cities. Returning from the battlefield, the prince and the entire army, falling before the image of the Mother of God, thanked Her for the visible heavenly help with tears of solemn joy, and at that time a wonderful light overshadowed the entire Orthodox army. Exactly the same light shone upon the army of the Greek Emperor Manuel during his battle with the Saracens, which brought him victory over them. In remembrance of such visible heavenly help, both rulers established a festival, which is celebrated in the Greek-Russian church on August 1, 183. But it is not just this one miracle that obliges us, Russians, to give special honor to the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Through this miraculous icon, the Mother of God repeatedly provided assistance to the whole of Russia. In 1395, under the Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, the formidable conqueror, Khan of the Horde, Tamerlane, invaded Russia with untold force. This terrible conqueror approached the borders of Ryazan, took Yelets, captured the Yelets prince, beat up many Christians and rushed to Moscow, threatening to devastate the entire Russian land and eradicate the faith of Christ. General fear gripped everyone. To repel the enemy, the Grand Duke led his troops to Kolomna and stopped there, on the banks of the Oka River. Muscovites, frightened by hearing about the countless powers and ferocity of Tamerlane, shed tears before the altars, fasted and prayed for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners. Prayers for the prince and the army were constantly offered up in the churches. The then Metropolitan Cyprian almost never left the church. He either taught those who remained in Moscow, or performed prayers for those going to shed their blood for their faith and fatherland. And the Grand Duke, not relying on his own strength, sought help from above. He strengthened himself with prayer to God and the Most Pure Mother of God, called upon the great saints of God for his protection: Peter, Alexy, St. Sergius of Radonezh and other Russian wonderworkers, wrote from Kolomna to Metropolitan Cyprian, asking him to send to Vladimir for the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. But Saint Cyprian, even before the prince, thought about transferring the holy icon. The highest clergy were immediately sent to Vladimir, who arrived in Vladimir on August 15 and took the precious Shrine into their hands. The Metropolitan himself remained in Moscow, day and night without ceasing to shed tearful prayer in the church for victory over the enemies, for the Grand Duke and his army and for all Orthodox Christians. On August 26, the miraculous Icon of Vladimir was approaching Moscow. The Metropolitan, bishops and all the clergy, in robes and with crosses, and countless people came out to meet Her. This meeting was a touching spectacle. The people, as soon as they saw the holy icon of the Mother of God, fell to their knees and cried out with screams and tears: “Mother of God! Save the Russian land." According to the chronicler, in this countless multitude of people there was not a person who did not cry and did not send prayers to the Most Pure Mother of God. The Mother of God did not disgrace the hopes of those who came running under her honest cover. On the very day when the holy icon was brought to Moscow and, solemnly greeted, placed in the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tamerlane saw an extraordinary terrible dream, which prompted him to flee Russia. This dream was as follows. He saw a high mountain, from the top of which many saints with golden rods were descending and threatening him, Tamerlane. An extraordinary light shone in the air above them, and in the midst of it, in indescribable glory, the Queen of Heaven was visible, surrounded by countless warriors ready for battle. She seemed to be praying with her arms outstretched, threatening Tamerlane, commanding him to leave the borders of Russia, and as if she was sending Her army against him. He woke up in fear and, like a madman, began to shout: “My misfortune! What does this terrible vision mean? At his command, the governors and his princes gathered to him. He told them his vision and asked them about the meaning of his dream. The wiser of them answered: “The Queen seen is the Mother of the Christian God. Obviously, She wants to intercede for Christians, because She is their Helper and Trustee.” “If this is the Helper of Christians,” said Tamerlane, “then we went against them in vain and are now working without success 184.” Having said this, Tamerlane ordered his regiments to hastily leave Russia. But as soon as they began to leave our fatherland, they imagined that many Russian regiments were chasing after them. They fled in confusion and horror, crushed each other on the way and abandoned their stolen loot and even their weapons, having only one desire to get out of our fatherland safe and sound. With inexpressible joy, Muscovites received the news of Tamerlane’s removal. Thanking God and glorifying His mercy, everyone exclaimed: “It was not our commanders who drove him away, it was not our armies that frightened him, but an invisible power sent fear to him. Driven by the wrath of God, he withdrew from the Russian land.” Thus, through the prayers and intercession of the Queen of Heaven, Christians were granted victory over their enemies without warfare and bloodshed. From that time on, in Moscow, in grateful memory of the miraculous deliverance of her and our entire fatherland from enemies, the feast of the Presentation of the Icon of the Mother of God was established, and at the very place where the miraculous image met, the Sretensky Monastery was founded, where every year on August 26 there is a procession from the Assumption Cathedral 185). 77 years later, in 1472, through the same miraculous image of Her, the Queen of Heaven again showed Her mercy and protection to Moscow, and through it to our entire Fatherland. This year, under the Tsar and Grand Duke John III, the Tatar Tsar Akhmet took up arms against Moscow. He had already reached the Oka River and with a strong army was approaching Moscow with the intention of ruining it. Grand Duke John, having prayed and accepted the blessing from Metropolitan Gerontius and his spiritual father, the pious elder Vassian, who was at that time the archbishop of Rostov, set out on a campaign against the Tatars. But the merciful Lady did not allow bloodshed, without a fight she granted victory to the Orthodox Russian army, preserving Her property - Moscow and all of Russia. The Grand Duke and his army had not yet crossed the Oka River when fear fell on the Tatars, and they, not persecuted by anyone, fled. Returning to Moscow, the tsar with his army and his people joyfully glorified God and the Most Pure Mother of God, attributing to the Mother of God the victory over the Tatars. In eternal gratitude for this second deliverance of Moscow from the Tatars, in 1472, it was established on June 23 to hold a festival and procession to the Sretensky Monastery, in honor of the Vladimir miraculous icon of the Mother of God 186. In the same miraculous way, Moscow was saved from the Tatar invasion by Mahmet Giray in 1521. In memory of the last deliverance, in Moscow, on May 21, a festival is held in honor of the miraculous icon of Vladimir, and a religious procession is held to the Sretensky Monastery. All of Russia, imbued with a feeling of gratitude to the Lady for such great mercies, calls on Her on the days of these holidays: “Today the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts with light, as if we have received the dawn of the sun, Lady, Your miraculous icon, to which now we flow and pray to You we cry out: O most wonderful Lady Theotokos, pray from You to the incarnate Christ our God, that he may deliver this city, and all Christian cities and countries unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, and save our souls, for he is merciful” 187. “To the chosen victorious governor, having been delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your Honest Image, Lady Theotokos, we brightly celebrate the festival and usually call Ty: Rejoice, unmarried Bride” 188. The same help as the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was provided to Moscow and our entire Fatherland by the miraculous icon called Donskoy. Who and when it was written and at what time it appeared is unknown. What is known is that it was written a long time ago, existed already in the second half of the 14th century and was located in the Donskoy region, in some town of Sirotinsky, and even then it was revered by the Orthodox Russian people. In 1380, the Horde Khan Mamai took up arms against Russia. Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich Donskoy came out to meet him with a selected numerous army. This campaign of the Grand Duke of Moscow against Mamai was the first bold and decisive attempt to overthrow the Tatar yoke, which had been weighing on the Russian people for many years. Dimitri Ioannovich undertook it with faith, hope in God and in the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, with the blessing of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, and St. Sergius of Radonezh. The Don Cossacks came to the aid of the Grand Duke against the formidable hordes of Tatars and their formidable leader Mamai. The Don people went on this campaign with deep faith in the intercession of the Mother of God, and therefore from the city of Sirotin they took with them on the campaign the miraculous image of the Don Mother of God, which they revered. Throughout the war, the Don Icon was in the camp of Russian soldiers to help them against their enemies. And, thank God, thanks to the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, victory remained on the side of the Russians. The Tatars were defeated by the Russians for the first time and driven away. Their dominion over the Russian land was shaken. The Grand Duke and the entire Orthodox army, attributing the success of their weapons to the power of God and the protection of the Mother of God, with a feeling of lively joy they thanked God and the Mother of God for the victory over their enemies. The Don people, in respect for the Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich, nicknamed Donskoy for his victory on the banks of the Don River, offered him their image of the Mother of God as a gift 189. The Grand Duke accepted this gift with great honor and gratitude. He solemnly transferred it to Moscow and placed it first in the Assumption and then in the Annunciation Cathedral. The pious wife of Dimitri Ioannovich, Evdokia, expressed her gratitude to the Mother of God by building on the site of the wooden Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus a stone church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which, according to the chronicler, had a similar one only in Vladimir and was wonderful 190. Dimitri Ioannovich himself, with the assistance and direction of St. Sergius, built a monastery in the name of the Mother of God, which is now known as the Stromynsky Monastery 191. In 1591, during the reign of Theodore Ioannovich, Russia was again saved by the help and intercession of the Don Mother of God. This year, the Crimean Tatars, under the leadership of Murat Giray, accidentally approached Moscow in huge numbers and penetrated to the Sparrow Hills. The pious Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, frightened by the sudden invasion of enemies and having lost hope of winning a victory over the numerous Crimean army, resorted to the Mother of God with a warm prayer for help. He ordered the Donskoy icon of the Mother of God and other icons to make a religious procession around the city and place the icon of the Mother of God in his tent, located among the army. At night, during fervent prayer, Theodore Ioannovich received a revelation from the ambulance that, through her intercession, by the power of Christ the Savior, he would win victory over his enemies. On July 4, 1592, a terrible battle took place. Muscovites watched its outcome with bated breath. The pious king was the calmest of all. He deeply believed and hoped for the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, before Whose Don Icon he prayed day and night. One of the boyars, watching the progress of the battle, expressed concern to Theodore Ioannovich for a successful outcome of the battle for Moscow. “Be calm,” the king answered him, “tomorrow there will be no khan.” The king's prediction came true. The next day the khan was no longer under the walls of Moscow. Deceived by false news that a strong army had arrived to the Muscovites, and that the Russians were planning to make a strong attack in the morning, the Tatars fled at night with such haste that they abandoned both their carts and their weapons. Orthodox soldiers rushed after them, took many prisoners and captured the entire enemy camp. In grateful memory of salvation from enemies, the pious Tsar Theodore Ioannovich founded a monastery on the site where the miraculous image was located during the battle, and named it Donskoy. A miraculous icon was placed there and an annual holiday was established in honor of the Don Icon of the Mother of God on the 19th day of August. Our fatherland did not suffer from the Tatars alone; it also suffered from the Poles. Just as it was saved from the first through the miraculous image of the Mother of God of Vladimir and the Don, so from the second it was delivered with the help of the Queen of Heaven, whom She revealed in 1611 through Her icon, called “Kazan”. The Poles oppressed our fatherland for a long time. When Vasily Ioannovich Shuisky was dethroned, they completely took possession of Moscow. The faithful sons of the fatherland invited everyone with letters to liberate Moscow from the Poles. “Here,” they wrote, “is the root of the kingdom, here is the banner of the fatherland, here is the Mother of God, depicted by the Evangelist Luke.” Such an appeal did not remain unsuccessful. From all sides, Orthodox Christians rushed with arms in hand to liberate their fatherland. Our pious ancestors first of all turned to God and the Most Pure Mother of God with prayer for help. The entire Orthodox army and people were commanded to fast. However, the first militia was unsuccessful. It didn’t take long for something new to appear. It was composed by the powerful voice of Kozma Minin, a Nizhny Novgorod citizen. Inflamed by love for his fatherland, he convened a national assembly and convinced everyone to stand up for the fatherland. “Let us stand for Holy Rus',” he said, for the house of the Most Pure Mother of God; Let’s sell our wives and children, but liberate the fatherland!” The image of the Kazan Mother of God was taken by the leader Pozharsky into the midst of the new sacred militia. But this last militia, apparently, was to remain in vain. The army did not have means of maintenance and weapons, the leaders lacked unanimity. There was little hope for the liberation of Moscow. But the people did not stop praying to God and the Most Pure Mother of God. God heard the cry of the repentant and praying people. At the very time when all earthly hopes had fallen, heavenly help was not slow to appear in all its evidence. Archbishop Arseny, a Greek by birth, was elected as a messenger of heavenly mercy to Russia. He was within the very walls of Moscow as a prisoner of the Poles. Tormented by hunger and serious illness, he was already at his last breath. At this time, in the silence of the night, a dazzling light suddenly shone in his prison, and he saw before him the Monk Sergius of Radonezh: “Arseny, the saint of God told him, God heard the prayer of His servants and, at the intercession of the Most Pure Lady, the next day will help them gain victory over their enemies and return the city to them.” Arseny bowed to the ground to the miracle worker. The light that illuminated Arseny’s prison disappeared, and the saint of God disappeared with it. The sufferer felt completely healthy. This joyful news quickly spread throughout the city, penetrated the ranks of the Orthodox army and inflamed it with such courage that the next day, with extraordinary inspiration and strong hope for the help of the Mother of God, it rushed towards the Poles. The Poles were unable to resist the Russians and, having lost hope of retaining the Kremlin, they themselves surrendered it to the Russians. In awe of heavenly help, the Christ-loving army on the next Sunday made a religious procession to the returned capital and there solemnly brought thanks to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for the liberation of the fatherland from enemies. While the solemn sacred procession was approaching the Kremlin, Archbishop Arseny came out to meet him with the clergy who were with him, carrying an icon of the Mother of God, honorable crosses and other holy images that had been captured by the Poles. Everyone shed tears of emotion and joy when they saw the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which they had already lost hope of seeing. A liturgy was celebrated in the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, during which all the faithful in heartfelt joy sent thanks to God and His Most Pure Mother for deliverance from disasters. In memory of the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles, in honor of the Kazan Mother of God, a holiday was established in 1614, which is celebrated annually on October 22. Our church celebrates the very appearance of the holy icon on July 8th. On these holidays, Orthodox Christians, sending up praise to the Mother of God, with a tender heart and a tender soul, sing: “Zealous Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High! For all, pray to Your Son, Christ our God, and cause all to be saved into Your sovereign protection for those who come running; Intercede for all of us, O Lady, Queen and Lady, who in adversity and in sorrows and illnesses are burdened with many sins, coming and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart before Your most pure image with tears, and those who have irrevocable hope in You, deliverance from all evils, grant useful to everyone and save everything, Mother of God “Virgo, Thou art the divine protection of Thy servant.” (See Orenb. Eparch. Ved.). 3. Examples of the miraculous help of the Mother of God I. The miracle of the healing of the severed hand of St. by the Mother of God. John of Damascus. St. John of Damascus, who strongly attacked - both in writing and orally - the iconoclastic heresy, was slandered for his zeal in this holy cause by the Greek emperor Leo the Isaurian (in the 8th century) before the emir of Damascus, where St. John held an important position. The emir, without examining the matter and believing the slander, ordered his hand to be cut off, allegedly writing treasonous letters to Leo. The severed hand, to the fear of everyone, was hung in the marketplace. In the evening, when the anger of the Prince of Damascus subsided, St. John interceded with him, through his friends, so that he would be allowed to take the hand of his truncated hand, which was hung in shame. The prince bowed to the petition of his courtiers, the friends of John, and the hand was returned to the sufferer. When night fell, St. John shut himself up in the upper room designated for prayer, and, putting his dead hand to its composition, fell before the icon of the Mother of God, wept bitterly and with all the strength of his heartfelt faith and love asked Her to heal his hand, in defense of Orthodoxy and to defeat the growing iconoclastic heresy. After a long prayer, St. John dozed off and in a subtle dream he saw the Mother of God looking at him with bright, merciful eyes. “Your hand is now healthy,” the Mother of God said to John, “grief no more!” John woke up, felt his hand and could hardly believe his own feelings: the hand, as before, was intact; not a trace of illness, and only, as if in evidence of the event, where it was cut off, like a thread, there remained a sign of bloody truncation. Touched by a feeling of inexpressible gratitude to the Mother of God for her mercy, in memory of the wondrous event, St. John minted a hand from silver and attached it to the icon, from which it later received the name “Three-Handed”. (From the book: “The Tale of the Earthly Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” ed. 5, p. 229). II. Salvation from imminent death through the intercession of the Mother of God. The Monk Palladius of Alexandria once told his visitors the following story. One pious man known to him had a wife, a meek and pious woman, and a six-year-old daughter, whom he raised in piety and the fear of God. Once, on trade matters, he had to go to Constantinople. His wife, accompanying him to the ship, casually asked: “Who are you leaving me and your daughter in the arms of?” “To our Lady Theotokos,” answered the father of the family and, saying goodbye, he sailed away. Shortly after that, an attempt was made by a villain on the lives of his wife and daughter. It was like this: the devil inspired the servant of that pious house to raise his hand against his mistress and, having killed her, steal the best things and run away. The villain took a knife from the kitchen and went to the upper room; but, as soon as he touched the threshold, he was suddenly struck by blindness and could not move either back or forward. For a long time he tried to enter, but an invisible force held him back. The madman here did not recognize the hand of Providence, which cares for the whole world and especially for man. He wanted at all costs to carry out the idea instilled in him by the devil. And so, he begins to call to his mistress, inviting her to come to him. The lady was surprised by the servant’s action and did not respond to his call, but ordered him to come up himself. The servant asked her to come closer to him, or at least send her daughter; but she, although she did not suspect any malicious intent on her and her daughter’s lives, for some reason decided not to go and refused his request. And then the villain did not come to his senses, but in despair from the fact that he could not carry out his villainous act, he struck himself with a knife... The neighbors immediately gathered at the madam’s cry and, finding the villain still alive, found out what happened and how. On this occasion, everyone learned the inscrutable ways of Providence and glorified God and the intercessor of the faithful, the Mother of God and the Ever-Virgin Mary. (Lavsaik). III. Chosen Voivode. No. 46 of the Church Gazette of 1892 contains the following remarkable extract from the letter of His Eminence Isidore, Exarch of Georgia, later Metropolitan of Novgorod and s. Petersburg, dated December 24, 1853, to Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow: “Major General, Prince Bagration of Mukhrani, who distinguished himself in the last battle against the Turks, told me very interesting information, which I am happy to report to your Eminence. “The captured Turks openly told us that when the battle near Alexandropol heated up greatly, and the entire Russian detachment was brought into action, the Turks saw a bright Woman descending from the sky, holding a banner in her hand and accompanied by two warriors. The light from Her was so bright that it was like the radiance of the sun, and no eye could withstand it. This phenomenon brought terror to the ranks of the combatants and was the reason that the Turks, seeing God’s obvious intercession for Russia, all fled and lost the battle. “The Russians have not seen this phenomenon. By God's Providence our foreign enemies testified to this. The Turks claim that in the army they saw all this with horror and everyone knows about it, but their superiors, under fear of the death penalty, forbade talking about it and tried to overshadow this event. “The Russian military commanders, congratulating the main commander on such a brilliant victory, gave glory to God, who alone could give us victory over the enemy, fierce Muslim fanaticism, with forces much superior to ours, so that for human reasons it was difficult to expect such a brilliant success. “From some private letters from the army, we learned a joyful event for Christians, that many Turks after that loudly confessed Christ, asked for baptism and sealed with the blood of martyrdom the recognition of the all-enlightening Light - Christ.” (“Tser. Veda.” ed. under the Holy Synod 1892, No. 46). October month. Day 22 Celebration in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God Evang. from Luke, count. 54th and 58th, ch. X, 38–42, XI, 27–28 art. 192 1. Origin of the holiday in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, October 22 In the Russian Orthodox Church there are two holidays in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary: one on July 8th, and the other on October 22nd. These holidays are domestic, Russian in origin. They are not known either to the Greek Church or to the foreign Orthodox churches of the Slavic tribes. In Russia, both of these holidays, especially the holiday of October 22, are highly revered. The miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God appeared in Kazan in 1579, four years before the death of Ivan the Terrible. According to the legend set out in the prologue (July 8), the holy Kazan icon of the Mother of God was found in Kazan by a girl. “The revealed image was taken out of the ground and placed in the place where it was found. Immediately a crowd of people flocked in, looking at the shrine with reverent surprise, especially since the grace of miracles began to flow from it at the same time.” When Ivan the Terrible was informed about the discovery of the holy miraculous icon in Kazan, he ordered to build, without delay, a church and a convent, which was named Bogoroditsky, at the location of the icon. The son of Ivan the Terrible, Theodore Ioannovich, ordered the revealed icon to be decorated with gold, expensive stones and pearls from the royal treasures. In the troubled times of the Moscow state, a time of shock to almost all the foundations of national life, a time of impostors and interregnum, a new, secondary all-Russian glorification of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God began. This glorification is in the following connection with the events of Russian history. In times of troubles, near Moscow, in the Russian camp, one Kazan presbyter brought a photograph from the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This saint brought heavenly protection, general reconciliation and unanimity to the people's militia and their warring leaders. image. But the boyars and the militia, who then stood near Moscow, were not capable of “council” and unity; as we will see below, another people’s army and other boyars, more worthy and imbued with the common cause of saving the fatherland, were taken under Her protection by the Most Holy Theotokos. Meanwhile, Russia's misfortunes have reached their extreme. The spiritual authorities of the Trinity Lavra, in view of the general disasters, sent the following letter to all cities of what was then Russia: “Orthodox Christians! Remember the true Orthodox Christian faith that we were all born from Christian parents, marked with a seal, holy baptism, promised to believe in St. Trinity; place your trust in the power of the cross of the Lord and show your feat; pray to the serving people that all Orthodox Christians may unite and stand together against Christian traitors and against the eternal enemies of Christianity. You yourself see the final destruction of all Christians; you see what destruction they caused in the Moscow state. Where are the holy churches of God and the images of God? Where are the monks, blooming with gray hair, nuns, adorned with virtues? Isn’t everything completely ruined and cursed with evil reproach? Neither the elderly nor infants are spared. Remember and have mercy on the common death of death, so that the same cruel death does not befall you. Let the servicemen, without any hesitation, rush to Moscow, in a gathering to the boyars, governors and all Orthodox Christians. You yourself know that every undertaking has a time, but an untimely undertaking for every undertaking is vain and idle; even if there are some displeasures within your borders, for God’s sake put it all aside for a while, so that you all can work together to deliver the Orthodox Christian faith, before help comes to your enemies. Have mercy, do this job as quickly as possible, help with military men and the treasury, so that the army now gathered here, near Moscow, does not disperse due to poverty.” The letter of the spiritual authorities of the Trinity made a strong impression on the people; the people were ready to stand up for the defense of the fatherland as one person. As a result, on the advice of the entire land of the Moscow state, in all cities, all Orthodox Christians were sentenced to fast for three days. So everything was ready; They were only expecting the beginning of a popular movement to defend the perishing fatherland. The movement was detected in Nizhny Novgorod. When a letter was received from the Trinity Lavra in Nizhny, the next day the large bell in the Church of the Transfiguration was rung. A lot of people came together. The liturgy was served. And after the liturgy, priest Savva said to the people: “Woe to us! The days of our final destruction have come. Our Moscow state is dying; The Orthodox faith is also dying. Woe to us, great woe, cruel situation!.. The Polish and Lithuanian people, in their wicked advice, intended to ruin the Moscow state and convert the true faith of Christ into the Latin heresy. Who will not cry, who will not give up sources of tears! For the sake of our sins, the Lord allowed our enemies to rise up. Woe to our wives and children! The heretics destroyed the God-protected city of Moscow to the ground and put its children to the omnivorous sword. What should we do? When the people left the cathedral and crowded on the porch, here the townsman Kosma Minin-Sukhoruk loudly said the following word to the world: “if we want to give help to the Moscow state, we will not spare our bellies, and not just our bellies, we will sell our yards, we will give our wives and children into bondage and we will beat them with our foreheads, so that they will stand up for the true faith, and we would have an initial man. We will accomplish a great deed if God blesses us; Glory will be to us from all the Russian land that such a great thing will happen from such a small city. I know that as soon as we take action, many cities will come to us, and we will get rid of foreigners.” The Russian people's militia was formed. The treasury was also collected. As is known, the leading man of this militia was Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, who had not been responsible for any untruths in previous times. The treasury was in charge of an elected person, Kosma Zakharyevich Minin-Sukhoruk. At the beginning of April 1612, Prince Pozharsky and Minin led the people's militia to Yaroslavl. Here, in Yaroslavl, Pozharsky and Minin and the people’s militia saw the Kazan Icon of the Most Pure Mother of God. The holy miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God became, as it were, a regimental icon of the Russian people's army, led by Prince Pozharsky and Minin. This St. is from Yaroslavl. The icon accompanied the army to Moscow. It was this army that the Most Holy Theotokos took under Her protection. On August 20, the people's militia approached the devastated capital. We will not describe the course of the war near Moscow. Everyone knows that a lot of Russian blood was shed here, thousands of victims fell. The Russian people's militia used all means to take the reigning city. It was all in vain. The militia almost began to lose hope of success. Meanwhile, autumn has arrived with rain and cold, when the position of the besieged, without any comparison, is more advantageous than the position of the besiegers, deprived of warmth and shelter. During this extremely difficult “capture of Moscow,” according to the chronicler, there were many miracles from the miraculous icon of Kazan. These miracles only supported hope and strengthened the faith of the militia. Finally, on October 22, the people's militia launched an attack. China Town is taken; Our militia entered there victoriously, and with it the venerable Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Poles went to the Kremlin and locked themselves there, but not for long. Thus, October 22, 1612 was a truly joyful day for the entire Russian people and for the entire vast Russian land. This day is the day of deliverance of the Russian land in troubled times. The liberation of the reigning city, and with it our entire fatherland, the people's militia attributed not to themselves, but to the protection and prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God. The Russian militia, as a sign of their gratitude to the Intercessor of the Most Holy Theotokos, decided to build a church in Moscow in honor of her Kazan Icon. And to this day, the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow serves as a monument to the cleansing of the reigning city from the Poles in 1612. On October 24, the Poles opened the Trinity Gate in the Kremlin and began to let out the boyars and Russian people who were under siege. The next day, October 25, all the gates of the sacred Kremlin were opened. The zemstvo militia marked its entry into the capital with a solemn religious procession. During the procession of the cross, the Zemstvo militia carried the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The head of the clergy was Archimandrite Dionysius of the Trinity Lavra, whose letters moved the zemstvo militia to Moscow. The prayer service began. At that time, Archbishop Arseny with the Kremlin clergy came out of the Spassky Gate to meet the victorious procession to the capital. Archbishop Arseny held in his hands the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. When the people saw the Vladimir Icon, they heard screams and sobs. The people never wanted to see this icon, dear to Russia. Archbishop Arseny, joining the religious procession of the zemstvo militia, solemnly entered the Kremlin, the Assumption Cathedral. The celebration ended with a divine liturgy and a thanksgiving service in the Assumption Cathedral, in the “house of the Most Holy Theotokos,” for which the Russian zemstvo militia went to fight. At the end of the Time of Troubles, “the entire Russian land elected a tsar from the house of the Romanovs.” This august house gave us a liberator tsar, a peacemaker tsar, and the now reigning sovereign, Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich. So, October 22, 1612 is the day of the salvation of the Russian land from the turmoil of the interregnum and impostors and the accession of the prosperous reigning house of the Romanovs. (“Vyat. Ep. Ved.”). 2. Procession of the Cross on October 22nd in ancient times On the days of remembrance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow, a religious procession is held from the Assumption Cathedral to the Kazan Cathedral. In ancient times, this religious procession was distinguished by its extraordinary splendor in terms of the number of shrines and clergy participating in it. All of Moscow on this day was one sacred procession, in grateful memory of heavenly help in difficult times. The Tsar himself came out of the palace with icons of the court churches. The Patriarch walked towards him from the Assumption Cathedral, surrounded by numerous clergy and all the shrines of Moscow churches. During this move, parts of the relics of St. were usually raised. Apostle Andrew the First-Called and St. John Chrysostom. After the prayer service at Lobnoye Place and the patriarchal overshadowing of the icon of the Mother of God on four sides, a majestic religious procession began throughout Moscow. One of the bishops, with part of the holy icons and clergy, went to the walls of the Kremlin and, going around it, performed the blessing of water and recited prayers at each gate. The two archimandrites who accompanied him sprinkled holy water on the walls during the entire move, one on the right, the other on the left. Another bishop, also with part of St. icons and clergy, walked along the walls of Kitai-Gorod, doing everything the same as the first. At the same time, religious processions were set out, led by archpriests, to circumambulate the White and Zemlyanoy cities. At the same time, two archpriests walked around the White City at the same time: one from the Moscow River to Tverskaya, and the other from Tverskaya Street to the end. The Patriarch sent four archpriests to Zemlyanoy City at the same time with processions of the cross: one of them walked from the Moscow River to the Yauza Aleksandronevskaya, the other from Vorontsov Field to the Tver Gate, the third from the Tver Gate to the Crimean Ford, and the fourth beyond the Moscow River. The patriarch himself, together with the tsar, went to serve mass for the holiday in the Kazan Cathedral. After mass, they returned with a religious procession to the Assumption Cathedral through the St. Nicholas Gate. By this time, all religious processions should have ended and people would have gathered at these gates. The Patriarch read a prayer here and sprinkled him with holy water. Sometimes from here he and the king entered the Kremlin and himself made a religious procession along its walls. The release of holy icons and clergy took place in the Assumption Cathedral. (From the book “Festive services and church celebrations in old Moscow.” Gr. Georgievsky. Moscow, ed. 1897, pp. 142–143). 3. What attracts the heavenly help of the Mother of God? The holiday day in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is very important for the Orthodox sons of Russia. This is the day of the miraculous liberation of Russia from the yoke of foreign and internal strife, the day of renewal and revival of Russia. Moscow, and with it all of Russia, would have remained in the hands of enemies if the intercession of the Mother of God had not come to the rescue, for all earthly resources had already been exhausted. Therefore, this day is truly the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos over our Fatherland. What joy, what consolation for us, that the Mother of God Herself cares for us and helps us! If it is warm and joyful for every living creature to be under the wing of his own mother, then how much more joyful it is to be under the roof and intercession of the Mother of God, the heavenly and all-powerful Helper and Intercessor! Let us now see what turned the merciful, motherly gaze of the heavenly Queen on our ancestors and brought her wondrous help closer to them? From the words of Rev. Sergius to Elder Arseny, it is clear that for our ancestors the prayers of the holy saints of God, Russian wonderworkers, were offered up, such as: the Venerable himself. Sergius, Peter, Alexy, Jonah, Philip, Photius, Cyprian, etc., and their holy prayers to the Lord for the salvation of our fatherland prompted the Mother of God Herself to intercede for him, Who, being closest of all the saints to the Primary Source of almighty power, the Lord I. Christ, can most likely bring Her intercessory prayers to Him and receive the fulfillment of Her prayers for those who apply faithful Christians to Her. But, along with the prayers of the saints of God for the salvation of our fatherland, the fervent prayers of our pious ancestors themselves also ascended to the Lord, as we see again from the words of St. Sergius to Elder Arseny that “The Lord heard the prayer of His servants.” Being not alien to the shortcomings and weaknesses characteristic of all people and suffering for them grave disasters, our ancestors did not know other gods than the God of their fathers, they knew how to maintain firm faith in the most extreme circumstances, and, both in happiness and in misfortune, in the simplicity of their hearts they turned for help to Him alone, His Most Pure Mother and the holy saints. If it cannot be said that, having a firm and pure faith, our ancestors always lived their lives in accordance with their faith, then, to their honor, we can fully assert that they were always aware of their shortcomings, humbly endured the disasters sent from God as well deserved, and often turned to the Lord with repentance for their sins. With all this, they were greatly animated by love for their fatherland, as evidenced by their unparalleled zeal with which they willingly sacrificed everything for the house of the Most Holy Theotokos, for the throne city and for the fatherland. And so, their living and firm faith, their fervent prayers to the Lord God, His Most Pure Mother and all the holy saints, their humility, repentance and self-sacrifice, bowed the Most Pure Mother of God to mercy, and She, with Her maternal boldness and intercession to Her Son, bowed Him Himself to help them. But, of course, not every faith and not every prayer bows to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother to help us. Without a doubt, our enemies of that time also believed - the Poles who owned Moscow and wanted to take possession of all of Russia, for they were also Christians - but the Lord did not act according to their faith. Why is this so? Because, believing with their lips, they overthrew and destroyed their faith by their deeds. Giving no mercy to either peaceful huts or even the very churches of God, boldly cursing the shrine and seeking to illegally take possession of Russia, they, instead of God’s help, received complete defeat and humiliation. Believing, they, no doubt, also offered prayers to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother, but their prayer did not persuade the Most Holy Virgin to help them and did not reach the throne of the Most High. Why again? Because they, wanting to forcibly seize power that was foreign and did not rightfully belong to them, asked in their prayers for the unclean and unrighteous. And those who ask for the unrighteous receive from the Righteous and Impartial Judge not only a refusal, but also a condemnation, and together they only anger the Most Honest Cherub. And what kind of prayer could one expect from them, who indulged in all kinds of uncleanness and all kinds of crimes! In order to be heard by God, any prayer must certainly be accompanied by good deeds on our part, or, in any case, complete devotion to the will of God, humility and repentance. What can we learn from all that has been said? It is certain that our Most Holy Helper and Intercessor, the Mother of God, with the saints of God, has always helped, and will always help us in the future in all our troubles and misfortunes, if we turn to Her in our prayers with firm, pure faith, if our prayers in themselves are pure and righteous, and if at the same time, together with prayer and faith, we unite a good life ours, or at least our ardent repentance for sins, deep humility and hope in God’s mercy. With such a mood of our mind and heart, if we find ourselves in various troubles and misfortunes, then let us not be afraid: the Mother of God, as she was, will always be our Helper and Intercessor and will cover us, who resort to Her, with Her sovereign cover! (From “Pastor’s Conversation.”). 4. Stories about the love of saints, already deceased, for their homeland, and help from them This gratifying truth is confirmed by the following historical events: I. The Swedes, under the leadership of Birger, unexpectedly invaded the Novgorod region, with the goal of not only conquering Novgorod, but also converting the inhabitants to the Roman Catholic faith. St. Alexander, Prince of Novgorod (Nevsky), did not expect attacks and suddenly received news that the Swedes were going to Ladoga. Birger sent a proud challenge: “defend yourself if you can, and I’m on your land.” The randomness of the attack gave spirit to the arrogant Birger. It was bitter for the prince that he did not have an army ready; Firmly trusting in God, he decided to go against the Swedes with a small army. He hurried to the church of God and in his prayer called for judgment on those who want to steal the property of others and insult the innocent before them. Then, he hastened to enter into battle with the servants of the pope on the day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, who knew the pope so much, calling on him and his saint for help. sons - Boris and Gleb. “We are few,” he said cheerfully to the squad, “but God is not with many, but with those who are right.” Alexander's animated, living piety inspired everyone. Whoever could from among the people joined the military squad. Alexander's hopes were not deceptive, as subsequent events showed. On the night of July 5 (1240), the Izhorian Pelgusius, in the baptism of Philip, a pious man, was awarded a vision. When the prince approached the battlefield, Pelgusius, who had spotted the location of Birger's forces in advance, gave him the necessary information. St. Alexander instructed him to continue his observations. During this night watch, towards the morning, at the first sunrise, he suddenly hears the noise of a boat floating on the water. He wondered if these were enemies, and began to peer more closely. The rowers seemed to be covered in darkness; only the knights standing on the boat were visible; their bright faces, like their clothes, remind him of St. faces of the passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. So he hears the older one say to the younger one: “Brother Gleb! Order to row; We need to help our relative, Alexander.” The rumor confirmed what the eyes saw. And Pelgusius joyfully recounted to the noble prince what he had seen and heard. The prince attacked the Swedes on the same day; the battle was stubborn, it lasted from morning to evening; The enemies, defeated at all points, having lost their bravest, did not even dare to stay on the battlefield until the morning: filling two pits with their corpses, and taking the famous dead with them on ships, they hastened at night to move away from the inhospitable shores. The prince's damage was insignificant. The noble prince concluded his high feat with living gratitude to the Lord, which he offered solemnly in the St. Sophia Church. The victory on the Neva forever left Alexander with the name of Nevsky. (Compiled from the book “Russian saints, revered by the whole church, or locally”; Philareta, Archbishop of Chernigov. Part III, pp. 387–388). II. In 1608, the Poles attacked Vladimir three times, almost defenseless, but they could not take it. During this siege, at midnight, the cathedral guards noticed some kind of lighting in the cathedral and let sexton Gerasim know about it. He opened the door and saw a light, and at the tomb of St. Prince Gleb (son of Andrei Bogolyubsky) someone is sitting and he, frightened, says: “Don’t be afraid, I’m not a ghost; The Lord will not deliver this city into the hands of enemies: we protect it and pray to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for it; go and tell the archpriest and the clergy what I told you; I'm lying in this coffin." Gerasim barely came to his senses from fear and told everything to the archpriest and all the abbots of the monasteries. That same night the Poles left Vladimir, driven by fear. The relics of the blessings. The prince's church was opened on November 30, 1702. In 1818, a beautiful silver shrine was built for his relics. The relics of the holy young prince are distinguished by amazing liveliness, like no one else’s: his hand freely rises, bends, bends, completely, like that of a living person. (Dobrokhotova, “Ancient Monuments in Vladimir”, pp. 13–15, 19, 24–26, 42. M. 1849; sn. RKp. legend about the life and miracles of the holy prince. Gleb at Tsarsky, No. 445, written in 1702). 5. The power of prayer to the Mother of God In our parish, one elderly peasant, a literate, sober, honest and intelligent man, who usefully occupies one of the public positions, has long enjoyed special respect. But he was not always like this, as it turns out. His wife, a modest, simple woman, one day, talking about her life, mentioned among other things that from a young age she had seen a lot of grief and shed a lot of tears, because her husband led a very immoral and drunken life. Her interlocutor was so surprised by her words that at first she thought that the narrator was probably so unhappy in her first marriage, and that we were not talking about her real husband, this respected man. “No, darling,” she answered, “I was married to a widower as an orphan girl and have been living with him ever since.” - “What happened to him? And how could he not only improve, but also earn universal respect?” asked her interlocutor. - “Oh, it was Mother Queen of Heaven who interceded. And now I’ll tell you how it all happened.” “This happened in the fall; The cold weather set in, and three of my children were almost dying from smallpox. Isn't this a great sorrow for a mother's heart? But I was not alone in this sorrow at that time: my husband had a dyeing establishment in a neighboring village and lived there for the most part; there, in a local tavern, he often drank away his earnings. And so, as I remember now, the feast of the Kazan Mother of God came; Early in the morning, our neighbor comes to our house and tells us that my husband has started drinking heavily again, even drank away all his clothes and was left in nothing but his shirt. This was not the first time I had heard and seen his outrageous drunkenness, but this time, during the death of my children, it really struck me. I fell on the bench and sobbed with despair in my heart. The neighbor was even afraid for me; She began to persuade me, but, seeing that she was unable to calm me down, she remembered that today was a big holiday, and then she persuaded me to go with her to church to pray to God - “maybe you will feel better, at least a little relieved from your heart,” she said, “while the mother-in-law looks after the boys.” Not knowing where to go from my fierce grief, I got up, sobbing, and went to church. In the church, when we got there, they sang very touchingly, “Diligent Intercessor!..” Tears flowed like a river, I fell to my knees, and cried and prayed, and my heart seemed to be torn to pieces with grief. I didn’t see anyone around me, I only finally heard from behind: “Why is she crying like that? Or did her father and mother die?” “No,” others say, “she has had neither father nor mother for a long time, her life is very bad, her husband is...” I cried even more bitterly, prayed even more fervently: “Mother! You are my intercessor! How can I live?!.. I won’t leave You, intercede! Intercede for me, a bitter orphan!..” And the Queen of Heaven interceded! She heard my tearful, bitter prayer. Oh! And now I won’t forget: I came home, I looked and couldn’t believe my eyes: my husband was not drunk at home. Suddenly I suddenly lost my mind: what is this, Lord!.. Are you sobering up? “Yes,” he answered quietly, and he looked so timid. And he said that as soon as he got up in the morning, he went straight to the tavern to recover his hangover; he walked up to the door itself, took hold of the bracket, only suddenly someone shouted at him: “Come back, go home!” He, without looking back, rushed to run, in fear, without thinking about who could drive him away like that, and so he came home, not understanding what was happening to him. When I, weeping together with grief and joy, began to tell how I was in church and how I prayed to the Queen of Heaven, the Intercessor, then he and I understood with fear and great joy that it was no one like Her, Mother, our Intercessor, who cared about us before God and brought him back from this destruction. And from that day on, even if he took a drop into his mouth to this day, this will now be more than 25 years old. Since then, every year in Kazanskaya (October 22) we serve a prayer service, and at the same time we decided to paint the icon of the Kazan Mother of God in memory of our joy and gratitude to the Intercessor. The husband himself then went to Moscow to pick her up. And yet, as we waited for him with the icon, that was also an amazing thing! I sit all night, my fire burning, still waiting for him; only suddenly my little girl looks at me and asks: “Mother, has my uncle arrived?” “No,” I say, “I haven’t come yet.” - “Why didn’t you come? I just saw him here in a white, white shirt! And the new icon stood on the bench, where is it?!” I even felt terrified, I began to assure my little girl that she had dreamed. - “No, mother, I didn’t sleep, but I kept looking at you, and at the priest, and at the icon.” Soon, indeed, my husband arrived with the icon. And we all rejoiced that the Lord had brought us to receive such joy in our home. “So,” the narrator finished her true story, “to the grave I will remember what great mercy our Intercessor, the Queen of Heaven, did for us.” (“Cal. Ep. Ved.”). November month. 8th day. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other ethereal forces Evang. from Luke. zach. 51st, ch. X. 16–21 art. 1. The Gospel account of the return of the 70 apostles from preaching It is not known how long the seventy disciples sent by the Lord to preach each went preaching about the kingdom of the Messiah, and exactly what places they went to. Probably their preaching covered larger areas than the preaching of the twelve; Perhaps they spread their preaching to semi-pagan Galilee and Samaria. Evangelist Luke notices only the return of those sent. The seventy returned with joy, saying: Lord, even demons obey us in Thy name (by Thy power we cast out demons). Jesus said to them: I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven (the prince of darkness is undoubtedly defeated). Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy: and nothing will harm you. Otherwise, do not rejoice in this, for the souls obey you: rejoice, for your names are written in heaven (you will receive eternal bliss in heaven). The Savior, according to the same evangelist, concluded His conversation with the 70 apostles with a prayer to the Heavenly Father. At that hour, Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said: Confess, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid this from the wise and prudent, and revealed it as a child. Yes, Father, for such was the favor before You. These 70 apostles of Christ, according to interpreters, did not constitute such a closed group as the 12 apostles: their mission was only temporary, after which they joined the ranks of ordinary followers of Christ. We do not know for sure either the names of all seventy apostles, or the subsequent activities of each of them. “The names of the Savior’s apostles are known to everyone from the Gospels,” writes the ancient church historian, Eusebius, but there are no lists of His seventy disciples anywhere. They say, however, that one of them was Barnabas, who is mentioned in various places in the Acts of the Apostles, and no less by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Sosthenes, they say, also belonged to them, writing to the Corinthians together with Paul; Likewise, Matthew, who was numbered among the apostles instead of Judas the traitor, as well as he (Justus), with whom he was honored by lot (Acts 1:23), and Thaddeus.” Saint Demetrius of Rostov writes that, based on a careful study of the Divine Scripture, the traditions of the holy fathers and ancient church writers, the following can be counted among the saints of the seventy apostles: 1) James, brother of the Lord, the first bishop of Jerusalem, whom the Apostle Paul also mentions (Gal. 1:18-19), 2) the Evangelist Mark, who was later the bishop of Alexandria, about whom mentions the Apostle Peter (1 Pet.5:13), 3) the Evangelist Luke, the writer of the Acts of the Apostles, whom the Apostle Paul mentions (Col.4:14), 4) Cleopas, the younger brother of Joseph the betrothed, who traveled with the Evangelist Luke to Emmaus (Luke 24:35), 5) Simeon, a relative of the Lord, the second bishop of Jerusalem, 6) Barnabas, who was a companion of the Apostle Paul, and then a bishop in Mediolan (Acts 4:36; Gal.2:1), 7) Justus, the son of Joseph the betrothed, co-hob of Matthias (Acts 1:23; Colossians IV, 2), 8) Thaddeus, who baptized Abgar, prince of Edessa (Church history Evs., p. 46–52), 9) Ananias, who baptized the Apostle Paul in Damascus, 10) Archdeacon Stephen the First Martyr (Acts 7:59), 11) Deacon Philip, who baptized Simon the Magus and the Kazhenik of Candace, 12) Deacon Prochorus, the first bishop of Nicomedia, 13) Deacon Nicanor (Acts VI), 14) Timon, 15) Parmen, also one of the seven first deacons, 16) Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, to whom the Apostle Paul wrote two letters, 17) Titus and 18) Philemon, to whom the Apostle Paul also wrote letters, 19) Onesimus, mentioned in the last. to Philemon, 20) Epaphras, mentioned by the Apostle Paul ( Col. 4:12–13 ), 21) Archippus, bishop of Colossian ( Col. 4:17 ), 22) Silas, bishop of Corinth ( Acts 15:40–41 ), 23) Silouan, bishop of Thessalonica ( 1 Pet. 5:12 ; 2 Cor. 1:19 ), 24) Criscent, bishop of Galatia (2 Tim. 4:10), 25) Crispus, bishop on the island of Egina (Acts 18:8), 26) Epinetus, 27) Andronicus, 28) Stachy, 29) Amplius, 30) Urvanus, 31) Narcissus, 32) Apellius, 33) Aristobulus, 34) Herodion, 35) Rufus, 36) Asigkrit, 37) Phlegont, 38) Erm, 39) Patrov and 40) Ermius, mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans (Rom. 16:13–14), 41) Agabus, who prophesied about the Apostle Paul (Acts 21:10–11), 42) Linus, after the Apostle Peter, bishop Antioch, 44) Gaius, 45) Philologist, 46) Lucius, 47) Jason, 48) Sosipater, 49) Olympanos, 50) Tertius, 51) Erastus, 52) Quart, which are also mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the last. to the Romans (Rom.16:15–23), 53) Onesiphorus (2 Tim.1:16), 54) Clement, Bishop of Rome (Phil.4:3), 55) Sosthenes (Acts 18:17), 56) Apollos (Acts 18:24–25), 57) Tychicus (Eph.6:21–22). 58) Epaphroditus (Philip. XI, 25), 59) Carp (2 Tim. 4:13), 60) Codratus, 61) Mark, also John (Acts 12:25), 62) Zeena (Timoth. III, 13), 63) Aristarchus (Acts 19:29), 64) Pud (2 Tim. 4:21), 65) Trophimus (Acts 20:4), 66) Marco (Col.4:10), 67) Artema (Timoth. III, 12), 68) Achilas (Acts 18:2), 69) Fortunatus and 70) Achaic, which are mentioned by the Apostle Paul in 1 last. to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:17). Almost all of them, as we have already partially indicated, were bishops in various newly founded churches, and all of them almost ended their lives as martyr for the name of Christ. Sometimes they include others who have worked in the preaching of Christ; for example, Dionysius the Areopagite (Acts 17:34), Simeon Niger (ibid. Acts 13:1), and behind them Lazarus, resurrected by the Savior, and Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, the secret disciple of Jesus, and Gamaliel, the teacher of the Apostle Paul, and the eunuch baptized by Philip, and the centurion Cornelius and others. About all such evangelists, the above-mentioned church historian Eusebius says the following: “you can easily see that the Savior had more than seventy disciples, if we pay attention to the testimony of Paul, who says that after the resurrection from the dead, the Savior appeared first to Cephas, then to the twelve apostles, then to more than five hundred brethren alone, some of whom, according to him, had already died, and most were still living at the time he wrote this.” (Sun. Thu. 1881, pp. 7–9) The 8th day of November is dedicated to honoring St. Archangel Michael and other ethereal forces. The reasons for this honor are as follows: We revere the most perfect beings. And who is more perfect than the angels? The Lord was pleased to reward them with such gifts of His love that none of His creations were awarded. They have a perfect mind, capable of clearly contemplating the glory of God, they have such power, through which they easily destroy all the machinations of the devil; they are so established in goodness that they cannot fall, but are increasingly elevated and perfected in purity, obedience to God and love for Him. So, if the Lord Himself loved the angels, then why shouldn’t we love and honor them! We remember with gratitude the names and lives of our benefactors and benefactors. And who provides benefits to people more than archangels and angels? For whom is our salvation so precious if not for them! Who, after the Son of God and His Most Pure Mother, took more part in the salvation and redemption of man? Look: the Archangel Gabriel announces the beginning of salvation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels announce to the shepherds the birth of the Savior. They glorify Him who was born in countless numbers. An angel notifies Herod of his insidious plans and orders the holy family to flee to Egypt. An angel appears to the Magi, turning them away from a second meeting with Herod. The angel strengthens the Savior before His suffering. And the most precious of all the events in the life of the Savior - His glorious resurrection - who are the first to preach the gospel to women? Angels. Thus, everything great in the life of the Savior, one might say, took place with the participation of angels. And now who rejoices more at our success in virtues and at the same time grieves over our negligence, who prays more for us, helps, consoles, admonishes, distracts from evil, guides us to good - who, if not the guardian angel given to each of us at baptism? Not only that. This angel will appear to us at the hour of death, will accompany us to the Last Judgment, will appear after the resurrection of our mortal body, will cover and comfort us, the sorrowful and abandoned by all, at the Last Judgment. Oh, at what time is help more valuable than in these truly terrible moments! So, it is worthwhile and righteous to magnify the archangels and angels. What are angels? What is their nature? What is their life like? The word angel is not Russian, but Greek, and in our Russian language, angel means: messenger. And they are called messengers because God sends them to proclaim His will. By their nature, angels are disembodied spirits, endowed with a mind and will much more perfect than what a person has. Their mind is much brighter, their knowledge is completely broader and clearer than ours; but much is hidden from them too. There are secrets that even angels would like to penetrate. God alone is omniscient. Angels are incorporeal and immortal, and therefore have no need for food or clothing. Angels can descend from heaven to earth in an instant, but they cannot be both here and there at the same time. They can pass through closed doors. Because of this great speed of theirs, angels are usually depicted with wings, which they, as spirits, actually have no need for. Angels were created before the visible world. This is clear from the testimony of the book of Job. It says: When the stars were created, all My angels praised Me with a great voice. ( Job 38:7 ). All angels were created saints and good, but some of them unrepentantly fell in sins, became devils and irreconcilable enemies of goodness, truth and blessedness (2 Peter XI, 4; Jude 6). The holy angels, by approaching God and contemplating His divine greatness, confirmed themselves in goodness and truth and became adamant towards evil. They are incessant preachers of the greatness of God. (Is.6:3; Rev.4:8), messengers of God's will for people (Ps.102:20-21; Luke 1:13; Luke 1:26-28), guardians of men (Gen.19:16; Matt.18:10; Acts 12:15) and ministers for those who want to inherit salvation (Heb.1:14; Rev.4:3-4). Not all disembodied spirits have the same dignity, power, glory and honor. And in heaven, despite the mutual love, joy and bliss of each and every one, there is, however, not that equality that some, out of extreme foolishness, seek on earth; and there some rule and lead, others obey and follow. Essential and complete equality is found only between the three persons of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Angels who rule over others are called archangels. Although the number of angels is extremely large, there are thousands of them, according to the expression of Scripture, but there are only seven archangels. “I am one of the seven angels,” said the Archangel Gabriel to the righteous Tobit, “who offer the prayers of the saints and enter before the glory of the Holy One (Tob. 12:15). And St. John, in his wondrous Apocalypse, pronouncing grace and peace to the churches from the Existing One, and the One who is, and the One Who is to Come, then pronounces a blessing from the seven spirits who are before His throne. (Rev.1:4). Why are there only seven main angels - no less and no more? – This is the secret of creation, known only to the Lord and Creator of angels. We can note with reverence only in this case that the septenary number constitutes one of the most important laws of the origin and existence of creatures both in the spiritual world and in the material world. For shall we look at the kingdom of grace? – we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments. Shall we look at the kingdom of nature? – we find seven rays of light, seven tones of sound, seven days of creation, etc. I. From among the seven supreme spirits of St. The church is the first to recognize Michael, which is why his celebration is called the Council of the Archangel Michael and other ethereal forces. Who is God? means his name; who is like God, expresses all his works. He was the first to rebel against Lucifer when he rebelled against the Almighty. It is known how this first terrible battle ended - with the overthrow of Dennitsa from the sky. Since then, Michael has not ceased to fight for the glory of the Creator and Lord of all, for the cause of salvation of the human race, for the church and its children. This is why he is always depicted in a warlike form with a spear or sword in his hand, with a dragon under his feet, that is, the spirit of evil. The white banner, a copy of it decorating the top, means the unchanging purity and unshakable loyalty of the angels to the King of Heaven; and the cross with which the spear ends makes it clear that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and the victory over it by the archangels themselves is accomplished in the name of the cross of Christ, accomplished through patience, humility, and self-sacrifice. Therefore, for those who are adorned with the name of the first of the archangels, it is most fitting to be distinguished by zeal for the glory of God, loyalty to the King of heaven and the kings of the earth, constant warfare against vice and wickedness, and constant humility and self-sacrifice. II. The second place in the rank of angels belongs to Gabriel: a name meaning the power of God. Since among the celestials the name always expresses the thing itself, then this archangel, in the work of serving human salvation, is especially the herald and servant of the omnipotence of God. So - whether the power of God will be revealed in the miraculous conception of the Forerunner from elderly parents - the news of this conception is entrusted to Gabriel. Does the seedless conception of the Son of God Himself occur? The honor of the gospel of this goes to Gabriel again. This same archangel, in the opinion of God-wise men, was sent to reinforce the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane, and to announce to the Mother of God Her all-honorable Dormition. Therefore, the church calls him a minister of miracles. But, serving miracles, he himself is therefore a special servant of the mysteries of God: for one presupposes the other. Therefore, when it was necessary to reveal future events to Daniel the prophet, he heard a voice: Gabriel! Tell him the vision (Dan.8:16). Having in mind such a ministry of Gabriel, St. The church sometimes depicts him with a branch of paradise in his hand, which he brought to the Mother of God, and sometimes in his right hand with a lantern, inside of which a light is burning, and in his left with a mirror. Depicts with a mirror because Gabriel is the messenger of God's destinies for the salvation of the human race; depicts with a candle in a lantern, since the destinies of God are closed until the time of their fulfillment and, after their fulfillment, are comprehended only by those who steadily look into the mirror of the word of God and their conscience. Thus, if anyone who bears the name of Gabriel has that faith of God (Mark XI, 21), for which, according to the word of the Savior Himself, nothing is impossible; and if from anyone, then from them should be as far as possible the punishment that, for the poverty of faith, this archangel was once forced to impose on the father of the Forerunner (Luke 1:20). III. Raphael, or God's help and healing, is the name of the third archangel, a name that is therefore dear to all who suffer. There is a whole book in the Holy Scriptures that describes how this archangel, in the form of a man, accompanied the righteous Tobiah, freed his bride from the evil spirit, restored sight to his elderly father, Tobit, and then ascended from them to heaven. Therefore, this archangel is depicted with a medical vessel in his left hand, leading Tobias with his right. The words spoken by this archangel during separation from Tobit’s family are very instructive. “It is good to pray with fasting and alms and righteousness,” Raphael said, “for alms delivers from death and cleanses all sin. When you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, you offered the memory of your prayer before the Holy One, and when you buried the dead, like those present to you; and when you were not lazy to rise up and leave your dinner, and having gone away to cover the dead, you did not hide from doing me good, but was with you” (Tov.12:8-9; Tov.12:12-14.). “Therefore, whoever wants to be worthy of Raphael’s heavenly help must first of all be merciful to those in need. Those who are merciful are most likely to be pardoned themselves. Moreover, the virtues of mercy and compassion should distinguish those who bear the name of Raphael; otherwise they will not have a spiritual union with the archangel. IV. The fourth archangel is depicted with a sword turned against the Persians, and in Shuyts with a flame descending to the bottom; and his name is Uriel, i.e. light, or fire of God; like an angel of light, he enlightens the minds of people with the revelation of truths that are useful to them; like an angel of Divine fire, he inflames hearts with love for God and consumes impure earthly attachments in them. So, this is your archangel, people who have devoted themselves to science! How gratifying it should be for you to know that your nightly vigils and your labors over the collection of knowledge are illuminated not only by the spontaneous flickering from the lamp, but also by the light from the archangel’s flame. And here, of course, is the source of many truly useful and great discoveries in the field of science - those discoveries about which those who made them themselves notice that they came to mind suddenly, as if by revelation from above. Is it surprising to have sudden insights from above when there is a special archangel of light and knowledge? – What can you expect from this world-class mentor? – Revelations of the secrets of nature, beyond our reason and our needs? Foreshadowing of future events or something like that? No, this is not the work of the archangel. Listen to what Uriel answered to one pious, but too inquisitive man, when, in the heat of his passion for knowledge, he wanted to learn from him the secret of the Divine world government. The Archangel refused to answer questions, but demanded that Ezra (as this man was called) do one of three things for him first: weigh the flame of the fire, or indicate the beginning of the wind, or return the past day. When Ezra denied the possibility of doing this, the archangel said: “If I asked you, saying: if there are many dwellings in the heart of the sea, or if there are many springs at the beginning of the abyss, or if there are many veins above the firmament of heaven, or what are the boundaries of paradise; negli 193 you would answer me: I didn’t go down into the abyss, nor into hell, below into heaven when I sighed. Now you are not asked about this, only about the lights, and about the wind, and about the days in which you were, and you cannot exist without these things: and you answered about these nothingnesses. You, even though you are your essence and have grown up with you, cannot know, and how can your vessel contain the ways of the Most High (3 Esdras 4:7-11)? Note this lesson, people devoted to science, and do not forget, following the example of your archangel, to be servants not only of the light of truth, but also of the fire of Divine love. The mind is in full swing, love alone creates (1 Cor. 8:1.). V. The fifth archangel is the supreme minister of prayer and is called Salafiel. Pure and fiery prayer itself can serve instead of a cherub for the soul, protecting it from all hostile forces. But what are our prayers? – Weak, short, unclean, cold. And so, the Lord, knowing how necessary prayer is for each of us, gave us a whole host of prayer angels with their leader Salafiel, so that with the pure inspiration of their lips they warm our cold hearts and motivate them to prayer, so that they instruct us about what, when and how to pray, and so that they lift up our very petitions to the throne of grace. When you see, brethren, on the icon an archangel standing in a position of prayer, with his eyes downcast, with his hands placed reverently on his chest; - then know that this is Salafiel. And seeing the archangel of prayer himself in this position, try yourself during prayer to always be in a position appropriate for the one praying. Decent - I say, because many do not have even this. Looking at how some of us pray, you would think that they do not ask, but command and threaten the One from whom they ask. Is this a prayer?.. VI. The sixth archangel has a golden crown in his right hand, and in his shuyts a scourge of three scarlet ropes. This is because the duty of this archangel with the face of the angels entrusted to him is to encourage with the reward of eternal blessings and to protect in the name of the Holy Trinity and the power of the cross of Christ people working in various types of service for the glory of God; which is why it is called Egudiel, or the praise of God. There are no people among us who bear this name, for this each of us, young and old, is obliged to live and work for the glory of God; and since he truly works at this, it cannot be that he does not encounter various obstacles, for on our sinful earth, among us sinful people, no good deed is accomplished except with difficulty, and many with great and difficult effort. What needs? Our Lord and Master is not offended to forget any good deed of ours and any labor of love (Heb. 6:10.), in His name; The greater the feat, the higher and brighter the reward. In the right hand of the archangel the crown is not in vain: this is a reward for the warrior who, during battle, does not spare his life for the church and fatherland, but during peace he offends no one, is satisfied with his dues (Luke 3:14), - for the city ruler, who neither sleeps nor sleeps, guards the city entrusted to him - for the judge, who firmly holds the scales of righteousness, judges without partiality the sire and humble; This is a reward for the shepherd of the church, who rightly rules the word of truth, for the householder, who sets an example of fear of God to his household, for the slave, who bears his lot with faith and patience. VII. The last archangel, the last in order, and not in dignity and power, is given the name Barachiel by the godly teachers of the church. This is the angel of God’s blessings, as his name means and expresses the appearance in which he appears on holy icons; for he is depicted with many rose flowers in the depths of his clothing. since the blessings of God are varied, the ministry of this archangel is varied: through him the blessing of the household and the improvement of the family is sent; through him the blessing of the fruits of the earth is received; through him one is granted blessed success in purchases and other everyday affairs. But when are they worthy? - Then, without a doubt, when they want to accept earthly blessings to acquire heavenly and eternal blessings; when, for example, they want to have children in order to raise them in the fear of God; they expect an abundance of the fruits of the earth in order to share them with the poverty that is melting away from famine; They are looking for an increase in income in order to be able to decorate the church of God, look after the orphan, redeem an innocent debtor, and the like. Otherwise, the Lord will not send, and the archangel will not bring blessings. How, you say, do peace-loving people who have completely forgotten God sometimes enjoy all the gifts of earthly happiness? – For the unrepentant, this is the gift of anger, but of Divine dislike: the minister of these gifts is not the archangel, but that ruler of the darkness of this age, who dared to say to the Son of God Himself: I will give all this to you, if you fall down in worship (Matthew 4:9). (See the sermon of Innocent, Archbishop Hers.). This is the composition of the angelic world, which is celebrated on the 8th day of November. On the feast of the holy archangels, the Orthodox Church calls out to them: “Heavenly armies of the archangels! We always pray to you, unworthy ones, and with your prayers protect us with shelter, the krill of your immaterial glory, preserving us, falling diligently and crying: deliver us from troubles, like the rulers of the highest powers.” (Prot. G. Dyachenko). 3. Evidence of the existence of angels Proving the existence of the angelic world, Metropolitan Philaret says: if we did not have evidence of this in the book of Revelation, we could find it in the book of nature. On everything that is visible is written the testimony of what is invisible. The Apostle Paul says that the invisible of God, His ever-present power and Divinity, from the creation of the world, through the consideration of creatures, is visible (Rom. 1:20). Look at a tree or grass: what you see can only wither, wither and collapse; and what produces greenness, growth, color and fruit, is not that which is invisible? Look at yourself: what feels, desires, thinks in you, isn’t it invisible? Notice the ladder-like gradualism of creatures, which are so much more perfect than one another, the more the action of the invisible is revealed in them; begin from earth and stone, in which the invisible is completely buried; ascend the ladder of visible creatures to man, in whom the invisible can already dominate: is it not natural to assume above this level creatures in whom the visible is completely absorbed - purely invisible, spiritual beings? True, in the current darkened state of man and the world, through the writings of visible things, the light of the invisible world flickers dimly. But for this reason, in the book of Revelation, the eye purified by faith clearly sees not only the existence of the invisible world, but also its proximity, and its close union with the visible. There a cherub guards the path of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24); here an angel consoles the desperate Hagar (Gen. 16:7–12); in another place the angels, together with the Lord, visit Abraham (Gen. XVIII); angels save Lot from the perishing Sodom (Gen. XIX): Jacob, then the sleeping one sees angels in a multitude, ascending on a ladder to heaven and descending to the earth (Gen. 28:12), then the vigilant one meets with regiments of angels (Gen. 32:1). An angel appears to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3:2), to prepare him for driving the Israelites out of Egypt. Isaiah sees seraphim surrounding the throne of the Lord, and from one of them he receives fiery cleansing (Isaiah VI). Let's open the New Testament. Behold, the Sun of spirits rises, the King of revelations, Jesus Christ, appears. So what? The King himself proclaims: from now on you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man (John 1:51): and, indeed, we see an angel announcing the barren conception of the Forerunner (Luke 1:11) and the seedless conception of the Savior (Luke 1:26), a whole army of angels singing the glory of the Nativity the Savior (Luke 2:13), the angel who resolves Joseph's bewilderment (Matt. 1:20) and ensures the safety of the Baby Jesus from those who seek His soul (Matt. 2:13), the angels who serve Jesus after His temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:11), the angel who appears to strengthen Him in the Gethsemane feat (Luke 22:43), the angels who open His tomb (Matthew 28:2), heralding His resurrection (John 20:12), the angels accompanying His ascension and heralding His coming again (Acts 1:10–11). Christians! Jesus Christ, according to the saying of John the Theologian, is the Holy One, the true One, having the key of David, he opens, and no one will close (Rev. 3:7). So, if He opened the sky: who dares to close it? Or who dares to say that now is no longer the time to see the angels of God ascending and descending according to the will of the Son of Man? Isn’t the whole point of serving souls, that we send them into service for those who want to inherit salvation? Who can even now claim that they are already idle and we are without help? But the more undoubtedly we ascertain the closeness of St. angels and their readiness to help us: with all the more care should we think about why in our days they hear so little about this help, and even less believe what they hear about it? As in his visible appearances, St. angels were often mistaken by people for similar people: it could so easily happen that a person would mistake their invisible actions for their own human or ordinary natural actions. Doesn’t it happen, for example, that, in the midst of bewilderment or some inaction of the mind, suddenly, like lightning, a pure, holy and saving thought shines through; that in a overwhelmed or cold heart, silence is instantly established, or the heavenly flame of love for God is kindled? If every phenomenon by its kind testifies to the presence of an active force, then do not these internal phenomena of our soul testify to the presence of heavenly forces, out of love for mankind, throwing their rays into our mind and sparks into our heart? Isn’t this the essence of the actions of angels, according to the saying of the prophet Zechariah, speaking in us? How regrettable it is if we do not notice this angelic help! For, without noticing, we do not accept it as we should, and we do not use it; Without taking advantage, we remain ungrateful and guilty, we do not prepare ourselves for other similar visits and thus even remove our guardians from us. If we humans move away from people whose dispositions are contrary to our dispositions; if a mentor finally renounces a student who does not heed his instructions, or a teacher renounces a student who rejects his guidance, if the father himself removes his rebellious son from himself: then how can St. angels, when we do not follow their saving suggestions and leave their service fruitless for us? How can the heavenly forces not move away from us when we indulge only in earthly things? How can pure spirits not escape when we live in the impurities of the flesh? (Compiled from Prop. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, vol. II, ed. 1874). 4. Image of St. Archangel Michael St. Archangel Michael is often depicted in a warlike militia. What does it mean? Why is the inhabitant of the sky, where peace and love live, represented armed? Because there was once a war there too - in the kingdom of peace and love. Who rebelled and fought against whom? One of the highest spirits, possessing great perfections - Lucifer, with arrogance and pride rebelled against his Creator and Lord of all; Many other spirits were carried away after him, and they formed a terrible militia of troublers of the heavenly order. Then, from among the angels, the champion of the glory of God, St. Archangel Michael. Gathering all the angelic ranks and armies faithful to God, he cried out loudly: “Let us become good before those who created us and do not think contrary to God.” And, standing in first place in the host of disembodied spirits, he sang a solemn song: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!” And soon after this all the spirits of evil were cast out from heaven. That is why the Archangel Michael, as the main champion of the glory of God, the conqueror of the devil and his angels, is called St. the church began as the leader of the angels, among the oldest regiments of angels, the heavenly ranks as the archangel! That is why she always depicts him in a warlike form, with a sword or spear in his hand, with a dragon under his feet, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan (Rev. 20:2), the spirit of evil, defeated and cast down by him. After this, what does the warlike appearance of the archangel of heavenly powers, zealous for the glory of God and fighting for the Church of Christ, inspire us with? The same zeal for God, always awake, always ready to take up arms against the attacks of the devil - the ancient serpent, at first hidden, and then obvious and terrible - inspires us, during attacks from the enemy of God, to turn to this warrior with a prayer for help and intercession: the leader of the army of the disembodied in heaven, of course, is the best defender of those attacked on earth from outside original murderer. Often, however, the Holy Archangel Michael is depicted with a spear, the top of which is decorated with a white banner with a cross. What does it mean? The white banner adorning the top of the spear is a special distinction between the archangel and his entire army, evidence of his military valor. It means unchanging moral purity and unshakable loyalty of the angels to the King of Heaven. From the beginning of their existence, the courageous army of good angels has maintained purity in their thoughts, desires, feelings and actions; from his creation he has remained faithful and unchanging to God, and has become so firmly established in his fidelity that he can never again violate his holy service to the King of kings. We, earthly spiritual warriors - for although we live on earth, we belong to the same heavenly army, fighting for the glory of God, which is why our earthly church is called militant - we, we say, must imitate the archangel and all the ethereal good forces in purity and fidelity to the Lord of power; we, who so often need the intercession and help of angels, must primarily take care of the preservation of moral purity and fidelity to the will of God, in order to be in constant communication with the heavenly powers, without whose help we, due to our blindness and laziness, due to our inattention and weakness, could not achieve a single victory over our enemy. What does the cross mean at the end of the spear depicted in the hands of the archangel? It means that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and victory over it and the forces of heaven is accomplished in the name of the cross of Christ, and is accomplished, moreover, through patience, humility and self-sacrifice. Who is the executor of the final victory over the enemy of God? Who can completely crush the head of the serpent? One is He, in whose hand is all authority, all authority and power over heaven and earth. Satan with his minions, an army of angels, under the command of St. archangel, cast out from heaven, but not completely crushed: cast down, he formed a militia on earth against heaven, indestructible, one might say, by no angel, but crushed by the God-man Jesus Christ through His death on the cross. Since that time, this heavenly army has been fighting against the spirits of evil under the banner of the Conqueror of hell and death, borrowing strength and courage from the cross. So, the image of St. Archangel Michael naturally turns our thoughts to that great Crusader, Who is the leader and finisher of our salvation. If the heavenly forces achieve victory over the ancient enemy of God, angels and men under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we, weak and infirm, must come as close as possible under the shadow of the cross, try by all means so as never to leave under its saving shade. (Compiled from “Words and Speeches” by Leonty, Metropolitan of Moscow, vol. II). 5. The attitude of angels towards people; guardian angels With the appearance in the world of a new rationally free being - man, the angels were assigned to promote his salvation, guide and protect him, and be messengers of God's will for him. But among the holy angels there are also those who are very close to us, who are inseparable from the cradle to the grave and protect us. These angels are called guardian angels. At the birth of every person, he is necessarily given a guardian angel who guides him until his death and accompanies him beyond the coffin to a private trial. That each of us has a guardian angel, this is clear from the words of the Savior: Take heed, lest you despise one of these little ones: for I say to you, for their angels in heaven always see the face of My heavenly Father (Matthew 18:10), that is: beware, says Jesus Christ, of doing evil to little children, for they have guardian angels who in heaven always stand before My heavenly Father. What is said about children must be applied to all people without distinction: for every Christian is equally dear to God. The Lord loves us all equally and wants us all to be saved. The church fathers unanimously recognize the existence of guardian angels. Basil the Great teaches: “with each of the faithful there is an angel; no one will argue against this” (“Create it according to r.p.” part 3 p. 130) St. John Chrysostom says: “first the angels were according to the number of nations, but now according to the number of believers” (In demons on the Epistle to Colossians). The lives of the saints provide many examples of the truth that angels protect man. Here are a few such examples. Blessed Theodore, Bishop of Edessa, asked one perspicacious stylite how he recognizes and distinguishes between the righteous and the sinners. The pillar answered: “If a righteous man who fears God passes by my pillar, then I see the grace of God, and bright angels walk with him on both sides, and demons walk from afar, not daring to approach him; If a sinful person passes by, then I see a horde of triumphant demons around him, and a guardian angel follows him in the distance, lamenting and lamenting the death of the sinner. But when the demons want to completely destroy this person, then an angel with a fiery weapon appears and drives them away.” This is how the holy angels protect us from being absorbed by the enemy. They observe people not only in their waking state, but also during sleep. - A certain monk came to the Monk Paisius, having the need to talk with him. Finding him sleeping, he saw the holy guardian angel standing before him in the form of a beautiful young man, and said with surprise: “Truly God protects those who love Him.” He did not dare to approach the sleeping Abba for the sake of the angelic presence and, having given thanks to God, left. In a similar way, the angels of God were visible, with fans in their hands, over the deceased Peter, Bishop of Sebastian, brother of St. Basil the Great. These heavenly messengers care not only about spiritual salvation, but also about the physical health of people. Thus, in the Patericon it is mentioned that one hermit, suffering from severe stomach pain, was healed by an angel. Having come to the sick man and having learned the cause of his suffering, the guardian angel, with his finger, as if with a knife, cut the painful place, cleaned the pus that had accumulated there, then smoothed out the wound with his hand, and with this action healed the hermit and returned him to bodily health. But the most striking example, undoubtedly proving the care of the holy angels for the people entrusted to their care, appears in the story of young Tobias, which constitutes the main content of the sacred book of Tobit. (Prot. Gr. Dyachenko). November month. 21st day. Introduction to the Church of St. Mother of God Evang. from Luke. zach. 54th and 58th, ch. X, 38–42; XI, 27–28 art. 194 1. The history of the introduction into the church of St. Mother of God The Most Holy Virgin Mary, as a gift from God, given to the righteous Joachim and Anna in their old age through their fervent prayer, was dedicated to God by them, in accordance with the vow they made, for special service to Him in the church and upbringing with him in his holy environment. And so, when the God-given Youth was three years old from birth, her pious parents began to inspire Her that She was born as a result of their fiery prayers, that She was dedicated to God by them even before birth and, like a child of God, should now be separated from them and be with God in the church. The Most Blessed Virgin, despite Her early age, comprehended the meaning of such suggestions and She Herself asked Her parents for the speedy fulfillment of their high vow. According to the expression of church hymns, the Holy Virgin “was a child in the flesh, but was perfect in soul, lived for three years in the body and lived in spirit for many years” (Can. 2, paragraph 3, tr. 5). Therefore, the holy parents decided to part with their young daughter and dedicate Her to God, without any sorrow, even “with joy” (On lit. verse 6). (See “Complete annual circle of short teachings,” Archpriest G. Dyachenko, vol. II. Moscow, ed. 1895, p. 517). For the celebration of the dedication, many relatives and friends of Joachim and Anna gathered in Nazareth, as well as many young virgins, Mary’s peers, to accompany her to the church. Everyone went to Jerusalem, which was three days' journey from Nazareth. After entering the holy city and seven days of purification with fasting and prayer, according to the custom prescribed for those bringing sacrifice to the church, the righteous Joachim and Anna, with everyone accompanying them, approached the church, leading their three-year-old daughter, the Blessed Mary, by the hands; the face of immaculate virgins preceded them; relatives and acquaintances followed them: everyone hurried, with lighted candles in their hands, to participate in the celebration of the dedication of the church of the Virgin Mary, the only daughter of elderly parents, and sang sacred chants. The priests came out of the church singing to meet them, with Zechariah the high priest at their head. They went out with the solemn singing of the sacred psalms of David. Seeing this meeting, the godfathers, the parents of the Most Blessed One, were filled with the Spirit of God, and righteous Anna began to say: “go, my daughter, to God, go to the One who gave you to me; Go, ark of consecration, to the blessed Lord. Door of life, go to the merciful Giver of blessings! Ark of the Word, go to the church of the Lord. Joy and gladness of the world, enter the church of the Lord!” Then, turning with Joachim to her relative Zechariah, she began to say: “Take, Zechariah, the undefiled canopy, accept, immaculate priest, the ark; accept, O prophet, the censer of immaterial coal; accept, O righteous man, the spiritual censer! Accept,” she concluded her speech to the high priest, “the prophet, the daughter that the Lord has given me, bring Her to the mountain of shrine and plant Her there in the perfect dwelling of God. Do not inquire about anything until it pleases God, Who called Her here, until everything is fulfilled over Her to the end.” At the entrance to the church, as Blessed Jerome says, there were fifteen high steps. The priests usually quietly ascended these steps and at each one sang the fifteen sedate psalms known in church books. The godfathers placed their blessed daughter on the lowest step. She ran through all these steps and reached the last one without outside help or support. Having risen to the last step, She stopped. Everyone was quite amazed at this phenomenon when they saw that a three-year-old child climbed such high steps faster than an adult could. The high priest Zechariah began to be especially surprised at this. He, as a prophet, began to foresee the future on this occasion and, being embraced by the Spirit of God and filled with the Holy Spirit, as Saint Tarasius says, he exclaimed: “O undefiled maiden, O immaculate Virgin, Beautiful Virgin, O beauty of wives and example to daughters, blessed are You in women, glorified in purity, sealed with virginity. You are the solution to Adam’s oath!” This is what Zechariah said, turning to the Most Pure Virgin. Then, turning to righteous Anna, Zechariah began to say: “Blessed is the fruit and glorious is your birth, wife, more honorable than others, glorious is the child you brought, God-loving wife!” After these words, still continuing to be in a state of inspiration from the Holy Spirit, taking the child by the hands, with joy in his soul, he led him into the Holy, that is, the first part of the church, saying to her: “Go, my prophecy will be fulfilled in You - go, in You will be fulfilled what the Lord has promised... Go, mirror of the prophets, go, renewal of the decayed, light in the darkness of those who lie, enter with joy into the church of Your Lord, to a church that is still low, accessible to people, but soon to a church that is inaccessible!” The holy child was full of grace-filled joy that he entered the house of the Lord, because, despite his three years of age, he was filled with the grace of God. Guided by the Spirit of God, Zechariah did not stop at the Holy Place, where priests and other church employees (Levites) could still enter, but led Her further into the Holy of Holies, that section of the church into which not only females were not allowed to enter, but where, according to the law, no one from the priests was supposed to enter, and only once a year, to cleanse the people from sin, one bishop had the right to enter. It was a marvelous thing - all the people were amazed at such a departure from the law of Moses in the church, which was both built and maintained according to this law. But everyone saw and knew that Zechariah did this at the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and they could do nothing more than be lost in surprise. The angels themselves, as our holy church sings, saw the entry of the Most Pure Ones, marveling at how the Virgin entered the Holy of Holies. But this was still not enough - tradition says that Zechariah, at the inspiration of the Spirit of God, appointed Her a place for prayer in the Holy of Holies. The Holy Fathers (Cyril of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa) say that for girls dedicated to God - and they were usually dedicated not for life, but until adulthood - a place for prayer was assigned between the church and the altar, and none of them was allowed to approach the altar: this was strictly prohibited by the bishop. And the said place was provided to the maidens dedicated to God only at certain hours of the day. The Most Pure Virgin, from the time of her introduction into the church, was at all times allowed to enter the interior of the church and, moreover, behind the second curtain, which means into the Holy of Holies. Blessed Jerome says that the righteous godfathers Joachim and Anna, on the occasion of the dedication of their most pure daughter to God, brought gifts to God with her - sacrifices and burnt offerings. The bishop, with blessings and prayer, sent them home. Tradition says that the Holy Virgin, at the beginning of Her life at the Church of the Lord, was given to a shelter for girls dedicated to God. In order to have a clearer understanding of this, we would like to note something about the extensions to the then Jerusalem Temple. – The Jewish writer of everyday life Josephus says that when Zerubbabel renovated the Temple of Jerusalem, he made many additions to it. They were made around the walls of the church itself. There were thirty of them. They were located separately from one another. They were spacious and well built. And these extensions were not low - they rose in three tiers. There were up to ninety rooms in them, with all the amenities for living. The entire height of these buildings was no more than the height of the walls of the church itself. Leaning against the walls of the church from different sides, they supported these walls like pillars. The buildings were made of stone. These extensions were intended for all kinds of people who devoted themselves to God. Thus, there were especially virgins who were dedicated for a time to the service of God; there were especially widows who had vowed to serve God in purity and holiness until death, such as Anna, the daughter of Phanuel; There were especially Nazarenes who lived like our monks. All these inhabitants of the church annexes performed special services at the church and were fed from the church estates. There were also rest rooms for wanderers and shelters for travelers from distant lands. When the Most Holy Mary was sent to a shelter for girls, She was entrusted to the supervision of older girls, skilled in needlework and knowledgeable in the scriptures, so that they could teach Her all this. The righteous parents Joachim and Anna often visited their holy daughter Mary, and her righteous mother especially often came to meet with Her and for instruction. The Blessed Virgin soon began to show remarkable success both in the study of the Holy Scriptures and in handicrafts. Ancient writers (St. Ambrose, St. Epiphanius and St. George the historian) agree to testify to the sacred tradition that was fresh in their time about the successes of the Blessed Virgin in childhood. Thus, they say that the Holy Virgin was very witty, loved to study the Holy Scriptures, and was engaged in weaving flax and silk. They say everyone was surprised at her prudence. She produced more works that could be needed by priests in their service to the Lord God in the church. Having prepared and accustomed herself in this way, the Holy Virgin fulfilled Her duty in the church according to Her dedication and, subsequently, through the honest labor of Her holy hands, was able to nourish Herself and Her divine Son. The unsewn, but skillfully woven tunic, for which the soldiers cast lots during the crucifixion, and which has miraculously survived to our times, serves as a wondrous image of her holy works. As for how the Blessed Virgin lived at the Temple of Jerusalem, then the ancient holy writers tell about this, too, wondrous things. Blessed Jerome tells an ancient legend about how the Blessed Virgin spent time at the church: “The Blessed Virgin, he says in his letter to Iliodor, living at the church with others of her age, while still a child, spent her time very decorously. From the very morning until the third hour of the day She stood in prayer, from the third hour to the ninth she did needlework and read (the Holy Scripture); from the ninth hour she again began her prayer and continued it until the angel from whose hands she usually took food appeared to her. Thus She grew more and more in the love of God.” Saint Epiphanius also tells that the Most Pure One, like the maidens dedicated to the Lord God, was given ordinary food from the administration of the church, but She gave this food to the poor and strangers, and she herself was fed with heavenly bread, just as the Church sings this (in the stichera on praises). Saint George of Nicomedia tells that Saint Zechariah saw with his own eyes how an angel appeared to the Most Pure Virgin and brought Her food. He says that when Zechariah, according to priestly custom, was in the church, he saw that someone was talking to the Virgin and serving her food. He looked wonderful because he was an angel. Zechariah was surprised and began to think to himself: “What kind of news, what kind of wonder? - Looks like an angel, but speaks to a maiden, looks incorporeal, but brings food that nourishes the flesh - immaterial by nature gives the Virgin a material basket (basket). An angelic vision,” St. Zechariah kept pondering within himself, only priests come here, and even then not often, and the appearance of an angel here to a female person, and even to such a young girl, is, in truth, an unprecedented thing.”... The more St. Zachariah thought and pondered within himself, the more he was surprised, bewildered, and more horrified. What will it be? What message does the angel come with and what food does he bring?! Recalling to himself one after another the appearances of angels to people, Zechariah did not find anything like this and came to a strong misunderstanding about how the Most Pure Virgin, even in infancy, was vouchsafed such great gifts that the ethereal forces themselves serve Her. Then, little by little moving on to his favorite thought about what the Israelis were so eagerly awaiting, he began to think to himself: “Isn’t this the end of our expectations and hopes in this Virgin? Is it not from Her that the One who will come to save our race will be born?! This mystery was predicted by the prophets before. Isn’t this the Virgin who was chosen to serve this mystery?” More and more firmly established in this thought, Zechariah, of course, by the power of the Spirit of God exclaimed: “Oh, how happy are you, O house of Israel, that from you has grown a rod from which the flower of salvation should vegetate for the world! How glorious is the memory of those who gave birth to Her! How happy I am that I see this and that I praise this Virgin!” So Saint George of Nicomedia 195 tells all this about the wonderful vision of the high priest Zechariah. Day by day, increasing in bodily strength, the Blessed Virgin was equally strengthened in spiritual strength. The more she became accustomed to work and practiced in it, the more and more deep, heartfelt and holy her prayer was and grew in the power of God, until the power of the Most High overshadowed Her in perfection. The spirit powers of the Most Pure Virgin were formed, increased and strengthened by the angelic conversation, and the bodily powers were supported by the heavenly food that the archangel brought to Her every day. She prayed especially often and fervently. What could the Blessed Virgin pray for and ask from the Lord God, completely satisfied with Her position in the church? Knowing the Holy Scriptures very well, She could not help but know all the prophecies about the coming of the Anointed of God - the Joy of Israel. As a true daughter of the Israeli people, She could not help but want this goodness to be sent to her people as quickly as possible and to be received by them as it should be. In the last years of the Most Pure One’s life in the church, her righteous parents, Godfathers Joachim and Anna, died. First, righteous Joachim died at a ripe old age (80 years old), and then Anna. The righteous Joachim and Anna are named by the church as Godfathers, and the church daily, at the end of the Divine service, asks those leaving the church for pardon and salvation from the Lord through the prayers of the Mother of God and the saints and righteous Joachim and Anna. Their memory is celebrated annually on September 9, the next day of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Their burial place is now indicated along the stairs along which they descend to the burial cave of the Most Holy Theotokos in Gethsemane. Having lost her beloved parents, Mary experienced a bitter feeling of orphanhood and realized that nothing any longer tied Her to the earth. With all her heart She surrendered to the One God and had one desire - to remain a servant of the Lord until the end of her life, always submissive to His holy will. Then She made a vow to God to preserve Her virginity. (Compiled from various sources by G. Dyachenko). 2. An easy but wonderful way to raise children at home In the matter of raising some children through the good influence of others, an older brother or sister can be of particular importance, and therefore prudent parents, if they want to ease the work of raising children, should pay primary attention to the education of the firstborn of them. If the first-born - a son or eldest daughter - are set on a straight path, raised well and mainly in the spirit of Christian piety, then it will not be so difficult for parents to give the same upbringing to the next children - they will follow the example of the eldest. Otherwise, parents will have too much work to do to give good direction to younger children; Parents' efforts to avoid the same mistakes they made in raising their eldest son or daughter will be harmed at every step by a bad example on the part of their older children. We had to read about two fathers of a family, one of whom was very dissatisfied with the behavior of his children and could not manage to correct them, the other, on the contrary, blessed God, looking at his children, of whom one was better than the other. The former one day comes to visit the latter and does not take his eyes off his children. Their humility, obedience, love and affection for their parents, peace and friendship among themselves involuntarily reminded the guest of the words of the psalmist: “Everything that is good or that is beautiful, but let the brethren live together.” He took a deep breath as he remembered his family. Having seized a favorable moment, he asked the happy father how he could arrange such a wonderful order between the children that you couldn’t get enough of it looking at them? He replied: “I didn’t bother too much. Have you seen a flock of cranes flying south at the onset of autumn? - “I’ve seen it more than once.” “You, of course, noticed that one crane is flying ahead, which shows the way to the others, firmly knowing where to fly - and the rest just follow him. When raising children, I admit, I had in mind the example of the cranes: I put a lot of work into raising my firstborn and prayed earnestly for success. The Lord blessed my work with His grace. My eldest son has become a leader for the younger ones - he shows them the way to heaven, they respect and love him and willingly follow his leadership and example.” A necessary discovery for parents and children! (“Shower th.”). 3. How did ancient Christians raise and teach their children? The leading Christians not only cared about getting closer to the kingdom of God themselves, but also made every effort to make their children worthy sons of it. All the education and upbringing that they tried to give them was directed towards this. I. First of all, the ancient Christians tried to impress upon the child's mind a living knowledge of Jesus Christ. The children drank in the name of the Savior, so to speak, with their mother’s milk. Therefore, in their very youth they fearlessly confessed this holy name before their tormentors. One Christian boy was asked: “Where did you learn the Christian teaching about one God?” He answered: “My mother taught me, and she learned from God; The Holy Spirit guided her to this truth so that she would instill it in me in my cradle; when I fed on my mother’s breast, then I learned to believe in Christ.” Are those parents now acting well who postpone the saving instillations of faith until a certain time, and teach their children to the decency of the world almost from the cradle? II. Along with the concept of the Redeemer, children were also instilled with His lofty teaching about the sacraments of faith and the rules of a godly life, such as: about one God, eternal life, the power of humility and pure love for God; they talked about the duties of children to imitate the Lord in humility, to have the fear of God, to honor their parents and elders; they talked about patience, forgiveness of insults and kindness, modesty, bashfulness, humility, humility, silence, charity, compassion and chastity. III. Some of the Christians limited the entire mental education of children to the word of God alone, prohibiting acquaintance with the learning of the pagans; others, on the contrary, were not afraid to introduce into the education of Christian youth some books and sciences studied in pagan schools. The deep and extensive knowledge of some church fathers in philosophy, history, natural and other sciences, as well as their conversations with young men about scientific subjects, show that they themselves were not alien, and did not want to alienate children from learning, as long as it was not accompanied by harm to faith and Christian piety. Therefore, many schools and families allowed children to study poetry, music, philosophy, languages, civil and other useful sciences. Basil the Great even advised young men to get acquainted with the works of poets, historians, orators and, in general, to read those works of pagan writers from which they could derive some benefit and edification for the soul. However, all secular and everyday sciences were already secondary subjects, and the main and first subject of education was Christian teaching. In accordance with the purpose of Christian education, natural, experimental and speculative sciences were taught only to those sufficiently established in Christian teaching: moreover, they were allowed to be studied not as an object of mere curiosity, not out of passion for acquiring knowledge, and not for glory and self-interest, but only to the extent that their knowledge was necessary and useful for the virtues and for the church. In all other cases, such sciences were considered indecent for a Christian, unnecessary and even harmful. He was considered unfortunate, who knows everything and does not know God; blessed is he who knows God, even if he knows nothing else. IV. How did ancient Christians teach children? When it was time to teach children to read and write, they were given the Bible to read. When they were sent to write, they were given a copybook for their guidance, consisting of the sayings of St. scriptures. When, after this, the turn came to the oral catechismal study of the dogmas of faith and duties of a Christian, the children were again given the Holy Scripture as a guide to this subject, assigning lessons from it to study by memory. A child's soul, which began a series of its sensations and thoughts by studying the word of God, soon got used to the pious activity, found high pleasure in it and preferred it to other activities and pleasures. Blessed Jerome tells about one Christian husband that, in his childhood, he never sat down at the table without reading some section from the Bible in advance, and never went to bed before someone around him read some passage from it to him. He did the same in the morning: as soon as he finished his prayer, he immediately began reading the Bible. By order of his father, he learned some passages from it by heart. And he loved the activity so much that he was not content with just reading the passages he was reading, but asked his father what the proper meaning of this or that saying was. Ancient writers present many similar examples, and from all these examples it is clear that the Bible was for children, as for all Christians, the subject of careful and reverent study, and was preferred to all other books. The Holy Scripture was the first educational book, so that church writers, speaking about Christian schools, call them schools of St. scriptures, an exercise in the divine scriptures, and every home and family of Christians - a church. “If you want, the church teachers told their parents, for your children to obey you, then accustom them to the word of God. The soul, destined to be the church of God, must learn to listen and say only what arouses and maintains the fear of God.” After the divine books, the fathers and teachers of the church advised parents to give their children the works of the holy fathers to read. V. The ancient Christians spent the greatest part of their time in prayer, teaching their children to do the same. We can say that their whole life was unceasing prayer, or, as Clement of Alexandria says, “a solemn holy holiday.” All their activities began and ended with prayer, from the most important to the most insignificant, so that when they put on shoes, put on clothes, undressed, taught children, lit a fire, sat down or got up from a place, walked and rested, took up needlework, sat down at the table, ate food and left the table, entered the house and left the house - in general, with every action and condition, even in the silence of the night, getting up from sleep, protected themselves with the sign of the cross and said a prayer. And in this unceasing prayer, not only the elderly were present, but they also called on children to participate in worship, both public, performed by the ministers of the church, and home, performed by the head of the family in the presence of all the inhabitants of the house; they were forced to repeat well-known prayers in memory, sing hymns and psalms during their usual activities, and get up to pray at night. VI. Prominent Christians removed children from everything that could arouse in them unchaste thoughts and movements. Thus, they did not allow children under any circumstances to attend wedding feasts, public spectacles and games; they hid from them the seductive works of pagan poets, tragedies, comedies, operas and others like that, protected them from acquaintance with secular songs and voluptuous music, removed them from society with people of the opposite sex, with people of shameful behavior. In relation to the body, children were taught modesty in clothing and other external adornments, moderation, abstinence and simplicity in food and drink. VII. Having protected the child’s heart from all external and internal temptations, pious educators at the same time used means that directly served to instill and root Christian piety in them. The first of these means, after oral and written instruction in the rules of Christian activity, was the example of piety, which educators showed in their lives, and which their students were obliged to imitate. “Remember,” wrote Blessed Jerome to his parents, “remember that it is better to teach a child by example than by words.” That teacher is the coldest, who reasons only in words, for this is characteristic not of a teacher, but of a comedian and a hypocrite. That is why the apostles taught first by example of life, and then by words. There was no need for words when they taught with action. By example, teachers and educators encouraged children from an early age to practice reading the word of God; by example they were taught to fulfill the Christian duties set forth in the word of God. Children, being under the roof of their father's house, heard and saw an example of all the virtues: unceasing prayer, acts of deep humility, contempt for the world, moderation and modesty in clothing and external decorations, abstinence in food and drink, chastity, constant exercise in the word of God, justice, love, charity, etc. VIII. Exercising children in deeds of piety was one of the first means of strengthening their skills in Christian virtues. Children everywhere and at all times participated in the pious activities of their parents. Whether home prayer was performed by all members of the family, children also participated in it at all hours of the day and night designated for praising God; Whether believers gathered in the church of God for common prayer, on certain days of the week and hours of the day, they certainly took their children with them and introduced them to St. gifts. They were not only forced to participate in general prayers and praise, but they were taught to sing some prayers on their own, in the general silence of the believers. The church in this case was a true school of all Christian virtues and duties, both in relation to God and in relation to neighbors, for here in prayers the children with the entire community of believers not only glorified God and gave Him due worship, but also prayed at the same time for their neighbors, believers, infidels and those preparing to enter the society of believers, asking them all from God for all the best blessings given to man by the grace of God through faith. IX. Parents for the most part took care of the upbringing and education of their children themselves. Mostly, this responsibility was taken on by the mothers of families, since nature put more tenderness in their hearts for children, and external activities do not distract them from family responsibilities, and, therefore, they have more means for a successful upbringing in their hands. Blessed Jerome wrote to one pious mother: “You yourself should be your daughter’s teacher; you should imitate her inexperienced youth. She should not see anything vicious either in you or in her father.” Education was part of the father and mother's own pious pursuits. The fathers of the church charged the fathers of the family with the duty of saying and doing only those things through which their whole house could be edified in piety, and the mothers - while guarding the house, mainly to watch how the family does what belongs to heaven. The mother, who carried the Christian life in her heart, was a true educator of children, in the Christian meaning of the word. If Rome and Sparta were famous for the generosity of some mothers, then Christianity far surpasses them in the domestic virtues of the mothers of Origen, Chrysostom, Gregory of Nazianzen, Gregory of Nyssa, Theodoret, Augustine, Clement of Ancyra and other pious men of Christian antiquity. Leading Christians realized that the example of a pious mother was especially strong. Anyone who has experienced true maternal care cannot, without heartfelt tenderness, hear the words spoken by one pious teacher to his mother, who has already passed into the land of eternity: “Thank you, dearest mother! I will forever remain your debtor. When I noticed your gaze, your body movements, your walk before God, your suffering, your silence, your gifts, your labors, your blessing hand, your quiet, constant prayer, then, from the earliest years, every time, as it were, the life of the spirit was reborn in me - a feeling of piety, and this feeling could not subsequently be destroyed by any concepts, no doubts, no seductions, no harmful examples, no suffering, no oppression, even no sins. This life of the spirit still lives in me, although more than forty years have already passed since you left this temporary life X. The first place after parents in the matter of education was occupied by the ancient Christians by their successors. They vouched before the face of God Himself for the future faith and Christian life of those baptized when they reached the age of self-awareness. Therefore, the church entrusted them with the duty to teach those they received from St. fonts of the truths of faith and activity, and not only by example, but also by words, to instruct them in every good deed. The church entrusted this high and holy duty to persons known to it by their faith and Christian life, and therefore capable of fulfilling this duty, and especially to those who dedicated themselves to serving God and the church, such as deacons and deaconesses, monks and virgins dedicated to God. Leading Christians usually chose people of mature years and strict life as home teachers. XI. When raising children, ancient Christians especially valued the first years of their childhood, so that, having forestalled the time of full development of reason and freedom, which is not always easily subdued into the obedience of faith and virtue, the very nature of children could be used as a weapon to achieve good goals, and more deeply imprint on the child’s soul the truths of faith and disposition towards virtue. When the children were still in their mother’s wombs, mothers already took care of their body, fearing to harm them with their immoderate lives, and about their soul, devoting it to the Lord and asking Him for blessings for the child being born. As soon as consciousness began to emerge in children, parents first of all tried to instill in them faith in God and love of piety, in order to thus prevent the influence of other harmful impressions that take possession of the young soul for the rest of their lives, and to give it a pious direction from the very first minutes of life. “It is difficult for the soul,” the church teachers told parents, for the soul that from the first years receives the impressions of the word of God, to forget the fear of God. Tender age easily accepts and, like a seal on wax, imprints in the soul what it hears; mainly from this time the life of children leans towards good or evil. If, starting from the very doors of life, they are led away from evil and guided to the right path, then goodness turns into their dominant property and nature, therefore it is not so easy for them to go over to the side of evil when habit itself will attract them to goodness. The Heavenly Father wanted every age to be perfect in piety, and did not exclude any age from this duty, so that he promised victory over sin even to the youngest children.” Therefore, from the very cradle, children were dedicated to God; from their earliest years, according to the custom of the Christian Church, they were instructed in the Holy Scriptures, treated by teachers and pious men. Such early education bore fruit even in the very early years of the children, for the youngest children had the spirit and courage to appear before the tormentors, confess before them their faith in Jesus Christ and accept martyrdom for His name. (Compiled from an article by A. Nevsky, published in Rus. spiritual-morals Christ." him). Having stepped on the stairs, how do they then ascend? Working with your arms and legs, stepping first with your right foot, sometimes with your left, and straining with all members of the body. So, one who has repented and had a good determination to please God, immediately enters into work that requires exertion of strength, both mental and physical, and their merciless fatigue. After all, he needs to resist himself in the bad, force himself to do good, listen to himself and everything he encounters, choose the best from many, keep up, not preempt, not miss, remove obstacles, guess ways, spot enemies and be ready to fight them without taking off your weapons. All this and the like constitute the work of struggling with passions and succeeding in virtues, which actually determines the success of ascent to spiritual perfection; for what is perfection if not the eradication of passions and the rooting, in their place, of good dispositions? And more than one step must be crossed before this work is completed: you cannot suddenly eradicate all passions and, therefore, you cannot suddenly instill all virtues; both happen gradually. They say that the higher you are from the earth, the less gravity there is towards the earth and, therefore, the easier it is for the one who ascends the mountain to struggle with his heaviness; and there is, they say, a line beyond which bodies completely cease to gravitate towards the earth, that is, they become completely without gravity. So it is in the degrees of spiritual perfection: the higher one ascends in it, the less earthly things burden him; in other words: the firmer one becomes in virtues, the less one struggles with sins and passions; and there is also such a height of perfection where passions almost completely freeze, and the soul enjoys the peace of being in goodness, in which it acts unhindered, freely, naturally, naturally, such as, for example, breathing and circulation of blood. But this degree is already achieved when every virtue is completely rooted in the soul and dispassion and purity shines. This is the spiritual sky, the upper end of the spiritual ladder. To those who have reached this limit belong all the blessings prescribed by the Lord, the top of which is the indwelling of God, seen by Jacob at the top of the ladder. (Bishop Theophan). 5. On fidelity to vows given to God Nowadays, many parents complain about the severity and burdensomeness of large-family life, but in the past, childlessness among all peoples aroused the grief of spouses about their loneliness. Especially among God's chosen Jewish people, childlessness was considered a great hardship, even the wrath of God. Childlessness among the Jews brought barren people reproach and humiliation among their fellow tribesmen. How difficult it was for pious Jews to endure their barrenness can best be seen from the life of St. Godfather of Joachim and Anna. Both of them were very pious and God-fearing, but the Lord was pleased to test their faith and patience with the grief of childlessness, in order to subsequently show them His greatest mercy and make them instruments of His economy. The pious spouses lived to a ripe old age, but did not lose hope and faith in the almighty power of God, capable of resolving their infertility. They fasted and fervently prayed to the Lord to remove the reproach from them, promising to devote the child born to them to the service of the Lord. The Lord heard the prayer of the righteous and gave Joachim and Anna the most pure daughter Mary, who became the animated Church of God. All the efforts of pious parents are now aimed at preserving their God-given child in purity and moral perfection from the day it is born. For three years they raised the immaculate Virgin Mary at home, and then, fulfilling the promise they made to God, they took her to live in the Jerusalem Temple. Here, far from the bustle of the world, the Most Pure Mary prepared for her great lot to become the Mother of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Instructive and edifying for you and me, Orthodox Christian, is the life of St. righteous Godfather Joachim and Anna. Despite all their piety, for a long time they were deprived of the consolation of having children from the Lord. See, beloved, how they patiently endure this deprivation; pay attention to what they do to get what they want! They earnestly pray to the Lord, the giver of all good things, and make a promise to use what they ask for the glory of God, and then they faithfully fulfill the promise. This is a true example for us of how to endure the misfortunes and hardships that befall us! Here is a living lesson on how we should treat our vows to the Lord! Promising something to the Lord is a great thing. We must remember that we pronounce our promise before the highest and omnipotent Being, Whom heaven and earth tremble, Who is surrounded by armies of angels, many-eyed cherubim and six-winged seraphim. How scary and sinful it is to have made a vow to the Lord and then not fulfill it! This means showing complete inattention to Him, the most merciful, showing a lack of reverence for the Lord of heaven and earth. What was promised to the Lord already belongs to Him, and what was promised and not fulfilled is the same as something given to God and then taken from Him without permission. If it is generally a sin to break one’s good word, then it is all the more sinful not to fulfill one’s promise to the Lord. In the history of the Old Testament Church of God, we see many examples that everyone who made a vow to God fulfilled it exactly, no matter how difficult it was for them. Let us remember that the righteous Joachim and Anna, having made a promise to dedicate their newborn child to the service of God, did not hesitate to fulfill this promise. They parted with their only daughter, they gave away the greatest consolation to their old age, without having yet had time to enjoy it sufficiently. Let us remember that the mother of the prophet Samuel did the same, promising even before his birth to dedicate him to the service of God. And Jephthah, the judge of the Jewish people? Going to war with his enemies, he promised, in case of victory, to sacrifice to God the one who would be the first to come out to meet him from home. Imagine his amazement when his only daughter was the first to meet him! How much effort he had to exert on himself so as not to become a violator of his vow! The holy saints of God and the ascetics of the Church of Christ have always been distinguished by the same fidelity to their vows. Here are two examples of strict observance of vows. Pior, Anthony's disciple, leaving his father's house, took a vow that he would never again look at any of his relatives. When he had spent 50 years in the desert, his sister learned that he was still alive; She was too weak to find him, but with her persistent requests she touched his elders, and Pior was ordered to visit her. Arriving at her home, he sent her news of his arrival. As soon as the door opened, he closed his eyes and kept them closed throughout the meeting with his sister, and, having allowed his sister to see herself in this way, he refused to enter her house and hurried back into the desert. (Pallad. Hist. Laus. 87). Another monk, having made a vow of renunciation from the world, having received a large stack of letters from his home, with which he had no contact for 15 years, burned them without opening them so that the contents of the letters would not entertain his soul, awakening memories of his family. (Cass. De Coen. Inst. V, 32; sn. “History of the Church,” Robertson in the translation by A. Lopukhin, vol. I, pp. 314–315). And what torments and tortures did the saint endure? martyrs for fidelity to the vow given by each of us under St. baptism? All of us, Orthodox Christians, at our baptism make a vow to serve Christ, to unite with Him for the rest of our lives. Oh, that our main vow would always be before our eyes, so that, in accordance with it, we would direct our entire lives! Unfortunately, many of us violate the commandments of Christ every minute, and others even forget about them completely and live as if they were not obligated to anything before God. Besides this, let each of us hasten to fulfill other promises that we have made to God. Do not put off, beloved, their fulfillment until the future, for the future is not at our disposal, but in the power of God. What if you don't live to see the time you planned? What if you appear in judgment before the face of God having not fulfilled your promise, having kept to yourself what belongs to Him, the impartial Judge? Then we will no longer be justified by those unimportant obstacles and excuses with which during life we ​​like to calm our conscience. So, if we are lazy to fulfill what we promise before God, if we are constantly burdened with the worries of life, then it is better not to be quick to make promises. Let each of us in the future, before making a vow before God, think carefully about whether he will have the zeal and strength to holyly and strictly fulfill his promise. If anyone feels weak in himself, let him first turn with a simple prayer to the Lord, ask Him for help in every good undertaking and not place an unbearable burden on himself. (Compiled with supplement No. 86 “Resurrection leaf.”, appended to the magazine “Sunday Day”). The month of December. 6th day. The memory is sacred. and the wonderworker Nicholas, Archbishop. Myr-Lycian Evang. from Luke, count. 24th, ch. VI, 17–23 art. 196 1. About the life and miracles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra-Lycia Who has not heard the glorious name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker? It seems the whole world has heard about him. And not only Christians, but also pagans worship Him. All our foreigners, ending with Samoyeds, seem to recognize the glorious name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker before all Christian names. Despite all this, however, not all of us have correct information about him and his earthly life. Therefore, please listen to a brief history of his holy life. St. Nicholas was born in the city of Patara (in Asia Minor) in 257. His parents, Feofan and Nonna, were Christians. They were distinguished by their piety and mercy towards the poor, distributing their wealth to them. For a long time they had no children, but the Lord gave them a son, who was a great consolation for them. From an early age St. Nikolai fell in love with reading holy books and prayer, especially in church. And his parents contributed to the development of these good skills in him, as well as love for the poor. When St. grew up Nicholas, the uncle of St. was the bishop in Patara. Nicholas. Seeing his nephew's good life, he persuaded him to become a priest. Now helping the poor has become a duty for Nicholas; and he performed acts of mercy constantly. After the death of his parents, he distributed all his inheritance for good deeds, to help those in need, and he tried in every possible way to do alms in secret, remembering the words of the Savior: when you do alms, do not let your fool know what your right hand is doing (Matthew 6:2). And he saved many from sin with his timely help. For example, there lived in Patara one poor man who was formerly rich. Lacking a piece of bread, he decided to sell the honor of his three daughters. Having learned about this man's misfortune, Presbyter Nicholas went up to the window of the poor man's house at night and threw him a purse of gold. The poor man could hardly believe such unexpected happiness. Having thanked the Lord for such alms, the poor man soon married off one of his daughters. Having learned about this, St. Nicholas again threw the purse of gold into the poor man's house. The old man fell to his knees and with tears thanked God and asked to show him an earthly angel. Then he married off his second daughter. When did St. Nikolai threw gold into the poor man's house for the third time; he waylaid him, caught up with him and thanked him with tears. But St. Nikolai took an oath from him not to tell anyone about this until the time comes. At this time St. Nicholas managed the affairs of the diocese for his uncle, who was traveling to Jerusalem. When the bishop returned, then St. Nicholas went there, and through his prayer the storm at sea, which threatened to destroy him and his companions, calmed down. In Jerusalem, he bowed to the Holy Sepulcher and walked around all the holy places of that land. He liked everything here so much that he stayed to live in the Zion Monastery. But then, one night, while standing in prayer, he suddenly heard a voice saying to him: “Go to the people and glorify the name of God among them!” Submitting to the will of God, St. Nicholas, ready to devote all his strength to serving the church, came to Myra, the main city of their region. All the bishops of the region were here at that time to elect a new archbishop to replace the deceased. Finding it difficult to choose, they prayed to the Lord to show him the worthy one. And so, one of the senior bishops, during prayer, saw a man shining with an unearthly light, who ordered him to stand at the church doors at night and wait for those coming. The first one to enter the church of God is God’s chosen one, his name is Nikolai. Having announced this revelation to the other bishops, he came with them to the church and stood at the door. St. Nicholas, according to his custom, got up early for prayer and was the first to come to Matins. The bishop asked about his name. Recognizing him as the one indicated by the Lord, all the bishops proclaimed him archbishop of Myra-Lycia. The people were very happy about this wonderful election, and on the same day St. Nicholas was ordained a bishop. Knowing the testament of Jesus Christ, spoken to His apostles: so let your light shine before men, as they see your good deeds, and remembering the command given to him to glorify the name of God among people, Saint Nicholas devoted himself entirely to his great service. The doors of his house were always open to everyone. He was the father of orphans, the comforter of the suffering and crying, the helper of the sick and offended, and the merciful distributor of everything he had. Pagan emperors then persecuted Christians and tortured them. St. Nicholas was an encourager and strengthener for everyone. For this he himself was put in prison. And here he fearlessly preached about Christ the Savior. He consoled some sufferers, strengthened others, and instructed everyone. With the accession of Tsar Constantine to the imperial throne, the persecution ceased, Christianity was declared a free religion, and then St. Nicholas returned to his place of service. But soon a new ecclesiastical disaster arose. The heretic Arius confused the entire church with his godless teaching about Jesus Christ. To judge this, the first ecumenical council was assembled in Nicaea, where there were up to 318 bishops. Arius stubbornly and boldly defended his wicked teaching. This so excited the meek saint. Nicholas, that he, in a fit of zeal for the Lord, struck Arius. For this he was subject to defrocking, but the visible defense of his Pr. The Mother of God, extending an omophorion over him in the air, delivered him from this punishment. The false teaching of Arius was condemned, and he was sentenced to exile and then was punished by God, who sent him a terrible death. And St. Nicholas returned home, continued to strengthen his flock in the faith and help in every way he could, joyfully doing all this for people in other places. So, one day, by order of the Roman emperor, three military leaders came to Phrygia to pacify the rebellion. Their army, after a shipwreck, indulged in robbery, which caused even greater disorder. But then St. appeared to the disputants. Nicholas reconciled all the warring parties. At the same time, the mayor of the city of Myra sentenced three innocent residents to death. The unfortunates had already been brought to the place of execution, and one of them bowed his head on the block, and the executioner raised his terrible sword. But suddenly St. appeared. Nikolai held the sword and threw it aside. And no one dared to resist him, seeing him acting with heavenly power. The chief himself obeyed, and St. Nikolai forgave him, seeing his repentance. Meanwhile, the Roman leaders were slandered for treason and put in prison, and soon afterwards they were sentenced to death. Then one of them remembered how, in their presence, Saint Nicholas delivered the innocently condemned in the city of Mira, and turned with prayer to God, Whom the saint honored. Nikolai, so that He would help them justify themselves. So what? That same night St. Nicholas appeared in a dream to Emperor Constantine and ordered the release of innocent sufferers, and he revealed his name to the king. The frightened king called the sufferers, who convinced the king of their innocence. At the same time they glorified St. Nicholas and told the king about the deliverance of St. Nicholas innocents from death penalty in the city of Mira. After this, the king not only freed them and exalted them, but also gave them various gifts to transfer to St. Nicholas, somehow: a Gospel overlaid with gold, a golden censer and two golden candlesticks. And St. did many other works of mercy. Nicholas, doing all this with great meekness and humility. The poor and unfortunate found in him their constant patron and comforter. The pagans, seeing his mercy and hearing his inspired preaching, turned to Christ in large numbers; the heretics and schismatics were reconciled with the Church of the Lord, in which such a great saint served. Having lived to the age of half-eight years, the saint of God died, after a short illness, on December 6 (342). Praising him, St. Our church calls him “the rule of faith, a model of meekness, a teacher of abstinence.” But he is especially famous for his generosity and mercy, which is why our people call him the merciful Nicholas. St. performed many wondrous miracles of God's mercy to people. Nicholas during his lifetime, but the Lord rewarded him with an even greater gift of miracles after his death. Soon after his burial in the city of Mira, many people began to gather at his tomb, among whom various miracles were performed. But they became even more obvious when the relics of the saint of God were transferred. This was about 800 years ago. The Myra-Lycian region was then attacked by the Turks, who mercilessly plundered everything, took people captive and devastated the churches of God. The church in which the relics of St. were buried was also destroyed. Nicholas. Then St. Nicholas appeared in a dream to a priest in the city of Bar (in Italy) and said to him: “tell the clergy and people to take my relics from the city of Mir and transfer them here, for God does not want me to remain in the devastated city.” The priest, of course, fulfilled this command. And so, the inhabitants of the city equipped three ships to transport the relics of St. Nicholas. When the saint’s tomb was opened, it turned out to be full of fragrant myrrh, which flowed from the relics of the Wonderworker. Having filled the vessels with myrrh and taking the reliquary with the relics, the messengers brought them safely to the city of Bar on May 9, 1087. Met by residents, St. the relics were placed in the church, and here many different miraculous healings took place: the lame, the deaf, the blind, those possessed by various other diseases, and then an endless series of them took place. To this day, many thousands of Christians travel here to pray before the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and many, by their faith, receive various mercies. And so, East and West, Christians and people of other faiths highly revere the saint as a wondrous Wonderworker. Old Serbian books tell a miracle about the healing of the royal son Stephen, to whom St. Nicholas returned his eyes, gouged out on the orders of his evil stepmother at the Church of St. Nicholas. This healing took place after some time, in a sleepy state. Seeing all the objects after that, the prince did not immediately reveal his happiness, but only when he became king after the death of his father. And in our Russian chronicles there are also many stories about miracles performed by St. Nicholas in our country. That is why we have so many churches and monasteries in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. One can even say that wherever Russian people went to a new settlement, they took icons of St. Nicholas with them and, first of all, founded chapels and churches there in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This was the case, for example, in Kazan and Astrakhan. Even our deserted northern tundras and Novaya Zemlya have repeatedly received the wondrous help of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. So, for example, it was recently told to the world how St. Nicholas showed several Samoyeds, who were dying on an endless journey and had no shelter or food, the way to the Nikolsky monastery on Novaya Zemlya, and how one Samoyed, torn from the shore and carried away on an ice floe into the sea, began to cry and pray to St. Nicholas, who appeared to him, led him ashore and then disappeared. In gratitude, he then lit a candle for him. At the same time, struck by the resemblance of the elder who saved him to what was written on the icon, he became so horrified that his hands trembled and he could barely light the candle. When he remembered this, tears appeared in his eyes. In general, apparently, Saint Nicholas of God became an endless source of mercy for all those who turned to him for help with fervent prayer. St. Demetrius of Rostov concludes his legend about Nicholas the Wonderworker this way: “This great saint of God performed many great and glorious miracles on earth and on the sea, helping those in trouble, saving them from drowning, and carrying them dry from the depths of the sea, delighting them from captivity, delivering them from bonds and prisons, freeing them from death, and giving many gifts to many.” healing: the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, and now he also helps those who call upon him and delivers them from troubles. His miracles cannot be powerfully destroyed, but it is convenient to hand over all the details to the scriptures below.” Brothers Christians! Who among us does not have some needs and sorrows? Who among us, finally, does not need merciful help for salvation from sins, in a wondrous direction towards a holy life and a peaceful Christian exodus from this life and integration with the saints? Let us therefore earnestly pray for the speedy and merciful help of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Our Holy Church, singing and glorifying the miracles of St. Nicholas, teaches us to appeal to him with tenderness: “Oh, most graceful and wonderful Wonderworker Nicholas! We glorify you, as the hope of all Christians, the source of miracles, the protector of the faithful, the wise teacher, the hungry for the feeder, the weeping for joy, the naked for the garment, the sick for the doctor, the sea-floating steward, the captive liberator, the widows and orphans the nourisher and intercessor, the guardian of chastity, the gentle punisher of infants, the old strengthener, the fasting teacher, the laboring for tranquility, the poor and abundant wealth for the poor! Hear us praying to you, save this monastery and this city and every Christian country from all enemies, destruction, cowardice, hail, famine, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, and open for us the doors of God’s mercy, so that we may be worthy to see good things on the lands of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one in the Trinity of the glorified God, now and forever and ever." Amen. (From “Taught.” Nikanor, bishop of Smolensk). (Story). The blizzard hums and groans... The wind whistles across the field, sweeps snow with a whirlwind and spins it. Woe to the traveler in such weather... The roads are all covered up, a whirlwind rushes madly across the field, which blinds the eyes, pierces the body and pricks the face like needles, covers the fresh trail with snow dust and quickly carries away further, howling pitifully like a pack of hungry wolves... Along the high road, from the provincial town of N., a young traveler was walking, wearing a tanned sheepskin coat and a canvas knapsack on his back. Despite the bad weather, he boldly and cheerfully walked forward, with full hope that by evening he would be in his village, in his native and warm hut, where his dearly beloved wife, little children and old father had been waiting for him for a long time... - Lord, the weather is bad, just don’t go! - the traveler thought, and wrapped his neck and head more tightly with a new colored scarf; but the snow rushed in like a whirlwind from all sides and covered his face. – Peace is dear to you, fellow countryman! – suddenly a rough, hoarse voice was heard almost right above his head. The traveler shuddered with his whole body, turned back and, to his surprise, saw in front of him a tall man in an old, torn fur coat. “And you too,” he replied. They walked in silence for several minutes. -Where are you going, friend? Why are you cold in this fur coat? – the traveler asked his new comrade. - No, nothing... And I forgot to ask: where are you going? – Home... I’m in a hurry for the holiday... - Yes. And I'm home... and whose will you be? - And I’m from Kazurin... not far from you, do you know tea? - How could you not know - it will be five miles from us. - Here we are on the way with you... and it’s more fun to go... Probably, you’re bringing some money home for the holiday? - Why, I’m bringing more than two red ones - tea, you yourself know that they are needed in the village, and especially for such a holiday... - It is, of course, true that they are needed... You, here, are carrying money home, and I am going with empty pockets... after everyone, brother, you can’t keep up! - said the new comrade and thought to himself: “Wait, my friend, just let us enter the forest, there we’ll find out how much money you have!” While they were talking, they didn’t even notice how they had already entered the forest, which was quiet, not like the field. The stranger fell behind the young traveler, who did not even think about any danger, but it was approaching over his head. He was thinking about how he could get home as quickly as possible. “Tanka and Vanka will be so happy with the gifts, and the wife will thank you for the scarf... tea, they won’t wait for me when I’m at...”, when suddenly his thoughts were interrupted mid-sentence, and he felt a blow to the head. The poor fellow was just about to turn back when a secondary blow deprived him of all consciousness. All he could do was cry out: “Saint Nicholas, save me!” - and fell unconscious on the fluffy snow. The robber took off his bag and fur coat, examined his pockets and dragged his victim by the hands away from the road. “Well, now I’m rich!” - he said to himself, going out onto the road. But he had not gone even a quarter of a mile when he heard someone groan behind him. He stopped, listened and thought: “But he’s the one groaning, he’s come to life, should we go and finish him off... yes, we have to go and finish him off!” - the robber said to himself and returned to complete his criminal deed. For more than two hours he walked in the same place, looking for the traveler he had killed and robbed, but he could not find him, although he heard his groan near him. “What a miracle, isn’t the evil one deceiving me!” - thought the robber, stopping in the middle of the road. At that moment the creaking of the sleigh runners reached his ears. “Is someone coming? Yes, that’s right... I’ll ask them to bring me, but he might freeze, or the wolves will eat him...” the robber said to himself and turned back. He saw a horse harnessed to a sleigh and two peasants. When they drew level with him, he bowed and asked them: “Reverends, where can I go here in Kazurino?” – Sit down with us, we’ll take you there if you buy wine... - I’ll buy it! - said the robbers and got into the sleigh. The men were about to leave, when at that very moment they heard someone’s faint human groan on the side of the road. They stopped the horse and realized that things were not quite right here. “Ignat, go and see who’s moaning there.” The man, called Ignat, got out of the sleigh and walked in the direction from which the groan was heard. The robber, meanwhile, wanted to jump out of the sleigh and hide, but a man sitting in the sleigh noticed this and, grabbing the robber by the collar of his fur coat, said: - No, brother, you won’t leave... You know, you destroyed a Christian soul here?! A fierce struggle ensued between the robber and the peasant. The robber gained the upper hand, quickly jumped out of the sleigh and hastily disappeared into the forest. “Well, he’s healthy, damn it! “- the man thought, puffing, “you, after all, left your bag here...” - Where is he? – said the returning Ignat. - And, after all, he robbed our Nikolai... Look, he’s lying there, almost alive... – Ivan Evstigneev’s son... - So let's go, get him and take him home... Both men hastily disappeared behind the trees, leaving the horse alone, and five minutes later they returned, carrying their fellow villager, barely alive, in their arms; they carefully put him in the sleigh, wrapped him in robes and left. An hour later, Nikolai was in a warm hut, surrounded by sobs - his beloved wife, children and old father. Three or four days later he recovered and told his family how miraculously he had survived. “When the robber dragged me off the road into the forest, I don’t remember and don’t know how long I lay there. When I woke up and opened my eyes, I saw some old man next to me, who was carefully warming me and touching the bruised place with his hand. Now, I hear someone coming up to me. Well, I think it’s him who will kill me... I see, no, not he, but our Ignat... The old man who was sitting there immediately disappeared somewhere!.. - this is how Nikolai ended his truthful story and devoutly crossed himself. What happened to the killer? He was soon found in the forest torn to pieces by wolves; obviously, he got lost that night and suffered a worthy retribution for his crime (“The Helmsman” 1899 No. 49). 3. The story of the release of Cossack Gerasim Zholub from captivity (Actual incident). This happened in 1851, during the era of the bloody struggle between the Russians and the Circassians. The Circassians often attacked villages and, if successful, captured the inhabitants: Cossacks, their wives and children. Quite a few Cossacks at that time languished in captivity among the Circassians. A Cossack from the N-skaya village, Gerasim Zholub, was also captured. He spent three years in Dzhendzhirievsky village. Days after days passed in work, under the supervision of the Circassians, and at night the prisoner was chained hand and foot to a block. It is unbearably difficult to languish in captivity, especially among such savages as the Circassians, who at that time harbored an inexorable hatred of the Russians. What hardships the prisoner experienced is unknown; by the way, only Zholub reported that little Tatar children often approached him, apparently taught by their mothers, and “struck” him on the arms and legs with a hot iron... An inexpressible longing for the homeland gripped the prisoner’s soul, and what he would not give to get to his homeland, but alas! Escape from captivity was impossible, since he was always under strict supervision, and, moreover, chained to a block. Who should I turn to for help in such circumstances? To whom, if not to God, living and strong, and to His saints! And so, the captive with fervent prayer and bitter tears prayed to the defender of the oppressed: - Holy Father Nicholas! Pray to the Lord, help me get rid of captivity - and I will not want any rewards on earth!.. I will work only to save my soul. And then something miraculous happened. After this prayer of the prisoner, an old man, about 80 years old, comes up to him and says to him: Considering him to be an investigator sent to test the prisoner, Zholub said: - How can I escape while chained? Then the old man came closer to the prisoner and with excitement and tears in his eyes said: – Don’t be afraid of me, I myself am a Russian fugitive from military service... I have been living here for a very long time: I have four sons here... Now I feel the approach of death, I grieve for my homeland, according to the Orthodox faith, but it is too late for me to return to my homeland... not today - tomorrow death will befall me... Now I remember my sins and think that if I help you escape from captivity, then maybe the Lord will forgive me some of my sins! Hearing these words and the old man’s tears, Zholub no longer doubted and said: - But how can I free myself from the chains? - Pray to God - God will help... And now I’ll leave, otherwise the Circassians will notice us! - said the old man and left. After some time, when it had already begun to get dark, a young Circassian woman comes and tries the locks on the chains with her keys; then she gives a bunch of these keys to a small child, about 3 years old, who was trailing behind her. Having played enough with the keys, the child threw them there. Seeing the keys near him, Zholub alternately felt in his soul either joy and hope, or fear and danger. After some time, picking up the keys, Zholub unlocked the locks on his hands and feet, and then, making three prostrations, headed straight to the east. The dogs started barking, but the time turned out to be favorable for the fugitive: the village was busy with a wedding. But, nevertheless, an hour and a half later, alarm arose in the village and the pursuit of the fugitive began. Four days passed in the midst of great dangers and hardships for Zholub until he reached Kuban. However, the bank of the Kuban, to which the fugitive nailed himself, was treeless and only one bush stuck out in the clearing. Zholub climbed into the middle of the bush, waiting for a convenient time to safely cross to the other, now Russian, bank of the Kuban... But then the creaking of Tatar carts, talking, barking of dogs was heard - and then a pack of dogs ran up to the fatal bush and began to bark. “Well, now my death is inevitable!” thinks Zholub, sitting under a bush; and this time he again offered a fervent prayer to God, vowing to devote his life to the salvation of his soul and to the weekly commemoration of his deceased parents, on Saturdays. And so, suddenly a hare jumped out of the bush and rushed towards the forest; The dogs rushed after the hare with a loud bark. Little by little, the barking of dogs and the creaking of carts died down, and the fugitive, having crossed the Kuban, reached Russian settlements. Gerasim Zholub entirely attributes his escape from captivity to divine Providence and the intercession of the wonderworker, St. Nicholas, who through mysterious ways disposed the heart of a Russian defector who was among the Circassians to repentance and help his captive compatriot. In the same way, the appearance of a woman with the keys to the chains, the abandonment of the keys, the appearance of a hare at a mortally dangerous moment, diverting the attention of the dogs from the fugitive who was under the bush - all this Gerasim Zholub attributes to the miraculous intercession before God of the great wonderworker Nicholas. And who among the believers who has become familiar with this artless story about the escape of a prisoner will not find this escape miraculous? Of course, this escape was accomplished not without energy, labor and hardship on the part of Zholub himself: making his way through impenetrable forests and paths, among thorns and hawthorns, he arrived to the Russians, all bloody and wounded by thorns and thorns. But what did these wounds and scratches mean in comparison with the joy that the captive, now free, felt at the sight of his homeland, relatives and St. churches? And now, upon his release from captivity, Zholub, indeed, devoted his entire life, according to his vow, to the salvation of his soul and the weekly commemoration of his deceased parent (his mother was still alive). The authorities presented Zholub for a reward and a pension, but, in accordance with his vow, he did not want either a reward or a pension. This was brought to the attention of the Emperor (according to his son, Joseph Zholub), who ordered 100 rubles to be given to his mother. (“The Helmsman” 1899, No. 50). 4. To whom is St. especially merciful? Nikolai? The Holy Church in its hymns glorifies St. Nicholas as a hungry feeder, a great ruler at sea and a quick helper to everyone in troubles and sorrows. And indeed, works of Christian charity were, so to speak, the calling of St. Nicholas, they appeared in him from an early age. So, he distributed his property to the poor, which he inherited after the death of his parents. When he was appointed bishop of Myra-Lycia, he used both church property and his personal property for works of mercy. In one of these deeds he saved an entire family from shame and lawlessness. At the same time, he did not wait for those in need to come to him with a request, but he himself looked for those and tried to provide his help secretly. On the other hand, the Lord God vouchsafed His faithful servant such glory as falls to the lot of very few. - But to whom was St. especially merciful? Nikolai? To whom did he primarily do charity and help? – Mainly to those who loved him, honored his memory and visited the church of God. Here is a remarkable incident that one village priest tells in his notes. One of his parishioners, a peasant, had a strong love for the Church of God: if the strike of the holiday bell caught him doing any work, even hurried, he immediately abandoned it and went with his whole family to the church of God. The church feast of St. has arrived. Nicholas, - they announced the news for mass. The pious villager perked up, began hastily getting ready for church and noticed that his wife had not yet put her pies in the oven. “Look, wife,” he told her impressively, “don’t be left without mass for the holiday because of the pies!” And he took the child and left. The wife managed, took another little one and hurried to the service. - The mass ended, and everyone went home. Our good pilgrims also approach their house and see that the gate is slightly open; They go further - the entryway is also open, and in the hut, you can hear someone wandering around and fumbling with their hands... Only then did the hostess remember that, rushing to the church to catch the beginning of mass, she forgot to lock the gate. Assuming that there was an unkind person in the hut, the owners did not dare to immediately enter there, but invited their neighbors. And so, having opened the door to the hut, they see that the well-known thief in their village, looking with all his eyes, is feeling the walls and looking for a way out. “How did you get here?” They began to interrogate him. He frankly admitted that, having noticed the unlocked gate, he wanted to take advantage of this to steal something: “I saw how the owners went to church,” he said, “and I was sure that no one was at home. But as soon as I entered the hut, a short, gray-haired old man in red velvet church clothes came in behind me and, looking at me, sternly said to me: “How?! These good Christians came to me for a holiday and in their haste forgot to lock up their house, and you are glad of the opportunity to rob them?! And at these words, the elder quickly hit me in the face so that my vision immediately went dark, and I lost sight of everything... Even now I don’t see anything and I can’t find a way out. He was tried and sentenced for attempted theft to settle in Siberia. Going there, he wished for the first and last time in his life to go to the village church to pray. When they brought him to the local icon of St. Nicholas to venerate him, he suddenly regained his sight and in the stern face of the saint of God in the icon he recognized the elder who had denounced his act and punished him with blindness. 5. The city of Bari (in Apulia) and the relics of St. Nicholas, the miracle worker of Myra The city of Bari, famous for the presence in it of the great Christian shrine of honest and multi-healing relics, is holy. Nicholas, the miracle worker of Myra, is located in the south-eastern part of Italy, in the region of Apulia, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Pilgrims rush here to the site of the present resting place of the great saint of God to raise their prayerful voice to him, to cleave their lips to his honorable tomb and to receive grace-filled consecration from him in close proximity to his saints and multi-healing relics. Church of St. Nicholas in Bari is a majestic basilica (oblong in shape), divided by two rows of graceful columns into three naves, or ships, which end on the east side with three apses (semicircles). In the middle apse there is a main altar, which stands at the top of the tomb of St. Nicholas. It is all silvered and decorated with skillful carvings; it is separated from the middle part of the church by graceful columns of pale pink marble. He is overshadowed by a marble ciborium of the same color, very artistic workmanship. On the throne itself there is a large statue of St. Nicholas, depicting him, however, not as an Orthodox bishop, but as a Catholic bishop. On the left side of the altar grille there is a silver bowl with manna flowing from the relics of St. Nicholas, like water; From it, Catholic priests anoint those who come with a cross. To venerate the relics, they go to the lower church, or crypt, in which the tomb of St. is located. saint of God. First, Catholic priests read a short litany (prayer) of St. Nikolai. Then comes the solemn moment of contemplating the myrrh-streaming remains of the saint of God, St. Nicholas. The priest who performed the litany opens the small doors in the front side of the main altar of the crypt and, taking a candle with fire, stuck on a thin and long stick, crawls under the roof of the altar into the mentioned doors to the waist and, through a small hole made in the marble lid of the coffin, lights a lamp inside it, and then gives permission to all the pilgrims one by one to crawl under the same the lid of the throne and with our eye for a few minutes we pierce the hole in the coffin in order to see the contents that are dear to us. In an abundance of grateful hearts, the pilgrims shed copious tears over the marble slab and shower it with reverent kisses. What does this precious coffin contain? Here is a simple, unartificial story from one of our compatriots: “I climbed in, he says, and I opened a shrine on him (the Catholic priest), just as in our countries a shrine opens everywhere, but there it’s not like that: the shrine for the relics doesn’t open in any way, because the marble is carved out thickly and widely, like some kind of vessel, or an ark, and deep into the ground, like five spans, equally with the foot of the throne, placed motionless and firmly supported by a large marble board; Through the same marble deck on top there is a cut-out window, not large, as if a ruble could cover it. Above this window there was a lighted light on an iron chain and it was hung deep, like half a shrine. And I climbed inside, put an eye over this diritsa (well), and saw this marble crayfish, deep in the ground, like a storehouse of half water or manna, even as the purest water is light, and through it, under a bushel, one can see white bones, from which water flows incessantly, but there are no bodies, but everything they have decayed, they say, into the ointment, and the bones are unable to know from which member they are, because they are lying out of place... Then for everything we have seen and heard, we give thanks to God and His saint, St. Nicholas" 197 At the request of pious pilgrims, the celibate myrrh of St. can be extracted for them from the tomb of the great wonderworker. Nicholas, or "holy manna". This is Miro, or “St. manna” of Nicholas, is extracted from the saint’s shrine in this way: through the hole in the shrine, a small end is lowered into it on a thin string, with which the myrrh is scooped up, or a sponge is saturated with this myrrh. The sponge taken out is then squeezed out over a special silver vessel. From here it is given to everyone who wants to drink it, or it is bottled into various vials and bottles and sold to pilgrims in large quantities. Having satisfied my spiritual need, bowed and kissed the tomb of St. Nicholas and drank for the health of the soul and body of St. peace exuding from his sacred remains, our pilgrims are present the next day in the crypt of St. Nicholas on secret Catholic. a mass celebrated at the tomb of the saint of Christ, after which, under the guidance of a guide, they explore the sights of this crypt 198. First of all, their attention is drawn to a small reliquary with a particle of the relics of St. Nicholas, attached to the right side of the crypt. Since this reliquary is significantly raised above the floor and kiss St. relics are impossible with the lips, then the pilgrims touch them with a finger, which they then kiss as a sign of reverence and respect. From there they move to a pink column standing in the middle of the crypt, distinguished from other columns by its smaller size and fenced with a lattice. The placement of this pillar in its present place is considered miraculous. They say that when building this church, 26 pillars were needed, but there were only 25, and they could not get the 26th. This upset the barians very much, because even construction work had to be stopped because of this. A few days later, “through the miraculous providence of the great miracle worker, Saint Nicholas of Christ,” they saw a marble pillar floating in the sea near the city, like some kind of tree. At nightfall, when everyone was asleep, this pillar was moved to St. Nicholas and two angels into the church and placed it in its present place, and a strong bell ringing was heard near the church, waking up the residents and gathering many people here. Those who were the first to enter the church seemed to have even seen St. Nikolai and. two angels supplying the pillar. “And when people saw such a miracle,” says local legend, “they glorified God and His saint; In unforgettable memory, the image of that miracle was written on the wall high, in the land of the gums in the upper church, which remains to this day.” This is how our compatriot, the pilgrim, conveys the legend 199. There is a grate around this pillar. It was placed here, according to the explanation of our same pilgrim, due to the fact that this pillar is considered miraculous, and many receive healing here, especially from headaches, and when before it stood unfenced, many began to truncate it secretly and tear off parts of it with iron tools, “for the sake of healing”; Therefore, it was fenced off on all sides with a thick lattice, so that you can only touch it with your fingers, “as they still do, touching it and accepting the target.” From the crypt, the guide leads pilgrims to the top, to the Basilica of St. Nicholas. Here, on its right side, they pray before the miraculous image of St. Nicholas of Christ, painted in a strictly Byzantine style. Then they survey throughout the basilica monuments of various miracles performed, through prayers, by the saint of God, St. Nikolai. Among the items reminiscent of the miracles of St. Nicholas, the pilgrims are especially struck and attracted by the huge fish bone “as thick as a human leg, two fathoms long,” hanging on the wall on the right side of the basilica. Our traveler Barsky heard the following story about this bone. One of the local fishermen, throwing nets into the sea, “really in the name of St. Nicholas, rivers in himself, as if my work in his name will not be in vain.” And he immediately caught a fish the size of a mountain, so that he did not see any means to remove it from the water. Then the fisherman again prayed to the same quick assistant, so that he would help him to extract her in the same way as he had helped him catch; he was afraid that this fish would drown him too. Only then could he, with great difficulty, remove this fish from the water, having first shot it. Then taking one of the rib bones of this fish, he brought it to the church of St. Nicholas “and confessed his glorious miracle-working before everyone.” The clergy bound it with an iron chain and hung it on the right wall of the upper church, among other signs of his miracles, “which hangs to this day for the greater glorification of the saint of Christ” 200. But most of all, the material signs of miracles and the help of St. Nicholas is located in the sacristy (sacristy) of the crypt of St. Nicholas, made of wax. There, in the sacristy, there are quite a few paintings of the miracles of St. Nicholas, belonging to the brushes of various artists. The very inside of the church is very magnificent. It is only a pity that in Bari, at the relics of the great saint of God, a champion of Orthodoxy and a miracle worker, so revered by the Russian pious people, our pilgrims are deprived of the spiritual consolation of hearing prayers and receiving the blessing of their own spiritual mother - the Orthodox Church. With the relics of St. Nicholas and in general at the cathedral all the clergy are Catholic. All services and rituals here are Latin, not Orthodox. (From the book “Holy places and shrines in the east, in Russia and in the west of Europe.” Petrushevsky, vol. III, St. Petersburg ed. 1898). The month of December. Day 25 Christmas Evang. from. Matthew, count. 3rd, ch. II, 1–12. 1. Preparation of the faithful St. church for the feast of the Nativity of Christ Long before the feast of the Nativity of Christ, St. the church begins to prepare believers for it. More than a month before, she established the fast, which is called Filippovsky, because it begins the day after the day on which the memory of St. ap. Philip, (November 14), but which, according to the church, is called Christmas, since the purpose of its establishment is the worthy preparation of believers for the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. The beginning of this fast undoubtedly dates back to the times of deep Christian antiquity, because ancient Christians generally had the custom of spending time before great holidays in fasting, prayer and spiritual wakefulness. Since the 4th century, there have been numerous and clear indications of the Nativity Fast. Initially, it did not have the same duration for all Christians; but at the council that took place under Patriarch Luke and Emperor Manuel in 1166, it was determined that all Christians should fast for 40 days before the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. This fast, established by St. church before the Nativity of Christ, as St. interprets it. Simeon of Thessalonica, “depicts the fast of Moses, who, having fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, received the words of God inscribed on stone tablets.” “And we,” says the same St. father, “by fasting for 40 days, we contemplate and accept the living Word from the Virgin, not inscribed on stones, but incarnate and born, and we partake of His Divine flesh.” November 21 st. The church remembers the introduction of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the church. From this day St. The church proposes to sing a solemn and majestic canon in honor of the Nativity of Christ, compiled by St. Cosmos Maiumsky. It begins by calling all believers to doxology and, as it were, to meet the born Christ with the words of St. Gregory the Theologian: Christ is born - glorify! Christ from heaven - hide, and ends with the words of St. John Chrysostom, pointing to the mystery of the incarnation of Christ from the Virgin Mary: I see a strange and glorious mystery... With reverent delight glorifying the God-man who descended to earth, St. the hymn writer, finally, in bewilderment, stops at the very event of the Nativity of Christ and is amazed at the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, incomprehensible even to the angels: “I see a strange and glorious mystery: the sky is a den; the throne of the cherubs is the Virgin, the manger is the container, and in them reclines the incontainable Christ God.” The penultimate Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ is called St. Sunday. forefather. During the divine service at this time, all the righteous saints, Old Testament patriarchs and prophets are remembered. In the old days, at Matins of this week, in our most noble churches, the so-called cave action was performed, that is, a ritual that represented in person the story from the Old Testament about the casting of three youths into a fiery furnace under Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. These three youths, as you know, did not want to fulfill the king’s command to bow to the golden image set up by the king, and for this they were thrown into a very hot oven. But among the flames they remained unharmed and joyfully sang a song to the true God. Apparently an angel was with them, who turned fire into dew and kept them unharmed. In this angel, the church inspires us to see the Word of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, I. Christ, by faith in whose coming all the Old Testament righteous were saved. It was not in vain that the ancient Russian church so clearly showed believers precisely this story of the three youths cast into the fiery furnace for their faith: in this story we see the most expressive example of the entire Old Testament faith and the clearest prototype of Christian martyrdom. The last Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ is called St. Sunday. father. In this week's service, only those Old Testament righteous people are remembered, from whose tribe Christ was born. Therefore, on Sunday of this week at the liturgy, the Gospel is read, telling about the family and ancestors of I. Christ according to the flesh, starting with Abraham, the father of believers, to the righteous Joseph, to whom St. was betrothed. Virgin Mary, Mother of God; and from the Apostolic Epistles read chapters 11 and 12 from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Jews, where St. the apostle talks about the faith of the Old Testament righteous and about the deeds in which they expressed their faith. This reading ends with a lesson necessary for all of us: likewise we, who have so much, have surrounded us with a cloud of witnesses (i.e. examples of firm faith, which the history of the Old Testament righteous presents to us in such abundance), putting aside all pride and making common sin, with patience let us pursue the struggle that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author of faith and perfecter of Jesus, who instead of the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, being careless for its shame, and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2). Thus, the entire period of fasting preceding the holiday with church services resembles that pre-Christian period, when people saw the coming Christ in images, promises, prophecies, awaited His coming and prepared for a worthy meeting of Him. The closer to the holiday, the more the chants related to it increase. Five days before the holiday, the so-called pre-celebration begins, as if on the eve of the upcoming celebration. Let us pre-celebrate the Nativity of Christ, - it is sung on this day, - and lift our minds to Bethlehem, let us ascend in thought and see in the den the great sacrament: for Eden was opened, pure from the Virgin to God, perfect in divinity and humanity (stichera at Vespers). The very eve of the holiday is called in the liturgical books "forever", in ordinary language, Christmas Eve, or more correctly sochevnik, from the word sochivo, because on this day a particularly strict fast is prescribed and according to the church charter it is supposed to be sochivo scalded, or kutia with honey. This is a dish made from wheat, peas, lentils, barley, which, after soaking in water, is eaten with or without honey. But zealous Orthodox Christians on Christmas Eve do not eat anything “before the stars,” that is, until the evening when the stars appear. On the eve of the holiday, unless it happens on Saturday or Sunday (days free from fasting), a special service is held - the royal hours. This service is performed with the royal doors open, in the middle of the church, in front of the Gospel, placed on a lectern, as if as a sign that the Savior is already shining in all languages. Before the Gospel, incense is burned in remembrance of the incense and myrrh brought by the Magi to the born King of the Jews. During these hours, ordinary psalms and stichera are replaced by psalms, troparions and stichera appropriate for the holiday. On them, all the most important prophets, who foreshadowed the appearance of God in the flesh, are united by the church into one, and, as it were, greet with the choirs of angels the descent to earth of the One whom they so ardently desired to see. Here we hear the inspired words of the prophet and Godfather David, who, through the darkness of distant centuries, clearly contemplated the greatness of his Divine Descendant (Ps. 44); he also sings of the eternal birth of Christ: from the womb before the morning star I gave birth to Thee (Ps. 109); sees how foreign kings greet the born King of kings, and the peoples rush to take refuge in His blessed kingdom: the kings of Farsia and the islands will bring gifts, the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts; and all the kings of the earth will worship Him, all the nations will serve Him (Ps. 71); finally sings of the peace and prosperity of His glorious kingdom: in His days righteousness and abundance of peace will shine (Ps. 71 and Ps. 77). Here we hear the voices of the ancient prophets: Micah, who foretold the birth of Christ in Bethlehem as the great leader of Israel, - Jeremiah, who foresaw the East, coming from above to illuminate the universe with a new light, and especially - Isaiah, who for seven centuries with particular clarity predicted the seedless conception of Christ from a Virgin: behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb and give birth to a Son and will call Him name Emmanuel... God is with us! These bright visions of the prophets are replaced by the touching narrative of the evangelists about the first minutes of the earthly life of the Lord - the Child and the words of the divinely inspired apostle, revealing the dogmatic and moral thought of the holiday. In the intervals between these readings, the church hymn, lively and solemn more than in ordinary church services, either amazes, glorifies, calls heaven and earth to praise the Almighty, then pours out in holy feelings of thanksgiving and submission to the Creator of the universe, or represents persons from the times of the event itself acting and touchingly talking. Most of these chants belong to the famous Christian songwriter Sophronius. By the establishment of such a service and even by the very name of it, the royal hours, the church expresses the idea that with the restoration and renewal of the fallen human race, for which the Son of God I. Christ was born, the grace-filled kingdom of God on earth begins, and that therefore the day of the Nativity of Christ is for it the great and eternal anniversary of the beginning of this grace-filled kingdom. In ancient times, in Constantinople, the royal hours were celebrated in the royal chamber, in the presence of the kings, and they were proclaimed then, as they are now proclaimed in the most noble churches, for many years with the pronunciation of the full royal title. In ancient times, the king, entering the church, first of all bowed before St. The Gospel, in the likeness of the eastern kings or sages, who, putting aside their earthly greatness, once humbly prostrated themselves before the wretched cradle of the Infant God. If the eve of the Nativity of Christ does not fall on Saturday or Sunday, then the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated on this day in conjunction with Vespers. In this establishment one cannot help but see the desire of the church to bring, if possible, the time of celebration closer to the time in which the most celebrated event took place, since the Nativity of Christ took place at night, as can be seen from the words of the evangelist: and the shepherds kept watch over the night. (See Instructions and Consolations of the Holy Christian Faith, No. 27, 1890). The Nativity of the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, was like this (Matthew 1:18): “After the betrothal of his Mother Mary to Joseph, before they were united, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit.” The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God was hidden from everyone until time; St.’s betrothed did not know this glorious sacrament either. Virgins - Elder Joseph, guardian of her virginity and guardian of Mary betrothed to him. Meanwhile, the passage of time began to reveal more and more clearly that St. The Virgin Mary is preparing to be a mother; This became especially clear when She, after three months of staying in the house of Her relative, the righteous Elizabeth, returned to the house of Her betrothed. Seeing this, Joseph was at a loss and was struck with great sadness. The embarrassed old man thought: “Where did this come from? I have not known her, and have sinned against her in my thoughts, and I see her as non-idle” (Cheti Menaion, December 25). St. testifies to the same thing. Church: “Having a storm inside with doubtful thoughts, chaste Joseph was disturbed to You in vain, unmarried, and thinking about the stolen marriage, Immaculate!” (Cond. 4 akaf. B.M.). Joseph does not hide his dubious thoughts, but begins to reveal them by asking St. Virgin: “Mary, what is this matter that I see in you? I am perplexed, surprised and mentally horrified. Mary, what is this thing that I see in you? You brought shame on me for my honor, instead of joy you brought me sorrow, instead of praise you brought me reproach and reproach.” (Last 1 hour 24 Dec.). St. Athanasius of Alexandria talks about the same thing like this: “Did this happen to you, Mary? Wasn't it you, pure virgin, who was raised in the vestibules of St. church? Wasn’t it you, Marie, who didn’t want to look at the man’s face? Was it not you who promised to preserve the unfading rose of virginity?.. How ashamed was the innocent, undefiled Lamb, the immaculate Dove - St. Virgin Mary, hearing these and similar words from Joseph’s lips!” (Cheti Menaia). St. did not dare The Virgin told Her betrothed about the Archangel gospel, about those significant and joyful greetings with which righteous Elizabeth greeted Her, calling Her the mother of the Lord: “Where does this come to me, that the Mother of my Lord came to me?” (Luke 1:43). She thought, says St. John Chrysostom (Conversation on Matthew IV) that he will not assure the betrothed by telling him about an extraordinary deed, but, on the contrary, will upset him by giving him the thought that he is covering up what has been done. If She herself, hearing about the great grace bestowed upon Her, judges humanly and says: “How will this be when I do not know a husband” (Luke 1:34), then Joseph would have doubted even more, especially having heard about this from a virgin.” Could there be anything more difficult than this position of the Most Pure Virgin? She surrendered herself to the will of the Almighty, resorted to prayer as the only means to testify to her angelic purity, and meekly answered Joseph: “The Lord lives, who has kept me in virginity to this day, I have not known sin, no one has touched me, and in me there are wills and actions from God.” (Athanasius of Alexandria). But Joseph judges humanly, not giving faith to the words of the Virgin betrothed to him. The kindness of his heart and the familiar disposition of the Virgin, her piety, her chastity disposed him to treat Mary as easily as possible. Being righteous and not wanting to make Her public, he wanted to secretly let Her go - he intended to give a letter of divorce without the formalities prescribed by the law (Deut. 24); decided to give this letter without mentioning the reasons why he was divorcing Her. But as soon as he thought this, behold (Matthew 1:20–23) an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: Joseph, son of David! Do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife, do not doubt Her purity and innocence: for what was born in Her is of the Holy Spirit. Eliminating Joseph's doubts and revealing to him the secret that confused him, the angel assures that Mary will give birth to a Son and predicts His name: she will give birth to a Son and will call Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. And all this happened, notes St. Evangelist Matthew, - may what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet (Isaiah) be fulfilled, who says: “Behold, a virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which means: God is with us.” Rising from sleep, Joseph does as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife (Matthew 1:24) no longer with fear, but with joy and reverence, in order to be a witness of her heavenly purity. The time, determined by the natural law of pregnancy, was approaching, at which the Creator of nature was to be born. The Holy Virgin lived in Nazareth, the place of residence of her betrothed husband Joseph. Meanwhile, the Messiah, the Savior, as the Son (descendant) of David, was to be born in the city of David, Bethlehem. (Bethlehem is the house of bread, so Jacob called it, instead of the former name Euphratha, foreseeing in the spirit and foretelling that in that place the bread that came down from heaven, Christ the Lord, would be born). Everyone knew the ancient prediction of the prophet, given even before the captivity of Babylon, that Bethlehem should be the fatherland of the glorious Leader of Israel: this is what the prophet Micah predicted: “And you, Bethlehem - Euphrapha, are you small among the thousands of Judah? From you will come to me one who is to be ruler in Israel, and whose origin was from the beginning, from the days of eternity” (Mic. 5:2). This glorious prophecy, which definitely pointed to the birthplace of the Messiah, had to be fulfilled, but how? God's providence arranges this. At that time, Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the entire land, throughout the Roman state, which included Palestine. According to the laws of the Jews, everyone had to register not in the city in which he lived, but in the one where his family came from. And everyone went to register in their own city. Joseph also went from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David; The elder set off on his journey, despite the fact that domestic circumstances disposed him to delay somewhat in Nazareth; he set off immediately along with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was pregnant. “Neither law nor custom required women to appear in person with their husbands for registration, yet Mary accompanies Joseph on this difficult journey, over the mountain heights, to Bethlehem. This is explained by the fact that Mary and Joseph already knew that the Messiah was to be born from Her, and they, without a doubt, also knew that he was to be born in the City of David. Now, when Caesar’s decree on the census was announced to them, shouldn’t a pious feeling have told them that this command of Caesar in the hands of Providence is an instrument so that, in fulfillment of the prophecy, the Son of the Virgin would be born in Bethlehem, and not in any other place? And Mary, despite the fact that the time of her resolution was approaching, decided to accompany Her betrothed, seeing in this the wonderful ways of God’s providence for Her and Her Child’s future” (Explanatory Gospel of Bishop Michael). Thus, together with matter, “you were written by Caesar’s command, O All-Tsar, although you were to write in the book of human life.” (Holiday service). After three days of travel, Joseph and Mary approached their hometown, and the time had come for the innocent bride to give birth to the blessed Fruit of her womb. As the guardian of the Virgin, Elder Joseph is looking for a place for her; goes around the whole city and does not find a single unoccupied house in Bethlehem. It was so crowded here with the multitude of people who had gathered for the recording that there was no room left for the poor strangers of Nazareth even in the hotel, where it would have been more convenient for Mary in the last hours of her pregnancy. Where can one find the birthplace of the Son of God? The day was already approaching evening. Outside the city, among the rocky cliffs, at the foot of the mountain, Joseph saw a cave into which shepherds drove their cattle during storms and in the rainy season. A recess was made in the cave wall, which served instead of a manger for animals. It was into this cave, and then after many, many searches, that the elder and the Mother of God entered for refuge. “The great King strives to enter the small den, so that he may exalt and enrich man with immeasurable wealth.” Here, in a small den, at midnight, the most pure and blessed Virgin Mary, praying warmly to God, and all abiding in God with good thoughts and burning with love (Four Menaions December 25), gave birth to Her firstborn Son, on the 25th day of December. “A great and glorious miracle will happen today: the Virgin gives birth and the womb does not decay: the Word is incarnate and the Father is not absent. How shall I pronounce the great sacrament? The incorporeal begins, the invisible is seen, the intangible is touched, and the beginningless begins. The Son of God is the Son of man. (Celebration service). The Father was pleased, the Word became flesh, and the Virgin today gives birth to the Most Essential.” The Most Pure Mother herself swaddled the born Child and laid Him in a manger (Luke 2:7). The manger became like a cherubim throne. - “Look how mysteriously She gives birth, She gives birth to Himself, She gives birth to Herself: She did not allow anyone to touch with unclean hands the most pure Child born by Her” (St. Athan. Alexander in the homily for the Nativity of Christ). Serve Your own imperishable Nativity, not waiting for Salome the old woman, his relative, whom Joseph went to call, but she came when the birth had already taken place: even as she bore, she also served, bearing, waving and laying (Chets of Menaion). “She conceived as a virgin, she bore as a virgin, she gave birth to a virgin.” (St. Gregory of Nyssa). The Immaculate Mother wrapped Her sweetest Child in clean, thin, white linen swaddling clothes, brought from Nazareth, previously prepared there. The Child, the Eternal God, is wrapped in swaddling clothes, may the captives absolve my sins (pre-feast service). Having laid Him in a manger, the first worshiped Him to the ground, as His God and Creator (Cheti Min.). But the Ever-Virgin was not the only one who glorified the incarnate Lord – the Savior: “I am surrounded by angels like a cherubic throne, a manger, for the den of heaven is in vain, I lie in it to the Lady, and I cry out to God in the highest glory” (Song 9, December 23). Although the birth of the Savior took place in great mystery, heaven preached Him to everyone. On this significant night, near Bethlehem, shepherds guarded their flock. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, according to the saint. Cyprian, Gabriel, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. It is very natural that these people, alone in the middle of the night, at the sight of the heavenly messenger and at the strong, sudden miraculous brilliance, fell into great fear. But the celestial being, calming them down, says: “Do not be afraid; I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people: for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly, unexpectedly for the shepherds, while they were listening to the angel’s speech about the birth of the Savior, a large army of heaven appeared with the angel, glorifying God and crying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:8-14). For a long time such a song was not heard on earth; since then it has not been heard by angelic singing since the first man fell and sinned. This song is majestic: “it embraces the sky, the earth, and people; it connects with the existence that took place in the Bethlehem cave, everything that is brightest in heaven, most desirable on earth, most gracious for people: the glory of God, peace or complete bliss, God’s favor” (Gorsky). Only the angels of God could sing such a song! “All souls of the righteous, rejoice: behold, the deliverance of all has appeared in the city of Bethlehem!” “When the angels departed from the shepherds into heaven, they said to each other: let’s go to Bethlehem and see what happened there, which the Lord told us about. And they hastened and came and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in a manger. When they saw it, they told about what had been announced to them about this Child. And all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these words, writing them in Her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:15-20). When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem to worship the newborn King. These were the astronomers of that time - serving the stars, and by the star they were taught to come to worship the Sun of Truth, Christ God. - An ancient legend preserved their names: Melchior, Gaspar and Belshazzar. There is no direct indication of which country they came from - there were different opinions about this in ancient times; the more probable and accepted opinion is that they were from Persia or Babylon. “When the vols saw the godly star, they followed the dawn” (Cond. 5 akaf. B.M.). Apparently, they knew Balaam’s prediction: “a star will rise from Jacob, and a man will arise from Israel” (Numbers 24:17); Apparently, they also knew about other prophecies about the coming of the Messiah and the time of his coming and followed the instructions of the wonderful star. According to St. Chrysostom and Theophylact - it was a divine, angelic power that appeared instead of a star. All stars, according to the law given to them by the Creator, flow from east to west, but this star walked from east to south, towards Jerusalem. All stars are constantly moving, but this one sometimes walked, sometimes stood: the Magi walked, the star walked, they stopped, and she stood. – There are also different opinions about the time of the appearance of this wonderful star: some believe that it appeared on that very night, at the very hour when the Savior was born; but then there will be little time to reach Jerusalem from the eastern countries and worship the Savior who was in Bethlehem, even after days of purification. Others believe the time of the appearance of the star is on that day and hour, at the same time as the Archangel’s Annunciation, the invasion of the Holy Spirit, the Word became flesh, conceived in the most immaculate womb of the virgins: 9 months before the Nativity of Christ, the star appeared in the east. (Cheti Menaion December 25. Matt. 2:2). Having seen the wonderful star, the Magi remembered the ancient prophecy of Valaam and set off and, under her guidance, reached Jerusalem. Having entered it, they ask: “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and came to worship Him.” (Thurs. Menaion 25 Dec. Matt. 2:3–8). This news surprised the people and confused the suspicious Herod. He gathers all the high priests and scribes of the people and asks them: where should Christ be born, according to the prophecies and promises? They said to him: in Bethlehem of Judea; For thus it is written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way less than the provinces of Judah: for out of you will come a ruler. who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod secretly called the Magi to him and began to find out from them the time of the appearance of the star. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying: go, carefully investigate the Child; When you find Him, notify me so that I too can go and worship Him.” When the Magi left Jerusalem, the star again appeared to them and walked in front of them until it finally came and stopped over the place where the Child was. Seeing the star, the Magi rejoiced with great joy. Entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary, His Mother, and fell down and worshiped Him not with simple worship, but due to God. Having opened their treasures, they brought Him gifts - gold, incense and myrrh: gold as for a king, incense as for God, myrrh as for a mortal man - (who has tasted death). Having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Herod, the Magi went another way to their country, and there they were preachers of the coming of Christ, the Son of God, into the world. For our sake, the angels bring singing to the born Lord, the heavens - a star, the volsvi - gifts, the shepherd - a miracle, the earth - a den, the desert - a manger, people - the Virgin Mother. What will we bring? We will bring faith instead of gold, love like myrrh, like Lebanon, deeds to the Creator, and let us cry out to Him from the depths of our hearts: “Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, rise up in the world, the light of reason: in it, for the stars who serve as a star learn to bow to Thee, the Sun of righteousness, and lead Thee from the heights of the East, Lord, glory to Thee. (See Tob. Ep. Ved.). 3. About the star that led the Magi to Christ That the star that led the Magi to Christ was not an ordinary one, or even a star, but, as it seems to me, some invisible force that took the form of a star, this is proven, firstly, by its very path. For there is, exactly, no star that would have such a path. We see that the sun, and the moon, and all the other stars go from east to west, and this one flowed from the north at noon: for Palestine is in this position in relation to Persia. Secondly, this can be seen from time itself: for it does not appear at night, but in the middle of the day, with the radiance of the sun, which is unusual not only for a star, but also for the moon. Although the moon is larger than all the stars, when sunlight appears, it immediately hides and becomes invisible. The star of Christ, with the superiority of its brilliance, overcame the very light of the sun, was clearer than the sun, and no matter how brilliant it was, it shone more. Thirdly, it is proven by the fact that the star first appears and then disappears again. For when the Magi went to Palestine, she was visible and showed them the way, but when they entered Jerusalem, she disappeared. Then, when they, having told Herod why they had come, left him and got ready to set off, the star appears again. This is already the movement not of a star, but of some completely intelligent force. She did not have her own definite path, but when the Magi needed to go, she walked, and when they needed to stop, she stood, in everything taking into account their needs, like a pillar of cloud, along which the regiment of the Jews stopped and rose from their place when necessary. Fourthly, the same can be clearly seen from the very way in which the star indicated the place. For it was not indicated from the heights of heaven; in that case, the Magi would not have been able to discern the place; but in order to indicate this, she went downstairs. You yourself know that it is impossible for an ordinary star to show such a small place as the hut occupied, especially in which the body of the Child was contained. For, since its height is immeasurable, it could not by itself designate and define such a narrow space for those who wish to know it. So tell me, how would the star have indicated such a cramped place of the manger and hut, if, having left the heights, it had not descended and stood above the very head of the Child? The Evangelist also made this clear when he said: and behold, a star went before them, until it came to a hundred from above, where the child was (Matthew 2:9). Do you see how much evidence there is that this star was extraordinary and did not appear according to the laws of external nature! (From the works of St. John Chrysostom). 4. About the origin of the kontakion on the day of the Nativity of Christ The Monk Romanos, called the sweet singer, began to please God from a young age, living in virginity and chastity. He was a sexton in the St. Sophia Church of Constantinople. Although St. Roman did not know book scripture, but he was wise in good deeds, in which he surpassed the wise scribes. He was one of those about whom the Apostle Paul said: God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1 Cor. 1:27). Patriarch Euthymius fell in love with Roman for his virtuous life and, seeing his work in the church, gave him an equal share with the clergy. Meanwhile, the latter began to grumble at the patriarch, saying: “He has leveled the ignoramus with us!” That's why they hated St. Roman and caused him all kinds of grief. One day, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, when the Tsar himself was in the church, and Roman was lighting candles in the church, suddenly the clergy grabbed Roman and dragged him to the pulpit, with the words: “You have been awarded an equal share with us, so, having ascended to the pulpit, sing a song of praise, just as we do.” They did this out of envy, wanting to shame him, because they knew that Roman, being uneducated, could not do this. Roman, having received such an insult in front of the Tsar and in front of all the people, wept bitterly. At the end of the singing, when everyone left the church, St. Roman fell to his knees before the image of the Mother of God and prayed for a long time, crying and sobbing. Then, when, having arrived home, he fell asleep a little, the Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Who is the consolation of all those who mourn, appeared to him in a dream, and, holding a small book scroll in her hand, she said to him in a quiet voice: “Open your lips!” When he opened his mouth, the Lady put in a scroll and said: “Swallow it!” Roman swallowed the charter (paper) and immediately woke up and no longer saw anyone. His heart was filled with indescribable sweetness and consolation, and in his mind he felt the bookish understanding that the Virgin Mary told him. St. Roman, filled with wisdom, began with tears to give thanks to his Teacher for the fact that She taught him in a short time more than anyone understands after many years. When the time came for the all-night vigil (on the Nativity of Christ), he joyfully went to church. The hour has come for singing the kontakion: St. Roman ascended the pulpit (at that time it was the custom to sing a kontakion to one cleric on the pulpit) and in a sweet voice sang the kontakion that he himself composed: The Virgin today gives birth to the most essential and the earth brings a den to the unapproachable; angels and shepherds praise, and wolves travel with a star: for for our sake, the Child of the Eternal God was born. Everyone who saw and heard was surprised and listened with delight to the singing of St. Romana. At the end of the singing, the patriarch asked: where did he get such wisdom? He did not hide, but openly confessed the power of the Mother of God, who enlightened him. After this, the clergy who insulted him were ashamed and fell at the feet of the saint with repentance. Roman, asking him for forgiveness. The Patriarch immediately appointed him a deacon, and wisdom flowed from his lips like a river; those who had previously laughed at his simplicity and ignorance then began to learn from him. St. Roman composed many kontakia for the feasts of the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints. For this he received the name “sweet singer”. Having lived on earth pleasingly and righteously, St. Roman reposed in the eternal settlements and now with heavenly faces sings the Trisagion to God. (Ch. M.). 5. Bethlehem and Bethlehem Church The holy birthplace of the Savior of the world - Bethlehem lies 3-4 days away from Nazareth and 2-3 hours south of Jerusalem. The view of Bethlehem, whose name means “house of bread,” presents an extremely pleasing picture to the eye. The Savior's hometown is located on a horseshoe-shaped hill, which forms a saddle in the middle, and both the hill itself and the internal slope of the mountain are densely built up with houses. The surrounding area of ​​Bethlehem is also very picturesque. Deep valleys surround the city on all sides; The middle one, compressed by two lateral hills, descends steeply. This evergreen valley is completely covered with vineyards, oilseeds, figs, almonds, pomegranates and carob trees. In the north and west, the horizon is closed by the mountains hanging above Bethlehem, and in the south and east a wonderful, boundless view opens up. Next lies the Judean Desert with its gray sandy heights, like giant heaps of gray ash. The sun gilds this desert, but nothing ripens on its barren soil. Behind, in the abyss over which the bluish-violet mass of the Moabite rocks rises like a fortress, the Dead Sea hides its blue waters. When you admire these picturesque surroundings of the holy city, you involuntarily recall all the biblical events that took place here. Here is the rye field where the Moabite Ruth gathered grain; Near it, on a small hill, is the village of Bethsur, where Boaz’s threshing floor was located. And down there, in the valleys of Bethlehem and in the surrounding fertile hills, rich in springs of tasty water, Ruth’s beautiful great-grandson, the young man David, herded his father’s flocks: there he entered into battle with a lion and a bear, defending his flock, and there he played the harp and sang his wondrous psalms; many of his psalms sing about these mountains, in which he knew every gorge, every cave, every source of cool water. In these mountains he more than once hid from Saul when he was chasing him everywhere, like a runaway slave or some kind of villain. Further, to the south behind the mountains, there are the famous Solomon's ponds, from where the wise king built a water supply system to Jerusalem, and which still supplies the Omar Mosque (Turkish temple) with water. At present, Bethlehem is a small village with about 4,500 inhabitants, and it is remarkable that there is not a single Jew among them. Also Tertullian, writer of the 2nd century AD. Chr. asked the Jews: “How are you expecting the Messiah from Bethlehem when not one of you is there?” Bethlehem actually has one main street, which stretches from the eastern slope of the hill to the southeastern end of the city; In addition, many curved and steeply ascending alleys cut through the city in all directions. Mostly one-story houses are built of grayish stone; flat roofs have a dome-shaped elevation in the middle, in order to provide better drainage for winter rains. The windows are mostly covered with wooden shutters, and the houses of the poor have no window glass at all. The inhabitants of Bethlehem are distinguished by energy and hard work; in appearance they are very representative. The city is especially famous for its carved work: the making of bone and oil rosaries, mother-of-pearl crosses, icons, images of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as rather elegant cups and other things made from the black stone of the Dead Sea. All this is bought in large quantities by pilgrims. Both in attire and in customs, the inhabitants of Bethlehem adhere to a significant extent to the simplicity that existed here during the Savior’s earthly life. The greatest holiday in Bethlehem, naturally, is considered Christmas night, and the main attraction for fans of all countries is the Church of the Nativity, erected above the cave where the Savior was born. To reach it, you need to go through the entire city, and there, on the eastern slope of the hill, where the city buildings already end, there is a church revered with such reverence by Christians. Extensive and irregularly located buildings of Latin, Greek and Armenian monasteries surround the Church of the Nativity. The majestic Church of the Nativity was built by Queen Helena, in the form of a cross. In the western limb of the cross there are 48 marble columns in 4 rows, dividing this limb into five separate parts. There is no ceiling above the columns, but cedar beams and rafters, decorated with carvings, are placed directly on the walls, and a tin roof is placed on them. On the walls there are still significant remains of Greek mosaic images representing ecumenical councils. The western end of the church is separated from the church itself by a transverse wall. Through the door made in this wall one enters the Greek Church of the Nativity itself. The gilding of the iconostasis and carvings on the choirs shines charmingly, although already half tarnished. A truly majestic impression is made by the huge, golden cross, towering above the royal doors, according to Eastern Orthodox custom, on which the crucified Savior is depicted. Illuminated only by one lamp descending from above, it glitters mysteriously in the twilight of the upper space of the church. (See page 589 for details). About two versts from Bethlehem, in an olive grove, there stands a poor and seemingly abandoned chapel in the name of the “Angel of Good News to the Shepherds.” According to legend, it is based on the very place where the Bethlehem shepherds heard the joyful news that the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born in the city of David. The chapel of the “Angel of the Good News” is a simple, unfinished crypt, and when the wanderer descends the crumbling steps, it is difficult for him to even believe that he is in a sacred place. And yet, this seeming neglect also reveals a sacred sense of truth. The poverty of the chapel seems to be in harmony with the wretched labor of the shepherds, in whose memory it exists. (Compiled from “Pravit. Vestn.” 1893 No. 286, “Russian Pilgrim” 1897 No. 51 and “Niva” 1883 No. 52). 6. Divine service in the Bethlehem Church on the day of the Nativity of Christ In all countries of the world where the light of Christianity has penetrated, the day of the Nativity of Christ is remembered with a special solemn service. In the homeland of the Savior - in Bethlehem of Judea, the Christmas service, in addition to its solemnity, is distinguished by some unique features that vividly bring to mind the details of the ever-glorious event dear to the heart of a Christian. On the eve of the Nativity of Christ, in the evening, the patriarchal vicar leaves Jerusalem for Bethlehem, accompanied by two bishops and many clergy. They are preceded by a mounted guard with a timpani player and a detachment of musicians. Halfway along the route, near the monastery of St. Elijah, crowds of pilgrims with joyful exclamations and singing join the bishop's train. In sight of the walls of the Bethlehem church, the noise ceases, giving way to a church ceremony. The Metropolitan and his retinue converge in one place on the square; coming out to meet the Metropolitan are: the abbots of the Bethlehem monastery with crosses and banners, priests and deacons in vestments, with censers in their hands; The procession finally enters the magnificent church. The Patriarchal Viceroy ascends to his place. Vespers begins, followed by Matins. During the polyeleos, the bishops, having robed themselves, go, preceded by crosses and banners, from the main altar to the Nativity den, to read the Gospel at the site of the event itself. The choir of singers sings: “Come, faithful ones, let us see the place where Christ is born, and guided by the star of the Magi with the angels and the shepherds, let us exclaim: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace.” After reverent worship of the place where Christ was born, the vicar reads on the throne of the Nativity the Gospel about angels and shepherds, as more significant. The entire cave at this time is burning with the lights of countless candles and the shine of sacred utensils involuntarily reminds the attentive admirer of the majestic song: “I see a strange and glorious sacrament: the sky is a den, the cherubim throne is the Virgin, the manger container, in them the incontainable Christ God reclines." On this day, a magnificent icon is placed behind the throne, depicting the celebrated event - the Nativity of Christ. After the end of the polyeleos, with the loud singing of the first irmos of the Nativity canon: "Christ is born, glorify, Christ from heaven, rise, Christ on earth, ascend," the clergy leaves the holy den to walk in procession around the church. After circling the church three times along the magnificent colonnade, the procession returns to the altar to finish the service. In St. In the nativity scene, at the very place of the celebrated event, an early liturgy is performed - and very often in the Slavic language, to console Russian fans. Before mass, according to local custom, while the proskomedia is being celebrated, the singers sing the irmos of the Christmas canon and then: “Glory to God in the highest.” As soon as the early liturgy in the nativity scene ends, on top of it (in the church) the service of the later liturgy begins, at which, instead of the sacrament, the same significant song is sung: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This last liturgy is celebrated in the usual manner, the Apostle and the Gospel are read in three languages: Greek, Slavic and Arabic. After the liturgy in the Greek monastery there is the usual refreshment for the worshipers, who after a short rest return to Jerusalem. (See "The Helmsman" 1894, No. 51). 7. Thanksgiving service on the day of the Nativity of Christ in St. Petersburg The holiday of the Nativity of Christ is connected, in the Russian church, with the remembrance of the deliverance of our fatherland from the invasion of the Gauls (French) and with them twenty languages ​​in 1812. And the Orthodox Russian heart beats with joyful trembling, listening after the solemn liturgy to the prayer of gratitude, which in all our churches the sons of Russia offer on their knees for the salvation of their homeland. With special solemnity, with amazing grandeur, this thanksgiving service is celebrated in our capitals - in St. Petersburg and Moscow. In the St. Isaac's Cathedral of the capital city, St. Petersburg, one of the most solemn moments is mass on the day of the Nativity of Christ, and after it the well-known, dear to every Orthodox Russian soul, a prayer of thanksgiving, on the occasion of the invasion of Moscow and Russia by the Gauls and with them twenty languages. What triumph of all public gatherings can be compared with this triumph in grandeur, in truth and concentration of feeling, penetrating everyone and everyone, uniting in itself two great, two dominant sensations of human nature - religious and national? Truly, the world of the most sublime phenomena of art and science cannot imagine anything like it. This whole continuous, huge mass of heads seems to have merged into one, and lives one life of a festive, solemn mood, and from its chest pours a single song to the Born Christ, the Savior of mankind, the Savior of believing Russia. The liturgy is going on - powerful, harmonious singing thunders from the choir - old and young, the most noble and the simplest people stand side by side - in a simple, unconscious, and even more precious state of common equality before God, and celebrate God in prayer. But, now, the liturgy is over. A procession emerges from the altar, heading towards the dais in the middle of the church. The entire cathedral of Hierarchs residing in the capital stands on the platform. The service begins, a great service, composed by the artist of church speech, of which every word reverberates in the Russian heart, starting with the thunderous “God is with us.” Russian people are waiting with trepidation, after Christmas carols, for the “World Glory” to ring out with its mighty “Be of good cheer, ye people of God” – for when the familiar words of prophecy are heard about the proud conqueror who provoked the earth, shook the kings, and laid the whole universe empty – the words of the Apostle Paul about the heroes of the people’s war who defeated enemies by faith – the words of the Gospel about the hardships times when tongue will rise against tongue and kingdom against kingdom. The deacon proclaims the touching petitions of the special litany, with thanksgiving and confession to God, that He did not do us because of our iniquities, but in the time of temptation that came to the whole universe, He delivered us and, when our enemies had bypassed us, He showed us His salvation, with a prayer for the repose of the souls of leaders and warriors and all zealots of faith and truth, in this time temptations who laid down their souls for their brethren. Finally, the most solemn moment of the service comes, when, following the Metropolitan, the entire mass of people filling the church, as if the entire Russian Church, kneels and listens in deep silence to the great, truly great final prayer. “You spoke to the children of Israel, declares the saint: if they do not listen to Your voice, to keep and do all Your commandments, You will bring a cold-faced tongue upon them, and crush them in their sins... And we knew that this terrible verb came upon us and our fathers! But, not being afraid of Your rebuke and neglecting Your mercy, we abandoned the path of Your righteousness and walked in the wills of our hearts, and did not learn to have You, the God of minds and hearts, in our minds and hearts! And yet, having regarded the fatherly tradition as nothing, we angered You for the sake of strangers. And so, like the ancient children of Israel, we were overcome by a fierce situation, and the very ones whom we wanted to have as teachers and mentors appeared to us as violent and bestial enemies... But you, Lord God, generous and merciful... leaving us for a short time, had mercy on us with great mercy! Thy name, and to our prayers... and gave us the backbone of wicked adversaries... Grant us, Lord, to have within us a firm and unceasing memory of this glorious visit of Thy." Which of our fathers and grandfathers, witnesses of the unforgettable year 1812, did not shed hot tears while reading this great prayer, stunning the Russian soul! But can we, the sons of the people of that century, hear it indifferently? In it, the entire history of the Russian land cries out to us, the history of disasters and sudden joys, heavy falls and uprisings from attack, anarchy and the sudden resurrection of power, a history imbued with the unshakable faith of the good people in God’s providence over our fatherland... (See the book “Feasts of the Lord.” Moscow, 1898. 3rd edition.) 8. About the incarnation of the Son of God There is much that is instructive for us in the event of the incarnation of the Son of God. The incarnation of the Son of God expressed, first of all, love for us. Jesus Christ Himself spoke about this: for God loved the world, for He also gave His only begotten Son to eat, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). This love of God teaches us love for God and for our neighbors, whom God loved, as the most important virtue. Love the Lord your God, said Jesus Christ, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your thought. This is the first and great commandment. The second is similar to it: love your sincere as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). The incarnation of the Son of God brought peace from God and God's favor to us on earth. At the birth of the Savior, many angels appeared and sang a song: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace: good will toward men (Luke 2:14). With these words the angels glorified the incarnation of the Son of God. The boundless love of God for us will be even more revealed to us if we pay attention to the circumstances of the Incarnation itself and to the life of the Savior on earth. His incarnation and earthly life were His state of humiliation. The Son of God took upon Himself the body of a man, was born in a cave where cattle were driven, and was laid in a manger. He lived in a poor family that supported itself with the labor of its hands. Jesus Christ Himself spoke about His life: foxes have wounds, and birds of heaven have nests: but the Son of man has no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). He preached His teachings to people and showed them mercy with His miracles, but He was hated, persecuted and finally put to death. So His whole life was humiliation. It is this state of humiliation that the Apostle Paul points to when he says that Jesus Christ humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of mankind, and being found in the likeness of a man; He humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross (Phil. 2:7-8). Such is the power of God's love for us. The Incarnation of the Son of God teaches us to respect in ourselves and in others the dignity of human nature. Since the Lord was pleased to take upon Himself our body, we must not degrade it with our sins. Our body, after the incarnation of the Son of God, became the temple of the Holy Spirit living in us. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit living in you, and you have Him from God, and you carry it as your own? “For it is bought at a price,” wrote the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:19–20). Therefore, we must keep our body clean, serve God not only with our soul, but also with our body. The same apostle urged the Corinthian Christians: glorify God in all your bodies, and in your souls, which are the essence of God. If anyone corrupts God's church, God will corrupt him: for the church of God is holy, just as you are (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Cor. 3:17). Finally, the incarnation of the Son of God teaches us to glorify our most holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. She was honored to be the Matter of the Lord and through this became, as it were, the author of our salvation. Therefore, every creature rejoices in Her, and all Christian generations bless Her. The Orthodox Church reveres Her above the cherubim and seraphim. Turning to Her in prayer, let us cry out to Her with love: “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice, full-fledged Mary, the Lord is with You. Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb; For you gave birth to the Savior of our souls. It is worthy to eat, as truly, to bless Thee, the Mother of God, the ever-blessed and most immaculate and Mother of our God, the most honorable cherub and the most glorious without comparison seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption, we magnify the real Theotokos.” According to the quality of the Mother of the Lord, the Most Holy Virgin Mary is the Representative of Christians, an intercessor and a zealous intercessor for us before God. Therefore, we must resort to Her in all troubles and misfortunes, and place hope and trust in Her. Turning to Her in prayer, let us earnestly cry out to Her: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us! Mother of God, keep us under Your shelter! Save Thy servants from troubles, Mother of God, for we all, according to God, resort to Thee, as to an unbreakable wall and intercession. There are no other imams of help, no other imams of hope, unless You, Lady, help us, we rely on You and boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.” Blessing the Most Holy Theotokos and calling on Her in our prayers, let us try and imitate Her. Let us learn from Her the humility and devotion to the will of God that She showed during the Archangel Gabriel’s gospel to Her, and which characterized her entire life. Behold the servant of the Lord, be unto Me according to thy word, so She answered the archangel to his gospel. We too, turning to God, with a contrite and humble heart, will always cry out to Him: Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. (From the Catechism. Conversations of Priest S. Sadkovsky, part 1). 9. About how St. Constantine the philosopher explained to the Saracens the secret of the incarnation of God the Word The mystery of the incarnation of God the Word from the Most Pure Virgin Mary was explained by St. Constantine in competitions with the Jews and Saracens. The Saracens objected: “You Christians say that God was born of a woman; can God be born of a woman? - St. Constantine answered: God was not born from a simple wife, but from the celibate Most Holy Virgin by the influx of the Holy Spirit, Who in her Most Holy and Virgin womb founded the flesh of Christ God and arranged for the Father’s Word to be incarnated and born; God so willed, and every created nature obeys His will and will. Wherever God delights, there the order of nature is overcome. “How can the female sex accommodate in the womb God, Whom it is impossible to look upon, let alone give birth to Him?” - The holy philosopher, pointing to the Kagan (Prince of the Khozars) and his adviser who were here, said: if someone said that this first adviser cannot accept the Kagan into his house and treat him, and the last subject can do this, then how to call such a person - crazy or reasonable? Very crazy. “Tell me now: what is the best of all creatures in heaven?” Man, for he is honored as a rational soul created in the image of God. Foolish, therefore, are those who consider it impossible for God to fit into the womb of human nature, when they know that He could fit into a bush. Is the bush, a soulless creature, better than a feeling and intelligent creature, a venerable God-like soul? When God appeared to Job, he was contained in a cloud, to Moses - in smoke, to Elijah - in a light breath of coolness; What is surprising and incongruous if He fits into the most honest, animate creature? Then, explaining the reasons and purpose of the incarnation of God the Word, St. Constantine said: if the Word of the Father, like a plaster, had not been applied to a person through incarnation, how would It have healed a person? A doctor, wanting to help a person, applies a plaster not to a tree or a stone, but to a sick person, so God applied His Only Begotten Word, like a healing plaster, not to a tree, as in the burning bush, not to a stone, as it was on the stone mountains of Sinai and Horeb, but applied it to a person mortally infected with a sinful disease, and applied this healing plaster firmly, deigning to dwell By the action of the Holy Spirit, in a pure, virgin womb, and not just a woman’s, he will be incarnate and born, as the prophet Isaiah predicted: behold, a virgin will conceive in her womb and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel (VII, 14). The Prophet here clearly points to God the Son, who will be born on earth from a pure and celibate Virgin (Ch. M. May 11th). 10. Benefits brought to earth by the birth of the Son of God The Christian world solemnly celebrates the day of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Divine day, majestic day, radiant day! This is the day on which for the first time in the darkness of human life the Sun of Truth - Christ our God - shone. This is the day from which the renewal of the human race lost in sins begins. This is the day on which God descends to people, and people are illuminated with the light of truth, the light of goodness, the light of love, the light of truth. There will not be enough human strength to embrace, comprehend and understand the fullness of the benefits brought to the world by the born Savior, because, as one writer says, “this subject is distinguished by its eternal and infinite dignity, will always be new to us and will never be completely embraced by us, in its infinity.” Therefore, let us delve into at least some of the benefits that Christ showed to the world. Let's take a look at humanity in its historical life, let's see what it was in religious and moral life without Christ and what it became with Christ. Christ communicated to people the most sublime concept of God. Before the coming of Christ, one part of humanity was completely ignorant of the true God. There, a reasonable person knelt before idols and served as gods - he sacrificed animals and people to imperfect and limited creatures, tried to gain their favor with shameful and vile deeds. Another part of humanity - the Jewish people - knew the true God as the Creator, the All-Wise and Almighty Ruler of the universe, as a Provider in whom the eyes of all trust and who gives food to everyone in due time, as an infinitely great Being, in no way inclined to justify sin, and yet merciful, long-suffering, abounding in goodness. But only Christ revealed to us in the full light of the God of love, showing that God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have life forever. In the new testament, God is for the first time called the Father of all people in a broad sense. The Old Testament called Him the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the inheritance of Israel. Christ points to Him to all nations as the God of all mankind. What were the mutual relations of people and entire nations before Christ and without Christ? Before Christ, people did not know humanity and mercy; they were selfish: for everyone pursued his own interests without caring for others. Thus, pagan antiquity did not know mercy for the poor and compassion for the weak. Not one of the thousands of rich people living in Rome ever thought of establishing any asylum for the poor or hospital for the sick. “How did you fall so low that you don’t drive away a beggar with contempt?” - this question was proposed by one rhetorician of the time of the empire to one rich man. And how terrible the thoughts of Plato, the noblest among the ancient sages, sound now - that all beggars should be expelled from the state. “A bad service, says Plautus, is rendered to the poor by the one who gives him food and drink, because what he gives him only worsens and lengthens his life in his misery.” The Jews thought about beggars that they were being punished for their sins or for the sins of their fathers. But remember what Christ said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive”; “I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me,” “give (your property) to the poor.” All the rejected and neglected received human rights when Christ proclaimed that all people are brothers, that they are the children of one Almighty Father and one family in Christ, their Redeemer and Savior. Before Christ, the heavy yoke of slavery lay on the necks of an entire half of humanity. Slaves were, before the coming of Christ, deprived of all human rights; they were considered part of the property, less valuable than land or livestock. An ancient Roman law imposed the penalty of death on anyone who killed an ox while plowing; but the murderer of a slave was not subject to any liability. Rich and noble people created fun and spectacles by killing and executing slaves. Trojan, the best Roman of his time, ordered 10,000 slaves to fight simultaneously in an amphitheater for the amusement of the people. This massacre continued for 123 days. Christ announced to people about their universal brotherhood and their equality before God, and with this truth he cut down at the root the shameful pagan view of slaves. In Christianity there is no longer either Jew or pagan; there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus. While among the pagans the dignity of a person was valued by his external state, this latter in Christianity does not matter, and the true internal dignity of a person stands completely independent of it. Slave or master is just something accidental. A slave can be in truth, inwardly, free, and a master can be in truth, inwardly, a slave. There is only one true slavery, namely the slavery of sin, and there is only one true freedom, namely freedom in Christ. And we know that among the martyrs of the primal church there are many slaves, and this highest crown was given to them in the same measure as to the free. Raising human dignity in a slave, Christianity calls on masters to remember this and treat their subordinates and servants lovingly, with meekness and tenderness. “It is not proper,” says the teaching of the Lord through the twelve apostles, “to treat your male and female servant, who trust in the same God, with cruelty, lest they fear the God who rules over you both, for He will come to call, not according to partiality, but those whom the Spirit has prepared.” What was the family without Christ, this basis of all true development and well-being? It was the same as it still is among non-Christian peoples. The husband was not a husband and father, but a ruler and tyrant of his wife and children. Antiquity never recognized women as having full human dignity. The wife was the property of the husband, his slave; she was not called upon to discuss family affairs and life, but was a blind executor of her husband’s will; there was no mention of the spiritual education of women. The purity of family life, which constitutes the identity and honor of every true Christian family, was hardly known by name in ancient times. The children in the family were completely powerless. The father could certainly dispose of them at will; he could accept and educate them, but he could also throw them away and kill them. Plato and Aristotle looked condescendingly upon parents throwing away children whom they were unable to raise, or who, as weak or sick, could not be useful to the state. Anyone who accepted a child thrown out in this way could dispose of him as he wished. Roman law directly authorized sick and weak children to be killed as useless for the purposes of the state, for the protection of which healthy and strong forces were required. The very basic education of children at home was entrusted to slaves; free citizens considered this matter unworthy of themselves. Of course, no one thought about the moral foundations of education. Christ the Savior elevated and ennobled family life. In Christianity, the husband is not a ruler and a tyrant, but a spouse and father in the noble sense of the word: he must honor and love his wife as equal and of equal honor with him, love his children and take fatherly care of them. The wife is no longer a slave, but a spouse and mother in the meaning that the sweetest name of mother contains; wife and mother, loving and honoring her husband and caring primarily about raising children, giving us Vasiliev, Grigoriev, Zlatoust. Children for parents in Christianity are a gift from God, a pledge entrusted to them, for which they become responsible before God. Christianity speaks not only about the duties of children, but also about the duties of parents and, surrounding the latter, as God's surrogates, with some greatness and honor, it imposes on parents the high task of raising their children as children of God for His kingdom. But do we see in our contemporary Christian society the implementation of those lofty principles that were revealed to the world by our Lord Jesus Christ who descended to earth? We have been taught to believe in One God only, but how many Christians are there now who deny God in word and especially in their lives? We have been taught to believe in God. Provider and hope in Him; But how many of us are there who live as if there were no all-good Father in heaven, as if blind fate and cruel fate reigned everywhere, and who place all their hopes on material blessings and human help, and at the first difficulty and failure come to despair. We are taught to believe in Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and God-Man. But how many people are there in our time who deny Christ, their Lord Savior? The host of these people is very numerous and diverse. Some of them have completely lost faith in the Divine dignity and redemptive merits of Jesus Christ, they reject His teaching about His Consubstantiality with God the Father and about the redemptive significance of His suffering and death on the cross; They do not believe in the dogmatic teaching of the Christian faith, and from the moral teachings of Christ they give justice to only a few of His instructions, and even those are interpreted incorrectly. Here, further, are others who say that they believe in Christ as the God-man and Redeemer, but in fact they deny Him, because they do not believe in His holy church. They dream of being saved by direct communion with Christ, they do not recognize the church sacraments as necessary for themselves, and therefore they are alien to the grace of God communicated in them. This is how various sectarians treat the church, the number of which in our country is truly known to God alone. Finally, all those who, although they believe in Christ and His Holy Church, are in fact negligent about fulfilling the commandments of Christ, call Christ Lord, and do not submit to His will, expressed in His commandments, call themselves His slaves, but in fact serve and follow the suggestions of their passions and pride, and in serving these vile and disgusting idols, they sacrifice their conscience and debts, and, finally, renounce Christ. alas! - your very honor! The gospel sanctified and ennobled the family; but how often does a Christian family present a sad sight! Marriage, that sacred and divine union, has for many fallen into a mere financial transaction, and as a result the mutual love of husband and wife for each other has wavered. Along with this, a woman, having lost the true concept of her calling and purpose to be an assistant to her husband and a teacher of her children, entered the public arena with the presentation of her rights of equality with a man, equality not only in human dignity, which was given to her and indicated by Christ, but equality in official and public rights. And the children?.. But who can measure the depth of the evil that is spreading and being absorbed by our younger generation! The fear of God is fading among many young people, obedience and respect for parents and respect for elders have weakened, the virgin purity of thoughts and feelings is fading, and in its place is premature maturity, entailing many spiritual and physical illnesses. Slavery has disappeared from the Christian world: everyone is equal before the law; but how often does this equality turn out to be an empty phrase! How often laws turn out to be powerful only when applied to the powerless! The cruel and inhuman pagan spectacles disappeared; but how often do modern spectacles turn out to be more inhuman than the ancient ones, because instead of refreshing, teaching and ennobling, they only inflame passions, pour drop by drop the poison of corruption and wickedness into the tender hearts of youth, and lead them to destruction. Christ's sermon about love spread throughout the world; but how many Christians are there who turn out to be cruel and inhumane towards the poor unfortunates! They spend their wealth on pleasures and luxury, or worship him as God, and meanwhile look indifferently at the suffering, poverty and need of their neighbors who expect help from them! But let us restrain ourselves from further depicting gloomy pictures of our life, which often stands in contradiction with the sublime teaching brought into the world by Christ. Christianity has not completely destroyed evil, and evil exists in people and will exist, to a greater or lesser extent, until the end of the world. But now Christ will never die in humanity, and no gates of hell will prevail against His power in this world. Humanity lives by Him, breathes by His teaching, overcomes evil with His help, and does good by His power. No matter how much evil there is in the world, the spirit of Christ lives in us: He has become the leader of human life. From here, truth becomes a necessity in people’s lives, respect for personality, rights and human life is established in people; the personal safety and rights of each and every one are protected not so much by external force as by the consciousness of one’s duty; Christian love softens human laws, infuses them with a spirit of meekness and philanthropy, and opens many charitable institutions aimed at reducing evil and human misfortunes. And Christ alone creates all this in people with His immortal personality, His immortal teaching, and His immortal deeds. (Orlovsk. Eparch. Ved.). The greatest, worldwide event of the Nativity of Christ is remembered and glorified solemnly by the holy church for twelve days, called Christmastide, or holy days. The first three days of this great celebration, in our liturgical books, are called St. Easter and the three-day holiday. On these three days, according to ancient custom, Christians abandoned all worldly and everyday affairs, not only private, but also civil or public, which is partly observed to this day. On this three-day Easter, the ancient Christians gave slaves freedom from labor, and debtors and prisoners received pardon, and universal forgiveness for everyone. Everyone hurried to the churches of God for public worship, during which Christians, in mutual reconciliation with each other, partook of the holy mysteries of Christ and listened to pastoral teachings. “Now the day of mercy has dawned,” St. once said. Ephraim the Syrian on the feast of the Nativity of Christ - today the angels in heaven rejoice and people on earth rejoice. Let no one persecute his neighbor with vengeance for an insult inflicted on him. The day of universal joy has come; may no one be the cause of sadness and grief for others, may the slanderous tongue and anger, the disturber of peace and tranquility, be curbed. This is the day on which God descended to earth to sinners; Let the supposed righteous be ashamed to boast before a sinner. This is the day on which the Lord of creation came down to the servants; let the master not be ashamed, with the same love, to condescend to his servants. This is the day on which the Son of God became poor for our sake; Let the rich not be ashamed to share their meals with the poor.” Such instructions of the good shepherd, no doubt, in due time, were sacredly observed by his flock on all the great, holy days, and even more so on this three-day Easter! On the remaining nine days of Christmastide, ordinary activities for the laity were not prohibited, with the exception, of course, of holidays that occurred at this time; but all the evenings of these days were called holy evenings, because Christians were obliged to spend them reading sacred books and soul-saving family conversations, especially about the great mercy that was granted to us from above by the incarnation of the Son of God for us. Perhaps, here and there in Rus', here and there we will find such kind, pious families in which this ancient custom is sacredly preserved. But it is more known that on these days, saints, and especially on holy evenings, many who call themselves Christians and, moreover, Orthodox, indulge in pagan festivities - and in activities that are contrary to the honor and dignity of human nature. These are, precisely: almost universal, superstitious fortune-telling, especially among foolish virgins and especially on New Year’s Eve and, at the same time, on the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the day of remembrance of the Great Saint Basil, as well as dressing up from men’s clothing to women’s and vice versa, while putting on masks or guises. In the desire to warn against such desecration of saints, great days, in part also for children, and even more so for parents who do not look after their children, or look at such disgrace rather condescendingly and even approvingly, let us repeat those rules of the universal church, which strictly prohibit such activities at any time of the year, and even more so, of course, on holy days and evenings, or, what is the same, Christmastide. The rules (61 and 62) of the Ecumenical Council say the following: Those who resort to magicians, or other fortune-tellers, or fortune-telling in order to learn something secret from them, in accordance with the previous paternal decrees about them, should be subject to the rule of six-year penance (that is, six years should not be allowed before Holy Communion). The same penance should be applied to those who make fortune-telling about happiness - fate (or, as crazy girls put it, about their betrothed mummer). And those who will not listen to and fulfill this decree and continue such destructive and pagan inventions, we determine to be completely thrown out of the church. For what is the communion of light with darkness, says the apostle (2 Cor. 6:14), or what is the mixing of the church of God with idols, the participation of the faithful with the infidel; What kind of agreement does Christ have with Belial, or His combination with the devil? Also, - continue St. fathers, - and all folk dances that can cause great harm and destruction, and other nasty rituals performed according to ancient and alien to Christian life custom, we reject and determine: none of the husbands should dress in women's clothing that is not characteristic of a husband; and even more so, of course, neither women nor girls should wear men’s clothing, and should not wear masks at all. Therefore, those who from now on, knowing this, dare to do any of the above, if they are clergy (that is, persons belonging to the clergy), we command to be expelled from the sacred rank, and if they are laymen, then excommunicated from church communion. This council resolution was made in accordance with St. scripture, which says: Let no man's utensils be on a woman, nor let a man put on a woman's robe, for all these things are an abomination to the Lord thy God (Deut. 22:5). On this basis, and the laws of our government (as stated in the XIV volume of the Code of Laws, Part 18, Articles 35, 34) it is prohibited: “on the eve of the Nativity of Christ and during Christmastide, according to ancient idolatrous legends, start games and, dressing up in idolatry, perform dances and seductive songs in the streets.” (From the sermon of Archpriest I. Polisadov). January month. 1 day. New Year. - Circumcision of the Lord. - Memory of St. Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Evang. from Luke. zach. 6 and 8, ch. II, 20–21, 40–52 art. St. Basil the Great: Luke. 24 credits Chapter VI 17–23 art. According to the legend (Evangel. Luke II, 21), on the eighth day after birth the Divine Infant was circumcised according to the law. As a well-known rite performed by all Jews, of course, the Evangelist speaks very briefly about the circumcision of our Lord. St. Luke does not even mention where the circumcision took place, in the same cave where Jesus Christ was born, or in any other place. It was enough for him to show that the Divine Child, through circumcision, assumed the obligation to obey the requirements of the Law of Moses (Gal. 5:3). The question arises: what was the meaning of circumcision among the Jews and why did the Savior need to perform this rite? Circumcision, one of the most important sacred acts of the Old Testament religion, was instituted by God himself. It had a meaning close to what we now call a sacrament. Circumcision served as a symbol of a person’s entry into a covenant with God and his belonging to God’s chosen people, and was a distinctive sign of worshipers of the true God. When Abraham entered into a covenant with God, circumcision was supposed to serve as a reminder to the forefather of the Jews that he should walk with Almighty God and be blameless (Gen. 17:1-11), and the law of Moses tells the people to circumcise the foreskin of their heart and not be stiff-necked (Deut. 10:16) and to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul (XXXVI, 6) and, therefore, he looks at circumcision as a symbol of submission to God (Lev.26:41). This is how the prophets look at this sign of the covenant, demanding the circumcision of evil inclinations (Jer. 4: 4; Ezek. XLIX, 7). Thus, circumcision was an expression of cleansing from sinful corruption, which passes to all people through natural birth. The Son of God, having become the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, deigned to subject Himself to circumcision, “like a man of humble age.” Without a doubt, He had no need for this external sign of union with God, but if He took it upon Himself, it was as a sign of His entry into the covenantal, subordinate life of the people among whom He was born. On the other hand, if He had not accepted circumcision, then no one would have recognized Him as the promised Messiah, that great descendant of Abraham, in Whom alone all the nations of the earth were to receive blessing. According to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ took upon Himself the law of sin in order to give us justification (2 Cor. 5:21), and for this He appeared in the likeness of the flesh of sin, in order to blot out sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3). In addition, by His circumcision the Savior teaches us to fulfill the law of God with perfect accuracy, not to find any pretexts for violating the commandments of God and not to justify in any way our deviation from the decrees of the Holy Spirit. churches. – The times of the Old Testament have passed, circumcision has been abolished, and in its place the grace-filled sacrament of St. baptism. The chosen people, who became deicides, were rejected by God, and the external sign of their election - circumcision - became unnecessary. However, for us Christians, there is circumcision, which we must subject ourselves to voluntarily - spiritual circumcision, which consists in cutting off carnal passions and desires from the soul. Circumcised quickly, says St. Paul believed among the uncircumcised Gentiles, through circumcision made without hands, having put off the body of sin from the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ, having been buried by Him through baptism ( Col. 2:11 ). At the circumcision itself, the Divine Infant received the name: Jesus, named by an angel even before conception (Luke 1:31; Matt. 1:21), a name that indicated His purpose and His divine nature. Jesus in Hebrew means: God is our helper, and according to the angel’s explanation to Joseph, Jesus means Savior. Indeed, this name expressed everything that the whole world could expect from Him. This was the name at which every knee must bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil. 2:10). It is above every name (Phil. 2:9), and besides it, according to the Apostle Peter, there is no other name under heaven given among men, through which it is fitting for us to be saved (Acts 4:12). In remembrance of the circumcision of the Lord on the eighth day after His birth from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Orthodox Church, from year to year, on the 1st of January celebrates a great holiday from ancient times. Its beginning dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. Many words of St. have reached us. fathers of the 4th century, spoken by them on this holiday. Such, for example, are the teachings of St. Amphilochios of Iconium, St. Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, etc. The day of circumcision and the naming of the Lord, as the eighth after His birth on earth, served as the conclusion of the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Therefore, the ancient church fathers: Amphilochius of Iconium, Gregory the Theologian and Gregory of Nyssa, in their writings called the day of Circumcision the “eighth day” after the Nativity of Christ. (“Russian fall.” 1895 No. 1). 2. Saint Basil the Great Saint Basil the Great was born around 330 in the city of Caesarea in Cappadocia. His father was a teacher in local schools. By inheritance, he received full ownership of several plots of land and was considered a wealthy man. No less rich was his chosen lifelong friend, the pious Emilia. Both father and mother inherited the Christian faith from their parents. But Emmilia’s mother, Macrina, was famous among the inhabitants of Caesarea for her special piety. From an early age, Vasily was entrusted with the upbringing of his pious grandmother. The pious old woman took him to her family’s village estate and, here, far from the noise of the city, managed to instill in the child’s soul the fear of God, which is the beginning of all wisdom. At the same time, she instilled in little Vasily the love of God. With her stories about the life and deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ, about the fate of His church and about the lives of the saints, his grandmother instilled in him a love for listening to the word of God and soul-saving books. From her, seven-year-old Vasily passed into the care of his father and mother. But the father did not have much leisure to study with the boy. Emilia, the mother of a large family, devoted all her time to raising her children. Basil the Great himself more than once recalled with gratitude the lessons of his grandmother and mother. “I dare to boast about the Lord in one thing,” said the saint, that I never held sinful opinions about God and did not subsequently change the thoughts that I had before; but the concept of God, which I acquired from childhood from my blessed mother and grandmother Macrina, grew in me, because with the opening of my mind I did not exchange one thing for another, but improved the principles taught to me by them.” But if the mother and grandmother taught the child faith and piety, then the father soon taught him basic literacy. With brilliant abilities, Vasily quickly learned to read, write and count. Since the father had sufficient funds, he decided to send his gifted son to school. The secondary school gave students the skill to speak correctly, write correctly and, in part, to understand the best works of learned people of the Greek land, and also provided information from the mathematical sciences. Having completed his secondary education course, Vasily began to listen to lessons in higher wisdom. Eloquence and philosophy were then considered the highest subjects of education. Caesarea at that time was famous for its private schools. Private teachers of higher sciences arrived here, as in a populous and important city in the east, and managed to gather crowds of young people around them. That was a time when science, although it had fallen significantly compared to the past of Greece, still continued to occupy society, rulers, and individuals. Cities in the east and west competed with each other to attract the best teachers. They were invited to different cities, at least for a short time, and everywhere they were welcome guests. In Caesarea, Vasily soon gained honor and respect among teachers and comrades. He discovered the high qualities of his mind and heart. Here Gregory, who later received the name Theologian, first met him, a young man just as, if not more, gifted. Here, between Vasily and Gregory, was the beginning of that lasting friendship with which these great church fathers were bound until the end of their lives. Although Caesarea was famous in the east for its schools, it was, of course, inferior in many respects to such important cities as Alexandria, the capital city of Constantinople and “golden” Athens. Friends decide to leave Caesarea for higher education. While Gregory departed for Alexandria, where his brother Caesarius was already studying, Vasily decided to visit the capital. There were quite a few higher schools and good book depositories in Constantinople. It is not known how long Vasily stayed in the capital, but he arrived in Athens later than Gregory. The ancient city of Athens, long famous for its schools, attracted thousands of students from all over the vast empire. Here one could meet Romans, Gauls, natural Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, etc. Everyone came here to complete their education with the best teachers. Of course, Vasily and Gregory came here for the same purpose. They fit together. Now their bonds of friendship have strengthened even stronger. “It seemed, recalled Gregory the Theologian, in both of us one soul supported two bodies.” “We made friends with comrades, but not the arrogant ones, but with the chaste ones, with whom one could get along not without benefit... As for the lessons, we loved not so much the most pleasant as the most perfect, because this helps young people to educate themselves in virtue, and not in vice. We knew two roads: one, the first and most excellent, led to our sacred churches and to the teachers there; the other, the second and of unequal dignity with the first, led to the mentors of external sciences. We provided other roads: for holidays, for shows, for feasts, to those who wished.” The brilliant abilities of both friends and intense studies in science brought them the fame of learned people. They were both invited to stay in Athens and offered honorary positions as teachers of science. But it was impossible to restrain people who strived for unearthly glory. For them, the education they received was not a goal, but only a means to understanding a different, unearthly truth. “The day of departure came,” Gregory recalls, and, as usual during departures, farewell speeches, farewells, begging to stay, sobs, hugs, and tears began. We were surrounded by a crowd of friends and peers, even some of our teachers; they assured us that they would not let us go under any circumstances, they asked, convinced and held us back by force.” However, nothing could shake Vasily’s decision. He left Athens. Gregory surrendered to the requests of his comrades and stayed for some time in Athens. Arriving home, Vasily did not find his father alive. His mother and sister, Macrina, lived together, spending time in charitable deeds. They suggested that Vasily take up teaching science. The requests of some noble townspeople forced him to make several speeches. The praise of the listeners did not turn Vasily’s head. “We,” says Gregory the Theologian, “did not have the disposition to live for spectacle and display.” Vasily decided to retire. He was aware that he had devoted a lot of time to the study of secular worldly wisdom and had worked little in the field of divine knowledge. Until now, he had not yet received holy baptism. It was then the custom among some Christians to postpone baptism until they could. The Church temporarily indulged in this custom, without at all allowing it for all of its children. Exceptions were justified by the circumstances of the time. Christians had to study together with the pagans. Of course, Christian life could not tolerate pagan customs. And the catechumen would not have allowed himself to violate the rules of Christian life, but still felt calmer among his pagan comrades. Frequent attacks of bodily infirmity prompted Vasily not to delay receiving the most holy sacrament of baptism. The Caesarea bishop Dianius vouchsafed his rebirth into a new, holy, spiritual life. Now Vasily decided to devote himself entirely to hermitage. The region of Caesarea did not yet have within its borders the monastic monasteries with which Egypt and some other countries of the east were so rich. In the Egyptian deserts, St. Anthony had long ago laid the foundation of hermit monasteries. Along with other monasteries, cenobitic monasteries quickly multiplied there, the founder of which was the Rev. Pachomius the Great. From Egypt, as its homeland, monasticism quickly spread to Palestine and Syria. Vasily, of course, heard about the ascetic monks. After his baptism, he wished to see them. He visited many monasteries in Egypt and the Holy Land, took a closer look at the exploits of the monks and became acquainted with the monastic rules. “I found many,” says Vasily, there are many such men, that is, great ascetics in Alexandria, in other places in Egypt; I saw such men in the Holy Land and was surprised at their abstinence in food and tirelessness in prayer. In fact, they showed that they carried on their bodies the deadness of Jesus.” Although the monasteries he examined made a deep impression on Vasily, and the exploits of the monks aroused in his soul a desire to imitate them in his lifestyle, he did not remain either in Egypt or Palestine. Vasily returned to his homeland and decided to found his own monastery here. He fell in love with a place in Pontus, on the banks of the Irisa River, abundant in water and forest. Having settled in a small hut, he began to spend time in prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, studying the works of Christian writers and doing handicrafts. Vasily ate only bread with water and salt for food, and slept on bare ground. He had only one old outer garment and one underwear. The lamp of holy life shone brightly. People saw him and reached out to the light. Vasily was found by lovers of heroic deeds and settled with him. A monastery was formed. Basil began to invite in writing his friend Gregory, who had already returned from Athens to the house of his father, the bishop of the city of Nazianza, and helped him in his labors. Gregory has arrived. How much he liked Vasily’s monastery, he described this in a letter to him shortly after separation. “Who will return to me,” wrote Gregory, those days in which I rejoiced with you in suffering, because sorrowful, but voluntary, is preferable to pleasant, but involuntary? Who will give me these psalmody, vigils and prayers to God? Who will give life as if immaterial and incorporeal? Who will give the consent and unanimity of the brothers whom you are leading to heights and deification? Who will give competition and encouragement to virtue, which we have protected by written statutes and rules? Who will give diligence in reading God's words and, with the guidance of the Spirit, the light found in them? Who will provide daily and manual labor: carrying firewood, cutting stones, planting and watering?” (Letter 5). Gregory mentions a written charter. And indeed, at this time, Basil the Great, with the help of Gregory the Theologian, wrote a complete charter of monastic life, which later spread widely throughout the monasteries of the east. Gregory grieved that he was forced to leave his desert life in community with his friend. But this latter did not have to enjoy his favorite way of life. The needs of the church forced Vasily to take the widest part in its destinies. At that time there was a struggle between the Orthodox and the Arian heretics. Emperor Constantius patronized heretics. The main and most ardent and experienced defender of Orthodox teaching, Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, was in exile. Many other bishops who professed the faith in accordance with the fathers of the Nicene Ecumenical Council were deprived of their sees. The Arians, apparently, were ready to celebrate their victory. But this apparent triumph did not prevent the internal decay of the heretical society. There was disagreement among the champions of heretical teaching. Parties appeared that were at war with each other. The semi-Arians party separated from the strict Arians. Added to this was the controversy about the Holy Spirit. Finally, the wrong teachings of Marcellus, Bishop, have already become clear. Ancyra, and Appolinaria, bishop. Laodicean. There was great confusion of minds. There seemed to be no end in sight for the hostility and division. The leaders of local churches suspected each other and were mutually divided. The two neighboring bishops did not always get along peacefully. Basil the Great likened the religious state of the then society to a naval battle amid fog and impenetrable darkness. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for Vasily, who had already made a name for himself with his life, education and Orthodox way of thinking, to remain in monastic solitude. In 360, he was summoned from the monastery by the Bishop of Caesarea, Dianius, and elevated to the rank of reader at his see. Soon Vasily had to take part in the struggle of the Orthodox against the Arians. Invited by the bishops going to the council in Seleucia, he arrived in Constantinople. Heretics dominated here. There were very few Orthodox Christians. Basil had conversations with the Arians and defeated them in disputes. Meanwhile, the Semi-Arians gained the upper hand at the council in Seleucia. A non-Orthodox creed was compiled. Bishop Dianius signed it. This upset Vasily so much that he decided to go to his monastery, where he stayed until the death of Diania, with whom, however, he reconciled, because he signed the semi-Arian symbol out of ignorance. Diania's successor at the Caesarea throne was Eusebius. Before his election, he was one of the catechumens. As little prepared for the episcopacy, Eusebius felt a great need for an assistant. He summoned Basil and in 364 ordained him to the priesthood. The activity of the learned presbyter was very fruitful. He preached in churches, interpreted the Holy Scriptures, wrote letters to the defenders of the Orthodox faith, showed widespread charity, interceded for the offended, visited the sick and protected the weak from the oppression of the strong. The people fell in love with Vasily. His fame spread far beyond the borders of Caesarea. Bishop Eusebius began to envy the priest who was becoming famous everywhere. Noticing this, Vasily again withdrew into his desert. But now there was a great need for it. Valens, a strict Arian, became emperor of the eastern half of the empire in 364. With a zeal worthy of a better cause, he began to spread heretical teachings through measures of cruelty and violence. Many weak souls have fallen. There was a rumor that the emperor was going to Caesarea. Eusebius was frightened and hastened to reconcile with Vasily. Their mediator was Gregory the Theologian. Returning to Caesarea, Vasily decided to inspire the inhabitants to defend Orthodox teaching. Every day, and sometimes twice a day, he preached in churches, wrote epistles and letters on behalf of Eusebius to bishops who declared themselves zealous for Orthodoxy. The emperor did not reach Caesarea this time. But in 370 Bishop Eusebius died. Vasily was elected to the department, although there were opponents to him. Now more scope has opened up for his activities. Saint Basil decided to increase the number of Orthodox bishops capable of defending the right teaching. He ordained his brothers Gregory and Peter, as well as his friend Gregory the Theologian, to the rank of bishop. In his leisure hours he wrote large works against the Arians and in defense of the divine dignity of the Holy Spirit. The saint began correspondence with Athanasius the Great about the means of bringing triumph to Orthodoxy. He also wrote letters to the bishops in the west, asking them for help and participation in the situation of the Orthodox Church in the east. The fruitful activity of the Caesarian archpastor, tireless, despite the ailments of his body, alarmed the Arians. Complaints and slander against him began to pour in to the emperor. Valens made an attempt to convert Basil the Great to the Arian way of thinking. At the end of 371, he himself undertook a trip to Caesarea. Prefect Modest walked in front of him. This latter was entrusted with seducing the saint, at least with violence. Having visited Basil, Modest had a conversation with him, which St. Gregory the Theologian told us. “Why do you,” began Modest, without even calling Vasily a bishop, want to boldly resist such power and be the only one of all to remain stubborn? – What and what is my arrogance? - Vasily objected. - The fact that you do not adhere to the same faith with the king, when all others bowed down and yielded. “This is not what my king demands,” answered Vasily, I cannot bow to the creature (the Arians taught that the Son is the creation of the Father), being myself a creature of God and having the command to be God. - But what do you think we are? - asked the ruler, or do we who command this mean nothing? Why is it not important for you to join us and be in fellowship with us? “You are rulers,” answered Vasily, and I do not deny that famous rulers are, however, not higher than God. And for me it is important to be in communion with you (why not? And you are God’s creature), however, it is not more important than to be in communion with any other of your subordinates, because Christianity is determined not by the dignity of individuals, but by faith. “Then the ruler became agitated, became more angry, got up from his seat and began to speak to Vasily more sternly than before. Well, he said, aren’t you afraid of power? - No. “Have you even suffered even one of the many things that are in my will?” - What is it? Explain this to me. – Confiscation of property, exile, death. “If you can, threaten others, but that doesn’t bother us at all.” - How is this, why? - asked the ruler. “Because,” answered Vasily, that one’s property cannot be described, one who has nothing, will you demand from me this piece of hair and a few books that contain all my belongings. I don’t know about exile, because I’m not connected to any place, and the place where I live now is not mine, and wherever they throw me will be mine. It’s better to say, God’s place is everywhere... And what kind of torture will they take, when I don’t even have a body, do you understand the first blow, in which you alone have power? Death is beneficial for me: it will sooner send me to God, for whom I live and work.” Modest was surprised by the greatness of the saint’s spirit and said that no one had ever spoken to him like that. The saint meekly noted that he, Modest, had probably never met a bishop before. “Emperor! We have been defeated by the bishop of this church, the prefect reported to Valens. He stands above threats. This man will never give in." However, attempts were still made to persuade Saint Basil to make concessions. But he remained unshaken, declaring that he could neither add nor subtract a single word from the creed, nor could he even change the order of the words. Emperor Valens decided to personally influence the saint. On the feast of the Epiphany, 372, he came to the divine service that Basil performed in the church. There were a great many pilgrims. No one seemed to notice the appearance of the emperor. In deep silence, all those present focused their gaze on the bishop’s face. He stood behind the throne. Reverence was imprinted on the face of the saint. On his sides stood the elders, like angels of God. The Holy Gospel was read. The emperor was amazed by the greatness of the saint, the order and silence in the church. At the end of the service, he talked with the archpastor in the sacristy and was affectionate. The services performed by Saint Basil made an unusually great impression on the pilgrims. Rev. left us an excellent testimony about this. Ephraim the Syrian. “On one occasion,” he writes, in a certain city (Caesarea) I heard a voice saying to me: Arise, Ephraim, and eat mental food... Behold, in My house the royal vessel will give you food.” Very surprised by what was said, I stood up and entered the church of the Most High. Quietly entering the church yard and with strong desire fixing his gaze on the vestibule, he saw in the Holy of Holies the chosen vessel, brightly stretched out before the congregation, adorned with magnificent words, and the eyes of all were turned to him. There I saw that the church was nourished by the Spirit, that the widow and the orphan were especially merciful to him. There I saw tears flowing to him like a river, and the fleece of life shining goldenly for everyone, and the shepherd himself on the wings of the Spirit, offering prayers for us and teaching in words. I saw the church flaunted by him, I saw his beloved one adorned by him. I saw how he taught Paul’s lessons, the law of the Gospel, and instilled fear in the sacraments. I saw there a useful and saving word, undoubtedly rising to the very sky. In a word, I saw that this entire meeting was illuminated by the rays of grace” (Tvor. II, 468–469 pp.). The Monk Ephraim was present when Saint Basil celebrated the liturgy. He himself revised the order, wrote it down and put it into use. This rite is still known with the name of the Liturgy of Basil the Great, which is celebrated in our country ten times a year. But if Emperor Valens gained respect for Basil the Great, then, unfortunately, only for a short time. The Arianized bishops again armed him against the saint. The emperor was already about to sign a decree expelling him from Caesarea. However, the pen did not want to obey the godless command. It's broken. The Emperor took another. And it was crushed. After the third also did not obey the hand of the emperor, he realized that God Himself was protecting the saint from the evil intent directed against him. Soon the emperor had to turn to St. Basil for help. A six-year-old boy, the son of Valens, Galatius, became very ill. The doctors did not help him. The child’s mother saw in her son’s illness God’s punishment for the persecution of St. Basil. She began to reproach her husband, the emperor. The latter turned to the saint with a request to pray for the sick man. Vasily replied that he would pray, and God would give health to the sick man, if only the emperor agreed to baptize his son according to the Orthodox rite and raise him in the Orthodox faith. The emperor agreed to fulfill the behest of the saint, who, indeed, healed the royal son with his prayers. But the Arians began to assure Emperor Valens that they too would heal his son with their prayers. Therefore, there is no need to baptize and raise a boy in the Orthodox Church. The emperor believed them and allowed the Arian bishop to perform the sacrament of baptism. The boy soon fell ill and died. It was then that the emperor remembered the words of Saint Basil and left him alone. Prefect Modest, while ill, also experienced the power of Basil the Great’s prayers and began to treat him with respect. In the same year, 372, Saint Basil had to experience quite a bit of grief over the sad news about the death of people close and dear to him, about the falling away of some from the Orthodox Church, and, finally, from his own bodily ailments. This year he became so seriously ill that rumors of his death spread in Caesarea. Before the saint had time to recover from his illness, in 373 he received news of the death of the Archbishop of Alexandria, St. Athanasius the Great, who was the support of all Orthodox Christians. In the middle of this year, Elder Gregory, Bishop of Nazianza, father of Gregory the Theologian, died. Finally, the emperor exiled Vasiliev’s friend, Eusebius, bishop. Samosatsky. But among these sorrows, the saint sometimes received comforting news. In 375, he joyfully welcomed the election of Ambrose to the see of Milan. A decree from the Western emperor was soon received that all Christians should invariably adhere to the creed approved by the fathers of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. This decree was probably issued at the insistence of Western Orthodox bishops. However, relations between East and West were very sluggish. The Metropolitan of Rome was very distrustful of the Eastern fathers. Basil the Great was quite upset by this. He was already thinking about breaking off written relations with the West. “If God has mercy on us,” he wrote to his friend Eusebius, then why do we need other help? If God’s wrath continues, then what help can we expect from the arrogance of the West? They don’t know the true state of affairs and don’t want to find out.” However, when the zealots of Orthodoxy had a decisive intention to once again turn to the West, Basil the Great again became their leader. In his two letters to Western bishops, he vividly depicted the disasters that the Orthodox Church was suffering in the East. “This is already the thirteenth year,” wrote Saint Basil, since the heretics have raised a war against us, in which the churches have had more sorrows than they have been mentioned since the Gospel of Christ was proclaimed... “(Letters 234 and 235). Having then painted a picture of the misfortunes and suffering of the Orthodox, Basil the Great begged the Western bishops to provide help. Even now the saint’s requests did not produce the desired effect. Circumstances changed for the better without any participation of Western bishops. The word of the Lord is true that all the forces of hell will not prevail against the holy church (Matthew 16:18). What can people do to her, even if they are strong and powerful? The Lord allows His Church to endure trials for the time being. But this usually works to her advantage. The Lord himself gives her great and glorious figures. It is with God’s help that they bring triumph to the truth. Emperor Valens supported and spread the Arian heresy by force. But what have you achieved? In 378 he lost his life in the war. The Arians lost heart. It is clear that they felt their weakness without external support. Their ranks quickly began to thin out. Basil the Great already expressed the idea of ​​a new ecumenical council, which, among other issues, would deal with the acceptance of repentant Arians into the bosom of the church. The dawn of better days was dawning. But the life of the great Caesarea saint was declining. At the end of 378 he became very ill and went to bed. Sad people crowded around the saint's house, asking about his situation. Unfeigned tears flowed from the eyes of many. The Caesarea flock was deprived of a great and holy teacher, breadwinner of the poor and protector of the oppressed. In him she lost a wise and zealous fighter for the holy truth, an experienced leader in matters of faith and life, a great bishop, strong in his prayers before the Lord God. The sick saint himself read prayers for the outcome of his soul. But the Almighty Lord granted His saint the power to perform the liturgy on the first day of January 379, to baptize the doctor, the Jew Joseph, who had converted to the faith of Christ, and to give him communion. (See next story). Towards the evening of this day, with the words: in Your hands I will offer my spirit, the Great Basil fell asleep in the sleep of death, resting in the Lord. (See “Christian Conversations,” appendix to the magazine “Past, Sobes.” for 1897, vol. II). On January 1, the church celebrates the memory of St. Basil, Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia, a great teacher of the faith and a great man of prayer. Here are two examples of the power of his prayer. In Caesarea, during the days of Basil's priesthood, there lived a noble and very wealthy widow who worked hard at sin and indulged in all kinds of sensual pleasures, even the most shameful ones. But the all-merciful God, who wants to save everyone, touched her heart with His grace, and this wife came to her senses, saw the abyss into which she had been drawn by her carnal knowledge, and began to deeply lament her wretchedness. With tears of sincere repentance, remembering the many sins she had committed in her youth, she decided to write them on the charter, and at the end of this long list of iniquities she wrote one particularly grave sin - and sealed the charter. Once, when Saint Basil the Great was walking to church, a repentant sinner approached him and, falling at his feet, said: “Holy Saint of God, have mercy on me, who has sinned more than anyone else!” To Saint Basil’s question: what does she want from him? - she answered: “Behold, Master, I wrote all my sins and iniquities on this sealed charter; You, saint of God, do not read what is written and do not even allow the seal, but just pray for me and cleanse my sins with your prayer, for I believe that the Lord, who inspired this thought in me, will hear your prayer for me, a sinner.” And Saint Basil took the charter and, raising his eyes to heaven, said: “It is only possible for you, Lord, to accomplish this work; if You have taken away the sins of the whole world, how much more can You cleanse the sins of this one soul: for all our sins are counted before You; Your mercy is endless and inexpressible.” - Having said this, the saint of God entered the church with the charter and, prostrating himself in the altar before the throne, prayed for a long time for that wife. The next day, at the end of the service, she receives her unopened charter, and, opening it, to her great amazement, she finds that all her sins have been blotted out, except for the most serious sin, written after all. Seeing this, the widow, with horror and sobs, again falls at the feet of the saint and asks him to beg God, may He forgive her this great sin, as He forgave all her other sins. Deeply touched by the wife’s heartfelt contrition, the saint says to her: “Remember that I, too, am a sinful man and I myself have a need for mercy and forgiveness: “But the Lord, who has cleansed your other sins in His goodness, can cleanse your sin that has not been blotted out, if you begin to guard yourself from sin and diligently walk in the path of the Lord.” He advised her to turn with her request to a certain holy man named Ephraim, living in the desert, so that he would ask for forgiveness of her sin from the Lover of Mankind - God. Fulfilling this advice, she went into the desert and, after a long journey, found Ephraim’s cell and, handing him her charter, said: “Archbishop Vasily sent me to you so that you would pray to God for the cleansing of my sin, written on this charter; He blotted out all the others with his prayer.” But the Monk Ephraim, in the humble consciousness of his unworthiness, answered: “Whoever could beg God for your many sins, how much more can he beg Him for your one last sin. So, return to Vasily, and do not delay a little in order to find him alive: for he will soon go to the Lord.” - The wife, having bowed to the monk, went to Caesarea as quickly as possible. Upon entering the city, she learned that the great saint had died, and the burial of his body was already underway. With indescribable grief, she went to meet the funeral procession and, falling to the saint’s tomb, cried out with grief: “Alas, saint of God, alas for me, the accursed! Is this why you sent me into the desert so that I would not bother you with my request before your death? So she returned, having made the difficult journey into the desert without any benefit: may God judge between me and you in the fact that you, being able to provide me with help, sent me to someone else for it.” Then she placed her charter on the saint’s coffin and told all the people who were here about what had happened. One of the clerics took the charter, unsealed it and, not finding a single written word in it, told his wife that she was in vain lamenting, not knowing the ineffable love of God that had appeared over her. All the people, having learned about the miracle, glorified God, who bestows such great power and authority on His faithful servants even after their death. Another example is no less remarkable. There lived in Caesarea a Jew named Joseph, a doctor so skillful and experienced in understanding the nature and outcome of diseases that he very often foresaw the death of the sick in three or four days. Saint Basil the Great had affection for him and, in private conversations with him, convinced him to leave the Jewish law and accept holy baptism. But Joseph always refused, saying that he wanted to die in the faith in which he was born. One day the saint of God prophetically said to him: “Believe me that you are baptized even before my death,” and with special force he convinced him to accept the faith of Christ, saying that his fathers were once baptized in the cloud and the sea, and drank water from a stone, which was a prototype of the spiritual stone - Christ, born of the Holy Virgin for the sake of our salvation. But, despite all the convictions of Saint Basil, the Jew persisted in his unbelief. The saint, not long before his death, fell into a serious illness and invited Joseph to him, as if asking for help from his medical skill. When he arrived, Saint Basil asked him about the outcome of his illness. Having carefully examined the patient, Joseph decisively told his family to prepare everything necessary for burial, since the archbishop would die that very day before sunset. “And if I stay alive until half the next day,” the saint asked him, “what will you do then? Will you agree to be baptized?” - “I swear to you, Master, that if you are alive until the morning, I will fulfill your will.” – Our God-bearing father Vasily prayed strongly, may the Lord prolong his life for the conversion of the Jews, and his holy prayer was heard. In the morning he sent for Joseph. For a long time he did not believe the servant’s words that the saint was still alive, and with great amazement he became convinced of this with his own eyes. Falling at the feet of the saint, he exclaimed from the depths of his heart: “Great is the Christian God! I renounce Judaism and approach the true Christian faith. Commanded, Holy Master, to immediately administer holy baptism to me and my entire household.” Saint Basil expressed his intention to baptize him with his own hands. And when Joseph noticed to him that his strength had completely weakened, and therefore he would not be able to perform the sacraments, the man of God answered with firm faith: “We have a Creator who strengthens us.” And, rising from his sickbed, he entered the church, baptized Joseph with his entire family, performed the liturgy that day, and also spoke a lengthy teaching to the newly baptized and to his other spiritual children. - When the great saint later died, the newly baptized Jew, seeing him already deceased, said with tears: “Truly, servant of God, you would not have died even now if you had not wanted it.” (Thu. Min. January 1). Now we have a new year. Our family and friends wish us a Happy New Year. How long ago did they start correcting the New Year from the 1st day of January? For Jews, the civil year begins in the month of September, and the beginning of the church new year falls on the first day of March. The year of the Romans also began in March. In 45 BC, their New Year was moved from March 1 to January 1. In the Christian church, the month of March brings memories of the most important events: the creation of the world, the incarnation of the Son of God (Annunciation), His suffering, death and resurrection. Therefore, “this first month is the month in the month,” the following Psalter says on the first day of March... From the first day of March all the solar and lunar circles, etc., begin. As the most important among other months, March was the basis of the church calendar, which was carried out from the creation of the world. This is how it was for us in Rus' to be a saint until the 15th century. In 1492, a council was held in Moscow, at which the question of the beginning of the New Year was raised. New Year's Day was supposed to be celebrated on September 1st. Sovereign Emperor Peter the Great in 1699 issued two decrees, one of which commanded that from January 1, 1700, in all papers, the years from the Nativity of Christ, and not from the creation of the world, should be written. “And if anyone wants to write both years from the creation of the world, from the creation of the world and from the Nativity of Christ, freely.” Another decree concerned the celebration of the New Year. “The Great Sovereign indicated to say: He, the Great Sovereign, knows not only that in many European Christian countries, but also in the Slavic peoples, who agree with our Eastern Orthodox Church in everything, such as: Volokhs, Moldavians, Serbs, Dolmatians, Bulgarians and all the Greeks, all those peoples, according to their years, count from R. Chr. seven days later, i.e. from January 1”... In Rus', since 1700, it was commanded that we adopt this chronology order. Celebrations were prescribed with which the first celebration of the “new centenary century” was to be celebrated in Moscow: prayers should be served in churches after the liturgy, and city houses should be decorated with spruce and pine branches; on Red Square, light fires, shoot, launch rockets and, as a sign of joy, on the 1st day of January, congratulate each other on the New Year. From then on, we began to celebrate the New Year on January 1st. But this is a civil New Year, and the church New Year is still celebrated on September 1. How was and is New Year's Day celebrated? In ancient times, the pagans of the Greco-Roman state celebrated this day as a holiday and with special rituals. In pagan temples abundant sacrifices were made before idols. Houses were decorated with greenery and flowers in honor of imaginary gods. It was customary to visit relatives and friends with congratulations, wishes for happiness and gifts. Many wondered about fate. Places of public entertainment were noisy and crowded. The mummers and disguised people amused the people. Immodesty and intemperance were the hallmarks of the amusements of this day. Pagan Christians did not suddenly forget about the New Year festivities. That is why the holy fathers had to rebel against the sinful New Year's revelry. At the end of the 4th century St. John Chrysostom denounced his contemporaries for not spending New Year's Eve and Day in a Christian and pious manner. “We have a fight ahead... with demons who walk solemnly around the square,” he said in his word for the New Year. The devilish all-night festivities, jokes, swearing cries, night dances and funny fun taking place today have captivated our city worse than any enemy; and then, as one should lament, cry, be ashamed, both those who have sinned and those who have not sinned, some looking at their sins, and others looking at the lawlessness of their brethren, our city rejoices, flaunts itself and is crowned; the square, like a woman who loves attire and is luxurious, is today carefully decorated, putting on gold and precious clothes, shoes and the like... And most of all, the competitions that take place today in hotels and are filled with debauchery and great wickedness are deplorable: wickedness because those who engage in them notice the days, guess and think that if they spend the first day of this month in pleasure and joy, then the whole year will be the same same; and debauchery because at dawn both women and men, having filled their glasses and cups with wine, get drunk with great immoderation” (1 vol. 759–760 pp.). It is not surprising that some church fathers established a fast in their dioceses on the first day of January. In some places this fast lasted up to three days. However, the church did not legalize this custom. It is left to the discretion of the church members themselves to regulate their behavior for the New Year. Unfortunately, Christians have not yet shown the proper prudence. The teaching of St. John Chrysostom can now be pronounced in denunciation of the New Year's revelry. Do we, Orthodox Christians, still have a few strange, sinful and obscene New Year customs? Some dress up, putting on strange clothes and decorating their faces with masks. Others guess about fate, as if showing their lack of faith in God’s Providence. Quite a lot of people celebrate the New Year with wine, in joy, dancing, imagining that if they spend the first hour of the New Year in joy, then the whole year will bring happiness. Isn't this superstition? Let’s not talk about the New Year’s greetings accepted everywhere, wishes for new happiness, etc., which have the character of some kind of childish vanity. The Holy Church instills in us a different order of life for the New Year. Celebrating the circumcision of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, she shows us in the person of St. Basil the Great an example to what degree of spiritual purity and holiness a person who works to circumcise his heart from all sin can reach with God’s help. Not only by example, but also in her prayers and petitions to the Lord, the Holy Church wishes us blessings, both temporary and more eternal. At the beginning of the prayer singing on New Year's Day, Psalm 64 is read, in which the psalmist sings of God's providence for the world and people. This is where our true happiness lies—to be in the love of the Lord. A hair will not fall from the head without the will of God. Why, after this, fun, dancing, intemperate drinking with the confidence that a happy and cheerful beginning of the year will make it completely prosperous? God's love is gained by piety, but joy, wine and dancing only anger God. It is clear that such amusements will lead to misfortune and prosperity, and troubles and sorrows. If the Lord leaves us with His grace for a while, then what will happen to us? It's scary to even think about. But let us continue our conversation about the well-wishes and prayers of the church. She prays in the great litany: “for the forgiveness of the sins we committed in the past summer; and bless the firstfruits of passing this summer with the grace of His love for mankind; times are peaceful, the airs are well-dissolved and sinless, in health and with contentment, grant us a life... Oh, drive away from us all soul-crushing passions and corrupt customs... Oh, overthrow all heresies and apostasies and plant orthodoxy and piety everywhere, and convert all those who have apostatized from the right faith to the knowledge of His truth, and unite them with His holy church Orthodox "... On "God the Lord" troparia of thanksgiving and New Years are sung: "To the Creator of all creation, who has placed times and years in His power, bless the crown of the summer of Your goodness, Lord, preserving the Emperor and Your city (or the whole) in peace, through the prayers of the Theotokos, and save us." In the apostolic reading we are given the instruction of the Apostle Paul, first of all, to make prayers, supplications, petitions, thanksgivings, for all people, for the king, and for all those in power: so that we may live a quiet and quiet life in all godliness and purity (1 Tim. 2:1-6). According to the special litany, the prayer is read with genuflection: “O Master, Lord our God, the source of life and immortality, of all creatures, visible and invisible, to the Creator, who set times and seasons in Your power, and governed all things by Your wise and all-good providence. We give thanks for Your bounties, even as You surprised us in the past time of our belly, we pray to You, all-generous Lord, bless the crown of the coming summer with Your goodness: save Your beloved Servant (the Sovereign Emperor and the entire reigning house). Grant Thy goodness from above and to all Thy people health and salvation, and good haste in everything, deliver Thy holy church and all cities and countries from every evil situation, grant them peace and tranquility.” Delve into these prayers and petitions of the holy church. What does she believe our happiness to be? We are happy that the Lord preserved us until the New Year. Therefore we thank the Lord. We will be happy when God keeps us healthy in the coming year, when He gives us His all-powerful help with health. With God's help we will succeed in all our undertakings. If the Lord is the protector of our lives, then who and what will we fear? But we are members of the state. We have a Sovereign Leader, Sovereign Emperor, God's Anointed One. May the Lord grant Him peace, health, long life and hastening in all good things, victory and victory over his enemies! Oh, this is great happiness for us! We will live in peace, we can flourish in all godliness and purity. And piety and purity are the true happiness of a person. But how can we cleanse ourselves from many sins? By God's grace. That is why the Holy Church prays, first of all, for the forgiveness of our iniquities and sins, which we committed evil in the past summer. If the Lord cleanses and sanctifies us, then we will be holy and pure, truly happy. The holy and pure are destined for eternal bliss, eternal joy with all the saints. “So, if you want to benefit from the beginning of the new year, teaches Saint John Chrysostom, then do this: at the end of the year, thank the Lord for preserving you until this limit of years; Contrite your heart, count the time of your life, and say to yourself: the days run and pass; the years are ending; We have already completed a lot of our journey; what good have we done? Are we really going to leave here without everything, without any virtue? Judgment is at our door, the rest of our lives are heading towards old age.” We are travelers to the Kingdom of Heaven. The merciful Lord called us into His fellowship, making us members of the holy church, and determined for us to fight a good fight, maintain the faith and, having finished the course, enter a safe haven. If hitherto we have been lazy and careless about our salvation, then let us make a good start in the new summer. God help! This will be a worthy celebration of the New Year. This will be the true new happiness that your family and friends wish you today. Save yourself! Improve yourself spiritually. Every step on the path to perfection will bring you a share of happiness. And the Lord Jesus Christ defined perfect happiness for us briefly and clearly: “Be sons of your heavenly Father... Be perfect like your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:45–48). We wish you this happiness too, congratulating you on your new goal. All of us who believe in Christ, “according to His promise, are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which dwells righteousness. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to this, be diligent to appear before Him undefiled and blameless in peace... Being forewarned of this, beware lest you be carried away by the error of the wicked and fall from your affirmation, but grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen" (2 Peter 3:13–14; 2 Peter 3:17–18). If you fulfill this covenant of the Holy Apostle Peter, you will truly be happy! (See Christ. Demons, appendix to the magazine “Past. Sobes. 8, 1897, vol. two). 5. What is the true happiness of a person? Does happiness consist in what we are accustomed to and believe it to be? We usually call happy someone who occupies an honorable position, has a high rank, owns large capital, spends his life in bliss and luxury, etc. But if we look at life with the eyes of faith, we will see that happiness also lives among people of humble origin, among poverty and misery, among hunger and cold. One teacher, famous for his knowledge, once met a beggar old man on the church porch. His emaciated body was covered with rags, and he was covered in wounds - “Good afternoon to you, old man!” – the teacher said in greeting to the beggar. The beggar answered: “I don’t remember a day that was ever unhappy for me.” “The teacher continued: “I wish you happiness.” The beggar said to this: “I have never been unhappy.” The teacher was surprised and, thinking that the beggar had not listened well to his words, added: “I wish you to be prosperous.” The beggar noted that he had never been “ill-fated.” “Are you really the only lucky one among all people,” the teacher asked in complete bewilderment, “when earthly life is full of sorrows and deprivations?” “He’s the one who’s unhappy,” explained the beggar. - who seeks happiness, and there is no other happiness on earth than to rely on the will of God in everything; I always accept the pleasant and the nasty, the bitter and the sweet from God from God with love and humility, and I desire only what pleases the Lord, and therefore everything happens according to my desire.” And indeed, in life we ​​can be calm, happy, blessed only by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He loudly calls out to each and everyone seeking salvation: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Thus, the Savior directly says in these words that only in Him alone will we find peace for ourselves, only then will we be happy when we fall to Him and take upon ourselves His yoke and burden, that is, when we fulfill His holy orders. commandments. But His entire law, all of His commandments are contained in two main ones: “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind,” and “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Organize all your affairs according to these two commandments - and you will find true happiness for yourself (See "V. Ch." for 1888, No. 1). 6. Be happy with your condition If each of us were asked the question: “Are you satisfied with your condition?” then, we can probably say, the answer would be negative. The poor man is dissatisfied with his condition because he drags out a harsh, bitter life, often without eating or drinking, exhausted by hard work, and exhausted. The rich man, not content with what he has, strives to acquire even more, and is also dissatisfied with his current condition. The ambitious man strives to rise even higher, and it is difficult to indicate the limit to his ambitious plans. One is sick, another is burdened with a larger family, another has family quarrels, abuse, enmity, this one has disrespectful children, failed plans, broken hopes, unsatisfied pride, lies, slander; people did not understand this, this one sees a rival on his path, gets worried and with hidden anger gives up his hands in full consciousness of his powerlessness to equal him; – and is it possible to list all the types and cases of dissatisfaction with one’s condition? This condition is very destructive for the soul. Let us remember how dissatisfaction with his condition cast down the star from heaven and turned him from a luminous angel into an insidious demon; it expelled our progenitor from the paradise of sweetness and introduced death into the fallen nature of man. It has always been and is the source from which many types and numerous vices and passions flow. Is it not dissatisfaction with his condition that prompts the hard-hearted thief to extend his hand to other people's property, and sometimes even to the property of the church of the Lord? Isn’t it the one who fawns and kowtows to the boss? Isn't it what makes a person bow before the golden idol, to the detriment of conscience, law and honor? Isn’t it what drives a person to grumble against the Lord, and sometimes to despair? Why does this dissatisfaction with one’s condition occur? From a lack of firm faith in the Providence of God, which gives everyone what corresponds to their strengths and abilities, as well as from a lack of sincere, brotherly love. “Do not torment yourself with envy,” says St. Demetrius of Rostov, seeing that others enjoy honors, fame and wealth more than you. For God knows His determinations - He knows with whom to do what, to whom to give what... Therefore, leave envy, reject hatred, so as not to remain outside the palace of Christ. For he who is envious is judged as a murderer, says someone.” (Lesson, and note of the treasure of love, priest Gr. Dyachenko; p. 709). The Word of God clearly teaches us to be content with our condition. Even from Mount Sinai, the voice of God thundered, saying: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any of his livestock, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Ex. 20:17). Briefly, this commandment can be stated as follows: “do not envy your neighbor, be satisfied with your condition.” St. Evangelist Luke, telling about the preaching of John the Baptist in the Jordan desert and about his baptism of the people in the streams of the Jordan, says that when soldiers came to him and asked: “What should we do?” The Forerunner answered them: “Do not offend anyone and be content with your salary” (Luke 3:14). The Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church, both in their lives and in their writings, teach us to be content with our condition. Holy priest much Methodius, bishop Patarsky, in an essay on human free will, teaching people to be content with their condition, says, among other things: “to grumble about the lack of earthly goods is not smart: a person must be above everything earthly; God created man for activity, and not for pleasures that relax the soul and body. Perfect equality is impossible: diversity is an accessory to perfection; poverty is permitted either as a punishment for sins, or as a warning against sins.” Let us follow this wise advice of St. our father Methodius and we will be satisfied with our condition. Let us, according to the commandment of the Savior, seek first of all the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else will be added to us by itself (Matthew 6:33). 7. Don’t tell fortunes or tell fortunes The Lord commanded Moses: Do not cast spells or guess (Lev.19:26). Do not turn to those who summon the dead and do not go to wizards, and do not bring yourself to the point of desecration from them (-31st Art.). For sorcery and fortune-telling, the church prescribes a six-year repentance with excommunication from holy communion. So the sin is not small! And yet, how many people there are among us who are guilty of this sin. Some people, frivolity and playfulness, are inclined to resort to fortune-telling, as an innocent, in their opinion, means of having fun and killing time, for which they know no value; For others, dissatisfaction with the present, impatience and distrust of Providence force them to question the unknown future, often with fear and doubt, less often with a firm belief in the possibility, through fortune telling and divination, to find out from fate what it so carefully hides, that is, what awaits them in the near future: happiness or sorrow, whether it is a wedding dress or a coffin shroud. Let us be the first to say that for a Christian and for a Christian there are many activities that are nobler and more innocent than fortune telling, and a reasonable person, who understands his duties and relationships to God and his neighbors, will not want to abuse his time frivolously, and will not want to tempt others with bad examples. The latter can be advised with sincere sympathy for their condition: without resorting to unauthorized means to torture the future hidden from us, humbly surrender to the guidance of the all-good and all-wise Providence, turn with heart and soul to the Heavenly Father and from His goodness expect with faith the direction of our affairs to the best end. The senseless desire to know their future forces them to resort to pathetic, senseless, lawless, and often dangerous means. For what is fortune telling, divination, if not an insane and lawless attempt to penetrate into the secrets that the Lord has hidden from people, and which, of course, cannot be revealed to us by any means? Who are you asking? From whom are you looking to reveal your future? A mirror, tin, wax and other soulless things, you see, cannot tell you anything; listening under locks, under windows, at crossroads, etc. is sheer absurdity; So, what is your fortune-telling, your divination, if not pure madness? There remains only one crafty slanderer and the original murderer, the devil, always ready for such services. Many fortune tellers and sorcerers, indeed, have this in mind in their criminal actions. Otherwise, why is it not allowed to use the sign of the cross or have a cross on oneself during some fortune telling? Apparently, fortunetellers are afraid of using the sign of the cross to destroy the charming power of the devil or to drive him away from themselves and, thus, do nothing, learn nothing. But what will the devil tell you? He does not stand in the truth, he always lies like a lie, by his very fallen nature, and is the father and inventor of all lies, deceit, and deceit (John 8:44). Truth burns, scorches him more than hellish fire; and should we look for anything sensible, truthful, or even somewhat worthwhile from him? And what does he want by misleading you and teaching you to resort to lawless, ungodly actions? - Your death; and be afraid that the Lord God will not allow him to destroy you in the end. And the enemy the devil is looking for only this throughout your entire life; all his incessant, insidious, demonic activity is concentrated on this. He has no other business, no other concern than to lead a person into sin and destruction. He, this same worst enemy of yours, believe me, teaches and encourages you, through his whispering or through stupid people devoted to him, to resort to fortune-telling and divination, to seek out what is forbidden and hidden from us in the depths of God’s destinies and, thus, offend God in the hope that, perhaps, in this insane action of yours he will find an opportunity to plunge you into trouble and even destroy you completely, if grace God will give up on you for your infidelity and betrayal. It seems to you that sometimes what you see and hear during your spells and fortune-telling comes true. It is no wonder that something happens by chance and suits your desires: the very circumstances often bring events closer to your views and desires, and the enemy takes advantage of this. It is not surprising for a bride to get married within a year, for old or sick people to die, and so on. Let's say more. The enemy knows well who has designs on whom and what, who is especially disposed and striving for what, and accordingly he can easily imagine various faces and objects in the dreams of your imagination. Most often, he throws out something vague, ambiguous to the gullible, just as he gave answers in ancient pagan soothsayers, and as his servants, gypsies and so-called sorcerers, healers and fortune tellers do; and you yourself help him get out of this confusion, trying with all your might to interpret his nonsense either in your favor or in a way that suits the circumstances. Listen to how the demon-assistant, or more justly, the leader of people in criminal fortune-telling, explained St. Andrey the Fool about the tricks of his father, Satan. One day the demon boasted before the blessed one that the time would come when the servants of hell would have nothing to do, because people would be more evil than demons, so that even small children would surpass the old ones in wickedness, and then, the demon added, I would begin to enjoy, because people on their own would begin to do all my will. St. Andrew asked: “How do you know this? The future is not open to the demon." The demon answered this: “Our father Satan understands, sitting in hell, and magics about everything, and from there he will tell us everything, as our generation knows nothing” (Prol. Oct. 6). Do you see where magic, fortune-telling and divination began, and who is the father and mentor of sorcerers and fortune-tellers? Is it proper for a Christian to deal with, much less learn from, a demon? Is it proper for someone who is baptized and believes in St. The Trinity is to give faith to the devil, whom he renounced in baptism and whom, in fairness, he should fear as his worst enemy, according to the word of the apostle: Be sober, be vigilant, your adversary is the devil, like a lion who walks roaring, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). To resort to the spirit of darkness, the enemy of God and the mortal enemy of the human race, to ask for his services, to seek from him some kind of revelation about one’s future destiny, what is this if not apostasy from God, if not enmity against Him? It is not without reason that God, offended by such apostasy, in righteous anger at insane people, sometimes allows them to perish from their own madness. Was it not for the sake of these abominations - fortune-telling, sorcery, sorcery in ancient times that the Lord God condemned entire nations to extermination? What troubles befall our lovers of sorcery and fortune-telling, many probably know from true stories or unfortunate events that happened, perhaps, before their eyes. We will also cite several cases for the validity of which we can vouch. One day, five peasant girls, in the absence of their family, began to unravel the mysteries of life on New Year's Day in this way: the one who wanted to know her future (or her betrothed) lay down on benches under St. icons, in front of which a candle glowed, and she folded her hands like a deceased woman; she was covered up to her chest with linen and a mirror was placed on her chest, into which the lying person must look intently until she sees what she wants, or until something appears to her excited imagination. The rest of the girls go underground and, emerging from there alternately and one by one, bow to the lying one, saying the usual village greeting: “forgive and bless!” There is no need for us to know whether the first two girls who withstood this difficult ordeal dreamed about anything and what exactly. The third one fell into place. One after another, her friends come out of hiding and bow to her with the usual greetings. Thus, everyone crossed one by one, and the fortuneteller just lay there without the slightest movement. It seemed strange to the girls; doubt sank into my soul. The last of those who greeted the lying woman, peering intently into her face, notices with horror that her eyes, fixed on the mirror, are motionless. Calls others; they wake up the lying woman, and there is no voice, no obedience; the unfortunate woman fell asleep in a mortal sleep, until the Archangel trumpet sounded, calling the dead to judgment. Such are the consequences of frivolous faith in fortune telling for this unfortunate woman! Another case is even more striking, even more unfortunate, thundering with its unusualness into distant space and, probably, causing many lovers of fortune-telling to think twice. Two girls, who had an illegal relationship with soldiers and lived together, on one of the Christmas evenings became sad that if their dear ones, who were required to serve at that time, were no longer there, they constantly repeated: “Oh, if they had come, what fun we would have had!” Inflamed with passion, through the action of demons, they began to guess, looking in the mirror. Suddenly one of them shouts with frenzied joy: “They will, they will!” Around midnight, the unfortunate people hear noise from sled runners, voices under the window, then a knock on the sled doors. One's heart jumped for joy; she runs, opens it, greets the guests and throws herself into the arms of her lover. The other one was afraid of something, she was scared. It seems to her that the guests smell of a deadening, grave-like cold, so that her blood seems to have frozen. The guests, meanwhile, pester her, and it seems to her that sparks seem to sparkle from her lover’s voice, and he is ready to devour her with his gaze. In fear, she runs out of the hut, runs into a warm chicken coop, crosses all the corners, walls, doors, windows, and sits down in the corner, neither alive nor dead. In the hut, meanwhile, there was a terrible commotion: knocking, noise, whistling, songs, dancing, such that the whole house was shaking. A terrible night is coming to an end. The guests got ready to go back, went out into the street, whistled, laughed near the chicken coop, called the poor woman a coward who had lost a wonderful night, promised to visit her after, and now leave her alone, because the victorious banner of the Crucified One, inscribed with scorching flames on the walls, does not give them the opportunity to approach her. Night passes. The peasant women have been up for a long time and are surprised that they have not seen their cheerful neighbors for a long time. Around noon, some people decided to hang them, but there were no tenants, and the hut was in terrible disorder. They look for them, call them by name, but the poor girl even now does not dare to come out. Finally, they find her and take her out of the chicken coop, unconscious. Another was found underground, stuffed up to half her body into a kettle of leaven, beaten and disfigured to the point that it was difficult to recognize her. The girl, miraculously saved from this demonic feast, came to her senses, told the neighbors how it had happened, and for a long time after that at night she heard the noise of runners, knocking, whistling, etc., and was saved from this demonic obsession only by prayer and the sign of the cross. She gave up her wild life, wandered around holy places, and a few years later she entered a monastery. And the soldiers, whose faces on that unhappy night were represented by demons, chastened by the terrible event, corrected themselves and began to live a truly Christian life. What to add to this terrible story? Is it that God allows some fortune-tellers, who for some reason deserve heavenly punishment, to die a sudden and sometimes shameful death so that those who see here the obvious judgment and wrath of God will correct themselves and repent. And that fortune telling contributed to the terrible outcome here is obvious. Without faith in the return of the soldiers, without the fiery expectation of them generated by the mirror, the soldiers of the hellish legion would not have appeared. Moreover, two sinners in this unfortunate adventure were the protagonists, and both, apparently, were in the same dispositions. But God, testing hearts and wombs, found a great difference in them and allowed one to perish, and allowed the other to be saved by a sign before which all the power of hell trembles. Here is another misfortune from fortune telling. To two maiden sisters who eavesdropped on the night of St. Easter, under the windows, with a desire to hear and find out about my future, at the end of the village I suddenly saw a funeral procession, and my elder sister lying in a coffin. The youngest ran home in fright, and the other fell unconscious on the spot; For three months after that she was ill and mentally insane. Now she is an old woman of about 70 years old, and in her long life after this misfortune, with her admonitions she dissuaded many young girls and women from unreasonable attempts to torture an unknown future. Another case. One girl of the merchant class, who dreamed a lot about her merits and refused several suitors of her title, in the hope of marrying an official, poured tin about Christmastide. Two methods seemed unsatisfactory to her; on the third, tin, heated to a high degree, splashed out, disfigured her entire face and deprived her of an eye. Soon her father’s condition was upset. The unfortunate woman died in an almshouse. God punished her for her pride and her insane attempt to expose her future fate. But here is an example that proves that the devil clings to every occasion where there is faith in superstitious fortune-telling and riddles. One old man told me this: a fishmonger once went to the market very early and, bored with the waiting of buyers, mentally asked the first buyer to decide what the trade would be for the whole day. When impatience and displeasure, expressed according to Russian custom with large swear words, have increased to a high degree in the merchant, a man of unusual height appears and orders a pound of fish to be weighed out, saying: “Your prayer has reached our king and has been graciously listened to.” The merchant, in his troubles, then paid little attention to these words, and when paying, as is the custom among petty traders, he crossed himself, saying: “Lord, bless!” and the buyer suddenly disappeared. This old man, until his death, did not cease to command his children and grandchildren, as often as possible, in order to avoid the enemy’s machinations, to make the sign of the cross and call on the name of the Lord and not to delve into any superstitious fortune-telling, which is so pleasant to the enemy, and with which he can easily lure us and entangle us in his nets and, what’s good, bring us to trouble and misfortune. 8. Thoughts of a Christian on New Year's Day 201 Another year has irrevocably sunk into eternity! Once again, the Merciful Lord has deigned us sinners to enter the beginning of a new summer and, together with our material, St. the Orthodox Church to pray for all your sins, the evil committed in the past summer; with a feeling of deep love and gratitude, offer him warm prayers and thanksgiving for all the benefits that He showed us last year, and ask for blessings in the new year for our life extended by the mercy of God... As at any time, so especially at the end of one year and the beginning of another, our thoughts rush to see into the future, to lift that mysterious curtain that closes from our sight everything that awaits us ahead, to find out what the new year will bring us... Will we be happy and successful in our undertakings, or will we encounter sorrows, deprivations, losses? Will the coming new year crown the labors of our hands with an abundance of earthly fruits, or will it cause disastrous harm to all our well-being? How long will our life continue, or will death soon end our days and prevent us from raising our children and seeing the sons of our sons? Standing at the crossroads between time, which has flown into eternity and which is just still wanting to unfold before us, with particular persistence the inquisitive mind presents it with these annoying questions, and the future with its unknown becomes an unresolved riddle before us. And if the past has left behind many difficult memories, if the present does not give us what we demand from life, then with greater impatience we expect the desired good from the future and with great curiosity we try to lift that curtain that, like an impenetrable abyss, separates the future from us... But neither the inquisitive mind of a person who wants to penetrate the secrets of the future, nor the reckless and absurd fortune-telling that some of us allow ourselves on New Year’s Eve, nothing can clarify for us what the Lord God has hidden from us for our own good. Who knows and can be sure that, starting a new year now, we will live to see its end?! Perhaps, not even a few hours will pass before posthumous screams will be heard within the walls of our house: a happy family will be scattered, contentment will disappear in it, happiness will be lost... and heavy blocks of earth will fall on the lid of our coffin. The mere consciousness that from time to time, both in the whole world and in the life of each person, nothing has happened without the will of our Creator and Provider, that all the destinies of God for the world and man are aimed at achieving internal and external good, can calm our restless spirit, and instead of vainly looking into a future unknown to us, which we still cannot recognize on our own, only this consciousness can force us to surrender ourselves into the hands of our merciful Provider, Who is better than us knows what to do with us and what tends towards our good and peace. But inhuman wisdom, always young and wavering, inspires and educates in us this calming consciousness, the eternally immutable word of God, transmitted for our times in the books of Holy Scripture. It teaches us that the Lord, as our Lord and Provider, watches over all things in heaven, knowing everything that is done on earth (Job 28:24); He points out the path of thundering lightning; He commands that there be storm and rain on earth; in His hand is strength and power and mercy to magnify and strengthen all (1 Chronicles 29:12); He appoints kings and deposes (Dan.2:21); He kills and gives life, humbles and exalts (1 Samuel 2:6–7); Without His will, not a single bird falls on earth, no matter how small (Matthew 10:29). And all the actions of our Creator are directed towards our good and our salvation, because He, just as He Himself is infinite love and goodness, created all creation as a participant in His glory and love and capable of enjoying the benefits and bounties that He sends down on His servants. For us He commands the sun to rise; for us commands the existence of animals and the earth to produce everything for the service of man. For our well-being and happiness, He establishes kingdoms and societies, appoints kings and leaders, and grants us eternity itself. Every evil that arises through removal from good, He, the Merciful, destroys or turns to good consequences, and He allows all disasters, deprivations and sorrows in the world for the better arrangement of our happiness on earth in our present situation. In the days of our happiness and in the days of disasters sent to us, we constantly hear His sometimes meek and sometimes formidable voice, calling us to spiritual success or repentance. He, by His invisible power, keeps us from moral failures and puts us on the path of His commandments. Not a single tender mother cares for her children as much as the merciful Lord does for us sinners! This is consolation for us with all our ignorance of the future! This is where our eyes should be directed on New Year's Day, this is where our path, truth and life are! Having such firm faith in our heavenly Father, who cares so tenderly for us, we can be fully convinced that in the coming year, everything that happens to us will happen according to the will of our Creator. Another thought that lies just as firmly on the heart of every true Christian and persistently begs for resolution, especially on New Year’s Day, is the thought of how we spent the past year? On New Year's Day, more than other days, a Christian is obliged to look back at his life and talk with his conscience: what did we do to save our soul last year, what desires and intentions were the main leaders of our activities and lives, and to what extent did we fulfill those rules and regulations that we were obliged to fulfill, as given to us by God for our own salvation? Having placed before the eyes of our conscience, on the one hand, the book of God’s commandments, and on the other, the book of our own deeds last year, before this double mirror, let us draw up for ourselves an attentive and detailed account of how we kept all these commandments of God? It’s a shame to admit, but it’s a sin to hide, we often forgot God, our Creator and Provider, and did not give due praise and thanks for all His good deeds; when using God's mercies they did not comply with their divine purpose; they did not express filial love for Him, they relied more on their own strength, on their friends and acquaintances; they cared more about food and clothing, about buying and selling, about wealth and profits, and so attached their hearts to earthly goods that under the weight of them they could not ascend to the Giver of them. The name of God was taken in vain, Sundays and holidays were spent in idle talk, in merriment and amusement; they did not fulfill the fasts established by God, they did not clear their conscience with repentance and sincere confession; they did not take advantage of the wise and loving care of the church for us, they were not at all zealous in the matter of prayer and pious deeds; they did not honor their parents and even deliberately insulted them and contradicted their rightful will; they did not pray for the authorities, they did not honor spiritual mentors and often laughed at them; we did not care at all about the purity of our body, living by the lusts of the flesh, we extended our sights to the goods of others, offended each other, slandered one another, were envious... We met the sorrowful events of our lives not with submission to the will of God, but with cowardice and murmuring... This is what the mirror of our soul will reveal to us if we take a close look at what we have done: we have chosen for our lives not the narrow path of faith and virtue, leading into the stomach, but the wide path of passions leading to destruction. Having thus opened our conscience, what should we wish for ourselves on New Year's Day? “Happy new year, happy new happiness,” we usually say to each other on New Year’s Day. A good wish, if only by happiness we mean that which constitutes the true happiness of a person, and by new happiness we mean the entire renewal of ourselves, all our strengths and abilities; a mind guided by the light of Christ, an honest heart imbued with love for God and one’s neighbor, and a will in agreement with God’s law—this is precisely what we, Christians, lack in our present life, full of various moral shortcomings. In the coming new year, let us wish ourselves that happiness that lies not in earthly, fleeting things, not in wealth, not in nobility and glory, but in ourselves, in our soul and heart; what our conscience approves, what deserves approval from God, for which we are promised bliss in the future life. Let the faith of Christ richly dwell in our hearts, and may it be the main principle guiding our will on all our paths. May the spirit of piety, which was so strong in our grandfathers and fathers, come to life again among us, instill in us respect for the people's shrine and make us sons of Russia, worthy of our ancestors. Let us wish each other a steady and zealous fulfillment of our duties, an unflagging striving for the highest perfection, the fruit of which is purity of heart and meekness of spirit, combined with the most sincere love for God and our neighbors and with full readiness for any sacrifice on our part, when our duty, imposed on us by God and conscience, requires it. But one position, even the most pious one, is not enough. Obedience and unquestioning devotion to the will of God, inscribed by Him Himself on the tablets of Moses, is required from each of us - and then only the Lord will help us find that desired happiness that He has prepared for all who have loved His appearance. And then whatever life gives us, good or evil, we will accept without complaint, in full hope that everything is done according to the will of God. Whether we are destined to have a long life, may it serve us for greater success in goodness, for the accomplishment of great and numerous deeds of righteousness: let him be holy still (Rev. 22:11). Whether death is destined for us soon, let it also serve as gain for us (Phil. 1:21). Whether it be wealth and glory, poverty and uncertainty, pleasures and joys, grief and sorrow - whatever the beneficent right hand of God gives us this year, may everything serve us to our true well-being and happiness. And our Orthodox Church, in the prayer singing performed on the New Year, expresses for us before God all our needs and requirements, all our desires and feelings. And family life with its joys and sorrows, and state life with its prosperity and prosperity, with its anxieties, longed-for peace and battles, and church life with its expansion and establishment - all was embraced by our mother, St. Orthodox Church, in prayer before God on this day, asking Him for mercy and bounty for us sinners. She places us, strangers and strangers on earth, in the face of the almighty and all-good God and makes us fall to Him with thanksgiving, prayers, and petitions. She entrusts our future life to him; Our public peace is also entrusted to him; He entrusts himself too. He asks Him for deliverance from all the troubles and evils that could befall us for our sins. Following her example, let us also, as children who tenderly love our Heavenly Father, surrender ourselves entirely into the hands of God and, together with the church, let us exclaim: “Thy blessings and gifts to Tuna, as a servant of indecency, having been vouchsafed, O Master, we diligently flow to You, giving thanks as much as we can, and to You, as the Benefactor and Creator, we cry out in glory: glory to You, O God the all-generous One, the Creator of all creation, placing times and flights in His power! Bless the crown of the summer of Thy goodness, O Lord; keep the Emperor and Your city in peace and save us.” (Troparia for prayer singing in the New Year). (“Astrakh. Bishop. Vedas.”). January month. 6th day. Baptism of the Lord Evang. from Matt. zach. 6th, ch. III, 13–17 art. 1. History of the Baptism of the Lord In order for the salvation prepared for people, by the grace of God, to be accepted by them, Jesus Christ had to appear in the world - to people and tell them about Himself, about His embassy from God the Father - and had to teach people faith and good living... But He did not appear to the world until He was thirty years old - because at this age, according to the law of the Jews, the right of teaching was determined, i.e., according to the law Moses, a teacher could only be one who was thirty years old... Moreover, before entering into service to the human race, Jesus Christ had to be baptized; as a sinless person, He did not need baptism for Himself, but He was baptized in the Jordan River in order to begin our cleansing from sins - in order to “sanctify the Jordanian streams with Himself” and with His touch impart the power to the water for our cleansing... His baptism took place like this: six months before the appearance of Jesus Christ on the Jordan, John, the Forerunner of Christ, preached to people about the coming of the Messiah in the country of Jordan; John said to those who came to him: “Repent, salvation is at hand” - and he baptized many with the baptism of repentance... But then, among other people, Jesus Christ from Nazareth approached John and asked him for baptism. From his childhood, John knew about the high life of Jesus Christ and therefore says to Him: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” Jesus Christ told him: “Now is not the time to talk about this. We need to fulfill what we are called to do.” This is how it is necessary, this is how it was established by God, that I should be baptized by you: We “must fulfill all righteousness”; John obeyed and baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan. This event was wonderful! But here is a new sign: when Jesus Christ came out of the water, the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God bodily, in the form of a dove, descended from heaven onto Jesus Christ and the voice of God the Father was heard: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” i.e. for His sake, for the sake of this My Son, I will love and have mercy on all who believe in Him and obey His teaching. So the Heavenly Father Himself, in His word, announced to everyone that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Messiah about whom it was told to Adam; “The seed of the woman will erase the head of the serpent” - this is the One Who has been awaited for 5508 years. It is now clear to us why the Baptism of Jesus Christ is called the Epiphany, because God in the Holy Trinity clearly revealed himself to the world: the Son of God, Jesus Christ was baptized, God the Father spoke from heaven, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. Most Holy Trinity, glory to You! 2. Features in the celebration of Epiphany The celebration of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated in the Orthodox Church with special solemnity and is distinguished by many features. The Church prepares believers for the celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord by fasting, which is called Christmas Eve, and many abstain from food, according to legend, until eating St. water, just like on Christmas Eve, such abstinence from food continues until the evening star. Further, like the eve of the Nativity of Christ, on the eve of Epiphany there are (except Saturday and Sunday) the royal hours and the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which begins with Vespers with 12 proverbs. Finally, in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, both on Christmas Eve and on the holiday itself, a great consecration of water is performed in churches, and on the very day of the holiday on rivers, ponds and wells, which we call the walk to the Jordan. This custom comes from apostolic times. During the service, prophecies relating to the event of baptism, baptism itself and its mysterious meaning are remembered, prayers are said calling for the blessing of God on the waters, and the life-giving cross of the Lord is immersed in them three times. The ceremonial procession to the water, at the end of the liturgy, takes place with the cross and the Gospel, with bells ringing, by the light of lamps, with banners and while church songs are sung. The consecration of water is especially solemn in St. Petersburg. Opposite the Winter Palace, on the Neva River, is the magnificent Jordan; in the palace, during the parade of troops, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated by the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, in concelebration with the court clergy; at the end of the liturgy, a solemn procession in which Their Imperial Majesties and Members of the August House, present in St., take part. The Synod of bishops and numerous clergy ascends to the Jordan, and at the moment when the life-giving cross is immersed by the Metropolitan in the river, cannon shots are heard from the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Church commands that the Feast of the Epiphany be celebrated reverently. “Let the feast of the Epiphany be held in great respect, as it is said in the Apostolic Decrees, - let all departments be free on it. And believers have always taken a very active part in this great church celebration, gathering in the churches of God both at eve and on the holiday itself, to be present at the divine service, to listen to pastoral teachings and to receive Holy Communion. secrets St. Gregory the Theologian (in the 4th century) says this in his homily on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord: “Today I recognize my flock; Now I see the church in its proper decoration, for you, having abandoned carnal cares, flocked to worship in such a multitude that the people in the church were embarrassed, and even invaded the altar; and the rest, unable to fit inside, occupied all the entrances, just as some of the bees work inside, while others buzz around the hive.” The orders of the pious Greek emperors prescribed that on the feasts of the Epiphany one should withdraw from public games, spectacles and entertainments for unhindered exercise in matters of piety. 3. Why is the 6th day of January set for the celebration of Epiphany? The celebration of Epiphany, according to church regulations, takes place on the 6th day of the month of January. The basis for this is Orthodox. The church finds in the mysterious understanding of the relationships that exist between Adam and Christ, between the author of death and sin and the Author of salvation and life. According to the teachings of the church fathers, Adam was created on the sixth day, Adam ate the forbidden fruit and died spiritually on the same day on which he was created; so Jesus Christ was baptized on the 6th day of the 1st month and died on the 6th day of the week to redeem humanity from the death to which it was subjected through the sin of Adam. And January 6 corresponds to the sixth day of creation. According to Jewish tradition, the new year, celebrated on the 1st month (Tisri), is also the first day of peace, as well as the day of judgment. Hence, when the Jewish calendar was transferred to the Roman one, and when January 1 was approved as the beginning of the civil Roman year, then January 6th. was naturally chosen for the celebration of the Epiphany, as corresponding to the sixth day of the world, on which Adam was created. Such a foundation is full of depth of meaning and evokes reverence for the church, which has penetrated so deeply into the mysteries of the relationship between fall and redemption! (“Sunday Thursday” 1883 No. 2). 4. Holy water of Epiphany Water consecrated by the threefold immersion of the holy life-giving cross in it on the feast of the Epiphany is called holy Epiphany water. She is credited with special power and importance. According to the testimony of St. Chrysostom, it “never spoils in the homes of believers and those who guard it with respect as a shrine.” This cannot happen with ordinary, simple, unsanctified water, which all pious Christians today can confirm from experience. The Epiphany water is so important and so necessary for all Christians that they must certainly have it in their homes to sanctify themselves and their sinful homes with it, and to use it before eating ordinary food and drink, to keep themselves healthy and to rid themselves of various ailments and illnesses. There were even numerous examples of the fact that some unfortunate people, subject to heavy drunkenness or binge drinking, as well as those possessed by seizures and demons, after a long-term (for example, six-week) use of this Epiphany water, on an empty stomach, out of faith in its miraculous power, were healed forever from their terrible ailments. The very partaking of this water in church books is called communion, of course not in the sense that it could have the same divine power as the very communion of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but in the fact that for some persons who were excommunicated from the Holy Spirit for grave sins. communion, it was prescribed instead of the very communion of the holy mysteries of Christ. And in places remote from the church, in cases of mortal danger, this water, called in Greek agiasma, that is, a shrine, not without particular benefit and joy for the soul of a dying person, can be taught to him, together with the Easter artos, or separately, as a reminder of holy communion. But do not draw from this the conclusion that in all other cases it is possible to replace the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ with this water, as our schismatics are trying to prove, who do not have the opportunity, in their unauthorized departure from the Holy Church, to partake of the holy mysteries of Christ. Epiphany water is important and holy, but, in any case, it can never replace St. communion of the great, heavenly, holy divine mysteries of Christ. We must use it in the confidence that it serves: “for the remission of sins, the healing of soul and body, and for every good benefit, and to drive away all slander of visible and invisible enemies,” as the Holy Church tells us, sanctifying this water with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Some, at midnight, draw water from rivers or springs and, mixing it with water blessed the day before, or on the very day of Epiphany, also store it reverently for sacred use. The custom of drawing water at midnight, on the eve of Epiphany, has the basis that the Savior, according to legend, was baptized by John at midnight, as such a significant time for us, at which many other events of the Old and New Testaments took place. Based on this legend, and hitherto Jerusalem Christians, from local residents and travelers - pilgrims who come to worship the holy places, from the evening, on the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, on the Jordan River, near the place where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was baptized, they gather in huge numbers, with lit candles and with sacred chants. And they wait until, at midnight, the great blessing of water begins, with the triple immersion of the cross, after which everyone vyingly rushes to take holy water and immerse themselves in the sacred streams of the sacred river. Based on this legend, even in the time of St. Chrysostom, it was also a custom among Christians and other rivers and springs to draw water at midnight on Epiphany, and preserve it as a shrine for use throughout the whole year. But, praising the good customs of Christians, which have been preserved to this day from ancient times, we, unfortunately, must note that some Christians, and especially simple, uneducated people, have little understanding of the holiness and power of this Epiphany water and do not know how to treat it as a great shrine. Thus, others, on the eve of Epiphany, without waiting for the end of the service, rush to draw it with noise and shouting without any reverence or fear of God. At the same time, many push each other, break each other’s vessels in a disorderly crowd and spill holy water in vain. And from here there is a terrible crush between them, and even open warfare. Orthodox Christians! Fear God's wrath for such a desecration of the holy Epiphany water and for such a terrible desecration of the holy church, which at this time you are turning not into a house of prayer, but into a den of thieves (Mark 11:17). In the name of St. Church, I ask you all: after the end of the great consecration of water, when you draw up the consecrated water, remember that this is a shrine that must be taken with reverence and fear of God, without rushing or pushing in a noisy disorder. Otherwise, the grace of God, which we call upon this water through the prayers of St. church, will depart from your hearts! And the most holy water, obtained by you with violence, noise and insult to your neighbor, like any shrine, under such conditions, will turn for you, instead of the health of soul and body, only into condemnation from God and good people. Do not defile what God Himself has sanctified, draw water with joy (Is. 12:3), - in silence of soul and body, and with complete reverence! There is no particular need to collect more water than proper. In case of its derogation, it can be diluted with simple, clean, or at other times blessed water, without thereby losing its grace-filled power, even in its smallest drops. (From the “Sermons” of Father Archpriest John Polisadov). 5. The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord among our ancestors None of the Lord's holidays in ancient Rus' were celebrated with such solemnity as the day of the Epiphany. According to eyewitnesses, on this day an extraordinary crowd of people from all over the Russian state came to Moscow to see the “curious action” - the rite of blessing of water, performed by the patriarch on the Moscow River. The celebration began around noon. At about 12 o'clock in the morning, while the patriarch in the Assumption Cathedral was beginning the service, the ringing of the bells on Ivan the Great announced to the people that the sovereign had begun the procession from his palace. The Emperor usually went out to the cathedral, accompanied by boyars and other dignitaries, along the red porch. When he appeared, the people, seeing the bright royal eyes, struck with their foreheads. Only the highest ranks entered the cathedral with the sovereign: boyars, okolnichy, duma and close people, the rest of the people stood in crowds at the cathedral. After the liturgy was celebrated in the Assumption Cathedral, a solemn procession to the Jordan began. The procession was opened by archers numbering 400 or 600 people, sometimes more. They were in colored service dress, with banners and drums, and walked four people in a row. This brilliant detachment of archers was followed by a procession of the cross, which closed with the procession of the patriarch. Here, in the presentation of banners, crosses and St. icons, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, archimandrites, abbots, councilors and the entire priestly rank, by degree, walked, the younger ones in front, the older ones behind, all in rich vestments. A lot of clergy took part in the process - there were up to 300 parish priests alone and up to 200 deacons. Behind the patriarch, accompanied by various military ranks, walked the sovereign. He was in a large royal outfit. In addition to the luxurious zipun and the richest caftan, he wore a royal dress made of expensive golden material with pearls and lace; on his head was a crown or, as it was called then, a royal cap, glittering with precious stones: diamonds, emeralds, yahonts. The sovereign's shoulders were covered with a rich diadem; on his chest on a golden chain hung a cross with a particle of the Life-Giving Tree, and sometimes a golden cross with the Savior's robe. On the Moscow River, where this procession quietly and solemnly followed, in front of the Tainitsky Gate, above the place where the action of immersing the Honorable Cross in the water was to take place, a beautiful Jordanian canopy was erected, supported by four columns and a cornice painted with paints, silver and gold. In the corners of the canopy were depicted 4 evangelists, and inside were the apostles and other saints, and the image of the Baptism of the Lord was also placed right there. In addition, the whole Jordan was decorated with silk and tin painted flowers, green tassels and even birds cut from copper sheets and also painted with paints; on top of it was a gilded cross. Near the Jordan there were special places for the king and the patriarch. The royal place, usually set up in Jordan as a tent-maker, was in the form of a small round church, with five domes made of mica; there were crosses on the heads. This five-domed top was supported on five turned pillars, painted in gold with grape branches. At the top of the pillars there was a gmyz (cornice), painted with herbs on the inside, gilded on the outside and decorated with through carvings. Along this cornice, silvered boards were placed in suitable places, and “poems for the Erdani were written on them.” Inside, the royal place was drawn around with a cloth or taffeta curtain. The entire space near the Jordan canopy, the royal and patriarchal place, was fenced with a carved lattice and covered with red cloth. In addition to the bars, Jordan was separated from the people by two railings. When the procession came to the Jordan, and the king and the patriarch took their places, the clergy usually stood on the sides of the Jordan, and the boyars and other high ranks near the royal place. People crowded in thick crowds along the banks of the river. The troops beat drums at this time, doing honor to the holiday. The ceremony of consecration of water took place as follows. First, the spiritual authorities and council members approached the sovereign and the patriarch, by degree, two in a row, and bowed. Then the patriarch distributed candles to everyone, starting with the sovereign, and performed the action according to order. While he was immersing the Life-Giving Cross in the water while singing: “Save, Lord,” the leading people of all regiments and standard-bearers with banners approached the Jordan to sprinkle them with St. water After immersing the cross, the patriarch drew water from the Jordan with a silver bucket and gave it to the cleric, then he also filled it with St. water to the sovereign’s “foot,” which the clergy carried to the palace and sprinkled all the rooms and icons there. The “action” ended with the patriarch crossing the sovereign three times and sprinkling him with St. water and congratulated him on his triumph. The Emperor, together with the entire Synclite, venerated the cross and, in turn, congratulated the Patriarch. The Tsar and all other clergy congratulated the boyars, Duma councilors and close people, and one of the leading boyars gave a congratulatory speech to the Tsar. - After that, two archimandrites sprinkled the banners and troops stationed on the Moscow River. The religious procession returned in the same solemn order, with the harmonious singing of the people and the loud ringing of the “forty forty” of the Belokamennaya. (Russian pilgrimage 1895 No. 1). 6. About the sacred river Jordan There is no river in the world of God more sacred to Christians than the Jordan River. In the streams of this sacred river, our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to receive baptism from the Baptist John. On the Jordan, after the Baptism of the Lord, the New Testament worship of the Holy Trinity appeared to the world. On the Jordan, the greatest mystery of Epiphany was revealed to the people of God. In the Jordan I am baptized to You, Lord. Trinity Appearing Worship. (Tropic celebration of Epiphany). There is the deepest valley on earth - this is the Jordan Valley; There is no deeper valley on earth than this. Being such the deepest valley of the globe, this area did not know and does not know our Russian winter, our snows, our bitter frosts... The deep Jordan Valley is a natural and natural bed of the sacred streams of the sacred Jordan River. Never before have these streams been bound by ice and never seen the ice cover of the rivers of the north. The warmth of the waters of the Jordan is never less than 15 degrees Celsius... And the Jordan originates from the melting of the eternal snows of the heights of the Lebanese mountains... The sources of the Jordan River are formed in this way: During the days of the wheat harvest in St. The snow and ice of the Lebanese mountains neighboring the holy land begin to melt. Near the ancient borders of the “tribe of Dan”, the first small stream of the Jordan originates from Lebanon. (The name Dan was undoubtedly reflected here in the name Ior-Dan). The second, much larger, stream originates near the city of Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13). Along the way, in its own way, taking in many other mountain streams, this stream, merging with the first source of the Jordan, flows as a small mountain river into the small lake Samokhonitskoye (or now Merom). The lake is 6 miles long. From Merom, the Jordan flows as a foamy river, similar to our Caucasian rivers - Rion, Aragva, etc. Having quickly covered a space of 15 miles, the Jordan flows into the Sea of ​​Galilee or Tiberias - the sea on which the apostles of Christ, before they were awarded the call to be fishers of men, were engaged in catching the numerous fish of their native lake. Frequent, instantaneous storms of this lake-sea knew the Divine commanding voice of our Savior, who forbade the winds and established silence in the midst of the storm (Matthew 8:26). From the Sea of ​​Tiberias, which is 25 miles long, the Jordan emerges as a beautiful, deep, fast-flowing river. Here the river, winding between the Moab and Judah mountains, receives the wide and fertile Jordan Valley. This valley is God’s wondrous garden! Here is the never-fading greenery of herbs, flowers, oleanders, palm trees and other shady trees and cereals that caress the eye. Having walked the entire length of St. land, the Jordan finally disappears into the still waters of the Dead Sea. In the dead embrace of this sea, the ever-murmuring Jordan, full of life, seems to freeze. If a small Jordanian fish is carried by fast-flowing river streams into the asphalt (resin) depths of the Dead Sea, then it immediately falls asleep. So often the embrace of death unexpectedly snatches away even those who swim too quickly along the stream of everyday vanity! The Jordan Valley, in its direct extent from the Sea of ​​Tiberias to the Dead Sea, extends no more than 100 miles. But, meandering among the neighboring mountains, along their bends and slopes, this valley extends up to 300 miles. It was this space that our Lord Jesus Christ passed through when from Galilee He made His way to Jerusalem, not along a straight road through hostile Samaria, but along a roundabout road, beyond the Jordanian country. Christ the Lord walked this way on the third Easter to His free suffering on the top of Golgotha. The width of the Holy Jordan is not the same everywhere, of course. In other places, the mountains of Judah and Moab, converging on the right and left, compress the waters of the river into the narrowest passage. Here the width of the river is only a fathom. And the Jordan quickly runs through these terrible passages! Here it bubbles and boils. In these places, compared to the prophet of God Jeremiah, the Jordan comes out like a lion from the heights (XLIX, 19). In other places, where the width of the valley is very spacious - 15-20 versts, the Jordan in its bed gurgles its streams measuredly and quietly. Its width in such places can be 20 fathoms or more. There were no bridges on the Jordan. They don't exist now. Just as the patriarch Jacob crossed this Jordan with his rod (Gen. 32:10), so now all pilgrims cross the Jordan into a ford on the water. The Jordan is generally a deep river. But along its course there are about 5 natural ford crossings. These crossings replace bridges on the river. There is an interpretation that such crossings were called Vifavars. The Holy Evangelist John the Theologian, preaching the gospel of the baptism of the Forerunners of the Lord, says that this happened in Bethabara, near the Jordan, where John baptized (John 1:28). It was already noted above that the holy Jordan, like a mountain river, flows very quickly, carrying away everything that comes in its way. How many “branches of Palestine” are carried away by the fast-flowing river into the still waters of the Dead Sea! From the bottom and sides, the Jordan carries away in its current: a large amount of silt and sand. Therefore, the water of the Jordan, during its flow, is muddy and muddy, like our rivers of the mountainous Caucasus. But if this water settles in a clean vessel, it is transparent and pure, like the purest crystal. In a well-sealed vessel, this water never spoils. And how much on St. Rus' was brought to Jordanian water by our domestic pilgrims! Many sacred events took place on the Jordan, both from the history of the Old Testament, and from the history of the New Testament, and also from the history of the universal church of Christ. The ancestor of the 12 tribes of the Jewish people, Patriarch Jacob, crossed the Jordan River. Joshua miraculously translated the entire host of the Jewish people through the Jordan (Joshua 3:15). King David took refuge behind the Jordan, escaping the persecution of his beloved son Absalom (2 Sam. 17:22). According to the word of the prophet of God Elisha, Naaman the Syrian, having washed in the Jordan 7 times, received healing from severe leprosy (2 Kings 5:10). Beyond the Jordan was the temporary camp of Judah Maccabee (1Mac.5:52). They often crossed the Jordan and St. apostles, accompanying their Divine Teacher. And now, on the way from Jordan to Jerusalem, they indicate “the wells of the apostles.” Let's finish where we started. The most important sacred event on the Jordan is the Baptism of the Lord and the Epiphany of the Holy Trinity. But maybe someone will say: how unhappy I am that I was not on the Jordan River. Unfounded complaint! – All of us Christians have been honored with the great and holy sacrament of baptism. The font of baptism, having washed away our original sin, was for each of us the sacred Jordan. (Kiev. Bishop Ved.). 7. The meaning of the baptism of I. Christ in the work of redemption Jesus is the leader of the belly to resolve the condemnation that is coming on the primordial Adam, but as if God does not require cleansing, He cleanses the fallen in the Jordan, and in it, having killed enmity, He bestows peace on all minds. This ecclesiastical verse of the canon of the Feast of Epiphany indicates and glorifies the redemptive significance of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. Jesus is the boss of the belly. Jesus, as God, is the Creator of the whole world, therefore He is the Head or the Author of the life of all beings, animate and inanimate, filling the universe. But in the verse under consideration it is understood not all life, but human life, which has its beginning from Christ: “In Him we live, move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Man was created for an eternally blissful life not only in the soul, but also in the body. Such was his life in paradise before the Fall. In her soul she was supported by close communication with God, who treated him like a father to his children, talked with him face to face, and in her body she was supported by the fruits of the tree of life, eating which, a person would be painless and immortal. But man did not enjoy a blissful life in paradise for long. For the fall, the primordial Adam was expelled from paradise and not only subjected himself to condemnation from God to bodily death and deprivation of God’s grace, but also all his offspring, who inherited sin from him, for we are all born in iniquities and conceived in sins - and with sin we receive bodily and spiritual death, which consists in moral distance from God. Fallen man was threatened with eternal destruction, the same fate as the devil. But the merciful Lord, who does not want the death of the sinner and desires the salvation of all, even in the eternal council decided to save man through His Only Begotten Son. He so loved people created in His image and likeness that He did not spare His Only Begotten Son for salvation, but gave Him up for us to humiliation and suffering in human form, so that “whoever believes in Him will not perish, but may have eternal life.” He appeared on earth in this image for our redemption. Among His redemptive actions is baptism in the Jordan. After thirty years of His earthly life, He comes to the Jordan to resolve, that is, to destroy, “the condemnation of the first-created Adam.” To remove this condemnation, He had to cleanse the primordial Adam in the person of his descendants from sins, and behold, He cleanses fallen Adam from the sins by receiving the baptism of repentance in the waters of the Jordan. He Himself had no need for this purification. “He, like God, did not require cleansing.” Baptism was associated with repentance of sins and confession of them. He, the Most Holy One in essence, had no sins, and He had nothing to repent of. But, being sinless, He took upon Himself alone the sins of the whole world and, plunging into the waters of the Jordan, He washed all people from the defilements of sin in His face. His baptism had cleansing power not for Him personally, but for all sinners who had faith in Him as the Redeemer. On the cross He redeemed people with His blood, and in the Jordan with water. Just as by death on the cross He reconciled people with God, who was angry with their sins, so baptism in the waters of the Jordan had the same reconciliation as its goal. Through the Fall, man placed himself in a hostile relationship with God and incurred His righteous wrath, for he went over to the side of his enemy. In the Jordan, Christ “killed this enmity” and restored the peace of God with man, a peace that surpasses all understanding, that is, so deep that it surpasses all understanding. How is this world communicated to us? The grace of the Holy Spirit, given to us in the sacraments of the Holy Church, starting with baptism. This saving grace is the fruit of the atoning merits of Jesus Christ. (Kostroma, teaching for 1898, Bishop Vissarion). 8. Examples from the lives of saints, proving and explaining the dogma of the Holy Trinity I. At the first ecumenical council there was a competition between Orthodox Christians and Arians, who rejected the consubstantial persons of the Holy Trinity. The Lord gave St. Spyridon (Trimifuntsky) has the strength to defend the truth of Orthodoxy. Taking a clay vessel (plinth) in his hands, he squeezed it, and fire came out to the top, and water flowed down; the vessel remained in his hand. “Here,” said the saint, there are three objects, but one plinth! So in the Trinity there are three persons, but one God” (Ch. M. Dec. 19). II. At the second ecumenical council, as a denunciation of the Arians, they asked St. Meletius to expound the correct teaching about St. Trinity. The saint, standing up, showed those present three mated fingers in the image of the three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity; then, having put two fingers together and bent one, he blessed the people in this way - and fire came out of him, like lightning. After this he exclaimed: “So we understand three Hypostases, we are talking about one being!” (Ch.M. Feb. 12th). III. Once the Saracen sages asked Saint Constantine: “How do you, Christians, divide the one God into three Gods? “You have the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”... “Do not slander the Most Holy Trinity,” answered the inspired sage, “The Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three hypostases, but the essence is one. Look at the sun, set by God in the image of the Holy Trinity in heaven; there are three things in it: circle, radiance and warmth; so it is in the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The solar circle is a likeness of God the Father: for just as a circle has neither beginning nor end, so God is beginningless and infinite: and just as radiance and warmth come from the solar circle, so from God the Father the Son is born and the Holy Spirit proceeds. The radiance that comes from the sun and enlightens the whole of heaven is the likeness of God the Son, born of the Father and enlightening the whole world with the Gospel; and the warmth of the sun, which comes from the same circle along with the radiance, is the likeness of God the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the same Father eternally. So, consider the sun and know the Holy Trinity. The sun is made up of three substances: circle, radiance and warmth, but is it divided into three suns, although each thing has a special property? One is a circle, another is radiance, the third is warmth; but who will say that there are not one, but three suns? So the Most Holy Trinity, although it has three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is not divided into three Gods by the Divinity, but one is God.” – The Saracen sages did not know what to say against Konstantinov’s proof, and turned their conversation to other subjects (Uch. bl. vol. 2). 9. The vows we made at baptism The baptism of Jesus Christ, which we remember, transfers our thoughts to our own baptism. Without a doubt, it is useful to think carefully about what we accepted unconsciously in childhood, to think about the vows that were given for us by our godfather and mother, about the power and meaning for us of the first sacrament in our lives. And it is even more certain that it would be salutary for each of us to dwell on these subjects as often as possible and think about them longer. a) Every person, as a descendant of our fallen forefather, is a slave of sin and the devil. That is why the first action that the church performs on us at baptism is to conjure the devil and renounce him. The priest prays to God to drive away all attacks and temptations of the devil from the person being baptized, to grant him a bright guardian angel and, after the so-called incantatory prayers, three times asks the person being baptized or his successors: have you denied Satan and all his works, and all his angels, and all his ministry, and all his pride? Have you renounced Satan? And the person being baptized three times answers the first question: I deny, and the second: I renounce. As a sign of complete, complete renunciation of Satan and aversion from all service to him, the person being baptized, at the priestly invitation, blows and spits on him. The first effect of grace given in baptism is that a person is freed from slavery to sin and the devil. Man is no longer the slave of the devil, but the Son of God and heir of God's promises. You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus: for as many as you were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ (Gal. 3:26–27). – Do we later in life avoid this slavery to sin and the devil? Are we not easily and voluntarily surrendering to this slavery? Do not our varied passions make us their zealous servants? Some were possessed by the demon of laziness, others by pride and vanity, others by stinginess and covetousness, others by hatred and envy, others by gluttony and delicacy, others by hypocrisy and pharisaism. Let us remember again the vow of baptism and the grace given in this sacrament; with all our might we will constantly renounce Satan, and all his works, and all service to him. b) Following the questions about renunciation of the devil, the priest asks the person being baptized the following questions: are you compatible with Christ? - that is, do you enter into union with Christ? Did you fit in with Christ? And do you believe Him? And the person being baptized answers every question asked three times: I am united, I am united, I believe in Him as a King and God. The Lord our Savior clearly told us: whoever has faith and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16). Thus, by expressing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace given when immersed in water, we are reborn into a new, spiritual life. Hitherto dead spiritually, we come to life, hitherto rejected from God, angry with man, we enter into grace-filled communication with Him, put on Christ, that is, we receive from Him justification and all the weapons necessary to achieve salvation. We become beloved children of Christ, His allies and joint heirs. It is good for those of us who constantly remain in this union with the Lord, our Savior, who always remembers that he is a son and follower of Christ, who always acts in accordance with this calling, who tries with all his might to keep the immaculate and pure robe of baptism, who, finally, even if he sins, turns to Him, our merciful Father, and begs Him for forgiveness of his sins. And may the Lord always protect us from betrayal of holy Christian vows and convictions. We will only regret that there are such traitors among Christians - there are people who only call themselves Christians, but do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ at all and declare this not only verbally, but even in the printed word. If you ever have to read such works in your life, beware of being foolishly carried away by them for the sake of their news and fashion. Beloved, St. tells us. ap. John, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). (Compiled from “Taught.” by Archpriest Megorsky; sn. Daily Teachings in the Word of God, vol. 2, G. Dyachenko). January month. 7th day. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Evang. from John zach. 3rd, ch. I, 29–31. 1. Testimony of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist John stood with his disciples on the banks of the Jordan when Jesus Christ, after his desert exploits and victory over the tempter, walked along the deserted banks of the Jordan. John points to the Lord to his disciples and says to them: behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. These brief words contained an entire sermon, which is fully revealed in the Gospel. All the Jews expected the promised Savior, but they expected Him as the great King of the earth. Only John showed the people the true image of the Savior, who came to take upon Himself the sins of the world and suffer for them. This image reminded the disciples of the prophecy of Isaiah, where the Holy One of Israel is depicted as humble as a lamb, bearing our sins, mourning and suffering for our iniquities (Isaiah LIII). Like the ancient prophets, John sees in the person of Jesus Christ the King and at the same time the Sufferer, the Ruler of the world and at the same time the Redeemer of people by His death. The expression of deep self-abasement, meekness and sincere humility, which John saw both on the face and in the whole image of Jesus coming to him, had a strong effect on John’s soul, and he said: behold, the Lamb; and in order to inspire his listeners that this Lamb Jesus Christ is not by chance subject to death, but by the eternal determination of God, that He is only able to bring eternal justice atonement for the sins of people, he calls Him the Lamb of God, chosen by God Himself. With further words - take away the sins of the world - John, without a doubt, points not only to the patience and meekness of the Lord in enduring insults and, in general, the disasters of this life, the purity of His life and the purity of the spirit, but primarily and mainly - to the propitiatory death of the Lord, by which He granted people forgiveness of sins. This is, continued John, pointing his listeners to Jesus, about Him I said: A man is coming for me, who was before me, as if he were before me (John 1:30). The not entirely definite expression: “Who was before me,” which John used in contrast to the expression: “He will come after me,” and which can be understood both in relation to time and in relation to dignity, is immediately explained: “For he was first before me.” It is obvious that John is not making mere repetition here, but has in mind the dignity of the nature of the One coming after him, and by this he shows that the Messiah, as one who was before his birth, is an Eternal Being and therefore Divine. From here the light spills onto all other places in which the Baptist presents himself to such a degree below his Successor that he considers himself unworthy to untie the strap of His boots, or to perform before Him any other service of the last servant (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16, John 1:27); This is how he presents himself precisely because he confesses the Divine Person in the Messiah: This is the Son of God, calling Him the Son of God, as can already be concluded from what has been said, not in the sense and meaning in which kings and judges are called sons of God or gods in the Old Testament (Psalm LXXXII 1-6), but recognizing Him as the true God. God by His very essence. To indicate the basis of his sermon about Jesus Christ and make it more convincing for his disciples, John continues that in Jesus Christ he recognizes the promised Redeemer not according to his own understanding and conviction, but by direct revelation from God Himself: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remaining on Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me: On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” It remained to end this sermon with what was self-evidently clear to John’s disciples: “if you are waiting for the promised Savior and want to enter His kingdom, then follow Him; He is now before your eyes." (See the book “Collection of statistics on the interpretation of the four-evang.” E. Barsova, vol. I). The Holy Church has a custom, on the day after great holidays, to glorify those saints of God who were the main participants in the celebrated event. Since the main participant in the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ was John, we dedicate the day following the feast of Epiphany to the glorification of this glorious prophet and ascetic of piety, who was honored to baptize the Savior of the world. The entire life of the Forerunner of the Lord, from his birth to his death, was marked by special, extraordinary qualities. John's parents were the righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth. They lived to old age without having children, but patiently endured their childlessness. For this they were comforted by the Lord at the end of their days. Zechariah was a priest at the temple in Jerusalem, and then one day, when he was correcting his order of service in the church, an angel appeared to him with the joyful news of the birth of a son from him. “Your prayer has been heard,” said the messenger of God: “your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son and you will call him John; he will be great before the Lord and will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb.” Such a promise seemed so extraordinary to Zechariah that he did not believe what he himself heard and saw. Then the angel said to Zechariah: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, sent to bring this good news to you. And so, you will remain dumb until the day this comes true, because you did not believe my words.” And, indeed, Zechariah immediately lost his speech, so that he could not finish the service. Everything happened later, as the angel announced: Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and everyone saw in this the special favor of God towards the elderly pious spouses. The baby's eighth day has come; On this day, Jews usually gave a name to a newborn. The relatives wanted to name the baby after his father, Zacharias, but the mother said that she wanted to name her son John. Then they decided to use signs to ask their father, who was still mute. Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote on it: “His name will be John.” Immediately after this, his tongue resolved, and he foretold the fate of his son. From a young age, John retired to the desert, where he lived a strictly solitary and ascetic life. He was a virgin and did not drink wine or any other drink. He did not please his flesh with sweet food, but ate dry fruits and wild honey. He dressed in stiff fabric made from coarse camel hair, and also girded himself with a leather belt. Far from people and worldly bustle, John prepared himself for high service. Appearing to the people, the Forerunner began to preach about the coming of the kingdom of Christ. “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” he cried, “create fruits worthy of repentance.” Many people came to John at the Jordan to listen to his teachings. Some confessed their sins to him and declared their desire to improve. He immersed such in the waves of the Jordan as a sign that, having washed themselves physically with water, they should also be pure in soul, free from the filth of sin. Everyone, starting with the ruler of Judea Herod, respected and revered John as a great prophet. He fearlessly denounced King Herod for his illegal marriage with his brother's wife and demanded the dissolution of this marriage. For this, the evil Herodias was annoyed with him. Following her slander, Herod imprisoned John the Baptist. But the vengeful Herodias was still dissatisfied with this. One day Herod held a feast at his place. During the feast, Herodias' daughter, Salome, came and began to dance. Herod liked her dance so much that he promised to give her whatever she asked. Then the girl, on the advice of her mother, asked Herod for John’s death. And so, St. The Forerunner of Christ John was beheaded by a soldier, receiving the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of Christ. In the person of the holy glorious Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John St. the church offers us a majestic image, a clear example of abstinence. Let some features, some exploits from the life of the glorified saint. the Church of the Baptist of Christ John are unattainable for us. But what prevents us all from imitating, for example, the abstinence in which St. John? Each of us can understand the beneficial consequences of abstinence: it is the surest means of preserving both our health and our earthly well-being. How often do we see that from an intemperate lifestyle, a person’s bodily strength is upset, and premature death comes. On the contrary, when everything is given its time, when work and rest are regularly replaced by one another, then a person’s strength is preserved in all its strength until his very old age. A self-controlled person completes every task in due time, and that is why the success of his labors is happy and fruitful. Otherwise, we notice in the life of a riotous person, indulging in intemperance in drinking, food and pleasure. Such a person little by little becomes unaccustomed to business, falls into laziness, indulges in wastefulness and soon ruins his well-being. Nowadays, almost everyone complains about poverty and the difficulty of life. But why have we become poor, why do many of us have no income? Is it because we have begun to forget modesty and abstinence in the lives of our ancestors? Whoever compares our present life with the life of our grandfathers and fathers will find that we have a lot of excess in clothes, food, and pleasures. But intemperance brings even more evil to our soul and salvation. When a person falls into the vice of intemperance, he loses his conscience, shame and reason. Let us remember Herod, the ruler of the Jews: he agreed to the insane request of the evil daughter Herodias during a feast, when he immoderately indulged in the joy and amusement of the girl who had forgotten the shame. The same thing happens to many of us Christians; and now many, having given themselves over to some passion, very often decide to commit a great sin. So, beloved, know how beneficial abstinence is and how destructive excess or whims are. Oh, if only the example of the glorified St. Church of the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ John aroused in us zeal and an unshakable decision to spend our lives in strict abstinence from all temptations of the enemy of our salvation! True, there are many temptations in the world, and some of them are very difficult to resist. But we have an Intercessor who, with His omnipotent grace, is always ready to support our weakness, and with His goodness to cover our involuntary sins. So, let us pray to the Lord, that He, the Merciful One, will give us the strength to courageously fight against worldly temptations. (See “Resurrection leaf.” No. 61, appended to the magazine “Sunday Day”). January month. Day 30 Cathedral of Three Saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom Evang. from Matt., count. 11, ch. V, 14–19. 1. The Lord’s instruction to the apostles, and through them to all shepherds, about their purpose and the teaching about the inviolability of the commandments of the Old Testament The Lord spoke to His disciples, you are the light of the world. Having called the apostles the light of the world, Christ showed them their important purpose and high qualities. Being the Light of Light, the Father and Source of lights (1 John 1:5; James 1:17) and the Author of illumination, the true light that enlightens every person who comes into the world (John 1:9), He alone is actually the light of the world: whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). To call a person, after this, the light of the world means to attribute to him that property that belongs to God alone, and, therefore, no one can call him by this name except God, Who, according to the name, can give him a part of His glory. Jesus Christ, with the name of His disciples and apostles as the light of the world, connected the idea that they should shed their light before other people, and these should contemplate the light of His disciples and in their light find for themselves the best motivation to live in such a way as to glorify the Heavenly Father with their lives. Our most merciful Lord deigned to concentrate the light of the world not only in the apostles, but also in those who succeeded in the apostolic ministry, the heralds of the appearance in the flesh of the Source of light, and deigned to accomplish the work of our salvation through people like us - shepherds and teachers of the church. So, when the successors of the apostolic ministry - the shepherds and teachers of the church - are the light of the world and lamps (Matthew 5:14-15), then what can the world expect from them? Similar to what can be expected from the luminous and life-giving, in itself, material luminary - the sun. Just as it is necessary for the light emanating from the sun to produce illumination and warmth that would impart vitality to everything living - which is possible only when the sun is pure in itself and is not obscured from the outside by clouds, and when it is in a direct position to the earth, so equally necessary are the conditions for the fruitful action of the gracious light - which is also possible only with the purity of the soul of the shepherd, drawing the light of truth in the bright streams of the word of God, and only with its proper attitude towards to those for whom she should be light and life. Just as sensual sunlight, illuminating our eyes with its rays, gives us the opportunity to see the objects of the material world, at a certain distance, and reason about them, so the pastoral word drives away the darkness of ignorance, enlightens the minds with faith and imparts to believers a clear knowledge of the objects of the spiritual world, so long as the shepherds themselves are not infected with sin. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be clothed, because they are evil (John 3:20). That is why Jesus Christ, having called the apostles and their successors the light of the world, although he gave them the light as if it were their property, he also commanded them to use this light not only for themselves, but also to illuminate others - he commanded them not to hide it from people. “A city standing on the top of a mountain cannot be hidden,” He says, and having lit a candle, they do not put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:14-15), i.e. as if he said: “God chose you and made you preachers of the faith; This means that you must be known to everyone, everyone must see you, just as a city standing on an elevated area can be seen from a considerable distance; God has chosen you as preachers of the faith; do not hide the preaching of the Gospel out of negligence or fear, just as it is unwise to put a lighted candle under a bushel and, at the same time, leave the people in the house in the dark.” In what way can this blessed light primarily spread between people? So let your light shine before people, Jesus Christ commands the apostles, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). This is the true light that should come from the pastors and teachers of the church: only through good works can they spread their light to others. – The examples of shepherds are quite remarkable. The flock look at their shepherds very carefully, therefore all the deeds and actions of the shepherds should be pure, bright, instructive and edifying; A shepherd must always show only good qualities. However, this does not mean that he did good deeds for praise and out of vanity. According to the commandment of the Lord, it is not the shepherds themselves who should try to demonstrate their virtues before people, but so that the light of the shepherds is enlightened before people, so that the victorious power of the example of the shepherds inflames others to Christian virtues. But if the words of the Lord apply to the servants of God: let your light shine before men, then the Lord’s expectation also applies to those taught and guided by them on the path to eternal salvation that they will see the good deeds of their leaders and will glorify the Heavenly Father. To see in shepherds experiences and examples of high virtues and not to improve one’s deeds according to these experiences and examples means to be in the darkness of ignorance, to be under the influence of gross passions and vices. We must value the good examples of leaders on the path to salvation, which they set with their word, life, love, spirit, faith, and purity (1 Tim. 4:12). But if it happened that the good instructions of the servant of the Word were not written in the book of his own life, then those who were led would act unforgivably if they rejected the just and useful instructions of those whose actions do not correspond to their words. The grace of God, saving the whole person, is poured out on Christians through the shepherd, regardless of his behavior. The Savior gives a direct commandment: whatever slaughter you are commanded to observe, observe and do: but do not do them by deeds (Matthew 23:3). The Holy Apostle Paul instills in all Christians, without exception, to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, so that they may be innocent and whole children of God, blameless, and appear as lights in the world (Phil. 2:12-15), the word of the beast (16). Do not imagine, the Lord continues, that he came to destroy the law, or the prophets: he did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Amen, for I say to you: Until heaven and earth pass away, one jot, or one tittle, will not pass from the law, until they all will be. By law and prophets we mean not only the books of the law of Moses and the books of the prophets in the narrow sense of this name, but also the entire Old Testament word of God; for both teaching and descriptive holy books were also written by prophets and serve to reveal and supplement the law of Moses (Matthew 22:40; Luke 16:29–31; Acts 13:15). The Old Testament writings are very naturally called by these two names; since the law and the prophets constitute essential parts of God's Old Testament dispensation for human salvation; the law because it awakens the need for redemption; prophets, because they show where to look for the satisfaction of this need. By the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, the Savior means, firstly, the complete and deep revelation of meaning and, at the same time, the most perfect spiritual fulfillment of the moral law. That the Lord fulfilled the law in this sense does not need to be proven, when the gospel history clearly testifies that the entire life of the Lord was the most perfect expression and fulfillment of the will of the Heavenly Father. However, it would be unreasonable to limit the thought of Jesus Christ about the fulfillment of the law and the prophets only by the moral instructions of the Old Testament. This is not allowed both by the general image of the expression about the law and the prophets: do not think that the law or the prophets came to destroy, that is, in general, and not in one or another part of the Old Testament, and also by a special indication of the fulfillment of the law in every jot and tittle: one jot, or one tittle will not pass away, until the whole is complete. So, by the fulfillment of the law and the prophets we mean, secondly, the fulfillment of the ritual law and prophecies of the Old Testament in the strict sense of the word. And indeed, before Jesus Christ the ritual part of the law in its essence was not fulfilled. Everything that the priests of the Old Testament did was only an image, and not the thing itself. Jesus Christ completely fulfilled this law, offering Himself as a true and acceptable sacrifice to God and the Father and ascending, as a true High Priest, into the eternal and true Holy of Holies, into heaven itself. The same sacrifice is offered to this day in his church, and the church itself presents itself as a living sacrifice pleasing to God, being strengthened and purified by the spirit of Christ. Therefore, the abolition of the ritual law should not be understood as if its power had ended forever. In the New Testament church, the ritual law is also fulfilled, but it is fulfilled not in letter, but in spirit; for the legal Old Testament rites had a spiritual meaning and served as an image of future, that is, Christ's benefits. So, for example, the law of circumcision, abolished in its letter, is fulfilled in our spirit in the sacrament of baptism (Col 2:11-12). In a similar way, the Lord fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies in His events and deeds and continues to fulfill them in His church, which is His body. The New Testament scriptures speak about this; The entire history of Christ's Church testifies to this. “How did He fulfill it?” - says blessed Theophylact in explaining these words. “He fulfilled it, first, by fulfilling all that was spoken about Him by the prophets. Therefore, the evangelist often says: may what was spoken by one or another prophet be fulfilled. He also fulfilled all the commandments of the law: you shall not commit lawlessness; flattery will be found in His mouth (Is. 53:9). He fulfilled the law in the sense that He completed it, for He outlined in complete perfection what the law represented as one shadow. The law said: Thou shalt not kill, but Christ: and do not be angry in vain. Likewise, the painter does not erase the initial outline, but clarifies and complements it. The words: until heaven and earth pass away, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass from the law, until they all remain, contain confirmation that the law cannot be broken; It is sooner for heaven and earth to pass away than for the law to remain unfulfilled. Iota is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The rabbis called a stroke the bend by which one letter differs from another, similar in outline. The Lord says further: whoever destroys these little commandments and teaches this to men, he will be called in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever teaches this great thing will be called in the kingdom of heaven. He will destroy, that is, by misinterpreting he will take away the power of the commandment, as the Jewish teachers of the law did, and, looking at it as unimportant, will not consider it a sin to break it. One of these small commandments. In these words, the Lord is referring to the way of thinking of the Pharisees. The Pharisees divided the commandments of the moral law into two classes: great and small commandments. The former were called mothers, the latter daughters. They said about these latter that violating them does not constitute an important sin. But among these latter, out of their blindness, they set rules that related to the essence of the law - to love, alms and justice (see Matt. 23:23). The Savior speaks here about these last commandments and calls them small, small, however, only according to the false concept of the Pharisees. The Savior said something like this: if someone does not fully recognize the importance of those commandments that, according to the Pharisees, are of little importance; if anyone does not consider their violations criminal, he will be lesser in the kingdom of heaven. So, the Lord’s conversation, from a general speech about the law and the prophets, or about the Old Testament, begins to lean towards the teaching about the fulfillment of especially the spiritual and moral instructions of the Old Testament, as a necessary condition for achieving the Kingdom of Heaven. Mniy will be called, that is, he will be. The word - the supposed Savior used in accordance with the previous expression - small commandments, but it does not mean that the teacher who destroys the small commandments will remain in the kingdom of Christ, occupying only the lowest blindness of bliss. When the Lord says that he who, like the Pharisees, breaks some commandments and teaches others the same will be the least in the kingdom of God, then He means that this person will forever be removed from the kingdom of glory. “When you hear the words: “least in the kingdom of heaven,” says Saint Chrysostom, then understand by them nothing other than Gehenna or torment. For is it possible that he who calls his brother foolish and breaks one commandment should be cast into Gehenna? and whoever breaks the whole law and brings others to this point will be in the kingdom? This is not what is meant here, but that at that time he will be the least, that is, the outcast, the last; and the latter, without a doubt, will then be cast into Gehenna.” In response to the words: He will create and teach, Blessed Theophylact makes the following remark: The Lord “said in advance: He will create, and then he will teach: for how can I lead another along a path that I myself have not walked? On the other hand, if I create and do not teach, I will not have such a reward, and I will even deserve punishment if I do not teach out of envy or laziness. Thus, the general meaning of the considered words of Christ is as follows: “you are zealous,” as Christ would say to the Jews, “you are zealous for the law and the prophets, trembling for their every letter, as your leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, taught you. Know that I came for this purpose, to fulfill, reveal, establish all the power of the law and the prophets, to show the true meaning and spirit of the Old Testament. Heaven and earth will pass away rather than one living and life-giving feature in the revelation of the word of God can pass away without its characteristic fulfillment, or lose its obligatory, life-giving power for faith. Your teachers say that there are also unimportant commandments of God, but I say that he who humiliates one of these supposedly unimportant commandments and teaches others the same will himself be so humiliated in relation to the kingdom of heaven that he will not enter it. Only the one for whom all the commandments of the word of God are sacredly important and immutably binding, who proves this with his own life through the fulfillment of all the commandments of God and instills the same in others through teaching, only such a leader is great in relation to the Kingdom of Heaven; he himself will enter, and those led by him will lead into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (See “Collected stat. on interpretation. reading. tetraevang.”, E. Barsova, vol. I). 2. Feast of the Three Ecumenical Hierarchs During the reign of the Greek king Alexei Komnenos, a dispute arose about these three saints: which of them was more useful and more God-loving? Others extolled Basil the Great, calling him a perfect genius in mind and deeds, an angelic man; others exalted John Chrysostom, calling him a humane shepherd, forgiving of the weakness of human nature and possessing the wondrous power of words when it is necessary to touch a bitter sinner; others preferred Gregory the Theologian as a shepherd who surpassed everyone in divine science. From this a division arose: some were called Basilians, others Johannites, others Gregorians; and it was not so much the common people who were infected with this delusion as the scientists. But the Lord wanted the great saints to quench the discord that arose about them; and they, appearing to John, Bishop of Euchaite, a man at that time most famous in learning and piety, unanimously said: “We have one dignity before God; there are no opposites in us; each of us, in due time, driven by the Holy Spirit, preached salvation; There is neither the first, nor the second, nor the third among us; and say so, so that Orthodox people will leave discord; tell them that we, both in life and in death, try most of all to bring everyone into agreement. Gather us together in one day and make one holiday; and we will help everyone who remembers us to salvation.” - Having said this, they, illuminated by the light of heaven, ascended to heaven. The Monk John publicly announced a miraculous vision and, since the memory of three great saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, is celebrated in January, he established their feast to be celebrated together, on the 30th day of January, and thereby reconciled the unreasonable disagreement of Christians. 3. Saint Gregory the Theologian 202 St. Gregory was born around 329, in the town of Arianze, which belonged to the Cappadocia region, not far from Nazianza, where St. Gregory’s father was later a bishop. The father of Saint Gregory, also called Gregory, was not a Christian at first; but conversations, exhortations, and especially the prayers of his pious wife, Saint Nonna, were the reason that he accepted holy baptism and thus, according to the word of the Apostle, an unfaithful husband was sanctified for a faithful wife (1 Cor. 7:14). The very birth of Saint Gregory was the fruit of the warm prayers of Saint Nonna. Like Anna, Samuel's mother, she earnestly prayed for a son and promised to dedicate him to God. Soon after the birth of Gregory, she brought him to the church of God and sanctified his hands by touching the holy gospel, which later became his first book to read. Instructed in the rules of piety by matter and trained in all the sciences that could be learned in his fatherland, Saint Gregory went, together with his brother Caesarius, to Alexandria, then famous for its huge book depository and collection of learned people. Then the thirst for enlightenment and knowledge drew Saint Gregory from Alexandria to Athens, which was then famous for its especially skillful teachers of eloquence. In Athens St. Gregory, in addition to the treasure of knowledge, found an even more precious treasure in his friendship with Basil the Great, with whom he shared his works, studies, prayers and was not separated until St. Basil did not go to Egypt to seek from the holy hermits wisdom better and higher than earthly wisdom. The persistent requests of teachers and fellow students forced St. Gregory to stay for some time in Athens without Vasily. But soon sadness about separation from his friend and heartfelt memories of his elderly parents forced him to secretly leave Athens and go to his fatherland by land through Constantinople. In this capital of St. Gregory had the joy of meeting his brother Caesarius, who was also returning to his homeland from Alexandria. The Lord, who gave the prayers of Saint Nonna her son, Gregory, fulfilled her prayer that both of her sons would return to their parents’ home together, just as they left it together at the same time. Upon returning to the fatherland, St. Gregory received holy baptism at the hands of his parent, to whom he became a necessary assistant in everyday and church affairs. But Saint Gregory did not like the worries of life. His spirit longed for solitude, in the desert, where he could, unentertained, talk with God. Moreover, St. Vasily constantly called him to his beautiful deserted Pontic monastery. But the decrepit and helpless old age of his parents required his presence with his parents. He remained with them. However, even living in the world, St. Gregory lived as if in a desert, leading the most austere and solitary life: his food was bread and salt, his drink was water, his bed was bare earth, his constant main occupation was reading the Holy Scriptures and the ancient fathers of the church. Meanwhile, St. Vasily; Having made friends with Gregory in Athens, he persistently called his friend into the desert, captivatingly describing to him his way of life in solitude and explaining how much he contributed to pious deeds. St. Gregory finally decided to go to Pontus to visit St. Vasily and lived there for some time. But St. Gregory, Bishop of Nazianza, needed his son's assistance in the matter of pastoral service, summoned him from Pontic seclusion to himself and, against his will, made him a priest. It was December 25, 362. The saint, indeed, helped his father a lot in reconciling him with his flock and monks, who had fallen away from him because he signed the semi-Arian statement of faith in his simplicity, and in the management of hereditary estates. He spent 10 years like this. In 372, the friendship of St. Gregory with Basil the Great was almost interrupted when St. Basil, against the will of Gregory, appointed him bishop of Sasima, a village on the largest Cappadocian highway, where three roads came together. After some time, at the request of his father, he arrived in his homeland and took an active part in the management of the Nazianzian flock, which he loved fatherly; He was especially entrusted with preaching the word of God and consecrating elders. After the death of his father, in 374, he undertook for some time to manage all the affairs of the Nazianzi church, at the persistent request of the Nazianzi flock, but with the condition that his new bishop be elected as soon as possible in his father’s place. Archpastoral labors became all the more burdensome for Gregory because at that time he suffered from various illnesses; but, despite this, the Nazian Christians did not even think about electing a new bishop. Therefore, the saint, at the first opportunity, left Nazianz and retired to Seleucia. He lived there for about 4 years, until 379; but this year, with the accession of Theodosius to the throne of Constantinople, some bishops and a small number of Orthodox Christians, revived by the hope of restoring order in the churches, shocked by the forty-year rule of Arianism, turned to St. Gregory with strong requests to come to Constantinople and take the small Orthodox Church into his care. Arriving in Constantinople, St. Gregory stayed in the house of some of his pious relatives. Probably not having a special place for church meetings, the Orthodox began to gather in this house as if they were going to church. The saint, with his powerful words, revived Orthodoxy here, which is why this house is called the Church of Anastasia. The success of the preaching of St. Gregory were extraordinary: with his five words about theology, he acquired here many new faithful fans of St. Trinity, and for myself the name of the Theologian. Little by little, rumors began to spread that this bishop was preaching sermons in which he refuted heretics. The latter tried to become acquainted with the teachings of the saint and soon learned that no one had ever spoken against them with such strength of mind, with such a convincing exposure of all their intricacies. Now the heretics do not want to leave Gregory alone. They begin with ridicule of his appearance, clothes, etc. From ridicule a quick transition is made to actions aimed at hindering Gregory’s cause. Heretics often broke into the small church in which the saint pronounced his words during the service, causing chaos, noise, and sometimes beatings. They presented Gregory the Theologian himself several times to the mayor of the city, accusing him of disturbing public peace. This is not enough - heretics made attempts on the life of the saint and sent assassins. But the more Gregory the Theologian was persecuted in the capital, the more his fame grew. The Orthodox expressed a desire to have him as the capital's archbishop. Many Orthodox bishops also voted in favor of Gregory. And this came true with the accession of Theodosius the Great. Called to rule the eastern half of the empire, Theodosius had to end the war with the Goths. Having happily completed the task entrusted to him, he was already on his way to the capital. On the way, Theodosius became very ill. Until now, not yet baptized, the emperor turned to the Thessalonian bishop, Ascholius, with a request to perform the sacrament of baptism on him. Askholius was known among the Orthodox as a zealous defender of the purity of faith. Theodosius, who received the sacrament of baptism at his hand, thereby openly testified to his religious beliefs. It became clear to everyone that the new emperor was Orthodox. This is what Theodosius proved in the decree he issued on February 28, 380, by which he called on everyone to truly believe in the Holy Trinity, and gave the disobedient the shameful name of heretics. The Orthodox were looking forward to the arrival of the emperor. A bishop had already been appointed for the capital in the person of Gregory the Theologian. But at this time an event occurred that the saint least expected. Several bishops arrived from Alexandria to Constantinople. With them was one learned layman, a certain Maxim, nicknamed Cynic. Gregory, not suspecting anything, accepted the arriving guest into his fellowship, brought him closer to himself and showed him great attention. Meanwhile, the saint’s guest was plotting an evil deed against him. He intended to become the bishop of the capital. To achieve the intended goal, Maxim won over several capital citizens through bribery and other means. The Egyptian bishops agreed to ordain him. This was done secretly, at night. However, the dark matter was soon discovered. Nobody recognized Maxim as a bishop. Gregory the Theologian was so offended by this event that he decided to secretly leave Constantinople. But they soon learned of the saint’s intentions, and the intense requests of the Orthodox forced him to give up the idea of ​​escaping. Having recovered, the emperor arrived in the capital in November 380. He, no doubt, heard a lot about the works of St. Gregory for the benefit of Orthodoxy and therefore decided to confirm him in the rank of bishop of the capital. But Gregory, having accepted control of the main church of Constantinople, rejected this appointment until the time of the council. It was supposed to gather bishops to pacify the church and to resolve some religious issues. The emperor sent out letters inviting bishops to an ecumenical council. Commissioners from nearby places were not slow in coming to the capital. At that time, church affairs were already discussed in council in Antioch. The fathers who were present here under the chairmanship of St. Meletia, ep. Antioch, moved to the capital. In 381 an ecumenical council was opened. The question was raised about the capital's department. The arriving fathers spoke in favor of Gregory the Theologian. Suddenly, completely unexpectedly, the chairman of the cathedral, Meletius, fell ill and soon died. A new question arose about his successor. In Antioch there was another Orthodox bishop, Paulinus, installed by Western bishops for the Orthodox Antiochian flock during the time of the Arian unrest. Authorized representatives of the Pope voted for Peacock. Gregory the Theologian also supported them. But the fathers of the cathedral absolutely did not want to hear about Peacock. Gregory, who most of all wanted to see the world, was deeply saddened by the revealed division. He stopped attending council meetings. Meanwhile, the Egyptian bishops arrived. Having learned about the elevation of Gregory the Theologian to the capital's see, they expressed their displeasure, hiding behind their zeal for the exact fulfillment of church decrees, according to which the saint, who had the Sasim see, had no right to leave it. St. Gregory decided to leave Constantinople, rightly assuming that both the bishops and the highest metropolitan society had “something human” against him, to which he did not fit due to his habits and modest way of life. Appearing at one of the meetings, he made a speech to the fathers: “I willingly follow the example of Jonah and to save our ship (church) I am ready to sacrifice myself, although in no case can I admit that I am the culprit of this storm. Take me, doomed by lot, and throw me into the sea; some strange-loving whale will receive me from the depths of the sea. Against my will, I took this throne and now I willingly leave it. Forgive and do not forget my labors.” Having asked permission to leave the see from the emperor, Gregory the Theologian once again said goodbye to the bishops, wishing them to leave disputes and bickering. Having left the capital, the saint visited Caesarea, where he delivered a word of praise in honor of Basil the Great and then, having arranged church affairs in Nazianza, retired to his family estate, Arianz. Of all his inherited property, he only had a shady garden with a source of water. Here Gregory the Theologian spent the rest of his days, indulging in labor, hardship, feats of fasting and prayer. In 390 the saint died. His last words were: “radiant angels, surrounded in an immeasurable circle by the equal light of the Trisian deity, accept the unworthy Gregory the priest.” (Compiled from the book “Pastoral Edification”, ed. magazine “Pastoral Conversation” vol. II, Moscow, ed. 1891, pp. 145–201 and other sources). 4. Saint John Chrysostom Saint John was born in 354 in Antioch, the capital city of Syria, from rich and noble parents: Secundus, a Syrian military commander, and Anthusa, a pious Christian. Having lost her husband at an early age (20 years old), Anfusa did not want to enter into a second marriage and devoted herself to raising her son. Her lessons in Christian piety were so deeply imprinted in John’s soul that nothing subsequently could erase them: neither the examples of his comrades, nor his education in pagan schools, nor the passions of his youth. Having reached the age of 18, John began to study all the then sciences in the schools of Antioch and Athens, which were famous for their teachers, and was one of the best students of the famous orator of that time, Libanius. When Livanius was once asked who he would like to appoint as his successor, he answered: “I would like to appoint John after me, but the Christians took him away from us.” After completing his education, John, who mainly studied eloquence, took the position of lawyer, conducted business for some time, but soon his soul ceased to lie in this activity, dissatisfaction with worldly life and a desire for solitude appeared. John decided to devote himself to serving God: he zealously studied the Holy Scriptures, attended divine services and spent a lot of time in prayer. The Antioch bishop Meletius, having heard about John, often invited him to his place for a conversation; John received baptism from Meletius. John wanted to completely leave the world and retire into the desert, but, yielding to his mother’s requests, he remained with her until her death. When Anthusa died, John allocated all his property to the poor, set his servants free and retired to a monastery near Antioch. When Emperor Valens, who adhered to Arianism, began to persecute Christians, Bishop Meletius was condemned to exile for his loyalty to Orthodoxy, and the people of Antioch were left without a shepherd. In other places, bishops also suffered various oppressions and insults, were imprisoned or expelled. In such difficult circumstances for the church, Saint John tried to strengthen the courage of the persecuted and console the flock. Many visitors flocked to him, seeking his advice and instructions, which he gave with a deep knowledge of the human heart, in accordance with the state of mind of everyone. The following things he wrote date back to this time of his life: a book about the priesthood, two words about spiritual contrition, and a letter to Theodore. In the book on the priesthood, John explains the greatness, power and duties of the holy order. The priest, according to John, is a father, spiritual judge and teacher of his flock, a mediator of God and people, bearing strict responsibility for the flock entrusted to him before God. The book on the priesthood was of great benefit to priests, strengthening in them a clear understanding of pastoral responsibilities. Wanting to increase his monastic exploits, Saint John moved to a secluded cave and spent four years in it. Subsequently, remembering his monastic life, John described the exploits of the monks, among whom he lived for four years. “The day of these monks was divided into four parts; They began each part by singing psalms and prayers. They usually got up at midnight, sang psalms and rested for a while before dawn; At sunrise they sang Matins, after which everyone occupied themselves with reading the Holy Scriptures or, if they knew how, copying books. Then the monks dispersed to their cells. At the end of the first three prayers, they were engaged in manual work: they made baskets and hair shirts, cultivated the land, chopped wood and served visitors to the monastery. The monks' clothing was made of goat or camel hair; they didn't wear shoes. They did not consider anything their property, but they had everything in common. There were no servants, but they fixed everything themselves. Inviolable peace reigned in the monastery. The monks' food consisted of bread, water and vegetables; they slept on bare ground or on straw. The monks had neither guards nor locks, for they had neither money nor anything else valuable. If someone fell ill, others did not cry or grieve, but turned to prayer, and often the prayer of faith restored the strength of the sick person; if someone died, others did not grieve, for the deceased passed on to a better life.” Such was the life of the hermits, among whom Saint John lived. But the difficult feats he took upon himself upset his health; his strength began to weaken, and he returned to Antioch. Bishop Meletius ordained John to the rank of deacon; John served in this ministry for five years, then was ordained a presbyter. From that time on, he began to speak teachings to the people, daily during fasting and two or three times a week on other days, not counting holidays and special occasions. The power of his eloquence and the persuasiveness of his teachings attracted both the Orthodox and the erring, Jews and pagans. In his teachings, John did not leave a single vice or error of his flock without reproof, but he especially armed himself against superstition, stinginess, disrespect for sacred things, pride and luxury. All these vices prevailed in Antioch at that time. John reproached the people for their faith in bad and good days, for the custom of lighting many candles at the birth of a child and giving the candles different names, so that later they could name the child the name of the candle that burned the most, as if foreshadowing a long life, for fortune telling on the first day of the new year and other superstitions. The custom of immoderately drinking wine on the eve of the New Year (and still existing abroad and here) aroused John’s strict censures. “The year will not be happy for you,” he said, “when you get drunk on the first day, but when on the first and on other days you do what pleases God.” Convincing the rich to help the poor, he said: “the one who receives alms is much more useful and necessary than the one who gives it away, for if there were no poor, then alms would not be important. She heals our soul. At the sight of the poor, we receive a lesson useful for our pride, which inspires us with how short-term and fragile the blessings of the world are: youth, beauty, health, honor and wealth itself. But poverty also has its good sides. Poverty is a teacher of humility and patience. The soul of a money lover is tormented by thousands of worries and concerns and leads to constant anxiety; like clothing worn out by moths, it does not have a single place intact. The soul of a true poor man, submissive to his condition, shines like gold; she is not tormented by envy, not disturbed by an insatiable passion for acquisition.” Saint John consoled the poor not only in word, but also in deed. Having remained the heir of great wealth, he used it to help the poor, so that he himself suffered need. More than three thousand persons were under his care and received satisfaction of all their needs. But there were circumstances when not only the poor, but all citizens in general used the consolation and help of John. In 383, Emperor Theodosius, in need of funds for military needs, imposed a burdensome tax on the people. There was a murmur everywhere: in Antioch there was a riot, the crowd rushed to the houses of the authorities and plundered them, the royal statues were broken. The outrage was finally pacified, and then the interrogations and executions of the perpetrators began. There was even a rumor that all the estates of the Antiochians would be taken away and the inhabitants would be executed. Dejection and sorrow took possession of the citizens. Many turned to Bishop Flavian with a request to intercede for them with the emperor, and Flavian went to Constantinople to the emperor. John stayed to comfort the mourners, spoke teachings, encouraged his fellow citizens with the hope of forgiveness, and urged them not to despair and to submit to the will of God. He explained to the people that a true Christian should be afraid of the crime itself, and not the punishment for it, that the wrath of God is worse than death, and death is only the beginning of eternal life. “What’s so terrible about death? If we should be afraid of her, it is only because we do not live piously and do not have a clear conscience, for no one can disturb someone who lives virtuously. Whether anyone deprives him of his treasures, his treasure is in heaven. Whether he is expelled from his fatherland, the heavenly fatherland awaits him. Whether he is imprisoned, his conscience will remain free. If the body dies, it will rise again. So, stop crying about death, and cry about your sins and try to wash them away.” Finally, Flavian returned with the emperor's forgiveness. On the first day of Easter, John announced to the Antiochians about the mercy of the emperor, and the joy of the Christian holiday was combined with the joy of deliverance from danger. Saint John was the soul, the joy, the life of Antioch. Under his influence, the people began to observe greater respect for holidays and Sundays, and attended divine services more willingly, especially when John preached. John spoke his teachings simply and clearly so that everyone could easily understand them. In the first years of preaching in Antioch, he spoke somewhat more artificially and more clearly for educated and learned people than for everyone. One woman said to him: “Spiritual teacher John, golden lips! The well of your teaching is too deep, and the ropes of our mind are too short.” From that time on, John changed the nature of his sermon and began to speak more simply, and the people began to call him Chrysostom. Sometimes the listeners involuntarily interrupted his speech with praise and applause, but John always stopped such expressions of praise. “What do I need from your applause,” he said: “correcting your life and turning to God is the best praise for me.” In 397, Patriarch Nektarios of Constantinople died. Many worthy persons were proposed as his successors, but as soon as the close imperial dignitary Eutropius pointed to John Chrysostom, the clergy immediately elected him. The people rejoiced at the election of a shepherd, whose holiness of life and preaching were known everywhere, and the emperor willingly approved the election. John for a long time refused to accept the rank of Patriarch of Constantinople, pointing out the weakness of his strength and his unworthiness, but, seeing that objections were of no use, he submitted to the election. On February 26, 398, he accepted initiation. The saint's first concern was correcting the morals of the Constantinople clergy. Love of money, passion for luxury, extravagance and ambition were common phenomena among clergy. Where convictions did not work, John Chrysostom used decisive measures to eradicate evil and subjected the guilty to church punishment: he was deprived of degrees, forbidden to serve for some time, and even excommunicated. By exposing the spiritual ones subordinate to him, Saint John set in himself an example of modesty and simplicity. Having the simplest clothes, using the simplest food, he wanted to see the same simplicity in others. The late Patriarch Nektarios left behind rich furniture and other valuable things: John sold them and replaced them with simple and necessary items. Thanks to the simplicity and modesty of John's life and the exemplary order in the disposal of church property, significant sums were accumulated to help the poor and sick. John improved the hospitals that had existed from earlier times and founded several new ones. Inspiring in his teachings to his listeners a love for acts of mercy and love of hospitableness, John himself set an example of these virtues, visiting and comforting the sufferers and receiving strangers. Much was done by the saint in Constantinople, as in Antioch, for the benefit of his flock. Trying to distract the Orthodox from attending Arian meetings, he introduced harmonious singing in Orthodox churches, established all-night vigils and processions of the cross, and not only tirelessly preached the word of God, but also tried to introduce Christianity in other countries, sending preachers to Persia, Phenicia, Scythia and Thrace for this purpose. But he was especially concerned about correcting the morals of his flock, and this jealousy armed many in Constantinople against him. The worst part of the Constantinople clergy, whose vices John constantly exposed, hated the accuser. The spiritual ones began to say that John was proud and angry, that in his sermons he did not instruct, but reproached with vexation; they began to watch him and misinterpret all his words, trying to make an accusation against him. Finally, since the saint constantly armed himself against the general corruption of morals, against the abuse of wealth, luxury in clothing, passion for immoral spectacles and other vices characteristic primarily of the upper classes of Constantinople society, those devoted to these vices gradually began to become imbued with displeasure against the preacher, attributed his denunciations to themselves and then became his enemies. – Soon John’s enemies found a strong ally in the person of Eudoxia, the wife of Emperor Arcadius. She was a very money-loving woman and was offended by John’s strict denunciations against this vice. She often slandered rich people to the emperor in order to seize and appropriate their property. John often had to intercede for the offended, and this intercession irritated the empress even more. Soon a pretext was found to persecute the saint. The Alexandrian Patriarch Theophilus excommunicated the Egyptian hermits from the church because they allegedly thought wrongly about faith. The hermits, recognizing themselves as innocent, hoped to find protection against Theophilus in Constantinople and went there. John Chrysostom, having examined their case, found that they were incorrectly excommunicated from the church, and wrote to Theophilus, urging him to lift the excommunication from the hermits. Meanwhile, they filed a complaint against Theophilus with the emperor, accusing him of pride and selfishness. The emperor demanded Theophilus to Constantinople for acquittal based on complaints against him. But Theophilus considered it best to appear not as a defendant, but as a judge. He entered into relations with the enemies of Chrysostom, convened bishops who were dissatisfied with him (among these bishops were those deposed by the saint for an unworthy life) and, accompanied by them, arrived in Constantinople. Here he managed to convince the emperor that he was right, lavished money and promises, and finally managed to draw up a council in the village of Dub near Chalcedon. At this council, John's enemies, taking advantage of the empress's patronage, accused him of insulting words against her, of arrogant and cruel treatment of the clergy, and even of theft of church property. The illegal council deprived John of his episcopal see. The emperor approved this decision and condemned the saint to exile in Bithynia, although another council, convened in Constantinople in defense of John, argued that according to church rules, no bishop could be tried outside his diocese. John's deprivation of the bishopric caused confusion among the people. The people guarded the church all night so that John would not be taken from it, and did not allow the people appointed to take him into exile to reach him. Then John voluntarily and secretly from the people gave himself into the hands of the guards, and in the word he spoke on the eve of his exile, he tried to calm the people. But as soon as John left Constantinople, the excitement intensified even more: Patriarch Theophilus, as the main culprit in the removal of the saint, was in danger of being killed, and displeasure was also expressed against the emperor. The next night a terrible thunderstorm broke out over Constantinople, followed by an earthquake. In these apparitions, the people saw God’s execution for the unjustly convicted saint and began to demand his return. The Empress, fearing open indignation, begged her husband to return Chrysostom and sent him a letter in which she assured him that she was not at all to blame for his condemnation, and begged him to return. Two days later, Chrysostom returned to Constantinople, where the people greeted him with great triumph. A new council, convened after that in Constantinople, declared the deposition of St. John invalid and returned the episcopal see to him. But his ministry did not last long. His enemies found a new reason to depose him. Soon in Constantinople, on the square near the St. Sophia Church, a silver statue of Empress Eudoxia was erected, and games and dances were organized to amuse the people. All this violated the order of worship performed in the church. John could not help but rebel against such disrespect for the shrine and made a strong accusatory speech against the disorderly spectacles. The Empress was informed that this speech contained words offensive to her. Her anger intensified even more when she was told that John began one conversation with the people with the words: “Herodias is going berserk again! Herodias is dancing again! Again he demands the head of John.” After that, the empress vowed to deprive John of his bishopric and used all means to achieve this. She armed the emperor against him, who again convened a council of bishops hostile to John. When Chrysostom began to defend himself, and his enemies could not confirm their accusations, they, abandoning their previous slander, accused him of the fact that, having been condemned by the Dub Cathedral, he arbitrarily occupied the department again, without making excuses for the previous accusations. John rightly objected that the Dub Cathedral had already been declared illegal, but his enemies only needed an excuse, and they condemned John. On Holy Saturday, the guards burst into the church where the saint was serving and seized it. This removal of John was accompanied, just like the first, by strong unrest among the people and a fire in the St. Sophia Church, where John preached for the last time. Chrysostom's enemies blamed his followers for this fire, and many of them were tortured and executed, others were sent into exile. John was first removed to Nicaea, then to Caesarea. In Caesarea, his people received him cordially, trying to express respect and sympathy for him. Then he was transferred to Kukuz, a barren place in Armenia. For 70 days he was forced to go there, accompanied by guards, on foot, suffering on the way from the heat and raids of wild Isaurians, while his health was very upset from constant grief. Saint John stayed in Kukuza for a year. “I do not have a permanent residence,” he wrote to Bishop Elpidius, “I either hide among the hills and forests, or go inside caves and deserts. Everything here is in ruins and on fire, many cities were destroyed by barbarian raids, and we expect death every minute.” But, experiencing such sorrows, John did not forget the Constantinople flock; he constantly wrote from captivity to his friends, comforting them in their misfortunes, and instructing them. John's enemies did not forget about him in exile. They insisted on transferring him to the town of Pitius, on the Black Sea coast, presenting to the emperor that this removal was necessary for the peace of the church. This was carried out in the most brutal manner. Not paying attention to John's painful state, he was led into both heat and cold, without giving him the slightest rest, and the saint, exhausted by suffering, ended his life in the city of Komanakh, in the year 407, on September 14. His body was laid in the church of the holy martyr Basilisk. In 438, under Emperor Theodosius II, the relics of the saint were transferred to Constantinople 203. They currently rest in Rome's Vatican Cathedral. Part of the head of John is in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. Saint John Chrysostom left many written works. His teachings, conversations on the books of Holy Scripture and his liturgy belong to him. It is abbreviated from the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. This reduction was made out of condescension towards Christians who were burdened by the duration of the liturgy of Basil the Great. The Oration of Chrysostom on the first day of Easter is prescribed by statute to be read after Matins of this holiday; it begins with the words: “If anyone is pious and God-loving, let him enjoy this good and bright celebration; If anyone is a prudent servant, let him enter, rejoicing, into the joy of his Lord,” etc. (See the lives of the saints celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church. I. Protopopov. This is what Abba Athanasius told about Bishop Adelphia 204, and he heard from his sister, Abbess Iannia. “When the Bishop of Constantinople John Chrysostom was exiled to Kukuz, said Iannias, he stayed in our house. This produced in us great boldness and love for God. My brother Adelphius said how, at the news of the death of Blessed John in exile, he was overcome by unbearable sadness, that this man, the universal teacher, who delighted the Church of God with his speeches, died, deprived of his throne. “I asked God with tears, the brother said, that He would reveal to me what condition he was in and whether he was numbered among the patriarchs. I prayed about this for a long time. One day, being delighted, I saw a very handsome husband. Taking me by the right hand, he led me to a bright and wondrous place and showed me preachers of piety and teachers of the church. I looked around, trying to see the one whom my soul desired, my great and beloved John. After showing me everyone and calling each one by name, he again took me by the hand and led me out. Saddened by the fact that he did not see St. with the fathers. John, I followed him. As we were leaving, the one standing at the door said to me: “Whoever enters here, no one leaves with sadness.” “I am saddened by this,” I say, “that I did not see, among other teachers, my beloved John, Bishop of Constantinople. – Are you talking about John, the preacher of repentance? My interlocutor asked me. - Man in the flesh cannot see him: he stands before the throne of God... (From “The Spiritual Meadow”, Blessed John Moschus). 5. Extraordinary help of St. three saints In "Church" Led." 1889 is declared sacred. O. Georgy Pokhvalsky about the next remarkable event, in which the truly miraculous help of St. three saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom to a boy in dire danger to his life. In the village of Sablukovo, Arzamas district, Nizhny Novgorod province, lives the family of a kind, humble and truthful miller, peasant Iv. Iv. Kochetkova; the old man, due to his honesty and prudence, was by choice a foreman, and his son Kodrat holds the position of village elder. The family of I.I. Kochetkov is crowded: it consists of an old man’s father, his wife, two sons married with children, and a 22-year-old son, Peter. The meek and truthful Kochetkovs are distinguished by their love of poverty and devotion to St. churches. They have a Christian custom, inherited from their ancestors, of making three prostrations every day before the icon of St. three saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, calling on them for help and asking them for mercy and success in business. Going to the mill, they pray at home before the revered icon, and there, in the vestibule of the mill, they pay veneration to the same three saints, and then they set the mill in motion. On January 28, 1889, at midday, a terrible storm raged. Peter's older brothers were busy collecting straw and bread, and the father, due to the lack of time for his older sons, sent his youngest son Peter, who was then 15 years old, to thresh. Peter, not realizing that there was a storm, set the mill into motion and, following the example of his brothers, went under the floor to inspect the heel of the shaft to see if it needed greasing; but when he came close to Valui and looked around him, somehow an accidental movement of a gear turned up the tails of his sheepskin coat and took away his shirt: one more moment, and Peter could have died. In a moment of impending danger, he prayed to the saints with all his childish believing heart: “Pleasers of God, St. three saints! Save me, help me, I am perishing. Saints of God! protect me, don’t let me die without repentance. I believe that you can do anything, you can save me.” Suddenly the mill stops by itself and stands motionless, despite the fact that the storm continues. Half an hour later, or a little less, a peasant comes to the mill to find out if his rye has been ground, and sees: the mill is standing, and the boy is twisted and screwed with a gear. The peasant immediately took the former ax, cut the tails of his sheepskin coat, shirt, and trousers, and freed the sufferer. An hour later he was brought home, but was still unconscious. Upon examination of his body, they found that one leg was severely wounded, but the bone was not damaged. When the victim came to his senses, he crossed himself and began to tell those around him about his misfortune at the mill and at the end of his story he added that he owed his salvation solely to the intercession of the saints of God, St. three saints called to their aid. The month of February. 2nd day. Presentation of the Lord Evang. from Luke. zach. 7th, ch. II, 22–40 art. For the ancient deliverance from Egyptian slavery and in memory of the last execution by death of the firstborn of the Egyptians, the law of the Lord demanded from the Jews that every firstborn male child, as the property of God, acquired by the blood of alien firstborns, should be brought on the 40th day after birth to the church, dedicated to God and redeemed from the Lord: this was called the dedication of the baby. The firstborn of the Virgin Mary fulfilled the law: He who came to earth to sanctify, redeem and resurrect all people from sin and death was brought into the church and redeemed. The Ancient of Days, who gave the law to Moses of old at Sinai, is now seen as a Child and, fulfilling the law, is brought to the church. According to the Law of Moses, a woman who gave birth to a male child was considered unclean for 7 days and after that could not participate in public worship for another 83 days. On the 40th day after the birth of her first-born, she had to bring him to the church and present a one-year-old lamb as a burnt offering to God, and in case of poverty, two turtle doves or young doves. The meaning of this sacred rite is that if childbearing is a gift of God, then to whom, if not God, should the first fruit of this gift be dedicated? The Jews had to dedicate their firstborns to God in gratitude to God for saving them during the general massacre of the Egyptian firstborns. The Virgin Mary, having become the Mother of the Lord, was sanctified by His birth and, without ceasing to be the most immaculate and most pure Virgin, had no need for purification, but, out of a feeling of deep humility, submitted to the established ritual. She did not exalt herself with Her purity, but, approaching the gates of the church, she stood in the place designated for those who gave birth. She brought a sacrifice with her, but it was a sacrifice of the poor: a pair of young pigeons. After the priest accepted the sacrifice and offered the burnt offering, the Most Pure Virgin entered the church with the Divine Child, accompanied by Joseph. At this time, Elder Simeon came to the church, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and, approaching the grace-filled Mary, received the Newborn from her hands, which is why he is called the God-Receiver. Having glorified God, the elder, in sacred delight, uttered a prophetic song about the Savior of the world: Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people: a light for the revelation of tongues and the glory of Your people Israel. The Holy Scripture says about this Simeon: a man who was not righteous and pious, seeking the joy of Israel. In church hymns, Simeon is called a priest and saint who made legal sacrifices. There is also a legend that Simeon, being one of the most learned people of his time, was among the 72 interpreters who translated the sacred books, at the request of the Egyptian king Ptolemy Philadelphus, from Hebrew into Greek. The story of Nikephoros Callistus tells that, when translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, Simeon stopped at the well-known prophecy: behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb, and wanted to correct this place, crossing out the word Virgin, and write Woman, but an angel appeared, restrained his hand and, forbidding him to correct the prophecy, told him that he would not die until he himself saw the fulfillment of the prophecy: believe what is written, you yourself will see the fulfillment. From then on, Simeon went to church every day and, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recognized the Virgin Mary with the Child of God in her arms because They were illuminated with an extraordinary light. Let go, O Lord, of Thy servant, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation! Simeon exclaimed in sacred delight. The righteous elder turned to Jesus as if not to the Baby, but to the Master and Lord, who has the power to release into another life or keep on earth. Returning the Baby to the Mother’s hands, Simeon blessed Her and Joseph. At the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Simeon, having foreseen the suffering of the Savior on the cross, the tears and sorrows of His Mother, continued his prophecy: this lies for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel and is reproached as a sign, and a weapon will pierce your very soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. Your Son brought salvation to earth, he explains, but not everyone will take advantage of it: He will be a rising from the fall for those who believe and those who follow Him; but a stumbling block to those who do not believe and reject Him. He will always be the subject of controversy so that people's thoughts will be revealed. People will put their Savior to death, and you will be a witness of all His sufferings: and a weapon will pierce your very soul. This was predicted by the inspired Simeon, the representative of the Old Testament, who waited for the coming of the promised Messiah, the Firstborn of the New Testament. As if to complete the glory of the Eternal Child, righteous Anna the prophetess, an elderly widow who lived at the church, approached them. At the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, she began to praise and thank God and glorify the Divine Child in the hearing of all those awaiting deliverance in Jerusalem. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher, famous for wealth, strength, and at the same time meekness and peacefulness. She lived with her husband for seven years and after his death she dedicated herself to serving God in the Jerusalem Temple. Her life passed in fasting, prayer and labor, and so she reached the age of 84, when she was given the inexpressible joy of seeing and glorifying the Savior of the world. The Holy Church calls her an all-praised widow, a chaste, a venerable old woman and a prophetess. Having fulfilled everything according to the law of purification, the Holy Family returned to Nazareth. In memory of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ, since ancient times the church has established the twelfth holiday on February 2, which affirms the immutable truth that Christ appeared to the world not as an opinion, not as a ghost, but as the truth. On the next day of the Presentation of the Lord, February 3, the church remembers Simeon the God-Receiver and Anna the prophetess. (From the book: “The Earthly Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” by Sofia Snessoreva, St. Petersburg, ed. 1892, pp. 62–67). 2. Instructive lessons from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord We celebrate the Presentation of the Lord... What does this holiday teach us? First of all, from the story of the Presentation of the Lord we draw the lesson that the soul of a Christian man, like the soul of an Old Testament Jew, must always strive for the church, here to receive its sanctification, here primarily to be poured out in prayer of petition, praise and thanksgiving - here, and not to another place, human feet should rush... The church must be a connecting link for all the brethren in Christ living in a certain area, - to be, as it were, its ever-living banner... You can pray everywhere and in every place - but you can pray with greater success, with greater benefit for yourself, only in church; here the soul of a person, among the incense, sanctified in the sacraments, in prayers and chants, is more likely to be purified and made capable of perceiving spiritual objects than in an everyday home environment, often amid the screaming and noise of children, servants, and, often, among kitchen fumes and tobacco smoke... Another lesson is given to all of us by Christ the Savior and the Blessed Virgin... Our Savior, the sinless One, the Lord of all creation Himself, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, nevertheless deigned to accept circumcision, to be brought to the church on the fortieth day, to be baptized in the streams of the Jordan by John, to fast and pray until he sweated blood; pay tribute to the church, to the church corvana, annually; on all prescribed occasions, give taxes to Caesar - in a word, to fulfill the law of God and man... And His Most Pure Mother appears together with others in the church, and from afar, in order to subject Herself to the purifying action of the priests - and despite Her poverty, makes sacrifices, etc. Why is all this being done? “And in order,” as He Himself said to John the Baptist, “to fulfill all righteousness; This means that He places law and duty above all else. Let this example of the Sinless and Most Pure teach you, Christian, sinful and cold, how to obey the law of God and man - how to fulfill the instructions of both - for if the righteous, according to the word of the Apostle, can barely be saved, then where will the wicked and sinful appear (1 Pet. 4:18)? “This is all antiquity,” some say, “this is not modern,” others say, “this is not accepted,” still others respond... And so, due to these decisions and opinions drawn up by whom and when, it is not known, icons are taken out of the rooms (not accepted!), children are left unbaptized not only for months, but even completely; Not only are they not brought to the Church of the Lord on the fortieth day, but they are not even brought at all for many years - and the mothers themselves do not take the cleansing prayer; fasts are not observed - it’s like a solid week all year round; prayers before the feast of the Nativity of Christ and Easter, prayers for the consecration of a house, for the consecration of fields, etc., are completely forgotten; Not only do they not bring anything to church - like candles, oil, prosphora, wine - but they themselves do not go at all, and if they do come, they come with the goal not so much to pray as to have fun, and then to condemn the humble shepherds, and the reading and singing, and the few who are present, but do not share their opinions... Church marriages have been replaced by civil ones; confession abandoned, etc. and so on. What can I say to all this? No, it is better not to answer, but to follow the advice of the Wise One: do not answer a madman according to his folly. The third lesson is that we all, like the righteous Simeon and Anna the prophetess, if we live not according to the attraction of our passions and lusts, but according to the dictates of the law of God, if we also remain in fasting, prayer and obedience to St. church, then we, no matter how sinful at first, can gradually be cleansed of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and become capable of spiritually seeing our Master and Lord, and - if not in external embraces to carry Him, then in internal embraces: in our hearts to feel His gracious presence, to feel the heavenly, as a result, sweetness; - we, too, will be ready in the same state of peace and tranquility to move away from this earthly life - into the future, with which the righteous Simeon was ready to part. Brothers Christians! The apostle of Christ says that whoever sows in poverty in this life will also reap in the same in this life, and whoever sows in blessing in this life will also reap abundantly in that life... Let us be sons of light, and not children of darkness; Let us walk in the light, until the light is in us, and the darkness has not us (John 12:35)! – (From the sermons of Nicholas, Bishop of Aleut and Alaska.) In the Law of Moses there was a decree (Ex. 13:2) that every firstborn child should be dedicated to God. Therefore St. The Virgin Mary, after 40 days from the birth of Jesus, brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him before the Lord and perform legal consecration on Him. This decree of the Law of Moses was also accepted by the Christian Church. But with us, not only the firstborn, but also every baby - following the example of Jesus Christ - is brought to the church and dedicated to the service of God. This dedication is called churching and is performed as follows: on the fortieth day, a woman who has given birth comes to the church with her baby. Here the priest reads prayers and asks the Lord to cleanse the woman who gave birth from all sin and from all defilement, and make her worthy to enter the church of His glory and make her worthy to receive Holy Communion. secrets; then the priest asks the Lord to bless, grow, sanctify, enlighten and add the newborn child to His holy flock (required prayer in 40 days). After reading the prayers, the priest takes the baby in his arms and, drawing an image of the cross, says: “The servant of God (name) is churched in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”; says this three times, coming closer and closer to the doors of St. altar. And if the baby is male, he is brought into the Holy. the altar and encircles the throne (New Skr. Part 4, Chapter 3, § 4), and if the baby is female, then he brings it to the royal doors and places it near them, or, as usual, gives it to the mother’s arms (Ost. Nik.), reading the prayer of Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now you release Your servant, O Master”... All this is done in front of the mother, so that she knows how to take care of the upbringing of her child, dedicated to God. This ritual of churching was performed on each of us, pious readers! And we were brought into the church in baby swaddling clothes, carried into the sanctuary of the church. Why did they do this to us? So that from infancy to the end of our lives we serve our Lord as His faithful servants. This is why we were churched, so that we would not be excommunicated from the church and, at every opportunity, would visit the church of God, as our native place, where we were spiritually born and sanctified. This is required by Christian duty. For if we have become sons of the church, then how can we move away from her, our mother? If we have joined the flock of Christ's sheep, then how can we move away from the courtyard, where it is protected from plunder? How to leave the pasture where this flock grazes? The courtyard is the church where Christians gather, the pasture is the word of God and the sacraments that feed our souls. Just as animals cannot live without food, so our souls cannot live without the grace-filled sacraments. Where are saving sacraments performed and taught? Where is the word of God preached? In the church! Here, in the church, praise is offered to God, here the Holy Virgin Mary and all the saints are glorified, here examples of pious life are presented. Here we receive healing of mental and physical ailments, we receive consolation in sorrows and misfortunes. Nowhere can you get such relief as in church! No wonder the psalmist David exclaims more than once: “Lord! I have loved the habitation of Your house and the place of the dwelling of Your glory" (Ps. 25:8); “Abundance of joys before Thy face (XV, 11), under Thy shelter I am at peace” (LX, 5). And that's right! What could be more gratifying for the heart and more salutary for the soul, if not fervent and frequent prayer in the church of God?! Therefore, how unreasonably do those who separate themselves from the Orthodox Church or rarely go to the church of God act! Leaving the church means not wanting happiness and salvation for yourself: “except for the Church of God, there is salvation nowhere... even if there are no saints in the church today, they will be cast into that lake of fire.” (Bol. cat., l. 121 vol. and 122). To excommunicate from the church means to separate oneself from the blessed flock of Christ, to move away from Christ Himself. Beloved readers! You are all joined to the flock of Christ, remember all your responsibilities. Love and honor the Lord, visit the church of God more often with zeal, as a spiritual school, as a quiet pier that gives salvation to all the faithful, overwhelmed by the waves of the sea of ​​\u200b\u200blife. Here you will find the ineffable wealth of God's mercies. Avoid bad deeds that mar the title of a Christian. Always remember why you were united with Christ and united with His Holy One. church - so that, having lived chastely, righteously, and honestly in this present world, you may appear pure and innocent on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom. 2:5). (See Christian conversations, appendix to the magazine “Pastoral Sobes.”, 1899, No. 1). The Indian king Abner, an evil persecutor of Christians before being baptized, once issued a command that all the monks living in his kingdom must leave his country within three days and seek refuge where they knew; those who did not fulfill his commands were threatened with death. Soon after this, during a hunting trip, Abner had to meet two monks. Seeing them, the king became very irritated and said to them with anger; “What? Don’t you know that in three days you all had to leave my country?” “We know,” the monks answered, and left your country; and that we are now passing through it is in order to deliver food to the brothers who remain here. “What kind of food do they need,” cried the king, when they were condemned to death? Don’t you know that all those condemned to death are terrified and sad and do not demand food?” “No, king, not all those condemned to death are in fear and sadness,” answered the monks; Only those of them who do not expect anything good for themselves in the future life are terrified of death, and are so attached to earthly blessings that they part with them with the greatest difficulty - but we, having left this world and everything in it, and walking a narrow and sad path for Christ, are not afraid of death, because we have love only for heavenly things, and death is very desirable for us, as a speedy transition to a better and eternal life. “But, however,” said the king, “you left my country, which means you are actually afraid of death.” “No, king, we did not leave your country for the fear of death,” the monks answered, but for the sake of pity for you, so as not to subject you to greater condemnation for killing us. And if you absolutely want our death, then we repeat to you again that it is not terrible for us. Hearing this, Abner became even more angry and immediately ordered the monks to be put to an evil death - to be burned. “And so, the legend concludes, the saints of Christ received death by fire and received martyrdom and crowns.” So, this is the means of not being afraid of death! “It consists in not being attached throughout life to earthly goods, loving the Lord Jesus with all your heart and constantly reflecting on the bliss that God has prepared for those who love Him.” “Do not be afraid of death,” says Saint Demetrius of Rostov, but prepare for it by leading a holy life; if you are ready for death, you will not be afraid of death; if you love the Lord with all your heart, then you yourself will desire her in advance.” (Compiled from the book “Teachings according to the hand of the prologue”, priest Guryev, and the work of St. Demetrius Rost.). 5. About preparation for death I. “Death,” says Saint Tikhon, follows everyone along an invisible path and delights a person when it does not care, and where it does not like it, and how it does not like it. What, when she comes to you and shouts to you without a voice: go, man, the Lord Almighty is calling you, sinful soul!.. God promised us His grace and mercy, but did not promise us tomorrow.” “Be therefore reasonable and wise, and prepare in advance for that hour (i.e., death) with repentance and contrition of heart.” (“From the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.”). II. St. Ephraim the Syrian says: “We need to put all care and all care into our passing, and prepare the virtues that will accompany us from this life, and intercede for us in times of need.” (“Tv. St. from.” 1850, p. 77). III. “As long as we are in real life,” teaches St. John Chrysostom, it is still possible for us to avoid punishment by correcting ourselves. And when we move on to another life, we will mourn our sins in vain.” (Zlat, on ps. 9). Are we preparing for death? Very little. Should we call it preparation for death that we hunger for reward after reward, build buildings after buildings, move from pleasure and amusement to new pleasures and amusement? You have lived, for example, for more than half a century: you yourself feel that it is long past noon, evening is not far off, in sight of night: tell me, what have you prepared for an underground overnight stay? And such inattention to death among the oldest people. What can we say about people of male age? What can I say about the young men? You would put a smile on their lips, reminding them of the need to prepare for death: meanwhile, how many young men descend to the grave every year! Oh, how dangerous it is for us to forget about death! Our foremother Eve forgot about this for one minute, only for a moment heeded the evil advice of the devil: you will not die (Gen. 3:4), as she lost her blissful heavenly life and subjected herself and the entire human race to bodily death. What will happen to those who do not remember death at all, who spend their entire lives only in sensual pleasures? Oh, these people, instead of fear from the mere thought of death, which they so ran away from, will suddenly and inevitably meet the horrors of real death, not physical, temporary, but spiritual, eternal, where their worm does not die and the fire does not go out (Mark 9:44). God! Deliver us from such carelessness, give us mortal memory, so that we are not blinded by temporary blessings, but strive for eternal ones! (Prot. G. Dyachenko). The month of March. Day 25 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Evang. from Luke, count. 3rd, ch. I, 24–38 art. 1. Narration of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary When, according to the testimony of Saint Evoda, the eleventh year of St. The Virgin Mary in the church, and according to the testimony of George Kedrin, when She turned 14 years old, the bishop and priests ordered Her that, having moved from the church to the house, She, according to legal custom, like other girls of the same age as Her, got married. But the Most Holy One answered them that She had already been given to God from the shrouds by Her parents, and promised Him to preserve Her virginity forever, and therefore it was impossible for Her to unite with a mortal man, when She had already been promised to the immortal God, and nothing in the world would force Her to enter into an ordinary marital state. The bishops were surprised at the news of such a vow, for there had never been a girl on earth who promised God to preserve her virginity. And so, She appeared first. They began to consult with each other on what to do in this case. They no longer wanted to let Her into the church of the Lord behind the inner veil, and yet they did not dare to betroth her to God, and therefore they were in great bewilderment, on the one hand, fearing to anger the Lord, on the other, not knowing how best to arrange her girlhood in accordance with the will of God. And so, the priests, in front of the ark of the covenant, earnestly prayed to God (as Jerome narrates), asking Him to appoint a worthy husband to whom, under the guise of marriage, the Virgin could be given to preserve her virginity. And the Lord, having heard their prayer, commanded them to choose celibate husbands from the house and tribe of David, put their rods on the altar and then give the Maiden to the one whose rod blossoms. At that very time, the feast of the consecration of the church, established by the Maccabees, began (it began to be celebrated on the 25th day of November and ended on December 3rd). On this holiday, many people from the surrounding cities gathered in church. Saint Zechariah gathered twelve unmarried men from the tribe of David, among whom was Saint Joseph, a righteous man and already in advanced years. Then Zechariah took the rods of those men and put them on the altar for the night, saying: “Lord God! Show me a husband worthy to betrothed to the Virgin!” The next day, in the morning, when the priests entered the church with twelve men, they saw that Joseph’s rod had blossomed, and a dove was sitting on it, as the blessed one writes about it. Jerome. Then everyone knew God’s favor that the Virgin should be handed over to Joseph for safekeeping. Others claim that the Blessed Virgin, who was very sad about this betrothal, had a special revelation, so that she would not hesitate to go to the house of Joseph, a righteous husband, her relative and betrothed. The Almighty Providence arranged it so that the godly husband Joseph took St. The virgin is taken from the hands of the bishop and priests, not for an ordinary marriage, but for the maintenance of her purity without a wife. So the husband by name was in fact the guardian and servant of the virginity and high holiness of the immaculate Young Lady. The Most Holy Virgin, living in the house of Her betrothed, did not change her former way of life, which She had in the Holy of Holies. She constantly practiced contemplation of God, prayer, reading divine books, and ordinary women's needlework. Joseph's house was a church of prayer for Her. Without going anywhere, She remained in solitude, fasting and silence, talking only with Joseph’s daughters. After a four-month stay, St. Virgins in the house of Joseph, the hour of the incarnation of God the Word has come, the hour awaited for centuries and longed for by the whole world, the hour in which our salvation began. And God sent one of the heavenly spirits standing at His throne, the Archangel Gabriel, with the announcement of a sacrament hidden from time immemorial and unknown to the angels themselves. He sent him to announce to the Most Pure Virgin the wondrous conception of the Son of God, surpassing all understanding and human nature. At the very time when the heavenly messenger came to the Virgin, She, as the teachers of the church think, was reflecting on the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb.” How and when will this strange and unusual conception and birth come true for a girl’s nature? And during these reflections, the evangelist Archangel Gabriel suddenly quietly appeared before Her and greeted Her with the words: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Hearing the angel’s greeting, the Virgin was embarrassed by his words and thought with herself: “What kind of greeting would this be?” Then the angel said to Her: “Do not be afraid, Mary!” Do not doubt anymore what Isaiah predicted about the Virgin. You are that true Virgin who found the grace to conceive Immanuel without seed and give birth to Him ineffably, as He Himself knows. You have acquired the grace of God through many virtues, and you will give birth to a Son, not a mere mortal, but Divine, the Son of the Most High, God from God, born before the ages from the Father without a mother, but from You, the Virgin Mother, without a father. His name will be wonderful, ineffable: You will call Him Jesus, which means: Savior, for He will save the whole world, and His kingdom, without comparison, will be more glorious than the kingdom of the forefather David and all the former kings from the house of Jacob. But His kingdom will not be temporary, but eternal, endless. Mary said to the angel: “How will this be when I don’t know my husband?” And the angel revealed to Her that this conception would not be according to human nature, but supernatural; for where God wills, the law of nature is overcome. He told Her that this conception would be through the action of the Holy Spirit: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You!” Hearing this news from the angel, the Most Pure One bowed to the will of Her Lord. With the deepest humility and from a heart that loves God, She answered: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord!” Let it be done to me according to your word.” And at that moment, by the action of the Holy Spirit, an indescribable conception took place in her womb without carnal delight, but not without spiritual delight. The angel, having completed his gospel at the command of God and reverently, with reverent worship, honored the Incarnate One in the virgin’s womb and the Virgin who received God into Herself, flew off to the throne of the Lord of hosts, glorifying the mystery of the incarnation of God with all the heavenly powers in inexpressible joy. (Cheti Menaia, March 25). 2. Honoring in rights. church and among the Russian people on the Feast of the Annunciation of St. Mother of God The Annunciation is revered by all Christians as one of the solemn holidays. According to the church, “the event of the Annunciation is the main thing of our salvation, the manifestation of the sacrament from the foreordained age, the fulfillment of the blessing given by God to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David.” On this day, the Word became flesh and dwelt in us (John 1:14), God united with people, and all the Old Testament prototypes and prophecies about this gracious and promised event, in the Person of the Blessed Virgin Mary, were fulfilled (Days of the Theologian Debolsky). Out of deep faith in the greatness of the event, many Christians, on the morning of the Annunciation, watch the sunrise and assure that the sun “plays” and triumphs as it rises on this day. Although March 25, for the most part, is celebrated during Lent, the celebration of the divine service is not abandoned; on the contrary, fasting is weakened on this day. The Liturgy is celebrated on Chrysostom. The celebration of the Annunciation is not abandoned even when March 25 happens to be Easter. The All-Night Vigil begins with Great Compline, as at Christmas and Epiphany, and the song is sung: “God is with us.” Understand the Gentiles and submit, for God is in dreams.” On the polyeleos there is a magnification: “The Archangel’s voice cries out to You, O Pure One: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with You.” Troparion: “The day of our salvation is the main thing, and since the beginning of time the mystery has been revealed: the Son of God is the Son of the Virgin, and Gabriel preaches grace. In the same way, we also cry out to the Mother of God: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” 3. What does the Annunciation mean and what does it inspire us? Why is today called the day of the Annunciation? - Obviously, for some good news for all of us. What kind of news is this? The news is that the Only Begotten Son of God, the eternal Word, by whom all things visible and invisible were created and are kept in existence, has now descended to us poor people; - descended to the point that he was clothed with our nature, became in everything except sin, like us, a person, and this is not just for some time, small or great, but for all eternity. The news is that this incarnate Son of God will do everything that is necessary for our salvation: he will illuminate us with the light of truth and show us the path to eternal life, he will take upon ourselves our sins and atone for them with His suffering, will descend into the tomb and with His resurrection will dispel for us the darkness of the tomb and the fear of death; He will give us the Holy Spirit and with Him all the fullness of the gifts of grace, so that, having been cleansed from all filth, we will become capable of cohabiting in heaven with the angels. The news is that we, through this unparalleled condescension towards us by the union of the Son of God with us, from enemies of God became close and again God's own, from exiles of paradise, aliens of the earth, heirs of heaven and eternal blessings. You see how much joy and hope this day has brought us. Worthy and righteously this day is called the day of the Annunciation; worthy and righteously heaven and earth are now called to the joy and glorification of the Lord: for heaven and earth truly participate in His mercy and our triumph. But, rejoicing and glorifying the Lord for His great boundless mercy, let us not forget that the good news is then completely valid and achieves its goal when, having received it, they conform to it and act exactly as its essence requires. No matter how much you notify a son wandering through foreign homes and countries that he has been forgiven by his father, but if this son does not leave his wanderings and does not go to his father, then the good news will remain without effect and will not bring him joy. It’s the same with the good news brought to us. Everything - the descent to earth of the Son of God, and His incarnation for our sake, and His death, and resurrection for us, all this will remain in vain if we do not leave our sinful life and begin to behave as our new, great and holy destiny requires. In this case, true Christians, following the Savior who descended from heaven and doing His will, will accept everything that He brought and acquired for them, achieve eternal blessings and dwell with Him in the kingdom of His Father; and those who are careless about their salvation, who do not follow His commandments and footsteps, who continue to walk through the wilds of sin and lusts, and with the good news brought by Him, as if incapable of anything, will remain in their sins, and will appear in the end as if they have nothing. Let us not, like little children, stop at the good news of our salvation; let us try to find out what it requires of us and what we must do for our salvation; Let us then fulfill everything required, so that in this way the good news turns into a good deed: then, and only then, will this day truly be the day of the annunciation for us, may the grace of the Lord come true over all of us! (Compiled from prop. Innok., arch. hers. vol. 2). When you climb one of the mountain heights close to Nazareth, a view of the whole of modest Nazareth suddenly opens up; it is currently a small town with 5,000 inhabitants - Arabs, of whom 2,000 are Orthodox, and the rest are Catholics, Protestants and Mohammedans; located in a mountain valley, between two ridges of limestone mountains, it has a healthy climate. On the spot where the house of righteous Joseph was, in which the Annunciation took place, a Catholic monastery was built. Three small rooms have been preserved from this holy house, one above the other, in the form of caves dug into natural stone rock. All this modest dwelling of the holy family is now enclosed within the walls of a beautiful Catholic church, the main altar of which is significantly elevated; below it, in the lower natural cave, where the dwelling of the Most Holy Theotokos was, a Catholic church was built, into which one descends along marble steps. Under the throne of this church there is a marble circle with a cross, signifying the place where the Blessed Virgin stood during the Archangel gospel; around there is an inscription in Latin: And the Word became flesh; Several expensive lamps burn unquenchably, illuminating this holy place. And where the heavenly messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, appeared to the Virgin, that place is marked by a marble column, the middle of which is cut out. Tradition says that infidels cut it out, thinking they would find hidden treasure in this column, and for their insolence they were struck blind. With deep reverence, believers worship this most holy place, fall on their faces and, kissing, as it were, the living traces of the Most Honest Cherub and Most Glorious Seraphim of the Most Holy Virgin and Heavenly Messenger who stood here, they bring to our heavenly Intercessor from the depths of their hearts the Archangel’s greeting: “Rejoice, O Gracious One, the Lord is with Thee!” – From the lower room or cave where the Annunciation took place, on the right side one enters along a stone staircase into the upper two rooms, which are preserved in their original form. In the first of them, according to legend, the Mother of God raised the Lord Jesus Child: the recess in the wall, where the throne is now, served as a cradle for Him. Having reverently bowed to this holy place, they enter the second room, also made of natural granite; here lived the holy righteous Joseph, the guardian of the Mother of God and her Divine Son. In this wretched dwelling, the life of our Lord passed peacefully until He was 30 years old, here He spent His childhood and youth, here He grew in spirit and body, in obedience to His holy Mother and imaginary father, Joseph the treemaker. A little further from the Monastery of the Annunciation they indicate the site of the carpentry workshop of St. Joseph; here the Savior Youth helped His teacher in carpentry work; Here He Himself continued to work after the death of His imaginary father, to feed His Divine Mother. That is, of course, why the Jews called Him a carpenter (Mark 6:3). From Nazareth, at a distance of 1 1/2 hours, there is that mountain from which the embittered Jews wanted to throw off the Lord, who exposed their hypocrisy; They also indicate the very place where the Jews brought the Lord in order to cast Him down - a small area now surrounded by stones; Below the platform there is a terrible abyss, with prominent steep cliffs. And having risen, the holy evangelist narrates, he drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the top of the mountain, on which their city was built, and then they cast Him down. But the hour of His suffering had not yet come, and therefore His evil enemies could not do anything with Him: but He passed through their midst (Luke 4:29-30). Near Nazareth there is a very good and quite large Arab-Greek church dedicated to the name of the Most Pure Virgin Mary; on the left side of the church, in a recess, there is a source from which the Most Pure Virgin Mary drew water: this place is lined with white marble and is generally beautifully arranged, in the form of a chapel. In front of the icon of the Annunciation, lamps and candles burn incessantly, and at the bottom there is a hole made, with a mug lowered into it, to draw water, which the worshipers drink with reverence and wash themselves with it, with a prayer to the Blessed Mary, who drew water from this source. What modest, but deeply soul-touching memories!.. (See “Trinity leaflet” No. 112). 5. The wondrous vision of the monk Theophan An elder, great before God, named Kyriakos, lived in the Kalamon Lavra, near the holy Jordan. One day a foreigner brother named Theophan came to him to ask the elder about his lustful thoughts. The elder began to instruct him with speeches about chastity and purity. The brother, having received great benefit from these instructions, exclaimed: “My father, in my country I am in communion with the Nestorians. If it weren’t for this, I would have stayed with you forever!” Hearing the name of Nestorius, 205 the elder was deeply saddened by the death of his brother and began to convince him and pray that he would leave this destructive heresy and join the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. - It is impossible to be saved if you do not have the right to think and believe that the Most Holy Virgin Mary is the true Mother of God. “Father,” the brother objected, but all heresies say exactly the same thing: if you are not in communion with us, you will not receive salvation. I don’t know, unfortunate thing, what to do. Pray to the Lord that He will clearly show me what the true faith is. The elder joyfully listened to his brother’s words. “Stay in my cell,” he said. I have hope in God that He, in His mercy, will reveal the truth to you. And leaving his brother in his cave, the elder went to the Dead Sea and began to pray for his brother. And sure enough, the next day, around the ninth hour, the brother saw that someone appeared to him, scary in appearance, and said: “Come and know the truth!” And taking him, he leads him to a dark, stinking place emitting flames and shows him Nestorius and Theodore 206, Eutyches 207, Arius 208 and others in the flames. And the one who appeared to his brother said: “This place is prepared for heretics and those who wickedly teach about the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as for those who follow their teaching. If you like this place, stick to your teachings. If you do not want to taste such punishment, turn to St. the Catholic Church, to which the elder who instructed you also belongs. I tell you: even if a person is adorned with all the virtues, if he believes wrongly, he will end up in this place.” “At these words, my brother came to his senses. When the elder returned, the brother told him everything he had seen, and soon joined the saint. Catholic Apostolic Church. Remaining in Kalamon with the elder, he lived with him for several years and died in peace. (“Spiritual Meadow”, Blessed: I. Mosha). 6. The greatness of the Mother of God and the power of Her intercession before God Archangel Gabriel calls the Virgin Mary “blessed among women, having found grace from God,” while all the sons and daughters of Eve were still subject to curse. The Most Blessed Virgin was awarded this degree of greatness for her unparalleled chastity, the beginning of which was her fiery love for God, and for the highest humility with which She surpassed all earthly beings. The degree of her humility is indicated by her very exaltation from God, Who exalts only the humble, only to them grants His grace, and only to them is He pleased to be called God (Job.5:11, Isa.66:2. Jud.9:11). So, the Holy Virgin is worthily and righteously called blessed among women, for to Her, through the Son, the promises of God were addressed to Abraham and David about the seed, about whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. All generations will honorably and righteously bless Her, as the only chosen Mother of God, who served the mystery of the union of the Divine with humanity. Also St. The prophet David foresaw the heavenly glory of the Mother of God, and in the words, “The Queen appears at Your right hand,” expressed that She is both God’s neighbor, exalted above all the holy angels, and the Queen. Pious tradition testifies that when the Mother of God appeared before the Throne of God, adorned with the radiance of grace and virtues, the heavenly church, before the earthly one, sang this song to Her: It is worthy, as in truth, to bless Thee, Theotokos, ever-blessed and most immaculate and the Mother of our God. (Letters from the East, part 1, p. 115. Letters from the Svyatogorets, part 1, pp. 95–166). The greatness of the Mother of God also makes us understand the power of Her intercession before God for us sinners, whom Her Son adopted as sons, honoring us with the title of brothers. The example in Cana of Galilee and countless experiences of past and present times give us an indisputable right to confidence in the power of Her intercession for us before God. The Holy Church, on behalf of those who have experienced the blessings of the Mother of God, calls Her the hope of the unreliable, and thus repeats their grateful appeals: “Let us never be silent, Mother of God, in speaking Your power unworthy: if You had not stood before us, praying, who would have delivered us from such troubles? Who would have kept them free until now? We will not retreat, O Lady, from You; Your servants have always saved you from all sorts of evil ones. The salvation of villages, cities and entire kingdoms from various troubles was marked by the intercession and miracles of the Mother of God. The history of the world indicates this; St. testifies to this. church . The sons of Orthodox Russia know many examples of the intercession of the Mother of God from the history of Russia. (See for example pp. 653–658 of our book). And to this day, in grave public and private troubles, we usually call for help on the zealous intercessor, the Mother of the Most High Lord, the Lady of the world... If the prophet Moses was strong with his prayers to cancel the sentence already pronounced by God on the extermination of the Jewish people and change His anger to mercy, then can one doubt that the Mother of God, through Her prayer, did not ask for such mercy for the sinful human race! Let us resort with prayers to the Queen of Heaven, as the intercessor of the human race (See the book “Hours of Reverent Reflection,” Part I). The month of April. Day 23 Memory of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious and Queen Alexandra Evang. from John zach. 52nd, ch. XV, 17–26 centuries; XVI, 1–2 art. 1. Farewell speech of I. Christ to the disciples At the Last Supper, giving the last instructions to His apostles, Jesus Christ indicates the essence of all His commandments: this is My commandment, that you love one another. Jesus then predicts to them the hatred of the world. “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me first.” It should be a consolation for them that it was no better with him. But they should also be consoled by the fact that the hatred of the world serves as evidence of their calling, their way of thinking, their confession. Therefore, Jesus continues: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own: but since you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you too; If they have kept my word, they will also keep yours. But they will do all these things to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know him who sent me.” This hatred of Jesus and His name, His gospel and His disciples is a great and grave sin. This sin cannot be justified in any way, because the words and deeds of Jesus confirm His divine mission. There is hatred towards Him, therefore, and hatred towards God the Father. The Lord testifies to this in the following words: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me also hates My Father. If I had not done things among them that no one else had done, they would not have had sin, but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. But let the word that is written in their law be fulfilled: They have hated Me without cause.” In the midst of these persecutions, His disciples should be comforted and encouraged by the fact that they will have almighty help in the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord will send to them: when the Comforter comes, whom I will send: to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me. And you also will testify, because you were with Me from the beginning (John 15:17–26). This is the content of the Gospel read today. 2. Life of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious Saint George lived at the beginning of the 4th century, under the Roman emperor Diocletian. He was born in Cappadocia and was still a youth when his father suffered and died for the name of Christ. His mother, after the death of her husband, settled in Palestine, where she had a large estate, and young George entered service in the royal army. The commanders soon noticed him and fell in love with him for his beauty and courage, so that by the age of 20, George already had the rank of military tribune. Around this time his mother died. Occupying an important position in the tsar's army, George became one of the people close to the tsar. Diocletian did not know what faith George professed. At this time, the strictest decrees were issued against Christians: they were ordered to burn their books, destroy their churches and hand them over to be tortured. Having learned about all this, George began to prepare for death. He distributed the money and expensive things he had to his friends, set his slaves free, and bequeathed his estates and all his other property to the poor. Having thus arranged all his everyday affairs, the courageous young man put aside all human fear and appeared at the royal council, assembled in the city of Nicomedia, where the fate of Christians was then decided. Arriving there, he said loudly: “How long will it take you, king, and you, princes and advisers, to commit evil deeds under the pretext of the law? How long will you persecute innocent and virtuous people who do not offend anyone, but on the contrary, set an example of a pious life? You are mistaken in worshiping idols. Jesus Christ is the true God. Know the truth, or at least stop confusing with your madness those who have understood it!” Everyone was surprised by the unexpected appearance of George and his bold speech; everyone was silent and waited for what the king would say. But Diocletian, out of surprise, could not utter a word for a long time. Finally, he gave a sign to the proconsul Magnentius to answer George. Magnentius called George and asked: – What made you dare to do such a daring act? “Truth,” answered the young man. – The truth is Christ Himself, persecuted by you. “Are you really a Christian too?” - asked Magnentius. - I am a servant of Christ my God; In my hope in Him, I have come to your congregation to testify to the truth. Screams and abuse arose, and for a long time it was impossible to hear anything. Finally, Diocletian ordered everyone to be silent and spoke himself. “I’ve known you for a long time, Georgy, and I respect your courage.” I have honored you with a high rank and now I am still ready to forgive your daring act, in memory of your previous merits. As a father, I advise you: do not ruin your youth, do not deprive yourself of our favors, and now make a sacrifice to the gods. - Tsar! - answered George, - you better turn to the true God and offer Him a sacrifice of praise. He will make you worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Earthly power is fickle, wealth is fragile; there can be no true happiness in it. No earthly blessings will turn me away from God; no torment will frighten me or shake my faith! The angry Diocletian ordered George to be imprisoned. There, by order of the king, his feet were put in stocks and a heavy stone was placed on his chest. But George bravely endured the suffering and thanked the Lord. The next morning Diocletian called him to him and asked: – Have you repented, George? The martyr could hardly speak, but answered: “Do you really think, king, that these insignificant sufferings will distract me from my faith?” You will sooner tire of tormenting me than I will tire of enduring torment! Then Diocletian ordered to bring a wheel with sharp knives and cut George with it. During this terrible torture, the young man did not utter a single groan. At first he praised God loudly, then he prayed quietly, and finally fell silent. Everyone considered him dead, Diocletian said, swearing at the power of God: “Where is your God, George? Why didn’t He deliver you from this torment?” Then the king ordered the bloody body of the martyr to be removed from the wheel, and he himself went to the church of Apollo to sacrifice to the idol. He had just left when there was a thunderclap, a heavenly radiance illuminated the entire square, and many clearly heard the words: “Don’t be afraid, George! I'm with you! An angel appeared to the martyr, laid his hand on him and healed his wounds. George himself got off the wheel, glorifying and thanking God. The amazed soldiers hurried to the idol church to inform the king about what had happened. George himself followed them. The news of the miracle and the sudden appearance of George in the pagan temple caused terrible confusion. Diocletian could hardly believe his eyes. Two royal dignitaries, Anatoly and Protoleon, seeing the healthy and vigorous martyr, understood the power of God and exclaimed: “There is only one great and true God - the God of Christians!” Diocletian ordered their immediate execution. Many others also believed, but did not dare to openly confess Christ. Diocletian's wife, Queen Alexandra, who was at that time in a pagan temple, learned the truth and wanted to openly confess the name of God, but they persuaded her to return to the palace and hid her conversion from the king. Such a manifestation of the power of God did not enlighten Diocletian. He ordered to bury George in a lime pit. George prayed, protected himself with the sign of the cross and calmly entered the pit. A few days later, Diocletian ordered his body to be taken out and the decayed bones scattered, but the martyr turned out to be alive and well. He prayed calmly, and his face shone with heavenly joy. Everyone who saw this was inexpressibly surprised and praised George. The king sent for him again and asked what charms he used to preserve his life? The martyr answered: “I hoped, king, that after everything that happened, you would no longer dare to blaspheme the true God, to whom all things are possible, and who miraculously delivers those who trust in Him. But if you call the manifestation of the power of God witchcraft, then I have nothing to answer you; I only regret your blindness.” After this, Diocletian came up with a new torment; They put hot shoes with nails inside on George. In these shoes the saint was dragged through the streets and brutally beaten; but in the midst of great suffering he repeated the words; “Go, George, and you will achieve it” and, ascending in thought to God, begged Him to give him strength and patience. “Look down from heaven, Lord! See my work; Hear the groans of Your servant! They hated me for Your holy name! My flesh trembled; heal me and give me patience.” This is how the holy sufferer prayed. The king, seeing the firmness of the martyr, was decisively convinced that St. George is a wizard, and on the advice of those close to him, he called the sorcerer Athanasius, ordering him to either subdue the martyr or poison him. The sorcerer prepared two poisonous drinks, but the saint drank without embarrassment and remained unharmed. The surprise of the wicked knew no bounds. The king, on the advice of the sorcerer, decided on a last resort: he offered St. George to resurrect the deceased. With God's help, the saint performed this great miracle and thus finally put the pagans to shame. Everyone, especially Athanasius, was amazed by the miracle that had taken place. He fell at the feet of the saint and, confessing Christ, begged him to forgive the insults caused to him; The king, in a frenzy, ordered Athanasius's head to be cut off, and St. Keep George in prison. Many visited George in prison, bribing the guards, and asked him for instructions. George spoke to them about the true God, exhorted them to give up idolatry, and many pagans turned to Christ. They also brought sick people into prison, whom George healed with prayer. Sentenced to death, on the eve of his death, George was consoled by the appearance of the Savior, who encouraged him and promised him heavenly blessings. The saint begged the prison guard to allow one of his old servants, who spent days and nights at the prison gates, to see him. The servant fell at his master's feet with tears. George consoled him, asked him to fulfill his will regarding his property and said goodbye to him. Just before his execution, Diocletian, still hoping to persuade George to renounce Christ, began to offer him rich gifts and high honors if he agreed to renounce his faith. Instead of answering, George suggested that he go to the church of Apollo. Diocletian rejoiced, thinking that the martyr had obeyed him; but in the idol temple, among a large congregation, George began to prove the lies and vanity of paganism and crushed the idols with prayer. Queen Alexandra, having heard about what was happening in the church, did not want to further hide her appeal. She came to the church and loudly exclaimed: “God of George, have mercy on me, for You are the true and almighty God!” With these words, she threw herself at the feet of the martyr. The angry Diocletian condemned his wife to death and ordered her to be led along with George to the place of execution. With her eyes raised to heaven and a prayer on her lips, the queen walked to her execution. On the way, stopping from fatigue, she asked the soldiers to let her rest a little, and leaning against the wall, she gave up her soul to God. George, seeing such a quiet death, glorified the Lord and, arriving at the place of execution, calmly bowed his head under the executioner’s axe. The Holy Great Martyr George is called the victorious because he appeared victorious twice, because he did not know defeat in many battles with the enemies of the emperor, and finally he defeated the emperor himself - he first defeated his gratitude to him, his affection, his love for his benefactor, his second father, the source of extraordinary happiness, his hope of eventually taking the Roman throne, and with it autocracy over the universe. This was the hardest victory. And it would have cost little to endure all the hellish torments for her. To meet death as a martyr for Jesus Christ was already a joy. After the death of St. George, the love of the Christian world for this great adornment of the beautiful host of martyrdom increased, one might say, as his death went back into the depths of centuries. All mourners, especially in formidable military clashes, turned to the victorious George. They tell of many visions that the great martyr, among battles, appeared on a white horse, slaying his Christian brothers. That is why our great princes adopted the image of St. into their coat of arms, the grand-ducal, state coat of arms. the great martyr and victorious George, a rider on a horse who strikes a dragon with a spear, with a cross on top. The dragon is a symbol (sign) of paganism, and a dragon with a point pierced into it, which is crowned with a cross, is an ancient - (IV-V centuries) - symbol of the victory of Christianity over paganism. The image of George was then adopted into the royal state emblem, which became the coat of arms of the ancient Roman emperors - a double-headed eagle. This combination of the ancient Roman coats of arms with the ancient Russian grand ducal coat of arms remains to this day the coat of arms of Imperial Russia. That is why the wise and great Catherine II, when she established the order as a reward for selfless military valor, established the sign of the cross with the image of the Great Martyr George, and established the glorious St. George Cross in Russia. Each of the Russian soldiers, of course, is eager to join the ranks of the comrades-in-arms of St. Victorious George. And everyone, without a doubt, should burn with the desire to imitate him in courage in the midst of battles, in the selfless performance of military duty, in Christian love for Christ and his brethren, to the point of being ready to lay down his soul for them. (Extracted in abbreviation from “The Lives of the Saints” by Bakhmeteva and “Teachings” by Nikanor, Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, vol. II, pp. 435–438, ed. II). 3. Why St. Is the Great Martyr George depicted sitting on a white horse and slaying the serpent? The Holy Great Martyr George is often depicted sitting on a white horse, slaying a terrible serpent with a spear. This is based on the following legend. They say that not far from the place where George was buried, near the city of Berita, near Mount Lebanon, a terrible serpent emerged from the lake, which devastated the entire surrounding area and infected the air with its deadly breath. The inhabitants of that country did not know where to go from trouble, and asked the priests of idols for advice, for they were pagans. The priests told them that each family should, in turn, give one of their children to be devoured by the serpent. Seeing no way to get rid of the terrible monster, the residents accepted this advice, and every day a new victim was brought to the shore of the lake. The turn came to the only daughter of the local king. The girl was brought to the lake and awaited death with trepidation, when suddenly the Great Martyr George appeared to her, in the form of a bright youth, on a white horse and armed with a spear.” - “What are you crying about?” he asked the girl. “Good young man,” she answered, “get away quickly so that you don’t perish with me.” And the girl told the young man about the serpent. “Don’t be afraid, girl,” he told her, “in the name of the true God I will deliver you from the monster.” “No, good warrior,” she objected, “do not destroy yourself. I’m already doomed to death, you won’t save me, you’ll only die yourself.” As soon as she uttered these words, a terrible monster appeared from the lake and began to approach the girl. She screamed loudly: “Run!” But the brave warrior of the Lord, protecting himself with the sign of the cross and calling on the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for help, rushed at the monster and struck him with a spear. Then he ordered the girl to take off her belt, tie the serpent with it and drag it with her to the city. And so it was done. The serpent, in front of a great crowd of people, was consigned to fire. Following this, all residents of the country accepted the Christian faith. For this victory over the monster and marriage amid terrible torment, Saint George is called the Victorious and is revered as the protector of warriors. The Church sings to him: “As the liberator of the captives, and the protector of the poor, the physician of the infirm, the champion of kings, the victorious Great Martyr George, pray to Christ God to save our souls.” 4. Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, as the patron saint of cattle breeding Russian people engaged in cattle breeding, both city dwellers and inhabitants of villages and hamlets, have a custom, when spring comes, to gather their cattle into herds for the first time and drive their cattle to pasture no earlier and no later than April 23, the day of remembrance of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious. The basis for this custom is the universal belief in Orthodox Rus' that St. There is the Great Martyr George, the patron saint of cattle breeding. What is this belief based on, or is it an unconscious belief, like many other folk beliefs that have no basis for themselves? Pious legend about St. The Great Martyr George, by the way, says that during his martyrdom, at the request of Diocletian, he raised a certain person from the dead. When this miracle soon became known in the vicinity of Cappadocia, at that time one poor pagan farmer named Glyceria had the following misfortune: his only ox, with which he was plowing the land, died. Grieving over his loss, fearing poverty and, at the same time, believing with all my heart that St. George the Wonderworker, according to rumors, proved himself merciful and... charitable to everyone who sought his help, and will provide the poor man with some help in his grief, the farmer went to the prison of St. Great Martyr and, with deep sadness, told him that he had only one ox, and it fell, and he had no opportunity to plow the land. The holy wonderworker, sympathizing with the grief of the poor farmer, said to him: “Go with joy, my Christ has given life to your ox.” The farmer, returning home, saw with joy that his ox was indeed alive. This is a miraculous and one-of-a-kind event, i.e., the return of St. George's life to the fallen ox of the said farmer, and served as the basis for the belief that St. The Great Martyr George, through the fervent prayers of livestock owners to him, patronizes them, that is, protects their herds from various misfortunes, diseases and death. And this belief, having passed from the Orthodox East to Greece, and from Greece, after our ancestors accepted the Christian faith, to our fatherland, served and serves as the basis for our custom, in the spring, for the first time to gather cattle into herds and drive them out to graze on April 23, the day of remembrance of St. Great Martyr and Wonderworker George the Victorious, and not otherwise than after a prayerful appeal to him before St. his icon, surrounding it around the flocks, and sprinkling them with holy water. (“The Wanderer” 1879). 5. Stories showing that the Lord does not leave St. without His all-powerful help. martyrs I. After many severe sufferings, the martyrs Clement and Agafangel were given the most brutal execution: first they tore the skin from their shoulders, then they laid them on iron, liquefied boards and poured hot sulfur and resin over them. But the martyrs, strengthened from above, fell asleep as if on a soft bed and in a vision saw Jesus Christ come with many angels, who said to them: do not be afraid! I am with you! (“Ch. M.” January 23). II. St. Theodore Tyrone was put in prison for burning an idol church. But here the Lord appeared to him and said: dare, Theodore! I am with you; did not take earthly food and drink, for you will have another life that does not perish and is eternal with Me in heaven (“Ch. M.” February 19). III. The Holy Forty Martyrs were warriors, and because they did not want to sacrifice to idols, they were put in prison; but here at midnight the Lord appeared to them and said: good is the firstfruits of your will; but he who endures to the end will be saved. These martyrs were brought out of prison, but not for freedom, but to experience new torment; the order was to throw stones at their faces. But Providence was pleased to direct the blows of the stones in such a way that the servants, instead of the martyrs, beat themselves with them, and even when the governor himself wanted to throw a stone at one of them, instead of him, he hit one nobleman standing near him in the face. In great anger and vexation, the same commander ordered the martyrs to be imprisoned again, but here again, appearing to them, I. Christ said: believe in Me, even if you die, you will live, dare and do not be afraid of the short-lived torments, for they will soon pass away; endure a little, you will suffer rightfully, but you will receive crowns (“Ch. M.” March 9). IV. St. Savva Stratelates was first thrown into a cauldron with hot tar, but, being protected by an invisible force, he remained unharmed; then he was put in prison, but here, when he was praying, at midnight the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in the full light of His glory and said: do not be afraid, but dare (“Ch. M.” April 24). V. When tormented. Athenogenes was severely tormented, then he prayed: “In You, Lord, I trust! save me by Your mercy!” At that time, a voice came to him from above: be of good cheer, My chosen one! I am the God who preserves you. And another time he heard a voice from heaven: today you will be with Me and with your disciples in paradise, and all your requests will be fulfilled (“Ch. M.” July 16). 6. How the suffering of St. was alleviated. martyrs for Christ? The suffering of St. martyrs were relieved by the following spiritual means: a) Reflection on the suffering of Christ the Savior. Ap. Paul, calling believers to the challenge of salvation that lies ahead, says: let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2). This look at the Sufferer was always inherent in the pure soul of the saint. martyrs, and sweetened the grief of their suffering. If during a battle soldiers fearlessly expose their lives to danger, inspired by the example of their leaders, who despise the dangers to which they themselves are exposed, then could the soldiers of Christ be afraid of the pain of death, having before the eyes of the Leader of salvation, Christ the Savior, who suffered for all and left an example for everyone, so that they would follow His footsteps in bearing the cross? b) Hope for future reward. The holy martyrs looked at their great feat and at all the suffering that lay ahead as something small and insignificant, and were confident that eternal bliss awaited them - that after short-term earthly suffering they would move into that bright world where they would no longer hunger or thirst, and the sun and no heat would scorch them (Rev. 7:16). If a navigator complacently endures all the difficulties and dangers of a sea voyage because of the hope of reaching the fatherland, where his family and many treasures await him, then with incomparably greater complacency and patience those God-chosen men and women could endure all the sufferings, for whom, beyond the boundaries of this world, that wonderful, adorned city was already shining, where the Lamb is his lamp and where there will be no night (Rev. 21:23-25). c) Fiery love for Christ. This love, as the highest spiritual power, invisibly sweetened the bitterness of their suffering and torment. And in the phenomena of ordinary life we ​​see the power of love. Here, a tender mother carries her baby in her arms in the intense midday heat and walks along an uneven, hard path. Ask her: does the thought of leaving her precious burden come to her, and isn’t all this painful and difficult for her? We can say with confidence that she doesn’t seem to notice all this out of love for her baby: the heaviness of the burden, the intense heat, the uneven, hard path - everything is absorbed by love! If natural love is so strong and effective, then what can we say about divine love? The martyrs, filled with love for Christ, not only were not afraid of suffering, but also joyfully wanted to accept it. The power of this love is depicted in this way by St. Paul: Who will separate us from the love of God: tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword (Rom. 8:35). d) A special action of divine grace. The very determination to suffer for Christ was the fruit of trust in grace-filled help. “I hope,” said St. Martyr Agathia, on Christ my God, as if to look from on high at my feat with many saints. My angels and help me will be weaker” (Ch. M. Feb. 5). All Christian martyrs had a similar feeling of trust in God’s gracious help. They never deludedly relied on their strengths and talents. In a spirit of deep humility they began their great feat. Each of them mentally spoke to the apostle: I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). And indeed, divine grace performed two miracles for those who entered into the feat of martyrdom: the first was that the elements and terrible instruments of execution lost their power over them - so, often (although this was not always the case) the flame of fire cooled, boiling water did not cause harm, wild animals were tamed and iron itself was softened like wax; the second miracle is the great, extraordinary patience of St. martyrs in enduring all tortures and tortures. This patience amazed even the tormentors, and they attributed it to the effects of magic and charm. Divine grace sometimes consoled St. martyrs during their suffering, that they rejoiced in spirit, and this joy was reflected in their very gaze. So, oh St. much Theophilus, a former pagan philosopher, says that “the saint rejoices in torment, as if he did not hear illness and his face was light” (Feb. p. 45). It is obvious that this joy and this brightness of face could not have been in the martyr without the grace of Christ, for it is unnatural for a person, as a weak person, to have fun and show the lightness of his face during suffering. St. testified the same about herself. much Theodulia (February 5). Hanging on a cypress tree and scorched by fire, she said to the tormentor: “Leader, governor, as if I do not feel torment, I see that I am tormented and defeated.” And in this way the words of the apostle came true: God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability, but when you are tempted he will also give you relief so that you can endure it (1 Cor. 10:13). e) The miraculous appearance of I. Christ. Sometimes the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in visible form appeared to those who suffered for their faith in Him and by His appearance comforted them, so that they accepted execution without the slightest embarrassment, with unperturbed peace of mind. Thus, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles about St. first martyred Archdeacon Stephen relates that at a time when his enemies were torn in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him, looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (VII, 54–55), and, overwhelmed by the joy of divine vision, he, stoned, peacefully passed into the eternally blissful world, amid kneeling prayer. Other examples of the appearance of I. Christ St. to the martyrs, see above in Art. 5th. (Extracted in abbreviation from the November book “Soulful Reader” for 1873, pp. 317–321). 7. How can we become like St. martyrs? One day Elder Athanasius heard that some of the monks wanted to be like the ancient martyrs and asked: “Where are the persecutions of Christians and martyrdom now?” He answered like this: “Do you want martyrdom? Be tormented by your conscience, die to sin, and you will be a martyr. Pagan kings and princes were against the martyrs; and you have opponents - the devil, the king of sins, and princes - demons. Those were presented with temples (pagan temples), sacrifices and bad service to idols (false gods); know also that now there is also a temple, a sacrifice and idols in the souls - mental; whoever is a slave to lust has denied Jesus and worships an idol (false god), whoever is overcome by anger and rage has also denied Jesus and has his own false god within himself; a lover of money and a sensualist, despising and not having mercy on his neighbor, again denied Jesus and works for his idol: he honors the creation more than the Creator. So, if you refrain from all this, if you preserve yourself from violent passions, then you trample on pagan idols and become a martyr.” (From “The Valuable Tale of the Subsidiary Saints and Blessed Fathers”). The month of May. 8th day. Memory of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian 209 Evang. from John, count. 61st and 67th, ch. XIX, 15–25; XXI, 24–25 Art. 1. Properties of Christian love as explained by St. church fathers and teachers Even if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, I am not an imam of love, but like a ringing brass, or a clanging cymbal, says the saint. ap. Paul (1 Cor. 13:1). “The Apostle says: if I recognize all human languages, and moreover the languages ​​of invisible forces, but do not have love for my neighbor, then I will be no different from inanimate instruments” (Theodoret). “And look where he begins: first of all, with what they considered amazing and great, that is, with the gift of tongues, and, speaking about this gift, he presents it not as what they had, but much greater. He did not say: if I speak with tongues, but: if I speak with the tongues of men. What does human mean? Languages ​​of all peoples of the universe. Not content with this increase, he adds another, much greater one: and angelic, he says. Do you see how he exalted this gift and how he later brought it down and destroyed it? I didn’t just say: then I was nothing, but: I was like ringing brass, something insensitive and soulless, making a sound in vain, without purpose and without any benefit, and not only bringing no benefit to anyone, but for many seeming restless, painful and unbearable (ϰύμβαλον - means rattle)” (St. Zlat.). And even if I am a prophecy, and I have all mysteries and all my understanding, and even if I have all the faith, even as I have removed mountains, I am not an imam of love, I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:2). St. Chrysostom expressed the following thoughts in this place: “the apostle does not stop at the gift of tongues, but points to other gifts and, having shown their insignificance without love, then draws its image. And as he wanted to gradually strengthen his speech, he ascends from less to more.” Having said: if the imam has a prophecy, he adds: and I have all the mysteries and all the mind, presenting this gift in a superlative degree.” “Then the apostle moves on to the other gifts and, so as not to seem burdensome, counting them separately, points to the mother and source of all of them, and again in the superlative degree: and if, he says, the imam has all the faith. Not content with this, he also adds what Christ recognized as great: as if he left behind mountains, I am not an imam of love, I am nothing. And even if I give away all my possessions, and even if I give up my body to be burned, I have no love, it will profit me nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). St. Chrysostom says: “What amplified speech! And here he presents everything in superlatives. He did not say: if I give the poor half of my estate, or two, or three parts: but all the estate is mine; did not say: I will give, but I will distribute - (ψωμίζω - to feed someone with my own hands), expressing, in addition to the use of property, the most zealous helpfulness. He also did not say: if I die, but again he expresses himself strongly, represents the most cruel death, that is, burning alive, and says that such a death without love is not an important matter.” He is long-suffering and merciful to love; he does not envy love; he is not arrogant about love, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek his own, is not irritated, does not think evil. He does not rejoice over untruth, but rejoices over the truth: he loves (covers) everything, has faith in everything, trusts in everything, endures everything, says St. Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 13:4–7). Lyuba is long-suffering, that is, he complacently endures all troubles, insults and lies, without succumbing to the movements of anger or revenge. “Long-suffering is the root of all wisdom; therefore, the Wise One says: a man who is long-suffering is of great understanding; but a man who is faint-hearted is greatly foolish (Prov. 14:29); and further, comparing this virtue with a strong city, he says that it is stronger than it. This is an indestructible weapon, an unshakable pillar that easily repels all attacks. Like a spark falling into the sea; does not cause him any harm, but immediately disappears: so everything unexpectedly unpleasant, striking a long-suffering soul, soon disappears, but does not outrage it. The long-suffering one, as if staying in a harbour, enjoys deep tranquility; if you harm him, you will not move this stone; if you offend him, you will not shake this pillar; Even if you strike him, you will not crush this adamant. This virtue is born of love, and it brings great benefit to those who have it and use it well.” She is merciful: she suffers troubles from others, but not only does she not cause anything sorrowful to anyone, but on the contrary, she considers all the sorrows of others to be her own and, entering into sympathy with their sorrow, tries in every possible way to alleviate their grief; She is like oil for wounds, so she is for every need, sorrow and weakness of her neighbor; does not calm down until he consoles, helps, pacifies; he grieves for everyone, especially for the needy and suffering; even in those ways that cause her trouble, she tries to put a peaceful disposition into her soul; “He deals meekly with those who are burning with anger in order to tame and extinguish it, and not only with courageous patience, but also with pleasing and exhortation he heals the wound and heals the ulcer of anger” (St. Golden). He does not envy Lyuba’s talents, or external well-being, or distinction, or success in business, or any good or advantage of another over himself. This is contrary to her nature; Her being is and desires and does one good thing to others, and all sorts of things at that; therefore, he does not seek to be happier than others, but to ensure that everyone is as happy as possible; she will let everyone through to the good that is presented, so that everyone can taste it, not caring whether anything goes to her share, as long as everyone else gets it. Lyuba is not exalted, he is not arrogant. Arrogant in words, judgments, manners, in behavior, in deeds, he allows a lot of imprudence, because he acts from the shoulder, in the confidence that everything that comes from him is wonderful and should leave only amazement and praise in others; he soars, not stopping at anything, and therefore cannot produce or advise anything useful: he interferes in everything with his judgment and leaves nothing behind except confusion. Love doesn't float like that; she acts slowly, looking out and making sure where, what, how she can do something useful, and does it without noise or statements. St. Chrysostom says: “love is not exalted (not carried forward), that is, it does not act frivolously; it makes the lover prudent, sedate, and thorough. Arrogant frivolity is characteristic of people who love with carnal love; but he who loves with true love is completely free from this; love, abiding in the soul, like some skilled farmer, does not allow any such evil thorn to grow in the field of the heart.” The blessed one writes the same. Theodoret: “He who loves does not agree to act rashly in anything.” Not proud. No matter what perfections love may have, it thinks that it has nothing better than others, and no matter how much good it does in its circle, it does not think at all that it has done anything. Just like a mother caring for her children, no matter how much she works on them, acts as if she had done nothing, and while doing something, she does it again as if she had started doing it for the first time: such is love. “Does not exalt himself above his brothers” (Theodore). “But he is humble in his wisdom, despite the fact that he has high perfections” (Theophilus.). “We see that many are proud of their very virtues, that is, the fact that they are not envious, not evil, not cowardly, not reckless (these vices are associated not only with wealth and poverty, but also with the kindest qualities by nature, and love completely purifies everything" (St. Chrysostom). He does not act outrageously, he does not hate, he does not disdain, he does not disdain anything, as long as the good of his neighbor requires it; no matter how humiliating it may seem in the eyes of people, she does not stop at it, but willingly decides to do it just to do good to her beloved. This is what all our interpreters teach: Theodoret writes: “he does not refuse to do anything humiliating for the benefit of his brethren, nor does he consider such an action unseemly for himself.” Let us look at I. Christ in this regard and see the truth of what was said: Our Lord I. Christ was subjected to spitting and scourging from miserable slaves, and not only did not consider this dishonor, but also rejoiced and considered it glory; He brought the thief and murderer with Him into paradise before others, talked with the harlot, moreover, in the presence of all His accusers, and did not consider this shameful, but even allowed her to kiss His feet, wet His body with tears and wipe with her hair, and all this in the presence of enemies and adversaries, because love does not disdain anything. Therefore, even fathers, even if they were the wisest and most eloquent of all, are not ashamed to babble along with their children, and no one who looks at it condemns them, but on the contrary, it seems such a good thing that it even receives praise.” (St. I. Chrysostom). Doesn't look for his siblings. “Having said: He does not commit dishonor, the apostle also shows how love does not tolerate dishonor. What kind? She is not looking for her si. Her beloved is everything to her, and she considers it dishonorable to herself when she cannot save him from dishonor, so that if she can help her beloved with her own dishonor, she does not consider this dishonor for herself; the beloved for the lover is the same as himself. Love is such that the lover and the beloved are no longer two separate persons, but one person, which nothing but love can do. Therefore, do not seek what is yours, so that you may find what is yours; for whoever seeks his own does not find his own. That is why Paul says: no one seeks his own, but every one his neighbor (1 Cor. 10:24). The benefit of each person is the benefit of his neighbor, and the benefit of his neighbor is his benefit. God arranged it this way so that we would be tied to each other” (St. Zlat.). He doesn’t get annoyed, he doesn’t get upset. When encountering something unpleasant from the very person to whom he strives to do good, he is not upset by it, or is not upset by the failure of his labors for the benefit of someone else, and does not cease to look for ways to achieve the goal in this regard; or as Theodoret writes: “even if he encounters something unfortunate from someone, he endures it generously because of the ardor of love that he has in himself.” St. says the same thing. Chrysostom: “See again how she not only destroys vices, but does not even allow them to begin. For he did not say: although he is irritated, he overcomes irritation, and is not irritated.” It does not allow grief to arise. He does not think evil, does not take evil into account, and does not even think at all that there is evil in the actions of another, does not see evil in evil; others see, but she does not see; for someone who loves everyone, everyone seems good, and just as he does not intend anything for others except good, so he never suspects anything evil in the actions of others towards himself. So Theodoret says: “excuses sinful actions, assuming that it was not done with a bad intention.” “Another thought: he does not plot evil in revenge will be a direct consequence of the previous one, and may be visible here, but in connection with that” (Theophylact). St. Chrysostom does not mean plotting evil, in addition to the insults received, but this: “not only does he not do, but does not even plot anything evil against his beloved. And really, how will she do evil when she does not allow even a bad thought? And here is the source of love.” He does not rejoice over untruth, but rejoices over the truth. Interpreters understand these words in such a variety of ways that, having collected everything into one, we must understand by untruth all evil, and by truth all good. St. Chrysostom says: “he does not rejoice when others suffer from any evil (moral); He rejoices over those who are well-ordered in life. Or is the same thing contained here that is said elsewhere: rejoice with those who rejoice and rejoice with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). That’s why she doesn’t envy, that’s why she’s not proud: she recognizes the benefits of others as her own. Do you see how love makes your pet an angel? For if he has no anger, is free from envy and is pure from all harmful passions, then it is obvious that he is already above human nature and has achieved the dispassion of angels. Theodoret writes in accordance with this: “he hates what is illegal, he rejoices in what is good.” Theophylact is somewhat different: “he does not rejoice when someone is not justified, is offended and harmed; he rejoices with well-ordered people, he rejoices when the truth prospers, considering this as glory for himself.” Loves everything - covers. St. Chrysostom says: “love covers everything, in its long-suffering and meekness, no matter what unfortunate and difficult things happen, even if it were insults, even beatings, even death, or something else like that. This can be seen from the example of Bla. David: what could be more difficult than to see a son indignant, seeking power and thirsting for the blood of his father? But blessed David endured this too, did not even want to utter a reproachful word against the murderer, but, leaving everything else to the military leaders, ordered his life to be spared; his foundation of love was so strong! That is why the apostle says: it covers everything. With these words he expresses the power of love.” Theodoret writes: “out of love he endures even sorrowful things.” He has faith in everything. “He considers his beloved to be not deceitful” (Theodoret). “She believes everything that her beloved says, and not only does she not say anything with cunning slyness, but she does not even suspect that anyone else would say so” (Theophilus.). Everyone is hopeful. When doing good and encountering failure, love does not stop, but invents new ways, and if these do not lead to the goal, it takes on others, and so on, inspired by the hope that God will finally bless this work of love with success. Theodoret writes: “if he sees a loved one inclined to evil, he expects a change for the better.” She herself does not sit idly by, but for her part uses all possible means to correct him and, using them, “does not despair, but hopes that he will finally return to something better” (Theophilus). He endures everything: he willingly undertakes all the labors necessary in doing good, courageously overcomes obstacles, endures troubles complacently, and endures everything that he encounters on the path of goodness, having one goal - to do good to his loved one, that is, to every person; tolerates even the most failure in goodness. “If it happens that the beloved does not succumb to her worries and remains on his evil path, complacently endures his falls” (Theophylact). “And no matter what is in the beloved, or on his part, nothing can tear the lover away from love for him” (Theodorit). St. Chrysostom combines all these three: “hopes, believes, endures” into one speech and says: “without despair, he expects all the good from his loved one and, even if he is bad, does not cease to correct him, care for him and take care of him; and not just hopes, but with confidence, because he loves so much; and even if good did not happen beyond her expectations, and even her beloved would become even worse, she endures this too” (Compiled from the book “Interpretation of the First Epistle to the Corinthians,” Bishop Theophan. Moscow, 1876, pp. 420–436). The month of May. 9th Day. Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bishop. World of Lycian 210 Evang. from Luke, count. 24th, ch. VI, 17–23 art. 1. Feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from the Lycian city of Mir to the city of Bar The holy church devotes this day to the memory of the solemn transfer of the multi-healing relics of the saint and wonderworker Nicholas from the city of Mir (in Lycia), where the celebrated saint ended his days and deeds of faith, piety and virtue, to the Apulian city of Bar, in southern Italy. This was on May 9, 1087 and took place under the following circumstances. At the end of the 11th century, during the reign of the Greek emperor Alexei Komnenos, the cruel Saracens invaded Asia Minor, took possession of Lycia, and destroyed its main city of Myra. This sad event served as a favorable opportunity to glorify the incorruptible remains of the Myra-Lyki saint, which had been kept under cover inviolably for 744 years. Some time after the invasion of the barbarians and the destruction of the city of Mir, St. Nicholas, in a night vision, inspired one presbyter, who lived in the Apulian city of Bar, to transfer his relics from Myra-Lycian to the city of Bar. In the morning, the presbyter reports about the vision he had, first to the clergy, and then to all the people. Everyone listened to his vision with full attention and joy and immediately decided to select several of the noblest citizens and, together with the clergy, send them to the city of Myra to transfer from there the relics of St. miracle worker. And so they did. The messengers boarded the ship and, in the form of traveling industrialists, arrived in the mountains. Worlds. There, at the direction of some monks, in one church they actually found the saint’s shrine in the ground, filled with the fragrant myrrh that flowed from his relics. The priests took St. relics, carried them onto the ship in their own hands and sailed to their homeland. This was on April 11, and on May 9 they already arrived in the city of Bar. The inhabitants of the city, preceded by the sacred clergy, with lamps in their hands and spiritual chants, went to the shore and, accepting with joy and honor the relics of the saint of God, they laid them in the church of St. John the Baptist. But the saints did not stay long. the relics of the wonderworker in this church of John the Baptist, having experienced the miraculous power of St. relics in numerous healings, grateful residents of the city. Bara built a magnificent stone church in the name of the wonderworker Nicholas, they also built a silver gilded shrine, and in the third year after the transfer of the relics from Mir, having gathered bishops and priests from the surrounding countries, they solemnly transferred them from the Church of John the Baptist to the newly built church and placed them in the shrine prepared for them, in the altar. But, after several years, by the will of the saint himself, announced to one monk in a vision, his venerable relics were placed under the throne in the same altar, where they rest to this day, now exuding their miraculous power for the benefit and strengthening of the believers. In Russia, this holiday was established shortly after the transfer of the relics to the mountains. Bar, as can be judged based on the evidence of one teaching for this holiday, dating back to the end of the 11th or beginning of the 12th century. 2. Lessons from the life of St. Nicholas, Wonderworker of Myra The holy soul of the Shepherd of Myra is a whole paradise of virtues, in which every color is beautiful and fragrant, every one attracts the eye, every one promises pure and holy pleasure. Beautiful and glorious is the holy zeal for faith and piety, with which the Myra shepherd burned, like the new Elijah, with which he rebelled against the arrogant debauchees of divine teaching, according to which his reverent and chaste ear could not even bear the corrupt words of a blasphemous heretic, hiding behind the guise of a zealot for ancient piety. Oh, how many exploits this holy zeal would meet in our times, when, on the one hand, the spirit of the age breathes not only weak-hearted lack of faith, but also a murderous coldness towards faith, on the other hand, self-proclaimed teachers, diving into houses, as the apostle describes them (2 Tim. 3:6), hiding behind an imaginary zeal for pious antiquity, catch simple souls with flattery, dragging them into the net to the devil and in life they create children of Gehenna, worse than themselves. The meekness and gentleness of Saint Nicholas are most praiseworthy and worthy, with which he conquered all malice and wickedness, in which he succeeded to that high degree of gentle infancy in Christ, which the holy Apostle praises (1 Cor. 14:20). This is the virtue for which the Lord Himself promised a new land as an inheritance: blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The deep humility of the great Hierarch of Christ is worthy and praiseworthy, under which he hid the height of his virtues and the greatness of his miracles, and with which he acquired the high, as the saint sings about him. church, for for his deep humility the Lord exalted him to the heights of glory and bliss. This angel-like virtue most of all attracts the merciful and benevolent gaze of the Heavenly Father: to whom will I look, says the Lord, only to him who is meek and silent and trembles at My words (Is. 66:2). Blessed and gracious is the great abstinence of the saint of Christ, by which from his very youth he trampled upon all the passions and lusts of the flesh, acquired angelic purity of spirit and flesh and prepared himself for the pure and magnificent church of the Most Holy Trinity. The high non-covetousness of St. Nicholas is highly praised and praiseworthy, who, following the example of the Apostle, counted everything as a gift, so that he might gain Christ, and through this perfect poverty, for Christ’s sake, acquired a rich man, as St. sings about him. church, so that not a single rich man in the world has enriched so many people, wiped away so many tears, or averted so many troubles as the saint of Myra. However, we would never finish if we wanted to count all the virtues that adorned the soul of the great shepherd of Myra. All of them are bright and divine, all are holy and worthy; but the most kind of all is his philanthropy, mercy and compassion for the unfortunate, about whom the thought itself is connected with the name of Nicholas - the father of the orphans, the helper of the helpless, the comforter of the suffering, the protector of the persecuted. Such is the magnificent face of the virtues that adorn the holy soul of the shepherd of Myra. Enjoying the contemplation of them, let us raise our minds and hearts to the saint of Christ, may he instill in us, through his prayers, the spirit of zeal for faith and piety, the spirit of meekness and humility, the spirit of abstinence and spiritual poverty, the spirit of love and mercy for our neighbors, so that we may be sons of the Most High, children of the love and favor of the Heavenly Father. (Extracted in abbreviation from “Complete collected sermons” by Demetrius, Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, vol. II, ed. 1889). 3. About helping those in need on the waters Dispersing the darkness of temptations and troubles... save us, as our great representative Nicholas. (Tropar. celebration). Many, many millions of believers are now turning to our blessed saint with these words - they are turning because they have either experienced it themselves or know from others that St. the wonderworker Nicholas is a ready helper for everyone in trouble, a warm intercessor, a quick intercessor and defender. He was like that in his earthly life, and he became like that even more after his death. He has remained so to this day, which is eloquently evidenced by the indisputable fact that nowadays it is almost impossible to indicate places or countries where miraculous events associated with the name of St. Nicholas would not have occurred to help Christians. For example and edification, let us tell about one case of miraculous help from the saint, dating back to recent times. On May 21, 1885, the rector of the Kozelsk Hermitage, Archimandrite, was in Kyiv to venerate the shrines there. Isaac, and with special zeal he prayed before the miraculous image of St. Nicholas, called “Wet”: this name was given to the icon in memory of how this saint saved a baby from drowning in the waters of the Dnieper, who was miraculously transferred from the depths of the water to the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral and here, in front of the icon of the saint, was found by his parents lying in wet swaddling clothes. The mentioned arch. Isaac, bowing to St. icon, apparently was touched to the depths of his soul: he sighed deeply, prayed earnestly and then said: “Great indeed is the saint and wonderworker Nicholas, a quick helper in trouble to those who prayerfully call upon him. Recently, an obvious miracle of his intercession happened to me: he saved me from sudden death, heeding one of my prayerful sighs to him. In winter I went from my monastery to the monastery mill. There was plenty of snow, the sleigh ride was excellent... A fast troika, in a covered cart, very soon took me to the city of Volkhov, where I spent the night with a merchant I knew, and set off further in the morning. My path went well at first, but then I encountered a steep descent to the river. Oke: the horses got scared of something and ran away... the coachman fell off the box into the snow, and they carried me, sitting in a closed cart, downhill in a whirlwind. Seeing the inevitable death, as the horses rushed straight to the river, where there was a steep cliff, without remembering myself, I exclaimed prayerfully: “St. Father Nicholas, save me, who is perishing!” Before I had time to utter these words, the horses suddenly stopped rooted to the spot on the steepest slope of the mountain, where it is very difficult to stop them even when riding quietly; Immediately my horses, rushing like a whirlwind, stopped, as if out of the blue, and stood quietly, as if obeying some invisible leader. I got out of the cart healthy and unharmed, and not soon the coachman came, pale and frightened, and, rushing to me, began to ask: “Are you alive, father, are you still safe? I was horrified, watching how the cart was thrown from side to side, when the mad horses carried it over the potholes from the mountain.”... No, brother, I remained alive and unharmed by the grace of God and the saint of God Nicholas... When I later descended from the mountain on foot and looked at its rocky cliff to the river, where the horses were rushing me, then I fully understood what a terrible, mortal danger the saint had saved me from. Nikolai. So, truly this saint is a quick help to those in need on the road, traveling on land and sailing on the sea” (Dushep. Thur., July 1885). Saint Nicholas saved those floating on the sea and drowning from misfortune, and you can be like him in this, for both then and now many people sail on the waters and sometimes experience misfortunes that end in death only because possible help was not given to them in a timely manner. To provide such assistance, more than 25 years ago, the Water Rescue Society was founded in Russia, under the patronage of the Empress. The scope of activities of this Society is wide and the fruits of its labors are already great. Until 1893, he saved more than 8 thousand people from drowning and prevented the wreck of up to 800 ships, and with them, therefore, how many more lives were saved from needless death?! The company has 1286 rescue stations, which are equipped with various types of rescue equipment. But what does this number of rescue stations mean, given the vast expanse of our country with thousands of rivers, lakes and sea coasts! More and more rescue centers are needed, and yet support for existing ones is impossible without the charity of each and every one of us. Conscious of our moral obligation to actually express our love for our neighbors, let us now use the appeal of the Imperial Water Rescue Society: after all, through its mouth the drowning people themselves call to us and pray to us: “brothers and sisters, save us, we are perishing!” Is it really possible to remain deaf to these cries and tears of the dying?! Let us extend a helping hand to them, giving as much as we can from our wealth! With these contributions, a new rescue center will be set up, which will provide timely assistance to many, many travelers who are dying from sea and river waves. And the Lord, who guides our mercy and mites, will reward us for them with His grace, will preserve us in all our ways and give us the prepared inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. (Chisinau. Bishop Ved.). The month of May. 11th Day. The memory of the saints is equal to the Apostles. Cyril and Methodius, educators of the Slavs Evang. from Luke, count. Chapter 24 VI, 17–23 art. 211 1. Life of St. Cyril and Methodius, educators of the Slavs To the south of the Danube River and the Balkan Mountains, in what is now Turkey, there is the country of Macedonia; the main city in it is Thessaloniki, which is otherwise called Thessaloniki. In this city, in the ninth century, there lived a noble and wealthy man named Leo, who occupied the place after the main military leader. Both he and his wife Maria were very pious people. They had seven children. The eldest was Methodius, and the youngest was Constantine (born in 827), who after accepting monasticism was named Cyril. St. Methodius, having completed his education, first went into public service. He was entrusted with power over the entire Slavic population of his native country. Although Macedonia was a Greek country, there were a lot of Slavs in it. But a few years later St. Methodius left this service and, retiring to a monastery on Mount Olympus, began a strict monastic life there. He became so famous for his ascetic life that they wanted to appoint him Metropolitan of Thessaloniki; but he refused such a high rank, probably considered himself not yet sufficiently prepared for it; then they convinced him, although with great difficulty, to accept the abbess at the Polychronium Monastery, on the Sea of ​​Marmara. It was not without the assistance of God’s providence that such a transition took place in the life of St. Methodius, that is, the transition from reigning over the Slavs to pious deeds in the monastery. Managing the Slavs, he had every opportunity to study their character, mood, morals, and language well; Asceticism in the monastery, he more and more easily achieved greater and greater spiritual maturity and moral perfection. This early acquaintance with the Slavs helped him a lot later, when he appeared among the Slavic people (Moravians) as a shepherd and teacher. His spiritual maturity later turned out to be necessary and useful for the successful fight against the enemies of the Orthodox Church and the Slavs and for firmly enduring various sorrows and oppression from these enemies. Thus, the indicated transition in the life of St. Methodius was not an accident, but the action of God's providence, which in advance and in various ways prepared this chosen man for the future great service. Oh St. There is more written in books about Cyril than about St. Methodius. From stories about Kirill's childhood and youth, we learn that even when he was an infant, he stood out sharply from all other children. His mother gave him to his nurse to raise, but he never wanted to take her breast, while he fed on his mother’s breast willingly. When St. Kirill was seven years old, he once had an extraordinary dream. “I dreamed,” the boy told his parents, “that our governor gathered all the Solunsk girls in front of me and ordered me to choose a bride from among them. I looked through them all and finally chose the most beautiful and most elegant one. Her name was Sofia." The parents listened attentively to their son’s story about this dream—they listened and thought. “What kind of dream is this? They thought. After all, this is not a simple dream. Our son is still just a child: he, of course, cannot have thoughts about brides, about marriage, he cannot fall asleep with dreams of girls, and therefore in a dream it is not typical for him to see himself as a groom. He says that the bride chosen in the dream was called Sophia. Sophia (Greek word) means wisdom... Ah, so that's what this dream means! The parents of St. Kirill. It means that our youngest son is destined to marry with wisdom - to devote his entire life to learning, science.” And the parents were convinced that their son was God’s special chosen one, and they began to raise him with special zeal. They sent him to school early. He studied willingly and very successfully. Having learned to read and write, he devoted himself to reading books. He especially loved to read the works of the great saint, St. Gregory the Theologian. These thoughtful and tender-hearted writings aroused St. Kirill felt both tenderness and reverence for St. Gregory. But this is what confused and upset St. Kirill: the works of Gregory the Theologian are very tricky in places and beyond the power of an adolescent mind. To understand them completely, knowledge of several sciences was required, which St. Kirill, being so young, did not have time to study it. But where could the boy study higher sciences? Higher sciences were taught in the capital, Constantinople, and he lived far from the capital. Moreover, his father died, his means of living, and therefore of education, became scarce. Tormented by a thirst for higher education and wavered by doubt about the possibility of obtaining such an education, St. Kirill cried and prayed. And the Lord heard his prayer. Just at this very time in Constantinople, at the court, they were preoccupied with the education of the young Emperor Michael III. And the dowager queen - mother, Theodora, and the nobles decided to recruit for the emperor peers from a noble family, well-behaved and zealous for learning, so that the emperor would be more willing and useful to study with them. So they began to recruit such boys to the court. It was then that they remembered about St. Kirill, about whom rumor had already reached some court nobles as an unusually intelligent, inquisitive and modest youth. And they took him to court along with others of his age. This happened in 842, when St. Kirill was 15 years old. And he rejoiced with indescribable joy that his ardent desire to receive an education had finally come true. His teacher was the most learned man Photius, who later became the most famous patriarch of Constantinople. Photius taught his chosen students many sciences: grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, etc. St. Cyril devoted himself to learning with all his soul and mastered all the sciences taught to him so well, as someone else is unable to master even one science. And so, he became the most learned and educated man. He had an idea about everything, could explain everything correctly, and could have a reasonable and instructive conversation about everything. For all this they called him a philosopher, everyone deeply respected and revered him. The emperor himself often invited him to his place and listened to his conversation with pleasure. Under such happy circumstances, St. Cyril was expected to have a high place in the empire, the greatest honors, in a word, he was destined for such benefits that others would not even dare to dream about. But St. Kirill did not want any of this, did not strive for anything. When the emperor and his beloved teacher noticed that St. Kirill shuns worldly rumors, worldly honors and worldly goods in general, then they came up with another means to keep such a famous and useful person close to him. They asked the patriarch to ordain him as a priest (a single man, unlike others) and appointed him librarian at the main Constantinople church of St. Sofia. But St. Kirill did not like this situation, and he disappeared to an unknown location. For a whole half a year they looked for him everywhere and finally found him in one monastery, where at that time his elder brother, Methodius, was abbot. Then he was assigned as a philosophy teacher at a Tsaregrad school. This position pleased St. Kirill, and he taught others with the same zeal with which he himself had previously studied. And the emperor was glad that he had such a learned man in sight and, so to speak, at his fingertips. More than once there were cases when the emperor and patriarch especially needed a most learned person, when they could not manage without such a person. And every time in such cases St. Cyril willingly helped them with his scholarship and provided a valuable service to the Orthodox Church and the Greek state. Thus, he defeated the iconoclast Annius in a dispute, also disgraced the Mohammedans with his discussions about faith among one Asia Minor emir, and, finally, the Mohammedans together with the Jews among the Khazars. During a trip to the Khazars, where Cyril went with Methodius, St. the brothers discovered the relics of St. Clement, Bishop of Rome. When St. Cyril and Methodius returned from the Khazars to Constantinople, the emperor and patriarch greeted them with a feeling of deep, sincere gratitude and great praise. But St. the brothers, alienated, as before, from human rumor and fame, immediately retired into solitude: St. Methodius settled in his monastery, and St. Kirill took refuge at the church of St. apostles in Constantinople. Adding intensive scientific studies to the feats of strict fasting and prayer, St. Kirill, despite his youth, suffered from poor health. But no matter how much they loved St. brothers, solitude, these lamps of faith were not destined to burn under a bushel. And with their upbringing, and their exploits, and all the circumstances that they have experienced so far, the Lord prepared them to set them to shine for the whole Slavic world - to shine openly, solemnly, soul-savingly. And so, from 862, they, unexpectedly for themselves, become apostles of the Slavs, and each of them continues this service until his death. At this time, the prince of northern Moravia, Svyatopolk, and the prince of Pannon, Kocel, turned to the Emperor of Constantinople with a request to send teachers of the faith. The emperor immediately convened a council to discuss this extremely important message. When at this council the question was raised about who to send to the Slavs, everyone unanimously named St. Cyril, as a wise, experienced man, who had already proven more than once, and moreover brilliantly, his experience in explaining the truths of the Orthodox faith. The Emperor called St. Kirillan Cathedral and, having informed him of the request of the Slavic princes, asked him to go to the Slavs. Kirill agreed. But first of all, he set about compiling the Slavic alphabet, since they did not have one. Where does St. Kirill took the alphabet for the Slavs? First of all, he used the ready-made Greek alphabet. But since this alphabet contained only 24 letters, and there were much more sounds in Slavic speech, the Greek letters turned out to be insufficient for the Slavic alphabet. To make up for this deficiency, St. Cyril took some letters from the Hebrew and other eastern alphabets, and invented the rest himself 212. Having finished this work, he set about translating the word of God into the Slavic language, and first of all translated the Gospel of John. The emperor and patriarch glorified the Lord for this and sincerely thanked St. workers. The holy brothers were given an imperial letter to be handed over to the Moravian prince Rostislav; in this letter the emperor praised St. Cyril and Methodius, as great men in intelligence and piety, and asked Rostislav to cherish them and not to abandon his concern for enlightening his subjects with the Orthodox faith. They took this letter and everything they needed for the future great work, prayed to God and set off on their apostolic journey. Their path to Moravia ran through Bulgaria (also a Slavic land). The Greek faith penetrated the Bulgarians back in the seventh century, but it spread slowly among them, as their pagan princes prevented it. But shortly before St. brothers to go to Moravia (in 861), the Bulgarian prince Boris was baptized from the Greek Orthodox faith, and Christianity was finally established in Bulgaria. But the words of God are with the Bulgarians; like the Moravians, it was not in their native language. And so, the Lord arranged it so that St. teachers of the Slavs, going to help one Slavic people, had the opportunity to do good to another. How long they stayed in Bulgaria and what exactly they did is not discussed in detail in the books. But it must be; they brought the greatest benefit to the Bulgarians, because the Bulgarians still honor the memory of St. with special reverence. Cyril and Methodius and hold such a tradition that if it were not for these holy brothers, they would not have had Christianity. Finally, St. Cyril and Methodius arrived in Moravia... All the Moravians, from the prince to the last commoner, were very happy when they learned that the best men had arrived to them, that these men spoke Slavic perfectly, like natural Slavs, and, in addition, they brought them their native alphabet, their native literacy! The Moravians never thought about such grace. The service began in their native language, and a Slavic, understandable sermon was heard. Until now, the Moravians were as if they were deaf: sacred words were spoken before them, but to no avail, as if into the wind; now they suddenly seemed to have heard, everything became very clear to them, now only they knew what the Christian faith is and how to live according to it. Diligently teaching adults, St. the brothers did not leave their children without guidance. They started a school and taught Slavic literacy, prayers and the word of God. In addition, they continued to translate into Slavic those sacred and church books that they had not yet managed to translate before. Tirelessly, almost without rest, the saints worked. brothers for the enlightenment and salvation of the Moravian Slavs. There was a lot of harvest, but few harvesters: only two of them for the whole people. But the Lord consoled them with such success that a whole host of teachers, a whole society of educators, never have. The Moravians seemed to be reborn in a short time - they became wiser and more moral. Seeing with their own eyes the immeasurable superiority of the new mentors over the old ones, they became attached to St. with all their souls. Cyril and Methodius and turned away from the Latins. St. rejoiced brothers, the Moravians also rejoiced. But the strong spiritual union of St. Cyril and Methodius with the Moravian flock was not to the heart of the Latin clergy, and they began to build against St. the brothers are carrying out various machinations in order to take away from them the spiritual power that they received over the Moravian flock, and in order to prevent them from making any progress. The Latins began to claim that preaching the word of God in the Slavic language was a sin, that it was possible to glorify God only in three languages: Hebrew, Greek and Latin, since the inscription on the cross of the Savior (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) was made in these languages. The holy brothers responded to this: “This inscription was made by Pilate, who allowed Christ to be crucified, and if Pilate is the law for you, then you are not Christians, but Pilatists. The word of God says: praise the Lord, all nations... Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Don't you know it? And don’t you know that the true Church of Christ has never forbidden newly converted Christians to write the word of God and liturgical books in their native language?”... Seeing that St. cannot be defeated in disputes. brothers, the Latin clergy resorted to another, completely dishonest means to destroy the Slavic preaching: they slandered St. Cyril and Methodius before the Pope in that they preach not the true Divine teaching, but heretical one. The Pope (Nicholas I) believed this slander and demanded St. brothers to Rome for explanations. The holy teachers willingly submitted to this demand and, having taken the relics of St. Clement, which they found in Korsun, set off on their journey. At the time when St. The brothers were on their way, Pope Nicholas I died, and Adrian II took his place. The new pope learned in advance that St. Cyril and Methodius walk with the relics of St. Clement, and prepared a solemn meeting for the Slavic teachers. When they entered Rome, he himself came out to meet them, in shiny vestments, with candles, accompanied by a huge mass of the Roman people. After the pope reverently accepted the relics of St. Clement, St. the brothers presented him with Slavic sacred books. Not finding either in these books or in oral conversation St. Cyril and Methodius did not agree with the divine teaching, the pope decided to show respect both to the books and to St. their translators. He placed Slavic sacred books in the Church of St. Mary and made orders that the Roman bishops and priests, together with St. Cyril and Methodius, celebrated liturgy in the Slavic language in different Roman churches for several days. He immediately ordered that their disciples who arrived with the Slavic teachers be ordained - some as priests, some as readers, that is, St. Cyril and Methodius, having appeared in Rome as defendants, not only did not hear any reproach for themselves here, but, on the contrary, were honored by universal attention, respect and glorification. But amid these comforting circumstances, an event took place that was sad both for the entire Slavic world and for the Orthodox Greek Church. St. Cyril, who from a young age had worked tirelessly and continuously for the good of his neighbors, now felt an extreme loss of strength and fell mortally ill. The last moments of the saint have arrived. Having lovingly kissed his disciples present with him, he turned to his brother, St. Methodius, with these words: “You and I, brother, were like a pair of oxen cultivating the same field. And so I, falling on the reins, ended my day. You love Mount Olympus very much, so please, for the sake of this mountain, do not abandon your teaching!”... And soon he gave up his spirit to the Lord. He died on February 14, 869, at the 45th year of his life. Having shown him respect during his lifetime, the Romans honored him after his death. His burial was extremely solemn, as if it were papal. The remains of St. Cyril were placed in the church of St. Clement, on the left side of the altar. Meanwhile, Kotsel, Prince of Pannonia, sent an embassy to Pope Adrian with a request to release the Slavic apostles to him (Kotsel did not yet know that St. Cyril had already departed to the Lord). The Pope hastened to fulfill the prince’s request and, escorting St. Methodius, at the same time sent a large message to Kotsel. In this letter he praised St. Methodius, cajoled all the South Slavic princes and the Slavs themselves, expressed his sympathy to all of them and promised his help at all times. Kocel did not like that the pope sent St. Methodius as a simple priest. He again sends St. husband to Rome and asks the pope to consecrate him as a bishop. The Pope fulfills this request of the Slavic prince. St. Methodius was installed as bishop of Pannonia. Now the Latin priests who served in the South Slavic lands found themselves under his authority. This was annoying for them, and they were looking for an opportunity to somehow harm their unwanted ruler. This opportunity soon presented itself. The prince of southern Moravia, Svyatopolk, Rostislav's nephew, started sedition against his uncle, betrayed him to the Germans, and himself seized his throne. In order to stay on the dishonestly stolen throne and get rid of vengeance for such a deed on the part of the Slavs, he began to serve the German authorities, secular and spiritual. It was then that the subordinates of St. Methodius, the German priests became emboldened and rebelled against their rightful archpastor. They slandered him before the German King Louis. They demanded St. Methodius to stand trial and, not accepting any justification from him, they imprisoned him in the Swabian prison, in which he languished for two years and a half. The Latins triumphed in the belief that the end of Slavic Orthodoxy had come. But their triumph turned out to be premature. In 874, at the insistence of the new Pope, John VIII, St. Methodius was released and returned to Pannonia. And although this unfortunate Pannonia soon fell into the hands of the son of the German king, Carloman, and was forcibly Latinized, at the same time Moravia began to live a better life. Svyatopolk only pretended to be a friend and servant of the Germans for a while, but then he circumvented them so cleverly that he made Moravia completely independent of German rule. The Moravians begged the pope to transfer St. Methodius, and the pope soon gave him control of the Moravian flock, and elevated him to the rank of Pannonian Moravian archbishop. Suffering for the Orthodox faith not only did not weaken St. husband, but they further strengthened his spiritual strength and inspired in him an invincible determination to lead his flock to salvation, no matter what happens, no matter what befalls him in the future. For the holiness of life and unusually zealous fulfillment of pastoral duties, St. Methodius was awarded by God the gift of insight and prophecy. So, for example, he predicted to his prince Svyatopolk the day of his victory over one pagan people, with whom he had fought for a long time and unsuccessfully; predicted the death of certain spouses who entered into an unlawful marriage without permission, etc. This wonderful gift elevated the archpastor even more in the eyes of his flock. But evil people are always disgusted to see a holy work, the work of God. At the time when St. Methodius rejoiced with all his soul at the success of his teaching and the prosperity of the Moravian flock; new intrigues were built against him by his Latin enemies. The Latins sent a denunciation against St. Methodius, as if St. Methodius actually spreads Slavic worship in Moravia because he does not want to be dependent on the Roman Church. This denunciation greatly affected the lust for power of the Roman high priest. The Pope sent an ambassador to Moravia to ban Slavic worship there, and then summoned St. Methodius to Rome to see for himself whether he believes and teaches correctly. The humble Slavic saint was not indignant, did not make excuses, but humbly hurried to Rome, firmly believing that the Lord would help him get out of the enemy’s snares. When he arrived in Rome and appeared before the pope, the pope convened a council of several Latin bishops and interrogated the Slavic apostle in front of them. The matter ended with the pope releasing St. Methodius with honor, and sent a letter to the Moravian prince Svyatopolk with high praise for the Moravian saint. In the same letter, the pope expressed approval of Slavic literacy, again allowed Slavic worship, and in defense of this worship, quite unexpectedly, expressed the very thoughts that St. Cyril and Methodius spoke out against the Latins, the pope’s henchmen. Circumstances of Methodius' life. upon his return from this trip to Rome, they were quite sad. In 882, Pope John VIII died. After him, the Roman throne was occupied, one after another, by popes from whom even less good could be expected for the Slavic Church than from John himself and his immediate predecessors. And the Latins in Moravia were now imbued with confidence that victory in the fight against St. Methodius will remain behind them. To speed up this victory, they spread a rumor that the Constantinople emperor and patriarch had changed their minds to St. Methodius is in their favor and they are angry with him. With this invention they hoped to shake the trust and respect for their great archpastor in the Orthodox Moravian flock. But, as if to refute this absurd rumor, it happened that at the beginning of its spread, St. Methodius was summoned to Constantinople by a respectful letter from the king and was received there with honor and reverence, as a great man of God. Comforted and encouraged by the sympathy for his labors on the part of the famous Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Methodius, immediately upon returning to his flock, zealously began to finish what had not yet been completed in his apostolic work. Together with two priests, his disciples, he completed the translation of the Bible in a very short time (six months); Only the Maccabees books remained untranslated (not particularly important compared to the others). He then translated from Greek the book of church rules, known as Nomocanon, and some of the works of St. fathers. It’s not for nothing that St. Methodius was in such a hurry with these works. He felt that the days of his earthly life were numbered, and that soon he would have to appear before the great Bishop - the Lord and give Him an account of his spiritual children. Noticing that the great lamp of the Slavic Church was fading, students and employees gathered to St. Methodius, expressed their grave grief, in view of the impending eternal separation from them, they anxiously asked him: “Whom do you choose, our father and teacher, to be the leader of your department for you and the continuer of your teaching?” St. Methodius pointed to Gorazd, who was one of his especially beloved disciples. On Palm Sunday, the fading saint performed the divine service for the last time, gave a sincere instruction to all those present and, turning to his disciples, said: “My children, take care of me until the third day.” With these words, he clearly and accurately determined the time of his death. The Tuesday of Passion Week has arrived, and at the same time the last minutes of the precious, prolific life of the saint have arrived. Raising his weakened hands, he reverently and tenderly said: “Lord, in Your hands I commend my spirit!” - and died. It was October 6, 885. Imbued with feelings of deepest love and high reverence for their great teacher, the clergy - from the disciples of St. Methodius - they gave him an unusually solemn burial; they sang over his tomb in three languages: Greek, Latin and Slavic, and thereby showed that the setting sun shone not only for the Slavic world, but also for the Greek and Latin ones - that St. Methodius was a global teacher. With deep sorrow and sobs, the people gave their mentor and father their last kiss. Body of St. Methodius was buried on the left side of the altar of the cathedral church of the Most Holy. Virgin Mary in the Moravian capital, Velehrad. (Extracted in abbreviation from the book “Pastoral Edification”, published by the magazine “Pastoral Interlocutor”). 2. The meaning of the Church Slavonic language The Church Slavic language, as a primary language, has high advantages and undeniable advantages, which alone are sufficient to reserve for us exclusively the significance of the liturgical language. Invented by St. God-wise Cyril and Methodius, our Church Slavonic language is distinguished by its special strength and expressiveness, euphony and solemnity, and in this respect it is in complete harmony with the saints expressed in it, the lofty truths of our Orthodoxy and St. faith of Christ. And at the same time, this native language of ours is completely understandable to every true son of St. our Orthodox faith and church. It is not for nothing that the turns of Slavic speech are pleasant to our ears, but their prudent, moderate and appropriate use is considered by us to be one of the signs of a sublime style. It is not for nothing that our people, who believe in the simplicity of their kind heart and sometimes guess with the same heart where the truth is, love our Church Slavonic language and even the very Slavic letters so much. Let's look, further, at our old people, for whom reading is sacred. scriptures and visiting church is not a capricious whim, but an urgent need of their believing heart: they always give full preference to the Church Slavonic text of the Holy Scriptures. scripture before its Russian translation. These phenomena have one common deep meaning. Holy language Scripture and worship must be special, sublime, different from our everyday literary and colloquial language, just as the area of ​​our faith is sublime and different from everyday life. But the Church Slavonic language is ours and therefore should be dear to us, because it unites not only all the Orthodox from different localities of our fatherland, but also unites us, Russians, with the Orthodox Slavs of other countries by the commonality and unity of worship performed among them in the same language as ours. A resident of our extreme north, being among the Orthodox Serbs and Bulgarians, feels at home, among his own, as soon as he hears the familiar sounds of worship and prayers in a Slavic Orthodox church. Residents of the south, Orthodox Serbs and Bulgarians, experience the same feelings when they accidentally find themselves in our far north. If the Church Slavonic language suddenly were destroyed in our worship and replaced by some other language, then our most powerful, natural and centuries-old connection with the Orthodox and heterodox Slavs would be broken, the reminder that was completely dear to all of us about the unity of origin of the Slavs, about their nominal fraternal kinship among themselves would be destroyed; meanwhile, nothing will be given in return for this. Only destruction will be brought into a work established and sanctified for centuries, from which may the Lord save us! (See “Prop.”, appendix to the “Manual for rural pastures” for 1885, April). 3. Why do Christians primarily learn to read and write? Listen, brothers, I’ll tell you how and why good people taught me, an Orthodox Russian Christian, to read and write. Good people advised my father to send me to school, they assured him that they would teach me good things there. My father told this to my mother, gathered the whole family, consulted and decided to take me to school. When my father was getting ready to take me, then my mother brought me a lot of food: meat, butter, eggs, nuts, honey and bread, and put it all in a bag. When everything else was ready and placed in our road cart, my brothers harnessed the horse. Then we all gathered in the hut; my mother and sister cried, and my father and brothers encouraged me. After talking a little, we all stood up, prayed to God, my parents blessed me; both the brothers and father shed tears; everyone wished me health, asked me not to forget them, to love them and to be a good person, as God commands. We all went out into the yard. My father and I got into the cart; the brothers opened the gate. My father crossed himself, reminded me to cross myself and, bowing to the family, said: “Be healthy,” “God bless you,” answered the mother. “God bless,” the father said again. - Well, take it, bay! - he said, turning to our humble horse. Gnedko set off, my mother, my sister and my brothers went out into the street with us to accompany me a few more steps. They stayed near the gate and we drove off. My father and I rode for a long time; We passed through many, many villages. By late evening our bay was very tired, and we stopped in some large village to spend the night. As we drove, all the way I thought: why will they teach me to read and write?.. I heard that those who know how to read and write teach it to others and get a lot of money for it. “Isn’t it then, I thought, that people learn to read and write in order to earn more money and more easily than through hard agricultural labor?.. I saw that in the village the literate were respected and revered more than the illiterate. - So isn’t that why they want to teach me to read and write, so that I can have more honor!.. I also heard that literacy makes people smart... But I couldn’t figure out for sure why they learn to read and write. In the morning, getting up before it was still light, my father fed and watered our horse, then woke me up. Again we drove for a long time, again yesterday’s thoughts troubled me, and again I could not resolve them. Finally, before evening, we arrived at the school where they wanted to send me. We came to the teacher; he was at school. There were quite a lot of students there. The teacher praised my father for bringing me to study, treated me kindly and told me to be obedient and diligent. At school we were taught to understand and know by heart the symbol of the Christian faith, the most important events of sacred history, as well as Russian history, and the most common prayers, which we sang according to the church. They taught us to read and write in Russian. We told and explained what we read as we understood it. They also taught us numbers with different actions on them, and they always explained to us everything that we didn’t understand. Our teacher also knew crafts: carpentry, shoemaking, sewing, bookbinding, and he also taught them to us. The teacher told us especially well: how God created the sun, month and stars; how good the Lord created our earth and the first man; how much God loves all that is good; how man angered God by disobedience; how man was punished for this, and how later, out of boundless love for people, the eternal and consubstantial Son of God with God the Father, the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ, earned us forgiveness from God and gave us in His teaching the means of salvation. Our teacher also spoke well about the angels, the prophets, the apostles and the saints of God: how the angels obey God, and how zealously the prophets and apostles preached the word of God to people; how holy and righteous people lived in accordance with God’s law. When you remember all this, you think about it, it becomes very good; This is how we should try to live. Our teacher’s stories from Russian history were also very entertaining and instructive: how, under the shadow of the Divine teaching of Christ, over the centuries, Russia, our homeland, gathered, strengthened and exalted itself; how majestic and full of the vital forces of the spirit of Christ are the wonderful faces and events of the historical existence of the Russian people. We really liked all these stories from our kind teacher, and we tried to learn to read and write so that we could read the books ourselves where all this was written. When we had already learned to read and write and, before leaving school, we met on Sunday to talk about who was going to go where, what to do and how to live, our good teacher came to us, as usual, and said: peace to you, brothers; God help you to speak well! “Then, having learned what we were talking about, he said: okay, brothers, you are doing well; It is useful to think about your actions in advance. If you always ask yourself for an account of your affairs, you will see more of your own shortcomings and act better. This is very good. But now you have already learned to read and write, you are considered famous literate people, and most of you are sent as teachers to other schools, but tell me frankly, how do you understand why they mainly taught you to read and write and everything that you learned here at school. “We learned to read and write,” one of us hastened to answer, in order to be able to read and write whatever we want.” “And I think,” said Yakov, that we learned to read and write so that we could earn money for ourselves more easily and more than our relatives through heavy farming, and so that we could live more calmly and richly than them.” “That’s not all,” said Ivan. It seems to me that we have also learned in order to know more and be smarter than simple, uneducated people, for which we will be honored and respected.” “Well, I believe,” Semyon said, that we were taught and we will teach others so that from us, poor peasants, those who turn out to be smart and capable, as they say, emerge into people for various high positions.” “It seems to me,” Andrey said, that they taught us to read and write and everything good that we learned here at school, so that we could continue to learn everything in more detail.” “You are kind kids,” said the teacher, but you are all only partly fair and do not delve enough into the very essence of the matter. You have indicated only the particular, secondary consequences of learning and pay more attention to what benefits literacy gives you. Although the Lord does not forbid us and even obliges us to try to multiply and improve the gifts with which He has endowed us, at the same time God demands that we, just as we take care of ourselves, equally strive for the temporal and eternal, material and spiritual benefits of all our neighbors. “Love your neighbors as you love yourself... Love not only those who love you and do good not only to those who do good to you: but you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you,” Christ the Savior Himself commands us (Matt. 22:39; Matt. 5:44-46; Luke 6:33). Why should our charitable love embrace all people without exception? All of us, people, according to the word of God (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 9: 1; Acts 17: 26-29), have one origin, the entire human race constitutes one family and, as children of one heavenly Father - God, we must all, in a union of love, unanimously try to achieve both our temporary, earthly legitimate goals, and especially our eternal destination. We are obligated to “seek not (only) our own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that (all) may be saved” (1 Cor. 10:33). For this, everything (Orthodox. Dogma. Theology of Philaret, archbishop black, ed. 1865, part 2 § 304, pp. 412-415) we must always “preach the word of God to everyone... edify, instruct and exhort one another every day while we can speak... (2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb.3:13; Heb.10:25); to correct some in the spirit of meekness... and to rebuke others severely... to save through fear” (Gal.6:1; Titus 1:13; Jude 1:23). So, we must with all our strength help our neighbors to preserve the high dignity of the image of God and rise gradually to that spiritual perfection, which is indicated to all of us by God, “until we all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, into a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ, so that we are no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried away by every wind of doctrine, by the craftiness of men, by the cunning art of deception,” but so that with true love, “we may put on the new man created according to God... and live in love, which is the fulfillment of all the law of God (Eph.4:13-15; Eph.4:24; Eph.5:2; Rom.13:10). And literacy especially helps us achieve this state. It gives us the opportunity to comprehensively learn the law of God, expressed in writing. Literacy helps us to know our Most High Father in heaven “by looking at His creations” (Rom. 1:20), explained in pious books. Helping us clearly understand the Divine truths of the teachings of Christ, literacy at the same time teaches us the truly good life of a Christian in all social and everyday situations and conditions. From all this it is clear that Christians are taught to read and write mainly in order to educate as many good, active people as possible - Christians. This is why you were taught to read and write, and you must teach others. (See “People's Interlocutor”, part I, ed. 1898). The month of May. 21st day. Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God Evang. from Luke. zach. 58th, ch. X, 38–42; XI, 27–28 art. 213 1. Our hope is not shameful How often do we hear, both in church during divine services and at home during prayer, chanting hymns praising the greatness and glory of the most honorable cherub and the most glorious without comparison seraphim of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice... About the most holy, most pure, most blessed, most glorious Our Lady Theotokos... Most honorable cherubim,” - these are the common hymns in honor of the Mother of God... And how can we not glorify and praise the Most Pure Virgin Mary! The benefits that She poured out on the human race are innumerable. As Queen of heaven and earth, She strengthens kings and establishes kingdoms; chosen Voivode - saves cities from enemy attacks; as the Intercessor of the world, She takes care of converting the lost to the path of repentance and virtue; The joy of those who mourn - rushes to the aid of suffering humanity; Intercessor of the offended - protects the helpless. She stands up for everyone - those in adversity and sorrow and illness, burdened with many sins, who pray to Her with a tender soul and a contrite heart... But the Most Holy Theotokos poured out and continues to pour out especially many mercies on our Russian land. In the history of our church and our fatherland, we see its Mother's veil constantly spread over Russia. Here, for example, is the image of the Vladimir Mother of God. What is he telling us? About the intercession of the Mother of God of the Russian land from the Tatars - from Tamerlane and Akhmet. The Don Icon of the Mother of God testifies to the same intercession from the same enemies. And the icon of the Kazan Mother of God speaks of deliverance, with the help of Her, the Queen of Heaven, of the Russian land from the Poles. However, it is impossible to list the miracles and mercies that the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God has shown and continues to show to the Russian land. Let us never be silent, Mother of God, to speak Your strength unworthy... The Most Holy Virgin Mary is the zealous intercessor not only of our Russian land, but of all of us, if only we diligently resort to Her. “For everyone,” says one church song, “pray Thy Son, Christ our God, and cause all to be saved in Thy sovereign protection for those who come running.” No matter how great your sins are, Christian, if any misfortune or misfortune happens to you, boldly run under the sovereign protection of the Mother of God, and She, the zealous Intercessor, will protect you from all evil. There are many examples of the powerful intercession of the Mother of God for sinners. Let's list some of them. In the book “Cheti Menaion”, a certain Theophilus is mentioned. This unfortunate man fell into the gravest sin, rejecting God and surrendering to Satan. Then he lost his peace and tranquility of soul; fear, melancholy and despair took possession of him. What does Theophilus do? He turns to the Mother of God with fiery prayer, prostrates himself before Her icon, sheds bitter tears in contrition of heart - and soon, from the greatest sinner, he becomes a forgiven man, who has returned peace, joy, and hope of receiving the Kingdom of Heaven. And here is another amazing experience of the intercession of the Mother of God - an experience that shows how powerful the prayer is: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” In one country there was a powerful and desperate robber. Occupying roads and crossroads, he and his brave band beat, robbed and killed everyone he met; but, being in such a disastrous state, he, by the way, had a good custom - every day he performed a well-known rule and read prayers, especially the prayer to the Mother of God: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice!..” One day, a certain great ascetic seer passed along the path where robbers were traveling. They, like wild animals, grabbed the ascetic and presented him to their chieftain. In front of the ataman, the seer began to say: “Listen, child, I want to reveal a great secret to you and your comrades: order for this to gather all your subordinates here.” The chieftain gave a sign to those ahead, and in an instant the whole gang of robbers was gathered. “Is everyone here,” the ascetic asked, looking around the gang, “or who else is not there?” “One hasn’t arrived yet,” answered the chieftain. “Well, then call him too,” said the elder. They called the last one, but he winced, shrugged his shoulders and reluctantly went to the chieftain. As soon as he crossed the threshold of their hut, he suddenly shook all over his body, turned his face away from the seer and with the movement of his hands showed that he did not dare to approach him. “I conjure you in the name of Jesus Christ,” exclaimed the ascetic, without taking his eyes off this servant of Ataman (and he was his cook), “tell me, who are you and why are you here?” “I am not a man,” he cried, “but a demon, and from my master Satan I have been assigned to watch this chieftain, so that as soon as he abandons his rule and prayers to the Virgin Mary, I will strangle him and kidnap him to hell... And for 14 years now I have been in his service only for this purpose, but I cannot destroy him only because every day, while he commits robbery, robbery and murder, at the same time he does not abandon jealousy to prayer before this icon (and the icon was the Most Holy Theotokos). Mary’s secret power does not give me the opportunity not only to destroy him, but also to cause him the slightest harm.” “Disappear,” the ascetic said commandingly, “and never dare to approach those who only prayerfully call on the name of our all-sung Lady Theotokos!” “Like smoke, the demon disappeared.” The robbers fell at the feet of the seer along with their ataman - and from that time on, having abandoned robbery, they corrected their lives and mourned their atrocities in sincere repentance before God. Such is the power of prayer to the Mother of God! You too, Christian, come running under the protection of the Queen of Heaven, pray to Her more often: Virgin Mary, Rejoice!.. “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” and She - the all-merciful Lady and Queen - will protect and preserve you from all evil. (See “Resurrection sheet. No. 275, published by the editor of the magazine “Sunday Day”). The month of June. Day 23 Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God See above under May 21 and October 1. The month of June. Day 24 Birth of St. prophet, forerunner and baptist of the Lord, John 214 Evang. from Luke. zach. 2nd, ch. I, 5–25; 57–68, 76 and 80 art. 1. What does the life and preaching of St. teach us? John the Baptist? When the Son of God was about to appear and preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God, then before Him the Holy One was sent from God. John, as the morning star before the rising sun, according to the word of God through the prophet: Behold, I send my angel before you, who will prepare your way before you (Mal.3:1; Matt.11:10), which word the Son of God Himself cites about His Forerunner and attributes to him. This great Forerunner was born of elderly and barren parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and was born according to the promise of God (Luke 1:13). Then the Truth Itself, the Son of God, testified about him that he was worthless than a prophet and that the pain of John the Baptist born of the wives did not rise (Matthew 11:9-11). And among the Jews themselves he was in great reverence for his holiness, so that they expected and thought in their hearts: this food is Christ (Luke 3:15)? He lived in the desert, like an angel of God, removed from human society and rumors, ate the simplest food and dressed in simple clothes, like a preacher of repentance, which he preached both in word and in his life. This great man, just before the appearance of Christ, at the command of God, came out of the desert, came to the country of Jordan and preached to the people who came to him, saying: repent, the kingdom of heaven is drawing near (Matthew 3:2). A mighty man is coming, but He is not worthy to cut off the thong of His boot; The one you baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, etc. (Luke 3:16). It was he who told people about Christ our Savior. His other holy sermons are recorded in the gospel. Pay attention, Christian, here how great is the One about whom the Forerunner spoke to people: he is coming after me; He himself was like an incorporeal angel and highly revered by everyone, but he considered himself very small before Him, so that he recognized himself as unworthy to render Him even the last slavish service, that is, to untie the strap of his boots, for he recognized himself as a creature, and His Creator, although He wore a human image. The holy sermon of John the Baptist had the goal that people would purify themselves by repentance and prepare to receive the Messiah, who had already appeared on earth and was so great that he was not even worthy to serve Him: He is not worthy to take away the thong of His boot. When the king of the earth approaches any city, the inhabitants of which have been waiting for the king for a long time, then first a messenger comes to that city and says to the citizens: “Behold, the king is already coming to you, get ready to meet him and receive him with due honor”; just as precisely when the King of heaven, Jesus Christ, preached by the prophets and expected by the world, appeared on earth, and the time had come for Him to appear to the world and let Him know Himself, St. John the Baptist, the seal of all the prophets, as a favorable messenger, came before Him and announced to the people waiting for Him: “Behold, the Messiah you expected has already come, preached by the law and the prophets; prepare to receive Him as you should: prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths right (Matthew 3:3). You see from this that whoever wants to accept Christ into his heart must cleanse himself with true repentance, recognize his sins from the law and cleanse them with repentance, regret and contrition of heart, and most importantly, ask God for their cleansing - and then Christ the Son of God will come to him with His Gospel and give him consolation that is not worldly, but such as the world cannot accept. You see, finally, how the saints of God humble themselves before God. John recognizes himself as unworthy to untie the bootstraps of Christ God. So the holy Abraham recognized himself as unworthy to talk with God and said: I am earth and ashes (Gen. 18:27). For they understood the greatness of God and their insignificance before Him. So Peter, having learned from the multitude of fish caught at the command of Christ how great Christ is, fell at the knees of Jesus, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinner, Lord. Terror took possession of him and all that was with him, about catching fish like fish (Luke 5:8-9). But the more they recognize themselves as unworthy, the more God, as the Good and Merciful, honors them. Let us also repent, recognize ourselves as unworthy, and Christ God, as the Lover of mankind, will honor us with His mercy, for He looks upon the humble and gives them His grace! (From the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 2. On the strength of innate inclinations The Holy Church now celebrates the birthday of the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ, John, the great prophet and wondrous ascetic. The Savior said about him that John was not raised from among those born of women (Matthew 11:11). Who raised the angelic life in him? Of course, the main educator and leader of St. The forerunner was God Himself; the hand of the Lord was with him (Luke 1:66), says the evangelist. He himself worked a lot in the fight against the innate corruption of everything, which proves the strict way of his life. But one cannot deny that his holy life was greatly influenced by the piety of his parents, who were both righteous before God; walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord (Luke 1:6). Nowadays, we often hear complaints from parents about their children that the younger generation generally does not listen to their parents, behaves very freely, does not live like a god, which, I must say, is the absolute truth. Why does this sad phenomenon occur? Are we not spoiling and destroying our children with careless upbringing? It is known that everything that gives birth produces something similar to itself. This similarity is not limited to one's appearance, but also extends to internal qualities. Man is also subject to this law; he also passes on to his children not only physical, but also moral qualities, his character, his passions and inclinations. It is not surprising after this that dissolute, evil, drunken parents who do not have the fear of God and their fruit, conceived in iniquities and entwined with shame, later, when it grows up, turns out to have neither shame nor conscience, prone to drunkenness and ready for all evil. You say: St. will baptism regenerate? In it, after all, all sinful filth is washed away, and a person is reborn again. Indeed, baptism is a second birth, just do not forget - the birth is not physical, but spiritual. Here the sin of Adam and all other sins are forgiven, but the inclinations remain. As a result, the baptized person, although he becomes a child of God, does not cease to be a child of his parents, continuing to preserve the nature that he was given at conception. This means that a child is endowed by nature with either good or bad qualities, depending on what we ourselves are like. However, it must be said that innate qualities, evil and good, develop, strengthen and are destroyed as a result of raising children. Although a person has an evil thought from his birth, he can be weakened and destroyed by a good upbringing. But, alas! The spirit of the times has blown a strong chill over our religious life. Many parents, even those who sincerely love their children, think only about how to satisfy their children and calm them down, provide them with all kinds of entertainment and games, satisfy their every whim and whim, but they care little about their souls and do not pay timely attention to the manifestations of bad inclinations in them: waywardness, irritation, anger, rude and cruel treatment of servants and domestic animals. Parents do not pay attention to these actions, thinking that children are small and stupid, but when they grow up, they will become wiser and become better. God willing, this would happen. But, after all, in the evil actions and inclinations of a child lies the germ of that uncontrollability that children gradually internalize, so that even all the efforts of educators remain fruitless in correcting children’s self-righteousness. The life and behavior of parents also has a significant influence on the development of innate inclinations. It is good for that child whose parents have the fear of God and are free from gross vices. From them it will learn to be kind, pious and alien to everything that is contrary to the will of God and has a harmful effect on its morality. But woe to that child who sees that his parents do not pray to God, condemn their neighbors, blame their elders, and lead a depraved life, contrary to the will of God. Bad examples will take root in him, the child will become wayward, will not believe in God, will not love his neighbors and respect his elders. All these are the fruits of our inattention to raising children. Brothers Christians! Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. The character and behavior of our children mainly depends on ourselves. Let us in every possible way beware of unclean thoughts and desires, especially sinful deeds, because they are imprinted on the young soul of children, like on soft wax, and serve as the beginning of vicious inclinations that cause so much harm to them and tears to their parents. We will teach children good things from an early age, and eradicate bad things. Let centuries-old experience teach us the indisputable truth that a son who is not punished is punished by his father (Sir.22:3), but he who punishes his son will enjoy him and will boast among those who know him (Sir.30:2). Pampering children is very harmful, but reasonable severity is necessary and saving for them. Caress the child, and he will frighten you, says the wise one; play with him, and he will sadden you. Don’t laugh with him, don’t worry about him, and finally clench your teeth. I learned his words in his youth, even when he was young, but not when he became hardened and did not submit (Sir.30:9-12). Let us teach children goodness from an early age not only by word, but also by example. Seeing our good deeds, they will learn on their own to glorify God and make us happy with honest behavior and good life. You, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Savior, John! Look mercifully on the Christian people, who reverently honor your memory, and pray to the Lord that He will multiply among us such virtuous parents as yours were, and children who would be like you in purity of heart and holiness of life (See Christ. Demon. 1899, appendix to the magazine “Pastor. Sobes.”). Closer to the other most important sacred places to Jerusalem are the mountain city of Judah and the Desert of John. The city of Judah is an hour and a quarter drive southeast of Jerusalem. The road to it, leaving the Bethlehem Gate, goes past the Greek Monastery of the Cross, which, according to legend, was founded on the place where the tree grew, providentially used on the cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and to this day, here, under the altar of the cathedral church, they indicate the place where the root of this tree was. From here we soon reach the fruitful valley of the mountain city of Judah. On the site of this city there is now an Arab village. The parents of St. lived here. John the Baptist - priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Here was born that angel of God (Mal.3:1), who was supposed to prepare the way for the Savior of the world. Village of St. Ioanna is still beautiful and cheerful. It is located in a mountain ravine, among gardens and cultivated fields. Since ancient times, on the site of the birth of John the Baptist, there has been an Orthodox church and a fortified castle attached to it. At the beginning of the 16th century. The Latins took possession of this place and founded their monastery here. The main church still has a Byzantine character. The main altar is dedicated to the name of St. Zechariah; on the right side of the entrance there is a chapel in the name of St. Elizabeth, and on the left side is a cave, or the birthplace of the Forerunner; Above the star carved into its floor from marble is the following inscription in Latin: “Here was born the Forerunner of the Lord.” The vaults and walls of this cave are lined with marble and covered with rich material, and the floor is decorated with multi-colored mosaics. This is where he was born, longer than anyone - according to the testimony of the Lord Himself - none of those born of women rose up (Matthew 11:11). The main altar of the church, according to legend, is located in the place where the happy father poured out the well-known song of thanksgiving: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for you have visited and brought deliverance to His people and raised up the horn of salvation for us, in the house of His servant David, as His prophet has spoken on the lips of the saints from the ages... And you, as a child, were called the prophet of the Most High: for thou hast gone before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways... (Luke 1:68–76) Behind the Latin monastery, at the end of the village, a reservoir called the spring of Mary is visible under the shade of fig trees; Here, according to legend, the Most Holy Theotokos, during a three-month stay with Her relative Elizabeth, went to draw water. From this reservoir there is a road to the ruins of the country house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, which are located on the slope of the mountain adjacent to this source. Under the arches of these ruins there is a throne, on which once a year the monks of the monastery of St. John the Baptist perform a divine service. To the north, below, on the rock, there is a small cell where, according to legend, St. Elisaveta. Here they show the place where, according to legend, the meeting of the righteous Elizabeth with the Most Holy One took place. The virgin described in the Gospel: and when Elizabeth heard Mary’s kiss, the baby leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And you cried with a great voice and said: Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb. And where do I get this from, may the Mother of my Lord come to me. Behold, as if the voice of Thy kiss came into my ear, the baby leaped with joy in my womb. And blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. And Miriam said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoices in God My Savior, for He has looked upon the lowliness of His servant, for from now on all shall call Me blessed, for the Mighty One has done Me greatness, and holy is His name... (Luke 1:41-49). This inspired song involuntarily asks for lips here, and our fans do not miss the opportunity to sing it in chorus. Centuries-old trees shade the remains of the sacred shelter, where St. once lived. family. 4. Desert of St. John the Baptist At a distance of one hour from the ruins of the house of St. Zechariah, along a difficult road in exposed rocks, the worshipers reach the area where St. John the Baptist spent a desert life, preparing for the great feat of serving the salvation of people. Halfway along the path there is a white stone, significantly elevated above the surface of the earth, like a small hill; On it, John the Baptist, according to legend, taught the people. In the desert itself, the Forerunner of the Lord spent the entire morning of his wonderful life (until the age of 30), as St. evang. Luke: The boy grew strong and strong in spirit and was in the deserts until the day of his appearance to Israel (Luke 1:80). It is difficult to find a place as beautiful as this desert: in front of you stretches a huge and deep gorge, on the left side of which, in the uppermost part of the side rock, there is a cave where, according to legend, St. lived. John the Baptist - Elijah of the New Testament. It is not big - only 8 steps long and 4 wide. In addition to the doors, there are two windows from which a beautiful view of the valley opens. In the depths of the cave, a small ledge is made in the form of a throne: here rested the one who later appeared to be truly and the most honest prophet (trop. on the Beheaded. Honest. of his head). Above the cave rise the remains of an ancient church and monastery, now overgrown with trees and plants and presenting a rather picturesque view. From the top of the rock comes a spring, which trickles down the rock in a small stream and gathers into a stone oval bed near the cave, and then runs with a murmur into the depths of the valley. Here was the word of God to John, Zechariah’s son, in the wilderness: and he came into the whole country of Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 3:2). (From the book: “Holy places and shrines... by Petrushevsky. Issue I, ed. 1896, pp. 156–161). The month of June. Day 29 Memory of the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul Evang. from Matt. zach. 67th, ch. XVI; 13–19 Art. Whom do men say I am, the Son of man, that is, the promised Messiah (Matt. 16:13; cn. Dan. 7:13)? – Jesus Christ asked His close disciples. The disciples answered: some - John the Baptist, others - Elijah, others - Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Who do you say Me to be? Then Simon Peter confessed: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! To this Jesus said in response: Blessed are you, Simon, var (son) Jonah, for flesh and blood have not been revealed to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to you, for you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:13–18). This is the place where Jesus Christ speaks about His church for the first time! And before, the disciples confessed Him as the Son of God (Matthew 14:33), but then there was no word about the church, probably because Peter’s lack of faith was mixed into the case at that time, and the confession itself was based on the miracle they saw - the salvation of the Apostle Peter from drowning and the taming of the storm, by which the other disciples who were on the ship were saved, that’s why they said: truly you are the Son of God; but that is why their faith, perhaps, was not as perfect as Petrov’s faith here. Here, without any extraneous circumstances that could arouse faith, the confession of the Apostle Peter flows with rapid speech: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! It is clear that this confession poured out from Peter’s entire soul, imbued with faith in Jesus as Christ, the Son of God; it is clear that Christ’s disciples had never yet uttered such a complete, heartfelt confession, although they had already confessed Him as the Son of God; and Jesus Christ Himself notes that such a confession was not instilled in the Apostle Peter by flesh and blood, i.e. This is not simply human considerations, for which others called Jesus either John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah, or the only prophet, but the heavenly Father Himself, Who, according to the word of Christ, alone draws people to the Son (John 6:44). That is why, just as until now there was no such complete faith and such a heartfelt confession of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that is, the true Messiah, there was no word about the church. What should we conclude from this? – The fact that firm, heartfelt faith in Christ, produced by God Himself in the heart of a person, is in a person the stone on which Christ builds His church. But is this stone not Simon, named Peter, or Peter renamed from Simon, as some believe? This opinion seems to be supported by both the meaning of the name Peter and the name of Simon. Peter, as elsewhere (John 1:42) Cephas (Syriac) means mountain, rock or stone; Why does Peter need such a name if he is not to be the main stone of the Church of Christ? – But isn’t it obvious, on the other hand, that this name refers not to Simon’s face, but to his firm faith? It’s as if Jesus said to him: “Your present confession is as solid as a rock, for which I call you Peter; and on this rock, on such and such a rock, on such and such a confession solid as a rock, I will build my church.” – Such faith, without a doubt, cannot be limited to the person of the Apostle Peter, just as Peter is not the only one called to the church; meanwhile, with the immobility of a rock on which the church could be founded so firmly that the gates of hell, i.e. all the efforts of her enemies could not overcome her, it seems that it is impossible to agree in Peter himself either with his threefold renunciation of his Teacher (Matthew 26:64–75), or with the public reproof made to him by the Apostle Paul (Gal.2:11–14); how, after this, could the Apostle Peter be the main stone of the church? Will they say that he was the first to have firm boldness to preach Jesus Christ to the Jews (Acts 2:14, etc.) and to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1 and to the end), and, therefore, the first to lay the foundation, or better yet, the beginning of the building of the church? But this, obviously, does not mean that the Apostle Peter was the main stone of the Church of Christ, but that he was the first in zeal and determination to work together with God and a skillful builder of the church (1 Cor. 3:9-10), who, like the other apostles, built on the already given foundation or stone, which is actually and only Jesus Christ. For another foundation, says the Apostle Paul, no one can lay more than the one who lies, who is Jesus Christ (v. 11, cf. Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ps. 118:22-23; Is. 28:16), in which the Apostle Peter himself completely agrees with him (1 Pet. 2:4-8). Therefore, if we can call it the foundation of the church, then only in the same sense in which the other apostles and prophets are called such a foundation in the words of the Apostle Paul, who calls believers built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, which is the cornerstone (stone) of Jesus Christ Himself (Eph. 2:20-21); but even here, without any special advantage over the other apostles, as if Peter were, if not the main stone, then the head of the church, so that in churches separated by locality or time, the same thing would not happen that once happened in the Corinthian church, where one said - I am Pavlov, another - I am Apollosov, that - I am Kifin (Petrov), this - I am Christ. Food stripped Christ? food Paul will be crucified for you (1 Cor. 1:12–13)? Who is Paul, who is Apollos (and therefore Peter), if not the ministers through whom you believed? – wrote the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 3:5). Thus, in order to speak more clearly and completely about this subject, we say that the main stone of the church outside of man is Jesus Christ, and in man himself is firm faith in Him; the Apostle Peter is, like the other apostles, only a minister of the church, the first by his precautionary determination with which he began his ministry, and not by any advantage - however, he is also a pillar of the church, like James and John (Gal. 2:9). On this rock - on Christ and firm faith in Him as the Son of God, the Lord builds His church so firmly that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. This expression, however, in relation to people, obviously does not mean that their faith is always so firm that the gates of hell will never prevail against it; the faith of the Apostle Peter, so firm in his first confession, later, as we know, was shaken; it is equally impossible to vouch for the faith of every person, who is always free at heart and not free from fall; but it means that in order for believers to be able, like living stone (1 Pet. 2:4-5), to form a church so strong that the gates of hell will not prevail against it, they first and most of all need faith in Christ, as strong as it was in the first confession of the Apostle Peter - Be a Christian, faithful even to death (Rev. 2:10). (Christ. Read. 1839, part III, pp. 44–51). 2. Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul St. Apostle Peter, son of Jonah, originally from Bethsaida, the elder brother of Andrew the First-Called, was engaged in fishing. Before his calling he was called Simon; upon his calling, the Lord gave him the name Cephas in Syrian, or Peter in Greek, that is, stone, as a sign of his firmness in the faith. Peter was so equal and zealous towards Jesus Christ that more often, quickly and more ardently than the other apostles, he testified to his faith and his devotion to Him. And the Lord always distinguished him from the other apostles, making him a participant and witness of His greatest miracles (Luke 8:51) and the most important events of His life (Matthew 17:1; Matthew 26:37). How, however, the natural qualities of his soul were still imperfect! His love, loudly proclaimed in solemn moments, his devotion and fidelity to the Lord, which forced him to take the sword in his hands to defend Him against his enemies, could waver before the ridicule of several servants! Peter denied the Lord with an oath that he did not know Him at all. Then, realizing his fall, Peter wept bitterly. After His resurrection, the Lord consoled him with a special appearance to him, forgave his betrayal and restored him to apostolic dignity (Luke 24:34; John XXI). After the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, which clothed them with divine power to live, teach, act and govern holyly, the ardor and zeal of the apostle. Peter were sanctified and exalted. Full of strength and jealousy, ap. Peter is one of the most important figures in the emerging Church of Christ. He is the first to speak before the people with a sermon about Christ on the day of Pentecost. This is not the timid and hesitant Peter of old, but courageous and undaunted. He says that the extraordinary phenomenon that happened before him is the action of the Holy Spirit, which God once promised to send on His servants, that this Spirit was sent down on His disciples by Jesus Himself, Whom the Jews had recently crucified and Whom God raised from the dead, glorified and seated at His right hand, so He is the true Messiah. The people, extremely moved by this speech, asked what needed to be done, and St. Peter answered: “Repent, and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” It was not in vain that the apostle called on his listeners: he had the joy of seeing that about three thousand souls believed and were baptized on that day. The Apostle Peter was the first both in teaching and in working miracles. The miracle of the healing of the lame man at the church amazes the people. Ap. Peter took advantage of this circumstance to preach to him about the crucified and risen Christ, by whose power a miracle was accomplished. He exhorted him to repent and convert in order to blot out the sins that weighed on him. The priests, the chief of the church guard and the Sadducees, irritated by his preaching and especially by the fact that he proclaimed the resurrection, interrupted him, seized him and threw him into prison along with the ap. John, for it was already evening so that the interrogation could begin. However, a large number of listeners turned to Christ, so that the Christian community increased by five thousand people. The next day the Sanhedrin met; They brought in Peter and John along with the healed lame man. They ask them: by what power or in whose name did they perform this healing? Then Peter, overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, spoke a powerful speech. “Since we,” said the apostle, were brought to judgment for the benefit bestowed on the unfortunate, we will take advantage of this to announce to the members of the Sanhedrin and to all Israel that this miracle was performed in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, crucified by them, but whom God raised. He is the stone which was rejected by the builders, but which became the cornerstone of the New Testament church. From Him alone comes the salvation promised by the prophets; There is no salvation outside His name." The Sanhedrin was in great difficulty. He could not explain to himself the confidence of these simple and uneducated people, in whom he recognized the disciples of Jesus Christ; Moreover, there was no means of rejecting the healing that had just taken place, because the healed one was present there. Not knowing what to do, the Sanhedrin forbade the apostles under the strictest threats to speak to anyone in the future about Jesus Christ as the Messiah. But Peter and John did not want to promise anything like that. When the decision of the Sanhedrin was announced to them, they responded by asking their judges whether it was right before God to obey them more than God, and declaring that it was impossible for them to remain silent. The members of the Sanhedrin aggravate the threats against the apostles, but do not achieve their goal and are forced to release the apostles, for they had no excuse to punish them and were afraid to irritate the people, who glorified God for the great miracle He had performed. The second persecution, after some time, also turned to the glory of the Gospel. The apostles, after a long search for them, are again brought to trial. The chairman addresses them with a speech. “Didn’t we strictly forbid you,” he said, to speak about your faith, and despite this, you fill Jerusalem with your teaching and want to make us responsible for the death of this man! Fearing nothing, ap. Peter responded to this reproach that one must obey God more than men. The members of the Sanhedrin were irritated by this answer and were about to pronounce the death sentence, when one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law and respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the accused to be brought out and stated his opinion. He advised caution. You need to think carefully before resorting to violence. Bad deeds eventually fall of their own accord. If the preaching of the apostles was a human work and was based on error, then it will be destroyed by itself, without the assistance of the Sanhedrin. Violence would then be unnecessary. But if it turned out that we were dealing with truth that comes from God, then the use of violence would be a big mistake, because it would not only be a futile attempt, but also resistance to God. The judges accepted Gamaliel's advice. They called the apostles, ordered them to be beaten with sticks, repeated the prohibition to talk about Jesus, and then released them. Rejoicing that they were deemed worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus, the apostles withdrew from the Sanhedrin and did not stop proclaiming every day in the church and at home that Jesus is the Messiah. Activities of the ap. Petra was not limited to Jerusalem. He travels and preaches the Gospel in Samaria and in the villages of Samaria (Acts 8:25) and in various places in the Jewish country (IX, 31–43). About this activity. Peter testifies, in addition to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and the epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians (XI, 7–8). Peter visited the churches that were located throughout Palestine, and which became very flourishing after the conversion of their main persecutor, Saul. He also came to Lydda, where by the power of the name of Jesus he healed the paralytic Aeneas, who had been lying in bed for eight years. At his earnest request, he then went to the believers of Joppa, a city located on the seashore, not far from Lydda. He was invited because a Christian woman died there, whose death was mourned, for she was a benefactor of the poor. It was called Tabitha. They have not yet buried her in the hope of the arrival of the apostle. Petra. He brought her back to life, to the great joy of the believers and especially the poor and widows, whom she supplied with clothing. Thanks to these two miracles, the apostle won a great number of souls to the faith - in Lyddia and Joppa and in all the surrounding areas. From Joppa, the apostle, after a vision of clean and unclean animals, went to Caesarea and here he laid the foundation for the Christian church of the pagans with the conversion of Cornelius. This event indicates a new era in the spread of Christianity. From this time on, a vast field opened up for the activity of the apostles among the pagans. The news of the baptism of pagans quickly spread among Christians and caused surprise. When ap. Peter, after some time, returned to Jerusalem, then many Jewish believers began to reproach him for eating with the uncircumcised. He then told in detail the vision that had happened to him, and everything that happened afterwards, and mentioned the gift of the Holy Spirit given to Cornelius and everyone who was with him. In confirmation of his words, Ap. Peter pointed to the testimony of the six brothers from Joppa. When they learned about these events, everyone recognized the finger of God in them and glorified the Lord for the fact that He also gave grace to the pagans to achieve salvation. After the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the apostles and believers become victims of bloody persecution. It was the last year of the reign of Herod Agrippa I. Out of his false zeal for the Jewish law, this king, a friend of the Pharisees, committed violence against many believers. One of the host of apostles, James, son of Zebedee, was killed by the sword, and the church was threatened with an even more serious blow. The king, seeing that his severity was pleasing to the Jews, ordered the apostle to be seized. Peter and not long before Easter imprisoned him. He intended to publicly put him to death at the end of the holiday. But Peter, with the special assistance of God, was freed from prison. Through the prayer of the church for him, an angel loosed his bonds, brought him out of a locked prison, brought him into the city and saved the apostle from death for the good of the church. After this app. Peter left Jerusalem and retired to other countries to preach the Gospel both to his compatriots living in dispersion and to the pagans. They see him in Rome, where his zeal to preach Christ in this center of paganism drew him, in Antioch, in Babylon, famous in antiquity, and, finally, again in Rome, where he ended his apostolic service with martyrdom. Moving from one country to another and spreading the light of the teachings of Christ, St. Peter, along with the other apostles, vigilantly guards the purity of the teachings and morals of the church. He writes his messages to the converts and persistently urges them to live in purity and innocence, to mortify their passions, to be submissive to authorities, to improve in all Christian virtues, to determine their behavior according to the example and commandments of Jesus Christ and to edify the infidels by the holiness of their lives. But, no matter how zealous and prolific was the activity of the apostle. Peter and the other apostles, the field was too vast, and there was much to be harvested. Therefore, the Lord chooses Paul to serve, numbered by the Holy Spirit among the highest apostles (2 Cor. 11:5). Coming from the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day, ap. Paul was brought up in the strictest obedience to the dictates of law and tradition. His deep respect and his ardent zeal for the faith of his fathers were acquired from his earliest years; he belonged with heart and soul to the Pharisee sect. A false zeal for the law inspired him and made him a persistent and cruel persecutor of Christians. Not satisfied with the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, he asks for permission to go to Damascus in order to shed the blood of believers in Jesus Christ there too. What ardor in this character, which a poorly directed study of the law made incompatible with evangelical meekness! He goes like a ravenous wolf to Damascus, he longs to wreak havoc on the timid flock of Jesus Christ. But, oh, the power of God's grace! - From one word this terrible enemy is thrown to the ground, and this word is not a lightning strike, it is a reproach full of kindness: Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? I am Jesus whom you persecute in My disciples. Previously, this word ignited his anger when St. Stefan said it; a hundred times he swore to destroy this holy name, but this time he had in his heart and on his lips only an expression of his perfect submission: Lord! What will you have me do? Get up, he was told, and go to Damascus, there you will be told what you need to do. Paul enters the community of believers, enters into fellowship with the apostles, listens and accepts all the teaching about the salvation of people, spends time only in prayer and fasting. This is already an apostle, and this change is so rapid, so extraordinary that the faithful tremble even in the presence of the former persecutor Saul, because they do not know about the deep impression that the word of Jesus Christ made on his heart. The glory of the converted Paul is the miracle of God's omnipotence. This man becomes a chosen vessel, whom Jesus Christ sends to proclaim His name before the nations, kings and children of Israel. The Jew died in him; henceforth he preaches that it is not by works, but by faith, not by law, but by grace, that people are saved, and that, therefore, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. His soul was completely drawn to Jesus Christ, Who, out of obedience to God the Father and out of love for people, was crucified on the cross and took pity even on him, Paul, His enemy and persecutor. He was so united in spirit with the Crucified One that it was as if he had been nailed to the cross with Christ, thus dying to the law, the world and sin, and as if he had risen from the dead to be henceforth a new man and to live solely for God and with Christ. Christ is so deeply imprinted on his soul that he cannot occupy himself with any other subject. With what fiery zeal he preaches the Gospel and with what love he is ready to shed his blood to support and protect him from the attacks of his enemies! From the time of his appearance in the field of apostolic service, St. Paul knows no rest or peace. He penetrates into the most distant countries, proclaiming the word of God to kings as well as to peoples, to the uneducated as to the wise. He preaches in Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, Athens and Rome; everywhere he establishes churches and governs them. When you measure on a map the space of countries traversed by the apostle preaching about Christ; when you conjure up in your imagination the countless and enormous difficulties that the preacher of the word of God had to overcome at that time; when you think how many routes of communication were rare and difficult, how much the means of subsistence were insufficient; When you imagine all kinds of dangers to which he was exposed, you stop in amazement at the great exploits and deeds of the Apostle of Languages. God alone, who encouraged and strengthened him, gave him the strength, courage and constancy to overcome all difficulties. It should especially not be forgotten that the very task for which he endured so many dangers and hardships was extremely difficult and brought upon him ridicule, opposition and persecution almost everywhere. To these grave sufferings for the love of Christ were added great sorrows for the apostle. Some Jewish Christians, being strict adherents of the Law of Moses, tried to put obstacles in place everywhere. Several times inevitable death threatened him, often his deeply wounded heart bled, more than once he felt that his bodily strength was leaving him, but he always remained unshakable, and his firm faith gained complete victory (2 Cor. 1:8-9; 2 Cor. 11:4; 2 Cor. 4:16 et seq.). Thus, the name and Gospel of Jesus Christ were preached by the apostle. Paul from one end to the other of the ancient world and triumphed over the arrogant indifference of some, the hostility filled with rage of others, over the caustic ridicule of scientists and the terrible hatred of the powerful. Pagan society, immersed in the darkness of vices and errors, is being revived and transformed under the influence of the Gospel. Let us hear from the lips of the apostle himself the story of his missionary exploits (2 Cor. 11:24–29). “From the Jews,” he says, “five times I was given forty stripes, minus one” - a very severe punishment that was applied in synagogues and from which people sometimes died. “Three times,” he continues, “I was beaten with sticks by order of the pagan authorities” - a punishment much more severe than the blows of the scourge of the Jews. The Book of Acts mentions only one scourging of St. Paul in Philippi. The apostle continues: “I was stoned once,” and I survived! It was a miracle. Acts mentions this stoning at Lystra. - “Three times I was shipwrecked, I spent day and night on the open sea, and was in danger every minute of being drowned by the waves.” After these details the apostle continues in more general terms. “In many of my travels,” he says, “I was in danger on the rivers,” exposed to the danger of drowning, crossing from one bank to another or while swimming; “in danger from robbers” while passing through sparsely populated countries; “in danger from fellow tribesmen,” who persecuted with hatred the one whom they considered an apostate from the law; “in danger from the pagans,” who mistook their benefactor for the wicked or a disturber of public order; “in danger in the city” because of the assemblies that were easily formed there from worthless people, and which threatened the life of the apostle; “in the dangers of the desert,” where he could get lost and easily die from lack of food; "in the dangers of the sea" if he fell into the water or was shipwrecked; finally, “in danger among false brothers” - Judeo-Christians, who encroached on his cause, his peace, freedom and even life. - Further, the apostle continues: “How many other labors, other sufferings have I endured for the sake of Jesus Christ! continuous vigils, hunger, thirst, frequent fasting, cold and nakedness. To these external calamities must be added the restlessness of the soul, the burden of affairs that followed one after another, and the concern for all the churches that I founded. Who is exhausted, with whom would I not be exhausted? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed?” He also wrote: “even to this day we endure hunger and thirst, and nakedness, and beatings, and we wander and toil, working with our own hands. They slander us, we bless us, they persecute us, we endure; They blaspheme us, we pray, we are the trash of the world, like dust trampled underfoot by everyone (1 Cor. 4:11-13).” But all this cannot lead the apostle to despondency. “We are oppressed from everywhere,” he wrote again, but not oppressed; we are in desperate circumstances, but we do not despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are cast down, but we do not perish” (2 Cor. 4:8–9); for in his weakness the strength of God is revealed. “Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with needs, with persecutions, with oppressions, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Who would not be touched by the account which the apostle here offers of his labors and sufferings in establishing churches? While in prison for two years in Rome, the Apostle Paul labored here with the greatest success to enlighten unbelievers and comfort and enrich believers with new spiritual gifts. The Word of God was not taken captive, and its bonds only gave more courage to those whom it enlightened. Freed from the fury of his enemies, he again visited and consoled the east, enlightened the west, and finally concluded his work with martyrdom. Holy supreme apostles! Grant us your protection before God, so that we may receive His mercy and grace and achieve eternal life. (“Kur. Ep. Ved.”). 3. Why is the Apostle Peter depicted on icons with keys, and the Apostle Paul with a sword? The keys on the icon of the Apostle Peter mean the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, which the Lord Jesus Christ, during His earthly life, promised to give to the Supreme Apostle for His firm and decisive confession as the Son of God. It happened like this: “Going to the countries of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples: Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am? They said: some for John the Baptist, others for Elijah, and others for Jeremiah, or for one of the prophets. He says to them: Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter, distinguished from the other apostles by his special ardor and determination of spirit, alone, anticipating them, confessed Christ with a new Christian confession: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And for such a firm and decisive confession, the Lord not only praises him, but also pleases him: “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah,” He said to the apostle, “for not flesh and blood (not people and not your mind) revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” For this, as a reward for the first and new confession of Christ, Peter alone, mainly before the other apostles, heard from Christ a new word about the church and on the original universal foundation stone - Christ (1 Pet. 2:4) was laid as the first of the subsequent, smaller foundation stones, that is, the apostles (Eph. 2:20). “And I tell you,” the Lord said to him, “you are Peter, and on this rock (on the rock of your faith and confession) I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,” says the Lord finally (Matthew 16:13–18). The kingdom of heaven, to whose keymaster Peter is appointed, here, as in other places in the Gospel (Matt. 3:2; Matt. 4:17; Matt. 13:24), is called the kingdom of the Lord of grace, or His church, which He promised to create on the rock of Peter’s faith and confession. The earthly church is called the Kingdom of Heaven because the head of the church, the Lord Jesus, is not an earthly, but a heavenly King, and because the members of the church, while living on earth, must prepare themselves for heaven. How should we understand the handing over of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, or the church, to the Apostle Peter? According to the custom of ancient peoples, in particular Jewish ones, the presentation of keys served as a sign of giving someone authority over the house (Is. 22:22; Rev. 3:7). In accordance with this, the figurative expression of the Savior: and I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, must be understood in the sense of giving the Apostle Peter the power to open and close the entrance to this kingdom, to accept into communion with the church and excommunicate from it. But this power is necessarily connected with another, the power to bind, that is, to declare the sins of people unforgiven, and to resolve, that is, to forgive them. For only he can become a member of the church who, through repentance, receives remission of his sins, granted by church authority; Likewise, excommunication from church communion threatens only those who remain unrepentant in their sins, and therefore do not receive forgiveness for them. Therefore, having entrusted the Apostle Peter with the power of the keys, the Lord Jesus authorized him to bind and loosen, promising that his judgments about sinners would be confirmed in heaven: “and whatever you bind on earth (i.e., whatever sins you declare unforgiven) will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Thus, the holy Apostle Peter, as the first to confess Christ as the Son of God, the first of the apostles receives from Him the promise to have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the first is invested with the power to bind and loose human consciences. But was he the only one of all the apostles to receive this power? No, soon after this the Lord promised the power to bind and loose to all the shepherds of the church (Matthew 18:18). And after His glorious resurrection, He solemnly established this power behind all the apostles, and therefore behind the successors of their ministry - the shepherds of the church (John 20:23). “For what purpose,” writes Saint Chrysostom, “did Jesus Christ entrust the keys to them (the apostles)? For if they do not judge, they will not have any importance, and therefore they received the power to bind and decide in vain.” So, seeing the keys in his hand on the icon of the Apostle Peter, we must, firstly, remember and praise his firm and decisive confession of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, for this very confession was the reason for awarding him, the first of the apostles, the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; secondly, in the person of the Apostle Peter, holding the keys in his hand, we should see the image of the church authority, which has the authority from the Lord Jesus to bind and loose, forgive and not forgive, open and close the entrance to the church (Matthew 18:17). “The church binds,” writes St. Augustine, “the church resolves, the church, founded on the cornerstone - Jesus Christ Himself (Eph. 2:20), binds and resolves. Let both those who are bound and those who are freed be afraid: those who are freed, so as not to fall again into the same thing, and those who are bound, so as not to remain forever in the same state, for, says the Wise One, “everyone is captive to his sins” (Prov. 5:22): and except for this holy church, nowhere can one obtain permission.” The Apostle Paul is depicted on the icon holding a sword. What does this sword represent? - Signifies the tireless, most zealous preaching of St. an apostle of the word of God, which he himself twice in his epistles represents under the image of a sword. Thus, in his letter to the Ephesian Christians, speaking about the constant battle ahead of them with the rulers, powers and rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spirits of wickedness in high places, the apostle, for the success of this battle, advises them to stock up on spiritual weapons and among these weapons offers them a spiritual sword, by the image of which he commands to understand the word of God (Eph. 6:12-17). In his letter to Jewish Christians, to demonstrate the special power and effectiveness of the word of God, the apostle compares it to a two-edged sword and shows the superiority of the first over the last; The word of God is living and active, he says, and sharper than any two-edged sword: it penetrates to the division of soul and spirit, to the joints and marrow, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (IV, 12). Saint Paul, later than all the chosen disciples of the Savior, entered into apostolic service to His word; in preaching this word, in using this spiritual sword to convert the Jews, especially the pagans, to the faith, he, as he testifies about himself, worked more than all the apostles (1 Cor. 15:10). And it is remarkable that this fiery champion of the Lord Jesus Christ, who from the time of his conversion did not cease day or night to act with the sword of the word of God (Acts 20:27; Acts 20:31), who commanded others, as we have seen, to arm themselves with this sword, is one of all the apostles, as a Roman citizen, free, according to the laws of that time, from corporal punishment (Acts 16:37-39; Acts 16:25–29), ended his earthly career by beheading by the sword. So, seeing on the icon of the Holy Apostle Paul in his hand a sword, which means the word of God in the spiritual and moral sense, firstly, let us remember and appease his fiery and tireless zeal, stopped only by beheading by the sword, in preaching the word of God for the good and salvation of his neighbors; and secondly, we will, as much as possible, imitate this jealousy. When we passionately love our Lord and our neighbors, opportunities will always open up for us to wield the spiritual sword for the glory of the Lord and for the good of our neighbors. Be like me, the apostle tells us, as you were like Christ (1 Cor. 4:16). (See “Instrument and consolation of the Holy Christian Faith” No. 12, 1890) 4. Appearance of the Apostle Peter to Saint Leo, Pope of Rome During the priesthood of Saint Leo, Pope of Rome, who with his intercession turned Attila away from the destruction of Rome, the Eutychian heresy appeared, named after the heresy leader Eutyches, the Archimandrite of Constantinople, who, contrary to Orthodox teaching, taught that humanity in Jesus Christ was completely absorbed by the Divine, and therefore in Him only the Divine nature should be recognized. This heresy caused a lot of harm to the Orthodox Church. At this time, Saint Leo showed particular zeal in protecting Orthodox teaching: he begged the kings to convene an ecumenical council. The latter was convened in the city of Chalcedon and condemned the Eutychian heresy. But due to the distance, Saint Leo could not be present at the council; but he wrote a letter in which he exposed the heresy in detail. This message is remarkable especially because it was corrected by the Apostle Peter himself. Here is what Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem tells about this: When Saint Leo wrote his epistle to Saint Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople, against the heretics: Eutyches, who united two natures in Jesus Christ into one, and Nestorius, who separated the natures, he placed this epistle on the tomb of the Apostle Peter, in prayers, vigils and fastings asking the apostle: “if in anything I, as a man, have sinned or misunderstood, then you fix it." Forty days later, the holy Apostle Peter appeared to the praying Saint Leo and said to him: “I read it and corrected it.” Saint Leo took the message from the tomb of the Apostle Peter, opened it and found it corrected by the apostolic hand. When this message was read at the council, all the fathers declared: “through the mouth of Leo the Apostle Peter speaks,” and, according to his reasoning, they approved the well-known definition of faith: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages, light from light, true God, true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, in whom are all things "bysha." This message of Saint Leo was treasured even after (and how could one not treasure such an invaluable treasure!). Having lived to a ripe old age and approaching the end of his life, Saint Leo prayed for forty days at the tomb of the holy Apostle Peter, asking him to intercede before the Lord for his sins. And so, at the end of forty days, Apostle Petri appeared to him and said: “I prayed for you, and your sins will be forgiven.” A little time after this, Saint Leo of Christ peacefully surrendered his spirit to the Lord. You see, Christian, how the writings of the holy fathers were compiled: they were written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the saints of God. Therefore, try to read them carefully. (“Sunday Day” 1900, No. 6). 5. The resting place of the relics of St. ap. Peter and Paul in Rome Relics ap. Peter is buried in the Vatican Cathedral named after him. This church, surpassing in size and wealth all existing churches in the world, stands on the spot where Nero’s gardens and circus once stood, in which, by order of this tyrant, the blood of countless Christians was shed. Soon after this cruel reprisal against Christians, the martyrdom of St. followed. ap. Peter, crucified, by order of Nero, in 67 A.D. The faithful, having removed the body of the apostle from the cross, honorably laid it on Vatican Hill, near Nero's circus, along with the martyr bodies of the sufferers of Christ, killed in the same circus. In 90 AD, Pope Anacletus or Cleitus (79–91) built over the resting place of St. apostle tombstone, under which the honorable remains of the supreme apostle rested in peace for a long time. In the 3rd century. They, for safety reasons, were taken from here by the faithful and transferred to the suburban catacombs of St. much Sebastian, along the Appian Way) (coming out of Rome to the south), where they were placed in one cave. Soon, however, under Pope Cornelius (251–253), they were again taken to Vatican Hill and placed in their original place, under the monument built by Pope Anacletus, where they rest to this day. In 324, Emperor Constantine the Great laid the foundation of a magnificent church in the name of St. over this monument. glorious, all-validated and supreme ap. Petra. This church, founded by the Christ-loving emperor, existed for 11 and a half centuries. In 1450, it began to threaten destruction, and Pope Nicholas V began to rebuild it, with the intention of creating a new church, which, in its splendor, would be similar to the Temple of Solomon. The construction of the new church took a very long time and was completed only by the end of the 18th century. The new cathedral was built over the previously existing church, only on an incomparably larger scale. The interior of the cathedral is a basilica, the greatest in the world. Its length is 87 1/2 fathoms, and its height is 54 1/2 fathoms. In the very middle of the cathedral, under the main dome, on a raised platform, to which 7 marble steps lead, stands the main altar of the cathedral. This throne is made of one single piece of white marble. Above the throne rises a rich canopy, resting on four pillars (19 1/2 fathoms in height). Under the main altar of the cathedral, in a specially constructed crypt, the relics of St. supreme ap. Petra. The descent to this crypt is located in the middle of the cathedral. The vast, semicircular space adjacent to the dais on which the main altar stands is surrounded by a marble balustrade (a partition of columns). From the double doors set into the balustrade, two staircases run parallel to each other and have marble steps leading down. Bogomolets, having gone down one of these stairs, approaches the outer wall of the above-mentioned crypt, lined with multi-colored marble. In the middle of this wall there is a bronze, gilded, carved, double-leaf gate. Through them there is a view of the inside of the crypt. Inside the outer wall there is another wall of the crypt, also lined with multi-colored marble. In the upper part of this inner wall, behind the bars, you can see that ancient wooden coffin, blackened by time, into which, after the martyrdom of St. ap. Peter was laid to rest his suffering body, and in which the relics of the supreme apostle rested before they were transferred from the catacombs along the Appian Way to Vatican Hill. In the middle of this inner wall there is a single door. Behind this last one is visible a small niche, which is called the place of confession of St. Petra. In the depths of the indicated niche, on its wall there is a very ancient mosaic image of the Savior; on both sides of it are also depicted in mosaics of St. ap. Peter and Pavel. The bottom of this niche is bronze and gilded. This is the lid of a small tomb in which the relics of St. ap. Peter, placed there by Pope Anacletus. Since the volume of the entire mentioned niche is very small, the tomb with the relics of St. ap. Not all of Petra is visible; the rest of it opens into the chapel of the tomb of St. that exists behind that niche and is actually located in the Vatican grottoes under the cathedral. ap. Petra. This tomb was opened for the last time for the sovereign Emperor Nicholas I, when His Majesty was in Rome under Pope Gregory XVI 215. A 25-minute cab ride from the southwestern city gate, called the “Gate of St. Paul", on the Ostian road, there is a country church in the name of St. ap. Pavel. It was built on the burial site of another supreme apostle - St. Pavel. There once was a country manor here that belonged to the pious Roman matron Lukina. When, in 67 A.D., by order of Emperor Nero, the venerable head of St. ap. Paul (which followed not far from Rome, in an area called “near healthy waters,” where a country monastery “at three fountains” now stands), then the pious Lukina collected the sacred remains of the supreme apostle and buried them with honor on her country manor. From that time on, the Lukina manor became the tomb of ancient Christians, known as the catacombs of St. Lukins. Bishop Anacletus (79–91) erected at the resting place of St. ap. Paul's tomb chapel named after him, and Constantine the Great in 324 built a basilica instead, which was constantly expanded and improved by subsequent emperors and bishops of Rome. In terms of its size, it ranks after the Vatican Council in the name of St. ap. Peter's, first place among all churches in Rome. The main altar of the church stands on a raised platform consisting of five steps. In the front board of this throne, that is, the one in front of which the clergyman stands, there are small double-leaf lattice doors; for those who wish from among the pilgrims, they open, and the pilgrim, looking inside the throne, sees a tomb standing there, over which hang several lamps, and on the tomb itself the inscription: “To Paul the Apostle Martyr.” In this tomb rest the relics of St. supreme ap. Pavel. Relics of St. ap. Paul, buried in the present place by Lukina, rested here peacefully (just like the relics of St. Apostle Peter on the Vatican Mountain) until the 3rd century. In the indicated century, when the transfer of the relics of St. ap. Peter to the catacombs of St. Sebastian (along the Appian Way), at the same time the sacred remains of the Apostle of Languages ​​were also transferred there. Under Pope Cornelius (251–252), the relics of St. ap. Paul were again carried to the Ostian road and laid in their original place, where they rest to this day. In the church sacristy, among many shrines, there are: chains of St. ap. Paul, with which his hands were tied when he was taken into custody, under the supervision of soldiers, part of the staff of St. ap. Paul, a particle from the relics of St. ap. James Zebedee, a particle from the relics of St. ap. Bartholomew, part of the honest foot of St. ap. James, brother of the Lord, honorable head of St. ap. Ananias, one of the 70 apostles, who, according to instructions from above, baptized Saul, part of the honest head of St. the martyr Photina the Samaritan woman, with whom Christ spoke at the treasure house of Jacob, and others (See the book “Holy places and shrines in the east, in Russia and in the west of Europe” by P. Petrushevsky, St. Petersburg ed. 1898, pp. 147–151, 155–158). The month of July. 8th day. Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy. Mother of God Evang. from Luke. zach. 64th and 58th ch. X, 38–42 art., XI, 27–28 art. 216 1. About the appearance of the holy miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God The appearance of the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kazan is reported in an ancient legend compiled by Hermogenes, Metropolitan of Kazan, who later became the All-Russian Patriarch. “In 1579, during the reign of the most pious and Christ-loving sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke John Vasilyevich, Autocrat of All Russia, under His Holiness Metropolitan Anthony of Moscow and All Russia and Archbishop Jeremiah of Kazan, this icon of the Mother of God appeared in this way. After the fire that happened that year in the city of Kazan, on the 23rd day of June, in memory of the holy martyr Agrippina, not far from the place where it caught fire, near the church of St. Nicholas, which was called Tula, there remained the courtyard of a certain warrior named Daniil Onuchin. Part of the settlement and half of the city near the cathedral church also remained, and the archbishop's courtyard remained. Most of the settlement, and the bazaars, and in the city the monastery of the magnificent Transfiguration of Christ, and the courtyard of the Grand Duke, were destroyed by an all-consuming fire, so that not a trace remained of much. But Christ-loving people did not despair, but, realizing their sins, resorted to repentance and correction. And they began to again build the churches of God and their homes, and, with the help of God, the foreign-language and newly enlightened place was again enlightened by churches and divine teaching. There were many pagans and unbelievers in the city; they adhered to different faiths, and the Orthodox faith was mocked and reproached among them, and there was no healing spring in the city at that time. Not understanding divine grace and power, pagans and infidels, out of their evil faith, humiliated us in their hearts, since they, the foolish ones, saw (but did not understand) God’s mercy towards us, which was combined with punishment, for God, as a child-loving Father, having mercy and punishing us for our sins, thereby cleansed our sins. Seeing the patience of His people and their faith, and the reproach and reproach of the Gentiles living around, the lover of mankind God did not endure the reproach and blasphemy of the holy icons, so that the pagans would not say: where is their God, in whom they believe, so that the lips that speak lies would be silenced, and so that Jewish and Muslim slander and proud blasphemy would disappear and not be remembered, so that heretical blasphemy would be eradicated teaching that sows evil weeds, and the true Christian, Orthodox faith, the Greek law, would be established and glorified by the exact teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, His holy disciples and apostles, God-bearing and holy fathers, who established the Orthodox faith of Christ and taught to believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, through the intercession and prayer of our intercessor Queen The Lady of the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, through her constant presence near Her Son and our God. And so, by His grace, in these last times, God showed us the true and brightest sun, which opened to us the closed Eden (paradise); God showed us from the earth a glorious icon, an inexhaustible source, through humane providence, the miraculous icon of His Mother, our Queen, Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, hidden in the earth, revered under the name of Hodegetria (Guide) and His (Jesus Christ) image. The icon of the Mother of God appeared in the following way. The Lady did not reveal Her icon to the saint of the city, nor to the civil authorities, nor to the nobles, nor to anyone rich or wise, but She revealed Her treasure, an inexhaustible source to those who came with faith, Her miraculous image, to the daughter of a certain simple man, a warrior skilled in shooting, to a nine-year-old girl named Matrona. It was to this maiden that the miraculous and glorious icon of the Mother of God appeared. So, after the fire, in the same year and month, the glorious icon of the Mother of God began to appear to the said maiden and commanded her to go to the city and tell about the icon of the Mother of God to the archbishop and the governors, so that they would go and take it from the ground. And the place was indicated to her. Due to a misunderstanding, the girl was afraid to talk about this. However, after some time, she told her mother, but her mother did not attach any importance to this. Then the same icon of the Most Holy Theotokos again appeared to the same girl in a vision and commanded her to tell about this vision without embarrassment. And the girl not once, but many times told her mother about the appearance of the icon, but without success. Finally, one day the girl happened to fall asleep in her house at noon. And suddenly, she found herself in the middle of her yard, and an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to her, in a terrible fiery form, emitting fiery rays, so menacing that the girl thought that she could be burned by those glorious fiery rays. And there was a terrible voice from the icon, saying to the girl: “If you do not tell My command about taking My icon from inside the earth, then I have to appear in another place, but you will terribly lose your life.” The girl fell into great fear from this terrible vision, fell to the ground and was as if dead, and lay on the ground for many hours. And she exclaimed to her mother in a loud voice, so that she would go to the archbishop and the governors of the city and tell about the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos that had appeared to her, and tell her all the words that she had heard from the icon, and indicate the place. The mother, hastening to the governors in the city, placed the girl in front of them and ordered her to tell herself about everything that had happened. And the girl told them everything that had been said and what she had heard from the holy icon, and pointed out the place shown to her. They, possessed by unbelief, imputed all this to nothing. The mother of the girl, seeing that there was no success at all, shed tears and, taking her daughter, went to the archbishop, where she conveyed everything that had been said. told him about the indicated place so that he could order the holy icon to be taken out. But the archbishop also did not heed what she said and sent her away without doing anything. She came to the governors and the archbishop of the month of July on the 8th day at 7 o’clock in the morning. At 12 o'clock in the afternoon, that wife, taking a hoe, began to dig for a long time and did not find what she was looking for. After a little while others started digging, dug up the whole place and found nothing. The said girl began to dig in the place where the stove was, others dug with her, and as soon as they dug up a little more than two cubits, lo and behold! - immediately the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called Hodegetria, appeared with Her Eternal Child, our Lord Jesus Christ. She was wearing a shabby sleeve of some kind of cloth clothing, cherry-colored. The most miraculous icon shone wonderfully with lordship, as if newly painted with paints, not at all damaged by the earth that touched it. That girl, taking the icon, with fear and trembling and joy, placed it in the same place, and the people who were in that place of the city, hearing it, flocked in countless numbers to that wonderful miracle, crying out with tears and exclaiming: “Mistress, save us!” And they sent word to the archbishop and the most important persons. The archbishop immediately went to the place where they found the wonderful icon, with crosses, with the entire consecrated cathedral (clergy), with the mayors and a multitude of people, and, seeing the holy icon, like some most precious treasure, wonderfully shining, they were very surprised, since they had never seen an icon of such writing, and were perplexed, being overwhelmed with joy and fear for their distrust. Having fallen to the miraculous icon, the archbishop and the governors prayed with tears, asking for the merciful forgiveness of the Most Holy Theotokos for the sin of their mistrust. All the people, who flocked to this wondrous miracle, sent out with tears and joyful souls praise to God and the Mother of God for the discovery of a precious and priceless treasure. But for me,” writes Blessed Hermogenes, “it happened then to be a priest with Nikola, who is called Gostinny; Stony-hearted in general, however, I shed tears and fell to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and the Eternal Infant Christ. Then I bowed to the archbishop and asked him for a blessing so that he would order me to take the wonderful icon of the Mother of God. The Archbishop blessed me and allowed me to take it. And although I was unworthy, with fear and joy I touched the miraculous image and took it from the tree that was stuck in the place where that holy and wonderful icon was in the ground. And the archbishop ordered to carry the holy icon along with other saints. icons and honest crosses to the nearby church of St. Nicholas, which is called Tula, where the prayer service was held. When later the archbishop with the clergy and the leaders of the city with many people, with their wives and children, walked together in the footsteps of the holy icons into the city, many people rushed to the newly appeared miraculous icon so much that they trampled on each other, and some, walking over the heads of others, touched the miraculous image. And at that time the Lady Lady Theotokos showed the first miracle from Her icon: she healed a poor man named Joseph, who had not seen anything for three years. Then the people, seeing this miracle, developed an even greater love for the Most Pure Icon, and, having brought it, they placed it in the cathedral church of the Most Holy Theotokos, her honorable and glorious Annunciation, and there the Most Holy Theotokos healed a certain man named Nikita, who had an eye problem. And countless other healings were given to those who came with faith to the image of the Most Pure Mother of God.” The next day, a liturgy was celebrated in the cathedral church. The archbishop and the mayors, having taken a copy of the newly-appeared image and described its discovery and the miracles that had come from it, sent it all to Moscow, to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich IV. The Tsar, at the site where the miraculous icon was found, ordered the creation of a wooden church in the name of the newly appeared image, a nunnery to be built, and an icon to be placed here. The maiden Matrona, who acquired the shrine by becoming a monk under the name Mavra, was the first nun and then the abbess of this monastery. The pious Tsar Theodore Ioannovich had special respect for the miraculous image of the Mother of God. In 1595, he created a new church in the monastery and ordered the miraculous image of the Mother of God to be overlaid with gold and precious stones. Until 1612, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was revered only locally, in Kazan, and the celebration of the icon took place on July 8, the day it was found. But, when in 1612 “through the prayers and intercession of the Most Pure Lady, the appearance of the miraculous Icon of Kazan, the Moscow state was cleared of Poles,” Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, in memory of this event, established the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow twice a year; on the day of its acquisition (July 8) and on the day of the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles (October 22), with the establishment of religious processions from the Assumption Cathedral to the Church of the Presentation, where Prince Pozharsky placed his copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Empress Catherine II placed a diamond crown on the miraculous icon, and Emperor Paul I built a majestic church at the site of its discovery. Even now, the miracles of God’s mercy, performed through fervent prayer before the miraculous icon, do not become scarce. Therefore St. This icon is revered not only in Kazan, but throughout Russia, adorned with many saints. churches in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, with many miraculous copies of Her. Praying before the miraculous icon, Orthodox Christians fervently pray to the Lady Theotokos. Let us also pray to the Intercessor of the entire Christian race, calling on Her like this: “Distressing Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High! Pray for all of Thy Son, Christ our God, and cause all to be saved, to those who seek refuge in Thy sovereign protection. Intercede for all of us, O Lady, Queen and Lady, who are in adversity and in sorrow and in illness, burdened with many sins, coming and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart before Your most pure image with tears and irrevocable hope in You, deliverance from all evils, grant to everyone useful and save everything, Mother of God Devo! For Thou art the Divine protection of Thy servant” (Troparion Chapter IV). (Nikanora, bishop of Smolensk. “Words and speeches.”, published 1897. 2. The mercy of God revealed through the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God on April 2, 1899 On April 2, 1899, in the city of Kazan, a great manifestation of God’s mercy took place through the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. Our invaluable treasure, the Intercessor and Protection of our city of Kazan, glorified throughout Orthodox Rus' and having shown so many benefits to it - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God was exposed to serious danger, inevitable for ordinary human, weak strength, and not only itself remained safe and sound, but also preserved safe and sound the persons accompanying the holy icon and exposed to death danger! The circumstances under which the said miracle occurred are as follows. On April 2, one pious family of Shevnin, who lived in Suslov’s house on Malaya Prolomnaya Street, having the sick head of the family, Jacob, decided to serve a prayer service to the Kazan Mother of God with the sick person. For this purpose, it was decided to raise the icon of the Kazan Mother of God to the house. And since there is quite a considerable distance from the Kazan convent to Shevnin’s apartment, and at the same time it was spring and dirty, it was decided to bring the icon to the sick man’s house in a carriage. Around 9 a.m., a carriage arrived, members of the clergy were assembled to serve a prayer service, and a proper staff of nuns were assembled to accompany the miraculous icon. Of the nuns, Mother Dosithea and Mother Vitaly were sent; of the clergy members: priest Mikhail Nefediev, deacons Nikolai Sokolov and Rafail Milov. Priest Mikhail Nefediev and Deacon Nikolai Sokolov fit into the carriage, supporting the miraculous icon placed on the carriage bench, enclosed in a rather massive and significant icon case depicting the miracles from the icon described by Patriarch Hermogenes. The icon case with the icon occupied a large part of the carriage, so that they deprived the persons accompanying the icon of the possibility of free movements: The carriage was harnessed to a pair of horses in a drawbar. Nuns and Fr. R. Milov settled on cabs. The train set off and safely reached its destination. The cab drivers drove into the yard. The carriage began to make a turn to enter. Suddenly, according to the testimony of coachman Vasily Ryazhin, who was driving the carriage horses, a dog rushed at the horses. One of the horses was shy. At the sight of the dog, she shied away to the side, which violated the coachman’s calculations. The drawbar touched the corner of the stone gate and broke into three parts: the middle one was later found in this place, the upper one began to hit the knees, and the lower one - quite sharp - rested on the horses, which irritated the latter. Instead of going through the gate, the horses rushed to the side, making a sharp turn through the sidewalk and the curb, and set off along Malaya Prolomnaya. The carriage door, which had already been opened for the removal of the icon, swung open, hit the pedestal, tore off completely and flew to the side. A frantic galloping of a pair of strong horses began, constantly irritated by fragments of the drawbar. The coachman had no way to hold back the horses. While he was drawing them back, the lower part of the remaining drawbar irritated the horses behind; while he was letting go of the reins, the top fragment of the drawbar hit the horses on the knees. Another circumstance also prevented the horses from stopping. According to the coachman's story, he twice managed to moderate the running of the horses, but, out of inertia, a massive carriage drove towards them and, pushing them, irritated them with the sharp end of the remaining drawbar, after which the horses began to run with even greater speed. Malaya Prolomnaya Street, itself sloping, has quite significant depressions at its intersection with other streets. The part of the street closest to Suslov’s house (Bird and Moscatelny rows), in addition, is cluttered with heaps of sand, dumped iron and chests, which significantly reduces the passage of the street and frightens the horses. However, the irritated horses seemed to be afraid of everything, as a result of which their running was not directed in a straight line, but in zigzags, as a result of which the movement of the carriage was extremely incorrect. According to eyewitnesses, the carriage either swayed from side to side, then dived into the recesses of intersecting streets, then jumped up, then tilted completely to the side, threatening to fall, then touched curbstones and telegraph poles, then drove onto the sidewalk; even in those moments when it was moving in a straight direction, this direction was not straight, but zigzag: lacking stability in the drawbar, the front axle of the carriage became dependent on the lines, and the carriage wheeled first in one direction or the other, depending on which line was more taut. Fortunately, too - and this alone, in itself, is a wondrous miracle of God’s mercy! – not a single passer-by was encountered on the cross streets. What a dump could have happened otherwise and how disastrous its consequences would have been for both the traveler and the carriage with the miraculous icon! But the Most Holy Theotokos, merciful and merciful, did not allow such a collision. An even greater danger lay ahead and the consequences of a mad dash through the Pushing Market could be even more disastrous. Gostinodvorskaya Street, separating Tolkuchy Market from Malaya Prolomnaya Street, is very sloping. According to eyewitnesses, the carriage, running through this street, jumped and did not roll, the horses rushed at a full gallop. The carriage moved along a narrow empty space intended specifically for pedestrians. The direction of this space is arcuate. On one side of it there are chests intended for petty trading; on the other there are benches and rows of iron, cluttering the road with heaps of old iron. Occasionally, and then with great caution, drays pass here to transport and bring in iron, but this area has never seen better carriages. How the carriage with the miraculous icon and its companions passed here - this can only be explained by the miracle of the greatest mercy of God and the grace of God inherent in the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. One of the grain merchants, wanting to stop the horses, waved a broom at them, which infuriated them even more. The horses went completely mad and began to kick. At the end, the Tolkuchy Market is connected by a passage with a narrow alley connecting Bolshaya Prolomnaya Street with the City Duma Square. This lane (nameless), in this case, was dangerous because it connects with the Tolkuchy Market at a right angle and requires a sharp turn to enter it, which is impossible for a carriage without a drawbar. If you go down from the Tolkuchy Market, then the right side of the alley is made up of the stone wall of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, directly and in a straight line adjacent to the warm church of the St. John the Baptist Monastery; the left side is made up of a wooden fence; in it, at a distance of 3-4 fathoms from the beginning of the lane, there is a gate, near which there are chests; at the end of the fence there is a small shop - a stall. Fur coat makers Ozerov and Stepanov live in the premises under the warm church of St. John the Baptist Monastery. Bolshaya Prolomnaya Street is not wide in this place. Opposite the nameless lane is the house of E. F. Shevalina, former Moreplavtsev; A gate leads into the courtyard of this house, the entrance to which is quite narrow. The horses, completely enraged while running through the Tolkuchy Market, ran straight into the windows of Ozerov and Stepanov’s apartments. The carriage, by inertia, ran into them and almost crushed them against the wall (from the tracks examined afterwards, one can conclude that there was no more than an arshin of distance left for the horses between the wall and the carriage), as a result of which the horses reared up, made a half-turn on their hind hooves and then desperately galloped down, towards the opposite gate. As a result of such a strong push, the carriage with unimaginable speed turned sideways towards the facade of Ozerov and Stepanov’s apartments, rolled along the porch of Stepanov’s apartment, a clay embankment (and the carriage completely leaned to one side) and chased the horses. The horses apparently mistook the carriage for some kind of monster chasing them, and their whole goal was to somehow escape from it. As soon as the carriage rolled up to the gate, the horses rushed from it to the wall of the monastery, jerked the carriage and forced it, in full flight, to make a half turn towards this wall; the carriage, tilted completely to one side and threatening to fall, flies along the inclined square after them; the horses rush in the opposite direction, the carriage, still in the same position, but only tilted to the other side, flies after them. (The carriage made about 8 such semicircles, but according to Ozerov’s testimony, at an insignificant distance of the short lane 217). At the same time, the horses either rear up or kick with their hind legs, and all this happens with incredible speed. (According to Ozerov’s testimony, the entire descent from the mountain was completed in no more than 2–3 seconds). The carriage shakes and cracks. Those in it froze in anticipation of imminent death. The carriage made its last turn in the alley towards the bench (towards the St. Nicholas Church). As soon as the carriage rolled up to the bench and thus drove out onto Bolshaya Prolomnaya Street, the horses rushed along Bolshaya Prolomnaya towards the fortress; the carriage made a sharp turn, and its right wheels, according to eyewitnesses, rose 8 inches. The horses, seeing that the carriage was following them, rushed in the opposite direction - to the gates of Moreplavtsev’s house; The carriage, having described a semicircle, hit a telegraph pole near this house. The blow was so strong that the priest accompanying the miraculous icon had his rather low skufia fallen from his head. Subsequently, it turned out that the entire casing of the telegraph pole was demolished by the carriage's impact. And suddenly something incredible, unimaginable happened! The carriage stopped, its doors were exactly level with the sidewalk, as if the carriage had rolled up to the front porch. There were wood chips lying on the sidewalk (as it turned out, these were wood chips from the torn-off pole sheathing). This made a stunning impression on those sitting in the carriage. They continued to sit for some time. Then the priest said Fr. to the deacon: “Get out quickly!” He got out and stood on the sidewalk. The priest said: “Oh. deacon! icon! He helped the priest remove the miraculous icon from the carriage. We stood on the sidewalk. The entire street was crowded with people. The people rushed to the icon. The icon was safe and sound! Many cried with emotion, many were baptized and said: thank God! God bless! Many wanted to at least touch the icon. However, the priest remembered that the danger had not yet passed and said: “We must hide the icon somewhere as soon as possible. The horses may rush and crush us. The front door of Moreplavtsev’s house immediately turned out to be unlocked. The icon was brought into the corridor. Oh, God, what inexpressible happiness! Our treasure, our glory and protection, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God is out of danger! Priest and Fr. The deacon who accompanied the miraculous icon, with a feeling of deep tenderness and gratitude, with tears, knelt before the image of the Mother of God and, after praying, venerated it. Then, leaving the icon in a safe place and in the hands of trustworthy and pious persons, the priest went to see what had happened. The following sight presented itself to his eyes: a crowd of people; the coachman Vasily is sitting on the box - pale, there are large drops of sweat on his face, he is beating as if in a severe fever; he is, as they say, ossified; the reins are unraveled from his hands. (Then they took him off the box, and he stood in the yard for some time, leaning against the wall, until he came to his senses.) A horse lies near the carriage, one of its legs is under the wheel of the carriage, the other horse stands quietly, pressed against the wall by the lying horse. Thus, by a miracle of God’s mercy and the power of the grace inherent in (the icon), the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God was saved from danger and preserved safe and sound, and so the persons who accompanied her were preserved safe and sound by it! The tyranny of horses furious to the point of savagery, the coachman weakened to the point of ossification, the priest and deacon deprived of the possibility of voluntary movements accompanying the icon, the most inconvenient terrain for travel - these are the conditions that for any impartial observer can serve as irrefutable proof that it is not natural, ordinary force, but only the ineffable mercy of God and the divine grace inherent in the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, were responsible for the successful outcome of that mad race that is described above. Glory to our Intercessor, the Most Holy Lady Theotokos! Glory to her wonderful, pure image! (Izvestia on the Kazan dioceses, book “Pastoral Sobes.” 1899, No. 24. The month of July. 15th day. Memory of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir Evang. from John zach. 35th, ch. X, 1–9. Art. 1. Parable of the good shepherd and the hired servant In the parable we read today about the good shepherd, the Lord depicts His love for people. “I am the good shepherd,” He said; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, but the hired hand, who is not the shepherd and to whom the sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs, and the wolf plunders them. But the hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I know Mine, and Mine know Me. As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this fold, but these also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd.” In this parable, Jesus Christ called Himself a shepherd, and compared all people to sheep. He loved all people so much that he accepted death to save them and to give them eternal life. With the same parable He teaches us that we must obey the saving teaching of Christ and must listen to those shepherds and teachers who are gained by the church into this dignity, and, on the contrary, must avoid such teachers who teach contrary to the true God-appointed shepherds of the church. “Truly, truly, I say to you. - said the Lord, - I am the door of the sheep: whoever enters by Me will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” By this, Jesus showed that only through faith in Him can a person enter the Kingdom of Heaven, that there is only one true faith - Christian faith, and one path to salvation - faith and love for God. There are still peoples in distant countries who do not know the Christian faith; but pious people undertake journeys there to preach the Gospel to them and to enlighten them. The Church prays that everyone will join the one imperishable church, and we firmly hope that the time will come when everyone will hear the holy truth, and there will be, in the words of the Lord, “one flock and one Shepherd.” (See Stories about the earthly life of the Lord I. Christ, Bakhmeteva). 2. Life of St. Vladimir and his participation in the enlightenment of Rus' with the light of Christianity For a long time, our native land has been called Holy Russia, Orthodox Russia. However, there was a time when our ancestors wandered in the darkness of pagan superstitions. Pagan wickedness was destroyed by Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, whom the people later called “the red sun.” St. Vladimir was the son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv, Svyatoslav. Svyatoslav was a pagan and spent his entire life on campaigns. His mother, Princess Olga, tried to divert him from military enterprises; She more than once begged him to stay, although not for long, in Kyiv, to accept Christianity and be baptized, but in vain - Svyatoslav did not abandon his pagan passions and delusions, but died in the war from the sword of his enemies, the predatory Pechenegs. As the prince was, so were his subjects. Almost all of them were pagans. They adored all natural phenomena incomprehensible to them, all objects amazing in their size or strength. In every dark place - at the bottom of a stream, in the thicket of a forest, in dark outbuildings - they suspected the existence of various deities. Each of them worshiped wooden idols, and in the place where now the Church of the Tithes stood a huge idol of the god of lightning, Perun. The morals and customs of the people were as crude as religious errors. Satisfaction of carnal passions was considered completely legal. Inflicting insults on the weaker was the first pleasure for the strong; avenging insults was considered a sacred duty for the offended person and his relatives; in the same way, our ancestors easily succumbed to other destructive passions, not knowing the true God and the right path. Vladimir was raised in these pagan concepts and beliefs. Thus, he completely indulged in extreme debauchery and had many wives and concubines. Following the example of his father, he constantly went to war against his neighbors, and victories over them were a source of pleasure for him. For these victories, he diligently thanked the idols and once extended his idolatry to the point that he decided to make a human sacrifice to the gods. They cast lots between the residents of Kyiv, which of them would suffer a cruel fate - to be sacrificed as a grateful sacrifice to Perun. The lot fell on one young man who, together with his father, professed the Christian faith. The Kievans surrounded their house and furiously demanded their son. Then the father came out to them on the porch and said: “They are not gods, but the tree was made soullessly; today there is, but little by little it will rot, the gods do not eat, neither drink nor speak, but are made by hands in wood with an ax and a knife, and God is one in heaven, and the Greeks serve and bow to Him, in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, - He created the sky, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and man; and what have your gods done? But what you do is your own doing, and I will not give my son to the demons.” These words aroused popular indignation against him. The house was scattered into pieces, the son died on the altar before Perun in cruel torment, and the father also died. These were the first Christian martyrs who suffered in Rus' for their Orthodox faith. Guided, however, by the right hand of Providence, Vladimir soon realized the futility of paganism. Questions arose in his mind to which the pagan faith could not give any answer. His conscience was restless and loudly told him that he was not following the right path. He recalled the instructions that he had heard in childhood from his wise grandmother, V. book Olga... And so, in Kyiv they began to say that the prince was planning to change his faith. Kyiv was the capital city of the Russian land; A lot of different trading people came here from foreign countries. There were Mohammedans, Jews, Roman Catholics, and Greeks here. They heard about the prince’s intention to change his faith and let their lands know about it: understandably, everyone wanted the Russian prince to convert to his native faith. And so, preachers of different faiths began to appear to Vladimir. The first to arrive were ambassadors from the Volga River, the faith of Magomet. “We believe in one God who lives in heaven, and in his prophet Mohammed, who allows us to have as many wives as we want, just ordering us to be circumcised, not to eat pork and not to drink wine.” - That's what the Mohammedans said. Vladimir listened to them with attention while they talked about wives, and when they mentioned circumcision and not drinking wine, he resolutely refused to accept their faith. The ambassadors of the German papists spoke about the greatness of the invisible God Almighty, but the prince knew the love of power of the popes and said to the ambassadors: “go back, our fathers did not accept faith from the pope.” “The Khazar Jews also came to him, and he asked them: “Where is your fatherland?” - They answered: “in Jerusalem, but God was angry with our fathers and scattered them to foreign countries.” - “How dare you offer your faith to others?” - the wise prince said to them, “or do you want us to lose our fatherland?” Finally, the Greek preacher came, a wise and learned monk; He talked for a long time with the prince about the Christian faith, told him about the creation of the world, about the fall of the first people, about the ancient patriarchs and prophets - then he moved on to the Nativity of Christ the Savior, spoke in detail about His life, miracles, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection, and when he came to the teaching about the future second coming and the Last Judgment, he unfolded before the eyes of the embarrassed prince a large curtain on which the Last Judgment was artistically depicted God: - “here,” the monk said, “the righteous stand on the right side, here is God’s beautiful paradise prepared for them; and here – to the left – are sinners and the hellish torments awaiting them.” – Vladimir looked at this picture for a long time and with great attention; it was clear that she deeply struck his truth-loving heart; He questioned the monk in detail about everything that was depicted here; finally, he sighed heavily and said: “Good for those who are on the right, and woe to those who are on the left!” “Be baptized, and you will be in heaven with the righteous,” the monk preacher told him, “and if you do not receive baptism, then your place will be here, on the left side with sinners.” Vladimir thought about it. “I’ll wait a little longer,” he finally said, “I’ll find out better about the different faiths, and then I’ll decide.” He endowed the Greek preacher with rich gifts and released him with honor to Constantinople. But in his soul he had already decided to accept the Orthodox faith and was now thinking about only one thing: how best to do it so that he could bring his boyars, his beloved squad, and all the people with him to the baptized faith. Some time passed after the conversation with the Greek monk, the prince called the boyars and elders to his place for advice. He told them everything that he had heard from various ambassadors, and especially from the Greek monk - and asked their opinions and reasoning. Smart boyars said: “No one will blaspheme their faith; If you want, Grand Duke, to find out the truth, then, after all, you have many intelligent people, go from them in different directions and to different peoples; let them look and find out each faith on the spot, and then they will tell you and me: how one prays and serves one’s god in one’s own land.” – Vladimir really liked this advice, and he decided to send ten wise men to foreign lands. These envoys visited different lands - they visited the Germans, the Volga Mohammedans, and other peoples; Finally they came to the Orthodox Greeks in Constantinople. Here the Greek emperors, Vasily and Constantine, received them with joy and let the patriarch know why the Russian envoys had arrived. The Patriarch prepared for the solemn service, and behold, our ancestors were taken to the beautiful and majestic Church of Sophia the Wisdom of God and placed in a place where they could clearly see and hear everything. The patriarch himself served the liturgy with a council of bishops and priests: they wore golden-woven vestments, incense filled the church with fragrance, harmonious singing delighted the ears; Thousands of worshipers reverently bowed before the Lord, sending Him their bodyful, heartfelt prayers... Is it possible to express the feelings that filled the hearts of the Vladimirov ambassadors at these moments? Returning to Kyiv, they enthusiastically told the Grand Duke and the boyars: “We did not remember ourselves, where we stand: in heaven or on earth! Nowhere have we seen such a magnificent divine service as we saw among the Greeks, and we will never forget it, for whoever has tasted the sweet will not want the bitter, and we believe that the true God Himself lives with these people!” - And the boyars remarked to the prince: “if the Greek faith had not been better than all others, then your grandmother Olga would not have accepted it: after all, she was the wisest of people.” “Where should we be baptized?” Vladimir asked his boyars, when at the general council it was decided to accept the Orthodox faith, “Where do you like it, prince,” they answered. And so, perhaps quite unexpectedly for the Greeks, the Russian Grand Duke moved with his army to the Greek city of Korsun, located about two versts from present-day Sevastopol, and besieged it. Glorious for his conquests, Vladimir did not want to humiliate himself before the Greeks, who forced his blessed grandmother, Grand Duchess Olga, to stand in the pier for a whole month before they allowed her to go ashore - he decided to win faith for himself. The siege lasted for a long time, the Greeks bravely defended the city. Finally, Korsun was taken, and Vladimir sent to tell the Greek emperors, Vasily and Constantine: “I have taken your glorious city of Korsun; I will do the same with Constantinople, if you do not give up your sister, Princess Anna, for me.” They answered him: “It is indecent for us Christians to marry our sister to a pagan; Be baptized - then you will receive our sister and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.” - Vladimir answered through the messengers: “I have long heard about your law; I fell in love with your faith, send me a bishop to baptize me, and come with your sister or send her to me, and I will return both Korsun and all of Taurida to you for this.” It was hard for the young princess to leave her hometown and go to an unbaptized people, to a prince who had recently fought against her brothers; but the brother emperors consoled her: “perhaps the Lord will convert the whole Russian land through you, then you will deliver your native country from a fierce and powerful enemy, and you yourself will receive for this the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal memory among people.” The good princess parted with her brothers crying and, surrendering herself to the will of God, went by ship to Korsun, where her groom was waiting. Saint Michael and the priests went with her to baptize the Russian people. Meanwhile, Vladimir suffered a test from God: he became ill with his eyes and became completely blind. Then he began to doubt the holy faith and said: “The Russian gods are angry with me because I want to leave them, and they are punishing me.” And he postponed holy baptism. But the princess sent him to say: “If you want to get well, then get baptized as soon as possible, otherwise you will not receive healing.” The prince agreed, and so, as soon as he entered the St. font, and the bishop laid his hand on him, - he immediately received his sight, - “Now I have come to know the true God!” - the great Russian autocrat, named Vasily in holy baptism, then exclaimed, - and his heart was filled with heavenly joy. The miracle of healing amazed his squad and boyars, and many of them then accepted St. baptism. Soon after, the wedding of the Grand Duke and the Greek princess was joyfully celebrated. In memory of his baptism, Vladimir built a church in Korsun; he returned the city to the Greek emperors, and triumphantly returned with his young wife to his capital city of Kyiv. With him came here: Metropolitan Michael, bishops and priests, who brought with them liturgical vessels and books. The first concern of the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince was to baptize all his sons. Then he ordered to chop and burn idols: Perun, the main god of the pagans, he ordered to be tied to a horse’s tail, dragged from the mountain and thrown into the Dnieper. The superstitious people accompanied the idol along the shore with tears and shouted after it: “Go out (swim out)!” Meanwhile, Vladimir ordered an announcement throughout the city: whoever does not appear on the river the next day, be it rich or poor, old or young, will be considered disobedient to the will of the prince. The next day a great spectacle unfolded. The bank of the Dnieper was covered with people. The Kievans already knew why they were called, and did not resist the order of the prince. “If the Greek law had not been good, the prince and boyars would not have accepted it,” they said to each other. Vladimir came out to the people in a solemn procession. The Dnieper was consecrated, the people entered the water, and baptism was performed. “God, who created heaven and earth! (Vladimir prayed at the sight of this touching picture) look at these new people, let them bring You, the true God, and establish faith in them.” From Kyiv, with the zealous assistance of Vladimir and his sons, the faith of Christ quickly spread to other regions of Russia. In all the cities, idols were overthrown and churches were built: no one disobeyed, everywhere the people were unquestioningly baptized at the command of the prince. The faith of Christ brought about a wondrous change in the kind heart of our enlightener, Grand Duke Vladimir! - "God!" - this is what he said, filled with a feeling of gratitude to God: “Lord, I was like a beast, I did a lot of bad things when I bowed to my idols; I lived completely like a bestial, but You tamed me - glory to You, Lord!” – And in fact: when Vladimir was an idolater, he had many wives and concubines; Now he let them all go, having married the Greek princess Anna. While Vladimir did not know the true God, he was cruel and vindictive towards his enemies; and when he accepted the faith of Christ, he became an example of meekness and love for everyone. Like a father, he cared for all the poor; at his princely court they could receive food, clothing, and money at any time; he put wanderers to rest, ransomed debtors, and set slaves free. It was not enough for him: “the sick, he thought, are unable to get to my yard,” and he ordered meat, fish, bread, kvass and honey to be distributed through the streets for distribution to the unfortunate poor. At the churches, on his orders, shelters and hospices were established for the poor and sick. So the commandment of Christ was deeply imprinted in his kind heart: blessed be mercy, as these will be pardoned! He respected and loved the clergy; on holidays he always had three meals: the first for the metropolitan with bishops, monks and priests; the second was for the poor, and at the third the prince himself sat with his boyars and retinue. - Before holy baptism, he spread his possessions with a military sword, now he lived peacefully with all his neighbors, only the wild Pechenegs forced him from time to time to fight with them. Caring for the spread of St. the Orthodox faith between his subjects was the first main concern of his entire life after baptism. Wherever there were idol churches, he began to build churches of God. In the place of the idol of Perun, he erected a church in the name of the All-Merciful Savior, then built churches: in the name of his angel - St. Basil the Great, St. the Apostle Peter and the Tithe in honor of the Mother of God. The last church was beautifully decorated. The Grand Duke assigned a tenth of his grand-ducal income to her benefit, which is why it was called Tithe. The wise prince knew that in order to establish the true faith in the hearts of his subjects, book teaching was especially necessary; he also knew that foreign priests who came from Greece, be they Greeks or Bulgarians, could not spread the faith of Christ as successfully as their own Russian priests, and therefore he ordered the establishment of schools and in them to teach boyar children Slavic and Greek literacy, so that later they could become priests. A school was opened in Kyiv, where boys from the common people were gathered. Liturgical and educational books were received from Bulgaria, which was previously enlightened by the holy faith. By order of the Grand Duke, these books were diligently copied (no one knew how to print books at that time) and sent out to the cities. Thus, Grand Duke Vladimir worked to enlighten his people with the faith of Christ, and the Lord blessed his righteous labors: the Russian people received the Orthodox faith and, in gratitude for their enlightenment, nicknamed their good prince - the enlightener “Red Sun”, and the Holy Church ranked him among the holy saints of God and exalted him with the title Equal to the Apostles. Vladimir reposed in the Lord on July 15, 1015, and was buried in the Church of the Tithes he created next to his wife Anna. Metropolitan Hilarion calls him the second Constantine, the apostle of the Russian land, and, turning to him in his laudatory speech, says: “Having now received reward in heaven for good deeds, having received the good things God has prepared for those who love Him, and enjoying the sight of Him, pray to the Lord for your land and the people over whom you have faithfully ruled!”... Since the time of Prince Vladimir, the Russian land has become “holy Russia, Orthodox Russia”; In the Orthodox faith, the Russian people have found that blessed treasure for which our pious ancestors selflessly laid down their lives, for which even now our Christ-loving soldiers joyfully go to death. The Holy Orthodox Faith has more than once saved the Russian land from final destruction; With this faith, our ancestors conquered kingdoms, it merged - united into one family the various small tribes that inhabited it. (Compiled from Resurrection Reading No. 13, 1869 and “Trinity leaflet” No. 366–368). 3. The Christian faith is the only true, gracious and saving faith The faith we profess is the only true, gracious and soul-saving faith. a) The faith we profess is the truest faith of Christ. This is evident from the fact that all its dogmas are based on the divine teaching of Jesus Christ Himself; it was preached by Christ's closest disciples - the apostles, it was confirmed at councils and in their writings by the holy fathers and teachers of the ancient Church of Christ, it was confessed by the martyrs who suffered for it and by a host of other righteous people who now dwell in heaven. In our fatherland, it was planted and increased, with the help of God, by Orthodox Greek shepherds, many of whom were distinguished by great piety and holiness of life; the main one was St. Michael, the first Metropolitan of Kyiv, who rests incorruptibly in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Such faithful servants of God, obviously, could not teach our ancestors an unjust faith and, of course, did not allow anyone to introduce any superstition into their pure teaching - they rightly ruled the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:17). b) Being the true faith of Christ, the faith we profess is grace-filled. It is gracious not only because, according to our faith, in the sacred sacraments of our St. The church gives us grace or the power of God, which is necessary in our spiritual and physical life due to our natural weakness to accomplish our salvation (Acts 2:38; 2 Cor. 12:7), but also because the merciful God, through our fervent prayers, raised to Him with sincere faith, gives us everything we need for our needs (Matt. 21:22; Mark 9:23). This, we think, has been experienced by every truly Orthodox Christian; this is shown by the various blessings God has shown to Russia in its difficult circumstances through the prayers of our church and its faithful children; , this is confirmed by the miracles that have happened many times and are still performed in our fatherland on the sick through the prayers of believers, which, without a doubt, were witnessed by many. c) And that our faith is soul-saving - no one should doubt this, because not only its dogmas, its teachings - but also everything related to it - sacred rituals, prayers and chants, everything reminds us of the salvation of our souls, disposes us to it and promotes it. Therefore, in our church, although, unfortunately, there are sinners who do not care about their salvation, there are also many righteous people who have achieved salvation in it. What should we do, realizing that by the grace of God we have such faith? Obviously, we must wholeheartedly thank the Lord that he has made us worthy to profess such a faith, and to sacredly preserve it, as the great gift of God and the sacred heritage of our ancestors, without any change or deviation from it, and to live as it requires, for not everyone who calls Me Lord, says the Savior, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father (Matthew 7:21), that is, the pious and virtuous Christian. (From the conversation of Plato, Metropolitan of Kiev). 4. Superiority of St. Christian faith before other religions, the teachings of St. martyrs 1. “There is no other annunciation,” instructed St. Barlaam Prince Joasaph, there is no other faith better than that preached by the apostles, announced by the God-bearing fathers at councils and devoted to the cathedral church” (Ch.M. November 19). 2. The holy martyr Sira was asked by a pagan tormentor why she rejected the gods of her fathers and accepted a different faith - she answered him: “every person who has common sense is not like the animals that follow in the footsteps of those who gave birth to them, but follows the path that he recognizes as the best, and does not follow his erring fathers and forefathers: so I, seeing the Christian faith as better than the wickedness of our fathers, chose the best, rejecting the worst.” When the tormentor threatened her with many torments, she, putting her hand on her neck, said: “Cut this off” (Ch. M. August 24). 3. Name Christian St. The martyrs considered it the best and most honorable of all names, and often with this name alone they signified their high rank and purpose. “What is your name?” asked the pagan governor St. Martyr Akakios. “The longed-for name,” answered the martyr, is for me and my entire family, a name that comes from Christ: I am called a Christian (Ch. M. May 7). 4. When the martyr Mardarius was released from prison to be led to his tormentor for interrogation, he asked his elder presbyter (Eustratius): “I pray you, my lord, teach me what to answer to that destructive man, so that he does not deceive me, an unlearned man.” The elder answered: “Say, my brother, only one thing: I am a Christian, a servant of Christ, and don’t say anything else.” Several times I was asked by St. Mardari about his name, fatherland and faith - and every time he said: “I am a Christian, a servant of Christ” (Ch. M. Dec. 13). 5. The pagans, in defense of their pagan faith, put forward St. saints that it is an old faith, and the humiliation of the Christian faith is that it is recent. “That’s not the only thing we should talk about,” answered the saints. saints, that your faith is ancient, but whether it is worthy of being accepted, for not everything ancient is honest; There is also ancient evil, however, it should not be revered for the sake of antiquity alone. Your gods are nothing more than the work of human hands, they are dumb and deaf, and not only to others, but also to themselves, they cannot bring any benefit; the veneration of your gods was the fault of the evil and vicious life of people, because of them the flood destroyed the human race. If we were to preserve everything ancient for the sake of antiquity alone, then we should imitate Cain the fratricide and those who wanted to build a tower to heaven” (Ch. M. Oct. 13 and Apr. 11). The month of July. 20th day Memory of St. prophet Elijah Evang. from Luke, count. 14th, ch. VI, 22–30 art. 1. Jesus Christ, rejected by the Nazarenes After visiting many cities of Galilee, Jesus Christ comes to Nazareth. Rumors also reached here about the many grace-filled actions of Jesus. But they were either not believed, or were not given such importance as to be considered the works of the Messiah. They themselves wanted to see something wonderful from Him; however, even in this case they were not able to accept Him as others accepted Him. The prejudices sown in them by the long stay of Jesus in Nazareth - in a wretched form - were too strong in them. It was in this disposition that Jesus found the hearts of His compatriots at the time when, having appeared in Nazareth, he entered their synagogue and began to teach. Jesus offered a reading from the prophet for the first conversation. According to the special intention of God, a place from Isaiah was revealed to Him: XLI, 1-2, where the prophet foreshadows the favorable summer of the Lord, the true summer of redemption (jubilee), times of joy and consolation for the people of God with the coming of the Messiah. But the same prophet predicted at the same time that the Anointed One of God: will preach the gospel to the poor in spirit, will heal, but to the brokenhearted, will preach liberation to the captives, i.e. That is, to those held in the bonds of sin and the devil, he will proclaim sight to the blind, who themselves are aware of their blindness, and will set free those who are tormented - under the yoke of the prince of darkness, but who themselves will desire it. Meanwhile, His listeners were not among those who were aware of their blindness and desired healing from it. Therefore, His word, with all its power, could not produce a saving effect on them. They only marveled that Jesus, known to them from infancy, could speak so eloquently; agreed that the time foretold by the prophet had now come; John's preaching, the preaching of Jesus Himself, were accepted with eagerness everywhere. When, by direct application of the words of the prophet to the face of Jesus Himself, it was necessary to recognize Him as the Messiah, then doubts were aroused in them: can He, Whom we know as Mother, brothers and sisters, and Whom we are accustomed to consider as the son of a carpenter, do such things? Not having a heartfelt disposition for the spiritual blessings indicated by the prophet, and therefore not valuing them, they, without a doubt, demanded from Jesus, if not in words, then at least in thoughts, the miracles that He performed in Capernaum and in other places who, by faith, resorted to Him for help. But to perform miracles where there was no acceptability of faith, only to satisfy a rude feeling of curiosity - the Lord could not do this. “It is true,” He said, “you can say that I myself do not try to attract your favor in any way, I do not do what you want: - but this is not the first time it is justified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So it was with Elijah, so it was with Elisha. And just as Elijah and Elisha, when the Israelites had no faith in them, showed their benefits to strangers, so I have to do.” This speech, which placed the inhabitants of Nazareth lower than the pagans who accepted the prophets with faith, drove them completely mad: they drove Jesus out of the synagogue, out of the city, they wanted to throw him off the mountain on which their city was located, but Jesus closed Himself from them with His Divine power and withdrew. 2. About the life of St. prophet of God Elijah The Holy Prophet Elijah lived and worked in Palestine. In his time it was a country flowing with milk and honey (Deut. 26:9), as it says in St. Scripture, i.e. she was very fertile. Just as a simple bush grows among us, to which we pay absolutely no attention, so then grapes grew in Palestine, and they were so abundant in berries and so large that two men could hardly carry one bunch of them on a pole (Num. 13:24). But besides grapes in this country there were then huge pastures on which large herds of cattle roamed freely; fields sown with wheat produced excellent harvests; Whole gardens of fig trees grew, spreading widely, from which wine berries are obtained. This was the country in which, according to St. Scripture, one could eat bread without fear of shortage, and not suffer need for anything (Deut. 8:9). And then the population of Palestine was large, and the Jews lived carelessly, each one in his vineyard and under his fig tree. There were many cities in Palestine with good buildings and good trade. Chief among them was God's beloved Jerusalem with its beautiful church, which caught the eye of the traveler many miles away. And far away, across many lands, the glory of Jerusalem and in general of the entire kingdom of the Jews spread (1 Kings 9:10–28; 1 ​​Kings 10:1; 1 Kings 10:24). Around the Jewish kingdom lived pagan peoples who did not know the true God, but prayed to idols. They made them from stone, wood or metal and considered them gods and made sacrifices to them. Of course, idols could not teach them any truth, and therefore these peoples lived according to their own will, and not God’s, and served their own lusts. The Jews liked this kind of service to idols, and they began to adopt it from their neighbors, and forget the true God. The Lord God punished the Jews for such wickedness: He allowed these same nations to oppress the Jews, and sent prophets to them to teach them. This was the name of pious people who, by the will of God, fearlessly denounced the wickedness of the Jews, taught them the true faith and predicted for them, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, the future many years in advance. One of these prophets was Elijah. We know little about his childhood. There is only one legend that his father’s name was Savakh. At the birth of his son, Savakh had a wonderful dream: several people in white robes wrapped fire around his newborn baby and put fire into his mouth. Savakh, amazed by such a dream, began to ask the priests what it meant. One priest explained to him that the baby would be a great zealot for the law of God, he would be as ardent as fire in defending the glory of God’s name from those who scoff at it. From a young age, Elijah began to study the law of God and loved God more than anything else in the world. He surrendered to Him with all his fiery soul, and prayer for him was not a burden, but a consolation. So that nothing would entertain him during it, he went into the desert - a deserted, sandy and rocky place, and here he freely poured out his prayers to the Lord. He prayed for himself and for his brothers in the flesh - for the entire Jewish people. Knowing well the law of God, he saw that the Jewish people had strayed far from the path of the Lord, that they were walking in total darkness. At this time, King Ahab sat on the Jewish throne. He was more wicked than all the kings who had previously been in the kingdom of Israel. He took as his wife the daughter of the wicked king of Sidon, Jezebel, and began to serve and worship Baal. This Baal was idolized; he portrayed himself as a man whose arms were stretched forward, but instead of a human head he had the head of a bull with an open mouth. A furnace was built inside the idol. And the Jews then believed that this god especially loves when small children are sacrificed to him. The parents themselves placed their baby in his arms, and he rolled down them into his mouth and from there fell into the melted oven, into his entrails. And so that the children’s crying could not be heard, various musical instruments were played at this time. Another idol to which the Jews then prayed was called Astarte. Astarte was made in the form of a woman and was usually placed in shady groves. There, in the shade of a tree, to the sounds of music in honor of this idol, the Jews indulged in all sorts of debauchery, thinking that by doing so they were serving God. From serving idols, their hearts hardened, became cruel and unmerciful, the Jews ceased to distinguish truth from untruth, and untruth reigned in the courts; no one could consider themselves safe from slander and ruin. And all this delusion was supported in every possible way by many false prophets and idolatry priests, who tried to pass themselves off as messengers of God. At this time, grief awaited those who dared to speak the word of truth directly and boldly. Darkness does not like light; lies always try to suppress the truth. But Elijah was not afraid of death and, grieving for his people, fearlessly appeared before Ahab with a word of reproof on his lips. A man appeared before the king, dressed in a hair shirt, exhausted from fasting, with an angry gaze and a fearless word on his lips. Then Elijah the prophet rose up like a fire, and his word like a burning light (Sir.48:1). It was the prophet Elijah, who left the desert to denounce the king. As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, I will stand before Him, even if there be dew and rain in these years, even from my mouth (1 Kings 17:3), he said to Ahab. The Lord, who was mocked by you, the king, is alive and formidable. He has long waited for repentance from you and all Israel, but now he is striking the whole country with drought for its sins, until I again appear before your face. The prophet said these words and left. The Lord commanded him to go to Mount Horeb. There he settled in a cave. Near her flowed a source of clean water, from which he quenched his thirst; The Lord commanded the ravens to carry food for him, who brought him bread and meat. So wonderfully does the Lord save those who believe in Him. Do not grieve when grief visits you, do not lose heart, but call on Him, who gives food to the cattle and the chick of the raven calling to Him (Ps. 147:9). If the Lord cares so much about cattle and birds, will He abandon us who confess Him? Ahab did not repent, and Elijah’s prophecy began to come true: a drought began. Days passed, the sky was cloudless, the sun burned from dawn to dusk. In Palestine, hot days are not uncommon, and the heat there is not the same as ours, but incomparably stronger. There, travelers often deliberately travel at night so as not to die from sunstroke during the day. If any of us entered the city of Palestine on a hot day, we would think that it was all extinct: its inhabitants hide in their houses during the heat and only go out into the street in the evening. It rains in Palestine twice a year: in October and in the spring - in March and April, and the rains are torrential. In the remaining months, they are completely replaced by dew, and the dew is so abundant that the earth is completely refreshed by it; water even remains on its surface in the form of puddles, like ours after rain. But, according to the word of the prophet, the rain and dew in the kingdom of Israel stopped and nothing refreshed the land. It was hot during the day, the earth did not have time to cool down during the night, and again the sun rose and heated it up. So months after months passed, the disaster became more and more terrible and even captured the neighboring pagan lands. The ancient prophecy of Moses was fulfilled over Israel: your heavens above your head will become copper, and the earth under you iron (Deut. 28:23). Over time, rivers and lakes began to dry up. All living things began to need water and, subsequently, food: the fields were barren due to drought, the grass everywhere turned yellow and withered. Initially, Elijah, nourished by God, lived on Horeb. But his stream also dried up, and then the Lord commanded him to go to the city of Zarephath to visit a widow. Zarephath was outside the kingdom of Israel in the land of the Phoenicians. In his own country, the prophet could not find refuge for himself: Ahab looked for him everywhere, irritated by his reproof and drought. And the prophet went to the city indicated to him, to a foreign land, also stricken by drought. He walked along a land that sadly turned black without greenery and water, breathed air filled with dust, his entire native land became a desert, everywhere people waited for death as an inevitable end. But then Sarepta appeared with its walls and towers. At the gates of Zarephath, Elijah saw a woman, poorly dressed, gathering firewood. “Bring it,” he told her, “I need some water now, and I’ll get drunk.” She, without objecting, went to get the water. Note that she did not refuse to give water to a stranger and even a foreigner during such a terrible drought, when every drop of water was precious. And she had a son from whom she took this water. This is how you should trust in God and love your neighbor. The Prophet understood from her act that this was precisely the widow who should, by the will of God, feed him, but, wanting to test her further, he exclaimed after her: “Bring me a piece of bread in your hand so that I can taste it!” But the widow could no longer give him this. “As the Lord your God lives,” that is, God is my witness, she answered, “if I have unleavened bread (a small loaf of bread). I have a little flour and oil, and now I’ll gather firewood, cook food for myself and my son, we’ll eat it, and then we’ll die.” And the widow was not offended by this request of the prophet, but answered meekly and sadly. Is that what we would do? It would be nice if so. Otherwise, someone will refuse to refuse the one asking, and will even say a lot of bitter words to him: “Here, at this time, there are still beggars walking around here, we ourselves have nothing to eat, but give it to them,” etc. It’s hard for a poor man to listen to such speeches! But listen to how the Lord rewarded the widow’s virtue. Before she could enter the city gates, the prophet stopped her and said: “Don’t be afraid, first prepare unleavened bread for me, and then you will make it for yourself and your son. For I tell you in the name of God that your flour and oil will not be lacking until the Lord sends rain on the earth.” The widow believed the prophet, took him to her, and he began to live with her, being in obscurity. And the miracle of the Lord began to happen in the widow’s poor hut: her flour and butter did not decrease, no matter how much she spent them. And then she realized that a great saint of God lived with her, and, of course, she tried to show him great respect. The widow had even more respect for the prophet for the following reason: her son fell ill and died. “Man of God,” she exclaimed, you have come to me to remind me of my sins and to kill my son!” that is, you are a saint of God, and the Lord punished me with the death of my son because I, a sinner, lived under the same roof with you, the righteous. And here the widow did not grumble either at God or at people, but only at herself, for her sinfulness. The prophet Elijah prayed over the deceased and resurrected him. Three years had already passed since there was a drought in the kingdom of Israel. The time of God's wrath was ending, and the Lord said to Elijah: “Go and appear before Ahab: I will give rain on the earth.” Elijah went to the kingdom of Israel. King Ahab traveled with his servants throughout the kingdom and carefully searched for herbs for the livestock. At this time, the prophet Elijah appeared before him. “Are you the troubler of Israel?” the king exclaimed when he saw him. He called Elijah this way because, as a result of the famine, there was, of course, disorder in the kingdom of Israel: many left their homes to search for food, taxes were not received correctly, the people wavered in their faith in idols, seeing their powerlessness, but still did not dare to return to the faith of their fathers in the true God. “It is not I,” the prophet fearlessly answered, who corrupts the people, but you and your father’s house by abandoning the true God and serving idols. But in order to find out whose faith is right, gather the people’s Mount Carmel and bring the priests of Baal there.” Ahab fulfilled the will of the prophet. And now Mount Carmel, three years ago famous for its fertility, so much so that it was even called the garden of God, but now dry and sad, was covered with people; The priests of Baal came here, and the king also arrived. Then the prophet Elijah called out to the people with a loud voice: “How long will you limp on both knees? If you believe in the true God, follow in His footsteps; if to Baal, follow him.” The people were silent. It was difficult for him to answer Elijah with anything: he did not firmly believe in Baal, and he recoiled from the true God. Then Elijah continued: “I am one prophet of the true God; the prophets of Baal are many. Let them give us two oxen, and we will sacrifice them one by one, each to his God. Whichever God sends fire from heaven onto a sacrifice is the true God.” The people approved the prophet's proposal. The priests of Baal made an altar, placed a dead ox on it and began to pray to their god: “Baal, Baal, listen to us!” According to their custom, they danced around the altar to pity Baal, beat themselves with whips, and cut themselves with knives. But time passed, the midday hour passed, and fire did not fall from the sky. The day began to turn towards evening, but there was still no fire. The prophet Elijah looked with indignation at these jumping deceivers, the corrupters of the people, who brought them to such punishment from the Lord. He told them with contempt: “Shout louder, maybe your god has fallen asleep or is busy with something.” The priests shouted, the day was already getting dark, but the fire still did not leave the sky. Seeing that they had sufficiently shown their powerlessness before the people, the prophet ordered them to leave. Then he built an altar, put wood and an animal on it, ordered to dig a ditch around the altar and pour water on it. The sacrifice became wet, and even the ditch around the altar filled with water. The prophet did this so that none of the people would think that he had hidden the fire somewhere. And Elijah said to the Lord: “Lord God! Let this people know that You are the only God of Israel; Hear me: send fire from heaven on this sacrifice!” And suddenly fire fell from heaven onto the sacrifice and was so strong that it burned not only the sacrifice, but even the stones of the altar, even the earth on which it was built, and dried up the water in the trench. In horror, the people fell to their knees, crying out: The Lord God is the true God! This is what firm faith in God can accomplish: bring down fire from heaven! Who is the faith of the Lord and is ashamed? Or who would abide in His fear and remain? Or who called Him and despised Him? (Sir.2:10). Only the double-minded man (James 1:8) is abandoned by Him. Each of us probably remembers such cases in his life when he turned to God in grief, and grief was replaced by joy. If we always have such faith, we will always receive help from the generous God. Jealous of God and wanting to save the people of Israel from deceivers, Elijah beat the priests of Baal, and advised the king to go home quickly so that the rain would not catch him on the road. And the rain, through the prayer of the prophet, fell strong and beneficial, and the people of Israel rejoiced at the mercy of God. But this joy did not visit the heart of the prophet himself. He again had to save his life. Now Ahab humbled himself before him, seeing the power of his prayer, but Jezebel, the king’s wife, hated the prophet all the more. Ahab was an unbeliever and a criminal, but Jezebel was quite a villain, ready to commit the most terrible crime. Ahab sometimes repented and grieved over his iniquities, Jezebel only reproached him for that. Having learned that Elijah had beaten the prophets of Baal, she sent to tell him that she would not be Queen Jezebel if the next day he did not lie as lifeless as he had laid the prophets of Baal. Elijah, knowing her malice, decided, by the will of God, to flee. And so, he is again alone in the desert, having no other shelter above him except the sky. Despite the wondrous miracles of the prophet of God, Ahab remained the same weak man of half faith, the queen remained the same evil idolater, and it seemed that the entire people of Israel returned again to the altars of idols. Melancholy attacked the soul of the prophet: all his struggle for the glory of the true God seemed fruitless to him, and he himself was powerless. And Elijah cried out to the Lord so that He would send him death: “Take my soul, Lord,” he prayed, “I am no better than my fathers; I am the same weak person as all people: the task that I have taken upon myself is beyond my strength. It is better for me to die than to see the iniquities of my people.” Tired of long walking, he fell asleep, but the angel of the Lord woke him up, fed him with bread and ordered him to go to Mount Horeb. Supported by the grace of God, Elijah walked day and night non-stop for forty days without eating food. By this fast he was preparing for the wonderful vision that awaited him at Horeb. The wonderful forty-day journey of the prophet Elijah was over: he ascended Horeb, found a cave here, and in its darkness continued to mourn the wickedness of his native people. Suddenly the voice of the Lord was heard above him: “Why are you here, Elijah?” i.e., what do you need, what are you grieving about? Elijah answered this question with a complaint against the people of Israel: “He has forsaken Your covenant, destroyed Your altars, killed Your prophets; I am left alone, and they are looking for my soul to take it.” The Lord answered him: “In the morning, go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, He will pass before you, but not in a storm, not in an earthquake, not in fire, but in a light breeze of a cool wind.” Elijah went out in the morning and covered his face, considering himself unworthy to see the Lord face to face. And so, the wind rustled around him, lightning flashed, thunder roared, a storm roared, uprooting trees and crushing rocks. Then the mountain trembled from the earthquake, the motionless mountains swayed from ancient times, and the rocks cracked and formed abysses. And all these horrors were suddenly illuminated by the fire that appeared on the mountain. Elijah stood waiting for the end of these phenomena. The Lord did not wish to appear in them. And so, the fire went out, the earthquake stopped, the storm subsided, everything on the mountain came to order. As the silence ensued, a light and pleasant breeze blew, and then the Lord appeared to Elijah and calmed him down, announcing that not everyone in Israel had yet fallen into idolatry, and another seven thousand people had not bowed their knees to Baal and had not prayed to him on their lips. Immediately the Lord gave various commands to Elijah. The vision ended, and the prophet followed the path shown to him by the Lord. On the way, he called Elisha to be his disciple. Through a vision at Horeb, the Lord taught the prophet Elijah that He is not only God - a strict Judge and Punisher of sinners, but also a God of love and mercy for fallen people; that He, strictly exacting from Israel, loves him, and is ready to spare him, to wait for his repentance. This is a lesson for all of us. If we are insulted, offended, then what good is it if we respond to anger with anger, to insult with insult? It's not difficult, but there's no benefit to it. Only love can make a friend out of an enemy, and a righteous man out of a villain. Look at every person who offends you as a lost, unfortunate, as a sick person, for whom Christ also suffered, and respond to his sin with mercy, and you will be a true follower of the Lord, who commands His sun to shine on the evil and the good, and to rain on the righteous and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Elijah came down from Horeb. After a wonderful vision of God, he again returned to a world full of sin and sorrow. And he soon had to be the messenger of the Lord’s punishment for Ahab and Jezebel for their new crime. The king lived in the city of Jezreel. Not far from his palace there was a vineyard of a certain Naboth, a resident of that city. The king really wanted to buy this vineyard, but Naboth did not agree to sell or exchange it. He was a pious man and strictly followed the laws of the Lord. According to the law, Jews had no right to sell or exchange their lands (Lev.25:23). Ahab was upset by Naboth's refusal and even fell ill. It may be that this would have been the end of the whole matter if the evil Jezebel had not intervened in it. “Is this what kings do?!” - she said to Ahab with mockery. “But be still, eat and drink: the vineyard will be yours.” And so, she ordered the authorities to accuse Naboth of blasphemy and blasphemy against the king. The matter was carried out quickly and lawlessly, and the innocent Naboth was stoned, and his property, according to the law, went to the king. Then Jezebel said to the king: “Go, get the vineyard, Naboth did not take any money from you, and he himself died.” Ahab was at first saddened by this matter, but soon calmed down and went with Jezebel to inspect the vineyard. But then the prophet Elijah suddenly appeared before him. “You found me, my enemy!” - the king exclaimed, amazed by his appearance. “I have found it,” answered the prophet, “listen: thus says the Lord God: I will bring all evil upon you; Where the blood of Naboth is shed, your blood will be shed, and dogs will lick it, and Jezebel your wife will be eaten by dogs.” Ahab became sad, began to repent, fasted and cried, and for this the Lord softened His sentence on him: He announced to Elijah that this prophecy would be fully fulfilled over the one who follows Ahab in his generation. Ahab lived for three more years and was killed in the war. The chariot in which he was wounded was washed in a stream, and then the dogs licked his blood and the pigs drank the bloody water (1 Kings 22:38). Subsequently, Elijah's prophecy about Jezebel was fulfilled: she was thrown from the roof of her house and torn to pieces by dogs (2 Kings 9:33–37). A new king, Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel. Throughout his life, he followed in the footsteps of his father - he worshiped Baal and was wicked. One day he was seriously hurt and sent his servants to the idol Baal to ask him if he would recover. But the messengers were met on the road by the prophet Elijah and menacingly asked them: “Does Israel not have a God, that you are going to Baal? Tell the king: because you have not turned to the true God, you will not get out of bed, but will die on it.” When Ahaziah found out about this, he was terribly angry with Elijah and sent fifty soldiers and a commander after him. Elijah was on Mount Carmel when the messengers came to take him. The head of the detachment proudly shouted to him: “Man of God! the king orders you to come down.” The prophet looked with indignation at these pitiful people, devoted to idols, ready to do any evil deed to please the king. And the prophet answered: “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and burn you and your soldiers.” And immediately fire from heaven fell on the soldiers and burned them. Another detachment was sent for Elijah, but it too suffered the same fate. Then the king sent a third detachment, but its leader was a believer, who humbly asked the prophet not to exact punishment from him, a forced man. Then Elijah came down from the mountain and, coming to Ahaziah, fearlessly denounced him for idolatry and predicted his death. And so it happened: Ahaziah did not get out of his bed. The time approached for the prophet Elijah to part with the earth. The Lord revealed this to him in advance, and Elijah went with Elisha to the place God had appointed for him. On the way, not wanting human glory, he twice invited Elisha to leave him alone. But Elisha, knowing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that he would not see his teacher for long, did not want to part with him. Other prophetic disciples also knew about Elijah’s imminent ascent to heaven and from afar accompanied the two prophets. Behold, the Jordan became visible, and the prophets approached the water. There was no bridge here, but nature is submissive to the righteous. Elijah struck the water with his outer garment, the mantle, and the river parted, and the prophets crossed along the bottom to its other bank. Then the river flowed as before. Anticipating the imminence of his transfer to heaven, Elijah said to Elisha: “Ask me what you need before I am taken.” Elisha began to ask him for a prophetic gift that was twice as powerful as that given to Elijah. “You are asking a difficult thing,” answered Elijah, but if you see how I am taken, you will receive what you ask for.” And they went further, talking. Suddenly the deserted bank of the Jordan was illuminated by heavenly fire. A fiery chariot with fiery horses appeared between the prophets. Elijah entered her and began to be carried away into heaven in a whirlwind. “Father, father! - Elisha exclaimed, amazed by this vision, - the chariot of Israel and his cavalry! (“Father, you were more valuable and necessary for Israel than troops and could protect your country better than them”). But Elisha’s voice was heard only in sight of the clear sky. The Prophet Elijah on the chariot of fire was no longer visible. Terribly upset, Elisha tore his clothes, according to the custom of the Jews, who used to tear their clothes when upset. At this time, a mantle fell from the sky, thrown by Elijah, as his blessing to the disciple, as a visible sign of her granting Elisha the prophetic spirit he had asked for. Elisha took it and, going up to the Jordan, struck the water with it and the Jordan parted. Thus, he took the place of Elijah to serve the people of Israel. This is the difficult life of the great prophet of God! Throughout his stay on earth, he burned with zeal for the glory of God, did not spare his labors, even his life, and as a reward for the purity of his soul and for such immeasurable love for God, He was taken to heaven on a chariot of fire. Oh, if we all had at least a small share of such zeal for the glory of God, if we were not afraid to expose and admonish people who, with their lives, disgrace the title of Christian! Oh, if only we could expose and reproach ourselves for our negligence in fulfilling God’s commandments! We must admit that we, too, are lame on both knees; together with the true God we want to serve an alien god—our own lusts. But the judgment of the Lord for this is terrible. The Jews did not fulfill the commandments of God, did not listen to the prophets of the Lord - and behold, God’s long-suffering was exhausted, and His anger scattered the Jewish people from their country like dust and put the seal of desolation on it. The Lord has not yet completely taken His bounties from us: let us firmly preserve the faith of our fathers, love our Orthodox Church, do what it tells us, and then our country will not become impoverished and will be indestructible; pestilences, famines and droughts will not visit us; we ourselves, by the grace of God, will not be deprived of hope of entering the Kingdom of Heaven (Compiled according to Christ. demon. 1893, vol. two). 3. Traits for us to follow from the life of the prophet. Elijah St. ap. James, reminding Christians of the suffering and long-suffering of the prophets, points them to the prophet of God Elijah as a role model. Elijah says, man is not servile to us. What from the life of the prophet should we imitate? The prophet's greatest abstinence, combined with trust in God's providence, his greatest humility, his greatest zeal for the glory of God - these are traits worthy of our imitation and accessible to each of us! Great and wonderful was the abstinence of the prophet of God Elijah! This was truly an angel in the flesh! He had no property: a poor mantle served as his clothing; a leather belt encircled his loins; his home was the desert or the houses of compassionate people; His food was bread and water, or, better said, what God sent him. Nothing earthly occupied the man of God; the one God was the object of his mind and heart; He was completely devoted to God, undoubtedly believing that the All-Good Provider and Creator of men would not allow His faithful servant to die of hunger and thirst. And God fulfilled his desires, sometimes miraculously sending him food and drink. So great was the abstinence of the prophet of God, combined with firm trust in God’s providence. But we have so little self-control, we worry so much about what we eat, or what we drink, or what we wear (Matthew 6:25)! Is such vain care appropriate for us, followers of Jesus Christ? Didn't He tell us in St. Gospel: seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this will be added to you (Matthew 6:33)? Let us love abstinence, placing our trust in God’s providence, then even a little will be enough to satisfy our everyday needs. The greatest humility of God’s prophet is also worthy of imitation. He was great in his virtues when God showed him His special favor. According to the word of the prophet of God, great signs and wonders were performed. But the higher he ascended on the ladder of spiritual perfection, the greater humility awakened in his soul. It manifested itself especially strongly in the last minutes of his earthly life. How, it seemed, could he hide from his interlocutor and successor Elisha the proximity of his ascension to heaven? But God’s prophet Elijah also wanted to hide this from him! The moment of their temporary separation was already approaching; The chariot of fire and horses of fire were already not far from him, ready to take him to heaven, but he begs Elisha to move away from him, trying to hide his glorification! What great humility! This is how God's greatest chosen ones thought of themselves! And having done everything commanded by God, they thought of themselves as unbreakable slaves! And how little humility we have! Having almost no virtues, we sometimes think that we are not yet great sinners! We must not forget the truth of the Gospel that only the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3) will be heirs of the kingdom of heaven, and only those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:14)! Jealous of the Lord God Almighty, the prophet of God Elijah speaks about himself. And truly, fiery was his zeal for the glory of God! When he saw the spread of idolatry in the kingdom of Israel, he was inflamed with such jealousy that he fearlessly denounced both the people and the king himself for departing from the true God; when he saw that neither the people nor the king heeded his words, he did not hesitate to ask God for punishment for the wicked in order to admonish them: according to his word, the sky was closed for three and a half years, and there was neither dew nor rain, so that there was a great famine throughout the whole earth; Then, when it was necessary to prove to the people of Israel the superiority of the true God over Baal, he did not hesitate to ask God for fire from heaven for the prepared sacrifice. Such was the fiery zeal of the prophet of God for God! May she serve as an example and motivation for us to demonstrate zeal for the glory of God. The Apostle of Christ commands all Christians to have the zeal of God: the good of zeal is always in what is good (Gal. 4:18), he says. That's how it should be. If someone sincerely loves God, will he look indifferently at a neighbor who insults God? If you cannot correct a sinner with your convictions, then try to influence him with your good example. By being zealous for the glory of God, we will attract God's blessing upon ourselves, and in this world God will crown us with rewards for a good life, and after death will make us worthy of heavenly rewards through the prayers of His saint, the prophet Elijah (Extracted in abbreviation from “Instructions on the Holidays” by Archpriest A. Romanovsky, part 2, ed. 1881). 4. Blasphemy is a grave sin Here is the story of one villager about himself, how severely the Lord punished him for blasphemy against St. the prophet of God Elijah. “On my sinful soul lies a mortal sin like a heavy stone, which is why I don’t eat fish or meat, I don’t drink wine or beer. From a young age I had a satanic obsession with me, so terrible that I was afraid to tell good people. Then I ate, and drank, and got drunk on wine, sometimes to the point of insensibility, to the point of disgrace. Why should I, an old man, hide now! “I will repent before the world to all the baptized,” he began his story and continued. “When I was young, there was no one to instruct my mind: I was six months old from my parents, but it’s not for nothing that the proverb says: “the world is not without good people.” In our village there lived a man, a blacksmith, Uncle Maxim. He was a wealthy man, but he had no children; it was he who took me in as an upbringer. He was a kind and smart man, and he taught me everything, but, unfortunately, he spoiled me. In our village, the village elder had a son the same age as me, named Pavel. We all hung out with this Pavel, and we didn’t do anything wrong with him. It used to be that on a holiday or Sunday of Christ, he and I would not go to mass, but after mass our job was to go to a tavern, get drunk, dance, quarrel, fight. This is why the Lord God punished us. Our village celebrates Elijah the prophet every year; People from other villages gather in our village for the holiday. It was the same this time. We started playing games, songs, different dances, and round dances. The day that fell for the feast of the saint of God was so bright and warm. But in the evening the sun disappeared, a dark cloud came over, so that nothing was visible in the village, and the lightning continued to sparkle, and the thunder continued to rumble. Everyone is baptized and says: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of hosts!.. Everyone fled from fear, wherever they could. Only Pavlushka and I were left on the street. He played the balalaika, and I danced in a squat, and kept saying: Elijah the prophet, Elijah the prophet... and I said other such words that there’s no point in retelling. We are dancing, and the old people are shouting to us: “Miroshka, Pavlushka. What do you? Have you lost your mind? Fear the Lord God, you are unchrist or something. Stop it! The prophet Ilya will punish you!” I tease the old people, dance, and say: “I’m not afraid of you, Elijah the prophet!..” Suddenly lightning flashed, and it was as if someone hit me with a piece of wood in the legs. I fell off my feet like a sheaf, and I don’t remember how they took me and dragged me home. Pavlushka had both of his arms torn off at the elbow: he died on the street, but from that time on I remained crippled for the rest of my life. The Lord deservedly punished me, the wicked one! For six weeks I lay like a sheet in bed: I could not move my leg or arm, I could not cross myself, I ate and drank only what good people would provide.” This is how the elder, punished and pardoned by God, ended his story (“Stran.” 1869, August). 5. Stories about diligent prayer 218 I. The prophet David prayed at the beginning of the night, got up to pray at midnight, before dawn, prayed in the morning, in the evening and at noon. Therefore he said: by day of the seven days we praised Thee (Ps. 119:164). II. Avva Dula, student of Rev. Vissarion, said: “I entered my elder’s cell and found him standing in prayer; his hands were stretched out to the sky, and he remained in this feat for fourteen days.” (From “Skete Pater.”). III. St. Anthony the Great often spent nights without sleep, so that the sun, which witnessed his prayerful feat when it set, found him in the same position when it reappeared on the horizon. But, sometimes troubled by a spirit of despondency, he sighed before the Lord that such embarrassment was hindering him in the work of salvation, leading him out of the state of inner bliss that he had gained in prayerful communication with the Lord, and prayed for admonition. After prayer, he came out of his cell one day and saw a certain stranger who, looking like himself, was sitting and working, then got up from work and prayed; then he sat down again and twisted the rope; Then he got up again to pray. It was the angel of the Lord sent to instruct and strengthen Anthony. And the angel said out loud to him: “Do this too, and you will be saved.” Hearing this, Anthony was very happy and observed this rule throughout his life, moving from work to prayer and from prayer to work. But it can hardly be said that he ever stopped praying, because even while working, his thoughts constantly rose to God. In the subsequent period of his life, prayer for him was no longer a rule, but a pleasure. Turning to the east in the evening, he stood in prayer, and when, after the night had passed, daylight came, he exclaimed: “Oh sun, why do you entertain me with your rays and obscure the true Light of my soul!” The Monk Cassian, who conveys this trait from the life of the saint, adds that Anthony, discussing prayer, said: “Prayer is sometimes imperfect if he himself notices and remembers that he is praying.” This shows what strength of spirit was given to him over feelings. (Extracted from the brochure: “The life of our Venerable Father Anthony the Great and his oral and written spiritual ascetic instructions.” Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra Hieromon. Agapit. St. Petersburg, 1865, pp. 12–14). IV. Abba Paul, who lived in the hermitage desert, performed 300 prayers daily, and in order not to make a mistake in counting, he put 300 stones in his bosom and threw out a stone during each prayer. However, the same Paul, to his embarrassment and shame, learned that in his neighborhood there lived a pious virgin who fasted 5 days a week and who performed 700 prayers daily. V. According to Macarius of Alexandria’s own testimony, when he indulged in prayerful contemplation for 4 days, he brought the devil into a terrible rage. VI. The hermit Theodore in the east prayed for 7 days, not leaving this matter for a minute. (Compiled from the book: “Stories from the history of Christian ascetic life.” A. Lebedeva. Moscow, 1884, pp. 130–131, 134–136). VII. Lecturer Vissarion (comm. June 6), barely covered with shabby clothes, not paying attention to either the heat or the cold, spending days and nights in prayer, among which he often forgot even about food for a long time, in the silent lifting of his mind and heart to God, he seemed to separate himself from everything earthly and was awarded from God the gift of great miracles. Once, for forty whole days, he stood in prayer in the midst of thorns, without sleep or food, forgetting everything earthly, praying with his hands raised to heaven, without moving from his place. Through prayer he brought down rain during drought, crossed rivers as if on earth, and healed the sick. (From the book: “Lives of the Saints”, Archbishop Philaret Gumilevsky, June 6, p. 52). VIII. When one pious monk was praying, a viper crawled up and touched his leg, but he did not lower his hands before he had completed the usual prayer. And this one did not suffer any harm, having loved God more than himself. IX. To another God-loving monk, when he was performing a mental prayer while walking in the desert, two angels appeared and went with him, having him in the middle. But he did not turn his attention to them for a minute, so as not to suffer damage to the best, for he remembered the saying of the Apostle, who says: neither angels nor principalities, nor the power below can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). - (Teacher Nile, the ascetic of Sinai “On Prayer.” Ch. 153, art. 109, 112. Sn. “Patristic instructions on prayer and sobriety,” Bishop Theophan, p. 179). 6. Instructions on prayer Fr. John Sergiev (Kronstadt) “During prayer, there are sometimes moments of deadly darkness and heartache, arising from unbelief of the heart. The evil one tries to scatter prayer like a mound of sand, he wants to make words like dry sand without connection, without moisture, that is, without warmth of heart.” It is clear that due to the constant fluctuations in the mood of the person praying, “prayer is either a church on an arctic fox, or a church on a stone.” First of all, it is very important to prepare for prayer, to create in oneself such a mood that could resist external and internal temptations during prayer itself. “If you want to ask God for some good from God through prayer, then before praying, prepare yourself for undoubted, strong faith and take remedies in advance against doubt and unbelief. It is bad if, during the prayer itself, your heart becomes weak in faith and does not stand in it: then do not think that you will receive what you asked God for; you doubted, because you offended God; but God does not give His gifts to a scolder! Everything, said the Lord, if you ask in prayer as a believer, you will receive (Matthew 21:22), and, therefore, if you ask without believing or with doubt, you will not receive. If you have faith and do not doubt, He also says, then you can move mountains (ibid., v. 12). This means that if you doubt and do not believe, then you will not do this. Let (every person) ask by faith, without hesitating, says the Apostle James... let him not doubt, for he will receive anything from God. – A double-minded man is unsettled in all his ways (James 1:7–8). A heart that doubts that God can grant what is asked is punished for doubt: it painfully languishes and is embarrassed by doubt. Do not anger the Almighty God with even a shadow of doubt, especially you, who have experienced God’s omnipotence many, many times. Doubt is blasphemy against God, a bold lie of the heart or a spirit of lies nestling in the heart against the Spirit of truth. Fear him like a poisonous snake, or not, what I’m saying is, neglect him, don’t pay the slightest attention to him. Remember that God, at the time of your petition, expects an affirmative answer to the question that He inwardly proposes to you: do you believe that I can do this? Yes, you must answer from the depths of your heart: I believe, Lord! And then it will be according to your faith. Let the following reasoning help your doubt or unbelief: I ask God: 1) An existing, and not just an imaginary, not a dreamy, not a fantastic good, but everything that exists received existence from God, because without Him nothing could have come into being (John 1:3), and, therefore, nothing happens without Him that happens, but everything either received existence from Him, or by His will or permission it happens and is done through His powers and abilities given to creatures by Him. - and in everything that exists and happens, the Lord is the sovereign Master. Moreover, He calls those things which are not, as though they are (Rom. 4:17); This means that if I asked for something that does not exist, He could give it to me by creating it. 2) I ask for the possible, and for God our impossible is possible; This means that on this side there is no obstacle, because God can do for me even what, according to my concepts, is impossible. Our misfortune is that our faith is interfered with by myopic reason, this spider that catches the truth in the nets of its judgments, conclusions, and analogies. Faith suddenly embraces, sees, and reason, in a roundabout way, reaches the truth: faith is a means of communication between spirit and spirit, and reason - between the spiritually sensual and the spiritually sensual, simply through the material; that one is spirit, and this one is flesh. The lack of the proper mood for prayer can be the reason for its fruitlessness for the soul. Sometimes a person prays, apparently, earnestly, but his prayer does not bring him the fruits of peace and joy of heart in the Holy Spirit. Why? Because, praying according to ready-made prayers, he did not sincerely repent of the sins that he committed that day, with which he desecrated his heart, this church of Christ, and with which he angered the Lord. But remember them, repent, judge yourself impartially with all sincerity - and peace will immediately settle in your heart, surpassing all understanding (Philip. IV, 7). In church prayers there is a listing of sins, but not all of them, and often those very ones that we have committed ourselves to are not mentioned; You must certainly list them yourself in prayer with a clear consciousness of their importance, with a sense of humility and heartfelt contrition. But sometimes, apparently, with diligent preparation for prayer, during its performance, despondency, cowardice and distraction suddenly set in. When, during prayer, despondency and melancholy take possession of your heart, know that this comes from the devil, who is trying in every possible way to occupy you in prayer. Be strong, take courage, and with the memory of God, drive away the murderous sensations. a) “When you pray alone, and your spirit becomes depressed, and becomes bored and burdened by loneliness, remember then, as always, that the Triune God, all the holy angels, your guardian angel and the holy people of God look at you with brighter eyes than the sun. Truly! For they are all one in God, and where God is, there they are. Wherever the sun is, there are all its rays. converted. Understand what is being said. Always pray with a burning heart, and for this, never overeat and remember with whom you are talking. People often forget with whom they are talking in prayer, who are the witnesses of their prayer. b) And here is another remedy that banishes relaxation of spirit and body during prayer. “Someone, during prayer, when he became sluggish, relaxed in spirit and body, and he wanted to doze, aroused himself with the following internal question: Who are you talking to, my soul? And, after this, vividly imagining the Lord before him, he began to pray with great tenderness and tears; his dull attention was sharpened, his mind and heart were enlightened, and he was completely revived. This is what it means to vividly imagine the Lord God before you and walk in His presence! If, he said further, my soul, you do not dare to rant sluggishly and carelessly with people above you, so as not to offend them, then how dare you rant sluggishly and carelessly with the Lord! “In general, making an effort of will and turning one’s gaze to God with tension is the most fruitful means, immediately raising a person above distraction and turning him to concentrated prayer. What conditions does true prayer require on the part of the person praying? a) In prayer, the main thing that you need to take care of first of all is living, clairvoyant faith in the Lord. Imagine Him vividly before you and within yourself, and then, if you wish, ask for Christ Jesus in the Holy Spirit, and it will be done for you. Ask simply, without hesitation, and then your God will be everything for you, performing great and wonderful deeds in an instant, just as the sign of the cross accomplishes great powers. Ask not for yourself alone, but for all the faithful, for the entire body of the church, spiritual and material blessings, not separating yourself from other believers, but being in spiritual unity with them, as a member of the one great body of the Church of Christ - and loving everyone as His children in Christ, the Heavenly Father will fill you with great peace and boldness. b) Next, you need strong trust in God’s help. Many do not pray because it seems to them that they have not received any gifts from God through prayer, or they consider prayer an unnecessary matter; God, they say, knows everything before we ask, and they forget what is said: ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, seek and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). Our petitions (prayers) are needed precisely to strengthen our faith, by which we are saved alone: ​​by grace is the nature of salvation through faith (Eph. 2:8); O woman, great is your faith (Matthew 15:28). This is why the Savior forced the woman to ask intensely, in order to arouse her faith, to strengthen it. Such people do not see that they do not have faith - the most precious asset of a Christian, which is necessary like life, that they offend God with unbelief and are children of the devil, unworthy of any mercies of God, that they are perishing. It is also necessary that the heart burns during prayer with the desire for spiritual blessings, with love for God, who is clearly contemplated by the heart in His extreme goodness for the human race and is ready to listen with fatherly love to all prayers to Him. If you, who are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11). c) In particular, when starting to pray to the Queen Theotokos, before praying, be firmly confident that you will not leave Her without receiving mercy. To think this way and be so confident about it is worthy and righteous. She is the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God the Word, and all centuries and all Christian churches proclaim her mercies, innumerably great and countless; She is definitely an abyss of goodness and generosity, as it is said about Her in the canon of Hodegetria (Can., cant. 5, v. 1). Therefore, to approach Her in prayer without such confidence would be unreasonable and impudent, and doubt would offend her goodness, just as the goodness of God is insulted when one approaches God in prayer and does not hope to receive from Him what is asked. How do they rush for mercy to some tall and rich person, whose mercy everyone knows, who has proven his mercy through numerous experiments? Usually, with the calmest confidence and hope of getting from him what they want. So we must not doubt in prayer, and not be cowardly. d) When you pray to God, you talk with Him face to face; talk with Him as with a king - eye to eye; talk with Matter, the Queen of Heaven, as if with a living person; with angels and saints just like eye to eye, and let the heart not be occupied with anything extraneous at this time and not cleave to anything, for tell me: will you, while talking with the king or queen, be engaged at this time in anything extraneous or unimportant, for example, looking out the window at people passing by or looking at things in the chambers, etc.? And wouldn’t this be an extreme insult to the royal majesty? How can we, when talking with the Lord, do something similar and much worse than this? e) During prayer, deep attention to the words of the spoken prayers is necessary. Many, when praying, do not follow the prayer words at all; hastily repeating the words of a familiar prayer, they do not give themselves the trouble to merge their being with the blessed sounds. During prayer, each word must be pronounced with the heart with the power that is contained in each of them, just as medicines are usually taken with the medicinal power corresponding to each of them, given to them by the Creator. Merging your religious feeling with the words of prayer is a condition that a Christian should especially remember. Remember that if during prayer you do not idle, but say the words of prayer with feeling, then your words will not return to you thinly, without strength (like a husk without grain), but will certainly bring you the very fruits that are contained in the word, like a fruit in a shell. When praying, adhere to the rule that it is better to say five words from the heart than ten thousand words with the tongue. When you notice that your heart is cold and reluctant to pray, stop, warm your heart with some living idea, for example, of your wretchedness, your spiritual poverty, poverty and blindness, or the idea of ​​God’s great, moment-to-moment blessings to you and to the human race, especially to Christians, and then pray slowly, with a warm feeling; even if you don’t have time to read all the prayers in time, there is no problem, and you will receive incomparably more benefit from warm and unhurried prayer than if you read all the prayers, but hastily, without sympathy. I would rather speak five words with my mind than ten thousand words with my tongue (1 Cor. 14:19). But it would be very good, of course, if we could say a thousand words in prayer with due sympathy. The Lord does not leave those who work for Him and who stand before Him for a long time; They measure in the smallest measure, He also measures and, according to the abundance of the true words of their prayer, sends into their soul an abundance of spiritual light, spiritual warmth, peace and joy. It is good to pray long and unceasingly, but not everyone can receive this word, but to them it has been given to eat, let him who can receive it receive it (Matthew 19:11-12). For those who cannot endure long prayers, it is better to say short prayers, but with a fervent soul. (Extracted in abbreviated form from various places in the “Diary” of Father Archpriest John Sergiev and his book: “My Life in Christ”). The month of July. Day 27 Memory of St. Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon Evang. from John 52nd class, XV chapter. 17–27 centuries; Chapter XVI 1–2 tbsp. 219 Life of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon The Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon was born in the city of Nicomedia from a Christian mother, Evvula, and a pagan father, Eustorgius. His mother died when he was still a child, and he was raised in paganism. After completing his studies at the pagan school, Pantoleon (the original name of the martyr) began to study the art of medicine from the then famous court physician Euphrosynus and made such rapid progress that the attention of the emperor was already drawn to him, who even expressed a desire to bring closer to him an intelligent young man distinguished by successes in science. At this time, an event occurred that unexpectedly decided the fate of Pantoleon. This was his meeting with the presbyter of the Nicomedia church, Ermolai. Ermolai lived in Nicomedia, hiding with a few Christians from the pagans, when during the ensuing persecution the local temple was destroyed, and up to 20,000 Christians were burned, and Bishop Anthimus and many elders died as martyrdom. From the window of a secluded house in which Ermolai found refuge for himself, he noticed the handsome young man Pantoleon and shrewdly guessed in him the chosen vessel of God's grace... He once invited the young man to enter his house and asked him about his parents, about his faith and his whole life and entered into a conversation with him, in which he conveyed to him the main outlines of the Christian teaching. The elder’s words awakened memories of childhood in Pantoleon’s heart: he once heard the same words from his late Christian mother and remembered how she often prayed, calling on the name of Christ... From then on, Pantoleon (later called Panteleimon: the all-merciful) began to go to Ermolai every day and listened with curiosity to what the servant of God revealed to him about Jesus Christ. It was as if something familiar was pouring into his pure soul. He was finally confirmed in the Christian faith when, one day walking from his teacher and seeing on the road a child who had died from the bite of a viper, which was lying right there, he cried out to Jesus Christ with deep faith, may He show His power and resurrect the child - and the child came to life, and the viper gave up its breath... This miracle of the omnipotence and grace of Christ was complete for Panteleimon enlightenment, and he immediately accepted St. baptism from Ermolai. Having then received the Holy Mysteries, he spent several more days in the presbyter’s house. Having accepted the highest good into his soul, Panteleimon wished to share it with his father, and God helped him convince his father to accept Christianity. This happened in this way: one day they brought a blind man to Panteleimon, who said that he had already contacted all the doctors, but that none of them could help him. “I spent almost all of my property on treatment,” the patient complained, “but no one restored my sight... And now I am ready to give the rest of my property to the one who will cure me of blindness... “The Father of light, the true God, will return light to your eyes,” said Panteleimon, “by me, His unworthy servant, He will perform your healing... And give everything that you promise to sacrifice to the poor,” he added. “My son,” his father, who was present, said to Panteleimon, alarmed by his words, “why do you promise something that you cannot fulfill?” How do you hope to heal a patient whom all doctors have declared incurable! “Those doctors could not heal him, because there was a great difference between them and my Teacher...” answered Panteleimon. “But Euphrosynus himself had no success in treating this blind man,” Evstorgius objected, thinking that he was talking about his famous teacher. Meanwhile, Panteleimon, approaching the blind man and touching his eyes, said: “In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ I say to you: see!” And immediately the blind man regained his sight. At the same time, Eustorgius also received his sight spiritually and, amazed by the miracle, believed in Christ in the same way as the healed blind man, and, having learned the truths of the faith from the presbyter Ermolai, both of them accepted St. baptism. After his conversion, Eustorgius died soon and peacefully, but Panteleimon, having received a rich inheritance after him, with a generous hand began to help all those in need and redeem slaves from captivity. Moreover, he treated the sick for free and healed them not so much with medicines as by invoking the name of Jesus Christ. All the people recognized the “all-merciful”, free doctor and began to turn to him, especially since rumors spread about his healing of a blind man. Such fame of the young doctor aroused envy in other doctors. They were looking for an opportunity to harm him with some accusation and, having learned that he belonged to the number of Christians who were at that time strictly persecuted by the government, they reported him to the emperor, saying that Pantoleon was a blasphemer of the gods, that he believed in some kind of crucified Christ, attributed to Him the glory of healings and thereby turned people away from true worship of God. As evidence of the truth of their denunciations, they pointed to a blind man who was healed and believed in Christ. The blind man who was called upon to receive his sight himself testified that all this did happen, and since he did not renounce his faith in Christ and refused to worship the gods, he was condemned to death. After that, the emperor called Panteleimon and asked him: is it true what they reported to him about him? “Yes, you can believe, sir, that I do not recognize false gods and that with all my soul, with all my mind, I believed in the one true God - Christ, who raises the dead, gives sight to the blind, heals those suffering from incurable diseases...” the new confessor answered undaunted. The emperor tried to deviate from the Christian faith Panteleimon, whom he knew well, whom he wanted to make his doctor, but since he did not succeed in this, he began to threaten him and reminded him of the martyrdom of Elder Anthimus. If Elder Anthimus could endure suffering with firmness, then I should not be afraid of it, especially since I am young and strong, and I consider death for Christ to be the highest happiness...” answered Panteleimon. Then he was given over to the most severe tortures: his body was whittled with iron nails, he was put in a cauldron with molten tin, he was thrown into water with a stone around his neck, he was given to beasts to be torn to pieces... But God miraculously kept the martyr unharmed, showing the wonderful power of patience amid torture. The people exclaimed in amazement: “Truly great is the Christian God!” and many turned to Christ; some attributed all these divine miracles only to magic... -Who taught you magic? – the amazed emperor himself asked the martyr. “Presbyter Ermolai taught me not magic, but Christian belief,” answered Panteleimon, who knew that the one who taught everyone to believe in Him would not be afraid to confess Christ. - We want to see your teacher! - said Maximian and sent soldiers for Ermolai. Meanwhile, Ermolai had already received a revelation from God that he would have to suffer for his faith. He came to the king along with his servants Hermippos and Hermocrates. The king promised Yermolai great favors if he persuaded Panteleimon to renounce his faith in Christ. “We do not have the power to do this, but we ourselves are ready to accept death for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” answered Ermolai and other Christians, and they delved into prayer, awaiting martyrdom... At this time, an earthquake suddenly occurred, and then a messenger appeared and announced that the idols standing in the church had fallen from their places and were broken. This was attributed to the sorcery of Christians, and to calm the pagans, the emperor ordered the immediate execution of Hermolai, Hermippus and Hermocrates, and for the time being, Panteleimon was taken to prison. Without even having time to turn Panteleimon away from faith in Christ, the king sentenced him to death by sword. The great martyr joyfully and prayerfully accepted death - July 27, 805. Christians reverently buried his body, described his life and death, so that the memory of him would be preserved; God glorified St. His relics are incorruptible and numerous miracles, which are not exhausted to this day for all who with faith resort to his intercession before God. St. Panteleimon is called upon us for special prayer assistance during the sacrament of the Blessing of Oil, in prayer for the weak and sleepless, and during the blessing of water. (According to Ch. M. July 27). (Story). On one of the outskirts of Moscow there was a small gray house. An unpaved alley, high rickety fences stretching far on both sides, and, finally, the house itself, with rickety shutters and a roof that had long been unpainted, showed that bitter, persistent need vegetated in this nook of the big city. In this gray house lived a certain D*, he was an elderly man, he was already in his fifth decade in his life; but never before had it been so hard for him, never before had he experienced such need as now befell him. Hardworking from his youth, he managed to achieve the fact that work allowed him to live, never needing anything. He had no family, and D* did not save anything, as they say, for a rainy day, firmly believing in his own strength. But, alas, this dark day has come! And just as on a clear day a dark cloud suddenly casts a shadow and, emitting dull rumbles of thunder, pours down heavy rain, so this poverty came suddenly and unexpectedly. It has long been known that a person, among a series of happy days, among the happiness that smiles at him for a long time, forgets about God; so it was with D*. And so the Lord, Who had hitherto blessed him with His mercies, now turned away from him... D* became very ill. The illness took hold of him at a moment when he had nothing, and he reached almost despair. Barely moving, he moved from the city center to the remote outskirts; and here, perhaps, he would have died of hunger if not for an old friend who helped him get by. It was hard and bitter for him. To suddenly lose his health, which gave him everything, and go from a comfortable existence to poverty, was terrible. “If it’s hard,” he said, “to never have anything, then to have and lose everything at once is a hundred times harder.” Sad days dragged on for him. He was not used to grief, he had never experienced it, and it was even harder for him now. He vividly remembered his whole life, all its good sides, and unbearable melancholy and grief rose in his chest. How he wanted to return the past, to return the days of joy, fun and carefree life. But no, the disease inexorably chained him to a chair, not allowing him to almost move either arm or leg; he could barely walk ten steps. Terrible suffering distorted his face. Silvery gray hair shone more and more on his head. So a month passed, then another, but the suffering did not decrease. Bitter, hard lonely life, especially for a sick person! Sometimes his old friend would come to him and bring him some money and some provisions; sits with him, talks, consoles him, and D* already has tears in his eyes - his friend’s participation touches his aching heart. Another month passed, another, a third, and finally a year. Poor D* barely eked out his miserable existence. It was a warm May morning. A cheerful, young spring has long been covering the fields and forests with its emerald greenery. Summer guests, carefree birds, at dawn, fill the air with thousands of sounds of their sonorous songs... The bright sun, as if smiling, poured its golden rays onto the earth, awakening from its winter sleep. Everyone around is singing, rejoicing and having fun... D* sat by the window: heavy thoughts wandered through his head. He remembered how joyfully he used to greet the awakening of nature, and now... And tears welled up in his eyes. His dreams and memories took him far, far away, and he wanted to live more than ever; I wanted to come to life with nature, and with her a joyful smile to greet the clear sun. - Lord, have mercy on me! Do not deprive me, a sinner, of Your mercy! - he exclaimed in tears... All his life he thought and remembered so little about God that when this hot exclamation burst from the depths of his sore chest, he was horrified by his former life, and he became inexpressibly afraid for himself; he wanted to pray and pray endlessly. He looked out the window: in the distance in front of him could be seen the golden dome of the church, shining in the rays of the sun. D* was terribly happy; With tears, but no longer of despair, but of sincere repentance, he began to cross himself and repeated prayers in a whisper. He suddenly felt light and pleasant in his soul after this prayer, and even a slight smile lit up his face, on which it had not been seen for a long time... Five minutes passed. D* was still sitting by the window, occasionally making the sign of the cross. Suddenly, he noticed that a young wanderer was approaching him from the other side of the alley. D* immediately put his hand in his pocket, took out the last copper coin he had left and handed it to the passerby. - No need! - he said, removing his hand. D* looked at him in surprise; he really liked his face and couldn't take his eyes off it. “But what do you need?” asked D*. – I need to tell you: believe in God, pray to Him, and He will save you!.. “I believe,” D* exclaimed in tears, “but I am unworthy of His mercy for my sins!” The Stranger was silent for a minute and said: -You are suffering a lot. God took pity on you. Go to the saint of God Panteleimon and pray, pray to him earnestly! D* listened and seemed not to understand what was happening around him. When he came to his senses, there was no one at the window. He spent the whole day in great excitement. The next morning his friend came to him. - What's wrong with you? It's impossible to recognize you! – he asked. D* told him everything and asked him to accompany him to the chapel of the Great Martyr. An hour later they left the house; Leaning on his friend’s hand, D* could barely move his legs. They walked for a long time, only God saw how much suffering D* endured; Every step brought terrible pain throughout his body, but he still walked, crossing himself at the churches he came across along the way. Finally, they came to the chapel. Before entering it, D* crossed himself and entered in great excitement... Tears were in his eyes... But as soon as he approached the icon, he suddenly turned terribly pale and whispered: “It’s him!”... Then he suddenly burst into hot tears and, kneeling down, began to pray fervently, fervently... In the image of the icon, he saw the face of the wanderer who had stood at his window yesterday. He prayed for a long time, hot tears flowed down his face for a long time; for the first time he experienced that blissful mood that prayer arouses in our soul. He didn’t want to leave here, he didn’t want to get up from his knees. Finally, he stood up and, taking his friend by the arm, went out. There was light and grace in his soul; He was revived by his firm faith in the mercy of God and His St. pleaser!.. A week has passed. Everything is still quiet in the house where D lives, but only the owner himself has changed greatly: in one week he recovered so much that without outside help he left the house and walked, enjoying the spring nature and heartily thanking the Almighty, who had mercy and healed him. A month later he was completely healthy and resumed his usual work. Everything became the same as before the illness, only his soul was elevated and cleansed of previous sins. At the same time, the Lord healed the patient’s heart and his sick conscience. (Helmsman, 1888, No. 14–15). Life was difficult for Marya Alekseevna with three young children when she was left a widow without any means of support. Her husband was a nobleman and a kind father of a family, but, due to the limitations of his salary, he did not save anything for his wife and children. Marya Alekseevna buried her husband and thought: how to live? You need to apply for a place in some government institution, where you would be given an apartment and board; There was no longer any need to talk about salary, just to find shelter with the children. In anticipation of such a place, the widow sold her belongings and fed her children with this money. Her elder sister, Anna Alekseevna, also a widow, already an elderly woman, lived with her. The small apartment, consisting of two rooms, poorly furnished, made a sad impression along with its inhabitants, who hoped only for God's help, without having anything in mind for material improvement. But then a new grief befalls them: the mother of the family falls ill. The illness begins with a terrible fever and some unfamiliar sensation in the throat, but the patient remains silent, afraid of scaring her children. “Masha, you’re all on fire,” her sister notices. “Yes, I’m very unwell, I should probably go to bed, but, God is merciful, maybe it will pass; After all, we can’t invite a doctor, we have nothing to thank him with, and we have nothing to buy medicine with,” the patient answered. By evening she actually went to bed and began to rave. The next day, Anna Alekseevna saw that things were bad, and went to her friend Doctor T., begging him to visit the patient. He was not slow to come to the rescue and found Marya Alekseevna had severe diphtheria. “Now, without delay, we need to remove the children,” he ordered, “for safety.” “What are you saying, doctor,” Anna Alekseevna objected, “where am I going to put them?” You see our premises! - Somewhere, to relatives, to friends; in a word, wherever you want, but you need to delete it. Then the children began to cry, heartbreakingly. - We won’t go anywhere, we will follow mom, we won’t go anywhere from mom! “At least don’t let them into this stuffy bedroom where the patient lies.” After all, you expose me to responsibility by leaving your children with an infectious patient. What should I do with you? So I’ll write down what you need at first, and tomorrow at 10 o’clock in the morning I’ll come again; but I can’t guarantee that maybe by morning she will no longer be alive. With these words, the doctor left, leaving his money for the medicine. Anna Alekseevna immediately sent her nephew Vitya to the pharmacy, since he was the eldest of the children, and ordered him, while they were preparing the medicine, not to wait, but then to run to Panteleimon’s chapel and take oil from the lamp. - Yes, pray for your mother! – his aunt shouted to him when he was already running across the yard. The girls, seven-year-old Katya and eight-year-old Manya, were at the bedside of their sick mother, and it was impossible to call them to another room. They cried and kissed her, trying to evoke at least one sound of her voice. - Mom, mommy, wake up, dear mommy, don’t die, dear mommy, say at least a word! Anna Alekseevna believed that what was impossible for people was possible for God, and she turned to Him with fervent prayer, and taught the children the same. - Manya, Katya, if you love your mother, then pray to God so that you do not remain orphans; stand in front of the icons and fervently pray to the Lord for the healing of your mother; pray to the Queen of Heaven and all the saints of God, here I have an akathist to the healer Panteleimon, read it and pray. The girls grabbed this remedy with faith and both knelt down. They spread a printed sheet on the floor (for their convenience) and began to read the akathist aloud, with bitter tears. The Akathist was printed in Church Slavonic, which made it very difficult for them; they could barely make out the words and watered this leaf with bitter tears. Manya could not leave her mother for long and often ran into the bedroom to look at her, and Katya, without rising from her knees, prayed with a sob, bowing her head to the akathist. Tears blurred her eyes, so she could no longer read and prayed, repeating her own prayer: “Lord, save our mother. Mother of God, have mercy on mom. Holy saint of God, heal our mother! Anna Alekseevna regretted that she did not have time to ask the priest to give communion to her dying sister, and sat listening to the wheezing in the patient’s chest, awaiting her death. But then nephew Vitya came running, barely catching his breath from fast walking; he gave his aunt medicine from the pharmacy and oil from the chapel of St. Panteleimon. Faith gave birth to hope, and Anna Alekseevna hastily took up the healing oil, putting the medicine aside. With prayer, she began to rub oil all over the sick woman’s body and continued this for about half an hour, while the children kept praying. Suddenly, the patient opened her eyes and asked in a weak voice: “What herbs are you rubbing on me?” they are very aromatic and so pleasant to the body. – This is oil from the lamp of the healer Panteleimon. “Oh, that’s what, I didn’t know,” and the patient raised her hand to cross herself. Anna Alekseevna used all the brought oil for rubbing, and then dressed the patient with a warm blanket. The children, tired of tears and fervent prayer, soon fell asleep on the hard sofa, and their aunt sat next to her sister, not taking her eyes off the small icon of St. Panteleimon, hanging in the patient’s head. She could no longer pray, she only looked at the icon, as they look at a doctor in whose art they believe, and give him the patient at his complete disposal. Listening to her sister’s breathing, it seemed to her that she began to breathe more evenly and calmly. The whole night passed like this. In the morning, at about eight o'clock, the patient asked to change her underwear because she was sweating profusely. She sat up in bed, crossed herself and asked for tea. Delighted Anna Alekseevna hastily fulfilled all her demands. At ten o'clock Dr. T. arrived and, carefully entering, asked: was his patient alive? “Come in to her, she’s better,” answered Anna Alekseevna. He entered and stopped, not believing his eyes; looked at the untouched medicine and asked: “Here is the doctor,” answered Anna Alekseevna, pointing to the icon of St. Panteleimon, “and here is the medicine,” she pointed to the bottle of oil. The doctor examined the patient’s throat, took the temperature, felt the pulse and exclaimed: - Well, your faith is strong! God created this miracle, I cannot imagine otherwise. You know that Marya Alekseevna had severe diphtheria, and I did not expect to find her alive, but now there is no trace of this illness. I was in a hurry to find out the result of my medicine, but you didn’t touch it. - Sorry, doctor, I was in such despair that I believed only in God’s help, that’s why I preferred this oil. “We prayed for mom,” said little Katya, “so God healed her.” Tell all the sick, doctor, to pray to God and read the akathist to St. Panteleimon; Do you believe that it was he who healed our mother? - I believe, children, I believe, this is the first time in all my practice. I’m a bad Christian, but I still advise that when your mother gets completely better, go with her and serve a thanksgiving prayer service. Now I boldly congratulate you, Marya Alekseevna, on your quick recovery; only God could snatch you from the clutches of death. With these words the doctor left, joyful and surprised. Marya Alekseevna, indeed, soon recovered and lived for several more years, and her children are alive and well to this day. (“The Soulful Interlocutor.” 1898, July). The month of August. 1st day. The Origin of the Trees of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (I Savior) Evang. from John zach. 60's, ch. XIX, 6–11, 13–20, 25–28, 30–35 Art. 220 1. The origin of the holiday and rituals associated with its celebration At the palace of the Byzantine emperors, there has long been a custom to bless water on the first day of every month 221 according to the charter set out under the Patriarch of Constantinople Photius (Synod. No. 191). Codin (De officiis, cap. XIV) thus describes the order in which this custom was performed. “At the end of Matins, outside the church, in the presence of the emperor, the blessing of water was performed. After the blessing of water, the protopresbyter walks, and on his sides is the archdeacon and protopsalt (primicerius cantorum), if there is one, or someone else of equal rank - the archdeacon, carrying a cross, and the latter - a vessel with holy water. The Emperor comes to meet them. The protopresbyter, taking the cross from the archdeacon, brings it to the lips of the emperor and says a prayer. The Emperor kisses the cross, and those around him sing for many years. After this, the protopresbyter gives the cross to the archdeacon, and takes holy water from the protopsalt and sprinkles it on the face and eyes of the emperor. At this time, everyone is singing many years again.” After this, the clergy left the vestibule, and the emperor, in the presence of his retinue, signed the decree on the grant, again with the general singing of many years. This pious Byzantine court custom of blessing water on the first day of every month, adopted by Orthodox Russia, gave rise to the blessing of water on August 1. As for the removal of the cross, performed on this day, this custom also began in the distant antiquity of the church and social life of Byzantium. Constantine Porphyrogenitus (10th century) describes (De ceremoniis, lib. II, sar. VIII) the annual custom at the court of the emperors in Constantinople - the custom in the first half of August to make religious processions around the city and sprinkle holy water on everything lying on the way, in order to prevent any disasters. He says that on the Sunday preceding August 1st, at Matins, an honorable cross was brought out and placed in the court church of St. First Martyr Stephen for reverent veneration. “On the twenty-eighth day of July,” he continues, “the circumambulation of the city begins and the consecration of every place and every house of this God-protected and reigning city, even the very walls, so that the city itself and all its surroundings are filled with grace and sanctification (and this circumambulation continues) until the 13th day of August.” On this day the honorable cross again relied on its place in skevophilaky. Both the removal of the cross and the religious procession were accompanied by appropriate chants and other solemn actions. This Constantinople custom of making religious processions around the city, led by a cross, prepared in advance and brought out for general worship, was known under the name of the “origin,” or, more precisely, the procession in front, of the honorable trees of the cross. In Rus', this custom was preserved only by bringing the cross into the middle of the church during matins, for general worship timed to coincide with one day, August 1st. There were special motives in the political life of Byzantium and Russia to mark 222 this particular day with a church celebration. There is even news that it was on August 1 that the baptism of Rus' took place. Thus, in one handwritten collection of the Synodal Library (No. 323, l. 365) the following is read: the great Prince Vladimir of Kiev and all Rus' was baptized on August 1. In later history, August 1 was the day of the appearance of heavenly help to both the Byzantine emperor and the Russian prince. In 1174, the Greek Emperor Manuel and the Russian Prince Andrei Georgievich Bogolyubsky, who were on friendly terms with each other, took up arms against their enemies and the common enemies of Christianity - Muslims; the first - against the Saracens (Persians), the second - against the Kama Bulgarians. Both the Greek and Russian armies had the life-giving cross and St. icons. Thus, with the Russian army there were: the image of the Savior sitting on the throne, located in the Assumption Cathedral near the northern door, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, also located in the Assumption Cathedral, and the life-giving cross. On August 1, the day of the victorious battle, both the emperor and the prince, together with their troops, saw the radiant light flowing from St. icons and the cross of the Lord and overshadowing their Christ-loving regiments. After the victory, both informed each other about heavenly help and, on the advice of their saints, decided to celebrate the first day of August annually. However, the modern celebration of this day in the Russian church was not established immediately after these events. In the 16th century, according to the testimony of Mr. A. Dmitrievsky, on August 1, at matins, they carried out the cross into the middle of the church from the altar in the same order as on September 14, and the minor consecration of water, after which they sang stichera in worship of the life-giving cross. In some monasteries on this day, after Matins, there was a procession of the cross to the water, and during the journey they sang the troparion “Save, Lord.” In the Cyril monastery at matins of this day, after the deacon came out and shouted: “Forgive Wisdom,” while singing “Save, Lord,” the priest placed the cross on the lectern and burned it incense, and then took it on his head and went to the river. While singing the stichera: “Your gifts,” the procession returned to the monastery, where the singers sang: “The Mystery of the Mother of God is Paradise” and “For the sake of food.” Upon returning to the church, the canonarch read the stichera on the kissing of the cross, during which the clergy and laity kissed the life-giving cross, and the abbot sprinkled them with St. water. This order of celebration is very close to the modern one. One might think that the latter was formed at the same time, that is, towards the end of the 16th century, in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. From the beginning of the 17th century, we already have a detailed description of all the celebrations of this day in Moscow. The Moscow Patriarch took part in both the procession to the water and the carrying out of the cross. The Moscow Tsar usually did not take part in the celebration of the Assumption Cathedral on August 1. On the eve of this day, he went to the Simonov Monastery, where he listened to Vespers and on the holiday itself, Matins. Opposite the monastery, on the Moscow River, a Jordan was built at this time, just like on the day of Epiphany. The Emperor, before the religious procession and accompanied by the boyars and all the dignitaries, went out “to the water” and, after its consecration, solemnly plunged into the Jordan with all the boyars. At the end of the 17th century, kings often took ceremonial bathing in the Jordan in country villages: in Kolomenskoye on the Moscow River, and in Preobrazhenskoye on the Yauza. (See the book “Celebrations of services and church celebrations in old Moscow”, Georgievsky. Moscow, ed. 1897, pp. 106–110). 2. Do not insult the cross of Christ Since our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, the latter has become the most precious shrine for Christians. “The cross is the head of our salvation, the author of countless blessings” (words of St. John the Golden). The cross, in the words of St. church, - the destroyer of enemies, the cross of the wicked, plague and captivity, and the power of the faithful, the guardian of the pious, and the drive away of demons (from the canon of the cross - 6th canticle). The cross of enemies is destroyer. This is confirmed from the history of the reign of St. Tsar Constantine. Who defeated his enemy - Maxentius? Not his troops, insignificant in comparison with the countless army of Maxentius, but the power of the cross of Christ. The cross of the wicked is plague and captivity, the guardian of the pious. To prove this idea, we present a story about the appearance of the cross that took place after the death of Tsar Constantine. During his time, as is known, the Arians heretics appeared, rejecting the divine dignity in Jesus Christ. Although the Arians were exposed at the first ecumenical council, and Arius himself was exiled, but, after the death of Constantine the Great, his son Constantius clearly patronized the heretics. Many Orthodox pastors of the church were persecuted and overthrown from their places. The danger was great for the Church of Christ, but the Lord did not abandon His help to the zealots of Orthodoxy. At this time, for the confirmation of the faithful and to expose the erring, a miraculous sign of St. appeared in Jerusalem in heaven. life-giving cross. “On the holy days of Pentecost, this is how an eyewitness to this event, St., spoke about it. Kirill, Archbishop Jerusalem, - about the third hour of the day, a very large cross appeared in the sky, made up of light and extended over Golgotha ​​to St. Mount of Olives. Not one or two saw it, but it was very clearly visible to the entire population of the city, and this vision did not quickly pass - for many hours the cross was clearly visible above the earth, with a lightning-fast radiance surpassing the rays of the sun. The entire population of the city, overwhelmed with fear and at the same time joy from this vision of God, immediately flocked in crowds to the church; youths and elders, husbands and wives, people of all ages, city residents and strangers, Christians and pagans who came from other countries - all with one accord, as if with one mouth, glorified the miracle-working Christ Jesus, our Lord, the Only Begotten Son of God.” Learn from here, Christians, the power and meaning of the cross of the Lord. There are fortunately a few among you who even allow you to blaspheme the cross. Blasphemy, in general, is a grave sin, but laughing at the great shrine - the cross - is even more harmful. It was recently published