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St. torment. Manuel, Savel and Ishmael Siblings, Persians by birth; their father was a pagan, and their mother a Christian, who raised them in the fear of God; the presbyter Eunoik taught them the Divine books. Having come of age, they entered the service of the Persian king of Giren (Gira, now Mashhad-Ali, in Mesopotamia) Alamundar. One day the king sent them to the Roman Emperor. Julian the Apostate for peace negotiations on border affairs. Julian first kindly received them and invited them to accompany him to some pagan festival in the area of ​​Orgia Trigon, near Chalcedon, in Bithynia. During the offering of sacrifices and the subsequent solemn feast, not seeing the ambassadors with him (who stood in the distance and prayed to God for the enlightenment of the lost), Julian sent a dignitary to invite them to the feast, but St. the brothers said: “Tell the king that we are Christians and did not come here to renounce the faith, but to establish peace between Persia and the Roman kingdom.” The dignitary conveyed their words, and the angry Julian ordered them to be imprisoned. In the morning, calling them, he began to tell them: “You, honorable men, were sent by your king to establish mutual peace, and this can only be achieved through affection and love for each other. But what kind of affection and love do you show when you do not want to take part with us in the holiday in honor of the gods, whom you, the Persians, also worship? Because the Persians, like us, worship the sun, moon and stars, the blessed power of fire and other gods. And if you don’t do this, then it means you came not to establish peace, but to intensify hostility and warfare.” The saints answered: “We are not entrusted with talking about gods, but so that mutual border devastations cease, and traders can safely carry out their business, ours with you, and yours with us. And if you want to know about our faith, then know that although we are Persians, we were raised in Christian piety. And in our fatherland many forced us into idolatry, but by the goodness of God we remained firm in the faith; We hope now that no one will be able to persuade us to an absurd and deceitful service.” Julian: “Do you, simpletons and ignoramuses, not familiar with Greek philosophy, dare to blaspheme the faith that we, who are perfectly wise in philosophy, hold? I myself re-read Christian books, did not find the truth in them and rejected this faith, so as not to get lost in error. For which Christian has done anything good and worthy of memory? Therefore, you too, leave childish speculation and choose the best. And if you don’t listen to my advice, then torment will force you to do so.” The saints remained adamant in their confession and denounced Julian that, having been enlightened by baptism and raised in Christianity, he had denied his Lord. The irritated king ordered them to be beaten mercilessly on their naked bodies, then whittled with iron, and sharp splinters driven under their nails; finally cut off their heads and burn their bodies. The latter was not fulfilled, and the believers buried the bodies of the sufferers with honor. This was in 362. † Memory of the venerable Alfanov brothers: Nikita, Kirill, Nikifor, Clement and Isaac The legend about the righteous brothers, written in 1606, says that the Alfanovs, relatives according to the flesh, led a righteous life and founded the Sokolnitsky monastery 207. And according to the chronicles, “on Sokolya Mountain they erected the church of St. Nicholas and built a monastery (nunnery)” in 1389 208. After this, we can accept for certain that the righteous Alfanovs were related to Yakov Anfal or Alfan, known from the chronicles. In 1398, the Dvina governors Anfal (in. Alfan), Gerasim and Rodion, were saved from death for their relations with Moscow only by the fact that the last two took monastic vows, and Yakov Alfan fled to the Dvina, while his brother Ivan Nikitin was thrown from the bridge and killed 209. Judging by the contemporaneity of the founding of the monastery with these unrest, it is more than likely that the righteous Nikita Alfan was the father of Yakov and Ivan Nikitich Alfanov and that the righteous were exposed to troubles due to their family connection with Yakov, and through the grave sorrows of innocent suffering they were cleansed for blissful eternity. By hand According to the calendar, the righteous Alfanovs are called honorable people 210. This also confirms the idea of ​​a connection between the Alfanovs and the sad story of Yakov Alfan 211. The “legend” about them describes the miracles that occurred from their relics since 1562, and their memory is set on June 17th. In 1775, on the occasion of a fire that destroyed the Sokolnitsa monastery, the relics of the righteous were transferred to the Anthony Monastery, where they rest to this day 212; From now on, their memory is supposed to be celebrated on May 4th. “Rev. Ananias the icon painter was in the Anthony (Novgorod) Monastery, reposing in the summer of June 7089 (1581) on the 17th day.” This is what it says in the RKP. Saints According to the legend of miracles by St. Anthony, Ananias wrote “wonderful icons of many saints. miracle workers" and fulfilled his monastic vows so strictly that for 33 years he never left the monastery fence 213. Saint Solomon, King of Israel You were wise in your youth and like a river - full of reason! Your soul covered the earth, and you filled it with mysterious parables. Your name spread to the distant islands, and you were loved for your peace, for your songs and sayings; Countries were amazed at you for your parables and explanations!” This is how the wise Jesus son of Sirach extols Solomon (Sir.47:16-19). Selected branch of St. King David, Solomon, was anointed king even in his youth and proclaimed king during the lifetime of his father. – Upon his confirmation on the throne of Israel, Solomon, first of all, in fulfillment of his father’s will, secured himself on the throne from his enemies and undertook the construction of a church to the true God. “The people were still offering sacrifices on the high places, for the house of the name of the Lord was not built until that time.” And Solomon went to Gibeon, where the main altar was located, to offer a sacrifice to God there. Here the Lord appeared to him in a night dream and said to Solomon, who loved Him and walked according to the rules of David, his father: “Ask what will be given to you.” “And Solomon said: Now, O Lord my God! Thou hast made Thy servant king in place of David my father; but I am a small boy, I don’t know either my way out or my way in. And Your servant is among Your people, whom You have chosen, a people so numerous that in their multitude they cannot be numbered or surveyed. Grant therefore to Thy servant a heart of understanding, to judge Thy people and to discern what is good and what is evil; for who is able to govern this multitude of Your people? “And the Lord was pleased that Solomon asked this.” And God said to him: because you asked for this, you did not ask for a long life, you did not ask for wealth, you did not ask for the souls of your enemies, but you asked for understanding to be able to judge, behold, I will do according to your word. Behold, I give you a heart that is wise and understanding, so that there was none like you before you, and after you there will not arise one like you. II what you did not ask I give you, both wealth and glory, so that there will be no one like you among kings all your days. And if you walk in My way, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, I will prolong your days.” And Solomon woke up from his dream, and it came true exactly. And the gift of reason was not slow to manifest itself - in his trial over two women, immortalizing his glory forever: when two women appeared to him, who gave birth to babies at the same time, one of whom died at night, when they slept in the same room, and so, they argued about which of them belonged to the surviving baby - then “the king said: give me a sword. And they brought the sword to the king. And he said: cut the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other... And the woman whose son was alive answered the king, for her whole inside was agitated with pity for her son: O my lord! give her this child alive and do not kill him. And the other said: “Let it be neither for me nor for you, cut it down...” And the king answered and said: “Give this living child, and do not kill him; she is his mother” ... (1st book of Kings 1 Kings 3:24–27). “And Israel heard how the king judged, and began to fear the king, for the people saw that the wisdom of God was in them to execute judgment” ... “And Solomon was king over all Israel.” He “ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and to the borders of Egypt. They brought gifts and served Solomon all the days of his life. And Judah and Israel dwelt quietly, every man under his vineyard and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” “And God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and a vast mind, like the sand on the seashore; he was wiser than all the people, his name was in glory among all the surrounding nations. And he spoke three thousand parables, and his song was a thousand and five; and he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; spoke about animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish. And they came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.” The construction of the church, undertaken by Solomon, lasted 7 years; At the same time, there were 70,000 people carrying materials, 80,000 stonecutters, 30,000 cutting down cedar forest in Tire, supervisors supervising the work - 3,600 people. - “When all the work for the church of the Lord was completed, Solomon brought the silver and gold dedicated by David his father, and gave the things into the treasuries of the church of the Lord and called the elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the heads of the generations of the sons of Israel, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the city of David.” And turning to the people and blessing the assembled Israelites, Solomon said: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to David my father, and has now fulfilled it with His hand! He says: From the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I did not choose a city in any of the tribes of Israel that a house should be built in which My name would dwell; but I chose Jerusalem to dwell in My name, and I chose David to be over My people Israel.” “David my father had it in his heart to build a church for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father: It is good that it is in your heart to build a church for My name; However, it is not you who will build the church, but your son who came from your loins, he will build the church of my name. And the Lord fulfilled His word which He spoke. I took the place of my father David and built a church for the name of the Lord God of Israel.” “And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in front of all the congregation of Israel, and raised his hands to heaven and said: Lord God of Israel! there is no God like You in the heavens above and on the earth below! Truly, can God live on earth? Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You, much less this church that I have built for Your name... But consider the prayer of Your servant and his petition! Hear the appeal and prayer that Your servant begs You now! Let Your eyes be open to this church this day and night, to this place about which You said: My name will be there; Hear the prayer that Your servant will pray in this place! With every prayer, with every petition that comes from any person among all Your people, when they feel distress in their hearts and stretch out their hands to this church, Thou hearest from heaven, from Thy dwelling place, and have mercy; do and reward each one according to his ways, as You provide for his heart, for You alone know the heart of all the sons of men!” “When Solomon made a prayer and petition to the Lord, then he rose from his knees from the altar of the Lord, his hands were outstretched to heaven, and, standing, he blessed the entire assembly of Israel. And the king and all the Israelites with him offered a sacrifice to the Lord.” “And the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him in Gibeon, and said to him: I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have consecrated this church which you have built, that My name may abide there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there always." At the end of the temple, Solomon erected a wall around Jerusalem and a palace for his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, and then ordered the construction of several fortresses. Solomon's wealth was so great that “silver was not worth anything in his days. And the king made the gold and silver in Jerusalem equal to a simple stone, and the cedars, because of their abundance, made them equal to the sycamore trees that are in the low places.” “And all the kings of the earth sought to see Solomon, that they might hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. And each of them offered from himself a gift of silver vessels and golden vessels, and clothes, weapons and incense, horses and mules from year to year.” All the kings were tributaries of Solomon, and even “the Queen of Sheba, having heard about his glory in the name of the Lord, came to test him with riddles. And she came to Jerusalem with very great wealth: the camels were loaded with spices and a great quantity of gold, and precious stones, and she came to Solomon and talked about everything that was in her heart. And Solomon explained to her all her words... And the queen found in Solomon wisdom and wealth “even more than she had heard about,” and blessed the Lord, who made Solomon king to do justice and righteousness... Thus God blessed Solomon at a time when he was blameless before Him, but when Solomon, to please his other wives, built churches for the idols they worshiped, he incurred the wrath of God; God gave him over to the enmity of his opponents - Ader the Edomite and Razon, a former slave of the king of Suva, who, having run away from his master, gathered a gang of rebels and strengthened himself in Damascus. Both of them constantly harassed the Jews with their raids. Solomon was especially worried about the fact that the prophet Ahijah predicted to his subject, Jeroboam (Ephraimite from Tsareda), that he would snatch the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and that he would be given power over the 10 tribes of Israel... Solomon then sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt, where he lived until Solomon’s death. - However, he did not remain without repentance and the truth in Solomon’s soul was not eclipsed. His words in Ecclesiastes testify to the contrition of his spirit and the awareness of the truth and the only thing needed: “Vanity of vanities - all is vanity! I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, everything is vanity and vexation of the Spirit!” "But fear God." “It will be good for those who fear God, who revere His presence.” “There are many things that multiply vanity: what is best for a person? “A good name is better than an expensive suit, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.” Lamentation is better than laughter, because with a sad face the heart becomes better.” “Whoever keeps the commandment will experience no harm. But no good will come to the wicked, and like a shadow, he who does not revere God will not last long.” “Let us hear the essence of everything: fear God and keep His commandments, because this is everything for man.”... Solomon wrote four books: Proverbs, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. “The reign of Solomon in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his stead” (from whom, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Ahijah, the 10 tribes of Israel revolted at the very moment of his accession to the throne). Description Blush. Music, art. 210. Undolsky No. 140. Collection l. III, 232. IV, 29. Collection l. III, 93–100. IV, 103–141. RKP. calendar: “holy and righteous brethren according to the flesh Nikita, Cyril, Nicephorus, Clement, Isaac of Alfanov, Novgorod posadnitsy, like on Sokolnya, in the nunnery, was in the summer of 6000 m. June at 17 days.” If by calling the Alfanovs posadniks they said more than they should have said (experience on posadniks, p. 421), one should still admit the idea of ​​the Alfanovs’ celebrity. After this, the testimony of the “legend” that the Alfanovs died in 1115 must be recognized as an unsuccessful guess. That this is a guess can be seen from the testimony itself - and from comparison with the calendar (p. 144). Oten Saints: 1718 “their relics are hidden; there is no service, there is a troparion and kontakion, and their images are written on the board on the coffin; there are miracles; commemoration of June at 17 days.” There is not a word about life time here. Since 1775, they began to celebrate the memory of the righteous on May 4th. Makaria ancient. I, 6. RKP. tale about the miracles of Anthony. In the history Hier. 3. 128 about the time of Ananias - a mistake that Fr. Macarius (antiquity Nov. 2.21. I, 468). But he was replaced by a dead one, asleep on his mother’s chest, who placed him on the chest of another woman during her sleep and appropriated her baby - alive...