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St. Eutyches, Patr. of Constantinople Eutychios, the archimandrite of the monastery of the Amasia metropolitanate, was sent in his place by the Amasia metropolitan to participate in the activities of the proposed Fifth Ecumenical Council, and the patriarch was received very friendly. Mina and Imp. Justinian. When the patriarch died before the opening of the cathedral, Eutyches (in Aug. 552) was called upon to occupy Const. throne in the fortieth year of his life, and presided over the Ecumenical Council, which condemned the continuers of the Nestorian heresy. Towards the end of his life, Justinian became carried away by the delusion of one of the Monophysite sects, that the body of Christ was incorruptible and, therefore, could not be subjected to suffering. When will Patr. Eutyches denounced such false teaching and showed that in this case the entire earthly life of Christ would have been illusory, then in January 565 he was exiled to Amasia, to his former monastery. He lived here in fasting and prayer and acquired common love through charity, performing many healings by the grace of Christ. Twelve years later, imp. Tiberius returned him to the throne. Residents of the capital received him (October 2, Saturday) with extraordinary triumph: they put him on a donkey, surrounded him with palm branches and covered the path with clothes; the whole night the city was illuminated. On Sunday, October 3, he celebrated the liturgy in the St. Sophia Church and there were so many who wanted to receive communion from his hands that the communion lasted three hours. The saint served as patriarch for the second time for four years and six months and died in 582. - During the reign of the Latins in Constantinople, his relics (in 1246) were taken to Venice. † Rev. Platonides, Bryenne, Fevronia, Ieria and Thomaida In the second Syria, otherwise in Mesopotamia, the hermit life appeared early. In the mountains neighboring Nizibia, called Sinjar (Sigoron among the Greeks), caves served as dwellings for hermits and hermits 35 . Among the ascetics was St. James, Bishop of Nizibia (314–350), known both for his exploits as a hermit and for his great gift of teaching. He had already written instructions to the “children of vows” and “about virginity” 36. The oldest of the monasteries of Nisibia was under the control of St. Markella in 300. At the same time, there was a community of 50 virgins. The founder of the Nizibi community of virgins was the deaconess Platonida, and she was for her an example of a God-pleasing life. The church inscription says about her: “Platonis, carried in the breadth of heaven, She shone with kindness across the breadth of the earth” 37. Platonida became famous for her monastery. Its charter was special and wonderful. The sisters ate food once a day. On Friday they were not supposed to do handicrafts, and from morning to evening they did not leave the house of prayer; after prayers and singing, St. Scripture 38. In the Syrian Church, for a long time even after that, love for the understanding of St. Scriptures. It is known how many St. Ephraim of Syria was engaged in explaining St. Scriptures. He also intensified the singing of St. in the virgin communities. song 39. This is how St. Platonida and for his community. According to its rules, the high ascetics Brienna, Thomaida, and Ieria were formed. The most magnificent flower in this garden of God was St. maiden Fevronia 40. Fevronia lived in a blessed community since childhood. In the third year of her life, she was given to her aunt. Brienne, and she watched over her with all tender love. Fevronia's beauty was amazing even in childhood. Brienna took all measures to preserve her flower. As soon as the girl reached the age for abstinence, she was ordered to eat every other day. Entering into the pious thoughts of her aunt and noticing that her health did not suffer at all from fasting, Fevronia soon began to consume the smallest amount of bread and water. To this she added the most cramped life: she slept on a narrow and short board; If my dreams disturbed me at night, I got up and read St. Scripture or stood in prayer. When, after the death of Platonida, Vrienna became the abbess of the community, Fevronia was ordered to read St. Scripture. since many visitors from the city gathered to listen to the word of God, Fevronia read behind the curtain in order to hide her beauty even from persons of her own sex. The reading was usually accompanied by a brief explanation, and Fevronia spoke so clearly and distinctly about the meaning of this or that section of Scripture that the whole city began to talk about the mind of the interpreter. These incidents were accompanied by the sisters’ praise of Fevronia’s virtues and beauty. Because of this, the curiosity of the city residents was irritated, and they hurried to listen to Fevronia. Fevronia Ieria, the widow of a senator who lost her husband in the eighth month of marriage, was especially interested. She was still a pagan, but she was looking for truth and goodness. Stories about Fevronia inflamed her with a desire to meet a rare girl. She appeared at the monastery; Vrienna greeted her with honor befitting her rank; but she threw herself at her feet and with tears asked to allow her pagan to see and talk with Fevronia; At the same time, she explained that her relatives were forcing her to choose another spouse, therefore she had a spiritual need for the advice of a sincerely kind soul. Brienna replied that her niece could not see anyone; - this is the rule of her life! I accepted her, said the abbess, from her parents in the third year of her life, now she is 18 years old and, due to her rare beauty, she has never before been shown to any of the secular people. Jeria tearfully assured of the purity of her intentions. Vrienna agreed to her tearful, persistent request, but a condition was proposed: Ieria would take off her rich secular attire and appear in the clothes of a novice, since Fevronia had never seen secular attire. Jeria happily accepted the condition. They entered the virgin. Fevronia, mistaking Ieria for a wanderer-hermit, fell at her feet and embraced her as a sister in Christ. After a short conversation, Fevronia began to read, and Ieria listened to the teachings with such thirst that the whole night was spent in holy exercise. The next morning, it was more difficult for the abbess to convince Ieria to part with Fevronia. Gently hugging her young mentor, Ieria returned to her place. Having informed her family about the heavenly teachings she had heard, she begged them to leave paganism and accept the Christian faith. She herself then accepted Christianity and became the most sincere confessor of Christ. And her parents, according to her conviction, were also baptized, along with all their household. Meanwhile, Fevronia asked Thomaida, who was in second place after Brienna, who was the visitor who cried so hotly when explaining St. Scriptures? Thomaida admitted that she was the widow of Senator Ieria. Fevronia noticed with amazement that it was in vain that they did not warn her about this; – in ignorance she spoke as trustingly as one speaks only with one’s sister about Christ. Thomaida said that the visitor wanted it herself and that she could not be refused due to her importance in society. Ieria often visited the community and, when Fevronia was dangerously ill, she served her with all the zeal of love, and did not leave her until she recovered. This was the state of this holy community when the emperor Diocletian sent (in 310) Lysimachus, the son of the famous Anthimus, and Selenius, the brother of Anthimov, to the province of second Syria to persecute Christians. Selenius was an extremely cruel man who hated Christians as much as the emperor himself. Lysimachus was a completely different person. His Christian mother, on her deathbed, bequeathed to him with all insistence - to patronize Christians. Diocletian, who had great respect for Anthimus, did not want to deprive his son of his place of honor out of respect for his father, but at the same time, suspecting him of favoring Christians, he gave the place in the form of a test; Selenius was appointed more of a leader than a comrade of Lysimachus. Count Primus, also their relative, was also sent with them. The city soon learned of the horrors awaiting it. The Nizibians heard about the cruelties committed by Selenium in Mesopotamia and Syria Palmyra; there Selenius exterminated with fire and sword as many Christians as fell into his hands; he handed over the remainder of the flame and iron to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. Lysimachus was tormented by these cruelties. More than once he said privately to Primus: you know that my mother was a Christian and strongly inclined to her faith; I restrained myself only for fear of angering the emperor and my father, but on my deathbed I gave her my word not to put to death a single Christian and to treat them friendly. But what does the uncle do with the Christians who fall into his hands? I beg you - do not betray them to him, but as much as you can, help them to escape. Primus leaned towards the side of good feelings, restrained persecution and let the Christian communities know to flee wherever they could. The torturers were approaching Nizibia. At the news of their proximity, the presbyters, hermits, and the bishop himself hid wherever they could. The nuns of the monastery of Vrienna wanted to follow their example and asked her permission. “The enemy is far away,” said Vrienna, you have not seen him yet, and you already want to run. The fight has not begun, and you are already losing heart. My poor children! be firm. Let us stay here and accept death out of love for Him who suffered and died for us.” The mother's admonition had an effect on the sisters of the community for the first time, but then one of the sisters greatly confused them, and they trembled at the rude warriors. The abbess allowed them to escape. They tried to persuade Fevronia to flee with them, but St. the virgin lay sick and surrendered herself to the will of God. The abbess, remaining with Fevronia and Thomaida, prayed to the Lord with a cry and tears for protection. Thomaida reassured her with hopes in the Lord, who, if He does not find it necessary to deliver from death, will give strength and strength to suffer for the glory of His name and for eternal bliss. Vrienna calmed down somewhat. But, looking at her sick niece, she became sad again. Fevronia asked what she was grieving about? “Her longing is for you,” said Thomaida: looking at her youth and imagining the cruelty of her tormentors, our mother cannot help but shudder. “I ask you,” answered Fevronia, to pray for me, a sinner, so that God will turn His merciful gaze on me; I hope that He will not refuse His help with your prayers.” Brienne and Thomaida, with all tenderness, persuaded her to prepare for a tough fight. They pointed out to her that they would be captured by their enemies and put to death, and that her beauty and youth would force her to offer her various seductions - wealth, a young groom, and a luxurious life, if only she would renounce Christ the Lord. But let Fevronia remember that virginity is a dear gift to the Lord, the vow to maintain virginity is terrible to break, and to renounce Christ is even more terrible. “You have always been my obedient daughter,” said Brienna, “you know that I took you from the arms of a nurse and, having raised you tenderly, took care of the purity of your soul!.. Comfort my old age with fidelity to the Lord. Remember how joyfully others suffered for the Lord. Livia's head was cut off, and our other sister Leonia was burned; Eutropia was martyred along with her mother at the age of 12. You yourself admired the fact that Eutropia, when they decided to pierce her with arrows, could escape, but chose to suffer for Christ 41. Fevronia thanked her for the instructions that inspired her with courage. “I dedicated my virginity to the Lord Jesus,” she said; “I will give my life to him.” The night passed in touching conversations. As the sun rose, the city was excited. Many Christians were captured and taken to prison. The pagans informed the Village about the community of Bryenna. The warriors broke down the doors, grabbed the abbess and raised their swords above her head; Fevronia threw herself at their feet and begged them to kill her first, so as not to see the death of her mother-teacher. Count Primus arrived and ordered the soldiers to leave. Having learned that the hermits had disappeared, he advised the others to flee. Primus, returning from the monastery, told Lysimachus that only two old women and one girl remained in the monastery. “I swear to the gods,” he added, “the girl is such a beauty that, if she were not poor, you would never see a better bride in your entire life.” Lysimachus reminded that, according to his mother’s instructions, he could not take the virgin of vows for himself from her Lord. He begged the count to save the lives of three maidens. The warrior heard the conversation between his friends and told Seleni. Selenius immediately sent to seize Fevronia in the monastery and announce in the city that tomorrow Fevronia would be judged. The soldiers put an iron ring around Fevronia's neck, shackled her and led her out of the monastery. Brienne and Thomaida begged to take them too; but they replied that it was ordered to present Fevronia alone to the court. With tears, Vrienna once again begged Fevronia to be strong for the Lord. Everyone in the city mourned the fact that their dear teacher had been captured. Ieria especially wept loudly. She and a large retinue went to the courtroom; and on the road I recognized Thomaida and came to the place with her in secular clothes. Selenius and Lysimachus appeared. Fevronia was brought in with her hands tied behind her back and with an iron collar. At the request of Selenium, Lysimachus began to conduct interrogations. “Are you free or slave?” was the first question. “Slave,” answered the saint. “Whose slave is it?” - “The servant of my Lord Jesus Christ.” "Your name?" “I am a Christian and my name is Fevronia,” answered the saint. Selenius said to St. to the virgin: I swear by the gods, Fevronia, that I should not be lenient towards you; but your beauty and modesty prevail over my anger. Listen, my daughter: the gods are witnesses that my brother Anthimus and I have chosen a rich and noble bride for Lysimachus; but I am ready to unite your hand with the hand of Lysimachus. Look at him: he is young, handsome, noble, rich; my entire fortune will be your dowry - I have no children. The emperor will shower favors on Lysimachus. You will be the happiest wife. But know also that if you do not accept my offer, I swear by all the gods, you will not live longer than three hours. Choose. “My groom,” answered Fevronia, “is immortal. I wouldn’t trade anyone for Him. No flattering promises or threats will change my decision. You don’t need to waste words.” Not expecting such a firm answer, proud Selenius ordered Fevronia’s clothes to be torn off and her rags thrown on her. Fevronia's nakedness was visible through the holey rags. Selenius said with a laugh: “Isn’t it a shame to be in this form in front of us?” “If you add torture with iron and fire to this insult,” answered Fevronia, I am ready for them too. He, my Lord, suffered so much for me. Should I not endure for Him? - “Shameless girl! Selenius shouted: “You, proud of your beauty, are proud of the fact that this beauty is exposed to everyone.” “No,” Fevronia answered firmly, no, hitherto I have not allowed any man to see my face; Now I decide to endure torture - only for my Lord.” - "Fine! shouted the enraged Selenius. Let him know the torture! He ordered her to be tied between four pillars and a fire to be laid out right there, and at the same time, as the fire burned her, to shower her with a hail of blows. This was carried out with such brutal cruelty that blood flowed in streams and the body fell in shreds. Many of the spectators fell unconscious, others loudly demanded to stop the atrocity. But Selenius was inhuman. Even then, as they said that Fevronia had died, he ordered to stop the torment. Thomaida lay unconscious; Ieria shouted loudly: “Fevronia is my mentor! you are taken from me; and I am deprived of Thomaida.” The sufferer was brought to her senses by water. The judge said sternly: “Is your first fight successful, Fevronia? How do you find him? “You can judge for yourself,” answered Fevronia, “did your cruelty overcome my weakness?” “Hang her,” said the tormentor, tear her sides with iron claws and burn her to the bone.” The executioners got to work. The body was pouring with blood, the fire penetrated to the insides. The saint first said: “My Savior! do not leave me in this terrible hour.” Then she suffered in silence. Many of those present hurried to leave the court chamber. Others told the terrible judge to at least order the fire to be taken away. Selenius agreed and then began to interrogate the martyr. Fevronia was unable to answer. The judge ordered his tongue to be cut out for insolence. But the judge was stopped. Selenius ordered the teeth to be pulled out, and this was carried out. “Will you worship the gods?” Selenius shouted. He ordered her breasts to be cut off. The saint prayed: “Lord! You see how I suffer; take my soul to Yourself.” When they untied her from the post, she could not stand on her feet and fell. Elder Vrienna remained in the monastery for prayer; They let her know how hard her pet was, and she thanked the Lord. “She died,” said Count Lysimachus, when Fevronia lay unconscious on the ground. “No,” he answered, she will still fight for the faith, for the salvation of others, you will see. Such is Christian firmness!” Ieria, a person who meant a lot in civilian life, told Selenium that his cruelty offended humanity and civil decency. Selenius, turning pale with anger, ordered her to be presented for questioning. “Do not reject me, God of Fevronia, my mentor! connect me with her,” said good Jeria and hurried to approach the judge. The tyrant began to interrogate Ieria. But he was told that tormenting the aristocrat was too dangerous, the people were already agitated. Leaving Ieria alone, he ordered Fevronia’s hands and feet to be cut off. They did this too. “That’s enough,” said Lysimachus to the village; Let's go have lunch. “No, until I see her last breath, I will not leave,” said Selenius, and ordered Fevronia’s head to be cut off. Arriving at dinner, Selenius, in a furious rage, smashed his head against a pillar. Lysimachus, having learned about the terrible death of his uncle, asked Primus to arrange an honorable burial for the sufferer Fevronia. The remains of the martyr were collected and buried in the monastery with honors. Primus and Lysimachus converted to Christianity. In honor of the sufferer, they began to build a church in Nizibia, and it was consecrated in the sixth year after her death. If by the glorious death of St. Fevronia had a strong effect on outsiders and on citizens of Nisibia; it is clear how much this death meant for her companions - her sisters. In the best of them, such as Blessed Brienne, Jeria and Thomaida, during the terrible trial, the death of Fevronia intensified zeal for the deeds of piety and inspired hopes for the strong grace of God. Blessed Elder Brienna ended her ascetic life two years later, after the consecration of the church in honor of the martyr, her nurse (318). After her, Blessed Thomaida remained the abbess of the monastery. The fiery Ieria rested at the tomb of Fevronia. In 322, St. finished her exploits. Thomaida 42. † Memory of St. Cyril and Methodius, Slavic enlighteners At the beginning of the 9th century in Thessaloniki 43, a city then populated and especially surrounded by the Slavs, there lived a man venerable in spiritual qualities, wealth and rank, Leo, originally a Bulgarian, but who served under the Greek. Emperor 44. His wife Maria was also a pious wife. From this good couple came the enlighteners of the Slavs. – Methodius and the youngest, Constantine, born in 827. At the age of seven, Konstantin discovered a strong love of learning and a quick memory; but he especially loved to study the works of Gregory the Theologian. From an unsatisfied thirst for learning, he began to grieve; He wanted to learn grammar from the Solunsky monk, but he refused. His relative is logothete Theoktist, the guardian of the young emperor. Mikhail, having learned about his talents, summoned him to the court to study with the king. After studying grammar and the beginnings of Homeric poetry from the famous Leo, head of the Bardin school, and from the gifted Photius, later patriarch, he studied literature, philosophy, astronomy and music. Brilliant talents tied the logothete to him, so that he wanted to marry his goddaughter to him, but Constantine refused. Logofet suggested to the queen: “Here we have a young philosopher who does not like worldly life; In order not to lose him for society, having dedicated him to the priesthood, we will entrust him with the service of the librarian of Sophia. That's how it worked out 45. But Kirill did not stay in this troublesome position for long. He hid in the Golden Horn Monastery and only six months later did they learn about his whereabouts. “Then they persuaded him to accept the position of teacher. By the will of the king, he had a public dispute with the deposed Patriarch John, known for the tenacity with which he supported the iconoclastic heresy, and the blessed one shamed the proud stubborn man. In the 24th year of his life, in 851, the philosopher, together with George the Asikrite, was sent to the Militin emir to debate the Christian faith: Al-Rashid’s successors loved to argue about the Koran. The order was completed successfully. Upon returning to the capital, Cyril retired to Olympus - Athos, where brother Methodius lived as a monk, and in kind solitude he devoted himself with all zeal to monastic deeds. The elder brother, having received an education in Thessaloniki, entered military service and was for 10 years the ruler of the Strum Slavic region, then subject to the emperor. Bored with worldly life, Methodius retired to a monastic monastery and submitted to all the strictures of monasticism: “he performed unrequited obedience, remained in vigils and prayer, attended every service of God, kept fasting and spiritual sobriety, cleansed his soul with crying; I gave myself no rest day or night.” Such an ascetic life drew the attention of other ascetics to him, who, with the consent of the patriarch, wanted to see him as metropolitan of a famous place, probably Thessaloniki; but he did not agree to the election, and they could hardly convince him to accept the abbess in the Polychronium Monastery 46, one of the richest, located on the Sea of ​​Marmara. In 858, the Khozar ambassadors asked the emperor to send them a learned man who would teach them the true faith, since, they added, “either the Jews or the Mohammedans are trying to convert them to their faith.” The Emperor, like others, knew in Blessed Cyril a special ability to study languages ​​and extensive scholarship. Therefore, he appointed him on a mission to the Khozars; Let, the emperor added, let your brother abbot Methodius 47 be your assistant. Zealous preachers managed to do at least so much between the Khozars that the Kagan accepted Christianity and everyone was allowed to confess St. Faith, and the Greeks who lived there were prohibited, under threat of death penalty, from converting to Judaism or Mohammedanism 48 . The St. had barely returned. brothers from this mission, as at the end of 862, the Slavic-Pannonian princes, not having a true teacher (although they had Latin priests), and even more feeling the need to hear Divine services and teachings about the faith in their native language, asked the emperor. Mikhail and Patr. Photius sent to them the teachers they needed. “No one else is capable of accomplishing such a task,” the Emperor said again to Kirill, “like you and your brother.” St. Cyril, realizing the importance and difficulty of translating St. books into the vernacular, with reverent preparation made the first attempt at translation. The king and patriarch joyfully hastened to send the pious brothers. On this path, Methodius confirmed the Bulgarian prince's determination to fight paganism 49, and Blessed. Cyril, says the ancient synaxar, “went to Bregalnitsa and, finding some of the Slavic people here unbaptized, brought them to the Orthodox faith and baptized them, writing books for them in the Slavic language; In total, he converted up to 4,500 people to the Christian faith” 50. Having compiled Slavic letters in Constantinople, Blessed. Constantine, first of all, delighted the Slavs with his invention, who had known him since his youth and who lived not far from Thessaloniki 51. So many of his dear relatives, who had not hitherto been Christians, especially because they did not know the Greek language in which they spoke to them about Christ, he easily converted to Christ the Lord with his native Slavic preaching. In Moravia, Cyril and Methodius, with Apostolic zeal, carried out the work for which they were called: they taught children, organized divine services, both in the Slavic language 52. They had to fight both the remnants of paganism and the passions of the ignorant Latin clergy. They moved from the region of one prince to another preaching about the pure Gospel truth, in a language understandable to everyone. For four years and a half (from 863 to 867), Cyril and Methodius carried out the order of the Eastern Patriarch, for the glory of God. “And for the sake of Slovenia, hearing the greatness of God with your tongue.” But the pupils of Rome, the German priests, were not too happy about this. They showered abuse on the Slavic preachers for the Slavic Divine Service. Pilate's inscription on the cross, they said, was written in only three languages; This is how we should now pray only in three languages ​​(Hebrew, Greek, Latin). “So,” the preachers of truth answered them, “are you disciples of Pilate? Be ashamed." – But the German has no shame for money. The Germans made a denunciation to Rome against Slavic preachers. The pope, as Nicholas was, really did not like the fact that preachers, winning hearts to the faith of Christ, did not have the pope in mind; he demanded Greek preachers to Rome. On the road to Venice, Cyril and Methodius had to endure a fierce dispute about the rightness of their cause. “How many peoples, smart teachers told stupid people, glorify God in their own languages! we can point to the Armenians, Persians, Avazgs, Georgians, Gotfs, Kazars, Arabs, Egyptians, Syrians!” P. Adrian (from December 4, 867), the successor of Nicholas, fearing to lose influence on Moravia, turned out to be pleased with the enlighteners of the Slavs, obedient to the ancient rules about patriarchs. He justified the Slavic service with a special message. St. Cyril died in Rome, February 14, 869 53. St. Methodius, in accordance with the will of St. brother, decided to continue working for the Slavs. The Germans, unsuccessful in Rome, agitated the Slavs with civil strife and destroyed Rostislav. Methodius, evading the troubles, arrived (in 870) with his disciples in Pannonia, and Prince. The Cauldron received him lovingly at Moosburg (Marsh Castle). Kotel asked the pope to consecrate Methodius as Archbishop of Pannonia, and his wish was fulfilled. - Now only Slavs were ordained priests and, to the consolation of their relatives, they performed the service in a language they understood. Nobody wanted to listen to the Latin service. The German clergy, left without income, became extremely irritated. - It (872) began to persecute Methodius with all its bitterness, and raised both the German Emperor and the Moravian Prince Svyatopolk against him; the matter came to the point that Methodius was sent to prison, where he remained for two and a half years. The German clergy, acting in this way against St. Methodius, was doubly offended by the power of the pope, to which he turned for protection for money: he offended by the fact that he removed from Moravia the one who was dedicated there by the pope; offended by the fact that he arbitrarily ruled in that area, which, according to a long-standing order, belonged to the diocese of the pope and where the Germans were allowed to act only under the dependence of the pope. Therefore, Pope John VIII not only returned the hierarchical power over Moravia to Methodius (874) and not only wrote to Louis and Carloman about the innocence of Methodius and the guilt of the German biscups; but he forbade the latter from the Divine service itself. Therefore, the Slavic princes not only expelled everything German from their country, but at their request, Methodius was declared by the pope to be the archbishop of the Moravian state. What was most striking at this time was that the four bishops who had acted against St. Methodius, were struck by the judgment of God, as Methodius predicted - all four died in the same year. “From that time,” says an eyewitness, the Divine teaching began to spread quickly, paganism and superstition disappeared,” and Svyatopolk’s state flourished. The happy successes of the Slavic preaching in Moravia also had an influence on the neighboring Slavic countries. Svyatopolk married the Bohemian princess in 871. This connection between the Moravian court and the Bohemian court opened up opportunities for the Gospel preaching of St. Methodius in Bohemia. The violence of the Germans, forcing Borivoi, the Bohemian prince, to enter into a political alliance with Svyatopolk, brought Borivoi even closer to Methodius, and St. Methodius baptized Prince in 874. Borivoya and his wife Lyudmila in Velegrad; and following the sovereign prince, a significant part of the people in Bohemia were baptized: the Slavic sermon, understandable to every Czech, easily revealed to the Bohemians the holiness of the Christian faith. Church of St. Clement near Prague and the Church of St. George in the castle, built by Borivoj, remained monuments of pure faith in Bohemia 54. “The pagan prince, who was sitting on the Vistula, cursed at Christians and inflicted various insults on them. Methodius sent to tell him that it would be good for him to be baptized willingly on his own land, so that, having been captured, he would not be forced to be baptized in captivity, on someone else’s, and remember him. “That’s really what happened,” says a witness to Methodieva’s life. The disciples of Methodius, in agreement with the wishes of the rational prince, implanted the Orthodox teaching of Christianity and Slavic worship in Poland. Its ancient historian says about Dalmatia: “Methodius established the liturgy according to the Greek rules.” – It couldn’t have been otherwise: Methodius visited Dalmatia on his way to Rome and from Rome 55 . At the same time, due to political disasters, the Croats and Serbs asked for and received help from Emperor Basil, and after that they accepted the preachers of the Eastern Church; Of these, even those who were pagans, listening to the sermon and divine service in an understandable language, were willingly baptized 56. No matter how beneficial the activity of St. Methodius for St. The Church and all the Slavs, the Germans did not care about the faith and salvation of people - they needed their income - and their pride was excited by the successes of the Slavic preacher. - They reported to Rome that Methodius was an apostate from the faith, did not profess the procession of the Holy Spirit and from the Son, did not preach not only the universal power of the pope, but even his dependence on the pope, - he performed the service in Slavic, and not in the Roman language. Pope John was calm regarding the dogma of the Holy Spirit, confessing it in accordance with Patr. Photius; but he became alarmed for his power over Moravia and, contrary to his previous orders, banned (in 879) the Slavic service. The Germans were triumphant; they appeared in Moravia and announced that Methodius had been deprived of power, and Moravia was handed over to them. St. Methodius was forced to go to Rome. At the Council of Rome (880) St. Methodius is recognized as a teacher of the Gospel in all respects. The Pope wrote to Moravia that he affirms Methodius in the rights of an archbishop, recognizes his faith as pure and “as it is said: let every tongue confess, as our Lord Jesus Christ is to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:11), does not find any contradiction to sound faith in the fact that they sing the liturgy in the Slavic language, or read the Holy Scriptures in it.” St. Methodius returned to Moravia, calm, with the triumph of truth over lies. But German ingenuity is inexhaustible in evil; she spread a rumor that the patriarch and emperor were angry with Methodius for his agreement with the pope. St. Methodius had no reason to be alarmed by rumors of anger, and he also received a letter from the emperor that breathed love. Nevertheless, to dispel harmful rumors, he went to Byzantium. Here both the patriarch and the emperor received him with respect. A monument to the high opinions of Orthodoxy about the exploits of Methodius was also served by the fact that the emperor left for the court clergy a priest and a deacon dedicated to St. Methodius, and in the Slavic translation of the book. When both at the court of the pope and at the court of the emperor the intrigues of the Germans did not achieve their goal, the Germans turned to Svyatopolk. They used low flattery and low slander. Svyatopolk did not understand St. well. faith and gave free rein to his passions. The Germans forgave him everything, without requiring him to perform feats of repentance. Methodius spoke about the sinner, as the Gospel says. From now on, Svyatopolk began to show obvious dislike towards Methodius and favor towards the flatterers of the Germans. The vicar bishop, Schwab Wiching, a champion of the error about the Holy Spirit, a man who valued little conscience, became Svyatopolk’s favorite and the worst enemy of the Holy Spirit. Methodius. So until the very grave of St. Methodius endured sorrow for his Apostolic labors. He rested blessedly on April 6, 885 and was buried in Velehrad, “in the great Moravian church, on the left side behind the altar of St. Mother of God" 57. The Slavic enlighteners left the high fruits of their labors not only for their contemporaries, but for their later posterity. According to accurate research, St. Cyril invented the Slavic alphabet, or, as the monk Brave says, “create 30 letters and 8, according to the order of Greek letters, and according to Slovenian speech.” According to Brave, the Cyrillic alphabet was Greco-Slavic not only in the selection of sounds, but also in the design of the letters - in it, in design, no more than 14 letters differed from the Greek ones 58 . St. Cyril, according to his Pannonian Life, “offered (translated, translated) the entire church rite and taught his disciples Matins and Years (hours), Mass and Vespers and the secret service.” “Methodius, according to his life, only presented the psalter and the Gospel with the Apostle and selected services with the philosopher first.” Combining this news with others, we are convinced that Constantine is the author of the translation: the Gospel readings, the Apostolic readings, the psalter, the parish book, the service book, the breviary and the octoechus. A list from the 15th century preserves “a writing on the right faith studied by Constantine the blessed philosopher, teacher of Bose in the Slavic language.” At the end of the confession it is said: “I confess my faith here and with my close brother Methodius.” The confession is as undoubted in authenticity as it is precious in content. It thoroughly exposes the German error about the Holy Spirit 59 . The compiler of the Life of Constantine the Philosopher, summarizing Constantine’s conversations with the Jews and Mohammedans of the Khozarians, adds: “Whatever you want from the final conversations of these saints, you will find me in the books, which our teacher and Archbishop Methodius, brother of Constantine the philosopher, taught in eight words.” In an article about useful and harmful books, “Cyril of Slovenia” is placed between the first after Cyril of Jerusalem. Now the book of conversations of St. Kirill is unknown, and one can only be content with extracts from it; but even here there are many lofty thoughts about man and Christianity, many irresistible denunciations of Judaism 60! St. Methodius continued, after his brother, to translate into Slavic the books of St. Scriptures, and some others, more necessary than others. In the last year of his life, he forced capable scribes to rewrite his works and thus left in translation “all the books were written down, unless the Maccabees and the Nomocanon decreed the law and the books of the fathers” - (Paterikon), this is what his life says; and according to John the Exarch, “translate all the statutory books 60 from the Hellenic language to Slovensk.” According to this and other news, St. Methodius left in translation a) all the canonical books of St. Scriptures, but apocryphal ones were not translated; b) nomocanon and patericon. So St. Cyril and Methodius labored in preaching the pure, holy. faith (Eastern Orthodoxy) to the Slavic peoples, suffering for it courageously, to the grave. If there are those who want to give St. husbands for admirers of human self-will, then one can only regret that they allow themselves to lie about St. truth 61. The memory of the Slavic enlighteners is sacred for the Slavic tribes, as the memory of the preachers of pure truth. It was celebrated more than once a year by Slavic tribes 62. The ancient services of St. Cyril and Methodius 63. † Suffering of St. much Pavel Blessed Paul was taken away from Russia by the Tatars at a young age, and was then sold to Constantinople. How much suffering the Russians suffered from the Crimean Tatar robbers! Predators captured the Russians not in one fair war, but in thieves' and secret raids and then mocked humanity in their faces. “The ships that come to the Crimean Tatars from Asia, says a contemporary, bring them weapons, clothes and horses, and leave them loaded with slaves... They always have slaves in stock not only for trade, but also for the amusement of their home and to satisfy their inclinations towards cruelty. Those who are the strongest of these unfortunates - bound or shackled - suffer during the day at work, at night in prison, and their lives are supported by a small amount of food, consisting of the meat of dead animals 64. Paul, tormented by the barbarians, could only be bought by a Christian. After serving the master for several years, he was released and married a Russian girl, who, like him, was captured and also received freedom. The couple led a Christian life, having been tested by severe sorrows. From suffering in captivity, Paul began to suffer greatly from epilepsy. Her attacks were at times so severe that the patient fell into madness. His wife and neighbors decided to take him to the Church of the Mother of God of Mugluni, where similar patients received healing. The patient, not understanding what they wanted to do with him, did not want to go; they were forced to tie him up and lead him against his will. The Turks met along the way and asked: “Where are they taking him?” The patient, in a frenzy of mind, shouted: “I am a Hagarene, I have become a Hagarene.” The patient was taken to the church. Meanwhile, the Turks changed their minds two days later. "How? They said to each other, our Mohammedan brother asked for our help, and we left him in the hands of the infidels.” One of them, a frenzied fanatic, inflamed the others and persuaded them to come to the Grand Vizier with a complaint against the Christians. “Infidels,” they reported to the vizier in words and on paper, “infidels in the capital of Mohammedanism dare to drag a convert to Mohammedanism into church,” and they told about Paul. The angry vizier ordered to immediately present the imaginary new Mohammedan, and the priests of the church and whoever they found in it to be tied up and brought to him. Fortunately, one of those who heard this decision of the vizier immediately let the church know about it. When the alarm was raised and the sick man was being led out of the church, the sick man suddenly recovered, and they told him what was wrong with him? They barely had time to inform him of the general danger when those sent by the vizier seized him and the priests and brought him to the vizier. Having ordered the priests to be thrown into a deep dungeon hole, the vizier affectionately asked Paul: “Is it true that you have accepted Mohammedanism?” “I never wanted anything like this,” answered Pavel. The informers said that when they dragged him to church, he called himself a Mohammedan, out loud to them. “You only want to torment Christians,” said Paul, and you invent falsehoods.” The vizier asked: “Why did they drag you to the church?” “They dragged me into the house, my lord, and not into the church,” said Paul, “I suffer to the point of madness on the new moon, and in this state they dragged me into the house; but I was a Christian, I am a Christian now, and I will remain a Christian.” “Since these faithful believers,” said the vizier, heard from you yourself that you are a Mohammedan; then you can either be a Mohammedan or be condemned to death; choose either - either Mohammedanism and honors, or shameful death.” Behind the confessor stood his good wife and said to him in Russian: “Do not be afraid of death, my good husband; be firm in the holy faith: it will not take long to die, and then you will begin to have fun with the martyrs of Christ, and how happy I will be! They will call me the wife of a martyr.” The vizier asked: “What kind of woman is this? What is she talking about? One of those present, who knew the Russian language, said: “this is his wife, and she persuades him not to renounce the Christian faith.” The vizier ordered the wife to be tied to a post and beaten without mercy, and the husband to be thrown into prison. Both the wife and the priests were also taken into custody. Three days later, Paul was again presented to the vizier. No matter how much they tried to persuade him, he boldly repeated one thing: “I am a Christian.” The vizier ordered his execution and his head was cut off at the hippodrome, on the very day of the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, in 1683, April 6th. The priests and the martyr's wife were freed from prison for money 65. Rev. and our God-bearing father Gregory the Sinaite He burned with a desire, as the writer of his life says 66, to enrich the entire universe with the knowledge of ascent to the heights of action and contemplation, he strove to kindle in everyone a fiery love for this ascent."... "He surprised the ascetics themselves with his almost ethereal angelic life: his fasting, vigils, all-night standing, incessant psalmody and prayers surpassed all description. It seemed that he was arguing with nature, wanting to make his material body immaterial”... And here are the words of Gregory himself in response to questions about mental activity that one of his students addressed to him: “When the soul uses all its zeal and strives through active virtues, with proper reasoning, then it overthrows all passions and subjugates them to itself. And if the passions are subdued, then natural virtues surround it and follow it like a shadow following a body; and not only follow, but also teach her and instruct her in what is above nature, teaching her, as it were, to climb the spiritual ladder. When the mind, by the grace of Christ, ascends to that which is higher than nature, then, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, it stretches to clear vision; then, having become above himself, according to the measure of the grace given to him from God, he sees the essence of things very clearly and purely, and not at all in the way that external sages think about it, rushing only after the shadow of things, and not trying, as they should, to follow the essential action of nature. After all, the Divine Scripture says: their foolish heart became futile and, calling themselves wise, they became fools... (Rom. 1:21-22). Then the soul, having accepted the grace of the Holy Spirit, due to the many visions that are revealed to it, little by little, leaves the previous ones and moves on to the highest and most divine, as the Apostle Paul says: forgetting what is behind and stretching forward to what is ahead (Phil. 3:13), - and thus truly casts off all fear and fear and, clinging to Christ with love, sees that its natural thoughts are completely silent and, according to scripture St. fathers remain back. Having achieved formless and indescribable beauty, she is now illuminated by the radiance and grace of the Holy. Spirit, converses only with God, and having been enlightened by this boundless light and having a desire for God alone, she, due to her new and wonderful change, no longer feels at all her humble, earthly and material body, for she is pure and bright - without any admixture of material partiality, she is a purely intelligent being, as the first-born Adam was before the Fall. He was first covered with the grace of boundless light, and then, due to a bitter crime, he was naked from this luminous glory.” “A person who, through hardworking exercise in mental prayer, has reached such a wondrous height and has clearly seen his own dispensation, into which he has come by the grace of Christ, has already seen the resurrection of his soul of the long-awaited general resurrection, so that the soul, purified in this way, can speak together with St. By the Apostle Paul: whether in the body, I do not know; whether outside the body, I do not know... (2 Cor. 12:2). But at the same time the soul is perplexed and amazed at this, and cries out in amazement: oh, the abyss of wealth, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways (Rom. 11:33)!” Luminous life in the world of St. Gregory’s luminous rays were reflected in his famous disciples: St. Gerasim, Joseph, Abba Nicholas, wonderful Mark, Jacob, Aaron, Moses, Longinus, Cornelius, Isaiah and Clement. And who can measure all the rays with which the life of the righteous illuminates the path to heaven for the rest of humanity... Sozomena ist. III, 12. VI, 33. Assemani bibl. or. III. 2 r. 779. Teaching about the Fathers of the Church § 102, 103. In the Greek Menaion of April 6. Memory of St. Platonids, except for April, also on Cheese Saturday. Vershinsky Mesleslov, pp. 54, 218. About the charter in the life of Fevronia. Teaching about the Fathers of the Church § 131, 133. Life of St. Fevronia, described by her mentor St. Fomaida, in act. Sanct. 24 June r. 687–806. On the Fourth of June 25. Another Greek description is from Fabricius bibl. Gr. X, 229. At the end it is said: “I Thomaida, after the death of Brienne, took over the leadership of the monastery and, knowing everything that happened with Fevronia, partly from Lysimachus, described her entire life and history, for the glory of the martyr.” According to modern times, St. Thomaida with Saint James of Nizibia, it is more than likely that Thomaida wrote her notes about Fevronia at the behest of St. Jacob, and they were revised by him. It is also likely that Thomaida wrote notes in the Syriac language, and they were later translated into Greek. These martyrs are not mentioned in the month books of the Greek Church. Baronia's martyrology placed them under June 15th. St. Brienne, Jeria and Thomaida are glorified by the Church on Cheese Saturday; St. Fevronia is also famous on June 25th. The Abyssinian maiden is Kefronia or Afronia - July 1 (June 25). Pannonian Life of St. Kirill on 6 list. ex. in Reading total ist. 1863 and 1864 Pannonian Life of St. Methodius - in Safarik: Pamatki drevnïho pìsemnistwi, Prague 1851. Critical comparison of evidence about the enlighteners - in the history. doctrine of the fathers 3, 351–381. Arrangement of ancient lives with additions and comments - from Platonov: the life and exploits of Cyril and Methodius, Kharkov. 1862 Review of inaccurate information - from Bodyansky: about the time of origin of the Slavs. letters, M. 1855. Cyril and Methodius - Orthodox preachers, Lavrovsky. Kharkov. 1863 (Refutation of unscrupulous rumors with the story of their papism). The Cyril and Methodius Collection (M. 1865) contains several studies on the lives of saints, for example. Nevostruev about the translation of the Gospel, Viktorov “about new sources and new works” regarding the Slavic enlighteners; Viktorov especially tried to determine the meaning of the Italian legend. “You eat Selunyan, but the Selunyans all speak purely Slavic,” the emperor says to the brothers, sending them to Moravia. In the synaxar of the 15th century. about Cyril: “he was born from the city of Thessaloniki, by birth he was a Bulgarian.” Izv., Academician VI, 383. About the Slavs who lived near Thessaloniki in the 6th century, see the article: named after Demetrius and the Slavs, M. 1847. About the Slavs of Cyril and Methodius Pogodin in the review of 1864 2, 1–30. The words of Theoktistus: “taking monastic vows and becoming a priest,” in connection with the words about Cyril’s dislike for worldly life, mean initiation into sacred monasticism; St. Constantine confirms this meaning with his life: after accepting the rank, he hurries to go to the monastery; then, returning from the mission, he again lives in the monastery. This is how St. understood it. Dimitri. Praise to St. Cyril and Methodius. On the way to Kozary near Kherson, Konstantin “you will find the Gospel and the psalter, written in Russian by the hand, and you will find a person who speaks with that conversation.” – G. Platonov rightly notes that Ulfilof the Gothic translation of the Gospel and psalters, compiled in the 4th century, was found in Crimea; It’s just in vain that the Varangians are being dragged into this. The matter can easily be done without them. Together with the Gotfs they lived in Crimea back in the 4th century. Russian Slavs; Subsequently, the first mostly scattered throughout Europe, but the Russian Slavs remained. The Russian, who lived in Crimea with the Goths, could easily read and explain the translation to the philosopher Ulfilof, especially since there are many Slavic words in this translation. – The letters are called Russian only because they were explained by a Russian. - The words: “conversation with him and the power of speech” do not at all require the meaning that Constantine was talking in Gotfsky - the conversation was between a Russian Slav and a Macedonian - about the translation of Ulfila. On the way back to Constantinople, St. We were in Kherson again. Konstantin predicted the imminent death of Kherson. bishop. At that time they were in Fulla. In the 13th century Archbishop of Sugdei was called Sugdeo-Fulla. This is also evident from the notes of the Sugdean Greek (Kherson. Diocesan. Ved. 1865, No. 4). Track. Sugdeya, otherwise Sudak and Surozh, was not far from Fulla. And since the Kherson archbishop once wanted to include Fulla in the district of his diocese, then Fulla must be considered not far from Kherson. Residents of Fulla, according to the life of St. Cyril, although there were Christians, idolized the huge oak tree. St. Constantine, having proved to them the wickedness of their superstition, brought it to the point that the oak tree was cut down and burned by the Fullans themselves. Ancient service of St. Cyril: “The host of Jews, who joined the Kazars in the northern cities, were scattered by the sharp weapon of your word.” Let us remember that according to the lives of the preachers, they were in the Crimea on the way to Kozaria and from Kozaria; According to the canon, we see that the Kozars, who had preachers, lived in the north of Crimea. Life of Clement: “even before (before his stay in Moravia) he made the ruler of the Bulgarian Boris his disciple, aroused his love for the beautiful native language and at the same time endowed him with the gifts of instructions, which he repeated to him incessantly - the Translator (p. 7) here misunderstood and conveyed the words of the original. The words of Safarik ancient. IV, 330. Text of the synaxarion in Izv. acad. VI, 384. The reality and time of this event are also justified by the story of the transfer of the relics of the Strumnica martyrs to Bregalnica (see May 2). According to Latin legend, Cyril and Methodius came to Moravia with the translated Gospel. Cognoscentes loci illius indigenae adventum illorum, valde gavisi sunt, quia – et evangelium in eorum linguam a philosopho translatum secum ferre audierant. The legend of Lyudmilla: sanctus Cyrillus, postquam Bulgariam ad fidem Iesu Christi convertisset, Moraviam est ingressus. G. Sreznevsky reconciles Brave with other witnesses about the year of invention of letters with the thought that Brave believed before the birth. Chr. 5500 years. There is nothing else left to do, given the certainty of the news about the invention of letters in 862. Bregalnica is a city with a district on the river. Bregalnice, which flows into the Vardar (Aksiy), is 5 hours' journey from Strumnica, in the north-west of the latter, while Strumnitsa is 5 hours' journey from Thessaloniki in the north. Grigorovich: “I went to a waterless valley, whose name is Ovchepolye... Having reached Istib, a city lying on a cape-shaped mountain slope, on the Bregalnica River. - An old castle on one of the hills, strong beautiful bridges put it among the most beautiful cities in Macedonia... My attention turned to the episcopal church of St. Nicholas... From Istib begin the rich valleys, cultivated Bulgarians “(Travel 141). The current Istib is the ancient city of Bregalnica. Life of Cyril: “Gathering the disciples and giving them instruction, quickly perform all the church services, teaching the morning service and the hour and vespers and the evening service and the mysteries.” So Clement in his words of praise to Cyril. Cosmae prag. chronicle in. T. 1. script. rer. Bohemian. 784. Testimonies in the doctrine of the fathers 3, 362. 363. Sl. tetr. 9. ancient Prokhorov 1864, pp. 114–116. 126–128. The testimony of the chronicle of Andrei Dandola is not entirely accurate: “according to the sermon of Blessed Cyril Zootopol, King of Dalmatia, descended from Odrill, a relative of King Totila, accepted the Orthodox faith with all his people.” – Reiskir notæ ad Orphyr. p. 357. Imp. Konstantin about the life of the emperor. Basil § 29. De administr. imperio § 31. 42. The composer of the service to the seventh numerals sings: “Rejoice, choir of the seventh numerals - the salvation of the Bulgarians and the joy of the Dalmatians (Serbs)... On the septenary numerals, as on the seven pillars, God founded the entire Church of the wild Bulgarians and Dalmatians (Serbs), subordinating them to the law with the words of scripture and the invention of writing” (Russian demon. 11, 130. 134). Serbian chronicle: "Konstantin the philosopher and his brother Methodius translated the holy books from the Grchski language into Slovenian. Blgara and Slovenia and Srbi and Arbanasi and Boginyani and Rus', in all of them, are one ezik. Sveta Konstantin the philosopher, translated many books, from where first the saying of the eziki was taught and betray the Holy Scripture according to their language." Glasnik X, 255. Without a doubt, the Slavic service spread between the neighboring Serbs from Bregalnica. After Methodius, first St. Gorazd, whose relics are near Berat, then St. Clement. About the time of the event Lavrovsky, pp. 357. 503–509. Bulgarian synaxar of 1340 in Kalaidovich, p. 90, in Glasnik XI, 34. Only an eyewitness could talk about the burial this way, Mr. Bodyansky rightly notes (On the origin of the letters. 78). In the life of St. Methodius: “put it in the cathedral church.” – This is the church of Velegrad. Sreznevsky in Ancient. Christ tetr. 7, 1864 Detailed consideration in the doctrine of the fathers. In the Russian translation, the abbreviation of Kirill’s conversations is from Mr. Platonov in approx. 19. Recently Ginzel has been intensifying his efforts to exhibit St. Cyril and Methodius by fans of Romanism: Geschichte d. Slawenapostel Cyrili u. Method. u. d. slavisch. Liturgie. Leitmeritz. 1857. Against him and others like him at length, Mr. Lavrovsky: Cyril and Methodius, Orthodox preachers. Kharkiv 1861. In the Bulgarian synaxar of the 13th century. around 25 Aug. memory of St. Cyril and Methodius. And here it is said: “and to create his memory on April 6, and the great church celebrates his memory on the day” (Kalaidovich, p. 90). In the Synodal April Menea of ​​the 12th century, both are commemorated on April 6. In harat. Gospels Moscow. Arkhangelsk personal On April 6, the memory of “St. Methodius, Archbishop and Cyril his brother.” In the Ostromir and Asseman Gospels, on February 14, the memory of “St. Constantine the Philosopher,” and on April 6, “St. Methodius.” Life of St. Cyril was placed under October 14, the life of St. Methodius - on April 6th. Czechs and Moravians have been celebrating Cyril and Methodius on March 9 since 1380. Acta sanet, mart. 2. In the Synodal April Menaion of the 12th century, under April 6, the canon to Cyril and Methodius. Here in the 7th song about Methodius: “The Moravian country led the way and had a pillar towards God, enlightened by you, learn to call into your tongue: the father of our God.”... A completely different canon in the Bulgarian Menaion of the 13th century: “like the sun the lordship (from) the east, shining to the west, father, the ambassador is a wise teacher to all.” Izv. acad. VI, 191. 192. One service was published by Grigorovich in zap. Kazansk univers. and separately under the title: Ancient Slavic monument, Kazan 1862. Here in paragraph 9: “The blessed land of Moravia sings, possessing your body, and Panonska, enlightened by you. People gathered together celebrate your memory.” Several songs of St. Cyril - from a fan of St. Mountains, pp. 339. 340. K. 1864. News of the Lithuanian Mikhalon in Solovyov VII, 189. 190. The suffering of St. Paul is placed between the lives of the new martyrs, published in Greek in Venice in 1799. Easter 1683 was April 8. Track. Great Friday, the day of the Lord’s suffering and the day of the death of St. Pavel, was April 6, not April 3, as others show. See the life of St. Gregory Sinaite in “Athos. Pat.” ed. 4, part 1, pp. 322–341.