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Saint Gregory, Bishop of Acragantia Gregory, originally from the village of Pretoria, six miles from Akragas (now Agrigenta) in Sicily, had wealthy parents who sent him at the age of eight to be raised by a skilled teacher. When the boy learned to read and write well, understand and sing church services, then, upon reaching the age of twelve, Bishop Potamion, his successor from the baptismal font, ranked him among the clergy and entrusted him to the archdeacon and librarian Donatus for guidance in spiritual deeds and virtuous living, designating books to read and inspiring him to pay attention to the content of what he was reading. And Gregory practiced constant prayer and reading, reading the sacred scriptures and the lives of the holy fathers and flaming in his heart to follow the footsteps of the saints of God.” Having read more than once or twice about the exploits of St. Basil the Great and his journey on Bogomolye to Syria and Jerusalem, he himself began to think about visiting holy places, from where the light of the faith of Christ shone, and prayed to God for the fulfillment of his pious desire. And then at night he hears a voice commanding him to go ashore; here he (in July 669) found a ship ready to sail to Carthage, and sailed on it. He was twenty-two years old. From Carthage, where he lived at the archbishop's house for about three months, in January 670, with three other monks, he arrived in Phoenician Tripolis, and from here to Jerusalem; He spent more than seven years here, ordained a deacon by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited monasteries and labored in fasting and prayer. Then, having visited Antioch and lived in it for a year, he arrived in Constantinople, was retained for some time by Patriarch Theodore and was present at the Sixth Ecumenical Council (680). In 681 he went from Constantinople to Rome, venerated the tombs of St. Apostles Peter and Paul and began to live in the Greek monastery of St. Savva. At this time, Theodore, Bishop of Akragantia, Potamion's successor, died, and three parties were formed among the citizens, each of which proposed its own candidate for the abolished throne. Pope Agathon, out of personal conviction and the good reviews of others, preferred his chosen one, and this was Gregory. Gregory, upon arrival in Akragas, was greeted by all the citizens and was also delighted to meet his parents. He was a teaching shepherd, a father of widows and orphans, a feeder of the poor and a vigilant prayer book to God. But he did not escape slander; for after ten years of his episcopate he was slandered before the citizens and the governor of Sicily (who lived in Syracuse) for unclean life and, being demanded to Rome, lived there for about two years, awaiting trial. Finally, two bishops and the chartophylax of the Patriarch of Constantinople were sent from Constantinople to Rome to jointly examine the case (by special orders of the emperors, Sicily, although it was in the district of the Pope, but, as a region with a Greek population, was subject to the intervention of the Patriarch of Constantinople in church affairs). After this, Gregory, who was justified, went to Constantinople and was honored by Emperor Justinian II with gifts and released with honor. Died after 710. A monument to his teaching are the interpretive conversations he gave to his flock on the book of Ecclesiastes. Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium A native of Caesarea in Cappadocia, a contemporary and friend of Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, he spent forty years in monasticism before his ordination as a bishop. He was present at the Second Ecumenical Council (381) and contributed greatly to the eradication of heresies not only in his diocese, but also in other churches. He died in 395, leaving behind many works useful for the Church. †Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky 341, son of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, was born in 1220, when his father was an appanage prince of Pereyaslavl. His family was remarkable for its love of piety: there was someone to learn good things from. His grandfather is Vsevolod, smart and remembered eternity, his grandmother is Maria, pious from his youth, his father is Yaroslav, the enlightener Korelov, who suffered from the Tatars, his mother is Theodosia, in monasticism Euphrosyne, called a saint in the chronicles, his uncle is George, a martyr, another uncle is Svyatoslav-Gabriel, pious, his cousin is Vasilko, a martyr, cousins are also saints 342. For the first time the chronicle speaks about the book. Alexandra in 1228, when Yaroslav left him and his older brother Theodore in Novgorod; the next year the brothers left Novgorod; in 1230 they arrived here again. – The first years of life in Novgorod, the young prince. Alexander could not manage affairs himself; his father’s boyars managed him; but from 1236, when his father retired to Kiev, he was left to his own devices. In another year of Alexander's independent rule in Novgorod, the prince had to enter into a formidable struggle with the Tatars. Batu, having devastated the principalities of Ryazan and Vladimir, quickly walked towards Novgorod. At the beginning of 1238, Volokolamsk, Tver and Torzhok were devastated. When Batu was at Torzhok, people in Novgorod were in awe. The Tatars were closer than 100 versts from Novgorod; but, the chronicle says, “through the prayers of the Novgorod saints, princes and saints, the Lord protected Novgorod from them; from the Ignatus Cross (present-day Krestsy) Batu unexpectedly turned to Kozelsk 343. In 1239 Prince. Alexander married the daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav - Alexandra; the marriage took place in Torzhok and Novgorod 344. - It is clear that the wedding feast in Novgorod was actually because the smart and kind prince wanted to share his joy with the people; he wanted the people to be his family, and his home life was inseparable from the life of the state. The prince then showed through other experiences that the affairs of his home life did not suppress his concerns about Novgorod. In the same year, on the advice of the veche, he began building fortresses along Shelon. Concern for the construction of fortresses along Sheloni was then necessary. Lithuania and the Germans grew stronger year after year and year after year more often broke into the Novgorod and Pskov possessions; and the Novgorodians now could not expect reinforcements from the outside. The Germans soon understood Alexander. In the spring of 1240 345 Andrei Vilven, master of the Livonian knights, or, as our chronicles expressively say about them, “who are called servants of God,” arrived in Novgorod for a meeting with the prince. Alexander. Without a doubt, they negotiated about the displeasures that so often arose then between Novgorod and Livonia. The chroniclers, for whom the secret subjects of the prince’s relations with his neighbors were not always known, knew only about the review that Vilvain said aloud about Alexander. “I have seen many countries,” said Vilvain, “I know people and sovereigns; but I must give priority honor to Alexander.” The glory of Alexander, transmitted by the master to the West, aroused anxieties of envy and fearful lust for power in the Swedish king. Birger Jarl, King Eric's closest relative, counting on the Swedish throne due to Eric's childlessness, took advantage of these worries for his own purposes. By brave deeds on the borders of Novgorod and in Finland, he hoped to gain the love of the people, but the Pope raised the Swedes against Russia more, causing a crusade against schismatics. In Birger's army, composed of Swedes, Norwegians and Finns, there were several biskups with their vassals, which gave the militia the full meaning of a holy war. St. Alexander did not expect attacks and received news that the Swedes were going to Ladoga; it was in the same year that the crafty German lavished praise on his merits. Birger sent a proud challenge: “defend yourself if you can, and I will be 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 in readiness; Firmly trusting in God, he decided to go against the Swedes with a small army. Waiting until all the troops had gathered meant giving time to the enemies to establish a firm foot on Novgorod land. He hurried to the church of God, where Archbishop Spyridon was already praying with the people for God’s help against the enemies of the pure faith and fatherland. Blazh. Alexander in his prayer called for judgment on those who want to steal the property of others and insult the innocent before them. Then he entered 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. “There are not many of us,” 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. On the night of July 15 (1240), the Izhorian Pelgusius, baptized 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, in 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 seem familiar to him: their features, like their clothes, remind him of St. the faces of the passion-bearers Boris and Gleb! Now he hears the elder saying to the younger: “Brother Gleb, order the rowing; we need to help our relative Alexander.” The rumor confirmed what the eyes saw. And Pelguoiy 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: having filled 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 the name of Nevsky behind Alexander. It brought joy to our entire fatherland by the fact that it was won at the most bitter time for Russia. The Novgorod warriors saw with their own eyes the courage and intelligence of the prince. Alexandra in battle; the whole of Novgorod saw how insignificant was the squad with which Alexander set off against an enemy who was strong and had enormous numbers and resources. That is why Novgorod was delighted with this victory. And what would have happened to the Novgorod region if it had fallen into the hands of the pope’s zealous servants? Papism brought with it violence and disorder everywhere. That is why the Livonian knights 346 remembered the lost battle on the Neva. Always restless and daring, the Novgorodians soon insulted the Nevsky winner - they raised a murmur against him for something, so that it came to a rebellion. As meek as he was courageous, the Christian prince did not want to stay where he was no longer considered necessary. In the winter of the same year (1240), after he won such an important victory for Novgorod, he, together with his mother, wife and court, left Novgorod for Pereyaslavl. The frivolity of Novgorodians is amazing! Besides the fact that, by removing Alexander, they showed black ingratitude towards him, they were too inattentive to their position. The Nevskaya victory excited the knights of Livonia. They hastened to weaken the formidable power of Novgorod. At the same time as the Novgorodians were seditious against St. Prince, the Germans, having taken Izborsk 347, approached Pskov, burned its outskirts, installed the traitor Tverdila Ivanovich as its chief commander, who began to rule here as an assistant to the Germans; many Pskov families were forced to flee to Novgorod. Encouraged by this success, the knights entered the Vodskaya Pyatina in the winter, imposed tribute on it, built a fortress in the Koporsky churchyard, took Tesov, 50 versts from Novgorod, carried out robberies and murders - even 30 versts from Novgorod, extended raids along the Luga River to the Sabelsky graveyard 348. The Novgorodians have come to their senses, but not quite yet. Stupid pride did not allow the first time to directly ask Prince Alexander to hurry up and protect them from harm. They sent only to ask for help from Grand Duke Yaroslav. Yaroslav sent an army to them with his third son Andrei. An army without a smart military leader doesn’t mean much. It was impossible for the Novgorodians not to see this. They had quite a few squads, and yet the Germans walked freely along the Vodskaya Pyatina, took along the river. There were horses and all the cattle in the meadow, so there was nothing to plow in the spring. Necessity also taught the Novgorodians humility. They sent the archbishop and boyars to ask Yaroslav for the prince Alexander Yaroslavich they needed. The Christian prince forgot the insult; in the winter of 1241 he arrived in Novgorod, “and the Novgorodians were glad.” With his arrival everything changed. The prince gathered squads from Novgorodians, Ladojans, Korelovs and Izhorians and led them to Koporye; took and destroyed the German fortress, some of the Germans sitting in it were beaten, some were taken prisoner, and the traitors Chukhontsev hanged 349. Unfortunately for him, Alexander soon had to leave Novgorod without finishing all his business. Batu was waiting for him to come to his place. “God has subjected the nations to me; Are you the only one who doesn’t want to submit to me? If you want to save your land, come to bow,” Batu instructed him to say. The reverent prince obeyed the will of Providence and was with Batu 350. In his absence, the Germans laid a heavy hand on Pskov; They planted their tiuns in Pskov and began to rule in the Pskov side. He would have dealt with them after the destruction of Koporye; then he was still eager to teach them a lesson for their boastful antics: “The Slavs cannot be anything other than our tributaries,” they said. Now he begged his father for the lower regiments and hurried with them to Novgorod. Having given the order to gather the Novgorod squads, and to occupy the Pskov roads with the grassroots, in the Church of Sophia he shed warm prayers with tears for the suffering fatherland. Then he quickly moved to Pskov and captured it before the master sent help; 70 knights - the named masters of Pskov, laid down their heads, the prince sent many other chained Germans as a gift to Novgorod and cleansed the homeland of the blessed Olga from the German evil spirits. However, he did not stop there. It was necessary to strengthen the peace of the northern region and teach a lesson to the Germans. The prince entered Livonia, sent troops into the settlements of Chudsky, over which the Germans ruled; What was worth taking, they took, others were burned, the Germans were beaten; but one detachment of Alexander was defeated and put to flight. The prince stopped with all his might on Lake Peipus, which was covered with solid ice. He wanted to lure the Germans out of their stone pores - from their castles; in the open field their strength is liquid. He knew it if they didn't. His calculation was a success. The Germans poured out and gathered in huge numbers. “Let’s go, they said, let’s capture Alexander to finish the settlement with him.” The Danish king sent them help from himself. The reverent prince prayed: “Judge, O God, and judge with my eloquent tongue.” The Russian squads were eager to attack the Germans; “Their hearts beat like the hearts of lions,” says a contemporary. “Dear prince! they said, now is the time for us to lay our heads for you.” On the 1st day of April (1242), on a commendable Saturday, at sunrise a battle began, known in the chronicles as the ice battle. The Germans and Chud crashed like a “pig” - a sharp column into the Russian army: this did not stop them from beating them like pigs. The knights who had lost formation rushed to run: they were chased after them for 7 miles; Chud was beaten without number, 500 knights fell under Russian axes, 50 were taken alive. Of the huge number of enemies, few returned to their own. Master Herman Valk, struck with horror, waited for Alexander under the walls of Riga and sent to ask for strong help from the king. But Alexander - not a German - was not looking for someone else's; he praised the Lord for saving his people. He was pleased that his daring enemies 351 would remember the lesson. “There were many prisoners in his regiment; those who called themselves Knights of God (Gottesritter) were led barefoot next to the horses.” All of Pskov “with crosses, icons and banners” came out to meet the winner, and they sang praises to the Lord and the prince. Alexander: “Having helped, O Lord, the meek David to defeat the foreigner and our faithful prince, with the weapon of the cross, liberate the city of Pskov from foreigners by the hand of Alexander.” Book Alexander wanted to believe that the Pskovites would not forget this good deed of his, and would be grateful to his later descendants. “If you forget this in front of Alexander’s great-grandchildren,” he told them, “you will be like the Jews, whom the Lord miraculously fed in the desert, and they forgot about the One who brought them out of Egypt” 352. In Novgorod, even in the 16th century, they prayed for the repose of those who fell “in the ice battle.” The Germans were in a hurry to ask for peace and freedom for the prisoners; they not only abandoned Pskov, Luga and the Voda region, but also returned to Novgorod part of Letgallia, where the Latvians had long been baptized into the Orthodox Church 353. Grassroots shelves of benefits. Alexander sent him to his father with his brother Andrei, and he himself, without waiting for the German embassy, ​​set off against Lithuania, another enemy that was disturbing the Novgorod regions. In one and the same campaign he defeated seven Lithuanian armies one after another, captured several princes and made wild but warlike Lithuania fear his name 354. The following year, in the Yuryev monastery, he buried his pious mother, who, apparently, constantly lived with him in Novgorod, loving the good Alecander and being loved by him 355. In 1245, Lithuania, having rested from its defeats, came in huge numbers to plunder the Novgorod possessions, near Bezhetsk and Torzhok. Her appearance set the world in motion. First, the Novotorzhians attacked the Lithuanians, but were defeated; Tverites and Dmitrovites were happier; uniting with Novotorzhtsy, they caught up with Lithuania near Toropets; After the battle, the Lithuanians were forced to lock themselves in Toropets. Meanwhile, the formidable Alexander was in a hurry with his squad and the Novgorodians; with his appearance in the morning, things took a happy turn. Toropets was taken; The Lithuanians were defeated, losing 8 princes; everything they plundered was taken away. The Novgorodians, pleased with this success, returned to their homes. Alexander and one of his retinues caught up with the fleeing Lithuanians at Lake Zhitsa and completely destroyed them: all their princes lay down, and there was no one to return home to tell their friends about the disaster. Near Usvyat he met another Lithuanian army, rushing, probably, to help his own, and he defeated it headlong and returned to Novgorod without damage 356. In 1246, Alexander mourned the death of his father, who died on the way from the khan. The throne of the Grand Duke was confirmed by Batu for Prince Svyatoslav Voevolodovich. The pious and charitable Svyatoslav, famous for the construction of the stone church in Yuryev and the cross 357, could not offend his nephews with injustice. He gave them inheritances according to their father's appointment. Prince Alexander respectfully accepted his uncle's order. His younger brother, Andrei, was in no way like his elder. Throughout his life, his stupid lust for power troubled him and brought grief and bloody troubles to Russia. And now, considering himself entitled to the throne of his father, under his uncle and under his older brother, he went to Batu. The blessed Alexander was forced by his brother’s behavior to go to the Horde. Batu received Alexander with honor, very pleased that he would come to him another time. But in his soul, more satisfied with the enmity of the Russian princes, Batu sent both brothers to the Great Khan. Alexander's difficult journey across the desert steppes lasted for three whole years. Andrei returned with the name of the Grand Duke of Vladimir, Alexander - with the name of the Grand Duke of Kyiv. It is not clear on what the khan’s decision about the brothers was based: on the fact that the good Alexander did not want to deprive his uncle of the throne given to him, or on the fact that the Horde was afraid to give a strong principality to the already formidable Alexander, but gave it to the insignificant Andrei. Be that as it may, in Kyiv, plundered and burned, where the predatory Horde roamed, Prince Alexander had nothing to do; in 1250 he appeared in Novgorod, “and there was great joy in Novgorod” 358. Although the name of the Grand Duke did not bring with it either power or income to Prince Alexander, it produced a powerful effect in the Batu Horde, which roamed the Volga. The name of Alexander, the formidable conqueror of the Germans and Lithuania, now the Grand Duke, became scary: “Be quiet, Grand Duke Alexander is coming,” the Tatars said to their noisy children. Andrei, both with power and with the name of the Grand Duke, remained insignificant, as he had been insignificant before that time 359. In 1251, the noble prince with reverent love received in Novgorod the saints - Metropolitan Cyril and another Cyril, Bishop of Rostov, who consecrated the Archbishop of Dalmatia for Novgorod; then he was seriously ill, so that they began to doubt whether he would remain alive; but “God increase his life: because he loves the rank of the church, priests, metropolitans, bishops honor as Christ Himself and love all Christians,” says the chronicle 360. Having barely recovered, the guardian prince sent an embassy to the Norwegian king Gakon, asking the king to prohibit his Finnmark subjects from robbing Lop and Karelia; As a result, peace was concluded; The embassy was also instructed to personally see Gakon's daughter, Christina, whom Alexander thought to see in marriage to his son Vasily, but the prince was forced to postpone the completion of this matter until time 361. Prince Andrei's lust for power only brought disaster to Russia. Prince Svyatoslav, who brought a complaint to Sartak about the insult inflicted on him by Andrei, probably informed the khan that Andrei was not doing everything he should in relation to the khan. This aroused the khan's anger against Andrei, and he sent Nevryuy with a strong army to drive Andrei out of Vladimir; Meanwhile, Svyatoslav died in February 1252, and Alexander then went to Sartak, who granted him the throne of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir 362. The new Grand Duke was received with joy and triumph in Vladimir. M. Kirill with all the clergy and the people with their icons met him outside the golden gates. And the blessed Alexander did not deceive the hopes of either the state or the Church. He began his ministry with exploits of philanthropy and piety, gathered the people scattered by the attack of the cruel Nevruy, helped the devastated as best he could, and restored the damaged churches 363. The Pope, after his measures of violence were so victoriously repelled on the Neva and Lake Peipsi, decided to test the firmness of Grand Duke Alexander with caresses and flattering promises. He sent two learned preachers to him and with them his message. Having begun the message with a lie, as if Alexander’s father, Prince Yaroslav, according to a report from his ambassador, “promised obedience to the Roman Church,” and urging him to join the Roman Church, the pope wrote: “Our request promises you benefits. We take God's place on earth. In obeying us there is no humiliation for the honor of the sovereign; on the contrary, in this way temporary and eternal freedom increases. “We will consider you the most famous among all the Catholic princes and will always try with special care to increase your glory.” In response to this message, an Orthodox statement of faith was sent, and the preachers were told: we know the history of faith from the beginning of the world to the Nativity of Christ and from the Nativity of Christ to our time; Why do we need new preachers 364? The pious prince was consoled by the news of the victories won by the Novgorodians and his son, Prince Vasily, over Lithuania and the Germans 365. But in 1255, the willful and ungrateful Novgorod expelled Prince Vasily and accepted the restless Yaroslav. The offended Grand Duke led troops to Torzhok and, without shedding blood, after long negotiations, forced the Novgorodians to accept Vasily 366. In 1256, the most important works of the blessed Alexander began. The Khan's plenipotentiary, Berki, and his relative, Ulavchy, came to Russia to announce the order of the Great Khan of Mongolia on taxes and mail. The Grand Duke himself appeared to Ulavchy in Nizhny and sent gifts to him with Prince Boris. Then we see him the same year already in Novgorod and not just to supervise the state of affairs. The Pope (in 1255) vested the Archbishop of Riga with the right to open a Biskup diocese in the Vodskaya land, Izhora and Karelia. Albert, not trusting the greedy Livonian knights, turned to the Swedes for help. Birger Jarl in 1256 sent an army to the Vodian land so that on the banks of the river. Narova built a strong fortress. Alexander, as soon as he arrived in Novgorod, led his army to the Vodskaya land. The Swedes hastened to leave. Alexander, having increased his army in Koporye, led him to Em or Tavasland, which had been conquered by the Swedes shortly before (1249). Having passed through mountains and swamps, Alexander unexpectedly appeared in enemy country. The Swedes, struck by the surprise and speed of Alexandrov’s campaign, could do nothing in their defense; Moreover, the natives, irritated by their cruel management, helped the Russian squads to pursue and beat the Swedes. Alexander returned with captives, forcing Albert and the pope to abandon their dreams and pacifying the restless neighbors for a long time 367. In 1257, Alexander was with several princes in the Horde and conducted monetary negotiations with Ulavchy; He sent other princes with gifts to the Supreme Khan and his ministers, all for negotiations on the situation in which Russia should be in relation to the Horde. Strength of mind and flexibility of will were needed to understand the importance of time with its consequences and to extract everything possible for the good of unfortunate Russia. Following Alexander, the “numerals” came to Russia and rewrote the lands of Suzdal, Murom and Ryazan. The clergy is not included in the census; Tax collectors were introduced, but the Russians still had their own faith, their own laws, their own language, their own nationality, their own government. Russia will subsequently become stronger, refuse to pay tribute to the Horde, and everything ancient Russian will be inviolable. And she will owe all this to the mind of her faithful prince Alexander 368. As soon as the census of the three principalities was completed, in 1258 Alexander again went to the Horde to Ulavchiy to honor him with gifts. Now the matter was about the census of the great Vladimir principality: it was left without correspondence not for itself, but for Novgorod. Alexander understood that Novgorod, with its unbridled self-will, could bring terrible troubles to all of Russia. Novgorodians, having heard in 1257 that the census would reach them, spent the whole summer in riots and unrest, even leading to murders. When in 1258 St. Alexander went to Novgorod with the enlisted men; it turned out that his son, Vasily, Prince of Novgorod, was carried away due to inexperience by the suggestions of the rebellious people and fled to Pskov. A new grief for a father is grief for his son. The Grand Duke knew how to persuade the officials, and they agreed for the first time to take only gifts from Novgorod to the khan. He later enlightened the Novgorodians, and they, understanding Alexander’s intelligence and love, hastened to make amends for him with the caresses of love and respect. He summoned his disobedient son from Pskov to send him to the Suzdal land as punishment, and ordered his rebellious advisers to be tried to the fullest extent of the city law, instilling saving fear in others 369. In 1259, on the road from Novgorod, the pious prince was in Rostov to venerate the Mother of God and see the princes for advice. In winter, when the Grand Duke was in Vladimir, a rumor spread to Novgorod that the khan had prepared a formidable army against Novgorod if he did not accept his number. The frightened Novgorodians received the khan's officials who then appeared, with whom the Grand Duke arrived in Novgorod. And, however, the matter was not without rebellion. The self-will of the officials was also to blame. But the Grand Duke understood that the weak are always to blame before the strong and that the khan’s anger could have dire consequences; he decided to use an unexpected measure to bring the rebels to his senses. Together with the khan's officials and his retinue, he left Novgorod, making it clear that after that both the khan and the great prince were against Novgorod. This had a strong effect on the violent people: reluctantly, they agreed to the census. However, the prince, who loved the Novgorodians, with whom he lived for so long, with whom he shared glory and labors, managed to leave behind Novgorod an advantage that other cities did not enjoy, left the right to deliver tribute either directly to the khan, or through the Grand Duke, and not through the Baskaks 370. The last benefit of St. The prince for Novgorod had an agreement concluded by him in 1259 with the ambassadors of the Hanseatic League on free trade of the Novgorodians in the cities of the Hanse and the Hanseatic in Novgorod 371. The next two years were years of mental rest for St. prince In all likelihood, at this time he built a women's monastery in Suzdal in the name of his angel, where in 1262 Princess Maria, in the nun Martha 372, rested. He still had one feat of love for his homeland ahead of him, and this would be his last. For some reason, the Tatars decided to replace their collectors in Russia with Khivin farmers. For their greed for self-interest and cruelty, the Russian people nicknamed them besermen. Seeking their own benefits, they distributed the tax at their own discretion and extorted it without any mercy. The people suffered and endured, but lost patience. In 1262, the inhabitants of Vladimir, Suzdal, Pereyaslavl, Rostov, Yaroslavl, at the sound of veche bells, rebelled against their inhuman oppressors and killed everyone, without thinking about the consequences. Already a terrible horde has risen from the Horde to go through the Russian land with fire and sword for the rebellion against the khan. The Grand Duke hurried to the Horde to intercede for the people, or to lay his head there. Having sent his son Dimitri and brother Yaroslav against the Germans to Dorpat, he went to the Horde in 1262, and returned from there in the fall of 1263. It is clear how much work, requests, gifts, bows, and negotiations it took to appease the angry Tatar authorities. The success exceeded expectations. The noble prince managed to beg not only forgiveness for the simple-minded people for their crime, but also freedom from the obligation to fight with the Mongols, which would have been an unbearable burden for the exhausted people. He returned to his fatherland with joyful news. But, having left Russia with poor health, he felt unwell in Nizhny; Having rested here, he drove on, but before reaching Gorodok, he fell so ill that he stopped. He was still 43 years old; but which of the princes suffered as much labor, deeds and mental anguish for Russia as Alexander suffered? Sensing that his end was near, he took on an angelic image with the name Alexy and on November 14, 1263, he rested blissfully. In Vladimir they did not know about the death of St. prince During the divine service, Saint Cyril suddenly announced to the people: “the sun of the Russian land has already set.” The people did not understand or did not want to understand these words. Overwhelmed by grief, the saint, after a pause, added: “The blessed Grand Duke Alexander has now reposed.” At this news, expressive words came out of the mouths and hearts of the people: “we are perishing.” This is how the people's feeling about the great loss for Russia with the death of Alexander was expressed! All of Vladimir came out ten miles away to meet the funeral procession of the defender of the Russian land! During the funeral service for the prince in the Cathedral of the Nativity Monastery, the cry of the people was inexpressible. And here, to the consolation of orphaned Russia, the Lord showed that her defender was alive before Him. When M. Cyril, at the end of the funeral chanting, approached the deceased to place a farewell letter in his hand, the blessed prince extended his hand, accepted the charter and again folded his hands crosswise. For the first moments, horror gripped all the hearts, but then they merged in grateful praise of heavenly goodness to the blessed prince and to all of Russia. It was November 23, 374. In 1380, when Grand Duke Dimitri entered the decisive Kulikovo battle with Mamai for the freedom of Russia, the reverent monk prayed in the silence of the night in the church of the Nativity monastery. And then he sees that at the coffin of the noble prince the candles lit themselves, two radiant elders approached the coffin and said to the saint. to the prince: “Arise, Alexander, hasten to the aid of your relative, Grand Duke Demetrius; he is overcome by his tribesmen.” St. Alexander stood up and everyone became invisible. The humble monk, struck by fear, kept silent about the vision. But when it turned out that the vision happened precisely on the night of the famous Battle of Kulikovo, he was already afraid to remain silent and told the Metropolitan about everything. The saint announced this to the Grand Duke and opened the coffin of St. prince 117 years after the burial of St. the body turned out to be incorrupt. With honor they laid him in a shrine on top of the ground. And various healings flowed from him: the blind received their sight, the paralytic were strengthened, the demonic were freed from unclean spirits 375. † Repose of Saint Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh “I was born of pious parents and was raised by them in the immaculate piety of the Eastern Church, in the Orthodox faith,” says Saint Mitrophan in his spiritual testament 376. He was born in 1623 from parents of clergy; His family, recorded in the synodics, begins with persons invested with the priestly rank. His worldly name was Michael, and he was obliged by marriage; in a letter to the archimandrite of the Chartroche monastery, he speaks about his son Ivan Mikhailov. Most of his life was spent in family life; Having lost his wife, at the age of 40 he renounced worldly life and entered the Zolotnikovsky monastery, which is not far from Suzdal. Soon they began to talk about the strict life of the monk Mitrofan. The brethren of the neighboring Yakhroma monastery asked the spiritual authorities to appoint the good elder Mitrofan as abbot, and Mitrofan was ordained as abbot by the Krutitsa Metropolitan, guardian of the patriarchal department. He was the abbot of the Yakhroma monastery for 10 years. Taking care of the splendor of the house of God, he acquired a richly decorated Gospel 377 for the monastery. Seeing the cramped conditions of the church, with the help of benefactors he built a more spacious church in honor of the Savior and supplied it with new utensils. These monuments of his zeal for the house of God are still intact. In 1675 Patr. Joachim entrusted him with another more famous monastery, Unzhenskaya, Rev. Macaria. Here he stayed for 7 years 378. Here, under his care, a warm church was built in honor of the Annunciation of the Mother of God with a meal and a bell tower. In the cathedral Trinity Church, local icons of the Savior, etc., painted under his care, are intact. Macarius, Dormition of the Mother of God, Descent of the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist; in the church of St. Macarius there is an image of the Savior with the inscription: “1680, according to the promise of the monk Mitrofan.” All other mentioned icons were painted, according to inscriptions, in 1679 and 1680. under Abbot Mitrofan. The Patriarch lovingly saw in Abbot Mitrofan a monk zealous for spiritual life, a caring abbot, a man experienced in life and educated by diligent reading of useful books. He entrusted his supervision to neighboring monasteries and churches, to maintain the order and decorum that belonged to them. The Unzhensk monastery was then in the special attention of the royal house, and Tsar Theodore had the opportunity to see Abbot Mitrofan more than once. Of the courtiers, the boyar Bogdan Matveevich Khitrovo especially loved the Makariev monastery and its abbot: whenever the abbot visited Moscow, he was always received with love by the devout boyar and the abbot loved him for his love for the monastery. In 1682, when it was necessary to elect the first bishop of Voronezh, Tsar Theodore, reverent of St. Macarius, chose “his disciple and viceroy, Abbot Mitrofan, a truly righteous and holy man,” as a modern monastic note says 379. New dioceses, including Voronezh, were opened then so that the closest supervision of the saints could see the plans of a schism in time and take timely measures to counteract the schism. Mitrofan was consecrated Bishop of Voronezh on April 2, 1682 by the patriarch with 16 archpastors. Soon, in Moscow itself, he had to see what a schism meant for the Church and the fatherland. Since the pious Tsar Theodore soon died, and the bishop of the new diocese needed to prepare a lot for the new see, stock up on advice and things necessary for the bishop's service (he received many utensils and books from the archpastor of the neighboring Ryazan diocese), then Saint Mitrofan. was present at the wedding of Tsars John and Peter Alekseevich. At the same time, in his eyes there also occurred the bloody rampages of the archers against the boyars and the subsequent rebellion of Pustosvyat with the same archers, who sought to transfer all the highest government measures to the management of the schism. He was in the Kremlin on that terrible day (July 5, 1682), when Khovansky, on behalf of the schismatics, announced to Sofia that if the patriarch and bishops did not appear in the square to the schismatics, they would break into the palace and kill the patriarch and all the clergy. He was at the cathedral that same day in the faceted chamber, when schismatics, some drunk, burst into the chamber with noise, with images, lecterns, candles, and presented a petition that had to be heard. He saw how Pustosvyat Nikita, who was forbidden to speak by the will of the king, spoke insolently to the patriarch, and when Kholmogory Archbishop Athanasius noticed his rudeness, the drunken Pustosvyat, in a fit of rage, rushed at the archpastor, began to beat him and was barely restrained by force. The firmness of the ruler Sophia and the intelligence of the patriarch then saved the Church and the fatherland from terrible troubles 380. It was impossible not to hold in my soul until the grave these terrible scenes of the rampage of corrupt people. And Saint Mitrofan, until his grave, was as much a firm denouncer of the self-will of the ignorant schism as a zealous guardian of the good of the state. Having arrived at the place of his archpastoral ministry, the saint first of all addressed a district message to the pastors of local churches. “Honorable priests of the Most High God! wrote the saint, leaders of the flock of Christ! You must have bright, intelligent eyes, enlightened by the light of understanding, in order to lead others along the right path; according to the word of the Lord, you must be the very light: you are the light of the world. You, as shepherds, must teach the manna of God's word to the sheep, just as the angels prepared sensual manna in the wilderness. You, as intercessors, should imitate in your prayers Moses and Paul, who prayed to God with such zeal for their people! Moses said to God: Lord! Now, if you forsake their sins, then forsake them: or else, blot me out of the books you wrote in them. Paul said: I myself prayed that I might be separated from Christ according to my brethren, my kinsmen in the flesh, who are the Israelites. So you too should be zealous for the salvation of God’s people. Good shepherds were such that they were ready to lay down their souls for the sheep. This is how you arrange yourself. Shepherd the flock of God who does not need you, but by the will and according to God, below the profits of the unrighteous, but diligently. Christ the Savior, when he presented St. Ap. To Peter, tending his sheep, he said three times: feed. This, obviously, is also due to the fact that shepherds shepherd the flock entrusted to them in three ways - by the word of teaching, by prayer and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Tain, and way of life. You diligently carry out these three types of shepherding: teach people the word of teaching, show yourself an example of life, diligently offer prayers to God for the flock entrusted to you, try to edify them with the holy mysteries, that is, enlighten the unbelievers with the Holy Mysteries. through baptism, try to lead those who have sinned after baptism to repentance and correction of life, vouchsafe the most worthy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ, take care of the sick, so that they especially do not leave this life without the Holy Spirit. The Mysteries were not deprived of the last consecration of oil. Together with the Divine Paul, I testify before God the Lord Jesus Christ: preach the word, insist in time of need and in time of need, reprove, rebuke, entreat with patience and teaching. I beg you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, protect the weak, be patient with everyone, pray unceasingly, give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Be an example for the faithful in word, in life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity; do not give temptation to anyone, so that your service may be blameless; In everything, imagine yourself as God's servants. If you observe all this, then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading wreath of glory. ABOUT! when would we all receive this glory, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever! The blessing of the Lord is upon you, by His grace, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen". This message shows how living, what a fatherly love the saint’s heart was filled with, how highly he understood the duty of a shepherd and how he tried to fulfill it himself! The new place of the hierarchical department, which had not yet seen archpastoral service, required many and different concerns from the archpastor, especially since Voronezh in those days was also subject to attacks by the Tatars. Here is an order, which by its content shows how many other orders the archpastor had! The ruler of spiritual affairs, the Resurrection priest, “by decree of July 29, 1688, His Eminence Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh,” wrote: “to the Streltsy head Selen Fedoseevich. According to the rules of 1 St. Apostle and St. Fathers, the bishops of God with the entire consecrated cathedral must, on the feast of the origin of the Holy Cross, go out of the city to the source to consecrate the water. The head of Semyon Fedoseevich has ordered, in order to protect the city and all people from the raid of enemy people, on the 1st of August, on the origin of the Honorable Cross, to be Voronezh archers with guns and to observe that no misfortune happens to Voronezh and the city people. The Eminence also ordered that on the river. In Voronezh, by the date shown, Jordan was built, and in Jordan an ordinary ark (box), as is the case with other bishops of God, so that the Honest and Life-Giving Cross could be immersed” 381. Soon after his arrival in Voronezh, the saint began to build the stone Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Mother of God. He was not destined to perform services in this church: he served in the wooden church of Ap. Peter and Paul. He took great care to ensure that the utensils and vestments were suitable for the sanctuary of God; He arranged quite a lot of utensils at his own expense. He vigilantly ensured that everything donated to the church of God was kept carefully and reverently. A humble monk in his cell and in his soul, he appeared in the church of God before the flock, clothed with the signs of his high rank. At the beginning, his diocese, in addition to Voronezh, included six cities: Yelets, Kostensky, Zemlyansk, Orlov, Uryv and Korotoyak. The diocese is not vast! Since then the maintenance of the department with all its clergy depended on the collection of a certain, but insignificant amount from churches and monasteries, it is clear that the Voronezh saint could not be rich and struggled with the needs of maintaining his home. True, some lands were assigned to the house, and specifically the lands of the Borshevsky monastery; but they brought little benefit due to their remoteness. In a letter dated April 17, 1692 to the Ostrogozh Colonel Pyotr Alekseevich Bulart, the saint asks to quickly lease a well-known estate at the same price 382. In a letter to Ostrogozhsky Colonel Feodor Ivanovich Kukol, he writes: “the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is coming. Do me a favor, Theodore Ivanovich, order for such a holiday and for the arrival of the sovereign to get fresh sturgeon and fresh beluga, or newly salted fish; here in Voronezh there’s nowhere to get somina” 383. Despite the small number of cities in the new diocese, the spiritual leaders of the Ryazan diocese, to which the cities of the new diocese previously belonged, came in with complaints about the appropriation of some churches by the Voronezh authorities, and the matter was brought to the attention of the patriarch 384. Joachim, in a letter dated January 30, 1696, accurately defining the boundaries of the Voronezh diocese, wrote that those who settled along the river should also be included in its circle. Osered, Bityuk and Ikorets; this was not so much an expansion of the border of the Voronezh dioceses as its precise designation at points that were not clearly defined. Tsar Peter the Great did much more. Having often visited Voronezh to build ships, he saw closely the needs of the new department, saw the terrain of the Voronezh region, as well as the character of the inhabitants 385. Places along Userd and part of the Korotoyak district were inhabited by Little Russians of the Ostrogozhsky regiment. The regimental town belonged to the Belogorodsk diocese. Thus, some churches of the Ostrogozh regiment were under the jurisdiction of the Voronezh saint, while the largest part of the Cossacks belonged to the distant Belogorod archpastor for spiritual matters. Tsar Peter, in a charter of 1699, wrote: “since the Belogorod and Ryazan dioceses are not poor, and the Voronezh one is insufficient, and some cities are far from them, then add to the Voronezh diocese from the Ryazan cities: Usman, Ostrozhki, Belokolotsk and Demshin, and from the Belogorod diocese the city of Ostrogozhsk and with them counties." To maintain the archpastoral house, mills and the village of Boerak in Lebedyansky district 386 were also given. The blessed archpastor, imbued with the spirit of the teachings of Christ, was a sincere admirer of royal power and a zealous trustee for the good of the Orthodox kingdom. Sovereign Peter the Great was then preparing for war with the Mohammedan kingdom and, in order to deliver decisive blows from the sea to the Azov fortress, built (since 1694) ships of various sizes at the Voronezh shipyard. The saint of God tried to help the holy cause both through prayer and words of exhortation. He explained on every occasion how beneficial the sovereign’s intentions were for the fatherland and the Church, which had suffered for so many years from wild Mohammedanism. When the construction of the ships encountered difficulties, despite the efforts of the king, due to a lack of money, the saint hastened to avert this obstacle. Having collected all the money that he had at the department, he brought it to the sovereign and said: every son of the fatherland must help the needs of the state from his income; accept, sir, the remaining money from my expenses and use it against the infidels.” Touched, Peter accepted this benefit from the hands of the saint, as a guarantee of God’s favor towards his enterprise. The construction of ships proceeded quickly. With the onset of spring 1696, the tsar had the consolation of sending his fleet to the Don: 2 warships and 30 small ships with 4,000 troops. Azov fell at the feet of the king. Grateful Peter, celebrating the conquest of Azov, commanded Saint Mitrofan to be called Voronezh and Azov. And subsequently St. Mitrofan donated his property to the needs of the state. During the Swedish War, military expenses depleted the treasury to the extreme. In 1700, Saint Mitrofan sent 4,000 rubles from himself. on the stopped construction of ships in the Voronezh Admiralty. The following year he donated RUR 3,000. for soldiers' salaries. Peter the Great wrote in a letter to the saint: “It has been reported to us that for the common benefit of Christians, to assist in the war against the enemies of the Holy Cross, out of benevolent zeal for our royal majesty, for the construction of ships and the military men of the navy, you gave 4,000 rubles from your home treasury. in Voronezh. We, great sovereign, graciously accept and praise your zeal for the entire Christian people. For this, in the future, the mercy of our royal majesty will inalienably remain with you, our pilgrim, in which you can be trustworthy forever.” This letter was written on April 20, 1700, and another with the same content was written on May 18, 1701 387. The man of God, reverent for God's anointed, firmly kept in his soul that St. the will of God is above all and the salvation of Christian souls, entrusted by this will to the Christian shepherd, should be the subject of pastoral zeal. The prophet Elijah was zealous against the temptations sown among the people, and spoke about the wickedness of the temptation to the kings of Israel. And Saint Mitrofan was not afraid to tell the truth to the king, in view of the dangers of the formidable royal anger. Peter the Great sometimes lived for several weeks in Voronezh to supervise the construction of the military fleet. His palace stood near the Admiralty. According to foreign custom, the royal building was decorated with names of pagan gods. Once the king invited the saint to his place. The elder, according to the simplicity of the Gospel, went on foot to the king. He had already crossed the bridge and entered the island of the river. Voronezh, where the Admiralty was located, how his gaze was met by pagan statues at the gates of the palace. The chaste gaze of the saint was offended and his reverence for the heights of Christianity, which was here replaced by paganism, was indignant. The saint did not go further, but returned to his cells. The sovereign, who was told that the bishop was at the palace and left, according to the secular direction of his thoughts, was offended by the archpastor’s act. He sent to call him again. The saint answered the messenger: “Until the sovereign orders the overthrow of the idols that seduce the people, I cannot appear in the palace before his royal eyes.” Hearing such a decisive answer, Peter was indignant. How dare he disobey the royal authority? said the angry Peter. The king sent to say that if he did not appear immediately, as a criminal of the royal will, he would be executed. “My life is in the power of the king,” the saint answered the messenger: but for me it is better to die than to violate the duty of my priesthood. It is better to die than to approve of paganism by your presence or fearful silence. It is indecent for an Orthodox sovereign to set up pagan fools and thereby seduce the simple hearts of the people. Peter's anger, meanwhile, cooled down somewhat and when the words of the saint were conveyed to him, he patiently listened to them. For his part, holy. Mitrofan, well aware of Peter’s severity, knowing that the royal word that announced his death would not be fulfilled unless by a miracle of God, hastened to prepare his soul for eternity. He ordered that the news be announced for the all-night vigil by ringing a large bell. The Emperor, having heard the good news, asked: “What kind of holiday is tomorrow?” They answered him that there was none. He sent to ask about the reason for the good news to the bishop. The saint answered the messenger: “I, as a criminal, have been ordained by the royal word to die; Preparing for death, I want to make a conciliar prayer with the Church for the forgiveness of my sins, so that the Lord will show His mercy over me.” Peter was amazed at the saint’s determination to die out of zeal for the cause of God. He immediately sent to calm him down with his merciful word and asked not to disturb the people with the unusual ringing. Then, he immediately ordered the removal of the statues that offended the shepherd. Hearing about the latter, the saint came to the king the next day and humbly thanked him for the destruction of the statues that were tempting the people. Thus, the shepherd of God accomplished the feat of confession. From this experience, the Emperor saw the greatness of spirit in the saint and began to respect him even more than before. Saint Mitrofan kept the thought of death close to his soul at all other times. Its synodik serves as proof of this. Here are admonitions not to be carried away by temporary happiness, nor wealth, nor power, nor honor, but to remember that one must die and appear at the judgment of God. This synodikon also serves as a monument to the saint’s firm faith in the need and beneficial effect of prayers for the dead. Here we see how spacious the saint’s heart was, it embraced both the sheep of his flock and the people who faithfully served the Orthodox Fatherland. Here we remember the soldiers from the regiment of boyar Alexei Semenovich Shein, who died on the way to Azov and killed under the walls of this city, the soldiers from the regiment of boyar Boris Petrovich Sheremetev, killed in battle and died in captivity. The saint showed through other experiences that Christian love was the life of his soul. His house was a rest for everyone who was tired of life; in it the poor of all kinds, widows and orphans, found help for themselves. After this, it is quite natural to see that in a letter to Abbot Unzhensky (dated September 16, 1693) St. Mitrofan humbly asks the abbot not to deprive his son Ivan of his love and to protect him from insults and from all sorts of bad people 389, and in a letter to the Archimandrite of Shartom he asks to provide his son with his protection when he is in his monastery, on the way from Voronezh to the Unzhensky Monastery, to his post, to the post of clerk of the monastery 390. Through his pastoral care, two monasteries were founded in his diocese: in 1690 Donshchinskaya and in 1693 Bityugskaya, and he himself often lived in the first 391. The blessed archpastor was simple in his manners: access to him was open to everyone, rich and poor, famous and unknown. Twenty years of St. Mitrofan ruled the Voronezh flock and reached a ripe old age. Anticipating his imminent departure from the earthly world, he prepared a spiritual testament. His testament is instructive and edifying. “By the destinies of God,” he says, I have reached the age of seventy and am already exhausted in my bodily strength. Therefore, remembering death, I decided to write my last scripture in order to help my soul and body.” With deep humility, God's bishop confesses his faith to everyone, which he remains a servant of until his last breath. “When my sinful soul,” he continues, is freed from the bonds of the flesh, I commend it to the goodness of the all-wise God, who created it, may he accept it graciously, as the work of His hands; and I commend the sinful bones to the mother of all, awaiting the resurrection of the dead.” Then he turns his fatherly concern to the pastors of the church and convinces them to walk worthy of the title. “The simpleton who has sinned will give an answer only for his soul; and the priests will be tortured for many - those who did not take care of the sheep, collecting milk and waste from them.” Addressing the judges, he says: “I command the judges of our diocese to take care of justice in civil matters: let them carry out righteous judgment. Untruth in the courts and deceit between people have greatly increased; there are a lot of people crying because of poverty and insults - people of every rank suffer insults, widows, orphans, the weak. I bequeath to the judges - according to the will of the sovereign, to govern people truthfully, so that they live about God in spirit, without vain rumors and unnecessary vanity. May all Orthodox Christians abide in the ancestral faith, in all that is good, in purity, abstinence, holiness and repentance. I command you to have all-soul love for the Orthodox-Catholic faith, to honor the one Church in the entire universe as a mother and to remain unswervingly in it, to firmly adhere to the tradition and teachings of St. fathers - without deviating from them in any way. Just as it is impossible to please God without correct faith, so outside of St. Of the Eastern Church and without its bright teaching, betrayed by God, no one can be saved.” Then he turns to himself and writes: “if in any way I have sinned as a man, if I have offended anyone in my rank, with tears I ask everyone to forgive me: I ask forgiveness from the entire Church of God and from the entire sacred council; I ask for the prayers of the entire Orthodox people for my sinful soul, so that the Lord may have mercy on it through the intercession of His Most Pure Mother and vouchsafe me the Kingdom of Heaven. Do mercy for me, offer your last debt to God for the benefit of my soul: remember my sinful soul, so that you too will be remembered by the Lord on the day of righteous judgment. This verb of mine will appear before you on the day of righteous judgment. Do not reject my request - your last love for me, a sinner, I ask with tears - do not forget me, a sinner, in your prayers, but the commandments of the Apostle: brothers, pray for one another.” In the end, he asks to be buried in the Archangel chapel, and not in the cathedral itself, and to be sure to be clothed with the schema before his death. The saint died on November 23, 1703. By the will of God it happened that on that very day the sovereign arrived in Voronezh. According to his custom, he hastened to visit the good archpastor, but already found him at his last breath; the king kissed his hand and waited for his death, which was not slow. The Emperor himself closed his eyes and ordered everything necessary to be prepared for the burial of the honorable man. On December 4, everyone gathered in the cathedral, Peter the Great appeared with all the ranks of the Admiralty, the funeral service was performed by Archimandrite Nikanor of Alekseevsky, with the abbots and priests. When it was necessary to carry out the body and the priests came up to lift the body, the sovereign, turning to the ranks of the sea, said: “We will be ashamed if we do not testify to our gratitude to this beneficent shepherd by paying our last respects; We ourselves will carry out his body.” And with these words, the sovereign lifted the saint’s coffin and carried it with the senior military leaders to the cathedral; then he himself carried the body to the tomb and lowered it into the grave. “I don’t have such a holy old man left - may he be eternally remembered!” said the grateful king. Marvelous are the ways of God! The cathedral, built by the saint for fifteen years, turned out to be unreliable and remained unused 392. What is this for? For an earthly person, no matter who he is, grief is needed to cleanse his soul. Blessed Mitrofan also needed it. But at the same time, the fragile church was also intended for the glory of Mitrofan, purified by the sorrows of time. The Archangel chapel of the cathedral, where the body of the saint was laid, required many amendments. The saint's coffin had to be moved to another church and was transferred to the church that was under the bell tower; then, 15 years later, they installed it in the new Annunciation Cathedral. On both occasions the body of the saint was seen incorrupt. Therefore, his flock expected his complete glorification, and meanwhile, by his own will, they often performed requiem services for the repose of the blessed one. archpastor. Since 1820, the number of admirers of the saint’s memory increased; people from neighboring dioceses also came to perform funeral services. In 1830 this was brought to the attention of the Synod. One should have expected the clear will of God. – In the fall of 1831, while the foundation of the cathedral was being repaired, the incorrupt body of the saint was discovered. 1832 On April 19th the witnessing of the relics took place; information about miracles had been subjected to rigorous research even before that. Many miracles happened. Here are some of them: In 1829, the Lipetsk landowner John Ladygin, weakened to the point that he was carried on sheets, after a prayer service before the icon of the Mother of God standing over the tomb of the saint, and after a memorial service for his eternal rest with the righteous, was able to go out on crutches, and a few months later, visiting again the tomb of the blessed one. Mitrofan, completely recovered. “The next year, Mitrofan appeared in a dream to his eleven-year-old daughter, who was lying in a fever, in holy vestments, and she recovered from that night. The Voronezh landowner Solntsev, after a renewed nervous fever, was sentenced to death by doctors: but, covered with the saint's mantle, he fell asleep and a week later became completely healthy. Since October 1829, the daughter of a nobleman was covered with scabs from a cold of measles: but, having been anointed with oil from the saint’s lamp, she became healthy during half of Lent, and by Easter her whole body was completely cleansed. The eight-year-old noble maiden Maria suffered from the twisted dance and then completely lost the use of her arms and legs. For three days they placed the mantle of Saint Mitrophan on her and each time she felt relief; on the third day she saw an old man in monastic clothing at her bed and recovered, and by the icon of St. Mitrofan she recognized the old man she had seen. Holy Martyr Theodore of Antioch The fifteen-year-old youth Theodore suffered great suffering for Christ from the apostate Julian. Upon his release from prison along with many others, after the death of Julian, when asked by his relatives and friends what kind of pain he felt during torture, after long refusals, he, as Theodoret testifies, said: “someone appeared to me and, constantly wiping the sweat from my face with a soft and cold towel, commanded me to take courage, so that when the executioners stopped what they were doing, I was not happy, but began to feel pain”... St. torment. Theodore died peacefully in his deeds pleasing to God. Belyaeva V. book Alexander Nevsky, during. total ist. book 4. M. 1849. Cyril's life of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky - in Chr. Thurs. 1852, 2, 437–460. Both works contain indications of sources, among which the first place belongs to the legend of blessings. book Alexander, written by a contemporary (eg Polevoy in appendix IV, volume, pp. 42–61). In Chr. Thurs. 1852 2, 446 uncle prince. Alexandra Vasily Vsevolodovich was in vain considered to be that saint. book Vasily, cat. relics in Yaroslavl, just like St. Konstantin Vsevolod. - not Uncle Prince. Alexandra. - Ohm. July 3. Collection l. IV, 33. 34. It says here that the Tatars were “at Ignach’s cross, 100 miles from Novgorod.” There are 78 versts along the highway line from Kresttsy to Novgorod: but this is a line without detours and turns, and these were not the roads of a time distant from us. Collection l. III, 52; at Artsybashev 2. Ave. 257. Collection l. 4, 35. Arndt Livland. Chronik. 2, 42. 45. Bonnelt Russiscli – lifländ. Chronologie 1.s. 58. 2.73. 76. Hiärn Lifland. Chronik. in Monum. Livoniæ p. 123. Giern dates the matter with the Swedes to 1245, and Gadebusch to 1244. In pov. about St. Alexandra (collection l. 1, 204–206. 5, 2–6. 176–179) only the victory day of June 15 is noted; but here too it precedes Konorsk. business, but victory in Chudsk. lake shown two years later Nevsk. victory. In 1 and 4 Novgor. years. (Collected sheets 352. 53. 4, 35–37) Nevsk. the victory is directly placed under 1240 and two others also follow it. Sl. Bonnelt Chronogr. 1.s. 58.2, 76. About Tesovo and Sable – Sabelsky churchyard Nevolin in the essay about Pyatina p. 126. 127 and on the map. Collection l. 3, 53. 4, 37. 178. 179. 5, 4. 179. 180. Bonnelt Chronogr. 1, 59. 60. 2, 73. 74. Collection l. 3, 5. 4. 37. 179. 5, 4. 179. About Alexander’s journey to the horde in 1246 and the chronicle says: “go another to Batu” 4, 37. And they remembered: Giern Liefländ. Chronik. in monument. Livoniae p. 123. Arndt Liefl. Chronik 2, 45. 46. Kelch hist. Livon. p. 35–39. Bonnelt Chronog. 1, 60. Collection l. 3, 53. 54. 4, 37. 179. 180. 5, 4. 10. 180. Collection l. 3, 54. 5, 182. According to one chronicle, she died on May 5, according to another - on May 4; but if she died “in memory of St. Irina”, then May 5. “It was decided to be on the side of his son, Prince Theodore.” Nikon. l. 4, 12: “1244 reposed in. book Yaroslav Vsevolodovich Theodosius in Novgorod and was founded in the Yuryev Monastery; and Euphrosyne was named in the rank of Mnishe, since then I did not give names to the first word.” Collection l. 3, 54. 5, 182. 4, 37. 38. About the cross and the Tikhonravov church in Vladim. lips Ved. 1854 No. 5. About Svyatoslav himself, see note below. 362. Collection l. 1, 201. 226. 3, 37. 4, 37. Collection l. 5, 187. 1, 202. 3, 54. 4, 38. Belyaev clearly refuted Tatishchev’s accusation against the prince. Alexander, as if at his request, Nevryu devastated the Vladimir region and expelled Andrei (time general history 4. 18–20). Let us add as reinforcement that the chronicle says about the occupation of the Vladimir throne by Andrei in 1250: “Andrei drove out Svyatoslav, and he himself turned gray.” It is clear that Svyatoslav was considered insulted (collection l. 4:38). According to Suzdalsk. chronicles (collection l.1:202) in the fall of 1250, Svyatoslav and his son went to the horde and, of course, as an insulted person with a complaint. Death of Svyatoslav in Sof. years. entered under 1251 and indicated on February 3 (5, 187). But in the Suzdal Chronicle it is placed under 1252 (1, 202); the same is in the Trinity Chronicle (1, 226). And this is undoubtedly truer. In the RKP. description of saints: sq. Svyatoslav - Gabriel Vsevolodovich - Saint Yuryev of Poland and his memory is February 3. Collection l. 1, 202. Nick. l. 3, 34. Collection l. V, 187. Epistle of the peahen, written to c. to the prince, in monum. Bossiae. Petropoli 1841. 1, 68. 69. And according to the RKP. life of St. Alexander's embassy was sent in 1258. Sof. years. “by writing it off to dad.” But placed in the RKP. The life statement of faith is a fiction of the 16th century, since it contains a refutation of Lutheran thoughts about the worship of icons and the veneration of saints. If anyone has the desire to read such awkward fictions, they can find them in the Lives for November, pp. 255–259. St. Petersburg 1856 Collection l. III, 35. IV, 38. Collection l. 1. 203. Munke’s decree on taxes and mail, for Russia, sent to Berke back in 1253, in Iakinthos on Mongolia 3, 182. Collection l. III, 55. 56. V, 188. North. arch. 1825 Part 3, 196. 1824 No. 8. Bonnelt Chr. 1, 71. Only 37 years after this campaign of Alexandrov, the Swedes dared to disturb the Novgorod possessions again. Collection l. 1, 65. Collection l. 1, 203. Iakinf about Mongolia 3, 182. Collection l. 1, 202. 3, 56. 5, 188. 189. Collection l. 3, 56. 57. O Basque. there is not a word in the entire history of Novgorod. Gram. oh snosh. Russia with Riga and Hans. mountains St. Petersburg 1857 No. 1. Izv. acad. VI. Ananias about the city of Suzdal p. 188. Collection l. 3, 57. 5, 190. 4, 39. Collection l. 3, 58. 4, 180. 5, 6. 191. Snegireva Russian. old 3, 139–141. The town where St. died. Alexander, - n. Kasimov, who received this name in 1471, when he was given to Tsarevich Kasim. Ryaz. lips Ved. 1846 No. 13. Step. book 1, 374. For the miracles that followed, see Chr. Thurs. 1852 2, 507–511. Service of St. Alexander - at Rumyantsev No. 397, at Tsarsky No. 563. Synod. 234. L. 402: “created by the humble monk Michael to represent the monastery where the blessed body lies” There are two Canons. Life of St. Mitrofan, the first bishop of Voronezh, and the legend of the discovery of his relics. M. 1855 The inscription on the gospel: “l. 7174 (1666) Mar. On the 25th day this gospel was exchanged for Volodymyr. the district of the Most Pure Mother of God and the reverend Father Kozma of Yakhrinsky the Wonderworker, under Abbot Mitrofan, who was taken from the Zolotnikovsky Hermitage; but exchanged it for government money.” Vlad. collection p. 116. M. 1857. About his stay in the deserts of Zolotvitskaya, Yakhrinskaya and Unzhenskaya St. Mitrofan says in his will. Description Makarieva Unz. mon. M. 1835, p. 60. 15–17. 21.52. More details in East. Rus. Ts. 4, 263–273. Voronezh charters No. 74. Voronezh 1850 Letter in Moskvityanin 1844 1, 250. Voronezh. certificates No. 67. Thieves. 1850. Disputes also arose from the fact that only in 1675 the council would determine for each archpastor to manage the churches, according to the division of localities in the scribe. books on districts (Ryazan gram. No. 41. St. Petersburg, 1854) - and before that the church departments were very confused; They had not yet had time to get used to the new order, so as not to resort to the old one on occasion. About the stay of Emperor Peter and in Voronezh - Shchekatov in the dictionary 7, 1047–1058. Sl. Voronezh. lips Ved. 1848.V, 20. 24. Certificate in Ryazan. governor for 1855 No. 25. Voronezh. led 1848 No. 7. 8. 17. 1849 No. 36–40. Shchekatov has both letters in Dictionary 1, 1118–1120. Golikov in Shchekatov’s Dictionary 1, 1121–1122. Letter in Moskvityanin 1843 1, 240–241. Letter to Moscow. 1842 IX, 154–155. Own-manual n. sanctifies to the present. Spasoevfim. mon. not yet published. Zach. r. arch. total 1, 93. St. Petersburg. 1851 Description monasteries pp. 91. 92. Shchekatova dictionary 1, 1062. 1063.