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St. Muchch. Cosmas and Damian, unpaid doctors who suffered in Rome St. Cosmas and Damian are siblings. Their father was a pagan, their mother was a pious Christian, Theodotia. Left a widow, Theodotia devoted her entire life to giving her children a pious upbringing and education, through which they would benefit their neighbors. The pious mother therefore gave her children the means to obtain a medical education, thanks to which they benefited their neighbors during their bodily ailments. And having raised her sons in a pious Christian life, Theodotia made them capable of giving moral help to their neighbors. Given their highly moral state of mind, they surpassed their pagan doctor teacher in the art of medicine. The time when these holy doctors lived was the time of the initial spread of Christianity among the pagans. Holy doctors, healing the body of their neighbors, wished the best for their souls. Having completely devoted themselves to the good of their neighbors, when treating the sick, they were alien to greed. Moreover, being rich people, they not only did not take anything for treatment, but also distributed from their property to the poor. When treating the sick, they declared that our life depends on God and that, during treatment, their weak strength has strength because the power of God acts with it. And, indeed, who has not experienced the effects of drugs and the moral influence of a doctor? Moreover, those sick from Cosmas and Damian could not help but experience the influence of the power of the Spirit, as holy people on whom the power of God apparently rested. St. Cosmas and Damian, while healing bodily illnesses, preached faith in Christ, who came to earth to renew the entire nature of man, both mental and physical. The holiness of the lives of Cosmas and Damian, their always readiness to help the poor and sick, zeal for their neighbors, extending to the point that St. doctors treated sick cattle, and the moral influence of the saints, imbued with the power of God, encouraged the pagans to listen attentively to the preaching of Christ. And very many of the pagans - thanks to the preaching of St. doctors, in word and deed, accepted Christianity. St. Cosmas and Damian, who dedicated their lives to the good of their neighbors, healed the sick, as we have already said, for free and even gave from their property to the poor. As a result, no one could suspect them of treating for profit. But those who received medical care could not help but be grateful to their benefactors, who carried out selfless labors for them. They were ready to share the latter with their benefactors, although the saints, bearing in mind that the eyes of the pagans were turned on them, looking for an opportunity to reproach them for greed, avoided any gratitude. One woman, who spent enormous wealth on treating herself and was condemned to death by other doctors, heard about the doctors Cosmas and Damian and invited them to her place. The saints, using their medicine and calling on the name of God in their prayer, soon restored the sick woman from her bed. The patient could not find words to thank Cosma and Damian. She offered them rich gifts, but they refused. Finally, she decided to convince one of them to accept something as a token of gratitude. She sent Damian three eggs, saying that she was sending them in the name of the Holy Trinity. Damian, having heard about the Holy Trinity, accepted this gratitude. But Cosmas, having learned about this, was dissatisfied with his brother for a long time for this, not because, of course, he considered it a sin to receive a means of existence for his labors from wealthy people or from society in general, but because he was afraid of giving the pagans a reason to reproach Christian doctors for selfish purposes. Meanwhile, those who received medical help from Cosmas and Damian, as well as those who saw their selflessness, were filled to such an extent with love and gratitude to St. doctors, who were not only ready to sacrifice for them from their property, but were also ready to lay down their lives for them. In the year 284 after the birth of Christ, a persecution against Christians was launched. Those who were envious of the fame of Cosmas and Damian reported to the persecutor of Christians, Aurelius Carinus, that the doctors Cosmas and Damian professed the Christian faith and that they allegedly healed people and livestock by magic. Aurelius Carinus sent soldiers to capture Cosmas and Damian. Having learned about this, the believers began to ask St. doctors to hide from the soldiers. St. disagreed for a long time. The doctors, at the request of the believers, wanted to surrender themselves into the hands of the soldiers, but the tears of those who had benefited them and the pleas that they would not give themselves up to death for the good of their neighbors prompted them to take refuge in one cave. The soldiers, having learned that the Christians had hidden their doctors somewhere, instead captured several other people in the country where the saints had taken refuge. doctors. Those captured, despite the fact that they were surrounded by heavy chains, and were taken in order to be sent to Rome to die, decided to die rather than indicate the place where the holy doctors were hidden. Cosmas and Damian found out about this and did not want others to suffer for them. They themselves appeared in the face of the persecutor of Christianity. Solemnly, among many people, the persecutor began to reproach Cosmas and Damian for their faith in Christ and for their imaginary magic (witchcraft) in the treatment. The saints firmly confessed their faith in Christ and the fact that they, as Christians, hate magic, and that they heal the sick with the power of the Lord, who generously scattered throughout the earth with her wisdom everything useful for human health. The providence of God destined that the persecutor himself should experience the effects of the healing of St. Cosmas and Damian. When he was healed by them from a terrible illness, they were released. Glory to St. After this, the number of doctors increased even more, and the name of Christ became even more glorified among the pagans. Pagan doctors especially became jealous of their glory and tried to kill them. The doctor, who had previously been the medicine teacher of Cosmas and Damian, now pretending to be their friend, invited them, as if with the goal of going with them to the mountains to collect medicinal herbs. And there, collecting herbs with them, he killed St. doctors Cosmas and Damian, who presented the crown of martyrdom for their zeal for the good of others through medicine. Memory of St. Cosmas and Damian The church celebrates on July 1st and November 1st. In Crimea, at the foot of Chatyr-Dag, there is a spring called the source of St. Cosmas and Damian. Since ancient times, many pilgrims flock to this source, considered healing, on July 1st, the day of remembrance of saints; even Mohammedans often bring their sick. Priests from Bakhchisarai and Simferopol came here at this time to perform the rite of blessing of water and prayers. According to the idea of ​​the Right Reverend Innocent, a monastery was founded here in 1856. Venerable Peter, former patrician Peter, the son of the patrician and commander Constantine, having come of age, entered into marriage and after the death of his father received his rank and was a patrician (member of the state council) during the reign of Irina and Constantine, her son. During the war between the Greeks and the Bulgarians under Emperor Nikephoros, appointed chief military leader, he went against the enemies and first defeated them, but in July 811 the Greek army was ambushed near Shumla and was defeated; the emperor himself was killed. Peter, with fifty other high military dignitaries, was taken prisoner and kept in bonds. Once praying to God for his deliverance, he saw John the Theologian appear to him, who delivered him from his bonds and showed him the way to the west, to Rome. From here he returned safely to the Greek countries and, having renounced the world, went to Mount Olympia and there he labored as a monk together with the Venerable. Ioannikiem (November 4). He lived on Olympus for thirty-four years and, after the death of his wife, returned to Constantinople, where he first lived at the Church of Evander, which he founded, and then spent eight years in a solitary bush, in prayer and vigil. Died at the age of seventy-seven, 865. St. Martyr Potitus, Youth Born in Sardinia 1 from the pagan Hylas. Having accidentally found the books of Holy Scripture, thirteen-year-old Potitus began to read them and was so imbued with their content that he went to the Christians and received holy baptism. When his father found out about this, not having time to persuade his son to renounce the Christian faith, he locked him in one of the rooms of his house and starved him for several hours in order to force him to obey. The boy prayed all this time, asking God to give him patience and enlighten him. And God fulfilled his prayer even beyond his expectations... He instilled in him the words with which the youth-son led his inveterate pagan father to the truth. Having listened to the speeches of Potitus about the Divinity of Christ, seeing the fearless readiness of the youth to accept all the torments for His sake, Gilas said: “I have now learned and believe that the God speaking through the mouth of this youth is true, because the youth could not have spoken such wise speeches if he had not been admonished by Divine power”... And, believing with all his soul, Gilas accepted holy baptism. After this, Potitus taught others the faith of Christ and enlightened many with the truth. He lived for some time on a deserted mountain, among wild animals, and they obeyed him. Meanwhile, fame about the wonderful youth began to spread, especially since he had already managed to perform some healings in the name of God. Therefore, when the daughter of Emperor Antoninus, Agnia, fell ill, the dignitary Gelasius was sent for Potitus with 40 soldiers. Rich rewards and honors were promised to Potitus if he healed the sick woman. “If I heal your daughter,” Potitus turned to the emperor, “will you believe in God, in whose name I will heal her?” - Antonin answered in the affirmative, but when Agnia was healed, he attributed her wonderful healing, which converted many to Christ, simply to the amazing art of Christians in magic... and, moreover, ordered a thanksgiving sacrifice to the pagan gods, in which Potitus was forced to take part. When Potitus refused, the emperor subjected him to torture and began to threaten him with death... - May your face be covered with shame! - the boy said to him, - because a dog has more meaning than you: if it accepts bread from the hands of a man, it caresses him, and you, having received healing from God for your daughter, insult Him with unbelief and veneration of false gods... Angered by the bold reproach of the boy, the king ordered him to be thrown to be devoured by wild beasts, but the wild beasts of prey released on Potitus kissed his feet... – Do you not see the power of Christ my God? - the boy, untouchable among fierce beasts, turned to the tormentor. But this miracle did not convert the pagan, he was only amazed at the power of magic and, in a fierce desire to crush this incomprehensible force, he invented one after another terrible tortures for the young martyr. In the weakness of the weak, the power of God continued to act and preserved Potitus among all the trials, and struck the simple hearts of the people, who in large numbers believed in Christ during these wonderful phenomena... At this time, the king’s daughter, healed Agnia, fell at the feet of the martyr, asking to be baptized in the name of his God. New tortures were assigned to Potitus: they cut out his tongue, gouged out his eyes, and then they only ended his life by cutting off his head... † Repose of St. Photius, Metropolitan of Moscow After the death of St. Cyprian († September 16, 1406) more than two years passed before the new metropolitan arrived in Russia 2. V. book. Vasily Dmitrievich humbly submitted to the patriarch and the council the matter of the new metropolitan of Russia 3 . Vytautas, V. book Lithuanian, sent Theodosius, Bishop of Polotsk, to Constantinople with an insistent request both for his consecration as a metropolitan and for him to be a separate Metropolitan of Lithuania 4 . The long-standing desire of the rulers of the south-west of Russia to have a special metropolitan this time was revealed in a sharp form because Vytautas and V. book Vasily waged war among themselves at this time. P. Matthew did not recognize the need to deviate from the ancient custom this time and sent Photius 5, who was well known to him, to the rank of Metropolitan of all Russia. This is what the blessed one writes about his life before leaving for Russia. Photius in his dying will: “from a young age I wanted to live for virtue; Therefore, I refrained from the pleasures of marriage, the honors of the world did not seduce me, and I did not desire temporary human glory. I imagined earthly happiness in the form of a ship, which, not seeing what is behind it, encounters only obstacles and constraint in front of it. I wanted one thing, I cared about one thing - to present my immortal soul pure to God and my Master. As soon as I parted with the world, under the cover of God’s grace I directed my thoughts and soul to the bright heavenly villages; I was enlightened by the instructions of the holy elder Akakios, great, equal to the ancient great fathers, whom the king, patriarch and saints respected. I was still a youth when I entrusted myself to this holy mentor; My soul did not yet know evil then, and from a young age, under his guidance and instructions, I imprinted on my soul the image of piety. The great saint loved me and always talked to me as with a beloved son, strengthened me with faith, kept my body pure, filled my mind with useful knowledge, instructed me how I should live, how I should be dead to the world. And I wanted to live not in connection with the ghostly images of temporary life, but sought with my soul to contemplate the pure, holy, bright objects of that life. And then, poor man, I met with unexpected misfortune. By the will of the holy elder, the great among saints, Cyrus Akakios, I arrived from Morea to Constantinople, and the sovereign Emperor Manuel placed a burden on me so that I would receive the great degree of sainthood; God knows that the council forced me to do this for a long time, but I could not get rid of it; His Holiness Patriarch Cyrus Matthew appointed a council, and I went to the most holy Russian Metropolis" 6 . From these words it is clear that it was not easy for bl. Photius to part with the East. To console his soul, he took those close to him as priests. Pachomius from the Bolgars, with whom he lived with Blessed. Akakia 7, and Patricia. Both in Morea and in Constantinople he made people love him. From Constantinople, he maintained friendly relations with him, the most educated man of his time, the pious teacher of the Church of Constantinople, Jer. Joseph Bryennius 8. The Patriarch, in his desk letter, approved of Photius as a very capable mentor in faith and piety 9 . The Monemvasian Church, where he zealously carried out the good orders of its archpastor Akakios, remembered him in prayers as “who increased it with his labors and adorned it with his offerings” 10. Since there were many Slavs in Morea during the blessed times. Photius 11, then if he did not have time to briefly learn their language, as he himself admits 12, at least the spirit and customs of the Slavs were known to him, which, of course, meant no little for his service in the Russian Church. Sep. 1st 1409 bl. Photius arrived in Kyiv on 13. Since in the southwest they complained that they did not see the metropolitan 14, Photius stayed there for more than 7 months, personally examining the state of affairs and resolving complaints about violations of order. It was especially gratifying to his desert-loving soul to see the caves of the ascetics of God and here to ask for help in his new service from the celestial inhabitants - the cave dwellers. Finally he went to Moscow. On the eve of Easter (April 22, 1410) and c. The prince and all the Moscow clergy met Photius far outside the city 15. It was a lot of bittersweet to see Photius in Moscow. After the invasion of Edigei (in December 1408), all the cities of Russia from Ryazan to Rostov and from Nizhny to Tver and Serpukhov were devastated; The Moscow Kremlin was saved, but all the suburbs of Moscow burned down. In the house of the metropolis, where the owner had been absent for so long, Photius “found nothing”; even the immovable estates of the metropolis were plundered 16 . Photius “began to restore the church estates and income of the metropolis and began to look for where everything was missing, what was taken with resentment by princes and boyars, what was stolen by other selfish people, villages, volosts, income, duties belonging to the house of the Most Pure Mother of God” 17. Having collected the most accurate information about the situation of the metropolitan property, he made a request to V. to the prince about protecting the Church from the self-will of people. “I pray to your piety, my son,” he wrote, to approve with your letter the gift of the Church of God, protect all its customary rights, strengthen its duties” 18. Then he went to inspect another cathedral city near his metropolis - Vladimir. The Vladimir Cathedral Church had recently been painted by the best icon painters Daniil and Andrei Rublev 19 and was famous for its wealth. Photius instructed Patricius, who arrived with him, to guard the cathedral and went to the Svyatoozersk Hermitage, the favorite residence of St. Cyprian. But he had barely left Vladimir when (July 3, 1410), at the instigation of the Nizhny Novgorod prince. Daniil Borisovich, Tsarevich Talych with crowds of Tatars attacked Vladimir. The robbers devastated and burned villages and churches, broke into the Vladimir Cathedral Church, tore off St. icons, demanded from Patricius the hidden treasures of the church - vessels and treasury. Patrick, true to his duty, did not give it away. They set him on fire, flayed him, dragged him around the city, tied to a horse's tail, and, having tortured him to death, did not force him to betray him 20 . Talycha sent the Tatars to capture the saint himself, but Bl. Photius withdrew with Pachomius into the deep forests of Lake Sineg, which is now in Pokrovsky district. The quiet, serene place resembled the desert of the bl. Akakia. Captivated by the beauty of solitude, bl. Photius built the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady here. Imagining the worries and labors of pastoral service, he repeated with contrition: “Did I think of parting with the silence and crying over my sins that was so dear to me? And what happened to me? After such peace, so much anxiety, excitement, and work!” The danger from the Tatars had long passed, more than a month had passed since their departure from Vladimir, and the desert-loving shepherd did not think of leaving his dear silence. The prince sent V. to him with a request to return to the department. It was necessary to go to Moscow 21. The Emperor greeted the Metropolitan with joy. After talking about past troubles in. the prince conveyed to the shepherd the pleasant news of the emperor’s desire to marry the daughter of the Moscow prince and grandson of Vitovt with his son. The saint blessed this union, since it promised many useful things for the saint. Churches 22. Following the marriage, a sakkos with embroidered images of the young royal couple was sent from Constantinople to the benevolent saint and prayer book. the prince, his wife and Photius himself; Along the edges of the sakkos, the Creed is embroidered in gold in Greek, without adding the word: “true” 23. Meanwhile, Photius continued to pursue cases regarding the property of the metropolis. This aroused strong displeasure against him; even in. the prince was not entirely happy with this matter, since some income from the disputed lands went to his treasury; and helpful people tried to increase displeasure with slander. prince to metropolitan. Anger and untruth showered the bl. Photius with slander 24. The shepherd, not valuing anything earthly, caring only about fulfilling his duty, in a letter to V. The prince gave examples of great imps. Constantine and Theodosius, and the establishment of the emperor. Manuel about church property. “But now everything ancient is silent,” he said further, and a lot of new things are speaking. I am being blamed. It doesn't matter to me whether I am praised or scolded. Blame does not sadden me and I will not become worse for praise. Whether they scold me or praise me, I will remain the same as I was: for I am a servant of God, although a sinner. The one who surrenders himself to the will of God in everything and does everything for the glory of God has nothing more to look at. Let it be known to you, my son, that you are a man and reign with God over His chosen flock; therefore, he must strive for His flock and for His truth against every rebellion, even to the point of bloodshed. Know, my son, that you insult the Church of God by violently taking from her what does not belong to you. Speak, my son, to the Church of Christ and to me, your father: “I have sinned, Father, forgive me, from now on you will find in me a submissive son in everything that the law requires; I will restore the violated rights of the Church, given and approved by my ancestors, but then, over the course of many years, I will return what was abandoned and impoverished.” This is my petition to the man of God and the Grand Duke of all Russia” 25. With such persistence, the shepherd, although not soon, although with sorrows, managed to return to the department everything that belonged to it, managed to acquire something again, either by purchase or from voluntary offerings 26 . Caring for the affairs of the earthly saints. the pastor facilitated modern conversations with modern ascetics of piety, such as the Rev. Nikon of Radonezh, Sergius and Pavel Obnorsky, Dionysius Glushitsky, Ferapont of Mozhaisk. Out of love for monastic life, Photius founded the Novinsky monastery near him on land belonging to the metropolis 27 . From time to time he retired to Golenishchevo near Moscow, beloved of St. Cyprian 28. In 1413, Moscow was delighted by the appearance of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God on Kolocha, and Blessed. Photius met St. icon solemnly in Moscow 29. An equally comforting event was the appeal to St. the faith of the stubborn pagans of the Mtsensk country. The pagans rejected all the admonitions that were offered to them by the preachers of St. faith. "IN. book Vasily Dmitrievich sent an army, and Metropolitan Photius sent a priest.” The stubborn pagans suddenly became blind. “Frightened by the force of arms, and even more by sudden blindness, they listened to the sermon and the inhabitants of both the city itself and its surroundings were baptized” 30. For the blessed Saint, a difficult time has come. Vytautas, having convened the Russian princes under his control, declared that it was necessary to deny Photius control of the Lithuanian churches and to have a special metropolitan. By common decision they sent to ask the emperor and patriarch for a special metropolitan. The emperor and P. Euthymius did not find it necessary to fulfill the wishes of Vytautas, and Gregory Tsamvlak, whom they wanted to see as metropolitan, returned with nothing. Vytautas convened the bishops and archimandrites of his region and offered them his desire and the refusal of the East. The clergy, as Vitautas says, agreed that “due to the distance of the metropolitan from their dioceses there is a lot of unrest and that they can consecrate a metropolitan without the patriarch.” According to the chronicles, the clergy for a long time did not agree with Vitovt’s desire and pointed to the church rule (4 Ecumenical Sob. pr. 12); but they threatened him with the disasters of the Church and forced consent. Confirmation of the accuracy of the chronicle news is that after the conferences, Vytautas again sent his previous request to Constantinople. Sending ambassadors in March 1415, he demanded that a response be sent no later than August 15, adding that otherwise a metropolitan would be elected and consecrated by local bishops. When no response was sent from Constantinople at the beginning of November, then on November 14, Gregory 31 was elevated to the degree of Metropolitan of Lithuanian Russia. The Lithuanian-Russian bishops published two letters, one to Photius, the other to the entire Russian Church. In the first, they announce that when Photius first visited Kyiv, they noticed in him actions that were contrary to church rules, and then heard about an act that exposed him to eruption; but they do not want to dishonor him and only refuse to obey him. In the second, they justify the installation of Gregory as metropolitan: they point to the disadvantages that the Kiev Church suffered from the metropolitan’s stay in Moscow - to examples of the appointment of metropolitan. Hilarion and Clement, on the Apostolic Rule and, finally, on the illegality of the emperor’s arbitrariness. – Vytautas issued a letter on his own behalf, where he expressed sharp complaints against the emperor, patriarch and Photius, and said that he acted in accordance with the will of the princes and only for the honor of the Russian Church 32. Blazh. Photius wanted to avert the impending misfortune with a personal explanation with Vytautas, but having been robbed on the border of Lithuania, he was forced to return to Moscow. The shepherd of Russia could not help but give his voice about such an important event as the division of the metropolis. Blazh. Photius wrote a district message. But neither in this nor in other letters does he say a word about his personality in defense against the charges brought against him by the bishops and Vytautas. This is a remarkable trait and quite appropriate for a shepherd! But every outsider has the right and must tell the truth about the blessed one. Photias. Vitovt wrote that precious utensils were taken from Kyiv to Moscow, “St. relics, the heavenly suffering of Christ, the scepter of the Most Holy. Mother of God, Her robe and sandal." If this were true, then the said sacred objects would have been known to Moscow from the chronicles and inventories of Moscow; they, of course, would have been preserved until late times; and no one ever knew about them in Moscow. The bishops talk about some actions of Photius in Kyiv, about which information reached them. But according to the rules of the Church, it was necessary to demand explanations from the accused and then draw up a decision, moreover, in relation to the metropolitan, both had to be done only with the permission of the patriarch. Without any doubt, the offensive reviews of Vitovt and the bishops about Photius were based on rumors spread by bad people who fled from Moscow to Lithuania. “Bad people,” says the chronicle, composed a lot of slander against him; these are those of his household who fled from Moscow to the Chernigov ruler, and from there to Lithuania to Vytautas” 33. In his district letter, Photius defends the emperor and the patriarch, justifies the unity of the metropolis by its antiquity, reminds the bishops of Lithuania of their oath not to accept another metropolitan except the one sent from Constantinople, and cites one after another up to 30 rules to confirm that those who illegally accept power are not true shepherds and those who dedicate themselves to shepherds are subject to excommunication without permission 34 . This message, like the whole matter about Gregory, was considered at a council of shepherds who gathered in March 1416 to consecrate the Novgorod archpastor 35 . In defense of the blessed Photius and the entire Moscow Church at this time several miracles were performed from the relics of the first Metropolitan of Moscow, St. Peter - and Kyiv was robbed and set on fire by the Tatars 36. Blazh. Photius wrote in Pskov: “don’t be surprised at what happened... Time supplies its servants. Maintain your true Orthodox faith and customs, and remove from your hearing the unrighteous writings of those who violate the Holy Scriptures. rules. If anyone from that rebellious country, from Lithuania, comes to live with you, receive them to you as Orthodox Christians who shun unrighteousness” 37. The sad time of the divided metropolis did not last long. Gregory died in 1419 38 . Svidrigailo, released from prison (in 1418) by friends of Orthodoxy and always ready to act in defense of the Orthodox, frightened Vytautas and forced him to put aside Jogaila’s plans for papism 39 . Therefore, after the death of Gregory, Vitovt agreed that Photius would again take over the dioceses of the southwest 40. Blazh. Photius went to survey the southwestern metropolis. In 1420 he was in Novgorod with Vitovt and in Mstislavl with Prince. Simeon Lugvenya, and in Slutsk he baptized his son at Prince. Alexandra. Then from Kyiv in 1421 he was in Lvov; spent the holiday of the Nativity of Christ in Vladimir Volynsky, on the day of Epiphany he arrived in Vilna 41. Probably at this time he baptized Prince Mamaev’s grandson. Oleks, the ancestor of the Glinsky princes: Oleks was baptized by the Metropolitan in Kyiv 42. Sorrows did not cease to oppress the caring shepherd. For three years in a row (1420–1422) there was no bread in Russia, and the price for it rose to the extreme 43. Since 1417, the pestilence moved from one place to another, and from 1420 it began to act with increasing force in terrible forms 44. The saint sent out messages and teachings, one after another, calling the unrepentant to repentance and comforting the discouraged 45 . – In these sorrows, the saint was consoled by the help of the Mother of God: with the bringing of the Chir Icon of Hodegetria to Pskov, the plague subsided in Pskov (1420), and the Metropolitan blessed the Chir Icon to be celebrated in Pskov, July 16, 46. Two years later, the relics of St. Sergius were discovered - as a triumph of the spirit over death and corruption, and around the same time the saint became famous for his miracles. Nikita, Pereyaslav Stylite. But here are some more worries. At the beginning of 1425, February 29, he died. book Vasily Dmitrievich, leaving behind his son Vasily, 10 years old, and four brothers. Three younger brothers, even during the life of Vasily Dmirievich, recognized their nephew as V. prince Yuri Dmitrievich, Prince of Galich and Zvenigorod, did not seal the spiritual will with his consent, as the brothers did 47. As soon as he died. Prince, that same night M. Photius sent his boyar to Zvenigorod to invite Yuri to Moscow to determine his relationship to the throne. prince But Yuri did not go and began to assemble shelves in Galich. Troops in. The prince also moved. Forced to flee, Yuri asked for a truce. Moscow saw the need to strengthen the agreement in a more durable form. And so, according to the general voice, Saint Photius went to Galich to convince Yuri to complete submission. He was in such a hurry to fulfill an important assignment that, despite all the requests, he did not stay in Yaroslav to celebrate the liturgy on St. Forerunners (June 24). Yuri accepted the blessing. Photius was honorably outside the city, while crowds of people gathered from the villages were located in sight along the mountain in order to frighten Photius. The Metropolitan, understanding Yuri’s thought, said: “Son, Prince Yuri! I have never seen so many people in sheep’s wool.” The saint urged the end of claims to the throne. prince and conclude eternal peace. Yuri did not agree. The saint left the city without giving the saint's blessing. And the destructive disease, which was already active in different places and in Moscow itself, immediately began to rage in Galich. The people were horrified, and Yuri learned the admonition of God. He hurried after the retreating saint and with tears begged him to return to the city; he agreed to peace so that in the treaty the dispute over the throne would be left to the decision of the khan 48 . So through the efforts of the blessed one. Photius stopped the bloody civil strife. Recent years bliss. The saint's grief was especially severe due to the intensified terrible infection among the people. The child-loving archpastor deeply sympathized with the suffering of his flock. “God knows,” he wrote, how severe were my sorrows over the separation of our pious leader. Prince Vasily Dmitrievich. But then an even greater disaster came and I had to cry and sob. And there I fell into deeper sorrow. Pity ate me and, together with the prophet, my eyes disappeared from tears for the flock of Christ, from the immense mortality and devastation of Christian homes that befell us for our unrepentance before God.” This is how the blessed one confesses. shepherd in his dying will. In his messages and teachings 49 he expressed the same feelings of compassion and taught saving consolations. “The Lord seeks our salvation, and not our destruction,” he wrote to Pskov, when the illness there began to subside. Having struck many times, He preserves the root so that the fruit may appear. We also had the same visitation of God in Moscow and surrounding cities, in Tver and other places. We give thanks to the unsearchable ways of God’s love for mankind; does not suddenly, not suddenly steal death, but allows the sick to die Christianly, with pure repentance, consecration of oil and with the communion of St. and the life-giving body of Christ and His life-giving blood. And many go to God in the rank of the great angelic image. For those who depart with such preparation, I trust in God’s love for mankind.”50 In 1430, when the archpastoral ministry in Moscow marked 20 years, a messenger came with an invitation to the blessed one. Photius to another world. – On Bright Week on Thursday (April 20), after Matins, Photius lay down to rest. Suddenly an extraordinary light shone. And the saint saw before him a luminous man, with a crown on his head and a staff in his hand. In awe, Photius asked: “Who are you and how did you appear here when the doors are locked?” “I am not one of the people,” answered the visitor, but an angel of God sent to you from the Lord Almighty of Hosts. The Lord commanded me to tell you a word for your confirmation. Take heed to yourself and your flock. Christ God gives you a week to review your life and order your flock.” Hearing these words, the saint fell in trepidation at the feet of the messenger of God, but he became invisible. This vision and the glory of the angel so shocked Photius that he lay on the floor for a long time, until the monks who lived with him came in and laid him on the bed. He was silent and did not open his eyes. Then he came to his senses and told the vision 51; the saint submitted himself to the will of God and continued the ministry entrusted to him. 5 months after the vision, the high priest, together with the Grand Duke, was in Lithuania with Vytautas, due to special circumstances. Back in 1429, Emperor Sigismund proposed at the Diet of Lithuania to elevate Vytautas to the rank of king. At the same time, prompted by the requests of Emperor John Palaiologos and the obvious unrest of the Western hierarchy, he declared his firm intention to take up the matter of uniting the Churches and his thoughts were not at all in favor of the Roman Church 52. In August 1430 there was to be a congress of princes and sovereigns in Lithuania, and then Vytautas was to be crowned. The Grand Duke of Moscow went to Vilna and Metropolitan went with him. Photius, as related by rank to the rulers of Moscow and Lithuania. The dream of the elderly Vitovt did not come true. The Poles intercepted the ambassadors sent by the emperor with the crown. Vytautas, struck by grief, was approaching death day by day, and it followed on October 29, 1430. Photius remained in Vilna almost until Vytautas’s death. He later saw the new Grand Duke of Lithuania, Svidrigail, whom all Russians loved for his favorable disposition towards Orthodoxy 53 . Without a doubt, by this time, when they thought about reconciliation between the Eastern and Western Churches, Blessed. Photius prepared his writings on the procession of the Holy Spirit and on the difference between the Eastern and Western Churches 54 . – With them he prepared both the young sovereign of Moscow and others of his flock for the work of uniting the Churches. And of course, the instructions of the blessed one. The Russian Church owed a shepherd to the fact that the young Grand Duke so firmly rejected the union of Isidore. Finally, the deadline appointed by the blessed one. Photius to prepare for eternity, died. He died peacefully on July 1, 1431 55. His relics were found in 1471 56. The saint left behind many teachings and messages 57. Some of them later acquired particular importance for the Church. This is his message to Pskov dated August 12, 1419. Here he said to the Pskovites: “regarding what you write to me about alleluia in the glories, say so: “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God” and 2 more times” 58 . This message was pointed out back in the 15th century by the writer of the letter “to Athanasius, ktitor of the great Lavra of St. St. Nicholas about the three-pronged alleluia." “You should, father, listen to how Christ Himself, the Metropolitan of Kyiv, Moscow and all Russia, Photius, wrote to us at the house of the Holy Trinity in Pskov, sent a letter, sealed with a seal with the incarnation of the Son of God in the pure Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, which letter still lies with the Holy Trinity; it says: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God." 59 It is remarkable that in the Greek triodion of St. Photius ἀλληλούϊα is written three times 60. In one of the three messages against Strigolniki there are 61 blessings. Photius wrote: “if the rules of St. Apostles and Ecumenical Saints Councils forbid, even with the threat of damnation, the priestly rank to form separate meetings: even more so do they forbid a layman to dare to do anything like that. A layman is not invested with holy orders; he - a verbal sheep - is obliged to obey the church order... Let them say blasphemy against a bishop or a priest: one should not be separated from communication with him until a trial is carried out and he is deprived of his title.” Addressing the priests, he says: “Admonish them with all your attention; if they do not convert, excommunicate them from the Orthodox faith, so that they are not among you like tares among wheat.” In another letter he wrote: “I hear that some of you, neglecting their Christian name, value God’s great priesthood and monasticism at nothing... The Christian faith was established by the teaching and authority of the Apostles; the same power, according to the commandment of Christ, is given to the hierarchical and priestly ranks. The priesthood of God has been given the power to forgive sins. If they do not convert, do not accept offerings from them and cut them off, like rotten members, from the healthy body - the Church of Christ.” He wrote: “just as heaven is distant from earth, so our dignity is above all worldly things, so Christ’s sacred sacrament is above everything in the world. Christ Himself acted sacredly, giving us His body and His blood for food and drink, and bequeathed through the Apostles to do the same. Above all, the priestly hand: it touches the Divine coal. Having accepted a stinking and dead man, by the power of grace Christ created him as God, and entrusted us with the task that belongs to the only God - to forgive human sins.” From the teachings of the blessed one. Photius is edifying by his teachings spoken during public disasters 62. Others believe that its deposit is either Sardis in Lydia, or Sardica in Dacia or Thrace. The life of Saint Photius is described in detail by Mr. Gorsky in the addendum. to Creation O. Cer. M. 1852 (207–271). I. a. 1. No. 13. Ak. zap. R. 1. No. 25, p. 36. “The Cathedral, Reverend. Cyrus Matthew the Patriarch ordained the saint to the Kyiv Metropolis for all Rus',” says Photius in the spiritual testament of the degree book. According to the table charter (historical a. No. 254), it was dedicated to March 11, 1393 by Anthony. It must be assumed that in Photius’s will there is of course a conciliar decision on the sending of Photius to Russia, with the rank of Metropolitan of all Russia. This is quite consistent with the course of the matter. In Russia they only knew the time of this council, which was important in its consequences, and therefore they wrote (Nich. l. 5, 17. Russian times 1:222): “in the summer of 6917 September. 1 (1408) Photius was appointed Metropolitan by N. Matthew.” Degree. book 2, 28: “by conciliar election, the former Photius was consecrated to the metropolis of Kyiv and All Russia - in l. 6917". Collection l. 6.144, 145. In Nikon. l. 5, 100–108 and powers. book 2, 40–47. The Testament of Photius in a different translation and with some abbreviations and additions. G. Shevyrev writes with all confidence that this Pachomius is the famous Serbian biography writer Pachomius Logofeg (Ist. Russian words. III, preface, p. 18). But: a) the writer is Serbian and Logothet, and the one who came with Photius is a Bulgarian; b) a modern note says about the writer Pachomius: “who came from the Serbian land to the great. book Vasily Vasilyevich" (Tsarsky No. 20, p. 51); c) it is completely incredible that Pachomius, who arrived in Russia in 1408 as a hieromonk and so on. not younger than 30 years old, could wander around Russia in 1461. See review of lit. § 99. His letter to Photius, ed. between his works: Ιοσηφ μοναχου Βριέννου τα παραλιπομενα. σ. γ. ι. 168. Codices manuscripti biblioth. Taurinensis p. 422. Turini 1769. Falmerayer Geschich d. Morea th. 1. f. 240 th. f. 316. “Do not despise my humility, for I am not skilled in your scripture and language.” Additional to the source ak. 1, 323. Step. book 2, 29: “m. Photius I haven’t learned the Russian language yet.” Nikon. l. 5, 29. 32. Step. book 1,531. Vytautas: “and we did not want to accept Metropolitan Photius, and he swore to be here again and build a church.” Ak. zap. R. 1, 36. Cont. Nestor 232. Collection. l. 6, 132. 5, 258. Step. book 2, 29. 1, 531. Collection l. 6, 145. Nikon. l. 5, 33. Step. book 2, 29. 30. 1, 531. Lesson in Volokol. RKP. No. 411 and add. 1852, pp. 423–424. As for the letter (A.I. 1. No. 255), with which Photius allegedly addressed the conscience of the thieves of the metropolitan treasury, it relates to a completely different matter - to the theft of private property placed in the church for safekeeping. Nikon. l. 5, 14. Step. book 1,530. Step. book 2, 30–33. Collection l. V, 256. VI, 139. Nikon. l. V, 37–39. The last one shows the year 1411 incorrectly: all the others show 1410. Nikon. l. V, 39. 40. Step. book 2, 31. 1, 531. East. Hier. 6, 70. 71. Where, however, Lake Sineg is mistakenly taken to be one with the Holy Lake and the desert where Met. Cyprian lived. Nikon. l. 5, 41, cont. Nest. 233. Collection l. 6, 139. Step. book 2, 33. 1, 531. 532. Russian. times 1, 222, about the marriage of Anna Ducas, hist. Bysant. r. 53. 54. Par. 1649 Antiquities of the state Ross. dept. IV, 29. A. Savva index of the patriarchal sacristy, pp. 38–40. M. 1858 Nikon. l. 5, 51. 53. Step. book 2, 34. RKP message in. book Vasily Dmitrievich in Volokol. RKP. No. 414. Nikon. l. 5, 33. 107. Collection. l. 6, 145. Steppes, book. 2, 30. V. the prince came to terms with the demands of Photius: this is evident from the fact that the slanderers were forced to flee to Lithuania. Nikon. l. 5, 53. 54. Swedish about mon., p. 275. Snegireva Russian. antiquity 3, 45–47. Snegireva starina 2, 33–34. Nikon. l. 5, 48–51. Russian time. 1, 235–237. Prologue July 9. Step. book 1, 532. 566–568. A modern note on the RKP: “and this summer (1413) from the Mozhaisk city, 10 versts, in the village of Andrei, Prince Dmitrievich, from the icon of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos appeared in abundance and forgiveness to people, blind, lame, paralyzed, deaf and others: there is no way to powerfully say or erase them; The human mind cannot express how much love God has for mankind and what kindness there is for people.” Izv. acad. VI, 304. An ancient legend - in Russian. Vivliofike Polevoy, p. 361. Collection l. 5, 259. Nikon. l. 5, 51–59. Cont. Nestor 238. Step. book 2, 34. 35. Act. zap. Russian 1. No. 24. 25. Nikon. l. 5, 59–64. Nikon. l. 6, 53, 54. Collection. l. VII, 87. Steppes, book. 2, 36. Two are named here: Savva Avramiem and Thomas Lazarev, who traded in Lithuania. Collection l. 4, 116. Where the district epistle of Photius is briefly proposed and where it is said about the council “on occasion” that gathered, he condemned Gregory. Photius mentions his district message in a message dated September 6, 1416 (ac. history 1. No. 20). Collection l. 3, 116. 6, 140. Lvov. years. 2, 256. 257. Nikon. l. 5, 73. Collection. l. VIII, 90. At the end of one Gospel it is noted: “summer 6928 (1420) ind. 13 Metropolitan of Russia Gregorie Tsamblak reposed. Note from a worshiper of the holy mountain, p. 251. Kiev, 1864. Collection l. 4, 117. Dlugosh lib XI, p. 396.558. “Christ again adorned His church with peace and brought my humility into His Church, with the advice of the noble, the glorious. book Alexandra (Vytautas).” Additional to the source ak. 1, 338. Hierodeacon Zosima, of course, took advantage of this world and lived in Kyiv for six months before going to Jerusalem. “From the Russian country and from the capital city of Moscow,” he writes, from the great Lavra of St. Abbot Sergius, he tried to comprehend the glorious city of Kyiv, which was the mother of all the Russian cities. And having reached the city of Kyiv by the grace of B., he stayed in the monastery, which is called the Kiev Pechera, at the tomb of St. Anthony and Abbot Theodosius for half a year. And there with the thought and desire to see St. places where Christ walked with His feet.” Years. Danilovich, p. 244. Litovsk. Chronicle, p. 56. Karam. 5, pr. 225. Pedigree. book in Time. X, 157. 158. 195. “By God’s will, Alex was sent to Kyiv to be baptized, and the Metropolitan of Kiev baptized him into the peasant faith and gave him the name Prince Alexander in holy baptism.” It also says here that Oleksa’s father, Prince. Mansur-Kiyata founded the cities of Glinsk, Glinetsa and Polteva (Poltava), and the son, after his father, owned these cities. Collection l. 4, 203. 5, 24. Nikon. l. 5, 75, 79. Years. at Karamz. pr. 222. 258. 386. Additional to the source ak. 1. No. 180–183. Collection l. 5, 23. Knyazev’s description of the Pskov Cathedral, pp. 42–44. 46. ​​M. 1858 Collection state gram. 1. No. 41–42. Nikon. l. 5, 82–85. Collection l. VIII, 92. 93. Steppes, book. 2, 4. 5. 37. 38. In charters (collected charters 1. No. 43. 44). Book Yuri recognized his nephew as leader. prince Message to Pskov according to the indictment of 1426 Ak. ist. 1. No. 30. Nikon. l. 5, 98–100. Steppe, room 2, 39. 40. Nikon. l. 5, 96. 97. Step. book 2, 38. Dlugosh L. XI. r. 542. f. acad. zap. R. 2. No. 144. Act. zap. Russian 1, approx. 32. Another work against the Latins in the Synod. 6. Collection l. 4, 206. 5, 264. 6, 144. Nikon. l. 5, 97. 98. Degree. book 2, 47. Only to degrees. book the demise of the bl. Photia July 2; in all others – July 1. Prologue of May 29. Step. book 2, 90. 96. Lviv. l. 3, 26. Spirit review. literature § 84. Shevyreva ist. Ross. words III, 320–342. 377–382. Message in the collection Rumyants. music No. 358. l. 382. Description music., pp. 508. 512. RKP. Synod. bib. XVI century No. 466. l. 260 and Makaryevskaya minea m. Aug. l. 815. The writer of the message says that Constantinople was taken by the Turks “for these years.” Constantinople was taken in 1453, next. The letter was written around 1470. A. Savva Index of the Synodal sacristy, page 132. M. 1855. East. act. 1. No. 21. 33. 34. His teachings ed. in Orthodox Interlocutor 1860 and 1861