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† Holy Isaiah, Bishop of Rostov St. Isaiah was born in the Kiev region. Having loved the Lord from a young age, he accepted monasticism at the Pechersk monastery of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius. Striving here with steadfastness, with the help of grace he surpassed many in fasting, prayer and other virtues. “Strength in a person,” said the ancient elder, depends not on human nature, which is subject to change, but on a decisive intention, strengthened by the help of God” 223. This is how blessed Isaiah became known for his great monastic deeds! When blessed Varlaam, abbot of the Demetrius Monastery, died on the way from Constantinople, “the Christ-loving prince Izyaslav chose Isaiah from the brethren of the great monastery of Theodosius, who had shone with his monastic life, and appointed St. Demetrius." This was in 1065 224. In 1078, the Monk Isaiah took part in the prayer of the Pechersk fathers for the seduced Nikita, and in the same year “for his high life” he was appointed bishop of the city of Rostov 225 . In the Rostov diocese they were expecting St. Isaiah's hard labors. This is what happened in the Rostov region 4 years before his arrival at the department! “There was, says the chronicle, a famine in the Rostov region. Two wise men rose from Yaroslavl. We know, they said, who holds the abundance. They set off along the Volga and when they come to the churchyard, they point to the best wives and say: these hold the bread, those hold the honey, those hold the fish. They brought their sisters, mothers and wives to them; and they deceitfully cut through behind the shoulders and took out either livestock or fish. And they killed many wives, and took their property for themselves. They came to Beloozero - and there were up to 300 people with them. At the same time, Ian, son of Vashtin, had to come from Svyatoslav to collect tribute. The Belozero residents told him that two magicians had beaten many wives along the Volga and Sheksna and came here. Jan, asking whose subjects they were, and learning that they were his prince, sent to say to those who were with them: give me the Magi, they are the subjects of my prince. They didn't listen. Ian went on his own and without a weapon. The youths told him: do not go unarmed, they will dishonor you. He ordered the youths to arm themselves and they, 12 in number, went with him through the forest. They also came out against Ian. When Jan was walking with an ax, three of them approached Jan and said: you are going to obvious death, don’t go. He ordered them to be beaten, and he himself moved on. They rushed at Ian and one raised an ax at Ian, but missed. Yan, turning the ax, struck with the butt and ordered the youths to chop them down. They ran into the forest. Priest Yanov was killed here. Yan, entering the city of Belozertsev, said: if you don’t catch these magicians for me, then I’ll stay with you for the whole summer. The Belozersk people went, caught them and brought them to Yan. “Why did you kill so many people?” asked Ian. “They hold back the abundance,” answered the wise men: “if we destroy them, there will be an abundance of bread; if you like, we will take out the grain, or fish, or something else in your eyes!” Jan said: “You lie, God created man from the earth, composed of bones, sinews and blood; there is nothing else in it.” They answered: “We know how man was created.” - “How?” Ian asked. They said: “God, having washed himself in the bathhouse and sweated, wiped himself with a rag and threw him from heaven to earth; Satan entered into a dispute with God, who will create from that person? The devil created the body, but God gave the soul.” - Jan said: “Truly the demon has deceived you; What God do you believe in? They answered; “To the one in the abyss... The gods tell us that you will not do anything bad to us; “We must appear before Svyatoslav.” Yang ordered them to be beaten and their beards to be pulled out. When they were beaten, Jan asked: “What are the gods telling you?” “We must stand in front of Svyatoslav,” they answered... Jan asked the carters: “Have they killed any of your relatives?” “One’s mother was killed,” they said, “one’s sister was killed,” the third’s had children. “Take revenge on them,” said Yang. They grabbed them and killed them and hung them on an oak tree 226. These are the kind of people Saint Isaiah had to deal with! These are the people of the vast Rostov diocese, which then included both the Belozersk and Suzdal countries, who were to be taught by the saint. faith and piety 227. Unfortunately, the ancient news about the saint does not give us detailed information about his Apostolic activity. “The blessed saint,” it says, having found newly baptized people in Rostov who had not yet been established in the faith, he diligently fed them with his teaching. Then he went around the settlements of the Rostov and Suzdal regions, exhorted the infidels to believe in the Holy Trinity and enlightened St. baptism; where he found idols, he destroyed them with fire; He convinced the faithful to be immovable and unshakable in the faith" 228. That's all that the ancient life of St. says. Isaiah about his labors for St. faith! How many years did he spend in such feats? And according to his life, in the fight against superstition, he lived until half of 1089 and beyond. about 11 years old. In the church service of St. Isaiah we see two more features of the preaching of St. Isaiah: one that St. Isaiah built holy temples in places of superstition, another one that he finally overthrew paganism in the Rostov-Suzdal side 229. The spirit of service of St. is beautifully expressed in one stichera. Isaiah. She sings: “What shall we call you, saint? You are an angel because you lived disembodied on earth; you are an Apostle because you taught the Russian borders to be faithful; You are a martyr, because for Christ you labored to the point of death, turning people from the darkness of wickedness and bringing them into the pastures of goodness." 230 The consolation of St. Isaiah benefited from the participation of Prince Vladimir Monomakh in his ministry. The pious prince built a church at his own expense in Rostov and sent for it one of the wonderful icons of St. Alypius 231. In August 1089, together with Metropolitan John, St. Isaiah consecrated the great Pechersk church, invited, as the story about it says, by an angel of God 232. Returning from Kyiv, he was consoled by the love with which his flock greeted him. His blessed death followed “the second summer” upon his return from Kyiv and so on. in 1090 233. When in 1164 they dug ditches for the new Rostov Cathedral, which replaced the burned one, then, says ancient news, “they found the tomb of blessed Isaiah; Having opened it, they saw the clothes and body of the saint incorruptible and glorified God, Who was pleased to glorify His saint not only in life, but also in death; how many years have passed, and the clothes and body of the blessed one remained untouched by decay” 234. The relics of the saint were then placed in the church of St. John, and since the stone church was barely finished when it collapsed, they were transferred to the cathedral already in 1231 235. Meanwhile, at the same time that St. relics, they became famous for their miracles and it was then established to celebrate the memory of St. Isaiah 236. “Receive, Saint Isaiah, the praise of unworthy servants and grant us the opportunity to safely cross the unfaithful sea of ​​this life; Offer a prayer to God for us and deliver us from the troubles that oppress and await us, may we always magnify you” 237. † Memory of the Venerable Isaiah of Pechersk The life of St. Isaiah of Pechersk, who rests incorruptibly in the Anthony Cave, is not described in the patericon. In Kalnofoisky it is designated as follows: “venerable elder Isaiah the hardworking.” This makes it possible to see that the feat of life that the teacher. Isaiah pleased the Lord; he worked tirelessly, continuing into his old age. He rested blissfully on May 15th, 1115. His memory is celebrated in the monastery on May 15th according to the general prayer of 238. † Repose of St. Euphrosynus of Pskov Parents of Rev. Euphrosyne, in the world of Eleazar, were simple villagers of the Pskov region 239. They wanted him to marry, but he disappeared from their house and took monasticism on Snyatnaya Gora, near Pskov. Here he served the brethren in the cookery and bakery and fervently prayed to God. Then, out of love for silence, he retired to the Tolva River and, 30 miles from Pskov, having built himself a cell, he began to struggle in prayer and fasting; this was in 1425 240. His first companion in the desert was the monk Serapion; Having spent some time with the monk, he decided, without his blessing, to build himself a cell on the other side of the Tolva, but taught by misfortune (damage to his leg) he remained forever his novice 241 . Euphrosynus blessed those who came to the desert to live as a hermitage. When the number of hermits increased, at their request, Euphrosynus built a church of prayer in honor of the three saints, with a warm chapel in the name of St. Onufria. Along with the construction of the church, a hostel was also built. The monk was strict with himself, denying himself natural consolations. One day his mother came to him, wanting to look at her long-lost son; Euphrosynus did not open the door of his cell to her, but begged her to take haircut somewhere in the monastery. Due to the same severity towards himself, he did not accept the title of abbot, but gave it to one of his disciples, while he himself continued to live in solitude. Reverent disciples honored places of solitary prayer with his monuments. A stone cross preserves the memory of his prayers in the forest, near the lake; a wooden pillar on the eastern side, behind the fence of the monastery, speaks of the same thing 242. We see the ascetic’s thoughts about the community, and partly his life, in his will. Here he wrote: “Here I am, the servant of God, monk Euphrosynus, during my lifetime I establish about monastic life, about estates and buildings and about everything in general. I entrust all this to my spiritual father, Abbot Harlampy, servant of Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom and Rev. Onuphry, and together with all the brethren about Christ. Neither the abbot, nor my brethren, nor the cellarer, nor those living in the settlement, nor those serving in the monastery should use it for themselves, but use everything for the common benefit. If a brother comes and asks the abbot and the brethren (to accept him), then accept him as usual. If a monk or a white man gives something to the monastery of his own free will, for the salvation of his soul, then let him give it as alms, and not by pooling (“and not by skimping”); there is no sharing in the monastery; This is not to be looked for on the abbot and the monks, since it was given to St. the church, and not the abbot and brethren; Let no black or white man look for this on St. churches. Rules of St. the fathers curse those who take away the offering from the saint. churches, and they die a sudden death. We must remember how Ananias and Sapphira promised their gift to God and then lied before the Lord and were suddenly stricken with a cruel illness. One must be afraid of such a thing: God avenges such an insult on Himself both here and in the future life. According to the rules of St. fathers, the monks should not eat food in their cells, except perhaps on a holiday or a special treat. Wives should not go to the monastery, nor have a bathhouse; Monks should not wear German clothes, nor fur coats with down. If a brother dies in a monastery, then send a magpie to him. If a layman serves the monastery for two or three years, then send him (sorokoust). Who will offend the house of the saints and reverends? Father Onuphry, may he be under the weight of the Holy Church. Witness to all this is Abbot Kharlampy, minister of the saints and reverend. Father Onuphry. If abbot Kharlampy dies, then who will the saints and reverends love? Onuphry, whomever the brethren choose with the blessing of Abbot Kharlampy, let him be the abbot. May God be our helper" 243. This will briefly proposes the rules of the Evfrosinov charter, which has survived to this day. Here are the wonderful thoughts of the charter: the abbot should not have anything superfluous against the brethren, “neither a more elegant and soft robe, nor more delicious food” (Chapter 3). The brethren must obey the abbot with all humility. “Obedience is a ladder to heaven; it is higher than fasting and desert feat. The Angel of the Lord follows the obedient, counts the steps of obedience and presents them to the face of God like a pleasant aroma; if he sees drops of his sweat, he offers it as martyr’s blood” (chapter 5). Wherever the abbot sends for service, one must go without any excuses or disobedience; “You should not go anywhere without the blessing of the abbot, and especially for any personal needs” (chapter 16). If anyone begins to contradict the abbot and starts a dispute and confusion, then lock him up in a dark place until he repents; the disobedient one, even after admonition, should be expelled from the monastery, like a rotten member, and nothing of what he brought into the monastery should be given back (chapter 17). To feed wanderers in the monastery for 3 days, without requiring them to work or pay (chapter 23) 244. At that time, they often moved from one monastery to another, considering this spiritual freedom, and either gave property to God as a gift, or wanted to dispose of it as property. One monk, giving Rev. Euphrosyne received silver for the establishment of the monastery, but later he began to regret it. The monk ordered the silver to be given to him. The monk retired to another monastery, but here he soon became blind. Brought to Euphrosynus in repentance, through his prayer, he was healed mentally and physically, and regained his sight 245. The Monk Euphrosynus trained his disciples to be zealous ascetics of piety. That was the reverend. Serapion, who preceded the teacher by death 8 months; no one wanted to take his clothes, not even the beggars; so she was dilapidated and bad 246. Such was Dositheus, who created a desert hostel on the great lake in honor of the holy Apostles 247. Ignatius was the first abbot of the monastery of Euphrosyne and performed monastic deeds with zeal; his brother Kharlampy was his successor; another brother Pamphilus was also abbot and is famous for his message about Midsummer or against the pagan superstitions of this day 248. The ascetic of God rested from his labors at the 95th year of his life, on May 15, 1481. He was of medium height, lean in body, with a meek face and friendly eyes 249 . † The Suffering of Saint Demetrius Tsarevich St. Demetrius Tsarevich, the son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and Maria Feodorovna from the Nagikh family, was born in 1582 on October 19, 250. Tsar John, who was close to death, appointed Uglich as an inheritance for the prince and his mother, and entrusted his upbringing to the tsar's adviser Belsky 251 . Tsar Theodore, soon after ascending the throne, at the insistence of strong boyars who feared the rivalry of the Nagi, sent Queen Maria and her son to Uglich. The good king wept bitterly, saying goodbye to his only brother; he appointed the prince a magnificent court staff, but grieved that his brother’s removal to Uglich was nothing more than imprisonment; teacher Belsky remained in Moscow 252. Godunov soon after became the sovereign ruler of Russia: the good Theodore remained with almost only the name of the tsar, and everything was done as Boris wanted; foreign courts sent gifts to Godunov on a par with the tsar. Meanwhile, Boris knew that everyone in the state, starting with Tsar Theodore, recognized Demetrius as heir to the throne and his name was commemorated in churches. Boris himself, in various matters of Feodorov's time, recognized Demetrius as heir to the throne. When in 1586 The council of nobles with those chosen by the people suggested that Tsar Theodore divorce his barren wife, Godunov’s sister, due to her childlessness, Godunov replied that there was a legitimate heir to the throne, Demetrius 253. The following year, when Russian ambassadors went to the Warsaw Sejm to lobby for Poland to recognize Theodore as its tsar, Godunov wrote in an order to the ambassadors: “if the gentlemen begin to ask the sovereign to appoint his brother to their state, then answer that this is impossible - the prince is still young, only four years old” 254. So Boris saw Dimitri as the heir to the throne. But how, with a passion for power, as someone who is accustomed to controlling everything with the power of an autocratic king, can he give up all hopes for the continuation of power? Unfortunately, the flatterers told Boris that under Demetrius it was not the power of a royal adviser that awaited him, but the scaffold, and that the relatives of the Tsarevich Nagy were ready to take revenge on him for their imprisonment 255. Alarmed by fears for his future and seduced by dreams of power, Boris began to act against the prince as against his personal enemy. At first, he forbade commemorating his name in churches, letting Russia know that the son of John’s seventh wife was not the heir to the throne. since Boris knew that there were many who, by the very fact that the offensive order about the prince belonged to Boris, were ready to act by all means for the prince; then to Boris the death of the prince seemed necessary. People who made their fate dependent on the fate of Godunov brought this idea to the point of conviction in him 256. As a result, clerk Mikhail Bityagovsky was sent to Uglich to manage zemstvo affairs and the household of the queen’s widow. Together with him, Bityagovsky’s son Daniil, nephew Nikita Kachalov and Osip Mikhailov, son of mother Dimitrieva, came to Uglich. And so on May 15, “the prince was gone in Uglich” 257. How did this happen? Prince Vasily Shuisky, okolnichy Kleshnin and clerk Vyluzgin, sent from Moscow, delivered an investigative file to Tsar Theodore, who assured that the prince, playing poke with a knife with the children, suddenly fell from an epileptic illness and stabbed himself 258. But this was only slander, which again insulted the name of St. Tsarevich. The investigation, considered before the court of impartiality, turns out to be a pathetic effort to hide the truth in the eyes of Tsar Theodore. It did not record the general voice of the Uglichans, who assured the investigators that the prince had been killed. They tried not to reveal the truth, but only to make the prince look sick. For example, the very first interrogation was as follows: “Which custom did the prince no longer have? And what is his illness?” Throughout the entire investigation, all the diligence of the investigators is aimed at gaining as many votes as possible about the prince’s illness. On the contrary, if one of the interrogated mentions the violent death of the prince, such testimony remains without any attention - they do not ask: who was it with? Who are the killers? How and when was the prince killed? The reluctance of investigators to reveal the truth and the desire to hide it is evident from the testimony of almost every defendant 259. Contemporaries, with the exception of Boris's helpful servants, both their own 260 and strangers 261 unanimously say that the prince was stabbed to death by assassins, at the request of Godunov. Shuisky himself in 1606 testified before the whole of Russia that “Tsarevich Prince Dimitri Ivanovich, out of the envy of Boris Godunov, kindly slain like a lamb, was killed like an innocent lamb” 262. The lie with which they wanted to cover up the murderers and with which they insulted the martyr was clearly revealed when the prince’s coffin was opened in 1606; then they found that “in his left hand the prince was holding a towel embroidered with gold, and in the other nuts,” in which form death befell him 263. If his right hand was occupied with nuts, then how could he hold a knife in the same hand? In addition, in epileptic illness, voluntary movements of the hand to stab oneself are impossible; if the prince fell directly with his larynx on the knife, his larynx would have been pierced, and not cut, as they see it now. So the prince, innocent and pure, was killed villainously. According to the chronicles and partly according to the investigative case itself, the crime was committed like this: on May 15, at noon, when Nagikh was not in the palace, Volokhov’s mother carried the prince out into the courtyard; The nurse also came down here, in vain trying to persuade the mother not to carry the prince 264. The killers were already waiting for the victim. Osip Volokhov, taking the prince by the hand, asked: “Is this your new necklace, sir?” The child raised his head and answered: “No, it’s old.” At that moment the knife flashed, but the killer did not grab the larynx and ran away. Dimitri fell. The nurse fell on him to protect him with herself and began to scream. Bityagovsky and Kachalov took the prince from her and killed her. The mother ran out and started screaming 265. The cathedral sexton, who saw the murder, rang the bell to gather the people. Mikhail Bityagovsky rushed to the bell tower to stop the alarm, but the sexton locked himself in the bell tower and continued the alarm 266. The people who came running, having learned about the crime, at the suggestion of Nagikh, killed the killers - Mikhail Bityagovsky and 12 other people: unfortunate arbitrariness made it easier for investigators to close the main crime. The prince was buried in Uglich. Godunov ascended the throne, but did not sit on it for long. The shadow of St. Demetrius is the first False Demetrius, and Boris died. The impostor was also killed. Shuisky ascended the throne. But the Lyakhs prepared another False Demetrius in place of one and worried Russia. Tsar Vasily Shuisky decided to display the body of the true prince in Moscow in order to dispel deception in the eyes of the gullible people. With such intentions, at the end of May 1606, Metropolitan Philaret, Bishop Theodosius and four boyars were sent to Uglich to collect the body of the prince. “When the prince’s coffin was opened, as those sent to the king reported on May 28, the relics turned out to be intact and unharmed, with the exception of some parts; the face, the hair on the head, the flesh on the bones are unharmed; in the left hand there is a taffeta fly, a shroud, a damask caftan, boots, a handful of nuts - everything is intact”; At the same time, various patients received healing at the tomb of Tsarevich Dimitri, of which there is written evidence 267. On June 3rd, the king with all the court and clergy met St. relics outside the city; On June 5th, they placed them in the Archangel Cathedral in order to lower them into the ground the next day, but the next day 13 miraculous healings took place, and on the 6th, 12 sick people recovered with the relics of the prince and they were left forever open in the cathedral. Then they decided to celebrate the prince on October 19, May 15 and June 3 268. Venerable Pachomius the Great Pachomius, who received the name “Great” for the height of his life, was a truly worthy chosen vessel of God’s grace. His conversion to Christ took place in this way: an Egyptian by birth, born into a pagan family, in the 18th year Pachomius entered military service - during the war that took place between Constantine the Great and Maximinus (312). Enduring various hardships associated with the movement of troops in wartime, the recruit Pachomius was pleasantly surprised when he met an unusually friendly attitude from the inhabitants of one Thebaid city through which the army happened to pass. - Who are the inhabitants of this city who provided us with food and clothing, and consoled us with every kind word? – asked the young warrior. “These are Christians,” they answered him, “these are people who are always merciful, hospitable, not vindictive even towards their enemies, and always serve freely, expecting reward only from the One God Living in Heaven.” Such a meeting and such reviews of Christians, completely unknown to him until that time, made a strong impression on the pagan... In the depths of his soul, he decided that if God preserved him, then after the end of the war he would certainly join the Christian society. And indeed, as soon as he was released, returning to his homeland, he hastened to turn to a certain priest in the village of Khinovoskiya, in Upper Thebaid and, having received instruction from him in the Christian faith, accepted holy baptism and received the Mysteries of Christ. That same night, he saw in a dream dew falling from the sky and filling the palm of his right hand, and heard at the same time: “Understand, Pachomius, that this is a sign of the grace that Christ sends to you”... With a heart filled with new, unearthly feelings, Pachomius wished to retire from the world. He withdrew to the Thebaid desert and here, under the guidance of the hermit Palamon, famous for the severity of his asceticism, for several years he established himself on the monastic path. Then the Lord directed Pachomius, who had succeeded in spiritual life, to be the chief and leader of the desert dwellers. Near the mountain where Palamon and Pachomius lived, there was a desert overgrown with thorns and wild herbs. Pachomius often came here to collect fuel, and while working in the desert wilderness, in complete solitude, he especially loved to indulge in prayer. And during prayer, his heart was filled with boundless love for people, and a sacred impulse flared up to serve for the salvation of others. With such feelings and suggestions the Lord prepared him for the activities ahead of him... Walking one day through the desert, Pachomius went further than usual and reached Tavenna, a place lying on the banks of the Nile, in the Tentir district. Here he stopped and devoted himself to prayer; His prayer was long and earnest, and at that time the inspiration struck him to settle in this place and build a monastery here... An angel appeared to him in the form of a schema-monk and handed over the statutes and rules of fasting life. Pachomius told Palamon about his vision. Together they examined the indicated place; the elder gave his blessing to act in accordance with the former revelation, and Pachomius moved to Tavenna. However, the ascetics did not completely separate; they went to visit each other until the very moment of Palamon’s death in the arms of his disciple Pachomius. With faith, Pachomius undertook the construction of the monastery; at the very beginning of this matter, his brother John came to him to live together, but soon a disagreement arose between them. John, who was looking for silence and solitude in the desert, did not like his brother’s broad plans for a vast and populous monastery, and he contradicted and hindered him in his labors; Pachomius, convinced that he was acting on the instructions of God, could not tolerate opposition from his brother, and one day, feeling a strong stirring of anger in his soul, he was ready to respond to his brother with mutual reproach, when he suddenly realized his passion for anger and, shutting himself out of his cell, spent the whole night in tears, sorrow, giving in to a bad feeling, and with contrition calling out to God: “I see, Lord, that carnal wisdom still rules in me... Woe to me, who during my long life in the desert did not learn to tame my anger! How dare I lead others when I don’t know how to lead myself?” And from that time on he did not argue with his brother, yielding to him in everything until the end of his life. After his death he began to build a monastery. Little by little, students began to gather to him; While there were few of them, Pachomius took upon himself all the care of the monastery, so that his disciples, free from external worries, could more easily concentrate and improve in their inner life. Pachomius himself prepared everything necessary for the brethren’s meal and was always the servant of his disciples in everything, providing them only with the joy of doing spiritual things. The disciples marveled at his exploits, his love, humility and the composure of his spirit maintained amid continuous external activity. They often expressed a desire to share their labors, but Pachomius objected to them: “Leave me, should we really regret the will that turns the wheel?” Thus, by his example, Pachomius taught his students how to combine external activity with a contemplative life. Pachomius cared not only about his disciples: having learned that many surrounding shepherds were deprived of the happiness of hearing the word of God and receiving Holy Communion. Tain, with the consent of the Bishop of Tentiria, he built a church for them. He himself came to them to instruct them, and did this in such a way as to suit their heartfelt understanding that even many pagans were enlightened by his conversations and were baptized into the faith of Christ. Pachomius's fame spread and attracted many disciples to him. Then Pachomius, who laid the foundation for the monastic community 269, drew up a strict monastic charter, according to which the monks had to live in one monastery under the command of an abbot called abba, that is, father, or archimandrite, engaged in prayer and work (farming, weaving baskets and mats). This charter subsequently became a model of charters for other monasteries. It was written in Egyptian, and in 404 translated by Blessed Jerome into Latin according to the correct Greek copy. The main rules for the brethren according to this charter were: unconditional obedience and non-covetousness; at the same time - work accompanied by prayer. While working, the monks were required to remain silent; Thus, even in community life, everyone could at the same time be solitary and undistractedly keep prayer in their mind. Upon entering the monastery, no one had to make any monetary contribution and had to renounce all property; To maintain the monastery, everyone had to work equally. Soon there were so many who wished to submit to the leadership of Pachomius that they had to be settled in several monasteries (some of the previously founded monasteries also came under his control): each of them had a special abbot; Pachomius was the common leader and model for everyone. Every evening before praying for the night, he talked with the monks and actively, steadily led them along the path of improvement. The Society of Tavennes consisted of nine separate hostels, in which there were up to 7,000 monks. On the other bank of the Nile, Pachomius founded a nunnery; this happened for the following reason. Pachomius had a sister in the world, who, hearing stories about the wonderful life of her brother, wished to see and visit him in Tavenna; Having learned about her arrival, he sent through the gatekeeper to tell her that he was alive and so that she would not be offended by his decision to avoid meeting with her, but that if she wanted to imitate his life, he would start building a special cell for her... The ascetic’s sister was amazed by this unexpected proposal, but at the same time her heart was touched and was eager to follow her brother’s advice. Then, having chosen a place for the monastery called Men, Pachomius ordered the brothers to build her a cell and a small monastery far from the monastery and tonsured his sister a nun. When other hermits gathered around her, Pachomius gave them almost the same rules as his monastery, and thus was the founder of a hostel for nuns. In a short time, his sister became a worthy spiritual mother for the nuns who entrusted themselves to her. The fame of the exploits of the Tavennes nuns spread, reached the West and in Rome aroused determination for the exploits of virginity even in the most noble women, such as. the rich widow of Markey (about whom Blessed Jerome wrote). About the monks of Tavennes, Cassian says: “although there were so many of them under the leadership of one leader, they were so obedient to him throughout their entire lives, just as one here (in the West) would not have been for even a short time.” And “this humility and obedience are such that we did not see anyone in our monasteries who could imitate them for only one year.” One of the main activities of the Tavennes monks was needlework. Among them were all kinds of artisans needed to maintain society. Their occupation, according to Palladius, consisted of “one cultivating the land, another working in the garden, another at the forge, at the mill, at the tannery; some went to the workshop to do carpentry, others felted cloth, others weaved baskets of various types and sizes.” For transporting goods and for bringing them from Alexandria, the Tavenin society had its own two ships. – Sometimes the chief took several monks to the Nile Islands and to the mountain to collect reeds for making mats and baskets, or to cut down trees, or to stock up on herbs that were salted for the monks’ food, and they spent up to 15 days in such labors. Hospitality was strictly observed in Tavenna. Passing clerics or monks were received respectfully, their feet were washed, and they were placed in reception houses located near the monastery gates. The Orthodox among them were allowed to attend the Divine service. “Pachomius also accepted children into the monastery with the aim of giving them an education in the spirit of Christian piety.” “We must have special care for children,” said the monk, “so the Lord commanded us: then we can hope that He will be merciful to our souls.” Pachomius did not spare his labors and wisely governed his numerous brethren, the number of which others believe to be up to 10,000. Moreover, by the day of Easter, as Blessed Jerome says, up to 50,000 people gathered. – Pachomius had all the qualities needed for a leader: a higher calling, enlightenment and extraordinary gifts of grace. His distinctive features were meekness and condescension. His conversation with his students was a conversation between a father and his children. When this conversation and instructions did not achieve the desired goal, his love for the unfortunate flared up to the highest limit and found its outcome only in prayer for them: “Lord! - he cried with all his soul, - You commanded to love your neighbor as yourself; I pray to You, have mercy on these blind people! Look at them with the merciful eye of Your mercy, help them to feel sincere repentance, instill in them the fear of offending You and love for their duties and the desire to place all their happiness and hope in You Alone!” Pachomius himself willingly accepted instructions from anyone. Once in Tavenna he and his brothers were weaving mats. The boy who was there said that he was doing it wrong. “So show me, child,” said Pachomius, “how to do it?” He pointed and Pachomius thanked him 270. For all his virtues, the monk considered himself a great sinner. He looked at his power over others as nothing other than the obligation to serve everyone 271 - and did not tolerate any difference from others for himself 272. The influence of such a leader, who at the same time served as a model of holiness, could not but turn out to be extremely beneficial, therefore the society of the Tavennes monks represented a model for achieving spiritual perfection - and although most of the monks were from simple villagers, uneducated and illiterate, they were nevertheless “full of Divine wisdom, which they gleaned from listening and fulfilling the Holy Scriptures and from the enlightening influence of the great Pachomius on them.” – From the Pachomius monastery, many monks subsequently occupied episcopal thrones. While leading people to salvation, Pachomius tried to moderate in some cases impulses towards special exploits, the motivation for which he shrewdly explained in some cases as vanity... Thus, he once did not approve of one monk’s desire for martyrdom for Christ. But when this monk, in fear of torment, renounced Christ, Pachomius did not reject him, reassuring him with hope in the infinite mercy of the Redeemer 273. The mentor, experienced in spiritual knowledge, vigilantly ensured that the extraordinary states of blessed souls, the supernatural gifts of miracles and clairvoyance did not harm the humility of those who received these gifts - and he himself was not embarrassed when his prayer for anything was fulfilled: “For us, what is most useful is what God’s mercy gives,” he said, “and our requests, although made with pure intention, may be unpleasant God" 274. Pachomius taught to prefer the invisible miracle of healing the soul to the visible miracle of healing the body. “Which miracle is greater,” he said, “to heal the blind, or to enlighten one darkened by the darkness of idolatry? I don’t know the highest miracle, how to keep the tongue from idle talk, the soul from pride, laziness and all vices, and force a person, by the mercy of God, to change his life and correct bad habits.” To a question once made to Pachomius by a monk regarding visions, he answered: “A sinner like me is not allowed to desire visions. I would thereby rebel against the will of God and fall into deception. But here is the most wonderful vision: if you see the face of a person, which reflects the purity and deep humility of the heart; for what better vision is there to see the invisible God dwelling in man as in his church?” Great was the glory of the monasteries of Pachomius during his lifetime, and 50 years later the monks of Tavenna were still distinguished by the severity of their lives, but over time the spirit of their former asceticism disappeared in them, and Pachomius’s foresight foresaw this... But when, one day, in contrition of spirit, he prayed that the Lord would warn and avert the decline of spiritual life in the monasteries he founded, then a wonderful consolation visited him: Jesus Christ appeared to him in vision and said: “Your spiritual seed will not fail until the end of the age. And of those monks who will come after you, many will be higher than the current monks, because without leaders they will be saved; others will be saved through adversity and sorrow and will appear equal to the great saints" ... And indeed, although there was almost no trace left of the Pachomiev monasteries, his charter imbued with the spirit of monasticism guided and still guides the pious followers of his path; and the seed sown by him will never be exhausted... The Monk Pachomius died on May 9, 348 from an infectious ulcer that opened in his monasteries. Two days before his death, he summoned the leaders and builders of the monasteries and told them: “I feel that my end is approaching. Remember what I taught you. Be kind in your prayers and judicious in all your actions. Do not have contact with the adherents of Meletius, Arius, Origen. Get close only to those who fear God and can bring you benefit and spiritual comfort through their conversation. Choose a man among you who will rule over you according to the Spirit of God.” At the request of the brethren, he himself appointed Petronius as his successor, and entrusted his beloved disciple Theodore with the care of the lazy of the brethren. “A most loving man and very kind to God, so that he could foresee the future and often talked with the holy angels...” says his 4th century biography of St. Pachomius the Great, who wrote from the words of his disciples. Venerable Silouan, disciple of Saint Pachomius the Great There should be no limits to the caution that should be applied to measures punishing a person for his crimes or misdeeds - and there are many examples proving that forbearance and long-suffering have brought a guilty person to a complete spiritual, saving revolution. If only he had been given time to repent and only love would have been watchful over him, which “has mercy, is not irritated, covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, never ceases”... (Post. 1 Cor. 13:4,5,7,8). One example of a grace-filled conversion produced by patient love and extreme tolerance appears in the life of St. Silouan, remembered today. “He belonged to the class of comedians, but his impressionable nature was not alien to various aspirations. The glory of the asceticism of modern monks awakened in him a desire to participate in their lives; Therefore, he came to the common father and leader in monastic life, Pachomius, and asked to be accepted as one of the disciples. Pachomius imagined all the difficulties of this path to the carried away young man, but, seeing his zealous readiness to devote himself to monastic life, he accepted him into his monastery. For some time, young Silouan actually fulfilled his new duties with great zeal, but then his jealousy cooled, his previous and other dispositions, temporarily suppressed, awoke again and began to act with renewed force. His absent-mindedness, his playfulness inappropriate for a monk, coupled with mockery and idle talk, entertained others and, serving as a laughing stock, Silouan created a temptation among the concentrated, sternly strict life of the monks. More than once Pachomius tried to arouse in him the mood appropriate for a monk. The young man corrected himself for a while, but then again became distracted, weakened, and became carried away by a completely unusual mode of action in his new field. - Finally, the older brethren began to insist that Silouan be removed from the monastery, and Pachomius, having exposed in front of everyone the irregularity of the life of the unworthy monk, announced to him that he must leave the monastery. Then a prevailing spiritual aspiration manifested itself in the young man’s soul. In despair, he fell at the feet of Pachomius and begged not to expel him, promising that he would completely correct his life. It was difficult for Pachomius to believe the sincerity of promises that had already failed several times... but one of his best students, Petronius, could not bear the sight of the grief of his contrite and repentant brother; compassionate love inspired him with confidence in his impulse, and he vouched for him, and with his requests kept the unfortunate man in the monastery in his care. And sensitive, prophetic love was not mistaken. Silouan seemed to be transformed. The humble consciousness of his guilt penetrated his soul so deeply that he did not dare raise his eyes to his brothers; Instead of idle talk, he almost fell silent and bowed down to such an extent that he did not dare to pick the grass without permission... Abundant tears expressed the tender and contrite state of his spirit - and his jealousy did not weaken. Sometimes getting tired in the late hours of the day, he would sit on the floor of his cell and still work on weaving mats. “Can I help but cry,” he said to the brethren, “when the holy monks serve me, while I should kiss the very dust trampled by them... I, one of the comedians, was accepted among the ascetics, learned the truth, and was so careless about my salvation that they almost kicked me out of the monastery... I am afraid that the earth will open up under me and swallow me up. I see the immeasurability of my sins and am ready to give my life just to receive forgiveness." Seeing such sincere repentance, Pachomius recognized and testified to everyone its height. And the Lord Himself glorified what was most precious to Him - the repentance of man... When Silouan died eight years later, it was revealed to the Monk Pachomius in a vision how many heavenly powers gathered his soul and presented it to the Lord as a chosen sacrifice and the fruit of the victory of love over sin. Nestor in the Life of Theodosius; RKP. life of St. Isaiah in the Menaion of Macarius; it was published in a brief and widespread form in the Orthodox Church. interlocutor 1858 I, 434–450. It says here that St. Isaiah was appointed abbot in 1062, but Rev. Varlaam died in 1065, see about him on November 19. Nestor - in the same place; Polycarp about Nikita. In the RKP. Life says that St. Isaiah was consecrated bishop in 1077 by Met. John. But neither one nor the other is true. John was metropolitan 1080–1089, and in 1068–1079 he was metropolitan George. Collection l. I, 74–77. 5, 143–145. 7, 338–340. Rudneva ist. heresies and schisms Rus. Cer. 7–25. M. 1838. The Chronicle puts the event under 1070. But it is told here in connection with another similar one. Yan, the son of a thousand and himself a thousand, could collect tribute in the name of Svyatoslav on Beloozero only when Svyatoslav sat down in Kiev in 1073, taking the Beloozersk and Rostov regions to replace the Chernigov region, given to Vsevolod. The Rostov-Suzdal principality included the provinces: Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod. Kostroma, Vologda, parts of Olonets, Tver and Moscow. Life of St. Isaiah in the interlocutor p. 439. Prologue May 15 d. “Inflamed by the love of God, more than by fire, you, father, went around the cities and villages in the Rostov and Suzdal regions, destroyed idol churches, built churches and taught the peoples to sing: glory to your power, Lord!” (Song 4). “By the grace of the Holy Spirit, you completely destroyed the idolatrous wickedness that remained in the Russian (Rostov) land and became a strong champion of Orthodoxy” (Pes. 3). This service was compiled or corrected under c. John, because they pray in it for the king. Menaion for May, Μ. 1646 Collection l. I, 89. Simon on the sanctification. Pecher. c. and about the meal. Life of St. Isaiah. Prologue May 15. It says here: “repose in l. 6597 (1089), in the second summer after the consecration of the Pechersk Church. Wrong year. RKP. Saints: “repose in l. 6597; His relics were found in L. 6672 (1164) m. May at 15 days.” The day of death is unknown. RKP. life; Nikoi, l. II, 191. Life of St. Leontia. Collection l. 1, 220. Kirillovskaya chronicle. Synod. b. No. 351. RKP. life of St. Isaiah. In Nestor’s Life of St. Theodosius, after the words we have cited about St. Isaiah, read from the lists; “And there with the saints they honor him, for they have received the gift of miracles from God.” These words are important as an ancient response to St. Isaiah; but they do not belong to Ave. Nestor, who lived no later than 1115. The veneration of Isaiah as a saint followed in 1164. According to the RKP. life: “the archbishop of the cathedral church, seeing that the image of St. Everyone reveres and worships Isaiah, but his coffin (in the vestibule of the cathedral) is neglected; on May 17 he convenes the priests and touches the miraculous coffin of the wonderful father, carries it from there in 1274 and places it in a new coffin with honor, near the southern doors, where even now he gives healing.” The first archbishop of Rostov was Theodore in 1390; track. the complete life was written in the 15th century, and not in the 13th century, as the publisher believes. Memory of St. Isaiah in the calendar of the 16th century charter. in Tolstoy I. No. 113. Menaion for May, Μ. 1646 RKP. service of St. Isaiah - in Tsarsky No. 563, in Rumyants. No. 397. Description Kievsk. laurels p. 110. 290. Prologue May 15. A hunter of sleepy dreams wrote about St. Euphrosyne, Fr. Vasily; its description is written in the most stilted syllable, to the point that you can’t find the meaning in the words in places. It's in the RKP. XVI century Synod. b. No. 634. “Settle down silently alone in L. 6933". This is what it says in the list of the life of Moscow. spirit. acad. No. 205. Stichera of the service in the Menaion for May, Μ. 1646 Jer. Joseph is described. Eleavarova monastery. St. Petersburg 1853, p. 15. The Charter of Ave. Euphrosyne, consisting of 25 chapters, is placed in the menea of Makaria, under the 15th hour of May. Service to Ave. Euphrosynus on May 15 in the Menaion, M. 1646 So according to the RKP. saints, lyrics Euphrosyne Ave. on May 15th. RKP. Saints: “pr. Dosnfey, abbot of Verkhneostrovsky, reposed in L. 6990 Oct. 8 d." Dictionary of Saints, St. Petersburg. 1836 p. 99. Epistle written in 1505, ed. on Thursday total ist. 1846 By hand. Life of Ignatius was ordained archbishop. John, which could not be, but perhaps Arch. Euthymius I (1423–1430) ... As for the fact that St. Euphrosynus defended a special alleluia and went to Constantinople to see the patriarch for it, then Basil’s story is not worthy of any trust, due to heretical nonsense and contradictions of history and chronology. This is shown in detail in the article. Rus. C. 3, 180–187 and in Christ. Thurs. 1853 Saint Demetrius wrote: “Holy Euphrosynus is holy; but I don’t think his alleluia was holy: as anyone wanted, they raved madly; Only an ignorant person has such false faith.” Blush. music No. 407. Prologue of May 15. Saints: “pr. Euphrosynus, abbot of the Tresvyatitelsky Monastery, also on the Tolva River, reposed in L. 6989 m. May 15 d.” Kazan. l. at Karamz. 9, pr. 741. Morozov. l. at Karamz. 10, pr. 9. Palitsyna tale. about the siege page 3. Step. book Latukhin; Nikon. l. VIII, 4. 5. Polish affairs at Karamz. 10. pr. 159. Except for the summer. about the rebellions and the new chronicler, Palitsyn: “the caresses and planners of great troubles, who make up ten lies, approach Boris and from many troubles reduce him to sin.” The investigation into the death of the prince in the collection. state gram. 2. No. 60. And here we see Bityagovsky and his gang in Uglich. The chronicle shows it more directly. Investigative case in collection. gram. 2.60. The investigative case, which I examined in detail in my research on the death of the prince, eg. in book I read total ist. M. 1848. Here, as an example, some evidence of the investigators' guilty conscience is pointed out. They force many to say that the prince stabbed himself with a knife. But they didn’t ask anyone: where did this knife go? and has anyone seen it? Grigory Nagoy was having dinner in his house and, running at the sound of the bell, found the prince alive; and Andrei Nagoy was having dinner in the palace and, running out to hear the cry: “The prince has been stabbed to death,” found him already dead, in the arms of his nurse. There were clear contradictions and omissions, and they did not try to explain them, for fear of hearing something even more unpleasant. See also pr. 261. 262. P. Job in gram. 1606: “accepted the slaughter innocently at the hands of his traitors.” Palitsyn p. 3, p. Hermogenes in the tale. about the murder of the prince, author of the Filaret manuscript, new chronicler p. 35. M. 1853 they say the same thing. According to the Morozov Chronicle, the murderers themselves, before their deaths, showed that they carried out Godunov’s will. Kissel in the history of Uglich points to 5 more Uglich chronicles almost contemporary with the death of the prince. Ber: “several people bribed by him (Godunov) stabbed the prince to death in the very place where he usually played,” page 4. Paerle page 2. Margeret page 129. The same diplomatic acts of Poland. See research. about the death of St. Tsarevich pp. 6–11. Known certificate in collected. gram. 2. No. 147. Known gram. Shuisky (project 259); manuscript of Filaret and Karamz. 12, pr. 24. Four nuts, found in the hand of the murdered, incorruptible prince, are still kept in the Uglich Church of St. Tsarevich, which is built on blood, c. Mikhail. They are placed here in a silver fold along with the earth, soaked in the blood of the prince. Russian Antiquity I, 69. Except for the summer. and consequences the case showed that, apart from Andrei, there was neither Mikhail nor Grigory Nagikh in the palace, and that Volokhova and the nurse Irina Zhdanova were with the prince. As a consequence case, and it was according to Volokhova’s testimony that the queen was the first to pronounce the names of the killers. But she did not witness the misfortune. Trace. she heard about it from someone! Who is this? Investigators haven't shown it, but the case shows it. The queen so definitely shows the three murderers - Davila Bityagovsky, Kachalov and Volokhov, but did not name Mikhail Bityagovsky, the main enemy of her brothers and herself. So, the case shows that the chronicles are right when they say that Zhdanov’s nurse screamed about murder and murderers, and as a result this was hidden, and in its place was a testimony about the prince’s illness. Subsequently, the corrupt Volokhova was awarded estates, and Zhdanova was put in chains. In the investigative case, the unfortunate sexton, avoiding trouble, became completely confused in his testimony. According to him, the cathedral watchman Kuznetsov was the first to start calling; he, the sexton, was forced to ring the bell by the court solicitor, Protopopov, and hit him in the neck, saying that the queen had ordered the ringing and that this had been ordered under Gregory Nagy. Nagoy testified that Protopopov did not give orders in front of him, and the sexton himself told him about Protopopov’s order and that “Mikhail Bitogovsky came running to him (the sexton) and he locked himself in and did not let him into the bell tower.” Protopopov testified that Mikhaila Nagoy, having arrived at the yard, ordered him to ring the bells and he ordered the sexton. But the Naked Ones repeated that they themselves ran to the ringing of the bell. And this is quite certain. Moreover, if, according to the sexton, the ringing was already happening - the watchman Kuznetsov was already calling, then there was no need for Protopopov to push the sexton in the neck and force him to ring. The investigators, not paying attention to the confusion in the testimony, did not even demand Kuznetsov to answer. So here, too, the case itself justifies the testimony of the chronicles that the sexton himself saw the murder and hastened to sound the alarm. Certificate of the Tsar in the collection. state gram. 2. No. 147. The queen’s charter in the collection. gr. 2. No. 148. The same in hand. Philaret at Karamz. 12. pr. 23–25. The prince's hat, made of cloth, with pearls and stones, is in the Archangel Cathedral. - Ancient Ross. state II, 25. 26. The same certificates in the collection. gr. 2. No. 147. 148. Rukp. Philaret at Karamz. 12. Ave. 25. New Chronicle. p. 77. M. 1853 Service of St. to the Tsarevich on May 15 - at Tolstoy 2. No. 190. Celebrations on June 3 and October 19. abolished in 1768. Orthodox Review 1861 I, 299. Anthony the Great, who laid the foundation for monastic life, speaks of Pachomius’s introduction of the rules of community life to his disciple Zacchaeus: “At the beginning, when I became a monk, there was not a single monk to educate others; but each of the former monks, after persecution, labored on his own. After that, your father arranged this good deed with the help of God. Even before him, another, named Aot, wanted to establish the same thing, but since he did not try with all his heart, he did not get what he wanted. Pachomius rendered a great service by gathering such a multitude of brethren.” Vita Race. paragraphs 55, 62, 17, 33, - as indicated. in "Histor. Orthodox monk in the East”, P. Kazansky (part I). Paralip. Pach. n. 10. 11.