40. Основание Свято-Троицкой Сергиевой Лавры

In the middle of the 14th century, the foundation of the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra was laid. Its founder, the Monk Sergius (in the world Bartholomew), was the son of the boyars Cyril and Maria, who lived first in Rostov, and then moved closer to Moscow, to the village of Radonezh. From a young age, he had a burning desire to serve God alone in solitude, following the example of the ancient ascetics, but he was kept in his family by his love for his parents. After their death, he provided an inheritance to his younger brother Peter and, together with his older brother Stefan, settled ten miles from Radonezh, in a dense forest. Soon Stefan left him (he was later the rector of the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow and the confessor of the Grand Duke), and Saint Sergius labored alone for about two years. It is impossible to imagine how many temptations the young monk suffered at this time, but patience and prayer overcame all adversities. No matter how hard he tried to hide his exploits, the fame of them spread and attracted other monks to him who wanted to be saved under his leadership. They began to ask Sergius to accept the rank of priest and abbot. Sergius did not agree for a long time, but seeing their persistent request as a calling from above, he said: “I would rather obey than to rule, but I fear God’s judgment and surrender myself to the will of the Lord.” This was in 1354 (the year of Saint Alexy's accession to the metropolitan department). The life and works of St. Sergius are of particular importance in the history of Russian monasticism, because he laid the foundation for the life of hermits by establishing a monastery outside the city. Built on new principles, the monastery of the Holy Trinity at first endured great poverty in everything: the vestments were made of simple dyeing, the sacred vessels were wooden, in the church instead of candles there was a torch shining, but its ascetics burned with spiritual zeal. Saint Sergius showed the brethren an example of the strictest abstinence, deepest humility and unshakable trust in God's help; he was the first in labors and exploits, followed by the brethren. There were cases when the supply of bread in the monastery was completely depleted. The abbot himself, in order to earn a few pieces of half-rotten bread, personally erected a canopy in the cell of one brother. But in an hour of extreme need, through the prayers of the brethren, generous help was unexpectedly given to the monastery. A few years later, after the foundation of the monastery, peasants began to settle near it; not far from it there was a high road to Moscow and to the north. The resources of the holy monastery began to increase; following the example of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, it began to distribute rich alms and receive the sick and strange. The rumor about Saint Sergius reached Constantinople, and Patriarch Philotheus sent him his blessing and a letter, which approved the new orders of desert communal living, established by the founder of the Holy Trinity Monastery. Metropolitan Alexy loved St. Sergius as a friend, gave him difficult assignments for the reconciliation of warring princes, special important powers, and prepared him to be his successor. But Sergius rejected this election. Once the saint wanted to place a golden cross on him as a reward for his exploits, but Sergius told him: “From my youth I was not a gold-bearer, but in my old age I even more want to remain in poverty,” and he decisively rejected this honor. Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich honored St. Sergius as a father and asked his blessing to fight Mamai. “Go, go boldly, prince, and trust in God’s help,” the holy elder told him and gave him two monks as his companions: Peresvet and Oslyabya, who fell heroes in the Battle of Kulikovo. Even during his lifetime, St. Sergius performed miracles and received great revelations. Once the Mother of God appeared to him in wondrous majesty with the apostles Peter and John and promised protection of his monastery. Another time, he saw an extraordinary light and many birds filling the air with euphonious singing, and received a revelation that many monks would gather in his monastery. 30 years later, after his blessed death on September 25, 1392, his holy relics were revealed. The Trinity-Sergius Lavra spread many new monasteries from itself in all directions. It covered with them, as if in a network, the entire north and pulled it towards the church and state center of Russia - Moscow. During the life of Saint Sergius, he and with his assistance established the monasteries of Kirzhachsky (near the Kirzhach River in the Vladimir province), Golutvin, Simonov in Moscow, Vysotsky near Serpukhov, Borisoglebsky near Rostov, Dubensky (in memory of the Battle of Kulikovo), Pokrovsky near Borovsk, Avraamiev near Chukhloma. After the death of St. Sergius, his disciples founded the following monasteries: Savvin Storozhevsky near Zvenigorod, Zheleznoborsky near Galich, Voskresensky on Obnor (in the northern side of the present Yaroslavl province), Ferapontov, Kirillo-Belozersky and others. Among the friends of St. Sergius was also St. Stephen, the enlightener of the Perm country. You might be interested in: