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Day one. On this day we celebrate the beginning of the new year
Not only autumn served as the beginning of the year, but also spring. The month of Aviv, or the Hebrew month of Nissan, corresponding to March, served for the Jews as the beginning of the holy year from the time of their exit from Egypt (see: Ex. 12:2) in memory of their deliverance from Egyptian slavery; and for Christians, it recalls the creation and redemption of the world by the Son of God, and therefore serves as the beginning of God’s great benefits for the people of God and all humanity. The events of the creation of the world, the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Son of God, by which He sealed the redemption of the world, are believed by the writers of the Church to be in March. “This first is the month in months,” says the Followed Psalter on the first day of March, “beginning with this visible light was created. In this month, God, without retreating from the throne of His Majesty, descended from heaven to earth, like rain on the fleece, with the Archangel's Annunciation, in the most pure womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, from the Holy Spirit, He drained His flesh incomprehensibly.
In this month, by His free passion, His fleshly oath was taken, His death was put to death, and by His life-giving resurrection from the dead, Adam and the entire human race were raised from hell and brought back into primeval existence. For this reason, from the first day of March all the solar and lunar circles begin, and the sun, the high day, and the equinox are formed in it,” and so on.
On the new moon of the holy year among the Jews, as well as on other new moons, work was not prohibited, but pious people themselves stopped it and hastened to make sacrifices (see: 1 Kings 20, 5, 24-27), and visited the prophets for pious interviews (see: 2 Kings 4, 23).
Subsequently, the first spring month - March, from which the Jews began a new sacred, or church, year, was accepted as the beginning of the year by the Romans and remained with them until 45 BC.
From the Romans, conquerors of the world and the first correctors of chronology, the division of the year into 12 months and their names passed little by little to other nations. The shift of the beginning of the year from March to January in Christian lands was especially facilitated by the introduction in 531 of a new calendar from the Nativity of Christ, which was before January, by Dionysius the Small, a Roman monk, a Scythian by birth.
In our country, January has been accepted as the beginning of the year since the 17th century. But before we had a new year on the 1st day of March, and then from 1425 or even earlier the new year began to come into use on the 1st day of September. In 1492, a council convened in Moscow, chaired by Metropolitan Zosima, having set the church Easter for the eighth millennium from the creation of the world, decided, with the consent of Grand Duke John Vasilyevich, to postpone the beginning of the civil year from March 1 to September 1. Thus, the circle of the civil year in 1492 in our fatherland was combined with the church year. In 1674, the petition for the annals and glorification of the Savior was compiled again.
Peter the Great, having adopted the calendar from the Nativity of Christ, ordered the civil year in his empire to begin on January 1, and the year 1700, the first to begin in January, was celebrated throughout Russia with great celebration. However, following the chronology from the Nativity of Christ, our Church and Fatherland keep the chronology from the creation of the world and on church books and other documents they mean the year from the creation of the world and from the birth according to the flesh of God the Word.
Time reckoning, which originated with the ancient Romans, was corrected twice over the course of time. The first time it was corrected was 45 years BC under Julius Caesar, with the help of Sosigenes, the famous Alexandrian astronomer; With this correction, the beginning of the Roman year was moved from the 1st day of March to the 1st of January. The time calculation was corrected for the second time in 1582 under Pope Gregory XIII. The one adopted by Julius is called the Julian time reckoning of the old style; and introduced by Gregory - the Gregorian time reckoning of the new style, from which the old one is now 13 days behind. Our Church uses the old style so that it does not have to celebrate Easter together with the Jews, as happens in the West, contrary to the decrees of the councils, and in other lands of the West they follow the new one, which even in its correction is faulty and erroneous.
On New Year's Day - January 1 - the Church, with kneeling and solemn ringing, thanks the Lord for the blessings poured out on us over the past summer, and asks Him to bless the coming year. “Sovereign Lord our God, Source of life and immortality, of all creatures, visible and invisible, to the Creator, who set times and years in Your power and governs all things by Your wise and all-good Providence! We give thanks for Your mercies, which have surprised us in the past time. We pray to You: bless the crown of the coming summer, preserve the Emperor, the House and all His people with Your goodness, multiply their days in unshakable health and grant them success in all virtues.” Concluding thanksgiving and petitions, the Church prays to the Lord for the longevity of the Most Pious Sovereign, Empress and other persons of the Royal House.
Beginning the New Year with prayer, the Church denounces those who, forgetting this sacred duty, begin the New Year not in the spirit of Christian piety, but in ancient pagan superstition. Saint Chrysostom perfectly expresses the accusatory voice of the Church in his word for the New Year. “The devilish revelry,” he says, “continuing all night today, laughter, riots, night dancing and seductive jokes have now taken our city into captivity, which is more painful than any enemy. What saddens me most of all are the games taking place today in hotels, filled with debauchery and wickedness: wickedness, because those who engage in them mark the days in their own way, guess and think that if they manage to spend the first day of the year in pleasure and fun, then the whole year will be exactly the same; debauchery, because at dawn men and women fill their glasses with wine and get drunk beyond measure.
If you want to benefit from the new year, then at the beginning of it, thank your Lord for introducing you into this cycle of years, be contrite in your heart, count the time of a new life and say to yourself: days flow and go: years end; We have already completed most of our journey, but what good have we done? Are we really going to leave here without everything, without any virtue! Guessing by day is inconsistent with Christian wisdom; this is a matter of Hellenic error. You have been assigned to the highest city, accepted into the local citizenship, entered into the society of Angels, where there is no light changing into darkness, no day ending in night, but always day, always light.”
Day two. The Repose of Righteous Juliana Lazarevskaya
Righteous Juliana was the daughter of the pious and wealthy noblemen Nedyurev 1; her father Justin was a housekeeper at the court of King John; Having been left an orphan for six years after the death of her mother, she was taken in to be raised by her grandmother Anastasia Lukina, née Dubenskaya; the grandmother, dying, passed it on to her married daughter Natalya Aranova, when Juliania was 12 years old; Aranova had many children of her own, so the orphan got little pleasant things. The modest orphan girl loved fasting and prayer; her sisters mocked her for this, and her aunt scolded her; meek and unrequited, she diligently occupied herself with handicrafts (“spinning and hoopping”); while other girls found pleasure in empty fun and games, her consolation was to look after the sick poor man, sew a shirt for the needy, caress an orphan.
Her peers only thought about cherishing their beauty; they ate and drank from early morning; Moreover, they encouraged Juliana; her aunt even scolded her for ruining her virgin beauty by not paying attention to her, but Juliana remained abstinent, cherished the purity of her soul and cherished in herself only the fear of God. The orphan girl was not taught to read and write, and this seems to be in the order of things for an orphan. During her entire girlhood she had never been to church; in the village where she lived there was no church, it was 2 miles away, and the custom, which did not allow the girl to leave home and appear among strangers, plausibly covered up her omission of sacred duty in the eyes of her teachers. Nevertheless, Juliana was a girl of rare kindness. Good meaning was her mentor in goodness, and the fear of God revealed her meaning. In her time, girls got married at 15. But Juliana was an orphan; they were in no hurry to give her a home. She was married off when she was 16 years old. But God sent the orphan a rich and noble husband, Yuri Osorin, owner of the village.
Lazarevsky; in this village they were married by the pious priest Potapius, who later, with the name Pimen, was archimandrite of the Murom Spassky Monastery; the pious confessor helped Juliana a lot on her new path of life with his advice and instructions. With her helpfulness and hard work, she soon gained the love of her father-in-law and mother-in-law, so they entrusted her with the management of the house. In the morning and evening, she constantly performed kneeling prayers, making 100 or more bows. In addition, she also taught her husband. At times she grieved that she did not remain a virgin, but she redoubled her efforts to fulfill the commandments of God in the circle of her life. It happened that the husband was in the royal service in Astrakhan for a year, two or three years. Then she did needlework at night, either spinning or sewing in a hoop, and distributed the money she earned for her work to the poor or to the church of God; She did this secretly even from her mother-in-law, although she loved her; only one maid knew the exploits of her love. With her own hands she fed and watered the orphans and widows, sewed them and washed them.
All her servants and maids were well fed, clothed, and shod; she did not allow any pride in her treatment of them; She politely called everyone by name and patronymic. For herself personally, she did not demand services from them, never ordered them to give her water or take off her shoes - she did all this herself. Only when there were guests did she allow herself to order this and that to the servants. But even in such cases, I was burdened by their services. “Who am I, poor thing,” she said, “that others should serve me?” Among the servants there were those who, despite all her kindness, showed her rudeness; she happened to see and hear quarrels between the servants. She tried to overcome their obstinacy with patient kindness. “I often sin before God,” she said, “and God tolerates me: I will also tolerate it, especially since although they are subordinate to me, in their souls, perhaps, they are much better than me before God.” Without embarrassment, she endured reprimands from her father-in-law, mother-in-law and husband for the servants' disorder, but not only did she not say unnecessary or unfair things about them, but tried to cover up and correct their mistakes.
At night she usually prayed to God; Her zeal was especially great for Saint Nicholas. One night, during prayer, she was struck by such fear that, leaving prayer, she hurried to hide in bed, but even then terrible dreams haunted her; her dreams threatened to destroy her if she did not stop praying; Finally, she mentally turned to God and called on St. Nicholas for help. Suddenly the saint appeared with a book in his hands and said: “Be strong, my daughter, do not be afraid of these threats, Christ commanded me to keep you.” Waking up, she already saw in reality her magnificent husband leaving her room. From then on, she began to pray even more.
There was a great famine, so many died from lack of food. Juliana doubled her secret alms. She took food from her mother-in-law for breakfast and midday and distributed everything to those in need, but she herself, as before, did not eat anything until lunch and evening. Her mother-in-law told her: “I’m glad that now you eat more; But why couldn’t I force you to have either breakfast or afternoon tea before?” The blessed one, hiding her feat, answered: “Then I did not give birth to children, but now I cannot eat enough.” If one of the poor died, the blessed one hired to remove the dead man, bought a shroud and prayed for the deceased. Famine was followed by infection; people locked themselves in their houses, fearing a sticky death. The blessed one, secretly from her own people, cared for those suffering from the infection and, if someone died, she did not hesitate to wash him herself and buried him at her own expense.
The father-in-law and mother-in-law, having reached a ripe old age, died in monastic attire. The blessed one gave out generous alms for them, made meals for the poor, sent alms to those imprisoned in prison, and sent commemorations in the church without her husband, who was serving in Astrakhan. She had many children, and of them six sons and one daughter she raised in the fear of God. Her eldest son was killed by a servant: this greatly upset her, but she still had so much firmness that she consoled her husband. Soon after that, another son was killed in the royal service, and she bore this loss complacently. And, however, these two losses shocked her so much that she strongly begged her husband to allow her to join the monastery. Her husband restrained her: “Your job,” he says, “is to raise children for the Lord.” He read to her the books of Cosmas the Presbyter and other blessed teachers, where it is said: “Black vestments will not save us if we live badly, and a white vestment is not harmful if we do the will of God. They do bad things when they retire to a monastery out of poverty and abandon their children without a caretaker; the children cry at them before God.”
“If so,” said the blessed one, “God’s will be done!” – and stayed to live with the children.
The blessed one begged permission from her husband to no longer have marital cohabitation with him and began to sleep on a special bed. She began to fast and pray more than before. She spent every Friday in a solitary cell in prayer, eating nothing; on Monday and Wednesday I ate dry bread once; on Saturday and Sunday she established meals for the spiritual and the poor. At night she slept no more than two hours, in the evening, and then with a log under her head and her keys under her side. When others fell asleep soundly, she got up for prayer and prayed until matins, then went to church. Although she did not know how to read and write, but, loving to listen to books read, she learned so much that she explained to others how to live in order to please the Lord. Pious feelings and life experiences led her to an understanding of the highest Christian truths. She provided food for everyone in the house, taking care of the contentment of every servant; She admonished the guilty servants and maids not with scolding and beatings, but with the gentle words of a loving mother.
After the death of her husband, she distributed alms to churches and monasteries. She prayed earnestly for his soul and told the children: “Don’t cry too much for him, my children! His death tells us that we also need to prepare for judgment. Instead of tears, give alms according to your strength and keep love among each other.” Her generosity for the poor now reached such a level that, at times, she did not have a penny left; borrowing money from children to buy clothes for herself, she gave the clothes to the beggar, and she herself went without warm clothes in the winter. Weighing herself down with deeds for the Lord, she put shells under her bare feet in her boots and walked like that. The Lord looked mercifully on her exploits. One day there was a very harsh winter, and blessedly, having neither clothes nor shoes, I did not go to church for some time; she was already 60 years old. The priest of the Church of St. Lazarus, coming to the church for Matins, suddenly heard a voice from the icon of the Mother of God: “Go, tell the merciful widow Juliana that she does not go to church in vain; home prayer is pleasing to God, but not as much as church prayer; and you respect her, the Spirit of God rests on her.”
The priest, frightened, ran to Juliana and told everyone what he had heard. The humble servant of God was upset by such a story from the priest. “You are lovely,” she said; Who am I, a sinner, to be worthy of such an invitation? She begged the priest and everyone who heard not to say a word about it, either during her life or after her death. Then I went to the church and served a prayer service to the Mother of God. From that time on, no matter the weather, she went to church whenever there was a service. In the house, no matter what she did, whether she ate or drank, she constantly said the Jesus Prayer.
She lived as a widow for nine years, pleasing God with fasting, prayer and almsgiving. She managed the bread reserves so that there was enough for the household for a year, and distributed the rest to the poor. Under Tsar Boris there was a terrible famine: some even ate the human flesh of the dead. The blessed one asked the children and household not to touch other people's property; How many livestock and household items she had, she sold them all to buy bread and fed not only those at home, but also strangers. Finally, she reached extreme poverty and, trusting in God, moved to the Nizhny Novgorod village of Vochnevo. When poverty increased here too, she called her slaves and said: “You yourself see what the hunger is like; If any of you does not want to endure need with me, let him go wherever he pleases to seek bread for himself.” Some stayed with her, while others she sent away, at their request, with all her love. She ordered those who remained to collect quinoa and tree bark to make bread from it; through her prayers, the bread turned out to be tasty, and not only were their own people fed and healthy, but also the poor received help.
The neighbors said to the beggars: “Why do you go to Juliana? She herself is dying of hunger.” The beggars answered: “We visited many villages, but we never ate such delicious bread as hers.” The wealthy sent to her on purpose for bread to check the words of the beggars, and they were amazed at the pleasantness of her bread. She spent the entire period of famine, two whole years, in extreme poverty, but she was always calm and cheerful, thanking the Lord for everything.
When the time of her death approached, on the very day of the Nativity of Christ she fell ill and was sick for six days. But even in these days, she herself got up at night to pray, so that the servants laughed and said: “What kind of sick woman is this?” On the very day of her death, early in the morning, she called her confessor, confessed and received Holy Communion, then blessed the children and commanded them to live in the fear of God. “Ever since my youth,” she added, “I strongly wanted to put on monasticism, but because of my sins, God did not vouchsafe me this grace; thank God for everything!” And on January 2, 1604, she peacefully surrendered her spirit to God. That same night she appeared to her maid and asked to bury her body near her husband, at the church of St. Lazarus. This was done. In 1614, when they buried her son, they opened her coffin, full of fragrant ointment. Many sick people who were anointed with this world received healing.
Other sick people received healing after prayer over her tomb; among them, the children of Chervev suffered from wounds from which blood flowed and could not control their hands, and after prayer over the tomb of the righteous woman they were healed; in the same way, the blind woman's sight was restored; relaxed and crouched, Andrei completely recovered 2. Such is the servant of God Juliana.
Memory of the Holy Martyr Theogen
Bishop of Paria, city of Troas, who lived in the 4th century. For confessing the faith of Christ, he was condemned by Licinius to be drowned at sea; Before carrying out the execution, he asked for time to pray, and when he prayed, his face lit up with an extraordinary light, which so amazed those who were present that many of them accepted the Christian faith. After drowning, his body was taken out of the water by Christians and buried at the city wall, and here many miracles were performed and illnesses were healed to glorify the saint of God.
Saint Theodotia, mother of the unmercenary and miracle workers Cosmas and Damian. Widowed early, she led a pious life and devoted herself entirely to raising her children in the fear of God. She is also commemorated on November 1 and Cheese Saturday.
Saint Ammon, who lived at the beginning of the 5th century. He was the abbot of the Tavennisiot monastery in Egypt, in which he had up to 3,000 monks.
Venerable Macarius. He labored in the 4th century in the monastery of Pisper, on the banks of the Nile, where he was the successor of his teacher, Anthony the Great.
Day three. Memory of the Holy Prophet Malachi
He came from the tribe of Zebulun and died four hundred years before the birth of Christ. He prophesied about the coming of Christ, the change of the Law of Moses to a better one, and the Last Judgment.
Memory of the Holy Martyr Gordius
The martyr Gordius suffered during the persecution of Licinius in Caesarea in Cappadocia and was beheaded. When he was sentenced to execution, many advised him to at least apparently renounce Christ to save his life. “You renounce Christ with your tongue,” they told him, “but believe in your heart as you wish; God does not require language, but thoughts and beliefs.” But he, like a rock in the middle of the sea, remained unshakable and answered the bad advisers: “The tongue that I have by the grace of Christ, I cannot move to deny the Creator.”
Day four. The Suffering of Saint Onuphrius
Saint Onuphrius, baptized Matthew, was born in Gabrovo, Ternov diocese 3. His parents were Bulgarians, they were rich and famous. Matthew studied at school and, despite his excellent abilities, studied well. His father punished him severely for some prank; the ardent and proud young man shouted into the ears of the Turks that he would turn out to be a Turk. The Turks would certainly have circumcised him, but he was deftly snatched from the hands of the Turks, and, hidden from them, he remained a Christian. When Matthew reached adulthood, he retired to Athos and joined the brotherhood of the Hilandar monastery. Having accepted monasticism with the name of Manasseh, he was ordained a hierodeacon. Since Father Manasseh sincerely and zealously served the Lord - and the more diligently they strive for spiritual perfection, the clearer and stronger they feel their shortcomings and errors - then Father Manasseh began to strongly feel the weight of his renunciation of the holy faith, committed in an ardent, semi-conscious youth. And whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him and I before My Father (Matt.
10:33), - these words of the Lord resounded loudly in his soul and did not give her peace. He constantly carried fear in his soul that if he did not bear fruits worthy of repentance, Christ the Lord would abandon him. So fear for his eternal fate gave rise to the idea of a bloody feat in him. Then the desire for martyrdom, as he grew in spiritual life, became the fruit of his fiery love for the Lord, ready to do anything for the glory of His name. Before he decided on a great feat, he revealed his desire to the elders. They advised him to test himself. After a long self-examination, he goes to the confessor Nicephorus and asks to be accepted into his cell in order to prepare him for martyrdom. “I do not refuse to accept you to myself,” answered the elder, “but so that you do not have intercourse with anyone and, before bloody martyrdom, struggle as if you were in torment.” “I agree to the terms,” Manasseh said cheerfully. Returning to the monastery, he disposed of his things: he gave a sufficient amount to the monastery, so that the monastery would rest his father, who lived in it.
Having told the monastery that he was going to Jerusalem, he went to Elder Nicephorus. He gave him a special cell, ordered the student to serve him and not allow anyone else, gave him instructions on how he should strive, and left him in the peace of God. Confined in a cell, for the first 40 days the monk ate food, sometimes after two days, sometimes after three, and sometimes even after a week, and even then only in small quantities of bread and water; He made up to 3,500 prostrations a day, and tears constantly flowed from his eyes. Since he was very weak from such exploits, the elder moderated his fast. At this time he accepted the schema with the name Onuphrius. At the end of the test, Elder Nikephoros sent Onuphrius to Chios for his desired feat; The experienced monk Gregory was given to him as a companion. Arriving in Chios on December 29, the travelers stayed with a pious Christian. Onuphry spent seven days in fasting, prayer and silence and received Holy Communion more than once. One night, in a light dream, he saw the following: a host of priests, bishops, and soldiers announced to him: “Go, the Tsar wants to see you.”
Onuphry replies in awe: “Why should the King see me, an empty man? Please fire me if possible." “It’s impossible,” was the answer, “you’re following us.” Onuphry came after them to some bright, wonderful place and, seeing the Tsar, fell before Him. The king said: “The place is ready,” and pointed to the place of the inexplicable light. The blessed one woke up in delight, and his heart was full of joy. The next night he felt the absence of this joy and spoke with sorrow about it to his companion. Experienced Gregory told him to ask all Christians for prayers for himself, and the humble Onuphry bowed to everyone, asking them to pray for him.
Appearing in court in a green bandage and red shoes, Onuphry said: “15 years ago I was wounded in a similar place; since that time my wound has not healed; the doctors tell me: if I do not appear at the place where I am wounded, I will not be healed.” - “What kind of wound do you have?” - asked the qadi. “When I was young,” answered the blessed one, “out of foolishness I expressed a desire to become a Turk, although I never served your faith, but always lived as a Christian. Having reached adulthood, I feel the sting of this wound and say with complete conviction: Mohammedanism is a destruction to the soul.” Having said this, he threw off the green bandage from his head. The judges were speechless. Finally, the young Turk, who seemed very smart and dexterous, said: “What are you doing, brother? This is a sacred thing: pick it up and cover yourself with it.” The confessor replied: “Calling an empty thing holy is blasphemy.
This is the trouble with lost people, that they reject, trample in the mud the revealed truth and the God-sent shrine, and honor the dreams of the sick human imagination, nonsense, ridiculed by a sober mind; just as the pagans do not seek the Redeemer of the sinful world, they created for themselves both morality and paradise according to the taste of animal passions. And we’re still happy with ourselves! Isn’t this a terrible state?” The frantic shouted: death to a Christian. Another military official took the confessor to the Musselim prison and put the block on him. At the same time, one Mohammedan gave the confessor two slaps in the face. “I thank you for myself and regret you,” said the confessor. The wise judges, having visited the mosque, decided: death for a Christian if he does not bless the Koran. The confessor, again called to the court, did not express a desire to kiss the stupidity of Mohammedanism. The judges sentenced to exterminate his memory. As a result, the headless body and all the clothes of the martyr were thrown into the sea. The suffering took place on January 4, 1818, in the 32nd year of the martyr.
Day five. Memory of Saints Talida and Taora
In upper Egypt, otherwise known as Thebaid, there were many women's monasteries in the 4th and 5th centuries. In the city of Oxyrhynchus, now almost covered with sand, there were up to 20 thousand nuns. Ancient public buildings and churches, previously dedicated to false deities, were converted into monastic monasteries. The influence of monastic life on the townspeople was amazing. They had such a love for calming strangers that they sent servants to the city gates and went out themselves to see if any stranger was approaching somewhere? If the wanderer was a monk, they ran to meet him, each one pulling him towards him; they grabbed his shoulders, his clothes, just to have the happiness of calming him down. Rufinus says as an eyewitness that in his time there was not a single pagan and not a single heretic in Oxyrhynchus, so that the bishop could preach with the same freedom in the square as in churches 4.
Bishop Apphius was also marvelous here. When he was a monk, he led a very strict life; and when he became a bishop, he wanted to lead the same strict life among the world, but he could not. Prostrating himself before God, he said: Was it really because of the episcopacy that grace departed from me? And it was revealed to him: “No, but then you were in the desert, there was not a single person there - and God helped you, but now you are in the world - and people help you” 5.
On the eastern bank of the Nile stood the city of Antinous, and opposite Antinous - Hermopolis, now, since the 7th century, Ashmuneim. On the eastern shore, the continued Arabian Mountains are dotted with caves - these are the most ancient quarries and tombs. And here were the Thebaid solitudes, glorified by the deeds of Christian ascetics and ascetics. They started from the present Minieta and stretched far to the south. In Sheikh Abad, near the disappeared Antinous, in the mosque they show the tomb of the Antinian bishop Ammon, who signed the definition of the council of 394 6. According to Palladius, there were 12 women’s monasteries in Antinous, where they led a life pleasing to God.
Among the Antinoan ascetics, Elder Amma (mother) Talida 7 was distinguished by her especially high spiritual life. She had already been in asceticism for eighty years when Palladius saw her. Sixty virgins lived with her. According to her instructions, they lived a fasting and pure life. They all respected and loved her so much that the gates of the monastery were not closed, as in other monasteries; only love and respect for the will of Amma kept them within the walls of the monastery, and they firmly preserved the purity of soul and body for eternal glory. The words of the Apostle, conveyed to them by Amma, constantly sounded in their ears and hearts: Walk worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and meekness and long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, trying to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3). Amma Talida achieved imperturbable spiritual purity. “When I came to her and sat down,” says Palladius, “she sat down next to me and put her hands on my shoulders, with amazing trust in Christ, who preserves the purity of her thoughts.”
What is this dispassion of Talida? Isn't this a characteristic of a decrepit organism? ABOUT! No, in the world there are old men and women of 80 years old, such that unclean sin plays strongly in their members. On the other hand, one lived in the desert since childhood, but when he saw women on the road for the first time, he said to his father: “These are the same ones who came to me at night in the monastery.” Abba Anthony said: “I think that the body has a natural movement, innate to it, but it does not act when the soul does not want, and there is movement without lust. There is another movement that comes from nourishing and heating the body with food and drink. The heat of the blood arising from them produces impure excitement in the body. That is why the Apostle said: do not get drunk with wine, for there is fornication in it (Eph. 5:19); Likewise, the Lord in the Gospel said to the disciples: take heed, lest your hearts be burdened with gluttony and drunkenness (Luke 21:34). In ascetics there is also another movement from the deceit and envy of the devil” 8. Apply these words to Talida and you will see the truth.
The one who ascended from earth to heaven said about himself that before separation from his body he did not consider himself free from danger: but at the same time, the will, strong by grace, now and yesterday gains victories over the natural movements of the corrupted flesh and from time to time leaves earth for heaven.
In the same Antinoian monastery lived the virgin Taora, a disciple of Saint Talida. She had already labored for 30 years when Palladius saw her. “She never wanted to take a new tunic, a coat, or shoes” 9. “For me there is no need,” she said, “otherwise they would not be forced to go out of the gate.” When the other sisters usually went to church on Sunday (and only on Sunday) to receive the Holy Mysteries, she, covered with rags, remained in the monastery, constantly busy with work. Her face was so beautiful that the most determined could hardly help but be carried away by her beauty, but her asceticism inspired involuntary fear even in the most shameless eye. The faithful servant of God denied herself spiritual consolation - a visit to the church of God, because she was afraid of tempting someone with her face, and she saved herself from dangerous temptation. A glance at a man is caustic or hurt, says spiritual experience.
“A virgin,” wrote the great Anthony, “should not harbor feelings characteristic of a wife; she must avoid unclean thoughts, pride and everything that pleases the devil; must love everyone, flee from worldly glory, be devoted to God, bridle the tongue and strictly observe fasting.” This is how the Monk Taora labored 10.
There was also in Antinous, says Palladius, a true virgin who vigilantly performed the work of asceticism. She didn’t live far from me.” Palladius traveled through the deserts of Egypt in 388–392, including living in Antinous 11. “I have not seen her in person,” he continues, “she, as those who knew her said, never left her cell since she renounced the world, and spent 60 years in asceticism with her mother. When the time finally came for her to pass from this life to Eternal Life, the holy martyr Kolluf, who was famous for his courage in that place, appeared to her and said: “Today you will go to your Lord and see all the saints. Therefore, come and share a meal with us in the monastery.” The blessed one, getting up early in the morning, got dressed, put bread, olives and several vegetables in her basket and, after so many years of seclusion, went to the church of the martyr. Here she prayed, sat down and waited all day for the time to eat.
At the ninth hour, when the time came to taste the food and there was no one in the church, she laid out the food and turned to the martyr with a prayer: “Bless my food, Saint Collufe, and may your prayers accompany me!” After that, she sat down and tasted it. Then, after praying some more, she came home around sunset. Here she conveyed to her mother the interpretation of the stromatopist Clement on the prophet Amos with the words: “Tell this to the bishop sent to prison, and tell him to pray for me, - I am going to the Lord.” That same night she died: without suffering from a fever or a headache, she prepared herself for burial and gave up her spirit into the hands of God” 12.
About 420, Abba Daniel, visiting the deserts of Thebaid, came to Hermopolis and said to his disciple: “Go to that convent and tell the abbess that I want to be with them.” It was a monastery founded by Father Jeremiah, there were up to 300 sisters in it. The student knocked on the gate. The gatekeeper quietly asked: “What do you need?” The student answered: “Tell the abbess that a certain monk wants to talk with her.” The abbess came and asked: “What do you need?” The brother answered: “Create love, let me and my brother spend the night in your monastery, so that otherwise the animals will not eat us.” The abbess answered: “A man never enters here, and it is more useful for you to be food for animals than for passions.” The disciple announced that Abba Daniel of the monastery wanted to visit them. Then the abbess ordered both gates to be opened and immediately summoned all the sisters. The fasting women from the gate to the place where the elder stood covered the path with carpets and, bowing to him, kissed his feet - and joyfully led him into the monastery.
The abbess ordered a basin to be brought and, pouring warm water, putting fragrant herbs in the water, placing the sisters in two rows, she herself washed his feet and the feet of his disciple with her own hands, and then sprinkled that water on all the sisters and washed her own head. The fasting women stood silent - and only made signs to let them know what was needed; They walked very quietly and modestly. The elder said to the abbess: “Are the sisters ashamed of us, or are they always like this?” “They always are,” answered the abbess. “Tell my student,” said the elder, “let him learn silence, he is a true Gothic to me” (German).
One of the nuns lay in the monastery with her clothes torn. The elder asked the abbess: “Who is this lying?” The abbess answered: “This is one of the sisters, drunk; I don’t know what to do with her? I'm afraid to kick me out of the monastery, lest I sin; holding it is an embarrassment for others.” The elder said to the disciple: “Take the washbasin and pour water on it.” When he did this, she stood up as if drunk. “She is always like this,” said the abbess. Then the abbess led the elder to the meal and proposed supper for him and the sisters. “Bless, father, your slaves to eat in your presence,” said the abbess. She herself and the other one sat down with the elder. The elder was offered: pickled lentils, uncooked vegetables, dates and water; The student was given bread, boiled vegetables and wine diluted with water; The nuns were offered: various boiled food, fish and wine. When the elder got up from the meal, he said to the abbess: “Why is this like this with you? We should have eaten the best food, but with you you ate the best.”
The abbess answered: “You, father, are a monk and you have been offered monastic food; Your disciple has been given food suitable for the disciple of a great elder; and my sisters, like beginners, ate the food of beginners.” “May the Lord reward you for your love, for a lesson useful to us,” said the elder. When everyone had gone to bed, the elder ordered the disciple to go and see where the drunk woman would sleep. He looked and said: “In the latrine.” The elder said: “Let’s beat this night.” When the nuns fell asleep, the elder and the disciple came to the place where the supposed drunken woman was, and they saw: she was standing with her hands raised to the sky, tears flowing down her cheeks - she bowed earnestly. When my sister went out to relieve herself, she lay down as if drunk and snored. “Call the abbess and her second in line to me,” the elder said to the disciple. They arrived and watched all night. The abbess said with tears: “How much trouble I caused her!” When they hit the beater, the abbess told all the fasting women about the feat of the imaginary drunkard.
But when she saw that they recognized her, she secretly came to where the elder was sleeping, took away his staff with the mantle, opened the gate and wrote on the gate: “Forgive me, sisters, for what I have sinned, and pray for me.” Then she disappeared. The sisters searched for her all day and, not finding her, saw her farewell words on the gate. The sisters cried for her. The elder told them: “These are the kind of drunkards God loves” 13 .
Memory of the Holy Prophet Micah (1st)
The first holy prophet is called in contrast to the second holy prophet Micah, who lived 130 years later. The holy prophet Micah 1 prophesied orally; was a contemporary of the holy prophet Elijah; predicted to Achaab, king of Israel, that he would be killed in the war with the Assyrians. “I saw,” he said, “the Lord, surrounded by heavenly power and sending a spirit of lies to deceive King Achaab, deceiving his false prophets with the promise of victory... (2 Chronicles 18). For these words he was taken to prison and, leaving there, said: “If King Achaab returns in peace, then I will agree that God did not tell me about him”... His words came true. Ahaav died in the war around 897 BC. According to Chetya-Minea, the holy prophet died as a martyr.
Memory of the Holy Martyr Roman, who lived at the end of the 17th century in Karpenisi, Morea
Born a commoner, unlearned and even illiterate, Roman had the good fortune of being the son of pious parents. In their piety, he drew that real spiritual enlightenment, which, the surest of all earthly paths, leads to the one true goal: union with God. The simple but true judgments of his Christian parents, amid their modest everyday activities, kindled the spark of God in his soul... And so it gradually flared up and began to illuminate the circumstances of his life for him, and finally turned into that fiery outburst of love for God, for which he laid down his life. Having once heard the stories of his neighbors about the Holy Sepulcher, his Christianly prepared soul did not remain indifferent to what he heard; Touched and excited by new impressions for his dark mind, he decided to immediately go to Jerusalem himself. God helped him get to the holy places, where, having venerated the shrines, he came to the Lavra of St. Sava the Sanctified. Here he happened to hear reading about martyrs who were subjected to all kinds of suffering for the sake of future eternal benefits.
“What kind of benefits are these?” - asked Roman, who had no idea about the dogmas of faith, who knew nothing except that he was born a Christian.
Having received from the good monks a solution to various questions that arose in his soul, Roman himself wished to achieve the Kingdom of God through martyrdom and announced his desire to the Patriarch of Jerusalem. He stopped him, fearing the outcome of such a sudden, immature decision and also fearing that this would not serve to show hostility on the part of the Turks towards the Holy Sepulcher itself.
Roman left Jerusalem for Thessaloniki; here he appeared before the city judge and boldly confessed his faith in Christ before him; He called the faith in Mohammed false and his teaching a deception.
The Turks, although they did not torture Christians at that time, allowed them to live peacefully in their possessions, but never tolerated an open rebellion against their faith. The judge decided to punish the voluntary confessor; he ordered to beat him and torture him without any mercy, but, seeing his firmness, he condemned him to beheading.
At the same time, it happened that the captain of the Thessalonica ships; he asked the judge to give him the martyr as a worker on the ship, pretending that this would be worse than death for him, because in this service he would suffer for the rest of his life. The judge agreed, and Roman was taken onto the ship. Some time after this, several Christians, who were on good terms with the captain, ransomed the martyr from grave captivity and provided him with the means to go to Athos. Here he accepted monasticism, but his soul continued to thirst for higher achievement. He felt like a stranger on earth... He immersed himself in prayer and, with strict fasting, prepared himself to complete the feat. Finally, he decided to go to Constantinople, where he again began to expose the false belief in Mohammed. They stopped him, threw him into a dry well, kept him there for 40 days without any food, demanding that he renounce the Christian faith. But, seeing that no torment could shake him, the vizier ordered his head to be cut off.
This is how the Venerable Martyr Roman suffered in 1694. The English sailors who were at the time bought his holy remains for 600 piastres and took them on their ship to England.
Here is what Blessed Theodoret 14, who was a contemporary of her life, writes about Saint Domnina: “Wonderful Domnina tried to imitate the life of Saint Maron 15. She built herself a small hut covered with straw in her mother's garden. With the roosters crowing, she goes to the church of God; She does this even at the end of the day. She reverently honors the Church of God and teaches others to do the same. For this reason, she cares a lot about the church and persuades her mother and brothers to use their property for the church. Her food is lentils soaked in water. Her body is withered and half-dead, but it endures any kind of labor. Her voice is sonorous and expressive, but her words are always accompanied by tears. The one who has such a wealth of philosophy, crying, sighing, what word can praise? Strong love for God gives birth to these tears. She takes care of those who come to her, giving them everything they need. The property of her mother and brothers is open to her for spending, and for this her mother and brothers are blessed by heaven.”
Blessed is the soul that has shone in the world with a life similar to that of an Angel!
Day six. Holy Epiphany of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ
Until His thirty years of age, the God-Man did not begin preaching the Gospel to the people, because the Jews did not accept the title of public teacher or priest before this age. When the time of saving preaching had come for Him, John the Baptist, in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius, according to the word of God, foretells throughout the entire region of Jordan (see: Luke 3:1-3) that the Kingdom of Heaven is approaching and the long-awaited Messiah is coming; preaches repentance, necessary for worthy entry into His Kingdom, and baptizes those who confess their sins in the Jordan (see: Matt. 3:2). Baptism, which gave John the title of Baptist, was, according to Chrysostom, only a preparation for the Holy Sacrament, and not the Sacrament itself. Wishing to sanctify the waters by touching them with His most pure nature and to establish the Sacrament of Baptism, which was to serve as the door to a new eternal covenant with God, Jesus Christ, before His entry into open, public service for the salvation of the world, also came to the Jordan to John to be baptized.
The Forerunner never saw the Savior, but God revealed to the Baptist that this was the Messiah; then John cried out in reverent amazement: I demand to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me? Leave it now, answered the Lord, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3).
Transfer of the right hand of the Baptist from Antioch to Constantinople
The body of the Baptist, after the beheading of his head, was buried in the Samaria city of Sebastia. The Holy Evangelist Luke, who preached the Gospel here, took his right hand from the incorruptible relics of the Baptist and brought it to Antioch, where for a long time it was kept by the Orthodox with great respect and gave grace-filled help to the believers. In 956, when the Mohammedans took possession of Antioch and all its borders under the Greek emperors Constantine VII and Romanus (912–958), Deacon Job transferred the hand of the Baptist from Antioch to Chalcedon, then free from the Mohammedan yoke. From Chalcedon she was solemnly brought on the royal ship by the patriarch himself to Constantinople and was greeted with a procession of the cross, in the presence of the king and in the presence of a large crowd, on the very eve of the Epiphany of the Lord, and therefore, as if the Forerunner and Baptist himself invisibly arrived in Constantinople for the consecration of the waters and aggravated the triumph of the Epiphany and the day following it in the Church of Constantinople.
Without connecting with the great feast of the Epiphany of the Lord a new remembrance - the transference of the right hand of the Baptist, the Greek Church decided to perform this remembrance on the morning of Epiphany, on the day of the Council of the Baptist. Thus, in the 10th century, the celebration of the transfer of the right hand of the Baptist to the right hand was added to the day of the Council in honor of the Baptist of the Lord. It was kept in Constantinople until the time of the conquest of Byzantium by the Turks, and every year on the day of the Nativity of the Forerunner, during the Divine Service, it was solemnly carried out by the patriarch to the pulpit for his appearance to the people.
Day eight. Memory of Saints Doinice and Maura
Good virgins of a famous family arrived as pagans in Constantinople from Carthage, under Patriarch Nektarios (397); with them came three more pagan girls, their servants. Their ardent desire was to accept Christianity in order to live according to the rules of pure heavenly faith. Patriarch Nektarios had a special heavenly notification about them 16. Therefore, he not only baptized them, but also ordained Domnik and Mavra as deaconesses, 17 and Emperor Theodosius gave them lands outside the city. Domnica founded a monastery in honor of the Monk Zacharias, and Mavra built a monastery with a church in honor of the martyr Mavra. Many virgins, and mostly their fellow tribesmen, from African Carthage, which was then under the rule of the Roman Empire, gathered with both of them. Emperor Theodosius turned his power to weaken paganism in the far corners of the empire, and the monasteries of Domniki and Mavra were schools for young Christian women 18 .
Blessed Domnika devoted herself to Christian exploits with fiery zeal; not sparing her sinful body, she exhausted herself with fasting and labor, courageously struggling with corrupt nature in order to do the will of God with her full soul 19. “You manifest your heartfelt desire with tears and tenderness, O glorious one, you have moistened the earth and wiped the hair of Christ’s footstool” 20. You have declined the mercy of the flesh. You were adorned with virtues” 21. Through hard and long labors she ascended to a wondrous degree of spiritual perfection. By the mercy of God she healed the sick. She showed power over the elements, prophesied the future, thereby turning the carefree inhabitants of the cheerful capital to concerns about eternity. “Enriched with the gift of prophecy, she predicted about emperors, patriarchs, and many other things” 22. “Thou hast saved the overwhelmed swimmers in the sea,” the Church sings, “by throwing oil into the sea with a blessing and putting the storm into silence” 23. “You appeared as a stream of healings, extinguishing the fire of passions and providing saving healing, Divine Bride of God” 24.
Domnica's holy life was very long: she lived until the time of Emperor Leo II (474) 25 . She knew in advance the day of her death. “By the omnipotent beck of God, having foreseen the resolution of her body, with a pure soul she offered up a grateful song to the Author of everything and gave up her pure spirit to God” 26.
Blessed Mavra preceded her death by moving to a happy eternity for her. Her monastery later became famous for raising the most shameful cruelty of Copronymus against itself. Fierce against monasticism, he turned the monastery of St. Maura into a place of the most vile orgies, the church of the martyr was razed to the ground, the nuns who did not have time to hide, surrendered their servants to the violence of scoundrels, and the place of pure prayers was for him a slaughterhouse of people. It is clear in itself that the monastery was subsequently restored as a monument to the martyrdom of pure souls 27.
Memory of St. George Khozevit
The Monk George, originally from the island of Cyprus, having loved God from his youth, renounced the world and labored in fasting, prayer and labor in the monastery of the Mother of God, in the tract of Khozva, between Jerusalem and Jericho. He died at the beginning of the 7th century.
Memory of the Venerable Griroriy of Pechersk
The Monk Gregory was received into the Pechersk monastery by the Monk Theodosius. Under his guidance, he taught himself humility, obedience and non-covetousness; He especially loved prayer. He accomplished so much in spiritual life that he could work miracles and see the future. Unclean spirits ran away from people at one meeting with Gregory.
The most amazing thing about him is his fight with predators. This was a special feat for him. In this struggle, he defeated the anger of the predators with his kindness and at the same time rose more and more to complete dispassion for earthly things.
In the cell of St. Gregory there was one treasure - books. One must imagine that at that time it took a lot of work or an expensive price to purchase even one book, and the Monk Gregory had many books; he loved books as sources of spiritual wisdom. The fact that the strict ascetic had an expensive collection of books was also known on the side, and people who like to use other people’s books also learned. These latter wanted to take advantage of the reverend’s favorite property. At night, approaching his cell, the thieves hid in a convenient place and waited for him to go to church for matins. Having spent his nights in prayer, Gregory heard them coming and added the following prayer to his usual prayer: “Lord! Send some sleep to these people who work so uselessly.” The prayer was heard: the thieves slept for five days until the brethren saw them; the ascetic himself woke them up, and since they were very weak from hunger, he fed them and then released them. The city judge, having learned about their act, subjected them to a strict response. The blessed one felt sorry for the poor people.
He decided to part with part of his treasure: he took part of his books to the judge in order to beg freedom for the guilty. That was not enough for him. He sold several other books and gave the money to the poor, in order that no one else would fall into trouble, tempted by the desire to steal them from him. The thieves, touched by such actions of the saint, entered of their own free will into the service of the Pechersk monastery.
He also had a garden with fruitful trees. Other thieves entered the garden, picked apples into bags and wanted to leave, but could not leave the place. Finally, they began to shout: “Holy Father Gregory! let us go, we won’t do this again.” The Chernorizians, hearing their voice, went and grabbed them, but they also could not drag them from their place. Gregory came and said: “Since you love to live idle and, without working, live on the labors of others, you can stay here until you die.” They tearfully begged to be let in, promising not to steal someone else's property again. The elder took pity and said: “If you begin to work and feed yourself and others with labor, then I will let you go.” The thieves swore an oath never to break the elder’s commandments. “Blessed be God,” said Gregory, “from now on you will work for the holy brethren and in this way you will be useful to yourself and others.” The thieves worked in the Pechersk Monastery until their death.
Three other thieves attacked the monk in a special way. Two of them, approaching him, said plaintively: “Father! Our comrade is sentenced to death, give me something to ransom him.” The blessed one said with tears: “Poor him, his death has come.” “If you give something,” said the thieves, “he will not die.” “If I give, he will die,” answered the elder. “But,” he added, “tell me: to what death is he condemned?” “They will hang him on a tree,” said the thieves. The saint said: “Tomorrow this will come true.” Then he went to his cave, took out the remaining books from it and gave them with the words: “Take it, and if you don’t need it, return it to me.” They went and, laughing, said: we’ll sell it and split the money. When they saw the old man’s fruit trees, they said, “We’ll pick them that same night.” At night, as if all three of them came, blocked the door of the saint’s cave cell from the outside, and one of them began to pick apples. The branch on which he stood broke off with a crash; His comrades, frightened by this, ran away, and he fell, hung on the branches and hanged himself. Gregory, being locked up, could not be at Matins.
The brethren, noticing that he was not in the church, went to find out the reason and saw: a dead man was hanging, and Gregory was found locked in a cave. When he left the cave, he ordered the unfortunate man to be taken down, then, seeing his comrades who had come with others to look at their comrade, he said to them: “Look, your lies have turned into truth: God cannot be mocked; If you hadn’t locked me up, I would have helped your brother.” They fell at his feet and asked him to forgive them. Gregory condemned them to monastic work, so that by the sweat of their brow they would earn bread and serve others. And these also worked for the monastery until their graves.
Wonderful teacher of hunters to live at the expense of others!
The death of the monk was special. “The blessed one went to the Dnieper for water. Prince Rostislav Vsevolodovich arrived there at the same time, with the intention of visiting the Pechersk Monastery for prayers and receiving blessings. Together with his brother Vladimir Monomakh, he then went to war with the Polovtsians. Rostislav's servants, seeing the elder, began to laugh at him and showered him with indecent words. The elder said to them: "Children, while you should be distressed and ask everyone for prayers, you are doing something bad and displeasing to God. Do you know that God's judgment has been decided on you? You and your prince will all find death in the water." Prince Rostislav, hearing this, imagined that they were telling him a reproach, and not a prophecy, and became very irritated. “Are you saying about me that I will die in the water?” he said, “I know how to swim well; die yourself.” And he immediately ordered his hands and feet to be tied and thrown into the water with a stone. The blessed one was drowned. The brothers searched for him for two days and did not find him. On the third day they came to his cell to take what was left after the saint.
The monk lay in his cell, bound hand and foot, with a stone around his neck; his clothes were still wet, but his face was bright and his whole body seemed alive. Rostislav did not go to the monastery out of anger, did not want the blessing, and it moved away from him. Vladimir was in the monastery and prayed. When they were at Tripoli and the regiments converged, our princes fled from the enemies. Vladimir crossed the river through the prayers and blessings of the saints, and Rostislav and his soldiers, according to the words of Blessed Gregory, drowned.” This is what Polycarp writes in his letter to Archimandrite Akindinus. According to the ancient chronicle, the unfortunate battle with the Polovtsians near Tripoli took place in 1093; defeated by a numerous enemy, the Russian troops sought salvation in flight; Vladimir swam across the Stugna River, and Rostislav died. The Polovtsians rushed to Kyiv and devastated its surroundings; Svyatopolk, who came out to meet them, was defeated; the city of Torchesk also surrendered after a long siege; wild pagans set fire to the temples of God and villages and captured many captives.
“Our holidays,” says a contemporary, “turned into tears: on the day of the Ascension, on Stugna near Tripoli, on the new Russian holiday of Boris and Gleb on Zhelna (near Kiev), God brought lament upon us... The Polovtsians led our brothers into captivity to their friends and relatives; poor captives, exhausted by hunger and thirst, with haggard faces, with blackened bodies, naked, barefoot, pricked by thorns, walk along the steppe, with tears telling each other where someone comes from, and with sighs raising their eyes to the Omniscient" 28 . Thus the words of the righteous man were fulfilled, at whom people laughed and, in the blindness of pride, took revenge for the unpleasant truth! According to the handwritten calendar, “Reverend Martyr Gregory the Wonderworker was quickly drowned by the prince in the Dnieper, in the summer of 6601 January on the 8th day.” The indication of time is consistent with the indication of the chronicle. The relics of St. Gregory rest in the cave of St. Anthony, as they did at the beginning of the 17th century 29 .
The suffering of Saint Isidore and others with him
Blessed Isidore was a priest in the city of Dorpat at the church of St. Nicholas, while another priest John reverently served there at another church of St. George. Both churches have long existed in Dorpat, in the Russian end. This is how they are seen in the description of Metropolitan Isidore’s journey to the west 30. According to an agreement with the Moscow Grand Duke John III, the Livonian Germans in 1463 undertook to provide special protection to the Orthodox in Dorpat “and to keep it according to the old days and according to ancient charters” 31 . But the Germans, then zealous servants of the pope, did not care about their oaths; They decided to force the Russians to union, sometimes with caresses, sometimes with threats. When both turned out to be useless, they began to use violence. Priest John retired to Pskov. Isidore remained to take care of his flock and boldly spoke about the advantages of Orthodoxy. The Dorpat burgomaster angrily rebelled against the righteous priest and his flock. Having denounced the bishop and the city authorities that Isidore and his parishioners were blaspheming the pope and his faith, he incited fanatical anger against the Orthodox in the bishop.
On the feast of Epiphany, Isidore and his parishioners went to the Amovzha River to bless the water with the holy cross. Those sent by the bishop presented Isidore and those with him to the bishop and the city authorities. The papists demanded obedience to the pope. Isidore gave an account of why he condemns Pope Eugenius with his teaching. Biskup ordered Isidore and those with him to be thrown into prison. Then the knights and elders of the city were invited by the biskup to the general council. Blessed Isidore convinced his spiritual children to be firm in the holy fatherly faith: “If we die for the holy truth,” he said, “God will count us among the martyrs.” Having performed prayer chants, Isidore received the Holy Mysteries with the spare gifts and gave communion to everyone who was with him. Then they sang a song to the martyrs: “holy martyrs, who suffered well and were crowned, pray to the Lord that our souls may be saved.” They were brought to the town hall. Biskup said to Isidore and his squad: “Listen, accept the unleavened service; We have one faith; at least now, before the court of such important persons, say that you were mistaken in condemning our service.”
The firm confessors answered: “We are the same as we were before; do with us as you please." Biskup and his venerable council ordered everyone to be thrown into Amovzha, into the constructed Jordan. So Isidore in priestly clothes and with him 72 people were drowned in the Jordan. Among them was a young mother with a three-year-old child. The Germans tore the child from his mother’s arms, but he, seeing his drowning mother, screamed and rushed to her; they placed him near the ice hole, and he crossed himself three times and fell into the hole. This was January 8th, 1472. When spring opened and the water began to flow, on the bank of Amovzha, three miles from Dorpat, the bodies of the sufferers were all found in one place, facing east, unharmed; in the middle of them lay blessed Isidore in priestly robes. The visiting Orthodox merchants buried some in the same place, and transported others to Dorpat and laid them in the ground near the church 32.
Memory of Saint Gregory, Bishop of Bulgaria
In the month of the Ostromir Gospel on January 8, the memory of “Saint Gregory, Bishop of Musia” is honored. In Ohrid, the former Bulgarian Archdiocese, on the huge dilapidated church of St. Sophia, built by the Bulgarian Archbishop Leo (1042–1053), an inscription made of brick, but not completely intact, was found: Grpuoryuy... aXnvnv sysipâ... T£ov0£oypa9£ov vôiov £0v^ ta Muawv £5i5aax£i... ^9X, i.e. Gregory... raised... By the God-written law, - the Mysian peoples wisely teach, in 1012 33.
Since the church was erected after Blessed Gregory, who died in 1012, and the main altar of the church was dedicated to St. Sophia, the inscription could not speak of Gregory’s participation in the construction of the church; and it means, without a doubt, that the chapel of the church was dedicated to the name of Blessed Gregory, the glorious teacher of the Slavs. Who is this Gregory? Known is “Gregory the presbyter and the leader of all the Bulgarian churches,” that is, the senior hieromonk, the judge of all church people in Bulgaria, who, by order of the book lover Prince Simeon, “more truly than the words of the Lover of God” (888–937), translated the chronicle of John Malala into the Slavic language, supplementing it with extracts from biblical books and from various historical monuments. He is also credited with translating the chronicle of George Amartol 34. A recent traveler found in the Treskavets monastery near Prilep “Gregory Bishop of Pelagonia died on January 9, 1472. We follow the printed “Tale of the Pechersk Monastery” and the “Russian Time Book”. and Prilep” translation from Metaphrastus 35.
Given the modernity and prominent hierarchical significance of Gregory, the Bulgarian teacher, we cannot doubt that this is one and the same person with the bishop mentioned in the inscription and with Gregory, Bishop of Prilepsky. The pious Bulgarian teacher, after his judicial office, was invested with the rank of Bishop of Pelagonia and Prilep and died in 1012.
Memory of the holy martyrs Julian and Basilissa and others with them
Saint Julian, originally from Antinous of Egypt, against his will, but at the request of his parents, entered into marriage with the girl Vasilisa, chosen for him by his parents, who, like him, came from a rich and noble family. He met in her a true friend, capable of understanding and sympathizing with his way of thinking and disposition to preserve virginity in marriage and devote himself entirely to the service of the One God. After the death of their parents, they agreed to enter into monasticism. Julian founded a men's monastery, where up to ten thousand monks gathered, and Vasilisa became the abbess of a nunnery, in which there were up to a thousand nuns who led a life truly pleasing to God.
Meanwhile, the persecution of Christians began, launched in 313 by Diocletian and Maximian. Julian and Vasilisa earnestly asked God to confirm the believers who had gathered with them, and the Lord revealed in a dream vision to Saint Vasilisa that she would soon pass into eternal rest and that her nuns would die even before her. Indeed, over the course of several months, they all ended their lives and, appearing in a dream to Saint Vasilisa, they called on her to appear with them before the Lord, Whom she taught them to serve.
Saint Vasilisa joyfully conveyed this dream to her friend; A few days after that, she died, and Saint Julian interred her honorable remains.
Following this, Hegemon Marcian arrived here, and then the suffering of the 10,100 monks who were in the monastery began, and, moreover, several bishops and clergy who arrived here to confess the holy faith were burned with the monastery; all the others were beheaded after torment, and Saint Julian, whose famous family became known to the hegemon, was tied up and taken to prison. The next day he was presented to Marcian, who, seeing his inflexibility in confessing himself as a Christian, ordered him to be subjected to the most severe tortures. Then the full power of Divine help manifested itself over the martyr. In the miracles performed at this time by Saint Julian, the words of Jesus Christ were truly justified: believe in Me, the works that I do, he will do the same, and he will do greater works (John 14:12).
The broken stick with which the tormentors struck Saint Julian knocked out the eye of one of Marcian’s relatives, and the martyr healed him.
“Truly great is the Christian God!” - the healed man, amazed by this miracle, exclaimed and publicly confessed his conversion. The hegemon ordered his head to be cut off, and thus the new martyr received Holy Baptism in his blood. With even greater fury, Marcian then turned to Saint Julian and ordered that iron chains be put on him and he was led around the city in desecration. At this time, the Lord glorified His saint with a new miracle. The son of the hegemon, the youth Kelsiy, being present at the spectacle along with his comrades, suddenly exclaimed: “What a strange thing I see! I see many bright young men around that Christian, who is led by soldiers - bound with chains; some serve him, while others put a crown on him, and that crown shines brighter than the sun. And I want to believe in that God who gives such glory to those who believe in Him... - and, throwing himself at the feet of Julian, the youth said to him: - I want you to be my father, I do not want to be the son of a tormentor. I will follow you and I want, just like you, to suffer for your Christ, Whom I have not known until now.”
Great was the surprise of Kelsius's father and mother when they saw him with Julian. Great was the rage of Marcian when he saw that no prayers, no threats could separate his son from the martyr. However, everyone who touched the boy to take him felt unbearable pain in their hands. Marcian ordered them both to be taken to prison. But at every step of His saint, God lavished His miracles on him... The dark and stinking prison turned out to be light and fragrant; Twenty soldiers who were present believed in God and remained in prison. Saint Julian grieved that there was no one to perform baptism over them, but the Lord did not deprive him of this consolation. The priest Anthony, who was with the seven sons of a deceased noble and honored citizen, whose family was allowed to profess the Christian faith, came with them to visit the prisoners in prison and baptized Kelsius and twenty soldiers; seven brothers remained in prison, wanting to suffer for Christ along with the martyrs.
During the trial of all of them, Saint Julian - as a manifestation of the glory of God - struck the persecutors with new miracles. He raised a dead man who was being carried past along the street, and the dead man testified about himself that he heard the voice of God: let this soul return to its body for the sake of My beloved servant Julian...
The hegemon was embarrassed and, fearing popular unrest, ordered all the defendants to be taken back to prison. In prison, the priest baptized the resurrected man and gave him the name Anastasius.
The next day, it was decided to burn the martyrs in tubs of sulfur and resin, but the tubs of flammable substances burned, but they remained unharmed. The people were extremely excited by the amazing miracles taking place before their eyes, but Marcian, hardened in heart, attributed them only to the magic of Christians and again sent them to prison. The hegemon's wife, Marionilla, having learned that her son remained unharmed, hastened to see him in prison and believed in Christ, and immediately received Holy Baptism. Driven to rage, Marcian also imprisoned his wife. The martyrs were kept here for a long time; Finally, they were brought out for the last test. The hegemon still hoped to force them to sacrifice to idols, but when they approached the pagan temple, the earth shook, the temple was crushed and many priests and people were killed by its debris.
After countless new tortures, among which the martyrs remained unharmed, Marcian ordered their execution, sparing neither his son nor his wife. When the execution was completed, an earthquake occurred again; a third of the entire city was destroyed, all the idols were crushed, and many pagans were killed by lightning.
Through such great suffering and such great miracles the Christian faith spread throughout the world. When they were needed to support the Church of God emerging on earth, God abundantly lavished them with His will and power. Now the strengthened Church contains within itself an indestructible power that replaces any other miraculous support, but He is still the same, “Great God, work miracles” 36
Day ten. Memory of Saint Gregory of Nyssa and his sister Theosevia (Theozva)
Saint Gregory was the brother of Basil the Great. Having studied the sciences of eloquence and philosophy, he himself was a mentor in Neocaesarea, but under Emperor Julian, who forbade (360) Christians to be teachers, he accepted the position of reader and turned with all his soul to the study of the monuments of faith; then he retired into the desert and spent his life in the thought of God and scientific studies. Basil the Great, already the Bishop of Caesarea, wishing to have an assistant in the fight against Arianism, at the beginning of 372, against his will, appointed him Bishop of Nyssa (and Nyssa is 50 versts from Caesarea). In 375, the Arians, protected by Emperor Valens, slandered Gregory and expelled him from the pulpit, but the champion of Orthodoxy did not remain inactive: he moved from place to place to affirm Orthodoxy and console the Orthodox. After the death of Valens (in August 378), he returned to the pulpit, taught the faithful in word and deed, participated in the actions of the Second Ecumenical Council and died at the ripe old age of 394, leaving many works both for the edification of the faithful and for the denunciation of heretics.
For Theozbeh, his sister, see July 19.
Day twelve. Repose of Venerable Martinian of Beloezersk
Martinian, in the world Michael 37, was born in the village of Berezniki, near which is now the Syamsky monastery, famous for the icon of the Mother of God. Even in his youth he showed an inclination to learn to read and write; but his parents could not find anyone to teach him; At the age of 13, he left his parents and homeland, and right from the field where he harrowed the strip plowed by his father, he secretly went to the Monk Kirill of Beloezersky, about whom he had heard from many. Berezniki is 30 versts from the Kirillov Monastery, but this was nothing to Misha. “Take me to you, sir!” - he said to the monk, falling at his feet. The monk left the good-natured youth with him. “Happened near the monastery of a saint, a certain lively man, his name was Olesh (Alexy) Pavlov, a secular clerk, his job was to write books and teach his students literate tricks: and he was very skilled in such art. Having called this Cyril, he said to him: friend, create for me the love of God, teach this boy to read and write, whom you see.” Alexy Pavlovich fulfilled the instructions of the Monk Kirill with love.
Having fallen in love with the pure soul of young Michael, the holy elder clothed him in monastic attire and ordered him to live in his cell. When Blessed Cyril prayed in his cell, and Martinian bowed; he was the first to appear at the church for the morning thanksgiving; he revealed the thoughts that troubled him to the holy elder. Having tested Martinian with obedience, the Monk Cyril allowed him to live in a special cell, but kept a watchful eye on his spiritual life. Once Martinian went from church to the cell of one brother. “Why are you violating the rules of the monastery?” – Kirill told him. “Having entered my cell, I doubt that I wanted to leave it; but I needed to be in my brother’s cell,” answered Martinian. “Go first to your cell to say the proper prayer there, and your cell will teach you everything,” said the holy elder 38 . At the request of the holy abbot, Martinian was ordained a hierodeacon and then a hieromonk. The Monk Cyril loved Blessed Martinian. This aroused envy in others, which stung Martinian with insult; Martinian endured. By the will of St. Cyril, Martinian copied books for him.
And the reverend abbot assigned such obedience to only two disciples: Christopher and Martinian. The canon decommissioned by Martinian is still intact in the monastery. His afterword is especially precious: it shows what feelings Martinian’s soul breathed. Here it is: “In 1423, September 1, this soul-helping book was written in the monastery of the Most Pure Mother of God, with the blessing of the lord, elder Kirill, hegumen, to the glory of the Holy Trinity, amen. ABOUT! God's Chosen Virgin! ABOUT! God-blessed youth! ABOUT! Mistress of the world, Most Pure Mother of God! In Your worldwide prayers to the Son and God, remember, O merciful Lady, also me, a sinner, who wrote this with an unworthy hand. – Christ is the beginning and end of every good deed. To him be glory forever and ever, amen. Lord Jesus Christ! Save the one who wrote and the one who has to read. “Mr. Elder Onuphry, create love, remember in your holy prayers the sinful Martinian, a false monk, not a true one” 39.
After the death of Saint Cyril (1427), Blessed Martinian retired for silence to the deserted island of Lake Vozha. When the brethren began to gather here to join him, he created the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and introduced the rite of community life. The brethren of the Ferapont Hermitage, orphaned by Ferapont’s call to Mozhaisk, begged the Monk Martinian to accept the abbess over them; The monk submitted to the call of love. The surviving monuments represent the care of Abbot Martinian about the Ferapontov monastery: from 1435 and for 12 years, he brought the Ferapont monastery to such a flourishing state that it was called the Martinian monastery for a long time. The son of Prince Mozhaisky, Prince Mikhail Andreevich, who lived in Belozerye, helped Martinian a lot with the means to maintain and decorate the monastery 40. Most of all, Martinian elevated the monastery by strictly maintaining monastic rules. Just as bees flock to honey flowers, so laymen and monks flocked to Martinian to listen to his instructions and see life organized according to his holy thoughts.
When Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich the Dark decided to seek for himself the Moscow throne, which had been taken away by the violence of Shemyaka, he received the blessing of the Monk Martinian and fell in love with the holy elder. Having ascended the Moscow throne, the grateful Prince Vasily summoned Martinian to himself and entrusted him with the abbess of the monastery of St. Sergius. The name of Martinian, abbot of Trinity, was the first among the abbots in the charter of the Moscow Cathedral on December 29, 1447, by which Shemyak was excommunicated for bloody unrest if he did not repent 41 . The monk sincerely loved the peace of his Fatherland, but he valued the truth and spoke about the truth to everyone, without thinking about his own peace. Grand Duke Vasily instructed Martinian to persuade the nobleman, who had retired to the Tver prince, to return to Moscow, so that he would not only be forgiven, but would also be awarded honors. The boyar obeyed the monk, but, instead of honor, he was imprisoned. Hearing about this, Martinian immediately appeared to the Grand Duke and said to his spiritual son: “Is this your righteous judgment, Grand Duke!
You sold my sinful soul, depriving the one to whom I vouched for freedom with my soul. You broke your word. May my weak blessing not be on you and your reign.” And after that he left the prince, mounted his horse and returned to the monastery. The Grand Duke recognized his sin. In the ears of his boyars, he said, as if angry: “Judge, boyars, what did the swamp monk do to me? He came to my palace and took God’s blessing from me.” The boyars did not understand what this meant. The Grand Duke added: “I am guilty before God, my friends! I forgot my word and acted unfairly; Let’s go to the Holy Trinity, to St. Sergius and Blessed Martinian, to receive forgiveness.” Following this, he freed the boyar and showered him with favors, and then went to the monastery of St. Sergius. Here, a delighted Martinian came out with all his brethren to meet the Grand Duke. But the monastery, close to the capital, weighed heavily on the hermit; he recalled to himself the words of his mentor, the Monk Cyril: “It is good for a monk to remain silent and non-covetous and to avoid everything that can disturb the feelings.”
On the other hand, he wanted to complete the establishment of internal order in his beloved Ferapont monastery. And in 1455 Martinian said goodbye to the brethren of the Lavra.
At the Ferapontov Monastery they received Martinian with great joy, as an Angel of God, and begged him (hegumen Philotheus was among those who begged) to take over the management of the monastery again. He established a rite of monastic life here, taking one from the rules of the Cyril monastery, and another from the order of Sergius. People rushed to come to the elder of high spiritual experience for advice, and he taught them with love. The dear student of the great Cyril and interlocutor of Ferapont told his listeners many edifying things from their lives. This is how the biographer of the saints Pachomius listened to him, who spoke of him with praise as a man of high spiritual life 42 . The Monk Martinian reached a very old age. But even in his decrepit old age he did not abandon either his cell rule or the service of the church. When he could no longer walk due to decrepitude, he was carried to church - such was his fidelity to his vows! Having received the Holy Mysteries, he died at the age of 86, on January 12, 1483.
30 years later, when they wanted to bury his friend Archbishop Joasaph next to him, the body of the monk was found completely incorrupt, even with clothes, although the coffin was filled with water. His relics now rest hidden in a church named after him 43 . Above his tomb is kept an ancient icon depicting the true appearance of the Monk Martinian; here is also the walnut crutch of the venerable abbot; but the monastery, unfortunately, has been closed since 1798 44.
Memory of Saint Galaktion
In the handwritten calendar we read: “The Monk Galaktion the Holy Fool was in the Ferapontov Monastery.” Blessed Galaktion was a disciple of the Monk Martinian; he lived in his cell, and when the monk, due to his decrepitude, could no longer go to church himself, Galaktion carried him to church. The Monk Martinian, knowing the mood of his soul and his secret exploits, blessed him, according to his desire, to play the fool. Galaktion achieved high perfection through secret exploits. One day the brethren entered the newly built table and began to praise it. “It’s good, but it doesn’t last long,” said Galaktion. The next day the meal was burned. One brother’s cell caught fire, and the flames spread throughout the monastery. Blessed Joasaph, Archbishop of Rostov, formerly the former Prince of Obolensky, was staying here at that time.
When the flames of the fire engulfed Joasaph’s cell, he grieved that one dear thing belonging to the monastery would perish in it. Galaktion, hearing that this was the property of the monastery, made the sign of the cross, rushed into the burning cell, took the thing out of there and said to the saint: “Here it is, don’t worry, why bother about something empty?” The bell tower was in danger of fire; outsiders who had come running wanted to remove the bells, but Galaktion drove everyone away with the words: “This will not burn.” And sure enough, the bell tower remained intact 45. This was before the death of the Monk Martinian, in 1483 46. Blessed Galaktion, after his mentor, lived for more than 20 years in the monastery, serving as an example of strict life and at times strengthening those who were weakened. One of the brethren was weighed down by despondency and wanted to leave the monastery. Galaktion came to him, sat down on the threshold of his cell and said: “What is this, brother, are you planning? You can’t escape from excitement, even if you move away from us: nowhere can you avoid the temptations of the enemy” 47.
In 1505, the new Grand Duke Vasily sent his brother, Prince Dimitri, with an army against Kazan; rumors about this reached the Ferapont monastery; This news was reported to Galaktion. “And many more times Prince Vasily will bother about Kazan, but everything will be unsuccessful; a son, Ivan, will be born, and he will take possession of the Kazan kingdom.” These words were noticed in the monastery; Therefore, from year to year they waited for the birth of their son Ivan. But since for a long time even after Galaktionova’s death they did not see the conquest of Kazan, they assumed that Galaktion’s words were the words of a holy fool, without any special meaning. 24 years later, Prince Ivan was born (1630), and after another 23 years, Kazan was taken. It was then that they became convinced that Galaktion’s words were an accurate history of the future. Blessed Galaktion foresaw his death and told the brethren about it; his colleague Savva mourned the separation from him. “Don’t worry, we’ll see you in eight days,” said Galaktion. And exactly, 8 days after the blessed Galaktion, Savva also died. The saint's death followed in 1506 48.
Memory of Saint Sava, Archbishop of Serbia
The great zupan of Serbia, Stefan Nemanja, had two sons - Stefan and Volkan, but the parents wanted to have another son, and through their prayer, their son Rostislav was born 49. The desired son was given an excellent education; in the 15th year, Rostislav received control of the special region of Herzegovina, which was later called the Duchy of St. Sava 50. When he was 17, his parents were preparing to marry him. But the son had no desires for worldly life - his soul languished in boredom amid the noise of the world. It happened that when he arrived to his parents, a Russian monk from Athos, from a Russian monastery, came to their house, which was always open to strangers. The cheerful parents gave feasts on the occasion of a meeting with their beloved son, and he, calling the monk into a secluded room, asked about the life of Athonite. When the monk spoke about the quiet life of the prayer books, about their exploits and hopes for eternity, tears flowed from Rostislav, and he said to the monk: “Now I understand what my soul desired, so dissatisfied with the vanity of the world. Happy are those whom God has brought to lead the serene life of the desert.
But what to do,” he added, “with parents who love me so much? They are ready to marry me, but I am afraid that married life, fun and worldly hustle and bustle will extinguish all the best in me.” The monk said that a firm determination to do good is needed. Rostislav asked to go hunting; Having sent servants to conduct a raid, he, with several devotees and a monk, hurried to Athos. The father, having heard the news about Rostislav, realized that he and the monk had retired to Athos. Calling on a reliable governor, the sad father said: “Have you experienced the disease of love for children? Prove to me your loyalty - return my Rostislav to me.” Having entrusted him with a squad of young people, he wrote to the governor of Thessalonica that he would take revenge with war if his son was not returned to him from Athos. The governor and the squad hurried to the eparch with a letter and received a letter from him to the prot of the mountain. Arriving on Athos, through questioning they found out that Rostislav was in a Russian monastery, and they went straight to that monastery. The prince asked the governor in private not to prevent him from donning monasticism, promising to write a letter to his father later.
“No,” the old man answered, “and don’t ask me to do that, I must be faithful to my father,” and he ordered not to take his eyes off the prince. Rostislav spoke with the abbot. The voivode and the squad were treated with complete cordiality, and after that everyone went to the all-night service. The long service, after a quick trip and a hearty meal, made the old man and his young comrades doze off and even fall into a deep sleep in the comfortable seats. Rostislav and the elder hieromonk quietly left the church, and in the monastery tower the prince made monastic vows in the name of Savva 51. The vigil ended. The guards, who overslept the prince, raised a noise and a terrible alarm. Savva let it be known from the tower window that the matter was over and it was a shame to disturb the innocent. “Here,” he said to the elder governor, “my clothes and my hair, deliver to my parents these monuments of my past”; then he handed the letter to his parents. This was in 1186.
The Vatopedi monks, having invited Savva to the church festival of the Annunciation, convinced him to stay in their monastery 52. Some time later, Savva asked the abbot’s blessing to visit the hermits of the mountain in order to receive blessings and advice from them. After visiting the Lavra of St. Athanasius, Savva climbed to the top of Mount Athos. Here I spent several days and nights in prayer. Visiting hermits, Savva learned about their lives and was enlivened by their high feat. “Although,” says the descriptor of his life, “one cannot call these fathers Angels, because they had flesh, they were truly men of God. They were free from everything: they were not engaged in either agriculture or trade; Their occupation was prayers, tears, constant aspiration of the mind to God; the open sky was their church; They matured Christ in their hearts; their cramped cells were decorated only with grass; their ears were filled with the noise of trees and the singing of birds.
Others hid in rock crevices; others, like birds, nested on the rocks of the sea, enduring rain and winds, scorched by the heat in summer, enduring cold in winter; their food was the most meager; some took a little bread, others were content with fruits and wild plants.” Such a life of hermits delighted Savva. He wanted to live as a hermit, but the abbot did not allow him, explaining that a hermit’s life was not safe for a young monk; a hostel would be more beneficial for him. Savva obeyed the advice of experience. In Vatopedi he became a model of obedience, ready to serve everyone; He served the brethren during the day and spent the night in prayer; ate only bread; wore only a hair shirt, enduring the cold of winter; walked barefoot. The old father sent a lot of money and supplies to support his son. Savva, with the blessing of the abbot, went barefoot to distribute to the hermits some of the things he had sent. Near Nilopotamus, robbers attacked him and took everything. The blessed one expressed grief that the detainee would not be able to get where he needed to go.
They asked: “Who is he and where is he from?” Savva called himself a disciple of Elder Macarius, who was famous on Mount Athos. They returned to Savva what they had taken. And he hurried to Macarius. Then he was with alms in the Lavra of St. Athanasius. The grateful abbot ordered him to be taken to the monastery by boat. Here unkind people attacked again, and Savva was saved from them by the elder’s cunning. With the money of his parents, Savva built cells and three churches in Vatopedi and covered the cathedral with tin. The father wrote to his son twice, asking him to visit his parents. The son wrote to his father: “Part with earthly wealth, so illusory, with the blessings of the world, vain and fragile; take the way of the cross; move in with me and, freed from vanity, prepare yourself for eternity with prayer and fasting. You have been awarded the earthly kingdom by the grace of God, and through the humility of monastic life you will achieve the heavenly crown. I will live with you, and with your love you will save my soul from sorrows. My good mother will follow your example in her own country. I pray that my words will not be painful for you, as they were for the famous young man.”
Father and mother took a vow of monasticism in the same church, the Studenitsa monastery. Father Simeon moved to his son's cell, and the son surrounded his elder father with the most tender care until his death (1200).
At the insistence of the pious archpriest Dometius, Savva assumed the title of abbot of the Hilandar monastery, restored from ruins by the generosity of his parent. Savva took over Hilandar with fear: there were few brethren. But zealots of piety came to the zealous servant of God. Having protected the monastery from the needs of temporary deposits, the monk gave the monastery a charter to protect moral life. “Our venerable and God-bearing fathers,” writes Savva at the beginning of the charter, “left the world according to the words of the Lord: whoever wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and come after Me (Mark 8:34). Striving to fulfill the commandments, they sighed day and night for the salvation of their souls, willingly endured suffering and needs, out of love for Him they crucified and killed themselves every day by obedience and cutting off their will. And I, sinful Savva, the last of all monks, I pray to you, beloved in Christ, my spiritual brothers and fathers, let us imitate those merchants who exchanged the temporary for the eternal. Be jealous of the wise virgins who filled the lamps with oil.”
Using the words of Scripture, having shown the need for patience (see: James 1, 2-4), good deeds (see: James 2, 19-24) love for neighbors (see: John 1, 4-7; 6, 16-21; 5, 1-3), the mentor continues: “love one another, submit to one another, bear one another’s burdens, all with one mind obey abbot." The Rule of Saint Sava embraced both the order of God's service and the order of life and government of the monastery. Hilandar must be sociable. The monks were not allowed to have any property, not even one copper coin. Food should be used in a common meal and nothing edible should be kept in cells. For the first time, a person entering the monastery receives monastic clothes, and then he is given money; every day the brethren must confess their sins to the abbot, if he is also a confessor. The abbot must teach one and all the ways of salvation. Those who feel free from unclean thoughts, from anger, murmuring, and remembrance can partake of the Holy Mysteries three times a week. Otherwise, let them start once a week. However, this is decided by the confessor.
Near the monastery, Savva built a hotel to receive strange, poor and sick people; the monastery must provide them with food and clothing 53. Having brought Hilandar into complete order, the monk wanted to fulfill his long-standing desire - to live in silence. Back in 1193, “the prayer book of all faithful peasants, Savva the sinner,” bought a place for the Kareiskaya typica with a charter 54. Several cells were built there for the Hilandar brethren for those occasions when they came to Kareya for needs. Savva built for himself a cell with an iconostasis in the name of Savva the Sanctified 55. Here he was imprisoned with three brothers who were supposed to perform a church service. Here he intensified his feats of fasting and prayer, contrition for sins and humility; spiritual passions were calmed by the memory of death. However, whether someone showed up in spiritual need or talked about poverty and sudden misfortune, Savva was ready to provide all possible help for everyone. He also wrote a charter for the Karei hermit life 56.
The Monk Savva earnestly prayed to the Lord that information about his father would be given to him. And one night Simeon appeared to him in the face of the saints, shining with glory; the one who appeared promised his son a similar blessed fate, but said that he still had a lot to do for Serbia. Serbia was then in a sad situation. Stephen's father left him as successor to the throne. The ambitious brother Vulcan, with the help of the Hungarians, took Dalmatia and Dioclea from Stephen and declared himself king. Stefan was left with Serbia alone with the title of Great Jupan. But his enemies wanted to take away his last possessions. Stefan wrote to his brother Sava, asking him to transfer the relics of their holy father to Serbia to save the Serbian land. Saint Sava could not remain indifferent to his brother’s sorrow and the misfortunes of his homeland. Vulcan, in order to achieve his vain goals, submitted to the pope; in his possessions there was a cathedral under the order of the legates of the pope and some rules of the Western Church were adopted. The Pope urged the Hungarian king to introduce the Roman faith in Serbia 57.
Savva, ordained an archimandrite in Thessaloniki, transferred the relics of his holy father to the Studenitsa monastery. On the day of his memory, he asked the Lord for an abundant outpouring of peace from the relics of Simeon and in a strong word showed the people the will of God for eternal salvation. Yielding to his brother’s requests, he remained in the Studenitsa monastery. To revive sincere piety among the people, he set out to preach the word of God throughout the country. His preaching had all the more power over the hearts of people because one paralyzed man received complete healing through his prayer. The consequence of this was that the pope’s plans to introduce Romanism in Serbia remained unsuccessful 58 . According to the convictions of Saint Sava, quarrels ceased between the brothers and peace was established. The monk wrote a charter for the Studenitsa monastery 59.
Having become bored with the noise and honors, the monk, despite his brother’s requests, returned to the Hilandar monastery. The Hilandar monks joyfully met their venerable father. From time to time the saint retired to his beloved Kareya cell for deep silence.
The needs of Athos forced Savva to go to the king and patriarch. In Constantinople at that time the papezhniki already ruled, or, more precisely, went on a rampage. The king and patriarch were in Nicaea. Tsar Theodore Laskar was related to the ruling house of Serbia: his daughter was born to Radoslav, the nephew of Saint Sava. The emperor received the monk with all love; everything that Savva asked for was done for Athos. He was about to return to his solitude when the idea came to him to take advantage of the opportunity to ask for mercy for Serbia. Calling on the Lord for help, he proposed to the king a petition that the patriarch consecrate one of the Serbs, his companions, as an archbishop, on the idea that a Serb shepherd could be more useful for Serbia than a foreigner. The pious Theodore happily agreed, but added: “I want to see the brother you have chosen, does my soul favor him? He must be a special person on whom such a lot will fall.” Savva introduced all the companions.
“All your brothers,” said the king, “are good, but I cannot trust anyone with a high rank; my soul is disposed towards you alone.” The humble Savva did not want to hear about it. The Tsar and the Patriarch persuaded him for a long time, and Savva barely agreed to their desire out of obedience. On the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Savva was consecrated archbishop by the patriarch. After that, the new saint decided to ask for mercy for Serbia. “Complete your mercies, sir,” said Savva. “Let the Council of Bishops of Serbia grant the right in words and on paper to ordain the Archbishop of Serbia.” The saint explained both that this would be in accordance with the Apostolic rules, and especially that during military storms, so frequent in sad times, it is difficult to come from Serbia to consecrate an archbishop. Both the tsar and the patriarch were burdened by such a request: they wanted the Serbian Church to remain completely subordinate to the patriarch. Meetings on this matter took place for a long time. Finally, the desired patriarchal charter 60 was issued.
Upon his return from Nicaea, the saint, bidding farewell to Athos, set off for Serbia. Brother Stefan lay sick and sent his sons to meet the saint at the border of his possessions. Having visited the sick man, the archbishop blessed the water, gave it to drink and sprinkled it on the sick man, and the sick man felt light and soon became healthy. The archbishop's chair was established in Zhichi, where his father had begun a magnificent cathedral. Although the church was not yet finished, the saint, having decorated its interior with icons, consecrated the throne and then ordained his chosen disciples as bishops of Serbia 61. According to his thoughts, all the zhupans of Serbia were convened, and in their presence Stefan was crowned king. The next day, during the Liturgy after the Gospel, he himself read the Creed, and after him everyone repeated it, from the king to the last subject. In the next two days, he offered various instructions to the people and concluded the teaching with these words: “Neither a good life without right faith can bring us any benefit, nor right faith without good deeds will lead us to God.” The saint then took measures against illegal cohabitation.
Among the people, many married people lived without priestly consecration. The priests are ordered to marry all unmarried people in the church. The saint himself surveyed his flock, urging the people to lead a life worthy of Christians; He gathered the monks who lived on their own in the form of hermitages, but without the rule of the hermitage, into hostels and subjected them to the rules. Among the nobles there were still those who held heresies, and he convinced them to unite with the Church, promising the mercy of the king 62. When the Hungarian king, jealous of the rise of the Serbian king, declared war on Serbia, the patriot-shepherd went to Hungary and, after exhortations, by the power of a miracle, persuaded the king to peace and the right faith 63.
After the death of his brother, Saint Savva went to the East to venerate the holy places consecrated by the feet of the Savior. He did not leave a single place in the Holy Land that he had not visited; visited all the monastic deserts. In the monastery of Sava the Sanctified, he received an expensive gift - the rod of the Sanctified, which is kept to this day according to his will on Athos 64. On his way back he was in Nicaea. Emperor John Vatatsi accepted and released him with honors to Athos. Arriving at the department, he performed a year-long commemoration of his brother-king and was consoled by the incorruption of his body.
The saint tried to pacify the enmity that arose between his nephews. Radoslav, lured into bad deeds by a bad woman, was forced to flee Serbia. The saint crowned Vladislav into the kingdom in 1230.
Under the watchful supervision of Saint Sava, piety flourished in Serbia. Every holiday he offered a lesson in the temple: he urged the nobles not to forget about death, the soldiers to beware of self-will, and the people not to resume pagan fun. In the monasteries he introduced all the best that he saw in the East. To build and decorate churches, he summoned the best icon painters and masters of marble work from the East 65.
In his letter the saint wrote: “The Savior said to us: I will glorify those who glorify Me; Whoever confesses Me before people, I will also proclaim him before My Heavenly Father (see: Matt. 10:32). The Christ-loving Hilarion, the holy Bishop of Zeta, following the words of the Savior, took up many labors in his priesthood. Appointed by me as a saint of the Zeta region, he first of all tried to teach people the Divine law. Then he built a house of God in the town of Vranino, a church in honor of our venerable father Nicholas, settled the monks there to praise God and gave the holy place under my protection. I, the Archbishop of the Serbian land, give a commandment in the name of the Lord Almighty and in the name of my humility: let that sacred place under my successors, the archbishops, not turn into a metohia (monastery) of the archbishop or for another work purpose... Let the brethren themselves choose an elder for themselves and only receive the blessing of the archbishop” 66.
The Serbian people called Saint Sava the enlightener of Serbia. And not in vain. Traveling through the Serbian country, the saint instilled in it piety, which survived the storms of centuries among the people. To this day, many pious, truly Christian customs, planted by the enlightener of Serbia, still remain among the Serbian people. The biographer of St. Stefan Lazarevich writes about the Serbs of his time: “from a young age, everyone, from young to old, was accustomed to visit the church of God twice a day.” It would be a sin for a Serb to promise something without adding: “if the Lord wills.” The traveler is not asked: “Where are you going?” Omitting his will, they say: “If God wills, what?” First of all, the will and glory of God. Before drinking wine, a Serb will always say: “To the glory of God.” Until the New Year, from the first day of the Nativity of Christ, when they meet, they say to each other: “Christ was born” and “truly born.” During the three days of the holiday, everyone can come to someone else’s house and eat and drink as much as they want. Joy in Christ has prepared everything.
How many other beautiful customs still live among the people, despite the oppressive darkness of Mohammedanism 67 .
The saint was approaching the end of his earthly journey. Having chosen the proven monk Arseny as his successor, at a meeting of bishops he ordained him to the rank of hierarch and entrusted him with managing the affairs of the archdiocese in his place; he announced that he was going to the East. The king's nephew and all the others restrained him, but he said that he wished to visit Sinai and then, if the Lord willed, to live in silence. King Vladislav, who first began to cultivate Serbian mines in the mountains of Serbia and thereby enriched Serbia 68, brought rich gifts to the saint for the churches of the East. Savva went by sea. A storm arose; all companions expected death. The saint prayed; then, raising his hands, he made the sign of the cross over the sea, and the waves subsided. In Jerusalem he talked with Patriarch Athanasius and went to Alexandria. Having prayed in the churches of St. Mark and the martyr Menas, with the patriarchal guide he visited the fathers of Mareot and Libya and was in Thebaid. At Sinai he worshiped the place of the Vision of God; He stayed here throughout Lent.
Returning to Jerusalem, from here he traveled to Antioch and to the monastery of Simeon the Divnogorets; through Armenia he arrived in Bulgaria to visit a relative, Prince Yasen. Having become ill, he said that he would die in Ternov, and ordered the relics he had collected to be sent to Archbishop Arseny in Serbia. Then, having received the Holy Mysteries, he said: “Glory to God for everything,” and gave up his spirit to the Lord. Patriarch Joachim with the bishops and abbots performed the funeral singing, and the holy body was laid (January 14) in the new princely church of 40 martyrs 69.
Six months after the burial, through strong requests, King Vladislav persuaded Yasen to give up the relics of St. Sava to his homeland, and they were solemnly transferred to the Mileshevsky monastery, built by Vladislav 70. In 1595, the savage vizier Syanan, having taken Mileshevo, committed the holy relics to fire, but the execution of God befell the proud fanatic. Hitherto happy in the war, he was defeated by the weak Serbs and, defeated a second time by the Transylvanian ban, shamefully ended his life. At the place where the relics of the monk lay, the sick received healing after that 71.
Saint Sava is depicted on ancient Serbian icons with a long brown beard 72 .
Memory of Venerable Theodora of Alexandria
The holy virgin Theodora labored in Alexandria; According to the monuments it is called Alexandria. According to her instructions, it is more than likely that she was the abbess of the community of virgins. According to her words, it is clear that she lived at a time when the Alexandrian Church was ruled by Archbishop Theophilus 73. Between the letters of Saint Isidore of Pelusiot, who lived during the time of Theophilus and Cyril of Alexandria, there is a letter to the Alexandrian sandal nuns. This name means that the nuns of Blessed Theodora wore sandals on their feet, while the Thebaid hermits walked barefoot. “The female sex,” the monk wrote, “has no right to leniency: it can courageously resist seduction and repel attacks of desires. This is taught by the glorious Susanna, the daughter of Jephaah, and the amazing Judith... And the head of women’s victories and trophies, the all-praised Thekla, who stood as an unchanging pillar of virginity, like a fire, kindled among the waves of passions, sailed to a safe harbor. If you want to be such, keep the lamps unquenched: the Bridegroom will soon come.
Let not any sleep of voluptuousness lull you, which leaves the drowsy and careless outside the doors of the bridal chamber" 74 . Blessed Theodora cheerfully awaited the Heavenly Bridegroom, vigilantly watched over the states of her soul, not allowing the power of sin over her. According to the monuments, the name of Saint Theodora the generous remains behind her. This means that she was distinguished in life by her special love for deeds of mercy. Through the exploits of many years, she achieved high spiritual experience, so that her instructions were written down and went into a book of spiritual advice.
She invited us to choose the narrow path indicated by the Savior as the path necessary for spiritual improvement. “Try,” she said, “to enter through the narrow gate. If the trees were not exposed to the pressure of winds, rain and cold in cold times, they would not bear fruit in the summer. Earthly life with its hardships is our winter. If you do not endure sorrows and trials, do not expect peace beyond the grave.”
“The benefits of a solitary life are invaluable, especially for young virgins and hermits. But you need to strictly monitor yourself so as not to drown in laziness or despondency. Under the pretext of desired spiritual peace, they indulge in physical peace and end up in spiritual troubles; a feeling of fatigue appears, the knees relax, and now one disease or another appears. “I’m sick,” they say, “I can’t read the prescribed prayers.” But the point is that they do not excite themselves to firmness. One monk, when the hour of prayer approached, felt a fever and pain in his head. Once he says to himself: “Yes, I feel bad; I’ll probably die: let me get up and pray to God more diligently than usual.” So he forced himself to stand in prayer and read the prescribed prayers.
It turned out that he had not yet finished his prayers when he felt light, and when he read, all his illness disappeared. After that, he began to fight evil laziness in the same way, and every time he felt fresh and healthy after prayer.”
“A Christian, talking with a Manichaean, who insisted that the body is a source of evil and the work of a demon, answered him intelligently: subject your body to Christian mortification, and make sure that the body was created by God.”
“One respected man,” she also said, “was showered with cruel abuse. Having listened to the abuse, he answered calmly: I could answer you with the same abuse, but Christ’s law stops my mouth.”
“Neither vigils nor physical labors will bring us to salvation if there is no humility in the soul. There was a holy hermit who drove out spirits from those possessed by demons. Once he asked the demon what drives him away, isn’t it fasting? “No,” he answered, “and we are fasting.” Isn't it a vigil? “No; you know that we don’t sleep and are very active.” Isn't life a desert? “No; and we walk through deserts.” What virtue is it that drives you out? “Humility defeats us, we do not tolerate humility,” he answered. You see,” Theodora continued, “humility is the virtue that gives us victory over evil spirits.”
She did not allow anyone to leave her cell because of temptation. “Temptations,” she said, “will follow us everywhere. The hermit, tormented by temptation, was getting ready to go on the road to leave his cell. But suddenly he sees that someone in human form is putting on sandals and says to him - perhaps you are leaving here for my sake; but I assure you that I walk faster than you, and wherever you go, you will find me. You see, he also laughed at the inexperienced hermit.”
This is a wonderful lesson given by the saint for those in charge! “Whoever does not know how,” she said, “to lead other souls to salvation, let him give up the thought of being in charge. The boss should not harbor any pride or desire for power. He should not be a plaything of flattery and should not be blinded by gifts. The boss must be meek, full of humility, patient; he must be strictly honest and straightforward; should be, by the way, lenient and strict at the right time. His love should take care of others as he cares for himself” 75.
Saint Theodora died around 415 76.
Day thirteen. Presentation of St. Eleazar of Anzersky
A native of the city of Kozelsk, the son of the merchant Sevryukov, Eleazar, while still a young man, came to the Solovetsky monastery 77 and, tested by obedience, was tonsured into monasticism; Through strict fasting, strength in prayer, and deep attention to himself, he gained the respect of the brethren and the love of Abbot Irinarch. Zealous to serve the Lord with even more difficult self-denial, with the blessing of the Monk Irinarch, he retired to Anzersky Island, 20 miles from the monastery, and here he began to labor as a hermit, not entertained by anyone. At first he lived on a mountain near a lake. To feed himself on a deserted island, he made wooden cups with his own hands, placed them at the sea pier, and temporary guests - sailors - left bread and other food supplies for the hermit. Four years later, in 1616, having been tonsured into the schema, he moved to the dilapidated church of St. Nicholas, erected for temporary workers at the salt mines. Here he set up a small cell for himself and lived with the Lord. Little by little, several zealots of the skete life gathered to see him.
The Monk Eleazar introduced the ancient rite of skete life for his associates. The cells of the silent hermits were placed a mile away from one another. On Saturday evening they gathered for common prayer and the next day, having performed Sunday singing, they dispersed to their cells for contemplation of God. Prayer, psalmody, and handicrafts were their usual occupation. They opened up about their spiritual troubles to the venerable elder. The monk was not only a great ascetic, but also a lover of spiritual enlightenment. “From many Divine Scriptures,” it is said about him in the loose book of the monastery, “various stories of the congregation and three books of the flower garden were written with his own hand by the charter; The same is the order of the monastic cell rule in the scriptures - from experience, good interpretation.” At other times, the monk either knelt in prayer, or chopped wood and carried it on his back. He had to endure many temptations, either from the spirit of malice or from weak people. Once the tempter appeared to him in the form of a brother of the monastery, with an invitation to the monastery.
The ascetic did not want to go on the journey before he had completed the rule of cell prayer, and began to pray. But when he had to read the Lord’s Prayer - Our Father, the imaginary brother left the cell; the ascetic was amazed and continued to pray. Finally, after several attempts to repeat the same story, the imaginary brother disappeared without a trace, and the ascetic saw that if he had gone to the monastery, the stormy sea would have swallowed him up. Tsar Michael, who grieved that he did not have an heir to the throne, and who learned about the Monk Eleazar from the former cellarer of the Lavra, and now the ascetic of Solovetsky, Alexander Bulatnikov, summoned the elder to Moscow and asked for his prayers. The elder told the king that an heir would be born, and, after the elder’s warm prayer, in 1629, Tsarevich Alexy was born. The grateful Tsar Michael did good to the Anzersk monastery until his grave. Tsar Alexy, upon his accession to the throne, ordered the construction of a stone church in the monastery, which was begun by the will of his father, but the construction of which was stopped. He wanted to see the elder in person, and the elder, already decrepit, was again in Moscow. The old man was treated kindly by the king.
But in the Solovetsky monastery they were indignant that the Anzersky monastery was granted independence from the monastery. As a result, not only was the construction of the church not completed, despite the royal decree, but the elder himself was imprisoned in chains and prison 78 . The monk formed his disciples into strict ascetics. Such was Nicodemus, who was the successor of his mentor in the monastery; the great Nikon was also a student of Eleazar. When this Anzer hermit began to ascend from degree to degree of power and strength, he did everything he could for the peace of the Monk Eleazar. As a metropolitan, he wrote to the archimandrite: “Take care of the Anzer elders, the builder and the brethren,” and ordered that the request of Elder Eleazar be fulfilled - to release the sick Elder Kirik to his monastery 79; in 1655, Patriarch Nikon begged the tsar to release more candles, incense, wine and flour to the Anzersky monastery for church services; He established 17 brothers in the skete and sent from himself silver frames for icons and gifts to the skete in money and fish. The holy elder died after 40 years of labor on January 13th, 1656.
His memory is honored locally 80.
Day fifteen. Memory of St. Gabriel Lesnovsky and Prokhor Pshinsky
According to the Bulgarian Synaxarion of 1340, “our venerable father Gabriel, the son of noble and wealthy parents, was devoted to book learning and, with the help of God, succeeded well in it. When he came of age, they betrothed him to a bride of good family; but he, without touching her, went to the monastery and became a monk. Having received great wealth, he retired to Lesnovskaya Mountain and created a church of the Holy Archangel Michael, installed an abbot, gathered many monks and left all his property here, while he himself went to the mountain and remained day and night in prayer, vigil and silence. He spent 30 years like this, enduring much torment from unclean spirits, and when he came to the monastery, he reposed here. His body remained in the ground for 30 years; Then a Russian from the city of Sredets appeared. He, having arrived at the place, built an ark and placed the relics in it. Many miracles were performed under them: the blind received their sight, the lame were restored to health, the demoniac were healed by touching the holy relics. After a long time, the saint’s relics were transferred to the Bulgarian city of Ternov and were placed at the table of the holy apostles” 81.
In the life of the Venerable Joachim of Osogov it reads: “wonderful and truly newly enlightened fathers and desert dwellers, heavenly men and earthly Angels, friends of Christ, John and Prochorus together with Gabriel, and with them Joachim our father, an honest quartet, God’s chosen friendship, hardworking workers of Christ who went out to cultivate the spiritual field the rave of faith and to sow spiritual seed in order to bear fruit a hundredfold... Our reverend father John, according to David, soared through the mountains like a bird, and deigned to ascend a high mountain called Knisheva, and having settled there, he clung to the Lord God alone... Our holy reverend father Prochorus was similar in his deeds to John; Wanting to appear as an imitator of him, he prayed to the Lord: guide me, O Lord, on Thy path, so that I may go down to the altar of God and to God, who makes my youth joyful. He goes on his way and sings other psalms. According to God's providence, the monk came to the Vranskaya desert on the Pshin River and here began to live a life of fasting and equal to the angels; having labored skilfully and pleasing to God, he moved in peace to Christ in the heavenly abode.
After the repose of this blessed one, his holy relics performed wondrous miracles” 82.
Since according to this news John, Prokhor and Gabriel are placed close to each other in time, and John, presented here as a model of life for the Monk Prokhor, is none other than the Monk John of Rylsky, who died in 946, then the earthly exploits of the Monk Prokhor must be attributed to the end of the 10th century, and the exploits of the Monk Gabriel to the beginning of the 11th century. According to the Serbian Chronicle, the pious King Milutin (1276–1320) built a beautiful church in honor of the Monk Prokhor of Pshinsky. The following is known about the place of the exploits of the Monk Gabriel: the Lesnovsky monastery is separated from the city of Kratov by Zletovskaya Mountain, which is why it is called otherwise Kratovsky. Here a magnificent church was built in 1341 by the viceroy of the Serbian Tsar Oliver. The Lenten triodion of 1342 is known, written “in Mount Zletovskaya, in the borough of Lesnov, in the monastery of the great governor Archangel Michael, at the tomb of the Venerable Father Gabriel, which the great governor Oliver created from the crown (from the base) with all sorts of goodness, decorating it with gold and silver vessels, forging great icons with silver and gold.”
Mohammedan fanaticism led the monastery to desolation, but since 1805 it has been gradually restored 83 .
Recently the synodik of the Pshin monastery of St. Prokhor, near Vrana, became known; the city is located on the eastern Morava, in the Pristina district, and the monastery has disappeared 84.
Day sixteen. Worship of the honorable chains of St. Apostle Peter
During the persecution of the young Church of Jerusalem, erected by Herod Agrippa, king of the Jews, around 42 A.D., the zealous preacher of the Gospel, the Apostle Peter, was chained and imprisoned. At night, on the eve of the day on which the Apostle was supposed to be brought to trial before the people, an Angel miraculously freed Peter from his shackles and prison (see: Acts 12). The rumor about Peter's miraculous release immediately spread in Jerusalem; His pious disciples acquired for themselves, like a jewel and a shrine, the chains or chains of the holy prisoner and kept them with respect, passing them on at their death, successively to one another. Believers received healing from them, as from the scarves and towels that were on the body of the apostle. Paul (see: Acts 19:12).
Empress Eudokia, wife of Theodosius II (408-450), having been in Jerusalem to worship holy places according to her vow, received from the Jerusalem Patriarch Juvenal, among spiritual treasures, the miraculous chains of the Apostle Peter. Having arrived in Constantinople, she sent one of them in 439 as a gift to her daughter Eudoxia, the wife of the Roman Emperor.
At the Liturgy, by reading the Apostle, the Church mentions the chains that were placed on the Apostle Peter in Jerusalem (see: Acts 12:1-11); The Gospel preaches the restoration of the Apostle Peter to the title of Apostle after his martyrdom.
Day sixteen. Memory of Saint Romilus (Romulus)
The birthplace of the Monk Romil 85 was Bdin (Viddin); his mother was Bulgarian. The sufficient wealth of his parents provided him with ways to receive a good education. In the Ternovsky Ustye Monastery, located outside the city on the holy mountain, he believed the beginning of monastic life; there were many monks here then; Here he pronounced his monastic vows. When the Monk Gregory of Sinaite began to live in the Hidden (Parori) desert, Romil came under his leadership. But the attacks of robbers (“their inhabitants and the Khusars of this place are very strong”) forced him to retire again to Zagorye, and he lived with his friend Hilarion in a secluded place called Mokroe, a day’s journey from Ternov. When Tsar Alexander pacified the robbers and there was peace in Hidden, Romil again lived in the Hidden Desert. Gregory Tsamblak, a writer of his life, came here to him from Constantinople. After some time, the Skopelsky chief informed that the Mohammedans wanted to attack their places, so let them retire to another place.
Romil retired to his former cell, which was in Mokroye; and from now on he moved to Athos to the Lavra and lived in solitude in the Melansky monastery; Tsamblak lived with him in this solitude. When the despot (Romansky) Uglesh was killed (in war) (1370): “then on Athos all the monks were filled with confusion and horror and many fled” from Athos. So Romil “withdrew to another place called Avlon (this is near Drach), and from here he leaves with his disciples to the Serbian land, to a place called Ravanica, where the abode of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ is. After living here for a while, he moves from earth to heaven.” So says Tsamblak. The Brief Life notes the last times in particular. “Coming out of the holy mountain,” it says here, “he reaches Illyricum; Here he finds strife of passions and miserable divisions, but in a short time he manages to introduce harmony with his instructions. From here it goes to the Dalmatian place Ravanica.” In what year the Monk Romilus died is not shown either in the short or in the lengthy legend about him. But based on everything that is known, it is likely that he died no earlier than 1375.
His relics rest in the Ravanitsa monastery, where they give sight to the blind, walking to the lame and heal all sorts of ailments 86.
Memory of the Hieromartyr Damascene of Gabrovsky
The Hieromartyr of Damascus was born in the town of Gabrovo, Ternovsky diocese 87.
Out of love for monasticism, he retired to Athos and became a monk at the Hilandar Monastery. Here he was ordained a hierodeacon and then a hieromonk; Here they elected him as abbot. Due to the needs of the monastery, he went to the Bulgarian settlement of Svistovo 88. Having completed the necessary tasks for the monastery, he still had to collect the old debt from the Turks. When they were told about the debt, the debtors, agreeing among themselves, not only did not pay the debt, but also attacked the defenseless Christian and took away from him all the property that was in the courtyard. That wasn't enough for the villains. They persuaded the Turkish woman to behave badly and secretly took her to the courtyard. Then, attacking the courtyard with noise and shouting, they destroyed the courtyard, finding a Turkish woman here, tied up Damascene as guilty of kidnapping the Mohammedan woman and brought her to court. Kadiy, having listened to Damascus, saw that there was only the violence of anger. But the crowd of fanatics, agitated by slander, frantically shouted that the monk had desecrated their law. The fanatics offered Damascene a choice of one of two things - either the gallows or conversion to Mohammedanism.
The monk answered: “I was born a Christian, and I will die that way. To renounce Christ is the same as to renounce Eternal Life: without Him there is no salvation for sinners, like all of us, me and you. He is the reconciler of God's truth with sinful humanity; He is the giver of the grace of God necessary to fulfill the will of God. I feel sorry for you if you don't understand that. But it would be madness if I agreed to buy eternal destruction for temporary life.” With his hands tied back, they brought him to the place of execution. He asked permission to pray. And, having received it, he protected himself with the sign of the cross, with his face turned to the East, prayed and then said: “Now I am ready to die.” He was hanged. The wrath of God soon befell the villains: following the death of the martyr, crossing the Danube, they drowned. The holy martyr suffered in 1771 on January 16th.
Memory of Blessed Maxim of Totemsky
Blessed Maxim, the Totem priest, played the fool for 45 years, reposed on January 16, 1650. His relics are hidden in the city church near the varnitsa. His (local) veneration began in 1715 89.
Day seventeen. Memory of St. Anthony of Dymsky
According to the life of the Monk Varlaam of Khutyn, close to his death, the Monk Varlaam said to his disciples: “I appoint Abbot Anthony to you as your guardian for soul and body, who returned from Constantinople and the holy places and at this very hour is no longer far from us.” After this they said that Anthony was already in the monastery, and the saint joyfully handed over his flock to Anthony who entered. This was in 1192 90. It is unknown how long the visitor to the holy places remained the abbot of the Khutyn monastery; but in 1230, another abbot of Khutyn, Arseny, was transferred to the abbot at the Yuriev Monastery. The Monk Anthony, having abandoned the management of the Khutyn monastery, founded his monastery on the shore of Lake Dymskoye, 15 versts from the city of Tikhvin. For a long time, St. Anthony has been holding a charter on icons with the words: “Behold, he went away in flight and settled in the desert.” Even now his monastery is surrounded by forests. The square on which it stands is raised like a hill above the surrounding area; at its base there is a quiet, dark lake, and all around, into the vast distance, there are forests, now disappearing in places.
Above the saint's shrine lies his iron hat. She weighs 15 pounds; its wide brim is nailed to the crown with thick nails; the heads of the nails, the scars of the outskirts had to cut into the integument of the head, stopping only on the hard cranial bones, and the weight of the hat increased the pain of the ulcers. This is how the ascetic of God acquired peace and the joys of eternal life! The Monk Anthony, in addition to the Dym Hermitage, also founded the Vyrdom Hermitage. Having reached 67 years of labor and exploits, Blessed Anthony died peacefully on June 24, 1224 92. The relics of the saint were found incorrupt in 1330, and from that time, glorified by miracles, they stood openly in the monastery church. In 1409, according to rumors of the approaching hordes of the ferocious Edigei, the holy relics were hidden in the ground; the vessels, bells, and hat of the saint were lowered into Lake Dymskoye; the Tatars burned the monastery. The relics of the saint have remained hidden since the time of Edigei.
In October and November 1585, when the Valaam monks, expelled from Valaam by the Lutheran Swedes, were taking refuge in the Anthony Monastery, the monk twice saved his monastery from fire, promptly awakening Abbot Simeon from sleep. In 1744, the St. Petersburg merchant Kalitin, who had suffered for a long time from an illness that could not be healed by anything, received healing at the relics of St. Anthony; Grateful Kalitin arranged the saint's shrine and iconostasis in the church 93. The memory of the saint is honored on January 17, the day of remembrance of the great Anthony, and on June 24, the day of the saint’s death, there is a religious procession to the lake; in the monastery a church is dedicated to the venerable 94.
Memory of St. Anthony of Krasnokholmsky
The Monk Anthony, being a hieromonk, in 1461 arrived from the Belozersk side to the desert on the left bank of the Mologa River and here, not far from the Red Hill and 30 versts from Bezhetsk, he decided to found a monastery. At that time there were no monasteries in this region. The Monk Anthony built a wooden church in honor of St. Nicholas. The brethren gathered to him, and he zealously taught them the ways of salvation by the example of his life and instructions. The pious boyar Ivan Neledinsky, the owner of those places, generously provided funds for the monastery. At his expense, the Monk Anthony built a stone church for the saint and soon after its consecration, in 1481, he died peacefully. His relics rest in secret 95.
Memory of St. Anthony of Chernoezersk
In the former Mother of God Monastery, on the shores of Black Lake, Cherepovets district, the relics of St. Anthony of Chernoezersk, the founder of the desert, rest in secret. His exploits and their time are unknown, but they probably belonged to the 16th century. His local memory is honored on January 17, 1996.
Day eighteen. Memory of the Holy Fathers Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria
The joint celebration of these great lamps of faith was established due to their special holiness and merits for the Church. Separately, the memory of Athanasius is on May 2, Kirill on June 9.
Memory of Blessed Maxim, Metropolitan of Ugrovlakhia
In the world he was called George; was the grandson of the penultimate Serbian sovereign (despot) Yuri Brankovich, the son of his son Stefan, who wandered outside the fatherland, and Angelina, the latter’s wife. Stefan received estates in Srem from the Hungarian kings, where his family began to live. Since in this country, where many Serbs fled from the Turkish yoke, there were no churches or priests, George built several churches at his own expense, invited Metropolitan Levi from Sofia to appoint priests, and in 1496 founded the monastery of the Mother of God in Krushedol, where he himself took monastic vows. Radul, the governor of Ugrovlahia, invited him to his land in 1503 and made him metropolitan; under Radul's successor, Mikhna (1508–1510), Maxim returned to his monastery, but in 1513 he was again summoned by the governor Nyagoi Bessarabia. However, he did not live there long and, returning to Krushedol, died in 1516. His relics rest in his monastery, which since the 18th century has become the seat of the Serbian patriarchs in Austria.
Day nineteen. Presentation of Blessed Theodore the Fool
Blessed Theodore 97 was born in Novgorod and in his youth was taught to read books. He began to love piety early - he ate nothing on Wednesdays and Fridays and constantly visited the church of God. Following the example of the great holy fools of the East, he chose the path of foolishness for his salvation. Having no permanent home for himself anywhere, he walked barefoot and half-naked in the cold; everything that he received from the God-loving people he distributed to the poor, and he himself suffered need of everything; the flighty youth laughed at him, insulting him with words and beatings; but he bore everything cheerfully. When others fell into deep sleep, Theodore walked around the churches of the city and prayed. This is how his life went! His contemporary was Blessed Nikolai Kachanov, who lived on the Sofia side, while Theodore walked on the Torgovaya. When Blessed Theodore happened to cross the Volkhov Bridge to the Sofia side, Blessed Nicholas drove him to Torgovaya; Theodore did the same when he found Nicholas on the Trade Side.
The blessed ones, understanding each other and themselves, with their visible enmity reminded the Novgorodians of their civil strife, which was so often bloody and for the most empty pretexts. It happened that blessed Theodore said out loud: “Take care of the bread,” and famine set in. At other times he said: “It will be clean here, it will be good to sow turnips,” and the fire devastated the streets of the Trade Side. Before his death, he said to those who met him: “Farewell; I'm going far." He asked to be buried near the market place and died on January 19, 1392. Subsequently, a chapel was built over his tomb, and here the sick received healings. In the new stone chapel at the Church of the Victorious St. George on Lubyanitsa, built back in 1181, and now the relics of the blessed one. There is a special (printed) service for him, according to which his memory is honored on January 19 and a prayer service is performed at his relics 98.
In our time, the path of Blessed Theodore is a path overgrown with grass. But let this path, the path of complete renunciation of earthly things, be too high. Let the merchant remain a merchant, the official an official, the farmer a farmer, as long as they live without forgetting the Lord, without offending His holy commandments. What is our age busy with? They only worry about how to find new means of subsistence, and when they find them, they squander them madly; people are in a frenzy of greed for the comforts of earthly life. “By the sweat of your face you will eat your bread,” this is God’s definition of sinful man. But it is necessary that your work for the earth is not lost or to the detriment of your eternity. Is it possible that for you, as for the pagan, both gods and life are only on earth? Work, work, but always before the eyes of God, the Omniscient Judge and strict in truth. Do not work for the land and take away neither your time nor your soul from the work of serving the Lord. Deal with earthly needs, but not otherwise than for the glory of God. Otherwise, what awaits you if you neglect the Lord of heaven and earth? God! Who can dwell in Your tabernacle? Who can dwell on Your holy mountain?
He who walks uprightly does what is right and speaks the truth from his heart; He who does not slander with his tongue does not harm another; who swears to his neighbor and does not change; who does not give his silver at interest and does not accept gifts against the innocent (Ps. 14:1-5). Riches are useless in the day of wrath, but righteousness saves from death (Proverbs 11:4). The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, teaching us that, having rejected ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and piously in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).
Day twentieth. Memory of St. Euthymius the Great
Euthymius the Great was born around 380 in Melitina, a city of the Nicene metropolis, from pious and noble parents, through their prayers, which had hitherto been endless, and was named Euthymius - the Compassionate, because of their joy and consolation about his birth. In adolescence, he was dedicated to God and given by his mother to be raised by her brother, and from him the Bishop of Melitinsky accepted Euthymia for education. Brought up in the rules of a virtuous Christian life under the paternal care of the archpastor of the Melitene Church, Euthymius was ordained by him as a reader and presbyter. He was entrusted with eldership and care of the monasteries of the city in which he lived. Therefore, loving monasticism and silence, he mostly stayed in the monastery, a neighboring city, and during the days of Great Lent he retired to the desert. Seeing that his silence due to the duties of his rank was often violated, Euthymius, 29 years old, secretly withdrew with his friend Theoktistos to a cave in the Jerusalem desert, which belonged to the Lavra of Paran.
From their cave, every year on the 14th day of January, they retired into the desert and returned to their cells for the colorful week. Staying in the cave and desert, the saints ate the labor of their hands and had one concern - to please God. Five years later, two monk friends moved to almost impassable desert places for the highest feats of piety. On the same day, St. Euthymius the schema-monk and Lavrentiy the hermit of Pechersk. Their relics rest in the Theodosian caves; see August 28 for details.
Originally from Thessaloniki, the abbess of a monastery near Jerusalem, who was a model of purity and Christian asceticism, a zealot of the faith against the heretics of the Eutychians, was respected by royal officials and corresponded with Empress Pulcheria (451 years old).
Day twenty one. Memory of St. Maxim the Greek
Saint Maximus, a Greek by birth, according to his great exploits, fully belongs to the holy Russian Church, for which he remains a lamp in his writings 99 .
Having received his primary education in his homeland in the city of Arte, where his father was a noble dignitary, Maxim, out of love for science, traveled around Europe: in Paris with the famous Greek John Lascar, then in Florence and Venice he studied literary sciences, history, philosophy, theology; thoroughly learned the languages Latin and ancient Greek, became acquainted with the languages French and Italian. Upon returning to his fatherland, he entered Mount Athos and here in the Vatopedi monastery he accepted monasticism.
When Grand Duke Vasily Ivanovich, wanting to sort out a collection of Greek manuscripts in his library and see others in translation, asked the Sultan and the Athos authorities to send him a Greek scholar, Maxim was pointed out as the person most capable of fulfilling the wishes of the Grand Duke 100. Maxim did not want to part with the Holy Mountain and its silence, but, obeying the will of the Athonite elders, he went to Russia in 1516; On the way, he used the time of an accidental stay in Perekop to become acquainted with the Russian language and at the beginning of 1518 he arrived in Moscow. Here he was received kindly, and he was ordered to live in the Chudov Monastery, at the expense of the Grand Duke. The treasures of Greek learning that Maxim saw in the Moscow library delighted him; There were many works that were not translated into Slavic. For the first time, he was assigned to translate the interpretation into the Psalter. To help him, who was little familiar with the Slavic language, translators from Latin were given, Dimitri Gerasimov and Vlasiy, and for writing, the monks of the Sergius Lavra Silouan and Mikhail Medovartsov.
A year and five months later, the translation of the Explanatory Psalter was completely completed. Maxim was showered with favors and left for new works. By the will of Metropolitan Varlaam and at his expense, he translated (in 1519) an interpretation of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. He was also instructed to revise the Slavic liturgical books. By the will of the Grand Duke, Maxim began to correct the translation of the Triodion, still with the assistance of translators; then he revised other church service books. There were gross errors, which the much knowledgeable Maximus found in our church books, and fueled, as he said, by Divine jealousy, he cleared away the tares with both hands. Because of this jealousy, he expressed harsh reviews of what he saw in books. But what he saw, few saw, and a blind passion for antiquity took his reviews as an insult to the shrine. At first the murmur was secret. Metropolitan Varlaam, from whom permission was sought for important changes in the ancient books, understood St. Maxim; the Grand Duke distinguished him with his love. And slander did not dare to openly rebel against Maxim.
His advice was used in the affairs of the Church and the state, distinguishing him as an intelligent and educated man, a fiery monk in love for truth and faith. He was a zealous intercessor for nobles who fell out of favor with the prince, and the prince was attentive to his requests. Full of zeal for the holy faith, he advised the council of fathers to take strict measures against the Jew Isaac. He advised Metropolitan Varlaam to revise the Slavic collection of church rules and himself began to translate the “Vlastarev Syntagma” of laws - from the ancient Moscow manuscript.
At the end of 1521, the truthful and reasonable Varlaam left the department, and Daniel took his place (in February 1522). The new metropolitan loved books, but only Slavic ones; loved to engage in matters of faith, but not so much as types of passions. Blessed Maxim soon realized that he could not work for the truth with the same freedom and peace; with love for truth, he turned to new subjects of activity. The pope, weakened in the west by Luther, was very concerned about extending his power in the northeast. His legate Nikolai Schonberg was being cunning in Moscow. The German “to other deceits” also added that he secretly put into use (in 1520) the word: “about the union of the Russians and Latins.” Maxim was given Schonberg’s essay “On the Beginning of the Turks,” written with views of papism in defense of astrological fate. Schonberg managed to seduce the boyar Feodor Karpov, he also swayed others; Especially the thoughts about fortune, disseminated by Schonberg, made an impression on the superstitious people and even found a defender in some former abbot.
Maxim rebelled against the crafty German and wrote up to 15 works against him, pursuing his machinations on all paths. At the same time he wrote against the Mohammedans and pagans. These works of the saint’s jealousy temporarily protected Maxim from the malice of the ignorance that was irritated against him, since they were not contrary to the spirit of the time. But between his works, there is not a single one visible that he would undertake personally for Metropolitan Daniel. By 1523, he completed translations of the interpretations of St. Chrysostom on the Gospels of Matthew and John, but this was the end of the work begun under Metropolitan Varlaam. Daniel wanted Maxim to translate Theodoret's Church History. The judicious Maxim imagined that this work, according to the letters of Arius and Nestorius contained in it, could be harmful “for simplicity.” Daniel took Maxim’s answer as unforgivable disobedience and remained very annoyed. Not only did he not bring Maxim closer to him, but, as can be seen from the consequences, he was very dissatisfied with him for the correction of the books that was carried out under Varlaam. The Grand Duke continued to be favorable to Maxim.
Taking advantage of this love, Maxim freely exposed the vices in the nobles, in the clergy, and in the people. He wrote that it was indecent, unhealthy, and very dangerous for monks to own real estate. The latter greatly offended Daniel and others like him.
In 1524, Grand Duke Vasily decided to divorce his virtuous but barren wife Solomonia and enter into a new marriage with Elena in order to have an heir. Metropolitan Daniel approved of the means to the end. But those who did not want to please people more than God freely pointed out to the Grand Duke the decision of the Savior. Such was the elder Vassian, a descendant of the princes of Lithuania and a relative of Vasily. Straightforward Maxim had the same thoughts. He proposed to the Grand Duke an essay on paper that began with a condemnation of carnal knowledge. “Recognize him as a true king and autocrat,” Maxim wrote to Vasily, “who rules his subjects according to truth and law, and tries to overcome dumb lusts and passions in himself... Whoever is conquered by them as an insult to meaning is not an animated image of the Lord of Heaven, but a dumb animal in the form of a man.” Grand Duke Vasily in other cases did not like contradictions to his will. Now he decided to show that those who disagreed with his wishes were guilty.
And now they will take revenge on Maxim for daring to judge and condemn the Russian! At the beginning of February 1525, Maxim was thrown in shackles into the dungeon of the Simonov monastery. First of all, they tried to confuse him in the case of the two boyars guilty, revealing that they had intercourse with Maxim. Maxim did not hide the fact that they visited him for conversations; did not hide either what they said or what he told them; Complaining about innovations, they said: “a country that changes its customs does not last long.” Maxim replied: “A country that violates the commandments of God must expect execution from God; and earthly customs and royal sovereigns change at the discretion of the needs of the state.” Not having time to accuse Maxim in this case, they turned to church matters. Either in the prince's palace or in the metropolitan's chambers, Maxim was showered with accusations of damaging books, which was offensive to the faith 101. It was considered sufficient to include one of Maxim’s crimes on the court list; in his Triodion he wrote about the Son’s sitting with the Father: “thou art seated, sitting.”
Maxim sincerely admitted this was a mistake and, in apology, pointed to his then ignorance of the Russian language. In the judgment list they did not record either recognition of the mistake or an apology, but they wrote down that, according to Maxim, there is no difference between “sed and sat” - both past tenses 102. They hastened to pronounce the verdict: Maxim is a heretic, spoiling books. The Grand Duke, for his part, declared Maxim guilty of the fact that he and another Svyatogorsk monk Savva corresponded with ours and incited the Sultan to war against the Grand Duke 103. It is clear that this is as true as the fact that Maxim is a heretic. But Maxim was captured and taken out of Moscow so secretly that for a long time in Moscow they did not know whether he was alive? The confessor of truth was sent in chains to Volokolamsk prison; here, from the smoke and stench, from the shackles and beatings, from time to time he became numb, but here the Angel who appeared to him said: “Be patient, old man! With these torments you will be freed from eternal torment.” Vassian, Savva, Silouan, Medovartsov were sent to monasteries and taken into custody.
Within the walls of the Volokolamsk prison, Maxim wrote with charcoal a canon to the Comforter Spirit, which is still sung by the Church. Six years later (in 1531) they again demanded Maxim to appear before the spiritual court in Moscow. This is because in Moscow the best people began to speak for Maxim and against Daniel, and Maxim himself did not admit himself guilty of anything when they exhorted him to repent in the monastery. It was necessary to justify oneself in cruelties with Maxim. With this goal in mind, they removed from Maxim’s books everything that could be brought against him; Now they have succeeded in the fact that even Medovartsov spoke against Maxim. But even according to the court list, errors in the amendments turn out to be either errors of the scribes or errors of ignorance of the Russian language. Now they interrogated about the translation of the Metaphrast Life of the Mother of God and tried to convict Maxim of the fact that the mistakes made here were previously defended by Maxim. But Maxim replied that Medovartsov was not speaking according to his conscience. They pointed out in the Triodion the amendments to the doxologies; “That was what Metropolitan Varlaam wanted,” answered Maxim. There was an error in the rule book, revised by Maxim.
Maxim recognized her as a scribe's mistake. They said again: why did you correct “sedel thou” instead of “sede”? And they wrote down his answer in the same form. In Russian books it is written: “and in the true Holy Spirit,” but why did you atone for the true one? Maxim replied that he himself did not cross out; and Medovartsov said that,
Judgment list of Maxim the Greek (16th century). according to Maximus, this word does not exist in Greek. Protodeacon Chushka, Archpriest Afanasy and Priest Vasily wrote in their denunciation that Maxim blasphemed all Russian books, that, according to him, in Russia there is no Gospel, no Apostle, no Psalter, no statutes. But obviously these people speak against themselves, exposing their ignorance and anger. Maxim, according to his confession, said that in Russia books were spoiled either by scribes or by translators, and therefore they need to be corrected and translated 104. In conclusion, Blessed Maxim prostrated himself three times before the cathedral, begging for mercy for the sake of God's mercy, for the sake of human weaknesses - with tears he asked to forgive him the mistakes, if any, he had made in his books. Maxim was left after this trial under church ban; but it was a considerable relief for him that he was sent to Tver, under the supervision of the good-natured Bishop Akaki. Akaki received him graciously and treated him kindly - he even invited him to his meal. It was especially pleasant for Maxim that he could now read books and write.
In 1532, he wrote for himself “thoughts with which a sorrowful monk, shut up in prison, consoled himself and strengthened himself in patience.”
After the death of Grand Duke Vasily (1534), the monk decided to give public justification for the guilt leveled against him. In the “Confession of Faith” he proposed his belief, which was completely Orthodox; then he showed that it was not the books that he corrected that were filled with heretical and foolish words, but those that his opponents considered sacred. “My witness,” he wrote, “is our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God; “I have many iniquities, but I do not know of any blasphemy against the holy Christian faith.” About those who called him an enemy of Russia, he said: “May the Lord not charge them with a grave sin!” In conclusion, he begged to be released to Athos, representing that the trial of him belonged to the patriarch. But his fate did not change. The seditious boyars who ruled Russia during John’s childhood were busy strangling each other. Maxim even lost the condescension of Akaki. On the occasion of the fire that destroyed (in 1537) the magnificent church built by Akaki in Tver, Maxim spoke the truth about Akaki and the inhabitants of Tver, and Akaki was very angry with Maxim.
Helena died in 1538; and at the beginning of 1539 Daniel was sent to prison. Maxim considered it a duty of conscience to reconcile the conscience of the exile with himself. Having learned that Daniel had the same dislike towards him, he asked in the name of the Heavenly Father to leave the enmity and spoke with deep humility about his innocence. After that, he wrote an answer to the new metropolitan “On the correction of books” and another answer to the boyars “On the correction of Russian books.” Freedom of spirit was still in him as before. “God is witness for me, unworthy before you faithful; I am not writing to you out of hypocrisy, as if I wanted to flatter you or wanted to get relief from you in the temporary sorrow that has been on me for 19 years.” Blessed Metropolitan Joasaph consoled the sufferer; with his blessing, he could now partake of the Holy Mysteries and go to church. This was at the end of 1541.
In 1545, the Eastern patriarchs asked Tsar John to release Maxim to Athos. Maxim himself begged for the same thing in a letter. But the suspicious politics of the time were not in the habit of complying with such requests. In 1551, Trinity Abbot Artemy and the virtuous boyars begged the Tsar to release Maxim from Tver imprisonment, and Maxim, peacefully received in Moscow, entered the Sergius Lavra with honor. The sufferer was already exhausted by the severity of prison life; but his mind was clear. At the request of his disciple Nil, the former prince Kurlyatev, he translated the Psalter from Greek. The monk reached the age of seventy. His spirit, purified by the fire of sorrow and suffering, now began to see far away. In 1553, Tsar John visited the cell of the holy elder, listened to his instructions and announced to him his intention to travel to the Cyril monastery, in gratitude for his healing from an illness. The elder said: “Your vow, king, does not agree with sound reasoning.
The widows and orphans of those killed near Kazan are shedding tears, awaiting your help; gather them under your royal roof, and then all the saints will rejoice over you and pray for you. God and the saints hear us not out of place, but according to our good will.” The king did not want to cancel his intention. And the holy elder asked the nobles to tell the king from him: “If you do not listen to me, who advises you according to the will of God, you neglect the blood of those killed by the filthy, then know that your son will die.” The king did not listen, and the saint’s prophecy was fulfilled. The following year, the tsar invited the godly elder to a council against Matvey Bashkin. The holy elder replied that his decrepitude did not allow him to be in Moscow. The Tsar, in a letter to Maxim, explaining the reason why he was inviting bishops and the best monks to Moscow, wrote: “So I wanted to send for you, so that you would be a champion of Orthodoxy, following the example of the first God-bearing fathers, so that the heavenly abodes would receive you too, like the ancient zealots of piety, whose names are known to you.
So, be their collaborator, increase the talent given to you by God, send a response to the current wickedness. I can hear that you are offended and think that we sent you as if we were counting you among the community members of Matthew. No, we do not consider the right with the wrong. Leave all doubt and, using the talent given to you, send us an answer to this message.” The monk sent his essay on the veneration of holy icons.
In 1556, after fifty years of labor and suffering, the monk died on January 21.
In 1651, two miracles happened one after another over the grave of St. Maxim. The villager casually sat down on the saint’s gravestone and was suddenly thrown off it, so that his whole body relaxed. Having come to his senses, he crawled to the grave in repentance and, when the requiem service was served, he was healed. It was the same with the novice; The monk appeared to the latter in a dream and menacingly denounced his insolence.
At the end of the 17th century, the name of St. Maxim was written in the calendar. Saint Plato built a shrine and a chapel over the tomb of the sufferer of truth and righteousness 105.
Of the numerous writings of the great sufferer of truth, “Answer on the Correction of Books” 106 is especially precious for the Orthodox Church.
Having proved with examples that numerous errors were included in the Slavic books, and some of them so changed the exact appearance of the originals that they put forth heretical thoughts in their words, contrary to the holy faith, Saint Maximus says: “What will those who so groundlessly slander me say to this, calling me a corrupter of the Holy Scriptures and condemning me for their justification? Do I spoil books when I correctly correct not the sacred scriptures, but what constitutes a disapproving error in them, made through misunderstanding, through oversight, through the forgetfulness of ancient translators, or through the ignorance and negligence of the translators? Let them stop slandering their neighbor, who works for the glory of God and for the benefit of every reasonable and faithful brother. Opponents will say: "You are insulting the great miracle workers who have long been famous in the Russian land. With these sacred books they pleased God and after death they were glorified by miracles." It is not I who will answer them, but let Blessed Paul admonish them.
He says: To one is given the word of wisdom by the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another - faith by the same Spirit, to one the gift of healings by the same Spirit, to another miraculous actions; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to one the gift of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues; yet all this is accomplished by one and the same Spirit, dividing power to everyone as He pleases (1 Cor. 12:7-11). It is clear that all spiritual gifts are not given to one person. And I confess that by gift from above the holy wonderworkers were glorified in the Russian land, and that the God-bearing fathers were, as they were before, so they are now; and I worship them as true saints of God. But they did not accept from above either the gift of various tongues or their interpretation. Therefore, it should not be surprising if, given their greatness, the correction of the errors corrected by me passed beyond their understanding. They, according to their Apostolic humility, meekness and holiness of life, were given the gifts of healings and miracles; the other, although he is the most sinful, was given the knowledge and interpretation of tongues. And there is nothing to be surprised about here. The foreigner Jethro admonished Moses about the election of elders.
Wonderful Macarius, after prayer, was not admonished by the shepherd boy about how to eat food? He also listened to the reproach: or are you an ass, abvo? Such are all sincere saints of God. They humbly seek and listen with gratitude to anyone who says something useful... The honest presbyter, for his gentleness and pure life, was awarded the grace to see an Angel standing and serving him; but was he not corrected by a deacon who came from Constantinograd? For several years, out of ignorance, he sinned, repeating the words of the Sevirov heresy at the Holy Mysteries. He asked the Angel why for so many years, standing near him, he was silent about such a sin? And I heard the answer: God has ordained that man corrects man. Thus, the most holy bishops and martyrs who were during the times of persecution were not in the least insulted or reproached by the various corrections of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament that followed them, carried out by Symmachus, Theodotion, Aquila and Lucian, presbyter of Antioch, each of whom corrected what had been overlooked by the previous translators.
In another work, having shown superstitious thoughts in one Slavic work, the blessed teacher says: “Didn’t I say the truth at the very beginning, that it is a great evil not to know the Inspired Scriptures and to carelessly accept all Scripture? If the strange sages of our recent times knew how to correctly and judiciously test the writings of the apostles and evangelists, they would not so quickly accept any ignorant and untestified scripture” 108 .
“The saying that it is necessary to preserve the confession of the Orthodox Faith in its exact form” denounces those who changed something in the Creed. The monk writes: “Do not say that there is no great difference in the wisdom you dare to undertake. You expose yourself to anathema by changing the inspired words - “from Mary”, and not “Mary”, and “by tea”, not “tea”, and the life of “the age to come”, and not “the age to come.”
On the same day, the Vatopedi Icon of the Mother of God, glorified in the 8th century.
Day twenty two. Repose of St. Macarius of Zhabynsky
According to the handwritten calendar, “Reverend Hieromonk Macarius, head of the Zhabynsky Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Belevsky new wonderworker, reposed in l. 7130(1622) months. Jan. at 22 days.” According to the synodik of the Belevsky monastery, “Reverend Father Macarius, the Belevsky wonderworker, suffered monastically in patience with his flesh: filth, heat, suffered in hunger and thirst, reward the monastery, the brethren of the congregation, lived in his patience for a long time, reposed in l. 7131 (1623), buried by his disciples in his own monastery, created by him, in the month of January, 22 days” 109. The Zhabynsky monastery at the mouth of the Zhabynya river, which flows into the Oka five versts from Belev, was founded in 1583 by Elder Onufriy, but in 1614 it was devastated and burned without a trace, like Optina Pustyn. The Monk Macarius had to arrange everything again from scratch: build a church and cells, gather the brethren. This was not easy at other times, and when the entire region was devastated, the elder had to endure hunger and cold for a long time in the ashes, he endured everything for the Lord, and after that the Zhabynskaya hermitage was called Makariev.
It is believed that his patience and labors were responsible for the restoration of the Optina Hermitage, which was devastated by the Lithuanians, which was also called Makarieva. The image of the Monk Macarius was even visible on the pillar of the church of the Kozelsky nunnery monastery. The Synodikon of Zhabynsky also says that the Monk Macarius “to this day shines in miracles” 110.
Memory of the Holy Apostle from 70 Timothy
Originally from Lycaonia, the city of Lystra, the son of a pagan and a Jewish woman; when the Apostle Paul preached in Lystra, his widowed mother, who had converted to the faith, entrusted him to Paul, who gave him to worthy teachers to teach the Scriptures, and after a few years made him a participant in his apostolic labors and, finally, left him as a bishop in Ephesus. Died as a martyr; because when one day, during the riots and debauchery of a pagan crowd in honor of the gods, he made a denunciation, he was beaten to death by the frantic. Christians placed his venerable relics outside the city, where a church was subsequently built.
On this same day we commemorate the holy martyrs Manuel, George, Peter, Parod and others. For these martyrs, see March 28
Day twenty-three. Memory of the Holy Martyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra
“My child, my child, orphaned from the swaddling clothes, who knew about orphanhood before learning about his father, but even in orphanhood is not an orphan, because you have a father - Christ, who enriched you with gifts! You were born from me in the flesh, but you received spiritual life from the Heavenly Father. Oh, I pray you, my son, be His son, serve Him Alone, place all your hope in Him Alone, because truly in Him is all our salvation... He came down from heaven to take us with Him to heaven.”
This is how Saint Demetrius of Rostov describes the dying speech of a Christian woman of the 3rd century to her 12-year-old son Clement, whose Christian upbringing was the only goal of her life.
The God-loving mother was so filled with this concern that, feeling that death would soon put silence on her lips, she hastened in her last dying minutes to pour out before her beloved son all her love for him, all her care for his soul, all the instructions for his further earthly life, all the hopes that were to turn their temporary separation into an eternal blissful union. Her soul, already half-separated from earthly shackles, saw the bright truth; the very secrets of the future were revealed to her contemplation, and so, as if inspired, she continued the last conversation with her child, whom she raised “with piety more than with milk from her breast.” “Listen, my son! Fierce persecution against all who profess the name of Christ is inevitable and imminent. And you will appear before kings and rulers. Then, oh, I pray you, I, your mother, reward me with honor for my love for you, and illnesses, and labors for your sake; stand before the persecutors, in the name of Christ, boldly and courageously! Be steadfast in your confession of Christ! I hope, my child, that the crown of martyrdom will soon bloom on you.
This will be my glory and the salvation of many souls. Prepare your heart for the suffering feat, so that the time of exploits does not find you unprepared. Do not be afraid, my son, of temporary suffering: sorrow soon passes, but joy is eternal! Be, oh, be a confessor of the truth, may I be worthy to be the mother of a martyr, may I be glorified in you, who suffers for Christ, and for your sake may I rest with the saints. May my hope in you not be put to shame, but may I be saved according to the apostolic word: “for the sake of childbearing”!.. May I suffer in you as in my true body. Give it to be ulcerated, and I will rejoice in your wounds, as if I were the victim myself! A Jewish wife gave up her seven sons to martyrdom - for piety, and in the seven bodies of her children, she suffered with only her soul - remained invincible; in you alone is my whole feat, all my glory!
I am leaving my body, but my spirit will not be separated from you, and together with you I will fall to the throne of Christ and boast before Him of your sufferings, and will be crowned with the exploits of my son: after all, the root of a tree under the ground is watered by the same dew that lives on its branches visible on the earth!..”
And, falling to her son and lavishing the most tender farewell greetings to him, the dying mother merged, as it were, into one thing: her desires and their fulfillment, and, exclaiming prophetically: “Oh, blessed am I now, that I bow to the limbs of the martyrs,” she, falling to the chest of her son, gave up her spirit to God.
Is this kind of love to die? The Christian woman continued to live in her son. In the dying covenant, which concentrated her whole life, all her love, she poured out, so to speak, passed into the soul of her son, so that in him he could continue to love Christ and accept suffering - a full cup.
And the covenant of the Christian mother, who loved and raised her son in a Christian way, could not remain unfulfilled: it was written in her son’s life not in short moments or a few days, but in twenty-eight years of suffering, which, perhaps, had no parallel in the world, especially in terms of their longevity...
Left by his mother, the widow Euphrosyne, a lonely orphan, Clement was taken into the care of his mother's friend, a rich and noble woman named Sophia, who had no children of her own. Sofia was very compassionate. During the famine that happened in Galatia, in the city of Ancyra, where she lived, some pagans, not having at that time the means to feed their children, abandoned them to their fate; Clement, who continued to be under good influence after the death of his mother, and therefore Christianly sympathetic, brought these abandoned children to Sophia’s house; she fed and clothed them; Clement helped her in everything; subsequently he taught these children and prepared them for baptism, so that Sophia’s house became, as it were, a shelter of poverty and educational.
Such activities and Clement’s generally pure life aroused general respect for him. Having barely reached the age of 20 and having passed through the lower degrees of the priesthood, he was elected bishop.
Now he became a teacher not just of children, but of an entire flock, and acted with success, spreading Christianity and confirming everyone in Christian virtues.
But the fulfillment of his mother’s dying behest did not slow down. The Diocletian persecution began. The zealous shepherd Clement was one of the first to be persecuted. The tortures against him were inexorable and cruel, but his patience exceeded everything. The tormentors got tired of tormenting him and were replaced by one another, but Clement, who could no longer be recognized from his wounds (his entire body, carved with iron to the exposed entrails, was one continuous wound.), in this state was thrown into prison. But the Lord miraculously healed him. After some time, it was decided to send Clement to Rome, where he was again subjected to torture and imprisonment.
But God was pleased to perform miraculous healings on him, meanwhile, the people, amazed by the exploits of the martyr and the glory of God’s miracles on him, turned in large numbers to the Christian God. Many of the converts were martyred.
From Rome Clement was sent to Nicomedia, where he was given over to torture along with his newly baptized disciple Agathangel; then they again subjected him to torture in his native city of Ancyra; In Tarsus he languished in prison for many years. But he never fainted in soul; he seemed to have become accustomed to suffering, he even wanted to suffer more and more, seeing how through his suffering the number of Christians was increasing; feeling how wonderfully the Lord Himself supports him in suffering, the invention of which, it seemed, for him, human malice was sophisticated, but still not quenched.
Upon the accession of Emperor Maximin, the prison guards reminded the city authorities about their long-standing prisoners - Clement and Agafangel. “What to do with these prisoners? - they asked. “For many years they were tormented by different rulers, but they are all alive and well, and we think that they are not already immortal?”
By order of Maximin, Saint Clement was sent to his homeland in the city of Ankyra. The local ruler, Lucius, ordered him to be taken to prison and there to be tortured to death every day. For two months they beat him every day in the face and head with a sharp, gnarled stick, inflicting 150 blows on him; the entire floor of the dungeon was covered in blood. The tormentors themselves were surprised at his unshakable patience.
Saint Clement suffered in this way from eleven tormentors during his 28-year violent wanderings from city to city, from country to country. Finally, the longed-for cup of suffering, bequeathed to her son by her Christ-loving mother, was filled.
One day, Saint Clement, taking advantage of the arrival of the new ruler of the city, left prison on the night of Epiphany and until January 23 remained among his flock, performing Divine services and instructing his flock, to whom at that time he predicted the approach of his death, the cessation of persecution, and the triumph of Christianity under the pious king.
On January 23 (312) he was beheaded during the Divine Service itself and the performance of the bloodless Sacrifice, together with his clergy, deacons Christopher and Chariton. Their remains were buried by Blessed Sophia.
In addition to these holy martyrs, “a great multitude of husbands, wives and children” suffered with Saint Clement.
If there was no other example of such a fiery zeal for a mother to suffer for Christ through the suffering of her son, then there was no example of such a fruitful and abundant implementation of such zeal.
The long-suffering of Saint Clement is inimitable, and the miracles he performed - the conversions of unbelievers and their own tormentors, the healing of the sick with words and the laying on of hands, and others - are innumerable.
The relics of Saint Clement were in Constantinople for a long time. Stefan Novgorodets in 1342 and Hierodeacon Zosima in 1420 saw them in the monastery of Constantine in Constantinople. Its chapter was transferred by the Latins to Paris in the 13th century.
Repose of St. Gennady Lyubimsky
The son of wealthy parents of southwestern Rus', residents of Mogilev, Gregory, monastically Gennady 111, even in his youth felt an attraction to serve the One Lord: he observed fasting and diligently went to the church of God. The parents, fussing with life, were dissatisfied with such actions of their son. “Why do you,” said his mother, “as a churchman, go to church every now and then? You shame and disgrace us.” Grigory decided to secretly leave his parents' house. Having taken off his rich clothes, he gave them to a beggar, and begged him for his rags, and in these rags he went to Moscow. In the dense forests, on an unknown road, the young man had to experience many different anxieties, among other things, fear from animals. In Moscow, he walked around its holy places, bowed to the saints of God and sought, but did not find, a monastery according to his spirit. Having met a God-fearing young man here, he went with him to worship the Novgorod saints and then to the Svir River to the Monk Alexander. Both young men asked the holy elder to accept them into the monastery.
The monk said: “You, child Theodore (Gregory’s companion), will lead the white-headed beast, and you, child Gregory, shepherd of the verbal sheep, go to the Komel forest to Cornelius, and he will guide you on the path; In our desert, labor is beyond the strength of young people.” After spending two weeks in the Svir desert, the wanderers went to the Vologda forests to visit the Monk Cornelius. “Why did you come here, to this poor desert?” – asked Cornelius. “We wish, father, a monastic life,” they both answered. “You, child Gregory,” said Cornelius, “enter this wretched cell, and you, Theodore, will have a wife and children.” What the fathers said about Theodore came true. Gregory was tonsured and, with the name of Gennady, doubled his exploits. Due to troubles, Gennady and the elder moved to the Kostroma forests, to Lake Surskoe, and here, having built a cell for themselves, both lived as hermits; Having begged for land from neighboring residents, they themselves plowed the land and cut down the forest. In 1529, the Monk Cornelius returned to the Komel monastery; Gennady with six ascetics remained on Lake Surskoe.
The swampy terrain forced people to work hard for it; the hermits dug ponds. At the request of the Monk Cornelius, the Grand Duke appointed the release of bread for the maintenance of the desert. The number of hermits has increased. Gennady built the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and another in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The monk labored tirelessly for the brethren and for the Lord: he wore heavy chains on his body and shared the labors of the monastery with the brethren; sometimes he chopped wood for the brethren and carried them to their cells at night; at other times he worked in a bakery or baked prosphora. His favorite pastime, according to legend, was painting holy icons, and with his labors he decorated his churches.
His instruction, offered on behalf of the spiritual elder, to the new monk 112 is known, precious as the fruit of spiritual experience and as a picture of the ancient monastic life: “If you came, brother, to me, a weak, sinful, rude and lazy slave, more sinful than anyone else in the world; if you want to live with me, a sinner, with the blessing of the abbot; if you want, brother, to be with God and surrender yourself in obedience to the Lord; if you want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and imitate the life of the holy fathers, I am a sinner, accursed and unworthy - not the creator of the work, but I heard from the holy fathers how a monk should live. First, you must love God and your brother most of all as yourself.
The differences and advantages of your life, brother, are as follows: do not worry about vain things, neither about the living, nor about the dead, nor about your body, what to eat and drink and what to wear; have no gold, no silver, no horses, no worker, no other property; not to keep anything except necessary clothing; do not travel or walk from the monastery; do not drink either honey or beer, except out of necessity and then with blessing; do not make friends with the laity in anything, do not give to them, do not take or ask from them, do not accept them into your cell. If someone from the world wants to take haircut or an elder or a wandering brother comes, then, with blessing, call him to his cell and speak properly, but do not allow idle talk. For church singing, go to the beginning and stand with fear until the end of the prayer; if you are able, do not lean towards the wall or the choir, do not lie on the staff, do not speak idle words; whoever is called to do what, do it. Science for everything; and the church is the earthly heaven. If we stand in prayer without fear, and are not guarded against idle talk and laughter, then we anger God even more. You must stand where they sing and listen to the reading and singing.
Before lunch, brother, and after ephimon, do not eat or drink; do not leave prayer to drink water; drink until the prayers began. If physical weakness or some need comes during prayer, then with a blessing you can go out, but tell me why you are going out. If you do not hear the call to prayer or, while standing in prayer, do not make it to the beginning, take forgiveness from that; and if you don’t have time, after finishing the singing, read it and then follow the cell rule. Standing in prayer with the brethren, say: “Lord, have mercy,” in one word with the one with whom you are standing in a row, and also bow with him, for this is what the order commands... After the Liturgy, go from the church to the panagia after the brethren, and not in the row, and say Psalm 144; if you said it in your cell, then say the Jesus Prayer. From the meal, go to the cell also for the panagia, after the brethren, one after the other, in silence; Do not stay at the monastery while going to church or to meals, and do not stand at the door or window of an elder or brother. If you have business with an elder or brother, go to his cell after dinner or after vespers, with a blessing, but tell me why you are going.
Coming to your cell after prayer singing or after lunch or dinner, you must make 12 bows, also for your deceased brother; if it’s a day when bows are not required, then up to the waist. Do handicrafts, brother, for the monastery, as much as you can, for your salvation; but do not work for yourself or for anyone else, do not sell to anyone, and do not hire yourself from a layman or brother. If someone has a special need and you want to serve your brother, then with your blessing you can. Do not engage in trade with anyone, do not sell or buy, do not take from your brother and do not give to him. Do not pester young brothers or make friends with them. Without a blessing, do not leave the monastery and do not wander around late, do not have empty conversations while sitting or standing in the monastery or behind the monastery, and do not walk around the monastery unnecessarily. In your cell, brother, there should also be no idle talk, no arguments, no anger in your heart; If you have anything against your brother, then humbly say so and make peace with him.
If you hear from an elder or brother about my ignorance, then for God’s sake tell me about it alone in your cell, without shame - I am stupid and insane. Do not take other people's things for storage. What happens between us in the cell, do not take it out of the cell; but if you see or hear something bad outside the cell, do not bring it into the cell. Know only the church and the meal and your cell. Whatever work they assign you or whatever clothes they give you, take it. Whatever food and drink is provided at the meal, eat and drink. Do not complain about anything, for God, remember the lives of the holy fathers... It is said: Through many sorrows one must enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Acts 14:22). Do not ask about worldly affairs and do not talk about monastic affairs unless necessary. Don't ask about relatives and friends either. But you, Mr. Brother, know more than me... What the servant or the elder will amuse you with, then eat and drink, without reasoning... If at lunch or dinner you feel unwell and you don’t want to eat what others are eating, and the serving brother asks: do you want this or that, answer him with humility: God’s will and yours be done; but don't ask...
If you are healthy in body, do not sleep after the All-Night Vigil and Matins; if yesterday was monastic work, after Matins go to sleep, and after the all-night vigil do not lie down - for all the experience - this leads to temptation; work in prayer and in reading books; if you cannot read and write, work in handicrafts... If drowsiness and laziness overcome you, fight for God’s sake; if you cannot drive away sleep, accept the blessing and go to the cookhouse or bread shop and serve whatever they tell you... Do not slack in cell and church rules, except in great need, so that you may receive the proven crown that God has prepared for those who love Him (James 1:12). If you fell somehow, don't lie. Do not judge your brother for his shortcomings and do not rejoice, lest you yourself fall into the same or another hostile network. Such is the union of love. Without it no virtue can be accomplished. If sorrow comes to you from anyone, blame yourself and endure for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. If anyone humiliates you, or reproaches and annoys you, or accuses you of anything, or causes great evil, cast your sorrow on the Lord (Ps.
54, 23), - don’t scold yourself; You yourself should not annoy another, nor be angry, nor remember evil, nor envy. Such is the love of God. The Lord said: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for the misfortune that comes upon you and drives you out (Matthew 5:44)... If you feel despondent before lunch, when you are doing handicrafts, or learning by heart, or reading a book, then stand up for prayer; If you cannot overcome despondency by accepting the blessing, go to a cookery or bakery and serve there with prayer, love and silence after the blessing. If you feel despondent after dinner or after Vespers, read books or go to an elder whom you especially trust, sit with him, and tell him what you came for without idle talk, just don’t be idle. If a lustful thought comes, or a sleepy dream, or carnal inflammation, then save yourself by fasting, tearful prayers, handicraft, silence - work as hard as you can with prayer, but do not do your own will.
If night insurance comes, then stand motionless in prayer and, raising your hands, say: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner, have mercy on me, Thy creation... If you find nasty and blasphemous thoughts when you stand, or sit, or lie, or walk, do not pay attention to them, but pray to God with humility and zeal... With your brothers, live evenly, not seem very nice. If your life is according to God, but so that your name does not appear above your deeds, be lower than everyone else in your heart, and the humane God will deliver you from the demonic slander. If you are saved by God from bodily defilement, be careful not to make a mistake - do not consider yourself righteous in your heart, but repeat with humility the prophetic word: I was conceived in iniquities and my mother gave birth to me in sins (Ps. 50:7).”
This is how the Monk Gennady instructed!
Through feats of self-denial and God-thinking, the spirit of St. Gennady was purified to the insight of the mysteries of the future. At one time he happened to be in Moscow with two of his students and visit the house of noblewoman Juliania Fedorovna, the wife of Roman Yuryevich Zakharyev. The pious noblewoman received him with love and asked him to bless her children: Daniel and Nikita and daughter Anastasia. The monk, blessing the children, said to Anastasia: “You, a beautiful, fruitful branch, will be our queen.” And Anastasia was the wife of Tsar the Terrible, a wife in the best sense. In 1549, the blessed elder Gennady was the adoptive father of the first daughter of the good Anastasia 113. At one time he stood in the court church, where there were many boyar wives. A poor woman enters the church with a child in her arm and another, whom she led by the hand. One noblewoman, looking at her, said: “This is the kind of poverty God gives children; We have something to feed our children, but they don’t.” The elder said out loud: “Don’t complain, boyars! Live Christianly and you will have children.”
The elder’s words were fulfilled in all accuracy, both for good Christian women and for those who forget about eternity. Blessed Gennady became famous during his lifetime for the gift of miracles. Prince Boris Paletsky arrived sick at Gennady’s monastery. The blessed one gave him his staff, and the prince became healthy. The house priest Vasily, whom the prince instructed to deliver the staff to the house, threw the staff into the water with proud disdain and found his wife dead, and he himself became sick. Feeling his sin, he made a vow to take monastic vows at Gennady’s monastery, and Gennady accepted him with love. Bishop Cyprian of Vologda and Perm also experienced the healing power of the saint, whom he loved and honored. He did not get out of bed for a long time, but upon the arrival of the holy elder he was able to get up and ate food with him. When Cyprian asked Gennady to pray for his complete healing, Gennady answered: “Your leg will not heal until the end of your life, it is your teacher about death.” Cyprian lived after that for five years 114. Before his death, the Monk Gennady wrote a spiritual will for his monastery.
“My spiritual brothers and fasters! - said the monk. - My day is leaning towards evening and the ax is at the root: I am going to the judgment seat of Christ. For the holy commandment of the Lord, do not forget me in your prayers! Looking at my tomb, remember my love and pray to Christ that my spirit may rest with the righteous. My children! Fear God and obey your teachers in everything, according to the word of the Apostle (see: Heb. 13:17). Respect the saints, honor the Orthodox Tsar. All abbots are obliged to obey the king according to their spiritual conscience; and you, brethren, obey with all obedience the abbot, whoever is entrusted with the management of the monastery of the Savior. I especially ask you not to leave this place without the blessing of the abbot, out of hostility. Do not argue brother with brother, but please one another; Do not do the works of darkness; let your life be according to the tradition of the holy fathers. As our father Cornelius wrote, this is how everything should be in the abode of our humility. I ask you, Abbot Vassian, not to leave the monastery with your zeal.”
“My brothers and children! Do not violate our tradition in any way. Don't leave church meetings. The first abomination in the monks is not to come to church or, having come, to laugh, condemn, and to be lazy in cell prayer. Because of this, your body and soul weaken, and your work is wasted. The crafty Satan is ready to bring the monk to hell alive. I ask you, my followers of fasting, not to be lazy in monastic services, not to be burdened with labor. You feed on the labor of your hands. Do not complain about the abbot: a murmuring monk humiliates himself. Be attentive to the teachings, stir up the lazy, so that they do not shy away from God’s service. A Chernets who has not received Holy Communion for six weeks is no longer a Chernets. Do not steal any monastery tools, do not take bread or vegetables outside the monastery at your own will. Do not keep food in cells and do not take bread from the meal, unless due to illness. Let everyone have the same clothes and food. Do not overeat or get drunk at meals: this is an abomination to God and a disease of the flesh.
Do not quarrel with each other: according to the teaching of Scripture, those who create enmity, blasphemers, and slanderers will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Careless monks are close to the abyss of hell. The righteous, having suffered a little and keeping the Commandments of God, will rejoice forever. Christ brings like-minded people into His home. So, my children, try to walk the hard path, through the strait gate, in order to receive eternal life.”
“I command the monastery ministers and workers not to be angry, not to quarrel, to obey the abbot in everything, not to offend the brethren either in word or deed, to carefully preserve the things of the monastery, and not to touch the property of others. Sin commits the soul to an unquenchable fire.”
“My children! Take care of yourself from everything unreasonable and remind others of our words. Work according to obedience without grumbling and worry. Do not be people-pleasers, but work faithfully and truthfully. Do not offend the peasants with violence. Don't be proud of your visitors; be content with last place; do not tolerate false words to the abbot and brethren. Be hasty in doing good. Learn good things from the Holy Gospel and the Apostolic Writings. Buy books for the monastery that would purify your mind and increase your knowledge according to the teachings of the holy fathers. He who keeps the Commandments of God and the faith of God will rejoice forever.”
The blessed death of the Monk Abba Gennady followed on January 23, 1565 115. His relics were found incorrupt while digging ditches for a stone church in 1646, and now they rest in the aisle of this church under a bushel 116. But the service to him was composed earlier than that time 117.
Day twenty-four. Memory of the Venerable Eusevia, renamed Xenia
In old Rome there was a famous senator and a good Christian. He had one daughter, Eusevia, as dear to him as the eye 118. When she reached the age, the nobleman and senator asked Eusevia’s parents to marry their daughter to his son. After a family council, Eusevia was betrothed to a noble young man, equal to her in family nobility and wealth. A day was also appointed for the marriage. But the girl, full of holy love, wanted to be married to the Heavenly Bridegroom, Christ the Lord. She hid this desire from her parents, because she knew that if they knew about her intention, they would never allow her wish to come true. She was their only heir to their wealth, and they wanted to have consolation in their grandchildren. Eusevia had two faithful maids who lived with her from her childhood, zealous and devoted to her. She opened her soul to them; having received from them a promise to be faithful to her until death, she said that she would never agree to marry. “What is earthly life? - she said. “Sleep and Dreams.” So all three girls decided to live for the Lord alone, in virgin purity.
Eusevia secretly, through her faithful maids, distributed money to the poor. Then all three, dressed in men's clothing, secretly disappeared from Rome and arrived in Alexandria by ship. From there they sailed to the island of Ko, which is 50 versts from the Carian city of Halicarnassus.
Here, having rented a house, Eusevia lived for some time with the maids as with her sisters, taking their word not to tell anyone who she was, and to call her only Xenia. I am a pilgrim for the Lord, she said. Their condition on the island seemed unsafe to them: not seeing protection in anyone, they feared most for their purity 119 . But the Lord sent them help through their prayer.
Once Eusevia met an old wanderer of venerable appearance and asked him to accept her and her sisters as spiritual daughters. “I think,” she added, “that you are the bishop of God.” The elder asked who they were? “We are from a distant country,” answered Ksenia, “and we are looking for one thing - the salvation of the soul.” “Believe me,” said the elder, “I am a wanderer myself, coming from the Holy Land; I am not a bishop, but the rector of the monastery of the Holy Apostle Andrew, in the Carian city of Milos.” Ksenia begged the elder to take them with her and shelter them with her protection from temptation. The elder agreed. In Milos, near the cathedral church, Eusevia bought a house, built a small church in the name of Archdeacon Stephen and formed a community of virgins. Blessed Elder Paul diligently cared for the new community and tonsured Xenia and her friends into monasticism 120.
After a short time, Bishop Kirill of Milos died, and Abbot Pavel of St. Andrew’s Monastery was installed in his place. The new bishop, having visited Ksenia's community, appointed Ksenia a deaconese against her wishes. Her life was high. She ate food every other day, every other day, and sometimes every other week, and only one piece of bread; she didn’t even touch the vegetables or the oil. Remembering David's words: Ashes are like bread, and my drink is dissolved with weeping (Ps. 101:10), and she sprinkled her bread with ashes and sprinkled it with tears. Not content with the prayers of the church, she stood praying all night in her cell with her hands raised to the sky. She hid it; but her friends, jealous to imitate her exploits, saw it with their own eyes. Her clothes were the worst. Strict with herself, she was very merciful to everyone, quiet, kind to her sisters, attentive to their small needs; She did not speak harsh words to anyone; she admonished those who sinned with gentle love.
The blessed ascetic accomplished her exploits under the influence of the high life of the Palestinian ascetic, St. Euthymius, while Empress Eudokia traveled to holy places 121. Blessed Paul told her about Euphemia as an eyewitness to him.
“When the death of the tall virgin approached, then the memory of St. Ephraim, Bishop of Milo, came, and blessed Bishop Paul with all the clergy went to the village of Levkin, where the relics of St. Ephraim lay in the church. The Monk Ksenia, having called the sisters to the monastery church, told them: “You showed a lot of love for me, sisters; continue your love, pray for me - I am dying; ask our father Bishop Paul to pray for me; he cared so much about my soul.” The sisters began to cry. She continued: “The Apostle Peter says: The Lord does not stifle the promises, as some think that they are slack, but is patient with us, not that some should perish, but that all may come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9-10).” So, you don’t need to be lazy, but you need to stay awake. Stay awake, sisters, prepare to meet the Bridegroom of the Lord with the oil of good works and with burning love.” Having released the sisters, she remained in the church to pray, and the next morning she was found deceased, on January 24th. The bishop and the whole city honorably laid her body in the place indicated by her.
A year later, one of her lifelong friends died; Before the death of another, the sisters begged this friend to tell who Ksenia was. Now they only found out in the monastery and in the city what a high family Eusevia was. At the tomb of the great ascetic, who died no later than 457, healings of the sick were performed for the glory of God 122.
Saint Gregory the Interviewer, after the death of the pure virgin was told about the day appointed by the Mother of God, was asked the question: are the souls of the righteous called to heaven before they are united with their bodies? Saint Gregory answered: “We cannot say this about all the righteous, and we cannot deny this about everyone. The Apostle Paul wanted to be resolved and be with Christ. So, whoever believes that Christ is in Heaven also believes that Paul’s soul is in heaven with Christ” 123. And I saw,” says the seer, “thrones and those sitting on them: and it was given to them to judge: and the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God... They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4). Those who are alive are called souls here; it is clear that these are souls that have not yet united with bodies. And yet they reign with Christ, not only enjoy bliss, but also participate in the royal power of Christ the Lord, or, what is the same, perform works of God’s power, miracles. On the other hand, the Savior said: In my Father’s house there are many abodes (John 14:2).
This clearly means that not all righteous souls are in the same blissful state, not all are equally close to the Lord, differing in degrees and types of moral perfection. “One day a thought came to me,” said Abba Athanasius, abbot of the Lavra of St. Sava, “what will happen to those who do not strive? I fell into a kind of frenzy. At this time someone says to me: follow me. Having brought him to one place full of light, he placed it at the door; the appearance of this door cannot be depicted; only behind her we heard an innumerable multitude praising God. When we knocked, someone inside heard us and asked us: what do you need? My guide answered: “We want to enter.” But he answered: “None of those who live carelessly will enter here; if you want to enter, go and strive, not being bothered by the vanities of the world.” 124
Memory of Saint John the Martyr of Kazan
In the Chetye-Minea of Metropolitan Macarius we read: “On the 24th day of January, 1529, the suffering of St. John, a new martyr who suffered for Christ in Kazan.” Then follows the following description of the suffering of the martyr: “During the time of the pious Grand Duke Vasily Ioannovich, the wicked Tatars devastated Nizhny Novgorod and took many captives. Among them was the God-fearing John, who from his youth had lived according to the commandments of the Lord. He was brought to Kazan and, according to the division of prisoners, he went to the royal relative Alei-Shpur. This prince appointed him among his servants. The blessed one faithfully served his master; spending the day in services, at night he stood for prayer and remained almost without sleep; He had to listen to a lot of ridicule and insults - he endured everything patiently. Finally, the prince and his mullah decided to distract him from the holy faith and make him a fan of Mohammed. But John declared before everyone that he confessed Christ Jesus as his Lord and God, and considered the teachings of Mohammed to be an error. They tied the saint’s hands with a belt and led him up the mountain, to where the Russian cemetery is.
Here, with threats of torture, people were forced to renounce Christ. And he, despite any threats, repeated that he was a Christian. After long threats and abuse, Alei-Shpur ordered John's head to be cut off. He was hit on the neck and fell backward; the head was not cut off; the blow cut his neck; but the fanatics wounded his body with several blows of the sword, and pierced his belly right through. It was bitterly cold that day. The saint lay half-dead in place from the first hour of the day until night; the ice melted around the saint, and in the last hour of the day his hands were untied. The saint stood up, protected himself with the sign of the cross and, supporting his head with his hand, came to the boyar children of the Grand Duke. He told everything that he had suffered from the Tatars, and they glorified God. At night, the saint asked the priest to read the rule and administer the Holy Mysteries to him; Christ's confessor spent the whole night without sleep, in tearful prayer, and in the morning he gave up his spirit to the Lord. The house where the saint's body lay was filled with fragrance, so that all Christians were amazed at the greatness of God, who glorified His saint, the new martyr John.
His honest, suffering body was laid in the old Russian cemetery" 125.
The holy sufferer, even when he accomplished the feat of confession and endured torment for the Lord Jesus, considered it necessary for himself to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus. How do famous people dare to be content with some kind of monastic confession, some kind of self-willed piety, and do not want the life-giving mystery? The unfortunate ones do not understand that they are putting themselves in the position of the Jews who neglect the Heavenly Food of the Son of God! They do not understand that they remain lifeless trees, ready to be eaten by the eternal fire. The Lord said: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you (John 6:53).
Day twenty-fifth. Memory of Saint Moses, Archbishop of Novgorod
The son of rich and pious Novgorod parents, baptized Mitrofan 126, loved the Lord from his youth. Having learned to read and write, he diligently went to the church of God and diligently studied the Law of God. Zealous for spiritual asceticism, he secretly retired from his parents to the Tver Otroch Monastery and there he was tonsured a monk. Fasting, obedience, and prayer were his favorite pastimes. His parents, having learned about his place of residence, begged him to go to the Colmov Monastery, to the pious abbot Macarius 127. Here he began to live more strictly than before. Here he is ordained a hieromonk. Then he was the archimandrite of the Yuriev Monastery. Upon the death of Archbishop David, who was chosen to succeed him, was consecrated by Holy Metropolitan Peter to the rank of archbishop in 1325. The jasper vessels that blessed Moses then brought as a gift to Saint Peter 128 are still intact in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. In the first year of his reign, a fire devastated the main streets and several churches of Novgorod. To the new sorrow of the saint, popular unrest followed.
However, he established a women's monastery on Tithe and then built a stone church of the Mother of God here. Novgorod managed to free itself from the devastation brought upon Tver by Prince Alexander with a rich ransom. But when the unfortunate Tver prince was warmly received in Pskov, this again almost brought trouble to the flock of blessed Moses. In vain he persuaded the Pskovites to abandon Prince Alexander for the common good; only the severity of the High Hierarch of Russia averted the storm of troubles. Blessed Moses received the Grand Duke and Metropolitan with honor. Then the fire again devastated two streets and destroyed several churches. The anxieties of life were heavy for the saint’s soul, which yearned for desert peace. In 1330, despite the requests of the Novgorodians, he retired from the pulpit to a monastery on Kolomtsy 129. Then he retired to an empty place and built a stone church of the Resurrection of Christ on Derevyanitsa. Boyars and ordinary people came here to the ascetic to benefit from his instructions and life. He spent 20 years in solitary exploits.
After the death of Archbishop Vasily, at the urgent requests of the Novgorodians, in 1352 he again assumed control of the vast Novgorod flock. In the same year, he built a stone church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God on Volotovo 130. Recently unveiled in this church, under the plaster, are fresco images of saints performing the Liturgy, with the inscription on a scroll: “Lord our God, who lives on high, looks upon the humble” 131 . In 1353, fulfilling the will of the Novgorodians more than his own, he sent ambassadors to the patriarch with a complaint about the oppression of the Moscow Metropolitan, although Theognost was no longer alive. The Patriarch, expressing respect for the personal qualities of the virtuous shepherd, sent Saint Moses cross-shaped vestments with the letter F, meaning Patriarch Philotheus, and with a woven inscription on the crosses: Isa. Xs. Nick. In 1355 he built a monastery on Skovorodka, with a stone church in honor of the Archangel Michael.
In 1357, he introduced order and built stone churches in three more monasteries: in Radogovitsy at the Bolotovsky Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God, in the Spiritual Monastery and in the convent of St. John the Theologian; the first and last were founded by him 132. So the saint settled monks in the middle or near a crowded trading city. Isn't this strange? Against. The simplicity of life of the laity of that time did not represent those tempting and too dangerous entertainments that are known today. And the monastic service, long and reverent, distracted the hearts of the laity from earthly vanities to what is necessary for everyone. Thus, the monasteries of St. Moses were schools of piety for the lay people of Novgorod and, with careful supervision, they taught monastic piety. Saint Moses did not limit his activities to those 133. The ancient chronicler describes his pastoral life this way: “he shepherded his church like a good shepherd; protected the offended, the shore of the poor and widows; having gathered many scribes, he wrote many books at his own expense; He confirmed many in piety with his instructions” 134.
Unfortunately, the written teachings of the saint mentioned in the chronicle are now unknown. Two Gospels are known from the manuscripts copied on his orders. They are also instructive for our time. In the Gospel of 1355, written “by the command of the God-loving Archbishop Moses of Novgorod,” the scribes write: “if we wrote roughly, or where we stepped, or in conversation with each other, or in dozing: but you, reverend fathers, abbots and priests, having corrected yourself, honor.” You see, the books, including even the Holy Gospel, were written by order of Saint Moses, not so that every mistake of the scribe was recognized as an inviolable shrine, and not with that proud confidence that mistakes, despite all the attention, were not possible. Here are a few words from another Gospel of St. Moses: “And when Jesus died, all these words were amazed... And the speech of Jesus did not speak to anyone... Having understood, Jesus said to them: Why do you think that you have little faith, because you did not take bread?.. Forbid Isa. Let them not tell anyone as His disciple that this is Isa. Xs." 135.
Let the admirers of imaginary antiquity see whether it was according to their rules that the name of the Savior Christ was written under Saint Moses? Let them be convinced that at that time the saving name was pronounced: Jesus, but was written with different abbreviations and without abbreviation. And here is another lesson for them from Saint Moses! The Sophia sacristy contains an omophorion with four-pointed crosses and embroidered words: “To Moses the Archbishop, through the prayers of Saint Sophia” 136 .
In 1359, Saint Moses, feeling the weakening of his strength and wanting to devote his last time primarily to serving God, announced to the Novgorodians: “Choose for yourself a husband whom God will give you.” A successor was chosen by lot. But after that, a terrible rebellion arose in the city, because the Slavic end alone, without the consent of others, changed the mayor and chose a new one. The armed Slavs dispersed the unarmed residents of the area, but the latter robbed many boyars; then a battle began between the Sofia and Trade sides of the city. Saint Moses came on foot from his Skovorodskaya desert to Novgorod. "Children! - he said to the Novgorodians. - Why this swearing? She is a joy to the filthy, a devastation to this place and to the churches. Stop the fight." The moved Novgorodians listened to the saint of God, and “God did not allow the devil to laugh at people,” says the chronicler. Returning to the Skovorodsk monastery, the ascetic saint labored in fasting and prayer for another two years. His cell robe and chains are kept in the Sofia sacristy - witnesses of his ascetic life.
He died in a desert monastery on January 25, 1362 137. His memory was honored back in the 15th century: even then, as after, his closeness to the Lord and his miracles were known 138. In the description of 1634 they said: “glorified by God for miracles during the life and after death, and men and wives who resort with faith to his honest relics draw health, and especially wives are healed, overcome by their natural infirmities” 139 . His relics, discovered in 1686, rest openly in a shrine; and part of them in 1693 was transferred to the Spiritual Monastery, now a women’s monastery.
Feast in honor of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Soothe My Sorrows
The icon is located in the Shilovsky Resurrection Monastery, Mogilev province, founded in 1782, as well as in Moscow, in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, on Pupyshi.
Day twenty-six. Memory of the Venerable Pavla, ascetic of Palestine
The father of Blessed Paula 140 came from the family of Agamemnon, and her mother from the house of the Scipios and Paul Aemilius; her husband was a descendant of the house of Yuliev. The brilliant celebrity origins were matched by the wealth of the spouses. Paula was a good wife and the mother of five children. But earthly happiness could harm Pavla’s kind heart. And so the Lord sends her severe grief: her beloved husband dies when she was 32 years old.
Pavla, who had a tender heart, cried inconsolably over the death of her husband. The pious and educated widow Marcellus served as her support. She softened her sorrows with Christian consolations and turned her heart to the Lord. Paula became the widow of the Gospel. Her enormous fortune provided her with the means to wipe away the tears of hundreds of poor families. There was not a dead person among the poor who was not buried at Pavla’s expense, there was not a sick person who was not supported by Pavla’s love. Pavla sought out poverty and grief in a huge city in order to console them. She considered herself unlucky if she was unable to provide assistance to a suffering family. Blessed Jerome, when he met her, considered it necessary to tell her: are there any excesses in her charity? But he himself admits that she disarmed him with the words: “I want to be food for the Lord, who became poor for us.”
She was now strict with herself. Ties with the cheerful world were weakened: she punished her small mistakes severely.
When Saints Epiphanius of Cyprus and Paulinus of Antioch arrived in Rome on church business (this was in 382), Epiphanius and Jerome lived in Pavla’s house, and she delivered everything that Paulinus needed; conversations with saints were the most pleasant pleasure for her.
Her eldest daughter, unusually gifted, who lived with her husband for only 7 months, was preparing to enter the monastery, but died. This was a strong blow to Pavla’s heart. Blessed Jerome had to console her. “Your daughter,” he wrote, “passed into the next world with a wonderful determination to devote herself to God; For more than 4 months her soul had been purified by peace. You don’t even think about what the Savior says to you: Paul, why are you grieving because your daughter has become Mine? Your tears are indignation against My concerns, an insult to Me. I know that I must yield to mother nature; but excessive sorrow is not an honor for faith” 141.
The consequences of the marriage of her son Toxotius amazed Rome and consoled Paul. Leta, the wife of Toxotius, was the daughter of the high pagan priest. “Who would have thought,” says Jerome, “that the granddaughter of a pagan priest Albina would be born on the promise of a martyr, that a babbling granddaughter would sing to her smiling grandfather: “Alleluia,” and that such an old man would feed the bride of Christ on his knees? But we happily hoped: “a holy and believing house sanctifies the unbeliever!” The old pagan became a Christian" 142.
The Ecumenical Council of 381 called the Jerusalem Church “the mother of all Churches”; and what is Rome in Christian history 143? Paula strongly desired to be a daughter of the Jerusalem Church. This desire was inspired in her by her friend Markella and supported by Jerome. It was not easy for her to part with her children and her extensive noble family. But in 385, the famous and wealthy patrician set off with her daughter along a dangerous sea route to the East.
On the island of Pontius, which is famous for the exile of the famous patrician Flavia Domitilla under Domitian, I saw cells where the holy sufferer languished for a long time 144. In Cyprus I saw Saint Epiphanius; ten days were spent here not for rest, but for visiting monasteries and churches 145. Then she was in Antioch with Peacock. “On the shore in Sarepta she entered the small church (ShtsiYt) of Elijah, where she worshiped the Lord Savior 146; through the sands of Tyre, on which Paul knelt, she reached Akka, present-day Ptolemais: - through the fields of Megiddon, knowing about the death of Josiah, she entered the land of the Philistines; marveled at the ruins of Dora, once a very strong city; Returning, she was in Caesarea, where she saw the house of Cornelius the centurion, converted into a church, and the churches of Philip and the four virgin prophetesses 147. I saw Lydda, renamed Diospolis, famous for the resurrection of Aeneas; also not far from it is Arimathea, the village of Joseph, who honored the body of the Savior with burial 148; Joppa, the port from which Jonah fled.
Having repeated the path, she was in Nicopolis, formerly called Emmaus, where the Lord was recognized in the breaking of bread and consecrated the house of Cleopas into a church” 149.
In Jerusalem, the proconsul prepared a palace for her, but she stayed in a small, poor house. “She prostrated herself before the Cross of the Savior; kissed the stone rolled away by the Angel, and the place where the body of Him who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world lay. How many tears were shed here, how many sighs and sorrows! They showed her a pillar sprinkled with the blood of the Lord, where He was scourged when He was tied. They indicated the place where the Holy Spirit descended on 120 believers.”
Having distributed what she could to the poor, she came to Bethlehem and visited the cave where Christ the Lord was born. “What happiness,” she said, “for a poor sinner like me to kiss this manger where my Savior lay as a baby! Do I still need to look for a place for myself after the one that my Savior chose for Himself?
Visiting the outskirts of Bethlehem, Paul ascended the tower of Gader, the tower of the flock, near which 150 Jacob tended flocks of sheep (Gen. 37), and the shepherds who were awake at night were honored to hear: glory to God in the highest (Luke 2:14); from Bosor I was in Yesyaol; I saw traces of Abraham's oak, Hebron, Kafar Sarun and the sad lake. Then she traveled to Jericho, where she saw the Gilgal camp (see: Joshua 5); from the bank of the Jordan she was in Bethel and on Mount Ephraim, where she saluted the tombs of Joshua the son of Nun and Eleazar the son of Aaron; passed through Shechem, saw the tombs of 12 patriarchs, Sebastia or Samaria, where “the prophets Elisha and Obadiah were buried, and the one who was no longer born of women, John the Baptist” 151; There she was amazed and shocked by many oddities. She saw how demons amused themselves with various torments, how people in front of the tombs of saints howled like wolves, barked like dogs, roared like lions, hissed like snakes, lowed like oxen, while others spun on their heads and touched the ground with the top of their heads. She regretted everyone and everyone, shed tears, begging Christ for mercy.
A doubly expensive journey: both as advice for piety, and as a lesson for the fervent skepticism of the later semi-pagans!
From Bethlehem, mother and daughter set off to visit the deserts of Egypt. They accepted the blessing and advice of Macarius, Isidore, Serapion and other wondrous hermits.
Upon returning to Bethlehem, Paul built a hospice house and a men's monastery on the road to Jerusalem, where Blessed Jerome was the abbot. An extensive women's monastery was built in Bethlehem, with three branches. On Sunday, everyone gathered for prayers in the common church; on other days, Divine services were held in prayer rooms. Everyone was dressed the same, no one had any property, but everything was common; Everything we needed was prepared by our own work. The sisters were prescribed strict restraint in speech; not a single harsh word should come from the lips of a virgin who dedicated herself to God; “if there was a grumpy, impudent, arrogant person among them, stopping her more than once, Paula forced her to pray at the door of the meal, behind all the sisters, and to eat separately from them, so that shame would bring to reason the one whom the words did not understand.” Those who showed more than neatness in their clothes were told that her foppishness was a sign of a dirty soul. There was zealous care for the weak and sick.
Paul's strict mother was a school of piety for her sisters. Her humility was amazing. “When she was surrounded by a host of maidens, she seemed to be the last among them in her clothes, and in her voice, and in her manners, and in her steps. She slept on the bare ground, even in a fever, ate little food and, moreover, the simplest, and fed more on tears. Except on holidays, she added almost no oil to her food. When they asked her to take care of her poor health, she answered: “I need to disfigure my face, which I have so many times exposed, rubbing it with paints, as an insult to the will of God; justice requires torturing a body that has tasted too much sweets; I need to cry a lot, after crazy and criminal fun; I must replace luxurious clothes with hair shirts that flattered vanity and laziness; I tried hard enough to please the world, I want to use everything to be somewhat pleasing to God.”
The Lord brought one sinner to Paul. The Monk Marcian labored in the vicinity of Caesarea in Palestine. On a stormy night, his wife, dressed in rags, came to his cell and asked him for protection. The hermit kindly accepted her into the front cell. The next day he sees his wife dressed in luxurious clothes. Having lit a fire in the middle of the cell, he stood on it with his bare feet and said to himself: “How does this fire seem to you, Marcian? After all, this is not like the fire of Gehenna! If you want the fire of Gehenna, come to this woman.” Struck by self-denial and his preaching, the sinner threw herself at the feet of the holy hermit, confessed her sins and asked him for spiritual healing. The monk took her to the monastery of Pavla, and here she, under the supervision of the monk, led a strict life until death and rested in peace, with the name of the Monk Zoe 152.
Reading the Holy Scriptures was Pavla’s favorite pastime, and she tried to apply its rules to the life of her soul.
Blessed Paul had to endure a lot of insults from a party that did not understand intelligently and even less intelligently defended the personal opinions of Origen. When they failed to win the famous Roman woman to their side by cunning, and they failed because Blessed Jerome was against this party, the party began to throw various insults at Paul; they passed her off as crazy and said: it would be necessary to protect her from disorder. Things got to the point where the blessed mentor advised Paul to leave the East. She answered him: “You would be fair, my father, if I could find my beloved Bethlehem anywhere. And why hide from people's anger? We must overcome it with patience! Why not triumph over pride through humility? Why, when receiving a blow on one cheek, not turn the other?”
The death of Saint Paul was also approaching. In her grave illness, she quietly read the psalms. “Aren’t you suffering too much and that’s why you don’t ask for advice?” – asked her confessor. She answered in Greek: “I feel good.” And these were her last words. Archbishop John of Jerusalem with several other bishops, many monks and nuns performed burial over her. The psalms of the petah were in Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Syriac. Widows and the poor pointed to the clothes she brought; crowds of needy people shouted that “they had lost their mother and nurse.” She died on January 26, 404, in the 58th year of her life 153.
Day twenty-seven. Memory of the Holy New Martyr Demetrius
In the fierce, centuries-long struggle on the part of Muslim fanaticism against the hostile Orthodox population subject to the Turkish yoke, from time to time such feats of patience and self-sacrifice are manifested in the person of the confessors of the Christian teaching, which are not inferior to the exploits of the ancient martyrs during the persecution of Christians in the first centuries. And with full justification the Greek Church canonizes these new martyrs, these faithful sons of the enslaved Christian Church. Their suffering feat most of all holds on to the Orthodoxy of the unfortunate, deeply shaken by hostile forces, who, by the will of fate, fell under the power of the Turkish Sultan. Their example revives the love for Orthodoxy that is fading among the people under the yoke of all kinds of persecutions and temptations, and no matter how the number of its confessors decreases, there are still many examples that prove that the attachment to their native faith is irresistible and unchanged, although in quality, in the person of the Catholics who survived from the oppression of the Turks and from moral violence.
This is confirmed, by the way, by the example of the new martyr Demetrius, remembered today by the Greek Church. It would seem that nothing special prepared him for the great feat of confession: he did not receive any education; due to his circumstances, he belonged to those who, perhaps, are most susceptible to all kinds of corruption among examples of the lower stratum of society, not protected by pure moral preparation. Meanwhile, the Orthodox faith, ineradicable among the people, survived in him.
Demetrius served as a bearer in a tavern (in Constantinople Galata - in Karakia); His handsome appearance and good spiritual qualities made him stand out among other employees; by this he aroused envy in others, and other Turks were annoyed that he was a non-believer, and with all sorts of tricks they tried to lure him into Islam; however, they did not succeed and irritated them even more against the young servant.
One day, a quarrel and a fight broke out between drunken tavern visitors. Dimitri, as part of his duty, intervened in this quarrel in order to separate and escort the rowdy drunkards out of the tavern. They did not like this, and the next day they filed a complaint against Demetrius, accusing him of arbitrariness and injuring one Turk while forcibly interfering in his quarrel with others.
The vizier called Demetrius, but after listening to his truthful justification, he nevertheless did not want to provide satisfaction to the Christian. He offered Demetrius one of two things: either to convert to the Mohammedan faith, or to be executed for an imaginary crime. “I have not caused the slightest harm to the Turk,” answered Demetrius, “and I cannot be a Turk. God save me from this! I am a Christian and will remain a Christian...”
The vizier tried to influence Dmitry with gentle admonition, promising him honors and wealth if he turned out to be a Turk. But all this only aroused in the Christian objections to the Mohammedan faith. The irritated dignitary then betrayed him to the mercy of those who complained about him. They brought Dimitri to the coffee shop and again began to convince him to hang out, but Dimitri was adamant. After that, a new interrogation was made to him, on the basis of which, adding to the previous accusation that he had dared to blaspheme the Mohammedan religion, the vizier ordered him to be beheaded in front of the tavern. With unshakable firmness, the humble commoner accepted martyrdom, having discovered with such majestic simplicity the depth of the native faith that ineradicably lurks in the Orthodox people...
Demetrius was put to death in 1784, being 25 years old.
Day twenty-seven. Transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom
After the glorification of Saint John Chrysostom, the older shepherds began to extol him with worthy praises. In 438, Saint Proclus, a disciple and subsequently successor of Chrysostom at the See of Constantinople (437–445), as usual, on the day of memory of Saint Chrysostom, in a word of praise to him, said: “Oh, John! Your life is difficult, but your death is glorious, your tomb is blessed and your reward is abundant according to the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, grace that overcomes boundaries, place and time! Love conquered the place, the limit was destroyed by unforgettable memory, and the miracles of the saint were not limited to the place. He lies in Pontus, and is boasted throughout the world.”
The people of Constantinople, who extremely loved and respected Saint Chrysostom, hearing about his lofty virtues in the word of Saint Proclus, interrupted him with exclamations and asked to transfer the relics of the innocently injured Saint John to Constantinople. Proclus convinced King Theodosius II to fulfill the pious and just desire of the people.
The honorable remains of Chrysostom were found incorrupt and placed in a silver shrine, and solemnly transferred from Comana, where he died and was buried, to Constantinople. “The Orthodox people, when transferring the relics with many ships, made the sea as if it were dry land, and covered the mouth of the Bosphorus with lamps. The king, with the sacred cathedral and synclite, in the presence of a large crowd, met the holy relics in Chalcedon and reverently worshiped them. Bowing his eyes and forehead to the saint’s tomb, Theodosius offered a prayer for his parents, Arkady and Eudoxia, and begged them to forgive them for the offense they had inflicted on him out of ignorance.” From Chalcedon, the relics of St. Chrysostom were transported on a royal ship to Constantinople and placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles. The transfer of the relics was accompanied by the glory of miracles and took place in 438 on January 27.
The comforting consequence of the transfer of the relics of St. Chrysostom from the place of imprisonment to Constantinople was that John’s followers were touched by their general reverence for him and joined the Church.
In the 9th century, Joseph, Cosmas Vestitor and others wrote hymns for the transfer of the relics of Chrysostom, now sung by the Church on the day of commemoration of this event. On this day, according to the hymns of the Church, “Like a royal decoration, the royal city receives the power of Chrysostom and is decorated with them. Having been imprisoned from the herd by envy, by the wave of God Chrysostom returned to him after burial, emanating streams of miracles and shedding rivers of healing. The Church of Christ rejoices, looking at the sacred candlestick - at the holy martyr, who was deposed by his enemies, hidden under a bushel of silence. To the glory of the king, this day the reigning woman comes from Koman to the city.”
Day twenty eight. Memory of St. Ephraim the Syrian
The life of Ephraim the Syrian also serves as confirmation that from a good root good fruits grow. “From my ancestors (landowners) I received instruction about Christ,” says the Monk Ephraim about himself, “those who gave birth to me in the flesh instilled in me the fear of the Lord. I saw neighbors living in piety, I heard about many who suffered for Christ. The fathers confessed Him before the judges in my presence; I am a relative of the martyrs.”
The beneficial impressions of childhood were reflected in the same consequences. Despite the fact that in his youth, due to his too ardent character, Ephraim went to reprehensible and dangerous extremes, was overly irritable and carried away by his imagination even to the point of blasphemous thoughts, nevertheless, the good seed sown in his heart by his parents could not perish and sprang up in its time with luxurious fruits. The Lord Himself poured out His grace onto the prepared soil and directed the fervor of His servant in a salvific direction.
As an instrument for his admonition, the Lord sent him a test in the form of an undeserved punishment, to which Ephraim was handed over on a false accusation (for the loss of several sheep from one flock). Together with him, and just as innocently, two more people were imprisoned, and they all grumbled greatly about the injustice of the local judge towards them. Meanwhile, one night in a dream Ephraim heard the following words: “Be pious, and you will understand the Providence of God. Go over in your thoughts what you were thinking and what you were doing, and you will realize for yourself that these people do not suffer unjustly, but the guilty will not escape punishment.”
When Ephraim conveyed his dream to other prisoners, they all, on reflection, remembered that they had some guilt that remained unknown to people and unpunished.
Having communicated my thoughts to each other, “at these stories,” says Ephraim, “I began to feel contrite, because there was obvious retribution in this.”
This circumstance was for Ephraim a saving outcome from his previous rash life, full of unreasonable hobbies. From then on, he began to carefully delve into himself, and the consequence of this was such deep humility and contrition for his sins, which transformed and, as it were, opened him to a completely new life upon his release from prison.
He left the world, and then retired to the mountains to hermits, and became a disciple of Saint James, the future saint of Nisibius. Under his leadership, he began to practice various feats of piety and study the Holy Scriptures. The Monk Ephraim achieved such a deep knowledge of this subject that he later became famous as a universal teacher for his numerous and varied writings. With his teachings, which were read publicly in churches after the Holy Scriptures, he even earned the title of Prophet of Syria 154.
Given the short length of these “Lives of the Saints,” barely a few lines can be placed in an outline of the life of Saint Ephraim from the works of this great Christian writer 155 . And first of all, remember his prayer, which is read during Lent with bows: “Lord and Master of my life! Do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk! Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Hey, Lord the King! Grant me to see my sins and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.”
God’s prayer book left an eternal memory of himself from generation to generation and from mouth to mouth, and the place where it is kept is the Church itself!
All the thoughts of Saint Ephraim are permeated with a feeling of humble contrition for sins, but inseparably with it there is an unshakable hope in God’s mercy.
“Crying for Ephraim was the same as breathing air for others - tears flowed from him day and night,” says St. Gregory of Nyssa about him, “but Ephraim’s face blossomed and shone with joy, while streams of tears flowed from his eyes. Ephraim, even where he speaks of contrition, ascends in thought to the goodness of God, pours out thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty. In all his words and deeds, the psalm word was poured out from his soul: my heart trusts in Him! (Ps. 27:7)"
Ephraim himself says about himself: “When I lie down to rest, Your love for people, Lord, comes to my mind, and I get up in the middle of the night to thank You. But the memory of sins frightens me, and I begin to pour out tears, ready to even lose heart, if they did not hasten to strengthen me, half dead - a thief, a tax collector, a sinner, a Canaanite woman, a woman of blood, a Samaritan woman...”
“One day,” writes the Monk Ephraim, “rising up very early, I left with two brothers from the blessed city of Edessa 156; He raised his eyes to the sky, which, like a pure mirror, shone with glory on the earth with stars, and in surprise said: if the stars shine with such glory, then will not the righteous and saints, who did the will of the Holy God, shine more with the ineffable light of the Savior at the hour when the Lord comes?
“But as soon as I remembered that terrible coming of the Lord, my bones shook; soul and body trembled; I cried with heart disease and said, sighing: what kind of sinner will I turn out to be in that terrible hour? How will I appear before the Throne of the Last Judge? How can I, an absent-minded one, have a place with the perfect? How can I, the barren one, be among those who bear the fruits of righteousness? What should I do when the saints in the Heavenly Palace recognize each other? Who will recognize me? The martyrs will show their wounds; ascetics - their virtues; What will I show except laziness and negligence?
The Monk Ephraim was ordained a presbyter, but, considering himself unworthy of this high rank, he never dared to celebrate the Liturgy.
But with his teachings he protected the Edessa Church from the various false teachings that were spreading at that time: “The warrior of Christ, clothed with the whole armor of Christ,” one ancient biographer says about him, “opened war against the enemies of Christ, especially against the wickedness of Bardesan and his followers.” He defended against them the dogma of the resurrection of the dead.
“Songs about the Dead” in poetic terms are the best of the works of St. Ephraim. From them it is clear that the commemoration of the dead has been part of the church service since ancient times. “Remember me, my brothers and friends, for the sake of God, who separated me from you,” says one of his songs, “when your congregation stands at the service, may your prayer ascend and shake off the dust from my eyes!” In these same songs, Ephraim represents that prayers and acts of mercy performed by the living for the dead are beneficial to the deceased.
Among his beneficent labors, with which the humble Ephraim himself was always dissatisfied, he wished to visit the Egyptian desert dwellers and famous teachers of the faith in order to learn from them. John Kolov says about his stay with the hermits on Mount Nitria: “We had here a man of God, a Syrian, a great elder among the fathers, enlightened in mind and heart.” From here the Monk Ephraim traveled to Caesarea, where he saw Saint Basil the Great. Upon returning to Edessa, he wished to spend the rest of his life in solitude and settled outside the city; but he again went to Edessa to help the inhabitants with his words during the famine that was there, and actually managed to persuade the rich to share with the poor their reserves of grain, which they had not wanted to sell before. Upon returning from Edessa, Ephraim soon fell ill and, having written a “will,” died peacefully around 373.
“We must glorify the one who is on the lips of all Christians - Ephraim the Syrian, that Ephraim whose life and instructions shine throughout the whole world!” - St. Gregory of Nyssa writes about him.
This is how the dream of his parents about him when he was still a child was justified in the life of the Monk Ephraim. They saw that the vine was growing from the mouth of Ephraim and was covered with clusters; the birds of the air feed on them, and the fruits continue to multiply. And indeed, not only the modern inhabitants of Syria and Mesopotamia fed on the word of St. Ephraim, but also for the distant descendants of all Christian countries, the fruits of his word constitute inexhaustible healing food for the soul.
Among the disciples of St. Ephraim, many 157 also became famous for their writings and holiness of life and contributed to the spread of Christian education in Syria.
Memory of St. Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Nineveh (at the end of the 7th century)
He left behind many works of high spiritual content. “The soul, which once gave itself up to God,” says the Monk Isaac, “by faith and many experiences acquired the feeling of His assistance, no longer cares about itself... Otherwise, through the opposition of reason, it would have lost the Divine Providence that secretly visits it, constantly cares for it and relentlessly accompanies it in all ways. Those in whom the Light of faith rises... with the intelligent eyes of faith every hour they see the paternal Providence with which the true Father overshadows them.”
Day twenty-nine. Memories of the Bishops of Perm Gerasim, Pitirim and Jonah
The relics of these three Perm saints rest in the Ust-Vym Annunciation Church, where their pulpit was. Above their tombs there is an icon depicting them in full height, with the following inscription: “l. 7115 (1607) June 8th day, under the great sovereign Tsar and Grand Duke Vasily Ivanovich, autocrat of all Rus', and under His Holiness Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow, this holy image of the three saints Gerasim, Pitirim and Jonah was written, to the glory of the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by their humble command Bishop Joasaph of Vologda and Great Perm, and this image was placed on the tombs of them, the great wonderworkers, Gerasim, Pitirim and Jonah" 158! The memory of these three saints is reverently honored on January 29 and, without a doubt, from the time when, according to the conciliar decision of the patriarch, their icon was painted. The gathering of people on this day in Ust-Vym is extraordinary from all sides. There was also a church in Ust-Vy in the name of the three saints of Perm 159.
In 1649, a church was built in their name in the Vologda bishop's house, and the next year Archbishop Markell “on his promise, went to the Ustvy Perm miracle worker to pray” 160.
After Saint Stephen, the first enlightener of Perm, on January 20, 1398, Isaac was consecrated Bishop of Perm 161. In March 1416, he was at the council in Moscow at the consecration of the Novgorod archbishop and at meetings about the Lithuanian metropolitan 162. After that, he never returned to Ust-Vym 163. The new flock, left without a shepherd, soon allowed itself to riot, and the fanatics of paganism - the Magi - were glad, without seeing any strong hindrance, to sow the tares in God's field; the wild Vogulichs even began to force new Christians into paganism by force. “Sheep play pranks,” says a contemporary, Blessed Epiphanius, “wolves attack; without a shepherd there is no one to whistle to frighten and drive away the wolves... The Vogulichs make attacks” 164. In this state of affairs, Isaac's successor, a shepherd zealous for his duty, had to work a lot and endure a lot of troubles. Blessed Gerasim, successor of Isaac, was a saint of life, as antiquity says about him; with zeal he cleared away the tares that appeared in the new field of Christ. And his labors were not in vain.
In 1429, Saint Photius already wrote about Perm: “Nowadays the country purely and Orthodox performs the service of God according to the Christian law” 165. In 1438 we see blessed Gerasim at the Moscow Council, at which the traitor to Orthodoxy Isidore 166 was condemned; then he was at the council of 1441, which determined that the metropolitan of Russia should be appointed by a council of Russian shepherds 167. The zealous shepherd also took advantage of his stay in Moscow to ask for help for the needs of his flock. In the last years of his reign, the Vogulichs, under the command of the ferocious Prince Asyka, began to break into the settlements of the baptized Zyryans. The saint extended his fatherly concern for the peace of his flock to such an extent that he came to the Vogulich camp at the risk of his life. The saint's requests and convictions had an effect on the savages, and they retired to their own places. The zealous shepherd then set about establishing peace and order in the settlements that suffered from the wild enemy; he penetrated into the most remote places if he heard that helpless poverty was suffering there; attended to all the needs of the residents and was in a hurry to provide assistance.
With such exploits he earned the name of benefactor of the people. Mental sorrows and illnesses of old age upset his health; but he and the sick man went to inspect the places closest to Ust-Vy, and on the way back he died the death of a martyr. According to one ancient message, “in the Ust-Vym meadow, near the Ust-Vym fortress, several stages from the cathedral church, the holy father was innocently strangled by his household and died on January 24.” According to another piece of information, he was strangled with an omophorion by the hand of a Vogulich, whom he had adopted as his ward. Probably the savage did this to his benefactor at the suggestion of those to whom humiliated paganism was dear 168 . The successor of Blessed Gerasim at the Perm See was Blessed Pitirim 169. Before archpastorship
For the word on the procession of the Holy Spirit, see: Additions to the Historical Acts, collected and published by him, he was almost an archimandrite of the Chudov Monastery, and was known as much for his piety as for his enlightenment. Pachomius, in the preface to the life of St. Alexius, writes: “I learned something else from the most reliable writing, Archimandrite Pitirim, who was later Bishop of Perm. He wrote briefly about the saint and compiled a canon in praise of him, having heard true things about his life and miracles. This bishop and at the same time a martyr not only suffered from the infidels for the faith, but also suffered many troubles from the prince, who considered himself faithful, who therefore should be considered worse than the infidel, as the one who desecrated his hands with the blood of his brothers” 170. This, apparently, is Shemyaka. Blessed Pitirim was ordained bishop following the death of Saint Gerasim. At the very beginning of his management of the Ust-Vym flock, he sent letters to the Vyatchans and Vogulichs, convincing them not to disturb the peaceful Zyryans.
Since Asyka, taking advantage of the strife of the Russian princes for the throne of the Grand Duke, did not think of leaving Christian settlements alone and the Vogulichs carried out terrible robberies, the Novgorod owners of the lands along the Vaga and Dvina, Vasily Svoezemtsev and Mikhail Yakovl, with 3000 of their squads (in 1446), marched to the Ural Mountains and captured a lot of Ugra (Ostyak-Voguls). The cunning savages, having lulled the governor with a promise of complete submission, struck Svoezemtsev's squad with an unexpected attack 171 . But then Asyka, having been captured, was forced to swear by all the mountain spirits that he would no longer disturb Christians. Blessed Pitirim hastened to provide assistance to the affected flock from the income of his department. The next year (1447) he was in Moscow and personally petitioned Grand Duke Vasily for help to the Zyryans. The Grand Duke collected part of the tax from the victims, and his family presented Blessed Pitirim with various gifts for the Zyryans. But while the zealous shepherd managed to return to his flock, the Vogulichs (1448) again launched a raid on the poor Zyryans.
However, from that time on they did not disturb Christian settlements for five years. The zealous shepherd now had complete freedom to engage in the duty of teaching. Nowadays a monument to his desire to distribute useful books among his flock is known. This is a book by Dionysius the Areopagite, on which the following inscription was subsequently made: “This is the book of the Holy Annunciation on Ust-Vym; and the holy martyr Bishop Pitirim, who was killed by the raw food eaters of Vogulich for the Orthodox faith, placed this book where his long-suffering and patient body lies” 172. The saint zealously surveyed his flock, scattered over long distances, to see how his children lived in the faith. He talked with the people in churches, and more often in open places, explaining to them the rules of faith and piety. His apostolic zeal managed to convert some Vogulichs who lived in the vicinity of the baptized Zyryans to the holy faith. This last feat of his aroused anger against him in Asyk, who was already angry because the measures of the shepherd had kept the Vogulichs from committing atrocities against the Zyryans for so long.
Asyka decided to take revenge on the holy shepherd and his flock. In 1455, the fierce leader, armed with Vogulichi arrows and bows, set off on rafts down the Vychegda, not stopping anywhere and detaining the coastal residents, so that Ust-Vym would not be warned about his approach; he invited the Vyatchan people with him. Ten miles from the confluence of the Vym River with the Vychegda, he stopped in a high forest, which is still called Yur - camp and Vogul-yak - Vogulsky Bor. Early in the morning, one of the Ustvym residents sailed on a boat up the Vychegda and unexpectedly attacked the Vogulich camp. He was caught, and Asyka found out from him through torture what the guards were like in Ust-Vym? Is Pitirim at home? Zyryanin announced that Pitirim on this very day (the day was Sunday) would go to the cape, which is near the mouth of the Vym River, for prayer, and that they knew nothing about the Vogulichs. Asyka hurried to Ust-Vym, and in order to deceive the vigilance of the inhabitants, he ordered to throw a lot of felled fir trees onto the rafts and cover his army with their branches; in this form, the rafts seemed from a distance like floating trees, undermined by fast water.
In Ust-Vym on Sunday, the old and young were in church. After the Liturgy, the saint, clergy and people with crosses and icons went to the cape. Soon they noticed piles of trees stretching strangely along a long stretch of the river. The saint understood the cunning of the Vogulichs and told the people about the danger. Turning to Ust-Vymi, he knelt down, blessed the people and churches three times with the sign of the cross and said: “My children! Get away from me quickly; I cannot escape death; It pleases God to deliver me into the hands of the Vogulichs.” Crowds of Vogulichs jumped ashore. And all those who were with Pitirim rushed in horror wherever they could. The shepherd continued to pray. The bloodthirsty savages rushed at the defenseless old man, beat him, wounded him, took his life and threw his holy body on the cape. Thus, the chronicle says, on August 19, 1455, the holy Bishop Pitirim suffered from the godless Vogulichs and Vyatchans and accepted the crown from the hero of Christ the Lord 173.
Asyka then withdrew from Ust-Vym, either for fear of meeting strong resistance, or because he was very pleased with the death of Pitirim; he captured only the coastal inhabitants on his return route. The spiritual and civil authorities hastened to send news of their misfortune to Moscow. For 40 days, until they received an answer from Moscow, the saint’s body remained in the hot weather in the place where it was tortured, and decay did not touch it. Residents flocked from near and far to venerate the incorruptible saint. Reverence for him increased when they learned about the miracles flowing from his tomb. And soon they began to honor with reverent memory the suffering of Saint Pitirim on the 19th day of August 174.
After Saint Pitirim, Saint Jonah entered the Perm See and, without a doubt, at the end of the same year, 1455, as Saint Pitirim was killed. Both because the Vyatchans took part in the murder of Saint Pitirim, and especially because they caused a lot of trouble in the northern region, in 1458 and 1459 the strong Moscow army, together with the army of the Ustyuzhans, severely punished the Vyatchans and forced them to undertake to pay tribute to Moscow 175. Saint Jonah of Perm, together with other bishops, wrote on December 12, 1459, an exhortation to the Lithuanian bishops to remain faithful to Holy Orthodoxy and not to accept Gregory, a disciple of Isidor 176. He was at the council of 1461, at which the Rostov Archbishop Theodosius, in accordance with the will of the deceased Saint Jonah, was elected metropolitan; then he announced to the council the will of the dying saint regarding a successor, which shows the great saint’s special trust in him 177 . His activity in Perm was brilliant, apostolic. He, as the chronicle says, “baptized the great Perm,” or, as another chronicle puts it, “in addition to baptizing,” he finally baptized 178.
Great Perm, vast and wild Perm, was along the Kama and Chusovaya rivers and in the upper reaches of the Vychegda and Pechora, from where the Ostyaks and Vogulichs broke into the settlements of the new Christians 179; otherwise, according to the Perm names of rivers and streams, these are the current counties of Perm, Solikamsk, Cherdyn, the western half of Verkhoturye and the northern Okhansky, where, together with the Komi-Permyak people, the Votyaks lived in the southwest, the Ostyaks and Voguls in the east 180. Blessed Jonah, after a difficult struggle with the Magi, managed to win over the Perm prince in his city of Uros (now a village) to the holy faith, and, baptizing him, named him Michael. This firstborn of his labors helped him in his further successes. Objects of superstitious and impious adoration were destroyed, the Magi themselves had to abandon their selfish pursuits; churches were built on the site of idols; hardworking sowers, experienced priests from Ust-Vym, were placed in the new field. All this happened in 1462 and 1463. After this, it was still necessary to establish piety in simple-minded people and extinguish the customs of pagan hearts.
The Theological Monastery was founded in Cherdyn, according to acts, then, “as the great Perm was baptized” 181. On the Pechora River, 600 versts from Ust-Sysolsk, the Pechersk Monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded; For a long time, even after Blessed Jonah, her monks performed the duties of parish priests for those living along the Pechora River 182. The blessed saint was an example of sincere piety for his flock and worked tirelessly for the good of his Church. He rested peacefully in Ust-Vym in 1470, and his holy body was laid on the left side of Saints Gerasim and Pitirim 183.
Transfer of the relics of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer
Double. One in the year 107 from Rome to Antioch, immediately after the martyrdom of the saint, and the other in the 7th century to Rome after Antioch was captured by the Mohammedans. Now the relics are in Rome, in the Church of St. Clement.
Day thirty. Cathedral of the Three Saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom
Each of the three ecumenical teachers and saints was distinguished by high, true virtues: Basil was deep in speech, Gregory was tall, Chrysostom was abundant; and each had special admirers and imitators. About special admirers of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian says: “Such is Basil’s valor, such is the greatness of glory, that many, imitating even his physical qualities, turned them for themselves into a means to glory. Such were Vasily’s pallor of face, quietness of gait, slowness of speech, extraordinary thoughtfulness and self-absorption; which in many, due to unskillful imitation and incorrect understanding, has become sullenness. Vasily’s type of clothing, bed arrangement, and eating habits were the same; and he did all this simply. And you will see many Vasilievs in appearance; these are statues"
Day Ten. Saint Theophan, recluse of Vyshensky
Saint Theophan, in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov, was born on January 10, 1815 in the village of Chernavskoye, Yeletsk district, Oryol province.
His father, Vasily Timofeevich Govorov, after graduating from the Oryol Seminary, was a priest of the Vladimir Church in the village of Chernavskoye and was distinguished by deep piety all his life. As a well-known and revered pastor among the clergy, he was appointed to the position of dean, which he held for 30 years, earning the approval of his superiors and the love and respect of his subordinates. The saint's mother, Tatyana Ivanovna, came from a priestly family. She had a quiet, meek disposition and a loving heart. The boy George received his initial education in his parents' home. Pious parents tried to give him an upbringing in the spirit of Christian love and churchliness. From his father he inherited liveliness and purity of mind, from his mother - a tender, loving heart, meekness, modesty and impressionability.
In 1823, the youth George entered the Livensky Theological School. A capable, well-prepared youth, Georgy easily completed the course and in 1829, among the best students, was transferred to the Oryol Seminary. It was headed by Archimandrite Isidore, later a famous hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Georgy Govorov studied science and especially psychology with great interest. During his years of study, after a pilgrimage to the Zadonsk Monastery, where the relics of Tikhon of Zadonsk (August 13), who was not yet glorified at that time, rested, George developed a reverence for this saint.
Having graduated from the seminary with honors in 1837, Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov received an appointment to the Kyiv Theological Academy. Here, education was completed and the direction of Georgy Govorov’s moral life was clearly defined, and the good qualities of moral behavior indicated his path to monastic life.
The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and other Kyiv monuments of sacred history, eloquent witnesses to the exploits of Russian monasticism, had a beneficial influence on George. The young student often visited the Kyiv Lavra. The impressions of her visits were so deep and strong that the saint recalled them with delight until the end of his life: “The Kiev Lavra is an unearthly monastery. As soon as you pass the gap, you feel that you have entered another world.” In the last year of his studies, Georgy Govorov decided to devote himself entirely to serving the Holy Church in the monastic rank. On October 1, 1840, on the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, he submitted a petition to the academic authorities for tonsure as a monk, in which he wrote: “Having constant zeal for studying theological subjects and for a solitary life, in order to combine both in the service of the Church assigned to me, I made a vow to devote my life to the monastic rank.”
With the permission of the academic and highest spiritual authorities, on February 15, 1841, he took monastic vows with the name Theophanes. The rite of tonsure was performed in the Holy Spirit Church of the Kiev-Brotherly Monastery by the rector of the academy, Archimandrite Jeremiah (later Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod). In April 1841, the monk Theophan Jeremiah (at that time already Bishop of Chigirinsky, vicar of the Kiev Metropolitan) was ordained a hierodeacon in the large Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, and on July 1 - a hieromonk.
Hieromonk Theophanes continued his studies at the academy. He successfully passed the final exams, and the academic council sent his course essay on the topic “Review of Regular Religion” among the best to the Synod for consideration. The talent and hard work of Father Feofan was noted by the permanent member of the Synod, Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov, November 19).
In 1841, Hieromonk Feofan was among the first to graduate from the academy with a master's degree. His career began in the teaching and educational field. On August 27, 1841, Hieromonk Theophan was appointed rector of the Kiev-Sophia Theological School, which was under the direct supervision of the Kiev Metropolitan Philaret (Amphiteatrov). But Father Feofan did not work for long at the Kiev School: on December 7, 1842, he was appointed inspector of the Novgorod Seminary. Hieromonk Feofan was in Novgorod for three years. During this short time, he managed to prove himself as a talented educator and an excellent teacher of psychology and logic.
The highest spiritual authorities highly valued the moral qualities and extraordinary mental abilities of Hieromonk Theophan, and therefore on December 13, 1844 he was transferred to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy to the position of bachelor in the department of moral and pastoral theology.
Conscious of his great responsibility before God in the spiritual education of youth, Father Theophan strove to influence future shepherds with great kindness, love and meekness. “The educator,” he wrote, “must go through all the degrees of Christian perfection, so that later in his activities he can control himself, be able to notice the directions of those being educated and then act on them with patience, successfully, strongly, and fruitfully. This must be a class of persons of the purest, God’s chosen and saints.” Hieromonk Feofan treated the subjects he taught with great attention. Abandoning philosophical and speculative methods of work, the young theologian relied on ascetic and psychological experience. The main sources of his lectures, after the Holy Scriptures and the works of the holy fathers, were the lives of saints and psychology.
On February 1845, Father Feofan was appointed assistant inspector of the academy, and from May 20 to August 4, 1846, he acted as inspector. For the zealous fulfillment of these duties, witnessed by the academic authorities, Hieromonk Theophan was awarded the blessing of the Holy Synod for the second time, and on May 25, 1846, the title of cathedral hieromonk of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Hieromonk Theophan was deeply devoted to the cause of Christian education, but he was attracted to a solitary monastic life. Soon an opportunity presented itself to satisfy the spiritual aspirations of Father Theophan. On August 21, 1847, at his own request, he was appointed a member of the Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.
At the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission was Archimandrite Porfiry (Uspensky), an excellent expert on the East, a famous church archaeologist. In addition to Hieromonk Theophan, the mission staff included two students who graduated from the St. Petersburg Seminary, N. Krylov and P. Soloviev. On October 14, 1847, the mission left St. Petersburg for Palestine. The six-year stay in the East was of great spiritual and moral significance for Hieromonk Theophan. Visiting ancient monasteries, he tirelessly studied the writings of the holy fathers from ancient manuscripts, became acquainted with the rules and lives of the ancient ascetics of the eastern monasteries and Holy Mount Athos. The young ascetic entered into a close spiritual connection with the Athonite elders, who had a beneficial influence on the direction of his spiritual life and subsequently contributed to the publication of his works. Here, in the East, Father Feofan thoroughly studied Greek and French and became acquainted with Hebrew and Arabic.
In 1853, the Crimean War began; on May 3, 1854, members of the Russian Spiritual Mission were recalled from Jerusalem to Russia. For his work in the mission, Hieromonk Theophan was elevated to the rank of archimandrite on April 4, 1855, and on April 12 he was appointed to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy as a bachelor in the department of canon law, and six months later - to the position of rector of the Olonets Theological Seminary. The Olonets Theological Seminary at that time was still completely unorganized and did not even have its own building. Archimandrite Feofan is organizing the construction of a building for the seminary. However, Father Feofan's main concern was the education of students at the Olonets Seminary.
In addition to the seminary, Archimandrite Theophan was entrusted with many affairs of the diocese due to the absence of Olonets Archbishop Arkady, who was summoned to St. Petersburg to attend the Holy Synod. On October 17, 1855, Father Feofan was appointed a member of the Olonets Spiritual Consistory. Archimandrite Theophan cared about improving the preaching activities of the parish clergy and developed a number of measures to combat the schism that had established itself in those parts in the form of Danilovism, Filippovism, Aristoism and wandering.
In 1856, Archimandrite Theophan was appointed to the position of rector of the embassy church in Constantinople, which was due to the fact that he was well acquainted with the Orthodox East and was fully prepared for this position. The Church of Constantinople at this time was experiencing great difficulties due to the strife between the Greeks and the Bulgarians. The Russian government and the Holy Synod, interested in ending it as quickly as possible, instructed Archimandrite Theophan to collect information regarding the Greek-Bulgarian feud. On March 9, 1857, Father Theophan presented a report that was of great importance in the discussion of this issue by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. With his sympathy for the Bulgarian people, sympathy for their legitimate demands, and his sincere desire to help, Father Feofan earned himself great love among the Bulgarians. Concerned about the difficult situation in the Bulgarian Church, Archimandrite Theophan did not forget about the good of the Church of Constantinople.
He became closely acquainted with the internal life of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, with the state of the Synod, the position of the patriarch, bishops, priests, the maintenance of churches and clergy, and a disastrous picture was revealed to him. Father Feofan wrote about all this in his report, appealing for help to “generous” Russia, which “should not leave its mother by faith in this helpless state.”
During his stay in Constantinople, Archimandrite Theophan also took care of the Russians who lived here, and suggested that the Russian government establish a hospital for Russian sailors and pilgrims in Constantinople and also asked to establish “brotherhood with the church.”
While abroad, Father Feofan further strengthened his knowledge of the Greek language, which he applied in subsequent works. In the Orthodox East, he collected many precious pearls of patristic, mainly ascetic literature.
On June 13, 1857, by decree of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Theophan was appointed to the post of rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, which he headed for two years. As rector, Archimandrite Theophan attended lectures by professors, attended exams, and monitored the entire progress of academic affairs at the academy. He paid special attention to educational work. As rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Father Feofan was also intensively engaged in editorial and theological work. He published his writings mainly in the academic journal Christian Reading, which was then published under his supervision. The rectorship of Archimandrite Theophan coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The anniversary celebration took place on February 17, 1859. The Holy Synod awarded Father Theophan the Order of St. Prince Vladimir, III degree.
On May 29, 1859, Father Feofan was named Bishop of Tambov and Shatsk. In his speech when he was named bishop, Archimandrite Theophan compared his life and various activities to a ball, rolling back and forth without noise or noise, in the direction of the blows communicated to him. In the same word, he said that it would not be alien to the secret desires of his heart if a place fell to his lot where he could freely indulge in activities of his heart.
June, Metropolitan Gregory with a council of bishops in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra performed his consecration.
The service of Bishop Theophan in the Tambov diocese lasted only four years. But during this time, with the extraordinary meekness of his character, rare delicacy and sympathetic attention to the needs of his flock, he managed to win universal and most sincere love. Saint Theophan proved himself to be a zealous servant in all spheres of church life. The bishop had to endure a lot of worries and labors while managing the Tambov diocese. Bishop Theophan proved himself to be a zealous preacher. He accompanied almost every service with a sermon, and his words, coming from the heart and breathing with deep conviction, attracted numerous listeners. The fruit of his zealous preaching was the publication of two volumes of his words to the Tambov flock (109 words in total).
Deep knowledge of all the movements of the human heart and its spiritual needs, experienced acquaintance with spiritual life, extensive knowledge in the field of the Holy Scriptures, and the works of the patrists, and the natural, historical and other sciences, and other high virtues distinguish the words of the Right Reverend Theophan to the Tambov flock, with extraordinary clarity, liveliness and simplicity of presentation, which made an extremely strong impression on the listeners. Saint Theophan also took care of the external improvement of theological educational institutions, and prompted the authorities of the Tambov Seminary to carry out a major overhaul of the seminary church. In order to improve public education, with the assistance of His Grace Theophan, many parochial schools, Sunday schools and private literacy schools were opened, as well as a six-year diocesan women's school.
Bishop Theophan at the same time took care of improving the education of the clergy itself. At his petition to the Holy Synod, the Tambov Diocesan Gazette began to be published on July 1, 1861.
In days of sorrow and peace, he was a loving father to everyone. With his numerous and varied affairs and concerns regarding the management of the Tambov diocese, Saint Theophan also found time for scientific and literary activities. His theological work “Letters on Christian Life” dates back to this time, which contains an entire system of Christian moral teaching.
During one of his trips to view the churches and monasteries of his diocese, Saint Theophan visited the Vyshenskaya hermitage, which he liked for its strict monastic rules and the beauty of the area. Appointing Abbot Arkady as rector of the housekeeper of the bishop's house there, the Bishop said to him prophetically at parting: “Go, Father Abbot, there, and there, God willing, I will come to you.” In 1861, Bishop Theophan experienced great joy. By decision of the Holy Synod, he took part in the opening ceremony of the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. This event made a great impression on the Tambov archpastor and served as a special grace-filled sanctification of his own ministry.
On July 22, 1863, Bishop Theophan was moved to the Vladimir See. Bishop Theophan's ministry in Vladimir was short-lived, but here too he showed himself to be a zealous archpastor and managed to earn universal respect and love. The first subject of care of the caring archpastor of the Vladimir diocese was the salvation of his flock through edification, through the preaching of the word of God. Bishop Feofan undertook trips to the schismatic centers of the diocese, where he delivered a number of sermons, and at the end of 1865 he opened the Epiphany Orthodox Brotherhood in the village of Mstera, Vyaznikovsky district.
However, the subject of Bishop Feofan's most diligent care were the parochial schools and religious educational institutions of the diocese. He completed the construction of a dormitory for students of the Vladimir Theological Seminary, begun by his predecessor, and opened a school for girls of clergy. From the beginning of 1865, at the request of Saint Theophan, the Vladimir Diocesan Gazette began to be published. For his zealous and fruitful archpastoral activities for the benefit of the Church, His Grace Theophan was awarded the Order of St. Anna, class (April 17, 1857) and St. Anna, 1st class (April 19, 1864).
After twenty-five years of service to the Church in various fields, His Eminence Theophan found it timely to fulfill his constant desire. After consulting with his longtime spiritual leader, Metropolitan Isidore, he submitted a petition to the Holy Synod for his dismissal with the right to remain in the Vyshenskaya hermitage of the Tambov diocese. The bishop’s petition was granted, and on July 17, 1866, he was released from the administration of the diocese and appointed rector of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, where he led his life as a learned monk.
But it was not the possibility of peace that attracted the bishop’s heart to the quiet monastery walls. “I am looking for peace,” wrote Bishop Theophan to Metropolitan Isidore, “in order to more calmly indulge in the pursuits I desire, with the indispensable intention that there will be a fruit of labor that is both useful and necessary for the Church of God.”
The vain position of abbot disturbed the inner peace of Bishop Theophan, and he soon submitted a new petition to be relieved of this position. The Holy Synod granted his request. The long-awaited solitude, which the saint so persistently strove for, finally came by the grace of God. About this time the saint said: “I would not exchange my position not only for the St. Petersburg Metropolis, but also for the patriarchate, if it were restored to us and I was appointed to it... I can only exchange my position for the Kingdom of Heaven.”
During the first six years of his stay in the Vyshenskaya hermitage, Bishop Theophan did not completely seclude himself. Together with the monks of the monastery, he went to all church services, and on Sundays and holidays he himself performed the Liturgy in concelebration with the brethren. The external environment fully corresponded to the spiritual needs of the ascetic saint. He willingly received visitors - relatives and admirers, who sought his spiritual advice, admonitions and instructions, and left his cell for a walk. At the beginning of his stay in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, Saint Theophan experienced a struggle with thoughts that inspired him with regret about leaving the see early.
In 1872, the spiritual authorities invited him to again take control of the diocese, even the Moscow one, and then in the same year invited him to sit in the judicial department of the Holy Synod.
In 1879, Saint Theophan was invited to Japan through the Holy Synod by Father Nicholas (Kasatkin), the future Equal-to-the-Apostles Enlightener of Japan (February 3). But Bishop Theophan refused these invitations. After the Easter days of 1872, he began to lead a reclusive life. He stopped all relations with people, stopped going to the monastery church for services and secluded himself in a separate wing. From that time on, he received only the rector of the desert, the confessor, Abbot Tikhon, and the cell attendant, Father Evlampius. By this time, Bishop Theophan had built a small church in his cells in the name of the Baptism of the Lord, in which he served the Divine Liturgy on all Sundays and holidays, and in the last 11 years every day.
Most of the reclusive life of the archpastor was spent in worship and prayer, in physical and spiritual exploits. In his free time from spiritual exploits, he was engaged in scientific and literary theological works, wrote many letters to various people who turned to him with perplexed questions, with requests for help and guidance. Having left the world and almost never met people, the reclusive bishop was interested in the life of the Church and his homeland. He subscribed to many magazines. He had a huge library in his office. When writing his works, the saint used extensive literature in Russian and foreign languages.
In the feat of spiritual and literary creativity, Saint Theophan saw great service to the Church of God. He speaks about this in one of his letters: “Writing is a necessary service for the Church.” The objects and content of the works of the Vyshensky recluse are very diverse. Almost no detail of spiritual life escaped his deep, attentive observation. But the main theme of all his numerous works is salvation in Christ. Just the list of these creations is awe-inspiring.
The basis for his divinely wise writings was almost exclusively the creations of Eastern church teachers and ascetics. The teaching of Bishop Theophan is in many ways akin to the teaching of Elder Paisius Velichkovsky. This is especially noticeable in the disclosure of topics about eldership, smart work and prayer. As an outstanding expert in ascetic writing, His Grace Theophan not only reflected its features in his creations, but also embodied it in his life, verifying the truth of the patristic ascetic premises with his own spiritual experience. According to the content of his works, they fall into three sections: moralizing, interpretative and translation. The saint’s numerous works on Christian morality are of especially great value for theological science. In his moralizing works, Bishop Theophan depicted the ideal of true Christian life and the paths leading to its achievement. The writings of Saint Theophan set out the foundations of patristic psychology.
The comprehensively educated archpastor-teacher penetrated into the innermost recesses of the human soul. In his writings, he managed to combine the depth of psychological analysis and theology with simplicity of presentation. Observing the mental and spiritual abilities of a person, His Eminence Theophan penetrates deeply into his inner world. This penetration is the result of careful introspection and the great spiritual experience of the saint.
Among the works of Bishop Theophan there are almost no works of a specifically dogmatic nature, but since the moral teaching of Christianity is inextricably linked with Christian dogmas, then in different places of his works one can see the revelation of dogmatic teaching. The dogmatic element in the works of the saint is especially important because the author’s explanations concern the highest and most difficult points of Christian dogma. One of the most important feats of life of the Right Reverend Theophan is his remarkable works on the explanation of the Word of God, which represent a valuable contribution to Russian biblical studies. In close connection with all the works of Bishop Theophan in the field of theology is his translation activity. He drew his spiritual experience not only from personal inner experiences, but also from ascetic writing, in which he was always especially interested.
The most important of the saint's translated works is the Philokalia, the main subject of which is the writings about the spiritual life of the founders and great teachers of Christian asceticism. A special type of literary works of the Right Reverend Theophan is represented by his numerous letters, which he exchanged with everyone who asked for his advice, support and approval, from dignitaries to commoners. The saint preserved his sincerity and love for people until his blessed death. All Theological Academies of the Russian Orthodox Church elected St. Theophan as their honorary member, and St. Petersburg awarded him the title of Doctor of Theology in 1890 for his many useful theological works.
On January 6, 1894, on the day of the patronal feast of his cell church of the Baptism of the Lord, at about four o’clock in the afternoon, Bishop Theophan died peacefully.
The funeral service for the deceased reclusive bishop was performed
January, Bishop of Tambov Jerome (Exemplary) with a huge gathering of clergy and people. The burial took place in the Kazan Cathedral of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage in the Vladimir chapel. At the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on June 6–8, 1988, Bishop Theophan the Recluse was canonized as an ascetic of faith and piety, who had a profound influence on the spiritual revival of his contemporary society.
The memory of Saint Theophan the Recluse of Vyshensky is celebrated on January 10.
Day eighteen. Rev. Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh
Four miles from ancient Rostov the Great, a small monastery in the name of the Holy Trinity - the Varnitsky Monastery - is secluded. Our pious ancestors built it to perpetuate in the memory of future generations the homeland of the great ascetic of the Russian land - St. Sergius of Radonezh. Here was the estate of the noble and noble Rostov boyars Kirill and Maria. Here they lived, preferring solitude among rural nature to the bustle of life at the princely court. However, Kirill was in the service of the Rostov princes, was very close to them and more than once accompanied them to the Golden Horde. He owned a fortune sufficient for his position, but due to the simplicity of the customs of that time, living in the village, he did not neglect ordinary rural labor. Kirill and Maria were kind and pious people. Their righteousness was known not only to God, but also to people. Strict guardians of all church statutes, they helped the poor.
Cyril and Maria already had a son, Stephen, when God gave them another son - the future founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra, St. Sergius.
Long before the birth of this baby, the Providence of God had already given a sign about him as the great chosen one of God and the holy branch of the blessed root. “And a certain miracle happened before his birth,” reports the Monk Epiphanius the Wise. - When the child was still in the womb, one day - it was on Sunday - his mother entered the church, as usual, during the singing of the Holy Liturgy. But she stood with other women in the vestibule, and when they were about to begin reading the Holy Gospel and all the people stood in silence, then suddenly the baby began to scream in the womb, so that many were horrified by this cry - the glorious miracle that happened to this baby. And then again, before they began to sing the Cherubic Song, suddenly the baby began to scream a second time in the womb, louder than the first time, so that his voice was heard throughout the whole church, so that his mother herself stood in horror, and the women who were there were perplexed to themselves and said: “What will happen to this baby?” When the priest exclaimed: “Let us take in, Holy of Holies!” “The baby screamed loudly again, for the third time.”
Always devoted to the will of God and attentive to the ways of Providence, Cyril and Maria perceived this as a foretelling of God’s Providence.
After such an incident, the mother became unusually attentive to her spiritual state. Always having in mind that she was carrying in her womb a child who would be the chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, Mary carefully kept her soul and body pure, strict in all abstinence.
Righteous Mary and her husband made a promise, if a boy was born, to bring him to church and give him to God, the Benefactor of all.
On May 3, 1314, God gave boyar Kirill and his wife Maria a son. On the fortieth day after birth, the parents brought the baby to church to perform baptism on him. A reverent priest named Michael named the baby Bartholomew and, blessing the child and his parents, said: “Do not grieve for him, but, on the contrary, rejoice and be glad, for the child will be a chosen vessel of God, an abode and servant of the Holy Trinity.”
Maria began to notice something unusual in the baby: when the mother happened to be satisfied with meat food, the baby did not take her nipples. The same thing was repeated on Wednesdays and Fridays. Maria began to observe fasting even more strictly and completely gave up eating meat.
When Bartholomew was seven years old, his parents sent him to learn to read and write. His two brothers also studied with Bartholomew: the eldest, Stefan, and the younger, Peter. The brothers studied successfully, but Bartholomew was far behind them. The teacher punished him, his parents persuaded him. One day Bartholomew was sent by his father into the field to look for horses. In the field he saw an unfamiliar, holy old man and told him that he wanted to learn to read and write. The elder said a diligent prayer, then took a small reliquary from his pocket and gave Bartholomew a piece of prosphora, after eating which the youth received the ability to learn. At Bartholomew’s request, the “wonderful old man” visited his home and blessed his parents, Cyril and Maria. From that time on, Bartholomew began to read books without difficulty and understand everything written in them.
The boy, under the guidance of his parents, grew over the years, filled with reason and virtue. His heart burned with love for God, he found the highest pleasure in prayerful conversation with God, so he constantly visited the church of God.
But it was not in the Rostov land that this blessed lamp was destined by the Providence of God to shine, but among the dense forests of Radonezh. When Bartholomew was about fifteen years old, his parents moved from the Rostov principality to Moscow, to the city of Radonezh.
According to the pious custom of accepting monasticism in old age, Cyril and Maria, at the end of their lives, first took monastic tonsure, and then the schema in the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery, which was located three miles from Radonezh and was at that time both male and female. Weary of illness, sorrow and old age, the schema-monks in 1337 went to the Lord in peace.
Before their blessed death, they blessed Bartholomew for his monastic feat with icons of the Mother of God Hodegetria and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Paying his last debt to filial love, Bartholomew spent forty days incessantly in the Khotkovo monastery, remembering his newly departed parents and distributing alms to the poor. Then, having given the inheritance left by his parents to his younger brother Peter, he hurried to his exploits in a deserted place remote from human habitations and, imitating the ancient ascetics, built himself a cell and a chapel here. Here Bartholomew was tonsured a monk with the name Sergius and became famous as the founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra.
The relics of the Venerable Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria were invariably located in the Intercession Cathedral, even after its numerous reconstructions and the construction of a new church on the site of the ancient one. Near the relics the indefatigable Psalter was read and requiem services were served.
In difficult times for the Russian people and the Holy Church, the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and his parents, Schema-monk Kirill and Schema-nun Mary, repeatedly interceded before God for their earthly brothers.
For example, in 1770–1771 Russia suffered one of the greatest national disasters. A terrible disease - a pestilence - destroyed the population of various cities and villages of our fatherland and, having reached Moscow, destroyed many people here.
In the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery, the prayer to the parents of St. Sergius was constantly read and copied. It was “composed in 1771 during the deadly plague for reading at the “Glories”” in the indefatigable Psalter at the tomb of the holy parents of St. Sergius the Wonderworker, schema-monk Kirill and schema-nun Maria.
It was read from August to December. And through the prayers of God’s devotees, the entire monastery was delivered from this ulcer. And from other countries those who came to them with faith to pray during the pestilence served prayer services to the Mother of God of Tikhvin, adding this prayer to the saints.” The shrine of the Khotkovo Monastery mentioned in this entry - the miraculous copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God - was located in the refectory of the Intercession Cathedral, near the tombs of the parents of St. Sergius.
During the cholera epidemic in 1848, the Tikhvin icon with prayer singing was carried around all the cells, and not one of the sisters was exposed to the disease. From the end of May to October, people from surrounding villages flocked to Khotkovo in large numbers to pray before the icon of the Mother of God. Before her, prayer singing and all-night vigils were constantly performed, ending with a memorial service for the parents of St. Sergius.
The monastic chronicle preserved the story of the third (after 1771 and 1848) deliverance of the monastery from cholera through the patronage of the Mother of God and the prayers of St. Sergius and his parents.
In 1871, a religious procession was held from the Lavra with the icon of St. Sergius written on his coffin board. At the end of May, the image was carried around the surrounding area on a special stretcher; The icon was taken from the Lavra for the second time at the end of July. “Our monastery,” the Khotkovsky priest Voznesensky says in the chronicle, “on both visits to him (the image of St. Sergius. - Ed.) was honored with icons and banners in the presence of a host of all the monks and inhabitants of the monastery to meet him, accompanied by a large people... Our monastery was delivered, as in the previous cholera, from the epidemic by the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Sergius and his parents." In the same year, the death of horses in the vicinity, which befell the nearest villages simultaneously with cholera, stopped.
The power of the intercession of St. Sergius and his parents was also manifested in the miraculous events that took place at the relics of schema-monk Cyril and schema-nun Maria.
“The Church Chronicle of the Intercession Khotkovo Nunnery” provides evidence of how a prayerful appeal to St. Sergius and his parents saved people from serious illnesses. Khotkovo Archpriest Alexy Lebedev talks about one of these miraculous healings. The daughter of a peasant from the Alatyr district of the Simbirsk province, Tatyana Ivanovna, suffered from a serious illness after falling into a river as a child. She was sick for twelve years. In 1868, on the occasion of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, her brother cruelly offended her, ordering her to be taken to the barn for the holiday because of the stench emanating from the ulcers on her body. When she fell asleep with tears in her eyes, “she imagined that a gray-haired old man in a robe with a bent head was standing before her and said to her: “Don’t cry, don’t grieve and don’t complain, but thank and pray to God and call on St. Sergius and Cyril and Mary”; and, having blessed her, he became invisible.” From that moment her healing began.
As soon as the girl began to walk, she, on the advice of good people, went on a pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery. In Khotkovo she venerated the relics of Saints Cyril and Mary and received complete healing. She remained in the monastery forever and was completely healthy all her life, only she quickly got tired from hard work. Numerous miracles were performed at the relics of the parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh in subsequent times. According to the professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archimandrite Matthew (Marmyl), “at the tomb of the Monks Cyril and Mary, located in the Khotkovo Intercession Monastery, numerous healings of infants whose parents turned to the saints with prayer are attested.”
The veneration of the parents of St. Sergius, schema-monk Kirill and schema-nun Maria is directly connected with the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. “Evidence from church tradition about their holiness is numerous; they go back to the 15th century. Already in the personal life of St. Sergius, his parents are depicted with halos.”
Tradition says that St. Sergius gave the commandment - “before going to him, pray for the repose of his parents over their tomb.” Often those who undertook a pilgrimage to the Trinity Lavra considered it a sacred duty to visit the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery to venerate the tombs of his parents.
In the 19th century, the veneration of Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria spread throughout Russia. In the consciousness of our people, the spiritual communication of the great saint of God with his righteous parents - humble schema-monks, whom he buried in the Khotkovo monastery and “to whose grave, according to popular legend, he often visited during his life from his then deserted monastery,” was visible and tangible.
The names of schemamonk Kirill and schemanun Maria were included in the lists of locally revered holy ascetics of piety in northeastern Russia.
On July 10, 1981, with the blessing of His Holiness Pimen, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the celebration of the Council of Radonezh Saints was established, in the host of which Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria were glorified.
In 1989, the Intercession Church was returned to believers. The liturgical life of the church was resumed, and a candle was again lit for St. Sergius and his pious parents, prayer services were served at their relics, and after each service a prayer was heard to the parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
The glorification of the saints for general church veneration took place in 1992.
The memory of the parents of St. Sergius is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on January 18 and September 28 - the days of their blessed death - and July 6 - the day of the celebration of the Council of Radonezh Saints.
Day twenty-four. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg
Saint Blessed Xenia was born between 1719 and 1730, she carried out her saving feat in St. Petersburg. Nothing is known about the blessed one’s childhood and youth; the people’s memory has preserved only that which is connected with the beginning of Xenia’s feat of foolishness: it was the sudden death of her husband, who died without Christian preparation, Andrei Feodorovich Petrov, who served with the rank of colonel as a singer in the court choir.
Shocked by this terrible event, the 26-year-old widow decided to begin the most difficult Christian feat - to appear insane, so that, by sacrificing to God the most valuable thing a person has - his mind, he would beg the Creator for mercy on his suddenly deceased husband Andrei. To save her husband, Ksenia renounced all the blessings of the world, renounced her title and wealth, and, moreover, herself: she left her name and, taking the name of her husband, went through her entire life. On the day of her husband’s funeral, the blessed one put on his clothes: a camisole, a caftan, trousers and a cap – and went to see off her husband’s coffin. The husband's relatives and Ksenia's acquaintances thought that the death of Andrei Feodorovich had darkened the consciousness of the young widow with sudden grief. “Don’t call me Ksenia anymore, but call me Andrei Feodorovich,” with these words Ksenia began to wander through the streets of St. Petersburg, informing everyone who knew her that “My Ksenyushka has died and is resting peacefully in the cemetery, and I’m all a sinner here.”
The widowed Ksenia received the property of Andrei Feodorovich - the house that he had in the parish of the Church of the Apostle Matthew on the St. Petersburg side. Part of this house was rented by one pious Christian, Paraskeva Antonova, who knew Ksenia well and had been friends with her for a long time. Consoling the “clouded mind” widow after the funeral, Paraskeva asked in lamentations: “How will you live now, mother?” To this, Ksenia, who had begun her feat of foolishness, replied: “Why, I buried my Ksenyushka, and now I don’t need anything else. I will give you a house, but let the poor live for nothing; I’ll give everything away today, and I’ll take the money to the church.” Then Paraskeva Antonova began to beg Ksenia not to do this, but Ksenia firmly answered: “The Lord feeds the birds of the air, and I am no worse than a bird. Let His will be done."
Hearing about such a decision, Paraskeva, out of pity for the “mentally damaged” widow, turned to the relatives of her late husband with a request to turn Ksenia away from such an unreasonable act. The relatives of Andrei Feodorovich submitted a petition to the authorities of the deceased so that they would not allow Ksenia to give away her property in madness. Ksenia was summoned for an examination, at the conclusion of which it was recognized that she was completely healthy and had the right to dispose of her property.
After this, Blessed Ksenia gave away everything that belonged to her, and in only her husband’s suit she went out into the street on her ascetic journey. Now Ksenia did not have any specific place of residence. In her strange attire, she spent days wandering around the St. Petersburg side, mainly in the area of the parish of the Church of St. Matthew the Apostle. She said with annoyance to acquaintances who met her and addressed her by name: “Well, what do you care about the deceased Ksenia, she didn’t do anything bad to you.”
After some time, everyone could be convinced of the madness of the young widow: her strange costume and unintelligible conversations, her meekness and gentleness gave reason to evil people and especially naughty boys to mock the blessed one. All day long she wandered through the streets of St. Petersburg; in winter and summer, in the heat and cold, being subjected to all sorts of attacks and ridicule, she, constantly praying, meekly carried out her saving feat.
At this time, construction began on a new stone church at the Smolensk cemetery. The erected structure was already quite high, so the masons had to first lift the bricks onto the scaffolding and then erect the masonry. Then Blessed Ksenia decided to secretly, at night, help the builders. She spent whole nights lifting bricks and stacking them on scaffolding. The next morning the workers came and were very surprised at what had happened.
Little by little, they became accustomed to such oddities of the blessed one; many began to believe that anything could be expected from someone who had darkened her mind, but some, the most sensitive Christians, began to notice that Ksenia was not a simple stupid beggar. She did not take the alms that were offered to her from everyone, but only from people of good heart. She always took only a penny and immediately gave it to the same poor and beggars as herself.
After her husband’s camisole and caftan had decayed, Ksenia began to dress in miserable rags in winter and summer, and wore torn shoes on her bare feet, swollen from the frost. Many Christians offered Ksenia warm clothes, shoes, and alms. The blessed one did not agree to take anything, but invariably dressed either in a red blouse and a green skirt, or in a green blouse and a red skirt. These were the colors of the clothes of the late Andrei Feodorovich.
During the day, Ksenia wandered around the city like crazy, and at night she hid from human eyes, going outside the city, into the field, and there she remained in prayer. So one day she was found by townspeople concerned about Ksenia’s overnight disappearances.
Only on rare occasions did Ksenia stay overnight with pious people who knew her - Paraskeva Antonova, Evdokia Gaidukova and Pelageya Cherpakova.
The blessed one endured all insults and sorrows without complaint. Only once, when Ksenia had already begun to be revered as a servant of God, did the residents of the St. Petersburg side see her in terrible anger. The street boys, seeing the holy fool, began to laugh at her and tease her. The blessed one endured this without complaint. But the evil children were not limited to just bullying, they began to throw dirt and stones at her. Then Ksenia rushed after the boys, threatening them with her stick. After this incident, no one dared to offend the blessed one.
Those around blessed Ksenia began to notice that her words and actions often contained some deep meaning. They noticed that if Ksenia asked for something, it was a sign of impending adversity or trouble for the one she asked. If Ksenia gave something to someone, it meant that soon this person would experience sudden joy. Later, when the blessed one began to be revered as a seer, as soon as she appeared in the markets and streets of the city, everyone who knew her offered her his services. Merchants opened their trays and counters with all kinds of food and other goods. Everyone vied with each other to beg “Andrei Feodorovich” to take or taste something, because they noticed that if Ksenia took something, the owner’s business was very successful.
The cab drivers, seeing the blessed one from afar, drove their horses, asking Xenia to ride with them at least a few steps, for this would bring them luck. Blessed Xenia’s special gift was to organize the family life of Christians. The children's mothers were convinced that if the blessed one caressed or rocked a sick child in a cradle, he would certainly recover. Therefore, when they saw Ksenia, they hurried to her with their children, asking her to bless them or simply pat them on the head.
With her great humility, feat of spiritual and physical poverty, love for her neighbors and prayer, Ksenia acquired the grace-filled gift of clairvoyance. With this gift, she helped many in the matter of life structure and spiritual salvation. So, one day the blessed one, having gone to visit the merchant Krapivina, talked with the hostess and accepted treats from her. Feeling sorry for the young merchant's wife, who received her so cordially, and foreseeing the latter's imminent death, Ksenia wanted to tell her about the need for proper Christian preparation for death. Therefore, when leaving, she said publicly: “Behold, the nettle is green, but soon, soon it will wither.” All of Krapivina’s guests who heard this did not pay due attention to Ksenia’s words, but after the sudden sudden death of the young merchant’s wife, they remembered these words and were very amazed and shocked.
There is a known case when Blessed Xenia cared about the welfare and salvation of an unborn baby. One day she comes to her old friend Paraskeva Antonova, to whom she gave her house, and says: “You’re sitting here darning your stockings, but you don’t know that God sent you a son! Go quickly to the Smolensk cemetery!” Paraskeva was very embarrassed about this absurdity, but she obeyed the blessed one and went. On one of the streets of Vasilyevsky Island, near the cemetery, she saw a crowd of people and, approaching, learned that some cab driver had knocked down a pregnant woman. Here on earth, a woman gave birth to a boy, and she herself died. Everyone tried to find out who this woman was and where her relatives were, but in vain. Seeing the finger of God in everything that happened, Paraskeva took the boy to her and, despite strenuous efforts to find the father, was ultimately forced to adopt the baby. She took him into her home, the former home of the blessed one, and raised him in all the strictness of Christian life. Until he was very old, he supported her and highly respected her as his mother.
Paraskeva thanked God and God's servant Ksenia for her command to accept her son.
Ksenia always took part in organizing the lives of pious Christians. She often visited the Golubev family, which consisted of a widowed mother and her seventeen-year-old daughter. Blessed Ksenia loved this girl very much for her meek, quiet disposition and kind heart. One day she suddenly appeared at the door of their house just as mother and daughter were making coffee in the dining room.
Turning to her daughter, Ksenia said: “Oh, beauty, you’re making coffee here, and your husband is burying his wife on Okhta. Run there quickly!”
The girl was very embarrassed by what she heard. “How so? – she objected. - Not only do I have a husband, but I don’t have a fiance either. And here is some husband, and even his wife?” But Ksenia angrily insisted: “Go!”
At the cemetery, mother and daughter saw a funeral procession. They buried the young wife of a doctor who died during childbirth. The young widower sobbed inconsolably, and when he saw the grave mound over the ashes of his wife, he lost consciousness and fell into the arms of Golubev, who had barely managed to run up. When he came to his senses, mother and daughter tried their best to console the unfortunate man. This is how they met. After some time it resumed, and a year later the doctor proposed to Golubeva’s daughter. Their marriage turned out to be happy. They lived a long and pious life, and when they died, they commanded to honor the memory of the blessed seer and look after her grave.
Even during her lifetime, Blessed Ksenia was a quick helper to many Christians in troubles. Once she met a pious woman, an acquaintance of hers, and, stopping her, handed her a copper penny with the image of a horseman and said: “Take the penny, there is a king on a horse; will go out." Without adding anything more, she moved on. The discouraged woman went home, wondering what Ksenia’s words could mean. As soon as she stepped out onto her street, she saw with horror that there was a fire in her house. But before she even had time to reach the building being consumed by the flames, a miracle happened - by the grace of God, the fire was stopped, human help arrived in time. Only then did the woman understand what the blessed woman’s words meant: “Take the penny, it will go out!”
The holy fool Ksenia labored in the feat of foolishness for 45 years; it can be argued that the blessed one departed to the Lord at the very beginning of the nineteenth century, around 1803. The funeral service for the voluntary sufferer took place in the Church of the Apostle Matthew. The holy servant of God was buried in the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg, where at one time she helped build a church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God, called Smolenskaya.
The miracles performed by the blessed one did not stop even after her death. Thus, in one family, before the planned wedding, the bride and her mother served a memorial service at the grave of Blessed Xenia; the wedding was immediately upset, as it was publicly revealed that the groom was a criminal and murderer who had escaped from hard labor. A certain A. A. Romanov was mortally ill; and so, to his wife, who was sitting at the bedside of the sick at night, an old woman appeared in a vision, calling herself Ksenia, who said that her husband would recover and that their future child would be a girl, and she should be called Ksenia. This is exactly what happened later.
It happened that during memorial services or prayers at the grave of Blessed Xenia, she appeared to those praying in the form of an old woman with a staff in her hand. If the vision happened to the person responsible for the disaster, then the appearance of this woman was formidable and the commands were indisputable. For example, to one man who suffered from a strong addiction to wine drinking, but for whom his mother and wife prayed earnestly, Ksenia appeared in a vision and sternly said: “Stop drinking! The tears of your mother and wife flooded my grave!”
About two centuries have passed since the death of Blessed Xenia, but the miracles performed through the prayers of this saint do not dry up and the people's memory of her does not disappear.
In the very first years after her death, many people began to flock to the blessed one’s grave, who often took earth from her grave after the memorial service for her in memory of the saint. Gradually, the entire burial mound was dismantled, a new one had to be poured, but this one was also dismantled. Then they placed a marble slab on the grave; This did not stop the admirers of the blessed one - the slab broke, and its particles were carried to all ends of Russia. Dismantling the earth and breaking the slabs, admirers of the blessed one left monetary donations on the grave, which were used by the poor.
Miracles from the blessed one did not stop, who still remained a helper to Christians in troubles and illnesses. Pious tradition brings to us, for example, a story about such an incident. During the hot summer months, one family with two children found themselves far from home and in very difficult circumstances. The head of the family, the husband of the woman who told about this wonderful intercession of Blessed Xenia, became dangerously ill. He was getting worse and worse, medications were not helping, the disease was getting worse. Three months later, when the scorching southern sun and the unbearable heat and stuffiness that reigned all around completely undermined the patient’s health, he was no longer able to even open his lips or eat food. His days seemed to be numbered. His wife tells what happened next.
“The doctor, leaving, looked into my eyes strangely and said that he would come tomorrow morning. I realized that this was the end. I took the children to neighbors who lived two houses away from us. I wanted silence and prayer. The heat was unbearable, suffocating. I opened all the doors for air movement. The most desperate and sorrowful thoughts overwhelmed me. In addition to the grief of losing a faithful friend, I was scared that I would be left alone with small children. If I were at home now, I would go to the Smolensk cemetery to see Blessed Ksenia and cry out my grief. The noise of the gate interrupted my thoughts. Someone entered our garden, I thought. At this time, a strange guest silently appeared in the opening of the open door. It was impossible to determine her age, but the strangest thing was her outfit. Warm, soft felt boots, a long fur coat of a special cut, all gathered, and a large white down scarf on the head; its ends were twisted around the neck. This is probably what common women wore in the dead of winter in the old days. She was all incredibly attractive. “Dove, tell me where the Pirogovs live, I’m looking for them,” she said. “Two houses away,” I answered.
“Is yours bad?” – she asked, pointing to the door where the patient lay. She silently walked past me to the patient. She looked at him for a minute. “Listen, dove! – she said, approaching me. - Don't be sad! Yesterday an important doctor came here, such a scientist that he was passionate. He said that the patient still needs to be fed a little every half hour, two spoons at a time. Well, there’s milk, tea, porridge, and then you can come up with something.” “Yes, he hasn’t opened his lips for three days now,” I answered. “Nothing, nothing, just try! Well, goodbye, I have to go." She disappeared. This time the gate didn't even slam. I went out onto the balcony. To the right and to the left, a street flooded with the scorching sun was visible far away, but my winter guest was not visible.
It was only then that I realized the incongruity of her winter outfit in this unbearable heat.
I approached the patient. The husband opened his eyes and barely audibly asked for a drink. With trembling hands, I brought him a cup of tea, not yet daring to believe that this faint glimpse of life was a hint of recovery.
“Who approached me?” - asked the patient. I didn't know what to answer. “One unknown woman,” I tell him. The husband took a deep breath, as if he had exhaled some kind of heaviness. “I feel better. Who approached me? – he repeated, falling asleep.
The children have returned. I asked them if they had seen a woman in a fur coat and felt boots, wrapped in a scarf. The children said that they did not see any woman and did not see anyone come in at all.
I went to my husband with a cup of milk. He greeted me with a weak smile on his haggard, emaciated face beyond recognition. He drank half a cup of milk and asked me again: “Who came to me?” I explained to him as best I could the appearance of the mysterious guest and added that I would now go to the Pirogovs and find out who she was, since she was looking for them. I went to the Pirogovs and began asking about the woman in felt boots and a fur coat who was looking for them. It turned out that no winter guest had come to them, and they began to joke and make jokes at me: in such heat, some “blessed” woman could come in a fur coat and felt boots, no doubt.
When I returned home, my husband was already sitting on the bed, leaning on pillows. “Well, did you find out?” - was his first question. - “No, I didn’t recognize anything, she wasn’t there.” “Then listen to me,” says the husband. “After all, I was dying and I was aware that I was dying.” I didn’t have the strength to open my eyes or call you, and my strength left me. Suddenly I felt that someone came up to me, and some kind of life-giving coolness suddenly blew over me. Now I know that I will get better. You prayed; Who did you call for help?” “Blessed Xenia,” I said and burst into tears. When my husband finally recovered, he began to make inquiries about which doctor was passing through at that time. It turned out that no doctor passed by and no one saw the winter guest. “I believe in my soul that blessed Ksenia came to me when I called.”
The memory of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, the Holy Fool for Christ's sake, is celebrated on January 24.
Day twenty-fifth. Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia
The first of the holy martyrs of the Russian Church in the rank of bishop of modern times, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and Galicia (in the world Vasily Nikiforovich Bogoyavlensky) was born on January 1, 1848 in the family of a pious priest of the village of Malye Morshki, Morshansky district, Tambov province.
He received his primary and secondary education in Tambov. For the rest of his life he remained grateful to his first mentors. Metropolitan Evlogy (Georgievsky) said: “He loved to remember his childhood, idealized the seminary, his teachers...”
After graduating from the Tambov Seminary, Vasily Bogoyavlensky went to Kiev, where in 1870 he entered the Theological Academy.
Upon graduating from the academy in 1874, V. N. Bogoyavlensky, who showed remarkable abilities and received the title of candidate of theology, was recommended to the department of Church Slavonic language and Slavic dialects. He was to go on a business trip abroad to improve his knowledge, and then to undertake scientific work. But by the Providence of God a higher path of serving the Church and the people was prepared for him. V. N. Malinin, later an outstanding scientist, was appointed to the department, and V. N. Bogoyavlensky was appointed as a teacher at his native Tambov seminary.
On January 31, 1882, Vasily Nikiforovich was ordained a priest and assigned to the cathedral Church of the Intercession in the city of Kozlov; Soon Father Vasily becomes rector of the parish church. In the same year he received a loincloth, and in 1883 he was appointed dean of the city churches of the city of Kozlov and was awarded a skufia.
In Kozlov, the rich spiritual inclinations and administrative abilities of Father Vasily were revealed. Here he showed himself both as a wonderful preacher and as a zealous dean. Having gained universal love, Father Vasily, who suffered a severe grief - the loss of his wife and child, found consolation in this love and, devoting himself to serving the Church, accepted monasticism with the name of Vladimir. The tonsure took place on February 8, 1886. And the next day, Hieromonk Vladimir was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed rector of the Trinity Monastery in the city of Kozlov.
Archimandrite Vladimir served in his new position for only a few months. In October 1886, he was appointed rector of the first-class Anthony Monastery in Veliky Novgorod, and a little over two years later - vicar of the Novgorod diocese in the rank of Bishop of Starorussky. The consecration, headed by Metropolitan Isidore of St. Petersburg, took place in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra on June 3, 1888.
The Reverend Vladimir remained in the rank of Novgorod vicar for about two and a half years, showing rare responsiveness to all the spiritual and material needs of the flock and clergy. He was distinguished by simplicity, accessibility, love for church regulations and teaching.
With apostolic zeal, Saint Vladimir preached the Word of God, encouraging the Novgorod clergy to do so. According to the reviews of those present at the bishop’s sermons, “the simple, artless form of speech was warmed by the fire of such deep sincerity that it made an amazing impression, irresistibly captivating the listeners. It is not surprising that the church where the bishop preached was always full.”
On January 19, 1891, His Grace Vladimir was appointed Bishop of Samara. The very short (less than two years) Samara ministry was marked by archpastoral labors that earned the Bishop respect and universal love. He filed a petition with the highest church authorities to open a mission to bring to Christ those who had not yet entered the church fence; established the Alekseevsky Religious and Educational Brotherhood in Samara, of which he himself was the honorary chairman; opened free evening readings of religious content in the City Duma; drew attention to the development and correct presentation of catechetical teachings; organized readings for lovers of spiritual enlightenment in the halls of the seminary. The bishop was especially concerned about the spread of church girls' schools to support the role of women in the Russian family.
The bishop also paid a lot of attention to the splendor of church services. He loved to serve quite often, and even in the most remote Samara churches. He ordered, through the dean, to introduce zealous observance of the canons of worship and especially church singing and reading.
Thanks to the active participation of the bishop, who sought funds, 10 churches were built in Samara. He showed constant protective care for people of clergy, especially the elderly, infirm and needy.
During the days of disaster, the ruler did everything possible to alleviate the situation of the people. When famine broke out in the Samara province, diocesan committees were established, working together with the provincial and district authorities. Canteens and teahouses were set up at monasteries and wealthy churches; In schools, students were fed free of charge. Vladyka sent appeals for help everywhere, turned to St. Petersburg, sending there samples of “hungry bread.”
When cholera broke out, the bishop held services, encouraged the sick and desperate, helped the population receive medical care, being a strong moral support for the people of Samara in these difficult times.
On October 18, 1892, His Grace Vladimir was appointed Exarch of Georgia with the elevation to the rank of Archbishop of Kartalin and Kakheti.
In just over five years of ruling the Georgian Exarchate, Bishop Vladimir raised the spiritual enlightenment of the people to hitherto unprecedented heights. Under him, the delivery of sermons during services and the holding of extra-liturgical interviews with the flock were introduced; more than three hundred parochial schools were opened and a theological seminary was established in Kutaisi; A huge amount of work was carried out with schismatics and sectarians, as well as with representatives of other nationalities and confessions with a view to attracting them to Orthodoxy. More than a hundred churches were built and restored, including many ancient ones, which by that time had been abandoned.
Bishop Vladimir experienced great hardship due to the decline of faith in part of the Georgian clergy and the surge of nationalism. But even when faced with slander and threats to his own life, he remained a loving shepherd and tireless ascetic.
The apogee of Metropolitan Vladimir's episcopal service was the Moscow see.
The appointment of His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir to Moscow took place on February 21, 1898, and on March 28 of the same year he took over the administration of the diocese.
Here, fully aware of his responsibility, guided by the idea of increasing spiritual life, the Bishop continued his work.
Easy to deal with everyone, but firm and persistent in his demands and orders, he especially wanted all the capital’s clergy to stand as close to the people as possible, to perform divine services and preach more often. To strengthen and revitalize pastoral activity, Metropolitan Vladimir opened new vacancies in the capital's parishes and appointed priests. Liturgical conversations were introduced with the distribution of religious and edifying brochures, religious educational readings for the people, for poor children, for students in lower and secondary schools, special readings for factory workers in people's homes and public theological readings for the intelligentsia. The Bishop established four positions of diocesan missionaries, started special missionary conversations, opened numerous missionary courses, which began with courses based in the building of the Preobrazhensky parochial school, where the Bishop himself came to check the progress of students from among the factory workers.
He organizes folk church choirs, creates many educational and charitable institutions: the missionary brotherhood in the name of the Resurrection of Christ and its departments in the diocese; special Moscow Diocesan Missionary Council; Brotherhood of St. Alexis at the Chudov Monastery; expands the activities of the anti-schism Brotherhood of St. Peter, opens annual diocesan missionary courses for the clergy of the diocese. To repel the onslaught of sectarianism, the bishop established the Zlatoust religious and philosophical circle of students and women's theological courses. In 1907, he sought the opening of a special department of history and denunciation of sectarianism at the Moscow Theological Academy. Such a department was opened not only in Moscow, but also in all other academies, which was the greatest merit to the Church of Metropolitan Vladimir, whose activities began to go far beyond the boundaries of the Moscow diocese.
Taking every possible care of people's morality, Vladyka Vladimir fought against drunkenness. The Moscow Diocesan Society for the Fight against Drunkenness, its numerous departments, its publishing journal and other activities, the holding of the first All-Russian Congress of Practical Workers to Combat Alcoholism, held under the auspices of the Church, which required considerable resources and efforts - all this happened on the initiative of His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir and with his personal laborious and material participation.
Metropolitan Vladimir contributed to the opening of charitable societies, almshouses, and shelters. The bishop's constant concern was the unity of the flock with the pastors on the basis of true Orthodox churchliness. For this purpose, he blessed the creation of the Brotherhood of Moscow Saints. The brotherhood was located in the monastery of the bishop - the Chudov Monastery - and always received love and care from their archpastor. The clergy of the Moscow diocese received full opportunity for fraternal meetings for the joint service of the Church. To carry out all this complex and varied activity, all these numerous institutions with their book warehouses, offices, libraries, meetings, and meetings required premises. Through the efforts of the Bishop, the Diocesan House is growing in the center of Moscow and with it the beautiful Church of St. Prince Vladimir.
Devoted to the work of apostolic service and charity, Bishop Vladimir was deeply aware of the importance of the printed word. He responded to all the pressing issues of his time, concerning the state, society, family, rich and poor, labor and capital, religion and morality, faith and science, faith and unbelief, sobriety, church discipline. He published and distributed thousands of brochures and leaflets free of charge. Bishop’s composition “The Gospel of Childhood” was especially loved by everyone, regardless of age or education. At that time, it was the only and very valuable guide to the religious and moral education of children.
At the end of 1911, the bishop founded the church-public magazine “Voice of the Church,” which promoted spiritual communication between pastors and flocks and formed a large spiritual family of employees and readers.
Due to his position as Metropolitan of Moscow, the Bishop took part in the meetings of the Holy Synod, and due to the illness of its leading member, Metropolitan Anthony of St. Petersburg (Vadkovsky, November 2, 1912), he replaced him. After the death of Metropolitan Anthony, Bishop Vladimir was appointed Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, he was given the title and the rights of the first member of the Holy Synod were transferred to him.
The bishop's ministry continued for three years at the St. Petersburg (from the beginning of the First World War - Petrograd) department. During this time, full of exceptional events, the archpastor was subjected to fierce attacks from extremely excited public opinion. Not only in public meetings, but also in the periodical press, the head of the All-Russian hierarchy was accused, on the one hand, of subordinating church service to the interests of politics, and on the other, that he did not decisively and boldly condemn the disorder in the church and public life of the Russian state. However, it was precisely the firmness of convictions and straightforwardness, especially clearly manifested when the bishop tried to express his opinion regarding the activities of Rasputin, that made Metropolitan Vladimir undesirable in Petrograd, he fell out of favor and in November 1915 he was transferred to Kiev and appointed metropolitan in place of the deceased Metropolitan Flavian (Gorodetsky, November 14, 1915), while maintaining the title and rights of the first member of the Holy Synod.
On December 22, 1915, Metropolitan Vladimir took over the administration of the Kyiv diocese. But he did not stay in Kyiv for long. To participate in the meetings of the Holy Synod on January 7, 1916, he went to Petrograd, where he was almost constantly, and with the opening of the All-Russian Church Council in Moscow on August 15, 1917, being its honorary chairman, he lived there until his departure to his diocese in November of the same year.
The committee organized at this time in Kyiv to convene an All-Ukrainian Church Council became, as it were, a “provisional government” of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The committee decided not to allow Metropolitan Vladimir into Kyiv. In response to the actions of the newly-minted committee, a large meeting of the union of parish Orthodox councils was held in Kiev on November 24. The meeting decisively spoke out against the anti-canonical attempt to create an autocephalous Ukrainian church and recognized the presence of the Kiev Metropolitan outside Kiev at such an alarming time as undesirable.
After arriving in Kiev, Metropolitan Vladimir took an active part in the preparations and then, as honorary chairman, in the activities of the Ukrainian Church Council, the work of which was interrupted by the civil war that began in Ukraine.
On January 22, 1918, the Bolsheviks began shelling Kyiv, and by the evening of January 23, they captured the Lavra with barbarity and violence that surpassed the Mongol ones when they sacked Kiev and the Lavra in 1240. Vladyka Vladimir did not leave the monastery and continued, remaining outwardly calm, to lead a normal life and even engage in literary work.
On the evening of January 25, five armed soldiers led by a sailor burst into the bishop’s chambers and, giving him a little more than half an hour to get ready, took Metropolitan Vladimir first to the Lavra courtyard, and then outside the Economic Gate of the Lavra.
In his dying moment, in prayer to the Lord, the Metropolitan also asked for forgiveness of his murderers. Blessing them with both hands, the bishop accepted a martyr's death: in the report of the medical examination of the body of the murdered metropolitan, it is recorded that the archpastor was shot with explosive bullets and stabbed with cold, sharp weapons. Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, called the martyrdom of Metropolitan Vladimir “a fragrant sacrifice to cleanse the sins of Mother Russia.” Metropolitan Arseny (Stadnitsky) adds: “The main element of his spiritual life was the humility of a publican, and not a Pharisee - that true humility, which consists in the awareness of one’s weaknesses. And on it the words of the Savior were fulfilled: “He who humbles himself will be exalted.” He was elevated to such a height as is only possible in the position of a hierarch. But this humility, this modesty, this shyness was combined in him with a burning spirit. The words of the holy Apostle Paul were fulfilled on it: burning in spirit, working for the Lord (Rom. 12:11). He was truly on fire in spirit, burning with zeal for the House of God.
He pointed out that the Church of Christ is being undermined by numerous enemies, that the sufferings of Christ are repeated in the sufferings of the Church of Christ, which is His Body. Like Christ, before His suffering he called his disciples to watchfulness and prayer, so as not to fall into temptation, and he called on all believers, and especially shepherds, so that they would not sleep and rest, but would go out into spiritual struggle against the dark forces of this age. The burning of the spirit was also revealed in the fact that he wanted the covenants of Christ to be assimilated by all Christians, so that they would be Christians not only in name, but in reality.
He looked at his service as an obedience that he must fulfill to the end, firmly and unshakably, like a true warrior, standing at his post even until death. And no one who knows him will accuse him of bending this and ovamo. He walked along the straight path, and there was no stain of adaptability on his fair brow. He watered the service of the Russian Church with blood and gave up nothing of his duty. And on it the words of the Seer are fulfilled: Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).”
The memory of Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia, is celebrated on January 25, the day of his martyrdom, as well as on the Sunday after January 25 - on the day of the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.
Life is right. Juliania is described by her son Kallistrat Osorin, who in 1640 was the governor; he brings God as a witness that he wrote the truth, and allows his words to be verified by questioning his neighbors who personally knew the life of Juliana. This is a description in Tsarsky No. 129, 136, in Tolstoy with a description of miracles (2. No. 303). In the Russian translation, this life, with the exception of a few, was published in the Russian Bulletin (1858, No. 19). The true story, but without a description of miracles, was published in: Monuments of Ancient Russian Literature, published by Count Grigory Kushelev-Bezborodko. Vol. 1–4. St. Petersburg, 1860–1862. Vol. 1 (hereinafter referred to as Monuments of Ancient Russian Literature. – Ed.).
“When her venerable repose drew near, she fell ill on December 26 and lay in bed for 6 days.” Therefore, death on the 7th day after December 26 followed on January 2. And yet in the printed edition it is stated: “Genvar in 4 days”, the latter is a scribe’s error. In the RKP. Saints: “St. bolyarina Juliana, already in the village. Lazarevsky, new wonderworker, reposed in L. 7112 (1604) m. January on the 2nd day." Osorin: “buried at the church of righteous Lazarus, next to her husband, in the village. Lazarev, four miles from the city, in l. 7112 (1604) gen. at 10 days.” Rights Service Juliania at Tolstoy 3. No. 68
His suffering under the RKP. Athonite Skete of St. The Forerunners are described in: The Athonite Patericon or the biography of the saints who shone on the Holy Mount Athos: In 2 hours. St. Petersburg, 1860. Part 2 (hereinafter referred to as the Athonite Patericon. - Ed.).
Rufinos Aquileiensis / Historia Monachorum; Aegypt.mon. hist. in ecclesiae graec. monum. 3, 175. “Venimus ad civitatem quondam Thebaidis,” says Rufinus, speaking of Oxyrhynchus.
Memorable tales about the asceticism of the holy and blessed fathers. M., 1845 (hereinafter – Memorable tales. – Ed.).
Ammianus Marcellinus. Acts in thirty-one books. Lib. 22. “There are many cities in Thebaid; more famous than the others Hermopolis, Koptos and Antinous, which was imp. Hadrian built it in honor of his favorite Antinous.” According to its founder, Antinous is called Adrianople. So is St. Amon, under the definitions of the council of 394, signed: “Amon of Adrianople,” while Theophilus, Archbishop. Alexandria, wrote a letter to Amun, bishop. Thebaids. For the bishops of Thebaid, see: Le Quien. Oriens christianus in quatuor patriarchates digestus, in quo exhibentur Ecclesiae patriarchae caeterique praesules totius Orientis. 3 vols. Paris, 1740. V. II (hereinafter – Le Quien. Oriens christianus. – Ed.). Norov calls Bishop. Amon, whose tomb stands in the mosque, is a martyr (Norov A.S. Travel through Egypt and Nubia in 1834–1835: In 2 hours. St. Petersburg, 1840). But this is not in accordance with reality. Bishop Ammon, who died a martyr under Diocletian, was the bishop of Latopolis or Asna (Le Quien. Oriens christianus).
In the Russian translation of Lavsaik (Palladius of Elenopolsky. Lavsaik, or Narrative of the Life of the Holy and Blessed Fathers. St. Petersburg, 1850 (hereinafter referred to as Palladius of Elenopolsky. Lavsaik. - Ed.)), as in the Latin, Ammatalida. This is a mistake: two words, a common noun and a personal one, are combined into one. Amma - mother, a common Coptic name for respected ascetics. Palladius Pitirim about St. Isidore: “She is Amma for you and for me,” and Palladius added: “That’s what spiritual mothers are called there” (see: Palladius of Elenopolis. Lavsaik). In Heraclides (chapter 48) Talida is called Amata. For Ludolf, Amat is the slave of Amat, Vaged is the slave of the only one, that is, the Son of God (Ludolfi. Ad soam historiam aethiopicam commentaries).
Vitae part. Lib. 4. c. 5. paragraph 1, 23.
According to the old Slavic translation: “you can never take a new robe or a mantle or a donkey if you want.”
About Talid and Taor, see: Palladius of Elenopolis. Lawsaik; Heraclides, ch. 48. Memory of St. Talide and Taore on cheese Saturday. Among the Abyssinians, St. Amata of Christ May 28 (23).
"Palladium of Elenopolsky. Lovesaik.
Palladium of Elenopolsky. Lovesaik. Memory is tormented. Kolluf, burned under Maximian, May 19th. The name of the saint whom Palladius speaks of is not shown to him and remains unknown. There are many nameless saints in the Greek month. See: Vershinsky D.S. Months of the Orthodox-Catholic Eastern Church. St. Petersburg, 1856 (hereinafter – Vershinsky D.S. Mesyatseslov. – Ed.).
Egyptian Patericon, ch. 54. Prefabricated patericon under the banner. "d".
Theodoret of Cyrus. History of God-lovers, ch. 30.
St. Maron, a Syrian, labored in the desert. Lived in the 4th century. His memory is February 14.
Oh St. Domnik stichera on January 8: “You followed Him (Christ), rejecting the corruptible glory.” Another stichera: “Thou shalt shine forth from the west to the east.” Song 3: “An angel of light appears to lead the hierarch who has come to the royal city.” About paganism and the arrival from Carthage of the Synaxarion. Menologue for January 10 about Domnik: “adopted by Patr. Nectarius of Constantinople by revelation.” Complete life of St. Domniki and Moors are now unknown, but Joseph the hymn writer had it in his hands. The venerable canon for January 8 according to the acrostic 9th song - the creation of Joseph. Filaret, Archbishop. Chernigovsky. Historical overview of the hymns and hymns of the Greek Church. Chernigov, 1864.
Vasily’s menologist for January 10: “He (Patr. Nektarios) not only brought her into the monastery of St. Prophet Zechariah, but also ordained her as a deaconess.”
Kodin about the buildings of Constantinople: “two monasteries, one St. Domniki, nicknamed Alexandrov, the other - St. Moors. They were built under the imp. Theodosius the Great. Then those holy women came from Rome (from the western half of the empire) and, having received from the emperor the then uninhabited seaside places, they built monasteries on them" (Georgius Codinus. De antiquitatibus Constantinopolitanis. Ex recogn. Immanuelis Bekkeri. Bonnae. 1843 (hereinafter - Georgius Codinus. De antiquitatibus Constantinopolitanis. - Ed.). Canto 6th about St. Domnica: “the sacred prophecy of the divine Zechariah the wise prophet rested in the monastery of St. Peter the standard-bearer, celebrated on January 3. Description of the Rumyantsev Museum Du Cange. 1729 (hereinafter – Du Cange. Constantinopolis Christiana. – Ed.).
Synaxarion: “having chosen a solitary life, she devoted herself to courageous labors and, having reached the pinnacle of asceticism, was awarded the gift of miracles and predicted the future for many.”
Slavic stichera, which is not in the Greek Menaions. The same in another stichera.
Songs 7 and 8 of the canon for January 8.
Words from Vasily's Menologue. Song 5: “the radiance of the Spirit is shown by those who are far away, as if they are near (existing) and future events are foreshadowed”
Song 4. The Slavic translation is very incorrect. Song 6: “Thou art a stream of healing appeared in abundance.”
Vasily’s menologist: “even survived until the times of the emperors Leo and Zeno.” Also – Synaxarion.
Canto 8. In canto 7: “being the temple of the Holy Spirit, in the holy church you heard a voice teaching you the mysteries and the honest departure from the body.”
Georgius Codinus. De antiquitatibus Constantinopolitanis; Du Sasche. Constantinopolis Christiana
Collection l. 1, 94. 2, 279, 7, 6. 7.
Evgeny (Bolkhovitinov), Metropolitan. Description of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Kiev, 1826 (hereinafter referred to as Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), Metropolitan. Description of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
Ancient Russian vivliofika / Ed. N. I. Novikov: At 20 o'clock M., 1788–1791. Part IV.
The story of the beginning and foundation of the Pechersk Monastery was taken from ancient chroniclers found in the book depository of this monastery. M., 1831 (hereinafter referred to as The Tale of the Beginning and Foundation of the Pechersky Monastery); Russian time book, that is, Chronicler, containing Russian history from 6370/862 years to 7189/1681 years: Divided into two parts. M., 1790. Part 2 (hereinafter referred to as Russian Time Book. – Ed.). In Tsarsky (No. 136), the suffering of St. Isidora, described by Varlaam, otherwise known as Vasily, is, as is his custom, verbose and with a pitiful paucity of thoughts. According to the RCP. Saints, the sufferers died on January 9, 1472. We follow the printed “Tale of the Pechersk Monastery” and “Russian Time Book”.
Grigorovich-Barsky V. Essay on a trip to European Turkey. Kazan, 1848 (hereinafter referred to as V. Grigorovich. Essay on the journey. – Ed.); News of the Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. T. IX (hereinafter – IORYAS. – Ed.).
Obolensky's preface to the “Pereyaslavl Chronicle” (M., 1857. P. 29, 31, 35, 47). Filaret, Archbishop. Chernigovsky. Review of Russian spiritual literature, 862–1720. Kharkov, 1859–1861. Book 1, § 6 (hereinafter – Filaret, Archbishop of Chernigov. Review of Russian spiritual literature. – Ed.).
Grigorovich V. Travel essay.
The sufferings of the martyrs Julian and Basilissa are described by an eyewitness, for the preface says: “We have described the deeds of the saints who we saw with our own eyes.” And in their very description there is nothing that would show their later origin. “They say that the relics of St. Juliana and Kelsia in Rome, in the Church of the Apostle Paul of Ostia" (Sergius, Archimandrite. Complete Monthly Book of the East: In 2 vols. M., 1875–1876. Vol. II (hereinafter referred to as Sergius, Archimandrite Complete Monthly Book of the East. - Ed.)).
RKP. life of St. Martiniana in the Sergius Lavra library.
Pakhomievo RCP. life of Kirill.
See: Shevyrev S. Trip to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, in 1847: At 2 hours M., 1850. Part 2 (hereinafter referred to as Shevyrev S. Trip to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. - Ed.).
For example, in a charter dated March 1, 1484, Grigory Perkhutkov gives his villages and fields to the “Most Pure Mother of God in the Martinian Hermitage” (Legal Acts, or a collection of forms of ancient paperwork. St. Petersburg, 1838. No. 122 (hereinafter referred to as Legal Acts. – Ed.)). Prince Mikhail Andreevich in the name of abbot. Martiniana gave letters: with one in 1435 he gave the Krokhinskaya village to the Ferapontov monastery, with another he approved its lands for the monastery (Legal Acts. No. 5). Three other letters to the Ferapontov Monastery addressed to the abbot. Martinian (1437, 1438 and 1440) in acts 9, 1, 24, 28, 31.
Historical acts collected and published by the Archaeographic Commission: In 5 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1841–1843. T. 1 (hereinafter – Historical Acts. – Ed.); Karamzin N.M. History of the Russian State. In 12 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1803–1826. T.V. Note. 350 (hereinafter – Karamzin N.M. History of the Russian State. – Ed.)
Pachomius says that about St. Kirill “he heard from eyewitnesses of his life, but he received the most reliable information from his student Martinian, who was the abbot of the glorious Sergius Monastery.”
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy: At 6 p.m. M., 18071815. Part VI (hereinafter – Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. – Ed.). Novgorod Chronicle (Sofia Library No. 560): “in l. 6991 (1483) St. reposed. Martinian the Wonderworker January 12th – disciple of St. Cyril the Wonderworker, and lies in the Ferapontov Monastery.” Between the manuscripts of St. Philaret, according to the inventory of 1630, “the canon and life of Martinian of Belozersky.” Ivanov P.I. Description of the State Discharge Archive, with the addition of photographs from many interesting documents stored there. M., 1842 (hereinafter – Ivanov P.I. Description of the State Bit Archive. – Ed.).
Bulletin of the Geographical Society. St. Petersburg, 1854. Part 12.
So says the writer of the life of St. Martiniana.
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part VI.
“I did not compose the life based on rumor alone, but I received a lot from the disciples of the blessed one, who fasted and wandered with him, who set out what they knew on paper... I offer not fiction for praise, but the exact truth, so as not to offend him with unnecessary praise,” says the Hilandar hieromonk Dometian in his description of the life of St. Savva. On Mount Athos there is a list of Dometian's descriptions, written by the monk Theodulus in 1336 (Grigorovich V. Essay on the journey.). The list of the Serbian Patriarchate says that the life of St. Savva was compiled and copied by Hieromonk Dometian, who was in the “silent chamber” in Kareia, in l. 6762 (1254) and sent it as a gift to King Stefan Urosh. See: Russian conversation. M., 1858; Kazansky P. Life of Saint Sava, the first Archbishop of Serbia // Additions to the publication of the works of the saints. fathers. Part 8.; Dometian. Life of St. Savva. Belgrade, 1860.
Notes of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. T. XIII (hereinafter – Notes of the Geographical Society. – Ed.).
This pier-tower is still visible in the ruins of the old monastery, two hours away from the current one. About the Russian monastery, see: Collection of works and letters of Svyatogorets to his friends about Holy Mount Athos, Palestine and Russian holy places. In 4 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1865. Monuments of the most ancient monasteries of Athos: Antonin (Kapustin), archimandrite. Notes from a devotee of the Holy Mountain. K., 1864 (hereinafter - Antonin (Kapustin), archimandrite. Notes of a fan of the Holy Mountain. - Ed.).
This circumstance, sad for Rusik and not entirely worthy of Vatopedi, was aptly clarified by a fan of the Holy Mountain: Antonin (Kapustin), Archimandrite. Notes from a fan of the Holy Mountain.
The Charter of Savva, given to Hilandar, is inscribed as follows: “an indication of the life in the monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos, dedicated by the sinful and humble monk Savva” (Porfiry (Uspensky). Index of acts stored in the monastery of the Holy Mount Athos // Journal of the Ministry of Public Education. St. Petersburg, 1847. Part LV (hereinafter referred to as Porfiry (Uspensky). Index of acts. - Ed.)). One cannot help but regret that now in Hilandar, against the will of the saint, there is no hostel, and the Greeks predominate. A devotee of the Mountain signed the act of Rusik in 1427 “hegumen of illumination and the royal great monasteries of Hilantar, hieromonk Gregory” (Antonin (Kapustin), archimandrite. Notes of a devotee of the Holy Mountain). Even under Barsky there was still an abbot in Hilandar.
Charter of 1193, see: Grigorovich V. Essay on the journey.
The inscription above the royal doors with the meaning 1195 (see: Prokhorov V.A. Russian Antiquities: In 2 vols. St. Petersburg, 1871–1877).
In Kareya, the cell and the handwritten charter of Savva are still intact. Signature under the charter: “the last of all Savva is a sinner” (see: IORYAS. T. VII; Porfiry (Uspensky). Index of acts). The contents of the charter of the typical church are shown in some detail by Svyatogorets in his letters (see: Collected works and letters of Svyatogorets to his friends about Mount Athos, Palestine and Russian holy places. In 4 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1865).
Ep. Innocentii, lib. 2, ep. 176, 178. Raynaldus. Annales ad an. 1202 n. 9.
Raynaldus. Annales ad. an. 1204.
Dometian does not name the patriarch who consecrated Savva, but only says that the letter of rights was sent to the patriarch. Herman. Herman ascended the department only in 1226, and the imp. Theodore died in 1221. Therefore, the dedication of Savva could not be under the patriarch. Herman. The prologue dates the dedication of Sava to 1214, and Patr. Dositheus - by 1218. According to the Serbian chronicles of St. Savva was dedicated in 1219 (see: Glasnik Srpsk. scholarly drushtva. Book 1; 11 (hereinafter - Glasnik. - Ed.)). On the rights of the archbishop, see: Acta Sanctorum. Ian. d. 14 p.m. 980; Dosifei II (Notara), Patr. History of the Jerusalem Patriarchs. Bucharest, 1715 (hereinafter referred to as Dositheos II, Patriarch. History of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem. - Ed.); Nikon. l. 2, 282.
According to the list of the department of imp. Leo (886–897) in the metropolis of Dirachia (Drachi) bishops: 1) Stefaniak, 2) Khunova, 3) Kroi, 4) Eli, 5) Diokleia, 6) Skorda... Glavnitsa or Acroceravia,.. Chernik... 15) Gradic. According to the chronicles, the places where the saints were placed are not shown in the same places. Savvoy bishops, although everywhere it is said that 12 bishops were ordained (Glasnik. Book 1, 5, 11). Dometian says: “We have discussed with the nobles where and in which countries bishops will be installed.” Then it says: “from their disciples, they are worthy and similar to those in knowledge, these bishops are illuminated.” Under Archbishop Eustathius, the following bishops were present at the councils (see: V. Grigorovich. Essay on the trip): 1) Zetsky (who has a see at the Church of the Archangel Michael); 2) Rashsky (in the new Pazar at the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul); 3) Zvechansky (in the monastery of St. George); 4) Khvostinsky (in the Studenetsk Lavra); 5) Kholmsky (in Zakholmiya, in the Monastery of the Mother of God); 6) Prizren (in the monastery of Our Lady, on the border of Macedonia and Albania); 7) Toplichsky (at the Church of St. Nicholas); 8) Budimla (in Budimla on Morača, above Spuzh, at the Church of St.
George); 9) Liplyansky (in the monastery of Our Lady of Gracanica); 10) Skopski (neighboring Prizren); 11) Bebra (at the Church of St. Nicholas); 12) Maravichsky (in the Rudnitsa district at the Church of St. Achilus). Under the archbishop. Nicodemus (from 1318) you also see (see: Grigorovich V. Travel sketch) bishops: Branichevsky (in Branichev, at the confluence of the Mlava with the Danube, at the Church of St. Nicholas) and Machsky (on the Sava and at the confluence of the Drina into the Sava). Stefan Milyutin established a bishopric “at Rasia on the warm waters in Bansk”, at the Church of St. Nicholas; Daniel was bishop here, later archbishop. The Sopochansky commemoration also commemorates the following bishops: the White Church (Belgorod), Zvorniksky, Sremsky, Vuchetrsky (replacing Bansky), Novobrodsky, Smederevsky, Rudnichsky, Pozhegsky, Bosansky, Khersonovsky, Temishversky, Vershachsky (Notes of the Geographical Society. Vol. XIII).
What kind of heresies remained after Nemanja is not said in Dometian’s legend. A later chronicler summarizes Dometian’s news as follows: “If those who were baptized into the Latin heresy fell, he himself uttered a prayer to the world, anointing them and lamenting them back. But this is not a punishment for the Elitsa; Tsar Stephen commanded his brother to expel them with dishonor from his fatherland and not allow them to grow thorns in the place of grapes” (Glasnik. Book 10). But the Latins lived in Serbia and under Dushan. So, it was not these people that Dometian had in mind when he spoke about Sava’s feat in relation to heresies. Most likely, these were the remnants of the Arians and Bogomils.
This is also stated in the Russian Chronicles. See: Karamzin N. M. History of the Russian State. Volume IV, approx. 84, 388; Serbian Chronicle in: Glasnik. Book 5, 10.
Muravyov A.N. Letters from the East in 1849–1850: In 2 parts. St. Petersburg, 1851. Part 1 (hereinafter - Muravyov A.N. Letters from the East. - Ed.).
Nikon. l. 2, 282. 285; Glasnik. Book 10.
The charter of 1233, not completely preserved, was printed in: IORYAS. T. VII. The care of St. was not fruitless. Savva about the Zeta Department. In 1252, through the efforts of “the bishop of the entire Zeta region, Kir Neophytos, who filled in everything that was missing from the holy writers in the holy church, Arch. Michael in the place of Ilovice,” the nomocanon with complete rules and interpretations was translated again (Grigorovich V. Essay on the journey), which was transferred to Russia in 1270.
Ranke L. History of Serbia according to Serbian sources / Transl. with him. Petra Barteneva. M., 1857.
Rajic Jovan. History of various Slavic peoples, especially Bulgarians, Croats and Serbs: At 4 o'clock. Vienna, 1794–1795. Part 2 (hereinafter - Raich. History of various Slavic peoples. - Ed.).
They attributed the death of St. Savva by 1241. But in vain. Bulgarian Patr. Joachim, who performed the funeral service for him, died in the first half of 1237, when Yasen condemned Tsoruluma, present-day Chorlu (Georgios Akropolites. Historia). Consequently, the death of St. Savva followed in January 1237. So according to the chronicles: Nikon. l. 2, 287. 288; Glasnik. Book 5, 10. In the Psalter of Cyprian the memory of St. Savva on January 14, at Tsarsky No. 564, the service of Genvar 14 in memory of St. Savva. So it is in the Greek synaxar. But on Athos they celebrate his memory on January 12 (Athos Patericon. Part 2).
The Mileshev Monastery was located in Herzegovina, in a black rock village, an hour’s journey from Prilep (Notes of the Geographical Society. Vol. XV). In the ancient Serbian prologue for May 6: “On this very day, the king Vladislav brought the archbishop and the lord of the Serbian lands, the lights of Savva, to his fatherland, in his fatherland. 6742 (1234)". There is a mistake in the year. But it is clear that in Serbia they also celebrated the day of the transfer of the relics of St. Savva.
Notes of the Geographical Society. T. XIII; Athonite Patericon. Part 1.
Notes of the Geographical Society. T. XIII.
“Mother Theodora asked Pope Theophilus,” says the Patericon.
Works of Saint Isidore Pelusiot. M., 1859. Part 1.
According to the Greek Menaion, on January 12, the memory of St. Theodora of Alexandria. Among the Copts, St. Theodora the generous April 11 (6) day (Ludolfi. Ad soam historiam aethiopicam commentaries).
RKP. life of St. Eleazar // Orthodox interlocutor. 1860. No. 1. The writer says: “There will be after him Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the now reigning parent.” Further, he presents himself as a resident of the monastery, but who writes what he heard from the “storytellers.” That’s why the life was written in 1706.
Dosifey (Nemchinov), archimandrite. Geographical, statistical and historical description of the stauropegial first-class Solovetsky Monastery. M., 1836 (hereinafter referred to as Dosifei (Nemchinov), archimandrite. Description of the Solovetsky Monastery. - Ed.).
Nikon's diploma, printed in: Dosifey (Nemchinov), archimandrite. Description of the Solovetsky Monastery.
Dosifey (Nemchinov), archimandrite. Description of the Solovetsky Monastery. RKP. Saints: “St. Eleazar, builder of the Anzersk monastery, also on the Ocean.” Troparion and prayer to St. Eleazar - at Tsarskoye No. 744.
See: Lamansky V. About some Slavic manuscripts in Belgrade, Zagreb and Vienna, with philological and historical notes // Notes of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. T. 6.
See: Ibid. According to the synaxarion of Norov, the memory of St. Prokhor was placed on October 19, like St. John Rylsky (Notes of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. T. 6). This means that the relics of St. Prokhor was transferred to Ternov on the same day as the relics of St. Joanna
IORYAS. T. VI; Grigorovich V. Travel essay.
IORYAS. T. VI; Momirovich D. Brief history and geography of Serbia. St. Petersburg, 1839.
In the manuscript of the Belgrade Library there are two lives of St. Romila, one is short, the other is lengthy; the latter, written by Gregory Tsamblak, is also found in the synaxar of Hilferding (IORYAS. T. VIII). Extracts from the Belgrade manuscript (Glasnik. Book 9, 4).
For a brief life, see: Glasnik. Book 9. The service to the monk was scheduled for January 16 (Glasnik. Book 11).
For his suffering, see: Athos Patericon. Part 2.
Svistovo - on the banks of the Danube. Now there are 4 churches here. Gabrovo - south of Ternov, on the same Yantra River on which Ternov is located. The inhabitants there and here are predominantly Bulgarians. Grigorovich V. Travel essay.
Note about the Vologda saints. See the inscription on the shrine of Blessed Andrew on the 10th of October
RKP. life of St. Varlaam.
RKP. life of St. Anthony with miracles was compiled late, in the 17th century, and therefore with many errors; for example: it says that the monk built the church in his monastery according to the charter of Prince Alexander Nevsky and with the blessing of the Novgorod Archbishop Isaiah. But there was no such archbishop in Novgorod, as is known from the chronicles (Collected fol. 3. 54–57. 180–182). It is said that Anthony was sent from Khutyn to the blessed patriarch. Athanasius to Constantinople. But Athanasius was not among the patriarchs in Constantinople at that time. The patriarchs were: from 1186 Nikita, from 1190 Leontius, then Theoktist, Dositheus and George Xyphilinus, who died in 1198; after him John Kamater, under whom Constantinople was taken by the Latins in 1204; from that time on, the patriarchs began to live in Nicaea; but Patriarch Athanasius was not here either.
This is how Anthony’s years and the day of his death in the RKP are shown. hagiography since in 1192, when St. Varlaam appointed him as his successor, he was at least 35 years old, then the remaining 32 years of his 67 years of life end in 1224. According to the RCP. Saints "St. Anthony Abbot of Dymen, disciple of Varlaam, reposed,” according to one list: “April on the 13th day,” according to another: “August on the 13th day.” Ratshin A. Complete collection of historical information about all former and currently existing monasteries. M., 1852 (hereinafter – Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries. – Ed.).
RKP. life, see: Bashutsky A.P. Tikhvin monasteries. St. Petersburg, 1854. Valaam monks lived in the Dymskaya monastery since 1561; in 1618 they were transferred to the Vasilievsky Monastery (Scribe book // Temporary of the Society of History and Antiquities. Book 6; Acts collected in the libraries and archives of the Russian Empire by the Archaeographic Expedition of the Imperial Academy of Sciences / Additional and ed. by the Highest Established Commission: In 4 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1836. Vol. 3 (hereinafter – Acts collected by the Archaeographic Expedition. – Ed.)).
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part IV; Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries; RKP. hagiography
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part IV; Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries; Historical dictionary about the saints of the Russian Church. St. Petersburg, 1836–1860 (hereinafter referred to as the Dictionary of Saints. – Ed.). According to the 1662 census, the Anthony Monastery has 529 settler households.
RKP. Saints; Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part III; Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries; Dictionary of Saints. The Chernoozersky monastery was burned, the abbot and brethren were killed by the Poles in 1585 (Nevolin K.A. About the pyatinas and churchyards of Novgorod in the 16th century, with a map attached. St. Petersburg, 1853 (hereinafter - Nevolin K.A. About the pyatinas and churchyards. - Ed.).
RKP. legends about blessed Theodore.
Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries; Dictionary of Saints; Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. Archaeological description of church antiquities in Novgorod and its environs. In 2 parts. M., 1860. Part 1 (hereinafter referred to as Makariy (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. Archaeological description of church antiquities in Novgorod. - Ed.).
A detailed study of the life and writings of St. Maxim was published in “Moskvityanin” for 1842, No. 11, pp. 45–96.
For the letter of the Grand Duke to Athos and the response of the Athos people, see: Temporary of the Imperial Moscow Society of History and Russian Antiquities. In 25 volumes. M., 1849–1857. Book 5 (hereinafter – Temporary of the Society of History and Antiquities. – Ed.).
Cont. Nestor (M., 1784): “that same month (in which Vorotynsky was forgiven; and he was forgiven in February 1525. See: Collection of state charters and agreements: At 5 o’clock M., parts 1–4, 1813–1828, part 5, 1894 (hereinafter referred to as the Collection of state charters and agreements. - Ed.) visited the Grand Duke cathedral." List from the court case: "Metropolitan (Daniil) ordered (1531) Dosifei, Bishop of Krutitsky, to ask Maxim what the punishment was for Maxim and Savva in the courtyard, in the chamber; then the metropolitan had many councils in his chamber, in the summer of 7033 (1525). Maxim about those blasphemies that arrived in the months of April and the month of May" (Reader OIDR. 1847. No. 9). Maxim's accusers, by the will of Daniel, were the Chudovsky archimandrite Jonah and Vassian Toporko, a monk of Volokolamsk, who was subsequently ordained as Bishop of Kolomna on April 2, 1525. 347. Karamzin N. M. History of the Russian State T. VII, note 331, 383.
Judgment list of Maxim the Greek (16th century). For Maxim’s confession and his answering word, see: Plato (Levshin), Metropolitan. Moscow. Brief Church Russian History: In 2 parts M., 1805 (hereinafter - Plato (Levshin), Metropolitan Brief Church History. - Ed.).
Judgment list of Maxim the Greek (16th century).
Church historical month book of the Trinity Lavra. M., 1850. Here “21 January. memory of St. Maxim the Greek." RKP. Saints: “St. Maxim the Greek Mount Athos reposed in f. 7064".
A detailed examination of the works of St. Maxim in the magazine “Moskvityanin” (M., 1842. No. 11), where two were published. For a complete list, see: Filaret, Archbishop. Chernigovsky. Review of Russian spiritual literature. Book 1, § 130.
Plato (Levshin), Metropolitan. Brief Church History. Part 2.
“To those who say that throughout the bright week the sun never set.”
For the words of the synodik, see: Sakharov I.P. History of public education in the Tula province. M., 1832.
Leonid (Kavelin), archimandrite. Church-historical study of the ancient region of Vyatichi // Read. OIDR. 1862. Book. 2. According to another list of calendars, “St. Macarius Belevsky Zhabynsky reposed in l. 7130 September on the 22nd day.” The year and day of death are undoubtedly those indicated in the synod of the desert; and September 22 was probably the day of the witnessing of the relics.
RKP. life of St. Gennady, described by his student Alexy c. 1585 in the general library. ist. No. 42, to the Synod. library No. 929, in Imperial. book No. 710. Extract from it in the prologue on January 23. Life of St. Gennady, described by his student Alexy // Yaroslavl Diocesan Gazette. 1860. No. 31. In the prologue of January 23, with some additions. In the later edition of the life, more additions were made. In Imp. public library No. 710, except for the life of “Gennady’s punishment.”
This instruction is printed according to the RKP. XVI and XVII centuries Nevostruev (see: Old Russian teachings and messages to monks about monastic life / Publ. and notes by K. Nevostruev // Materials for the history of the Russian Church. Kharkov, 1862). In the RKP. it is without the name of the author, but the Little Russian expressions found in it - parobok, uzimati, chi - together with the tense of the lists of instructions, show that it belongs to St. Gennady, a native of Mogilev.
Nikon. l. 7, 65. Tatishchev V.N. Russian history from the most ancient times. In 5 vols. M., 1768–1848. T. 4 (hereinafter – Tatishchev V.N. Russian History. – Ed.)
According to the chronicles, Cyprian, otherwise Cyriacus, was dedicated in January 1547 and was at the councils of 1547 and 1551. (Karamzin N.M., Smirdin A.F. Notes to the History of the Russian State, volumes 7–9. St. Petersburg, 1852. Note 197, 246 to 8 volumes; Note 87 to 9 volumes). In the “History of the Hierarchy” (Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian Hierarchy. Part I) the year of his death is not shown, and his successor Joasaph is said to be mentioned in 1560, 1562, 1566. If Cyprian died in 1559, then Gennady was with him in 1555.
This is how time is shown in the RKP. Life and Prologue. RKP. Saints: “St. Gennady Abba, the head of the monastery, like the wonderworker on Sursky Lake, Kostroma and Lyubimograd, reposed in L. 7073 (1565) of the month of January on the 23rd day.”
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part III; Ratshin A. Complete collection of information about monasteries.
RKP. Rev. service Gennady - in the general library. ist. No. 42.
Life of St. Eusebius see: Acta Sanctorum. Januar. II, 598; Chetyi-Minea January 24 (in the latter with a few abbreviations). Written by a contemporary. The biographer says at the beginning: “And our times have been given by God a great miracle and a glorious mystery, which I consider necessary to write down in writing and commemorate the memory of posterity.” Ancient translation by Tsarsky No. 192, 614. In the prologue of January 24, a translation of the Synaxarion. There is short news in Vasily’s menology.
Menologist: “due to women’s weakness, I was perplexed as to where to lay my head.”
For the diocese of Milas, see: Le Quien. Oriens christianus. V.I.
Nicephorus Kallistos directly writes that St. Eusevia was famous for her exploits when St. Petersburg lived. Euthymius (f 473); imp. Evdokia (f 451) visited St. places. Le Quien. Oriens christianus. V.I.
Memory of St. Eusebius in the Greek and Roman Churches on January 24, among the Abyssinians on January 19 (24).
Grigory Dvoeslov. Interviews about the life of the Italian fathers and the immortality of the soul. Kazan, 1858. Book. 4, ch. 25. Cheti-Minea May 16 days.
John Mosch. Spiritual meadow. M., 1853 (hereinafter referred to as MoschI. Spiritual meadow. - Ed.). John Mosch. Spiritual meadow. M., 1853 (hereinafter – MoskhI. Spiritual meadow. – Ed.)
Menaion Met. Macaria January 24; the life of a new martyr in Tolstoy 2, No. 68, 266, in Tsarsky No. 396; from the letter of Metropolitan. Hermogenes, it was published in “Scientific Notes of Kazan University” (1839. Book 4). RKP. Saints: “St. John was killed quickly in l. 7037 months January on the 24th day."
RKP. life of St. Moses, described by Pachomius; at Tsarskoe No. 133, 136; in the Menaion Met. Macaria. Surprisingly, it is not rich in content.
In the RKP. Saints: “Macarius the hermit, hegumen like on Mier, from Novgorod 40 fields.”
Collection l. 3, 181. 182. Snegirev I. M. Monuments of Moscow antiquity. M., 1842–1845.
Collection l. 3, 74. 75. 182. Lvov. l. 2, 85–88. Russian temporary book. Part 1. The compiler of the 3rd Novgorod Chronicle (111, 224), mistaking the Mother of God Church on Tithes for the Mother of God Church on Molotkov, brought in the builder of the Molotkov Church of the princes. Yaroslavl will tell you about the construction of the Tithe Church, while it had already been buried in the ground for almost a hundred years.
Collection l. 3, 58. 88. Lviv. l. 2, 118.
Collection l. 3, 86. 122. 139. 228; IORYAS. T. VI; Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part III. The abbot of the Spiritual Monastery was mentioned in the chronicle in 1162. Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. Archaeological description of church antiquities in Novgorod. Part 1.
Parish churches built by St. Moses: Znamensky (in 1354), Prokopiev (in 1359), Blagoveshchensky (in 1362). Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. Archaeological description of church antiquities in Novgorod Part 1.
Gorsky A.V., Nevostruev K.I. Description of Slavic manuscripts of the Moscow Synodal Library. M., 1855–1869; IORYAS. T.VI. Probably during St. The service book of the Derevyanitsky Monastery of the 14th century was also written by Moses. (Ibid.).
Zabelin I. Description of the Novgorod shrine in 1634 // Readings in the Society of Russian History and Antiquities, 1862, Book. 4. pp. 31, 32 (hereinafter – Reading OIDR. – Ed.); IORYAS. T VI.
Collection l. 3, 86. 87. 182. 227. 228; Soloviev P. Description of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. St. Petersburg, 1858 (hereinafter - Solovyov P. Description of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. - Ed.).
RKP. life of St. Moses; Pachomius’ service to him at Tsarskogo No. 133. 136. 364. 563. In the rite of installation of a bishop (1646), the intercession is requested: “like our holy fathers Nikita and Niphon, bishops, John, Euthymius, Jonah, Moses and Serapion, archbishops, etc. Father Anthony of Rome and Varlaam of Khutyn, Novgorod miracle workers" (Historical Acts. Vol. 4). Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod his letters of 1650 and 1651. ended like this: “The mercy of St. Sophia and the great wonderworkers, Nikita and Niphont bishops, John, Euthymius, Jonah, Moses and Serapion, archbishops of Novgorod - may it be upon you” (Dosifei (Nemchinov), archimandrite. Description of the Solovetsky Monastery. Section III).
Thurs. OIDR. M., 1862. Book. 4.
Life of St. Paul is described by Blessed. Jerome: Mig^, Patrol. I. 22 p. 878. For a Russian translation (not very skillful), see: Christian Reading. 1847. No. 4, 186.
Er. 22. The letter was written in 384, shortly after Jerome's return to Bethlehem. In a letter to Eustochia it was written: “I remember that almost 5 years before this, when I was in Rome, I read Ecclesiastes with Saint Blesilla in order to challenge her to renounce the world and recognize everything worldly as emptiness; I explained to her the dark passages so that she could understand what she was reading” (Er. 116). In a letter to Pavle: “if (Blesilla) speaks Greek, you would think that she does not know Latin. If you turn to Roman sounds, you won’t notice anything foreign in the speech. In a few, I don’t say months, but days, she overcame the difficulties of the Hebrew language to the point that she competed with her mother in studying and singing psalms” (Er. 25)
Hieronymus. Ep. 107, Ad Laetam de institutione filiae.
Message of the Council of 381: “We declare the venerable and reverent Cyril bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, which is the mother of all churches.” Theodoret, Cyrus. Church history. St. Petersburg, 1852 (hereinafter referred to as Theodorit, Kirsky. Church history. -Ed.).
Chronicle of Eusebius: “under Domitilla, many Christians accomplished the feat of martyrdom; between them and Flavia Domitilla, the sister-grandson of the consul Flavius Clement, was exiled to the island of Pontius for professing to be a Christian.” Memory of St. Virgin Martyr Domitilla May 7. Usuardi Martyrol. ad 7 Mai; Acta Sanctorum ad 12 Maii.
Igum. Daniel of the 12th century: “The island of Cyprus is very large, there are 24 bishoprics in it, and all the metropolis is one. And there are many saints, without number. There lies St. Epiphanius and the Apostle Barnabas and St. Zeno and St. Philachris is a bishop, he was baptized by Paul, the apostle of Christ" (The Journey of Abbot Daniel around the Holy Land at the beginning of the 12th century / Published by A. S. Norov. St. Petersburg, 1864 (hereinafter referred to as the Travel of Abbot Daniel. -Ed.))
Greek traveler of the 12th century Phocas: “Near Sidon, on the very seaside, the castle of Sarepta was founded and in the middle of the city the church of the prophet Elijah in the house of the widow who received him.” The Journey of Abbot Daniel
Caesarea seaside, different from Philippi, neighboring Lebanon, is now ruins (Allioli bibl. Altherth. 2, 424–426). Philip, who baptized the Samaritans and the eunuch of the queen of Candace, was one of the seven deacons (Acts 8:13–27). His four virgin daughters were endowed with the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:8-10); two of them died virgins in Hierapolis, as Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus in the 2nd century, testifies. (Eusebius Pamphilus. Church history. St. Petersburg, 1848); one daughter Ermiopolia is a martyr (Sept. 4). This is not like the Apostle Philip, a Bethsaite, one of the twelve disciples of the Savior (John 1:43; 12:21; Acts 1:13; Luke 6:14). Nicephorus Callistus (2, 44), confusing the deacon Philip with the apostle Philip, attributed daughters to the latter.
Daniel: “From there from (Sevasta) 4 miles from Arimathea; there is a place in the stone mountains, a small town has been created; in that town the tomb of St. Joseph of Arimathea, who also asked Pilate for the body of Jesus" (The Journey of Abbot Daniel)
About Emmaus, the words of Daniel and the Western pilgrims, see: The Journey of Abbot Daniel.
Tower of the flock 4 versts from Bethlehem. Equal to the Apostles Helen built a church here (Nicephorus Callistus. Church History. L. 8. cap. 30). Epiphanius the monk in “The Traveler of Jerusalem”: “In the East of Bethlehem, a monastery called the Sheep Monastery was built; Here the shepherds saw an Angel who told them: “Leave the sheep and sing joyfully.”
Igum. Daniel: “From Samaria there is a place to the west of the face 2 miles away, the name of the place is Sevastipol. A town was created in that place and in that town the prison of St. John the Baptist and in that prison John the Baptist was beheaded; his tomb is also there; A church was founded on the site in the name of St. John the Baptist" (The Journey of Abbot Daniel). “They pointed it out to me,” says A.S. Norov, - also on the tomb of Obadiah. The tombs are located in an underground church, which is entered by a staircase of 20 steps; the door of the dungeon is carved from granite monomet, just like the doors of the royal tombs" (Ibid.)
Life of St. Marcian in the Chetya-Menaiah Feb. 13. Igum. Daniel: “the same mountain (in Caesarea) is 2 miles away from Caesarea; St. lived on that mountain. Father Marcian, a harlot came to him to tempt him” (The Journey of Abbot Daniel).
Martyrology of Usuardi for January 27: “in Bethlehem Judas the Dormition of St. Pavly; Her life, wonderful in virtues, was described by St. Jerome testified that she was crowned with long martyrdom.” According to the Roman Martyrology, her death was on January 20. About the year of Roswein's death in notis ad vitam s. Pavlae.
St. Ephraim was born in the city of Nizibia, in Mesopotamia, at the beginning of the 4th century.
See other about his writings: Filaret, Archbishop. Chernigovsky. Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church: In 3 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1859 (hereinafter - Filaret, Archbishop of Chernigov. Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. - Ed.).
St. moved to Edessa. Ephraim already after the death of St. James of Nisibite.
Abraham, Simeon, Mara, Zinovy and others.
Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. A legend about the life and works of Saint Stephen, Bishop of Perm. St. Petersburg, 1856 (hereinafter - Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. The legend of the life and works of St. Stephen. - Ed.). Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part VI. Another similar icon, also ancient, stands on the Ascension Ust-Vym Church (Ibid.).
Plushar A. A. Encyclopedic Lexicon: In 17 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1834–1841. T. 12.
Extract from a modern note in the Vologda Diocesan Gazette (1865, No. 22). The Ust-Vym priest Evtikhiy (in 1717) wrote to the secretary of the Vologda bishop's house: “We are writing to you, sir, about what is in the bishop's house or in the cathedral church or in your mercy about the beginning and about the presence on Ustvy, the bishopric of Stefan, Bishop of Perm, and after him other bishops in a row and miracle workers Gerasim, Pitirim and Jonah, in what years did they serve as bishops and where were they from and which bishop and miracle worker spent how many years in the bishopric, and what were the deaths of miracle workers and what of the miracles and which bishop rests where and in which years he and the Ustvys were transferred to Vologda? We do not know, and the pilgrims who come to the miracle workers condemn the matter that we do not know; Yes, and their shrines should be written in full about the above-mentioned matter. For their sake, the miracle workers, order them to find it and report it to the bishop of God and write it out and send it to us in Ustvym.” What the clerk of the Vologda bishop did on this subject remains unknown.
Collection l. 6, 129; Karamzin N. M. History of the Russian State. T. V, approx. 254.
His coffin is now in the Ustvym Cathedral. Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part I
Lamentation over the death of St. Stefan. These words cannot be attributed to the time after the death of St. Stephen, because then the shepherd Isaac was immediately ordained.
For the word on the procession of the Holy Spirit, see: Additions to the Historical Acts, collected and published by the Archaeographic Commission: In 12 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1846–1872. T. 1 (hereinafter – Additions to Historical Acts. – Ed.)
Collection l. 6, 166; Historical acts. T. 1
Macarius (Mirolyubov), archimandrite. The story of the life and works of St. Stefan. RKP.saints: ≪St. Bishop Gerasim, the Perm miracle worker, was quickly strangled, in another list the addition: “with his omophorion from his household,” in the third list it is said: “from the godless Vogulich in l. 6900 of the month of January on the 24th day≫. Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part I
Historical acts. T. 1. In Shchekatov in his dictionary (Shchekatov A.M. Geographical Dictionary of the Russian State: At 7 hours M., 1801–1809. Part 2 (hereinafter referred to as Shchekatov A.M. Geographical Dictionary. - Ed.)) after St. Gerasima - Jonah and Cyprian, St. Pitirim, St. Jonah, Philotheus and Nikon. But Jonah and Cyprian before St. Pitirima is a mistake. Cyprian had been bishop since January 1545.
The power book of the royal genealogy: In 2 parts. M., 1775. Part 1 (hereinafter referred to as the power book. - Ed.). Two canons of St. Alexius - “the creation of Pitirim, Bishop of Perm” - in the menaions for May 20.
Collection l. 4, 124. For research experience about ancient Ugra, see: Bulletin of the Geographical Society. St. Petersburg, 1855. T. 14.
Description RKP. at Tsarskoye No. 48.
Arkhangelsk Chronicler under 6963; Tatishchev V.N. Russian history. According to the RCP. Saints: “St. Pitirim, Bishop of Perm, wonderworker, reposed in L. 6900 of the month of August on the 19th day.” The year is not defined here (Collected l. 4, 147. 6, 271. 6, 180).
Already in the charter of 1522, on August 19, it was said: “On the same day, Bishop Pitirim of Perm was killed by the godless Vogulich” (Description of Russian and Slovenian manuscripts of the Rumyantsev Museum / Compiled by A. Vostokov. St. Petersburg, 1842 (hereinafter - Description of the Rumyantsev Museum. - Ed.)).
Historical acts. T. 1, No. 272.
Historical acts. T. 1, No. 69.
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part I. Typographical chronicle for 1462
Epiphanius in the life of Stephen: “Great Perm, the verb Chusovaya... the fourth river (it) is the Kama; This is why they pass through the whole land of Perm, and through it there are many nations.” Collection l. 5, 250. “The third river Vyatka flows to the other side of Perm and down into the Kama; This same river Kama bypasses the entire land of Perm; to this day there are many nations sitting."
Journal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. T. XXIX, dept. III (hereinafter – Journal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. – Ed.).
Letter to Perm the Great, to Cherdyn: “The peasants of the Obvinsky and Invensky camps were allied by letter and the Siberian holidays with them Permich from ancient times, just as Perm was brought into baptism.” According to another charter, in Perm the Great, Cherdyn: “In Perm the Theological Monastery is one in common, as the Permians received baptism” (Historical Acts. Vol. 1, No. 207). It is clear that the author of the article about the life of the Permians (Magazine of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. T. XXIX, section III) is mistaken in thinking that in the Invenskaya dacha, the main group of Permians, Christianity arose either at the end of the 16th century, or at the beginning of the 17th century.
Ambrose (Ornatsky), archimandrite. History of the Russian hierarchy. Part V
In the Arkhangelsk Chronicle the day of his death is shown as the 6th day of June; in the Sofia Chronicle (collection l. 6, 190) - November 8, 1470 According to the RKP. Saints: “St. Bishop Jonah, the Perm miracle worker, who was at the mouth of the Tselma River, near Sol, reposed in l. 6979 months October 29 days."