Обретение и перенесение честных мощей Алексия, митрополита всей России и чудотворца

In the days of the pious Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich 3334, the autocrat of all Russia, after about 60 years had passed since the death of Saint Alexy, the all-merciful God, marvelous in His saints and glorifying them, thus revealed a priceless treasure, that is, the multi-healing relics of this holy great saint, Metropolitan Alexy. Since the first church, built in this monastery in 3335 by Saint Alexy himself in the name of the holy Archangel Michael, in memory of his former miracle in Khony, was wooden, it happened that the roof of this church, which had fallen into disrepair over time, collapsed during the Divine Liturgy, and according to God’s dispensation, everyone who was in the church at that time remained unharmed. Then the Grand Duke ordered the construction of a stone church, and when they began to dig ditches inside the former wooden church for the foundation of a new church, they found the relics of the great saint Saint Alexis intact and even the clothes on him undecayed. Soon after this, a stone church was built in the name of the Holy Archangel Michael with a chapel on the south side in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. This church had three steps up from the ground, but was smaller than the previous wooden church, which, although larger, was built in one step, and the floor in it was laid directly on the ground. When the newly built church was properly decorated and consecrated, the multi-healing relics of St. Alexis were brought into it and placed in the chapel of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. After this, many years passed, and during the reign of Grand Duke John Vasilyevich 3336 under the Right Reverend Metropolitan Gerontius 3337, through the efforts of Archimandrite Gennady of this monastery, a new church with a meal began to be built in the name of the holy Metropolitan Alexy, but this church was not finished then, since Archimandrite Gennady was installed as archbishop in Veliky Novgorod 3338. Some time after this, when, thanks to the zeal of the same Archbishop Gennady, the church and the refectory, as well as other buildings, were completed and the church was decorated and consecrated, the venerable relics of Saint Alexis were transferred from the chapel of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and placed against the wall on the south side in the church created in his name. In 1534, Grand Duke Vasily Ioannovich 3339 ordered to make a silver reliquary for the relics of the wonderworker Alexy, on the top board of it to arrange an image of Saint Alexy himself from silver and decorate it with gold, stones and beads. The shrine was completed after the death of the Grand Duke, in 1535, and the body of Saint Alexy was placed in it under his son, Grand Duke John Vasilyevich 3340, on the day of the saint’s death, on the 12th day of February from Thursday to Friday of the first week of Great Lent. The shrine with the relics of St. Alexius stood in the indicated place for about two hundred years, until 1686. Since the church and the refectory, built by the Novgorod Archbishop Gennady, fell into disrepair, in 1683, by order of the pious Tsar and Grand Duke Theodore Alexievich 3341, the autocrat of All Russia, and with the blessing of Joachim, the most holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, with the diligence and diligence of the former the rector of the monastery, Archimandrite Adrian, who soon after that was the metropolitan of the royal city of Kazan 3342, and subsequently, by the grace of God, was elevated to the rank of His Holiness Patriarch of the reigning great city of Moscow and all Russia 3343, a new large meal was built in a new place. Almost all of it was taken out of the monastery and only a small part of it and one northern wall entered the monastery along with the churches, of which the first is in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, which was formerly a chapel in the church of the holy Archangel Michael, and the second next to the first, as we have already seen, in the name of the holy Metropolitan Alexy and with them two porches, or meals, arranged to house those who came to the miraculous relics to venerate them, pray and listen to church services. On the same foundation, between these two churches, a new church was built in the name of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called for the monks of the monastery, so that they could always, and especially in winter, listen to various church services separately from outside visitors to the monastery churches. In addition, on the western side of all these buildings, another meal was arranged for the monks to eat, so that they would be separated in everything from those who came to the monastery - vain worldly people, think about only God and care about their salvation, zealously practicing prayer, fasting and handicrafts, since this is the whole monastic life. For this same purpose, different entrances to the church were built from outside the monastery, for men - a special entrance to the Church of St. Alexis, and for women - also a special one to the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, so that those who came to the multi-healing relics of the saint would enter these churches from outside the monastery and stand in them, without mixing, each gender in a special church, men separately and women separately. For the monks who lived in this monastery, other entrances from inside the monastery were built into these churches and meals. This is so that the monks can lead a silent life, free from vanity, and also in order to, according to the tradition of the holy fathers and according to the rules of the monastery, have the monastery gates always closed and thereby prevent the laity from untimely entering the monastery, and the monks from leaving it at any time. For in former times there was such a rule of the monastery that for three days of the week, namely: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the monks were by no means allowed to leave the walls of the monastery, but on the remaining four days they left in case of any necessary need, and even then not without permission, but having first asked for leave from the abbot or the one who ran the monastery. When the churches and meals were completely finished and decorated with appropriate splendor, then by the hands of the pious kings and great princes John Alexievich and Peter Alexievich, the autocrats of all Great, Lesser and White Russia, and their royal dignitaries, accompanied by His Holiness All-Russian Patriarch Joachim, the bishops who were then in Moscow, the entire clergy and the multitude of people, multi-healing relics of the Great Hierarch Metropolitan Alexy with incense and aromas were transferred from the old refectory church to the newly built one and placed in the prepared place between the two churches, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and St. Alexy. This happened on the 20th day of the month of May 1686. The church in honor of the holy Metropolitan Alexy was consecrated by His Holiness Patriarch Joachim himself to the glory of the One God, glorified in the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Apostolic successors of the bishops co-throne, the shepherd and teacher of all Russia, the all-blessed Father Alexis, the Lord of all, pray to grant peace to your flock, and salvation to souls, and great mercy. Like a very rich treasure, hidden in the earth for many years, your venerable relics, the miracle-worker, have been found, the all-blessed Father Saint Alexis: from them we are enriched by the medicine we receive, and we glorify Christ saying: Glory to him who glorifies his saints. Like the sun that never sets from the tomb, your honest, incorruptible relics have risen for us for many years, Saint Alexis, grace is acceptable to you. Thou hast enriched this whole country and all with miracles and kindness through the action of grace, so that we sing to thee: Rejoice, Father, luminary of Russia. Here, of course, is Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich the Dark. He reigned from 1425 to 1462. By “this monastery” we mean the Chudov Monastery, built in 1365 by Saint Metropolitan Alexy in the Kremlin, on the site that was given to him by the Tatar queen Taidula, who was healed by him. Named Chudov in memory of the saint's miraculous healing of the latter from blindness. John III Vasilyevich was the Grand Duke of Moscow from 1462 to 1505. Metropolitan Gerontius occupied the Moscow see from 1473 to 1489. This happened on December 12, 1484. Archbishop Gennady took an active part in the fight against the heresy of the Judaizers. In June 1504, “for the sake of his weakness,” he abandoned the administration of the diocese, settled in the Chudov Monastery, and died here on December 4, 1505. Vasily IV Ioannovich, successor of John III, was the Grand Duke of Moscow from 1505 to 1533, therefore the year when the prince ordered the shrine for the relics of the saint is indicated in the prologue erroneously. Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible was the Tsar of Moscow from 1533 to 1584. Theodore III Alexievich reigned from 1676 to 1682. Kazan is called a royal city, presumably because it was once the capital of the Kazan Tatar kingdom. Patriarch Adrian, the last of the All-Russian patriarchs, ruled the Russian Church from 1690 to 1700. You might be interested in: