Отдел первый. Вера в Бога

General concepts about the Christian faith 1. A sense of faith in God is innate in the human soul One scientist decided to carry out this kind of experiment (let’s say, very dangerous and harmful) on his only son. The son had no communication with anyone except his father. Lessons were given in the open air, in front of natural phenomena and objects. Until the age of ten, the boy did not hear or read the words “God.” Meanwhile, despite not knowing the word “God,” a religious feeling began to emerge in the boy. He thought to find what his soul was vaguely searching for in the sun. The sun, this beneficent luminary, setting after its daily journey and rising again to revive nature with the gift of warmth - the luminary in which pagan antiquity saw the highest living being - became an object of worship for the boy. Every morning, in good weather, he mysteriously went out into the garden to be present at the rising of the daylight and express his respectful feelings to it. The father began to guess. One day he waylaid his son in the garden at the moment when the little pagan, bending on his knees, with his eyes turned to heaven, worshiped his deity and prayed fervently to him. His father then explained to him what the sun is and said that all these stars, spread across the endless sky, are countless suns. This discovery disappointed the boy: he now did not know where to turn with his prayers and heart movements. To console him, his father began to talk to him about the highest Mind, the Organizer of the universe, the Trinity and the Provider of the world - God. With this upbringing, my father solved the highest question of the scientists of his country. He could see how human nature, still innocent and pure, calls on God, and the only God, and, being left without any help in its quest, seeks him in the objects of the surrounding sensory world, like a pagan left to walk his own ways. Yes, the human soul is by nature a believer, by nature a Christian (Ern. Naville). 2. Stories about the power of faith of true Christians 1. One pious priest was invited to one house (in Laodicea) to baptize a child who was born. Since the child was too weak and close to death, before the priest came to the house and prepared everything necessary for baptism, the child died. But, without any hesitation, the priest continued his work. Having prepared everything necessary for baptism, he cried out: “Angel of God, who took the soul of the child before baptism! return her to the body so that I can baptize the child, and then you will take her again.” A great miracle of faith occurred: the child came to life, received baptism and again fell asleep in eternal sleep (Prologue). 2. When one day great disputes and discord arose between Orthodox Christians and heretics (i.e., those who had fallen away from the Orthodox faith), the Orthodox turned to a certain blessed Macarius for help. Then Macarius, having gathered the Orthodox and heretics, went with them to the cemetery and called out to the first grave he encountered: “Tell us, deceased, buried in this grave: whose faith is true - Orthodox or heretical?” So what? The deceased gave an answer, calling the Orthodox faith the true faith. Thus, the heretics were put to shame, and the Orthodox triumphed. 3. In response to the demand to worship the gods, St. Hieromartyr Blasius answered his tormentor: “Torture my body as you wish, this is in your power, but God has power over my soul.” – And if I throw you into the lake, will your Christ save you? – asked the tormentor. “I believe and hope,” answered the confessor, “that I. Christ, my God, will provide me with His wondrous help on the waters.” The ruler ordered to abandon St. Vlasia into the lake. But he walked on water as if on dry land. Having reached the middle of the lake, he said to the soldiers standing on the shore: “Now show the power of your gods and come here.” 68 warriors called on their gods and rushed into the lake, but they all drowned. Considering Blasius to be the culprit of their death, the ruler ordered him to be beheaded with a sword (“Chet.-Min.” Feb. 11). 4. One virtuous friend of Saint Spyridon, Bishop of Trimifuntsky, slandered before the judge, was innocently imprisoned and condemned to death. Having learned about this, the saint immediately went to save him from innocent death. He had to cross the stream, which at that time, on the occasion of a flood, overflowed its banks and blocked his path. But St. The saint of God, recalling to himself how Joshua with the Ark of the Covenant crossed the dry bottom of the Jordan during its flood, and believing that the Almighty God is always the same, turned to the stream and, as a servant, said to him: “The Lord who is common to us commands you: stop so that I can pass and save an innocent man from death.” At these words, the stream suddenly stopped, holding back the rush of its waters, and opened a dry path not only to Saint Spyridon, but also to his companions, who, ahead of the saint, let the judge know about his coming and told the miracle he had performed on the way. The judge immediately freed the innocently convicted man and gave him into the hands of the holy wonderworker (from the Chetya-Minea). 5. St. Tikhon of Amafunt in his youth sold bread and, having a compassionate heart, distributed it to the poor without money. His father could not help but notice this, and therefore at one time he severely punished him for this. St. Tikhon, wanting to reassure his father, said to him: “Father! It’s in vain that you are angry with me, I don’t waste your bread in vain, but I lend it to God, and I have a receipt from Him for this - His Divine word; in the word of God it is precisely said: whoever gives to the poor lends to God, and receives a hundredfold from Him (Prov. 19:17). Don't you believe me? Come, look and see how true the word of God is!” Having said this, Tikhon took his father by the hand and led him to the granary; They opened the doors of the granary - and the father saw confirmation of the words of Holy Scripture: the granary was filled with the purest and best wheat, although before there was nothing in it. The father fell to the ground and thanked God. From that time on, he no longer forbade his son to give alms to the poor. Another miracle performed by St. Tikhon, it was no less striking. In one garden they cut dry branches from grape trees and, as usual, threw them out. St. Tikhon, having collected these dry branches, planted them in his garden; At the same time, he asked God that these dry branches would take root and grow, that the grapes on them would be full and beautiful, that the berries would be sweet and healthy, and that the grapes in his garden would ripen faster than others. As the saint wanted, so it happened. The next day he went out into the garden to see what had happened to his grapes, and saw God’s blessing on them: all the branches began to grow, and that same summer they bore an extremely large amount of fruit; in other gardens the grapes were still green, but in St. Tikhon is the ripest, sweetest and healthiest. Hearing about the miracles of St. Tikhon, you, of course, noticed the childish simplicity with which he believed the words of Holy Scripture, and the childish courage with which he expected everything from God. Notice also that all St. men, especially miracle workers, are always like this, they are all like children. Children, without thinking at all, believe everything that their elders tell them: and saints, without any doubt, believe everything that the word of God says. Children boldly expect everything from their parents: and saints boldly expect everything from God (from “Ch.-M.”). 6. St. Herman, while still a youth, one day came to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. Seeing there the Child I. Christ depicted in the icon, with His immaculate Matter, the child, in the simplicity of his heart, began to give Him the apple that he was holding in his hands at that time. Then the Mother of God, as the legend says, stretched out Her hand from the image and accepted the offering of the good-natured child (“Sunday Reading” 1863). 3. A true Christian is not afraid to test his faith When St. Emilian, bishop of the city of Trebia, was captured by the pagans and presented to the ruler of the region, Maximian, who demanded that he renounce the Christian faith and worship idols. But Emilian refused to bow to idols; then the governor ordered to beat him for this and said that the Christian God has no power. To this the saint said: “Test if you want to find out whose power is greater - Christ’s or your gods? Order one of the sick to be brought, let your priests pray to their gods for his healing; Then I will pray to my God, and by whose power the sick person will rise, he will be the true God!” The ruler liked the proposal and, on his orders, the patient was brought in, who had relaxation throughout his body. The priests began to pray to their gods to heal the sick man - they prayed for a long time, but nothing came of their prayer. After them, St. began to pray. Emilian, asking the Lord to admonish the surrounding pagans and to glorify His holy name to heal the sick man; then, approaching the weakened man and taking him by the hand, he said: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, get up and be healthy!” The sick man was healed and became healthy. Many, seeing this miracle, believed in the Lord, even the ruler himself began to lean toward Christianity; but the priests convinced him not to believe and asked him to destroy the saint, saying that Emilian performed a miracle not with divine power, but with the help of magic. And the holy confessor of the faith, after various torments, had his head cut off (“Ch.-M.” August 18). One pagan king summoned a Christian bishop and demanded that he renounce his faith. But the bishop meekly and calmly replied: “I cannot do this.” The king became angry and exclaimed: “Don’t you know that your life is in my power? One wave of mine - and you will not be in the world! “I know, I know this,” answered the bishop, “but allow me, king, to propose one question for your decision.” Imagine, sir, that your most faithful servant has fallen into the hands of your enemies. Your enemies tried in every possible way to force that slave to cheat on you. But he is unwavering in his devotion and loyalty to you. Then your enemies, stripping that servant of his clothes, drove him away with ridicule. Now tell me, sir: when that slave, mocked and naked for his loyalty to you, returns to you, will you not reward him with honor and glory for the abuse and will you give him the best clothes to cover his nakedness? - Of course so! - answered the king, - but why are you saying this? Then the pious bishop said: “King, you can take off this earthly clothing from me, that is, deprive me of this life; but my Lord will clothe me with new and better clothing.” After hearing this, the king thought about it, then released the bishop and no longer demanded that he renounce the Christian faith. 5. Examples of Russians’ love for the Orthodox faith Russians have long been distinguished by their deep devotion to St. faith of Christ and the Orthodox Church. In the disastrous times of the Tatar yoke, opportunities opened up for them to testify to this commitment and love with their blood. 1. In 1246, when the Tatar Khan Batu called the Chernigov prince Mikhail to him and demanded from him, through his magicians, that before entering the khan’s chamber, he, according to the custom of the Mongols, walked through the fire and bowed to the sun and idols, the noble prince answered: “I am a Christian and cannot bow to creatures and idols.” When he was offered a choice of one of two things - either to bow down or to die, the prince did not hesitate to choose the latter, despite all the convictions of his loved ones, he prepared for a Christian death and tasted a cruel death from the barbarians. The example of the valiant prince was then followed by his beloved boyar Theodore. 2. In 1270, another Russian prince, Roman Olgovich Ryazansky, was slandered in the Horde, as if he had slandered the khan and his faith. The Khan gave the prince into the hands of the Tatars, who began to force him to their faith. But he not only did not agree to this, but openly confessed that the Christian faith is truly holy, and the Tatar faith is vile. The embittered pagans cut out his tongue, stopped his mouth and slowly cut out all the members of his body at the joints, so that the new martyr really became like the ancient Jacob, according to the chronicles (P. collected. chronicles. I: 42; V: 184; VII: 152–155, 170; Nick. years. III: 53). 3. Defending themselves from attacking enemies or speaking out against them themselves, the Russians were convinced that they were shedding their blood and dying, first of all, for St. faith and church. “We will die for St. Theotokos (that is, for the cathedral church of the Most Holy Theotokos) and for the right faith,” said the residents of Vladimir when it was besieged by the Tatars. “We will die for St. Sophia" (that is, for the St. Sophia Cathedral), the Novgorodians usually repeated when gathering on the battlefield. “Let us shed our blood for the house of the Most Holy Trinity and for St. churches,” the Pskovites exclaimed in the days of Dovmont, repelling the attacks of Lithuania. And Dimitri Donskoy, setting out with an army from Moscow against the Tatars, said to other princes and governors: “Let us go against the godless and wicked Mamai for the right Christian faith and for St. churches, and for all infants and elders, and for all Christians” (P. collected years. I: 222; III: 57, 62, 71, 99, etc.; IV: 40, 76, 181; V: 6; VI: 105; VII: 140). Yes, the Russians loved their fatherland, and in it, first of all, they loved their saint. faith and his St. church. The Russians became even more attached to St. faith and the church, that in them they only found consolation and reinforcement among disasters and sorrows, especially from their enslavers, and in the name or title of Christians they saw their main difference from the filthy Hagarians 5 and their superiority over them (extracted from the “History of the Russian Church” by Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow; vol. V, pp. 267–269). 6. Beneficial Actions of Faith Saved people from torment And only your heavenly voice Dispels the darkness of earthly doubts. For all times, for all ages, For all peoples, generations, Your voice is louder than thunder, What will happen, will be Sunday, That there is no more eternal death: From the grave there is life, from darkness there is light. From the depths of destruction - salvation, From the abyss of corruption - incorruptibility!.. 7. About how the saints tried to understand Holy Scripture One elder spent seventy weeks in fasting, eating food twice a week, asking God to reveal to him the meaning of a certain saying in the Holy Scriptures; But God did not reveal it to him. Seeing this, the elder said to himself: “Behold! I put in a lot of work, and didn’t manage to do anything: I’ll go to my brother and ask him.” When he left the cell and locked the door behind him, an Angel was sent to him from the Lord, who told him: “The seventy weeks you spent in fasting did not bring you closer to God; now that you have humbled yourself and decided to go and ask your brother a question, I was sent to you to interpret the meaning of the saying.” Having fulfilled this, the Angel retreated from him (from the “Fatherland” by Bishop Ignatius). The Bible is like the rays of the sun: Without God's help, it harms the eyes. 9. Thoughts on the benefits of reading Scripture 1. “What bodily food is for maintaining our strength, the same is reading the Holy Scriptures for the soul. It is spiritual food that strengthens the mind and makes the soul strong, firm and wise, not allowing it to be carried away by unreasonable passions” (St. I. Chrysostom). 2. “Recognize prayer as the key to the true meaning of what is said in the Divine Scriptures” (St. Isaac the Syrian). 3. “Whatever passion excites you, start reading the word of God, and the passion will become quieter and quieter, and finally calm down completely” (Bishop Vladimir Theophan). 10. Vision of St. Niphon In the life of Rev. Nifont says that once in the Constantinople Church, while reading the Gospel, he saw with his spiritual eyes that the words, like Lamps, ascended to heaven. The same Venerable Niphon, while reading the Apostolic Epistles, was once privileged to see St. himself. Apostle Paul, who stood behind the reader and watched him (“Cheti-Minea” December 23). Take, read the holy book of God, Understand the words of salvation with your soul, And all anxiety will pass through you, And with your heart you will see heaven. Believe me, when the years are old, A wave of mental storms will roll, You will leave all books; only this one She will remain alone with you forever. And you will find in it what you have never seen before I did not find it in this spacious world, And you won’t ask for anything more: Here is the fullness of all blessings, here is everything in everything. (From the “Collection of short reverent readings for all days of the year”, Count P. A. Valuev). In the lives of saints one can find many examples of how even a few words of Holy Scripture, accidentally sunk into the souls of non-believers or people weak in good deeds, led them to faith in Christ, a pious life and the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven. 1. In the life of one St. husband, who in his youth was careless about salvation and led a frivolous lifestyle, such a case took place. This young man once went into the church to listen to the singers. But at that moment a sermon was preached about the prodigal son. It seemed to the young man that the preacher was talking about him. Out of shame, he immediately wanted to leave the church, but some incomprehensible force held him back. At the end of the liturgy, the young man left the church, shedding tears of repentance. 2. Another example. There is a story about a Jew, innocently imprisoned, who once asked, out of boredom, for some book to read. He was given the Gospel. Looking at the title, the Jew threw the book into a corner, but then, tormented by unbearable boredom, he took the Gospel and began to read. Having read it once, he wanted to read it a second time, and then a third. Subsequently, this Jew accepted the Christian faith (Christian Church, 1821). Listen willingly to the word of God, wherever you have to listen to it: in church, at readings, in family life. It will make your life wise for salvation. If the Lord has rewarded you with the knowledge of literacy, then read, without being lazy, constantly read the divine books of the Holy. scriptures. "Brethren! If you want to listen to sincere advice, advises in one soul-saving book, do this: read who can read, and who can’t ask those who can, distribute it so that every day you will certainly read something (at least one chapter) from the Holy Scriptures. Scriptures; Reading the word of God, you will converse with God in spirit and heart, and His holy grace will not leave you. On a certain day, the word of God read or heard will be a seed of grace, from which on the same day the fruit of soul and body will grow for you and your family. When such reading becomes a habit, you will certainly read the entire Bible (this word refers to all the books of Holy Scripture taken together), and if you read it just once, you will certainly want to read it all your life: for here is all the wisdom, all the light, all the joy, all the hope, all the peace and all the bliss of the poor human heart.” When reading St. In the Scriptures, especially at first, you will encounter a lot of incomprehensible things. Then turn for clarification to your God-given spiritual father; Be afraid to interpret the word of God according to your inexperienced mind, so as not to fall into a soul-destroying heresy and perish forever to eternal life, as all the heretics and sectarians perished, who through false interpretation fell into heresy and false teaching, separating them from the Church of God, outside of which there is and cannot be salvation. And at the same time, pray to the Lord God that He will enlighten you and guide you into all truth. The Monk Theodore, not understanding one passage of Holy Scripture, fervently prayed to God for seven days and nights, and the Lord finally gave him the meaning to understand what he could not explain before. Imitate this example, and, God willing, your mind will be enlightened by the light of the knowledge of the law of the Lord (according to “Ch.-M.”). 13. One must obey not only the Holy Scriptures, but also the Holy Tradition Opponents of our faith reject the Holy Tradition, that is, the words that came out of the mouth of I. Christ, His Apostles and St. fathers and transferred to St. churches - but they accept only the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Therefore, in conversations about objects of holy faith, they constantly ask: “Where is this written?” When they see that we are protecting ourselves with the sign of the holy cross, they ask: where in the Holy Cross? Does Scripture say that a Christian should protect himself with the sign of the cross? They see that water is being sanctified and ask: where in the Bible is it written that water should be sanctified and sprinkled with it? They see that we turn to the east during prayer and ask where is this said in the Bible? With these and other similar questions, its opponents reproach and want to mock holy Orthodoxy. And you, son of the holy Orthodox Church, what do you answer to this? You too ask your opponent this way: “If you adhere to only the Holy. Scripture, then tell me where in the Holy. Scripture says that one should not protect oneself with the sign of the cross, should not bless water, should not turn to the east during prayer?” And so that you do not talk in vain with these people who are disobedient to the Holy Church, you ask them: “Should we obey the teachers of our salvation - St. fathers, shepherds and universal teachers? If it should not, then what does Holy Scripture say about this? “If anyone does not listen to the church, you will be treated like a pagan and a tax collector.” and again: “Listen to you, He listens to Me”; and again: “Remember your mentors, who spoke the word of God to you: looking at the end of their lives, imitate their faith”; and again: “Obey your guide and repent” (Matthew 18:17; Luke 10:16; Heb. 13:7, 17). And so from the Holy Place itself. It is clear from the Scriptures that St. must also be obeyed. the church, and the mentors of our salvation - the shepherds and universal teachers. Therefore, it is in vain that opponents of our faith scold us when we protect ourselves with the sign of the cross, when we bless water, when we turn to the east during prayer, and in many other similar cases. The Holy Church, the bride of Christ, has the full power to establish orders that serve for the beauty of the holy faith. The God-bearing fathers, shepherds and teachers of the universe, accepted these laws and orders according to tradition from the apostles themselves, then they passed them on to subsequent centuries and thus taught us. Therefore, when we obey St. church and God-inspired fathers, then we thereby obey Jesus Christ Himself, Who commanded us to obey St. churches and St. fathers. Isn't that what happens in the civilian world? We listen to the king himself when we listen to his messenger, who received from the king the power to manage affairs and make laws. So, our Orthodox-Catholic Eastern Church accepts and sacredly honors the word of God, not only preserved in the Holy Scriptures. Scripture, but also in the Holy. Legends. A royal command has the same meaning whether it is written or conveyed in words. Moreover, the word of God has equal power for us, whether it is preserved in scripture or tradition, because it receives its power not from paper, not from pen, not from ink, but from God, from whom it came (from the book “The Stone of Faith”). About the first member of the Creed 1. The incomprehensibility of the Divine On the African coast, in the city of Ippon, Blessed Augustine wrote his thoughtful book about St. Trinity. Tired of the extreme tension of his mind, trying to penetrate the deepest of secrets, the great writer went out to the seashore for a walk. Enjoying the evening air, and from time to time directing his gaze now to the sky, now to the wide sea, Augustine, however, did not let the subject of his research out of his thoughts. Suddenly he noticed on the seashore a youth of extraordinary beauty (it was an Angel), who with a small silver spoon scooped water from the sea and poured it into a small hole. Blessed Augustine at first considered this activity of the youth to be an ordinary childish prank; but a secret feeling prompted him to approach the youth. To the question: what are you doing? the boy answered: “I want to scoop up this sea and place it in this hole.” “But this is clearly impossible,” said Augustine. “Of course, it’s impossible,” answered the boy, “but I would rather scoop up this sea with my spoon and place it in this hole than you would penetrate with your mind the unknown secret of the Holy Trinity and place it in your book (“Resurrection Thursday”). 2. A Memorable Lesson in the Law of God to a Five-Year-Old Boy One Scottish philosopher, the wise Beatty, had the intention of instilling faith in Providence in the soul of his little son, to use such proof for this purpose. The boy was five or six years old, and he was already beginning to read, but his father did not want to talk to him about God yet, believing that at that age he could not yet understand such lessons. To arouse this great thought in his mind, he came up with a method commensurate with his age. Without telling anyone anything about this, in one corner of his small garden, he drew on the ground with his finger the three initial letters of his son’s name, poured the seeds of one plant into the grooves and, covering these seeds with earth, leveled the place. “Ten days later,” he says, “the boy comes running to me and announces with surprise that he found his name inscribed in the garden. I laughed at these words and pretended that I did not attach any importance to his story. But he insists that I definitely go and see what happened. Arriving at the place, I said to my son: “Your truth, I see that this is really your name; but there is nothing surprising here; this is a simple case"; - and with that he began to leave. But he did not leave me behind and said with complete seriousness: “It cannot be that this was a simple case; Surely someone prepared and sowed the seeds to produce this consequence. Perhaps these were not his true words, but such was the essence of his thought. “So you think,” I said to him, “that nothing that seems to us as correct as the letters of your name can be a product of chance?” “Yes,” he answered firmly, “I think so.” “But if so,” I told him, “then now look at yourself, at your hands with fingers, at your feet and all your members - don’t they seem correct in form and useful in use to you?” “Oh, yes – of course,” was his answer. – Could all this be a consequence of chance? - Of course not, but someone certainly had to arrange all this for me. - Who is this? – I asked. “I don’t know,” answered the boy. Then I told him the name of the great Being who created this whole world, and imparted to him certain concepts of His nature suitable to his age. This lesson was deeply etched into his soul, and he could never forget it, just as he did not forget the circumstances that gave rise to it” (from the book “Final Causes”, trans. Kaz. Dukh. Acad.). O You, endless space, Alive in the movement of matter, Eternal with the passage of time, Without faces, in three faces of the Divine! Spirit, present everywhere and one, For whom there is no place and no reason, Whom no one could comprehend Encompasses, builds, preserves, Inexplicable, Incomprehensible! But if praise must be given, That is impossible for weak mortals Nothing else to honor you, How can they only rise to You, To get lost in the immeasurable difference, 4. About the omnipresence of God The saint of God, Saint Tikhon, gives us an excellent example and example of those feelings and dispositions that the remembrance of the omnipresence of God should arouse in us. “Am I sitting in the house,” his holy soul talks to himself in Zadonsk solitude, “The Lord God is with me, will I leave the house?” He doesn't leave me. Am I on the right track? Is he with me, in the city? Is it in the village? Is it in the desert? Is it with people or without people? He does not depart from me. But I don’t see Him, “for I walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Do I do, or say, or think? I do everything, say or think before Him. Am I standing in prayer? I stand before Him, He looks at me and sees me, sees my sitting and my rising, and understands my thoughts. Before Him I bow my knees, and fall down, and worship, and sigh, and pray to Him, and ask and seek His mercy; but I don’t see Him. To Him I stretch out my hands and my eyes; but I don’t see Him Himself.” “This reflection of mine teaches me to always and everywhere fear You, O God, and to tremble, with fear and apprehension, to live and act, do, speak, think and begin something as children do before their father, subjects before their king” (from the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 5. We believe in one God, worshiped in three persons One day Mohammedan or Saracen scholars asked St. Cyril, brother of St. Methodius - the enlighteners of the Slavs, who invented the Slavic alphabet, – How do you, Christians, divide one God into three Gods? do you have Father, Son and Holy Spirit? “Do not slander the Most Holy Trinity,” answered St. Kirill, “The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are three Persons, but the essence is one. Look at the sun, set by God in the image of the Holy Trinity in heaven: there are three things in it: circle, radiance and warmth; also in the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The solar circle is a likeness of God the Father: for just as a circle has neither beginning nor end, so God is beginningless: and just as radiance and warmth come from the solar circle, so from God the Father the Son is born and the Holy Spirit proceeds. The radiance that comes from the sun and enlightens the whole of heaven is the likeness of God the Son, born of the Father and enlightening the whole world with the Gospel; and the warmth of the sun, emanating from the same circle along with radiance, is the likeness of God the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the same Father eternally. So, look at the sun and know the Holy Trinity. The sun consists of three substances: circle, radiance and warmth, but is it divided into three suns, although each thing has a special property? One is a circle, another is radiance, the third is warmth; but who will say that there are not one, but three suns? Likewise, the Most Holy Trinity, although it has three persons: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is not divided by Divinity into three Gods, but there is one God” (“Resurrection Reading” 1884, No. 2). 1. “Just as the soul carries its body: so God carries the entire universe, all the worlds, being not encompassed by them; the soul fills the whole body, and the Spirit of the Lord fills the whole universe; only the soul is limited to the body, although imperfectly, because it can be carried everywhere; but the Spirit of the Lord is not limited to the world and is not contained in the world as in the body.” 2. “A tree established by its roots in the earth grows and bears fruit; The human soul, confirmed by faith and love in God, as with spiritual roots, also lives, grows spiritually and bears the fruits of godly virtues, by which the soul lives and will live in the next century. A tree uprooted from the earth ceases the life it received from the earth through its roots: so the human soul, having lost faith in God and love for Him and does not abid in God, in Whom its whole life is, dies spiritually. What the earth is for plants, God is for the soul” (from the book: “My Life in Christ”, Archpriest of Kronstadt Father John Sergiev, vol. I, ed. 1, 1891, pp. 19, 67). At first God created the heavens and the unsettled earth and then gave everything a form, structure, place, measure. First of all, heaven and earth need light, without which nothing can exist and act. And so, God said: “let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). And the light appeared. God called the light day and the darkness night. From that time on, time began, days and nights began to be counted. This first appearance of light constitutes the first day. There was light, but neither the earth nor the firmament of heaven was yet visible, they were not yet separated from each other, and living beings could not yet live and breathe, move and act. And so, God said: “Let there be a firmament” (Gen. 1:6), and the firmament immediately appeared; the primordial matter of the world was divided into many celestial bodies, which firmly hold in the spaces of the starry sky; an airy space became between heaven and earth, this round vault of heaven spread out like a tent, this visible sky opened, and clouds, these airy waters, began to float. This is how the second day of creation passed. The space between heaven and earth was open, the vault of heaven was built, the waters of the air were in their places. But the earth was not yet ready, there were no plants on it yet, and it was completely covered with water. Living beings, therefore, had nowhere else to live and nothing to eat. And so, God said: “let the waters of the earth be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear... and let the earth grow” (Gen. 1:9, 11). And the water immediately gathered into seas and lakes, rivers flowed, and dry land appeared, and trees grew, grass turned green, and flowers bloomed. Thus passed the third day of creation. The earth has become beautiful. But the firmament was still without decoration; the sun had not yet shone on the earth; the moon and stars were not yet visible in the sky. And so, God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens” (Gen. 1:14). And the sun shone, the moon and stars shone. Thus passed the fourth day of creation. The dwelling was arranged, distributed, illuminated; the sky is spread out like a tent, the earth is covered with fruits. But there was still no one to live in this rich, beautiful dwelling; there was still no one to be revived by water and breathe air, and to revive them with his life and movement in them. And so, God said: now fish and water creatures must appear in the water, birds and all aerial creatures must fly in the air. And immediately various fish and all aquatic animals began to swim in the waters; Various birds and all the air creatures began to fly in the air. So, from the fifth day the earth began to be populated by inhabitants, to be enlivened by them, feeding them with its fruits. On the sixth day, God said: Let all kinds of animals that live on dry land appear on the earth. And immediately all kinds of four-legged animals appeared, great and small, wild and meek, every creeping thing and every creeping thing. Thus, the earth was inhabited by different animals. But for whom are these birds in the air, for whom are these animals on land? Who should look at the sky, which is so magnificently decorated with various luminaries? Who owns the land, which is so variedly harvested by different plants? Where is the master of this world? Yes, it hasn't happened yet. And so, God, without delaying until another day, created man, the best creature of all visible creatures, the adornment of all visible nature. With the creation of man, God completed the great work of creating the world. Thus, this world, earth, sky, seas and rivers, heavenly lights, trees and plants, fish and flowers, livestock and beasts, and finally man, all this appeared out of nothing, in six days, according to the word of God. Marvelous is the Lord God in all His works! (from “Complete collected teachings” by Archpriest Putyatin, ed. 20, p. 600). On the sixth day man was created. How was he created and how was he created, where did he originally live and how did he live, what did he do, what did he eat, what advantages did he have and what responsibilities did he have? Man was created differently from other creatures. They appeared immediately according to the word of the Lord: they spoke and came, they commanded and they were created. But man was not created suddenly, but with some preparation. Since God has three Persons, at first there was, as it were, a meeting between the Persons of the Divine on how to create man. “And God said: Let us make man in Our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26), let us create one who would be like Us, who would own the fish in the water, the birds in the air, the animals on land, and all the earth, and everything on earth, who would feel the value of everything and know how to use everything. And so, God takes some earth and creates a human body from it: a beautiful human body came out, but the body was dead, soulless, like a statue; the eyes did not see, the ears did not hear, the mouth did not open, the legs did not walk: in a word, it was without a soul, without life. And so, God breathes into a person’s face a soul, the breath of life. And the man immediately became a real man, began to see, and hear, and speak, and feel, and walk, and act; This is not enough, he began to understand everything and command everything. Having created man from the earth, God therefore called him Adam, i.e. earthly. Having created man in His image, God thus placed him above the earth, the ruler of the earthly creature, having created Adam the ruler of the earth, God immediately led him into paradise, that is, into a beautiful garden, the best and most beautiful place on earth, prepared in advance before his creation. In paradise there were all kinds of plants and trees with flowers and fruits: in the middle of it flowed a river, divided into four sources. Two trees were especially remarkable in paradise: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Tree of Life was a wonderful tree: its fruits were such that if a person always began to eat them, he would never be exposed to disease and death, and would live forever on earth. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the contrary, was the most deadly tree: to taste its fruit meant exposing yourself to disease and death. When God led Adam into this beautiful garden, he told him: use everything that is in paradise, eat fruits from any trees you like, but from this tree (which is later called the knowledge of good and evil), do not eat from this one, because you will certainly die as soon as you eat. So, live here, cultivate this garden, and see that you take care of it and don’t lose it through your disobedience. Adam admired the beauties of paradise, as, at the command of God, countless birds and animals appeared to him. He looks with amazement at the various creations of God, examines each one with attention, and then gives each one its proper name. As Adam named which animal, that is how it was always called. But behold, the animals go to their places, the birds fly to their nests; Adam is left alone - in his beautiful garden. “It is not good for man to be alone,” said God, “let us make... a helper for him” (Gen. 2:18). And God puts Adam into a deep sleep, and during his sleep he takes a rib from him, and from this rib he creates a woman. Adam wakes up, and God points him to his wife: here is your wife, your helper. Adam looks at her, sees that she is of the same origin as him, and says: “Behold, now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: this woman will be called, for this was taken from her husband” (Gen. 2:23). The wife was created from the rib of Adam, so that the entire human race, by its origin, would be one body, and therefore all people, by their very nature, would be inclined towards each other and love each other. Thus, Adam and his wife, whom he later called Eve, that is, the matter of all living things, began to live happily and cheerfully in paradise. Yes, Adam had peace and joy in paradise; he was complete master over all creatures; everything was subject to him, everything submitted to him, everything obeyed him. He knew no sins, because he was created pure, sinless. As autocratic by will, he could sin: but, as sinless by nature, he had no inclination to sin. He was not afraid of illness or death, because he ate the fruits of the tree of life. Works and activities did not exhaust him; he had everything ready, everything at hand: the fruits of paradise provided him with tasty and healthy food, spring water provided him with a pleasant and healthy drink. Neither he nor his wife needed clothes, because the air was the warmest, and they themselves, like innocents, were not ashamed of each other. Having pure souls, Adam and Eve rejoiced in God, enjoying the contemplation of Him, and the Lord Himself taught them everything, talking with them, like a father with children. And instead of such and such a blessed life, the first people, for their disobedience, for transgressing the commandment of God, for obeying the serpent devil and eating the forbidden fruit, wanting to be equal to God and know good and evil, soon lost their heavenly home, were subjected to exhausting labor, poverty, illness and death, in a word, they began to live after the life that we now live!.. (from “Full. collection of teachings" by Archpriest R. Putyatin, ed. 20, pp. 601–603). “Is it really man who is taken from the earth and returned to the earth?” - says the great luminary of the Russian Church, Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow. “Is this not only your clothing, or, if you like, your prison? And you yourself, a true man, you are the breath of life that came from the mouth of God Himself, according to what was said: “I will blow into his face the breath of life, and he will become a living soul” (from Prop. Metropolitan Philaret). In the 31st conversation on the Gospel of St. John the Theologian, the great universal teacher, St. John Chrysostom speaks about the purpose of man: “God did not bring us into this life and breathed into us the soul so that we would use only the present, but so that we would do everything for the future life; for only the dumb are created for one real life. And we received an immortal soul in order to be fully prepared for the future life. If anyone asks: what is the purpose of horses, donkeys, bulls and other animals? then we will say that there is nothing else other than that they serve us in real life. But this cannot be said about us, for us there is a better state after this life, and we need to do everything in such a way that we can shine there, rejoice with the Angels, and stand before the King of Heaven always, to endless ages. For this reason, our soul was created immortal, and our body will be immortal, so that we can enjoy endless blessings” (from the XXXI conversation of St. John the Golden. on Ev. from John). 12. The price of the human soul When Emperor Theodosius learned that the inhabitants of Antioch were dragging the statue of his 7th wife through the mud, he ordered the city to be destroyed. What will God do to us if we defile the soul with sin - His image (Gen. 1:26) and the church (1 Cor. 3:16)? Do you want to know the value of your soul? Look at the price of redemption: not the gold of the whole world, not the whole world with everything that is in it, but God Himself was the price of our ransom (St. Chrysostom). 13. All people come from one person “Many raindrops, but all from one cloud; there are many rays, but all from one sun; there are many leaves on a tree, but all from one tree; there is a lot of sand on the ground, but it all comes from one earth. So many people, and all from one Adam and first of all from God” (from the book: “My life in Christ” by Archpriest John Sergiev of Kronstadt, vol. II, 1st ed., 1892, p. 128). 14. Respect human dignity! “Remember who man is: an image of God, a child of God, a Christian, an heir of the Kingdom, a member of Christ. Therefore, every person must be honored, even though he bears the wounds of sins on his soul; sores after sores: they are torn by the devil and sin, but the image, the whole image of God. We must regret his ulcers, feel sick, and pray as if they were our own: after all, we are all one body, all “of one blood” (Acts 17:26), all “of one bread we partake of” (1 Cor. 10:17). Do not pay attention to demonic confusion, division and enmity. Solidify everything - we are one" (from the book: "My life in Christ" by Archpriest John Sergiev of Kronstadt, vol. II, 1st ed., 1892, p. 109). 15. Thoughts of St. fathers about the image and likeness of God in man 1. St. Gregory of Nyssa says: “One thing (i.e., the image of God received by man when God created him) is given, and the other (i.e., likeness, likeness to God) is left incomplete, so that you, having perfected yourself, may become worthy of reward from God. How are we made in our likeness? Through the Gospel. What is Christianity? Assimilation to God, as much as possible for human nature. If you decide to be a Christian, then try to become like God, to put on Christ” (“Christ. Reader” 1840, vol. III, p. 324). 2. “The image of God,” says St. Demetrius of Rostov, - there is a similarity in the soul of an unfaithful person, but only in a virtuous Christian; and when a Christian sins mortally, then he is only deprived of the likeness of God, and not the image. And even if he is condemned to eternal torment: the image of God is the same in him forever, but the likeness can no longer exist” (“Investigation,” pp. 293–294). 16. The importance of the sin of our first parents The sin of Adam and Eve, which consisted in eating from the fruit of a tree forbidden by God, may seem unimportant. But we will understand its importance and greatness if we pay attention: a) Not on appearance, but on the very spirit of the commandment violated by our ancestors. What did this commandment require of them? She demanded from them complete obedience to God, she was given to test their obedience. This means that by violating it, they fell into the sin of disobedience to God or “disobedience,” as the apostle puts it (Rom. 5:19), and thus fundamentally violated the entire moral law, which in general is nothing other than the will of God, and requires from a person only obedience to this will. That's why the blessed one said. Augustine: “Let no one think that the sin (of the first people) was small and light because it consisted in eating from a tree, and, moreover, not evil and harmful, but only forbidden: the commandment required obedience, such a virtue, which in a rational creature is, as it were, the mother and guardian of all virtues.” b) The number of private sins contained in the sin of the ancestors. Here lay 1) pride: because the first parents were carried away by the promise of the serpent: “you will be like gods” (Gen. 3:5) 8, 2) unbelief: because they did not believe the words of God: “you will die” (Gen. 2:17); 3) apostasy from God and going over to the side of His enemy - the devil: because, not obeying God, they listened to the seducer and believed his daring slander, as if God, out of envy or ill will, forbade them to eat from the famous tree; 4) the greatest ingratitude to God for all His extraordinary mercies and bounties. “Here is pride,” says the blessed one. Augustine, - because man wanted to be in the power of his own rather than God's; and desecration of the shrine: because he did not believe God; and murder: because he exposed himself to death; and spiritual fornication: because the integrity of the human soul is violated by the conviction of the serpent; and Tatba: because he used a forbidden tree; and covetousness: because he desired more than what he should be content with” (“Orthodox-dogmatic. Theology of Metropolitan Macarius” Vol. II, St. Petersburg, 1879, pp. 179–182). 1. “It is better to choose to die when need demands, rather than to sin” (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 2. “Considering both to be small, do they not reach the point where they consider no sin great?” (Filaret, Archbishop of Chernigov). 3. “Don’t say that this or that is an insignificant detail: little things mean a lot in life. A wound made by a needle sometimes strikes more accurately than a disease that covers the whole body. Sometimes a spark starts a fire that is impossible to control, and which mercilessly devours everything that has been collected over the years and preserved with the greatest attention” (Kirill, Bishop Melit.). 4. “While the offense is small and has not yet matured, destroy it before it spreads its branches and begins to ripen” (St. Isaac the Syrian). 5. “Quench the spark before it grows into a flame, and kill the enemy while he is small” (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 6. “No matter how ugly and disgusting sins may be, habit makes them of little importance” (Blessed Augustine). 7. “Say once and for all to sin: “I am your enemy,” and at every temptation say to every evil thought: “I am your enemy” (Cyril, Bishop Melitopes). 8. “The soul can resist sin, but without God it cannot overcome or eradicate evil” (St. Macarius Vel.). 9 . “Great is the power of sin, but a hundred times greater is the power of God’s grace” (Innok., Archbishop of Kherson). 18. Advice from elders experienced in spiritual life on how to avoid sins 1. We must avoid all reasons and occasions for sin - all places, persons, things that may be tempting for us and inspire us with sinful desires. 2. We must always remember: death, “Do not boast about tomorrow, because you do not know what that day will bring forth” (Prov. 27:1); “you will return to the ground from which you were taken... you are dust and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19); judgment, “This day is the day of wrath, a day of tribulation and distress, a day of desolation and ruin, a day of darkness and darkness, a day of clouds and darkness” (Zeph. 1:15); “Depart, the wicked, into everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41); Sunday “the hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and they will come out, having done good for the resurrection of life, and having done evil for the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28, 29) and the future life, “eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and the things that God has prepared for those who love Him have not entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9) 3. As often as possible, imagine the omnipresence of God (remember that day and night the eyes of the Lord, brighter than the sun, look at you); reflect on the blessings of God, especially on the life of our Lord on earth, His suffering and death, and in general on the main truths of the Orthodox Christian faith. 4. Heartfelt and earnest prayer and frequent invocation of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ especially help a Christian to refrain from sin. 5. You need to pay attention to yourself, that is, stay awake, watch yourself, your feelings, desires and actions. 6. As often as possible, one should resort to the sacrament of repentance, and confess to the spiritual father, ask him and listen to his advice and worthily receive Holy Communion. Body and Blood of Christ. 7. Do not miss the opportunity and opportunity to attend church services and read spiritual books at home. 8. Meet and talk with pious and prudent people and avoid conversations with immoral people. 9 . Constantly has some useful occupation, holds a position, engages in some kind of work, so as not to be idle; While walking or driving, in order to occupy the mind, you need to sing to yourself some church hymns or verses of psalms, or read the Jesus Prayer. 19. Stories about the power of holy people over animals 1. The Holy Martyr Neophytos, distinguished by his extraordinary piety from early childhood, once in his youth, having come to Mount Olympus, entered a certain cave, where he was met by a huge lion. The neophyte said to the lion: “Get out of here and find yourself another cave, but the Lord ordered me to live in this one.” And the lion immediately left the cave (“Ch.-M.” January 21). 2. Another time, when Neophyte was given over by the tormentor Decius to be torn to pieces by beasts, then they first released a bear on him: the beast, approaching the saint, looked at him and immediately left him. Then they let in a she-bear, distinguished by her extraordinary ferocity: and this one, having caressed herself at the feet of the saint, retreated to her lair; Finally they brought out a ferocious lion: and this beast also only caressed the saint and licked his feet and did not do him any harm (“Ch.-M.” January 21). 3. The lion was so attached to the Monk Gerasim, who lived on the Jordan, that he always and everywhere followed him, knew his voice, understood his body movements, and carried out his orders like the most faithful servant (“Ch.-M.” March 4). 4. By order of Anthony the Great and the Monk Zosima, lions dug graves for the burial of Paul of Thebes and Mary of Egypt (“Ch.-M.” January 17 and April 1). 5. The animals gathered in whole herds to visit the martyr Mamant and remained with him until they received orders to disperse (“Ch.-M.” Sept. 2). 6. The Monk Sergius of Radonezh and Blessed Seraphim of Sarov fed from their hands the wild bears that came to them from the forest (their lives). From here, it seems to us, it is clear that man has not unconditionally lost power over animals and can regain it; he can, as we see from examples and as the word of God indicates, step with impunity on the asp and basilisk 9 (Ps. 90), take snakes (Mark 71) and stop the mouths of lions (Heb. 11:33). What is this through? Obviously, through an appeal to purity, truth and piety. How did Adam maintain power over the animals while living in paradise? Of course, by the purity of your soul, by your stay in truth and truth. He was the last to change - he lost power. And from this it is clear that if a person returns the purity of his soul, be faithful to the truth, his power over animals will also return (according to “Ch.-M.”). 20. About how St. Ephraim the Syrian came to the conviction of the existence of Divine Providence St. Ephraim did not have an impeccable character in his youth: he was often angry, impatient, etc. His way of thinking was also not entirely strong. For example, he could not be convinced of the existence of divine Providence. But God instructed him and corrected him. This is what St. himself says about this. Ephraim: “In my youth, when I was troubled by doubt, I once went out of town, was late there and stayed overnight with a sheep shepherd in the forest; at night wolves attacked the flock and tore the sheep to pieces; when the shepherd announced to the owners what had happened, they did not believe me, accused me of stealing sheep and sent me to the judge; at the same time, another young man accused of a crime was brought before the judge; the judge adjourned the case and sent both of us to prison, where I found another young man; in prison I learned that the young men imprisoned with me were also unfairly accused, and I began to doubt even more. I spent seven days in prison, always thinking about the Providence of God, and finally I saw in a dream a man who said to me: “Take over in your thoughts what you were thinking about and what you were doing, and you will know for yourself that the young men imprisoned with you suffer justly.” Having awakened, I began to carefully go through all my actions in my thoughts and found that once upon a time, in the same village, with evil intentions, I drove a poor villager’s cow out of its corral, and it was torn to pieces by beasts. When I told the dream and guilt to two young men, they also checked their past lives and remembered the bad deeds they had done. One remembered that he saw a man drowning in the river and did not save him, although he could have done it, and the other remembered that he once joined the accusers of a widow who had the intention of depriving her of her father’s inheritance. Now only I am convinced that God knows everything, cares about everything and sends punishment according to deserts. From that time on, I made a promise to improve my life.” And indeed, through labor and strict observation of his actions, Ephraim destroyed all the bad inclinations of his character and achieved a high degree of holiness (“Ch.-M.”). 21. Our God is in heaven and on earth: do whatever He pleases (Ps. 63:11) What a lofty and comforting thought that everything that exists on earth and in heaven exists according to the will of God - that everything, from an inconspicuous grain of sand to the huge sun, moves and is controlled by His all-effective providence - that all the incidents that make up the history of our lives begin, occur and end under the active supervision of the Supreme Manager of things, and that, as Jesus Christ said, even a hair on the head does not perish without His will. Inside and outside of me, God is present everywhere in me: I am in the church of God and His palace itself.. 22. Do not be discouraged in the midst of difficult life circumstances, but trust in God If you, a Christian, with a reverent thought of God, carefully look at all the circumstances of your life or the lives of other people, you will see that the Lord constantly cares about you, about your salvation, and delivers you from troubles and misfortunes. You will understand that it was not a simple chance or luck that helped you then and then in your trouble, when you were completely lost in spirit, but the all-good and all-powerful Hand of the Lord delivered you, “in whom we live and move and are” (Acts 17:28), from Whom the feet of men are straightened (Prov. 20:24) and in whose hands our life and death are. In particular, numerous examples We see the extraordinary action of God’s goodness for the salvation of pious people in the lives of the holy saints of God. Thus, a very striking example in this regard appears in the life of St. Malchus (commemorated on March 26). When he learned about the death of his father, he wanted to return home to console his widowed mother and dispose of his estate, but on the way to the house he was captured by the Saracens and taken into the depths of the Arabian steppe. Here he was captured by a noble gentleman, along with a certain old woman, who was captured along with him by robbers. For a long time the monk endured the heaviest slavery, performed all the painful work in the master’s house and tended his flocks. Grieving in soul, especially during separation from his brethren, the monk only strengthened himself by trust in God’s providence and, in the midst of his difficult imprisonment, not only did not lose heart, but even decided to escape from slavery; The old woman, who was captured with him, followed him. For three days the captives walked through the hot, waterless and open desert, not pursued by anyone. But finally they see that their master is chasing them with a servant on two camels. Where can you hide from persecution in the open desert? The unfortunate fugitives are once again in danger of falling into the hands of their enemies, only to suffer an even worse fate. Suddenly they notice a deep den and try to hide there, although it is too late, since the enemies have already noticed them. Approaching the den, the master began to call the fugitives, but when his calls were in vain, he sent his servant into the depths of the cave. The servant rushes there with a drawn sword, but falls into the mouth of the lioness, who had her lair here, and is thus immediately torn to pieces by the lioness. The owner, seeing that his servant is not returning, rushes into the cave himself, where he suffers the same fate. The unfortunate fugitives, hiding in mortal fear against the wall not far from the exit from the cave, expected the same death from an enraged animal, but the lioness, taking her cub in her teeth, calmly leaves the cave, without even touching the camels standing near the cave. Confident in their salvation and thanking God, St. Malchus and the old woman returned to their homeland on the remaining camels. The monk again settled in the same monastery where he lived before captivity, and peacefully ended his holy life. You see, Christians, how trust in God’s Providence did not disgrace the saint and saved him from death when it was already standing in front of his face. In these difficult moments of his life, he did not lose heart and firmly believed in God’s help. And you, Christian, following this instructive example, in difficult circumstances of your life, do not lose heart, but trust in the help of the merciful God. Strengthen yourself with the thought that we all live under the roof of the Almighty and under the protection of His almighty right hand. He who trusts in God will never perish (according to “Ch.-M.”). One artisan (a tailor by trade) worked in the room in which his child slept in a cradle. Suddenly, in the midst of his gaiety, for no apparent reason, he was seized by some incomprehensible fear, as if his heart was squeezing from a spasm, and some vague feeling told him that the life of his child sleeping in the cradle was in some danger. Not only that, he quite clearly heard a voice inside himself briefly and definitely telling him: “Get up quickly and take the child from the cradle!” The craftsman did not immediately listen to this unknown voice. He even tried to calm himself down with various considerations. The child was still sleeping soundly in his bed; nothing bothered him in the room; It was also quiet on the street. Where could his life be in danger? It must have been just imagination that created such mental anxiety; “We need to drive him away,” the tailor decided, and, taking up the needle again for work, he even tried to start singing. Indeed, he managed to calm down for a few moments; but then suddenly fear still gripped him, this time much stronger than before, and again he heard an inner voice, more definite and almost threatening: “Get up quickly and take the child from the cradle!” Again the father stops his work, and the song itself seems to have died away on his lips. He carefully looks around and examines the entire room, starting from his desk and to the last, remote corner of it. Since he absolutely nowhere found any reason to fear for the child, and the latter was still fast asleep in his bed, it seemed unreasonable to him, because of some imaginary danger, to disturb the child and take him out of his warm bed. Without thus listening to the voice, he again took his place at the work table and began to work; but his former gaiety had already disappeared; he sang no more songs. It was in vain that he now made every effort to overcome his fear by any means. A few moments later the fear returned again and much stronger than before; in my heart, with the force of a thunderclap, a voice again rang out: “Get up quickly and take the child from the cradle!” Now at last he did what the warning voice demanded. Instantly he was already at the child’s cradle, hastily picked him up and carried him to his place where he himself had been sitting before. As soon as he had time to take his place, a strong roar was heard in the corner of the room where the cradle was located. The entire ceiling instantly collapsed, fell onto the cradle and completely covered it with debris and fallen pieces of plaster. The child woke up from a loud noise and began to cry; but he was safe and sound in the arms of his father, who, deeply touched by what had happened, pressed him to his heart. What a living joy the poor mother was overcome when, hearing a loud noise, she ran into the room with deathly pallor in her face; she was afraid that her husband and child were killed, but they both remained safe and sound! Filled with deep piety, her heart, as well as that of her husband, poured out with the most sincere prayer to the Lord when her husband told her how miraculously their dear child had been saved (“Sunday Reading” 1885, No. 19). 24. God protects His faithful servants One day St. John Climacus ordered his disciple Moses to go somewhere and bring good soil to their small garden so that vegetables would grow better in it. Moses went and carried out the order; but since it was a very hot time, he decided to rest in the recess of a large rock, the shade of which could cool him, and here he fell asleep. At this very time St. John, busy in his cell 10, as usual, contemplating God, leaned into a light doze, and it seemed to him that he saw a man of venerable appearance who woke him up and reproached him for indulging in peace while his disciple Moses was in danger of losing his life. The monk immediately woke up and began to pray for his student. When the latter returned, John asked him if anything had happened to him? “I was in danger,” answered Moses, “of being crushed by the fall of the cliff under which I was sleeping soundly; but, hearing that you were calling me, I immediately rushed from this place in embarrassment and horror, and had barely moved away from it when, before my eyes, the cliff came off and fell on the place I had left (“Chetie-Minea”, March 30, sn. “Chronicles” 1853, book 3). One day St. Ammon (whose memory is October 4th) went to the great Anthony and lost his way; sitting on a stone, he fell asleep somewhat; then, having awakened, he began to pray to God, that he would not allow the creation of His hands to perish. “Then a hand appeared from the clouds, which showed him the way and walked over him until Saint Ammon saw the cave of St. Antonia. Christians! This is what prayer does, sent from a pure heart to God in some misfortune... But do not forget that Rev. Ammon then went to the great teacher of faith, piety and all virtues in order to receive edification from him for spiritual benefit. And we must pray to God for help only in good deeds (According to “Ch.-M.”). 26. The abundance of the fruits of the earth is a work of God’s providence The Monk Varlaam of Khutyn happened to be with the Archbishop of Novgorod, and the saint, releasing him after the conversation, said that the elder should visit him a week later. “If the Lord wills,” answered the monk, “on Friday of the first week of Lent, St. the apostles I will come to your shrine on a sleigh.” The Archbishop was surprised, but did not demand an explanation. On the night before the Friday shown, deep snow fell and there was severe frost. – The monk arrived to the bishop on a sleigh. – The archpastor grieved that frost could damage the bread. “Do not grieve, holy master,” said the monk, “we must thank the Lord for his mercy; the frost destroyed the worms that would have destroyed the bread at the roots, and the snow will only water the thirsty earth.” Indeed, the next day the heat of the day melted the snow, and the water watered the dry soil, and worms killed by frost were found at the roots of the rye; As a result of both, there was such a grain harvest as had not been seen for a long time. – In grateful memory of this event, on Friday, in the first week of Peter’s Lent, a religious procession is held from Novgorod to the Khutyn Monastery (from the book “Russian Saints, Honored by the Whole Church or Locally,” Philaret, Archbishop of Chernigov, part III. St. Petersburg, 1882, pp. 327–328). 27. God is merciful not only to the righteous, but also to repentant sinners After the victory over the Turkish troops near Khotyn, the Zaporozhye Cossacks, as usual, invaded Turkish lands for plunder. Having plundered many Turkish villages and cities and filled their ship with rich booty, the Cossacks set off by sea on their return journey and were already approaching Zaporozhye. But at that time a terrible contrary wind arose, and huge sea waves hit the ship with such force that a leak soon formed in it, and it quickly began to fill with water and sink. Seeing their inevitable destruction, the Cossack robbers turned with tears and a great cry to God, may he deliver them, through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God and St. Archangel 11 Michael, from the danger threatening them, making a vow to serve for some time in the Pechersk monastery of the Mother of God. And so, when they were praying, a great miracle happened: from the lower part of the ship a golden-looking youth suddenly appeared before them on a shiny horse and, standing in the midst of the dying Cossacks, he said to them: “Do not be afraid, men, but diligently pray to God, and He will deliver you from death: that is why He sent me” - and suddenly became invisible. Meanwhile, the wind died down, the sea calmed down, and the ship, which was already half filled with water, now turned out to be completely dry, as if there had never been water in it. The Cossacks, who witnessed such a miracle, glorified God with all their hearts, who had delivered them from a terrible death, and returned safely to their homeland, where they hastened to fulfill the vow given to them - to serve in the monastery of the Mother of God in the great Kiev Lavra (borrowed from the handwritten notes of P. Mogila, printed in the VII volume “Arch. of Southwestern Russia”). 28. Miraculous escape from fire This is what happened in the city of Maloyaroslavets in 1868. At the indicated time, a fire occurred here in hot summer weather and strong winds. The latter spread the flames throughout all the streets of the city, and the first helped the fire destroy the city buildings. Some of the townsfolk, having left their homes to go to their friends to help them save their property, returned to their homes to find them already in flames. During this memorable fire for Maloyaroslavl residents, up to 80 houses burned down, and two streets were completely burned out. On one of these latter lived a pious old woman named Malutina. When the alarm sounded, she took the icon of the Savior from the shrine and walked with it around her house, sprinkling it with St. Epiphany water, which she always had at the shrine. So what? The entire street where this old woman’s house stood burned out on both sides; Many houses burned down on other neighboring streets, but the old woman’s house survived with all its outbuildings. Everything contributed to his burning down. Why was he saved? The answer is possible only in the light of revealed faith and divine providence. It should be noted that the old woman mentioned was distinguished by piety throughout her life; she died only in 1886 at the age of 94, remembering perfectly the events of 1812 (Sunday 1887). 29. The destinies of God are inscrutable One great ascetic (St. Anthony), troubled by doubts, among other things asked God: “Lord, why are some poor and others rich? “Why are the wicked rich and the pious poor?” The holy ascetic received an answer from the Lord: “Antony! pay attention to yourself. Otherwise these are the judgments of God, and there is no benefit for you to experience them” (“Memorable tale about the mobility of the Holy Father,” page 5). Each Christian has a Guardian Angel. As soon as a person is enlightened by holy baptism, the Lord immediately gives him an Angel, a good disembodied spirit, which then remains with the Christian throughout his entire life and is called our Guardian Angel. 1. A guardian angel saves a person from various disasters, from illnesses, sometimes even from death. Thus, the Guardian Angel saved St. from death. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. One day, being late on the way, St. Polycarp entered the hotel for the night, along with his deacon. At midnight the Angel of the Lord woke him up and said: “Polycarpe, arise and quickly leave this inn, for it will fall on the 12th Abi.” This appearance and warning of the Angel happened three times. Only then did St. Polycarp, after the third appearance and the warning of the Angel, came out of that hotel, when it immediately collapsed - and everyone in it was beaten (see “Thurs.-Min.,” February 23). 2. The Guardian Angel inspires the Christian he protects with good thoughts and instructs him in good deeds. And if a person obeys his Guardian Angel and lives as a Christian, then the Guardian Angel protects him from various dangers and intercedes for him before God. If a person does not obey his Guardian Angel, then this latter moves away from such a person, and instead of him evil demons surround that person. These demons, at the end of his life, take his soul to hell, and the Guardian Angel no longer intercedes for him, but from the Angel of Peace becomes a formidable accuser of his lawless deeds before the court of God. This is what we find about this in one sacred legend: St. Andrei the holy fool once saw such a formidable Angel near the dying lawless man, whose appearance was like a flame. The angel, who was invisible to others, held a fiery cane in his hand. He approached the dying man and began to beat him with this cane, saying: “Do you still want to commit lawlessness and defile various persons? You pretended to go to worship, but meanwhile you went to the works of the devil.” And at that time the wicked man gave up his spirit, and his soul was immediately taken by the demons (“Ch.-M.” Oct. 2). “Evil angels were created good by God; for whatever God has created, He has created good; but they became evil of their own free will, as our Lord testifies about their leader (John 8:44). They are the perpetrators of all wickedness, blasphemers of Divine majesty, corrupters of human souls, themselves and their instruments, as the scripture says: “Be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). However, you need to know that demons cannot use violence over any person or any other creature, if God does not allow them... Moreover, everyone should also know that they cannot force a person to sin, but only seduce him with temptations: for man has a free will, and not even God Himself does any violence or coercion to this freedom. Since they are condemned forever, they can never receive the grace of God, as it is said: “Depart from Me, the curse, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angel” (Matthew 25:41) (“Orthodox Confession” part 1, answer to question 21). The mother of the Monk Paisius, widowed with seven young children, wept bitterly over the death of her husband. One day an Angel appears to her and says: “Why are you crying so inconsolably for your husband? Your children are no longer in your care. God the Father of the orphans cares about them more than you do” (“Ch.-M.” June 19). According to the teachings of St. Orthodox Church, God is spirit, eternal, all-good, all-knowing, all-righteous, all-powerful, omnipresent, unchangeable, all-satisfied, all-blessed. If God is a spirit, then everyone who prays to Him must pray not only with outward prayer, but also with the heart: the words of prayer alone, without the heartfelt feelings of the soul, without the thought of God, are displeasing to God. If God is eternal, then who should we love if not God, and who should we rely on if not Him alone? The wealth and glory of this world disappear like smoke; one God remains with us forever. If God is good and merciful, then can we not thank Him? This property of God’s being encourages us to be merciful to everyone. If God is omniscient, then we will live so piously that the eyes of the Lord, the brightest of the sun, will not encounter anything sinful in our life, but will notice only one good thing worthy of praise. If God is wise, then we will be sure that everything that happens to us is completely useful for us and directed towards our salvation. If God is holy and righteous, then we will lead a holy and righteous life - shunning all vices: anger, malice, unmercifulness, condemnation of others, envy, lies, carnal impurity, intemperance and other vices, for the righteous wrath of God is coming on the wicked. Let us remember that nothing unclean will enter heaven and receive the Kingdom of God. If God is omnipotent, then let us remember that He can hear and fulfill every good prayer we have and deliver us from the devil and all our enemies, even if there are millions of them. If God is omnipresent, then let us remember that there is no place in the world where we could hide from God - that He is constantly looking at us. Let us therefore be afraid to commit sins, lest the wrath of God strike us. If God is an all-blessed being, the source of all happiness and bliss, then one must seek happiness in God alone, and not in the world, which lies entirely in evil, much less in satisfying one’s passions, for “there is no joy in the wicked” (Is. 48:22) (Arch. Gr. Dyachenko). About the second part of the Creed The Holy Apostle Peter commands all of us to always be ready to answer “every person who asks about the hope that is in us” (1 Pet. 3:15). So, if someone asks you: in whom do you trust? Who do you consider to be your Savior? - Answer with the words of the Creed: I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Our Savior is not an ordinary man, not even an Angel, but The Lord, the Lord of Angels and men. This Lord, the eternal Word of the eternal Father, appeared on earth as a true man, and was named Jesus, that is, the Savior, as the Angel of God explained this name to the righteous Joseph, the betrothed of the Blessed Virgin: “And you shall call His name Jesus: for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). us sinners: “For there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We also call Him Christ: this name from the Greek means: Anointed, the same as in Hebrew Messiah. From ancient times, special chosen ones of God were called anointed, such as high priests, kings and prophets, because they were anointed with the sacred oil of the Lord and, along with this anointing, received special help from God in their service. But all these Old Testament anointed ones were only prototypes of the Great Anointed One, in whom they themselves believed and in whom they were waiting - the Anointed One, filled most abundantly with all the gifts of God, that is, the Savior of the world, who in the prophet Isaiah himself says about himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the sake of my anointing, to bring good news to the poor of my ambassador.” (Isa. 61:1), and whom the evangelist John calls full of “grace and truth” (John 1:14). He is not only a Prophet, but also an omniscient God, who spoke through the prophets. He is the great High Priest, who sacrificed to God for our salvation not a sheep or a calf, but Himself. He is the King of kings and the Lord of heaven and earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we, as Christians, adorn ourselves, is truly Christ - the Son of the living God! Here in brief - all our faith, all the hope of our salvation! If we do not, as we should, believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, then all our faith will be in vain, and our salvation will not be certain (according to the Trinity). Burning with love for neighbors, He does not tolerate anger or vengeance, Orders to repay evil with good; There is an unearthly power in Him: He restores sight to the blind, Gives both strength and movement To the one who was both weak and lame; And extended a good hand to everyone, We know that our Lord Jesus Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem. In our lessons we once memorized the prophecy of His birth. “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way less than the provinces of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” (Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:6). Indeed, Bethlehem was a small town when Jesus Christ was born there. But how dear it is to us!.. And now Bethlehem is also a small town. A monastery was built on the site where the Savior was born; in the middle of the monastery there is a beautiful church; under the main altar of this church there is a cave, which is the place where He Whom the whole world cannot contain was born and lay in a manger. This cave is about 20 arshins in length, 6 in width and 4 in height; the vault of the cave is decorated with ancient thick mosaics 13; a marble-lined recess in the wall shows the birthplace; in this recess there used to be a silver star, around which there was the following inscription: “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.” Two steps from this recess there is another with a manger carved into the rock, in which the Mother of God laid the infant Christ. The walls and floor of the cave are lined with marble; the cave itself is covered with silk, red, shining gold material; thirty-two gold and silver lamps illuminate it day and night. These lamps are gifts from various pious kings and kings. Grateful hearts cleaned up the Savior’s birthplace so beautifully. There is a custom on Christmas Day to give gifts to children. When you receive your gifts, remember those precious, priceless gifts of the Heavenly Father that He gave us in the born Baby Jesus, and at the same time those gifts that we received from Jesus Christ. He gives us everything and does not require anything more from us except our love and our sins, which we must bring to Him in sincere repentance. Take your thoughts to Bethlehem. Imagine that you are standing in a den above the manger where the baby Lord Jesus lay sleeping. What feelings would fill your soul then? We will tell you one wonderful conversation that Blessed Jerome had in his soul with the Infant Jesus when he lived in Bethlehem and stood at the manger of the Lord. “Whenever I look,” says Jerome, “at the place where my Savior was born, I always have a sweet conversation with Him in my soul.” - Lord Jesus! - I say, - how firmly it was for You to lie there, in Your manger, for the sake of my salvation! What should I repay You for this? - and it seemed to me as if the Baby was answering me: – I don’t desire anything; just sing: “Glory to God in the highest”... It will be even worse for me in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. And I say: “Ah, beloved Baby! What will I give you? I would give You everything I have."... But He answered: “Both my heaven and my earth: I do not need anything: you better give it all to the poor people, and I will accept it as if it were done for Me.” I continued: “I will do it willingly; but what would I actually give You? Then the Child answered me: “If you are so generous, then I will tell you what you must give Me: give Me your sins, your corrupt conscience and your condemnation.” - What do you want to do with them? – I asked. - I will take them on My shoulders: this will be My property and that great deed about which Isaiah predicted: “He who bears our sins and suffers for us” (Is. 53:4). Then I started crying and said: “Divine Child! Take what is mine and give me yours! By you I am justified from sins and believe in eternal life!” (extracted from “Sunday Thursday” for 1867). 4. Hardness of St. Basil the Great in defending the truth of the doctrine of the Son of God Emperor Valens (Arian 14), knowing what a powerful and extensive influence St. has on the Orthodox. Basil, Archbishop of Caesarea, decided to win him over to his side. For this purpose, he instructed the head of the city, Modestus, to reconcile him with the Arians. Modest began his business with affection towards St. Vasily, continued with a threat - to take away his property and send him to prison, and ended with a new threat - to subject him to torture and death. St. Basil fearlessly answered: “There is nothing to take from me except poor clothes and a few books; imprisonment is not scary for me, because wherever they are imprisoned, everywhere is the Lord’s land: death is even a blessing, because it will unite me with the Lord.” Such greatness of spirit amazed Modest, and he said: “Until now, no one has ever spoken to me so boldly.” Then St. Vasily humbly remarked: “Perhaps you did not have to talk to the bishop; because in such a case each of our bishops would speak to you in the same way.” At the insistence of the Arians, Valens decided to expel St. Vasily into captivity - but at this very time, according to God’s providence, the emperor’s young son became seriously ill. The emperor revoked his decree about St. Vasily, and asked him to pray for his sick son. The saint, through his prayer, asked the Lord for health for the royal son, but at the same time announced to the king that his son would only remain alive when he was baptized and raised in the Orthodox Church. The emperor promised to fulfill this condition, but did not fulfill it, and the baby fell ill again and died. The irritated emperor again wanted to expel St. Vasily, but three times he took the pen to sign the decree, and three times the pen broke. Valens left St. Vasily at rest (“Ch.-M.”). 5. What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ, and how should one believe in Him? “Whoever believes in the Son of God,” said the Lord Himself, “is not condemned; but he who does not believe is already condemned” (John 3:18). - Do we believe? And if we believe, how can we assure ourselves and others that we believe? - These questions will explain themselves if we carefully consider what it means to believe in Jesus Christ, and how one should believe in Him? To believe in Jesus Christ means: to believe that Jesus Christ is in fact the Son of God the Father and the true God (John 3:16), - to believe that He came to earth and became man in order to make us children of God (1 John 3:1), - to believe that every word of His is the word of God, all His deeds are the works of God, and all the orders He made for our salvation are orders God (John 12:49, 50) - to believe that His life is an example of a holy life that we should follow (John 13:15); and His death is the source of our salvation (1 Pet. 2:24), - to believe that He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, His Father, and there prepares a place for us, His brothers (Rom. 8:34; John 14:2, 3), - to believe that He will come again to earth to raise all the dead, will judge them all and will take all those who truly believe in Him into what He has prepared It is their place—in eternal bliss (Matthew 25:31–46)—to believe that we should love God most of all, and then love all people, as the Lord has loved us (Jn. 13:34), to be kind to them, to help those in need if possible, to pray for them, to sincerely forgive enemies (Matthew 5:44), to obey your superiors (Rom. 13:1), to destroy all bad dispositions in yourself (Gal. 5:24), to keep your body in abstinence and purity, and to live in heaven with your soul and heart (1 Cor. 6:15–17), - not to believe only what Jesus Christ Himself taught, but also what the saints taught. His apostles, and what He teaches us through His holy church (Acts 1:8; Eph. 4:11-14) - to believe in Jesus Christ as undoubtedly as if we with our own eyes saw Him born, teaching, transfigured on Tabor, tormented in the house of Herod and Pilate, dying on the cross, resurrected, ascending into heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Father - to believe that He promised (Matt. 28:20), truly always happens to us believers, and therefore it is certain to believe that when, for example, we enter a church, He is there personally; when we pray to Him, we pray to Him personally; when we thank Him, we thank Him personally; when we sit down to eat at home, He sits down with us and breaks bread for us; when we do some kind of work, according to our condition, He Himself sits with us and helps us - to believe that every time we decide to commit any sin, He stands before us in tears and says, as it were: “I shed My blood for your souls, and you want to defile such a dearly redeemed soul with sin and sell it to the enemy the devil to hell! Come to your senses!” - to believe that during any of our misfortunes He stands next to us and says, as it were: “I with firm patience endured shame and disgrace, illnesses of body and soul, without any fault of mine, but only out of love for you. With every new torment I repeated one prayer: Father, Thy will be done! and you, sinners, consider it hard for yourself and do not want to endure even the small, unimportant misfortune that befell you. Come to your senses and be patient!” - to believe that during a time of severe torment of conscience from the consciousness of sins committed and during complete repentance of sins, He Himself stands next to us and says, as it were: “Calm down, brother! calm down sister! Just from now on, do not move away from Me and be true to your conscience!” - to believe that at the hour of death, when all people leave us and we must go through the terrible valley of death, He Himself stands before our bed, gives us His hand and wants to lead us - to believe that He is our only support, our only Savior in life, and at death, and in eternity. This is how one must believe, but to believe truly is to believe as the St. believed. the apostles after the descent of the All-Holy Spirit upon them. They believed in such a way that they recognized it as their indispensable duty to live and die according to His teaching; their whole life was the fulfillment of this duty. This is how one should believe in Christ. He who believes incorrectly cannot say to himself: “I believe!” For faith, if it is true, living faith, certainly shows its life in us, manifesting it through our good feelings, words and deeds. And if our faith does not show such a life in us, then it is dead; for “faith without works is dead,” says St. apostle (James 2:26), and therefore as inactive as a dead person, like a corpse. He who says, “I believe,” must show his faith by works of faith. “You imashi faith,” says St. The Apostle James continues: “Show me your faith by your works” (James 2:18): otherwise what is your faith? “And the demons believe” (James 2:19). How are you different from them? So, if we really believe, then we show and must show our faith by sincere, constant and most diligent fulfillment of all the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ - the laws of our behavior in relation to God, ourselves and our neighbors. Thus, if, for example, an intemperate person begins to believe in Christ, then he shows his faith by diligent and unremitting efforts to stop his intemperance and assert himself in abstinence. Otherwise, his faith, if it does not produce the indicated effect in him, is dead and insignificant. If we truly believe in Jesus Christ, then we show our faith by complacently enduring all the sorrows that happen to us in life, because a true believer firmly knows that everything that happens to him in life is sent to us or allowed to happen to us by the heavenly Father; and the heavenly Father, as a Father, sends us and allows us various sorrows, only for the purpose of purifying and keeping our heart pure, or to create a beneficial example of patience for other people. A true believer firmly knows that where there is extreme need and there is no human help, there the heavenly Father appears to us with special help; that He wisely delivers from trouble, which no human mind can foresee; that the saints thank Him most of all not for joys, but for sorrows, and that His only begotten Son Himself achieved His glory through suffering. So, we must believe truly! Really believe! Believe with living faith! Dead faith is dead, inactive, and therefore cannot at all bring us eternal blessings! Let us pray with all our hearts to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ: “Lord, grant or add to us faith” (Luke 17:5)! (Extracted in abbreviation from “Conversations” ... by Gregory, Metropolitan of Novgorod). 6. The truth of Orthodoxy, attested from above During the reign of Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, Tatyana Borisovna Potemkina was of great importance. Very interesting details are reported about this personality in “Memoirs”, which were published in “Russian Antiquity”. Tatyana Borisovna Potemkina was born Princess Golitsyna. From her early youth, E. Yu. Khvoshchinskaya tells an incident that, according to Tatyana Borisovna herself, confirmed her in Orthodoxy. Raised by Jesuits, 15 her brothers and sisters were inclined towards Catholicism in their youth, 16 but Tatyana Borisovna’s soul did not find refuge in it and was constantly looking for truth and truth, which, of course, it could not find in it. Having stayed for a long time in Switzerland, she heard many preachers whom she met, talked a lot with them and finally surrendered to Protestantism, 17 but even there her hot, ardent soul could not find warmth and joy. She was tormented by the fact that she considered herself an apostate from the faith in which she was born, and even more so that she upset her mother, who was truly Orthodox. She prayed and asked God to reveal the truth to her and guide her. The Lord heard her pure prayer. Returning to Russia, to the Vladimir province, the village of Sima, T. B. Potemkina fell ill with typhus 18 and during her illness had a dream: she was lying sick, the Monk Sergius was standing near her bed, and a little further away the Mother of God, but turning away from her. The sick woman wanted to look into Her face, but as she peered, the Mother of God turned Her sad face towards her... Then Rev. Sergius said: “What are you doing! The Lady loved you, but you do not honor Her; get up, go, throw yourself at Her feet, She will heal your sick body and soul!” Tatyana Borisovna stood up, threw herself at the feet of the Mother of God and woke up. Waking up, she cried bitterly and, telling her dream to her mother, asked to be sent to Vladimir as soon as possible for the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. From that day on, she found peace of mind (“Russian Antiquity”). 7. The appearance of our Lord I. Christ through the prayer of St. Gregory, Archbishop of Omirite When St. Gregory, Archbishop of Omirite, argued with the Jews about the advantages of the faith of Christ over the Jewish faith; the Jews did not want to believe the words of the saint and demanded the appearance of the Lord Himself as proof. And the Lord I. Christ, through the prayer of St. Gregory actually appeared. But how? When St. Gregory, after a long dispute about faith, began to pray and said: “Appear, O Master! Yes, having seen You, they will believe in You, the only true God,” suddenly a storm arose from the east, and such terrible thunder was heard that the whole earth shook; the whole people fell to the ground in fear... But when one after the other, as if awakening, stood up and saw to the east, the sky opened, and a cloud brighter than the sun descended to the earth; in the midst of the cloud they saw a man redder than all the sons of men. The Lord I. Christ in lightning-transparent robes, walking on the clouds, approached the valley and stood before the archbishop. Heavenly beauty attracted the hearts of all, both Christians and Jews; but from fear and the majesty of His glory, as once upon Tabor, everyone again fell on their faces. The Jews, struck with trepidation, rushed to flight, but their knees buckled, the divine radiance scorched them, an invisible force took away their movement... Then St. the archbishop, having strengthened himself and gathered his thoughts, fixed on the heavenly Glory, said: “See and believe that there is only one saint, one Lord and Christ, to the glory of God the Father, amen!” At this time a voice was heard: “For the sake of the archpastor’s prayers, the Crucified One will have mercy on you.” From these words, everyone, as if dead, fell to the ground and cried out in fear: “Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!” (“Cheti-Minei” December 19). In St. Petersburg, a young, poor and honest girl lived under the care of a pious woman. The girl fell ill with some strange illness; doctors could not identify diseases; the medications didn't help. In this illness, she fell into a lethargic sleep, in which she lay for more than a week, closing her eyes, not drinking or eating. In this state, she sees (as she said upon awakening from sleep) at her bedside the Savior in a crown of thorns, His beautiful face, but in a suffering form: with a bowed head, and his hands tied with a rope. The Lord looked at the sick woman with such a merciful gaze that she cannot describe; The vision ended there. When the girl returned to her normal state and opened her eyes, she told her mistress about her vision, and from that day she became healthy. In gratitude to the Lord God for her healing, the girl wanted to paint the image of the Savior according to her vision and entrusted the work to the painter, telling him the features of the image she saw. He who wrote down the circumstances of this miraculous healing says: “I saw her after the healing: her complexion was the healthiest, and she walked without fatigue; I asked her about the feeling that she must have felt when seeing the Savior in a vision; she answered me that this Divine face would never be erased from her mind” (“Russian Antiquity” for 1882). 9. The best comfort in life A noble and very rich pagan was baptized into the Christian faith. For this, all his estates were taken away from him, all his wealth was taken away, and even his wife and children left him. Abandoned by everyone, he wandered around the world, having neither shelter nor bread. – How do you have the strength to endure so many hardships and endure so much grief, insults and human untruths? “My joy, my happiness from the fact that I have come to know Christ the Savior is so great,” he answered, “that with them I feel neither grief, nor resentment, nor sorrow (from the book: “The Good Word,” 1st year of study. Priest G. Dyachenko). 10. 0 the power of the name of our Lord I. Christ Here are some examples of the power of the saving name of our Lord I. Christ, called upon with firm faith. 1. The inhabitants of the neo-Caesarean region suffered disaster from the Lykos River: spilling over a large area in the spring, it flooded many villages, fields and gardens and, devastating them, caused great harm to the inhabitants, which is why they turned to St. Gregory, asking him to avert this disaster from them. Touched by their request, the saint went with them to the river and, placing his staff on its bank, commanded it in the name of Christ not to overflow beyond that place, and the river, immediately turning to its place, never again overflowed beyond the limits indicated to it (from the life of St. Gregory the Wonderworker). 2. The wife of a Gaza boyar once came to the Monk Hilarion the Great and, declaring to him that her three sons, infected on the same day by an evil wind, had suffered a serious illness that all the doctors could not heal, she asked him to come to Gaza to heal her suffering sons. When Saint Hilarion came and called on the name of Christ over them, they immediately stood up healthy (life of St. Hilarion the Great). 3. St. Gregory the Dvoeslov talks about one saint. bishop that he once entered the monastery garden and saw that all the plants were covered with worms, and the vegetable plants had completely disappeared. Then he said to the worm: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave the plants and not destroy the vegetables!” The worm, according to the saint, immediately disappeared, so that not a trace of it remained in the entire garden (from “Conversation with St. Gregory, Pope of Rome, on the life of the Italian fathers”). 4. Rev. Elijah, the hermit of Egypt, talks about a certain old man who lived in a church. At one time, unclean spirits came to him and said: “Get out of our place.” “You have no place,” answered the elder. Then they began to scatter the palm branches prepared for weaving baskets: but the old man tirelessly collected them. Then the enemies, grabbing him by the clothes, dragged him out, but the old man stood against the door and exclaimed: - Jesus, help me! - and the ethereal villains instantly fled (from the “Venerable Tale of the Sublime Saints and Blessed Fathers”). 5. Before the suffering of St. priest martyr Pope Sixtus, a certain pious widow, named Kyriacia, approached him and, complaining of the excruciating pain in her head, asked him to lay his hands on her head. The saint, with the sign of the cross, laying his hands on her head, said: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, be healthy” - and immediately the widow was healed of her illness (“Ch.-M.”). 6. With one student, Rev. Paphnutius Borovsky suffered from an eye disease, from which he suffered greatly and sought treatment. The monk, giving him his rosary, ordered him to say the prayer a thousand times: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” The student barely managed to complete half the number when he received complete healing (“Life of Paphnutius Borovsky”). About the third part of the Creed 1. About the incarnation of the Son of God “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). “The Incarnation of the Son of God and His coming into the world greatly encourages sinners to repentance,” says Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. – For whose sake did Christ come into the world? For the sake of sinners; for what purpose? For their salvation. God has placed our salvation so dearly and highly. He himself came into the world for our salvation and came in our image. Oh, truly a great mystery of piety: God appeared in the flesh. God! that there is a man, as if you were known to him! or the son of a man, as you impute him! Truly wonderful is the kindness of God to man, and this is His work. Seeing this, the prophet exclaimed to Him with fear and horror: “Lord, I heard Your hearing and was afraid: Lord, I understood Your works and was horrified” (Hab. 3: 1, 2). Sinners! Let us remember the work of God, created for us, and repent: let us remember how for our sake our Lord was born of the Virgin and became a Child, feeding on his mother's milk - the invisible became visible, the beginningless one accepted, wrapped in swaddling clothes like a Child, the intangible was touched, the Word became flesh; Let us remember how He, while still a Child, fled from the murderer of King Herod; Let us remember how He lived on earth and wandered, how He moved from place to place, working for our salvation, - how unapproachable He turned to the Cherubim and Seraphim among sinners, - how, having heaven as a throne and earth as a footstool and living in an unapproachable light, He had no place to lay His head - how rich He became poor, so that we through His poverty might be enriched; Let us remember how he was clothed with light, as if he were clothed with a robe, with perishable clothing, - he who gives earthly food to all flesh was fed with earthly bread, - how the omnipotent was weak, and he who gives strength to all was weary; Let us remember how the highest of all honor and glory was blasphemed and reviled from lawless lips, how he was sick, grieved, grieved, cried and was horrified; Let us remember how he was sold and betrayed by a lawless disciple and abandoned from other disciples, how he was bound and taken to trial, how he was judged by the lawless, strangled, beaten, dressed in a robe of reproach, how we congratulate the King on his reproach: “Hail, King of the Jews!” (In. 19:3). He was crowned with thorns, a reed was struck on the head, He heard from His lawless people: “Take, take, crucify Him” (John 19:15). He was led with two villains to be crucified, and on the cross between the villains He, the Son of God, was crucified, bearing all kinds of power with His power. He created all this for our salvation. In Adam we lost salvation and all our bliss, but Christ, the Son of God, by the good pleasure of the Heavenly Father, returned it to us. So, let us consider, sinners, whether it is not the very blood of Christ, shed for our salvation, and all His suffering cries out to us, so that we may repent and through that eternal salvation we may gain. Without repentance there is no salvation for anyone; however, the damned sinner does not neglect this. The humane God showed His wonderful providence for sinful man, so that he would repent and thus be saved, but he does not care about this. Christ the Savior presents to him in the Gospel His coming into the world for his sake, His free exhaustion, free poverty, free and deep humility, His labors, sorrows, illnesses, sorrows, suffering and death, the death of the cross, and says: man! I accepted all this for the sake of you and your salvation, but you are careless - you are careless, because you do not want to repent and give up your sins, you do not want to use My blood and have life. But the sinner, although he hears this pitiful and sweet voice of Jesus in the Gospel, nevertheless does not care about it. Christ promises not to remember his sins and iniquities if he turns to Him; but the sinner is still negligent. Christ calls him to Himself and promises him peace, but the sinner is negligent about this: he remains faulty, as he was, lawless, as he was lawless, does evil deeds, as he did, loves darkness, as he loved, hates the light, as he hated, and therefore does not come to the light and remains with the devil - the prince of darkness. O poor sinner! wake up and feel yourself; if not, the very blood of Christ, shed for you, will cry out for vengeance on you. Listen to what the prophet of God says to you on behalf of God: “I will reprove you and bring your sins before you” (Ps. 49:21), that is, all your deeds, words, thoughts, plans and evil undertakings will follow you to the next world, appear at the world court of Christ, and you will receive a worthy reward for them. If now you do not want to repent and be saved by the grace of Christ, then later, although you will want to repent, it will be too late and useless: “Arise, sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:14), who is blessed above all, God forever and ever” (from Creation. St. Tikhona Zadon.). 2. The Holy Virgin Mary is the true Mother of God 1. St. Athanasius the Great, speaking about the dignity of the Mother of God, taught: “The purpose and property of Holy Scripture is to teach us two truths about the Savior: that from all eternity He was and is God the Son, and that in the last days (Eph. 1:1) for our sake, having received flesh from the Virgin Mary the Mother of God, He became man (Prot. Arian word 111). 2. St. Ephraim the Syrian: “Whoever denies that Mary gave birth to God will not see the glory of His Divinity” (Word on the Transfiguration of the Lord). 3. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in his homily for the Presentation of the Lord: “Now the heavenly Bridegroom with the Mother of God, His bridal chamber, comes to the church.” 4. St. Gregory the Theologian: “If anyone does not recognize Mary as the Mother of God, then he is excommunicated from the Divinity” (Epistle to Kledonius). 3. The miraculous appearance of the image of the Mother of God in the Kiev Vladimir Cathedral Miraculous phenomena and signs, which were abundant in the first Christian church, often appear in our time. The merciful Lord does not leave us, His sinful servants, rich in mercies, sometimes sending us gracious signs and miraculous phenomena to confirm our faith. Such signs include the appearance of the image of the Mother of God with the eternal Child in her arms in the newly built Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. This cathedral, which began construction back in 1859, was finished in rough form fifteen years ago (in 1884). At this time, the scaffolding was removed from the cathedral and work began on the interior decoration of the church. One day (January 4, 1885), members of the committee for the construction of the church - the chairman, the vice-governor of Baumgarten 20 and a professor at the university of Prahov 21 - arrived at the cathedral to discuss issues related to decorating the church with paintings. Stopping in the middle of the cathedral at the main entrance, Mr. Baumgarten noticed on the altar wall (apse) an image of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child in her arms with worshiping Angels following Her. Not trusting his eyes and assuming that what he saw only seemed to him, Mr. Baumgarten did not allow Mr. Prahov standing next to him to notice what he saw, continuing to talk with him about the issues that interested them. But he soon noticed that Mr. Prahov also began to peer at the altar wall, and only then did he decide to ask him what made him look so carefully in this direction. Then Prakhov, in turn, asked him if he saw anything in the apse, and received an affirmative answer from Baumgarten that he saw a clear image of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child. They immediately decided, without leaving the church, to draw this image in the form as it seemed to them, which was done by Mr. Prakhov in the picture with a pencil, and the drawing itself was approved by their signatures. From this original drawing, a photograph was immediately taken (in a reduced size) of the image of the Mother of God in the form in which She appeared to the eyes of A.P. Baumgarten and A.V. Prakhov. But until recently, a photograph from the image of the Mother of God was in the possession of only two designated individuals, and the very story about this truly blessed sign was known to very few people, and then only in the form of dark and vague rumors. Even such persons as Ertel, who described in detail (in the Kiev Word of 1893) the history of the construction of the Kiev-Vladimir Cathedral, knew about the revealed image of the Mother of God vaguely and confusingly. Only 10 years after the described event, a true zealot of piety and grace-filled signs was found (hiding himself under the letters: A.I.K.), who found out as accurately as possible about the appearance of the image of the Mother of God and described it in detail in a beautifully published brochure 22, from which we borrowed this information. Attached to the brochure are 3 artistically executed photographs of a general view of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, the revealed image of the Mother of God and Her real image, written by V.P. Vasnetsov (“Church Bulletin” 1895, No. 17). 4. The Most Holy Theotokos is Ever-Virgin In the second definition of the fifth ecumenical council, the following was decreed: “If anyone does not confess the two births of God the Word, one before the ages from the Father, timeless and incorporeal, and the other in the last days, when He descended from heaven, became incarnate and was born of the Holy Most Glorious Mother of God and the Ever-Virgin Mary, let him be anathema.” In the first canon of the sixth ecumenical council, its fathers defined, among other things, the following: “By two hundred God-bearing fathers, the teaching set forth as an indestructible power of piety is sealed by agreement, the one Christ, the Son of God, preaching incarnate, and the immaculate Ever-Virgin who gave birth to Him without seed, confessing to be actually and truly the Mother of God” (see “Experience. rights. dogma.", Bishop Silves., Kiev, 1885, vol. IV, p. 101). 5. Salvation from imminent death through the intercession of the Mother of God The Monk Palladius of Alexandria once told his visitors the following story. One pious man known to him had a wife, a meek and pious woman, and a six-year-old daughter, whom he raised in piety and the fear of God. Once, on trade matters, he had to go to Tsar-grad. His wife, accompanying him to the ship, casually asked: “Who are you leaving me and your daughter in the arms of?” “To our Lady Theotokos,” answered the father of the family and, saying goodbye, he sailed away. Shortly after that, an attempt was made by a villain on the lives of his wife and daughter. It was like this: the devil inspired the servant of that pious house to raise his hand on the head of his mistress and, having killed her, steal the best things and flee; the villain took a knife from the kitchen and went to the upper room; but as soon as he touched the threshold, he was suddenly struck by blindness and could not move either back or forward. For a long time he tried to enter, but an invisible force held him back. The madman here did not recognize the hand of Providence, which cares for the whole world and especially for man: he wanted at all costs to carry out the thought instilled in him by the devil. And so, he begins to call to his mistress, inviting her to come to him. The lady was surprised by the servant’s action and did not respond to his call, but ordered him to come up himself. The servant asked her to come closer to him, or at least send her daughter; but she, although she did not suspect any malicious intent on her and her daughter’s lives, for some reason decided not to go and refused his request. And then the villain did not come to his senses, but in despair because he could not carry out his villainous deed, he struck himself with a knife... Hearing the lady’s cry, the neighbors immediately gathered and, finding the villain still alive, they found out what had happened and how. On this occasion, everyone learned the inscrutable ways of Providence, glorified God and the intercessor of the faithful, the Mother of God and the Ever-Virgin Mary (Lavsaik). 6. Appearance of the Mother of God to St. Sergius Shortly before his death, the Lord honored St. Sergius with the following vision. One day in the dead of night, Rev. stood in prayer and at the end said to his disciple Micah: “Watch, child, we will have a wonderful visit.” At the same time, I heard a voice: “The Most Pure One is coming,” and the cell was illuminated with an indescribable light. The Most Holy One appeared. The Virgin with the Apostles Peter and John. Sergius fell to the ground in reverence, but the Most Pure One touched him and said: “Do not be afraid, My chosen one, your prayer for your disciples and for this place has been heard; with you and after you, I will not depart from your monastery.” When the vision ended, Rev. Sergius could not speak for a long time from admiration, and his face shone with extraordinary joy (“Life of St. Sergius”). 7. The Mother of God intercedes for us before God One day, on the evening of the Resurrection of Christ, the Monk Niphon came to the church and stood near the wall. Suddenly he sees that the Mother of God with many saints has entered the church and is looking at the people. Whoever fervently prayed to God in the church, the Mother of God looked at him and rejoiced; and whoever stood idly, looking at him, the Queen of Heaven cried; then, stretching out her hands to heaven, She began to pray to God for everyone and ask that all people be saved (“Thu-Min.” December 23). 8. Prayer to the Most Rev. Mother of God Intercessor of the world, Mother of all praise! Poor sinner, dressed in darkness, If trials befall me, In a difficult hour of life, in a moment of suffering, Spiritual joy, thirst for salvation To the Kingdom of Heaven, to the world of consolation About the fourth article of the Creed 1. Thoughts about the redemption of us by I. Christ from sin, curse and death 1. Imagine that the children of a father, for their faults, were subjected to his anger and curse, and as a result of this they experience shame, poverty, and all the troubles and sorrows. But one elder brother of theirs, who had not sinned before his father and was only loved by him, for the benefit of the other brothers, undertook extraordinary labors and exploits in order to earn them his father’s mercy, and then showed the greatest merits to him and, having earned all his treasures, all this, upon returning to his brothers, he shares with them. How should the brothers feel towards such a benefactor? Will they not accept him with joy and the most tender love? Will they not recognize him as their second father? Won't they devote their entire lives to him? Such and such love - no! We owe an incomparably higher and stronger love to the Divine Savior, the only begotten Son of God and, according to humanity, our brother, for the blessings that He deserved and brought to us are incomparably superior to all earthly treasures that an earthly father can pass on to his children (Eph. 3:17–19) (See the book “Catechis. teachings, gov. in Kyiv. Sof. Cathedral in 1854"). 2. Imagine that the king finds some beggar who has leprosy on all his limbs, and is not ashamed of him, but applies medicine to his ulcers and heals his scabs, and finally brings him to the royal meal, and puts purple on him, and makes him king. God did the same with the human race, washed away people’s wounds, healed them, and brought them into the heavenly bridal chamber. Therefore, the dignity of Christians is great: it is incomparable to anything (St. Macarius of Egypt, conversation 15, chapter 45). 2. Sayings of St. fathers and teachers of the church about the suffering of I. Christ for the sins of people 1. St. Epiphanius puts into the mouth of the Savior of the world, who suffered for us, the following words to Adam, and in his person to all of us - his descendants: “Look at My desecrated face and the blows on My cheeks; I was subjected to it in order to correct your deteriorated appearance in the primitive image; look at the wounds on My shoulders; they were accepted by Me in order to destroy the burden of your sins that lay on My shoulders; look at My nailed hands, which I stretched out on the cross because of you, wretched one, who stretched out your hands to the tree; I tasted the gall in order to heal you from its food; I tasted it in order to crush the gall and fierce cup of your death; you have given a lip to wash away the handwriting of your sins; you have taken a reed to sign freedom for the human race; I fell asleep on the cross and was pierced in the rib, and My rib healed the illness of your family, and My sleep will bring you out of the sleep of death” (extracted from the book “Collected teachings on days of resurrection and holidays.” Kyiv. 1854, vol. I, p. 691). 2. “We were enemies of God because of sin, and God determined death for the sinner,” teaches St. Cyril of Jerusalem. “Which,” he asks, “of the two should have been: was it necessary to kill according to justice, or to violate the definition according to philanthropy?” - and the following is answered: “note the wisdom of God: God has preserved (here) both the truth of determination and the power of love for mankind. Christ bore our sins in our body on the tree, so that through His death we, having been put away from sins, may live in righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24). 3. “By them (i.e. I. Christ),” teaches St. Gregory the Theologian, - for each of our debts we are repaid especially... For this purpose, Jesus fasted, was tempted and defeated the victor; for this purpose tree for tree and hands for the incontinently outstretched hand, hands nailed for the self-willed hand, hands copulating into one end of the world for the hand that cast out Adam; for this purpose, ascension to the cross for a fall, gall for eating, a crown of thorns for evil dominion, death for death... and burial for returning to the ground” (see “Op. Orthodox dogmatic theology”, Bishop Sylvester, vol. IV, pp. 144–147; 153–154). 3. Thoughts about the suffering of Christ 1. Remember Christ in the den and in prison - and you will not be enticed by a magnificently decorated house (Philar. Metropolitan of Moscow). 2. Remember Christ, naked and clothed in the clothes of reproach - and elegant clothing (aka) will not be desirable for you. 3. Remember the taste and gall tasted by Christ: and you will not hunger for the luxurious feast (aka). 4. Remember Christ, who shed His blood and for those who shed it; remember Him, who offered up prayer from the cross and for those who lifted Him to the cross: and you will not think about taking revenge on your enemies, but will generously forgive them (“Tsvetn. spirit.”). 4. Let this be understood in you, even in Christ Jesus This is the highest, shortest and most comprehensive, most understandable, inexhaustible, easiest and most difficult moral teaching, the receptacle of all positions, all wisdom and all bliss! Look, O man, at your example - Christ, And align your mind, heart and mouth with Him: What Jesus did, do the same yourself; Treasure the word of the Savior above all else; Live and die like Him and your own 5. The latest evidence from sacred antiquity in favor of the four-pointed cross As you know, our schismatic Old Believers blasphemously revile the four-pointed cross, which the Orthodox Church reveres equally with the eight-pointed one. According to the zealots of imaginary antiquity, “it is dishonor to the true cross of Christ to take away its title and foot.” In the ancient Orthodox Church, schismatics say, the four-pointed cross was not supposedly revered as the saving banner of Christianity. An eloquent refutation of such schismatic false wisdom is the ancient church opened in May 1897 in Tauride Chersonese. This church has the shape of a four-pointed cross; a font decorated with carvings and four-pointed crosses was found in it. A silver ark containing particles of holy relics was also found here. Top cover of St. The ark is also decorated with images of a four-pointed cross. The newly opened church dates back to ancient times. On the outer walls of the ark there are half-length images: on one side - the Savior and the apostles Peter and Paul, on the other - the Mother of God and two Angels; on the narrow sides there are two images of unknown persons. Judging by the icons of the Mother of God, as well as Angels and saints, reminiscent of examples of ancient mosaics of Ravenna, the newly opened church dates back to the 6th century; in any case, it was built in the times of ancient piety, several centuries before the appearance of the so-called Nikonianism. Thus, in the ancient Orthodox Church the four-pointed cross was revered in the same way as it is currently revered in the Holy Church, from which the schismatics were torn away. Thus, hoary antiquity itself denounces the imaginary Old Believers in their stubborn nonsense about the cross of the Lord (“Missionary Review” 1898, February). 6. The Holy City of Jerusalem, in which the Lord suffered The holy city of Jerusalem stands high on the limestone Jurassics, a mile higher than the city of Jaffa, which is 79 miles from Jerusalem. Therefore, we have to climb the steep Judean mountains. In these mountains the road leads through a rather wild-looking gorge, where pilgrims were often robbed in the past. The slopes of the mountains are covered with greenery, and you constantly see gardens, vineyards, and groves of olive trees. But the higher you go, the sadder and rockier the mountains become. The outskirts of Jerusalem have a terribly sad, lifeless appearance - one gray-yellow stone, scorched by the sun. Having climbed the mountain, we first notice the outskirts of Jerusalem: Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives with the Russian church on it, etc. But finally, thrice-blessed Jerusalem itself appears in the blue fog in the distance. No words can express the feelings that fill the heart of a pilgrim 23 at the sight of St. cities. Having made the sign of the cross, the pilgrim bows to the ground and then stands for a long, long time in silent contemplation, until, finally, the talk of his comrades and the shouts of the drivers remind him that he must go forward. Little by little, as you gradually approach, the battlemented wall of Jerusalem and above it the dome of the 24 Omarova Mosque are outlined more clearly. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem... who stoned those who were sent to you!” (Matthew 23:37). Was there ever a city in the world whose fate was as sad as yours? Has there ever been another city in the world that was destroyed so many times, created again and again destroyed to the ground? The real Jerusalem stands on the ruins of the many times lost city of David; These remains of successively buried cities go 6 or 7 fathoms deep. Nevertheless, Jerusalem never left the six hills that still serve as its base: Bezepha, Moriah, Ophel, Garib, Acre and Zion. Jerusalem, in ancient times Salim (which means peace), was founded, according to legend, 2000 years BC. Under King Solomon, the son of David, it achieved the highest greatness and splendor and was rightly considered one of the greatest cities in the world. Since then, it has been ravaged countless times by the Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians and other peoples of Africa and Asia. Finally, the Babylonians completely demolished it, tore down its walls, burned the church and took all the people into captivity. A few years later the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland, and they again built their Jerusalem. But the city continually passed from hand to hand, from one winner to another, until it finally fell to the Romans. With the consent of Rome, the Idumean Herod became king of the Jews. This king, Herod the Great, restored and richly decorated the temple of Jerusalem and built huge, thick walls around the city. After the death of Herod, the kingdom of Judah perished and became simply a Roman province, ruled by a governor. Pontius Pilate was the 6th governor. Subsequently, the Jews, filled with faith in the prophecies that foreshadowed the imminent coming of the Messiah, dared to rebel against the mighty, iron Rome. Then the Roman commander besieged the city. The residents defended themselves desperately; but hunger, disease, and fires forced them to surrender. The fugitives were crucified in front of the walls, the prisoners were thrown into the fire. When the last fortress of Jerusalem was taken, only a few thousand unfortunates remained out of 1/2 million inhabitants. The church was destroyed to the ground. And yet, 60 years later, the Jews tried to rebel again, but this rebellion was drowned in the blood of the people; the survivors were scattered throughout the whole earth, and not one stone was left of the city upon another. Jerusalem, as a Jewish city, ended its existence. In 139, Emperor Hadrian restored it, but gave it a different name and, on pain of death, forbade Jews from entering it. On the site of Solomon's temple, a church to Jupiter was erected. But at this time, a great turning point began in the history of mankind: the grain that grew from the blood of the Savior sprouted, which, growing more and more, was preparing to cover the entire universe. Palestine became holy in the eyes of growing Christianity. Pilgrims flocked here from all over the world. Finally, the Roman emperor himself (Constantine the Great) ordered the construction of a church over the cave of the Holy Sepulcher and returned Jerusalem to its former name. From then on, for 3 centuries, St. the earth serves as the center of the Christian world. Churches and monasteries cover all of Palestine. They say that on this bright holiday the ringing of bells, without interruption, went from Jerusalem to Sinai. It was a golden age for long-suffering Palestine. But the golden age did not last long. In 614, Persian hordes burst into St. the earth and commit unheard of cruelties in it. Monks and hermits fall by the thousands under their blows; almost all churches and monasteries were destroyed; Jerusalem was taken and plundered; The Church of the Resurrection was destroyed. In 636, Palestine was subjected to a new invasion: it was conquered by the Arabs. Christians suffered a lot from the Arabs, but it became even worse when the Turks took possession of St. earth. Many pilgrims who came here from Europe witnessed the most terrible violence and cruelty against Christians. Among these pilgrims was the famous Peter of Amiens. His powerful word sounded loudly and sincerely in Europe, calling Christians to the liberation of St. lands from the yoke of the infidels. In June 1099, the crusaders took Jerusalem by storm and created the Kingdom of Jerusalem. But then Jerusalem again begins to change hands and finally remains in the hands of the Turks, to whom it belongs to this day. The walls that now surround the city were built in the 16th century by Sultan Suleiman. This is, in brief, the chronicle of long-suffering Jerusalem. Let's go closer to him, let's see what he has become now. Not reaching 1/4 verst from the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem, we notice on the left side of the road extensive stone buildings and a five-domed church among them. These are our Russian buildings, the Russian church, this is a corner of Russia in distant Palestine. The magnificent cathedral in the name of St. Trinity is built in the shape of a cross, and around it there are premises for the consulate 25, for a hospital, a spiritual mission 26, rooms for pilgrims, designed for almost a thousand people, and large tanks 27. There is no other water in Jerusalem except rainwater, which is collected in special tanks. It rains here only in the winter months of the year. We are staying at the Russian monastery, in one of its many rooms. During the Easter holiday these rooms are crowded with pilgrims, but at other times there is plenty of room for everyone. After spending the night in the monastery, in the morning we go to Jerusalem and enter it through the Jaffa Gate. The Holy City is currently not at all what it was before. The splendor of the city of David and Solomon faded forever since the Roman army left no stone unturned in the city that killed the prophets. All the former beauty of Jerusalem has disappeared since then. Sadness and despondency reign in him. Narrow, crooked, poorly paved, dirty streets, often completely dark and stuffy, littered with all sorts of rubbish; houses with low, always locked doors and windows covered with bars; the complete absence of greenery - everything makes an extremely difficult impression. In addition, the streets sometimes go uphill, so you have to walk on steps. Walking from the Jaffa Gate straight along David Street, then turning left into Christian Street, then turning right into a narrow alley, then left into an even narrower alley and, finally, going down the steps, we come out onto the site of the Church of the Resurrection, the greatest holiest church on earth. The church occupies a vast space, divided between Greeks, Catholics and Armenians. It is covered on top by two domes topped with crosses. This church contains the most important shrines of all Christians: here is Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified, here is the cave where He was buried. A marble chapel was built inside the church. It is called edicule in Greek. The chapel is decorated with everything that the wealth and piety of millions of Christians could devise. Outside and inside the chapel, many candles and golden lamps glow day and night. Near it there is always a crowd of pilgrims who have come here from afar, many thousands of miles away. They are let in by 2 or 3 people, and they enter the chapel only on their knees, kissing the marble floor and shedding tears of tenderness. It is difficult to look at this spectacle without deep feeling. What's in this chapel? What draws Christians to her? – Here is the cave in which I. Christ was laid; here is part of the stone that covered the entrance to the cave and was rolled away by an Angel. It is known that the Jews did not bury their dead in the ground, but placed them in caves carved into rocks, on a stone bed, and closed the entrance with a stone. After visiting the Church of the Resurrection and its shrines, we will go to the vast square where the famous Omar Mosque stands. It occupies a vast platform paved with marble. Eight wide staircases lead to this platform, garam el sherif in Arabic. According to the Arabs, it is connected to heaven by an invisible staircase, along which 70 thousand Angels descend daily. The Mosque of Omar, the most beautiful building in all of Asian Turkey, is lined with colored slabs on which inscriptions from the Koran are inscribed. Upon entering the mosque, you are struck by the mysterious half-light falling through the multi-colored glass of the light and graceful dome. Two rows of marble columns support this dome. In the center of the 28th mosque there is a huge rock, a sacra, emerging from the marble floor and surrounded by a gilded lattice. This is the main sanctuary of the mosque. The whole East holds her in deep reverence. According to legend, Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac on this stone and the Ark of the Covenant stood on it in those days when the magnificent Temple of Solomon stood on the site of the Omar Mosque. Indeed, here stood the temple of Solomon, the first church built to the true God. In the fourth year of his reign, Solomon founded this church on top of the hill of Moriah. This construction lasted 7 l/2 years; no expense was spared on its decoration. The church existed for 400 years and was burned at the time when the Jews were taken into captivity. Subsequently, returning to their homeland, they again built a church, but could no longer find their shrine - the Icon of the Covenant. The restored church stood again for 500 years. Herod the Great rebuilt it and decorated it magnificently. The Evangelist Mark tells about this church: “When Jesus left the church, one of His disciples said to Him: Teacher! look at the stones and the buildings! Jesus answered and said to him, Do you see these great buildings? all this will be destroyed, so that there will not be left here one stone upon another” (Mark 13:1, 2). Rebuilt by Herod, the church was destroyed during the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans. In 636, Caliph 29 Omar, who took Jerusalem by storm, built a mosque on the site where Solomon’s temple stood. Subsequently it was expanded and decorated. When the Crusaders took possession of Jerusalem, they were amazed by the magnificence of the mosque and did not touch it. On the western side of the Omarova Mosque there is the so-called Western Wall. It is adjacent to the Jewish part of Jerusalem. This wall is very ancient and made of huge stones. It is believed that this is the remnant of the fence that once surrounded Solomon's temple. Here, to this wall, on the eve of the Sabbath, the Jews of Jerusalem gather to mourn their fall, to mourn the death of the holy and wonderful church where their fathers prayed. Some of them press their lips to the crevices of the wall, as if begging someone invisibly present there; others let out cries of despair. The stones in some places became smooth from kisses. Old people, children, men and women, gathered together, sing in mournful voices their sacred songs about the lost Jerusalem, covering the stones with kisses and hitting their heads on them. Poor. Could there be a misfortune worse than losing your homeland forever? (compiled from the brochure: “Palestine and Arabia” by S. Mech). 7. Where I am, there my servant will be (John 12:26) Serve Christ, follow the Lord, And despise fleeting joys and sweetness: You will be where He is; and where the Lord lives, There eternal joy dwells with Him. 8. Christian, do not complain about your cross! Once a poor man, who was complaining to everyone about his cross, about his poverty, dreamed that he was in a spacious room, which was all lined with crosses of different sizes, and all these crosses were covered with a veil. A secret voice says to the poor man: “You complain about your cross, about your poverty: choose another one, any cross.” The poor man began to choose. I took hold of the first cross, but didn’t lift it; Although he lifted the other one, even this one was beyond his strength - it was very heavy; The third cross did not seem heavy to him, but its corners hurt his shoulders. Thus, having tried all the crosses again, he did not find a single one within his strength. There was another cross left in the corner, which the poor man did not experience, because this cross seemed to him larger and heavier than the others. Raising this cross, the poor man joyfully shouted: “I will take this cross upon myself; Although he is great, he is lighter than others!” They removed the cover from this cross and there was an inscription on it: “poverty.” And so the poor man remained again with his cross, with his poverty; now he found that his cross, sent to him by God, was the easiest and most convenient to carry. By pacifying pride, removing idleness associated with vices, luxury, which with wealth leads to drunkenness, intemperance in food and drink, from which various diseases are born, teaching one to rely on the providence of God and from him alone to expect help and consolation, and directing a person’s gaze to the future afterlife, where there is no illness, no poverty, no sadness, but eternal bliss and endless joy - the cross of poverty is the most a comfortable and light cross for a person (Archpriest Gr. Dyachenko). 9. The appearance in heaven of the honorable cross of the Lord In the year 351, under Cyril, the primate of the Jerusalem church, the sign of the cross appeared in the sky. Stretching from Golgotha ​​to the Mount of Olives, the sign occupied the sky above this space for about 2 miles; its width corresponded to its length. At the appearance of such an extraordinary miracle, everyone fell into fear, left their houses, squares, everything that anyone was doing, ran to the church with their children and wives and began to unanimously glorify Christ and fervently confess God. The news of this greatly amazed the whole empire and spread quickly, because those who were in Jerusalem, according to custom, from the entire, so to speak, universe for prayer and viewing the places there, told their neighbors everything that they had witnessed. The archbishop informed the king about this in a message. This incident attracted many of the pagans and Jews to the Christian faith. This sign of the cross foreshadowed a heavy cross for the church - Arianism, which soon appeared. – (The remembrance of this sign of the honorable cross of the Lord revealed in heaven takes place in the church on May 7). (“Ch.-M.”). 10. Angels in heaven honor the cross of Christ For the sake of Christ, St. Andrew the Fool was so pleasing and beloved by God that one day, like St. Apostle Paul, was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable verbs there and saw the invisible, as he himself later, before his death, told his faithful friend Nicephorus. By the way, about St. On the cross he said the following: “Behold, I saw a cross, large and red, with a vision like the arc of heaven; near him stood singers, as bright as flames, and sang a sweet song, glorifying the Lord crucified on the cross. The young man who led me approached the cross, kissed it and gave me a sign that I should do the same. I fell to St. He crossed the cross with fear and great joy and kissed it with zeal. When I kissed St. cross, then he was filled with indescribable spiritual sweetness and smelled a greater fragrance than before in paradise” (life of St. Andrew - October 2nd day). 11. How should we depict on ourselves the sign of the honorable and life-giving cross of the Lord? There is one answer to this question in the entire universal church: “You must depict a cross with your right hand. Placing three large fingers on your forehead, say: in the name of the Father; then, lowering your hand in the same form on your chest, say: and the Son; From here, moving your hand to your right shoulder and leading it to your left, say: and the Holy Spirit. Having made this holy sign of the cross on yourself, conclude with the word: Amen” (“Orthodox Confession of Faith,” 51). Here is the answer and command of St. Orthodox Church, which all Orthodox Christians adhere to. The Cross of Christ is our life and strength; Blood of the Lord, all-honorable In the tree of life, in the key to heaven. 13. The power of the sign of the cross 1. Enemies of St. Bishop Julian, wanting to kill him, bribed his servant to put poison in his drink. Having learned from the revelation of God about the evil intent, St. Julian called them to him and, taking a cup of poisoned drink, said: “You want to kill the humble Julian with poison; Here I am drinking this cup before you.” Then he made the sign of the cross over the cup of poison three times and, after drinking, remained unharmed. The attackers, repenting, begged St. husband about forgiveness, and he forgave (“Ch.-M.”). 2. When St. The martyr Hermias emerged unharmed from the red-hot furnace into which he was thrown by his tormentors, then the ruler called the sorcerer and ordered him to be poisoned. Ermias took the poison, having prayed beforehand and made the sign of the cross over the cup, and remained alive. Thus, the words of the Savior were fulfilled on him, Who said about believers: “and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them” (Mark 16:18) (“C.-M.”). 14. The sign of the cross is fear for evil spirits Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, discussing the sign of the cross in his thirteenth catechism, among other things, says that it is fear for evil spirits. And indeed it is. 1. When St. John Chrysostom became the Patriarch of Constantinople and once preached a sermon, at that time one who was in the church was shaken by a demon, thrown to the ground, and the demoniac began to scream in such a terrible voice that everyone in the church was horrified. John ordered the demoniac to be brought to him, made the sign of the honorable cross on him, and the demon immediately left the man. 2. Another case. Once the martyr Cyprian, seeing the devil, said to him: “Destructive, deceiving, receptacle of all filth! Since I know that you fear the sign of the cross and tremble at the name of Christ; then what will happen to you if Christ Himself comes? Get away from me, you damned one, go away, you lawless and hater! Hearing this, the devil rushed at Cyprian to kill him and began to strangle him. Not seeing help from anywhere, Cyprian remembered the power of the sign of the cross against demons, protected himself with it, and the demon said: “Like a tense arrow, rebound from it” (“Ch.-M.”). 15. About the antiquity of triplicate The famous traveler to holy places and lover of Christian antiquities, I. Mitropolov, visited St. in 1887. Mount Athos and this is what he reports (about what he saw there): “From the Panteleimon Monastery we (that is, he, Mitropolov, and the readers Puzin and Kiselev from Simbirsk), accompanied by a guide, Hieromonk Augustine, went to the very top of Athos, to the Greek monastery of Dionysiatus. The Greeks fielded St. power, to which we began to apply ourselves. When we reached the relics of St. Hieromartyr Blasius, Bishop of Sebastia, then Fr. Augustine took the saint’s right hand out of the silver ark, which turned out to be folded for the sign of the cross like this: the first three fingers of the right hand are connected, and the ring and little fingers are bent to the palm. Hieromartyr Blasius was beheaded by the sword during the reign of Licinius (in 316 after the Nativity of Christ). After this Fr. Augustine took the right hand of St. from the silver ark. John the Silent. And here the first three fingers of the right hand are connected, and the ring and little fingers are attached to the palm, but smaller than those of St. Vlasiya. St. John reposed in 558” (see the book “On the Sign of the Cross” by the Right Reverend Alexander, Bishop of Mozhaisk). About the fifth article of the Creed The Lord Jesus Christ bowed His head on the cross and gave up the ghost; this does not mean that death prevailed over Him, but that the Lord Himself wanted to give His life to death as a ransom for the life of the world. I. Christ, according to the apostle, was killed in the flesh, but revived in the spirit, by which he ascended to heaven, that is, to paradise, and preached redemption to the spirits who were in prison (1 Pet. 3:18, 19); His most pure body at that time rested on Saturday from the work of redemption He had completed, just as God rested on the seventh day from the work of creation. On the resurrection morning, with the first ray of the sun, His spirit again united with His body, which rested in the tomb, which through this union was immediately transformed for a heavenly dwelling, awakened to new life, and the Lord arose as the firstborn of the redeemed human race, living forever in truth and purity before God. So the Lord arose from the grave and death, despite the guard, the stone and the seal. The stone had already been rolled away by the Angel for the myrrh-bearing women, so that they and the apostles could be convinced that the Savior was no longer in the tomb and prepared for the appearance of the Risen One to them. The Lord has truly risen! The guards witnessed the circumstances surrounding the resurrection; they saw the Angel who rolled away the stone from the tomb, experienced an earthquake and testified about all this before the high priests. The myrrh-bearing women and all the apostles saw Him risen bodily; the unbelieving Thomas put his fingers into the nail wounds and his hands into His sides, and once the Risen One appeared to more than five hundred brothers. Rejoice, Christian! The Lord has truly risen. The work of redemption is accomplished, as He said on the cross, committing His soul into the hands of His Father. But who could believe this if He had not been resurrected, had not risen from the grave in a new, transformed, glorified body? Now He stands before our eyes in the brilliant radiance of the rising morning sun, accepted by the Father into His glory, crowned with eternal radiance for His bloody work, the High Priest and Redeemer of our souls and bodies. “I am the resurrection and the life,” says the Lord, “whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25, 26) (compiled from “Resurrection Reading”, 1876, vol. I). Resurrection day, let us enlighten ourselves people: from death to life, and from earth to heaven, Christ God has led us, singing in victory. Resurrection day! Let's enlighten ourselves, people! For from death to life and from earth to heaven Christ God translated us singing (the song) of victory. 3. From the words of St. John Chrysostom on Easter Day All of you, enter into the joy of our Lord! Rich and poor, rejoice with each other. Temperate and lazy, honor the day. Everyone enjoy the feast of faith! Receive everything from the wealth of goodness! Let no one complain about poverty, for the common kingdom has come. No one should cry for sins, for forgiveness has dawned on everyone from the grave. No one should be afraid of death, for the death of the Savior has set us free. He tamed death, embraced by death. Captured by hell He who descended into hell; grieved the one who touched His flesh! Having foreseen this, Isaiah exclaimed: “Hell... is grieved to meet You in its depths” (Is. 14:9). He was upset because he was abolished. He was upset because he was killed. I was upset because I was crushed. I was upset because I was tied up. "Death! where is your sting? hell! where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). Christ has risen - and the demons have fallen! Christ has risen - and the Angels rejoice! Christ is risen - and life is restored! Christ has risen - and not a single one is dead in the tomb! For Christ, who rose from the dead, “was the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). To him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. Christ has risen, and hell has been conquered by Him. Christ has risen, and the world has been redeemed by Him. Christ has risen and heaven is open to us. Christ has risen and the power of hell has fallen. Christ has risen and the Angels rejoice. Christ has risen and people are celebrating. Christ has risen, and the sting of death has been erased. Christ has risen and saved the world from torment. (“Miss. Review” 1898 April-June) 5. What an all-enlightening light does the resurrection of Christ illuminate us with! With the resurrection of Christ, heaven, earth, and hell were filled with light. The sky itself was illuminated with a new light; for St. To the angels, the highest mystery of God’s love, which did not spare His beloved and only-begotten Son for the salvation of fallen humanity - when the King and Lord of the Cherubim and Seraphim Himself incarnated and became man for our salvation, accepted the most severe suffering and torment, the cross and death. The very underworld was filled with light when the Conqueror of death and hell appeared there with the luminous banner of resurrection, when the devil himself saw in Jesus the true Son of God, - when all his captives were illuminated by the light of the coming of Christ, announced the preaching of the Kingdom of God from the lips of the King of this Kingdom Himself, dissolved the bonds of darkness and delusion that bound them devil, and came out of hell in a triumphant host with a victorious song following their victorious Leader. But the light of Christ’s resurrection shone primarily on our earth and for us people. What were we before the Sunday of Christ? Slaves condemned to utter darkness, unpaid debtors, unable to repay anything to the justice of the Masters, slaves sold into sin, sons of disobedience, the living dead, smoldering in seductive lusts, unable to do anything but dead works. And what did we become when we were resurrected with Christ in the font of St. baptism? The royal sacredness, the holy language, the people of renewal. Slavery to sin has changed into freedom for the children of God, our unpayable debt has been paid, the insoluble bonds that kept us captive to the devil have been broken, our conscience has been cleared in our service to the living and true God. What became of the land on which Christ was resurrected? This is no longer a country of damnation, to which a person has been exiled for the sake of disobedience. From the time that Christ washed its oath with His blood, becoming an oath for us, it is a blessed field in which the wheat of Christ grows and ripens - His chosen ones, until they are gathered into the heavenly granary. This is no longer a rejected place of exile, containing slaves and captives, but the suburb of a heavenly city, in which the sons and heirs of the Kingdom work and strive in the hope of the inheritance of the eternal Kingdom of God, prepared for them from the foundation of the world. From the very thorns that sin produces on earth is woven a crown of glory for those who love the Lord, after the head of the Author of our salvation was wounded by the crown of thorns. The very cup of suffering, so bitter for flesh and blood, becomes the cup of salvation when those who hunger and thirst for righteousness share it with their Savior. What is our coffin now? This is no longer a dreary place of decay, in which our God-created beauty becomes stench and food for worms. This, on the contrary, is the evening bed on which our body, exhausted by the struggle of life, will rest until the joyful morning of the resurrection, until the hour when the unsetting sun of truth rises above us. This is God's field on which corruptible things are sown in order to arise incorruptible; it is not sown in honor that it may arise in glory; the spiritual body is sown, the spiritual body is raised. What, finally, is the country of our afterlife for us? Before the resurrection of Christ this was an unknown area for us; an abyss in which both the thought and imagination of man were lost, into which the bravest, most inquisitive minds of the wise and reasonable of this world did not dare to penetrate. Now that Christ has risen and entered into His glory, it is the kingdom of glory for His elect. At its gates we will lay aside our earthly body, like worn-out clothing, and, having received the heavenly body, we will be enlightened like the sun in the kingdom of our Father in the light of His saints. The veil that hides the invisible Deity from us will be removed - and we will see Him not as now as a mirror in fortune-telling, but face to face. The Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, will appear to us not under the cover of sacraments, not in images and marks, but will appear in all the radiance of His glory, in all the light of His divine greatness. We will celebrate at His wedding supper that eternal Pascha, of which our real Pascha is only the image and foreshadowing, and, transformed from glory to glory, we will find in Him life, and immortality, and joy, and bliss, and endless triumph, and the eternal Sabbath. You see with what all-enlightening light the resurrection of Christ illuminates us! Now everything is filled with light, heaven and earth and the underworld, so let all creation celebrate the rise of Christ! (extracted in abbreviation from the “Complete collection of sermons” by Demetrius, Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, vol. I, ed. 1889). Christ is Risen! People are brothers! Each other in warm arms Hurry up to joyfully accept! Let's forget the quarrels, insults, Yes, the bright holiday of Sunday Christ is Risen! Hell trembles And the sun of eternal truth shines A ray of Divine light, Christ is Risen! Holy day!.. Thunder in all corners of the universe, The shackles of sin have fallen from us, 7. The power of Christ's resurrection The power of the resurrection of I. Christ over the dead was already evident in the very days of His death and resurrection. 1. According to the evangelist, on the day of the Savior’s death, “many bodies of those who had fallen asleep arose, and after His resurrection they entered the city of Jerusalem and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:52, 53). 2. By the power of the resurrection of Christ they performed miracles and raised the dead. apostles; e.g. ap. Paul resurrected in Crete the deceased son of the proconsul Rusticus, ap. Philip resurrected a dead child in the arms of a weeping mother. Other saints of God also raised the dead: for example, the Venerable Martyr Evdokia killed one depraved young man with one breath, and then resurrected him in order to direct him to the path of virtue; The Great Martyr Panteleimon became a free doctor after in the name of Christ he resurrected a dead young man wounded by a snake. 3. There have been cases that during times of unrest in the church, as a result of heretics’ rejection of the truth of the resurrection of the dead, the Lord temporarily resurrected the incorruptible righteous people who were resting. So, for example, He resurrected the seven holy youths, who rested incorruptibly in the city of Ephesus, after they had lain in the sleep of death for more than 300 years. Or, when one day in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra a clergyman exclaimed on Easter day - “Christ is risen!” - the entire host of incorruptible saints resting there joyfully and loudly answered: “Truly he is risen!” (According to “Ch.-M.” and the Kiev-Pech. Patericon). The custom of exchanging red eggs on Easter dates back to ancient times. The egg is, indeed, the most understandable symbol of resurrection: today it is dead, but hidden vital forces lurk in it 30. In the times of dark paganism and all sorts of prejudices, the egg of almost all peoples was like an image of the creative power of nature; they were exchanged with them at various celebrations and used in religious rites; The whole universe seemed to some of the pagans to have emerged from an egg. In ancient times, it was also the custom among pagan peoples and Jews, when appearing before an important person, especially for the first time, to offer him something from themselves as a sign of respect and love. Poor people usually brought poultry eggs on such occasions. Therefore, it is quite plausible the legend that Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, appearing to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, before beginning to preach Christianity, presented him with a red egg as an emblem 31 explaining her teaching. In the library of the monastery of St. Athanasius, near Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki), there is an ancient Greek handwritten charter, at the end of which, after the prayers on St. Easter the following is said: “A prayer is also read for the blessing of eggs and cheese, and the abbot, kissing the brethren, distributes eggs to them and says: “Christ is risen!” So we received from St. the fathers who maintained this custom from the very times of the apostles; for St. Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene was the first to show the believers an example of this joyful gift.” The appearance of Mary Magdalene to Tiberius is full of interest and curious details. They say that when Caesar Tiberius heard from the sisters of Lazarus (Martha and Mary) and Mary Magdalene who came to Rome about Christ, His miracles and death, he sent to Jerusalem for the sick healed by Christ, for the resurrected Lazarus and the centurion Loggin, who was on guard at the cross. When they arrived and entered Caesar's palace, a strong earthquake was suddenly felt. Caesar, wondering for the sake of which of them this sign was, ordered them to leave the palace and enter it again one by one: and when the centurion Loggin entered in his turn, the earthquake repeated. The horrified Caesar began to question the centurion, and this one, having told about the death of Jesus, announced to Tiberius that he was currently wearing the robe of Jesus, which he had received by lot during the division of the clothes of the Crucified One. Moreover, he added that he, who was sick with his eyes at that time, saw, when Jesus was pierced by a copy, that blood and water flowed from His wound, he believed in the Son of God, took this holy blood and anointed his eyes with it - and at that very moment he was healed of his illness. Caesar ordered him to take off the robe of Christ and, having done this, having accepted it from Loggin, kissed it. At this time, Martha and Mary turned to Caesar with advice, so that he, who had had a large scab on his face for a long time and could not get rid of it in any way, should wipe his face with this robe; Caesar did this, and at the same moment the scab fell off. Delighted by the miraculous healing, Tiberius thanked Christ and sent the visiting preachers home with honor and gifts. But why St. Did Mary Magdalene color the egg? Maybe she, like a true Israeli, painted it in imitation of the Passover ritual of the Jews, who, having dipped a hyssop brush in the blood of the Passover lamb, anointed themselves and the thresholds of their houses with it? Only Mary Magdalene dipped her poor gift not in the blood of a lamb (because the rite of anointing with Easter blood was abolished by the true, blessed Easter), but in a bloodless composition depicting the life-giving blood of the Lamb of God. So, the Easter egg reminds us of one of the dogmas 32 of our faith and, as it were, serves as a visible sign of the resurrection of the dead, the guarantee of which is the resurrection of Christ. The red color, usually used when coloring Easter eggs, indicates the redemption of the human race through the outpouring of the blood of the God-Man. As a result of all this, giving each other a red egg on the day of the Resurrection of the Savior, we seem to depict our joy that we ourselves, once by the power of He who shed His blood for us and rose from the dead, will be freed from the corruption of death and will pass into imperishable immortality. The custom of giving eggs for Easter and making Christ, like many religious rites, came to Russia from Greece. It is in use throughout the Orthodox Christian world (see “Holidays...” by V. Preobrazhensky). About the sixth article of the Creed On the fortieth day after His resurrection from the dead, having appeared for the last time to His disciples, our Lord I. Christ takes them to the Mount of Olives. In bewilderment and confusion, the disciples follow their Teacher and Lord. Their hearts feel something special; but the purpose for which the Lord leads them to the Mount of Olives, they do not know. Now their journey is over!.. They are already on the mountain; a sad feeling covers their heart; in bewilderment and confusion they look at their dear Teacher and Lord, and what do they see? The Lord raises His most pure hands, blesses them and, blessing them, ascends to heaven. A feeling of sadness at the sight of the Lord ascending to heaven fills their heart. Having fixed their gaze on the mountain, they cannot tear themselves away from the contemplation of the Lord ascending to heaven; but the Lord rises higher and higher. At last a cloud hid Him completely from their sight, but they looked up to the sky. It’s sad and hard for them; The Lord is not with them. But when they stood with their eyes fixed on heaven, two Angels appeared and said to them: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Hearing this, the apostles bowed to the Lord who had ascended into heaven and returned with joy to Jerusalem. 2. About why our Lord I. Christ ascended to heaven Let us think about why the Lord ascended to heaven? Our Lord ascended into heaven, may He not sadden us, but may He arrange for us what is most beneficial, says Saint Demetrius of Rostov. And His whole life, all His deeds were aimed at our benefit and our salvation; therefore His ascension was for our good. “If you do not,” He said to His disciples, “I go: if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you: if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). As if he were saying this: listen wisely, my beloved disciples: each of you will have to go out to preach the word of God to the whole world; and in the world of sorrow you will be; “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice: you will be sorrowful” (John 16:20). It is necessary that in that sorrow, in those weeping and sobbing, someone would comfort, strengthen and calm you. I will therefore go to the Father and send you the Comforter of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, so that he may comfort you in all your sorrows and sorrows. Yes I go” (John 16:20). Our Lord ascended from us into heaven, and from on high looks down on us, like a Father on his children, like a shepherd on his sheep, like an eagle on his chicks, like a commander on his warriors, may he see everyone, may he see every need and demand, may he give everyone timely help. He struggles with the suffering feat of St. the first martyr Stephen, being stoned by the Jews: and our Lord, having opened heaven, looks at him with goodness, so that the sufferer himself cried out in joy: “I see the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of power” (Acts 7:56); blinding his carnal eyes with the light of heaven and frightening him with a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). Thus, looking down on us from above, the Lord helps His servants! Our Lord ascended from us into heaven, may he arrange for us the path to heaven and be our forerunner to the mountainous countries. Before the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, there was no way for man to reach heaven. No one could ascend to heaven before, even if he was righteous and holy. When our Lord, having taken on human nature, ascended to heaven, the path to heaven was immediately opened to the entire human race. This way the souls of the holy forefathers and prophets, brought out of hell, flowed after Christ; they entered the apostles, saints, martyrs, confessors; Even now, worthy and righteous people are ascending to them, following the footsteps of Christ: everyone now knows the path to heaven; Let’s not be lazy, just climb it! Our Lord ascended from us into heaven, and may intercede for us to God the Father. For this is what St. says. John the Theologian: “if anyone sins, Jesus Christ the righteous is the intercessor to God the Father... For him there is cleansing for our sins” (1 John 2:1, 2). So, let us not be afraid, sinful people, let us not despair of our salvation: let us be trustworthy, let us have a good Intercessor to God the Father, Christ our Savior, who intercedes for us, showing Him His wounds raised for us. Just don’t be lazy, and with Him, we send our warm prayers to the Father, so that Christ the Lord may intercede to God the Father, showing Him His wounds, and with those, as it were, lips of prayer, propitiating Him. But for whom does I. Christ intercede? - About what sinners? About those who repent: but about those who do not repent, He does not appease His Father. A sinful man, being in negligence and unrepentance and adding sins to sins, crucifies the Lord, and tramples the blood of the Son of God, shed for Him, with his unrepentance. So, fear, sinner who remains in unrepentance, lest the vengeance of God suddenly overtake you, and you will be consumed from the land of the living, and you will be condemned with the murderers who crucified the Son of God. Our Lord ascended from us into heaven, may he prepare for us a place in heaven, where we will live forever and co-reign with our Lord. For this is what He Himself says: “I go to prepare a place for you: if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and understand you to myself, that where I am you also will be” (John 14:2, 3). Good and joy-filled wine of the Lord’s departure! The Lord ascended from us into heaven, may he prepare for each of us a place in heaven. And for us sinners, where have You prepared a place, Lord? – will there be even a small place for us in heaven? - Thy beloved disciple, John the Theologian, frightens us, saying: “Let us not enter into all manner of evil, and do abominations and lies, but only those written in the books of the living creatures of the Lamb” (Apoc. 21:27). And he not only frightens us, but also threateningly drives him out, saying: “Outside... sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and all kinds of love and commit lies" (Apoc. 22:15). So, there is no longer a place for us in heaven: they will no longer let us in, and will they cast us out of there? - But our Lord, looking at us with a bright and merciful face, says: “I have not come... to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13); holy and righteous. Where is the place for Peter, who rejected Me and then wept bitterly, where is the place for the harlot wife who wept at My feet, where is the place for the prodigal son, the tax collector, the thief, there will be a place for you too - just weep bitterly for your sins, like Peter, fall at My feet with repentance, like the harlot, turn to Me, like the prodigal son, humble yourself, like Publican, be crucified with Me, like the prudent thief; repent and you will be saved. In heaven I have a place ready for you, and you will fit into the womb of My mercy (extracted in abbreviation from “The Works of St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov”). Mount of Olives or, in Russian, Olivet, got its name from the olive groves with which its slopes were covered in ancient times; it rises to the east of Jerusalem, at a distance of no more than a mile from the city. The most direct way to it is through the eastern gate of St. cities, near which St. First Martyr – Archdeacon Stephen. As soon as the traveler passes the Garden of Gethsemane and climbs a little along the path, he will be shown a smooth whitish stone, on which, according to legend, the Mother of God had the custom of resting when, while living in Zion, in the house of John the Theologian, she visited this beloved mountain of Her, where everything reminded Her of Her Divine Son. She stood there, as the legend says, at the time when the Jewish host stoned St. Stephen, and strengthened the sufferer with Her all-powerful prayer. - Six steps higher they show a stone in the place where, according to legend, the Apostle Thomas stood when, after the Dormition of the Mother of God, She, the Queen of Heaven, deigned to appear to him in the air and threw Her virgin belt to him. – Halfway to the top, among the olive trees, you can see the ruins of the place where the Lord wept for Jerusalem during His triumphal entry on a donkey after the resurrection of Lazarus. He foresaw, in His Divine omniscience, that this fickle people, who now meet and see Him off with joyful exclamations: “Hosanna to the Son of David”! - in a few days he will furiously shout to Pilate: “Crucify, crucify Him!” (Matthew 21:9; Mark 15:13) - he foresaw that for such bitterness terrible troubles would befall this unfortunate people, this city, this church, which from here was revealed to His gaze in all its then beauty and grandeur - and behold, His loving heart could not stand it: tears, holy tears of love for the earthly homeland flowed abundantly from His eyes: “And... seeing city, crying over him, saying: if only you had understood, if only you had known, even now, on this day, for your humility,” what serves for your well-being!.. “But now I am hidden from your sight, for the days will come against you, and your enemies will lay a fort over you (they will surround you with trenches), and will compass you, and will embrace you on every side, and will crush you and your children within you, and will not leave one stone upon another within you; for you did not understand the time of your visitation” (Lk. 19:41–44). A little higher they indicate the place where the Lord taught His disciples to pray: Our Father. Further, about 90 steps from here, there is a magnificent Russian church in the name of Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene; it was built on the spot where the Savior pronounced His Divine prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. But here is the very top of the sacred Olivet. This is the very place about which the prophet Zechariah predicted 500 years before the event: “The Lord will come out... And His feet will stand on that day on the Mount of Olives, which is directly from Jerusalem to the east...” (Zechariah 14:3, 4). This is the place where, on the fortieth day after His resurrection, Jesus Christ led His disciples from Jerusalem, “and lifted up His hands, bless them. And when you had blessed them, you departed from them and ascended to heaven” (Luke 24:50, 51). At the site of the Ascension of the Lord, St. Queen Helena erected a majestic church; the very top of the dome in this church was not reduced; Those praying in the church could see above their heads the same sky at which the apostles looked after the Lord departing from them, and all the more vividly remember His glorious Ascension and future second coming, about which the luminous men-Angels said to the apostles: “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way, in the same way you saw Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11 ). “Now all that remains of this church are ruins, among which stands a small chapel, decorated with columns of good white marble with beautiful carvings. Upon entering the door, on the right side, one can see the left foot print of the Lord Jesus, imprinted in natural rock and lined with marble. The Turks cut out another trace from the right foot from the rock and moved it to their El-Aqsa mosque, or the ancient Church of the Presentation of the Mother of God, where this trace remains to this day. The trace left on the mountain shows that, during the Ascension of the Savior, His Divine face was turned to the north, in our direction, by which He seemed to call to Himself and, calling, blessed our ancestors... Only Latins have the right to serve inside this chapel; altars of other religions - Greeks, Armenians, Syrians and Copts, are built in the courtyard, near the chapel. On Lazarus Saturday and on the day of the Ascension of the Lord, clergy of all confessions gather here for solemn services, and people cover this holy mountain in crowds. Not far from the place of the Ascension of the Lord, to the east, a Russian church in honor of the Ascension was recently built, and with it a house for rest for Russian pilgrims. The Mount of Olives is the highest and most beautiful of all the mountains surrounding Jerusalem; It offers beautiful views in all directions. In the west, below, the Valley of Jehoshaphat stretches out in a long strip with its countless tombstones, and beyond it is Jerusalem; it appears so clearly from here that you can see every house; there is no noticeable life anywhere on earth and almost no vegetation, with the exception of a few scanty palm trees, olives and sad cypresses. To the east, through the naked, deserted mountains of Judea, the gaze reaches the Jordan Valley, where the Dead Sea, from the sun's rays, glistens like melted metal, and beyond it are the deserted mountains of sandy Arabia. To the north are the mountains of Ephraim, to the south are the mountains of Judah, with their deep gorges, into which the Kidron stream disappears. In ancient times, the caves of Olivet were filled with desert dwellers, just like the entire Judean desert lying to the southeast, and now all are bare rocks and ruins (see Trinity leaf. No. 421). About the seventh article of the Creed 1. About the second coming of our Lord I. Christ “You see,” says Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, “that when citizens expect the coming of their king to their city, they prepare for a worthy meeting of him and often say among themselves: the king will come! the king will come! Will he ever be there? at night or during the day? in the morning or in the evening? and will he come with some retinue? Citizens say this and similar things among themselves as they await the coming of the king. Christians! We await the coming to us of the King of Heaven, Jesus Christ. We saw His first coming to us, we are waiting for the second and we will see it. They saw that His first coming was in humility, poverty, meekness and long-suffering: the second will be in terrible and Divine glory. In the first it came quietly and fell “like rain on the fleece, and like a drop dripping on the ground” (Ps. 71:6): in the second it will shine like lightning, which shines in the east and appears in the west. You see in the Holy Scripture what will happen then: “then the heavens will pass by with a noise, the elements will be destroyed when they are burned, the earth... and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). Then the sky will depart, like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island will move from their places, the kings of the earth, and the nobles, and the rich, the thousands and the mighty, and every slave and freeman will hide in caves and stones by the handful and will say to the mountains and stones: “Fall on us and cover us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb: For the great day of His wrath has come, and who can?” (Apoc. 6:16, 17)? Then all those who have died since the beginning of the world will rise from their graves; then from all the ends of the earth all nations will gather and stand before the King of heaven, the righteous Judge. We expect such a coming of our King Jesus Christ; So, let us prepare ourselves to meet Him worthily. May our conversations be more often about that day! Let us repeat to each other: The King of Heaven is coming! The King of Heaven is coming to us! He comes to save the righteous and torment sinners. Will He come someday? At night or during the day, in the morning or in the evening? What month, days and time? His preachers know that they proclaim to us: The King of Heaven is coming! Prepare to meet Him. O dear evangelists! Tell us when He will come? When will the righteous Sun rise for us? When will His lightning flash and illuminate the universe? When will His holy throne be set up for judgment, and will we all see Him? He is coming soon, they answer us, he is coming soon and will not become stubborn. The coming of the Lord is drawing near, behold, the Judge stands before the doors, but you know not the day, nor the hour at which He will come: watch ye. The verb testifying to this is: “Yes, I am coming quickly: Amen.” Yes, come Lord Jesus" (Apoc. 22:20) (from "The Works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk"). 2. Thoughts of the saints. fathers about the Last Judgment 1. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: “When it is said that “the wicked will not rise for judgment” (Ps. 1:5), this means that they will rise not for judgment, but for condemnation; - for God does not need a long-term test; but at the same time as the wicked are resurrected, punishment will follow” (Cyril of Jerusalem, “Occupational Teachings XVIII,” paragraph 14, p. 417). 2. St. Chrysostom: “In the smallest deeds, both bad and good, there will be a strict test. And for an immodest look we will be punished, we will give an account for an idle word and something said for laughter, for slander, for thoughts, for drunkenness, as well as for good deeds, for a cup of ice water, for a kind word, for one breath we will receive a reward” (Chrysostom, on Romans. Conversations XXXI, p. 706, according to Russian translation). 3. St. Gregory the Theologian: “This judgment will be unique, final and terrible, and even more righteous than terrible, or, better to say, terrible because it is righteous” (Grig. Theologian. Words spoken in the presence of the father. “Tv. Holy Fathers” 11, 55). 3. Harvest time is a picture of the time at which the end of the world will come When the grain is ripe in the field and the time has come to harvest, you say: “Summer will soon pass, autumn will come and the year will end.” Both in the field and in the whole world there is its own year - a great, immeasurable year, containing not a hundred years, not a thousand, not five thousand, but many centuries and millennia - as many as the Lord wills - and this year will someday end, that is, the spring of the world will pass, the summer will pass, the world with its life and deeds will bend towards autumn, and then it will end. In your field everything is blooming, showing off, and will ripen until the harvest; people live in the world, villages stand, cities flourish, kingdoms and nations flourish until that terrible time when the will of the Lord sets a limit and boundary for everything. In the field, seeing unusable grass among the wheat, you say: “Don’t touch it, don’t trample the wheat, let it grow until the wheat ripens”: in the world, seeing evil people among good people, the Lord says: let them live for the time being; I will not punish them, so as not to punish good people with them”; Finally, in the field, when the grain has ripened, the wheat has turned yellow, and with it the grass has grown, you say: “Everything is ripe, it’s time for the sickles, it’s time for the stubble,” so in the world: when the good are ripe in goodness, the righteous and holy, like wheat, will ripen in truth and holiness, and the evil in evil, the vicious and sinful will turn black, like a doll, in sins and vices: then the Lord will say: “It’s time for Me to take the sword of My justice and reap the wicked from the earth, and gather the righteous like wheat into My barn, that is, into the Kingdom of Heaven.” This is how the end of the world is similar to the harvest (“Good Word”, Archpriest G. Dyachenko, p. 520). 4. On the day of general judgment, everyone’s deeds will be revealed to everyone. Saints will then present their sufferings, and sinners their vices; then human lips will be silent, and there will be no need to ask questions; the body will then be the same as a mirror in which all human deeds will be reflected for everyone to see. The bodies of the chaste will show purity, and the body of the unclean will reflect ugliness. Let everyone learn this from nature: the fruits of the tree are hidden within it; but then spring comes - and what was secretly contained inside the tree comes out, and everyone sees them. So on the day of judgment, the deeds will come out, and the words will be visible to everyone; – deeds are like fruits, and words are like leaves of a tree. In the human body itself there is a hidden thing that comes out in due time: in infancy - teeth; in courage - brada; gray hair in old age; so it will be on the last day of judgment: everything will be revealed before the eyes of everyone, not only deeds and words, but all thoughts that are now hidden from the knowledge of others. There is nothing hidden that is not revealed through the word of I. Christ. Since it is known that all secrets will be revealed at the coming of Christ, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of the flesh and spirit, creating holiness in the fear of God, so that our deeds revealed to everyone will bring us honor and glory, and not shame (from the “Prologue” of March 14). Before the second coming of the Lord to earth to judge the world, there will be the appearance of the Antichrist. The Antichrist will be a certain person - a wicked man, the son of lawlessness and destruction, an instrument of the devil. This is what St. teaches about the Antichrist. Apostle Paul: “But no one will deceive you in any way: lest the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, the adversary, and exalt himself more than any spoken god or worshipper, as if he should sit in the church of God like God, showing himself that there is a God” (2 Thess. 2:3, 4). St. Chrysostom, explaining these words, says: “Apostasy” the apostle calls the Antichrist himself, since he has the power to destroy many and lead to apostasy: “even as you deceive,” as it is said, “if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). “He is called a man of lawlessness,” says St. Chrysostom - because he will commit thousands of iniquities and lead others to commit them; He is called “the son of perdition” because he himself will perish. He will be some kind of opponent of God, reject all gods and order to worship himself instead of God; he will sit in the church of God, he will try to show himself as God, for he will accomplish great things and reveal great signs.” Who will he be? is it really Satan? - asks St. Chrysostom answers: - no, but a certain person who will receive all the power of Satan. We read the same in the interpretations of Blessed Theodoret on this place: “The Apostle called the Antichrist himself apostasy, giving him this name because of his deeds, because he would attempt to bring everyone to apostasy from the Truth, and for many he would be the cause of destruction. The destroyer of men (Satan) imitates the incarnation of God and our Savior, and just as the Lord, having assumed human nature, accomplished our salvation, so he, having chosen a person capable of accepting all his effectiveness, will attempt to deceive all people with him, calling him Christ and God, exposing the falsity of the so-called gods, whom he himself supported in the past centuries. In the church of God, the Antichrist will seize the presidency for himself, attempting to pass himself off as God.” In the same way, St. teaches about the Antichrist as a specific person. Cyril of Jerusalem: “The opponent (i.e. Satan), taking advantage of the expectation of simple-minded people (who will wait for the second coming of Christ); will deceive a certain man, a sorcerer, very experienced in the art of deceiving with magical compounds and sorcery, and this servant of the dark spirit will call himself Christ and with this name will deceive the Jews, and will attract those who are from the pagans with magical dreams” (“Ochlit. Instruction.” 55, 11). This is what other fathers and teachers of the church taught about the Antichrist: St. Hippolytus, Bishop Roman, Cyprian, bishop. Carthage, St. Ephraim the Syrian and others (compiled from the works of the Holy Fathers). About the eighth article of the Creed Teaching us to believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Orthodox Church sets out a detailed teaching about the Holy Spirit in the eighth member of the Creed. Here it is revealed to us, firstly, that the Holy Spirit is the life-giving Lord; secondly, that He comes from God the Father; thirdly, that the same worship and glorification befits Him with God the Father and the Son of God, and fourthly, that the prophets and apostles spoke and wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So, in the Creed, the Holy Spirit is called the Lord God, along with God the Father and the Son of God - Jesus Christ. He, like God the Father and God the Son, is our true God, has a Divine being, Divine power, authority and glory. This teaching of the Orthodox Church about the Holy Spirit is based on Holy Scripture. The Apostle Peter, for example, convicting Ananias of lying, said to him: “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?.. you have not lied to man, but to God” (Acts 5:3, 4). And that the Holy Spirit is one being and inseparable from God the Father and the Son, St. confirms this to us. John the Theologian in his own words: “The Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). The Holy Spirit is called in the Creed the Lord who gives life. This is because He especially, especially before the other persons of the Holy Trinity, gives or communicates life to all creatures and especially spiritual life to people. The Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, participated in the creation of the world and to this day preserves everything in order and beauty. Everything in the world lives and acts by the power of the Spirit of God, as the Wise One says: “Fill the whole world with the Spirit of the Lord” (Wis. 1:7). He gives existence and life to all living creatures, produces warmth in nature, grows earthly fruits and nourishes people and animals. “Thou shalt follow Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and renew the face of the earth,” King and Prophet David glorifies the providential activity of God (Ps. 103:30). But the action of the Holy Spirit is especially life-giving for verbal creatures among Christians. Since He descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost and poured out gifts of grace on them and on all believers, the Holy Spirit has not ceased to dwell in the Church of Christ. He imparts to all of us spiritual life in Christ Jesus, regenerates us by His power in the sacrament of baptism, seals us with grace-filled gifts in the sacrament of confirmation, transforms bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ and feeds us with them in the sacrament of communion. He instills in us the very faith, because, according to the Apostle Paul, “no one can speak of the Lord Jesus except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). He further encourages us to pray, mysteriously producing in us a corresponding spiritual mood, since we ourselves “are not aware of what we will pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26). Finally, all our good deeds, all our salvation are accomplished by the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that without Him we cannot “do anything good” (John 15:5). Further, the Holy Church, through the Creed, teaches us to believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, comes from God the Father and in this way differs from the other Persons of the Trinity, consubstantial and indivisible. Belief in the eternal procession of the Holy Spirit from God the Father is the teaching of our Savior Jesus Christ Himself. Comforting His disciples in His last conversation with them, the Redeemer of the world told them: “When... the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He testifies of Me” (John 15:26). St. Athanasius says: “The Holy Spirit is not created, not created, not begotten, but proceeds from the Father. But what this procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father consists of is incomprehensible to us, just as the birth of the Son is incomprehensible.” Confessing the Holy Spirit as Lord, we must honor and glorify Him in the same way as we honor God the Father and the Son of God. The Creed points us to this duty with the words: We who are with the Father and the Son are worshiped and glorified. The Savior Himself pointed out to us our obligation to honor and worship the Holy Spirit equally with God the Father and the Son when He said to the apostles: “Going... teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Faithfully observing the commandment of the Savior, the Orthodox Church in all its prayers, exclamations and hymns usually glorifies the Holy Spirit together with the Father and His Only Begotten Son. To the Holy Spirit, is sung in the church, honor and glory, as it is worthy for the Father and fitting for the Son to bring. “It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” we hear during each liturgy. And how can we not honor and glorify the All-Holy Spirit with equal honor with the Father and the Son? He is the King of heaven, and on earth our Comforter, the true Spirit, guiding us on the path of salvation, the Treasure of all blessings for us and the source of goodness, the Giver of life. He cleanses us from our sins, enlightens and sanctifies every person with His all-effective grace. Let us give the All-Holy Spirit honor and worship equal to that of the Father and the Son, let us beg Him, the All-Good One, to come down and dwell in us and cleanse us from all filth (extracted in abbreviation from V. Day 1898). 2. Christians - the temple of the Holy Spirit “Do you not know that you are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16). This is the speech made by St. ap. Paul to believers who are worthy to receive the Holy Spirit in their hearts. These apostolic words contain the highest encouragement for us to be attentive to ourselves and careful in our lives, in our actions and deeds, to keep ourselves pure and holy. When and how did we become churches of God? This was when we were cleansed from sin and renewed in the sacrament of St. baptism, when they received the seal of the gift of the Spirit of God in the sacrament of St. Confirmation. Then both our soul and body became truly the church of God - holy and immaculate. Then the Lord God Himself dwelt in us and adopted us as sons of Himself in Christ Jesus, as He promised through the prophet: “I will dwell in them and resemble them, and become like them... into the Father, and they shall be unto me... sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:16, 18). The fact that we are the church of God is for us the greatest honor that the heavenly Father has honored us with for the sake of His beloved Son. And the Cherubim and Seraphim themselves have no higher dignity and honor than being the throne of the Lord Almighty. And the greatest ascetics of Christianity, St. The church is distinguished by the title of Spirit-bearing and God-bearing men, as the highest title in the kingdom of God. This is also our highest happiness. For, by indwelling and dwelling in us, through this very thing the Lord creates us as His beloved children, adorns and enriches us with the many different gifts of His grace, blesses us “with every blessing in heaven in Christ” (Eph. 1:3), is always ready to hear every prayer of ours, to grant us, as His children, every needful request, to show us His divine help in every way. time. This is an undoubted guarantee of our ever-blessed life in God, that He Himself, the Source of life and immortality, eternal joy and bliss, indwells and dwells in us. But this same thing encourages us to carefully preserve the church of our soul in purity and holiness, to stand vigilantly on guard over our hearts, so that spiritual thieves do not creep up, undermine the church of our soul, steal from us the heavenly treasure of God’s grace and bring into it their own uncleanness and defilement. Therefore, we must carefully observe whether this church of God, not made by hands, is intact in our souls? Is it well-decorated so that the Lord God Himself with all His holiness and truth can move in and dwell in it? Or is it all empty and ready to eat? Or, instead of the church of the living God, did it become an unclean church of passions and vices? Has not an idol of self-interest, love of money and covetousness been placed in him, which the Apostle of Christ directly calls idolatry? Has not the idol of worldly pride been installed in him, which, according to the word of scripture, is an abomination before God? Has not a spirit of envy, enmity and ill will reigned in him towards his neighbors, which the student of Divine love calls murder, and the people possessed by them - those in death? Has our heart not been dominated by the cold idol of carnal lust and uncleanness, which, like stinking smoke, drives away everything pure, holy, and heavenly from us and attracts to us the spirit of evil with all its uncleanness and filthiness? Is this where the Lord should come? Is it possible for Him to move and dwell in such a desolate church? “What is the communication between light and darkness? or some... agreement between Christ and Belial?.. some kind of building of the church of God from idols” (2 Cor. 6:14–16)? What do they do to us in this case? How can we rebuild our church? The same thing they do with a destroyed and desecrated church. It is being created, decorated and consecrated again. Let us renew the church of our soul with sincere repentance, wash and cleanse all impurities and sinful defilements with tears of tenderness and contrition of heart. Let us decorate the church of our soul, just as physical churches are decorated, with images of the Lord Himself and His saints, that is, with divinely thought reflection, representation, imagination of the deeds of the Lord I. Christ Himself, His humility and humiliation, His saving suffering and death, - remembrance of faith and virtues, patience and deeds of St. prophets and apostles, martyrs and confessors, reverend fathers and saints. Most of all, we will run away from those soul-stifling spectacles, those crazy conversations and amusements that can corrupt both our imagination and heart with unclean images of human passions, which offend the chaste eye and ear of a Christian. It is better, according to the word of the prophet, to hide in the house of God than in the villages of sinners (Ps. 83:11). It is necessary to visit St. church of God, behold the beauty of the Lord here (Ps. 27:4), enjoy thinking about God the Savior, about the glory and bliss He promised in the abodes of the Heavenly Father. Let us perfume the church of our soul with the fragrance of the word of God and prayer. The house of God is a house of prayer, as the Lord Himself says (Matthew 21:13). Only the word of God is heard in it; it sings only a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord; in it prayers and supplications, petitions and thanksgivings are offered up before the throne of God. It is necessary that in the depths of our soul we constantly hear the living and active word of God, which alone is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for punishment in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16); that comforting word that comforts the sinner with the endless mercy of God, strengthens the ascetic of piety with the crown of glory prepared for him, encourages the sad person with help from the Lord, illuminates the soul of the suffering person with a bright ray of hope for eternal blessings in the Kingdom of God. Let us finally sanctify the church of our soul by reverently partaking of the mystical supper of Christ, by partaking of His Divine body and blood: “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood,” the Only Begotten Son of God Himself tells us, “abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56). This is the height of height and perfection, and at the same time happiness and bliss, to which the human soul can rise! This is how the souls of believers, approaching Christ, are living stones, and are built themselves into a spiritual church, holy holiness, offering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God! (extracted in abbreviation from the “Complete collection of sermons” by Demetrius, Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, vol. I, ed. 1889). The most important and more general gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to St. the prophet Isaiah, the following seven: 1) the spirit of the fear of God; 2) the spirit of knowledge; 3) spirit of strength; 4) the spirit of the council; 5) the spirit of understanding; 6) the spirit of wisdom, and 7) the spirit of the Lord, or the gift of godliness and inspiration in the highest degree (see Isa. 11:2, 3). 1. The gift of the fear of God is that deep, inner fear of God, which serves as the best protection from evil and the source of the works of saints. 2. The gift of knowledge or knowledge is the ability to see the distant future, which in its highest degree constitutes a feature of prophetic ministry. 3. The gift of strength or strength is that firmness of spirit, or spiritual courage, which, stemming from firm faith and trust in God, makes a person adamant in fulfilling the will of God, so that he is not afraid of any misfortunes and horrors. “Even if... I walk in the midst of the shadow of death,” says the psalmist, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps. 22:4). 4. The spirit of counsel is the ability to guide others on the path of truth. Without this gift, the most thoughtful instructions, the most zealous, apparently, concerns for the good of another will not bring any benefit, but on the contrary, will only harden the person being instructed; whereas with the gift of the Holy Spirit and simplicity, the unartificial word deeply affects the heart of the listener: proof of all this is the experience we have repeatedly noticed. 5. The gift of understanding or reason constitutes the ability to deeply understand things and see goals and human intentions. An example of this is the Savior’s response to the two mites donated to the Jerusalem Temple by a widow (Mark 12:41–44, cf. Luke 21:1–4), and the insight of the Apostle Peter when he exposed the deception on the part of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–4). 6. The gift of wisdom is the ability to find the best means to achieve moral goals. An example of such wisdom was shown by King Solomon when, by the simplest means, he discovered the real mother of the disputed baby (1 Kings 3:16–28). Finally, 7. the spirit of the Lord, or the gift of piety and inspiration to the highest degree, constitutes that holiness of life, which, distinguishing God’s chosen ones, serves as an edifying example for ordinary people (see Orthodox Confession of Faith, book. Lessons on the lengthy catechism of Archpriest Titov, part I, pp. 333–334). 4. Virtuous life, as one of the means of receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit “Our Lord I. Christ,” says St. Basil the Great, taught, saying: “If you love Me, keep My commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever, the Spirit of truth; but the world cannot accept Him” (John 14:15–17). Therefore, until we keep all the commandments of the Lord, and until we are such that the Lord will testify about us: you are not of this world (John 15:19), until then let us not expect to be rewarded with the Holy Spirit” (“Works of St. Basil the Great,” vol. V, p. 311). 5. What happens to the human heart when it is touched by the grace of the Holy Spirit? “You see that when fire touches incense or some other fragrant powder, smoke immediately appears and a pleasant fragrance rises: this is exactly what happens when the grace of the Holy Spirit touches the human heart. Then true sighing and prayer will arise in such a heart, like a fragrance excited by fire, and will ascend to the heights of the heavenly Father, and will find grace and mercy from Him. This incident teaches us to ask God for the Holy Spirit, so that He may awaken true prayer in our hearts” (from “The Works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk”). 6. The Holy Spirit guides people into all truth Here is the cramped cell of a lonely hermit. His eyes are full of tears, his chest heaves with heartfelt sighs, his lips repeat the prayer: I am wretched, and poor, and poor, and blind and naked. Christ, true light, enlighten and sanctify every person! Let the light of Your face be visible on me, and in it I will see an unapproachable light! Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth! come and dwell in me, guide me into all truth! How can one not ask the Lord for the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of knowledge with such a prayer? And so, the pure, enlightened eye of the desert elders saw the thoughts of people, looked into the future, contemplated the bright world of good Angels, and penetrated into the dark world of the spirits of evil. We would point to the Monk Anuvius, who described in detail the thoughts, desires and way of life of the visitors who came to him, who more than once saw Angels and demons, saw both the bright abodes of heaven and the dark gates of hell (“Chet.-Min.” June 5); would point to the Monk Niphon, who saw how souls were separated from bodies (“Ch.-Min.” Dec. 23); they would point to the Monk Andrew, who saw in the church how the Mother of God prayed for the human race (“Even-Min.” Oct. 1); they would point to the Monk Pachomius, who did not know the Greek language, but, with help from above, suddenly began to understand the Greek monk who came to him, and answer him in Greek (“Ch.-Min.” May 15), or to the Monk Or, who read in the desert without ever learning to read (“Ch.-Min.” Aug. 7), they would point to many others, but we do not point out because such examples are so so much that a whole book could be written about them. Let us point out just a few contemporary examples of this from the life of Fr. Seraphim, Sarov ascetic. One day a gentleman came to him for a blessing on a long journey, who was very kind, only about St. I thought falsely about icons, believing that both miraculous and non-miraculous icons have the same dignity. O. Seraphim, who saw this gentleman for the first time, blessed him and said: “What, father, is my sinful blessing? Ask for help from the Queen of Heaven, here in our warm cathedral there is an icon of the “life-giving Source”, serve her a prayer service: after all, it is miraculous: it will help you.” Then he continued with a smile: “Have you read, father, the life of Ioannikis the Great? I advise you to read it. He was a kind and good man, but at first he was mistaken about icons, just like you.” After that he gave him some more instructions. A peasant's horse was stolen. The poor man arrived in the Sarov Hermitage, and, seeing a monk there, threw himself at his feet and said: - Father! Are you Seraphim? “I’m not Seraphim,” the monk answered him, “but what do you need him for?” “Yes, they say he’s guessing,” answered the simple-minded peasant, “but my horse was stolen.” O. Seraphim at this time, near his cell, was putting firewood in a woodpile. When the monk pointed out to the peasant Fr. Seraphim,” the peasant threw himself at his feet. O. Seraphim picked him up and tenderly asked: - Why did you come to me, wretched one? “Father,” answered the peasant, “my horse was stolen, and now I am completely poor without it, and they say you are guessing.” O. Seraphim took him by the head and, placing it against his own, said: - protect yourself with silence and now hurry to the village (he named this village for him), and when you approach the village, then turn off the road to the right and pass the backs of four houses, there you will see a little gate; go into it, untie your horse from the block, and lead him out silently. Following this instruction, the peasant actually found his horse. There are similar examples in the life of Fr. There were a lot of Seraphim (extracted from the book “Minutes of Pastoral Leisure”, Bishop Hermogenes, vol. II, pp. 26–30). About the ninth article of the Creed “The foundation of the house of God, the church,” says St. Dimitri, Metropolitan Rostov, - Christ Himself, the walls are the law of God, the pillars are the apostles, evangelists, teachers, the cover is the Holy Spirit" (from "The Works of St. Demetrius Rost.", part 2, p. 166). 2. The church is a hospital (medical clinic) for Christians “Like a hospital for the sick, St. a church for Christians who are spiritually sick, says Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. - The sick enter the hospital through the doors, - the spiritually sick enter the church by faith and St. baptism; the sick enter the hospital in order to be healed of illness and receive health - in St. The spiritually sick enter the church in order to be healed of mental illnesses, and thereby be saved; in the hospital there is a doctor who visits and treats the sick - in St. Churches The Doctor is Christ, Who visits and heals Christians who are spiritually sick; in the hospital, the doctor forbids the sick everything that interferes with the action of his medicine - those who are in St. Christian churches I. Christ commands to abstain from everything that interferes with their spiritual healing and eternal bliss; in the hospital, the sick, wanting to be healed, listen to the doctor and are healed: so Christians, wanting to be healed and to be saved, must listen to Christ the Doctor, and move away from everything that He forbids them; in the hospital those patients do not recover who do not listen to the doctor and do not abstain from what he forbids them - so those Christians remain unhealed and do not receive salvation who do not listen to Christ and act according to their own whims, and not according to His teachings; in the hospital, the sick declare to the doctor who is sick with what: so Christians should declare their illnesses to the heavenly Physician and ask Him for healing: “for they do not require the health of a doctor, but those who are sick” (Matt. 9:12); in the hospital not all diseases are cured, there are incurable diseases, and the doctor, as a person, cannot do everything that he would like - but in the Church of Christ it is not so: there is no such mental illness that Christ would not want and could not heal, if only the patient himself earnestly desired it and asked Him, for everything is possible to the One whose word and mania everything obeys, whose will and word is deed, and whose command lepers are cleansed, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the paralyzed and those lying on their beds rise, the dead are raised. Just know, Christian, and admit your weakness before Him, and humbly ask Him for healing - and you will certainly receive it: just try to avoid everything that interferes with the action of His saving medicine. In the hospital, patients who desire healing surrender themselves to the will of the doctor and do everything he commands them: so Christians, if they sincerely desire healing, must entrust themselves to the wise and faithful Doctor, I. Christ, and unquestioningly accept all healing from Him, whether it be bitter or sweet, for I. Christ is a wise and philanthropic Physician, wanting to heal our souls and save; For this reason he came into the world, for this he suffered and died. He healed bodily diseases: wouldn’t the souls of immortals want to be healed? Let us entrust ourselves only to Him, let us heal us as He pleases, and we will try to abstain from everything that He forbids us and that hinders His saving healing. What benefit will medicine bring to a patient who acts of his own free will and not as prescribed by the doctor? Think about this, Christian, if you want healing and salvation. We are all sick, and we all need a doctor, but not everyone recognizes and recognizes their illnesses. Many are not healed because they do not know their ailments, and they do not know because they do not try to recognize them; not knowing and not recognizing their ailments, they do not seek healing from them. A person sees bodily weakness and seeks healing. Oh, with what zeal he would have sought the healing of his soul if he had seen her serious illness! But the misfortune is that both the soul itself and its weakness are invisible, and are seen only by those who carefully and diligently examine its condition. And so consider and become aware of the manifold weaknesses of your soul, so that you feel your need for the heavenly Physician - Christ. The more you examine and recognize her weakness, the more zeal and desire you will seek healing for her. An incurable bodily illness threatens temporary death; an incurable mental illness threatens eternal death. And so examine and find out what is happening in your soul, and what diseases torment it and lead to death. You entered the sacred hospital of St. church in order to receive healing from Christ the Savior for your soul, and through this be eternally saved - and not chase after the vanity of this world: they come to the hospital to be treated, and not to fulfill their whims. Poor Christian! Recognize your error, and turn to Christ from vanity, and try to recognize the weakness of your soul, and acknowledge it before Christ, so that you may receive healing from Him. “They do not require a doctor to be healthy, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12). “Az said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for those who have sinned against You!.. My wounds have become stinking and rotten from the face of my madness” (Ps. 40:5, 37:6) (from “Spiritual Treasures Gathered from the World,” St. Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh. 4th edition, St. Petersburg, 1889, p. 66–69). 3. What does it mean to believe in the church? “What does it mean to believe in the church? But here's what: you see a poor person asking for alms - recognize him heartily as your brother, a member of Christ, and give him alms with the confidence that Christ Himself in his person accepts it, and you will be a believer in the church. A guest has come to you: accept him again as a member of Christ, with affection, talk to him sincerely for the benefit of his soul, with cordiality, and you will be a believer in the church. You see a priest: admit from your heart that this is the shepherd of the verbal flock of Christ, appointed by Jesus Christ Himself to spiritually give birth and raise people for eternal life; look at him as the image of Christ Himself; believe that the grace of the Holy Spirit and the power rest on him to teach, perform the sacraments and lead believers to eternal life; believe in the right of its blessing, coming from Jesus Christ Himself, and accept it as Christ’s blessing, with respect and submission; listen to him when he teaches, instructs, reproaches; - accept the sacraments from him as from Christ Himself, - accept spiritual punishments as from God Himself; honor in the saint the image of the Chief Shepherd Christ; acknowledge that through him, after the apostles, the grace of the priesthood and all the grace of Christ flows to the faithful; obey him as Christ Himself, look to him as an apostle, as the full successor of his authority, and to the priests and deacons as helpers with grace-filled rights, and you will be a believer in the church. Further: acknowledge from the heart that the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God is the head of the mental edification of the Church, that She is always with us, as Mother, in the one house of God (the church) she sees, hears us, cares, provides for us, especially about our spiritual success and salvation, as the Queen reigns over us, denounces, judges, punishes us, and generally takes an active part in our spiritual life, especially in life those who know Her, believe in Her, reverently honor Her. Further: recognize that all the saints are our elder brothers in the one house of the Heavenly Father, who passed from earth to heaven, and they are always in God with us, and constantly teach us, guide us to eternal life, through the church services they compiled, sacraments, rituals, teachings, church institutions, such as fasts, holidays, and so to speak, they serve with us, sing, speak, teach, help us in various temptations and sorrows, and call them as if they were living under the same roof with you; glorify, thank them, talk with them as if they were alive, and you will believe in the church. – Strive yourself to be established in the heavenly abodes, as the saints achieved, - constantly cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, calling diligently and unceasingly on the Lord Jesus Christ, and accept the sacraments of the church for cleansing, strengthening and guidance, and you will believe in the church. Also, when you believe that our deceased forefathers, fathers, mothers, relatives, friends, acquaintances, all Orthodox Christians are alive even after death in souls and, depending on their deeds on earth, are tormented or are anticipating future bliss, and you pray to God for them, following the servants of the altar - your prayer has power with God, in the hope that God will hear your prayer for them and can have mercy on them: then again you believe to the church, because the dead are members of the church. If you pray for living Christians and other people and believe that your prayer for them is also not fruitless with God, then you are a believer in the church. If you observe times of holidays and fasting, times of cleansing from sins, and receive Holy Communion. The Mysteries and you participate in them with all your soul with faith and reverence, then you are a believer in the church. This is what it means to believe in the church. If you live a church life on earth, if you try to live the life of the celestials, holy, in the world, then you believe in the church” (from the book “Thoughts on Divine Services”, Archpriest I. Sergiev Kronsht.). 4. Our Holy Orthodox Church is the one true Church We believe in one church. “Are there a hundred truths? One truth. Are there a hundred paths? One way. Are there a hundred Gods? One God, one faith, one baptism.” Therefore, the true church must be one. The Orthodox, true church is our church. “God gives us tangible evidence that we have the true church: these are the gifts of miracles, clairvoyance, incorruption of relics, and extraordinary phenomena visible to all; We see all this in our days... What more could we want? The Lord will not condone liars... The Lord is with us, and His Spirit dwells in our church... This is tangible and therefore our real church, brought down from heaven and established on earth.” How can we be saved? “The matter is clear. So why think about it? How many saved people do we know! How did they escape? In the Church of Christ. Let a Christian live as the church commands and be saved. Let him believe only everything in the simplicity of an undemanding heart, and let him give up exactingness and questioning and not disturb the quiet region of faith with them. To those who are not entirely clear by what and how salvation is accomplished in the Church of God, this is what needs to be said: believe in everything that St. church, and, receiving the forces of grace through the sacraments and warming them up through participation in all other sacred rites and through the fulfillment of all other decrees of St. church, walk steadily along the path of the commandments prescribed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, under the guidance of lawful shepherds, and you will be saved” (extracted from “Letters on the Life of Christ,” reclusive bishop Theophan). 5. The Church is a spiritual ship “It is impossible to cross the sea without a ship,” says St. John Chrysostom. - And this ship means the only saint. the cathedral apostolic church: the lord of this spiritual ship is the almighty God the Father himself; the helmsman is His only begotten Son; favorable wind - the Holy Spirit; the subordinate rulers of the ship-church are the apostles and their successors: pastors and church teachers; those sailing on this ship are all true believers; the bottom and foundation of this ship is the right faith in the Holy Trinity; the sides of the ship, the front part of it and the helm mean the right dogmas of faith, the commandments of God, the traditions of the church, the rules of the apostolic and ecumenical councils and church decrees in general; mast - the holy cross of Christ, with which everything in the church is held together and established; sails - love; anchor - hope. This spiritual ship of the church from different places and countries transports all true believers and true Christians through the worldly sea to heavenly Jerusalem, and although it is overwhelmed by many winds and waves, it is never wrecked. No matter how many enemies and persecutors rose up against St. church, it was never defeated, because it is affirmed by the word of the Lord: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18) (St. John Chrysos. “Discourse 4 on the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I have seen the Lord” (Is. 6:1). His same “Discourse 3 on the above Acts of the Apostle”). Retired soldier Andrei Shkumat lives in Petroostrovskiye Khutors, Kherson province, Elisavetgrad district, Akimov volost. His wife Lukia Mikhailovna - not an old woman (39 years old) - was carried away by the Stunda 33, and several times attended meetings of the Stundists, at which the leader, who was also the presbyter, Mercury Litvinenko very convincingly persuaded Lukia to finally break ties with the Orthodox Church and go to the Stunda. Lukia hesitated for a long time: conversations and general singing at meetings attracted her to the shtunda, and, at the same time, some invisible force kept her from this decisive step. Finally, after one rather crowded meeting of Stundists, at which Lukia was also present, she, succumbing to Litvinenko’s convincing speeches, decided to become a Stundovist. The next night, Lukia has the following dream: two people suddenly enter the hut where she was lying on the bed: one is the leader of the Petroostrovsky Stundists, Mercury Litvinenko, who is well known to her, and the other, of enormous stature, is a complete stranger to her. Looking closely at the stranger, Lukia was horrified, noticing his completely black color (like soot, in her expression) and a terrible - brutal expression on his face. Entering the hut, the visitors stopped at the threshold and looked angrily at St. icons, and then Litvinenko, whose face was seriously concentrated, without saying a word, pointed his comrade to Lukia with his eyes and finger. The latter approached her and, without saying a word, began to put his stamp on her - he stamped her face, chest, arms and whole body. Wherever this strange stranger touches the seal, Lukia feels severe pain in that place. For a long time Lukia endured this torment, and could not move out of fear: but the stranger continued his work, while his comrade, like a soldier on guard, stood at the threshold and did not take his eyes off Lukia. Finally, Lukia, gathering her strength, screamed and woke up. The next day she told her neighbors about her unusual dream, and said that those places on her body on which the stranger had placed a seal were very painful the next day. The next Sunday, Lucia was in church, confessed and received Holy Communion. Tain and no longer goes to Stundov meetings (“Miss. Review,” May 1897). Give me your hand, good comrade, And we’ll go out to the seashore... There I’ll sing I am a sad song about life, about people, About the blue sea, about the storm of 35 ships. Do you see how the wind tears everything at sea? Do you hear the blue one moaning and roaring? Here are the waves like mountains; behold, the abysses are boiling; Here are the silver spray flying to the sky! Both in the sea of life and in human life Sometimes there are such misfortunes: There a storm of passions roars like a sea; There, anger sometimes, like the wind, tears everything apart; There the envy of speech, like waves, rustles; And the tears of the sufferer fly like splashes. Do you see? Here the shuttle is up... now it has disappeared into the abyss... Here he rose again, like a dead man resurrected. But the wind mercilessly struck and tore, And the boat, swaying in the waves, sank... Doesn't this happen often? There the sufferer struggles like a fish against ice; Either help will appear, then everything will be lost; There the poor man suffers, alone in the struggle, And often he dies, like a shuttle at sea. Comrade! do you cry at my song? This song is boring, but there is truth in it. Why cry, comrade! Wipe away your tears Now look at the quiet pier! Let the wind rage, let the sea boil, But in the quiet harbor, nothing is scary. Here people are calm: the troubles are over, Which a swimmer endures at sea. And in the sea of life, and in earthly life Where is the quiet haven? Where is peace for people? Here is a quiet haven - God’s holy church. We need to hurry here, my comrade; Here, in sorrow and need, there is always grace Ready to give us an ambulance. Why cry, comrade! Wipe away your tears Look at the bright sky! You see the sun burning in the sky, And it shines for everyone, it does good to everyone: And these trees, and this earth, And this blade of grass growing in the rock! Both in the sea of life and in earthly life, Like the sun in the sky, All-Good Creator! He controls everything; He sees everyone And he gives bliss to everyone for their tears. 8. Heavenly executions of the persecutors of the Church of Christ The first persecutor of Christians, the Roman Emperor Nero, was dethroned and disappeared into obscurity. Domitian, similar in cruelty to Nero, was captured by the enemies and was killed by them. Decius was killed in the war, and his body was eaten by wild beasts and pecked by birds. Valerian was captured by the Persians and there he was assigned to perform the most humiliating position: he was obliged to bend his back and present it as a step to the Persian king every time he mounted a horse. And when Valerian died, he was flayed and hanged to shame the Romans. Diocletian fell into a severe illness, which was further intensified by the grief and self-will of the people who had overthrown his statues, and finally he lost his mind and starved himself to death. Maximin Herculius, having renounced the throne, poisoned himself with poison. The main culprit of the tenth and last persecution, Galerius, was struck by an incurable illness, which, despite all the efforts and all the skill of the doctors, intensified more and more, so that finally the doctors could not come close to him - due to the unbearable stench coming out of his wounds. In the midst of such terrible torment, he came to know the power of the Christian God, remembered all his cruelties against Christians and issued a decree to end the persecution. But since the persecutor’s appeal was shallow, death ended his torment. The accomplice and successor of Galerius’s cruelties, Maximian, had a death no less painful. Abandoned by all his associates, he decided to commit suicide - he took poison and endured the most terrible torment for four days, not only in the body, but also in the soul; for the heavenly Judge Himself appeared to him in illness and threatened him with His justice; Finally, with the most severe torment, as if in the midst of torture, the wicked Maximian cast out his soul. Thus, almost all the fierce persecutors of Christians experienced the well-deserved wrath of a just, impartial God, while Constantius Chlorus, who patronized the Christians, ruled his country peacefully and safely and died peacefully. In the person of his son, Constantine the Great, the Lord was preparing His chosen one, who was to give peace and freedom to the Church of Christ (Arch. G. D-ko). 9. There is no salvation outside the church Here is a story that relates to this. One day, one monk Theophan, who adhered to the Nestorian heresy (which humiliated the dignity of the Son of God and the Mother of God), came to St. Kyriakos, who was saving himself in a cramped cell near the Jordan. Having learned about this, St. Kyriakos convinced and begged him to leave his delusions and turn to the holy, catholic and apostolic church. “The only way to our salvation,” said the monk, “is to think and believe as the holy fathers thought and believed.” Theophan answered: “All heresies also say that if you do not have communication with them, you will not be saved. What should I do? My mind is so weak that it cannot comprehend the truth and distinguish it from error. Pray to God for me, so that He will enlighten me with some revelation from above!” Ave. Kiriak rejoiced at his brother’s readiness to accept admonition and said to him: “Stay in my cell, and I hope in God that His goodness will reveal the truth.” Then he retired into solitude and began to pray to God for his brother. And so, at about nine o’clock the next day, the Nestorian sees someone threateningly telling him: “Come and know the truth.” Then the unknown person took him to a dark and stinking place and showed him Nestorius, Arius, Eutyches, Dioscorus and other heretics in the fire, groaning and gnashing their teeth from unbearable torment. “This is the abode of those who think wickedly, and of those who follow them. So, said the unknown, if you like this place, remain with your false teaching; if you do not want to undergo a similar punishment, turn to the holy, catholic and apostolic church, to which St. Kyriako belongs. I tell you that if a person has done all the virtues, but does not believe Orthodoxy, he will come to this place of torment.” After this, the messenger of the Divine will that appeared became invisible, and the Nestorian, having recognized his error, so disastrous, joined the Orthodox Church (“Ven. Tale of the Subsidiary Fathers”). 10. Thoughts of St. fathers that there is no salvation outside the church 1. This is how all the fathers and teachers of the church testify to this, for example. St. Irenaeus: “Those who do not resort to the church do not participate in the action of the Holy Spirit, and therefore deprive themselves of a blessed life.” 2. St. Cyprian: “He cannot have God as a Father who does not have the matter of the church.” 3. Bl. Augustine: “Outside the church, a person can have everything except salvation. Can have honors, can have sacraments, can sing alleluia, can say amen, can hold the Gospel, can have faith in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and preach it; but nowhere except the Orthodox Catholic Church can he find salvation.” He: “Anyone who has separated from communion with the Church, even if his life was worthy of praise, will not have life for the one iniquity that he has been torn away from union with Christ, but the wrath of God remains on him” (from “Orthodox Dogmatic Theology”, Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow). 11. Thoughts on obeying the church 1. “We should not seek truth from others, which is easy to borrow from the church; for in it, as if in a rich treasury, the apostles completely placed everything that belongs to the truth... Where the church is, there is the Spirit of God, and all grace” (St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons). 2. “Do you want to be saved? - Stay in the church, and it will not give you away. The church is a fence: if you are inside this fence, then the wolf will not touch you; and if you go out, you will be kidnapped by a beast. Do not shy away from the church: there is nothing stronger in the world than it. She is your hope, in her is your salvation” (St. Chrysostom). 3. “Just as one cannot cross the sea without a ship and reach a peaceful haven, so one cannot achieve spiritual salvation without obedience to the teachings of the Orthodox Church. Love her like a mother, obey her, and be afraid to interpret the very word of God in your own way. She has been given the keys of understanding, and she alone is its infallible interpreter. Remember: to whom the church is not a mother, God is not a father!” (St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage.). 12. Vision of an old man (parable) One deep old man, who lived in a secluded desert, fell into despondency from tempting bewilderment - whether he was struggling correctly, and whether there was any hope that his labors would ultimately be crowned with success. The elder sat with his head bowed; his heart ached in him, but his eyes did not yield tears. At that moment an Angel of the Lord appeared before him and said: “Why are you troubled, and why are thoughts entering your heart? You are not the first, and you are not the last to follow this path. Many have passed, many are coming, and many more will pass through to the bright abodes of heaven. Come, I will show you the different paths that the sons of men walk and where they lead. The elder stood up and followed the Angel; but as soon as he took a few steps, a wondrous vision was revealed to his intelligent eyes. He saw on the left side thick darkness, like an impenetrable wall, among which noise, alarm and confusion could be heard. Peering carefully into the darkness, he saw a wide river along which waves moved back and forth, right and left, and someone, every time a wave flashed in front of him, clearly said to the elder: “This is a wave of unbelief, carelessness, coldness; this is unmercifulness, debauchery, bribery; this is bliss, fun, envy, discord; and this is drunkenness, uncleanness, laziness, unfaithfulness of spouses,” etc. - and each wave turned on itself a countless number of people, lifting them out of the river and again plunging them into its depths. In horror, the elder exclaimed: “Lord! will all these really perish, and there is no hope of salvation for them? “The angel said to him: “Look further, and you will see the mercy and truth of God.” The old man looked at the river and saw it, along its entire latitude and longitude, covered with small boats, in which sat bright young men with all kinds of tools for saving the drowning. They called everyone to them, shook hands with some, lowered poles and boards to others, threw ropes, and sometimes plunged hooks and hooks into the very depths - in case someone would grab hold of it too. So what? - it was rare, rare that responded to their calling voice, and even fewer were those who properly used the instruments of salvation given to them; the majority rejected them with contempt, and with some kind of wild pleasure they plunged into this river, which emitted fumes, stench and dross. The old man stretched his gaze along the river, and at the end of it he saw the abyss into which it fell. Young men in large numbers swam in boats back and forth, at the very edge of the abyss, carefully giving help to everyone: but, despite this, every minute, at every point of the river, whole thousands of people, along with the river, were cast into the abyss, from where only groans of despair and gnashing of teeth were heard. The elder covered his face and sobbed... And a voice came to him from heaven: “It’s bitter, but who is to blame? Tell me, what else could I have done to save them that I would not have done? They themselves bitterly reject any help given to them. They will also reject Me if I come to help them in the most bleak places of their suffering.” The elder turned his eyes to the right side, to the bright east, and saw a joyful phenomenon. Those who, heeding the call of the bright youths, gave them a hand, or grabbed some saving tool, were taken by them to the right bank. Here other persons received them, led them into small, slender buildings, scattered in large numbers along the entire length of the coast, where they washed them with clean water, clothed them in clean clothes, girded them, put them on shoes, gave them a staff and, having strengthened them with food, sent them on their way, further to the east, commanding them not to look back, to walk without stopping, to look carefully at their feet and not to pass a single similar building without entering into it and not to strengthen oneself in it with food and advice from those to whose care these buildings are entrusted, as well as those who enter them. The elder ran his eyes along the shore and saw that along its entire length these delivered ones were preparing to set off. Their faces showed joy and animation. It was clear that they all felt especially light and strong, and with some irresistibility they rushed along the path, the first steps of which were strewn with pleasant flowers. The elder directed his gaze further to the east, and this is what was revealed to him: A pleasant meadow ended not far from the shore; further on, mountains began, lying in ridges in different directions. They walked, rising higher and higher and intersecting abysses, sometimes bare and rocky, sometimes covered with forest and bushes. Travelers and workers were visible everywhere. Another climbed a steep slope, another sat in fatigue, or stood in thought; he fought with a beast or a snake; one went straight to the east, another went around, and another across the others - but everyone was in labor, in struggle and straining their strength, mental and physical. Few of them always saw the road: often it disappeared completely or was split into crossroads; in other places it was covered with fog and darkness, and sometimes it crossed an abyss or a steep cliff; there she was blocked by animals from the oak forest, or poisonous reptiles from the gorges. But here’s what’s surprising: scattered all over the mountains were beautiful buildings, similar to those into which those rescued from the river were received for the first time. As soon as a traveler entered them, no matter how exhausted he was, he came out cheerful and full of strength. Beasts and reptiles could not even bear his gaze and ran away from him; no obstacles stopped him, and he easily and quickly found a path that was hidden in some way according to the instructions that he received in those buildings, and every time someone overcame an obstacle or defeated an enemy, he became stronger, taller and more stately; and the higher one ascended, the brighter and prettier he became. Towards the top of the mountain the area again became smooth and flowery; but those who entered it soon entered a bright cloud, from which they no longer appeared. The old man raised his eyes above this cloud, and from behind it, or from behind the mountain, he saw a wonderful light, from which sweet sounds came to him: “holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” The elder fell on his face in tenderness, and the word of the Lord rang loudly over him: “Be like this, that you may comprehend” (1 Cor. 9:24)! Rising to his feet again, the elder saw that from different heights of the mountain a considerable number of travelers were quickly running back to the river, sometimes silently, sometimes shouting and blasphemous words. Someone called out to each of them, both from above and from the sides: “Stop, stop!” But, driven by some short Ethiopians, they did not listen to the warning and again plunged into the stinking river. "God! What is this?" - the elder exclaimed in amazement, and heard the answer: “The fruit of self-indulgence and disobedience to the established order.” That was the end of the vision. The angel who showed him to the elder asked him: “Are you comforted?” And the elder bowed to him to the ground. This is the meaning of this vision. The river is the world; The people immersed in it are those who live according to the spirit of the world, in passions, vices and sins. Bright young men in boats are Angels and, in general, grace calling for salvation; the abyss into which the river with people fell - eternal destruction; a beautiful building on the right bank - a church with its sacraments; climbing a mountain with different obstacles - different labors in cleansing the heart from passions; beasts and reptiles are enemies of salvation; smooth terrain towards the top - peace of the heart; a light cloud hiding travelers - peaceful death; the light from behind the mountain is a blissful paradise. He who enters the buildings scattered along the path and on the mountain, that is, who receives the sacraments and participates in the sacred rites and prayers of the church, uses the advice and guidance of its shepherds, he easily overcomes all obstacles and soon ascends to perfection; and whoever arbitrarily rejects them, not obeying the instructions and advice of the shepherds, soon falls, and the spirit of the world carries him away again (from the Works of Bishop Theophan the Recluse). Anathema is by no means a curse, but only cutting off, setting aside, separating a sick sheep from a healthy flock; The root of this Greek word is verb: anatifimi - put aside, cut off, cut off. The sheep will recover and be accepted into the flock again; a person comes to his senses - and there is no anathema on him; and if he dies under anathema, then who is to blame for this? The Church, for its part, did everything to turn him onto the true path; she greeted him with words of love and greetings, then threatened him with the fear of God’s judgment, and finally, in excommunication, she showed him the hopelessness and helplessness that a person inevitably inherits, as soon as he is deprived of the redemptive merits of the Intercessor of his salvation and the prayers of the Church of Christ, he is left to himself (“Home Conversation” for 1859). 14. Advice to those who are separated from unity with the church due to the correction of books St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, glorified by God, whose incorruptible relics rest in Moscow, in the Chudov Monastery, himself was engaged in comparing the Slavic New Testament with the Greek, made corrections in it, and his original handwriting on the New Testament that belonged to him was preserved as a monument to his work... If only the matter of correcting liturgical books was such a grave fault that it, according to the superstitious According to the concept of the schismatic teachers, could serve as the reason for the cessation of the grace of the priesthood in the church, then how could Saint Alexy be blessed by God during his lifetime and glorified after death by incorruption and many miracles from his grave?.. (Life of St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow). 15. A wonderful story about. John Veniaminov (later Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow) about modern appearances of Angels for the establishment in Christian life of newly converted Christians from paganism “In April 1825, during Lent, I went for the first time to the island of Akun to the Aleuts 36. Approaching the island, I saw that they were all standing on the shore dressed up, as if on a solemn holiday, and when I went ashore, they all joyfully rushed towards me. I asked them: why are they so dressed up? They answered: - Because we knew that you left and should be with us today; So we rejoiced and went ashore to meet you. - Who told you that I would be with you today, and why did you recognize me as Father John? – Our shaman (sorcerer), old man Ivan Smirennikov, told us about this and described your appearance to us as we see you now. This circumstance surprised me extremely, but I ignored all this and began to prepare them for fasting. This old shaman came to me and expressed a desire to fast; he walked very carefully to the divine service, and still I did not pay special attention to him and, having introduced him to St. Tain, let him go... - So what! to my surprise, after communion, he went to his toen (elder) and expressed his displeasure with me, namely because I did not ask him in confession why the Aleuts call him a shaman, since it is extremely unpleasant for him to bear such a name from his brothers, and that he is not a shaman at all. Toen, of course, conveyed to me old man Smirennikov’s displeasure, and I immediately sent for him for an explanation; and when the messengers set off, Smirennikov came to meet them with the following words: “I know that the priest Father John is calling me, and I am going to him.” I began to ask in detail about his life, and my question was: is he literate? he replied that although he was illiterate, he knew the Gospel and prayers. Then I asked him to explain why he knew me, that he even described my appearance to his brothers, and how did he know that on a certain day I was supposed to appear to you and that I would teach you to pray? “The old man replied that two of his comrades told him all this. -Who are these two comrades of yours? – I asked him. “White people,” answered the old man, “they, moreover, told me that in the near future you will send your family along the shore, and you yourself will go by water to the great man (the king) and will talk with him.” – Where are these comrades of yours, white people, and what kind of people are they? – I asked him. “They live not far here, in the mountains, and come to see me every day.” - When did these white people come to you for the first time? He answered that soon after his baptism by Hieromonk Macarius, first one, and then two spirits, invisible to anyone else, appeared to him in the form of men with white faces, in white robes and, according to his description, like surplices, surrounded by pink ribbons, and told him that they were sent from God to instruct, teach and protect him. And for almost 30 years, they appeared to him almost every day during the day, or in the evening, but not at night, and, appearing, they instructed him in Christian teaching and the sacraments of the faith: they gave him himself and, at his request, others, although very rarely, help in illnesses and extreme lack of food: - but at the same time they always responded to his request by saying that “we will ask God, and if He blesses, then we will fulfill it” - sometimes they told him what was happening in other places and, very rarely, the future: but always with the reservation: “If it pleases God to reveal it,” and they assured that they were not doing everything by their own power, but by the power of Almighty God. And although the teaching of these spirits is the teaching of the Orthodox Church, I, knowing that demons also believe and tremble, doubted whether this was not a cunning and subtle network of the evil one from time immemorial? and asked him: “How do they teach to pray: to themselves or to God, and how to live with others?” He replied that they teach to pray in spirit and heart, and sometimes pray with him for a very long time, and teach to perform all the pure Christian virtues (which he told me in detail), and most of all they advise observing fidelity and purity, both in marriage and outside of marriage; In addition, they taught him other external virtues and rituals, such as: how to depict a cross on the body, not to start any work without blessing, not to eat early in the morning, not to live together with many families, not to eat quickly killed fish and animals while still warm, and not to eat some birds and sea plants at all, and so on. “After that I asked him: “Did they appear to him now, after confession and communion, and ordered him to listen to me?” He replied that they appeared both after confession and after St. communion, and they said that he should not tell anyone his confessed sins, and that, soon after communion, he should not eat fatty foods, and that he should obey my teaching, but not listen to the “industrial” ones, that is, the Russians living here; and even today on the way they appeared to him and told him why I was calling him, and that he should tell everything and not be afraid of anything, because nothing bad would happen to him. Then I asked him: “When they appear to him, what does he feel, joy or sadness?” - He said that only at that time in front of them he feels remorse of his conscience when he has done something bad, and at other times he does not feel any fear; and since many consider him to be a shaman, he, not wanting to be considered one, repeatedly asked them to leave him and not appear to him; but the spirits replied that they were not devils, and they were not ordered to leave him. To his question: why are they not different? they told him that they were ordered to do so. - In order to make sure whether his mentors really appeared to him, I asked him: “Can I see them and talk to them?” He replied that he did not know, but would ask them; and indeed, an hour later he comes and says what they said in response: “And what else does he want to know from us? Does he still consider us devils? Okay, let him see and talk to us if he wants”; and they also said something in my approval; but so as not to be considered vanity on my part, I will remain silent about this. “Then something inexplicable happened in me, some kind of fear attacked me and complete humility. “What if, in fact,” I thought, “I see them, these Angels, and they confirm what the elder said; and how can I go to them? After all, I am a sinful person, therefore unworthy to speak with them, and it would be pride and arrogance on my part if I decided to go to them; and finally, by my meeting with the Angels, perhaps I would have been exalted in my faith or would have dreamed a lot about myself.”... And I, as unworthy, decided not to go to them, having previously, on this occasion, given a decent instruction to both the old man Smirennikov and his fellow Aleuts, and so that they would no longer call Smirennikov a shaman.” This is the wonderful story of the late Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow (see book: “Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna.” Compiled by I. Barsukov). 16. Several church historical stories showing that the Orthodox faith is the only true faith There is no doubt that the Orthodox faith surpasses in truth and the height of its content and rituals all other faiths, not only non-Christian, but also Christian. History has preserved many striking evidence of this truth. Let us present some of them, borrowing them from the historical life of our Russian Orthodox Church and the Moldovan-Vlachian Church, recorded by Saint Peter Mogila of Kyiv. 1. A resident of the village of Zarubinets, Vilna province, named Ivan, was often subjected to fits of demonic possession. Wanting to get rid of this terrible disease, he visited many places and shrines that were in the hands of the Latins and Uniates (for example, Sokal, Lezansk, Kalwaria, Czestochowa, Zhirovichi, etc.) and, leaning towards their faith, often confessed and received communion from their priests, but however did not receive healing, but on the contrary, his illness intensified even more. Finally, in 1627, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy. He visited the Kiev Pechersk Lavra of the Mother of God and listened to the liturgy with reverence. When the clergyman exclaimed the well-known words - “Exactly about the Most Holy One, most pure and most blessed”... suddenly the demon tormenting the sick man cried out loudly through his lips: “Mary, do not torment me, for I am already leaving him,” and immediately left. All those present were amazed at what had happened, and the patient fell to the ground as if dead. But at the end of the Mother of God song, he stood up completely healthy and from that time on he was forever healed of his illness. 2. When the apostate from Orthodoxy, Uniate Bishop (Brest) Ipatiy Potsey celebrated the liturgy together with other Uniate bishops in the monastery of St. Nicholas, the wine poured into the chalice turned into water. Apostates from the Orthodox faith tried to explain this phenomenon as an oversight of the priest who performed the proskomedia, and hastened to pour wine into the chalice again; but God this time exposed the wicked traitors to St. faith: after the second pouring of wine, the chalice disintegrated and the wine spilled onto the ground, to the great horror of all those present at the service, who clearly saw that their bishops (i.e. Uniate and Roman Catholic) were heretics, and as a result of this miracle returned again to the fold of the Orthodox Church. 3. But a particularly striking case, clearly demonstrating the superiority of the Orthodox faith over the Latin, took place in Moldo-Vlahia. When Voivode Michael, after the expulsion of his brother, took power in Moldo-Vlahia, he first went to the capital of the Moldo-Vlahia land, Belgrade, and decided to build an Orthodox church there. But the Latin priests, as well as citizens and boyars of the Latin faith, opposed this desire of the governor, saying that their faith was the most right and that they did not want to have churches of an alien faith in their city; at the same time, they proposed to open a debate to prove the superiority of their faith over the Orthodox. But the governor told them: “The argument can be endless, but if God wills, we will be convinced in another way whose faith is more right; Let's go in the middle of the city, and let them bring clean water; my bishop and his priests will consecrate it, and let yours do the same; then you keep the vessels with blessed water, sealed with mine and your seals, in your great church for 40 days, sealing the church doors. And whose water, after the specified period, turns out to be unspoiled and fresh, as if it were immediately taken from a source, this will serve as a sign that their faith is more right.” The Latins readily agreed to the governor’s proposal, and the next day both disputing parties solemnly blessed the water and treated it as the governor suggested. After this, both Orthodox and Latins performed fervent prayers in churches every day and carried out strict fasting. After 25 days, the Orthodox bishop, at the inspiration of God, came to the governor and said to him: “Call the Latins and their priests and do not wait for the appointed forty days; Let’s go to church and you will see the grace of God and you will be a witness that the faithful servants of God who trust in Him will not be put to shame.” The advice was accepted, and many of the Orthodox and Catholics followed to the church, from the doors of which the seals were removed, and everyone entered it. Here the Orthodox bishop first of all reverently knelt down and loudly said the following prayer: “God, one glorified and worshiped in the Trinity of Saints! For as of old, Thy righteous Elijah, in the announcement of Thy truth, Thou didst hear with fire and put to shame the wicked, so now hear me, Thy unworthy servant, and all Thy faithful servants who are to come, not for the sake of our dignity, which is not the imams, but for the glory of Thy holy name and the confirmation of our true faith, which is in Thee; Reveal the inalienable grace of the Holy Spirit from the water of sowing by its incorruptibility, so that all who are present will see that in the one point of the Eastern Greek Catholic Church of Yours, the true faith and real grace of the Holy Spirit are true: for You alone are the one who blesses and sanctifies all things, our God, and to You we send up glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever forever and ever. Amen". After this prayer, the bishop, while singing - “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom I will fear,” - opened the vessel with the blessed water and, looking at the water, found it even purer and brighter than it was on the first day, when it was brought from the source: in addition, a very pleasant, fragrant smell emanated from it. Having thanked God, who glorified the holy Orthodox Church, the bishop addressed all those present with the following words: “Come and see how, after so many days, this water, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, has remained completely unspoiled, and be convinced that our Orthodox faith is holy and true.” The Latins also opened their vessel; but it turned out that the water in it had become so bad that the stench from it spread throughout the entire church. The Latins said with horror and surprise: “The Orthodox faith, which the governor professes, is true; let him build a church of his faith in our city, since for our resistance to this desire of his, God was angry with us and miraculously showed us that we were wrong.” “So the Latins and their priests were put to shame, many of whom converted to Orthodoxy after this miracle. The governor with his bishop, priests, boyars and army, filled with great joy and joy, returned to the governor’s palace, glorifying and thanking God for the former miracle for the establishment of the true Orthodox faith; It was immediately decided to begin immediately building the proposed church (borrowed in abbreviated form from P. Mogila’s own handwritten notes, published in the “Archive of South-West Russia”, book “Resurrection Reading”, 1888, No. 21). In August 1884, Lutheran (German by origin) Eduard Egorovich Til, head of the Moscow station of the Yaroslavl Railway, was added to Orthodoxy. Shortly after joining, he died peacefully. The deceased had long been disposed to accept Orthodoxy, but his determination was strengthened under the influence of one circumstance, which he himself, after confession, told the priest who joined him, and the details of which were confirmed by his wife. Here is his story: “Yesterday (the day before joining) I lost my command of the language and explained myself to my family as best I could using gestures. At night I see in the air above me an icon of the Mother of God and in front of me an old man in monastic robes, telling me: “Join the Orthodox Church, join the Holy Church. the body and blood of Christ - and you will receive relief from your suffering and peace of your soul!” “The elder disappeared, but the icon rose in the air. My tongue opened, and I began to call my wife so that she would give me the image I saw, since I had an irresistible desire to kiss him. The surprised wife, not seeing any icon and considering it a painful delirium, did not know what to do. But since I did not stop persistently asking her, she gave me an icon of the Chernigov Mother of God. It was the same icon that I had seen, and the phenomenon disappeared. Then I felt spiritual relief and made a decisive intention to join the Orthodox Church and join St. secrets" ("Church Bulletin", sn. Voskr. Thu. 1884, No. 52). How important and effective the prayer of a priest is is confirmed, by the way, by the following incident reported by one peasant. “I have,” he began his story, “an apiary for bees.” Today has been a good, fertile year: there was a lot of honey. One day, such a sin happened: I came to the pantry once to take some honey, and there was a reptile (mouse). What do you think I should do? It’s a pity for honey, but it’s disgusting for us to eat. Yes, and I decided to cut off the viper’s honey and throw it away, and divide the rest among the beehives; Maybe, I think, they’ll eat it and enjoy it. So I did. After a while I come to see what the bees are doing and see: the honey is intact; not a single bee touched him. It's bad! - He took out the honey again and put it in the same tub: it turned out that as much honey as there was in it earlier, so much remained. What to do? I thought this way and that: but I only forcibly remembered that there are prayers in the church rite against defilement by unclean animals. I went to the priest in the village and told him my business; He ordered it to be brought: “I will consecrate it,” he says. So what? - when I put the blessed honey back to the bees, and looked at it a week later, I was overcome with joy: the bees ate the honey together... (from the journal “Sunday Day”). 19. Stories about miracles at the relics of saints From stories about miracles that happened at the relics of St. saints, many give solid reasons for the veneration of St. relics. The most remarkable of these stories are the following: 1. St. Epiphanius of Cyprus in the life of St. The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah writes: “The tombs of these holy prophets were held in great reverence for the sake of those who were from God, through the prayers of St. prophets, blessings and miracles." – St. Basil the Great, in his sermon on the martyr Mamant, says: “The miracles by which St. the martyr gave health to some, life to others”; and in the word about St. Martyr Julitta tells that when her holy relics were brought to one waterless place, a source of sweet water immediately came out of the ground, so that all the inhabitants of that place called St. Julitta as his nurse. – St. Gregory of Nazianzus, in the word about St. Cyprian, says: “The ashes of St. Cyprian with faith, as those who experienced it know and those who told us about his miracles.” 2. About the transfer of the relics of St. Martyr Vavila says the following: “They came together, young and old, male and female, young men and virgins and elders, and with triumph, singing and rejoicing they carried the relics of St. the martyr Babyla from a place called Daphne, and was carried to Antioch. In Antioch there was an idol of the god Apollo, in which a demon lived and gave different answers to the people who asked him. When the relics of the saint were brought in, the demon and the idol now fell silent, and the lie was exposed by the truth” (“Ch.-M.” Sept. 4). 3. “Near Alexandria there was a place called Manufina, on which there was an ancient church and a demonic dwelling. This place was scary because many unclean spirits lived there. When did St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, brought St. relics of the martyrs Cyrus and John, then all the demonic power immediately left from there” (“Ch.-M.”, June 28). 4. When the relics of the First Martyr Stephen were transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople, the voice of Angels was heard in the air above his relics, singing praises to God, and a great fragrance emanated from the shrine. Demonic voices were also heard crying from afar: “Woe to us! Stefan comes and beats us!” At night, a light appeared over the relics of the saint (“Ch.-M.”, Aug. 2). 5. At the tomb of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, a candle was lit by itself in full view of everyone praying at the tomb; and upon finding St. relics of Theodosius of Pechersk, at midnight, the dawn was visible over the cave and many burning candles (“Ch.-M.”, February 12, Pater. Pechersk). (“Stone of Faith” by Stefan Yavorsky, sn. “Sunday Thursday” for 1884 No. 24). 20. It is dangerous to offend God’s saints Julian, the shepherd of the Vostra church, who received his primary education from the Monk Theodosius the Great, tells about him that in Vostra they once met a woman who, speaking about Theodosius the Great, called him a liar and a flatterer. Immediately the wrath of God befell her: she fell and died (“Ch.-M.” Jan. 11). 21. Testimony of St. church fathers on the godly veneration and calling of the holy saints of God 1. “We have learned,” write St. Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council - to honor and magnify, firstly, the actual and truly Mother of God and the holy Angelic powers, the apostles, prophets and glorious martyrs, the holy and God-bearing teachers and all holy men, and ask for their intercession, because they can make us acceptable to the King of all - God. 2. St. John of Damascus teaches: “We worship those in whom God, the One Holy One, rests and rests in the saints, such as: the Holy Mother of God and all the saints... We worship them because God glorified them and made them terrible for enemies and beneficial for those who come to them with faith; We worship them not as gods and benefactors by nature, but as servants and servants of God, who have boldness towards God, out of their love for Him” (Homily III, about the icon in “Right. Spanish Ts. East.”). 3. St. Gregory the Theologian says: “The holy martyrs are glorified with great honors and festivities; they drive away demons, heal illnesses, appear, prophesy; their very bodies, when they are touched and honored, act as much as their holy souls; even drops of blood, and everything that bears traces of their suffering, are as valid as their bodies” (Word of the holy martyr Cyriacus. Works of the Holy Father II, 262). 22. Several stories about the spiritual insight of saints 1. The Monk Zosima, the Solovetsky wonderworker, having arrived in Novgorod to intercede for his Solovetsky monastery, from which the servants of the Novgorod boyars were taking away the land necessary for the maintenance of the brethren, was invited to dinner by the then famous Martha, the Novgorod posadnitsa, who, together with some boyars, out of foolishness, self-interest and pride, did not favor the founding of a monastery on Solovetsky island. During the table, having examined those sitting, the monk sees that six famous Novgorod boyars are sitting without heads. Struck by this vision, he shed tears and could not eat or drink. At this time he did not say anything to anyone, but later he revealed this secret to his disciple Daniel. Soon the vision of the Monk Zosima was justified by the event that had taken place: Novgorod was taken by Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, and those boyars whom the monk saw without heads were executed - Martha herself was exiled to prison, her house was destroyed, and the place itself was deserted (“Ch.-M.” April 17). 2. Theodore of Novgorod, a fool for Christ's sake, was distinguished from the Lord by a special gift of clairvoyance. From a young age he renounced kinship and permanent home; in severe frosts he walked barefoot and half-naked along the streets of the shopping side, endured ridicule and insults from impudent people; Everything he received from kind and compassionate people he distributed to the poor. The Lord rewarded him for his voluntary suffering with the gift of clairvoyance. It happened that he repeated to everyone he met: “Take care of the bread,” and famine set in; at other times he said, pointing to well-known streets: “It will be clean here, it will be good to sow turnips,” and soon a fire would devastate these streets (“Brief Essays on the History of the Church,” Moscow, ed. 1890, p. 116). 3. One day, his brother, the Pereyaslav merchant, came to the Monk Demetrius of Prilutsky. He traded unsuccessfully and fell into debt; Twice he came to his brother ascetic for a blessing, and after the first time he paid off his debts, and after the second time he became rich. But when he came for the third time, the monk did not give a blessing, and advised him to be content with what he had acquired. The wealth collector did not listen to his brother’s advice, went to the wild Pomors and died there without a trace. Once engaged in work with the brethren, Demetrius said with a sigh: “We, brethren, are building earthly perishable affairs, but Grand Duke Demetrius no longer cares about the vain life.” A few days later, news arrived that the Grand Duke had died on that very day and hour (from there p. 112). 4. During the procession of the cross on June 2, 1451, during the attack on Moscow by the Tatars, St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow, saw the pious monk Anthony of the Chudov Monastery and said: “Brother Anthony, pray diligently to God for the deliverance of the city and all Orthodoxy from the godless Hagarians.” Anthony answered: “You are a great bishop of God, the Mother of God will not despise your prayer; The Hagarites will be driven out, and I alone will be wounded by them.” He had barely uttered these words when an enemy arrow struck him, and he died that very minute. The sufferer's prediction came true: at night the enemies fled from Moscow - they heard a great noise and thought that the Grand Duke had come with an army (from the same place, pp. 122-123). 23. Stopping the fire with the intercession of St. Martyr Agathia Once, during the eruption of the fire-breathing Mount Etna, residents of the city of Catana (in Italy), fleeing disaster, gathered in the church where the relics of St. Martyr Agathia, and “taking her clothes, she stood against the fire rushing towards the city, and the fire returned and went out” (“Ch.-M.” February 5). The prosphora that we bring to the altar of the Lord, as an expression of our faith and prayer, becomes a shrine for us, and we, after removing particles from the prosphora, accepting it for consumption, must accept it as a gift from God, as blessed and consecrated bread. Here is an incident recorded in the life of St. Zosima of Solovetsky: St. Zosima once gave prosphora from his sacred rite to merchants who came to Solovetsky Island. Walking from the church, they carelessly dropped the St. bread. Monk Macarius, accidentally passing along the same road, saw a dog trying to grab a prosphora lying on the ground, but the fire emanating from it drove away the unclean animal and did not allow it to touch the shrine. The monk reverently picked up the undamaged prosphora and, bringing it to St. Zosima, related what he had seen. Everyone glorified God, who showed such a wonderful sign to assure the holiness of the bread brought to the altar of the Lord (from “Ch.-M”). About the tenth article of the Creed 1. About the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church The name sacraments refers to those sacred ceremonies of the church in which, under a visible, external action or ritual, the invisible grace of God is given to the believer. The sacraments are nowhere in Holy Scripture counted in totality, and their number is not determined; but separately, each of them is clearly spoken of, and everywhere it is given to see the Divine institution of each, and the outer sign, or ritual, and the grace of God communicated to the believer. The Orthodox Church recognizes seven such sacraments. For each of them there is clear and direct evidence both in Holy Scripture and in the ancient fathers and teachers of the church. All of them correspond to our main needs and requirements in our spiritual life. Just as life in general is obtained through birth, so a person enters into spiritual life through spiritual birth in baptism (John 3:3, 5, 6). Having washed in the waters of baptism from original sin (Adam) and from all sins committed before baptism, a Christian becomes pure and holy, and is awarded the highest honor of a child of God, an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven. Birth is followed by a weak and infirm childhood, which needs to increase and strengthen strength: so a Christian born spiritually in baptism needs grace-filled forces that increase, strengthen and confirm in spiritual life, which are given to him in anointing (1 John 2:20, 27; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22). To continue natural life, food and drink are needed: so in spiritual life, spiritual food and spiritual drink are needed, which are served in St. communion (John 6:48–58. Sn. Matt. 26:26–28). A person in his present damaged state can easily fall into various errors, which cannot but burden his conscience, and he needs forgiveness for them from God: the church gives this to him in repentance (Matthew 18:18; John 20:22–23; 1 John 1:8, 9). A person condemned to exhausting labor, with his bodily weakness, can easily be subject to serious illnesses and has a special need for help here: the church in the Blessing of Oil gives him healing from physical illnesses through healing from spiritual ones, and, according to the teachings of St. Demetrius of Rostov, all sins of oblivion are forgiven him (James 5:14, 15). How important the state of marriage is for society and the church, and how many dangers and temptations may lie ahead here! The Church, solemnly blessing the marriage, asks the newlyweds for the special grace of giving birth and raising children as sons and heirs of the kingdom of God and help from God for mutual married life (Gen. 1:27, 28, 2:23, 24; Matt. 19:4–6; Eph. 5:22–25, 31–32; 1 Tim. 4:3–5). How important, finally, for the church and for all humanity is the state and ministry of the priesthood, and how necessary is the special grace and help of God given the great importance and complexity of its duties! And so, in the sacrament of the priesthood, special grace and help from God are imparted to this state. The pastors of the church are given grace-filled help to teach, officiate and rule the flock of God (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6. “Right. Confession.” from. on question 29. “Last. Eastern Pat. on the Right. Faith,” Part. 15. «Простр. хр. кат.», чл. 10; м. Макар. «Руков. к изуч. хр. прав. богосл.», чл. 111. О Таин. 1869 г. § 134. Его же «Прав. догм. бог.», т. IV и V о Таинств, ц.; сн. Филар. Черн. «Догм. бог.», part 1). (Prot. G. D-ko.). 2. Thoughts of the saints. fathers and teachers of the church that the grace-filled power of the sacraments does not depend on the moral worth or unworthiness of the performers of the sacraments 1. St. John Chrysostom teaches: “It happens that the laity live in piety, and the priests in unrighteousness, and therefore neither baptism nor the offering of the body of Christ should have been performed through them, if grace sought everywhere only the worthy. But now the Lord usually acts through the unworthy, and the grace of baptism is not in the least offended by the life of the priest. I say this so that anyone, strictly examining the life of a priest, will not be tempted to judge what he performs in the sacraments. For man brings nothing of himself into what is offered, but all this is the work of God’s power, and God sanctifies you in the sacraments.” 2. Blazh. Augustine: “Grace always belongs to God, God and the sacrament, but to man (the performer of the sacrament) there is only one ministry. If he is good, then he agrees with God, acts with God; if it is bad, then through it God performs the visible form of the sacrament, and He Himself bestows invisible grace. Do not think that the divine sacraments depend on the morals and actions of people: they are holy according to the one to whom they belong.” 3. Blazh. Theophylact of Bulgaria: “Grace also works through the unworthy, so that we are sanctified through the unworthy priests.” To explain these thoughts, we can point out that life-giving moisture can be transmitted through a dry, lifeless channel - that a good seed will bear fruit, whether it is thrown into the ground with clean or unclean hands - that a ray of sunlight, flowing through unclean environments, does not become unclean (compiled from “Right Dogmas. Theology” - Macarius, 1853, vol. V, p. 59–61). 3. Are the schismatics right in denying the need for the sacraments? To save earthly beings from sin and the power of the devil, God sent His Only Begotten Son to us on earth, who, with His suffering on the cross, paid the justice of the Heavenly Father who had been angry with us for our sins and reconciled God with us. However, even after the sacrifice made for us on the cross, on our own we cannot achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. Although the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us, the corruption of sin remained in us: people are still born with a nature inclined to evil: “no one,” says the righteous Job, “will be clean from filth, even if he lived one day on earth” (Job 14:4, 5). Being burdened with sins, we cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, for “what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). And in order to free ourselves from sin and follow the path of virtue, we need higher, heavenly help: gracious, divine power that would awaken and strengthen our faith, regenerate our heart, sanctify and help us fulfill the commandments of the Savior. This heavenly help is given to us by the Holy Spirit; He communicates to us His invisible grace in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, communion, repentance, priesthood, marriage and consecration of oil. From this it is clear that to be without the sacraments means to be without grace, and since we cannot be saved without grace, it is therefore impossible to be saved without the sacraments; just as one cannot cross the seas without a ship, so one cannot reach the Kingdom of Heaven without the sacraments. Some (schismatics) say wrongly that “you can be saved without the sacraments.” To say this means to assert that one can be saved without grace and without God’s help. The earth, argues Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, although seed is sown on it, does not bring anything when it has no moisture. Likewise, the human heart, although it hears the word of God, cannot bear fruit worthy of the word of God unless it is watered by God’s grace. Without the grace of God, we will not succeed in anything, since we have a deeply corrupted heart and, hearing the word of God, we cannot understand and, understanding, we cannot create, so at every moment we must demand and ask for the grace of God, which gives us help and strength in deeds of piety.” “It’s not our fault,” the lost say in their defense, “that there is nowhere to get the holy sacraments now: the Antichrist destroyed all the sacraments, and therefore we think that we can do without them.” So, it turns out that the Lord Jesus Christ wants to help people on the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, and for this he gives His grace to believers through the sacraments, but the Antichrist allegedly destroyed the sacraments, and therefore took away the power from Christ the Savior to help people. But is the Antichrist stronger than the Lord Christ? “How can anyone enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29) – the Lord once spoke to the Pharisees. How did the Antichrist steal the sacraments and priests from the Savior from the church? Can one bind Jesus Christ if he will be killed by the mere spirit of the mouth of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:8)?.. In the holy sacraments lies the hope for the salvation of man, and without them there is certain destruction for man. Although schismatics deny the need for the sacraments in words, they recognize their importance in deeds when they allow even unsanctified laymen to perform baptism and confession on them. But by doing this, uninitiated mentors do not bring grace to those who receive these sacraments, but only anger God, as in the Old Testament, the sons of Korah, who arbitrarily seized the rank of high priest. Unhappy are the schismatics who do not have the sacraments, through which we can quench all the arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16): the devil therefore has full access to such Christians, for they have nothing with which to ward off the spirit of malice. And how, on the contrary, we are happy that we have the opportunity to use the saving sacraments of the Orthodox Church of Christ! Let us thank the Lord for His great benefits to us sinners, trying to be worthy of these benefits, and at the same time let us pray fervently, that the Lord will enlighten our schismatics who are in darkness and the shadow of death, that they may come into the union of faith, that we may all be in the one flock of the One Shepherd Christ, to Him be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (see “Missionary Review” for October 1896, book 2). 4. Thoughts of St. fathers about the grace of God abiding in the church 1. “Human nature,” says St. Macarius of Egypt - in itself cannot provide the perfect beauty of virtues and the spiritual beauty of holiness. Just as land left to itself, if the diligence of farmers is not applied to it and if it does not receive the assistance of rain and sun, will remain unusable and completely incapable of fruit: so human nature, being unable on its own to produce perfect fruits and virtues, has a need for a spiritual farmer of our souls, that is, in the spirit of Christ” (“A Word on Love”). 2. St. Gregory the Theologian teaches: “Since there are people who think so highly of their merits that they attribute everything to themselves, and not to the One who created them and made them wise - not to the Giver of goods; then the word of God teaches such that God’s help is needed in order to wish good; Moreover, the very choice of what is due is something divine, a gift of God’s love for mankind; for it is necessary that the matter of salvation depend both on us and on God. Whether you run or strive, you still need the One who gives the crown. “Unless the Lord builds a house, those who build it labor in vain; and unless the Lord preserves the city, who builds it in vain” (Ps. 127:1) (in Russian translation T. 3, p. 225). 3. “You have nothing from yourself, but you received everything from God,” writes St. John Chrysostom. – You have because you have received, not this or that, but everything you have: all good actions are not yours, but from the grace of God. Can you even point to faith? But it also depended on calling” (On 1 Cor. conversation 12). 4. The Holy Fathers of the Council of Carthage write: “The grace of God not only gives knowledge of what is appropriate to do, but also breathes love into us, so that we may be able to do what we know; both are the gift of God - both knowledge of what is appropriate to create, and love for the good that is appropriate to create, so that with creative love the mind cannot become insolent; Without it (i.e., without the grace of God) and with inconvenience, we cannot fulfill the Divine commandments, for the Lord did not say about the fruits of the commandments: “Without Me you cannot do anything conveniently,” but He said: “Without Me you cannot do anything” (John 15:5) (Rev. 125, 126 and 127). 5. Why are we not all saved by the grace of God? To the question posed by St. John Chrysostom answers this way: “Because you yourself do not want to, for grace, for all that it is grace, saves those who wish, and not those who do not want and turn away from grace, who constantly rebel against it and resist it” (on the last to Romans. conversation 18, paragraph 6). 6. The power of the grace of the Holy Spirit during the sacrament of baptism Once, in the presence of the apostate Emperor Julian, a pagan named Porfiry wanted to amuse him with a mockery of Christian rituals. Mimicking Christians, he climbed into the water, plunged and said: “The servant of God Porfiry is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” So what? by the grace of God, he suddenly confessed Christ as the true God, believed in Him, and for his firm confession of the Christian faith he endured torture and was put to death, by order of Julian the apostate. So strong and great is the grace of the Holy Spirit, communicated in Christian baptism, that it deigned to have mercy on even the most blasphemous blasphemer, to enlighten him with the true knowledge of God and to crown him for his martyrdom with the crown of blessed immortality” (from “Month”, published by the magazine “Voskr. Thurs.” Kiev, 1875, p. 225). 7. Two remarkable cases of conversion of pagan foreigners to Christianity 1. One of these cases is the baptism of two pagans, the sons of the widow of a deceased pagan Chuvashan in the village of old Buyanova, Kilbeke Ildekhineva, of whom one, 4 years old, was named St. baptism Vasily and another 12 years old was named Mikhail. Regarding the baptism of these pagan children, Fr. the deacon of their parish village of Podgorny Timyash, Tsivilsky district, Alexander Evdokimov, reports that two years ago the youngest of those baptized was mortally ill; the mother fulfilled all the orders of her pagan priests: she made sacrifices to all pagan deities, from the youngest to the oldest; but the son was dying. Then the mother decided to baptize the child, hoping through this to heal her son from a fatal illness; She had not yet fulfilled her promise when her son began to recover, and soon he recovered completely. After her son recovered, the mother forgot to fulfill her promise. But her son's secondary illness made her remember the promise; She no longer turned to the shamans 37, but came with her followers to the parish church and asked the clergy to baptize her son. The Lord healed the one who was baptized. A week after this, my older brother fell ill; the sick man himself wished to be baptized, thinking that if he did not recover, then after death he would not be in hell along with other unbaptized people. The mother held her son back for a long time and finally sent for the clergy of the church. In front of members of the church clergy, in response to all the objections of some relatives, he repeated: “I am baptized.” In this way, this widow’s son was also baptized, and after a little time he attended divine services in the church, although weak after illness, but recovered. After the liturgy that day, Fr. Deacon Evdokimov visited the newly enlightened and found the whole family in great joy. 2. Another manifestation of God’s miraculous help was over the pagan Cheremisian of the village of Unzhey, Tsarevokokshay district, Yambay Elemberdov, who was named St. baptism by Yakov, after his successor Vasilyev Korotkov. This Cheremisian wanted to be baptized even when he was called up for military service, but to be baptized without conviction, just to be freed from soldiering, since according to the previous laws, pagans who were subject to conscription were exempted from military service upon acceptance of baptism. But for some reason he was not baptized and was recruited. In military service, he learned to read and write and again expressed a desire to be baptized, but on the occasion of the transfer of the military priest of their regiment and due to ignorance of the new arrival, he was left without baptism and returned from service as a pagan, although somewhat familiar with the Christian faith. Upon arrival at home, he again fell into the circle of pagan relatives, married and remained a pagan; but his conscience constantly tormented him, since during his military service he promised to accept the Orthodox faith. During the Russian-Turkish War, he was again called up for military service and was in the active army in the Caucasus. Here he wanted to be baptized, but for the sake of his wife and pagan mother, who remained at home, he was not baptized. There, in the Caucasus, during the hostilities he fell ill and was in the hospital. One day, as he himself says, he was lying in the hospital, did not sleep and was completely sane; suddenly he sees that a flame in the form of lightning is directly descending from the sky towards him and above the flame is a light hat with a cross (in the form of a bishop’s miter), and the flame is threatening him, as if it wanted to hit him with a fiery sword; at the same time, he heard a voice that repeated the question three times: “Yambai, will you be baptized or not?” He answered three times with trepidation: “I will be baptized, do not strike me, Lord!” After that, he imagined that he was at home in his homeland, and the flame that descended from the sky became his old neighbor on earth, who decorously walked along the street, caressing and giving gifts to children. When he came to his senses, he saw himself on a bed in a hospital. When he recovered, on the occasion of the conclusion of peace with Turkey, he received his dismissal and returned to his homeland still a pagan: but he was sure that he recovered only because he had made an oath promise to accept St. baptism, and therefore his conscience tormented him even more than before. He began to often go to his parish priest of the village of Shinshey, Fr. Gabriel Yakovlev, who reported all this to the diocesan authorities. O. Yakovlev had conversations with him, told him many lives of saints, and also gave him various edifying books to take home. He read, as he himself says, these books only when he was alone, but when his neighbors entered, he was embarrassed, closed them and hid them. One morning he was lying awake and suddenly heard someone through the window telling him quietly in an undertone: “Yambai!.. why don’t you read books and prayers in front of people? That’s why I taught you so that you could read in front of people.” The speaker himself was not visible. He reported this vision to Fr. Yakovlev, who accordingly told him the appearance of the Angel of St. Polycarp in the hotel and other saints. pleasers. This year (1891), in the month of June, all members of his family died: his wife and two children. He was left completely alone and, not embarrassed by pagan family members, immediately accepted baptism with full consciousness of his holiness and was named Jacob. Stories about such manifestations of the miraculous power of God, reported by the persons themselves who were worthy of this, cannot remain without a trace and undoubtedly produce a good influence among foreigners for the benefit of spreading the Orthodox faith among them (see Kaz. Ep. Ved. No. 3, 1891, sn. “Pastor. Conversation.” 1892). 8. Thoughts of the Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Baptism 1. “When you go into the water,” says St. Cyril of Alexandria, - then imagine not only water, but expect salvation from the action of the Holy Spirit; because without both it is impossible for you to achieve perfection. It is not I who say this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has authority over this. He says: “unless one is born again,” and adds to this: “by water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5)... This word is bold, but not mine; for so Jesus hath determined.” 2. “Just as in baptism,” says St. Basil the Great, - two goals are proposed: to destroy the sinful body so that it no longer bears the fruits of death, and to come to life in spirit in order to bear fruit in holiness; then water represents death, taking the body, as if into a tomb, and the Spirit imparts life-giving power, raising our souls from sinful deadness to original life - which means being born again by water and the Spirit. 3. St. repeats the same thing. Gregory the Theologian, saying: “Since we consist of two natures, i.e., soul and body, visible and invisible nature, then cleansing is twofold, namely by water and by the Spirit. And one thing is accepted visibly and corporeally, while the other at the same time is accomplished not corporeally and invisibly; one is figurative, and the other is true and purifies the very depths” (see “The Experience of Right. Dogma. Theology” by Bishop Sylvester. Kiev, 1884, vol. IV, pp. 376–377). 9. Thoughts of the saints. Fathers on the Sacrament of Confirmation 1. St. Cyril of Jerusalem teaches: “When the sacrament of confirmation is performed, the body is anointed with the visible world, and the soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit.” “First, your foreheads were anointed, so that you could be freed from the shame that the first man who transgressed the law carried with him everywhere, and so that with a revealed face you could look at the glory of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18); then the ears are anointed to give you ears capable of listening to divine mysteries, ears about which Isaiah said: “And the Lord give me an ear to hear” (Is. 50:4), and the Lord Jesus said in the Gospel: “If you have ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15); then the nostrils are anointed with myrrh, so that, having received the Divine ointment, I can say to you: “The fragrance of Christ is God among those who are being saved” (2 Cor. 2:15); After this, the Persians were anointed, so that, “clothed in the armor of righteousness... you might stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:14, 11). For just as Christ, having come forth through baptism and the influx of the Holy Spirit, overcame the opponent: so you, having put on the whole armor of the Holy Spirit by sacred baptism and sacramental anointing, resist the opposing force and overcome it, saying: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:14). “Keep this anointing undefiled, for if it remains in you, it will teach you everything. It is holy and is spiritual protection for the body and salvation for the soul. Therefore, anointed with this holy myrrh, keep it undefiled and immaculate in yourself, succeeding in good deeds and pleasing the Author of our salvation, I. Christ. To him be glory forever and ever!” (Extracted from “3 secret words” of St. Cyril Jerusalem). 2. St. Basil Vel. about the grace of anointing he says: “How will an Angel challenge you, how will he snatch you away from your enemies, if he does not know the seal? How can you say: I am God’s if you don’t bear any signs? Or do you not know that the destroyer passed through sealed houses and killed the firstborn in unsealed houses? Unsealed treasure is conveniently stolen by thieves; an unmarked sheep can be safely lured away” (in XIII demon). 3. St. Gregory the Theologian says: “The anointing will provide you with great security during your lifetime. For they steal more boldly a sheep that does not have a mark on it than one that has a mark on it” (“The Sermon on Baptism”). A touching story was published in one of the books of the Historical Bulletin of 1856. One day, one bishop—a kind, good shepherd of Christ’s flock—went on a tour of his diocese 38 . So he visited one village - Vysokoye. In the morning, the Bishop, as usual, got up very early and went for a walk in the priest’s garden, then served mass, said a short speech to the parishioners and, pleased with everything he saw in the said village, deigned the village priest to accept an invitation to his modest meal. During lunch, the bishop remembered his morning walk and wanted to know whose apiary adjoined the priest’s garden. – Whose apiary is this, near the southern side of your garden, Father Ivan? - he asked the owner. - The local elder, holy lord; “The owner is there,” the priest pointed to a venerable, dignified man sitting right there at the meal. “You are doing a useful and good thing,” the bishop addressed him. - Bless, lord, to accept honey from us; Today the gathering was such that I won’t remember it for a long time. - Thank you. I won't refuse. It is especially proper for us monks to drink tea with honey. Thank you,” the bishop repeated, “they came.” How many hives do you have? - Yes, to a hundred, it won’t get any more. Well, here’s where the situation came up: I didn’t take the honeycomb out of one hive today. - What is it, tell me, we will listen. “I don’t know how to dare, sir.” Wouldn't you be angry? The matter is very tricky. – Whether it’s tricky or not, we’ll talk about it later. You just need to remember one thing: there cannot be a wiser Divine Providence, and I am sure that if it is as wise as you think, then we will probably see a sign of the wisdom of God. Don't be afraid, tell me. This is what the venerable village foreman told the bishop, in the presence of everyone who ate: “Our family has been working with bees for many years. My late father, who was also a foreman in our village, started this business not out of any self-interest, but for himself, and did not get honey for sale, but in his own family and spent it; and whatever was superfluous, he gave away from his labors to his acquaintances. At first we didn’t have many hives: just a few; then the bees began to swarm, it was necessary to provide them with new supplies, and so their number reached, as you can see now. Thank God, there was a lot of honey today; they took out the honeycombs from all the hives; We just didn’t dare from one thing, we don’t know what will happen. Just before Peter’s Day, this summer, my nephew, my late brother Pavel’s son Nikolai, came to visit me for a visit. My sons treated him well; in childhood they were friendly among themselves; and then, when he was seventeen years old, my brother’s affairs went a little wrong, and he sent Nikolai to Moscow to study. Somehow this teaching was unsuccessful; Nikolai did not get along with any owner: either he did not like the work, or he was at odds with the owner. His brother fought and fought with him, and then in the spring he caught a cold, and within a week he gave his soul to God. Nikolai, after his father died, remained the eldest in the house. I didn’t think for long - I gave up my Moscow craft and came to us. We couldn’t recognize him as the former handsome man, the blood-and-milk guy – Nikolka. They fed him poorly there, or maybe city life was too much for him, only he became skinny. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes looked sad and dull, and his conversation became strange and incomprehensible. After all, he was jostling between people, but apparently it was all to no avail. He fell behind his own people; one must assume that he didn’t bother the capital’s smart guys either. He began to confuse mine: everything is not right with them. You shouldn’t go to church, they say, because if you want, they say, to pray, then no matter where you pray, prayer will always remain prayer, and if it is acceptable, then it is acceptable both in the field and at home; I also didn’t venerate holy icons; At first they listened to him, and then, when they saw that the man seemed to have gone crazy, they came and told me. I’m with him this way and that, he carries everything of his own. And then Peter’s Day was approaching; he says: you will see that I will fast, because without this I cannot get married, and I will not swallow the sacrament; you'll see what I do with him. “What are you up to,” I say, “Nikolai, God be with you!” You couldn’t even think of any blasphemy, otherwise I’ll tell Father Ivan anyway: he won’t allow you to take communion. At this point he seemed to be frightened and began to swear and swear that this was the only thing he had boasted about, that he would do everything according to the law. Well, I think God is with him; maybe the guy came to his senses. However, my sons still unwittingly followed him. Well, holy lord, what do you think! On St. Peter's Day, at early mass, as he received the Holy Mysteries, we look - he does not swallow, but straight out of the church, without drinking the warmth, and into the apiary, and then - it’s scary to say - he threw them out of his mouth on the grass and went home. My Pavel, when he saw such blasphemy, froze and rushed to pick up the holy gifts. There was a beehive nearby; he opened the doors, and on a piece of paper, and put them there. The bees didn't touch him. After that they went and told Father Ivan about it. - What did you do, Father Ivan? What did you do? – the bishop interrupted the narrator. “I ordered them all to remain silent about this, so as not to create temptation, His Eminence,” answered Father Ivan. “That’s right, I praise you for that,” the bishop approved, “but have you tried to exhort and instruct that unfortunate person lost in heresy and sin?” “I didn’t have time to see him, sir, because he died soon.” - Well, did he fall ill, or how did this happen? - the bishop turned to the foreman. - No, Vladyka, a few days later there was a strong thunderstorm. The barn caught fire due to lightning; he went to put out the fire, entered the barn, and that was all they saw; he never left it; he was crushed by the collapsing roof. In the morning they found his body with a broken head, heavily charred. “The Lord truly punished him,” the bishop noted and after some reflection he added: “What did you say, foreman, that they didn’t take honey from this hive?” therefore, the holy gifts of the Lord are still there?! - We must assume so, sir. “So, Father Ivan,” said the Right Reverend, “listen to my order.” Tomorrow morning, before my departure, immediately after the prayer service, assemble a procession of the cross. Let us all go with the cup, take the holy gifts out of the hive and return them to their proper place. “And now let’s finish the meal, thank the merciful Creator and our hospitable host,” the bishop turned to the others who had eaten and stood up from the table. “I ask you all,” he continued, “not to disclose the upcoming religious procession, so as not to incite anyone’s idle curiosity.” Goodbye. God bless you! With these words, the bishop retired to other chambers, and the guests little by little dispersed. Silence reigned in the house, and an order was made that no one should go into the garden, in order to leave the opportunity for the Bishop, after finishing classes, to take a walk in the garden, if he pleased. The Reverend prayed almost all night in his room; The pink dawn that began to break through found him still kneeling before the icon of the Mother of God. He did not lie down for a long time, straighten his limbs and closed his tired eyes; in a word, it is unlikely that he dozed for more than an hour. The cell guard who came in at six o'clock in the morning had already found him at prayer again. At seven o'clock the prayer service ended with a few, and the procession set off from the church past the priest's garden to the elder's beehives. The morning sun bathed the entire procession in bright light; The rays of the banner crosses on the precious stones of the bishop's miter reflected with a bright radiance. The green grass, which had not yet had time to free itself from the night dew, seemed strewn with countless radiant diamonds. Far, far away the harmonious singing of the singers could be heard in the field and seemed to fade away where the human eye could reach. Calmly, slowly, in solemn majesty, the procession moved forward, preceded by the bishop with the holy cup in his hands. Here he is approaching the fence of the elder’s garden: here he is walking through fruit alleys, people winding along the paths like a beautiful ribbon, carrying banners, holy icons and church paraphernalia. Now the ruler approached the hive, in which there should be holy gifts; the protodeacon, a gray-haired, venerable old man, knelt down three times and, making the sign of the cross, opened the door of the block; His Eminence, and behind him the whole procession, knelt; Bees flew out of the open door, as if obeying someone’s inflexible will, and the following picture was presented to the eyes of all those present. The bees that flew out of the hive rose above it to a height of approximately two arshins and formed a cross with an all-seeing eye... But then Father Protodeacon takes out from the hive something more than particles of the holy gifts; he does not need to resort to the help of a spoon, no, he takes out the ark, marvelously crafted from pure, white wax in the form of a chapel, with the remaining, completely unchanged, incorruptible holy gifts. The touched and admiring ruler makes the sign of the cross and kisses this ark, and after it the rest of the procession participants. After this, the procession reaches the church the same way, and only at the very entrance the bees fly away, having always accompanied the shrine and retaining the appearance of a cross in their flight. Should it be said that to this day, in the altar of the church in the village of Vysokoye, a wax ark, carefully covered with a glass cap, serves as proof of the wisdom of Providence, which chose such an ordinary insect, known to everyone, young and old, as an instrument for glorifying God - the bee. This touching story shows how many wonderful things happen in nature and in our time... You just need to be able to see and understand these miracles, and for this you need to have a pure heart and a believing soul. To what has been said, it is worth adding that His Eminence Bishop, whom God destined to be a witness to the described miracle, is still alive in the same diocese (“Historical Bulletin” for 1896). 11. The heartfelt feelings of a Christian who is about to receive St. Mysteries of Christ In a feeling of humility, he approaches St. Communion. I must confess the mysteries of Christ in my heart: “My Lord and God, in the most pure mysteries, healing: and so I approach as if sick, that I may be healed; The Lord is my cleansing: and so I come, like a leper, to my Purifier, that I may be cleansed. The Lord is my life: and so I come to my life as if dead, so that I may rise again and live from the death of sin into virtue. The Lord is my shepherd: and so I come, like a sheep, to my Shepherd, so that I may be safe from the wolf. The Lord is my restoration: I draw near to my Restorer, that I may fall no more. The Lord is my justification: I come, as a condemned man, to my Judge, so that He may make me righteous from the unrighteous by His grace. I accept the most pure Mysteries, and having received help from their communion, from now on I will lay the beginning of my salvation, so that I no longer serve sin, but according to my strength, my God.” In a feeling of Christian hope, the believer approaches St. mysteries, I must confess: “What are my sins against Thy mercy, Lord? The essence of the web is against the great wind; a dirty puddle against the great river; darkness against the bright sun. The wind will blow, it will tear through the cobwebs; the river will flow and wash away the dirt; The sun will rise and burn through the darkness: such is Your great mercy, O God! Like the wind you will tear away my sins; like the river Blato, you wash away my iniquities, like the sun the darkness, you enlighten me and drive away my evil deeds, words and thoughts” (from the works of St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov). 12. I see Your palace, my Savior I see Your palace, my Savior! But I don't dare enter it, So that I may appear before You. You are rags 39 of a wretched soul; I walked the earthly path as a beggar; With love and generosity 40 many Consider me among Your servants! 13. This is My body... This is My blood 1. One day, Saint Basil the Great of Christ was performing the divine liturgy, and a Jew entered the church, along with Christians, out of curiosity to learn about the holy mysteries that believers partake of. The Lord was pleased to bring this enemy of Christianity to reason: he sees that the bishop of God is holding the Youth in his arms, crushing Him and distributing Him to the faithful. During the communion of Christians, this Jew also came up, and the saint, like the others, gave him a portion of the holy. gifts. Having received St. gifts, the Jew saw in his hands that this was the true body; then, approaching the cup, he saw that it contained true blood. The unbeliever was amazed. Having preserved the remains of St. bodies of Christ, the Jew came home, showed them to his wife and at the same time told her everything that he had seen in the Orthodox church. After this, he believed that the Christian sacrament was truly terrible and glorious. Therefore, the very next day he hurried to Saint Basil and begged him to baptize him and at the same time told him what prompted him to accept the Christian faith. The saint of God, having given thanks to the Lord, without delay, baptized the Jew and his entire house (“Ch.-M.”, January 1). 2. The life of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov, Pope 41 of Rome, tells of a famous miracle that took place in the most pure mysteries through the prayer of this saint. One noble Roman woman brought prosphora to celebrate the sacrament of communion; The liturgy on this day was celebrated by Saint Gregory himself. When it was time to serve people St. communion, then that woman also began to partake of the holy mysteries. At the words of the saint: “The life-giving body of our Lord Jesus Christ is taught,” the woman in question chuckled. Seeing her laugh, the saint held back his hand and asked the woman: “Why did you laugh?” “It’s amazing to me, sir,” she answered, “that you call that bread the body of Christ, which I baked with my own hands.” Saint Gregory, seeing her unbelief, prayed to God, and immediately the appearance of the bread was transformed into the appearance of the truest human body. This miracle was seen not only by that woman, but also by all the others who were in the church, and everyone glorified Christ God and were confirmed in faith in the most pure mysteries, they understood that under the guise of bread the true body of Christ is taught, and under the guise of wine - the true blood of the Lord. The saint prayed again, and the appearance of a human body was transformed into the appearance of bread. With fear and undoubted faith, the woman accepted the bread as the body of Christ, and also the wine as the blood of Christ (“Cheti-Minea” March 12). 14. Thoughts of St. Demetrius of Rostov about St. sacrament of communion Remarkable for its excellent comparisons and irresistible power of persuasiveness is the following instruction of St. Demetrius of Rostov on the transubstantiation of St. Tain. 1. “If anyone expresses doubt and unbelief regarding the Divine sacrament, just as the bread at the table is transformed into the body, and the wine into the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and becomes His true body and blood in sacred service; then every Orthodox Christian should ask him this way: can God make him greater than man and above his understanding? And when he says: “It is possible,” tell him: “Why can’t He give us His flesh for food?” “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established” (Ps. 32:6); by the same word of God He changes bread and wine into His body and blood.” 2. “And if you are surprised at how the same Christ is both at the table and in heaven, then be amazed at how the same sun, which illuminates and warms us here, at the same time shines in heaven and on earth, in the east and in the west, and in all countries of the world. So Christ - at the same time both in heaven and on earth - in the most pure mysteries, as one omnipotent and omnipotent, both in heaven truly by nature, and on earth by the power of the Divine, performs great and glorious deeds, incomprehensibly and inexpressibly above the human mind.” 3. “And again, if you are surprised at how one Christ is presented equally whole to the faithful in many parts, no less in one part, and no greater in another: - be amazed at how my voice is one and the same in my mouth and in your ears.” 4. “And if you are surprised how the body is not crushed in the fragmentation of the Mysteries, when the lamb is fragmented, and how in every part there is a whole and perfect Christ, marvel at this, how it is that when the mirror is fragmented into small parts, then the human image in it is not fragmented, but in every part appears whole, as in a complete mirror.” 5. “If you are amazed at how Christ, often consumed, is not diminished, but remains whole forever, be amazed at how, having lit other candles with one candle, you do not thereby diminish the brightness of the first candle.” 6. “And if you ask: how is it that Christ, having entered into the interior of our nature, is not defiled and not included? then I ask: the sun, passing over unclean places, is it defiled through this or not? - I know that the wise and faithful will not dare to say: yes! Much less is Christ, the Light of all purity, desecrated, and He who is, whom neither hell, nor tomb seals, nor the doors at the entrance to the disciples, closed and firmly enclosed, could not contain.” 7. “And if you are surprised how in such a small part of the Mysteries there is the whole full and whole Christ, then marvel at this, how such great cities are contained and embraced by such a small grain of your pupil? But having learned this, do not experience the untestable mystery, but with undoubted faith and heartfelt love give thanks to the terrible, strong and almighty King and God Almighty, both in deeds and in mind, for His inscrutable gifts.” 8. “And again, in considering the body of the Lord, rightly believe with the church about the terrible Mysteries. Although you see visible bread and wine with your bodily eyes, believe firmly, without a doubt, that their essence, by the influx and action of the Holy Spirit and the power of the almighty word of God, is changed into the body and blood of Christ, so that nothing else remains here, but only the very true body and blood of the Lord, under the guise of wheat, leavened, newly baked, soft bread, and wine pressed from grapes, i.e. berries” (“Creation of St. Dima. Rostov.” Part V, p. 115). 15. Punishment for long non-communion of St. tain To the virtuous man, the priest Epictetus, who, for the sake of the purity of his life, received from God the gift of healing all sorts of illnesses, one noble nobleman brought his daughter, a fifteen-year-old girl who had been weakened for three years, and asked the saint to heal the sick woman: “Have mercy on me, man of God!” - the father of the girl cried out in grief. St. Epictetus prayed to God, anointed the weakened young woman with sacred oil, and she immediately stood up healthy, and everyone glorified God. At the same time, the monk said to the dignitary: “If you want, beloved, so that there is no illness in your house, be with all your household every Sunday a partaker of the body and blood of Christ, with a pure heart.” Having said such instructive words, he sent them off in peace (“Ch.-M.”, July 7). 16. Thoughts of the Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Communion 1. St. Cyril of Jerusalem addresses the newly enlightened with the following speech, teaching them that under the guise of bread and wine a Christian partakes of the true body and blood of Christ: “If (Christ) declared and said about bread: “This is My body” (Matthew 26:26); then after this who will dare not to believe? And if He Himself assured and said about the cup: “This... is My blood” (Matthew 26:28), then who will doubt and say: this is not His blood?.. So, do not understand bread and wine to be simple: for they are the body and blood of Christ, according to the saying of the Master. Although feeling presents you with bread and wine, may faith strengthen you. Do not judge a thing by taste, but by faith be known and undoubtedly confident that you have been worthy of the body and blood of Christ” (“Teaching the Mysteries.” V, paragraphs 1 and 6). 2. St. John of Damascus expresses with such certainty and accuracy his and the general church teaching about the essence of the Eucharist (i.e., Holy Communion): “Bread and wine are not images of the body and blood of Christ, - let it not be, - but the most deified body of the Lord, for the Lord Himself said: “This is My body,” and not an image of the body, “This ... is My blood,” - and not an image of blood. And before this He said to the Jews: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink.” And again: “Whoever eats Me... will live” (John 6:53, 55, 57) (“Exact exposition of the rest of the faith.” IV, Chapter 13). 17. Miracles that occurred during the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 1. In the biography of St. Vasily V. writes: “A certain godly presbyter, named Anastasius, when he was performing the Divine service, during the consecration of terrible mysteries, the Most Holy Spirit descended in the form of fire and surrounded Anastasius; More than one saint saw this. Vasily, but also others who were worthy of this vision” (“Ch.-M.” January 1st, life of St. Basil the Great). 2. The historian Sozomen narrates: “When St. Chrysostom celebrated the liturgy and distributed St. secrets, a certain woman, infected with the Macedonian heresy, began to do this. And as soon as she accepted Divine Communion with unbelief, instantly a part (of Christ’s body) turned into stone in her mouth. The woman, horrified by this wonderful miracle, told what had happened to her in front of all the people, showing the stone itself, and from unbelief turned to true faith” (“Historical Sozom.” book 8, chapter 5). 3. In Limonar it is written: “In Seleucia, a certain heretic merchant had an Orthodox slave, who, having taken St. communion, kept it in a reliquary. After some time, his master found out about this and wanted to burn the saint. secrets; - but suddenly all the parts of the most pure body of Christ, kept in the reliquary under the guise of bread, sprouted ears of grain” (“Limonar” ch. 79). 4. During the time of Mina, Patriarch of Constantinople, one of the Jewish youths joined the Christian youths and received St. with them. communion; but, returning to the house, he told his father everything that had happened. His father was inflamed with anger, and immediately grabbed his son and threw him into the furnace in which glass was melted (for his father was a master of glass casting). The mother, not knowing anything about what happened to her son, searched for him for a long time and could not find him. On the third day, crying and sobbing, she came to her husband, a glassmaker, and suddenly from the midst of a red-hot furnace she heard the voice of her son. Frightened and rejoiced at the same time, the mother hastily approached the smelting furnace and saw her son among the burning coals. Taking it out of the fire, she asked: how did it not burn in the oven? He answered: “Some wife in light clothes often came to him, giving him water to extinguish the burning coal; and when he wanted to eat, she gave him food.” Emperor Justin himself (who at that time reigned in the Greek Empire) found out about this and ordered his son and mother to be baptized, and ordered his father, who did not want to be baptized, to be thrown into a hot furnace. This miracle was known to the whole world. They write about him. Church historians: Evagrius in the book. 4th, in ch. 24th; Eusebius in the book. 4th, in ch. 36th; Nikifor in the book. 17th, in ch. 25 (Prot. G. D-ko). 18. Enlightenment of those who voluntarily evade the Holy Spirit. communion Let those who willfully move away from St. be horrified. communion, because through this very thing they serve the enemy of our salvation, the devil. “Mnozi,” says St. John Chrysostom, I see, they don’t take communion often: this is the work of the devil. He detests that the body of Christ should not be received often. And behold, even though he does not often receive communion, he gives much power to the devil, and the devil accepts his will and leads him into all evil.” The “Helmsman’s Book” says that when one ascetic asked the evil spirits what they feared most, the evil spirits answered him: “What you eat, that is, the sacrament. If Christians honestly observed what they eat in the sacrament, then they would be impregnable to our intrigues” (“The Helmsman’s Book” ch. 68). Remember this, Christian, and approach the divine meal as often as possible, realizing your unworthiness, and place your trust in God’s mercy. “God is not your enemy, but a doctor; He wants to heal you, not to destroy you, teaches St. Dimitry Rostovsky. - Why then do His divine cups run around? It is better for you to receive spiritual healing and be healed, rather than run away from healing into great sinful diseases and fall into great illnesses and perish.” 19. Stories from the lives of saints, showing how the great saints of God were always zealous for the communion of St. tain 1. This is what the biography tells us about the Monk Theoktista. One hunter went with his fellow craftsmen to the deserted island of Paros, in the Aegean Sea, to catch animals; On the way he fell behind them. And so, wandering through the desert, he accidentally came across a church in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos, which had fallen into disrepair over time, and entering it, he devoted himself to fervent prayer. While praying, he noticed a small hole on the ground, in which, in addition to water, there were also grains of one plant, the so-called sunflower (iliotropion). Assuming from these signs that one of the saints lived in the dilapidated church, he left, firmly deciding to visit here again on his way back. A few days later, when they had already caught enough game of all kinds, the hunters gathered home - and they were from the seaside mountain of Euboea. The aforementioned hunter also went with them: but on the way he again fell behind them and still entered the church to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos: at the same time, he hoped to see the saint who lived in this church and ate sunflower seeds soaked in water. And so, during prayer, he saw St. on the right side. the meal was like a kind of blade of grass, “shaken by the wind,” which was hidden from prying eyes by a dense network of cobwebs. Wondering what it was, the hunter approached and was about to break the web, but suddenly he heard a weak voice: “Stop and don’t come close, for I am a woman and without clothes!” Struck by the vision, the hunter did not know what to do. Finally, gathering his courage, he decided to ask: “Who are you? and how do you live in this desert? And again I heard a voice from the nets: “I beg you, throw me a robe, so that I may cover my nakedness, and then whatever the Lord commands me, I will tell you.” The hunter, having taken off his outer clothing, laid it on the floor, and he himself left the church and, after waiting a little while the woman dressed in his clothes, he entered again and saw her in the very place where she had been before. It was Rev. Theoktista. The hunter's surprise now knew no bounds. Falling with tears at the feet of the saint, he asked her to pray for him and bless him. She, after a short prayer, turned to him with the following words: “May God have mercy on you, child; but tell me, what made you come here?” Then, saying that it was probably for the sake of her, who was unworthy, that the Lord inspired him to visit her, the monk confessed to the hunter her entire past life and added in conclusion: “But I ask you one thing: if next year you come here to hunt—and I know that you will certainly come—God wills it so—take with you in a clean vessel a portion of the most pure mysteries of Christ and bring them to me; for, since I settled in this desert, I have never had the opportunity to partake of this gift. Now go in peace to your comrades and don’t tell anyone about me.” The hunter, having promised to fulfill the saint’s wishes exactly, hurried to his comrades and went home with them. A year has passed since the meeting just described. Hunters again gathered on the deserted island of Paros to catch animals. The aforementioned pious trapper also joined them. But, getting ready to set off, he asked the presbyter for part of the most pure mysteries of Christ and, putting it in a small reliquary, took it with him 42 . When the hunting ship landed on the shore, the hunter in question first of all went to the church of St. Theotokos, where the Rev. was saved. Theoktista. Seeing the blessed one, he fell to the ground and bowed to her. But she, approaching him, said with tears: “Don’t do this, for you bear Divine gifts.” And then, taking the hunter by the hem of his clothing, she lifted him from the ground. He handed her the reliquary with the Divine mysteries, and she, having first bowed to the ground, accepted it and, having partaken of the life-giving body of Christ, said with tenderness: “Now you forgive Your servant, Master, as my eyes have seen Your salvation, and as the remission of sins in my hand, now I will go where Your goodness commands.” Having said this, she gave praise and thanksgiving to God, who had made her worthy to partake of St. secret, and, blessing the hunter, released him in peace. But what happened next? When, a few days later, the hunter again came to the church of St. Mother of God, then St. Theoktista was no longer alive: she was numbered among the celestials. Thus, the communion of St. the mysteries were the communion of the dying, parting words for the outcome of the soul. Having quickly dug the grave, the hunter placed the relics of the saint in it, and he hurried to his comrades (“Ch.-M.” November 9). What is instructive for us in this story, first of all, is that Rev. Theoktista, despite her great exploits, did not consider it unnecessary to commune with St. tain; on the contrary, she, as we see, begs the trapper to bring her part of the body of Christ, putting herself in great deprivation that for a long time she did not have the opportunity to partake of this gift. The need for communion with St. The mysteries for the saint increased especially because, as can be concluded from the narrative just proposed, the end of her life was already approaching. But what about Providence? does it remain indifferent in this matter? Oh, far from it! Providence sends just such a person who could be a worthy bearer of the most holy secret. It is not for nothing that the biography writer notes that the trapper was a pious man. Thus, God Himself makes sure that people, at least in the last minutes of life, are not left without guidance from the life-giving mysteries of Christ. How guilty then are those who willfully avoid the Divine Table, boldly declaring that good deeds alone are enough for salvation?.. Let us not, reader, be like that! Let us incline our ears to the words of the mother of our church, who daily, through the mouth of her ministers, invites us to taste the “immortal Source.” And now let us turn to other stories that show how great ascetics of piety were always zealous for the communion of St. secret Let's talk about Mary of Egypt, who with her great exploits won for herself an unfading crown of glory. 2. To the desert where the Rev. lived. Mary of Egypt, a year before her death, Elder Zosima came. Having met the great ascetic of piety, he fell at her feet, asking in the name of Christ, for whose sake she devoted herself to the hermit’s feat, to tell him her life. The venerable woman, fulfilling the wishes of the elder, told him everything down to the smallest secret. Finally, in conclusion, saying goodbye to the elder, she asked him to come next year, if it pleases God, on Maundy Thursday with life-giving mysteries and make her worthy to be a partaker of them as a guarantee of eternal life, and conjured him not to cross the Jordan, but to wait for her near the village. “I will come,” said the righteous woman, “and partake of St. the mysteries, for I have not received communion since I was communed in the Church of John the Baptist, before I entered into the feat of living in the desert. Do not deny my request, St. Father, come to vouchsafe me the great mystery at that hour when our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, before His death on the cross, made His disciples partakers of the Divine and Last Supper.” Having said this, the monk said goodbye to the elder and retired into the desert. - A year has passed; the Great Pentecost, the days of fasting and prayer, has arrived; Elder Zosima remembered the saint’s request and, it seemed, could not wait for Holy Week - so great was his desire to see the saint; Finally, the week of the Passion of Christ arrived, and on Thursday, after the liturgy, the elder, taking the gifts, left the monastery. Having reached the river, he sat down on its bank and waited for the arrival of the saint. Already the elder, tormented by spiritual anguish, thought that, due to his unworthiness, she did not want to come to him, or she was already here and, not finding him, left: one thought more sadly disturbed the elder than the other. Suddenly he saw the monk walking towards him across the waters. The elder, frightened by this vision, wanted to bow to her, but she said: “St. Father, what are you doing? You are a presbyter with divine secrets." Approaching him, she demanded a blessing, and, at the request of the saint, he blessed her and read the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. At the end of the prayers, she accepted the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ and, raising her hands to heaven, exclaimed with tears of joy, as Simeon once did in the Temple of Jerusalem with the Divine Child in her arms: “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word, in peace” (Luke 2:29). Having said goodbye to the elder, she asked him to come to the place where for the first time they had a meeting and conversation, “And there,” said the monk, “you will see me, if it pleases my Creator.” Another year passed, and the elder again went to the place of their first meeting, but did not find the saint alive. Approaching her body, he washed her feet with tears, then began to read funeral prayers, and suddenly the thought of whether the saint wanted the burial confused him, and he was perplexed. Suddenly he saw the words inscribed on the ground: “Zosima, in this place bury the body of the unworthy Mary and, having buried the body, pray for her, who reposed on the first day of April, on that very night on which she was honored to receive from you the saving gifts of the body and blood of Christ.” Aren’t they marvelous, aren’t they wonderful the deeds of the Almighty, who cares for us, His unworthy servants! The all-generous Lord vouchsafed the saint to die on the day on which she, having partaken of the body and blood of Christ, became a partaker of eternal life... Having glorified God and His such wondrous blessings shown to those who do His will, Elder Zosima buried the body of the saint and, returning to the monastery where he had stayed, told there about everything that the Lord had brought him to see (“Ch.-Min.” Apr. 1 d.). 3. The following is told about Elder Mikhail Gruzin, who was fleeing in Arselay on the highest, steep bank in a tomb he made: before his death, the elder fell into illness and, sensing the approach of death, said to his disciple: “My son! Bring me some water, I will wash myself and receive Holy Communion. secret." When he received communion, he said to Eustathius (that was the name of his disciple): “You know, my son, how dangerous it is to go down from our tomb; If I die, then you alone will not be able to carry my body: I’m afraid that you will fall from the rapids with it. So it’s better that we both go down in advance, little by little.” They went down safely; then the elder said a prayer, kissed Eustathius and said to him: “Peace be with you, child, pray for me,” he lay down in the tomb and joyfully went to the Lord (from the brochure of Archpriest G. Dyachenko: “On the Eve of Communion,” 2nd edition). 20. Miraculous vision during the liturgy “I cannot hold my soul,” writes the governor of the Sergius Lavra, Fr. Archimandrite Anthony, - so as not to report with fear and joy the following event: on March 17 in the Kuryazhsky monastery, near Kharkov, 7 versts, during mass, during the consecration of the holy gifts, when the brethren in the middle of the church sang: We sing to you, we bless you, Hieromonk Iliodor, bowing to the ground and exclaiming three times: “And we pray, and we pray, and pray,” suddenly he remained deaf and dumb, but in an unusually touching state of mind; and when, a week after that, he partook of the holy gifts, immediately upon receiving them he read loudly grateful prayers, and announced that when he, bowing to the ground, looked at the holy meal, he saw a fire on it, which, flaring up, embraced the throne, the altar and the whole church; and this wonderful vision was accompanied by the angelic singing: “And we pray, and we pray, and we pray.” Listening to the liturgy, we are all present at this divine flame and at the angelic singing. If someone is present in the church with a worthy feeling, then the flame of this divine fire embraces everyone, and the invisible communion of the shrine of Christ penetrates every soul” (“Monastic letters” from the abbot of the Holy Trinity Lavra to Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, art. 60). In one village, during Great Lent, one woman, among others, received communion, and had just begun to receive communion, when she suddenly stepped back and said to the priest: “Father, change St. a particle." The priest put this particle into the bowl and took another, which the woman accepted. After this, she answered the priest’s question: why didn’t she accept the first particle? - she answered: “Yes, this is why: when I came up to take communion, and you said: “The servant of God is communing with the body and blood of Christ,” then I, a sinner, thought: what kind of body and blood is this? This is prosphora and wine. And as soon as I thought about this, I saw a piece of your body on your spoon, which was trembling and blood was flowing from it. I was afraid to accept it; and how did you change St. particle, then I saw that it was prosphora and wine, and I accepted it” (“Dushen. Read.” 1861). 22. Terrible admonishment of children Not far from the city of Terakus, near the village of Gonab, children were grazing cattle in a field. They wanted to play and frolic. So they decided to sing the funeral service and perform the liturgy. Some of them, standing in front of everyone in the church, and others, participating in the reading and singing of the church and carefully watching everything that the clergy did in the altar, knew the order of the service and various rituals. So they decided to have some fun: “Let’s bring,” they said, “a prosphora and partake, as is done in church.” They chose a large stone, near which they had previously played; They put bread on it, put wine in a cup and began to read, sing and do everything according to church custom. One of them, more knowledgeable, undertook to correct the service of the priest, two - the deacons, and the rest - the readers and singers. But as soon as they wanted to touch the bread, to break it and partake of it, suddenly fire came down from heaven and devoured everything on the stone; even the stone itself was burned. The children fell to the ground in horror and lay on the ground without any movement, unable to utter a word. The parents, who had been waiting for them for a long time at a certain time and did not arrive, were finally forced to look for them and found them prostrate on the ground in that very place; but the whole day they could not hear a single word from them. Only when the children gradually came to their senses did they talk about the admonition that had been given to them. This matter soon became known to the bishop, and then at the site of such a wondrous incident a prayer was made to the Lord God and then a church of God was created (“Prol.” January 4). One noble woman, after the death of her husband, bringing into memory all her sins and remembering the hour of death and the terrible judgment of God, went to the Monk Niphon and, bowing to him, said: “By faith I came to your shrine, honest father: I want to confess all my sins before you.” When the elder did not agree to this and said: “I (as a monk) should not listen to women’s affairs, my child,” the woman said: “Holy Father! The Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, clothed in our image, did not reject the harlot who came to Him, who with tears kissed His honest feet and confessed her sins to Him: and you, Father, are driving me away at a time when I want to repent and be saved!” Having heard this, the elder said to her in response: “If so, child, and if you have come by faith to my unworthiness, then let’s go to church: there, with heartfelt contrition, confess your deeds to the much-merciful God who loves mankind, and I, a sinful elder, will hear them.” They both came to the church, and the woman, bowing, became silent. - What's wrong with you, child? - the elder said to her: - since early morning you have been forcing my humility to accept you to confession, and now you don’t say anything? “I don’t dare say it, honest father,” the woman answered: “I’m embarrassed by an obscene thought.” “In that case, write it for me on paper,” he said, “and I will read it before the face of the Lord God, who forgives our sins in His great mercy.” “And I am not able to do this: my sins are so great,” answered the sinner. “If you can’t do this,” the elder continued, “then I’ll do this: I’ll remind you one by one of all the sins that happen in people’s lives,” and he began to ask: “Haven’t you done this and that?” But the woman answered all his questions: “By the grace of God and for your holy prayers, I did nothing of the sort; my sins are not the same. – If not, then I’m not a heart expert: I don’t know human secrets. And the unfortunate woman, not pacifying her conscience with repentance, only said: “Pray for me, Father,” and left. Walking along the street, she saw one weakened old man, who, covered in wounds, was lying on the ground, neglected by everyone, and said to him: “Do you want me to take you to my house and calm you down: and you will beg God about my unworthiness?” “Yes, my lady,” answered the sufferer, “I would like you to show such mercy to me, the accursed one!” Then the woman hurried home, prepared the bed, sent to buy monastic clothes and ordered the servants to take the weakened monk from the street, take him to the bathhouse, wash him, dress him in new clothes, bring him to her house and lay him on the prepared bed. When all this was completed, she herself began to serve him, anointing his scabs and making every effort to heal him. Some time later, the great quarter of Christ’s saving passion came, and the woman said to the sick old man: “Father, I want to do something with you, just keep quiet and don’t interfere with me.” “As you command, my lady, I will do so,” he answered. The time has come for the divine service; the clergyman was celebrating the liturgy in her home church, and as soon as he began to read the Gospel and said these words: “Jesus... was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, a harlot woman came to Him, having a bottle of ointment of great value” (Matthew 26:7, etc.), - the woman, taking a vessel with ointment, approached the monk, poured ointment on his feet and, kissing them, wet them with tears; then she wiped them with her hair and immediately confessed all her secret and obvious sins... And so, when she did this, there was a terrible shaking - not in the whole city, but only in one of her houses - and after that a voice was heard: “Your sins are forgiven you!” “And when this divine voice was heard, the sick monk suddenly stood up completely healthy, not having a single scab on himself, not a single ulcer, glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ, who works terrible and great miracles. – And this blessed wife, having received forgiveness of her sins from the unsearchable and ineffable mercy of God, spent the rest of her life in repentance and reposed to God, leaving an image for everyone who wants to come to repentance (from the book “Irrigated Fleece”, book No. 10 “Trinity leaf.”). 24. Calling the sinner to repentance The Monk Emilian, living in Rome, spent most of his life in sins; but one day he suddenly felt a desire to leave his sinful life. For this purpose, he retired to a monastery and for a long time labored in fasting, prayer and mortification of his flesh. Not limiting himself to performing the ordinary feats of monastic life, every night he retired from the monastery to a secluded cave and there with tears he mourned the sins of his youth. The abbot of the monastery, wanting to know where the monk was going, one day followed him and, behold, he sees Emilian standing in prayer and illuminated by an extraordinary light, then hears the voice of God: “Emilian! Your sins are forgiven." The abbot, having come to the monastery, told the brethren about what he had seen and heard, and moreover said: “For our sake there was a voice from heaven, and the Lord sent His light-like mercy, so that we would know that God is truly not far from the repentant, that He is waiting for our conversion, so that we will be heirs of eternal life” (“Life of St. Emilian,” March 7). 25. What does true repentance consist of? 1. We must abandon our previous sins and abhor them as an abomination. 2. For these (sins) regret 43 and appease God, and confess to your confessor. 3. Avoid other (new) sins in every possible way. 4. Leave our neighbors' sins so that God may leave them for us ourselves. “If...you forgive man their sins (Christ says in the Gospel), your heavenly Father will also forgive you: if you do not forgive man their sins, neither will your Father forgive you your sins" (Matthew 6:14, 15). 5. Show love and mercy to everyone, so that you yourself may receive mercy. “Blesseds of mercy: for these will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). 6. Humble yourself: “he who humbles himself... will exalt himself” (Luke 18:14). 7. Do not condemn or slander anyone. 8. Always pray to God so as not to fall into the enemy’s attack. “Watch and pray, so that you do not fall into misfortune” (Matthew 26:14), - Christ says (from the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). On the motionless stone of Your commands, Christ, confirm a number of my thoughts. The Lord will rain fire from heaven: Make noise like the sea, a stormy flame And ashes metal and stone. People are overcome with horror... Moan And the scream flies from all sides. Only Lot hurries with his family to Zoar, Without turning back in flight 44... You too, soul, run with anxiety Don't turn your gaze to sins Pray to Him, saving yourself: Aren't you my good shepherd? Seek me like a sheep of the flock, Do not despise, sweet Jesus: Justified by you, I will be saved." 27. The cleansing power of confession One St. The priest, who was fleeing on Mount Olympus, talked with the brethren about the salvation of the soul. During this conversation, a commoner approached the elder, bowed to him and stopped silently. The elder asked: “What do you need?” The commoner said: “I came to your shrine to confess my sins, honest father.” The elder said: “Speak in front of everyone, don’t be ashamed.” Then the commoner began to confess his sins with tears in the presence of everyone, some of which were so serious that it was inconvenient to convey them. When he had told everything, he bowed down and stood despondent, with a contrite heart; tears streamed down his cheeks. Meanwhile, the elder thought for a long time about something and finally said: “Do you want to take on a monastic image?” “Hey, father,” answered the commoner, “I wish it, and I even brought here the clothes necessary for tonsure.” After this, the elder gave him several instructions, clothed him in an angelic image and, releasing him, said: “Go, child, in peace and do not sin again (from now on). He bowed to the ground and left, glorifying God. The monks were surprised by all this and said to the elder: “What does this mean, father? How many grave sins have we heard from him now, and you did not give him any obedience, did not impose the slightest penance on him?” “Oh, dear children,” said the elder, “didn’t you see that when this commoner confessed his sins, a terrible man stood next to him, whose face shone like lightning, and whose clothes were white as snow?” He held in his hands a charter of 45 sins of the repentant, and when a commoner expressed his sins to me before all of you, he gradually blotted them out from the charter. And if God forgave him in this way, then how dare I give him any kind of penance after that? 46 Hearing this, the monks were horrified and thanked our Lord Jesus Christ, glorified His goodness and love for mankind, and dispersed, marveling at the glorious deeds of our God. You see that every sinner who heartily regrets his sins and sincerely repents of them will undoubtedly receive remission of them! Therefore, do not be ashamed when confessing your heartfelt tears, for they are a balm 47 for sinful wounds; do not hold back painful sighs in your soul, for with these sighs your sins leave you; and at the same time, proceed to confession with sincere repentance, revealing your sins to your spiritual father without any concealment, as you yourself know them in your conscience, placing yourself before the all-seeing eye of God; Always remember about the Last Last Judgment, in order to prepare for confession with dignity, and to reveal your sinful infirmities and serious illnesses before your spiritual father, as before the Lord God, Who on the last day will judge the living and the dead and will reward everyone according to their deeds (see the book: “Prologue in Teachings”, Rev. V. Guryev). 28. Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian Desert fathers and blameless wives, To fly with your heart into the field of correspondence, To strengthen it in the midst of long storms and battles, We composed many divine prayers, But none of them touches me, Like the one the priest repeats During the sad days of Lent. Most often it comes to my lips And the fallen one is refreshed by an unknown force: “Lord of my days, spirit of sad idleness, Lust 48, this hidden serpent, And do not give idle talk to my soul; But let me see my sins, O God, Yes, my brother will not accept condemnation from me, And the spirit of humility, patience, love, And revive chastity 49 in my heart!”... 29. Stories about the power of repentance 1. There is no sin that a truly repentant sinner cannot atone for through repentance. How many sinners do we know who have received forgiveness and pardon through repentance! By repentance the publican was justified more than the Pharisee; for repentance, the sinner who washed the Savior’s feet with her tears was pardoned; through repentance the doors of heaven are opened to the thief; Through repentance and bitter tears, the Apostle Peter, who denied the Lord three times, was again elevated to the rank of apostle: through repentance, many of the greatest sinners followed the path of virtues and received eternal bliss. Yes, St. The Venerable Martyr Evdokia was at first an open harlot, but, having repented, she received the gift of miracles and was honored to receive the crown of martyrdom. Thus, the Venerable Mary of Egypt spent 17 years in a life full of sinful, carnal pleasures, but, having repented, she found such grace from the Lord that she crossed the Jordan River as if on dry land. Thus, Jacob the hermit, who committed a sin against the seventh commandment with one maiden and then killed her, completely atoned for these grave, mortal sins and again received the gift of miracles. Truly, the power of repentance is great and incomprehensible! 2. When the Monk Theodora asked the Angels who led her through her ordeals: “My Lord! Do all Christian people go through these ordeals, and is it possible for someone to go through this without the torture and fear that they experience at the ordeals?” The holy disembodied guides said: “There is no other way for the faithful souls ascending to heaven; all are coming this way, but not all are equally tormented, whereas (only) sinners are tormented who confess their sins without committing them, being ashamed and hiding their cold deeds before the spiritual father. If anyone truly confesses all his evil deeds, and regrets, and repents of the evil he has done, those sins are invisibly atone for by the mercy of God, and when such a soul comes, the airy tormentor, having unbent his books, finds nothing written on her, and cannot do any dirty tricks on her, nor frighten her. Yu, and that soul ascends, rejoicing, to the throne of grace” (see “The Life of St. Theodora” “Chet.-Min.”). 3. There is the following legend about one robber. Before his death, this robber shed bitter tears of repentance for the crimes he committed during his life and wiped away the tears with a handkerchief, which he then placed under his head. After his death, all his deeds were put on the scales. The demons rejoiced, seeing the countless number of his atrocities. But when the Angels placed a handkerchief soaked in tears of sincere repentance on the scales, the scales tilted to the side on which the good deeds of the deceased were placed - and the Angels rejoiced with great joy over the repentant and saved sinner (see “Resurrection Reading” for 1884, No. 32). 4. The story is about one sinful man who, after many sins, came to a feeling of deep repentance, became a monk and cried inconsolably every day about his sins, remembering the day of judgment, and spent many years in such contrition of heart. And the Lord wanted to console His crying servant and show how pleasant the tears of a repentant sinner were to him. He appeared to this man in a vision, in the form of a priest carrying a chalice full of tears. Seeing Him, the weeping sinner fell at His feet and began to kiss them with heartfelt love. He asked the Lord what was in His holy cup? The one who appeared to him answered: “These are the tears of the sinner who wept at My feet in the house of Simon the leper; I keep them to this day because they are very pleasing to Me.” The vision ended, the weeping one came to his senses and felt inexpressible joy and consolation in his heart: he glorified the ineffable compassion of the Lord, Whom he served with all zeal until the end of his life. And we will pay attention to the words of the Lord: “These are the tears of the sinner who wept at My feet; I keep them to this day”; from here it is clear how pleasing to the Lord the tears of a repentant person are - they are dear to Him, like pearls, and He always has them before His eyes: “Thou hast laid down my tears before Thee” (Ps. 55:9)! (From “The Works of St. Demetrius of Rostov”). 30. Thoughts of the saints. fathers about repentance 1. St. John Chrysostom says: “Repentance cleanses all sins, whatever they may be. Repentance is the healing of sins, the consumption of iniquities, hope in God, a weapon against the devil, a sword, cut off his head, the hope of salvation, the destruction of despair. He who repents after a sin is not worthy of crying, but he must be imputed to the blessed one” (see in the works of St. Tikhon, Bishop of Zadonsk, vol. I, p. 146). 2. St. Tikhon, Bishop of Zadonsk, teaches: “There is only one refuge from the wrath of God - repentance; it hides the sinner from vengeance and execution. The Ninevites ran to this safe refuge, hearing the coming wrath of God, and hid themselves, and thus were saved. Even now, many resort to this and are saved... Listen, sinner, to God’s voice, calling you to repentance, fulfill the will of the Heavenly Father, who thirsts for your salvation. Look at the death and blood of Christ, shed for you. A great price has been given for you - the blood of Christ, dearest to the whole world!.. Repent while there is time; turn while the Lord accepts. Behold, the blood of Christ cries out to you about this. Behold, the Heavenly Father is waiting for you. The angels are ready to rejoice at your repentance. The righteous women are waiting for you, until you repent and rejoice in the repentant” (“Works of St. Tikhon Zad.,” vol. II, p. 205). 31. The power of the prayer of a repentant sinner In Edessa, during the time of St. Theodosius the Stylite, one rich pious husband, wanting to serve God more perfectly, left all his property, his wife and three children, and, retiring to Jerusalem, took monasticism at the monastery of St. Savva. His wife cried for a long time for her husband; then, instructed by a vision in a dream, she herself began to think about the salvation of her soul and, with one sick baby of hers (the two eldest sons had gone to the Lord), she went for instruction to St. Theodosius. But she had barely completed half the journey when the baby died in her arms. Having thus been deprived of her last consolation, the unfortunate mother gave herself up to such inconsolable grief that she was ready to ask everyone she met for the life of her only son. The first one she met was a harlot. The mother, without thinking at all about her action, immediately puts her dead child in her arms and with tears asks her to pray for the return of life to the deceased. What does a sinner do? At first, feeling all her unworthiness and confessing her sins, she rejects the request of her crying mother; and then, convinced by her tears, she turns to the east and, shedding tears, says the following prayer: “Lord, although due to my sins I am not worthy to look at the heights of heaven; but following the example of the ancient harlot who wept at Your feet, I also dare to implore Your love for mankind. I do not dare ask You for forgiveness of my countless sins; I pray for this immaculate baby: grant him life, Lord, grant not for me, but for this pious servant of Thy! If I, cruel and unmerciful, cannot help but sympathize with her sorrow, then how much more will You, who are by nature merciful and humane-loving, be merciful to Your creation?” – Such a prayer, coming from the heart of a sinner crushed by repentance, produced the same effect as the prayer of the righteous. “I,” says the reverend. Theodosius, - at that time I saw from my pillar a great light that came down from heaven and shone on the praying sinner, the dead baby and his mother. The child has risen. Both women, struck by such an extraordinary event, left the world, locked themselves in the same monastery and became holy servants of God; and the resurrected son, having reached adulthood, showed such virtues that he was worthy of election to the rank of bishop and became the Patriarch of Jerusalem (“Sunday Reading”, 1884, No. 13). 32. Contrition for sins as a necessary condition for confession “When you sin,” says St. Chrysostom, - cry and groan 50 not about the fact that you will be punished: this is not important; but that you have insulted your Master, who is so good and loves you so much; He cares so much about your salvation that he gave up His Son for you. This is what you should cry and moan about, and cry incessantly. For this is what confession consists of” (Zlat. on 2 Cor. conversations. IV, M. 1843, p. 120). 33. That during illness one should not be afraid to invite a priest to administer confession and communion of the holy mysteries When relatives advise a sick person to invite a priest for parting words of confession and St. secrets, some of the patients consider such an invitation from the priest to be a sign of their imminent death and respond with grief to the kind advice of their relatives: “Why are you preparing me for death, I am still able; So, the hour of my death is near when you send for the priest? And if, after intense requests from his relatives, the patient finally agrees to accept the pastor of the church from St. secrets, then as soon as he sees him entering, he becomes faint-hearted and gets scared, thinking that his hour of death has already come. Those who think like this are in great blindness! Death entered the world as a result of sin: “Examples... of sin, death” (Rom. 6:23), it is said in Scripture; and the priest comes to you in order to cleanse you from sin through repentance through confession and unite you through the communion of St. secrets with the Lord. Why do you look at the priest as a harbinger of death? Is it really repentance and communion of St. do the mysteries have the destructive power to kill? It's shameful to even think about it! God often punishes a person for his sins with illness, and repentance often returns a person to health. Manasseh - the king of Israel, God promised through the prophet health if Manasseh repented of his sins; Manasseh repented of his sins and was healed. The Savior Himself, when healing the sick, first of all absolved them of their sins as the causes of their illness. Thus, He, healing a sick man weakened by the veins, first of all forgave him his sins, then healed him: first he said: child, your sins are forgiven; then he said: “Arise... take up your bed and walk” (Mk. 2:5, 11); He said the same thing to another 38-year-old sick man, healing him from the illness of weakening: “Behold, you are healthy: let no one sin, so that no worse will come to him” (John 5:14). If repentance for sins is not the cause of illness and death, but of life and health, then even more so is the communion of St. secret Don’t you yourself read after the priest: “Let the communion of Your holy mysteries be not for judgment or condemnation for me, Lord, but for the healing of soul and body”? The apostles of Christ rejoiced when they saw the Lord, but you are sad when the priest brings you His most pure body! The ancient murderer Satan instills in you such a disastrous thought, so that you die without confession and communion with St. mysteries, or – received by St. gifts without living faith and sincere repentance for sins. And what will happen if you, afraid to invite a priest at the right time, go to your grave without repentance, or, due to increased illnesses, become incapable of true repentance? Then your eternal destruction is inevitable. No, Orthodox Christians, do not be afraid to invite a priest during your illness for confession and communion with St. Body and Blood of Christ; through this, apparently, the miraculous power of God was sometimes revealed, healing the sick. As an example, we will tell you what is written in the life of St. Alipia (“Ch.-M.” life of St. Alipia, Aug. 17). There was someone in Kyiv, a rich man, who suffered from the most serious disease - leprosy. After being treated by doctors for a long time, he did not receive any benefit. Then one of his friends advised him to go to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery and ask the Reverend Fathers of the Pechersk, Anthony and Theodosius, that God would give him health through their prayers; the patient, forced by the strong requests of his friend, although he went to the Pechersk monastery, did not fully believe in the power of the teacher’s prayers. Antonia and Theodosius. As soon as he was presented to the abbot of the Pechersk monastery, the abbot ordered to give him something to drink and wash his face and head with water from the well of St. O. Feodosia. As soon as he drank water and washed himself, he immediately boiled all over with pus for not having full faith in the prayers of the saint. Anthony and Theodosius came to the monastery; his illness became so intense that everyone began to run away from him; for due to the stench emanating from him, it was impossible to be with him. In such a terrible situation, with tears and sadness, he returned to his house and for several days in a row did not leave his house, due to the stench that covered his entire body, and confessed to his friends that God had punished him this way for his lack of faith in the power of the prayers of St. Antonia and Theodosius; but the illness did not go away. Finally, after thinking with himself, he decided to go to the priest and confess all his sins to him. Therefore, having returned to the Pechersk monastery, he appeared to the then-priest, now our Reverend Father Alypius, and confessed all his sins. Alypius, having heard his confession, said to him: “You have done well, child, in confessing your sins to God before my unworthiness, for so the prophet testifies of himself, saying before the Lord (Ps. 31:5): “Reh: Let us confess my iniquity to the Lord: and you have forsaken the wickedness of my heart.” Then he brought him into the church and introduced him to St. tain; after this he commanded to wash himself with the water with which priests wash their mouths after receiving holy communion. mysteries, and he received perfect physical health (“Sunday Thursday”, 1885, No. 34). 34. Holy people accepted the grace of the priesthood with great fear The following is known about Abba Ammos: when he was elected to the rank of Bishop of Jerusalem, monks, as usual, came from different places to worship the saint of God. Having kissed them, the saint said: “Pray for me, a sinner, pray unceasingly, fathers and brothers! A great and heavy burden is placed on me and the exploits of eldership terrify me. I read in one place that Leo, the first mentor of Rome, remained in church for forty days in prayer and fasting and tearfully asked God to forgive his sins. Finally I heard a voice: “The Lord has forgiven all your sins, except those that relate to the duties assigned to you by ordination. For this alone you will be tormented.” This example clearly shows how important priestly ordination is. The pastors of the church must never forget that at the Last Judgment, every soul entrusted to them will be exacted from them. Therefore, they must shepherd them in such a way that then they can boldly say: “Lord! here I am and the children whom You gave me” (extracted from “Lessons on the Law of God” by A. Tsarevsky, 3rd issue, pp. 162–163). 35. Election to bishops is carried out according to the will of God (A story about his childhood of St. Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod) “I was left an orphan,” said St. Jonah, in the world John, is seven years after his father, and three years after his mother. God put it on the heart of the widow Natalia, the mother of Yakov Dmitrievich Medovartsev: she took me into her house, fed and clothed me, and gave me to the clerk to learn to read and write. There were many students at the school; I was quiet from poverty. One day the children were playing after Vespers; a blessed man walks down the street; the children rushed at him, throwing pebbles and rubbish at him, and I stood there without moving. The blessed one, leaving the children, ran to me, took me by the hair, raised me higher than himself and, without knowing me at all, called me by name: “Vanyusha! - he said, “learn to read and write, you will be an archbishop in Novgorod”; “Then he hugged me and ran away.” It was Blessed Mikhail Klopsky. In his mature years, John retired to Optina Pustyn, fifty miles from Novgorod; The desert was poor then. Here John took monastic vows with the name of Jonah. For a pure and ascetic life, the brethren, after the death of the founder of the desert, Chariton, elected Jonah as abbot. In 1458, the Novgorodians elected the zealous abbot Jonah as archbishop of Novgorod, and in February 1459 he was consecrated in Moscow by High Hierarch Jonah. From this story, the reader will no doubt draw the conclusion that the election to the bishop, predicted many years ago by the visionary fools for Christ’s sake, is carried out not by the will of man, but of God (see the book “Russian saints, revered by the whole church or locally”, Philaret, Archbishop of Chernig. Part III, St. Petersburg, 1882, pp. 308–310). 36. It is dangerous to insult a priest Here is a very instructive story from one priest: “My father,” says this shepherd, “was a priest for a long time at St. Andrew’s Church, in which I have served since 1824; he gave me the following obvious proof of the truth that it is dangerous to insult a priest. In his parish (from the Little Russian Cossacks) there was a certain Maxim, a man of obstinate character, and especially when he drank, which unfortunately happened to him often. My father, as a shepherd, exhorted him at every opportunity to reform and stop drinking. At one time, seeing this Maxim again acting outrageously in a drunken state, he made a remark to him: “How you, Maxim, are not doing well, how you are sinning!” But Maxim, instead of obeying the instructions, said a lot of rude and abusive words to my father, and in response to my father’s remark: “But I’m your confessor,” he said: “If I don’t teach you, I’ll die.”51 That was the end of the matter then. Several years passed from that time, and it happened that this Maxim fell ill. His family asked my father to admonish the sick man, and my father went to him with the holy gifts, but as soon as he entered the hut, the sick man, who was conscious and talking, suddenly in the presence of his confessor he became speechless, unconscious and looked in frenzy, seeing nothing. No matter how much my father and his family spoke to him, he remained numb. There was nothing to do; the father left the hut and wanted to go home, when suddenly the family said that the sick man had regained consciousness and asked him to come back. The father returned, but as soon as he entered the hut, the patient again lost consciousness and became unable to accept parting words. The next day, the patient’s relatives again ask the father to confess and commune him, reporting that he is already feeling. My father, believing that the patient, perhaps, could not receive guidance from him, did not go to him himself, but invited another priest; but what? and the same thing happens with this: before his arrival, the patient spoke and was conscious, but as soon as the priest entered his hut, he became insensitive and numb; the priest left the hut - and the sick man came to his senses again; The priest is again asked to return, but when he went to the hut, the patient again lost consciousness. So this poor man died without the guidance of the saint. secrets. May the Lord God forgive and have mercy on him! (From the magazine “Wanderer” for 1861). 37. Where did the priests receive the right to bless, and what is the significance of their blessing? Christ the Savior, having given shepherds, gave them the right to bless the believers. He showed a visible sign of His blessing on the children when He “lay His hand on them and bless them” (Mark 10:16). Then, during the ascension, surrounded by His faithful followers, the Lord “lifted up His hands, [and] bless them” (Luke 24:50). This is how the apostles and their successors began to bless: only the laying on of hands was soon replaced by the sign of the cross. This image of blessing has been preserved to this day according to direct tradition. Saint Basil the Great notes: “We bless the water of baptism and the anointing oil, and also the one who is baptized - according to a silent and secret tradition” (“On the Holy Spirit” ch. 27). Pastoral blessing has its own spiritual meaning. Christ, blessing the apostles, said to them: “You will receive the power that the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). So the shepherd, blessing in the name of God, calls upon the blessed the power of God, sanctifying, helping, protecting and comforting. How this power works depends on the faith of the person receiving the blessing. But it is noteworthy that from ancient times people irresistibly strived for sacred persons in order to be blessed with the sign of the cross at their hands. “Kings and princes,” testifies Saint Ambrose of Milan, “deigned to bow their necks before the priests and kissed their hands, in the hope of protecting themselves with their prayers” (“O Venerable Priest.” Chapter 2). Whoever comes up for blessing obviously does so out of respect for the rank. And respect for the sacred dignity is inseparable from reverence for God. The Scripture says: “With all your soul reverence the Lord and the priests, honor Him” (Sir. 7:31). Explaining this, St. Chrysostom says (on 2 Tim. demon. 2, div. 2): “Whoever honors the priest will honor God; and whoever begins to despise the priest will little by little come to insult God. Even if the priest was not pious; but God, seeing that out of reverence for Him you honor even those unworthy of honor, He Himself will reward you” (from the Words of Sergius, Metropolitan of Moscow). 38. Saying the word of God about married life 1. “Husbands, love your wives, as...Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” (Eph. 5:25). 2. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord” (Col. 3:18). 3. “Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:22, 23). 4. “But I do not allow a woman to teach (in church), says St. Apostle Paul, nor to rule over her husband, but to be silent” (1 Tim. 2:12). 5. “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Col. 3:19). 6. “In the same way, husbands, treat your wives wisely, as with weak vessels, showing them honor, as heirs together of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7). 39. Instruction of St. John Chrysostom regarding the choice of a bride “Who, intending to get married, tries to find out the character and behavior of the girl? Nobody. On the contrary, everyone immediately asks about money, about property, about how much of all kinds of household items, no matter how much one would like to buy something, or conclude some ordinary trade agreement. For this reason, marriage is called by this name. I have heard many people say: so-and-so made an agreement with so-and-so, that is, he got married. This is how they mock the gifts of God; they get married and get married as if they were selling and buying something, and written conditions for marriages are concluded with the requirement of incomparably greater security than in matters of trade. Look at how the ancients got married and be jealous of them. How did they join? They looked for good behavior and morals, and spiritual perfection in the bride. Therefore, they had no need for written contracts or security through paper and ink. Instead of everything, the spiritual qualities of the bride were enough for them. So I beg you to look not for money and wealth, but look for good qualities in a girl - modesty, piety and piety; it will be better for you than countless treasures. If you seek what pleases God, you will receive this too; but if, having left the first, you chase after the last, you will not get even that. But so-and-so, you say, got rich from his wife. Aren't you ashamed to give such examples? I have heard these words from many: I would rather endure extreme poverty than receive wealth from my wife. And really, what could be more painful than such abundance? What is more shameful than to become famous in this way and give everyone a reason to talk about himself: so-and-so got rich from his wife! I'm not even talking about the domestic troubles that must necessarily arise from here, I'm not talking about the arrogance of a wife, the servility of a husband, about quarrels, about reproaches from slaves, when they say: a beggar, a scrapper, low and from a low state! what did you come with? Doesn't everything belong to the lady? But you don’t worry about what they say about you, you’re not yourself. Those who are accustomed to eating other people's bread hear worse reviews about themselves, but they are not sad, they even impute this shame to themselves as praise; and when we say this to them, they answer: it would be nice, and sweet, otherwise even if I die. Oh, devil! What sayings he introduced into the world!” (from Conversations of St. I. Zlat.). 40. Advice from a prudent spouse Blessed Augustine's mother's husband was very hot-tempered and bad-tempered; but she lived with him in harmony and calmly, so that her friends, who often quarreled with their husbands, asked her for advice on how to soften their obstinate disposition? “Dear friends,” she answered, “it is your own fault that you suffer great insults from your husbands: you respond to every insulting word with annoyance and mutual insult, and the more you upset them.” And when I see that my husband is angry, I remain silent and only in my soul pray to God that silence will return to his heart. His temper goes away on its own, and I am always calm. Imitate me, dear friends, and you will also be calm (“Sunday Thursday,” XVII). 41. Against family divisions The Word of the Lord is not in passing: “every... house divided against itself will not be” (Matthew 12:25). There is one ancient legend, an ancient parable: one king, dying, left the kingdom to eighty heirs. Before his death, he called them all to him and, handing the eldest a large bunch of tightly tied rods, ordered them to break it, but he could not do this; after him, another son took over the bundle of twigs, then a third, and so on, and no one was able to break the small bundle of twigs. Then the old man said: “Untie the rods, take each rod and break it!” It is clear that the bars were broken in one minute. “So you, children,” said the elder, “as long as you live in harmony, together, no one can defeat you, but alone, every enemy will defeat you.” Happy is the home where peace and love live, where parents take care of their children, where everyone lives in good harmony: husband and wife, brothers and sisters. The blessing of God rests on such a house. “We help brother from brother, like a city that is strong and high, and like a kingdom that is founded” (Prov. 18:19). “Behold, that which is good, or that which is good, shall the brethren still live together?” (Ps. 132:1). Live, brothers, with all humility, condescending to one another with love, observing the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3) (Archpriest Gr. D-ko). The Holy Scripture says: “Honor the doctor according to the need for him, for the Lord created him, the Lord created medicine from the earth, and a prudent person will not neglect them” (Sir. 38:1, 4). But how often doctors do not find means to cure human diseases, how often all their science is powerless at the bedside of the sick! There are so many diseases that the most famous doctors ponder over, not even knowing where or how to begin treating them! That is why the same Holy Scripture further says: “My son! in your illness do not be careless, but pray to the Lord, and He will heal you” (Sir. 38:9). When doctors are unable to do anything to alleviate the disease, then St. our mother church is Orthodox and offers her grace-filled healing in the sacrament of consecration of oil. This sacrament is simply called unction, because several priests usually gather to perform it, although, if necessary, it can be performed by one priest. This sacrament was established by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when He, sending His apostles to preach the Gospel, commanded them to anoint the sick with oil: “And I anoint many sick people with oil,” says St. ev. Mark, and the woman was healed” (Mark 6:13), - they anointed, of course, not according to their own intelligence, but at the command of the Lord. That is why the Apostle James, the brother of God, reminds believers of this sacrament, as well known to them, and commands them to turn to it in case of illness. “If anyone is sick in you, let him call for the elders 52 of the church, and... make a prayer over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith will save the sick one, and the Lord will raise him up: and if he has committed 53 sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14, 15). The Apostle of Christ is obviously talking about the sacrament, and not about simple treatment with oil, because oil cannot be a remedy against all possible diseases, and St. James speaks of any illness in general; Moreover, each of the household, or any doctor, could anoint the sick person with simple oil, and the Apostle commands to call the elders of the church, who should not only anoint the sick person, but first perform a common prayer over him. And finally, healing from illness is associated with the remission of sins: “and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him,” which, of course, cannot be given by any simple medicine. - That is why, from the very times of the apostles, this sacrament was used in the Church of God for the healing of the sick. – Great is the power of this blessed sacrament! It was established for this purpose, to heal bodily infirmities. Of course, healing does not always happen, but to wish and demand that every sick person receive healing from this sacrament would mean demanding that the person never die at all. Therefore, the sick person must completely surrender himself to the will of the merciful Lord, who knows better than us who is more useful to send healing and continue life, and who is in good time to move into eternity. But if healing does not always happen, then the sick person always receives relief, consolation, tranquility and healing of spiritual infirmities: “even if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him,” says the Apostle of Christ. He obviously assumes that the sick person had already taken advantage of the sacrament of repentance before the consecration of the oil: otherwise he could not imagine the patient as sinless, why, before the consecration of the anointing, according to the rules of the church, the sick person confesses to his spiritual father. But there are sins of weakness, sins of oblivion, there are especially grave sins that even after confession weigh on the conscience of the one who has already confessed them - all such sins are forgiven in the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing. And reconciled in conscience, purified by two sacraments - repentance and consecration of oil, the sick person joyfully begins to receive the Divine communion of the body and blood of Christ the Savior and, uniting with Him in this great sacrament, no longer fears death, surrendering himself to the will of the merciful Lord. He knows that if the Lord calls him to Himself, then this will be His holy will, for the salvation of his soul, but still he undoubtedly believes that He, the merciful Lord of life and death, is able to raise him from the bed of illness... And it often happens through the faith of the sick person: the Lord heals him from such an illness in which famous doctors have already sentenced him to death. This is what, for example, one priest of the Orenburg province says in the magazine “Strannik” (1865). A rootless retired soldier about 80 years old lived near his church. He was blind and ate what good people brought him. Once he became very ill and began to prepare for death: he confessed, took communion and wished to receive unction. His prayer while performing the sacraments was in the full sense a prayer of faith: he cried - not about his life here, but about his sins, about how not to lose the Kingdom of Heaven. And this prayer saved him: he began to get better day by day, and a week and a half later the priest saw him again in church. The priest noticed with surprise that the elder, without the help of others, approached the Gospel and kissed it himself, as if he were sighted. After mass, the elder came to the priest, cheerful, joyful, and even without his elder’s staff 54, from which he had not been separated for many years. “Father,” he said, “after all, now I can see with one eye, which has been closed for twenty years, and I see everything clearly: I came to you without a stick.” “Thank God, grandfather,” said the priest, “how long ago did you receive such mercy from the Lord?” “Yes, ever since you gave me unction, father,” answered the elder. “During the unction itself, it was as if a great light flashed before my eyes and a tear flowed from my blind eye, and I began to see... This is how the Lord comforts those who approach St. with faith. the sacrament of unction! What can we say about those who shy away from this holy thing? sacraments? Poor people, they do not understand its power, they think that to receive unction means to go to the next world. Do they know whose opinion it is? This is what the Latins (Catholics) think; This is their teaching, not the Orthodox teaching of our mother church. Even those who hope to recover are sometimes afraid of the blessing of oil: it seems to them that they will look at the special one as if he were a dead man rising from the grave. Again, what a misconception! A man was healed of an illness by the grace of God, the prayer of the church, the holy sacrament: what’s bad about that? What's there to be ashamed of? We must rejoice for such a person that the Lord heard his prayer and raised him from his sick bed, and not run from him as from the living dead. Anyone who would run and avoid him would thereby offend the grace of God that healed him. “They also say that after unction you can no longer live a married life.” And it's all a lie: St. the consecration of oil does not in the least weaken the power of another sacrament - marriage; not only the consecration of oil, even the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ does not interfere with married life, but requires only abstinence for a while, and the sacrament of consecration of oil is performed in order to return a sick father or mother to their children, to return one of the spouses to life to common joy, to the birth and upbringing of children in the Christian spirit. - Orthodox Christians! Don’t listen to all sorts of foolish talk; listen to one of our mothers, the Orthodox Church: she wishes us well, she sacredly preserves what the saints taught. the apostles and Christ our Savior Himself; she offers us all seven sacraments and among them St. Blessing of oil for the healing of our mental and physical illnesses... Use this St. sacrament for the glory of God and for your benefit, and the Lord will bless you as His obedient children, send you health of body and soul, and will not deprive you of the Kingdom of Heaven after death (extracted in abbreviation from No. 786 “Trinity L.”). 43. Explanation of the rituals during the sacrament of anointing On the table near the sick person receiving the sacrament of anointing, there is a dish with wheat and, on top of the wheat, a vessel of oil combined with wine; around this vessel are placed in wheat seven pods 55 entwined with cotton paper for anointing the sick, and seven lamps; St. is placed on the table. The Gospel and the life-giving cross of the Lord, and candles are given to everyone. Then, after the consecration of the oil itself, seven Apostolic and seven Gospel readings and seven prayers are read, and after each prayer the sick person is anointed with oil on the forehead, on the lips, on the eyes, on the nostrils, on the ears, on the hands, while saying one prayer: “Holy Father, Physician of souls and bodies”... At the end of the sacred rite, the senior clergyman places the Gospel on the head of the sick person and reads a prayer for absolution from sins. Here is an explanation of these sacred rites: oil is combined with wine, just as the Samaritan mentioned in the Lord’s parable poured oil and wine on a man who was caught by robbers and barely survived (Luke 10:30–34); seven lamps are lit above the oil in the image of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; St. The Gospel and the life-giving cross of the Lord testify that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is invisibly present with us, suffering and dying for us and redeeming us from our sins with His sufferings; the sick person and all believers have candles as a sign of fervent prayer and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; All the most important parts of the patient’s body are anointed to commemorate his complete healing from all mental and physical infirmities; at the end of the blessing of oil, the Gospel is placed on the head of the sick person to commemorate the fact that the Lord Jesus Himself overshadows him with His gracious power, Himself touches him, Himself absolves him from his sins; wheat is used as a symbol (i.e., a sign) of strengthening and nourishing our body; at the same time, it also points to our future resurrection from the dead (Arch. G. D-ko). 44. Invisible effects of the sacrament of anointing “The benefits and fruits that come from this sacrament are shown by St. Apostle James; they are: forgiveness of sins or salvation of the soul and health of the body 56. Although the body does not always receive healing, forgiveness is always granted to the soul of the repentant” (“Orthodox Confession,” part 1, answer to question 118). About the Eleventh Article of the Creed 1. We are all strangers on earth One evening an emperor was sitting at the door of his palace. His bodyguards and servants stood near him. At that moment, a monk walked past with a staff in his hands and a bag over his shoulders. Suddenly he stopped and discovered his intention to enter the palace. -Where are you going, father? – one of the bodyguards stopped him. “I want to enter this hotel to spend the night,” answered the monk. - This is not a hotel, but a royal palace, move on. The emperor, who heard this conversation, ordered the monk to be presented and said to him kindly: - Good father! This is not a hotel, but a palace, and I am the emperor. Not at all embarrassed, the monk said: – Your Majesty! Who owned this palace fifty years ago? “My grandfather,” answered the emperor. – And after your grandfather, who? – And after you, when you die, who will it belong to? “How come, sir, after this the house where so many people stayed was not a hotel?” The emperor understood what the monk wanted to say, took him by the hand, led him into his palace and ordered him to shelter and treat him. Indeed, all of us, great and small, rich and wretched, do nothing but walk along this earth; We don’t have a permanent eternal home here, all of us - both rich and poor - are just wanderers here, and none of us has anything to be proud of. Rich and poor have nothing here on earth forever. Only faith in God, good deeds, a pious life, this is the wealth that will go with us there and will not be taken away from us. Acquire 57 this treasure and never say “enough” (“Christ. Reader” 1889). 2. Thoughts are just around the corner, and death is behind us 1. One rich and kind king had many sons. They all received different gifts from birth, and the king loved them all equally and wanted all of them, having matured, to share his luminous throne with him. But, in order not to violate the sacred truth by which the king always lived, he decided to send them to one distant country, where the sons had to develop and improve their gifts in order to be worthy of the royal throne, and had to keep their royal nobility pure and unsullied. The sons were obliged to work in that country on their own: this was the truth. But the king loved his children very much and gave them invisible mentors and guardians. These guardians did not interfere in the free actions of their sons by force, but, being present with them every moment, advised them and persuaded them to do good, or tried to dissuade them from evil. Moreover, a feeling of conscience beat in the sons’ chests, which either condemned them for a bad deed, or encouraged them on a difficult path. Thus equipped, the sons set off for a land unfamiliar to them. The father did not tell them specifically when they should return. He only said that he could call them to himself at any time, so they must always be ready and worthy to appear before him. But in any case, the period for living in an unfamiliar country was determined to be short, and the sons measured it into parts so that they could see and notice more clearly how much time had passed, and approximately how much was left until the time when they should appear to their father. Having arrived in the country, the sons began to live each according to their own free will. But unfortunately, not everyone behaved as the sons of a great and good king should. Some forgot their origin, carried away by the shine of metals and precious stones, and began to live only for wealth; others were seduced by honor and power and abandoned any thought of ever returning to their father and answering his question - how did you deserve my love and the right to sit on my throne? still others did even worse: they fell so low that they became like dumb animals. Meanwhile, the deadline passed. It was not great and passed quickly, and so, when any part of it was fulfilled, the invisible guards of the king's sons and conscience especially tried to remind them of their bad behavior and encouraged them to correct themselves. Some obeyed the suggestions of their guardians; others only thought about these suggestions, then tried to forget them and lived as before. And the deadline passed. Suddenly, when the sons were not expecting, the father began to call them one by one. They shuddered and wanted to correct themselves, but it was too late. And so, when they gathered before the throne, the good king accepted the worthy, but rejected the unworthy, for he lived according to holy truth, and this good king was sad, and the guardian angels cried, and the unworthy sons deeply grieved for the irrevocable time during which they could earn the right to reign with their father. 2. Here is this parable, and you, of course, guessed that by the king here we mean the Lord, and by the king’s sons - all the people whom Jesus Christ Himself repeatedly calls in the Gospel the children of the Heavenly Father. We are born on earth, but are not destined for it; in this world we are only temporary strangers and wanderers, not having a city that abides here, but seeking the one to come, as St. Apostle Paul. Among the temptations and trials that lie ahead on our path, we must improve the gifts we received at birth and acquire a new one for every talent; Among the conditions of earthly existence, we must educate our heart in a feeling of brotherly, selfless love, our will - in doing good, our thought - in pure, highly moral thoughts, and thus bring our soul to God - this is the breath of the Creator, with which He revived the earthly dust - undefiled by any evil thought or deed. To achieve our goals, we have been given guardian Angels and a good conscience, together with grace-filled help communicated in the holy sacraments; we have been assigned a period, and the period is very short: already in the time of King David it was seventy years old, or eighty for people stronger and healthier, and now it has become even less than that. At the end of our career stands death: with its cold hand, sooner or later we will all be struck down. This is the most important event in our entire life, because here is the inevitable limit of our existence, during which we can gain God’s love for us, and the inevitable beginning of the account that the king will demand from his sons. This, therefore, should be where our thoughts and thoughts should be directed, so that, according to the word of Sirach, remembering “our last” (Sir. 7:39), we do not sin much and not be forgotten in our dreams and earthly seductions (extracted in abbreviation from “Resurrection Reading” for 1888, No. 1). 1. “A broken bell makes unpleasant sounds; it is necessary to pour it so that it sounds pleasant: so through sins a person came into discord not only with others, but also with himself; and now, through death, he is transformed into a better being, capable of a harmonious, pleasant life, which will come after the general resurrection of the dead” (Kirill, Bishop of Melitopol). 2. “What is the most terrible thing for a person? Death. Yes, death. Each of us cannot imagine without horror how he will have to die and take his last breath. And how are parents tormented when their dear children die, when they lie lifeless before their eyes? But do not be afraid and do not grieve, brothers, beyond measure! Jesus Christ, our Savior, with His death conquered our death and with His resurrection laid the foundation for our resurrection, and every week, every Sunday day we triumph in the risen Christ, our common future resurrection, and we begin eternal life, to which the present temporary life is a short, although cramped and regrettable path; the death of a true Christian is nothing more than a dream until the day of resurrection, or like birth into a new life. So, celebrating every week the resurrection of Christ and your resurrection from the dead, learn to continually die to sin and rise in souls from dead deeds, enrich yourself with virtue and do not grieve inconsolably for the dead; learn to face death without horror, as the definition of the Heavenly Father, which, with the resurrection of Christ from the dead, lost its formidability” (from the book: “My Life in Christ”, Archpriest John Sergiev of Kronstadt, vol. II, 1st ed. 1892, page 178). 4. The unknown of the hour of death In vain St. The king and prophet David asked the Lord to tell him the number of his days, so that he would understand how long he had left to live (Ps. 38:5). Providence, all-good and wise, does not give us this dangerous knowledge in order, through the uncertainty of the last day, to protect from despair those who would see themselves too close to their end, to curb the excessive confidence of those who would consider themselves still far from death, and to force everyone to vigilantly watch over themselves and to fulfill their duties without laziness. It is saving for us that God left the day of death unknown: let everyone occupy himself with the saving thought of his last day (Blessed Augustine). “Save your life,” his tormentor said to the martyr Roman. “That’s what I do,” answered Roman; – I am saving myself from eternal death and seeking endless life. - Are there two deaths? – asked the tormentor. “Two,” answered Roman, “one short, instant; the other is endless. And firmly maintaining the faith, the passion-bearer of Christ with prayer accepted the mortal blow (from “Ch.-M.” November 18). 6. About the prayer of permission According to the missal, after the funeral service for the deceased and after the proclamation of “Eternal Memory” to him, the farewell prayer is supposed to be read: Lord Jesus Christ our God. In fact, instead of this short farewell prayer, another, more extensive one is usually read, printed on special sheets of paper, and after reading, it is placed in the right hand of the deceased, so called. permissive. Both prayers are similar in content, and therefore the reading of the prayer of permission replaces the reading of the farewell prayer. The content of the prayer of permission is borrowed from the prayer of propitiation placed at the end of the liturgy of St. ap. Jacob; and it received its present formulation in the 13th century from Bishop Herman of Amathunta. Initially, this prayer was read over those of the dead who during their lifetime were under excommunication, or prohibition, or died an unexpected death. But since all the dead, regardless of the type of death, need remission of sins, the use of the prayer of absolution has become a universal phenomenon: it was included in the burial rite and read over all the dead. In the “Pechersk Patericon” the following is said about the prayer of permission: to St. One day Prince Simon the Varangian came to Theodosius of Pechersk and asked the saint’s prayers for himself, for his son and for his entire family. The monk made a promise to fulfill Simon's request, and then the latter bowed to the monk to the ground, persistently asking him to confirm this promise with scripture. Rev. Theodosius copied the words of the priest's farewell prayer to him. Simon bequeathed that this prayer should be placed in his hands after his death, which was fulfilled. This is where the custom of giving permission prayers into the hands of the dead came from. Even righteous people did not shy away from this prayer: thus, St. Alexander Nevsky, at his burial, straightening his right arm, accepted the letter of permission as if alive (see “Sofia Times,” vol. I, p. 273). 7. Immortality of the human soul 1. The sun disappeared below the horizon; The evening dawn has faded. But now the darkness of the night has dissipated, the darkness of the night has disappeared, and the dawn is already dawning... Faith and hope are seeing the bright dawn of a new glorious life after the darkness of death... A dying person is a setting luminary, the dawn of which is already shining over another world. 2. “Oh, man, you are certainly immortal, even if you didn’t think about it, even if you didn’t want it! Beware of forgetting your immortality, so that forgetting about immortality does not become a deadly poison for your mortal life, and so that the immortality you forget does not kill you forever, if it suddenly appears to you, unexpected and unprepared. Do not say desperately: we will die in the morning, so that we can strive even more unbridled for the pleasures of mortal life. Speak with hope and fear: “In the morning we will die on earth and be born either in heaven or in hell.” So, we must hasten in order to lay down, we must strive in order to nourish and strengthen in ourselves the beginning of a heavenly, and not a hellish birth” (Philareta, Metropolitan of Moscow, sermon on Sunday and St. Alexis). I am your creation, Creator! I am a creature of your wisdom, Source of life, Giver of blessings, Your truth needed it So that the abyss of death passes So that my spirit is clothed in mortality, And so that through death I return, Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, wishing to forever preserve the memory of death, ordered a coffin to be built for himself, but not to finish it completely, and ordered the craftsmen to come to him on holidays and loudly say in the presence of everyone: “Your coffin, lord, has not yet been finished; so give orders to finish it, for death is approaching like a thief, and you do not know at what hour it will come.” With such a reminder, Blessed John was urged to constantly preserve mortal memory and always be ready for the transition from temporary life to eternal life (“Resurrection Reading”). One man had three friends. He loved two of them with all his heart, devoted all his strength to them and was ready to suffer for them; but to the third he showed very few signs of his love. This man was called to the king, to whom he owed 10,000 talents. Then he turned to his kindest friends, asking them for help. But his first friend immediately renounced friendship, saying that he had other friends with whom he would have fun, and gave his helpless friend only two pieces of rubbish for the journey. Another friend said: “Now I have no time to go with you, because I have my own needs; So I’ll accompany you a little and come back.” Finally, the unfortunate man went to the third, least beloved friend. This one received him with open arms and said that he would pay him even for small signs of friendship with true zeal, would escort him to the king himself and there would intercede for his friend. Explanation. The first friend is wealth, which leaves us only funeral clothes at the hour of death; the second friend is our family and relatives who accompany us to the grave; the third friend is faith with good deeds: he is our only true helper beyond the grave (from “Resurrection Reading”). 11. Always be prepared for death St. Chrysostom, explaining the words of the Gospel: “Be ready: for at the same hour, remember not, the Son of Man 58 will come” (Luke 12:40), says: “For this reason He tells them this, so that they will be awake and always ready; wanting them to always be ready to meet Him and always be virtuous, He told them that He will come when they do not expect Him. If people knew when they would die, then, without a doubt, they would have taken care of this day 59 ". He, interpreting the words of St. Apostle: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2), says: “If we want to know why this day is hidden and why “like a thief in the night, so it will come,” then I, it seems to me, will fairly tell you: no one would ever take care of virtue throughout his entire life if this day were known and not hidden; but everyone, knowing his last day, would commit countless crimes, and already on that day would approach the font, when he would begin to depart from this world 60.” 12. Pre-mortem preparation of a person The dying preparation of a person and guiding him into eternal life with the sacraments of repentance, communion and consecration of oil is so important that it decides his eternal fate. Regarding this subject, listen to the following deeply significant incident told in the life of St. Sevira. St. Sevier lived in Italy in the 6th century AD near the city of Tuderta. He lived a highly pious life and in the rank of priest fulfilled the duty of his ministry with great zeal. It happened one day that one of his parishioners became very ill and, wanting to cleanse his soul with repentance before death, he sent to Sevier so that he would come to him to confess and give him holy communion. secret Sevier at that time was busy cutting grapes in his vineyard and said to the messenger: “Go ahead, I will hurry after you!” Meanwhile, seeing that there was little left to cut the grapes, he slowed down a little and, having completed his work, went to the sick man. On the way, he was met by those who were with the patient and announced to Sevier that he was late - the patient had already died. This news struck the presbyter so much that he began to weep bitterly and lament, considering himself to be the culprit for the death of the deceased without proper preparation. Arriving at the house of the deceased, he threw himself down before his bed and did not cease tearfully praying to the Lord for the remission of the sins of the deceased. So what happened? The deceased suddenly came to life and told those around him the following: “Immediately after death, the terrible Ethiopians took him and took him to some dark places, but soon luminous young men appeared and freed him from the power of dark forces, saying that the presbyter Sevier was crying for him, and the Lord, listening to this tearful prayer, was bringing the deceased back to life.” Having given thanks to the Lord for such a miraculous manifestation of His mercy, Sevier confessed the risen man, absolved him of his sins and granted St. Christ's mysteries. The resurrected man remained in life for seven days and on the eighth day he died, already cleansed of his sins, with the hope of inheriting an eternally blessed life. Everyone who witnessed such an extraordinary event understood that Sevier the presbyter was pleasing to God, and his prayer was strong before the throne of God (according to “Ch.-M.”) 13. Memorable grave inscription On the monument of one good man there was the following inscription: “Everything he spent on himself was lost; everything accumulated for others, everything distributed remained with him.” How could it happen that the truth, completely worthy of being constantly before the eyes of people, was, however, so little known? Due to the perversity of the human will, we too easily forget the rules that we would like to follow, and therefore we need to be reminded of them often. In the same way, merciful people should often remind their neighbors that only what we give to charity remains our inalienable property, ahead of us in eternal life. In this act of mercy, the loser gains. We ask Christian mothers to carefully ensure that this truth flows drop by drop into the hearts of their children from their earliest childhood and, becoming a habit, penetrates into their lives. The essential feature of virtue is that it turns into a habit of goodness, and does not remain a naked truth. These rules must become so fused with the child’s conscience that deviation from them seems to him a sin (see brochure by Dr. Gaza: “An Appeal to Women”). 14. Significant phenomena In one of the Zamoskvoretsky churches, says the priest Fr. I. Sharov, in 1871, my father, Deacon I. Sharov, my brother, died from the then raging cholera, which put him in a coffin in a few hours, despite his young years and strong strength. As much as I loved him, his loss was so sad for me. From grief I sank into melancholy, which left me only during sleep and prayer. And I prayed for his soul, moved with all my soul both by love for the deceased and also by the consciousness of the incompleteness of his dying confession, which he brought in a state of painful cholera cramps. Soon after his death, he appeared to me in a dream, as if alive. Fully aware of his transfer to another world, I began a conversation with him about the ordeal. “Are you probably going through ordeals now?” – I ask him. - Tell me, how are you getting along? “It’s very difficult,” he said, “and here’s why: the devils, it turns out, have everything written down, who sinned in what, even the thoughts that sometimes involuntarily aroused in the soul and ran with the speed of lightning, to which we did not pay any attention, forgetting them and not repenting of them, and these involuntary and fleeting sins are exposed at the ordeals and then the souls themselves are remembered and confessed as if they really happened. At the same time, he took out from under the skirt of his cassock a table, as if made of cardboard, the size of a little more than a quarter of notepaper, which on one side was all covered with sins so finely and often, as if sown with black poppies. “And so,” he said, “I had 25 such tables, of which 7 were erased by the dying confession, and 18 remained with me.” Then I asked him: are you (the dead) allowed on earth for a meeting? “Yes, they let me in,” he answered. “Then come to me more often,” I told him, but he instantly disappeared into the resulting underground. After this vision, I intensified my prayer for him, but for ten years he never appeared to me. When the Lord vouchsafed me the grace of the priesthood, I, taking advantage of the closer intercession at the throne of God than in the rank of deacon, began to pray even more fervently for the repose of the soul of my beloved brother, and now, in the fifth year of my priesthood, he appears, not to me, but to one of my parishioners, K.M., who was distinguished by her pious life and especially fervent prayers for the departed. One morning she unexpectedly asks me to come to her by messenger on an important matter. - I am. She asks: did you have a brother who died in clergy? There was a deacon,” I answered. And she began to describe his signs with such clarity, as if she had seen him alive, and then said the following: this night he appears to me and says: tell my brother that 5 tables have still been ironed out. – What tables are you talking about? - He already knows this, just tell him without fail. - Why didn’t you appear to him? “I will appear to him when all the tables have been smoothed,” he answered and disappeared. “That’s why I sent for you,” said the pious parishioner, “to find out the secret of the dream - whether it is fair or not.” I told her about the appearance of my late brother to me at first after his death and about the tables, and then I realized that his appearance to me was not simple, as I had previously thought it was, but significant, and began to wait for the fulfillment of the appearance he had promised to me. In the fifth year of my waiting, I received news of his second appearance to my parishioner, through whom he asked me to especially pray for him on Maundy Thursday. “This is necessary because of my sins,” he said, which, of course, I fulfilled with all possible zeal, and every year that great day when the Lord established a bloodless sacrifice for sins reminds me of his request, which I always consider a holy covenant for myself. After this, in the eighth, therefore the thirteenth, year of my waiting for my brother to appear to me personally, he finally appears to me in a dream, as he promised, to notify me of his freedom from sins 62 . This phenomenon was very short. I seemed to be sitting at my desk, and suddenly the deceased brother in a cassock came in from the next room, as if alive, and, walking past me behind the chair, he said clearly: “Now I am free,” and became invisible. Doesn’t this strictly consistent series of phenomena of the deceased serve as an obvious sign of the existing connection between the afterlife and the earthly world? The very phenomena, obviously of a significant nature, do not serve as a voice from the other world, which may serve as convincing proof to the inhabitants of earth that our souls do not cease to exist, but pass into another world, the spiritual, where they await their ordeal with exposure of the smallest sins and unclean thoughts, even fleeting ones, and that prayers offered for the dead contribute to the forgiveness of their sins and liberation from suffering, especially if the prayers are offered at bloodless Sacrifice (story by priest I. Sharov, published in Soulful Reading, No. 10, 1898). 15. The elder’s conversation about the future human body The brothers asked the elder: “What will our bodies be like after the general resurrection?” - The elder answered: “Our bodies will then be like a mirror, depicting objects in itself.” In them all our deeds will be clearly depicted and revealed to everyone: in the bodies of chaste ones, everyone will see their previous exploits and labors, and unclean bodies will show everyone their uncleanness and ugliness. – How will that which is hidden and invisible appear? – Just as fruits hidden in a tree are revealed. You know that when spring comes, its spirit forces the trees to open up little by little, to reveal what was hidden in them, to bear out flowers and fruits. So the Lord will command our bodies on the day of judgment to reveal all that is secret, to reveal both our deeds and our words - deeds as fruits, and words as leaves. “Doesn’t something similar happen in the body even now?” – Something similar can be seen today. Does not our body from time to time wear out what was hidden in it? So, at the first age our teeth come out, then a beard begins to grow, and in old age we turn gray. But on the great day of judgment everything hidden must be revealed. Then the deeds, words, and thoughts of everyone, now hidden and invisible, will be completely obvious and open. “For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and in secret that will not be taken away” (Matthew 10:26), “the Lord will come, who will bring the secret of darkness into light and reveal the counsels of the heart, and then everyone will have praise from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). - Merciful Lord! then cover up our ugliness, so that our secret wickedness does not appear before the Angels and Archangels, before the apostles, and all the righteous. - But if we are afraid to appear in all our ugliness before the judgment seat of Christ, then let us listen to the Divine Apostle, who says: “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, creating holiness in the passion of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). When we cleanse all impurities through repentance, then on the day of revealing all our secret deeds and thoughts we will be clothed not with cold and shame, but with glory and honor. – What should we do to better cleanse ourselves? – Let us more often raise our minds from the earthly to the heavenly, to the faces of the Angels, to the enduring and eternal beauties of the Kingdom of Heaven. Think also about how our God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear, about the time when “the heavens will pass by with a noise, and the burning elements will be destroyed, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10), about how all people from Adam to the last generation will appear before the Judge of the world, and how the righteous, according to the Lord’s determination, will receive the Kingdom of Heaven, and sinners will be sent away to eternal torment. This is what we should always think about! Such reflections will produce tenderness in the soul, and the soul will bear the fruits of virtues for the glory of Christ, our true God (according to the prologue, March 14). 16. Stories about the blessed death of St. saints of God 1. St. John Chrysostom celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the day of his death, and St. Mysteries and after a long prayer, having made thanksgiving, he said goodbye to those around him, then he lay down and said: “Glory to God for everything!” Having made the sign of the cross on himself for the last time, he peacefully surrendered his spirit to God (“Ch.-Min.,” Nov. 13). 2. The death of the righteous Theodore the Studite, who suffered for many years for the truth of icon veneration, followed in the 57th year of his life, in the year 826. Many, having learned about his approaching death, gathered to him to receive his last blessing and say goodbye to him. Seeing those crying for him, he himself shed tears, said goodbye to everyone with love and asked them to read the departure prayers. When they read the psalm: “Blessed are the blameless ones who walk in the law of the Lord,” he himself exclaimed: “I will never forget Your justifications!” (Ps. 119:1, 93) and went to the Lord. At the hour of his death, the Venerable St. Hilarion the Great, working in his garden, heard wonderful singing and, looking at the sky, saw many Angels moving towards someone; at the same time, he heard a voice: “Behold, the soul of Theodore, abbot of Studium, who suffered a lot for the truth, ascends to heaven, greeted by heavenly Angels” (“Ch.-M.”). 3. The circumstances of the death of Saint Demetrius of Rostov are instructive and touching! Here the purity and height of the soul of the saint of God, the fullness of his love and humility were especially revealed. Exhausted from illness, the saint ordered to call singers to his cell to sing some spiritual songs he himself composed, such as: “My dear Jesus,” “I place my hope in God,” “You are my God, Jesus, you are my joy.” Singing delighted the soul of the saint with the sounds that had once poured out of his holy soul, and he listened to the singers with tenderness. At the end of the singing, having dismissed all the singers, the saint kept his beloved of them, his most zealous assistant, in rewriting his works. And when he was left alone, the saint began to tell him his life, how he spent it in his youth and in adulthood, how he prayed to the Lord God and His Most Pure Mother and all His saints; then he added: “And you, children, pray the same way.” Finally he said: “It’s time for you, child, to go to your home.” And when that singer, having accepted the blessing, wanted to go, the saint, escorting him out of his cell, bowed to him almost to the ground and thanked him for his diligence in copying his works. The singer shuddered when he saw such humility of his archpastor, and said with reverence: “Do you bow to me, the last servant, holy master?” The saint again meekly said: “I thank you, child,” and returned to his cell, and the singer left, crying. After this, the saint ordered the servants to go to their places, and he himself locked himself in a special room, as if for peace, and alone devoted himself to fiery prayer to God. In the morning, when the ministers entered this room, they found him dead in the position of praying. Such was the blessed death of Saint Demetrius! Prayer delighted him during his life, and prayer accompanied him to death. 4. Lecturer Sisoi lived in the desert for sixty years. The following is said about his death: lying on his deathbed, the monk was suddenly illuminated as if by a special light and said: “Behold, Abba Anthony appeared.” After a while he added: “Here is the prophetic face, here is the apostolic face.” His face became lighter and brighter. Finally he said: “Behold, Jesus Christ appeared and said: Bring me a chosen vessel from the desert.” With these words the monk died. And how natural is this quiet and bright death of the righteous! In this life, he gradually separated his soul from his body, because he crucified his flesh with passions and lusts (Gal. 5:24); - because he walked and was guided in everything by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), and not by the flesh. Consequently, for the Angel of Death there is no need to use special effort to separate the immortal soul in him from the mortal body: it is enough for the Angel to just touch him so that the thinnest thread that binds soul and body in him is immediately broken, which is why the speech is already ready on his lips: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59)! (Prot. Gr. D-ko). 17. From the canon to the exodus of the soul (Creation of Blessed John, Metropolitan of Euchaitis) And life penetrates with suffering, Oh, Good Lady, save! By your kindness of heart, Move over, Meek: into the terrible My last hour is before me Appear as the all-powerful Helper! Fear filled my entire soul... Oh, what awe and languor, The soul to leave the poor ashes: Come on, send me some consolation! Come, Intercessor of people, The hope of mourning sinners, Comfort in languishing torments, From a flock of threatening demons! Now is the time to intercede, This is the moment, Lady, For whom day and night with prayer I fell to You in humility! Accept, O Good One, my sorrow; To my immeasurable sins... Come down before the fiery torment! Oh, faithful, true Veil A grieving and humble soul, Be my holy Intercessor, The hope of all Your servants, In the hour of testing the universe! Stretch out like the wings of a dove, The protection of the Royal Shrine! Let it not touch me on the way Ruler of the air region, A harsh, evil accuser: I can go all the way freely Vouchsafe to the heavenly abode! This is fear, Lady, of me I comprehended, filled with languor, Here is a feat of severe torment: Oh, don't forget me at this hour, Don't turn away your good gaze, Hear how Mother, the child’s sorrows, Listen to the soul's dying voice. Oh brothers, relatives, friends And all your friends, come Sigh, cry and mourn... There is no one to save! the whole world It will not strengthen a sad soul! But You, Lady, have mercy, So that I, helpless in the midst of troubles, Was not taken by demonic force... Present yourself to the Lord in humility, And, bowing in tenderness, Shout: Lord of love, Don't reject Your creation! Pray with your heart and tears, May he kneel with you She, like a Mother, is strong with her prayers. How can I resist this vision?.. And how with your unclean sight Who was always upset?.. Come last breath of acceptance Deliver me by grace. And leaving his mortal church. You, O God's imperishable Church, My spirit is calling: deliver, deliver From eternal darkness and torment of Gehenna! My end is near... I'm so afraid, How conscience torments, gnawing! But You, out of mercy, I pray, Be my Intercessor, Good One! Given to us sinners as grace Son of God, King of all creation, Born by you without decay: Pray to Him - to cry out my spirit From the pangs of death's languor! (From the book “Christian Consolation”, Part I, Archpriest G. D-ko) 18. Revelations about the afterlife following the death of a person 1. This is what the teacher told the student about life after death. Basil the New, Gregory, the Venerable Theodora, appearing to him after her death in a dream vision: “The soul, having been separated from the body, looks at it as a man looks at the clothes thrown off; then she goes through various ordeals, in which her various sins are tortured; the number of such ordeals extends to twenty, according to the number of main types of sin” (“Cheti-Minei” March 26). 2. Lecturer Zosima Solovetsky, on the ninth day after his death, appeared to his disciple Daniel and said that he had already gone through the ordeal and entered the ranks of the monks (“Ch.-M.” April 17). 3. Lecturer Athanasia appeared shortly after her death to her mentor at the monastery, where she also labored, and announced to her: “Know that after forty days I will receive a prepared place from God” (“Ch.-M.” April 12). 4. Lecturer Niphon saw in the spirit how souls were separated from their bodies, how Angels carried a righteous soul through the air, how dark forces detained her on the way, finding some sins in her: he heard how the Angels asked the Guardian Angel of the soul whether she had definitely committed those sins of which the evil spirits accused her, and how the Angel answered that she had definitely committed these sins, but washed them with tears of repentance, and then the Angels uttered the following words, encouraging for repentant sinners: “All sinners who confess their sins with tears, by the mercy of God, can receive forgiveness, and without repentance, God will judge the dead.” He also saw with what hellish joy the unclean spirits dragged a bitter sinner who died without repentance into Gehenna, and with what bitter tears his Guardian Angel wept (“Ch.-M.” Dec. 23). (Prot. G. D-ko). 19. About the need to give alms for the dead It is known that many, dying, ask the living to pray for their souls and give alms for them; but the living, having buried a deceased person, even a relative, often forget his requests. How badly such Christians act! Whoever forgets this dying will of the dead suffers torment from conscience here, and in the next world gives an answer to God. Where, you ask, is this known? - From the book of lives of saints. In the prologue, on the 24th of August, Blessed Cyrus Luke talks about it as an eyewitness: “When I was still young, a prince died in my country and was buried in a coffin; Once I was walking to the school (past the cemetery), I suddenly saw a man standing in one coffin, all scorched like a brand, and calling me with these words: “I left a note in my spiritual will to give alms to my soul and thereby save her from torment; but nothing was provided by the relatives. Tell them to give it for me. If they don’t give it to me, then I will be the same as you see me, that is, I will suffer.” I was still a boy at that time; Frightened by what he saw, he ran away and, due to his rudeness and lack of intelligence, did not say a word to anyone about it. Now many years have passed, but my conscience still torments me.” – Every Christian, firmly remember this circumstance told by Saint Luke! Do not forget what you saw with the saints, always give alms for your dead, save them with prayers and offerings. Save the dead - your neighbors, and through this you will save yourself. (Prologue August 24, sn. “Sunday Thursday” 1884 No. 44). 20. Stories about the power of church prayers 1. “One brother,” says St. Gregory Dvoeslov, - for violating the vow of non-covetousness in fear of others, upon death he was deprived of church burial and prayer for thirty days; and then, out of compassion for his soul, a bloodless sacrifice was offered for thirty days with prayer for him. On the last of these days, the deceased appeared in a vision to his surviving brother and said: “Until now it was bad for me, but now I am prosperous; for today I received communion” (Conversations, book IIV, chapter 55). 2. In the east, in one place, they began to dig the ground for the foundation of a monastery and found twenty bodies in the ground, black as coal, but not at all touched by decay. The saint, the monks and the people, wanting to know whose bodies these were, began to pray to God with tears, and through their prayer, one of these unfortunate people stood up and said that there was once a monastery here, that he and nineteen of his comrades, despite any convictions and threats of the abbot, lived wickedly, and after that he asked that twenty monks promise before God during the twenty years spent by the deceased in monasticism, to pray for them to God with an offering bloodless victim. When the saint and the monks expressed his consent to this, the deceased protected himself with the sign of the cross and again fell asleep in the sleep of death, and immediately his body and the bodies of his comrades turned into dust, so that the saint then ordered all their bones to be poured, according to custom, into a common tomb (“Letters of the Holy Mountainer,” part 2, pp. 185–186. - A similar thing happened in 1832 and 1834; see The Legend of the Wandering and Journey through Russia, Moldova, Turkey and the Holy Land of the Monk Parthenius, 1855, part 3, pp. 140–142), sn. book “Consolation in the death of those close to the heart”, Bishop. Hermogenes p. 74). 3. One of the schema-monks of Athonite said that the reason for his entering monasticism was the following circumstance: “Once,” he says, “I fell so seriously ill that I became completely exhausted. In this state, I see two Angels approach me and say: “Follow us.” I seemed to get up and go. They showed me all the torments of sinners and, pointing to one torment, they said: “You too will suffer here if you do not repent.” At the same time, one Angel took a sinner, black as coal, and all in chains, out of the flame. They removed these shackles from him, washed him and, dressing him in light clothes, took him to heaven. - Why is he so kind to him? – I asked the Angels. “This sinful soul,” answered the angels, “was excommunicated from God for sins and would suffer forever in the flames; but the living relatives of this sinner served many liturgies and memorial services for him, and gave out a lot of alms; It was for the sake of their intercession that God had mercy on this soul and commanded that it be freed from hell” (“Strange.” May 1882). (Prot. G. D-ko). 21. A wonderful dream reminiscent of the afterlife There lived in Moscow a merchant who was as rich as he was pious: he tried to help every poor person, and did not refuse anyone either money or good advice. He sheltered one helpless cripple, fed and clothed him. A good merchant died - and his heirs kicked the poor man out of the warm corner into the street. With burning tears, the cripple went to the grave of his benefactor and, having cried a lot, immediately fell asleep from grief. And so, the deceased merchant appears to him in a dream and asks: – Why are you crying so much, Stepan Ilyich? “How can I not cry,” he answers, “when the doors of your house are already locked for me?” How will I live out my life without you now? The one who appeared took a deep breath and said to him: “If the doors of my house are already locked for you, then go to the fourth house to the right of my store; there is a merchant there (he called him by name); go to him and say: “For the sake of those red apples that you know about, give me three thousand rubles,” and he will give it to you, and there will be enough for your lifetime; just pray for my soul. Stepan Ilyich woke up, crossed himself and wandered to where he was told in the dream, which stood as if alive in his memory. He comes to the indicated store and finds a lot of bustle there: someone is measuring material, someone is counting money, someone is writing down. Not without fear, he approached the owner himself, who sat behind a large counter and watched how his wealth grew every hour. Seeing the cripple, the merchant stood up and affably handed him a coin. Encouraged by his kindness, the cripple told him that he had seen such a dream that he did not even dare to tell that he had a dream about the late benefactor and told him this. “The merchant listened to the cripple with attention, then he put the sign of the cross on himself and said: “Not only three thousand, but if the deceased ordered to give you ten thousand for the sake of red apples, then I would gladly give it to you!” And he ordered to immediately count out three thousand rubles. Having never seen so much money in his possession, the cripple fell at the feet of the merchant and said: “I will never take this money until you tell me what these red apples are, for which you are not sorry for such a sum!” And the merchant told him this: “In my youth I was very poor and sold apples for pennies. The deceased often bought apples from me just to benefit me. Once it was pouring rain. I was wet to the bone and very cold; It was not possible to sell anything all day, so in the evening there was nothing to buy bread with. I walk down the street and shout: red apples are good! The deceased saw me through the window and called me to him. I entered the courtyard - the courtyard was full of guests: it was his wedding day. I don’t dare go into the wards, I look - he comes out on his own. “Poor Nikolka,” he says, “why don’t you sit at home in this rain?” I said that I hadn’t eaten yet today - I couldn’t sell anything. He took the basket of apples from me and said: “Wait here.” And he himself went to the wards. There all the guests surrounded him with questions: “What does this mean?” And he says: “We are feasting here, brothers and dear guests, but the seller of these apples has not eaten today and asks to buy this product from him.” “What did you pay for it?” asks one rich man. - It's cheap, I'll give you 300! - says the guest. – And I – 500! - says another: - we need to help the poor man. “Then the dead man tells them: “I already bought you before, would you like to buy from me for 50 rubles?” for an apple? “Okay,” said the guests, and gold fell on the table. There were 60 apples, and the deceased gave me 3,000 rubles for them. With tears of joy and a whole wallet of ducats, I went straight to church to thank God for such unheard-of happiness. “Do not allow me, Lord, to become arrogant,” I prayed there, “give me, Lord, the meaning and ability to manage this good honestly, for Your glory, for the happiness of myself and my neighbors!” This is how I got it, by the grace of God; That’s why I gladly give you three thousand, so that they will multiply from my hand as much as they did from the hand of my late benefactor! Here’s an explanation of what red apples are!” This is how the merchant concluded his instructive story (extracted from the front syllable from the “Trinity leaf.”). 22. Significant dream of Lomonosov 63 On the way from Holland to Russia on a ship, Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov has a dream: behold, his father, a fisherman, is sailing on a boat on the Arctic Sea, the wind has risen, the waves are rustling and are ready to swallow the swimmer; the son wants to rush to his aid, but his arms and legs are numb; The boat, crashing onto the shore near the island, breaks into pieces: the father is struggling with the waves, he surfaced, and shouted: “Mikhailo!” and disappeared, and then washed ashore. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, having no peace in his soul with the persistent thought that his father lay unburied, Lomonosov made a lot of efforts to find his fellow countrymen in the capital. He asks what happened to his father; and they answer that at the beginning of spring he and his comrades went to sea, but for four months now there has been no news of them. Having no peace in his soul, Lomonosov himself wants to go to the island he saw in a dream, familiar to him from childhood, but did not receive leave from St. Petersburg. Then he begged the local fishermen to visit that island and, if they found his father’s body, give it an honest burial. The father's body was found and buried. We will not argue with people who doubt; and according to our faith, here the spirit of the father told the spirit of his only son about his dying languor and posthumous pain due to the fact that the body was left without burial and prayers. That’s how, at least, Lomonosov himself looked at the matter (see the book: “Conversations and Teachings” by Nikanor, Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, vol. 2, 1885, p. 255). 23. Funeral chants By placing this translation from the Slavic language on the pages of this book, we think to provide our readers with several minutes of the most edifying and soul-gratifying reading. There is only one immortal - only You, Creator, giver of life to people; And we will be a handful of dust again; So You commanded, my Creator! And behold, Your mighty word In silent humility I listen: “Thou art the earth, and thou shalt descend into the earth.” And all of us, friends, will be there!.. The day will come, and without passing, It will merge with the song: hallelujah. O brothers! bitterest of all speeches Among the last farewells: “Here, brothers, I’m parting from you, Here I leave you, friends, - Farewell forever: I’m leaving, - Who will I meet along the way? Or what will happen to me there, I don’t know, brothers, I don’t know; But He, my Creator, knows - And so I go to His call... Friends, be silent at this hour, In silence, be silent deeply, The last, terrible hour is coming... Silence, brothers!.. let him be in peace With much fear and longing, I saw it once - the child was ending, My whole heart was excited, And I mourned my life... The child rushed about in confusion, In your last moment: Oh mother! oh mother! save, have mercy!” Their hearts finally break, But how to help! by what force? There is only one thing left for them - Watching, languishing... and grieving Cry over the dear coffin At the sound of the song: Hallelujah! Here stretched out before us Sweet ashes lie in the coffin... Let's go, brothers, in tears And kiss him goodbye And it’s sad to say: “Here, you and your loved ones and friends Left forever in a difficult fate, Don't talk to us anymore And we are so looking forward to your speeches... Oh friend! oh friend! Why gloomy Just like it happened sometimes..." But you, feeling neither requests nor tears, You keep the mysterious peace And even at this moment you are silent, Here he lies, our dear brother, - But he is no longer ours, alas! Mouths closed for rumor... But our heart feels, knows, “Greetings from the grave to you, friends! Oh, I implore you - repent! Friends and brothers, save yourself, Save yourself, my neighbors... I'm going on my way... alone... I'm in a hurry, But I appeal to you in silence: Where, O dear souls, Where are you heading from us? Oh, how could we, with what power At least find out something about you!.. No one has the power to solve it! And do you remember us there, How we are here for you - all day long, With a sobbing heart, with anguish of pain? How we cry and grieve here, Funeral song: hallelujah? Friends! see off the dead And watch diligently there, May the path serve you for good. Look, everything is there, everything is gone: Blooming youth is gone!.. There is dust and ashes; there's a worm of the earth No one says: hallelujah. Oh, if, wandering on the way We make every effort, - So what should we do with ourselves? On the last extraordinary day, When the path is dumb for us And the very edge is deep - secret? Oh how much it takes for him Faithful guides to us! Prayers, prayers, fervent prayers, So that by using their power to heal yourself, And then exclaim: Hallelujah! Doesn't understand people's deaths And how suddenly many are mowed down! Leads to the eternal grave And endless crying rises; Drawn into the underground wombs... Nothing is solid on earth: Here the marriage is together, and the coffins are together, There are connections of joys, successes, Suddenly death destroys them, triumphant; And - laughing together, and crying together, And right there together: hallelujah. One hour and everything will be over, There is no mercy, no friends; There is darkness and darkness everywhere, There is crying and gnashing, squealing and groaning; Without remembering the last days, Call more often: hallelujah. But if you were merciful in life Of my brothers, my brother: And you will find in the holy fatherland Good mercy a hundredfold! And if with affection, compassion And you are facing severe torture You will be freed from need. And you will exclaim: Hallelujah! When our hearts blow Flames with holy delight A soul cast into dust: There a wondrous light shines forever, There is endless pleasure there, There is paradise, and peace, and beauty, There is God, the beginning of all joys. It was pure joy to play! Let's all gather there and, rejoicing, In one sound: alleluia. And the Mother of Light! before you Please, I pray with all my soul: Extend, extend Your prayers About peace, mercy, forgiveness Yes, according to Your wonderful prayer, He will meet with mercy on the day of judgment You, meekly jealous of your Son, Always, Lady, before Him You can pray: hallelujah. (From the book of Archpriest G. Dyachenko. “Christian Consolations,” Part I, ed. 1898) 24. Several stories about the appearance of the souls of dead people 1. In November 1851, one Svyatogorsk monk, who had stained his life far from Athos, drowned on the way back to St. mountain The monks of Svyatogorsk, having heard about his unfortunate death, began to pray for him, and so, at the end of November 1852, the deceased appeared in the cell of one elder and said: “Don’t be afraid of me; I’m not a ghost, but really N.” The elder, having examined him, asked: “No,” answered N., “I am truly N.” “Read: may God rise again, and cross yourself, then I will believe that you are not a demon,” the elder remarked to him. “You cross me,” said the one who appeared, “you read: may God rise again, then you will be convinced that I am definitely N.” The elder fulfilled his desire, and began to read, and when he came to the words: so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God, N. interrupted the elder and read: “so let the sinners perish from the presence of God: and let the righteous rejoice” (Ps. 67:3), and, taking a deep breath, thought. Then he began to ask the monks to pray for him. – Do you need our prayers? - asked the old man. “Oh, and how I still need it,” said N., taking the elder’s hand, and, squeezing it tightly, continued: “Pray for me, I ask you.” “Yes, I don’t know how to pray for myself either,” the elder objected to him, “you need to ask your confessor about this.” “And ask,” N. told him, “ask all the brethren to pray for me.” The elder, knowing that N., living on Athos, often quarreled with his brethren, invited him to reconcile with her. N. thought about it, sighed and said: “It’s not the right time now”... And, having also asked for prayers for himself, he became invisible (letters of Svyatogorets, collected after his death, 1858, pp. 219–222). 2. When Hieromonk Anikita, in the world Prince Sergius Shikhmatov, having heard about the illness of his pious mother, went to her to say goodbye to her and receive from her a blessing to enter monasticism, but, finding her already lifeless, wept bitterly that he did not have time to receive a blessing from her, the pious mother heard his cries and was not slow to wipe away his tears: during his light doze she appeared to him with a bright face and said: “There is a lot to bless, but you can allow it” (“On the life and works of Hieromonk Anikita”). 3. One archbishop, severely suffering from painful attacks, earnestly asked God for help, and once during evening prayer he noticed that a light was spreading in his front rooms, which, gradually intensifying, finally surrounded him. Immediately he saw some woman, and, looking closely at her, he learned that it was his late mother. “Why are you crying so bitterly, child? - she said: - and do you understand what you are asking from the Lord? It is not difficult for the Lord to fulfill your request, but do you know what you are depriving yourself of through this?.. You yourself do not know what you are asking for yourself,” and, having given him several instructions, she became invisible (letters of the Svyatogorets, collected after his death, pp. 218–219). 4. The actual Privy Councilor, Prince Vladimir Sergeevich Dolgoruky, while holding the rank of envoy to the Prussian court during the reign of Frederick, became infected with freethinking there. Having learned about this, his brother, Prince Peter Sergeevich, more than once wrote letters to him, in which he assured him that he was in error, that without true faith there is no happiness on earth, that faith is essential for the future life, etc. But everything was in vain: constantly reading Voltaire, Diderot, D'Alembert and other atheists, Prince Vladimir Sergeevich laughed at the beliefs of his pious brother. One day, returning from the king and feeling very tired, he undressed hastily, threw himself into bed and soon fell asleep. Suddenly he hears someone pull back his curtain, approach him, and a cold hand touches his hand, even squeezes it. He looks, sees his brother and hears from him: believe. Delighted by the unexpected phenomenon, Dolgoruky wants to rush into the arms of his brother and friend, but suddenly the vision disappears. He asks the servants where his brother went? and, having heard from them that no brother came to him, he tries to assure himself that this is a dream, a dream: but the belief does not cease to resound in his ears, and does not give him peace. He wrote down the date, hour and minute of the vision, and soon received news that on that very day, hour and minute his brother, Prince Pyotr Sergeevich, died. Since then, he became a devout and believing Christian, and often spoke about this vision to others (see the book: Consolation in death of those close to the heart, Bishop Hermogenes, ed. 7, pp. 113–114). 5. Finally, we will convey the story of the famous deceased writer Kelsiev about one remarkable incident in his childhood: “It was a long time ago, when I was still studying at the Commercial School (in St. Petersburg), - said Kelsiev. “I lived in an apartment not far from the school, and my father and his family lived on Vasilyevsky Island. He served as an official at the customs and occupied a government apartment near the stock exchange. Busy with his work, he rarely visited me. One night, when I had not yet gone to bed and was reading some book, being alone in the room, I saw my door open and my father, pale and so sad, enter the room. I was not at all surprised by his arrival, explaining it by natural fatherly concern for me. He came straight up to me and said: “Vasya, I came to bless you... live well and don’t forget God.” Having said this, he blessed me properly and disappeared, that is, he went out through the same door. This visit did not make a special impression on me, as an ordinary thing. A little later, after my father left, there was a knock on my door (as I had locked myself in to go to bed). Opening the door, I saw the coachman coming for me. He told me that my father had just passed away. And indeed, as it turned out, he died no more than an hour ago, and precisely at almost the same time when I saw him in my room. Then everything became clear to me: my father, who had already died, blessed me” (“Sunday Thursday,” 1884, pp. 831–832) (Prot. G. D-ko). And you will meet mine there, dear, Light angel wings, Soar, rush, rush, fly Into the heavens, above the vault of stars, Into the thin, pompous ether 64, Where, rushing from world to world, In a chain, separately, in a round dance, Children's souls sing, rejoice, They glorify, praise, celebrate Glory in the highest!.. Oh, quickly, It won't create it! and the second - – You will recognize them, my dear! With them, the light-winged messenger. You tell them that, humbled Before Providence, prayer We don't complain, but we're sorry I feel so sorry for them, it’s so hard for my heart, For them to remember: sigh of sorrow Into the host of their souls, dear to them... Rush, soul! bet! rush!.. Blessed John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, often talked about death and the departure of the soul from the body, as it was revealed to him by the Monk Simeon the Stylite. “When the soul leaves the body and begins to ascend to heaven, it is met by demons and subjected to many difficulties and tortures. They torture her with lies, slander, rage, envy, wrath, resentment, pride, slander, disobedience, usury, love of money, drunkenness, gluttony, sorcery, brotherly hatred, murder, theft, unmercifulness, fornication and adultery. During the procession of the soul from earth to heaven, the most holy Angels cannot help it: the only thing that helps it is its repentance, its good deeds, and most of all, alms. If we do not repent of some sin here due to oblivion, then through alms we can get rid of the violence of demonic ordeals. Brethren! Knowing this, we will fear the bitter hour of meeting with harsh and unmerciful publicans - an hour in which we will be at a loss as to what to answer to our tormentors. Now let us repent of all our sins, let us give alms according to our strength, which can take us from earth to heaven and deliver us from being detained by demons. Great is their hatred of us, great fear awaits us in the air, great disaster!” (from the “Sermon on the Exodus of the Soul” in the prologue under the 22nd day of October). 27. Wonderful vision of St. Anthony the Great One day, during prayer, Rev. Anthony the Great was granted the following vision, about which St. Athanasius the Great testifies as follows: “One day, before eating food at about the 9th hour, Anthony stood up to pray, and felt in himself that he was delighted with his mind, and what is most surprising, he saw himself, as if he were outside himself, and someone seemed to be lifting him through the air, while in the air there were some gloomy and terrible faces who wanted to block his path to ascension. But since Anthony’s guides resisted them, they demand an account whether Anthony is subject to any responsibility before them... and since the accusers could not convict him of anything, his path became free and unobstructed. And suddenly he sees that he seems to be returning and entering into himself, and again becoming the old Anthony.” For this story, St. Athanasius adds that Anthony was surprised to see how many enemies we had to fight with, and with what difficulty a person must walk through the air. And then it came to his mind that it was in this sense that the apostle said: “according to the prince of the powers of the air” (Eph. 2:2), for the enemy has the power in the air to enter into a fight with those passing through it (i.e., through the air), and attempts to block their path. Why did the apostle especially advise: “Take the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the day of cruelty” (Eph. 6:13), so that the enemy is put to shame, “having nothing to say reproachfully about us” (Tit. 2:8) (Life of St. Anthony. Tv. St. from. T. XXI, pp. 260 and 261. Moscow, 1853). 28. The joy of the saints at the transition to eternal life St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, condemned to suffering, says: “It is wonderful for me to decline from the world to God, so that I may shine in Him... Let me go to the pure light: having appeared there, I will be a man of God 66.” Rev. Paphnutius Borovsky lay on his deathbed and, in anticipation of his blessed death, sang funeral songs until that very minute, until death closed his lips 67. It was joyful for Athanasius of Athos to close his eyes forever with the last words of joy: “Glory to Thee, God, glory to Thee, God 68.” The teacher was happy. Daniel the Stylite to greet the prophets, apostles, martyrs and other saints who came after him 69, and the teacher. Niphon will see at the moment of death not only all the inhabitants of heaven, but also the Most Pure Mother of God 70. The teacher was also fun. Macarius of Egypt gave up his life in the presence of Angels and said: “Lord! in Your hand I commend my spirit 71.” How could they not rejoice?.. The days in the vale of crying and sighing are over for them and the abode of light and joy opens up; time is over, eternity begins; exploits and labors are over, crowns and rewards are presented; The war is over, peace is coming 72. “There was a youth,” writes St. Gregory Dvoeslov, named Theodore, is a very restless youth who entered my monastery not so much out of desire as out of need. No wonder it was hard for him when anyone told him about salvation; he could not only do, but even hear good things. By deceiving, indulging in anger, cursing, he showed that he would never learn a holy life. During the plague that destroyed a great part of our city, he was struck in the thigh and approached death. When he was already at his last breath, the brethren gathered to pray for the outcome of his soul. Already his body was dead in its final parts; in only his chest there was still vital warmth. But the brethren began to pray for him all the more diligently because they saw him quickly approaching death. Suddenly he began to appeal to the upcoming brothers and even interrupt their prayers with his great cries: “Retreat,” he shouted, “retreat!” I was given to the serpent to be devoured, and because of your presence, he cannot devour me. So he swallowed my head with his mouth; leave him so that he will not torment me anymore; let him do what he wants. If I am given to him to be devoured, then why is this slowing down for your sake? Then the brethren turned to him with the following words: -What are you saying, brother? create the sign of the holy cross on yourself. “I want to cross myself,” he answers, “but I can’t; the scales of this serpent oppress me.” When the brethren heard this, they threw themselves to the ground and began to pray even harder and with tears for his deliverance. And so the sick man began to cry out: “Thanks be to God! - he exclaimed, - the serpent, which began to devour me, fled; he could not resist, driven away by your prayers. Now pray for my sins, for I am ready to convert and have decided to leave worldly life.” – And this man, almost, as already said, dead, returned to life and turned to God with all his heart. Having changed in his soul, he suffered for a long time from wounds, and finally his soul renounced the flesh” (“Conversation on the Exodus of the Soul,” Chapter XXXVII). 30. Spring reminds us of the resurrection of our bodies “You see,” says St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, - that during spring everything seems to revive and be reborn: the earth produces fruits from its depths, the trees are clothed with leaves, the grass turns green and is decorated with flowers, which all seemed dead during winter; the waters, frozen and covered with ice, melt and flow, and the entire celestial creation is clothed in a new form and seems to be created again. From this sensual spring, may faith lead your mind to the beautiful and desired spring that God promised in His Holy Scripture, in which the bodies from the beginning of the world of the faithful departed from the earth, like seeds, having vegetated by the power of God, will arise and be clothed in a new, beautiful appearance, will be dressed in the robe of immortality, will receive the crown of kindness from the hand of the Lord, will flourish like a phoenix, and like a cedar, those in Lebanon will multiply and be planted in the house of the Lord and in the courts of our God (Ps. 91:13, 14), like a bride they will be adorned with beauty, and like the earth that produces its flowers, and like a heap of its seeds, it will vegetate; and eternal joy will be upon their heads, and they will rejoice in the Lord with joy (Ps. 41:4). Then this corruptible will be clothed with immortality. Then the word will be written: “Death was sacrificed in victory.” Where is the sting, death? where is the victory" (1 Cor. 15:54, 55)? So, admiring the spirit for the desired spring, everyone now with faith and hope, God’s help, seeds of good works, so that then you will reap with joy” (from the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 31. Nature speaks of resurrection Let us look in the spring at the place where the rose has faded. Its entire bush is covered with new shoots - new flowers that still smell fragrant. The sun set yesterday in our eyes. Night covered the entire earth, all colors faded, all sounds fell silent, and early this morning the east was illuminated by a new dawn. She gilded the tops of mountains and hills. The larks rose to the sky to greet the rising sun with their songs. Here the weakened worm prepares its own grave, wraps itself in a chrysalis, lies in it, dead. But after a while, he will begin to gnaw his grave and, full of strength and beauty, opening his colorful, shiny wings, soars into the air, rejoicing in his new life: the worm is gone, but a butterfly has flown out of it. In the same way, human life will be renewed: beauty will arise from decay, and new life will arise from dust. We will not lie in the ground for long, like a seed thrown into it, in order to arise in a new form. But who will come and open the graves, who will awaken the dead, who will gather the nations from the face of the whole earth? Our Lord I. Christ, our Redeemer; He will appear on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory, with hosts of Angels who will trumpet His glory. And therefore let us cease to grieve that death destroys life; Let us remember that Christ is the conqueror of death, let us rejoice and triumph! Nature gives us a lesson in immortality Grows fruit from rotten grain. Let our body, fallen into the grave, smolder: Through corruption it will ripen for eternity (“V. ch.”). 32. Thoughts of St. fathers about the resurrection of the dead 1. “Like mercury spilled on some sloping and dusty place,” says St. Gregory of Nyssa, - is crushed into small balls and scattered on the ground, but, being collected by someone again into one whole, it merges by itself with the homogeneous, not accepting anything extraneous into its mixture: so the human composition, without any difficulty, will itself unite in its former parts, as soon as God’s command is followed” (St. Gregory of Nyssa. On the soul and resurrection. Russian translation Mosk. Spirit of the Academy. Part IV, p. 199). 2. “Let them be mixed,” says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, - various plant seeds (for you, weak in faith, I present weak examples), and these various plant seeds will be in one handful of yours: for you, a person, is it difficult or, on the contrary, easy to distinguish what is in your handful, and to separate the seeds of each plant according to their properties and give them their own place to grow? So, you can discern and restore to its former state what is in your hand: but God really cannot discern and restore to its former state what is contained in His handful!” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Announces teaching XVIII). Change times, roll into eternity, years! But one day the permanent spring will rise. God lives! The soul is alive. And, king of earthly nature, Man will be resurrected: God has no dead! About the twelfth article of the Creed 1. The blessed state of the righteous after death St. Ephraim the Syrian depicts the future state of the righteous in this way, on behalf of Jesus Christ he says the following: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” in the city on high, where all My saints rest in great joy (Matthew 11:28)... There Abraham’s bosom 73 receives those who have endured sorrow, as it once received the beggar. Lazarus; there the treasures of My eternal blessings are opened; there the heavenly Jerusalem is the mother of the firstborn; there is the blessed land of the meek. “Come to Me, all of you... and I will give you rest” where everything is quiet and serene, where everything is bright and pleasant to look at, where there is no one who offends or is oppressed, where there is no longer sin or repentance, where there is unapproachable light and joy unspeakable... where there is no labor, no tears, no work, no care, no fasting, no sadness, no quarrel, no zeal, but joy and peace, peace and delight... where is the voice of those celebrating, where unknown treasures of wisdom and knowledge are revealed... There are darkness of Angels, the triumph of the firstborn, the thrones of the apostles, the high seats of the prophets, the scepters of 74 patriarchs, the crowns of martyrs, the praises of the righteous; there the reward is set aside and a place is prepared for every beginning, power and rank. Come to Me, all you who hunger 75 and thirst for righteousness, and I will fill you with the good things that you have desired, “whom eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and has not entered into the heart of man” (1 Cor. 2:9) (Word of St. Ephr. Sir. on the second coming of the Lord). 2. Vision of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ’s sake, who remained above-natural for two whole weeks in contemplation of the invisible world St. Andrew told his friend, Priest Nicephorus, the following about this vision: “I saw myself in a beautiful and amazing paradise and, admiring the spirit, I thought: what is this?.. I know that I live in Constantinople: how did I end up here - I cannot understand. I saw myself dressed in the brightest robe, as if woven from lightning; there was a crown on my head, woven from wonderfully beautiful (in the original: great) flowers, and I was girded with a royal belt. Rejoicing at this beauty, marveling with my mind and heart at the indescribable beauty of God's paradise, I walked around it and had fun. There were many gardens with tall trees; they shook their tops and amused the eyes; a great fragrance emanated from their branches. Some of the trees were constantly blooming, others were decorated with golden leaves; others bore various fruits of indescribable beauty and pleasantness. It is impossible to compare those trees to any tree on earth: God’s hand, and not man’s, planted them. There were countless birds in these gardens: some of them had golden wings, others were white as snow, and others were variously spotted; they sat on the branches of different trees and sang beautifully; from their sweet singing I did not remember myself - my heart was so delighted, and it seemed to me that the voice of their singing reached the heights of heaven. Those beautiful gardens stood in rows, like regiment against regiment. While I walked among them with gladness of heart, I saw a great river flowing in the midst of them and giving them water. On the other bank of the river there was a vineyard, whose vines, decorated with golden leaves and golden clusters, spread widely. Quiet and fragrant winds breathed there from four countries; from their breath the gardens shook and made a wondrous noise with their leaves” (life of St. Andrew. “Thurs.-Min.,” October 2). 3. Thoughts of St. Church Fathers about the painful state of sinners 1. St. Ephraim the Syrian says: “There will be no mercy for sinners there and for such a short time as the eye needs for an instant; there will be no partiality towards the evil ones and for such a short time as a bird needs to raise its wings to fly... The types of torment in Gehenna are not the same. Some are cast into hell, others are taken into darkness; others remain outside the gates; others are condemned by their own conscience; some are thrown into bonds, others burn in flames; some have their hands tied, others have their legs shackled; some are devoured by the worm, others perish in the depths of the abyss; some the Father does not accept, others the Son does not confess” (works of St. Ephraim the Syrian, part VI, pages 28 and 29. Moscow, 1851). “I think, beloved,” he says in another place, “that from this world the wicked will descend into utter darkness, full of fear and horror, where there is no praise, where no voice of praise is heard; because he is far from God, and God does not allow anyone’s glory to be there. Torment and groaning, grief and distress, the consuming and never-ceasing worm, the scorching and unquenchable fire stop the lips of the wicked from all praise, from all glorification. Suffering prevents them from seeing or speaking; due to the gnashing of teeth, the lips are unable to make a sound of praise; a tongue that constantly cries out: alas, cannot utter praise; Eyes covered with darkness do not see the light of glory. Whoever has a worm sharpening his limbs thinks of nothing but his own misfortune; Whoever is scorched by Gehenna sees only its flame” (see ibid. p. 224). 2. St. Gregory of the Dvoeslov writes: “The Lord, announcing the day of His judgment, says: “at the time of the harvest, gather the tares first and bind them in sheaves, just as I burned them” (Matthew 13:10), that is, the angelic harvesters bind the tares into sheaves for burning, or unite equals with equals in equal torments, proud, for example, they will burn together with the proud, the luxurious with the luxurious, the stingy with the stingy, the deceivers with the deceivers, the envious with the envious, the infidels with the infidels. When the Angels distribute those guilty of the same crimes to places of punishment and give them over to the same torments, it is as if they were binding the tares into sheaves for burning” (St. Gregory, Pope of Rome (Double Discourses) “Conversations”, p. 344. Kazan, 1858). Why are you moaning so terribly? Why do you sigh every hour? Your tears, believe me, are in vain They flow here from your eyes. Can I cry that I will soon That, having swam the sea of life, I landed where God is - Where the heavenly light shines, Neither illness nor decrepitude of years? Sleeping the sleep of death underground. Why should tears flow without measure? Is it pressing on your chest with heavy grief? Everyone will say goodbye to life, This path lies for everyone... But so that we taste death together, That I am the same, your friend is faithful, Even though I live in a different country. I see how sad you are, my friend, If you feel sad with despair: No matter how you cry or sigh, Yes, my friend, in the midst of bad weather There is no happiness anywhere on earth, It's not hell, but it's not heaven either. Everything here is sprinkled with tears, Grief is close to everyone, Sadness lurks like a snake... The sky opens the cross to us, The cross gives us bliss, Let a tear roll onto the coffin, Let love shine in a tear; Let the censer smoke here, Let the prayer fly to the sky. Only let the tears be innocent They moisten your gaze, friend, So that they are not visible A murmur to heaven, or a reproach... Let the prayer in the tear shine, Let hope shine in her. Oh, how my spirit rejoices, So pray, friend, and remember, What God is, there is another world, Where are you tomorrow or today You can meet me... 5. The severity of hellish torment One weakened man, exhausted in the spirit of patience, with a cry asked the Lord to end his suffering life. “Okay,” said the Angel who appeared to the sick man, “the Lord, being inexpressibly good, deigns to answer your prayer. He ends your temporary life, only on the condition: instead of one year of suffering on earth, with which every person is purified like gold in fire, do you agree to spend three hours in hellish torment?” Your sins require cleansing through the suffering of your own flesh; you should be in relaxation for another year, because both for you and for all believers, there is no other path to heaven except the cross, paved by the sinless God-man. You are bored with this path on earth - experience this torment only for three hours, and after that, with the prayers of St. church, you will be saved. The sufferer thought: a year of suffering on earth is a terrible continuation of time! “I’d rather endure three hours in this endless torment,” he said to himself, “than a year on earth.” - I agree to hell! - he finally said to the Angel. The angel quietly accepted his suffering soul and, confining it in the depths of hell, departed from the sufferer with words of consolation: “In three hours I will appear for you!” The darkness prevailing everywhere, the cramped space, the sounds of inexplicable sinful cries coming from everywhere, the vision of the spirits of evil in their hellish ugliness - all this merged for the unfortunate sufferer into inexpressible fear and languor. Everywhere he saw and heard only suffering and screams and not a sound of joy in the vast abyss of hell; only the fiery eyes of the demons sparkled in the underworld darkness, and their gigantic shadows rushed before him, ready to crush him and burn him with their hellish breath. The poor sufferer trembled and cried out; but his screams and cries were answered only by the hellish abyss with its echo fading in the distance and the bubbling flames of Gehenna, which swirled in sight of the trembling prisoner. It seemed to him that centuries of suffering had already passed; From minute to minute he was expecting a luminous Angel to come to him, but the Angel was not there. Finally, the sufferer despaired of his heavenly appearance and, gnashing his teeth, groaned; but no one listened to his cries. All the sinners who languished in the abyss of Gehenna were busy with themselves, with their own only torment, and the terrible demons in hellish joy mocked the torment of sinners. Finally, the quiet light of angelic glory spilled over the abyss. With a heavenly smile, the angel approached the voluntary sufferer and asked about his condition. “I didn’t think that there could be a lie in the mouths of angels,” the sufferer whispered in a barely audible voice, broken by suffering. “You promised to take me from here in three hours, and meanwhile whole years, whole centuries passed in my unspeakable suffering. - What years, what centuries! – the Angel answered meekly. “An hour, only one hour, has passed since my absence, and you still have two hours to be here.” - Two hours? - the sufferer asked in fear, - two hours? and this hour has only passed? Oh, I can’t stand it anymore, I have no strength! If only possible, if only it is the will of the Lord, I beg you: take me from here! It would be better for me to suffer on earth for years and centuries, even until the last day, until the very coming of Christ to judgment - just get me out of here. Unbearable! Have pity on me! – the sufferer exclaimed with a groan, stretching out his hands to the bright Angel. “God, as the father of generosity and joy,” answered the Angel, “surprises His grace on you.” But you must know and remember how cruel and unbearable the torment of hell is (extracted from the “Letters of the Holy Mountain”, p. 224, letter 15). "Human! As a candle burning before you, so is your life before you. The more the candle burns, the more it diminishes: so you, the more you live, the more your life is shortened. The candle burns out and goes out: this is how a person ends his life and dies. When a candle goes out, it seems as if it did not exist: so when a person dies and is buried, it seems as if it never existed. You see, man, what man is, and what his life is! Remember that this is how your life will go out, just as you see a candle going out; and prepare in advance for your death, so that you may die blissfully” (from “The Hidden Spirit.” by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk). 7. Depiction of man’s carelessness in the matter of his salvation (Parable of Barlaam the Wise) A certain man, wanting to avoid the fury of a unicorn, encountered a large ravine with a steep cliff on his way. Fleeing from the beast, he threw himself off a cliff. As he fell, he firmly grabbed the tree with both hands and rested his feet on a small ledge of the mountain. And so, he saw how two mice were gnawing at the root of a tree, and he was in danger of falling into the abyss; then he looked into the depths of the ravine and saw there a terrible serpent, which opened its mouth wide, and flames emanated from its mouth; finally, he turned his gaze to the ledge of the rock on which he stood with his feet, and saw that the heads of poisonous asps were protruding from the crevices; Then turning to the branches of the tree he was holding on to, he noticed several wild bees honeying. And so, this man, surrounded by so many dangers, forgot about the unicorn who was raging on the edge of the abyss - he forgot about the serpent who was below ready to devour him, about the asps and that the tree was soon going to fall - he forgot about all this and began to feast on honey. This is the meaning of this parable: a unicorn pursuing a man is death, which pursues all the sons of Adam; the big ravine is this vain world; a tree that is constantly being gnawed by two mice is a life that is constantly being shortened with each passing day and each passing night, bringing it closer to the hour of death; the heads of asps are our bodily passions and lusts; a fire-breathing serpent means hell, ready to devour sinners; drops of honey mean our sinful pleasures, which we carelessly indulge in (from the prologue). So, we all know very well that our real life, with the most correct course, is constantly approaching the end, and under random unfortunate circumstances it is often interrupted suddenly, unexpectedly. We also know that a bitter fate awaits sinners in fiery Gehenna. Despite the fact that with our whole being we cleave to earthly blessings and until the very grave we seek only temporary, sensual consolations, without thinking about the active and selfless service of virtue. Surrounded by the terrible dangers of sinful fall, we do not think about our salvation and deliverance from these dangers, but we joylessly rejoice on the edge of death. Pleasing the body, we completely forgot about our soul, did not prepare for it in good deeds that splendid robe with which it could shamelessly appear in the heavenly palace, but left it naked by cold deeds, and therefore unworthy of blissful participation in the kingdom of God. This is what carelessness about his spiritual salvation and addiction to vain earthly goods brings a Christian to! The Christian soul is perishing, while it constitutes the most valuable treasure of the whole world. “What good is it to a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? Or what ransom will he give... for his soul?” (Mark 8:36, 37) (extracted in abbreviation from Resurrection conversations, published by the General Spiritual Project, No. 7). 8. Benefits of thinking about the future life “If we,” says St. Chrysostom, - let us constantly think about the Kingdom of Heaven, about immortality and endless life, about the faces of Angels, about being with Christ, about enduring glory, about sorrowless life; if we imagine that tears, and reproaches, and humiliation, and death, and sorrows, and labors, and illness, and despondency, and poverty, and slander, and widowhood, and sin, and condemnation, and punishment, and all other evils, and disasters are expelled from heavenly life; that, on the contrary, peace, meekness, goodness, mercy, love, joy, glory, honor and other blessings dwell there, which cannot be described in words; If we, I say, constantly meditate on this, then not a single one of the present blessings will deceive us, and we will exclaim with David: “When will I come and appear to the face of God?” (Psalm 41:3) (Demon on Psalm 41). 9. The story of Hesychia, the monk of Mount Horeb, showing the benefits of the memory of death “The monk Hesychius previously led the most careless life, and did not care at all about his soul. Finally he fell into a severe illness, in which his soul was completely separated from his body for an hour, then he came to his senses and begged us all to immediately leave him: having locked the door of his cell, he lived in seclusion for 12 years, never saying a small or great word to anyone, and not eating anything except bread and water. Living in his cell, he immersed his thoughts in the visions that presented themselves to him during his death; He was horrified and lamented as if before the face of the Lord, and never changed his way of life, but was constantly, as it were, beside himself, and did not stop quietly shedding warm tears. When he approached death, we opened the door and entered his cell; but, having asked him a lot to answer our questions, we only heard the following words: “Forgive me,” he said, “whoever has acquired the memory of death can never sin.” We were amazed to see that in one who had previously been so careless, such a blissful change and transformation suddenly took place” (“The Ladder” of St. John. Sl. VI, § 18, pp. 100–101). Conclusion of the first section on the Christian faith (Exposition of the saving faith of Christ in brief provisions) (From the manuscript of St. Theophan) 1. Every Christian needs to know St. Christian faith, so that you can live holy according to faith. Just as a carpenter is called a carpenter because he knows what carpentry consists of and knows how to do carpentry, so anyone who is called a Christian must know what Christianity consists of and be able to live like a Christian. 2. The essence of the Christian faith lies in the salvation of sinners, in the restoration of the fallen human race. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and established St. the church to which he entrusted all Divine means of salvation. 3. What does St. teach? the church and what it commands to do, that is, the immutable will of God. Do this and you will be saved. Whoever listens to the church is the same as a pagan. 4. Thank the Lord that you belong to St. Christ's Church and you have in your hands the surest means of cleansing yourself from sins and pleasing God. Give thanks and take advantage of this great mercy of God towards you. 5. The Lord now mercifully calls on everyone: come to Me, and I will give you rest. And when he comes to judge the living and the dead, then with impartial truth he will turn to the disobedient and say to them: depart from Me, you cursed, into eternal fire. Remember this often and be afraid of being a violator of the faith and commandments of Christ. 6. Do not listen to the crooked talk of people, corrupted in mind and heart, whose speeches will lead you astray from the straight path and will inspire you to either believe wrongly or live unholy. 7. Molokans, Subbotniks, Doukhobors, Khlysty, schismatics and all renegades from St. there is no salvation for the church. He who does not listen to the church does not listen to God. What salvation is there for a disobedient person? 8. Holy true faith came to us from the Lord Himself through St. apostles and saints fathers who shone with wisdom and holiness, and is maintained by all Orthodox Christians everywhere. She brings her true fans straight to God, and God glorifies them as His saints. 9 . Who says: believe as you want, just live well; he speaks a lie: for without right faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). In the same way, whoever lives badly and hopes to be saved only because he believes rightly is in error; for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). It is necessary to believe correctly and live holyly in order to please God and be saved. 10. Nowadays many superstitious people have appeared who have rejected Christ and St. They will not follow His teaching, although they are called Christians. These are people who died. Some of these, not content with their destruction, want to destroy others and preach their corrupt lies both in word and in writing. Take care of yourself, so that your mind does not decay from simplicity. – Do not be blown about (do not be overwhelmed) by every wind of doctrine. 11. Superstitious people claim that they are enlighteners. Do not believe and do not follow them: one Light is Christ. He who is not with Christ walks in darkness, and the darkness has blinded his eyes. If you follow a blind man, you will fall into a hole with him and die. 12. These are not educators, but those regarding whom we received the commandment from the Lord: “Take heed... from lying prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are predatory wolves” (Matthew 7:15); from which the apostle also warns, saying: “For after my departure heavy oxen will enter into you, unsparing of the flock: and from you men will rise up, saying that you are corrupt, and you will tear away the disciples after you. For this reason watch” (Acts 20:29–31). – 13. If you want to recognize them, listen to what St. says. John the Theologian: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but tempt the spirits if they are from God: for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Of this know ye the Spirit of God and the spirit of the devil: every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ when he is come in the flesh is from God: and every spirit that doth not confess Jesus Christ when he is come in the flesh is not from God: and this is the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now in the world” (1 John 4:1-3). 14. And St. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, having prophesied about these, “always learning and never able to bring into the understanding of the truth... people corrupt in mind and unskilled in the faith... whose foolishness will be revealed to everyone,” adds: “But abide in them, you have been taught and the essence has been entrusted to you, knowing from whom you learned: and as from a young age the sacred scriptures know how, who is able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:7, 8, 14, 15). 15. If the Lord had not come and taught us the truth, unbelievers and superstitious people would perhaps not have had sin. Now, when it is known that after the prophets raised up by God, the Son of God Himself brought the truth to earth, through St. the apostles spread it throughout the earth and preserves it with the Holy Spirit in the holy church (Heb. 1:1), what excuse can the worldly unbelievers and all who are carried away by the futility of their flattery have? 16. In the prophetic and apostolic writings and in St. God's Church, which preserves them and explains them through the mouth of the God-wise fathers, and contains every other truth revealed by God, contains all divine wisdom and there is no other place on earth where you could find it. 17. “Learn from these, abide in these, understand in these, so that your progress may be manifested in all” (1 Tim. 4:15). “Deny from unpunished contempts” (1 Tim. 2:23). “Beware that no one deceives you with philosophy and vain flattery, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). “Let no one deceive you with vain words” (Eph. 5:6) and in any other way (2 Thess. 2:3). “Do not be attached to strange and varied teachings” (Heb. 13:9). “Do not wander in every wind of doctrine, in the lies of men, in the deceit of the wiles of flattery” (Eph. 4:14). Hagaryans are people of the Mohammedan faith, e.g. Tatars, Turks. A statue is an image made of stone or metal. "God denies nothing so much as pride. Therefore, from the very beginning He arranged it in such a way as to destroy this passion in us. For this we became mortal, we live in sorrow and lamentation; for this our life passes in labor and exhaustion, burdened with continuous work. For the first man fell into sin from pride, desiring to be equal to God." (Chrysostom. Conversations on the Gospel. Matt. LXV, paragraph 6. Part III, p. 129. Moscow 1843). Asp and basilisk are the most poisonous breeds of snakes. The Archangel is the commander of the heavenly armies. If Abiye falls, it will collapse now. Mosaic is a decoration made up of multi-colored pieces of stone, mainly marble. Arians are heretics who taught that the Son of God is only the first and most perfect creation of God, but not God. They were condemned by the Church at the 1st Ecumenical Council, in 325 A.D., in Nicaea under Emperor Constantine the Great. Jesuits are members of an order (society) in the Roman Catholic Church. Catholicism is the Catholic Church, which separated in the 11th century AD. led by the Roman popes (patriarchs) from a union with the Orthodox Church. Protestantism is the same as Lutheranism, which is held by the Germans who separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century AD. Typhoid is a dangerous, contagious disease; those who become ill with it mostly die. Lethargy is death, prolonged sleep, similar to death. Nowadays he is the governor of Podolsk. Professor, at that time St. Petersburg, now Kyiv University. The detailed title of the brochure is as follows: “The miraculous appearance of the image of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child in her arms in the church under construction in the name of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir in Kyiv.” A.I.K. Kiev, 1895 A pilgrim is a pilgrim traveling around St. places. The mosque is a house of prayer for Mohammedans. The consulate is an institution that takes care of the needs of its compatriots. Mission – a society for the spread of Christians. faith among peoples of other faiths. A cistern is a stone reservoir or pool for collecting and storing water. Caliph - ruler of the Mohammedans. “The life of a person in the body,” says our domestic saint, “is the beginning life of a chick in an egg, to which, after breaking the shell, the highest and most extensive circle of life opens: it is only necessary that the embryo of the chick be embraced, penetrated and excited by the warmth of the mother’s blood: - i.e. it is necessary that the embryo of heavenly life in a person be embraced, penetrated and excited the life-giving power of the blood of Christ” (Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow. Words and Speeches). An emblem is a sign, a visible image of something. Dogma is the basic truth that must be believed to achieve salvation. Shtunda - heresy, false teaching; Stundists separate from the church and form their own independent meetings; they don't honor St. icons, do not recognize fasts, etc. The sea of ​​life - human life with its worries is very often likened to the sea. Storm is a storm at sea. Academician dictionary. The Aleuts are a tribe on the islands off the northwestern coast of America. A shaman is a priest of the Siberian pagans who makes sacrifices to the gods. Diocese is a region or province that is subordinate to the church. regarding the bishop. Rubishche - scanty and poor clothing. The Pope is the Patriarch (Bishop) of Rome. In the leading church of the Christian part of St. the bodies were handed over to the faithful, and St. the blood was taught directly from the cup. To regret - to lament, to grieve. Charter - manuscript, note.. Penance is a spiritual exercise imposed by a confessor during confession to a penitent, for example. intensive fasting, bowing, giving alms, etc. Balm is a healing oil or ointment. Lust for power - love of power, superiority, the spirit of exaltation and pride. Chastity is purity of thoughts, a pious mood, abstinence from lustful desires and actions. Moan - moan, mourn, regret, lament. So that I won’t see you when I die. Presbyter - priest, priest. Struchny are usually small wooden sticks wrapped in cotton paper or cotton wool. Note “Oh madness!” exclaims Simeon of Thessalonica, denouncing the errors of the Latins. “The brother of God says: the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and the Latins say that he will die, that oil should be taught not to those who can rise, but to the dying. Man! You do not know the meaning of the sacraments, and to your own detriment you are mistaken. This oil is taught to the sick and in order to They, having received forgiveness of sins through the anointing, stood up, as the Savior said to the weakened man: “Your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5), showing that illness occurs due to sins.” (Conversation about the sacred and sacramental church, 250 chapters). Son of man - this is how our Lord I. Christ loved to call Himself. Conversation 77 on Evan. Matthew according to ed. in Russian untranslated. Moscow, 1839, pp. 326–327. Conversation 99, or 9th to 1st last. to Solun. according to ed. in Russian translation. St. Petersburg, 1859 It is remarkable that the number of years of prayer coincides with the number of tables of sins not blotted out. Famous Russian scientist and writer (born in 1711, died in 1765). Ether is the finest substance, which, according to scientists, fills the entire celestial space. Myriads - an innumerable multitude. Scriptures of husbands apostle. in Russian translation prot. P.A. Preobrazhensky pp. 404, 407. It’s remarkable: many patients before death, being in an unconscious or semi-conscious state, hastily get ready as if to go somewhere: they either pull on their clothes, trying as if to get out of bed and go somewhere, or in delirium they directly ask and rush to go home somewhere. (See the book “Consolation in Death”, Bishop Hermogenes, ed. 7, p. 30). Womb - chest; Abraham's bosom is paradise. The scepter is an accessory of royal jewelry, indicating his high power. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are Christians who have tried hard to live according to the truth of God, piously, according to the commandments of our Lord I. Christ and who hoped to receive complete justification through faith in His redemptive merits, and not through their own personal virtues. You might be interested in: