Sergius of Radonezh is truly a national saint, close to every Orthodox person. On the day of memory of the great Russian spiritual leader, we recall 7 of his exploits.
Defeating demons and taming beasts
The Monk Sergius appears to many as a blessed elder, whose holiness was felt by the wild beasts who came to "touch" her. However, in fact, Sergius went into the forest as a young man at the age of about twenty. The first time of his hermitage, he constantly struggled with demonic temptations, conquering them with fervent prayer. The demons tried to drive him out of the forest, threatening to attack by wild animals and painful death. The saint remained adamant, called on God and thus was saved. He also prayed when wild animals appeared, and therefore they never attacked him. With the bear, so often depicted next to Sergius, the saint shared his every meal, and sometimes he gave it to a hungry animal. “Let no one be surprised at this, knowing truly that if God lives in a person and the Holy Spirit rests on him, then all creation is subject to him,” says the life of this saint.
Blessing the monks to war
This event is one of the most famous and most unexpected in the history of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Everyone knows that monks and weapons, let alone war, are "two things incompatible", but like any rule that is too broad, this rule was once refuted by life. Two monks, who were later numbered among the saints, with weapons in their hands went to the Battle of Kulikovo with the blessing of the Monk Sergius. In single combat before the battle, one of them, Alexander Peresvet, defeated the Tatar hero Chelubey, and this determined the victory of the Russian army. Peresvet died himself. The second monk, in the tonsure Andrei (Oslyabya), according to legend, changed into the armor of Prince Dmitry, who was slain in the battle, and so led the army.
It is surprising that Sergius of Radonezh himself "sent" Peresvet and Oslyabya to the great battle to help Prince Dmitry, who asked the saint only for spiritual help. Before the battle, he tonsured the monks into the great schema.
Real sacrament
The testimony of how Saint Sergius of Radonezh received communion was hidden from the people until his dormition. This secret was kept by Simon, a disciple of the saint, who had a vision during the communion of Sergius of Radonezh at the liturgy. Simon saw fire walking on the holy throne, illuminating the altar and surrounding the Holy Meal on all sides. "When the Monk wanted to receive communion, then the Divine fire swelled like a veil, and entered the holy chalice, and the Monk took communion with it. Seeing all this, Simon was filled with horror and trembling and was silent, marveling at the miracle ..." The monk understood from the face of his disciple. that he received a wonderful vision, and Simon confirmed this. Then Sergius of Radonezh asked him not to tell anyone about what he saw until the Lord took him away.
Resurrection of the boy
The Life of Saint Sergius tells that the monk once resurrected a man with his prayers. This was a boy whose father, a devout believer, carried his sick son through the cold so that Saint Sergius would heal him. The man's faith was strong, and he walked with the thought: "If only I could bring my son alive to the man of God, and there the child will definitely recover." But from a severe frost and a long journey, the sick child was completely weak and died on the way. When he reached St. Sergius, the inconsolable father said: "Woe to me! Oh, man of God! With my misfortune and tears I hastened to get to you, believing and hoping to get consolation, but instead of consolation I acquired only even greater sorrow. It would be better for me if would my son die at home. Woe to me, woe! What can I do now? What could be worse and worse than this? " Then he left the cell to prepare a coffin for his child.
Sergius of Radonezh prayed for a long time on his knees with the deceased, and suddenly, unexpectedly, the child revived and stirred, his soul returned to his body. The saint told his father who returned to him that the child had not died, but had only become exhausted from the frost, and now, in the warmth, it was warmed up. This miracle became known from the words of a disciple of the saint.
A feat of humility
The Monk Sergius of Radonezh could have become a metropolitan, a bishop, but he refused to become even the abbot of his monastery. He asked the Metropolitan of All Russia Alexy to appoint an abbot to the monastery, and when he heard his name in response, he did not agree, saying: "I am not worthy." Only when the metropolitan reminded the saint of monastic obedience, he replied: "As the Lord pleases, so let it be. Blessed is the Lord forever!"
Nevertheless, when Alexy was dying and offered Sergius to become his successor, he refused. The saint repeated his refusal even after the death of the metropolitan, all with the same words: "I am not worthy."
Bread for Moscow
In besieged Moscow, many Orthodox in one day saw a completely gray-haired old man leading twelve carts of bread. No one could understand how this procession made its way through the impregnable guards and many enemy troops. "Tell me, father, where are you from?" - asked the elder, and he happily answered everyone: "We are warriors from the monastery of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Trinity." This old man, whom some saw and others did not, inspired Muscovites to further struggle and assured them of victory. And in the monastery of the wonderworker they said that the appearance in Moscow of the elders with the loaves was on the day when the Monk appeared in the monastery to the sexton Irinarkh and said: "I sent three of my disciples to Moscow, and their arrival will not go unnoticed in the reigning city."
The thrown king
The Grand Duke of All Russia Ivan Vasilyevich and the Grand Duchess Sophia had three daughters, but did not have an heir. Christ-loving Sophia decided to go on a pilgrimage - on foot to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra from Moscow itself, to pray for the birth of sons. Near the village of Klementyevo, located not far from the monastery, she met a magnificent priest with a baby in her arms. Sophia immediately understood from the appearance of the wanderer that in front of her was the Monk Sergius. Further life tells: "He approached the Grand Duchess - and suddenly threw a baby in her bosom. And immediately became invisible." Sophia reached the holy monastery and prayed there for a long time and kissed the relics of the monk. And upon returning home, she conceived in the womb of the God-given heir to the royal throne, Grand Duke Vasily, who was born on the feast of the Annunciation and was baptized in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
The meaning of SERGY RADONEZHSKY in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia
SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Sergius of Radonezh (in the world of Bartholomew) is a saint, reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, a reformer of monasticism in Northern Russia. Came from a noble family; his parents, Cyril and Maria, belonged to the Rostov boyars and lived on their estate near Rostov, where Sergius was born in 1314 (according to others, in 1319). At first, teaching him to read and write was very unsuccessful, but then, thanks to patience and work, he managed to get acquainted with the Holy Scriptures and became addicted to the church and monastic life. Around 1330, Sergius's parents, driven to poverty, had to leave Rostov and settled in the city of Radonezh (54 miles from Moscow). After their death, Sergius went to Khotkovo - Pokrovsky Monastery, where his elder brother, Stephen, monasticized. Striving for "the strictest monasticism", for a desert life, he did not stay here for long and, having convinced Stephen, together with him founded a desert on the bank of the Konchura River, in the middle of the remote Radonezh pine forest, where he built (about 1335) a small wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity, on the site of which there is now a cathedral church also in the name of the Holy Trinity. Soon Stefan left him; left alone, Sergius accepted monasticism in 1337. Two or three years later monks began to flock to him; the monastery was formed, and Sergius was its second abbot (the first was Mitrofan) and presbyter (from 1354), who set an example for everyone with his humility and hard work. Gradually his fame grew: everyone began to turn to the monastery, from peasants to princes; many settled in the neighborhood with her, donated their property to her. At first, suffering in all the necessary extreme need, the hermitage turned into a rich monastery. The glory of Sergius even reached Constantinople: the Patriarch of Constantinople Philotheus sent him with a special embassy a cross, a paramand, a schema and a letter, in which he praised him for his virtuous life and gave advice to introduce a strict community life in the monastery. On this advice and with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexei, Sergius introduced a communal-nurturing charter in the monastery, which was later adopted in many Russian monasteries. Metropolitan Alexei, who highly respected the Radonezh abbot, before his death, persuaded him to be his successor, but Sergius resolutely refused. According to one contemporary, Sergius "with quiet and meek words" could act on the hardest and hardest of hearts; very often he reconciled princes at war with each other, persuading them to obey the Grand Duke of Moscow (for example, the Rostov prince - in 1356, the Nizhny Novgorod - in 1365, Oleg Ryazan and others), thanks to which, by the time of the Kulikovo battle, almost all Russian princes recognized the supremacy of Dmitry Ioannovich ... Going to this battle, the latter, accompanied by princes, boyars and governors, went to Sergius to pray with him and received a blessing from him. Blessing him, Sergius predicted victory and salvation from death for him and sent his two monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, on a campaign (see). Approaching the Don, Dimitri Ioannovich hesitated whether to cross the river or not, and only after receiving an encouraging letter from Sergius, admonishing him to attack the Tatars as soon as possible, began decisive action. After the Battle of Kulikovo, the Grand Duke began to treat the Radonezh abbot with even greater reverence and invited him in 1389 to seal a spiritual will, legitimizing the new order of succession from father to eldest son. In 1392, on September 25, Sergius died, and 30 years later his relics and clothes were found incorrupt; in 1452 he was canonized. In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Sergius founded several more monasteries (Annunciation and others), and his students established up to 40 monasteries, mainly in Northern Russia. See "Venerable Sergius of Radonezh. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of his blessed death" ("Christian Reading", 1892, ¦ 9 - 10); "The Life and Works of St. Sergius of Radonezh" ("The Wanderer", 1892,, 9); A. G-v "On the Significance of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the History of Russian Monasticism" ("Readings in the Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment", 1892, ¦ 9); E. Golubinsky "Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and the Lavra created by him" (Sergievsky Posad, 1892); "Life and Miracles of St. Sergius of Radonezh" (Moscow, 1897, 5th edition); V. Eingorn "On the significance of the Monk Sergius of Radonezh and the monastery founded by him in Russian history" (Moscow, 1899, 2nd edition). V. R-in.
Brief biographical encyclopedia. 2012
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Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergius of Radonezh (1314 - 1392), abbot, reverend. Commemoration July 5, 25 ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
reverend (1321-1391) Russian saint, ascetic, founder of monasteries and reformer of Russian monasticism, an outstanding public figure. Born in Rostov; after the death of parents ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Radonezh (before taking monasticism - Bartholomew Kirillovich) (about 1321, near Rostov the Great, - September 25, 1391, Trinity-Sergius Monastery, now Zagorsk, Moscow Region.), ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(in the world Bartholomew) - Saint, reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, a converter of monasticism into sowing. Rus. Came from a noble family; his parents, ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(in the World of Bartholomew)? Saint, reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, a reformer of monasticism in the North. Rus. Came from a noble family; parents ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(c. 1321-91) founder and abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Initiated the introduction of the hostel charter in Russian monasteries. He actively supported the unification and national liberation policy ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
S'ergy ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH in the Spelling Dictionary:
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(c. 1321-91), founder and abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Initiated the introduction of the hostel charter in Russian monasteries. He actively supported the unification and national liberation policy ... - SERGY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
Sergius of Radonezh (in the world of Bartholomew) - Saint, reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, transformer of monasticism into sowing. Rus. Descended from a noble family; his parents, ... - SERGY in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
(Stragorodsky Ivan Nikolaevich) (1867-1944) Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia since 1943. Metropolitan since 1917, deputy from 1925 and 1937 ... - SERGY in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
(before being tonsured a monk in 1890 - Ivan Nikolaevich Stragorodsky), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. ... - SERGY PECHORSK. in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
lecturer Pechora of the 13th century; called "obedient". His relics are in Anthony's cave. Memory 7 ... - SERGY SHELONIN in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
monk of the Solovetsky Monastery, a remarkable teacher and writer of the 17th century. Nothing is known about his life before monasticism; first information about ... - RADONEZH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
Platon Anempodistovich - bass singer (1826-1873). He sang in St. Petersburg (1863) and Moscow. In his repertoire, the best roles were Susanin ("Life for ... - SERGY in the Modern Encyclopedic Dictionary:
- SERGY in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
(Stragorodsky Ivan Nikolaevich) (1867 - 1944), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia since 1943. Metropolitan since 1917, Deputy and ... - SERGY
SERGEY OF RADONEZH (c. 1321-91), church. and state. activist, founder and abbot of the Trinity-Sergiev Monastery, in which he introduced a hostel charter. I tried to spread ... - SERGY in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
SERGY (in the world Iv. Nik. Stragorodsky) (1867-1944), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia since 1943. Since 1917, Metropolitan, since 1925 Deputy. ... - SERGY in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
SERGIUS, Patriarch of Constantinople in 610-638. Was close to imp. Heraclius, in whose absence he ruled the empire. In order to reconcile with the Monophisites ... - RADONEZH in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia:
(Platon Anempodistovich)? bass singer (1826-1873). He sang in St. Petersburg (1863) and Moscow. In his repertoire, the best roles were Susanin ("Life for ... - SERGY in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language.
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r`adon`ezh (from R`adon`ezh); but: S'ergy ... - RADONEZH in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
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r'adon'ezh (from r'adon'ezh); but: s'ergy ... - SERGY in the Modern Explanatory Dictionary, TSB:
(Stragorodsky Ivan Nikolaevich) (1867-1944), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia since 1943. Since 1917, Metropolitan, since 1925, Deputy and since ... - SERGEI I KONSTANTINOPOLSKY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergius I (+ 638), Patriarch of Constantinople. Descended from a Monophysite Syrian family, but seems to be a teacher ... - SERGY (TIKHOMIROV) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergiy (Tikhomirov) (1871 - 1945), Metropolitan of Tokyo. In the world Tikhomirov Georgy Alekseevich, was born ... - SERGY (STRAGORODSKY) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree.
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Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergius (Ozerov) (c. 1867 - not earlier than 1937), archimandrite. Pavel Ozerov was born in the world ... - SERGY (LARIN) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergiy (Larin) (1908 - 1967), Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov. In the world Larin Sergey ... - SERGY (GUSKOV) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergiy (Guskov) (1875 - 1930), hieromonk, monastic martyr (locally revered saint of the Kazan diocese). Memory 14 ... - SERGY (VOSKRESENSKIY), METROPOLITAN in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Sergius (Voskresensky) (1897 - 1944), Metropolitan of Vilna and Lithuania, Exarch of Latvia and Estonia ... - NIKON RADONEZH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Nikon of Radonezh (+ 1426), abbot, reverend. The closest disciple and successor of the Monk Sergei of Radonezh ... - NIKITA RADONEZH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". See Nikita Kostromskaya DREVO - an open Orthodox encyclopedia: http://drevo.pravbeseda.ru About the project | Chronology | Calendar | ... - MIKHEI RADONEZHSKY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Micah of Radonezh (+ 1385), reverend. Commemorated on May 6. Was one of the first students ... - DIONYSUS OF RADONEZH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Dionysius of Radonezh (c. 1570 - 1633), reverend. Commemoration on May 12, in the Cathedral of Tverskys ... - SERGY (IN THE WORLD OF SIMON PETROVICH YURSHEV)
Sergius (in the world Simon Petrovich Yurshev) is an outstanding figure for the benefit of unity of faith, the son of a Moscow merchant, a zealous schismatic. Left an orphan, Yurshev ... - RADONEZH PLATO ANEMPODISTOVICH in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia:
Radonezhsky (Platon Anempodistovich) - singer-bass (1826 - 1873). He sang in St. Petersburg (1763) and Moscow. In his repertoire, the best roles were ... - ANTONY (TO THE WORLD ALEXANDER OF RADONEZH) in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia:
Anthony (in the world Alexander of Radonezh, 1808 - 1872) - Bishop of Orenburg. He typed: "Jesus Christ at Calvary, or Seven Words on ... - ISIHASM in the Newest Philosophical Dictionary:
(Greek hesychia - calmness and silence) - the mystical tradition of contemplation of God in the Orthodox Church, a religious practice, which is a combination of introspection of prayer ... - ISIHASM in the Dictionary-index of names and concepts of ancient Russian art:
(Greek. silence) the mystical-ascetic trend in Byzantine and Old Russian monasticism; teaching about the path of union with God through the purification of a person and concentration ... - TRINITY-SERGIEV LAVRA in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, stavropegic monastery. Address: Russia, 141300, Moscow region, Sergiev Posad ... - STEPHAN MAKHRISCHSKY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". Stephen Makhrishchsky (+ 1406), abbot, reverend. Commemorated July 14. Originally from Kiev ... - CATHEDRAL SAINTS in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "DREVO". The Cathedral of the Tver Saints is a celebration of the Russian Orthodox Church in honor of the saints of the Tver land. Celebrated in the 1st ...
26.11.2016
Sergius of Radonezh is revered by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint. This amazing man gained fame during his lifetime: people walked and drove from all over the great principality to receive his blessing. They say that his one word gave unspeakable consolation, helped in sorrows, guided even the most lost on the true path. What interesting facts of the biography of Sergius of Radonezh have come down to us through the darkness of centuries?
- The future founder of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was born in 1392 into a family of representatives of boyar families. His father Cyril and mother Maria were very respected people, they helped the poor.
- The newborn was named Bartholomew. Even before his birth, a miracle happened, which the chronicles tell about. One day, pregnant Mary came to church, and the baby cried out three times in the womb. The woman was surrounded, they began to assure that this was not good. She forced herself out of the crowd. And then it turned out that in such an incredible way not evil, but the light forces of heaven declared themselves: Mary had a future saint.
- Bartholomew, along with his older brother, went to school when the age came suitable for study. However, if the eldest, Stefan, grabbed everything on the fly, then the youngest was not given a literacy at all. Increasingly, they began to send him instead of school to graze cows. Frustrated, the boy wandered around the field, and one fine day he saw an old wanderer next to him. Bartholomew brought his grandfather home, where Mary fed and watered the traveler. And he said to the child: “I heard you can't study? Come on, go read a prayer to me. " The astonished Bartholomew suddenly understood the letters and began to read easily!
- Since childhood, Bartholomew dreamed of monastic dignity. Having learned, he and his brother went into the forest thicket, where he cut down his cell. The brothers lived together, not accepting alms, worked hard and prayed.
- When Stephen, unable to withstand the hardships of forest life, left for the city, people began to flock to Bartholomew (who had already taken the name Sergius), longing for prayer and solitude. The monastery has expanded and strengthened.
- Sergius predicted his death even before he began to lose strength. He took a vow of silence and has not spoken a word for the past six months. Only his beloved student was always with him.
- Once Sergius was offered a metropolitan dignity. He refused.
- Dmitry Donskoy himself came to Sergius for a blessing on the Battle of Kulikovo. Sergius of Radonezh predicted victory and prayed for the Russian army throughout the battle. When a Russian soldier fell in battle, he mentally saw his death and spoke about it to his students.
- Sergius was famous for his ability to heal physical and mental ailments. Once a grief-stricken peasant brought to him his young son who had just died of a serious illness. Sergius took the child, rubbed him with herbs, prayed over him - and the boy came to life.
- In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Russian saint built 5 more temple complexes.
- In the monasteries where Sergius became the head, the brethren lived strictly. Everything was common, it was not allowed to ask for alms. The monks provided for themselves. If Sergius found out about a violation of the monastery charter, the guilty one left the monastery.
Sergius of Radonezh was a great man. He undoubtedly possessed tremendous strength of mind, unbending will. He directed all the powerful flow of soul energy to serve God and man, helping the weak creation of God to withstand the trials sent by fate. The main behests that he left to posterity were: to work, overcome difficulties, not grumble at his lot and give a helping hand to those who need it. Such was his whole life - the continuous labor of an ascetic.
Most of us know who Sergius of Radonezh is. His biography is interesting to many people, even to those who are far from the church. He founded the Trinity Monastery near Moscow (currently it is the Trinity-Sergius Lavra), did a lot for the Russian Church. The saint dearly loved his Fatherland and put a lot of energy into helping his people survive all the calamities. We learned about the life of the monk thanks to the manuscripts of his companions and disciples. The work of Epiphanius the Wise entitled "The Life of Sergius of Radonezh", written by him at the beginning of the 15th century, is a most valuable source of information about the life of the saint. All other manuscripts that appeared later are, for the most part, the processing of its materials.
Place and time of birth
It is not known for certain when and where the future saint was born. His disciple Epiphanius the Wise speaks of this in a very intricate way in the life of the monk. Historians are faced with the difficult problem of interpreting this information. As a result of studying church writings of the 19th century and dictionaries, it was established that the birthday of Sergius of Radonezh, most likely, is May 3, 1319. True, some scholars are leaning towards other dates. The exact place of the birth of the youth Bartholomew (that was the name of the saint in the world) is also unknown. Epiphanius the Wise points out that the father of the future monk was named Cyril, and his mother was Mary. Before moving to Radonezh, the family lived in the Rostov principality. It is believed that the Monk Sergius of Radonezh was born in the village of Varnitsa in the Rostov region. At baptism, the boy was given the name Bartholomew. His parents named him after the Apostle Bartholomew.
Childhood and first miracles
The family of Bartholomew's parents had three sons. Our hero was the second child. His two brothers, Stephen and Peter, were smart children. They quickly mastered literacy, learned to write and read. But Bartholomew did not study in any way. No matter how much his parents scolded or tried to reason with the teacher, the boy could not learn to read, and the holy books were inaccessible to him. And then a miracle happened: suddenly Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius of Radonezh, learned the letter. His biography is indicative of how faith in the Lord helps to overcome any difficulties in life. Epiphanius the Wise told about the miraculous teaching of the youth to read and write in his "Life". He says that Bartholomew prayed long and hard, asking God to help him learn to write and read in order to know the Holy Scriptures. And once, when father Cyril sent his son to look for grazing horses, Bartholomew saw an old man in a black robe under a tree. The boy with tears in his eyes told the saint about his inability to learn and asked him to pray for himbefore the Lord.
The elder told him that from this day on, the boy would understand reading and writing better than his brothers. Bartholomew invited the saint to the house of his parents. Before visiting them, they entered the chapel, where the youth read a psalm without hesitation. Then he hurried with his guest to his parents to please them. Cyril and Mary, having learned about the miracle, began to praise the Lord. When asked the elder about what this amazing phenomenon meant, they learned from the guest that their son Bartholomew had been marked by God in the womb. So, when Mary came to church shortly before giving birth, the child in the mother's womb shouted three times when the saints sang the liturgy. This story of Epiphanius the Wise was reflected in the painting by the artist Nesterov "The Vision to the youth Bartholomew."
First feats
What else is noted in the childhood of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the stories of Epiphanius the Wise? The disciple of the saint reports that even before the age of 12, Bartholomew observed strict fasts. On Wednesday and Friday he ate nothing, and on other days he ate only water and bread. At night, the youth often did not sleep, devoting time to prayer. All this was the subject of a dispute between the boy's parents. Mary was embarrassed by these first exploits of her son.
Resettlement to Radonezh
Soon the family of Cyril and Maria became impoverished. They were forced to move to housing in Radonezh. It happened around 1328-1330. The reason for the impoverishment of the family is also known. It was the hardest time in Russia, which was under the rule of the Golden Horde. But not only the Tatars then plundered the people of our long-suffering homeland, imposing an unbearable tribute on them and making regular raids on settlements. The Tatar-Mongol Khans themselves chose which of the Russian princes to rule in this or that principality. And this was no less difficult test for the entire people than the invasion of the Golden Horde. After all, such "elections" were accompanied by violence against the population. Sergius of Radonezh himself often talked about this. His biography is a vivid example of the lawlessness that was happening at that time in Russia. The principality of Rostov went to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Danilovich. The father of the future saint got together and moved with his family from Rostov to Radonezh, wishing to protect himself and his loved ones from robbery and want.
Monastic life
It is not known when the birth of Sergius of Radonezh took place for certain. But exact historical information about his childhood and youth life has come down to us. It is known that, even as a child, he prayed fervently. When he was 12 years old, he decided to take monastic tonsure. Cyril and Maria did not mind this. However, they set a condition for their son: he should become a monk only after their death. After all, Bartholomew eventually became the only support and support for the elderly. By that time, brothers Peter and Stephen had already started their own families and lived separately from their elderly parents. The youth did not have to wait long: soon Cyril and Maria died. Before their death, according to the custom of that time in Russia, they first took monastic tonsure, and then the schema. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery. There, his brother Stephen, who by that time was already a widow, took monastic vows. The brothers were not here for long. Striving for "the strictest monasticism", they founded deserts on the banks of the Konchura River. There, in the middle of the remote Radonezh pine forest, in 1335 Bartholomew erected a small wooden church named after the Holy Trinity. Now in its place there is a cathedral church in the name of the Holy Trinity. Brother Stephen soon moved to the Epiphany Monastery, unable to withstand the ascetic and too harsh lifestyle in the forest. In a new place, he will then become abbot.
And Bartholomew, left completely alone, summoned Abbot Mitrofan and took tonsure. Now he was known as the monk Sergius. At that moment in his life he was 23 years old. Soon monks began to flock to Sergius. On the site of the church, a monastery was formed, which today is called the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Father Sergius became the second abbot here (the first was Mitrofan). The abbots showed their disciples an example of great diligence and humility. Monk Sergius of Radonezh himself never took alms from the parishioners and forbade the monks to do this, urging them to live only by the fruits of the labor of their hands. The fame of the monastery and its abbot grew and reached the city of Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus, with a special embassy, \u200b\u200bsent the Monk Sergius a cross, a schema, a paraman and a letter in which he paid tribute to the abbot for his virtuous life and advised him to introduce cynovia in the monastery. Heeding these recommendations, the abbot of Radonezh introduced a communal-multiplying rule in his monastery. Later he was received in many monasteries in Russia.
Serving the Fatherland
Sergius of Radonezh did a lot of useful and good things for his homeland. The 700th anniversary of his birth is celebrated this year. Dmitry A. Medvedev, being the President of the Russian Federation, signed a decree on the celebration of this memorable and significant date for the whole of Russia. Why is the life of the saint given such importance at the state level? The main condition for the invincibility and inviolability of any country is the unity of its people. Father Sergius understood this very well in his time. This is also evident to our politicians today. It is well known about the peacemaking activities of the saint. So, eyewitnesses argued that Sergius, with meek, quiet words, could find a way to the heart of any person, influence the most hardened and coarse hearts, calling people to peace and obedience. Often the saint had to reconcile the warring parties. So, he called on the Russian princes to unite, throwing aside all disagreements, and submit to the power of the Moscow prince. This later became the main condition for liberation from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Sergius of Radonezh made a significant contribution to the victory of the Russians in the Battle of Kulikovo. It is impossible to briefly talk about this. Grand Duke Dmitry, who later received the nickname Donskoy, came to the saint before the battle to pray and ask him for advice if the Russian army could oppose the godless. The Horde Khan Mamai gathered an utter army to enslave the people of Russia once and for all.
The people of our Fatherland were seized with great fear. After all, no one has yet managed to beat the enemy army. The Monk Sergius, to the prince's question, replied that defending the Motherland is a godly deed, and blessed him for the great battle. Possessing the gift of foresight, the holy father predicted to Dmitry a victory over the Tatar khan and return home safe and sound with the glory of a liberator. Even when the Grand Duke saw the innumerable enemy army, nothing trembled in him. He was confident in a future victory, for which Saint Sergius himself blessed him.
Saint's monasteries
The Year of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated in 2014. Especially big celebrations on this occasion should be expected in the temples and monasteries founded by him. In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the saint erected the following monasteries:
Annunciation in the city of Kirzhach in the Vladimir region;
Vysotsky monastery in the city of Serpukhov;
Staro-Golutvin near the town of Kolomna in the Moscow region;
St. George Monastery on the Klyazma River.
In all these monasteries, the disciples of St. Father Sergius became abbots. In turn, the followers of his teachings founded more than 40 monasteries.
Miracles
The life of St. Sergius of Radonezh, written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise, tells that at one time the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed many miracles. Unusual phenomena accompanied the saint throughout his entire life. The first of these was associated with his miraculous birth. This is the story of the wise man about how the child in the womb of Mary, the mother of the saint, shouted three times during the liturgy in the church. And all the people in it heard it. The second miracle is teaching the youth Bartholomew to read and write. It was described in detail above. It is also known about such a diva associated with the life of a saint: the resurrection of a youth through the prayers of Father Sergius. One righteous man lived near the monastery, who had a strong faith in the saint. His only son, a young boy, was terminally ill. The father in his arms brought the child to the holy monastery to Sergius, so that he would pray for his recovery. But the boy died while his parent was presenting his request to the abbot. The inconsolable father went to prepare the coffin in order to put the body of his son in it. And Saint Sergius began to pray fervently. And a miracle happened: the boy suddenly came to life. When the grief-stricken father found his child alive, he fell at the saint's feet, offering praise.
And the abbot ordered him to get up from his knees, explaining that there was no miracle here: the boy was just chilly and weakened when his father carried him to the monastery, and in a warm cell he warmed up and began to move. But the man could not be persuaded. He believed that Saint Sergius showed a miracle. Today there are many skeptics who doubt that the monk worked miracles. Their interpretation depends on the worldview position of the interpreter. It is likely that a person who is far from faith in God will prefer not to focus on such information about the miracles of the saint, finding a different, more logical explanation for it. But for many believers, the story of life and all the events associated with Sergius has a special, spiritual meaning. For example, many parishioners pray that their children learn to read and write and pass the transfer and entrance exams. After all, the youth Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius, at first also could not master even the basics of study. And only earnest prayer to God led to the fact that a miracle happened when the boy miraculously learned to read and write.
Old age and death of the monk
The life of Sergius of Radonezh is for us an unparalleled feat of service to God and the Fatherland. It is known that he lived to a ripe old age. As he lay on his deathbed, anticipating that he would soon appear at the judgment of God, for the last time he called the brethren for instruction. He called his disciples first of all "to have the fear of God" and to bring people "spiritual purity and unhypocritical love." The abbot died on September 25, 1392. He was buried in the Trinity Cathedral.
Veneration of the reverend
There is no documented evidence of when and under what circumstances people began to perceive Sergius as a righteous man. Some scholars are inclined to believe that the abbot of the Trinity Monastery was canonized in the years 1449-1450. Then, in the letter of Metropolitan Jonah to Dmitry Shemyaka, the primate of the Russian Church calls Sergius a reverend, reckoning him among miracle workers and saints. But there are other versions of his canonization. Day of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated on July 5 (18). This date is mentioned in the writings of Pachomius Logofet. In them he narrates that on this day the relics of the great saint were found.
Throughout the history of the Trinity Cathedral, this shrine left its walls only in the event of a serious threat from outside. Thus, two fires that happened in 1709 and 1746 caused the removal of the saint's relics from the monastery. When the Russian troops left the capital during the invasion of the French led by Napoleon, the remains of Sergius were taken to the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. In 1919, the atheist-minded government of the USSR issued a decree on the autopsy of the saint's relics. After this not a godly deed was committed, the remains were transferred to the Sergievsky History and Art Museum as an exhibit. Currently, the relics of the saint are kept in the Trinity Cathedral. There are also other dates for the memory of his rector. September 25 (October 8) - the day of St. Sergius of Radonezh. This is the date of his passing. Sergius is also commemorated on July 6 (19), when all the holy monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra are glorified.
Temples in honor of the monk
Sergius of Radonezh has been considered one of the most revered saints in Russia since ancient times. His biography is replete with facts of selfless service to God. Many temples are dedicated to him. Only in Moscow there are 67 of them. Among them are such as the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Bibirev, the Cathedral of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the Vysokopetrovsky monastery, the temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Krapivniki and others. Many of them were built in the 17th-18th centuries. There are many churches and cathedrals in various regions of our Motherland: Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Smolensk and so on. There are even abroad monasteries and sanctuaries founded in honor of this saint. Among them are the temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa and the monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Rumia, in Montenegro.
Images of the reverend
It is also worth remembering the many icons created in honor of the saint. The oldest image of it is an embroidered cover made in the 15th century. Now he is in the sacristy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
One of the most famous works by Andrei Rublev is "The Icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh", which also contains 17 hallmarks about the life of the saint. They wrote about the events associated with the abbot of the Trinity Monastery, not only icons, but also paintings. Among the Soviet artists, MV Nesterov can be distinguished here. His following works are known: "Works of Sergius of Radonezh", "Youth of Sergius", "Vision to the youth Bartholomew." Sergius of Radonezh. His short biography is unlikely to be able to tell about what an extraordinary person he was, how much he did for his Fatherland. Therefore, we dwelt in detail on the biography of the saint, information about which is taken mainly from the works of his disciple Epiphanius the Wise.
Thanks to a sincere and pure faith in God, despite the hardships that he had to endure.
Historians cannot determine the exact date of birth of Sergius of Radonezh, but agree on May 3, 1314 or 1319, dates that were mentioned by his biographer Epiphanius in his writings and other sources. The Russian Church literally and traditionally believes that his birthday is May 3, 1314. He was born into the family of Cyril and Mary, noble boyars in the service of the prince, in the village of Varnitsy near Rostov. The child was destined for God even before birth, because during the visit of the pregnant mother to the church, the baby in the womb screamed three times, and the priest announced to the parents that he would be the servant of the holy trinity.
At baptism, the child received the name Bartholomew and from the first days of his life he surprised those around him, became a fasting person - he did not drink his mother's milk on Wednesdays and Fridays, did not eat meat for the rest of his life. At the age of seven, his parents sent him to study, but the boy was not given a literacy, and he was very worried about this. One day he met a wandering elder, who prayed and blessed him. After this incident, his studies went easily and soon he overtook his peers and began to deeply study the Bible and the Holy Scriptures. The people around were amazed at his steadfastness and abstinence, unwillingness to participate in common games, passion for prayer and church, fasting in food.
In 1328, Bartholomew's parents, who were greatly impoverished, were forced to move to the city of Radonezh. When Stephen, his elder brother, married, they took tonsure and went to the monastery, where they died.
After the death of his parents, Bartholomew himself went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery, where his brother Stephen and his parents had already taken monastic vows. Striving to be closer to God, he left the monastery and organized a small wooden church for the ministry of the Holy Trinity, ten miles away. Stephen helped him, but, unable to withstand a difficult life full of hardships, he soon left and became abbot in Moscow at the Epiphany Monastery. After that, Abbot Mitrofan came to Bartholomew, from whom he took monastic vows and began to be called Sergius, since on this day the memory of Sergius and Bacchus was celebrated. Monks began to flock to the church, and 12 cells were built, a tyn was cut down, a monastery of monks was formed, which in 1345 finally took place as the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
The monks of the monastery did not ask for alms, but fed, at the insistence of Sergius, by their own labor, in which he was the first to set an example. Sergius himself did the hardest work with his own hands, without demanding any money for it. Once he helped Elder Danil to cut the entrance to the cell behind a sieve of rotten bread. He worked tirelessly, and the brothers were supported and inspired to overcome hardships. News of the monastery reached the Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus in Constantinople, who sent an embassy with gifts and advice, and soon after that Sergius adopted a communal rule, this example was later followed by many churches and monasteries throughout the Russian land.
With quiet and meek words, Sergius could reconcile, according to the testimony of his contemporaries, even the most ardent enemies, as he reconciled the warring Russian princes with each other, persuaded to be subordinate to the Grand Duke of Moscow. He predicted victory and blessed the hesitating prince Dmitry for the battle with Khan Mamai on the Kulikovo field and inspired Moscow Russia, which was becoming at that time. In 1389 he was called to seal the spiritually new order of succession to the throne - from father to eldest son.
The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, his brief biography is presented in many publications, and his students later founded several more monasteries and monasteries, among them the Annunciation Church on Kirzhach, Vysotsky Monastery, St. George on Klyazma, Resurrection, Ferapontov, Kirillo-Belozersky ... In total, the students founded them around 40.
Because of his lifestyle, purity of intentions and morals, Abbot Sergius was revered as a saint, miracles were available to him, thanks to the grace of God, he healed people from diseases, and once resurrected a boy who had died in the arms of his father.
Six months before his death, the monk summoned his disciples and blessed the Monk Nikon, who was the most worthy of them, to be hegumen. Death occurred on September 25, 1392. and soon after that Sergius of Radonezh was canonized. This happened during the life of people who knew him, a similar case did not happen again.
After 30 years, or rather on July 5, 1422, his incorruptible relics (not decayed or decayed bones) were found, as evidenced by many witnesses and contemporaries. This day is honored as the day of remembrance of the saint. Subsequently, in 1946, the relics in the form of bones, hair and fragments of a coarse monastic attire were transferred from the museum to the church, where they are still kept in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.