What is a miracle? “The rules of nature are conquered in You, O pure Virgin...” is sung in a church hymn for the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. That is, the ever-virginity of the Mother of God and Her Dormition, when after the end of Her earthly life She was taken with her body to heaven, are supernatural phenomena that defeat the usual laws, natural “statutes.” And any Divine miracle is an overcoming of ordinary physical laws.

But we know that the Lord Himself is the Creator and Legislator of physical statutes and it is in His power, if necessary, to abolish these laws.

Miracles are supernatural, Divine intervention in our lives.

Many of the Savior's miracles are described in the Gospel. He turned water into wine, healed the paralytic, lepers, the deaf, blind from birth, raised the dead, walked on water, prophesied and fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread. His followers, disciples - the holy apostles - also performed miracles (this is stated in the books of the New Testament). Many miracles are described in the lives of holy ascetics; almost every life tells of miracles. But both the apostles and saints performed miracles not on their own, but by the power of God. Only the Creator of laws can overcome and change these laws. You can't do anything without Me(John 15:5). But the Lord often gives His saints gifts of grace to help people and glorify the name of God.

Miracles, signs, cases of grace-filled help have been performed constantly in the history of the Church, they are performed in our time and will not stop happening until the end of the century, as long as the Church of Christ stands. But even during His earthly life, and now, the Lord does not perform miracles too often. Otherwise there will be no room for the exploit of our faith. Miracles, signs of God's power, are needed to strengthen faith, but there can never be too many of them. In addition, a miracle must be earned; it is given according to the faith of the person asking.

But there is in life Orthodox Church miracles that have been happening constantly for many centuries. They console us, strengthen us and testify to the truth of our faith. It's a miracle Holy Fire, the descent of a cloud onto Mount Tabor on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, a holy miracle Epiphany water, myrrh streaming from holy icons and relics.

And in general, isn’t the whole life of the Church one continuous miracle? When the grace of God constantly acts in the Sacraments of the Church, when at each liturgy the greatest miracle on earth occurs - the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Savior! And every Christian who has experience of prayer and spiritual life constantly feels in his life the supernatural presence of God, His strong and strong helping hand.

Three miracles from God testifying to the truth Orthodox faith

Nowadays we hear: “Why do you think that only the Orthodox faith is true? But Catholics say that their faith is true.” For our pious ancestors, such doubt was, of course, completely impossible. They knew well that the Orthodox faith was given by the Lord Himself to His apostles and preserved unchanged only in the holy Orthodox Church. It was not human vain opinions, but the signs and wonders constantly performed in our lives by the Lord that strengthened faith in our people. These signs are still happening today. But the godless press, radio and television do not talk about them, reporting any news around the clock except these, the most important ones.

Here are three of the most important signs:

Today, the forgery of many modern miracles associated with religion has already been revealed. For example, acts of secretly piercing hands to create stigmata were filmed. An examination has shown that the statue of Padre Pio, which wept blood in southern Italy, turned out to be weeping the blood of a woman, apparently from one of the believers. This fact confirmed the guess about the sources of bloody outpourings on other religious objects - the blood was simply thrown in by interested people. The Catholic Church in Australia has excluded from miracles the tears allegedly emitted by a statue of the Virgin Mary that attracted thousands of pilgrims to the area around the western city of Perth. An independent commission concluded that the “tears” were actually a mixture of vegetable and rose-scented perfume oils.

It is worth noting that according to the data of the Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia” “Sedmitsa.RU”, from 1905 to 2002 Catholic Church after studying 296 amazing phenomena claiming to be of a divine nature, she recognized only 12 of them as miracles. Orthodoxy also has a special commission “on miracles.” Most of the phenomena that claim to be a miracle are not recognized by her as divine, since the “tricks” of their occurrence are revealed.

The same applies to miracles performed by “holy” people. The famous modern Orthodox theologian Thomas Hopko (1939) in the chapter “Saints” in his book “Fundamentals of Orthodoxy” acknowledges facts of adding non-existent miracles to the list of deeds of saints:

There are many books about the “lives” of saints. They can be very useful for understanding the meaning of faith and life; they clearly express the Christian vision of God, the world and man. But since they were written in times very different from ours, it is necessary to separate the main point from minor ones, sometimes and strong embellishments. In the Middle Ages, for example, it was customary to write the lives of saints according to earlier samples, or even "customize" lives of little-known saints under the lives of their more famous predecessors. Also it was customary to attribute the most incredible and supernatural events to them in order to confirm their holiness, highlight virtues and inspire readers to imitate. In many cases, descriptions of miracles were added in order to establish the righteousness and innocence of the saints in the face of their persecutors.

Of course, through the hands of the apostles, prophets and early Christians, God performed many signs. But we are forced to question the miracles of the “holy” churches that are now popular. After all, if they are known and recognized data some forgeries, then how can you trust all other similar cases, taking into account the direct interest of the church in popularizing the cult of saints. I think that over time, other pseudo-miracles will be revealed, although historical churches do not particularly allow outside researchers and experts into these investigations.

The origin of the “tears” on some icons remains a mystery. However, it is reliably known facts should make sensible believers think. In Rus', the first mention of the myrrh-streaming icon, according to various sources, dates back to the 11th - 18th centuries. Before this, for some reason, the icons did not cry. After that - relatively rarely. And at the end of the 20th century, the icons began to tear more abundantly. At first these were isolated cases that were enthusiastically received by believers. Accordingly, pilgrims immediately gravitated towards miracles. Then the number of tearful shrines began to increase. And after that, dozens of icons burst into tears, not only wooden ones, but also plastic ones and even reproductions, photographs and photocopies, moreover, not consecrated in the church. It is already known for certain that moisture appears from above, and does not come from inside icons and other “holy” objects, which means that it may well be artificially applied there or caused by chemicals physical processes for its condensation. History even knows the fact that such a miracle was fabricated directly by the church. The man-made nature of myrrh-streaming was exposed by Peter the Great. He tore off the frame from the weeping icon and saw on the other side of the board near the eyes a thick wood oil specially placed there, which began to flow out of the holes, heating up from the burning candles. Afterwards, as described in “The Acts of Peter the Great, the Wise Transformer of Russia” (Part 7), he told those present:

Now you have all seen the reason for the imaginary tears. I have no doubt that you will talk everywhere about what you have seen with your own eyes; this will serve to prove the emptiness and to refute the stupid, and perhaps malicious interpretation of this false miracle.

The mystery of the appearance of the Holy Fire on Orthodox Easter at the tomb of God. However, this miracle has long been questioned by many people. The first mentions of it date back to the 9th century. And in the 12th century, the Muslim Ibn al-Kalanisi made an assumption about its origin:

When they are there on Easter... they hang lamps in the altar and arrange a trick so that the fire reaches them through the oil of balsam tree and devices made from it, and its property is the appearance of fire when combined with jasmine oil.

As we see, natural scientists of that time already had substances capable of causing spontaneous combustion upon interaction. Moreover, this is far from the only fiery composition known since ancient times. Self-ignition is caused by a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid with potassium permanganate powder or potassium chromate. Gilded products in ancient civilizations were made using aqua regia - a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid. Both of these acids were obtained only by the action of sulfuric acid on their salts - saltpeter and table salt. This means that sulfuric acid has been known for a long time. And potassium chromate has been used since ancient times for tanning leather, that is, it was also available to ancient chemists.

There are other interesting testimonies about the miracle of the Holy Fire. The famous Orthodox orientalist scholar, Bishop Porfiry (Uspensky) of Chigirin (1804-1885) in his work “The Book of My Genesis” spoke about a certain hierodeacon Gregory, who, having climbed into the chapel of the tomb at the time when, according to common belief, the Holy Fire descended, saw with horror that the fire is lit simply by a lamp hidden there. In the same book, Porfiry cites a story heard from the lips of Metropolitan Dionysius, who, according to him, witnessed the confession of the viceroy of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Metropolitan Misail, that in the edicule he lights a fire from a lamp hidden behind a moving marble icon of the Resurrection of Christ.

As for the non-burning properties of fire, there is a simple explanation for this miracle. Chemists are well aware of the so-called cold fire. It burns many organic and inorganic acids. The temperature of such combustion depends on the concentration of ether in the air and heat exchange conditions. You can wipe your body with burning ether, and its cloud can easily move in space, since it is heavier than air. That is, you can make “special” candles in advance and then sell them to visitors (in the temple they offer to light bundles of candles of 33 pieces, which are sold nearby). Naturally, the ether burns out quickly, so the “miracle” can only last for a short time. Next, the “magic” fire acquires ordinary properties burn everything he touches. Naturally, these comments are not particularly popular and therefore are not known to the general public. The miracle of the Holy Fire can be tested by lighting the candle you brought with you from it after the event and touching the flame with your hand.

But perhaps the most serious evidence against the miracle of the Holy Fire is the mystery of its appearance. Why does the church not allow independent experts to record the fact of a miracle? Why would God hide His power? If the Lord, for some reason, gives this sign every year, then He will immediately “wipe the nose” of those who doubt it. Indeed, under the prophet Elijah, the Lord revealed His Glory by sending fire onto an altar filled with water, in the presence of hundreds of witnesses (see 1 Kings 18:32-38).

I think now it wouldn’t hurt to remind you that a miracle can have different “sources”: God and the devil. After all, Satan can counterfeit the miracles of God. Therefore, the Apostle John warned people in the book of Revelation:

He (the beast - author's note)... creates great signs, so that fire brings down from heaven to earth before people. AND miracles which it was given to him to do... he deceives those who live on the earth (Rev. 13:12-14).

Answer the question for yourself: “Why does God need such miracles - tears, fire, etc., because they only increase interest in holy things, showing neither the wisdom nor the love of the Lord?” But such miracles play into the hands of the evil one, since they distract people from Alive God, who is always near (see Ps. 32:13,15, Ps. 139:3,5, Acts 17:27, Ps. 15:8, 1 Chron. 28:9), His wise law, guiding them attention to dead shrines.

And the third source of miracle, as we have seen, is man. He, as we know, is also interested in preserving and increasing miracles.

I would like to end this section by repeating objective facts:

1. The Old Testament prohibits the veneration of idols, images and service to them.
2. During the Old Testament times, shrines were not worshiped.
3. In Old Testament times there was only one temple on earth, and all the shrines “belonged” only to it. In different cities, believers did not have shrines and did not keep them in their homes.
4. No one entered the Old Testament temple except the priests - the Levites from the family of Aaron. No one but them saw the temple utensils, including the ark. According to God's law, even if moving was necessary, all items in the sanctuary were carefully wrapped before being removed from it.
5. The service in the Old Testament church was not similar to the modern one. It was short-lived: adding oil to the seven-branched candlestick, burning incense before the veil of the Holy of Holies, laying on the showbread.
6. Jews never revered the bones of dead “saints” as miraculous, did not paint images of the prophets, did not make pilgrimages to holy places - only to Jerusalem in fulfillment of the Law of Moses on established holidays and for sacrifice;
7. New Testament prohibits any worship of idols.
8. There is no archaeological data or written evidence confirming the veneration of images and shrines by the first Christians (1st century - first half of the 4th century).
9. The popularity of shrines began to grow rapidly after the transformation of Christianity into the state religion in the 4th century, when large masses of pagans were voluntarily and forcibly evangelized.
10. There is no archaeological data or written evidence of the 1st century. - the beginning of the 4th century, confirming the presence of churches or buildings reminiscent of them among Christians at that time. Christians began to build temples as places of worship in the 4th century after the exaltation of the church and its ministers in connection with the transition under the wing of the state. Before this, Christians held meetings in private properties, houses of worship and catacombs.
11. Representatives of Orthodoxy, as we mentioned in the chapter “Images in the Bible and the houses of worship of the first Christians,” themselves admit that the earliest, the works of “wall” Christian fine art that have survived to this day are the paintings of the catacombs. And their style is far from iconography.
12. The first Christians used “wall” images in the same way as they were used in the Old Testament sanctuary - only for decoration.
13. The icons allegedly belonging to the Evangelist Luke are not submitted for public examination to independent experts in order to confirm their age. At the same time, in style and method of production, they are very different from ancient fine art of the first centuries of our era.
14. Christians of the first centuries (2nd century - first half of the 4th century), in numerous theological works and correspondence, called the veneration of images, shrines and the construction of temples as religious buildings purely pagan customs and considered it impossible to use these forms of worship in Christianity.

Municipal educational institution
"Koloskovskaya secondary school"

Valuysky district, Belgorod region

Appendix 2

to the work program

by academic subject

“Orthodox culture” FKGOS

(basic general level)

Forms and controls

To work program

by academic subject

"Orthodox culture"

(a basic level of)

FKGOS (basic general level)

5-9 grades

teachers of Orthodox culture

I qualification category

Zherlitsyna

Inna Vasilievna

1. academic year

FORMS AND MEANS OF CONTROL.

Forms of current controlknowledge, abilities, skills (in accordance with the Regulations on the ongoing control of students in educational institution), intermediate and final certification of students– tests, independent work, training tests, computer control of knowledge, questionnaires, Olympiads, creative works of competitions and exhibitions.

The predominant forms of current and intermediate control of knowledge, skills and abilities: oral and test, as well as completing projects and research assignments, writing essays, preparing and defending abstracts.

6TH GRADE

• To carry out control work - 3 hours;

See the text in the guide to lesson planning of material when organizing the study of the subject “Orthodox Culture” in grades 5-6 / T. V. Ryzhova. - Ulyanovsk: INFOFOND, 2006.

Test on chapter 2. “The Baptism of Rus'.” Pages 92, 101.

Test for Chapter 3. “Beginning” Slavic writing" Page 129.

Final test for the 6th grade course. Page 131.

• To conduct a defense lesson creative projects- 2 hours:

For topics of creative projects, see the guide to lesson planning of material when organizing the study of the subject “Orthodox Culture” in grades 5-6 / T. V. Ryzhova. - Ulyanovsk: INFOFOND, 2006

Creative projects based on the chapter “The Baptism of Rus'”. Page 106.

Creative projects for chapter 3. “The beginning of Slavic writing.” Page 115; p.123: p.128; p.130.

7TH GRADE

To carry out control work - 6 hours.

See the text of the tests in the manual for lesson planning of material when organizing the study of the subject “Orthodox Culture” in grades 7-8 / T. V. Ryzhova. - Ulyanovsk: INFOFOND, 2006.

Test to test knowledge of the contents of the books of the Old Testament - page 24

Test to test knowledge of the contents of the books of the New Testament - page 34;

Test on the chapter: “Holy Scripture” - page 46;

Test: “The Word” as a genre of ancient Russian literature” - page 56.

Test: “Life" as a genre of ancient Russian literature" - p.65.

Final test for the 7th grade course - page 67.

To conduct a lesson on protecting creative projects - 4 hours. Tasks on pp. 35 – 36.

8TH GRADE

• to carry out control work – 7 hours;

Text in the guide to lesson planning of material when organizing the study of the subject “Orthodox Culture” in grades 7 – 8 / T. V. Ryzhova. - Ulyanovsk: INFOFOND, 2006., p. 99; p. 104; p. 106; p.115; p.123.

To conduct a lesson on defending abstracts - 2 hours.

9TH GRADE

5 hours are allotted for carrying out control work;

See the text in the guide to lesson planning of material when organizing the study of the subject “Orthodox Culture” in grades 5-6 / T. V. Ryzhova. - Ulyanovsk: INFOFOND, 2006.,;

Chapter test. “History of the Christian Temple” - p. 28;

Test on the chapter: “Orthodox Church” - p.62.

Test on the chapter: “Orthodox Church” - p.87.

Chapter test. “Temple architecture of Rus'” - page 148.

Final test for the 9th grade course - page 149.

Grade 6 Sample text of the entrance test

1. Which of the Russian princes was the first to be baptized and in what year?

2. About what events related to the Baptism of Rus' is the proverb “I baptized Putyata with the sword, and Dobrynya with fire” preserved?

3.What name did Prince Vladimir receive at baptism?

4. On what material and in what script was the Ostromir Gospel written?

5.What title is included in the headband frame of the first page of the Ostromir Gospel?

6.Which temple received its second name after the Moscow holy fool? In honor of what Orthodox holiday was this temple consecrated?

7.What icon Mother of God became a symbol of what Mother of God especially favors Rus' and takes Rus' under His protection? What signs indicate this?

8. List all known names, signs for writing Russian notes

9. What miracle was associated with the deliverance of the Novgorodians from the capture of the city?

Suzdalians?

Task I. Name it in one word or phrase.

1. The most important of multi-day posts.
2. The general name for the twelve most important holidays after Easter.
3. The highest clergy in the Russian Orthodox Church.
4. An oil lamp lit in front of the icons.

Task II. Call it something else.

1. Boiled wheat or other grains, sweetened with honey or sugar.
2. An elevated semicircular place opposite the Royal Doors, protruding into the center of the temple.
3. A large bowl-shaped vessel used for baptism of infants.

Task III. Name it in one word or phrase.

1. A king or prince who did a lot to strengthen Orthodoxy and was canonized.
2. A solemn service during which the newly elected Patriarch is enthroned.
3. Third Sunday of Great Lent.
4. Festive joyful ringing of all bells with short breaks.

Task IV. Write out the twelve holidays from the listed holidays.

Light Christ's Resurrection, Nativity of Christ, Baptism of the Lord, Ascension of the Lord, Pentecost, Circumcision of the Lord, Presentation of the Lord, Transfiguration of the Lord, Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Beheading of John the Baptist, Exaltation Holy Cross, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Task V. Find synonyms for words and expressions.

1. Epiphany.
2. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
3. Cheese week.

1. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is the first preacher of Christian teaching in the lands of the Slavic tribes. 2. Prince Vladimir’s first attempt to unite Slavic tribes. 3. How Prince Vladimir chose a new faith for Rus'. 4. Baptism of Prince Vladimir 5. History of the baptism of Kyiv. 6. History of the baptism of Novgorod. 7. The story of the holy princes Boris and Gleb 8. “The Tale of Boris and Gleb”Sample Topics abstracts on the topic “The beginning of Slavic writing”1. Holy Scripture and its books 2. Psalter - a book of the Old Testament 3. Ostromir Gospel - the oldest dated book in Cyrillic

7th grade Sample text of the entrance test

1.Who is Nightingale?

2. In what city was Prince Vladimir baptized?

3. From what historical source is it known to receive baptism?

4.Who was taught to read and write in the first schools opened by Prince Vladimir?

5.Which of the sons of Prince Vladimir owns the phrase “I will not raise my hand against my elder brother”?

6.What is the name of the most famous Russian monastery, founded by decree of Yaroslav the Wise?

7. In what city were the creators of Slavic writing born?

8.Where was the first Russian metropolitan appointed by Yaroslav the Wise from?

9.What signs served as a model for writing Cyrillic letters?

10. What is the name of the oldest dated book written in Cyrillic?

1.Which star showed the wise men the way to the birthplace of Jesus?a) Jerusalem b) Polar c) Bethlehem2. Who baptized Jesus Christ?a) John the Theologian b) Joshua c) John the Baptist3. Who became the leader of the Jewish people after Moses?a) Joshua b) Isaac c) David4. Why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? a) God helped Egypt b) God punished Abraham c) the inhabitants of these cities were terrible sinners5. Whose son was Isaac?a) Solomon b) Abraham c) David6. For what great sacrifice did God call Abraham the father of all who believe?a) for the love of God, Abraham did not spare his only sonb) Abraham led the Jewish people from Egypt through the desert c) for the love of God, Abraham asked to burn Sodom and Gomorrah7. What name did God Himself give to Himself and by which it can be called, but not mentioned in vain?a) Existing b) Holy c) Strong8. In which river was Jesus Christ baptized?a) Nile b) Jordan c) Euphrates9. Whose grandson was Joseph?a) Noah b) Isaac c) Abraham10. What is the meaning of the Incarnation?a) God showed people that He exists b) The Lord took on human form to be with people and teach them the truth of God11. Who brought the good news to the Virgin Mary?a) Archangel Gabriel b) Archangel Michael c) Guardian Angel12. Which terrible sin did Cain do?a) murder of brother b) mockery of parents c) abandonment of God13. What was the name of the third son of Adam and Eve?a) Seth b) Shem c) Ham14. What happened after Noah entered the Ark?a) a hurricane arose b) it rained c) lightning flashed15. What was the name of the son of Noah, whose descendant was Abraham? a) Jonah b) Japheth c) Shem 16. Which son did Noah curse for mocking his father?a) Ham b) Isaac c) Shem17. What “catchphrase” expressions and names of biblical heroes, which have become common nouns, originate in the Gospel?a) Thomas the unbeliever b) Judas c) break bread

18. How do Orthodox Christians usually call the Mother of God?a) Madonna b) Queen of Heaven c) Heavenly Intercessor19. What “catchphrase” expressions and names of biblical heroes, which have become common nouns, originate in the Old Testament?a) Pandemonium of Babel b) Hamc) break bread20. Indicate all the names that John the Baptist is calleda) prophet b) John c) Forerunner21. How many commandments did God give to Moses on Mount Sinai? a) 9 b) 10 c) 11 22. Indicate the names of the following unions of God and people

A) the union of God and the Jewish people 1) New Testament

B) the union of Jesus Christ with people 2) Old Testament

Sample test text on the topic

"The Word" as a genre of ancient Russian literature"1. The “Sermon on Law and Grace” is a laudatory ode to which Kyiv prince? 2. Provide names Kyiv princes, which are mentioned both in “Zadonshchina” and in “The Tale of the Destruction of the Russian Land” 3 What birds does the author of “Zadonshchina” compare Russian squads with? 4. Which work is the following quotation from? “You are filled with everything, Russian land, oh, true Christian faith!” 5. Which of the Russian princes is the main character of “Zadonshchina”?

Sample test text on the topic

"Life as a genre of ancient Russian literature."1. What was the main Christian feat performed by the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky?2. For what great purpose did Prince Alexander Nevsky decide to submit to the Horde?3. Who is considered the author of the Life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky?4. What miracle was revealed to Pelugius before the battle between Alexander Nevsky and the Swedes? What significance did this have for the prince and his squad?5. The author of “The Life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky” compares the victory in what battle with the victory of Joshua during the capture of Jeriahon?6. What is told in “The Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh”?

Sample text of the final test

1. Indicate the name of the son of Noah, whose family laid the foundation for the Orthodox Russian people, as mentioned in “Zadonshchina” Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovicha) Shem b) Japheth c) Seth d) Ham2. Between which two rivers did the battle between the Russian princely squads and the troops of Mamai take place?a) Don and Kayala b) Don and Oka c) Don and Dnieper d) Kalka and Don3. What is another name for the Mamaev Massacre?a) Battle of Kalka

b) Battle of Kulikovo

c) Battle of Zalesskaya

d) Battle on the ice

4. What birds does the author of “Zadonshchina” compare Russian squads with?Please indicate all correct options a) with falcons b) with gyrfalcons c) with geese d) with Belozersk hawks d) with swans 5. The names of which of the listed works of ancient Russian literature begin with the words “The Lay of...”?a) “...Boris and Gleb” b) “...Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and about his brother Prince Vladimir Andreevich, how they defeated their adversary Tsar Mamai” V ) "...Igor's regiment" G) “...the destruction of the Russian land”6. Match the name ancient Russian work, belonging to the “Word” genre, and its main character

7. Why did Alexander Nevsky decide to abandon the patronage of the Livonian Order in the fight against the Mongol-Tatars? A) Khan of the Golden Horde promised Alexander Nevsky land and wealth b) the prince hoped to defeat the Mongol-Tatars himself and gain all the glory and wealth V) the knights of the Livonian Order asked for too much money for their help G) the prince wanted to preserve the Orthodox faith in Rus'8. Which metropolitan did Alexander Nevsky listen to when deciding to submit to the Horde? A) Metropolitan Hilarion b) Metropolitan Kirill V) Metropolitan Alexy G) Metropolitan Peter d) Metropolitan Cyprian9. From which work of ancient Russian literature is the following quotation given: “I went through countries and peoples and did not see such a king among kings, nor a prince among princes”?a) “The Word on Law and Grace” b) Life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky" V) "The Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh"d) “The Word about the destruction of the Russian land” d) “Zadonshchina” 10. Mark the heroes of the Old Testament mentioned by the author of “The Life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky” a) King Samson b) Prophet Moses

c) the prophet Isaiah

d) King David

e) the forefather of the Israeli people Joseph

11. Indicate the names of the Russian saints who appeared at sea to the Izhora elder Pelugius, according to the text “Lives of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky" A) Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker b) Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir V) holy passion-bearer Gleb G) holy passion-bearer Boris d) Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious12. Indicate events related to the life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky A) before an important battle he was blessed by St. Sergius of Radonezh himself b) defeated Svyatopolk the Accursed V) for the sake of preservation Orthodox Rus' did not accept the patronage of the Livonian Order G) in an important battle received Divine help from the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb13. Name it in one word or phrase. 1. Eastern, main part of the temple.2. A place in the temple intended for the choir and readers.3. The twelfth holiday of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on January 19.4. The main service at which the sacrament of Holy Communion is performed.14.Call it something else.1. A special solemn service performed in the evening on holidays and Sundays.2. A priest belonging to the first, lower, degree of clergy. 3.Candlesticks made of two and three candles, used in bishop’s services. 4. Canonization.15.Name the one-day fasts (explain why they were established) and multi-day fasts (the name of the fast and the date of the fast).

Sample topics for essays on the topic “The Bible is the main book of Christianity”

1. The Bible about the creation of the world and the first people. The theme of sin and repentance in the biblical story before Noah. 2. The Old Testament story of the life of Noah. It reflects the eternal themes of children’s love for their parents and the atonement of human sins. Analysis of the development of these themes in the Laws of the Old and New Testaments. 3. The Bible about the life history of Abraham, the forefather of the Jewish people. Analysis of the events of his life related to the prototypes of the Trinity and Jesus Christ. 4. The Old Testament story about the life of Joseph. Joseph is a prototype of Jesus Christ 5. The life and purpose of Moses. The manifestation of God's help in the salvation of the Jewish people through the deeds of Moses is the highest proof of God's love for people. This theme continues in the New Testament. 6. The Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, the history of their giving by God, the meaning of the commandments. Illustrative examples biblical history. Consequences of violating biblical commandments. 7. The Bible about the history of the acquisition of the first temple by the Jewish people: the path from the tabernacle to Solomon’s temple. God’s direction in the process of forming the architectural appearance and interior design of the temple. Similarities and differences between Solomon's temple and the tabernacle. 8. History of the reign of David. Which of the Ten Commandments did David break, and how did God tell him about it? How David deserved God's request (quote 3 - 4 psalms of David). 9. History of the reign of Solomon. The main work of Solomon's life. For what qualities did Solomon go down in the history of all mankind? 10. The Bible about the Old Testament prophets Jeremiah, Micah, Zechariah, Ezekiel. When and how their prophecies came true in the history of the New Testament. 11. The Bible about the prophet Isaiah, when and how his prophecies came true in New Testament history. 12. The Bible about the life story of the prophet Elijah and his exploits. The miracle of the prophet Elijah, similar to what Jesus Christ would later perform. 13. The Bible about the life, exploits and prophecies of Daniel. When and how did his predictions come true?Approximate topics for essays on works of ancient Russian literature in the genres of “Words” and Lives1. “The Sermon on the Law in Grace” as an example of a laudatory and philosophical speech about the meaning of the existence of Orthodox Rus'. 2. Reflection of the genre features of the “Word” in “Zadonshchina” and “The Word of Law and Grace” 3. Reflection in “Zadonshchina” of patriotism and the high responsibility of the Russian people for the fate of Orthodox Rus'. 4. “Prologue Life of Saint Olga” as an example of the life of pre-Mongol Rus'. 5. “The Life of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky” as an example of the life of the new holy hero.

8th grade Sample text of the entrance test

1. Who became the leader of the Jewish people after Moses?a) Lazarus b) Joshua c) Isaac d) David2. How many commandments did God give to Moses on Mount Sinai?a) five b) seven c) ten3. Indicate for each Jewish king his act:

4. What “catchphrase” expressions and names of biblical heroes, which have become common nouns, originate in the Old Testament? a) Unbeliever Thomas b) Judas c) Sodom and Gomorrah d) manna from heaven e) I wash my hands f) break bread g) Babel h) Boor 5. Which star showed the wise men the way to the birthplace of Jesus? a) Jerusalem b) Bethlehem c) Polar 6. Who brought the good news to the Virgin Mary? a) Archangel Michael b) Archangel Gabriel c) Guardian Angel d) Elizabeth 7. How do Orthodox Christians usually call the Mother of God? List all options. a) Virgin Mary b) Holy Mother of God c) Madonna d) Queen of Heaven e) Heavenly Intercessor8. Who baptized Jesus Christ? a) Joshua b) John the Theologian c) John the Baptist 9. In which river was Jesus Christ baptized? a) Euphrates b) Jordan c) Nile 10. How many disciples did Jesus Christ have? a) Two b) Seven c) Twelve

11. Indicate the names of the apostles whose gospels are included in the New Testament a) Mark b) Matthew c) Luke d) Peter 12. Indicate all the names by which John the Baptist is called a) saint b) Forerunner c) prophet d) Theologian e) John 13.Indicate the names of the following unions of God and people

14. Indicate for each apostle his act

15. Arrange the names of the heroes of the Old Testament in accordance with the position they occupied in Biblical history

Abraham, David, Daniel, Jacob, Jonah, Elijah, Isaac, Isaiah, Samson, Samuel, Solomon.

Sample text of an intermediate test

1.Select from the proposed list the only definition related to the works of Old Russian literary genre"Tale":a) they served educational purposes, b) they are, in fact, patriotic appeals, c) they describe historical events

2. Which ruler did Khan Akhmat enter into an agreement with, wanting to conquer Rus'?a) with the Polish king Casimir IV, b) with Prince Andrei Vasilyevich the Lesser, c) with Prince Mstislav of Chernigov3. What miracle that put the Tatars to flight happened on the Ugra?a) an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and killed many thousands of Khan’s soldiersb) The Most Holy Theotokos showed Her heavenly intercession, sending fear to the Horde khan, c) by God’s will, the Tatar army fell through the ice4. Which Russian prince is the hero of “The Tale of Standing on the Ugra”?a) Ivan the Terrible, b) Alexander Nevsky, c) Ivan III Vasilievich 5. Which of the listed ancient Russian works describes the history of the origin of Slavic writing and the formation of the Russian state?a) “The Tale of Temir-Aksak”, b) “Tale of the Temporary years ", c) "The Tale of Standing on the Ugra"6. From which ancient Russian work is this passage taken: “Then the glorious miracle of the Most Pure Mother of God happened: when our Tatars retreated from the shore, thinking that the Russians were giving them the shore in order to fight them, they fled, overcome with fear”?a) from “The Tale of the Standing on the Ugra”, b) from “The Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River”c) from “The Tale of Bygone Years”7. Which ancient Russian work describes the events that marked the beginning of the liberation of Rus' from the Mongol-Tatar yoke?a) in the “Tale of the Standing on the Ugra”, b) in the “Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River”c) in “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”8. From which ancient Russian work is the following passage taken: “And Mstislav began to ask his brothers, the Russian princes, saying: “If we, brothers, do not help the Polovtsians, then they will surrender to the Tatars and from that their strength will increase.” And so, having thought a lot about themselves, the princes set off on their journey at the request and prayer of the Polovtsian princes”?a) from “The Tale of Temir-Aksak”, b) from “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”, c)from "The Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River"9. Which ancient Russian work of the “Tale” genre describes the event that determined the legal end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Rus'?a) in the “Tale of Temir-Aksak”, b) in the “Tale of the Standing on the Ugra”, c) in the “Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River”10. The names of which of the listed works of ancient Russian literature begin with the word “Tale...”?a) “...of the times”, b) “...about Igor’s campaign”, c) “...about the battle on the Kalka River”

11. Indicate for each of the listed Golden Horde leaders a work of ancient Russian literature telling about the events associated with them:a) “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”, 1. Mamaib) “The Tale of Temir-Aksak”, 2. Temir-Aksakc) “The Tale of Standing on the Ugra” 3. Akhmat

12. How does the author of “The Tale of Temir-Aksak” translate the name of this conqueror into Russian?a) Lame blacksmith, b) Iron Lame, c) Lame Timur13. To whom did Prince Dmitry Donskoy come for a blessing on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo? A) To St. Sergius Radonezh, b) to Metropolitan Kirill of Moscow, c) to Archbishop Vassian of Rostov14. Which Russian prince is the hero of “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”?a) Ivan the Terrible, b) Dmitry Donskoy, c) Alexander Nevsky15. What is the role of Khan Mengla-Girey in the confrontation between Rus' and the union of the Horde and Poland?a) Mengli-Girey became a secret ally of Rus', prevented the Polish-Lithuanian troops from joining the Tatars on the Ugra, b) Mengli-Girey was the leader of the Golden Horde army in the campaign against Rus', c) Mengli-Girey’s warriors were the first to flee from the Ugra16.Which Russian saint did Prince Vasilko of Rostov consider his patron and protector of Rus'? 1. Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky2. holy martyr and passion-bearer blessed prince Gleb 3. Holy Martyr and Passion-Bearer Prince Boris 4. Saint Theodosius of Pechersk17. Which of the listed ancient Russian works tells about the miracle performed by the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God? 1. in "The Tale of Boris and Gleb" 2. in “The Tale of the Invasion of Edigei” 3. in “The Tale of the Murder in the Horde of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov and his boyar Theodore18. Who was Princess Maria Mikhailovna of Rostov related to Prince Vasilko Konstantinovich of Rostov, who accepted martyrdom for the Orthodox faith?19. Who was Princess Maria Mikhailovna of Rostov related to Prince Mikhail of Chernigov, who suffered martyrdom for the Orthodox faith?a) mother b) wife c) sister d) daughter

20. Who compiled the first version of the “Tale”, which tells about the martyrdom of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov and his boyar Theodore for the Orthodox faith?a) the Venerable Princess Euphrosyne of Suzdal, daughter of the blessed princeb) Princess Maria Mikhailovna of Rostov, daughter of the noble princec) Prince Boris of Rostov, grandson of the noble prince

Sample text of a test on the topic “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” - the oldest historical document of Rus'.”

1. What the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” says: “The sun crossed his path with darkness; the night woke up with the groans of a pile of birds; the animal whistle has risen? 2. As in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” we can trace a single theme of the meaning of human life in world history, characteristic of all ancient Russian literature. 3. Which princes does the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” appeal to to unite to help Prince Igor? 4. What was the relationship between Prince Igor and Khan Konchak in reality? 5. Restore the text of the appeal of the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” “Join, ..., in ... stirrups for ... this ..., for the land ..., for ... Igor, the violent ....”

Sample text of a test on the topic “Singing the image of the Russian land by the author of the Lay.”

1. How does the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” emphasize the vastness of the Russian land? How did this relate to the strengthening of the description in the Lay of the greatness and power of the Russian princes? 2. What words of the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” show that the prince’s squad goes into battle against the Polovtsians not for the Novgorod-Seversk principality, but for the entire Russian land? 3. Prove that “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign is a passionate patriotic appeal for the unification of all Russian principalities.

Testing

1. Which ancient Russian work describes the events that marked the beginning of the liberation of Rus' from the Mongol-Tatar yoke:

A) in “The Tale of the Kalka River”;

B) in “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”;

B) in “The Tale of Temir-Aksak”;

D) in “The Tale of Standing on the Ugra”

2 . What Christian custom, inappropriate for a Christian, did the noble prince Mikhail of Chernigov not want to perform, preferring martyrdom?

A) accept the “label” from the hands of the khan;

B) taste food and drink from the khan’s table;

C) worship pagan gods;

D) bow to the Horde Khan.

3. Select from the list a definition related to works of ancient Russian literature

Genre "Story":

A) they served educational purposes;

B) these are, in essence, patriotic appeals;

C) they describe historical events.

4 . Indicate the true main character of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”:

A) Prince Igor Svyatoslavich;

B) Russian land;

B) Prince Svyatoslav of Kyiv.

5. What feelings, according to the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” should evoke in readers?

The image of a suffering Motherland?

A) sympathy for the Motherland;

B) hatred of the enemies of the Motherland;

C) the desire to defend the Motherland.

6 . Which of the following works' titles begin with the word "Tale"?

A) “... about the battle on the Kalka River”;

B) “... temporary years”;

B) “... about Igor’s Campaign”;

D) “... Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky”;

D) “... about Law and Grace.”

7. To establish a correspondence between the names of the Golden Horde leaders and the products

Niami of ancient Russian literature, telling about events associated with them:

A) Mamai; “The Tale of Standing on the Ugra”;

B) Temir - Aksak; “The Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”;

B) Akhmat; "The Tale of Temir-Aksak."

8. Indicate the name of the Horde Khan, to whom Prince Mikhail of Chernigov went to the Horde

With boyar Theodore:

A) Akhmat; D) Batu;

B) Edygei; D) Mamai.

B) Temir - Aksak;

9. Match historical events and dates:

A) Battle of Kulikovo; -1240;

B) Standing on the Ugra; -1380;

B) Battle of the Kalka River; -1480.

10 . Insert the missing words into the text of “The Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River”:

“________ _ is __________ from the Dnieper River, and no one knows where _____ came from and where

____________: God knows, ___ _____ came to ____ for _______ ours.”

Words: turned, Tatars, they, where they disappeared from, sins, us.

11 . On which river did the Polovtsians meet with Prince Igor’s squad?

A) Dnieper;

B) Volga;

B) Kayala;

D) Kalka.

12 . Which saint blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo?

13 . Note all aspects of life described by the author in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, thanks to which this work is an amazing historical source:

A) the relationship between husband and wife;

B) the relationship between the prince and the squad;

C) the relationship between the prisoner and the rulers;

D) father-son relationship.

14 . To establish a correspondence between parts of proverbs and sayings of the late 17th-18th centuries, in which the moral influence of Svyatoslav’s “Izbornik” of 1076 can be traced:

A) Do not seek wisdom - seek meekness;

B) curbing anger - and living as God commands;

C) If you don’t live the way you want, you’ll lose your mind.

15. From which ancient Russian work is this passage taken: “Then the glorious miracle of the Most Pure Mother of God happened: when our people retreated from the shore, the Tatars, thinking that the Russians were giving them the shore to fight, overwhelmed with fear, ran away”?

A) from “The Tale of Temir-Aksak”;

B) from “The Tale of the Battle of the Kalka River”;

B) from “The Tale of Bygone Years”;

D) from “The Tale of Standing on the Ugra”.

16. Which prince transferred the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God from Kyiv to Vladimir?

A) Yaroslav the Wise;

B) Andrey Bogolyubsky;

B) Vladimir Monomakh;

D) Vladimir Red Sun.

17 .Insert the missing words and restore the excerpt from “The Tale of the Miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God”:

“Upon his arrival in ____________, the noble prince ________ created __________ in the name of the Most Holy _______________, decorating it with appropriate __________. And placed it in it miraculous icon Our Most Holy Lady ______________

Words to the text: church, Vladimir, honor, Andrey, Mother of God.

18 . What "three" good deeds, according to the “Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh,” should one defeat one’s enemies?

A) virtue, respect for elders, hard work;

B) prayer, abstinence, brotherly love;

C) repentance, tears, alms;

D) seclusion, monasticism, fasting.

19. Indicate the date of the Battle of Kulikovo.

20 . What century's events are described in “The Tale of Igor's Campaign”?

Sample text of the final test

1. List distinctive features ancient Russian story. What do you know about the history of the development of this genre in Rus'? 2. What miracle performed by the main Christian shrine of Rus' - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God - is mentioned in the “Tale of Temir-Aksaken”? 3. What Christian feat did Prince Mikhail of Chernigov accomplish? When and why did this new ideal for Russian religious consciousness take shape in Rus'? 4. How does the author describe the reign of Prince Vasily Dmitrievich in “The Tale of the Invasion of Edygei”? 5. How does the author of “The Tale of the Miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God” describe the story of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky’s choice of the icon of the Mother of God, which he took with him to the new capital? 6. What words of the biblical king David does the author of “The Tale of the Invasion of Edygei” mention when describing the feelings of the inhabitants of besieged Moscow?

7. How does the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” convey his attitude towards the Russian princes he talks about? 8. How, according to Domostroy, should children treat their parents? What awaits them for failure to comply with the rules prescribed by Domostroy?

Sample topics for essays on the topic “The variety of genres of ancient Russian literature”

1. General and distinctive features of legends and other genres of Old Russian literature 2. Identification in “the miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God” a common feature of Old Russian literature for all genres, emphasizing the divine nature of the events and miracles described 3. The image of the new Martyrs for Christian faith(using the example of “The Tale of the Murder of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov and his Boyar Theodore in Orel”). 4. Chronology of miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in works of ancient Russian literature of various genres.

Grade 9 Sample text of the entrance test

1.Which year was declared by UNESCO as the year of celebration of the 800th anniversary of the outstanding monument of world literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”? a) 1988 b) 1984 c) 1986 d) 1985 2. When, according to experts, was “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” written? A) between 1184 and 1187 b) between 1185 and 1187 V) between 1185 and 1189 G) between 1183 and 11853.Indicate the name of the prince whose campaign is described in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” a) Igor Olgovich b) Igor son of Svyatoslav Olgovich V) Igor Yaroslavich son of Yaroslav the Wise G) Igor is the son of Rurik, Olga's husband4. The events of what century are described in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”? a) X b) IX c) XII d) XI 5. Choose the correct statement: the brilliant author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” with his story A) preserved for us the life story of one of the most famous Russian princes, who made a significant contribution to the formation of the Russian state b) showed one of the most significant battles for Russian history V) turned a military defeat of the prince, insignificant in Russian history, into a huge spiritual victory6. On what river did the Polovtsy meet with Prince Igor’s squad? a) Kalka b) Kayala c) Dnieper d) Volga 7. Note all aspects of life described by the author in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, thanks to which this work is an amazing historical source A) relationship between husband and wife b) relationship between prince and squad V) father and son relationship G) relationship between the prisoner and his masters8. Indicate the names of the princes with whom Prince Igor went on a campaign A) Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich b) Prince Vsevolod Svyatoslavich V) Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich G) Prince Vsevolod Olgovich9. Indicate the true main character of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” A) Prince Svyatoslav of Kyiv b) Prince Igor Svyatoslavich c) Russian land 10. Indicate all the means by which the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” emphasizesa) the vastness of the Russian land

b) simultaneity of action in different parts of it

c) the unprecedented speed of movement of the characters along it

d) the power of the prince-heroes of the “Slovo”

14. List everything that for the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” is included in the concept of “Motherland” a) Russian people b) the nature of Rus' c) the geography of Rus' d) the history of Rus' 15. What feelings, according to the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” should the image of the suffering Motherland evoke in the reader? A) hatred of the enemies of the Motherland b) desire to defend the Motherland from external enemies V) sympathy for the Motherland16. About the reign of which prince the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” recalls with bitterness, recalling the beginning of fragmentation single state Russian and the beginning of princely civil strife and discord? A)Vladimir Vsevolodovichb)Oleg SvyatoslavichV)Boris Vyacheslavich17. Insert the missing words and restore the text of the appeal of the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” to the warring Russian princes about the need to unite them for the good of Rus'

__________________ all grandchildren and_________________________ !

Incline ________________ their,____________________________ sheath your swords___________________ , because_______________ you are the glory______________ . You are your own_________________________ started to direct_____________ to the ground_____________ , on________________ Vseslav. Because of__________________ it's come______________ from the earth______________________ !

Sample text of an intermediate test

1. Which king of the Jews moved the tabernacle to Jerusalem?A)Solomonb)DavidV)HerodG)Nebuchadnezzar2. By order of which king was the first Temple of Jerusalem destroyed?A)Davidb)TitaV)HerodG)Nebuchadnezzar3. On what day, by a strange coincidence, were both the first and second Jerusalem temples destroyed?A)10 Septemberb)10 AugustV)July 10G)June 10th

4. In which of the underground Christian churches weren't there separate altars?A)in chapels b)in crypts5. In which of the underground Christian churches did women pray separately from men?A)in chapels b)in crypts6.Who established the rite of the sign of the cross?A)Jesus Christb)holy apostlesV)World Council7. What does a Christian attract when performing the sign of the cross?A)grace of the Mother of Godb)grace of the Holy SpiritV)grace of Jesus Christ8. What do bows mean?A)humility of man and giving honor to the Majesty of Godb)reflection of sinful temptations and passions9. Where did the custom of putting candles in churches come to Rus'?A)from Jerusalemb)from RomeV)from Greece10. Who and to whom ordered to build a lamp of pure gold with seven lamps in the temple of God?a) Jesus Christ to the apostles b) God the Father to Moses c) God the Father to the apostles d) Jesus Christ to Moses11. Who does the light of the candles in the temple symbolize?a) Holy Spirit b) Jesus Christ after the Ascension c) God the Father12. What does the burning of a wax candle in an Orthodox church symbolize?a) transformation of earthly man into a new being under the influence of the fire and warmth of Divine love b) sacrifice to God13. Who established the ritual of consecrating water?a) John the Baptist b) Jesus Christ c) John the Theologian14.What is prosphora?A)consecrated bread for the all-night vigilb)consecrated bread for liturgy15. What do the parts of the prosphora symbolize?a) the physical and spiritual principles in man b)The Divine and Human Essence of Jesus Christ

16. Fill in the missing words.They are called catacombs______________ , in which______________ during times of persecution______________ their dead,________________ from persecution and _______________worship. The term "____________ » was applied in ancient times to those located less than_____________ km south of Rome lowland along____________ roads. The length of galleries in the Roman catacombs probably exceeds_______________ km17. Match

18. Establish a correspondence between the names of parts of the catacombs and the meanings of these words translated from Greek

Sample text of the final test

1. At the direction of which emperor was the first foundation laid? Saint Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg?A)Alexandra Ib)Paul IV)Peter IG)Nicholas I2. Who was the architect of the second St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg?A)Yu.M. Feltenb)O. MontferrandV)K.A. ToneG)I.E. Starovd)D. Trezzini3. In what style was St. Isaac's Cathedral built in St. Petersburg?a) Gothic b) Empire c) Baroque d) classicism4. St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg was built asa) tomb of the Russian tsars b) main Cathedral c) tomb of Russian metropolitans

5. By whose decree was the Kazan Cathedral built in St. Petersburg?a) Empress Catherine II b) Emperor Peter I c) Empress Anna Ioanovna d) Empress Elizabeth6. Who was the architect of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg?a) Yu.M. Felten b) I.E. Starov c) K.A. Tone d) D. Trezzini e) A.N. Voronikhin7. What supports the dome of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg?a) apses b) consoles c) pylons8. What does the foundation of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg represent?A)circleb)six-pointed starV)octagonG)latin cross9. What material is the iconostasis of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg made of?A)made of goldb)made of silverV)ceramicG)made of wood10. How many years did it take to build St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg?a) 10 years b) 20 years c) 40 years11. Which of the listed artists participated in the painting of St. Isaac's Cathedral?a) V.K. Shebuev b) K.P. Bryullov c) V.M. Vasnetsov d) M.V. Nesterov12. How many domes are there on St. Isaac's Cathedral?a) five b) ten c) three13. How many domes does the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg have?a) one b) three c) ten14. Which temple in the Moscow Kremlin was the Mother See of Rus' for four centuries?a) Annunciation Cathedral b) Assumption Cathedral c) Archangel Cathedral d) Church of St. John the Climacus15. Who was the architect of the Assumption CathedralMoscow Kremlin? a) Aleviz Novy b) Bon Fryazin c) Rudolfo Fioravanti d) K.A. Tone16. On what Orthodox holiday did the consecration of the Mother See of Rus' take place?a) Ascension of Christ b) Dormition of the Mother of God

c) Annunciation

d) Nativity of the Virgin Mary

17. What is the status of the Assumption Cathedral at the present time?A)the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, services are held thereb)the cathedral has the status of a museum, but holiday services are held thereV)the cathedral has the status of a closed museumG)The cathedral has suffered greatly from time and has already for a long time is under restoration 18 . In which temple of the Moscow Kremlin does the wall painting depict ancient philosophers and poets?A)in the Church of John Climacusb)in the Archangel CathedralV)in the Annunciation CathedralG)in the Assumption Cathedral19. To whom, according to experts, do the two-meter Deesis icons of the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral belong?Moscow Kremlin? a) Dionysius b) Theodosius c) Andrey Rublev d)Feofan the Greek 20. Under the guidance of whaticon painterwall painting of the Archangel Cathedral was carried outMoscow Kremlin, which is a special attraction of the temple?a) Theodosius b) Dionysius c) Simon Ushakov d) Andrey Rublev21. Who was the architectChurch of John Climacus inMoscow Kremlin? a) Aleviz Novy b) Bon Fryazin c) Rudolfo Fioravanti d) K.A. Tone22. The bell tower of which temple in the Moscow Kremlin was the tallest in Moscow?a) Annunciation Cathedral b) Church of St. John the Climacus c) Archangel Cathedral d) Assumption Cathedral 23 . TOWhat functions did the Assumption Cathedral perform?Moscow Kremlin? a) the heirs to the throne were crowned here b) served as the tomb of Moscow metropolitans c) the city treasury was kept in the cathedral d) metropolitans and patriarchs were elected here e) the city archive was located here 24 . Indicate two architectural traditions, united in the form of the Annunciation CathedralMoscow KremlinA)Suzdal

b) Vladimir

c) Novgorod

d) Pskov

d) Moscow

25. Indicate the architectural features of the Archangel CathedralA)the decoration has features of the Italian Renaissance styleb) long narrow slit windows c) drums of domes of different diameters and asymmetrically arranged hipped roof d) gilded central and silvered side domes

Sample text of the final test for a basic school course.

1. Indicate the correspondence between the three main parts of an Orthodox church and the symbolism of their purpose. 2. In what tiers of the iconostasis are the icons of events and heroes of the Old Testament located? What is the name of each of these tiers and why?3. Make a schematic drawing of the cross-domed structure of the temple and indicate the names of its parts.4. Which of the holy apostles was the first to come to the territories of the Slavic tribes with the preaching of the Teachings of Jesus Christ? Describe what is known from the ChurchLegends about his route?5. Which Old Russian book is the oldest dated book in Cyrillic? By whom and for what ancient Russian temple was it written?6. Which icon is the most important? Orthodox shrine Russia? How and when was it written? List the main miracles performed by this icon for the salvation of Rus'.7. What Orthodox holiday was established in Rus' by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky? What was this connected with?8. List the sacraments of the Orthodox Church and indicate their religious meaning.9. Read the Church Slavonic text. Translate it into modern Russian and indicate where this text comes from and what it is about.

10. What is the Creed? When and by whom was it adopted? List the meaning of its members. 11. List the types of bell ringing and give definitions to each of them. 12. List the main services of the daily cycle and provide Definitions of each of them.

Sample topics for essays on the topic “Orthodox Church”

1. Origins and originality of Russian temple architecture and biblical symbolism of forms Orthodox churches.

2. Wooden temple architecture of Rus' 3. Great holidays and Orthodox churches of Rus', dedicated to these temples. 4. Creed: history of adoption 5. Commandments of the Old Testament 6. Beatitudes of Jesus Christ: their explanation according to the Bible 7. Prayer to the Guardian Angel. 8. The main ritual actions accompanying prayer in an Orthodox church. 9. The sacraments of baptism and confirmation: history of establishment according to the Holy Scriptures, religious meaning and procedure. 10. The sacrament of communion: the history of its establishment according to the Holy Scriptures, the religious meaning and order of execution. 11. The sacrament of repentance: religious meaning according to the commandments of the Bible and the order of execution. 12. The sacrament of marriage: history of establishment according to the Holy Scriptures, religious meaning and procedure

Sample topics for essays on the topic “Temple architecture of Rus'”

1. Hagia Sophia in Kyiv: history, era of construction and architectural appearance. 2. Features of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture and its main monuments. 3. The history of tent-roofed architecture of Rus' and the main monuments of hipped-roof temple architecture. 4. Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 5. Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin 6. Cathedral of Christ the Savior 7. St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. 8. Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg 9. Temples of the Belgorod and Stary Oskol diocese

5th grade

Sample text of the entrance test

1. This word is translated from Latin as cultivating, growing. It means traditions, customs of the people. Everything that is created by man…………………………………………………………2. Match the types of crops.

3. When is a person considered cultured?
a) when he read books about culture
b) when he knows about the peculiarities of the culture of his homeland, and acts in accordance with his knowledge.
c) when he does physical exercise
4. Faith in God -
a) makes a person’s life difficult because he has to follow rules and fasts, pray
b) does not affect a person’s life in any way
c) helps people live, because it strengthens a person, makes him stronger in grief, you can turn to God for help.
5. Why is God called the creator?
a) He himself created the world and all living things
b) He helps people with creativity
c) God himself was created
6.Distribute the words into groups:
disobedience, anger, caring for parents, love for brother and sister, sin and deception, prayer, keeping the commandments and fasting, arrogance and insolence, kindness and humility

7. In the prayer “Our Father” there are the words “who art in Heaven.” Which of the following words can be attributed to the idea of ​​“Heaven” in prayer?Select several of 6 answer options:a) cloudb) Kingdom of Godc) dawnd) spaced) angele) galaxy8.The Bible includes 4 Gospels. Their authors are the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Each of them has its own sign:Please select a match for all 4 answer options:

Sergei Komarov discusses the types of miracles.

Not long ago the Church completed the liturgical reading of the book of Acts. This book cannot fail to amaze with the many miracles that took place in the first Christian community. Indeed, it was a time of special gifts of the Holy Spirit. Healing diseases, raising the dead, speaking in tongues, the appearance of angels, visions of grace, prophecies were commonplace in ancient Church. In this regard, the modern reader of the Bible often faces confusion. Where did these miracles go? Why are there so few of them today? And here it is logical to add another question: what is a miracle, and what are the criteria for distinguishing miracles?

V. Dahl's dictionary defines a miracle as “any phenomenon that we cannot explain according to the laws of nature known to us.” Actually, modern secular thought adheres to the same opinion. For her, a miracle is just a YET inexplicable phenomenon. They say that it is a flaw in science, which will be resolved over time as future discoveries occur.

Miracle in Christianity

Christianity tells us something else. A miracle in the Christian understanding is a supernatural action of God in the world. Such an action can be called God's only if it passes the test of the following categories:

• performed under the authority of God;
• does not happen “to order”;
• associated with supernatural power;
• combines with truth;
• overcomes evil;
• confesses Jesus Christ as God in the flesh;
• not associated with occult activities;
• if this is a prophecy, it will certainly be fulfilled;
• aimed at saving a person (Prof. V.M. Chernyshev, notes on missiology).

A miracle from God and a miracle from the devil

Christian miracles are never performed just like that, without meaning - they affirm the Divine truth. Even, say, if a miracle concerns punishment, it is a manifestation of God’s justice in the world. A miracle is always aimed at saving a person, but whether this salvation will be realized or not depends on the person’s collaboration with God. The general purpose of Christian miracles is to push the individual to correct his life and glorify the Creator.

But a miracle can also come from the devil. “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect,” the Lord said about the last times(Matt. 24:24). As the exact opposite of God's miracle, the devil's miracles fit into categories directly opposite to those we have considered. They can be done:

• under the authority and order of man;
• often associated with supernormal forces (i.e., revealed in the person himself; this is exactly what yoga works on);
• combined with lies (although sometimes they have the appearance of truth);
• unable to overcome goodness;
• deny Jesus Christ as God in the flesh;
• directly related to occult activities;
• if these are prophecies, they often turn out to be false;
• always aimed at the destruction of a person (ibid.).

Miracles in our time: few or many?

By the way, the thesis “in our time there are few miracles” is not entirely true. On the contrary, today we are faced with an extraordinary flow of supernatural phenomena, never before seen in such quantity, both in the Church and outside its borders. This includes the streaming of myrrh from icons, the appearance of images not made by hands, the “reading” of demons, miracles from sand, earthen grass, a flower, oil from the grave of a glorified or not glorified saint; various “visions”, signs, etc. In this regard, even a special “Commission for the Description of Miraculous Signs in the Russian Orthodox Church” was created. How should we feel about all this?

To answer this question, we need to return to where we started - to the topic of the abundance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the first Church and their gradual drying up. Why did they exist - and subsequently almost disappeared? St. writes well about this. Ignatius (Brianchaninov): “...these miracles were only temporary gifts. IN in the exact sense these were signs. They were signs of eternal salvation granted by the word. The resurrected...died again in due time: they were only given the continuation of earthly life, and this life was not returned forever. Those healed... fell ill again: health was restored to them only for a period, and not forever. Temporary and material blessings are poured out as a sign of eternal and spiritual blessings. Visible gifts were distributed to people enslaved by sensuality, so that they would believe in the existence of invisible gifts and accept them. …When faith was planted everywhere, the word was planted; then the signs were taken away, as if they had completed their ministry” (Sermons; “On Signs and Wonders”).

And in fact, let us try to imagine how difficult it was for the apostles to explain spiritual things about which the coarse heart of a legalistic Jew or a pagan Greek had no idea. Talking about repentance, redemption, faith, salvation... A miracle was most welcome here. It imparted inner confidence to the heart, leaving for later the long process of assimilating the Christian faith. A person was baptized according to the movement of his soul - and began to gradually grow in faith under the guidance of the apostles, bishops, presbyters, being in the constant field of view of one or another Christian community. That's why he wrote. Paul: “a sign is not for those who believe, but for those who do not believe” (1 Cor. 14:22). Such signs helped a person to come to the Church. As the empire became Christianized, the gifts of grace disappeared, so that already in the fourth century Chrysostom wrote about the absence of miracles.

Today is a completely different time. We now have the opportunity to perceive the Christian faith in its entirety. Temples are open, Sacraments are blessed; the sermon sounds freely; The Bible has been widely interpreted, translated into almost every language, and is the most widely published book in the world; thousands of other Christian books are placed at our disposal. Through the perception of treasures Sacred Tradition The experience of two thousand years of life of the Church in the Holy Spirit becomes available to us. To modern man It is much easier to assimilate Christian truths than for a person of antiquity, because he will easily find, if he wishes, various proofs of the truth of Christianity in the lives of saints, the works of the Fathers of the Church, the history of the fatherland - which the catechumens of the first centuries did not have. It is safe to say that never before have Christians received such freedom and the opportunity to be saved - each in the way that is closest to his heart.

That's why in visible miracles we don't need it today. “I don’t need signs,” says St. Ignatius. - ...Why is this? Because I learned to believe in the grace of God even without signs. The unbeliever needs proof; but I, a believer, do not need any proof or sign; although I don't speak foreign languages but I know that I am cleansed from sin.”

The main miracle and its purpose

But there is modern wonders that we talked about? You need to understand that in this way the Lord leads people to the initial stages of faith. But a churchman deserves more solid food, and he is faced with qualitatively different tasks. Through sincere repentance and honest work in fulfilling the commandments, he must acquire some boldness in prayer to the Great Wonderworker and Giver of all good things - our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to seek a meeting with Him - and the miracle of our salvation will enter our lives.

This is the main miracle, this is the miracle of miracles! A meeting with God that takes place in a person’s heart and its transformation! The miracle of forgiveness of sins and communion with the Sweetest Jesus, which a person tangibly feels and falls to God with tears of gratitude. The sinner becomes righteous; the fornicator gains chastity; yesterday's blasphemer praises the Lord; the sufferer receives bliss - what could be higher than these miracles, which have not a temporary, but an eternal dimension? “Not one of the miracles can be compared with the miracle of my salvation,” says Gregory the Theologian (“Word for Easter”). Love for this miracle will make a Christian partakers of it not only after death, but also in this earthly life, where faith reveals to our vision greatest miracle The Resurrection of Christ and our salvation in Him.

This is the miracle I seek and ask for myself. And I see this miracle all the time when I preach at a rehabilitation center and a maximum security prison. I see the coffins opening and the half-decomposed dead standing up. Those who were buried long ago by their relatives and friends stand up. They get up to start living for real, even at fifty or sixty years old. This miracle is incredible, unpredictable, inexplicable. And it will operate until the end of the world for all those who ask the Wonderworker Himself for this, Who promised to perform this miracle “all the days, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).