Not everyone knows who Sergei Radonezhsky is, his life and exploits. Ancient chronicles will help you learn about this briefly. According to them, the great wonderworker was born in early May 1314. It is also known when he died - September 25, 1392. You can find out what Sergei of Radonezh is famous for by studying his biography.
Sergei Radonezhsky: short biography:
According to ancient chronicles, the miracle worker became the founder of several monasteries. To this day, one of his most famous creations is known, the Holy Trinity Monastery, located near Moscow.
Sergei of Radonezh, or as he was previously called Bartholomew, lagged behind his peers in the study of sciences. The theme of the Holy Scriptures was closer to him. At the age of fourteen, he and his family moved to Radonezh. There he founded the first church, called the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
A few years later, the miracle worker decides to become abbot. Since then, he was given a new name - Sergei. After this, he became a respected person among the people. People came to him to bless before the battle and help in reconciliation.
In addition to the Trinity-Sergius, he created more than five more churches. Sergei of Radonezh died on September 25, 1392. Still Orthodox people This date is celebrated as a day of remembrance of the great miracle worker.
Some interesting facts
Several interesting facts are known about Sergei of Radonezh:
- While pregnant, the miracle worker’s mother went to the temple. During the prayer, her child in the womb cried out three times. Each time the volume of crying increased;
- According to sources, Sergei of Radonezh helped the monks. They were forced to go long distances to fetch water. The monk found a few drops left from the rain and said a prayer over them. After some time a source of water appeared;
- The miracle worker also helped ordinary people. A local resident turned to him with a request to save his sick son. The boy died after he was brought to Sergei of Radonezh. But while his father was walking behind the coffin, he incredibly came to life;
- The monk unfailingly helped every person who needed his support. It is known that he healed a possessed nobleman, treated the sick from insomnia and blindness;
- The Wonderworker provided assistance in reconciliation and salvation from debt.
Patriarch Kirill gave an interview about this in 2014. According to him, Sergei Radonezh had extraordinary abilities. He could influence the laws of nature and bring man closer to God. The historian Klyuchevsky stated that the miracle worker was able to raise the spirit of the people.
Life of Sergei of Radonezh
50 years after the death of the founder of successful temples, a life was written. The story of the great wonderworker was written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise. It aroused the interest of the people, and a few years later it received the status of a valuable source of Muscovite Rus'.
The first life was written based on Epiphanius’s own writings. The student was very developed and educated. From the publication it is easy to guess that he loved to travel and visited places such as Jerusalem and Constantinople. He was forced to live with his mentor for several years. Sergei Radonezhsky singled out his student for his unusual mentality.
By 1380, Epiphanius had already become an experienced chronicler with excellent literacy skills.
After the death of the miracle worker, the student began to write Interesting Facts about it and convey them to people. He did this for several reasons. First of all, he respected the work of his mentor. He was offended that so many years after his death not a single story had been published about him. Epiphanius took the initiative to write his life.
The wise student also believed that his stories would help convey to people the value of life, learn to believe in themselves and cope with difficulties.
Where are the relics of the Saint now?
30 years after the death of Sergei of Radonezh, namely, in 1422, his relics were discovered. This event took place under the leadership of Pachomius Lagofet. According to his glory, despite such a long period, the miracle worker’s body remained intact and bright. Even his clothes remained intact. His relics were moved only twice, in order to preserve them and save them from fire.
This happened for the first time in 1709, and then repeated in 1746. Third, last time the relics were transported in 1812 during the Napoleonic War.
The re-opening of the grave took place in 1919, by order of the Soviet government. This was done in the presence of a state commission. According to Pavel Florensky, the person in whose presence the autopsy took place, the head of Sergei Radonezhsky was separated from the body and replaced with a head that belonged to Prince Trubetskoy.
The relics of the miracle worker became an exhibit for the museum and are located in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
Sergei Radonezhsky and painting
During the life of Sergei of Radonezh, and for several centuries after his death, a ban on artistic art was introduced. It could only be transmitted to the people in the form of icons. Russian painting first appeared only in the 18th century.
The artist Nesterov succeeded in depicting the image of the miracle worker. In 1889 he completed his painting entitled Motherwort. Sergei Radonezhsky was an idol for the artist from the very beginning early years. The saint was revered by his loved ones; for them he was an image of purity and innocence. The adult Nesterov created a series of paintings dedicated to the great miracle worker.
Thanks to paintings, lives and chronicles, everyone modern man can find out who Sergei of Radonezh was, his life and exploits. It is impossible to briefly study his life. He was an absolutely unique person with pure soul, sincerity and selflessness aimed at helping other people.
To this day, people visit churches, pray in front of the icon of Sergei of Radonezh and his relics. Each person sincerely believes that he will help them resolve difficult situation in life.
Video about the Holy Wonderworker
In this video, Father Mikhail will talk about the life and exploits of Sergei of Radonezh:
The meaning of SERGIUS OF RADONEZH in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia
SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Sergius of Radonezh (in the world Bartholomew) is a saint, reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, a transformer of monasticism in Northern Rus'. Came from a noble family; His parents, Kirill 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, his learning to read and write was very unsuccessful, but then, thanks to patience and work, he managed to familiarize himself with the Holy Scriptures and became addicted to the church and monastic life. Around 1330, Sergius's parents, reduced to poverty, had to leave Rostov and settled in the city of Radonezh (54 versts from Moscow). After their death, Sergius went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery, where his elder brother, Stefan, spent the night. Striving for “the strictest monasticism”, to live in the wilderness, he did not stay here long and, having convinced Stephen, together with him he founded a hermitage on the banks of the Konchura River, in the middle of the remote Radonezh forest, where he built (around 1335) a small wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity, on the site of which now stands a cathedral church also in the name of the Holy Trinity. Soon Stefan left him; Left alone, Sergius accepted monasticism in 1337. After two or three years, monks began to flock to him; a monastery was formed, and Sergius was its second abbot (the first was Mitrofan) and presbyter (from 1354), setting 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 next to her and donated their property to her. At first, suffering from extreme need for everything necessary, the hermitage turned into a rich monastery. The glory of Sergius even reached Constantinople: Patriarch Philotheus of Constantinople 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 strict communal living in the monastery. On this advice and with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexei, Sergius introduced a communal 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 most hardened and hardened hearts; very often he reconciled princes warring among themselves, persuading them to obey the Grand Duke of Moscow (for example, the Rostov prince in 1356, the Nizhny Novgorod prince in 1365, Ryazan Oleg and others), thanks to which by the time of the Battle of Kulikovo almost all Russian princes recognized the primacy 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 two of his monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, on the 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, did he begin decisive action. After the Battle of Kulikovo Grand Duke began to treat the Radonezh abbot with even greater reverence and invited him in 1389 to seal a spiritual testament that legitimized the new order of succession to the throne 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 disciples established up to 40 monasteries, mainly in Northern Rus'. See "Reverend 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 "Reverend Sergius of Radonezh and the Lavra he created" (Sergievsky Posad, 1892); "The Life and Miracles of St. Sergius of Radonezh" (Moscow, 1897, 5th edition); V. Eingorn “On the significance of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the monastery he founded in Russian history” (Moscow, 1899, 2nd edition). V. R-v.
Brief biographical encyclopedia. 2012
See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what SERGY OF RADONEZH is in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:
- SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Sergius of Radonezh (1314 - 1392), abbot, reverend. Memory July 5, 25... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Venerable (1321-1391) Russian saint, ascetic, founder of monasteries and transformer of Russian monasticism, outstanding public figure. Native of Rostov; after the death of parents... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
Radonezh (before accepting monasticism - Bartholomew Kirillovich) (about 1321, near Rostov the Great, - 9/25/1391, Trinity-Sergius Monastery, now Zagorsk, Moscow region.), ... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(in the world Bartholomew) - saint, reverend, greatest ascetic of the Russian land, transformer of monasticism in the north. Rus'. Came from a noble family; his parents... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(in the World of Bartholomew) ? St., reverend, the greatest ascetic of the Russian land, transformer 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. Initiator of the introduction of communal regulations in Russian monasteries. Actively supported unification and national liberation policies... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
S'ergiy... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH in the Spelling Dictionary:
s'ergey... - SERGIUS OF RADONEZH
(c. 1321-91), founder and abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Initiator of the introduction of communal regulations in Russian monasteries. Actively supported unification and national liberation policies... - SERGY V Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Euphron:
Sergius of Radonezh (in the world Bartholomew) - saint, venerable, greatest ascetic of the Russian land, transformer of monasticism in the north. Russia. Came from a noble family; his parents... - SERGY in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
(Stragorodsky Ivan Nikolaevich) (1867-1944) Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' since 1943. Since 1917 Metropolitan, since 1925 Deputy and since 1937 ... - SERGY in big Soviet encyclopedia, TSB:
(before he was tonsured a monk in 1890 - Ivan Nikolaevich Stragorodsky), Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. ... - SERGY PECHORSK. in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
teacher 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:
Enoch Solovetsky Monastery, a remarkable reader and writer of the 17th century. Nothing is known about his life before becoming a monk; first information about... - RADONEZH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
Platon Anempodistovich - singer-bass (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 Rus' since 1943. Since 1917 Metropolitan, since 1925 Deputy and ... - SERGY
SERGIUS OF RADONEZH (c. 1321-91), church. and state activist, founder and abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, in which he introduced a communal charter. Tried to spread... - SERGY in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
SERGY (in the world Iv. Nik. Stragorodsky) (1867-1944), Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' 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 the imp. Heraclius, in whose absence he ruled the empire. In order to reconcile with the Monophysites... - RADONEZH in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia:
(Platon Anempodistovich) ? singer-bass (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.
- RADONEZH in Lopatin’s Dictionary of the Russian Language:
r'adon'ezhsky (from R'adon'ezh); but: S'ergiy... - RADONEZH in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
Radonezh (from Radonezh); but: Sergius... - RADONEZH in the Spelling Dictionary:
r'adon'ezhsky (from r'adon'ezh); but: s'ergey... - SERGY in Modern explanatory dictionary, TSB:
(Stragorodsky Ivan Nikolaevich) (1867-1944), Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' since 1943. Since 1917 Metropolitan, since 1925 deputy and since ... - SERGIUS I OF CONSTANTINOPLE in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Sergius I (+ 638), Patriarch of Constantinople. He came from a Monophysite Syrian family, but it seems that the teachers... - SERGY (TIKHOMIROV) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
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Sergius of Radonezh (before becoming a monk - Bartholomew Kirillovich) Russian church and political figure.
Born into a boyar's family not far from Rostov.
The family, suffering from Tatar exactions and princely strife, moved to the Moscow principality and received land near the city of Radonezh.
At the age of seven, Bartholomew was sent to learn to read and write.
He wanted to study with all his heart, but literacy was not given to him.
According to legend, Bartholomew suffered greatly from this and therefore he prayed to God day and night to open the door of bookish understanding to him. One day, while looking for missing horses in a field, he saw an unfamiliar old man under an oak tree. The monk prayed. The boy approached him and told him about his grief. Having listened sympathetically to the boy, the elder began to pray for his enlightenment. Then he took out a small piece of bread and said: “Take it and eat it: this is given to you as a sign of God’s grace and understanding.” Holy Scripture" This grace really came to the child: the Lord gave him memory and understanding, and he began to easily assimilate book wisdom. After this miracle, the desire to serve only God grew stronger in young Bartholomew. He wanted to retire, following the example of the ancient ascetics, but his love for his parents kept him in his family.
After the death of his parents, Bartholomew provided an inheritance to his younger brother Peter and, together with his older brother Stefan, settled 10 miles from Radonezh, in a deep forest near the Konchyura river. The brothers cut down the forest with their own hands and built a cell and small church.
This is how the famous monastery of St. Sergius arose.
Soon Stefan left his brother and became the abbot of the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow and the confessor of the Grand Duke.
Bartholomew became a monk and was given a new name - Sergius.
For about two more years he lived alone in the forest.
The fame of the great recluse spread throughout Rus'. People flocked to the monastery.
Soon, Sergius of Radonezh, together with his elder brother Stephen (around 1330-40), founded the Trinity Monastery (Trinity-Sergius Lavra) and became its second abbot.
Sergius introduced a communal charter in the monastery, destroying the previously existing separate residence of monks. The adoption of the communal charter and its subsequent distribution with the support of the grand ducal authorities, the Russian metropolitan and the Patriarch of Constantinople to other monasteries North-Eastern Rus' was an important church reform that contributed to the transformation of monasteries into large economic and spiritual centers.
Sergius' moral authority, close ties with the family of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy, the most prominent boyars and highest church hierarchs allowed Sergius of Radonezh to actively influence the church and political affairs of his time.
In 1380, he helped Dmitry prepare for the Battle of Kulikovo, and in 1385 he resolved his conflict with the Ryazan prince Oleg.
The Monk Sergius died on September 25, 1392.
He was buried in the monastery he founded; canonized by the Russian Church.
This is a real historical figure. True, the name of Sergius is currently the source of heated debate between believers and atheists, lovers of the national spirit and skeptic historians. Not everyone believes that he really blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo - let’s say, there is an opinion that this military leader was extremely unpleasant to Sergius of Radonezh, and the holy fathers even condemned him to anathema... In our article we will talk about the life of this Russian saint as it is they tell in church. We will try to present the facts briefly, but not to miss anything important.
Every nation needs its heroes. But in addition, its own saints are also incredibly important for any nation - pious ancestors whom one can sincerely respect and whom one can look up to. And especially the miracle workers, who even after their earthly death help pious people who pray to their icons. When the church in Russia returned to its rights and they finally started talking about faith openly, without criticism, it turned out that over many hundreds of years of veneration of Christ, many righteous people and martyrs were born here, and their names are worth being remembered by future generations. One of these righteous people is considered Venerable Sergius. This saint is so popular that given time A cartoon about his life is being prepared for release, so that even children will be familiar with his name, exploits and miracles.
Sergius's family and his childhood
The future saint was born on May 3 into the family of Rostov boyars Kirill and Maria (later they were also canonized). Although his father served the local princes, historians are sure that he lived modestly and not richly. Little Bartholomew (this is the name Sergius received at birth, it was chosen according to the calendar) took care of horses, that is, from childhood he was not a white-handed one.
At the age of seven the boy was sent to school. His older brother understood science well, but Bartholomew was not good at it at all. He tried very hard, but learning remained alien and incomprehensible to him.
First miracle
One day, while looking for lost foals, little Bartholomew came across a godlike old man. The boy was upset, and the old man asked if he could help him. To which Bartholomew said that he would like the Lord to help him with his studies.
The old man prayed, after which he blessed the boy and treated him to prosphora.
The kind boy took the old man to his house, where his parents sat him down at the table (they were hospitable to strangers). After the meal, the guest took the child to the chapel and asked him to read a psalm from the book. Bartholomew refused, explaining that he couldn’t... But then he picked up the book, and everyone gasped: his speech flowed so smoothly.
Foundation of the holy monastery
When the boy's brother Stefan was widowed, he decided to become a monk. Soon the parents of the young men also passed away. Bartholomew decided to go to his brother, to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery. But he didn't stay there for long.
In 1335, he and his brother built a small wooden church. Here, on Makovets Hill, on the banks of the Kochura River, in the once remote Radonezh Forest, a sanctuary still exists - however, these days it is already the cathedral church of the Holy Trinity.
Life in the forest turned out to be too ascetic. Stefan eventually realized that such service was not his destiny, so he left the monastery, moving to Moscow, where he soon became abbot of the Epiphany Monastery.
23-year-old Bartholomew did not change his mind about becoming a monk, and, not afraid of the complete deprivation of serving the Lord, he turned to Abbot Mitrofan and took monastic vows. His church name became Sergius.
The young monk was left alone in his church. He prayed a lot and fasted constantly. Demons and even Satan the tempter sometimes appeared in his cell, but Sergius did not deviate from his intended path.
One day, the most formidable forest animal - a bear - came to his cell. But the monk was not afraid, he began to feed the beast from his hands, and soon the bear became tame.
Despite the desire to renounce everything worldly, messages about Sergius of Radonezh scattered throughout the country. People flocked to the forest. Some were simply curious, while others asked to be saved together. So the church began to grow into a community.
- Together, the future monks built 12 cells and surrounded the area with a high fence.
- The brothers dug up a garden and began to grow vegetables for food.
- Sergius was the first both in service and in work. And even though I wore the same clothes in winter and summer, I didn’t get sick at all.
- The monastery grew, and the time came to choose an abbot. The brethren wanted Sergius to become him. This decision was also approved in Moscow.
- The cells were already built in two rows. The abbot of the monastery turned out to be strict: novices were forbidden to chat and beg for alms. Everyone had to work or pray, and private property was prohibited. He himself was very modest, not pursuing either worldly goods or power.
- When the monastery grew into a Lavra, it was necessary to choose a cellarer - a holy father who was in charge of the household and treasury. They also chose a confessor (to whom the brethren confessed) and an ecclesiarch (he kept order in the church).
- During his lifetime, Sergius became famous for his miracles. For example, one person came to him for the elder to pray for the health of his son. But while Sergius was able to see the boy, he died. The father went to get the coffin, and the saint began to pray over the body. And the boy stood up!
- But this was not the only miracle of healing. Sergius treated blindness and insomnia. It is also known that he cast out demons from one nobleman.
- In addition to the Trinity-Sergius, the monk founded more than five churches.
Sergiy and Dmitry Donskoy
Meanwhile, the era of the Horde, devastating the Russian lands, was coming to an end. The division of power began in the Horde - several candidates for the role of khan killed each other, and meanwhile the Russian princes began to unite, gathering strength.
And so on August 18, the Moscow prince, who would soon be called Donskoy, with the Serpukhov prince Vladimir arrived at the Lavra. There Sergius invited the princes to a meal, after which he blessed them for battle.
It is known that two schema monks left the holy monastery with the prince: Oslyabya and Peresvet (the latter, at the very beginning of the battle with the Tatars, met the Tatar hero Chelubey, defeated him, but also fell dead). Were these people really monks, since history (or rather, legends) brings us names that are not monastic at all? Some historians do not even believe in the existence of such heroes - however, the church believes both in their existence and in the fact that the abbot himself sent them.
The battle was terrible, since in addition to the hordes of Khan Mamai, the Lithuanians, as well as the Ryazan prince and his people, came out against Dmitry. But On September 8, 1380 the battle was won.
It is interesting that while praying on this day with the brethren in his Lavra, by God’s inspiration Sergius named the names of Dmitry’s fallen comrades, and at the end he said that he had won the battle.
Death of a Saint
He left no scriptures behind. However, the example of his hardworking, righteous life still inspires many: some to a modest, quiet life pleasing to God, others to monasticism.
However, Sergius had a student - Epiphanius. He was offended that there was almost no memory left of the elder, and 50 years after his death, Epiphanius began to write the life of this bright man.
In which Russian churches can you pray to Sergius of Radonezh?
About 700 churches are dedicated to this saint, not only in our country, but throughout the world. Of course: Sergius of Radonezh was canonized as a saint back in 1452. Moreover, he is revered by both Orthodox and Catholics.
- Icons of Sergius can be found in any temple. But the best thing, of course, is to come on a pilgrimage to the Lavra itself. His cell has been preserved here. There is also a spring gushing out from under the ground, which came to life thanks to the prayer of this abbot (he felt sorry for the brothers who went far for water, and asked the Lord to make sure that the water was closer to the church). Believers claim that the water in it is healing: it cleanses both from diseases and sins.
Where are the relics of the saint kept? At the moment, where they should be - in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Although they have passed before this a long way. Sergius' grave was opened for the first time 40 years after his death. Eyewitnesses wrote that the saint's body remained incorrupt. Later, the relics were transported to protect them from fire, as well as to save them from enemy soldiers during the Napoleonic War. Soviet scientists also touched the coffin, placing the relics of Sergius in the museum. And during World War II, Sergius’s body was evacuated, but then returned to the Lavra.
What do they pray to him for?
- About helping children study. And besides, students who are afraid of bad grades at the exam also pray to the saint.
- It is also not difficult to guess that requests are made to him for the health of children.
- People who have a lot of debts also pray to Sergius. It is believed that during his lifetime this man helped poor debtors.
- Finally, he is a good helper in reconciliation.
- And since Sergius of Radonezh provided considerable support in the formation of the Moscow state, it is to him that high-ranking officials often pray.
But what words are used to address this holy miracle worker? All prayers to Sergius of Radonezh are collected in this video:
In the city of Zagorsk, not far from Moscow, is the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, one of the most revered Orthodox shrines. To this day, pilgrims come to the Lavra from different places. They go to venerate the relics of Sergius of Radonezh. Many pages of church writings are dedicated to this saint. Many enthusiastic words have been written about him by Orthodox writers. But who exactly was Sergei of Radonezh, for what merits did he deserve to be canonized?
Let us first turn to church writings to see how Orthodox authors portray Sergius. The life of Sergius of Radonezh differs little from the lives of other saints. Re-reading it, we recognize the familiar handwriting of church hagiographers who used the experience of the previous hagiographic literature. The same extraordinary miracles, the same fantastic deeds that we encounter in the lives of other saints, the same attempts to show the exclusivity of this saint and, of course, the fanatical commitment to the Orthodox faith.
Church historians say that Sergius (his worldly name is Bartholomew) was born in Rostov into a noble family. Various sources give the year of birth of Sergius differently. It is stated that he was born in 1313, 1318 and 1322.
All church authors agree on one thing: he was an extraordinary child, who from infancy showed his commitment to Christianity. What's wrong with breastfeeding! While still in his mother’s womb, he “squealed” while she was present at the liturgy, thereby astonishing the pilgrims.
“Even before his birth (in 1313), - it is narrated in the life of Sergei of Radonezh, - God’s providence made it known that this would be a holy branch of the pious root. Once Mary (Sergius’s mother - A.B.) stood with the wives during the liturgy in the temple. Before reading the Gospel, the baby in her womb suddenly cried out so loudly that the voice was heard by others. At the beginning of the cherubic song, the baby's voice was again heard throughout the church, and the mother was horrified. When the priest cried, “Holy to holies,” the baby cried a third time, and the mother, frightened, began to cry. The women wanted to see the baby, and the mother was forced to say that the baby was screaming not in her arms, but in her womb.”
These are the miracles that preceded the birth of the future saint. Well, when he was born, he even more so began to show himself as true Christian. He, for example, “for forty days from birth to baptism... forced his mother to fast, because he did not want to touch her nipples if she took meat food on the fast days.” This fact is given in the life of Sergius of Radonezh, compiled by a church author of the 14th century. Epiphanius and subsequently corrected by another church author Pachomius. It is enough to recall the biography of St. Nicholas of Myra to see a direct borrowing from there: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the pious authors say, in infancy also refused to take his mother’s breast on those days when she did not strictly observe fasting. By the way, a story about a similar miracle can be found in the lives of other Russian saints, in particular in the life of Macarius of Kalyazinsky, compiled around 1546-1547. light hand compiler of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the “amazing event” began to wander through the pages of the biographies of other saints.
I. I. Skvortsov-Stepanov, who devoted a number of works to the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, wrote: “..Russian life writers themselves could not invent, even compose such purely fictional stories, but simply copied them from ready-made samples...” and further: “Epiphanius and Pachomius stop at nothing to glorify the Moscow righteous... at the expense and to some detriment of St. Nicholas."
The life of Sergius of Radonezh, as narrated in his life, was not entirely serene. His father, who was in the service of the Rostov prince, went bankrupt. Apparently, this circumstance played a significant role in the fact that in his youth the future saint became disillusioned with earthly life and began to seek solace in religion. He leaves people, society, and for four years leads the life of a hermit in a forest hut, in the places where the Trinity-Sergius Lavra later grew. Next, Sergius falls under the patronage of Metropolitan Alexy, who introduces him to the Grand Duke. Sergius carries out individual orders of the prince and, as church historians say, before the battle on the Kulikovo field, he sends two monks, Peresvet and Oslyaba, “very skilled in feat of arms and training regiments, and also possessing strength and daring, greatness and courage,” to the army of Dmitry Donskoy .
Modern churchmen, referring to this story of the life of Sergius of Radonezh, emphasize the patriotism of Sergius, which he showed during the difficult years of the Tatar-Mongol invasion for Russia, his “prayerful” participation in the victory over enemies. The author of a book about Sergius of Radonezh, M. Gorev, published in the 20s of this century, noted that “nothing in the personality of Sergius confused some of the monks so much as his sending the monks to battle. Thus, the authorities of the Trinity Monastery, contemporary to Pachomius (editor of the life compiled by Epiphanius), disapproved of the act of Sergius, who sent his monks to fight. They believed that in this case the “venerable” bowed down greatly before the grand ducal power. We can observe curious traces of this dissatisfaction, for example, in the fact that the Life of Epiphanius as edited by Pakhomieva, however, is silent about Peresvet and Oslyab."
By what deeds did St. Sergius glorify himself? During battles with foreign invaders, he did not take up arms. He was not seen on the battlefields. When, in 1382, the Tatar Khan Tokhtamysh went to Moscow, the Monk Sergius simply fled from danger (“from Tokhtamysh’s presence he fled to Tver”).
Churchmen consider his greatest “feat” to be the founding of the Trinity Monastery.
An objectively positive aspect in the activities of Sergius of Radonezh was his support for the Moscow prince in his struggle for the primacy of Moscow, for the unification of Russian lands into a single state. The desire to create a single all-Russian state was undoubtedly historically progressive. And the activities of Sergius of Radonezh in support of the throne of the Moscow princes were progressive. The Orthodox Church considers his main merit to be the fact that he was the largest organizer of monastery construction in Rus'. This, after all, is the main thing for Orthodox churchmen.
Sergius of Radonezh was a major church and political figure of his time, who did a lot to strengthen the power of the great Moscow princes. And this political activity St. Sergius did not go unnoticed. But first of all, his “exploits” in the religious field were noted. The monastery he founded became the most important church center in Rus', the support of the grand ducal power, and then the tsarist autocracy. That's why tsarism and Russian Orthodox Church with touching unanimity they propagated the cult of Sergius of Radonezh for many centuries. That is why the church to this day raises the name of Sergius of Radonezh above the names of other Russian saints, giving him a special place in the lives of the saints.
The canonization of Sergius of Radonezh took place 30 years after his death. However, as church historians point out, local veneration of Sergius by believers began even before the official canonization, shortly after his death. It is curious that his life began to be compiled before his canonization. These, as well as some other facts, lead some researchers to the idea that “the canonization of Sergius by the Grand Duke’s court and the Metropolitan was decided during his lifetime.”
Sergius of Radonezh was officially canonized in 1422. This year the “incorruptible relics” of the saint were discovered. And, of course, the biographers of Sergius could not do without an on-duty miracle. Church authors say that after the death of Sergius, a certain pious person often came to his tomb to pray. One day, his deceased patron appeared to this man in a dream and ordered: “raise the abbot of this monastery, where you have left me for so long in a grave covered with earth, water oppressing my body.”
With the light hand of the monks, rumors about a miraculous vision spread in all directions. IN short term preparations were made for the grand opening of the “incorruptible remains” of St. Sergius. In the presence of representatives of the highest nobility and sacred persons, the tomb was opened and...
“And so the sacred cathedral, having opened the miraculous tomb, was filled with fragrance and spiritual aroma and saw wonderful vision and tenderness worthy, as not only the saint’s honest body and lightly preserved, but also his clothes. He was buried in it, completely intact, and in no way involved in decay, and the water from both sides of the ark (coffin) was visible, but the body of the saint and his robe were in no way touched.”
So, the church began to claim that the relics of Sergius turned out to be incorruptible. And this at that time was the most convincing proof for believers of the holiness of the deceased.
For almost five hundred years, clergy have been convincing believers that the incorruptible relics of St. rest in the shrine installed in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Sergius of Radonezh. From all over the Russian land, pilgrims came here to venerate the shrine and pray to the “heavenly intercessor”; they walked blindly believing their spiritual shepherds.
Over the long history of the cult of St. Sergius, his name, as well as the Trinity-Sergius Lavra founded by him, served faithfully the Russian autocracy. As M. Gorev notes, “in the pantheon of Russian gods, the Moscow kings had to choose for themselves a special patron god; this god had to satisfy the following requirements: firstly, he had to be a national, Russian god, and secondly, by his origin he had to belong not to the “low” classes, but to one close to the grand ducal power, at least the boyar estate, and thirdly, and finally, during his life he was supposed to be a zealous associate of the grand ducal power in its policies and, if you like, even in its plans of conquest. Naturally, it was Sergius who was proclaimed such a patron god of the crowned Russian autocrats as a saint who fully satisfied all the stated requirements.”
That is why the cult of Sergius of Radonezh was strengthened in every possible way not only by the Orthodox Church, but also by the rulers of the Russian land, who specially visited the Trinity Monastery to venerate the relics of Sergius. Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and Tsarina Anna Ioannovna and Elizaveta Petrovna came to the shrine with the relics of Sergius more than once. Church literature spread legends that the patronage of Sergius played a big role in ridding Russia of various misfortunes, helped to withstand the difficult years of trials during foreign invasions, and win victories over enemies.
Church ministers persistently instilled and instilled such ideas in their flock. “It is worth remembering,” writes a modern church author, “the constant concern of St. Sergius for the pacification of civil strife among the Russian princes, his blessing to the army of Dmitry Donskoy to fight the invaders - the Tatars, who were tearing apart the body of the Russian state, and his prayerful participation in the victory over the enemies; It’s worth imagining the terrible picture of the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra by hordes of interventionists and the unparalleled courageous defense of the monastery by monks, and in our minds all our lives the sacred stronghold of Orthodoxy will stand, covered in a halo of glory - the Lavra of St. Sergius, which can well be called a mystical symbol of the invincibility of Russia.”
However, such statements are not based on anything. Churchmen talk about the “special role” of Sergius of Radonezh in pacifying civil strife among Russian princes. But this role consisted primarily in the activities of Sergius, aimed at strengthening the power of the Moscow princes.
Sergius of Radonezh took an active part in the struggle for the metropolitan seat, hoping to become the successor of Metropolitan Alexei. He was not at all the humble “servant of God” who sought to escape “from the world” as church authors portray him. However, despite all his efforts, he failed to achieve a metropolitan position.
The clergy is trying to speculate on Sergius’ blessing of Dmitry Donskoy before the Battle of Kulikovo, claiming that this blessing played almost decisive role in the victory over the Tatar hordes. In fact, it was not with the blessings of the clergy, but with their courage, bravery, and heroism that Russian soldiers won victories over their enemies. And in fairness, we note that they won brilliant victories without church blessing.
As for Sergius’s “prayerful participation” during the Tatar invasion, we have already talked about his flight from the Lavra when it began to be threatened by the army of Khan Tokhtamysh. The church author paints a “terrible picture of the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.” This was more than two hundred years after the death of Sergius. Foreign invaders who came to Russian soil under the banner of False Dmitry the Second, whom the people called the Tushinsky thief, also came to the walls of the Trinity Monastery. But here they met fierce resistance. For sixteen months the Russian people fought off the enemy. It was truly a feat. But what does Sergius have to do with it?
It was beneficial for the Orthodox Church to force the masses of people to believe in the help and patronage of Sergius. Listening to the words of their spiritual shepherds, believers went to the monastery to venerate the relics of the saint and ask him for help in everyday affairs. And the clergy could only collect offerings.
Church authors in their writings dedicated to Sergius of Radonezh, as a rule, portray this saint as a non-covetous man and emphasize his indifference to worldly goods. The author of one of the articles published in the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, candidate of theology P. Kharlamov, writes: “Differentiated by complete non-covetousness, St. Sergius was constantly engaged in matters related to charity, and did not abandon these matters out of preference for any other matters. Church historical monuments invariably call him merciful, a comforter of the sorrowful, an intercessor of the poor and wretched.” It further says that Sergius “established communal rules in the monastery and always paid special attention to the non-covetousness of the monastic brethren.”
These statements are far from the truth. Facts indicate that under him and after him, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra became the richest monastery in Rus'. In addition to offerings, the lavra received the richest gifts from kings and their entourage. To this should be added other sources of income. In 1592, the Trinity Monastery had about a hundred villages at its disposal. In 1763, the Lavra owned 106,500 serf souls. The monastery had its own salt pans, fisheries, and various workshops. The monastery sold its products, and money flowed like a river into the monastery treasury. It is curious that one foreigner who visited Russia in the 16th century said that “the monasteries conduct the most extensive trade in Russia.”
When an inventory of the treasury of the Trinity Monastery was made in 1641, there were 13,861 rubles - a very large sum for those times. In the granaries there were 19,044 quarters of bread, in the cellars there were 1,675 sturgeon, 4,040 kaluga, 1,865 “salmon of autumn fishing,” 3,326 “salmon of spring fishing,” 1,935 “sluggish pike,” 1,245 “sluggish bream” and other fish stocks. In addition, the monastery stored 3,358 pounds of raw honey for preparing honey drinks, there were 43 riding horses in the stables, and 500 cows in the barnyard, etc. According to rumors, in the middle of the 17th century, up to 40 million were buried in the ground at the monastery. rubles in silver.
E. Golubinsky reports that the Trinity Monastery was the largest creditor of the Russian sovereigns. The monastic treasury gave large loans to Boris Godunov and Vasily Shuisky. In the old days, people even had a proverb: “The Tsar himself is in debt to the Sergius Lavra.” On the eve of the revolution of 1917, the Lavra's income amounted to 1,369,076 rubles. .
You can write a lot about the Trinity Lavra. It is undoubtedly interesting for researchers as a monument of Russian antiquity. But it is completely unfounded to imagine this monastery as almost a symbol of the heroic past of the Russian people. To this day, listening to the sermons of churchmen, Orthodox pilgrims go to the relics of Sergius in the hope of his intercession and his protection. And they are unaware that they are becoming victims of the most common church deception.
The clergy claimed that the relics of Sergius were “incorruptible.” This deception was exposed half a century ago, when the autopsy of the relics of Sergius of Radonezh took place. It was produced on April 11, 1919 at the request of the workers.
Representatives of the workers and clergy were present at the autopsy, in particular the abbot of the Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Kronid, the rector of the Bethany Monastery, Hieromonk Porfiry, the rector of the Gethsemane Monastery, Hierodeacon Sergius Bolshakov, Hieromonk Jonathan, the dean of the Lavra, Jonah, the treasurer of the Lavra, Archimandrite Dosifei, Archimandrite Apollos, and others.
The autopsy report states that no incorruptible remains of the saint were found in the shrine of Sergius of Radonezh. A pile of bones, cotton wool, moth-eaten pieces of fabric - that’s what was kept in the crayfish. The process of opening the relics of Sergius of Radonezh was recorded on film, which to this day is stored in the archives of the State Film Fund.
One could consider that the opening of the “incorruptible” relics of Sergius of Radonezh ended the history of the cult of this saint. However, time passed, and the church tried to forget the turbulent year of 1919, associated with unpleasant memories for the Orthodox clergy. The clergy again began to call on believers to venerate the relics of Sergius, which had taken their former place in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. But the clergy is unable to hide the facts of exposing church deception, as well as the truth about the true history of the cult of Sergius of Radonezh.