Most of us know who Sergius of Radonezh is. His biography is interesting to many people, even those who are far from the church. He founded the Trinity Monastery near Moscow (currently it is the Trinity-Sergius Lavra), did a lot for the Russian Church. The saint passionately loved his Fatherland and put a lot of effort into helping his people survive all the disasters. We became aware of the life of the monk thanks to the manuscripts of his associates and disciples. The work of Epiphanius the Wise entitled "The Life of Sergius of Radonezh", written by him at the beginning of the 15th century, is the most valuable source information about the life of the saint. All other manuscripts that appeared later are, for the most part, adaptations of his materials.
Place and time of birth
It is not known for certain when and where the future saint was born. His disciple Epiphanius the Wise in the biography of the saint speaks of this in a very intricate form. Historians face the difficult problem of interpreting this information. As a result of studying church writings of the 19th century and dictionaries, it was found that the birthday of Sergius of Radonezh, most likely, is May 3, 1319. True, some scientists tend to other dates. The exact place of birth of the lad Bartholomew (that was the name of the saint in the world) is also unknown. Epiphanius the Wise indicates that the father of the future monk was called Cyril, and his mother was Mary. Before moving to Radonezh, the family lived in the Rostov Principality. It is believed that he was born Reverend Sergius Radonezhsky in the village of Varnitsy in the Rostov region. At baptism, the boy was given the name Bartholomew. His parents named him after the Apostle Bartholomew.
Childhood and first miracles
The family of Bartholomew's parents had three sons. Our hero was the second child. His two brothers, Stefan and Peter, were smart children. They quickly mastered the letter, learned to write and read. But Bartholomew was not given any studies. No matter how much his parents scolded him, nor tried to reason with the teacher, the boy could not learn to read, and the holy books were inaccessible to his understanding. And then a miracle happened: suddenly Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius of Radonezh, recognized the letter. His biography is indicative of how faith in the Lord helps to overcome any life difficulties. Epiphanius the Wise spoke about the miraculous learning of the youth to read and write in his Life. He says that Bartholomew prayed long and hard, asking God to help him learn to write and read in order to learn the Holy Scriptures. And one day, when Father Cyril sent his son to look for grazing horses, Bartholomew saw an old man in a black robe under a tree. The boy, with tears in his eyes, told the saint about his inability to learn and asked him to pray for him. before the Lord.
The elder told him that from that day on, the lad would understand letters better than his brothers. Bartholomew invited the saint to his parents' house. Before their visit, they went into the chapel, where the youth recited a psalm without hesitation. Then he hurried with his guest to his parents to please them. Cyril and Mary, having learned about the miracle, began to praise the Lord. To the question to the elder about what this means amazing phenomenon, they learned from the guest that their son Bartholomew was marked by God in the womb. So, when Mary, shortly before giving birth, came to church, the child in the mother's womb cried out three times when the saints sang the liturgy. This story of Epiphanius the Wise was reflected in the painting by the artist Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew."
First exploits
What else is noted in the childhood of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the stories of Epiphanius the Wise? The disciple of the saint reports that even before the age of 12, Bartholomew observed strict fasts. On Wednesday and Friday he ate nothing, and on other days he ate only water and bread. At night, the lad often did not sleep, devoting time to prayer. All this was the subject of a dispute between the boy's parents. Mary was embarrassed by these first exploits of her son.
Relocation to Radonezh
Soon the family of Cyril and Maria became impoverished. They were forced to move to housing in Radonezh. It happened around 1328-1330. The reason for the impoverishment of the family is also known. It was the hardest time in Russia, which was under the rule of the Golden Horde. But not only the Tatars then robbed the people of our long-suffering homeland, taxing them with unbearable tribute and making regular raids on settlements. The Tatar-Mongol khans themselves chose which of the Russian princes to rule in this or that principality. And this was no less difficult test for the whole people than the invasion of the Golden Horde. After all, such "elections" were accompanied by violence against the population. Sergius of Radonezh himself often spoke about this. His biography - a prime example lawlessness that was happening at that time in Russia. The Principality of Rostov went to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Danilovich. The father of the future saint got ready and moved with his family from Rostov to Radonezh, wanting to protect himself and his loved ones from robbery and want.
monastic life
When Sergius of Radonezh was born for certain, it is not known. But we have reached the exact historical information about his childhood and youth. It is known that, even as a child, he prayed fervently. When he was 12 years old, he decided to take monastic vows. Cyril and Maria did not object to this. However, they set a condition for their son: he should become a monk only after their death. After all, Bartholomew eventually became the only support and support for the elderly. By that time, the brothers Peter and Stefan had already started their own families and lived separately from their elderly parents. The boy did not have to wait long: soon Cyril and Maria died. Before their death, according to the custom of that time in Russia, they first took the monastic vows, and then the schema. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery. There, his brother Stefan, who had already been widowed, took monastic vows. The brothers were here for a short time. Striving for "the strictest monasticism", they founded deserts on the banks of the Konchura River. There, in the middle of the remote Radonezh forest, in 1335 Bartholomew erected a small wooden church named after the Holy Trinity. Now in its place stands a cathedral church in the name of the Holy Trinity. Brother Stefan soon moved to Epiphany Monastery, unable to withstand the ascetic and too harsh lifestyle in the forest. In a new place, he will then become abbot.
And Bartholomew, left completely alone, called on hegumen Mitrofan and took the tonsure. Now he was known as the monk Sergius. At that point in his life, he was 23 years old. Soon, monks began to flock to Sergius. On the site of the church, a monastery was formed, which today is called the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Father Sergius became the second abbot here (the first was Mitrofan). The abbots showed their students an example of great diligence and humility. Monk Sergius of Radonezh himself never took alms from parishioners and forbade the monks to do so, urging them to live only by the fruits of their labor. The glory of the monastery and its abbot grew and reached the city of Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus, with a special embassy, sent St. Sergius a cross, a schema, paraman and a letter, in which he paid tribute to the rector for a virtuous life and advised him to introduce cinnamon in the monastery. Heeding these recommendations, the Radonezh abbot introduced a communal charter in his monastery. Later it was adopted in many monasteries of Russia.
Service to the Fatherland
Sergius of Radonezh did a lot of useful and kind things for his Motherland. The 700th anniversary of his birth is celebrated this year. D. A. Medvedev, being the President of the Russian Federation, signed a decree on the celebration of this memorable and significant date for all of Russia. Why is such importance attached to the life of a saint on state level? The main condition for the invincibility and inviolability of any country is the unity of its people. Father Sergius understood this very well in his time. This is also obvious to our politicians today. It is well known about the peacemaking activity of the saint. So, eyewitnesses claimed that Sergius was meek, quiet words could find a way to the heart of any person, influence the most hardened and rude hearts, calling people to peace and obedience. Often the saint had to reconcile the warring parties. So, he called on the Russian princes to unite, putting aside all differences, and submit to the power of the prince of Moscow. This subsequently became the main condition for exemption from Tatar-Mongol yoke. Sergius of Radonezh made a significant contribution to the Russian victory in the Battle of Kulikovo. It is impossible to talk about it briefly. Grand Duke Dmitry, who later received the nickname Donskoy, came to the saint before the battle to pray and ask him for advice on whether it was possible for the Russian army to oppose the godless. The Horde Khan Mamai gathered an unbelievable army in order to enslave the people of Russia once and for all.
The people of our Fatherland were seized with great fear. After all, no one has yet managed to beat the enemy army. The Monk Sergius answered the prince’s question that defending the Motherland is a charitable deed, and blessed him for great battle. Possessing the gift of foresight, the holy father foretold Dmitry victory over the Tatar khan and return home safe and sound with the glory of a liberator. Even when the Grand Duke saw the innumerable enemy army, nothing faltered in him. He was confident in the future victory, for which St. Sergius himself blessed him.
Monasteries of the saint
The Year of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated in 2014. Especially great celebrations on this occasion should be expected in the churches and monasteries founded by him. In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the saint erected the following monasteries:
Blagoveshchensky in the city of Kirzhach in the Vladimir region;
Vysotsky monastery in the city of Serpukhov;
Staro-Golutvin near the city of Kolomna in the Moscow region;
St. George's Monastery on the Klyazma River.
In all these monasteries, the disciples of the holy father Sergius became abbots. In turn, the followers of his teachings founded more than 40 monasteries.
Miracles
The life of Sergius of Radonezh, written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise, tells that at one time the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed many miracles. unusual phenomena accompanied the saint throughout his life. The first of these was connected with his miraculous birth. This is the story of a wise man about how a child in the womb of Mary, the mother of a saint, shouted three times during the liturgy in the temple. And it was heard by all the people who were in it. The second miracle is the teaching of the lad Bartholomew to read and write. It was described in detail above. It is also known about such a diva associated with the life of the saint: the resurrection of the youth through the prayers of Father Sergius. One lived near the monastery righteous man, which had strong faith in the saint The only son him, a young boy, was mortally ill. The father in his arms brought the child to the holy monastery to Sergius, so that he would pray for his recovery. But the lad died while his parent was presenting his request to the rector. The inconsolable father went to prepare the coffin in order to put the body of his son into it. And Saint Sergius began to pray fervently. And a miracle happened: the boy suddenly came to life. When the grief-stricken father found his child alive, he fell at the feet of the reverend, offering praise.
And the abbot ordered him to get up from his knees, explaining that there was no miracle here: the youth simply became cold and weak when his father carried him to the monastery, and warmed up in a warm cell and began to move. But the man could not be persuaded. He believed that Saint Sergius had shown a miracle. Today there are many skeptics who doubt that the monk worked miracles. Their interpretation depends on the ideological position of the interpreter. It is likely that a person who is far from believing in God would prefer not to focus on such information about the miracles of the saint, finding a different, more logical explanation for them. But for many believers, the story of life and all the events associated with Sergius has a special, spiritual significance. So, for example, many parishioners pray that their children will learn to read and write, and successfully pass the transfer and entrance exams. After all, the youth Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius, at first also could not overcome even the basics of study. And only fervent prayer to God led to the fact that a miracle happened when the boy miraculously learned to read and write.
Old age and death of the saint
The life of Sergius of Radonezh is for us an unprecedented feat of serving God and the Fatherland. It is known that he lived to a ripe old age. When he lay on his deathbed, foreseeing that he would soon appear at the judgment of God, last time he called the brethren for instruction. First of all, he urged his students to “have the fear of God” and bring people “cleanliness of soul and unfeigned love.” The abbot died on September 25, 1392. He was buried in the Trinity Cathedral.
veneration of the reverend
There is no documented evidence of when and under what circumstances people began to perceive Sergius as a righteous man. Some scientists are inclined to believe that the rector of the Trinity Monastery was canonized in 1449-1450. Then, in the letter of Metropolitan Jonah to Dmitry Shemyaka, the primate of the Russian Church calls Sergius a reverend, ranking him among the miracle workers and saints. But there are other versions of his canonization. Sergius of Radonezh Day is celebrated on July 5 (18). This date is mentioned in the writings of Pachomius Logothetes. In them, he tells that on this day the relics of the great saint were found.
Throughout the history of the Trinity Cathedral, this shrine left its walls only in case of a serious threat from outside. Thus, two fires that occurred in 1709 and 1746 caused the removal of the relics of the saint from the monastery. When the Russian troops left the capital during the French invasion led by Napoleon, the remains of Sergius were taken to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. In 1919, the atheistic government of the USSR issued a decree on the opening of the relics of the saint. After this unpleasing deed was done, the remains were transferred to the Sergievsky Museum of History and Art as an exhibit. Currently, the relics of the saint are kept in the Trinity Cathedral. There are other dates of memory of his rector. September 25 (October 8) - the day of Sergius of Radonezh. This is the date of his death. Sergius is also commemorated on July 6 (19), when all the holy monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra are glorified.
Temples in honor of St.
Sergius of Radonezh has long been considered one of the most revered saints in Russia. His biography is replete with facts of selfless service to God. Many temples are dedicated to him. Only in Moscow there are 67 of them. Among them are such as the temple of Sergius of Radonezh in Bibirevo, the cathedral of Sergius of Radonezh in the Vysokopetrovsky monastery, the temple of Sergius of Radonezh in Krapivniki and others. Many of them were built in XVII-XVIII centuries. There are many churches and cathedrals in various areas of our Motherland: Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Smolensk and so on. There are even monasteries and sanctuaries abroad founded in honor of this saint. Among them are the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa and the monastery of Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Rumia, in Montenegro.
Reverend images
It is also worth remembering the many icons created in honor of the saint. Its most ancient image is an embroidered cover made in the 15th century. Now it is in the sacristy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
One of the most famous works Andrei Rublev - "The icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh", which also contains 17 stamps on the life of the saint. They wrote about the events connected with the abbot of the Trinity Monastery, not only icons, but also paintings. Among Soviet artists, M. V. Nesterov can be distinguished here. His following works are known: "Works of Sergius of Radonezh", "Youth of Sergius", "Vision to the youth Bartholomew". Sergius of Radonezh. short biography he is unlikely to be able to tell about what an outstanding person he was, how much he did for his Fatherland. Therefore, we dwelled in detail on the biography of the saint, information about which was taken mainly from the works of his disciple Epiphanius the Wise.
Every educated person in our country, even a little interested in history, knows the name - Sergius of Radonezh. The biography and his life path indicate that he was an outstanding spiritual figure of the 14th century. He did a lot not only for the Russian church, but for the entire Russian culture of that time. His contribution to history cannot be overestimated.
The history of Russia in the 14th century is taught by textbooks for the 4th grade, and much is forgotten by the end of school. Therefore, let us briefly recall the main milestones in the life of St. Sergius.
early years
The main source about the life of the Russian saint is the life written by his disciple, Epiphanius the Wise. In his work, Epiphanius cites many interesting facts and details from the life of Sergius. But here is a very evasive answer to the question about the exact date of birth.
It is reported that the future ascetic was born during the reign of the Byzantine king Andronicus. And no more exact dates not given.
Secular historians and church leaders did not agree on the date of birth. In the modern life of the saint, the date is May 3, 1314. Historians consider the date either 1314 or 1322.
By the way, the "Life" does not give any dates at all, which has created many problems for historians. However, in church literature there are usually no dates, and among historical sources, for such a long number of years, a lot can be lost.
Sergius was born into a noble and wealthy boyar family near the city of Rostov. The exact location is unknown, but the village of Varnitsy is assumed. The child's father's name was Cyril, and the mother's name was Maria. At baptism, the son was named Bartholomew. There were two more brothers in the family, the elder Stefan and the younger Peter.
During the years of Bartholomew's life in the Rostov Principality, it was one of the then centers of spiritual and cultural life. The Rostov principality of the 14th century competed in power with Veliky Novgorod. It had schools and libraries, which for Russia at that time was considered almost a luxury.
At that time, Greek was considered the most advanced cultural language. Greek was also taught in Rostov schools. The student of Sergius Epiphanius knew this language, most likely his mentor too. Although there is no direct evidence. But by the standards of that time, Sergius was one of the most educated people. So he could not learn Greek.
From the age of seven, as expected, Bartholomew went to school. But, surprisingly, it was hard for him to study. The diploma was not given to the child. And this despite the fact that both of his brothers quickly learned to read and write.
Bartholomew was scolded by both mentors and parents. But nothing helped. And then a miracle happened. So this event describes "Life". One day, little Bartholomew met a mysterious monk who was praying under an oak tree. The boy told him about his inability to learn to read and write and asked to pray for him.
The elder prayed with him, gave him a piece of prosphora, and predicted that the boy would be the best at reading and writing. So it later happened. The boy invited the wonderful old man to visit and he told his parents that his son was marked from above. And he will have a life marked by great deeds.
The legend of the meeting with the mysterious old man formed the basis famous painting"Vision to the lad Bartholomew."
When Bartholomew had already grown up, his family became very impoverished. The time in that century was restless in Russia: constant wars, raids and strife between the princes undermined the peace and prosperity of the country. But the most important factor was the seizure of power by Ivan Kalita. The Rostov principality began to lose its power and influence. The center of power shifted to the principality of Moscow. The Rostov nobility was losing their wealth and influence. So the father of Bartholomew almost went bankrupt. In addition, during these years, crop failure reigned in the Rostov Principality, which led to famine and mass impoverishment. As a result, the decision was made to move.
But historians also point out another reason - Bartholomew's family did not leave of their own free will, but they were evicted to Radonezh. Now it is the Moscow region. One way or another, but when Bartholomew was 12 years old, the family moved. By this time, he, apparently, had already studied at the Rostov school and mastered full course knowledge of the time.
Foundation of the monastery
While still very young, Bartholomew fervently prayed and often fasted. He decided to become a monk. His parents, by that time already elderly, were not opposed in principle. But they set a condition: to become monks only after their death. By this time, both brothers were already living separately, only Bartholomew remained an assistant and support to his parents.
According to the custom of that time, his parents, when they were quite old, took the veil as monks. And soon they died. After their death, Bartholomew went to Khotkovo, to the Intercession Monastery. His older brother lived there, who took monastic vows. Bartholomew invited his brother to establish his own hermitage of a strict monastic style. Which they did. In a remote place in the Radonezh forest, they built a cell. And then on the same place and a wooden church. The church was consecrated in the name of the Trinity.
But to brother Bartholomew, desert life seemed too hard and harsh. He left the desert and moved to Moscow. And Bartholomew was left alone. He received the tonsure from the local hegumen Mitrofan under the name Sergius.
Soon a small monastic community begins to form around Sergius. Around 1342, the monastery was founded, which later became the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
Battle of Kulikovo
The authority of Sergius, as a spiritual mentor, was so great that not only the clergy, but also the princes often resorted to his advice. Sergius knew how the right word establish mutual understanding even among enemies. Sergius often used his peacemaking talents when he tried to reconcile the warring princes. And he succeeded in doing so! He managed to rally the princes around the Moscow prince. Which was a great victory at a time when the strife in Russia almost did not stop.
Thanks to the peacekeeping activities of Sergius, almost all the princes recognized the Moscow ruler as the main one in Russia. Such a rallying of ranks was very important on the eve of the battle with Mamai. And in many ways predetermined the victory of the Russian troops.
Sergius not only blessed Prince Dmitry, later nicknamed Donskoy, for the battle. But he also sent two of his monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, to the war. Although, according to the charter, the monks were forbidden to take up arms, they were experienced warriors in the world. And their experience was very useful in battle.
After the victory of the Russian troops, the authority of Sergius became even higher. No written documents written by Sergius have survived to this day. But he showed by his example how to live. Sergius died in his monastery on October 8, 1392.
His contribution to the spiritual life was appreciated not only by church leaders, but also by historians of subsequent generations. So Klyuchevsky and Karamzin believed that Sergius, by his example, brought up morality among the people. Thanks to this, he rallied Russia, helped to overcome fragmentation and fear of the conquerors.
For children and schoolchildren, we will post a video with the main facts of the biography of St. Sergius.
The work tells about life path St. Sergius of Radonezh, who was born during the reign of Prince Dmitry of Tver into a family of deeply religious people.
During pregnancy, Sergius's mother often attends church, and during one of the church services, a triple cry of an unborn child is heard from the mother's womb. This incident greatly frightens the pregnant woman and amazes the surrounding parishioners of the church.
The future mother, praying the entire period of pregnancy to Sergius and strictly observing the fasts, decides after the birth of the child to dedicate him to the divine principle. When the boy is born, they call him Bartholomew and at baptism they tell the priest about the cry from the womb, after which the priest predicts the service of the Holy Trinity to the boy.
Growing up, Bartholomew begins to learn to read and write, but he lags far behind his brothers in this lesson, worrying and getting upset because of this.
One day, going in search of horses on the instructions of his father, Bartholomew meets an old clergyman who, having learned about the boy’s problem in teaching, gives him a piece of prosphora, thereby promising to correct his gaps in reading and writing. The boy goes with the elder to the chapel, where the priest sings prayers, and asks Bartholomew to read a psalm. Unexpectedly, the boy fulfills the request of the elder, reading the text without errors and inaccuracies. After that, looking into the house of Bartholomew, the elder announces to the boy's parents about his future fate as a great man both in relation to God and in relation to people.
Having matured a little, Bartholomew enthusiastically reads books on the Holy Scriptures, not wanting to communicate with peers, often attends church, praying earnestly and observing all fasts.
Soon the family moved to the Radonezh lands, where they settled near the Church of the Nativity. The older brothers of Bartholomew get married and start their own families, and the young man asks his parents for blessings for the monastic life, but the father and mother bequeath to their son to fulfill his dream after their death. After a while, having accepted monasticism, Bartholomew's parents leave the sinful earth, and the son, having betrayed their bodies to the earth, honors their memory Orthodox prayer by giving alms to the poor.
Bartholomew gives the received inheritance to Peter, his younger brother, and the elder brother Stefan, who remained a widower, goes to the wasteland, where they create a small church, consecrated by the Kyiv Metropolitan Feongost with the name of the Holy Trinity. After some time, Stefan goes to the Epiphany Monastery, unable to endure the harsh life in the wilderness, in which he acquires the rank of abbot and becomes the prince's confessor.
Bartholomew, with the help of the invited elder Mitrofan, at the age of twenty, takes monastic vows, in which he is called Sergius. After the communion of the newly-born monk, the church is filled with extraordinary fragrances.
The further life of Sergius takes place in constant church services and prayers, as well as in the fight against the devilish force, trying to instill fear in the monk. At one moment, while morning service, the church walls diverge and an image of the devil appears in the opening, ordering Sergius to leave the wasteland. But the monk was able to cope with demonic power with the help of a cross and a prayer book.
Other monks often visit the wilderness of Sergius, and some of them express a desire to live together with Sergius, but he does not allow them to stay with him, since he considers life in the wasteland to be quite difficult and difficult. However, several monks still insist on their choice and settle in the cells next to Sergius, daily engaged in the service of God.
Soon the number of monks in the wasteland of Sergius reached twelve, but Sergius refused to accept the abbess. He makes his own church candles, makes prosphora and cooks kutia. One day, the monastery of the Holy Trinity is visited by the elder brother Stefan, together with his son Ivan, whom he wants to appoint as a monk, and Sergius conducts the rite of tonsure for his nephew, naming him Fedor.
Some of the monks living in the wasteland do not want to follow the instructions of Sergius and show discontent. Then Sergius decides to leave the monastery and moves to the Kirzhach River, where he builds a small church and a monastic cell next to it. After a while, many monks follow their teacher, while others ask the Metropolitan to return Sergius to the monastery of the Holy Trinity.
During one of the services in the monastery, the monks notice, next to Sergius, a man in brilliant clothes, holding a liturgy with the monk. It turned out that Sergius was helped in the service by an angel of God.
Six months before his death, Sergius transfers the rights of abbot to his disciple Nikon, and at the end of September he dies, spreading a magnificent aroma around his snow-white face. By his order, Sergius is laid to rest as a reverend in the church on the right side.
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Life of Sergius of Radonezh. Picture for the story
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Biography of Sergius of Radonezh
Sergius of Radonezh (in the world Bartholomew; "Radonezh" - a toponymic nickname; May 3, 1314 - September 25, 1392) - a monk of the Russian Church, the founder of the Trinity Monastery near Moscow (now the Trinity-Sergius Lavra), the converter of monasticism in Northern Russia.
Sergius of Radonezh is revered by Russian Orthodox Church in the face of saints as a reverend and is considered the greatest ascetic of the Russian land.
Birth and childhood
In his story, the first biographer of Sergius of Radonezh, Epiphanius the Wise, reports that the future saint, who received the name Bartholomew at birth, was born in the village of Varnitsy (near Rostov) in the family of the boyar Kirill, a servant of the Rostov appanage princes, and his wife Maria.
There are several different dates of his birth in the literature. It has been suggested that Sergius was born either in 1315 or in 1318. Sergius's birthday was also called either May 9 or August 25, 1322. In the writings of the 19th century, the date appeared May 3, 1319. This diversity of opinion gave rise to famous writer Valentin Rasputin bitterly asserts that "the year of birth of the lad Bartholomew is lost." The Russian Church traditionally considers his birthday to be May 3, 1314.
At the age of 10, young Bartholomew was sent to study literacy at a church school along with his brothers: the elder Stefan and the younger Peter. Unlike his brothers, who were successful in their studies, Bartholomew was significantly behind in education. The teacher scolded him, his parents were upset and admonished, he himself prayed with tears, but his studies did not move forward. And then an event happened, about which all the biographies of Sergius report.
On the instructions of his father, Bartholomew went to the field to look for horses. During the search, he went out into the clearing and saw under the oak an old hermit, “holy and wonderful, with the dignity of a presbyter, handsome and like an angel, who stood in the field under the oak and prayed earnestly, with tears.” Seeing him, Bartholomew first humbly bowed, then approached and stood close, waiting for him to finish the prayer. The elder, seeing the boy, turned to him: “What are you looking for and what do you want, child?” Bowing to the earth, with deep emotional emotion, he told him his grief and asked the elder to pray that God would help him overcome his literacy. After praying, the elder took out the reliquary from his bosom and took a particle of prosphora from it, blessed it and ordered it to be eaten, saying: “This is given to you as a sign of God’s grace and understanding Holy Scripture <…>about literacy, child, do not grieve: know that from now on the Lord will grant you a good knowledge of literacy, more than that of your brothers and peers. After that, the elder wanted to leave, but Bartholomew begged him to visit his parents' house. At the meal, the parents of Bartholomew told the elder many signs that accompanied the birth of their son, and he said: “A sign of the truth of my words will be for you that after my departure, the lad will know the letter well and understand holy books. And here is the second sign and prediction for you - the lad will be great before God and people for his virtuous life. Having said this, the elder was about to leave and finally said: Your Son will be the abode of the Holy Trinity and will lead many after him to an understanding of the Divine commandments.
Around 1328, the greatly impoverished family of Bartholomew was forced to move to the city of Radonezh. After the marriage of the eldest son Stephen, the aged parents took the schema to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky monastery.
Beginning of monastic life
After the death of his parents, Bartholomew himself went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery, where his widowed brother Stefan was already monastic. Striving for "the strictest monasticism", for desert living, he did not stay here for long and, having convinced Stefan, together with him founded the desert on the banks of the Konchura River, on Makovets hill in the middle of the deaf Radonezh forest, where he built (about 1335) a small wooden church in the name of Holy Trinity, on the site of which there is now a cathedral church also in the name of the Holy Trinity.
Unable to withstand a too harsh and ascetic lifestyle, Stefan soon left for the Moscow Epiphany Monastery, where he later became abbot. Bartholomew, left all alone, called for a certain hegumen Mitrofan and received tonsure from him under the name of Sergius, since on that day the memory of the martyrs Sergius and Bacchus was celebrated.
The formation of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery
After two or three years, monks began to flock to him; a monastery was formed, which in 1345 took shape as the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (later the Trinity-Sergius Lavra) and Sergius was its second hegumen (the first was Mitrofan) and presbyter (since 1354), setting an example for everyone with his humility and diligence. Forbidding accepting alms, Sergius made it a rule that all monks should live from their labor, himself setting an example for them in this. Gradually his fame grew; everyone began to turn to the monastery, from peasants to princes; many settled in the neighborhood with her, donated their property to her. At first, enduring the extreme need of the deserts in everything necessary, she turned to a rich monastery. The glory of Sergius even reached Tsargrad: Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus sent him with a special embassy a cross, a paraman, a schema and a charter in which he praised him for his virtuous life and advised him to introduce kinovia (strict community life) 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. Highly respecting the Radonezh abbot, Metropolitan Alexei, before his death, persuaded him to be his successor, but Sergius resolutely refused.
Public service of Sergius of Radonezh
According to one contemporary, Sergius "with quiet and meek words" could act on the most hardened and hardened hearts; very often he reconciled the warring princes, persuading them to obey the Grand Duke of Moscow (for example, the Rostov prince - in 1356, Nizhny Novgorod - in 1365, Ryazan Oleg and others), thanks to which, by the time of the Battle of Kulikovo, almost all Russian princes recognized the supremacy of Dmitry Ioannovich. According to the version of life, going to this battle, the latter, accompanied by princes, boyars and governor, went to Sergius to pray with him and receive a blessing from him. Blessing him, Sergius predicted victory and salvation from death for him and released his two monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, on the campaign.
There is also a version (V. A. Kuchkin), according to which the story of the Life of Sergius of Radonezh about the blessing of Dmitry Donskoy by Sergius of Radonezh to fight Mamai does not refer to the Battle of Kulikovo, but to the battle on the Vozha River (1378) and is associated in later texts ("The Tale of Mamaev massacre”) with the Battle of Kulikovo later, as with a larger event.
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, he began to take decisive action.
In 1382, when Tokhtamysh's army approached Moscow, Sergius abandoned his monastery "and from Takhtamysh's refuge to Tfer" under the protection of Prince Mikhail Alexandrovich of Tver.
After the Battle of Kulikovo, the Grand Duke began to treat the Radonezh abbot with even greater reverence and invited him in 1389 to seal a spiritual testament legitimizing new order succession to the throne from father to eldest son.
In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Sergius founded several more monasteries (Annunciation on Kirzhach, Staro-Golutvin near Kolomna, Vysotsky Monastery, Georgievsky on Klyazma), he appointed his students to all these monasteries. More than 40 monasteries were founded by his disciples: Savva (Savva-Storozhevsky near Zvenigorod), Ferapont (Ferapontov), Kirill (Kirillo-Belozersky), Sylvester (Voskresensky Obnorsky) and others, as well as his spiritual interlocutors, such as Stefan of Perm.
According to his life, Sergius of Radonezh performed many miracles. People came to him from different cities for healing, and sometimes even just to see him. According to the life, he once resurrected a boy who died in his father's arms when he carried the child to the saint for healing
Old age and death of St. Sergius
Having reached a ripe old age, Sergius, having foreseen his death in half a year, called the brethren to him and blessed his disciple, Reverend Nikon, who was experienced in spiritual life and obedience, to be abbess. On the eve of his death, the Monk Sergius called the brethren for the last time and addressed with the words of the testament: Take heed to yourself, brethren. First have the fear of God, purity of soul and unfeigned love...
On September 25, 1392, Sergius died, and 30 years later, on July 18, 1422, his relics were found incorrupt, as evidenced by Pachomius Logofet; July 18 is one of the saint's commemoration days. At the same time, in the language of ancient church literature, imperishable relics are not imperishable bodies, but preserved and undecayed bones. In 1919, during the campaign to open the relics, the relics of Sergius of Radonezh were opened in the presence of a special commission with the participation of representatives of the church. The remains of Sergius were found in the form of bones, hair and fragments of the rough monastic robe in which he was buried. In 1920-1946. the relics were in a museum located in the building of the Lavra. On April 20, 1946, the relics of Sergius were returned to the church.
The most famous source of information about him, as well as a remarkable monument of ancient Russian literature, is the legendary Life of Sergius, written in 1417-1418 by his student Epiphanius the Wise, and in the middle of the 15th century significantly revised and supplemented by Pachomius Logofet
Canonization
The veneration of Sergius of Radonezh arose before the formal rules for the canonization of saints appeared (before the Makaryev Cathedrals, the Russian Church did not know the obligatory canonization of the cathedral). Therefore, there is no documentary news about when and how his veneration as an Orthodox saint began and by whom it was established. It is possible that Sergius "became an all-Russian saint by himself, because of his great fame."
Maxim the Greek openly expressed direct doubts about the holiness of Sergius. The reason for the doubts was that Sergius, like the Moscow saints, "kept cities, volosts, villages, collected duties and dues, had wealth." (Here Maxim the Greek joins the nonpossessors.)
Church historian E. E. Golubinsky does not give unambiguous messages about the beginning of his veneration. He mentions two princely charters written before 1448, in which Sergius is called a reverend elder, but he believes that he is listed in them as a locally revered saint. In his opinion, the fact that Sergius was canonized for general church veneration is the letter of Metropolitan Jonah to Dmitry Shemyaka, dated 1449 or 1450 (the uncertainty of the year is due to the fact that it is not known exactly when the old March chronology was replaced by September). In it, the primate of the Russian Church calls Sergius a reverend and places him next to other miracle workers and saints, threatening to deprive Shemyaka of the “mercy” of the Moscow saints. Golubinsky believes that the general church glorification of Sergius of Radonezh, together with Reverend Cyril Belozersky and Saint Alexy was one of the first deeds of Metropolitan Jonah after his elevation to the cathedra.
A number of secular encyclopedias indicate that Sergius was canonized in 1452.
With the approval of the Pope, Sergius of Radonezh is revered only by the Eastern Catholic churches.
Secular historians note that Sergius is ranked among the saints according to political motives by the will of the Grand Duke Vasily the Dark. The Grand Duke included Sergius among the Moscow saints not by a special act, but on a private occasion, in a treaty of 1448 with Prince Ivan Mozhaisky.
Tradition of the Florensky family about the preservation of the head of St. Sergius
In the journal "Science and Religion" (No. 6, June 1998), O. Gazizova published an interview with Pavel Vasilievich Florensky, a famous scientist and grandson of Father Pavel Florensky. P.V. Florensky told a family tradition about how on Lazarus Saturday, 1919, Father Pavel Florensky became aware of the authorities preparing to open the relics of St. Sergius, which was to take place before Easter. The further preservation of the relics was under great threat.
According to P. V. Florensky, soon a secret meeting took place in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in which Father Pavel Florensky, the Lavra’s viceroy, Father Kronid, Yu. and, probably, members of the Commission Count V. A. Komarovsky, as well as S. P. Mansurov and M. V. Shik, who later became priests.
The participants of the meeting secretly entered the Trinity Cathedral, where, after reading a prayer at the shrine with the relics of the Monk, they separated with the help of a copy the head of the saint, which was replaced by the head of Prince Trubetskoy buried in the Lavra. The head of St. Sergius of Radonezh was temporarily placed in the sacristy. Soon, Count Olsufiev moved the Head to an oak ark and moved it to his home (Sergiev Posad, Valovaya Street). In 1928, Olsufiev, fearing arrest, buried the ark in his garden.
In 1933, after the arrest of Father Pavel Florensky, Count Yu. A. Olsufiev fled to Nizhny Novgorod, where he initiated Pavel Aleksandrovich Golubtsov (the future Bishop Sergius, Bishop of Novgorod and Starorussky) into this story. P. A. Golubtsov managed to move the ark with the head of St. Sergius from the garden of Count Olsufiev in the vicinity of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery near Moscow, where the ark was until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Returning from the front, P. A. Golubtsov handed over the ark to Ekaterina Pavlovna Vasilchikova (the adopted daughter of Count Olsufiev), who became the last keeper of the shrine.
In 1946, when the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was reopened, and the relics of St. Sergius were returned to the monastery, E. P. Vasilchikova secretly returned the head of Sergius to Patriarch Alexy I, who blessed her to return to her place, in cancer.
According to the Florensky family tradition, Father Pavel made notes on Greek about his participation in this whole story. However, no written evidence has been found in his archives.
Biography and episodes of life Sergius of Radonezh. When born and died Sergius of Radonezh, memorable places and dates important events his life. quotes about the saint, images and videos.
Years of life of Sergius of Radonezh:
born May 3, 1314, died September 25, 1392
Epitaph
“He was a lamp, burning and shining; but you wanted to rejoice for a little while in its light.”
Gospel of John 5:35
Biography
Few saints are so highly revered on Russian soil as St. Sergius of Radonezh (at baptism - Bartholomew): a miracle worker, monk, ascetic and founder of the Trinity Monastery. And this does not detract from the fact that, due to the prescription of the term and in the absence of reliable sources, historians cannot come to a consensus even regarding the year of the saint's birth. Sergius of Radonezh became a symbol of service not only to God, but also to his neighbors, to his Fatherland.
In all likelihood, Sergius of Radonezh was born in the family of a boyar, near Rostov, in the current village of Varnitsa. famous legend concerns the inability of the future saint to read and write: the life says that a boy sent to look for horses saw a holy old man praying to God. The boy asked to pray for him to learn to read and write, and the elder fulfilled his request, and then predicted that from now on the lad would know the letter better than all other children - and this prophecy came true. Since then, Sergius of Radonezh has been considered, among other things, the patron of those who are in the teachings.
According to the biographer of Radonezh, Epiphanius the Wise, even before the age of 12, the boy began to fast and devote a lot of time to prayer. Then his family became impoverished and moved to Radonezh. Bartholomew aspired to a monastic life, but heeded the requests of his parents to wait for their death. After this sad event, he went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky monastery, to his brother Stefan, with whom he later founded the hermitage in the middle of the Radonezh forest. There, on Makovets Hill, the brothers built the Church of the Holy Trinity, which later became the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Here Bartholomew was tonsured at the age of 23.
Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Sergiev Posad
Sergius of Radonezh founded other monasteries - Annunciation, Vysotsky, Georgievsky. The abbots of each of them were his students, who later founded monasteries themselves. In those days, Russia was torn apart princely strife, but the Monk Sergius, with humility and meekness, often persuaded his enemies to make peace. Thanks to him, almost all the princes agreed to submit to Moscow, Dmitry Donskoy, and only because of this, the united Russian army won the Battle of Kulikovo.
According to Epiphanius the Wise, Sergius of Radonezh, who lived to a ripe old age, foresaw his death for another six months and transferred the hegumenship to his disciple Nikon. The remains of the monk were found in the monastery he founded. 30 years after the death of the saint, his relics and even his robe were found incorruptible, which was considered supreme manifestation God's mercy.
"Saint Sergius of Radonezh", painting by V. Nesterov 1891-1899
life line
May 3 (May 16 old style) 1314 Date of birth of Sergius of Radonezh.
1330 Relocation to Radonezh.
1335 Construction of the Church of the Holy Trinity.
1342 Foundation on the site of the church of the monastery, the future Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
1382 Temporary relocation to Tver due to the invasion of Tokhtamysh's troops.
September 25 (October 8, old style) 1392 Date of death of Sergius of Radonezh.
July 5 (July 18, old style) 1422 Finding relics.
Memorable places
1. Trinity-Sergius Varnitsky Monastery, founded in 1427 on the site where the house of the parents of Sergius of Radonezh stood.
2. The village of Radonezh (Moscow region), where the lad Bartholomew lived until the death of his parents and departure from the world.
3. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, founded by the saint, where his relics are kept.
4. Temple-monument of Sergius of Radonezh on the Red Hill of the Kulikovo field, built in 1913-1918, now - a monument of federal significance.
Episodes of life
The personality of Sergius of Radonezh in the popular mind has always been associated with miraculous events. It is believed that the saint himself performed many miracles with the help of prayer, and, in addition, many visions were shown to him. The first life of the saint, written by Epiphanius the Wise, a monk of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, is replete with retellings of such events. Subsequently, stories about posthumous miracles were added to it, of which there were much more.
Sergius of Radonezh has never been officially canonized. The venerable elder was so revered by the people that his holiness was accepted by itself. Metropolitan Jonah calls Sergius a reverend in a letter of 1450, and this is the earliest documentary evidence of his recognition as a saint.
In 1919, for propaganda purposes, the Soviet government opened the relics of the saint. Pavel Florensky found out about the upcoming autopsy, and with his help, the head of Sergius of Radonezh was separated from the body, and the head of Prince Trubetskoy was placed in its place. During the Second World War, the relics were taken far to the rear, and only after their return in 1946 was the head of the saint placed in its place.
Cancer with the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra
Covenant
“Take heed to yourself about everything, my brethren, I pray to everyone, have the fear of God, purity of soul, love that is not hypocritical, and hospitableness to them ...”
Documentary film “Sergius of Radonezh. earthly and heavenly.
condolences
“Here, our good and blessed elder left us, went to the Lord, left us orphans ... He went to where a great reward awaits him and retribution for all his labors and deeds, he went in peace to the Lord, whom he loved! ..”
The author of the life of the saint, hegumen Nikon (Rozhdestvensky)
“The Monk Sergius, by his life, by the very possibility of such a life, made the grieving people feel that not everything good had died out and froze in him; by his appearance among his compatriots who were sitting in the darkness and the shadow of death, he opened their eyes to themselves, helped them to look into their own inner darkness and see there still smoldering sparks of the same fire that burned the light that lit them up.
Historian Vladimir Klyuchevsky
“Earlier than all and more than all the saints who appeared in Moscow land, the Monk Sergius, the founder of the famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra, who received in the eyes of the Great Russian people the significance of the patron, intercessor and guardian of the state and church, gained the people's respect for all of Russia.”
Historian Nikolai Kostomarov
“He was just an outstanding public figure. He understood the turning point in the history of the Russian Land and turned its course in the right direction, taking on great responsibility for the outcome of the battle on the Kulikovo field. He blessed Prince Dmitry and his army on her. It was necessary to feel and understand this decisive turning point and put your spiritual authority on the scales of history. And He did it."
Russian religious philosopher Helena Roerich
“Peering into Russian history, into the very fabric of Russian culture, we will not find a single thread that would not lead to this first knot: moral idea, statehood, painting, architecture, literature, the Russian school, Russian science - all these lines of Russian culture converge to the Reverend.
Pavel Florensky
