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Prophet Daniel and three youths: Ananias, Azariah and Misail. Prayer to the three holy youths

All about religion and faith - "prayer to the three holy youths" with detailed description and photographs.

Three youths in a fiery cave. (Ananias, Azariah and Misail)

When interpreting the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, the prophet Daniel announced the successive kingdoms and the greatness of the last Kingdom - the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ (Dan. 2:44). The prophetic vision of seventy weeks (Dan. 9, 24 - 27) told the world the signs of the First and Second Comings of the Lord Jesus Christ and related events (Dan. 12, 1 - 12). Saint Daniel interceded for his people before the successor of Darius - King Cyrus, who greatly appreciated him, and declared freedom to the captives. Daniel himself and his friends Ananias, Azariah and Misail lived to a ripe old age and died in captivity. According to the testimony of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Saints Ananias, Azaria and Misail were beheaded at the command of the Persian king Cambyses.

Prayer to the prophet Daniel and the three youths: Ananias, Azariah and Misail.

Prayer to all holy and disembodied heavenly powers

Holy God and rest in the saints, with a trisacred voice in heaven from an angel praised, on earth from a man in his saints, praised: given by your Holy Spirit to the extent of the bestowal of Christ, and by that he has appointed your Church of your holy ova apostles, oy prophets, oy evangelists , ovs are shepherds and teachers, their own word is a sermon. To Thee, the one who acts, is all in all, many of the sanctities have been perfected in every kind and kind, with various virtues pleasing You, and for You, having left us the image of your good deeds, in the joy that came, prepare, in it you yourself would have been tempted, and help us who are encouraged to help ... Remembering all these saints and their godly praising of life, I praise You Samago, who acted in them, and I praise Your goodness for the gift of being, I diligently pray to You, Holy of Holies, grant me a sinner to follow their teachings, even more those Thy blessings with them, all-powerful be made worthy of glory, praising your holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for ever. Amen.

Troparion to the prophet Daniel and the three youths: Ananias, Azariah and Misail

Velia of the faith of correction *: in the source of the flame, as if on the water of rest, the holy three children rejoice, and the prophet Daniel is the shepherd of the lion, as if to the sheep. Those prayers, Christ God, save our souls.

Your pure heart, enlightened by the Spirit, prophecies have become the brightest friend, see as if the real one is far away: you have tamed the lions, thrown into the moat. For this, for the sake of thee, we honor the prophet more blessed, Daniel more glorious.

The hand-written image is not honored, but defended by an indescribable creature, it is glorified in the labor of fire, while the environment is unbearably standing in the flame, call God: hurry up, O Generous, and sweat as if merciful to our help, as if you can at least.

Exaltation to the prophet Daniel

We magnify you, God's prophet Daniel, and we honor your holy memory, you pray for us Christ our God.

We magnify you, holy three youths Ananias, Azariah and Misail, and we honor your holy memory, you pray for us Christ our God.

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Prayer to the holy seven youths of Ephesus.

Icon Image of the Seven Youths of Ephesus: Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian (Constantine), Antonin.

Prayer to the saints Seven youths like in Ephesus: Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian (Constantine), Antonin.

God the great, praiseworthy and incomprehensible, and inscrutable, who created man by Thy hand, take dust from the earth, and in Thy way honoring him, Jesus Christ, the former name, with Thy Originless Father and with the Most Holy, and Good, and Thy Life-giving Spirit, appear on Thy servant (name), and visit his soul and body, we implore from our most glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, saints Heavenly Forces The incorporeal and honest glorious prophet, and the Forerunner and Baptist John, the glorious and all-glorious apostles, our saints like our fathers, and the universal teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostago, Athanasius and Cyril, Nicholas like the Miracle-worker, Spyridon and all the holy priests, the holy apostle the first martyr and archdeacon Stephen, the glorious holy great martyrs George the Victorious, Demetrius the Myrrh-bearer, Theodore Stratilates, and all the holy martyrs, reverends and God-bearing fathers of our chiefs Anthony, Euphimius, Sava, Theagiosanchosis

Anthony and Theodosius of Kiev-Pechersky, Onuphrius, Arseny, Athanasius of Athos, and all the monks, saints and healers, without silver coins of Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Falalei and Tryphon and others, Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt St. John of Kronstadt St. John Petersburg and all your saints.

And give him a sleep of repose, a bodily sleep of health and salvation and belly, and strength of soul and body, as if you sometimes visited Abimelech, Thy saint in the temple of Agrippa, and gave him a dream of consolation, he didn’t even see the fall of Jerusalem, and he made peace with this nourishing sleep, and resurrected this pack in one moment of time, to the glory of Thy goodness.

But Thy glorious seventh youths, confessors and witnesses of Thy appearance, showed, in the days of Decius, the king and apostate, and this one who dormant in the den for a hundred and eighteen years, like babies warmed in the lies of their mother, and never endured corruption, to praise and glory Thy love for mankind, and in the testimony and announcement of our liturgy, and the resurrection of all.

You yourself, beloved by the Tsar, present yourself now with the influx of Thy Holy Spirit, and visit Thy servant (name), and grant him health, strength, and benevolence, Thy goodness, as from You there is every good gift, and every gift is complete. Thou art the physician of our souls and bodies, and we offer glory and thanksgiving and worship to Thee, with Thy Beginning Father, and with the Most Holy, and Good, and Thy Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Second Prayer to the Seven Youths of Ephesus

About the miraculous sanctity of the seven-numbered children, Ephesus of the city of praise and all the universal hope! Look from the heights of heavenly glory at us, your memory of those who honor you with love, especially at Christian babies, entrusted to your intercession from your parents. Bring down on her the blessing of Christ God, rekshago: leave the children come and come to Me. Heal those who are sick in them, comfort those who are in sorrow; Keep their hearts clean, fulfill me with meekness, and in the land of their hearts plant and strengthen the seed of the confession of God, in a hedgehog from strength to strength to grow. And all of us holy icon your forthcoming servants of God (names), and warmly praying to you, grant the Kingdom of Heaven to seize and the silent voices of joy there glorify the magnificent name of the Most Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer three to the seven youths of Ephesus

Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, prayers for the seven youths of Ephesus, have mercy on us sinners, forgive the fall of our whole life, and weigh us by fate from the face of Antichrist in the hidden wilderness of Thy salvation.

Another prayer for the youths of Ephesus

Oh, the miraculous sanctity of the seven-numbered children, Ephesus of the city of praise and all the hope of the universe! Look from the heights of heavenly glory at us, who honor your memory with love, especially Christian babies, who were entrusted to your intercession from your parents: bring down on her the blessing of Christ God, rekchago: leave the children to come to Me: heal those who are sick in them, comfort those who are grieving; Keep their hearts clean, I will fill them with meekness, and in the land of their hearts plant and strengthen the seed of the confession of God, in a hedgehog from strength to strength to grow; and all of us, the holy icon of your forthcoming, your relics kissing with faith and praying warmly to you, grant the Kingdom of Heaven to seize and silent voices of joy to glorify the magnificent name of the Most Holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

They pray the same to the Guardian Angel of the baby

Troparion to the holy seven youths of Ephesus.

Velia faith in miracles, in a cave like in the devil of the royal sanctuary there are seven children of the great,

and dying without aphids, and for many time lifters like from sleep,

to the assurance of the resurrection of all people: those prayers, Christ God, have mercy on us.

The world is perishable, contemptuous and incorruptible gifts are accepted, deceased except for the corruption of the great: the same they rise in many years, everything is buried by fierce unbelief:

Even in praise this day, praising faithfulness, let us sing of Christ.

The preachers and the resurrection of the dead are depicts of piety, the pillars of the seven-numbered Church, the youths of all-blessed songs will praise: tii bo for many years of incorruption, like from sleep, to all, proclaiming the uprising of the dead.

Having glorified Thy holiness on earth, before Thy second and terrible coming, Christ. With the glorious uprising of the youths, you showed the Resurrection to the ignorant, showing the incorruptible clothing and body, and you assured the king to cry out: verily there is an uprising of the dead.

Akathist to the holy youths: Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian, Antonin.

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Prayer to the three holy youths

Three holy youths: Ananias, Azariah and Misail

The holy youths were glorified for wisdom at the court of the Babylonian king.

Prayer to the three holy youths

Early Christian catacomb fresco, IV century, Catacombs of Priscilla

Sedrach, Misach and Avdenago

Fire brigade (Greece)

Three youths in a fiery cave(VI century BC) - Jewish youths in Babylonian captivity, by name Ananias, Azariah and Misail(Heb. Hananya, . Azarya, . Mishael?), the friends of the prophet Daniel, who were thrown into the fire by King Nebuchadnezzar for refusing to worship the idol, but were saved by the archangel Michael and came out unharmed. In captivity they bore names Sedrach, Misach and Avdenago(Heb. Shadrakh, . Meishah, . . Aved-Nego?) respectively (Dan. 1: 7).

The memory of the three Babylonian youths in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on December 30 (December 17, old style).

There is a saying - "Thrown into a cave of fire, like three youths".

Bible story

The story of the three youths in the cave of fire is contained in the first three chapters. "Books of the prophet Daniel"... (The same story, without any major changes, is retold by Josephus in "Jewish Antiquities") .

The beginning of a court career

Ananias, Azariah, Misail and their comrade Daniel, on whose behalf this biblical book was written, were among the noble Jewish youths in Babylonian captivity, approached by King Nebuchadnezzar II to the court.

And the king said to Asphenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, that from the sons of Israel, from the royal and princely family, he should bring youths who have no physical defect, beautiful in appearance, and understanding for all science, and understanding science, and intelligent and fit to serve in palaces of the king, and that he taught them the books and the language of the Chaldees. And the king appointed them daily food from the king's table and wine, which he himself drank, and ordered them to be brought up for three years, after which they were to appear before the king. Among them were of the sons of Judah Daniel, Ananias, Misail and Azarias. And the chief of the eunuchs renamed them - Daniel Belshazzar, Ananias Sedrach, Misael Misach and Azaria Abdenago.

The four youths, in spite of the fact that they were to be fed with food from the king's table, did not defile themselves with it. After a while, the worried chief of the eunuchs became convinced that all the same, the young men turned out to be more beautiful than others who ate the royal food. Three years later, they appeared before the king, and he became convinced of their superiority over the rest: “ whatever the king asked them, he found them ten times higher than all the magicians and magicians that were in his whole kingdom". The comrades took a seat at the court.

In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he had a dream and ordered the wise men to interpret it. At the request of the sages to tell at least the content of the dream, the king replied that if they are sages, they themselves should guess what the dream was about and interpret it. Otherwise, he will order the execution of all of them. The threat of death also hung over the four Jews, but God told Daniel what the king's dream was - it was a dream about a colossus about feet of clay. After a successful interpretation, the king appointed Daniel “ over all the region of Babylon and the chief ruler over all the wise men of Babylon", And his three friends were put" over the affairs of the land of Babylon”(Dan. 2:49).

Miracle in the fiery cave

Chapter Three "Books of Daniel" contains a direct story about the miracle that glorified the youths. Having created a golden image, the king ordered all his subjects to bow to him as soon as they hear the sounds of musical instruments, on pain of death by burning. Three Jews did not do this (since it is contrary to their faith), as their enemies immediately reported to the king. Nebuchadnezzar once again ordered them to worship the idol, but Ananias, Misail, and Azariah refused, stating: "Our God, whom we serve, is able to save us from the burning furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand, O king," after which Nebuchadnezzar gives the order for their execution, and the young men are thrown into a hotly heated oven.

And as the order of the king was strict, and the furnace was extremely red-hot, the flame of the fire killed those people who threw Sedrakh, Misach and Abdenago. And these three men, Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago, fell bound in the furnace red-hot with fire. [And they walked in the midst of the flame, singing to God and blessing the Lord. And becoming Azariah prayed and, opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, exclaimed: “ Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers, praised and glorified is Your name forever ... '". Meanwhile, the servants of the king, who threw them in, did not cease to light the stove with oil, tar, tow and brushwood, and the flame rose forty-nine cubits over the stove and burst out, and burned those of the Chaldeans whom it reached near the stove. But the Angel of the Lord went down into the furnace together with Azariah and those with him and threw out the flame of fire from the furnace, and made that in the middle of the furnace there was like a rustling moist wind, and the fire did not touch them in the least, and did not harm them, and did not confuse their. Then these three, as if with one mouth, sang in the oven, and blessed and glorified God.

Christian tradition believes that the angel who saved the youths was the archangel Michael. After the appearance of the angel, the youths " as if with one mouth, they sang in the oven, and blessed and glorified God". The lyrics for this song are given in Dan. 3: 52-90. Nebuchadnezzar looked in amazement at what was going on in the flames and exclaimed: “Did we not throw three husbands into the fire, bound? Behold, I see four unbound men walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no harm to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of God. " Then he ordered to stop the execution. When the three youths came out of the furnace, the Babylonians were convinced that the fire not only did not scorch a hair on their head, but even their clothes did not smell like fire. After that, amazed at the power of God, who knows how to save those who believe in him, he again exalted these three Jews. This is the story of the three youths in The Book of Daniel ends.

Further destiny

Daniel and his friends Ananias, Azariah and Misail lived to a ripe old age and died in captivity. According to the testimony of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Saints Ananias, Azariah and Misail were beheaded at the command of the Persian king Cambyses.

Analysis of the biblical text

The prayers of the youths with confession of the sins of the Jewish people and their song of thanksgiving after the appearance of the angel (3, 24-90) appear only in the Septuagint, they are not in the original text of the Old Testament.

The complexity of the addition of this plot is evidenced by the fact that the Babylonian names given to the Jews originally belonged to local gods or inhabitants, that is, there is a possibility that the theme of the unsuccessful burning of three characters in the fire was borrowed by Jewish mythology, like some others, from Babylonian , retaining the names of the original heroes appended to Ananias, Mishael and Azaria, with an explanation of the renaming rite.

Folklorists note the relationship of the plot of the fiery cave with the mythological plot of "fire hardening" widespread among many peoples (hardening by Demeter the servant of the baby Demophon in the hearth, one of the options for hardening Achilles by Thetis - in fire, Baba Yaga's stove, which allows Ivanushka and others not to die, and gain strength to crush the old woman, etc.). Researchers suggest that the root of these motives is the ancient (unreached) rite of initiation by fire - a test, tempering, endowing a teenager with the qualities of a man.

Changing the name of the youths

The youths responded to their given names when communicating with the Gentiles, but retained their original names when communicating with each other and with fellow tribesmen (see, for example, Dan. 2:17). The name of the prophet Daniel himself was changed to Belshazzar.

According to ancient Eastern views, a change in name is associated with a change in fate. According to the theologians, the naming of the Jewish youths by Nebuchadnezzar with pagan names was due to the purpose of instilling in them the worship of the Babylonian gods (according to the king's plan, all captive Jewish people had to accept paganism in the future - cf. Dan. 3: 4-6).

Theological interpretation

Reviewing history three youths already found among early Christian theologians. So Cyprian of Carthage (first half of the 3rd century) in his essay on martyrdom sets the youths as an example, believing that they “ in spite of their youth and a constrained position in captivity, by the power of faith they defeated the king in his very kingdom ... They believed that they could avoid death by their faith ...».

John Chrysostom in his work “ "Emphasizes that the youths going into the oven did not tempt God, hoping for an indispensable deliverance, but as proof that they do not serve God for wages, but sincerely confess the truth... The saint also notes that Daniel's absence from the oven was a special providence of God:

After Daniel's interpretation of the royal dream, the king worshiped him as a god and honored him with the name Belshazzar, derived from the name of the Babylonian god. So, so that they would not think that by this divine, in their opinion, the name of Belshazzar, the power of fire is defeated, God arranged so that Daniel was not present, so that the miracle of piety would not suffer damage.

John Chrysostom, " The Word of the Three Youths and the Oven of Babylon»

Basil the Great in his The Word of the Holy Spirit in the chapter on the state of the church contemporary to him, he gives the Babylonian youths the merit that they, being alone among the Gentiles, did not talk about their small numbers, but “ they even in the midst of the flames chanted God, not discussing the multitude of those who swept away the truth, but were content with each other when there were three of them».

Gregory the Theologian cites the youths as an example of the proper condition of priests: “ Boldly coming under the yoke of the Priesthood, the right to do their own ways and the right to rule the word of truth, with fear and trembling thus creating their own salvation. For our God is a consuming Fire, and if you touch Him like gold or silver, then do not be afraid of being burnt, like the Babylonian youths in a furnace. If you are from grass and reeds - from a combustible substance, like a philosopher about earthly things, then be afraid that the Heavenly Fire does not burn you».

In church rites

Chanting youths

The song of thanksgiving for the youth (" Prayer of the holy three youths») Became part of Christian hymnography already from the 4th-5th centuries. Athanasius of Alexandria (IV century) mentions the singing of the song of Moses from the Exodus and the Babylonian youths at Easter. Pseudo-Athanasius in the composition " About virginity"(IV century) indicates the inclusion of the song of the three youths in the composition of Matins.

A collection of biblical songs starting with the early Byzantine manuscripts serves as a supplement to the Psalter. According to the ancient Constantinople practice, the Psalter was divided into 76 antiphons and 12 biblical songs (they also included the song of the Babylonian youths, which was sung daily), starting from the 7th century (Jerusalem tradition) the number of biblical songs was reduced to 9, but the song of the Babylonian youths in it remained and is placed at number seven.

In modern liturgical practice, biblical songs are used as prokimenas. Prokeimenon from the song of the Babylonian youths (" Song of the Fathers") Is sung:

in the 1st week of Great Lent (Triumph of Orthodoxy, remembrance of the victory over the iconoclasts and the memory of the holy prophets);
in the 7th week after Easter (commemoration of the fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council);
in the week after October 11 (commemoration of the fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council);
in the week after July 16 (commemoration of the fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils);
in the weeks of the forefathers and fathers before the Nativity of Christ.

It should be noted that the text of the song used in worship is not identical to that given in the book of the prophet Daniel: the song is short retelling stories of the thrusting of the youths into the furnace and their miraculous deliverance from death, with the addition of prayers of thanks.

The song of the three youths is also a prototype for the Irmos 7 and 8 of the canon of Matins. Typical examples:

« An angel made the angel a venerable youth, while the Chaldeans were scorching by the command of God, exhorting the tormentor to cry: Blessed be God, our father"(Irmos 7th canon of the Sunday canon of the sixth voice)
« Thou didst siphon the dew out of the flame for the monk, and thou didst burn the righteous sacrifice with water, all that you do, Christ, only the hedgehog you want. We exalt you forever"(Irmos 8 songs of the Sunday canon of the sixth voice)
« Having redeemed the youth from the cave, being a man, he suffers like a mortal, and with a mortal passion he will clothe the imperishable with beauty, God is only blessed of the fathers and glorified"(Irmos 7 songs of the Easter canon)
« The wise children did not serve the golden body, and they themselves went into the flame, and their gods swore, and I water the Angel. Hearing a prayer from your lips"(Irmos 7 songs penitential canon to the Lord Jesus Christ)

During Great Lent, when, in accordance with the Triode, the biblical songs are read in full, one can hear during the service full text Songs of the Three Youths.

At Vespers of Great Saturday, combined with the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, the story of the three youths is read as the final (fifteenth) pair, and their song is read with choruses by the reader and those praying (or in chorus on their behalf).

"Cave action"

"Cave action"- the name of the ancient church rite (theatrical performance) according to this legend, which was performed on the Sunday service before the feast of the Nativity of Christ. This custom came to Russia from Byzantium. Large chandeliers were filmed in the temple to make way for a wooden round stove. Three boys and two adults represented youths and Chaldeans. When the service was interrupted, the Chaldean mummers took the bound youths out of the altar and interrogated them, after which they threw them into the oven. A forge with coals was placed under it, and the youths at that time sang a song praising the Lord. At the end of the chant, the sounds of thunder were heard, an angel descended from under the vaults. The Chaldeans fell down on their faces, then took off their clothes and stood in silence with bowed heads, while the youths with the angel walked around the stove three times.

The action was performed according to the literary arrangement of the biblical story, created by Simeon of Polotsk. The rite was banned in the 18th century by Peter I in connection with the reforms of the Russian Orthodox Church. At the beginning of the XX century, the rite was restored by the composer Alexander Kastalsky, the reconstruction was based on the reading of old "hook" recordings of music, and at the moment it is included in the repertoire of some contemporary performers.

The ceremony was not only instructive, but also entertaining, thanks to the presence of mummers. The Russian winter carnival began immediately after the end of the temple event. Those persons who in this action played the role of the Chaldeans and set fire to the "plow-grass", going beyond the threshold of the temple, lit the Christmas-tree fires in the streets.

Scene "Cave action" in the Assumption Cathedral filmed by Sergei Eisenstein in the film "Ivan the Terrible".

In folk rituals

On the day of remembrance of Daniel and the three youths (on the night of December 30-31), in the northern provinces, in memory of the Holy youths, in the fiery cave, large bonfires were kindled outside the outskirts and three dolls made of snow were thrown into the fire, and the behavior of the fire was used to guess the weather.

In the Anglican Church

Song of the Three Youths (usually named after the first Latin word lat. Benedicite) in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer of 1662 is sung at Anglican Matins. It should be noted that the text of this song itself is, according to 39 Articles, apocryphal, that is, it can be used for edification in life and teaching righteousness, but not for building a doctrine.

Veneration in Russia

The theme of the three youths in a fiery cave was loved in Russia. In addition to the "Cave Action", it is worth noting the frequent repetition of the plot in the fresco cycle.

N. S. Borisov notes that love for this topic in Ancient Rus connected with the analogy drawn by the consciousness of educated people of that time between the Babylonian captivity of the Jews and the oppression from the king Nebuchadnezzar - with the Tatar-Mongol conquest of Russia and the oppression from the Horde khans. “The behavior of the prophet Daniel and the youths Ananias, Azariah and Misail in Babylonian captivity became a model for the Russian rulers who found themselves in“ Horde captivity ”. According to the Bible, the main principles of these holy men in foreign captivity were loyalty to the faith - and conscientious service to the "filthy king" as advisers; courage - and careful evasiveness, cunning, foresight ", What principles were guided by the Moscow princes who traveled to the Horde. On the eve of his death, having taken monastic vows, Prince Ivan Kalita even chose the name of one of these youths - Ananias.

In the Russian apocrypha " The Legend of Babylon"(XIV-XV centuries) contains a legend associated with the youths, or rather, with their tomb and the church erected on it. It is connected with the legend widespread at that time in Russia, according to which the power of the Moscow sovereigns received its supreme sanction from none other than from Tsar Nebuchadnezzar. Since the legend says that the sacred regalia of royal power, including the Cap of Monomakh, passed to the Moscow princes from their ancestor, Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh, who in turn received them as a gift from the Emperor Constantine Monomakh, this legend offers an explanation of where they came from. appeared in Byzantium.

There was a staircase against the wall with an inscription in three languages - Greek, Georgian and Russian - that said that the stairs could safely get into the city. Having fulfilled this, the ambassadors among Babylon saw the church and, entering it, on the tomb of three holy youths, Ananias, Azariah and Misail, who had once burned in a fiery cave, they found a precious goblet filled with myrrh and Lebanon; they drank from the goblet, became cheerful and fell asleep for a long time; waking up, they wanted to take the goblet, but the voice from the tomb forbade them to do this and ordered them to go to Nebuchadnezzar's treasury to take the "sign", that is, the royal insignia.

In the treasury, among other treasures, they found two royal crowns, with which there was a letter, which said that the crowns were made by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon and the whole universe, for himself and for his queen, and now they should be worn by King Leo and his queen; in addition, the ambassadors found in the Babylonian treasury "carnelian crab", in which was "the royal purple, that is, porphyry, and the cap of Monomakh, and the royal scepter." Taking the things, the ambassadors returned to the church, bowed to the tomb of three youths, drank more from the goblet and the next day went on their way back.

V.S.Soloviev. Byzantism and Russia

This story is credited with Byzantine origins, but no Greek text has been found. In Russia, however, it was very common in various editions that have survived to this day.

The story of the miracle in the cave was contained in the collection that was common in Russia "Physiologist", where he was, apparently, a late addition to the story of the salamander.

In art

« Pious children in the cave"- a favorite subject of Christian iconography, known since the 7th century. This motif was a frequent theme in fresco painting, see, for example, the painting of the Moscow Annunciation and Assumption Cathedrals, as well as icon painting. The white-stone relief of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir is famous.

In painting of the New Time

Painting by J. Turner
Painting by N.P. Lomtev, Tretyakov Gallery
Painting by Simeon Solomon in the style of Pre-Raphaelism, 1863.

In literature

"About Nechadnezzar the king, about the body of gold and about three children who were not burnt in the cave"(1673-1674) - a comedy by Simeon of Polotsk, written for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and completely devoted to the history of three youths;
Shadrach in the furnace("Sedrach on Fire") is a science fiction novel by Robert Silverberg.

The Burning Fiery Furnace- opera by Benjamin Britten
Song Shadrach the Beastie Boys, of the same name by Louis Prim
Song The fourth man in the fire Johnny Cash
One of the recurring themes of reggae music: Viceroys song "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo", Twinkle Brothers song "Never Get Burn", Abyssinians song "Abendigo", Bob Marley & the Wailers "Survival" and Steel Pulse song "Blazing Fire" on the album African Holocaust.

Firefighters of Greece venerate the three holy youths as their patron saints. On the day of their memory, December 17, solemn prayers are held in the metropolises of the central cities, which are attended by mayors and ministers, senior officials and recruits-volunteers. On the same day, a solemn reception is traditionally given in the central Fire Department of the region.
It is believed that King Nebuchadnezzar ordered to throw three Jewish youths into the fire of the eternal fire of Baba Gurgur.

Prophet Daniel
The book of the prophet daniel
Otroch monastery - a monastery in honor of three youths
Seven sleeping youths of Ephesus
Forty Sebastian Martyrs
Burning bush

Literature

Osharina OV Image of the plot “Three youths in a fiery cave” in Coptic art ”.
The "cave action" was described in the "Ancient Russian vivliofics" published by N.I. Novikov, vol. 6, St. the three youths Ananias, Azarias and Misail "). The description given in the story also made up a separate brochure by Mordovtsev: "The cave performance in Moscow in 1675", published in the popular series "The Library of Russian Writers for Self-Education" (book 17, St. Petersburg, 1910).

Notes (edit)

? Vladimir Dal. Dictionary
? Josephus, Ant.Jud.X, 10.5
? Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other disembodied Heavenly Forces
? Nazirov R.G. Revival from bones in myths and fairy tales // Folklore of the peoples of the RSFSR: Collection of articles. - Ufa, 1982 .-- S. 28 - 35.
? The prophecies of the Book of Daniel. 597 BC NS. - 2240 A.D. NS.
? Cyprian of Carthage. Letter to the Thebarets, exhorting to martyrdom
? The Word of the Three Youths and the Oven of Babylon
? Basil the Great "On the Holy Spirit", ch. thirty
? Priesthood
? Prophet Daniel in liturgical tradition and iconography
? Church hymnography genres
? Irmos of the Sunday Canon
? For the holiday of Christmas: Cave action
? A. M. Panchenko. Russian culture on the eve of Peter's reforms
? Borisov N. S. Ivan Kalita
? The Legend of Babylon
? V.S.Soloviev. Byzantism and Russia
? Physiologist
? Cathedral of the Annunciation, fresco "Three youths in a fiery cave", 16th century.
? "Tablet" from St. Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod
? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Burning Fiery Furnace exhibited 1832 by J.Turner
? Painting by N.P. Lomtev, XIX century, State Tretyakov Gallery
? The Fourth Man in the Fire. Lyrics
? track 5, side 1 on the album Satta Massagana, published in 1976 by Penetrate Label.
? Fire Corps of Greece

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1. A new, verily, and the greatest spectacle of piety is represented by the face of three youths, who endured a wonderful contest in Babylon and, by the miracle of martyrdom, struck the whole universe. The glory of the saints is not limited to the place and the memory of the righteous is not limited to time, but "In eternal memory there will be a righteous man"(). Therefore, even in the case when martyrdom was committed in ancient times, the feat of patience is sung throughout all ages. The memory of history preserves events for us, reading makes deeds known, and the word, as in a picture, depicts the tyrant's lawlessness, and the confession of the saints, and the furnace that burns with fire, but does not burn in spite of the tormentor's command, and the faith of the martyrs, which is inextinguishable by the threat of fire. However, what prevents us from presenting the exploits of truly God-loving and blessed youths in order from the beginning? Nebuchadnezzar is a king, or rather a tyrant (this should be the real name of this persecutor), although he was the owner of Babylon, but he was a barbarian in his soul, and indomitable in his disposition. Intoxicated with great wealth, untruth and wickedness, he reached the point of oblivion of his nature and, not considering himself a man, demanded that he be worshiped as God. The development of this excessive pride in him was conditioned, on the one hand, by his characteristic madness, and, on the other, by the longsuffering of God, because he tolerates the wicked, allowing their wickedness to exercise the pious. The wicked made a golden image, that is, a golden statue, and forced those created in the image of God to worship the image that he made. Great ambition prompted him to give his idol the height of sixty cubits, and the width of six; at the same time, he took care of the proportionality of the parts and the elegance of the work, in order not only by the size, but also by the beauty of the idol to ensure the victory of the lie that rebelled against the truth. So, art did its job, the gold glittered, the messenger trumpeted, the tormentor threatened, the furnace was on fire, and the so-called Musikian organs aroused the mad to atheism; in general, the whole setting of this spectacle was aimed at completely suppressing the minds of the spectators. However, in spite of everything, the wicked command could not prevail over the saints. But when a strong stream of deception, like a great storm, carried everyone into the abyss of idolatry, these three beautiful youths, unshakably asserting themselves in piety as if on some rock, stood amid the stream of untruth. They could rightfully say: “if it were not for the Lord with us, when people rebelled against us, they would have swallowed us alive when their rage against us was enraged, then the waters would have drowned us: but the stream passed over our souls and our souls, our souls passed over the swift waters "(). They were not drowned by the stream, were not carried away by the water, but courageously fought in piety and, as if flying on the wings of faith, were saved by the inflow: "Save yourself like a chamois from the hand and like a bird from the hand of a fowler"(.) The devil's nets were spread over the entire human race, but the youths could say about them together with the psalmist: “sinners will fall ... into their net” ().

The three captives, oppressed by so many, did not look at their weakness, but they firmly knew that even the smallest spark was enough to burn and destroy all the power of wickedness. Therefore, being only three of them, they strengthened each other and affirmed. After all, they knew that (). They remembered that the patriarch Abraham, remaining the only worshiper of God on the whole earth, did not follow the multitude of the wicked, but set himself the law to follow righteousness and piety, which is why he quite rightly appeared as a good root, from which so many fruits of piety had grown. From him are the patriarchs, and the lawgiver Moses, and the prophets, and all the theologians; from him, for the most part, this saving and immortal color of truth is the incarnate Savior; and the three youths themselves recognized their noble origin from him. They also remembered Lot, who lived among the Sodomites, but was far from them by his morals; they brought to memory Joseph, how he alone in all Egypt kept celibacy and observed piety. So they, alone among this multitude, reflected that "Narrow is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to life, and few find them"... Looking back at themselves and at the oven, they recalled, on the other hand, that wisdom somewhere says that "The furnace is for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts"(). Therefore, neither the trumpet that sounded the war song did not frighten them, nor the lyre, enchanting the ear, destroyed the forces of piety, nor all the other Musikian accords upset their beautiful and harmonious harmony in piety, but they opposed the beautiful melody with wonderful unanimity. When it was announced about the friends of Ananias that they had violated the impious command, then the evil-minded and impious tormentor, puffing up his soul with the devil's spirit and, so to speak, assuming the very appearance of the ruler of malice, calls them and says: "Do you, Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago, do not serve my gods with intent, and do not worship the golden image that I have set up"()? He considered their piety only apparent, and asks, do the preachers of piety really dare to contradict the royal commands? But he had to be convinced by experience that the people of God not only neglect the threats of the tormentor, but the very power of fire can be trampled under the power of piety. "From now on, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of a trumpet, flute, zither, yarn, gusli, symphony and all kinds of musical instruments, fall and bow to the idol which I have made." ()

2. He put it well about demon worship: "Fall and bow down"... It is impossible to bow to demons without falling into the abyss of death, without falling away from the truth. "If you do not bow down, then at the same hour you will be thrown into a furnace that is red-hot with fire."() In any case, if there is a furnace, then obviously there is also fire; if there is fire, then obviously it is burning; but (the tormentor connects everything together, trying to) increase and intensify the threat in order to shake their firmness in piety. "At the same hour you will be thrown into a furnace blazing hot."... Until now, it was still possible to bear the claims of his arrogance, but look what he adds next: ()? Here is another Pharaoh: and he said to Moses: “Who is the Lord, so that I obey His voice ... I don’t know- says the wicked, - I will not let the Lord and Israel go "(). Oh, great human arrogance! Oh, the great longsuffering of God! A man speaks, and takes away. The clay speaks, and the Creator is longsuffering. The carnal tongue makes sounds, and the Lord of disembodied spirits descends, the Lord, "You make an angel of His their spirits and servants ... I burn their fiery flames ”(). It is timely to remember the words of Isaiah (Sirach): "That the earth and the ashes are proud" ()?

Do you want to fully understand God's longsuffering? Think how unbearable the pride found here would seem to you if it touched you. It happens that someone is offended by a servant; immediately offended, protecting his dignity of a free man, demands punishment for a daring act and subjects the offender to a merciless execution. Or an ordinary private person will insult another such member of society; immediately offended, hurt by the insult, he hastens to take revenge, not paying attention to either the commonality of nature, or the equality of all, with complete disregard for the dignity of the offender. Meanwhile, one virtue of equality is characteristic of our entire family: we are all created from the earth and turn into the earth; one, common for all, we are the way to life, and one, common for all, the outcome (before us). Every one of us was created from dust, and dust demands such advantages over those of equal honor. And God, possessing everything both by nature and by law, and being as much higher as one can imagine the Creator in comparison with the creature, blasphemed and humiliated by the reckless, is not irritated, but remains dispassionate. But then he punishes those who are in madness a little later, being the Judge of truth and the Judge impartial. He postpones punishment so as not to destroy all sinners at once, and arm himself with patience to draw them to repentance. Let us return, however, to the subject of the conversation. The man clothed with flesh dared to say: "And then which one will deliver you from my hand" ()?

The blessed youths, hearing this, did not oppose the blasphemy, because they themselves were imbued with the spirit of divine longsuffering, but against the words of unbelief they raised the voice of faith and answered the tormentor, overthrowing lawlessness and defeating the threat of untruth with freedom of truth, with these words: "Let it be known to you, king, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up"(). Leave this madness, oh man, be ashamed of the humiliating worship of the image! After all, if you yourself put the image, then how do you bow to what you did? Who should be whose creator - people of God or people? If your idols are really gods, then they should also be creators, but - as we often said before - if art had not come to the aid of people, the pagans would have no gods at all. Meanwhile, if the idols had any feeling, they themselves would begin to render worship to the people who made them. The law of nature is that the creature should worship the Creator, and not the Creator should worship the creature. Therefore, we, who were brought up in piety, following the divine law, "We will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up"(), but there is in heaven, who will deliver us from your hand. Then, so that it does not seem that they are tempting God, or that they are neglecting fire in the hope of deliverance, they immediately add: "Even if it doesn't happen"(), that is: even if he does not deliver, but allows the fire to burn our bodies, then even then we will not betray piety, because we do not serve God for payment, but sincerely confess the truth. Hearing this sermon of faith, the tormentor becomes even more inflamed and orders the stove to be kindled in seven dimensions. After all, the purest silver must be purified by the seven measure: “The words of the Lord are pure words, silver molten, tested in the earth, this has been refined several times. " "Finest silver is the tongue of the righteous"(), and listen to what Jeremiah says about those who did not pass the test of godliness: "They will be called rejected silver, for the Lord rejected them"(). If the weak in piety turn out to be rejected silver, then it is obvious that the perfect are sophisticated silver: in this case, the more the furnace is kindled, the more splendor the martyrdom acquires.

So, the three holy youths went into the furnace with faith and trampled the flame, breathing thin and moist air in the very heat of the fire. The Creator and Cause of everything softened the heat of the fire and suppressed the power that burned it, so that by this miracle the words of the song were actually justified: "The voice of the Lord cuts out the flames of fire"(). The fire was meek and quiet, and the saints rejoiced, enjoying the promise that, through the prophet Isaiah, proclaims to every soul full of faith and piety: “Will you,” He says, “ to cross the waters, I am with you, ... you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you "(). This promise was fulfilled here in practice. The fire did not touch the members of the saints: it did not scorch the eyes, striving towards piety and through the beauty of visible things cognizing the Creator; did not damage the hearing, full of divine laws; he did not reach his lips and did not singe his lips, respecting the tongues that spoke the songs and the singers themselves. And each member of the saints had its own protective means: hands - praying and giving alms, the chest - the power of piety that dwells in it, the womb and hypogastric limbs - an exercise in piety, legs - walking in virtue. But do you need to spend time listing everything separately? After all, the fire did not dare to touch the hair, because piety covered them better than any tiara; he spared their clothes, protecting the goodness of the saints. And what else? Fire scorches the Chaldeans so that they do not think that the power of fire has been destroyed by magic, and thus they do not darken the glory of the martyrs and do not slander the miracle of truth - therefore they stayed calmly inside, and the Chaldeans burned out fire to completely convince the audience that he was not by his own nature he did nothing in relation to the saints, but out of respect for piety, like the lions in the den (spared) Daniel. So, having compiled a truly angelic face in the fire, the blessed youths turned to glorifying God, combining into one face of chanting all creation - both the premature and contemplated by the eyes.

3. It is impossible to leave without research the circumstance for which they did not designate the whole creation in general, but enumerated the entire universe in parts. How much was required for the truth, of course, it was enough to say: "Bless all the works of the Lord"(); but since this great triumph of piety took place in the land of the wicked, it was necessary to give the Babylonians a lesson as to what exactly the creation is and who is the Creator of everything. And they start with angels, end up with people. Angels were revered as gods, and the pagans had a myth that the gods they bowed to were like the angels of the great God. And so, so that the mad should learn that the angels are not from those who are worshiped, but from those who worship, (the youths) cry out: "Bless the angels of the Lord"(). The sun, the moon, and the entire face of the stars were also worshiped, and therefore they are attracted to worship in hymns. “Bless,” they say, “ the sun and the moon, Lord, ... the heavenly stars of the Lord "(). Then further: "All rain and dew, Lord"(). It is not out of place to consider what these words mean: "All rain and dew" and "all the winds" ().

There is often a lack of rain; sometimes strong winds blow out of season. Servants of lies and vanity usually ascribe all such disturbances to some evil material principle, not knowing that nothing happens without the will of the Master, nothing happens in vain, but that God controls everything, directing everything to educate people and drive out wickedness. If the order of creation usually proclaims the Creator, then the violation of the order testifies against the deification of creatures. After all, if rain or spirits had divine dignity, then there could be no disorder in them, because disorder cannot be reconciled with divinity. That is why (the youths) say: "All rain and dew" and "All the winds of the Lord"... The rains and winds were enriched, partly as feeders, partly as cultivators of earthly fruits. The earth itself was deified, and its fruits were attributed to various deities: grapes to Dionysus, olive to Athena, others - other works. And now the very word of truth, confirming (divine participation in earthly works), says: "Bless all growth on the earth of the Lord"(). After all, He is the Lord and Creator of everything - both vegetating and vegetating. Then further "mountains and hills" are called. Well, aren't mountains and hills on earth? Of course; but since demonic abominations were committed on the hills and idols were worshiped, in view of this, they are mentioned (separately): "Bless the mountains and hills of the Lord"(). And remembering the hills, they then remember about the springs, rivers and seas: after all, they were deified, and the sources were called nymphs, the sea - Poseidon, some kind of sirens and Nereids. Such reverence extended to rivers, as is confirmed by the custom that has survived in Egypt to this day: there they made a sacrifice in honor of the Nile, not in gratitude to the Creator for this work of nature, but honoring the water itself as God. That is why (the youths) list the rivers in their chants along with the seas and springs. Next come the birds of the air and cattle, since deification extended to them. Thus, of the birds, the eagle and the hawk were revered; and the Egyptians even called animals and cattle gods, and this delusion was so strong that the name of the cities was borrowed from the deified animals: they have cities named after dogs, sheep, wolves and lions. After all creation, the human race is called at last. “Bless,” he says, “ sons of men of the Lord " ().

The human race takes last place- not worthy, but in the order of creation. "Bless the Lord, Israel"(). It is called (to bless the Lord), of course, and the chosen people of God, and since there were many divisions in it, among them in particular are called "Priests of the Lord"(), in denunciation of the priests of false gods. Further (mentioned) "servants of the Lord" (). And then, so that the ancestors do not remain alien to this face, (the youths), together with the living, count them as participants in the praise, saying: "Bless, the spirits and souls of the righteous, the Lord, ... Bless the righteous and lowly in heart, the Lord"(). Why are the saints and the humble mentioned? To show that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble"(): he burns the proud outside the furnace, keeps the righteous and humble in the midst of the fire. Since the fire was also present with the saints, he, along with other creatures, receives the command to chant the Creator: "Bless the fire and heat of the Lord"(), - so that the Babylonian magicians, for whom fire was an object of worship, may be brought to their senses, that it also refers to the worshipers, and not to those worshiped.

But let us turn to the conclusion of the song in order to end the conversation later. “Bless,” the youths say, “ Ananias, Azariah and Misail, the Lord "(). Why was it necessary to add their own names to so many numbered ranks? Didn't they bless the Lord with Israel? Didn't they include themselves among the servants of the Lord when they said: "Bless, servants of the Lord, the Lord", or, speaking of the saints and the humble in heart, did they not mean themselves among them? So, what does this increase mean: "Bless Ananias, Azarias and Misail"? Having bodily entered the furnace, they trampled on the fire. This miracle was so extraordinary, so much higher than human nature that the audience could pass from one delusion to another - to recognize them as gods and worship them instead of the fire, which they turned out to be stronger: protecting the audience from the temptation to fall into such a delusion, they announce their their own bondage and worship, saying: "Bless Ananias, Azarias and Misail, the Lord"... At the same time, it becomes clear why he did not allow Daniel to take part in this martyrdom. After Daniel's interpretation of the royal dream, the king worshiped him as a god and honored him with the name Belshazzar, derived from the name of the Babylonian god. So, so that they would not think that by this divine, in their opinion, the name of Belshazzar, the power of fire is defeated, God arranged so that Daniel was not present, so that the miracle of piety would not suffer damage. However, that's enough. May we be honored, too, through the prayers of the radiant ascetics, armed with the same zeal, to receive the same praises and achieve the same kingdom, the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Three youths in the oven of Babylon

Soon the friends of the prophet Daniel - Ananias, Azariah and Misail - were subjected to an ordeal of faith. King Nebuchadnezzar set a large golden idol on the field of Deira, near the city of Babylon. All the nobles and noble people of the Babylonian kingdom were gathered for its opening. And it was announced that as soon as they heard the sound of the trumpet and musical instruments, they should fall to the ground and bow to the idol; if anyone does not obey the king's command, he will be thrown into a red-hot furnace.

And so, when the sound of the trumpet was heard, all those gathered fell to the ground - only three of Daniel's friends stood adamantly before the idol. The angry king ordered to light the furnace and throw three Jewish youths into it. The flames were so strong that the soldiers who threw the condemned into the furnace fell down dead. But Ananias, Azariah and Misail remained unharmed, because the Lord sent His Angel to protect them from the flames. In the midst of the fire, they sang a song of praise, glorifying the Lord. This miracle surprised the king, and he ordered three young men to get out of the burning furnace. When they went out, everyone saw that the fire did not touch them at all, not even their clothes and hair were scorched. Nebuchadnezzar, seeing this miracle, said: “ Blessed be God ... who sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him... "(Dan. 3.95). And the king, on pain of death, forbade all his subjects to blaspheme the name of the God of Israel.

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The chronicle of the Jewish people contains such an important fragment as the Babylonian captivity. The Jews became its victims after the conquest of the eponymous region of Jerusalem by the ruler. This happened long before the birth of Christ, namely, more than five centuries. It so happened that among the captives were holy people: the youths Ananias, Azariah, Misail and the prophet Daniel. Orthodox Church remembers these God's servants every year at the end of the first winter month, more precisely - December 30.

Life in captivity

Daniel, Misail, Azariah and Ananias were taken prisoner when they were still quite children. They all belonged to noble Jewish families. Nebuchadnezzar knew about this and did not intend to encroach on the status of the Jewish aristocrats he had captured. He gave orders to his entourage, according to which the youths were to lead a luxurious and rich life at the court. In addition, by order of the Babylonian king, the education of the young men was to be continued. Mainly, emphasis was placed on the teaching of the Chaldean wisdom to the saints.

However, Daniel, Azariah. Misail and Ananias, being strict adherents of the Jewish faith, did not want to take advantage of the miraculous opportunity that fell to them to exist in captivity comfortably and carefree. Their way of life was distinguished by severity, up to asceticism. In particular, the diet of the pious youths consisted of ordinary water and vegetables. The chief of the eunuchs gave the holy youths other names: henceforth Ananias was called Sedrach, Azaria - Abdenago, Daniel was called Belshazzar, and Misah was called Misach. God, seeing the humility of the youths and their sincere love for themselves, rewarded the meek captives with heavenly gifts. He endowed each of the young men with wisdom, and the prophet Daniel - also the gift of clairvoyance, coupled with the ability to interpret night visions. The latter, by the way, struck with his knowledge the king Nebuchadnezzar himself, because he surpassed the most outstanding Chaldean sages in this. For his abilities, Daniel was among the close associates of the ruler of Babylon.

Daniel's interpretation of the royal vision

The second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar was marked by the fact that the ruler of the Babylonians had strange dreams that could not be deciphered. Once the king saw and did unusual dream, however, its content immediately "faded" from the memory of the crowned person after awakening. Many sages from those summoned by Nebuchadnezzar tried to penetrate this secret, but none of them managed to find out, using their talents and abilities, what exactly the ruler of Babylon had seen that night. This state of affairs infuriated the king. He ordered the execution of all sorcerers and fortunetellers in the kingdom. Daniel and the three youths were also persecuted, although none of them was in the know. An approximate ruler Arioch, whom Nebuchadnezzar directly entrusted with the mission of destroying the Babylonian sages, when asked by a Jewish youth about what was happening, told the story of the ruler's mysterious dream. Then Daniel assured him of the possibility of resolving this problem and asked him to convey to the king about the imminent receipt of the interpretation of night vision.

Returning to his home, the young man shared information with his friends Ananias, Azaria and Misail. None of them wanted to die, and therefore the youths began to pray to God to reveal the secret of the strange royal dream to the prophet Daniel. Very little time passed, and the wise young man had a vision, which contained the meaning of the revelation that appeared to Nebuchadnezzar and its decoding. Having thanked the Lord for the mercy shown, Daniel went to Arioch. The young man told the king's servant that he wanted to see Nebuchadnezzar, because he could reveal to the crowned person the secret of his strange night vision, and noted that the destruction of the Babylonian sages was unnecessary.

The king received the young prophet and heard the following: it turns out that the ruler of Babylon on that unfortunate night saw a brilliant, frightening-looking idol with a golden head, half iron, half clay feet, silver chest and arms, copper belly and hips. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a stone flew at this idol, and its limbs smashed to dust. After all, it turned into dust, which was picked up by the wind and carried away in an unknown direction. And the stone became a mountain and filled all visible space. The prophet Daniel deciphered this vision as follows: after the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar there will be another, and still a third, which will take over the whole earth. The fourth kingdom will turn out to be very strong, but divided, and therefore vulnerable. However, these parts will become one, as broken clay and iron mixed into one dust in the ruler's dream.

Hearing all this, the ruler of Babylon bowed deeply to Daniel and offered him thanks, and then brought rich gifts.

Golden idol

A little time passed, and King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his people to erect a golden image of exorbitant size on the field. When this command was carried out, the governor of Babylon ordered to convene for the opening of the sculpture of all statesmen, and the courtiers, and the people, so that they bow to the idol of pure gold, as soon as they hear the signal - the sounds of numerous musical instruments. Those who disobey the king's desire faced a painful death through burning in a furnace.

And people flocked to the place where the image was set. And the subjects of the king of Babylon fell prostrate before this giant. Only Misail, Azariah and Ananias did not appear - three Jewish youths, about which they immediately reported to Nebuchadnezzar. He got angry and gave the order to bring the rebellious young men to him. When the Jewish youths were in the face of the ruler of Babylon, he told them about his will and what awaits them in case of refusal to obey the order. The servants of the Lord were not afraid of the tsar's threats and at first did not even want to answer the speeches of the crowned person. But then they said something like the following: we have one God, and we serve him, but we will not worship your gods, king.

Miraculous salvation

Then Nebuchadnezzar, being in anger, ordered to light the stove harder and to throw there three youths, whom they had previously tied up. As soon as this happened, the king was terribly surprised: it was revealed to his eyes that there were not three people walking inside the furnace, but four, and there were no fetters on their legs and arms, and the fourth man was similar in appearance to God. And then the king ordered his captives to come out of the burning throat. When Ananias, Azariah and Misail were in front of him, Nebuchadnezzar understood: fire does not have the slightest power over the youths, because it did not harm them. This miracle compelled the king to praise the God of the Jews and to take three young saints under his special protection.

trad. name of friends prop. Daniel, to-rye were saved by God from being burned in a furnace during the Babylonian captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar.

History V. about. in the Old Testament

In the biblical story, each of V. about. has paired names: Ananias (Sedrach) (Heb. - the mercy of Yahweh, Heb. - the command of [the god] Aku (possibly derived from the name of the god Marduk, the patron saint of Babylon), Misael (Misach) (Heb. - who is like God; - who as Aku) and Azaria (Abdenago) (- the help of Yahweh;, from Akkad. abad-nabu - servant, slave [of the god] Nabu). The use of these names of V. o. is determined by different communicative situations in the narration: Babylonian names sound either from the mouth Babylonians - Asphenaz (1. 7), Nebuchadnezzar (1. 49; 3. 14, 26, 28, 29, 30), the Chaldean informers (3. 12), or in the context of relations with them (2. 49; 3. 13, 16, 19, 20, 22), while in connection with Daniel (on behalf of the narrator) they are called Hebrew names (1.11, 19; 2.17). Perhaps the most frequent repetition of Babylonian names in the story about salvation in a fiery furnace is a rhetorical device (P. Coxon) The distortion of the Babylonian forms of names is most likely deliberately ironic, in order to contrast the Babylonian religious and cultural tradition with the Jewish one.

Ananias, Misail and Azariah, together with Daniel, were chosen as the chief of the eunuchs Asphenaz from among the noble Jews (according to legend, they were the descendants of King Hezekiah), and the prophecy of Isaiah 39.7 (Babylonian Talmud. Sanhedrin. 93b; Hieron. In Is. 39; Orig. In Math. 15. 5) about the service at the royal court, when they received, like Daniel, new names as a sign of dependence on the victorious Babylonians and their deities. During a three-year period of education and training at the court of the Chald. (Aram.) language and bookishness, they refrained from eating food from the king's table and, although they ate only vegetables and water, they were superior to other court youths in beauty and health (Dan 1. 3-20). At the end of their upbringing, Daniel and V. about. began to serve at the court of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, on the eve of the revelation of the king's dream given to him, turned to Ananias, Misail and Azariah, “that they ask the mercy of the God of heaven about this secret” (Dan 2. 17-19), and after Daniel opened and interpreted the dream, Nebuchadnezzar, at his request put V. about. "Over the affairs of the land of Babylon" (Dan 2. 49).

Having ordered the construction of a golden idol on the field of Deir (Durá - a plain southeast of Babylon), Nebuchadnezzar conceived its grand opening, to which all the royal officials were to be present. At the sound of muses. instruments, all the inhabitants of the country on pain of being thrown into a red-hot furnace had to worship a golden idol (Dan 3. 1-11). V. about. did not fulfill the royal command, openly confessed their faith in God, refusing to serve the local gods and worship the golden idol. By order of the king, they were tied up and thrown into a red-hot furnace, while the executioners perished from the fire (Dan 3. 12-23). Saved by an angel who descended into the furnace, V. o. they walked with him through the fire unbound and undamaged (Dan 3. 91-92). Then Nebuchadnezzar blessed the God of Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago, and even forbade His reproach, having appointed the punishment for blasphemy accepted for Babylonia - death penalty and the destruction of dwellings, and elevated V. about. in their own country, putting them in charge of all the Jews who lived in the empire (Dan 3. 95-97 LXX).

In Greek. text LXX and in the translation of Theodotion, which served as a source for most other church translations, including Church Glory. and Russian. (in the Synodal edition), a story about V. about. more extensive than in Heb. MT: there are 2 large poetic passages with prosaic phrases and a conclusion preceding them (Dan 3. 24-90). The same passages are found in the sire. Origen's Hexaplus text. In some Greek. in the manuscripts, they have special inscriptions: "Prayer of Azaria" (Greek Προσευχὴ ᾿Αζαρίου) and "Song of the Three Youths" (̀λδβλθυοτεΥμνος τῶν τριῶν παιδῶν) (for example, in the Turin Psalms of the Psalms) or " e.g. in the Codex of Alexandria; see also in the work of the Armenian Catholicos Hovhannes III Odznetsi (718) (Conybeare F. C. Rituale armenorum. Oxf., 1905. P. 497)). Copt. traditions song V. about. known as the "hymn of the three saints" (Schneider. S. 55).

The question of the authenticity of that part of the story about V. of the lake, edges is contained only in the Greek. text (Ep. ad Africanum. 2 // PG. 11. Col. 49-52), one of the first to touch on Origen. He, like Saints Athanasius of Alexandria and Cyril of Jerusalem, defended the authenticity of the fragments. Blzh. Jerome included them in his Bible translation, noting that they are absent from Heb. the text (Prologus in Danihele propheta // Biblia sacra iuxta vulgatam versionem. Stuttg., 19944. P. 1341). Polychrony, brother of Theodore of Mopsuestia, declined to comment on these passages, since they do not appear in either Hebrew or Ser. The Bible, however, they were later included in the Peshitta text. Nestorian and Malabar Christ. traditions also recognize the canonicity of these texts; they entered the Said, Ethiopian, Old Latin and other translations of Holy. Scriptures (Daubney. P. 71-72).

The question of the existence of these insertions, as well as of their original language in pre-Masoretic Heb. the text of the Book of Daniel, remains open. Proceeding from the fact that the narrative fragment found in translations between poetic texts quite "fits" into the MT after Art. 23, and art. 24 refers rather to the 2nd than to the 1st of them, and partly duplicates Art. 51, the researchers suggested that the prayer of Azariah was inserted into the Greek. the text is later than the song of V. o. (for example, G. Jan included verses 28 and 49-51 from LXX in his reconstruction of the original Hebrew text (Lpz., 1904)). A strong argument for the late insertion of these passages is their absence in the Qumran manuscripts (eg, 1QDanb (1Q72), A.D. 50-68). Josephus Flavius sets out the history of V. of the lake, without mentioning the texts contained in the Greek. versions (Ios. Flav. Antiq. X 10. 5). They are also absent in the interpretations of the Book of the Prophet Daniel by some of the Church Fathers (St. John Chrysostom, St. Ephraim the Syrian, etc.).

If in the XIX century. some researchers (J. W. Rothstein, GB Sweet) considered a Semitic possible. the origin of the song V. o., and others (B. F. Westcott, E. Schürer, O. Fritzsche) preferred to talk about the Greek. the origins of this text, then sovr. researchers are inclined to believe that both poetic passages in Dan 3 were translated from the now unknown Heb. originals (J. Collins).

The structure of Azaria's prayer is typical of the OT (Giraudo C. La struttura letteraria della preghiera eucharistica. R., 1981. P. 132, 156 (AnBibl .; 92)): Art. 26 contains the glorification of the name of God (cf .: 1 Chron 29.10; Ps 118.12; Tov 3. 11; 8. 5, 15; 11:14); verses 27-32 are the anamnetic part with the confession of the righteousness of the ways of the Lord and repentance for sins; verses 34-45 - the epicletic part, containing a request to God not to leave His people, a remembrance of the covenant with Abraham (in v. 36), a recognition of our insignificance and a request to accept a spiritual sacrifice, deliver the suffering, shame enemies and glorify His name (final doxology) (Art. 45). The transition between the individual parts is carried out using the formula "And now" (verses 33, 41). In terms of content, Azariah's prayer resembles the prayers of Solomon (1 Kings 8. 46-51) and Daniel (Dan 9).

Prayer of Azaria, according to the opinion of many. researchers, by its nature goes beyond the scope of the situation, it is rather not a request for the salvation of the VO themselves, but a confession and a request for mercy for all of Israel, found in other places of the OT (Dan 9; Ezra 9; Nehem 9) and apocryphal literature. The theological idea of this prayer is close in concept to the book. Deuteronomy (suffering is the result of sin, and deliverance is the result of repentance). In Daniel, suffering is a consequence of faithfulness and requires patience rather than repentance - Collins).

Song of the Three Youths in to a greater extent corresponds to the context of the narrative - this is a call to all creation to bless and praise the Lord (cf. Ps 135), who commands the fire not to scorch those who are faithful to Him. It is similar to other biblical songs (Ex 15, 1 Sam 2, etc.), in structure it resembles Ps 136, in content - Ps 148 and 150. Commentators of the 19th century. believed that the text of the hymn is a reworking of one of these psalms. The songwriter of the three youths could have been inspired by the corresponding verses from other books of the OT (Sire 43, Ps 19, Job 38, Ps 104 and Gen 1 1-2, 4). The song of the three youths consists of multiple blessings (vv. 52-56), followed by even more numerous calls to various orders of creation to glorify the Creator (vv. 57-90).

The main meaning of the history of V. about. testifies to the ability to live and achieve success, being under the rule of the pagans and remaining faithful to the Lord; according to some researchers, this may serve as an indication of the environment in which the story was created (the upper strata of Jewish society in the Hellenistic diaspora), which was aimed at an example of V.'s resilience. deliver the faithful from the fear of death (W. L. Humphreys). Daniel and V. o. are the ones to whom God gave special wisdom () and Daniel - and special knowledge that allows him to act correctly in a given situation. About V.'s salvation about. from the fire by faith they mention priest before death. Mattathias (1 Mak 2. 59), 4 Mak 16.21, 18.12, indirectly - the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (11.34).

Certain expressions in NT are probably allusions to the texts of Azaria's prayer and the songs of V.O .: Matthew 11.29 (cf. Dan 3. 87), 2 Tim 1.18 (cf: Dan 3. 38) , Heb. 12.23 (cf. Dan 3. 86), Rev 16.5, 7 (cf .: Dan 3. 27).

History V. about. the Fathers of the Church

Mention of V. about. present in the writings of the martyr. Justin the Philosopher (I Apol. 46; cf .: Dan 3.88), Clement of Alexandria quotes selected verses from V. o. (in the following order: 59, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 90), and the text he cites differs from the LXX and Theodotion versions (Clem. Alex. Eclog. proph. 1). Apparently, the song of V. o. very early acquired exclusively Christ. sounding, first of all, in connection with the identification of the angel who descended into the furnace to the youths (v. 25), with the Son of God, which was reflected in the translations of Aquila and Theodotion, and its text in the II-III centuries. became one of the arguments in polemics with rabbinic Judaism (see Teugels L. The Background of the Anti-Christian Rolemics in Aggadat Bereshit // JSJ. 1999. Vol. 30. Fasc. 2. P. 178-209). Among Christ. frescoes in rome. In the catacombs, there is an image of 3 youths with their hands raised in prayer (Carletti C. I tre giovani ebrei di Babilonia nell "arte cristiana antica. Brescia, 1975; about the iconography of V. of the lake, see Three youths in a fiery cave).

The corpus of chants, which has not undergone significant changes since the introduction of the Studian charter, includes: troparion of the 2nd voice: ""; kontakion of the 6th voice: " "; canon of the 8th voice, the creation of Theophanes, with the acrostic "Τρεῖς Παῖδας ὑμνῶ, Δανιήλ τε τὸν μέγαν" (), irmos: "῾Υγρὰν διοδεύσας ὡσεὶ ξυράναν ναν ννων "( ); several is similar. Canon V. about. also used on St. forefather.

The service at the liturgy is like in the Week of All Saints, except for the Gospel (Luke 11.47 - 12.1). In the Studio-Aleksievsky Typikon, the liturgy service is different (common to the prophets).

In hymnographic texts the image of V. o. interpreted as an indication of the feat of faith (- irmos of the 7th canon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos), the mystery of the Incarnation ( - irmos of the 8th canon of the 1st canon for the Nativity of Christ), on the Personality of the Mother of God (- irmos of the 8th canon of the 1st canon for the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos), as a prototype of the Most Holy Theotokos. Trinity ( - irmos of the 7th canon of the 1st canon of Monday, 3rd tone).

Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Youths in Divine Service

have been used since the first centuries of Christianity. Though general structure, the genre originality and content are quite consistent with the traditions of the inter-Testament period, information about their use in the temple or synagogue cult has not been preserved.

Selected verses from the song of V. o. meet in early christ. liturgical texts, for example, Art. 26 (or 52) is part of the great doxology, verses 28-30 are quoted in the prayer of the offering of the Jerusalem liturgy to St. Jacob (PO. T. 26. Fasc. 2.N 126. P. 194-195).

On the liturgical use of the hymns of V. o. says their inclusion in the number of biblical songs. In the Alexandrian code of the Bible, the prayer of Azariah and the song of the three youths are presented as separate songs between the prayer of Manasseh and the song of the Virgin, in the Vatican code, after the song of the Virgin (Luke 1. 46-55), only the song of the three youths is placed (v. 52-90), in Turin Codex song V. about. divided into 3 parts (26-45, 52-56 and 57-90), which are located between the prayer of Manasseh and the song of the prop. Zechariah (father of John the Baptist), and the narrative passages (vv. 24-25, 46-51) are excluded.

Certain evidence of singing hymns V. about. at the service appear from the 2nd floor. IV century According to Rufin (345-410), V. o. sung throughout the Church everywhere and "mainly on holidays" (Apol. in Hieron. lib. II 33, 35; cf. the sermons of Caesarea of Arelates (Serm. 69. 1.19) and St. John Chrysostom (Quod nemo laeditur nisi a se ipso // SC. 103. P. 130-139)). Song V. about. appears in Op. Nikita, Bishop Remesian (5th century), one of the earliest lists of biblical songs that had liturgical application, between the song of the prop. Jeremiah (Lament 5) and the song of the Virgin (De utilit. Hymn. 1.19.11 // JThSt. 1923. Vol. 23. P. 225-252; De psalmodiae bono 3 // PL. 68. Col. 373). Verekund, bishop North African city Yunka (+ 552), in the "Interpretation of Church Songs" reports that "it is customary to sing the song of Azaria," which is not in Heb. text (Comment. super cantica ecclesiastica. 1. 1 // CCSL. Vol. 93. P. 3 ff.), and in the following line-by-line commentary, the song of the three youths (v. 52-90) is not considered by him. K-Polish Patriarch Proclus (434-446) writes that V.O. sung every day all over the world (Orat. 5.1 // PG. 65. Col. 716), and the 4th Toledo Council (633) notes that singing in Sunday services and on the feasts of the martyrs, songs of V. o. is an "ancient custom" accepted throughout the world (Concil. Tolet. IV. can. 14 // PL. 85. Col. 297).

Song of the Three Youths at Easter Service

apparently, is one of the oldest ecclesiastical institutions (see the festive epistles of St. Athanasius of Alexandria (+ 373) (Ep. 4.1, 6. 11, 10. 3 // PG. 26. Col. 1377, 1388, 1398 ), sermons of St. Cyril of Alexandria (Hom. pasch. 18.2, 21.4), St. Zeno of Verona (IV century) (De Dan. in Pasch. 1 // PL. 11. Col. 523)).

In Jerusalem and K-field on the evening of Holy Saturday with the singing of the song of three youths, the bishop and the newly baptized entered the temple (Bertonière. G. The Hist. Development of the Easter Vigil and Related Services in the Greek Church. R., 1972. P. 59 -65, 127-132. (OCA; 193); PO. T. 36. Fasc. 2. N 168. P. 212-215, 304-307).

In the liturgical practice of Jerusalem and the K-field, the song of the three youths was used in different editions: in Jerusalem, in a shorter version of Theodotion (in the manuscripts of the Psalter, sometimes indicated by the mark "κατὰ τὸν ἁγιοπολίτην", that is, according to the Svyatograd [rank], for example. . gr. 752, Barber. gr. 285, XI century, etc.); in the K-field in the LXX version, called "κατὰ τὸν ἐκκλησιάστην", that is, after the order of the Great Church (Schneider. S. 433-451).

Hymns V. about. as part of matins

Since the salvation of the youths from the furnace was considered as a prototype of the Resurrection of Christ, the song of V. about. was included in the morning service, one of the themes of the cut is the glorification of the Resurrection. Unknown author, op. "On virginity" (c. 370), a cut was written in Cappadocia, but survived under the name of St. Athanasius of Alexandria, instructs the nun to sing "Bless all the works of the Lord" (Dan 3. 57) in the hour before dawn between Ps 62 and the morning hymn "Glory in the highest" (De virginitate. 20 // PG. 28. Col. 276). In almost all liturgical traditions, the song of V. o. is present in the composition of festive Matins, usually replacing the everyday (penitential) Ps 50 (in the Ambrosian, Gallican, Roman rites, among the Maronites (Mateos J. Les matinses chaldéenes, maronites et syriennes // OCP. 1960. Vol. 26. P. 55 -57; Taft. Liturgy of the Hours. P. 241), among the Nestorians (Mateos J. L "office paroissial du matin et du soir dans la rite chaldéen // La Maison-Dieu. P., 1960. Vol. 64. P. 65-67) and Ethiopians (Habtemichael-Kidane. L "Ufficio divino della chiesa etiopica. R. 1998. (OCA; 257). P. 341)). To Ethiopian. rite, as well as in Arm. and in Spanish-Mozarabian it is customary to sing this song at the services of small hours. The only exceptions are the Syro-Jacobites, in the liturgical books of which (for example, RKp. Laurent. Or. 58. Fol. 103v - 105, IX century) the song of V. o., Possibly due to dogmatic discrepancies, was replaced by Ps 62 (Taft. Liturgy of the Hours. P. 241).

In the K-Polish song sequence, a part of V. o. (Art. 57-88) was the antiphon of the entrance (εἰσοδικόν) at matins (Arranz M. How the ancient Byzantines prayed to God. L., 1976, p. 78). The rite of entry is described in detail by Simeon of Thessaloniki (+ 1429): at the entrance, the priest holding the Cross depicts an angel who descended to the youths, and the bishop depicts the Lord Himself (De sacr. Predicat. 349 // PG. 155. Сol. 635; Russian translation: Simeon Solunsky... Op. P. 489). The prayer of Azariah and the first part of the song of the three youths (vv. 52-56), according to the song sequence, were versed on Saturday morning. According to the Studio and Jerusalem (now accepted in the Orthodox Church) statutes, the prayer of Azariah and the song of the three youths make up the 7th and 8th songs of the hymnographic canon, respectively.

Since the descent of the angel was a prototype of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the Virgin Mary, the song of V.O. in Orthodox tradition usually follows a chant in honor of the Most Holy. Theotokos "You, the invincible Wall" (in the song matins) or the song of the Mother of God with the refrain "Honest" (at the monastic matins). The earliest example of such a combination is preserved in the Fayum papyrus of the 7th century. (Pap. Ryland. 466), which contains 4-stanza troparia with subtitles "On Bless" and "On Great".

Choruses and troparia to the hymns of V. o.

One of the first mentions of the refrains to the songs of the three youths is contained in the 47th chapter of the Life of St. Auxentius (+ 470), who compiled a special order for his visitors, in which to V.O. humming the verse "Bless" (PG. 114. Col. 1416). In Gaul, according to the testimony of Gregory of Tours (540 - c. 594), V. o. (benedictio) sang with the chorus "alleluiaticum" (Vitae patrum. 6. 7). To East Sir. liturgical books contain the refrain "Sing and exalt forever" (Mateos J. Lelya-Şapra: Essai d "interpretation des matines chaldéennes. R., 1959. P. 76).

In the ancient Jerusalem tradition, the singing of Dan 3.1-90 on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany and Easter was accompanied by non-biblical refrains (Conybeare. Rituale armenorum. P. 517, 523; Renoux A. Un manuscrit du Lectionnaire arménien de Jérusalem. Addenda et corrigenda // Le Muséon, P. 1962. Vol. 75. P. 386, 391). These choruses, although dissimilar in different manuscripts, are indicated after the same verses. In the manuscript arm. Lectionary (Jerus. Arm. 121) on Epiphany and Easter they are indicated after verses 35a, 51 and 52 (PO. T. 36. Fasc. 2. N 168. P. 212-215, 304-307). In later manuscripts (Jerus. Arm. 30 and 454) the text of the refrains is accompanied by muses. notation (PO. T. 35. Fasc. 1. N 163. P. 61). According to the Typicon of the Great c. the refrain to the song was Art. 57b: "Sing and exalt forever" (Mateos. Typicon. T. 2. P. 86).

In the song sequence, Azaria's prayer and the first part of the song of the three youths were sung with the chorus "Alleluia", and the second movement (entrance antiphon) with the chorus "Bless" (Athen. Bibl. Nat. Gr. 2061, end. XIV - early . XV century.). According to Simeon Solunsky, the song of V. o. sung with the refrain “Bless”, and at the end they say “Bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Lord, both now and ever” and the additional verse “Praise, bless, sing and worship the Lord” (De sacr. predicat. 349 / / PG. 155. Сol. 635; Russian translation: Simeon Solunsky... Op. S. 489), preserved in the present. the practice of performing the canon in the morning (on the 8th canto, "" is replaced by "", and after the final troparion is added: " »).

The choruses adopted in the Studian tradition are indicated in the Studio-Aleksievsky Typicon of 1034 (State Historical Museum. Syn. No. 330. L. 127v., 259), in one of the appendices to the Messinian Typicon of 1131 (Arranz. Typicon. P. 295-296) and in the Book of Hours of the studio type (RNB. Sof. No. 1052, L. 40 rev.): "Blessed art thou, Lord" - to the prayer of Azariah and "Sing to the Lord deeds and exalt forever" - to the song of the three youths ... Similar choruses up to the present. time are printed in the Followed Psalter (T. 2. S. 65-82), but here they are already deprived of liturgical significance.

With the development of the hymnographic canon, the refrains to the hymns of V. o. in Orthodox traditions were replaced by the irmos and troparions of the 7th and 8th canons of the canon (an early example is the already mentioned Fayum papyrus), usually containing numerous allusions to the miracle with V.O. A trace of the close connection between the song of the three youths and the song of the Mother of God in modern times. practice - the invariable presence of both the 8th and 9th canons, even in the truncated canons (two-, three-, four-hymn).

In Rome. Breviaries at the end of V. o. the final doxology "Glory to the Father ..." is also omitted and is replaced by "Bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit." According to legend, it was introduced by Pope Damasus I (366-384) (he also transferred Art. 56 to the end of the song).

Prokimny from the song of the three youths

In Orthodox Christianity traditions, individual verses (Dan 3. 26-27) from the song of the three youths are used as prokeimenes (in the Lectionaries it is designated as " Prophets), in the 7th week after Easter (commemoration of the fathers of the I Ecumenical Council - cf. in the Typicon of the Great Church: Mateos. Typicon. T. 2. P. 132), in the week after 11 Oct. (commemoration of the fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council), in the week after July 16 (commemoration of the fathers of the 6 Ecumenical Councils), in the Week of St. forefathers and fathers before the Nativity of Christ (already in the Typicon of the Great Church: ibid. T. 1. P. 136). Perhaps this is due to the fact that the biblical songs, which include the song of the V. o., In ancient times were considered as the 21st Kathisma of the Psalter, from which all the other prokimna were taken. Such use of the song V. about. has parallels in other rites (for example, in Gallican: "Rules for monks" of St. Caesarea of Arelati (+ 542) (Reg. 21 // PL. 67. Col. 1102), "History of the Franks" by Gregory of Tours (Hist . Franc. 8. 7), short interpretation for the liturgy of Pseudo-Herman (Expositio brevis // PL. 72. Сol. 89-91); in the Mozarabian Mixed Missal (Missale Mixtum) a fragment of a song by V. o. indicated as a tract on the 1st Sunday of Great Lent (PL. 85. Col. 297), and in the Luxueysky Lectionary - on Christmas and Easter).

Cave action

The special role of hymns V. about. have in the rank of a cave action, which clearly depicts a miracle with the Eastern o., which was performed both in the East (Sym. Thessal. Dial. contr. haer. 23 // PG. 155. Col. 113-114), and in Russian Church up to the middle. XVII century (see: Nikolsky. Ancient services of the RC. P. 174).

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