Nikola zaraisky icon history. Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Zaraisk. The miraculous icon of St. Nicholas

Churches

The memory of St. Nicholas is celebrated:

• December 6/19 - the day of death (in the Russian tradition "Nikola winter")
• May 9/22 - the day of the arrival of the relics in the city of Bari (in the Russian tradition "Nikola Veshniy")

Biography

According to the life, Saint Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in the 3rd century in the Greek colony of Patara in the Roman province of Lycia at a time when the region was Hellenistic in its culture and outward appearance. Nicholas was very religious from early childhood and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. It is believed that he was born to wealthy Christian parents in Patara, Lycia, where he received his primary education.

As the patron saint of sailors, Saint Nicholas is said to have been a sailor or fisherman himself. It is also possible that one of the occupations of his family was the management of the fishing fleet. When his parents died, Saint Nicholas inherited their fortune, but he donated it to the needs of charity.

The initial period of Saint Nicholas' activity as a clergyman is attributed to the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian (reign -) and Maximian (reign -). In 1900, Diocletian issued an edict legitimizing the systematic persecution of Christians throughout the empire. After the abdication of both emperors on May 1, 305, there were changes in the policy of their successors towards Christians. In the western part of the empire, Constantius Chlorus (reign -) put an end to systematic persecution after his accession to the throne. In the eastern part, Galerius (reigned -) continued the persecution until 311, when he issued an edict of toleration while on his deathbed. The persecutions of -311 are considered the longest in the history of the empire.

After the death of Galerius, his co-ruler Licinius (years of reign -) was generally tolerant of Christians. As a result, Christian communities began to develop. Obviously, the bishopric of St. Nicholas in Mir (ancient Lycia of the Roman Empire; the modern name of the city is Demre, located in the province of Antalya in Turkey) belongs to this period. Saint Nicholas was loved and respected at home, not least because of his charitable work.

In Russia

Nikola-key

Nikola-key- a unique source in the Volga region. An amazing feature of the spring is that the spring waters flow down here in a cross-like manner. It is located 28 kilometers from Gorodets near the village of Beloglazovo. According to legend, in this very place once was the appearance of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

In August 2007, a new chapel and a bathing house are being built at the Nikola-Klyuch spring in the Gorodetsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The need for construction arose due to the fact that on the night of July 7-8, 2007, the former chapel burned down due to careless handling of the fire.

• In the iconography of the saint, the icons of "St. Nicholas of the Winter" and "St. Nicholas of Veshny" are sometimes distinguished, corresponding to the days of veneration in the year. At the same time, the "winter" Nicholas is depicted in the episcopal miter, and the "spring" - with his head uncovered. According to a widespread legend, the iconography of "St. Nicholas of the Winter" arose during the reign of Nicholas I, who somehow drew attention to the fact that the icon of his heavenly patron is depicted without a headdress and made a remark to the clergy.
• Orthodox Gypsies revere Nikolai the Pleasant as their patron.
• In the Ryazan diocese on June 15/28, the day of St. Nicholas is locally celebrated in honor of his icon, revealed in the XII century, made of clay, dressed in priestly vestments and located in a wooden icon case (in one hand the Prelate holds a sword, in the other - a church). The holiday is dedicated to the icon, in memory of the miraculous rescue of the villagers from the cholera epidemic in the 19th century.

see also

• Church of St. Nicholas - churches consecrated in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker
• The Velikoretsky religious procession is one of the largest religious processions in Russia with the revered miraculous Velikoretskaya icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

The miraculous source of the White Well - a chapel and a bathhouse at the meeting place in 1225 by the appanage prince Feodor Yuryevich (that he should come to this place, he dreamed in a dream) of the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas (Nicholas Zaraisky), which until 1918 was kept in St.

This is an underground spring on the northwestern outskirts of Zaraisk, on the right bank of the Osetr River.

On July 29, 1225, the transfer of the icon of St. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, brought from Korsun by priest Eustathius Korsunskov, his wife Theodosia, their son Eustathius II - later an outstanding scribe of Ancient Russia, author of "The Tale of the Bringing of the Icon of St. Nicholas Zarazsky from Korsun" and "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan to Batu".

The ceremony of handing over the icon was also attended by the Grand Duke of Ryazan Yuri Ingvarevich and Bishop Euphrosynus Svyatorets.

In 2002, by the diligence of the head of the Zaraysk district, IV Vladimirov, an overhead St. Nicholas chapel was erected, a paved road was brought to the holy spring.

For almost eight centuries Zaraysk lived and developed under the spiritual patronage of Nikola "Zarazsky". They came and came from all over Russia and Russia to bow to the Miraculous Icon and drink water from the "White Well": peasants and artisans, merchants and military men, cultural and art workers, as well as the Great Moscow princes and tsars - Ivan III, Vasily III, Ivan IV the Terrible , Alexander II and many other famous people of the country.

Beneficial healings

The Zaraiskiy White Well has been revered as a shrine for centuries. Orthodox Christians from everywhere come and go to him. In ancient times, a chapel towered over the holy spring. On the day of the bringing of the miraculous icon (August 11) to Zaraysk, as well as during national disasters, processions of the cross were performed to the White Well.

It is known that during the cholera epidemic in 1830, 1848, 1871, the Zaraytsy made their way to the spring with the miraculous image of St. Nicholas. Here prayers were served to Nicholas the Pleasant, asking him to pray before the Throne of God for the deliverance of the city of Zaraysk from the misfortune ... And the epidemics stopped. Even in Soviet times, when processions of the cross were prohibited, singly or in small groups, people continued to come to the holy place, praying for help and healing.

Healings are taking place in our time. So, in 1988, a resident of Kharkov, who had suffered from stomach cancer for eighteen years before, came with her husband to Zaraysk, having heard about a healing spring. Together they prayed to Nicholas the Wonderworker and received water from the spring. The woman was healed.

Almost ten years later, a resident of Zaraysk told Archpriest Valery Romanov an incident that happened to his friend who came from Armenia. His friend suffered from a skin disease for a long time and could not be cured in any way. I came to Zaraysk hoping for a miracle. A friend took him to the Well and doused him with a whole bucket of holy water, from which he fainted. An ambulance was called, but no medical intervention was required. The patient regained consciousness and saw that his skin disease had disappeared without a trace.

From time immemorial, in memory of the bringing of the miraculous icon of the Saint (this day coincides with the birthday of Nicholas the Wonderworker), a church festival has been established. It begins the day before, at 4 p.m. with a prayer song with the consecration of water and the performance of the great requiem for the eternal repose of the ever-memorable - the priest Eustathius, the glorious martyr Prince Theodore, Eupraxia and the infant John. From 6 pm, the all-night vigil begins with an akathist to the Saint, and the next day, the Divine Liturgy and a solemn prayer service.

In ancient times, on this day, the Zaraya clergy visited the houses of their parishioners, who cordially greeted them with bread and salt. The children went to their homes in groups and, as at Christmas, praised St. Nicholas singing special folk poetry-glory. Here is one of these verses from the book of Archpriest Vasily Izyumsky "Zaraisk shrine":

"Mikola, Mikola, saint Mozhaisky, Zaraisky,

A navigator to the seas, a confessor to the lands.

And the wrong hordes know Mikola.

And they put candles for Mikole on the wax of the Yary, the eves of the honey.

And glory to him, glory - power.

To all his land, to all the settlements,

Glory to this day and age, amen. "

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - the most revered saint in Russia since ancient times - was born in Asia Minor in the second half of the 3rd century in the Greek colony of Patara in the Roman province of Lycia into a family of wealthy Christian parents, in his youth he was given over to the service of God under the guidance of his uncle, the bishop Patarsky. His uncle elevated him to the rank of priest. The saint's entire life was indeed an example of Christian service to God and people. When his parents died, Saint Nicholas inherited their fortune, which he gave to the needs of charity. Saint Nicholas was the bishop of the city of Myra in Lycia in Asia Minor (present-day Demre), his ascetic life and miracles won fame during his lifetime. The saint took part in the First Ecumenical Council of 325, at which he condemned the heresy of Arius, who denied the Divinity of the Son of God Jesus Christ. According to church tradition, for a slap in the face to the wicked Arius, he was deprived of the priesthood, the Savior Himself and the Mother of God brought Nicholas the Gospel and the omophorion - signs of hierarchical dignity. This event is called the Nicene miracle and is depicted on almost all the icons of the saint. Saint Nicholas died about 345 and was buried in the city of Myra in Lycia. In 1087, when the Turks took the city, his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari.

Local veneration of the saint began immediately after his death. In Constantinople, his cult took shape in the 4th-7th centuries. The veneration of St. Nicholas came to Russia with the adoption of Christianity, and from the 11th century it became widespread. The iconographic type of St. Nicholas of Zaraysk is a full-length image of the saint with his arms spread apart: the right hand is folded in a gesture of blessing, in the left is the closed Gospel. According to A. Poppé, the name "Zaraisky" appeared only in the 16th century. "The Tale of St. Nicholas Zaraysk" describes the history of the ancient miraculous icon that has not survived, which was brought from Korsun through Novgorod to Zaraisk in 1225. In 1237 Ryazan was the first to experience the horror of the Tatar invasion. In "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu", it is said that after the murder of the Ryazan prince Theodore by the Tatars, his princess threw herself from a high tower onto the ground and "became infected (broke) to death." After they were buried near the icon of Nikola Korsunsky, the image began to be called Zarazsky or Zaraysky.

The spread of this iconography in the XIII-XIV centuries is confirmed by the number of monuments in icon painting and small plastic arts. In Byzantium, this iconographic type was not widespread. In Russian art, he becomes one of the favorites, which was facilitated by the popularity of the plot in literature. The earliest works: the icon of the first half of the 14th century "Nikola of Zaraisky and the Apostle Philip" from the State Tretyakov Gallery collection and the Novgorod icon of St. Nicholas of the first half of the 14th century from the Ozerovo churchyard.

The memory of St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6 (December 19 according to the old style), July 29 (August 11 according to the old style, the birth of the saint), on May 9 (May 22 according to the old style, transfer of the relics).

Zhanna Grigorievna Belik,

Ph.D. in art history, senior researcher at the Andrei Rublev Museum, curator of the tempera painting fund.

Olga Evgenievna Savchenko,

Researcher at the Andrei Rublev Museum.

Literature:

1. Antonova V.I., Mimeva N.E. Catalog of Old Russian painting of the 11th - early 18th centuries. Experience of historical and artistic classification. M., 1963.

2. State Tretyakov Gallery. Collection directory. T. 1. Old Russian art of the 10th - early 15th century. M., 1995.

3. The life and miracles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Mirliki and his glory in Russia. Compiled by A. Voznesensky and F. Gusev. SPb., 1899.

4. V.V. Kalugin"Life of St. Nicholas" in the hagiographic collection of Andrei Kurbsky. M., 2003.

5. N.P. Kondakov Monuments of Christian art on Mount Athos. SPb., 1902.

6. Krutova M.S. Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in Old Russian writing. M., 1997.

7. Lazarev V.N. History of Byzantine Painting. M., 1986.

8. Lazarev V.N. Russian icon painting from its origins to the beginning of the 16th century. M., 1983.

9. Leonid (Kavelin), archim. Posthumous miracles of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Mirlikia, miracle worker. Monument to the ancient Russian writing of the XI century. Work of Ephraim, Bishop of Pereyaslavl. SPb, 1888.

10. Smirnova E.S. Icon of St. Nicholas in 1294 by master Alexa Petrov // Old Russian art. Foreign relations. M., 1975.

11. Smirnova E.S. Round icon of St. Nicholas of Mirlikisky from the Novgorod Nikolo-Dvorishchensky Cathedral. The origin of the ancient image and its place in the context of Russian culture of the 16th century. // Old Russian art. Russian art of the late Middle Ages: XVI century. SPb., 2003.

12. Smirnova E.S. Painting of Veliky Novgorod. Mid XIII - early XV century. M., 1976.

13. Turilov A.A. Legends about the miraculous icons in the context of their veneration in Russia // Relics in the art and culture of the Eastern Christian world. Abstracts and materials of the international symposium / Ed.-comp. A.M. Lidov. M., 2000.

14. Miracles of St. Nicholas of Mirliki. Preparation of the text and comments by I. I. Makeeva // Library of Literature of Ancient Rus. T. 2.SPb., 1999.

15. Shalina I.A. Icon "St. Nicholas" from the Holy Spirit Monastery. Liturgical meaning and ecclesiologization of the image // Old Russian art. Russia, Byzantium, Balkans: XIII century. SPb., 1997.

16. Shlyapkin I. Russian teaching of the 11th century on the transfer of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker and his relationship to Western sources. SPb., 1881.

17. V.V. Yakovlev The Legend of the Icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker "Round Board" and the Late Chronicle Tradition // Experiments on Source Study. Old Russian bookishness. SPb, 1997.

21. A.I. Nekrasov Old Russian fine art. M., 1937.

22. Antonova V.I. Moscow icon of the early XIV century from Kiev and "The Story of Nicholas Zaraisky" // TODL. M., L., 1957.S. 375-392.

23.Ryndina A.V. Iconic Image and Russian Plastics of the 14th - 15th Centuries // Old Russian Sculpture. M., 1991.S. 15-19.

24. Petrov N.I. The legend about the transfer of the image of St. Nikolay Zaraisky from Korsun through Riga to Zaraysk in 1224 - 1225. // Proceedings of the Archaeological Congress in Riga, 1896. M., 1899. T. 1. P. 220-228.

25. Popov G.V., Ryndina A.V. Painting and applied arts of Tver XIV - XVI centuries: Centers of artistic culture of medieval Russia. M., 1979.

26. Poppé A.N. To the initial history of the cult of St. Nikola Zaraisky // Essays in Honor of A.A. Zimin. Columbus, Ohio, 1985.

27. Reformatskaya M.A. Nordic letters. M., 1968.

28. Popova O.S. Art of Novgorod and Moscow in the first half of the XIV century. His connections with Byzantium. M., 1980.

29.Smirnova E.S., Laurina V.K., Gordienko E.A. Painting of Veliky Novgorod of the 15th century: Centers of artistic culture of medieval Russia. M., 1982.

30. "The rule of faith and the image of meekness ...": The image of St. Nicholas, Archbishop. Mirlikisky, in Byzantine and Slavic hagiography, hymnography and iconography. M., 2004.

31. Icons of Tver, Novgorod, Pskov XV - XVI centuries. Catalog of the TsMiAR collection. Issue I / Ed.-comp. L. M. Evseeva, V. M. Sorokaty. M., 2000. No. 29, S. 142-145.

32. Icons of the 13th - 16th centuries in the collection of the Andrei Rublev Museum. M., 2007.

Date of publication or update 01.11.2017

Nicholas the Wonderworker of St.

The book is dedicated to the main shrine of Zaraysk - the Zaraisk icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the history of its appearance on the Zaraisk land, chronicles telling about this and other events that are examples of holiness, courage, and morality to our contemporaries.

Using materials from the book "St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of St. Peace of Lycia, the Zaraiskaya icon", the publishing house "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture", A.V. Borodin, Moscow, 2007

There are several versions explaining the origin of the modern name of the city. The word "contagion" was used in relation to a steep steep, a precipice (a steep slope along the right bank of the Sturgeon is called Infections), the same name is given to an impenetrable forest and even a burial place of those who died from diseases. It is believed that the word has the meaning of "perfect at a time", that is, in one step, time.

But local residents explain the origin of the name of the city, referring to the event described in the outstanding monument of ancient Russian literature "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu": Princess Eupraxia, having learned about the death of her husband Prince Theodore Yuryevich at Batu's headquarters, threw herself out of the window of a high tower with her young son John and crashed to death - they died immediately, at once (together, simultaneously and immediately, without delay). The beginning of the local spiritual life, the exploits that glorified the city, the most ancient Zaraya legends, chronicles, the most important historical events of the city are associated with these names. Under Prince Theodore, the icon of St. Nicholas arrived from Korsun, Prince Theodore met her at the White Well, Prince Theodore, the young princess and their young son were martyred, showing the strength of the Christian spirit.

Prince Theodore was the son of the Ryazan prince Yuri Ingvarevich, was born, presumably in 1205. According to legend, his wife was born into the family of a Greek king. Around 1223, the prince Theodor Yuryevich received the Zaraisk principality as an inheritance.

In 1224, the missionary activity of the high priest of Korsun Eustathius began. This was the time when the Mongol-Tatar invasion began. In 1223, the battle on Kalka had already taken place, when the Russian regiments responded to the call of the Polovtsian Khan and came out in his defense, but the battle was lost.

As narrated in the "Tale of the Bringing of the Icon of St. Nicholas from Korsun", the great miracle worker Nicholas, whose image was in the temple, appeared to the old presbyter of the ancient Korsun church of the Holy Apostle Jacob in a dream. The saint said: “Eustathius! Take the miraculous image and take with you your spouse Theodosia and your son Eustathius and come to the land of Ryazan. Az bo tamo I want my image of being and do miracles and glorify the place ... ". The presbyter did not hasten to fulfill the will of St. Nicholas, therefore twice more in a dream he had to repeat the instruction to the great miracle worker and even hit Eustathius with an eye disease.

Presbyter Korsunsky set off with his family on the road. The missionaries had to move in a roundabout way, through Europe, and not on the traditional road along the Polovtsian land, since after the unsuccessful battle on Kalka it was extremely risky. But the European path chosen by the travelers was also full of obstacles and dangers. And each time the miraculous image of St. Nicholas saved the missionaries from certain death.

On July 29 (according to the old style) the appanage prince of Krasny (Zaraysk) Feodor Yuryevich received the shrine delivered from Korsun at the White Well.

“In the summer of 6733 (1225) July on the 29th day, in memory of the Holy Martyr Kallinikos, during the reign of the Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich of Vladimir and the reign of the Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich of Novgorod and his son Alexander Nevsky and the reign of the Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich of Ryazan, the miraculous Nicolin was brought an image from the predominant city of Korsun to the Ryazan limits, to the region of the faithful prince Feodor Yuryevich Ryazan. "

The meeting was miraculously prepared, and, according to the chronicle, the feat and glory of the princely family of martyrs was promised to Prince Theodore. “The great miracle worker Nikola appeared to the blessed prince Fyodor Yuryevich of Ryazansky, and announced to him the arrival of his miraculous image of Korsunsky, and said:“ Prince, go to meet my miraculous image of Korsunsky. For I want to stay here and work miracles. And I will pray for you the All-Merciful and Human-loving Lord Christ, the Son of God - may he grant you the crown of the kingdom of heaven, and your wife, and your son. " The faithful prince Fyodor Yuryevich got up from sleep, and was frightened by such a vision, and began to think in the secret temple of his heart, being seized with fear. And he did not tell anyone the terrible vision, and began to think: “O great miracle worker Nikola! How then can you pray to the Merciful God for me to grant me the crown of the kingdom of heaven and my wife and my son? And immediately he went to meet the miraculous image, as the miracle worker commanded him. And he came to the place about which they talked, and saw from afar as if an ineffable light, shining from the miraculous image.

And he fell to the miraculous image of Nikola lovingly with a broken heart, emitting tears from his eyes like a stream. And he took on a miraculous image, and brought it into his province. And immediately he sent a message to his father, Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich of Ryazan, telling him to tell him about the arrival of the miraculous image of Nikola from Korsun-grad. Grand Duke Georgy Ingvarevich heard about the arrival of the miraculous image of Nicholas and thanked God and his saint, the wonderworker Nicholas, for the fact that God visited his people and did not forget to create his hands. "

Soon Bishop Euphrosynus Svyatorets and Grand Duke of Ryazan Yuri Ingvarevich arrived to worship the icon. “The great prince took Bishop Euphrosinius Svyatogorets with him and immediately went to the region to his son, Prince Fyodor Yuryevich. And he saw from the miraculous image great and glorious miracles, and was filled with joy about his most glorious miracles. And he created a temple in the name of the great holy miracle worker Nikola of Korsunsky. And Bishop Euphrosynus consecrated him, and triumphed with light, and returned to his city. "

The missionaries from Korsun settled in the Black Sloboda of the city of Krasny, on a mountain that was named Korsatskaya.

Together with the icon of St. Nicholas Eustathius, a small library of Slavic and Greek books was delivered. In August 1225, a wooden church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was laid in Ostrog in the city of Krasny to house the shrine brought from Korsun. Over time, a scriptorium was created here, where old books were copied, new ones were made.

From the presbyter Eustathius began the family of ministers of the Nikolskaya church in Zaraysk. The tradition of preserving the shrine and reverently serving it in glorifying the name of the Lord was passed on from father to son and was not interrupted for 335 years:

"one. Pop, who served with St. Nicholas the miracle worker Ostafei, came from Korsun with the miraculous St. Nicholas image.

2. His son Ostafay served on his father's side.

3. Ostafa's priest was served by his son Prokofey.

4. Served Prokofiev's son Nikita.

5. Served son Nikitin Basilisk.

6. The son of the Basilisks Zakharei Pokid served.

7. The son of Zakharyev Theodosey served.

8. The son of Theodosev Matvey served.

9. The son of Matveyev, Ivan Visloukh, served.

10. The son of Ivanov Peter served. "

Presumably, in 1231, the wedding of Prince Theodore Yuryevich with the Greek (?) Princess Eupraxia took place, and soon a son, John, was born in the prince's family.

“A few years later, Prince Theodore Yuryevich got married, taking a spouse from the royal family named Eupraxia. And soon she gave birth to a son in the name of Ivan Postnik.

In the twelfth year after the transfer of the Miraculous Icon from Korsun, in 1237, Batu's hordes invaded the southern lands of the Ryazan principality and settled on the Voronezh River. Ryazan Prince Yuri Ingvarevich sent an embassy of Ryazan princes headed by his son Feodor Yuryevich to Batu's headquarters "with great gifts and prayers so that the khan would not go to war on Ryazan land." Batu accepted the gifts and began to demand the prince's daughters and sisters on his bed. Prince Theodore was destined to become a victim of the envy and betrayal of one of the Ryazan nobles, who informed the khan that Prince Theodore had a wife of extraordinary beauty, Euprak-sia. The khan demanded from the prince: "Let me, prince, taste the beauty of your wife." The offended prince resolutely replied: “It is not good for us Christians to lead our wives to you, the impious king, for fornication. When you overcome us, then you will own our wives. "

The godless Tsar Batu was furious and immediately ordered to kill the faithful Theodore Yuryevich, and to throw the body at the mercy of animals and birds. Other princes and best warriors were killed as well.

And one of the confidants of Theodore Yuryevich, named Aponitsa, took refuge and wept bitterly over the body of his honest master. And when he saw that no one was guarding him, he took the body of the glorious prince and secretly buried it. And he hurried to the noble princess Eupraxia and told her how the dishonest Tsar Batu killed PRINCE Theodore Yuryevich.

“In the year 6745 (1237). The faithful prince Feodor Yuryevich Ryazansky was killed by the godless Tsar Batu on the Voronezh River. And the faithful princess Eupraxia the princess heard about the murder of her master, the blessed Theodore Yuryevich, and immediately rushed from her high palace and with her son with Prince Ivan Feodorovich, and was killed to death. And they brought the body of the blessed KNlol Theodore Yuryevich to his region to the great miracle worker Nicholas of Korsunsky, and put it, and his faithful princess Eupraxia the princess, and their son Ivan Feodorovich in one place, and put stone crosses over them. And since then the great miracle worker is called Nikolai Zarazsky for the reason that the noble princess Eupraxia with her son Prince Ivan “infected” herself (hurt herself to death) ”.

Having learned "about the murder by the godless tsar of his beloved son, Prince Theodore, and many princes, the best people," Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich began to gather his army and set up regiments. “And the great prince Yuri Ingvarevich saw his brethren, and his boyars, and the governor, galloping bravely and fearlessly, raised his hands to heaven and said with tears:“ Deliver us, O God, from our enemies, and free us from those who climb up on us, and hide us from the gathering of the wicked, and from the multitude of them that do iniquity. May the path be dark and slippery for them. " And he said to his brethren: “O my sovereigns and brethren! If we have received the good from the hands of the Lord, will we not also tolerate the evil? It is better for us to obtain eternal glory by death, than to be in the power of the filthy. May I, your brother, before you drink the cup of death for the holy churches of God, and for the Christian faith, and for the fatherland of the father of our Grand Duke Ingvar Svyatoslavich. "

And he went to the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Lady of the Theotokos, and wept a lot before the image of the Most Pure One, and prayed to the great miracle worker Nicholas and his relatives Boris and Gleb. And he gave the last kiss to Grand Duchess Agrippina Rostislavovna and received a blessing from the bishop and all the clergy. And he went against the dishonest Tsar Batu, and met him near the borders of Ryazan, and attacked him, and began to fight with him hard and courageously, and the slaughter was evil and terrible. Many strong Batyevsky regiments fell. And Tsar Batu saw that the strength of Ryazan was beating hard and courageously, and he was frightened. But who can stand against the wrath of God! Batu's forces were great and invincible; one from Ryazan fought with a thousand, and two with ten thousand. "

When Batu saw Prince Oleg Ingvarevich, handsome and brave, exhausted from serious wounds, he wanted to heal him from his wounds and to persuade him to his faith. But Prince Oleg Ingvarevich began to reproach Tsar Batu, called him godless and an enemy of Christianity. Batu immediately ordered Prince Oleg to be cut into pieces with knives. And the prince took the crown of suffering from the all-merciful God and drank the death cup with all his brothers.

And the king of Batu, the Ryazan land, began to fight and went to the city of Ryazan. He laid siege to the city, and there was a battle for five days.

“And many of the townspeople were killed, and some were wounded, while others were exhausted from great labors and wounds. And on the sixth day, early in the morning, the nasty went to the city - some with lights, others with battering guns, and still others with countless ladders - and took the city of Ryazan in the month of December on 21 days. And they came to the cathedral church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the Grand Duchess Agrippina, the mother of the Grand Duke, with her daughters-in-law and other princesses, were beaten with swords, and they betrayed the bishop and priests to fire - they burned them in the holy church, and many others fell from weapons. And in the city of many people, and wives, and children they whipped with swords, while others were drowned in the river, and the priests and monks were whipped without a trace, and they burned the whole city, and all the glorious beauty, and the wealth of Ryazan, and relatives of the Ryazan princes - the princes of Kiev and Chernihiv - captured.

And the temples of God were destroyed and much blood was shed in the holy altars. And not a single living thing remained in the city: all the same they died and drank a single cup of death. There was no moaning or crying - no father, no mother about children, no children about father and mother, no brother about brother, no relatives about relatives, but they all lay dead together. And it was all for our sins.

And the godless Tsar Batu saw the terrible shedding of Christian blood, and became even more angry and bitter, and went to Suzdal and Vladimir, intending to enslave the Russian land, and exterminate the Christian faith, and destroy the churches of God to the ground.

Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich was at that time in Chernigov with his brother, Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, was saved by God from that evil apostate and Christian enemy. And he came from Chernigov to the land of Ryazan, to his fatherland, and saw it empty, and heard that all his brothers had been killed by the wicked, law-abiding king Batu, and came to the city of Ryazan, and saw the city ruined, and his mother, and his daughters-in-law, and his relatives, and many a multitude of people lying dead, and churches were burnt, and all the ornamental designs from the treasury of Chernigov and Ryazan were taken.

Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich saw the great last death for our sins and cried out in pity, like a trumpet calling to the army, like a sounding organ. And from that great shouting and terrible cry he fell to the ground like a dead man. And they barely cast it and departed in the wind. And with difficulty his soul revived in him.

Who will not mourn for such destruction? Who does not mourn for so many Orthodox people? Who will not spare so many sovereigns who have been killed? Who will not groan at such captivity?

And prince Ingvar Ingvarevich dismantled the corpses, and found the body of his mother, the Grand Duchess Agrippina Rostislavovna, and recognized his daughters-in-law, and called priests from the villages that God had preserved, and buried his mother and his daughters-in-law with great weeping instead of psalms and church chants.<...>

And Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich began to disassemble the bodies of the dead, and took the bodies of his brothers - Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich, and Prince Davyd Ingvarevich of Murom, and Prince Gleb Ingvarevich Kolomensky, and other local princes - his relatives, and many boyars, and governors, and neighbors, known to him, and brought them to the city of Ryazan, and buried them with honor, and immediately gathered the bodies of others on empty land and performed the funeral service. And, having buried in this way, Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich went to the city of Pronsk, and collected the dissected parts of the body of his brother, his faithful and Christ-loving prince Oleg Ingvarevich, and ordered them to be carried to the city of Ryazan. And the great prince Ingvar Ingvarevich himself carried his honest head to the hail, and kissed her kindly, and laid with the Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich in the same coffin.

And he put his brothers, Prince David Ingvarevich and Prince Gleb Ingvarevich, in one coffin near their graves. Then Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich went to the river in Voronezh, where Prince Feodor Yuryevich Ryazansky was killed, and took his honest body, and wept over him for a long time. And he brought it to the region to the icon of the great Wonderworker Nikola of Korsunsky. And he buried him together with the noble princess Eupraxia and their son, Prince Ivan Fedorovich Postnik, in one place. And he set stone crosses over them. And for this reason, the great miracle worker Nicholas is called the icon of Zarazskaya, that the faithful princess Eupraxia with her son, Prince Ivan, “infected” (smashed) herself in that place.

The blessed prince Ingvar Ingvarevich, who was named Kozma in holy baptism, sat down on the table of his father, Grand Duke Ingvar Svyatoslavich. And he renewed the land of Ryazan, and set up churches, and built monasteries, and comforted the newcomers, and gathered people together. And there was joy to the Christians, whom God delivered with his mighty hand from the godless and malevolent Tsar Batu. And he put Mr. Mikhail Vsevolodovich Pronsky on his father's fatherland. "

Batu's hordes on their way from Ryazan to Kolomna and Moscow plundered and burned the city of Krasny.

On December 28, 1237, the legendary Russian hero Evpatiy Kolovrat, having returned from Chernigov and having been in plundered Ryazan, according to legend, arrived in Krasny (Zaraisk) and formed a squad of 1,700 warriors on the Great Pole. The Russian squad overtook Batu's regiments on the Suzdal land and attacked their camps.

The decisive battle between the Russian soldiers led by Evpatiy Kolovrat and the Mongol-Tatar army took place on March 4 on the City River.

“And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed up. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled, and he took the Tatar swords and cut them with them. It seemed to the Tatars that the dead had risen. Evpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated.<...>And he sent his Shurich Khostovrul to Evpatiy, and with him strong Tatar regiments. Khostovrul, however, boasted to the king, promised to bring alive Evpatiy to the king. And strong Tatar regiments surrounded Evpatiy, trying to take him alive. And Khostovrul moved in with Eupatius. Yevpatiy was a giant in strength and cut Khostovrul halfway to the saddle. And he began to whip the Tatar force, and beat many famous heroes here, the Batyevs, cut some in half, and cut others to the saddle.

And the Tatars got excited, seeing what Evpatiy was a strong giant. And they pointed at him with many weapons for throwing stones, and began to beat him with countless stone throwers, and barely killed him. And they brought his body to the king Batu. But Tsar Batu sent for the murzas, and princes, and san-chakbeys, and everyone began to marvel at the courage, and the fortress, and the courage of the Ryazan army. And the close ones said to the king: “We with many kings, in many lands, in many battles, have not seen such daring and frolic, and our fathers did not tell us. These are winged people, they do not know death, and they fight so firmly and courageously on horses - one with a thousand, and two with ten thousand.

None of them will leave the carnage alive. " And Batu said, looking at Evpatievo's body: “O Kolovrat Evpatiy! You treated me well with your little squad, and beat many of the heroes of my strong horde, and defeated many regiments. If someone like that served with me, he would have kept him close to his heart. " And he gave Yevpatiy's body to the remaining people from the squad, who were seized for the slaughter. And Tsar Batu ordered to let them go and not harm them in any way.

A major victory, often called a rehearsal of the Battle of Kulikovo, took place on August 11, 1378 on the Vozha River. Temnik Mamai then equipped a 50,000-strong army under the command of Begich. The Moscow prince Dimitri Ivanovich, having learned about the approach of the Mongol-Tatar army, set out to meet the enemy. The Great Field of the Zaraisk principality was the gathering point of the Russian army before entering the river Vozhu. Here, near Zaraisk, the equestrian squads of Daniel Pronsky and Oleg Ryazansky joined Prince Demetrius.

In 1386, the great ascetic of the Russian land, the Monk Sergius of Radonezh, on his way to Ryazan and on his return from there, twice visited Zaraysk, stopping for prayers at Nikola of Zaraysk.

In 1401 in the scriptorium (probably at the St. Nicholas Church) the Gospel known as "Zaraiskoe" was created. This handwritten book with magnificent drop caps, ornaments and miniatures is kept in the Russian State Library (RSL).

A whole series of victorious battles of Russian soldiers with the Crimean invaders took place on the Zaraisk land. In June 1511, the Crimean Khan Akhmat-Girey made several attempts to break into the Ryazan lands, but each time in the vicinity of Zaraysk he met a resolute rebuff from the Russian squads led by Prince Alexander Vladimirovich Rostovsky.

St. Nicholas.

In the first half of the 16th century, the troops of the Crimean Tatars periodically invaded the Ryazan principality, burned down the villages, plundered the local population and took them prisoner. The glorious name of Mitya Kalinin, the leader of the guard service of the Vozhskaya Zaseka (near Zaraisk), has been preserved in folk memory and chronicles.

In July of the same year, the voivode had to suppress a rebellion organized by the adherents of False Dmitry II. Many southern cities, including Kolomna and Kashira, then supported the power of the impostor and sent a letter to Zaraysk demanding to swear allegiance to False Dmitry II. Prince Pozharsky did not flinch, declared his loyalty to Moscow and shamed the doubters. “Stand up for the truth, and only for the truth! Beware of treason and foreign bondage. If you try to force me to treason by force, shame and defeat await you, ”the prince warned. The rebels wanted to deal with the voivode, but Prince Pozharsky was ready not only to stand up for the truth in words.

Thanks to the priest Dimitri Leontievich Protopopov, the prince received support from patriotic citizens and took refuge in the Kremlin with his loyal warriors. The rebels, faced with the will and firmness of the faithful and fearless governor, repented and vowed to serve Moscow faithfully.

After that, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky managed to withstand the siege of the Kremlin, undertaken by the Circassians, Cossacks and "thieves' people" who arrived from Mikhailov led by Isaac Sumbulov, and expelled them from Zaraisk. During his voivodeship, Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky repelled enemies from Zaraisk 16 times.

At the call of the governor P.P. Lyapunov in January 1611, Prince Pozharsky, governor of Zaraisky, joined the First (Ryazan) militia, which included warriors from more than 50 cities and districts of Russia, these were nobles, townspeople, archers, black-nosed peasants, Cossacks ...

On October 1, 1611, at the suggestion of the Novgorod headman Kuzma Minin, Dmitry Pozharsky was elected commander of the Second People's Militia and began to form it in Nizhny Novgorod. On August 20, D. Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin entered Moscow at the head of the Second People's Militia. On October 26, the Polish invaders who had settled in the Moscow Kremlin surrendered, and Moscow was liberated from foreign invaders.

Many glorious victories were won in the vicinity of Zaraisk, the most important of them being victories over doubts, cowardice, cowardice, in a word, over sins, during periods of trials and temptations. What does the presence of the great Miracle-worker of Mirlikia give in his image of Zaraisk? Of course, his help is tangible in achievements, important, responsible matters, but most important of all - in spiritual strengthening, in showing the right path, in giving strength to act morally, not as profitable, but as noble, in a Christian way. Many wonderful names have turned out to be associated with the Zaraisk history. These were not only priests and warriors. Zaraiskaya land nurtured remarkable writers, artists, sculptors. One of the names cannot be ignored. This is the great philosopher and writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, the singer of the eternal struggle between good and evil in the heart of man.

The upbringing of Dostoevsky's genius, the disclosure of his prophetic gift and artistic skill, may have been facilitated by the atmosphere in which the future writer lived in childhood. Perhaps the children's prayers here, of course, to St. Nicholas, predetermined the writer's fidelity to truth and Orthodoxy, led him through all the trials, vicissitudes of fate and did not allow studies, protected him from philistinism, falsehood, from everything superficial, kept the writer's eye clean, an indispensable condition for true creativity, strengthened the spirit, increased love and the ability to sympathize with your people and give yourself, your life, gifts to the drop, without a trace, to the dying world, but so in need of salvation.

In the summer of 1831, the doctor of the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, Mikhail Andreevich Dostoevsky, bought the village of Darovoe from the landowner Khotyintsev, and two years later acquired the neighboring village of Cheremoshnya from him. The family estate of the Dostoevskys Darovoye still attracts the attention of admirers of F.M.Dostoevsky's talent. Here from 1832 to 1838. the future great writer and thinker Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky spent his summer holidays. He also visited here shortly before his death, in 1877.