Saints and Wonderworkers of Russia. A. Yu. karpov, a. Yuryev are the most famous saints and wonderworkers of Russia. The most famous names of the saints of the Russian land

Holiness is purity of heart seeking uncreated divine energy manifesting in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as many colored rays in the solar spectrum. Pious ascetics are the link between the earthly world and the heavenly Kingdom. Penetrated by the light of divine grace, they, through contemplation of God and communion with God, come to know the highest spiritual mysteries. In earthly life, the saints, performing the feat of self-denial for the sake of the Lord, receive the highest grace of divine Revelation. According to biblical teaching, holiness is likening a person to God, who is the only bearer of all-perfect life and its unique source.

What is canonization

The ecclesiastical procedure for canonization of a righteous person is called canonization. She encourages believers to honor the recognized saint in public worship. As a rule, church recognition of piety is preceded by popular glory and veneration, but it was the act of canonization that made it possible to glorify the saints by creating icons, writing lives, compiling prayers and church services. The reason for official canonization can be the feat of the righteous, the incredible deeds he did, his whole life or martyrdom. And after death, a person can be recognized as a saint because of the incorruptibility of his relics, or miracles of healing occurring at his remains.

In the event that a saint is venerated within the same church, city or monastery, they speak of diocesan, local canonization.

The official church also recognizes the existence of unknown saints, the confirmation of whose piety is not yet known to the entire Christian flock. They are called the revered dead righteous and they are served memorial services, while prayers are served to the canonized saints.

Already in the 11th century, a laudatory biography of princes Boris and Gleb appeared, where the unknown author of the life is Russian. The holy names are recognized by the church and added to the calendars. In the 12th and 13th centuries, along with the monastic desire to enlighten the northeast of Russia, the number of biographical works also grew. Russian authors wrote the lives of Russian saints for reading during the Divine Liturgy. The names, the list of which was recognized by the church for glorification, now received a historical figure, and holy deeds and miracles were enshrined in a literary monument.

In the 15th century there was a change in the style of writing lives. The authors began to pay the main attention not to the actual data, but to the skillful use of the artistic word, the beauty of the literary language, the ability to pick up a lot of impressive comparisons. Skillful scribes of that period became known. For example, Epiphanius the Wise, who wrote the vivid lives of Russian saints, whose names were most famous for the people - Stephen of Perm and Sergius of Radonezh.

Many lives are considered a source of information about important historical events. From the biography of Alexander Nevsky, you can learn about political relations with the Horde. The lives of Boris and Gleb tell of princely civil strife before the unification of Russia. The creation of a literary and ecclesiastical biographical work largely determined which names of Russian saints, their deeds and virtues would become most known to a wide circle of believers.

The first Russian saints - who are they? Perhaps by learning more about them, we will find revelations of our own spiritual path.

Saints Boris and Gleb

Boris Vladimirovich (Prince of Rostov) and Gleb Vladimirovich (Prince of Murom), at baptism Roman and David. Russian princes, sons of Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich. In the internecine struggle for the throne of Kyiv, which broke out in 1015 after the death of their father, they were killed by their own elder brother for their Christian beliefs. Young Boris and Gleb, knowing about the intentions, did not use weapons against the attackers.

Princes Boris and Gleb became the first saints to be canonized by the Russian Church. They were not the first saints of the Russian land, since later the Church began to honor the Varangians Theodore and John, who lived before them, martyrs for the faith, who died under pagan Vladimir, Princess Olga and Prince Vladimir, as Equal-to-the-Apostles Enlighteners of Russia. But Saints Boris and Gleb were the first crowned chosen ones of the Russian Church, her first wonderworkers and recognized heavenly prayer books "for the new Christian people." The chronicles are full of stories about the miracles of healing that took place at their relics (special emphasis was placed on the glorification of the brothers as healers in the 12th century), about the victories won in their name and with their help, about the pilgrimage of princes to their grave.

Their veneration was immediately established, as a nationwide, before church canonization. The Greek metropolitans at first doubted the sanctity of the miracle workers, but Metropolitan John, who doubted more than anyone, soon himself transferred the incorrupt bodies of the princes to the new church, established a feast for them (July 24) and composed a service for them. This was the first example of the firm faith of the Russian people in their new saints. This was the only way to overcome all the canonical doubts and resistance of the Greeks, who were generally not inclined to encourage the religious nationalism of the newly baptized people.

Rev. Theodosius Pechersky

Rev. Theodosius, the father of Russian monasticism, was the second saint solemnly canonized by the Russian Church, and her first reverend. Just as Boris and Gleb forestalled St. Olga and Vladimir, St. Theodosius was canonized earlier than Anthony, his teacher and the first founder of the Kiev Caves Monastery. The ancient life of St. Anthony, if it existed, was lost early.

Anthony, when the brethren began to gather for him, left her in the care of hegumen Varlaam, who had been appointed by him, and shut himself up in a secluded cave, where he remained until his death. He was not a mentor and abbot of the brethren, except for the very first newcomers, and his lonely exploits did not attract attention. Although he died just a year or two earlier than Theodosius, but by that time he was already the only focus of love and reverence not only for the monastic, already numerous brethren, but for all of Kyiv, if not all of southern Russia. In 1091 the relics of St. Theodosius were opened and transferred to the great Pechersk Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, which spoke of his local, monastic veneration. And in 1108, on the initiative of the Grand Duke Svyagopolk, the Metropolitan and the bishops perform his solemn (general) canonization. Even before the transfer of his relics, 10 years after the death of the saint, Ven. Nestor wrote his life, extensive and rich in content.

Saints of the Kiev Caves Patericon

In the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, in the Near (Antoniev) and Far (Feodosiev) caves, the relics of 118 saints rest, most of which are known only by name (there are also nameless ones). Almost all of these saints were monks of the monastery, pre-Mongolian and post-Mongolian times, locally revered here. Metropolitan Petro Mohyla canonized them in 1643, instructing them to compose a common service. And only in 1762, by decree of the Holy Synod, the Kievan saints were included in the all-Russian calendars.

We know about the lives of thirty of the Kievan saints from the so-called Kievo-Pechersky Paterikon. Pateriks in ancient Christian writing were called summary biographies of ascetics - ascetics of a certain area: Egypt, Syria, Palestine. These Eastern patericons have been known in Russian translations since the early days of Russian Christianity and have had a very strong influence on the upbringing of our monasticism in the spiritual life. The Pechersk Patericon has its own long and complex history, according to which one can fragmentarily judge ancient Russian religiosity, Russian monasticism and monastic life.

Rev. Abraham Smolensky

One of the very few ascetics of the pre-Mongol period, from whom a detailed biography compiled by his student Ephraim remained. Rev. Abraham of Smolensk was not only honored in his hometown after his death (at the beginning of the 13th century), but also canonized at one of the Moscow Makarievsky cathedrals (probably in 1549). Biography of St. Abraham conveys the image of an ascetic of great strength, full of original features, perhaps unique in the history of Russian holiness.

The Monk Abraham of Smolensk, a preacher of repentance and the coming Last Judgment, was born in the middle of the twelfth century. in Smolensk from wealthy parents who had 12 daughters before him and prayed to God for a son. From childhood, he grew up in the fear of God, often attended church and had the opportunity to study from books. After the death of his parents, having distributed all his property to monasteries, churches and the poor, the monk walked around the city in rags, praying to God to show the way of salvation.

He took tonsure and, as an obedience, copied books and served the Divine Liturgy every day. Abraham was dry and pale from his labors. The saint was strict with himself and with his spiritual children. He himself painted two icons on the topics that occupied him most of all: on one he depicted the Last Judgment, and on the other, the tortures at the ordeals.

When, due to slander, he was forbidden to serve as a priest, various troubles opened up in the city: drought and disease. But at his prayer for the city and the inhabitants, heavy rain fell, and the drought ended. Then everyone was convinced with their own eyes of his righteousness and began to highly respect and respect him.

From the life before us appears an image of an ascetic, unusual in Russia, with a tense inner life, with anxiety and agitation, breaking out in a stormy, emotional prayer, with a gloomy - repentant idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhuman fate, not a healer pouring oil, but a stern teacher, animated, maybe - be prophetic inspiration.

holy princes

The holy "believing" princes constitute a special, very numerous rank of saints in the Russian Church. You can count about 50 princes and princesses canonized for general or local veneration. The veneration of the holy princes intensified during the time of the Mongol yoke. In the first century of the Tatar region, with the destruction of monasteries, Russian monastic holiness almost dried up. The feat of the holy princes becomes the main, historically important, not only a national matter, but also a church ministry.

If we single out the holy princes who enjoyed universal, and not just local, veneration, then this is St. Olga, Vladimir, Mikhail Chernigovsky, Feodor Yaroslavsky with sons David and Konstantin. In 1547-49, Alexander Nevsky and Mikhail Tverskoy were added to them. But Michael of Chernigov, the martyr, takes first place. The piety of the holy princes is expressed in devotion to the church, in prayer, in the building of churches, and in respect for the clergy. Love for poverty, care for the weak, orphans and widows, less often justice is always noted.

The Russian Church does not canonize national or political merits in its holy princes. This is confirmed by the fact that among the holy princes we do not find those who did the most for the glory of Russia and for its unity: neither Yaroslav the Wise, nor Vladimir Monomakh, with all their undoubted piety, no one among the princes of Moscow, except for Daniil Alexandrovich, locally revered in the Danilov Monastery built by him, and canonized no earlier than the 18th or 19th century. On the other hand, Yaroslavl and Murom gave the Church holy princes who were completely unknown to chronicles and history. The Church does not canonize any politics - neither Moscow, nor Novgorod, nor Tatar; neither unifying nor specific. This is often forgotten these days.

Saint Stephen of Perm

Stephen of Perm occupies a very special place in the host of Russian saints, standing somewhat apart from the broad historical tradition, but expressing new, perhaps not fully disclosed, possibilities in Russian Orthodoxy. St. Stephen is a missionary who gave his life for the conversion of the pagan people - the Zyryans.

St. Stephen was from Veliky Ustyug, in the Dvina land, which just in his time (in the XIV century) from the Novgorod colonial territory passed into dependence on Moscow. Russian cities were islands in the middle of a foreign sea. The waves of this sea approached Ustyug itself, around which the settlements of the western Permians, or, as we call them, the Zyryans, began. Others, Eastern Permians, lived on the Kama River, and their baptism was the work of the successors of St. Stephen. There is no doubt that both the acquaintance with the Permians and their language, and the idea of ​​preaching the Gospel among them, date back to the saint's teenage years. Being one of the smartest people of his time, knowing the Greek language, he leaves books and teachings for the sake of preaching the cause of love, Stefan chose to go to the Permian land and do missionary work alone. His successes and trials are depicted in a number of scenes from nature, which are not devoid of humor and perfectly characterize the naive, but naturally kind Zyryansk worldview.

He did not combine the baptism of the Zyryans with their Russification, he created the Zyryan script, he translated the service for them and St. Scripture. He did for the Zyrians what Cyril and Methodius did for the entire Slavic people. He also compiled the Zyryan alphabet based on local runes - signs for notches on a tree.

Rev. Sergius of Radonezh

The new asceticism that arises from the second quarter of the 14th century, after the Tatar yoke, is very different from the ancient Russian one. This is the asceticism of the hermits. Having undertaken the most difficult feat, and, moreover, necessarily associated with contemplative prayer, the hermit monks will raise their spiritual life to a new height, not yet reached in Russia. The head and teacher of the new desert-living monasticism was Rev. Sergius, the greatest of the saints of ancient Russia. Most of the saints of the 14th and early 15th centuries are his disciples or "interlocutors", that is, those who have experienced his spiritual influence. Life of Rev. Sergius was preserved thanks to his contemporary and student Epiphanius (the Wise), the biographer of Stefan of Perm.

Life makes it clear that his humble meekness is the main spiritual fabric of the personality of Sergius of Radonezh. Rev. Sergius never punishes spiritual children. In the very miracles of his ven. Sergius seeks to belittle himself, to belittle his spiritual strength. Rev. Sergius is the spokesman for the Russian ideal of holiness, despite the sharpening of both polar ends of it: the mystical and the political. The mystic and the politician, the hermit and the Cenobite are combined in his blessed fullness.

Who would you add to this list?
Andrey Muzolf, a teacher at the Kiev Theological Academy, made his choice and explained in detail to the editors of the portal why he selected these particular saints.

– When answering this question, it is immediately necessary to clarify the following: saying that certain saints are more or less revered by the people, we do not mean that some of them are “better” and some are “worse” ”, someone “stronger” helps, and someone “weaker”. All saints have the same grace, because they have already reached deification, which is beyond anything. One modern theologian said: one who has God and something else is not at all richer than one who has only God. God is our most important wealth, and the one who met the Lord in his life is truly happy. Therefore, the saints, as people who have already been honored to be in unceasing communion with God (to which, in fact, man was called from the very moment of his creation), are not at all humiliated by the fact that some of them are revered more, and some less. Consequently, the issue of special veneration of the saints is exclusively in the plane of our personal prayer and liturgical practice.

If we talk specifically about the saints who are especially revered in Ukraine, then it is probably worth noting the following.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

Firstly, this is St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra. Our people especially revere this saint, primarily because, as we know from his life, St. Nicholas has always been an “ambulance” for those people who find themselves in a very difficult situation (remember, for example, the case of an unjustly condemned warrior or an impoverished father of three girls), which is why he is often popularly called Nikolai Ugodnik. That is why people's love for the saint has reached such a scale both throughout the Orthodox world and in our country. In Ukraine, perhaps, there is not a single city in which a temple would not be erected in honor of this saint.

In addition, it should also be noted those saints, thanks to whom, in fact, the spread of Christianity began in our land. First of all, these are the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga and Prince Vladimir.

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga

The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga in 903 became the wife of the Grand Duke Igor of Kiev. After his murder in 945 by the rebellious Drevlyans, she, not wishing to remarry, took upon herself the burden of public service with her three-year-old son Svyatoslav. In 954, Princess Olga went to Tsargrad for the purpose of religious pilgrimage and diplomatic mission, where she was received with honor by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The grandeur of Christian churches and the shrines gathered in them impressed the princess so much that she decided to accept baptism, which was performed on her by Patriarch Theophylact of Constantinople, and the emperor himself became her successor. The name of the Russian princess was named in honor of the holy Empress Helena. Upon returning from Byzantium, Olga zealously carried the Christian gospel to the pagans, began to erect the first Christian churches: in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of the first Christian prince of Kiev Askold and Hagia Sophia in Kyiv over the grave of Prince Dir. The holy princess Olga reposed in 969, bequeathing to openly perform her burial in a Christian way. The imperishable relics of the princess rested in the Church of the Tithes in Kyiv.

However, the widespread spread of Christianity in Russia was destined to begin only under the grandson of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir

The future enlightener of Russia was the son of the Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich, and his mother (Princess Malusha), although she came from a Varangian family, professed the Christian faith. Young Vladimir went to reign Novgorod, where he grew up under the supervision of his uncle Dobrynya, a rude pagan. Soon, as a result of internecine wars, Vladimir reigned in Kyiv. Having established himself in the glorious city in order to better centralize power and consolidate the Slavic tribes, he decides to establish common faith in Russia and in the course of a long search (Vladimir himself talked about faith with representatives of various religions who were at the princely court, and repeatedly sent his confidants to look , so to speak, "faith in the field") tends to accept Christianity. Having accepted his own baptism, the holy prince subsequently called for the adoption of Christianity and his boyars, as a result of which in 988 in the waters of the Pochaina River (a tributary of the Dnieper) the Sacrament of Baptism was performed over the ancient Kievans.

Blessed Princes Boris and Gleb

One of the first saints of God, canonized by our Church, are the holy brothers - the noble princes Boris and Gleb, the sons of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. They were canonized as passion-bearers, as they accepted a violent death, however, not for the name of Christ, but because of the political ambitions of their brother Svyatopolk, who wanted to concentrate the grand ducal power in his hands. Saints Boris and Gleb are an example of the true love of Christ: knowing that their own brother wants to kill them, they could gather troops to resist, however, not wanting someone else's blood to be shed in internecine wars, they decided to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the good of the fatherland.

Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves

Saints, about whom I would like to speak in particular, are the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. They are the "chiefs" of the ascetic life in Russia. Thus, Saint Anthony, having become the first Russian monk, brought the monastic Rule from Mount Athos, where he labored for a very long time. The Monk Theodosius is the founder of an already more organized, so to speak, cenobitic monasticism in Russia. It was he who founded the very first monastery in our lands (now the great Holy Dormition Lavra), from which monasticism spread throughout Russia and which became a model for a huge number of monastic communities.

Holiness is a purity of heart that seeks uncreated divine energy, manifesting in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as many colored rays in the solar spectrum. Pious ascetics are the link between the earthly world and the heavenly Kingdom. Penetrated by the light of divine grace, they, through contemplation of God and communion with God, come to know the highest spiritual mysteries. In earthly life, the saints, performing the feat of self-denial for the sake of the Lord, receive the highest grace of divine Revelation. According to biblical teaching, holiness is likening a person to God, who is the only bearer of all-perfect life and its unique source.

The ecclesiastical procedure for canonization of a righteous person is called canonization. She encourages believers to honor the recognized saint in public worship. As a rule, church recognition of piety is preceded by popular glory and veneration, but it was the act of canonization that made it possible to glorify the saints by creating icons, writing lives, compiling prayers and church services. The reason for official canonization can be the feat of the righteous, the incredible deeds he did, his whole life or martyrdom. And after death, a person can be recognized as a saint because of the incorruptibility of his relics, or miracles of healing occurring at his remains.

In the event that a saint is venerated within the same church, city or monastery, they speak of diocesan, local canonization.

The official church also recognizes the existence of unknown saints, the confirmation of whose piety is not yet known to the entire Christian flock. They are called the revered dead righteous and they are served memorial services, while prayers are served to the canonized saints.

That is why the names of Russian saints, who are revered in one diocese, may differ and be unknown to the parishioners of another city.

Who was canonized in Russia

Long-suffering Russia gave birth to more than a thousand martyrs and martyrs. All the names of the holy people of the Russian land, who were canonized, are listed in the calendar, or calendars. The right to solemnly rank the righteous as saints was originally possessed by the Kiev, and later Moscow, metropolitans. The first canonizations were preceded by the exhumation of the remains of the righteous for the creation of a miracle by them. In the 11-16 centuries, the burials of princes Boris and Gleb, princess Olga, Theodosius of the Caves were opened.

From the second half of the 16th century, under Metropolitan Macarius, the right to canonize saints passed to church councils under the primate. The indisputable authority of the Orthodox Church, which had existed in Russia by that time for 600 years, was confirmed by numerous Russian saints. The list of names of the righteous people glorified by the Makarievsky cathedrals was supplemented by the naming of 39 pious Christians as saints.

Byzantine canonization rules

In the 17th century, the Russian Orthodox Church succumbed to the influence of the ancient Byzantine rules for canonization. During this period, mainly clergymen were canonized for the fact that they had an ecclesiastical rank. Also reckoning deserved missionaries who carry the faith, and associates of the construction of new churches and monasteries. And the need to create miracles has lost its relevance. Thus, 150 righteous people were canonized, mainly from among the monks and the higher clergy, and the Saints filled up the new names of Russian Orthodox saints.

Weakening of church influence

In the 18-19 centuries, only the Holy Synod had the right to canonize. This period is characterized by a decrease in the activity of the church and the weakening of its influence on social processes. Before the ascension to the throne of Nicholas II, only four canonizations took place. During the short period of the reign of the Romanovs, seven more Christians were canonized as saints, and the saints supplemented the new names of Russian saints.

By the beginning of the 20th century, universally recognized and locally revered Russian saints were included in the Monthly Books, the list of whose names was supplemented by a list of the deceased Orthodox Christians, with whom requiems were performed.

Modern canonizations

The beginning of the modern period in the history of canonizations conducted by the Russian Orthodox Church can be considered the Local Council held in 1917-18, by which the universally revered Russian saints Sophronius of Irkutsk and Joseph of Astrakhan were canonized as saints. Then, in the 1970s, three more clergymen were canonized - Herman of Alaska, Archbishop of Japan and Metropolitan Innokenty of Moscow and Kolomna.

In the year of the millennium of the baptism of Russia, new canonizations took place, where Xenia of Petersburg, Dmitry Donskoy and other equally famous Orthodox Russian saints were recognized as pious.

In 2000, a jubilee Bishops' Council was held, at which Emperor Nicholas II and members of the Romanov royal family were canonized "as martyrs."

First canonization of the Russian Orthodox Church

The names of the first Russian saints, who were canonized by Metropolitan John in the 11th century, became a kind of symbol of the true faith of the newly baptized people, of their complete acceptance of Orthodox norms. Princes Boris and Gleb, sons of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, after canonization became the first heavenly defenders of Russian Christians. Boris and Gleb were killed by their brother in the internecine struggle for the throne of Kyiv in 1015. Knowing about the impending assassination attempt, they accepted death with Christian humility for the sake of autocracy and tranquility of their people.

The veneration of princes was widespread even before the recognition of their holiness by the official church. After canonization, the relics of the brothers were found incorruptible and showed miracles of healing to ancient Russian people. And the new princes ascending the throne made pilgrimages to the holy relics in search of blessings for a just reign and help in military exploits. Memorial Day of Saints Boris and Gleb is celebrated on July 24.

Formation of the Russian Holy Brotherhood

The Monk Theodosius of the Caves was next after Princes Boris and Gleb canonized. The second solemn canonization, carried out by the Russian Church, took place in 1108. The Monk Theodosius is considered the father of Russian monasticism and the founder, together with his mentor Anthony, of the Kiev Caves Monastery. The teacher and the student showed two different paths of monastic obedience: one is severe asceticism, rejection of everything worldly, the other is humility and creativity for the glory of God.

In the caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, bearing the names of the founders, the relics of 118 novices of this monastery, who lived before and after the Tatar-Mongol yoke, rest. All of them were canonized in 1643, making up a common service, and in 1762 the names of Russian saints were included in the calendar.

Rev. Abraham of Smolensk

Very little is known about the righteous people of the pre-Mongolian period. Abraham of Smolensk, one of the few saints of that time, about whom a detailed biography compiled by his student has been preserved. Abraham was revered for a long time in his native city even before his canonization by the Makarievsky Cathedral in 1549. Having distributed to the needy all his property left after the death of rich parents, the thirteenth child, the only son begged from the Lord after twelve daughters, Abraham lived in poverty, praying for salvation during the Last Judgment. Having taken the veil as a monk, he copied church books and painted icons. Saint Abraham is credited with saving Smolensk from a great drought.

The most famous names of the saints of the Russian land

Along with the above-mentioned princes Boris and Gleb, unique symbols of Russian Orthodoxy, are no less significant names of Russian saints who became intercessors for the whole people through their contribution to the participation of the church in public life.

After liberation from the Mongol-Tatar influence, Russian monasticism saw its goal as the enlightenment of pagan peoples, as well as the construction of new monasteries and temples in the uninhabited northeastern lands. The most prominent figure in this movement was St. Sergius of Radonezh. For God-obedient solitude, he built a cell on Makovets hill, where the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was later erected. Gradually, the righteous began to join Sergius, inspired by his teachings, which led to the formation of a monastic monastery, living on the fruits of their own hands, and not on the alms of believers. Sergius himself worked in the garden, setting an example for his brothers. The disciples of Sergius of Radonezh built about 40 monasteries throughout Russia.

St. Sergius of Radonezh carried the idea of ​​charitable humility not only to ordinary people, but also to the ruling elite. As a skilled politician, he contributed to the unification of the Russian principalities, convincing the rulers of the need to unite dynasties and scattered lands.

Dmitry Donskoy

Sergius of Radonezh was greatly revered by the Russian prince, canonized as a saint, Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. It was St. Sergius who blessed the army for the Battle of Kulikovo started by Dmitry Donskoy, and for God's support he sent two of his novices.

Having become a prince in early childhood, Dmitry in state affairs heeded the advice of Metropolitan Alexy, who was rooting for the unification of the Russian principalities around Moscow. This process has not always gone smoothly. Where by force, and where by marriage (to the Suzdal princess), Dmitry Ivanovich annexed the surrounding lands to Moscow, where he built the first Kremlin.

It was Dmitry Donskoy who became the founder of a political movement that aimed to unite the Russian principalities around Moscow to create a powerful state with political (from the khans of the Golden Horde) and ideological (from the Byzantine church) independence. In 2002, in memory of Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy and St. Sergius of Radonezh, the Order "For Service to the Fatherland" was established, fully emphasizing the depth of influence of these historical figures on the formation of Russian statehood. These Russian holy people cared for the well-being, independence and tranquility of their great people.

Faces (ranks) of Russian saints

All the saints of the Ecumenical Church are summarized in nine faces or ranks: prophets, apostles, saints, great martyrs, hieromartyrs, reverend martyrs, confessors, unmercenaries, holy fools and blessed.

The Orthodox Church of Russia divides the saints into faces in a different way. Russian holy people, due to historical circumstances, are divided into the following ranks:

princes. The first righteous people recognized as saints by the Russian Church were princes Boris and Gleb. Their feat consisted in self-sacrifice in the name of the tranquility of the Russian people. Such behavior became an example for all the rulers of the times of Yaroslav the Wise, when the power in whose name the prince sacrificed was recognized as true. This rank is divided into Equal-to-the-Apostles (distributors of Christianity - Princess Olga, her grandson Vladimir, who baptized Russia), monks (princes who were tonsured monks) and martyrs (victims of civil strife, assassination attempts, murders for the faith).

Reverends. This is the name of the saints who chose monastic obedience during their lifetime (Theodosius and Anthony of the Caves, Sergius of Radonezh, Joseph Volotsky, Seraphim of Sarov).

Saints- righteous people who have a church rank, who based their ministry on the protection of the purity of faith, the spread of Christian teaching, the foundation of churches (Nifont of Novgorod, Stefan of Perm).

Holy fools (blessed)- saints who wore the appearance of madness during their lifetime, rejecting worldly values. A very numerous rank of Russian righteous, replenished mainly by monks who considered monastic obedience insufficient. They left the monastery, going out in rags on the streets of cities and enduring all hardships (Basil the Blessed, St. Isaac the Recluse, Simeon of Palestine, Xenia of Petersburg).

Holy Laity and Wives. This rank brings together dead babies recognized as saints, renouncing the wealth of the laity, the righteous, distinguished by their boundless love for people (Yuliania Lazarevskaya, Artemy Verkolsky).

Lives of Russian Saints

The Lives of the Saints is a literary work containing historical, biographical and everyday information about a righteous man canonized by the church. Lives are one of the oldest literary genres. Depending on the time and country of writing, these treatises were created in the form of a biography, encomium (praise), martyria (testimony), patericon. The style of writing lives in the Byzantine, Roman and Western church cultures differed significantly. Back in the 4th century, the Church began to unite the saints and their biographies into vaults that looked like a calendar indicating the day of commemoration of the pious.

In Russia, the Lives appear together with the adoption of Christianity from Byzantium in Bulgarian and Serbian translations, combined into collections for reading by months - the Menaion and the Menaion of Chetya.

Already in the 11th century, a laudatory biography of princes Boris and Gleb appeared, where the unknown author of the life is Russian. The holy names are recognized by the church and added to the calendars. In the 12th and 13th centuries, along with the monastic desire to enlighten the northeast of Russia, the number of biographical works also grew. Russian authors wrote the lives of Russian saints for reading during the Divine Liturgy. The names, the list of which was recognized by the church for glorification, now received a historical figure, and holy deeds and miracles were enshrined in a literary monument.

In the 15th century there was a change in the style of writing lives. The authors began to pay the main attention not to the actual data, but to the skillful use of the artistic word, the beauty of the literary language, the ability to pick up a lot of impressive comparisons. Skillful scribes of that period became known. For example, Epiphanius the Wise, who wrote the vivid lives of Russian saints, whose names were most famous among the people - Stephen of Perm and Sergius of Radonezh.

Many lives are considered a source of information about important historical events. From the biography of Alexander Nevsky, you can learn about political relations with the Horde. The lives of Boris and Gleb tell of princely civil strife before the unification of Russia. The creation of a literary and ecclesiastical biographical work largely determined which names of Russian saints, their deeds and virtues would become most known to a wide circle of believers.

The history of the formation of Orthodoxy in Russia is inextricably linked with a number of personalities who dedicated their lives to the true veneration of God with the fulfillment of all divine laws. Strictly following the precepts of religion, these people deserved Divine Grace and the title of Orthodox saints for their selfless service to the Almighty and intercession for the whole human race before him.

The list of charitable individuals who became famous for their righteous deeds or who suffered for the faith of Christ is truly inexhaustible. Nowadays, it is also replenished with new names of pious Christians, canonized by the church. The attainment of holiness by ascetics of spiritual perfection can be called a great work, coupled with the burden of overcoming base feelings and vicious desires. Creating a divine image in oneself requires enormous efforts and painstaking work, and the feat of Orthodox saints awakens admiration in the souls of true believers.

On the icons depicting the righteous, their head is crowned with a halo. It symbolizes the Grace of God, which enlightened the face of a man who has become a saint. This is a gift from God, warming the soul with the warmth of spirituality, pleasing the heart with divine radiance.

With prayers in churches and prayer chants, the clergy, together with the faithful, glorify the image of the earthly life of the righteous according to their rank or rank. Taking into account the accomplished deeds during life or the reason for leaving for another world, the pages of the Orthodox calendar compiled by the Russian Orthodox Church contain lists of pious persons by rank.

• Prophets. This is the name of the Old Testament saints, endowed with the gift of foreseeing the events of the future. The prophets were chosen by the Almighty, they were called to prepare the people for the adoption of Christianity.
• Apostles are the best followers of the Lord. Of these, 12 saints are called approximate, the ranks of the pupils of the King of Heaven number 70 righteous.
• The Forefathers include the pious men mentioned in the Old Testament, who were distantly related to our Savior.
• The righteous, male or female, who have taken the monastic order (monasticism), are called reverend.
• The status of great martyrs or martyrs is endowed with God-pleasing people who died a martyr's death for the faith of Christ. The ministers of the church are referred to the rank of holy martyrs, the sufferers in monasticism are reverend martyrs.
• Among the Blessed are the pious who have become insane for Christ's sake, as well as travelers without a permanent home. For humility, such people were gifted with God's mercy.
• Enlighteners (equal to the apostles) are called the righteous, whose deeds contributed to the conversion of peoples to the Christian faith.
• Passion-bearers or confessors are pious believers who have been persecuted and imprisoned for their adherence to the Savior. In the world such Christians died in great agony.

Prayers to saints are associated not only with the veneration of the associates of God, but with turning to them for their own help. Showing divine honors and worshiping anyone other than the true and only God is prohibited by the Holy Scriptures.

List of the most revered saints of the Orthodox Church by year of their life

• The First-Called Apostle is one of the 12 disciples of Christ, chosen by him to preach the Gospel. The status of the First-Called disciple of John the Baptist received for being the first to respond to the call of Jesus, and also called Christ the Savior. According to legend, he was crucified around the year 67 on a cross of a special shape, later called St. Andrew's. December 13 is the day of veneration by the Orthodox Church.
• Saint Spyridon of Trimifuntsky (207-348) became famous as a miracle worker. The life of Spiridon, elected bishop of the city of Trimifunt (Cyprus), passed in humility and calls to repentance. The saint became famous for many miracles, including the resurrection of the dead. An adherent of the exact observance of the words of the Gospel passed away while reading a prayer. Believers keep the icon of the miracle worker at home to gain the grace of God, and on December 25 they honor his memory.
• Of the female images, the most revered in Russia is the Blessed Matrona (1881-1952). The Orthodox saint was chosen by the Almighty for good deeds even before her birth. The hard life of the righteous woman was permeated with patience and humility, miracles of healing, documented in writing. Believers venerate the relics of the Passion-bearer, preserved within the walls of the Intercession Church, for healing and salvation. Day of veneration by the church - March 8.
• The most famous of the righteous, the Pleasant (270-345) in the list of great saints is listed as Myrlikiysky. As a bishop, a native of Lycia (Roman province), he devoted his whole life to Christianity, pacified the warring, defended the innocently condemned, performed miracles of salvation. Believers turn to the icon of St. Nicholas for spiritual and physical healing, protection for travelers. The Church honors the memory of the miracle worker with prayers on the day of December 19 in the new (Gregorian) style.

Prayer to Nicholas Ugodnik for help:

After the desired is realized, it is important to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to the saint:

Touching the myrrh-streaming relics of the Wonderworker, kept in the Catholic monastery of the city of Bari (Italy), blesses the faithful with healing. You can turn to Nikolai Ugodnik with a prayer anywhere.

The emphasis of the Orthodox teaching is based on the spiritual principle of a purposeful movement towards the attainment of holiness throughout a sinless life. An important advantage of holiness according to Orthodox teaching is in the constant communion with God of the apostles who are in the Kingdom of Heaven.

List of saints of Russian Orthodoxy canonized in the 19th century

The act of canonization of righteous Christians can be both church-wide and local. The basis is holiness during life, the performance of miracles (lifetime or posthumous), imperishable relics. The result of the church recognition of the saint is expressed by the call to the flock to honor the righteous man with prayers during public services, and not by commemoration. The ancient Christian church did not carry out the canonization procedure.

List of pious righteous who received the rank of sainthood in the 20th century

In Orthodox literature, there is a special genre that describes the life and deeds of people who lived in holiness. The lives of the saints are not secular chronicles, but life stories written in accordance with church canons and rules. The first records of the events of the life of the holy ascetics were made at the dawn of Christianity, then they were formed into calendar collections, lists of days of honoring the blessed memory of the saints.

According to the instruction of the Apostle Paul, the preachers of the word of God should be remembered and imitated by their faith. Despite the departure to another world of the holy righteous, whom the holy church reveres.

For high morality and holiness, throughout the history of Orthodox Russia, God's grace has been bestowed on people with a pure heart and a radiant soul. They received the heavenly gift of holiness for their righteous deeds, their help to people living on earth is invaluable. Therefore, even in the most hopeless situation, go to church, pray to the saints, and you will receive help if the prayer is sincere.