The most famous saints in Orthodoxy. Russian saints. Russian Orthodox saints: a list. Saints of ancient Russia

The title of this book, apparently, should cause a feeling of legitimate bewilderment or even outright misunderstanding in the reader. Indeed, the word "famous" is hardly applicable to saints: saints can be revered, revered, glorified (in the religious sense), but not famous at all. The latter is rather suitable for generals, politicians, in our time for artists, athletes, musicians, etc. The word “famous” itself reflects precisely that side of life, filled with worldly, vain, most often momentary, from which just a saint flees, devoting himself entirely to the service of God and putting the spiritual, and not the earthly, at the forefront.

But if there is a book series "The Most Famous", dedicated to the great people of Russia, it would be unfair to limit it only to military leaders and politicians. For the most part, their biographies outline only the external side of the history of Russia, its actual eventful part, while there is another history - internal, spiritual. To understand the spirit of the people, the hidden, inner content of its history, is possible, first of all, through an appeal to the ideal developed by the people themselves, and this ideal, in turn, is revealed most of all in the biographies of the saints. Perhaps nowhere in the world has holiness entered so deeply into the very soul of the people as in Russia. Not because, of course, they everywhere tried to imitate the works and deeds of holy men - rather, on the contrary, their asceticism was in its essence a direct denial of the world, a departure from it. But in the eyes of ordinary people for many centuries, it was the feat of holiness that justified and balanced their ordinary, most often sinful and vile existence and thus served as protection from the troubles and misfortunes of the present day (which were just regarded as retribution for this sinful and vile life) and that quiet unquenchable light that gave support and hope in the future life.

The genre of the book and its content require one more explanation. This book does not include hagiography saints, namely their biographies, biographies(although in most cases the life is the main or even the only source of information about the saint). The word "biography" is also not very suitable for a story about a saint. But the task of the authors of the book was to show, first of all, life circumstances those people who, after death, were canonized by the Orthodox Church, that is, canonized as saints. We proceeded from the unconditional message already indicated above that the history of Russia is unthinkable without their existence, and therefore in the book series “The Most Famous” they should be presented primarily as actors in Russian history. At the same time, one must be aware that we are not talking about ordinary people (or rather, about completely unusual people), whose posthumous, heavenly existence is no less significant for us than earthly, so to speak, historical existence. (“A heavenly man and an earthly angel” - this is how saints were called in ancient Russia.) Therefore, the book also presents, to the extent possible, the “posthumous fate” of God’s saints: their posthumous miracles, the fate of their relics (remains), the circumstances of canonization (if the latter are known).

For centuries (for more than ten centuries now) Orthodox Russia has been praying to its saints and miracle workers, hoping for their intercession before God and ascribed all its successes and accomplishments to their protection and patronage. The holy princes-martyrs Boris and Gleb, the holy and pious Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky and other pious princes were invisibly present on the battlefields and centuries after their death, helping from above "their relatives" - Russian princes - and all Russian soldiers. The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, “abbot of the Russian land”, sanctified with his presence all more or less significant military enterprises of medieval Russia - both repulsing the raids of Kazan and Crimean Tatars, and defending the western borders of the Russian state from Polish or Lithuanian warriors. So it was, at least, in the Middle Ages, when people were much more clearly aware of their connection with God than now, when they were waiting for a miracle and fervently believed in it, and therefore miracles happened so often. But it happened later too - when certain tragic events (so frequent in our history) forced people to turn to Heaven in order to somehow try to save themselves from the earthly. In every city and every land of Russia there were and are their saints and prayer books, and to this day people resort to their intercession in the most difficult moments of their lives. To the tombs of the revered Russian saints, the flow of the afflicted has not dried up and, presumably, will not dry up. And miracle workers do not leave those who come to them with sincere faith, but give them healing from bodily and spiritual ailments.

The host of Russian saints opens with the name of the blessed Princess Olga, the first Russian Christian ruler. She lived by the middle of the 10th century, even before the Baptism of Russia, which took place in the 80s of the same century, under the grandson of Blessed Olga, Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich. The first Russians officially canonized by the Orthodox Church (that is, canonized as saints) were the sons of Vladimir the Holy, the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb, who were martyred by their brother Svyatopolk the Accursed. (The canonization of Saint Olga and Saint Vladimir took place later, not earlier than the XIII century.) Two lives of the holy brothers, compiled in the XI or at the beginning of the XII century, have survived to our time - the so-called "Tale of the Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb" by an unknown author and " Reading about the life and destruction of the blessed passion-bearers Boris and Gleb”, written by the famous Nestor, a monk of the Kiev Caves Monastery and the alleged author of the Russian chronicle. Saint Nestor is the author of another remarkable work of ancient Russian literature - the Life of Saint Theodosius, Abbot of the Caves, one of the founders of the Kiev Caves Monastery - the largest and most famous monastery of Kievan Rus.

Nestor himself lived at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. (In the 17th century, he, like other Cave elders, was also canonized by the Church.) The writings of St. Nestor, especially the Life of St. Theodosius of the Caves, became a model for future Russian hagiographers (from the Greek words αγιοζ - saint and γραφω - I write; that is, “writer life.")

As the reader will easily notice, among the saints presented in the book, most of all are monks, that is, monks. They constitute a special rank of saints - reverend, that is, those who have become like Christ, who have renounced worldly life, left the world and lead a righteous life in special abodes of God, monasteries. Such people always and everywhere inspire respect from others. In Russia, the role of monasticism and monasteries was especially great. Religious and cultural life was concentrated in monasteries, books were copied and decorated here, here and only here one could get an education; the monasteries owned vast land holdings and conducted the widest charity. But the main thing - the monasteries were the focus of holiness. Great Russian saints came out of their walls, and here they found their last rest, bestowing miracles and healings on thousands of pilgrims flocking from everywhere.

A number of great Russian elders are discovered by St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, the founders of the Kiev Caves Monastery and the pioneers of monastic life in Russia. They lived in the 11th century. In the same 11th century and later, monasteries arose in Novgorod, Rostov and other ancient Russian cities. The founders of these monasteries were also canonized and glorified by the Church and people - first locally, within the same diocese, and then throughout the Russian land. Among them are Rev. Avraamy of Rostov, Varlaam Khutynsky, Euphrosyne of Polotsk, whose biographies the reader will find in the book.

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.

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The list of pilgrims is inexhaustible. Truly, the great saints of the Christian religion carried their cross to the end, and therefore they became revered among all believers and become an example of how one should serve their Almighty. Each of the righteous has its own divine image. That is, this term is the designation of the category to which the god-pleaser was assigned at the time of his canonization. You can find out in more detail what the heavenly church hierarchy is, as well as how many saints there are in the Russian Orthodox Church and brief passages about them, from our article.

Holy miracle workers of the Orthodox Church

Glorifying the righteous, the Church in its hymns of prayer give them various greatnesses, which are given according to the image of their earthly life, rank, rank, some accomplished feats and, finally, the type of their life outcome, which is why in the Orthodox calendar, as well as in liturgical writings, the saints of Russia The Orthodox Church is divided into ranks and hosts, namely:

• The prophets are the saints of the Old Testament Scriptures, who were chosen by the Almighty to prepare the Christian people for the acceptance of the Lord God, and those who were endowed with the gift of foreseeing the future.
• The apostles are the best followers of the King of Heaven, some of whom are among the 12 associates, and the rest are among the 70 of his pupils.
• The forefathers are the pious men of the Old Testament, who, according to the flesh, were the ancestors of Our Savior.
• Reverends (wives and husbands) - the righteous from the monastic (monastic) dignity.
• The Great Martyrs or Martyrs are those God-pleasers who accepted martyrdom for their faith in the Savior. Those who were martyred while in the rank of a clergyman or bishop are called hieromartyrs, and those who suffered in monasticism (monasticism) suffering are called reverend martyrs.
• The blessed are the pious, who, according to God's saying, were insane for Christ's sake and travelers who did not have a permanent home. Such people received God's mercy for their obedience.
• Enlighteners and Equal-to-the-Apostles are called righteous, who, after the apostolic times, with their instructions led peoples and even entire states to the Almighty.
• The righteous and unmercenaries are called pious men who, living a worldly life and not removing themselves from both public and family obligations, have pleased the King of Heaven.
• Passion-bearers and confessors are pious, who endured torment, persecution, and imprisonment for their belief in the Savior, but who suffered their death in the world.

The most revered saints in the Orthodox Church

Virtuous and humble Christians were canonized by the Orthodox Church, who are an example of morality, who, after completing their earthly life, are in the kingdom of heaven and cry out in prayer to the Savior for all sinful people now living on earth.

All saints of the Orthodox Church (list of the most famous):

• Spyridon Trimifuntsky, was born on the island of Cyprus in the village of Askia, approximately in 270. The charitable man spent his righteous and pure life in obedience and humility, healing incurable ailments and spending all his small income on helping the poor and the traveler. The Saint died in 348 on 12 (December 25), and his relics were placed in the city of Corfu in the local cathedral (Corfu Island, Ionian Sea). is located in every believer's house, so that the saint protects and bestows the grace of God.
• Blessed Matron. It is generally accepted that the Almighty chose the benefactor for service even before her birth, which happened in 1881 in the Tula province, Epifanovsky district in the village of Sebino. Throughout her life, she carried a heavy cross, while showing patience, remembrance and humility. The righteous woman departed to another world in 1952 on the 19th of April (May 2). And to this day, and about all sorts of needs, many believers are exalted.
• Nikolay Ugodnik. One of the most revered righteous by the Orthodox Church. Born around 270 in the Roman province of Lycia (Greek colony of Patara). During his lifetime, the Wonderworker gained fame as an intercessor and pacifier, and those who were falsely condemned quite often found their salvation in him. Nikolai Ugodnik died in 345 on December 6 (19).

Here are the names of the saints of the Orthodox Church, who by their way of life were awarded canonization:

• Seraphim of Sarov. Born in Kursk, Belgorod province in 1754 on July 19 (30) in a fairly wealthy family. The righteous man was the founder and patron of the Diveevo convent and enjoyed unlimited respect among worldly people. The saint passed away on January 2 (14), 1833, and his relics rest in the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery.
• Xenia of Petersburg. The exact date of the birth of the righteous is not known for certain, however, it is believed that she was born in St. Petersburg in the interval 1719-1730. After the early death of her husband, the blessed one chose the difficult path of foolishness, responding until her death only to the name of her husband . The day of commemoration of the Goddess falls on January 24 (February 6).

Chronological list of saints of the Russian Orthodox Church of the XIX century

The Lord is always with you!

Russian saints... The list of God's saints is inexhaustible. By their way of life they pleased the Lord and through this they became closer to eternal existence. Every saint has his own face. This term denotes the category to which God's Pleaser is assigned during his canonization. These include the great martyrs, martyrs, reverend, righteous, unmercenaries, apostles, saints, passion-bearers, holy fools (blessed), faithful and equal to the apostles.

Suffering in the name of the Lord

The first saints of the Russian Church among the saints of God are the great martyrs who suffered for the faith of Christ, dying in heavy and long agony. Among the Russian saints, the brothers Boris and Gleb were the first to be ranked in this face. That is why they are called first martyrs - passion-bearers. In addition, the Russian saints Boris and Gleb were the first canonized in the history of Russia. The brothers died in the throne, which began after the death of Prince Vladimir. Yaropolk, nicknamed the Accursed, first killed Boris when he was sleeping in a tent, being on one of the campaigns, and then Gleb.

Face like the Lord

The saints are those saints who led while in prayer, labor and fasting. Among the Russian saints of God, one can single out St. Seraphim of Sarov and Sergius of Radonezh, Savva Storozhevsky and Methodius Peshnoshko. The first saint in Russia, canonized in this face, is considered the monk Nikolai Svyatosha. Before accepting the rank of monk, he was a prince, the great-grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. Renouncing worldly goods, the monk asceticised as a monk in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Nicholas the Svyatosha is revered as a miracle worker. It is believed that his sackcloth (coarse woolen shirt), left after his death, cured one sick prince.

Sergius of Radonezh - the chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit

The 14th-century Russian saint Sergius of Radonezh, in the world Bartholomew, deserves special attention. He was born into a pious family of Mary and Cyril. It is believed that while still in the womb, Sergius showed his God's chosen. During one of the Sunday liturgies, the unborn Bartholomew cried out three times. At that time, his mother, like the rest of the parishioners, was terrified and embarrassed. After his birth, the monk did not drink breast milk if Mary ate meat that day. On Wednesdays and Fridays, little Bartholomew went hungry and did not take his mother's breast. In addition to Sergius, there were two more brothers in the family - Peter and Stefan. Parents raised their children in Orthodoxy and strictness. All the brothers, except for Bartholomew, studied well and knew how to read. And only the youngest in their family was given a hard time reading - the letters blurred before his eyes, the boy was lost, not daring to utter a word. Sergius suffered greatly from this and fervently prayed to God in the hope of gaining the ability to read. One day, again ridiculed by his brothers for his illiteracy, he ran into the field and met an old man there. Bartholomew spoke about his sadness and asked the monk to pray for him to God. The elder gave the boy a piece of prosphora, promising that the Lord would surely grant him a letter. In gratitude for this, Sergius invited the monk to the house. Before taking the meal, the elder asked the boy to read the psalms. Shy, Bartholomew took the book, afraid even to look at the letters that always blurred before his eyes ... But a miracle! - the boy began to read as if he had already known the letter for a long time. The elder predicted to his parents that their youngest son would be great, since he is the chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit. After such a fateful meeting, Bartholomew began to strictly fast and pray constantly.

The Beginning of the Monastic Path

At the age of 20, the Russian Saint Sergius of Radonezh asked his parents to give him a blessing to take the tonsure. Cyril and Maria begged their son to stay with them until their very death. Not daring to disobey, Bartholomew until the Lord took their souls. After burying his father and mother, the young man, along with his older brother Stefan, set out to be tonsured. In the desert called Makovets, the brothers are building the Trinity Church. Stefan cannot stand the harsh ascetic lifestyle that his brother adhered to and goes to another monastery. At the same time, Bartholomew takes tonsure and becomes monk Sergius.

Trinity Sergius Lavra

The world-famous monastery of Radonezh was once born in a dense forest, in which the monk once retired. Sergius was in every day. He ate plant foods, and wild animals were his guests. But one day, several monks found out about the great feat of asceticism performed by Sergius, and decided to come to the monastery. There these 12 monks remained. It was they who became the founders of the Lavra, which was soon headed by the monk himself. Prince Dmitry Donskoy, who was preparing for a battle with the Tatars, came to Sergius for advice. After the death of the monk, 30 years later, his relics were found, which to this day perform a miracle of healing. This Russian saint still invisibly receives pilgrims to his monastery.

Righteous and Blessed

Righteous saints have earned God's favor through a godly lifestyle. These include both lay people and clergymen. The parents of Sergius of Radonezh, Cyril and Mary, who were true Christians and taught Orthodoxy to their children, are considered righteous.

The blessed are those saints who deliberately took the form of people not of this world, becoming ascetics. Among the Russian Satisfiers of God, who lived in the time of Ivan the Terrible, Ksenia of Petersburg, who refused all blessings and went on distant wanderings after the death of her beloved husband, Matrona of Moscow, who became famous for the gift of clairvoyance and healing during her lifetime, is especially revered. It is believed that I. Stalin himself, who was not distinguished by religiosity, listened to the blessed Matronushka and her prophetic words.

Ksenia - holy fool for Christ's sake

The blessed one was born in the first half of the 18th century into a family of pious parents. Having become an adult, she married the singer Alexander Fedorovich and lived with him in joy and happiness. When Xenia was 26 years old, her husband died. Unable to bear such grief, she gave away her property, put on her husband's clothes and went on a long wandering. After that, the blessed one did not respond to her name, asking to be called Andrei Fedorovich. “Xenia died,” she assured. The saint began to wander the streets of St. Petersburg, occasionally dropping in to dine with her acquaintances. Some people mocked the heartbroken woman and made fun of her, but Ksenia endured all the humiliations without a murmur. Only once did she show her anger when the local boys threw stones at her. After what they saw, the locals stopped mocking the blessed one. Xenia of Petersburg, having no shelter, prayed at night in the field, and then again came to the city. The blessed one quietly helped the workers to build a stone church at the Smolensk cemetery. At night, she tirelessly laid bricks in a row, contributing to the speedy construction of the church. For all the good deeds, patience and faith, the Lord gave Xenia the Blessed the gift of clairvoyance. She predicted the future, and also saved many girls from unsuccessful marriages. Those people who Ksenia came to became happier and more successful. Therefore, everyone tried to serve the saint and bring her into the house. Ksenia of Petersburg died at the age of 71. She was buried at the Smolensk cemetery, where the Church built by her own hands was nearby. But even after physical death, Ksenia continues to help people. Great miracles were performed at her coffin: the sick were healed, those seeking family happiness were successfully married and married. It is believed that Xenia especially patronizes unmarried women and already held wives and mothers. A chapel was built over the tomb of the blessed one, to which crowds of people still come, asking the saint for intercession before God and thirsting for healing.

holy sovereigns

Monarchs, princes and kings who have distinguished themselves

a pious way of life, conducive to strengthening the faith and position of the church. The first Russian Saint Olga was just canonized in this category. Among the faithful, Prince Dmitry Donskoy, who won the Kulikovo field after the appearance of the holy image of Nicholas, stands out in particular; Alexander Nevsky, who did not compromise with the Catholic Church in order to maintain his power. He was recognized as the only secular Orthodox sovereign. Among the faithful there are other famous Russian saints. Prince Vladimir is one of them. He was canonized in connection with his great work - the baptism of all Russia in 988.

Sovereigns - God's Satisfiers

Princess Anna was also counted among the holy saints, thanks to whose wife relative peace was observed between the Scandinavian countries and Russia. During her lifetime, she built it in honor of it, since she received this name at baptism. Blessed Anna honored the Lord and sacredly believed in him. Shortly before her death, she took the tonsure and died. Memorial Day is October 4 according to the Julian style, but unfortunately this date is not mentioned in the modern Orthodox calendar.

The first Russian holy princess Olga, in baptism Elena, accepted Christianity, influencing its further spread throughout Russia. Thanks to her activities, contributing to the strengthening of faith in the state, she was canonized as a saint.

Servants of the Lord on earth and in heaven

Hierarchs are such saints of God who were clergymen and received a special favor from the Lord for their way of life. One of the first saints assigned to this face was Dionysius, Archbishop of Rostov. Arriving from Athos, he headed the Spaso-Stone Monastery. People were drawn to his monastery, as he knew the human soul and could always guide those in need on the true path.

Among all the canonized saints, the Archbishop of Myra, Nicholas the Wonderworker, stands out. And although the saint is not of Russian origin, he truly became the intercessor of our country, always being at the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The great Russian saints, whose list continues to grow to this day, can patronize a person if he prays earnestly and sincerely to them. You can turn to the Satisfiers of God in different situations - everyday needs and illnesses, or simply wanting to thank the Higher Powers for a calm and serene life. Be sure to purchase icons of Russian saints - it is believed that prayer in front of the image is the most effective. It is also desirable that you have a nominal icon - the image of the saint in whose honor you were baptized.

In the old days, reading the Lives of the Saints was one of the favorite activities of all sections of the Russian people. At the same time, the reader was interested not only in historical facts from the life of Christian ascetics, but also in a deep edifying and moral meaning. Today, the Lives of the Saints have receded into the background. Christians prefer to sit in Internet forums and social networks. However, is this normal? Journalists think about it Marina Voloskova, teacher Anna Kuznetsova and old believer writer Dmitry Urushev.

How created hagiographic literature

The study of Russian holiness in its history and its religious phenomenology has always been relevant. Today, the study of hagiographic literature is managed by a separate direction in philology, called hagiography . It should be noted that hagiographic literature for a medieval Russian was not just an actual type of reading, but a cultural and religious component of his life.

The Lives of the Saints are essentially biographies of clergy and secular persons glorified for veneration by the Christian Church or its individual communities. From the first days of its existence, the Christian Church carefully collected information about the life and work of its ascetics and communicated them to its children as an instructive example.

The Lives of the Saints constitute perhaps the most extensive section of Christian literature. They were the favorite reading of our ancestors. Many monks and even laymen were engaged in rewriting of lives, richer people ordered collections of lives for themselves. Since the 16th century, in connection with the growth of the Moscow national consciousness, collections of purely Russian hagiographies have appeared.

For instance, Metropolitan Macarius under Tsar John IV, he created a whole staff of scribes and clerks, who for more than twenty years accumulated ancient Russian writing into an extensive literary collection Great Fourth Menaion. In it, the Lives of the Saints took pride of place. In ancient times, in general, the reading of hagiographic literature was treated, one might say, with the same reverence as the reading of Holy Scripture.

Over the centuries of its existence, Russian hagiography has gone through different forms, known different styles. The lives of the first Russian saints are the works of " The Tale of Boris and Gleb", life Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Princess Olga, Theodosius of the Caves, Abbot of the Kiev Caves Monastery, and others. Among the best writers of Ancient Russia, who devoted their pen to the glorification of the saints, Nestor the Chronicler, Epiphanius the Wise and Pachomius Logofet stand out. The first in the time of the Lives of the Saints were the stories about the martyrs.

Even Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome, during the first persecution of Christianity, set up seven notaries in various districts of Rome to record daily what happened to Christians in places of execution, as well as in dungeons and courts. Despite the fact that the pagan government threatened the recorders with the death penalty, the records continued throughout the persecution of Christianity.

In the pre-Mongolian period, the Russian church had a complete set of menaias, prologues and synoxaries corresponding to the liturgical circle. Of great importance in Russian literature were patericons - special collections of the lives of saints.

Finally, the last common source for the memory of the saints of the Church is calendars and monastics. The origin of calendars dates back to the earliest times of the Church. From the testimony of Asterius of Amasia it can be seen that in the IV century. they were so full that they contained names for all the days of the year.

From the beginning of the 15th century, Epiphanius and the Serb Pachomius created a new school in northern Russia - a school of artificially decorated, extensive life. This is how a stable literary canon is created, a magnificent “weaving of words”, which Russian scribes strive to imitate until the end of the 17th century. In the era of Metropolitan Macarius, when many ancient unskillful hagiographic records were being rewritten, the works of Pachomius were entered into the Cheti-Minei intact. The vast majority of these hagiographic monuments are strictly dependent on their models.

There are lives that are almost entirely written off from the most ancient ones; others use the established literary etiquette, refraining from accurate biographical data. Hagiographers involuntarily do this, separated from the saint by a long period of time - sometimes centuries, when even folk tradition dries up. But here, too, the general law of hagiographic style, similar to the law of icon painting, operates. It requires the subordination of the particular to the general, the dissolution of the human face in the heavenly glorified face.

Valuable then, what modern?

At present, the classical hagiographic literature is fading into the background. In its place come news feeds, social networks, at best, reports from print church media. The question arises: have we chosen the right path of church informational life? Is it true that we only occasionally recall the deeds of glorified saints, but pay more attention to the events of the modern day - loud, and tomorrow already forgotten?

Christians are less and less interested not only in lives, but also in other ancient literary monuments. Moreover, in the Old Believers this problem is felt more acutely than even in the Russian Orthodox Church. On the shelves of the bookstores of the Moscow Patriarchate, there is a lot of hagiographic literature, just have time to buy and read it. Some Old Believers express the idea that everything can be bought there. Their bookshops are full of various church literature, biographies of Sergius of Radonezh, Stefan of Perm, Dionysius of Radonezh and many others.

But are we really so weak that we ourselves cannot (or do not want to) publish a collection of lives or publish in the parish newspaper a brief review of the life of this or that saint? Moreover, literary monuments published by non-Orthodox church publishing houses are full of inaccurate translations, and sometimes even deliberate historical or theological falsifications. So, for example, today it is not difficult to stumble upon the publication of Domostroy, where in the chapter on church customs all ancient customs are replaced by modern ones.

Now the periodicals of the Old Believers are filled with news materials, but there is practically no educational information. And if there is none, then people will not have sufficient knowledge. And it is not surprising that many traditions are forgotten, once the most important names, symbols and images are erased from memory.

It is no coincidence that, for example, in the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church and other Old Believer agreements there is not a single church dedicated to holy noble princes Boris and Gleb. Although these princes were the most revered Russian saints before the church schism, today, apart from an entry in the calendar and a rare service (and even then, if the day of remembrance falls on Sunday), they are not revered in any way. What then to say about other, less well-known saints? They are completely forgotten.

Therefore, we must do everything possible for spiritual enlightenment. Hagiographic literature is a faithful assistant in this matter. Even a five-minute reading of the Life sets a person up for a good pastime, strengthens in faith.

By publishing, even if abbreviated, the Lives of the Saints, teachings, sermons, and possibly collections of church rules, apologetics, we will thereby help a person to learn more about his faith. This can save many believers from superstitions, false rumors and dubious customs, including those borrowed from non-Orthodox denominations, which are rapidly spreading and turning into a "new church tradition." Even if elderly, experienced people often become hostages of ideas received from dubious sources, then young people can become a victim of harmful information even faster.

There is a request for ancient literary works, including the Lives of the Saints. For example, the parishioners of the Rzhev Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos have repeatedly expressed the opinion that they would like to see interesting hagiographic stories about local, Tver saints in the parish newspaper Pokrovsky Vestnik. Perhaps it is worth thinking about this and other Old Believer publications.

returning to Old Russian traditions enlightenment

Today, many Old Believer authors and journalists consider it important to publish hagiographic literature, to revive the reader's sense of reverence for the names of ancient ascetics. They raise the question of the need for more educational work within the Old Believers themselves.

Anna Kuznetsova - journalist, member joint venture Russia, teacher additional education in G. Rzhev

It is not only possible, but also necessary, to publish the lives of the saints, only in a convenient and not very expensive format. We also have saints canonized after the schism of the 17th century. And in the bulk, people remember only Archpriest Avvakum and the noblewoman Morozova, and therefore associate only them with the Old Faith.

And judging by the way our leading hagiographers are engaged in research on these issues about people who lived one and a half or two centuries ago, it turns out that we are “behind” by just two centuries. In this sense, there is no intelligible bookish church policy, therefore, apart from the archpriest and "those who suffered like him", we do not know anyone ...

Dmitry Alexandrovich Urushev - historian, member of the Union of Journalists of Russia

The Apostle Paul writes: “Remember your leaders, who have spoken the word of God to you, theirs, looking to the end of their residence, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7).

Christians should honor their mentors - the saints of God, imitate their faith and life. Therefore, the Orthodox Church from ancient times established the veneration of saints, dedicating every day of the year to one or another righteous person - a martyr, ascetic, apostle, saint or prophet.

Just as a loving mother takes care of her children, so the Church took care of her children, for their benefit and edification, writing down the lives of the saints in the Prologue. This book consists of four volumes, one for each season. In the Prologue, short lives are arranged daily, in addition, one or more teachings of the holy fathers are given for each day. A more extensive collection of lives and teachings is called the Fourth Menaion and consists of twelve menaion - monthly volumes.

The cumbersome Cheti-Minei are rare and inaccessible books. And the compact Prologue, on the contrary, was very popular in Ancient Russia. It was often rewritten and reprinted many times. Earlier, the Old Believers read the Prologue with pleasure, receiving great benefit and correct instruction in a righteous life.

Reading the lives of God's saints and spiritual teachings, Christians of the past had before them the example of holy martyrs and ascetics, they were always ready to courageously stand for Orthodoxy and piety, they were ready to fearlessly confess their faith before the enemies of the Church, not fearing executions and tortures.

But the Prologue is written in Old Church Slavonic. And during the years of Soviet power among Christians, his knowledge has significantly decreased, and the very circle of reading Slavic books has narrowed exclusively to liturgical books. Now the sad fact noted by V.G. Belinsky in the middle of the 19th century: “Slavic and ancient books in general can be a subject of study, but by no means of enjoyment; they can only be dealt with by learned people, not society.”

What to do? Alas, we will have to set aside the Prologue, Chet'i-Minei and other soul-beneficial reading in the Old Slavonic language on the shelf. Let's be realistic, now only a few experts can penetrate this ancient source of wisdom and draw from it the water of life. The ordinary parishioner is deprived of this pleasure. But we cannot allow modernity to rob and impoverish him!

It is impossible to force all Christians to study the language of ancient Russian literature. Therefore, instead of Old Slavonic books, books in Russian should appear. Of course, creating a complete translation of the Prolog is a difficult and time-consuming task. Yes, probably unnecessary. After all, since the middle of the 17th century, since the time of the schism, new saints appeared in the Church, new teachings were written. But they are not reflected in the printed Prologue. We must work to create a new corpus of soulful reading for Christians.

It will no longer be the Prologue and not the Cheti-Minei. These will be new compositions, written simply and entertainingly, designed for the widest possible audience. Suppose it will be a selection of educational literature, including publicly available books on the Holy Scriptures, on church history, on Christian theology, on the lives of saints, textbooks of Orthodox worship and the Old Church Slavonic language.

It is these publications that should stand on the bookshelf in the home of every Old Believer. For many, they will be the first rung on the ladder of God's wisdom. Then, by reading more difficult books, the Christian will be able to rise higher and grow spiritually. After all, what to hide, many Old Believers do not understand anything in their old faith.

I was unpleasantly surprised when I encountered such a phenomenon: a person lives a Christian life, prays and fasts, regularly attends divine services, but knows nothing about the teachings of the Church and its history. Meanwhile, Soviet times, when it was enough for going to church that “my grandmother went there,” have gone into the irrevocable past. New times ask us new questions and require new answers about our faith.

What can we say when we don't know anything? Therefore, we must not forget that Christianity has always been based on books. Without them, our faith and history seem inexplicable.