St. Sergius of Radonezh - Saints - History - Catalog of articles - Unconditional love

Most of us know who Sergius of Radonezh is. His biography is interesting to many people, even those who are far from the church. He founded the Trinity Monastery near Moscow (at present he has done a lot for the Russian Church. The saint passionately loved his Fatherland and put a lot of effort into helping his people survive all disasters. We became aware of the life of the saint thanks to the manuscripts of his associates and disciples. The work of Epiphanius the Wise, entitled “The Life of Sergius of Radonezh,” written by him at the beginning of the 15th century, is a most valuable source of information about the life of the saint. All other manuscripts that appeared later are, for the most part, processings of his materials.

Place and time of birth

It is not known for certain when and where the future saint was born. His disciple Epiphanius the Wise, in his biography of the saint, speaks of this in a very intricate form. Historians face the difficult problem of interpreting this information. As a result of studying church works of the 19th century and dictionaries, it was established that the birthday of Sergius of Radonezh, most likely, is May 3, 1319. True, some scientists are inclined to other dates. The exact place of birth of the youth Bartholomew (that was the name of the saint in the world) is also unknown. Epiphanius the Wise indicates that the father of the future monk was called Cyril, and his mother was Maria. Before moving to Radonezh, the family lived in the Rostov Principality. It is believed that St. Sergius of Radonezh was born in the village of Varnitsa in Rostov region. The name Bartholomew was given. His parents named him in honor of the Apostle Bartholomew.

Childhood and first miracles

There were three sons in the family of Bartholomew's parents. Our hero was the second child. His two brothers, Stefan and Peter, were smart children. They quickly mastered literacy, learned to write and read. But Bartholomew’s studies were never easy. No matter how much his parents scolded him or his teacher tried to reason with him, the boy could not learn to read, and the holy books were inaccessible to his understanding. And then a miracle happened: suddenly Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius of Radonezh, learned to read and write. His biography is indicative of how faith in the Lord helps to overcome any life difficulties. Epiphanius the Wise spoke about the boy’s miraculous learning to read and write in his “Life.” He says that Bartholomew prayed long and hard, asking God to help him learn to write and read in order to know the Holy Scriptures. And one day, when Father Kirill sent his son to look for grazing horses, Bartholomew saw an old man in a black robe under a tree. The boy, with tears in his eyes, told the saint about his inability to learn and asked him to pray for him before the Lord.

The elder told him that from this day on the boy would understand reading and writing better than his brothers. Bartholomew invited the saint to his parents' house. Before their visit, they went into the chapel, where the youth read a psalm without hesitation. Then he hurried with his guest to his parents to please them. Cyril and Maria, having learned about the miracle, began to praise the Lord. When they asked the elder what this amazing phenomenon meant, they learned from the guest that their son Bartholomew was marked by God in his mother’s womb. Thus, when Mary came to church shortly before giving birth, the child in her mother’s womb cried out three times as the saints sang the liturgy. This story of Epiphanius the Wise was reflected in the painting by the artist Nesterov “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew.”

First exploits

What else was noted in the childhood of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the stories of Epiphanius the Wise? The saint’s disciple reports that even before 12 summer age Bartholomew observed strict fasts. On Wednesday and Friday he did not eat anything, and on other days he ate only water and bread. At night, the youth often did not sleep, devoting time to prayer. All this became the subject of a dispute between the boy’s parents. Maria was embarrassed by these first exploits of her son.

Relocation to Radonezh

Soon the family of Kirill and Maria became poor. They were forced to move to housing in Radonezh. This happened around 1328-1330. The reason why the family became impoverished is also known. It was a difficult time in Rus', which was under the rule of the Golden Horde. But not only the Tatars then robbed the people of our long-suffering homeland, imposing an unbearable tribute on them and carrying out regular raids on settlements. The Tatar-Mongol khans themselves chose which of the Russian princes would rule in a particular principality. And this was no less a difficult test for the entire people than the invasion of the Golden Horde. After all, such “elections” were accompanied by violence against the population. Sergius of Radonezh himself often spoke about this. His biography - shining example the lawlessness that was happening in Rus' at that time. The Principality of Rostov went to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Danilovich. The father of the future saint got ready and moved with his family from Rostov to Radonezh, wanting to protect himself and his loved ones from robbery and want.

Monastic life

It is unknown when the birth of Sergius of Radonezh took place for certain. But we have reached the exact historical information about his nursery and youthful life. It is known that, while still a child, he prayed fervently. When he turned 12 years old, he decided to accept Kirill and Maria did not object to this. However, they set a condition for their son: he should become a monk only after their death. After all, Bartholomew eventually became the only support and support for the old people. By that time, brothers Peter and Stefan had already started their own families and lived separately from their elderly parents. The youth did not have to wait long: soon Kirill and Maria died. Before their death, according to the custom of that time in Rus', they first took monastic vows and then the schema. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew went to his brother Stefan, who by that time was already a widower, and took monastic vows. The brothers were not here for long. Striving for “the strictest monasticism,” they founded a hermitage on the banks of the Konchura River. There, in the middle of the remote Radonezh forest, in 1335 Bartholomew built a small wooden church named in honor of the Holy Trinity. Now in its place stands a cathedral church in the name of the Holy Trinity. Brother Stefan soon moved to the Epiphany Monastery, unable to withstand the ascetic and too harsh lifestyle in the forest. In the new place he will then become abbot.

And Bartholomew, left completely alone, called Abbot Mitrofan and took monastic vows. Now he was known as monk Sergius. At that point in his life he was 23 years old. Soon monks began to flock to Sergius. On the site of the church a monastery was formed, which today is called the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Father Sergius became the second abbot here (the first was Mitrofan). The abbots showed their students an example of great hard work and humility. Monk Sergius of Radonezh himself never took alms from parishioners and forbade monks to do this, calling on them to live only by the fruits of the labor of their hands. The fame of the monastery and its abbot grew and reached the city of Constantinople. Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus, with a special embassy, sent St. Sergius a cross, a schema, a paraman and a letter, in which he paid tribute to the abbot for his virtuous life and advised him to introduce the monastery in the monastery. Heeding these recommendations, the Radonezh abbot introduced a community-living charter in his monastery. Later it was adopted in many monasteries in Rus'.

Service to the Fatherland

Sergius of Radonezh did a lot of useful and good things for his homeland. The 700th anniversary of his birth is celebrated this year. D. A. Medvedev, being the President of the Russian Federation, signed a decree on the celebration of this memorable and significant date for all of Russia. Why is such importance attached to the life of the saint at the state level? The main condition for the invincibility and indestructibility of any country is the unity of its people. Father Sergius understood this very well in his time. This is also obvious to our politicians today. The saint’s peacemaking activities are well known. Thus, eyewitnesses claimed that Sergius, with meek, quiet words, could find his way to the heart of any person, influence the most bitter and rude hearts, calling people to peace and obedience. Often the saint had to reconcile warring parties. So, he called on the Russian princes to unite, putting aside all differences, and submit to the power of the Prince of Moscow. This subsequently became the main condition for liberation from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Sergius of Radonezh made a significant contribution to the Russian victory. It is impossible to talk about this briefly. Grand Duke Dmitry, who later received the nickname Donskoy, before the battle came to the saint to pray and ask him for advice whether the Russian army could march against the godless. The Horde Khan Mamai gathered an incredible army to enslave the people of Rus' once and for all.

The people of our Fatherland were gripped by great fear. After all, no one has ever managed to defeat an enemy army. Rev. Sergius answered the prince’s question that defending the Motherland is a godly matter, and blessed him to great battle. Possessing the gift of foresight, he predicted that Dmitry would defeat the Tatar Khan and return home safe and sound with the glory of a liberator. Even when the Grand Duke saw the countless enemy army, nothing wavered in him. He was confident of a future victory, which St. Sergius himself blessed him with.

Monasteries of the Saint

The Year of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated in 2014. Particularly large celebrations on this occasion should be expected in the temples and monasteries founded by him. In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the saint erected the following monasteries:

Blagoveshchensky in the city of Kirzhach in the Vladimir region;

Vysotsky Monastery in the city of Serpukhov;

Staro-Golutvin near the city of Kolomna in the Moscow region;

St. George Monastery on the Klyazma River.

In all these monasteries, disciples of Holy Father Sergius became abbots. In turn, followers of his teachings founded more than 40 monasteries.

Miracles

The Life of Sergius of Radonezh, written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise, tells that in his time the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed many miracles. Unusual phenomena accompanied the saint throughout his entire existence. The first of them was associated with his miraculous birth. This is the story of the wise one about how the child in the womb of Mary, the mother of the saint, cried out three times during the liturgy in the temple. And all the people in it heard this. The second miracle is the teaching of the youth Bartholomew to read and write. It was described in detail above. We also know about such a miracle associated with the life of a saint: the resurrection of a youth through the prayers of Father Sergius. Near the monastery lived one righteous man who had strong faith in the saint. The only son he, a young boy, was mortally ill. The father brought the child in his arms to the holy monastery to Sergius so that he could pray for his recovery. But the boy died while his parent was presenting his request to the abbot. The inconsolable father went to prepare a coffin to put his son’s body in it. And Saint Sergius began to pray fervently. And a miracle happened: the boy suddenly came to life. When the grief-stricken father found his child alive, he fell at the feet of the monk, offering praise.

And the abbot ordered him to get up from his knees, explaining that there was no miracle here: the boy was simply cold and weak when his father carried him to the monastery, but in the warm cell he warmed up and began to move. But the man could not be convinced. He believed that Saint Sergius showed a miracle. Nowadays there are many skeptics who doubt that the monk performed miracles. Their interpretation depends on the ideological position of the interpreter. It is likely that a person who is far from believing in God will prefer not to focus on such information about the miracles of the saint, finding another, more logical explanation for them. But for many believers, the story of life and all the events associated with Sergius has a special, spiritual meaning. For example, many parishioners pray that their children will achieve literacy and successfully pass transfer and entrance exams. After all, the youth Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius, at first also could not master even the basics of study. And only fervent prayer to God led to a miracle happening when the boy miraculously learned to read and write.

Old age and death of the monk

The life of Sergius of Radonezh shows us an unprecedented feat of service to God and the Fatherland. It is known that he lived to a ripe old age. When he lay on his deathbed, sensing that he would soon appear at the judgment of God, in last time he called the brethren for instruction. He called on his disciples, first of all, to “have the fear of God” and bring to people “spiritual purity and unfeigned love.” The abbot died on September 25, 1392. He was buried in Trinity Cathedral.

Veneration of the Reverend

There is no documented data about when and under what circumstances people began to perceive Sergius as a righteous man. Some scientists are inclined to believe that the rector of the Trinity Monastery was canonized in 1449-1450. Then, in a letter to Dmitry Shemyaka, the head of the Russian Church calls Sergius a venerable one, classifying him among the wonderworkers and saints. But there are other versions of his canonization. The Day of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated on July 5 (18). This date is mentioned in the works of Pachomius Logothetes. In them he tells that on this day the relics of the great saint were found.

Throughout the history of the Trinity Cathedral, this shrine left its walls only in the event of a serious threat from the outside. Thus, two fires that occurred in 1709 and 1746 caused the removal of the saint’s relics from the monastery. When Russian troops left the capital during the invasion of the French led by Napoleon, the remains of Sergius were taken to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. In 1919, the atheist-minded government of the USSR issued a decree on the opening of the relics of the saint. After this uncharitable deed was completed, the remains were transferred to the Sergiev Historical and Art Museum as an exhibit. Currently, the relics of the saint are kept in the Trinity Cathedral. There are other dates for the memory of his abbot. September 25 (October 8) is the day of Sergius of Radonezh. This is the date of his death. Sergius is also commemorated on July 6 (19), when all the holy monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra are glorified.

Temples in honor of the saint

Since ancient times, Sergius of Radonezh has been considered one of the most revered saints in Rus'. His biography is replete with facts of selfless service to God. Many temples are dedicated to him. In Moscow alone there are 67 of them. Among them are the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Bibirevo, the Cathedral of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery, the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Krapivniki and others. Many of them were built in the 17th-18th centuries. There are many churches and cathedrals in various regions of our Motherland: Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Smolensk and so on. There are even monasteries and sanctuaries abroad founded in honor of this saint. Among them are the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa and the Monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Rumia, in Montenegro.

Images of the Reverend

It is also worth remembering the many icons created in honor of the saint. The oldest image of it is an embroidered cover made in the 15th century. Now it is in the sacristy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

One of the most famous works of Andrei Rublev is the “Icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh,” which also contains 17 marks about the life of the saint. Not only icons, but also paintings were written about events related to the abbot of the Trinity Monastery. Among Soviet artists, one can highlight M. V. Nesterov. The following of his works are known: “The Works of Sergius of Radonezh”, “The Youth of Sergius”, “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew”.

Sergius of Radonezh. A short biography of him is unlikely to be able to tell about what an extraordinary person he was, how much he did for his Fatherland. Therefore, we dwelled in detail on the biography of the saint, information about which was taken mainly from the works of his disciple Epiphanius the Wise.

Saint Sergius is one of the patrons of the city of Moscow and therefore he is asked to protect the capital from various troubles, as well as the prosperity of our entire country.

In front of the icon of this saint they pray for the protection of children from evil influences, for help in their studies, as well as for the protection of widows and children who were left without care.

St. Sergius can help in righteous court cases; he protects you from judicial errors or injustices.

Sergius of Radonezh himself was humble, so prayers in front of his image help in taming the pride of either one’s own or another person.

It must be remembered that icons or saints do not “specialize” in any specific areas. It will be right when a person turns with faith in the power of God, and not in the power of this icon, this saint or prayer.
And .

THE LIFE OF REVEREND SERGIUS OF RADONEZH

Sergius of Radonezh was born near Rostov in the village of Varnitsa into a wealthy boyar family. By birth he received the name Bartholomew. The Russian Church considers May 3, 1314 as its birthday, but the exact day of Bartholomew’s birth is unknown.

From the very first days, the baby did not accept milk from his mother on Wednesdays and Fridays; when his mother ate meat, he also refused milk.

When the boy grew up, he, along with his brothers Stefan and Peter, were sent to study at a parochial school, but Bartholomew found it very difficult to study. And then one day, when he was 13 years old, an amazing event happened to him.

One day, Bartholomew went to look for horses. During these searches, the boy came to a clearing where the elder schema-monk was praying. He was kind

“like an Angel who stood in the field under an oak tree and prayed earnestly, with tears.”

Having humbly bowed to the elder, Bartholomew came up and stood next to him, waiting for him to finish praying. When the elder, having prayed, saw Bartholomew, he asked him: “ What are you looking for and what do you want, child?».

And then the boy told the stranger about his failures in his studies, and then asked him to pray for him, so that the Lord would help him master reading and writing. Then the elder took out a piece of prosphora from his knapsack, then blessed and ordered him to eat it. At the same time he said:

“...from now on the Lord will grant you good knowledge of literacy, greater than that of your brothers and peers.”

After this, Bartholomew asked the traveler to visit his parents’ house, and already leaving their hospitable home, the elder said:

“Your son will be the abode of the Holy Trinity and will lead many after him to the understanding of the Divine commandments.”

Bartholomew, already in adolescence, began to be strict about eating and prayed at night. Mom tried to dissuade her son from excessive severity and abstinence, but Bartholomew was adamant in his choice. Instead of playing with his peers, the boy went to church, read holy and spiritual books.

Around 1328, the parents of the future saint went bankrupt due to the excesses of the then officials, and then his family moved to Radonezh from Rostov. Bartholomew even then wanted to live a monastic life and asked his parents for blessings. His father and mother asked him to take care of them until death, and then become a monk. But after some time, both parents of the saint themselves took monastic vows, then each went to his own monastery. They lived as monks for several years, after which they left earthly life.

Monastic life

After Bartholomew buried his parents, he went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky Monastery, to his older brother Stefan, who by that time was a monk. But the saint needed more “strict monasticism,” so he stayed in the monastery for only a short time. Around 1335, he, together with Stefan, left the monastery and founded a hermitage in the remote Radonezh forest on the banks of the Konchura river. At this place they built a small wooden church in the name of the Holy Trinity. Now on this site there is a cathedral church also in the name of the Holy Trinity.

The life of the “hermits” was very hard and ascetic. Stefan could not withstand the harsh tests and left for Moscow to the Epiphany Monastery. Later he became its abbot.

When Bartholomew was left alone, he invited Elder Mitrofan to his place, who tonsured him as a monk. This happened at the age of about twenty years. When he was tonsured, the new monk was named Sergius.

Formation of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery

The Monk Sergius remained to live in the hermitage. In the saint’s biography it is written that he fed the wild animals that came to his hut; a bear even visited him for a whole year, to which Sergius left a piece of bread every day.

Life was not easy, but, despite the difficulties, there were monks who wanted to live next to Sergius, they even built their cells nearby.
Over time, twelve monks joined Sergius. In the hermitage they served midnight office, matins, hours, and a priest was invited to serve mass, since Sergius by that time was neither a priest nor an abbot, he did not want to take the rank out of his humility. Despite his leading role in the creation of this settlement, Sergius still remained a model of humility for the monks - he, like everyone else, did any work. He carried water, chopped wood, cooked food, and prayed fervently at night. By his example, he confirmed the established rule - to live according to one’s labors, and not with the help of alms.

Very little time passed, and this monastery became famous in the area; many people decided to donate their property to it and moved closer to Sergius. Thus, this monastery ceased to suffer from poverty, and gradually turned into a rich monastery.
They even learned about it in Constantinople, and Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus solemnly handed over to Sergius the cross, paraman, schema and letter in which he glorified him for such a virtuous life.

On the advice of the patriarch and with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexei, the Monk Sergius introduced a community-living charter in the monastery, which was later taken as the basis in almost all monasteries in Rus'.

Having begun to live according to such a strict rule, the monks began to grumble about their hard life, because they were already accustomed to wealth and glory, and, seeing this discontent, St. Sergius decided to leave the monastery. He went to the Kirzhach River, where he founded a new monastery in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Without St. Sergius, the former monastery began to decline, the monks began to scatter, and those who remained asked Metropolitan Alexy to help them return the saint.
The Monk Sergius complied with the saint's request and returned, leaving the Kirzhach Monastery in the care of the Monk Roman, his favorite disciple.

During his lifetime, St. Sergius received from God the gift of working miracles; the fame of his miracles became known not only in the immediate area, but also far beyond the monastery. Everyone received help, healing or life-saving advice from him. There is a known case when a saint was able, by God’s will, to resurrect a child who died in his father’s arms.

People loved St. Sergius and revered him on a par with the holy fathers, but he still remained a model of humility; human glory was not a vital necessity for the saint.

Famous interesting case, which happened to the Bishop of Perm Saint Stephen (April 27), who very much loved and revered St. Sergius.
Saint Stephen once passed by the Sergius Monastery on his way to Moscow, but he did not have the opportunity to visit Sergius. Stefan decided that he would visit the monastery on the way back, stopped on the road, prayed, bowed and said the words that were addressed to St. Sergius:

"Peace be with you, spiritual brother"

At this time the saint was in the refectory; he suddenly stood up, read a prayer and sent a return blessing to the saint. The brethren who were next to Sergius were very surprised by the unusual act, and some disciples went to the indicated place, caught up with the saint and were convinced that the vision was true.

More than once, monks witnessed other miracles that happened to Saint Sergius. Once, during the divine liturgy, an Angel of the Lord served the Reverend, but Sergius, in his humility, never talked about this and even forbade anyone to talk about this miracle until the end of his earthly life.

The Monk Sergius was spiritually very close to Metropolitan Saint Alexy, who very much wanted, after his death, to leave the Russian Metropolis in the care of the saint. Sergius never became high priest, humbly refusing such an honor.

In his life, Sergius often turned out to be an instrument of reconciliation between warring people. During the Mongol-Tatar yoke, to defeat the enemy, he was able "in quiet and meek words" convince the princes to submit to the Grand Duke of Moscow. Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan prince Oleg and many others, according to the conviction of St. Sergius, humbled their pride and stood under the banner of Prince Dmitry Ioannovich in the Battle of Kulikovo.

Before that decisive battle, Prince Dmitry, along with many boyars and governors, came to Sergius to receive his blessing. The saint blessed the prince and predicted his victory in this battle. From the monastery on a campaign, together with Dmitry, two warrior monks, Peresvet and Ooslabya, went on a campaign, who, together with the soldiers, fought the enemy.
According to church canons, monks are not allowed to take up arms, but St. Sergius deviated from this law. When people saw two monks next to Prince Dmitry, everyone understood that this war was sacred and this instilled great confidence in victory.

During his angelic life, St. Sergius was awarded a heavenly vision. One night, the Mother of God herself appeared to Saint Sergius, who was praying with his disciple the Monk Micah (May 6), along with the holy apostles Peter and John the Theologian. From an unearthly bright light, the Monk Sergius fell to the ground, and the Most Holy Mother of God touched him with her hands and blessed him, promising to always be the patroness of his holy monastery.

Having lived to an advanced age, Sergius, six months before his death, blessed his disciple, the Monk Nikon, experienced in spiritual life and obedience, to be abbot.
On the eve of the day of his departure from earthly life, the Monk Sergius addressed the brethren for the last time with his will, in which he said:

“Take heed to yourselves, brothers. First have the fear of God, spiritual purity and unfeigned love...”

In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Sergius founded several more monasteries, such as the Annunciation Monastery on Kirzhach, Staro-Golutvin near Kolomna, the Vysotsky Monastery, and the St. George Monastery on Klyazma. In all these monasteries he appointed his students as abbots.
More than 40 monasteries were founded by his students: Savva (Savvo-Storozhevsky near Zvenigorod), Ferapont (Ferapontov), Kirill (Kirillo-Belozersky), Sylvester (Voskresensky Obnorsky), etc., as well as his spiritual interlocutors, such as Stefan of Perm.

GREATNESS

We bless you, Reverend Father Sergius, and honor your holy memory, teacher of monks and interlocutor of angels.

VIDEO

In any Orthodox church you will always find an icon with the image of the Venerable Elder Sergius of Radonezh. His large, famous icon conveys his serious and thoughtful look to us. Sergius of Radonezh was truly a great miracle worker of the Russian land, to whom we and our descendants should be grateful until the end of time. However, not many know about his merits and exploits.

In 2014, on May 3 (16), the entire Christian Orthodox world celebrated the 700th anniversary of the birth of the visionary elder, who became famous for his holiness during his lifetime. Throughout Rus' he was revered by various rulers, boyars, princes and simple peasant people.

Icon of Sergius of Radonezh. Photo

Everyone knows that icons of holy worshipers help people solve their problems. Therefore, I definitely want to know how the icon of Sergius of Radonezh helps. First of all, you need to know that only through sincere prayer and faith to this holy man and to God can people receive protection from any unpleasant life circumstances. Parents ask him for help in raising their children, protecting them from bad influences, giving them humility and taming their young pride, since this is the greatest evil, which later causes a lot of trouble. With all this, people turn to him with different requests.

The icon of Sergius of Radonezh is not noticeable. Her photo, however, makes us think about whether we are doing everything right, whether we are ready to sacrifice our lives for our Fatherland, as our heroic ancestors did at the prompting of the great seer.

Icon "Sergius of Radonezh". Meaning in Orthodoxy

God gave him signs of grace, he could heal the sick. He once even resurrected his dying son through his father's desperate prayers. The Monk Sergius was able to see and hear at a distance. But the most remarkable and miraculous was the appearance of the Mother of God with the Apostle Peter to the elder during the Nativity Fast in 1384.

The Monk Sergius of Radonezh reposed peacefully on September 25 (October 8), 1392. Exactly 30 years later, his relics were discovered, and today they are kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra near Moscow.

This holy elder is always asked for intercession in the fate of Orthodox Rus'. The icon "Sergius of Radonezh" has become a real amulet for Russia against its enemies.

Childhood

Our God-bearing father Sergius was born in Rostov to pious parents Cyril and Mary, who were later also canonized. The Lord himself chose the future saint to serve. His mother, being pregnant, stood at the service, and at this time the cry of the baby was heard three times in the womb. The people standing around also heard this, and then the priest realized that soon a faithful servant of the Holy Trinity would appear in this world. The baby, who would later be named Bartholomew, jumped joyfully before the Lord and His Church as John the Baptist jumped joyfully in the womb of his mother before the Most Holy Theotokos.

The born baby Bartholomew no longer took his mother’s breast on Wednesdays and Fridays. This was the beginning of his great abstinence and fasting.

Boyhood

As a teenager he was sent to school, but his poor memory prevented him from studying well. An elder monk helped him in this, or, to be more precise, an angel sent by God, whom he met while walking through an oak grove. The elder promised that from now on the boy would study well himself, and then he would teach others. So the very young Bartholomew accepted the blessing, and from now on he had no problems with his studies. But instead of ordinary children's games, he devoted all his free time reading Holy Scripture.

The icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh is very necessary for parents, as it can help them in raising their children. And it is simply necessary for students who have difficulty studying, who have poor memory and attention. In general, the icon “Sergius of Radonezh” should be in every Orthodox home and in every believing family.

Radonezh

Then Bartholomew's parents moved from Rostov to Radonezh. There they rested in peace. After this, in 1337, the future saint distributed his inheritance to poor people and settled on Makovets Hill with his brother Stefan, a Khotkovsky monk of the Intercession Monastery. They built a hut on this site. So Bartholomew labored as a monk away from people, and began to pray unceasingly. Soon his brother left this wild, deserted abode, unable to withstand the harsh life.

After some time, Hieromonk Mitrofan came to him and blessed young Bartholomew to become a monk. He was then 23 years old, and they named him Sergius. Having learned about such a pious monk, other monks began to come and settle in his monastery. He received everyone kindly. Together with the brethren, they first built a small chapel, which Bishop Theognostos consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. Then, with the grace of Christ, the monastery was built. One day Archimandrite Simon came to them from Smolensk, he brought precious gifts and gave them into the hands of Father Sergius. These funds were used to build a large church and expand the monastery.

To this day, this church stands, renovated, in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery near Moscow, where both the holy relics and the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh are located. This monastery is always crowded with pilgrims from all over Russia, who go there to honor the memory of the holy elder and ask him for protection and patronage.

Trinity Monastery. 1355

Over time, with the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople Philotheus, a communal charter was introduced in the monastery of St. Sergius of Radonezh in 1355. The territory of the monastery was divided into three parts - public, residential and defensive. In the center of the monastery there was a new wooden church Holy Trinity. The abbot of the monastery first became the previously mentioned abbot Mitrofan, and after his death - the Monk Sergius of Radonezh.

Soon the Trinity Monastery, supported by the great princes, began to be considered the center of the Moscow lands. It was here that the Monk Sergius of Radonezh blessed the army of Dmitry Donskoy for victory in battle with the horde of Mamai.

The Battle of Kulikovo took place on the birthday of the Mother of God, September 8 (September 21, new style), 1380. The date was not chosen by chance, because the Mother of God herself was the patron of Rus'. The monks of the Trinity Monastery Peresvet and Oslyabya, who had received the blessing of St. Sergius, entered the battlefield; they were once glorious warriors in Dmitry’s squad. It was everyone's sacred duty Orthodox Christian. The victory was won, many brothers died in those days. After the battle, Dmitry Donskoy came to the Trinity Monastery to personally notify Father Sergius of the victory.

There is such an extraordinary miraculous icon St. Sergius of Radonezh, where he blesses Prince Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo. This icon can heal diseases and protect real warriors from injury and death.

Battle of Kulikovo. 1380

Let us dwell on the Battle of Kulikovo in more detail, because it was a great battle of Russian troops led by the Moscow Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy and the military leader of the Golden Horde, Khan Mamai.

Western, as they say today, occult curators and psychologists persuaded Mamai to go to Moscow and said that this war would strengthen the power and influence of the Golden Horde, and that Mamai as a commander could easily compete with Tamerlane himself. The West helped its mentor with weapons, money and specialists in taking fortresses. A military contingent with Genoese infantry was even presented. All that was required from Mamai was to destroy Muscovy as soon as possible, destroy and burn to the ground cities and villages, and make slaves the entire Slavic population. And after this victory, it will be possible to attack the Novgorod land with all our might in order to destroy and plunder it, especially since the troops of the Lithuanian Catholic Jagiello and the Livonian knights are always ready to come to the rescue. In the spring of 1380, the Khan's steppe army of thousands moved from the Volga to the Don.

The Decisive Role of St. Sergius

Most historians agree that a very important and main role The Monk Sergius of Radonezh played a role in the unification of Rus' before the advancing formidable enemy. At that difficult moment, many Russian principalities, which had previously waged endless internecine wars, united into a single fist. Saint Sergius managed to do the literally impossible - to reconcile two religions that were warring at that time. He showed the Vedic Russians that the true teaching of Jesus Christ has nothing in common with Western Christianity, that Christ never taught to organize Crusades, burn Vedic temples and heretics at the stake. He showed Russian Christians that true Christianity is as deep a teaching as their ancient faith, therefore there is no reason for religious hostility, since now perverted Christianity is coming from the West, where the most terrible and vile crimes are being committed under the name of Christ.

It is these unrest for Orthodox Rus' that the icon “Sergius of Radonezh” hides. Still, it was not for nothing that he was called “The Sorrower of the Russian Land,” since he never ceased to care for it and with his incessant prayers contributed to its spiritual uplift and liberation from the Tatar yoke.

Siege of the Trinity Lavra

So, the victory on the Kulikovo Field became a turning point in the struggle for the liberation of Rus' from the Mongol-Tatar yoke. However, the final liberation from it occurred much later - in 1480. The nomadic raids continued for a long time, in 1408 the Trinity Monastery was completely burned. But it literally rose again from the ashes, and people rebuilt it. In 1422, St. Sergius of Radonezh was also reburied.

The road from Moscow to Rostov, and then to Arkhangelsk, passed through the monastery. The heirs to the throne were baptized at the Trinity Monastery Vasily III and Ivan the Terrible. Over time, the monastery turned into a serious defensive fortress. It was surrounded by strong stone walls that connected 12 towers. Ivan the Terrible personally supervised this construction.

Soon all this came in handy when defending the monastery from the numerous troops of False Dmitry II.

Resistance to interventionists. 1608-1609

In 1608-1609, the Sergiev Posad land repulsed the invaders. For 16 months there were terrible battles. The Poles wanted to rob the monastery and kill the defenders, who during the times of great unrest remained faithful to their Fatherland. Then the governors were the okolnichy prince G.B. Roshcha-Dolgoruky and the nobleman Alexei Golokhvastov. These defenders were strong in spirit, and their monastery was full of faith and was under the protection of the great wonderworker Sergius. At his coffin everyone kissed the cross and swore that they would never surrender their monastery to the enemy. After heavy attacks and scurvy that began due to poor nutrition, which claimed hundreds of lives over many months, only about 300 warriors remained in the monastery, although initially there were 2,400 people. These insignificant forces of the monastery were opposed by 15 to 30 thousand of the best armed forces of the Polish governors Sapieha and Lisovsky, who also had 60 guns.

On the night of one of the most decisive battles, when thousands of Polish troops rushed to the fortress, the impossible happened. Their troops, due to some fatal mistake, heavy fog, or ridiculous orders from their superiors, shot themselves, mistaking allied troops for enemies. And the besieged also very courageously met the enemy with fire. The next morning, joy knew no bounds, as the enemy siege weapons were abandoned and the enemy fled. With the name of God, the support of the Mother of God and the Holy Father Sergius, the heroic Russian soldiers held out. They were confident that victory would be theirs.

There was a lot of evidence of how Saint Sergius of Radonezh helped and advised his soldiers. He even came to subtle sleep He told one monk that an enemy mine was underway under the monastery, and then two peasants blew themselves up and this mine, thereby accomplishing a great feat in the name of God and the Fatherland.

I really want to hope that the icon of Sergius of Radonezh, the prayer to this saint and his veneration, even today, will not leave Russia without his support.

Minin and Pozharsky. 1610

You cannot ignore the history associated with Minin and Pozharsky. After all, it is known from history that the comrade-in-arms of the governor Prince Pozharsky in the pious cause of expelling the Catholic interventionists was the landowner and butcher by trade Kozma Minin. He was distinguished by chastity and other virtues, loving silence, he always had God in his heart. One day, the Wonderworker Sergius of Radonezh appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to collect money and soldiers and go to Moscow, where the Polish king, who was preparing Rus' to accept the union, wanted to take the Russian throne.

At first Minin did not attach any significance to his dream. The landowner thought: “Well, who am I to do such things? important matters, and who will listen to me? But then the dream repeated itself twice more, and Minin, eventually repenting of his disobedience, decided on a God-pleasing deed. Minin and Pozharsky began to gather people throughout Rus'.

On March 19, 1611, a spontaneous uprising against the interventionists began in Moscow; the Poles were unable to resist it and locked themselves in Kitay-Gorod and the Kremlin and burned Moscow. The situation was very difficult. The Poles have settled in the capital, in the north-west the Swedes are seizing Russian lands, in the southern outskirts hordes of Crimean Tatars are rampaging...

However, on August 22-24, the interventionists had less than half of their troops left. The Poles suffered big losses. The hope of owning the Moscow state was irrevocably destroyed. This means that Saint Sergius of Radonezh, whose icon and cross was always of help to them, heard the prayers of the defenders of Rus'.

Analyzing all these events, you begin to understand that it is not in vain and not by chance that at the most difficult moment for the Russian land, every time people encounter the image of St. Sergius.

I would definitely like to note that in Orthodox Christianity Military service is a God-pleasing activity. The Church always teaches us patriotism and love for the Motherland. This is the meaning that is embedded in the description of the icon of Sergius of Radonezh.

Conclusion

The life of the youth Bartholomew has become an example for modern children and youth, which convinces us that unpleasant external circumstances or such objective ones as ill health, inability to learn, can either destroy life or provide the basis for the formation of a strong personality and its special character traits, which happened to our venerable father Sergius of Radonezh.

Icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh always hears our prayers for our families, children, parents, and therefore for the future of the Fatherland.

The beginning of the unprecedented scale of Orthodox asceticism in history, which occurred in the XIV-XV centuries. was laid near Moscow, in the Trinity Monastery.

The Monk Sergius of Radonezh (1314 or 1322 - 1392) did not leave a single line behind him. Moreover, he always avoided overt teaching. Therefore, we can say that the teaching of St. Sergius of Radonezh is his life.

The asceticism of St. Sergius of Radonezh significantly influenced the entire Russian spirituality, for he introduced into it the most important religious and philosophical ideas for the entire Russian national consciousness.

First of all, Sergius of Radonezh, striving for “life in Christ,” introduced the idea and practice of “high living” as a real example of moral perfection, as a kind of universal ideal. Shortly before his death, Sergius of Radonezh bequeathed to his monks “to have spiritual and physical purity and unfeigned love”, “to adorn themselves with humility”, “to maintain like-mindedness with each other”, “to place nothing on the honor and glory of this life, but instead from God expect reward, heavenly eternal blessings of pleasure.” In fact, in this will, in short form, all the main components of the idea of “high living” are expressed.

Preaching a “high life,” Sergius of Radonezh called on the monastic brethren, first of all, to completely renounce worldly temptations - wealth, power, hatred, violence. He believed that all these worldly worries burden the soul and prevent the monk from concentrating on prayer. “And we should not worry about anything useless, but we should trust and look to God, who can feed us, and clothe us, and take care of all our affairs: and from him we should expect everything that is good and useful for our souls and bodies.” , - said Sergius.

Therefore, in the Trinity Monastery itself, love of poverty, renunciation of private property, humility and love were practiced. But, at the same time, Sergius did not welcome complete poverty or begging, which was what the monks of other monasteries did. The Trinity abbot very highly valued human dignity, which is given from God, and which man is obliged to observe. Therefore, the Trinity monks practiced daily joint labor to earn a living. Moreover, if the residents of the surrounding villages brought provisions to the monks, then, at the behest of the abbot, they first prayed for the glory of God, then fed the guests, and last of all, they themselves began to eat.

The renunciation of everything worldly was supposed to help the monks maintain “purity of soul,” as necessary condition“high life.” In this sense, Sergius of Radonezh followed the ancient monastic-ascetic tradition. The text of the Life says that in his heart (“on the heart of the mind”) the Monk Sergius carried the examples of famous ancient ascetics, the founders of the monastic tradition in general and, in particular, the communal tradition - Anthony the Great, Euthymius the Great, Savva the Sanctified, Pachomius, Theodosius and others.

However, in his opinion, the achievement of spiritual purity was not associated with the practice of “torture of the flesh” in the way it was understood, for example, in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. The Life reports that even at a time when the monks lived “separately,” Sergius led a strict fasting life, and his virtues were as follows: “hunger, thirst, vigil, dry food, sleep on earth, purity of body and soul, silence of the lips, thorough mortification of carnal desires, physical labor, unfeigned humility, unceasing prayer, good judgment, perfect love, poverty in clothing, remembrance of death, meekness with gentleness, constant fear of God.” At the same time, the Life emphasizes the special significance of the idea of the fear of God, with which the monk was protected from sins. However, the fear of God itself is only the beginning of achievement, the beginning of all virtue.

And a little lower, the Life reports that Sergius avoided “demonic temptations” not by the practice of “torture of the flesh,” but only by strict fasting: “The monk, sensing an enemy attack (i.e., devilish temptations. - S.P.), subdued his body and enslaved it, bridling it with fasting; and so by the grace of God he was delivered from temptations.” The most important means in the fight against temptations is moral feat, that same “purity of soul” when, without resorting to physical torture, a person is able to overcome all temptations with just “arrows of purity”: “He learned to defend himself against demonic attacks: as soon as demons They wanted to strike him with arrows of sin, but the saint shot arrows of purity at them, shooting in the darkness at the righteous in heart.”

Consequently, in the Trinity Monastery, the ascetic feat was considered, firstly, suffering in the name of Christ, and, secondly, as a means of “brightening the soul,” for suffering should precisely brighten the soul, and not “torture” the body. Thus, acting as the spiritual heir of Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk, Sergius of Radonezh shifted his emphasis towards spiritual and moral self-improvement, abandoning the physical “torture of the flesh.” And it is not without reason that the Life itself repeatedly emphasizes that it was precisely because of the “purity of life” that St. Sergius was awarded God’s grace.

An important condition for “high living” were the ideas of humility and love. And Sergius of Radonezh throughout his life proved to those around him that life can only be arranged with goodness and love, for by responding evil to evil, a person gives birth to new evil. No wonder G.P. Fedotov, speaking about Sergius of Radonezh, quite rightly noted: “Humble meekness is the main spiritual fabric of his personality.”

A necessary component of “high living” was the idea of “inner” spiritual freedom, as the highest degree of freedom in general. This idea is based on the words of Jesus Christ: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). Subsequently developed in the works of the Church Fathers, the idea of “inner freedom” received its vivid embodiment in the life and work of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

The essence of this idea is as follows. A person, under the influence of the grace of the Holy Spirit, is able to know God's truth and enter the path of salvation. Knowledge of the truth convinces a person of the meaningless vanity of worldly worries, but, at the same time, greatly strengthens his spiritual strength. Consequently, a person who has mastered the truth turns out to be free in relation to the world around him and to the evil that fills this world. Moreover, he begins to resist evil.

“Inner freedom” is the highest degree of freedom because a person in his thoughts and actions comes as close as possible to the Divine image. No other type of freedom, and especially the freedom that is established in human laws, can be compared with “internal” freedom. After all, if God’s Grace lives in a person’s heart, then nothing can prevent him from being free, for under the influence of this Grace a person commits exactly those actions that are inspired in him by the Lord Himself.

Examples of the “inner freedom” of St. Sergius can be seen in numerous cases when he deals completely freely with princes, bishops and many of the powerful of this world, who are cited in his Life. Concerned only with serving the Lord, he turns out to be higher and freer than many endowed with real worldly power.

It must be said that the idea of “inner freedom” over time became very influential in Russian religious and philosophical thought and in literary and artistic creativity. This idea was reflected and expressed in almost all the teachings of Russian philosophers and in many works of Russian writers. Moreover, in the idea of “internal freedom” Sergius of Radonezh expressed one of the most important qualities Russian national identity.

St. Sergius saw another condition for “high living” - both for the individual, for the monastic monastery, and for society as a whole - in unanimity.

Unity of mind for an individual is the unity of a soul completely devoted to serving the Lord. For the monastery, this is the unity of thoughts and actions of all monks, who through their deeds multiply Christ’s Love on earth and set an example for other people. For society, this is the idea of the unity of Rus', thanks to which Rus' can only be saved.

And it is no coincidence that the monastery founded by St. Sergius was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Sergius of Radonezh saw in the Trinity the highest Christian image of Unity and Love, for the hypostases of the Holy Trinity are consubstantial, not separated by relations of seniority and juniority, do not know hatred, but are filled with Love.

It should be recalled that it was the dogma of the Holy Trinity, due to the difficulty of its rational understanding, that gave birth in history Christian Church many different heresies. The dogma of the Holy Trinity (or trinitarian dogma) is one of the most important in Christian doctrine. And, at the same time, one of the most difficult for its religious, philosophical and theological interpretation. Even the holy Fathers of the Church, foreseeing difficulties in comprehending the dogma of the Holy Trinity, tried to clarify the mystery of the “non-fusion and indivisibility” of the Divine Trinity. At the same time, they actively used images and symbols. Some made a comparison with the sun's radiance, where the sun, ray and light are simultaneously united and distinguishable. Others reflected on the mystery and harmony of love, where the hypostases are related as Lover, Beloved and Love. Still others talked about will, reason and action. But everyone agreed on one thing: the Holy Trinity is not quantitative characteristic, but the quality of the Lord, incomprehensible to man, but given to him in Revelation. St. Basil the Great wrote: “The Lord, conveying to us about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, did not rename them by counting; for he did not say: in the first, second and third, or in one, two and three; but in the holy Names he gave us the knowledge of faith, leading to salvation...”

It is interesting that before Sergius of Radonezh, the dogma of the Holy Trinity was accepted in Rus' as such. Even being the object of speculative religious and philosophical speculation, the Holy Trinity was not considered as a necessary part of real life. For example, they preferred to dedicate churches to more real images: the Savior, the Mother of God, the “first aid” St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, holy warriors and the Fathers of the Church. And only in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery was much more attention paid to the Trinity - there, above the main gate at the beginning of the 12th century. Trinity Church was erected. Consequently, turning to the image of the Holy Trinity, Sergius of Radonezh also acted as the heir to the tradition established by the Kiev-Pechersk monks.

But for the first time in Russian religious and philosophical thought, St. Sergius gave the idea of the Holy Trinity a real, concrete sound, transformed Christian dogma into a symbol of living unity, the unity to which all people living on earth should strive. Thus, the Holy Trinity is also a prototype of how human society in general should be built and Russian society, in particular.

The image of the Holy Trinity, preached by him both as a symbol of the unity of heaven and earth, and as a symbol of the unity of earthly life, and as a symbol of the unity of the Church and as a symbol of the unity of the Old and New Testaments, enshrined in the Russian national consciousness by the creation of Andrei Rublev with the icon “Holy Trinity”, in Soon he became a guiding star for many Russian scribes.

In fact, the image of the Holy Trinity showed all of Rus' a possible and real way to save the state. In a religious and philosophical sense, this image, as an ideal of earthly existence, opened the way for removing the very dilemma - national or universal. This path was connected with mastering the experience of the Universal Church through the strengthening and development of its own national principles in the Russian Church. Indeed, in the monastic feat of Sergius of Radonezh, the long-standing Russian traditions of a joyful, optimistic perception of the Orthodox faith, and the principles of a more mystical Eastern Christianity, found their unity. Moreover, united together, they became the basis for all subsequent spiritual development Rus'. The idea of the special path of Rus' and the special plan of God for Rus' gradually began to conquer everything bigger place in the hearts and minds of Russian scribes. And it is not for nothing that the coming XV-XVI centuries became the brightest times of Russian holiness. Realizing and recognizing the holiness of their worshipers, all of Rus' gradually acquired holiness.

Consequently, the Holy Trinity, in whose honor the monastery was founded on Mount Makovets, also became a symbol of the unity of Rus'. As subsequent history showed, it was from the Trinity Monastery that the Russian people, both in the 14th century and later, waited for impulses for the revival of unity in the Russian state, for these impulses came as if from the Lord Himself. And the “Trinity” icon, painted by Andrei Rublev, a spiritual disciple of St. Sergius, was revered not as a work of art, but again as an embodied symbol of Divine unity.

It is quite natural that the desire for a “high life” also presupposed certain specific ways of understanding God’s Providence. And in this sense, Sergius of Radonezh attached great importance to mystical knowledge.

The symbolic basis of visions lies in the Bible, which is entirely imbued with the idea of divine visions and signs (thus, the fundamental image of the Trinity, which became the basis of the Trinitarian dogma, originates, as already mentioned, in the biblical story of the appearance of three men to Abraham). Great importance is attached to the mystical language of knowledge of God's secrets in the works of the Church Fathers, especially in the writings of Dionysius the Areopagite. Later, this tradition received special development in the Byzantine Church.

In Rus', the common Orthodox belief was also preserved that knowledge of the Lord's secrets occurs through mystical visions and epiphanies. From the 11th century There are a large number of monuments of translated eastern literature that tell about visions; apocryphal works were especially striking in this sense. But the substantiation of forms of mystical connection with the divine world is quite rare in the Russian book tradition. Moreover, the atmosphere of monastic mysticism of visions appeared in Rus' only from the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries. And at the origins of this phenomenon is Sergius of Radonezh. As G.P. wrote. Fedotov: “We have every right to see in St. Sergius the first Russian mystic, that is, the bearer of a special, mysterious spiritual life, not exhausted by the feat of love, asceticism and persistence of prayer. The secrets of his spiritual life remained hidden to us.”

In fact, in this attention to the mystical knowledge of God’s secrets, so vividly represented by the Life of Sergius of Radonezh, one can see a new and fruitful experience in the assimilation of the traditions of the Byzantine Church by Russian religious and philosophical thought. However, the point is not only in the assimilation of Eastern traditions, but also in the fact that these traditions were filled and supplemented by their own, Russian, reading of the miraculous phenomena themselves. And domestic religious and philosophical thought followed the path of absorbing Eastern religious mystical experience.

The reasons for visions and epiphanies themselves could be different. First of all, theophany occurred miraculously, without any expression of will on the part of man, but according to the will of God Himself. At the same time, special techniques for achieving mystical trance were developed in monastic communities. This began with the ancient Egyptian and Syrian hermits of the 3rd-7th centuries.

As the Life of Sergius of Radonezh testifies, epiphanies to the Trinity abbot were performed repeatedly. Most often - during prayer. The most striking and significant of them is the appearance of the Mother of God, who, in response to the prayer of St. Sergius, promised Her protection to the monastery he had built. Moreover, it is important that Sergius, after prayer, warned the nearby monk Micah about the upcoming appearance of the Most Pure Mother of God: “Son! Be vigilant and stay awake, because a wonderful and terrible vision will come to us at this hour,” said St. Sergius. It is also important in this case that the appearance of the Mother of God was unique in the monastic practice of that time.

It is also important in this case that the appearance of the Mother of God was unique in the monastic practice of that time. The very fact of St. Sergius’s vision of the Mother of God is the first evidence of the appearance of the Mother of God to a Russian monk. Later, this was seen as a clear divine sign that the Lord began to give Rus', and specifically Moscow Rus', his special protection.

According to the testimony of another monk, Simon, during the service, “divine fire” appeared to Sergius of Radonezh, “walking along the altar, overshadowing the altar and surrounding the holy meal on all sides.” And then, when Sergius wanted to take communion, “the divine fire curled up like some kind of shroud and entered the holy chalice (vessel for communion - S.P.); That’s how the saint took communion.” About the fact that St. Sergius was given a miraculous mystical knowledge, say many other facts given in his Life - healing of the sick, casting out demons, and even the resurrection from the dead.

In general, the mystical experience of St. Sergius, narrated by his Life, testifies that at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, Russian religious and philosophical thought was already fully faced with the task of mastering the experience of the Christian Church in all its diverse scope. Striving to find itself on the paths of God's Providence, Rus' strove for symbolic unity with God. And the role of Sergius of Radonezh in this is more than great.

It is also important that St. Sergius became one of those who gave Byzantine Christianity a national sound, transforming it into a truly popular religion. Largely thanks to Sergius of Radonezh, Russian Orthodoxy acquired those spiritual, moral and practical components that today retain their life-giving power.

It is also necessary to say that the ascetic activity of St. Sergius of Radonezh laid the foundation for such a unique phenomenon in Russian Orthodoxy as eldership. The elders are monks who, through their righteous lives, proved man’s ability for moral and spiritual purification. The meaning of the institution of “eldership” in Russian monasticism has changed significantly over the centuries. However, there was also an undoubted spiritual continuity. In general, with their spiritual authority the elders had a huge influence on the entire Russian society.

The Monk Sergius of Radonezh became a true “lamp” for his contemporaries and descendants - a man who managed to subordinate his entire life to the Gospel commandments of love and like-mindedness. Avoiding the temptation to judge and edify, he taught not so much with words as with his way of life, his attitude towards others. And the people heard his silent preaching. That's why life path The “great old man,” as he was called, also looks paradoxical - all his life he ran away from the society of people, and as a result he became its spiritual leader. Already during his lifetime, St. Sergius of Radonezh was considered to have become incarnate real person a symbol of the unity of Rus', which the Russian people so longed for in the 13th-14th centuries.

Soon after his death, in 1447, the Monk Sergius of Radonezh was canonized, and later was revered as the heavenly patron and intercessor of the Moscow sovereigns. And it was not without reason that the Grand Duke’s and Tsar’s children were baptized in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

And such great attention paid by St. Sergius of Radonezh to the idea of the Holy Trinity found its expression in the iconographic works of Andrei Rublev (1370? - 1430?). Andrei Rublev painted the “Trinity” icon around 1411, commissioned by the Trinity Monastery, possibly for the first wooden chapel built over the tomb of Sergius of Radonezh.

In accordance with centuries-old doctrinal tradition, the image of the Holy Trinity is present in Old Testament in the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis, which tells about the appearance of three angelic husbands to the forefather Abraham and his wife Sarah: “And the Lord appeared to him at the oak grove of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to the tent, during the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood against him...” (Gen. 18:1,2). The Lord, who took the form of three angels and appeared to Abraham, has another name - “Old Testament Trinity.”

The complexity of the verbal interpretation of the sacrament of the Holy Trinity even prompted the first Christians to look for other ways to comprehend this mystery, using, among other things, figurative language. The plot of “The Appearance of Three Angels to Abraham” (or otherwise “The Hospitality of Abraham”) appears quite early in iconography - for example, in the painting of the catacombs on Via Latina (IV century), as well as in early mosaics in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (5th century .) and the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna (VI century). This plot was also widespread in Byzantine art.

IN Ancient Rus' The iconography “Hospitality of Abraham” came very early - in the 11th century (fresco in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv). This plot is present on the southern gate of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in Suzdal (XIII century), on the fresco of Theophanes the Greek in the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street in Novgorod (XIV century), on numerous icons.

But the turning point in the religious, philosophical and theological understanding of this iconography is the “Trinity” icon by Andrei Rublev. According to modern researchers, only the Rublev icon can be called “Trinity” in contrast to “Hospitality of Abraham”. And the icon made by Rublev became, in a way, the artistic embodiment of the theological and religious-philosophical views of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

In general, this idea was first expressed by E.N. Trubetskoy: “The icon expresses the main idea of the entire monastic service of the saint... He prayed that this beast-like world, divided by hatred, would be filled with the love that reigns in the Eternal Council of the life-giving Trinity. And Andrei Rublev showed this prayer in colors, expressing both the sadness and hope of the saint. Sergius about Russia.” In that direction, I reflected on Rublev’s image of the Holy Trinity and P.A. Florensky: “In the icon of the Trinity, Andrei Rublev was not an independent creator, but only a brilliant implementer of the creative plan and basic composition given by St. Sergius.”

In fact, depicting the Trinity Divinity, the unity of the Old and New Testaments, the sacrament of the Eucharist and the triumph of Christian humility, the icon of the Holy Trinity is a symbol of immersion in the mystery of divine existence, in its non-fusion and inseparability. And this once again emphasizes the significance of the symbol of the Holy Trinity, which Sergius of Radonezh contemplated throughout his life, “so that,” as it is said in his life, “by looking at the Holy Trinity, the fear of the hated discord of this world would be overcome.” Consequently, the image of the Holy Trinity is given for Russia for all times for its transformation and spiritual rebirth. Following Andrei Rublev, many icon painters began to adhere to a similar scheme for depicting the Trinity, right up to the 17th century (“Trinity” by Simon Ushakov).

Sergius of Radonezh was born on May 3, 1314 in the village of Varnitsa near Rostov. At baptism, the future saint received the name Bartholomew. At the age of seven, his parents sent him to learn to read and write. At first, the boy’s education was very poor, but gradually he studied the Holy Scriptures and became interested in the church. From the age of twelve, Bartholomew began to strictly fast and pray a lot.

Founding of the monastery

Around 1328, the future hieromonk and his family moved to Radonezh. After the death of their parents, Bartholomew and his older brother Stefan went to desert places. In the forest on Makovets Hill they built a small temple to the Trinity.

In 1337, on the day of remembrance of the martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, Bartholomew was tonsured under the name Sergius. Soon disciples began to come to him, and a monastery was formed on the site of the church. Sergius becomes the second abbot and presbyter of the monastery.

Religious activities

A few years later, a thriving temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh - the Trinity-Sergius Monastery - was formed in this place. Having learned about the establishment of the monastery, Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus sent the abbot a letter in which he paid tribute to his activities. St. Sergius was a highly respected person in princely circles: he blessed rulers before battles and tried them on among themselves.

In addition to the Trinity-Sergius, during his short biography, Radonezh founded several more monasteries - Borisoglebsky, Blagoveshchensky, Staro-Golutvinsky, Georgievsky, Andronnikova and Simonov, Vysotsky.

Honoring memory

Sergius of Radonezh was canonized in 1452. In the work “The Life of Sergius,” the main source of the hieromonk’s biography, Epiphanius the Wise wrote that during his life the Saint of Radonezh performed many miracles and healings. Once he even resurrected a man.

In front of the icon of Sergius of Radonezh, people ask for recovery. On September 25, the day of the saint's death, believers celebrate his memory day.

Other biography options

The Life of Sergius tells that Bartholomew learned to read and write thanks to the blessing of the holy elder.
Among the students of Sergius of Radonezh were such famous religious figures as Abraham of Galitsky, Pavel Obnorsky, Sergius of Nuromsky, Venerable Andronik, Pachomius of Nerekhta and many others.
The life of the saint inspired many writers (N. Zernov, N. Kostomarov, L. Charskaya, G. Fedotov, K. Sluchevsky, etc.) to create works of art about his fate and deeds, including a number of books for children. The biography of Sergius of Radonezh is studied by schoolchildren in grades 7-8.