In their prayers, Orthodox believers often turn to saints. Some of them are even chosen as heavenly patrons. They protect, support and always answer sincere prayers. In this article we will talk about St. Daniel of Moscow, his life and features of veneration. What is the meaning and legacy of the prince in the history of Russia? And what does Saint Daniel of Moscow help in?
Life
According to historical data, Daniel was the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky. Presumably he was born at the end of 1261 and received a name in honor of Daniel the Stylite. The memory of this saint is celebrated on December 11. Therefore, historians suggest that the fourth son of Alexander Nevsky was born in November or December. Later, the prince depicted his heavenly patron on seals, erected a monastery in his honor.
When little Daniel was two years old, he lost his father. His uncle Yaroslav Yaroslavich took up his upbringing. At that time, Russia was under the Mongol-Tatar yoke and was weakened by princely feuds. According to the Tver Charter, after the death of Yaroslav Yaroslavich in 1272, the Moscow Principality passed to Daniel in the reign. Compared with the estates of the elder brothers Dmitry and Andrey, his inheritance was distinguished by scarcity and a small territory. However, from the first days of his reign, Daniil Aleksandrovich began to make significant changes in the life and structure of the Moscow principality. So, in the first year the Transfiguration Church was arranged in the courtyard of the Kremlin Palace.
Governing body
The life of St. Daniel of Moscow and his reign played an important role in the history of Russia. He participated in the confrontation between the older brothers, who fought for power over North-Eastern Russia and Novgorod. In these conflicts, Daniel Alexandrovich proved himself to be a peace lover. So, in 1282, he gathered the troops of Moscow, the Tver prince Svyatoslav and brother Andrei, and moved to the city of Dmitry. However, already at a meeting at the gate, in many ways with the participation of Daniel, peace was concluded.
The prince of Moscow tirelessly cared for his people. Returning to the capital city, he founded a monastery on the banks of the Moskva River, on the Serpukhov road. The monastery was built in honor of the patron saint of the prince. Later it began to be called Danilovskaya (or Holy Danilov Spasskaya).
In 1283 the monastery was ruined. Brother Dmitry nevertheless became the prince of Vladimir. But Andrei could not come to terms with this. And he conspired with the generals of the Golden Horde about a campaign in North-Eastern Russia. This event is noted in the history of “Dudenevoy army” named after the chief commander of Tudan (or, as the Russian chronicles say, Duden).
After long bloody feuds, the older brothers managed to make peace. Dmitry refused Vladimir reign. However, on the way to the specific city of Pereslavl-Zalessky, he became seriously ill, tonsured a monk, and soon died.
The Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow spoke on the side of Dmitry, and after his death he led the alliance against Andrei. In 1296, the latter accepted the reign of Vladimir. The conflict between the brothers escalated. A congress of princes took place, it was attended by Bishops Simeon of Vladimir and Ishmael of Sars. They convinced the brothers to make peace.
At the same time, Daniel Alexandrovich was invited to reign in Veliky Novgorod. This testified to the increased political influence of Moscow. On this occasion, the prince built the Epiphany monastery, and four years later - the bishop’s house and cathedral in honor of Saints Peter and Paul.
Burial place
In 1303, the prince tonsured monks, spent the last days in the Danilov Monastery. Justice, mercy and piety gained respect for the ruler and elevated him to the face of the holy Prince Daniel of Moscow.
There are two versions of his burial place. The first is connected with the parchment Trinity Chronicle. In 1812, it burned down, but until that moment N. M. Karamzin saw it. He made an extract about the death of the prince, from which it follows that Daniel of Moscow was buried near the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. This is evidenced by the miniature of the Facial Annalistic Code. And her description says: "... And he was laid in the church of St. Michael the Archangel in Moscow, in his own homeland."
The second version belongs to the Degree Book, which states that the brother’s cemetery in the Danilov Monastery became the burial place of the ruler. In support of this, there are several traditions.
During the reign of Prince Vasily III, a grandiose incident occurred. Together with his subjects, he drove near the burial place of Daniel of Moscow. At this moment, the boyar of Prince Ivan Shuisky fell from his horse. He did not manage to climb into the saddle. Therefore, he decided to use the tombstone as an attack to make it easier to climb a horse. Passers-by, seeing this, tried in every possible way to dissuade the boyar. But he was stubborn. Shuisky stood on a stone. But he barely lifted his foot on the saddle, when his horse stood on its hind legs and fell dead, crushing the boyar. After this, Shuisky could not recover for a long time. He was in serious condition until the clergy prayed for him at the Danilo grave. This incident was far from the only one that occurred here. Ivan the Terrible and his entourage more than once became witnesses of miraculous healings. Therefore, the powerful king established the annual religious procession to this place and the service of the requiem.
There is still a legend that the prince came to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in a dream in 1652 and asked to open his tomb. Everything was done. And the incorrupt miraculous relics of St. Daniel of Moscow were found and transferred to the temple of the Seven Ecumenical Councils (on the territory of the Danilov Monastery). And the prince himself was introduced to the face of the saints. After the 1917 revolution, cancer ended up in Trinity Cathedral. And in 1930 she was moved beyond the southern wall of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word. Where are the relics of St. Daniel of Moscow today, is unknown. After the church closed, data about them was lost.
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Moscow possessions, which inherited little Daniel, were small and played a secondary political role. They were limited to the Moscow river basin, with no access to the Oka. And during the feuds of Dmitry and Andrei Dudenev, the army completely ruined the principality. But already from 1300 the political influence of Moscow began to grow, the territory expanded. In 1301-1302 the prince captured Kolomna and annexed Pereslavl to his possessions.
In church terms, St. Daniel of Moscow built several bishop's houses, churches and monasteries. They were visited by metropolitans from all over Russia. Also in the Danilov Monastery the first archimandrite in the Moscow principality was established. All this laid the foundation for the transfer of the supreme church authority to Moscow, which took place in 1325 with the participation of the heirs.
Daniil of Moscow also created communications. During his reign, the Great Horde Road was built, combining various directions. So Moscow has become an important city at the crossroads of trade routes.
A family
The name of the wife of St. Daniel of Moscow is not exactly known. However, some sources mention a certain Evdokia Alexandrovna. In total, the prince had five heirs:
- Yuri Daniilovich (1281-1325) ruled in Pereslavl and Moscow. Joined the Mozhaisk Principality. When trying to achieve a label for a great reign in 1325, he was hacked into a fit of anger by the Tver ruler Dmitry the Terrible.
- Boris Daniilovich - ruled in the Kostroma principality. The exact year of birth is unknown. He died in 1320. Buried in the city of Vladimir, next to the Church of Our Lady.
- Ivan I Kalita (1288-1340) - Prince of Moscow, Vladimir and Novgorod. There are two versions of the origin of his nickname. One is related to collecting heavy tribute for the Golden Horde. The second tells that the prince carried with him a bag of money for the poor or the purchase of new lands.
- Afanasy Daniilovich was twice made the elder brother at the head of Novgorod (1314-1315, 1319-1322). Shortly before his death, he was tonsured a monk.
- Historical annals contain information about another son of St. Daniel of Moscow - Alexander. He died before 1320 and was second in seniority. However, no further information about him has been preserved.
Memory and veneration
In 1791, the prince was canonized for local veneration. The days of St. Daniel of Moscow became March 17 and September 12 in a new style. The first is associated with the foundation of the Cathedral of Moscow Saints, the second - with the acquisition of relics. In the days of memory of St. Daniel of Moscow, Daniil, Alexander, Vasily, Gregory, Paul and Semen celebrate the name day. Also in the temples are worship.
In 1988, Patriarch Pimen and the Holy Synod established the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow in three degrees.
In Nakhabinsk near Moscow, not far from the center of the engineering troops of the Russian Federation, a temple was built in memory of the saint. Now he is the patron saint of this center and the entire Russian army.
In 1996, a submarine of the Northern Fleet was named after the prince.
Danilovsky Monastery
The first and most important historical and spiritual monument in the list of heritage of Daniel of Moscow is the monastery on the Moscow River. Danilovsky Monastery has a long history. Founded in the 13th century, it has more than once collapsed, rebuilt, and has been redesigned.
After the campaign of Dudenev’s rati to Moscow, the monastery fell into decay. Its reconstruction was undertaken by Ivan the Terrible only in 1560. Here the temple of the Seven Ecumenical Councils was erected and consecrated by Metropolitan of Moscow Macarius.
However, 30 years later, during the invasion of the Crimean Khan Kazy Giray, he turned into a fortified camp. And during the Time of Troubles, it was completely destroyed. The third revival of the monastery occurred in the 17th century, when it was surrounded by a brick wall with seven towers. The number of monks began to grow. According to documentary sources on land ownership, in 1785 Danilov Monastery owned 18 acres of land (a little more than 43 thousand square meters).
In 1812, he was again ruined. The sacristy was taken out to Vologda, and the treasury was sent to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Later, almshouses for the elderly clergy and their wives acted on the territory of the monastery. During the revolution, the monastery was formally closed. But the monastic life continued in a clear order. Rector was Archbishop Theodore of Volokolamsk, and in obedience to him lived 19 monks. At that time, Danilovsky Monastery owned 164 tithes of land (almost 394 thousand square meters).
In 1929, the monastery was closed and redesigned as a children's isolation ward of the NKVD. The bell tower was dismantled. And the bells themselves from re-melting were saved by the American industrialist-diplomat Charles Crane. Until 2007, they were stored at Harvard University. The monastery graveyard (or necropolis) was also destroyed. The ashes of the writer N.V. Gogol, the poet N.M. Yazykov were transferred to the Novodevichy cemetery, and the grave of the painter V.G. Perov - to the cemetery of the Donskoy Monastery.
And finally, in 1982, shortly before his death, L. I. Brezhnev signed a decree on the transfer of the Donskoy Monastery to the Moscow Patriarchate. A year later, the word "Donskoy" was corrected to "Danilov." Construction work was organized, during which the Trinity Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils were restored, an overlaid chapel, the Fraternal Building on four floors, a hotel complex (behind the southern wall of the monastery) were erected and the temple of Seraphim of Sarovsky was consecrated (1988). And in 2007, the bell ensemble from Harvard University returned to the Danilovsky Monastery.
Today on the territory of the monastery there is a Sunday school and catechetical courses for adults. Also has its own publishing house "Danilovsky Evangelist."
Among the famous visitors to the monastery were the 40th US President Ronald Reagan with his wife and US Secretary of State George Schulz.
Twice a year, large divine services are held in the monastery in memory of the founding father Daniel of Moscow.
Prayer
How does St. Daniel of Moscow help? This is the main question of Orthodox believers. After all, the prince is predominantly a historical figure. However, the testimonies of the pilgrims say that he always comes to the aid of those who sincerely ask for a prayer for housing or miraculous healing from serious illnesses (in particular, oncological). Also, people who lack the mental strength to forgive or to protect themselves from false accusations turn to the saint. After all, the prince, according to the annals, was extremely merciful and fair man. To receive help and fulfill the request of the believer, in addition to prayers and troparia, they read akathist to St. Daniel of Moscow for 40 consecutive days.
There is also a general prayer with which you can turn every day to the saint (not only to the carriers of the name Daniel / Danil):
The prayers of God for me (us), the holy servant of God Daniel of Moscow, as if I (we) are zealously resorting to (resorting to), an ambulance and a prayer book for my soul (s) (ours).
What do clergymen pray to prince Daniel of Moscow? About peace in the country, about the condescending disposition of the authorities. The patron saint protects the state in case of military danger and helps to overcome conflicts.
Nothing is known about the relics of St. Daniel of Moscow. But the church records of the Trinity Cathedral speak of miraculous healings of the sick, who once turned to the prince’s cancer.
Icon
One of the first holy images is the icon of St. Daniel of Moscow, dating back to the 17-18 centuries. On it, the prince is depicted with scripture in his hand. In front of it is the Moscow Kremlin (white stone). And in the upper left corner depicts the Holy Trinity. The icon was stored for a long time in the Danilov Monastery. Today there are copies of it.
The image of the famous prince is widely used in modern icon painting. There are special centers at the churches of Russia, where you can order the icon of St. Daniel of Moscow. Or buy a personalized image or a medallion. As a rule, on the back of them is a prayer or troparia in honor of the saint. Often a prince is portrayed with his father, Alexander Nevsky. Such images help the laity to maintain peace in the family, and protect the church from heresies and schisms.
Mosaic icons of Daniel of Moscow and bas-reliefs with his image adorned the facades and aisles of many churches in the Moscow region. For example, the Church of Christ the Savior, the Cathedral of Daniel of Moscow in Nakhabino.
Miraculous icons can be found in the Danilov Monastery. In general, the whole territory here has a special atmosphere of historical memory and holiness. Prayer to St. Daniel of Moscow in front of the icon, like any other patron, must be sincere, come from the heart of the believer. Priests say that sometimes parishioners complain about the saint, saying that all their prayers are in vain. We must remember the fair disposition of Daniel of Moscow. He helps really needy people and only in bright and pure intentions and deeds.
In culture
The historical novel The Younger Son is dedicated to St. Daniel of Moscow. Its author was Dmitry Balashov - philologist-Russian scholar and public figure of the 20th century. The exact year the novel was created is unknown. The work contains scientific information about the life and reign of Daniel of Moscow, his family and his role in the formation of Moscow as an economic, political, and most importantly, spiritual center of Russia. The reasons for the feuds of the brothers Andrei and Dmitry are also described here. The novel is the first of the series "Sovereigns of Moscow" and covers the time period from 1263 to 1304.
In 1997, on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of Moscow , a monument to the famous prince was erected on Serpukhovskaya Square. Its authors were sculptors A. Korovin, V. Mokrousov and architect D. Sokolov. In his left hand, Daniel of Moscow holds a temple, and in his right - a sword. Moreover, the weapon is in a lowered position. This is the peace-loving nature of the ruler, who considered strife and bloodshed to be an objectionable thing to God.