Many saints in Russia. And often the prayer addressed to them helps a person at a difficult moment in his life's journey. Among the holy people there is Prince Alexander Nevsky. Prayer to him helps in intercession before God for the soldiers.
Let’s talk today in more detail about the verbal appeal and petition to this saint.
The feat of life of the prince: the feat of a warrior and diplomat
Alexander Nevsky, prayer to which always implies awareness of his fate, lived in a very difficult time for our country. Russia was conquered by hordes of hordes, the Tatar-Mongols robbed and captured our people, the country was shaken by princely feuds and feudal fragmentation, and besides, the crusaders from the west decided to establish their orders in Russia.
The young prince was forced to defend his country from Western soldiers, and from the servants of the Horde Khan. He rejected the offer of the Pope to accept the Catholic faith in exchange for military assistance and boldly fought against the Crusader soldiers, who, under the guise of helping other states and Christianizing other nations, subjugated them with fire and sword and brutally robbed.
On the other hand, Alexander tried to establish relations with the Horde Khan, realizing that it was impossible to defeat him by military means. He even wanted to baptize the Gentile Hordes. However, his bold plans did not succeed.
Historians even suggest that the courage and deep faith of Prince Alexander evoked respect for him from the khan, so the close lords of the Golden Horde poisoned the brave Russian prince.
The feat of life of the prince: the feat of faith and prayer
Alexander's contemporaries testified to his deep faith. Once the prince nearly lost his life when he refused to bow to the Horde gods. However, even the pagans were surprised at this and saved his life.
The prince began his work with a prayer that always encouraged and reassured his combatants.
The prince also died in a Christian way. Upon returning from the Horde, he felt unwell. Before his death, he adopted a schema under the name of Alexei. All Russian land mourned his death. Indeed, in the person of the prince she lost her defender. But later it turned out that the Russian people had found a new heavenly prayer book.
Alexander Nevsky managed to accomplish a lot on his life journey, prayer to this prince still helps suffering people.
On what days is it customary to pray to the prince?
There are several days in the church calendar when the name of Prince Alexander is especially mentioned. This is the day of his presentation (December 6) and the day of the transfer of his relics (September 12).
They pray to the saint for sons who have left for military service, they ask for help in strengthening faith, they ask for the deliverance of the people and the land from foreign invasion, and they also ask for help in building a good spirit from the rulers of the Russian land.
The saint’s life contains many wonderful stories about how the prince helped all those who asked him for help.
The Russian chronicles even contain a legend that Saint Alexander Nevsky, a prayer to which did not descend from the lips of his descendants, appeared on Kulikovo Field to help free his homeland from hated invaders.
Today there are a large number of iconographic images of the prince. There are akathists written to him. There are prayer petitions.
Prince Alexander Nevsky: a prayer coming from the heart
Many texts of appeals to the Russian prince can be cited. There are collections of Russian prayers where you can always find a request for the intercession of this saint. Many centuries have passed since the day of his death, and Russian people feel the presence in their lives of this glorious man who loved God and his native land, and therefore found heavenly salvation.
What could be the simplest prayer to Prince Alexander Nevsky?
Probably, this: Prince Alexander, pray to God for us!