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 (currently it is the
Trinity-Sergius Lavra), he did a lot for the Russian Church. The saint passionately loved his Fatherland and put a lot of effort into helping his people survive all the calamities. We became aware of the life of the monk thanks to the manuscripts of his associates and students. The work of Epiphanius the Wise, entitled "The Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh", written by him at the beginning of the 15th century, is a valuable source of information about the life of a saint. All other manuscripts that appeared later represent, for the most part, the processing 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 the biography of the reverend speaks about this in a very intricate form. Historians are faced with the difficult problem of interpreting this information. As a result of a study of 19th century church writings and dictionaries, it was established that the birthday of Sergius of Radonezh is most likely May 3, 1319. True, some scholars are inclined to other dates. The exact place of birth of the youth Bartholomew (the so-called 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 Mary. Before moving to Radonezh, the family lived in the Principality of Rostov. It is believed that the Monk Sergius of Radonezh was born in the village of Varnitsa in the Rostov Region. At baptism, the boy was given the name Bartholomew. 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, Stephen and Peter, were smart children. They quickly learned to read and write, learned to write and read. But Bartholomew study was not given in any way. No matter how much his parents scolded, nor the teacher tried to reason, the boy could not learn to read, and the holy books were inaccessible to him. And then a miracle happened: suddenly Bartholomew, the future saint Sergius of Radonezh, knew the letter. His biography is indicative of how faith in the Lord helps to overcome any life difficulties. Epiphanius the Wise spoke about the miraculous teaching of the lad to read and write. He says that Bartholomew prayed for a long time and earnestly, asking God to help him learn to write and read, in order to know the Holy Scripture. And once, when Father Cyril 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 teach and asked to pray for him before the Lord.
The elder told him that from today the lad will understand the letter better than his brothers. Bartholomew invited the saint to the house of his parents. Before their visit, they went to the chapel, where the lad read the psalm without hesitation. Then he hastened with his guest to his parents to please them. Cyril and Mary, learning of the miracle, began to praise the Lord. When asked by the elder what this amazing phenomenon means, they learned from the guest that their son Bartholomew was marked by God in his mother’s womb. So, when Mary came to church shortly before giving birth, a child in the womb of her mother cried out three times when the saints sang the liturgy. This story of Epiphanius the Wise was reflected in the painting of the artist Nesterov "Vision to the youth Bartholomew."
First feats
What else is marked by St Sergius of Radonezh in childhood in the tales of Epiphanius the Wise? The saint's disciple reports that even before the age of 12, Bartholomew observed strict fasting. On Wednesday and Friday, he did not eat anything, and on other days he ate only water and bread. At night, the lad often did not sleep, devoting time to prayer. All this served as a subject of controversy between the boy's parents. Maria was embarrassed by these first exploits of her son.
Relocation to Radonezh
Soon the family of Cyril and Mary became impoverished. They were forced to move to housing in Radonezh. It happened around 1328-1330. The reason for the impoverishment of the family is also known. It was the hardest time in Russia, which was ruled by the Golden Horde. But not only the Tatars then robbed the people of our long-suffering homeland, levying it with overwhelming tribute and making regular raids on the settlements. The Tatar-Mongol khans themselves chose which of the Russian princes to rule in a particular principality. And this was no less a difficult test for the whole nation 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 is a vivid example of the lawlessness that was happening in Russia at that time. The Principality of Rostov went to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Danilovich. The father of the future saint gathered and moved with his family from Rostov to Radonezh, wanting to protect himself and loved ones from robbery and need.
Monastic life
When the birth of Sergius of Radonezh happened for sure, it is unknown. But accurate historical information about his childish and youthful life reached us. It is known that, while still a child, he prayed earnestly. When he was 12 years old, he decided to take monastic tonsure. Cyril and Maria did not mind 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 of the elderly. By that time, the brothers Peter and Stefan had already acquired their families and lived separately from their elderly parents. The lad did not have to wait long: Cyril and Maria soon died. Before death, they, according to the custom of that time in Russia, first received monastic tonsure, and then schema. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew went to the Khotkovo-Pokrovsky monastery. There monastic tonsure was taken by his brother Stephen, who had already been widowed by that time. The brothers were not here long. Striving for "strictest monasticism", they founded deserts on the banks of the Konchura River. There, in the middle of the deaf Radonezhsky pine forest, in 1335 Bartholomew erected a small wooden church named after the Holy Trinity. Now in its place stands the 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 way of life in the forest. In a new place, he will then become abbot.
And Bartholomew, left completely alone, called on Hegumen Mitrofan and took tonsure. Now he was known as the monk Sergius. At that moment of his life, he was 23 years old. Soon, monks began to flock to Sergius. A monastery was formed on the site of the church, which today is called the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Father Sergius became the second hegumen here (the first was Mitrofan). The abbots set an example of great industriousness and humility to their students. The monk Sergius of Radonezh himself never took alms from the parishioners and forbade the monks to do this, urging them to live only by the fruits of their labor. The glory of the monastery and its abbot grew and reached the city of Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarch Filofei with a special embassy sent to St. Sergius a cross, a schema, a paraman and a letter in which he paid tribute to the rector for his virtuous life and advised him to introduce kinov in the monastery. Heeding these recommendations, the Radonezh igumen introduced a community-wide charter in his monastery. Later it was adopted in many monasteries of Russia.
Service to the Fatherland
A lot of useful and good for his homeland was done by Sergius of Radonezh. The 700th anniversary of his birth is celebrated this year. D.A. Medvedev, as president of the Russian Federation, signed a decree celebrating 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 inviolability of any country is the unity of its people. This was very well understood at the time by Father Sergius. This is also obvious to our politicians today. It is well known about the saint's peacekeeping. Thus, eyewitnesses claimed that Sergius could use the meek, quiet words to find a way to the heart of any person, to influence the most fierce and gross hearts, calling people to peace and obedience. Often the saint had to reconcile the warring parties. So, he called on the Russian princes to unite, throwing aside all disagreements, and submit to the power of the prince of Moscow. This subsequently became the main condition for liberation from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. A significant contribution to the victory of the Russians in the Battle of Kulikovo was made by Sergius of Radonezh. Briefly talk about this is impossible. Grand Duke Dmitry, who later received the nickname Don, came to the saint before the battle to pray and ask him for advice on whether the Russian army could speak out against the godless. The Horde Khan Mamai gathered an utter army to enslave the people of Russia once and for all.
The people of our Fatherland were seized with great fear. After all, no one has yet managed to beat the enemy army. The Monk Sergius answered the prince’s question that defending the Motherland was a godly cause and blessed him for a great battle. Possessing the gift of foresight, the
holy father predicted Dmitry victory over the Tatar Khan and the return home safe and sound with the glory of the liberator. Even when the Grand Duke saw a myriad enemy army, nothing wavered in him. He was sure of a future victory, to which St. Sergius himself blessed him.
Monasteries of the saint
The year of Sergius of Radonezh is celebrated in 2014. Especially great celebrations on this occasion should be expected in the temples and mansions founded by him. In addition to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the saint erected the following monasteries:
• Annunciation 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, the abbots became disciples of the Holy Father Sergius. In turn, the followers of his teachings founded more than 40 monasteries.
Miracles
The life of Sergius of Radonezh, written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise, tells us that at one time the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra performed many miracles. Unusual phenomena accompanied the saint throughout his life. The first of them was associated with his wonderful birth. This is the story of the wise how the child in the womb of Mary, the mother of the saint, shouted three times during the liturgy in the church. And all the people in it heard this. The second miracle is the teaching of the youth Bartholomew literacy. It was described in detail above. It is also known about such a diva associated with the life of a saint: the resurrection of a lad by the prayers of Father Sergius. Near the monastery there lived one righteous man who had a strong faith in the saint. His only son, a young boy, was mortally ill. The father in his arms brought the child to the holy monastery to Sergius, so that he would pray for his recovery. But the boy died while his parent stated his request to the abbot. The inconsolable father went to prepare the coffin in order to put the body of his son in it. And St. Sergius began to pray earnestly. And a miracle happened: the boy suddenly came to life. When a heartbroken father found his child alive, he fell at the reverend's feet, offering praise.
And the abbot ordered him to rise from his knees, explaining that there was no miracle here: the boy simply froze and weakened when his father carried him to the monastery, and warmed himself in a warm cell and began to move. But the man was not to convince. He believed that St. Sergius showed a miracle. Today, there are many skeptics who doubt that the reverend worked miracles. Their interpretation depends on the philosophical position of the interpreter. It is likely that a person who is far from faith in God will prefer not to focus on such information about the miracles of the saint, finding them a different, more logical explanation. But for many believers, the story of life and all the events connected with Sergius has a special, spiritual meaning. For example, many parishioners pray that their children will learn to read and write, pass the transfer and entrance exams safely. After all, the youth Bartholomew, the future saint Sergius, at first also could not overcome even the basics of study. And only an earnest prayer to God led to the miracle that happened when the boy miraculously learned to read and write.
Old age and death of the saint
The life of Sergius of Radonezh is for us an unprecedented feat of service to God and the Fatherland. It is known that he lived to a very old age. When he lay on his deathbed, foreboding that he would soon appear at the judgment of God, the last time he called the brethren for instruction. First of all, he called on his disciples to “have the fear of God” and to bring to people “purity of soul and love not hypocritical.” The abbot died on September 25, 1392. He was buried in the Trinity Cathedral.
Veneration of the reverend
There is no documented evidence of when and under what circumstances people began to perceive Sergius as a righteous man. Some scholars are inclined to believe that the abbot of the Trinity Monastery was canonized in 1449-1450. Then in the letter of Metropolitan Jonah to Dmitry Shemyaka, the primate of the Russian Church calls Sergius the reverend, ranking him among miracle workers and saints. But there are other versions of his canonization. Sergius of Radonezh Day is celebrated on July 5 (18). This date is mentioned in the writings of Pachomius Logofet. In them he tells that the relics of the great saint were found on that day.
In the entire history of Trinity Cathedral, this shrine left its walls only in case of a serious threat from the outside. So, two fires that occurred in 1709 and 1746, caused the removal of the relics of the saint from the monastery. When the Russian troops left the capital during the French invasion led by Napoleon, the remains of Sergius were taken to the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. In 1919, the atheistic government of the USSR issued a decree revealing the relics of the saint. After this non-charitable deed was completed, the remains were transferred to the Sergiev Museum of History and Art as an exhibit. Currently, the relics of the saint are stored in the Trinity Cathedral. There are other dates in 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 reverend
Since ancient times, Sergius of Radonezh has been considered one of the most revered saints in Russia. His biography abounds with the facts of selfless service to God. Many temples are dedicated to him. Only in Moscow there are 67 of them. Among them are such as the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Bibirev, the Cathedral of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Vysokopetrovsky Monastery, the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Wrens and others. Many of them were built in the XVII-XVIII centuries. There are many churches and cathedrals in various areas of our country: Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Smolensk and so on. There are even cloisters and shrines 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 worth recalling also the many icons created in honor of the saint. His oldest image is an embroidered cover made in the 15th century. Now he 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 hallmarks of the life of the saint. They wrote about the events connected with the rector of the Trinity Monastery, not only icons, but also paintings. Among Soviet artists, one can distinguish M.V. Nesterova here. His following works are known: “Proceedings of St. Sergius of Radonezh,” “Youth of St. Sergius,” “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew.”
Sergius of Radonezh. A brief biography of him is unlikely to be able to tell about how an outstanding person he was, how much he did for his Fatherland. Therefore, we dwelt in detail on the biography of the saint, information about which was taken mainly from the works of his disciple Epiphanius the Wise.