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Reverends Sergius and Herman of Valaam are the founders of the Valaam Monastery. It so happened historically that information about these miracle workers is very scarce. As a result of enemy raids on the monastery. But we still managed to find some information about them.
Sergius and Herman Valaam wonderworkers, life
According to church tradition, the miracle workers were Greek monks. They came in the 10th century along with the first Orthodox missionaries. In those days, the monastery was subject to frequent attacks by enemies. It was constantly robbed and devastated.
For this reason, monastic services were often interrupted there, not for a day or two, but for entire decades. During the invasions, church monuments, shrines and other valuables were burned and destroyed. The monastery's libraries were burned and looted, so there is very, very little information about the miracle workers.
Reminders of the lost life can often be found in the lists of the Valaam Conversation, which is a monument of church literature. According to some local legends, part of the population can claim that miracle workers lived during the period of St. Andrew the First-Called. At the time when he came to the Slavs of Novgorod.
Continuing his journey, he seemed to bless the deserted island with a stone cross. The same legends say that Sergius was an apostolic disciple who, having visited this island, baptized the pagans there. Among them was Mung, who is believed to have been named Herman some time later.
The best article for you, go to: Apostle James
There are also scriptures that claim that the Lives of the Saints date back to the time of Saint Princess Olga. In this scripture they are presented as people from Greece who came to enlighten the north.
Reverends Sergius and Herman of Valaam - memorial day 11.07 n.st. (28.06 old style)
[td]| Reverends Sergius and German are the founders of the Valaam Monastery. Icon 1856 Valaam. |
| St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam. Icon in the lower church of the cathedral above the shrine of the saints. Valaam Monastery. |
The founders of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery, Reverends Sergius and German,
according to church tradition, were Greek monks who came to the possessions of Veliky Novgorod in the 10th century along with the first Orthodox missionaries. Historical information about the founders of the Valaam Monastery is scarce. More than once during enemy invasions (XII, XVII centuries) the monastery experienced devastation, and monastic service was interrupted here for many decades. During the invasions, church monuments and monastic shrines were destroyed, and the richest monastery libraries and manuscript repositories were burned and looted more than once. The life of Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam has also been lost. Church tradition and ancient chronicle monuments became evidence of the monastic feat of the Saints. The meaning of the monastic life of St. Sergius and Herman was to enlighten the pagan Karelian tribes with the light of Christ, to establish Orthodoxy in the North of Rus', to found a monastic monastery, which became a stronghold of Orthodoxy in the early centuries of Christian enlightenment. This is evidenced by the ancient lives of St. Abraham of Rostov, which tell of his stay on Valaam and the existence of an Orthodox monastery here in the 10th century. Ancient Novgorod chronicles report the discovery of the relics of Saints Sergius and Herman and their transfer to Novgorod during the Swedish invasion in 1163-1164. Perhaps it was then that the local glorification of the founders of the Valaam monastery took place and the beginning of the church veneration of Saints Sergius and Herman was laid. Reminders of the lost lives of the Saints are found in numerous copies of the “Valaam Conversation” - a monument of church journalism of the 16th-17th centuries. The beginning of the "Conversations" is undoubtedly an excerpt from the September Menaion, which tells about the transfer of the relics of the monks Sergius and Herman ("Karelian Wonderworkers") from Novgorod to the monastery of the "All-Merciful Savior" - after the "calmation of the military danger", apparently in 1182 g., which is confirmed by Novgorod chronicle sources. The extremely wide distribution of the “Valaam Conversation”, known in many lists of the 16th, 17th, 18th centuries, testifies to the high spiritual authority of the founders of the Valaam monastery, since it was through their spiritual lips that the position of the “non-possessors” was stated in the famous church polemics of the 16th century. In 1819, the Holy Synod prescribed all-Russian veneration of the saints of Valaam and determined the days of church celebration of their memory as June 28 (July 11, new style) and September 11 (September 24, new style). The relics of Saints Sergius and Herman still rest hidden in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery. Evidence of the blessed prayer help of the Saints is the numerous miracles revealed through the faith of those asking and praying.
Reverend fathers Sergius and Herman, pray to God for us!
| Venerable Sergius and Herman the Wonderworkers of Valaam. |
| Venerable Sergius of Valaam. |
From the “Chronicle of the Valaam Monastery”: ... 1163 the discovery of the relics of St.
Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers. [» In the summer of 6671 about Archbishop John. I installed Archbishop John the First for the great Novograd, and before there were bishops. The same summer, the relics of our venerable fathers Sergius and Herman, the miracle workers of Valaam and Novgorod, were found and transferred under Archbishop John of Novgorod...”] The fact of the discovery and transfer of relics in 1163 - 1164. (due to military danger) is confirmed by a number of reliable chronicle sources, Novgorod in origin. A source well known to historians of the 19th century is the so-called Uvarov Chronicle, Novgorod in origin. For the year 1163 it contains a message about the transfer of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman.
At the end of the 19th century, another source of this information was discovered - the Russian Chronicle according to the Sophia list of Veliky Novgorod (in the Pogodin collection). Historians who date the establishment of the Valaam Monastery to the 14th century believe that all church dates were entered into the Narva chronicle later, and the Pogodinsky passage only copies this later entry. However, newly discovered chronicle fragments reporting the transfer of relics in 1163 allow us to speak not about a compilation, but about the existence of a single ancient chronicle source that originally stored this information. So, on Sat. XVII century from collection Weather on L. 89, the transfer of the relics is again reported and the source of information is indicated: “Copied from the Novgorod Chronicler of the St. Anthony Monastery book.” Apparently, one of the lists of the Chronicler - protographer was kept in the Anthony-Dymsky Monastery. We find an indication of the existence of the ancient Novgorod Chronicler in a manuscript from the collection of N.P. Likhachev. “About the holy Velikinovgorod bishops and archbishops and reverend miracle workers.” We find confirmation of this in chronicle passages of the 17th - 18th centuries:
| St. Herman Valaamsky. |
| Icon of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam. |
[“Reverend Fathers Sergius and Herman on the Valaam Lake.
There was a monastery there where Alexander Svirsky was tonsured and is now empty. The Swedes and Germans are ruined. Their relics are now unknown. Just like that, there is a chapel and this is what is written in the Chronicle: their relics were found in the summer of 6671 (1163) and brought to the Valaam Island to the monastery of Spasov in the summer of 6690 (1182) under Archbishop John of Novgorod, the Wonderworker"] Finding and transferring the relics of St. Sergius and Herman in the 12th century is confirmed by the text of the “Valaam Conversation”, widely distributed in Rus'. The very distribution of the “Conversations” lists speaks of the high spiritual authority of the saint. Sergius and Herman. The beginning of the Conversation, undoubtedly, should be considered as evidence of the fact of the transfer and acquisition of relics in the 12th century.
[- transfer of the relics of the holy fathers Sergius and Herman, the Valaam miracle workers and leaders of that Valaam monastery from Veliky Novograd to the Korelsky district of the Lord...] ... 1179 - 1180. the fourth and final transfer of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman from Novgorod to Valaam. Upon arrival at the monastery, the relics were located for some time in the place where the Intercession Chapel now stands. The point of view about the transfer of relics from Novgorod to Valaam in 1182 is more reliable, since it is confirmed by a number of chronicle sources indicated above. Church historical science does not confirm the information that this transfer of relics was the fourth. The source of information is the text of the “Notifications”. … 1198 Transfer of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman from Novgorod to Valaam (after the military danger had subsided).
... 1719 March 13, consecration of a wooden temple on Valaam in the name of St. Sergius and Herman, and at the same time the wooden buildings of the monastery [burned down in a fire in 1754]. ... 1799 On June 28, another church was consecrated in the monastery cathedral church in the name of St. Sergius and Herman. ... 1819 October 20, the Russian Holy Synod ordered: the names of St. Petersburg should be entered in all church books. Sergius and Herman, the wonderworkers of Valaam, with the inclusion, where appropriate, of the troparion and kontakion of these saints. ... 1823 a silver shrine was built for St. Sergius and Herman. ...
| Venerable Sergius and Herman of Valaam. |
| Venerable Sergius and Herman of Valaam. |
1858 On June 15, in the monastery cathedral, in its lower church, according to reconstruction, a temple in the name of St. Sergius and Herman. ... 1892 On June 26, the lower monastery cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers. ... 1899 On July 18, a stone church in the name of St. Sergius was consecrated in the Sergius monastery. Sergius, Valaam wonderworker. ... In 1903, a stone church was consecrated in the Hermanovsky monastery in the name of St. Herman, Valaam miracle worker. ... 1990, on the feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, Metropolitan Alexy of Leningrad and Novgorod again consecrated the main altar of the lower cathedral church in the name of St. Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers. ... 1996, 9 - 12/22 - July 25 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II visited the Valaam monastery. He consecrated the newly built shrine over the relics of St. Sergius and Herman, resting in hiding, ...
| Venerable Sergius and Herman of Valaam. |
Troparion, tone 4:
The Gospel of Christ appeared to the true novices, O venerable one, / the world and all that is in it, as if it did not exist beyond love for the sake of Christ, / and settled in the sea island, / and laboriously labored there against the machinations of invisible enemies, / with fasting, by vigil and all-night standing / they subjugated their flesh to their spirit wisely to nature. / For this reason, from the almighty right hand / worthy crowns have naturally been received. / And now the Most Holy Trinity is coming, / pray, O all-blessed Fathers Sergius and Herman, / to preserve our Fatherland in peace, and to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4:
Having left the worldly life, and by rejecting the world you followed Christ, and reached the great Neva Lake, and settled in it on the island of Valaam, you naturally lived like the angels: from there, rejoicing, you naturally came to the heavenly palaces. And now, with the angels of the Lady who is approaching the throne, remember us, your children, who have already gathered the wisdom of God, and joyfully cry out from the heart: Rejoice, Sergius and Herman, blessed fathers.
| Icon of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam in the Church of the Holy Forefathers in Hebron. Holy Land. |
Prayer:
Oh, great fathers of ours, saints of Christ and warm intercessors to the Savior for our souls, Sergius and Herman: for you have appeared in sickness as healers, helmsmen on the sea who sail, and reliable deliverance for those drowning, and guardians from every deadly invasion, and especially from liberation of unclean spirits and all kinds of slander against us, cleansing and help. Oh, blessed fathers and wonderworkers of glory, Sergius and Herman, pray to the Lord Christ for us sinners: that through your prayers we will be worthy on the day of judgment to stand and enjoy in the Kingdom of God forever and ever.
(valaam.karelia.ru; illustrations - days.pravoslavie.ru; community.livejournal.com; www.cirota.ru; eparhia.onego.ru; kizhi.karelia.ru; www.valaam.ru; img0.liveinternet.ru ; www.valaamphoto.narod.ru; www.fap.ru; www.photocity.ru; fotki.yandex.ru; www.mitropolia-spb.ru).
| Valaam Monastery in the 18th century. |
Veneration of the Reverends
It has so happened since ancient times that St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam wonderworkers are greatly revered.
- This began within the Novgorod diocese. Evidence of such veneration is their presence in the Cathedral of Novgorod Saints.
- They are also mentioned in the service, which was compiled in the 18th century.
- According to some chronicles, it can be argued that the discovery of the relics of Sergius and Herman of Valaam took place around the 60s, and it was during this period that the beginning of popular veneration of the departed righteous people began.
- In 1755, a cathedral church built of wood appeared on the site destroyed by the Swedes. It was equipped in honor of the founding fathers of the monastery, Sergius and Herman of Valaam. Several decades later, the service was compiled.
Days of blessed memory of veneration are September 24th. On these days, services are read annually in honor of the holy wonderworkers.
COMPLETE LIVES OF THE REVERENDS SERGIUS AND HERMAN, THE VALAAM WONDERWORKERS
The founders of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery, Reverends Sergius and German, according to church tradition, were Greek monks who came to the possessions of Veliky Novgorod in the 10th century along with the first Orthodox missionaries. Historical information about the founders of the Valaam Monastery is scarce. Often during enemy invasions (XII, XVII centuries) the monastery experienced devastation, and monastic service was interrupted here for many decades. During the invasions, church monuments and monastic shrines were destroyed, and the richest monastery libraries and manuscript repositories were burned and looted more than once. July 11 - memory of Saints Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers
The life of Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam has not reached us either. In the 16th century, many historical documents were already lost, as evidenced by the ancient synodikon of the Valaam Monastery, which after the destruction of the monastery in 1611 was kept in the Staraya Ladoga Vasilievsky Monastery. This synodikon is the only historical document written on Valaam, which reflects genuine knowledge about the founders of the monastery. In the synodikon, the list of abbots mentions St. Sergius and Herman.
Church tradition and ancient chronicle monuments became evidence of the monastic feat of the saints. The meaning of the monastic life of the Monks Sergius and Herman was to enlighten the pagan Karelian tribes with the light of Christ, to establish Orthodoxy in the North of Rus', to found a monastic monastery, which became a stronghold of Orthodoxy in the early centuries of Christian enlightenment. Ancient Novgorod chronicles report the discovery of the relics of St. Sergius and Herman and their transfer to Novgorod during the Swedish invasion in 1163−64.
It was then that the local glorification of the founders of the Valaam monastery took place and the beginning of the church veneration of Saints Sergius and Herman within the Novgorod diocese was laid. Evidence of their church veneration is their presence in the Cathedral of the Novgorod Saints, mentions in the service “To All Russian Saints”, compiled in the 18th century, as well as drawings and icon painting from the 18th century.
At the beginning of the 18th century, icons of Saints Sergius and Herman were known. Reminders of the lost lives of the saints are found in numerous copies of the “Valaam Conversation,” a monument of church journalism of the 16th-17th centuries. The beginning of the “Conversations” is undoubtedly an excerpt from the September Menaion, which tells about the transfer of the relics of the Monks Sergius and Herman (Karelian wonderworkers) from Novgorod to the Monastery of the All-Merciful Savior after the military danger had subsided, apparently in 1182, which is confirmed by the Novgorod chronicles sources. The original place of the exploits of Saints Sergius and Herman is indicated on the Holy Island. This is what the legend says, known under Abbot Ephraim in the second half of the 18th century. This fact is also confirmed by the Swedish atlas, in which on the map of the island of Valaam the Holy Island is called Vanho Valamo - Old Valaam, and a cross is indicated on this island.
The extremely wide distribution of the “Valaam Conversation,” known in many copies of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, testifies to the high spiritual authority of the founders of the Valaam monastery, since it was through their spiritual mouth that the position of the non-covetous in the well-known church polemics of the 16th century was stated.
In 1611, the monastery was destroyed by the Swedes, and Swedish colonists lived on the island. In 1685, during the reign of the Grand Dukes John Alekseevich and Peter Alekseevich, the Swedes wanted to dig up the relics of the saints and abuse them, but the Lord, through the prayers of the saints, soon sent them a great illness and weakened limbs, so they were afraid and built a chapel over their relics.
July 11 - memory of the Monks Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers. In 1755, Abbot Ephraim built a new wooden cathedral church, in which there was a chapel of St. Sergius and Herman. The traveler, captain Yakov Yakovlevich Mordvinov describes the monastery itself as follows: “The monastery was built on a stone mountain, the churches, the bell tower and the fence are wooden. And a plan was taken for the entire monastery, and on the plan it is indicated: Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, in it there are chapels: on the south side - the holy apostles Peter and Paul, on the north - the holy apostle John the Theologian, on the top from the south of the holy apostle Andrew the First-Called, on the north - righteous saints Zacharias and Elizabeth, below on the south side are the venerable fathers Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers, where are the relics of St. under a bushel, and on top there are crayfish, and their picturesque images are placed on the crayfish.”
By June 28, 1789, the new cathedral church of St. Sergius and Herman, Valaam wonderworkers, was consecrated by treasurer Innocent and the brethren, where their relics rest in secret. In 1817, Archimandrite Hilarion of the Konevsky Monastery compiled a service to St. Sergius and Herman, the Valaam wonderworkers, and published it in the Synodal Printing House with an instructive word attached in their memory.
In 1819, on October 20, the Holy Synod prescribed all-Russian veneration of the Valaam saints and determined the days of church celebration of their memory - June 28/July 11 and September 11/24.
The relics of Saints Sergius and Herman still rest hidden in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery. Evidence of the gracious prayerful help of the saints is the numerous miracles revealed through the faith of those asking and praying.
The founders of the monastery, the Monks Sergius and Herman, the Valaam wonderworkers, did not leave us their lives, which undoubtedly existed; only brief mentions have been preserved in chronicles and ancient manuscripts. But Saints Sergius and Herman never left their brotherhood. They continue to testify for a thousand years to their invisible presence, protecting the Valaam monastery with their prayerful intercession.
Icon of Sergius and Herman of Valaam
As mentioned above, icons of miracle workers became famous in ancient times. Believers regularly went to them to pray, asking for salvation from many needs and illnesses. But as for the relics, they are kept in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery, which is located in Karelia.
Since the placement of the relics of the miracle workers, miracles have constantly occurred in the monastery. They helped:
- To drowning people who begged for help,
- healed from physical ailments,
- Healed from spiritual illnesses,
- Protect from slander.
In addition, by honoring Sergei and Herman on earth, people ask them for intercession. They pray for forgiveness of their sins, instructions to let the truth. It should be noted that above the holy relics there is an icon of the miracle workers.
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Miracles performed by the monks
Over all these many years of veneration, the saints have performed many miracles. People tell many stories in which salvation and blessing were present.
Here is one of the stories about a group of travelers who walked from Krondstat to Oranienbaum. It was cold autumn outside. Ice was already on the river, but it was so fragile that it could hardly support people. After walking just a few meters, people began to fall into the water one after another. There was no chance of salvation.
One of the people, seeing how his comrades were suffering from powerlessness, and realizing that he could not help, began fervently praying to Sergius and Herman of Valaam, asking for help in salvation. He promised the righteous, if saved, to light a candle for them in the temple and devote his entire life to service, becoming a monk.
The saints heard his prayers and helped people. They all escaped and made it to the shore. Upon arrival at the place, the man kept his word and went to the temple to light the promised candles. A year later he took monastic vows.
There are many such stories. In fact, you don’t have to go to Karelia to pray to Saints Sergius and Herman. Quite sincerely and wholeheartedly prays in front of their Icon at home or in the Temple. As the priests say, if faith is present in the heart, and prayer is read not with words, but with the soul, then salvation will definitely occur. The main thing is to believe in a miracle and then it will definitely happen.
Prayer to Sergius and Herman of Valaam
O venerable, God-bearing, blessed fathers Sergius and Herman, spectators of the glory of God in the Heavenly Kingdom! Do not despise us sinners in our needs and sorrows, but hasten those who come running to you to help: accept sighs and tears, and heed our humble prayer. Standing before the Heavenly King, for blessedness, pray to His goodness, to be generous with the place of your settlement and to send down an abundance of earthly blessings to every city and country: To our Most Pious Great Empress, GRAND DUCHESS MARIA VLADIMIROVNA, to grant victory and victory to her enemies and to preserve HER House in peace and silence: Confirm us all in faith and virtue, and always deliver us from sinful lusts and from the attacks of visible and invisible enemies: to protect the offended, to heal the sick, to free us from the torment of evil spirits, to preserve those floating at sea, to help those who travel, and to assist every faithful person in their needs: For of Him we are all creation, and of Him is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Lord is always with you!
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