Blessed Prince Andrei of Smolensky, Pereyaslavsky

Andrei Pereyaslavsky
(+ c. 1390), Prince of Smolensk, blessed saint Memory October 27 - the discovery of relics in 1539, July 8 (local in the Pereslavl-Zalessky St. Nicholas Convent) - the second discovery of relics in 2000 [1], in the Cathedrals Smolensk and Rostov-Yaroslavl saints

Nothing is known about the initial period of the life of the holy noble prince Andrei, since he hid his origin. Around 1360, Saint Andrew, as a poor wanderer, came to Pereyaslavl (modern Pereslavl-Zalessky) and settled at the church in honor of St. Nicholas at the city gates, after some time he became a sexton and carried out this obedience for 30 years. After the death of the saint, a gold chain and a ring were found on his body - signs of princely dignity, iron chains - a sign of secret asceticism, as well as a small note on which was written in his hand: “I am Andrei, one of the Smolensk princes. Out of envy and sedition from my brothers, I left my reign, and my house, and so on.”

Based on the text of the note, Archbishop. Filaret (Gumilevsky) assumed that Andrei was the son of the Smolensk prince Fyodor the Blind Fominsky, a contemporary of the Grand Duke Simeon the Proud (+ 1353). The Smolensk principality was then fragmented into small parts, the division of any inheritance between the Smolensk princes (there were 17 of them at one time) was accompanied by envy and quarrels. The alleged father of Prince Andrei, Fyodor, went to Tver, and Andrei himself chose the path of humiliation, poverty, secret asceticism and prayer.

The sexton prince was buried at St. Nicholas Church, his body wrapped in birch bark. Subsequently, the gold chain and ring were taken by Vel. book John III Vasilyevich, who gave for them to the church of St. Nikolai's friend. It was probably then that a service to the blessed Prince Andrei was compiled, an icon was painted, that is, local glorification was performed; The saint's chains were kept in the church.

During the time of St. Daniel of Pereyaslavl (1453-1540), possibly due to the desolation of the Church of St. Nicholas, the celebration of the memory of the blessed Prince Andrei was no longer celebrated. St. Daniel, a native of Pereyaslavl, knew well the oral traditions about the holy prince, visited the temple where he once served as a sexton, saw his grave, chains and image and decided to resume the celebration of his memory. In 1539, while in Moscow on monastery business, St. Daniel asked for funds from the young sovereign John IV Vasilyevich, his godson, and from Metropolitan. Joasaph for the renovation of dilapidated Pereyaslavl churches in the name of John the Baptist and in the name of St. Nicholas. St. Daniel also told the Tsar and the Metropolitan that the relics of Saint Prince Andrew lay at the St. Nicholas Church, and that a church service had previously been performed for him, and received a blessing to examine the remains of the saint. Returning to Pereyaslavl, St. Daniel opened the grave and examined the relics of the prince, without removing them from the ground: “His relics were seen as if bathed in myrrh, like a certain fragrance emanating... The hair of the head of Russia, and the greatness, and the goals of the byahu, and like the light of the light, and his vestments... found from above heads and feet for one country, as if they were wrapped in byakhu, and on them byakhu were copper buttons.”

[2]. Many sick people received healing from the relics of the saint.

According to the report of Rev. Daniil, archimandrites arrived from Moscow. Miracle Monastery Jonah (Sobina) and the archpriest of the Assumption Cathedral Gury, but they did not believe in the holiness of the prince and even reproached Daniel for unauthorized witnessing of the relics. The monk was greatly upset, he began to cry and said that he did not act arbitrarily, but with the permission of the Tsar and the Metropolitan, who ordered him to examine the relics of Saint Andrew; pointed to his image; referred to the service of the saint. Finally, he introduced three people who received healing from ailments during the opening of the relics: the ruler of the royal villages, John Oklyacheev, said that he was healed of a long-term headache after touching the relics of the holy prince; one woman from Pereyaslavl said that for three years she suffered from a severe throat disease, could not utter a word, but when, at the discovery of the relics of St. Andrew, she took a piece of birch bark and swallowed it, she immediately felt relieved and began to speak; another woman also, with the help of birch bark from the relics of the saint, was healed from a long-term major illness. But neither the arguments of the Monk Daniel, nor the attested miracles of the holy Prince Andrew convinced Jonah and Guria. Jonah turned to the monk with the following words: “The Right Reverend Metropolitan did not tell me anything about the holy relics and did not give any orders.” This meant that Metropolitan Joasaph left the matter to the decision of Jonah and Guria themselves, and they considered the evidence of the holiness of Prince Andrew insufficiently clear and refused to glorify the saint of God with a church celebration.

The Monk Daniel was greatly upset by the decision of the Metropolitan and the investigators he sent and predicted that for their lack of faith in the holiness of the saint of God, all three would suffer sorrow: the Metropolitan would soon be dethroned, he predicted various misfortunes for Jonah, and the deprivation of his beloved son for Guria. At first they were embarrassed when they heard the formidable predictions of the ascetic, then they said that due to old age he had lost his senses (at that time the monk was 80 years old) and was saying inappropriate things.

The relics of Prince Andrei were covered with shrouds, placed in a new coffin and buried.

E. E. Golubinsky believed that the metropolitan’s representatives were not satisfied with the small number of miracles and the paucity of information about the life of Prince Andrei.
The researcher believed that the petition of Rev. Daniel's request for the resumption of the church celebration of the memory of the holy prince was not successful. This conclusion is not indisputable, Rev. Daniel was undoubtedly denied permission to have the saint's relics remain "until opening," but whether the resumption of the celebration of his memory was denied remains unclear. In the service to Prince Andrey it is stated that a local celebration for him was established in 1539. Even if the celebration of the memory was initially prohibited, the ban was probably soon lifted, since all the predictions of St. Daniel were fulfilled exactly. Instead of the dethroned Metropolitan. Joasaph, St. joined the Moscow See in 1542. Macarius. With the blessing of the saint and the command of Tsar John IV, the life of St. Daniel. The story about the discovery of the relics of the blessed Prince Andrei in 1539, placed in this life, was probably confirmed by the establishment of the celebration of the memory of the blessed Prince Andrei. It can be assumed that the secondary establishment of local celebration dates back to the time of completion of work on the life - in 1563. Subsequently, the name of the holy noble prince Andrei of Smolensk was included in the calendar. On October 27, “the discovery of the relics of the holy blessed prince Andrei of Smolensk, also in Pereyaslavl Zalessky”

noted in the Monthly Book of Simon (Azaryin) ser. 1650s [3]. In addition, the saint’s memory on November 30 is noted in the Kaidalovsky calendar. XVII century [4]. By the decree of the Pereyaslav Consistory of August 14, 1749, it was prescribed to commemorate Saint Prince Andrew at litias and dismissals throughout the Pereyaslav diocese [5].

It can be assumed that after the discovery of the relics of the blessed Prince Andrei, they were placed under cover inside the restored wooden church of St. Nicholas, which has since been called the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. book Andrey.

During one of the fires, the church completely burned down, but the tombstone of the blessed prince, on which there was a shroud and icons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the saint, remained intact.

In 1714, on the site of the wooden church, a stone one was built and a nunnery in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established with it. book Andrei Smolensky, abolished in 1764 [6]. The church became a parish church and was destroyed during Soviet times.

The second discovery of the relics of St. Andrew took place on July 21, 2000, and a wooden cross was installed at the site of discovery. Currently, the relics rest in the Pereslavl-Zalessky Nikolsky convent in the Swamp.

In the Menaion (MP) on October 27, the day of the discovery of the relics of the Blessed Virgin Mary. book Andrew, a vigil service has been held. During the service of the Cathedral of Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints, St. Andrew is mentioned in the book of verse stichera of Vespers, as well as in the third troparion of the eighth canon of the Matins canon.

The life of the blessed prince Andrei of Smolensky [7] is an extract from the life of St. Daniil Pereyaslavsky with a short introduction. Life of St. Daniel was compiled, according to some researchers, in 1562-1563 (N. N. Pokrovsky), according to others - in 1556-1563 (S. I. Smirnov, O. A. Belobrova) by the confessor of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible , the future Metropolitan of Moscow Athanasius, who was born in Pereyaslavl, in 1530-1549 was the rector of the cathedral church of the city, a witness to the life of St. Daniel and his disciple [8].

One of the earliest images of the saint is a fresco of 1662-1668, made by the artel of Gury Nikitin, on the southern edge of the southwestern pillar of the Trinity Cathedral of the Pereslavl-Zalessky Danilov Monastery. The saint is presented full-length, frontally, in princely clothes: a dark cherry dress, decorated with floral patterns and borders, with a belt, in a blue-green cloak, fastened on the chest with a fibula; the right hand with an open palm, the left hand down; he has shoulder-length dark brown hair, parted in the middle, and a short rounded beard.

In the iconographic original of the late 18th century. [9] about the appearance of the holy Prince Andrew it is said: “Like Nikita the martyr with brad, and hair over his plaid, a cross in his hand, a sword in his left, princely vestments.”

The trace of his half-length image on an icon of the 17th century has been preserved. [10].

Life of the Saint

The Monk Andrei ended up in Pereslavl-Zalessky. It was there that he served as a sexton in the Church of St. Nicholas for four decades, where he died and was buried. At first the ascetic lived at the gates of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, then he became a sexton there. Initially, the prince did not set out to live in this city.

Blessed Prince Andrei Smolensky

He put his fate in the hands of the Lord and completely relied on Divine Providence, asking the Almighty to show him the right path. So he wandered through various cities and villages until he came to Pereslavl-Zalessky. The prince felt the need to stay and live here and subsequently spent many years in this city.

Many began to say that Andrei Smolensky was revered as a Saint in vain, because he did not perform significant feats. But the very decision to leave your family, to renounce your noble origin, to be a poor servant of a small temple in a foreign city is an act that not every person can do.

Saint Andrew spent his days at the church in constant work and prayer. He took part in all church services, after which he did the necessary physical and manual labor. Often the righteous man spent whole nights in prayer, kneeling at the iconostasis.

The Saint meekly endured all the hardships of life and hardships, without complaining or grumbling about his fate. To emphasize that the spiritual principle is more important than the carnal, the Saint wore heavy metal chains on his body, with which it was difficult even to walk. At the same time, he did not refuse any difficult physical work, which once again emphasizes his enormous fortitude.

The prince was infinitely far from acquisitiveness; material wealth meant nothing to him. Such self-denial was surprisingly combined with love for others. Everyone who personally knew the righteous man noted his boundless meekness, kindness and desire to help everyone.

Interesting! After the death of Andrei Smolensky, a princely ring, gold chains, and a note in which the righteous man spoke about his origin were found next to his body. Before burial, the Saint's body was wrapped in a birch bark sheet, then the prince was buried not far from the temple in which he spent many years.

After the end of his earthly journey, the life of the sexton of the Church of St. Nicholas was not forgotten. Many Christians and members of the clergy considered the prince a Saint and celebrated the day of his repose. Then icons of the new Saint were painted, akathists and canons were created.

But over time, they began to forget about the ascetic. Everything changed when the Monk Daniel began his spiritual path in the same temple. He read a lot about the life of Andrei Smolensky and believed that his exploits were undeservedly ignored, while they should not be consigned to oblivion. That is why the Monk Daniel decided to make every effort to glorify Prince Andrew throughout the centuries.

Looking at the majestic and at the same time unusually slender, golden-domed St. Nicholas Cathedral, smoothly rising into the sky, it is difficult to believe that quite recently the “abomination of desolation” reigned in this holy place. The first St. Nicholas Cathedral of the monastery was built in the 18th century over a period of forty years. The new cathedral was built in five years, but even during this short period of time, two more significant events took place in the life of the monastery, both in the anniversary year 2000.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Rus', the relics of one of the glorified and revered Pereyaslavl saints in ancient times - the Holy Blessed Prince Andrei of Smolensk - were found.

Blessed Prince Andrei Smolensky - the miracle worker of Pereyaslavl

Blessed Prince Andrei Smolensky is the miracle worker of Pereyaslavl. His memorial day is October 27 / November 9. It is known that he was a contemporary of St. Sergius of Radonezh and Demetrius of Prilutsk. The main feats of Prince Andrei were humility, peacefulness and patience. Like his pious predecessors - the holy noble princes - passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, he preferred the grace of the Kingdom of Heaven and obedience to the commandments and will of God to earthly power and glory. Avoiding the bloody struggle for princely power, he secretly, as a poor wanderer, came to Pereslavl around 1360 and settled at the Church of St. Nicholas at the city (Nikolsky) gates. For more than thirty years he resignedly and humbly performed the duties of a sexton, hiding his noble origin from everyone. After his death, they found a letter with his brief biography, a ring with a princely seal and iron chains. They buried the holy prince at the St. Nicholas Church, which later began to be called Prince Andreevskaya, which was located not far from the St. Nicholas Monastery.

In the thirties of the last century, the Prince St. Andrew’s Church, along with twenty other Pereyaslavl churches, which for the new government “had no historical value,” was blown up. According to the testimony of old-timers, the head of the blasting work was then killed by a fragment of brick that unexpectedly fell on him from the sky after the explosion.

It is significant that the work of glorifying the holy noble prince Andrei was taken upon himself in 1539, at the end of his long life, by the venerable abbot Daniel, for which he received the permission of his godson, the then young Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and the blessing of Metropolitan Joasaph of Moscow. The blessed Prince Andrei was canonized, but his relics were left under wraps. After the destruction of the Prince of St. Andrew's Church and the burial place itself were lost.

The sisters of the Nikolskaya monastery decided to find the holy relics of the prince-sacristan. In 1998, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, work began to recover the relics of the saint of God, Prince Andrei. But it took time for a competent group of specialists to gather, headed by federal architect Sergei Vasilyevich Demidov. They began to examine the location of the holy relics.

First of all, they examined the remains of the church foundation and performed careful architectural calculations, on the basis of which the location of the burial was precisely determined. And during the excavations, in accordance with the calculations, at a depth of two and a half meters, relics were found with the remains of an ancient coffin-deck, which were quite consistent with the Life of the Prince and other historical descriptions. At the same time, traces of a modern excavation were discovered, which did not reach the holy relics by just a spade bayonet: the Lord did not allow sacrilege.

The holy relics of the blessed Prince Andrei of Smolensk were placed in a carved shrine and installed in the warm Annunciation Church of the St. Nicholas Monastery. After the construction of St. Nicholas Cathedral, the holy relics were transferred to it. A carved canopy was installed over the relics. The most probable time of death of Saint Prince Andrew is considered to be 1398 - 1400. Consequently, the discovery of the holy relics took place on the 600th anniversary of the blessed prince.

Glorification of the memory of Andrei Smolensky

One day the Monk Daniel was in Moscow, where he met with Emperor Ivan the Terrible. He told the monarch about the problems of the dilapidated churches of Pereslavl, and that the relics of Andrei Smolensky were kept in one of the churches. He spoke about the spiritual exploits of the Saint, conveyed to him all the oral traditions about the ascetic, which were widely known among the Christians of those lands.

Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl

The Monk Daniel complained that Andrei of Smolensk might be forgotten if his memory is not maintained and his name is not glorified. After listening to him, the sovereign ordered funds to be allocated from the treasury for the restoration of dilapidated church buildings and to examine the relics of the Saint, removing them from the burial place.

It is important to know! Righteous Daniel is a Saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, revered as a saint. Known as the founder of the Danilovsky Monastery near the city of Pereslavl. Pereslavl-Zalessky is the ascetic’s hometown, where he labored and found a love for Christianity and spiritual achievements.

He devoted his life to pious deeds, helping the people of his homeland. The names of Andrei Smolensky and Daniil Pereyaslavsky always go side by side when people remember the holy ascetics of those lands.

Archimandrite Jonah, who was called to examine the relics of Andrei of Smolensk, was opposed to the examination and canonization of the righteous man. The archimandrite considered the actions of Saint Daniel arbitrary, and no matter how much Daniel tried to explain that such was the will of the monarch, he was unable to prove anything to the abbot of the Chudovsky Monastery.

Literature

• Ponomarev A.I. Monuments of ancient Russian church literature. St. Petersburg, 1898. Issue. 4: Slavic-Russian Prologue. pp. 64-67;
• Smirnov S.I. Life of St. Daniel, the Wonderworker of Pereyaslavl: The Tale of the Finding of Relics and His Miracles. M., 1908;
• Menaea (MP). Oct. pp. 690-712; May. Part 3. pp. 24, 33.
• Filaret (Gumilevsky). RSv. Months September-December. Chernigov, 1865. P. 263-267;
• Klyuchevsky. Old Russian Lives. P. 282;
• Barsukov. Sources of hagiography. Stb. 39-40;
• Filimonov. Iconographic original; Zverinsky; Sergius (Spassky). Monthsword. T. 2. P. 332;
• Golubinsky. Canonization of saints. pp. 86, 152;
• JSV. Book add. 1. Sep.-Dec. pp. 251-256;
• Pokrovsky N. N. Afanasy (in the world Andrey) // SKKDR. Vol. 2. Part 1. pp. 73-74;
• Belobrova O. A. Life of Daniil of Pereyaslavsky // Ibid. pp. 257-259;
• Muravyov A.I. Lives of the saints of the Russian Church, also Iverian and Slavic, and locally revered ascetics of piety. The month is October. M., 1994. pp. 357-365.
• Sergievsky F., priest. The story of the life, exploits and discovery of the relics of St. Andrey, blgv. book Smolensky, Pereslavl miracle worker. M., 1890;
• Markelov. Saints of Ancient Rus'. T. 1. P. 80-81; T. 2. P. 50-51.

Miracle healings

Jonah was not convinced by eyewitness accounts - people who were healed thanks to the help of St. Andrew. The prince's relics were found incorruptible, and during their discovery several miraculous healings occurred:

• When the relics were opened, the manager of a nearby village was healed of a severe headache. Pain of unknown origin tormented him throughout his life, but when he touched the relics of the Saint, it went away. Subsequently, the disease never returned to this person.
• One of the women present during the examination of the relics gained the ability to speak. For her, this was a real miracle, since for many years she had been tormented by a sore throat that did not allow the woman to say a word. After she touched the relics of the righteous man, the pain and feeling of suffocation went away, and the recovered woman was able to speak calmly. The woman’s words were immediately confirmed by her husband, children and neighbors.
• Another woman, taking a piece of birch bark in which the body of the righteous man was wrapped, was cured of a long-term eye disease and gained the ability to see clearly. Previously, she could not even move independently; relatives brought the woman to find the relics. Rubbing her face with a piece of birch bark, she was healed of her illness, as the people who were with her at that moment could testify.

All these miraculous healings could not convince Archimandrite Jonah, and he decided not to leave orders regarding the relics of St. Andrew, placing this responsibility on his companions.

RUSSIAN HISTORY

Grand Duke Andrei of Suzdal, son of Yuri, grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, was killed on the 28th day of June, on the eve of the Feast of the Holy Apostles. And it was Saturday then. He created a stone town for himself, called Bogolyubovo, as far from Bogolyubovo from Vladimir as Vyshgorod is from Kyiv. The pious and Christ-loving Prince Andrei from a young age loved Christ and his most pure mother; rejecting knowledge and reasoning, and, like a wonderful mansion, decorating his soul with all good desires, he became like King Solomon, when, having created the temple of the Lord God and the glorious church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God in the middle of Bogolyubov in stone, he decorated it more than all the churches: it is similar to that Holy of Holies , which King Solomon the wise created; So this prince, blessed Andrei, created such a church in memory of himself, and decorated it with precious icons, gold and expensive stones, and large priceless pearls, and provided with various decorations, and decorated it with slabs of jasper, and all sorts of patterned castings - glitter showering it so hard that it hurts to watch, for it was all covered in gold. And he decorated it and showered it with gold and precious utensils, to the astonishment of everyone who came in, so that everyone who saw it could not express in words its incredible beauty; decorated with gold and enamel, and all kinds of jewelry, and church property, and all church utensils - a golden tabernacle with expensive stones, with valuable fans and various censers, and the outside from top to floor along the walls and pillars is also covered with gold, both doors and vaults The church is also covered with gold, and the dome is decorated with gold from the top to the deesis, and it is overflowing with various church goods, decorated with all kinds of art!

Prince Andrey and the city of Vladimir made it impregnable, he built golden gates for it, and decorated others with silver, and created a cathedral stone church in honor of the Holy Mother of God, very beautiful, and showered it with various decorations of gold and silver, and gilded its five domes, and he lined all three church doors with gold and expensive stones, and decorated it with precious pearls, and colored it with all sorts of patterned castings, and illuminated it with an abundance of gold and silver lamps, and set up a pulpit of gold and silver, and service vessels and fans and other church decorations - He showered everything with gold and precious stones and large pearls in abundance. He placed three tabernacles, very large, made of pure gold and precious stones: both in their appearance and in their work they are amazingly similar to the Holy of Holies of Solomon. And in Bogolyubovo, and in the city of Vladimir, he installed golden domes, and gilded the vaults, and sprinkled the walls inside with gold stones, gilded the pillars, and outside it, and on the vaults, golden birds, and goblets, and sails, cast in gold, he placed around the church. throughout and in the vaults all around.

But, in addition, he built many other churches in stone, and he created monasteries, which is why God turned his gaze to the entire church synclite and to all the clergy; and he did not burden his memory with drunkenness, and he was a breadwinner for monks and nuns, and beggars, and of all ranks, he was like a beloved father to people - but most of all he was merciful with alms, hearing the voice of the Lord: “Everything that you do to these little ones, then you do it to me.” And David also says: “Blessed is he who helps the poor, he who always gives—he will not depart from the Lord,” strength and intelligence lived in him, and faithful truth walked next to him. And he had many other virtues, he made any habit worthy: at night he entered the church and lit the candles himself, and, seeing the image of God written on the icons, he looked as if at the creator himself, and when he met the images of saints on the icons, he humbled his appearance , contrite at heart, heaving sighs from the depths and emitting tears from his eyes, he imitated David in repentance, mourning the multitude of his sins, loving the immortal above the corruptible and the heavenly more than short-lived, and life with the saints of the Almighty God is greater than this earthly kingdom, he has every dignity , like the wise second Solomon, was decorated.

And he had such dignity: he ordered to carry various food and drink around the city every day, for the benefit of the sick and the poor, and, seeing every beggar coming to him with a request, he gave it to them at their request, saying as if “this is Christ who came to check me,” and so he received anyone who came to him, as Christ bequeathed, who said: “If you do to these little ones, then you will do to me!” And you always kept that word in your heart, and therefore you received the mortal crown worthily from God, Prince Andrey, with the courage of eminent brothers, equal to the prudent holy passion-bearers, you followed, having washed away all your sufferings with blood. For if it were not for trouble, there would be no crown; if it were not for torment, there would be no grace:

Anyone who lives virtuously cannot be without many enemies. Prince Andrei, having learned in advance about his impending villainous murder, was inflamed with a sacred spirit and did not count on anything, saying: “The chosen people nailed the Lord God, my almighty and creator, to the cross, saying: “Let his blood be on us and on our children,” as well as the word spoken by the mouths of the holy evangelists: “If anyone lays down his life for his friends, he can be my disciple.” This same God-loving prince laid down his soul not for a friend, but for the creator himself, who raised everything from non-existence to being. That is why, having learned about your murder, passion-bearer Prince Andrew, the heavenly powers were amazed, looking at the blood shed for Christ; the Orthodox people weep, seeing the father of the orphans and the breadwinner, the luminous star darkened by darkness; and murderers cursed by fire are baptized with eternal fire, which burns the thorns of any sin, that is, any deed. You, passion-bearer, ask Almighty God for your descendants, and for your relatives, and for the Russian land - to grant peace to the world.

We will return to the old way.

So, an insidious council of criminal villains took place on Friday at mass. And the prince had Yakim, a servant whom he trusted. Having learned from someone that the prince had ordered his brother to be executed, he became agitated at the devil’s instigation and rushed screaming to his friends, evil accomplices, as Judas once did to the Jews, trying to please his father, Satan, and began to say: “Today executed him, and tomorrow – us, so let’s take care of this prince!” And they plotted murder in the night, like Judas against the Lord.

As night fell, they ran and grabbed their weapons and attacked the prince like wild animals, but while they were walking towards his bedroom, both fear and trembling pierced them. And they ran from the porch, went down into the cellars, and drank wine. Satan stirred them up in the cellar and, serving them invisibly, helped to strengthen them in what they promised him. And so, drunk with wine, they went up to the porch. the leader of the murderers was Peter, Kuchka's son-in-law, Anbal, the yak, Klyuchnik, and Yakim, and the Kuchkovichi - in total, twenty evil murderers who entered into a sinful conspiracy on that day at Peter's, Kuchkov's son-in-law, when Saturday night came in memory of the holy apostles Peter and Paul.

When, grabbing their weapons, like ferocious animals they approached the bedroom where the blessed Prince Andrei was reclining, one called, standing at the door: “My lord! My lord...” And the prince responded: “Who’s here?” - the same one said: “Procopius...”, but in doubt the prince said: “Oh, little one, not Procopius...” They, jumping to the doors and realizing that the prince was here, began to beat on the doors and broke them down by force. The blessed one jumped up and wanted to grab the sword, but there was no sword here, for that day Anbal the Keykeeper took it, and his sword was the sword of Saint Boris. And two murderers burst in and pounced on him, and the prince threw one under him, and the others, deciding that the prince was defeated, struck their own in the dark; but then, having seen the prince, they grappled with him strongly, for he was strong. And they cut him down with swords and sabers, and inflicted wounds on him with a spear, and he exclaimed: “Oh, woe to you, dishonest ones, why have you become like Goryaser? What harm have I done to you? If you shed my blood on earth, may God avenge you for my bread!” These dishonest people, deciding that they had killed him completely, took his wounded man, carried him out and, shuddering, left. The prince, suddenly following them, began to burp and groan from internal pain, making his way to the porch. They, having heard the voice, returned to him again. And while they stood like that, one said: “Standing there, I saw through the prince’s window how he walked down from the porch.” And everyone exclaimed: “Look for him!” and everyone rushed to see if the prince was there where, having killed him, they threw him. And they said: “Now we are lost! Look for him quickly!” And so, having lit the candles, they found him along the bloody trail.

The prince, seeing that they were coming to him, raising his hands to the sky, turned to God, saying: “If, God, this is destined for me to end, I accept it... Although I have sinned a lot, Lord, by not keeping your commandments, I know that you are merciful when you see someone crying, and you rush to meet them, guiding the lost.” And, sighing from the very heart, he shed tears, and remembered all of Job’s troubles, and delved into his soul, and said: “Lord, although during my life I have committed many sins and bad deeds, forgive me all of them, honor me, a sinner, God, accept my end as the saints accepted it, for such suffering and various deaths befell the righteous; and how the holy prophets and apostles with the martyrs received a reward by shedding their blood for the Lord; just as the holy martyrs and reverend fathers suffered bitter torment and various deaths, and were broken by the devil, and were purified like gold in a crucible. Through their prayers, Lord, count me among the flock you have chosen with the righteous sheep, because the holy, faithful rulers shed blood, suffering for their people, just as our Lord Jesus Christ saved the world from the temptation of the devil with his sacred blood.” And, so speaking, he was encouraged, and again said: “Lord! look at my weakness and look at my humility, and my evil sadness, and my grief that has gripped me now! Let me endure all this with trust... I thank you, Lord, that you humbled my soul and made me a joint heir in your kingdom! So now, Lord, if my blood is shed, then number me among your holy martyrs, Lord!..”

And while he spoke like this and prayed to God about his sins, sitting behind the staircase pillar, the conspirators searched for him for a long time - and saw him sitting like a blameless lamb. And then the damned jumped up and finished him off. Peter cut off his right hand. And the prince, looking up at the sky, said: “Lord, I commend my soul into your hands,” and he died. He was killed on Saturday night, at dawn, in the morning of Sunday - the day of remembrance of the twelve apostles.

The damned, returning from there, killed Procopius, his favorite, from there they went into the chambers and took gold, and expensive stones, and pearls, and all kinds of jewelry - everything that was dear to the prince. And having loaded him onto the best horses, they sent him home before daylight. And they themselves, having grabbed the treasured princely weapon, began to gather soldiers, saying: “Should we wait until the squad comes at us from Vladimir?” - and they gathered a detachment and sent a message to Vladimir: “Are you plotting something against us? We want to settle things with you: after all, we are not the only ones who planned this, and there are our accomplices among you.” And the people of Vladimir answered: “Whoever is your accomplice, let him be with you, but we don’t need it” - and they dispersed and rushed to rob: it’s scary to look at!

Kuzma the Kievite ran to the prince’s court: “The prince is no longer there: he’s been killed!” And Kuzma began to ask: “Where was the gentleman killed?” - and they answered him: “There he lies, dragged into the garden! But don’t you dare take him, everyone decided to throw him to the dogs... If anyone approaches him, he is our enemy, we will kill him too!” And Prince Kuzma began to mourn: “My lord! How did you not recognize your vile and dishonest enemies who were coming to kill you? And how is it that you failed to defeat them, having once defeated the regiments of infidel Bulgarians?” - and so he mourned the prince. And the housekeeper Anbal, originally Yas, came up, the ruler of the entire princely house, the prince gave him power over everyone. And Kuzma said, looking at him: “Anbal, son of the enemy! Give me at least a carpet or something to spread or cover our master with.” And Anbal answered: “Go away! We want to throw it to the dogs." And Kuzma said: “Ah, heretic! Quit the dogs already! Do you remember, Jew, what dress you came here in? Now you are standing in velvet, and the prince is lying naked, but I ask you with honor: throw me something!” And he threw off that carpet and cloak. And, wrapping them around the body, Kuzma carried it to the church and said: “Unlock the church for me!” - and they answered: “Throw him here, in the vestibule, what sorrow do you have!” - because everyone was already drunk. And Kuzma thought: “Already, sir, even your slaves don’t want to know you; It happened that a merchant came from Constantinople or from another side, from the Russian land, a Catholic, a Christian, or a pagan of any kind, and you said: “Bring him into the church and into the chambers, let them see true Christianity!” - and the Bulgarians, the Jews, and any pagans were baptized, seeing the glory of God and the decoration of the church! And now they will pay you more, but these won’t even allow you to be put in church.”

And so he laid him in the porch, covering him with a cloak, and the body lay there for two days and two nights. On the third day, the Kozmodemyansk abbot Arseny came and said: “Although we looked at the senior abbots for a long time, how long will this prince lie like this?! Open the church for me, I will sing him and put him in a coffin. And when this turmoil subsides, they will come from Vladimir and transfer the prince there.” And the Bogolyubsky clergy members came, took the body, brought it into the church and put it in a stone coffin, singing funeral songs over it with Abbot Arseny together.

The inhabitants of Bogolyubov plundered the prince's house and the builders who came together to build the buildings - gold, and silver, and clothes, and fabrics, and goods that were countless. And a lot of troubles happened in his area: the houses of the mayors and stewards were plundered, and they themselves, and the servants, and the guards were killed, their houses were plundered, not knowing what was said: “Where there is a law, there are many insults.” Robbers also came from villages to rob. Robberies began in Vladimir itself, until Mikula began walking around the city with the image of the Holy Mother of God in robes - then the robberies were stopped. The Apostle Paul writes: “Every soul is subject to the authorities,” for the authorities are ordained by God; By nature, the earthly king is similar to any person, but by the power of his rank he is higher - like a god. The great John Chrysostom said: “If anyone resists the authorities, he resists the law of God. The prince does not wear a sword in vain - he is God’s servant.”

We'll go back to what we were before.

On the sixth day, Friday, the people of Vladimir said to Abbot Theodulus and Luke, the head of the choir in the Church of the Holy Theotokos: “Prepare a stretcher, so we can go and take the prince and our lord Andrew.” And they told Mikula: “Gather the priests, everyone, dressed in vestments, go out of the Silver Gate with the icon of the Holy Mother of God - here you will wait for the prince.” And Theodulus, hegumen of the Church of the Holy Mother of God of Vladimir, did so, with the clergy and the people of Vladimir, they went for the prince to Bogolyubovo and, taking his body, brought it to Vladimir with honor and with great lamentation.

And so, after some time, as the procession began to move from Bogolyubovo, the people could not restrain themselves, but everyone screamed, but they could not even look because of their tears, and their screams could be heard from afar. And all the people began, sobbing, to say: “It’s not to Kyiv, our lord, you’ve gone! To that Vladimir church above the Golden Gate, which he ordered to be made similar to the one that stands in the great courtyard of Yaroslavl, saying: “I will build a church as golden as the gate - let it be for the glory of my entire homeland!” And so the whole city cried for him, and, having removed his body, with honor and with songs praising God, they laid him in the wondrous, praiseworthy, church of the Holy Mother of God, the Golden-Domed One, which he himself had created.

So, during his lifetime, Prince Andrei did not give his body rest and his eyes sleep - until he found a real home, a refuge for all Christians: the queen of heavenly gatherings and the mistress of the entire universe leads every person to salvation in different ways. As the apostle teaches: “Whom God loves, he punishes,” and beats every son whom he accepts; for if you endure punishment, it’s as if you become a son of God! For God did not place the beautiful sun in one place so that from there it could illuminate the entire universe, but arranged for it to rise, zenith and set. In the same way, he did not take Prince Andrei to himself freely, but gave him a feat to save his soul, washing away his sins with blood, and with his brothers, with Roman, with David, he came to God in agreement. And, silently dwelling in the bliss of paradise with them, whom the eye does not see and the ear does not hear (the heart cannot comprehend what God has prepared for his faithful), having been worthy to see those blessings, rejoice forever, Andrei, the great prince. Dare the almighty, the richest of the rich, the god sitting on high thrones, to ask that he forgive your brethren, give them victory over their enemies and a peaceful kingdom, an honorable and long-term reign, forever and ever. Amen

Finding the relics and their further fate

Saint Daniel was very upset by the fact that the exploits of Andrei Smolensky were not recognized. He predicted many troubles for Archimandrite Jonah and his companions because they rejected the blessed memory of the righteous man. The Monk Daniel did not wish them harm, he simply felt that this prophecy would come true.

Reliquary with the relics of Saint Prince Andrei of Smolensk

At first those present were confused, then the archimandrite said that the Monk Daniel was very old, and therefore he was saying inappropriate things. But in the future, all the words of the Saint came true - misfortune befell the archimandrite, the Metropolitan was deprived of his title, and Archpriest Gury lost his son.

When Saint Macarius took this position instead of Metropolitan Josaaph, he gave orders to write a book that would describe the life of Saint Daniel. It also said a lot about Andrei Smolensky, so this issue was again brought up for discussion in church circles.

Important! After this publication, the days of memory of St. Andrew were again included in the calendar, despite the fact that previously it was forbidden to celebrate them and hold solemn services on these days.

The concern of the Monk Daniel for the memory of Andrei Smolensky was not in vain. The Saint began to be remembered more often not only in churches, but also in home prayers. In 1794, the Holy Synod issued a decree in which it was ordered to venerate Prince Andrew among the Saints of God.

Miraculous healings continue for many years after the death of the Saint, but these are not the only unusual events associated with the relics of Prince Andrei. One day, the temple in which the relics of the Saint were kept burned to the ground during a fire. The relics of the righteous man and the icon of the Mother of God, hanging directly above them, remained unharmed.

All the townspeople who participated in putting out the fire saw this miracle and immediately glorified the Lord, the Blessed Virgin and the saint of God Andrew. The temple was rebuilt and stood in this form until the 30s of the last century. During the years of persecution of Christians, the temple was blown up, but the relics of the Saint, kept on the ground floor of the temple, were not damaged.

The second discovery of the Saint’s relics took place 19 years ago. Currently they rest in the St. Nicholas Convent of Pereslavl-Zalessky.

Blessed Prince Andrei of Smolensky, Pereyaslavsky

Brief life of the blessed prince Andrei of Smolensky, Pereyaslavsky

The holy noble prince Andrei was the son of the Smolensk prince Theodore Fominsky. Even in his youth, burdened by the infighting of his brothers, he left his hometown and came to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky as a simple wanderer. In humility and meekness, he served for thirty years as a sexton in the church of St. Nicholas, near which he was buried. After his death, they discovered a hereditary princely ring, a gold chain and a note with the words: “I am Andrei, one of the Smolensk princes.” The discovery of the relics of the holy noble prince Andrei of Smolensk took place in 1539 at the request of the Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl († 1540, commemorated April 7).

The complete life of the blessed prince Andrei of Smolensky, Pereyaslavsky

Envy and sedition against Andrei of his relatives-princes, so common in Rus' in ancient times, did not force the prince to defend his rights and power also by sedition; he did not even raise an open fight - he did not take up arms, which so often happened in such cases. The meek prince renounced his inheritance, abandoned all his property and disappeared from his native city. A poor wanderer, Saint Andrew came to the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky (around 1360) and settled at the Church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker at the city gates. Some time later, the Smolensk prince was accepted as a sexton to this church and labored in such a modest position for thirty years, hiding his noble origin from everyone. Legends do not describe the exploits of the holy prince-sacristan, but isn’t this alone a great feat - to leave his reign, his family, his hometown and become a sexton in a poor church in a foreign city? When Saint Andrew reposed (around 1390), a gold chain and a ring were found on his body - signs of princely dignity, heavy iron chains - a sign of his asceticism, as well as a small charter, on which it was written by the hand of the deceased: “I am Andrew, one from Smolensk princes. Out of envy and sedition from my brothers, I left my reign and my house and so on.”

The poor sexton was buried at the St. Nicholas Church, where he held his modest service, and his body was wrapped in birch bark.

Many years have passed since then, but the residents of Pereyaslavl remembered the ascetic sexton. Soon after his death, they began to venerate him as a saint and celebrate his memory on the day of his repose - October 27; painted his image; compiled a service - special stichera and a canon. But then, around the middle of the 16th century, the celebration of the memory of St. Andrew for some reason stopped, and they began to forget about the ascetic. At that time, the Monk Daniel, a native of this city, labored in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, who probably knew well the oral traditions about Saint Andrew and visited the temple where the saint served as a sexton, and his grave, saw his image and chains. The monk decided to contribute to the glorification of Saint Prince Andrew.

In the last year of his life, the Monk Daniel happened to be in Moscow on business at his monastery. He asked the young sovereign John Vasilyevich IV, his godson, and Metropolitan Joasaph (1539–1542) for funds to build dilapidated churches in the city of Pereyaslavl in the name of John the Baptist (at the western city gates) and in the name of St. Nicholas. Then the monk told the Tsar and the Metropolitan that at the St. Nicholas Church lay the relics of St. Andrew, Prince of Smolensk, and asked permission to examine them. He conveyed those oral stories that circulated in Pereyaslavl about the holy saint, mentioned that previously his memory in St. Nicholas Church was celebrated annually, pointed to the service of the saint and his image, and bitterly complained that the residents of Pereyaslavl had stopped remembering the holy saint of God . “For this reason, I announced all this to your power, sir,” said the monk, “so that such a saint would not fall into oblivion. I am afraid that for my silence I will not be guilty of condemnation.”

The sovereign allocated funds from his treasury for the construction of new churches in place of the dilapidated ones and, together with the metropolitan, allowed the Monk Daniel and the local clergy to excavate the grave of St. Andrew and examine his relics lying in the ground. When the monk, returning to Pereyaslavl, announced this mercy, everyone was so happy that they wanted to ring the people to the celebration of the opening of the relics. But one priest remarked: “If God pleases to reveal the relics of His servant, then without ringing we will perform a prayer service and go to the saint’s grave. Then it will become clear whether this deed is pleasing to God and the saint himself.”

That's what they did. They sang a prayer service and, having dismantled the tombstone, dug up the grave. It turned out that although corruption touched the relics of the saint, the body was intact; the compositions were not separated from one another. Despite the fact that the celebration was not deliberately announced, many people gathered for it. And when the holy relics were dug up and the decayed birch bark was raked away from them, many sick people took pieces of it and received healing. Having examined the relics of Saint Prince Andrew and without removing them from the ground, the Monk Daniel sent a report to the Tsar and the Metropolitan. Archimandrite Jonah of the Chudov Monastery and Archpriest of the Assumption Cathedral Gury were sent from Moscow to officially examine the relics. When they examined the relics of the holy saint of God, Jonah asked the Monk Daniel: “Why did you testify to these relics? Who commanded you to do this?

The monk was greatly upset by Jonah's reproachful words. He began to cry and said that he did not act arbitrarily, but with the permission of the Tsar and the Metropolitan, who ordered him to examine the relics of St. Andrew; pointed to his image; referred to the service of the saint. Finally, he introduced three people who received healing from ailments during the opening of the relics: the ruler of the royal villages, John Oklyacheev, said that he was healed of a long-term headache after touching the relics of the holy prince; one woman from Pereyaslavl said that for three years she suffered from a severe throat disease, could not utter a word, but when, at the discovery of the relics of St. Andrew, she took a piece of birch bark and swallowed it, she immediately felt relieved and began to speak; another woman was also healed from a long-term eye disease with the help of birch bark from the relics of the saint.

But neither the arguments of the Monk Daniel, nor the attested miracles of the holy Prince Andrew convinced Jonah and Guria. Jonah turned to the monk with the following words: “The Right Reverend Metropolitan did not tell me anything about the holy relics and did not give any orders.”

This meant that Metropolitan Joasaph left the matter to the decision of Jonah and Guria themselves, and they considered the evidence of the holiness of Prince Andrew insufficiently clear and refused to glorify the saint of God with a church celebration. The Monk Daniel was greatly upset by the decision of the Metropolitan and the investigators he sent and predicted that for their lack of faith in the holiness of the saint of God, all three would suffer sorrow: the Metropolitan would soon be dethroned, he predicted various misfortunes for Jonah, and the deprivation of his beloved son for Guria. At first they were embarrassed when they heard the formidable predictions of the ascetic, then they said that due to old age he had lost his senses (at that time the monk was 80 years old) and was saying inappropriate things. However, the prophecy of the Monk Daniel definitely came true.

The ascetic’s concerns about the glorification of Saint Prince Andrew were not in vain. From that time on, the memory of the holy prince came to life again in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and his memory began to be celebrated locally. By decree of the Holy Synod of 1749, a local celebration of the blessed Prince Andrei was approved; The decree prescribed: at all services in churches in the city of Pereyaslavl, Saint Prince Andrew should be commemorated next to the names of other saints of Pereyaslavl.

Miracles continued to occur at his tomb. So, during one fire, the wooden church of St. Nicholas burned to the ground, but the coffin of the holy prince, his image standing above the coffin, the shroud and the icon of the Mother of God on the coffin remained safe and unharmed.

Currently, the holy relics of the blessed Prince Andrei rest under cover in the Church of St. Nicholas.

Memory of Saint Andrew

Orthodox believers today do not forget the exploits of St. Andrew, they turn to him with prayers, asking for help, healing and support:

• from severe physical illnesses.
• in spiritual struggle, since he himself was an example of true asceticism for all Christians.
• protection for all Christians from attacks by enemies and persecution of the Church.
• granting humility and fortitude.

Important! Believers repeatedly testify that they receive the help of the Holy One even today. Through sincere prayers, Saint Andrew intercedes for us before God.

Works in memory of Andrei Smolensky

The Saint himself, unfortunately, did not leave behind any theological works. Information about his life is extremely scarce and contradictory. The biography of Andrei Smolensky is part of a work dedicated to the Monk Daniel. This passage is supplemented by an introduction, conclusion, and explanatory notes.

Icons in memory of the Saint

Now images of Prince Andrei adorn the walls of many churches; his icons can often be found in the home iconostasis of Orthodox believers. The first image of St. Andrew on an icon dates back to the mid-17th century.

Icon of St. Andrew of Smolensk

On it he is depicted in full growth, in a princely attire, in a blue-green cloak. One hand of the Saint is lowered down, the other is outstretched, with an open palm. On icons of the 18th century, the Saint holds a cross in one hand and a sword in the other. In modern icon painting, half-length images of the righteous predominate.

Important! In honor of the Saint, they not only create icons, but also build churches, in particular the Church of St. Andrew of Smolensk in Krasny Bor.

Holy Blessed Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky and the Feast of the Intercession of Our Lady

Intercession is a new Russian holiday of national triumph, the great joy of the Mother of God accepting Holy Rus' under Her omophorion. And although it was based on an event that took place in Byzantium, it was established as a sign of Russian Orthodoxy to glorify the Intercessor of Her new inheritance - Rus' of Zalesskaya.

Protection of the Mother of God. Icon from the Zverin Monastery, V. Novgorod. 1399

According to legend, the Most Holy Theotokos was the patroness of Her earthly inheritances - Iberia and Mount Athos. Constantinople was also under Her protection, which was repeatedly saved from the invasion of various tribes and peoples, thanks to the intercession of the Mother of God. By the 8th - 9th centuries, all the main shrines associated with the Most Holy Theotokos were collected in the churches of Constantinople: first-painted icons, Her belt, chasuble and maforium (omophorion), stored in the Blachernae Assumption Church, Her staff. These shrines, according to legend, carrying beneficial powers, repeatedly saved the capital of the Byzantine Empire from attacks by foreigners.

Blachernae Church of the 19th century. On the site of the burnt Assumption Church, where the miracle of the appearance of the Mother of God took place on October 1, 910

In one of the historical documents of those times, Constantinople is called the “city of the Virgin Mary.” The holiday of the Intercession, established in Rus' by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, was based on the so-called “Blachernae miracle” - a legendary event in Constantinople dating back to the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (886 - 912). This can be judged by the Life of Andrei the Fool (10th century), which describes a miraculous phenomenon in the temple of the Mother of God. Tradition says that the capital of the empire was then in danger from an enemy army that besieged the city. On one of the days of the siege (October 1), the news spread throughout Constantinople about a miraculous vision sent down to the holy fool Andrew, a Slav by birth, revered by the townspeople, and his disciple Epiphanius. While in the Blachernae Church[1] during the all-night vigil, they saw the Mother of God standing on the “air” (cloud) surrounded by a host of saints and spreading her omophorion over the Christians. Encouraged by this sign, the Greeks drove the enemies away from the city. (The iconography of the holiday established in Rus' was apparently adopted in Constantinople: around 1392, the Russian pilgrim clerk Alexander was shown in Blachernae the icon of the Mother of God, which “St. Andrew saw in the air praying for peace”).

Sacred bath of the church over the spring in Blachernae

At the sacred bath there was a brotherhood, whose members helped the sick to immerse themselves in the font. In the manuscripts of the Euchology of Constantinople there are special prayers that accompanied bathing in healing water. In 1867, land from St. The Greek guild acquired the source and built a small church over the shrine (Turkish Ayazma-kilise), which has survived to this day. She is under the care of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 1964 it was decorated with frescoes depicting scenes related to the history of the temple. To the right of the altar barrier there is a font of a miraculous spring and a marble fountain for collecting holy water.

Wax icon of Our Lady of Blachernae (presumably 7th century AD) Moscow Kremlin Museums

The icon is a relief bust image of the Virgin Mary. On Her left hand is the high-seated Infant of God, blessing with two fingers and holding a rolled scroll in the other. “She is not painted with paints, but as if bodily or depicted with mastic, for parts of Her body protrude strongly from the surface of the board, to the great surprise of the beholder, inspiring awe,” wrote Pavel of Aleppo, describing the visit to Moscow in early 1655 of the Patriarch of Antioch Macarius .

In 1164, Bogolyubsky's troops defeated a longtime enemy, Volga Bulgaria. The victories of the Orthodox people were marked by the flowering of liturgical creativity in the Russian Church. That year, at the initiative of Saint Prince Andrew, the Church established the celebration of the All-Merciful Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos on August 1 (revered by the Russian people as the “honey Savior”) - in memory of the Baptism of Rus' by Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and in memory of the victory over the Bulgarians in 1164. The feast of the Protection of the Mother of God, soon established on October 1, embodied in liturgical forms the faith of the holy prince and the entire Orthodox people in the Mother of God’s acceptance of Holy Rus' under Her omophorion. The Protection of the Mother of God has become one of the most beloved Russian church holidays. Pokrov is a Russian national holiday, unknown to either the Latin West or the Greek East; it is a liturgical continuation and creative development of the theological ideas embedded in the Feast of the Placing of the Robe of the Virgin Mary on July 2.

The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl was built in 1165 by Andrei Bogolyubsky in memory of his eldest son Izyaslav, who died of wounds after a campaign in Volga Bulgaria and as an offering of praise to God for the victory over enemies and glorification of the Mother of God, who accepted Orthodox Rus' under Her protection.

Church of the Intercession on the Nerl

The temple was erected with great meaning: the path along the Nerl to Klyazma is the gateway to the land of Vladimir. The Church of the Intercession stood at the mouth of the Nerl, at its confluence with the Klyazma, closing an important waterway of the Vladimir-Suzdal land. Nearby, just one and a half kilometers away, stood the towers and heads of Prince Andrei’s palace castle. The place for the construction was not chosen by chance by the architect, in the floodplain of the Nerl River so that the prince could always see it from the windows of his Bogolyubovsky tower. Here the ships sailing along the Klyazma turned towards the princely residence, and the church served as a forward element of the luxurious ensemble, its solemn monument. The task set before the architects was very difficult, since the site planned for construction lay in a floodplain. Therefore, the architect, having laid the foundation, erected a stone plinth almost four meters high on it and covered it with earth. The result was an artificial hill, which was lined with hewn stone slabs. On this base, like on a pedestal, the church was erected.

As the excavations of N.N. showed. Voronin, the church is raised on an artificial hill, which protected it from the spring flood - substructure foundations 5.30 m deep were laid at the base of the hill. The hill was paved with white stone slabs, and the church building was surrounded by open galleries. In the wall of the gallery there was a staircase leading to the choir. (Voronin N.N. “Andrei Bogolyubsky.” - M., 2007. - 320 p.).

Reconstruction of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl by N.N. Voronina

Establishing the Feast of the Intercession in 1164, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky affirmed the idea of ​​preserving the Russian people as bearers of the Orthodox faith during the years of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and the idea of ​​the “Third House of the Virgin Mary.” This idea and path made it possible in the future for the revival of the Russian state amidst this turmoil. Prince Andrei, with the support of the people, managed to pacify and humble all the princes and thereby stop the devastation of the land, managed to move the spiritual center of Rus', its capital, from devastated Kiev to the northeast, to Vladimir-Suzdal Rus', from which Muscovite Rus' and Russia later rose. (Kolesov V.V. The story of the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky // SKKDR. Issue 1. pp. 365 - 367.) Prince Andrei took a direct part in the literary work of Vladimir church writers. He was involved in the creation of the Service of the Intercession (the oldest list is in the parchment Psalter of the 14th century. State Historical Museum, Syn. 431), the legend about the establishment of the Feast of the Intercession (Great Menaion of Chetya. October. St. Petersburg, 1870, columns 4-5), “Words on Pokrov" (ibid., column 6, 17).

All other peoples that became part of the Golden Horde soon assimilated with the Mongols and began to be called Tatars. On medieval maps of Europe, our Russian lands are called “Tartaria”, and all those who inhabited them were called Tartars. The very name “Rus” and “Russians” seemed to have disappeared. But Ancient Rus' was revived and became Great Russia, since Prince Andrei firmly laid the spiritual foundations of the Russian state. He showed the way of gathering Rus' to the Moscow princes: in fact, he was the first Russian monarch to gather Russian lands. And therefore the dark forces brutally killed him on the night of July 17-18, when the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was also killed.

Prince Andrei did a lot: by the day of his death, churches and monasteries had already been built throughout northeastern Rus', he managed to lay the foundation of the future autocratic Orthodox Rus'. As L.A. Tikhomirov noted, the idea of ​​Saint Prince Andrew “continued to develop, only more carefully, among his successors.”

This was a policy of unifying land and state power in the hands of the Grand Duke and his family, contrary to the requirements of the clan appanage system.” The Vladimir-Suzdal cultural heritage created under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky became the basis of the culture of the Moscow Kingdom of the XIV-XV centuries, the Golden Age of the Russian Orthodox Renaissance.

After the death of Prince Andrei, his most cherished aspirations came true. In 1300, Metropolitan Maxim of Vladimir and All Rus' moved the All-Russian Metropolitan See from Kyiv to Vladimir, making the Assumption Cathedral, where the relics of St. Andrew rested, the first-throne cathedral church of the Russian Church, and the Vladimir miraculous icon its main shrine.

Later, when the all-Russian church center shifted to Moscow, the election of metropolitans and patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church took place in front of the Vladimir Icon. In 1448, before her, the Council of Russian Bishops installed the first Russian autocephalous metropolitan - St. Jonah. On November 5, 1917, the election of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon took place before her - the first after the restoration of the patriarchate in the Russian Church.

Natalya Aleksandrovna Lozhkina, candidate of cultural studies, employee of the State Hermitage

[1] Blachernae is a locality in the western part of Constantinople, which was famous throughout the East for its shrines, including the Assumption Church of the Virgin Mary, built by Emperor Leo I the Great (457 - 474), where the vestments of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Her omophorion (Greek “maforium”) were kept in a gold-plated ark " - head cover, large blanket) and part of the belt.

What do we know about the man who saw the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos?

Preface

The Feast of the Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on October 1, old style (October 14, New Style).

According to the Church Charter, although it is not one of the twelve, it is a great holiday, celebrated very solemnly and reverently.

In addition, this is one of the favorite church holidays of our people. Because the Slavs have always greatly revered the Mother of God as their most important Prayer Book and Intercessor before the Lord. Evidence of this is the fact of the existence in Ukraine of three central largest monasteries-laurels, founded in honor of the Virgin Mary. These are the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra and the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra.

But not only monks, but also Cossack warriors revered the Most Holy Theotokos as their Patroness. The Orthodox Church in Zaporozhye Sich was consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. This holiday has always been considered the Day of the Cossacks. Who, if not the monks, waging spiritual warfare with the invisible forces of evil, and who, if not the warriors, too often looking into the eyes of death, could feel this Cover of the Most Holy Theotokos, which the Most Pure Virgin spread over people, praying for their sinful souls, performing daily wondrous and merciful miracles?

Church tradition often expresses the idea that the Mother of God begged Her Divine Son to allow Her to remain invisibly on earth, helping all those who suffer and thirst for consolation.

However, few people know the life of blessed Andrew the Fool, who, in fact, was granted by the Lord to see the Most Holy Theotokos in the Blachernae Church, revealing her omophorion over the praying people...

After all, it is in the essay “The Life and Deeds of Our Holy Father Andrew, the Fool for Christ,” created by a certain priest of the Church of Hagia Sophia Nicephorus, presumably in the 10th century, that Blessed Andrew’s vision in the Blachernae Church of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by a host of saints, is described. It was this life that served as the basis for establishing a holiday in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Holy Rus'...

Perhaps, for you and me, dear readers, this ancient work of a Byzantine priest who lived many centuries ago will reveal something new in our understanding of the bright holiday of the Intercession. It will open, bringing closer to life the great Saint Andrew of Constantinople - this wonderful lamp of God, whom the Most Pure Virgin Mary herself honored with her presence!

Let us open, dear readers, these ancient pages...

Chapter 1. The phenomenon of foolishness

The feat of foolishness or blessedness is, perhaps, one of the most mysterious in Christianity. After the death of her husband, a woman dresses in his uniform, is called by his name, and this becomes for her a step to holiness (Blessed Xenia of Petersburg). Another woman (blessed Pelagia) runs around the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, goes crazy, hits the windows in her cells with stones, but at the same time the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov himself says to her the following: “Go, mother, immediately to my monastery (meaning Diveyevo Monastery - Author's note), take care of my orphans, and you will be a light in the world." Another person (Blessed Theophilus of Kiev), before the wonderful Russian saint, St. Philaret (Amphiteatrov), outstanding in his talents, came to visit him, smeared the door handles with clay, but instead of reproaches he received gratitude.

And such cases abound in the lives of holy fools!

So who are they? Those whom the world feared, despised, considered insane, but who in fact turned out to be wise treasuries of God's grace?

Let us remember the words of the holy chief apostle Paul: “But those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).

The holy fools fulfilled this commandment literally. They renounced everything earthly: comfortable, cozy, but still fettering the soul with the difficult chains of a passionate habit, catching it like a bird in a snare. Instead of warmth - cold, instead of satiety - hunger, instead of a bed - a dung heap, instead of a blanket - the side of a stray dog, instead of affection - abuse, instead of clothes - rags, instead of gratitude - beatings, instead of family - loneliness and misunderstanding, instead of human love - hatred brutal crowd. But as a crown for all their labors, they received the highest reward - virtue - humility. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3)! Their life was equal to the angels. And on earth they lived as disembodied celestial beings. That is why the Lord loved them and endowed them with an abundance of his gifts: healing, casting out demons, foresight, penetration into the most hidden depths of the human heart.

Saint Andrew the Blessed was the same.

One day, one pious maiden, Varvara, looked from the window of her house at a crowded market square. Suddenly, with her spiritual eyes, she saw a certain bright shining pillar walking through the crowd. It was blessed Andrew. People pushed and beat him, the demons rejoiced at this, but the holy Angels gave him heavenly flowers... Holiness is always beyond earthly understanding, for it belongs to the heavenly world.

We honor the beginning of this great and holy path.

Chapter 2. The beginning of the holy path

The time period in which Blessed Andrew lived gives historians many reasons for discussion. The author of the life, Father Nikephoros, indicates at the beginning of the story that the saint lived in Constantinople during the reign of Emperor Leo the Great. Some scientists believe that this is Leo 4 the Wise, who ruled Byzantium in 886-912, others - Leo 1 (457-474). In addition, the text indicates that during one terrible disaster, Saint Andrew prayed for the citizens of Constantinople and was transported by God’s power to the place of the exploit of another saint, Daniel the Stylite, where they prayed together for the people. And Daniel the Stylite died in 493.

The favor of historians who adhere to the first opinion is evidenced by the fact that Father Nikifor says that Blessed Andrew is a worthy follower of the Monk Simeon of Emesa Christ for the sake of the holy fool, who lived in the 6th century. In addition, when analyzing the text, they concluded that it belongs to the monuments of late Byzantine literature of the 10th–11th centuries.

But for us, Orthodox Christians, the main thing is that blessed Andrew really existed, that the Lord showed the world such an amazing spiritual light.

Another interesting piece of evidence is the nationality of the saint. In the original Greek life of St. Andrew the Fool is called a Scythian, in the Russian Chetyi Menaion - a Slav. It is quite possible that the latter is true, since the Byzantines for a long time could not distinguish the Scythians, Slavs and other peoples of the Northern Black Sea region from each other, calling them by the common name “Scythians”.

Be that as it may, a Scythian or Slavic boy falls into slavery to the noble Constantinople protospatharius (chief of the bodyguards in the imperial palace) Theognostus. And this slavery turns into salvation and holiness for him. At Theognost, the child is baptized with the name Andrey. The family of the protospatharia fell in love with the smart and handsome boy. He was soon sent to school, where, as Father Nikifor says, “he learned the Psalter and counting, so that even the teacher marveled at his talent, and no one could think that he was a Scythian, because of his appearance, as well as for prudence of soul, modest behavior and accuracy of records." Theognostus entrusts him with important assignments, and soon Andrei becomes his confidant.

It seemed that a brilliant future awaited the talented teenager, a magnificent career as a metropolitan official was opening up before him.

But these were not the ways of the Lord regarding him...

In the school and family of the protospatharius, Christianity enters deeply into his soul. As it is related in the life: “He loved to read the Holy Scriptures, but even more - the martyrdom of the saints and the lives of the God-bearing fathers, which is why his heart was inflamed with faith in them and awakened to imitate their wonderful deeds. And so, starting with himself, he moved along this path.” Obviously, his soul was a God-seeker, because he wanted nothing more for himself than to serve the Almighty. And the Lord was pleased with this choice of the boy’s path.

Andrei used to get up at night to pray. And then one day, while fulfilling his cell rule, he fell into a deep, divinely inspired sleep. He dreamed of the theater. Previously, the Hellenes actually called a theater a stadium where all sorts of sports competitions and horse races took place. There was also a competition going on at Andrei's theater. Only it was very ancient and more serious. Holy Angels in the guise of beautiful young men fought with demons in the form of black Ethiopians (blacks). And so the boy, observing this picture, saw a huge Ethiopian - the head of the demonic legion. And a certain beautiful Youth descended from heaven, holding three crowns. One was adorned with pure gold and precious stones, the second with pearls, the third woven from heavenly flowers and unfading. And these crowns were so beautiful! Such a fragrance emanated from them that the human mind could not express it! Those were the crowns of heaven...

The soul of Saint Andrew trembled, and he very much wanted to receive these divine rewards. He asked the Young Man what he needed to do for this. The young man replied: “They are not from the vain world, as you thought, but from the treasures of heaven, with which the victors of the Ethiopians are crowned.” And Saint Andrew fought with the leader of the demons and, “grappling with him in a cross shape,” threw him to the ground and defeated him.

After this, the Young Man (and this was Christ himself) put wreaths on the boy’s head and said: “From now on, you are our friend and brother; and therefore run naked in a beautiful race (competition - author's note), become a fool for My sake, and I will make you partaker of many blessings in My kingdom.”

Chapter 3. Andrey, holy fool for Christ's sake

In fact, the feat of foolishness for blessed Andrei was the only way out of the current situation in everyday life. Because if the boy wanted to serve the Lord in other ways - to go to a monastery or try to become a presbyter, it is quite possible that he would not have succeeded because of his masters. He was a slave - the living property of Theognost, and Andrei could not be allowed anywhere, in an everyday way, in a purely human way, ruining his life.

And the saint pretended to be a madman who, according to the laws of the Byzantine Empire, was freed from slavery until his recovery.

Yes, I was freed. But at what a high price!

After his vision the next night, Andrei, at the end of the prayer, took a knife, went to the well and, taking off his tunic, began to chop it into small pieces, like a sleepwalker, uttering some incoherent sounds in confusion, until he was heard by the awakened cook, who, seeing what happened, he called his owners in horror. In great sadness they began to cry over the “mad” boy.

So Andrei the Holy Fool ended up in a psychiatric hospital, which at that time in Constantinople was located in the Church of the Holy Martyr Anastasia. There he was put in chains and given almost no food.

People considered him possessed and said that an evil spirit had possessed him. But the devil himself knew that the great saint was rebelling against him with God’s help and tried with all his might to push Andrei off his chosen path. One night, sitting in shackles, the blessed one prayed. Exactly at midnight, the devil appeared before him with many demons holding clubs, swords and hooks in their paws. And everyone rushed at him. Then Andrew was helped by the intercession of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, who appeared with the holy Angels, drew the sign of the cross in the air and began to flog the wicked. Since then, Saint John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, became the patron and protector of St. Andrew the Fool. And from then on, blessed Andrei began to wage almost continuous spiritual warfare, living on earth as in heaven...

He was soon released, considering him hopeless. The owner refused him. People saw him as possessed. He found himself completely alone in a world hostile to him. Or rather, not alone - the Lord was with him.

Blessed Andrew walked through the crowded streets and squares of Constantinople - this second Rome - and acted like a fool. He wore some rags, slept in winter and summer right on the street pavement, often in a dung heap, ate once a week, and then either a dry crust of bread or some kind of garbage, drank water directly from a puddle. Almost all the citizens of Constantinople considered him possessed, so they beat him, humiliated him, even corrupt women mocked him. The kids spat and threw stones after him.

But the blessed one was neither possessed nor crazy. He healed souls and waged an invisible war against the main enemy of humanity - Satan.

One day, out of childhood curiosity, one boy decided to follow Saint Andrew. He saw how the saint approached the closed doors of the church at night, made the sign of the cross over them, and the doors swung wide open in front of him. The blessed one enters the temple and begins to pray. The boy sneaks after him and sees how, during prayer, Andrei lifts off the floor and soars in the air...

Priest Nicephorus, the author of the life of the saint, talks about a wondrous incident that Blessed Andrew himself told him about.

One year, a harsh winter with severe frosts and prickly winds fell on the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Many poor people froze to death in the streets and squares. Father Nikifor was very worried about Andrei, he looked for him everywhere, but could not find him anywhere. Finally, the priest decided that the blessed one had reposed before God, frozen somewhere in a gateway. But a few weeks later the saint came to him himself. The friends hugged and kissed, and Andrei told Father Nikifor the following story...

...During these terrible cold periods, Andrei froze to the bone. He tried to warm himself near the poor, but they drove him away and did not accept him. Finally, he decided to lie down next to the street dog to warm himself against his furry side, but the dog ran away. And then the blessed one began to die, freezing alone on the city pavement, but still not abandoning his prayer to God, which he performed almost incessantly.

Suddenly, warm golden light poured out from nowhere! And the holy Angel of God appeared to warm him! He delighted Andrei straight to heaven, where the saint was able to rest from his hard labors in the marvelous Garden of Eden, where wonderful birds sang and beautiful trees, which cannot be found on earth, swayed and trembled their leaves in the invisible gentle wind. Then blessed Andrew was awarded the great honor of seeing our Lord Jesus Christ himself, surrounded by countless legions of Angels, and kissing the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, standing in the middle of the clouds, stretched out over the sinful earth to protect it.

Andrei the holy fool was returned to this land when the severe cold had already passed. And it was then that he came to Father Nikifor to tell him about this.

A lot of interesting and spiritually useful things about the spiritual feat of Saint Andrew are written in his life, but, unfortunately, we are limited to the scope of a newspaper article and therefore we will immediately move on to the most famous vision of the blessed one, during which he was honored to behold the Mother of God herself - the Most Holy Theotokos!

Chapter 4. Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos

Once, as Father Nikifor tells us in his essay “The Life and Deeds of Our Holy Father Andrew, the Fool for Christ,” the saint, together with his disciple, a pious young man from a noble Byzantine family, Epiphanius, prayed in the Blachernae Church. Blachernae is a northwestern suburb of Constantinople. At one time, the robe and belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary were brought to the capital of Byzantium from the land of Israel. It was for them that a temple was built in Blachernae, where these greatest shrines of the Orthodox world were kept.

Historians say that it was at this time that Constantinople suffered one of the Slavic attacks that occurred so often in the 10th century, and that the inhabitants of the capital gathered in the Blachernae Church to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the salvation of the city. But, to be honest, the above-mentioned life is silent about this.

We only know that “when the all-night vigil was being celebrated in the holy tomb located in Blachernae, blessed Andrew also went there, doing what was his custom. Epiphanius was also there and one of his servants with him. And since he usually stood, as much as his zeal gave him strength, sometimes until midnight, sometimes until the morning, already at four o’clock in the morning (in our opinion – 10-11 o’clock in the evening – author’s note) Blessed Andrei saw with his own eyes the Most Holy Theotokos, very tall, appearing from the side of the Royal Gate (previously, in the Byzantine church, the Royal Gates were the doors of the central entrance to the temple, where the emperor entered. - Author's note) with a formidable retinue. Among its number were the venerable Forerunner and the Son of Thunder (“Sons of Thunder” - this name was given to the holy apostles from the twelve, the Zebedee brothers James and John, by our Lord Jesus Christ for their zeal for the faith. Here we mean the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian . - Author's note), holding the Mother of God by the arms on both sides, and many other saints, dressed in white, walked in front of Her, and others followed Her with hymns and spiritual chants. And so, when they approached the pulpit, the blessed one approached Epiphanius and said: “Do you see the Lady and Lady of the world?” He answered: “Yes, my spiritual father.” And while they watched, the Mother of God, bending her knees, prayed for a long time, watering Her godlike and most pure face with tears. And after the prayer, She approached the altar, asking for the people standing around. When she finished the prayer, with wonderful dignity she took off the maforium (translated from Greek as “scapular” - a long woman’s veil that goes down from head to toe. It is also an “omophorion.” - Author’s note), which she wore on Her immaculate head. , and which looked like lightning, and took it with Her most pure hands - and it was great and formidable - and spread it over all the people standing there. And for a long time these marvelous men saw him, stretched out over the people and radiating the glory of God like amber. And as long as the Most Holy Theotokos was there, he was visible, and after She left, he was no longer visible, for she, of course, took him with her, and left grace for those who were there. Epiphanius saw this through the mediation of the God-bearing father: after all, he himself, having the opportunity to see all this, conveyed his vision to him as an intermediary. Taking care of him in everything, he endowed him with magnificent glory...”

From the description of this vision we see what kind of spiritual power blessed Andrei possessed, similar to that of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. Because the Virgin Mary herself and many saints honored both saints with her visit!

Chapter 5. The death of Blessed Andrew

Blessed Andrew died as follows...

One evening he came home to Epiphanius, his spiritual disciple. They talked all night. Their conversations are placed in the life in special sections “Questions and Answers” ​​and “Andrew’s Revelations about the End of the World.” Among other things, the saint predicted to Epiphanius that he would be the Patriarch of Constantinople. In the morning, the teacher and student said goodbye. Andrei knew that he was going to die. He prayed and blessed Epiphanius. The young man cried bitterly at this. Then the blessed one went out into the street, walked around the city a little and lay down in one of the porticoes. There he peacefully, with a smile on his face, gave up his ghost, betraying his holy soul into the hands of the Lord. A very strong fragrance emanated from his body - the aroma of peace and incense - so that residents from neighboring houses took to the streets. As the life tells, “the stream of peace, miraculously flowing from his remains, like a river.” One woman found his holy relics, she ran to tell her neighbors, but when they came to the place of his blessed death, Andrei’s body was not there, only the strong aroma of peace and incense came from that place.

I would like to finish the story about Andrei, the holy fool for Christ’s sake, with the words of Father Nicephorus:

“The remains of the righteous man could not be found anywhere, because the Lord, by His decision, transferred them to those places that only He, who knows even about the secret exploits of the saint, knows.

Blessed Andrew, the secret sun and pillar of fire, as high as heaven, a poor wanderer and a madman for the Lord’s sake, rejected by everyone, died in the month of May, on the 28th day, having spent 66 years in a secret struggle - but God knew his service.”

Chapter 6. The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, or God’s Providence in relation to Rus'

In Rus' they have always loved the blessed and holy fools. The path of Orthodoxy differed from Christianity in Hellenic countries. Greek intellectuals needed an evidence base for the correctness of Christianity. That is why saints appeared in the Hellenic world who not only led a righteous life in Christ, but were also outstanding theologians. This is the holy martyr Justin the Philosopher, and saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, and many others.

Orthodoxy in Rus' developed in a completely different way. We, the Eastern Slavs, have something childish in our national character traits. We don’t believe something for a long time, we can laugh at it, but if we already believe, then selflessly, giving our whole soul without a trace. We do not need philosophical justifications and arguments. We need a personal example. That is why we have such luminaries as St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk, Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov. That is why we began very early to venerate the innocently murdered martyrs Boris and Gleb. That is why in Rus', already in the 10th century, the work of the priest Nicephorus “The Life and Deeds of Our Holy Father Andrew, the Fool for Christ’s Sake” was one of the most popular books.

We Slavs, like children, believe in miracles and personal feats, and in this way we are very similar to those simple Galilean fishermen who, by the calling of God, became holy apostles.

It seems like a phenomenon that the event that took place in the Greek Church - the vision of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos by Blessed Andrew in the Blachernae Church - was not noted in any way by the Greeks. Thanks to the life of St. Andrew, this holiday was first established in Rus' and only then became known to the rest of the Orthodox world. Moreover, they knew about it already in ancient times. In the lists of Christian holidays in Rus', the Feast of the Intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary was already listed in the 12th century. The chronicles mention that at this time it was widely celebrated in Kyiv and that in 1148 there was the Pokrovsky Zverinetsky Monastery in Novgorod. According to one version of the historiography of the event, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky contributed a lot to the establishment of this holiday in Rus'.

Why did this particular holiday stand out so much in Rus' and go unnoticed in the Hellenic world?

In my opinion, this is due to the special veneration of the Virgin Mary among the Slavs. We have always loved the Most Holy Theotokos very much and treated Her as our own Mother Intercessor. And how, with such an attitude, could we bypass the vision of St. Andrew the Fool, in which She spread Her divine cover over people?!

Of course not.

On the contrary, in the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos there is something of the relationship between mother and child. When all of Rus', like a child, calls out to the Virgin Mary as to its own mother, and She envelops us with Her omophorion - HER LOVE. That is why the Mother of God loves the Slavs and protects us. And does not leave with his affection...

By the way, there is another interesting historical theory that has a fairly strong factual basis. From the life of Blessed Andrew we know for certain that Epiphanius, by the will of God, became His Holiness the Patriarch of Constantinople - the head of the Byzantine Church. Of course, according to monastic custom, he was given a different name. The question is, which of the Patriarchs of Constantinople known to us was at the beginning of his life a student of Andrei Epiphanius? Many scholars believe that this is Patriarch Nicholas Chrysoverg, who ruled the Church of Constantinople for 12 years and 8 months (982–994).

Rus' was baptized in 988. This means that the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir sent ambassadors to this patriarch with a request to deliver the Orthodox metropolitan and priests to the Slavic land. And it was this patriarch, together with the emperor, who made the historical decision on the need for the Baptism of Rus'.

Nothing happens for nothing with the Lord. Everything is interconnected, everything has the ultimate goal of saving people. A Slavic boy falls into slavery in Constantinople, becomes an outstanding Byzantine saint - Andrew, a holy fool for Christ's sake, spiritually educates his disciple Epiphanius, who is later elevated to the rank of His Holiness Patriarch of Constantinople, and he directly contributes to the Baptism of Rus'.

Truly God's Providence! Wonderful are Your works, O Lord!

On the bright feast of the Intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, it remains for us to exclaim with the rest of the Orthodox world:

“Rejoice, our Joy, cover us from all evil with Your Honorable Omophorion!”

Saint Andrew of Smolensk, why should we pray to him?

Commemoration October 27 - the discovery of relics in 1539, July 8 (local in the Pereslavl-Zalessky St. Nicholas Convent) - the second discovery of relics in 2000 [1], in the Cathedrals of Smolensk and Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints

Nothing is known about the initial period of the life of the holy noble prince Andrei, since he hid his origin. Around 1360, Saint Andrew, as a poor wanderer, came to Pereyaslavl (modern Pereslavl-Zalessky) and settled at the church in honor of St. Nicholas at the city gates, after some time he became a sexton and carried out this obedience for 30 years. After the death of the saint, a gold chain and a ring were found on his body - signs of princely dignity, iron chains - a sign of secret asceticism, as well as a small note on which was written in his hand: “I am Andrei, one of the Smolensk princes. Out of envy and sedition from my brothers, I left my reign, and my house, and so on.”

Based on the text of the note, Archbishop. Filaret (Gumilevsky) assumed that Andrei was the son of the Smolensk prince Fyodor the Blind Fominsky, a contemporary of the Grand Duke Simeon the Proud (+ 1353). The Smolensk principality was then fragmented into small parts, the division of any inheritance between the Smolensk princes (there were 17 of them at one time) was accompanied by envy and quarrels. The alleged father of Prince Andrei, Fyodor, went to Tver, and Andrei himself chose the path of humiliation, poverty, secret asceticism and prayer.

The sexton prince was buried at St. Nicholas Church, his body wrapped in birch bark. Subsequently, the gold chain and ring were taken by Vel. book John III Vasilyevich, who gave for them to the church of St. Nikolai's friend. It was probably then that a service to the blessed Prince Andrei was compiled, an icon was painted, that is, local glorification was performed; The saint's chains were kept in the church.

The Monk Daniel was greatly upset by the decision of the Metropolitan and the investigators he sent and predicted that for their lack of faith in the holiness of the saint of God, all three would suffer sorrow: the Metropolitan would soon be dethroned, he predicted various misfortunes for Jonah, and the deprivation of his beloved son for Guria. At first they were embarrassed when they heard the formidable predictions of the ascetic, then they said that due to old age he had lost his senses (at that time the monk was 80 years old) and was saying inappropriate things.

The relics of Prince Andrei were covered with shrouds, placed in a new coffin and buried.

Subsequently, the name of the holy noble prince Andrei of Smolensk was included in the calendar. On October 27, “the discovery of the relics of the holy blessed prince Andrei of Smolensk, also in Pereyaslavl Zalessky”

noted in the Monthly Book of Simon (Azaryin) ser. 1650s [3]. In addition, the saint’s memory on November 30 is noted in the Kaidalovsky calendar. XVII century [4]. By the decree of the Pereyaslav Consistory of August 14, 1749, it was prescribed to commemorate Saint Prince Andrew at litias and dismissals throughout the Pereyaslav diocese [5].

It can be assumed that after the discovery of the relics of the blessed Prince Andrei, they were placed under cover inside the restored wooden church of St. Nicholas, which has since been called the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. book Andrey.

During one of the fires, the church completely burned down, but the tombstone of the blessed prince, on which there was a shroud and icons of the Most Holy Theotokos and the saint, remained intact.

In 1714, on the site of the wooden church, a stone one was built and a nunnery in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established with it. book Andrei Smolensky, abolished in 1764 [6]. The church became a parish church and was destroyed during Soviet times.

The second discovery of the relics of St. Andrew took place on July 21, 2000, and a wooden cross was installed at the site of discovery. Currently, the relics rest in the Pereslavl-Zalessky Nikolsky convent in the Swamp.

In the Menaion (MP) on October 27, the day of the discovery of the relics of the Blessed Virgin Mary. book Andrew, a vigil service has been held. During the service of the Cathedral of Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints, St. Andrew is mentioned in the book of verse stichera of Vespers, as well as in the third troparion of the eighth canon of the Matins canon.

The life of the blessed prince Andrei of Smolensky [7] is an extract from the life of St. Daniil Pereyaslavsky with a short introduction. Life of St. Daniel was compiled, according to some researchers, in 1562-1563 (N. N. Pokrovsky), according to others - in 1556-1563 (S. I. Smirnov, O. A. Belobrova) by the confessor of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible , the future Metropolitan of Moscow Athanasius, who was born in Pereyaslavl, in 1530-1549 was the rector of the cathedral church of the city, a witness to the life of St. Daniel and his disciple [8].

One of the earliest images of the saint is a fresco of 1662-1668, made by the artel of Gury Nikitin, on the southern edge of the southwestern pillar of the Trinity Cathedral of the Pereslavl-Zalessky Danilov Monastery. The saint is presented full-length, frontally, in princely clothes: a dark cherry dress, decorated with floral patterns and borders, with a belt, in a blue-green cloak, fastened on the chest with a fibula; the right hand with an open palm, the left hand down; he has shoulder-length dark brown hair, parted in the middle, and a short rounded beard.

In the iconographic original of the late 18th century. [9] about the appearance of the holy Prince Andrew it is said: “Like Nikita the martyr with brad, and hair over his plaid, a cross in his hand, a sword in his left, princely vestments.”

The trace of his half-length image on an icon of the 17th century has been preserved. [10].

Having loved the blessedness of the Gospel,/ God-wise Prince Andrei,/ you honored the purity of your heart with virginity,/ and you despised the vanity of this world,/ you rushed to see God,/ who glorified your miracles. in healing the variously afflicted./ For this reason we pray to you:/ ask us from Christ the Lord / from all sorrows of deliverance / / and receiving the Kingdom of Heaven.

Troparion, voice 2

Your city Smolensk, being alien,/ you settled in the city of Pereyaslavl,/ and in the house of St. Nicholas, you completed your temporary life with a cruel life,/ you entered into the heavenly foretaste To Christ,/ pray to him for those who keep your memory,/ let us all cry out to you: / Rejoice, holy Prince Andrei, / / ​​angel interlocutor and human helper.

Troparion, tone 4

Having risen to virtue/ and, having purified your mind, you achieved a beautiful desire,/ having been greatly adorned with dispassion by your fasting,/ in your prayers you ascended without flesh/ and rose in the world, like one Sun, in the city of Pereyaslavl, / blessed father, holy prince Andrey of Smolensk, // pray for our souls to be saved.

Planted in the courts of the Lord, / by your reverend children, / in the house of the holy Wonderworker Nicholas, / you flourished beautifully, / counting the beauty and glory of this world as nothing, / One Thou hast loved Christ;/ let us drink the flow of thy tears,/ thou hast been wounded by desire future gifts./ We also call you:/ Rejoice, holy Prince Andrey of Smolensk, // I will send praise to the city // and great affirmation to the entire Russian land.

We please you,/ blessed Grand Duke Andrei,/ and honor your holy memory;/ for you pray for us/ Christ our God.

[1] “Second discovery of the relics of the Blgv. book Andrei Smolensky, Pereyaslavl Wonderworker (2000)”, page of the Monastic Bulletin

, official website of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism of the Russian Orthodox Church, https://monasterium.ru/monastyri/prazdniki/vtoroe-obretenie-m. 0-/ .

[2] RSL. Trinity No. 696. L. 228 volume - 229

[3] RSL. MDA. No. 201. L. 306

[4] Sergius (Spassky). P. 332

[5] Golubinsky. P. 557

[6] Zverinsky. T. 2. No. 986. P. 228

[7] RSL. Trinity No. 696. L. 221-255, XVII century.

[8] The life is preserved in the lists: State Historical Museum. Syn. No. 926, XVI century; RSL. Und. No. 301, 1663

The holy noble prince Andrei was the son of the Smolensk prince Theodore Fominsky. Even in his youth, burdened by the infighting of his brothers, he left his hometown and came to Pereyaslavl-Zalessky as a simple wanderer. In humility and meekness, he served for thirty years as a sexton in the church of St. Nicholas, near which he was buried. After his death, they discovered a hereditary princely ring, a gold chain and a note with the words: “I am Andrei, one of the Smolensk princes.” The discovery of the relics of the holy noble prince Andrei of Smolensk took place in 1539 at the request of the Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl († 1540, commemorated April 7).

The poor sexton was buried at the St. Nicholas Church, where he held his modest service, and his body was wrapped in birch bark.

Many years have passed since then, but the residents of Pereyaslavl remembered the ascetic sexton. Soon after his death, they began to venerate him as a saint and celebrate his memory on the day of his repose - October 27; painted his image; compiled a service - special stichera and a canon. But then, around the middle of the 16th century, the celebration of the memory of St. Andrew for some reason stopped, and they began to forget about the ascetic. At that time, the Monk Daniel, a native of this city, labored in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, who probably knew well the oral traditions about Saint Andrew and visited the temple where the saint served as a sexton, and his grave, saw his image and chains. The monk decided to contribute to the glorification of Saint Prince Andrew.

The monk was greatly upset by Jonah's reproachful words. He began to cry and said that he did not act arbitrarily, but with the permission of the Tsar and the Metropolitan, who ordered him to examine the relics of St. Andrew; pointed to his image; referred to the service of the saint. Finally, he introduced three people who received healing from ailments during the opening of the relics: the ruler of the royal villages, John Oklyacheev, said that he was healed of a long-term headache after touching the relics of the holy prince; one woman from Pereyaslavl said that for three years she suffered from a severe throat disease, could not utter a word, but when, at the discovery of the relics of St. Andrew, she took a piece of birch bark and swallowed it, she immediately felt relieved and began to speak; another woman was also healed from a long-term eye disease with the help of birch bark from the relics of the saint.

This meant that Metropolitan Joasaph left the matter to the decision of Jonah and Guria themselves, and they considered the evidence of the holiness of Prince Andrew insufficiently clear and refused to glorify the saint of God with a church celebration. The Monk Daniel was greatly upset by the decision of the Metropolitan and the investigators he sent and predicted that for their lack of faith in the holiness of the saint of God, all three would suffer sorrow: the Metropolitan would soon be dethroned, he predicted various misfortunes for Jonah, and the deprivation of his beloved son for Guria. At first they were embarrassed when they heard the formidable predictions of the ascetic, then they said that due to old age he had lost his senses (at that time the monk was 80 years old) and was saying inappropriate things. However, the prophecy of the Monk Daniel definitely came true.

The ascetic’s concerns about the glorification of Saint Prince Andrew were not in vain. From that time on, the memory of the holy prince came to life again in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and his memory began to be celebrated locally. By decree of the Holy Synod of 1749, a local celebration of the blessed Prince Andrei was approved; The decree prescribed: at all services in churches in the city of Pereyaslavl, Saint Prince Andrew should be commemorated next to the names of other saints of Pereyaslavl.

Miracles continued to occur at his tomb. So, during one fire, the wooden church of St. Nicholas burned to the ground, but the coffin of the holy prince, his image standing above the coffin, the shroud and the icon of the Mother of God on the coffin remained safe and unharmed.

Currently, the holy relics of the blessed Prince Andrei rest under cover in the Church of St. Nicholas.

Having loved the blessedness of the Gospel, the God-wise Prince Andrei, you honored the purity of your heart with virginity, and despising the vanity of this world, you strived to see God, who glorified you with miracles in healing the variously afflicted. For this reason, we pray to you: ask Christ the Lord for deliverance from all sorrows and to receive the Kingdom of Heaven.

Your city of Smolensk, as if it were alien, settled in the city of Pereyaslavl, and in the house of St. Nicholas, having completed a temporary life through a cruel life, you ascended into the heavenly presence of Christ; Pray for those who create your memory, and we all cry out to you: Rejoice, holy Prince Andrew, angel interlocutor and human helper.

Having risen to virtue and, having purified your mind, you have achieved the desire for beauty, having been fairly adorned with your fasting with dispassion, you have ascended incorporeally in prayers and risen in the world like the sun, in the city of Pereyaslavl, blessed father, holy prince Andrei of Smolensk, pray for the salvation of our souls.

You were planted in the courts of the Lord by your reverend children, in the house of the holy wonderworker Nicholas you blossomed red, you counted the beauty and glory of this world for nothing, you loved Christ alone; Let us flow with your tears, you are wounded by the desire for future gifts. We also call you: Rejoice, holy Prince Andrei of Smolensk, I will relay praise to the city and great affirmation to the entire Russian land.

Oh, holy and faithful Prince Andrei, give us, the servants of God (names), a helping hand and deliver us from every slander of the enemy: be our merciful protector and a quick healer from our illnesses: freedom us from the hand of a stranger, and from every source of evil. Behold, through many troubles we have been brought, through all the evil sorrows of contrition, to the doors of death, from sorrow we have fallen into sin and anger from God, and have driven Him away from ourselves. Moreover, be our leader and intercessor before our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we send glory with His Beginning Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

First Prayer O exceedingly wonderful and wondrous in miracles, glorified by God in heaven, worker of Christ's grapes, inhabitant of the highest Zion, the pre-built city of Jerusalem! The saints are the joy of the Angel and the wondrous goodness of man, having longed for wonderful and wondrous heavenly villages, and now you are a co-perceiver with all the saints. Even though by nature you, holy Prince Andrew, were a man, you labored diligently in your struggles and received an endless future age. You were a strange stranger on earth, and for this reason you received life in heaven. Having left the earthly and perishable fatherland, you accepted the incorruptible and eternal. The Lord God has crowned you with the gift of miracles, to heal ailments on earth and to graciously greet those who come to you with faith; May the Lord God show you to us, merciful, like a merciful father to his sick children. For this reason, we pray that we stand before your multi-healing tomb, asking and praying to you in bewilderment, so that you may cover us sinners with your wonderful cover, not made of gold and silver, but given by God in grace. We stand tenderly before your grave with fear, defiled in every sin; For this reason, we shed tears and tenderly appeal to you: have mercy on us, O holy and wondrous blessed Grand Duke Andrei, give us a helping hand and God’s mercy. We offer you as an intercessor to God, we wish for help from God; We know that you are not a false servant of God, deliver us from every slander of the enemy. Be a merciful protector for us and a quick healer from our illnesses. Free from the hand of a stranger and from every excuse of evil. Through many troubles, we have been crushed by all evil sorrows, we have gone down to the doors of death from sorrow, and have angered God with our sins, and have driven Him away from ourselves. For this reason, be our leader and intercessor, intercessor and defender, to our Lord Jesus Christ and to His merciful Father and the Holy Spirit, in three hypostases one God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins and much mercy from Him. Be, O saint of God, a supporter and intercessor of the entire Christ-loving army against all non-Orthodox and cross-hating evil and foreign enemies and adversaries, may the memory of their evil faith be consumed, may courage and strength and cities be destroyed, but do not forget our Russian country, but forever Look upon us, and beseech God for every abundance of the fruits of the earth, and be a helper and a quick healer to all those who call on you with faith in all sorrows, illnesses and misfortunes. Grant us abundant health and unflagging help to those who pray to you, through the grace and generosity and love of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, to Him be glory and power, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer O holy and faithful Prince Andrew, give us, the servants of God (names), a helping hand and deliver us from every slander of the enemy: be our merciful protector and a quick healer from our illnesses: free us from the hand of a stranger, and from every excuse of evil. Behold, through many troubles we are, through all the evil sorrows of contrition, to the doors of mortals, from sorrow we have gone down and angered God with our sins and have driven Him away from ourselves. Therefore, be our leader and intercessor before our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we send glory with His Beginning Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.