Who is Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky
One of the most revered in the Russian Orthodox Church is St. Alexander Nevsky.
This is one of the most famous Russian rulers and commanders. His life time was 1220 - 1263. He spent his childhood in Pereslavl-Zalessky, and in 1236 he became the prince of Novgorod. These were difficult years, when German knights and Swedish troops attacked the Novgorod land. Alexander Nevsky was able to successfully resist the conquerors. In 1240, the Novgorodians, led by the great Commander, defeated the Swedish troops on the Neva. It was in honor of this battle that Prince Alexander began to be called Nevsky. And in 1242, Russian troops were able to defeat the Teutonic knights in the Battle of Lake Peipsi.
The wisdom of the Grand Duke of Novgorod was that he continued the policy of his father Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. In order to prevent the ruin of Rus', Alexander Nevsky continued to strengthen friendship with the Golden Horde. Having visited Batu, the prince refused to bow to pagan idols and thereby earned the respect of the khan. Subsequently, thanks to the efforts of the prince, it was possible to open a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church on the territory of the Khanate. This made it possible to lay the foundation for the future multinational Russian state.
Alexander Nevsky died on his way home after another diplomatic mission to the Golden Horde. Before his death, he became a monk with the name Alexy. His body was carried to Vladimir for ten days, but it remained incorrupt.
Alexander Nevsky was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Macarius at the Moscow Cathedral in 1547. In 1721, on the day of Peter I’s victory over the Swedes, it was decided to transfer the relics of the Grand Duke from Vladimir to the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. The relics are still there today.
Life
The Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky was born on May 13, 1221 in the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. His father, Yaroslav, in Baptism Theodore, was the youngest son of Vsevolod III the Big Nest. Mother of St. Alexandra, Feodosia Igorevna, was the daughter of Mstislav Udaly (Udatny). In 1227, Prince Yaroslav, at the request of the Novgorodians, began to reign in Novgorod the Great. He took his sons, Fyodor and Alexander, with him.
The most difficult time in the history of Rus' began: Mongol hordes were coming from the east, hordes of knights were approaching from the west. At this terrible hour, God’s Providence raised up the holy Prince Alexander, a great prayer warrior, ascetic and builder of the Russian land, for the salvation of Rus'.
Taking advantage of Batu's invasion, hordes of crusaders invaded the borders of the Fatherland. The Swedes were the first. Many ships approached the Neva under the command of Earl Birger. St. Alexander, who was not yet 20 years old at the time, prayed for a long time in the Church of Hagia Sophia. Archbishop Spyridon blessed St. the prince and his army to battle. Coming out of the temple, Alexander strengthened his squad with words filled with faith: “God is not in power, but in truth. Some with weapons, others on horses, but we will call on the name of the Lord our God!” With a small retinue, the prince hurried towards the enemies. But there was a wonderful omen: a warrior standing on sea patrol saw at dawn on July 15 a boat sailing on the sea, and on it St. martyrs Boris and Gleb in scarlet robes. Alexander, encouraged, courageously led his army against the Swedes with prayer. “And there was a great slaughter with the Latins, and he killed countless numbers of them, and he put a seal on the leader’s face with a sharp spear.” For this victory on the Neva River, won on July 15, 1240, the people called St. Alexandra Nevsky.
The German knights remained a dangerous enemy. In 1241, with a lightning march of St. Alexander returned the ancient Russian fortress of Koporye, expelling the knights. In winter 1242, he liberated Pskov, and on April 5 he gave the Teutonic Order a decisive battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi. The Crusaders were completely defeated. Name of St. Alexandra became famous throughout Holy Rus'.
The western borders of the Russian land were securely fenced, the time had come to secure Rus' from the east. In 1242 St. Alexander Nevsky and his father Yaroslav went to the Horde. The Lord crowned the sacred mission of the defenders of the Russian land with success, but it took years of work and sacrifice. Prince Yaroslav gave his life for this. The alliance bequeathed by the father with the Golden Horde - then necessary to prevent a new defeat of Rus' - continued to strengthen the St. Alexander Nevskiy. Promising his support, St. Alexander gave Batu the opportunity to go on a campaign against Mongolia and become the main force in the entire Great Steppe. In 1252, many Russian cities rebelled against the Tatar yoke. Once again a threat arose to the very existence of Rus'. St. Alexander again had to go to the Horde to ward off the punitive invasion of the Tatars from the Russian lands. St. Alexander became the sole Grand Duke of all Rus'. In 1253 he repelled a new raid on Pskov, in 1254 he concluded an agreement on peaceful borders with Norway, and in 1256 he went on a campaign to Finnish land. In the darkness of paganism, St. Alexander carried the light of evangelical preaching and Orthodox culture. All of Pomerania was enlightened and mastered by the Russians.
In 1256 Khan Batu died. The Holy Prince went to Sarai for the third time to confirm the peaceful relations of Rus' and the Horde with the new Khan Berke. In 1261, through the efforts of St. Alexander and Metropolitan Kirill was established in Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde, a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Orthodox prayers to the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky
Prayers to Alexander Nevsky have special power. Near the river with the relics of the Saint, magical healings occur. Legend has it that Tsar John Vasilyevich himself, before going to Kazan, asked for a blessing from the relics of Alexander Nevsky in Vladimir.
Prayers to Alexander Nevsky, said on certain days, are especially effective. This is the day of the prince’s death on December 6 and the day of the transfer of his relics to St. Petersburg on September 12. In Orthodox chronicles one can find many descriptions of miraculous stories that the Saint always helped those who sincerely asked him for help.
What do they ask for and how do they pray to the Saint?
Believers turn to the Saint with various requests. At all times, people prayed in front of the icon of Alexander Nevsky for the protection of their Fatherland from enemy invasion. In addition, the Saint is asked that the rulers and rulers of the world be of good character and show concern for people.
Orthodox prayer to Alexander Nevsky always helps in military affairs. Believers pray before the icon of the Saint to gain wisdom in order to achieve their goal. During prayer, a person’s soul is filled with courage and courage, which allows him to overcome life’s adversities. Alexander Nevsky is considered the patron saint of warriors, so he reliably protects those who wear his icon under their hearts and turn to him with a prayer for support.
Mothers pray to Saint Alexander Nevsky for their sons who have gone to military service. Believers also turn to him for help in strengthening their faith.
Text of the original prayer in Russian
In the original, the Orthodox prayer to Alexander Nevsky reads as follows:
Prayer for wealth
Prayer for wealth is considered very popular. With its help you can stabilize your own financial situation.
The prayer needs to be said for the money in the wallet, and it sounds like this:
“Oh, holy, faithful and reliable protector Prince Alexander! Hear the requests of the sinful and unworthy Servant of God (Servant of God) (proper name). Ask for me before God for my calm and serene life, so that it is filled with health and prosperity. I believe in your strong representation and the mercy of the Almighty Lord. May he grant me grace in earthly life and long life, may he show me the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, to which I will strive, remembering the need for prayer and glorifying the Almighty tirelessly and sincerely. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”
Prayer from enemies
The following Orthodox prayer from enemies is very powerful:
“Quick and reliable helper to all believers who come running to you with all their souls, our sincere petitioner before the Lord, holy and faithful Grand Duke, Alexander! Hear us unworthy, treat our requests with mercy and understanding, we have committed many indecent iniquities for ourselves, we have now come to your relics (or to your icon) and from the depths of our hearts we cry to you. During your lifetime you were a zealous defender of the Orthodox faith, so help us in our faith to be strengthened by your prayers to God. You are great, help us gain strength in life and guide us on the righteous path pleasing to God. You, during your lifetime, defeated the enemy regiments, drove them away from the Russian borders, and destroy all our visible and invisible enemies. You, having left the crown of the kingdom, preferred a silent life, and now righteously crowned with an incorruptible crown, you reign in heaven, intercede for us too, we humbly pray to you, we ask you through your representation to arrange for us a quiet and serene life. We also pray for your help in directing us to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Standing together with all the saints near the throne of God, pray for all of us, Orthodox Christians, that the Lord God will preserve us all in peace, health, long life and all prosperity for many years to come. We glorify and bless God, in the Holy Trinity, glorified Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Author of the article:
Natalya Nadezhdina
Texts of prayers
The Holy Fathers claim that it is very useful to pray. After all, by turning the heart to God, a person gains strength and is filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, you can pray at any time. Even while on the road or doing ordinary household routine, a person can turn to his heavenly intercessors.
But, of course, prayer in front of icons, with a lit candle or lamp will help you concentrate and tune in to the right mood. You can sign yourself with the sign of the cross, bow to the ground and bow from the waist. You need to pray to the east.
In the rite of the Russian Orthodox Church there are several important prayers to the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky. To honor the patron on memorable dates, a canon or akathist is read. If a person does not have the strength for such service, one can limit oneself to singing the troparion and kontakion.
A short prayer to the saint for health can be read every day to strengthen the spirit and body. The same prayer can accompany special personal requests to the heavenly patron. Ask him for help or thank him.
A lengthy prayer to be read in front of the relics or image of St. Alexander should be read on a pilgrimage or in front of an icon. This prayer immerses a person in a spiritual state and strengthens the spirit of a Christian.
Troparion and Kontakion
Troparion, Tone 4
As you were at the root of a pious and most honorable branch, blessed Alexandra, for Christ manifests you as a kind of Divine treasure of the Russian land, a new miracle worker, glorious and God-pleasing. And today, having come together in your memory with faith and love, in psalms and singing we joyfully glorify the Lord, who gave you the grace of healing. Pray to him to save this city, and for our country to be pleasing to God, and for our sons of Russia to be saved.
Kontakion, Tone 8
As we honor your bright star, which shone from the east and came to the west, enriching this entire country with miracles and kindness, and enlightening with faith those who honor your memory, blessed Alexandra. For this reason, today we celebrate your dormition, your existing people, pray to save your Fatherland, and all your relics flowing to the race, and truly crying out to you: Rejoice, strengthening of our city.
Prayer for health
Oh, holy and faithful Prince Alexandra! Look mercifully upon us, unworthy servants of God (names), and grant us a quiet and serene life, and a steady march towards the eternal Kingdom through your intercession, arrange for us, may the Lord God preserve us I wish you grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the coming years May we ever glorify and bless God in the Trinity of Saints, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Prayer before the icon
Quick helper to all those who diligently come running to you and our warm representative before the Lord, holy and faithful Prince Alexandra! Look mercifully upon us, unworthy, who have created many iniquities that are unnecessary for ourselves, to the race of your relics (or: your icon) now flowing and from the depths of the heart calling to you: you are in In your life you were a zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith, and we are warm in it strengthen us unshakably with your prayers. You carefully carried out the great service entrusted to you, and with your help, guide us to remain in it every time you were called to eat. Having defeated the regiments of adversaries, you drove them away from the Russian borders, and brought down all visible and invisible enemies against us. You, having abandoned the corruptible crown of the earthly kingdom, chose a silent life, and now you are righteously crowned with an imperishable crown, reigning in Heaven, intercede for us too, we humbly pray to you, A quiet and serene life and a steady march towards the Eternal Kingdom through your intercession arrange for us. Standing with all the saints before the Throne of God, praying for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God preserve them with His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the coming years, and We greatly glorify and bless God, in the Trinity of Saints we glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Activity
A wise politician and manager, the prince was aware of the power superiority of the Mongols over the Russian people, and therefore strived for peaceful relations with the Mongol khans. He managed to obtain permission for the Russian princes to bring tribute to the khan, which allowed them to gain years of respite from the raids of the Mongol Baskaks.
The prince devoted much effort to strengthening the borders of cities and restoring trade relations interrupted by the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, supported the activities of artisans, and favored the chroniclers.
Iconography and description of the icon
The prince was canonized in the second half of the 16th century. Until then, his icons were not painted, but only miniatures were created. It was by the middle of the sixteenth century. refers to the oldest known icon. On it the prince is depicted together with St. John and Abraham. The holy fathers are filled with meekness and humility; each of them holds a scroll in their hands.
In the first years after the canonization of the prince, there were few images in which the saint was represented as a warrior in appropriate clothing. After the decree of Peter I, the Great Synod allowed the saint to be depicted in princely robes. However, there are icons in which he is depicted in the robes of a monk.
The image in a monastic robe is complemented by a cross in his hand. If Alexander is depicted in the clothes of a prince, then a sword rests in his hand. There are also icons in which the prince holds a cross in his right hand and a sword in his left.
