All about Sergius of Radonezh. Reverend Sergei of Radonezh - the holy land of Russia

Sergius of Radonezh is a saint especially revered in the Russian world. His deeds laid the foundation for the very existence of the concept of Russian spirituality. We know about the life of this saint from the manuscript of Sergius' disciple, Epiphanius the Wise, under the title "The Life of Sergius of Radonezh". You can learn a summary of this book and the history of its creation from this article.

Birth Facts and First Miracles

Everything that we know about Sergius is known from the book “The Life of Sergius of Radonezh”, which was recorded by Epiphanius the Wise. This manuscript cannot be called absolutely correct from a historical point of view. Epiphanius does not even cite the year of the birth of the saint in the Life of Sergius of Radonezh, limiting himself to mentioning the kings ruling at that time, which is why modern researchers are still arguing about establishing one accepted date. In fact, only the date of the death of Sergius of Radonezh is reliably known - all the rest life milestones not finalized

The year of birth of Sergius of Radonezh assumed by historians is 1314 or 1322. He was born in one of the Rostov villages, the name of which Epiphanius also does not indicate. Most likely, it was the village of Varnitsa - it now houses the Trinity-Sergius Monastery in honor of the saint. After some time, the whole family - parents and three sons - moved to Radonezh, thanks to which Sergius got his nickname. The parents' names were Cyril and Maria, and the brothers were Stefan and Peter. They were noble and pious people- pride, usually overtaking wealthy boyars, was unknown to them.

It is believed that Sergius performed his first miracle while still in the womb of his mother. Being on demolition, mother Sergius Maria attended a service in the church - and at that time, her unborn son cried out three times inside her. Frightened, Mary asked the priest, what does this mean? He reassured her and declared that it was the Lord himself who marked her unborn child - he would bring a lot of glory to the Russian land.

The newborn son continued to work miracles: in those days when Mary ate meat, the baby refused milk - realizing this, the woman began to fast. And already at an older age, the boy refused to eat on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on other days he ate bread and water.

The future Sergius received the name Bartholomew at baptism. Remember the picture of the artist Mikhail Nesterov “Vision to the youth Bartholomew” - it is dedicated to one of the episodes of the life of Sergius of Radonezh. The painting depicts a young, even very young Sergius Bartholomew and an angel who appeared to him in the form of an old man. This event is listed in the "Life ..." as the Miraculous teaching of the lad Bartholomew to read and write.

One day, his father sent Bartholomew to fetch horses in the field. On the way, the boy met an old man in the robes of a monk praying under a tree. It was to him that he told about his difficulties in overcoming school science. The old man prayed for Bartholomew and gave him a taste of church bread - prosphora, promising that from now on he would know the letter better than his brothers. It should be noted that Bartholomew just lagged behind in reading and writing, although he tried to study diligently.

Impressed by the conversation, the lad invited the elder to visit his parents. The elder willingly agreed and had instructive conversations at dinner, and then asked Bartholomew to read the scripture. And lo and behold, the boy not only read it well, but sang out what was written like a church. The parents were surprised and thanked the elder. When the time came for the guest to leave, he stepped outside the gate and ... disappeared into the air. Then the whole family realized that their son and brother would have to extraordinary life. This case is considered to be fundamental in the decision of the young Bartholomew to devote his life to the church and God.

Monk Care

After the death of his parents, Bartholomew joined his older brother Stefan, who was already a monk at the Khotkovsky Monastery. But the brothers did not stay here for long: the younger was eager to go into the desert and lead a hermit's life. Together they founded a small skete and a church in honor of the Trinity on the Konchura River. This settlement was destined to turn into the Trinity-Sergius Lavra - now the main monastery Russian Orthodox Church. And around the monastery, in turn, the city of Sergiev Posad will grow, but all this will happen several centuries later.

Stefan soon left his brother - it was unusual for him to live in complete isolation - and went to the Moscow Epiphany Monastery. But Bartholomew did not remain alone for long - a certain hegumen Mitrofan joined him. According to the Life of Sergius of Radonezh, it was he who took the vows of Bartholomew. After some time, the hermitage ceased to be such - other monks began to settle around the skete. The community independently equipped the territory and ran the household, and Sergius was revered as the founder and obeyed as the wisest of all.

Becoming abbot

Sergius, with his characteristic modesty, at first did not want to take on the obligations of the government. However, the community thought differently - who, if not the founder of the monastery, should become abbot? And Sergius received a blessing from Bishop Athanasius of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. The rules in the monastery were simple: to work for the good of the community and not to beg. According to the Life of Sergius of Radonezh, the saint did not shy away from hard work and encouraged others to do it. He independently engaged in the construction of churches and cells, sewed clothes and managed the household in every possible way.

The monastery grew and Sergius, on the advice of Patriarch Philaret of Constantinople himself, changed the charter, making it even more strict. If before that the things at the disposal of the monks were considered personal, now everything belonged to the monastery. The brethren, having heard such a decree, began to grumble - and Sergius, not wanting to cause confusion, left on his own. The road led him to the Kirzhach River, where he founded a new skete, which later turned into the Annunciation Monastery. But the native Trinity Monastery began to decline without its founder - and the community again turned to Sergius. He left his new home, leaving his disciple Roman as hegumen and returned to the Trinity Monastery.

Blessing for the Battle of Kulikovo

During the years of the deeds of Sergius of Radonezh, Russia began its liberation from under Tatar-Mongol yoke. Grand Duke Before the Battle of Kulikovo, which changed the course of history, Dmitry Donskoy visited the elder and asked his blessing. Sergius admonished Dmitry "to go against the godless, because the Lord will help in the fight against them." These words strengthened the belief in victory among the entire army and, as you know, turned out to be prophetic.

Sergius also blessed two monks for the battle for Russia, who were noble warriors in the world - Alexander Peresvet and Andrey Oslyabya. These names have become legendary, and their bearers are an example of heroes who combine righteous faith and willingness to die for their native land. Peresvet fell in a duel with the Tatar hero Chelubey, entering the battle without armor, in only monastic vestments. And Oslyabya, according to legend, after Dmitry was wounded during the battle, put on the armor of the prince and led the army forward, thanks to which there was no confusion.

Sergius Miracles

Each "edition" of Sergius' biography by monks and religious figures was overgrown with new miraculous deeds. Among the main miracles performed by St. Sergius, they usually name:

• the appearance of a spring in the monastery so that the monks do not have to go far for water;
• healing of a noble layman from demons;
• healing a parishioner from insomnia;
• the resurrection from the dead of the son of one of the parishioners.

Great importance in the "Life of Sergius of Radonezh" is attached to the visions of the saint. One day, the Mother of God herself appeared to him, accompanied by the apostles Peter and John, promising that from now on his monastery monastery would be unforgettable for centuries. Another time Sergius saw huge flock birds flying in the sky over the monastery - and immediately a voice from heaven announced that Sergius would have as many students as these birds. And in the same way they will scatter around the world to bring people the light of Christian wisdom.

Last days

St. Sergius foresaw his death in advance. Six months before his death, Sergius handed over the management of the monastery and, accordingly, the rank of hegumen to his faithful disciple and colleague Nikon. Next months he spent in complete silence, and only when he felt the imminent approach of death did he call his followers for the last conversation. These final instructions of the elder are given in all versions of the Life of Sergius of Radonezh. Their brief essence is as follows - to have spiritual purity, follow divine precepts and be humble before God. Saint Sergius died on September 25, 1392. Now this day is a church holiday.

The legacy of Sergius of Radonezh

Saint Sergius is one of the most revered saints of the Russian Orthodox Church - around 800 churches are dedicated to him all over the world.

Sergius did not leave any writing behind him - we know all the facts about his life and personality from the “Life of Sergius of Radonezh” by Epiphanius the Wise and subsequent revisions. However, this is the case when actions speak louder than words. St. Sergius became a symbol of the spiritual unity of Russia: stories about his unquestioning faith in God and meek humility inspired ordinary people in all corners of the state. The disciples of Sergius sought to pass on wisdom further and founded more and more monasteries. The spiritual path of Russia was predetermined for many centuries to come.

Phenomena of the image of Sergius of Radonezh

As stated in the "Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh", even after his death he continued to perform miracles, appearing in the guise of an incorporeal spirit or coming in a dream:

• during the siege of the city of Opochka, he appeared in a dream to one of the residents and pointed to the stones with which the residents were able to repel another attack on the walls;
• manifested itself in Kazan shortly before its conquest by Ivan the Terrible and annexation to Russia;
• warned the inhabitants of the Trinity Lavra about the future siege by the Poles, having come in a dream to its resident Irinarch.

The image of Sergius repeatedly appeared before those who fervently prayed to this saint. As a rule, he healed people from illness or warned them of possible danger. A case is also described when Sergius brought a restorer out of the church who had fallen asleep in it, explaining that it was not worth sleeping in God's place. And one of the most significant posthumous phenomena of Sergius is considered to be an appeal to Kozma Minin. The monk appeared to a simple Nizhny Novgorod butcher in a dream and ordered people to gather and get ready to recapture Russia from adversaries. Thus began the history of the Second militia 1611-1612.

The first biography of St. Sergius

The first work on St. Sergius is considered to be “The Life of Sergius of Radonezh”, the author of which is Epiphanius the Wise, also canonized as a saint, a book scribe and compiler of several more biographies. His work is considered not only as a biographical manuscript, but also as a document that fixes the customs of that time, describing in detail the way of life and culture.

According to Epiphanius the Wise himself, “The Life of Sergius of Radonezh” was written for a long time. The author began to keep records about Elder Sergius during his lifetime, and after his death he did not dare to take up work for a long time, hoping that there would be someone more worthy for this righteous work. Nevertheless, time passed, and no one wrote about Sergius. Then Epiphany overcame his doubts and decided to collect all his notes in a book, realizing that if he did not do this, then the world would lose information about such an important and highly spiritual person as Sergius. It is believed that the complete manuscript was completed in the early years of the 15th century.

"Life ..." in the processing of Pachomius Logofet

The next person who had a hand in the content of the "Life of Sergius of Radonezh" was Pakhomiy Logofet, nicknamed the Serb. This man largely determined the further style of the life of the saints and the compilation of services and canons. At the same time, his texts cannot be called completely historically reliable, because along with the biography real events he also cites notes about the miracles performed by Sergius.

The need to rework the original “Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh” arose in connection with his canonization in the middle of the 15th century - the manuscript should have been rewritten to fit the format church service- add more praises and remove details not related to the life of the saint about life, politics, etc. And the canonization was preceded by an event that occurred in 1422, which in the church is called the Finding of the honest relics of St. Sergius.

At this time, the Trinity Monastery, built by Sergius himself, was burned down during the next invasion of the Tatars. First, Sergius appeared in a dream to Abbot Nikon and calmed his worries, saying that the monastery was to rise from the ruins even more beautifully than before. And when the danger had passed, the monastic brethren began to build a new one, stone temple. And St. Sergius again appeared in a dream to one of the laity with a command to get his body out of the coffin and transfer it to the church. The very next day after this dream, the imperishable relics of Sergius were found where the construction of a new cathedral was underway - on the site of the former destroyed church. When the new temple was consecrated in 1426, the relics of Sergius were also transferred there. Now this cathedral is one of the most important monuments of Russian architecture, and the shrine still rests inside the temple.

Other versions of “Life…”

Each passing century contributed something of its own to the original version of the Life of Sergius of Radonezh. A brief lull in the 16th century was replaced by a stormy interest in the works of the saint in the 17th century. During these years, "Life ..." was rewritten, finalized and supplemented by the scribe of the Trinity Monastery German Tulupov, the monk-writer Simon Azaryin, Bishop Dimitry of Rostov. In the 18th century, Metropolitan Platon and even Catherine II were interested in the life of the saint, and in the 19th century it became necessary to significantly adapt the “Life of Sergius of Radonezh” for children and adults in the language of then readers. This was done by Metropolitan Philaret and Archbishop Nikon Rozhdestvensky, whose revision of the Life.. is still being reprinted.

The life of Sergius of Radonezh: a summary in the retelling of Boris Zaitsev

The biography of the deeds of St. Sergius is known to us not only thanks to the leaders of the church. One of the retellings of the "Life of St. Sergius of Radonezh" belongs to the writer Boris Zaitsev. In fact, he is the representative Silver Age, but he had to work and create in exile - after the revolution, the writer left Russia and never returned there. In addition to the Life of Sergius of Radonezh, Zaitsev also described his trips to Athos and Valaam.

The image of Sergius of Radonezh in culture and art

The personality and image of Sergius are vividly engraved in the memory - it is not surprising that artists, sculptors and writers continue to reproduce scenes from the Life of ... in their works.

The aforementioned artist Mikhail Nesterov in his works repeatedly returned to the theme of hermitage and hermitage. Episodes from the life of Sergius appeared on the artist's canvases several times and were included in a whole cycle of fifteen paintings. On them - almost the whole life of Sergius, from youth to the moment of the blessing of Dmitry Donskoy.

Separately, it is worth noting that the episode with Dmitry Donskoy has become a favorite topic for artists. About ten paintings with a similar plot are known.

He painted a portrait of St. Sergius and Nicholas Roerich. In the painting “Reverend Sergius of Radonezh”, he depicted an old man in a monastic robe with a small temple in his hands. Behind the figure are the outlines of churches, and next to it is an icon with the face of Christ. Below the image is an inscription stating that Sergius has already saved Russia twice - during the time of Dmitry Donskoy and during the time of Minin and Pozharsky - and he will have to save the fatherland for the third time. It is symbolic that this picture was painted shortly before World War II. In addition to her, Roerich also painted several more paintings dedicated to Sergius. The canvases “Sergius the Builder” and “Saint Sergius” play up the legend that during the years of solitude the saint managed to tame a bear - this beast is depicted in the picture next to the working Sergius.

The study of "Life ..." in schools

This fundamental work is studied in secondary schools as part of the literature course. Depends on the program - as a rule, familiarization with Old Russian literature usually in 7th or 8th grade. "The Life of Sergius of Radonezh" is not only a typical example of the life of the saints as literary genre, but also cultivates in young souls all the noble qualities of St. Sergius. From the depths of centuries, we have an example of unconditional love for the Motherland, constant humility, daily meek work for the common good and constant internal development. One should not be afraid of the excessive religiosity of the work - in the perception of the student, this is the same historical document as the "Lay of Igor's Campaign", which continues to be studied in schools.

Sergius of Radonezh (May 1314 or 1322 - 09/25/1392) - Russian hieromonk, founder of several monasteries, including the largest in Russia - the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Known as the spiritual mentor of the Russian people, the founder of their spiritual culture. Relegated to the saints.

early years

Sergius did not leave a written legacy, the main information about him is set out in the life of Epiphanius, a student of Radonezh. Epiphanius the Wise responsibly approached the writing of his life, used different sources, including the stories of brother Sergius. Scripture is characterized by references to miracles. At the same time, it does not contain information about the year of Sergius's birth; instead of the date, an ornate wording is indicated, which caused a lot of controversy among researchers.

At birth, Radonezhsky was named Bartholomew, he was born in the village of Varnitsy near Rostov. There were three sons in the family, Bartholomew was the middle one. As a child, he attended school, although in those days it was a rarity. Supposed to have studied there Greek language. The study was given to the boy with difficulty, at first, but later he became a successful student. FROM young years I fasted and prayed a lot.

Experiencing financial difficulties, his family moved to Radonezh. After burying his parents, Bartholomew handed over his inheritance to his younger brother and went to the elder Stefan in Khotkovo. The brothers left the village and began to look for a deserted place where they put a cell, later they built a small church. Soon Stefan got tired of an isolated life and went to a Moscow monastery, where he received the priesthood for his benefactors, and later became abbot.

The first surviving image of Radonezh, 1420s

Major life milestones

Bartholomew at the age of 20 (23) took tonsure, received the name Sergius and continued his life in solitude. Gradually, students began to settle around him. In 1342, the Trinity Monastery was founded, in which the Radonezhsky became abbot. The living conditions of the monks were difficult, they often went hungry. Sergius, by his own example, showed that one must live by one's own labor, forbade the monks to beg for alms. After the monastery passed into the inheritance of Prince Vladimir, who regularly provided support, life in it changed for the better.

After the introduction of a new device in the monastery - a hostel - Sergius, in order to avoid conflict, left the monastery and created a new monastery on the banks of the Kirzhach River, which later became the Annunciation Monastery. Later he founded several more monasteries: near Kolomna, on the Klyazma, in Serpukhov. Everywhere he left his students as abbots.

Radonezhsky was the spiritual mentor of a large number of students who opened a total of about forty monasteries, and their followers, in turn, about fifty. Sergius enjoyed the deep respect of Metropolitan Alexei and had the opportunity to become his successor, but did not want to.

The reverend possessed amazing ability to the reconciliation of the warring, he convinced many princes to submit to the Moscow prince, thereby strengthening the Russian lands. He influenced the refusal to conclude a trade agreement between the Moscow principality and Mamai, and then blessed Prince Dmitry for the Battle of Kulikovo. Sergius died a deep old man, having transferred the abbess to one of his closest students, Nikon. Before his death, he gave the brethren the last instruction. Was buried in the church.

Many miracles are associated with the life of St. Sergius, which are mentioned in the narrative of Epiphanius, the work of church historian E. Golubinsky.

• While in the womb, he screamed three times during the service in the church.
• As a child, Bartholomew met an old man who treated the boy to prosphora. After that, Bartholomew became best student at school.
• Once, after a prayer of Radonezh over a stream near the monastery, a large spring opened.
• He healed a patient suffering from prolonged insomnia, as well as a possessed rich man. Prayer resurrected a boy who died from an illness.
• He punished the offender of one poor man who took away a pig from him. The covetous man could not use the appropriated meat, it spoiled and was eaten by worms, despite winter period.
• One Greek priest refused to believe in the miracles of the saint. At a meeting with Sergius, he suddenly became blind, Radonezhsky, after confession, returned the ability to see to the priest.
• Sergius had two wonderful visions: the Mother of God with the apostles appeared to him, and also a voice, accompanied by a flock of beautiful birds, predicted to him a large number of students.

Veneration of St. Sergius

Radonezh had a significant beneficial effect on many generations to come. The purpose of his life and work was the moral education of people. The famous historian Klyuchevsky considers his influence on the people a miracle. His disciples, researchers, historians at all times devoted themselves to describing the life of the monk.

According to Pachomius Logothetes, thirty years after the death of the monk, his relics remained incorruptible. In 1919 Soviet authorities exposed the relics to an autopsy and transferred them to the museum, located in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. During the war, the museum fund was evacuated to Solikamsk. In 1946, the relics were transferred to the church, now they rest in the Trinity Cathedral.

The reckoning of Sergius to the saints is attributed to 1452. Radonezhsky is also revered as a saint in Catholicism. More than seven hundred temples in the world are dedicated to him. Before the advent of Russian painting, the monk was depicted on icons. Later, his image inspired many artists: M. Nesterov, V. Vasnetsov, N. Roerich and others. There are also sculptures with the image of Radonezh. Monuments have been erected to the saint in many Russian cities, more than one work of art has been written about him, filmed documentary.

Sergius of Radonezh was born on May 3, 1314 in the village of Varnitsy near Rostov. At baptism, the future saint received the name Bartholomew. At the age of seven, his parents sent him to study literacy. At first, the boy was given very bad training, but gradually he studied the Holy Scriptures and became interested in the church. From the age of twelve, Bartholomew began to fast strictly, prayed a lot.

Foundation of the monastery

Around 1328, the future hieromonk moved to Radonezh with his family. After the death of their parents, Bartholomew, along with his older brother Stephen, went to deserted places. In the forest on Makovets hill they built a small Trinity church.

In 1337, on the feast day of the martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, Bartholomew was tonsured under the name Sergius. Soon disciples began to come to him, and a monastery was formed on the site of the church. Sergius becomes the second abbot and presbyter of the monastery.

Religious activities

A few years later, a flourishing temple of Sergius of Radonezh, the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, was formed in this place. Having learned about the emergence of the monastery, the Ecumenical Patriarch Filofei sent a letter to the abbot, in which he paid tribute to his activities. Saint Sergius was a highly respected person in princely circles: he blessed the rulers before battles, tried them on among themselves.

In addition to the Trinity-Sergius, for his brief biography, Radonezh founded several more monasteries - Borisoglebsky, Blagoveshchensky, Staro-Golutvinsky, Georgievsky, Andronnikov and Simonov, Vysotsky.

Honoring the memory

Sergius of Radonezh was canonized in 1452. In the work “The Life of Sergius”, the main primary source of the biography of the hieromonk, Epiphanius the Wise wrote that during his life, Saint Radonezhsky had many miracles and healings. Once he even resurrected a man.

In front of the icon of Sergius of Radonezh, people ask for recovery. On September 25, on the day of the death of the saint, believers celebrate the day of his memory.

Other biography options

• The Life of Sergius tells that Bartholomew learned to read and write thanks to the blessing of the holy elder.
• Among the disciples of Sergius of Radonezh were such well-known religious figures as Abraham of Galicia, Pavel Obnorsky, Sergius of Nuromsky, St. Andronicus, Pachomius of Nerekhtsky and many others.
• The life of the saint inspired many writers (N. Zernova, N. Kostomarov, L. Charskaya, G. Fedotov, K. Sluchevsky and others) to create works of art about his fate and deeds, including a number of books for children. The biography of Sergius of Radonezh is studied by schoolchildren in grades 7-8.

Biography test

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Sergius of Radonezh (before becoming a monk - Bartholomew Kirillovich) Russian church and political figure.
Born in the family of a boyar not far from Rostov.
The family, suffering from Tatar exactions and princely strife, moved to the Moscow principality and received land near the city of Radonezh.

At the age of seven, Bartholomew was given to learn to read and write.
He wanted to study with all his heart, but the letter was not given to him.
According to legend, Bartholomew suffered greatly from this, and therefore he prayed to God day and night to open the door of book understanding to him. One day, looking for lost horses in the field, he saw an unfamiliar old man under an oak tree. The monk prayed. The boy approached him and told him about his grief. Having listened sympathetically to the boy, the elder began to pray for his enlightenment. Then, he took out a small piece of bread and said: “Take and eat: this is given to you as a sign of the grace of God and the understanding of the Holy Scriptures.” This grace really fell on the child: the Lord gave him memory and understanding, and he began to easily assimilate book wisdom. After this miracle, the desire to serve only God grew stronger in young Bartholomew. He wanted to retire, following the example of the ancient ascetics, but love for his parents kept him in his own family.

After the death of his parents, Bartholomew granted an inheritance to his younger brother Peter and, together with his older brother Stefan, settled 10 miles from Radonezh, in a deep forest near the Konchura River. The brothers cut wood with their own hands and built a cell and a small church.
This is how the famous monastery of St. Sergius arose.
Soon Stefan left his brother and became rector of the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow and confessor of the Grand Duke.
Bartholomew became a monk and was given a new name - Sergius.
For about two years he lived alone in the forest.

The fame of the great recluse spread throughout Russia. People flocked to the monastery.
Soon, Sergius of Radonezh, together with his elder brother Stephen (circa 1330-40), founded the Trinity Monastery (Trinity-Sergius Lavra) and became its second abbot.

Sergius introduced a communal charter in the monastery, destroying the separate residence of the monks that existed before. The adoption of the communal charter and its subsequent distribution, with the support of the grand ducal authorities, the Russian metropolitan and the patriarch of Constantinople, to other monasteries of North-Eastern Russia was an important church reform that contributed to the transformation of monasteries into large economic and spiritual centers.

The moral authority of Sergius, close ties with the family of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy, the most prominent boyars and the highest church hierarchs allowed Sergius of Radonezh to actively influence the church and political affairs of his time.
In 1380, he helped Dmitry in the preparation of the Battle of Kulikovo, and in 1385 he settled his conflict with the Ryazan prince Oleg.

Saint Sergius died on September 25, 1392.
He was buried in the monastery he founded; canonized by the Russian Church as a saint.

Not everyone knows who Sergei Radonezhsky is, his life and exploits. Briefly learn about this will help the ancient chronicles. According to them, the great miracle worker was born in early May 1314. It is also known when he died - September 25, 1392. You can learn about what Sergei Radonezhsky is famous for by studying his biography.

Sergei Radonezhsky: short biography:

According to ancient chronicles, the miracle worker became the founder of several monasteries. To this day, one of his most famous creations is known, the Holy Trinity Monastery, located near Moscow.

Sergei Radonezhsky, or as he was previously called Bartholomew, lagged behind his peers in the study of sciences. He was closer to the topic Holy Scripture. At the age of fourteen, he and his family moved to live in Radonezh. There he founded the first church, called the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

A few years later, the miracle worker decides to become abbot. Since then, he has been given a new name - Sergei. After that, he became a respected person among the people. They came to him so that he would bless before the battle and help in reconciliation.

In addition to the Trinity-Sergius, he created more than five churches. Sergey of Radonezh died on September 25, 1392. Still Orthodox people celebrate this date as the day of memory of the great miracle worker.

Some interesting facts

Several interesting facts about Sergei Radonezh are known:

• Being pregnant, the miracle worker's mother went to the temple. While praying, her baby in the womb cried out three times. Each time, the volume of the crying increased;
• According to sources, Sergei of Radonezh helped the monks. They were forced to travel long distances for water. The monk found a few drops left from the rain and said a prayer over them. After a while, a source of water appeared;
• The miracle worker also helped ordinary people. Local turned to him with a request to save his sick son. The boy died after he was brought to Sergei Radonezhsky. But while his father walked behind the coffin, he incredibly came to life;
• The monk unfailingly helped every person who needed his support. It is known that he healed a possessed nobleman, treated the sick for insomnia and blindness;
• The miracle worker provided assistance in reconciliation and salvation from debts.

On this occasion, Patriarch Kirill gave an interview in 2014. According to him, Sergei Radonezhsky had extraordinary abilities. He could influence the laws of nature and bring man closer to God. The historian Klyuchevsky stated that the miracle worker was able to raise the spirit of the people.

Life of Sergei Radonezh

50 years after the death of the founder of successful temples, a life was written. The story of the great miracle worker was written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise. She aroused the interest of the people, and a few years later she received the status of a valuable source of Muscovite Russia.

The first life was written on the basis of own compositions Epiphany. The student was highly developed and educated. From the publication, it is easy to guess that he loved to travel and visited places such as Jerusalem and Constantinople. He was forced to live with his mentors for several years. Sergei Radonezhsky singled out his student for an unusual mindset.

By 1380, Epiphanius had already become an experienced chronicler with excellent literacy.

After the death of the miracle worker, the student began to write Interesting Facts about it and convey it to people. He did this for several reasons. Above all, he respected the work of his mentor. He was offended that after so many years after his death, not a single story was published about him. The initiative to write the life of Epiphany took over.

The wise student also believed that his stories would help convey to people the value of life, learn to believe in themselves and cope with difficulties.

Where are the relics of the Saint now?

30 years after the death of Sergei Radonezh, namely, in 1422, his relics were found. This event took place under the leadership of Pachomius Lagofet. According to him, despite such a long period, the body of the miracle worker was preserved whole and bright. Even his clothes remained intact. His relics were moved only twice, in order to preserve them and save them from the fire.

This happened for the first time in 1709, and then repeated in 1746. Third, last time the relics were transported in 1812 during the war with Napoleon.

The re-opening of the grave took place in 1919, by order of the Soviet government. This was done in the presence of a state commission. According to Pavel Florensky, the man in whom the autopsy took place, the head of Sergei Radonezhsky was separated from the body and replaced with a head that belonged to Prince Trubetskoy.

The relics of the miracle worker became an exhibit for the museum and are located at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Sergei Radonezhsky and painting

During the life of Sergei Radonezh, and for several centuries after his death, a ban on art was introduced. It could be given to the people only in the form of icons. For the first time Russian painting appeared only in the 18th century.

The artist Nesterov managed to depict the image of the miracle worker. In 1889 he completed his painting titled Motherwort. Sergei Radonezhsky was an idol for the artist from the very early years. The saint was revered by his relatives, for them he was an image of purity and purity. Adult Nesterov created a cycle of paintings dedicated to the great miracle worker.

Thanks to paintings, lives and chronicles, each modern man can learn about who Sergei Radonezhsky was, his life and exploits. It is impossible to briefly study his life. He was an absolutely unique person with a pure soul, sincerity and disinterestedness aimed at helping other people.

To this day, people visit churches, pray before the icon of Sergei Radonezh and his relics. Each person sincerely believes that he will help them resolve a difficult situation in life.

Video about the Holy Wonderworker

In this video, Father Michael will tell about the life and exploits of Sergei Radonezhsky: