Metropolitan Alexy 14. Alexy of Moscow, Kyiv and All Russia, miracle worker

Library “Chalcedon”

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Saint Alexy, MetropolitanMoscow and all Russia, miracle worker

The memory of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on February 12/25, May 20/June 2, on the day of the Council of Saints of Vladimir (June 23/July 6) and on the day of the Council of Saints of Moscow (October 5/18)

Like the apostles are blessed, and the doctor is predestined, and the minister is favorable, flowing to your honest race, St. Alexis, the God-wise miracle worker, converging in love in your memory, we lightly celebrate, rejoicing in songs and singing and glorifying Christ, such grace has granted you healing and your great city statement.

The divine and most honorable Hierarch of Christ, the new wonderworker Alexy, faithfully sing all, people, let us appease with love, like a great shepherd, minister and teacher of the wisdom of the Russian land. Today, in memory of him, we have flown, let us joyfully cry out a song to the God-bearing: as if having boldness towards God, deliver us from diverse circumstances, let us call to you: rejoice, affirmation of our city.

O most honorable and sacred head and filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of the Savior with the Father, great bishop, our warm intercessor, Saint Alexis! Standing at the throne of all the King and enjoying the light of the Consubstantial Trinity and cherubically from the Angels proclaiming the trisagion song, having great and unexplored boldness to the All-Merciful Master, praying to your flock to save the people, the only begotten language: affirm the well-being of the holy churches; adorn the bishops with the magnificence of hierarchy, strengthen the monastics to the exploits of a good course; keep this city and all cities and countries good, and the holy faith is immaculate begged to comply; die the whole world with your intercession, deliver us from famine and destruction, and save from the attack of foreigners, old comforts, young instruct, crazy wise, have mercy on widows, intercede for orphans, babies grow up, return captives, heal the weak, and everywhere warmly call on you and with by faith flowing to the race of your honest and multi-healing relics, diligently falling down and praying, from all misfortunes and misfortunes with your intercession of freedom, let us call you: O God-chosen shepherd, the star of the all-bright mental firmament, the mystery of Zion, an invincible pillar, the world-inspired color of paradise, all-gold mouth of the word, Moscow praise, decoration of all Russia! Pray for us the All-Generous and Human-loving Christ our God, and on the day of the terrible coming of His shuiyago stand will deliver us, and the joys of the saints, the communicants will create, with all the saints forever. Amen.

V. Nikon Chronicle gives both names together. It is possible that the sources reflect the existence of the so-called direct name (corresponding to the saint whose memory falls on his birthday) and baptismal name (a situation well known in the example of double Christian princely names) in Saint Alexy. The close proximity of the names Eleutherius and Simeon is observed in the calendar twice: Simeon the Holy Fool, commemorated July 21, and the martyr Eleutherius, commemorated August 4; Simeon, relative of the Lord, commemorated September 18, and Eleutherius, martyred with Dionysius the Areopagite, commemorated October 3; the first 2 memories are also present in the shortest versions of the month-word, known in the 14th century. Indications of the date of birth even in the most ancient story of the Code of the city are very contradictory. In sufficiently detailed chronological calculations, on the basis of which the year of birth is considered to be the th (“in Chernets, you will be tonsured for 20 years, and in Chernets, you will live for 40 years, and you were appointed metropolitans for 60 years, and stay in the metropolitan for 24 years. And the life of all the days of his life is 85 years ", only the duration of his stay at the head of the metropolis is reliable. At the same time, an indication of 40 years of monastic life could appear as a result of an incorrect understanding of the message that St. Alexis "stay in blackness even up to 40 years ", which is more likely not about the duration of the monastic feat, but about the approximate age at the appointment of St. Alexy as sovereign governor. Preference in determining the time of birth should be given to the mention of historical figures and events contemporary to St. Alexy that do not agree with the date of the year: "In the reign of the great Tfersky Mikhailovo Yaroslavich, under Metropolitan Maxim, until the murder of Akinfov"(that is, before the campaign against Pereyaslavl in the winter of 1304-1305, the Tver boyar Akinf the Great). An important piece of evidence from the story that St. Alexis is “17 years older than the Great Prince Semyon (b. c),” referring the birth of the saint to the city, cannot be unconditionally accepted, because. here a typographical error (internal dictation error) is possible in recording the number under the influence of the sound of the name (“Seeds” - “seventeen” instead of “thirteen”). If we consider the year of birth of St. Alexis the th, then Andrei Aleksandrovich Gorodetsky, and not Mikhail Yaroslavich, should have been mentioned as the Grand Duke (although the latter returned from the Horde with a label for a great reign in the fall, i.e. after the murder of Akinfov, the later biographer of the saint Alexy could calculate the beginning of a new reign from the date of the death of Prince Andrei - July 27). The godfather of Saint Alexis was Prince John Danilovich (future Kalita).

According to his life, having learned to read and write at an early age, St. Alexis already in his adolescence began to dream of a monastic life, after one day, falling asleep while catching birds with snares, he heard a voice calling him a monastic name and foreshadowing that he would become a "catcher of men." At the age of about 20, St. Alexis was tonsured in one of the Moscow monasteries. According to the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh, this was the Epiphany Monastery in Zagorodye (modern Kitay-Gorod), where St. Alexis lived with St. Sergius' elder brother Stefan; however, according to other reliable sources, the connection of the saint and his family with this monastery is not traced.

Until about the age of 40, St. Alexis led a monastic life. About most of this period, it is only known that St. Alexis "every good will of the monastic life is corrected and every scripture of the Old and New Laws is gone." Undoubtedly, at this time he continued to maintain ties with the grand ducal court. On the initiative of the Grand Duke Simeon Ioannovich the Proud (taking into account the testimony of the chronicle story, not earlier), Saint Alexy was appointed vicar of the elderly Metropolitan Theognost and moved to the metropolitan courtyard. It is possible that during his governorship he learned Greek. Metropolitan Theognost, even during his lifetime, blessed St. Alexis “to his place as a metropolitan”, December 6. St. Alexis was elevated to the rank of Bishop of Vladimir. Thus, the diocese of Vladimir, abolished in the city in connection with the resettlement of the Kievan metropolitans to Vladimir, was restored for a short time; after the elevation of St. Alexis to the rank of metropolitan, the department was again liquidated. An embassy was sent to Constantinople from Grand Duke Simeon Ioannovich and Metropolitan Theognost to obtain the consent of the Patriarch to approve the candidacy of St. Alexis. Already at this time, the role of St. Alexis in the state affairs of the Grand Duchy of Moscow was very great - according to the spiritual diploma of the Grand Duke Simeon (+), the future metropolitan remained an adviser to his younger brothers - Princes Ivan and Andrei (however, these wishes were realized, probably not in to the full extent, because Ivan, who, unlike Andrei, survived during the plague, was strongly influenced by his boyars, and first of all by his brother-in-law, Vasily Velyaminov).

During the absence of St. Alexis in Moscow, Grand Duke John Ioannovich died, and St. Alexis turned out to be in fact one of the regents for the young Demetrius (born c). Under these conditions, during the first half of the reign of Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich, the role of Saint Alexy, which had already been significant in the years of the “quiet and meek” Ivan Ivanovich, increased even more (although until her death, the influence of her brother, the Moscow thousand, traditionally remained strong in the princess mother). The Suzdal prince Dmitry Konstantinovich received a label for the great reign of Vladimir, and the young Moscow prince temporarily lost many territorial acquisitions - the "font" of his grandfather Ivan Kalita. The possibility of a new rise of the Moscow principality and its dynasty is largely due to Saint Alexy, who connected the fate of the metropolis with them and used his authority as the First Hierarch in their interests. It was a deeply conscious choice made long before the regency under Prince Dimitri Ioannovich.

As an ecclesiastical and statesman, Saint Alexis stood at the origins of the successful struggle of the Grand Duchy of Moscow against the Horde yoke. Loyal to the supreme power of the Muslim rulers, at the same time he consistently pursued a policy aimed at creating a union of Russian principalities that could withstand the noticeably weakened in the 2nd half of the 14th century. Horde. For the first time such an alliance, which included distant Novgorod, was tested in a joint campaign of Russian princes against Tver in the city; after the conclusion of a peace treaty with Moscow and the recognition of the supremacy of Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich, the Tver principality also joined him. The significant role of St. Alexis in all-Russian political life is evidenced by the emergence since his time of the practice of affixing the metropolitan seal of interstate agreements (a treaty on September 1 between Moscow and Novgorod with defeated Tver). He also acted as a guarantor of inter-princely relations of the Moscow ruling house. With the blessing of St. Alexis, an agreement was concluded in the city between the princes of the Moscow house, Dimitri Ioannovich and Vladimir Andreevich. At the same time, it follows from this agreement that the boyars played a decisive role in determining the policy of the Moscow princes. In the city, St. Alexis sealed with his seal the first testament of Prince Demetrius presented to him, which provided for the division of lands and power after the marriage of Prince Vladimir to the daughter of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Olgerd. Between and years. at the request of St. Alexis, Demetrius Ioannovich handed over the Puddle and Borovsk to Vladimir Andreevich.

Igogi of the Church Activity of St. Alexis

For almost a quarter of a century of heading the Russian Church, St. Alexy appointed 21 bishops, moreover, twice in some cathedras, and three times in Smolensk cathedra. During his tenure as Metropolitan, Saint Alexy contributed in every possible way to the spread and consolidation of cenobitic monasticism in Russia. His name is associated with the creation and renewal of a number of monasteries in Moscow and in the Metropolitan region. In addition to the Spaso-Andronikov (about 1360), Chudov (about 1365) and Simonov (between 1375 and 1377) monasteries, with his blessing (according to a legend recorded in the 1st half of the 17th century) in 1360-1362. the Vvedensky Vladychny Monastery in Serpukhov was founded, the ancient, but decaying Tsarekonstantinovsky near Vladimir and the Nizhny Novgorod Annunciation Monastery were restored. The monastic tradition also attributes to him the creation of the Alekseevsky maiden monastery in Moscow for his sisters (about 1358), although this opinion is not shared by all researchers. Regarding the last 3 monasteries, it is impossible to exclude the late emergence of legends that aimed to elevate the significance of the monastery by linking their history with the glorified Moscow saint. In essence, the question of the liturgical charter of cenobitic monasteries at that time remains open, since the earliest surviving Russian lists of the Jerusalem typikon date only to the very end of the 14th century.

Under St. Alexis, the veneration of St. Peter continued to spread. Before the trip of St. Alexis to the Horde in the city, in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, at the tomb of Metropolitan. Peter "lit a candle about itself"; after the prayer service, it was broken up to bless those present. On the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, according to chronicles, a boy, mute and with a paralyzed arm, was healed at the tomb of Metropolitan Peter; Saint Alexy ordered the bells to ring and a prayer service was served.

demise

Toward the end of his life, Saint Alexis faced the problem of appointing his successor. Obviously, he, like Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich, opposed the candidacy of Cyprian, who had been appointed in advance in Constantinople, imposed from the outside, seeing this as a victory for Olgerd and the failure of his own church policy (which at that moment corresponded to reality, although later the situation changed significantly). It is probable that Saint Alexis wished to see as his successor a man experienced, like himself, in the monastic life. The ideal figure in this regard was St. Sergius of Radonezh, and St. Alexis could hope, by the power of his authority, to persuade the Grand Duke to agree to this candidacy. However, the monk refused the offer of St. Alexis - according to his life, out of humility, but, perhaps, he did not consider himself entitled to challenge the canonicity of the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarch and treated Cyprian, with whom he had good personal relations, as a person who was quite worthy to lead the Russian Church after the death of Saint Alexis. In such a situation, St. Alexis, apparently, was forced to agree with the candidacy of the grand ducal confessor and printer Mityai, proposed by Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich, although he did not approve of the appointment of the First Hierarch from the laity, without a long monastic trial. The negative attitude of St. Alexis towards the grand-princely candidate is reported by sources that are either openly hostile to the betrothed Metropolitan Michael (“The Tale of Mityai”), or relatively late and experienced the influence of the former (the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh). It is significant that the tonsure of Mityai-Michael was performed during the life of St. Alexis by the archimandrite of his Chudov Monastery, Elisha Chechetka.

Before his death, Saint Alexy commanded Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich to bury himself outside the church, behind the altar of the cathedral in the Miracle Monastery. The saint died on February 12, “in the morning time”, a large number of people attended the funeral, including bishops, Grand Duke Dimitri and Prince Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhov and the young sons of the Grand Duke - Vasily and Yuri. At the insistence of the Grand Duke the Primate, they were buried inside the temple, near the altar.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 8

Like an apostle, and a doctor, and a favored minister, flowing to your honest race, St. Alexis, the God-wise miracle worker, converging in love in your memory, we lightly celebrate, rejoicing in songs and singing and glorifying Christ, such grace has granted you healing and your city great statement.

John troparion, tone 4

Apostolic successors, hierarchs of the altar, Russia all shepherd and teacher, all-blessed Father Alexy, Lord of all, pray to grant peace to your flock, and salvation to souls, and great mercy.

John troparion, tone 3

From above, having heard a voice from God, having labored from youth, wiser, in prayers, and in tenderness, and tears, in vigils and fastings, being an image of virtue, from there, and the house of the Most Pure Spirit appear. For this sake of the Russian Metropolis, having been honored with the rank of bishop, you saved the flock of Christ, good, heretical attacks, without hesitation, repel and erect the churches of Christ, St. Die, appear, as if sleeping, whole, observed before many years, giving healing to the sick. Thus, we pray to you: pray to Christ God to save your city of Moscow, intact and the country and the Orthodox people, by His great mercy.

Kontakion, tone 8

Like the unstoppable sun, from the coffin of the ascension to us, from many years your relics are incorruptible, holy hierarch Alexy, grace is acceptable to you: you enrich this whole country and all of us with miracles and kindness, with the action of grace, let us sing to you: rejoice, father, shone of Russia .

Ying kontakion, tone 3

Like the luminous memory of the saint, destroy all the despondency and light of the oblist of Heavenly Gifts, calling everyone to rejoice: from God, Saint Alexis, find grace to drive away ailments and heal all people, and the same degree (monks the same way) seemed.

Prayer 1st

O most honorable and sacred head and full of the grace of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of the Savior with the Father, great bishop, our warm intercessor, Saint Alexis! Standing at the Throne of all the King and enjoying the light of the Consubstantial Trinity and cherubically from the angels proclaiming the song of the Trisagion, having great and unexplored boldness to the All-Merciful Ruler, praying to the flock of Christ to save people; affirm the well-being of the holy churches, decorate the bishops with the magnificence of hierarchy; monastics to the feat of a good current strengthen; save this city and all cities and countries, and pray to keep the holy faith without blemish, die the whole world with your intercession, deliver us from famine and destruction, and save from the attack of foreigners; console the old, instruct the young, make the fools wise, have mercy on widows, intercede for orphans, grow up babies, return captives, heal those who are weak and warmly call on you everywhere and with faith flow to your holy icon, diligently falling down and praying to you, from all misfortunes and troubles with your intercession free, let us call you: O God-chosen shepherd, star of the all-bright mental firmament, the secret of Zion, an invincible pillar, the world-inspired flower of paradise, the all-golden mouth of the word, Moscow praise, adornment of all Russia! Pray for us the All-Generous and Human-loving Christ, our God, and on the day of the terrible coming of His standing, He will deliver us, and the joys of the saints, the communicants will create with all the saints forever. Amen.

Prayer 2

O Most Holy Father, Saint Alexis of Christ, our shepherd and teacher, do not reject us(names), with faith flowing to your intercession, but soon rush to pray to the King of kings and the Lord of lords, may he save his flock from the wolves that destroy it, and protect every Christian country and save with your holy prayers from worldly rebellion and a coward, invasion of a foreigner and internecine strife, from smoothness and destruction, the flood and the sword, and fire, and vain death, and as if by healing from the blindness of the queen of Hagar, you saved your fatherland, so have mercy on us, in mind, word and deed in the darkness of sinful beings, and deliver us the wrath of God and eternal execution, as if by your intercession and help, by His own mercy and grace, Christ God will give us a quiet and sinless life to live in this world and at His Terrible Judgment will vouchsafe standing with all the saints. Amen.

Proceedings

Saint Alexis is the author of the Epistle and letter to Chervleny Yar, Instructions for Christians in the Nizhny Novgorod and Gorodets regions, and the Charter on new posts. The letter and letter are connected with a dispute between the Ryazan and Sarai bishops about the diocesan affiliation of Chervleny (Cherleny) Yar. This question had already been dealt with earlier by Metropolitan Feogost and was resolved in favor of the Bishop of Ryazan, but it arose again under the new metropolitan. Saint Alexy confirmed the decision of his predecessor, supplying the charter with an instructive message. Evfimy Chudovsky, who in con. 16th century . In it, the Metropolitan, in agreement with Princes Dimitri Ivanovich and Vladimir Andreevich, establishes new weekly fasts before the days of memory of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (October 26), "Autumn St. George's Day" (November 26) and before the memory of the holy princes Boris and Gleb (July 24 ). The date of issuance of the charter, in combination with the choice of the holy martyrs (Demetrius of Thessalonica is the heavenly patron of the Grand Duke Dimitri Ioannovich, George, along with Boris and Gleb, was traditionally considered the patron of Russian princes) suggests a connection between the establishment of new posts and the unsuccessful campaign of Olgerd against Moscow in November–December 1368 and with the hope of the intercession of the holy warrior-martyrs in the future. However, these new posts, established by St. Alexis, did not enter into the practice of the Russian Church, perhaps this is partly due to the general trend of declining interest in the legacy of St. Alexis in the 90s. XIV, rewritten in the Rostov Grigoryevsky Gate, the text is attributed to the "Metropolitan of All Russia", whose name was scraped out in the 17th century. replaced by St. Alexis ("Alexius of the Saint"). There are no historical realities that would allow identifying the author of the teaching with a specific saint in the text. Based on the dating of the Uvarov list, it can be assumed that the original title of the teaching was the name of another Russian metropolitan of the 14th century - named Mikhail (Mityai) or Pimen (the names of Theognost and Dionysius did not need to be replaced, and the writings of the Western Russian metropolitans Theodoret and Roman were hardly known in Rostov), ​​only later replaced by the glorified and authoritative name of the miracle-working saint Alexy. It is less likely that another name was written in the heading of the Uvarov list by mistake and when checking it with other lists in the 17th century, it is customary to associate the creation of a special edition of the translation into Slavonic of the New Testament (see Chudovsky New Testament), undoubtedly made in Constantinople no later than c. 14th century Although to present time, researchers do not consider this codex to be an autograph of St. Alexis and refused to date it as the time of the second trip of the saint to Constantinople (judging by the photographs, the codex that disappeared in the city was written in several handwritings, clearly younger than the middle of the 14th century, – rather towards the end of the century), the philological literature suggests a hypothesis about the existence of a group of translators in the environment of the metropolitan (possibly in the Chudov Monastery) associated with Constantinople and who, in addition to the New Testament, also translated the “Charter of the Liturgy” of Patriarch Philotheus, the Missal and Triodion, preparing, thus, the transition of the divine service of the Russian Church (initially, probably, in cenobitic monasteries, directly or indirectly connected with St. Alexis) from the Studion

Compositions

• Diploma of Metropolitan Alexy on Chervleny Yar to boyars, Baskaks, clergy and laity about their criminal record to the Ryazan Bishop // AI. T. 1. No. 3. S. 3–4; PDRCP. Part 1. No. 19. Stb. 167–172;
• Teachings of Metropolitan Alexy from the Apostolic Acts to Christ-loving Christians // PrTSO. 1847, part 5, pp. 30–39;
• Nevostruev K. Rediscovered instructive epistle of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia // DC. 1861, part 1, pp. 449–467;
• Leonid [Kavelin], archim. The village of Cherkizovo // Mosk. ved. 1882. June 17. No. 166, p. 4;
• Kholmogorovs V. and G. Radonezh tithe (Moscow district) // Choidr. 1886. Book. 1. P. 30. Note. 2;
• Word of the Right Reverend Alexy Metropolitan // Macarius. History of the RC. Book. 3. S. 543–544. Comment. 160.

Sources

• PSRL. T. 2. S. 29–25; T. 6. S. 325–330; T. 12. C. 253, 257; T. 13, Part 1, pp. 31–33, 39–40, 84, 91–92,153, 239, 283; T. 15. Issue. 1. Stb. 61, 66, 74–76, 81, 84, 87, 100, 105, 110, 111, 120, 121, 123–124, 126; T. 20. S. 271–276; T. 21. Part 2. S. 346–386; T. 25. S. 180, 269, 277, 287, 330; T. 29. S. 16–17; T. 34. S. 200;
• Life of the Metropolitan of All Russia, St. Alexis, compiled by Pachomius Logofet / CHOLDP. St. Petersburg, 1877–1878. T. 4. No. 1–2;
• Services and akathist to our father Alexy, Metropolitan, Wonderworker of All Russia. M., 1891;
• New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ / Work of St. Alexis, Met. Moscow and all Russia. M., 1892;
• Shlyakov N. Life of St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, in the Pahomiev edition // IORYAS. SPb., 1914. T. 19. Book. 3. S. 85–152;
• Desk charter of Patriarch Philotheus Alexy dated June 30, 1354 // RIB. T. 6. App. No. 9. Stb. 41–52;
• Letter from Patriarch Philotheus to St. Alexy with a call to make peace with the prince // Ibid. App. No. 28;
• Diploma to Vel. book. Tver Mikhail with an appeal to make peace with Metropolitan. Alexy // Ibid. App. 29;
• The conciliar decision of Patriarch Nil on the illegality of the appointment of Cyprian as Metropolitan. Kievsky // Ibid. App. thirty;
• Kuchkin V.A. From the literary heritage of Pachomiy Serb: (Senior edition of the Life of Metropolitan Alexei) // Sources and historiography of the Slavic Middle Ages. M., 1967. S. 242–257;
• Prokhorov G. M. The Tale of Mityai: Russia and Byzantium in the era of the Battle of Kulikovo. L., 1979. S. 216–218;
• Alexy's label from Taidula // RFA M., 1987. Issue. 3. S. 593. No. 9.

Literature

• [Gorsky A.V.]. Saint Alexis, Metropolitan Kyiv and All Russia // PrTSO. 1848, part 6, pp. 89–128;
• Kamensky A. Saint Alexy // Wanderer. 1894. Aug. pp. 421–444; Sept. pp. 1–25; Oct. pp. 197–211; Nov. pp. 405–421; Dec. pp. 601–618;
• Muretov M.D. Church-practical and scientific-theological significance of the Slavonic translation of the New Testament in the work of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Kiev-Moscow and All-Russia // BV. 1897. Nov. pp. 177–199; Dec. pp. 375–414;
• Sokolov Pl. Russian bishop from Byzantium and the right of his appointment until the beginning of the 15th century. K., 1913. S. 318–466;
• Likhachev N.P. Two metropolitans // Sat. Art. in honor of D. F. Kobeko. St. Petersburg, 1913, pp. 1–8;
• Oreshnikov A. Ring of St. Alexei Metropolitan // SK. 1928. V. 2. S. 171–186;
• Kartashev. Essays. T. 1. S. 307–323;
• Semenchenko G. V. spiritual diploma of Metropolitan Alexei: (On the study of the history of the early testamentary act of North-Eastern Russia) // Source studies on the history of feudal Russia. M., 1981;
• Florya B.N. The struggle of the Moscow princes for the Smolensk and Chernigov lands in the 2nd half. 14th century // Problems of historical geography in Russia. M., 1982. Issue. one;
• Kuchkin V. A. Formation of the state territory of North-Eastern Russia in the X-XIV centuries. M., 1984. S. 242–256;
• Prokhorov G.M. Alexey (Aleksy), Met. of all Russia // SKKDR. Issue. 2. Part 1. S. 25–34;
• he is. Life of Metropolitan Alexei // Ibid. pp. 243–245;
• Meyendorff I. F., prot. Byzantium and Moscow Russia: Essays on the history of the church. and cultural relations of the XIV century. P., 1990;
• Pentkovsky A.M. From the history of liturgical transformations in the Russian Church in the third quarter of the 14th century. // Symbol. 1993. No. 29. S. 217–238;
• Petrov D. A. Lost monuments of architecture of the XVI century. in Novgorod monasteries // Novgorod antiquities. M., 1993. (Architecture archive; Issue 4). pp. 186–192;
• Batalov A.L. Moscow stone architecture of the late 16th century. M., 1996;
• Shevchenko II Some remarks on the policy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople towards Eastern Europe in the XIV century. // Slavs and their neighbors. M., 1996. Issue. 6;
• Macarius. History of the RC. Book. 3; Kloss B. M. The Life of Sergius of Radonezh. M., 1998. S. 38–48;
• Kuchkin V.A. The first contractual letter of Dmitry Donskoy with Vladimir Serpukhovsky // Zvenigorod for six centuries. M., 1998;
• Presnyakov A.E. Formation of the Great Russian state. M., 1998. S. 199–217;
• Alekseev A.A. Textology of the Slavic Bible. SPb., 1999. S. 191–195;
• Petrov D.A. Problems of historical topography of Novgorod. M., 1999. S. 57;
• Afanasyeva T. I. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the Slavic Manuscript Tradition of the 12th–15th Centuries: (Linguistic textual analysis): AKD. SPb., 2000. S. 10, 18–19.

Used materials

• Fragment of the article of the first volume of the "Orthodox Encyclopedia"
• http://sedmitza.ru/index.html?sid=77&did=41329&p_comment=belief
• http://www.samara.orthodoxy.ru/Molitva/Molitva/Svyatie/Aleks_Ms.html

  PSRL. T. 15. Issue. 1. Stb. 120–121

  GIM. Miracle. No. 18. L. 165v.– 167

  BAN. Collection of Bishop Paul (Dobrokhotov). No. 18. L. 205

  For example, in the Efrosinov collection - RNL. Kir.-Bel. 6/1083 L. 327 rev.– 336 rev.; RGADsvt. Alexy RO MGAMID. No. 453. L. 304–309v.

  GIM. Uvar. No. 589–4 (Royal No. 361). L. 64v.– 69v.

  The original and a copy of the letter are phototypically reproduced in the appendix to the publication: The New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ / Work of St. Alexis, Met. Moscow and all Russia; Phototype. ed. Leonty, Metropolitan of Moscow. M., 1892

In the photo: Saint Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow. Fragment of painting.

The relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, the great, are in.
Saint Alexy Metropolitan of Moscow, they highly revere this one, who played a crucial role in the ancient history of Russia.

Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow was born in Moscow at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries into a prominent boyar family and received the name Simeon at baptism. His godfather was the young prince John, the future. Subsequently, the godfather and his godson were destined to lead their native city to the first roles in Russia, forming here the unifying center of a fragmented country, groaning under a foreign yoke.

In a dream, the future Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow heard a voice saying that the boy was wasting his time on empty labors, catching birds, while his mission was “to catch people.” Since then, Eleutherius began to visit the church often.

Saint Alexis, at the age of 19, received monastic tonsure from the elder brother of the Monk Abbot Stephen. This happened in the Epiphany Monastery, then a suburban one, but now located in the very center of the capital, on the territory of Kitay-Gorod.

Monk Alexy was distinguished by excellent abilities, and, having reached the age of forty, he began to be considered the official successor of the aged Metropolitan of Kyiv Theognost. It should be noted that the title "Kyiv" by that time was already purely nominal, and the metropolitans had lived in Moscow since 1325.

Saint Alexy sets off for Constantinople

In 1354, Bishop Alexy went to Constantinople, where in those days the Russian primates went through the procedure of their approval. The Ecumenical Patriarch approved his nomination to the metropolitan as an exception - then the majority of Russian primates of the Church were chosen from the Greeks. Patriarch Filaret of Constantinople elevated Alexy to the rank of Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Russia.

On the way back from his second journey to Constantinople (undertaken to resolve a dispute with the Lithuanian Metropolitanate, which had separated from the Kievan Metropolis), Saint Alexis fell into a strong storm and vowed, in case of salvation, to found a monastery in Moscow. Thus, the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, later glorified later, appeared in the capital.

Returning to Russia, Metropolitan Alexy acted energetically - he installed new bishops, fought against internal church discord, and by his own deeds showed the flock an example of Christian life. It was under him that the residence of the Russian metropolitans was moved from Kyiv to the north-east of the country.

Alexy of Moscow goes to the Horde to treat Khansha Taidula for an eye disease

In Moscow, by that time, Metropolitan Alexy enjoyed great influence and was actually a co-ruler of the state. It was on his initiative that construction began in the 60s of the XIV century, which until then had been wooden. In addition to Spaso-Andronikov, the saint blessed the foundation of the famous Chudov and Simonov monasteries in Moscow, as well as the Vvedensky Vladychny monastery in Serpukhov, and contributed to the introduction of the practice of cenobitic monasteries, which in this era were founded in different parts of the country by the disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

After the death of Prince Ivan II of Moscow

After the death of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan II the Red, Alexy of Moscow took his young son Dmitry (the future Donskoy) under his guardianship. Having become the de facto ruler of Russia, he constantly resolved disputes between the specific princes, trying to rally them together.

Around the same time, power in the Horde changed. Dzhanibek was killed by his own son, who demanded that the Russian princes increase the amount of tribute collected. And then Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow again went to the Horde, to Taidula. At his request, she undertook - and quite successfully - to persuade her son to change his anger to mercy.

In Moscow, the bishop was greeted with honors, and the young prince Dmitry exclaimed:

“Oh lord! You gave us a peaceful life, how can we express our gratitude to you?

Alexy of Moscow is actively involved in the unification of Russian lands

The metropolitan actively participated in the foreign policy activities of the Moscow principality, which consisted in attempts to unite the Russian lands to fight the Horde yoke. So, he was one of the initiators of the union of Moscow with Veliky Novgorod. Under him, for the first time, treaties and agreements between the princes began to be sealed with the metropolitan seal. He also put his seal on other important documents - in particular, those that determined the internal life of the principality.

As a metropolitan residence, the saint chose Cherkizovo, near Moscow, with a wooden Ilyinsky church - the nearest village to it was Izmailovo. However, whether the latter existed at that time is not known for certain.

Death and canonization of Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow

The saint ended his earthly journey in 1378 and was buried near the altar of the main church of the Chudov Monastery in the presence of a large gathering of people, in the presence of his sons. About half a century later, Metropolitan Alexy was canonized and his relics were found, which remained in the Miracle Monastery until the beginning of the 20th century.

After the closure and complete destruction of the monastery, the holy relics were threatened with death, however, fortunately, they survived the era of the most serious persecution of the Church and in 1947 were placed in the former Cathedral of Moscow before restoration.

The Bolsheviks, on the personal order of V. I. Lenin, opened the shrine with the relics of St. Alexis

There is information that the Bolsheviks, on the personal order of V.I. Lenin, opened the shrine with the relics of St. Alexis. Two years after the revolution, believers from the Brotherhood of St. Alexis turned to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars with a request to give them the relics of the Metropolitan from the Chudov Monastery:

"I pray to St. Alexis - this saint of love - that he touch your heart, and you, having fulfilled our request, will make 3 thousand people, members of our brotherhood, infinitely happy"

- said in an appeal written by a member of the Brotherhood, an employee of the health department of the Moscow Provincial Council of Deputies Maria Ivanovna Svet. The appeal contains a resolution:

"T. Kursk! I ask you not to allow the removal, but to schedule an autopsy without witnesses. Lenin.

And three years later, the silver shrine with the relics of the saint was generally dismantled into pieces. After the destruction of the Chudov Monastery, the coffin with the holy remains of Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow was transferred to, and after the Great Patriotic War - to the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo.

The relics of St. Alexis are still there - by chance or not, but the temple stands just on the road from the Kremlin, where it was located, to Cherkizovo and Izmailovo.

During his lifetime, Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow was very .

Saint Alexei (born in 1292 or 1300 - died February 12, 1378) - Metropolitan of All Russia (1354-1378). His father, the Chernigov boyar Feodor Byakont, moved to Moscow from his devastated homeland under Prince Daniel Alexandrovich. (The noble families of the Pleshcheevs, Ignatievs and Zherebtsovs later became side branches of the Byakont family). The eldest son of the boyar Fyodor was called Eleutherius, his godfather was the son of Prince Daniel, Ivan (later - Prince Ivan Kalita). In his youth, Eleutherius showed great abilities in teaching and a penchant for a solitary contemplative life. In the 20th year of his life, Eleutherius took the vows in the Moscow Epiphany Monastery under the name Alexei (Alexy) and entered here under the guidance of the experienced elder Gerontius. After 20 years of monastic life and book training, Monk Alexei entered the public arena. Metropolitan of the time Theognost probably on the advice of his friend Stephen, brother of Sergius of Radonezh and the prince's confessor, instructed Alexei to manage the court affairs of the church. He held this position for 12 years, having studied the Greek language during this time. On December 6, 1352, Theognost consecrated Alexei as bishop of Vladimir. The following year, 1353, Metropolitan Theognost and Grand Duke Simeon the Proud died of pestilence (“black death”, which then went all over Europe), ordering before death to transfer the metropolitan see to Alexei.

Alexei had to endure the struggle for the metropolitan throne with other candidates: Theodoret, ordained to this rank by the Bulgarian Patriarch, and Roman, consecrated in Constantinople at the intrigues of some specific princes who did not want the rise of Moscow. As a result, Alexei had to travel twice to Constantinople, where Patriarch Kallast approved him as "the archbishop of Kyiv and great Russia with the title of the all-honorable metropolitan and exarch." Having arranged church affairs in Russia, which, as a result of pestilence and specific strife, fell into extreme neglect, Alexei took an ardent part in the political improvement of his homeland, which suffered from the Tatar yoke and strife. With danger to his life, he twice went to the Golden Horde. For the first time, in August 1357, the metropolitan healed the blind Taidula, the wife of the khan Janibek. The second time he was in the Horde in 1358, when the "good khan" Dzhanibek died, and his place was taken by the ferocious Berdibek, who killed 12 of his brothers during the accession. According to the chronicle, “St. Alexei received much from the Tatars at this time” and only “with God’s help and his most pure Mater prayer, he returned to Russia safe and sound from the violence of the filthy.” However, the metropolitan managed not only to appease the ferocious Berdibek, who was about to devastate Russia again, but also to get a label from him to protect the Russian clergy and exempt them from fees and taxes.

Metropolitan Alexei (Aleksy) of Moscow, icon. OK. 1690s

From January 1358 to June 1360, Alexei lived in devastated Kyiv, rebuilding churches and monasteries. From 1359, with the death of Grand Duke Ivan II the Red, the saint became the guardian of his 9-year-old son Dmitry (later named Donskoy). The Metropolitan helped the boy Dmitry to receive in 1362 a label for a great reign instead of the Suzdal prince Dmitry Konstantinovich, who in 1359 took possession of this title for three years, taking it away from Moscow. Metropolitan Alexei in every possible way contributed to the strengthening of Moscow's dominance over North-Eastern Russia. Humiliating the obstinacy of the specific princes in favor of Moscow, he did not stop at drastic measures, up to the closing of churches, as Sergius of Radonezh did on his behalf in Nizhny Novgorod during the feud between the local princes and the Muscovites. At the same time, the metropolitan was actively engaged in the construction of monasteries. In 1361 he founded the convent of Alekseevsky in Moscow; in the same year, on the banks of the Yauza, a monastery was built in the name of the image of the Savior not made by hands, where the first rector was a disciple of St. Sergius - Andronik, which is why the monastery was called Spasoandronievskogo. In 1362, the Metropolitan founded the Vladychny monastery three versts from Serpukhov, in 1365 two ancient monasteries were restored - Blagoveshchensky in Nizhny Novgorod and Konstantin-Elensky in Vladimir.

Saint Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the miracle worker (in the world Eleutherius) was born in 1292 (according to other sources, 1304) in Moscow into the family of the boyar Theodore Byakont, a native of the Chernigov principality.

The Lord early revealed to the future saint his high destiny. In the twelfth year of his life, Eleutherius spread nets for catching birds, dozed off unnoticed by himself, and suddenly heard a voice: "Alexy! Why are you working in vain? You will catch people." From that day on, the lad began to retire, often attend church, and at the age of fifteen he decided to become a monk. In 1320 he entered the Moscow Epiphany Monastery, where he spent more than twenty years in strict monastic deeds. Its leaders and friends were the remarkable ascetics of this monastery - the elder Gerontius and Stefan, brother of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Then Metropolitan Theognost ordered the future saint to leave the monastery and manage the legal affairs of the Church. The saint fulfilled this position for 12 years with the title of metropolitan governor. At the end of 1350, Bishop Theognost consecrated Alexy as Bishop of Vladimir, and after the death of the Metropolitan, he became his successor in 1354. At that time, the Russian Church was torn apart by great discord and strife, in particular because of the claims of Metropolitan Roman of Lithuania and Volhynia. In 1356, in order to put an end to unrest and anxiety, the saint went to Constantinople to see the Ecumenical Patriarch. Patriarch Kallistos gave Alexy the right to be considered the archbishop of Kyiv and great Russia with the title of "venerable metropolitan and exarch." On the way back, during a storm at sea, the ship was threatened with death. Alexy prayed and made a vow to build a temple to the saint of that day on which the ship would land on the shore. The storm subsided, the ship landed on 16 August. Moscow greeted the saint enthusiastically.

Despite all the turmoil, Saint Alexy took care of his flock in every possible way - he appointed bishops, arranged cenobitic monasteries (on the model of Trinity, founded by St. Sergius), and established relations with the Horde khans. More than once the saint himself had to travel to the Golden Horde. In 1357, the Khan demanded from the Grand Duke that the saint come to him and heal the blind Taidula, his wife. "A petition and a deed exceed the measure of my strength," said Saint Alexis, "but I believe in the One Who made the blind see, He will not despise the prayer of faith." And indeed, through his prayer, sprinkled with holy water, the wife of the khan was healed.

When Grand Duke John died, the saint took under his care his infant son Demetrius (the future Donskoy). The holy bishop had to work hard in order to reconcile and humble the obstinate princes who did not want to recognize the power of Moscow. At the same time, the metropolitan did not leave any work on the construction of new monasteries. He founded in 1361 the Monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands on the Yauza in Moscow (Andronikov, named after the disciple of St. Sergius, the first hegumen of the monastery) according to a vow that he gave when the ship was in distress during his trip to Constantinople; Miracles - in the Moscow Kremlin, restored and two ancient cloisters - Blagoveshchensk in Nizhny Novgorod and Konstantin-Eleninskaya in Vladimir. In 1361, a women's cenobitic monastery named after him (Alexeevskaya) was also built.

Saint Alexy reached a ripe old age - 78 years old, having spent 24 years in the metropolitan see. He reposed on February 12, 1378 and was buried according to his will in the Miracle Monastery. His relics were found miraculously 50 years later, after which they began to honor the memory of the great saint and prayer book for the Russian land.