Magi, foretellers, fortunetellers, clairvoyants – the army of the mysterious visionaries, which from time to time is present in ordinary life people.
The word “wise men” is not often heard today. But not a single Christmas neither in the West nor in the Orthodox East can do without these figures. Without a bow of the Magi to the sacred crib in the manger. Who are these mysterious wanderers?
Mages have always been
In ancient times, sorcerers were called magicians. It was believed that magicians were endowed with a special gift of knowledge hidden from the mind. the inhabitants. Otherwise, they were also called sages. Homeland of the Magi and sorcery is considered the Ancient East. Some wrote verbal talismans healing from illness, evil eye and misfortunes; others read spells still others were engaged in astrology. By the way, astrologers (their also called Chaldeans) were the most famous. They are still most in demand.
Different peoples had their own sorcerers. Most often they met among Jews, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans. To the wise people, depending on the country, were treated differently. For instance, the Egyptians considered the Magi to be scientists. The Greeks are sorcerers. Jews – interpreters of dreams. Some peoples are household sorcerers. The Romans as ordinary deceivers, and their horoscopes as fraud for naive common people.
From sorcerers to kings
Magi who met in Bethlehem newborn Christ (according to the calendar from the foundation of Rome then walked 748 year). In the Christian faith, the three sorcerers were exalted because they the first to arrive at the sacred nativity scene with the Virgin Mary and the Baby, bringing gifts to him. Here they appeared no longer as sorcerers, but living witnesses of a miracle, who worshiped the sacrament from the simple of humanity.
A photo from open sources
So the three wise men, representatives of different races, were almost ranked kings – Cupronickel, Belshazzar and Caspar. What do we know about their life? It is known that after years when the apostles of Christ scattered for Gospel sermons around the world, the Apostle Thomas met them in Parthia Here all three received baptism from him.
Legend has it that Queen Elena was able to find their relics; first they were stored in Constantinople, then they were transferred to Mediolan (Milan), and then these skulls were identified for eternal storage in Cologne. Long since Western Europe Cupronickel, Belshazzar and Caspar dedicate a special feast of the Three Kings (January 6). So in Spain he passes on a large scale. On this day, the streets are filled with children in waiting for the passage of three elegant kings and the distribution of sweets. Silent noise, din, colorful retinue, fireworks accompany procession of the heroes of the day. Even Site Klaus doesn’t use such here popular like Cupronickel, Belshazzar and Caspar.
Fortune-telling on a toad
And what is known about the magicians in the history of Ancient Russia?
• There is an old tale of 912 about magicians. Just then one of the sages predicted a strange death to Prince Oleg.
• According to the annals of “The Tale of Bygone Years”, due to a crop failure of 1024 the year the magi revolted in the Suzdal lands, who began to kill “elder child” – local elders, calling them culprits terrible famine.
• In ancient Kiev, the sorcerer-sorcerer predicted that the Dnieper will flow back, the land of Greece will be in place of Russian, and Russian in place Greek Of course, they did not believe him. At night, the predictor without a trace disappeared.
• In Novgorod, one magician publicly promised to cross the river Volkhov “like a dry land.” The people were surprised, excited – and killed bouncer.
As a rule, ordinary Russian sorcerers liked to conjure on animals, often on toads, frogs, snakes and other unpleasant and slippery creatures. They conjured on metals (gold, iron), on water, on subjects. Of course, not disinterestedly.
Magi-sorcerers inherited a lot of descendants spells, conspiracies, slander, whispering, fortunetelling, recipes for the future. Popularly, collections of such tricks were called black books. Of the last known “Magus”, “Astrologer”, “Aristotelian Gate”.
A photo from open sources
In the XVI-XVIII centuries the magi with the support of the nobles stepped up their witchcraft. They were believed by the rulers John the Terrible and Boris Godunov. However, it seems strange that at the same time on Russia was widely regarded as holy fools “Christ for the sake of” and of various kinds clickers. It was them, and not amateur sorcerers, that the people considered blessed, sent to people directly from God. About their come true the prophecies have many records.
Verigi for the prophets
In the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Intercession, on the Moat, dedicated to the holiday The Intercession of the Holy Virgin, “bedding under the cover” of power Christ for the sake of the holy fools Blessed Basil and John, who have become here main shrines.
The following fact speaks of the status of seers. When to the board Theodore Ioannovich (1584-1598) relics of St. Basil were found Blessed, a silver crayfish with precious decorations, and Pokrovsky temple got its popular name – St. Basil’s Cathedral. History brought to us the details of the earth life of miracle workers.
Vasily was born in 1469 in a simple family. Origin is not promised him in the future nothing but poverty. As a boy he entered in the doctrine of the shoemaker in the near Moscow suburb. Comprehensible a diligent student willingly patched shoes. However, more and more time has become devote to prayers, divine thought, and then to various spiritual exploits. They began to talk about him: they say, became a vessel of grace Of God.
A photo from open sources
From an early age, Vasily was distinguished by the gift of insight. Once upon a time shoe shop, he could not resist laughing without much to causes. To the question of what he’s laughing, he answered: “It’s strange for me it seemed that the posadsky man ordered to sew boots on a few years ahead, while he will die tomorrow. ” The prediction the next day just came true.
Soon, the seer left the skill of the shoe maker, left parental home, put on heavy chains and started to fool around. He lived in the streets, squares. Most often it was possible to meet on the Frolovsky (Spassky) bridge. In the afternoon the holy fool went to church for worship, and spent nights in vigilant prayer. All barefoot year, in rags, suffered poverty and all kinds of deprivation. Such Vasily led his life until his death.
The people loved and respected the holy fool, marveling at his pious feats and listening to instructions and foresight. This chafingless receiving alms from the poor themselves, he became their friend and comforter, and Tsar John the Terrible – an amazing predictor.
Bet and holy fools
The great autocrat, having heard about Basil, himself called him to himself to the palace. He ordered the guest to bring a glass of wine. But the blessed one poured it out the window. The tsar ordered to pour another – Basil did the same. Then angry Grozny asked the beggar why he dishonored with the sovereign offering. “Carcass fire in Novgorod” – calmly answered Vasily. Soon, the arrived messenger confirmed the news of Novgorod fire.
Long before this meeting, it happened more than once that Vasily prayers delivered Moscow from the coming wrath of the Lord. So, in 1521 the year when the Tatars approached Belokamennaya, threatening her devastated, the holy fool desperately prayed near the Assumption Cathedral in The Kremlin. According to eyewitnesses, at that time there was a noise in the temple, flame flew over it, and from the miraculous Vladimir icon Our Lady proceeded to expose Muscovites of lawlessness. Tearful Vasily’s prayer intensified – and the noise gradually began to fall silent, and tongues of flame soon died out. Moscow was saved by the grace of God and all of Russia from the invasion of the Tatars.
A photo from open sources
When, shortly before his death, Vasily fell into a heavy illness, John Grozny repeatedly visited him. Death found the holy fool on the 83rd year of life August 2, 1552. He was buried under the former wooden church of the Holy Trinity, on the site of which now stands Pokrovsky Cathedral.
Before the revolution, Pokrovsky Cathedral was annually celebrated. the majestic procession from the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral. The event has always attracted thousands of Muscovites. In the very same early XX century, surprised citizens drew attention to the fact that at at the top of St. Basil’s Cathedral, predatory falcons made a nest for themselves. No one considered this a bad omen. However in 1917 about he vividly remembered!
Not far from the tomb of St. Basil, in the aisle of Christmas Virgin Mary, rests and St. John the Fool. According to scarce information, He was born in Vologda. From a young age he led an intense spiritual life, and for greater martyrdom, for the education of patience voluntarily donned heavy iron chains.
During the life of Ivan, they called the Iron Cap – in accordance with what he wore on his head. This fortuneteller was a fool in Moscow in the times of Boris Godunov who honored him. He died in 1599. The third famous Moscow miracle worker Maxim the Blessed was dedicated to the temple, which once stood near the Church of Great Martyr Barbara at the beginning of Varvarka street. This one died a century earlier – in 1434 year.
Returning back to Western Europe, we note that with a wide the introduction of Christianity, with active missionary sermons live the wise men became more difficult. They were everywhere persecuted. With his on the other hand, they themselves hindered the spread of the new religion. Witchcraft and Christianity could not be friendly in any way. Religion has taken an active stance against prophetic forecasters, preferring God’s mercies and providence.
So in Russia already in 1227, in Novgorod, there was a public “execution by burning” of the four wise men, and in 1410 in Pskov on the fire went up twelve “prophetic wives.”
The Orthodox Church in Russia and true Christians abroad and now do not encourage astrological predictions. They are critical relate to the activities of sorcerers and magicians of all stripes. However Christianity singled out from among the other three Magi who worshiped knees before the Infant Christ. After all, their eyes are next to the mother Jesus saw at Christmas.
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