A photo from open sources Rev. Sergius of Radonezh (1314 or 1320 – 1392), in the world Bartholomew, was the youngest son of Rostov boyars Cyril and Mary. Once during the Divine Liturgy, when the mother bore it still under the heart, he cried out three times – before reading Gospel, during the singing of the “Cherubic” and the cry of “Holy saints. “And his mother, and all those present were struck with horror. When his mother ate meat, the newborn did not take milk, so she stopped eating meat, and on Wednesdays and Fridays she did not eat at all.
From early childhood, he loved to pray and attend churches, but he didn’t letter was given. One day, looking for missing horses, he saw in the field of an old man praying under an oak tree. The lad came up to him for blessings, told him of his grief and asked for his prayers. By At the end of the prayer, the elder said to him: “From now on, God will give you, a child, to comprehend the letter! “Then he gave him part of the prosphora and said this: “Do not look that part of this is so small, great will be sweet when you will taste of it! “At the request of Bartholomew, the elder visited his house parents, and their amazement was great when, with his blessing, Bartholomew began to read the psalms harmoniously before a meal; and then the elder foretold them the future spiritual greatness of the youth chosen vessels of the Holy Spirit, minister of the Holy Trinity.
Since then, Bartholomew began to eat bread and water, abstaining from taking all kinds of food on Wednesdays and Fridays. After burying his parents, he and his older brother Stefan, by then already widowed and who accepted monasticism, decided to leave for hermitage. In the dense a dense forest, 60 miles from Moscow, in the town of Makovets, they set up a church in the name of the Holy Trinity. But Stefan could not stand it the hardships of desert life and very soon went to Moscow Epiphany monastery. Bartholomew was left alone.
At age 23, Bartholomew was tonsured a monk and named Sergius. His desert life was hard: demons tried to frighten him, sometimes a whole horde of them with violent threats surrounded him. But the ascetic overshadowed himself with a sign of the cross and recited a prayer and demons disappeared. Often flocks of wolves ran past him – they approached him, sniffed him. But the reverend guarded himself with prayer. One the bear came to him for a whole year, and the hermit shared with him the last piece of bread.
The whole night was spent by the Monk Sergius of Radonezh, deepening in prayer, he worked during the day: chopped wood, cultivated the garden and read the word of God. And so the monks began to come to him, asking take them into associates. In total, 12 gathered in the Radonezh desert monks. So there was a monastery that turned into the Great Lavra. Between the monks were perfect equality, but spiritually Rev. Sergius, became abbot, was above all and no one could equal him. IN the poor and poorly lit temple, the monks burned with love for God stronger than the brightest candles.
Once, St. Sergius prayed for his monastery and students. Suddenly a voice was heard: “Sergius! You are praying for children of yours, and your prayer is heard: look, you see the number of monks, gathering under your leadership in the name of the Holy Trinity! “And he I saw many beautiful birds flying into the monastery and beyond the fence. And again a voice was heard: “So the number of students will increase of yours, like these birds, and after you it won’t become impoverished or diminish, if they follow your footsteps! ”
At that time, St. Sergius was already known both in Jerusalem and in Constantinople, and on Mount Athos.
Sergius of Radonezh ordered the brethren to do mercy, promising that the cloister will stand while this commandment is fulfilled. Travelers staying at the monastery in winter weather, lived in it for a long time on her full dependency. Patients received help. Located in the saint helped the troubles, he defended the wretched, healed the sick.
One villager brought a sick son to him, but along the way the lad died. Taking pity on the grief of his father, Sergius prayed and resurrected of the deceased, but his father said: “The youth from a severe cold is exhausted, you thought he was dead. Now in a warm cell he warmed up, and you he seems to have risen! ”
Six months before his death, St. Sergius of Radonezh He placed his disciple rector Nikon, and he himself went into the bolt, getting ready for death. He prayed to the Lord his pure soul September 25, 1392.
30 years after his death, St. Sergius of Radonezh appeared to one pious man and said to him: “Raise Abbot and brethren: why leave me so long under the cover of the earth in the tomb, where does the water surround my body? “July 5, 1422 the tomb St. Sergius was discovered, and not only his holy relics were found incorrupt, but his very robe was incorrupt. The coffin was surrounded by water, but it did not touch the holy relics. Then Rev. Nikon erected the current Trinity Cathedral.
Prophecies of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the Wonderworker of All Rus
– In 1380, before the campaign against the Tatar Khan Mamaia, threatened with a new invasion of Russia, Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy visited the Trinity Monastery to pray and receive blessing of the venerable abbot. The reverend overshadowed him with a cross, sprinkled holy water with his companions and predicted victory for him. By At the request of the Grand Duke, the Monk sent two monks with him on a campaign Alexander Peresvet and Andrey Oslyaba, and blessed him once more icon of the Lord Almighty. September 7, 1380 the Russian army crossed the Don and settled on the Kulikovo field. Before by the battle the monk sent the Grand Duke with his monks blessing, Mother of God prosphora and letter, in which he comforted his hope for God’s help and predicted victory. Famous The Kulikovo battle took place on September 8 and ended in full the defeat of the Tatars and the flight of Mamaia. Upon his return to Moscow the Grand Duke went to the Monk Sergius of Radonezh to tell him about the battle, ordered to remember the names of the fallen and made generous contribution to the cloister. Then the memorial Dimitrievskaya was established Saturday. And in fulfillment of the vow he made before the campaign, the great the prince with the help of the Monk Sergius erected on the river Dubenka monastery in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God. Soon on the blessed the monk’s death began his miraculous manifestations and healings. -The Time of Troubles has come. In 1608, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius was besieged by the units of False Dmitry II. Rev. Sergius appeared more than once Archimandrite Joasaph and the sexton Irinarch, strengthening them and warning of dangers. Once saw him sprinkling the walls of the saint water another time he warned of an impending attack, which and was reflected. He also besieged, so many Cossacks became go home, taking an oath to never fight with the Orthodox. -Rev. Sergius of Radonezh in a dream to the mayor, selling meat, – Kuzma Minin Sukhoruky, – and ordered him to collect the treasury, the army and go to liberate the Russian land. Kuzma Minin came in fear and did not know what to do. He appeared to him three times Rev. Sergius finally said: “Did I not tell you that did you collect military people? The merciful Lord was pleased have mercy on Orthodox Christians, save them from excitement and to give them peace and silence. Therefore, I told you to go on the liberation of the Russian land from enemies. Do not be afraid that the elders do not they will follow you, – the younger ones will gladly fulfill this, and a good deed will be have a good end. “Kuzma set to work. Especially hot youth responded. Kuzma was the first to donate his property, others joined, and he gathered the army, and his superiors Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky received the governor. And they went to liberate Moscow, and with it the entire Russian land from enemies. And the enemies were defeated by the intercession of the Mother of God and prayers Rev. Sergius, who still does not cease to help to all who faithfully come to him.
Water Time Life Moscow Russia
