History and ethnology. Data. Events. Fiction. Life of Saints Cyril and Mary

When we honor Orthodox saints, we do not always think about their parents, and often we do not even know them. But there are cases when the parents of revered saints show no less virtue and give help. Thus, prayer to Cyril and Mary of Radonezh, the parents of Sergius of Radonezh, helps in family and home affairs, as well as in marriage.

The story of Cyril and Mary of Radonezh

Before taking monastic vows, St. Kirill served with the princes of Rostov. Their family was wealthy, but despite this, he and his wife led a simple life, helped those in need, and did not refuse shelter to travelers. They raised their children in piety and love of God.

The sign of their son as God's Chosen One came to them even before he was born.

How do prayers to saints help?

Years later, Cyril and Maria first accepted monasticism, then the schema. The Venerable Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria died in 1337. Their relics have since rested in the Intercession Cathedral. They say that Sergius of Radonezh indicated:

Before going to him, pray for the repose of his parents over their coffin.

Therefore, many believers consider it their duty to pray near the relics of his parents and honor their memory.

Prayer to Cyril and Mary of Radonezh is addressed in the following cases:

• request for assistance in raising children;
• a request for the gift of family well-being.

Prayer to St. Cyril and Mary, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh

O servants of God, Schema-monk Kirill and Schema-nun Mary! Hear our humble prayer. Even though your temporary life has naturally ended, you do not depart from us in spirit, always following the commandments of the Lord, teaching us and patiently bearing your cross, helping us. Therefore, together with our reverend and God-bearing father Sergius, your beloved son, we naturally acquired boldness towards Christ God and His Most Pure Mother. Even now, be prayer books and intercessors for us, unworthy servants of God (names). Be our intercessors of strength, so that by living faith, by your intercession, we may remain unharmed from demons and evil men, glorifying the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for the granting of Christian marriage

Prayer to St. Cyril and Mary of Radonezh will help you find family happiness and well-being. Girls resort to this prayer when they ask the Lord to send them a spouse.

O blessed duo, truly the adornment of the Russian land, the holy Venerable Kirill and the holy Venerable Mary; image of a Christian marriage, the Lord reveal your glorious life; You lived gloriously by nature during the difficult years for the earth and our people, and by nature you endured all the sorrows and temptations of this world in one flesh - for this reason the Lord glorified you and your marriage. In the same way, I humbly pray to you, falling before your holy image: beg the Lord to send me a Christian spouse. I know that it is not good for man to be alone: ​​may the Lord correct my paths. She, blasy intercessor for us before God, ask me for humility, meekness and Christian reasoning. Help me cleanse my heart of passions. You are a teacher and an example of a pure life of superior nature and intercessor for us according to God forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion to Saints Cyril and Mary of Radonezh, tone 3

Participant of the beatitudes of Christ, honorable marriage and care for the children of the good image, the righteous Cyril and Mary, the fruit of piety, the Venerable Sergius, who revealed to us, with him earnestly pray to the Lord to send down to us the spirit of love and humility, so that in peace and unanimity we glorify the Trinity of the Consubstantial.

Kontakion to St. Cyril and Mary of Radonezh, tone 4

Today, having come together, let us praise the blessed two, the blessed Cyril and the good-natured Mary, for they pray, together with their beloved son, the Venerable Sergius, to the One God in the Holy Trinity, to establish our Fatherland in orthodoxy, to protect our homes in peace, young people from misfortunes and temptations deliver, strengthen old age and save our souls.

Maria Molchanova. Sergius of Radonezh: the saint who revived Russian monasticism bolivar_s wrote in September 25th, 2018

The life of Sergius of Radonezh became a kind of ideal of Holy Rus'. Miracles, signs, severe asceticism, blessing for the feat of the Battle of Kulikovo, refusal of the metropolitan see - all these actions glorified one of the most revered Russian saints for a long time. According to V.O. Klyuchevsky, the personality of Sergius of Radonezh over time turned “into a popular idea, and his very deed from a historical fact became a practical commandment, a covenant.” The vicissitudes of the fate of St. Sergius will be discussed in this article.
The Life of Sergius of Radonezh represents a unique cultural ideal of Holy Rus', consisting of various aspects. Here, politics, severe asceticism, an analogy with the Savior himself, which is easy to trace in hagiographic literature, and, finally, various miracles and signs play an important role. The origin of the original Russian monastic tradition is associated, first of all, with the name of Theodosius of Pechersk, and its revival occurred thanks to the efforts of Sergius of Radonezh. His life coincided with the most difficult period in the history of medieval Rus' - the apogee of the Tatar-Mongol yoke.
The revival of the Russian monastic tradition is associated with Sergius of Radonezh.
The weakening of monastic asceticism in the first century of the yoke is associated with a spiritual decline within Russian society, which was heavily experiencing economic and political dependence. Thus, in the first hundred years of the yoke, no more than three dozen new monasteries were founded, but in the next 100 years their number exceeded 150. The development of monastic life is a kind of barometer of the internal state of medieval Russian society. The figure of Sergius of Radonezh personified the new ideal of the monastic way of life, because he began his journey precisely as a hermit monk. Thus, if previously all monasteries arose in cities or under their walls, now there is a tendency towards a kind of spiritual colonization. A huge amount of land was developed far from cities, which was important not only for culture, but also for the development of agriculture. Russian monasteries were an outpost of defense against surprise attacks of the Tatar-Mongols: residents of the surrounding villages found refuge behind their powerful walls. Let us note that European monasteries, rather than performing a purely defensive function, became rather a place of concentration of the written culture of that time.

Danilov Monastery in Moscow (source azbyka.ru)
The specificity of the monastic feat of Sergius of Radonezh lay not only in his desire for solitude, but also in the so-called active hesychasm. This religious movement (from the Greek “hesychia” - silence), which originated on Athos, is based on the practice of silent prayer, the comprehension of which is possible directly from the experience of a spiritual teacher - an elder. It was Sergius of Radonezh who embodied this mystical tradition of Russian monasticism, which presupposes the most severe vows of departure from life: silence, constant work, prayerful contemplation, which reflected the interaction of God and the world.
Sergius of Radonezh, like Theodosius of Pechersk (with whom he is often compared), came from wealthy boyar families, but, according to the early Christian hagiographic tradition, both renounced their inheritance in their youth, preferring to spend their entire lives in an ascetic spiritual quest. Thus, a simple peasant who came to Sergius of Radonezh at the zenith of his glory found the saint working in a beggar’s robe in his garden. His brother Stefan, who, having become a widow, decided to join the ascetic feat of Sergius, could not stand the difficult living conditions and left the desert for the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow.
Radonezhsky was from a wealthy family, but in his youth he refused the inheritance.
In addition to the future saint, who then bore the name Bartholomew, the family had two more brothers - Peter and Stephen. All three of them were taught to read and write by their parents, however, Bartholomew was not good at science. His parents and teachers scolded him, and he himself often grieved, humbly asking God to enlighten him. One day, a saddened youth, while tending foals, met an old man in monastic clothing near an old oak tree, who began to affectionately ask Bartholomew about his life. The young man spoke about his grief, asking the mysterious monk to pray to God to grant him student zeal. The elder immediately fulfilled the young man’s request and treated him to bread, which seemed sweet like honey to him. This was the first miraculous phenomenon in the life of Bartholomew, after which he immediately comprehended all book wisdom.

M. V. Nesterov “The Youth of St. Sergius of Radonezh” (source artchive.ru)
Feeling the need for solitude and service to God, Bartholomew strove for a solitary life in a monastery while both of his brothers got married. The parents asked the child to delay leaving the world and take care of them. Thus, Bartholomew preferred spiritual feat to filial feat. After the death of his parents, he immediately retired to the thicket of the forest far from the roads, building a wooden church there in the name of the Holy Trinity, and began to live in complete solitude, surrounded by wild animals, which, however, did not touch him. One bear even got into the habit of going to the saint’s home, and he fed him bread directly from his hands. Gradually, the fame of the monk’s feat spread throughout the area and the wasteland was filled with students and followers. So, over time, the most famous Russian monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra arose, the abbot of which, after long and diligent persuasion, was forced to become Sergius, who rejected any earthly power.
Radonezh blessed Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo.
The next amazing act of Sergius was the blessing of the Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy for the Battle of Kulikovo - the first major victory over the Tatar-Mongols, which became a turning point in Russian history and played an important role in the further overthrow of the yoke. Arriving at the scene of the battle, the Russian squads froze in fear before the thousands of Tatar hordes. Miraculously, a messenger from Saint Sergius appeared on the field with encouraging parting words. This episode motivated the Russian army to win. It is believed that, being in his cell, Sergius watched the progress of the battle with spiritual vision, praying for each fallen and blessing each living warrior.

P. Ryzhenko “Sergius of Radonezh” (source nowimir.ru)Here the spiritual and political aspects of the life of Sergius of Radonezh intersect in an interesting way. After the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, he got the opportunity to positively influence the grand dukes. Even having refused the high post of metropolitan, he retained great moral influence on the life of society and statesmen. Once he reconciled the Nizhny Novgorod rulers who had argued among themselves, and another time he dissuaded the Ryazan prince Oleg of the need for war with Moscow. In general, during this period, the Russian church essentially remained the only factor in the unity of the fragmented Russian lands, and the figure of Sergius of Radonezh, who suddenly gained political weight, acquired additional unifying significance.
Bibliography:
Borisov N. S. Sergius of Radonezh. M., 2003
Golubinsky E. E. Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and the Trinity Lavra created by him. M., 1892
Monasticism and monasteries in Russia. XI-XX centuries: Historical essays. M., 2005.

Brief life of Saints Cyril and Mary, parents of Saint Sergius of Radonezh

The Most Reverend Kirill stood in the service of the Rostov Prince Kon-stan-ti-na II Bo-ri-so-vi -cha, and then at Kon-stan-ti-na III Va-si-lie-vi-cha, for whom he, as one of the people closest to them, more than once co-leader gave to the Golden Or-da. St. Cyril owned up to a hundred in his own way, but according to the simple morals, living in a village, I didn’t neglect the usual rural labor.

In the life of the Most Precious Sergius, he tells us that behind the Divine Li-tur-gi-she even before birth niya son of the righteous Marya and the prayer of the three-fold exclamation of the baby: before reading not the Holy Evan-ge-liy, during the He-ru-vim-skaya song and when the priest said “Holy to the Holy” . The venerable Kirill and Maria felt the great mercy of God on themselves, their goodness is tr-bo-va-lo , so that feelings of goodness towards God would be the same in any external movement of goodness stia, in the good-go-vey-those. And the righteous Mary, like Saint Anne - ma-te-ri about-ro-ka Sa-mu-i-la, together with her husband gave both- To dedicate this time to the good of all - to God. The Lord gave them a son, whose name was Var-fo-lo-me-em. From the first days of his life, the baby surprised everyone by fasting: on Wednesdays and Fridays he did not drink milk -ri, on other days, if she used meat in her pee, the baby also s-saw from the milk -ka. Noticing this, the very kind Maria was completely enamored with meat food.

The righteousness of Kirill-la and Maria was known not only to God. Having strictly observed the rules of all churches, they helped the poor, but especially protected the holy not for the holy Apostle Paul: country-but-love is not for-for-you, especially since you don’t know the nation of countries -pri-ya-sha An-ge-ly (). That's what they taught their children, strictly instructing them not to miss the opportunity to invite a po-t-she-st-st to their house from a foreign country or from another tired country. We have not received detailed information about the good life of this blessed couple, but we can, together with Saint Pla-to say that the fruit itself that came from them seemed better than all the red-speech praise the goodness of the word of the tree. Happy are you born, whose names will be glorified forever in their children and offspring! Are you and your children happy, who not only are not disgraceful, but also live smart and bring honor and bliss? -the city of its kin and glorious ancestors, for the true goodness of the city lies in goodness -li!

Around 1328, the elders Kirill and Maria moved from Rosto-va to Ra-do-nezh. About three versts from Ra-do-nezh there was the Khotkovsky Po-krovsky monastery, which at that time was once a man’s monastery, and female. According to the common custom in Russia, in old age, foreigners come with pro-ste-tsy, and princes, and bo- yare. The spirit of otherness communicated from the son to the parents: at the end of their many-sorrowful life, the righteous Kirill and Ma-riya will also accept the angelic image.

To this mo-na-stir and to-the-right-of-their-stops, so that there they can spend the rest of their days in the movement of-ka-i-niya, th -then heading towards another life. But they didn’t work for long in their new rank. In 1337 they went in peace to the Lord.

April 3, 1992, in the year of celebration of the 600th anniversary of the repose of the Venerable Sergius, on Ar-hi -erei-sky So-bo-re of the Russian Right-glorious Church with-a-hundred-of the social-church-pro-glorification of the schema-mon -ha Ki-ril-la and shi-mo-na-hi-ni Maria. Ka-no-ni-za-tion to-stay-but uven-cha-la she-sti-ve-ko-voe po-chi-ta-nie ro-di-te-ley ve-li-ko-go -movement that gave the world an idea of ​​the holiness and Christian structure of the family.

The complete life of Saints Cyril and Mary, parents of Saint Sergius of Radonezh

“...The Servant of God Kirill formerly gave great wealth in the Rostov region, he was a boyar, one from the glorious and well-known bo-yars, owned great wealth, but by the end of his life in old age he became impoverished and fell into poverty. ness. Let's also talk about how and why he did not communicate: because of his frequent visits with the princes to Or-du, because of his frequent visits to -gov of the Ta-Tar-skys to Russia, because of the frequent embassies of the Ta-Tar-skys, because of many heavy and levies of the Horde-dyn-skys, because often there is a shortage of bread... Because of this misfortune, God's servant Kirill left that village in Rostov, about which that swarm has already spoken; he gathered with his whole house, and went with all his relatives, and moved from Rosto-va in Ra-do-nezh. And, having come there, he sat down near the church, named in honor of the Holy Birth of Christ...

The sons of Ki-ril-la, Stefan and Peter, got married; the third son, the blessed young man Var-fo-lo-mei, did not want to get married, but was very eager for a foreign life -no. He asked his father about this many times, saying: “Now, lord, give me your consent, so that for the benefit of “I started your life with it.” But give him a message: “Ch-do! Wait a little and be patient for us: we are old, poor, sick now, and there is no one to look after us. Well, your brothers Stefan and Peter got married and are thinking about how to please us; You, tender-hearted one, are thinking about how to please God - you have taken a more beautiful path from heaven, which is not from anywhere. met with you. Just follow us a little, and when you, the birth of yours, lead us to the grave, then you can You eat and we sat down to carry out our task. When you put us in a coffin and cover us with earth, then you will have completely fulfilled your desire.”

The wonderful young man happily promised to look after them until the end of their lives, and from that day he grew up every day To please his family in every possible way, so that they pray for him and give him a blessing. So he lived for some time, serving and pleasing his family with all his soul and from a pure heart, according to until they gave him a haircut and each of them, at different times, retired to his own monastery. After living in the monastery for a few years, they left this life, went to God, and their son, to his blissful young man Var-fo-lo-meya, every day they blah-word-la-li many times until the next sigh. The blessed young man led his family to the grave, and sang funeral songs over them, and -returned their bodies, and kissed them, and laid them in a coffin with great abundance, and buried them in the earth- lie with your tears like some kind of priceless treasure. And with his tears, he honored the dead father and mother pa-ni-hi-da-mi and the saints li-tur-gi-ya-mi, noted pa -knead your own and pray for yours, and once whose cuteness is not wretched, and feed the beggars. So until the next day, he noted the memory of his births.”

After this, the future great Sergius returned to his house and began to part with the lives of the people. bo-ta-mi of this world, in order to quickly begin my life.

It is necessary to add that the mo-na-she-image of Saints Cyril and Maria was received in the Kho-kovsky Pokrovsky Mon-a-sta- re, who was located three versts from Ra-do-ne-zha and was at that time simultaneously male and female .

The summer-writing of the Kho-kovsky Pokrovsky mo-nasta-rya provides evidence of how the prayer -sh-tion to the Most-precious Ser-gius and his relatives spa-sa-lo people from serious illnesses. The powers of skh-mo-na-ha Ki-ril-la and skh-mo-na-hi-ni Maria invariably came together in the Po-krovsky So-bo- re, even after his many re-buildings. Already in the 14th century, in the personal life of the Pre-excellent Sergius, his images were depicted with him. According to tradition, the Reverend Sergius said: “before going to him, pray for the remembrance of his birth.” -di-te-ley over their coffin.” And so it was that the elk fell asleep, going to the prayer service in the Tro-its-kuyu Lav-ra, after all -Kov-skaya monastery. In the 19th century, the number of saints Ki-ril-la and Maria spread throughout Russia, as evidenced by -there are months-the-words-you-at-the-time. Unfortunately, after 1917, the Khotkovo mo-na-styr was liquidated. But, finally, in July 1981, the celebration of the So-bo-ra of Ra-do-Nezh saints was established in some -rum would-be pro-slav-le-ny skh-mo-na-hi Kirill and Ma-ria. In 1989, in the Church of the Intercession of the Monastery, returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, again served and the powers of the righteous ancestors of the great Sergius were transferred to it.

Kontakion to Saints Cyril and Mary of Radonezh

Today, faithful ones, we have come together, / let us praise the blessed duo, the blessed Cyril and the good Mary, / for they pray together with their beloved son, the Venerable Sergius, / to the One in the Holy To the Trinity God/ establish our fatherland in orthodoxy,/ protect houses in peace,/ young people from deliver from misfortunes and temptations,/strengthen old age//and save our souls.

Translation: Today, believers, having gathered, let us glorify the blessed couple, the blessed Cyril and the well-behaved Mary, for they pray together with their beloved son the Reverend Sergius to the One God in the Holy Trinity, to establish our Fatherland in Orthodoxy, to preserve families in peace, to save the young from misfortunes and temptations , strengthen old age and save our souls.

Oh, servants of God, Schema-monk Kirill, Schema-nun Mary! Even though you have ended your natural temporary life in body, you do not depart from us in spirit, but you guide us to Christ God, you instruct us to walk according to the commandments of the Lord and to wear our cross and follow our Master, you, reverends, together with our reverend and God-bearing father Sergius, your beloved son, have confidence in Christ our God and in His Holy Mother of God. Be the prayer makers and intercessors for us, the unworthy, who live in your holy monastery, including you and the rulers. Be the helpers and intercessors of God’s gathered squad, so that those who live in this place and who come with faith, through your prayers, may remain unharmed from demons and from evil people, glorifying The Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever eyelids of centuries. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to St. Cyril and Mary of Radonezh

Kontakion 1

Chosen miracle workers and great servants of the Lord, our monastery intercessor and dreamer of prayer for our souls, the Venerable Schema-Nun Kirill and Schema-Nun Mary! Bringing praise to you, we earnestly pray: for those who have boldness in the Lord, through your intercession free us from all troubles and make us heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, so we joyfully call to you:

Ikos 1

The angels of earth and the people of heaven truly appeared to the Reverend Cyril and Mary, from your youth having a clear conscience towards God, and living together in goodness in piety and purity, leaving us as an example of imitation of your godly life, to whom we marvel and illuminate your miracles, we call to you voices laudatory words:
Rejoice, you who have loved Christ from your youth and worked for Him with all your heart;
Rejoice, guardians of chastity and guardians of mental and physical purity.
Rejoice, having prepared your souls and bodies on earth for the abode of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, being filled with the wisdom and intelligence of the Divine.
Rejoice, for you stand before the Trinity from earth to heaven and there from the Angels;
Rejoice, for with disembodied faces you sing the thrice-holy hymn to Her.
Rejoice, you have been glorified in heaven and on earth by the Lord;
Rejoice, having found an eternal, all-bright resting place.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the all-seeing eye of the Father of lights, your great life is pleasing to God, deign to choose you, blessed one, so that you may show the world’s bright lamp of the Venerable Sergius, so that about him your names will be glorified and all the faithful will sing to the Lord who glorified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Filled with Divine reason, Cyril and Mary worked tirelessly for the Lord, instructing their children in obedience and meekness. Make us wise, reverent ones, to constantly follow the justification of the Lord without falsehood, so that together with you we may find eternal salvation and bring you the following blessings:
Rejoice, blessed ones, who have lived in love of God and preserved good faith;
Rejoice, you are filled with mercy and compassion.
Rejoice, having acquired the Kingdom of Heaven through alms and prayers;
Rejoice, having improved eternal bliss through humility and fasting.
Rejoice, for your reward is abundant in Heaven;
Rejoice, for through your prayers we too are not deprived of the hope of the Kingdom of Christ.
Rejoice, for your joy is eternal in the light of the saints;
Rejoice, for for your Lordship’s sake we too are heirs.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 3

By the power of God, we protect St. Cyril to the Prince of Rostov with all zeal, serving and together with him in the Hagarian horde, for the sake of peace, walking, so that the Russian people weaken from their yoke and sing to God incessantly: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

The Venerables Cyril and Mary and the people had a thought about the threefold proclamation of fruit in Mary’s womb in the church and were amazed, realizing something glorious and wonderful was happening; and having now seen the joyful birth of his son, he rejoiced and made a joyful offering to you, saying:
Rejoice, most luminous two, united by God;
Rejoice, unpretentious stars, who faithfully point out the path of married life pleasing to God.
Rejoice, parents of good and chosen fruit;
Rejoice, having fulfilled all the grace of God.
Rejoice, Christian spouses, teachers of piety;
Rejoice, you who teach good, God-fearing children the upbringing of their children.
Rejoice, chastity and continence in conjugal life are the most excellent image;
Rejoice, teachers of those who want to live a life pleasing to God.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 4

The storm of sorrows and misfortunes raised by the viceroy of the Grand Duke, do not weaken your strong love for God, Kirill and Blessed Mary, but moreover, teach you to better repel the kindled arrows of the evil one. Teach us, therefore, to bear all the sorrows of this world with meekness, crying out to God with joy: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Having heard, blessed Bartholomew, your wondrous child, who was once inexperienced in reading and writing, honoring God-inspired writings, you were greatly surprised, and the elder schema-monk, who bestowed wisdom on him, received into your home, keeping the commandment of the Apostle Paul: do not forget the love of strangers; Moreover, the Angels did not know how strange they were. Glorifying your virtue, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, faithful followers of Christ’s commandments;
Rejoice, followers of the truth of the teachings of the Gospel.
Rejoice, saints of God, as partakers of the lives of the great saints;
Rejoice, imitators of the hospitable hospitality of the ancient forefather Abraham.
Rejoice in the light of your pious life, like a divinely luminous luminary that shines forth;
Rejoice, you have shown love and mercy to the poor and orphaned.
Rejoice, a helper for the helpless;
Rejoice, for you always help us and guide us to the Heavenly Fatherland.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 5

The godly stars are like the speedy, blessed Cyril and Mary, who came from the country of Rostov to the boundaries of the Principality of Moscow and settled in the city of Radonezh, where they amazed the people there with their piety, striving to sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen, holy, the diligence of his son, the Venerable Sergius, towards monastic life, I pray to him that he will remain with you until your death. He, like a son of obedience, taught by you from childhood to fulfill the commandments of the Lord, submitted to your will, Cyril and Mary, as God did, teaching everyone to cry out to you like this:
Rejoice, partakers of the beatitudes of Christ;
Rejoice, create an honest marriage and care for your good children.
Rejoice, angelic people;
Rejoice, venerable and righteous participants.
Rejoice, faithful saint of the Most Holy Trinity;
Rejoice, for you have taught your children to please Her.
Rejoice, for this is why your son has built a wondrous abode for the Trinitarian Deity;
Rejoice, for this reason your holy names are glorified throughout Rus'.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 6

Preachers of the Orthodox faith and zealots of piety, not only in words, but also in your life, quickly in the city of Radonezh, praise to Cyril and Mary: in the same way, the Holy Church worthily honors you, incessantly singing to the Wonderful God in Her saints: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

The light of your virtuous life, blessed Cyril and Mary, has risen in the city of Radonezh; When, having reached old age, she rushed to the Khotkovo monastery under the protection of the Mother of God, there she received the great image of the Angel on her body, showing us the image of the highest humility, learning from it, with love we cry out to you like this:
Rejoice, for for the sake of love, for the sake of the Lord of this world, you have given up glory;
Rejoice, for you have diligently accepted the monastic life of equal angels.
Rejoice, having come to the ancient monastery and there finding peace for yourself;
Rejoice, having entrusted your souls to the Most Pure Virgin Mary.
Rejoice, having received the image of an angel and preserved it immaculately;
Rejoice, show goodness to all monks and nuns.
Rejoice, having mortified all passions through abstinence before your death;
Rejoice, having received the holy schema into the armor of salvation.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 7

Although the Lord, the Lover of Mankind, showed in your life, Reverend Cyril and Mary, an image of edification, not only to the people of the world, but also to the monastic face, instill in you in old age to leave earthly glory and perceive the image of a monk, in which through fasting, vigil and prayer you strive for goodness, tirelessly chanting the Seraphim's hymn to the Triune God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

New grace was shown to all by the Creator and Master through you, reverend ones, when nature passed from the temporary sowing vale of deplorable vale to the eternal abode. Your holy relics, even if hidden in secret, have produced many miracles and given healing to many sick people; Moreover, I will heal the babies brought to you. For this sake, O blessed healers of ours, accept this praise from us:
Rejoice, having come through temporary death to eternal life;
Rejoice, from the Lord incorruptibility and glorified miracles.
Rejoice, for your memory is with praise and your dormition is with the saints;
Rejoice, for your names are honorable and blessed in your Fatherland.
Rejoice, you who give healing to sick babies;
Rejoice, you seriously ill girl, who came to you with love and saved you from her illness.
Rejoice, O heavenly representatives who love and honor you;
Rejoice, you who ever ask us from the Lord for the gifts of His goodness.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 8

A terrible and terrible disaster came to the land of Moscow, when many people in cities and towns were stung by the pestilence, and many of them died. Then the cathedral, consecrated with the nuns, offered prayers to you and through your intercession you received deliverance from trouble, crying out to God who benefits through you: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All lovers of God were overcome by great sorrow, when in the days of hard times, those who came to the Russian land, the monastery of the Intercession of the Most Pure Virgin in Khotkovo, the atheists, were abandoned to ruin and desolation. But the memory of you, venerable one, is alive among people, and the children of Russia glorify your life and miracles of praise:
Rejoice, our wonderful wonderworkers;
Rejoice, you who do not abandon us in days of sorrow.
Rejoice, indestructible fence of the city of Khotkov and our monastery;
Rejoice, fortresses, visible and invisible, are our supporters against enemies.
Rejoice, you who shower us with many blessings;
Rejoice, the mercy of your compassion embraces everyone.
Rejoice, you have dreamed of the intercessors of salvation for all of us;
Rejoice, guardians of the persistent city of Khotkov and our monastery.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 9

All the angels and saints rejoiced with great joy, when your monastery, Reverend Cyril and Mary, was returned to the Church and your honorable relics, hidden by God from the ancient years, were placed in the cathedral church. And the lamp was lit by the prayer and all the people, seeing its light, were greatly surprised, they came running to you in times of misfortune and received help from you; and also make us worthy of veneration, who cry out to God for you: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Human infamy does not suffice for the worthy glorification of the miracles from your relics that are still being performed, the blessed Cyril and Mary: the old woman, for the weak nun, who underwent bone refraction and was not consoled by the doctors, came to you, reverend, and with tears I pray to you. Soon after receiving the complete healing, I hurried to you with tenderness of heart:
Rejoice, vessels of election of the grace of the Holy Spirit;
Rejoice, blessed intercessors of eternal joy to us.
Rejoice, you who quickly healed the old woman who was weak from her illness;
Rejoice, having surprised the skilled doctors with this healing.
Rejoice, imperishable fragrant flowers;
Rejoice, unflickering rays of immortality.
Rejoice, you who shine on earth with the greatness of miracles;
Rejoice, angels in heaven glorifying God.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 10

Having inherited eternal salvation, blessed Cyril and Mary, your souls in the heavenly abodes abide inseparably in God, and with your holy relics in the monastery of the Immaculate Virgin you rest incorruptibly and exude abundant healing, leading us to the Heavenly Jerusalem, crying out to the Ruler of that City: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You are a wall and a refuge for all those who come to you, reverend. Because your monastery has been revived to a life of monasticism, many people seeking salvation have gathered together, you will save them from temptations and seductions, bliss, and teach them monastic work, so that, having improved what they want, they will bring you the following words of gratitude:
Rejoice, our child-loving representatives;
Rejoice, you who lead us to Christ God.
Rejoice, you who teach us to walk according to the commandments of the Lord;
Rejoice, you who teach us to patiently bear our cross and follow our Master.
Rejoice, for with our venerable father Sergius you have boldness towards Christ our God and towards His Holy Mother of God;
Rejoice, for you are intercessors for us unworthy, who live in our holy monastery, and you are its rulers.
Rejoice, for you are helpers, intercessors and prayer books to this squad gathered by God;
Rejoice, for through your prayers we are preserved unharmed from demons and from evil people.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 11

Prayer singing is brought to you, Most Blessed Kirill and Mary, not only in the Khotkovo monastery, but also in Vysotskaya, your son founded, the multi-healing relics of your part, glorify the miracles you perform: a baby has an incurable illness, receives healing from you, parents receive immeasurable joy fulfilling crying healings to the giver of God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Illuminated by the tri-radiant light, Cyril and Mary, the all-blessed, with all the saints, you now stand in Heaven at the Throne of the King of Kings, and from there, like the luminaries of light, you ever enlighten the souls of your relics flowing to the race and teach true repentance. For this reason, glorifying you, we say:
Rejoice, for you have ended your natural life in body, but do not depart from us in spirit;
Rejoice, you who come to the race of your relics with faith, sanctifying them with grace.
Rejoice, shining beads who enlighten people with grace;
Rejoice, shine upon your minds, illuminating with the dawn of the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, you who have known the propitiators of the Heavenly King;
Rejoice, those who call upon the prayerfully honest names of your speedy hearers.
Rejoice, because God has placed hope in you as a helper;
Rejoice, to all the faithful, you fulfill every request in their favor.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 12

The grace from God given to you is knowing, we diligently pray now, the most praised schemamonas: pour out a warm prayer for us to the Lord, may He keep our monastery undamaged from misfortunes and disturbances, and may He have mercy and save us, crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your God-pleasing life, reverend, and glorification from God in heaven, we bless your righteous repose, we magnify the countless miracles from your holy relics flowing, and trusting in your unceasing prayers, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, your earthly life is more pious than those you passed away;
Rejoice, you have received crowns of glory from the Heavenly King.
Rejoice, having been clothed in the robe of grace-filled incorruptibility;
Rejoice, you who rest incorruptibly in the fragrance of the holy thing.
Rejoice, girded with the power of many miracles;
Rejoice, for your honest physician has revealed cancer as a human disease.
Rejoice, for from her everyone who comes with faith receives healing gifts;
Rejoice, for the monastery of our relics for your sake is glorified throughout the Russian land.
Rejoice, Reverend Cyril and Mary, blasphemous intercessor for us before God.

Kontakion 13

Oh, glory to the wonderworkers and saints of the Lord Kirill and Mary! Accept this prayer of ours with all our souls, which is now offered to you, and make us worthy, through your intercession in the rank of angels, to reach the Heavenly Kingdom, where all saints, angels and men sing with unceasing voices the praise of the Most Holy Trinity, our God: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, and then ikos 1st and kontakion 1st

Prayer to Saints Cyril and Mary of Radonezh

Oh, servants of God, St. Cyril and Mary! Even though you have ended your natural temporary life in body, you do not depart from us in spirit; you guide us to Christ God, instructing us to walk according to the commandments of the Lord and to bear our cross and follow our Master. You, reverend ones, together with our reverend and God-bearing father Sergius, your beloved son, have boldness towards Christ our God and towards His Holy Mother of God. Be prayer books and intercessors for us, unworthy, living in your holy monastery, and you are its rulers. Be the helpers and intercessors of God's gathered squad, so that those who live in this place and come with faith, preserve by your prayers, remain unharmed from demons and from evil people, glorifying the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers are read about establishing family piety and assisting in the formation of the moral and religious character of children.

Reverend Kirill and Maria came from a noble boyar family and lived their lives in the ancient Principality of Rostov. The pious family already had one son named Stephen, when the Lord gave them another son, whom the couple named Bartholomew. The youngest son Bartholomew in the future had the chance to become St. Sergius of Radonezh.
The righteousness of St. Cyril and his wife Mary was glorified and known not only to the Lord. The spouses have always been strict guardians of all divine statutes, they helped the poor, but especially sacredly cherished the commandment of the holy Apostle Paul: “Do not abandon the love of strangers, especially since the Angels do not know how to accept strangers.” They taught all this to their children, instilling in them the idea of ​​not missing an opportunity to invite a wandering monk or other weary pilgrim to their monastery. Until our time, no more detailed information has been preserved about the pious life of this happy couple, but we can, together with St. Plato, declare that the very fruit they generated showed better than any sweet-tongued praise the good-heartedness of the blessed family. Blessed are the parents whose names are forever glorified in their offspring and offspring! Blessed are the children who not only did not disgrace, but also strengthened and magnified the honor and nobility of their fathers and eminent ancestors, since true nobility lies in virtue!

At the end of their life's journey, the Monks Kirill and Maria decided of their own free will to take monasticism. They rushed to the Intercession Monastery, which was located 3 versts from Radonezh, and at that time connected 2 monasteries: for the elders and for the old women. In this place, the Monk Kirill and his wife Maria spent their last days, preparing for eternal life. First they took monastic vows, and later the schema. Burdened with old age and illness, the schema-monks labored in a new rank for a short period of time. Around 1337, the couple departed in peace to the kingdom of God.

In 1992, the Bishops' Temple of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to canonize St. Cyril and his wife Mary.
St. Philaret of Moscow wrote lines in which he says that the immortal relics of saints prosper with the glory of their virtues so that they, often being diminished in mortal life, acquire greatness after death. And after death they show in themselves the spiritual power of life, miraculously exuding to those around them. Jesus Christ prefers to live among His chosen ones even physically, since He disposes them to internal communion with Him. It settles in the heart and brings new life into it. And the body, constantly cleansed by asceticism and deeds, even in mortal life becomes God-bearing and overflows with the power of the Lord for others... And since the power of Christ is eternal, it is self-evident that it, settling in human beings who are Christ’s (Gal. 5:24) ), and immortality is broadcast to their bodies; since there is no limit to the power of the Lord, it also agrees that through them it works miracles when the Lord pleases... This immortality and the healing power that comes from them teaches us piety and pushes us to imitate their faith.

The power of the intercession of the Mother of God, St. Cyril and his wife Mary, as well as their son Sergius, is manifested in the divas that were performed throughout the history of the Khotkov Monastery. During a difficult period for the Russian people and the Holy Church, they repeatedly interceded with the Lord for their earthly brothers, the Venerables Cyril and Mary, as well as their son Sergius.

The relics of St. Cyril and Mary of Radonezh are located in the Pokrovsky Khotkovsky stauropegial convent, Moscow region, Sergiev Posad district.

Rev. Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria,
parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Life icon.

Four miles from Rostov the Great, on the open plain of the left bank of the Ishni River, on the way to Yaroslavl, a small monastery in the name of the Most Holy Trinity - Varnitsky Monastery - was secluded. . It was built by our pious ancestors with the aim of perpetuating in the memory of future generations the homeland of the great ascetic of the Russian land - St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Here was the estate of the noble and noble Rostov boyars Kirill and Maria. This is where they lived, preferring solitude among rural nature to the bustle of the princely court. Kirill was in the service first of the Rostov prince Konstantin II Borisovich, and then of Konstantin III Vasilyevich, whom he, as one of the people closest to them, , more than once accompanied him to the Golden Horde. Kirill owned a fortune sufficient for his position, but due to the simplicity of the customs of that time, living in the village, he did not neglect ordinary rural labor.

Kirill and Maria were kind and godly people. Talking about them, the Venerable Epiphanius the Wise writes: “Our venerable father Sergius was born of noble and pious parents: from a father whose name was Cyril and a mother named Mary, who were God's saints, righteous before God and before people, and full of all kinds of virtues and decorated with what God loves. God did not allow such a baby, who was to shine, to be born from unrighteous parents. But first God created and prepared such righteous parents for him and then from them he produced His saint. O praiseworthy couple! O kindest spouses who were parents to such a baby! First, it is appropriate to honor and praise his parents, and this will be a kind of addition to his praises and honors. After all, it was necessary that Sergius be given by God to many people for the good, for salvation and benefit, and therefore it would not have stopped for such a baby to be born from unrighteous parents, and it would not have stopped for others, that is, unrighteous parents, to give birth to this child. God gave it only to those chosen parents, which is what happened; good has united with good and the best with the best!” Cyril and Maria already had a son, Stephen, when God gave them another son - Bartholomew, the future founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra, the beauty of the Orthodox Church and the indestructible support of their native land .

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and his parents
Schemamonk Kirill and schemanun Maria

Long before the birth of the baby, the wondrous Providence of God had already given a sign of him as the great chosen one of God and the holy branch of the blessed root. “And a certain miracle happened before his birth,” says the Monk Epiphanius the Wise, something happened that cannot be consigned to silence. When the child was still in the womb, one day - it was on Sunday - his mother entered the church, as usual, during the singing of the Holy Liturgy. And she stood with other women in the vestibule, and when they were about to begin reading the Holy Gospel and all the people stood in silence, then suddenly the baby began to scream in the womb, so that many were horrified by this cry - the glorious miracle that happened to this baby. And then again, before they began to sing the Cherubic Song, suddenly the baby began to scream a second time in the womb, louder than the first time, so that his voice was heard throughout the whole church, so that his mother herself stood in horror, and the women who were there, they were perplexed to themselves and said: “What will happen to this baby?” When the priest exclaimed: “Let us take in, Holy of Holies!” - the baby screamed loudly again, for the third time . The embarrassed mother almost fell from fear and began to cry. Women surrounded her and began asking questions. “Where is your baby? Why is he screaming so loudly? But Maria, in emotional agitation, shedding tears, could hardly speak. “I don’t have a baby, ask someone else.” The women began to look around and, not seeing the baby, again pestered Mary with the same question. Then she was forced to tell them frankly that she really did not have a baby in her arms, but she was carrying him in her womb. “How can a baby scream when he is still in the womb? - the surprised women objected to her. “I myself am surprised at this,” Maria answered them, “I am in considerable bewilderment and fear.” Then the women left her alone, without ceasing, however, to be amazed at this extraordinary incident. .

“In our time,” says Saint Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow, “witnesses of such an incident would probably have a lot of concern about finding the reason that produced this extraordinary phenomenon. More insightful ones, perhaps, would have dared to guess that the prayerful delight of the pious mother imparted an extraordinary excitement of life to the fetus that she carried in her womb. But at that time they loved not so much curious speculation as reverent observation of the ways of Providence, and the people left the church, repeating what was written in the Gospel about John the Baptist: “What then will this boy do” (Luke 1:66) May the will of the Lord be done to him .

The reverent description of the life of St. Sergius accompanies the narration of this extraordinary incident with the following reflection: “One should be surprised that the baby in the womb did not cry out outside the church, without people, or in another place, secretly, alone, but precisely in front of the people, so that there would be many listeners and witnesses to this true event. And it is also surprising that he did not shout quietly, but to the whole church, so that rumors about him would spread throughout the whole earth, it is surprising that he did not shout when his mother was either at a feast, or was sleeping at night, but when she was in the church, in time of prayer - let the one born earnestly pray to God. It is surprising that he shouted not in some house or some unclean place, but, on the contrary, in a church standing in a clean, holy place, where it is appropriate to celebrate the Liturgy of the Lord - this means that the child will be perfect in the fear of God holy to the Lord. One should also be surprised that he shouted not once or twice, but also a third time, so that it was clear that he was a disciple of the Holy Trinity, since the number three is revered more than all other numbers.” .

Further, citing examples and indications from Old Testament and New Testament history that testify to the important meaning of the trinity number, and remembering the terrible secret of the Trinitarian Deity, the Monk Epiphanius continues: “And therefore the baby should have cried out three times while in the womb, before birth, indicating by this that the child will one day be a servant of the Holy Trinity, which has come true, and will lead many to understanding and knowledge of God, teaching the verbal sheep to believe in the Holy Trinity of the Consubstantial One, in the One Divinity... Isn’t this a clear indication, - the Venerable Epiphanius further argues, - that with amazing and unusual things will happen as a child in the future! Isn’t this a sure sign, so that it is clear that this baby will do wonderful things later! It is fitting for those who saw and heard the first signs to believe the subsequent events. Thus, even before the birth of the saint, God marked him: after all, this first sign was not simple, not empty, worthy of surprise, but the beginning was the path of the future. We tried to report this, because we are talking about an amazing person with an amazing life.

We should also remember here the ancient saints who shone forth in the Old and New Law: after all, the conception and birth of many saints was somehow marked by Divine Revelation. After all, we are not saying this on our own, but we take words from the Holy Scriptures and mentally compare another story with our story: after all, God sanctified Jeremiah the prophet in his mother’s womb, and the all-foreseeing God, foreseeing before his birth that Jeremiah would be the receptacle of the Holy Spirit, filled by his grace from a young age. Isaiah the prophet said: “Says the Lord, who called me from the womb, and having chosen me from my mother’s womb, He called my name.” The holy great prophet John the Baptist, while still in his mother’s womb, knew the Lord, carried in the womb of the Most Pure Ever-Virgin Mary; and the child leaped with joy in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, and through her mouth he prophesied. And she then exclaimed, saying: “Where is it from me that the Mother of my Lord has come to me?” As for the holy and glorious prophet Elijah the Tishbite, when his mother gave birth, his parents saw a vision of him - how men with beautiful and bright faces called the name of the child, and wrapped him in fiery shrouds, and gave him the flames of fire to eat.” .

Further, Epiphanius the Wise gives similar stories about other saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker, Ephraim the Syrian, Alypius and Simeon the Stylites, Theodore Sikeot, Euthymius the Great, Theodore of Edessa and Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow. “It’s amazing to hear,” he says in conclusion, “that in the womb he began to scream. So such a child should have been born with a miraculous sign, so that other people would understand that such an amazing person had an amazing conception, birth, and upbringing. The Lord gave him such grace, more than other newborn babies, and such signs revealed God’s wise Providence for him.” .

Always devoted to the will of God and attentive to the ways of Providence, Cyril and Maria understood the instructions of God's Providence and, in accordance with this, carried out the matter of raising their child. After such an incident, the mother became especially attentive to her spiritual state. Always remembering that she was carrying in her womb a baby who would be the chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, Mary prepared to meet in him the future ascetic of piety and abstinence. Like the mother of the ancient Israeli judge Sampson, she carefully kept her soul and body in purity and strict continence. “Mary, his mother,” writes the Monk Epiphanius, “from the day when this sign and incident took place, she carried the baby in her womb as a kind of priceless treasure, and as a precious stone, and as a wonderful pearl, and as a chosen vessel. And when she carried a child within herself and was pregnant, then she vomited herself from all filth and protected herself from all uncleanness by fasting, and avoided all fast food, and did not eat meat, milk, or fish, only bread, and vegetables, and water. ate. She completely abstained from wine, and instead of various drinks only water, and drank that little by little. Often, secretly sighing in private, she prayed to God with tears, saying: “Lord! Save me, protect me, Your wretched servant, and save and preserve this baby that I carry in my womb! You, Lord, protect the baby, Thy will be done, Lord! And may Your Name be blessed forever and ever! Amen!"

“Oh parents,” Metropolitan Philaret notes about this, “if only you knew how much good or, on the contrary, how much evil you can communicate to your children even before they are born! You would be amazed at the accuracy of God’s judgment, which blesses children in parents and parents in children and “passes on the sins of the fathers to the children” (Num. 14:18), and, thinking about this, you would reverently carry out the ministry entrusted to you from Him, from By Him is every Fatherland in heaven and on earth called" .

Cyril and Maria felt the great mercy of God; their piety demanded that the animating feelings of gratitude to the beneficent God be expressed in some external feat of piety, in some reverent vow. What could be more pleasing to the Lord in the circumstances in which they were, if not a strong heart desire and firm determination to prove worthy of God’s mercy? And so righteous Mary, like Saint Anna, the mother of the prophet Samuel, together with her husband made a promise: “If a boy is born to us, we will vow to bring him to church and give him to God, the Benefactor of all.” . This meant that they would do everything to ensure that the will of God was fulfilled on their unborn child, that God’s secret predestination about him would be fulfilled, to which they already had some indication. “Oh glorious faith! - exclaims Epiphanius the Wise, telling about the spiritual mood of Cyril and Mary. - Oh good love! Even before the birth of the child, the parents promised to bring him and give him to the Giver of blessings to God, as Anna the prophetess, the mother of Samuel the prophet, did in ancient times.” .

On May 3, 1314, there was great joy and fun in the house of boyar Kirill: God gave him and Maria a son . The righteous parents invited their relatives and friends to share family joy with them, and everyone thanked God for the mercy He showed in the house of the pious boyar. On the fortieth day after birth, the parents brought the baby to church to perform baptism on him. . The time has come to fulfill your promise and present the child as an immaculate sacrifice to God. A reverent priest named Michael named the baby Bartholomew at Holy Baptism. On this day (June 11) the memory of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew was celebrated. This name, by its very meaning - son of joy - was especially comforting for parents. The priest “took the child, who had abundantly received the grace of the Holy Spirit, from the font, and the priest, overshadowed by the Divine Spirit, felt that this baby would be the chosen vessel.” . Is it possible to describe the joy that filled the hearts of the parents when they saw before them the beginning of the fulfillment of those bright hopes that rested on this baby from the day of his miraculous proclamation in his mother’s womb? Cyril and Maria told this incident to the priest, and he, as well versed in the Holy Scriptures, showed them many examples from the Old and New Testaments, when God’s chosen ones, even from their mother’s womb, were destined to serve God; He brought them the words of the prophet David about the perfect foreknowledge of God: “Your eyes have seen what I have not done” (Ps. 139:16) - and the Apostle Paul: “God called me from my mother’s womb to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him to the Gentiles” ( Gal. 1:15-16) - and other similar passages of Holy Scripture and consoled them with gracious hope regarding their newborn: “Do not grieve for him, but, on the contrary, rejoice and be glad, for the child will be a chosen vessel of God, an abode and servant of the Holy Trinity » . Having blessed the child and his parents, the minister of the altar of Christ sent them away in peace. Meanwhile, the parents began to notice something unusual in the baby: if the mother happened to eat meat, the baby did not take her nipples. On Wednesdays and Fridays the baby was left without food at all. They thought the child was sick. “But, however, examining the baby from all sides, they saw that he was not sick and that there were no obvious or hidden signs of illness on him: he did not cry, did not moan, and was not sad. But with his face, his heart, and his eyes, the baby was cheerful and rejoiced in every possible way and played with his hands.” . Finally, they paid attention to the time when the baby did not accept the mother’s breasts, and then everyone was convinced that in this children’s fast “marked,” as St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow puts it, “the mother’s previous dispositions and the seeds of his future dispositions were manifested.” . Abstained by fasting in the womb, the baby, even at birth, seemed to require fasting from the mother. And she really began to observe the fast more strictly: she completely gave up eating meat, and the baby, except for Wednesdays and Fridays, always fed on her milk after that. One day, Mary gave the baby to another woman so that she would feed him at her breast, but the child did not want to take the nipples, the same thing happened with other nurses. So he fed only on his mother's milk until he was suckled. “This was a sign,” writes the Monk Epiphanius, “meaning that from a good root a good branch should be nourished with undefiled milk. This child was a worshiper of the Lord, even in his mother’s womb and after birth he was inclined to piety, and from the very cradle he knew the Lord... he got used to fasting, and, feeding on his mother’s milk, along with tasting this milk he learned abstinence; and, being a child of age, he did not begin to fast like a child; and as a child he was raised in purity; and was fed more by piety than by milk; and before his birth he was chosen by God" .

The righteousness of Cyril and Mary was known not only to God. Strict guardians of all church statutes, they helped the poor, but especially sacredly kept the commandment of the Holy Apostle Paul: “Do not forget to love strangers, for the angels do not know how to accept strangers” (Heb. 13:2). They taught the same to their children, strictly instructing them not to miss the opportunity to invite a traveling monk or other tired wanderer to their home. “Detailed information about the pious life of this blessed couple has not reached us: but we can, together with Saint Plato, say that the very fruit that came from them showed better than any eloquent praise the kindness of the blessed tree. Happy are the parents whose names are glorified forever in their children and offspring! Happy are the children who not only did not disgrace, but also increased and exalted the honor and nobility of their parents and glorious ancestors, for true nobility lies in virtue!”

Growing up, Saint Sergius, as in the first days of his life, did not eat any food on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on other days he ate only bread and water. He did not like children's games, the laughter and fun of his comrades was not to his heart, but, in solitude, he indulged in reading sacred books. Not being a monk, he led a strict monastic life. Seeing such exploits of her young son, the mother was very afraid that a harsh lifestyle could harm his health, and she convinced her son to soften the severity of fasting and his exploits. But the young ascetic humbly asked her not to turn him away from abstinence, which was so sweet and beneficial for his soul. The mother was surprised at the boy’s reasonable answer and no longer interfered with his good intentions, especially since his health did not suffer at all from abstinence and fasting .

But it was not in the Rostov land that this blessed lamp was destined to shine, but among the dense forests of Radonezh, so that from there it could shine for the entire Orthodox Kingdom of Russia. When Bartholomew was about 15 years old, his parents had to leave Rostov.

Shortly before the resettlement of Bartholomew's parents from Rostov to the Moscow Principality, an important event took place in the history of our Fatherland. In the winter of 1327-1328, the appanage prince Ivan Danilovich Kalita, who sought to unify the Russian land, received the title of Russian Grand Duke in the Golden Horde. The new Grand Duke gained such favor in the Horde that the Khan subordinated the Rostov Principality, adjacent to Moscow, to him. One of the Moscow boyars, Vasily Kocheva, was appointed his governor in Rostov, who conducted the matter in such a way that soon all of Rostov was filled with tears and crying. The governor's independent actions were accompanied by oppression of the residents, who were tortured and robbed. The insolence of the Moscow governors reached the point that they shamefully tortured the Rostov mayor, boyar Averky. Horror gripped the Rostovites, many began to leave their hometown. Among the latter was boyar Kirill. In addition to the oppression of the Moscow boyars, he was forced to leave Rostov by an extremely unfavorable change in his financial situation: he was broke, and it was inconvenient for him to remain where he lived richly and enjoyed great honor . Kirill chose the small town of Radonezh as his place of new residence, which is fourteen miles from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra towards Moscow. .

According to the custom of that time, Cyril was supposed to receive an estate, but due to his old age he could no longer serve, and this responsibility was assumed by his eldest son Stefan, who probably got married in Rostov. The youngest of Cyril's sons, Peter, also chose married life. But Bartholomew continued his exploits in Radonezh. Talking about the vanity of everything earthly, he began to ask his parents for blessings to choose the path of monastic life. “Now, Vladyka, give me your consent, so that with your blessing I can begin my monastic life.” But his parents answered him: “Child! Wait a little and be patient with us: we are old, poor, sick now and have no one to care for us. Well, your brothers, Stephen and Peter, got married and are thinking about how to please their wives; But you, unmarried, are thinking about how to please God; you have chosen a more beautiful path, which will not be taken away from you. Just look after us a little and when you see us, your parents, to the grave, then you will be able to carry out your plan. When you put us in a coffin and cover us with earth, then you will fulfill your desire.” .

The blessed son obeyed. He made every effort to please his parents and calm their old age in order to earn their blessings and prayers. Not bound by family concerns, he devoted himself entirely to the repose of his parents, and due to his meek, loving character, he could not have been more capable of this. “How beautiful and instructive is the example of both parental prudence and filial obedience! Cyril and Maria do not try to extinguish the Divine desire that flares up in their son, they do not force him to tie himself to the vanity of the world through marriage, as many parents do: they only point out to him their needs and infirmities, and secretly, probably, they have more in mind his youth, and they give him a chance to test himself further and strengthen himself in his holy intention, so that, having laid his hand on the head, he will no longer look back. But Bartholomew also knows the dignity of what he desires. Remembering the commandment of God: “Honor your father and mother” (Matthew 15:4), he agrees to torment himself for the time being with an unfulfilled desire in order to preserve the memory of his parents and thereby inherit their blessing. And the parents, of course, from the bottom of their loving hearts blessed their obedient son with their holy blessings until their last sigh!”

The spirit of monasticism insensitively communicated from the son to the parents: at the end of their sorrowful life, Cyril and Maria themselves, according to the pious custom of antiquity, wished to take on the angelic image. At that time, the custom of accepting monasticism in old age was widespread in Rus'. This is what simple people, princes, and boyars did.

About three versts from Radonezh there was the Intercession Khotkov Monastery, at that time both male and female . The righteous Cyril and Maria sent their feet to this monastery, so that there they could spend the rest of their days in the feat of repentance, preparing for another life. Almost at the same time, a sad change occurred in the life of Bartholomew's elder brother, Stephen: he did not live long in marriage, his wife, Anna, died, leaving him with two sons - Clement and John. Having buried his wife in the Khotkovo Monastery, Stefan did not want to return to the world. Having entrusted his children, probably, to Peter, he immediately remained in Khotkovo, so that, having accepted monasticism, at the same time he could serve his weak parents. However, the schema-monks-boyars did not work long in their new rank: in 1337 they went to the Lord in peace for eternal rest . The children honored them with tears of filial love and buried them under the shadow of the same Pokrovsky monastery, which from that time became the last shelter and tomb of the Sergius family .

The repose of the parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh

Paying his last debt to filial love, Bartholomew spent forty days incessantly in the Khotkovo monastery, remembering his newly departed parents and distributing alms to the poor. Then, giving the inheritance left by his parents to his younger brother Peter, he hastened to his exploits in a deserted place. Imitating the ancient ascetics, he built himself a cell and a chapel. Here Bartholomew was tonsured a monk with the name Sergius and became famous as the founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra.

In difficult times for the Russian people and the Holy Church, the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and his parents, Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, interceded before God more than once for their earthly brothers. So, for example, in 1770-1771 Russia suffered one of the greatest national disasters. A terrible disease - a pestilence - destroyed the population of the cities and villages of our Fatherland and, reaching Moscow, destroyed many people there. Sergeev Posad also lost many of its residents, although their number was much lower than the number of deaths in other cities and towns of the Moscow province. In the very monastery of St. Sergei, after the brethren performed a religious procession around the monastery with prayers for deliverance from the destructive disease, despite the fact that the Lavra was open to everyone who came, both the monastics and the students of the Seminary, of whom there were about 200 people, remained unharmed. Even among the servants of the Lavra, who lived in Posad and had their own houses between the houses of those dying of an ulcer, none died. Then many monasteries and villages that previously belonged to the Lavra took holy icons from it for blessing .

In the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery, from August to December 1771, the nuns of the monastery tirelessly read the Psalter and prayer to the saints Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria at their tomb. “And from other countries those who came to them with faith to pray and during the pestilence served a prayer service at the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, adding this prayer to the saints: “O servants of God, Schema-monk Kirill and Schema-nun Mary! Even though you have ended your natural temporary life in body, you do not depart from us in spirit; you guide us to Christ God, instructing us to walk according to the commandments of the Lord, and to bear our cross, and to follow our Master. You, venerable ones, together with our venerable and God-bearing father Sergius, your beloved son, have boldness towards Christ, our God, and towards His Holy Mother of God. Be prayer books and intercessors for us, unworthy, living in our holy monastery, and you are its leaders. Be the helpers and intercessors of this other chosen by God, so that those who live in this place and come with faith through your prayers may remain unharmed from demons and from evil people, glorifying the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen" .

In the city of Rostov, and especially in its environs, in the summer of 1871, cholera was raging, there were many sick and dying. In the Trinity-Varnitsa monastery, through the prayers of the intercessor of their homeland, St. Sergius of Radonezh and his parents, everyone remained alive, so that “none of the monastic brethren and employees were sick.” .

The list of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God mentioned in the Chronicle of the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery was located in the refectory of the Intercession Cathedral near the tombs of Saints Cyril and Mary. During the cholera epidemic in 1848, the Tikhvin icon with prayer singing was carried to all cells, and not one of the sisters fell ill. From the end of May to October, people from surrounding villages flocked to Khotkovo in large numbers to pray in front of the icon of the Mother of God. Prayer singing and all-night vigils were constantly performed in front of her, ending with a memorial service for the parents of St. Sergius. “In memory of this miraculous deliverance from the disease, it is established to perform a prayer service in front of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God after the hours before the liturgy every Saturday, at which the entire canon is read with the singing of choruses, a prayer to the Mother of God and a prayer to the saints of God, Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria.” .

Honor was also given to the parents of St. Sergius when the icon of St. Sergius was taken from the Lavra to the surrounding places. On August 24, 1848, with the blessing of Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow and the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Anthony, a religious procession took place from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra to the Khotkov Monastery and to the village of Radonezh with the image of St. Serius, written on a board from the ascetic’s tomb.

Venerable Sergius at the tomb of his parents, the Venerable Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria

According to legend, this icon resembled the living face of the Saint. When she was carried high above the crowd, it seemed as if St. Sergius himself was marching to the aid of those calling on him.

“In the village of Mashino, the nuns and belitsa of Khotkovsky were waiting for the image of St. Sergius, who carried the icon from here to their monastery. Far in front of the monastery, the Khotkovsky archpriest met the image of the Venerable One with the clergy, with banners and holy icons, and the abbess with the sisters, brought it into the monastery, into the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, and placed it at the tombs of his parents, the Venerables Cyril and Mary. It was impossible to look at this visible union of the saints - the holy son with the holy parents - without tears.

After the prayer service and blessing of water, the all-night service to St. Sergius began in the church and in the abbess’s cells. According to the sixth song of the canon, the governor of the Lavra read an akathist to St. Sergius, and it was touching to listen to those places in the akathist where the names of the parents of the great son were mentioned: “Rejoice, good and chosen fruit of good parents! Rejoice, from your mother’s womb you were called to the service of the Heavenly King, like a warrior who wants to be faithful to him! Rejoice, having surprised all those who heard you by your threefold birth in the womb, by the proclamation of your parents! Rejoice, wonderful continence revealed from the mother’s breast!”

So vividly the bonds that once united the Reverend with his parents in the flesh and, by the grace of God, now became holy and, of course, never to be dissolved, were now vividly imagined. The light of the glory of St. Sergius also illuminates the resting place of his parents, and for four and a half centuries their memory has been blessed from generation to generation and their name is pronounced with reverence by the lips of admirers of St. Sergius. From the grave of Saints Cyril and Mary, the icon of the Saint was transferred to ancient Radonezh. The people, flocking in thousands from everywhere, greeted the image with joyful tears and listened with tenderness to the prayer read by the governor of the Lavra to the saint of God in the place anciently consecrated by his feet.” .

The monastic chronicle preserved the story of the third (after 1771 and 1848) deliverance of the monastery from cholera through the patronage of the Mother of God and the prayers of St. Sergius and his parents. In 1871, a religious procession was held from the Lavra with the icon of St. Sergius written on his coffin board. At the end of May, the icon was transported around the surrounding area on a special hearse; the icon was taken from the Lavra a second time at the end of July. “Our monastery,” the Khotkovsky priest Voznesensky says in the chronicle, “on both visits we were honored with icons and banners, in the presence of all the monastics and inhabitants of the monastery, to meet him, accompanied by numerous people... Our monastery was spared, as in the previous cholera , from the epidemic through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Sergius and his parents. Not a single sister, despite the large gathering of pilgrims, among whom were sick, was susceptible to infection.” . In the same year, the death of horses, which befell the nearest villages simultaneously with cholera, stopped.

The spiritual bonds that forever united St. Sergius and his parents were also manifested in the miraculous events that took place at the relics of schema-monk Kirill and schema-nun Maria. The chronicle of the Khotkovo Intercession Monastery provides evidence of how a prayerful appeal to St. Sergius and his parents saved people from serious illnesses. Khotkovo Archpriest Alexy Lebedev talks about one of these miraculous healings: “The daughter of a peasant of the Simbirsk province, the girl Tatyana Ivanova, from an early age, after falling into a river in the winter, suffered from rheumatism, from which bumps formed all over her body, and then wounds opened on her right leg and on the left hand. Her neck was bent to one side from the cones, she could not walk and lay in bed, and the wounds had a foul odor, which lasted for twelve years, until 1868. That year, her brother, the peasant Alexei Ivanov, wanted to take her to the barn for Easter, where there were calves and lambs. Tatyana found this order from her brother very sad, and she cried bitterly before God that her brother could no longer tolerate the stench of her wounds and she should spend bright and joyful days with calves and lambs. With tears in her eyes, she seemed to fall asleep before the Matins of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, and she imagined that a gray-haired old man in a robe was standing in front of her, with his head bowed, and said: “Don’t cry, don’t grieve and don’t murmur, but give thanks and pray to God, and call upon St. Sergius and Cyril and Mary.” And, having blessed her, he became invisible. After that, she woke up and saw that there was no one, and only the lamp was glowing, and she felt relief and no longer felt the aches. Her mother in the morning took the rags off the wounds and, seeing that only bare bones and sinews remained, and learning from her that the aches and pains had subsided, she washed her, put on clean linen and began to await her death. The brother began to reproach his mother for not taking her out into the barn again, to which the mother said: “Why take her out - she will soon die.” Tatyana, on the contrary, felt much better and began to sit. On Bright Tuesday, her wounds began to heal and close, and the stench from them was no longer there since Bright Tuesday, and she began to get better hour by hour. When she began to walk and became somewhat stronger, they began to tell her to go and pray to God and thank St. Sergius for the healing. But her mother, seeing her weakness, did not let her go, fearing that she would die on the road, and the girl postponed her pilgrimage until another year. Despite this, many convinced her not to put off thanking God and to go without fail, which is what she decided to do.

On the way, when she entered the Sarov hermitage, where she confessed and received the Holy Mysteries of Christ, the schema-monk, whose name he does not remember, saw her and grabbed her shoulder from behind, said to her: “Go to St. Sergius and thank him, his parents Cyril and Maria healed you, thank them too.” At first she thought that this old man appeared to her in a dream, but, looking at him carefully, she did not recognize him as the one who appeared to her, and said that she was afraid that due to poor health she might die on the road. He answered: “Don’t be afraid, Cyril and Maria and St. Sergius will preserve you with their prayers, and you will be completely healthy. It is not far from the monastery of St. Serius and his venerable parents rest in a nunnery in Khotkovo, which is only 10 miles away. And if you don’t go, the Lord will punish you, and you won’t even think about returning home.”

View of the Pokrovsky Khotkov nunnery before 1917

Surprised by this elder, who for some unknown reason learned about her illness and the appearance of St. Sergius, she decided to go and the closer she came to the monastery of St. Sergius, the stronger her strength and health became, and she came to the monastery on Peter’s Fast. Having prayed to the Lord God and thanked St. Sergius for his appearance, she went to the Khotkov Monastery. When she began to venerate the image of St. Cyril, her head, which until then had been tilted to the right side due to the contracted veins, suddenly became straight, her neck also straightened and began to turn freely. Delighted by such a wonderful healing and venerating the image of the Venerable Mary, she began to talk about this healing and was taken to the abbess of the monastery, Philarete, to whom she told everything. Having been healed, she remained in the monastery. Now she is completely healthy, only when she does hard work she soon gets tired. Written by her spiritual father, Archpriest Alexy Lebedev.

I testify to this by the priesthood of her spiritual father - Khotkovsky Archpriest Alexy Lebedev" .

The relics of Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria invariably rested in the Intercession Cathedral, even after its numerous reconstructions and the construction of a new church on the site of the ancient one.

“The coffins of Cyril and Mary are located on the refectory of the monastery Intercession Cathedral, on the right side. On the upper side of the tomb, overshadowed by a canopy of forged silver-plated copper, the saints of God are depicted in full height, their images are decorated with silver vestments, which were arranged in 1827 by Abbess Eupraxia. On the front side of the tomb there are inscriptions: “In the summer of 6845 (1337) the servant of God, monk Cyril, the father of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the wonderworker, reposed. In the summer of 6845 (1337) the servant of God, the monk Maria, the mother of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the miracle worker, reposed. At their coffins, memorial services are held for pilgrims." . According to the church chronicle, “contributions were sent to this subject from the royal house. Thus, in 1738, Empress Anna Ivanovna gave 5 rubles for funeral services to the parents of St. Sergius.” .

Chroniclers and life writers report a lot about the special veneration of the burial place of the parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh - Cyril and Mary. The inventory of 1642 says: “In the church lie Sergius’s parents, miracle workers, above them are tombs, and on the tombs two yuft covers are placed for daily use and two Kamkaev black covers are placed for holidays.” The inventory of 1763 also mentions tombs and covers on them: “Two covers of black velvet, crosses with silver braid... covers of red damask are covered with a circle of yellow damask, crosses with tinsel braid.”

Above the tomb of Saints Cyril and Mary there was an icon, which already at the beginning of the 19th century was considered to be of “ancient writing”; it embodied the idea of ​​heavenly protection extended over the monastery. On this icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” the Mother of God is depicted in full height; under Her feet is the tomb of Cyril and Mary; on one side of her, according to the inscriptions made, are their children: Bartholomew, Peter and Stefan, and on the other - Stefan’s wife Anna and Peter’s wife Catherine . Obviously, this particular icon is mentioned in the inventory of the monastery property made in 1642: “Above the miracle workers, Sergius’s parents, the image of the Most Pure Mother of God “The Sign” on the greenery in the icon case.” .

The veneration of Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria is directly connected with the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius: “Evidence of church tradition about their holiness is numerous, they go back to the 16th century. Already in the front Life of St. Sergius, his parents are depicted with halos.” .

The memory of the parents of St. Sergius was celebrated in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and the Khotkovsky Pokrovsky nunnery on September 28 and January 18: in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, “the funeral Liturgy ... with the reading of a special prayer is performed on September 28 and on the Thursday of the week of the publican and Pharisee" .

There is a legend according to which St. Sergius commanded - “before going to him, pray for the repose of his parents over their tomb.” . And so it happened. Pilgrims going on pilgrimage to the Trinity Lavra considered it their duty, according to the commandment of the Reverend, to first visit the Khotkovo monastery and venerate the tombs of Saints Cyril and Mary . “Simple pilgrims coming from the Vladimir and Yaroslavl provinces often pass by the Holy Lavra to fulfill this custom. And already from Khotkov they return again to the sacred walls of the glorious Sergius Monastery. The custom is touching: in order for the saint of God to hear the prayer, so that he may graciously accept the stranger under his blessed cover, this stranger first goes to bow at the grave of his righteous parents, in order to appear to the blessed son from his dear grave, as if with parting words from the righteous parents themselves.” .

During their pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Patriarchs of Moscow and All Rus' Nikon (1656), Joachim (1676 and 1688) donated alms to the nuns of the Khotkovsky monastery .

Emperor Peter I, during a visit to the Khotkovo Monastery, “having seen a large number of nuns, ordered them, during the time free from prayer, to engage in women’s handicrafts and promised to send craftswomen from Holland to the monastery, which he fulfilled.” .

In 1755, Empress Catherine II undertook a trip from Moscow to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and visited the Intercession Khotkov Monastery, “where the righteous parents of St. Sergius Cyril and Maria rest.” .

In the 19th century, the veneration of the Venerable Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria spread throughout Russia.

Before the construction of the railway, pilgrims going to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, considering it their duty to pray at the Intercession Khotkovsky Monastery, on the way from Moscow “turned to the left from the village of Rakhmanova, from which Khotkov is 12 miles away . The construction of a railway running near the Khotkov Monastery attracted a larger number of pilgrims to the monastery compared to the past. “In the summer, sometimes up to 200 pilgrims or more go to the monastery from Khotkovskaya station” .

“And to this day, in the consciousness of our people, one can feel the spiritual communication of the holy son - the great saint of God - with his righteous parents - humble schema-monks, whom he buried in the Khotkovo monastery and to whose grave, according to popular legend, he often visited during his life from his then deserted Lavra . And now pilgrims, both in the Lavra itself and in Khotkovo, buy icons in large numbers in which St. Sergius is depicted praying at the tomb of his parents, with a censer in his hand. This is a monument to his sons’ love for their parents, whom he served until his blessed death.” .

The names of Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria are included in the lists of locally revered holy ascetics of piety in northeastern Rus' . Ethnographers also testify to this: Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsk Dimitri (Sambikin), who placed their lives in the “Month of Saints”, published in 1878 , and Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal Sergius (Spassky), who placed the names of the parents of St. Sergius in the “Complete Monthly Book of the East” .

The prayer to the parents of St. Sergius - Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, was published several times (the latest edition is in the “Complete collection of prayers to the Savior, the Most Holy Trinity, the holy saints of God and the Ethereal Powers” ​​(St. Petersburg, 1913, pp. 257-258 and St. Petersburg, 1915).

After 1917, the monastery suffered the same fate as many other monasteries in Russia: until the last church was closed in the 30s, some sisters lived on the territory of the monastery, forming a handicraft artel. Then the temples were occupied by workshops and warehouses. Since the 70s, restoration organizations have appeared here .

On July 10, 1981, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Pimen, the celebration of the Council of Radonezh Saints was established - July 6 (19), the day after the holiday in honor of the discovery of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria are on the list of the Council of Radonezh Saints, and their prayer is included in the July Menaion, published with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Rus' in 1988 .

Reverends Kirill and Maria

In the service of the Council of Radonezh Saints it is said about St. Sergius and his parents: “He himself is a good branch from the good root of your parents, blessed Cyril and Mary, who died in the holy schema.” .

In 1989, the Church of the Intercession of the Khotkovo monastery was returned to believers. On March 26, the first prayer service was held there, and on the Cross Veneration Week of Great Lent there was an all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy. The liturgical life of the temple has resumed, although internal restoration work continues. “The ancient center of Russian spirituality, which had died out for a time, is being revived, the candle of prayer to St. Sergius and his pious parents is again lit. The celebration of the memory of Saints Cyril and Mary has been resumed - September 28 (October 11) and January 18 (31). Requiem services are served again at their relics and after each service a prayer is heard to the parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh.” .

In 1989, the Spiritual Council of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra expressed its desire, in connection with numerous requests from the “church community, to promote the All-Russian glorification of the locally revered saints Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria.” . On November 17, the Vicar Archimandrite Theognostus and the Spiritual Council, in a report addressed to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Pimen, stated their request: “With filial love we turn to you, Your Holiness, and ask for the glorification throughout the Russian Orthodox Church of the saints and saints venerated in the land of Moscow righteous schema-monk Kirill and schema-nun Maria with the establishment of their memory on September 28. They grew and through them God gave the Russian land the collector of Rus' and the conqueror of the Hagarians, St. Sergius of Radonezh. The locally revered veneration of the righteous schema-monk Kirill and schema-nun Maria, the holiness and power of their prayers have been attested in the minds of pilgrims for centuries.” .

On June 16, 1990, the Spiritual Council of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra decided: “To ask His Holiness, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, with filial love for the glorification of the saints and righteous Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria.” .

The righteous parents of St. Sergius, Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, raised their son in piety, put into his soul love for God and the Church, for work, mercy, and his native land, and St. Sergius, having accepted a rich spiritual inheritance from them, generously passed it on to the Russian people. He is rightfully considered one of the most worthy shepherds of our Fatherland, for he was the greatest ascetic, the founder of desert-dwelling monasticism in northeastern Rus'. St. Sergius, reverently revered by all, known for his piety even outside our country, is the patron and mentor of monks and shepherds, a peacemaker, defender and patriot of his Fatherland. Abba Sergius is an intercessor and prayer book for the entire Russian land, a miracle worker during his lifetime and a great intercessor before God for the Russian flock after death.

Numerous admirers and spiritual children of St. Sergius of Radonezh believe that his parents, Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria, being in the heavenly abodes, together with St. Sergius, help the children of the Russian Orthodox Church in achieving salvation. This faith is strengthened by the signs and wonders performed by Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria. “At the tombs of Saints Cyril and Mary, located in the Khotkovsky Intercession Monastery,” writes Archimandrite Matthew (Mormyl), a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, “numerous healings of infants are attested, whose parents turned to the saints with prayer.” . Modern miracles were witnessed in 1992 by the rector of the Intercession Church in Khotkovo, Hieromonk German (Khapugin), nun Ekaterina (Oskina), parishioners of the temple and pilgrims.

On April 3, 1992, in the year of celebrating the 600th anniversary of the repose of St. Sergius, a church-wide glorification of Schemamonk Kirill and Schemanun Maria took place at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.