Saint Anthony the Roman, Novgorod wonderworker. Dmitry Filin. Venerable Anthony the Roman

Life of St. Anthony the Roman

The Life of the Venerable Anthony the Roman was written by his disciple Andrei, who was the abbot of the monastery founded by Anthony from 1147-1157. This is how it appears in all currently known life lists. “When the venerable one announced his departure to God,” says the biography writer himself, “he called me the holy monk Andrew, and called me spiritual father, and confessed kindly with tears, telling my repentance the venerable one about his coming from Rome and about the stone and about the wooden vessel, about the deed.” , that is, about the barrels, which were written from the beginning, and commanded us to write all this after our repose and hand it over to the Church of God to those who honor and listen for the benefit of the soul.” In 1598, after the discovery of the relics of the Venerable Anthony (in 1597), Niphon, tonsured of the Antonius Monastery, subjected this ancient biography to a new edition, described in the Sergius Lavra the miracles of the Venerable from 1578 to 1597, added an ornate attack and long-winded word of praise, preserving, however, with the exception of two inserts, the original, basic composition of the ancient life. He, without a doubt, introduced an anachronism into life, as if the monk built and painted a stone church in his monastery under Bishop Nikita, whereas, according to reliable evidence from the Novgorod chronicle, St. Nikita died in 1108, and the stone church was founded by Anthony already in 1117 and painted in 1125. Similarly, the remark regarding the “hryvnia ingot” offered by Anthony to the fishermen: “before that time, the Novgorod people did not have money, but there were silver ingots, about a hryvnia, about a half, about a ruble,” - this remark belongs, of course, to editor of the 16th century, when in 1535 Tsar John Vasilyevich “commanded to make new silver money, and began to make new money in Novgorod.” We offer a life according to the list of the 16th century, located in the collection of the Solovetsky Library under No. 854.

LEGAL

about the life of our venerable and God-bearing father Anthony the Roman. and about the arrival from Rome to the great New City. and about the beginning of the monastery. written down by his disciple the holy monk Andrei. likewise according to it the abbot's monastery.

This venerable and God-bearing father, Anthony, was born in the city of the great Rome. from the western part of the Italian land. from the Latin language from a Christian parent. and become accustomed to the Christian faith. even his parents kept him in secret, hiding in their homes. Before Rome fell away from the Christian faith and turned into Latin. Of course, he fell away from Pope Farmos, even to this day. and many other stories about the apostasy of the Roman traditions, and about their Bohemian heresies. but let us keep silent about this, and let us speak about the venerable one. His father and mother, in good confession, went to God. The venerables are accustomed to reading and writing. and study all the writings of the Greek language. and diligently began to honor the books of the Old and New Testaments. and the tradition of the holy fathers of the seven councils, who set forth and explained the Christian faith. and desire to perceive foreign images. and prayed to God, and distributed the property of his parents to the poor. and put the rest of your property in a wooden vessel in the delva, and put it in a barrel. and having chained it and strengthened it with all strength, they hid it and cast it into the sea. I myself went from the city to the distant deserts to seek out those who lived and worked for God’s sake. hiding from the heretic, in caves and in the clefts of the earth. and by God's providence I soon invented mnikhas living in the desert. in them there was only one presbyterian rank. The venerable Anthony prayed to him a lot with tears, so that he would be added to his God-chosen flock. They also asked him a lot about Christianity. and about the heresy of the Romans. fearing temptation from an apostate and a heretic. He confessed to himself that he was a Christian. they are good for him. Child Anthony, even though you are young, you cannot endure the fasting life and labors of the monks. he was just over ten years old at that time. and I told him much about the narrow and sorrowful path of the procession of monastic travail. He relentlessly prayed to them and bowed with great tenderness for the perception of the monstrous image. and barely get your desire. and tonsured him into monastic image. and the monk remained with them in the desert for twenty years, toiling and fasting and praying to God day and night. Let it be said. far away from us, as if 30 the field in the desert was barred from those living monks, the church is small. in the name of the magnificent transfiguration of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The customs are common to all monks from the desert, converging on the Great Saturday. The presbyters and deacons performed the divine and holy service. and all who partook of the divine mysteries. all day long, singing and praying. in the morning on the very feast of Christ's bright three-day resurrection on Holy Easter, singing the matins. and the holy and divine liturgy. I also partook of the holy, most pure, divine and life-giving mysteries of Christ, and each departed into my own desert. Hating the good, the devil is instigating final persecution against Christians. the princes of that city and the godless apostate Pope sent across the deserts. and I began to give up my sins, and gave myself over to torture. The venerable one, the father of God's chosen flock of Christ, out of fear of it, dispersed into the desert, and did not know each other. The venerable Anthony began to live by the sea in impenetrable places. only on the stones at night and during the days of incessant standing and praying to God. and having no cover and no hut. I eat little food from week to week. Bring the hedgehog from your wilderness. and that saint remained on that stone for a year and two months. and just as he worked for God, praying in fasting and vigil and prayer, and remaining without food, he became like an angel. For now, the royal secret must be kept. It is commendable and harmless, and it is of great benefit to those who keep it, but it will not be known to anyone. let the royal command be no different. The works of God and glorious miracles are appropriate everywhere and in every way with high preaching and the announcement of this preaching. and nothing should be hidden from them or consigned to oblivion. but for the common benefit and salvation of all people named for Christ. but let us return to what was said before. It happened in the summer of 6000 614. of the month of September on the 5th day in memory of the holy prophet Zechariah, father Predotechev. Vostasha Vetri Velitsa Zelo. and the sea shook. like no other taco. and the waves of the sea rising up to the stone, standing on it and constantly sending out prayers to God. and suddenly, a single wave tensed, and the saint lifted the stone on it and stood. and carry him on stones, as light ships do. Do not harm or frighten him in any way. The saints stood and prayed to God without ceasing. love God with all your soul. sweetness and enlightenment and joy are ever present to those who love him. and as he loved, God always lives in him. The venerables always have his image in their hearts. the most glorious icon of God, not formed by a ball, or nothing else. but I say the icon of God, which is manifested by good deeds. Let's abstain later. corrections are kind. vigil and prayers. having inscribed the secrets of my heart, I will take out with an icon ball the image of the heavenly Lord. and in vain the intelligent hearts saw from the clouds the Most Pure Mother of God. holding in my most pure hands the eternal child of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ. and we don’t know when it’s day or night. but was quickly embraced by the inviolable light. the stones flowing on the waters have neither a breadwinner nor a helmsman. neither the mind of man can utter. no fear. below is sorrow. no problem. nor any other sadness. no greed. neither thirst came to the saint. but just remain praying to God in your mind and rejoicing in your soul. and to the omnipotent God and the Most Pure Mother of God, giving great thanks. and from the Roman country his march was swift along the warm sea. from worthlessness to the Neva River. and from the Neva River to Lake Neva. from Nevazh Lake up the Volkhov River. against unspeakable rapids. sales even to the great Nova Grad. the stone does not fit anywhere to the designated place. and a priest stone. On the hill the saints stood and prayed. When the great river flows, it is called Volkhov. in the place where now, by the grace of God, the Most Pure Mother of God and the venerable Father Anthony through the prayers of the monastery stands. at the same time the third watch of the night came. to the villages. hedgehog called Volkhovsky. The city began to ring for the morning singing, as is the custom, and when the saint heard the great ringing in the city, he stood in fear and bewilderment for many hours. and out of fear they began to be in thought, and in great horror, and hoping that they would be brought to the city of Rome on stones. the night passed by. and the sun rose in the daylight. I stand on the stone to the monk. people flocked to him and those who lived. and looking at the venerable one, marveling. and came to him and began to ask about his name and fatherland and from which country he came. To the monk, I know not a little Russian, and I don’t know how to tell them any answer. but just bowing, don’t step off the stone yourself. and it remained three days and three nights. standing on a stone and praying to God. On the fourth day, the saints prayed to God for many hours for the removal of the city and for the people. and that God would send him such a man. who would have told him about the city and the people. and the saint came down from the stone and went to the city. and you will find a man of the Greek land acting as a state government, holding merchant ranks. who knows how to speak Roman, Greek and Russian. Having seen the monk, ask him about his name and faith. The venerable one told him your name. and call herself a Christian and a sinner and a monk and unworthy of the angelic image of a monk. The merchant fell at the feet of the saint, asking for blessings from him. The saints gave him a blessing and a kiss in Christ. I asked the monk about this city and about the people and about the faith and about the holy churches of God. Gotfin told the monk everything according to the verb. This city is the great New City. The people in it have the Orthodox Christian faith. The cathedral church of Saint Sophia is the wisdom of God. Saint Nikita is the bishop of this city. I own this city to the pious Grand Duke Mstislav Vladimirovich Manamakh. grandson Vsevolodov, the saints, having heard this story from the Greek, rejoiced in their souls. and giving great thanks to the omnipotent God in your mind. Ask the venerable Greek Gothfin the verb. also tell me to be a friend. How much is the distance from the city of Rome to this city? and as time goes on people pass this way; he is speaking. There is a distant country, and we need a route by sea and land. They barely pass in six months, unless God hastens. to the venerable one, I reflect and marvel at the greatness of God. like two days and two nights. a fraction of the length of the journey has passed. above all, as if above nature, on stones and waters. and barely restrained himself from tears at that time, and bowed to him and the earth, granting him peace and forgiveness. and the saint went into the city to pray to Saint Sophia, the wisdom of God, and to see the great Saint Nikita. and seeing the church splendor and rank, and the holy order, my soul greatly rejoiced. and prayed and walked around everywhere. and then return to your place. The venerable one did not appear to Saint Nikita at that time. I haven’t gotten used to Slovenian and Russian customs and language yet. The saints began to pray, standing on their stones, day and night, so that God would reveal the Russian language to him. and the Lord God saw the venerable deeds and labors. and begin to come to him, and people and citizens living nearby, for prayers and blessings. and by God's providence, the saints soon began to understand and speak in Russian. people asking him about his fatherland, and what land he was born in, and where he was raised. and about his coming. The saints did not tell anything about themselves except calling themselves sinners. In a short time, rumors of him reached St. Nikita of the same great Novagrad. Saint Nikita sent an ambassador for him and ordered him to be brought before him. The saints were in great passion, and were also overcome with joy, and went to the saint in great humility. The saint led him into his cell. and having made the prayer of the venerable one, he said Amen. and receives blessings from the saint with fear and love, as if from God’s hand. St. Nikitas foresaw with the Holy Spirit about the venerable one. and began to ask him about his fatherland. and about his coming to Veliki Novgrad. where and how it came from. The venerables did not even want to tell the secrets to the saint, for the sake of human glory. but only calling myself a sinner. Saint Nikita with great rebuke, and also with an incantation, questioned the monk and spoke. Don't tell me, brother, your secrets. and weigh how God has to reveal to our humility even about you. You will receive the judgment of disobedience from God. The saints fell on their faces before the saint and wept bitterly. and praying to the saint. let no one tell the secret of this mystery until the venerable one in this life. and she told the secret about herself alone to Saint Nikita in all order. about his fatherland, and about upbringing. and about his arrival from Rome to the great Novograd. as it was written from the very beginning. Saint Nikita, having heard this from the monk, did not think of him as a man, (but) as an angel of God. and got up from his place. and puts aside the pastoral staff. and for many an hour, praying and marveling at what had happened. as God glorifies his servants. according to prayer the speech of the venerable one is amen. Saint Nikita fell to the ground before the saint, asking for blessings and prayers from him. The saints fell to the ground before the saint, praying and asking for blessings from the saint. calling herself unworthy and a sinner. and both lay on the ground, crying, soaking the ground for many hours. asking each other for blessings and prayers. Saint Nikita spoke to the monk. You have been granted a great gift from God. and by ancient miracles you became like Elijah the Fezbite, or the apostle, who brought the Most Pure Mother of God to the crowds at the Dormition. Thus, our Lord will welcome our city with you as His saint. Bless the newly enlightened people and come. venerables and speech to the saint. You are the priests of the Most High God, you are God’s anointed. It is enough for you to pray for us. The saint rose from the earth and could not be consoled from his tears. lifts up the saint from the earth. giving him a blessing and a kiss about Christ. and talked a lot with the monk. and there is no way you can get enough of those sweet and honeyed words from the venerable one. and you want to glorify the miracle, but you don’t want to despise the venerable prayer! Saint Nikita prayed a lot to the venerable one, so that he could choose a place for himself with him. and remained with him until his soul departed, but the saint had no desire to do this. and answering the speech. For God's sake, don't bother me. It is sufficient for us to endure in that place where God commanded us. Saint Nikita gave his blessing, and sent the saint in peace to God’s chosen place. Not long after, Bishop Nikita went to the Monk Anthony to see the stone and the place. The saints stood on the stone, like on a pillar, and prayed to God day and night. and as he saw the saint coming to him, he came down from the stone and went to meet him, and received the blessing and prayer from the saint. The saint began to marvel at the miracle within himself. and walked around the place of that village here and there. and St. Nikitas spoke to the venerable one, God and the Most Pure Mother of God willed, and chose this place. I wish that by your reverence the temple of the Most Pure Mother of God of her honorable and glorious Nativity may be erected. and there will be a great abode, for salvation by me. Beforehand, on the eve of that feast, God placed you in this place. Reverends' speech. the will of the Lord be done. The saint would at least build him a hut near the stone. The saints did not desire this, but endured all sorrow for God’s sake. Saint Nikita, although he tried to tell about miracles, was afraid of temptation. They began to separate the villagers and ask about the appearance of the monk. They unanimously decided to him, truly this holy man of God was brought across the waters onto the stones. and he knows everything about the venerable one. The saint was especially inflamed with spiritual love for the saint. and give his blessing to the monk and depart to the holy wisdom of God, Sophia, into his courtyard.

Saint Nikita sends posadniks. according to Ivan and according to Procopius, according to the Ivanovs, the children of the mayor, and a speech to them. My children, listen to me. There is a village in our fatherland near the city called Volkhovsko. God willed and the Most Pure Mother of God, in that place, to erect the temple of the Most Pure Mother of God of her honorable and glorious Nativity, and to build a monastery for this strange Venerable Anthony. and a prayer will be sent to God for the salvation of your souls, and remembrance will be your parent. The villagers listened to the saint with love. and measured out fifty sazhens of land for the church and for the monastery throughout the country. and Bishop Nikita commanded to reward the church with wood and consecrate it. and put one cellman for refuge under the illusion.

After one summer the coming of the venerable one. Near the stone of the monk, fishermen are actively fishing. and toiled all night and did nothing. and I am exhausted from labor. and he brought his debris to the shore and was in great sorrow. The saints, having finished their prayer, went to the fisherman and spoke to them. my children. only imam hryvnia silver ingot. At that time, the people of Novgorod did not have any money. but the ingots are silver. ovo in a hryvnia, ovo in half a ruble, ovo in a ruble. and with those I will buy the dey. and I will give you this hryvnia bullion. listen to me. Plunge your fortress into this great river Volkhov. and if you have anything, I will give it to the Most Pure Mother of God. They did not want to do this and decided to answer. toiling all night and doing nothing, only with exhaustion. The saints diligently prayed for them to listen to him. They, by order of the venerable one, threw their bodies into the Volkhov River. and brought a lot of great fish to the shore through the prayers of the saint. I almost went crazy. like no other taco Yasha. I also pulled out a wooden vessel, that is, a barrel, bound everywhere with iron hoops. The saints blessed the fishers, saying. my children, know the mercy of God, how God provides for his servants. I bless you and give you fish, a vessel for myself, or a barrel. May God grant us to create a monastery. Hating the good, the devil would even do something nasty to the venerable one. strike and harden the hearts with the craftiness of those fishermen. and began to give the fish to the monk, but wanted to take the barrel for himself. and referred to the monk. We are here for you to catch fish, but we have our barrel. Moreover, cruel words annoy the reverend’s reproaches. The monks answered the speech. my goodness. I am not an imam with you about this. but let's go to the city and tell the city judges. For judgment is made by God, so that the people of God judge. The advice of the monk was pleasing to the fisher. and he put the barrel into his boat and carried the venerable one. and those who entered the city with them. and those who came before the judge, and began to contend with the monk. Reverends' speech. These fishers toiled all night and ate nothing, and were exhausted from labor. I prayed for them a lot, so that they would take a lease from me, even if they had a hryvnia of silver ingot. They didn’t want to listen to me. and barely obeyed our thinness. I took up the rent, and threw down my own cuttings, and brought up a multitude of fish. also this barrel. I gave them all the fish, saying. God entrusted this barrel to our most pure Lady Theotokos and the Ever-Virgin Mary for the creation of the monastery. They give me fish. and eat the barrel for yourself. The judge asked the fishermen. shout to us. just as the elder said. they are rekosha. We'll try to catch fish. fish and give it to him. and our barrel is there. before we plunge into this water. for self-observance. the old man spoke. my goodness. ask these fishermen. that they have what was put into this barrel, but the fishers are at a loss as to what to answer to whom. Reverends' speech. This is a barrel of our thinness. given over to the water in existing Rome from our sinful hands. put into the barrel were church vessels, gold and silver and crystal. rubbings and dishes. and many other things from sacred church things. and gold and silver in the name of my parents. This treasure, thrown into the sea, for the sake of guilt, would not have desecrated the sacred vessels from the godless heretic. and from their unleavened demonic sacrifices. The signatures on the vessels are written in Roman language. The judge ordered the barrel to be broken. and found everything according to the word of the monk. and gave the saint a barrel and sent him away in peace. and no one dared to ask him. the fishers were put to shame. The venerable Anthony went to Saint Nikita. rejoicing and thanking God for finding the barrel. and told everything to the saint. The saint gave much praise to God about this. and having judged well with his reasoning and speech. Reverend Anthony. For your part, God has presented you across the waters onto stones from Rome. in the great Novegrad. also give you the barrel that was cast in Rome. May you erect a church on the stone of the Most Pure Mother of God. and establish a monastery. The venerable Anthony places his treasure in the sanctuary of the sacristy for observance. and I myself will take the blessing from the saint. and began to build the monastery. and buy the land near the monastery from the city mayors, and with the people who live on those lands. and other summers. As long as the world of the universe stands by God’s structure. and under the great river Volkhov, buy fishing for the needs of the monastery. and separated the boundaries, and pressed the letter, and wrote it in my spiritual letter. and began to work incessantly, all day long. and applying labor to labor. staying nights without sleep. standing on a stone and praying. and seeing his godlike angelic life. Great Prince Mstislav. and Saint Nikita. and all the elders of that city and the people began to be blessed and have great faith. but no one knows the secrets of his coming. Is it Bishop Nikita? and the brethren began to come to the saint. he accepts you with love. God granted me, the unworthy monk Andrei, to perceive the angelic image in this monastery, and to be in obedience and in the teaching of the monk.

Then Saint Nikita began to consult with the monk about the stone church. to build a church in stone. verb. God give you the treasure for yourself. and the monks began to count out the silver and gold found in the barrel for the building of the temple. and the speech of the venerable one. I hope in God and in the Most Pure Mother of God and in holy prayers. Only you give us blessings. Saint Nikita. having measured the church place and said a prayer. and begin digging the church footing with your honest hands, and God complete it. and the signature is wonderful. and decorate it with all kinds of decorations, images and vessels of church gold and silver. and vestments, and divine books. to the glory of Christ our God and His Most Pure Mother. as befits the Church of God. and then lining the stone refectory. adding it and the church in the name of the Presentation of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. and reward the cells. and built a fence, just like in the past. The saints did not receive the name from anyone, neither from the princes, nor from the bishop, nor from the nobles of the city. but only a blessing from the miracle worker Nikita the Bishop. but everything is built from this barrel, which God set as water from Rome in the great Novegrad. and their sweats and labors. and if anyone brings anything needed for God’s sake on his behalf, or food. The venerables also feed on those brothers. also feeding orphans and poor widows, and feeding the poor. and then the saints and their brothers. and with their orphans they began to apply labor to their labors. It was not because of too much time that Saint Nikitas the Bishop of Christ began to grow weak. and calling the venerable one. and told him his departure from this life. and after punishing him a lot, he went to God. The saints were in great sorrow and in tears at the repose of Saint Nikita. I have had great spiritual advice among myself.

With God's help and the Most Pure Mother of God and the prayers of the saint, the monastery began to spread. and the brethren gather. and the monks began to consult with the brethren in order to elect an abbot to their monastery. I was chosen many times, and such a man was not found. and the brethren began to pray to the Monk Anthony, speaking to him. Father Reverend Anthony. We pray to you, poor people, listen to us peeps. may you receive the priestly rank. also be our perfect father and hegumen. May you offer a pure and bloodless sacrifice to God for our sin. may your sacrifice be accepted to God on the altar in heaven. I have seen so much of your labors and exploits in this place. for it is impossible for a man to bear such great labors according to the flesh, unless the Lord helps, and the venerable speech, good advice, brethren. but I am not worthy of such a great dignity. But I will choose for myself from my brothers a husband who is virtuous and worthy for such a great work. the brethren cried out with tears. holy father do not disobey us poor people. but save us. Reverends' speech. be the will of the Lord. Whatever God pleases. he will do that. The brethren went to Archbishop Niphon with the Monk Anthony. but at that time I trembled the holy throne for him. and they announce things to him. Saint Niphon was great and glad to hear their good advice. I loved the monk for his many virtues. and ordains the monk as a deacon. then he became a priest, also an abbot, and the saint lived in the abbotship for 16 years, preserving the flock of Christ in good correction.

And the saints announced their departure to God. calling for me the holy monk Andrei. and call yourself spiritual father. and confessed well with tears. and the saints told my repentance of their coming from Rome. and about the stone, and the wooden vessel, about the delvi. that is, barrels. written from the very beginning. and commanded us to write all this after our repose and hand it over to the Church of God, who honor and listen for the benefit of the soul and for the correction of good deeds. to the glory and honor of the holy and life-giving Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and the Most Pure Mother of God. I was in great surprise about this. and therefore I called the brethren and spoke to them. my brothers and sisters. I pray to you, as I now depart from this life to the Lord my God Jesus Christ, pray for me and the Most Pure Mother of God in my repose. May the merciful angels wear out my soul. and may I escape the snares of the enemy from the airy ordeals with your holy prayers, even though I am a sinner. You choose for yourself the place of father and teacher for your abbess from my brother. and remain with him in fasting, in prayers and in labor, in vigil and in tears. I still beg you. and strive for this out of desperation, and do not be neglectful of your salvation, and have peace and love among one another. and be diligent in giving alms. and don’t forget your love of strangeness. and if you remain like this, this monastery of this most pure Mother of God will never become scarce. I also pray that you remain in obedience to the abbot and to your spiritual fathers. to the elder brothers. it is written that there is. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they are the kingdom of heaven. blessed are those who cry, for they will be comforted. bliss of meekness. for they will inherit the earth. the blessings of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied. bliss of mercy. for they will have mercy, for they will be blessed with a pure heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called sons of God. the bliss of expelling the truth for the sake of them is the kingdom of heaven, bliss of a nature, when they revile you and destroy you and say all kinds of evil against you, lying to my name for the sake of: rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be many in heaven. and the venerable brethren punished many other things and taught them even for salvation. the brethren saw the monk in his last breath. I was in great compunction and in lamentation, and in the tears of many. and rebound. O our good shepherd and teacher. Now we already see you in your last breath at the end of the century. and now to whom shall we resort and from whom shall we enjoy the honeyed words of teaching. and who will take care of our sinful souls. but we pray to you, saint Spasov. If you have found grace and mercy before God and after your departure from this life, pray for us without weakening to God and the Most Pure Mother of God, for you are our father. During this mortal life, you took care of our humility, we pray that you do not leave us orphans even after your departure to God. and if the Lord Chrostos our God announces your departure to your eternal rest, then you can give us a shepherd and a teacher who wants and a ruler for our salvation. and your reverence's blessings and prayers. and this she said, silently, and wept to many. blessed ones of the verb to them. my children. I now commend you into the hands of the Lord and the Most Pure Mother of God. and about the abbot, entrust it to the Lord God and the Most Pure Mother of God and to our humility. then my spiritual father and priest Andrei will be your mentor instead of me. and so he betrays the monastery and the brethren to him, handing over the verb. Behold, brother Andrey, I leave you with God, the builder and feeder of this holy monastery. and all the brothers collected about Bose. But take care, brother, that nothing else will be left from the monastic law, from the holy apostles and prophets, and from the holy ecumenical council. like the churches of God. and we will gather together for singing. and at the meal there is food and drink, and the whole order of this monastery. and customs established by our humility. and the Lord God will correct your steps to do the commandments through the prayers of the Most Pure Lady, our Lady Theotokos and all the saints. and may our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in your love and strengthen you. Even though I leave you physically, I will always remain with you in spirit. and be wise about this, if I find grace before God. then this monastery will increase even more after my departure. and a multitude of brethren will gather together in spiritual love. and this holy monastery will increase with all its spiritual abundance. and there will be no sorrow in your bodily needs. and thus teaching them enough. and kissed them with a spiritual kiss. and one of each. and bestowing them with prayers and the blessing of the seal. and henceforth the brethren lay down the commandment. If you are lucky enough to elect an abbot, then elect from the brethren. whoever is in this place is trembling. and if the prince sends an abbot. or bishop by force or by bribe. or who is our brother from this place. and they will begin to want the abbess other than the fraternal conciliar will, which the brethren will not grant to the abbess. If he is appointed by bribery or violence from a prince or a bishop, he will condemn those saints to a curse. He also affirms about the earth and says: O my brothers. when the horseman bought this village and land in this place. and sow fishing on the river. on the building of the monastery, at a price from a pure vessel, that is, from a barrel. and if anyone begins to offend you or attack this land. Otherwise the Mother of God judges them. and giving the brethren the last forgiveness and a kiss for Christ. and stood in prayer and raised his hands to the mountain. and all the banners cross your face with the life-giving cross. peace to all. and prayed for many hours. If only then it would be joyful to be freed from the flesh and to be with Christ. but showing that the mortal cup is terrible for everyone. and many tortured imams by air. Moreover, driven by humility, pray to God with this verb. O Lord, most loving of mankind, appear, Lord, and help me. and deliver me from the hand of the prince and the rulers and the rulers of the world of darkness. Let the dark air not cover me. Below, their smoke will darken my soul. Strengthen me, my Lord, Lord, that I may overcome the fiery waves and the bottomless depths. lest I be drowned in them. May the enemy not find himself slandering me. but may I pass over the ruler of the world and their evil leader. and I will be delivered from the dark princes of Tartar. and so may I appear before you pure and blameless. and make me worthy to stand at your right hand. and the good you promised will be received by your saints when you come in glory to judge the living and the dead and reward each according to his deeds! Ole of the great and God-imitating humble wisdom, God-bearing father and apostle. How can the dark princes touch him? whose Lord was on the stones through the waters, as if he were incorporeal in the flesh. and no one called a servant. but a sincere friend. and promised to dwell where he will. behold his glory. I am all aware. humble more than willing. they don't damage. but even more so they strengthen it. For this reason, such prayers pour out verbs. and SIA rivers. and he commanded the holy monk Andrei, his spiritual father, to perform the ritual and the waste song. and he lay down on his bed and went to God in eternal rest. and was buried honestly by Archbishop Niphon with the sacred cathedral and with the multitude of the people of that city. with lamps and censers. with psalms and songs and spiritual songs. in summer 6655. of the month of August on the 3rd day. in memory of our venerable and God-bearing fathers Isaac Dalmatia and Faustus, and his honorable body was laid in the Church of the Most Pure Mother of God. south, created by myself. Having lived 14 years from his arrival to the abbess, he lived in the abbess for 16 years, and lived in the monastery for 30 years. And with the blessing of the venerable Archbishop Niphon, he appointed the disciple of the venerable monk Andrei as abbot. Andrei told this to Archbishop Niphon and the prince of that city and to all the people. hearing from the monk about these miracles. The archbishop and all the people seemed great and gave praise to God and the Most Pure Mother of God. and the great wonderworker Anthony. and from then on they began to call themselves Anthony the Roman. and Archbishop Niphon ordered this life of the saint to be expounded and written and given to the Church of God. to strengthen the faith of Christians and to save our souls. and the Romans apostatized from the Orthodox Greek faith, and converted to the Latin faith, to shame and reproach, and curse, to the glory and honor of the life-giving Trinity. Father and Son and Holy Spirit. now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.

Notes:

In the collection. Solovets. bib. XVI century Nos. 834 and 912. Tsarskago No. 132, 133, 135, 450. Description. Room, music page 207.

Complete Collection of Chronicles. vol. III, pp. 4-5.

Soph. time Part II, p. 387.

In terms of language and method of writing, the proposed list belongs to the so-called syncretic or mixed review. Therefore, in it ancient paleographic signs are mixed with new signs that were included in writing in the 16th century.

And during the morning singing.

That is, I will buy, trade.

Our thinness.

Spiritual honorary certificates Anthony, see Karamzin in History. State Ross. vol. II, p. 210, in History. Russian iyer. Part III, pp. 123-125.

And laid the church on stone.

And having arranged good things for everyone in abundance.

The ending was probably added by the editor of the 16th century (Niphon?).

The legend about the life of our venerable and God-bearing father Anthony the Roman and about the coming from the city of Rome to Veliky Novgrad

This reverend and God-bearing father of ours, Anthony, was born in the great city of Rome, which is in the western country, in the Italian land, among the Latin people, from Christian parents. And he was taught the Christian faith, which his parents kept secret, hiding in their home, since Rome fell away from the Christian faith and surrendered to the Latin heresy. It finally fell away from the times of Pope Formos and remains in apostasy to this day. And the Monk Anthony told me many other things about the apostasy of Rome and their godless heresy, but we will keep silent about this now.

The father and mother of the Monk Anthony went to God in good confession. The monk, having been taught to read and write, also studied the Greek language and diligently began to read the books of the Old and New Testaments and the traditions of the Holy Fathers of the seven Ecumenical Councils, who set forth and explained the Christian faith. And he desired to perceive the monastic image. Having prayed to God, he distributed the property of his parents to the poor, and put the remainder into a vessel - a “delva”, that is, a barrel, and, caulking it and strengthening it in every possible way, hid it, and then gave it to the sea. The monk himself went into the distant deserts to look for monks living and working for God’s sake, hiding from heretics in caves and clefts of the earth. And by God's providence he found monks living in the desert. Among them there was one with presbyteral rank. The Monk Anthony prayed to them a lot with tears, so that he too would be numbered among his God-chosen flock. They questioned him a lot and strictly about the Christian faith and about the Roman heresy, fearing temptation from the heretics. He confessed himself to be a Christian. Then they told him: “Child, Andrei! You are still young and will not be able to endure the fasting life and monastic labors.” A. was only 18 years old at that time. And many other difficulties frightened him, but he, bowing relentlessly, prayed for the perception of the monastic image. And only in this way was he barely able to get what he wanted - he was tonsured into the monastic rank.

The monk stayed in that desert for twenty years, working, fasting, and praying to God day and night. “There was,” he said, “thirty miles from us, in one desert, a small church was built by the monks living there in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord God and. Our Savior Jesus is three hundred. According to custom, all the monks from the deserts gathered on Holy Saturday in the church, where the presbyters and deacons performed the Divine Liturgy, and all, having received the Divine Mysteries, all that day; and they sang and prayed all night. By the morning of Holy Pascha, having sung Matins and the Holy Divine Liturgy, and again, having partaken of the Holy and Most Pure, Divine and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ, each departed to his own desert.”

But the devil, who hates goodness, initiated the final persecution of Christians in that land. The princes of that city and the pope began to seize Orthodox monks in the deserts and hand them over to torture. The venerable fathers of God's chosen flock of Christ dispersed out of fear into the deserts so that they could no longer communicate with each other. Then the Monk Anthony began to live by the sea in impassable places. And the Monk Anthony began to pray incessantly, standing on a stone, having neither a cover nor a hut. The monk ate little by little of the food that he brought from his desert only on Sundays. And the Monk Anthony stayed on that stone for a year and two months and worked so hard for God in fasting, vigil and prayer that he became like the angels.

“The royal secret must be kept” - this is commendable, comfortable and useful for those who keep it. Let it be unknown to anyone who should not, so that it does not turn out to be contrary to the royal command. The works of God and the glorious miracles performed by His saints should be proclaimed and preached everywhere and in various ways, and nothing should be hidden from them, or consigned to oblivion, but proclaimed for the common benefit and salvation of all people who call themselves Christians. Therefore, we, returning to the above, will announce what happened next.

In the summer of 1106, the month of September, on the fifth day, in memory of the holy prophet Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, great winds arose and the sea shook as never before. So the waves of the sea reached the stone, on which the monk stood standing and sent incessant prayers to God. And then suddenly one wave tensed up and lifted the stone on which the saint stood, and carried him on the stone, as if on a light ship, without harming him or frightening him. The monk stood, constantly praying to God, for he loved God with all his soul. After all, God is sweetness, and enlightenment, and eternal joy to those who love Him. Whoever loves Him, God lives in him forever. God is Zealous, Most Pure, Removed and lives in the souls of those who fear Him and does the will of those who love Him. The monk constantly had His image in his heart - the glorious icon of God, not depicted with paints on a board or on anything else, but that, I say, icon of God, which was painted with good deeds, fasting, abstinence, good corrections, vigil and prayers - hidden in the heart is the image of the heavenly Lord. And the monk, with his intelligent eyes, saw from the cloud the Most Holy Theotokos, holding with her most pure hands the Eternal Child, Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ. “And I did not know,” said Saint Anthony, “when it was day or night, but I was embraced by the inviolable Light.” “The stone flowed through the waters, having neither a helm nor a helmsman. The human mind cannot express this. Neither sorrow, nor fear, nor sadness, nor hunger, nor thirst came to the saint, but he only remained, praying to God in his mind and rejoicing in his soul.

From the Roman country along the Warm Sea, from it to the Neva River, from the Neva to Nevo-Lake, and from Nevo-Lake up the Volkhov River against indescribable rapids, and even to this place the stone on which the monk stood and prayed did not stick anywhere , but only on the bank of the great river called Volkhov, during the third watch of the night, in this place, in a village called Volkhovskoe, during morning singing. They began to ring in the city for matins, and the monk heard a great ringing throughout the city, and stood in great fear and bewilderment, and thought in great horror, thinking that he had been brought on a stone to the city of Rome. When the night passed, daylight came and the sun shone, the people who lived there flocked to the monk, and, looking at him, marveled. And approaching him, they began to ask him about his name and family, and from what country he came. The monk, not knowing the Russian language at all, could not give any answer, but only bowed to them. The monk did not dare to leave the stone and remained for three days and three nights, standing on the stone and praying to God.

On the fourth day, the monk prayed to God for many hours, so that the Lord would tell him about this city and about the people. And the monk came down from the stone and went to Veliky Novgorod, and met there a man from the Greek land, a merchant guest (from the merchant rank), who knew Roman, Greek and Russian. He, seeing the monk, asked him about his name and faith. The monk told him his name, called himself a Christian and a sinful monk, unworthy of an angelic image. The merchant, falling at the feet of the saint, asked for a blessing from him. The monk gave him a blessing and a kiss in Christ. And he asked about the city, about the people, about the faith, about the holy churches of God. The merchant told the monk everything in a row, saying: “This city is Veliky Novgorod. The people in it have the Orthodox Christian faith, the cathedral church is St. Sophia the Wisdom of God, and the saint in this city is Bishop Nikita. The pious one owns this city Grand Duke Mstislav Vladimirovich Monomakh, grandson of the Vsevolods.” The monk, having heard this story from the Greek, rejoiced in his soul and gave great thanks to the omnipotent God in his mind. The monk asked again, saying: “Tell me, friend, what is the distance from the city of Rome to this city and how long does it take to travel this path?” He told him, saying: “It is a distant country, and the path to it is difficult by sea and by land. His trading guests barely pass through in six months, if God helps anyone.” The monk reflected and marveled at the greatness of God: “How was such a long journey covered in two days and two nights?” - and barely restrained himself from tears.

And the holy merchant bowed to the ground, granting him peace and forgiveness. And the monk entered the city to pray to Saint Sophia, the Wisdom of God, and to see Saint Nikita. And, seeing the church splendor, and the rank, and the holy order, he rejoiced greatly in his soul and, having prayed and walked everywhere, again went to his place. The monk did not appear to Saint Nikita at that time, because he did not know the Slavic and Russian languages ​​and customs.

And the monk began to pray, standing on his stone day and night, so that God would reveal the Russian language to him. And the Lord saw the exploits and labors of the saint. People living nearby and townspeople began to come to him for prayer and blessing, and by God’s providence the monk soon began to understand and speak Russian from them. People asked him about his fatherland, and... what kind of land he was born and raised, and about his coming. But the monk did not tell them about himself, but only called himself a sinner.

After a short time, rumors about him reached Saint Nikita, Bishop of the Great Nova-grad. Saint Nikita sent for him and ordered him to be brought. The monk, in great fear, but at the same time in joy, went in great humility to the saint. The saint led him into his cell. After creating the prayer, the monk said “Amen” and accepted the blessing from the saint with fear and love, as if from the hand of God. Saint Nikita, foreseeing the saint with the Holy Spirit, began to ask him about his fatherland and about his coming to Veliky Novgorod: where and how he came. The venerable saint did not want to tell the secret, fearing human glory. Saint Nikita, with great rebuke and even with a curse, continued to question the monk and said: “Won’t you tell me, brother, your secret? Know that God himself can reveal to our humility about you, but then you will receive condemnation for disobedience from God.” The monk fell on his face before the saint and with tears begged the saint: let him not reveal this secret to anyone as long as the monk remains in this life. And he told a secret about himself to Saint Nikita in private: everything in a row about his fatherland, and about his upbringing, and about his coming from Rome to Veliky Novgorod, what was written about at the beginning.

Saint Nikita, having heard this, perceived him not as a man, but as an angel of God and, rising from his place, put aside his pastoral staff and stood for a long time, praying and marveling at what had happened - how God glorifies his servants. After the prayer, the monk said “Amen.” Saint Nikita fell to the ground before him, asking for blessings and prayers from him. The monk also fell to the ground before the saint, praying and asking for blessings, calling himself unworthy and sinful. And both lay on the ground for a long time and cried, watering the ground with tears, asking each other for blessings and prayers. Saint Nikita said: “You have been granted a great gift from God, equal to ancient miracles. He became like Elijah the Thesbite and the apostles, who were brought on the clouds to the Dormition of the Most Pure Theotokos. So now the Lord visited our city with you, and blessed the newly enlightened people with his saint. The monk said to the saint: “You are a priest of the Most High God! You are God's anointed! It is enough for you to pray for us!” The saint, without ceasing from tears, stood up and raised the saint from the ground, and gave him a blessing and a kiss in Christ.

And Saint Nikita talked a lot with the monk and could not get enough of his sweet and honeyed words. And he wanted to glorify the miracle, but did not want to despise the monk’s prayer. Saint Nikitas prayed a lot to the venerable one, so that he would choose a place for himself and remain with him until the departure of his soul. The monk did not want to do this and answered, saying: “For the Lord’s sake, Saint of God, do not force me! After all, I need to endure in the place where God commanded me.” Saint Nikita, having given his blessing, released him in peace to God's chosen place.

A short time later, Bishop Nikita went to the Monk Anthony to see this stone and place. The monk stood on the stone like a pillar, without leaving it, praying to God day and night. But when he saw the saint coming towards him, he came down from the stone and went to meet him, receiving the blessing and prayer from the saint. The saint marveled at the miracle, walked around the entire place of that village and said to the monk: “God and the Most Pure Mother of God deigned to choose this place. They want the temple of the Most Pure Mother of God to be erected by your reverence, Her honorable and glorious Nativity, and there will be a great monastery for the salvation of people. After all, on the pre-celebration of this holiday, God placed you in this place.” The monk answered: “God’s will be done!” The saint wanted to build him a hut near the stone. The monk did not want this in any way, but wanted to endure all sorrow for God’s sake.

Saint Nikita, fearing temptation, wanting to be more certain about the miracle, began to ask each of the villagers privately about the appearance of the saint. They unanimously said to him: “Truly, this man of God was carried on the water on a stone.” And everything that was known to him was reliably told about the monk. The saint became even more inflamed with love for the saint, gave him a blessing and rode off to the Holy Wisdom of God Sophia in his courtyard.

About the creation of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Anthony Monastery in Velikiy Nowa Hryad

Then Saint Nikita sent for the posadniks Ivan and Prokofiy Ivanov, the mayor’s children, and said to them: “My children, listen to me. There is a village in your fatherland near the city called Volkhovsky. God deigned the Most Pure Mother of God to erect in this place the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Her honest and glorious Nativity, and to establish her monastery through the wanderer - St. Anthony. May prayer be sent to God for the salvation of your souls and may your parents be remembered. The mayors listened to the saint with love and measured out fifty fathoms of land on all sides for the church and monastery. And Bishop Nikita ordered to build a small wooden church and consecrate it and put one cell for the monks as a refuge.

The miracle of our venerable and God-bearing father Anthony the Roman about the discovery of a vessel - a delva, that is, a barrel, with the property of the venerable one.

A year later, after the arrival of the monk, fishermen were fishing near his stone. Working all night, they did not catch anything and pulled their fish ashore and were in great sorrow. The monk, having finished his prayer, approached the fishermen and said to them: “My children! I only have a hryvnia - a silver ingot (At that time, the Novgorod people did not have money, but they poured silver ingots - either a hryvnia, or a half, or a ruble - and traded with them). And I give you this hryvnia, an ingot. Listen to my badness: throw your fish into this great river in Volkhov, and if you catch anything, it will be for the house of the Most Pure Mother of God.” They did not want to do this and answered, saying: “We worked all night and did not catch anything, we were only exhausted.” The monk diligently prayed for them to listen to him. And at the command of the monk, they threw the dam into the Volkhov and, through the prayers of the saint, brought a great many fish to the shore, so that the dam almost broke through. There has never been such a catch! They also took out a wooden vessel, a delva, that is, a barrel, bound everywhere with iron hoops. The monk blessed the fishermen and said: “My children! Look at the mercy of God: how God provides for His servants. I bless you and give you the fish, but I take only the vessel for myself, since God entrusted it to the creation of the monastery.”

The devil, who hates goodness, wanting to do a dirty trick on the saint, struck the hearts of those fishermen with wickedness. And they began to give the fish to the monk, but wanted to take the barrel for themselves. And they said to the monk: “We hired you to catch fish, but the barrel is ours.” They also annoyed and reproached the monk with cruel words. The monk answered, saying: “My Lords! I will not argue with you about this. Let's go to the city and tell our case to the city judges. After all, a judge has been appointed by God to judge the people of God.” The fishermen listened to the monk, put the barrel into the boat, took the monk, arrived in the city and, coming to the judge, began to compete with the monk. The monk said: “These fishermen, having worked all night, caught nothing, and were exhausted from labor. I begged them for a long time to hire me for the silver bar I had - a hryvnia. They didn’t want to listen to me and barely obeyed our thinness. And having hired themselves out to me, they threw in their snares and pulled out a lot of fish, as well as a vessel, that is, this barrel. I refused the fish, saying that God gave me this barrel to create the monastery of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.” The fishermen said: “We hired out to catch fish - and we give the fish to him, and this barrel is ours. We threw it into the water for safekeeping." The elder said to the judges: “My Lords! Ask these fishermen what is in this barrel? The fishermen were perplexed, not knowing what to answer. The monk said: “This barrel has been betrayed sea ​​water in Rome with our sinful hands. The investment in the barrel is church gold, and silver, and crystal vessels, chalices, and dishes, and many other sacred church things, and gold, and silver from the estate of my parents. The treasure was thrown into the sea so that the sacred vessels would not be desecrated by the abominable heretics and the unleavened demonic victims. The inscriptions on the vessels are written in Roman language.” The judge ordered the barrel to be broken - and what was found in it was according to the word of the monk. And they gave the saint a barrel and sent him away in peace, not daring to ask him anything else. The fishermen walked away disgraced.

The Monk Anthony went to Saint Nikita, rejoicing and thanking God for finding the barrel, and told the saint about it. The saint gave great praise to God about this and, judging by his prudent reasoning, said: “Father Anthony! That’s why God carried you across the waters on a stone from Rome to Veliky Novgorod, and also handed you a barrel thrown into the sea in Rome, so that you can erect a stone church of the Most Pure Mother of God and build a monastery.” The Monk Anthony placed his treasure in the saint's sacristy for safekeeping, and he himself, taking the saint's blessing, began to build the monastery. And he bought land near the monastery from the mayors of the city with the people living on that land until the end of the century, as long as the world of the universe stands by God’s dispensation. And along the great Volkhov River he bought fishing for the monastery’s needs. And he noted what was purchased, described it and wrote it down in his spiritual document. And he began to work incessantly, adding labor to labor all day long, spending nights without sleep, standing on a stone and praying.

And, seeing his godlike angelic life, the great prince Mstislav, and Saint Nikita, and all the elders of that city, and the people began to venerate the Monk Anthony and have great faith in him. No one knew the secret of his coming except Bishop Nikita. And the brethren began to gather to the saint. He accepted them with love. God vouchsafed me, Hieromonk Andrei, to receive the angelic image in this monastery. I was in obedience and instruction from the monk.

About the creation of a stone church in the second summer after the coming of the monk.

Then Saint Nikita began to hold advice with the monk about founding a stone church. After all, God gave the treasure for this. And the monk began to count the silver and gold found in the barrel for the construction of the temple and said: “I hope in God, and in the Most Pure Mother of God, and in your holy prayers. Only you give us your blessing.” Saint Nikita, having measured the church place and said a prayer, began to dig the church floor with his honest hands. And they laid the stone church, and God completed it. And they painted it wonderfully, and adorned it with all kinds of decoration: images and church vessels, gold and silver, and vestments, and divine books for the glory of Christ our God and His Most Pure Mother, as befits the Church of God. And then they surrounded the refectory church in the name of the Meeting of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and they built a cell, and built a fence, and arranged everything necessary well.

The monk did not accept the property from anyone: neither from the prince, nor from the bishop, nor from the nobles of the city, but only a blessing from Bishop Nikita the Wonderworker. He built everything with his own labors and then with funds from this barrel that God delivered from Rome by water to Veliky Novgorod. If anyone brought for God’s sake what was needed from his property, the monk fed the brethren, and also fed orphans and widows, the poor and the needy. And then the monk with his brethren and orphans began to apply labor to labor. A little time later, Saint Nikita of Christ began to grow weak, and called the monk, and told him his departure from this life, and, having given him a fair amount of teaching, he departed to the Lord. The monk was in great sorrow and in tears over the repose of Saint Nikita, since they had great spiritual counsel among themselves.

About the installation of the Monk Anthony as abbot.

With the help of God and the Most Pure Mother of God and the prayers of the monk, the monastery began to spread, and the monk and his brethren began to hold council in order to elect an abbot for themselves to the monastery. They chose for a long time, but did not find such a person, and the brethren began to pray to the Monk Anthony: “Father Anthony, we pray to you, listen to us beggars! Accept the priestly rank and be our perfect father - abbot. May you make an honest, bloodless sacrifice to God for our salvation. May your sacrifice be acceptable to God on the heavenly altar. We have seen your labors and exploits in this place, the kind of labors that a person in the flesh cannot endure unless the Lord helps him.” And the monk said: “Your advice is good, brothers, but I am not worthy of such a great rank. Let us choose from our brethren a virtuous and worthy man for such a great task.” The brothers cried out to him with tears: “Holy Father! Don’t listen to us beggars, but save us!” The monk answered: “Let there be a miracle of God!” Whatever God wants, he will do.” The brethren and the Monk Anthony went to Archbishop Niphon (at that time he held the holy throne) and told him about their business. Saint Niphon was very happy about their good advice, since he loved the monk for his many virtues. And he made the monk a deacon, then a priest, and also an abbot.

About the repose of the saint

And the monk lived in the rank of abbot in good correction for sixteen years and shepherded the flock of Christ. And, foreseeing his departure to God, he called me and named me his spiritual father, and confessed well with tears. And the monk told my curse of his coming from Rome, and about the stone, and about the wooden vessel, about the delva, that is, the barrel, which was first written about. And he commanded me to write all this after my repose and transmit it to the Church of God to those reading and listening for the benefit of the soul and for correction by good deeds, for the glory and honor of the Holy, and Life-Giving, and Undivided Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the Most Pure Mother of God. I was in great surprise at what I heard.

The Monk Anthony called the brethren and said to them: “My brothers and fasters! I beg you. Now I am departing from this life to the Lord my God Jesus Christ - pray to God and the Most Pure Mother of God for me: may the merciful angels take my soul at my repose, may I escape the snares of the enemy and the airy ordeals through your prayers, since I am a sinner. You choose for your abbot from among the brethren a father and a teacher in my place and remain with him in fasting and in prayer, and in labors, and in wearing, and in vigils, and in tears, and also in love among each other, and in obedience to the abbot, and to their spiritual fathers, and to the elder brothers. It is written: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for of them is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who cry, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed is the expulsion of truth for the sake of them, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you, and ridicule you, and say all sorts of evil things about you lying, for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven!” And the monk gave instructions to the brethren about many other things, teaching them for salvation.

The brethren, seeing the monk in his last breath, were in great tenderness, and in lamentation, and in many tears and said: “Oh, our good shepherd and teacher! Now we see you in your last breath, at the end of the century. And now to whom will we resort and from whom will we enjoy the honeyed words of teaching, and who will take care of our sinful souls? But we pray to you, saint Spasov! If you find mercy before God after your departure from this life, pray unremittingly to God and the Most Pure Mother of God for us. And now, sir, choose for us an abbot from our brethren, whatever your shrine pleases, since you know all our spiritual secrets.” The Monk Anthony elects us to be abbot and blesses our thinness, since I was first his disciple, and then his spiritual father. And he taught me about the spiritual flock and how to shepherd the flock of Christ.

And for the future the monk established a commandment for the brethren: “If it happens to elect an abbot, then elect from the brethren who labored in this place. And if a prince or bishop sends his abbot for violence or bribery, the monk curses him. He affirms the same about the earth and says: “O my brothers! When he stopped at this place, he bought this village, and the land, and on the river fishing for the monastery building at the price of the vessel of the Most Pure One. And if anyone begins to offend you or take away this land, then the Mother of God will judge them.”

And, having given the brethren a petition for Christ and a final kiss, and stood in prayer, he prayed for a long time. Although it was joyful for him to be freed from the flesh and to be with Christ, but, showing that everyone was afraid of the cup of death and that we would meet many torturers in the air, and moreover, out of great humility, he prayed to God, saying:

“Appear, Lord, help me and deliver me from the hand of the prince and power and ruler of darkness. May that dark air not cover me, and may that smoke not darken my soul. Strengthen me, my Lord, Lord! May I pass over fiery waves and bottomless depths, may I not be drowned in them, may the enemy not be able to slander me, but may I pass over the ruler of the world and their evil leader and may I be delivered from the dark princes and Tartarus, and so may I appear before You pure and blameless, and grant me worthy to stand at Your right hand and receive the blessings You have promised to Your saints, when You come in glory to judge the living and the dead and reward each according to his deeds!”

Oh, great and God-imitating ineffable humility! How can dark princes touch our God-bearing father and the likes of the apostles? The one whom the Lord ruled over the waters on the stone, like a disembodied angel, and called him not his slave, but his friend, and to whom he promised where he would be, so that he could dwell to see his glory! Knowing all this, the monk deigned especially to be in humility, which cannot harm, but only strengthens in salvation. For this reason I prayed with these words.

And, having prayed, the monk ordered the holy monk Andrew to burn incense for himself and sing the funeral service. And he lay down on his bed and went to God into eternal rest. And the saint was buried honestly by Archbishop Niphon with the sacred cathedral and with the multitude of the people of that city, with candles and censers, with psalms and the singing of spiritual songs in the summer of 1147, the month of August on the 3rd day, in memory of our venerable fathers Isaac of Dalmatia and Faustus. And his honorable body was laid in the Church of the Most Pure Mother of God, which he himself had created. The monk lived from his coming until he became abbess for 14 years, he was in the abbess for 16 years, and in total he lived in the monastery for 30 years.

With the blessing of the monk, Archbishop Nifont appointed the disciple of the Monk Anthony, the holy monk Andrew, as abbot. This Andrei told Archbishop Nifont, and the princes of that city, and all the people that he had heard from the monk about these miracles. The archbishop and all the people, marveling, gave praise to God and the Most Pure Mother of God and the great wonderworker Anthony. And from then on the Monk Anthony began to be called a Roman.

And Archbishop Niphon ordered this life of the saint to be expounded, written, and handed over to the Church of God for the confirmation of the Orthodox Faith and the salvation of our souls; to the Romans, who apostatized from the Orthodox Faith and gave themselves over to the Latin heresy, to shame and reproach and curse; to the glory and honor of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Published according to the publication: Monuments of Ancient Russian Spiritual Writing: The Life of St. Anthony the Roman. // Magazine “Orthodox Interlocutor”, Kazan. - 1858 - Book II. - With. 157-171, 310-324.

The Monk Anthony the Roman was born in Rome in the year from wealthy parents who adhered to the Orthodox confession of faith, and was raised by them in piety. Deprived of his parents at the age of 17, he began to study the writings of his fathers in Greek. Then he distributed part of the inheritance to the poor, and put the other in a wooden barrel and put it into the sea. He himself took monastic vows in one of the desert monasteries, where he lived for 20 years.

Persecution of the Orthodox by the Latins forced the brethren to disperse. The Monk Anthony wandered, moving from place to place, until he found a large stone on the deserted seashore, on which he lived for a whole year in fasting and prayer. A terrible storm that broke out on September 5 of the year tore off the stone on which the Monk Anthony was standing and carried it into the sea. On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the stone stopped 3 versts from Novgorod on the banks of the Volkhov River near the village of Volkhovskoye. This event is attested in the Novgorod chronicles. At this place the monk, with the blessing of the Novgorod Saint Nikita, founded a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The next year, fishermen caught a barrel containing the inheritance of the Monk Anthony, which had been put into the sea many years ago. Having indicated what was in the barrel, the monk took the barrel and bought land for the monastery.

Spiritual asceticism was combined in the monastery with intense work activity. The Monk Anthony made sure that the monastery's income provided assistance to the poor, orphans and widows. In the year the monk began stone construction in the monastery. The cathedral in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built during the life of the monk in - has survived to this day. famous Novgorod architect Peter, with fresco paintings of the year.

His relics were found incorrupt on July 1, and placed in a silver-bound shrine. From that time on, a religious procession was established in his memory from the St. Sophia Cathedral, on the first Friday after Peter's Day. At the saint's shrine there was a branch of sedge, with which Anthony sailed from Rome, holding it in his hand. This is how he is depicted on icons. Until the 30s of our century, the relics of St. Anthony rested in the cathedral monastery church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the chapel named after him. Their fate is currently unknown.

Assumption Fast.

Prpp. Isaac of Spain, Dalmata and Favsta (IV–V); St. Anthony the Roman, Novgorod Wonderworker (1147).
Myrrh-bearing Salome (mother of the apostles James and John) (I).

Mch. Persa was born (457) (Georgian); St. Cosmas of the Hermit (VI), St. John, abbot of Patalarean.

Sschmch. Vyacheslav Lukanin, deacon (1918); sschmch. Nikolai Pomerantsev, presbyter (1938).

Saints of the day, pray to God for us!

Venerable Anthony the Roman

(St. Anthony the Roman, fresco of the Anthony Monastery, Veliky Novgorod)

This reverend and God-bearing father of ours, Anthony, was born in the great city of Rome in 1067, which is in the western country, in the Italian land, among the Latin people, from Christian parents and was baptized with the name Andrew. He was taught the Christian faith, which his parents kept secret, hiding in their home, since Rome fell away from the Christian faith and indulged in the Latin heresy. It completely fell away from the time of Pope Formos and remains in apostasy to this day.

The father and mother of the Monk Anthony went to God in good confession. The monk, having been taught to read and write, studied the Greek language and diligently began to read the books of the Old and New Testaments and the traditions of the Holy Fathers of the seven Ecumenical Councils, who set forth and explained the Christian faith. And he desired to perceive the monastic image. Having prayed to God, he distributed the property of his parents to the poor, and put the remainder into a vessel - “ delva”, that is, the barrel, and, having caulked it and strengthened it in every possible way, hid it, and then delivered it to the sea. The monk himself went into the distant deserts to look for monks living and working for God’s sake, hiding from heretics in caves and clefts of the earth. And by God's providence he found monks living in the desert. Among them there was one with presbyteral rank.
The Monk Anthony prayed to them a lot with tears, so that he too would be numbered among his God-chosen flock. They questioned him a lot and strictly about the Christian faith and about the Roman heresy, fearing temptation from the heretics. He confessed himself to be a Christian. Then they told him: “ Child, Andrei! You are still young and will not be able to endure the fasting life and monastic labors " And he was only 18 years old at that time. And many other difficulties frightened him, but he, bowing relentlessly, prayed for the perception of the monastic image. And only in this way was he barely able to get what he wanted: they tonsured him into the monastic rank.

The monk stayed in that desert for twenty years, working, fasting, and praying to God day and night. " There was- he said, - thirty miles away from us, in one desert, the monks living there built a small church in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. According to custom, all the monks from the desert gathered on Holy Saturday in the church, where the presbyters and deacons performed the Divine Liturgy, and everyone, having received the Divine Mysteries, sang and prayed all day and night. By the morning of Holy Pascha, having sung Matins and the Holy Divine Liturgy and again having partaken of the Holy and Most Pure Divine and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ, each departed to his own desert. ».

But the devil, who hates goodness, initiated the final persecution of Christians in that land. The princes of that city and the pope began to seize Orthodox monks in the deserts and hand them over to torture. The venerable fathers of God's chosen flock of Christ dispersed out of fear into the deserts so that they could no longer communicate with each other. Then the Monk Anthony began to live by the sea in impassable places. And the Monk Anthony began to pray incessantly, standing on a stone, having neither a cover nor a hut. The monk ate little by little of the food that he brought from his desert only on Sundays. And the Monk Anthony stayed on that stone for a year and two months, and worked so hard for God in fasting, vigil and prayer that he became like angels.

In the summer of 1106, the month of September, on the fifth day, in memory of the holy prophet Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, great winds arose, and the sea shook as never before. So the waves of the sea reached the stone, on which the monk stood and sent incessant prayers to God. And then suddenly one wave tensed up and lifted the stone on which the saint stood, and carried him on the stone, as if on a light ship, without harming him or frightening him. The monk stood, constantly praying to God, for he loved God with all his soul. After all, God is sweetness, and enlightenment, and eternal joy to those who love Him. " And I didn’t know- said Saint Anthony, - when it was day, when it was night, but was embraced by the inviolable Light " The stone flowed through the waters, having neither a helm nor a helmsman. The human mind cannot express this. Neither sorrow, nor fear, nor sadness, nor hunger, nor thirst came to the saint, but he only remained, praying to God in his mind and rejoicing in his soul. (from the Novgorod Chronicle).

(Stone of St. Anthony the Roman near the village of Mston)

On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the stone stopped 3 versts from Novgorod on the banks of the Volkhov River near the village of Volkhovskoye. This event is attested in the Novgorod chronicles. The next year, fishermen caught a barrel containing the inheritance of St. Anthony, which had been put into the sea many years ago:

A year later, after the arrival of the monk, fishermen were fishing near his stone. Working all night, they did not catch anything and, having pulled their nets (net P. 318) to the shore, they were in great sorrow. The monk, having finished his prayer, approached the fishermen and said to them: “ My children! I only have a hryvnia - a silver bar. (At that time, the Novgorod people had no money, but they poured silver bars - either a hryvnia, or a half, or a ruble - and traded with them). And I give you this hryvnia, an ingot. Listen to my badness: throw your fish into this great river in Volkhov, and if you catch anything, it will be for the house of the Most Pure Mother of God " They did not want to do this and answered, saying: “ We worked all night and didn’t catch anything, we were just exhausted. " The monk diligently prayed for them to listen to him. And at the command of the monk, they threw the dam into the Volkhov and, through the prayers of the saint, brought a great many fish to the shore, so that the dam almost broke through. There has never been such a catch! They also took out a wooden vessel, a delva, that is, a barrel, bound everywhere with iron hoops. The monk blessed the fishermen and said: “ My children! Look at the mercy of God: how God provides for His servants. I bless you and give you the fish, but I take only the vessel for myself, since God gave it to the creation of the monastery " The devil, who hates goodness, wanting to do a dirty trick on the saint, struck the hearts of those fishermen with wickedness. And they began to give the fish to the monk, but wanted to take the barrel for themselves. And they said to the monk: “ We hired you to catch fish, and the barrel is ours " They also annoyed and reproached the monk with cruel words. The monk answered, saying: “ My gentlemen! I will not argue with you about this. Let's go to the city and tell our case to the city judges ».

The judge is appointed by God to judge the people of God. The fishermen listened to the monk, put the barrel into the boat, took the monk, arrived in the city and, coming to the judge, began to compete with the monk. The fishermen, explaining the matter, said: “ We hired out to catch fish, and we give the fish to him, and this barrel is ours. We threw it into the water for safekeeping. " The elder said to the judges: “ My gentlemen! Ask these fishermen what is in this barrel? “The fishermen were perplexed, not knowing what to answer. The monk said: “ This barrel was betrayed to sea water in Rome by our sinful hands. Included in the barrel were church vessels, gold, silver and crystal, chalices, dishes and many other sacred church things, as well as gold and silver from the estate of my parents. The treasure was thrown into the sea so that the sacred vessels would not be desecrated by the abominable heretics and the unleavened demonic victims. The inscriptions on the vessels are written in Roman language " The judge ordered the barrel to be broken - and what was found in it was according to the word of the monk. And they gave the saint a barrel and sent him away in peace, not daring to ask anything else. The fishermen walked away disgraced. (from the Novgorod Chronicle).

At this place the monk, with the blessing of St. Nikita the Recluse († 1109, commemorated May 14), founded a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Monk Anthony made sure that the monastery's income provided assistance to the poor, orphans and widows. In 1117 the monk began stone construction at the monastery. The cathedral in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built during the life of the saint in 1117-1119, has survived to this day. by the famous Novgorod architect Peter, with fresco paintings from 1125. In 1131, Saint Niphon of Novgorod installed the Monk Anthony as abbot of the monastery. He died on August 3, 1147 and was buried by Saint Niphon.

The Monk Anthony was glorified in 1597. His memory is also celebrated (in honor of the discovery of the relics) on the first Friday after the celebration of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul (June 29) and on January 17 - on the day of the namesake, when the memory of St. Anthony the Great is celebrated.

His relics were found incorrupt on July 1, 1597, and placed in a silver-bound shrine. From that time on, a religious procession was established in his memory from the St. Sophia Cathedral, on the first Friday after Peter's Day. At the saint's shrine there was a branch of sedge, with which Anthony sailed from Rome, holding it in his hand. This is how he is depicted on icons. Until the 30s of our century, the relics of St. Anthony rested in the cathedral monastery church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the chapel named after him. Their fate is currently unknown.
Anthony's Monastery is located in the northern part of Veliky Novgorod, on the right bank of the Volkhov. Founded in 1106 by a native of Western Europe, the monastery was named after the founder and first abbot Antoninius the Roman.

Anthony's Monastery was abolished in 1920. A commune of former street children was established on its territory.

(Antoniev Novgorod Monastery, not active)

This was a time of plunder and destruction of monastic relics, tombstones of the monastery cemetery disappeared, and graves were opened. The bell tower and fence were dismantled, but in general the monastery ensemble was preserved. Today the monastery is not active. The monastery buildings are part of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve. On the territory of the monastery there are a number of faculties of the Novgorod State University. Yaroslav the Wise.

Troparion of St. Anthony the Roman, Novgorod
voice 4
You left Old Rome, your fatherland, / on a stone, like on a light ship, / and on it, more than nature, as if incorporeal, you walked along the waters, / guided by the providence of the Divine mind, / you reached Great Novagrad / and, the monastery in having created it, / you offered your body in it, as if it were a sanctified gift. / Thus we pray to you, Father Anthony: / pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion of St. Anthony
voice 8
Roman upbringing, but the Great Novugrad has prospered with grace, / for you have pleased God with many of your labors and exploits in it. / For this reason, for the sake of miracles, you have been vouchsafed gifts from Him, / and have kept your body incorruptible for many years. / But we, kissing this, joyfully from the soul We cry to you: Hail, Father Anthony.

Kontakion of St. Anthony the Roman
voice 2
Like a star, you shone from Rome, / and, having reached the God-saved Great Novagrad, / you created that monastery in it, / and, having built a church, / convened a multitude of monks. / With them, pray for us, who honor your memory, and we call to you: / Rejoice, Rev. Father Anthony.

Prayer to St. Anthony the Roman

We fall to you, Rev. Father Anthony, with earnest prayer and worship. We believe that you, resting in body before us, live in spirit in the mountain villages and pray for us, that your prayer, like the prayer of a righteous man, can do much before the merciful Master Mind of the Lord God, marvelous in His saints, may He bestow upon us His grace from the saints of your relics, may the Almighty grant us, who are in the flesh, the opportunity to sail without a hitch through the stormy sea of ​​life and reach a quiet, serene harbour, where He Himself meets with all His chosen ones. Amen!

Saints Isaac, Dalmatus, abbots and Favst

Commemorated on April 4 (March 22 according to the church calendar), June 12 (May 31 according to the church calendar) and August 16 (August 3 according to the church calendar).

The Monk Isaac of Dalmatia lived in the 4th century. Orthodox Byzantium at that time was torn apart by heresies, of which there were many: some heretics taught that the Holy Spirit is not God, or that the Persons of the Holy Trinity are not consubstantial; others - that the Son of God was not born of the Father, but was created; there were heretics who called the Holy Spirit an angel, or who reasoned according to their own understanding that the Father, Son and Spirit are one person; there was also a heresy that the end of the world means the end of existence; some taught that Christ was simply a man, and others that Christ took on body and soul, but not the human spirit, denying in Him human will and God-manhood itself. During the reign of Emperor Valens, a zealous supporter of the Arius heresy, condemned at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325, persecution of the Orthodox began, churches were closed and destroyed.

At such a difficult time for the Church of Christ, the Monk Isaac labored in the desert, performing feats of fasting and prayer and preserving the purity of the apostolic teaching. But, having learned about the persecution of Orthodoxy by the emperor who accepted heresy, the Monk Isaac left the desert and came to Constantinople to console the Orthodox and strengthen them in the faith.

At this time, the barbarians - the Goths, who lived on the Danube, went to war against the Byzantine Empire. They captured Thrace and headed towards Constantinople. When Emperor Valens was leaving the capital with his army, the Monk Isaac, turning to the emperor, loudly exclaimed: “ Tsar, open churches to the Orthodox, and then the Lord will help you! "But the emperor, not paying attention to the words of the monk, self-confidently continued on his way. Three times the monk repeated his request and prophecy about the death of the emperor in case of his refusal. The angry emperor ordered the Monk Isaac to be thrown into a deep ravine, at the bottom of which there was a swamp, and to come out of it "It was impossible. But God saved Isaac from such a death and gave him the strength and boldness to catch up with the emperor's army in order to once again try to bring him to his senses through the obvious miracle of his salvation." You wanted to destroy me - Isaac said to Emperor Valens, - but the holy Angels brought me out of the abyss. Listen to me, open churches to the Orthodox and defeat your enemies. If you do not listen to me, you will not return alive, but will perish in the fire. "The emperor was surprised at the old man's courage and ordered his associates Saturninus and Victor to seize Isaac and keep him in custody until his return.

Soon the prophecy of Saint Isaac came true. The Goths won and began to pursue the Byzantine army. The emperor, along with his military leader, took refuge in a barn with straw during their flight, the advancing pagans set it on fire, and Valens, as the Monk Isaac predicted, died in the fire. After the news of the death of the emperor reached Constantinople, the Monk Isaac was released and began to be revered as a prophet of God. When the holy king Theodosius the Great was elected to the throne, he, on the advice of those same Saturninus and Victor who witnessed the prophecy of the Monk Isaac, called the elder to him, met him with great honor and asked for his holy prayers. Emperor Theodosius expelled the Arians from Constantinople, returned the churches to the Orthodox and convened the Second Ecumenical Council.

The Monk Isaac wanted to retire again into the desert, but Saturninus and Victor begged him not to leave the city and to protect it with their prayers from internal and external dangers. On the outskirts of Constantinople they built a dwelling for the elder, where the monks gathered to see him. This is how the monastery arose, in which the Monk Isaac was the abbot and spiritual mentor. He also cared for the laity and helped the poor and suffering a lot. Having reached a very old age, the Monk Isaac appointed the Monk Dalmatus as abbot, after whom the monastery later began to be called. The Monk Isaac died in 383, and, perhaps, during his lifetime he managed to attend the Second Ecumenical Council, which took place in 381 in Constantinople, where he witnessed the general church condemnation of Arianism and other heresies and the proclamation of the Orthodox Creed. 150 bishops were present at the Council, among whom were: Meletius of Antioch, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, Cyril of Jerusalem and many other Fathers and Teachers of the Church. Then the creation of the Creed, begun at the First Ecumenical Council, was completed. In Constantinople, five more members were included in the Creed: about the Holy Spirit, about the Church, about the sacraments, about the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Thus, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed was compiled, which serves as a guide for the Church for all times. There is no doubt that, if possible, all the most authoritative Fathers, one of whom was the confessor, Abbot Isaac, should have participated in such an important event for the Church. The memory of Isaac of Dalmatia is celebrated in the Orthodox Church three times a year: April 4, June 12 and August 16 according to the new style.

In honor of the Holy Venerable Isaac of Dalmatia, the majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral was built and consecrated in St. Petersburg.

(St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg)

St. Isaac's Cathedral was the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church until 1922 - when repressions against the Church began, arrests of the clergy, confiscation of church valuables and provocative activities of renovationists who collaborated with the atheistic authorities. About three pounds of gold, one hundred and forty pounds of silver and about eight hundred precious stones were confiscated from St. Isaac's Cathedral. The new authorities valued all church utensils by weight, and just as today thieves hand over stolen goods to a collection point for non-ferrous metals, so too did its defilers dispose of the stolen goods from the cathedral. The clergy of St. Isaac's Cathedral were arrested and destroyed. The temple was transferred to the renovationists, and in 1928 it was completely closed.

In 1931, an anti-religious museum was set up in the desecrated cathedral, and subsequently the temple existed as an empty architectural decoration - too majestic to blow it up.

For a long time (at the end of the 20th century), services in St. Isaac's Cathedral were allowed to be held only a few times a year. Today services are held on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on Holidays.

(St. Isaac of Dalmatia)

Reverend Dalmat appeared as a zealous champion of the Orthodox faith at the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus (431), which condemned the heresy of Nestorius.

After the Council, the holy fathers elevated the Monk Dalmatian to the rank of archimandrite of the Dalmatian monastery, in which he died at the age of ninety (after 446).

ABOUT Reverend Faustus it is known that he, like his father, was a great ascetic and of his monastic deeds, he was especially successful in fasting. After the death of his father, the Monk Favst became abbot of the monastery.

Troparion of Saints Isaac, Dalmatus and Favsta
voice 4
God our father,/ always deal with us according to Your meekness,/ do not leave Your mercy from us,/ but through their prayers// guide our life in peace.

Kontakion of Saints Isaac Dalmatus and Faustus
voice 2
With fasting, who shone forth like a luminary,/ and corrupted heresies through faith,/ with the songs of Isaac, let us praise Faustus with Dalmatus,/ like Christ’s saints,// Him who prayed for us all.

Martyr Razhden Pers

Martyr Razhden, a Persian, a fan of the Zoroaster religion, came from a noble family. He was the mentor of the Persian princess Balendukhta (daughter of the Persian king Hormizd), who married the pious Georgian king Vakhtang the Great (446-499). Together with her, Razhden moved to Georgia. Out of respect for his high origin, the king showered his wife's educator with favors and made him his adviser. The simple and good-natured foreigner was soon loved by all the courtiers and people. When he learned Christianity and received Baptism, he began to often talk with Archbishop Michael and visit churches. The saint's heart burned with inexpressible love for Christ. He tried to comprehend the Wisdom of God, talked a lot with the pastors of the Church and eagerly listened to stories and teachings about the exploits of Christian martyrs. The desire to unite with Christ irresistibly attracted him to accept suffering for the Savior.

The bloody war between Persia and Greece also affected Orthodox Georgia. The new Persian king Firuz (from 456) demanded that Georgia dissolve its alliance with co-religious Greece. Having been refused, he moved troops against Georgia, and a brutal war began. According to the chronicler, women were subjected to shameless desecration, and men were subjected to terrible torture and torment. Despite this, Christians remained firm in their faith and, hoping for God’s help, repelled their enemies. At this time, Saint Razhden took command of the army in the capital and in nearby fortresses.

For four months he waged a stubborn struggle against the enemies of Christianity and drove them away from the capital. The Persians decided to take revenge by capturing the zealous leader alive. Once, during a foray of a Georgian detachment from the Armaz fortress, Saint Razhden was treacherously betrayed by those who were jealous of his high position. The prisoner was immediately taken straight to King Firuz. Notified of everything, the king asked Saint Razhden about his origin and the reason for his departure from his former faith and people. The martyr answered this: “ It is true, king, that I once left my fatherland and its gods, who serve man and were created to decorate the universe, but I now serve the One True and Living God, Who created Heaven and earth and all things, Who alone has immortality and abides in The inaccessible light, Which no one has ever seen and will never see. This is the One True God, Whom I came to know in Three Persons and in One Being. But one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Word and Son of the Father, at the end of the ages, for our salvation, descended to earth, was incarnated from the Holy Virgin Mary, lived on earth, suffered, was nailed to the Cross, died, and was resurrected on the third day after death, and in the fortieth year he ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. At the end of the world, this same Son of God, Jesus Christ, will again come to earth with glory to judge the living and the dead, and then the righteous will shine like the sun, while the wicked and disobedient to Him will accept eternal torment along with the devil. ».

Knowing the courage of the saint, King Firuz decided to force him to worship the sun and fire not through torture, but through flattering promises. " Let it be known to you, king, - answered the martyr, - that I will not deny my Lord Jesus Christ, who created me, and will not worship your gods. May the treasures and glory promised to me be with you, I do not need or need them, and because of them I will not leave my God, Who called me to the Light of His Son, and I will not exchange the eternal life promised to us by Christ for temporary and transient. Therefore, no matter how much you promise or advise me, you will not force me to renounce Christ and my God; I reject the treasures and honor you offer and I will not listen to you more than my Lord ».

When the martyr was captured to begin the torture, he again turned to the king: “ You say that you will give me over to temptations, and you think that torture is worse than eternal torment, know that for me Christ and death are gain " The fire worshipers began terrible tortures, and then imprisoned the martyr. After some time, King Firuz, on the advice of some Georgian traitorous nobles, sent Saint Razhden to Mtskheta, where his family lived. The king calmly released him, knowing that the martyr would fulfill his word to return to the Persians. The family begged him to spare himself and his loved ones, but Saint Razhden firmly answered: “ No one will turn me away from the love of my Lord Jesus Christ " He returned to the Persians, and King Firuz sent him to the ruler of Upper Kartalinya, who lived in the town of Tsromi. Senseless persuasion and cruel torture began again. The mutilated martyr was thrown into a stinking prison. At night the Savior Himself appeared to him and healed all his wounds. The amazed Persians then decided that the time had come to carry out the king’s order - to crucify the martyr on the cross.

« Rejoice, Life-Giving Tree, with which the ancient serpent was killed and to which my sins were nailed, - exclaimed the martyr, seeing the instrument of death penalty. “And through you I will ascend to my Lord Jesus Christ, who will be my help and give me strength to drink the cup that has been prepared for me to the end.” For I have testified the truth before His enemies, and like Him I will be nailed to you. ».

The holy martyr was stripped and nailed to the cross among four criminals crucified nearby. Wanting to increase his suffering, the Persians asked the ruler for archers. Pierced by poisonous arrows, like the martyr Sebastian, Saint Razhden died on the cross in 457. The entire ground beneath him was drenched in holy blood. A sign appeared in the sky: the sun disappeared, and a long eclipse began, and at night a terrible storm arose, so that nothing could be seen even nearby. Only the body of the martyr mysteriously shone with Heavenly light. The guards were horrified by the crime they had committed, and they fled to their tents. Christians hiding nearby immediately took the martyr down from the cross and buried him with honor near the place where he was crucified.

The burial place of the saint remained unknown for a long time, until the martyr himself ordered the priest who buried him to reveal it to Vakhtang the Great. With great triumph, the relics of the martyr Razhden were transferred to the Nicosia Temple (near the city of Tskhinvali).

(Zemo-Nikozi Cathedral, South Ossetia)

The name Razhden means " luminary of faith" The First Martyr of the Georgian Church, with his death, accompanied by the appearance of the Savior and Heavenly signs, gives firm hope for the general resurrection at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hello, dear TV viewers! Today, August 16, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Venerable Anthony of Rome of Novgorod.

The Monk Anthony the Roman was born in Rome in 1067 from wealthy parents who adhered to the Orthodox confession of faith, and was raised by them in piety. Having lost his parents at the age of seventeen, he began to study the writings of his fathers in Greek. Then he distributed part of the inheritance to the poor, and put the other in a wooden barrel and put it into the sea.

He himself took monastic vows in one of the desert monasteries, where he lived for twenty years. Persecution of the Orthodox by the Latins forced the brethren to disperse. The Monk Anthony wandered, moving from place to place, until he found a large stone on the deserted seashore, on which he lived for a whole year in fasting and prayer.

A terrible storm that broke out on September 5, 1105, tore off the stone on which the Monk Anthony was standing and carried it into the sea. On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the stone stopped three miles from Novgorod on the banks of the Volkhov River near the village of Volkhovskoye. This event is attested in the Novgorod chronicles.

At this place the monk, with the blessing of St. Nikita the Recluse, founded a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The next year, fishermen caught a barrel containing the inheritance of the Monk Anthony, which had been put into the sea many years ago. Having indicated what was in the barrel, the monk took the barrel and bought land for the monastery. Spiritual asceticism was combined in the monastery with intense work activity.

The Monk Anthony made sure that the monastery's income provided assistance to the poor, orphans and widows. In 1117 the monk began stone construction at the monastery. The cathedral in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built during the life of the saint in 1117-1119 by the famous Novgorod architect Peter, with fresco paintings from 1125, has survived to this day.

In 1131, Saint Niphon of Novgorod installed the Monk Anthony as abbot of the monastery. He died on August 3, 1147 and was buried by Saint Niphon.

The Monk Anthony was glorified in 1597. His memory is also celebrated (in honor of the discovery of the relics) on the first Friday after the celebration of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul and on January 17 - on the day of the namesake, when the memory of St. Anthony the Great is celebrated.

The initial life of the Monk Anthony the Roman was written shortly after his death by the disciple and successor in the abbess, Hieromonk Andrei, and the adaptation of the life, the legend of the discovery of the relics and the word of praise were written by the monk Nifont, a tonsure of the Anthony Monastery, in 1598. The spiritual and purchase documents of St. Anthony, published several times, have been preserved.

Dear brothers and sisters, today the memory of the saints is also celebrated:

St. Persa was born, first hour. Georgian;

St. Hermit's hair;

New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia: sschmch. Vyacheslav Lukanin deacon, schmch. Nikolai Pomerantsev presbyter.

I heartily and warmly congratulate everyone who bears these holy names on their namesake day! I wish you well from the Lord spiritual peace, physical health and all-powerful help in all good deeds and good undertakings through the prayers of your heavenly patrons. Be protected by God! Many happy summers to you!

Hieromonk Dimitri (Samoilov)

The Monk Anthony the Roman was born in Rome in 1067 from wealthy parents who adhered to the Orthodox confession of faith, and was raised by them in piety. Deprived of his parents at the age of 17, he began to study the writings of his fathers in Greek. Then he distributed part of the inheritance to the poor, and put the other in a wooden barrel and put it into the sea. He himself took monastic vows in one of the desert monasteries, where he lived for 20 years.
Persecution of the Orthodox by the Latins forced the brethren to disperse. The Monk Anthony wandered, moving from place to place, until he found a large stone on the deserted seashore, on which he lived for a whole year in fasting and prayer. A terrible storm that broke out on September 5, 1105, tore off the stone on which the Monk Anthony was standing and carried it into the sea. On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the stone stopped 3 versts from Novgorod on the banks of the Volkhov River near the village of Volkhovskoye. This event is attested in the Novgorod chronicles. At this place, the monk, with the blessing of the Novgorod Saint Nikita (+1109, commemorated on May 14), founded a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The next year, fishermen caught a barrel containing the inheritance of the Monk Anthony, which had been put into the sea many years ago. Having indicated what was in the barrel, the monk took the barrel and bought land for the monastery.
Spiritual asceticism was combined in the monastery with intense work activity. The Monk Anthony made sure that the monastery's income provided assistance to the poor, orphans and widows. In 1117 the monk began stone construction at the monastery. The cathedral in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built during the life of the saint in 1117-1119, has survived to this day. by the famous Novgorod architect Peter, with fresco paintings from 1125. In 1131, Saint Niphon of Novgorod installed the Monk Anthony as abbot of the monastery. Saint Anthony died on August 3, 1147, being 79 years old.
His relics were found incorrupt on July 1, 1597, and placed in a silver-bound shrine. Until the 30s of our century, the relics of St. Anthony rested in the cathedral monastery church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the chapel named after him. Their fate is currently unknown.