When the memory of Alexander Nevsky is celebrated. Memorial Day of Alexander Nevsky: the life and deeds of the Saint

December 6 is a great day for all Orthodox Christians. At this time every year miraculous prayers are said to the great Russian commander, saving the Russian land even after his death.

On December 6, the Russian people and the Orthodox Church pay tribute to the memory of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, the famous great commander who saved the future of the Russian state. An important achievement of Alexander Nevsky was the peace and prosperity of our land.

Why is Memorial Day celebrated on December 6th?

The memory of Alexander Nevsky is honored not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the Orthodox and Catholic world. According to the Orthodox calendar, the day of memory of this saint is December 6, and it is by no means accidental. As you know, Nevsky died on November 14, 1263, and was buried in Vladimir on November 23 of the same year. According to the new style, this is December 6, so it is on this day that the solemn burial of the great commander is celebrated.

In Orthodoxy, there is another important day - this is September 12, 1724, when the relics of the savior of the Russian land were transferred from Vladimir to the capital of Russia at that time - St. Petersburg. Since that time, this date has also been considered an Orthodox holiday.

How to celebrate the day of memory of Alexander Nevsky

The burial of Alexander Nevsky is celebrated prayerfully. In every Orthodox Church, services and liturgies are held, with which Christians pay tribute to St. Alexander for his deeds, without which there would be no that great Russia that can be observed throughout history. He not only saved the Russian people from slavery and humiliation, but also took monastic tonsure under the name Alexy. Officially, Alexander Nevsky was canonized only in 1547.

Even after his death, Prince Alexander protected Rus' from ill-wishers and from troubles, appearing before people during the fire of 1491. He also helped Prince Donskoy to defeat Mamai; one night in the church of St. Demetrius, a certain monk was awake and saw how two incorporeal figures approached the tomb of the saint and began to pray. Donskoy won a crushing victory over the invaders.

Alexander Nevsky Day in 2015

The memory of the Holy Prince is immortalized by the names of churches in his honor in many European countries, in icons depicting his face, as well as in prayers that are read twice a year in all Orthodox churches - on September 12 and on the coming day, December 6.

As history says, many sick or demon-possessed people, praying in the temple at the relics of a saint, were healed, which was a true miracle, because only holy relics can cure a serious illness or illness. This shows us that Alexander Nevsky can rightfully be considered the holy guardian of the Russian land, which in 2015, as usual, on December 6, will honor his memory with prayers in all churches. Anyone will have the opportunity to visit the current place of burial - the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, or the original place - the Mother of God-Nativity Monastery in Vladimir.

Troparion of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky

Recognize your brethren, Russian Joseph, not in Egypt, but reigning in Heaven, faithful to Prince Alexander, and accept their prayers, multiplying the life of people with the fruitfulness of your land, protecting the cities of your dominion with prayer and an Orthodox Christian against resisting.

Be strong in soul and meet troubles and hardships with faith in God and in your own strength. Let the feast of memory of St. Alexander Nevsky lead you to make the right decisions for your good and the good of your loved ones. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

Juma: why Friday is a holy day for Muslims

There are many instructions that distinguish Jumu from other days of the week. After reading them, you can understand why Muslims put ...

12 major Orthodox holidays

In Orthodoxy, there are twelve most significant holidays - this is a dozen especially important events of the church calendar, in addition to the dominant ...

Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos October 14, 2015

The feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is invariably celebrated by the Orthodox world on October 14th. A wonderful event that laid the foundation for the holiday, and to this day ...

What is customary to give a girl for christening

The well-being of a person largely depends on the gift received for christening, because this day is one of the key moments in his fate. …

Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky - the mighty son of the Russian Land

Grand Duke

Alexander Nevskiy

A talented commander, diplomat, wise and strong ruler - he put all his strength into protecting the Russian Land from foreign invaders. And the Orthodox Church glorified the prince for his meek service to his neighbors and for the gracious help rendered to the people in times of severe trials and hardships.

The Grand Duke of Vladimir Alexander Nevsky had a difficult fate: "to save Rus', he had to simultaneously show the valor of a warrior and the humility of a monk". The glory of this man was great already during his lifetime. The main battles won by the prince are the battle on the Neva with the Swedes in 1240 and the Battle on the Ice with the German knights (crusaders) on Lake Peipus in 1242.

Realizing that Mongol slavery was a humiliating and heavy burden, he, nevertheless, made a lot of efforts to maintain peace with the Horde, which gave him the opportunity to throw all his strength into repelling aggression from the Catholic West. Catholicization for Orthodox Rus' meant not only physical destruction, but also spiritual death.

Unlike the Tatars, the crusaders, blessed by the Pope, not only robbed and killed, but also carried the destruction of the foundations of the Orthodox spiritual culture of the Russian people. The veneration of Prince Alexander as a saint began almost immediately after his death.

On December 6, 1941, on Alexander Nevsky Memorial Day, the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Moscow began, and in 1942 the Battle of the Ice coincided with Easter. With the funds of the Russian Orthodox Church, an air squadron named after Alexander Nevsky was created.

And to this day, the people live in the belief that Alexander Nevsky guards the northern and eastern borders of the Russian state.

Other holidays in the section "Orthodox holidays"

• Add
  a comment
  
• Print
  

Memorial Day of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky in numbers

related holidays

Memorial Day of St. Anastasia

Memorial Day of Grand Duke Dimitry Donskoy

Memorial Day of Saints and Great Martyrs

Memorial Day of the Holy Prince Theodore Yaroslavich of Novgorod

Memorial Day of Saints and Great Martyrs

Kirill's day

Memorial Day of Saints and Great Martyrs

Day of Remembrance of the Myrrhbearing Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene

Memorial Day of Saints and Great Martyrs

See all related holidays from the section "Memorial Days of Saints and Great Martyrs"

To the chosen voivode of the Russian land, the bright adornment of the Orthodox Church, the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, praiseworthy describing, as if by faith, enemies, visible and invisible, victorious, and in his faith, according to the apostles, virtue, in virtue is the mind, in the mind abstinence, but in abstinence patience, in patience piety, brotherly love and love to the one who showed with tenderness and joy we cry out:

With the Angels and all the saints, now stand before Christ, blessedly Alexandra, praying for the love of those who honor you: the same, remembering, as if, having loved Christ from childhood, you have clung to the heavenly spirit, imitating the incorporeal life, we bless you, crying:

Rejoice, most honorable root of the pious branch;

Rejoice, heir of the faith of the ancestors.

Rejoice, imitator of the virtues of the God-loving father;

Rejoice, meekness and piety of the maternal successor.

Rejoice, leader of your Christ-loving flock to Heaven;

Rejoice, companion in the life of all the servants of God and zealots of piety.

Rejoice, partaker of the venerable face of the divinely luminous;

Rejoice, invincible confessor of the faith of Christ.

Rejoice, by the will of the martyr, now rejoice in the host of the victorious martyrs;

Rejoice, virgin preacher of Christian hope and love to all of us.

Rejoice, charter and rank of a noble church zealot;

Rejoice, co-heir of faithful children of the Church and saints of God.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Seeing the beauty of your face and your bodily age, the new city people rejoice and glorify God, looking at you: we, remembering your virtue brighter than the sun, blessed Alexandra, who glorified the Lord, we sing: Alleluia.

Thou hast understood, the God-wise Alexandra, that the image of this world is passing away, but there is only one thing for the needs of man, to please the Lord: for this reason, from the love of the world and even in the world, thou hast deviated, longing for those who are here to acquire heaven, like a faithful servant of the Lord in everything Thou hast served the life without laziness. We also cry out to you:

Rejoice, ascetic of faith, pleasing God most of all pre-chosen;

Rejoice, living undefiled before God like Abraham in all his life.

Rejoice, showing Isaac's obedience;

Rejoice, thou who didst walk in the way of Jacob's humility.

Rejoice, thou who acquired Joseph's purity and chastity;

Rejoice, revealing the love of Moses for your people.

Rejoice, as Samuel is pure to himself from all covetousness;

Rejoice, victorious over your enemies with the meekness of David.

Rejoice, jealous of Peter's fiery faith;

Rejoice, having enslaved the yoke of Christ with Paul.

Rejoice, having won the wisdom of John by the feat of teaching in the word of God;

Rejoice, thou who didst gather many saints of virtue in oneself.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

By the power of faith, you, blessed Alexandra, acquired the highest wisdom, for its sake, despising the flesh, you lay down on the immortal soul: the same pleasing you, as if you have now acquired immortality, crying out to Christ who glorified you: Alleluia.

Always have the Lord before your eyes, you lived soberly, blessed Alexandra, and you did everything, creating for the glory of God, you pleased God, now you stand before Him from the faces of those who have pleased you from time immemorial: the same rejoicing in you, we call you:

Rejoice, ascetic of true sobriety;

Rejoice, lover of saving contemplation.

Rejoice, our mentor in the feat from the world of removal;

Rejoice, acquirer of the perfect gift of vigilant attention to yourself.

Rejoice, firm opponent of every wordless desire;

Rejoice, good ascetic of piety, prosperous in mind and deed.

Rejoice, for by the power of prayer you overcame the devil's temptations;

Rejoice, for you have protected yourself from sin by remembrance.

Rejoice, for you have loved with your soul a hedgehog about heavenly thoughts;

Rejoice, for you have succeeded in non-slothful prayers before God.

Rejoice, for thou hast sanctified all thy life by incessant invocation to the Name of God;

Rejoice, for you have pleased the Lord with every pleasing.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Storms of temptations are raised against and against you, blessed Alexandra. Thou hast conquered this one by the power of the grace of Christ: the same now, to a quiet haven, flow, from the faces of those tempted in the world, who have conquered the world, cry to Christ: Alleluia.

Hearing Paul, saying: “Everyone strives to refrain from everyone,” you imputed everything to your mind, blessed Alexandra, so that you gain Christ: by the feats of self-denial and to the good deed of coercion, you acquired the freedom of the glory of the children of God: the same is pleasing to you, we cry out to you like this:

Rejoice, thou who didst show us the image of rejection;

Rejoice, thou who taught us to bear the cross in following Christ.

Rejoice, straight flesh with passions and lusts;

Rejoice, revealing the vanity of the world with your life.

Rejoice, having driven away every earthly addiction from yourself;

Rejoice, captivating your mind in obedience to faith.

Rejoice, having lifted the good yoke of the commandments of Christ by your will;

Rejoice, thou who hast kept thy heart pure from all soul-harming passions.

Rejoice, having completely betrayed God to yourself;

Rejoice, having served God through all your life.

Rejoice, having acquired the love of God for yourself by fulfilling the commandments;

Rejoice, thou who improved the heritage of the Kingdom by pleasing God.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Thou hast passed away like a divine star in the world, blessed Alexandra, shining with glory and virtue: the same now you shine in Heaven with eternal glory from the faces of the righteous, with them you will sing to Christ: Alleluia.

Seeing you, blessed Alexandra, you are never defeated in battles, always winning, I’m afraid of your unfaithful name, but we, remembering your faith-filled courage, bless you, saying:

Rejoice, valiant in defense of the faith and the Church's warrior;

Rejoice, courageous defender of your land.

Rejoice, wise destroyer of the slander of the enemy;

Rejoice, mighty protector of the world of the helpless.

Rejoice, glorious conqueror of the Sveisky army on the banks of the Nevsky;

Rejoice, protector of the security of all the northern countries of the Russian land.

Rejoice, evil machinations of heterodoxy, who moved the alien army to our land, the destroyer;

Rejoice, God-fortified legislator of the laws of truth.

Rejoice, Pskov, the fatherland of Saint Olga, the liberator;

Rejoice, pacifier who hated the world.

Rejoice, tamer of unsettled riots in your days of Lithuania;

Rejoice, in all these battles of the Christ-loving army of your wise leader.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Thou didst show thyself a preacher of meekness and patience, blessed Alexandra, in the midst of thy glorious victories: the same, thou hast acquired a double crown from the King of Christ;

You proclaimed, blessed Alexandra, more than courage, your patience, which you acquired, looking at the Head of the Faith and the Performer Jesus, And instead of the joy that was set before him, you endured the Cross: the same praising you, we fervently cry out:

Rejoice, enduring to the end in the ascetic labors of serving God;

Rejoice, faithfully imitating the patience of Christ.

Rejoice, thou who wisely comprehends the power of the commandment of Christ, even about love for the enemy;

Rejoice, and to those who have been delivered by you have sinned against you, showing true love.

Rejoice, in the temptation of your people, the cunning of the evil one is clear;

Rejoice, by your peaceful departure from your land, you correct the malice of the enemy.

Rejoice, and in all your life you understand the tricks of Satan;

Rejoice, evil to the good, according to the apostle, you overcome.

Rejoice, packs, in a time of sorrow, to help Novugrad, who offended you, prosperous;

Rejoice, for the sake of this fiery love from your people you won for yourself.

Rejoice, God's visitation, illness and deprivation, patient with hope;

Rejoice, for this sake you have acquired a bright crown from the Lord.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Although provoking you with all the virtues, blessed Alexandra, the Lord Christ called you to serve your people during the days of your visit: you also attracted humility to patience, for the sake of which you are now exalted, standing before God with the song: Alleluia.

It would be marvelous to see how an invincible warrior humbly bows his head before the infidels, whom the Lord sent to his people for the sake of their sins: it is marvelous to remember your invincible humility, blessed Alexandra, whom you also pleased the Lord, and you saved your people. We also gratefully cry out to you:

Rejoice, imitator of the humility of the Lord;

Rejoice, veneration of the teacher befitting the God-given authority.

Rejoice, you are opposed to any exaltation;

Rejoice, ascetic of true obedience.

Rejoice, to all of us in the image of faithful service to God;

Rejoice, commanding mentor in God-pleasing people.

Rejoice, subject to the leader in God-commanded obedience to those in power;

Rejoice, for many times for the sake of the good of your people you traveled to the godless, imputing trials from them to nothing.

Rejoice, as if you were not afraid, having called on God, to come to Batyev, fulfilling his command;

Rejoice, for you have received a terrible answer about the unreasonable people of your uprising for many.

Rejoice, for thou hast protected thy people from evil fellowship with unbelievers;

Rejoice, for thou hast wisely protected thou in the lands of thy paternal valor and tradition.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Thou hast passed the wandering life on the earth, blessed Alexandra, not knowing rest in her labors and not having a city that is here, but looking for the coming one: for this sake, now, blessed, thou hast settled in the eternal abode, taking out singing to God: Alleluia.

Having served the Lord with all your soul and pleasing him with all your life, you became famous for your piety, for the sake of which the confessor appeared to you of the faith of Christ, blessed Alexandra: remembering the feat of your confession, we cry to you:

Rejoice, you are not afraid of the wickedness of the infidels;

Rejoice, creatures more than the Creator who did not serve.

Rejoice, you did not bow down to the sun and fire in the camp of the godless;

Rejoice, thou who didst preserve thy faith in temptation.

Rejoice, thou who didst not obey the command of the godless;

Rejoice, firm preacher of faith before the unfaithful, revealing himself.

Rejoice, with pure glory, after your confession, you returned to your land;

Rejoice, in all your life you remained faithful to the faith of the fathers.

Rejoice, wisely evading the flattery of heterodoxy;

Rejoice, deceitfulness of the preachers of false faith in reality revealing.

Rejoice, steadfast defender of orthodoxy appearing;

Rejoice, overcoming the false words of the enemies of Orthodoxy with a sound word.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Having obeyed God in everything, as if a good and faithful servant served Him, blessed Alexandra, more than a peer of yours for your land, you worked hard: the same and you were honored to enter into the joy of your Lord, stand before Him now, from the Angels singing: Alleluia.

The ornate tongue could not praise your deeds, blessed Alexandra, which you did, laying down your soul in brotherhood: humbly remembering your corrections, we bring you a touching song, saying:

Rejoice, sincere zealot of Christian brotherly love;

Rejoice, Moses and Pavlov's love for imitator brethren.

Rejoice, faithful executor of Christ's commandments about love;

Rejoice, and all of us in love for our relatives are a marvelous mentor.

Rejoice, Thou who appears as a reconciliator to those striving for the inheritance of their brethren, by your example more than words;

Rejoice, diligently taking care of the good of the people in your life.

Rejoice, organizer of the common peace in your days;

Rejoice, thou who was expelled by the fear of the invasions of the Tatar people to thy gatherer.

Rejoice, protector of the helpless;

Rejoice, feeder of the poor and hungry.

Rejoice, strong patron of the orphan;

Rejoice, and now all the grieving and needy are powerful intercessors before the Lord.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Although it is possible to save your soul, knowing that, as if he does not have love for God, by any feats and virtues, it is possible to improve salvation, you have acquired the crown of virtues, if there is love for God, standing before Him now, joyfully cry out: Alleluia.

Loving the King of Heaven with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your thought, brought you to Him, blessed Alexandra, after the many different offerings of faith and zeal, I myself live as a sacrifice, holy, pleasing: the same pleasing you, we cry to you:

Rejoice, in your life you served the Lord's deeds with all the godly things;

Rejoice, having crowned your holy life with vows of monasticism.

Rejoice, many temples of God, devastated by the godless, renewing;

Rejoice, thou who didst build up the holy feats of fasting in the monastery.

Rejoice, beloved of those who strive from childhood in piety for the sake of God;

Rejoice, angelic image and pre-chosen for yourself with a pure soul.

Rejoice, consecrating everything to God at the end of your life;

Rejoice, by accepting the schema, with the new name of Alexy, who completely betrayed God to yourself.

Rejoice, thou who revealed the purity of thy heart by the vow of virginity;

Rejoice, having shown the height of your spirit with a vow of non-possession.

Rejoice, having affirmed your whole service to the One God forever by the vow of obedience;

Rejoice, to the crown of the wise and good prince, the bribe of the monk is attracted.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Funeral singing dissolves with tears at your tomb, blessed Alexandra; your people weep for you, the sun of the Russian land, which set at noon, and sobs interrupt their tender song to God: Alleluia.

The light of the glory of the heavenly axis is soon, blessed Alexandra, comforting your weeping people: the same seeing signs and wonders at your tomb, the sons of Russia are worthy of calling you, as if in the prayers of the intercessor; but we, understanding your quick intercession, cry out to you:

Rejoice, servant of God, in the very burial you received glorification from God;

Rejoice, our speedy intercessor, whom our fathers call upon in need and embitterment.

Rejoice, in the fight against the Tatars, help was revealed to Prince Dimitry Donskoy;

Rejoice, Tsar John and the people of Kazan, granting overcoming.

Rejoice, granting healing to all;

Rejoice, return sight to the blind with your prayer.

Rejoice, granting the lame who fall to your tomb to walk;

Rejoice, healer of those who are weakened.

Rejoice, granting deliverance to those possessed by demons;

Rejoice, revive the hopeless with the hope of salvation.

Rejoice, in the ruined mind raise up understanding;

Rejoice, from your tomb you exude a variety of miracles.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Knowing the grace that lives in your incorruptible relics, the people of Vladimir come with love to your holy race and, joyfully kissing me, glorify God for you, glorifying His saints, with tenderness crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Singing of your virtues and miracles, with joy we meet and see off our fathers to your holy body, always, I relocate your holy relics to a new place of rest in the glorious city of St. with one cry to you:

Rejoice, Russian Joseph, who moved to a new resting place;

Rejoice, protector of all ends of the Russian land.

Rejoice, trustworthy affirmation of Petrov's city;

Rejoice, the same in the battles of Heavenly protector.

Rejoice, invaluable adornment of the northern capitals;

Rejoice, glory and affirmation of your namesake monastery.

Rejoice, give the Russian people health and salvation through your prayers;

Rejoice, O God-wise teacher who put all your hope in you.

Rejoice, monk, like a monk, useful, an example of your life, teaching instruction;

Rejoice, worldly people, as if you have labored in the world, to the leader of the virtue of the hostel.

Rejoice, giving us all the hope of resurrection with your incorruption;

Rejoice, champion of all of us in adversity and sorrow, guardian and liberator.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Oh, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra! From reverent hearts, this song of praise offered to you, if it is unworthy, accept from us, as a zealous sacrifice of hearts that love you and bless your holy memory. Protect us all with your prayers: protect your city and all the people of the Russian land with your intercessions, so that we will inherit eternal bliss in the present age, and together with you and all the saints we will be able to sing to God: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos “With the Angels and all…” and the 1st kontakion “To the Chosen Governor…”.

Home -> Church Orthodox holidays -> September -> September 12 (August 30 old style)

Today September 12 (August 30 old style),
the Orthodox Church celebrates:

* Saints Alexander (340), John (595) and Paul the New (784), Patriarchs of Constantinople. * Rev. Alexander Svirsky (1533). * Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow (acquisition of relics, 1652). *** Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (transfer of relics, 1724). Cathedral of the Holy Serbian Enlighteners and Teachers.
Saint Eulalius, Bishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia (IV). Venerable Vriena in Nisivia (318); Martyr Sarmat (357); Christopher the Roman (VI) and Fantin the Wonderworker in Thessalonica (IX). Martyrs Philik, Furtunian, Septimin and Jannuarius; 6 Melitinsky; 16 Thebeians. Serbian Saints: Archbishops Savva I (1237), Arseniy I (1266), Savva II (1269), Eustathius I (c. 1285), James (1292), Nicodemus (1325), Daniel (1338); Patriarchs Ioannikius (1354), Ephraim II (after 1395), Spiridon (1388), Macarius (1574), Gabriel I (1659) and Bishop Gregory. Disciples of St. Alexander Svirsky: Ignatius, Leonid, Cornelius, Dionysius, Athanasius, Theodore, Ferapont Ostrovsky (XVI). Hieromartyr Peter (Reshetnikov), Presbyter, Perm (1918); Hieromartyr Paul (Malinovsky), Presbyter and Monk Martyr Elisabeth (Yarygina) and Martyr Theodore (1937); Rev. Martyr Ignatius (Lebedev) Schema-Archimandrite (1938); St. Peter (Cheltsov) Confessor, Presbyter of Vladimir (1972).

Saints Alexander, John and Paul

Saints Alexander, John and Paul were patriarchs in Constantinople. St. Alexander was at first a priest under Sts. Mitrofan, Bishop of Constantinople; after his death, he took his place and was made patriarch. He attended the First Ecumenical Council. During the reign of the Church of Constantinople, he had to fight both the Arians and the pagan philosophers, although he himself had no philosophical education. Once, in a dispute with the wisest of philosophers, turn to him, said: “In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to be silent,” and he became dumb. But when the sage expressed by signs his error and the correctness of the Christian teaching and fell at the feet of Alexander, his tongue was resolved, and he believed in Christ, and with him many others, and was baptized.
Through the prayer of St. Alexander was punished by the heretic Arius. Arius agreed to pretend to enter into communion with the Orthodox, as if changing his convictions. St. Alexander, foreseeing the pretense of a heretic, did not agree to accept him into communion. Emperor Constantine insisted, and a day was appointed for the adoption of Arius. Throughout the night, Saint Alexander prayed to God that He would either take his soul, so as not to see the day on which Arius would enter into communion with the Church, or would not allow the heretic to do so. Morning has come; Arius solemnly walked into the church, but suddenly he felt unwell: his insides were stricken with a disease, the womb was open, and they came out. Arya is dead. Died St. Alexander in 340
John was the son of poor parents, and his father trained him to be an honest craftsman. He lived with a monk-ascetic, imitating him in exploits. Patriarch Eutychius, having learned about such a life of John, consecrated him a deacon of the great Church of Constantinople. For his special abstinence, John soon received the title of fasting. Having learned about his election to the patriarchs, he wanted to escape from a high and responsible appointment by flight, but was restrained by a vision from above. In addition to the feat of fasting, St. John was distinguished by his generosity to the poor. He died in 595. After his death, only a wooden bed, a linen shirt and shabby outerwear were found in him.
St. Paul, a Cyprian by birth, was appointed patriarch under the iconoclast emperor Leo Copronymus. He was a very virtuous and pious man, but fearful. Seeing that many Orthodox were being tortured for icon veneration, he hid his Orthodoxy and, against his will, had communion with iconoclasts. After the death of Copronymus, he wanted to restore icon veneration, but could not find helpers for himself, because iconoclasm was still in great force. Then, seeing that he could not be of benefit to the Church, he decided to leave the patriarchal throne, retired to a monastery and died as a schemer in 784.

Transfer of the relics of the Right-Believing Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky

The holy prince came from the family of the enlightener of the Russian land, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. His father is Grand Duke Yaroslav, his mother is St. Alexandra, in the nuns of Theodosius.
Saint Alexander was born in 1220. From an early age, his piety and special love for God became noticeable. Childish amusements and worldly speeches did not interest him. The favorite pastime of the holy prince was the reading of Holy Scripture and the writings of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church. His hearing sought only church hymns, and therefore he often liked to visit the temple. He was of a meek and humble nature. Having reached the age of majority, the holy prince married the daughter of the prince of Polotsk. When managing, he cared only about how to create the right court himself and that all his associates were distinguished by justice and mercy. In his time, the Russians were under the yoke of the Tatars; in addition, the neighboring peoples, Lithuanians and Germans, disturbed them a lot. Therefore, the holy prince had a lot of care and work to get along with the Tatars and repel enemies. The Lord Himself helped him for his piety. With a small army, he defeated the terrible force of the Swedes on the Neva River, for which he received the name Nevsky. Before the start of the war, one pious warrior saw a ship with Saints Boris and Gleb and heard their following words: "Let's go help our relative Alexander." And when the holy prince fought the Germans, through his prayer, a regiment of heavenly warriors appeared and helped his army defeat the enemies. Having heard about the prince, the proud Tatar Khan Batu wished to see him and summoned him. St. Alexander, having received, along with a blessing, the parting words of the bishop in case of need to accept a martyr's crown, boldly went to the khan. Tatar priests demanded that he bow to the sun and fire before being presented to the khan. "I am a Christian, and it is not proper for me to bow to the creature, I bow to the Creator of all things." The priests informed the khan about this, but he ordered not to force the prince to worship. Entering the tent, St. Alexander bowed to the khan and said: “I bow to you, king, because God Himself honored you with a kingdom; I do not worship the creature, because it was created for man. Khan praised the prince's courage and released him with honor and gifts. St. Alexander achieved that the Tatar Khan freed the Russian clergy from taxes. Great labors and cares soon exhausted the holy prince, and he died very early, at the age of 44 (in 1203), on his way to the capital from the Horde. Before his death, the holy prince took the schema with the name Alexy. He was buried in Vladimir. When, during the burial, they wanted to straighten his hand in order to put a permit into it, he himself, as if alive, extended his hand and accepted the letter. In 1491, the church where the relics of the holy prince rested was destroyed by fire, but the relics themselves remained unharmed. In 1724, having made the capital of St. Petersburg, founded on the banks of the Neva, which are glorified by the victory of the holy prince over the Swedes, Emperor Peter I transferred his holy relics from Vladimir here, to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Rev. Alexander Svirsky

The Monk Alexander of Svir is called so because he founded a monastery near the Svir River. Born through the prayers of his parents, who lived in the Olonets province. When I started studying, I didn't do well. This made him very sad, and with tears he prayed to God for help. Once, after a prayer, Alexander heard a voice: “Get up, what you asked, you will receive,” and from that time he began to study well. Instead of the games typical of childhood, he spent time in prayer and fasting. "Why are you torturing yourself like that?" - with grief told his mother. “Do not turn me away from abstinence, which is pleasant to me,” the young man Alexander answered his mother. His parents asked him to marry, but he refused. Once, when there were Valaam monks in the parents’ house and they were talking about their monastery, he wanted to leave his parents’ house and go with the monks to Valaam, but they said: “The abbot does not order us to take children away from their parents and bring them to the monastery. Wait, the Lord Himself will arrange your way.” When he was 26 years old, he entered the monks on Valaam, where, having lived 13 years, he retired to the solitude indicated to him from above, six miles from Svir. Here Alexander spent seven years in great deeds, did not eat bread, but ate grass. He fell ill with his stomach from such abstinence, but the holy angel, appearing in the form of a man, laid his hand on him and healed him. Evil spirits tried in every possible way to drive him out of the desert. Then lovers of monastic deeds began to gather to him. At first they all lived as hermits, but then St. Alexander founded a monastery. Having become abbot, he did not change his strictness towards himself, but aggravated his exploits; he was the first to go to work and worked the hardest; slept on a bare board or sitting. I ate food once a day, and then a little. He wore shabby clothes, with humility he endured ridicule and insults about such clothes. No one was harshly rebuked. The Lord glorified St. Alexandra: honored him with the gift of miracles and insight. He was rewarded with a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos in the air above the monastery church. The Blessed Virgin promised him that Her protection would always be over his monastery. Died St. Alexander at the age of 80 in 1533. His relics were discovered in 1643.

All Orthodox Saints: life, memory, suffering ...

« previous Church Orthodox holiday:: September 12:: tomorrow Church Orthodox holiday »

Today is an Orthodox church holiday:

Apostle from the 12th Philip. Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonite... Tomorrow is a holiday:

Martyrs and confessors Gury, Samon and Aviv. Reverend Paisius Velichkovsky ...

Holidays expected: 11/29/2017 - Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra...

11/30/2017 - St. Gregory, Bishop of Neocaesarea, miracle worker. Saint Nikon, hegumen of Radonezh, disciple of Saint Sergius...
12/01/2017 - Martyrs of Plato. Martyrs Roman the Deacon and the Servant Varulus...
12/02/2017 - Prophet Obadiah. Martyr Varlaam. Venerable Barlaam and Joasaph, prince of India, and his father, holy King Abner. Venerable Martyr Adrian of Poshekhonsky, Yaroslavl. Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna…
12/03/2017 - Prefeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Saint Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople. Venerable Gregory Dekapolit...

Today, September 12, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the transfer of the relics of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky.

On this day, September 12, 1724, in honor of Russia's victory over the Swedes in the Great Northern War, by decree of Peter I, the relics of the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky were solemnly transferred to the new capital of Russia. Alexander Nevsky has since been considered the heavenly patron and defender of St. Petersburg.

In the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, on the eve of the holiday, on September 11, an all-night vigil was held in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, which was led by the abbot of the monastery, Bishop Nazarius of Vyborsky, and Bishop Pavel of Khanty-Mansiysk and Surgut.

Let us recall that the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky descended from the family of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the Baptist of Rus'. Through the prayer of Prince Alexander Nevsky and his martial art, the Crusaders were defeated during the famous Battle of the Ice. Many more times the prince's prayer helped the Russian army to repel the onslaught of the treacherous enemy.
The Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg was founded in his honor in 1724. Emperor Peter I ordered the relics of St. prince. At the same time, a holiday was established in memory of the transfer of the relics of the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander.

The Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky (in schema Alexy) died on the way from the Horde to Gorodets, on the Volga, on November 14, 1263. On November 23 (under this day information about him is placed), 1263, Alexander Nevsky was buried in the cathedral church of the Nativity Monastery of Vladimir (now there is a monument to the holy prince, another monument is erected in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky).

The veneration of the noble prince began immediately after the burial, as it was marked by a miracle - the saint himself extended his hand for permissive prayer.

The imperishable relics of the noble prince were opened before the Battle of Kulikovo - in 1380, and at the same time a local celebration was established. The prayers of the holy prince, who became famous for the defense of the Fatherland, were resorted to by Russian generals in all subsequent times. But Prince Alexander Nevsky was canonized only in 1549.

On August 30, 1721, Peter I, after a long war with the Swedes, concluded the Treaty of Nystad. It was decided to sanctify this day by transferring the relics of the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.

The meeting of the shrine in St. Petersburg was notable for its special solemnity. The emperor and his retinue arrived by galley at the mouth of the Izhora River. Having reverently placed the holy relics on the galley, the Sovereign ordered his nobles to take up the oars, while he himself, standing at the stern, steered. Petersburg, a special pier was arranged, where the galley with the holy relics stopped. Accompanied by the clergy and the people, the noblest nobles carried the shrine of holy relics. The ringing of bells and cannon fire increased the solemnity. The relics were placed in a church dedicated to the noble prince. The next day, the celebration continued in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery: the Sovereign distributed to those present the plan of the buildings proposed in the monastery, and at the same time it was established to forever celebrate the transfer of the relics on August 30.
Thus, the cherished desire of the king was fulfilled. He did not manage to complete the plan he had drawn for the construction of a new monastery: six months after this celebration, Peter died. But Peter's successors finished what he started. His daughter, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, arranged a magnificent silver reliquary, in which the holy relics still rest. Empress Catherine II ordered to build a new one on the site of the old cathedral, and on August 30, 1790, the new church was consecrated and the relics of the noble prince were transferred to it.

Taken out of Vladimir on August 11, 1723, the holy relics were brought to Shlisselburg on September 20 of the same year and remained there until 1724, when on August 30 they were installed in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, 1727

Cancer with relics in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Monument to Alexander Nevsky in St. Petersburg on Alexander Nevsky Square in front of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra

Historical films "Alexander Nevsky"

The Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky was born on May 30, 1220 in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky. His father, Yaroslav, in Baptism Theodore (+ 1246), "prince meek, merciful and philanthropic", was the youngest son of Vsevolod III the Big Nest (+ 1212), brother of the holy noble prince Yuri Vsevolodovich (+ 1238; Comm. 4 February).

Blessed Prince Theodore Yaroslavovich

The mother of St. Alexander, Theodosia Igorevna, the Ryazan princess, was the third wife of Yaroslav. The eldest son was the holy noble prince Theodore (+ 1233; Comm. 5 June), who reposed in the Lord at the age of 15. Saint Alexander was their second son.

He spent his childhood in Pereslavl-Zalessky, where his father reigned. The princely tonsure of the youth Alexander (the rite of initiation into the warriors) was performed in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereslavl by St. Simon, Bishop of Suzdal (+ 1226; Comm. 10 May), one of the compilers of the Kiev Caves Patericon. From the blessed elder-hierarch Saint Alexander received his first blessing for military service in the Name of God, for the defense of the Russian Church and the Russian land.

In 1227, Prince Yaroslav, at the request of the people of Novgorod, was sent by his brother, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri, to reign in Novgorod the Great. He took with him his sons, Saints Theodore and Alexander. The Novgorodians, dissatisfied with the princes of Vladimir, soon invited Saint Michael of Chernigov (+ 1246; Comm. 20 September) to reign, and in February 1229 Yaroslav and his sons left for Pereslavl. The matter ended peacefully: in 1230, Yaroslav and his sons returned to Novgorod, and the daughter of St. Michael, Theodulia, became engaged to St. Theodore, the elder brother of St. Alexander. After the death of her fiancé in 1233, the young princess went to a monastery and became famous in her monastic deed as St. Euphrosyne of Suzdal (+ 1250; Comm. 25 September).

Euphrosyne of Suzdal
From an early age, Saint Alexander accompanied his father on campaigns. In 1235 he was a participant in the battle on the river. Emajõgi (in present-day Estonia), where Yaroslav's troops utterly defeated the Germans. In the next year, 1236, Yaroslav leaves for Kyiv, "planting" his son, Saint Alexander, to reign in Novgorod on his own. In 1239, Saint Alexander entered into marriage, taking as his wife the daughter of Prince Bryachislav of Polotsk. Some historians say that the princess in holy Baptism was the namesake of her holy husband and bore the name of Alexander. The father, Yaroslav, blessed them at the wedding with the holy miraculous icon of the Theodore Mother of God (in Baptism, the father's name was Theodore). This icon was then constantly with St. Alexander, as his prayer image, and then in memory of him was taken from the Gorodetsky monastery, where he died, by his brother, Vasily Yaroslavich Kostroma (+ 1276), and transferred to Kostroma.

Miraculous Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God

Icon of the Mother of God Feodorovskaya
The most difficult time in the history of Rus' began: the Mongol hordes marched from the east, destroying everything in their path, the German knightly hordes approached from the west, blasphemously calling themselves, with the blessing of the Pope, "crusaders", bearers of the Cross of the Lord. In this formidable hour, the Providence of God erected for the salvation of Rus' the holy prince Alexander - the great warrior-prayer book, ascetic and builder of the Russian land. - "Without God's command, there would be no reign of him." Taking advantage of the invasion of Batu, the defeat of Russian cities, the confusion and grief of the people, the death of his best sons and leaders, the hordes of crusaders invaded the Fatherland. The first were the Swedes. "The king of the Roman faith from the Midnight Country", Sweden, gathered a great army in 1240 and sent it to the Neva on many ships under the command of his son-in-law, jarl (i.e., prince) Birger. The proud Swede sent messengers to Novgorod to Saint Alexander: "If you can, resist - I'm already here and captivating your land."

Saint Alexander, he was not yet 20 years old, prayed for a long time in the church of Hagia Sophia, the Wisdom of God. And, remembering the psalm of David, he said: "Judge, Lord, those who offend me and rebuke those who fight with me, take up arms and a shield, stand to help me." Archbishop Spyridon blessed the holy prince and his army for battle. Coming out of the temple, Saint Alexander strengthened the squad with faith-filled words: “God is not in power, but in truth. Some with weapons, others on horses, and we will call on the Name of the Lord our God! were". With a small retinue, relying on the Holy Trinity, the prince hurried to the enemies - there was no time to wait for help from his father, who did not yet know about the attack of the enemies.

Sophia Wisdom of God

But there was a wonderful omen: the warrior Pelgui, who was standing in the marine patrol, in holy Baptism Philip, saw at dawn on July 15 a boat sailing on the sea, and on it the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb, in scarlet robes. And Boris said: "Brother Gleb, let them row, let us help our relative Alexander." When Pelgui reported the vision to the arriving prince, Saint Alexander commanded, out of piety, not to tell anyone about the miracle, and he himself, encouraged, courageously led an army against the Swedes with prayer.

"And there was a great slaughter with the Latins, and he killed their countless multitude, and he put a seal on the leader's face with his sharp spear." The angel of God invisibly helped the Orthodox army: when morning came, on the other side of the Izhora River, where the soldiers of St. Alexander could not pass, many slain enemies were found. For this victory on the Neva River, won on July 15, 1240, the people named St. Alexander Nevsky.

Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb with Boris and Gleb Monastery
The German knights remained a dangerous enemy. In 1241, with a lightning campaign, Saint Alexander returned the ancient Russian fortress of Koporye, driving out the knights. But in 1242 the Germans managed to capture Pskov. Enemies boasted of "subjugating the entire Slavic people." St. Alexander, having set out on a winter campaign, liberated Pskov, this ancient House of the Holy Trinity, and in the spring of 1242 gave the Teutonic Order a decisive battle. On April 5, 1242, both troops met on the ice of Lake Peipsi. Raising his hands to heaven, Saint Alexander prayed: "Judge me, God, and judge my quarrel with the eloquent people and help me, God, as of old Moses, against Amalek and my great-grandfather, Yaroslav the Wise, against the accursed Svyatopolk."

Holy Prophet Moses

Through his prayer, the help of God and the feat of arms, the crusaders were completely defeated. There was a terrible slaughter, such a crack was heard from breaking spears and swords that it seemed as if the frozen lake had moved, and no ice could be seen, for it was covered with blood. The soldiers of Alexandrov chased and flogged the enemies who were put to flight, "as if they were rushing through the air, and there was nowhere for the enemy to run." Many captives were then led after the holy prince, and they went ashamed.

Contemporaries clearly understood the worldwide historical significance of the Battle of the Ice: the name of St. Alexander became famous throughout Holy Rus', "in all countries, to the Sea of ​​Egypt and to the mountains of Ararat, on both sides of the Varangian Sea and to the great Rome."

The western limits of the Russian land were securely fenced, it was time to protect Rus' from the East. In 1242 Saint Alexander Nevsky with his father, Yaroslav, left for the Horde. Metropolitan Kirill blessed them for a new laborious service: it was necessary to turn the Tatars from enemies and robbers into respectful allies, they needed "the meekness of a dove and the wisdom of a snake."

The Lord crowned the sacred mission of the defenders of the Russian land with success, but it took years of labor and sacrifice. Prince Yaroslav gave his life for this. Having concluded an alliance with Khan Batu, he had, however, to go in 1246 to distant Mongolia, to the capital of the entire nomadic empire. The position of Batu himself was difficult, he sought support from the Russian princes, wanting to separate with his Golden Horde from distant Mongolia. And there, in turn, they did not trust either Batu or the Russians. Prince Yaroslav was poisoned. He died in torment, only 10 days outliving the holy martyr Michael of Chernigov, with whom he had once almost become related.

Martyr Michael, Prince of Chernigov

The alliance bequeathed by the father with the Golden Horde - necessary then to prevent a new defeat of Rus' - continued to strengthen St. Alexander Nevsky. The son of Batu, who converted to Christianity, Sartak, who was in charge of Russian affairs in the Horde, becomes his friend and brother. Promising his support, Saint Alexander gave Batu the opportunity to go on a campaign against Mongolia, to become the main force in the entire Great Steppe, and to enthrone in Mongolia the leader of the Christian Tatars, Khan Munke (most of the Christian Tatars professed Nestorianism).

Not all Russian princes had the foresight of Saint Alexander Nevsky. Many in the fight against the Tatar yoke hoped for help from Europe. Negotiations with the Pope were conducted by St. Michael of Chernigov, Prince Daniel of Galicia, brother of St. Alexander, Andrew. But Saint Alexander knew well the fate of Constantinople, captured and destroyed in 1204 by the Crusaders. And his own experience taught him not to trust the West. Daniil of Galicia paid for the union with the pope, which gave him nothing, by treason to Orthodoxy - union with Rome. Saint Alexander did not want this for his native Church. When, in 1248, the ambassadors of the Pope came to seduce him, he wrote in response about the faithfulness of the Russians to the Church of Christ and the faith of the Seven Ecumenical Councils: "These we all know well, but we do not accept teachings from you." Catholicism was unacceptable for the Russian Church, the union meant the rejection of Orthodoxy, the rejection of the source of spiritual life, the rejection of the historical future ordained by God, the doom of oneself to spiritual death. In 1252, many Russian cities rebelled against the Tatar yoke, supporting Andrei Yaroslavich. The situation was very dangerous. The very existence of Rus' was threatened again. Saint Alexander had to go again to the Horde in order to ward off the punitive invasion of the Tatars from the Russian lands. Defeated, Andrei fled to Sweden to seek help from the very robbers whom, with the help of God, his great brother had smashed on the Neva. Saint Alexander became the sovereign Grand Duke of all Rus': Vladimir, Kyiv and Novgorod. A great responsibility before God and history fell on his shoulders. In 1253 he repulsed a new German raid on Pskov, in 1254 he concluded an agreement on peaceful borders with Norway, in 1256 he went on a campaign to the Finnish land. The chronicler called it a "dark campaign", the Russian army went through the polar night, "going through impassable places, as if not to see either day or night." Into the darkness of paganism Saint Alexander brought the light of the Gospel preaching and Orthodox culture. All Pomorye was enlightened and mastered by the Russians.

In 1256, Khan Batu died, and soon his son Sartak, brother of Alexander Nevsky, was poisoned. The holy prince went to Sarai for the third time to confirm the peaceful relations of Rus' and the Horde with the new Khan Berke. Although Batu's successor converted to Islam, he needed an alliance with Orthodox Russia. In 1261, through the efforts of Saint Alexander and Metropolitan Kirill, a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church was established in Saray, the capital of the Golden Horde.

The era of the great Christianization of the pagan East has come, in this was the historical vocation of Rus', prophetically guessed by St. Alexander Nevsky. The holy prince used every opportunity to exalt his native land and facilitate its lot on the cross. In 1262, on his orders, Tatar collectors of tribute and recruiters of warriors, the Baskaks, were killed in many cities. They were waiting for Tatar revenge. But the great protector of the people again went to the Horde and wisely directed events in a completely different direction: referring to the Russian uprising, Khan Berke stopped sending tribute to Mongolia and proclaimed the Golden Horde an independent state, thus making it a barrier to Rus' from the East. In this great union of Russian and Tatar lands and peoples, the future multinational Russian state matured and strengthened, which later included almost the entire legacy of Genghis Khan to the shores of the Pacific Ocean within the Russian Church.

This diplomatic trip of St. Alexander Nevsky to Sarai was the fourth and last. The future of Rus' was saved, its duty to God was fulfilled. But all his strength was given, his life was devoted to the service of the Russian Church. On the way back from the Horde, Saint Alexander fell mortally ill. Before reaching Vladimir, in Gorodets, in the monastery, the ascetic prince gave his spirit to the Lord on November 14, 1263, completing his difficult life path by accepting the holy monastic schema with the name Alexy.

Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy

Metropolitan Kirill, the spiritual father and companion in the ministry of the holy prince, said in his funeral sermon: "Know, my child, that the sun of the land of Suzdal has already set. There will be no more such a prince in the Russian land." His holy body was carried to Vladimir, the journey lasted nine days, and the body remained incorruptible. On November 23, at his burial in the Nativity Monastery in Vladimir, God revealed "a marvelous miracle and worthy of memory." When the body of Saint Alexander was placed in a shrine, the steward Sebastian and Metropolitan Kirill wanted to open his hand in order to put a parting spiritual letter. The holy prince, as if alive, stretched out his hand and took the letter from the hands of the metropolitan. "And horror seized them, and they barely retreated from his tomb. Who would not be surprised if he was dead and the body was brought from afar in winter." So God glorified his saint - the holy warrior-prince Alexander Nevsky. The general church glorification of St. Alexander Nevsky took place under Metropolitan Macarius at the Moscow Council of 1547. The canon to the saint was compiled at the same time by the Vladimir monk Michael.

Alexander Nevsky is a great Russian ruler, commander, thinker and, finally, a saint, especially revered by the people. His life, icons and prayers are in the article!

Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1220 - November 14, 1263), Prince of Novgorod, Pereyaslavsky, Grand Duke of Kiev (from 1249), Grand Duke of Vladimir (from 1252).

Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the guise of the faithful under Metropolitan Macarius at the Moscow Council of 1547.

Memorial Day of Alexander Nevsky

Commemorated on December 6 and September 12 according to the new style (transfer of relics from Vladimir-on-Klyazma to St. Petersburg, to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (from 1797 - Lavra) on August 30, 1724). In honor of the memory of St. Alexander Nevsky, many churches have been built throughout Russia, where prayer services are held these days. There are such temples outside our country: the Patriarchal Cathedral in Sofia, the Cathedral in Tallinn, the temple in Tbilisi. Alexander Nevsky is such a significant saint for the Russian people that even in Tsarist Russia an order was established in his honor. It is surprising that in the Soviet years the memory of Alexander Nevsky was also honored: on July 29, 1942, the Soviet military order of Alexander Nevsky was established in honor of the great commander.

Alexander Nevsky: just the facts

- Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich was born in 1220 (according to another version - in 1221) and died in 1263. In different years of his life, Prince Alexander had the titles of Prince of Novgorod, Kyiv, and later Grand Duke of Vladimir.

- Prince Alexander won his main military victories in his youth. During the Battle of the Neva (1240), he was at most 20 years old, during the Battle of the Ice - 22 years old. Subsequently, he became more famous as a politician and diplomat, but occasionally acted as a military leader. In all his life, Prince Alexander did not lose a single battle.

— Alexander Nevsky canonized as a noble prince. Lay people who have become famous for their sincere deep faith and good deeds, as well as Orthodox rulers who managed to remain faithful to Christ in their public service and in various political conflicts, are ranked among this saint. Like any Orthodox saint, the noble prince is not at all an ideal sinless person, but he is first of all a ruler who was guided in his life primarily by the highest Christian virtues, including mercy and philanthropy, and not by a thirst for power and not self-interest.

- Contrary to popular belief that the Church canonized almost all the rulers of the Middle Ages as the faithful, only a few of them were glorified. Thus, among Russian saints of princely origin, the majority are glorified as saints for their martyrdom for the sake of their neighbors and for the sake of preserving the Christian faith.

—Through the efforts of Alexander Nevsky, the preaching of Christianity spread to the northern lands of the Pomors. He also managed to contribute to the creation of an Orthodox diocese in the Golden Horde.

- The modern idea of ​​​​Alexander Nevsky was influenced by Soviet propaganda, which spoke exclusively about his military merits. As a diplomat who built relations with the Horde, and even more so as a monk and saint, he was completely inappropriate for the Soviet government. Therefore, Sergei Eisenstein's masterpiece "Alexander Nevsky" does not tell about the whole life of the prince, but only about the battle on Lake Peipus. This gave rise to a common stereotype that Prince Alexander was canonized for his military merits, and holiness itself became something of a “reward” from the Church.

- The veneration of Prince Alexander as a saint began immediately after his death, at the same time a rather detailed “Tale of the Life of Alexander Nevsky” was compiled. The official canonization of the prince took place in 1547.

Life of the Holy Right-Believing Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky

Portal "Word"

Prince Alexander Nevsky is one of those great people in the history of our Fatherland, whose activities not only influenced the fate of the country and people, but changed them in many ways, predetermined the course of Russian history for many centuries to come. It fell to him to rule Russia at the most difficult, turning point that followed the devastating Mongol conquest, when it was about the very existence of Rus', whether it would be able to survive, maintain its statehood, its ethnic independence, or disappear from the map, like many other peoples of Eastern Europe that were invaded at the same time.

He was born in 1220 (1), in the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and was the second son of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, at that time the prince of Pereyaslavl. His mother Theodosius, apparently, was the daughter of the famous Toropets prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny, or Udaly (2).

Very early, Alexander was involved in the turbulent political events that unfolded around the reign in Veliky Novgorod - one of the largest cities in medieval Rus'. Most of his biography will be connected with Novgorod. For the first time, Alexander came to this city as a baby - in the winter of 1223, when his father was invited to reign in Novgorod. However, the reign was short-lived: at the end of that year, having quarreled with the Novgorodians, Yaroslav and his family returned to Pereyaslavl. So Yaroslav will either put up, then quarrel with Novgorod, and then the same will happen again in the fate of Alexander. This was explained simply: the Novgorodians needed a strong prince from North-Eastern Rus', close to them, so that he could protect the city from external enemies. However, such a prince ruled Novgorod too abruptly, and the townspeople usually soon quarreled with him and invited some southern Russian prince who did not annoy them too much to reign; and everything would be fine, but, alas, he could not protect them in case of danger, and he cared more about his southern possessions - so the Novgorodians had to again turn to the Vladimir or Pereyaslav princes for help, and everything was repeated anew.

Again Prince Yaroslav was invited to Novgorod in 1226. Two years later, the prince again left the city, but this time he left his sons in it as princes - nine-year-old Fyodor (his eldest son) and eight-year-old Alexander. The boyars of Yaroslav, Fedor Danilovich and the princely tyun Yakim, remained with the children. They, however, failed to cope with the Novgorod "freemen" and in February 1229 had to flee with the princes to Pereyaslavl. For a short time, Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich Chernigov, a future martyr for the faith and a revered saint, established himself in Novgorod. But the southern Russian prince, who ruled remote Chernigov, could not protect the city from outside threats; besides, severe famine and pestilence began in Novgorod. In December 1230, the Novgorodians invited Yaroslav for the third time. He hastily arrived in Novgorod, concluded an agreement with the Novgorodians, but stayed in the city for only two weeks and returned to Pereyaslavl. His sons Fedor and Alexander again remained in reign in Novgorod.

Novgorod reign of Alexander

So, in January 1231, Alexander formally became the Prince of Novgorod. Until 1233 he ruled together with his older brother. But this year Fedor died (his sudden death happened just before the wedding, when everything was already ready for the wedding feast). The real power remained entirely in the hands of his father. Probably, Alexander took part in his father's campaigns (for example, in 1234 near Yuryev, against the Livonian Germans, and in the same year against the Lithuanians). In 1236, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich took the vacant throne of Kiev. From that time on, sixteen-year-old Alexander became the independent ruler of Novgorod.

The beginning of his reign fell on a terrible time in the history of Rus' - the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. The hordes of Batu, who attacked Rus' in the winter of 1237/38, did not reach Novgorod. But most of North-Eastern Rus', its largest cities - Vladimir, Suzdal, Ryazan and others - were destroyed. Many princes died, including Alexander's uncle, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich and all his sons. Alexander's father Yaroslav (1239) received the Grand Duke's throne. The catastrophe that occurred turned the whole course of Russian history upside down and left an indelible mark on the fate of the Russian people, including, of course, Alexander. Although in the first years of his reign he did not have to directly face the conquerors.

The main threat in those years came to Novgorod from the west. From the very beginning of the 13th century, the princes of Novgorod had to hold back the onslaught of the growing Lithuanian state. In 1239, Alexander built fortifications along the Shelon River, protecting the southwestern borders of his principality from Lithuanian raids. In the same year, an important event took place in his life - Alexander married the daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, his ally in the fight against Lithuania. (Later sources give the name of the princess - Alexandra (3).) The wedding was held in Toropets, an important city on the Russian-Lithuanian border, and a second wedding feast was held in Novgorod.

An even greater danger for Novgorod was the advance from the west of the German crusader knights from the Livonian Order of the Sword (merged in 1237 with the Teutonic Order), and from the north - Sweden, which in the first half of the 13th century intensified the offensive on the lands of the Finnish tribe em (tavasts), traditionally included in the sphere of influence of the Novgorod princes. One can think that the news of the terrible defeat of Batu Rus prompted the rulers of Sweden to transfer military operations to the territory of Novgorod proper.

The Swedish army invaded Novgorod in the summer of 1240. Their ships entered the Neva and stopped at the mouth of its tributary, the Izhora. Later Russian sources report that the Swedish army was led by the future Jarl Birger, the son-in-law of the Swedish king Eric Erikson and the long-term ruler of Sweden, but researchers are doubtful about this news. According to the chronicle, the Swedes intended to "capture Ladoga, simply say Novgorod, and the entire Novgorod region."

Battle with the Swedes on the Neva

This was the first truly serious test for the young Novgorod prince. And Alexander withstood it with honor, showing the qualities of not only a born commander, but also a statesman. It was then, upon receipt of the news of the invasion, that his famous words sounded: “ God is not in power, but in truth!»

Having gathered a small squad, Alexander did not wait for help from his father and went on a campaign. On the way, he connected with the Ladoga residents and on July 15 suddenly attacked the Swedish camp. The battle ended in complete victory for the Russians. The Novgorod chronicle reports huge losses on the part of the enemy: “And many of them fell; they filled two ships with the bodies of the best husbands and let them go ahead of them on the sea, and for the rest they dug a hole and threw it there without number. The Russians, according to the same chronicle, lost only 20 people. It is possible that the losses of the Swedes are exaggerated (it is significant that there is no mention of this battle in Swedish sources), and the Russians are underestimated. A synodicon of the Novgorod church of Saints Boris and Gleb in Plotniki, compiled in the 15th century, has been preserved with the mention of "princely governors, and Novgorod governors, and all our brethren beaten" who fell "on the Neva from the Germans under Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich"; their memory was honored in Novgorod in the 15th and 16th centuries, and later. Nevertheless, the significance of the Battle of the Neva is obvious: the Swedish onslaught in the direction of North-Western Rus' was stopped, and Rus' showed that, despite the Mongol conquest, it was able to defend its borders.

The life of Alexander highlights the feat of six "brave men" from Alexander's regiment: Gavrila Oleksich, Sbyslav Yakunovich, Yakov from Polotsk, Misha from Novgorod, Sava's combatant from the younger squad (who cut down the golden-domed royal tent) and Ratmir, who died in the battle. The Life also tells about a miracle performed during the battle: on the opposite side of Izhora, where there were no Novgorodians at all, subsequently they found many corpses of fallen enemies, who were struck by the angel of the Lord.

This victory brought loud glory to the twenty-year-old prince. It was in her honor that he received the honorary nickname - Nevsky.

Shortly after the victorious return, Alexander quarreled with the Novgorodians. In the winter of 1240/41, the prince, together with his mother, wife and "his court" (that is, the army and the prince's administration), left Novgorod for Vladimir, to his father, and from there - "to reign" in Pereyaslavl. The reasons for his conflict with the Novgorodians are unclear. It can be assumed that Alexander sought to dominate Novgorod, following the example of his father, and this caused resistance from the Novgorod boyars. However, having lost a strong prince, Novgorod could not stop the advance of another enemy - the crusaders. In the year of the Neva victory, the knights, in alliance with the “chud” (Estonians), captured the city of Izborsk, and then Pskov, the most important outpost on the western borders of Rus'. The following year, the Germans invaded the Novgorod lands, took the city of Tesov on the Luga River and set up the Koporye fortress. Novgorodians turned to Yaroslav for help, asking him to send his son. Yaroslav first sent his son Andrei, Nevsky's younger brother, to them, but after a repeated request from the Novgorodians, he agreed to let Alexander go again. In 1241, Alexander Nevsky returned to Novgorod and was enthusiastically received by the inhabitants.

Battle on the Ice

Once again, he acted decisively and without any delay. In the same year, Alexander took the fortress of Koporye. He captured the Germans in part, and sent them home in part, but hanged the traitors of the Estonians and the leaders. The next year, with the Novgorodians and the Suzdal squad of his brother Andrei, Alexander moved to Pskov. The city was taken without much difficulty; the Germans who were in the city were killed or sent as booty to Novgorod. Developing success, Russian troops entered Estonia. However, in the first clash with the knights, Alexander's guard detachment was defeated. One of the governors, Domash Tverdislavich, was killed, many were taken prisoner, and the survivors fled to the prince's regiment. The Russians had to retreat. On April 5, 1242, a battle took place on the ice of Lake Peipus ("on Uzmen, near the Raven Stone"), which went down in history as the Battle of the Ice. The Germans and Estonians, moving in a wedge (in Russian, “pig”), pierced the advanced Russian regiment, but were then surrounded and completely defeated. “And they chased after them, beating them, seven miles across the ice,” the chronicler testifies.

In assessing the losses of the German side, Russian and Western sources differ. According to the Novgorod chronicle, countless "chuds" and 400 (in another list 500) German knights died, and 50 knights were captured. “And Prince Alexander returned with a glorious victory,” says the Life of the Saint, “and there were many prisoners in his army, and those who call themselves “God’s knights” were led barefoot near the horses.” There is also a story about this battle in the so-called Livonian rhymed chronicle of the end of the 13th century, but it reports only 20 dead and 6 captured German knights, which is, apparently, a strong understatement. However, the differences with Russian sources can partly be explained by the fact that the Russians considered all the killed and wounded Germans, and the author of the Rhyming Chronicle - only "knight brothers", that is, full members of the Order.

The battle on the ice was of great importance for the fate of not only Novgorod, but the whole of Russia. Crusader aggression was stopped on the ice of Lake Peipsi. Rus' received peace and stability on its northwestern borders. In the same year, a peace treaty was concluded between Novgorod and the Order, according to which an exchange of prisoners took place, and all Russian territories occupied by the Germans were returned. The chronicle conveys the words of the German ambassadors addressed to Alexander: “What we occupied by force without Prince Vod, Luga, Pskov, Latygol - we retreat from that. And that your husbands were captured - they are ready to exchange them: we will let yours go, and you will let ours go.

Battle with the Lithuanians

Success accompanied Alexander in battles with the Lithuanians. In 1245, he inflicted a severe defeat on them in a series of battles: near Toropets, near Zizhich and near Usvyat (near Vitebsk). Many Lithuanian princes were killed, and others were captured. “His servants, mocking, tied them to the tails of their horses,” says the author of the Life. “And from that time on they began to fear his name.” So the Lithuanian raids on Rus' were also stopped for a while.

There is another, later campaign of Alexander against the Swedes - in 1256. It was undertaken in response to a new attempt by the Swedes to invade Rus' and establish a fortress on the eastern, Russian, bank of the Narova River. By that time, the fame of Alexander's victories had already spread far beyond the borders of Rus'. Having learned not even about the performance of the Russian rati from Novgorod, but only about the preparations for the performance, the invaders "ran away across the sea." This time, Alexander sent his squads to Northern Finland, recently annexed to the Swedish crown. Despite the hardships of the winter transition through the snowy desert terrain, the campaign ended successfully: “And Pomorie fought everything: they killed some, and took others in full, and returned back to their land with a lot of full.”

But Alexander not only fought with the West. Around 1251, an agreement was concluded between Novgorod and Norway on the settlement of border disputes and the delimitation of the collection of tribute from the vast territory inhabited by the Karelians and the Saami. At the same time, Alexander was negotiating the marriage of his son Vasily to the daughter of the Norwegian king Hakon Hakonarson. True, these negotiations were unsuccessful due to the invasion of Rus' by the Tatars - the so-called "Nevryuev rati."

In the last years of his life, between 1259 and 1262, Alexander, on his own behalf and on behalf of his son Dmitry (proclaimed Prince of Novgorod in 1259) "with all Novgorodians" concluded a trade agreement with the "Gotsky Coast" (Gotland), Lubeck and German cities; this agreement played an important role in the history of Russian-German relations and proved to be very durable (it was referred to even in 1420).

In wars with Western opponents - the Germans, Swedes and Lithuanians - Alexander Nevsky's military leadership talent was clearly manifested. But his relationship with the Horde developed in a completely different way.

Relations with the Horde

After the death in 1246 of Alexander's father, Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who was poisoned in the distant Karakorum, the throne passed to Alexander's uncle, Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. However, a year later, Alexander's brother Andrei, a warlike, energetic and decisive prince, overthrew him. Subsequent events are not entirely clear. It is known that in 1247 Andrei, and after him Alexander, made a trip to the Horde, to Batu. He sent them even further, to Karakorum, the capital of the vast Mongol Empire (“to the Kanovichi,” as they said in Rus'). The brothers returned to Rus' only in December 1249. Andrei received from the Tatars a label to the grand-ducal throne in Vladimir, while Alexander received Kyiv and "the whole Russian land" (that is, Southern Rus'). Formally, the status of Alexander was higher, because Kyiv was still considered the main capital city of Rus'. But ruined by the Tatars and depopulated, he completely lost his significance, and therefore Alexander could hardly be satisfied with the decision made. Even without stopping in Kyiv, he immediately went to Novgorod.

Negotiations with the papacy

By the time of Alexander's trip to the Horde are his negotiations with the papal throne. Two bulls of Pope Innocent IV, addressed to Prince Alexander and dated 1248, have survived. In them, the primate of the Roman Church offered the Russian prince an alliance to fight against the Tatars - but on condition that he accepted the church union and transferred under the protection of the Roman throne.

Papal legates did not find Alexander in Novgorod. However, one can think that even before his departure (and before receiving the first papal message), the prince held some kind of negotiations with representatives of Rome. In anticipation of the upcoming trip "to the Kanovichi," Alexander gave an evasive answer to the pope's proposals, calculated to continue negotiations. In particular, he agreed to the construction of a Latin church in Pskov - a church, which was quite common for ancient Rus' (such a Catholic church - the "Varangian goddess" - existed, for example, in Novgorod since the 11th century). The pope regarded the prince's consent as a readiness to agree to a union. But this assessment was deeply erroneous.

The prince probably received both papal messages already upon his return from Mongolia. By this time, he had made a choice - and not in favor of the West. According to researchers, what he saw on the way from Vladimir to Karakorum and back made a strong impression on Alexander: he was convinced of the invincible power of the Mongol Empire and the impossibility of ruined and weakened Rus' to resist the power of the Tatar "kings".

This is how the Life of his prince conveys famous response to papal envoys:

“Once upon a time, ambassadors from the pope from great Rome came to him with these words: “Our dad says this: We heard that you are a worthy and glorious prince and your land is great. That is why they sent two of the most skillful cardinals to you ... so that you listen to their teaching about the law of God.

Prince Alexander, having thought with his wise men, wrote to him, saying: “From Adam to the flood, from the flood to the division of languages, from the confusion of languages ​​\u200b\u200bto the beginning of Abraham, from Abraham to the passage of Israel through the Red Sea, from the exodus of the sons of Israel to death King David, from the beginning of the kingdom of Solomon to August the king, from the beginning of August to the Nativity of Christ, from the Nativity of Christ to the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord, from His Resurrection to the Ascension to heaven, from the Ascension to heaven and to the kingdom of Constantine, from the beginning of the kingdom of Constantine to the first council, from the first council to the seventh - all that we know well, but we do not accept teachings from you". They returned home."

In this answer of the prince, in his unwillingness to even enter into debate with the Latin ambassadors, it was by no means some kind of his religious narrow-mindedness, as it might seem at first glance. It was a choice both religious and political. Alexander was aware that the West would not be able to help Rus' in liberation from the Horde yoke; the struggle with the Horde, to which the papal throne called, could be disastrous for the country. Alexander was not ready to go to a union with Rome (namely, this was an indispensable condition for the proposed union). Acceptance of the union - even with the formal consent of Rome to the preservation of all Orthodox rites in worship - in practice could mean only simple submission to the Latins, and at the same time both political and spiritual. The history of the dominance of the Latins in the Baltics or in Galicia (where they briefly established themselves in the 10s of the XIII century) clearly proved this.

So Prince Alexander chose a different path for himself - the path of refusing any cooperation with the West and, at the same time, the path of forced obedience to the Horde, accepting all its conditions. It was in this that he saw the only salvation both for his power over Russia - albeit limited by the recognition of the Horde's sovereignty - and for Rus' itself.

The period of the short great reign of Andrei Yaroslavich is very poorly covered in Russian chronicles. However, it is clear that a conflict was brewing between the brothers. Andrei - unlike Alexander - showed himself to be an opponent of the Tatars. In the winter of 1250/51, he married the daughter of the Galician prince Daniel Romanovich, a supporter of resolute resistance to the Horde. The threat of unification of the forces of North-Eastern and South-Western Rus' could not but alarm the Horde.

The denouement came in the summer of 1252. Again, we do not know exactly what happened then. According to the chronicles, Alexander again went to the Horde. During his stay there (and perhaps already after returning to Rus'), a punitive expedition was sent from the Horde against Andrei under the command of Nevruy. In the battle near Pereyaslavl, the squad of Andrei and his brother Yaroslav, who supported him, was defeated. Andrei fled to Sweden. The northeastern lands of Rus' were plundered and devastated, many people were killed or taken prisoner.

In the Horde

St. blgv. book. Alexander Nevskiy. From the site: http://www.icon-art.ru/

The sources at our disposal are silent about any connection between Alexander's trip to the Horde and the actions of the Tatars (4). However, one can guess that Alexander's trip to the Horde was associated with changes on the khan's throne in Karakorum, where in the summer of 1251 Mengu, an ally of Batu, was proclaimed great khan. According to sources, “all the labels and seals that were indiscriminately issued to princes and nobles in the previous reign,” the new khan ordered to be taken away. So, those decisions, in accordance with which Alexander's brother Andrei received a label for the great reign of Vladimir, also lost their force. Unlike his brother, Alexander was extremely interested in revising these decisions and getting into his own hands the great reign of Vladimir, to which he - as the eldest of the Yaroslavichs - had more rights than his younger brother.

One way or another, but in the last open military clash between the Russian princes and the Tatars in the history of the turning point of the 13th century, Prince Alexander found himself - perhaps through no fault of his own - in the camp of the Tatars. Since that time, one can definitely talk about the special "Tatar policy" of Alexander Nevsky - the policy of appeasement of the Tatars and unquestioning obedience to them. His subsequent frequent trips to the Horde (1257, 1258, 1262) were aimed at preventing new invasions of Rus'. The prince strove to regularly pay a huge tribute to the conquerors and not allow speeches against them in Rus' itself. Historians assess the Horde policy of Alexander in different ways. Some see in it a simple servility to a ruthless and invincible enemy, the desire by any means to keep power over Russia in their hands; others, on the contrary, consider the most important merit of the prince. “Two feats of Alexander Nevsky - the feat of warfare in the West and the feat of humility in the East,” wrote G.V. Vernadsky, the largest historian of the Russian Diaspora, “had one goal: the preservation of Orthodoxy as the moral and political strength of the Russian people. This goal was achieved: the growth of the Russian Orthodox kingdom took place on the soil prepared by Alexander. A close assessment of the policy of Alexander Nevsky was also given by the Soviet researcher of medieval Russia V. T. Pashuto: “With his cautious prudent policy, he saved Rus' from final ruin by the armies of nomads. Armed with struggle, trade policy, selective diplomacy, he avoided new wars in the North and West, a possible, but disastrous for Rus', alliance with the papacy and the rapprochement of the curia and crusaders with the Horde. He bought time, allowing Rus' to get stronger and recover from the terrible devastation.

Be that as it may, it is indisputable that the policy of Alexander for a long time determined the relationship between Russia and the Horde, largely determined the choice of Rus' between East and West. Subsequently, this policy of appeasing the Horde (or, if you like, currying favor with the Horde) will be continued by the Moscow princes - the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Alexander Nevsky. But the historical paradox - or rather, the historical pattern - lies in the fact that it is they, the heirs of the Horde policy of Alexander Nevsky, who will be able to revive the power of Rus' and eventually throw off the hated Horde yoke.

The prince erected churches, built cities

... In the same 1252, Alexander returned from the Horde to Vladimir with a label for a great reign and was solemnly placed on the grand throne. After the terrible ruin of Nevryuev, he first of all had to take care of the restoration of the destroyed Vladimir and other Russian cities. The prince “erected churches, rebuilt cities, gathered dispersed people into their houses,” testifies the author of the princely Life. The prince showed special care in relation to the Church, decorating churches with books and utensils, favoring them with rich gifts and land.

Novgorod unrest

Novgorod gave Alexander a lot of anxiety. In 1255, the Novgorodians expelled the son of Alexander Vasily and put Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich, brother of Nevsky, to reign. Alexander approached the city with his squad. However, bloodshed was avoided: as a result of negotiations, a compromise was reached, and the Novgorodians obeyed.

New unrest in Novgorod occurred in 1257. It was caused by the appearance in Rus' of Tatar "numerals" - census takers of the population, who were sent from the Horde to more accurately tax the population with tribute. Russian people of that time treated the census with mystical horror, seeing in it the sign of the Antichrist - a harbinger of the last times and the Last Judgment. In the winter of 1257, the Tatar “numeralists” “counted the entire land of Suzdal, and Ryazan, and Murom, and appointed foremen, and thousands, and temniks,” the chronicler wrote. From the "number", that is, from the tribute, only the clergy - "church people" were exempted (the Mongols invariably exempted the servants of God in all the countries they conquered, regardless of religion, so that they could freely turn to various gods with words of prayer for their conquerors).

In Novgorod, which was not directly affected by either the Batu invasion or the Nevryuev army, the news of the census was met with particular bitterness. Unrest in the city continued for a whole year. Even the son of Alexander, Prince Vasily, turned out to be on the side of the townspeople. When his father appeared, who accompanied the Tatars, he fled to Pskov. This time, the Novgorodians avoided the census, limiting themselves to paying a rich tribute to the Tatars. But their refusal to fulfill the will of the Horde provoked the wrath of the Grand Duke. Vasily was exiled to Suzdal, the instigators of the riots were severely punished: some, on the orders of Alexander, were executed, others had their noses cut off, and others were blinded. Only in the winter of 1259 did the Novgorodians finally agree to "give a number." Nevertheless, the appearance of Tatar officials caused a new rebellion in the city. Only with the personal participation of Alexander and under the protection of the princely squad, the census was carried out. “And the accursed ones began to ride through the streets, copying Christian houses,” reports the Novgorod chronicler. After the end of the census and the departure of the Tatars, Alexander left Novgorod, leaving his young son Dmitry as prince.

In 1262, Alexander made peace with the Lithuanian prince Mindovg. In the same year, he sent a large army under the nominal command of his son Dmitry against the Livonian Order. The squads of the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky Yaroslav (with whom he managed to reconcile), as well as his new ally, the Lithuanian prince Tovtivil, who settled in Polotsk, took part in this campaign. The campaign ended with a major victory - the city of Yuryev (Tartu) was taken.

At the end of the same 1262, Alexander went to the Horde for the fourth (and last) time. “In those days there was great violence from the infidels,” says the princely Life, “they drove Christians, forcing them to fight on their side. The great prince Alexander went to the king (the Horde Khan Berke. - A.K.) to pray for his people from this misfortune. Probably, the prince also sought to rid Rus' of a new punitive expedition of the Tatars: in the same 1262, a popular uprising broke out in a number of Russian cities (Rostov, Suzdal, Yaroslavl) against the excesses of the Tatar tribute collectors.

The Last Days of Alexander

Alexander apparently succeeded in achieving his goals. However, Khan Berke detained him for almost a year. Only in the autumn of 1263, already sick, Alexander returned to Rus'. Having reached Nizhny Novgorod, the prince fell completely ill. In Gorodets on the Volga, already feeling the approach of death, Alexander took monastic vows (according to later sources, with the name of Alexei) and died on November 14. His body was transported to Vladimir and on November 23 he was buried in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the Vladimir Nativity Monastery with a huge gathering of people. The words with which Metropolitan Kirill announced to the people about the death of the Grand Duke are known: “My children, know that the sun of the land of Suzdal has already set!” In a different way - and perhaps more accurately - the Novgorod chronicler put it: Prince Alexander "worked for Novgorod and for the whole Russian land."

church veneration

Church veneration of the holy prince apparently began immediately after his death. The life tells about a miracle that happened at the very burial: when the prince’s body was placed in the tomb and Metropolitan Kirill, as usual, wanted to put a spiritual letter in his hand, people saw how the prince, “as if alive, stretched out his hand and accepted the letter from the hand metropolitan... So God glorified his saint.”

A few decades after the death of the prince, his Life was compiled, which subsequently was repeatedly subjected to various alterations, revisions and additions (in total there are up to twenty editions of the Life dating from the 13th-19th centuries). The official canonization of the prince by the Russian Church took place in 1547, at a church council convened by Metropolitan Macarius and Tsar Ivan the Terrible, when many new Russian miracle workers, previously revered only locally, were canonized as saints. The Church equally glorifies the military prowess of the prince, “in no way is conquered in battles, always conquering,” and his feat of meekness, patience “more than courage” and “invincible humility” (according to the outwardly paradoxical expression of the Akathist).

If we turn to the subsequent centuries of Russian history, then we will see, as it were, a second, posthumous biography of the prince, whose invisible presence is clearly felt in many events - and above all in the turning, most dramatic moments in the life of the country. The first acquisition of his relics took place in the year of the great Kulikovo victory, won by the great-grandson of Alexander Nevsky, the great Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy in 1380. In miraculous visions, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich appears as a direct participant in both the Battle of Kulikovo itself and the Battle of Molodi in 1572, when the troops of Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Vorotynsky defeated the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray just 45 kilometers from Moscow. The image of Alexander Nevsky is seen over Vladimir in 1491, a year after the final overthrow of the Horde yoke. In 1552, during a campaign against Kazan, which led to the conquest of the Kazan Khanate, Tsar Ivan the Terrible performs a prayer service at the tomb of Alexander Nevsky, and during this prayer service a miracle occurs, regarded by everyone as a sign of the coming victory. The relics of the holy prince, which remained until 1723 in the Vladimir Nativity Monastery, exuded numerous miracles, information about which was carefully recorded by the monastery authorities.

A new page in the veneration of the holy and faithful Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky began in the 18th century, under the emperor Peter the Great. The winner of the Swedes and the founder of St. Petersburg, which became a “window to Europe” for Russia, Peter saw in Prince Alexander his immediate predecessor in the fight against Swedish dominance in the Baltic Sea and hastened to transfer the city he founded on the banks of the Neva under his heavenly patronage. Back in 1710, Peter ordered that the name of St. Alexander Nevsky be included in the holidays during divine services as a prayer representative for the “Neva Country”. In the same year, he personally chose a place to build a monastery in the name of the Holy Trinity and St. Alexander Nevsky - the future Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Peter wanted to transfer the relics of the holy prince here from Vladimir. The wars with the Swedes and the Turks slowed down the fulfillment of this desire, and only in 1723 did they begin to fulfill it. On August 11, with all due solemnity, the holy relics were carried out of the Nativity Monastery; the procession went to Moscow, and then to St. Petersburg; everywhere she was accompanied by prayers and crowds of believers. According to Peter's plan, the holy relics were supposed to be brought to the new capital of Russia on August 30 - on the day of the conclusion of the Nishtad peace with the Swedes (1721). However, the distance of the journey did not allow this plan to be carried out, and the relics arrived in Shlisselburg only on October 1. By order of the emperor, they were left in the Shlisselburg Church of the Annunciation, and their transfer to St. Petersburg was postponed until next year.

The meeting of the shrine in St. Petersburg on August 30, 1724 was distinguished by special solemnity. According to legend, on the last leg of the journey (from the mouth of the Izhora to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery), Peter personally ruled the galley with a precious cargo, and behind the oars were his closest associates, the first dignitaries of the state. At the same time, the annual celebration of the memory of the holy prince was established on the day of the transfer of relics on August 30.

Today the Church celebrates the memory of the holy and faithful Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky twice a year: on November 23 (December 6, New Style) and August 30 (September 12).

Days of the celebration of St. Alexander Nevsky:

May 23 (June 5, New Style) - Cathedral of the Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints
August 30 (September 12, New Style) - the day of the transfer of relics to St. Petersburg (1724) - the main
November 14 (November 27, New Style) - death day in Gorodets (1263) - canceled
November 23 (December 6, New Style) - the day of burial in Vladimir, in the schema of Alexy (1263)

Myths about Alexander Nevsky

1. The battles for which Prince Alexander became famous were so insignificant that they are not even mentioned in the Western chronicles.

Not true! This idea was born out of pure ignorance. The battle on Lake Peipus is reflected in German sources, in particular, in the "Senior Livonian Rhymed Chronicle". Based on it, some historians talk about the insignificant scale of the battle, because the Chronicle reports the death of only twenty knights. But here it is important to understand that we are talking about the "knight brothers" who performed the role of high commanders. Nothing is said about the death of their warriors and the representatives of the Baltic tribes recruited into the army, who formed the backbone of the army.
As for the Battle of the Neva, it did not find any reflection in the Swedish chronicles. But, according to the largest Russian specialist in the history of the Baltic region in the Middle Ages, Igor Shaskolsky, “... this should not be surprising. In medieval Sweden, until the beginning of the 14th century, no major narrative works on the history of the country were created, such as Russian chronicles and large Western European chronicles. In other words, the traces of the Battle of Neva among the Swedes are nowhere to be found.

2. The West did not pose a threat to Russia at that time, unlike the Horde, which Prince Alexander used solely to strengthen his personal power.

Not so again! It is hardly possible to speak of a “united West” in the 13th century. Perhaps it would be more correct to speak of the world of Catholicism, but in its entirety it was very motley, heterogeneous and fragmented. Rus' was really threatened not by the "West", but by the Teutonic and Livonian orders, as well as the Swedish conquerors. And for some reason they smashed them on Russian territory, and not at home in Germany or Sweden, and, therefore, the threat emanating from them was quite real.
As for the Horde, there is a source (the Ustyug Chronicle), which makes it possible to assume the organizing role of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich in the anti-Horde uprising.

3. Prince Alexander did not defend Rus' and the Orthodox faith, he simply fought for power and used the Horde to physically eliminate his own brother.

These are just speculations. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich primarily defended what he had inherited from his father and grandfather. In other words, with great skill he performed the task of a guard, a keeper. As for the death of his brother, before such verdicts, it is necessary to study the question of how he, in recklessness and youthfulness, put the Russian rati to no avail and in what way he acquired power in general. This will show: not so much Prince Alexander Yaroslavich was his destroyer, but he himself claimed the role of the soon destroyer of Rus' ...

4. Turning to the east, not to the west, Prince Alexander laid the foundations for the future rampant despotism in the country. His contacts with the Mongols made Rus' an Asian power.

This is completely baseless journalism. All the Russian princes then contacted the Horde. After 1240, they had a choice: to die themselves and expose Rus' to a new ruin, or to survive and prepare the country for new battles and, ultimately, for liberation. Someone headlong rushed into battle, but 90 percent of our princes of the second half of the XIII century chose a different path. And here Alexander Nevsky is no different from our other sovereigns of that period.
As for the "Asian power", there really are different points of view today. But I, as a historian, believe that Rus' never became one. It was not and is not part of Europe or Asia, or something like a mixture, where European and Asian take on different proportions depending on the circumstances. Rus' is a cultural and political essence, sharply different from both Europe and Asia. Just as Orthodoxy is neither Catholicism, nor Islam, nor Buddhism, nor any other denomination.

Metropolitan Kirill about Alexander Nevsky - the name of Russia

On October 5, 2008, in a TV show dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, Metropolitan Kirill delivered a fiery 10-minute speech in which he tried to reveal this image so that it became accessible to a wide audience. The Metropolitan began with questions: Why can a noble prince from the distant past, from the 13th century, become the name of Russia? What do we know about him? Answering these questions, the metropolitan compares Alexander Nevsky with the other twelve applicants: “You need to know history very well and you need to feel history in order to understand the modernity of this person ... I carefully looked at the names of all. Each of the candidates is a representative of his guild: a politician, scientist, writer, poet, economist... Alexander Nevsky was not a representative of the guild, because he was at the same time the greatest strategist... a man who sensed not political, but civilizational dangers for Russia. He fought not with specific enemies, not with the East or the West. He fought for national identity, for national self-understanding. Without him, there would be no Russia, there would be no Russians, there would be no our civilizational code.”

According to Metropolitan Kirill, Alexander Nevsky was a politician who defended Russia with "very subtle and courageous diplomacy." He understood that it was impossible at that moment to defeat the Horde, which “twice ironed Russia”, captured Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, entered the Adriatic Sea, invaded China. “Why doesn’t he raise the fight against the Horde? the Metropolitan asks. – Yes, the Horde captured Rus'. But the Tatar-Mongols did not need our soul and did not need our brains. The Tatar-Mongols needed our pockets, and they turned these pockets inside out, but did not encroach on our national identity. They were not able to overcome our civilizational code. But when the danger arose from the West, when the armored Teutonic knights went to Rus', there was no compromise. When the Pope writes a letter to Alexander, trying to get him on his side... Alexander says no. He sees the danger of civilization, he meets these armored knights on Lake Peipus and smashes them, just as he, by a miracle of God, smashes with a small squad of Swedish soldiers who entered the Neva.

Alexander Nevsky, according to the metropolitan, gives away “superstructural values”, allowing the Mongols to collect tribute from Russia: “He understands that this is not scary. Mighty Russia will get all this money back. It is necessary to preserve the soul, national self-consciousness, national will, and it is necessary to give the opportunity for what our wonderful historiosophist Lev Nikolaevich Gumilyov called "ethnogenesis". Everything is destroyed, it is necessary to accumulate strength. And if they hadn’t accumulated strength, if they hadn’t pacified the Horde, if they hadn’t stopped the Livonian invasion, where would Russia be? She wouldn't exist."

According to Metropolitan Kirill, following Gumilyov, Alexander Nevsky was the creator of that multinational and multi-confessional "Russian world" that exists to this day. It was he who "tore the Golden Horde from the Great Steppe"*. With his cunning political move, he “convinced Batu not to pay tribute to the Mongols. And the Great Steppe, this center of aggression against the whole world, was isolated from Rus' by the Golden Horde, which began to be drawn into the area of ​​Russian civilization. These are the first inoculations of our alliance with the Tatar people, with the Mongolian tribes. These are the first inoculations of our multinationality and multi-religiousness. This is where it all started. He laid the foundation for such a world existence of our people, which determined the further development of Rus' as Russia, as a great state.

Alexander Nevsky, according to Metropolitan Kirill, is a collective image: he is a ruler, a thinker, a philosopher, a strategist, a warrior, a hero. Personal courage is combined in him with deep religiosity: “At a critical moment, when the power and strength of the commander should be shown, he enters into single combat and strikes Birger in the face with a spear ... And how did it all start? I prayed at Hagia Sophia in Novgorod. Nightmare, hordes many times greater. What kind of resistance? He goes out and addresses his people. With what words? God is not in power, but in truth... Can you imagine what words? What strength!

Metropolitan Kirill calls Alexander Nevsky "an epic hero": "He was 20 years old when he defeated the Swedes, 22 years old when he drowned the Livonians on Lake Peipsi ... A young, handsome guy! .. Brave ... strong". Even his appearance is the "face of Russia." But the most important thing is that, being a politician, strategist, commander, Alexander Nevsky became a saint. “My God! Metropolitan Kirill exclaims. – If there were holy rulers in Russia after Alexander Nevsky, what would our history be like! This is a collective image as much as a collective image can be at all ... This is our hope, because even today we need what Alexander Nevsky did ... We will give our not only voices, but also our hearts to the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky - the savior and organizer of Russia !"

(From the book of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) "Patriarch Kirill: life and outlook")

Answers of Vladyka Metropolitan Kirill to the questions of the audience of the project "Name of Russia" about Alexander Nevsky

Wikipedia calls Alexander Nevsky "the beloved prince of the clergy." Do you share this assessment and, if so, what is the reason for it? Semyon Borzenko

Dear Semyon, it’s hard for me to say what exactly the authors of the free encyclopedia Wikipedia were guided by when they named St. Alexander Nevsky. It is possible that the prince was canonized and revered in the Orthodox Church, solemn services are performed in his honor. However, other holy princes are also revered by the Church, for example, Dimitry Donskoy and Daniel of Moscow, and it would be wrong to single out the “beloved” from among them. I believe that such a naming could also be adopted by the prince because during his lifetime he favored the Church and patronized it.

Unfortunately, the rhythm of my life and the amount of work allow me to use the Internet exclusively for official purposes. I regularly visit, say, information sites, but I have absolutely no time left to look at those sites that would be personally interesting to me. Therefore, I could not take part in the voting on the site "Name of Russia", but supported Alexander Nevsky by voting by phone.

He defeated the descendants of Rurik (1241), fought for power in civil wars, betrayed his brother to the pagans (1252), scratched out the eyes of Novgorodians with his own hand (1257). Is the Russian Orthodox Church ready to canonize Satan to support the schism of the churches? Ivan Nezabudko

Speaking about certain acts of Alexander Nevsky, it is necessary to take into account many different factors. This is also the historical era in which St. Alexander - then many actions that today seem strange to us were completely commonplace. This is the political situation in the state - remember that at that time the country was under a serious threat from the Tatar-Mongols, and St. Alexander did everything possible to reduce this threat to a minimum. As for the facts you cite from the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, historians still cannot confirm or refute many of them, and even more so - give them an unambiguous assessment.

For example, in the relationship between Alexander Nevsky and his brother Prince Andrei, there are many ambiguities. There is a point of view according to which Alexander complained to the khan about his brother and asked to send an armed detachment in order to deal with him. However, this fact is not mentioned in any ancient source. For the first time, only V.N. Tatishchev reported about this in his “Russian History”, and there is every reason to believe that the author here was carried away by historical reconstruction - he “thought out” something that actually did not exist. N.M. Karamzin, in particular, thought so: “According to the invention of Tatishchev, Alexander informed the Khan that his younger brother Andrei, having appropriated the Great Reign, was deceiving the Moghuls, giving them only part of the tribute, and so on.” (Karamzin N.M. History of the Russian state. M., 1992.V.4. S. 201. Note 88).

Many historians today tend to adhere to a different point of view than Tatishchev. Andrew, as you know, pursued a policy independent of Batu, while relying on the khan's rivals. As soon as Batu took power into his own hands, he immediately dealt with his opponents, sending detachments not only to Andrei Yaroslavich, but also to Daniil Romanovich.

I am not aware of a single fact that could at least indirectly testify that the veneration of St. Alexander Nevsky is a reason for a church schism. In 1547, the noble prince was canonized, and his memory is sacredly honored not only in Russia, but also in many other Local Orthodox Churches.

Finally, let's not forget that when deciding to canonize a particular person, the Church takes into account such factors as prayerful veneration by the people and miracles performed through these prayers. Both that, and another in set took place and takes place in connection with Alexander Nevsky. As for the mistakes made by such a person in life, or even his sins, it must be remembered that "there is no person who will live and not sin." Sins are expiated by repentance and sorrows. Both that and especially the other were present in the life of the right-believing prince, as was present in the life of such sinners who became saints, such as Mary of Egypt, Moses Murin and many others.

I am sure that if you carefully and thoughtfully read the life of St. Alexander Nevsky, you will understand why he was canonized as a saint.

How does the Russian Orthodox Church feel about the fact that Prince Alexander Nevsky handed over his brother Andrei to the Tatars for reprisal and threatened his son Vasily with war? Or is it just as consistent with the canons as the consecration of warheads? Alexey Karakovsky

Alexey, in the first part, your question echoes the question of Ivan Nezabudko. As for the "consecration of warheads", I do not know of any such case. The Church has always blessed its children for the defense of the Fatherland, guided by the commandment of the Savior. It is for these reasons that the rite of consecrating weapons has existed since ancient times. At every Liturgy we pray for the militia of our country, realizing how heavy a responsibility lies with the people who, with weapons in their hands, stand guard over the security of the Fatherland.

Isn't it so, Vladyka, that by choosing Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich we will choose a myth, a film image, a legend?

I'm sure not. Alexander Nevsky is a very specific historical figure, a person who did a lot for our Fatherland and laid the foundations for the very existence of Russia for a long time. Historical sources allow us to know quite definitely about his life and work. Of course, in the time that has elapsed since the death of the saint, people's rumor has introduced a certain element of legend into his image, which once again testifies to the deep reverence that the Russian people have always paid to the prince, but I am convinced that this shade of legend cannot serve as an obstacle to so that today we perceive St. Alexander as a real historical character.

Dear Vladyka. What, in your opinion, are the qualities of the Russian hero of the holy faithful Alexander Nevsky that the current Russian government could pay attention to, and, if possible, adopt them? What principles of government are relevant to this day? Viktor Zorin

Victor, Saint Alexander Nevsky belongs not only to his time. His image is relevant for Russia today, in the 21st century. The most important quality, which, it seems to me, should be inherent in power at all times, is boundless love for the Fatherland and its people. All the political activity of Alexander Nevsky was determined precisely by this strong and sublime feeling.

Dear Vladyka, answer whether Alexander Nevsky is close to the souls of the people of today's modern Russia, and not just Ancient Rus'. Especially nations professing Islam, not Orthodoxy? Sergei Krainov

Sergei, I am sure that the image of St. Alexander Nevsky is close to Russia at all times. Despite the fact that the prince lived several centuries ago, his life and his activities are relevant to us today. Do such qualities as love for the Motherland, for God, for one's neighbor, as the readiness to lay down one's life for the sake of peace and the well-being of the Fatherland, really have a statute of limitations? How can they be inherent only to the Orthodox and be alien to Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, who for a long time peacefully, side by side live in multinational and multi-confessional Russia - a country that has never known wars on religious grounds?

As for the Muslims themselves, I will give you just one example that speaks for itself - in the program “The Name of Russia”, shown on November 9, there was an interview with a Muslim leader who spoke in support of Alexander Nevsky because it was the holy prince who laid the foundations of the dialogue East and West, Christianity and Islam. The name of Alexander Nevsky is equally dear to all people living in our country, regardless of their national or religious affiliation.

Why did you decide to take part in the "Name of Russia" project and act as Alexander Nevsky's "lawyer"? In your opinion, why do most people today choose the name of Russia not a politician, scientist or cultural figure, but a saint? Vika Ostroverkhova

Vika, several circumstances prompted me to participate in the project as a “defender” of Alexander Nevsky.

Firstly, I am convinced that it is Saint Alexander Nevsky who should become the name of Russia. In my speeches, I repeatedly argued my position. Who, if not a saint, can and should be called "the name of Russia"? Holiness is a concept that has no time limits, extending into eternity. If our people choose a saint as their national hero, this testifies to the spiritual revival that is taking place in the minds of people. This is especially important today.

Secondly, this saint is very close to me. My childhood and youth were spent in St. Petersburg, where the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky rest. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to often resort to this shrine, to pray to the holy prince at his resting place. While studying at the Leningrad theological schools, which are located in close proximity to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, all of us, then students, clearly felt the grace-filled help that Alexander Nevsky provided to those who, with faith and hope, called him in their prayers. At the relics of the holy prince I received ordination to all degrees of the priesthood. Therefore, deeply personal experiences are connected with the name of Alexander Nevsky.

Dear Lord! The project is called "The Name of Russia". For the first time, the word Russia sounded almost 300 years after the dormition of the prince! Under Ivan the Terrible. And Alexander Yaroslavich just reigned in one of the fragments of Kievan Rus - an upgraded version of Great Scythia. So what does St. Alexander Nevsky have to do with Russia?

The most immediate. Your question touches on a fundamentally important topic. Who do we think we are today? The heirs of what culture? The bearers of what civilization? From what point in history should we count our being? Really only since the reign of Ivan the Terrible? Much depends on the answer to these questions. We have no right to be Ivans who do not remember our kinship. The history of Russia begins long before Ivan the Terrible, and it is enough to open a school history textbook in order to be convinced of this.

Please tell us about the posthumous miracles of Alexander Nevsky from the moment of his death to the present day. Anisina Natalia

Natalia, there are a great many such miracles. You can read more about them in the life of the saint, as well as in many books dedicated to Alexander Nevsky. Moreover, I am sure that every person who sincerely, with deep faith called in prayers to the holy prince, had his own little miracle in his life.

Dear Vladyka! Is the ROC considering the issue of canonization of other Princes, such as Ivan IV the Terrible and I.V. Stalin? After all, they were autocrats who increased the power of the state. Alexey Pechkin

Alexei, many princes besides Alexander Nevsky are canonized as saints. When deciding on the canonization of a person, the Church takes into account many factors, and achievements in the political field do not play a decisive role here. The Russian Orthodox Church does not consider the issue of the canonization of Ivan the Terrible or Stalin, who, although they did a lot for the state, did not show qualities in their lives that could testify to their holiness.

Prayer to the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky

(to schema-monk Alexy)

A speedy helper to all those who zealously resort to you, and our warm intercessor before the Lord, holy noble Grand Duke Alexander! look graciously upon us, unworthy, who have created many iniquities unnecessarily for yourself, now flowing to your relics and crying out from the depths of your soul: you were a zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith in your life, and we are unshakably affirmed in it with your warm prayers to God. You carefully passed the great service entrusted to you, and with your help to stay every time, in what you are called to eat, instruct. You, having defeated the regiments of adversaries, drove you away from the limits of the Russian verse, and overthrow all the visible and invisible enemies who are taking up arms against us. You, having left the perishable crown of the kingdom of the earth, have chosen a silent life, and now, righteously crowned with an incorruptible crown, reigning in heaven, intercede for us, we humbly pray to you, a quiet and serene life, and to the eternal Kingdom of God, a steady procession, build us. Standing with all the saints on the throne of God, praying for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God save them with His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the coming years, may we praise and bless God, in the Trinity of the Holy Glory, the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion, Tone 4:
Recognize your brethren, Russian Joseph, not in Egypt, but reigning in heaven, faithful to Prince Alexandra, and accept their prayers, multiplying the life of people with the fruitfulness of your land, protecting the cities of your dominion with prayer, fighting with Orthodox people against resisting.

Ying troparion, Voice of the same:
Like a pious root, the most honorable branch was thou, blessed Alexandra, for Christ, as a kind of Divine treasure of the Russian land, the new miracle worker is glorious and God-pleasing. And today, having come down in your memory with faith and love, in psalms and singing, we rejoice in glorifying the Lord, who has given you the grace of healing. Pray him to save this city, and to our God-pleasing country, and to be saved by the sons of Russia.

Kontakion, Tone 8:
We honor you like a most bright star, which shone from the east and came to the west, enriching this whole country with miracles and kindness, and enlighten those who honor your memory with faith, blessed Alexandra. For this reason, today we are celebrating yours, your people, pray to save your Fatherland, and all those who flow to the race of your relics, and rightly crying out to you: Rejoice, affirmation of our city.

In kontakion, Tone 4:
It’s like your relatives, Boris and Gleb, appearing to help you from Heaven, who is ascetic to Weilger Svejsky and howling him: so are you now, blessed Alexandra, come to the aid of your relatives, and defeat those who fight us.

Icons of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky

The Holy Blessed Great Prince Alexander Nevsky was born on May 30, 1220 in the city of Pereya-slav-le-Za-les- com. His father, Yaroslav, in Baptism Fe-o-dor, was the youngest son of All-in-lo-yes III Big Nest. Mother of St. Aleksandra, Fe-o-do-siya Igo-rev-na, Ryazan princess. In 1227, Prince Yaroslav, at the request of the new-go-rod-tsev, began to live in Nov-go-ro-de Ve-li-kom. He took with him his sons, Fe-do-ra and Alexander.

Na-chi-na-moose is my most difficult time in the history of Rus-si: the Mongol-sky hordes went from the hundred, from behind-pa-yes to- the knightly-royal half-chi-scha moved. In this stormy hour, Pro-we-sat down God's erection on the spa-se-tion of Rus-si of the holy prince Alexander-sandra - ve-li-ko-go-and-on -mo-lit-vein-no-ka, in-motion-no-ka and stro-and-te-la of the Russian earth.

Rise-up-to-was-shis on-the-she-stvie-em of Ba-ty, half-chi-scha-hundred-bearers invaded the pre-de-la of the Fatherland. First you would be the Swedes. A lot of ko-slave-lei went to the Neva under ko-man-do-va-ni-em yar-la Bir-ge-ra. St. Alexander, he would not have been 20 years old then, prayed for a long time in the church of St. Sophia. Arch-hi-bishop Spi-ri-don bla-go-slo-vil St. prince-zya and in-in-stvo to scold him. Leaving the temple, Alexander strengthened and drank friends-well-well, with-full-nen-we-mi-faith-words: "God is not in power, but in truth Others - with weapons, others - on horses, and we call on the name of the Lord God of ours! With a small friend, the prince hurried to the enemies. But it would be a wonderful pre-sign-me-no-va-nie: a hundred-y-y-shi in the sea-do-zo-re in-in saw-cases at dawn on July 15 la-due , floating on the sea, and on it St. mu-che-ni-kov Bo-ri-sa and Gle-ba in scarlet clothes. Alexander, encouraged, courageously, but led with a mo-lit-howl howl to the Swedes. "And would-la se-cha ve-li-kaya with la-ti-nya-na-mi, and re-beat their innumerable multitude, and sa-mo-mu before-in-di-te-lu, he laid a seal on his face with a sharp spear." For this trouble on the Neva River, won on July 15, 1240 city, the people called St. Alexander Nevsky.

The German knights remained a dangerous enemy. In 1241, lightning-nose-nym in the way of the house of St. Alexander returned the ancient Russian fortress of Ko-po-rye, driving out the knights-tsars. In 1242, in the winter, he liberated Pskov, and on April 5 he gave the Tev-ton-sko-mu or-de-well a re-shi-tel-noe battle on the Chud ice th lake. Crest-nos-tsy would be half-no-stu times-thunder-le-na. The name of St. Alexander-sandra pro-glory-moose throughout Holy Russia.

Western pre-de-lys of the Russian land, would it be, de-de-but, enclosing de-nas, it’s time to secure Rus' from a hundred . In 1242 St. Alexander Nevsky with his father Yaro-slav went to Ord. The holy mission for the shield of the Russian land, the Lord crowned with success, but it took years of work and victims. Prince Yaroslav gave his life for this. The union with the Zo-lo-that Or-doy - for-the-ho-di-my then for the prevention of the new-for-the-th time ma Ru-si - continued to cre-drink St. Alexander Nevskiy. Having promised his support, St. Alexander gave Ba-tyu the opportunity to take a step against Mon-go-li, to become the main force in the entire Great Steppe. In 1252, many Russian cities rose against the Tatar yoke. Again, a rise-nick-la threat-for sa-mo-mu su-stu-stvo-va-nia Ru-si. St. Alek-san-dru again had to go to the Or-du, in order to get away from the Russian lands from the ka-ra-tel-noe-march of the Tatars. St. Alexander became the sole sovereign great prince of all Russia. In 1253, he repelled a new raid on Pskov, in 1254 he concluded an agreement on peaceful borders with Nor-ve-gi-ey , in 1256 he went on a trip to the Finnish land. In the darkness of the language of St. Alexander carried the light of the Evangelical pro-ve-di and pra-glorious culture. Everything in the sea would be pro-sve-sche-but and master-e-but Russian-ski-mi.

In 1256 Khan Baty died. The holy prince went to Sarai for the third time to confirm the peaceful relations between Russia and the Horde with the new khan Ber-ke. In 1261, the old-ra-ni-i-mi St. Aleksandra and mit-ro-po-li-ta would-la establish-zhde-na in Sarai, the hundred-li-tse of the Golden Horde, the diocese of the Russian Pra-vo- glorious Church.

On-stu-pi-la epo-ha ve-li-koy hri-sti-a-ni-za-tion language ski uga-dan-noe St. Alek-san-drom Nevsky is-that-ri-che-pri-zvanie Rus-si. In 1262, according to his instructions, in many cities, were there pe-re-bi-you Tatar-collectors-ki-ki-yes and willows-shi- ki in-and-new - bass-ka-ki. Waiting for the Tatar area. But the ve-li-ki-for-stoup-nik on-ro-yes again went to Or-du and wisely on-right-for-for-being with-everything in a different direction: ref-la - being on the resurrection of the Russians, Khan Ber-ke pre-kra-til paid tribute to Mon-go-liya and pro-voz-la-forces Zo-lo-thuyu Or-du sa -mo-hundred-I-tel-ny state-su-dar-stvo, having made it the same for-the-element of Rus-si with a hundred. In this ve-li-com-union of the Russian and Tatar lands and peoples with-mature-va-lo and the future is getting stronger go-on-tsio-nal-noe Russian state-su-dar-stvo, including later in the pre-de-la of the Russian Church, almost all on- following Ching-gis-ha-na to the banks of the Ti-ho-go ocean-a-na.

This di-plo-ma-ti-che-sky ride-ka St. Alexander Nevsky in Sarai would have been the fourth and next. On the way back, not reaching Vla-di-mira, in the City, in the mo-on-sta-re, the prince-on-dvizh-nick gave his spirit of the Lord according to November 14, 1263, yes, having completed a lot of labor-y-way of life with the saint skoy schema-we with the name of Alexis. His holy body was carried to Vla-di-mi-ru, the journey lasted nine days, and the body remained imperishable. November 23, when he was greeted in the cathedral church of Rozh-de-stven-go mo-na-sta-rya of the city of Vla-di-mi -ra (now there is usta-nov-len pa-myat-nick to the holy prince-zyu; another pa-myat-nik usta-nov-len in the city-ro-de Pe-re-i-s- lav-le-Za-les-skom) would-lo yav-le-but God "chu-to marvelous and pa-my-ti to-stand-but": the saint himself pro-tya-zero ru-ku for time-re-shi-tel-noy mo-lit-howl. In-chi-ta-nie bla-go-ver-no-th prince-zya on-cha-elk immediately after his gre-be-nii. The great prince John Ioan-no-vich (1353-1359) in his spiritual order, pi-san-nom in 1356, left his e-mu sy-nu Di-mit-riy (1363-1389), bu-du-sche-mu in-be-di-te-lu Ku-li-kov-sky bit-you, "iko-well the Holy ty Alexander. The imperishable relics of the b-go-ver-no-go-prince would-whether from-open-you, according to the view, before the Ku-li-kov-sky battle - in 1380 go-du, and then the mouth-new-le-but local holiday. General-church-noe pro-glory-le-tion of St. Alexander Nev-sko-go-so-ver-shi-moose at mit-ro-po-li-te Ma-ka-rii at the Moscow so-bo-re 1547 To mo-lit-you holy prince-zya, pro-glorious-viving-she-go-sya about-ro-of the Fatherland, Russian half-to-vod-tsy at-be-ga-li and in all after-du-th-time-me-on. August 30, 1721 Peter I, after the pro-long-living-tel-noy and from-well-ri-tel-noy war with the Swedes, concluded Nishtad th world. This day, re-she-but it would be-lo to consecrate the re-re-not-se-ni-em with the relics of the b-go-ver-no-th prince Alexander Nevsky from Vla- di-mi-ra to the new, northern hundred-li-tsu, St. Petersburg, ras-lo-alive-shu-yu-sya on the banks of the Neva. You-ve-zen-nye from Vla-di-mi-ra on August 11, 1723, yes, holy relics would have been brought-ve-ze-ny to Shlis-sel-burg on September 20 -Tyab-rya of the same year and remained there until 1724, when, on August 30-a-hundred, there would be mouth-new-le-nas in Tro-its-com with -bo-re Alek-san-dro-Nevsky Lav-ra, where they are still chi-va-yut now. By decree of September 2, 1724, it would have been established-new-le-but a holiday on August 30-a-hundred (in 1727, a holiday was-lo from-me-not-but for the reason not of the church-no-go ha-rak-te-ra, but as a result of the struggle of the group-pi-ro-wok at the royal court. 1730, the holiday was not-to-be-wa-lo-re-sta-new-le-but).

Ar-hi-mand-rit Gav-ri-il Bu-zhin-sky (later Bishop of Ryazan-sky, † April 27, 1731) co-stav-vil spa -qi-al-nuyu service for the resurrection of the Nishtad-sky world, combining it with the service of St. Alek-san-dr Nev- sco-mu.

The name for-shield-no-ru-be-zhey Russia and in-cro-vi-te-la in-and-new from-west-but yes-le-ko for pre-de-la-mi on -shay Ro-di-ny. Svid-de-tel-stvo-to-mu - many-number-of-len-churches-we, sacred to the saints of Alek-san-dr Nev-sko-mu. The most famous of them: Pat-ri-ar-shiy cathedral in So-fiya, cathedral cathedral in Tal-lin, temple in Tbi-li-si . These temples are for the friendship of the Russian-go-on-ro-yes-master-bo-di-te-la with brother-ski-mi on-ro-yes-mi.

Prayers

Troparion to the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, in the schema of Alexy, tone 4

Know your brethren, Russian Joseph, / not in Egypt, but reigning in Heaven, / faithful to Prince Alexander, / and receive their prayers, / multiplying the life with people by the fruit of your land, / protecting the cities of your dominion with prayer , // an Orthodox Christian fighting against the opposition .

Translation: Recognize your brothers, Russian Joseph, not in Egypt, but in Heaven, reigning, noble Prince Alexander, and accept their prayers, multiplying the number of fruits for people by the fruitfulness of your land, guarding the city under your rule with prayer, helping Orthodox Christians in the fight against enemies.

In troparion to the Right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, in the schema Alexy, tone 4

Like a pious root / an honorable branch was thou, blessed Alexandra, / reveal thee Christ as a kind of Divine treasure of the Russian land, / the new miracle worker is glorious and God-pleasing. / And today having descended into your memory by faith and love, / in psalms and singing, rejoicing, we glorify the Lord / who gave you the grace of healing. / Pray him to save this city, / and be God-pleasing to the power of Russia, / and be saved by the sons of Russia.

Translation: As a revered sprout from a pious root, you were, blessed Alexander, for Christ revealed you as a kind of sacred treasure of the Russian land, a new miracle worker glorious and God-pleasing. And today, gathered on the day of your memory with faith and love in psalmody and spiritual chants, rejoicing, we praise the Lord, who gave you healing. Pray him to save this city and the Russian state to be pleasing to God, and the sons of Russia to be saved.

Kontakion to the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy, tone 8

We honor you as a bright star, / shining from the east, and coming to the west, / enriching this whole country with miracles and kindness, / and enlighten with faith those who honor your memory, blessed Alexandra. / For today we celebrate your dormition, your people are, / pray to save your Fatherland, and all those who flow to the race of your relics, / and cry out to you faithfully // Rejoice, affirmation of our city.

Translation: We honor you as a bright star, which shone in the east and came to the west, for you enrich this whole country with miracles and beauty, and enlighten with faith those who honor your memory, blessed Alexander. Therefore, today we are celebrating your Assumption, your people, pray to save your Fatherland and all those who come to the cancer with your relics, and call out to you with faith: "Rejoice, strength of our city."

In kontakion to the right-believing prince Alexander Nevsky, in the schema Alexy, tone 4

It’s like your relatives, Boris and Gleb, / appearing to help you from Heaven, / fighting against Welger Svejsky and fighting him, / so you are now, / blessed Alexandra, / come to help your relatives / and defeat us who fight .

Translation: Just as your relatives, and, came to your aid from Heaven in the battle against Birger of Sweden and his troops, so now, blessed Alexander, come to the aid of your compatriots and defeat those who are at war with us.

Magnification to the right-believing prince Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy

We magnify you, / faithful Prince Alexandra, / and we honor your holy assumption, / and now pray for us / / Christ our God.

Prayer to the right-believing prince Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy

An ambulance helper of all those who diligently resort to you and our warm intercessor before the Lord, holy noble Prince Alexandra! Look graciously upon us, unworthy of many iniquities unnecessary to create for yourself, to the race of your relics (or: your icon) now flowing in and from the depths of your heart crying out to you: you were a zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith in your life, and we are firmly established in it with your warm prayers. You carefully passed the great service entrusted to you, and with your help to stay every time, in it you are called to eat, instruct. You, having defeated the regiments of adversaries, drove you away from the Russian borders, and all the visible and invisible enemies who are taking up arms against us are vile. You, having left the perishable crown of the kingdom of the earth, have chosen a silent life, and now you are righteously crowned with an imperishable crown, you reign in Heaven, intercede for us too, we humbly pray to you, life is quiet and serene and to the eternal Kingdom, arrange for us a steady procession through your intercession. Standing with all the saints at the Throne of God, praying for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God save them with His grace in peace, health, and prosperity, and all well-being in the coming years, and let us always praise and bless God ha, in the Trinity of Saints glorify Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Second Prayer to the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, in schema Alexy

Oh, holy noble prince Alexander! Look graciously upon us, unworthy servants of God (names), and give us a quiet and serene life, and to the eternal Kingdom, arrange for us a steady procession through your intercession, may the Lord God preserve us with His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in the coming years, yes let us eternally glorify and bless God in the Trinity of Saints , the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Canto 1

Irmos: Having passed through the water, as if I were dry land, and having escaped the evil of Egypt, the Israelite cried out: Let us drink to the Redeemer and our God.

With worthy praises praise the glorious miracle worker, grant me mind and meaning, Christ God, as if I will sing, rejoicing, his memory.

The bright lamp of the Russian land, like the second sun, shining miracles, remember all of us who make your memory, blessed Alexandra.

God-wise Alexander, if the God-enlightened Russian country has grown in recent years, but you have been honored with ancient honor, the gift of miracles is worthy of acceptance.

Bogorodichen: Laws other than natural, Devo, gave birth to God the Lawgiver, a former Man. Togo, as Good, pray, All-blameless, despise our iniquity.

Canto 3

Irmos: The heavenly circle of the Verhotvorche, Lord, and the Church of the Builder, You confirm me in Your love, desires to the edge, true affirmation, One Humanity.

The lamp of light appeared to you, Alexandra all-blessed, always destroying the deep darkness of ailments with the dawn of the bright miracles, wise.

You stand before the throne of grace, rejoicing with all the angels today and distributing wealth to the world of healing, save us all with your prayers, blessed.

Bogorodichen: As truly, the Lord reigned in the Kingdom that does not fall away and clothed Psalmically from You, the Mother of God, in red splendor, holy flesh, by which death is acceptable and destroy her kingdom.

Sedalen, tone 8:

Like a multi-light star, you appeared, bright for the sake of your life, the vessel of the Holy Spirit was. For this sake, for many years, your holy relics have been found in the tomb incorruptible, from them you exude rivers of miracles of healing to those who faithfully call you: Rejoice, noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Glory, now same voice: We glorify the Trinity, faithfulness, consubstantial, look at our humility, the reproach of men is taken away, affirm Your mercy on us, in a hedgehog keep us and save the harmless. Let us also bless our God.

Canto 4

Irmos: Hear, O Lord, the mysteries of Thy sight, understand Thy deeds, and glorify Thy Divinity.

Shining the dawn of the Three-Sunshine grace, brighter than your holiday of those who create illumination and deliver the passionate obscuration of the demonic, most glorious Alexandra.

Hierarchs and monks, priests and pardons, elders with youths and all ages, brightly play out and magnify the memory of the blessed in songs.

Thou hast now passed away to the Divine Light, the son of Light was beloved, in joy and beauty with angelic faces now joyfully rejoice.

Bogorodichen: I have Thee Helper and I will not be ashamed, Most Pure Mother of God, I have Thee Intercessor and I will not be afraid of my enemies.

Canto 5

Irmos: In the morning, we cry to Thee: Lord, save us, for Thou art our God, unless You know no other.

Like a bright star appearing uncharming, a captive liberator, and a poor rich man, and a sick doctor, an advocate of the Church and our fatherland.

Appearing in the Russian land, the wonderworker is glorious, blessed Alexander, as if the lamp was all-bright, shining all over the world and illuminating everything in the darkness of passions.

Opening the doors of Eden to you, and the light is unspeakable and the ascension is tri-radiant, blessed, in the immovable Kingdom of Heaven, and you received the joy of the righteous, rejoicing.

Bogorodichen: Thou hast delivered mankind from deadness and aphids, by the nature of the Life-Giver and God without a seed, thou hast given birth, Virgin of the All-Immaculate, for the good deed of those who praise Thee truly.

Canto 6

Irmos: Cleanse me, O Savior, many of my iniquities, and from the depths of evils raise, I pray, I cry out to Thee, and hear me, O God of my salvation.

From the most honorable root, you sprouted a branch, most glorious, and piously lived on the earth, and you appeared as a friend of the pure Spirit, sanctifying those who flow to you with faith, blessed.

Today, the whole Russian land is filled with joy on the deliberate day of the feast of the glorious miracle worker, Blessed Alexander: he keeps his fatherland unrepentantly.

Bogorodichen: Exist the most holy temple, the Mother of God, the Source gave birth to you, All-blameless, inexhaustible, Lady.

Kontakion, tone 4:

As if your relatives Boris and Gleb appear to you from Heaven to help you, who strives for Velger Svejsky and fights him, so now you, blessed Alexandra, come to the aid of your relatives and overcome us who are fighting.

Ikos:

Even of old, slandered by the enemy, like an eagle chicks under the krill, gathers its people, and now it gathers us for spiritual triumph; come, let us rejoice in the Lord, and let us glorify our glorified kinsman and lord, and we will cry out: rejoice, Russian glory, power of scepters, howling courage, strong weapons, remember your flock, the Lord will put you over them, and defeat those who fight us.

Canto 7

Irmos: From Judea it came down, the youths in Babylon sometimes, by the faith of the Trinity flame, stoked the cave, singing: God of the fathers, blessed be Thou.

Today, the Church of Christ, celebrating the triumph of Alexander, truly exudes grace to those who have come together, diligently praying and singing it with love.

In all Russian countries, there was a broadcast, as if the miracle worker appeared in them, he is glorious, exuding many healings to all who sing warmly.

Thou hast flourished, like a flower, by your miracles, blessed, and you give healing to those who flow into your shelter, wise and worthy.

Bogorodichen: Incarnated from Thy virginal beds, God has appeared for our salvation. The same Mother of God, Mother of God, faithfully cry out to Him: our fathers, God, blessed be Thou.

Canto 8

Irmos: Boys of God, in a cave with fire trampling the flame, I sing: bless the deeds of the Lord, the Lord.

You are glorious in miracles to the Russian countries of showing God, Alexandra, and adorn you with Heavenly gifts, pray that you have mercy on all of us.

Like a morning, like a bright day, your holiday has appeared, enlightening our hearts and all those who praise you with faith, most glorious Alexandra.

The day of triumph and the feast of joy is here, we flock, faithfulness, having cleansed our souls and bodies together: behold, Alexander the Divine calls us.

Bogorodichen: The images of the wearer of ancient times of Your Nativity, Virgin Mother, the cave of the young men did not fall, so is the fire of the Divine womb of Yours, Pure.

Canto 9

Irmos: Heaven was horrified about this, and the ends of the earth were surprised, as if God had appeared as a carnal man and Your womb was the most spacious of Heaven. Those are thee, the Mother of God, the Angels and the man of office are called.

We are celebrating your holy repose today, fill with joy and joy in praising you, Great Name Alexandra.

You have acquired a great shield and fortress in the Russian land, Alexander, and praise our Orthodox people, and now we pray to you: save your fatherland from a foreign language.

Necessary light rays in the darkness of the existing, shining, glorious, to the enlightenment of the joy of the teacher who sings thee.

Blessed Alexandra, how can we sing thee with dignity? For your tongue cannot pronounce various healings, and many gifts, and miracles, even if you give to your inheritance.

Bogorodichen: Like the morning, dark and fornicating, Virgin, the ascension of Truth, the Sun, Christ, Whom in Your hands was carried by you, Pure.

Svetilen.

Your great glory was heard in the Svean countries, Alexandra, as if by your only courageous name I was afraid of resistance, and now, blessed, invisibly frighten our enemies, who are taking up arms against your Christ-loving army.

Glory, and now: Delivering us from the power of darkness and transposing us into the Kingdom of the love of Thy Son, our God, who has led us from the darkness of ignorance to the light of prudence and glory and has created names throughout the earth, we ask Thee now: that Thou hast preserved and exalted us with Thy almighty right hand, then protect , deliver and contain.

Song 1.

Irmos: The seas of the dark abyss with wet feet, the ancient one, having walked Israel, with the cross-shaped hands of Moses, Amalek conquered the power in the desert.

Having received in your hearts, Blessed, Your spiritual grace of a firmly wise command and put it into the souls of the pious, with praise, give to appease Alexander the most glorious.

The bright lamp of the Russian land, miracles, like the second sun, shining, remember all of us who make your memory, blessed Alexandra.

The church was the beauty of Christ, blessed, with the singing of God, you adorned this, most glorious. And now we pray to you: free us from all warfare of the fighter who sings to you, Alexandra.

Bogorodichen: Rejoice, source of grace; Rejoice, ladder and door of heaven; Rejoice, luminary, and stably golden, and not insectless, Virgo, who gave birth to the Life-giver of Christ to the world.

Song 3.

Irmos: Thy Church rejoices in Thee, O Christ, calling: Thou art my strength, O Lord, and refuge, and affirmation.

The glory of your miracles has passed through the whole world, blessed, you enlightened the universe with your image, delivering you from all misfortunes.

The pious and crowned Alexander, having descended, let us praise according to our heritage, as if we were a giver of abundant miracles and praying to the Lord for all of us.

The source of miracles is your coffin inexhaustible, from the worthless river of healing you pour out your memory faithfully to those who work, blessed.

Bogorodichen: You are the only one on the land of the supernatural good Intercessor, Mother of God, you were: that You, rejoice, we call.

Sedalen, tone 8:

Like a multi-light star, originating from the east, thou art bright for the sake of your life and the purity of the soul and body of the vessel of the Holy Spirit; and for this sake, after your dormition, from many years your holy relics have been found in the tomb incorruptible, from them you exude rivers of miracles of healing to those who faithfully call you: Rejoice, noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Glory, now theotokian: Like the All-Immaculate Bride of the Creator, like the Unscrupulous Mother of the Deliverer, like a friend of the Comforter, tormented, I am a filthy abode and a devil’s play in the mind of the former, trying to save me from those crimes and make a bright dwelling of virtues, Light-bearing Imperishable, cast off the clouds of passions and the highest communion vouchsafe also the Light of the evening without Thy prayers.

Song 4.

Irmos: You are exalted when you see the Church on the Cross, the righteous Sun, a hundred in its rank, worthy of crying out: glory to your power, Lord.

Who will speak your love and mercy to all people, moreover, to the poor? and after death, as if alive, you stretched out your hand and received from the hierarch a scroll of sins of forgiveness.

Today, the day of the holy feast calls many to spiritual joy, and a meal, and the food of the imperishable life of Divine pleasure.

Thou hast now reposed to the Divine light, having been a beloved son of light, in joy and beauty with angelic faces now joyfully rejoice, blessed.

Bogorodichen: Shine your light, Otrokovitsa All-blameless, hedgehog in the night of passions of temptation, my obsessed heart, the truth of the Sun shining light.

Song 5.

Irmos: You, Lord, my Light, have come into the world, Holy Light, turn from gloomy ignorance by faith singing Thee.

The venerable and glorious memory of your ascension to the Russian land, blessed, and joyfully faithful, amuses the cathedrals.

The doors of Eden have been opened to you, and the light is inexpressible and the ascension is tri-radiant, blessed, in the immovable kingdom of heaven, and you have received the joy of the righteous rejoicing.

Now Alexander the great, orphans and widows, a gracious sorrower, his fatherland and all together in reality convenes: come, assembled, as a common intercessor, we lightly triumph.

Bogorodichen: Who is in the sight of God, the Most Divine, dwell in Your womb, the Lord, the Most Immaculate, has put on my sight.

Song 6.

Irmos: I will devour Thee with a voice of praise, Lord, the Church cries out to Thee, cleansed from the blood of demons, for the sake of mercy from Your ribs shed blood.

Your holy memory, Alexandra, rejoices the universe, calling the faithful to your honest temple, in which we now copulate with joy, we pray: save your people from the pagan invasion, most glorious.

Today, the Russian land is filled with joy, on the deliberate day of the feast of the glorious miracle worker, Blessed Alexander: he keeps his fatherland unrepentantly.

Orphans and widows of the intercessor and in the troubles of an invincible helper, we will appease Alexander with songs, glorifying: for those who celebrate, his memory merrily delivers from troubles and sorrows.

Bogorodichen: Holy Jesus dwelled in Your womb, in the saints, Virgin, rest and glorify with true faith this, Otrokovitsa, glorifying.

Kontakion, tone 8.

Like a bright star, we honor you, which shone from the east and came to the west: you enrich this whole country with miracles and kindness and enlighten those who honor your memory with faith, blessed Alexandra. For this reason, today we celebrate your dormition, your people who exist: pray to save your fatherland, and all those who flow to the race of your relics and cry out to you: Rejoice, affirmation of our city.

Ikos:

A great miracle worker appeared to you on the Russian land, blessed Alexandra, invisibly visiting Christ's people and giving healings richly to all who come from the heart and according to the crying verse: Rejoice, bright pillar, enlightening us with miracles with lordships; Rejoice, thou who overcame the glorious thief with the help of God; Rejoice, free city of Pskov from the infidels; Rejoice, contemptible Latin teachings and their charm in nothing sane; rejoice, for thou hast taken in perishable an incorruptible place; rejoice, Impenetrable Light to the viewer; rejoice, as you rejoice with the angels; Rejoice, dewy cloud, irrigate the faithful thoughts; rejoice, banisher of dark passions; rejoice, intercessor of the Russian land; Rejoice, city of our intercession.

Song 7.

Irmos: In the cave of Abraham, the youths of Persia, with the love of piety, more than with a flame, are scorched, crying: Blessed are you in the temple of Thy glory, Lord.

Today, the Church of Christ, celebrating the feast of Alexander, which was about God, truly exudes healing to those who have come together, diligently praying and singing it with love.

In all countries there was a broadcast: like our city, the miracle worker is glorified, exuding many healings, to all who ask for warmth.

On this day of joy, the temple of our God is filled, in it lie the honest relics of the blessed one, and all those who flow in kiss the holy cancer of the most glorious with fear and receive healing.

Bogorodichen: Highly consecrated village of God, rejoice, for you have given joy, Mother of God, crying out to You: blessed are you in women, O All-blameless Lady.

Song 8.

Irmos: Rutse spread out, Daniel, the lions of yawning in the ditch; quenching the fiery power, girded with virtue, piety, zealots, youths, crying out: bless, all the works of the Lord, the Lord.

The angels praise thee, most glorious, and the birth of mankind sing unceasingly, creating faithfully your memory, Great Name Alexandra.

God, Alexandra, is glorious in miracles to the Russian countries, and adorn you with heavenly gifts: Pray for mercy on all of us.

He truly names victory, truly a faithful person in trouble and a strong assistant appeared to you, blessed Alexandra.

Bogorodichen: The Holy Prophet of Thee preached gracefully, The Door, and the Mountain, and the Canopy, and the Holy Land, and the Clouds of Light, from the Worthless in the dark, the Sun ascends, the Virgin, the only Light-giver.

Song 9.

Irmos: A stone not hand-carved from the unseen mountain, Thee, Virgo, cut off the cornerstone - Christ, copulative of the separated nature. By those having fun, we magnify You, Mother of God.

Red in body and soul, and shining with piety, glorious, divine mind, the organ was the Holy Spirit: and after death, you passed to immortal life and endless bliss, rejoicing, Alexandra the God-wise.

Like a radiant, blessed sun, shining from the west, and enlightened the whole Russian land with the dawns of piety, and drove away the deep darkness of the heretics, Alexandra glorious.

We are celebrating your holy repose today: fill with joy and gladness those who praise you, Great Name Alexandra.

Bogorodichen: With the light of Your mercy in the darkness of the unreason, Illuminate the lying one, who gave birth to the Light Giver, the Redeemer and God, who crowned the saints.

Svetilen.

Your great glory was heard in all countries, and then the wives of Moab were afraid of their children with your formidable name. And now, blessed, invisibly frighten our enemies, who are taking up arms against your Christ-loving army.

Glory, now theotokian: Council of the great Angel of the Father, gave birth to Christ, chanted to the Otrokovitsa, the King of glory: His Cross, the apostles who preached, enlightened the tongues and taught Thee, the Mother of God, to glorify and bow to Your Nativity.

Kondak 1

To the chosen voivode of the Russian land, the bright adornment of the Orthodox Church, the holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, praiseworthy describing, as if by faith, enemies, visible and invisible, victorious, and in his faith, according to the apostles, virtue, in virtue is the mind, in the mind abstinence, but in abstinence patience, in patience piety, brotherly love and love to the one who showed with tenderness and joy we cry out:

Ikos 1

With the Angels and all the saints, now stand before Christ, blessedly Alexandra, praying for the love of those who honor you: the same, remembering, as if, having loved Christ from childhood, you have clung to the heavenly spirit, imitating the incorporeal life, we bless you, crying:

Rejoice, most honorable root of the pious branch;

Rejoice, heir of the faith of the ancestors.

Rejoice, imitator of the virtues of the God-loving father;

Rejoice, meekness and piety of the maternal successor.

Rejoice, leader of your Christ-loving flock to Heaven;

Rejoice, companion in the life of all the servants of God and zealots of piety.

Rejoice, partaker of the venerable face of the divinely luminous;

Rejoice, invincible confessor of the faith of Christ.

Rejoice, by the will of the martyr, now rejoice in the host of the victorious martyrs;

Rejoice, virgin preacher of Christian hope and love to all of us.

Rejoice, charter and rank of a noble church zealot;

Rejoice, co-heir of faithful children of the Church and saints of God.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 2

Seeing the beauty of your face and your bodily age, the new city people rejoice and glorify God, looking at you: we, remembering your virtue brighter than the sun, blessed Alexandra, who glorified the Lord, we sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Thou hast understood, the God-wise Alexandra, that the image of this world is passing away, but there is only one thing for the needs of man, to please the Lord: for this reason, from the love of the world and even in the world, thou hast deviated, longing for those who are here to acquire heaven, like a faithful servant of the Lord in everything Thou hast served the life without laziness. We also cry out to you:

Rejoice, ascetic of faith, pleasing God most of all pre-chosen;

Rejoice, living undefiled before God like Abraham in all his life.

Rejoice, showing Isaac's obedience;

Rejoice, thou who didst walk in the way of Jacob's humility.

Rejoice, thou who acquired Joseph's purity and chastity;

Rejoice, revealing the love of Moses for your people.

Rejoice, as Samuel is pure to himself from all covetousness;

Rejoice, victorious over your enemies with the meekness of David.

Rejoice, jealous of Peter's fiery faith;

Rejoice, having enslaved the yoke of Christ with Paul.

Rejoice, having won the wisdom of John by the feat of teaching in the word of God;

Rejoice, thou who didst gather many saints of virtue in oneself.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 3

By the power of faith, you, blessed Alexandra, acquired the highest wisdom, for its sake, despising the flesh, you lay down on the immortal soul: the same pleasing you, as if you have now acquired immortality, crying out to Christ who glorified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Always have the Lord before your eyes, you lived soberly, blessed Alexandra, and you did everything, creating for the glory of God, you pleased God, now you stand before Him from the faces of those who have pleased you from time immemorial: the same rejoicing in you, we call you:

Rejoice, ascetic of true sobriety;

Rejoice, lover of saving contemplation.

Rejoice, our mentor in the feat from the world of removal;

Rejoice, acquirer of the perfect gift of vigilant attention to yourself.

Rejoice, firm opponent of every wordless desire;

Rejoice, good ascetic of piety, prosperous in mind and deed.

Rejoice, for by the power of prayer you overcame the devil's temptations;

Rejoice, for you have protected yourself from sin by remembrance.

Rejoice, for you have loved with your soul a hedgehog about heavenly thoughts;

Rejoice, for you have succeeded in non-slothful prayers before God.

Rejoice, for thou hast sanctified all thy life by incessant invocation to the Name of God;

Rejoice, for you have pleased the Lord with every pleasing.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 4

Storms of temptations are raised against and against you, blessed Alexandra. Thou hast conquered this one by the power of the grace of Christ: the same now, to a quiet haven, flow, from the faces of those tempted in the world, who have conquered the world, cry to Christ: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing Paul, saying: “Everyone strives from everyone and refrains,” you imputed everything to your mind, blessed Alexandra, so that you gain Christ: by the feats of self-denial and to the good deed of coercion, you acquired the freedom of the glory of the children of God: the same is pleasing to you, crying out to you like this:

Rejoice, thou who didst show us the image of rejection;

Rejoice, thou who taught us to bear the cross in following Christ.

Rejoice, straight flesh with passions and lusts;

Rejoice, revealing the vanity of the world with your life.

Rejoice, having driven away every earthly addiction from yourself;

Rejoice, captivating your mind in obedience to faith.

Rejoice, having lifted the good yoke of the commandments of Christ by your will;

Rejoice, thou who hast kept thy heart pure from all soul-harming passions.

Rejoice, having completely betrayed God to yourself;

Rejoice, having served God through all your life.

Rejoice, having acquired the love of God for yourself by fulfilling the commandments;

Rejoice, thou who improved the heritage of the Kingdom by pleasing God.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 5

Thou hast passed away like a divine star in the world, blessed Alexandra, shining with glory and virtue: the same now you shine in Heaven with eternal glory from the faces of the righteous, with them you will sing to Christ: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing you, blessed Alexandra, you are never defeated in battles, always winning, I’m afraid of your unfaithful name, but we, remembering your faith-filled courage, bless you, saying:

Rejoice, valiant in defense of the faith and the Church's warrior;

Rejoice, courageous defender of your land.

Rejoice, wise destroyer of the slander of the enemy;

Rejoice, mighty protector of the world of the helpless.

Rejoice, glorious conqueror of the Sveisky army on the banks of the Nevsky;

Rejoice, protector of the security of all the northern countries of the Russian land.

Rejoice, evil machinations of heterodoxy, who moved the alien army to our land, the destroyer;

Rejoice, God-fortified legislator of the laws of truth.

Rejoice, Pskov, the fatherland of Saint Olga, the liberator;

Rejoice, pacifier who hated the world.

Rejoice, tamer of unsettled riots in your days of Lithuania;

Rejoice, in all these battles of the Christ-loving army of your wise leader.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 6

Thou didst show thyself a preacher of meekness and patience, blessed Alexandra, in the midst of thy glorious victories: the same, thou hast acquired a double crown from the King of Christ;

Ikos 6

You proclaimed, blessed Alexandra, more than courage, your patience, which you acquired, looking at the Head of the Faith and the Performer Jesus, And instead of the joy that was set before him, you endured the Cross: the same praising you, we fervently cry out:

Rejoice, enduring to the end in the ascetic labors of serving God;

Rejoice, faithfully imitating the patience of Christ.

Rejoice, thou who wisely comprehends the power of the commandment of Christ, even about love for the enemy;

Rejoice, and to those who have been delivered by you have sinned against you, showing true love.

Rejoice, in the temptation of your people, the cunning of the evil one is clear;

Rejoice, by your peaceful departure from your land, you correct the malice of the enemy.

Rejoice, and in all your life you understand the tricks of Satan;

Rejoice, evil to the good, according to the apostle, you overcome.

Rejoice, packs, in a time of sorrow, to help Novugrad, who offended you, prosperous;

Rejoice, for the sake of this fiery love from your people you won for yourself.

Rejoice, God's visitation, illness and deprivation, patient with hope;

Rejoice, for this sake you have acquired a bright crown from the Lord.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 7

Although provoking you with all the virtues, blessed Alexandra, the Lord Christ called you to serve your people during the days of your visit: you also attracted humility to patience, for the sake of which you are now exalted, standing before God with the song: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

It would be marvelous to see how an invincible warrior humbly bows his head before the infidels, whom the Lord sent to his people for the sake of their sins: it is marvelous to remember your invincible humility, blessed Alexandra, whom you also pleased the Lord, and you saved your people. We also gratefully cry out to you:

Rejoice, imitator of the humility of the Lord;

Rejoice, veneration of the teacher befitting the God-given authority.

Rejoice, you are opposed to any exaltation;

Rejoice, ascetic of true obedience.

Rejoice, to all of us in the image of faithful service to God;

Rejoice, commanding mentor in God-pleasing people.

Rejoice, subject to the leader in God-commanded obedience to those in power;

Rejoice, for many times for the sake of the good of your people you traveled to the godless, imputing trials from them to nothing.

Rejoice, as if you were not afraid, having called on God, to come to Batyev, fulfilling his command;

Rejoice, for you have received a terrible answer about the unreasonable people of your uprising for many.

Rejoice, for thou hast protected thy people from evil fellowship with unbelievers;

Rejoice, for thou hast wisely protected thou in the lands of thy paternal valor and tradition.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 8

Thou hast passed the wandering life on the earth, blessed Alexandra, not knowing rest in her labors and not having a city that is here, but looking for the coming one: for this sake, now, blessed, thou hast settled in the eternal abode, taking out singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Having served the Lord with all your soul and pleasing him with all your life, you became famous for your piety, for the sake of which the confessor appeared to you of the faith of Christ, blessed Alexandra: remembering the feat of your confession, we cry to you:

Rejoice, you are not afraid of the wickedness of the infidels;

Rejoice, creatures more than the Creator who did not serve.

Rejoice, you did not bow down to the sun and fire in the camp of the godless;

Rejoice, thou who didst preserve thy faith in temptation.

Rejoice, thou who didst not obey the command of the godless;

Rejoice, firm preacher of faith before the unfaithful, revealing himself.

Rejoice, with pure glory, after your confession, you returned to your land;

Rejoice, in all your life you remained faithful to the faith of the fathers.

Rejoice, wisely evading the flattery of heterodoxy;

Rejoice, deceitfulness of the preachers of false faith in reality revealing.

Rejoice, steadfast defender of orthodoxy appearing;

Rejoice, overcoming the false words of the enemies of Orthodoxy with a sound word.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 9

Having obeyed God in everything, as if a good and faithful servant served Him, blessed Alexandra, more than a peer of yours for your land, you worked hard: the same and you were honored to enter into the joy of your Lord, stand before Him now, from the Angels singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The ornate tongue could not praise your deeds, blessed Alexandra, which you did, laying down your soul in brotherhood: humbly remembering your corrections, we bring you a touching song, saying:

Rejoice, sincere zealot of Christian brotherly love;

Rejoice, Moses and Pavlov's love for imitator brethren.

Rejoice, faithful executor of Christ's commandments about love;

Rejoice, and all of us in love for our relatives are a marvelous mentor.

Rejoice, Thou who appears as a reconciliator to those striving for the inheritance of their brethren, by your example more than words;

Rejoice, diligently taking care of the good of the people in your life.

Rejoice, organizer of the common peace in your days;

Rejoice, thou who was expelled by the fear of the invasions of the Tatar people to thy gatherer.

Rejoice, protector of the helpless;

Rejoice, feeder of the poor and hungry.

Rejoice, strong patron of the orphan;

Rejoice, and now all the grieving and needy are powerful intercessors before the Lord.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 10

Although it is possible to save your soul, knowing that, as if he does not have love for God, by any feats and virtues, it is possible to improve salvation, you have acquired the crown of virtues, if there is love for God, standing before Him now, joyfully cry out: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Loving the King of Heaven with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your thought, brought you to Him, blessed Alexandra, after the many different offerings of faith and zeal, I myself live as a sacrifice, holy, pleasing: the same pleasing you, we cry to you:

Rejoice, in your life you served the Lord's deeds with all the godly things;

Rejoice, having crowned your holy life with vows of monasticism.

Rejoice, many temples of God, devastated by the godless, renewing;

Rejoice, thou who didst build up the holy feats of fasting in the monastery.

Rejoice, beloved of those who strive from childhood in piety for the sake of God;

Rejoice, angelic image and pre-chosen for yourself with a pure soul.

Rejoice, consecrating everything to God at the end of your life;

Rejoice, by accepting the schema, with the new name of Alexy, who completely betrayed God to yourself.

Rejoice, thou who revealed the purity of thy heart by the vow of virginity;

Rejoice, having shown the height of your spirit with a vow of non-possession.

Rejoice, having affirmed your whole service to the One God forever by the vow of obedience;

Rejoice, to the crown of the wise and good prince, the bribe of the monk is attracted.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 11

Funeral singing dissolves with tears at your tomb, blessed Alexandra; your people weep for you, the sun of the Russian land, which set at noon, and sobs interrupt their tender song to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light of the glory of the heavenly axis is soon, blessed Alexandra, comforting your weeping people: the same seeing signs and wonders at your tomb, the sons of Russia are worthy of calling you, as if in the prayers of the intercessor; but we, understanding your quick intercession, cry out to you:

Rejoice, servant of God, in the very burial you received glorification from God;

Rejoice, our speedy intercessor, whom our fathers call upon in need and embitterment.

Rejoice, in the fight against the Tatars, help was revealed to Prince Dimitry Donskoy;

Rejoice, Tsar John and the people of Kazan, granting overcoming.

Rejoice, granting healing to all;

Rejoice, return sight to the blind with your prayer.

Rejoice, granting the lame who fall to your tomb to walk;

Rejoice, healer of those who are weakened.

Rejoice, granting deliverance to those possessed by demons;

Rejoice, revive the hopeless with the hope of salvation.

Rejoice, in the ruined mind raise up understanding;

Rejoice, from your tomb you exude a variety of miracles.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 12

Knowing the grace that lives in your incorruptible relics, the people of Vladimir come with love to your holy race and, joyfully kissing me, glorify God for you, glorifying His saints, with tenderness crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing of your virtues and miracles, with joy we meet and see off our fathers to your holy body, always, I relocate your holy relics to a new place of rest in the glorious city of St. with one cry to you:

Rejoice, Russian Joseph, who moved to a new resting place;

Rejoice, protector of all ends of the Russian land.

Rejoice, trustworthy affirmation of Petrov's city;

Rejoice, the same in the battles of Heavenly protector.

Rejoice, invaluable adornment of the northern capitals;

Rejoice, glory and affirmation of your namesake monastery.

Rejoice, give the Russian people health and salvation through your prayers;

Rejoice, O God-wise teacher who put all your hope in you.

Rejoice, monk, like a monk, useful, an example of your life, teaching instruction;

Rejoice, worldly people, as if you have labored in the world, to the leader of the virtue of the hostel.

Rejoice, giving us all the hope of resurrection with your incorruption;

Rejoice, champion of all of us in adversity and sorrow, guardian and liberator.

Rejoice, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra.

Kondak 13

Oh, holy noble Grand Duke Alexandra! From reverent hearts, this song of praise offered to you, if it is unworthy, accept from us, as a zealous sacrifice of hearts that love you and bless your holy memory. Protect us all with your prayers: protect your city and all the people of the Russian land with your intercessions, so that we will inherit eternal bliss in the present age, and together with you and all the saints we will be able to sing to God: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos "With the Angels and all..." and the 1st kontakion "To the Chosen Governor...".

« Two feats of Alexander Nevsky - the feat of warfare in the West and the feat of humility in the East -
had one goal: to preserve Orthodoxy as a moral and political force of the Russian people.
This goal was achieved: the growth of the Russian Orthodox kingdom
happened on the ground prepared by Alexander».

G.V. Vernadsky

December 6(November 23, old style) The Church honors the memory of one of the most famous and revered saints of the Russian land - Holy Right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky. A fearless defender of his fatherland, a wise victorious commander, a subtle diplomat and a skillful ruler, and at the same time a pious Christian and a humble man of prayer, who was honored before the death of a great angelic image - this is how the image of the holy Russian prince appears before us, widely glorified both in church and in a secular environment.

About Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich. From the Facial Chronicle

“This noble and noble, adorned by God and worthy of praise, Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich, the eighth tribe of the autocratic and Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar and Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who enlightened the Russian land with holy baptism, from Rurik the eleventh tribe, for many and glorious virtues, won praise not only from people, but also from God himself; for from a young age and from young nails, he was taught every good deed by his pious father, the God-wise and sovereign Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, and his holy mother, the God-loving Grand Duchess Theodosia, named Euphrosyne in monasticism, by whom he was brought up in all sorts of good instructions. And the fear of God settled in his heart in an effort to keep the commandments of the Lord; for he honored the priestly and monastic order.

Always in his youth, he adhered to humility and abstinence, kept purity of soul and body, increased meekness and avoided vanity, putting a lot of effort into this. He restrained gluttony, for he knew that satiety of the flesh destroys chastity, and interferes with wakefulness, and opposes other virtues. In his mouth were continually divine words, delighting him more than honey and honeycombs. He read them with zeal, and heeded them, and desired to put them into action. His relatives saw that he was succeeding in all virtues, and tried to be useful, and tried in every possible way to please God, seeing how he tried to please God, and, burning with divine heavenly desire, he belittled before people everything good and honest in himself, and did not flaunt his mental prolificacy. And from his great humility in every way he hid his many good deeds.

Although he was glorified by God with the honor of the earthly kingdom and had a wife and children, he acquired humble wisdom more than all people. He was very tall; the beauty of his face was like Joseph the Beautiful; his strength was part of the strength of Samson, and his voice sounded like a trumpet in the people; in courage, he was like the Roman king Vespasian, the son of Nero, who captured the whole land of Judea, gathered his regiments and ordered to proceed to the city of Antipat (Iotapat). The townspeople went out and defeated his regiments; he alone went against them, and turned their army to the gates of the city, and his squad, laughing, said: “Almost they left me alone”? So the Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich won everywhere and was never defeated.

He was very merciful, like his God-protected father Yaroslav, following in his footsteps in everything, he gave a lot of gold and silver for the captives, sending to Tsar Batu in the Horde for the Russian people who were captured by the godless Tatars. He ransomed them and delivered them from fierce slavery and from many troubles and misfortunes.

He himself was always protected by God and from all enemies everywhere remained unharmed, and the Lord glorified him with his mercy to him. And he was terrible and formidable to all enemies, and everywhere they trembled at his name. The wisdom and sharpness of his mind, like Solomon, were given to him by God. Most of all, he honored justice, and often taught his boyars with parables from Divine Scripture, so that first of all they would ask God for wisdom, and refrain from drunkenness, and humble themselves before God, and not forget to judge righteously, and would not be biased in favor of the strong And they would not accept unrighteous wages, and they would not offend anyone, but they would deliver the offended from the hands of the offenders, and they would not take anything more than what was due to them, but they would be satisfied with their dues. And so he spoke many times, sometimes frightening with his power, sometimes reminding of the eternal reward, when at the Last Judgment Christ will reward everyone according to his deeds. The boyars and all the people, seeing the wisdom given to him by God, could not answer anything, but unanimously promised to do as he commanded them. And so courageously and righteously ruled the power given to him by God.

And the fame of him passed through many distant countries, and many aspired to see him. And even then there was a rumor everywhere that the godless Tsar Batu, by God's permission, did a lot of evil to the great Russian land. And where this blessed Alexander and his father Yaroslav ruled, in Veliky Novgorod, some divine power prevented the wicked from reaching there and did not even allow them to approach not only the lands of Veliky Novgorod, but also other lands where they then had to visit and fight with hated enemies - Lithuanians and Germans. And everywhere, by God's permission, these cruel Tatars did not fight against them.

Life of Alexander Nevsky

The Holy Right-Believing Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky was born on May 30, 1220, in the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. He was the second son of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich of Pereyaslavl from Princess Rostislava of Toropets, at the baptism of Theodosius. From early childhood, St. the prince accepted the blessing for military service in the Name of God for the defense of the Russian land. According to the custom of that time, in the fourth year of his life, he received military tonsure from the Bishop of Suzdal Simon, which was performed over him in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city of Pereyaslavl. The ceremony took place in the following way. The boy was placed in front of the royal doors, and a prayer was said over him, in which God's blessing was asked. Then the hair was cut as a sign that the child was dedicated to God. After the ceremony, the boy was put on a horse - this meant his future independence. They were given weapons, usually a bow with arrows, which indicated the duty of a warrior to defend his homeland from external enemies.

The most difficult time in the history of Russia began: the Mongol hordes were coming from the east, knightly hordes were advancing from the west. In this formidable hour, the Providence of God erected for the salvation of Russia the holy prince Alexander - the great warrior-prayer book, ascetic and builder of the Russian land.

"Black Years"-here is the exact name of that era in the history of the Russian land. After the hurricane invasion of the Mongol-Tatar beds of Batu in 1237-1240, when the Russian power was crushed and dozens of cities were devastated, a system of heavy dependence on the Horde conquerors began to take shape, based on fear of new invasions. Novgorod and Pskov lands, fortunately, escaped a devastating defeat. But they experienced a strong onslaught from the Swedes, Germans, Lithuanians.

Rus' turned into a second-rate region of Eastern Europe, weakened, split into many small and weak in the military-political sense of the principalities. It was saved from final disintegration and death by the efforts of a few selfless, gifted and perspicacious individuals, accomplished not without the help of the Heavenly Father. Of these, Alexander Yaroslavovich, nicknamed Nevsky, is the most famous.

In 1227, Prince Yaroslav, at the request of the Novgorodians, began to reign in Novgorod the Great. He took with him his sons, Fedor and Alexander.

In 1228, seven-year-old Alexander was left with his elder brother Theodore and experienced managers, a boyar and a tyun, in Novgorod the Great.-as the official representative of the father. From 1236 to 1240, Alexander Yaroslavovich reigned continuously in Novgorod, fulfilling the will of his father. A huge responsibility fell on the shoulders of Prince Alexander: the defense of the Novgorod borders from warlike neighbors. And those, hoping to take advantage of the difficult situation of Rus', increased pressure on the Novgorod region.

In the summer of 1240, a Swedish flotilla led by Jarl Ulf Fasi and son-in-law of King EricXI Birger Magnusson entered the mouth of the Neva. With them came the Catholic clergy- some "piskups", as well as the militia of the Finno-Ugric peoples of sum and em. The hagiographic tale reports the following about preparations for the battle with the Swedes: the enemy leader “... came to the Neva, intoxicated with madness, and sent his ambassadors, proud, to Novgorod to Prince Alexander, saying: “If you can, defend yourself, for I am already here and ruining the land yours."

Alexander, having heard such words, flared up in his heart and entered the church of Hagia Sophia, and, falling on his knees before the altar, began to pray with tears: “Glorious God, righteous, great God, strong, eternal God, who created heaven and earth and established nations, You commanded to live without transgressing the borders of others. And, remembering the words of the prophet, he said: “Judge, Lord, those who offend me and protect from those who fight with me, take up arms and a shield and stand to help me.”

And, having finished his prayer, he stood up and bowed to the archbishop. The archbishop was then Spiridon, he blessed him and released him. The prince, leaving the church, wiped away his tears and said, in order to encourage his squad: “God is not in power, but in truth. Let us recall the songwriter who said: “Some with weapons, and others on horses, but we call on the name of the Lord our God; they were defeated and fell, but we stood and stand upright.

With a small retinue, the prince hurried to the enemies. But there was a wonderful omen: the warrior Pelgusius, who was in the marine patrol, Philip in holy baptism, saw at dawn on July 15 a boat sailing on the sea, and on it St. martyrs Boris and Gleb in scarlet robes. Alexander, encouraged by the divine vision, courageously led his army against the Swedes. “And there was a great slaughter with the Latins, and he killed their countless multitude, and he put a seal on the leader’s face with a sharp spear.” For this victory on the Neva River, won on July 15, 1240, the people named St. Alexandra Nevsky.

The victory brought great fame to Alexander Yaroslavovich, but in the same year, having quarreled with the Novgorodians, he was forced to leave the city with his family and squad. The townspeople told him, as they had told many princes before him: “Here you are, prince, the path is clear!” And he answered them: “Drive me away? As needed-don't call!"

The words of the unjustly offended prince turned out to be prophetic: not even a year had passed before the Novgorodians, alarmed by the imminent threat from the German knights, sent a second embassy, ​​begging Alexander to return and stand up for them.

The new embassy was given a special solidity: the Archbishop of Novgorod went with them. The very fact of his presence among the veche diplomats shows: Mr. Veliky Novgorod stands on the edge of the abyss and hopes that his envoys will not beg for help, so at least the head of the clergy will admonish the Orthodox brothers.

The father called his son to him for a secret conversation. After that, the young commander reluctantly agreed and received from his father to help the Vladimir-Suzdal squad, led by his younger brother-Prince Andrei Yaroslavich. In 1241, Alexander rode with all his military strength to Novgorod, and "the people of Novgorod were glad", exhausted by the merciless enemy.

In 1241, with a lightning campaign, St. Alexander reclaimed the ancient Russian fortress of Koporye by expelling the knights. In 1242, in the winter, he liberated Pskov, and on April 5, on the feast of the praise of the Most Holy Theotokos - the "Choose Governor" of all Orthodox soldiers, he gave the Teutonic Order a decisive battle on the ice of Lake Peipsi. The Crusaders were completely defeated. The name of St. Alexander became famous throughout Holy Russia.

With his two victories, Prince Alexander Nevsky not only saved Northern Rus' from being conquered by foreigners, but also determined its future fate. Novgorod was not cut off from other parts of Rus', and Orthodoxy was established in it for the coming centuries.

If in relation to the Western conquerors, Prince Alexander Nevsky was unshakable, then in relation to the Tatars, he considered it necessary to pursue a peaceful policy so as not to expose the country to new devastation. When, after the death of his father in 1247, he became a Grand Duke and was summoned by the Khan to the Horde, he asked Metropolitan Kirill's blessing for the trip and vowed to stand for the Orthodox faith. In the Horde, he did not bow to idols and had to make a long journey to Mongolia to the great khan. When the Tatars demanded that the Grand Duke Alexander worship fire and idols, he replied: “I am a Christian, and it is not fitting for me to bow to the creature. I worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, glorified in the Trinity, who created heaven and earth.” But, interceding for his land, he paid honor to the khan himself, as a powerful earthly king, and managed to achieve various benefits for Rus'. Batu, as contemporaries say, "marveled at him and told his nobles:" they told me the truth that there is no other similar Prince "and let him go to Rus' with great honor."

This is how this event is described in the Personal Chronicle of Ivan the Terrible.

“In the same summer (1247), the wicked Tsar Batu, hearing the noble courage and invincible courage of the God-protected Grand Duke Alexander, his numerous glorious victories over opponents, and sent his ambassadors to him, saying: “The most famous among the Russian sovereigns, Prince Alexander! I know, you know that God has subdued many nations to me, and all obey my authority, and of all you alone do not want to submit to my power? Think, if you want to keep your land intact, hurry to come to me immediately, you will see the glory and honor of my kingdom, and you will gain something useful for yourself and your land. The God-wise Grand Duke Alexander reasoned that his holy father Yaroslav did not go to the Horde for the sake of a temporary kingdom and there he gave his life for piety and for all his people, and by this he acquired the Kingdom of Heaven. So blessed Alexander became like the good zeal of his pious father and decided to go to the Horde for the sake of delivering Christians. And he came to the glorious city of Vladimir with a large army; terrible was his coming, about which then the news reached the mouth of the Volga, his menacing wives of the Moabites frightened their children, saying: "Be silent, the great prince Alexander will come." Without hesitation, having only stayed there a little and taking a blessing from Bishop Cyril, he rushed on his way.

And he came to Tsar Batu, and everywhere the grace of God sanctified him. King Batu, when he saw him, was surprised and said to his nobles: “Truly they told me that there is no one like this prince” and showed him honors, bestowed many gifts on the prince. So God protects His chosen ones, which He also puts into the thoughts of the wicked, so that they are ashamed and revered.

Then he sent the prince with his brother Andrei Yaroslavich to the khanoviches.

In matters of faith, the Grand Duke was also unshakable before the ambassadors of Pope Innocent IV, who in 1251 tried to convince the great one to submit to the Roman throne, referring to the fact that his father allegedly promised to do so. But he rejected the offer and said that he was instructed in the right faith and would not accept their teachings.

The hagiographic story reports: once ambassadors from the pope from great Rome came to him (Alexander Yaroslavich) with these words: “Our dad says this: We heard that you are a worthy and glorious prince and your land is great. That's why they sent you two of the smartest cardinals out of the twelve-Agaldad and Remont, so that you listen to their speeches about the law of God.

Prince Alexander, having thought with his wise men, wrote him the following answer: “From Adam to the flood, from the flood to the division of peoples, from the mixing of peoples to the beginning of Abraham, from Abraham to the origin of the Israelites through the sea, from the exodus of the sons of Israel to the death of King David, from the beginning of the reign of Solomon to Augustus and until the Nativity of Christ, from the Nativity of Christ and to His crucifixion and Resurrection, from His Resurrection to the Ascension into heaven and to the reign of Konstantinov, from the beginning of the reign of Konstantinov to the First Council and the Seventh-We are well aware of all this, but we will not accept teachings from you.” They also returned home.

Upon his return to Rus', Grand Duke Alexander began to restore the destroyed temples and monasteries. He had to fight with the western neighbors - the Lithuanians, who were pagans. Thanks to his labors, Christianity penetrated the borders inhabited by Lithuanian tribes, and Russian influence was established there. In relation to his brethren, he was distinguished by special long-suffering and always avoided the shedding of Christian blood. Whatever enmity connected him with the rival princes, he did not raise weapons against them and did not gather regiments.

During one of the trips to Batu, St. the prince converted the khan's son Sartak to Christ, becoming his sworn brother. And since Sartak at that time managed the affairs of the Horde for the decrepitude of his formidable father, Alexander Nevsky received seniority over all Russian princes - this contributed to the unification of Rus' under the unified authority of the Grand Duke. Thus was laid the foundation of the future Muscovite state. Peaceful relations with the Khan led to the fact that in 1261, through the efforts of St. Alexander and Metropolitan Kirill in Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde, the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church was established. Thus, the era of the great Russian Christianization of pagan Eurasia opened. Subsequently, after liberation from the yoke, many of the Tatar nobility adopted Orthodoxy and laid the foundation for the famous noble families in the Russian Empire.

In 1262, the people of Suzdal and Rostov, not tolerating the Tatar tribute collectors, raised an uprising against them. Rumors were spread that the Grand Duke Alexander himself sent letters to the cities, calling on the “Tatars to beat”. The rebellious people, despite their just hatred of the oppressors, limited themselves only to killing the most ferocious predators, and therefore there were few killed. They were waiting for Tatar revenge. But God directed events in a completely different direction: referring to the Russian uprising, Khan Berke stopped sending tribute to Mongolia and proclaimed the Golden Horde an independent state. In this great combination of Russian and Tatar lands, the foundation of the future multinational Russian state was laid.

Saint Prince Alexander again had to go to the Horde in order to propitiate the khan and save Rus' from the retribution of the Tatars for the uprising. A peace treaty was concluded, but on the way back from the Horde, Saint Alexander fell mortally ill: according to some version, he was secretly poisoned by the Tatars. Before reaching Vladimir, in Gorodets, in a monastery, the forty-three-year-old prince-ascetic gave up his spirit to the Lord on November 14, 1263, completing his difficult life path by accepting the holy monastic schema with the name Alexy. His holy body was transferred to Vladimir, to the Nativity Monastery, where Metropolitan Kirill and the clergy were buried. In the funeral sermon, Metropolitan Kirill said: “Know, my child, that the sun of the land of Suzdal has already set. There will be no more such a prince in the Russian land.

The life story about Alexander Yaroslavovich tells about the posthumous miracle that took place at his burial: “It was then a marvelous miracle and worthy of memory. When his holy body was laid in the tomb, then Sebastian the Economist and Cyril the Metropolitan wanted to unclench his hand in order to put in a spiritual letter. He, as if alive, stretched out his hand and took the letter from the Metropolitan's hand. And confusion seized them, and they slightly retreated from his tomb. This was announced to everyone by Metropolitan and Economist Sevastyan. Who would not be surprised at such a miracle, because the body of the soul left him and he was taken from distant lands in the winter. And so God glorified his saint.”

Russian Faith Library
Instruction for the memory of St. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky. Great Menaion Cheti →

Troparion and kontakion to Saint Alexander Nevsky

Troparion, tone 4.

Like a pious root, an honorable branch be blessed Alexandra, for Christ is the Russiness of the land of the new miracle worker, like some kind of treasure is glorious and God-pleasing. That day, having come together in faith and love, in psalms and singing, rejoicing, we glorify the Lord, who gave you the grace of healing. Pray him to save this city, and to the power of your kinsman, to be pleasing to God, and to be saved by the sons of the Russians.

Kontakion, tone 8.

Like the star of thee, having shone on the Russ of the earth, today we will honor. Having enriched this whole country with miracles and kindness, enlighten with faith those who honor Your memory, blessed Alexandra. Thus, we cry out to your people, pray to Christ God to save your fatherland, the power of Russian princes, and all your relics flowing to the race, and rightly crying out to you, rejoice in the city of our intercession.

Russian Faith Library
→

Temples in Rus' in the name of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky

In the name of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, a chapel of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin was consecrated. At the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries, on the site of the existing cathedral, there was a wooden Church of the Annunciation on a stone foundation. At the end of the 14th century, a small white-stone church with a basement was erected instead. In 1484, the old one was dismantled and rebuilt. The construction of the new cathedral was carried out until August 1489. Pskov architects, who built it, managed to give the temple an impressiveness, perfectly combined with exquisite decorativeness. In 1563-1564, by order of Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible (1530-1584), the Cathedral of the Annunciation was rebuilt.

Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin

In the name of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, the chapel of the Spaso-Prilutsky monastery in Vologda was consecrated. The Spassky Cathedral of the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery, built in 1537-42, is the first stone church not only in the monastery itself, but in the whole of Vologda. Until 1537, on the site of the current Spassky Cathedral, there was a wooden cathedral of the same name. A wooden temple in the name of the All-Merciful Savior and the feast of the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross was erected on the site chosen by him for the construction of the monastery, still the Monk Demetrius of Prilutsky. When the wooden cathedral burned down, a stone one was built. During the Soviet years, the monastery was plundered. In the 1930s, the monastery was a transit prison for the dispossessed, who were transported to the northern camps of the Gulag, in the 1950s and 70s, the territory of the former monastery was occupied by military warehouses. Only in 1975-79 the central group of monuments with the adjacent territory after the restoration, which began in 1954, became a branch of the Vologda State Museum-Reserve. Thanks to the scientific restoration carried out in 1954-1975, the monuments of the 16th-17th centuries. the intended original appearance was returned. Currently, the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery is active.

Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery in Vologda

Posthumous glorification of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky

Already at the end of the 13th century, popular veneration of Alexander Yaroslavovich began. His body rested in the Vladimir Mother of God-Nativity Monastery. This monastery has long been considered "the first in honor" among the monasteries of North-Eastern Rus'. In the 1280s, the Tale of the Life and Courage of the Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky was born, subsequently it became extremely popular and became part of the Russian chronicles. The Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir Dmitry Ivanovich, nicknamed Donskoy for the victory on the Kulikovo field, in the fall of 1380 transferred the relics of Alexander Nevsky to a special tomb inside the same Vladimir Nativity Monastery of the Mother of God. When the relics were opened, they found them incorrupt. At the end of the 15th century, the relics were damaged by fire.

Saint Alexander Nevsky, with life. End of the 17th century Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral), Moscow
Alexander Nevsky, with scenes from his life. Early 19th century Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts

On February 26, 1547, under Metropolitan Macarius, at a church cathedral in Moscow, the official all-Russian glorification of Alexander Nevsky as a saint took place. At the same time, a special day of remembrance was established - November 23. The canon to the saint was compiled by monk Michael of Vladimir.

Peter 1 ordered the relics of Alexander Nevsky to be transported to the new capital. During 1723-1724 they were kept in Shlisselburg, and then found their final resting place. They became the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Convent. The transfer of the tomb and relics of St. Alexander Nevsky took place on August 30, 1724. In 1725, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was established, which became one of the highest awards of the Russian Empire.

Supreme patronage of Prince Alexander Nevsky

Throughout Russian history, Russian soldiers asked the holy protector of our state for help on the eve of the most dangerous battles. So, in 1380, before the Battle of Kulikovo, the victory was preceded by the following miracle. The sexton, who reverently served at the monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God, was granted a special vision: at night, on the eve of the battle with Mamai, he stood at prayer in the church porch and with tears prayed to the Lord and His Blessed Mother for deliverance from foreigners, calling for help and the knight Nevsky, the eternal representative and protector of his people. Suddenly he sees: at the tomb of St. Alexander, candles were lit by themselves, two adored elders left the altar and, approaching the tomb of St. warrior, they said: “Prince Alexandra! Rise up and help your great-grandson Demetrius, who is being overcome by foreigners. Then St. Alexander rose as if alive from the grave, and all three disappeared from the astonished gaze of the embarrassed minister of the church. The next morning, with the help of St. Alexandra was the first great Russian victory against the Tatar hordes.

In a similar way, assistance was provided in 1571, during the invasion of Moscow by the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray. In 1812, during the Battle of Borodino, and in 1941, when the Germans were approaching Moscow, they just as zealously resorted in prayers to St. Alexander, as to the great Russian governor. It should be noted that the turning point in the famous battle near Moscow, which then decided the fate of the entire Russian people, fell just on the day of memory of its holy commander: for example, on December 5, the troops of the Kalinin Front (Colonel General I. S. Konev), and on December 6 - The Western (General of the Army G.K. Zhukov) and the right wing of the Southwestern Fronts (Marshal S.K. Timoshenko) launched a counteroffensive against Nazi Germany.

The famous Russian historian N.M. Karamzin wrote that the Russian people included Alexander Nevsky in the face of their guardian angels: he was always revered as one of the greatest figures in the history of Rus'.

Alexander Yaroslavovich is famous for the fact that he accepted the Russian ship half-broken, sitting firmly on pitfalls, with holes in the sides, and honestly worked to save it. He tirelessly pumped out water, patched holes, fought off marauders, standing knee-deep in icy waters. Moreover, he did not turn into a bloodthirsty beast, to which the harshest conditions in which he had to exercise his power inclined, but remained a truly Christian sovereign.

And what?

The ship did not sink. Here is the main result!

The ship left the stones and slowly, slowly, under one sail, where there used to be three, and with a dozen rowers, where fifty used to sit, but still continued sailing.

And therefore-a deep bow to the sovereign Alexander Yaroslavich, an honest Russian man who took on his shoulders a heavy burden and responsibly carried this burden until the deadline, until God Himself freed the prince from hardships. He did his job right. Low bow!

Note: The italic text is literally based on the book "Alexander Nevsky" by Dmitry Volodikhin.