saints in Russia from time immemorial became God-fearing and simple peasant-farmers, merchants and wealthy, highly moral and virtuous woman, and glorified the rulers.Russian Orthodox people honoring their patron God, trust in the protection of the heavenly saints, seeks and finds in them the support in their own spiritual path.
brief biography Serene Masters
Christianity in Russia has a lot of great Saints defenders.Patriarch Hermogenes is undoubtedly one of the most significant personalities of the history of Russian Christianity.Much of the biography of this man is not fully understood.Until now, historians are intense debates about significant milestones of his life and destiny.
biography Patriarch Hermogenes full of guesswork.It is known that he was born in Kazan, was named named Ermolai.The exact date of the appearance of his birth is unknown, historians date it to 1530.About the social origins of the patriarch definitive data are not available.According to one version, Hermogenes belongs to the genus Rurik-Shumsky, on the other - he comes from the Don Cossacks.Historians are more inclined to believe that the future St. Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow was still a commoner, he is most likely a simple descendant "of the people."
First Steps Hermogenes Orthodoxy
Ermolai began his service in the Kazan Savior-Transfiguration Monastery ordinary cleric.Parish priest of the church of St. Nicholas Kazan, he became in 1579, participated in the ceremony of finding the face of the Mother of God of Kazan, and wrote "The Tale of the phenomenon and the wonders of soluble image of Our Lady of Kazan", subsequently sent to Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
few years later Hermogenes takes monasticism and soon becomes the first abbot, and then Archimandrite Kazan Savior-Transfiguration Monastery.Erection Hermogenes bishop and the appointment of Metropolitan Kazan and Astrakhan took place in May 1589.
in this role for a long time, and it is almost 18 years old, Hermogenes working hard.With his assistance, created for the tomb of the local clergy, is actively popularize the (often violent) of Christianity among the peoples of the Volga.Whole families were resettled converts into special settlements under the supervision of Russian Orthodox.
Christianity was spread in Russia, to put it mildly, not very loyal and humane means, to the rebellious "pagans" were allowed to use physical punishment, pads and detention in jail.In the charter, dated January 1592, it sets out the Metropolitan Patriarch Job's insistence that the all Orthodox churches were established remembrance of Christian martyrs and soldiers who laid down their heads in the defense of Kazan in 1552.
Father Hermogenes took part in the ceremony of transfer of the holy relics of the German capital city of Kazan in the town of Sviyazhsk, which took place in 1592.The story of the patriarch Hermogen would not be complete without a mention of his great contribution to the construction on the land of Kazan Orthodox churches and monasteries, about his participation in coronation of Boris Godunov and the public, with the participation of a huge number of people praying at the wall of the Novodevichy Convent.
Formation patriarch
In 1605 the Russian throne briefly occupied the False Dmitry I - rogue, pretending to be Prince Dmitry, and are in fact escaped from Chudov Monastery deacon Grishka Otrepyev.Metropolitan Hermogenes was called nouveau "sovereign" to the court for the rank of senator, but was subjected to disgrace because of the fact that the Polish mistress demanded baptism Falsdmitry Marina Mniszek before "sovereign" to marry her.
May 17, 1606, after a short reign, False Dmitry was ousted from the Russian throne and his place was taken by the last of the kind of Rurik - SHUISKI.One of his first decisions was deposed Patriarch Ignatius (incidentally, a former protege of Polish) and the construction of Metropolitan of Kazan and Astrakhan to the rank of Patriarch of All Russia.Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the obstacles to this decision were not repaired.In this position, Patriarch Hermogenes was an active church-political activities aimed at strengthening the Russian Orthodox Church in the country.
Great protege of the Christian faith, alone against a whole host of enemies of Russia, Patriarch Hermogenes, a brief biography is not able to accommodate the description of his life, great things, beginnings, his great unshakable faith in God, his impregnable firmness in his convictions, inhistorians rightly called "a solid diamond" and "a new prophet" of the Russian land.
political situation in Russia
Patriarch Hermogenes, photo icons Highness:
political situation in the State Russian at that time was very unstable.The throne passed from one hand to another, with catastrophic speed.As long as one of the nights in May 1606 the highest boyars, led by Basil Shuisky (representative of a noble prince's birth, a descendant of the princes of Suzdal, the last representative of the kind of Rurik) no organized conspiracy.
aim was the overthrow of the Russian throne with the False Dmitry I and enthronement Basil Shuisky.To accomplish this, all of the capital's casemates secretly released prisoners handed them weapons, and in the early morning over Moscow echoed alarming alarm, invited the people to the Red Square.
Russian people are tired of Polish oppression, the crowd poured onto the streets to the waiting arms of the boyars.While is huge, bloodthirsty crowd rushed to the massacre of the Poles, the backbone of the conspirators, led by Shuisky, he broke into the sovereign's chambers and brutally murdered False Dmitry I. 1 June 1606 Shuya officially took the throne at the unconditional support of the Russian Orthodox Church.In order to persuade the people of the correctness of that decision, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia gave permission for the export of capital in Uglich relics of the Tsarevich Dmitry, who were put on public display June 3 of that year.
Troubled times
However, this measure did not produce proper results.Barely three months after the events described, both in Russia began to spread the rumor about the miraculous rescue Dmitry, that he allegedly managed to escape from the hands of the conspirators.The newly buzzed with displeasure the Russian land.The troops assembled in the north of the state refused to obey the king.Only one Patriarch Hermogenes in the troubled times for the Russian land was near the anointed of God, the king of Basil.
situation around the new Russian sovereign became increasingly unstable, many support the Shuisky boyars and the clergy previously turned away from him and only Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow, who have often been subjected to attacks and humiliation, stoically continued to defend the king.An example is an incident that occurred in winter 1609, when an attempt deposition Shumsky crowd rushed to the Kremlin to persuade the Tsar Vasily boyars away, Patriarch Hermogenes was captured and taken to the place of execution.
And even now, in the midst of the raging crowd the old man was trying to appease God's righteous word of the people, to convince "not to give in to the devil's seduction."This time, the coup failed, largely due to the wisdom and firmness of speech, the patriarch said.Still, about three hundred people managed to escape the treacherous in a new encampment in Tushino pretender.
turning point in Russian Troubles
Meanwhile, in the state of events began to occur to facilitate change in the flow of the Troubles.One cold winter days in February 1609 SHUISKI enters into a contract with the Swedish ruler Charles IX.Swedish detachment of soldiers was sent to Novgorod and placed under the command of the king's nephew magistrates Skopin-Shumsky.
combined so Russian and Swedish armed forces successfully attacked the army Tushino pretender, expelled them from the north-west Russia.Signing Shuiski and Charles IX of the contract and the entry on the Russian land Swedish armed forces gave impetus to the beginning of open military offensives Polish King Sigismund on Russia.In the autumn of the same year, the Polish army came to Smolensk, hoping to easily capture the city.But there it was!
Smolensk courageously and valiantly, almost two long years, resisted the onslaught of the Poles.In the end, most of the Polish Army relocated from the Tushino to the besieged Smolensk, and at the end of the year from Tushino to Kaluga ran himself an impostor.In early spring 1610 the camp was finally defeated the rebels, and on March 12 metropolitan people enthusiastically met army Skopin-Shumsky.The threat of taking the trouble-makers in Moscow over, but that does not mean the end of the war at once with two aggressors - lurking in Kaluga and impostor who had settled firmly at Smolensk Sigismund.
Regulation Shumsky at this time strengthened somewhat, when he suddenly dies, his nephew Hero Skopin-Shumsky.His death leads to a truly catastrophic event.Russian army advanced to Smolensk against the Poles, under the command of his brother the emperor completely destroyed near the village Klushino.Getman Zolkiewski led the Polish troops were to occupy Moscow and Mozhaisk.Pretender, collecting the remains of troops quickly moved towards the capital from the south.
dethroned king of Basil.Opala Patriarch
All these fatal event sealed the fate of Basil Shuisky.In mid-summer 1610 rebels infiltrated the Kremlin seized the boyars, Patriarch Hermogenes shouting the overthrow of the king, was forcibly removed from the Kremlin.Lord of the Church again unsuccessfully to calm the raging crowd, this time she did not hear him.The last king belonged to an ancient race Rurik was deposed from the throne of Russia, the power of a monk and "exiled" in Miracles Monastery located (to its destruction) in the eastern part of the Kremlin to the royal square.
Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and is not denied by serving God and Tsar Vasily, who in spite of everything considered true anointed to the Russian throne.Receiving the tonsure Shumsky he did not recognize because of the fact that a prerequisite for the commission is the pronunciation of words vows vow aloud directly to those who became a monk.
In the case of the word Basil vows renouncing all worldly prince spoke Tyufyakin - one of the rebels forcibly overthrew the king from his throne.Incidentally, Patriarch Hermogenes was subsequently Tyufyakina called a monk.In the deposition Shumsky, according to historians, end the state-political activities of the Lord begins his earnest ministry of Orthodoxy.
power in the capital fully captured boyars.Patriarch falls into disgrace, the government has received the nickname "Seven Boyars" deaf to all the requirements, initiatives, tips and tricks Hermogenes.And yet, despite the suddenly deafened boyars, at this time his calls sounded more loudly and firmly, that gives a strong impetus to the revival of Russia "diabolical dream."
The struggle for the throne after the deposition
Vasily boyars stood before the important question - who do the new tsar of Russia.To address this issue Zemsky Sobor was convened, at which point of view between the rulers divided.Hermogenes persisted in their opinion the return to the throne Basil Shuisky, well, or failing that to the anointing of one of the princes Golitsyn or infant son, Metropolitan of Rostov Mikhail Romanov.
As prompted by the patriarch in all Orthodox churches are doing prayers to God for electing the Russian tsar.Boyars, in turn, argue for the election to the Russian throne, the son of a Polish ruler Sigismund, prince Vladislav.The Poles seemed to them the lesser evil compared to the self-styled False Dmitry II and his Tushino "army."Only one Patriarch realized how disastrous for Russia will be the chosen path of the boyars.
do not listen Hermogenes boyars began to negotiate with the Polish government.The result of these talks was the agreement of the council of seven to Prince Wladyslaw anointing to reign.And here the patriarch showed all the hardness of his character.He put forward a number of stringent conditions - Vladislav can not become a Russian tsar without taking them of the Orthodox faith, the baptism of Prince must occur prior to the arrival of Moscow, married Vladislav would have only a Russian girl, to cease all relations with the Catholic Pope and katolizizmom in all its manifestations.Sent to the Poles with these requirements, the ambassadors returned without a clear answer on what the Patriarch said that in the event of Prince baptized no further talks about anointing him on the throne speech will not be carried out.
Betrayal Semiboyarshina
again to Sigismund sent an embassy headed by Metropolitan Filaret and Prince Golitsyn with clear instructions to strongly demand from the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church Vladislav decision.Hermogenes blessed ambassadors, giving mandate to stand firm on this requirement, and not to succumb to any tricks of the Polish king.
Then Patriarch been new impact.September 21 night, nobles treacherously opened the gates of the capital of the Polish forces led by Hetman Zolkiewski.Bishop tried to rebel this action.But the boyars of all resentment patriarch said that there is nothing of the church to meddle in worldly.Sigismund himself decided to take the Russian throne, in fact, just join Russia to Speech Pospolitnoy.Quite a number of boyars wished to swear allegiance to the Polish king.In turn, the Russian ambassador firmly fulfilled the mandate of the patriarch, steadfastly defending the national interests of the Russian state and the Orthodox Christianity.
One day Lord Germagen addressed to the Russian people, encouraging them to lay to oppose the election of a Polish ruler Tsar of Russia.Hot filled with righteousness patriarch it achieved its goal, he has found an echo in the soul of the Russian people.
boyars sent another letter with the consent of the vzoshestvii of King Sigismund, but due to lack of her signature Serene Patriarch of Russian ambassadors expressed that for centuries on Russian soil any case, state whether or worldly, began with the Council of the Orthodox clergy.And it is the stake in the current hard times left the Russian state without a king, then be the main arbiter except patriarch Bole nobody without his orders to allow any business impossible.The enraged Sigismund stopped all negotiations, the ambassadors returned to Moscow.
winter evening in 1610 False Dmitry II was brutally murdered, prompting jubilation among the present Russian people.Increasingly they began to be calls for the expulsion of the Poles from the Russian land.To have survived some of the evidence the Poles themselves this time.They say that the Patriarch of Moscow secretly distributed by city mandates, which encourages people to rally, and soon advancing to the capital for the protection of the Christian Orthodox faith and the expulsion of foreign invaders.
Monument to Patriarch Hermogenes in the Red Square in Moscow:
hardness of faith and heroism Patriarch
Again Patriarch Hermogenes stole threat.Polish traitors and stooges of the patriarch decided to separate from the world, to stop the report appeals to the people of the patriarch.
January 16, 1611 in the courtyard of the patriarchal Soviet troops were brought farmstead plundered, and the Lord subjected to humiliation and ridicule.But despite the almost complete isolation, calls the Russian Orthodox Church of St. distributed among the people.Cities of Russia, which has again risen to the protection of the state.Militia rushed to the walls of the capital to release it from Polish invaders.In February 1611 the Patriarch of traitors deposed and imprisoned him in a dark dungeon of Chudov monastery, where starved and otherwise degrading.
Bishop Hermogenes martyred January 17, 1612.Although historians and in this regard are not divided.According to some accounts, the Patriarch died from hunger, on the other - it deliberately poisoned by carbon monoxide or brutally strangled.
