Vasily Klyuchevsky: “A name of Sergius of Radonezh became a ethical mover and added to the spiritual wealth of the people”

May 3, 2017 marks the 703rd anniversary of the birth of the great devotee, a monk-priest Sergius of Radonezh. There are rare editions dedicated to the life of the reverend, which was an illustration of real feat of service to the native land, in the Presidential Library website.

In the book by I. Morev of 1893 St. Sergius of Radonezh, the great ascetic and one who felt for others on the Russian land describes in detail personality becoming of one of the most revered saints, canonized by the Russian Church. He was born on May 3, 1314, in the Varnitsy village near Rostov. At baptism, the future saint received the name Bartholomew. “While a boy, - the author writes, - he was not like other children. So, he completely shied away from children's games and amusements, avoided jokes, laughter and idle talk. But especially he surprised his parents with his fast and abstinence.” Approximately in 1328 the future monk-priest with his family moved to Radonezh. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew and his elder brother Stefan distanced themselves in desert, but his brother could not stand his seclusion, went to Moscow and joined the brotherhood of the Epiphany Monastery.

“On October 7, 1342, Bartholomew went through ceremony of taking of monastic vows, and he received the name of Sergius, whose memory is celebrated by the church on that day,” – Morev writes.

“People who heard about the holy life of Sergius and wanted to have an example and guidance in spiritual living, began to ask a permission of settling to live near him,” – according to the book entitled In a memory of the 500th anniversary of our Saint and God-bearing Father Sergius of Radonezh and the Miracle-Worker of All-Russia, released in 1894. It also says: “Allowed to build the cabins near the monastic cell, newcomers were watching an example of his fast life. He built three or four cells with his own hands, chopped wood and carried it himself to the cells to relieve the brethren, grinded in millstones and baked bread, cooked food, sewed clothes and shoes; he carried water using two carriers on his own ramparts up the hill to the everyone’s cells… Many came to seek a salvation under his peaceful shelter, and he never rejected anyone, neither rich nor wretched, according to the Gospel word.”

Sergius of Radonezh “with his low and gentle words” could influence the most brutal and fierce hearts, often reconciling the warring parties. Sergei greatly contributed with his ethical authority to the political successes of the Moscow State during the reign of Grand Duke Dmitry Ioannovich Donskoy. The most important event of the XIV century - the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 and the victory in it - was attributed by his contemporaries to the prayers of St. Sergius: before relocating from Moscow to the battle, on August 18, Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy came with boyars and military heads to the Trinity Monastery to ask the blessing of hegumen of Radonezh. “The Saint of God blessed Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ioannovich on the fight with the enemies, strengthened his bravery by the hope of victory. “My lord, go fearlessly! God will help you against faithless enemies!” - he said to the Grand Duke, instructing him with his prayers on the march,” - as written in the book St. Sergius of Radonezh, the great ascetic and one who felt for others on the Russian land.

“Saint Sergius raised the fallen spirit of his native people, awakened theirs confidence, forces, breathed a belief into their future with the example of his own life, the height of his spirit, - Vasily Klyuchevsky wrote in his “Historical Portraits” book from the Presidential Library. He came out of our nation, was flesh from our flesh and bone from our bones, but has risen to such a height, which we never expected to get achieved to anyone from the amount of us.”

The Presidential Library as a center for collecting the documents on the history of Russian statehood pays great attention to materials that tell about the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and its saints, about relations between the state and the church for many centuries. Fundamental works issued from the pen of significant church figures and historians of the church are amassed in the electronic collection on The History of the Russian Orthodox Church. A great amount of work is going on digitization the archives of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, and the documents of the Most Holy Synod, which from 1837 to 1917 was located in a building on 3 Senate Square, currently accommodating the Presidential Library.