Day of Remembrance of Andrei Bogolyubsky on the Orthodox Calendar

The Russian land is rich in talented, intelligent people, ahead of their time in development and striving for good institutions in the territory of Kievan Rus and the Russian state. The multitude of spiritual pillars of the Orthodox faith, ascetics, martyrs and righteous people who illuminated their lives according to the commandments of God's darkness of idolatry, paganism, who gave us their blessed help and their intercession before the Lord God, praying in heaven for their earthly homeland and children of the Orthodox Church, are still an example of piety , Righteousness and unbending character in the face of the enemies of the Church.

One of such great people of his time is the holy pious Andrei Bogolyubsky, whose memory day falls on July 17.

Pedigree

In the 12th century, in Kievan Rus, the Rurik dynasty was in power . Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky is a direct descendant of Prince Vladimir Monomakh, his grandson. The father of the future saint was Yuri Dolgoruky, and the mother of the daughter of Polovtsian khan, princess.

The beginning of the way

From a young age, Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky, whose memory day falls on July 17, took part in the administration of the Suzdal Principality, helping his father solve complex issues and problems peacefully. After the transfer of the Kiev princedom to the power of his father, Prince Andrew goes to Vyshgorod to reign, while actively participating in military campaigns, bravely fighting with the enemy.

The origins of the idea of a new statehood

At that time in Kievan Rus power was passed from generation to generation according to seniority. Thus, the oldest man in the family ruled Kiev, and his children, brothers and sons occupied other principalities. When the eldest person died in the family, his place was occupied by the second most senior member of the family, and all the other princes moved to another city and ruled there as long as the elder brother was alive.

Such a system of succession to the throne of the throne was called the lefthand law. She was very uncomfortable in terms of the need to change her residence several times during her life. But the most important thing was not even that. The attitude of princes to people living in the territory they controlled was built primarily on a consumer basis. Regardless of how the prince behaved in this or that patrimony, he knew that with the death of the elder in the family the whole system of government would shift, and he would receive more rich lands.

From early youth, the prince saw quarrels arising between relatives in the struggle for power in the rich principalities, disputes over the priority of inheriting the best lands.

Princedom in the Vladimir-Suzdal Lands

Most of the life of the prince takes place in the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. He rules them before moving to the Kiev throne.

The embodiment of the idea of a new statehood

At this time, he builds a model of public administration based on responsibility before the people, love and respect for others, poor brothers and poor people. Saint Bogolyubsky, whose memory day falls on July 17, was distinguished by a wise and just government, developed trade and state institutions of power. After the death of his father took his place in Kiev in 1169-1175.

Righteous Life

During the reign of the principality of Kiev, Andrei Bogolyubsky had to face the open hostility of relatives who wanted to take away the rich Kiev lands from him, so he secretly left the altar with the image of the Blessed Virgin, presented to his father, Yuri Dolgoruky, the Patriarch of Constantinople. This image was kept in Vyshgorod, in the patrimonial estate of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles princess of Russian Olga.

This circumstance was preceded by amazing events. Seeing the endless quarrels between the Russian princes, Andrei Bogolyubsky (commemorated on July 17) prayed earnestly to the Most-Pure Theotokos. Several times this icon was found hanging in the air, inviting to go on a journey. Prince Andrew liked the north-eastern lands of Kievan Rus more than others. There he sent his way. Miraculously, in the middle of the road, the horses started, not wanting to move forward or backward. After the service to the prince Andrew, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to the prince, who ordained a temple and a monastery on this site. The prince immediately reacted to the command, laid the white-stone church and ordered the icon painters to write the image of the Most-Pure Virgin in the form in which it appeared to him. Thus appeared the image of the Bogolyubsky Mother of God. After the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the horses were able to continue their journey and brought the prince to Vladimir, which Andrey Bogolyubsky decided to make the northern capital of Russia.

Saint Bogolyubsky (the day of remembrance on July 17) inherited from his grandfather Vladimir Monomakh deep concentration in prayer and spiritual life, love and diligence to church services, the habit of constantly checking his life with the Holy Scripture, in every way praying to the Lord God and intercession The saints. Differing from his youth a special aspiration for a righteous life, he was a merciful ruler. In those days, scattered princedoms in the southern lands of Russia often suffered from attacks by the hordes of nomads who ravaged the villages, sweeping away everything in their path, from rampaging prince's squads who plundered and oppressed the peasants. Therefore, more and more exhausted, hungry people, deprived of shelter, clothing, food and drink, were drawn to more peaceful lands. Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky accepted all with love and joy, endowed with lands, was generous in charity. Thanks to rich donations to monasteries, churches and indigent people, Andrei Bogolyubsky, whose memory day the Orthodox Church celebrates on July 17, has won their love, respect and devotion. For the period of the reign of the prince it is necessary to establish the church feast of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is so beloved and revered by ordinary people.

The prince worked especially hard on enlightening the Russian people in the Orthodox faith, converted the orthodox Bulgarians to Orthodoxy, strove to destroy the pagan traditions rooted in the people. His works were opened new Orthodox schools, developed icon painting skills. The day of Andrei Bogolyubsky's memory is an occasion to recall the development of Orthodoxy in the Vladimir-Suzdal lands, which rallyed the people and gradually became deeper into the everyday life of the population. Thus, the northeastern lands of Kievan Rus have become the center of spiritual enlightenment and a new state system. The Andrei Bogolubsky Memorial Day is a particularly revered holiday here.

Founder of Russian cities

On the site of the miraculous appearance of the Blessed Virgin on the way to Vladimir, the prince founded a city called Bogolyubovo. In addition to him, the prince was founded several more cities: Dmitrov, Konyatin and Kostroma.

Construction of churches and cathedrals

In total, during the reign of Andrew Bogolyubsky, at his disposal, more than 30 temples were erected. One of them is the grandiose Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, in which the miraculous image of the Virgin, named Vladimirsky, is kept. Until now it is considered the greatest shrine of the entire Russian people, so long, carefully, with love, collected by the prince in one great state, united by the Orthodox faith. The day of Andrei Bogolyubsky's memory is honored in the church at the Golden Gate, and in the Church of the Savior in Vladimir, which were also founded by him.

Death of the Prince

After the execution of a close relative of Andrei Bogolyubsky's wife, her brothers, wishing to take revenge, entered into a conspiracy with the servants of the prince's court. A total of 16 people gathered. On the day of the alleged murder, one of the prince's servants secretly carried out a sword from the chambers of the prince, who was constantly kept there. Drinking wine for courage, in the evening of the same day, the conspirators broke into the prince's rooms, killed all the guards and, knocking the door into the ruler's chambers, attacked him unarmed with swords and spears, began to cut and stab him. After a brief resistance, the weakened and wounded prince fell to the floor. The murderers decided that he was dead, and hastened to leave the prince's chambers, but the prince was still alive. He began to call for protection. Hearing the cries and moans, the conspirators returned and finished their black business. The prince's body was dragged out of the chambers and thrown into the garden. Only the next day the faithful servant of Prince Kosma found a lifeless body and, covering it with a carpet, carried it to the porch of the Assumption Cathedral.

On the day of the funeral to say goodbye to him came the myriad of bitterly weeping peasants and ordinary people, whom the pious prince had time to help.

The day of memory of Andrei Bogolyubsky falls on July 4, according to the old style and 17 on the new. On this day, according to legend, the funeral of the prince passed.

The coincidence of historical events

Thus, Saint Bogolyubsky, the faithful, lived his sinless, charitable life. When the day of remembrance of this saint is easy to remember. It coincides with the celebration of the memory of the holy Royal Passion-Bearers - the family of the last Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty - Nicholas II. There are two historical parallels:

• They both adhered to a truly Christian life, trusting themselves, their family and country with the will of the Lord God;
• Both sought to create a powerful state, whose management is built on the responsibility of the first person of the state (prince, sovereign) before all the people and the Lord God;
• Both gained the love and respect of those whose life foundations, values coincided with their personal;
• Both became victims of a conspiracy of people envious, dissatisfied with the spread of influence, the might and power of their power, the wealth of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and the Russian Empire;
• In both cases the holy ascetics took a martyr's death: at the hands of the Bolsheviks the last Russian emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich and at the hands of the relatives of his wife and domestic servants Andrei Bogolyubsky; When the day of the memory of that and the other saint coincides, it is July 17, according to a new style and July 4, according to the old style.

Conclusion

The whole life of Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky was filled with love for God and people, mercy and compassion for his neighbors, full of aspirations to unite the lands of Kievan Rus under the leadership of one sovereign, to develop and strengthen statehood.

Andrei Bogolyubsky (commemorated on July 17 in the Orthodox calendar) was awarded the glorification of the Orthodox Church as a saint, whose life was pure and righteous in the face of the Lord God, and therefore he is called Bogolyubsky.