Iraida. Martyr Iraida of Alexandria Meaning of the name in Orthodoxy

A girl with the name Raisa can rarely be found in modern society, although in earlier times, in comparison with various female names, the name Raisa always attracts attention. Although the meaning of the name contains a certain potential that not every girl can demonstrate.

Origin of the name

The name Raisa is of Arabic origin from the stem “Rais”, which translated into Russian means “leader or boss”.

There is a second form of this name - Iraida (ancient Greek), which has a similar meaning to the Arabic form, meaning “heroine or daughter of a hero.” Being a boss without the makings of a heroine is perhaps difficult.

Both names are found in everyday life, although some believe that Raisa and Iraida are different names, but only in terms of documentation, but not in essence.

Main characteristics

The girl, named Raisa, in childhood does not show the qualities inherent in the meaning of the name. She is moderately active, does not tolerate pranks, and does not show leadership abilities. But peers are drawn to this girl, considering her an interesting conversationalist, friend and companion.

A woman named Raisa is for the most part the head of the family. Easy to communicate with men, yet she takes her choice of partner seriously and takes a long time to choose.

She is sociable, never causes harm to others, but she can put her offenders in their place either with a sharp word or deed.

Character and fate of the owner

Raisa women are stubborn and always achieve their goals, no matter how much effort it costs. They are able to realize themselves in any profession if there is personal interest in it or the opportunity to make good money. Raisa is capable of being both a manager and middle manager, even a laborer. She can handle any job.

She often has equal relationships with men or takes the organization of family life into her own hands, supporting her spouse in any matter and remaining his support.

I am ready to neglect my interests for the sake of the well-being and health of loved ones. Raisa is ready to do anything for her children, because these are women with big hearts, albeit with a restrained display of emotions. Raisa is not characterized by displays of tenderness. Seems rude and cold to others. Such a character can be formed by upbringing in a family when Raisa was a child.

If Raisa finds a man similar to her in character and temperament, then the union is strong and long-lasting. It is impossible to destroy it, because Raisa does not believe rumors, but trusts only her heart and mind.

In most cases, women named Raisa remain faithful to their partner until their last days and do not remarry if their husband passes away early. In other men, she only looks for someone who is similar to her husband, but does not consider others worthy and regards her relationship as a betrayal of a loved one. Although there are passionate natures among Rais, capable of crazy actions, this is rare.

They always remain practitioners, thinking through their every step in advance.

The meaning of the name in Orthodoxy

The name Raisa is translated from the biblical language as “beloved”, and from Greek “light”.

In Orthodoxy, the name Raisa is consonant with the name of Saint Raisa (Iraida) of Alexandria, who, according to Orthodox tradition, decided to devote herself to serving the faith of Christ.

One day she saw a ship on which people were boarding in large numbers. With one impulse, Raya joined the men, women, and clergy who were chained because of their conviction and faith in Christ. She, without hesitation, accepted torture and execution, without renouncing her convictions, despite her young age.

Raisa had to be the first to experience all the torture. After her execution, other believers were also tortured.

Raisa's name day dates

The patroness is Saint Raisa of Alexandria (martyr, virgin). Raisa's name day is celebrated twice according to the church calendar. The days of September and October are name days for Rais, born in any season. In other months, a woman named Raisa does not celebrate her name day.

Congratulations on Angel's Day

Congratulations Raisa on Angel's Day. Health, perseverance, achieving goals and remaining kind, fair, cheerful, happy and may the angel protect you.

[Raisa; Greek ῾Ηραΐς, ῾Ιεραΐς, Ραΐς] († beginning of the 4th century), mts. (mem. 5 and 23 September, 5 March). The source of information about I. are brief legends in the Synaxar of the K-Polish church. (archetype of the late 10th century) and in the Minology of the Emperor. Basil II (1st quarter of the 11th century). According to a note placed in the Synaxarion of the K-Polish Church. on September 5, I. was the daughter of a priest and from the age of 12 she chose the monastic life for herself. One day she saw tied women arrested and, approaching them, asked why they were arrested. Having learned that they suffered for Christ. faith, the saint openly declared that she was a Christian, and was captured. Together with others, she was taken to the bishop of Alexandria Kulkian. He, having subjected those arrested to a thorough interrogation, ordered them to be beheaded with swords, which was carried out. Kulkian is mentioned in the “Ecclesiastical History” of Eusebius of Caesarea (Euseb. Hist. eccl. IX 11) in connection with the persecution of the emperor. Maximin (305-313), this allows us to date the death of the saint. IV century

In Synaxar, K-Polish church. I.'s memory is also given on September 23. indicating that the saint came from the area of ​​Tama in Egypt.

Legends for September 23rd from Minology imp. Basil II and the Synaxarion of family C are slightly different from the legends from the Synaxarion of the K-Polish c. These sources report that I. was from Alexandria. One day leaving the monastery, where she had labored to get water, I. saw a ship approaching the shore. On the ship was the ruler of the city, and with him many associated Christians: elders, deacons, holy wives and virgins. I. openly declared that she believed in Christ and asked the guards to take her away along with the others. The martyrs were taken to Antinopolis (Antinoia), where they were subjected to various tortures. However, none of them bowed to the idols, and then they were beheaded. I was executed first. In these legends the name of the city ruler is not indicated.

In the Greek printed Menaion, and then in the Synaxarist, St. Nicodemus of the Svyatogorets entered the legend into several. in a modified form and a couplet dedicated to I. The name of I.’s father is mentioned there - Peter, the diocese is named Lucian, the area is Tamma (Vata), the emperor, under whom these events took place, is Maximian. St. Nicodemus also believed that the correct spelling of the name is the variant Ραΐς (Raisa), which is found in certain manuscripts of the Synaxarion under September 5. and in couplets.

In addition, the memory of a certain Iraida (without legend) is found in the Synaxar of the K-Polish church. several more times: Oct. 5, March 5 (in some manuscripts 4), and May 30. Oct 5 The memory of the martyr Iraida “from Memphis” is celebrated, May 30 - “Mc. Iraids in her martyrium." On March 4 or 5, together with I., Archelaus and 152 Antinoian martyrs are mentioned, of whom Photius and Cyril are known by name. Archbishop Sergius (Spassky) believed that September 5 and 23. The memory of the same saint is celebrated, and in March - the memory of another martyr. According to I. Delee, in all cases I mean I. In addition, he suggested that the honoring of I. 5 September. appeared as a result of mixing the veneration of I. with the veneration of one of the daughters of the apostle. Philip, who bore this name, who, apparently, was originally mentioned in the Life of her sister MC. Hermione on September 4, and then her memory was transferred to the next day (Delehaye. 1922. P. 82). In the modern calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church, the memory of I. is celebrated on March 5, the saint appears as a separate person.

In addition, in the “Church History” of Eusebius of Caesarea (Euseb. Hist. eccl. VI 4), it is told about a certain Iraida, who suffered during the reign of the emperor. Septimius Severus (193-211), however, due to the fact that the dating of the lives of the two martyrs differs by about a century, and also due to the different nature of the execution, it can be assumed that Eusebius is talking about another saint of the same name (see Art. Iraida, monastery (no memorial day)).

In the Martyrology of Bl. Jerome on June 28, among the other 23 martyrs who suffered in Africa (and specifically in Alexandria), a certain Irenaeus is mentioned. Archbishop Sergius (Spassky) did not consider it possible to identify her with any of the above-mentioned martyrs. However, Delee suggested that in this case I. was meant, the spelling of the cut's name was distorted.

In Copto-Arab. In the Synaxar of Alexandria, on the 14th day (Jan. 9), the memory of MC is given. Maharati, whose biography coincides with the biography of I. from the Synaxarion of the K-Polish c. (she was also 12 years old, her father was a priest, she came from the city of Tamau and suffered under the ruler Kalikan in Antinous) (SynAlex. Vol. 3. P. 597-598), which allows us to presumably identify this martyr with I.

In the same Synaxar, on the 28th day of the month of Tout (September 25), the memory of the martyr is celebrated. Apater (Abadir) and his sister Irina (called Iraida in some manuscripts) (Ibid. Vol. 1. P. 304-305). This legend also shows similarities with the facts of I.’s biography: the martyrs suffered in Antinous during the time of the Emperor. Diocletian (284-305), i.e. the place and time of the martyrdom coincide, and the days of their memory are also close. However, in the synaxar note and in the 2 versions of the Martyrdom of these saints, it is primarily about Apater, and little is known about his sister, so it is impossible to say with certainty that she is the same person as I.

In addition, there is a Copt. The Martyrdom of a certain Iraida, published from the only papyrus with large gaps (BHO, N 376). Her memorial day is Tobe 14 (January 9). The facts of the saint’s biography given in Martyrdom also largely coincide with the events in I.’s life, which makes it possible to identify these martyrs.

Source: ActaSS. Mart. T. 1. P. 311; MartHieron. P. 39, 41; PG. 117. Col. 68-69; SynAlex. Vol. 1. P. 304-305; Vol. 3. P. 597-598; SynCP. Col. 18-19, 71-76, 112, 506, 512, 717; Νικόδημος. Συναξαριστής. T. 1. Σ. 191-192; JSV. Sep. P. 461; March. P. 132.

T. A. Artyukhova

Holy Prophet Zechariah and Holy Righteous Elizabeth

The holy prophet Zechariah and the holy righteous Elizabeth were the parents of the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. They came from the Aaronic family: Saint Zechariah, son of Barachiah, was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and Saint Elizabeth was the sister of Saint Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. The righteous spouses, “walking blamelessly according to all the commandments of the Lord” (Luke 1:5-25), suffered from infertility, which was considered in Old Testament times to be a great punishment from God. One day, while serving in the temple, Saint Zechariah received news from an Angel that his elderly wife would bear him a son, who “will be great before the Lord” (Luke 1:15) and “will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1 , 17). Zechariah doubted the possibility of fulfilling this prediction and was punished with muteness for his lack of faith. When righteous Elizabeth had a son, she, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, announced that she would name the baby John, although no one in their family had been given such a name before. They asked the righteous Zechariah, and he also wrote the name John on the tablet. Immediately the gift of speech returned to him, and he, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to prophesy about his son as the Forerunner of the Lord.

When the wicked King Herod heard from the Magi about the born Messiah, he decided to beat all babies under the age of 2 in Bethlehem and its environs, hoping that the born Messiah would be among them. Herod knew well about the unusual birth of the prophet John and wanted to kill him, fearing that he was the King of the Jews. But righteous Elizabeth hid with the baby in the mountains. The killers looked everywhere for John. Righteous Elizabeth, seeing her pursuers, with tears began to pray to God for salvation, and immediately the mountain parted and sheltered her and the baby from the pursuit. During these disastrous days, Saint Zechariah fulfilled his turn of service in the Jerusalem Temple. The soldiers sent by Herod tried in vain to find out from him where his son was. Then, at the command of Herod, they killed the holy prophet, stabbing him between the altar and the altar (Matthew 23:35). Righteous Elizabeth died 40 days after her husband, and Saint John, protected by the Lord, remained in the desert until the day of his appearance to the people of Israel.

Venerable Martyr Athanasius, Abbot of Brest

“Oh, that my cries would be correctly weighed, and that my suffering would be put on the scales along with them! It would surely pull over the sand of the seas!” (Job 6, 2-3) - the reverend martyr Athanasius, abbot of Brest, who fought with the spiritual sword for the Orthodox faith, was persecuted and killed by apostates, the sons of lies, could remember the words of the long-suffering Job.

The Venerable Martyr Athanasius was born around 1595-1600 into a poor Orthodox family, probably an impoverished nobleman (judging by the fact that the future abbot served as a teacher at the court of a magnate). Perhaps he was from the family of a city artisan - as he himself points out in his memoirs, calling himself “a nendzy Man, a simple, garbarchik, a wretched kaluger.” As often happens, we have no information about the place of birth or the worldly name of the saint; It is also unknown whether the name “Filippovich” is a surname or patronymic.

Probably, Athanasius received his initial knowledge in one of the fraternal schools, where, taught in the Greek and Church Slavonic languages, the word of God and patristic works, highly educated people were prepared who could resist Uniate violence and Catholic proselytism. But the education received at the fraternal school did not fully satisfy the inquisitive young man, and he studied at the Vilna Jesuit College, which accepted young people of all Christian denominations.

The young scientist began his service as a home tutor in the homes of the Orthodox and Catholic gentry, but in 1620 his life took a different direction: Filippovich, who had positively proven himself with rich knowledge, good behavior and undeniable pedagogical talent, was invited by Hetman Lev Sapieha, Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The hetman entrusted him with the education of a certain “Dmitrovich”, introduced to Afanasy by the Russian Tsarevich Ivan - allegedly the nephew of Theodore Ioannovich who died in 1598, the grandson of Ivan IV the Terrible from his youngest son Dimitri, under whose name several impostors acted in 1604-1612. One of these “contenders” was the father of the student Afanasy, whom the Poles were preparing for the Russian throne: Dimitry-Mikhail Luba, who was killed in Moscow during a rebellion against the militia of False Dmitry I. Mikhail Luba’s wife Maria died in custody, and a certain Wojciech took his young son Belinsky, who brought the child to Poland and passed it off as the son of Dimitri and Marina Mniszech, was actually hanged. All this was announced at the Sejm before the king, who entrusted the education of Ivan Dimitrievich to Lev Sapega. He assigned the “prince” a salary of six thousand zlotys a year from the income of Brest and the Brest povet.

For seven years Afanasy served as the “inspector” of the false prince, gradually coming to the certainty that this “certain prince of Moscow,” “a certain Luba,” “doesn’t even know about himself. what is he,” is another impostor. This confidence intensified over time, especially when Luba’s salary decreased to a hundred zlotys a year, and Hetman Sapieha himself somehow burst out: “Who knows who he is!”

Having become an involuntary accomplice in political intrigue against the Moscow sovereign, the famous defender of Orthodoxy Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the son of the Russian Patriarch Philaret, Filippovich left the court of the chancellor in 1627 and retired to the cell of the Vilna Holy Spiritual Monastery, where he soon took monastic vows from the governor Joseph Bobrikovich. Soon, with his blessing, Afanasy underwent obedience at the Kuteinsky monastery near Orsha, founded recently, in 1623, by Bogdan Stetkevich and his wife Elena Solomeretskaya (V. Zverinsky. Materials for historical and topographical research. St. Petersburg. 1892 P. 172), and then - in the Mezhigorsk monastery near Kiev, with the abbot Commentary (mentioned under 1627) and the brother of the Kiev Metropolitan Job of Boretsky - Samuel. However, already in 1632, the Mezhigorsk abbot released Athanasius to Vilna, where he was ordained to the rank of hieromonk.

The following year, Athanasius again left the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and went as the abbot of Abbot Leonty Shitik to the Duboinsky Monastery near Pinsk, also subordinate to the Vilna monastery, where he spent three years caring for the brethren, fasting and praying.

In 1636, an ardent supporter of Catholic proselytism Albrecht Radziwill, violating the “Articles of Tranquility” published by King Vladislav IV, forcibly expelled the Orthodox inhabitants from the Duboinsky Monastery in order to transfer the monastery to the Jesuits, who shortly before, through the efforts of the same Albrecht, settled in Pinsk. Athanasius, unable to resist the magnate and hold the monastery, drew up a complaint describing the lawlessness committed, but this written protest, signed by many Orthodox Christians, did not bring positive results.

Expelled from the holy monastery, Afanasy Filippovich came to the Kupyatitsky monastery to abbot Illarion Denisovich. This monastery was founded in 1628 by the widow of the Brest castellan Gregory Voina Apollonia and her son Vasily Koptem with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God painted inside the cross, which was once burned by the Tatars, and then miraculously appeared in the middle of the flames. Here, under the holy cover of the “small in size, but great in miracles” icon, Blessed Athanasius lived in heartfelt friendship with the monk Macarius of Tokarevsky.

This Macarius in 1637 brought from Metropolitan Peter Mogila a station wagon that allowed the collection of “Yalmuzhna” - alms for the restoration of the Kupyatitsky monastery church. And so, on the advice of the brethren of the monastery and the blessing of the abbot, in November 1637 Afanasy Filippovich went to collect donations. To do this, he decided on quite bold actions: he sent Moscow to collect donations and seek the protection of Orthodoxy from the Moscow Tsar. Shortly before his journey, he had a vision, which the abbot of the monastery was also honored with: King Sigismund, the papal nuncio and hetman Sapega were burning in a blazing furnace. Athanasius considered this vision a good omen of the imminent triumph of Orthodoxy. Immediately before leaving for Muscovy, Athanasius, praying in the church vestibule, saw through the window the icon of the Mother of God and heard some noise and a voice from the icon: “I am also coming with you! ", and then he noticed Deacon Nehemiah, who had died several years before, saying: “I too am going with my Lady!” So, having secured the promise of the miraculous protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, said goodbye to the brethren and received the blessing of the abbot, Athanasius set off on his journey.

Arriving in Slutsk, he encountered unexpected difficulties: Archimandrite Samuil Shitik took away his metropolitan universal for the reason that Filippovich did not have the right to make collections in territory not related to the Lutsk diocese. When the conflict was resolved at the end of January 1638, Afanasy and his companion Volkovitsky went to Kuteino to ask Abbot Joel Trutsevich, who was connected with the most famous representatives of the Russian clergy, to assist in crossing the border to Muscovy (oversight over the border was strengthened because , that the Cossacks, fearing reprisals after the recent riot, fled from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to Russia).

Having taken letters of recommendation from Abbot Joel, “cards informing about himself,” Filippovich headed to Kopys, Mogilev, Shklov and again returned to the Kuteinsky Monastery, where the governor Joseph Surta recommended getting into the Muscovite kingdom through Trubchevsk. Having lost their way and nearly drowned on the Dnieper, robbed and beaten at one of the inns, the travelers finally reached Trubchevsk. However, failure awaited them here too; Prince Trubetskoy categorically refused to issue them a pass, suspecting them of being spies.

Forced to return, Athanasius visited the Chovsky monastery on the way, where one of the elders advised him to make an attempt to cross the border in the Novgorod-Seversky area with the assistance of the local governor Peter Pesechinsky. The pilgrim gratefully accepted the good advice and crossed the border near the village of Shepelevo.

However, this was not the end of Afanasy’s difficulties: on the way to Moscow, he had a disagreement with the novice Onesimus, who had lost hope of achieving his goal.

Finally, the walkers came to the gates of the capital. In Moscow, they stopped in Zamoskvorechye, on Ordynka, where in March 1638 Afanasy composed a note to the Tsar, outlining his mission and the history of the journey in the form of a diary. In this note, Athanasius showed the plight of the Orthodox Church in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, unfolding a picture of violence and abuse of Orthodoxy, and begged the Russian sovereign to intercede for the Russian faith. He also advised the tsar to make an image of the Kupyatitsky Mother of God on military banners, with the help of which he was able to make such a difficult and unsafe journey. This note, together with the image of the miraculous image, was handed over to the king. As a result, Afanasy was received in the Ambassador's hut, where, apparently, he told about the impostor in preparation. The very next year, a commission headed by boyar Ivan Plakidin was sent to Poland to identify impostors; the report of the head of the commission confirmed the information of Afanasy (Monuments of Russian antiquity. St. Petersburg. 1885. T.8).

On flower-bearing Palm Sunday, Athanasius left Moscow with generous donations for the Kupyatitsky Church, arrived in Vilna on June 16, and in July reached the borders of his native monastery.

In 1640, the brethren of the Brest Simeon Monastery, having lost their abbot, sent a request to Kupyatitsy to bless Afanasy Filippovich or Macarius Tokarevsky as abbot. The choice fell on Afanasy, who headed to Brest. Here he found himself in the very center of Orthodoxy’s struggle with the union, for Brest was the city in which “Greek Catholicism” was born and spread like nowhere else. Even earlier, all 10 Orthodox churches in the city were converted into Uniate ones, and only in 1632 the Orthodox brotherhood managed to return the temple in the name of Simeon the Stylite with its monastery, and in 1633 - the church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin.

The Uniates, however, did not stop their encroachments, and soon Abbot Afanasy had to look for “funds” for Orthodox churches: six documents of the 15th century were found and entered into the city books of Magdeburg, relating to the Brest St. Nicholas Brotherhood, which united the monasteries of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Simeon the Stylite . The documents found by the abbot provided the basis for the legal registration of the rights of the Nativity of the Mother of God brotherhood, and the Brest ascetic went to Warsaw in September 1641 for the Diet, where on October 13 he received a royal privilege, confirming the rights of the brothers and allowing them to purchase a place in Brest to build a brotherly house.

But this privilege had to be ratified by Chancellor Albrecht Radziwill and Sub-Chancellor Trizna, who refused, even for the 30 thalers that the abbot could offer them, to certify the privilege with their seals, citing the fact that “under an oath they were forbidden by the Holy Father Papage, so that more The Greek faith did not multiply here.” The Orthodox bishops gathered at the Sejm were also unable to help the abbot of Brest, fearing that in the struggle for less they could lose more, causing a wave of new persecution by the authorities. Hegumen Athanasius, however, strengthened in the correctness of his cause by the blessing of the miraculous icon, again made an attempt to assure this privilege - and again unsuccessfully. Then he appeared at the Diet and addressed directly to the king with an official complaint - a “suplika” - demanding “that the true Greek faith be thoroughly calmed, and the accursed union destroyed and turned into nothing,” threatening the monarch with God's punishment if he did not curb the dictatorship Church.

This denunciation, pronounced on March 10, 1643, led the king and the diet into severe irritation. Hegumen Athanasius was arrested and imprisoned together with his comrade-in-arms, Deacon Leonty, in the house of the royal gatekeeper Jan Zhelezovsky for several weeks - until the Diet's departure. Deprived of the opportunity to explain the reasons for his speech, the abbot of Brest took upon himself the feat of voluntary foolishness, and on March 25, on the celebration of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, he escaped from custody and, standing on the street in captura and paramante, beating himself in the chest with a staff, publicly pronounced a curse union

He was soon captured and taken into custody again, and after the end of the Diet he was brought before the church court. The court, to appease the authorities, temporarily deprived him of his priestly and abbot rank and sent him to Kyiv for the final proceedings of the consistory. In anticipation of the final ruling of the court, the Monk Athanasius prepared an explanatory note in Latin, for the arrival of a government prosecutor was expected. Far from the irritated Warsaw and the supreme authorities, the court, chaired by the rector of the Kiev-Mohyla College, Innocent Gisel, ruled that Athanasius had already atoned for his “sin” by imprisonment, and therefore he was granted freedom and returned to the priesthood. Metropolitan Peter Mogila confirmed this decision and on June 20 sent the monk to the monastery of Simeon the Stylite with a message in which he was ordered to be more careful and restrained in church affairs.

So the Monk Athanasius returned to Brest, where he lived “for a considerable time in peace.” This peace was very relative, for there were continuous attacks on the monastery by Jesuit students and Uniate priests, who insulted and even beat up Orthodox monks.

Hoping to receive support from the Novgorod governor Nikolai Sapieha, who was considered the patron of the Simeon Monastery, and in the hope that he would help obtain a safe-conduct for the Orthodox Beresteyites, the Monk Afanasy went to Krakow, simultaneously collecting donations for his monastery. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find support for the noble governor, and the monk went to the Moscow ambassador, Prince Lvov, who was living in Krakow at that time and was investigating the impostors. Having met with him, Afanasy spoke about his trip to Moscow, and also reported many facts about Jan-Favstin Luba, presenting one of his last messages, certain fragments of which gave grounds to initiate a judicial investigation against the impostor.

Summoned from Krakow to Warsaw by a letter from the Warsaw lawyer Zyczewski, who reported on May 3, 1644, that through his efforts the letter entrusted by Athanasius for certification by the chancellor was already equipped with the necessary seals, and demanded that the privileges be redeemed for six thousand zlotys, the Monk Athanasius immediately headed to the capital. But when, upon verification, it turned out that the privilege was not included in the royal metric and, therefore, had no legal force, the abbot refused to redeem the fictitious document.

Returning to Brest from Warsaw, the Monk Athanasius ordered a copy of the Kupyatitsky icon from the Bernardine monastery and placed it in his cell; Inspired by this image, he began to compile a new public complaint, which he hoped to present at the Diet of 1645. For this purpose, he prepared several dozen copies of the handwritten “History of the Journey to Moscow” with the image of the Kupyatitsky Icon of the Mother of God.

Afanasy’s plans were not destined to come true: a few weeks before the opening of the Sejm, in the summer of 1645, he was arrested and sent under escort to Warsaw as a hostage for Luba, who was taken to Moscow. Despite daily interrogations and torture, encouraged by his followers, as evidenced, for example, by a letter from a certain Mikhail dated June 1, the abbot of Brest did not stop his public polemical activities and wrote “News”, in which he placed his own spiritual verse.

Over the course of six months, the tireless warrior of Christ created a whole series of articles, the titles of which speak for themselves: “The Foundation of the Disorder of the Roman Church”, “The Pious Council”, “On the Church Foundation”, “Preparation for Judgment”. He also drew up a petition to King Vladislav, submitted on June 29, 1645. Not knowing about the fate of this message, the abbot wrote another, third “suplika”, which was served by one of the saint’s supporters in the royal carriage during the monarch’s departure.

This Suplika attracted the attention of the king, but the request for release had no consequences, despite the fact that on July 23, Ambassador Gabriel Stempkovsky persuaded the new Russian sovereign Alexy to release Luba under the guarantee of the king and lords. However, when they tried to convey to the king the article of the abbot of Brest “Preparation for the Court”, he exclaimed “no need, nothing is needed anymore; told him to let him out!”, did not want to accept the abbot.

At the same time, King Vladislav invited Metropolitan Peter Mogila to summon the Monk Athanasius and deal with him as he saw fit. But at the same time, the prison authorities incited the prisoner to escape in order to obtain a formal basis for his murder. The abbot did not succumb to this provocation and patiently waited for a “decent release from prison,” especially when a rumor arose that the king himself agreed to listen to him. Apparently, later the senators nevertheless convinced the monarch not to meet with the imprisoned Brest abbot.

On November 3, 1645, the Monk Athanasius, accompanied by a convoy, was sent to Kyiv, where he stayed in the cell of the Pechersk Monastery. Here he “for the knowledge of Orthodox people” worked on combining all his works into a single work - “Diariush”. On September 14, 1646, trying to once again declare his innocence and rightness, the monk again decided to do this in the image of the holy fool of the Pechersk monastery church. Explaining this action later, he wrote “The reasons for my action are those in the miraculous church of St. Pecharo-Kyiv on the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in 1646” - an article that became the last in his life.

Three and a half months after the events mentioned, Metropolitan Peter Mogila died on January 1, 1647. All the Orthodox bishops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth came to the funeral of the metropolitan, among whom was the Lutsk hierarch Afanasy Puzyna. When leaving, he took with him the venerable abbot of Brest as a clergyman belonging to his diocese and, after persistent petitions from the Brest brothers, he sent the abbot to his monastery.

But the times of peace were short-lived. In March 1648, an uprising began, led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky; another month later, King Vladislav died. At this time, emergency - Kaptur - courts began to operate in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and on July 1, 1648, the captain of the royal guard Shumsky made a denunciation of the Monk Athanasius, who was arrested immediately after the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God.

The prosecutor reported to the court that the abbot had sent certain messages and gunpowder to Bogdan's Cossacks. The reverend protested this statement, demanding evidence from the prosecution. The search carried out in the monastery did not yield any results. When this was reported to the prosecutor-inspector, he blurted out in his hearts: “To her, so that they kill you, that they didn’t plant some gunpowder and didn’t say that they found it here among the Chernets!” However, unable to prove their own slander, the accusers put forward another, their main accusation, and based on it they finally decided to deal with the righteous man who “insulted and cursed the holy union.”

Realizing that they were only looking for a reason to kill him, the Monk Athanasius declared to the judges: “Then, merciful Panov, ordered me to come to my senses, that I insulted and cursed your union? - So I’m at the Diet in Warsaw before the king. and he spoke with his bright senate and always spoke everywhere according to the will of God. And now I declare to you: cursed is your union. »

After a short meeting, the judges declared the abbot deserving of the death penalty. Before receiving the final sanction from Warsaw, the Monk Athanasius, chained in stocks, was imprisoned in a military prison. When the Catholic Lutsk Bishop Gembitsky and the Chancellor of the Principality of Lithuania Albrecht Radziwill arrived in Brest, the unbroken abbot declared in their presence that the union was cursed by God. To this the biskup replied: “Tomorrow you will see your tongue in front of you in the hands of the executioner!”

On the night of September 5, a Jesuit student was sent to Athanasius’ cell to make a last attempt to persuade the unshakable abbot to betray Orthodoxy. This attempt was not successful, and then the stocks were removed from the martyr and taken to the Brest governor Masalsky, who in irritation said: “You already have him in your hands, do with him what you want!”

From the convoy, the governors, the Haiduks, brought the martyr to a neighboring forest near the village of Gershanovichi, began to torture him with fire, forcing him to renounce Orthodoxy, and then ordered one of them to shoot the saint. This haiduk, who later told people about the death of the martyr, and among them the author of the story about the murder of the venerable martyr, “seeing that this was his confessor and a good friend of his, first asked him for forgiveness and blessing, and then shot him in the forehead and killed him. the deceased, already shot through the forehead with two bullets, still leaned on a pine tree and stood for some time in his strength, so they ordered him to be pushed into that hole. But even there he turned his face up, folded his arms across his chest and stretched out his legs. »

Only on May 1, eight months after this atrocity, some boy of seven or eight years old showed the Simeon brethren the place where the body of the abbot lay. The land in that place was not consecrated and belonged to the Jesuits. The monks dug up the body and, having asked permission from Colonel Felician Tyshkevich, transferred the remains of the venerable martyr to the monastery, where they were buried in the temple of Simeon the Stylite “on the right choir in the crypt.”

The incorrupt relics of Abbot Afanasy, placed in a copper shrine, attracted many pilgrims, so that the very existence of the monastery, very poor from the day of its foundation, was supported mainly by income from prayer hymns at the relics, glorified by miracles.

Already ten years after the martyrdom of the Brest abbot on January 5, 1658, the Kiev-Pechersk Archimandrite Innocent Gisel and the Leshchinsky Abbot Joseph Nelyubovich-Tukalsky reported to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich that a miraculous light had repeatedly shone over the relics of the Venerable Martyr Athanasius.

The memory of the holy martyr has since been preserved in the people's memory. Soon after his death, a legend about his death was written and a church hymn was composed in his honor; there is also a troparion and kontakion written by Archimandrite Marcian on August 30, 1819. When the official celebration was established is unknown, but Athanasius of Brest is called a venerable martyr, canonized as a Kyiv saint, even in the “History of the Union” of St. George of Konis.

On November 8, 1815, during a fire in the Simeon Church, a copper shrine containing the relics of St. Athanasius melted, and the very next day the priest Samuil Lisovsky found particles of the martyr’s relics and placed them on a tin plate under the altar of the monastery refectory church. In 1823, when the new rector Autonomous accepted the church property, its authenticity was certified by the sworn testimony of seven Brest residents who were present during the collection of particles of relics after the fire. Soon, Archbishop Anthony of Minsk, at the request of Autonomous, ordered “to put the relics in the ark and keep them in the church with decency.”

On September 20, 1893, a temple was erected in the name of the Holy Martyr Athanasius of Brest in the Grodno Boris and Gleb Monastery, and in the fall of the following year, a particle of his holy relics was transferred to the Lesninsky Convent.

The Lord glorified the remains of His saint with numerous miracles. In November 1856, the landowner Polivanov, returning from abroad, was forced to stop in Brest due to the unexpected illness of his ten-year-old son. When the boy was already dying, the father asked the priest to bring the reliquary with the relics of St. Athanasius. When the dying child touched the holy relics, he was completely healed. At the same time, the shrine was placed in a gilded shrine, and in 1894 a canopy with the image of St. Athanasius was made over it. Another miracle - the healing of the terminally ill Archpriest Vasily Solovyevich - occurred on May 14, 1860. Days of remembrance: June 4 (Belarusian), July 20 (Finding of relics), September 5

Hieromartyr Alexy (Belkovsky), Archbishop of Veliky Ustyug

Hieromartyr Alexy (in the world Pyotr Filippovich Belkovsky) was born in 1842 in the village of Rozhdestvino, Kashira district, Tula province, into the family of the priest Philip Evfimovich Belkovsky. Priest Philip Belkovsky (1813-1878) was the son of a sexton from the village of Belkova, Moscow province; he served for more than forty years in one place, in the church in the village of Rozhdestvino. The memories about him are interesting, from which it becomes clear in what circumstances Archbishop Alexy spent his childhood. The family of priest Philip was poor, and, as those who knew him recall, “in his life Philip Evfimovich did not experience and did not know what luxury, or wealth, or fame was - he did not love it and did not seek it in life. From childhood, need taught him to moderation, but moderation did not allow him to experience and bear that heavy yoke, which is called poverty.

From the first days of accepting the post of priest, the poverty of funds, which was a common problem for many priests, fell to his lot. But he soon became familiar with meager means. Already temperate by upbringing, he accustomed himself to frugality and an extremely moderate lifestyle. With amazing skill, he used even little things so that he did not lack anything, did not experience, did not encounter, as he himself conveyed, what is called need. Consistent with his small means, he did not start either merry circles or exquisite feasts. He had no time to chase after the most ordinary pleasures in life; he devoted himself entirely to doing what served both him and society for the benefit. No amount of entertainment was able to shake or deviate him from fulfilling his Christian, family and pastoral duties. With a difficult and complex way of rural life, he was able to combine the duties of a Christian, a family man, a shepherd, and a rural owner, which, with all their diversity, easily harmonized in him, not interfering with one another, but, on the contrary, reasonably supporting one another. With all the complexity and diversity of agricultural activities, family needs and pastoral responsibilities, he had the amazing ability to not leave anything out and to complete everything on time.

In his district, he held the position of dean for ten years, for about twenty years he was the spiritual father of his brothers and, by their election, he fulfilled this position until the last minute of his life. The temple was for him both joy and consolation from worldly worries and was, in turn, the subject of many of his concerns and labors. We can say that through his labors the temple in the village of Rozhdestvina was rebuilt and brought to the splendor corresponding to the shrine.

As much as he cared about the splendor of the outer temple, he cared just as much and even more about the splendor of the inner temple of his flock, entrusted to him by God. In this regard, he did not spare either labor or time, sometimes so dear to him as a family man, as an owner, just to bring benefit to his flock, to eliminate one or another shortcoming noticed in the whole society or in individuals. He did not omit a single incident so as not to enlighten or expose the ignoramus or advise him to return from the path of error. Everything that he himself knew that was good, he always tried to convey to his spiritual children, in unenlightened hearts he tried to kindle that light that every Christian needs, to kindle that warmth of faith with which he himself burned towards the Provider; He tried by all means to arouse in his flock that love for God and His law, which was inherent in him himself.

In 1864, Pyotr Filippovich graduated from the Tula Theological Seminary. In 1867, he was ordained a priest and served in the St. Michael's Church at the St. Michael's Orphanage in the city of Tula, and from 1886 - in the Tula Alexander Nevsky Church. In 1874, Father Peter was appointed teacher of the law at the school of the bourgeois society. During his bishop's service in the cathedral, it was he who was most often entrusted with delivering sermons. He organized and actively participated in extra-liturgical religious conversations and readings. In 1890, priest Peter was awarded a pectoral cross.

The priest put a lot of effort into setting up a parish school, in which eighty children studied at that time. In addition to ordinary subjects, students were also taught church reading and singing. During some holidays, children performed all the chants of the liturgy in their entirety. The students took turns reading the Six Psalms and the Hours, were well trained in the liturgical rules, and themselves found the necessary texts in the books.

In 1891, the Tula province was struck by famine due to crop failure. Some of the peasant families whose children were studying at school were left without means of food. Parents could not give their children even a piece of bread to school. There was a case when a mother left home so as not to see her hungry son returning from school, whom she had nothing to feed. Seeing this situation, priest Peter, with the support of the parish council, organized help for starving children. In the almshouse set up at the church, a hot breakfast began to be prepared daily for students - children of poor parents.

In 1892, Father Peter was awarded a pectoral cross with decorations for his dedicated school activities. The parishioners’ letter accompanying the presentation of the cross said: “Our dear and good shepherd. Your service in our parish church is short-lived, but its fruits are great and abundant. The best evidence of this can be these children, today for the first time released into life, of our school, founded by your concerns and supported by your tireless efforts. These children, many of whom, due to extreme poverty, would have hardly ever seen the light of teaching, now, thanks to you, are entering life with the solid foundations of Christian knowledge and morality. We see all this and experience the effect of your kindness on ourselves every day, but it is not in our power to evaluate it, let the One who abundantly poured out His grace on you reward you for this.”

The temple in which priest Peter served was built in 1881 with funds donated by the Tula merchant Evfimy Kuchin; The benefactor bequeathed to build a temple in memory of the liberation of peasants from serfdom in the name of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, whose name was borne by the Tsar-Liberator Alexander II. By the time Priest Peter began serving here, the temple had not yet been decorated, was not painted, and there were not enough icons for the iconostasis, but the zealous priest made up for all this. The temple was built on the outskirts of the city, where the poorest population lived. But it was here that a strong parish was formed, which, despite the scarcity of funds, created such charitable institutions that did not exist in the wealthy parishes of the city - an almshouse and a school. When conducting audits of parish schools, the school at the Alexander Nevsky Church received invariably high marks from the inspectors in terms of teaching the Law of God and for the success of students in mastering the subjects they studied.

Over time, the circle of Father Peter’s activities expanded more and more, and in 1896, a free public library-reading room was opened at the Alexander Nevsky Church in the premises of the local parish school.

On February 3, 1897, Father Peter was awarded the Order of St. Anne, III degree, for his particularly diligent performance of teaching duties in public schools. On April 9 of the same year he was elevated to the rank of archpriest. That same year he became a widower and was tonsured a monk with the name Alexy.

On March 14, 1898, Hieromonk Alexy was appointed rector of the Starorussky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery and was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

On September 5, 1904, Archimandrite Alexy was consecrated Bishop of Veliky Ustyug, vicar of the Vologda diocese. On September 28 he arrived in Veliky Ustyug. This city has always been famous for the abundance of temples, which to this day decorate it, testifying to the zeal in faith and piety of our ancestors. The rector of the city cathedral, Archpriest Vasily Polyakov, addressed the bishop with a speech, where he quite accurately described some features of the life of the city. “Eminent Bishop! - the abbot began his speech. - The meeting of a new archpastor, which is not uncommon for provincial cities, and for us, Ustyug residents, residents of the district city, is not news, for in the sixteen years of its existence, the Veliky Ustyug Vicariate, in the person of Your Eminence, is already meeting its sixth archpastor. Such a fairly frequent succession of our rulers, which is of little benefit to their archpastoral activities, could, it seems to me, arouse in you, Your Eminence, some perplexed questions regarding our country, our city and the flock entrusted to you. As a native of the northern region and for sixteen years a minister of the altar of the Lord in this city, I can testify, Vladyka, that our country is indeed cold, but our hearts are warm and capable of responding to everything that is good and holy and imbued with love for our archpastors. Our country, remote from centers of high education due to large spaces and inconvenient means of communication, is not, however, deprived of its own nurseries of enlightenment; In terms of the number of residents, there are many educational institutions in it, both middle and lower, both male and female; and most importantly, our city abounds in well-appointed churches, these nurseries “for all useful piety” (1 Tim. 4:8) in such quantities that would be entirely befitting a provincial city. This abundance and improvement of holy churches already in itself testifies to the religious mood and good moral direction of the inhabitants of this city.”

At that time, the education of the people became an urgent need, and in this regard, almost all dioceses began to organize pedagogical courses for teachers in parish schools. In the summer of 1908, such courses were organized in Veliky Ustyug for students of parish schools of the Ustyug Vicariate. Opening the courses, Bishop Alexy “pointed out the purpose of the teachers coming here - to expand their knowledge, improve their teaching practice, and continue their education. This is a useful and commendable deed, - this is what the Bishop said approximately, - even the Old Testament inspired sage said: “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom.” But true wisdom consists in developing not only the mind, but also the heart, not in the accumulation of knowledge only, but in the acquisition of virtues; a person who is smart but vicious, knowledgeable but proud, as everyone knows, does not enjoy the love of those around him and cannot be of much use, especially in education. Taking care of acquiring this true wisdom, let us pray to the Lord God that He will help you in this good deed for which you have gathered here.”

Just as at the time when Vladyka was in Tula, so now, having become a bishop, he showed special concern for public education. Under Bishop Alexy, a women's diocesan school was built, in the activities of which the bishop took a constant part. During the ministry of Bishop Alexy in Veliky Ustyug, several churches were built and consecrated, one of the last in 1916 - the temple in the name of St. Mitrofan, the Voronezh miracle worker, built at the Veliky Ustyug prison castle, in which the bishop was destined to die twenty-one years later.

On October 12, 1916, by decree of the Holy Synod, the vicar of Veliky Ustyug began to be called the Bishop of Veliky Ustyug and Ust-Vym. In the early twenties, Bishop Alexy was elevated to the rank of archbishop. On July 30, 1923, Archbishop Alexy took over the administration of the Veliky Ustyug diocese, which by that time had become independent.

In 1924, at the age of eighty-two, Archbishop Alexy was retired. Living in Veliky Ustyug at the Church of St. Simeon the Stylite, he celebrated the Liturgy every day. After the closure of this temple, the archbishop began to serve in the churches of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica in Dymkovo Sloboda. Having settled in the church gatehouse, the bishop served every day, beginning the service at four o'clock in the morning with only a few people praying. This continued until the beginning of 1937, when, due to his weakness, it became difficult for him to move, and he could only walk with the help of the nuns who lived with him.

Archbishop Alexy (Belkovsky) was arrested in the fall of 1937, when he was ninety-five years old. He could not leave the house on the orders of the NKVD officers, and they carried him out themselves on a sheet. After a short stay in prison, Archbishop Alexy died in November 1937 and was buried in the city cemetery.

Canonized as the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia at the Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2000 for church-wide veneration.

Days of remembrance: January 29 (new martyr), September 5

Martyrs Thephael and his sister Thebea

The martyrs Thephael and his sister Thebea (or Vivea) (+ c. 98 - 138) suffered for their bold and successful preaching of Christianity among the pagans. After long and sophisticated torture, the pagans hung the holy martyr Thephael from a tree and cut him with a saw, and killed his sister Thebea with a spear in the neck.

Memorial Day: September 5

Martyr Raisa of Alexandria

The holy martyr Raisa (Iraida) lived in Alexandria. One day, approaching a source to draw water, she saw a ship off the shore, on which were many men, women, clergy and monks, imprisoned in chains for confessing the faith of Christ. Throwing away the waterpot, the saint voluntarily joined the prisoners of Christ, and they placed shackles on her. When the ship arrived in the Egyptian city of Antipolis, Saint Iraida was the first to undergo cruel torture and was beheaded with a sword. Following her, the rest of the martyrs sealed their confession of faith in Christ with their blood.

Martyrs Iuventin and Maximus warriors

The martyrs Iuventinus and Maximus the warriors suffered during the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate, under whom they served as bodyguards. Once, while in Antioch, Julian decided to desecrate Christians by sprinkling all the food supplies sold in the markets with blood sacrificed to idols. Saints Juventinus and Maximus openly condemned the king’s act and boldly denounced him for apostasy from the Christian faith. Both of them, after merciless beatings, were killed in prison by order of the wicked emperor (+ c. 361 - 363). Memorial Days: September 5, October 9

Martyrs Urvan, Theodore, Medimnus and with them 77 men from the church rank

The martyrs Urvan, Theodore, Medimnus and with them 77 men from the church rank suffered in Nicomedia under the Arian emperor Valens (364 - 378 or 379). Under him, the Arians expelled the Orthodox Bishop Evagrius from the Church of Constantinople, and Christians who did not want to join their heresy were imprisoned and subjected to abuse. Then, driven to despair, Orthodox Christians decided to ask for protection from the emperor and sent an embassy to him, consisting of 80 selected men of clergy, led by Saints Urvan, Theodore and Medimnos. After listening to their just complaints, the emperor became furious. However, he managed to hide his anger, secretly summoned Eparch Modest and ordered him to kill the envoys. Modest put them on a ship, having previously spread a false rumor that they were all going to prison, and gave the order to the shipmen to set fire to the ship on the open sea. The ship was set on fire and, engulfed in flames, rushed across the sea for some time. Finally, reaching a place called Dakisis, the ship burned to the ground along with the holy martyrs on board (+ 370). Memorial Day: September 5

Martyr Obadiah

The martyr Obadiah (or Avid) suffered in Persia under King Izdigerd I for refusing to renounce Christ and worship the sun and fire. He died after painful torture and until his last breath he thanked God, who blessed His chosen one to die for His Holy Name. Memorial Day: September 5

Blessed Prince Gleb

The blessed Prince Gleb, David in Holy Baptism, is one of the first Russian martyrs - passion-bearers; he suffered along with his brother Prince Boris. Blessed Prince BorisIcon. Boris and GlebPrayersTemples (in Holy Baptism by Roman). After the murder of Saint Boris, Svyatopolk the Accursed sent a messenger to his younger brother Gleb with false news of the illness of their father, Grand Duke Vladimir, who had already died by that time. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir. Icon. Prince Vladimir, Equal to the ApostlesPrayersTemples, in order to treacherously kill a possible contender for the Kiev throne. The deceived Prince Gleb with a small retinue hurried to Kyiv. The warning from brother Yaroslav, which overtook him near Smolensk, did not stop the saint, who did not expect such atrocity on the part of his brother Svyatopolk. Not far from Smolensk, the killers overtook the boat of Gleb, who did not resist, but only meekly begged to spare his still very young life. On the orders of the killers, Gleb's cook cut his throat. The prince's body was buried in a deserted place near Smolensk, “between two logs,” that is, in a simple wooden coffin (+ 1015). In 1019 - 1020 The grave of Saint Gleb was found by his brother Yaroslav, and the body, which turned out to be incorrupt, was transferred to Vyshgorod of Kiev and buried next to the holy Prince Boris. Then the relics of the brothers were transferred (Comm. May 2) to the church in the name of St. Basil the Great. Saint Basil the Great.Icon. Saint Basil the GreatPrayersTemples where many miracles were performed at the tomb of the holy passion-bearers. Metropolitan John of Kiev compiled a service for the passion-bearing princes and established a joint celebration for them on July 24, which has been celebrated since the first half of the 11th century. Since ancient times, the Russian Church has venerated the passion-bearing brothers who constantly provide prayerful assistance to their native land, especially in times of difficult trials. Thus, before the Battle of the Neva in 1240, the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb appeared in a vision to one of the soldiers of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky. Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.Icon. Holy Blessed Prince Alexander NevskyPrayersTemples and helped the Russians during the battle. The chronicles are full of legends about various beneficial manifestations witnessed near their tomb, and about the victories won with their help. In honor of the passion-bearing princes, many churches and monasteries were erected in different parts of Russia.

The Holy Martyr Iraida lived in Alexandria. One day, approaching a source to draw water, she saw a ship off the shore, on which were many men, women, clergy and monks, imprisoned in chains for confessing the faith of Christ. Throwing away the waterpot, the saint voluntarily joined the prisoners of Christ, and they placed shackles on her. When the ship arrived in the Egyptian city of Antipolis, Saint Iraida was the first to undergo cruel torture and was beheaded with a sword. Following her, the rest of the martyrs sealed their confession of faith in Christ with their blood.

“...who also makes weak vessels adamants with His grace, the power of God is made perfect in weakness...”

For confessing Christ she was beheaded in Egypt during the reign of Hadrian. The relics of Saint Irene were transferred to Constantinople under Constantine the Great, who built a temple in her honor.

Suddenly, sometimes a visitation from God descends into the soul of a person, as it happened with the holy martyr Iraida, the virgin of Alexandria, and suddenly the weak creature comes face to face with the highest feat and is then ready to accomplish it...

And at any time, in every activity, the perception of the grace of God is inherent in a person: it is not determined either by age, or by mental and scientific development; is determined only by one spiritual state of a person - the comprehension of Divine truth and the desire for its source - God Christ.

So, young in years, but already the nun Iraida (Alexandrian), who accepted and contained in her almost childish soul the saving truth - faith in Jesus Christ, accepted the visitation of the Lord and suddenly contained in her soul an immense impulse - to lay down her life together with the defenders of the one truth and the only good - the faith of Christ. Probably, no broad plans, no deep tasks were set in Iraida’s inexperienced and innocent thought, when one day she went to perform her simple feasible task of monastic service - to bring water for her monastery... She calmly and carelessly approached the shore for water, and suddenly appeared before her Another matter, another task: not to draw water to quench a bodily thirst, but to hand over your entire life to quench a spiritual thirst - to testify to yourself as a defender of the truth of Christ, together with those doomed to martyrdom for its sake..

When, approaching the shore, Iraida saw a ship moored to it with the prefect of the city, who was leading with him in chains many presbyters, deacons, holy wives and virgins for the confession of the name of Christ (all about 150 people), she suddenly felt that she too the soul completely loves the same God, for faith in Whom all these people are imprisoned in chains... that her place is among those who are ready to seal this Divine faith with their death... And leaving her humble everyday occupation, Iraida suddenly joined the great world-wide work of confessing Christ . She joined the prisoners, allowed herself, a young woman, to be chained with the same heavy chains with which the holy martyrs were oppressed, and, following them, was taken to Antinoe, where, together with everyone else, she was condemned to cruel torture and beheading by the sword.

The young nun, who had barely begun her life, did not retreat in the face of torment and death itself. Courageous and strong with the power from above, which suddenly overshadowed the ready vessel of grace - her pure soul, Iraida was the first of all the prisoners to accept the death penalty, uniting her forever with Christ.

This was during the reign of Maximian, at the beginning of the 4th century, around 308.

Holy Martyr Raisa, pray to God for us!

Venerable Martyr Raisa

WITH knowledge of the life and martyrdom of Saint Ra And sy (or Iraids) are very scarce. It is known that she was the daughter of a presbyter and suffered for the Christian faith under Emperor Maxentius (305-312). She lived in the city of Alexandria and worked as a nun in a local monastery. One day she saw a ship loaded with prisoners - men, women, clergy and monks. They were arrested because they were Christians. Nobody knew where they were being taken. When the Monk Raisa visited Christian prisoners, and they imposed approx. O You. Then the ship arrived at the city of Antinous in Egypt. Here Christian prisoners were tortured and executed. Saint Raisa suffered along with them. She was beheaded around 308.

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 Meaning of the name:“Striving for peace,” “daughter of a hero.”

Origin: Ancient Greek name. The patron saint is the martyr Iraida of Alexandria, Antinopolis. The Holy Virgin Iraida lived in the city of Alexandria. After hearing a Christian preacher, she accepted the Christian faith. One day she went to fetch water and saw a ship landing on the shore. On this ship were chained martyrs for the faith of Christ. Such great love for Jesus flared up in Iraida’s heart that she left her jug ​​on the shore and boarded the ship, voluntarily joining the passion-bearers. In the Egyptian city of Antinopolis, prisoners were tortured. Saint Iraida endured cruel torment in the name of Jesus Christ. She was canonized.

Character: As a child, Iraida is often mischievous, daring and disobedient. True, a girl usually studies well, even excellently, but often out of a desire to be first. Peers do not like Iraida for her arrogance. She doesn't help her parents much around the house. After school he tries to enter a prestigious educational institution. Adult Iraida is a strict, sometimes arrogant woman. At times she even gives the impression of being cold and insensitive, but this is a deceptive impression, she is simply very reserved. A punctual, obligatory and neat woman, she does not like it when someone is late or does not fulfill their promise. But Iraida herself is self-critical and strict with herself. A woman with this name is not very sociable, she tries not to get too close to anyone, and she has few friends. Often keeps others at a certain distance. But she is very attentive to her many friends. He constantly maintains relationships with them, inviting them to visit and helping them. Iraida is squeamish, but she is clean, tidy, and maintains order and cleanliness at home. Her workplace is also in perfect order. A woman with this name is demanding. But she is not selfish, although she cares little about those around her, she is not interested in the experiences, joys and misfortunes of those who are next to her. In an effort to make a career or achieve any of her goals, Iraida often does not stop at any difficulties standing in her way and always achieves what she wants. She has a high opinion of herself, but sometimes greatly overestimates her abilities. Iraida takes care of herself, dresses fashionably, sometimes not quite conventionally. Loves to attract attention. A woman with this name is successful with men, but does not marry for a long time because she is not attracted to family life. Iraida enters into marriage both out of love and convenience. She loves to invite guests and knows how to get away with it even in the most unpleasant situations. He will never do anything to his own detriment.