Old Russian literature. “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom.” Ermolai-Erasmus. "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom"

02.05.2019

Introduction

Ermolai-Erasmus is an outstanding Russian writer and publicist. Literary creativity it dates back to the 40-60s. XVI century In the 40s was a priest in Pskov, then served as archpriest of the palace Cathedral of the Savior on Bor in Moscow. In the 60s became a monk under the name of Erasmus. In his works he called himself “sinful.” Currently, a significant number of works belonging to this writer are known.

The heyday of Yermolai-Erasmus’s writing activity fell in the middle of the century; it was at this time that he wrote a treatise known as “The Ruler and Land Surveying of the Tsar” (in the first edition it was entitled “If the Tsar desires, the Ruler and Land Surveying”), which was sent to the tsar with a proposal to carry out social reforms. It sets out a project for tax reforms and the reorganization of land provision for military service. The author of "The Ruler" certainly sympathizes with the peasantry as the main creator of society's well-being. In his opinion, the peasantry, oppressed by the boyars, suffered unbearable hardships. Ermolai proposed replacing all types of duties falling on the peasantry with rent in kind based on the payment of one fifth of the harvest. The introduction of such a reform would really ease the hardships of the peasantry.

The position of Ermolai's sympathetic attitude towards the peasantry is closely connected with the idea of humanity, which he pursues in other works. The combination of the theme of mercy and Christian love, simultaneously with condemnation and hostility towards nobles and boyars, can be traced in his works of edifying content.

These ideas, which deeply worried Ermolai, found their full and harmonious expression in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom.” Apparently, in connection with the councils of 1547 and 1549. On behalf of Metropolitan Macarius, a proposal was made to Ermolay to write hagiographic works dedicated to the Murom saints. Indeed, Peter and Fevronia, canonized at the council of 1547, are called “new wonderworkers” in the title of the story. The content of “The Tale of the Ryazan Bishop Vasily,” also written by Ermolai, was used in the life of the Murom prince Konstantin and his sons, canonized at the council in 1549. Murom legends served as sources for these two works by Ermolai. “The Tale of Bishop Vasily” is written extremely concisely, the plot in it is clearly stated, but its details are not developed. Excellence in story development (clarity in presentation main idea, specificity of details, clarity of dialogues that have great value in the development of the plot, compositional completeness) Ermolai-Erasmus achieved in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia”. The determining factor in the development of the plot was the influence oral source, most associated with the genre of short story fairy tales. Ermolai-Erasmus was so strongly influenced by the folk legend about the Murom prince and his wife that he, a well-educated church writer, who was given the goal of giving a biography of the saints, created a work that essentially had nothing in common with the hagiographic genre. This fact looks especially striking against the background of the hagiographic literature that was created at the same time in the writing circle of Metropolitan Macarius, to which, in fact, Ermolai-Erasmus belonged. “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia” differs sharply from the lives written at this time and included in the Great Menaions of Chetya; it stands out against their background and has nothing in common with their style. Rather, one can find parallels to it in the narrative literature of the second half of the 15th century, built on novelistic plots (“The Tale of Dmitry Basarga”, “The Tale of Dracula”).

The Tale of Peter and Fevronia tells a love story between a prince and a peasant woman. The author's sympathy for the heroine, admiration for her intelligence and nobility in the difficult struggle against the all-powerful boyars and nobles who did not want to come to terms with her peasant origin, determined the poetic mood of the work as a whole. The ideas of humanity inherent in the work of Ermolai-Erasmus found their most complete and integral expression in this work. The plot of “The Tale” is built on the active actions of two opposing sides, and only thanks to the personal qualities of the heroine does she emerge victorious. Intelligence, nobility and meekness help Fevronia overcome all the hostile actions of her strong opponents. In every conflict situation, the high human dignity of the peasant woman is contrasted with the low and selfish behavior of her high-born opponents. Ermolai-Erasmus was not associated with any reformation-humanistic movement, but the thoughts expressed in this work about the importance of the mind and the protection of human dignity are consonant with the ideas of humanists. “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia” is one of the masterpieces of ancient Russian narrative literature, and the name of its author should be among the most prominent writers of the Russian Middle Ages.

The texts are published based on the collection - the autograph of Ermolai-Erasmus: RNL, Solovetsky collection, No. 287/307.

The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom

The story of the life of the new Murom miracle worker saints, the blessed, reverend, and praiseworthy Prince Peter, called David in monasticism, and his wife, the blessed and reverend and praiseworthy Princess Fevronia, called Euphrosyne in monasticism

Bless, Father. Glory to God the Father and the eternally existing Word of God - the Son, and the most holy and life-giving Spirit, the one and beginningless nature of God, together in the Trinity glorified, and praised, and glorified, and revered, and exalted, and confessed, in whom we believe and whom we thank, creator and creator invisible and indescribable, from the beginning, according to his will, with his wisdom, he accomplishes everything, and creates, and enlightens, and glorifies those whom he chooses according to his will, for first he created his angels in heaven, his spirits and servants, scorching fire, ranks mental, incorporeal army, the power of which cannot be described, and he created everything invisible that is incomprehensible to the human mind, he also created the visible heavenly elements: the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth from ancient times he created man in his own image and three similar to his trisolar Deity He bestowed qualities on him: reason, for He is the father of the word, and the word comes from him, sent like a son on whom the spirit rests, because the mouth of every person cannot produce words without the spirit, but the word comes with the spirit, and reason leads.

Let us finish our word about human essence and return to what we started talking about.

God, who has no beginning, having created man, showed him honor - over everything that exists on earth, he made him king and, loving all the righteous in the human race, forgiving sinners, he wanted to save everyone and bring them to true reason. And when, with the Father’s blessing, by his own will and with the help of the Holy Spirit, one of the Trinity - the Son of God, none other than God, the word, the Son of the Father, deigned to be born in the flesh on earth from the most pure Virgin Mary, then he became a man without changing His deity; and, although he walked the earth, he was not at all separated from his father’s bowels. And in torment, his divine essence was not subjected to suffering. And his dispassion is indescribable, and you can’t express it with any allegory, you can’t compare it with anything, because everything was created by him; and in his creations there is dispassion - after all, if a tree stands on the ground and the sun illuminates it and at that time it turns out that they begin to cut down the tree, and this is its suffering, then the solar ether contained in it will not disappear from it , especially if it does not die with the tree, it does not suffer.

We talk about the sun and the tree because they were created by him, but the creator and creator of this cannot be defined in words. After all, He suffered in the flesh for us, nailing our sins to the cross, redeeming us from the ruler of the world, the devil, at the price of his honest blood. God's chosen one Paul said this about this: “You will not be slaves of men, for you were bought with a price.” And after the crucifixion, three days later, our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and on the fortieth day he ascended into heaven and sat down to the right of the Father, and on the fiftieth day he sent the Holy Spirit from the Father to his saints, his disciples and apostles. They enlightened the entire universe through faith and holy baptism.

And those who were baptized into Christ put on Christ. And if you have put on Christ, let them not depart from his commandments, like deceivers and liars, who after baptism forgot the commandments of God and were deceived by the temptations of this world, but like the holy prophets and apostles, as well as the martyrs and all the saints who suffered for Christ’s sake, enduring sorrows, and troubles, and oppression, and wounds, being in prison, unsettled in life, in labors, in vigils, in fasting, in repentance, in meditation, in long-suffering, in kindness, abiding in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in words of truth , in the power of God - they are all known to the One, who knows all the secrets of the heart with which he illuminated the earth, how he decorated the sky with stars, honored them with the gift of miracles - some for the sake of prayers, and repentance, and labors, others - for the sake of firmness and humility, like He glorified those saints about whom our story will be told.

There is a city in the Russian land called Murom, in which, as they say, a noble prince named Pavel ruled. But the devil, who from time immemorial has hated good human race, sent the prince’s wife an evil winged serpent to commit fornication. He appeared to her in visions as he was by nature, and to strangers it seemed that it was the prince himself sitting with his wife. This obsession continued for a long time. The wife did not hide this and told the prince and her husband about everything that happened to her. And the evil serpent took possession of her by force.

The prince began to think about what to do with the snake, but was at a loss. And he says to his wife: “I’m thinking about it, wife, but I can’t figure out how to defeat this villain? I don’t know - how to kill him? When he begins to talk to you, ask him, seducing him, about this: does this villain himself know why his death should happen? If you find out about this and tell us, then you will be freed not only in this life from its evil breath and hissing and all this shamelessness, which is shameful even to talk about, but also in the future life, you will appease the unhypocritical judge, Christ.” The wife firmly imprinted her husband’s words in her heart, and she decided: let it be so.

And then one day, when this evil snake came to her, she, holding her husband’s words tightly in her heart, turned to this villain with flattering speeches, talking about this and that, and in the end, praising him with respect, asking: “You are a lot of things.” you know, do you know about your death - what it will be like and from what?” He, an evil deceiver, was deceived by the forgivable deception of his faithful wife, for, neglecting the fact that he was revealing the secret to her, he said: “I am destined to die from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword.” The wife, having heard these words, firmly remembered them in her heart and, when this villain left, she told the prince, her husband, what the snake had told her. The prince, having heard this, was perplexed - what does it mean: death from Peter’s shoulder and from Agrikov’s sword?

And the prince had a brother named Peter. One day Paul called him to him and began to tell him about the words of the serpent, which he said to his wife. Prince Peter, having heard from his brother that the snake called the culprit of death by his name, began to think, without hesitation or doubt, how to kill the snake. Only one thing confused him - he didn’t know anything about Agric’s sword.

It was Peter's custom to walk alone in churches. And outside the city there stood in a convent the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. He came there alone to pray. And then the youth appeared to him, saying: “Prince! Do you want me to show you Agrikov’s sword?” He, trying to fulfill his plan, replied: “Let me see where he is!” The boy said: “Follow me.” And he showed the prince a gap in the altar wall between the slabs, and in it lay a sword. Then the noble prince Peter took that sword, went to his brother and told him about everything. And from that day he began to look for a suitable opportunity to kill the snake.

Every day Peter went to his brother and his daughter-in-law to pay homage to them. One day he happened to come to his brother’s chambers, and immediately he went from him to his daughter-in-law, to other chambers, and saw that his brother was sitting with her. And, going back from her, he met one of his brother’s close associates and said to him: “I went out from my brother to my daughter-in-law, and my brother remained in his chambers, and I, without stopping anywhere, quickly came to my daughter-in-law’s chambers.” and I don’t understand and I’m surprised how my brother ended up in the chambers of my daughter-in-law before me?” And that man said to him: “Sir, after your departure your brother did not leave his chambers!” Then Peter realized that these were the wiles of the evil serpent. And he came to his brother and said to him: “When did you come here? After all, when I left these chambers from you and, without stopping anywhere, came to your wife’s chambers, I saw you sitting with her and was very surprised how you came before me. And so I came here again, without stopping anywhere, but you, I don’t understand how, got ahead of me and ended up here before me?” Paul answered: “Brother, I did not leave these chambers anywhere after you left, nor did I visit my wife.” Then Prince Peter said: “This, brother, is the machinations of the evil serpent - you appear to me, so that I do not decide to kill him, thinking that it is you who are my brother. Now, brother, don’t go anywhere from here, I’ll go there to fight the snake, maybe with God's help This wicked serpent will be killed.”

And, taking the sword called Agrikov, he came to his daughter-in-law’s chambers and saw a serpent in the form of his brother, but, firmly convinced that it was not his brother, but an insidious serpent, he struck him with the sword. The serpent, turning into its natural form, trembled and died, and it sprinkled the blessed Prince Peter with its blood. Peter, from that evil blood, became covered with scabs, and ulcers appeared on his body, and a serious illness seized him. And he sought healing from many doctors for his illness, but found no one.

Peter heard that there were many doctors in the Ryazan land, and ordered him to be taken there - due to a serious illness, he himself could not sit on a horse. And when they brought him to the Ryazan land, he sent all his close associates to look for doctors.

One of the princely youths wandered into a village called Laskovo. He came to the gate of one house and saw no one. And he entered the house, but no one came out to meet him. Then he entered the upper room and saw an amazing sight: a girl was sitting alone and weaving canvas, and a hare was jumping in front of her.

And the girl said: “It’s bad when the house has no ears, and the room has no eyes!” The young man, not understanding these words, asked the girl: “Where is the owner of this house?” To this she replied: “My father and mother went to cry, but my brother went through his legs to look at the dead.”

The young man did not understand the girl’s words, he was amazed, seeing and hearing such miracles, and asked the girl: “I came in to you and saw that you were weaving, and a hare was jumping in front of you, and I heard some strange speeches from your lips and I can't understand what you're saying. First you said: it’s bad when the house has no ears and the room has no eyes. About her father and mother she said that they went to cry on loan, but about her brother she said - “he looks at the dead through his legs.” And I didn’t understand a single word of yours!”

She told him: “And you can’t understand this! You came to this house, and entered my upper room, and found me in an unkempt state. If there was a dog in our house, it would sense that you were approaching the house and would bark at you: these are the ears of the house. And if there was a child in my upper room, then, seeing that you were going to the upper room, he would tell me about it: the upper room has eyes. And what did I tell you about my father and mother, and about my brother, that my father and my mother went to cry - they went to the funeral and mourned the dead man there. And when death comes for them, others will mourn them: this is crying on loan. I told you this about my brother because my father and brother are tree climbers, they collect honey from trees in the forest. And today my brother went to be a beekeeper, and when he climbs up a tree, he will look through his legs to the ground so as not to fall from his height. If anyone breaks down, he will lose his life. That’s why I said that he went through their legs to look at the dead.”

The young man says to her: “I see, girl, that you are wise. Tell me your name." She replied: “My name is Fevronia.” And that young man said to her: “I am the servant of the Murom prince Peter. My prince is seriously ill, with ulcers. He was covered with scabs from the blood of the evil flying snake, which he killed with his own hand. He sought healing from many doctors for his illness, but no one could cure him. Therefore, he ordered to bring himself here, since he had heard that there were many doctors here. But we don’t know their name or where they live, so we ask about them.” To this she replied: “If someone took your prince for himself, he could cure him.” The young man said: “What are you saying - who can take my prince for himself! If anyone cures him, the prince will richly reward him. But tell me the name of the doctor, who he is and where his house is.” She answered: “Bring your prince here. If he is sincere and humble in his words, he will be healthy!”

The young man quickly returned to his prince and told him in detail about everything he had seen and heard. The noble Prince Peter commanded: “Take me to where this girl is.” And they brought him to the house where the girl lived. And he sent one of his servants to ask: “Tell me, girl, who wants to cure me? Let him heal and receive a rich reward.” She answered bluntly: “I want to cure him, but I don’t demand any reward from him. Here is my word to him: if I do not become his wife, then it is not right for me to treat him.” And the man returned and told his prince what the girl had told him.

Prince Peter treated her words with disdain and thought: “Well, how is it possible for the prince to take the daughter of a poison dart frog as his wife!” And he sent to her, saying: “Tell her - let her heal as best she can. If she cures me, I will take her as my wife.” They came to her and conveyed these words. She, taking a small bowl, scooped up kvass with it, blew on it and said: “Let them heat your prince’s bathhouse, let him anoint his whole body with it, where there are scabs and ulcers. And let him leave one scab unanointed. And he will be healthy!”

And they brought this ointment to the prince; and he ordered the bathhouse to be heated. He wanted to test the girl’s answers - whether she was as wise as he had heard about her speeches from his youth. He sent a small bunch of flax to her with one of his servants, saying: “This girl wants to become my wife for the sake of her wisdom. If she is so wise, let her make me a shirt, and clothes, and a scarf from this flax while I am in the bathhouse.” The servant brought Fevronia a bunch of flax and, handing it to her, conveyed the prince’s order. She told the servant: “Climb onto our stove and, taking a log from the bed, bring it here.” He, having listened to her, brought some logs. Then she, measuring with a span, said: “Bran off this from the log.” He cut it off. She tells him: “Take this stump of wood, go and give it to your prince from me and tell him: while I comb this bunch of flax, let your prince make a weaving mill from this stump and all the other equipment that will be used for weaving.” canvas for him." The servant brought a stump of logs to his prince and conveyed the girl’s words. The prince says: “Go tell the girl that it is impossible to make what she asks from such a small chick in such a short time!” The servant came and conveyed to her the prince’s words. The girl responded to this: “Is it really possible for an adult man to make a shirt, a dress, and a scarf from one bunch of flax, in the short time it takes him to wash in the bathhouse?” The servant left and conveyed these words to the prince. The prince was amazed at her answer.

Then Prince Peter went to the bathhouse to wash and, as the girl ordered, he anointed his sores and scabs with ointment. And he left one scab unanointed, as the girl ordered. And when I left the bathhouse, I no longer felt any illness. The next morning he looked - his whole body was healthy and clean, only one scab remained, which he did not anoint, as the girl had punished, and he was amazed at such a quick healing. But he did not want to take her as his wife because of her origin, but sent her gifts. She didn't accept it.

Prince Peter went to his patrimony, the city of Murom, having recovered. Only one scab remained on him, which was not anointed at the girl’s command. And from that scab new scabs appeared all over his body from the day he went to his patrimony. And again he was covered all over with scabs and ulcers, just like the first time.

And again the prince returned to the girl for the tried and tested treatment. And when he came to her house, he sent to her in shame, asking for healing. She, not at all angry, said: “If he becomes my husband, he will be healed.” He gave her a firm word that he would take her as his wife. And again, as before, she prescribed the same treatment for him, which I already wrote about before. He, having quickly recovered, took her as his wife. This is how Fevronia became a princess.

And they arrived at their patrimony, the city of Murom, and began to live piously, without breaking God’s commandments in anything.

After a short time, Prince Pavel died. The noble Prince Peter, after his brother, became autocrat in his city.

The boyars, at the instigation of their wives, did not love Princess Fevronia, because she did not become a princess by birth; God glorified her because of her good life.

One day, one of those serving her came to the blessed Prince Peter and said to her: “Every time,” he said, “having finished a meal, he leaves the table inappropriately: before getting up, he collects crumbs in his hand, as if hungry!" And so the noble prince Peter, wanting to test her, ordered that she dine with him at the same table. And when dinner was over, she, as was her custom, collected the crumbs in her hand. Then Prince Peter took Fevronia by the hand and, opening it, saw fragrant incense and incense. And from that day on, he never experienced it again.

A lot of time passed, and then one day his boyars came to the prince in anger and said: “Prince, we are all ready to serve you faithfully and have you as autocrat, but we don’t want Princess Fevronia to rule over our wives. If you want to remain an autocrat, another princess will be your path. Fevronia, having taken as much wealth as she wants, let her go wherever she wants!” Blessed Peter, whose custom was not to be angry at anything, answered with meekness: “Tell Fevronia about this, let’s listen to what she says.”

The frantic boyars, having lost their shame, decided to throw a feast. They began to feast, and when they became drunk, they began to conduct their shameless speeches, like barking dogs, depriving the saint of God’s gift, which God promised her to preserve even after death. And they say: “Madam Princess Fevronia! The whole city and the boyars are asking you: give us whoever we ask you for!” She answered: “Take whoever you ask!” They, as if with one mouth, said: “We, madam, all want Prince Peter to rule over us, but our wives do not want you to rule over them. Taking as much wealth as you need, go wherever you want!” Then she said: “I promised you that whatever you ask, you will receive. Now I tell you: promise to give me whatever I ask you.” They, the villains, rejoiced, not knowing what awaited them, and swore: “Whatever you name, you will immediately receive it without question.” Then she says: “I ask for nothing else, only my husband, Prince Peter!” They answered: “If he wants to, we won’t say a word to you.” The enemy clouded their minds - everyone thought that if Prince Peter was not there, they would install another autocrat: but in their souls, each of the boyars hoped to become an autocrat.

Blessed Prince Peter did not want to break God’s commandments for the sake of reigning in this life; he lived according to God’s commandments, keeping them, as the God-honored Matthew preaches in his Annunciation. After all, it is said that if someone drives away his wife, who has not been accused of adultery, and marries another, he himself commits adultery. This blessed prince acted according to the Gospel: he equated his wealth to manure, so as not to violate the commandments of God.

These evil boyars prepared ships for them on the river - a river called the Oka flows under this city. And so they sailed down the river in ships. A certain man was sailing in the same ship with Fevronia, whose wife was on the same ship. And this man, tempted by the evil demon, looked at the saint with lust. She, immediately guessing his evil thoughts, denounced him, telling him: “Scoop up water from this river from this side of this vessel.” He got it. And she ordered him to drink. He drank. Then she said again: “Now scoop up water from the other side of this vessel.” He got it. And she ordered him to drink again. He drank. Then she asked: “Is the water the same or is one sweeter than the other?” He answered: “The same water, lady.” After this she said: “So the female nature is the same. Why do you, having forgotten about your wife, think about someone else’s?” And this man, realizing that she had the gift of insight, did not dare to indulge in such thoughts anymore.

When evening came, they landed on the shore and began to settle down for the night. Blessed Prince Peter thought: “What will happen now, since I voluntarily renounced the princedom?” Precious Fevronia tells him: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, creator and protector of all, will not leave us in trouble!”

Meanwhile, on the shore, food was being prepared for Prince Peter’s dinner. And his cook stuck in small stakes to hang the cauldrons on. And when dinner was over, the holy princess Fevronia, who was walking along the shore and saw these stumps, blessed them, saying: “May they be large trees with branches and foliage in the morning.” And so it was: we got up in the morning and found instead of stumps big trees with branches and foliage.

And so, when people gathered to load their belongings from the shore onto ships, nobles from the city of Murom came, saying: “Our lord prince! We came to you from all the nobles and from the inhabitants of the whole city, do not leave us, your orphans, return to your reign. After all, many nobles died in the city from the sword. Each of them wanted to rule, and in the dispute they killed each other. And all those who survived, together with all the people, pray to you: our lord prince, although we angered and offended you because we did not want Princess Fevronia to command our wives, but now, with all our household members, we are your slaves and want them to be you, and we love you, and we pray that you do not leave us, your servants!”

Blessed Prince Peter and Blessed Princess Fevronia returned to their city. And they ruled in that city, keeping all the commandments and instructions of the Lord impeccably, praying incessantly and giving alms to all the people under their authority, like a child-loving father and mother. They had equal love for everyone, did not like cruelty and money-grubbing, did not spare perishable wealth, but grew rich in God's wealth. And they were true shepherds for their city, and not like mercenaries. And they ruled their city with justice and meekness, and not with rage. They welcomed strangers, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and delivered the poor from misfortunes.

When the time had come for their pious repose, they begged God to die at the same time. And they bequeathed that both of them should be placed in one tomb, and they ordered to make two coffins from one stone, with a thin partition between them. At one time they became monks and donned monastic robes. And the blessed prince Peter was named David in the monastic rank, and the Monk Fevronia in the monastic rank was called Euphrosyne.

At a time when the Venerable and Blessed Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, was embroidering the faces of saints in the air for the cathedral church of the Most Pure Theotokos, the Venerable and Blessed Prince Peter, named David, sent to her to say: “O Sister Euphrosyne! The time of death has come, but I’m waiting for you so that we can go to God together.” She answered: “Wait, sir, until I bring air into the holy church.” He sent a second time to say: “I can’t wait long for you.” And for the third time he sent me to say: “I’m already dying and I can’t wait any longer!” At that time she was finishing the embroidery of that holy air: only one saint’s mantle had not yet been finished, she had already embroidered the face; and she stopped, and stuck her needle in the air, and wound the thread with which she was embroidering around it. And she sent to tell blessed Peter, named David, that she was dying with him. And, having prayed, they both gave their holy souls into the hands of God on the twenty-fifth day of the month of June.

After their repose, people decided to bury the body of blessed Prince Peter in the city, near the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God, and to bury Fevronia in a country nunnery, near the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, saying that since they became monks, they cannot be put in one coffin. And they made separate coffins for them, in which they placed their bodies: the body of St. Peter, named David, was placed in his coffin and placed until the morning in the city church of the Holy Mother of God, and the body of St. Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, was placed in her coffin and placed in the country church Exaltation of an honest and life-giving cross. Their common coffin, which they themselves ordered to be carved out of the same stone, remained empty in the same city cathedral church Most Pure Mother of God. But the next morning, people saw that the separate coffins in which they had placed them were empty, and their holy bodies were found in the city cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God in their common coffin, which they ordered to be made for themselves during their lifetime. Foolish people, both during their lifetime and after the honest repose of Peter and Fevronia, tried to separate them: they again put them in separate coffins and separated them again. And again in the morning the saints found themselves in a single coffin. And after that they no longer dared to touch their holy bodies and buried them near the city cathedral church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, as they themselves commanded - in a single coffin, which God gave for the enlightenment and salvation of that city: those who fell in faith to the shrine with their relics generously find healing.

Let us, according to our strength, give them praise.

Rejoice, Peter, for you have been given by God the power to kill the fierce flying serpent! Rejoice, Fevronia, for in your woman’s head was the wisdom of holy men! Rejoice, Peter, for, bearing scabs and ulcers on his body, he bravely endured all the torments! Rejoice, Fevronia, for already as a girl you possessed the gift given to you from God to heal ailments! Rejoice, illustrious Peter, for, for the sake of God’s commandment not to leave his wife, he voluntarily renounced power! Rejoice, wonderful Fevronia, for with your blessing, in one night the small trees grew large and covered with branches and leaves! Rejoice, honest leaders, for in your reign you lived with humility, in prayers, doing alms, without being arrogant; For this, Christ has overshadowed you with His grace, so that even after death your bodies lie inseparably in one tomb, and in spirit you stand before the Lord Christ! Rejoice, reverend and blessed ones, for even after death you invisibly heal those who come to you with faith!

We pray to you, O blessed spouses, that you also pray for us, who honor your memory with faith!

Remember also me, a sinner, who wrote everything that I heard about you, not knowing whether others who knew more than me wrote about you or not. Although I am a sinner and an ignorant person, trusting in God’s grace and his generosity and trusting in your prayers to Christ, I worked on my work. While I wanted to give you praise on earth, I have not yet touched upon real praise. For the sake of your meek reign and righteous life, I wanted to weave wreaths of praise for you after your death, but I haven’t really touched on this yet. For you are glorified and crowned in heaven with true incorruptible wreaths by the common ruler of all Christ, to whom due, together with his beginningless Father and with the most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, all glory, honor and worship, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Tale of Ryazan Bishop Vasily

About the city of Murom and its bishopric, how it moved to Ryazan

I heard from some who told ancient legends about the city of Murom that in ancient times it was not founded where it now stands, but was located in another place in the same region, at a considerable distance from the current city. The legend about it says that it was a glorious city in Russian land in ancient times. After many years, it fell into ruin and desolation, then a lot of time passed, and it was moved to another place, to the outskirts of the same region, and placed where it now stands.

During the reign of the great, holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir in Kyiv and throughout the Russian land, when the time came for him to divide the cities among his children - who should own what, then to one of his sons, Saint Boris, he transferred the city in the Russian land of Rostov, and to another son, Saint Gleb, the city of Murom. From these cities they went to suffer for the sake of Christ, and their holiness was recognized by righteous people, and they began to be glorified in the holy churches. And in those cities where they reigned, bishops were installed, and those bishops were called local bishops of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. Over time, two princes, siblings, from the same family of the holy Great Prince Vladimir began to rule the cities: the eldest - the city of Murom, the younger - Ryazan.

At some time, righteous Vasily was a bishop in the city of Murom. The devil, the ancient destroyer of human souls, unable to tolerate the righteous life of this bishop, began to harm him in such a way as to present him as a fornicator. And so, transforming into a maiden, he appeared from the bishop’s house - he either looked out the window, or left the bishop’s house. Seeing this, many city residents and city nobles fell into deception and believed it. And so they came to the bishop’s house in order to drive him out of the bishopric for the sake of such guilt.

Then the bishop took the icon with the image of the eternal child Christ with the Mother of God - he had great hope for his salvation in this icon - and left the bishop's courtyard. They escorted him to the Oka River and wanted to give him a small boat so that he could sail away. He, standing on the shore, took off his mantle and, spreading it across the water, stood on it, holding in his hands an image with Christ and the Mother of God, and immediately a stormy gust of wind carried him against the current, up the river. They say that this happened at the third hour of the day, and at the ninth hour of the same day he rushed to the place that is now called Old Ryazan, then the Ryazan princes lived here. Prince Oleg of Ryazan met him with crosses; and so the Murom bishopric moved to Ryazan; and it is still called Borisoglebskaya.

After this, Murom began to join the diocese of Ryazan bishops. And from then on the bishops never returned to Murom and began to be called bishops, in the first place - Ryazan, and in second - Murom. When bishops visited the city of Murom, they were called in the first place - Murom, and in the second - Ryazan. The wonderful icon that carried Bishop Vasily and is now in Ryazan. He trusted in her with faith, but she glorified him with her mercy, wanting to show the integrity of the holy servant, and in just six hours she carried him up the river a distance of more than two hundred miles.

O Most Pure Mother of God, what tongue will tell about your miracles, or what mind will duly praise your good deeds, when you pray to the Son with the Father and the Holy Spirit about our sins! Hearing that it was not you yourself, but your written image that performed such miracles, I am amazed in my mind! I would like to tell you about everything in more detail, but I don’t know what to write, because many years have passed since then, and much remains unknown to me, and I’m afraid that by telling about it, I might turn out to be a liar. I wrote as I heard; If I wrote about something without fully finding out, then I trust in the merciful help of the mistress of all - the Mother of God, whom all Christians should pray to, to deliver us from the slander of the enemy always, now, and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Ruler

Instruction in land surveying for kings, if they please

The wisdom of Solomon says: “Hear, O kings, and understand, learn, O judges of the earthly regions, Hearken, O rulers of multitudes and boasting of crowds of nations, that from the Lord has been given to you authority and power from the Most High.” If we now look for a pious tsar, we will not see an Orthodox tsar among any people other than the Russian people. And if he is just by faith, then he should try tirelessly, taking into account that for the well-being of his subjects, to take care in matters of government not only about the nobles, but also about the very last. Nobles are needed, but they are not supplied by their labor. First of all, farmers are needed: from their labors there is bread, and from it the beginning of all good things - bread at the liturgy is offered to God as a bloodless sacrifice and is turned into the body of Christ. And then the whole earth, from the king to the common people, is fed from their labors. And they are always in sorrowful unrest, for they always bear the weight of more than one burden. They should have to bear one heavy burden a year, just as every animal - birds, beasts, and livestock - suffers from molting once a year. And the farmers are constantly raising oppression various works: sometimes paying quitrent in money, sometimes yam taxes, then some other things. Those who are among the parasites are sent to them for royal extortions, and they still take a lot from them, in addition to what was assigned to the king, and because of these parcels, because of feed for the horses, and pit expenses, a lot of money is also spent. There were many other insults to the farmers from the fact that the royal clerks and land surveyors traveled with a surveying chain, allocating land to the royal soldiers and assigning each quarter separately as a measure of land, greatly delaying this, and ate a lot of food from the farmers.

We have read about many kingdoms, but we have not seen such a practice. And they saw this: when Joseph was in Egypt, managing the household of King Pharaoh, during a famine he held back an untold amount of wheat. Taking wheat from his hands, the Egyptians gave him all their treasures, and when no one had anything left to give, Joseph gave them wheat and imposed such a tribute on them that when the harvest came, everyone would take four parts of their bread, and a fifth of their grain went to Pharaoh the king. And he took from the reapers a fifth of the harvest, but beyond that he took nothing. And finally, among all nations, each person gives to his king or rulers a part of the fruits of his land: where gold and silver are born, there they give gold and silver, and where numerous livestock breed, so livestock is given, and where there are wild animals, That's where they give the animals. Here in the Russian land neither gold, nor silver, nor numerous livestock will be born, but with God’s blessing, bread will best be born to feed the people. So it is necessary that kings and nobles take a fifth of their grain as tribute from farmers, as Joseph laid down in Egypt. After all, it is written that Joseph, as a prototype of the Lord, was sold to Egypt for thirty pieces of silver. Isn’t it worth it for Orthodox kings and nobles to imitate this, so that in their villages and hamlets they take from farmers a fifth of their own grain in grain, and nothing beyond that, since the farmers do not know where to buy gold and silver? If there are years of famine, then many are tormented, as we know. Do they really deserve torment for the fact that the year brought a small profit? Farmers are tormented because of money, which comes into the royal disposal and is given for distribution to enrich nobles and soldiers, and not for necessity. For necessity, let each of the nobles have his own farmers and be content with them, taking a fifth from each farmer and performing royal service for this. And their farmers, for the sake of their nobles or warriors, should not give anything to anyone, just like the Yam harvest.

It is necessary to carefully establish the entire Yam system of painting from one city to another. Those who buy and sell in cities and become rich from the profits must take upon themselves the burden of connections between cities, because they are gatherers big income. In addition to this burden, let them not be subject to other duties, but, conducting purchase and sale in cities without any duties, let them therefore ensure the so-called Yam system of painting from city to city. Thus, all discontent in the regions will decrease: there will be fewer clerks, exactions will be abolished, dishonest profits will cease.

And that clerks-land surveyors measure in quarters and eat up farmers and cause them great grief, here’s what you need to know about this: for the sake of speed in land surveying, because of boundary disputes and enmity, you need to measure and allocate in fields. We mean that a square field - the length and width on both sides of a thousand fathoms of men - needs for its sowing eight hundred thirty-three quarters and a third of rye seeds; with a three-field sowing division, such a field will be called a field of two hundred seventy-eight quarters without half an eighth , according to the same measure - and two fields.

It is convenient to give this field for a field of two hundred and fifty quarters or two of the same, since the surplus of twenty-eight quarters without half an octine should be added to each field instead of hayfields and forest lands. If the lands are clean, it is better that there is such a surplus: having taken grain from it and sold it, they will buy hay and timber. With such a measure, survey clerks will be able to cope ten times faster than with a quarter measure: in the days that they now measure one city, in the same days they will be able to measure ten cities, because a quarter measure is a delay in speed, and with fields they will immediately measure everything around. Therefore, there will be no litigation about lands: if anyone wants to misrepresent, then the measure will expose him for having seized what is superfluous and alien; from whomever it is taken away, the measure will also reveal that he is offended.

So it is appropriate that the kings command that the land be measured by sections, and not by quarters. If the king himself in all his cities for his needs wants to take some fields for himself, and if there are ten fields in length and width on both sides of the square, then according to this account there will be a field of twenty-five thousand quarters or two fields of this size, and in addition, a field of two thousand seven hundred and seventy-five quarters for hay and timber, or two fields of this size, then he orders annually to separate a fifth of the grain crop for himself, and if God willing, five grains are born in the land from grain, then in one city alone he will have twenty-five thousand quarters of rye, and twice as much spring rye. And if a hundred cities have this much, then in one year there will be two million five hundred thousand quarters of rye, and twice as much of spring. There will be something to sell from this to accumulate money, and not a single farmer will be in tears and torment because of arrears, as happens when they take bread from the land, animals and honey from the forest, fish and beavers from the rivers. If the allotment contains forest, the tax on honey and animals must be abolished, because they will give a fifth of it in bread.

In the same way, boyars and warriors should be given to each according to his position in fields, and not in quarters. If someone of boyar dignity deserves to receive a thousand quarters, he must be given, according to this account, for a thousand quarters a square field two fields long and two fields across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that the field will be given to him for hay and timber at one hundred and eleven quarters. If one of the governors, who is smaller, deserves to receive seven hundred and fifty quarters, he must be given according to this account for seven hundred and fifty quarters a field two fields long and one and a half fields across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the hay and the forest will be his field at eighty-three quarters. If one of the warriors deserves to receive five hundred quarters, he must be given, according to this account, for five hundred quarters a field two fields long and across one field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will have a field of fifty five quarters and octave. If someone deserves to receive four hundred minus twenty-five quarters, he must be given for four hundred minus twenty-five quarters a field one and a half fields long and across one field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to what the hay and timber will be he has a field of forty-one quarters and an octagon. If someone deserves to receive two hundred and fifty quarters, he must be given for two hundred and fifty quarters a square field in length and across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will have a field of twenty-eight quarters minus half octagons. If someone deserves to receive one hundred and twenty-five quarters, he must be given according to this account for one hundred and twenty-five quarters a field the length of a field and across half a field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will receive a field of fourteen quarters. If there is a field where the field is unequal to the earth, this also happens among people: they are of the same dignity, that is, equal, or they have some differences, turning out to be unequal to each other, so evaluate according to the person, in order to endow the best with the best fields.

A boyar, governor or warrior who has land, according to his dignity, has enough of his own farmers. He who takes a fifth of the harvest no longer gives the farmers seeds. If God is pleased and one grain produces five in the land, then the one who is given one field will receive from his farmers as a fifth part two hundred and fifty quarters of rye, and twice as much for spring, and this will be enough for him.

None of the boyars, governors or warriors who have their own farmers should collect money from others. After all, if someone is greater than other warriors, then according to his dignity he receives more land, so that he also acquires more farmers than another, twice or three times, or seven and eight times. Even if he is so great that he deserves to be a commander, he still should not be almost a sovereign next to other warriors. This is excessive wealth and pride, so that, while collecting sufficient income from one’s farmers, one also takes money from strangers. After all, if anyone needs money for expenses, then he has a surplus of grain, which, by selling it to city residents and those who buy bread, he will get money for his needs. How can you want money from farmers and subject them to torture for this, as we happen to see? They didn’t create money, but they did create bread. Therefore, according to the rule of Joseph the Beautiful, you need to take a fifth of bread from them, and you also need to take a fifth of hay and firewood.

And this is how you have to show up for the militia. Whoever has a royal dacha for the use of land in length and across a square field must appear with a servant in full armor. And others according to the same calculation. If the king wants his army to gather for the militia in one day, he must order all the soldiers to live not in villages and hamlets, but in cities, so that they receive what they are entitled to - bread, hay and firewood - from their farmers, and they themselves live in cities. Therefore, as soon as the royal letter about military training arrives to them, immediately everyone, having learned, will be ashamed to lag behind each other, but unanimously, in one day, will appear for the service assigned to them.

Would the king himself really want to not have to answer for the whole land, like every person for his own house? After all, the Lord said: “To whom more is given, more will be demanded, and to whom especially much is given, especially much will be asked.” And the apostle tells the Galatians that fornicators and adulterers and drunkards will not be worthy of the kingdom of God. We see here that in the city named Pskov and in all Russian cities there are taverns. And drunkards in taverns are never without harlots. If the taverns are not destroyed, and this, as is known, is drunkenness, debauchery of single people, adultery of married people, those who get rich from this will be responsible for this.

But have mercy, Lord, and admonish our king to destroy this, and not only this, but also all intoxicating drinks. After all, if there is no drunkenness in our land, there will be no fornication among married women, there will be no murders other than robbery. But even if a villain conceives a robbery, he will carry it out once, and another time he will not carry it out out of fear. But this misfortune destroys without wanting and knows no fear. As men and women gather, according to our custom, for an intoxicating drink, buffoons immediately come, take harps, and violins, and pipes, and tambourines, and other demonic instruments, and play them in front of married women, they rage, jump, sing obscene songs. And this wife is already sitting from drunkenness, as if in a faint, her sober firmness disappears, and the desire for the satanic game comes to her, and besides, her husband has become dissolute and has gone after other women in dreams, and glances are directed here and there, and each husband is a stranger He offers his wife a drink with a kiss, and then there is a touching of hands and an interweaving of secret speeches and devilish connections. After all, a woman experiences shame until one day she tastes it, but when she tastes it, she no longer knows shame and, having gotten used to it, becomes a harlot. For every harlot, the first time the devil's temptation occurs is at drunken gatherings.

And murder is also intoxicated. Coming to a feast, everyone wants first of all to take a place of honor, and if this does not work out, then, while still sober, he remains silent, but begins to hate his brother, who is sitting in a more honorable place, and then he harbors anger against him in his heart. And when he loses his mind in intoxication, he begins to plot and insult him, showering him with evil words, and if he endures it, he pesters him again. But when he’s drunk, he won’t keep quiet either, then a fight will happen, and one will stab the other with a knife. Is it possible to hear about knife murders except in drunken societies and games, especially on holidays that are celebrated in drunkenness? Here are two joys for the devil: in drunken societies, the beginning of debauchery among married people and murder.

If one of the lovers of drunkenness chatters that if there is no hops, then he will have to serve with unleavened bread, such a person is trying to ensure that he himself is always leavened with hops. The dough is fermented not from hops, but from all sorts of yeast, and some are not hopped, because Scripture does not say about bread used in the service that it should ferment.

The Holy Apostle Peter installed the Evangelist Mark as bishop in Alexandria, and from Mark to this day the Alexandrian patriarchs have not become at all poorer in their flock, but, inheriting each other, they served bread fermented with grape yeast: there is no hop in them, and the dough can be fermented with non-hop yeast. If God favors, the pious Tsar should punish the rulers of all Russian cities to prohibit the making of intoxicating products, this will abolish murder, fornication, and drunkenness. And because of murders, blacksmiths in all regions should be punished to forge knives with blunt ends, and this will abolish murder. For this, the king will be forgiven his sins and will be rewarded in the future with endless benefits from the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ forever and ever, amen.

It speaks about the popularity of the story large number lists that have survived to this day. The story combines two ancient folklore motifs - about the snake fighter and about the wise maiden. In a number of lists, the “Tale” is called a hagiography, but Ermolai-Erasmus was unable to depart from the folk poetic tradition in the depiction of the heroes and in the construction of the plot. Probably because of this genre uncertainty, the predominance of folklore principles in the story of the “new miracle workers of Murom”, the work of Ermolai-Erasmus was not included by Metropolitan Macarius in the Great Menaion of the Four.

The image of the “wise maiden” F. goes back to a Russian fairy tale. The daughter of a beekeeper (“tree climber”) from the village of Laskovo, Ryazan land, is famous good deeds, intelligence and insight. She is a faithful and caring wife who knows how to fight for her happiness. F. embodies love, which neither evil people nor the force of circumstances can defeat. Researchers have repeatedly compared ancient Russian story with a Western European novel about Tristan and Isolde, who also encounter various obstacles on the way to happiness.

The main character is active, she creates her own destiny and the destiny of Prince Peter, over whom she wins a moral victory. The image of P. plays a less noticeable role in the narrative; it seems to be overshadowed by the bright and colorful figure of F.

Prince P. of Murom, having stood up for the honor of his brother’s wife, fights a flying kite that has taken to her. Having mastered the Agric sword, P. wins, but the poisonous blood of the snake causes incurable ulcers and scabs on his body. F. heals the prince, setting a condition: she will cure P. if he takes her as his wife. The prince does not want to marry a simple peasant woman. But after a second appeal to F. for help, the ashamed prince takes the peasant girl as his wife.

F.'s wisdom is manifested not only in deeds and actions, but also in the ability to speak in allegories and riddles. This is not how the princely envoy understands her, in response to whose questions F. says: “It’s bad when the courtyard has no ears, and the house has no eyes”; “Father and mother went to cry, and brother went through the legs of death to look into the eyes.” F. herself explains the meaning of what was said: the ears of the house are a dog, and the eyes are a child. They, each in their own way, will warn the owner about the approach of a stranger. The heroine's father and mother went to the funeral, and her brother, a beekeeper, went to practice his dangerous craft, climbing tall trees. With his wise speeches, F. also baffles her future husband.

After F. becomes the prince’s wife, the evil boyars and their wives, “like a barking bark,” do not want to be ruled by a woman of peasant origin, and strive to expel F. from the city and separate the heroes. However, even here the power of love prevails. F. wants to take with him the most precious thing - his spouse. P. renounces his reign and leaves Murom together with F. The heroes of the story do not value power and wealth. This is how P. and F.’s love overcomes social obstacles. A certain anti-boyar tendency is noticeable in this episode. The creator of the story emphasizes that the “evil” boyars fought over power: everyone “would like to have power.” The townspeople beg P. to rule Murom as before. Returning to the city, P. and F. rule not with rage, but with truth and justice, and treat their subjects not as mercenaries, but as true shepherds. They are compared to merciful and warm-hearted child-loving parents.

Neither social inequality, neither the “evil” boyars can separate the heroes. They are inseparable even in the face of death. Having simultaneously accepted the monastic rank, P. and F. pray to God: “May she be reposed in one hour”; and bequeathed to bury themselves in the same tomb.

The description of the death of the saints is especially expressive. Just before her death, “blessed” F. embroiders “air” with the faces of saints for the cathedral. The prince, feeling his death approaching, sends to tell his wife that he is waiting for her to leave this world together. F. asks her master to wait until she finishes her work. After P.’s third appeal to her (“I’m leaving this world, I can’t wait for you anymore”), the princess-nun, who managed to embroider the face and hand of the saint, responds to the call of her husband. Having stuck a needle into the unsewn cover and wound a thread around it, F. sends to P. to say that she is ready.

Even a posthumous miracle - an important element in the composition of a hagiographic narrative - reaffirms the inseparability of the marital ties of the heroes. People who sought to separate P. and F. during their lives separate them twice after death: P.’s body was laid in the city, “in the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God,” and F.’s body was buried “outside the city,” in the Vozdvizhensky Church of the Convent. The next morning everyone sees a miracle: the bodies of the prince and princess end up in a common tomb.

The images of P. and F., beloved by the people, were captured more than once by icon painters. By order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich and Tsarina Irina, the cover of the relics of the Murom miracle workers was embroidered - a wonderful monument of gold embroidery of medieval Rus' (1594).

Old Russian storytelling attracted the attention of writers and composers of modern times. Thus, the heroine of I. A. Bunin’s story “ Clean Monday"(1944), who chose the path of a nun for herself, quotes from memory two fragments from the story (the opening lines and words about the end of the earthly life of the saints). The “inseparable love” of the heroes of the ancient legend inspired A. M. Remizov.

Russian folk tale In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a man. Time passed - they signed him up as a soldier; he leaves his wife, begins to say goodbye to her and says: - Look, wife, live well, good people Don't be ridiculous, don't ruin the house...

MAKARIUS-Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' (1481/1482-31.XII.1563) - an outstanding political figure, writer and collector ancient Russian books, initiator of the creation and editor of multi-volume book collections. M.'s place of birth and class origin are unknown;...

Ilya Muromets is a great hero, a glorious warrior, main character many Russian epics. In the epic “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber” many qualities of the “daring good fellow” as a folk hero are clearly revealed. Endowed with heroic strength, Ilya Muromets...

CHRONICLES in Rus' were kept from the 11th to the 18th centuries. Until sep. XVI century, the time of Ivan the Terrible, they were the main type of historical narration, only from that time “giving way to another historiographic genre - chronographs. L. were compiled in monasteries...

1) The history of the creation of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”.

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, Moscow Metropolitan Macarius ordered the collection of legends from Russian cities about righteous people famous for their pious deeds. Subsequently, a church council proclaims them saints. Priest Ermolai received an assignment to write an essay about the Murom saints - Prince Peter and his wife Princess Fevronia. Ermolai-Erasmus wrote “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom,” who were canonized at the council in 1547, that is, declared “new miracle workers,” saints.

2) Features of the plot of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”.

Plot sources. The source of the plot for the “Tale...” of Ermolai-Erasmus was a local legend about a wise peasant girl who became a princess (the village of Laskovo, five kilometers from the village of Solotchi and the former Solotchinsky monastery, where Fevronia was from, still exists today). Folk legend had such a strong influence on Ermolai-Erasmus that he created a work not associated with the canons of the hagiographical genre: before us is a fascinating plot narrative, not much reminiscent of the story of the feat of the saints for the glory of the church. Both in the plot, and in the content of individual episodes, and in the making and solving of riddles, folklore motifs are noticeably manifested. It is significant in this regard that the story of Ermolai-Erasmus about Peter and Fevronia, recognized by the church as saints, was not included in the “Great Menaion-Chetia”, which, along with other texts, contained numerous lives of Russian saints.

Main stages of the plot. Exposition. “This is a city in the Rustei land, called Mur” - this is how the story begins simply. In this city, as the narrator says, the blessed Prince Paul reigned. And the rapist serpent began to fly to his wife. To outsiders, he took on the appearance of Paul. Pavel's wife told her husband about her misfortune, and both began to think about how to get rid of the rapist. One day, when the serpent again flew to Paul’s wife, she asked the serpent “with respect”: “You know a lot, do you know your death: what will it be and from what?” Seduced by the “good seduction” of Paul’s wife, the serpent replied: “My death is from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword.” Paul's brother, Peter, decides to kill the serpent, but does not know where he can get Agrikov's sword. He finds this sword on one of his trips to private prayer in a country temple in the altar between the “ceramides,” that is, ceramic tiles that usually covered burials. Having made sure that it is not Paul who is sitting in the temple of Paul’s wife, but a serpent who has taken on the appearance of Paul, Peter strikes him with Agric’s sword. His true appearance returns to the serpent, and he dies “trembling”, sprinkling Peter with his blood. From this blood Peter is covered with scabs. His illness cannot be cured.

The beginning of the plot action. Peter's terrible illness serves as the beginning of the second part of the story, where the wise maiden Fevronia appears and heals the prince. Fevronia is the “wise maiden” of fairy tales. External manifestations of her big inner strength stingy. She is ready for the feat of self-denial, she has conquered her passions. Her love for Prince Peter is invincible externally because it is defeated internally, by herself, subordinated to the mind. At the same time, her wisdom is not only a property of her mind, but to the same extent - her feelings and will. There is no conflict between her feelings, mind and will: hence the extraordinary “silence” of her image.

Denouement. The life-giving power of Fevronia’s love is so great that the poles stuck into the ground bloom into trees with her blessing. She is so strong in spirit that she can unravel the thoughts of the people she meets. In the power of love, in the wisdom suggested to her by this love, Fevronia turns out to be higher than even her own ideal husband- Prince Peter. Death itself cannot separate them. When Peter and Fevronia felt the approach of death, they began to ask God to die at the same time, and prepared a common foe for themselves. After that they became monks in different monasteries. And so, when Fevronia was embroidering “air” for the holy cup for the temple of the Mother of God, Peter sent her to tell her that he was dying, and asked her to die with him. But Fevronia asks to give her time to finish the bedspread. Peter sent to her a second time, ordering her to say: “I won’t wait long enough for you.” Finally, sending p for the third time, Peter tells her: “I already want to die and I’m not waiting for you.” Then Fevronia, who only had to finish the saint’s robe, stuck a needle into the bedspread, wrapped a thread around it and sent it to tell Peter that she was ready to die with him.

Epilogue. After the death of Peter and Fevronia, people put their bodies in separate coffins, but the next day their bodies ended up in a common coffin that they had prepared in advance. People tried to separate Peter and Fevronia a second time, but again the bodies were together, and after that they no longer dared to separate them.

What forces are at work at the beginning of the story? (the evil serpent is the devil)

What is Agrikov's sword? (Agrik is a fabulous hero. They said that he defeated giants and monsters. He collected a countless treasury of weapons, among which was a treasure sword.)

Why did Peter's body become covered with scabs and sores? (“...Peter, firmly convinced that it was not his brother, but a crafty serpent, struck him with a sword. The serpent turned into his natural form and fell dead in convulsions, splashing Prince Peter with his blood. From that enemy blood, Peter’s body was covered with scabs and Sores opened, and a serious illness attacked him."

3) Artistic features of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”.

“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” is a combination of two folklore stories: one about a seducing snake and the other about a wise maiden. These plots in the “Tale...” are connected and dedicated to Murom, and the whole story claims to be historically accurate.

The charm of “The Tale...” lies in the simplicity and clarity of presentation, in the sedate slowness of the story, in the narrator’s ability not to be surprised by the surprising, in the simplicity and good-naturedness of the characters that harmonizes with the narrator’s calmness.

Pearl ancient Russian literature

Feat

in the name of love

Saints Peter and Fevronia

For the Russian Church, Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom are of great importance primarily as special symbol spiritual path, in which the comprehension of God is inextricably linked with the relationship between two people.

A man and a woman are created for each other, their union in itself embodies the Divine plan. But this connection is impossible if a person does not see in another person a unique personality created in the image of God.

Epigraph for the lesson

Love is long-suffering, merciful, Love does not envy, love does not exalt itself, is not proud, ... does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never stops...

Apostle Paul

Why are Peter and Fevronia especially revered by the Orthodox Church?
Why are they canonized?
What is their feat?
How are Peter and Fevronia close to us? What lesson do they teach us?
What qualities do saints exhibit?
everyone who wants to build
your relationship with your loved one
a person?

Lesson steps

1.Which village did the servant go to in search of a doctor?

2.Where was Agrikov’s sword? What is its purpose?

3.What condition did Fevronia set before treating the prince?

4.Why did the boyars dislike the girl?

5.Why didn’t you order all the scabs to be anointed?

"Hawkeye" (answer questions)

6.What was in Fevronia’s palm after lunch?

7.What did the boyars offer Fevronia instead of a husband?

8.Why did the boyars kill each other?

9.Whose daughter was Fevronia?

10.What did Fevronia embroider before her death?

What is interesting about the story?
What does it remind you of?
A life-work about saints, statesmen and religious figures, whose lives and actions are regarded as exemplary.
Determination of the compositional elements of the story.
Fabulous Hagiographies

The beginning is the beginning of Love for God
The Tale of the Wise Maiden, Life According to the Commandments
The serpent is the tempter of the heroine's miracles
Magic sword she's a saint
Riddles he is a reverend
Challenge tasks unusual death
Good conquers evil posthumous miracles

1. What do Fevronia’s riddles indicate? What does the author intentionally want to emphasize in it?
What other examples can you give that confirm the heroine’s wisdom?
Did she know that the prince would deceive her for the first time?

Read the riddles of Fevronia in the story.
- Find the answer to the first riddle. To the second, to the third.
- For what purpose does the author use them here? (to characterize the wise maiden. Together with the prince’s messenger, the reader admires the girl’s intelligence, the beauty of her mysterious speech, and the depth of her thoughts).

1 What was the reason for the acquaintance of Peter and Fevronia?
2. How did the young people live after marriage?
3. How do you understand the expression “pious and righteous”?
4. Relations with the boyars and their wives.
5.What choice does Peter make between his wife and the throne? How does this characterize him?

5.Why does Peter choose a wife? In your opinion, was his action correct?
6.does this act torment him? Why?
7.Why was he asked to return?
8. How did they reign after returning? What did you not like about the social order?
9. What example did you set with your leadership?

MARRIAGE IS A MIRACLE ON EARTH

What helps Peter and Fevronia overcome all their troubles? (Life according to the laws of God).

. Where does inexhaustible power find its highest expression? mutual love Peter and Fevronia? (They die on the same day and hour and are not separated after death).

. What miracle was performed repeatedly after their death? (They ended up in the same coffin).

Can we say that Peter and Fevronia defended their feelings during life and even death?

Is Fevronia the ideal woman?

Do you like Fevronia? Yes or no, why?

D.S. Likhachev noted:

“The life-giving power of Fevronia’s love is so great that poles stuck in the ground bloom into trees with her blessing. Crumbs of bread in her palm turn into grains of sacred incense. She is so strong in spirit that she can unravel the thoughts of the people she meets. In the strength of her love, in the wisdom, as if suggested to her by this love, Fevronia turns out to be superior even to her ideal husband, Prince Peter.”

In the Russian Orthodox tradition, Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom play special role. Their life is the story of the relationship between a man and a woman who managed to overcome all the difficulties of a long and difficult earthly journey, revealing the ideal Christian family. The joys and problems that they had to face eight centuries ago are still relevant today - they are timeless. Just like holy spouses, they show us exactly those mental and spiritual qualities of a person that are necessary for everyone who is trying to build their relationship with a loved one. It is no coincidence that it is on the day of memory of Peter and Fevronia, July 8, that the All-Russian Day of Family, Love and Fidelity will be celebrated for the first time.

July 8 Orthodox Church honors Saints Peter and Fevronia, and this particular day is considered Valentine's Day in Orthodoxy. And chamomile has become a symbol of this holiday. Many people make a pilgrimage to Murom: both those who have just decided to get married, and those who have just come to thank these saints for their protection family life or ask for their prayer before the Lord for the granting of family harmony and happiness.

Lesson conclusions

In a world where everything and everyone is in disarray, marriage is a place where two people, thanks to the fact that they love each other, become united, a place where discord ends, where the realization of a single life begins. And this is the greatest miracle of human relationships: two people suddenly become one person, two persons suddenly, because they loved each other and accepted each other to the end, completely, turn out to be something more than a two, than just two people - they turn out to be a unity.

Let's remember this!