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The Holy Apostle Paul in his epistles often deals with Christological questions, in particular questions of the divine and human nature of Christ. This issue is addressed in a passage from the epistle of the holy apostle Paul to Philippians 2:6-11, the so-called Christological hymn. This article is a continuation of the author's consideration of Christological themes in the epistles of the holy Apostle Paul. The exegetical material of the fragment of the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to Philippians 2:6–11 is systematized with the involvement of patristic interpretations and modern research. The problem of identifying a fragment of the epistle as an ancient Christian hymn is considered. Based on the original text of the Epistle and patristic exegesis, the author of the article analyzes the peculiarities of the use of Greek Christological terms (σχῆ μα, μορφ ή , ε ἰ κών), and also shows the connection between the use of the name of God (tetragram YНWН) in the Old Testament with the New Testament Lord (К´υριος). The novelty of the work lies in an attempt to systematize the material on this topic.
In the New Testament writings, in particular in the epistles of the Apostle Paul, there are hymns composed by liturgical assemblies. The texts of the hymns had a deep dogmatic content, they reflected the foundations of the Christological teaching: faith in the pre-eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ and the most important events of His redemptive feat - incarnation, suffering on the Cross, death, resurrection and ascension. These are the hymn to the majesty of Christ (Col. 1:15–20; Heb. 1:1–4), the apostolic confession of faith (1 Tim. 3:16), and the Christological hymn given in Philippians (2:6– eleven). It has all the hallmarks of biblical poetry: poetic rhythm, parallelism, allusions to Old Testament events. There is an opinion that the Old Testament archetype of the hymn Phil. 2:6–11 are hymns of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1–4; 50:4–11; 52:13–15) . It is possible that this hymn was composed by the Apostle himself. There are opinions of researchers of the hymnography of the Holy Scriptures that the hymn was not written by the Apostle Paul, but is a late interpolation. But this theory has not met with serious support from modern researchers. The English scientist Donald Guthrie believes that "the theory of interpolation does not deserve special attention, since it does not have handwritten confirmations, and no corresponding situation can be found that could explain the inclusion of such a large section after publication" . The version that these places may be early Christian hymns, which St. Paul quoted, weaving them into his theological reasoning, is indirectly confirmed by the apostle himself in Ephesians 5:19: "... edifying themselves with psalms and doxologies and spiritual hymns." And also in the First Epistle to the Corinthians 14, 15, 26: "... When you come together, and each of you has a psalm, there is a lesson, there is a language, there is a revelation, there is an interpretation - all this will be for edification."

This passage has always attracted the interpreters of the Holy Scriptures to solve the main Christological question: who was Jesus of Nazareth - God or a man, the Son of God or the son of man?

The passage we are considering is Phil. 2:6-11 has always attracted the interpreters of the Holy Scriptures to solve the basic Christological question: who was Jesus of Nazareth - God or a man, the Son of God or the son of man? Around this issue, heretics of all stripes “broke their spears,” beginning with the Gnostics, Monophysites, Arians, Nestorians, Monothelites (Eutychians) and others. the anthem of Phil. 2:6-11. Despite the many interpretations and comments on this text, there is still an interest in exegetical analysis for an in-depth study of the Christology of the Apostle Paul. In the fundamental work of Archpriest A. Sorokin "Christ and the Church in the New Testament", on the basis of the achievements of modern biblical studies, the main hermeneutic ideas of the passage of Philp. 2:6-11, as a liturgical hymn used in early Christian communities. This article provides a more detailed exegetical analysis of this hymn. According to the content and meaning, the hymn is divided into two parts:

1. The divine dignity of Christ in eternity and His self-abasement in birth, ministry and obedience even unto death (2:6-8).

2. The exaltation of Christ to glory after the resurrection and the worship of Him by all creation (2:9-11).

Wishing to give believers an example of the greatest humility of Christ and incline them to imitate Him, the Apostle Paul contrasts the Divine dignity of Christ in His pre-eternal existence, on the one hand, and His humiliation and humility in the incarnation and suffering on the Cross, on the other: “ He, being the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but he humbled himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of men, and becoming in appearance like a man; humbled himself, being obedient even unto death, and the death of the cross» (2:6-8).

DIVINE Dignity and Kenosis of Christ.

In relation to God, as a prototype, absolutely unlimited, in no way representable, μορφή can only mean the essence of the Divine. Also, the μορφή of every person is his human nature, once and for all given to him, although the external image is constantly changing - a baby, a child, an old man.

Based on the context of the 1st part of the hymn (Phil. 2:6–7), it is clear that the Apostle in the words “ He, being the image of God"(Who is in the image of God- ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, lat. in forma Dei esset), affirms the idea of ​​the pre-eternal existence of Christ and of His equality with God. This is evidenced by the term used by the Apostle μορφή (appearance, image, appearance, Latin forma). In relation to God, as a prototype, absolutely unlimited, in no way representable, μορφή can only mean the essence of the Divine, moreover, constant, never changeable, equal to itself. Also, the μορφή of every person is his human nature, once and for all given to him, although the external image (εἰκών, σχῆμα) of it is constantly changing - a baby, a child, an old man. The designation of Christ in the image of God in Phil. 2:6 brings it closer to the biblical account of the creation of man in the image of God: “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him» (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1, 9:6). Here " in the image of God» (κατ᾿ εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ) used synonymous εἰκών - image, image, likeness, statue, mental image, lat. imago). The image of God in man refers to his inner, spiritual nature, and then to a relative, imperfect degree. It does not indicate the equality and constancy of the nature of the image with respect to the Prototype. Christian dogmatics affirms as an indisputable truth the change in the nature of man after his fall into sin - from immortal he became mortal.

Another example of calling Christ the image of God is given in Col. 1:15: " Who is the image of the invisible God» - ὃς ἐστιν εἰκών τοῦ θεοῦ. Here, too, εἰκών cannot be taken literally, otherwise either Christ must be invisible, or the Divine nature in Him must be visible, which is illogical and unacceptable. Therefore, εἰκών indicates that the Son of God is also God, but "Who is mentally seen in Him" ​​. In fullness and perfection, the God-image of man abides only in the Son of God, for " in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). This is what the Apostle emphasizes when speaking of Christ: being the image of Godἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων who are in the image of God', not 'former' or 'was'.

The Lord says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was I am” (John 8:58), which means the eternal, unchanging, original existence of the Son of God. The very thought of the pre-existence of Christ confirms His divinity

Christ's consciousness of His divinity is confirmed by many examples. Thus, the Lord says about Himself: He who has seen Me has seen the Father... I am in the Father and the Father in Me... believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; and if not, then believe me by the very works» (John 14:9-11). And elsewhere the Lord says: Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am”(John 8:58), which means the eternal, unchanging, original existence of the Son of God. The very thought of the pre-existence of Christ confirms His divinity. This is the name God applies to Himself when He says of Himself: I am the Existing”(Ex. 3:14), which means original, absolutely independent of anything. The word ὑπάρχων in Phil. 2:6 precisely means that Christ, as the image of God, abides in the Archetype, that is, in God, eternally, not united, indivisible, and unchanging.

The Russian “image”, used to translate the Greek terms μορφὴ, εἰκών, χαρακτήρ, σχῆμα, does not give a verbal answer to the question: what is meant by this term - an external image, appearance, likeness or essence.

The Apostle Paul repeatedly calls Christ "the image of God," but in different words. In Heb. 1:3 calls Him the “image of the hypostasis” of God - χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ - (χαρακτήρ - impression, imprint and ὑπόστασις - essence). In Col. 1:15 calls the Son of God "the image of the invisible God» - εἰκών τοῦ θεοῦ ἀοράτου. Thus, the Russian “image” used to translate the Greek terms μορφὴ, εἰκών, χαρακτήρ, σχῆμα does not give a verbal answer to the question: what is meant by this term - an external image, appearance, likeness or essence.

The Fathers of the Church in all the terms used by the Apostle Paul, referring to Christ and translated as "the image of God", understand the essence of God.

Only proceeding from the context of the entire first part of the Christological hymn, and even more broadly - from the entire Holy Scripture - it follows that in the expression ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, the essence of God is understood by the image. So the Fathers of the Church in all the terms used by the Apostle Paul, referring to Christ and translated as "the image of God", understand the essence of God. “When He lived among men, He was God in both word and deed. For the form of God is no different from God. Indeed, He is therefore called the form and image of God, in order to make it clear that He Himself, although distinguishable from God the Father, is all that God is ... What is the form of God, but the unmanifest evidence of His Divinity - the resurrection of the dead, restoring hearing to the deaf, cleansing lepers, etc.? .

Conscious of His equality with God, naturally, Christ in His consciousness " did not consider theft "(appropriation of someone else's) be equal to God". He did not rapture towards the Divine, like the pagan mystics in ecstasy, but was the true God in essence. Here the apostle Paul is clearly referring to the story of the creation of man. in the image of God”(Gen. 1:27) and Adam’s desire to be admired to the Divine likeness by theft - by eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6). The apostle repeatedly refers to the history of the Old Testament Adam, contrasting him with Christ, the new Adam, Who, by obedience to God the Father until death on the cross, accomplishes the salvation of the human race.

Conscious of Himself equal to God and being Him in essence, Christ Himself voluntarily “despoiled”. Humiliation refers not to the Divine, unchangeable, but to human nature and to the God-human person of Christ.

But, recognizing Himself equal to God and being Him in essence, Christ Himself voluntarily " humiliated"(ἐκένωσεν - belittled, exhausted, devastated), that is, in the incarnation he appeared in the form of a humble person, devoid of glory and greatness. Hence comes the term "kenosis" - the humiliation of God, revealed in the Incarnation, and even more so in the death of Christ on the cross. “He devastated, laid down His own from Himself, having stripped off the visible glory and majesty inherent in the Deity and Him, like God, belonging.” Blzh. Theodoret understands the word "despised" how he "concealed" the glory of his Divinity, chose extreme humility. The pinnacle of obedience to the will of the Heavenly Father and humility of mind and ultimate humiliation were manifested in the suffering on the cross and the death of Christ (Philippians 2:8).

Humiliation refers not to the Divine, unchangeable, but to human nature and to the God-human person of Christ. It is in the incarnation of the eternal Word, when " The word became flesh"(John 1:14), Christ did not appear in glory, which he had from eternity, but" took the form of a slave» (μορφὴ δο ύ λου λαβών). « The image of a slave” denotes the adoption of not only the form of a slave, but of human nature, in a slave state. We are talking here about the acceptance by the Son of God of the flesh of man, which for Him is self-abasement, the depletion of the glory of the Divine, - the rejection of omnipotence, omniscience, eternity. The use in both cases: the image of God and the image of the slave of the word μορφή only confirms that the prototype for both images is essence, nature, moreover, constant and unchanging. St. Gregory of Nyssa writes: “Just as He Who Came in the form of a servant imagined himself in the essence of a servant, taking upon Himself not only an image not connected with the essence, but also an essence implied by the image, so also Paul, who said that He was the image of God, took on the essence indicated by means of an image. Also blj. Theodoret of Cyrus, objecting to the Monophysites, says: “If some say that the image of God is not the essence of God, then we ask them: what do they understand by the image of a slave? Of course, they will not, like Marcion, Valentinus and Mani, deny the perception of the flesh by God. Therefore, if the image of a slave is the essence of a slave, then the image of God is the essence of God.

Emphasizing the idea of ​​the Incarnation in verse 2:7, St. John Chrysostom says: “What do the words mean:“ I accept the ghost of a slave"? That says that He became a man. Hence: "and in the image of God" means there was a God. For both there and here is the same word: image (μορφή). If the former is true, then so is the latter. To be in the form of a servant means to be human by nature, and to be “ in the image of God" means to be God by nature.

Speaking of the Divinity of Christ, the Apostle expresses himself thus: "in the image of God," that is, he who is, always abiding; and when he speaks of His humanity, he uses the words: “received,” that is, he has become what he was not before.

Speaking of the divinity of Christ, the Apostle expresses himself thus: in the image of God”, that is, existing, always abiding; and when he speaks of His humanity, he uses the words: accepted”, that is, it has become what it was not before. Thus, the apostle does not give grounds either to confuse or separate the Divinity and humanity, but affirms their unity in the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. “It is said of Him that He humbled Himself, namely, that He took the form of a servant without losing the form of God. For that nature, in which He is equal to the Father in the form of God, remains unchanged when He assumes our changing nature, through which He was born of the Virgin.

« Becoming like a person”, - that is, Christ, in a voluntary belittling of the glory of His Divinity, having taken human nature, which Adam had before the fall, was not identical to people in everything, for He did not have original sin, and in the flesh He remained the Son of God. Also in Rome. 8:3 the apostle says that Christ was " in the likeness of sinful flesh". There is also a parallel with the Old Testament Adam, who, being the image of God by creation, had to achieve personal likeness to God by personal effort, the feat of life according to the commandments of God (Genesis 1:26; 5:1). Also, the calling of the Messiah the servant of Adonai, who will exalt himself in the future, is a well-known Old Testament image (Isaiah 52:13).

“And in appearance becoming like a man” in the sense that in appearance - by habits, gestures, speech, actions, clothes, Christ was perceived by everyone as an ordinary person

« And in appearance becoming like a man" in the sense that in appearance (σχῆμα - appearance, image, form), habits, gestures, speech, actions, clothes, Christ was perceived by everyone as an ordinary person. The divine glory of the Messiah was hidden from people and manifested itself only in miracles performed by Him. His Divine glory was especially manifested and revealed outside in the Transfiguration on Tabor (Matt. 17:1-8).

Christ humbled Himself not as a servant does everything commanded to him, but voluntarily, being obedient like a son. The Lord was obedient not to human malice, but exclusively to the will of His Heavenly Father.

« He humbled Himself, being obedient even unto death, and the death of the cross”(Phil. 2:8), - the highest humility of Christ was manifested in obedience to God the Father in His death on the cross. Christ humbled Himself not as a servant does everything commanded to him, but voluntarily, being obedient like a son. The Lord was obedient not to human malice, not to the intrigues of the Jews, nor to the temptations of evil power, nor to fate or fate, but exclusively to the will of His Heavenly Father. This was most evident in the Gethsemane struggle, when the words were heard from the lips of the Savior: My Father! If possible, let this cup pass from me; however, not as I want, but as You» (Matthew 26:39).

Death is the result of sin, for sin entered the world in the disobedience of Adam, and death entered through sin, and death spread to all men. Only the sinless Christ accepts death, not as an inevitability, but in obedience to the Father

Death is the result of sin, for sin entered the world in the disobedience of Adam, and death entered through sin, and death spread to all men (Rom. 5:12; Gen. 2:17). Only the sinless Christ accepts death not as an inevitability, but in obedience to the Father (Isaiah 52:12). He " humbled himself», « humbled himself", according to Scripture, " taking the form of a slave", that is, becoming like us, so that we become like Him, being transformed by grace into His perfect likeness through the action of the Spirit," remarks St. Cyril of Alexandria.

CHRIST EXPANDED TO THE GLORY (2:9–11)

The 2nd part of the hymn depicts the ascension of Christ into glory. For the fulfillment of the will of God, for boundless obedience to God and " God exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.» (Philippians 2:9-11) . The meaning of this passage is that God the Father, for the greatest humility of His Son in the incarnation, in His acceptance of human nature, in humble cross-bearing, even before death on the cross, rewarded Him with greatness, exalted Him as a man to the greatest glory - the glory of the Divine. The Person of the Son of God is also exalted in His humanity, or otherwise: humanity is exalted in Him - in resurrection, in deification, in ascension, in the seat at the right hand of God. “Through His humility, Christ not only did not lose what he had as God, but accepted this as a man.”

The description of Christ's ascension to glory also has many parallels from Isaiah in the depiction of the suffering Messiah (Is. 53:2-10), and then His glorification (Is. 52:13; 45:23; Ps. 109:1) .

The second moment of the exaltation of the incarnate Son of God after His self-abasement is the bestowal of the name inherent in Him as God from the beginning, and now also as a man. As God, He had a name that did not depart from Him through the incarnation and the cross, but now it is given to Him as a man. What is this name? It " above every name", for this is the name of the God-man, the Son of God, God. So He was called before the foundation of the world. He inherited a name above Angelic, For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my Son, today I have begotten you"? And further: " I will be His Father and He will be My Son» (Ps. 2:7; 2 Sam. 7:14; Heb. 1:5).

After the incarnation of Christ, He is given the name "Jesus", predicted by the Angel (Matt. 1:21) and the Archangel Gabriel, with the addition that He will be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31-32). The Almighty Himself answered the question of Moses about the name of the One who spoke with him: I am the Existing» (Ex. 3:14). In Hebrew, the word "existing" is expressed by a tetragram, which is transmitted in Latin letters as YHWH (YHVG - in Russian transcription) and was read as Yahve, Yahweh or Jehovah. For the Hebrew consciousness, this sacred name was more than just a name, for it made it possible not only to name God, but through the pronunciation of His name to be in God's presence. The name of God was surrounded by the Jews with the greatest reverence and reverence. They did not even dare to pronounce it aloud, and when reading it out loud, they replaced it with another name - Adonai, which means "My Lord." This led to the fact that when translating the Hebrew Bible into Greek (Septuagint), most often, where this sacred tetragram appears in the Hebrew text (for example, Exodus 3:14, Deut. 5:6), in Greek it is not ὁ ὤν - Existing, but K ύ ριος, meaning Lord, Lord. This word was used by evangelists and ancient Christians to convey the sacred name of both God and the Son of God. Evangelist Luke throughout his Gospel uses the name Lord along with the name Jesus, while other evangelists prefer to call Christ by the name Jesus. But the name Jesus Ἰησοῦς (Ieshua) - "Savior" - contains the meaning of the sacred tetragram with the meaning "The Lord saves."

The names Jesus, Lord, Yahweh, as applied to the incarnate Son of God, are the Name bestowed by God the Father, before which “every tribe of heaven, earth and underworld” should worship

Thus, the names Jesus, the Lord, Yahweh, in application to the incarnate Son of God, are the Name given by God the Father, before which one should worship " every tribe in heaven, on earth and under the”(2:10), that is, the whole world: both angels, and people, and demons, and the righteous, and sinners. This name, pronounced in prayer with faith, inclines to the mercy of God, who works great miracles (Mark 16:17), accomplishes our salvation (Acts 4:12; Joel 2:32).

This name became the basis of the shortest and most powerful penitential prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Jesus Prayer). Every tongue confesses the name of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father”(2:11), that is, recognizes that Jesus Christ is Lord in equal glory with God the Father.

The apophatic nature of the name given by God to Christ is indicated by St. Gregory of Nyssa: “The only name befitting God is that He is above every name. He surpasses any movement of thought and eludes the formal definition that for people there is a sign of His indescribable greatness.

From this theological part of the Epistle, the Philippians should have concluded that if Jesus Christ, being God, reduced himself to the point that he became a man, in everything like them, except for sin, humbled himself to the point that he was crucified and died on the Cross for them sins, then in them there should be the same boundless readiness for any humiliation for the sake of Christ. And if Christ renounced the glory that belongs to Him by nature, then all the more so the Philippians should not only not appropriate glory that does not belong to them, but for the sake of salvation, following the example of Christ, they must also renounce what belongs to them. In the Epistle to the Collosians, this theme is expressed in 1:24, where the Apostle speaks of the joy of fulfilling suffering for the brothers in the faith, that is, for the Church.

By His obedience to God and self-abasement, the Lord corrected the sin of Adam, who, being in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), desired, tempted by Satan, to be equal with God through “stealing”, violating the commandment of God through eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5) . As a result, he not only did not achieve Divine majesty and glory, but also lost the glory that he had before the fall, becoming one of the earthly. Christological Hymn in Phil. 2:6-11 thus depicts the economy of our salvation in Christ Jesus, who, being rich, became poor for us, that we might become rich through his poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9).

FOOTNOTE

Cm.: Stephen lived, Fr. Christology of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians (1:14–20; 2:8–15) // Sretensky collection. Scientific works of teachers of SDS. Issue 4 / Sretensky Theological Seminary. /Under. total ed. archim. Tikhon (Shevkunov); ed. arch. N. Skurat, Hierom. John (Ludishchev). M.: Publishing House of the Sretensky Monastery, 2013. S. 61–84.

We know the testimony of the Roman governor Pliny the Younger about the use of hymns by the early Christians of Asia Minor. Christians sang at their liturgical meetings "praise to Christ as to God." Submissive Peter, Haeckel Ulrich. Introduction to the New Testament. M.: Izd-vo BBI, 2012. S. 167.

Lavrentiev, A. V. Hymns in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul // Alpha and Omega. 2010. No. 2, pp. 39–48.

Sorokin A., arch. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. M .: Publishing House of Krutitsky Compound, 2006. S. 117.

Cassian (Bezobrazov), bishop. Christ and the First Christian Generation. M.: Publishing house Russian way, 2006. S. 202–203.

Guthrie D. Introduction to the New Testament. SPb., 1996. S. 412.

Sorokin A., arch. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. M .: Publishing House of Krutitsky Compound, 2006. S. 117, 249.

Barclay William. Interpretation of the Epistles to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. S. 34.

Interpretation of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Philippians. S. 66.

Ambrosiast. On the Epistle to the Philippians. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. T. 8. S. 267.

St. Feofan (Govorov), the Hermit Vyshensky. Interpretations of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Philippians. S. 469.

Blzh. Theodoret of Kirsky. Commentaries on the Epistles of Saint Paul. S. 65.

St. Gregory of Nyssa. Against Eunomius. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. S. 267.

Blzh. Theodoret of Kirsky. Commentaries on the Epistles of Saint Paul. S. 268.

St. Feofan (Govorov), the Hermit Vyshensky. Specified essay. S. 466.2

Blzh. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. Against Faust. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. S. 271.

Lopukhin A.P. Explanatory Bible. T. 11. S. 288.

St. Cyril of Alexandria. Holiday messages. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. S. 277.

This great mystery of incarnation, humility and glorification of human nature in Christ was served by the Most Holy Virgin Mary by her humility, sharing the humiliation and glory of her Son. She had in the highest degree the same sentiments as were in Christ Jesus” (2:5). For this reason, verses 6-11 from the second chapter of the Epistle are read at the Apostolic reading on the feasts of the Theotokos - the Nativity, the Assumption, the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and Her icons.

Blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus, St. Feofan (The Recluse). Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. S. 466.

Tetragram or Old Testament Divine Name. SPb. 1905.S. 7–10.

Sorokin A., prot. Introduction to the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. pp. 45–47.

St. Gregory Nyssky. Against Eunomius. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st-8th centuries. C. 280.

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LITERATURE

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Stephen III the Great is one of the most prominent rulers of the Moldavian principality. He headed this state for 47 years, and today historians say about him: "He accepted a fragile clay country, and left a strong stone principality." He strengthened the central government, very successfully resisted the powerful enemy powers - the Ottoman Empire, Poland and Hungary. At the time when the biography of Stephen the Great was being written, the Moldavian Principality became a significant political force in Eastern Europe. His image is one of the most popular and beloved in Moldovan folklore and literature.

Stephen III the Great | Belgorod-Dnestrovsky

History has not preserved the specific birthday of the future great ruler, but it is known for sure that the biography of Stephen III the Great dates back to 1429. He was born in the village of Borzesti, today it is a town in the Romanian region of Bacau. Stefan, or as Stefan the Great is often written, was a descendant of a huge dynasty of rulers of the Moldavian principality, who had the common surname Mushaty, which means "beautiful". His father Bogdan II led the country until 1451. The mother of the future legendary ruler was Oltya Doamna.

Stephen III the Great | Comisarul

Before Stephen ascended the throne, his uncle Peter III Aron sat there, who on the date indicated above won the principality from his brother. He cut off the head of Bogdan II, shedding brotherly blood. Like many of his predecessors, Peter Aron thought more about entertainment and fun, spent the treasury on his own interests, and eventually brought the country to such a beggarly state that even a meager tribute to Turkey for Moldova turned out to be an unbearable burden. Stephen III the Great gathered an army of six thousand people and attacked a relative whose army exceeded the squad of the attacking side. Nevertheless, on April 12, 1457, the nephew defeated his uncle, becoming a kind of Moldavian Hamlet. Peter fled to Poland, and the Assembly of the Moldavian Country proclaimed Stefan the new ruler.

Gospodar of Moldova

Having ascended the throne, Stefan took up the strengthening of the country. He limited the influence of the boyars on the economy and began to buy up their lands. It is important to note that with those who showed discontent, he acted harshly, once executing 40 feudal lords at the same time. It was under the new ruler that the Moldavian peasants received the status of “free”, although, first of all, Stephen III the Great did this not for their own sake, but for the sake of strengthening his army, since the serfs did not have the right to perform military service. He also built a number of new fortresses and strengthened the power of existing ones.

Thanks to changes in the economy, agriculture began to improve, crafts developed, and trade flourished. It is curious that in that era the Moldovan fleet, which previously did not have any great importance, was constantly present even in the Mediterranean Sea, and Moldovan ships reached Venice and Genoa.

Ruler of the Moldavian Principality from 1457 to 1504 | Moldovenii

But even more successful was the foreign policy of Stephen III the Great. Actually, it was for the successful conduct of battles that he received this high-profile title. In 1465, the ruler recaptured the Kiliya and Belgorod fortresses, which today are located on the territory of the Odessa region. The Hungarian invaders were also defeated in the battle near the city of Bayi, which was a big surprise for the enemies of the Moldavian principality. And when, 10 years later, the Ottoman Empire decided to regain the lost lands and carried out a punitive campaign, the Ottomans were defeated at the Battle of Vaslui. By the way, in the village of Kobylnya, Soldanesti region, a giant oak tree still grows, where, according to legend, Stefan the Great rested.

Moldova MARE

But the lack of support from European states forced Stephen to agree to pay tribute to the Turks. The fact is that in the last decade of the 15th century, Moldova waged war against Poland and Lithuania, and it was difficult for a small principality to split into two sides. In order to strengthen his position, Stephen III the Great even agreed to an alliance with Russia, which he had previously avoided. This peace agreement helped to improve relations with the Crimean Tatars and helped to defeat the Poles in the battle near the Kozminsky Forest.

Famous fresco: ruler with a church in his hands | Fresca, Icoane, Arta Monumentala

Thanks to the skillful rule of Stefan, Moldova achieved economic prosperity, although it never stopped the endless wars. By the way, it was this ruler who came up with the idea of ​​the Moldavian chronicle, known today as the “Anonymous Chronicle of Moldavia”. Also, under him, many Orthodox churches and cathedrals were built and local icon painting developed.

Personal life

Information about the personal life of Stephen the Great has come down to us orally, so there are some inconsistencies in various sources. Sometimes a certain Marushka is called the first wife of Stephen III the Great, although there is no data on their marriage and this woman should rather be considered a concubine. But it is known for sure that on July 5, 1463, he married Evdokia of Kyiv, granddaughter. The wife gave Stephen the Third three children: Alexander, Peter and Elena. Daughter Elena would later become the wife of Ivan the Young, son of Tsar Ivan III.

Stefan with his wife | Adevarul

Four years after the wedding, Evdokia died. It is known that Stefan grieved very much, and he decided on a new marriage only five years later, which at that time was quite a long time, especially for royalty. But Evdokia of Kiev for Stephen III the Great remained the main woman in life. The rest of the wives occupied lesser importance in his heart. In 1472, the ruler married Maria Mangupskaya, who came from the imperial family of Palaiologos and the Bulgarian royal dynasty of Asans. This marriage was strategic: as a relative of the Turkish Khan, Maria contributed to the strengthening of the position of the Moldavian principality. In this marriage, Stephen's sons Bogdan and Ilya were born, the second of them died at an early age.

Maria Voikitsa - the last wife of Stephen the Great | Adevarul

The third wife of Stephen III the Great was Maria Voikitsa. She gave her husband the future successor Bogdan III Krivoy, who sat on the throne after her father, as well as her daughters Anna, who had gone to the monastery, and Maria Princess. The last wife had a great influence on Stefan, this was mainly manifested in the increased spread of Orthodoxy. It was during her reign that the ruler began to be depicted on icons, the famous portrait appeared, where Stefan the Third the Great holds a model of the church in his hands, symbolizing obedience to Jesus Christ.

Vlad III Tepes - Stefan's best friend and prototype of Count Dracula | Atheist website of Belarus

It should be added that Stephen had another son, Peter IV Raresh, who led the country in 1527. Who was the mother of this child, history is silent, therefore, most often Peter is called illegitimate. It is noteworthy that the best friend and faithful ally of the legendary Moldavian ruler was the notorious Wallachian prince Vlad III Tepes, who is considered the prototype of the vampire Count Dracula from the novel of the same name by Bram Stoker. Together they won the principality for Stephen from his uncle and subsequently fought shoulder to shoulder many times.

Death

The cause of Stephen the Great's death is not clear. He died on July 2, 1504 at the age of 75 in the Suceava fortress, where he had once been crowned. They buried the sovereign of Moldova in the Orthodox monastery Putna built by him, named after the river flowing nearby.

In 1999, a theological school was opened in the Moscow Sretensky Monastery - the Sretensky Higher Orthodox School, which was later transformed into a theological seminary. Teachers and students of the SDS tell about the choice of a life path and about the years spent within the walls of the seminary.

- Father Stefan, where did you study?

After graduating from school, I first trained as a pharmacist. Then he entered Kiev University, received a degree in chemistry. I loved chemistry very much, but the Lord judged differently. While still studying at the university, I met people who aroused in me an interest in philosophy, in art, and I began to search for the truth. At the same time, he got acquainted with serious books, such as, for example, "The Light of Never Evening" by Father Sergius Bulgakov and others. I realized: I need not just science, it is more important for me to find the meaning of life, to get to the bottom of the truth. And I started going to the temple. But I didn't have the gospel. Fathers gave it to me, and I copied it by hand.

- Father, when did you decide to study at the seminary?

Over time, I made believing friends, we discussed religious topics together. I still remember that we then perceived the Church as a beautiful flower, which everyone passing by tries to grab and break. And we wanted to protect the Church and work for its good. So, the mature decision to study at the seminary in order to get a theological education and take the priesthood, I made in my student years.

- Father Stefan, what do you remember about the years of study at the theological school?

When I was studying, all the students were inspired: someone constantly learned notes, someone led theological disputes. We read the Bible together in the evenings, went to Father Cyril (Pavlov), the Lavra confessor, to listen to the reading of the rule and the Gospel. Be sure to go in the morning to St. Sergius. Such was the enthusiasm, because the majority of the students who entered the seminary were already adults. They made their decision, they were ready for all the difficulties of the ministry, for many trials. They prepared their souls for temptation. It was a difficult time, everyone voluntarily or involuntarily thought: “Lord, with whom will I serve, who will support me? ..”. And therefore they were looking for a life partner who would become the right hand. Everyone wanted the wife to lead not only the house, but also help in the parish. And most importantly, she could share the labors and sorrows of her husband.

- How did you meet your mother?

I, like my comrades, understood that my mother would be my first assistant in the parish. My future wife sang in the church choir.

- What can you advise seminarians about choosing a future wife?

A very difficult question. Now, after all, there are many girls who are not churched and unbelievers. And if feelings arise, then the seminarian can bring his chosen one to God, if, of course, she herself shows love and obedience. But, unfortunately, there are times when a bride, being non-church, shows the appearance of churchness in order to achieve her goal - to get married. And in the future, she will not be a reliable assistant to the priest, she will not be able to give the children an Orthodox upbringing. In other words, the future clergyman must still marry a believing and church-going girl. Spouses should mutually enrich each other and follow the same path. And here you can not rely on chance: it is very fraught. Father Kirill told the students in confession: “Guys, do not forget that there is fire and gunpowder. Here you are fire. If you bring it to the gunpowder, it will ignite. Therefore, be careful in your relations with the female sex.

- Father Stefan, who taught you at the Moscow theological schools?

We had many prominent teachers, representatives of the old school. Father Alexander Vetelev is a very interesting teacher. He had live communication with students. He taught homiletics and liked to interest the audience with questions. The teacher of dogmatic theology monk Vasily (Dmitry Savichev in the world) had a very great influence on me. This is a real professor. And his teaching style is academic. For about twenty minutes we always repeated the material covered, and then he began a new topic. He read quotations and explained them very subtly and precisely. Professor Aleksei Ilyich Osipov is a very enthusiastic teacher who knows Orthodoxy in depth. I especially remember how he correlated philosophy with the patristic understanding of St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov).

- And who were your classmates?

I will name Father Herman (Chistyakov), Archimandrite Dionysius (Shishigin).

- When did your ordinations take place?

Seminary, 2nd year. It was 1975. On the Transfiguration, I was ordained a deacon, and on November 30 - a priest by the rector of the seminary, then Archbishop Vladimir (Sabodan).

- Father, did you immediately start serving in the parish or were you left in the Lavra?

I was given the obedience of a guide in the church-archaeological office of the MDA. He was also assistant inspector. And then I was offered to teach the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament in the 4th year at the seminary. I loved this subject very much and seriously studied the Epistles of the Apostle Paul.

How did your ministry in the parish begin?

First, I was assigned to the Church of Peter and Paul on Novobasmannaya. And we did a lot there. We managed to remove the institute from there, we restored the church from ruin. Then I was transferred to the temple of Panteleimon. Now I am the rector of the Church of the Nativity in Mitin.

- Father, how did you start cooperating with the Sretensky Theological Seminary?

Of course, I heard a lot about the Sretensky Monastery, and about its governor and rector of the Sretensky Theological Seminary, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), as well as about a large Orthodox publishing house at the monastery. I learned about the seminary from my son Nikon, who began to sing in the monastery choir. Then Nikon was offered to lead the choir and teach. And then they invited me.

- Father, what subjects do you teach at Sretensky Seminary?

I teach the New Testament in the 4th year: the Epistles of the Apostle Paul and the Apocalypse. Something I was interested in when I was a seminarian myself.

And how, in your opinion, should the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament be taught? What should be done to better understand the material?

Of course, I try to make students understand the material better. This year we write one or two homeworks for each Message. In them, the seminarians, relying on the interpretations of Bishop Theophan the Recluse, present and illustrate the main themes. The epistles of the apostle Paul require thoughtful analysis. Yes, we must take their literal meaning, but we must also give a critical analysis: explain, interpret. It is necessary to show historical conditions, textological features, and so on.

- How do you conduct exams?

In exams, you need to tell what is left in the soul. After all, when students are preparing, they still experience, remember. During the exam, I ask concretizing questions that allow me to find out how the seminarian understands this or that passage from the Apostle Paul, what practical conclusions he can draw.

- Father Stefan, what should modern seminarians be taught?

I would say this: seminarians must learn to live Orthodoxally. So that their young forces are not wasted, but go to churching. In addition, students of theological schools simply need practical skills. And it's good that Sretensky seminarians have the opportunity to communicate with a wide audience, for example, in the Polytechnic Museum. I am sure that if a young person lives a true church life, then he will be able to understand and resolve the problems that inevitably arise in later life, including during pastoral service.

- What problems of seminary life can you point out?

It is now the trouble of all young people, and not just seminarians - the lack of interest in knowledge. No spark. It seems that both the Internet and books are available, but cooling is obvious. When we studied, books, textbooks were in short supply, and they were expensive. We studied a lot in libraries, read periodicals, for example, The Theological Bulletin. For each control work that we wrote, we spent a lot of time, and this enriched. And now the time is different ... But still, the students are very clean, direct, truthful. And it's so pleasing! They absorb knowledge like a sponge, because then they will serve, carry the word of God to the people.

- Father, say a few words about the graduates of the Sretensky theological school.

I remember our graduate, and now a teacher, Father Iriney (Pikovsky). I was very impressed with his seriousness. Deacon Alexander Slesarenko is graduating this year and personifies diligence. Deacon Anthony Novikov is a very attentive student.

Father Stefan, what can you say as parting words to the students on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Sretensky Theological Seminary?

I really want our pupils to adequately bear the title of student at the Sretensky Seminary. After all, the relics of St. Hilarion rest in the Sretensky Monastery; We are all inspired by his creations. Students must understand that the seminary has existed for ten years, and it is already known not only in Russia, but also abroad. Such popularity comes with great responsibility. And, finally, I repeat that seminarians need to remember: if their life is churched, if it is truly given to God and the Church, they will certainly be able to prove their case and defend their faith.

In the quiet village of Rozhdestveno, near the cemetery, as if guarding the peace of fellow villagers who have gone to another world, the stone Church of the Nativity of Christ rises. The church was built in a very successful and picturesque place - on a hill, on the banks of the Vskhodnya River, so that to this day it dominates and organizes the landscape of the surrounding area. The ancient archives indicate that the original wooden church was built in 1758 with the blessing of the temple builder, the governor of the Kremlin Miracle Monastery, Archimandrite Joseph.

The church site at the village of Rozhdestveno on the Vskhodnya River was located on the territory of the ancient Goretov camp of the Moscow district, known since the end of the 16th century. The complex, and sometimes tragic events of the gradual growth of the parish of the church, the tireless work of the parishioners, who built the church and the parish over the centuries, bring us to the culmination of the events of the life of the parish at the beginning of the 20th century, at the time of the October Revolution. The already existing stone temple, built by the hands of parishioners in 1896, by the beginning of the 20th century was under the supervision of a talented preacher, priest Dmitry Pavlovich Mirolyubov.

According to the January decree of the Soviet authorities in 1918, here, as in other parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, the building of the parish school was confiscated. During the company for the confiscation of church valuables in May 1922, the local commission took silver sacristy items from the church: icon lamps, squares, middleware from the Gospels. Despite all the difficulties, the large family of Father Superior Dmitry Mirolyubov survived. Through prayer, patience and labors, Fr. Dmitry and parishioners in 1924-1925, the church was renovated and purchased the necessary vestry items. According to the memoirs of the granddaughter of Fr. Dmitry Antonina Dmitrievna Efremova, divine services were performed until 1939. The last service in the church was the funeral of Fr. Dmitry Mirolyubov.

After the death of the rector (March 5, 1939), a month and a half later, the temple was looted. Feeders for livestock and flooring in the barn were made from the icons. Not afraid of persecution, God-fearing women refused to go to work in the barn until the holy icons were removed from it. The construction of the old wooden temple was dismantled for the construction of a greenhouse. The building of the parish school housed a school of public education, and in the 1960s the building began to be used as a club.
For more than 50 years, the temple was desecrated: it housed a poultry farm, warehouses, a turning shop, and there was a dressing room for workers in the altar of the chapel of St. Alexis. The main throne was turned into a dumping ground for rubbish and sewage. In the temple, the rumble of machine tools and sawmills did not stop, there was an attempt to make a water tower out of the bell tower.

In 1992, a new time began in the life of the temple. By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', priest Alexei Grachev was appointed to the church, and in April of the same year liturgical life was resumed in the church. Father Aleksey set about restoring the church with complete selflessness. His spiritual children remember how the temple was restored from ruins with holes in the roof literally before our eyes, and the main driving force of this process was the love of the priest. People were drawn to his caring and compassionate attitude. The parishioners feel his prayerful help even after his tragic death. The grave of Priest Alexei Grachev is located near the walls of the temple. Parish life continues. The ruined temple came to its present splendor thanks to the efforts of many hundreds of parishioners, and the city authorities also participated in the reconstruction of the temple. Prayer does not stop in the church today. Under the leadership of the rector, Archpriest Stefan Zhyla, an excellent Sunday school has been created, in which children are taught the law of God, choir singing, painting, a children's theater studio circle operates, and a youth community is growing. At the temple, the Russian Cossacks are gaining growth. Parishioners of the temple go on hikes and make pilgrimage trips.