Apostle Andrew message. Andrew the First-Called: Unsolved Mysteries

On December 13, the Church celebrates the feast day of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. "Orthodox Life" has prepared some interesting facts about the life of the apostle.

Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Byzantium. Greece. Macedonia. 14th century Location: USA, Baltimore, Walters Art Museum

1. When did the apostle Andrew first see Jesus Christ?

Andrew was born in Vivsaida, was the son of Jonah and the brother of the Apostle Peter. Together with his brother, they were fishermen. Learning that John the Baptist was preaching in the Jordan and talking about the coming of the Messiah, Andrew went to the Jordan and became a disciple of John the Baptist. There are differences in the description of the meeting of the Apostle Andrew with the Savior by the evangelists Matthew and John. John tells us that Andrew saw the Savior for the first time when the holy Forerunner pointed to the walking Jesus Christ “Behold the Lamb of God”, Matthew - that the Savior met the brothers on the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret when they were fishing and turned to them with the words: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In both cases, the Apostle Andrew implicitly believes in Christ and makes a decision without delay or doubt. throws native home, economy, networks and, without hesitation, follows Christ ...

The calling of Simon and Andrew to the apostolic ministry (Mark 1:14-18). 11th century One of 72 bronze door plates Cathedral (Duomo di Benevento). 1170-1220 Italy, Benevento

2. What are the episodes in the Gospel associated with the name of the Apostle Andrew?

It was the Apostle Andrew who pointed out to Christ a boy with five loaves and two fish, which were then miraculously multiplied to feed the crowd (John 6:8-9). Together with Philip, he brought to the Savior some Greeks who wanted to worship the true God (John 12:20-22). Also, Andrew was one of the four disciples of Jesus, whom He told on the Mount of Olives about the fate of the world (Mark 13:3).

3. Was the Apostle Andrew in Rus'?

On the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, and they spoke in different languages. Then the apostles cast lots: who should go to which country to preach. Andrew got the lands of Bethany and Propontis, the lands of Thrace and Macedonia, as well as the lands of Thessaly and Scythia. He went through all these countries, preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.

How far in his wanderings the apostle went north is not exactly known. A later legend has survived that he went up the Dnieper and consecrated the place on which the city of Kyiv was later built. And also got to the Novgorod land and was surprised at the custom of the Slavs to bathe in a bath. The visit of the Apostle Andrew to the Russian land is described in the "Sermon on Law and Grace" (1051) of the Kyiv Metropolitan Hilarion, as well as in the "Tale of Bygone Years".

Apostle Andrew the First-Called, mosaic "Christ and 12 Apostles", fragment. 6th century Italy. Ravenna. Basilica of San Vitale. Altar

4. Who erected a cross on the Kyiv mountains?

According to legend, the Apostle Andrew, having decided to go from Korsun to Rome, climbed up the Dnieper and stopped for the night on the Kyiv mountains. Getting up in the morning, he said: - Believe me, the grace of God will shine on these mountains, a great city will be here, and the Lord will erect many churches there and enlighten all this land with holy baptism. Then the saint blessed the mountains and erected a cross.

5. To what last city did the apostle Andrew visit?

Apostle Andrew suffered a lot from the pagans on his way. He was expelled from the cities, stoned to death. But he still relentlessly continued to preach about the Savior, performed miracles. The last city where St. Andrew came and where he was destined to accept a martyr's death was the city of Patras. There he also performed many miracles, tirelessly and ardently preached. Almost all citizens of the city converted to Christianity. But the ruler Aegeat remained a pagan. He then ordered the execution of the apostle.

6. How did they want to save the apostle from martyrdom?

When the holy apostle was placed in prison, the people turned to him. They wanted to kill Egeat and free Andrew from prison. But the apostle restrained them, saying: - Do not turn the world of our Lord Jesus Christ into a devilish rebellion. Our Lord, being betrayed to death, showed all patience, did not contradict, did not cry out. Therefore, you are silent and be calm.

Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles; Byzantium, Constantinople; XIV century; Location: Russia. Moscow. State Museum of the History of Art. A.S. Pushkin

7. How did the apostle Andrew die?

Enraged, Egeat ordered to crucify St. Andrew on the cross, tying his hands and feet so that the apostle would not die immediately, but would suffer for a long time. For the execution, an oblique cross in the shape of the letter X was chosen (why such a cross is now called St. Andrew's). About 20 thousand gathered on the square, people exclaimed: - The holy man suffers unjustly! Saint Andrew continued to preach from the cross. He taught that temporary suffering must be endured. "After all, no torment is worth anything in comparison with the reward that will be for him!"

On the second day, the people surrounded the house of Egeat and demanded that the apostle be taken down from the cross. - A holy, honest, meek and wise man should not suffer like this! Egeat was afraid of popular unrest. And immediately went after them to free Andrey. - Lord, do not let me be taken down from the cross! – Andrey has exclaimed, - accept my spirit with the world! Many people tried to untie him from the cross, and could not. Their hands became dead. Then a bright light shone. So it was impossible to watch. This heavenly light shone for half an hour, and then, when dissipated, the apostle gave up his spirit.

On the site of the crucifixion of the holy apostle in Patras, the majestic Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called, the largest in Greece, was erected. It contains the cross on which the holy apostle was crucified.

Prayer to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called

First-Called Apostle of God and Savior Jesus Christ to the Church, supreme follower, all-mighty Andrew, we glorify and magnify your apostolic labors, we sweetly remember your blessed coming to us, we bless your honest suffering, even for Christ you suffered, we kiss your sacred relics, we honor your holy memory and we believe that the Lord lives, your soul lives, and with Him you are forever in Heaven, even if you love us with the same love, with which you loved us, when by the Holy Spirit you saw our conversion to Christ, and you love not exactly, but and pray to God for us, in vain in His Light all our needs. This is how we believe and this is how we confess our faith in the temple, even in your name, Saint Andrew, gloriously created, where your holy relics rest; believing, we ask and pray to the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that by your prayers, even if he always listens and accepts, he will give us all that is necessary for the salvation of us sinners; yes, as if you were abie according to the voice of the Lord, leave your nether, you followed him steadily, so that everyone from us is looking not for his own, but for the creation of his neighbor and for the high calling, let him think. Having thee an intercessor and a prayer book for us, we hope that my prayer can do much before the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, He deserves all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

app. dated 12 (commemorated November 30; June 30 - in the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles, in the Cathedral of the Karelian Saints and in the Cathedral of the Crimean Saints). Occurred, as well as ap. Philip, from Bethsaida (John 1.44), A.P. lived in Capernaum (Mk 1.29) in the same house with his brother Simon Peter (Mt 4.18; Mk 1.16). The father of Peter and A.P. was called Jonah (Mt 16.17; Jn 1.42) (some ancient manuscripts of the Gospel of John offer a different version of his name - John). According to the Gospel of John, A.P. was one of those 2 disciples of St. John the Baptist, who, after the testimony of the latter about Christ in Bethany, followed the Savior (John 1. 35-40). Having become the first disciple of Christ (hence his traditional nickname - the First-Called) and spending a day with Him, A.P. then brought a brother to Him (John 1. 41-42). According to the evangelists Matthew and Mark, A.P. and Peter were engaged in fishing, during which they, together with James and John, were called by the Savior on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. (Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16).

Upon agreement this message with the Gospel of John, this vocation is usually considered the 2nd one, which occurred after the return of Jesus from the wilderness (Gladkov B.I. Interpretation of the Gospel. St. Petersburg, 1907, p. 154-155). Later in the NT, A.P. is reported sporadically. He is mentioned among the 12 disciples of Christ, where he ranks 2nd, after ap. Peter (Mt 10.2; Lk 6.14), or the 4th, after Peter, James and John (Mk 3.18), place. Together with his countryman ap. Philip A.P., perhaps, occupied some special place in the community of the apostles: with a miraculous saturation of 5 thousand people. it is he who tells Jesus about the 5 loaves and 2 fishes (John 6:8-9), and in the story of the Hellenes who came to Jerusalem for Easter, Philip, to whom they first turned, conveyed their request to A.P., and together they went to Jesus (Jn 12:21-22). A.P., together with 3 chosen disciples of Christ, Peter, James and John, was a participant in the conversation of the Savior on the Mount of Olives about the coming end of the world (Mk 13.3). Among the 12 disciples, A.P. was present at the Last Supper and at the appearances of Christ to the apostles after the Resurrection, as well as at the Ascension of the Savior (Acts 1.13). The last thing known about A.P. from the NT is his participation, together with everyone else, in the selection of the 12th apostle instead of Judas Iscariot and the presence at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2.1).

Early Christian and Byzantine tradition

Regarding the later life of A.P., already in antiquity there were 2 traditions. K ser. 2nd century according to R. Kh., the apocryphal "Andrew's deeds" ascend. According to their text, reconstructed primarily on the basis of the Book of Miracles by Gregory of Tours (Liber de virtutibus beati Andreae Apostoli, c. 591-592), the apostle began preaching the Gospel in the south. coast of the Black Sea, moving through Pontus and Bithynia to the west. Perhaps at the heart of this tradition lies the connection of the South. Black Sea region with app. Peter (1 Peter 1:1): later texts mention brothers preaching together. Having visited Amasia, Sinope, Nicaea and Nicomedia, A.P. crossed over to Byzantium (bud. K-pol) and ended up in Thrace, and from there to Macedonia, where he visited the cities of Philippi and Thessalonica. Then he went to Achaia, where he visited the cities of Patras, Corinth and Megara. Throughout the journey, the apostle performed numerous miracles and healings. Imprisoned in Patras, he accepted a martyr's death - crucifixion on the cross. Starting from the IX century. the death of the apostle is usually dated by the reign of imp. Nero (c. 67 A.D.). In a later apocryphal legend, "Andrew and Matthias deeds" (BHG, N 109-110), the action takes place in a certain "city of cannibals" Myrna (Mirmen, Myrmidon), identified no later than the 6th century. with Issulimen or Sinope. Dr. apocryphal texts associated with this tradition transfer A.P.’s sermon to the North-West. Persia (Greek: "Acts of Andrew and Bartholomew in the city of the Parthians", Arabic. "Martyrdom of Andrew among the Kurds").

Dr. a tradition going back at least to the 1st half. III century, reflected in Eusebius of Caesarea (Cherk. ist. III 1), to-ry, literally quoting the 3rd volume of Origen's "Explanation on Genesis", believes that M. Asia, Pontus and Bithynia were the apostolic lot of ap. Peter, while A.P. went to Scythia. This tradition was developed in the so-called. apostolic lists dating back to the lost Sir. texts of the 4th century. (Th. Schermann). In the early editions of these lists, the area of ​​preaching of A.P. was extended to all nomadic Iranian-speaking tribes related to the Scythians: Saks, Sogdians, Sarmatians; later, in the list of Pseudo-Epiphanius (VI-VII centuries), the preaching of A.P. in Scythia was combined with the martyrdom of the apostle in Patras described in the Acts of Andrew; then, in the list of Pseudo-Dorotheus (VIII-IX centuries), the material of the "Acts of Andrew" about the preaching of A.P. in Pontus was also added here; the same list also reflected the legend about the foundation of A.P. the episcopal see in Argyropolis, a suburb of Byzantium, which eventually became an important argument in the controversy between the K-field and Rome on the issue of the hierarchy of the Patriarchal Thrones (F. Dvornik).

In Byzantium, as a result of the processing of ancient legends, developed canonical lives of A.P. were created: Narratio (BHG, No. ”, created between 815 and 843. Epiphanius Monk, who followed the alleged path of A.P., collecting legends about him. Based on some fragmentary information of church writers (Pseudo-Clementines, Pseudo-Epiphanius, etc.), local traditions, including written ones (for example, the Khersak Alphabet), and the revised ending of the Acts of Andrew, Epiphanius placed the action of apocryphal sources in the context of the canonical Acts of the Apostles, eliminating fantastic elements and skipping those places of the sermon where he himself did not visit. This life has been preserved in 2 editions, which, apparently, belong to the pen of Epiphanius himself: the 1st, created as a continuation of the Acts of Andrew and Matthias (BHG, N 95b), and the 2nd, supplemented by information about the stay of the apostle in Palestine and M. Asia and abbreviated in some other parts (BHG, N 102).

According to Epiphanius, A.P. made 3 journeys from Jerusalem along the banks of the Black Sea, and always along the route south - east - north. In the 1st, together with Peter, he visited Antioch, Tiana, Ancyra, Sinope, where he freed Matthias from prison. Then Peter went to preach in the West. lands, A.P. moved east. In Amis, he, together with Matthias and 7 other disciples, preached in the synagogue, which he turned into a temple of the Virgin; from Trebizond A.P. came to Iberia and returned to Jerusalem through Parthia. On the next journey, the apostle from Antioch went to Ephesus together with St. John (the connection between A.P. and John is evidenced by ancient monuments, for example, the canon of Muratori of the 2nd century). From there, after the appearance of Christ, who commanded to go to Scythia, A.P. went to Phrygia and Nicaea, where he cast out demons, killed a dragon, pacified robbers and crushed idols (some of these miracles ascend through local tradition to the Acts of Andrew). After 2 years, he visited Nicomedia, Heraclius of Pontus, Amastris and Sinop, where the inhabitants beat him for the previous deliverance of Matthias and where he converted many to Christ, resurrecting the murdered citizen. From there he went to Amis, Trebizond and Samosata, where he debated with the Greek. philosophers. In the last, 3rd, journey, A.P. with his companions passed through Edessa, where he left ap. Thaddeus, to Iveria and Susania (Svaneti?). Leaving the app there. Matthias, he moved to Alania and Abazgia, where he parted with his other companion, ap. Simon the Canaanite. Through Zikhia, where A.P. barely escaped death, he arrived in the Bosporus, the inhabitants of which willingly listened to his sermons, and then to Feodosia and Chersonesus, “stubborn in paganism.” From there he crossed back to Sinop, where he installed Philologus as bishop, and from there through Chalcedon (where Bishop Tychik was installed) he arrived in Byzantium. Having made Stakhias bishop of Argyropol and laid the temple of the Mother of God on the acropolis, A.P. went through Heraclius Thrace and Macedonia to Patras. Epiphanius begins the Greek part of the life from the conversion of the apostle Maximilla, the wife of the Achaean proconsul Egeat, and his brother Stratocles, for which A.P. was imprisoned and then crucified on the cross (here the hagiographer follows the final part of the "Acts of Andrew", while mentioning the episodes, not preserved in any of the other texts).

All subsequent authors who wrote about A.P. Nikita relied on the “Life” of Epiphanius. David Paflagon compiled, on the basis of its 2nd edition, the Eulogy (encomium) of A.P. (BHG, N 106) and the life of the encomiast type - “Laudatio” (BHG, N 100), in which he added to the narrative of Epiphanius a mention of the sermon of A.P. in the village. Charax in Paphlagonia, about the appointment of Bishop. Palm tree in Amastris and history with Lesbia in Patras. Simeon Metaphrastus (BHG, N 101), who used the 1st edition of the "Life" of Epiphanius, extended the area of ​​​​A.P.'s sermon to the Danube and, like Nikita David, added the story of the transfer of the relics of the apostle to K-pol. Also known are several Byzantium Enkomiev A.P. (BHG, N 103-108). Further development Byzantium tradition received in Georgia and in Rus'.

In Georgia

the beginning of Christ. Sermons have long been associated with the name of A.P.: Georgians (Greek Gorsins) are mentioned in some manuscripts of the apostolic list of Pseudo-Epiphanius, Epiphanius the Monk has information about Iberians. List of Pseudo-Dorotheus no later than the 8th century. was transferred to the cargo. language and is included in the shipment. homiletic-liturgical coll. Klardzhetsky many-domed (IX century), reflecting the ancient (VI-VIII centuries) liturgical practice of the Georgian Church. In con. 10th century Rev. Evfimy Svyatogorets was transferred to the cargo. the language “Praise” (“Walking and Sermons of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called”) by Nikita Paflagon; already in the X-XI centuries. in app. and southwest. parts of Georgia, the original cargo was widely distributed. version of the "Praise" included by Leonty Mroveli in the 11th century. included in the cargo. Chronicle Sat. Kartlis Tskhovreba, which tells about the sermon of A.P. in the South-West. Georgia during his 3rd journey. According to the lot, Georgia went to the inheritance of the Rev. Theotokos, but in a vision the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Her, instructing her to send A.P. Simon the Zealot went first to Trebizond, where the Mingrelians (Greek Laz) lived. Having baptized them, A.P. went to Adzharia, performed many miracles there (in particular, with the help of the icon of the Mother of God, he brought out a source of healing water) and laid a c. in the name of the Rev. Mother of God, where he left a miraculous copy of Her image, attaching it to an ordinary board. Crossing the pass on the way to Samtskhe (Southern Georgia), the apostle erected an iron cross (“Rkinis jvari”) there. In with. Zaden-Gora A.P. crushed pagan idols. The special miracles of the apostle are associated with s. Atskuri, religion. and adm. the center of ancient Samtskhe (see also the Atskur diocese), where A.P. resurrected the son of the widow of the local ruler Samdzivari from the dead, after which the widow herself and the entire Samtskhi people converted to Christianity. Seeing that the local priests were furious and began to persuade the people to abandon the new faith, A.P. suggested that they leave the icon in the local temple of Apollo and Artemis for the night. The next morning, the statues of the pagan gods were broken, and the icon radiated radiance. At the request of the Samtskhi people, A.P. left the icon in a small chapel with. Atskuri (where the name of the icon came from - Atskurskaya; medieval Georgian historian Dzhuansher tells about a visit to it in the 7th century by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, who bowed to the miraculous shrine, widely known at that time, and laid a temple in its name). Then the apostle continued his preaching in Tao, Klarjeti, Megrelia, Abazgia and Svaneti, after which he headed north to preach Christianity to Ossetians and Dzhiks (Greek. Alans and Zikhs); having reached the city of Fostafor in Ossetia, he performed many miracles and baptized the Ossetians. The Jiki met A.P. with hostility and tried to kill him, and the apostle, once again visiting Abazgia and Megrelia, went to Scythia. The preaching activity of A.P. on the territory of Georgia was considered by the Georgian Church as an irrefutable fact. Based on this cargo. the theologians St. George the Svyatogorets and Ephraim Mtsire (2nd half of the 11th century) repeatedly defended the autocephalous rights of the Georgian Church in disputes with the Patriarchate of Antioch. Questions of the history of the conversion of Georgians st. Ephraim Mtsira dedicated a special work, in which he put forward a provision on 2 stages of the enlightenment of Georgia - the works of the Apostle A.P. and St. equal to ap. Nina. This provision was legalized in 1105 by the Ruiz-Urbnis Council of the Georgian Church. The reliability of information about the sermon of A.P. on the territory of modern. Georgia some cargo. scientists questioned (I. Javakhishvili, K. Kekelidze), however, the factual content of the load. versions of the life of A.P. (the route of the saint, ethnotoponymy, exact description social environment and everyday life) leaves this question open. In order to identify additional evidence of A.P.'s stay on the territory of Georgia, in 1988, archaeological excavations began in the vicinity of the village. Atskuri. Structures of the 5th c. BC - 1st century, traces of the acropolis of the 1st century, grave goods.

Veneration in Russia

The basis of the legends about A.P.’s visit to the Russian land is Origen’s testimony about Scythia as the apostolic lot of A.P. (Eusebius. Church. source III 1). As a result of the analysis of references to Scythia in the works of Publius Ovid Nason (43 BC - 18 AD), a poet, almost modern. A.P., one can delineate its limits at that time. This country, according to Ovid, occupied the territory north of Pontus Euxinus (Black Sea), stretching from the mountains of the Caucasus, Meotida (Azov Sea) and the river. Tanais (Don) to the river. Hypanis (Southern Bug) in the west and included the Crimean Peninsula, and in the north bounded by the Scythian, or Riphean, mountains of indefinite localization (Podosinov A. Ancient States on the territory of the USSR, 1983. M., 1984. S. 8, 22-23). According to a number of researchers, the ethnonym "Scythians" is Late Antique and Early Byzantine. the authors could designate other peoples who lived in the North. Black Sea region, i.e., on the former. Scythian lands. However, some Byzants. monuments (for example, “Narratio”) are understood as Scythia, in which A.P. preached, the so-called. M. Scythia - Rome. province and early Byzantium. church diocese at the mouth of the Danube (region of modern Dobruja, Romania). However, this province appeared only during the reforms of the imp. Diocletian (late 3rd century) and, therefore, did not exist at the time of Origen.

In the life of A.P., compiled by Epiphanius the Monk, it is reported that during the 3rd journey, the apostle, having passed along the South. and Vost. Black Sea coast, reached the Crimea and spent considerable time in Chersonese (PG. 120. Col. 215-260). This life enjoyed great authority in all orthodoxy. Churches, in con. 11th century his glory appeared. translation. In addition, an original legend was created in Rus' about a visit to A.P. Rus. limits - “The Word about the manifestation of Baptism in the Russian land of the holy Apostle Andrew, as he came to Rus'”, preserved in the composition of the PVL. According to this text, A.P., who arrived from Sinope to Korsun (Chersonese), learned about the proximity of the Dnieper mouth and “want to go to Rome”; climbing up the Dnieper, he blessed the place of Bud. Kyiv, and then went to the north, to the land of Slovenia, where Novgorod later arose; marveling at the local customs, the apostle departed for Rome, and from there returned to Sinop (PSRL. T. 1. St. 7-9).

By the 11th century refers to the growth of veneration for A.P. in Rus': in 1030 Vsevolod Yaroslavich, the youngest son of Prince. Yaroslav the Wise, received the name Andrei in baptism, in 1086 he founded the Andreevsky (Yanchin) monastery in Kyiv. In 1089, the Metropolitan of Pereyaslavl. Ephraim consecrated the stone cathedral he built in Pereyaslavl in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called, in con. 11th century in Novgorod, a temple was built in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called. At the same time, the memory of A.P. was included in all types of Russian. calendars. The oldest mentions of A.P. are in the gospels of the Gospels - Reims 1st floor. 11th century (L. 1v.), Ostromirova 1056-1057. (L. 243) and Arkhangelsk 1092 (L. 138v.). The Menaion of 1097 contains the service of A.P. (Yagich. S. 493-503).

From the 12th century the tradition of legends about A.P. in Russian continuously developed. Prologue. The Prologues of the 1st edition include a short life of A.P. "The Passion of the Holy, and Praiseworthy, and the First-Called Andrew, Brother of the Great Peter" (RNB. Sof. No. 1324. L. 74v.-75, end XII - beginning XIII in.; GIM. Chlud. 187. L. 71v.-73, 1282), in the Prologue of the 2nd edition - also "The Word on the manifestation of the Baptism of the Russian land" (RGADA. Type. No. 153, 161, 164, XIV V.). In the 1st floor. 14th century the life of A.P. was again translated into Slav. language (apparently by the Serbs on Athos) as part of the Stish Prologue. It is found in large numbers in Yugoslavia. and Russian lists of the XIV-XVII centuries. An “updated” edition is also known, in which both texts about A.P. are combined - the life and the “Word on the manifestation of Baptism of the Russian land” (the most early list- RNB. Soph. No. 1374, before 1513). In hagiographic literature, the “Word” is first found in the life of St. Stephen of Perm, written by Epiphanius the Wise c. 1420

In VMC under 30 Nov. a selection of texts dedicated to A.P. (Joseph, archim. Table of contents VMC. Stb. 209-210) is placed. In addition to the prologue life and the Tale of A.P.’s journey to Rus', the VMCH contains a translation of the Acts of Andrew and Matthias (BHG, N 109), the 1st edition of the Life of Epiphanius the Monk (BHG, N 95b), an excerpt from the Tale Simeon Metaphrastus (BHG, N 101b) and word of praise Proclus, Patriarch of K-Polish (BHG, N 103).

The memory of A.P. is celebrated in all east. and app. calendars. According to the Typicon of the Great c. IX-X centuries on the day of memory of A.P., a litiya was made in the church of the Holy Apostles, where the relics of A.P. were located; where he served. A.P. had his own troparion, which indicates his special veneration. In the Studian-Aleksievsky Typicon of 1034 (GIM. Syn. No. 330. L. 101-101v., XII century) and the Evergetid Typicon of the 1st half. 12th century (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. 328-329) the service of A.P. is indicated in composition similar to the six-fold one (see Signs of the holidays of the month), and the Evergetid Typicon allows for the possibility of singing the canon of A.P. instead of the ordinary canon of Octoechos at pannihis. According to Southern Italian editions of the Studian statute - the Messinian Typicon of 1131 (Arranz. Typicon. P. 63-64) - in the service of A.P., Vespers is similar to that performed during the glorification service, and Matins is similar to polyeleos - with the reading of the Gospel, as well as with the replacement of kathismas with antiphons (Ps 18, 19, 20). According to the Jerusalem Typicons - the first printed Russian. 1610, which is now used in the Russian Orthodox Church (Tipikon. T. 1. S. 297), as well as what is accepted in the present. time in Greek Churches, - A.P., a polyeleos service is performed.

Following A.P., placed in modern. Greek service Menaia, completely coincides with the modern. Slavic. Troparion A. P. 4th tone " ", kontakion of the 2nd voice" ”and the canon of the 1st voice of A.P., compiled by John the Monk (additions to it and discrepancies published according to the manuscripts of the Vienna National Library by K. Hannik - Hannick C. Studien zu liturgische Handshriften der Osterreichischen Nationalbibliothek. W., 1972. S 36), are already indicated in the Studial Typicons and Menaions, as Greek. (for example, RNB. Greek. 227-1. L. 156-157ob., XII century), and Slav. (RGADA. Syn. type. No. 91, 1097; RGADA. Syn. type. No. 92, XII century. L. 199-204ob.-Yagich. Service Menaia. S. 493-504). The corpus of stichera and sedals dates back to the time of the Studian Rule, but many stichera and sedals appear only in the Jerusalem Menaion; among the stichera there are self-vowels, inscribed in printed liturgical books with the names of Andrew of Jerusalem, Anatoly, Herman. In the Jerusalem Menaia, among the texts of the service of A.P., the memory of which is celebrated on the days of the Nativity Fast, there are several. the stichera of the pre-feast of the Nativity of Christ, which are not indicated in the monuments of the Studien tradition. The Jerusalem Menaions also contain the 2nd canon of A.P. and the canon Mother of God 1st voice, anonymous, without acrostic.

In the Typicon of the Great Church, the Studial and Jerusalem Typikons, following the Polish system of liturgical readings, at the liturgy, as in the present. time, the prokeimenon, the apostolic reading, the alleluiarium and the general communion to the apostle are indicated, the gospel reading is special, about the calling of A.P. by the Lord (Jn 1. 35-51); Typicon of the Great c. indicates a reading from Matthew 4. 18-23.

From the manuscripts of Christ. East XI-XIV centuries. 4 canons are known that were not included in the printed Menaion, hymnographers Herman, George, Andrei and anonymous (Ταμεῖον. Ν 297-300. Σ. 110-111). In the Serbian the service Menaion (Athos, Zografsky Monastery, No. 53 (88), 1st half of the 13th century) contains the canon of A.P. of the 4th tone, written by St. Naum Ohridsky († 910), with an acrostic: "" (S. Kozhukharov. Songwriting on the Old Bulgarian scribe Naum Ohridsky // Literary History. Sofia, 1984. No. 12. P. 3-19). Troparion A. P. 3rd tone, indicated in the Typicon of the Great c. "Τῆς νοητῆς θαλάσσης τοὺς ἀνθρωποβόρους ἰχθύας ἐσαγήνευσας" (Mateos . Typicon. T. 1. P. 116) and translated into glory. the language in the Prologue of the 1st edition - "" (RNL. Sof. No. 1324. L. 74ob.-75, late XII - early XIII century), - was not included in the printed liturgical books.

In 1867, A. N. Muravyov compiled an akathist to A. P. (Ponomarev S. I. Akathists: (Bibliographic notes). St. Petersburg, 1890. P. 11; Akathist. M., 1994. T. 1. pp. 117-125).

In the hymnographic texts (Minea (ST). November. L. 282-294v.) A.P. is called a relative of the ap. Peter, a student of St. John the Baptist, after become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. The meaning of the name Andrei (Greek - courageous) is played out: “ "(kondak). The calling of A.P. Peter is described: “ ”(troparion of the 4th song of the 2nd canon), the apostolic sermon of A.P., especially among the pagans. The death of A.P. on the cross is described: “” (troparion of the 8th song of the 2nd canon of A.P.), also noted in the epigram on the apostles John Mauropod, Met. Evchaitsky (XI century). Healings through the prayer of A.P. and miracles from his honest relics are mentioned. A.P. is named the heavenly patron of the city of Patras: “ "(4th stichera on Praise).

A . YU . Nikiforova, O. V. Loseva

Iconography

Along with the apostles Peter and Paul, he is represented in many gospel stories and deeds of the apostles. The earliest images of him are preserved on a fresco from the catacomb in Karmuz (Egypt), IV-VI centuries; rare individual images - on an ivory diptych, 450-460. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London), and ampoules (for example, on a ceramic ampule from Dvin). In Byzantium. in hagiographic literature there are references to the miraculous images of A.P.: according to Epiphanius the Monk, the ancient image of the apostle, written on marble, was in the chapel in Sinop .; others - over the gates of the house of John Scholasticus near Perdix in the K-field.

Already in the early monuments, the appearance of A.P. has pronounced individual features: gray tousled hair and a short thick beard; like other apostles, he is dressed in a tunic with claves and a himation. According to the description of Epiphanius Monk, "he was not small in bodily constitution, but tall, nosy, eyebrows, slightly hunched."

A. P. is represented in the domed mosaic of the Orthodox Baptistery (Ravenna), ser. V c., - with a wreath in his hands; in the oratory of the Archbishop's Chapel (Ravenna), 494-519, - bust, in a medallion; in c. San Vitale (Ravenna), ca. 547; in the apse of the catholicon of the mon-rya vmts. Catherine at Sinai, 550-565; on the fresco of the apse of the VI chapel in Bauit (Egypt), VI century, - with the Gospel; in the apse Santa Maria Antiqua (Rome), 705-707, and others. In post-iconoclastic times, A.P. was usually depicted with a scroll in his hand, for example, on the mosaics of the narthex of Osios Loukas in Phokis (Greece), 30- e gg. XII century, or with a cross on a long shaft - on the mosaic of the apse of c. Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello, c. 1130; Chapel of the Sacramento Cathedral in Trieste, 1st floor. XII century; Cathedral at Cefalu in Sicily, c. 1148

“The Baptism of the Lord” (the church of Panagia Mavriotissa in Kastoria (Greece), end of the 12th century); on the icons "Cathedral of the 12 Apostles" (1st third of the 14th century; Pushkin Museum; c. 1432; NGOMZ).

The martyrdom of A.P., crucified on the cross (called "St. Andrew's"), is presented in the Minology of Basil II (Vat. gr. 1613. R. 215, 976-1025); on the icon "The Menaion for September, October, November", XII century. (monastery of the martyr. Catherine in Sinai) a crucifixion of A.P. was placed on a tree. In the XVII-XIX centuries. this iconography was developed in Russian. icon painting (for example, “Apostolic Deeds and Sufferings”, XVII century (GMMK)). This theme was common in the Catholic. art.

The special veneration of A.P. in Rus' was reflected in his image on the miniature of the Radzivilov Chronicle (BAN OR. 34. 5. 30. L. 3ob.; end of the 15th century).

Along with the images of the supreme apostles, the image of A.P. was often introduced into the high iconostasis, where it was usually placed opposite the ap. John the Theologian: on an icon from the iconostasis of 1408 of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir (TG); on an icon from a deesis of 1444-1445. c. Dormition from Paromenia in Pskov (PIAM) - in a red chiton and a dark green himation, with the Gospel in his hands; on the icon of the 15th century. from the Deesis (Museum-Reserve "Dmitrovsky Kremlin"), on the Rostov icon from the Deesis tier, end. 15th century (GMZRK), - with a scroll in hand. On the icon, ser. 16th century (CAC MDA) it is presented together with arch. Michael; on the image from the Nikolo-Koryazhemsky monastery (before 1661; SIHM) - full-length, in prayer to Christ; on the Vologda icon “Ap. Andrew the First-Called in his life "1717 (VGIAHMZ). A complete cycle of 80 miniatures with the life of A.P. is contained in a manuscript of the 17th century. (OLDP F 137. L. 1-96ob).

Lit .: Ré au L. L "origine de la croix de Saint-André // Mémoires de la Societé des antiquaires de France, 1932; idem. Iconographie de l" art chrétien. P., 1958. Vol. 3. P. 76-84; Lechner M. Andreas // LCI. bd. 5. 1973. Sp. 138-152; Pillinger R. Der Apostel Andreas: Ein Heliger von Ost und West im Bild der frühen Kirche. W., 1994.

N. V. Kvlividze

A brief life of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ is set out in this article.

Brief biography of Andrew the First-Called

Andrew the First-Called was born in Bethsaida around the 1st century AD. He was the brother of the Apostle Peter. Before he became the first called disciple of Jesus Christ, Andrew was a fisherman, like his brother. He spent his childhood in his native town, and when he reached adulthood, he moved to Capernaum with his brother. They built a house for themselves and took up fishing in earnest.

For the first time the idea of ​​devoting himself to the service of the Lord came to him in his youth. Then he abandoned the creation of a family, deciding to save his chastity for a higher purpose. One day, rumors reached him: John the Baptist on the Jordan River calls for sincere repentance and claims that the Messiah will come soon. The First-Called leaves the house, fishing and goes to the river. So he became the closest and most devoted disciple of John.

One day Jesus met Andrew and Peter, telling the brothers to follow him. They obeyed Christ and followed him. The First-Called One was close enough to Jesus. It was to him and 3 other apostles that the Messiah revealed the fate of the world. After such a revelation, the Apostle Andrew began to serve Christ even more devotedly, following on his heels and being with him until the end of his earthly life.

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he, like other apostles, received the gift of the Holy Spirit - they began to receive the ability to heal, the gift of prophecy and the ability to speak freely in all languages ​​of the world.

After such gifts, the apostles divided the countries among themselves in order to carry the teachings of Christ to the people. Andrew the Primordial by lot fell to the territories of Propontis, Bithynia, Thrace, Scythia, Macedonia, Thessaly, Achaia and Hellas. He carried his sermon, despite the fact that he was expelled from most cities, humiliated and insulted.

Saint Andrew the First-Called is the first of the apostles. You can learn more about this saint, see icons with his image and read his life in this article!

Today, December 13, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

APOSTLE ANDREW was from Galil e And. This northern part of the Holy Land was distinguished by fertility and picturesqueness, and its inhabitants - by good nature and hospitality. The Galileans easily got along with the Greeks, who inhabited their country in large numbers, many spoke Greek and even wore Greek names. The name Andrew is Greek and means courageous in translation.

When John the Baptist began to preach on the banks of the Jordan A On, Andrew, together with John Zevedeev (who came with him from the same city - Bethsaida) followed the prophet, hoping in his teaching to find the answer to their spiritual questions. Many began to think that John the Baptist could be the expected Messiah, but he explained to people that he was not the Messiah, but was sent only to prepare the way for Him. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ came to John the Baptist at the Jordan for baptism, and he, pointing to the Lord, said to his disciples: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

Hearing this, Andrew and John followed Jesus. The Lord, seeing them, asked: “What do you need?” They said: “Rabbi (Teacher), where do you live?” “Come and see,” Jesus replied, and from that time on they became His disciples. On the same day, the Apostle Andrew went to his brother Simon Peter and told him: “We have found the Messiah.” So Peter joined the disciples of Christ.

However, the apostles did not immediately fully devote themselves to the apostolic rank. We know from the Gospels that the brothers Andrew and Simon Peter and the brothers John and James had to return to their families for a while and go about their usual work - fishing. A few months later, the Lord, passing by the Lake of Galilee and seeing them fishing, said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their boats and nets, and from that day on they became inseparable disciples of Christ.

Andrew, who followed the Lord before the other apostles, received the name Pervozv A a lot. He was with Christ during the entire period of His public ministry. After the Resurrection of the Savior, the Apostle Andrew, along with other disciples, was honored with meetings with Him and was present at El O mountain, when the Lord, having blessed them, ascended into Heaven.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles cast lots on who should go to which country to preach the Gospel. Saint Andrew got the countries lying along the Black Sea coast, the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula and Scythia, i.e. the land on which Russia was later formed. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew preached on the Tauride Peninsula, then went up the Dnieper to the north and reached the place where Kyiv later arose.

“Believe me,” the apostle said to his disciples, “that the grace of God will shine on these mountains: a great city will be here, the Lord will enlighten this land with holy baptism and build many churches here.” Then the Apostle Andrew blessed the Kyiv mountains and erected a cross on one of them, foreshadowing the acceptance of the faith by the future inhabitants of Rus'.

Nikolay Lomtev. Apostle Andrew the First-Called erects a cross on the mountains

After returning to Greece, the Apostle Andrew stopped in the city of Patros, located near the Gulf of Corinth. Here, through the laying on of hands, he healed many people from ailments, including the noble Maximilla, who believed in Christ with all her heart and became a disciple of the apostle. Since many residents of Patras believed in Christ, the local ruler Egeat kindled with hatred against the Apostle Andrew and sentenced him to crucifixion. The apostle, not at all afraid of the verdict, in an inspired sermon revealed to the audience the spiritual power and significance of the Savior's suffering on the Cross.

The ruler of Egeat did not believe the preaching of the apostle, calling his teaching madness. Then he ordered the apostle to be crucified so that he would suffer longer. St. Andrew was tied to a cross like the letter X, without driving nails into his hands and feet, so as not to cause an early death. The unjust verdict of Egeat aroused indignation among the people, however, this verdict remained in force.

Hanging on the cross, the apostle Andrew prayed unceasingly. Before the separation of his soul from his body, heavenly light shone on the cross of Andrew, and in its radiance the apostle departed into the eternal Kingdom of God. The martyrdom of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called followed about the year 62 after the Nativity of Christ.

The Russian Church, having adopted the faith of Christ from Byzantium, the bishops of which lead their succession from the Apostle Andrew, also considers itself his successor. That is why the memory of St. Andrew the First-Called was so solemnly venerated in pre-revolutionary Russia. Emperor Peter I established in honor of the Apostle Andrew the first and highest order, which was given as a reward to the dignitaries of the state. Since the time of Peter the Great, the Russian fleet has made the St. Andrew's flag as its banner, on a white background a blue X-shaped cross, under the shadow of which the Russians won many victories.

Troparion

Like the first-called apostles / and supreme brother, / Lord of all, Andrew, pray, / grant peace to the universe / and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion
Apostle Andrew the First-Called:

The courage of the namesake god-spoken / and the Church of the supreme investigator, / praise Peter's kinsman, / because of this ancient times / and now cry out to us // come, find the Desired One.

Prayer to Saint Andrew the First-Called

First-Called Apostle of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, Supreme Follower of the Church, All-Praised Andrew! We glorify and magnify your apostolic labors, we sweetly remember your blessed coming to us, we bless your honest suffering, even if you suffered for Christ, we kiss your sacred relics, we honor your holy memory and we believe that the Lord lives, your soul is alive, and with you remain with him forever in heaven, even if you do not leave us with your love, as if you loved our fathers, when by the Holy Spirit you saw the conversion of our land to Christ. We believe, as if praying to God for us, in vain in the light of His all our needs. We confess this faith in your temple, and we pray to the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that by your prayers we will be given all that is necessary for the salvation of us sinners: yes, even if you are abie to the voice of the Lord, leave your wounds, you followed Him unswervingly, and every one of us does not seek his own, but hedgehog for the creation of his neighbor, and thinks about the high rank. Having the same intercessor and intercessor for us, we hope that your prayer can do much before the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, He deserves all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Akathist in front of the icons of St. Andrew the First-Called

Kondak 1

The First-Called Apostle of Christ, the Gospel of the Holy Preacher, the Russian country of the God-inspired Enlightener Andrei the Most Glorious, let us praise with songs, standing on the hilltop, where the Cross is erected on his right hand, and to him, as the Church’s supreme investigator, following himself who showed her the way to Christ, we call in tenderness: Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Ikos 1

The angel of the evangelist of the Lamb of Christ, who takes away the sins of the world, was thou Andrew the Apostle, and with Him forever dwell in Heaven; from there, look at the singing that is brought to you in your temple, in the place where your feet stand, and, as if you are rich in the grace of God, give us a good word, let us call to you: Rejoice, morning star from the city of Bethsaida, shining upon us; Rejoice, equal honorable brother of the supreme Peter. Rejoice, disciple of the great Forerunner of Christ; rejoice first of all, the apostle called to the apostolic ministry from the Samago of the Lord. Rejoice, for thou hast called out with joy to others: “Come, find the desired Messiah”; rejoice, and bring us to Him. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 2

Teacher, where do you live? - you asked, Andrea, the Savior of our souls and, being one day with Him, you loved for all the days of your belly the Messiah you found, and you brought your elder brother to Him. The same and us, like your lesser brethren, do not stop drawing to Him, and we, following your steps, cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Seeing in you, Saint Andrew, a flame of faith and love, the Lord will find you on Lake Gennisaretsta, like a fisherman, together with your brother, sweeping the net into the depths, and you will say: “Coming after Me, and I will create you a fisherman.” You abie followed Him and with an inspired word, as if I were a guide, people caught Christ, with them we are catching you for salvation, we tell you: Rejoice, for you have learned spiritual catching from the Lord Samago; Rejoice, for on the same lake with the rest the apostles were overwhelmed, by faith you were saved in the Lord, who forbids the wind and the sea. Rejoice, having acquired great faith, when you saw the miraculous saturation of five thousand with five loaves; Rejoice, gift received from the Lord to heal every ailment and every disease. Rejoice, as a voice from heaven was heard by the Greeks, who saw Christ by you; Rejoice, for on the Mount of Olives the former was revealed to you, and the future at the end of the world. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 3

The wanderings of the Lady and the Immortal Meals in the High Place of Zion, having enjoyed, as if true friend Christ, along with the other apostles, saw the Lord and your God, from the Worthless and the Holy Spirit received you, in a hedgehog to knit and solve the sins of people. And again, in the same upper room of Zionstay, there was an abundant outpouring of the promised Spirit on you in fiery tongues. All the same, all the tribes were surprised at what language they spoke of the greatness of God, singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

From the Lord we receive the commandment to preach the Gospel to all creation, thou hast flowed around many cities and countries, Apostle Andrew, calling people to the knowledge of the True God and baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; with them, we will be blessed with the grace of Baptism. For this, for the sake of thanksgiving, let us describe to you: Rejoice, faithful proclaimer of the miracles of Christ; Rejoice, loud preacher of the Holy Gospel. Rejoice, idol service to the consumer; Rejoice, planter of true piety. Rejoice, for according to your word, people are reborn with water and the Spirit; rejoice, as the faithful of the Immortal Meal partake of you. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 4

The power of God in the autumn of thee, Apostle the First-Called, in a hedgehog to proclaim the power and glory of the Son of God and affirm all the faith in the Holy Trinity called. The same for us, who worship the One God in the Three Hypostases, keep the faith of Christ in the greener pasture of the faith of Christ, so that by the grace of the Holy Spirit we will be sanctified, we sing loudly to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Having brought your brother Simon Peter to Christ, the First-Called, you went out with him and to your apostolic service, first to Antioch and Sinope, there you defeated the demons of the regiment, you freed your apostle Matthias from the bonds of the dungeon companion, and baptized the former with him, supreme Peter from there to the western countries flowing, you gave him a brotherly kiss, you yourself labored well in the east. In the same way, we, the people of the Eastern Church, bless you: Rejoice, the power of God, driving away the armies of demons and crushing the bonds of prisons; Rejoice, friend of the apostolic grace, from the bonds of hell, freeing us from the bonds of mystery. Rejoice, west and east with your God-wise brother, preach for the sake of the word of God, dividing by lot; Rejoice, in the city of Sinope you exposed the unbelief of the Jews by the power of your miracles. Rejoice, as there was from the godless Christ for the sake of bien; Rejoice, as from Samago the Lord who appeared to you, the healing of ulcers was granted to you. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 5

Twice returning to the holy city, yes, together with the apostles, celebrate the fiftieth day there, twice you walked from holy Zion, in the hedgehog of Christ to preach to the universe, first with John the breastplate of the Lord, so with Simon the Zealot and Matthias, whose lot was marked to be an apostle, and all the limits of Asia and Pontus flowed around you, announcing the word of salvation to everyone, so that they sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

From the Sea of ​​Galilee to Pontus Euxinus, your apostolic netherlands and all the seaside surroundings, announcing your gospel, thou art risen, First-Called, and into the countries of Scythia, hoisting the Cross of Christ everywhere as a sign of our salvation. For this sake, we, if you give birth later, listening to your gospel and remembering your deeds, call you: Rejoice, in Nicaea, the fierce robbers taming and the fiercest dragon slaying; Rejoice, having erected the Cross of Christ in the midst of this city, as the Forerunner of the God-bearing father twice gathered there. Rejoice, as in Asia and Pontus the light of Christ's ascension is by you; Rejoice, as your apostolic baton opens the foothills of the Caucasus to the light of Christ. Rejoice, by whom the darkness of the Cimmerian was illuminated; Rejoice, imzhe the universe is alive with jets of water to drink. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 6

Possessed by a storm of passions and, like the waters of the ocean, agitated, the tribes of men, even if they did not know the True God, brought you, apostle, to the quiet haven of Christ and those hearts, like a fragile boat overwhelmed by unbelief, on the anchor of the Orthodox faith, you approved. In the same way, we, as children of the Orthodox faith, with a grateful heart and grateful lips cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

On Mount Eleonstey of your Divine Teacher, sometimes with the rest, the apostles asked you, Andrew: “Rest to us, what is the sign of Your coming?” On the mountains of Kyiv, as an organ of the grace of the Holy Spirit, you foreshadowed the coming glory of this place; but we, foretold on the mercy of sowing, tenderly cry out to you: Rejoice, for from Mount Zion you brought the gospel law to us; Rejoice, for on the waters of Vorisfen the Apostle of God has ascended to us. Rejoice, grace of the Jordan, for the sake of our Baptism, granting this speech; Rejoice, on the mountains of Kyiv the Cross of our salvation is erected. Rejoice, for an abundant outpouring of the grace of God has been foretold here; Rejoice, because the existence of the city is great and the churches of many here are foreshadowed. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 7

Today, in fulfillment of your prophetic voice, the most glorious temple flaunts on the spot, where you foresaw what is not as if by the gift of the Holy Spirit; around him, a great city with golden-domed churches bears witness to the truth of your words; In the same way, we, the realization of your divinely inspired words, are sighted, with a great voice we cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

From the luminous dawn, having received the light of theology from the First-Called Apostle, Saint Olga the ascension of the Russian land is like the day of our salvation, erecting after herself, like a radiant luminary, her grandson Vladimir, the enlightener of the whole midnight country. The same and we, having lifted our eyes to you, Andrey the God-wise, as to the initial herald of our salvation, we will describe this laudable one: Rejoice, as the day of our salvation, Holy Olga, the light of Divine knowledge was bestowed; rejoice, for by her pious faith the Kingdom of Christ was opened. Rejoice, for with your blessing the most glorious luminary from this day of the day has come to us; Rejoice, for according to your apostolic foreshadowing, the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince has appeared to us. Rejoice, for through you, Saint Vladimir, join the earthly kingdom to the Heavenly one; Rejoice, like the Dnieper and Pochaina, the Kiev River, a saving font for us. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 8

The glorious city of Kyiv and the whole Russian country are preached by the shepherd and the pastor of the memory of your deeds, God-wise Apostle Andrew; in the bowels of the cave, the incorruptible resting servants of God, with Anthony and Theodosius, unsilent lips, as if you live, they proclaim your glory for centuries and generations, the Cross erected by you here, like a blessed-leaved tree, grow, in a hedgehog to bring us the fruits of piety and relics. We are your paradise garden, like spiritual chicks, you teach us to sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Not only Rus' was the only one, the herald of salvation, the First-Called Apostle of Christ, but also the entire Slovenian tribes, like kokosh, gathering their chicks under the krill, I brought you to Christ; you, from Chersonissus into the darkness of the midnight country, despising the people who exist there, may they learn the word of God, wise teachers, Cyril and Methodius, you have prepared for your preaching for many centuries; we, like the mouths of these enlighteners of ours, loudly cry out to you: Rejoice, blessed Slovene tribes from time immemorial; Rejoice, thou wisest wisest word of their understanding by the word of God. Rejoice, as to the word of God's obedience, the Church was a verbal child; Rejoice, as if in Chersonissus, where thou didst preach, the first Russian writer Cyril, the saint, found and was pleasant to me. Rejoice, for by those Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end - Christ of God's wisdom proclaimed to them; Rejoice, as all the divinely inspired writings, these teachers, have translated into the Slovene language for us. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 9

Not afraid of the desert Scythia, in the depths of the midnight country, you stretched out your apostolic wanderings, First-Called, from there you also came to old Rome, even then the head of the pagan world was; For the sake of darkness, for the sake of idolatry, leave him, and come to the red shore of Vospor, there in the city of Byzantium, even if the new Rome and the mother of Christians were, you approved your apostolic throne. Yes, from him the East and North will be illuminated with the light of faith, but the faithful children of the Church of Christ unanimously call God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Mati Zion - a man says in a psalm, as if a person was spiritually born in him, but the new Zion was Kiev for us: in it, the light and grace of God appeared to all the sons of Russia from the pulpit, you, the First-Called Apostle, approved you in Byzantium. At the same time, we, with the Non-Evening Light illuminating, gratefully cry out to you: Rejoice, descending from Mount Zion and illuminating Kyiv with a mountain light; Rejoice, thou who has bestowed many spiritual blessings upon this city. Rejoice, for in the midst of the universe you have established your apostolic throne; Rejoice, as if under its shadow (in the new Rome), you gathered all the languages ​​\u200b\u200benlightened by you. Rejoice, by whom Orthodoxy is affirmed in their souls; Rejoice, because the darkness of the West is torn away from the East. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 10

When the time of your repose comes, blessed apostle, you came to the ancient Patras of Achaia, yes you will be devoured there, you ended the course, you fought a good feat, preaching Christ crucified to everyone, a temptation to a Jew, but madness to us, called and saved, - Christ, God's Power and God's Wisdom, from Neyazhe and learn to sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Everywhere in the name of the Lord Jesus, healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, casting out demons; All the people, seeing the power of God in you, crushing their idols, therefore the Lord appeared to you, like Paul sometimes in Corinth, and commanded you to take your Cross, having marked yours in Patras, for His sake, suffering. The same and we, marveling at the great grace in you, reverently cry out: Rejoice, great power of God almighty; Rejoice, precious treasure of miracles. Rejoice, enlightenment and adornment of ancient Patras; Rejoice, unbelief of the Anfipat in faith changing. Rejoice, as the Lord has appeared to you, calling you to the feat of the cross; rejoice, for the crown of truth has been prepared for you. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 11

Nero Caesar, as sometimes Herod, having persecuted all the faithful, I will behead Paul with a sword in Rome, crucifying Peter on the cross, similarly, the hand of the tormentor will reach you in Patra, always instead of the meek Blade, put Egeat the fierce judge, even if you do not endure the baptism of your brother, below, having been softened by the healing of his wife, throwing you into prison and, like the supreme Peter, condemn him to the cross. But you, this prisoner, in a darker dungeon, as if in a bright temple, you prophesied the brother of Anfipat Stratoklis as Bishop of Patrom, singing to God with all the faithful in the middle of the prison: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

In place of the forehead, we raise the cross, having seen it, on it you had to be crucified, you were not afraid of you, the apostle, even to death to testify to your beloved and beloved Christ, and stretching out your hand to this sign of salvation, you tenderly cried out: Rejoice, O Most Honorable Cross, before him I stand with joy, knowing you, my hope; Rejoice, Life-Giving Cross, whose head reaches Heaven, crush the foot of the gates of hell. Rejoice, venerable Cross, perceived by my Master, like the sweetest bunch, who exuded salvation for us; Rejoice, blessed Cross, saving the thief and granting him the fruits of confession. Rejoice, for thou hast fulfilled my joy as well; the same rejoice also you, passion-bearer, on the Cross imprinting your faith in Christ. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 12

Come, witness of my joy! - you called the apostle to the performer of the will of Egeat, - do your will over me, crucify me and, like a lamb, sacrifice to the Creator who created me. And this river, you ascended to the cross, as if to a mountain pulpit, for three days and three nights you preached the word of God around the standing people, but do not be afraid of death, confessing the Lord Jesus. When your face was illuminated with heavenly light, the tormentor was horrified and commanded to take you from the cross; Otherwise, you, passion-bearer, did not want to be resolved from the torments of the cross, until the outcome of your incessant cry to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Glorifying your apostolic deeds, Andrew the First-Called, we bless your holy death, with which you glorified the Life-giving Passion of the Son of God, and in tenderness of the heart we cry out to you: Rejoice, friend of Christ, with joy on the cross enduring suffering for Him; Rejoice, faithful apostle, preaching the words of the Eternal Life to people from the cross. Rejoice, for at the hour of the removal from the cross of autumn you are light, like lightning from heaven; Rejoice, as if you promised great grace to those who confess the Christ the Son of God preached by you. Rejoice, apostolic foundation of the Mountainous Jerusalem; Rejoice, sitting with the apostles on one of the twelve thrones, in a hedgehog to judge the whole tribe of Israel. Rejoice, Andrew, First-Called Apostle of Christ.

Kondak 13

O First-Called Apostle of Christ Andrew, look at this blessing of all those who honor your holy memory, and as if you erected the Tree of the Cross on the mountains of the city of Kiev, always overshadow us with this saving sign, yes, by the Cross of the Lord God and our Savior, we will reach the measure of the age of fulfillment Christ and let us be honored with you and with all the saints, in a voice of joy, in endless ages to sing to God, our Savior: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

On December 13, the Church commemorates the Apostle Andrew. He became the first of the called disciples of Christ, in connection with which he is called the First-Called. The Apostle Andrew is mentioned in the lists of the apostles in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt. 10:2), Mark (Mk. 3:18), Luke (Lk. 6 :14), as well as in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:13).

Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. Byzantine icon of the XIV century in the collection of the Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin in Moscow.

Originating, like the Apostle Philip, from Bethsaida (John 1:44), Andrew the First-Called lived in Capernaum (Mark 1:29) in the same house with his brother Simon Peter (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16) . Father Peter and Andrew the First-Called was called Jonah (Matthew 16:17; John 1:42) (some ancient manuscripts of the Gospel of John offer a different version of his name - John).

Apostle Peter and Apostle Andrew. Modern icon. Archimandrite Zinon (Theodore).

According to the Gospel of John, Andrew the First-Called was one of those 2 disciples of St. John the Baptist, who, after the testimony of the latter about Christ in Bethany, followed the Savior (John 1, 35-40). Having become the first disciple of Christ (hence his traditional nickname - the First-Called) and spending a day with Him, Andrew the First-Called then brought his brother to Him (John 1, 41-42).

Modern icon. Made in the icon-painting workshop of Ekaterina Ilyinskaya. Moscow.

Andrew leads Simon to Jesus (John 1:40-42); Bulgaria. Tarnovo; XIV century; Monument: The Four Gospels of Tsar John Alexander, 1356

According to the Evangelists Matthew and Mark, Andrew the First-Called and Peter were engaged in fishing, during which they, together with James and John, were called by the Savior on the shores of Lake Gennesaret (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16). When reconciling this message with the gospel of John, this is usually considered the 2nd calling after the return of Jesus from the wilderness.

The calling of Simon and Andrew. Mosaic of the Church of Apollinaris the New. Ravenna. VI century.

Later in the New Testament, Andrew the First-Called is reported episodically. He is mentioned among the 12 disciples of Christ, where he occupies the 2nd, after the Apostle Peter (Matt. 10, 2; Luke 6, 14), or 4th, after Peter, James and John (Mark 3, 18), place . Together with his countryman the Apostle Philip, Andrew the First-Called may have occupied some special place in the community of the apostles: with a miraculous feeding of 5 thousand people. it is he who tells Jesus about the 5 loaves and 2 fishes (John 6, 8-9), and in the story of the Hellenes who came to Jerusalem for Easter, Philip, to whom they first turned, conveyed their request to Andrew the First-Called, and already together they went to Jesus (John 12:21-22).

Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Fragment of the icon "Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles".

Andrew the First-Called, together with 3 chosen disciples of Christ, Peter, James and John, was a participant in the Savior's conversation on the Mount of Olives about the coming end of the world (Mark 13:3).

Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Greek fresco, ca. Cyprus, 11th century

Among the 12 disciples, Andrew the First-Called was present at the Last Supper and at the appearances of Christ to the apostles after the Resurrection, as well as at the Ascension of the Savior (Acts 1, 13). The last thing known about Andrew the First-Called from the New Testament is his participation, together with everyone else, in the choice of the 12th apostle instead of Judas Iscariot and the presence at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2, 1).

Prayer for the Chalice. Miniature of the manuscript of Dionysios. Athos. End of the 11th century

The Last Supper. From a festive occasion. Workshop of Andrei Rublev. Moscow, XV century

App assurance. Thomas. Dionysius. From the Pavlov-Obnorsky Monastery, 1500. Russian Museum.

Ascension of Christ. Icon from the festive row of the iconostasis of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. End of the 15th century

Pentecost. Mosaic vault. Fragment. Osios Loukas, Greece. 12th century

Christ the Vine True (Christ the Vine). Greece. Crete; XV century;

"The Tale of Bygone Years" speaks of Andrew the First-Called visiting the lands on which Kyiv later arose, the path of the apostle to Novgorod and to the northern Russian lands is traced.

Ap. Andrei blesses the Kyiv mountains. The hoisting of the cross at the site of the founding of the city. Miniature of the Radzivilov Chronicle. Con. 15th century

Also, 2 apocryphal books tell about the Apostle Andrew - "The Acts of the Apostle Andrew" and "The Acts of the Apostles Andrew and Matthias in the city of cannibals." The church history of Eusebius of Caesarea in chapter 1 describes where each of the apostles preached. According to her, Scythia fell by lot to the Apostle Andrew. However, all the information that exists at the present time does not allow us to say that the Apostle Andrew was in Kyiv and Novgorod. But the important thing is that Rus' is the lot of the Apostle Andrew and he, undoubtedly, is her patron.

The Holy Apostle Andrew traveled through Asia Minor, Thrace, and Macedonia. On his way, the First-Called Apostle endured many sorrows and torments from the pagans: he was expelled from the cities and beaten. In Sinop, he was stoned to death, but, remaining unharmed, the faithful disciple of Christ tirelessly preached to people about the Savior. Through the prayers of the apostle, the Lord performed miracles. Through the labors of the holy Apostle Andrew, Christian Churches arose, for which he appointed bishops and priesthood. The last city where the First-Called Apostle came and where he was destined to accept a martyr's death was the city of Patras.

St. app. Andrew the First-Called; 17th century

The Lord showed many miracles through His disciple in the city of Patras. The sick were healed, the blind received their sight. Through the prayer of the apostle, the seriously ill Sosius, a noble citizen, recovered; by the laying on of apostolic hands, Maximilla, the wife of the ruler of Patra, and his brother Stratocles were healed. The miracles performed by the apostle and his fiery word enlightened almost all the citizens of the city of Patras with the true faith. Few pagans remained in Patras, among them was the ruler of the city of Aegeas - he ordered the crucification of the apostle. The crucified apostle, giving praise to God, said: "Lord, Jesus Christ, receive my spirit." Then a bright glow divine light illuminated the cross and the martyr crucified on it. When the radiance disappeared, the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called had already given up his holy soul to the Lord. Maximilla, the ruler's wife, removed the body of the Apostle from the cross and buried it with honor. According to legend, the cross on which the apostle was crucified had an X-shape.

Crucifixion of the Apostle Andrew. Mosaic. Cathedral of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called in Patras. 20th century

Part of the cross of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

That is why the apostle is often depicted on icons against the background of an oblique cross.

Apostle Andrew. Modern icon.

The crucifixion of the Apostle Andrew - a miniature from the Minology of Basil II. Vatican. Early 11th century depicts the Apostle Andrew crucified on a straight cross.

Several centuries later, under Emperor Constantine the Great, the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew were solemnly transferred to Constantinople and laid in the Church of the Holy Apostles next to the relics of the holy Evangelist Luke and the disciple of the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Timothy.

Relics of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Cathedral of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called in Patras.

The name of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called runs through all of Russian history, linking eras and human fates. Emperor Peter I established the first Russian order in honor of the Apostle Andrei, which was the highest state award. In 1998, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was restored as the highest state award of the new Russia. Since the time of Peter the Great, the St. Andrew's flag has become the banner of the Russian fleet. The tsar himself determined how it would look like: “A white flag, through which the blue cross of St. Andrew, for the sake of Russia receiving holy baptism from this apostle.”

Andrew's flag.

Iconography.

(Irina Shalina. The Image of Andrew the First-Called in Byzantine and Old Russian Iconography)

The addition of the iconography of the Apostle Andrew dates back to a very early time, as evidenced by the frescoes of the catacombs in Karmuz (Egypt), dating from the 4th-6th centuries; ivory diptych 450–460 AD (Victoria and Albert Museum, London) and Christian ampoules.

Diptych. Ivory.

The transfer of his relics from the place of martyrdom in Patras (Greece) to Constantinople gave a special impetus to the appearance of new images of the saint. In 357, on behalf of Emperor Constantius II, the remains of Andrei (with the exception of the honest head) were transferred by the military leader (later martyr) Artemy to the capital and placed in the foundation of the church of Sts. apostles.

Ap. Andrey. Modern cloisonne enamel. Georgia.

Ap. Andrey. Modern cloisonne enamel. Georgia.

Interest in the iconography of St. Andrew the First-Called should have increased even after the events of the 6th century, when, under Emperor Justinian I, the relics of Sts. Apostles Andrew, Luke and Timothy were solemnly transferred to the new church of Sts. apostles and buried under the throne. The "transposition of the relics of the apostles" - as a special holiday - was entered in the Greek Synaxarium on June 20. The rarest and oldest example of the reflection of these events is a miniature on a papyrus sheet of a lost chronicle of the 4th or 5th century, where the transfer of the relics of the apostles Luke and Andrew to Constantinople was described and, accordingly, illustrated. The composition represents the most concise version of such iconography, which would later become traditional for the scenes of the transfer of the relics of saints: two figures of young men holding relics approach the city walls of the capital.

Andrew the First-Called, Apostle; Byzantium. Greece. Macedonia; 14th century

According to Epiphanius the Monk, who between 815 and 843 compiled one of the hagiographic descriptions of the life of the saint, at that time there were ancient and even miraculous images of the Apostle Andrew: one of them, written on marble, was in the chapel in Sinop, the other was above the gates of the house of John Scholasticism near Perdix in Constantinople. The same author left a vivid description of the appearance of the first disciple of Christ, who "was tall, nosy, eyebrows, slightly hunched."

Ap. Andrey.

Indeed, the image of Andrew, dressed in the traditional apostolic chiton with clave and himation, already in the earliest monuments stands out among other apostles with pronounced individual features. It can even be said that Andrei, along with Peter and Paul, received the most vivid and memorable image, the most emotionally expressed character. Like the Old Testament prophet, he is often portrayed as extremely expressive, pathetically agitated, with disheveled or flowing white hair, which is generally uncharacteristic of the icon painting tradition.

Such an image is often found even in the official monuments of early Christian art in Ravenna: the domed mosaic of the Orthodox Baptistery (middle of the 5th century), or in the oratory of the Archbishop's Chapel (494-519).

Apostles Peter, Andrew and James Zevedeev ( general form); Italy. Ravenna; 5th century;

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic of the oratorio of the Archbishop's Chapel. Ravenna. 494–519

In the apse of the katholikon of the monastery of the Great Martyr. Catherine on Sinai (550-565), Andrew is presented in the most honorable place, paired with the Apostle Paul, and is distinguished by a thoughtfully concentrated expression on his face. The iconography of the apostle with the Gospel in his hands is also known from the frescoes of the apses of the chapel in Bauit (Egypt, 6th century) and the church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome (705-707) and some other monuments.

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic of the apse of the katholikon of the mon-rya vmts. Catherine at Sinai. 550–565

Apostle Andrew. Mosaic from the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna. 6th century

Ap. Andrey. Fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome (705–707)

The highlighting of the image of the Apostle Andrew in the iconographic programs of the monumental cycles becomes especially noticeable in the monuments of Constantinople starting from the 9th century. Peter and Andrew, as brothers and at the same time the closest disciples to Christ - one is the first supreme, the other is the first-called, are depicted next to each other on the mosaic at the entrance to the room above the southwestern vestibule of Sophia of Constantinople (c. 870), intended for the stay of the patriarch . The most honorable place is given to these apostles in the scene "The Descent of the Holy Spirit" in the illustrations of the manuscript of homily by Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 880-883). In the free-standing figure of Andrew, the attributes of his preaching or missionary work are often emphasized: for example, in the mosaics of the narthex of Osios Loukas in Phokis (Greece), the 30s of the XII century, the Apostle Andrew is depicted with a scroll in his hand, and on the mosaic of the apse of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello ( Italy), about 1130, - with a cross on a long shaft.

"The Descent of the Holy Spirit" in the illustrations of the homily manuscript of Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 880–883)

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic of the Martorana Basilica in Palermo, 40-50s. 12th century

App. John and Andrew. Monastery of Hosios Loukas, Phokis. 12th century Temple narthex.

App. Andrew and Luka Late XI - early XII centuries. Church of St. George (Rotonda), Thessaloniki, Greece

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic c. St. Theodora in Sera (Greece). Beginning 12th century

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic in the apse. Cathedral in Cefalu. Sicily. 1148.

Emphasis on his image in Slavic countries is understandable, since, as is known, Scythia, which at that time was understood as the entire Slavic community, was the lot of Andrei's apostolic mission. Meanwhile, its iconographic separation in the art of these countries occurs only from the middle of the 12th century. In the Church of Our Lady Peribleptos in Ohrid (1294–1295), right in front of the apse, Peter is depicted holding a model of the church on his shoulders, and Andrew with a cross-shaped staff.

In Macedonia during the second half of the 12th and 13th centuries we find four examples of a rare scene of the Kissing of the Apostles, which violates the traditional scheme of composition of the Communion of the Apostles. In the church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi, painted in 1164 by order of Emperor Alexei Komnenos, Andrew and Luke facing each other make an aspasmos, a liturgical kiss that takes place in the service before the clergy take communion. A similar example is found in the church of St. John the Evangelist in Verria in the first half of the 13th century. According to early tradition, this story is known as the prerogative of the apostles Peter and Paul. Its change in the Serbian and Macedonian monuments in favor of Andrei makes us consider the scene of the establishment of its main sacrament in the church as directly related to the personality of the missionary of the Slavs.

In those same years, the image of the Apostle Andrew stands out noticeably in the painting of Serbia. So, in Sopochany, he occupies a paramount place among the apostles in the scenes “Sending off for preaching”, “Descent of the Holy Spirit”, “Assurance of the Form” and “Communion of the Apostles”, that is, in compositions illustrating the act of founding the Church of Christ on earth. The special role of the Apostle Andrew in the frescoes of Sopochan created on the eve of the Union of Lyons (1272–1274), when the Byzantine emperor seriously threatened the autocephaly of the Serbian Church, was associated with the idea of ​​protecting its independence.

Frescoes in the Church of the Holy Trinity. Monastery of Sopochany. Serbia.

Much earlier than in other Slavic countries, the marked feature appears in Rus', which adopted Christianity directly from the hands of Constantinople. It is natural that ancient Russian iconography pays close attention to the Apostle Andrew, and his image itself occupies the most important place among the disciples of Christ. And first of all, this again concerns the plots connected with the act of founding the Church of Christ on earth and the apostolic preaching of the Word of God.

The figure of the Apostle Andrew stands out noticeably already in the earliest Russian monuments. In the mosaics of the central apse of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev (1046), the main cathedral church of newly baptized Rus', the most important place is occupied by the scene of the communion of the apostles, which was not just a historical illustration of the Gospel story about the Last Supper, but a symbolic composition that emphasizes the sacrament of the Eucharist and the establishment of the Church on earth .

Ap. Andrey. Mosaic of the apse of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Fragment of the composition "Eucharist". 1st floor 11th century

The stage is located in the central apse of the temple directly above the altar, where the Holy Gifts are located during the Liturgy. To Christ the priest standing before the throne, depicted twice: on one side holding a prosphora, and on the other, a chalice with wine, with a measured step, his disciples majestically and solemnly approach for communion.

Mosaic of the apse of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Fragment of the composition "Eucharist". 1st floor 11th century

The procession is led by Peter and Paul (on the right), followed by four evangelists in pairs, followed directly by the Apostle Andrew. A lush hairstyle of bluish-gray tousled hair allows you to immediately isolate him from other disciples of Christ. Compared to the frozen participants in the sacrament, his energetic tread, concentrated and slightly exalted image conveys the emotional excitement of the apostle. He sensitively captures and comprehends the mystical significance of the ongoing action. Large open eyes, an open trusting face endow the image with the character of a direct witness of a miracle, a living participant in the sacrament. The widespread occurrence in Byzantium and in Rus' of the scene "Communion of the Apostles" was apparently intensified by the events of the schism of 1054. In this regard, the performance of the two supreme apostles Peter and Paul in front of the procession and the apostles following them, the authors of the Holy Gospel, was of a programmatic nature. Andrew, speaking directly behind the evangelists, is thus regarded as a missionary, a distributor of the gospel word, and his appearance in ancient Russian monuments at this place should be considered as a special local tradition.

As part of the same composition, the image of Andrei is found in another Kiev monument - in the mosaics of the Mikhailo-Golden-domed Cathedral (1112). The mosaic decorating the central apse of the cathedral basically repeated the scheme of the Kyiv Sophia. In this princely monastery cathedral, the tomb of Prince Svyatopolk, as well as in the Cathedral of St. Sophia, the second register of the apse was occupied by the scene "Communion of the Apostles".

Fragment of the mosaic image of the apse of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral. Eucharist. 12th century

In the same sequence, the apostles themselves are depicted here, approaching the sacrament. Andrew walks after Paul, the evangelists Matthew and Mark. And here his image, even among such individualized figures of the apostles, is noticeably distinguished by an unusual posture and inner concentration. The right hand is clasped to the chest (a sign of acceptance and thanksgiving), and the left hand is left in the position of the deesis standing - Andrey's gesture shows the deepest humility and readiness, comprehension and experience of the sacrament, communion with the miracle. It seems that the ancient Russian type of depiction of Andrei, more than anywhere else, likens his image to an Old Testament prophet, and his exalted state to a prophetic vision. This still unnoticed feature in the depiction of the apostle, in our opinion, reflects the ambiguous and very unusual nature of the perception of the saint in Rus'.

In ancient Russian historical literature, we encounter a fundamentally different picture than in Byzantium. If there the ideological significance of the veneration of Andrei was the lot of unofficial apocryphal literature, then in Rus' already in the 11th century it was opposed by the rich annalistic and literary tradition of Andrei's Walk, which was developed not only in the apocrypha, but in the readings of the Prologue - a brief and official daily church reading. These readings, as well as the annual church services to the Apostle Andrew on November 30, are attested in the Russian manuscript tradition not later than the end XI century. The beginning of the official chronicle tradition of venerating Andrei as an apostolic preacher of Rus' was the inclusion in the Tale of Bygone Years of a story about Andrei's visit to Russian borders. It is characteristic that the chronicle does not speak of Andrei's preaching or the baptism of Russians by him, it only notes that the apostle, standing on the high bank of the Dnieper, blessed the mountains and predicted that "on these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city" and many holy churches were erected by the Divine will. In accordance with the Old Testament prophecies, he foreshadows future grace. It seems that it was precisely this character of Andrei's appearance in Rus', not his apostolic mission, but rather the mission of a prophet, that predetermined the attitude towards the saint, as one who was given to see the future of Russia. The beginning of the prophetic mission of Russian Orthodoxy is laid down in these brief chronicle words and in the very image of St. Andrew the First-Called.

The official attitude to the idea of ​​Andrei visiting Russian lands and Kyiv was reflected in the depiction of this event in one of the miniatures of the Radzivilov Chronicle of the late 15th century. The composition depicting Andrew twice, raising a cross on the mountain and blessing the place of the future Kyiv, accompanies the corresponding chronicle text. He literally conveys the legend of the Tale of Bygone Years about the apostle's visit to Russian borders - "The Word about the Baptism of the Russian land by the holy Apostle Andrew, as he came to Rus'." It is noteworthy that the iconography repeats the well-known compositional scheme of the icons of the Exaltation of the Cross, with the Jerusalem Patriarch Macarius erecting or demonstrating to the people the Golgotha ​​shrine, discovered, according to legend, by Queen Elena in 326 at the site of the Crucifixion of Christ. Even the figure of a digging boy in a short red dress literally quotes that version of the scene of the miracle of finding the Cross. It is especially close to the earliest depiction of this episode, known from the Rostov icon of the Exaltation from the churchyard of Lyadina in the first third of the 16th century, where a rare detail is presented - Judas digs a cross tree from the Golgotha ​​cleft. It can hardly be considered accidental that the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was erected on the site of the legendary standing of the Apostle Andrew on the Kyiv mountains. And already in the 19th century, during the undertaken archaeological excavations under its base, two wooden poles were discovered, recognized as the remains of a cross once erected by Andrei.

In the second half of the 11th century, the tradition of the walk of the Apostle Andrew, which was undoubtedly connected in Kyiv with the establishment of the cult of the saint on ancient Russian soil, was confirmed by the official princely power, which again distinguishes the situation in Rus' from the Byzantine one. The Apostle Andrew and his “Journey to Rus'” receive special veneration in the family of the Kyiv princes Monomakhovich, during their active construction of churches and a church service in honor of the saint. Born in 1030, the son of Yaroslav the Wise, Vsevolod, was baptized Andrew, which reflected the already existing religious orientation towards the apostle, just as among the Byzantine emperors it was no coincidence that the name Constantine was reminiscent of the first Christian emperor, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great. In the future, princes with the name Andrey appear one after another in the Monomakhovich family. And accordingly, the image of the apostle is distributed on the grand ducal seals, molyvdovules, with which the Russian princes fastened their most important documents. On several of these seals, discovered in Kyiv or the Kievan lands, on the front side there is a half-length image of the Apostle Andrew, dressed in apostolic clothes with a rod in his hand, the shaft of which ends with a small cross. At the same time, the name of the Apostle Andrew, mentioned on their reverse side, as the patron saint of the owner of the seal, although it was associated with a specific bearer from the Monomakhovich family, is still placed on the symbol of state princely power. The inscriptions “Archon of Great Rus'” accompanying the seals testify to the ecclesiastical and political significance of the image of Andrei, who was perceived not only as the personal patron of the prince, but as a powerful patron of Russian princes in general.

In 1086, the son of Yaroslav the Wise, the builder of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, founded the St. Andrew's Monastery in Kyiv, and at the end of the same century, a church in Novgorod. In 1089, Metropolitan Ephraim of Pereyaslavl consecrates the stone cathedral he built in Pereyaslavl in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called. For all these unpreserved temples, large local icons with the image of the apostle were to be created, and the fresco paintings that adorned the walls of these temples certainly contained detailed cycles of his life and deeds.

The ecclesiological role of the Apostle Andrew was emphasized in the most ancient icon of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery "Assumption of the Mother of God", painted around 1073. 1671 by Simon Ushakov, and the image of Kirill Ulanov, 1702, with an enamel setting on the margins (TG). Four apostles are especially highlighted in her composition: John the Theologian, crouching at the head of the Virgin, the Apostle Peter with a censer, Paul embracing the foot of the bed, and, finally, Andrew gesticulating pathetically.

The image of the Apostle Andrew in the murals of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir is decided in a very special way.

Fresco walls of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir. 1195

The bright individuality of the apostles sitting on the throne in the scene of the Last Judgment with open books of the Gospel, who came to judge the living and the dead.

Ap. Andrey. Fresco walls of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir. 1195

The noble elongated face of Andrei, full of Greek beauty, conveys an image that is emphatically intellectual, noble, sublimely spiritualized. The thoughtful attentive look of this aristocratically refined saint, his high spiritual illumination once again prove how differently Byzantine and ancient Russian art could perceive him.

Ap. Andrew the First-Called. From the Deesis tier of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. 1408

The intensive development of the legends about the Apostle Andrew falls in Rus' at the time of the formation of the high Russian iconostasis. From the end of the 14th century to the second half of the 15th century, a large number of literary versions of the legend about Andrei's journey and his visit to Russian land arose. Gradually, the idea of ​​the apostle as a heavenly intercessor and protector, an intercessor for the Russian people before the highest Divine throne, is gradually formed. These ideas were especially relevant in the era of expectation of the Last Judgment, the second coming of Christ to earth, when the request for protection and intercession before the Almighty acquired a special meaning. The Deesis rank included all the ranks of holiness, arranged in a strict hierarchical sequence, and thus expressed the idea of ​​the prayerful presence of the Ecumenical Church for the whole world, for all mankind. However, each autocephalous church sought to find its intercessor in this rank - an enlightener, baptist, founder of the church. The inclusion of the image of the Apostle Andrew as a prayer book in the Russian deesis rite in large cathedrals and small monastery churches at the beginning of the 15th century seems to be programmatic.

For the first time, his image is found in the iconostasis of 1408 in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, created by Andrei Rublev and his students. It is noteworthy that in the deesis procession he is paired with John the Theologian, the mystic seer of the Kingdom of Heaven, the author of the Apocalypse, and follows the Apostle Paul.

The icon is poorly preserved, but a significant change in the appearance of the Apostle Andrew, which has occurred over the past centuries, is still obvious. Not a trace remains of the expressive features of the seer prophet. Spiritual world Apostle Andrew, created by Andrei Rublev, is epicly focused, blessed, full of harmony, inner dignity and nobility. The saint is distinguished by a sense of student loyalty, brotherly love, and peace.

Ap. Andrew the First-Called. Deesis rank. Rostov. 15th century

The same couples - Peter and Paul, John the Evangelist and Andrew entered the deesis rank of other iconostases. His image is preserved among the icons of the Ferapontov Monastery, created by the famous Dionysius and his disciples in 1490, in the deesis tier of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, painted in 1497. Museum of Rostov the Great, where the apostle is depicted with a scroll, like a preacher.

Of great interest is the addition in Rus' of a special deesis tier, consisting of thirteen icons: the Almighty Savior and the twelve apostles, called the "apostolic tier". An integral part of it was the image of the Apostle Andrew. The earliest example is a rite from the Church of the Assumption from Paromenia in Pskov, 1444-1445. Apostle Andrew, as usual, is paired with the evangelist and beloved disciple of Christ, John the Theologian.

App. John and Andrew. Apostolic Deesis Order from the Church of the Assumption from Paromenia in Pskov, 1444-1445.

In some cases, the saint was depicted not with a traditional scroll in his hands, but with a book. Such images were influenced by the literary tradition of the legend of Andrew's walk, which developed in the second half of the 15th century, the appearance of various versions of this text, and the number of apocryphal writings about Andrew's preaching of the Word of God in various Slavic and Greek countries, where the idea of ​​the teaching role of the apostle is increasingly heard. in Rus'.

By the middle to the end of the 15th century, the figure of the Apostle Andrew stands out in the scenes of the Twelfth Feasts, especially in those dealing with the establishment of the sacraments and the creation of a church on earth. The miracle of the resurrection of Christ, in which Thomas had to be convinced, the beautiful spiritualized image of Andrei really comprehends as a miracle, carefully passing it on to his brothers.

Thomas' assurance. The icon is a tablet. 15th century

An insignificant iconographic detail on a small tablet icon of the middle of the 15th century, which was placed on the lectern for kissing and worship on the feast of Fomin's Resurrection, allows the master to imperceptibly, but very clearly show his attitude towards the personality of the apostle. The scroll is in the hands of Christ, written in such a way that one gets the feeling of handing it over to Andrew, who, as it were, demonstrates to other apostles his preemptive right to stand next to the resurrected Savior, receiving from His hands the grace of the priesthood and teaching.

Monumental and majestic is his image on the icons of the Kirillovsky iconostasis of 1497, "The Washing of the Feet" and "The Last Supper", where the sublimely penetrating face of Andrei is well read against the background of the architectural wall.

Foot washing. Festive tier of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. 1497.

The Last Supper. Festive tier of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. 1497.

The saint also occupies a special place on the Novgorod miniature "The Descent of the Holy Spirit" in the manuscript of the Apostolic Readings of the 1540s from the collection of the National Library of Russia. symbolic image The temple, created by the Word of God, appears before us as a real plan of the baptistery, in the center of which is depicted the baptist of Rus', St. Vladimir, surrounded by the walls of the baptismal building under construction, the body of which is the real body of the apostles. At the same time, right behind Vladimir, the figures of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul rise, and on the right, on his right hand, directly above the words “Foundation of the Church of the Word”, written on the wall of the baptistery, Andrei is shown reading the word of God. The idea of ​​the Baptism of Rus', the preaching of the Gospel and the creation of the Ecumenical Apostolic Church are united by the miniaturist.

The prevalence of the image of the Apostle Andrew in ancient Russian art determined a fairly stable iconographic type of the saint, described by many icon-painting originals. According to their compilers, Andrew had to appear gray-haired, with a forked and not very long beard, in yellow-green apostolic robes, with a scroll in his hands. So, for example, the Russian icon-painting original of the 16th century describes it: “The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the hair is thick, like Florov’s, the beard around the hem of the Theologian, gray-haired, small in two, the robe of the sankir with white, from the belt in white, holds the scroll, curled with both hands left hand chasubles are plowed, feet are bare » .

Menaion - November (detail). Rus. Early 17th century

Stroganov icon-painting original. November 30 (detail). Rus. Late 16th - early 17th century

Since the name of the apostle was one of the most popular in Rus', especially in princely and boyar families, there were often cases of private orders for icons in which the apostle was depicted as the patron of the customer. A vivid example of such iconography is the Moscow icon "Archangel Michael and the Apostle Andrew the First-Called" (third quarter of the 16th century) from the Museum of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Arch. Michael and App. Andrey. 16th century

In this case, the idea of ​​a heavenly patron standing behind a certain Andrei is reinforced by the introduction of the figure of the Archangel Michael, the driver of the human soul through the afterlife. The monumental style of the monument testifies to the time of its creation in the era of Ivan the Terrible, when the first crowned tsar of all Rus' again refers to the idea of ​​the apostolic origin of the Russian Church. It intensifies due to the fall of Byzantium, whose heir was considered at that time the Russian Church, and Moscow is recognized as the New Constantinople and the Third Rome. In 1580, the Jesuit Antonio Possevino tried to convince the tsar of the need for a union between the Russian Church and the Roman Church. In a dispute with him, Ivan the Terrible, emphasizing the independence of the Russian Church, in contrast to the Greek, which accepted the union, said that "he believes not in the Greeks, but in Christ." The tsar substantiated independence in church affairs by the apostolic tradition in Rus': “We accepted the Christian faith from the very foundation of the Christian Church. When the brother of the Apostle Peter Andrew came to our lands, then went to Rome, and later, when Vladimir converted to the faith, religion was spread even more widely. Therefore, we in Muscovy received the Christian faith at the same time as you in Italy. And we keep it clean<…>» .

The type of small chamber icons, which obviously served as an object of personal piety of a Christian, is the lectern image of 1661 from the Nikolo-Koryazhemsky Monastery on the Vychegda River, which, according to the inscription on the back of the board, was placed there by Bishop Alexander of Vyatka and Velikopermsky. Having received the name of St. Andrew the First-Called in the schema, Vladyka left the pulpit and retired to his native Nikolsky Koryazhma Monastery, where he was tonsured at one time. Apparently, before the investment, this icon was the cell prayer image of the newly tonsured Andrei.

The iconography of the apostle and scenes of his passions, torment and crucifixion was especially widespread in the 17th century, when particles of the saint's relics were brought to Russia from Athos. To store relics, reliquary reliquaries are created, and all the outstanding icon painters of that time considered it an honor to paint an icon of the apostle with scenes of his suffering and death.

Particles of the relics of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called from Constantinople were repeatedly brought to Moscow as a gift to Russian autocrats and saints. In the XVI-XVII centuries. Andrey's relics are mentioned five times among the brought shrines. Among the most important relics is the right hand of the saint, brought as a gift and blessing to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich by Patriarch Parthenios of Constantinople and Archimandrite Galaktion of Thessalonica in 1644. A part of a femur is kept in a silver reliquary executed by the tsar’s order of Boris Fedorovich Godunov in 1603–1604. Cancer belongs to the type of closed reliquaries, repeating the form of a reliquary for the whole relics of Russian saints, which were made in those years in Moscow and Novgorod. On the lid, the image of St. Andrew the First-Called is stamped in high relief, presented, as it should be for an ancient Russian tomb portrait in front, “ aki alive”, with open eyes, but in the form of a glorified saint - with a halo and a face transformed by the Holy Spirit. Andrei's "tomb image" influenced the development of his iconography in Russian art of the 17th century, where from now on such a solemn representative image of the saint was preferred, depicted not in deesis, but frontally. This is how he appears on the icon painted by the court artist of the Armory Fyodor Zubov in 1669 for the Mikhailovsky Chudov Monastery in Moscow .

At the same time, on the Yaroslavl icon "The Resurrection of Christ" of the late 17th century, an additional plot appears with the appearance of Christ on the shores of Lake Genisaret and the calling of the apostles. In a miniature scene, Christ is shown walking towards the fishermen, catching fish with a net. Peter comes out of the water to meet Christ, and Andrew, like a helmsman, holds an oar in his hands and listens to the command of Jesus. His image is one with the ship-church, saved in the waters of life by the voice of Christ. The ecclesiological role of the Apostle Andrew in the history of Russia was realized

Order of St. Ap. Andrew the First-Called

even when the country, it would seem, was already saying goodbye to its age-old foundations.

In 1698, Tsar Peter establishes the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. The badge of the order, which acquired its status in 1720, used the iconography of the culminating scene of the apostle's passionate torment - his crucifixion on an oblique, so-called St. Andrew's cross. Since that time, the shape of the oblique cross superimposed on the double-headed eagle with the image of the Apostle Andrew began to be perceived as the state symbolism of Russia.

The theme of the passionate death of Andrei, tortured and crucified in Patras, becomes one of the most popular in the epoch of the 17th - early 18th centuries, when attention to passionate topics was generally especially acute. At this time, a new iconography was taking shape in Russian art, called "Apostolic Deeds and Sufferings" or "The Crucifixion of Christ with the Apostolic Passions." The earliest and most striking example of the last edition is the image of the letter of the "sovereign icon painter" Feodor Rozhnov in 1699 from the Church of the Twelve Apostles of the Moscow Kremlin. On the icon, painted around 1717 for the local row of the iconostasis of the Church of John the Baptist in Roschenye in Vologda, by order of local merchants Ivan Smurov and Andrei Shapkin, next to the majestic figure of the Apostle Andrei, the patron of one of the customers, a whole cycle of his deeds is depicted in several tiers . It begins with the calling of the brothers Peter and Andrew to the apostolic ministry, their conversation with Christ, then, following the gospel text, the episode of Jesus standing with Peter and Andrew before John the Baptist is illustrated. Next, one of Andrei's lifetime miracles is depicted - the healing of the king's wife by him. After that, the passions of the apostle begin - dragging him through the streets of the city in the country of anthropophagi, where Andrew preached and saved his fellow apostle Matthew, beating him with stones, crucifixion.

The text of the “Sermon on the Baptism of the Russian Land by the Holy Apostle Andrew, as He Came to Rus'” also testifies that the apostolic mission brought Andrei to the land of Slovenia, where Novgorod later arose. There, in the town of Gruzino, the apostle allegedly raised and left his rod. Therefore, in Novgorod art, and later in the culture of St. Petersburg, which inherited it, his image occupied such a prominent place. On the icon of the 1830s (RM) he is depicted against the backdrop of the estate of Count A. A. Arakcheev in the village of Gruzino as the heavenly representative and patron of this house. The architectural and landscape background of the mullion is an exact reproduction of the appearance of the estate, as it is known from a lithograph made in 1833 by order of Arakcheev in one of the St. Petersburg printing workshops. The name Andrei was the family name of the Arakcheevs - it was worn by the grandfather, father and brother of Count Alexei Andreevich. The idea underlying the iconography is deeply traditional and brings to mind numerous icons of Russian saints, the founders of monasteries, depicted against the backdrop of their cloisters. It is noteworthy that Andrew is depicted as coming not to Christ, but to the image of the “Our Lady of the Sign”, miraculous icon and the palladium of Novgorod, since the Arakcheevsky estate of Gruzino belonged to the Novgorod diocese. The presence of the shrine of ancient Novgorod reinforces the idea of ​​​​the patronage of the apostle, whose cross, which he approved first on the Kyiv mountains, and then, according to legend, in Novgorod, is used as an artistic and symbolic motif in the monument to Alexander I, shown in front of St. Andrew's Church in Gruzino. The royal era of the liberator of Europe, Emperor Alexander, merges with the image of Andrei, who prophesied about the blessed prosperity of the future Russian state.

Since Peter I considered Andrei his heavenly patron, his image is widely used in the iconography of St. Petersburg in the first quarter of the 18th century, and the figure of the saint plays a special role in the imperial ideologies of the new capital of Russia. With the founding of St. Petersburg, the iconography of the apostle changes: traits of royal grandeur, baroque splendor, and officialdom begin to predominate in his appearance. On the icon from the Hermitage, painted in the first quarter of the 18th century, the Apostle Andrei, like an imperial person, leaning on an antique column with a book placed on it, is shown against the background of a classical portico, looking far ahead, as if foreseeing the future of Russia. He is depicted in a red dress and a green cloak against the background of the St. Petersburg seascape with sailing ships, in the masts of which the theme of the cross varies. In the distance, on a high mountain, the figure of the apostle reappears, holding in his hand, like Tsar Constantine and the Baptist of Rus' Vladimir, a huge cross. The official image of the apostle, preacher, baptist, prophet and heavenly patron of the Russian autocratic state receives here a final and visible image. The emperors of Byzantium, who never managed to make Andrei their official patron, of course, could not know such iconography.

Modern icons of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called:

Soldatov A.N. (Icon school at the MTA, Sergiev Posad). 2002

Ap. Andrey. Icon-painting school at SPbDAiS. The work of the teacher - Kusov I.A.

Ap. Andrey. Icon-painting school at SPbDAiS. The work of a 2nd year student - Rydikova Maria.

Ap. Andrey. Icon-painting school at SPbDAiS. The work of a 2nd year student - Gleb Knyazev. http://www.patriarchia.ru