The art of spiritual navigation. Venerable Theodore is studying
Preface to the third volume of the Works of St. Theodore the Studite
Readers of the series “The Complete Collection of the Works of the Holy Fathers of the Church and Church Writers in Russian Translation” (abbreviated as PSTSO) are invited to the third and final volume of the Works of St. Theodore the Studite (the seventh volume of the series), containing Letters, Hymnographic works, Epigrams And Words.
“Teacher of Orthodoxy, piety to the teacher and purity, lamp of the universe, divinely inspired fertilizer for the monastics, Theodora the Wise, with your teachings you have enlightened everything, spiritual priesthood, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls,” the venerable exalts in his troparion. Theodore Church for his activities and exploits. It is known that the activities of Rev. Theodore the Studite, both ecclesiastical and social, and literary, was wide and varied. According to creativity researcher Rev. Theodore Studite A.P. Dobroklonsky, teacher. Theodore “served as the soul of the opposition party that fought for the freedom of the Church from the despotism of state power, stood at the head of the Orthodox in the struggle for icon veneration and church ritual, often acted as a teacher-moralist and was even the head of the rigorist party, which advocated strict observance of the Gospel commandments and church rules ; he was a reformer of the disordered monastic life and, in particular, a reorganizer of the Studite monastery, which subsequently played a large role in the church, social and cultural life of Byzantium, and not even Byzantium alone; he was a church canonist, writer and creator of church hymns.” The volume offered to the reader, perhaps to a greater extent than the previous two, reflects all facets of the church and social activities of the Rev. Theodora. And the first place in the volume, both in order and in volume, is occupied by the epistolary legacy of this holy father.
Letters Rev. Theodore the Studite comprises more than half of the volume: 562 letters on 630 pages. They “represent the most important part of the body of his literary works. In them he reveals his character and personality, literary abilities, theological ideas, relationships with a wide range of people, from students and friends to emperors and patriarchs.” The variety of subjects of the letters and, in particular, the large number of their addressees are very indicative: this holy father “in many respects reflects his era in himself and his creations, just as many other great public figures reflect their era... As a church and public figure, Theodore cannot be considered outside relations with the society of his time... Theodore was not an ascetic who closed in on himself, completely broke ties with society and did not want to know its spiritual needs, he was a church public figure connected by various threads with all social groups, starting from the imperial court and the patriarchal see and ending with ordinary monks and laymen.” And of course, communication with all these people was not only (and perhaps even not so much) direct, because the holy father spent many years in exile and imprisonment. Therefore, “there is no doubt that Theodore wrote many letters. This is evidenced both by his biographers and his student Naucratius, and by his own surviving letters.” Surviving letters from Rev. Theodore were written between 786–787 and 826, that is, over a period of 30 years, and often he wrote and received several letters every day. However, more than half of them have been lost.”
562 letters have reached us (from more than four of which, however, only the names have been preserved). The preservation of such an impressive number of letters under the condition of frequent persecution and prolonged exile by Rev. Theodora is largely explained by the care of the reverend father himself about the safety of his letters: “... for safety, if not all, then at least many of them were copied in a timely manner. On the one hand, this made it possible for Theodore to make the necessary information during his correspondence and sometimes send copies of previous letters instead of having to work anew to write questions addressed to him, to which he had already answered to other addressees; on the other hand, this made it easier for students to compile a more or less complete collection of his letters.” Probably, “copies of the letters were made even before how they were sent to the recipients.” Apparently, a systematic collection of letters was compiled quite early - shortly after the death of the Rev. Theodora. And already by “868-878, when the biography of Theodore was written by the monk Michael, undoubtedly, such a collection existed: “to this day, he says, we have five books of his letters.” “These volumes were also copied, and the later of these copies is the archetype for the anthology made after the death of the Rev. Theodore and containing a selection from each book." Letters from Rev. Theodora is preserved in seven major manuscripts from the 9th–15th centuries, as well as in approximately 29 other codices. The oldest of them is Codex Coislinianus 269 from the 9th century.
Letters from Rev. Theodore are not divorced from his other works and from each other, they are closely connected with the personality of the saint. Theodore and the events of his life.
Among the addressees of the letters one can find representatives of the most different strata of society of that time: “Up to 42 letters have collective addressees or belong to the district category, signed: to confessors, to persecuted fathers, bishops in exile, brethren in dispersion or in exile or imprisonment, monastics, nuns , virgins, disciples, brothers of Studium, Sakkudion, laurels of St. Savva, St. Chariton, the brotherhoods of Kizar, Photinudia, Miel, etc. The rest are addressed to individuals. Having made a calculation, we find that of the surviving letters, more than 400 were addressed to monastics and the white clergy, starting with patriarchs and bishops, ending with ordinary monks or nuns, and about 130 to laymen of different social classes, starting with the imperial house and secular nobles, ending traders and industrialists; within these two categories, up to 216 letters belong to the Saccudians and Studites, which is self-evident, and comparatively very few letters belong to only the white clergy and laity - commoners. This latter is explained by many reasons, mainly by Theodore’s social connections, as the capital’s abbot, mainly with the highest hierarchy, monastics and noble lay houses. and from here Theodore’s calculation was to influence primarily other, more influential elements of society in the interests of the Church.”
Researcher R. Kholy gives a different classification and divides the letters of St. Theodore into six groups - in accordance with their theme and “tonality”.
1. About 50 letters are open messages to iconoclasts and monasteries; ten of them are essentially announcements (381, 382, 406, 410, 433, 457, 473, 480, 488, 503).
2. Letters devoted to dogmatic and moral topics.
3. and 4. Letters of comfort or letters addressed to monks who have abandoned their monastic vocation; Here the influence of St. is most obvious. Basil the Great.
5. Letters addressed to high-ranking officials, including emperors and patriarchs; This is the most interesting group of letters for historians.
6. The last group of letters, the most numerous, is addressed to friends and acquaintances, students and comrades in the confessional feat.
Rev. has Theodora and own view to the epistolary genre. Although Theodore the Studite is an example of a well-educated and well-read person of his time and knows how to demonstrate eloquence where necessary, he declares brevity to be the main principle of writing a letter: “The virtue of a letter is to immediately touch on the proposed subject and say what is needed, and not return to that , which is not so” (letter 219). One cannot help but pay attention to the frequency of writing letters: “...he rather viewed it as a duty to write often, especially during persecution and difficult situations, in order to support others in their faith, fulfilling the Divine commandment to love one’s neighbors.” Of course, the Rev. Theodore also had predecessors - examples of such epistolary fruitful activity, among whom we can name St. Basil the Great, Rev. Isidora Pelusiota, sschmch. Cyprian of Carthage and especially St. Apostle Paul (regarding the brightness and frankness of the messages).
The topics covered in the letters are very diverse. First of all, the letters reflect the struggle of Rev. Theodora with the “Michian heresy” and iconoclasm. In connection with the latter, it is worth mentioning “Letter to his father Plato on the veneration of sacred icons.” In the TFS edition it was published separately from the general corpus of letters - among dogmatic creations. In our edition it is included in the letters under number 57. Here Rev. Theodore repeats in an abbreviated form the arguments he presented in his “Refutations of the Iconoclasts” and other works.
Among the topics covered by Rev. Theodore, let us highlight the question of the attitude towards the Roman See and the possibility of violence or state coercion in matters of faith, and in particular the punishment of heretics by death. If the path to recognition of the holiness of St. Theodore and his services to the Church in Byzantium was by no means smooth, then “the situation was completely different in the West. The Roman Curia quite early undertook the reception of Theodore's legacy and tried to present him as one of the few Byzantine clerics who accepted the primacy of the papacy. Already after 869–870, thanks to the translations of Anastasius the Librarian, individual works and the personality of the abbot of the Studite monastery became known in the Latin West. At the same time, Anastasius especially emphasized the fact that Theodore invariably maintained communication with the Pope (qui cum semper in apostolicae sedis communione persisteret). Subsequently, Theodore was canonized by Rome, which distinguished him from the entire list of saints who became famous in the struggle for icon veneration. At the same time, attempts were made to interpret his written appeal to the Roman see at the time when he quarreled with the Patriarchs of Constantinople, as well as the formulas of politeness contained in these letters in such a way as if Theodore thereby agreed with the primacy of the papacy. In fact, the situation was different, since from his works one can easily understand that he constantly insisted on the pentarchy. Of course, he was fully aware that the Patriarchates of Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria in his time played only a subordinate role, due to their weakness in doubtful cases taking the position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Therefore, when Theodore found himself in conflict with the patriarchs of Constantinople, he essentially had no choice but to turn to Rome for support. This was not due to the unconditional acceptance of the primacy of the papacy. The idea of Theodore's recognition of the primacy of the papacy was readily taken up by Catholic historians of the Church in the early modern period; thanks to them, this idea was inherited by [some] modern historians abroad. According to Dobroklonsky, “Rev. Theodore the Studite, expressing his respect for the Roman See, calling the Roman Bishop with pompous epithets and addressing his court, was, however, far from appropriating to him the supreme power in the Universal Church and desiring the subordination of the Eastern Patriarchs to him. Recognizing the established eldership between them, he called them all heads of churches, considered them equal to each other in power, like the apostles, assigning to Jesus Christ Himself the supreme supremacy over them, to all of them together he ascribed the highest judgment on Divine dogmas, the presence or representation of all of them equally considered important for the ecumenical authority of the councils.”
Regarding the issue of heretics, the French scientist Albert Tugar points out that the views of St. Theodora regarding this issue may come as some surprise to the worldly consciousness: “It is interesting to know that this man, who suffered persecution many times in his life from heretics, himself believes the following regarding violent coercion towards heretics: “The Church of God, as the Studite says, It is unusual to avenge oneself with scourgings, exiles and imprisonment. After all, church law does not threaten anyone with a knife, a sword, or a whip, for it says: all who take the sword will die by the sword(Matt. 26:52)” (letter 94). Modern publishers could title this letter with the words: Heretics must be convinced, not killed.". In this position, according to A. Tugar, the special tolerance of the Rev. is manifested. Theodora, who brought him closer in spirit to such fathers and teachers of the Church of the 4th century - the era of victorious Christianity, as St. Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Hilary of Pictavia, Ambrose of Milan, and especially with St. John Chrysostom. Heresy for Rev. Theodora is an evil that alienates one from the Church and from God, but violence, and even more so the death penalty for religious beliefs, is an unacceptable thing: “Those in authority over bodies have the right to punish those guilty of crimes concerning the body, and not those who are guilty in matters of the soul, for this belongs to those who govern souls, whose punishments are excommunication and other penances... We boldly told even our most blessed patriarch that the Church does not take revenge with the sword, and he agreed with this; To the emperors who committed the murder, we said - to the first: “God does not like such a murder,” and to the second, who demanded approval for the murder: “First let them take off my head before I agree to this.” This is the answer from us sinners” (letter 455). One can only marvel at how one-sidedly the legacy of St. Theodore the Studite was praised by medieval Catholics for his obvious praise of the Bishop of Rome and the Roman Church, and ignored his other statements in which the clear voice of the True Church was heard against the subsequent Catholic Inquisition.
While working on the letters in our publication, Rev. Theodore used the latest critical edition of the letters of the holy father, carried out by Georg Fatouros (Theodori Studitae Epistulae / Recens. Georgios Fatouros. Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae. Vol. 31. Pars I–II. Berolini: Novi Eboraci, 1992) and the fundamental pre-revolutionary work of A.P. Dobroklonsky (Dobroklonsky A.P. Rev. Theodore, confessor and abbot of Studium: At 2 o'clock. Odessa, 1914).
In the pre-revolutionary edition of the letters of Rev. Theodore Studite translation was made from the publication of letters in the 99th volume of “Greek Patrology” by J. P. Min (Book I - 57 letters; Book II - 221 letters), supplemented by 296 letters from the publication of Angelo Maia, some of which, however, coincided with letters from Minh's Patrology. Fatouros, in addition to the 554 letters published by Min and May, included in his publication the texts of six more letters and the titles of four letters. Letter 555, written to the abbot and brethren of the monastery of St. Sabbas in Palestine, and the subsequent 556th (“Chad Gregory”) concern the so-called Michian heresy and were presumably written in 809–811. Letter 556 was found only in the 20th century in the 13th century codex Vaticanus graecus 712. In meaning, it is connected with the 48th letter to “Chad Athanasius,” one of the brightest surviving “anti-Mikhian” works of St. Theodore, in which he talks about the persecution of the Studites and indicates his principled position. As can be seen from the text of the 48th letter, the student Athanasius (a student close to St. Theodore) doubted the need for such a strict position of the holy father and began to lean under pressure from the “Mikhians” towards “adulterous oikonomia.” The same fact Rev. Theodore also mentions it in letter 556. “In this message, Rev. Theodore mentions two letters with criticism addressed to him: one of them is the letter of Athanasius (discussed in letter 48), the other is “from our father,” that is, from St. Plato, who, apparently, became less inflexible in relation to the “adulterous council”. Since he did nothing more than repeat the words of Archbishop Joseph and the monk Kalogir (whose names were indicated by the letters “beta” and “gamma”), they too may have hesitated. And this is completely unexpected, since Plato, Joseph and Theodore were at the same time in their opposition and suffered equally. In 809, all three were sent into exile in different places.” This letter shows that the saints also showed human weaknesses under the most severe pressure of their fellow believers, but Rev. Theodore, even in these circumstances, demonstrated unbending firmness. Rev. Plato and the student Athanasius argued in their letters that in the event of the forgiveness of the steward Joseph and the council associated with this event, no heresy arose and that Theodore, with his angry protest, only contributed to the fact that schism and discord arose among the brethren, so that some speak of heresy, and others are only about trampling church canons. In response to this, Theodore, with the help of Brother Euprepian, composed an apology for his views, which he supported with quotations from the Bible and from the writings of the Church Fathers. But since many of the brethren nevertheless did not want to talk about heresy and since Theodore feared division, he, in imitation of the Church Fathers and for economic reasons, proposed a compromise solution, which he formulated in the following way: “Since division has arisen among you, for reasons of economy, I propose the following solution. Anyone who does not want to talk about heresy may, in favor of unanimity, not do so; Moreover, the condition remains not to have communication (with the Mikhians) and not to express readiness for a compromise. On the other hand, I am allowed to speak of heresy in this case, since I am convinced of it, despite the fact that our opponents reproach us for the lack of unanimity. In the end, the schism of the Church, according to Chrysostom, is no less than heresy.”
Letters 557–559 were recognized by G. Fatouros as inauthentic for the following reasons. Letter 557 represents an attempt by a later admirer of St. Theodore to imitate the style of his speech, the author literally copied a significant part of the text of letter 423 to St. Nikifor. The style of writing 558 strongly resembles the epistolary style of the Palaiologan era (XIII-XV centuries), which indicates the inauthenticity of this message. Letter 559 does not belong to the hand of St. Theodore, since the latter never wrote to those in exile without mentioning the persecution and the fight against the iconoclasts. However, Fatouros's last argument looks unconvincing. Letter 559 “To Certain Saints in Exile” is a message of encouragement and inspiration for a joyful and heavenly hope-filled continuation of the feat of enduring persecution.
In message 560,<К епископам и игуменам, общавшимся с Петром, что на Прекрасной горе>, it is said about Rev. Peter of Atroia (773–837; commemorated in the Orthodox Church on September 13/27), who labored in the region of Mount Olympus in Asia Minor and was famous for his extreme asceticism and miracles. The attitude of Theodore the Studite and Peter of Atroia to the method of achieving salvation and holiness was different. Rev. Theodore was a strong supporter of cenobitic monasticism and salvation in a large monastic community. Rev. Peter of Atroya, perhaps the same as Rev. Ioannikis the Great is a striking example of hermit monasticism, the acquisition of the gift of miracles was considered an obligatory part of it; Rev. Theodore considered the hostel itself to be the main miracle. In the life of Rev. Theodora (Life 1, 117; Life 2, 59 // T. 1. P. 163, 210) mentions how St. Theodore convinced the reverend. Peter in 821 to abandon not eating bread and wine and walking barefoot, which, as life reports, tempted many. In letter 560 (borrowed from the biography of St. Peter), as well as in the lives of St. Theodora, the Studite intercedes in every possible way for Peter, vouches for his Orthodoxy and protects him from attacks. Thus, he perhaps reconciles two different, although leading to the same goal, monastic paths of salvation - community life and hermitage.
The new domestic edition of letters in the PSTSO series is based on the translation of TFS, but also takes into account the results of the above-mentioned first-class work of the German scientist G. Fatouros - the most important and interesting of them for a wide range of domestic readers. The publication of PSTSO publishes for the first time the Russian translation of letters 553–560, and also provides various information from the preface, comments and notes to the edition of Fatouros and from the fundamental work of A.P. Dobroklonsky.
Hymnographic creations presented by the texts of the teacher. Theodora from the Lenten Triodion, Octoechos, Menaion and hymns (kontakia). According to nun Ignatius, “this same Abba of the great monastery, this indestructible confessor of Orthodoxy was at the same time a church hymnographer.” “Although the liturgical Typikon, which was in use in the Studite monastery under the Venerable Monastery, has not reached us. Theodore, we can still assume that this document included significant elements of the Palestinian rite, primarily from the monastery of St. Savva, supplemented by hymnography that developed in the sphere of influence of the Constantinople tradition. In accordance with the Palestinian tradition, Rev. Theodore composed canons and stichera, but he also used a hymnographic form that arose in the Constantinople tradition, namely the kontakion. The influence of Theodore the Studite on Byzantine hymnography is expressed primarily in the Triodion of Lenten (Holy Pentecost - from Monday of the first week of Lent to Lazarus Saturday), but also in the Octoechos, Menaion and Triodion of Color (from Easter to All Saints' Day - the next Sunday after Pentecost)". But most of all, as a hymnographer, Rev. Theodore became famous for his work on the Lenten Triodion: “...possessing a good knowledge of the patristic works, the Monk Theodore the Studite was a very fruitful songwriter, compiler of hymns for the Lenten Triodion and at the same time its editor; he most clearly expressed his talent as a hymnographer on the pages of this extensive liturgical book.” “During the days of Great Lent and the weeks preparatory to it, from the pages of the Lenten Triodion, the image of the compiler of this great liturgical book, St. Theodore the Studite, appears. The lines of St. Theodora. By the time Rev. Theodore became a monk and studied the works of the holy fathers; the continuation of Great Lent - the Lenten Triodion - was still far from being a completed work. In it were the three songs of St. Andrew of Crete for the first days of Holy Week, two and three canticles by Rev. Cosmas of Maiumsky and stichera of St. John of Damascus. The entire structure of this liturgical book was thought out by Rev. Theodore, for her he wrote stichera, canons and tripongs, and together with his brother Joseph, Bishop of Thessalonica, he is recognized as the “compiler of the Triodion.” According to the pre-revolutionary liturgist researcher I.A. Karabinov, “the significance of the works of St. Theodore the Studite is so great that the history of the Lenten Triodion should have the following periodization:
I Period – until prep. Theodora Studite.
II Period – activities of the teacher. Theodore the Studite and the successors of his work, the 9th century hymnals.
III Period – from the X to the XV centuries.”
We publish in our publication those hymns of the Lenten Triodion, which, according to the research of prof. I. A. Karabinova and nuns Ignatius, belong to Rev. Theodore Studitus:
1) four complete canons:
Canon for Meat Saturday,
Canon for the meat-eating week,
Canon for Cheese Saturday,
Canon for the Week of the Worship of the Cross;
2) 35 tripongs;
3) 30 similar stichera;
4) 30 sedals for the weekdays of the Pentecost of Great Lent;
5) four tetrapods on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Saturdays of Pentecost;
6) stichera of cheese Saturday “Hedgehog in the image”;
7) the self-declaration of Good Friday: “Everywhere is the ud of Thy holy flesh”;
8) trinitarian and theotokos of all songs of the Great Canon.
The chants are arranged in liturgical order, that is, in the order of the Triodion itself. The texts are taken from the publication: “Triodion, this is the Lenten Triodion” (M.: Rule of Faith, 2007). Compilation of the publication and notes to it - Deacon Alexander Andreev.
And although there are doubts about the authorship of some of these chants, those attributed to the name of St. Theodore's texts contain later “layers” that do not belong to him; the editors considered it necessary to include in the current edition all the chants indicated by various researchers for a more complete picture of the work of St. Theodora.
The canons of this Lenten liturgical book and “the three songs of St. Theodore the Studite are similar to his teachings for monks, with the texts of the Small and Large Catechisms.” “Canons of Rev. Theodore is entirely represented similar (prosomoia). Their prototypes are the canons of Palestinian authors - Rev. Andrei Kritsky, teacher. John of Damascus and St. Kosma Maiumsky. As a catavasia, that is, the final irmos of each song, St. Theodore invariably uses the irmos of the canon-model. However, the difference between the canons of Theodore the Studite and the canons of the Palestinian model is that in them each song is no longer a paraphrase of a biblical song, but the theme of this canon runs through all the songs. “In these chants the Reverend reveals himself as the great Abba of the monks, but at the same time as the loving spiritual father of all those who come to repentance, all Christians seeking renewal of the soul. Strong, clear, firm are the words of the reverend father when he first convinces believers to enter the fasting field, and then helps everyone to follow this path, persuades, supports, encourages.” Rev. Theodore calls Lent the spring of the soul. “In the stichera, sedals, and troparions of the Tripes, he is always fatherly vigilant, ready to help, support, and encourage the fasting person in time.” “Here is also a spiritual reminder of the meaning of Fasting: “Now in three weeks... having been cleansed, brethren, let us reach the mountain of prayers.” Day after day, he carefully builds the following of the Lenten Triodion, truly, as it were, weaving one durable fabric, leads one single thread that supports the Lenten feat in people. This thread will go all the way to Holy Week, ending only in the days of the 6th week of Vai.” “Close to the works of St. Theodore, in which the theme of his spiritual love outlined above is revealed, are the lines of his canon on Fat Saturday, when the Holy Church commemorates all the previously deceased fathers and brothers. Here the Monk Theodore is not so much the Abba of the penitents, as the many-caring father of all people, all Christians who have ever lived, who died under one or another circumstance. Living love for a person tells the Reverend the possible reasons and circumstances of death, why from the first song to the last he delves with deep love into people’s destinies, connecting them with the destinies of God.” “Row after row of St. the ascetic depicts before us sad episodes that carry into eternity the memory of many, many Christians.” At the same time, “for the love of the Reverend there is no unworthy image of death; all those leaving for another world must be remembered by him; everything is reflected, imprinted in his heart.” “The sad picture of the “children of Adam,” it would seem, should impose a minor shade on the tone of the canon’s chants. But no. We clearly hear the clarifying, cheerful and cheerful major chords in them. This is understandable. The holy ascetic appeals to the Chief of Life, the Lord of hell and death, to the One who came into the world to save fallen humanity, to the One who suffered and rose again to resurrect and deliver us from the consequences of sin, therefore, confident motives sound in his petitions , encouraging Christians."
Another canon - Meat Week - “in terms of the strength of religious feeling and poetic inspiration, is one of the best church hymns of St. Theodora. The Holy Father, with a deep feeling of contrition for his sins, prays to the Lord for mercy at the Last Judgment.”
Also “from Rev. Theodore the Studite has preserved a canon for Cheese Saturday. In the printed Triodion it is not inscribed with his name. About the affiliation of the canon by Rev. Theodora is kept silent by Mansvet researchers and priests. Nikolai Grossu." True, Mansvetov mentions John of Antioch (12th century) about “the hymnology of St. Theodore in honor of all saints,” however, it is not indicated whether this is the canon in question. Y. Gold notes that this canon was formed over time, and not all at once. Apparently, the celebrated memory of holy ascetics and ascetics “was initially purely monastic, and only then, after its acceptance by the laity, it expanded with the memory of saints and holy martyrs,” which presumably happened after Ven. Theodora Studite. Saints are listed alphabetically. The total number of holy men and wives mentioned is about 214, including the Venerable himself. Theodore and those who lived after him. In favor of writing Rev. Theodore of this canon also testifies to the fact that most of these monastic names of St. Theodore mentions it in his catechumens and other works. The holiness of these saints, as shown in his canon by St. Theodore, is that “the great internal struggle and inhuman suffering that great ascetics, reverend women and martyrs so often had to endure, tempered their will, strengthened their faith and led them to the path of highest spiritual and moral perfection.”
An important place in the hymnography of St. Theodore is occupied with dogmatic chants: the Trinity and the Theotokos. “If we count the number of his trinities in the Lenten Triodion (and they could amount to more than five complete canons), it would be grandiose. However, the Reverend, having spiritual concerns and the deep humility of a monk, did not create these large works, but considered it more correct, more humble for himself and having greater educational significance to give these triplets in his triplets for every day of Lent (except Sundays), so that Christians, passing through the field of repentance, they were simultaneously strengthened by the glorification of the Trinitarian Deity. These same trinities adorn all the complete canons of the Venerable, placed in the Lenten Triodion.” “Reverend Theodore, brought up in the patristic tradition, having well studied the writings of the fathers of the golden era of Christianity, remains faithful to the confession of the Holy Trinity in everything. But, living almost five centuries after the great universal teachers, he takes care to remind his contemporaries of the life-giving source of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, he puts great work, great burning of his spirit, in order to depict the essentially indescribable, but life-giving qualities of the Three Hypostases of the Holy Trinity in his labors on compiling the Lenten Triodion, this great school of repentance.” “In the canons and tricantos of St. Theodore, written by him for the Lenten Triodion, in addition to the Trinity, the Theotokos’ troparia also attract attention. They are carefully finished in form and occupy an important place in the works of the Reverend. All the forces of his soul are concentrated on chanting the dogma of the Incarnation, the miracle of God-manhood, for the expression of which he finds especially sublime expressions: a terrible miracle, a great sacrament and the like.” “The main theme of the Theotokos troparions is the glorification of virginity, the immaculate conception of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Holy Spirit and the virgin Birth.”
A smaller contribution compared to the Lenten Triodion was made by Rev. Theodore in other liturgical books - Octoechos and Menaea. “A significant contribution to the collection of texts by Octoechos, Ven. Theodore contributed with his sedate antiphons (Anabathmoi). They are performed at Matins before the Gospel, according to the voice of the week, alternately by two choirs. These antiphons consist of three or four minor antiphons following each other, associated with psalms 119–130 (132), which are the so-called songs of degrees (psalmi graduum). A similar sequence is indicated for each of the eight Sunday voices of the Octoechos. Sedate can be found in the most ancient musical and liturgical sticherars of the 11th century.” “Despite the fact that the Vienna Manuscript names Ven. John of Damascus, authorship of Rev. Theodore the Studite is confirmed by some ancient manuscripts, for example Sinai 778. Nicodemus the Svyatogorets and Nikephoros Callistus also claim that the power antiphons were composed by St. Theodore Studite. According to Nicephorus, the degrees were written by Theodore during his first exile in 794–797. in Thessaloniki. [Scientist] Trembelas suggests that these troparia existed earlier, and Rev. Theodore edited and modified them. Textually, the troparia of the Degree are connected with the psalms of 18 kathisma, and ideologically - with the essence of Christian ascetic feat, as climbing the ladder of virtues to perfection. The content of the antiphons resembles the content of Psalms 119–133. In the 1st and 5th voices the antiphons imitate Psalms 119–121; 2nd and 6th voices – psalms 122–124; 3rd and 7th – 125–127; 4th and 8th – 128–132 (except 131). In addition, when compiling the Degree, Rev. Theodore also pursued other didactic goals: a) to the idea of Christian perfection, Theodore the Studite added the idea of trinity, which was expressed by the triple number of troparia in the antiphon and the antiphons themselves in each voice; b) the content of the Trinity expresses the idea that any work, and especially the work of Christian achievement, is effective only by the grace of the Holy Spirit; c) the idea of trinity is also associated with the idea of unity in diversity and the principle of community that follows from this premise - all this is expressed in a special antiphon - the 4th 8th tone. The power antiphons contain a prayer for the correction and purification of the soul and express the hope that this will happen by the power of the Holy Spirit, Who is glorified in every 3rd verse.”
In the services of the Menaion there are a number of self-vocal stichera, inscribed with the name of St. Theodora Studite. They are dedicated to the memory of such saints as Euphrosyne of Alexandria, Apostle Thomas, John Chrysostom, James the Persian, Stephen the New, Ignatius the God-Bearer, Anastasia the Patternmaker, ten Cretan martyrs, Theodosius the Great, St. the beaten fathers in Sinai and Raifa, Anthony and Euthymius the Great and St. George the Victorious. On the idea that these stichera belong to Peru, Rev. Theodore the Studite was favored by such scholars as Archbishop. Filaret (Gumilevsky) and M. Skaballanovich.
IN Creations of hymnography Also included is a translation of the “Victorious Canon” (PG. T. 99. Col. 1768–1780) or the canon for the Week of Orthodoxy, attributed to Ven. Theodore Studitus. “Apparently, this is the canon that Rev. sang. Theodore in 814 during his religious procession. His Eminence Philaret points out that, perhaps, the holy Patriarch Methodius also sang it for the restoration of icon veneration, on the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.” However, this canon was not included in the printed Triodion, and therefore its translation into Russian is being published for the first time. The canon has a strong polemical edge; the author switches to the language of anathematization of heretics, both ancient (Arius and Nestorius) and modern saints. Theodore - iconoclasts ( we're talking about about Anthony Cassimatus, Bishop of Silea, who became Patriarch of Constantinople in 821–837, and his syncellus John Grammar, the most prominent iconoclastic theologian, future Patriarch of Constantinople in 837–843, and others).
The translation of hymns (kontakia), as well as the above-mentioned canon, into Russian was carried out by P. K. Dobrotsvetov according to the publication of J. B. Pitra (Analecta sacra spicilegio solesmensi parata / Editit Joannes Baptista Pitra. T. I. Paris, 1876. R. 336–380) . Edited translation by P. V. Kuzenkov. Of the 18 hymns, 13 are dedicated to the famous holy fathers - bishops, theologians and great ascetics of the Desert: St. Paul the Confessor, Rev. Euthymius the Great, Venerable Ephraim the Syrian, Rev. Theodore Sikeot, martyr. Emilian Dorostolsky, St. Basil the Great, St. Athanasius the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, St. Nicholas of Myra, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, Rev. Anthony the Great; three hymns are dedicated to the martyrs: martyrs. Theodore Stratilates, martyr. Kirik and Iulitta, martyr. Eustratia. In addition, here we find the chant “For the Finding of the Honest Head of St. John the Baptist" - the hymn of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Studite monastery, whose venerable. Theodore especially revered and in whose honor he wrote a whole series of works and the chant “For the Burial of Monastics.”
Epigrams(or "Iambics") Rev. Theodora (“Our holy father and confessor Theodore, abbot of Studium, poems on various subjects, in iambic”) are published entirely in Russian for the first time. Some of them were translated in the past by the famous domestic researcher S. S. Avernitsev. “When characterizing the “colossal legacy” of St. Theodore the Studite, S. S. Averintsev dwells on “iambic poems dedicated to monastic life,” which are distinguished by “simplicity and spontaneity.” 124 epigrams have been preserved - small poems, the last of which, however, does not belong to St. Theodore, since it is dedicated to himself. Translation of epigrams and notes to them were made by A. V. Frolov based on the edition of Paul Speck: Theodoros Studites. Jamben auf Verschiedene Gegenstande. Enleitung, kritischer Text, Uberzetzung und Kommentar besorgt von Paul Speck. Berlin, 1968. A number of notes and comments were taken by the translator from the mentioned publication. The epigrams were divided by the German publisher into several groups:
epigrams addressed to monks (3-29);
epigrams dedicated to holy icons (30–39);
epigrams dedicated to the church Holy Mother of God (40–41);
epigrams dedicated to [various] parts of the church of St. John the Baptist in the Studite Monastery (42–46);
epigrams dedicated to St. Cross (47–60);
epigrams dedicated to saints (61–84);
epigrams dedicated to church buildings (85–91);
epigrams written at the request of others (92–93);
epigrams on various topics (94-123).
Epigrams from Rev. Theodora is not the main thing in his work, but for a personality of such stature as St. Theodore, writing epigrams could not be an end in itself, nor simply entertainment. As a rule, epigrams served a practical purpose - first of all, they were created as edification in matters of practical, dogmatic or soteriological. A significant part of the collection of epigrams is addressed directly to the monks of the Studite monastery (3-29).
According to the publisher P. Speck, the core of the collection can be considered epigrams 3-29, which may have been collected during the life of the Rev. Theodora, at least until 842. This complete corpus, dedicated to various subjects of monastic life, probably existed in manuscript in the Studite monastery itself. The remaining epigrams were created ad hoc- by chance and as a result were mostly scattered throughout different places, so they had to be literally collected. Many of them served as inscriptions for icons, temple buildings and tombstones(epigrams intended for internal use in the Studio monastery could also serve as inscriptions). It is known that epigram 32 could be seen in the narthex of one of the temples of the Naa monastery Shoshch(“New Monastery”) on about. Chios, and epigram 46 served as an inscription to the entrance to the temple in the Grottaferrata monastery near Rome and in the Great Lavra on Holy Mount Athos.
A relatively complete collection of epigrams was probably prepared only around 900. The titles of these poems, as a rule, clearly do not belong to Rev. Theodora. The author of the titles was, apparently, the editor of the collection. Perhaps some epigrams of St. Theodora has not survived to this day.
All epigrams (with the possible exception of the inauthentic epigram 96) are written in the original in iambic twelve-syllables. Despite the simplicity of the style, the epigrams are distinguished by their subtlety, and almost each of them has its own “zest”. In epigram 117 (as well as 124, dedicated to St. Theodore) there is an acrostic poem. Mythological images from Rev. Theodora is not found; their presence in poem 96 speaks rather of the inauthenticity of this epigram.
Judging by the lists of the collection of epigrams that have reached us, they were most read in Southern Italy and in the monasteries of Holy Mount Athos. However, as the German publisher testifies, despite their distribution, the epigrams of St. Theodora did not have a significant influence on Byzantine poetry. Of course, the direct influence of the epigram of Rev. Theodore was influenced to experiment with iambic versification in the Studii monastery itself. These experiments include three epigrams that have come down to us along with the “Small Announcement”, under the title Στιχελεγεία (one of them is in hexameters); dedicated to Rev. A long poem in iambic to Theodore, as well as several poems by his brother, the Venerable. Theodore St. Joseph, which, however, were lost immediately after their occurrence. As we see, this studio tradition did not leave any significant traces in literature. However, even despite this, the epigrams of St. Theodora, in terms of its qualities, from the point of view of the German publisher, still look very favorably against the background of the entire vast multitude of works of the Byzantine poetic tradition.
Words Rev. Theodora, placed in this volume, continue the cycle of 12 Words published in the previous (2nd) volume. This includes five more Words, four of which (2–5) are being published in Russian for the first time.
1. “The Word for the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos” was traditionally attributed to Ven. John of Damascus and was published among his works in the “Patrology” of Min (PG. T. 96. Col. 680–697), but modern science has come to the conclusion that he was written by the Venerable. Theodora Studite. This work represents a Word of praise to the Most Holy Theotokos and examines the entire Economy of salvation from the point of view of Her role in it. The author also touches on such dogmatic topics as polemics against iconoclasm, the preservation of the properties of both natures of Christ after the union. The last chapter is a praise to the Most Pure Virgin, composed in the form of an akathist, where each sentence begins with the word “Rejoice!”
2. “The Word of Praise for the Third Finding of the Honest Head of the Holy Forerunner” was published in Greek under the name of St. Theodore Studite in the 67th volume of “Latin Patrolology” (PL. T. 67. Col. 448–454) among the works of Dionysius the Younger, a Latin author of the 5th–6th centuries. This Word has many similarities with other works of St. Theodore and is built on the opposition of the eternal glory of St. John the Baptist and the eternal infamy of his murderers. Translation by professor of Moscow State University. M. V. Lomonosova D. E. Afinogenova.
3. “The Sermon on the Transfer of the Sacred Relics of Our Most Holy Wonderworker Father Theophan from Samothrace to Sigriana” is hagiographical in nature. It is dedicated to the friend and associate Rev. Theodora - Rev. Theophan the Confessor, Abbot of Sigrian. Translation by D. E. Afinogenov based on the Bollandist edition: Stephane Efthymiadis. Le Panegyrique de s. Theophane le Confesseur par s. Theodore Studite (Edition critique du texte integral) // Analecta Bollandiana. T. 111. Bruxelles, 1993. P. 259–290. Rev. Theophan the Confessor reposed in the Lord on March 12, 818. According to Stefan Eufimiadis, “among the numerous hagiographic documents dedicated to St. Theophan, panegyric to St. Theodore the Studite represents the most ancient testimony [about St. Feofane]. The title and other evidence in the text show that this word of praise was uttered on the day of the transfer of the relics of St. Feofan to the Great Field monastery before Easter 821 - March 24. The remains of the saint, which were transferred from the island of Samothrace to the suburbs of Ieria, were placed in the martyrion of St. Procopius, where they stayed for a year and where they were worshiped by numerous believers. In the Life of St. Theophan, compiled by the future patriarch St. Methodius between 823 and 832, it is reported that ten thousand people accompanied the transfer of the remains to the Great Field monastery, and all this multitude of people listened to the laudatory word of Abba Theodore the Studite.” This Word is preserved only in two copies of the 13th and 14th centuries. It is worth noting that when comparing the praiseworthy Word of St. Theodore and the Life of St. Theophan St. Methodius, some factual differences regarding the biography of St. Feofan. In general, this work traditionally tells us about all periods of the life of a famous and illustrious saint: about his origin and parents, a short-term marriage, dissolved by mutual consent for the sake of striving for the monastic life, about the monastic life itself and its exploits, and most importantly, especially emphasizes Rev. Theodore, about the confessional standing of the Venerable. Theophan for the truth of icon veneration in the face of persecution by the iconoclastic emperor Leo V and his like-minded friend John the Grammar, about the exile and death of the saint, as well as about his posthumous miracles. Concerns Rev. Theodore and the personal qualities of this holy man. However, such a traditional scheme for Byzantine biographies of saints does not at all mean that the narrative is exclusively “iconic”: St. Theodore also reports such, perhaps not very beneficial for the memory of the saint. Feofan, facts, as a compromise position on the so-called Michian dispute, in which Rev. Theodore, as is known, took a strict and unambiguous position. However, this only creates the impression of special realism and truthfulness of the story. “Reading the Word of Praise is very interesting. Historians will find here a number of details that are very interesting from the point of view of the history of the second iconoclasm and the biography of the saint. However, this work is interesting primarily because it shows Rev. Theodore the Studite is a rare master of eloquence."
Venerable Theodore the Studite.
As a result of this, Fotin, having abandoned the important government position he occupied and having consulted with his wife, distributed all his property and, renouncing the world, devoted himself, together with Theoktista, to monastic life, in which they zealously labored until their death. Blessed Theodore, having learned Hellenic wisdom, became an outstanding orator and an excellent philosopher and argued with evil heretics about the Orthodox faith. He was so knowledgeable in Divine Scripture and dogma. that the heretics could never resist him.
After the death of the evil king Constantine Copronymus, his son Leo 3, also an iconoclast, ascended the throne, but he did not reign for long and soon died. After him, his wife Irina ascended the throne along with her son Konstantin 4. Bearing a name meaning “peace” 5, she actually brought peace to the Church and stopped the iconoclastic unrest. She gathered many reverend fathers and, together with His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius 6, convened the seventh ecumenical council in Nicaea 7, at which, rejecting the wicked teaching of the heretics, she again established, as before, the veneration of divine icons and the worship of them 8. There were more than three hundred fathers gathered for the council; Among them was the Monk Plato, whose asceticism he initially pursued on Mount Olympus 9 . He was Blessed Theodore's maternal uncle; the Spirit of God lived in him and, as a man well-read in the Divine Scriptures and skillful in spelling, he was useful to everyone.
At the end of the council, Plato took with him Blessed Theodore and with him his two brothers, Joseph and Euthymius, who expressed a desire to accept monasticism 10. Having left with them, he came to a secluded place called Sakudion 11.
This area was very beautiful and favorable for those seeking silence. Situated on a mountain, rounded and level, it was surrounded by various tall trees, had delicious running water and the only access was by a small path. Plato and his companions liked this place very much, and they settled there and soon built a church in the name of St. John the Theologian. When the number of brethren began to increase, Plato built a monastery 12; Blessed Theodore, having been tonsured by him to the rank of monk, mortified his flesh more than others through exploits and fasting. Learning humility, he chose for himself the most difficult and base labors and obediences. And it seemed surprising to many. that the son of rich and noble parents, brought up in peace and quiet, subjects himself to such severe feats: chopping wood, carrying water, digging soil in a vineyard, dragging stones and diligently performing other similar obediences, for example. often carries manure into the vineyard to fertilize the land. At the same time, the saint helped the weaker brethren, those who were sick in body, in their work, and was a servant to everyone. He also cared about confessing all his thoughts and actions to his spiritual father - Saint Plato. Coming to him with love, Theodore confessed and diligently received instruction from him. He constantly set aside a part of time for himself from each day for contemplation of God, so that, standing before the One God, far from everything worldly and vain, he could perform some kind of mysterious service to Him. But his virtue could not be hidden; for the tears themselves, which flowed abundantly from his eyes, were undeniable proof of many of his virtues. The saint's abstinence was marvelous and reasonable. He did not shy away from food and at the same time did not burden his stomach, but skillfully crushed the head of the vain serpent: for he did not fast beyond the time established for all the brothers; but when everyone was at the meal, then he sat and ate with the others. But, at the same time, he ate very little: as much as was required only to satisfy the most necessary bodily needs, and at the same time he tried to hide his abstinence from others, so that they would not know that he took almost no food at all, and did not show himself people who are fasting. Many competed with this custom of his and, as far as possible, tried to imitate it. Among these were the following: Joseph, his brother according to the flesh, who was later appointed pastor of the Thessalonica Church for his virtuous life, 13 Euthymius, his other brother, then Athanasius, Naucratius, Timothy and many others of the fasters, who, following the way of thinking and behavior of Theodore, they succeeded in virtues. Successful in unceasing feats of prayer and contemplation of God, Blessed Theodore had great zeal for reading soul-saving books; he diligently read the Old Book and New Testaments and the works of the holy fathers. In particular, he loved to read the works of St. Basil the Great, 14 which were like food for his soul, and from which he received great spiritual pleasure. He carefully preserved the Rules and Statutes of monastic life laid down by Saint Basil, 15 and did not transgress even one line in them; those who did not observe these rules, including even the slightest decree, he considered not monks, but laymen.
Seeing blessed Theodore shining with such a virtuous life, the Monk Plato was extremely happy for him. Deciding to honor Saint Theodore with the priestly rank, he went with him to Byzantium to His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius, who ordained Theodore to the rank of presbyter, not so much by his own free will, but by compulsion ; for the blessed one, considering himself unworthy, did not want to take on such a rank and said that he was beyond his strength. But, being unable to contradict the will of his spiritual father Plato and the patriarch, and most of all the Divine will, he obeyed and accepted the priesthood. Returning then to the monastery, the monk rushed to even greater feats and labors, which are impossible to describe.
After several years, the Monk Plato, having become infirm as a result of many years of weary old age, decided to relinquish command of the monastery and wished that after him Blessed Theodore would take power. He often spoke about seven to the latter, begging and instructing him so that he would lighten the burden of his father and agree to be the head of the monastery. Theodore renounced power in every possible way, agreeing better to live under the authority of others than to rule over others, believing that it was easier and more useful for salvation to receive instruction from others than to instruct someone himself. The Monk Plato, seeing that Theodore was not obeying this desire of his, came up with the following trick: he went to bed as if sick - and in fact he was weak - and, having called all the brethren, announced himself that he feels the approach of his death, and then asked: who do they want to have as their abbot after him, whom do they consider most capable for this? The monk knew that they would wish to have no one else as their abbot than Theodore, for everyone loved him and revered him for his great virtues. And so it happened: everyone answered unanimously:
Father! After you, let Theodore be abbot over us!
Plato immediately transferred all power to Theodore, and blessed Theodore could not resist the desire of all the brethren and, against his will, accepted power 16. At the same time, he undertook even greater feats, being a model for everyone, teaching in word and deed and correcting violations of the monks' rules; for some then did not observe the monastic rules, especially the vows of non-covetousness and poverty. Having condolences regarding these, Blessed Theodore hastened to quickly correct them for the better and was of benefit to the rest of the surrounding monks. If some people grumbled at him, he did not pay attention to it, for he did not care what those who grumbled about him said, but he cared about making his activity pleasing to God. Subsequently, the murmurers, coming into the fear of God, fulfilled the will of the monk and revealed their thoughts to him. Examining them carefully, he gave each the appropriate medicine, rousing the laziest to feat, while weakening the more diligent ones somewhat in their feat, so that they would not become exhausted under the burden of their labors. But it is now time to describe the saint’s suffering, which he endured out of zeal for God and God’s law, so that we can see Theodore’s courageous patience in sorrow.
At that time, Tsar Constantine, the son of the pious Queen Irina, having come of age, removed his mother from the royal throne and began to rule the kingdom himself 17. Being young and depraved, he indulged in excess in passions and fornication. As a result of this, he decided to drive away his wife Maria and by force forced her to take monastic vows; instead of her, he took another wife, named Theodotia, who was a relative of his father 18. His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius did not approve of this adultery of the king and did not want to bless their marriage. But one presbyter, named Joseph, who was the steward of the great church, 19, having violated Divine laws and disobeyed the patriarch, agreed to perform the sacrament of marriage over them. For this criminal insolence, as the subsequent speech will show, he soon after received due retribution. The Patriarch tried in every possible way to dissolve this adulterous royal marriage, but could not, because the king threatened to again raise the iconoclastic heresy if he was banned from this marriage. Therefore, the patriarch allowed the king to remain in his marriage, so that the greatest evil would not befall the Church of Christ. This lawlessness, which began from the royal palace, spread everywhere, not only in the nearest cities, but also in distant regions. The princes and nobles living near the Bosphorus and among the Goths 20 and the rulers of other regions began to do the same, driving away their wives and under duress, tonsuring them into monasticism, and instead choosing others for themselves and committing adultery with them. Hearing about this, blessed Theodore grieved in soul and sighed heavily over such clearly committed sins, fearing that this adultery would not become a custom, that lawlessness would subsequently take the place of law, and that the law of God would not be destroyed. Inflamed with zeal for the Divine law, Theodore sent a message to all the monks, reporting on the royal lawlessness and exhorting them to consider the king excommunicated from the Church of Christ, as a destroyer of the law of God and a seducer of many. The rumor about this jealousy and courage of Theodore spread everywhere, so that the king himself found out about it and became angry with the monk. But, considering Theodore to be a righteous man, who had gained great fame and honor among everyone, he did not openly reveal his anger and initially wanted to win him over to his side with affection. And so he ordered his adulterous wife to send a lot of gold from herself to the saint, asking for prayers for herself and for her family. But the saint did not accept the gold and drove away the messengers as condoning the king’s iniquity. Then the king invented another means: he undertook, as if out of some necessity, but in reality in order to talk with Theodore and win him over to his side, a trip to the area where the monk lived; The king assumed that Theodore and his brethren would meet him and give him due honor. When the king passed by that monastery, neither the monk nor any of the brethren of his monastery came out to meet him, but, having locked themselves, they remained in silence; when the royal servants began to knock on the gate, no one gave an answer. Then the king became even more angry and, returning to his chambers, immediately sent a certain dignitary with soldiers to the monastery, ordering the saint and other like-minded monks to be subjected to various tortures, kicked out of the monastery with beatings and sent into prison. The messenger, having set off, suddenly attacked the monastery and, seizing everyone there, starting with the Monk Theodore, mercilessly tortured them, so that pieces of their bodies were separated from their wounds and the ground was stained with blood. After these torments, he sent the monk to Thessaloniki 21 for imprisonment and with him the eleven fathers in charge of the monastery, who, compassionate with the monk, valiantly endured bonds and sorrows with him, rejoicing that they were subjected to torture and expelled for the sake of righteousness.
The Chersonese 22 and Bosphorus presbyters and monks, having heard about the firmness of Theodore and the monks with him and about their suffering, greatly regretted this and, imitating them, also began to talk about the king’s lawlessness and opposition to his church, why many of them suffered expulsion.
While he himself was in captivity, Blessed Theodore wrote to others expelled for the same reason and in captivity, strengthening them and exhorting them not to weaken in their exploits, not to faint in sorrows, but to take even more courage and suffer for the truth. He also wrote to the Pope 23, notifying him of how much and for what reason he suffered from the lawless king. The Pope, for his part, answered him, praising his patience and gratifying his zeal for God and unshakable courage. God did not hesitate to take revenge on the king for the innocent insult of His servants: He deprived him of both his life and his kingdom, and the evil king died an evil death. His mother and boyars rebelled against him and gouged out his eyes, 24 and he soon died of illness. After his death, when Irina again ascended the Byzantine throne, everyone was returned from captivity, and blessed Theodore was called to Constantinople from Thessaloniki and, as Christ’s confessor, was highly respected by the patriarch and queen. Then the aforementioned presbyter Joseph, who dared to bless the king’s lawless marriage, was condemned, according to the rules of the holy fathers, deprived of his presbyterate rank and excommunicated from the Church. Saint Theodore returned to his monastery, and everyone rejoiced at his return and hastened to look at him, comforted that such a zealot of the law of God, who had endured torture and exile for the truth, was again returned to his flock. The monk, having gathered all his scattered spiritual sheep, continued to shepherd them, leading a God-pleasing life and shining to everyone, like a candle on a candlestick, with his great virtues.
After several years, there was an invasion of the Greeks by the Hagarians, who began to devastate and seize regions of Greece into their own hands 25 . Fearing them, many then fled to fortified cities. At this time, the Monk Theodore, not giving himself and his monks over to voluntary suffering, but following what was said: " Go, my people, enter your chambers and lock your doors behind you, hide for a moment until the anger passes"(Isa. 26:20); he left Sakudion and came with his brethren to Constantinople. His arrival was pleasant for the queen and the patriarch: they rejoiced at him and begged him to take control of the Studite monastery and arrange the best order of life in it.
Here it is appropriate to remember the origin of this monastery. Once upon a time a noble and influential man came from Rome to Constantinople, who was honored with the rank of patrician and proconsul 26 . He created a large and beautiful church in the name of St. John the Baptist, and built a monastery with it.
Having called 27 monks from the monastery of the “Unsleeping”, he begged them to live in his monastery and observe all their rules. The man's name was Studios; from his name the monastery received its name and began to be called Studiysky. The monks lived in it until the reign of Emperor Copronymus, observing the charter of the “Unsleeping Ones.” But the evil Copronymus, having outraged the Church of God with iconoclasm, expelled all monks from Byzantium, and the Studite monastery was empty. After the death of this evil king and after the end of the persecution, the monks again began to live at the Studite Church, but in small numbers. At the time when the monk came to Constantinople with his brethren, only twelve monks remained in the monastery. At the request of Queen Irina and His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius, the Monk Theodore took control of the Studii monastery and began to live in it 28 . Having made sure that this place was convenient for the monks to stay, he renewed and expanded the monastery and gathered many brethren. Monks from other monasteries came to him, wanting to live with him and have him as a mentor and teacher. The monk received everyone in a fatherly manner and loved everyone unfeignedly. With him everyone was equal, he loved everyone equally and had the same care for everyone. He knew that the image of monastic life is the same, no matter where anyone puts on it, just as the grace of baptism is one and the same, no matter where anyone is granted it. But in accordance with the virtues of the monks, they receive various rewards. The disciples of this reverend father were very successful in virtues; and since the fame of their holy life spread everywhere, many came to their monastery, wanting to compete with their exploits, and the number of monks quickly multiplied, so that there were up to a thousand brothers. In view of such a multitude of his disciples and the impossibility of one person to watch over everyone and recognize the actions, words and thoughts of each, the monk, like the second Moses 29, appointed leaders from those monks whom he considered to be the most intelligent, most experienced and most striving in virtues; He gave each of them a corresponding name: one - steward, another - ecclesiarch 30, the third - overseer of church deanery, etc. The saint also drew up rules regarding how each of them should fulfill the obedience entrusted to him, starting with the first and finishing last.
For misdeeds, he established penances: for some a certain number of bows, for others - intense fasting, and for each offense - an appropriate punishment. If someone failed to perform the Divine service, or broke a vessel, or carelessly threw something away, or did something negligently, or insulted a brother in some way, or, due to the unbridled tongue, said some unnecessary words, or laughed loudly or not meekly and did not walk humbly, or talked at the meal, without listening to the soulful reading, or grumbled about the food, or shamelessly and boldly cast his gaze here and there, or did something else similar - for all such brethren the Monk Theodore prescribed penances according to their misdeeds . At the same time, the monk established a hostel in his monastery, so that no one would call anything his own, but everything would be common: common food, common clothing, and every thing common. The monk also took care that his monks did not often leave the monastery for the city for monastic needs, for he knew what dangers threatened a monk in the city as a result of communication with the laity and worldly conversations. For this reason, he wished to organize all sorts of crafts inside the monastery. The brethren of the Studite Monastery began to learn various crafts: some carpentry and construction, others blacksmithing, others tailoring, others stonemasonry - in a word, all the work required for the monastery. But, stretching out their hands to the cause, they always had the Jesus Prayer and the psalms of David in their mouths. The fame of this order of the Studite monastery, its laws and regulations spread everywhere, and many other monasteries, not only in surrounding cities, but also in distant countries, accepted the Studite Charter 31 and observed it, and others still observe it. The monk also wrote quite a few very useful books and composed words of praise for the Lord’s and Mother of God feasts, honored St. John the Baptist with the most beautiful hymns, and compiled many canons and tricantos , like a river filled with the waters of wisdom, he watered and sweetened the Church of God with the streams of his teachings and chants 32 . Meanwhile, the Byzantine throne was illegally occupied by Nikephoros the torturer, forcibly dethroning the pious Queen Irina 33. At the same time, His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius died; after him, a virtuous man, worthy of such a rank, was elevated to the patriarchal throne, which was the same name for the new king 34. Then discord began again in the Church, for the king, by his authority, introduced the aforementioned excommunicated Joseph to the Church and commanded that the right to officiate be returned to him. As far as possible, the patriarch resisted the king; but when he saw him cruelly angry, he was afraid so that the whole Church would not suffer cruel persecution from him, just as she had suffered many evils from previous kings, and accepted Joseph into fellowship, although against his desire. The king did this to spite the Monk Theodore, irritating him; for he knew that the monk would not tolerate this, which is what happened. Theodore denounced the king as having caused violence to the Church, by introducing into the Church with his worldly power the one whom His Holiness Patriarch Tarasius had excommunicated with all his clergy. The king was very angry with the Monk Theodore and sent him into captivity on one of the islands located in front of the city 35. He did the same with his brother Joseph, the venerable elder Plato and many other Studian monks.
Meanwhile, news reached the king that Thrace 36 had been attacked by barbarians and was devastating it 37 . The king immediately prepared for war. But he wanted to defeat not so much his enemies as the Monk Theodore, and, going with an army against the Scythians, he sent envoys to Theodore, trying, through either flattery or threats, to bring him to like-mindedness with himself. Theodore answered this:
The king and you need to repent of your sins and correct what you have ruined, and then go to war. But since you did not do this, the All-Seeing Eye now, through me, the unworthy, foretells this to you: know that you will not return from the path in which you are heading.
The king did not attach any importance to the words of the saint; but he became even more angry with him and threatened that, upon returning from the campaign, he would cause the saint much more harm. But Nicephorus did not have to return, for, according to the saint’s prediction, he was killed by the barbarians. After him, his son Stavriky took over the kingdom, but he also soon died from a wound received in a war in which he participated together with his father. After his death, Michael was elected to the kingdom, who was then in the rank of kiropalat 38, a man truly worthy of royal power - kind and Orthodox. Having assumed power, he again returned from prison the Monk Theodore and his like-minded people who were with him, honored them with due honor and stopped church discord. Joseph, again, as an unfit member, was excommunicated from the Church.
Soon after this, the holy and praiseworthy Plato departed to the Lord 39 . The Patriarch, having heard about his repose, came with all his clergy to the Studian monastery and, having kissed his holy relics, gave them an honest burial. The Monk Theodore, after the repose of his spiritual father Plato, lived with his brethren in peace for only two years. After this time, again a fierce storm fell on him and the entire Church of Christ from the wicked Leo the Armenian, who initially served as a commander of the pious Tsar Michael. Having been sent to the East against the barbarians, he gathered a large army there and, becoming proud, rebelled against his benefactor, Tsar Michael. Lev the Armenian attracted to his side all the dignitaries and warriors who were subordinate to him, and he attracted some to his side with promises, others with gifts, and others with other flatteries and with their help proclaimed himself king. Having learned about this, the blessed Tsar Michael immediately changed the royal scarlet robe to a monastic hair shirt, avoiding internecine war, and, having ceded the kingdom to his enemy, he himself adopted the monastic life.
Having accepted royal power, Leo the Armenian at first seemed pious and modest, until he strengthened himself on the royal throne and gathered around him accomplices of his wickedness.
Following this, he began to blaspheme the holy icons and reproach those who venerated them, calling them unreasonable. The patriarch denounced his wickedness and led him on the basis Holy Scripture, dispute about holy icons; but he had no success, but only aroused the mad king to even greater rage. Leo the Armenian, having summoned all the famous priests, monks, the patriarch, and, with them, Blessed Theodore, clearly revealed his malice before them, blaspheming and reproaching those who venerated honest icons, and praising the iconoclasts.
“Isn’t it an ancient law, written by the finger of God,” he said, “that commanded not to serve the work of human hands: you shall not create, it is said, an idol or any image. Therefore, it is not proper to worship icons that are made by the human hand. How can one write on an icon the Indescribable One, place the Inconceivable One on small boards and call the one depicted in paints by the name of God"?
The Holy Fathers disputed in every possible way the empty speeches of the iconoclast emperor, rejecting his blasphemous words and saying:
If we fully adhere to the Law given through Moses, then it will be in vain Christian faith Our apostolic preaching is in vain, all the Divine traditions of the holy fathers will remain in vain, and the very incarnation of the Lord will be rejected (which is scary to say) through which we came to know His human image and accepted the veneration of icons, in icons honoring Him whose image is on them.
When the saints said this, the Monk Theodore, who knew perfectly all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, boldly asked the king:
Why, O Tsar, did you think of dishonoring the image of Christ, introducing such heretical wisdom into the Holy Church and tearing apart her clothes, woven from the highest grace and apostolic and paternal teaching? You are philosophizing on the basis of the Old Testament, but it was ended by the new grace that came through Jesus Christ. If you need to keep the Old Testament, which you adhere to, then you need to be circumcised, and keep the Sabbath and everything else written in it. Couldn't you, O king, understand that the Law was given for a time and only for the people who came out of Egypt? But with the advent of grace, the shadow stopped. And that same Law does not always observe what it commands. Thus, he commanded not to create likenesses and not to serve the work of human hands, and placed images of cherubim above the ark. Weren't those cherubim the work of men? but, nevertheless, they were revered by everyone. But when new grace appeared, the Lord Himself, depicting His face on the ubrus, handed it over to Abgar, who, having touched it, received healing from his long-term illness 40. After this, Saint Luke, the Apostle of the Lord and Evangelist, depicted the face of the Mother of God with his own hands and left this image for subsequent generations. Then the miraculous image of the Savior, which appeared in Phenicia, performed many wondrous miracles. And the miracles that other holy icons show, aren’t they brighter than the sun, showing that it is appropriate for them to be given due veneration?
But the king, not listening to the speeches of the monk, said:
I do not wish to paint the invisible and incomprehensible Deity.
Theodore answered:
King, after all, we do not describe the Divinity, but we confess and believe that it is indescribable. By iconography we depict the flesh of the Son of God received from us; we worship and honor her.
When the reverend father said this and much more on the basis of Divine Scripture and paternal traditions and exposed the royal error, the king, filled with rage, angrily said to the reverend:
I know that you always speak thoughtlessly, and that you are a grumpy person, proud and opposed to everyone. So now you have come to slander and blaspheme me, talking to me not as a king, but as one of the common people; for this you deserve much torment. But for the time being I will spare you, until it becomes more obvious that our wisdom is fair. And if you do not submit after that, you will receive a worthy punishment for your madness and resistance.
From that time on, the reverend fathers did not want to say anything to the king, reasoning with themselves:
What will we say to a soul so corrupt and unwilling to be healed?
Blessed Theodore, having received the spiritual sword, answered the king like this:
Tsar, understand and understand that it is not your business to consider and examine church decrees: your power is to discuss and manage worldly affairs, and church affairs are under the jurisdiction of saints and church teachers; you are only ordered to follow and obey them. So the Apostle said: “And God appointed others in the Church, firstly, apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers; then, to others he gave miraculous powers, also gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” ( 1 Cor. 12:28), not kings. And in other places the Holy Scripture commands that church affairs should be administered by church teachers, and not by kings.
The king asked the monk:
So, are you expelling me from the Church?
The monk answered:
It is not I, but the traditions of the Divine Apostles and Holy Fathers who are expelling. “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach to you a gospel other than what we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8).
If you wish, together with us who worship the icon of Christ, to remain inside the Church of Christ, then follow the patriarch and the honorable council that exists under him!
At these words, the king became even more furious and dishonorably drove everyone away from him. Having left the king, the exiled reverend fathers, together with the patriarch, surrounded blessed Theodore, praising him with their lips and souls for the fact that he resisted the tormentor with great prudence and courage and greatly disgraced him, boldly exposing his wickedness.
When they went home, an order came from the mayor, “so that no one should talk or interrogate about the faith, but that everyone should do what the king commanded.” Those sent with this order reached Blessed Theodore. He, having heard this decree, answered them:
Judge for yourself: is it fair to listen to you more than God? It is better for my tongue to be cut out than for me to remain silent and not defend the true faith.
And the monk taught everyone to unshakably maintain the holy faith, calling some to himself, coming to others himself, sending letters to others, and thus strengthened those who were weak in spirit. Often he came to the patriarch, being a good adviser to him, and consoled him, since he saw him grieving and sick in soul.
Father, don't grieve! - he told him, - believe that the Lord will not leave us; He will not allow trials beyond our strength and will not allow evil to dominate us. If the enemy has initiated persecution against the Church, then in a short time the sorrow will turn on his own head. You know the word of the Lord: " Woe to the world from temptations, for temptations must come; but woe to the man through whom temptation comes"(Matthew 18:7).
How many heresies, from the time of the holy Apostles to the present day, have been erected by people depraved in their minds against the Church, how much suffering the holy fathers who came before us suffered from them! But the Church remained invincible; those who suffered were brightly glorified and crowned, but the heretics were accepted according to their deeds.”
Hearing this, the patriarch and all the fathers of the council were encouraged and were ready to endure all sorrows for the sake of orthodoxy and not to obey evil faith.
After a short time, His Holiness Patriarch Nicephorus was overthrown by the evil king from the patriarchal throne and expelled from Constantinople 41; All Orthodox bishops were also sentenced to imprisonment. Then a terrible spectacle of terrible blasphemy was presented, which was committed by the wicked iconoclasts. They threw some holy icons to the ground, burned others, smeared others with feces and committed many other atrocities. Seeing such an atrocity, the Monk Theodore was deeply grieved and, marveling at God’s forbearance, he said with tears:
How can the earth bear such lawlessness?!
But, not wanting to remain a worshiper of God in secret and mourn such a misfortune in silence, he ordered - (at the onset of Palm Resurrection) his brethren to take the holy icons in their hands and walk around the monastery, carrying the icons high above them and chanting in a loud voice:
"We worship Your most pure image, O Good One"42, and other victory songs in honor of Christ. Having learned about this, the king again sent to the saint, forbidding him from such actions and threatening that otherwise he would face imprisonment, wounds and death. The saint not only did not cease to affirm the believers in the veneration of icons , but became even more strengthened in his courage, openly instructing everyone to hold on Orthodox faith and give due honor to holy icons. Then the king, convinced that it was impossible either by flattery or by threats to stop the courage and jealousy of the Monk Theodore, condemned him to imprisonment. The monk, calling all his disciples to him and teaching them soul-helping teachings, said:
Brothers! Let each of you now save his soul at his own discretion, since now is a cruel time.
Then, mourning and weeping, he left the brethren weeping for him and, boarding a ship, was taken to Apollonia and imprisoned in a fortress called Metope 43. But even there he taught everyone to have good faith: talking with some orally, sending letters to others. His letters reached the king himself. The latter again sent a certain Nikita, the son of Alekseev, with orders to take the saint to a more distant place called Vonita 44 and, confining him there in prison, vigilantly observe that he never spoke to anyone there or wrote anything regarding the veneration of icons. Nikita, coming to the monk, informed him about the royal will. The monk answered:
I joyfully accept this transition from place to place, since I have no real place of residence in this life, but wherever I am brought, there is my place, for everywhere is God’s earth. But I cannot remain silent and not teach about the Orthodox faith, and I will not listen to you and will not be afraid of your threats.
And so the saint, being brought to the mentioned place and imprisoned, here too zealously professed Orthodoxy. The king, having learned that Theodore did not submit to his will in anything, became inflamed with strong anger and sent the same Nikita with the command to subject the monk to cruel torture. Nikita, having arrived, announced to the monk about the royal command; The monk, following the latter’s message, began to take off his clothes with the words: “I have long wanted to suffer for the holy icons,” and gave up his flesh to torture. Nikita, being a compassionate man, seeing his naked flesh, exhausted by fasting and continuous exploits, was touched by his soul and did not dare to touch him, for he feared God, and left without causing any harm to the saint. The latter continued to spread his Orthodox teaching everywhere, for the guards were in awe of him and could not prevent him from the fact that they were threateningly ordered to forbid Theodore from teaching anyone in Orthodoxy. - He also wrote to his disciples scattered throughout various countries; He took special care of them, instructing them so that they would fearlessly observe the true confession of faith, even if they suffered cruelly countless times. He reminded them that present temporary suffering means nothing in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us in the future life, which all true martyrs of Christ will receive. He also wrote to the most holy patriarchs: to Patriarch ancient Rome 46, to Jerusalem 47 and Alexandria 48, notifying them in detail about how holy icons were desecrated in Byzantium and how the Orthodox were kept in captivity and prison, and the truth was sacrificed to lies. And he asked them for help for the Orthodox faith. Many came to the monk who was in prison to listen to his sweet teachings and returned with much benefit for themselves.
One day it happened that the saint was visited by a certain clergyman of the Asian Church 49 who was passing by. This latter, having heard his teaching about the Orthodox faith, immediately rejected the iconoclastic heresy and venerated the holy icons. Returning home, he did not want to have communication with his bishop, a heretic. He also admonished another cleric, his friend, converted him to Orthodoxy and turned him away from communication with heretics. The bishop, having learned that Theodore was the culprit of the said change in his clergy, reported this in a letter to the king, complaining about Theodore. The king again ordered the Asian commander to subject Theodore to severe beatings. The governor sent one of his subordinates with orders to give Theodore fifty blows. When this latter, having come to Theodore, informed the blessed one about the reason for his coming, Theodore took off his belt and clothes, voluntarily exposing his shoulders to the blows and saying:
It would be desirable for me to strip off my body itself with these wounds, in order to quickly depart with my naked soul to the Lord.
He, ashamed of the saint, bowed to him, asking for forgiveness, and left.
Then another ambassador came from the king, named Anastasius, very cruel and merciless. Having beaten the saint with his own hands and inflicted up to a hundred blows on him, he imprisoned him. He also did the same with his student, named Nicholas 50, who always followed his mentor and was a participant in his suffering; Having beaten Nicholas, Anastasius locked him up along with Theodore, and gave orders to the guards to strictly keep them in severe hardships - and left. It is impossible to express in words the grief the saint endured in this dark seclusion. His flesh, exhausted from fasting and monastic deeds, began to rot and emit a stench. Moreover, the prison itself was filled with uncleanness and dust.
During the winter, the monk froze in it from the cold, since he did not even have the necessary clothing, but only one thin rags. In the summer, it melted from the heat, since the wind did not penetrate into the dungeon from anywhere and did not refresh it. At the same time, in the dungeon there was an immense number of unclean insects and reptiles. And the guards, having received a threatening order, began to treat him cruelly and mercilessly. She offended and reproached him, calling him a madman and an enemy of the king. At the window they threw only a small piece of bread to Theodora and his disciple and gave them a little water, and not always, but every other day or two, sometimes after many days, and so they starved them with hunger and thirst. And the Monk Theodore said to his disciple:
Child! I notice that these people not only want to kill us with many beatings and heavy imprisonment, but also with hunger and thirst. But let us place our hope in God, who knows how to nourish not with bread alone, but also with some of the best food, and by whose wave all living things are sustained. For me, from now on, may the communion of the Sovereign Body serve as food for body and soul.
(The monk everywhere had with him a particle of the Life-Giving Body, filled with the blood of Christ the Lord, which he stored up during the performance of the Divine Sacrament - when it was possible for him). “Only this,” he said, “let me take communion without eating anything else. And let there be one bread for both of us, and also water. You yourself see that they serve us very little bread, barely enough for you alone.” to strengthen the body; it is better for you to stay alive and announce to the brethren about my death, if such is the will of God, that I die in this cramped space full of hardships.”
After some time, the one who " opens his hand and feeds all living things with good pleasure" (Ps. 144:16), did not leave without help His saint, who was dying of terrible hunger, but provided for him in this way. A certain royal nobleman, passing by that gate, found out everything about the saint, what oppression and hunger he was suffering. God inclined the nobleman's heart to mercy, and he ordered the guards to give Theodore and his disciple enough food and not to cause them any harm or oppression in the future, but to allow them to live a little more pleasantly. Thus, having been somewhat freed by the grace of God from many, above, the sorrows indicated above, they became stronger in body. But even after that, the holy father continued to struggle with many adversities, since he had a sick stomach, and he was subject to severe illness. So the holy saints of Christ lived in prison for more than three years, receiving the watchmen received bad bread, and even then with reproach and curses. Yet they endured this for the sake of Orthodoxy, with joy.
Before they had time to recover from sorrows and illnesses, they were destined to be subjected to new sorrows, even more severe. From somewhere unknown, a certain letter from Blessed Theodore fell into the hands of the tsar, in which the denunciation of the tsar’s wickedness and the instruction of believers in piety and Orthodoxy were set out. Having read this letter, the king flared up with even stronger rage and sent a certain ruthless commander to Theodore - to show him that letter and ask if it belonged to him, and to beat him even to his last breath. The voivode, having arrived, showed the letter to the blessed one, and the latter actually certified that this letter was his, and not anyone else. Then the governor immediately ordered to beat first of all his disciple Nicholas, spreading him naked on the ground, since he wrote this letter on behalf of Theodore. Then, having undressed the Monk Theodore, he beat him mercilessly, wounded his entire body and almost broke his very bones. Leaving him barely alive, the governor again came to his disciple Nicholas, now convincing him with caresses, now threatening him, so that he would refuse to venerate the holy icons. And since he remained faithful to Orthodoxy, he again began to beat him more than before and left him naked overnight in the cold, so that he would be doubly exposed to torture, for it was then the month of February. The Monk Theodore, from severe beatings, fell into an illness that was difficult to bear, and lay like a dead man, barely able to breathe, taking neither food nor drink. Nicholas, noticing his mentor so exhausted, forgot about himself, although he himself suffered terrible suffering from his wounds, and took care of Theodore’s recovery. Having asked for a barley drink, he moistened the saint’s parched tongue with it and, giving him a little drink, revived him. Noticing that the monk was gradually acquiring vitality, he began to heal the rest of his rotting body. He cut off many parts of his body, which were blue, rotten and hanging completely unusable, with a small knife and threw them away so that the remaining flesh could be healed more successfully. When the monk began to recover little by little, he also healed his student.
While the saints had suffered for ninety days and had not yet fully recovered from their wounds, another stern and inhuman envoy appeared from the king, who was ordered to take Theodore and his disciple Nicholas to Smyrna 51 . This ambassador was a lover of money and, thinking that Theodore was taking gold from those who came to him for instruction, he ordered, as a result, to search all the wells in the dungeon, break down the walls and take out the earth, in the hope of finding gold. But, having found nothing, he began to carry out the king’s command with particular cruelty. With cursing and pushing, he brought the monk and his disciple out of prison, he handed them over to the soldiers, and they were thus led to Smyrna. The blessed one, although his bodily strength weakened, but, strengthened by God, walked with the merciless warriors; for the whole day they led him without rest, and at night they tied him by his legs to a tree. Thus, with difficulty he barely reached Smyrna, where he was given over to an evil husband and a champion of wickedness. The latter locked Theodore in a certain low and dark hut. His disciple Nicholas was locked up with him, and thus the blessed servants of Christ suffered together. Soon the aforementioned ruthless Anastasius again came from the king, and, again inflicting a hundred blows on the monk, left; The monk endured all this with thanksgiving.
At that time, in the Smyrna region, the governor was the royal nephew and like-minded person, who fell into a cruel, incurable illness and was on his last legs. One of his servants, who adhered to Orthodox teaching, came to the sick man and told him that the Monk Theodore had grace from God to heal all kinds of illnesses. He immediately sent his servants to the monk with a request to pray to God for him and free him from the approaching death. The monk answered the messengers:
Tell the one who sent you, - Theodore, to say this: - Remember that you will answer before God on the day of your death for your wicked life and for the evil that you have caused to the faithful. To many of your other iniquities you also added that you subjected my monks to innumerable disasters and in torment killed the great Thaddeus in virtues 52. And now he rejoices with the saints; Who will save you from eternal torment? At least upon death, repent of your crimes.
The messengers returned and conveyed all of Theodore’s words to the sick governor. The latter was very frightened, reflecting on the atrocities he had committed, and again sent ambassadors to the monk, asking for forgiveness and promising to accept the Orthodox faith if he would raise him from his sickbed with his prayers. The monk sent an icon of the Most Pure Mother of God to the governor, ordering him to keep it with him with reverence throughout his entire life. The governor, having accepted that holy icon, received relief from his illnesses and began to recover. But soon, under the influence of the bishop of Smyrna, who was a heretic, he turned to his former evil faith. Having received oil from the latter, as if blessing himself, he anointed himself with it, in the hope of a complete recovery. But, after this, his previous illness returned to him again. Having learned about this, the monk predicted a cruel death for the sinner, which came true - for he soon died a painful death. The Monk Theodore, suffering in seclusion, endured imprisonment in Smyrna for a year and a half. After this, the evil king Leo the Armenian was forcibly deprived of his life, being killed by his soldiers, and after him the royal throne was given to Michael, nicknamed Travliy, also known as Valvos 53. This emperor, although he was wicked, nevertheless did not persecute the Orthodox, but allowed everyone to believe as they wished. Therefore, under him, all the fathers and confessors of Orthodoxy were freed from imprisonment, released from prison and returned from exile. Then the Monk Theodore received relief from his suffering. And some of his former disciples came to him, among whom were Dorotheus, who had excelled in virtues from a young age, then Vissarion, Jacob, Dometian, Timothy and many others, distinguished by their pious life and ardent, unchanging love for their spiritual father Theodore. An order came from the king to Smyrna that Theodore, like the others, should be released to his monastery.
When the blessed one returned from captivity, Orthodox Christians everywhere greeted him with joy, warning each other and trying to receive him into their homes in order to be worthy of his prayers and blessings and enjoy his sweet teachings. The whole Church rejoiced at the return of Theodore, and everyone pleased him, as a man who had suffered so much for the holy icons and who, with his teaching, confirmed everyone in Orthodoxy. On his way back, the monk arrived in Chalcedon 54 to see the blessed monk Theoktistos, who was once honored with the rank of magistrate, 55 and, having consoled himself with a spiritual conversation with him, went to visit his fellow sufferer, the most holy Patriarch Nicephorus, exiled to prison by the evil Tsar Leo the Armenian. Having enjoyed a spiritual conversation with him, the monk retired to the Criscentian places 56 and delighted many with his presence, teaching them soul-saving instructions. Returning from there for the second time to the patriarch, he and the other bishops went to the king and exhorted him to accept Orthodoxy. But he, being unreasonable and untaught in the Word of God, did not listen to the speeches of the holy fathers and only told them the following:
I do not forbid you to do what you wish; I just won’t allow icons to be erected in the reigning city, but let them be erected elsewhere for themselves, wherever they want; I don’t want to worship icons.
When he said this in madness, the venerable fathers left Byzantium. The Monk Theodore and his disciples settled in the places of the Criskentievs. A short time later, during a war instigated by a certain Thomas, who wished to usurp royal power for himself, the saint felt the need to appear again with his brethren in Constantinople 57 . At the end of the war, the saint, not wanting to live among a people infected with the iconoclastic heresy, again withdrew from there. Leaving Constantinople, he did not go to the Criscentian places, but settled in Akritov Chersonese 58, where there was a church in the name of St. Tryphon, and here, together with his disciples, he led a godly monastic life in pious deeds. Having lived a little in such a life with his beloved friends, the monk approached his blessed death, being sixty-seven years old. Before his death, in the month of November, he suffered from a severe illness and suffered terribly from his stomach. The news that blessed Theodore was sick and approaching death spread everywhere. Then many pious Christians began to flock to him, coming both from the reigning city and from various surrounding villages, in order to either listen to the monk in conversation and enjoy his last words, or at least look at him - departing to God. They considered it a great benefit even just to get close to him: for this wonderful man was sweet in speech, wise in mind and adorned with all the virtues. When the blessed one lay in bed and was very exhausted from his dying illness, he, nevertheless, as far as possible, had soul-searching conversations with his disciples. But only a little could be heard from his speeches, because his tongue was dry from the painful heat. Therefore, one of the cursive writers, sitting nearby and listening, wrote down his words, so that everyone who wanted to know them could read, for their own spiritual benefit, the blessed one’s instructions. During the conversation, the monk felt better, so much so that he even got to his feet and began to walk. On Sunday, coming to church, he performed the Divine Liturgy, told the brethren a lesson and partook of the meal with them. Likewise, on the morning of November 6th, the day of remembrance of our holy father Paul the Confessor, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church, gave a lesson to the brethren, and was at vespers that same day; then, entering the cell, he lay down on the bed and again became very ill. He was ill for four days, and on the fifth, the end of his illness came, and the beginning of a painless life. When the monk was approaching his death, many brethren gathered around him, and they wept for him as for their father and teacher. Looking at them, he shed a little tears and said:
Fathers and brothers! The end of my life has arrived. We all must drink this common cup: some earlier, others later, but still we will not miss that hour. And so I am leaving along the path that our fathers took, to where eternal life is, and most of all, where the Lord and God, Whom my soul loved. I desired Him with all my heart, I called Him His servant, although I did not fulfill my service to Him. You, my brothers and beloved children, remain faithful to my words, which I delivered to you, maintaining the right faith and pious life. You know that I have not ceased to proclaim the Word of God to you both privately and in the assembly of all. Now I earnestly beg you: keep it in your mind and keep it, because I have concern for you, as one who wants to give an account of you. Therefore, take care that you depart from here blameless. But if I find boldness before the Lord, I promise to pray for you, so that your monastery will always be in the best condition and so that each of you, with God’s help, will have greater success in virtues.
Having said this and said goodbye to everyone, he ordered the disciples to take candles in their hands and begin the funeral service. The disciples, standing around the bed, chanted: "Blessed are those who are blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord"(Ps. 119:1) And when, chanting, they uttered these words: “ I will never forget Your commandments, for through them You revive me."(Ps. 119:93), the Monk Theodore, along with these words, betrayed his holy soul to God. Having received it, the Angels of God carried it to the Lord's Throne, as this was clearly revealed from the untrue testimony of the Monk Hilarion of Dalmatia 59.
The Monk Hilarion, on the very day that Theodore reposed, that is, the eleventh day of November, on the day of remembrance of the holy martyr Menas, walked through the vineyard and busied himself with work, singing the psalms of David. Suddenly he heard some wonderful voices and smelled an inexplicable fragrance. He was surprised and stopped, looking for where it was coming from. Looking into the air, he saw countless ranks of Angels, in white robes, shining with bright faces and coming from heaven with chants to meet a certain venerable person. Seeing this, blessed Hilarion fell to the ground in great horror and heard someone speaking to him:
Here is the soul of Theodore, abbot of the Studite monastery, who suffered a lot for the holy icons and remained firm in sorrow to the end; Now the soul of the deceased, triumphant, ascends to the mountain, gathered by heavenly forces.
Blessed Hilarion shared this vision with other virtuous fathers. They wrote down the day and hour of the former vision and, after some time, learned that at that very time the venerable Theodore of Studium reposed and passed from earth to heaven.
Our venerable father Theodore performed many miracles both during his life and after his death; We will tell you about some of them here, for the sake of spiritual benefit.
A certain host Leon sheltered the Monk Theodore in his holiday home at a time when the latter was returning from captivity. Subsequently, this Leon found a bride for his son. And so, when the wedding was already being prepared, the bride suddenly fell into a serious illness and lay overwhelmed by a strong fever, so that everyone despaired for her life.
Leon sent to the monk, reporting what had happened and begging him to help them with his prayers. Having blessed the oil, the monk sent it to Leon, commanding him to anoint the sick woman with this oil. When this was done, the bride immediately stood up healthy, as if she had never been sick before. The same Leon, once going alone to a remote village out of necessity, met a lynx on the road, which, noticing Leon, rushed at him, intending to tear him to pieces. Leon loudly called on the name of the Reverend Father Theodore, and behold, the beast, hearing the name of the saint, stopped and bent down to the ground, turned off the road and began to run. Leon, untouched by the beast, continued on his way.
A certain woman suffering from an unclean spirit was brought to the monk. The spirit tormenting her was so fierce within her that she herself, without feeling pain, gnawed and ate her own flesh. Seeing her such suffering, the monk took pity on her, made the sign of the cross on her head with his hand and read a prohibitory prayer over her; and immediately the unclean spirit came out of her and, driven out by the prayer of the monk, quickly disappeared.
Another woman from a noble family told the blessed abbot Sophronius 60 after the repose of St. Theodore as follows. “There was a fire,” she said, “once upon a time in my house. The fire, engulfing it from all sides, noisily burned everything that was in it, and we could not suppress the power of the flame either with water or in any other way and were perplexed , what to do. Then I remembered the letter of the Monk Theodore that was in my possession, which a little earlier he had written to me. I had the idea of throwing it into the fire, whether he would be somewhat ashamed of the scripture inscribed by Theodore’s holy hand, and not Will it tame the flame even a little? Having done as I thought, I threw this letter into the flame and said: “Saint Theodore, help me, your servant, who is in trouble!” And at the same hour we noticed that the fierce power of the fire had weakened , faded away and was destroyed in smoke." Invoking the name of this saint of God had such great power!
The aforementioned Sophronius talks about another similar event. “We walked,” he said, “with blessed Nicholas, disciple and compassionate of the great Theodore, to Paphlagonia 61 . During the journey, when evening came, we rested in a certain field on which lay a lot of mown hay. There were also some warriors there who, walking that way, late time, stopped in the same field and, having lit a fire, prepared dinner for themselves. After this, at night the fire somehow flared up imperceptibly and, imperceptibly approaching, turned into a strong fire that destroyed all the hay. The warriors, hastily waking up, all pounced on us, thinking that we had set the fire, and were about to lay hands on us and torture us; we, perplexed as to what to do, called on the great Theodore for help with the words: “Reverend Father! help us and with your prayers deliver us from the misfortune unjustly inflicted on us.” As we were saying this, it suddenly began to rain heavily and completely extinguished the entire fire. The soldiers, seeing that miracle, became meek and, falling to us, asked for forgiveness.
On the island of Sardinia 62 there was a certain pious man who, having with him the copied works of the Monk Theodore, diligently read them; He also loved the hymns composed by that holy father, sung during Great Lent, which are called triodes or three songs. Some wicked monks who were passing by on the road came to this husband and stayed with him during Lent. Seeing the hymns and teachings compiled by the Monk Theodore, the latter began to blaspheme them, saying that they were composed inconsistently with reason and were full of madness. The pious man who sheltered them became corrupted by their conversations and no longer read the useful teachings of the monk and did not have the three songs composed by the monk during morning singing, which he used to sing earlier. When he had become so corrupted, one night the Monk Theodore appeared to him - short in stature, as he was during life, with a noble face and a hairless head. Other monks followed him, holding rods in their hands, with which he ordered to beat this husband, seduced by the wicked monks. While they were beating him, the monk said:
Why did you, out of unbelief, reject my creations, which you previously loved and revered? Why didn’t you consider that if the Church of God did not see any benefit from them, it would not have accepted them? After all, they are not compiled according to cunning false speech, not according to florid speech, but in everything they contain sound and humble words that can lead to contrition of the heart and touch the soul. They are sweet and beneficial for those who truly desire to be saved.
Having thus punished the sinner, Saint Theodore left. When the day came, that husband lay in bed, sick from the blows he had received, with many bruises on his body, which he showed to everyone, telling about the punishment that had befallen him. Then he hastily expelled from his house those monks who seduced him, as the culprits of his sins and such punishment. From that time on, he acquired stronger faith than before in Saint Theodore and lovingly read the works and hymns he composed, begging him to forgive him for his previous sin.
Many healings were also granted from the saint’s tomb. One day a certain demoniac came to his coffin. At night, in a vision, the monk appeared to him and, granting healing, made him healthy. That man, having woken up, felt freed from enemy torment and glorified God and His saint, the Monk Theodore.
A certain man ate poisoned food, infected all his insides with the poison, and was already approaching death. When he poured oil into his mouth from the lamp that was located at the saint’s tomb, he immediately spewed out that deadly poison, received health and remained unharmed.
The third suffered greatly from his stomach; but when he only looked at the icon of St. Theodore and called on his name, he was immediately healed. Another husband, possessed by some kind of fear, was in a state of madness, afraid and horrified by everyone. Having been brought to the tomb of the saint and anointed with oil, he suddenly got rid of this suffering and, having received a sound mind, gave thanks to God and His saint.
Many other miracles, through the prayers of the Monk Theodore, took place at his tomb for the glory of the One God in the Trinity; to Him be honor and worship from us, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion, tone 8:
Teacher of Orthodoxy, piety to the teacher and purity, lamp of the universe, God-inspired fertilizer for the monastics, Theodore the Wise, with your teachings you have enlightened everything: the spiritual priesthood, pray to Christ God, to save our souls.
Kontakion, voice 2:
You made clear your life of fasting and equal to the angels through your suffering and deeds, and as an angel, the most blessed of God, you appeared to Theodora: with them, praying to God Khruits, do not stop for all of us.
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1 Photin, father of St. Theodore Studite, was a collector of royal taxes.
2 Constantine V Copronymus, Byzantine iconoclast emperor, reigned from 741 to 775.
3 Leo IV of the Khazar reigned from 775 to 780.
4 St. Irina, the wife of Leo the Khazar, ruled the state after his death, during the early childhood of her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, from 780 to 797 and then after him independently until 802.
5 "Irini" - from Greek. means "peace".
6 St. Tarasius - Patriarch of Constantinople from 784 to 806. His memory is February 25th.
7 Second Nicene.
8 Nicaea (now Isnik) - on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor, on the shore of Lake Askaniev, in ancient times a rich and flourishing city of Bithynia, now very poor and sparsely populated. The VII Ecumenical Council took place under the chairmanship of Tarasius himself. The remembrance of the VII Ecumenical Council takes place on October 11th.
9 Olympus is a mountain in Mysia on the Phrygian-Bithynian border in Asia Minor. Here was a monastery famous for the asceticism of its inhabitants, called “Symbols,” where the venerable ascetic labored. Plato the Confessor. His memory is celebrated on April 5th.
10 Like the reverend himself. Theodore mentions this in one of his writings; he was previously married, but at the age of 22 he devoted himself to monastic life, as did his wife Anna.
11 Sakoudion - later a famous monastery, not far from the Bithynian Mount Olympus.
12 The monastic monastery was founded by Ven. Plato in 782.
14 St. Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, the greatest father of the Church, who left numerous and most remarkable works, as a preacher, as an interpreter of Scripture and
Christian dogmas and an apologist for Orthodox teaching against heretics, as a teacher of morality and piety and, finally, as an organizer of church services and blogging. 379 His memory is on January 1 and together with St. Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom - January 30th.
15 St. Basil the Great was himself a strict ascetic and zealot of monastic asceticism. He studied the godly life of Christian ascetics in Egypt and other countries that flourished in monasticism, and then he himself founded the Pontic monastery in the desert, which became a model for other monasteries. Subsequently, he drew up a monastic charter, the so-called. "Major and small monastic rules" to guide monastic life, adopted and spread in the east as regulations for monastic monasteries.
16 This was in 794.
18 The first wife of Constantine was Maria, the grandson of rights. Philareta the Merciful, princess from the city of Amnia (in the northeast of Asia Minor), Armenian tribe; Konstantin entered into marriage with her at the behest of his mother. The emperor's second marriage to Theodotia, who had been a court lady until that time, took place in 795.
19 The position of the “Great Economy,” that is, of the “Church” of Constantinople, was one of the most significant positions under the Patriarch of Constantinople; “The steward of the great Church” was in charge of the entire patriarchal treasury and had great influence on church affairs.
20 Bosporus - Strait of Constantinople, between the Black and Marmara seas. The Goths lived at that time along the Lower Danube.
21 This was in 796. - Thessaloniki or Thessalonica - very significant ancient city Macedonia lay in the depths of the large Thessalonica or Thermaean Gulf near the Aegean Sea (Archipelago). Currently, this city, under the name of Thessaloniki, has a very large population.
22 That is, they lived on the Crimean or Tauride Peninsula (in its western and eastern parts), where at that time there were many Greek colonies founded in ancient times.
23 The Pope at that time was St. Leo III (796-816).
25 Hagarians, that is, Muslim Arabs, who were called so by the name of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, from whom the Arab tribe originated. The Arabs at that time, taking advantage of the frequent unrest at the Byzantine court, made devastating raids on the borders of the Byzantine Empire.
26 In the Roman and Eastern Byzantine Empire, patricians were people of the upper class, corresponding to our noble nobility. Proconsuls were the emperor's governors in the provinces and regions.
27 The Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones was founded in the 5th century in Constantinople by Ven. Alexander - 430), after whose death the monks of this monastery moved to Bithynia, the northwestern region of Asia Minor, where they founded their monastery and from where they subsequently returned to Constantinople. The monks of these monasteries were called “unsleepless” because the liturgy was performed in them continuously, for a whole day.
28 Rev. Theodore the Studite was installed as abbot of the Studite monastery in 798; after the name of this monastery, it remained known under the name “Studita”.
29 Holy Prophet Moses the Seer of God, for better leadership and monitoring the people of Israel, he chose capable assistants who judged the people at all times, reporting every important matter to him, and deciding small matters themselves (Exodus ch. 18, vv. 19-27). Rev. did the same. Theodore Studit for better observation of monks.
30 Ecclesiarch - from Greek. the head of the temple was obliged to monitor the church building and the cleanliness in it, as well as the order of worship in the monastery, according to the instructions of the church charter.
31 Currently, the following works by the Rev. are known from the lists. Theodore, concerning the charter and order of the church: “Depiction of the decree of the Studieva monastery,” penance for all the brethren and the definition of the raw waste week. The Studite Rule differs from other monastic rules, including the Jerusalem Rule, by the rules of monastic life rather than by the liturgical rules. But at the same time, the church charter is obliged to Rev. Theodore and a significant addition concerning the composition and roundness of church services. The service according to the Studio Rule was somewhat shorter and not as solemn as according to the Jerusalem Rule. Later, at the end of the 11th century, it was introduced into the leadership of the Russian Church and remained in it until the middle of the 14th century, when it began to give way to Jerusalem, but in some places it remained in force much longer, and in some Russian monasteries it operated even until recently.
32 In addition to the charter, Rev. Theodore the Studite wrote many other works, the main direction of which is the edification of the soul for salvation. Rev. Feosterictus, one of the teachers close to Theodore in time
Church, called him “a fiery teacher of the Church.” The monk wrote words, announcements, letters to various persons, epigrams, and biographies. His dogmatic works include: a dogmatic book on icons against the iconoclasts, seven chapters against them, and many of the letters depicting the history of iconoclasm. Then the works of the monk contain an exhortation to lead a Christian life, from which works two catechisms are known, a large one of 264 instructions and a small one of 134. The monk himself pronounced these instructions and admonitions to the brethren, adapting each to the day. In addition, from Rev. Theodora remained: a book with words of praise for the Lord's holidays, for the celebration of the Mother of God, John the Baptist and the Apostles, several chapters about the ascetic life, epigrams and iambic verses, which were written: a book about the creation and fall of Adam, the fratricide of Cain, about Enoch, Noah and his children, and the hymn of St. John the Baptist. This is followed by canons and tripartites with stichera, included in the Lenten Triodion (on Saturday meat-eating about the Last Judgment of Christ, on Saturday of cheese week for all fathers, on the third week of Lent, St. Cross, three songs with stichera for all days, with the exception of Holy Week, four songs for the 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks of Great Lent, etc.), a touching canon to the Lord Jesus “for singing in the night.”
33 Nikephoros I reigned from 802-811. During the reign of Irina, he was the custodian of the state treasury.
34 Successor to St. Tarasia, St. Nikephoros I (Confessor) ruled the patriarchal department from 806 - 815. D. in 826. His memory is on June 2 and March 13 (discovery of relics).
35 This was in the year 809.
36 Thrace - a region of the Byzantine Empire, in the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula.
38 Michael I Rangav, brother-in-law of Stavrikiy, reigned from 811 to 813.
At the Byzantine court, the chiefs of the palace guard were called cyropalates.
39 Rev. Plato (d. 814)
40 Abgar, the prince of Edessa, a city lying on one of the left tributaries of the upper Euphrates, according to legend, even during the life of the Savior, having heard about His miracles, sent a message to Him with a request to come and heal from illness. The Savior sent to Him an ubrus (towel) with an image of His Face; Having touched the ubrus, Avgar was incinerated. This is how the image of the Savior not made by hands appeared, which was subsequently transferred from Edessa to Constantinople on August 16, 944.
41 St. Patriarch Nicephorus the Confessor was exiled on March 1 to the island of Proconis (present-day Marmara on the Sea of Marmara); in his place, one of the court officials, Theodotus, an iconoclast, was elevated to the patriarchal throne.
42 Troparion to the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.
43 Apollonia is a common name for ancient cities. Here, of course, is an ancient city in Illyria, known as one of the prominent centers of Roman learning. Metope- Apollonia fortress.
44 Vonita, or Bonit - in Anatolia, otherwise Asia Minor.
45 That is present temporary sufferings mean nothing in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us in the future life.
46 St. Paschal, who was Pope from 817-824.
47 To the Patriarch of Jerusalem Thomas I (d. after 820).
48 to Patriarch Christopher of Alexandria (805-836).
49 By Asia we mean Asia Minor, or more precisely, the western part of it.
50 Rev. Nicholas the Confessor, later abbot of Studiya, 868. His memory is on February 4th.
51 This was in 819. Smyrna is an ancient famous trading city on the western coast of Asia Minor; We are currently one of the most prosperous cities. Asia Minor, with a population of over 120,000 inhabitants.
52 Rev. Thaddeus the confessor, disciple and servant of St. Theodore the Studite, 818. His memory is celebrated on December 29th.
53 Michael II Travlius or Valvos, that is, the tongue-in-cheek, reigned from 820-829.
54 Chalcedon is the main city of Bithynia, on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor, at the southern end of the Strait of Constantinople, opposite Constantinople. Chalcedon is known in the history of the Church for the fact that the IV Ecumenical Council took place there (451).
55 The title “master” meant at the Byzantine imperial court one of the highest court positions, with which was associated a title higher than patricia.
56 This area was located near Constantinople.
57 In December 821, the impostor Thomas, who called himself the son of Emperor Constantine VI and, by the end of the reign of Leo the Armenian, had proclaimed himself emperor in Asia Minor, approached Constantinople. Fearing that the Orthodox might come over to his side, Michael the Tongue-Tie promised to convene a council to reconcile them with the persecutors of St. icons On this occasion, Theodore the Studite appeared in Constantinople. But the council did not take place, since the impostor was killed by his own accomplices, and the danger for the emperor had passed.
58 Akritus is a cape in Bithynia, near Nicomedia, opposite Constantinople.
On the site where the church is now located, in 1624-1626. Patriarch Filaret (Romanov) founded the Feodorovsky Smolensky Bogoroditsky Monastery. The monastery was a hospital and home for the Patriarch. At this time, a temple and a bell tower were built, one of the first bell towers in Moscow.
In 1709, the monastery was abolished, the monks were transferred to the Novinsky Monastery, and the church became a parish church. The famous commander A.V. Suvorov was a parishioner of the temple. His relatives were buried at the temple.
The temple was closed after 1917. The bell tower was broken in the 1930s. Restoration of the temple began in 1984, it was planned to open a Suvorov museum in it.
Divine services were resumed in 1992, the bell tower was restored. The shrine of the temple is the image of St. Theodore the Studite.
The main altar is consecrated in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, the right side chapel is in honor of the Venerable Theodore the Studite Confessor, the left side is in the name of Averky, Bishop of Hierapolis.
Many Muscovites and guests of the capital know the Church of the Great Ascension of the Lord at the Nikitsky Gate, because A.S. Pushkin got married there. But, alas, not many people notice the temple of St. St. standing modestly opposite, immersed in the greenery of ash and maple trees. Theodore Studite (Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God) on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, 29. The church and bell tower were built in 1624-1626. Fyodor Nikitich Romanov, future Patriarch Filaret. The shrines of the temple are the icon of St. Theodore the Studite and the “Peschanskaya” icon of the Mother of God.
For Moscow and for all of Russia, the November feast of St. Theodore the Studite turned out to be a special day. In the XV-XVI centuries, in the place where the church in the name of St. Theodore the Studite now stands, the main road from the Kremlin to Veliky Novgorod passed. It became “Bolshaya Nikitskaya” later, when the father of Patriarch Filaret, boyar Nikita Zakharyin-Yuryev, founded the Nikitsky Monastery here at the end of the century. The Feodorovskaya Church appeared here much earlier. On the day of memory of the Monk Theodore the Studite, the famous flight of Khan Akhmat from the Ugra River and the fall of Tatar-Mongol yoke. Then, at the end of the 15th century, a memorial chapel was built on this site in honor of Theodore the Studite and the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. And soon, in memory of the deliverance from Khan Akhmat on the Ugra, Grand Duke Ivan III founded the Smolensk convent here. It is possible that at the same time the first Theodore Church appeared, which at first was the cathedral church of this monastery. At least, the chronicle mentions it already in the description of the Moscow fire of 1547. The main altar of the church was consecrated in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, and the chapel in the name of Theodore the Studite. Another version says that Patriarch Filaret built this church from an ancient chapel. It is possible that the former (monastery) church had burned down or was badly damaged by that time. It is additionally known that, according to the Smolensk icon, both the monastery founded by Ivan III and, later, the nearest gate of the White City (the future Nikitsky) were called Smolensky.
In 1619, Theodore Nikitich Romanov, the future Patriarch Filaret, was greeted at these gates from Polish captivity. Apparently, the clergy met him here, since the father’s meeting with the royal son took place earlier, at Presnensky Ponds. In gratitude for his deliverance from captivity, Patriarch Filaret, according to his vow, equipped the Smolensk Monastery. It became male and was renamed Feodorovsky - in honor of the holy patron of the Patriarch, Theodore the Studite. The monastery, for which a vast territory was allocated by royal decree, was intended for the patriarchal servants.
In 1624-1626, Filaret built a new Theodore Church here, which became the cathedral church of the monastery. It is possible that it was actually rebuilt from a chapel that had survived until that time and was dedicated to the heavenly patron of Patriarch Philaret. The temple was considered the patriarchal house, like the “official” Church of the Deposition of the Robe in the Kremlin. In the new monastery at the Nikitsky Gate, with the support of the patriarch, one of the first hospitals in the city for the poor was established.
In 1709, after the actual abolition of the patriarchate, the monastery was abolished, and the monks were transferred to the Novinsky monastery. And since 1712, the Feodorovskaya Church became an ordinary parish church. In the subsequent history of Moscow, it became famous for being the parish church of A.V. Suvorov, who lived in his house on B. Nikitskaya, 42, which is why the nearby Nikitsky Boulevard until recently bore the name of Suvorov.
The Church of Theodore the Studite was closed in 1927 (1929) and a scientific institution was placed in it. The beautiful white stone bell tower, once the second oldest of the tent-type bell towers in Moscow, was barbarically demolished and today all that remains of it is a basement in the form of a tent with a pointed roof. And the church itself was also subject to demolition, since the elite Nikitsky Gate square was to be built up multi-storey buildings. But the demolition did not happen. The dilapidated church, disfigured by additions and reconstructions, began to be restored in 1984; it was supposed to open a Suvorov museum here, but instead the temple was consecrated again.
Divine services have been held here since 1991. And a memorial plaque on the walls of the temple says that its parishioner was Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.
Information from the temple website http://www.feodorstudit.ru/
Theodore the Studite, venerable, church at the Nikitsky Gate (Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, house No. 29).
Initially, this temple was a monastery cathedral in a monastery founded by vow of Patriarch Philaret, and was under the patronage of the royal house. In 1619, Patriarch Filaret, the father of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, returned from Polish captivity. On June 14, 1619, he entered Moscow. The meeting with his son took place on Presnya, outside the city walls, then he walked along Nikitskaya Street, and the clergy met the patriarch procession at the walls of the White City outside the Nikitsky Gate. These circumstances were probably the reason for the founding of the monastery here. The Patriarch vowed to build a monastery in memory of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, since he was imprisoned in Smolensk for a long time. The new church was consecrated on February 1, 1627: the main altar is in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, the chapel is in the name of St. Theodore the Studite, located in the refectory. The new monastery was more often called Feodorovsky after its chapel.
According to the forms obtained after restoration in the 1990s, the temple and bell tower look like churches built in the mid-17th century. Architectural forms and the details indicate the desire to make a monastery church in the middle of the 17th century. similar to the type of monastery churches that developed in the 16th century: a five-domed cathedral with a separate bell tower. A second chapel was made in the refectory, symmetrical to the chapel of St. Theodore the Studite, Saint Averky of Hierapolis, whose memory is celebrated on October 22 (November 4) - the day of the capture of Kitay-Gorod by the Second Militia. Work on decorating the interior was carried out by patriarchal craftsmen, including Nazariy Istomin, who painted images and made the Royal Doors for the main iconostasis. The bell tower, the foundation of which possibly dates back to 1626-1627, was apparently also rebuilt in its upper part.
In 1709, the monastery was abolished, the brethren were transferred to the neighboring Novinsky monastery, and the church became a parish. Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov lived in her parish, and in 1720 his son Alexander, the future great commander, was baptized in this church. His parents were buried near the altar of the temple, and the plaque from their tombstone was preserved in the 19th century. Feodorovskaya Church was damaged during the fire of 1812 and was radically remodeled. The quadrangle of the temple was covered with a large spherical dome, from which one dome on a thin drum protruded in the center. The altar was rebuilt into one large apse, the spherical vault of which was in harmony with the dome. The refectory vaults were replaced with a flat ceiling. Inside, the passage from the refectory to the central part of the temple was widened and decorated with two Ionic columns. The temple received an empire design, typical of the 1820s. In 1865-1873. The altars of the chapels from the refectory are moved to the east, in line with the main altar.
The temple was closed in the 1920s. In 1929, the hipped bell tower was broken, of which only the lower tier remained. The church was damaged by bomb fragments in Velikaya Patriotic War. In the 1950-1980s. The church building was occupied by various institutions. The public proposed to make a museum of A.V. in the temple. Suvorov.
Restoration began in the late 1980s. By 1990, five chapters had been erected, and restoration of the bell tower began. In 1993, the temple was consecrated. It contains a miraculous copy of the Peschanskaya Icon of the Mother of God, glorified in the city of Izium. In the iconostasis of the northern chapel there is kept an icon of St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea, with particles of his relics. In 2000, one of the parishioners donated to the church an icon of the Savior, which was kept in his house and saved in the 1930s. his grandmother during the destruction of the church of Theodore the Studite. This small image is the only thing left of the old decoration. The temple is named after the chapel, the main altar is the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.
Mikhail Vostryshev "Orthodox Moscow. All churches and chapels."
http://rutlib.com/book/21735/p/17
Rules of conduct during the reign of heresy, extracted from the works of the Venerable Abbot and Great Confessor
Theodora Studita
Preface
The Venerable Abbot Theodore the Studite, the greatest confessor of Christ, lived and labored for the glory of God more than a thousand years ago (759-826) during the reign and persecution of two heresies, of which the last, iconoclastic, condemned by the VII Ecumenical Council (787), was distinguished by its exceptional ferocity and persecution of Orthodoxy. The Monk Theodore was one of the most prominent and indestructible fighters against this heresy, for which reason he was subjected to constant persecution, prison and exile, with repeated bloody torment.
Remaining an unshakable defender of the true Orthodox faith and the Church, he sent out his famous letters (and other works) everywhere, in which he not only refuted the harmful false teachings and affirmed Orthodoxy, but also tirelessly set out and enforced the rules of conduct, in order to protect the true Church of Christ, adopted in secret councils of confessors and martyrs of that time. These rules and instructions are of exceptional importance for our dire situation in the conditions of recent times, under the dominance of the current Antichrist heresy, the most cruel and insidious. Only under the condition of the most careful observance of these strict patristic and confessional rules is it possible to protect and preserve the true Church of Christ in the last times, the times of the heresy of “the man of sin, the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3).
Relics of saints.
In connection with the question of churches occupied by heretics, there is a similar question about the veneration of the relics of the holy saints of God when they are in the possession of heretics. The answer to this question is negative. 2)
2) As can be seen from the answer of Rev. Theodora, it is not forbidden to enter to venerate the relics, as the schema erroneously explains. Epiphanius, but it is forbidden to pray in a tomb with heretics. Consequently, in the absence of heretics, worship and prayer before St. the relics of the saint of God.
On this occasion, the Monk Theodore the Studite writes:
“About the relics of saints: is it possible to enter their tombs and pray and venerate them if they are occupied by wicked priests? – The rule does not allow, for the reasons stated above, to enter such tombs; for it is written: “My freedom is judged by another conscience” (1 Cor. 10:29); Is it possible to enter out of necessity, only to venerate the remains of a saint” (Ibid., letter 216).
Commemoration of those who died in heresy. If someone died in communion with heresy, then it is impossible to remember him in prayer.
Saint Theodore the Studite writes about this:
“About the same subject that you mentioned, i.e., about the commemoration of such and such, you should know for yourself that if someone who previously had communication with heresy out of human fear repents at death, accepting, for example, penance from someone Somehow, having entered into communion with the Orthodox and in this state dies, it is natural to place him in the memorials of the Orthodox, since our good God, out of love for mankind, accepts the repentant even at the very last hour, and judges him there. Therefore, if this was the case, then it is not forbidden to celebrate the liturgy on it before God. If there was nothing of the kind, but, being in communion with heresy, he did not have time to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord - the same bread is heretical and is not the Body of Christ - then one cannot dare to say that it is possible to hold a meeting on it, that is, to serve the liturgy - for the divine cannot be turned into a joke - so that the one praying for it does not hear: you ask and do not receive, you ask evilly (James 4:3). I have nothing else to say, as far as I can understand the truth. What fellowship is there between light and darkness (2 Cor. 6:14)? One who has not had communion with Orthodoxy, at least in the last hour, cannot be placed among the Orthodox. For where he is caught, there he will be judged, and with what parting words he departed into eternal life, so will he be reckoned with” (Ibid., part 2, letter 198. To Dorotheus his son, p. 596).
In another letter, devoted to the consideration of several issues, the Reverend Father writes:
“Question 1. Regarding the presbyter, deacon, reader, who adhere to the Orthodox way of thinking, but had communication with heretics out of human fear: is it possible to make a divine offering for them, or an all-night vigil, or a prayer? Answer: – If they remained in communication with heretics until their death, then no; and if at the exodus they repented and confessed that they were forced by fear, and, thirdly, if they partook of the Orthodox Holy Mysteries, then it is permissible to do the above about them.”
“Question 2. About monks and nuns who similarly died in communion with heretics? Answer: – Let the above answer be observed in relation to such people: equally as in relation to the laity, men, women and children. This is said about the dead” (Ibid., part 3, letter 220. Resolution of various issues, pp. 630-634).
“Question 18. About my father: should he be remembered at the liturgy? – Answer: Even if it were a father, even a mother, even a brother, even someone else, convicted of communion with heresy to the point of death, he, as stated in the previous chapter, should not be commemorated at the liturgy; But unless everyone in his soul can pray for such people and do alms for them. For how can someone who during his lifetime had communion with heretics and was buried in such a state be included in the commemoration of the Orthodox priesthood? No way!” (Ibid.).
So, the general rule is this: there can be no church commemoration of those who died in communion with heresy.
The sacraments of heretics, performed and communicated by heretics, are invalid. These “sacraments” do not sanctify, but defile the soul and body.
The priesthood is heretical. Whoever accepts the priesthood from heretics does not have rank.
The Monk Theodore the Studite writes about this to the monk Naucratius:
“You answered well to the presbyter and abbot that those who are now ordained by a bishop who turned out to be a heretic, although he said that the council was bad and we perished, were excommunicated from the priesthood. For why, recognizing this, does not he flee destruction, turning away from heresy in order to be a bishop of God?... And since he is in heresy, remembering a heretic, then, even if he said that he contains a sound way of thinking, it is impossible that those ordained by him were true servants of God” (Ibid., part 1, letter 40. To Naucrates the son, p. 288).
And elsewhere he writes:
“Don’t you know what the same father (Basily the Great) says in another letter? “I do not recognize as a bishop and will not rank among the priests of Christ the one who with defiled hands, to the ruin of the faith, was elevated to chief” (Letter of Basil the Great 232). Such are now those who, not out of ignorance, but out of love of power, invade the episcopal thrones, voluntarily giving out the truth and in return receiving the presidency of wickedness” (Ibid., part 2, letter 11. To Naucratius the son, p. 343).
And finally, the answer to the monk Methodius:
“If a bishop who has fallen into crime is deposed by the council, and then, after the deposition, ordains a presbyter, and this presbyter, having arrived at the monastery, accepts penance from his abbot for a while, and after that begins to officiate, then we want to know whether it is possible to accept such a priest if he is not guilty? – Answer: Since there is obvious absurdity here, you should not even ask about such a crime. For Christ said: “An evil tree cannot produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). Therefore, even if such a person has accepted penance from any saint, and not just from his abbot, he is not allowed to serve in the priesthood. He is not a priest, and the one who allowed it is not a saint; for in this way all canonical decrees will be overthrown and disappear” (Ibid., part 3, letter 216. To Methodius the monk, pp. 622-626).
The conclusion is clear: - if in the heresy about which St. Theodore the Studite speaks there is no true priesthood, then even more so there is not and cannot be in the now dominant heresy of Antichrist!
Heresy is now dominant.
The Holy Confessor of Christ says:
“In general, heresies are like some chain woven by a demon: they hold on to one another and depend on one head - wickedness and atheism, although they differ in name, time, place, quantity, quality, strength and activity” (Ibid., part 1, letter 40. To Naucratius son, page 286).
“Real heresy is, in any case, a renunciation of Christ” (Ibid., part 3, letter 213, p. 777).
“This is the gravest heresy!” (Ibid., part 1, letter 48, p. 296).
“This is not a simple heresy, but a heresy of renunciation of Christ” (Ibid., part 3, letter 213, p. 777).
And therefore: “They are not the Church of the Lord... This is not the Church of God!” (Ibid., part 1, letter 43. To brother Joseph and the archbishop, p. 293).
If the venerable abbot and confessor of Christ talks in this way about the two contemporary heresies, adulterous and iconoclastic, then what can we say about the modern one, in the most precise sense - theomachic, antichrist?!
Forms of communication with heresy
Relaxation of penance.
Is it possible to make an exception to the rules of penance? This question is repeatedly raised by the Monk Theodore the Studite.
“He who has had fellowship against Christ, how can he have fellowship with Christ? – Answer: Permission for excommunication from priesthood depends on conciliar compliance. He who decides to fight again after a fall, let him be deprived of the place (position) he occupied; otherwise how will the renunciation he made become known to himself and to others? I cannot make any concessions, especially if his return to the fight was not marked by some excellent deed, as was the case with the Bishop of Laodicea. For even this I would not advise to perform sacred acts, but perhaps to enter into communion for the sake of his celebrity... However, since both strengthening and weakening depends on the person imposing the penance - I speak in relation to communication, and not to sacred rites - then; if, due to the incomprehensible fate of God’s righteous wrath, the times of heresy continue, it is possible even before the council to resolve in the Lord, (depending on) whether this person has fallen hard or lightly and what kind of repentance it has, both for ours and for those outside, and also to eat food with them there is no need to hinder, but so that they do not bless until permission. This is what appeared to me regarding such people in the fear of God and in truth.” (Ibid., part 2, letter 11. To Naucrates son, p. 344).
And if some kind of relief is possible for a priest, if he is under prohibition, then under what conditions and in what way is it expressed? – Answer: “We, by no means, say one thing today and another tomorrow; but our same speech is constant. Which? - It is not permissible for a presbyter, convicted of communicating with heretics, especially if he has signed up, to perform priestly duties until the time of the Orthodox Council, at which such matters will be considered and discussed, and is it possible in case of extreme need: to baptize, carry out the dead, teach the robe to a monk, consecrate the Epiphany water, read the Gospel at Matins and teach the Holy Mysteries, already performed by the innocent presbyter; and this, as I said, in case of extreme need; for it is not permissible for him to do what is said, if there is a priest who does not have fellowship with heretics.” (Ibid., part 2, letter 204. To Abbess Irina, pp. 607-608).
“But it should not be raised (returned) to the same degree from which it was brought down (thrown out) until the appropriate time (before the council), so that this type of crime would be more severely punished and it would first become known which method of healing is satisfactory.” (There) same, part 2, letter 212. To Euthymius, Bishop of Sardia, p. 618).
There is nothing to add to what has been said - everything is extremely clear. The main rule boils down to the fact that a clergyman who, in one way or another, has entered into communication with heretics and the prevailing heresy or has given a subscription, is prohibited from serving in the priesthood until the council condemns the heresy and examines the behavior of each pastor.
Conclusion
Rules of conduct were suggested above Orthodox Christian during the reign of the God-fighting heresy, extracted from the work of the greatest confessor of the faith of Christ - the Venerable Abbot Theodore the Studite. These rules are very strict, but also very close to us, to our glaring spiritual needs. For these rules were created, or rather, inspired by those who hold back the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:7) by the Holy Spirit, as a means of necessary protection against the danger of the true faith and the Church being swallowed up by the God-fighting heresy.
The rules are strict, but they are the “common voice” of the ancient confessional and martyr Church, and therefore should be especially close to us, because they are the fruit of the blessed insight of the holy confessor that “present events turn out to be an introduction to the coming of the Antichrist.” These are the true words of the Venerable Theodore the Studite himself (Creations, volume 2, part 3, letter 42. Patricius, p. 662).
And if those events were “an introduction to the coming of the Antichrist,” then now we live in the conditions of his coming and his God-fighting rule. And if the strict strict rules of the Monk Theodore the Studite - and they were not only his rules, but also those of the entire struggling Church - were necessary then, then even more so are they necessary now, with the selection of the strictest solutions from these rules, for evil has reached incredible development .
RULES OF THE REVEREND THEODOR STUDITE
Venerable Theodore the Studite.
Creations. Volume 1: Moral and ascetic creations
Preface to the first volume of the Works of St. Theodore the Studite
Readers of the series “Complete collection of the works of the holy fathers of the Church and church writers in Russian translation” are invited to the first volume of the Works of St. Theodore the Studite (the fifth volume of the series), containing The creations are moral and ascetic. These works of St. Theodore the Studite (759–826) were published after two volumes of the Works of St. Basil the Great (IV century). And we did not choose this order by chance. With a visible “chronological leap” of four centuries, spiritual and practical continuity is preserved - both between the activities of the holy fathers themselves and between the eras in which they lived. Saint Basil did a lot for the development of monasticism, while Saint Theodore the Studite returned Eastern Christian monasticism to the original principles of community life, that is, to the path set by Saint Basil the Great. Therefore, both Saint Basil and Saint Theodore are called legislators for monks 1
Cm.: Sidorov A. I. Saint Basil the Great. Life, church service and creations // St. Basil the Great. Creations. M., 2008. T. 1. P. 38. Compare: Rev. Theodore “becomes a legislator, setting out for the monks the God-given commandments that he received from God” (Venerable Theodore the Studite. Life 2, 21 // Venerable Theodore the Studite. Works: In 3 volumes. T. 1. M.: Siberian Blagozvonnitsa, 2010. (Complete collection of the works of the holy fathers of the Church and church writers in Russian translation; vol. 5, 6, 7). P. 184 (hereinafter referred to as Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations).
The Monk Theodore was an ardent admirer and thoughtful reader of the works of St. Basil 2
Cm.: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Life 1, 13 // Ibid. P. 117.
He tried to implement their provisions in the practical life of his monasteries. In total - according to J. Leroy's calculations - St. Theodore mentions St. Basil in his works 78 times 3
Thus, in Book I of the “Great Announcements” there are 6 times quotes and allusions from the “Long Rules” and the Prologue to them, “The Words of the Ascetic”, Conversations on Words "Take heed to yourself." Book II contains 13 quotations and allusions from St. Vasily: from the Long, Short, Moral Rules and “Monastic Rules”. Book III is poor in references to St. Vasily. There is only an unidentified quotation here, as well as a reference to the “Penances” of St. Vasily. Cm.: Leroy J. L"influence de saint Basile sur la re?forme studite d"apre?s les Cate?che?ses // Ire?nicon. T. 52. 1979. Monaste?re de Chvetogne, Belgique. P. 491–498.
Of these, 39 times in letters, 32 times in 395 catechumens, 3 times in “Antirretics,” 1 time in “Refutation of Evil Poems,” 1 time in the Funeral Homily to Plato, 1 time in epigrams and 1 time in “Testament.”
Cm.: Sokolov I. I. Venerable Theodore the Studite, his church-social and theological-literary activities. Historical sketch // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 73.
As can be seen from the literature about St. Theodore, he became a generally recognized authority of Byzantine monasticism of his era: St. “Theodore in the 9th century. was... an example of strict monastic life... His influence on the historical paths of monasticism turned out to be equally significant. Having endured the severe persecution of the iconoclastic period, Byzantine monasticism acquired the glory of martyrdom, and in Orthodox circles its authority was often much higher than the authority of the wavering clergy.” 5
Prot. John Meyendorff. Byzantine theology. Minsk, 2001. P. 80.
Orthodox monasticism of that time, in addition to carrying out its usual ascetic service, actively fought, as in previous eras of trinitarian and Christological disputes, for acrivia in the field of dogma and moral and canonical discipline in the Church and society 6
According to the Russian Church historian, “monks were very important in the religious life of Byzantium. They were zealous guardians of the Orthodox faith, strong defenders of church teaching. Their principle was strict adherence to Christian dogmas (? ???????? ??? ????????)…
and church canons (? ???????? ??? ???????)…
Because of this, the monks protested equally sharply against the violation of church rules, no matter who it came from, from kings or subjects.” (Sokolov I.I. The state of monasticism in the Byzantine Church from the middle of the 9th to the beginning of the 13th century (842-1204). St. Petersburg, 2003. P. 397).
The Monk Theodore himself suppressed as much as he could the desire of some Byzantine emperors to subjugate the Church, defended the traditional idea of \u200b\u200bthe “symphony,” which presupposes independence and harmonious coexistence of ecclesiastical and secular authorities. It is therefore not surprising that, due to his fundamentally strict position, the holy father was expelled from his monasteries three times: in 796–797, in 809–811 and in 815–820; in total he spent at least ten years in exile. However, such a stormy and turbulent life did not prevent St. Theodore from becoming a major reformer of contemporary Byzantine monasticism and a prolific ascetic author.
At the invitation of Empress Irina in 799, the Monks Theodore and Plato, together with a significant part of the brethren of the Sakkudion monastery, settled in the Studite monastery in Constantinople, which was half-abandoned by that time. With their appearance, the monastery became an important center of monastic life in the capital. 7
3 Here, in particular, lived St. Simeon the Reverent - teacher Rev. Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022), as well as Simeon the New Theologian himself, though not for long.
The German publisher of the letters of St. Theodore, Georgios Fatouros, rightly calls the first ten years of the studio period “the most productive and happiest years of his life.” 8
Quote By: Kazhdan A.P. History of Byzantine literature (650–850). St. Petersburg, 2002. P. 308.
The Monk Theodore died on November 11/24, 826 on the island of Prinkipo in the Sea of Marmara, where he was buried. After the death of Emperor Theophilus in 843 and the end of the iconoclastic persecution, the relics of St. Theodore were solemnly transferred on January 26 / February 8, 845 to the Studian monastery of Constantinople and placed in the tomb of his uncle, St. Plato, along with the relics of his brother, St. Joseph, Archbishop of Thessalonica. Since then, on this day the Church has celebrated the transfer of the venerable relics of St. Theodore, as well as the memory of his brother, Archbishop Joseph (died in 830). After the death of St. Theodore, the Studite monastery still had a long and rich history of its existence. 9
Cm.: Mansvetov I. Studiysky monastery and its church and service rules // TSORP. Book 3. M., 1884. According to another author, “throughout its entire existence, from the time of its founding to the fall of Constantinople, it enjoyed extraordinary fame and benefits for the great services rendered by its truly “unsleepless” and fearless monks both to the state and and the Church in particular. The Studite monastery was usually called “the famous and glorious school of virtue”” (Studio monastery in the name of St. John the Baptist (now “Emir-Akhor”) in Constantinople. Odessa: ed. hieromon. Anthony in favor of the Russian Elias monastery on Athos, 1886. With 6–7).
In 1204, during the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders, the monastery was badly damaged, and after the capture of the city by the Turks in 1453, the monastery was turned into a stable for one of the Turkish military leaders and was abandoned; Since the 18th century, a Muslim “monastery” of dervishes – wandering pilgrims – has been established in it. In 1909, with the permission of the Turkish authorities, archaeologists from the Russian Archaeological Institute in Constantinople, under the leadership of Byzantine scholar F.I. Uspensky, carried out excavations here, since “back in the middle of the 19th century. A. N. Muravyov drew attention to the fact that near the wall of the right nave of the basilica “there is an unknown tomb, perhaps of one of the great Studites or a renovator of Caesar.” The same author further noted that in the Studite Basilica there is “another vast marble slab, with two sculptured crosses, which is now leaning against the wall inside the mosque and, as the dervishes told us, was taken out from the middle of the church platform when they built a raised floor on top for their mad dances. Seven tombs were covered with this board." Having asked the question: “Who are these immortal departed ones, over whom the frantic foot of the dervishes now dances inside the former temple of the Forerunner, as the frantic Herodias once danced for its head?” – A. N. Muravyov made a bold assumption, expressing the idea that “blessed Theodore himself, or Joseph the hymn-writer, or Patrick Studius” may be buried here. A few decades later, A.N. Muravyov’s guess was brilliantly confirmed. In 1909, during excavations carried out by employees of the institute in the eastern part of the right nave of the basilica, marble tombs of the abbots of the Studite monastery were discovered, and in the tombs - the remains of abbots dressed in black monastic robes; Among them were the relics of St. Theodore the Studite. A crypt was also found in which the bones of ordinary inhabitants of the monastery were stored.” 10
Archim. Augustine (Nikitin). Studite Monastery and Ancient Rus'// Alpha and Omega. No. 2 (55) 2009. pp. 373–374.
The uniqueness of St. Theodore is revealed in the versatility of his talents and activities. The holy father’s ecclesiastical and literary talent was manifested, in particular, in the creation of many works, including the “Acts” - “Great” (three books or parts) and “Small”. The existence of these works is already reported to us by the ancient Life of the 9th century. 11
Cm.: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Life 1, 37; 2, 23 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 130, 185. Some of the catechumens “already had an inscription about the day of utterance, and the rest were classified, entitled with words taken from their teachings, and combined into one book of small teachings and three books of large teachings; this work was done by the same person... (Naucratius or Nicholas the Studite [disciples of St. Theodore])” (Ishchenko D.S. Catechetical teachings of Theodore the Studite in Byzantium and among the Slavs // Byzantine temporary book. M., 1979. T. 40. P. 161).
In modern pathological science, the prevailing opinion is that the “Small Announcement” was created after the third book of the “Great Announcement”, that is, in 815–820 12
Cm.: Theodore Studite. Les Grandes Catecheses. Livre I. Traduction et notes par Florence de Montleau. Spiritualite Orientale. N. 79. Begrolles en Mauges, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as TSGC). R. 26.
Therefore, the editors considered it necessary to change the sequence of works adopted in the pre-revolutionary edition of “The Works of St. Theodore the Studite in Russian Translation” (In 2 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1906–1908. Hereinafter - TFS) and, guided by the chronological order, first offer readers three books ( part) of the “Great Announcement”. “The catechetical teachings of Theodore the Studite enjoyed wide fame and authority in Byzantium and beyond... This especially applies to the Small Catechism... The Large Catechism was less widespread... Greek copies of the Large Catechism are rare. Usually, the teachings of the “Large” and “Small Catechisms” are mixed in the manuscripts. Only in a few copies is the Large Catechism presented in its pure form. According to J. Leroy, the first book of the “Large Catechism”, containing 87 teachings, is known only in one list - in manuscript No. 111 from the library of the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist on Patmos (XI century); the second book, consisting of 124 teachings, exists in two lists - in the same Patmos manuscript, as well as in cod. Baroccianus No. 130 Bodleian Library (Oxford) (12th century); the third book, including 40 teachings, is represented by two copies - Patmos manuscript No. 112 (XI century) and manuscript No. E 101 sup. from the Ambrosian Library (Milan) (XII century). Thus, there is no Greek copy that covers all three books, and only the Patmos Manuscript No. 111 contains the first and second books together." 13
Ishchenko D. S. Catechetical teachings of Theodore the Studite in Byzantium and among the Slavs. P. 157.
At the time of publication of the TFS at the beginning of the 20th century, “of the three parts of this monument, only the second is known in print - in the edition of A. I. Papadopoulo-Keramevs... This publication formed the basis for the [pre-revolutionary] translation of the second part of the “Great Announcement.” As for the first part of the Great Catechism, from it [by that time] only some catechumens were published by J. Gozza-Luzi (Nova patrum bibliotheca. T. 9. Pars 2. T. 10. Roma, 1905), moreover without proper order and system and without a proper critical attitude. Under such conditions, the editors [TFS] considered it necessary to turn to the handwritten tradition of the monument. With the assistance of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Athos, the editors received at their disposal a copy of the first part of the “Great Announcement”, copied from the very [Patmos No. 111 of the 10th century] manuscript that A. I. Papadopoulo-Keramevs used when publishing the second part of this creation... The first part of the "Great Announcement" is preserved here in in full force(87 teachings), with the exception of the catechumen of the first, from which the manuscript contains only the end... But the editors managed to find the full text of this catechumen in the edition of Gozza-Luzi (NPB. T. 10. P. 110–113. Roma, 1905), made according to the Codex Paris., 891. Thus, in the edition [TFS] both the first and second parts of the “Great Announcement” are published in their entirety (87 + 124), in a possibly correct translation of their entire Greek text, and not in the form of extracts from announcements, as was done in the fourth volume of the Russian Philokalia (M., 1889)" 14
The works of St. Theodore the Studite in Russian translation. T. 1. St. Petersburg, 1907. P. VII.
In the paraphrase translation of St. Theophan the Recluse. Also in the pre-revolutionary edition of TFS, in the second volume, published in 1908, the third part of the “Great Announcement” was published. According to the publishers, “the translation of this part of the “Great Announcement”, not yet published in the original in its entirety and complete composition, was executed from the [Patmos No. 112] Greek manuscript codex... But since the Patmos Codex does not contain the entire composition of the “Great Announcement” , then the missing announcements of its third part were translated from their printed text published by Cozza-Luzi 15
Sancti Theodori Studitae sermones magnae catecheseos // Nova partum bibliotheca. T. 9/2. Roma, 1888. T. 10/1. Roma, 1905 (hereinafter referred to as NPB).
Moreover, in the margins of the Russian translation the corresponding pages of the Greek original are indicated. Finally, one catechumen (46th) was translated from a manuscript (XVII century) from the library of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos (No. DLXV).” 16
The works of St. Theodore the Studite in Russian translation. T. 2. St. Petersburg, 1908. P. III.
The pre-revolutionary text of the TFS translation was provided with numbering of the columns of Min’s “Patrology” and two other publications, according to which the translation of two Lives and three parts of the “Great Announcement” was made 17
Min's column numbers are given in square brackets: […]. The translation of the second part of the “Great Announcement” was provided with indications of page numbers (in TFS and our edition they are indicated in angle brackets<…>) according to the publication of A. I. Papadopoulo-Keramevs (St. Petersburg, 1906), which had 931 pages. However, the editors of our series, which did not have this edition, but had the 1904 edition, containing 410 pages (columns) of Greek text, had to indicate the pages for this edition as well (shown in parentheses (...)). In our edition, in the notes, parts of the “Great Announcement” are designated by a large Latin numeral (I, II, III, respectively) and then followed by the number of the announcement. In the cited work of I. I. Sokolov, in references to Part II of the “Great Announcement” the number of the announcement is not indicated, but the page number is given in angle brackets<…>according to the edition of Papadopoulo-Keramevs 1906. In Sokolov’s article, references to the “Great Announcement” are given with the pages of this volume indicated. References to the “Small Announcement” are given on the pages of the 1891 edition of the Greco-Latin text by Emmanuel Auvray, indicated in the 1st volume of the TFS. In the next, second volume of the works of St. Theodore they will also be reproduced. In references to letters from Rev. Theodore, the numbering is given according to the German edition of Georgios Fatouros, according to which the publication of the letters of St. Theodore in the third volume of his Works in our series.
The three parts of the “Great Announcement” are a collection of sermons delivered by St. Theodore 18
Unlike the “Small Announcement,” which is a shorthand of short sermons delivered without preparation, the “Great Announcement” is a prepared and written work (see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Life 2, 23 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 185).
For the brethren of his monastery (less often, read in his absence by someone to whom this was entrusted - p. 236, or for other monasteries - p. 239).
The Monk Theodore preached to his monks three times a week 19
Cm.: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Life 2, 13. Sometimes he reduced the frequency of his sermons: either due to his own illness, or because of the good and fruitful spiritual progress of his audience. According to Leroy's calculations, cited by R. Holia, at least 1,500 announcements should have remained; the surviving “Great Announcement” and “Small Annunciation” constitute only 26% of the original number of catechumen teachings (Cholij R. Theodore Studite. The ordering of holiness. Oxford, 2002. P. 69).
And in addition, he also held daily conversations with the brethren about the ascetic life (see: Great Announcement II, 18). According to Western researcher Irenaeus Auxerre (I. Hausherr) 20
Hausherr I. Date de la Grande Catechese // Orientalia Christiana, 22. Roma, 1926. R. 76–86.
Who wrote the article on the dating of the Great Annunciation, the teachings were written before the start of the iconoclastic persecution of Emperor Leo V in 813-815. This is indicated, firstly, by the absence of any doctrinal themes regarding the protection of holy icons (Ibid. P. 85). Secondly, in the “Great Announcement” the Monk Theodore often addresses his monks with the words: “Fathers, brothers and children.” In the “Small Announcement,” written shortly before the death of St. Theodore, when after the exile of 815–820 he almost no longer lived in the Studite monastery, destroyed by the iconoclasts, there is no such address, but only “fathers and brothers.” By “children” one can understand both the children who were in the Studite monastery, since here the Monk Theodore established a monastic school, and the novice monks, whom the Monk Theodore verbally distinguishes in his sermons from the experienced and mature monks (Ibid. R. 76). Thirdly, in the “Small Announcement” No. 33 there is a mention of the day of remembrance of “blessed Plato,” that is, the already deceased Venerable Plato, abbot of Sakkudion, uncle of the Venerable Theodore. The very word “blessed,” as I. Oser convincingly showed (Ibid. R. 77–78), is used by Theodore the Studite, as a rule, in relation to the dead. In the “Great Announcement” we do not find such a name in relation to the Monk Plato, therefore, they were created before April 4, 814 - the date of the death of the Monk Plato. Then, the Monk Theodore did not carry out his announcements in the capital, except in the intervals between exiles, that is, in 797-809 and 811-814. In three parts of the “Great Announcement” (I, 36, 58, 78, 80; II, 6, 44, 48, 72; III, 12, 34) there is a mention of being in the city, which in the case of St. Theodore and his monks could to be only Constantinople, in which the Studite monastery was located (Ibid. R. 78–79). But in the “Small Announcement” there is practically no mention of presence in the city, but, on the contrary, in the 84th catechism it is mentioned about the removal of St. Theodore from the city to deserted places. According to I. Auxerre, after 820 the Studite monks, when the monastic property was taken away from them, each lived only on his own means (Ibid. R. 79–80) 21
See the 83rd announcement of the “Small Announcement” for the mention of a four-year cessation of monastic work.
On the contrary, in Books I and II of the “Great Announcement” one can see regular mentions and detailed descriptions monastic labors, primarily physical, which the Studite monks are engaged in on land owned by the monastery. In Book III, mentions of such work and, in general, of various monastic professions are rare (Great Announcement III, 17, 25, 26, 29, 39). However, in the 18th announcement there is almost an eschatological call for parting with the monastic economy, which could well mean in the mouth of the Monk Theodore the preparation of the brethren for the impending persecution of Emperor Leo V for their veneration of icons on the eve of 815. All this confirms general outline J. Leroy’s opinion on the dating of individual parts of the “Great Announcement”.
The first part of the “Great Announcement”, consisting of 87 announcements, according to the French researcher J. Leroy, was pronounced in 797–803 22
See: TSGC. R. 26; R. Holy attributes a different dating to Leroy: 795–799/800. (Cholij R. P. 68).
That is, it was intended for the brethren of the Sakkudion monastery, and from 798–799 - also for the brethren of the Studite monastery 23
The first mention of monastic life in Constantinople, that is, in the Studian monastery, is found in the 36th catechumenate, and mention of the second “Michian” persecution is in the 47th.
The main themes of the book concern spiritual perfection, the structure of everyday monastic life, virtues and temptations, etc. St. Theodore is a theorist and practitioner of the cenobitic form of monasticism. 24
According to Rev. John Meyendorff, Rev. Theodore “created from the monks of the Studite monastery a strictly organized liturgical and tirelessly working community, according to the best communal traditions going back to Basil and Pachomius” (Prot. John Meyendorff. Byzantine theology. P. 81).
The characterization of St. Theodore as a theologian, belonging more likely to a practical rather than contemplative direction, can be found in the works of St. Theophan the Recluse, who translated the catechumens of St. Theodore for the IV volume of the Philokalia: “... for monks, these teachings are all treasures... St. Theodore almost never goes up to the heights, but walks around the monastery. for every little thing he gives a lesson to spiritualize it ... " 25
St. Theophan the Recluse. Creations. Collections of letters. Vol. 1. M., 1898. P. 84; Right there. Vol. 7. 1901. P. 213.
The second part of the “Great Announcement”, which includes 124 conversations, according to J. Leroy, was compiled and delivered in 804–808 26
See: TSGC. R. 26. R. Holy ascribes a different dating to Leroy: 799 / 800–808 / 811. (Choly R. P. 68).
Conversations 3–6 speak of internecine hostilities “with brothers,” that is, with co-religionists who “proclaimed another emperor.” We are talking about the events of July 18 - September 8, 803, when the unfortunate usurper Vardan the Turk moved troops to the capital, but after an unsuccessful eight-day siege of Chrysopolis he was forced to surrender to Nikephoros I 27
See: Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (hereinafter referred to as ODB). New York - Oxford, 1991. P. 255.
Some mentions in the announcements of this part bring some clarity. In the “Great Announcement” (II, 57) St. Theodore speaks of imprisonment 28
This announcement, according to I. Oser, can hardly be attributed to 797, when Rev. Theodore was in the Sakkudion monastery, since the heavenly patrons of both this monastery and the Studite monastery are mentioned here, which indicates a later, Constantinople period. It is unlikely that we can talk about the conclusion of 811, since Rev. Theodore speaks of quick liberation. Consequently, we can talk about arrest for 24 days after the death of St. Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, February 25, 806, as stated in the Funeral Homily to Plato, 34-35. In Announcement II, 59, which is a letter from the brethren of the subordinate monastery “Three Gates”, we are talking about the same events - release from prison, and indicates the heat and the beginning of summer. In 811 Rev. Theodore was released in the fall, and in 797 he did not have the above-mentioned monastery under his control. Cm.: HausherrI. Date de la Grande Catechese. R. 82–83.
I. Auxerre dates the announcement of the 80s to the autumn of 811 and considers it the first teaching delivered by the Monk Theodore after returning from his second exile (809–811), which, however, somewhat violates the mentioned chronology of J. Leroy. I. Auxerre is inclined to attribute the 86th announcement to the spring of 812, since here we are talking about reconciliation (that is, the cessation of persecution), and about the multitude of monks (which indicates rather the second “Michian” persecution than the first), and about spring field work, which could only be carried out the next year after the autumn return. Announcement 106 by I. Auxerre dates back to the summer of 808. Announcement 109 – at the same time. The first persecution is here referred to as having happened in the past. Announcement 111 is a message from the second exile and perhaps at the beginning of it. The 112th indicates the flourishing of the Studian monastic community and the need to visit other monasteries, so the time of its writing could be very wide (799–814). Catechumen 116 was written before 814, since Plato (“our common father”) is still alive. 118th speaks of the appointment of Rev. Theodore as his deputy Kalogir 29
This is how Auxerre tends to translate; in the TFS text - simply “old man”, without mentioning the name.
In the 121st the war with the Arabs is mentioned, and Auxerre makes the assumption that the mention refers to the events of 797 - the departure from Sakkudion (Hausherr I. R. 84–85) 30
However, it is worth disagreeing with this, since the events are described in the present tense and, most likely, point to the Arab expedition of 806, when Caliph Harun al-Rashid took Heraclius and Tiana.
Auxerre dates the 123rd announcement to the autumn of 811–814, since it says that the brethren repeatedly suffered imprisonment, that is, two (first and second) exiles (Ibid. R. 85). The third part, consisting of 46 catechumens, according to Leroy, was pronounced in 811–813 31
See: TSGC. R. 26; R. Holy attributes a different dating to Leroy: 812–813/814. (Choli R. P. 68).
The works of St. Theodore, including his “Catechisms,” were very famous in Rus' and “have long been included in various collections of a spiritual and edifying nature.” 32
Archim. Augustine (Nikitin). Studii monastery and ancient Rus'. P. 374.
Moreover, books I and III were not translated by the Slavs, but book II exists 33
Cm.: IshchenkoD. WITH. Catechetical teachings of Theodore the Studite in Byzantium and among the Slavs. P. 162.
In 18 Russian copies of the XIV–XVII centuries and contains 124 teachings 34
In the 16th century these teachings were included in the November book of Makariev’s Four Menaions, published in Slavic in 1897 by the Archaeographic Commission edited by V. Vasilievsky in the November Menaion on November 11.
The memory of St. Theodore was also revered by temple building. There is a well-known stone church in the name of St. Theodore the Studite in Moscow on Nikitskaya Street, founded in the 15th century in honor of the liberation of Rus' from the Tatar-Mongol yoke as a result of the famous standing on the Ugra River. The retreat of Khan Akhmat from Ugra fell on the day of memory of the Monk Theodore the Studite - November 11/24, 1480. Patriarch Filaret, the father of the first Russian Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, rebuilt this stone church in honor of St. Theodore the Studite in 1624–1626, after the end of the Time of Troubles. Later, the great Russian commander A.V. Suvorov, who lived nearby, was baptized in it, and then sang in the choir. I think we should agree with the following characterization given to this saint and his “Acts”: “Reverend Theodore the Studite is one of the greatest ascetics and teachers of Orthodox monasticism. The fruit of his ascetic zeal was numerous teachings. which have not lost their guiding significance in the salvation of a Christian to this day.” 35
Hieromonk Tikhon Zaitsev. The Monk Theodore the Studite is a teacher of monasticism. Cand. diss. in theology. Sergiev Posad, 1995. P. 2.
This publication was prepared according to TFS, the most advanced and complete of the pre-revolutionary domestic publications 36
According to the modern foreign researcher Roman Kholiya, this pre-revolutionary publication is the only complete translation of the works of St. Theodore the Studite into modern languages (“... a complete translation of the works of St. Theodore was made in Russia” - Cholij R. Theodore Studite. The ordering of holiness. R. 6). Creations of Rev. Theodore Studite, published since the 90s. XX century in various Orthodox publishing houses in Russia, there is nothing more than a reissue of the most perfect of the pre-revolutionary domestic publications of this holy father.
When working on it we also used: publication of the French translation of the first part of the “Great Announcement” by St. Theodore the Studite 37
Theodore Studite. Les Grandes Catecheses. Livre I. Traduction et notes par Florence de Montleau. Spiritualite Orientale. N. 79. Begrolles en Mauges, 2002.
Edition of the Greek text of parts I and III of the "Great Catechumen", published by Josephus Cozza-Luzzi in volume IX of the series "New Library of the Holy Fathers" by Cardinal Angelo Mai 38
Sancti Theodori Studitae sermones magnae catecheseos // Nova partum bibliotheca. T. 9/2. Roma, 1888.
; as well as a domestic edition of the text of the Greek primary source of part II of the “Great Announcement”: “The Great Catechism of St. Theodore the Studite” (Part two. St. Petersburg, 1904) 39
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1906. ???. 931 in 16°; ??? ????? ???????? ??? ????????? ?????? ?????????. ??????? ????????
/ Ed.: A. I. Papadopoulo-Keramevs // Great Fourth Menaion, collected by All-Russian Metropolitan Macarius. November, day 11. Issue seven. Application. St. Petersburg: Kirshbaum Printing House, 1904 (hereinafter referred to as PC).
When working on this publication, the scientific editor of the series, P.K. Dobrotsvetov, checked the translation of the TFS with the versions of the above publications. He pointed out the most important discrepancies. Certain text fragments found in the NPB that were missing in the TFS have been translated and inserted into the text or notes. The quality of the TFS translation is generally recognized as very high, however, there are also many inaccuracies. For example, the “statute of communal ill-suffering” in TFS was the statute of “public ill-suffering” (p. 276); instead of “let’s cry in order to laugh with eternal blissful laughter” there was “let’s cry in order to laugh with eternal blissful crying” (p. 451); instead of Saint Anthony, Saint Athanasius is erroneously indicated (p. 455); the “beautifully walking” horse in TFS is called “stepping” (p. 473); instead of “Lot who was riotous with his own daughters” in TFS we meet “Lot who was present with his own daughters” (p. 489); "monastery of St. Dalmata" became the "Dalmatian monastery", that is, one could mistakenly conclude that the monastery was located in the region of Dalmatia (p. 615); “godlike” - “deified” (p. 732), “indestructible dwelling” - “eternal dwelling” (p. 783), etc. As a result of scientific editing, many new biblical references appeared in the TFS text. In addition, some outdated expressions have been replaced and the spelling has been brought into line with current standards of the Russian language. However, out of respect for the pre-revolutionary translation, the editors considered it necessary to place the replaced words and phrases in page notes. The text of the new edition, accordingly, is provided with new notes and comments. Comments of a canonical nature belong to the teacher of the Moscow Theological Academy, priest Alexander Zadornov.
The publication of the “Great Announcement” of St. Theodore is preceded by an introductory article by the famous Russian Byzantine scholar, professor, doctor of church history I. I. Sokolov (1865–1939) “St. Theodore the Studite, his church-social and theological-literary activities. Historical sketch" 40
Cm.: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 17-106.
; the same article served as a preface to the first volume of TFS (St. Petersburg, 1907). The biographies of St. Theodore are also taken from TFS into our edition - Life 1 (Vita A) of Theodore Daphnopatos, author of the first half of the 10th century, and Life 2 (Vita B) 41
Cm.: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 107–169; 170–216. Life 2 of the monk Michael is more ancient, and Life 1 is more recent. The numbering of the Lives (1 and 2) is as follows because in modern times the life written by Theodore Daphnopatos (Life 1) was first published, and then the life authored by the monk Michael (Life 2).
Monk Michael 42
Michael was a monk of the Studite Monastery and wrote his Life around 868.
To whom some manuscripts attribute Life 1 43
Cm.: Latyshev V. Life of Rev. Theodore the Studite in Munich Manuscript No. 467 // Byzantine Temporary. T. 21. Issue. 3–4. (1914). Petrograd, 1915. P. 222. Life 1 was published by Sirmond in 1696, and Life 2 was published by Angelo Mai in 1853 in Nova patrum bibliotheca. T. 6. Both lives were then republished in Min’s “Patrology” (PG. T. 99. Col. 113–232; 233–328).
The Russian translation of these lives for the publication of TFS was made from “Patrology” by J.-P. Minya. In addition, our publication provides a translation of a fragment from Life 3 (Vita C), published in Greek by the pre-revolutionary Byzantine researcher V. Latyshev 44
Latyshev V. Life of Rev. Theodora Studite. pp. 222–254; Vita S. Theodori Studitae in codice Mosquensi musei Rumianzoviani. No. 520 // Byzantine temporary book. T. 21. Issue. 3–4. pp. 255–340. As V. Latyshev showed in his article, Life 3 largely coincides with Lives 1 and 2, however, there are certain discrepancies between them. The most extensive is the story of the vision of St. Hilarion (see: Latyshev V. Life of Rev. Theodora Studite. pp. 252–253).
; this fragment - the story of the vision of the Venerable Hilarion the New of the exodus of the soul of the Venerable Theodore at his death (see p. 217 of this edition) - was absent in Lives 1 and 2 45
In the Russian Great Four Menaions of St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, Slavic translation of the life of St. Theodora was made precisely from the edition of Life 3, and not from Life 1 or 2 (see: Latyshev V. Life of Rev. Theodora Studite. P. 225).
At the end of the volume there is an index of quotations from the Holy Scriptures according to the “Great Announcement” of St. Theodore the Studite, as well as subject, geographical and name indexes (done by a CSC employee “ Orthodox Encyclopedia"by priest Dimitry Artemkin) and a list of abbreviations.
pages: 1 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93