The life of Metropolitan Peter of Kyiv is not rich in biographical data. We only learn that he was born in Volyn, was sent to book teaching for seven years; At first he studied poorly, and then after one miraculous vision in a dream he began to show extraordinary success. At the age of twelve he entered a monastery, where he learned the art of icon painting. Then Peter retired to a deserted place, founded his own monastery and became its abbot. Princes and nobles soon began to show him special honor.
Metropolitan Maxim, who died in 1305, was buried in Vladimir on the Klyazma, where he moved from weakened Kyiv in 1299. After his death, a certain abbot Gerontius took possession of the metropolitan see with the consent of Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich. He went to Constantinople to be appointed metropolitan. At the same time, Yuri Lvovich, Prince of Galich and Volyn, after the death of Maxim, planned to establish a special Galician-Volyn metropolitanate. In 1302 or 1303, Constantinople agreed to elevate the Galician bishopric to the degree of metropolitanate. The first Galician metropolitan was Nifont. He died almost simultaneously with Metropolitan Maxim, and Yuri Lvovich sent the respected abbot Peter to Patriarch Athanasius to Constantinople for initiation as Nifont’s successor. Gerontius, who left North-Eastern Rus', was detained at sea by contrary winds, and Peter arrived in Constantinople before him. Patriarch Athanasius ordained Peter, giving him the usual title of Metropolitan of “Kyiv and All Rus'.” When Gerontius then arrived, the patriarch took from him all the sacred accessories of archpastoral dignity and handed them over to Peter (1308). The newly installed Metropolitan Peter spent the first time in Kyiv, but then, following the example of Maxim, he established his stay in Vladimir-on-Klyazma (from 1309). From here he made difficult journeys through the Russian regions to establish church order, and tried to restrain the restless princes from their quarrels over volosts.
Metropolitan Peter. 15th century icon
In northern Rus', part of the clergy, apparently, was dissatisfied with the elevation of the Galician candidate to the metropolitan throne. His main opponent was Bishop Andrei of Tver, the son of the Polotsk-Lithuanian prince Gerden, who, apparently, on the basis of his noble origin, expected to occupy the metropolitan see himself. Some important denunciation against Peter was sent to the Byzantine patriarch. Behind all these intrigues was Mikhail Tverskoy, dissatisfied with the fact that his former candidate Gerontius was rejected in Constantinople. The Patriarch sent a learned cleric to examine Peter’s case with the Russian clergy. A church council was held in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky (1310 or 1311). When the indictment was read, and debate and noise arose, Peter offered to voluntarily resign his rank. But the matter ended with the denunciation of the slanderers, and Peter said to Andrei Gerdenevich: “Peace be in Christ, child, it was not you who did this, but the original envier of the human race, the devil.” In connection with this council, there was also a denunciation of a new heresy, the instigator of which was one Novgorod archpriest: he taught about the destruction of the earthly paradise and blasphemed monasticism, so that many monks, carried away by him, left the monastery and got married. Present at the Pereyaslav Cathedral were the Tver princes Dmitry and Alexander and the brother of Yuri of Moscow, Ivan Kalita, who was then sitting on the Pereyaslav inheritance. By all indications, he sided with the metropolitan, and at the head of the latter’s opponents was the bishop of Tver, supported by his prince. Most likely, this is where Peter’s friendship with Ivan Kalita began, which later helped so much in the rise of Moscow. When soon Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich decided to take Nizhny Novgorod away from the descendants of Andrei Gorodetsky, Metropolitan Peter imposed a church ban on further campaign. Dmitry Mikhailovich barely got the Metropolitan to “allow” him and returned home without success (1311?).
In subsequent years, Metropolitan Peter became increasingly close to the Moscow princes. Already at the beginning of the reign of Ivan Kalita (1325–1341), even before the final triumph of Moscow over Tver, the center of the Russian metropolitanate moved from Vladimir to Moscow. The Metropolitan's stay in Moscow greatly increased the importance of this city, conveying to it the importance of the church capital of not only Northern, but also Southern and Western Rus'.
Metropolitan Peter. Icon by Dionysius, 1480s
Formal there was no actual resettlement; It’s just that during his tours of the Russian regions, Metropolitan Peter returned to Vladimir less and less, and stayed longer and longer in Moscow. As he reached old age, he began to think about where his bones would be laid. His predecessor Maxim was buried in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. If Peter wanted to establish the metropolitanate in Moscow, then it was necessary to take care of the construction of a worthy cathedral church in it, in which he could find peace for himself. According to his life, Metropolitan Peter began to ask Ivan Kalita (who had not yet received the label for the great reign) to erect in Moscow the same stone cathedral in the name of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, which was in Vladimir. Metropolitan Cyprian, at the same time, puts the following prophecy into Peter’s mouth: “if, son, you listen to me, then you yourself will become famous more than all the princes, and your whole family, and this city will be magnified above all Russian cities; the saints will dwell in him and his hands will be lifted up against the splash of his enemies.” Kalita laid the stone foundation for the Assumption Church in the Moscow Kremlin in the summer of 1326. The foundation had barely been laid and Metropolitan Peter had barely time to prepare a niche in the wall with a tomb for himself when he died in December of the same year and was buried in this tomb. The following year, the Assumption Church was completed, although neither in size nor decoration could it be equal to the creation
Metropolitan Peter, the saint of Moscow, is revered as the Heavenly patron of Moscow and the entire Russian land.
Saint Peter born around 1260 in Volyn in the pious boyar family of Theodore and Eupraxia. In a dream vision before his birth, it was revealed to his mother that her son would receive the special grace of God. She imagined that she was holding a lamb in her arms, between whose horns there was a tree growing, covered with beautiful foliage, flowers and fruits. Numerous candles glowed in the branches of the tree and a fragrance emanated from it.
At the age of 7, the youth Peter was sent to study, but he was not given a diploma. They say that from an early age he was tongue-tied and very incomprehensible. The parents, grieving about this, prayed to God and the Lord heeded their prayers. In a dream, a certain holy man appeared to Peter, touched his tongue - and his lips opened, and his thoughts were illuminated with light. Soon the boy discovered such talents that he surpassed all his peers in knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
From childhood, feeling a strong attraction to monastic life, the future saint at the age of 12 entered a monastery in Volyn, where he devoted himself to the feats of fasting and prayer according to the rules of St. John Climacus. He showed complete obedience to his mentor, zealously serving the brethren: he carried water and firewood to the cookhouse, and washed the brethren’s hair shirts.
He was the first to arrive at church services and the last to leave; he stood in church with reverence, never leaning against the wall. Humble and silent, the future saint was awarded the deaconate and then the presbyterate rank.
Blessed Peter painted holy icons with great skill for the brethren and laity. In the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the famous images of St. Peter have been preserved - the icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, called Petrovskaya, named after the holy icon painter.
Petrovskaya Icon of the Mother of God (painted by St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, in 1306, when the future bishop was still abbot of the Ratsky Monastery in Volyn). Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Celebration August 24/September 6
The Peter the Great icon has reached our time, and some researchers see in it stylistic features close to Western Gothic painting, which, in principle, could be characteristic of the Galician-Volyn school as the closest to the West and influenced by Polish, Czech and German masters.
With the blessing of his spiritual mentor, Saint Peter retired to a deserted place on the banks of the Rata River (a tributary of the Bug), where he built a cell and a temple in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Hence Peter’s nickname - Ratsky (or Ratensky, as it is customary to call him in the West of Ukraine).
Galicia-Volyn Principality (1199-1392)
After the death of Vladimir Monomakh's son Mstislav Vladimirovich (1132) Kievan Rus was divided into 15 principalities and lands. Among them, the largest and most influential were the Kiev, Chernigov, Vladimir-Suzdal, Novgorod, Smolensk, Polotsk and Galician principalities. The capital of all Western Russian lands was the city Vladimir (Volynsky), where the princely throne was located.
In 1199, the Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich (son of Mstislav Izyaslavich) was invited to the throne of the Galician principality and united it with his own, resulting in the formation Galicia-Volyn Principality (1199 - 1392), which became the direct successor of Kievan Rus. The Galician-Volyn principality was one of the largest principalities during the period of political fragmentation of Rus'.
The capital of the Galicia-Volyn principality became Galich(Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ukraine).
Borders of the Galicia-Volyn principality
The Principality pursued an active foreign policy in Eastern and Central Europe. Its main neighbors and competitors were the Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Cumans, and from the mid-13th century also the Golden Horde and the Principality of Lithuania. To protect against them, the Galician-Volyn principality repeatedly signed agreements with Catholic Rome, the Holy Roman Empire and the Teutonic Order. After Daniil Galitsky accepted the title of "King of Rus'" from Pope Innocent IV in 1254, he and his descendants used the royal title.
In 1241, Galich was captured and burned by Mongol troops. During the period under the rule of the Golden Horde, the Galician-Volyn principality fell into decline, and in the second half of the 14th century, the population of the territory fell into complete dependence of the Poles for more than 400 years. After the collapse of the Galician-Volyn state in the middle of the 14th century, Vladimir (Volynsky) was first part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and from 1569 - part of the Kingdom of Poland.
Later, Saint Peter founded his own monastery here, called Novodvorskaya. For the visiting monks, a temple was built in the Name of the Savior. Chosen as abbot, Saint Peter meekly instructed his spiritual children, never became angry with a guilty monk, and taught the brethren by word and example. The virtuous ascetic abbot became known far beyond the monastery. Prince Yuri Lvovich of Galicia often came to the monastery to hear the spiritual instructions of the holy ascetic. All-Russian Metropolitan Maxim (1283-1305) was also there, who blessed Saint Peter, from whom he accepted a gift - the image of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos he painted.
In 1299, Metropolitan Maxim finally left Kyiv and settled in Vladimir on the Klyazma. Dissatisfied with this, the Grand Duke of Galicia Yuri Lvovich wanted to have his own metropolitan. For this purpose he chose Peter and sent him to Constantinople for initiation; but it was at this time that Metropolitan Maxim died (1305), and Patriarch Athanasius ordained Peter not as metropolitan of Galicia, but of all Rus'.
Metropolitan Peter, Saint of Moscow
At the same time, the Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavich sent his associate and like-minded abbot Gerontius to the Patriarch of Constantinople with a request to appoint him to the Russian metropolis. The Mother of God appeared to Gerontius, who was sailing the Black Sea at night during a storm, and said: “ You work in vain, you will not get the rank of hierarch. The one who wrote Me, the Ratsky abbot Peter, will be elevated to the throne of the Russian Metropolis" The words of the Mother of God were exactly fulfilled.
Patriarch Athanasius I of Constantinople and the Synod erected the Metropolis of Peter in Kyiv and All Rus', giving him the holy vestments, staff and icon brought by Gerontius. Upon his return to Rus' in 1308, Metropolitan Peter stayed in Kiev for a year, but the unrest that threatened this city forced him, following the example of his predecessor, Maxim, to live in Vladimir on the Klyazma, where he transferred the Primate See.
However, a very cool reception awaited him here. The holy prince-martyr Michael was, of course, dissatisfied with the fact that Peter became metropolitan, and not Gerontius, whom he had sent to appoint him. In addition, at this time there was a struggle for grand-ducal dignity between Mikhail Tverskoy and Yuri of Moscow. Metropolitan Peter took the side of the latter, as a result of which an accusation was brought against the Saint before the Patriarch by Bishop Andrei of Tver. For the trial of Saint Peter, a council was convened in Pereyaslavl in 1311, which recognized Andrei’s accusation as slander. The life of Saint Peter says that he forgave the slanderer Andrei and left him the Tver See.
This meek archpastor knew how to be strict. He deprived Ismail of Sarsky of his episcopal rank, no doubt for an important crime against the Church or the Fatherland, and anathematized one dangerous heretic, Seit, whom he had accused of ungodly thinking, but who did not want to repent.
His administration fell on the difficult times of the Tatar-Mongol enslavement, when morality among the people fell extremely low. He had to travel to the Horde to appease the formidable khan, reconcile warring princes and prevent fratricidal feuds. And with the help of God, he managed to protect the Church and raise the moral state of his native people. In 1313, when Uzbek, the first of the khans to convert to Islam, became khan, Saint Peter went to the Horde. He was received there with honor and released with a new label. All the previous benefits of the clergy were confirmed and a new one was added: all church people in all cases, not excluding criminal ones, were subject to the metropolitan court.
Saint Peter traveled a lot throughout Rus', ministering spiritually to even the most remote dioceses. He also visited his native Volyn. Staying in the capital and cathedral Vladimir was not very comfortable for Peter, again because of Mikhail Tverskoy’s hostility towards him. Therefore, he often lived for a long time in Moscow, which belonged to his metropolitan district, without having his own bishop. At that time, the grandson of St. Alexander Nevsky, John Danilovich (Kalita) (1325-1340), reigned there.
In 1325, Saint Peter, at the request of John Kalita, moved the metropolitan see from Vladimir to Moscow. This event was important for the entire Russian land. Foreseeing the future significance of the new capital, Saint Peter moved to the then small Moscow and at the same time gave advice to Prince Ivan Kalita to build a stone church in Moscow in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God. “ If you listen to me, my son,” he said to the prince, “then you yourself will become famous with your family more than other princes, and your city will be glorious among all the Russian cities, and the saints will live in it, and my bones will be laid here“. His prediction came true exactly, but he himself did not live to see the completion of the temple.
Death of Saint Peter
Shortly before the death of the Saint, Prince John had a dream: he imagined a high mountain and snow on its top. But suddenly the snow melted and disappeared. The prince told his dream to the saint and heard the following explanation from him: “The high mountain is you, prince, and the snow is me, the humble one. I must leave this life before you.” The saint, with his own hands, built a stone tomb for himself near the altar in the temple under construction, and he bequeathed a significant part of his fortune for its final construction.
Blessed demise Saint Peter followed on the night of December 20-21, 1326 during the evening service.
The burial of the saint's body the day after his death was carried out by Bishop Theodosius of Lutsk. When the solemn transfer of the relics to the temple took place, preceded by numerous clergy and accompanied by the prince, nobles and a multitude of people, one infidel thought in condemnation: why are such honors given to a dead person - the prince himself and a multitude of people follow him? He had just thought this when he saw Saint Peter sitting on the bed on which he was carried, and blessing the people on both sides. The infidel himself later testified to this vision with an oath.
Many miracles happened through the prayers of the saint of God. Many healings were performed secretly, which testifies to the deep humility of the saint even after death.
Reverence
From the day of his repose, deep veneration for the High Hierarch of the Russian Church was established and spread throughout the Russian land.
Thirteen years later, in 1339, under Saint Theognostus, he was canonized. At the tomb of the saint, the princes kissed the cross as a sign of fidelity to the Grand Duke of Moscow. As a particularly revered patron of Moscow, the saint was called as a witness when drawing up state treaties. The Novgorodians, who had the right to elect their rulers at St. Sophia, after joining Moscow under John III, swore an oath to install their archbishops only at the tomb of St. Peter the Wonderworker. At the tomb of the saint, Russian High Hierarchs were named and elected. Russian chronicles constantly mention him; not a single significant government undertaking was complete without prayer at the tomb of St. Peter.
Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
Relics of Saint Peter
In 1472, the ancient Assumption Cathedral, by that time dilapidated, began to be rebuilt. In the presence of Metropolitan Philip I of Moscow (1464-1473), they dismantled the saint’s tombstone and saw the incorruptible relics lying openly and shining with heavenly glory. It turned out that in 1382, during a fire during the attack on Moscow by the hordes of Khan Tokhtamysh, the fire entered the tomb and destroyed the saint’s coffin. The body remained unharmed. The venerable relics of St. Peter were transferred to a new stone tomb. At the same time the Council of Bishops established feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Peter on July 1.
Two years later, the temple under construction collapsed. The relics of the saint were buried, but were not damaged. The Grand Duke of Moscow John III summoned the outstanding architect Aristotle Fioravanti from Italy, under whose leadership the new Assumption Cathedral was laid on April 17, 1475. On August 12, 1479, the new Assumption Cathedral was consecrated. 24 August the honorable relics of St. Peter were solemnly transferred to the new cathedral and placed in the same place. On this day, a celebration was established in honor of the transfer of the relics of St. Peter, the Wonderworker of Moscow and All Russia (the previous celebration on July 1 was cancelled).
Patriarchal service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on the day of memory of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow
The celebration of the manifestation of the relics of St. Peter (August 4) on the occasion of the appearance of the wife of Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) Queen Anastasia (1547-1560) is also known. Saint Peter appeared to Queen Anastasia and did not allow anyone to open his coffin. He ordered the coffin to be sealed and a holiday established.
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Troparion, tone 4:
The formerly barren earth, now rejoice: behold, Christ is a lamp in you, shining clearly in the world, and healing our ailments and illnesses. For His sake, rejoice and rejoice with boldness: for the saint is the one who has done this most High.
Another troparion, tone 8:
Rejoice, the most blessed city of Moscow, having within you Bishop Peter like the dawn of the sun, illuminating all Russia with miracles: for he heals that infirmity, and drives away ailments like darkness from those who cry out to him: Rejoice, hierarch of the Most High God, who through you has done good for your flock.
Kontakion, tone 8:
To the chosen and wondrous wonderworker of our land, today we flow to you with love, weaving a god-bearing song: for having boldness in the Lord, deliver us from manifold circumstances, so that we call to you: Rejoice in the establishment of our city.
(2nd half of the 13th century – 1326)
On the way to asceticism
Troparion to Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, tone 4
Today has come the all-honorable holiday / of the presentation of your honorable relics, to Saint Peter, / greatly cheering your flock, / and your faithful fatherland, and people, / do not be destitute for them, praying to Christ God, / that the flock bestowed by Him may be preserved from the enemies of the enemy // and save our souls.
Troparion to Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, tone 4
Having lived faithfully in the world, / having been enlightened by a pure life, / he was accepted by the flock through the teachings of the priesthood, / he was an heir to the apostle. / Therefore, accept the gift of miracles from God, Father Peter, / pray to Christ God, // that he may save our souls.
Kontakion to Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, tone 8
As the physician is abundant and the source of miracles is abundant, / today your spiritual child has come together in love, / in the offering of your honorable relics, / to Bishop Peter, we pray to you: pray to Christ God to grant by your honorable offering / to our faithful army victorious, / and by yours to Through the prayers of those who find evil, having been delivered from us, / with a joyful soul and gladness of heart, / we sing gratefully, saying: // Rejoice, Father Peter, fertilizer for the bishops and all the Russian lands.
Kontakion to Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, tone 4
Today your blessed memory appears, / to the blessed Saint Peter, / shining brightly in the world / and showing to everyone // Divine radiance.
Troparion for the repose of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, tone 4
The formerly barren earth, / now rejoice: behold, Christ is a lamp in you, / manifestly shining in the world, / and healing our ailments and illnesses. / For this reason, rejoice and rejoice with boldness: // the saint is the work of this Most High.
Troparion for the repose of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, tone 8
Rejoice brightly, most blessed city of Moscow, / having within you Bishop Peter, like the dawn of the sun, / illuminating all Russia with miracles, / because he heals that infirmity / and drives away illnesses, like darkness, from those who cry out to him: Rejoice, hierarch of the Most High God, // through you this is done to your flock.
Kontakion for the repose of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia, tone 8
To the chosen and wondrous wonderworker of our land, / today we flow with love to you, song, God-bearing, weaving, / as if we have boldness towards the Lord, / deliver us from manifold circumstances, so we call to you: // Rejoice, strengthening of our city.
Troparion of the Moscow Saints, tone 4
And John Chrysostom. Peter's main feat was the fight for the unity of the Russian state and the blessing of Moscow as the collector of the Russian land.
Born in Volyn in the second half of the 13th century from pious parents Theodore and Eupraxia. According to the life of the saint, even before the birth of his son, in a dream vision, the Lord revealed to Eupraxia the gracious pre-election of her son. They say that from an early age Peter was tongue-tied and very incomprehensible, but, thanks to the miraculous appearance of a certain holy man, “Petrov’s lips were opened and his thoughts were illuminated with light.” At the age of 12, Peter entered a monastery. By that time, he had successfully studied book sciences and began to fulfill monastic obediences with particular zeal. The future saint devoted a lot of time to careful study of the Holy Scriptures and learned icon painting. Icons painted by the monk Peter were distributed to the brethren and Christians visiting the monastery. He was the author of the first Moscow miraculous icon, called “Petrovskaya”. For his virtuous ascetic life, the abbot of the monastery ordained the monk Peter to the rank of hieromonk.
After many years of exploits in the monastery, Hieromonk Peter, having asked for the blessing of the abbot, left the monastery in search of a secluded place. He set up a cell on the Rata River and began to labor in silence. Subsequently, a monastery called Novodvorsky was formed on the site of the exploits. For the visiting monks, a temple was built in the name of the Savior. Chosen as abbot, Peter meekly instructed his spiritual children, never became angry with a guilty monk, and taught his brethren by word and example. The virtuous ascetic abbot became known far beyond the monastery. Prince Yuri Lvovich of Galitsky often came to the monastery to hear the spiritual instructions of the holy ascetic.
One day the monastery was visited by Metropolitan Maxim, who was touring the Russian land with words of teaching and edification. Accepting the saint's blessing, Abbot Peter brought as a gift the image of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, painted by him, before which Saint Maximus, until the end of his life, prayed for the salvation of the Russian land entrusted to him by God.
In 1299, Metropolitan Maxim finally left Kyiv and settled in Vladimir on the Klyazma. Dissatisfied with this, the Grand Duke of Galicia Yuri Lvovich wanted to have his own metropolitan. For this purpose he chose Peter and sent him to Constantinople for initiation; but it was at this time that Metropolitan Maxim died (1305), and Patriarch Athanasius ordained Peter not as metropolitan of Galicia, but of all Rus'.
At the same time, the Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavich sent his associate and like-minded abbot Gerontius to the Patriarch of Constantinople with a request to appoint him to the department of the Russian Metropolis. The Mother of God appeared to Gerontius, who was sailing the Black Sea at night during a storm, and said: “You are working in vain, you will not receive the rank of hierarch. The one who wrote Me, Father Superior Peter of Ratsk, will be elevated to the throne of the Russian Metropolis.” The words of the Mother of God were exactly fulfilled.
Patriarch Athanasius I of Constantinople and the Synod erected the Metropolis of Peter in Kyiv and All Rus', giving him the holy vestments, staff and icon brought by Gerontius. Upon his return to Rus' in 1308, Metropolitan Peter stayed in Kiev for a year, but the worries that threatened this city forced him, following the example of his predecessor, Maxim, to live in Vladimir on the Klyazma, where he moved in 1309.
At this time, there was a struggle for grand-ducal dignity between Mikhail Tverskoy and Yuri of Moscow. Metropolitan Peter took the side of the latter, as a result of which an accusation was brought against the saint before the Patriarch by Bishop Andrei of Tver. For the trial of Saint Peter, a council was convened in 1313 in Pereyaslavl, which recognized Andrei's accusation as slander.
The high priest experienced many difficulties in the first years of ruling the Russian Metropolis. There was no firm order in the Russian land, which suffered under the Tatar yoke, and Saint Peter often had to change his places of residence. During this period, the saint’s labors and concerns for the establishment of true faith and morality in the state were especially important. During his constant tours of dioceses, he tirelessly taught the people and clergy about the strict preservation of Christian piety. He called on the warring princes to be peaceful and unity.
This meek archpastor knew how to be strict. He deprived Ishmael of Sarsky of the episcopate, no doubt, for an important crime against the Church or the Fatherland, and anathematized one dangerous heretic, Seit, whom he had accused of ungodly thinking, but who did not want to repent.
Thirteen years later, in 1339, under Saint Theognostus, he was canonized. At the tomb of the saint, the princes kissed the cross as a sign of fidelity to the Grand Duke of Moscow. As a particularly revered patron of Moscow, the saint was called as a witness when drawing up state treaties. The Novgorodians, who had the right to elect their rulers at Hagia Sophia, after joining Moscow under Ivan III, vowed to install their archbishops only at the tomb of St. Peter the Wonderworker. At the tomb of the saint, the Moscow high priests were named and elected.
Russian chronicles constantly mention Peter; not a single significant government undertaking was complete without prayer at the tomb of St. Peter.
On July 1, 1472, during the reconstruction of the Assumption Cathedral, its incorruptible relics were discovered.
The transfer of the relics of St. Peter took place after the consecration of the newly built Assumption Cathedral, on August 24, 1479; the July 1st celebration was cancelled.
The celebration of the manifestation of the relics of St. Peter (August 4) on the occasion of the appearance of the wife of Ivan the Terrible to Queen Anastasia is also known. Saint Peter appeared to Queen Anastasia and did not allow anyone to open his coffin. He ordered the coffin to be sealed and a holiday established.
Three messages have been preserved from Saint Peter. The first is to the priests with an admonition to carry out pastoral service worthily, diligently shepherding spiritual children. It ends with a statement of the church law on widowed priests: in order to protect them from criticism and temptations, they were invited to settle in monasteries, and children were to be sent to be raised and educated in monastery schools. In his second letter, Saint Peter calls on priests to be true shepherds, and not mercenaries, and to take care to adorn themselves with Christian and pastoral virtues. In the third letter, Saint Peter again gives instructions to priests about their pastoral duties, and exhorts the laity to fulfill the commandments of Christ.
Saint Dmitry of Rostov
Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, was born in the land of Volyn (1), from pious Christian parents (2). When he was still in his mother's womb, at dawn of one Sunday, his mother saw the following vision: she imagined that she was holding a lamb in her arms, in the middle of whose horns a densely leafed tree had grown, with many fruits and flowers, among its branches there were many candles - shining and giving off fragrance.
Waking up, the mother was perplexed about the wonderful vision, but subsequently the Lord justified the vision, enriching her son with His gifts.
At the age of seven, Saint Peter was sent to study the Divine Scripture, but at first he studied poorly, about which his parents were much saddened. This was so that he would receive book wisdom more from God than from people. And indeed, Saint Peter received it in this way.
One day he saw in a dream that a certain man in holy robes came to him and said to him:
Child, open your mouth!
When Peter had done this, the one who appeared touched his tongue with his right hand and, blessing him, filled his throat with sweetness.
Waking up, the boy did not see anyone, but only felt in his heart a kind of sweetness and joy.
From that time on, Saint Peter began to quickly understand what his mentor taught; he soon studied all the Holy Scriptures and surpassed all his peers in teaching.
When Peter was twelve years old, he went to a monastery close to his birthplace and was accepted into the ranks of the brethren; there he carried out monastic obediences, carried water and firewood to the kitchen, washed the brethren's hair shirts, and neither in winter nor in summer did he abandon his rule. He came first to church services and was the last to leave; he stood in church with reverence, diligently listening to the Divine Scripture, never leaning against the wall; he always showed obedience to his mentor and readily served the brethren in humility and silence. By the will of the abbot, he was promoted to deacon, and then to presbyter. He also learned to paint holy icons (3) and, when he painted, with all his mind and thought he moved away from earthly things and, filled with God-mindedness, zealously strived for a virtuous life.
After a rather long stay in that monastery, with the blessing of the abbot, Saint Peter retired to a deserted place and built himself a monastery near the Rata River (4). Here he built a church in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and in a short time many brethren gathered here to join him.
The saint was kind and gentle and considered himself the lowest of all; He taught everyone with meekness, diligently gave alms, never letting a beggar and a stranger go without help, so that rumors of his virtuous life reached the prince. Therefore, he was revered by everyone, and everyone accepted his word of instruction.
At that time, Metropolitan Maxim (5) arrived in Rus' from Constantinople, teaching the people the God-devoted teaching. Appearing to him with his brethren to receive a blessing, Saint Peter presented him with an icon of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, which he himself painted. The saint of God blessed him and the brethren and, having received the holy icon, kept it with him in great honor.
A little time later - when Saint Maximus reposed - a certain Gerontius(6) dared to seize the priesthood, take the hierarch's clothes, the sacristy and the pastoral staff, as well as the icon that Peter painted and presented to Saint Maximus, and went to Constantinople, wanting to become Russian metropolitan
Then the prince of the country of Volyn (7) began to offer blessed Peter, either asking himself, or persuading him through the boyars, to go to Constantinople for consecration to the throne of the Kiev Metropolis, for no one sympathized with Gerontius for his audacity, with which he hastened to delight without advice or election hierarchical rank: “I did not enter by the door, but climbed through it” (John 10:1).
Blessed Peter did not want to and refused for a long time, but finally, having been begged by the prince, the boyars and the council of saints, he went, and the prince sent a message about him to the most holy patriarch and to his entire council, expressing his desire to see Peter on the holy throne.
When Gerontius set off by sea to Constantinople, the voyage turned out to be unfavorable for him: a strong storm arose, contrary winds and waves, so that he slowed down a lot of time on the way. For blessed Peter, there was a calm and fair wind on the same sea, and he, as if in a dream, swam across the sea.
At the same time, the above-mentioned icon of the Most Holy Lady appeared to Gerontius in a vision, and said to him:
You are working in vain, old man, for you will not get the holy rank that you are looking for. But the one who wrote me - Ratskiy abbot Peter - the servant of My Son and God and Mine, will be elevated to the throne of the saint and will rightly shepherd His people, for whom My Son - Christ the Lord - shed His blood, received from Me, and lived pleasingly to God, in his good old age he will joyfully go to the Lord of all.
Gerontius woke up in fear and told everyone about the vision.
Finally, Saint Peter reached Constantinople, the Patriarch of Constantinople was then Athanasius - a wondrous man who adorned the ecumenical throne with his virtues (8). When Peter came to the patriarch, the temple was filled with a fragrance; the patriarch, enlightened from above, realized that such a fragrance was for the sake of the coming of Peter, and joyfully blessed him. Then, having learned about the reason for his arrival, the patriarch convened a council of saints and they carried out the usual consideration of the case. Peter was recognized as worthy of the priesthood, having been predestined for this before his birth.
So the patriarch, during the performance of the divine service, dedicated this wondrous Peter to the holy service (9), while the face of the saint of God, during the dedication, shone so much that everyone marveled and said:
Truly this man came to us at the command of God, and everyone was filled with spiritual joy.
A few days later, Gerontius arrived in Constantinople and (albeit against his will) told about everything that had happened to him. The Patriarch, having taken from him the holy robes, the honorable icon, the pastoral staff and church utensils, gave everything into the hands of the true shepherd - Peter.
Then the Most Holy Patriarch, having sufficiently instructed Saint and Blessed Peter for many days and blessed him, released him with honor from Constantinople.
Saint Peter, having arrived in his metropolis, gave peace and blessing to everyone and diligently taught the flock entrusted to him by God, moving from one place to another (10).
But the crafty enemy could not bear this and devised intrigues against Saint Peter, inspiring some not to recognize him as a saint. However, many of these later repented, accepted the saint and, submitting to him, received forgiveness from him.
After some time, the crafty enemy aroused envy of Saint Peter in Andrei, Bishop of Tver (11), who, without curbing his tongue, began to spread false reports about the righteous man and, having written many false and blasphemous words, sent them to His Holiness Patriarch Athanasius. The patriarch was surprised and considered it incredible, but he sent one of the church clerics to the Russian land, and then a council was convened in the city of Pereyaslavl (12). Present at that council were Bishop Simeon of Rostov, Reverend Prokhor, abbot of Pechersk, princes, boyars, priests, monks and a great many others. When Bishop Andrei of Tver was called to the council, they began to investigate the matter, and when false witnesses came forward against Peter, great confusion occurred. The culprit of the evil did not hide, but was revealed to everyone. Andrei's malice and slander were exposed, and the lying slanderer was put to shame and humiliated before everyone. Saint Peter did not do him any harm, but forgave him and, having taught everyone enough, sent the council away in peace. He himself put in the work, multiplying the talent given to him by a hundred and being a father to orphans.
At that time, a certain heretic Seit (13) appeared, who preached a teaching contrary to the Church of Christ and the Orthodox faith; the saint of God excommunicated him, and the evil heretic soon died an evil death.
After this, the saint of God Peter arrived in the glorious city of Moscow, which at that time was in the possession of the blessed Grand Duke John Daniilovich (14), adorned with all sorts of virtues, merciful to the poor and the clergy, who loved churches and was devoted to sacred books. The saint fell in love with him very much and began to live in that city more than in other places (15). He advised the noble prince to build a stone church in Moscow in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, thus convincing him:
If you listen to me, my son, and create a temple to the Most Holy Theotokos, then you yourself will become glorified more than other princes and your city will be glorified: the saints will live in it and raise their hands against his enemies and God will be glorified in it, and my bones will be laid here .
Having listened to the advice of the saint, the prince began to take care of building the church (16). When the church was founded, work on its construction took place every day, and the saint himself watched to see that the work was constantly moving forward.
Shortly before the blessed death of Saint Peter, Prince John Daniilovich had the following dream. He imagined a high mountain, the top of which was covered with snow, and then suddenly the snow melted and disappeared. When the prince recounted to the saint the dream that had struck him, the saint said:
The high mountain - you are the prince, and the snow - I am the humble one, who must soon depart from this life into eternal life.
Having foreseen, according to Divine revelation, his imminent death, the saint of God himself, with his own hands, built himself a tomb near the altar in the newly built church of the Most Holy. Mother of God. And when the tomb was ready, he again received a revelation from God about his death. Filled with joy, the saint went to church and performed a divine service, praying for all the Orthodox kings and princes, for his spiritual son - the pious Prince John - and for all the pious Christians of the Russian land; then he commemorated the deceased and took communion of the Holy Mysteries. Returning from church, he called all the clergy and, having given instructions according to custom, dismissed them. At that time, he distributed a lot of alms to the poor and needy, churches, monasteries and clergy. Meanwhile, his body was rapidly weakening. When the day of his death came, the saint called to him the thousand-year-old Velyaminov, who then ruled the city (since the prince himself was not in the city at that time), and said to him:
Behold, child, I am departing from this life, and to my beloved son, Prince John and his descendants, I leave mercy and peace and the blessing of God forever.
Then, having made other orders, St. Peter handed him a bag of money in order to complete the construction of the church. Having taught peace to everyone, he began to sing Vespers, and when the prayer was still on his lips and he himself raised his hands to God, his soul departed to the Lord (17).
The prince, having heard about the repose of the saint, hurried in sadness with all the boyars to the city, all the people cried and grieved over his repose. Having laid his honest body on the bed, they carried it to the church according to custom (18).
At that time, a certain person, possessed by unbelief, approached the body of the saint among the Orthodox people and in his thoughts began to reproach him, thinking:
Who is this dead man, whom the prince himself and so many people see off, and why is such honor given to him?
When he thought this, he immediately saw the saint sitting on his bed and blessing the people on both sides the entire time until he was brought to the tomb. Then the man believed in the holiness of the saint of God and told the people about what he had seen. Having brought the holy relics of Peter to the temple, they placed them in a stone tomb prepared by him himself, where they rest to this day, exuding various miracles with faith flowing to them. A certain young man from birth had weakened and completely motionless hands, so that he could not bring them to his lips. He came to the tomb of this saint, praying with tears, and immediately his hands strengthened and became healthy. The saint also healed one crumpled man and gave hearing to a deaf man. And one, who had been blind for many years, when he came and prayed, his eyes were suddenly opened. Many other blessings continue to miraculously flow to those who come with faith to the honest shrine of St. Peter - in honor and glory in the Trinity, glorified to God forever. Amen.
Troparion, tone 4:
The formerly barren earth, now rejoice: behold, Christ is a lamp in you, shining clearly in the world, and healing our ailments and illnesses. For his sake, rejoice and rejoice with boldness: for the saint is the work of this Most High.
Another troparion, tone 8:
Rejoice in the brightest city of Moscow, having within you Bishop Peter like the dawn of the sun, illuminating all Russia with miracles: for he heals that infirmity, and drives away illnesses like darkness from those who cry out to him: Rejoice, hierarch of the Most High God, who has done good for your flock.
Kontakion, tone 8:
To the chosen and wondrous wonderworker of our land, today we flow to you with love, weaving a god-bearing song: for having boldness in the Lord, deliver us from manifold circumstances, so that we call to you: Rejoice in the establishment of our city.
1 Volyn - southwestern part of Russia.
2 Parents of St. Peter there were people of sufficient wealth and belonged to the boyar or merchant class, why St. Peter subsequently had the opportunity to build a monastery at his own expense.
3 According to the testimony of ancient life, St. Peter learned the art of icon painting to such an extent that he became a “wonderful icon painter.” The monuments of this to this day are two icons of the Mother of God located in the Moscow Great Assumption Cathedral, painted by him: the Dormition of the Mother of God and the other, after his name, deliberately known as Petrovskaya.
4 This place was located north of the capital of the Galich-Volyn principality - Lvov; The Rata River flows in what is now Austrian eastern Galicia and flows from the left into the upper western Bug. - Monastery of St. Peter, built in the name of the Savior (Preobrazhensky), does not currently exist; in its place there is now a village, with a parish church also in the name of the Savior.
5 St. Maxim, Greek by birth, ruled the Russian Church from 1283 to 1304.
6 One of the abbots of Vladimir.
7 Here, of course, is the Galician-Volyn prince Yuri Lvovich, who was indignant at the self-will of Gerontius, especially since in Volyn those dissatisfied with the removal of the see from Kyiv to distant Vladimir wanted to see the metropolitan somewhere in the south; Prince Yuri especially wanted the metropolis to be in Galich. Prince Yuri was powerful, owning all of Galicia, he was even called the Tsar of Rus'.
8 Athanasius II - Patriarch of Constantinople from 1303 to 1311.
9 St. Peter was installed as metropolitan of all Rus' in 1308, the third year after the death of Metropolitan Maxim.
10 The next year after his dedication, St. Metropolitan Peter moved to Vladimir, where his predecessor had established the department of Metropolitan of All Russia. Following this, he went to inspect the dioceses: so he was in Novgorod, Bryansk and other cities and regions.
11 Bishop Andrei of Tver came from the house of the princes of Lithuania. He had intentions of taking the metropolitan see. The nobility of his family and the dissatisfaction of some with the metropolitan elected by the south supported his dream of a higher rank. Subsequently, after being removed from the department, he died in the Bogoroditsky Monastery, which he had previously built, on the Shosha River (the right tributary of the Volga) in 1323.
12 The Council was convened in 1310 or at the beginning of 1311 - Pereyaslavl Zalessky is now a district town in the Vladimir province.
13 Seites, according to the chronicles, are constantly called teachers of Mohammedanism, which at that time Khan Uzbek so zealously spread among the Tatars, but the name of a heretic and excommunication pronounced by St. Peter on the said Seit, shows that he was a Christian who greatly distorted Christian teaching, and the name Seit was given to him because of his passion for certain views of Mohammedanism. According to some news, Seit was a Novgorod archpriest who was carried away by the Mohammedan passion for sensual life and preached against monastic virginity with such force that many of the monks left monasticism and entered into marriage. Seit was denounced during the review by the bishop of the dioceses.
14 Here, of course, is the Grand Duke of Moscow John I Daniilovich Kalita, grandson of St. Alexander Nevsky, son of St. Daniel, founder of the Moscow Principality; reigned from 1328 to 1340; was named Kalita because, distinguished by his love for the poor, he constantly carried with him a Kalita (bag) of money to distribute to them.
15 Saint Peter, enlightened by grace, foresaw the great future of Moscow, although at that time it was a sparsely populated city, he saw that Moscow would gather the fragmented and tormented regions of Russia under its shadow, and decided to stay forever in Moscow and be buried in it, instead of Vladimir. Thus, the metropolis was transferred from Vladimir to Moscow, which served to the rise of Moscow and to the solid foundation of peace (given the civil strife of the appanage princes at that time) and the greatness of Russia.
16 That is Assumption Cathedral, later on its site was built during the reign of Grand Duke John III Vasilyevich, the cathedral that exists in its present form, consecrated in 1470.
18 The holy relics of Metropolitan Peter were placed in the Church of the Assumption, which he began but did not finish, which was completed and consecrated the following year, 1327. During the invasion of Tokhtamysh, the Tatars destroyed the tomb of St. Metropolitan Peter, thinking to find treasures in it, then the Assumption Cathedral suffered a devastating fire. In 1471, when the old Assumption Cathedral was demolished and a new one began to be built, the consecrated cathedral decided to remove the relics of the saint. His coffin was found destroyed by fire, but St. the relics of the saint of God were preserved intact and unharmed. The transfer of his relics was completed, in memory of which the celebration of this transfer was established on August 24. The relics of the High Hierarch of Moscow rested openly, but after the invasion of the Poles, who stole the precious silver shrine, they were placed under cover and remained in this position until 1812. This year, Napoleon opened the tomb of the saint, probably with the same intent as Tokhtamysh. After the removal of the French from Moscow, Moscow Archbishop Augustine solemnly opened the incorrupt relics of Metropolitan Peter, and they were carried around the Assumption Cathedral during its consecration on August 30, 1813. Two teachings remained from Saint Peter, in the form of district messages.
