The title of historian is great and responsible. We know Herodotus, Plutarch, Tacitus, and N.M. Karamzin. But for Russian history there is no higher authority, no higher name, than the monk (c. 1056-114) - monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, father of Russian history.
November 9 The day of memory of the chronicler Nestor is celebrated. The years of his life fell on the 11th century. For him, just recently, in 988, the waters of the Dnieper received the baptized Kievites; witnesses of this miracle were still alive. But Rus' has already been overtaken by civil strife and attacks by external enemies. The descendants of Prince Vladimir could not or did not want to be united; with each decade, internecine strife among the princes increased.
Scientist monk Nestor
Who was the Monk Nestor? Tradition says that, being a seventeen-year-old boy, he came to the monastery of the holy elder Theodosius of Pechersk(c. 1008-May 3, 1074), where he was ordained a monk. There is no doubt that Nestor came to the monastery already quite literate and even, by the level of that time, an educated young man. By that time, there were many teachers in Kyiv from whom Nestor could study.
At that time, according to the Monk Nestor
Chernetsy, like luminaries, shone in Rus'. Some were strong teachers, others were strong in vigils or in kneeling prayer; some fasted every other day and every other day, others ate only bread and water; some are boiled potions, others are only raw.
Everyone was in love: the younger ones submitted to the elders, not daring to speak in front of them, and expressed humility and obedience; and the elders showed love to the younger ones, instructed and consoled them, like fathers of small children. If any brother fell into any sin, they consoled him and, out of great love, divided the penance between two and three. Such was mutual love, with strict abstinence.
And the days of monk Nestor were indistinguishable from the days of other monks. Only his obedience was different: with the blessing of the abbot Theodosius of Pechersk wrote the history of Rus'. In his literary works, the chronicler calls himself “ sinful», « damned», « an unworthy servant of God" In these assessments of oneself, humility and fear of God are manifested: a person who has reached such heights of humility sees the smallest sins in his soul. To imagine the spiritual level of the saints, it is enough to delve into this saying: “ The saints mistook the shadow of the thought of sin for sin", even the slightest thought, and often even mourned their virtues as sins.
The first literary works of Nestor the Chronicler
The first in time was the work of Nestor " The life of the holy princes Boris and Gleb, named Roman and Davyd in holy baptism" It contains high prayerfulness, accuracy of description, and moralizing. Nestor speaks about the creation of man, his fall and his rise by the grace of God. In the words of the chronicler one can see a grave sadness that the Christian faith is slowly spreading in Rus'. Nestor writes:
While Christians multiplied everywhere and idol altars were abolished, the Russian country remained in its former idolatrous delusion, because it did not hear a word from anyone about our Lord Jesus Christ; the apostles did not come to us and no one preached the word of God.
The second, and no less interesting and significant work of the chronicler is “ Life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk" Nestor, as a very young novice, saw Saint Theodosius, then, many years later, he participated in the discovery of the relics of the monk, and so he compiled his biography. It is written simply and with inspiration.
“My goal,” Nestor writes, “is that the future monks after us, reading the life of the saint and seeing his valor, glorify God, glorify the saint of God and be strengthened for feat, especially because such a man and saint of God appeared in the Russian country.
Nestor's chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years"
The main feat of the life of the Monk Nestor was the compilation by 1112-1113 "Tales of Bygone Years." An unusually wide range of sources, interpreted from a single, church point of view, allowed the Monk Nestor to write the history of Rus' as an integral part of world history, the history of the salvation of the human race. " The Tale of Bygone Years"came down to us as part of later codes:
- Laurentian Chronicle(1377)
- First Novgorod Chronicle(XIV century) and
- Ipatiev Chronicle(XV century).
It is assumed that Nestor used the material The most ancient arch(IX century), Nikon vault(70s of the 11th century) and Initial arch(1093-1095). The text has obvious echoes of the Byzantine chronicle George Amartola. The reliability and completeness of the writings of the Monk Nestor is such that to this day historians resort to them as the most important and reliable source of information about Ancient Rus'.
« The Tale of Bygone Years"is the great creation of the father of Russian history.
Not temporary, but temporary years, covering not some small period, but huge years of Russian life, an entire era. It is called in full as follows: “This is the story of the past years, where the Russian land came from, who in Kyiv began to be the first prince, and where the Russian land began to eat.”
History is interpreted by Nestor strictly from an Orthodox point of view. He talks about the saints equal to the apostles Cyril and Methodius, shows the great happiness of the Baptism of Rus', the fruits of its enlightenment. Equal to the Apostles Vladimir- the main character of Nestor's The Tale of Bygone Years. The chronicler compares him with John the Baptist. The exploits and life of the prince are depicted in detail and with love. The spiritual depth, historical fidelity and patriotism of The Tale of Bygone Years place it among the highest creations of world literature.
Chronicle of Nestor " The Tale of Bygone Years" cannot be called pure history, church or civil chronicle. This is also the history of the Russian people, the Russian nation, a reflection on the origins of Russian consciousness, Russian perception of the world, on the fate and attitude of a person of that time. This was not a simple listing of bright events or a familiar European biography, but a deep reflection on the place in the world of a new young people - the Russians. Where are we from? Why are they beautiful? How are we different from other nations?- these are the questions that faced Nestor.
"The Tale of Bygone Years." Research
The first researcher of The Tale of Bygone Years was a Russian historian and geographer V. N. Tatishchev. The archaeographer managed to find out a lot of interesting things about the chronicle P. M. Stroev. He expressed a new view of the “Tale of Bygone Years” as a collection of several earlier chronicles, and began to consider all the chronicles that have reached us as such collections.
Famous Russian philologist and historian of the late XIX-XX centuries. A. A. Shakhmatov put forward the version that each of the chronicles is a historical work with its own political position, dictated by the place and time of creation. He connected the history of the chronicle with the history of the entire country. The results of his research are presented in the works “ Research on the most ancient Russian chronicles"(1908) and " The Tale of Bygone Years"(1916). According to Shakhmatov, Nestor wrote the first edition of The Tale of Bygone Years in the Kiev Pechersk Monastery in 1110-1112. The second edition was written by Abbot Sylvester in the Kiev Vydubitsky St. Michael's Monastery in 1116. In 1118, the third edition of the “Tale of Bygone Years” was compiled on behalf, or even political order, of the Novgorod prince Mstislav I Vladimirovich.
Soviet explorer D. S. Likhachev assumed that in the 30-40s of the 11th century, by order Yaroslav the Wise a recording was made of oral folk historical traditions about the spread of Christianity. This cycle served as the future basis for the chronicle.
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, creating your own chronicler Pimena in the drama " Boris Godunov"(1824-1825, published in 1831), took as a basis the character traits of the chronicler Nestor, who strives for the truth, even if someone does not like it, not at all " does not decorate the writer».
The Monk Nestor survived the fire and destruction of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in 1196. His last works are permeated with the thought of the unity of Rus', of uniting it with the Christian faith. The chronicler bequeathed the Pechersk monks to continue their life’s work. His successors in the chronicles: Rev. Sylvester, abbot Vydubitsky Kyiv Monastery; abbot Moses, who extended the chronicle to 1200; abbot Lavrentiy- author of the famous Laurentian chronicle of 1377. They all refer to the Monk Nestor: for them he is the highest teacher - both as a writer and as a prayer book.
As modern scientists have established, the Monk Nestor died at the age of 65. Now the relics of the Monk Nestor remain incorrupt in Nearby caves(Antoniev) Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. At the beginning of the 21st century " Society of History Lovers at Kiev University"The saint's shrine was bound with silver.
Attention to all lovers of Russian history
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Russian chronicle history is a monumental monument of ancient Russian book art, in terms of scale and breadth of coverage of historical events, as well as in the form of presentation of the material has no analogues in the world. The collection contains weather (by year) chronicles, stories, legends, lives of Russian chronicle history over four and a half centuries (XII-XVI centuries).
(memory September 28/October 11 (Cathedral of the Reverend Fathers of the Kiev Caves in the Near Caves (St. Anthony) reposing), October 27/November 9)
The Monk Nestor the Chronicler was born in the 50s of the 11th century in Kyiv, and at the age of 17 he entered the Kiev-Pechersk monastery. He was a novice of St. Theodosius. He received tonsure from Abbot Stephen, successor of Theodosius. With purity of life, prayer and obedience, the young ascetic soon surpassed even the famous Pechersk elders. He was ordained a hierodeacon.
His high spiritual life is indicated by the fact that he, along with other reverend fathers, participated in the exorcism of the demon from Nikita the Recluse, later the Novgorod saint (January 31), who was seduced into Jewish wisdom. The Monk Nestor is the compiler of the original history of our Fatherland, or chronicle, where he sets out, year by year, the legend about the beginning of the Russian land and the subsequent events of its history until the year 1100. In addition, he wrote the life of the holy princes Boris and Gleb, “The Legend of the First Pechersk Ascetics” and so on. Nestor reached a ripe old age and died peacefully around 1114.
The history of the country's cultural development can be symbolically represented by a list of the names of its great men. One of such symbolic names in Rus' has always been the name of Nestor the Chronicler.
At the age of 17, he came to the newly founded Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. Soon from his pen came a masterpiece of ancient Russian hagiography - “The Tale of Boris and Gleb,” the life of the first (at the time of canonization) Russian saints.
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Nestor can be called the first church historian to provide a theological substantiation of Russian history. It was he who compiled the famous chronicle - “The Tale of Bygone Years”. This work became his spiritual testament.
Thanks to this chronicle, our contemporaries learned about the creation of the Slavic charter, the first Christian church built in Rus', about Princess Olga - the first Russian saint, about the Baptism of Rus'.
On the first pages of his famous work, Nestor wrote: “Behold the tales of bygone years, where the Russian Land came from...”. Thus, the main purpose of creating the chronicle for the Reverend was to describe the formation of the Russian state. And until his death, he painstakingly and tirelessly devoted all his strength to his chosen service.
It is not easy to bear on your shoulders the service of a chronicler, who is entrusted with great responsibility before history and descendants. When you need to become an objective eyewitness, tell the truth, without confusing the facts, without expressing your opinion, but only conveying the story of the events as they actually happened. Along with the ascetic life of the saint, this service revealed the feat that Nestor humbly performed for the glory of God.
Nestor the Chronicler
Rev. There was a time when Rev. Nestor was assigned all those places in the Tale of Bygone Years where it is spoken in the first person, and a fairly detailed biography was obtained: they indicated exactly the year and place of birth, the time of arrival and entry into the monastery, the year of death and general age (Miller, Schletser, Tatishchev, m . Evgeniy, architect Filaret, m. Makariy, Kubarev, Butkov, archp. Dimitry and many others). Now, when Nestor’s ownership of the Initial Chronicle is disputed, all these biographical details require significant restrictions. In any case, there is no doubt that Rev. Nestor was a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery: he arrived here under Abbot Stephen, who received him, tonsured him and elevated him to the rank of deacon. At the ceremonial opening of the relics of St. Theodosius (1091) Nestor is one of the main characters. The great authority of Nestor among the brethren of the Pechersk monastery is indicated by the story of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon about the exorcism of the demon from the monk Nikita the Recluse: here, along with such devotees of faith and piety as Abbot Nikon, Pimen the Postnik, Agapit Lechet, Gregory the Wonderworker, Isaac the Pechernik, Gregory, the creator of the canons, Onesiphorus the Seer, stands also Nestor, “like the chronicler who wrote,” then still a relatively young monk. About the time of canonization of St. Nothing definite can be said about Nestor. His name is not found either in the most ancient Monthly Words, or in the Prologues, or in the Fourth Menaions. In the Description of the icon painting of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra of the early XVIII century. a pictorial image of “Reverend Nestor the Deacon” is mentioned, etc. “Venerable Nestor the Chronicler,” but how far back the basis of this Description goes is a moot point.
We first find the Life of Nestor in the Slavic printed edition of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon of 1661 (“a verbose tale,” Rightly Rev. Philaret rightly notes, “but poor in content”), from where it was borrowed from the Chetya-Minea of St. Demetrius of Rostov.
The church service to him, as well as to the other “Reverend Father of Pechersk, whose relics rest incorruptibly in the near and far cave,” was compiled even later: its first printed edition dates back only to 1763. The relics of St. Nestor openly rests in Kyiv, in the Antoniev (nearby) caves. The Church blesses him as “the God-wise, foremost writer of the lives of the saints and a good zealot for them,” “the times and years of many miracles for the Church, the life and virtues of the first father who revealed to us in writing.” In the Iconographic Original about St. Nestore noted: “in the likeness of the gray hair, the brada of the Theologian, not forked, on the shoulders is a hood, in the right hand is a feather, and in the left is a book and rosary, monastic vestments.”
From the literary works of St. Nestor we know: 1) Reading about the life and destruction of the blessed passion-bearer Boris and Gleb, 2) The Life of our Rev. Father Theodosius, Abbot of Pechersk and 3) Chronicle. The most important work is the Life of Theodosius of Pechersk, compiled in the period between 1077 and 1088: it alone can provide some support in judgments about Nestor as a writer. Enjoying great popularity in ancient Russian writing, the Life of St. Theodosius has a rather complex literary history, which can be traced with a more or less attentive attitude to the various editions of Kiev. -Pechersk Patericon, in which this Life has long occupied a very prominent and honorable place. As a literary work, Nestorov’s Life has significant merits and clearly speaks of the author’s great readability and outstanding education: good language (consistent Church Slavonic style), sensible and literate. in places an entertaining presentation, relatively little of that “good talk” and “weaving of words” that later (Northern Russian) lives so abound. The oldest copy of the Life of Theodosius has come down to us in the so-called Assumption Collection of the 12th century. According to this manuscript, now kept in Moscow. Synod. bibliography, Life was published three times: by Bodyansky ("Readings in General History and others." 1858, III), A. Popov ("Readings in General History and Others." 1879, I) and A. A. Shakhmatov and P. A. Lavrov ("Readings in General History and others." 1899 and ed.: Collection of the 12th century Moscow. Assumption Cathedral. Issue 1).
Previously, the Life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk Nestor compiled (shortly after 1079) a reading about the life and death of Boris and Gleb, which stands completely independently of other hagiological monuments dedicated to Sts. Boris and Gleb. In historical and literary terms, Reading is lower than Life: it contains more commonplaces and details that are not directly related to the matter, more colorlessness and stereotypes in the characteristics; a noticeable disdain for proper names and chronological dates, as not adding edification; lack of historical and everyday material in the content. These shortcomings are explained partly by the author’s inexperience of the novice Nestor, and partly by the fact that the very subject of the second essay was much more interesting and closer to our author, as a monk of the Pechersk Monastery, than the subject of the first. The oldest list of Nestorov's Readings about Boris and Gleb dates back to the first half of the 14th century: this is the so-called Sylvester Collection of the Moscow Printing Library. According to this list, the Readings were published three times: by Bodyansky ("Readings in General History and Others." 1859, I), Sreznevsky ("Tales of St. Boris and Gleb." St. Petersburg, 1860) and Abramovich (in " Monuments of Old Russian Literature". Issue 2). The Reading was not very famous, as can be seen from the fact that it has come down to us in a relatively limited number of copies and did not influence other similar monuments.
As for the attitude of Rev. Nestor to the Primary Chronicle, then all the diversity of opinions on this issue can be reduced to three categories. 1) Nestor owns the entire so-called “Tale of Bygone Years”, which has survived, however, as most supporters of this opinion, led by Tatishchev and Schletser, claim, not in its original form, but significantly altered and distorted by insertions, omissions and errors of later copyists and editors. 2) Nestor in the Tale of Times. years, only those articles that directly relate to the history of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery can belong. Thus, the question of the Nestor Chronicle is separated from the question of the Tale of Times. years in the sense that the Nestor Chronicle should not be identified with the Tale, as one of its constituent parts. 3) Finally, Nestor, author of the Life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk and Readings about St. Boris and Gleb, and Nestor the Chronicler - have nothing in common with each other except the name (P. S. Kazansky, Golubinsky, A. I. Sobolevsky). In modern historical science, all the rights of citizenship have been gained by viewing the Primary Chronicle as a collection of the most diverse historical and literary material, something like a historical anthology. Expressed back in 1820 by Stroev, this opinion was fully confirmed by the scientific observations of Solovyov, Sreznevsky, Sukhomlinov, Belyaev, Kostomarov, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Klyuchevsky, A. A. Shakhmatov, E. N. Shchepkin, M. S. Grushevsky, S. F. Platonova and others. The most typical exponents of this view of the Primary Chronicle are Kostomarov, Bestuzhev-Ryumin and A. A. Shakhmatov. In the chronicle known as the Tale of Times. years, included a whole series of articles and notes relating specifically to the history of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, in short - the Pechersk Chronicle. In the matter of compiling this Pechersk Chronicle, the Rev. took close part. Nestor: the “chronicler” associated with his name (in the Pechersk Patericon) is nothing more than the chronicle of the Pechersk monastery for the second half of the 11th century. This is the only possible solution to the long-standing question about the relationship of Nestor, the compiler of the Life of Theodosius and the Reading about Boris and Gleb, to our Primary Chronicle. To completely ignore the testimony of the Pechersk Patericon or to distinguish between Nestor’s two contemporaries: the younger, deacon, author of lives, and the older, chronicler, we have neither historical nor literary right. Based on the historical and literary data that science currently has, one can think that the composition of the supposed Nestor Chronicle included: The legend that for the sake of the Pechersk Monastery was nicknamed; A word about the first monks of Pechersk; A word on the transfer of the relics of St. Feodosia; a few small notes, e.g. about the prophecy of St. Theodosius and the inclusion of his name in the synodik, about the burial of Yaneva, etc. The sources for studying the Nestor Chronicle are the Tale of Times. years (cf. Laurentian and Ipatiev lists, Nikon vault, Chronicle of Pereyaslavl of Suzdal, etc.) and the Kiev Pechersk Patericon. In the Tale of Times. years The legend about the beginning of the Pechersk monastery is read under the year 1051, the Word about the first monks of the Pechersk - under 1074, and about the transfer of the relics of St. Feodosia - under 1091. As for the Pechersk Patericon, the greatest interest when studying the Nestor Chronicle is represented by the so-called Cassian editions of this monument, especially the second Cassian version, compiled in 1462 “by order of the humble Cassian, the guide of the Pechersk.”
Miller. About the first Russian chronicler, Rev. Nestor, about his chronicle and about its successors - in “Monthly Compositions,” 1755, April, 299-324; Russian Historical Library, part I. St. Petersburg, 1757, 1-XII ("The Life of St. Nestor, the writer of this chronicle"); Schletzer. Nestor. I, § 1-2; Tatishchev. History of Russia. 1768 Book. Part I, 51-56; Timkovsky. A brief study about the Patericon by St. Nestor, the Russian chronicler - in the first part of "Notes and Works. General History and Ancient Russia." Dictionary of historical about spiritual writers who were in Russia. rank. T. II (1827), 83-95; Filaret. Russian saints. Black 1865; Part III, 254-263: Macarius. History of Russian. churches, vol. II; Kubarev. Nestor, the first writer of Ros. history - in "Russian Historical Collection", book. IV; Butkov. Defense Nestor. letop. St. Petersburg, 1840; P. S. Kazansky "Vremennik" I, III, X, XIII and "Fatherland Notes" 1851, vol. LXXIV; Pogodin. Nestor's life of St. Feodosia - in the IX volume "Izvestia. I. Ak. Sciences in the Department of Language and Words."; his own. Studies, lectures and notes, vols. I and IV; Sreznevsky. Ancient biography Russian princes - in Izvestia, vol. II and Readings about the ancient. p. letop. St. Petersburg, 1862; Sukhomzlinov. About dr.-r. chronicle, as a literary monument. St. Petersburg, 1856; Kostomarov. Lectures in Russian. stories. St. Petersburg, 1862; Bestuzhev-Ryumin. About the composition of the Russian letop. until the end of the 14th century. St. Petersburg, 1868; Golubinsky. Histor. Russian churches, vol. 1-1; Dimitri. Months of the Saints. Vol. II, pp. 189-193; Shakhmatov. A few words about Nestor’s Life of St. Feodosia - in Izvestia II Department. I. Ak. N., vol. I; his own. Kiev-Pechersk Patericon and Pechersk Chronicle. ibid., vol. II; his own. Life of Anthony and Pechersk Letop. - in "Journal of Min. Nar. Ave." 1898; his own. Research about the ancient Russian letop. vaults St. Petersburg, 1908; E. N. Shchepkin. Zur Nestorfrage - in "Arch. für slav. Phil." XIX; St. Srkulj. Die Entstehung d. ält. rus. sogen. Nestorchronik. Pozega. 1896; D. I. Abramovich. On the question of the sources of Nestor’s Life, St. Theodosius of Pechersk - in Izvestia Dep. rus. language and words. I. Ak. N., vol. III; his own. On the issue of the volume and nature of literature. activities of Nestor Letop. - in Volume II of Proceedings XI Archaeol. Congress; his own. A study of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon as a historical and literary work. monument. St. Petersburg, 1902; M. Grushevsky. History of Ukraine-Rus. Vol. I. Lev., 1904; Klyuchevsky. Russian course stories. Part I; S. F. Platonov. Lectures in Russian. ist. V. I; V. S. Ikonnikov. Russian experience historiography, vol. II, book. 2; E. V. Petukhov. Russian literature. T.I. Yuryev, 1911; N. D. Chechulin. Engraved portraits of Nestor the Chronicler - in the Collection of articles dedicated to S. F. Platonov. St. Petersburg, 1911.
D. I. Abramovich.
(Polovtsov)
Large biographical encyclopedia. 2009 .
See what “Nestor the Chronicler” is in other dictionaries:
Nestor Reconstruction based on the skull of S.A. Nikitina ... Wikipedia
Nestor the Chronicler, author of "The Tale of Bygone Years" (statue by M. Antokolsky) Nestor is an ancient Russian writer, hagiographer of the late 11th - early 12th centuries, monk of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. Author of the lives of princes Boris and Gleb, Theodosius of Pechersk.... ... Wikipedia
NESTOR, ancient Russian writer, chronicler of the 11th beginning. 12th century, monk of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. Author of the lives (see LIVES OF THE SAINTS) of princes Boris and Gleb, Theodosius of Pechersk (see THEODOSIY of Pechersk). Traditionally considered one of the greatest historians... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Nestor the Chronicler- Reverend, born in the 50s. XI century in Kyiv, at the age of 17 he entered the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. He was a novice of St. Feodosia (Memory 3 (16) May, 14 (27) August). He received tonsure from Abbot Stephen, successor of Theodosius. Purity of life, prayer and... ... Orthodoxy. Dictionary-reference book
Reverend, monk of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery; genus. in 1056; At the age of 17 he came to the monastery, was tonsured a monk, and then ordained a deacon. In 1091 he was entrusted with the discovery of the relics of St. Theodosius. Died around 1114. Other information about him... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
In ancient times, monasteries were the centers of spiritual, cultural and scientific life. The monks living in them learned to read and write and knew how to write, unlike the bulk of the people. Thanks to their manuscripts, we can now learn about the ancient Monk Nestor made a huge contribution to the development of science. The chronicler kept a kind of diary, where he recorded all, in his opinion, significant events in the life of society. For his labors and good deeds, the monk was canonized by the Orthodox Church and is revered as a saint. The story of his extraordinary life will be the subject of this article.
Nestor the Chronicler: tonsured a monk
According to the monastic charter of those times, a person had to undergo three years of obedience at the temple, and only then did he receive the right to be a servant of the Lord. The hero of our story, Nestor, was preparing for monasticism, and in this he was helped first by Abbot Theodosius, and then by Stefan. These people had an extraordinary influence on the future fate of Nestor. At that time, many monks kept chronicles, but our monk at first did not think about this matter. He was the most ordinary brother, like all the others.
Nestor the Chronicler: thirst for knowledge
Gradually the monk realizes that he is becoming interested in book wisdom. He enthusiastically begins to read the Gospel, and then the lives of the saints. The latter served as an example for him to follow. Reading the lives of the Greek righteous, the Monk Nestor the Chronicler decided to begin writing about the exploits of Russian saints, so that they would not remain without a trace. The monk's first work was the life of the blessed passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. After this work, life began to give Nestor many reasons for research. So, he was instructed to find the body of Abbot Theodosius. With the help of two monks, Nestor was still able to find the relics of the saint, which were transferred to the monastery. Impressed by this event, he began his next work. It was none other than the life of Saint Theodosius.
"The Tale of Bygone Years"
The abbot began to notice the talent and hard work of Nestor, who was tasked with bringing together many records from different years and editing them. It was from this time until the end of his life that Nestor the Chronicler wrote “The Tale of Bygone Years.” Currently, this creation is one of the highest values of Russian history, because it is based on numerous sources, and was also written using unsurpassed literary skill. Until his death, Nestor the Chronicler was engaged in his work. After him, other priests took up the manuscript.
Memory of the Saint
To this day, the Russian people remember the exploits that the chronicler Nestor accomplished. His biography has not been fully restored, because he lived a long time ago - in the 11th century. Already in the 13th century, Nestor was remembered as a saint. Its significance for the Russian Orthodox Church and for the entire Slavic people is difficult to overestimate. The monk is buried in the Anthony Caves in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The Orthodox Church commemorates Nestor on November 9. In addition, the monk also remembers October 11 - the day of the Council of the Reverend Fathers of the Lavra.
Chief Russian chronicler
“The Tale of Bygone Years” remains relevant today
The alphabet, literacy, enlightenment - without these concepts, perhaps, neither the development of spirituality, nor, especially, civilization is possible. These are the ways in which both sacred and moral, intellectual, aesthetic knowledge are passed on from generation to generation. All holiness and bookishness in Rus' came, first of all, from Kyiv, the mother of Russian cities, which is now undergoing difficult trials.
~~~~~~~~~~~
V.M. Vasnetsov. Saint Nestor the chronicler. 1885 -1893
One of the most famous monks who rests in the Near (Reverend Anthony) caves of the Kyiv Lavra is Nestor the Chronicler (honored by the Church on November 9, New Art.), who left us “The Tale of Bygone Years” - the most famous of the ancient Russian chronicle works of the 12th century, describing mainly the history of the Eastern Slavs, where the narrative begins from the Flood, covering historical and semi-legendary events that took place in ancient Rus'. Otherwise, the monument is called the Chronicle of Nestor or the Primary Chronicle.
It is here that we read the words that move the heart of every Russian Orthodox person about how the holy apostle came to the lands of future Rus'. “When Andrey taught in Sinop and arrived in Korsun, he learned that the mouth of the Dnieper was not far from Korsun... and sailed to the mouth of the Dnieper, and from there he went up the Dnieper. And it so happened that he came and stood under the mountains on the shore. And in the morning he got up and said to the disciples who were with him: “Do you see these mountains? On these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city, and God will erect many churches.” And having ascended these mountains, he blessed them, and put up a cross, and prayed to God, and came down from this mountain, where Kyiv would later be, and went up the Dnieper. And he came to the Slavs, where Novgorod now stands...”
The Tale of Bygone Years”, in Glagolitic
And here is another fragment from the Tale: “As time passed, after the death of these brothers (Kiya, Shchek and Khoriv), the Drevlyans and other surrounding people began to oppress the glades. And the Khazars found them sitting on these mountains in the forests and said: “Pay us tribute.” The glades, having consulted, gave a sword from the smoke, and the Khazars took them to their prince and the elders, and told them: “Behold, we have found a new tribute.” They asked them: “Where from?” They answered: “In the forest on the mountains above the Dnieper River.” They asked again: “What did they give?” They showed the sword.
And the Khazar elders said: “This is not a good tribute, prince: we obtained it with weapons that are sharp only on one side - sabers, but these have double-edged weapons - swords. They are destined to collect tribute from us and from other lands.”
And all this came true, for they did not speak of their own free will, but by God’s command. So it was under Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, when they brought Moses to him and the elders of Pharaoh said: “This is destined to humiliate the land of Egypt.” And so it happened: the Egyptians died from Moses, and first the Jews worked for them. It’s the same with these: first they ruled, and then they rule over them; so it is: the Russian princes still rule the Khazars to this day.”
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Venerable Nestor the Chronicler. Icon. XIX century.
This year marks 900 years since the death of the outstanding writer and preserver of Russian history, ascetic of the faith. The Kiev-Pechersk Patericon states that the Monk Nestor the Chronicler was born in the 1050s in Kyiv. As a young man he came to the Monk Theodosius, the founder of the Kyiv Pechersk Assumption Monastery, and became a novice. Nestor was tonsured by Theodosius' successor, Abbot Stefan.
The Monk Nestor said: “There is great benefit from bookish teaching; books punish and teach us the path to repentance, for from bookish words we gain wisdom and abstinence. These are the rivers that water the universe, from which wisdom emanates. Books have innumerable depth, we console ourselves with them in sorrow, they are a bridle of abstinence. If you diligently search for wisdom in the books, you will gain great benefit for your soul. For he who reads books converses with God or holy men.”
Nestor the Chronicler. Reconstruction based on the skull of S.A. Nikitina.
Let us remember that this was said in those days when the book was truly only a source of spiritual wisdom and enlightenment. A lot has changed in a thousand years.
Gutenberg's press printed, alas, megatons of the most unbridled literature, when bookishness included “secular” literature, sophisticated and perverted at times to the point of insanity and devilry.
The Monk Nestor carried out the obedience of the chronicler in the monastery. In the 1080s, he wrote “Reading about the life and destruction of the blessed passion-bearers Boris and Gleb” - in connection with the transfer of the relics of the martyred brothers to Vyshgorod in 1072. Let us recall that the brother-princes became the first saints in Rus', they were canonized as saints - as intercessors of the Russian land and heavenly helpers of the Russian princes.
Nestor the Chronicler. Birch bark. V. Churilov. Kharkiv.
At the same time, the Monk Nestor compiled the Life of the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk, and in 1091, on the eve of the patronal feast of the Pechersk monastery, Abbot John instructed him to dig up the holy relics of the Monk Theodosius from the ground for transfer to the temple (the memory of the discovery is celebrated on August 14). Historians claim that at the ceremonial opening of the relics of St. Feodosia (1091), the monk Nestor was one of the main characters, and the great authority of Nestor among the brethren of the Pechersk monastery is indicated by the story of the Kiev-Pechersk Paterikon about the expulsion of a demon from the monk Nikita the Recluse: here, along with such ascetics of faith and piety as the abbot Nikon, Pimen the Faster, Agapit the Lechec, Gregory the Wonderworker, Isaac the Pechernik, Gregory, the creator of the canons, Onesiphorus the Seer, and Nestor, “the same chronicler,” was then still a relatively young monk.
Monument to Nestor the Chronicler in Kyiv. 1988 Sculptor F.M. Soghoyan. Architect N. Kisly.
The Great Biographical Encyclopedia states: “The most important work is the Life of Theodosius of Pechersk, compiled in the period of time between 1077 and 1088: it alone can provide some support in judgments about Nestor as a writer. Enjoying great popularity in ancient Russian literature, the Life of St. Theodosius has a rather complex literary history, which can be traced with a more or less attentive attitude to the various editions of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon, in which this Life has long occupied a prominent and honorable place. As a literary work, Nestorov’s Life has significant merits and clearly speaks of the author’s great reading and outstanding education: good language (consistent Church Slavonic style), sensible and sometimes entertaining presentation...”
But the main feat of the life of the Monk Nestor was still the compilation by 1112-1113. "Tales of Bygone Years." Based on the historical and literary data that science currently has, there is reason to believe that the supposed Nestor Chronicle included “The Legend that the Pechersk Monastery was nicknamed”, “The Tale of the First Monkmen of the Pechersk”; “The Sermon on the Transfer of the Relics of St. Feodosia”, as well as several small notes.
Lyubech. Monument to Nestor the Chronicler.
The monk is rightly considered the author of the history of Rus' as an integral part of world history, the history of the salvation of the human race.
“This is the story of bygone years, where the Russian land came from, who began the reign in Kyiv, and where the Russian land came from,” - this is how the Monk Nestor defined the purpose of his work from the first lines.
Nestor was definitely a Russian patriot, as can be judged at least by the events to which he devoted the pages of his narrative. He talks about the first mention of the Russian people in church sources - in 866, under the holy Patriarch Photius of Constantinople. It also tells about the creation of the Slavic charter by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles “Slovenian teachers” Cyril and Methodius. It is from him that we learn about the Baptism of St. Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles in Helena in Constantinople.
The chronicle of St. Nestor has preserved for us the story about the first Orthodox church in Kyiv (945), about the confessional feat of the holy Varangian martyrs (983), about the famous “test of faith” by Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles (986) and what followed after that Baptism of Rus' (988).
We also owe Nestor information about the first metropolitans of the Russian Church, about the emergence of the Pechersk monastery on the Kyiv Dnieper hills, about its founders and ascetics. The monk was an eyewitness to the destruction of the Pechersk monastery in 1096.
The spiritual depth, historical fidelity and patriotism of “The Tale of Bygone Years” place it among the highest creations of our national and world literature.
The Monk Nestor the Chronicler died around 1114, bequeathing to the Pechersk monks-chroniclers the continuation of his brainchild. In general, in its final form, “The Tale of Bygone Years” is the combined work of several monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Nestor’s successors in the chronicles were Abbot Sylvester, who gave a modern look to the “Tale of Bygone Years”, Abbot Moses Vydubitsky, who extended it until 1200, and Abbot Lavrenty, who in 1377 wrote the oldest of the surviving copies that have preserved the “Tale” of the Monk Nestor ( "Laurentian Chronicle").
Laurentian Chronicle, 1377
By the way, under the name “Nestor of the Pechersk Chronicles” the Russian saint is included in the list of saints of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate established an order named after this saint.
The main Russian chronicler is immortalized in sculptural monuments in many cities of Rus'. Let's name just a few.
Monument to Nestor the Chronicler in Pryluky
First of all, the famous monument to M. Mikeshin “Millennium of Russia” (1862).
On June 10, 1988, not far from the Kiev-Pechersk monastery, a monument to Nestor the Chronicler was unveiled as a gift from the sculptor F. Sogoyan (architect N. Kisly) to the city, in connection with the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.
There is a monument to Nestor the Chronicler both in Novgorod-Seversky and in Priluki, where it was erected in honor of the 900th anniversary of the city on the territory of the ancient Val.
In Lyubech, the monument to the chronicler has a remarkably unifying character: it was erected in 1997 in honor of the famous first congress of ancient Russian princes, which took place here in 1097. The Russian unifying theme, as we see, has been painful for almost a thousand years.
Holy Father Nestore, pray to God for us!
