"Is it possible that the saint, whom God has prepared to become the chosen vessel of the Lord, was born of unrighteous parents?" This question is asked by Epiphanius the Wise, the author of the biography of Sergius of Radonezh. And he answers himself: “Of course not. Even before the birth of a baby, great miracles accompanied his birth. And the saint's parents were also difficult people.
In this article you will read about Sergius' mother, Mary of Radonezh. Who was this woman, ranked by the Orthodox Church as a saint? Many people know the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh. But who were his parents - Cyril and Maria? Did they have any other children besides Sergius? Why are the parents of the saint from Radonezh revered? When is their memory honored? What prayers should be said then? Read all about it below.
Biography of the marriedfour
Alas, we cannot say anything about when Cyril and Mary of Radonezh were born. One can only assume, since they died at a respectable age, that they were born in the second half of the 13th century. Most likely, Cyril inherited the boyar title from his father. He owned an estate in the village of Varnitsy, which was located four miles from Rostov the Great. But it is reliably known that Kirill was in the service, first of Prince Konstantin Borisovich, and then of Konstantin Vasilyevich.
Obviously, his wife Maria was also a boyar family. But who her parents were, how and where her childhood and adolescence proceeded, and even when she married, historians do not know. The couple lived richly, but without chic. Cyril went to the court of the princes of Rostov only on duty. Most of the time the couple spent on their estate, not shunning, as Epiphanius the Wise writes, and physical labor. They were pious people, but they did not differ from the Orthodox people in any way. They had two sons - Stefan and Peter.
Miracles performed by Sergius in the womb
But then Maria of Radonezh became pregnant for the third time. At first, nothing foretold miracles. But one day Mary went to the Holy Liturgy and stood in the church. This is how the biographer of Sergius of Radonezh, Epiphanius, describes this amazing case: when the priest opened the book of the Gospels and prepared to read from it, the baby exclaimed in a loud voice from the womb.
The astonishment of those around was great, but how should Mary herself feel? Same wayloudly, the unborn baby cried out twice during the divine service: before the singing of the glory of the cherubim and when the priest proclaimed: “Listen, glory to the saints!” Since then, Sergiy's parents realized that an extraordinary child should appear in their family. And they, like once the mother of the prophet Samuel, Saint Anna, decided to dedicate him to the church.
The religious exploits of Mary herself
It seems to endure in the bosom of the future saint, who also announced himself so early, is already a great merit before God. But Saint Mary of Radonezh, as the author of the life of the founder of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra writes, kept away from all impurity and filth. She treated the child she carried as "some priceless treasure." While other pregnant women annoyed their husbands with their whims, Maria was very reserved in her food.
She strictly kept fasts and generally refused any fast food. When she was on demolition, she excluded fish from the diet. She ate only boiled vegetables and cereals, and drank only spring water, and even then in small quantities. She very often prayed alone to God, asking Him to keep her and the baby. She also often mentioned that if he was born a male, she would dedicate him to the Church, that is, give him a monk, as soon as he reached the age of understanding good and evil.
Mother of the little saint
In May 1314, Mary of Radonezh happily gave birth to her third son. After 40 days, his parents carried him to the church to be baptized. And the priest named the baby Bartholomew. And not only becausethat on that day (June 11) the Church honored the memory of a saint with that name. "Bartholomew" means "Son of Consolation" (Joy). The priest also felt that this baby would serve as a comforter not only for his parents, but also for many other Christians. He predicted to his parents: “Rejoice, rejoice, for this is the vessel chosen by God, the abode of the Holy Spirit and the servant of the Trinity.”
Little Bartholomew, accustomed to fasting in the womb, did not want to refuse them. The rich noblewoman wanted to give the child, like her two first sons, to the nurse. But the baby did not want to breastfeed. Then Maria undertook to feed her son herself. And as she noticed, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the baby refused to suck milk, and on other days he drank it. Wanting to make her son's food more nutritious, Mary began to eat meat. But little Bartholomew immediately refused to breastfeed. Because of him, the mother completely refused meat.
The boyhood of Bartholomew and the political vicissitudes of the Principality of Rostov
When the third son of Cyril and Mary of Radonezh grew up a little, he continued his abstinence on his own. On Wednesdays and Fridays he kept a severe fast. And on other days he did not eat meat food. At the same time, he was always support and joy for his parents, fully justifying his name. Years passed, and the two eldest sons, Stefan and Peter, got married and started their own families. Only the youngest, Bartholomew, remained with his parents. When he turned 15, there were changes that affected not only his family, but also the fate of many Rostovites.
Principality horriblein dependence on the Moscow ruler Ivan Kalita, who sent his governor to the city. He did not have a good disposition. And since the principality of Moscow paid tribute to the Golden Horde, the governor robbed the inhabitants of Rostov the Great. From the harassment of the voivode, Kirill was completely ruined. And the family decided to move to little Radonezh, in the principality of Moscow. Therefore, the married couple, Maria and Kirill, are called by the name of this town.
End of earthly life
Bartholomew wanted to be tonsured from adolescence and often reminded his parents of their promise to consecrate him to God. Cyril and Maria did not renounce their words, but asked their son to support them in their senile weakness and poverty, because the youngest son was their only support. But since death still did not come for them, the parents decided to take the vows themselves. For this, Schemamonk Cyril and St. Mary of Radonezh retired to the monastery of Khotkovo. There they spent the rest of their days in prayer and abstinence.
Meanwhile, the fate of their eldest son, Stefan, has changed. His wife is dead. Stefan, being in grief, decided to leave the world. He gave his two sons to be raised by his younger brother Peter and also entered the Khotkovo monastery. In 1337, the parents appeared before the Lord, and their sons buried them in the monastery, under the floor of the Intercession Cathedral. For forty days Bartholomew stayed at the tomb of Cyril and Mary, and then he distributed his estate to the poor and retired with his brother Stefan to the Makovets forest, where they built the Trinity Church, and around it a monastery. Three years later, the saint took the tonsure, taking the monastic name Sergius.
Church of Cyril and Mary of Radonezh
The tomb of the family in the XIV century declared itself a variety of miracles. Firstly, Sergius of Radonezh himself pointed out that before coming to him, believers must first visit the Khotkovo monastery. There, under the shadow of the Church of the Intercession, lay not only the relics of his parents, but also the ashes of the wives of the elder brothers of the saint, Anna and Catherine. Sergius insisted that the family ties that bind him to family members are so strong that reading prayers affects the he alth of believers.
The chronicle of the Intercession Monastery in Khotkovo testifies to the miracles taking place at the site of the tomb. The intercession of Saints Cyril and Mary was especially evident during the time of terrible epidemics: the pestilence of 1771, cholera in 1848 and 1871. The sanctity of schemamonks was recognized in the 19th century. This is evidenced by church calendars of that time. So, the venerable schemamonks are commemorated on January 31 and October 11. These days they read the akathist to Cyril and Mary of Radonezh and the Ps alter.
People's Protectors
The Church recognized schemamonks as saints only in the 19th century. But already on the icons of the 15th century, Cyril and Mary, the parents of Sergius of Radonezh, were depicted with halos around their heads. People constantly flocked to the grave of intercessors, asking for recovery from ailments. Intercession Cathedral was repeatedly rebuilt, but the relics until the terrible years of "militant atheism"remained in the crypt.
Over the grave was an old icon of Mary of Radonezh and other members of her family. This image embodied the idea of heavenly intercession. In the center of the icon was depicted the Mother of God with raised hands in prayer. Her feet rested on the tomb of the schemamonks. On one side of her were depicted men of the clan: Cyril, Sergius, Stefan and Peter, and on the other - women: Maria, Anna and Catherine. According to legend, the founder of the Trinity Lavra often visited Khotkovo to pray at the grave of his parents. One of the icons of Sergius of Radonezh depicts him with a censer over the coffin in Khotkovo.
Prayers to the venerable schemamonks
There are several options for addressing Cyril and Maria. The couple never quarreled. Therefore, in order to gain harmony in the family, one should read the troparion. It sounds like this:
“Participants in the blessedness of Christ, an example of marriage and care for children, the righteous Cyril and Mary, who showed us the fruit of piety, St. Sergius, pray to God that He send down to us the spirit of humility and love, so that in unanimity and peace glorify the Holy Trinity "".
There is also a kontakion praising not only the couple, but also their son Bartholomew, known as Sergius of Radonezh. It is read to get rid of temptations and misfortunes, to save the family, to strengthen old age and to save the soul. In prayer to the schemamonks Mary and Cyril, you need to ask for their intercession before the Lord, so that God would protect the believer and his entire family from demons and evil people. You should also hope that the strength to follow strictly all the commandments of Christ was granted from above.
Akathist to Mary of Radonezh and Cyril, her husband
This canon is proclaimed by the priest on the day of commemoration of the venerable schemamonks. Akathist consists of 13 kontakia and 12 ikos. It briefly speaks about the life of Saints Cyril and Mary, about the heavenly glory that they gained after leaving earthly life, and that their relics grant healing from infirmities to anyone who comes to worship them with faith.
