Saint Daniel of Moscow: life, what helps

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

In their prayers, Orthodox believers often turn to saints. Some of them are even chosen as heavenly patrons. They protect, support and always answer sincere prayers. This article will focus on St. Daniel of Moscow, his life and features of veneration. What is the significance and legacy of the prince in the history of Russia? And what does Saint Daniel of Moscow help with?

Life

According to historical data, Daniel was the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky. Presumably, he was born at the end of 1261 and received a name in honor of Daniel the Stylite. The memory of this saint is celebrated on December 11. Therefore, historians suggest that the fourth son of Alexander Nevsky was born in November or December. Later, the prince depicted his heavenly patron on seals, built a monastery in his honor.

When little Daniel was two years old, he lost his father. His uncle Yaroslav Yaroslavich took up his upbringing. At thattime Russia was under the Mongol-Tatar yoke and was weakened by princely civil strife. According to the Tver charter, after the death of Yaroslav Yaroslavich in 1272, the Moscow principality passed to Daniel. Compared to the patrimonies of the older brothers Dmitry and Andrei, his inheritance was scarce and small in territory. However, from the very first days of his reign, Daniil Alexandrovich began to make significant changes in the life and structure of the Moscow principality. So, in the first year, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built in the courtyard of the Kremlin Palace.

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The life of St. Daniel of Moscow and his reign played an important role in the history of Russia. He participated in the confrontation between older brothers who fought for power over North-Eastern Russia and Novgorod. In these conflicts, Daniil Aleksandrovich proved himself to be a peace lover. So, in 1282, he gathered the troops of Moscow, Prince Svyatoslav of Tver and his brother Andrei, and moved to the city of Dmitry. However, already at the meeting at the gate, in many respects with the participation of Daniel, peace was concluded.

The Moscow prince tirelessly cared about his people. Returning to the capital city, he founded a monastery on the banks of the Moskva River, on the Serpukhov road. The monastery was built in honor of the heavenly patron of the prince. Later it became known as Danilovskaya (or Svyato-Danilov Spasskaya).

In 1283 the monastery was destroyed. Brother Dmitry nevertheless became the prince of Vladimir. But Andrey could not come to terms with this. And he conspired with the commanders of the Golden Horde about a campaign in the NorthEastern Russia. This event is noted in the history of "Dudeneva's army" by the name of the chief commander Tudan (or, as it is said in Russian chronicles, Duden).

After a long bloody strife, the older brothers managed to make peace. Dmitry refused the reign of Vladimir. However, on the way to the specific city of Pereslavl-Zalessky, he fell seriously ill, took the veil as a monk and soon died.

Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow took the side of Dmitry, and after his death he led the alliance against Andrei. In 1296, the latter accepted the reign of Vladimir. The conflict between the brothers escalated. There was a congress of princes, it was attended by Bishops Simeon of Vladimir and Ishmael Sarsky. They convinced the brothers to make peace.

At the same time, Daniil Alexandrovich was invited to reign in Veliky Novgorod. This testified to the increased political influence of Moscow. On this occasion, the prince arranged the Epiphany Monastery, and four years later - the bishop's house and the cathedral in honor of Saints Peter and Paul.

Burial place

In 1303, the prince took the vows as a monk, spent his last days in the Danilovsky Monastery. Justice, mercy and piety gained respect for the ruler and elevated him to the face of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow.

There are two versions of his burial place. The first is connected with the parchment Trinity Chronicle. In 1812, it burned down, but until that moment N. M. Karamzin saw it. He made an extract about the death of the prince, from which it follows that Daniel of Moscow was buried near the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. This is evidenced byand a miniature of the Illuminated Chronicle. And in its description it says: "… And he was laid in the church of St. Michael the Archangel in Moscow, in his fatherland."

The second version belongs to the Book of Powers, which says that the burial place of the ruler was the fraternal cemetery in the Danilovsky Monastery. In support of this, there are several legends.

During the reign of Prince Vasily III, a grand event occurred. Together with his subjects, he passed near the burial place of Daniil of Moscow. At this moment, the prince's boyar Ivan Shuisky fell off his horse. He couldn't get into the saddle. So he decided to use the tombstone as a stepping stone to make it easier to get on the horse. Passers-by, seeing this, tried in every possible way to dissuade the boyar. But he was stubborn. Shuisky stood on a stone. But as soon as he put his foot on the saddle, his horse reared up and fell dead, crushing the boyar. After that, Shuisky could not recover for a long time. He was in a serious condition until the clergy prayed for him at Danilov's grave. This incident was far from the only one that occurred here. Ivan the Terrible and his entourage more than once witnessed miraculous healings. Therefore, the powerful king established an annual religious procession to this place and a memorial service.

There is another legend that the prince came in a dream to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1652 and asked to open his tomb. Everything was done. And the imperishable miraculous relics of St. Daniel of Moscow were found andtransferred to the temple of the Seven Ecumenical Councils (on the territory of the Danilovsky Monastery). And the prince himself was made a saint. After the revolution of 1917, the cancer ended up in the Trinity Cathedral. And in 1930 it was transferred to the southern wall of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word. Where the relics of St. Daniel of Moscow are today is unknown. After the church was closed, their data was lost.

Results of the Board

Moscow possessions, which little Daniel inherited, were small and played a secondary political role. They were limited to the Moscow River basin, having no access to the Oka. And during the civil strife of Dmitry and Andrei Dyudenev, the army completely ruined the principality. But since 1300, the political influence of Moscow begins to grow, the territory expands. In 1301-1302. the prince captured Kolomna and annexed Pereslavl to his possessions.

St. Daniel of Moscow built several hierarchical houses, churches and monasteries in the church respect. They were visited by metropolitans from all over Russia. Also in the Danilovsky Monastery, the first archimandrite in the Moscow Principality was established. All this laid the foundation for the transfer of supreme church authority to Moscow, which took place in 1325 with the participation of the heirs.

Daniil Moskovsky also created communications. During his reign, the Great Horde Road was built, uniting various directions. So Moscow became an important city at the crossroads of trade routes.

Family

The name of the wife of Saint Daniel of Moscow is not exactly known. However, insome sources mention a certain Evdokia Alexandrovna. In total, the prince had five heirs:

• Yuri Daniilovich (1281-1325) ruled in Pereslavl and Moscow. He annexed the Mozhaisk principality. In an attempt to obtain a label for a great reign in 1325, he was hacked to death in a fit of anger by the ruler of Tver, Dmitry the Terrible Eyes.
• Boris Daniilovich - ruled in the Kostroma principality. The exact year of birth is unknown. Died in 1320. He was buried in the city of Vladimir, next to the Church of Our Lady.
• Ivan I Kalita (1288-1340) - Prince of Moscow, Vladimir and Novgorod. There are two versions of the origin of his nickname. One is connected with the collection of heavy tribute for the Golden Horde. The second tells that the prince carried a bag of money with him for the beggars or the purchase of new lands.
• Afanasy Daniilovich was twice placed by his elder brother at the head of Novgorod (1314-1315, 1319-1322). Shortly before his death, he took monastic vows.
• Historical chronicles contain information about another son of St. Daniel of Moscow - Alexander. He died before 1320 and was second in command. However, no further information about him has survived.

Memory and reverence

In 1791, the prince was canonized for local veneration. The days of St. Daniel of Moscow became March 17 and September 12 according to the new style. The first is connected with the founding of the Cathedral of Moscow Saints, the second - with the acquisition of relics. In the days of the memory of St. Daniel of Moscow, the name day is celebrated by Daniel, Alexander, Vasily, Grigory, Pavel and Semyon. Services are also held in churches.

In 1988Patriarch Pimen and the Holy Synod established the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow in three degrees.

In Nakhabino near Moscow, not far from the center of the engineering troops of the Russian Federation, a temple was built in memory of the saint. Now he is the heavenly patron of this center and the entire Russian army.

In 1996, a submarine of the Northern Fleet was named after the prince.

Danilovsky Monastery

The very first and most important historical and spiritual monument on the heritage list of Daniil of Moscow is the monastery on the Moscow River. Danilovsky Monastery has a long history. Founded in the 13th century, it has been repeatedly destroyed, rebuilt and repurposed.

After the campaign of Dudenevsky's army against Moscow, the monastery fell into decay. Ivan the Terrible took up its reconstruction only in 1560. Here the temple of the Seven Ecumenical Councils was erected and consecrated by Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow.

However, 30 years later, during the invasion of the Crimean Khan Kazy Giray, it turned into a fortified camp. And during the Time of Troubles, it was completely destroyed. The third revival of the monastery took place in the 17th century, when it was surrounded by a brick wall with seven towers. The number of monks began to grow. According to documentary sources on land ownership, in 1785, the Danilov Monastery owned 18 acres of land (slightly more than 43 thousand square meters).

In 1812 it was ruined again. The sacristy was taken to Vologda, and the treasury was sent to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Later, almshouses for the elderly operated on the territory of the monastery.clerics and their wives. During the revolution, the monastery was formally closed. But the monastic life continued in private order. The rector was Archbishop Theodore Volokolamsky, and 19 monks lived in obedience to him. At that time, the Danilovsky Monastery already owned 164 acres of land (almost 394 thousand square meters).

In 1929, the monastery was closed and redesigned as a children's detention center of the NKVD. The bell tower was demolished. And the bells themselves were saved from being melted down by the American industrialist and diplomat Charles Crane. Until 2007, they were kept at Harvard University. The monastery churchyard (or necropolis) was also destroyed. The ashes of the writer N. V. Gogol, the poet N. M. Yazykov were transferred to the Novodevichy cemetery, and the grave of the painter V. G. Perov was transferred to the cemetery of the Donskoy Monastery.

And finally, in 1982, shortly before his death, Leonid Brezhnev signed a decree on the transfer of the Donskoy Monastery to the Moscow Patriarchate. A year later, the word "Donskoy" was corrected to "Danilov". Construction work was organized, during which the Trinity Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils were restored, a chapel above the well, a four-story Fraternal building, a hotel complex (behind the southern wall of the monastery) were erected, and the Church of Seraphim of Sarov was consecrated (1988). And in 2007, the bell ensemble from Harvard University returned to the Danilov Monastery.

Today there is a Sunday school and catechism courses for adults on the territory of the monastery. It also has its own publishing house, Danilovsky Blagovestnik.

Among the famous visitors to the monastery were the 40th President of the United States RonaldReagan with his wife and US Secretary of State George Shultz.

Twice a year, large services are held in the monastery in memory of the founder Daniel of Moscow.

Prayer

What helps St. Daniel of Moscow? This is the main question of Orthodox believers. After all, the prince is predominantly a historical figure. However, the testimonies of pilgrims say that he always comes to the aid of those who sincerely pray for the acquisition of housing or miraculous healing from serious ailments (in particular, cancer). Also, people who lack the spiritual strength to forgive or to protect themselves from false accusations turn to the saint. After all, the prince, according to the annals, was an extremely merciful and just person. To receive help and fulfill the request of the believer, in addition to prayers and the troparion, they read an akathist to St. Daniel of Moscow for 40 days in a row.

There is also a common prayer that can be addressed every day to the saint (not only those who bear the name Daniel / Daniel):

Pray to God for me (us), the holy servant of God Daniel of Moscow, as I (we) diligently resort to you (we resort), a quick helper and prayer book for my soul (souls) (ours).

What do the clergy pray to the Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow? About peace in the country, about the condescending disposition of the authorities. The heavenly patron protects the state in case of military danger and helps in overcoming conflicts.

Nothing is known about the relics of St. Daniel of Moscow. But in the church records of the Trinity Cathedralspeaks of miraculous healings of the sick, who once turned to the cancer of the prince.

Icon

One of the first holy images is the icon of St. Daniel of Moscow, dating back to the 17th-18th centuries. On it, the prince is depicted with the Holy Scripture in his hand. In front of it is the Moscow Kremlin (white stone). And in the upper left corner is the Holy Trinity. The icon was kept for a long time in the Danilovsky Monastery. Copies exist today.

The image of the famous prince is widely used in modern icon painting. There are special centers at the temples of Russia, where you can order the icon of St. Daniel of Moscow. Or purchase a personalized image or a medallion. As a rule, on the reverse side of them is a prayer or troparion in honor of the saint. Often the prince is depicted with his father, Alexander Nevsky. Such images help the laity to keep peace in the family, and the church is protected from heresies and schisms.

Mosaic icons of Daniil of Moscow and bas-reliefs with his image adorn the facades and aisles of many churches in the Moscow region. For example, the Church of Christ the Savior, the Cathedral of Daniel of Moscow in Nakhabino.

Miraculous icons can be found in the Danilovsky Monastery. In general, the whole territory here has a special atmosphere of historical memory and holiness. Prayer to St. Daniel of Moscow in front of the icon, like any other patron, must be sincere, come from the heart of the believer. The clergy say that sometimes parishioners complain about the saint, saying that all their prayers are in vain. We must remember to be justlike Daniil of Moscow. He helps really needy people and only in bright and pure intentions and deeds.

In culture

The historical novel "The Younger Son" is dedicated to Saint Daniel of Moscow. Its author was Dmitry Balashov, a Russian philologist and public figure of the 20th century. The exact year of the creation of the novel is unknown. The work provides scientific information about the life and reign of Daniil of Moscow, his family and role in the development of Moscow as an economic, political, and most importantly, spiritual center of Russia. It also describes the reasons for the strife of the brothers Andrei and Dmitry. The novel is the first of the series "The Princes of Moscow" and covers the time period from 1263 to 1304.

In 1997, on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of Moscow, a monument to the famous prince was erected on Serpukhovskaya Square. Its authors were sculptors A. Korovin, V. Mokrousov and architect D. Sokolov. Daniel of Moscow holds a temple in his left hand, and a sword in his right. Moreover, the weapon is in the lowered position. This is the peace-loving disposition of the ruler, who considered strife and bloodshed to be objectionable to God.