In Orthodoxy, there are not so few holy martyrs and miracle workers, revered by believers and by the church itself. Much is known about the life and deeds of some, but very little is known about the circumstances under which others grew up and came to accept Christianity.
One of these saints, about the circumstances of whose life not much is known, is Abraham of Bulgaria. Reviews of the miraculous resolution of life's problems after praying at his icon encourage many people to pilgrimage to the relics.
Who is this person?
Extremely little information has been preserved about the childhood and adolescence of the saint. Everything that is known about him comes from the Laurentian Chronicle, named after one of the monks who compiled it. It dates back to approximately the 14th century and is currently kept in one of the libraries in St. Petersburg.
Abraham of Bulgaria - a miracle worker and a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to this chronicle, was not a Slav. The chronicler describes this man as speaking a different, non-Russian language. Presumably, the saint was a Bulgarin. What is another name for this people - the Volga orKama Bulgarians. These are the ethnic ancestors of the Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Tatars and other peoples.
The place and date of the saint's death are known for certain. This man died at the beginning of the 13th century, on the first of April. It happened in 1229 in the town of Bolgar, that is, on the territory of Volga Bulgaria.
What did he do in life?
St. Abraham of Bulgaria, according to the chronicle, was a very we althy man, even rich. He was engaged in trade, that is, he was a merchant. Judging by the mention in the annals that Abrahamy traded almost all over the Volga region, things were clearly going well for him.
He traded with representatives of the Russian merchant class. Presumably, it was thanks to such business connections and relationships that the future saint not only learned the Russian language, but also became interested in the Christian worldview.
Has he always been a Christian?
Abraham of Bulgaria was not brought up in the Christian tradition. Presumably, this person grew up within the Islamic culture. It is likely that under the influence of communication with representatives of the Russian merchant class, the future saint not only learned about the basic postulates of Christianity, but also accepted it.
Of course, speaking about the influence of Orthodox merchants on the worldview of the future saint, one should not understand it as pressure. Merchants of all nationalities, including Russian merchants, at all times were distinguished by tolerance and calmly conducted business with non-Christians. Most likely, the worldview of Christians was closer to the state of mind and corresponded to the personal qualities of the futuresaint than the denomination in which he grew up.
What made this man different?
Avraamy of Bulgaria was not like his co-zemstvo. According to the chronicle, he was full of compassion and distinguished by meekness of disposition. The mercy of the future saint to other people was not limited to kind words or prayers for them. As our contemporaries would say, Abraham was actively involved in charity work. This man supported those who were less fortunate in life than him, not only with kind words, but also with deeds.
Proceeding from this, it becomes clear for what internal reasons the future saint was spiritually drawn to Christianity. Mercy, caring for others, helping the poor and kindness of the heart are integral components of the Christian worldview, however, like many other things.
What did he do afterwards?
About how Abraham of Bulgaria lived after the adoption of Christianity, not much is known for certain either. This man did not leave his occupation and continued to trade successfully throughout the Volga region. However, after the sacrament of baptism, Abraham not only did business, that is, traded, but also conducted active missionary work, preached, talked about Jesus and Christianity in general.
When exactly the future saint was touched by the grace of God and he was baptized, it is not known for certain. However, this man received his name Abraham just after the adoption of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, the name that the future saint was given at birth is not mentioned in chronicles.sources.
How did this person die?
Continuing to engage in commercial affairs after the adoption of holy baptism, Abraham of Bulgaria, of course, has repeatedly been at home, and not just been on the road. Of course, like any we althy person, he owned the land, was the owner of the estate.
Much more is known about the death of the future saint than about his life. And the point is not at all that Abraham accepted a martyr's death. Witnesses of his death and all that preceded it were merchants, merchants from Murom. It was the people of Murom who redeemed the body of the future saint and buried him according to Christian custom.
The future saint died in the Great Bulgars. In those days, this city was the capital, and large trade fairs, “aha-bazaars”, were held in it. People engaged in trade gathered there from everywhere, presenting their goods and doing what they would say now, making deals.
Of course, the future saint, who actively preached the ideas of Christianity and was engaged in missionary work, could not miss the opportunity to talk about the Lord, because the bazaar gathered a large number of very different people. Moreover, Abraham did not think that he should be afraid of anything, because he was on his native land.
Speaking to a crowd of people with a sermon, the future Saint Abraham of Bulgaria faced not only misunderstanding on the part of his compatriots, but also rejection, as well as outright aggression. From time immemorial, people have tried to change the worldview of their neighbors, which did not correspond to their own views, feelings or beliefs. The future saint became a victim of this type of behavior.
At first, of course, he was persuaded. Of course, the purpose of the persuasion was the renunciation of the Lord, the return to the religion in which Abraham grew up and was brought up. But, faced with the firmness of faith, and it is quite possible that with a new, already more private sermon, people began to threaten him. These threats, according to the testimonies of Murom merchants, did not relate to the he alth and life of the future saint. They promised to seize his property, take away his land and house.
The threats had no effect, moreover, the future martyr Abraham of Bulgaria, probably in the heat of his feelings, recklessly declared that he would not regret not only property, but also his own life for believing in the Lord. Most likely, such a statement became a kind of catalyst, an impetus for splashing out aggression. The saint began to be beaten. They beat him so that not a single area of the body was left without damage, even all the bones were broken.
Despite such serious injuries, life remained in the saint's body. Then the tormentors, starting to beat their fellow countryman, threw him, bleeding, into the prison cell. But even being on the verge of death, suffering unbearably bodily, Abraham did not renounce the Lord. In those moments when the future saint was conscious, he glorified the name of Christ and exhorted the guards to accept the true faith, preaching to them.
Of course, such steadfastness did not arouse understanding among the tormentors. On the first day of April, Abraham was taken outside the city, to an old well, and executed. The execution was also difficult. The martyr was gradually cut off limbs -started with the hands, then came the turn of the forearms. Thus, he was deprived of his arms, and then his legs. But even drowning in his own blood, Abraham praised the name of the Lord and begged him to forgive the executioners. Tired of bullying, the tormentors cut off the future saint's head.
The Murom merchants buried the martyr, who witnessed both the unsuccessful sermon on the market square and the painful execution. Abraham was buried in a special graveyard for local Christians, and soon miracles began to happen near his grave, rumors about which quickly spread not only in Bulgaria, but also in the Russian principalities.
When did they start reading it?
When exactly the veneration of this saint began, it is impossible to say. Probably within the first year, as soon as the miracles taking place near the grave were noticed.
At the time of the death of the martyr, the Bulgars were at war with the Russian principalities. This war was rather sluggish and lasted for six years. There were practically no hostilities, there were separate "demonstrative" battles and many local small skirmishes ending in robberies.
Georgy Vsevolodovich reigned in Vladimir in 1230. It was to him that an embassy from the Volga region arrived with a request for peace. The prince agreed, but in return demanded that the relics of the Christian martyr be transferred from the lands of the "wicked". They were transferred to Vladimir, to one of the monasteries. Probably, this transfer can be considered the beginning of the veneration of the saint by the Orthodox Church, although at that time the temple of Abraham of Bulgaria, or at leastthe chapel was not built. But the relics were revered as miraculous already in the thirteenth century.
How does this saint help?
Believers turn to him with various requests. Of course, there are certain traditions, centuries-old beliefs related to what prayers Abraham of Bulgaria listens to. How does this saint help? Of course, first of all, in the conduct of trade affairs.
The merchants considered the martyr their patron even before the invasion of the Mongol-Tatar hordes, and it is still customary among devout businessmen to pray to this saint before concluding any deals or purchasing goods. That is, Abraham patronizes entrepreneurs, people who have anything to do with trade - store owners, sellers, administrators.
However, the good power of the saint does not end there. From time immemorial, it was customary to pray for his help, being in distress. The saint helps to improve material affairs, gain prosperity, own shelter and stable prosperity.
In addition, people go to the image of Abraham with prayers for the healing of sick children, granting them success in learning and vitality. The archives of the Orthodox Church preserved written testimonies of miraculous healings both during the veneration of the relics and during prayer before the image of the holy martyr.
When does the church remember a saint?
Akathist to Abraham of Bulgaria is served on the day of his death, that is, the first of April. The readings mention his short life, tell about martyrdom and a feat in the name of the Lord.
Particular attention is paid to this saint in the churches of Vladimir, Kazan and the town of Bolgar, which ceased to be a village only in the 90s of the last century. It is located on the site of the ancient Volga capital, in which the saint accepted his martyrdom. It is also believed that the ancient city of Bulgars is not only the place of Abraham's death, but also his native land.
In addition to the fact that on the first day of April, the akathist to Abraham of Bulgaria is read, in the churches of Kazan, Vladimir and Bolgar the saint is honored for the next week.
Are there any special icons?
A miraculous image, to which believers from all over Russia went to bow, was an icon containing interspersed relics of a saint.
This image has a difficult fate. On the day when in the village on the site of the ancient Bulgars the church of St. Abraham of Bulgaria opened its doors for the parishioners, the icon with the relics was presented to him by Feognost, Bishop of Vladimir. This event happened back in 1878.
Subsequently, in 1892, the servants of the temple from the Bulgars turned to the higher clergy with a request to transfer an ancient wooden shrine from Vladimir in order to adequately present the miraculous image to believers. The request was granted, and starting from May of the same year, the icon was constantly available for worship in cancer.
However, when the image was created, how the relics ended up in it is unknown. The only thing known about this icon is that it was unusually old, but the colors shone like new.
Unfortunately, in the post-revolutionaryyears miraculous icon was lost. Her fate is still unknown.
How to pray for prosperity?
Praying to the patron saint of people involved in trade should be done sincerely and with pure thoughts. He does not patronize the thirst for profit. During his lifetime, he himself spent income on good deeds, supported the poor and helped everyone who needed it to get on their feet.
Accordingly, he should pray with good intentions, and not with a desire to just cash in, get rich:
“Holy martyr Abraham! I turn to you for help and in the hope of your patronage in my affairs and worldly concerns. Do not leave, saint, my prayer, hear and grant prosperity to my house, prosperity and success in your endeavors. Not for the sake of money-grubbing and without stinginess in my heart, with open thoughts and good goals, I ask for your help. Bless and save, protect and help, Saint Abraham. Amen.”
How to ask for he alth?
Praying for healing is necessary, believing in your own words. Not holy relics work miracles, and not spoken words, but a person's faith in the power of the Lord.
“Abraham, holy martyr of the Lord! I beg you to save me from sorrows and pains, my child (name). I pray to grant he alth and joy, with which children are filled. Do not leave, saint, in the hour of disaster, dashing trials. Help to overcome the unbearable burden, to overcome the evil ailment. Intercede for us before the Lord, beg to send us he alth. Amen.”
