home / Self-development/ Old Russian literature in the development of spiritual and moral values of a person. Modern crisis of personality and the greatness of the example of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky Hagiographic literature as a special genre

Old Russian literature in the development of human spiritual and moral values. Modern crisis of personality and the greatness of the example of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky Hagiographic literature as a special genre

Events recent years showed that we have lost a lot. We have forgotten how to live according to the laws of our ancestors, in the Christian spirit - as God commands and teaches the Holy Church. We have lost the former foundations and continuity of the traditional way of life, and we have to restore it if we do not want spiritual and moral degradation and degeneration. Among the many challenges facing Russian society today, the most important is the restoration historical memory people, the Orthodox faith, associated values, ideals, moral guidelines, domestic folk traditions in social, family life and in raising children.

The problem of educating the younger generation is the main one for Russia today

The problem of educating the younger generation is the main one for Russia today. Its priority is recognized by teachers, parents, the Church, public and government figures, but there are very, very few beneficial and effective steps - due to the lack of unanimity among adults called upon to provide a decent upbringing.

To educate a spiritual and moral personality means to find in her person support for a future family, church community, professional team, state and society. And here we cannot do without the continuity of national ideals - devotees of faith and piety, examples of holiness, patriotism, valor and honor. One of the striking examples of this for our compatriots for many centuries has been the holy right-believing Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, a descendant and heir of the legendary princely family of the Monomakhovichs. The family that gave Russia 15 of the 18 great princes and 20 saints. A family that not only accepted Orthodoxy, but embraced the entire depth of the Christian way of life and the understanding that power means serving God, one’s people, and has nothing of itself. It was the Monomakhovichs who began to effectively formulate the idea of a single Orthodox state in Russia.

Alexander Nevsky most fully combines service to God, Orthodoxy and the people

The holy noble Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky has served for many centuries as an image of holiness for our compatriots. From that tragic era, it is difficult for us to find similar examples of such a consistent life feat, since in the blessed Prince Alexander, service to God, Orthodoxy and his people is most fully combined.

What did it consist of? immortal feat and good example of Alexander Nevsky? Why did he become a national hero of Rus', an outstanding Grand Duke, a wise politician-diplomat, a brave commander and a renowned saint of the Orthodox Church? What paths did he take? earthly life, which, according to historians, was like “between a rock and a hard place”? These questions can be answered only by carefully studying the evidence of ancient chronicles, lives and other sources.

Fate gave Prince Alexander Yaroslavich only 43 years (1220-1263) of earthly life. At first he was the ruler of the Novgorod land, the defender of Novgorod and Pskov, and from 1249 he became the Grand Duke of Vladimir, the head of all Rus'. Alexander ruled the country of the Russians in the most difficult times Tatar-Mongol yoke and the German, Livonian and Swedish Catholic orders of knighthood that took up arms from the west and north. He became famous as a wise politician and a talented commander, who aroused admiration even among his enemies.
In 1263, at the end of November, returning from the Horde, he died in Gorodets on the Volga, having taken monastic vows - the schema with the name Alexy. Having learned about the death of the prince from a messenger during the service, Metropolitan Kirill from the pulpit of the church then said: “My children, know: the sun of the Russian land has set.” And then miracles happened, signifying that life path completed by an extraordinary man. And the Russian chronicler wrote down the words: “...God glorify his saint, who worked hard for our land and for Novgorod and Pskov and for the whole Russian land, laying down his life for Orthodox Christianity.”

The modern world, not excluding Christians, is simply sick with the paralysis of irresponsibility

From the life feat of Alexander Nevsky we see what moral height and strength Christian duty and civic responsibility reached in him. The modern world, not excluding Christians, is simply sick with the paralysis of irresponsibility. Irresponsibility is shameful and disgusting in all areas human life. But it is precisely this that permeates all layers of social and family life today.

Russian philosopher I.A. Ilyin once wrote that due to the impoverishment of spirituality and the inability to experience religious experience, “the sense of duty and responsibility in humanity has wavered. Spirit is creative energy; it's natural for him impute what you do to yourself and reply for what was done. This feeling is the surest sign of spirituality.”

Any person can become an ascetic, become a saint, reach the level of great saints, if only he wishes this with all his being. Many have read the answer of St. Seraphim of Sarov to the question: “Why are there no miracles that ancient Christians performed today?” And the monk answered: “Because people, as before, do not have that determination and zeal for pleasing God and serving.” In this context, the concepts of “determination” and “responsibility” are extremely close.

His entire life can be likened to an icon, an image, by reference to which the rulers of Rus' and its defenders should base their activities. On the icon of St. Alexander Nevsky in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, near the shrine with relics, the four main hypostases of the prince are reflected: as an ideal leader - he is dressed in a grand ducal mantle, as a defender of the faith - he points the way to Christ, as a warrior - dressed in military armor, as folk hero- stands on Russian soil, like the “Sun of the Russian Land.” This marvelous icon fully personifies Alexander Nevsky as a symbol of Russia.

As is the ruler of the people, so are those who serve under him(Sir. 10.2). Personality education, especially at a young age, is based on imitation of positive examples. For all Christians, Christ is the Supreme Ideal. The Apostle Paul also shows the way to approach the Ideal: Therefore I beg you: imitate me, as I imitate Christ.(Cor. 4:16).

The Holy Fathers of the Church recommend improving yourself, ascending “from strength to strength”: “It is not easy to immediately imitate Christ. First imitate your good neighbors. Let this be the first step. Imitate the good people of your people. Let this be the second step. Then imitate the great saints of the Church. This will be the third stage. And finally, imitate Christ. This is a peak that cannot be climbed in one push” (St. Nicholas of Serbia).

By his example, Alexander Nevsky sets us the image of educating an integral, spiritual and moral personality - as a Christian, family man and citizen. These three most important components make up the general line pedagogical activity, implemented in cooperation between family, school and Church, parents, teachers and pastors. Without their like-mindedness and without selfless labor in caring for “these little ones,” the education of an integral personality is unattainable.

Nurturing the Spirit - this is the upbringing of a Christian, which is feasible only with the participation of the Church, pastoral care of parents, children and teachers so that they gain unanimity, harmony and Christian love.
Raising a well-behaved and noble soul - this is the upbringing of a family man the grace-filled structure of family life in the Christian way of life and church tradition.
Nurturing the body is the education of a citizen- a patriot who loves the Fatherland and is able to defend it, to which young men are most called - through the efforts of the State, the Church and the public school.

If parents, teachers and shepherds achieve this in unanimity in raising children - making them children of God, the Church, the Fatherland and parents - then everything else: education, development of talents, health and the necessary means of life - will follow, as the Lord said about it in the Sermon on the Mount: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this will be added to you(Matt. 6, 3).

The Russian army has long been famous for its great commanders. For most people, without a doubt, the first names that come to mind are Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bagration, Zhukov. But special mention should be made of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky, who with his military exploits forever glorified the Russian army throughout the world. The historical value and significance of Alexander Nevsky’s two-time repulsion of crusader detachments on the Neva River and Lake Peipus cannot be underestimated. These were the first truly major victories of Russia over foreign European invaders, which for a long time cooled the ardor of Catholic Europe in its claims to Russian territory.

Throughout his life, Alexander Nevsky repeatedly, with his personal courage, bravery and wisdom, saved Russia from the devastating raids of the Tatar-Mongols, simultaneously instilling in the hearts of the Russian people hope for the future strengthening of the Russian army and the expulsion of the enemy from their native lands. For incredible services, for sacrificial service to Russia, for being accepted in the most severe river battle fatal disease“for his friends,” Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, who before his death took monastic vows into the schema with the name Alexy, was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.

But the lifetime exploits of the noble prince were not forgotten even after his death. On May 21 (June 1), 1725, according to the will of Peter I, one of the highest awards was established by the highest decree of Empress Catherine I Russian Empire- Order in the name of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. According to the plan of Peter the Great, the order was supposed to become an exclusively military award, but among the first persons awarded to it were also civilians, as a result of which the order was awarded to high-ranking officials who had particularly distinguished themselves in state service, both military and secular. In 1917, along with other imperial awards, the Order of Alexander Nevsky was abolished, but was restored by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 29, 1942, simultaneously with the Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov to award the command staff of the Red Army for outstanding services in organizing and directing military operations and for achievements As a result of these operations, successes in the battles for the Motherland. In the USSR, over 40 thousand people were awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky; this award was given exclusively to officers and was highly revered among the military - no one ever forgot feats of arms the noble prince and treated him with great respect.

Currently, rethinking the role of spirituality in human life and society has received a new impetus for development, including in the field of military affairs. Deprived of its statute during the hard times of perestroika delirium in 1992, the Order of Alexander Nevsky was returned to the list of state awards in 2010. This fact indicates a revival of the veneration of holy Russian warriors in Russia. As a result of the search for new spiritual guidelines, many turn to Russian history and find examples of the invaluable benefits of religious and moral education in line with the Orthodox Church. Problems of modern Russian army determine the need to search for such approaches to educating a defender of the Motherland, which should form a new type of military personnel, distinguished not only by high professionalism, but also high level spiritual and moral qualities of a person, an example for which can be the image of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky. It is important to note that it is impossible to resolve the issue of religious and moral education in the Russian army solely through the efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church; it is also necessary to carry out a deep reform in the field of education and training of future defenders of the fatherland.

The modern Russian army faces a very serious and important task - the cultivation of a genuine fighting spirit, which combines not only worthy physical development warrior, but first of all spiritual and moral education. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the experience of such Russian commanders as the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky - one of the most worthy role models, in whom we find reasonable evidence of the need for the Orthodox faith for the defender of the fatherland, as a spiritual support and support for worthy passage of all the hardships of military service.

It must be pointed out that the education of a true patriot, capable of defending his country with arms in hand, should begin at school. This direction in reforming the educational system of the Russian Federation should become one of the most important, since it is in school that the moral foundations of education are laid. Unfortunately, recently educational qualification is falling, to some extent due to the heavy influx of migrants into schools. People who immigrated to our country not only do not abandon their ethno-cultural traditions and characteristics, but also continue to feel like citizens of their native states and do not strive to assimilate with the indigenous population of Russia - the Russians, but stay apart and are not patriots of our country, o what is said in particular in the research of military historian and sociologist A. B. Shirokorad. The head of the Federal Migration Service, Konstantin Romodanovsky, recently spoke about problems with migrants at a meeting with the Association of European Businesses in Moscow:

“Migrants from the CIS, primarily from Central Asian countries, who go to work in Russia, must behave according to the rules of our country, violations must end. I have a great attitude towards representatives of all states, but they must also respect us. We must create civilized migration so that people live by our rules,” said the head of the FMS. Romodanovsky also noted that Russians should have priority when hiring.

Migrants for the most part view Russia as a place of great earnings, and accordingly their children studying in our schools may show disrespect for both teachers and educational process, due to which the pace of learning is forced to slow down and teachers do not have time to outline the entire training program in detail. At the same time, the number of cases of hooliganism, drunkenness, and drug addiction, the source of which are often migrants, is growing.

Huge gaps in education and discipline, both in secondary and higher educational institutions lead to the impoverishment of morality, the source of which is often anti-Orthodox views, widespread among all segments of the population. In turn, the combination of these factors leads to a decline in spirituality, which does not contribute to the education of future defenders of the Motherland. Unfortunately, today, both in the army and in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, officers treat their duties very superficially: hundreds of cases of corruption and abuse of power are known. Separately, it is worth noting the sharp increase in cases of the use of firearms and traumatic weapons by drunken Interior Ministry officers against civilians. An officer of the police, army or other agencies must bear his rank with honor and be an officer and defender of the interests of his homeland and its citizens, both in and out of the workplace.

But it is not only the officers who have problems with morality and a sense of morality - soldiers serving in the RF Armed Forces are also susceptible to moral decay, as evidenced by the huge number of cases of hazing and insubordination in the ranks of military personnel. Various sources report a fairly significant percentage of people who served in the Russian army among prisoners, but, unfortunately, to date there is not a single objective study on this topic, so the problem is only indicated.

The problems of the Russian army are significant and could not help but attract attention. In particular, the President Russian Federation V.V. Putin, even in his election campaign, paid a lot of attention to the issues of reforming the entire army structure. In one of his policy articles, he states that in an extremely short time it is necessary to equip the Russian army with fundamentally new equipment, “which sees further, shoots more accurately and reacts faster” than similar systems from any potential enemy. According to experts, the vigorous rearmament of the army is raising its prestige in the eyes of young people. Another area of work V.V. Putin named is the provision of benefits for those who have served in the army to enter universities and the public service.

The President’s attention to the glorious military history our Motherland. The head of state recalled, recalled that the birth of Russia did not begin in 1917 or even in 1991, and the country has an unbroken thousand-year history. But, for example, the first World War was erased from memory for a number of political reasons, which was “wrong and must be stopped.” The country needs monuments to the heroes of the First World War. “Our ancestors called it a great war, but it was undeservedly forgotten,” he pointed out.

The Russian leader took an unexpected initiative and proposed reviving the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, which were the elite of the Russian army for several centuries. “The fighting spirit of the armed forces rests on traditions, on a living connection with history, on examples of courage and self-sacrifice of heroes,” said V.V. Putin.

Vladimir Vladimirovich regularly reminds the relevant departments about social problems among the conscripts. The current conscription system contains a large element of social inequality, Putin believes, since young people from low-income families are predominantly recruited into the army, while every true citizen and patriot should stand up to defend their country. Additional measures to raise prestige military service both among conscripts and officers, and among the rest of the population, there should be large-scale rearmament and improved financing of the armed forces.

“We will implement programs related to the development of missile technology, aviation, navy, communications and intelligence equipment. We have a separate program for each component. There is no reason to doubt that it will be fulfilled,” the president said at the meeting. It is worth emphasizing that the policy of building up military power enjoys clear public support. According to a survey conducted by the Levada Center, 46% of respondents support increased military spending, even if it slows down economic growth. 41% of respondents were against it. The previous such survey was conducted in 1998. Then 35% supported increasing spending, while 53% did not. Institute of Russian sociological research I received slightly different data. The increase in defense spending is approved by 68% of respondents, 12% of respondents found it difficult to answer, and only 20% were against the increase in military spending.

V. Putin recalled that funding in the amount of 20 trillion rubles is provided for the comprehensive program of rearmament of the army and navy. until 2020 and another 3 trillion rubles. - for the modernization of production facilities of enterprises of the military-industrial complex (DIC).

Today society is actively looking for religious ideals, moral support, moral support, which it can and does find in the Orthodox Church. The possibility of introducing moral ideals not only to civil society, but also to the army, cannot be underestimated. The important role of religion in the education of a warrior is evidenced by the fates of outstanding commanders: Vladimir Monomakh, Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Alexander Suvorov, Fyodor Ushakov, Dmitry Skobelev, Mikhail Dragomirov - their image was an example for the soldiers, they supported their army.

For centuries, the image of the Russian army has combined two fundamental principles - love for the Motherland and love for God. Patriotism and faith were inherent in both the common soldier and the commander-in-chief. The Russian army was a very powerful structure and was worthy of the great state it defended. The most important foundations of the service were the commander’s personal example, mutual assistance and respect, the general idea of God’s blessing to the soldiers who perform their service with honor and dignity, and every soldier knew that there was no greater honor than “to die for one’s friends.”

The Christ-loving army relied not only on their skill, but also on God’s help, and thus won victories. Twice superior to the Russian army in many respects, the German army tried to conquer our land, but each time received a worthy rebuff. The wonderful German army degenerated, such concepts as honor, nobility, the idea of serving the homeland and neighbors were replaced by fascist nationalist ideology and instead of a brilliant victory led to complete collapse.

Repeated attempts by famous commanders such as Napoleon, known to us from history, to conquer Russian land ended in the unconditional victory of Russian weapons. At the same time, the Russian army showed a humane, kind attitude towards prisoners and ordinary citizens of the captured countries, philanthropy and compassion, which soldiers of other countries could not boast of. From what we have discussed, we know that God helps the righteous in wars, and obvious evidence of this help can be seen in the example of the Russian Christ-loving army.

Examples of the victorious armies of the great commanders of our country, evidence from Holy Scripture about the valor and honor of a warrior, the opinions of famous military historians can become one of the topics for conducting missionary activities among military personnel and relatives. The importance of this church mission cannot be overestimated, just as it is important to combine the delivery of the word of God to Russian soldiers with state initiative - only in this way will it be possible to cultivate and strengthen the fighting spirit in the Russian army, returning to it the glory of a very powerful and victorious army in the world.

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UDC 271.2(470+571) (091) BBK P74

THE CONTRIBUTION OF GRAND DUKE ALEXANDER NEVSKY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONS OF SPIRITUAL AND MORAL EDUCATION OF RUSSIAN WARRIORS

VLADIMIR IVANOVICH PASHKOV,

candidate pedagogical sciences Moscow Humanitarian University Scientific specialty 13.00.01 - general pedagogy, history of pedagogy and education

Email: [email protected] Scientific consultant: Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology high school ANO VPO "Moskovsky" Humanities University", Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor V.A. Sitarov

Citation index in electronic library NIION

Annotation. The article talks about the life and exploits of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The traditions of spiritual and moral education that developed during the reign of Alexander, and his personal participation in the establishment and development of these traditions are considered. The main battles led by Prince Alexander are shown, as well as the relationship that developed between Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky and the Tatar Khan of the Horde. The spiritual side of Alexander's life, his participation in the construction of temples and attending divine services are revealed.

Keywords: traditions, prince, squad, education, training, battle, prayer, victory.

Аnotation. The article speaks about the life and exploits of Alexander Nevsky. Discusses the tradition of spiritual and moral education that have developed during the reign of Alexander and his personal involvement in the approval and development of these traditions. It shows the main battle, which was led by Prince Alexander, and the relationships that have developed between the Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Tatar Khan of the Horde. Disclosed the spiritual aspect of the life of Alexander, his participation in the construction of temples and attending worship services.

Keywords: tradition, Prince, squad, upbringing, training, battle, prayer, victory.

The connection of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky with the traditions of spiritual and moral education of Russian soldiers is expressed in the fact that he directly participated in the education and training of Russian soldiers, in their spiritual and moral formation, in preparation for battles to defend the Fatherland. These traditions are

expressed in the following forms: princely tonsure; professional quality warriors; construction of religious buildings; military valor; military partnership; child baptism; courage and heroism, honor and dignity; consecration of warriors; attending religious services; visiting churches and monasteries;

service to the Fatherland; connection with God; holy lifestyle; prayers to God; reading the Holy Scriptures and the lives of holy people.

The life of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky is an example of courage, strong will, selfless love for God, for the Church, for the Motherland and one’s people. He is the winner of the Swedish and German warriors who planned to commit crusade to Rus' to establish the Catholic faith. Grand Duke Alexander made a great contribution to the construction of the national state with the city of Vladimir. He took care of the cities in every possible way Velikiy Novgorod and Pskov and was the defender of the Russian people from the Mongol invasion.

Alexander Nevsky was born on May 30, 1220 in Pereslavl-Zalessky in the family of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslavl Vsevolodovich III the Big Nest and Princess Rostislava-Feodosia, daughter of Prince Mstislav Mstislavovich Udatny.

When Alexander was five years old, he and his brother Fyodor were tonsured princes. Bishop Simon from the city of Vladimir, who was considered a pious and learned man, was invited to perform tonsure. A church service was held on this occasion in the cathedral. And when the young prince left the pulpit, the father said: “Lord, merciful God, give Your servants, God’s servants Fyodor and Alexander, strength and courage, and their swords strength to defeat the enemies of the Cross of Christ!” . Then Fyodor and Alexander were mounted on war horses like real princes. In honor of such a holiday, a luxurious feast was held at the princely court and gifts were distributed to many people.

Thus, we see that at that time the tradition of princely tonsure and holding a celebration on the occasion of such an event was established.

Next, the boyar Fyodor Danilovich began to deal with princes Fyodor and Alexander. He read to them “Teachings to Children” by Prince Vladimir Monomakh of Kyiv. This teaching said that when you go to war, do not rely on the commander, do not satisfy yourself with drink, food, or sleep; set up guards yourself, and at night, having placed guards everywhere, lie down near the soldiers, and get up early; Yes, do not take off your weapon in a hurry, without looking around because of laziness. Wherever you go in your lands, do not allow your own or other people’s youths to do dirty tricks, neither in villages nor in fields, so that they don’t start cursing you. And wherever you go, wherever you stop, give drink and food to those who ask. Honor the guest most of all, no matter where he comes to you from - whether a simple person or an ambassador - if you cannot give him a gift, then treat him with food and drink. These people, walking through different lands, will glorify a person either good or evil. Visit the sick, go see off the dead, because we are all mortal. Don’t pass by a person without greeting him with a kind word... What you know well, don’t forget, and what you don’t know how to do, learn. .

At first, little Alexander studied military affairs theoretically from the books “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh”, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, “The Tale of Bygone Years”, songs about heroes and stories of his father also had an influence. The youth Alexander had an understanding of the history of his Fatherland. Then the training began to be carried out in practice, he learned to wield a wooden sword, and then an iron one. At that time, from the history of the princes, it is known that already at the age of twelve they knew how to confidently handle combat swords; the young prince was taught this by his father’s warriors, who had extensive experience in this matter. He was also taught martial arts in case of loss of a sword. When they lost their sword, the warriors did not try to run away from the battlefield, but entered into hand-to-hand combat. Training included archery. Archery competitions were held. Horseback riding was one of the main activities for the young prince. After riding, the prince was taught how to use a spear, shield, club, knife, battle hatchet and axe.

Already at the age of 14, the young Prince Alexander was a strong warrior. He was tall, had a big physical strength and the many abilities of a courageous warrior. The father always taught his son that a prince is a ruler and a professional warrior.

All ancient Russian princes personally participated in battles, and even in the front ranks of their squads, and often entered into fights with leaders opposite side. The prince’s authority, and sometimes the outcome of the battle, largely depended on his personal military skill.

Thus, we see that by this time traditions had taken shape: the participation of princes in battles, in the front ranks of their squads; entering into fights with leaders on the other side; the authority of the prince.

The dignified book of the royal genealogy describes Alexander as follows: “During his youth, the prince adhered to humility, abstinence and observed purity of soul and body, was diligent in meekness, and avoided vanity, and was very faithful to abstain from food, since he knew that pleasing the belly interferes with chastity and creates an obstacle to vigil and other virtues. On his lips were only divine words, sweetening more than honey: after all, he had read the Holy Scriptures and wished with zeal to carry out its provisions in practice. His relatives saw that he was succeeding in virtues, and was striving in every possible way to please God, and was fired up with a heavenly desire to do only good and honest things to other people.

From these words we see that the prince supports the traditions that have been established in his family, namely: reading the Holy Scriptures; connection with God; perfection of virtues; desire for mental and physical purity; avoidance of vanity; abstinence from food; curbing the flesh; the desire for humility and meekness.

When Alexander was six and a half years old, his father, Prince Yaroslav, moved to Gorodishche-

in. In Gorodishchevo, in the stone Church of the Annunciation, a thanksgiving prayer service was served.

Here we see that the Russian princes support the tradition of serving thanksgiving prayers.

At that time, the Novgorod land occupied a large territory and was famous for its monasteries: Antonia the Roman, Khutynsky, Zverin, Yuryev, Blagoveshchensky and others. The monasteries in Novgorod had a treasury, books, icons, archives, and utensils.

On June 5, 1233, Alexander's elder brother Fedor, who was only 14 years old, died. He died suddenly on the eve of his wedding. Alexander was very upset by the loss of his brother and friend. In the 17th century, after the discovery of the relics, Fyodor was canonized as a locally revered saint.

Thus, we see the tradition of erecting and consecrating churches established in Rus'.

In 1236, Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich left Novgorod for a military reign in Kyiv, and in Novgorod, having assembled a veche, he installed his son Alexander, who was 16 years old, in his place. The ceremony of enthronement took place at the walls of St. Sophia. Archbishop Spyridon laid his hands on the head of the prince and offered a prayer to the Lord that He would bless his faithful servant Alexander, strengthen his family from above, establish him on the throne of Truth, protect him with the weapon of the Holy Spirit and show him as a valiant defender of the cathedral Church of Hagia Sophia.

From these actions we can highlight the emergence of such traditions as placing princes on the throne; blessing of the archbishop; prayer for good princely service.

There was a rumor among the people about Prince Alexander that he had enormous power of voice, was tall, strong, wise, meek, brave and courageous.

By the end of the XII - beginning of the XIII century. in the steppes of Central Asia a single Mongolian state led by Temujin, who was called Genghis Khan (1189). In wars, the Tatars spared neither women nor children. In 1237, the Tatars completed the conquest of the Polovtsian steppe and now began to conquer Rus'.

After the capture of Vladimir and Suzdal, the Tatars scattered throughout the Vladimir-Suzdal land and began to besiege and storm cities, robbing and beating people, burning cities and villages. Then the Tatars captured the city of Pereslavl.

The people of Novgorod were preparing for war, led by Prince Alexander, but Batu and his troops suddenly stopped and turned his troops to the south.

Prince Alexander married the daughter of the former Polotsk prince Bryachislav Vasilkov in 1239 at the age of 19. The wedding took place in the Church of St. George in Toropets. Alexander and Princess Alexandra were married by Bishop Mercury of Smolensk.

Thus, the tradition of weddings for young people entering family life was successfully continued among the Russian people.

In the summer of 1240, the united Levon Order launched an attack on the cities of Izborsk and Pskov. Alexander entered the Church of Hagia Sophia, and, falling to his knees in front of the altar, began to pray with the words: “Eternal God, who created heaven and earth and set limits for peoples, You commanded to live without entering other people’s borders! Judge, Lord, those who offend me and overcome those who fight with me, take the shield, arise to help me."

Thus, there was a tradition of offering prayers to God to grant Russian soldiers victory over the enemies of the Fatherland.

On the morning of July 15, 1240, on the day of remembrance of St. Vladimir, the Baptist of Rus', Russian troops unexpectedly attacked the Swedes.

The battle began with an attack by mounted warriors led by Prince Alexander. He made his way to the center of the camp and fought with the leader of the Swedes himself, Earl Ulf Fasi, whom he seriously wounded in the cheek with a spear. By evening the battle ended successfully. The Battle of the Neva became an example of a nationwide feat, and its hero, nicknamed Nevsky, became a symbol of Rus' - Russia for centuries.

At that time, the Crusaders were preparing to march on Pskov. On August 15, 1240, they captured the city of Izborsk. Before the battle with the crusaders, Prince Alexander again prayed: “Judge me, O God, and judge my conflict with the Germans, and help me, O God, as You helped Moses in ancient times to defeat Amalek, and helped my great-grandfather Yaroslav to defeat the accursed Svyatopolk.” Then he approached his squad and made a speech throughout the army: “We will die for St. Sophia and free Novgorod! Let us die for the Holy Trinity and free Pskov! For now, the Russians have no other destiny than to defend their Russian land, the Orthodox Christian faith!” .

On April 5, 1240, the Battle of Lake Peipsi took place, which miraculously ended with the victory of Russian soldiers. Thus the German onslaught against the Slavs and Baltic peoples was stopped.

In the summer of 1251, Alexander Nevsky's wife, Princess Alexandra, died.

At the end of 1252, ambassadors from Pope Innocent IV arrived in Vladimir - two cardinals, Gald and Gemont. They brought a message that spoke of a proposal for Prince Alexander to accept the faith of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, supposedly for peace of mind and peace. Prince Alexander, after consulting with his boyars, gave the following answer: “From Adam to the flood, from the flood to the division of nations, from the confusion of nations to Abraham, from Abraham to the passage of Israel through the Red Sea, from the exodus of the children of Israel to the death of King David, from David and the beginning of the reign of Solomon, from Solomon to Augustus Caesar, from the power of Augustus and to the Nativity of Christ, from the Nativity of Christ to the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord, from His Resurrection to the Ascension into heaven, from the Ascension into heaven to

the reign of Konstantinov, from the beginning of the reign of Konstantinov to the first council, from the first council to the seventh - we know everything well, but we do not accept teachings from you.”

The king took part in more than 20 battles and was invincible everywhere.

In relation to the Tatars, the prince was already pursuing a completely different policy. Prince Alexander understood their strength, the situation among the appanage princes and showed submission to the khan, considering this the only way to save the Russian land, so he went to the Great Horde with rich gifts.

In 1261, Prince Alexander managed to establish an Orthodox diocese in the Horde in the capital itself - Sarai, which was a great consolation for numerous Russian captives. The prince loved to repeat the proverb: “A bad peace is better than a good quarrel.”

Prince Alexander made five trips to the Horde. The last trip took place in 1262-1263, when the Grand Duke managed to save the Russian people from disaster.

Prince Alexander, when visiting Khan Batu, bowed to him and said: “Tsar, I worship you, since God has honored you with the kingdom, but I do not worship the creature, for it was created for the sake of man, but I worship the one God, and I serve and honor Him.”

IN last time he arrived in Sarai-Berke in the fall of 1263 to lead the Russian people away from trouble. Prince Alexander had to give rich gifts to the khan and beks. When he spent the winter in Tatareh, he fell ill. He did not make it home; he died in the Fedorovsky Monastery in Gorodets on the Volga on November 14, 1263, having received great tonsure - the schema - under the name Alexy before his death. The burial took place on November 23 in Vladimir, in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery. Great commander Alexander Nevsky is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

The great commander Alexander Nevsky had many virtues. He loved to live in peace, valued freedom and acted fairly. He had a wonderful combination of human and angelic qualities.

dobia. Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky made a huge contribution to the establishment and development of the traditions of spiritual and moral education of Russian soldiers: living according to the commandments; work until you sweat; give all of yourself to serving the Russian land; study military affairs; take care of your subjects; take care of your children, etc.

Literature

1. Anishchenkov V. Russian holy warriors. Lives. M.: Power. 2000.

2. Arefieva L.I. Illustrated chronology of the history of the Russian state. M.: Planet. 1990.

3. Begunov Yu.K. Alexander Nevsky: The life and deeds of the holy and blessed Grand Duke. M.: Young Guard. 2003.

4. Kargalov V.V. Historical portraits: Svyatoslav, Dmitry Donskoy, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky and others. M.: Astrel. 2004.

5. Romanyuk L.V. Humanistic pedagogy // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2012. No. 2. P. 304-307.

6. Sitarov V.A. Violence and non-violence // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2005. No. 1 P. 135-139.

7. Sitarov V.A. Problems of implementing the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself” // Pedagogy. Society. Right. 2012. No. 3 (3). pp. 4-10.

1. Anishenko V. Century Russian saints. Life. M.: Power. 2000.

2. Arefeva L.I. Illustrated chronology of the history of the Russian state. Moscow: Planeta. 1990.

3. Begunov Y.K. Alexander Nevsky: the Life and deeds of the Holy and right-believing Grand Prince. M.: Young guard. 2003.

4. Karganov V.V. Historical portraits: Svyatoslav, Dmitry Donskoy, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, etc. M.: Astrel. 2004.

5. Romaniuk L.V Humanistic pedagogics // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2012. No. 2. P. 304-307.

6. Sitarov V.A. Violence and nonviolence // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2005. No. 1 pp. 135-139.

7. Sitarov V.A. Problems of implementation of the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself // Pedagogy. Society. Right. 2012. No. 3 (3). P. 4-10.

The events of recent years have shown that we have lost a lot. We have forgotten how to live according to the laws of our ancestors, in the Christian spirit - as God commands and teaches the Holy Church. We have lost the former foundations and continuity of the traditional way of life, and we have to restore it if we do not want spiritual and moral degradation and degeneration. Among the many tasks facing Russian society today, the most important is the restoration of the historical memory of the people, the Orthodox faith, associated values, ideals, moral guidelines, national folk traditions in social, family life and in raising children.

The problem of educating the younger generation is the main one for Russia today.

Alexander Nevsky most fully combines service to God, Orthodoxy and the people.

What did it consist of? immortal feat and good example of Alexander Nevsky? Why did he become a national hero of Rus', an outstanding Grand Duke, a wise politician-diplomat, a brave commander and a renowned saint of the Orthodox Church? What paths did his earthly life take, which, according to historians, passed like “between a rock and a hard place”? These questions can be answered only by carefully studying the evidence of ancient chronicles, lives and other sources.

Fate gave Prince Alexander Yaroslavich only 43 years (1220–1263) of earthly life. At first he was the ruler of the Novgorod land, the defender of Novgorod and Pskov, and from 1249 he became the Grand Duke of Vladimir, the head of all Rus'. Alexander ruled the country of the Russians during the most difficult times of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and the German, Livonian and Swedish Catholic knightly orders that took up arms from the west and north. He became famous as a wise politician and a talented commander, who aroused admiration even among his enemies.
In 1263, at the end of November, returning from the Horde, he died in Gorodets on the Volga, having taken monastic vows - the schema with the name Alexy. Having learned about the death of the prince from a messenger during the service, Metropolitan Kirill from the pulpit of the church then said: “My children, know: the sun of the Russian land has set.” And then miracles occurred, signifying that an extraordinary man had completed his life’s journey. And the Russian chronicler wrote down the words: “...God glorify his saint, who worked hard for our land and for Novgorod and Pskov and for the whole Russian land, laying down his life for Orthodox Christianity.”

The modern world, not excluding Christians, simply sick with the paralysis of irresponsibility.

From the life feat of Alexander Nevsky we see what moral height and strength Christian duty and civic responsibility reached in him. The modern world, not excluding Christians, is simply sick with the paralysis of irresponsibility. Irresponsibility is shameful and disgusting in all areas of human life. But it is precisely this that permeates all layers of social and family life today.

His entire life can be likened to an icon, an image, by reference to which the rulers of Rus' and its defenders should base their activities. On the icon of St. Alexander Nevsky in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, near the shrine with relics, the four main hypostases of the prince are reflected: as an ideal leader - he is dressed in a grand ducal mantle, as a defender of the faith - he points the way to Christ, as a warrior - dressed in military armor, as national hero - stands on Russian soil, like the “Sun of the Russian Land.” This marvelous icon fully personifies Alexander Nevsky as a symbol of Russia.

By his example, Alexander Nevsky sets us the image of educating an integral, spiritual and moral personality - as a Christian, family man and citizen. These three most important components constitute the general line of pedagogical activity, carried out in cooperation between family, school and Church, parents, teachers and pastors. Without their like-mindedness and without selfless labor in caring for “these little ones,” the education of an integral personality is unattainable.

Education of the spirit is education of a Christian, which is feasible only with the participation of the Church, pastoral care of parents, children and teachers so that they gain unanimity, harmony and Christian love.
Raising a well-behaved and noble soul is raising a family man the grace-filled structure of family life in the Christian way of life and church tradition.
Education of the body is education of the citizen- a patriot who loves the Fatherland and is able to defend it, to which young men are most called - through the efforts of the State, the Church and the public school.

Morality is the same in all ages and for all people. By reading about obsolescence in detail, we can find a lot for ourselves.

D.S. Likhachev

Spirituality and morality are the most important, basic characteristics of a person. Spirituality in itself in a general sense- the totality of manifestations of the spirit in the world and man. The process of learning spirituality is associated with a systematic understanding of significant truths in all spheres of culture: in science, in philosophy, in education, in religions, and in art. Moreover, the principles of openness, honesty, freedom, equality, collectivism are the basis and environment for the creation and preservation of spirituality. Spirituality is the unity of truth, goodness and beauty. Spirituality is what contributes to the development of man and humanity.

Morality is a totality general principles behavior of people towards each other and society. In this regard, the modern humanistic ideal actualizes such personal qualities as patriotism, citizenship, service to the Fatherland, and family traditions. The concepts of “spirituality” and “morality” are universal human values.

They say that Russia is the soul of the world, and the literature of Rus' reflects the internal potential that the Russian people have. Without knowing the history of ancient Russian literature, we will not understand the full depth of the work of A. S. Pushkin, the spiritual essence of the work of N. V. Gogol, the moral quest of L. N. Tolstoy, the philosophical depth of F. M. Dostoevsky.

Old Russian literature carries within itself a very great moral force. Good and evil, love for the Motherland, the ability to sacrifice everything for a good cause, family values are the main ideas of ancient Russian literature. Old Russian literature is the focus of Russian spirituality and morality. In addition, one of the main leitmotifs of these works is faith in God, which supports the heroes in all trials.

Works of ancient Russian literature reveal complex ideological concepts about a person’s place in life, his goals and aspirations, and provide an opportunity to gain experience in moral assessment of events and phenomena in the world around us. This is especially true in our time, when Russia is experiencing profound transformations, accompanied by serious spiritual losses. The revival of spirituality and education in spirituality is what we need today.

Many Soviet and Russian scientists considered the works of ancient Russian literature in the context of educating spiritual and moral values. To modern man it is not easy to understand the works of ancient Russian literature, therefore in school curriculum included for studying works of ancient Russian literature: The Tale of Bygone Years (fragments), The Tale of Igor's Campaign, the Tale of the Devastation of Ryazan by Batu (fragments), The Life of Boris and Gleb, The Teaching of Vladimir Monomakh, The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom, St. Sergius of Radonezh, The Life of the Archpriest Habakkuk.

Spiritual and moral values in the works of ancient Russian literature are the leitmotif and basis of the plot, and therefore today it is necessary to turn to these works in the process of education and upbringing both in the family and at school due to their enduring significance.

The emergence of Old Russian literature is associated with the emergence of the state, writing and is based on book Christian culture and developed forms of oral poetic creativity. Literature often perceived plots, artistic images, and visual means of folk art. The adoption of Christianity also played a positive role in the development of ancient Russian literature. The fact that the new religion came from Byzantium, the center of Christian culture, had a great positive significance for culture Ancient Rus'.

Speaking about the features of Old Russian literature, it is worth highlighting several of its main characteristics: 1) it religious literature, the main value for a person in Ancient Rus' was his faith; 2) handwritten character its existence and distribution; Moreover, this or that work did not exist in the form of a separate, independent manuscript, but was part of various collections that pursued certain practical goals, it means that all her works were a kind of instructions on HOW to live righteously; 3) anonymity, impersonality of her works(at best, we know the names of individual authors, “writers” of books, who modestly put their name either at the end of the manuscript, or in its margins, or in the title of the work); 4) connection with church and business writing, On the one side, and oral poetic folk art- with another; 5) historicism: its heroes are mainly historical figures, it almost does not allow fiction and strictly follows the fact.

The main themes of ancient Russian literature are inextricably linked with the history of the development of the Russian state, the Russian people, and therefore are imbued with heroic and patriotic pathos. It contains a sharp voice of condemnation of the policies of the princes, who sowed bloody feudal strife and weakened the political and military power of the state. Literature glorifies the moral beauty of the Russian person, capable of sacrificing what is most precious for the sake of the common good - life. It expresses deep faith in the power and ultimate triumph of good, in man's ability to elevate his spirit and defeat evil. I would like to end the conversation about the uniqueness of ancient Russian literature with the words of D.S. Likhachev: “Literature rose above Russia like a huge protective dome - it became a shield of its unity, a moral shield.”

Genre name a historically established type of literary work, an abstract sample, on the basis of which specific texts are created literary works. Old Russian genres are closely related to the way of life, everyday life, and differ in what they are intended for. The main thing for the genres of ancient Russian literature was the “practical purpose” for which this or that work was intended.

Therefore, it presented following genres: 1) Life: the genre of hagiography was borrowed from Byzantium. This is the most widespread and beloved genre of ancient Russian literature. Life was always created after the death of a person. It did huge educational function, because the life of the saint was perceived as an example of a righteous life that must be imitated; 2) Old Russian eloquence: this genre was borrowed by ancient Russian literature from Byzantium, where eloquence was a form of oratory; 3) Lesson: This is a type of genre of ancient Russian eloquence. Teaching is a genre in which ancient Russian chroniclers tried to present model of behavior for any Old Russian person: both for the prince and for the commoner; 4) Word: is a type of genre of ancient Russian eloquence. There are a lot of traditional elements in the word oral folk art, symbols, there is a clear influence of a fairy tale, an epic; 5) Story: this is the text epic character, telling about princes, about military exploits, about princely crimes; 6) Chronicle: a story about historical events . This is the most ancient genre of ancient Russian literature. In Ancient Rus', the chronicle played a very important role; it not only reported on historical events of the past, but was also a political and legal document, indicating how to act in certain situations.

Thus, considering the specifics of various genres, it should be noted that, despite the uniqueness of each genre of ancient Russian literature, they are all based on spiritual and moral sources - righteousness, morality, patriotism.

Don't look at my outer, look at my inner.

From the prayer of Daniil Zatochnik

Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev emphasized the important mission of ancient Russian literature and noted the moral basis of these works, reflecting the cultural, historical and spiritual and moral path of many generations of our ancestors. The paths of “Good” have eternal guidelines, the same for all times, and, one might say, tested not only by time, but by eternity itself.

Let us analyze three works of ancient Russian literature from the point of view of the paths of “Good”.

1. “Teaching” of Vladimir Monomakh"

Justice is above all, but mercy is above justice.

Olga Brileva

The “Instruction” unites three different works of Monomakh, among which, in addition to the “Instruction” itself, there is also the autobiography of the prince himself and his letter to his enemy Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich for the great grief that he brought with his fratricidal wars to the Russian land. It is addressed to the princes - the children and grandchildren of Monomakh and, in general, to all Russian princes. An important feature of the “Teaching” is its humanistic orientation, its appeal to Man, his spiritual world, which is closely related to the humanistic nature of the author’s worldview. In its content, it is highly patriotic and partial to the fate of the Russian land as a whole and each person individually, be it a prince, a clergyman or any layman.

Citing excerpts from Christian holy books, Vladimir Monomakh suggests that all Russian princes, in order to improve their position and achieve peaceful success, first of all, learn justice, compassion, and even “compliance”: “Eat and drink without great noise, ... listen to the wise, obey the elders, ... do not be fierce in a word,...keep your eyes down and your soul up...do not place universal honor in anything.”

In it you can also find advice on how to live as a Christian in the world. A lot is written in Christian literature about monastic life, but one rarely comes across teachings on how to be saved outside of monasteries. Monomakh writes: “Just as a father, loving his child, beats him and again draws him to himself, so our Lord showed us victory over our enemies, how to get rid of them and defeat them with three good deeds: repentance, tears and almsgiving.”

Moreover, based on these three good deeds - repentance, tears and alms, the author develops the doctrine of small things good deeds. He says that the Lord does not require great feats from us, because many people, seeing the burden of such labor, do nothing at all. The Lord only needs our heart. Monomakh directly advises princes (hereditary warriors and rulers!) to be meek, not to strive to seize other people’s estates, to be content with little and to seek success and prosperity not through force and violence over others, but through a righteous life: “What is better and more beautiful than to live brothers together... The devil quarrels with us because he does not want good for the human race.”

“The autobiography of Monomakh,” notes Likhachev, “is subject to the same idea of peace. In the chronicle of his campaigns, Vladimir Monomakh gives an expressive example of the prince’s love of peace.” His voluntary compliance with his sworn enemy, Prince Oleg Ryazansky, is also indicative. But Monomakh’s own “Letter” to the same Oleg Ryazansky, the murderer of the son of Vladimir Monomakh, who at that time was defeated and fled outside of Rus', embodies the ideal of the “Teaching” even more strongly. This letter shocked the researcher with its moral force. Monomakh forgives the murderer of his son (!). Moreover, he consoles him. He invites him to return to the Russian land and receive the principality due to inheritance, asks him to forget the grievances. .

When the princes came to Monomakh, he stood with all his heart against the new internecine wars: “Don’t forget the poor, but, as much as possible, feed the orphans as much as you can, and don’t let the strong destroy a person. Kill neither the right nor the guilty, and do not command him to be killed; even if you are guilty of death, then do not destroy any Christian soul.”

And having begun to write his “Teaching” to children and “others who will hear it,” Vladimir Monomakh constantly quotes the Psalter as the basis of spiritual and moral laws. So, for example, the answer to the proposals of warlike princes: “Do not compete with the evil ones, do not envy those who do lawlessness, for the evil ones will be destroyed, but those who obey the Lord will rule the earth.” During your campaigns, you need to water and feed the beggars who will meet along the way, to honor the guest, no matter where he comes from: he is a commoner, a noble or an ambassador. At the same time, it is also taken into account that such actions acquire a good name for a person.

The author especially rebels against laziness, which destroys all good undertakings, and calls for hard work: Laziness is the mother of everything: “what someone knows how to do, he will forget, and what he doesn’t know how to do, he will not learn. When doing good, do not be lazy about anything good, first of all to the church: don’t let the sun find you in bed.”

So, the origins of the “Teaching” are the following values on the path of “Good”: Faith in God, patriotism, love for one's neighbor, humanism, peacefulness, righteousness, good deeds, spiritual and moral education of descendants. Therefore, the personal and the universal are intertwined in the “Instruction” so closely, which makes it a brilliant human document that can excite the soul even today.

2. “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”

Only the heart is vigilant. You can't see the most important thing with your eyes

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” was a favorite reading of the Russian people from tsars to commoners, and now this work is called “the pearl of ancient Russian literature.” Let's try to figure out why this story was so popular in Rus'.

Peter and Fevronia of Murom are Orthodox patrons of family and marriage, whose marital union is considered a model of Christian marriage. The spouses turn to Prince Peter of Murom and his wife Fevronia with prayers for family happiness. The blessed Prince Peter was the second son of Murom Prince Yuri Vladimirovich. He ascended the Murom throne in 1203. Several years earlier, Peter fell ill with leprosy. In a sleepy vision, it was revealed to the prince that he could be healed by the daughter of the “tree climber”, a beekeeper who extracted wild honey, Fevronia, a peasant woman from the village of Laskovoy in the Ryazan land.

Virgin Fevronia was wise, wild animals obeyed her, she knew the properties of herbs and knew how to treat ailments, she was a beautiful, pious and kind girl. D.S. was undoubtedly right. Likhachev, calling the main feature of Fevronia’s character “psychological tranquility” and drawing a parallel between her image and the faces of A. Rublev’s saints, who carried within themselves the “quiet” light of contemplation, the highest moral principle, and the ideal of self-sacrifice. Convincing parallels between Rublev’s art and “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” are drawn by Dmitry Sergeevich in the fifth chapter of his book “Man in the Literature of Ancient Rus'.

One of the highest cultural achievements of Ancient Rus' was the ideal of man, created in the paintings of Andrei Rublev and artists of his circle, and Academician Likhachev compares Fevronia with Rublev’s quiet angels. But she is ready for a feat.

The first appearance in the story of the girl Fevronia is captured in a visually distinct image. She is found in a simple peasant hut by an envoy of the Murom prince Peter, who fell ill from the poisonous blood of the snake he killed. In a poor peasant dress, Fevronia sat at the loom and was engaged in a “quiet” task - weaving linen, and a hare was jumping in front of her, as if symbolizing her merging with nature. Her questions and answers, her quiet and wise conversation clearly show that “Rublev’s thoughtfulness” is not thoughtless. She amazes the messenger with her prophetic answers and promises to help the prince. The prince promised to marry her after healing. Fevronia healed the prince, but he did not keep his word. The illness resumed, Fevronia cured him again and married him.

When he inherited the reign after his brother, the boyars did not want to have a princess of simple rank, telling him: “Either let go of your wife, who insults noble ladies with her origin, or leave her as Murom.” The prince took Fevronia, got into a boat with her and sailed along the Oka. They began to live ordinary people, rejoicing that they were together, and God was helping them. “Peter did not want to break God’s commandments…. After all, it is said that if someone drives away his wife, who is not accused of adultery, and marries another, he himself commits adultery.”

In Murom, unrest began, many began to seek the vacated throne, and murders began. Then the boyars came to their senses, gathered a council and decided to call Prince Peter back. The prince and princess returned, and Fevronia managed to earn the love of the townspeople. “They had equal love for everyone... they did not love corruptible wealth, but grew rich in God's wealth... And they ruled the city with justice and meekness, and not with rage. They welcomed the stranger, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and delivered the poor from misfortune.”

In their old age, having taken monastic vows in different monasteries, they prayed to God so that they would die on the same day. They died on the same day and hour (June 25 (July 8 according to the new style) 1228).

Thus, the spiritual and moral source of this story is the example Christian family values and commandments as milestones on the path of “Good”: faith in God, kindness, self-denial in the name of love, mercy, devotion, spiritual and moral education.

3. “The Life of Alexander Nevsky”

Patriotism does not mean only love for one’s homeland. It's much more than that. This is the consciousness of one’s inalienability from the homeland and an integral experience with it of its happy and unhappy days.

Tolstoy A. N.

Alexander Nevsky is the second son of the Pereyaslavl prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. In 1240, on June 15, in a battle with Swedish knights with a small squad, Prince Alexander won a brilliant victory. Hence Alexander’s nickname - Nevsky. To this day, the name of Alexander Nevsky is a symbol of unity, part of a common national idea.

It is generally accepted that the work was written no later than the 80s of the 13th century in the Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Vladimir, where Prince Alexander Nevsky was buried. The author of the story was probably, according to researchers, a scribe from the circle of Vladimir Metropolitan Kirill, who came from Galicia-Volyn Rus' in 1246.

“Life” highlights the main points of Alexander’s biography, connecting them with victorious battles, and biblical memories are combined here with Russian historical tradition, literary traditions with real observations of the battle. According to I.P. Eremina, Alexander appears before us in the image of either a king-military leader of biblical antiquity, or a brave knight of a book epic, or an iconographic “righteous man”. This is another enthusiastic tribute to the blessed memory of the late prince.

Alexander's courage was admired not only by his comrades, but also by his enemies. One day Batu ordered the prince to come to him if he wanted to save Rus' from submission. The king was sure that Alexander would be afraid, but he arrived. And Batu said to his nobles: “They told me the truth, there is no prince like him in his fatherland.” And he released him with great honor."

Having chosen to describe two victorious battles of the Russian army under the command of Alexander - a picture of the battles of the Russians with the Swedes on the Neva River and with the German knights on the ice of Lake Peipus, the author tried to present the descendants of the Grand Duke and his army as endowed with heroism, dedication and perseverance in the name of the interests of the Russian people of mythical warriors - heroes. The exaltation of the Russian people, the development of a sense of patriotism and hatred of enemies, and the maintenance of the authority of military leaders will echo throughout the history of Russia right up to the present day.

He is full of church virtues - quiet, meek, humble, at the same time - a courageous and invincible warrior, swift in battle, selfless and merciless towards the enemy. This is how the ideal of a wise prince, ruler and brave commander is created. “There was great violence then from the filthy pagans: they drove Christians away, ordering them to go on campaigns with them. Grand Duke Alexander went to the king to pray people out of trouble.”

One of the episodes of the fight against enemies is described as follows: the prince had a small squad before the battle with the Swedes, and there was nowhere to expect help from. But there was a strong faith in God’s help. The main book of Alexander's childhood was the Bible. He knew it well, and much later he retold it and quoted it. Alexander went to the Church of St. Sophia, “fell on his knee before the altar and began to pray to God with tears... He remembered the psalm song and said: “Judge, Lord, and judge my quarrel with those who offend me, overcome those who fight with me.” Having finished the prayer and received the blessing of Archbishop Spiridon, the prince, strengthened in spirit, went out to his squad. Encouraging her, instilling courage in her and infecting her with his own example, Alexander told the Russians: “God is not in power, but in truth.” With a small squad, Prince Alexander met the enemy, fought fearlessly, knowing that he was fighting for a just cause, protecting native land.

So, the spiritual and moral sources of the “Life” are the following values : faith in God, patriotism, sense of duty to the Motherland, heroism, selflessness, perseverance, mercy.

Let's present a comparative table reflecting the general and special in three works:

Work	Main characters
"The Tale" about Peter and Fevronia of Murom	Peter and Fevronia Muromsky	Faith in God, family as a Christian value, affirmation of love as a great all-conquering feeling; family traditions, spiritual and moral education, devotion, dedication and trust in marriage, kindness, self-denial in the name of love, mercy, devotion, spiritual and moral education
"Life" of Alexander Nevsky	Alexander	Faith in God, patriotism, sense of duty to the Motherland, heroism, selflessness, perseverance, kindness, good deeds, mercy
"Teaching" by Vladimir Monomakh	Vladimir	Faith in God, patriotism, love for one’s neighbor, humanism, peacefulness, righteousness, good deeds, spiritual and moral education of descendants: “don’t be lazy”, “give water and feed the one who asks”, “do not kill the right or the wrong”, “do not have pride in the heart and in the mind”, “honor the old as a father”, “visit the sick” (and so on)

It was interesting to trace the differences between two works - “Teaching” by Vladimir Monomakh and “Life” by Alexander Nevsky. Both of them were commanders, both defended their native land, both were merciful. Although, reading the Life, it may seem (sometimes) that Alexander supposedly simply wanted to conquer foreign lands and win, but this is not so. "Life" tells about Alexander as a commander and warrior, ruler and diplomat. It opens with the “glory” of the hero, which is likened to the glory of everyone worldwide. famous heroes antiquities. Prince Alexander, on the one hand, was a glorious commander, on the other, a righteous (living in truth, fulfilling Christian commandments) ruler. Despite his youth, as it is written in the Life, Prince Alexander “won everywhere, was invincible.” This speaks of him as a skillful, brave commander. And one more interesting detail - Alexander, while fighting with enemies, was still a merciful person: “...the same ones came again from western country and they built a city in the land of Alexandra. Grand Duke Alexander immediately went against them, razed the city to the ground, beat some, brought others with him, and pardoned others and released them, for he was merciful beyond measure.”

So you can let down result: These works, despite the originality of various genres and literary features, are interconnected by themes that reveal the spiritual beauty and moral strength of the hero, that is, commonality of their content is as follows: faith in God, patriotism and a sense of duty to the Motherland; fortitude and mercy, selflessness and love, kindness and good deeds.

Peculiarity: 1) family and family values are the main source in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronya of Murom”, but it seems that this is also common in the sense that the Motherland is like a big family, and love for the Motherland is also in the other two works is a shared value; 2) in Monomakh’s “Instruction” much attention is paid to the education and instruction of the young. But this can also be attributed to the general content of three different works, since the acts themselves of both Monomakh and Alexander represent a role model, and there is no need to give verbal instructions to the readers, that is, education personal example, and this is the basis of spiritual and moral education.

In these works of ancient Russian literature, common values are identified for all three works: 1) faith in God; 2) patriotism and sense of duty to the Motherland; 3) fortitude and mercy; 3) family values; 4) kindness and good deeds; 5) dedication and love.

In conclusion, I would like to note that ancient Russian literature gives a chance to comprehend life values V modern world and comparing them with the priorities of people from the times of Ancient Rus'. This allows us to conclude that the works of ancient Russian literature are the source of spiritual and moral development for any person and, moreover, for humanity as a whole, since they are based: on high moral ideals, on faith in man in the possibilities of his limitless moral improvement, on faith in the power of the word and its ability to transform a person’s inner world. Therefore, their ideals remain relevant today.

I would like to finish the work with the words “Teaching”: “What you can do well, don’t forget; what you can’t do, learn.” Read ancient Russian literature, find in it the origins of our soul!

Bibliography:

1 . Eremin I.P. Life of Alexander Nevsky / I.P. Eremin. Lectures and articles on the history of ancient Russian literature. - Leningrad: Leningrad University Publishing House, 1987. - pp. 141-143. .

2. Ermolai-Erasmus. The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom (translation by L. Dmitriev) / Old Russian literature / Comp., preface. and comment. M.P. Odessa. - M.: SLOVO / Slovo, 2004. - P.508-518.

3. Life of Alexander Nevsky (translation by I.P. Eremin) / Old Russian literature. - M.: Olimp; LLC Publishing House AST-LTD, 1997. - P.140-147.

4 .Kuskov V.V. History of Old Russian Literature: http://sbiblio.com/biblio/archive/kuskov_istorija/00.asp (access date 01/11/2014).

5 . Likhachev D.S. Great legacy. Classic works of literature. M., 1975.

6. Likhachev D.S. Chapter 5. Psychological peace. XV century /Likhachev D.S. Man in the literature of Ancient Rus'. : http://www.lihachev.ru/nauka/istoriya/biblio/1859/ (date accessed 12/12/2013).

7 . Likhachev D.S. Russian culture. M.: “Iskusstvo”, 2000.

8 . Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh (translation by D. Likhachev) / Old Russian literature / Comp., preface. and comment. M.P. Odessa. - M.: SLOVO / Slovo, 2004. - P. 213-223.

Old Russian literature in the development of human spiritual and moral values. Modern crisis of personality and the greatness of the example of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky Hagiographic literature as a special genre

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