And it includes the Patriarchal Palace, which served as a residence for the patriarchs and metropolitans, and their home church of the Twelve Apostles.
Construction history
The first house for the head of the Russian church was erected in the Kremlin in 1325 under the Moscow prince Ivan Kalita. It was a wooden building. With the blessing of the Moscow metropolitan, St. Jonah, stone chambers were erected in 1450, and a year later the first Church of the Deposition of the Robe was built nearby, which served as the home church of the Moscow metropolitans. In 1589, after the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia, the metropolitan chambers began to be called patriarchal chambers.
During the Moscow fires of 1473, 1493 and 1626, the chambers were on fire, but were rebuilt.
In 1652, after the death of Patriarch Joseph, at the suggestion of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Nikita Minin (Patriarch Nikon) was elevated to the patriarchal throne. On his initiative, the construction of a new Patriarchal Palace began.
Description
The patriarchal chambers were built in 1653-1658. The best masters of stone tent churches - Antip Konstantinov and Bazhen Ogurtsov - were invited to work. The paintings of the interior were made by the painters of Yaroslavl and Kostroma, as well as the best royal icon painters.
The first floor of the building was occupied by clerks of many orders, there were also utility rooms. On the second floor there was a church in the name of the Apostle Philip and ceremonial halls, including the Cross Chamber, or Mirovarnya (myro was prepared here, an aromatic oil used for baptism and church lighting). The architecture of Mirovarni is unique - a hall with an area of 280 sq. meters was covered with a vault that did not have a central support.
On the third floor were the chambers of Patriarch Nikon.
There is a legend that on the fourth floor, where there were only two rooms, the young Petrusha, the future Emperor Peter the Great, was hiding from the archers. From these events, he retained a nervous tic that arose in moments of great excitement.
At that time, the three-story building was huge. The building was built in a single block, and even the Church of the Twelve Apostles is one with the whole structure. The temple, located at the level of the second floor, is located on beautiful travel arches.
In their beauty and luxury, the Patriarch's chambers were not inferior to the royal Terem chambers. Later, when the patriarch was on trial, the Patriarchal Palace was presented as an example of his extraordinary pride and desire to equal the king.
Throughout its history, the Patriarchal Chambers have changed many times. The reconstruction was carried out after a strong fire in 1682. At the same time, the Filippovskaya Church was rebuilt into a new temple of the Twelve Apostles, which became the home church of church hierarchs.
The walls of the temple were decorated with unusually beautiful paintings, the floor was covered with ceramic tiles, and the installed iconostasis, originally intended for the Ascension Monastery of the Kremlin, was magnificent.
Since the 14th century, since Moscow became the spiritual center of Russia, the courtyard of the Moscow metropolitans was located to the north-west of the Assumption Cathedral, and since 1589, after the election of Bishop Job to the patriarchal throne, the patriarchs. There were residential and outbuildings, administrative chambers that managed the economy, three churches: Rizpolozhenskaya - to the west of the Assumption Cathedral, the Solovetsky Wonderworkers - to the east of the residential chambers and the Three Saints of Moscow Peter, Alexy and Jonah "in the patriarchal hallway".
As usual, all the buildings of the courtyard burned in fires more than once, were ruined by the enemy, dilapidated and often rebuilt and renovated. Each new owner of the court tried to remake something according to his own taste, so that on the whole the abode of the lords looked like a cluster of buildings of different sizes and different times, connected by many internal and external galleries, stairs, winding passages and porches.
In the middle of the 17th century, after Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, bypassing the lot, appointed his favorite Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the territory of the patriarchal court underwent a particularly intensive restructuring.
As Archdeacon Pavel of Aleppo, a contemporary, wrote, “You should know that the current Patriarch Nikon has a great love for the construction of buildings, monuments, and splendor... The local patriarchal house has existed since very ancient times, since the time of St. Peter, the first Metropolitan of Moscow. It is small, cramped and has no yard... The current patriarch, loving to build and renovate, begged the tsar for a yard located near the patriarch's house... and proceeded to erect a huge wonderful building on it... This building strikes the mind with surprise, so maybe perhaps there is no one like it in the royal palace, because the masters of the present century, the most skilled, gathered from everywhere, built it continuously for three years.
From 1652 to 1655, three-story living quarters, the front Cross Chamber and a new church were built on the site of the dismantled temple of the Solovetsky miracle workers on the site of the old Patriarch's courtyard and the former Godunov's courtyard adjacent to it. Then, for about three more years, the buildings were intensively finished (for the murals of the temple, famous masters from Yaroslavl, Kostroma, the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, headed by I. Vladimirov and S. Ushakov were invited), but Nikon’s quarrel with the tsar in the summer of 1657, the departure of the patriarch to Novy Jerusalem and its eight-year disgrace "froze" construction. In 1666, Nikon was deprived of his patriarchal rank. Work was completed in the chambers and the new church only under Patriarch Joachim. In 1680-1681. on the south side, the church lost a gallery and a staircase leading to the Assumption Cathedral (since then, the door portal of the temple has hung over the void), but on the north side it has acquired an open gallery-porch, decorated with fly and polychrome tiles. In 1681 the church was consecrated in the name of the Twelve Apostles.
It was a pillarless five-domed temple with a restrained decor for its time. Three domes were illuminated, two were decorative; under them were closed choirs, connecting the church space with the living quarters of the patriarch, located on the third floor of the chambers. Neither the murals nor the iconostasis have survived to this day. The one that stands in the temple now comes from the Ascension Cathedral of the Kremlin monastery of the same name and dates back to the 1680s. Once the iconostasis of the church was crowned with a large "Crucifixion with the upcoming" - as it is believed, for the first time in the history of an Orthodox church. Then this tradition was established everywhere.
In 1703, Peter the Great abolished the patriarchate, and a few years later the Synodal House was located in the Patriarchal Chambers, in which, until moving to St. Petersburg in 1731, meetings of the Holy Synod, the new collegiate governing body of the Church, took place. On the third floor, in the living quarters of the patriarch, the famous Patriarchal sacristy was located.
In 1763, the dilapidated Church of the Three Hierarchs was dismantled and transferred from it to the Cross Chamber of the Synodal House, an oven for preparing church ointment, an aromatic oil used in various ceremonies. Since then, the chamber has often been called the World Brewery.
In the 19th century The Church of the Twelve Apostles was repainted with oil paints and a new iconostasis was installed in it. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the few Kremlin churches in it, services were held daily.
Since 1918, repair and restoration work was carried out in the Patriarchal Chambers and the Church of the Twelve Apostles, as a result, an iconostasis from the Ascension Monastery appeared in it, and in the altar there was a carved canopy above the altar, which previously stood in the Cathedral of Michael the Archangel of the Kremlin Chudov Monastery.
Currently, the building of the Patriarch's Chambers houses the Museum of Applied Arts and Life of Russia. The permanent exhibition, which tells about Russian culture and life of the 17th century, includes about 1000 exhibits. In two halls of the palace, where the original interior was completely recreated, ancient tables, armchairs, chests and chests, table clocks, chess, handwritten books, the first textbooks, precious dishes, and jewelry are presented for viewing. Here you can find works of both Russian and foreign masters.
Inside the church there is an exposition of icons of the 17th century, most of which came from the workshops of the Kremlin or decorated the Kremlin cathedrals. The exposition provides an opportunity to follow the development of icon painting of the 17th century, which is divided into two stages:
- The first stage (1600-1650s) is represented by icons that embodied the desire to revive the fading spirit of the former great art by following the ancient artistic canon (the line of development of the art of the "Grozny school") and its increased aestheticization (the line of art of the "Stroganov school");
- The second stage (from the 60s to the end of the century) is represented by icons that embody the desire to gradually move away from the traditional style of ancient Russian painting in the direction of realistic art.
The exposition presents icons of the famous tsarist painters of the late 17th century: the icon "Fyodor Stratilat" by Simon Ushakov, the icon "Andrew the First-Called" by Fyodor Zubov, the icon "Crucifixion with the Apostolic Passion" by Fyodor Rozhnov and others.
On July 13, year after year, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the 12 apostles, disciples of Jesus Christ. This is an important day for all Christians. The holy apostles have been honored by the church since the 4th century.
The Council of the 12 Apostles is celebrated the day after the feast day of Paul and Peter, the two supreme saints. Earlier we talked about these two apostles who gave their lives for pure faith and love for God. Peter is one of the 12 main apostles.
12 apostles
Apostle means "servant of God". These 12 chosen ones include all of his closest students. They left their lives and devoted themselves entirely to Christ and his mission.
Of course, and they doubted, even they had difficulty understanding the words of Jesus. Many of them were not sure that they were doing everything right, but in the end the truth was revealed to everyone. As you know, one of the chosen apostles even betrayed Christ. All this once again hints at the true human nature - we always doubt and demand proof of the existence of God. For their torment and suffering, they deserved to be present at the Last Judgment, but not next to other people, but next to the Lord.
- Peter. The supreme apostle was crucified upside down to look at God from the bottom up.
- Andrew the First-Called. The brother of the Apostle Peter, who was crucified on a cross in the shape of the letter X. This symbol is the banner of the Russian fleet.
- Matthias. Chosen as an apostle after the betrayal of Judas. Was stoned.
- Simon Zealot. He preached in Abkhazia, for which he was crucified on the cross.
- Thaddeus. Brother of the Lord in the flesh. He was executed for faith in Christ in Armenia.
- Matthew. Was burned in Egypt.
- Jacob Alfeev. Brother of Matthew. Also died in Africa.
- Thomas, who did not believe in the Resurrection of Christ. He preached in India and Asia. Executed in India.
- Bartholomew. He preached in Asia with Philip. Executed in Armenia, died in inhuman agony.
- Philip. He carried the faith and the cross together with Bartholomew. Executed on the cross.
- John the Theologian. He died peacefully in Ephesus. Evangelist, preacher.
- Jacob Zavedeev. Brother of John, killed in Jerusalem.
As you can see, only the Theologian died a natural death. All these people were great martyrs because they suffered terrible torments for their faith in God. Since they were the very first, they were honored to be near Jesus Christ even after death.
In honor of the 12 apostles, many churches were built, including in Russia. In the 17th century, a church was built in the Kremlin in honor of the most devoted students.
July 13 Traditions
July 13 is also considered a national holiday, because in Russia it has always united people in an attempt to become closer to God. On the 13th, it is customary to visit temples and pray for yourself and your family. If you can’t come to church, read the prayer to the 12 apostles at home:
About the holy apostles of Christ: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Fomo and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon and Matthias! Hear our prayers and sighs, which are now brought with a contrite heart, and help us, the servants of God (names), by your all-powerful intercession before the Lord, get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, keep the Orthodox faith firmly betrayed by you, in it your intercession or wounds , nor by prohibition, nor by pestilence, nor by any wrath from our Creator will we diminish, but we will live a peaceful life here and be able to see the good on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One in the Trinity glorified and worshiped by God, now and forever and ever ages of ages.
At the Council of the 12 Apostles, it is customary to help not only relatives or relatives, but also people in general. If someone asks you for help, then do not refuse him.
Also on July 13, people ask each other for forgiveness and reconcile. This is a great day for all Christians, so that insults are forgotten.
We wish you good luck and strong faith in God. Of course, this day of the 12 apostles is not among the 12 main holidays, but it is no less important for all believers. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
The only church in Moscow consecrated in the name of this holiday is located in the Kremlin: through its beautiful arches we usually pass to Cathedral Square, from which it forms a single ideological and architectural ensemble along with the three main Kremlin cathedrals - the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation. However, unlike its great neighbors, the Church of the Twelve Apostles is the latest of them. It was built in the middle of the 17th century by order of Patriarch Nikon along with the magnificent Patriarchal Chambers and has since become a home patriarchal church. With this majestic ensemble, Patriarch Nikon asserted his priority in the political dispute with the tsar about the advantages of spiritual power over secular.
The Feast of the 12 Apostles appeared in the 4th century AD, when in the Church, along with the veneration of each apostle on different days of the year, a common veneration of all the apostles of Christ was established. And the date of this holiday was chosen the next day after the celebration of the memory of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. Already Emperor Constantine the Great built a temple in the name of the holy Twelve Apostles in the Byzantine capital of Constantinople.
Russian church hierarchs had their own house church in the Kremlin before. It was the small Rizpolozhenskaya Church near the Assumption Cathedral, arranged in 1451 by St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow, in his courtyard in gratitude for the miraculous salvation of the capital from the raid of the Horde prince Mazovsha: July 2 (15), on the feast of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae, his the army appeared near Moscow, and on the same day suddenly turned back without a fight, which is why this raid was nicknamed among the people "fast Tatars." The current building of this first house church was built in 1484–1486. the same Pskov masters Krivtsov and Myshkin, who built the Annunciation Cathedral - already after they suffered a terrible failure with the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, which collapsed to the ground.
After the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia, the Rizpolozhenskaya Church became the first Kremlin home church of Russian patriarchs - until the time of Patriarch Nikon. Nikon, on the other hand, planned to build a new Patriarchal House, majestic and front, no worse than the royal Terem Palace , with its own house church. The place for construction was determined on the Kremlin territory of the Patriarchal Court, which was given for the Russian Metropolitan by the Grand Duke Ivan Kalita himself, when St. Peter transferred his cathedra from Vladimir to Moscow, making it the church capital of the Russian state. And in 1450, the first stone chambers of the metropolitan court appeared here.
However, the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles did not appear in the Kremlin immediately. More St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, built here a church in the name of the holy Solovetsky wonderworkers Zosima and Savvaty with a chapel in the name of his heavenly patron, St. Apostle Philip. It is likely that it was also the home of the Metropolitan Church, along with the official Rizpolozhenskaya. When Nikon achieved great power, he attributed his success, as the historian Ivan Zabelin believed, to the favor and heavenly help of his predecessor, St. Metropolitan Philip, and ordered to build a new stone church on the site of the Solovetsky Cathedral in the name of St. Apostle Philip, consecrated by the namesake of the Moscow saint. A part of the former court of Boris Godunov was also allocated for extensive construction.
In September 1652, two months after the “repentant” meeting of the holy relics of St. Philip at the Krestovsky Gate, the construction of the Kremlin Cathedral began, and at the end of February 1656, Patriarch Nikon was already serving the Liturgy in the new church. A powerful five-headed handsome giant with crosses covered with gilded copper has become a classic example of Nikon's church architecture. After in 1648 Nikon banned Russian tent architecture in temple construction and ordered the construction of "Byzantine" cross-domed five-domed churches everywhere, he himself followed his decree by building his own house church in the Kremlin in this style. The solemn grandiose building of the patriarchal house church symbolized the power and greatness of Patriarch Nikon. Only the monastic clergy served here emphatically, while in other Kremlin cathedrals, including the Tsar's Annunciation Cathedral, the white clergy served. And the old Rizpolozhenskaya church, after the construction of a new house patriarchal church at the chambers, became a palace church and was connected by stairs to the royal towers.
The entire ensemble of the Patriarchal Court with the cathedral was built for twenty years - from 1636 to 1656, and was erected by Russian masters Antip Konstantinov and Bazhen Ogurtsov, and the luxurious building of the Patriarchal House with the famous Cross Chamber was built by the architect Davyd Okhlebin. And already in 1655, Patriarch Nikon met in his new Kremlin possessions Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who returned with a victory from Vilna. Here he solemnly received the sovereign and blessed him. From then on, right up to the reforms of Peter the Great, tsars came to the Patriarchal Court on their name day with a festive cake and received blessings and congratulations from the Primate in the Chamber of the Cross.
Here, in the Chamber of the Cross, its founder, Patriarch Nikon himself, appeared before the court of the Ecumenical Patriarchs. And since the time of Empress Catherine II, the Mirovarnya was established in it, where St. myrrh for all of Russia was brewed during Holy Week and kept in the Patriarchal Sacristy. At the chambers there was also the priceless Patriarchal (Synodal) library, the largest in Russia, with rarities.
And only in 1680-1681, many years after the fall of Patriarch Nikon, the Kremlin Cathedral in the name of the Apostle Philip was re-consecrated in the name of the Twelve Apostles on the personal order of Patriarch Joachim, and in the name of St. Apostle Philip arranged a small church on the topmost, third floor of the Patriarch's chambers, which became the new house church of the Russian patriarch.
Sometimes pre-revolutionary historians even attributed the appearance of the Church of the Twelve Apostles to the late time of the reign of Peter I. Allegedly, in 1723, after the abolition of the patriarchate and the creation of the Holy Synod, the tsar ordered to build a church in the name of the Twelve Apostles with the upper chapel of St. Apostle Philip. And they also believed that the temple built under Nikon - the future Twelve Apostles - was not first consecrated in the name of St. Apostle Philip, and in the name of the three Saints of Moscow - Peter, Alexei and Jonah with the chapel of the newly glorified Metropolitan Philip, so as to emphasize the historical continuity of Patriarch Nikon. Modern historians generally do not support either of these versions.
The Kremlin Church of the Twelve Apostles had its own shrines and relics, one of which was an ancient Byzantine double-leaf image of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, presented to Peter I by Pope Clement. And on the outer wall of the temple above the former patriarchal gates was the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. Once, during construction work, part of the wall collapsed, and these bricks fell to the ground, but the Face of the Savior was miraculously preserved on them, and He could be seen as early as the beginning of the 20th century.
The temple was terribly damaged in the November battles of 1917, falling under artillery fire. Shells pierced its walls and destroyed the interior, which was later restored with great difficulty by museum workers. A new iconostasis to replace the destroyed one was moved from the cathedral of the Kremlin's Ascension Monastery, which was blown up by order of the new residents of the Moscow Kremlin.
And already in 1922, the ancient gallery was restored, connecting the temple with the living quarters of the patriarch, and the ancient chambers themselves were opened. Later, the floor of the cathedral was again covered with glazed tiles. Currently, the temple houses a museum exposition. From the upper temple of the Apostle Philip, only the altar remained, and there is no access to it now.
Temple in honor of 12 Apostles in Khovrin
ADDRESS: SAO. st. Klinskaya, ow. 12–14
Rector: Priest Ilya Boyarsky
Designer: LLC "StroygradProekt"
At the parish of the Triumph of Orthodoxy in Altufiev, the construction of a parish house began. Meeting at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior May 25, 2018
The construction of the main temple of the 12 Apostles in Khovrin began. DETOUR OF THE SAO On Easter, a new church of the 12 apostles in Khovrin will open its doors. BYPASS OF SAO
Metropolitan Mark, chairman of the FHU, agreed on a draft design of the temple complex in Khovrino
Completed work to increase the area of the wooden church of the 12 apostles in Khovrin
The temporary temple is set on a light foundation. It is a prefabricated structure: the frame is sheathed on both sides with a block house and insulated. Accommodates over 150 people.
The temple was built in 4 weeks. Funds for the construction were collected from all over the world. Built by a local resident Anatoly.
Anatoly, a father of many children, came to the first prayer service on March 8, 2015. Then he approached the abbot and asked:
Will you build a temple here?
And I'm a foreman. Ready to help...
So Anatoly "raised" the temporary temple. I called my friends, we didn’t sleep for 4 weeks, but by Easter everything was ready. Now Anatoly helps in the altar. Sings on the kliros. Removed from the temple. He treats everyone who comes to the temple between services with tea from a samovar.
12 APOSTLES
July 13 Orthodox celebrate Cathedral of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised 12 Apostles of Christ. The Holy Church, honoring each of the 12 apostles at different times of the year, from ancient times established a common celebration on the day after the memory of the glorious and supreme apostles Peter and Paul.
On this day, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia celebrates the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in the Moscow Kremlin.
twelve apostles were the closest disciples of Christ, whom He called first during His sojourn on earth. Most of them were fishermen. The Lord gave the apostles the power to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and sent his disciples into the world to preach about Him to all nations. (The word "apostle" means "sent.") The apostles witnessed the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. In the Upper Room of Zion, the Holy Spirit descended on them and transformed them. They were able to speak different languages, and most importantly, they became stronger in faith and became true preachers.
According to tradition, the apostle Andrew the First-Called, whom the Lord first called to be his disciples, came with the good news to the Dnieper and to those hills on which Kyiv was subsequently built. The apostle, according to the chronicler, said to the disciples who were with him: “Do you see these mountains? The grace of God will shine upon them, a great city will be built here and many churches will be erected.” And the post went up to the mountains, blessed them and erected a cross. From Kyiv, as legend says, he arrived in Novgorod, where he was surprised that the locals love, while washing in baths, to beat themselves with “young rods”, to pour themselves with kvass and icy water.
The Apostle Peter, brother of Andrew the First-Called, preached with such power that he converted up to five thousand people to Christ at once, healed hopelessly sick people, and even resurrected the dead. People revered him so much that they carried the sick right into the streets so that at least the shadow of Peter would overshadow them.
During the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, the latter ordered that the Apostle Peter be imprisoned and then executed because the saint converted two of the beloved wives of this terrible ruler to Christianity. The saint was crucified on an inverted cross in the year 64 (in 67-68) upside down. The apostle himself asked for this, because he considered himself unworthy to die the death of his Lord.
Shortly before this, at the request of the faithful, Peter decided to leave Rome at night in order to save himself from the death hanging over him. But while he was leaving the city, the Lord appeared to him in a vision, who was entering Rome. "God, where are you going?" - asked His apostle. “I am going to Rome to be crucified again,” the Lord answered him. Peter realized that he must not leave the city, and returned to be martyred.
The Polish writer Heinrich Sienkiewicz wrote the famous novel "Kamo Gryadeshi" ("Where are you going"), dedicated to the first centuries of persecution of Christians. The novel vividly describes this last meeting of the apostle Peter with the Lord, going back to Rome.
Brothers James and John in the Gospels are called sons of Zebedee named after their father Zebedee. Jesus also called them Boanerges ("sons of thunder"), apparently for their impulsive nature.
According to legend, after the martyrdom of the Apostle James in the year 44 in the Holy Land, his remains were placed in a boat and launched on the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Miraculously, this boat sailed to Spain and was thrown ashore. In 813, the hermit monk Pelayo, who lived in this area, following the guiding star, discovered the ark with the relics of the apostle. In 896-899, by order of King Alphonse III, a small church was built on the site of the find. The place was named Compostella(lat. - Place marked with a star). Saint James, miraculously appearing during the battles with the Moors, became the patron saint of Spain.
As an apostle who undertook a long journey from the Holy Land to Spain, he came to be regarded as the patron saint of pilgrims. By the end of the 20th century, a tradition had developed: in order to receive a certificate of the “Jacob’s path” passed, a pilgrim must walk 100 or ride a bicycle 200 km. Upon arrival in the city, the traveler presents in the cathedral a special document "credencial" (pilgrim's passport, valid since the Middle Ages) with marks made at points along the way, after which he receives the "Certificate of Compostela" written in Latin. The capital of Chile, Santiago, is also named after the Apostle James.
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (the younger brother of the Apostle James) was the son of Zebedee and Salome, the daughter of the Holy Betrothed Joseph (the betrothed husband of the Most Holy Theotokos). John the Theologian occupies a special place among the chosen disciples of Christ. He was a favorite disciple of the Lord. The Apostle of Love - this is the name of St. John, since he constantly taught that without love a person cannot approach God and please Him.
The apostle had the gift of raising the dead. The tradition of the Church tells the following cases of the resurrection of the dead:
- In Ephesus, the Apostle John and his disciple Prochorus worked in the bathhouse. One day a young man named Domnus died there. The young man's father, Dioscorides, upon learning of this, died of grief. The hostess of the bathhouse accused John of the young man's death and threatened to kill the apostle. After praying, John the Theologian resurrected the young man, and then his father.
- During a feast in honor of the goddess Artemis, the apostle John accused the pagans of idolatry, for which the crowd threw stones at him. Through the prayer of John, an unbearable heat immediately set in, due to which about 200 people died. The survivors begged the saint to forgive the dead. Then the apostle resurrected all the dead, and they were immediately baptized.
- In Rome, the apostle John was condemned to exile and sent to the island of Patmos. There were royal nobles on the ship, the son of one of them, playing, fell into the sea and drowned. The nobles began to ask Saint John for help. The apostle prayed to God, and the wave threw the young man onto the ship.
During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero, the Apostle John was taken to Rome for trial and sentenced to death. The convict calmly drank the terrible poison brought to him by the executioners, but remained safe and sound. Then they ordered to throw the apostle into a cauldron of boiling oil. But the fire went out and the oil became cold. After that, the emperor no longer dared to torture the saint and exiled him to the island of Patmos, where the apostle lived for many years.
One day, John ascended with his disciple Prochorus to a desert mountain, where he fasted and prayed for three days. On the third day the cave where they lived shook and thunder roared. Prokhor fell to the ground in fear. The apostle lifted him up and ordered him to write down the words that he would pronounce. This is how the Gospel of John was written. For the inspiration of this teaching, the apostle began to be called the Theologian. On the icons, the saint is depicted with an eagle - a symbol of the high soaring of his theological thought.
The Apostle John lived on earth for over 100 years. When the time came, he left Ephesus with seven disciples and ordered a cruciform coffin to be dug for himself in the ground. The apostle lay down in the grave ready for him and asked the disciples to cover it with earth. The students weepingly kissed their beloved teacher, but, not daring to disobey, they did his will. Upon learning of this, the rest of the disciples of the apostle came to the burial place and dug up the grave, but did not find a body in it.
Every year, from the tomb of St. John on May 21 (8), thin dust came out, which the believers collected and with which they healed from diseases of the soul and body.
The Apostle Philip was from the same town of Bethsaida as the brothers Peter and Andrew, John and James. With his sermon, he reached Ethiopia (a country in East Africa). Once, while sailing to one of the cities of Palestine, a terrible storm broke out. There was no hope of salvation, and everyone feared death. Then Saint Philip began to pray. And through his prayer, a bright image of the cross appeared in the air above the ship, which illuminated the darkness of the night. After that, the sea began to calm down, and the waves eventually subsided.
According to legend, during his martyrdom, when the apostle was crucified upside down, an earthquake occurred: the earth opened up and swallowed up the mayor, priests and many people. Together with the Apostle Philip they crucified the Apostle Bartholomew. People, in fear of what had happened, began to remove both saints from the cross, but the Apostle Philip could not be saved. A vine grew at the site of his death three days later.
holy apostle Bartholomew (aka Nathanael) was a friend of the apostle Philip. According to legend, Bartholomew, together with Philip, preached in the cities of Asia Minor. He also visited India and then came to Armenia. The possessed were healed in the mere presence of the saint. So, the daughter of Polonius, the king of that country, was possessed by an evil spirit. When the apostle entered the room of the possessed princess, the evil spirit immediately left the girl, and she became healthy. Thinking to thank Saint Bartholomew royally, Polonius sent him on camels a lot of gold, silver, and all sorts of precious things. But the apostle sent everything back, saying that he was not looking for earthly riches, but was gathering human souls, saving them for the Kingdom of Heaven. Then Polonius was touched and was baptized with all his family, nobles and many people.
Holy Apostle Thomas reached India with his sermon. According to the tradition of the Church, the Indian king Gundafor decided to build himself a magnificent palace, as remarkable in beauty as that of the Roman emperors. And he sent the merchant Avan to Palestine so that he could find a skilled architect. At the suggestion of the Lord, Thomas called himself an architect and went with a merchant to India.
The king gave the apostle a large amount of gold for the construction, and he himself went home, since the construction was supposed to be far from the city. Meanwhile, Saint Thomas began to distribute the royal gold to the poor. At the same time, he zealously preached the faith of Christ and baptized many. Two years have passed. More and more believers appeared in that place, however, the rumors that reached the king multiplied that the apostle did not even think of building a palace, and distributed all the money allocated to him to the poor. When, finally, the ruler found out that all this was true, he became terribly angry and imprisoned St. Thomas together with the merchant Avan. However, the apostle began to encourage his friend, promising him a miraculous salvation soon.
That very night the king's brother died. An angel took the soul of the deceased, raised her to heavenly villages and began to show her many chambers, offering her to choose one of them. The soul chose the most magnificent and asked the angel to let her stay here, at least in a corner. “No,” the angel objected, “you cannot live in this chamber: it belongs to your brother. This is the same chamber that the wanderer Thomas created especially for the king with the gold given to him. Then the soul asked the angel to let her go to earth to ask permission from the king himself. The angel returned the soul to the body, and the deceased immediately revived. The ruler rejoiced, and his brother began to talk about what happened to him, and persistently ask for permission to stay in the heavenly chamber of the king. He was even more delighted that the Apostle Thomas did not deceive his expectations and promised his brother to order new heavenly mansions from the holy architect.
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew He was a wealthy man and held the position of publican - tax collector. Christ and His disciples did not reject Matthew's invitation to visit his home. This event greatly shocked the Pharisees and scribes. The definition of "publican" for the Jews meant a traitor and a traitor to the motherland and faith. Talking with the tax collector was considered a sin, communicating with him was a desecration. But the Jewish teachers could not understand that the Lord “came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13).
Matthew, realizing his sins, compensated four times for those whom he had previously robbed, distributed the rest of his possessions to the poor, and, together with other apostles, followed Christ. Before leaving to preach in distant lands, at the request of the Jews who remained in Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew recorded in his Gospel the earthly life of the Savior.
The holy apostle traveled with the gospel to Syria, Lydia, Persia, Parthia, ending his preaching labors with martyrdom in Ethiopia. This country was inhabited by tribes of cannibals. According to the tradition of the Church, when the saint zealously asked God for the conversion of the Ethiopians, during the prayer the Lord Himself appeared to him in the form of a young man and, giving a rod, commanded him to hoist it at the door of the temple. The Lord said that a tree with good fruits would grow from this rod, and a spring would flow from the root. After bathing in water and eating fruits, the Ethiopians will change their wild disposition and become kind and meek.
But the ruler of that country, Fulvian, did not want his subjects to become Christians. He accused the apostle of witchcraft and ordered his execution. Saint Matthew was covered with brushwood and set on fire. When the fire flared up, everyone saw that the fire did not harm the disciple of Christ. Then Fulvian ordered to add brushwood to the fire, dousing it with pitch, and put 12 idols around. But the flame melted the idols and scorched Fulvian. The frightened Ethiopian turned to the saint with a plea for mercy, and, through the prayer of the martyr, the flame subsided. The body of the holy apostle remained unharmed, and he departed to the Lord.
The ruler bitterly repented of his deed, but he still did not leave his doubts. By his order, the body of Saint Matthew was placed in an iron coffin and thrown into the sea. At the same time, Fulvian said that if the God of Matthew preserves the body of the apostle in the water, as he preserved it in the fire, then this One, True God should be worshiped. On the same night, the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Plato in a dream and commanded him to go with the clergy to the seashore and find his body there. Along with the bishop, the ruler Fulvian and his retinue also came to the seashore. The coffin carried by the wave was honorably transferred to the temple built by the apostle. Then Fulvian asked the holy forgiveness, after which Bishop Plato baptized him with the name Matthew. Soon Saint Fulvian-Matthew renounced power and became a presbyter. After the death of Bishop Platon, the Apostle Matthew appeared to him and blessed him to lead the Ethiopian Church. Having accepted the bishopric, Saint Matthew-Fulvian labored hard in preaching the Word of God, continuing the work of his heavenly patron.
Holy Apostle Jacob Alfeev, brother of the Apostle Matthew, was the son of Alpheus (or Cleopas) and Mary, the sister of the Virgin Mary, that is, the cousin of Jesus Christ. The apostle also acquired a new name for himself: the Divine Seed, because he sowed the Word of God in the hearts of people. The apostle crushed idols, destroyed the temples of the pagans, cast out demons, and healed people's ailments.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, he first preached in Judea, then went with the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called to Edessa. He spread the gospel in Gaza, Eleutheropol and adjacent places, from there he went to Egypt. Here, in the city of Ostracina (a seaside town on the border with Palestine), he was crucified on the cross.
Saint Simon the Zealot according to the tradition of the Church, he came from Cana of Galilee, was the son of St. Joseph the Betrothed, the brother of the Lord. The first miracle that the Savior performed, the turning of water into wine, took place in Simon's house at the celebration of his marriage. The newlyweds were not rich people, and soon a shortage of wine was discovered. Sympathizing with their need, the Mother of God turned to the Son: "They have no wine." Jesus asked the servants to fill six stone vessels standing right there with water, and then scoop them up and carry them for testing to the steward of the feast. He tasted the water, which had already become wine, and wondered why such a wonderful drink was preserved for so long. The disciples saw the divine power of their Teacher and believed in Him as in the Messenger of God. He believed in Christ and the bridegroom. According to legend, this was Simon. He left his bride, his home, and followed Christ.
The apostle had two names - Kananite and Zealot. The first received by origin from Cana. "Zealot" means zealot.
The Apostle Simon traveled with the preaching of the Word of God to Mauritania and Africa. Then he was in Britain and enlightened many there with the light of the faith of Christ. He preached the Gospel in Egypt and Persia, where he was martyred.
Holy Apostle Jude brother of the Lord according to the flesh, son of Joseph the betrothed. It is not known exactly who Judas' mother was. According to some, it was Salome. The Holy Apostle Jude is usually called Judas of Jacob, that is, the brother of the Apostle James, the primate of the Jerusalem Church. He accepted this name out of his humility, for he considered himself unworthy to be called the brother of the Lord.
Also, Judas Jacoblev is called the Evangelist Matthew Lavvei and Thaddeus. "Levvey" means "cordial", and "Thaddeus" - "praise", for he glorified and confessed Christ God and proclaimed the Gospel to many nations.
The Holy Apostle Matthias (gift of the Lord) (Acts I, 23, 26) - was chosen by lot from 70 apostles and numbered among 12 instead of Judas the traitor.
The Apostle Matthias preached the Gospel in Jerusalem and Judea. From Jerusalem, with the apostles Peter and Andrew, he went to Antioch in Syria, was in the Cappadocian city of Tiana and in Sinope. Here the Apostle Matthias was imprisoned, from which he was miraculously released by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. According to church tradition, the Apostle Matthias was preaching in Pontic Ethiopia (now Western Georgia), Macedonia, repeatedly exposed to mortal danger, but the Lord kept him alive for further preaching of the Gospel. Once the pagans forced the apostle to drink a poisoned drink. The apostle drank it and not only remained unharmed himself, but also healed other prisoners who were blinded by this drug. When Saint Matthias came out of prison, he became invisible, and the pagans could not find him. On another occasion, when the pagans rushed at the apostle in fury, the earth opened up and swallowed them up. The Apostle Matthias accepted death for Christ and the crown of a martyr around the year 63.
The apostles affirmed the Church of Christ by word and holy life. That grace of the Holy Spirit, which was transmitted to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, is now served in our Orthodox Church in the sacraments through successors - bishops and priests.
Names of the twelve apostles:
1. Simon, whom the Savior called Peter.
2. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, called the First-Called.
3. James Zebedee.
4. John Zebedee, brother of James, called the Theologian.
5. Philip.
6. Nathanael, son of Folomew, and therefore called Bartholomew.
7. Thomas, also called Didymus, which means twin.
8. Matthew, otherwise Levi, a former publican.
9. James, the son of Alpheus (otherwise Cleopas), called the lesser in contrast to James Zebedee.
10. Simon, nicknamed Canaanite, otherwise Zealot, which means zealot.
11. Judas Iakovlev, he also had other names: Leveya and Thaddeus.
12. Matthias (gift of the Lord) (Acts I, 23, 26) - out of 70 apostles he was chosen by lot and numbered among the 12 apostles instead of Judas the traitor.
Troparion
The Apostles of the Mother See / and teacher of the universe, / pray to the Lord of all / to grant peace to the universe / and great mercy to our souls.
