Patriarch Nikon Biography

Death biography, the higher you jump, the more painful to fall - this Russian proverb is characterized by the life of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Nikon. A native of a simple village became a favorite of the king overnight, but he also quickly lost his great dignity. An event in history is associated with the name of the Patriarch - the split of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On the Nizhny Novgorod land, in the village of Veldemanovo, on May 17, a joyful event took place in a simple peasant family: a boy was born, who was called Nikita during baptism. From the biography of the parents of the future Patriarch of All Rus', little is known: the father of the boy Mina Minin was a Mari, and his mother died in childbirth. The portrait of Patriarch Nikon was brought up in a strict atmosphere, his father was often absent at home, so the child remained in the care of the stepmother.

By the way, the second wife of Mina had a strict and not devoid of cruelty: a woman hated a stepson and beat the boy for the slightest offense, sometimes depriving Nikita for a piece of bread and a long sea by hunger. The father of the family, upset by the arbitrariness of the second wife in relation to his son, often beat his wife upon returning home.

However, as soon as the mine went out of the threshold of the house, the endless humiliations of the little boy continued. Nikita suffered the rude attitude of the adoptive mother, finding comfort in the scriptures, as well as the boy encouraged her grandmother's love. The future minister of the church grew up a gifted child who, instead of games in the fresh air with the guys, preferred a letter.

Orthodoxy when the native of the peasant family was 12 years old, the boy went to the Zheltovodsk Makariyev Monastery, located on the left bank of the Volga, where he stayed as a novice up to a year. But at the insistence of relatives who lured the young man from the service fraud, Nikita was forced to return home to his native village, where he survived the death of his beloved grandmother and father.

Zheltovodsk Makariyev Monastery in Veldemanovo Nikon will marry and accepts San Priest. Initially, the priest holds church rites in the neighboring village of Lyskovo, but by coincidence is poisoned by the service in Moscow, since the metropolitan merchants learned about the education and readiness of the villager. It is in the capital of Russia that fractures of the fate of the future Primate of the Orthodox Church will take place.

The family life of Nikita and his wife can hardly be called happy: the couple could not have descendants, since newborn children died in infancy. The clergyman perceived the sad loss as a sign from above, meaning detachment from worldly life. So, in the year, the priest convinced his wife to become a nun of the Alekseevsky monastery. Leaving the money for the maintenance of his wife, thirty -year -old Nikita Minin accepts tonsure in the Slovets monastery and becomes Nikon: the abbot of the monastery Yeleazar personally made this initiative.

Based on the Orthodox religion, a person who has accepted tonsure in monks dies for the former worldly life and accepts a different name, gaining a new spiritual principle. The Slovetsky monastery detached from the life of the troubles and fuss Nikon observes monastic life, reads the sacred books tirelessly and prays, giving the will and soul to venerate God.

Life in a monastery located on the shores of the round lake was strict, the monks had to read biblical manuscripts during the night, without closing the tired eyes. The food in the settlement of the monks did not differ in abundance: the skitters ate the reserves of berries and fruits, but the flour that the state donated. Due to the pious service and literacy, Nikon becomes a favorite novice of the Monk Yeleazar Anzersky, who in the future instructs the ministry to independently conduct mysterious liturgical rites, and also trust Nikon by the head of the Scythian.

Eleazar Anzersky, but in the year, the monk Nikon and the elder Eleazar has disagreements about the construction of the new church, so the future Moscow Patriarch, who did not find the support of the brethren, has to flee from the monastic settlement, to which he served for many years. After wandering, Nikon finds comfort in the Kozheoozersky monastery, and after the death of the rector of the temple becomes hegumen.

In the year, the clergyman again goes to the capital of Russia to collect the donations of the monastery and, according to the tradition of an old rite, comes with a bow to the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich. Nikon struck the king with education and eloquent speeches. By the way, Alexei Mikhailovich was known as a very devout person and the Church was condescending to the Orthodox religion and the Church.

Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich before the tomb of St. Philip, after communicating with the priest, the prince realized that he wanted to see this man in Moscow, so he transferred the hegumen to the capital. Some boyars did not like this arrangement of the king to the simple old man, but, nevertheless, the native of the peasant family becomes the archimandrite of the Novospassky Orthodox Monastery.

Being in the service, Nikon becomes a member of the circle of “zealots of piety”, which was formed at the end of the 17th century.Later, in the year, Minin becomes a metropolitan of the Novgorod diocese and performs duties with special zeal, performing services according to strictly established rules. A hungry popular uprising in Veliky Novgorod broke out in Veliky Novgorod in Veliky Novgorod in the year, the reason for the discontent of the townspeople was a sharp rise in bread prices.

The participants of the rebellion were people of various classes, from shooters, to poor and artisans: the Russian people opposed the policy of the sovereign. But because of the stable position of Metropolitan Nikon, who defended the interests of Alexei Mikhailovich and his other associates, the Novgorod rebellion was suppressed. The leaders of the uprising were waiting for a death sentence, which later changed to merciless beating with a whip.

The mitigation of the punishment occurred thanks to the metropolitan who did not remain indifferent to worldly people: Nikon visited prison and listened to the complaints of prisoners, and also talked with the ordinary people, which is why some citizens found comfort in the speeches of the elected metropolitan. Patriarch Nikon became the receiver of His Holiness Joseph, who died on April 25 on Veliky Thursday.

The pious who wanted the Church San of the Patriarch to be transmitted to the founder of the movement of “zealots” Stefan, but he refused to nominate his candidacy because he could not withstand the competition of the king’s favorite. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Nikon, for the Russian state in the 17th century, the title of bishop-rejoicing endowed the clergyman with powers: the Patriarch of All Rus' could, along with the sovereign, resolve political issues, point out the tsar to mistakes, as well as parse the convicts and punish people who violated spiritual laws.

In fact, Alexei Mikhailovich made Nikon his associate. During the construction of the abbot to the Patriarchal San, Nikon fired a promise from Alexei Mikhailovich that he would not interfere in the affairs of the church under any conditions. The reforms and schism of the Church Minin remained a popular favorite and influenced political issues, thanks to the Moscow Patriarch, Russia and Ukraine reunited in the year, and Nikon was also interested in the construction and restoration of temples.

The reformal activity of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Nikon left a mark in history thanks to the split of the Russian Orthodox Church in the GG. The reason for the split began to appear since the formation of the circle of "zealots of piety." Participants in the religious group discussed the issue of unification of the clergy and called for the uniformity of reading the scriptures and the conduct of rites.

Only about the adoption of the original sample, the team had disagreements: someone was an adherent of the Byzantine culture, when others relied on ancient Russian manuscripts. Patriarch Nikon represents new liturgical texts with the advent of Minin on the patriarchal throne of the pious pious, but the Old Believers dissatisfied with the policies of Nikon continued to oppose the reformation of the Patriarch.

Nikon introduces new liturgical rules in the year, which caused the split between the associates of the Patriarch and the Old Believers. Nikon's reforms were as follows: church books were reprinted and translated according to the Greek canons of a two -step sign introduced along with the baptism of Rus', was replaced by a three -pass. For adherents of “old Orthodoxy”, two fingers meant the two nature of the One Christ, and the three symbolized the Holy Trinity.

Therefore, it would seem that such an insignificant change in the service was important for religious people, the spelling of the name of Christ was changed: Jesus became the earthly worships by the widespread worships of the word “Hallelujah” began to be pronounced three times instead of two, etc. The old -time sign of the Old Believers were dissatisfied not only with new church laws, but also with gesture methods that were guided Patriarch Nikon, for example, baptized by two fingers, were declared heretics and devoted anathema.

The first opponent to put forward the opposition to the new reforms was the adherent of the "old religion" Protopop Avvakum. Alexei Mikhailovich respected Nikon and gave Minin the title of “Great Sovereign” to Nikon by the title was used by the father of Mikhail Fedorovich Filaret, but soon there was a conflict between the patriarch and the king. The reason for the disagreement was the Cathedral Code adopted in the year.

This set of state laws detracted the status of the Orthodox Church and made it completely dependent on the state. The trial of Patriarch Nikon is also boyars who did not like Nikon’s approximation to the tsar, weaved the intrigue against the Patriarch, and the result was not long in coming: the gossip was fundamentally changed by Alexei Mikhailovich’s attitude to Minin. Due to the events that turned out against the clergyman, Nikon was forced to leave Moscow as a sign of disagreement.

In the year, the court of the Local Council of the Russian Church decided to exclude Nikon from the patriarchy dignity and to erupt him from the priesthood for “anti -deeds”.Personal life during his life Patriarch Nikon was an educated and well -read person who surprised not only the thorough knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, but also everyday wisdom.

It is difficult to judge the personality of Nikon, since the Old Believers and supporters of new reforms characterize this person differently. Some in biography write that Nikon is the wisest Orthodox figure, whose reforms went for good; Others believe that Minin is a power -loving, greedy and cruel person who was ready to go to anything to get the king’s location. The monument to Patriarch Nikon in Saransk when the judges removed Nikon from San, the collegium brought the set of all the “crimes” of the patriarch, and this is what was listed in that manuscript: “Nikon personally deprived the bishop of Pavel Kolomensky San, Suirpay, pulled a mantle from Pavel, and that“ in ulcers and punishment are the heavy, ”of which Pavel, and that was the heavier.

He lost his mind and the poor died: either he was torn by the beasts, or fell into the river and died. The death exiled to the Cyril-Belozersky monastery, where cruel foundations flourished, Nikon undermined his health. The death of Patriarch Nikon, the new Russian king Fedor Alekseevich, sympathized with the exiled old man, therefore, contrary to the desire of the church, allowed the former patriarch to return to the Voskresensky monastery.

A serpent monk did not master the long road and died on the Yaroslavl land on August 17.