Venerable Nikita Stylite, Pereslavl Wonderworker. Nikita Stylite of Pereyaslavl, Orthodox saint

Pereslavsky Nikitsky monastery.
Venerable Nikita Stylite, Pereslavl Wonderworker.

The publican Nikita, the future Stylite and Pereslavl Wonderworker, who glorified the Nikitsky monastery for centuries with his exploits, was busy collecting funds for the construction of the Transfiguration Cathedral and the fortress. It would be more accurate to call him not a publican, but a sneaker. Mytnitsa is a customs office (hence Mytishchi near Moscow). The collection of taxes in Ancient Rus' It was the sneakers who were doing it. Yabednik is an official official of the princely administration or city government. But since the city of Pereslavl did not yet exist as such, it can be assumed that Nikita represented precisely the princely administration and, therefore, could communicate with Yuri Dolgoruky, and especially with Andrei Bogolyubsky. The whistleblowers, in addition to collecting money, were also judges of minor cases (magistrates) and executors. In terms of their functions, the tellers preceded the tiuns and police officers in time.

“The costs of establishing a new city and the construction of an expensive white-stone Transfiguration Church in it (the white limestone stone was transported on boats and rafts from Kama Bulgaria and the Kovrov quarries) could not but affect the residents of the city,” writes the historiographer of the Nikitsky Monastery of the early 20th century, priest Pavel Ilyinsky. - The then tax collection system, through special collectors, greatly contributed to the formation of various predators among these individuals, who profited at the expense of the poor people, causing discontent and irritation among them. And with the weakness and corruption of justice at that time, it was difficult for poor people to seek truth and protection from these greedy oppressors.”

One of these “predators” was the future great saint of the Pereslavl land, Reverend Nikita. He was born and raised in the vicinity of the future “Pereyaslavl of Suzdal”, later “Novy” and “Zalessky”, that is, located beyond the Debryansky (Bryansk) forests from Kyiv and Chernigov.

Nikita's life tells nothing about the first half of his life. He appears before us as a mature man: “born and raised in the city of Pereyaslavl and reaching adulthood” and in the position of tax collector. We see him married to a woman who is patient and obedient. Nikita’s love of money, his unyielding cruelty, touchiness and rancor are especially emphasized: “he was offended and hard-hearted.” This unflattering characteristic is complemented by arrogance and the flattery and servility that is always associated with it. And besides - the desire for pleasure of the flesh, gluttony, for a cheerful and riotous lifestyle. Indirect evidence suggests that he was no stranger to book learning: already at that time there was a school in the city where they taught literacy in the Psalter. And in the speeches of St. Nikita, which are abundantly quoted in his Life, there are often words and phrases taken from Holy Scripture, and he knew some of David’s psalms by heart. A wide field of activity opened up before him as one of the owners of the new city and a bright prospect for a rich, cheerful and well-fed life. He is famous in the city, is dexterous in business, knows how to get along and be friends with influential people, for whom he arranges luxurious feasts, is outwardly cheerful and carefree. He doesn’t even care about the grief and tears of those whom he so mercilessly and shamelessly robbed. He is not afraid of complaints, denunciations, or punishment for his lies. Considering that Nikita embezzled the money collected for the temple, let’s add his sacrilege to the listed sins. But even if only one passion of Nikita was indicated in the Life - the love of money, then his character and way of life could already be imagined down to the smallest detail.

But Nikita's unrighteous life is only half the truth about his character. From Nikita’s biography it is clear that he was an ardent and decisive man, with an unyielding will and an inquisitive mind. His character contained such depth and breadth that worldly joys and worldly worries could not fill. “The Russian man is broad,” notes F.M. Dostoevsky, - I would narrow it down.” But he also adds that it is necessary to judge a person and a people not by the depth of his fall, but by the height of his rise. And this breadth and height of Nikita was ready to reveal itself at any moment that the All-Merciful Lord chooses for the conversion and salvation of a sinner.

One day Nikita entered the newly built Transfiguration Church. Most likely, Nikita came to the all-night vigil and listened to proverbs - selected passages from Holy Scripture Old Testament containing prophecies and instructions. The deacon read from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes; stop doing evil; learn to do good, seek truth, save the oppressed, defend the orphan, stand up for the widow. Then come and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow... If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the blessings of the earth; But if you deny and persist, the sword will devour you: for the mouth of the Lord speaks” (Isa. 1: 16-18, 19-20). Probably, he had known and heard these words of the prophet Nikita before, but only now did they penetrate into the very depths of his soul and shook him to complete spiritual sobering. All his untruths and iniquities instantly appeared before him. With horror, he now saw before him not the icons of saints, but the sorrowful faces of those offended by him, he heard the cries and groans of those whom he had deprived and orphaned. And it seemed to Nikita that the prophet was turning to him and that everyone around him and the Lord Himself were looking at him: “How the faithful capital, full of justice, has become a harlot! Truth dwelt in her, and now - murderers... your princes are lawbreakers and accomplices of thieves; they all love gifts and chase bribes; the orphans do not protect, and the widow’s cause does not reach them” (Isa. 1:21, 23).

Nikita left the temple with trembling hearts and returned home deeply concerned. He spent the whole night without sleep and only repeated the words he heard in the temple: “Wash yourself and be clean” (Is. 1:16). By morning he finally fell asleep, and when he woke up, he felt that his anxious thoughts had subsided and were not bothering him so much. Nikita decided to resort to his reliable, proven means and finally free himself from yesterday’s “obsession.” He ordered his quiet and meek wife to prepare a good dinner, to which he was going to invite the leaders of the city and his many friends. But the long-suffering and abundantly merciful Lord once again wanted to admonish the stubborn sinner.

The wife, always obedient to the will of her powerful husband, went with the servants to the bargaining. I bought everything I needed and put a large pot on the fire to cook the meat. When in once again She went up to check the brew, her legs gave way from horror: in the cauldron she saw blood instead of water, and parts of human bodies were floating in it. Nikita, who came running to her cry, looked into the cauldron, and at that moment, from a terrible vision, the former sinner in him died - he understood the meaning of the vision, he felt like an cannibal. “Woe to me, who have sinned greatly! Lord Jesus Christ, our God, teach me to do Your will,” he only whispered, staggering away from the cauldron and rushed headlong out of the house.

The familiar sight of the streets, houses, and townspeople was unbearable for him, and he ran out of the city. It seemed as if his legs themselves were carrying him towards the monastery of the Great Martyr Nikita. “What is your sorrow, my son?” - the abbot asked the sobbing Nikita. In tears and despair, he fell at the feet of the abbot and sincerely confessed all his sins. “Save, father, the perishing soul!” - Nikita begged the abbot and asked for tonsure. But the abbot was strict and experienced, he knew well the affairs of the man lying at his feet, and after some silence he remarked to him: “It is written in the Holy Gospel that new wine should not be poured into old wineskins, otherwise the skins will burst and the wine will perish (see: Matthew 9:17). So you, my son, living according to your own will, despising your spiritual father“Can you bear the test of obedience from me?” Nikita decisively agreed. “If so,” continued the abbot, “then go and stand at the gates of our monastery, cry there for your sins and ask forgiveness from everyone entering and leaving the monastery. In this I will see your obedience and then I will give you an angelic image.” “I will do everything, holy father,” Nikita said, getting to his feet, with deep humility, and went to do what he was commanded.

And at dawn, after a short night's rest, he left the monastery gates and went to the swampy shore of the lake. Further, the Life narrates: “And seeing at the right hand of the monastery a place of abundance and in it there is little water and around it there are trees and reeds and above it there are many moss and mosquitoes and spiders hovering,” Nikita took off his clothes and gave himself up to be eaten by mosquitoes and midges, from all sides swooped down on him in clouds.

On the third day, the abbot sent to find out about him. The sent brothers could not find Nikita for a long time and had already decided that he had failed the test and returned home. But, paying attention to the unusual brown column of mosquitoes in the lowland, they decided to find out the cause of this strange phenomenon and found a bloodied Nikita. With the last of his strength, he whispered the publican’s repentant prayer: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner! God, cleanse me, a sinner!”

Amazed by the power of repentance of yesterday’s fierce sinner, the abbot only said: “What are you doing to yourself, my son?” “Father, save the perishing soul!” - Nikita groaned in response.

The abbot ordered to bring a hair shirt, dress Nikita, who was exhausted from pain, in it and bring him to the monastery, where soon after this he was honored with an angelic image. It should be noted that the abbot committed a brave and decisive act for the sake of saving a single human soul. The tonsure of the prince's servants without the will of the prince could lead to great troubles for the monastery, not to mention the fate of the abbot himself. Obviously, Nikita’s determination and the depth of his repentance shocked the consciousness of not only the townspeople, but also became known to the authorities, who considered it best not to interfere with the sinner’s correction.

Having settled in a cramped cell, Nikita remained in strict fasting, prayer and vigil. Thus ended the life of Nikita - a bully and brawler, an merciless and selfish oppressor of the townspeople, and the life of the Monk Nikita, the Stylite of Pereslavl, began.

However, even these feats of monasticism seemed insufficient to him due to his sins. “For the sake of the flesh I sinned, and I must suffer for the flesh,” Nikita decided to himself. With the blessing of the abbot, he placed heavy forged chains on himself - rough iron chains with three large crosses, and covered his head with a heavy stone cap. (This hat for a long time remained in the monastery, and it, along with chains, was worn by pilgrims and the sick. But in 1735 it was requested for description by the Moscow Synodal Chancellery, where it disappeared. The description of the cap, however, has been preserved: “The stone cap, called Nikitskaya, was of white stone, quadrangular and on top there was a carving of simple craftsmanship, faceted, and on the sides there was a cross in cages, and on the sides it was glazed.”)

The Monk Nikita, like other ascetics - soldiers of Christ, had to wage a difficult, exhausting struggle against the “spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12) and overcome demonic temptations and obsessions. Now he was overwhelmed by thoughts and passionate desires of his former free life, now he was gnawed by doubts, now he was tormented by nightmares, he was frightened by snakes, spiders and other evil spirits that crawled into his cell. Overcoming these temptations, the monk came to the conclusion that for the victory of the spirit over the flesh he needed even more severe feats. After daytime labors and prayer vigils, he began to leave the monastery at night wearing chains and a stone cap and dig wells. “There are two treasures of fossils, one near the Lavra of the Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb, and the other near the Studenoy Stream. From them, people who eat with faith receive health,” - this is how the Life of the saint testifies. The first well has not survived. The Boriso-Gleb Monastery (in the Life it is called the Lavra and in documents from the time of Ivan the Terrible it is also called the Lavra) was abolished by Catherine II, and its churches and buildings were blown up in the 30s of the 20th century. Now there is a city cemetery on this site. The second “treasury”, about a kilometer north of the Nikitsky monastery, near the so-called “Icy (otherwise known as Sludge) Stream” exists and is very famous among pilgrims and townspeople due to its healing properties.

But even this seemed not enough to the Monk Nikita, and he took upon himself an even more severe feat, hitherto unseen either in the monastery or in general on Russian soil.

He dug himself a deep hole - a pillar in which one could only stand, and from the hole he dug an underground passage into the temple of the Great Martyr Nikita, so that his pillarhood was at the same time a seclusion. Considering himself unworthy to walk on earth, the saint buried his flesh alive in an earthen grave. In this pillar, burning with love for God, Saint Nikita prayed day and night for his own and human sins, being content with a few sips of water and a single prosphora per day, sometimes depriving himself of this meager food. Heavy chains and a stone cap bent his flesh, exhausted by fasting and vigil, to the ground, but his spirit, purified by repentance, freely rushed to Heaven in humble repentant prayer and praise to God, who did not allow the indecent sinner to perish. One sight of the pillar and chain of the saint terrified the demons, who did not even dare to look at this place of voluntary suffering of the great saint of God.

Chains of St. Nikita the Stylite. Nikitsky Monastery.

Asceticism on a pillar, being unusually difficult, found few imitators even in the East. Given the harsh climate of our fatherland, pillaring was even rarer. “And having entered the pillar to mortify earthly desires and passions in his flesh, and to lift up the spirit to God, he labored unseen by anyone,” - this is how the Life of the Saint tells about this.

The Lord accepted the exploits of St. Nikita as a fragrant and pure sacrifice and deigned to glorify him even in earthly life with the gift of healing and insight. The fame of the great ascetic quickly spread throughout the city and beyond. And a human river flowed towards him. People of every rank came to him: rich and poor, healthy and sick, famous and unknown, young and gray-haired. Like no one else, the Monk Nikita understood the true value of any human soul, regardless of its earthly state, for each one is more valuable than all the treasures of the world. And not dependent on anything earthly, the monk could talk to everyone about the main thing - the salvation of the soul, and no one left his pillar unconsoled.

The rumor about the gracious gifts of Saint Nikita soon reached distant Chernigov, where from early childhood Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich (d. 1245) suffered greatly from the relaxation of all his limbs: “if God allowed him to be overcome by a serious illness, it weakened all the parts of his body.” " The seriously ill prince donated a lot of his wealth to the churches, but these pious sacrifices did not help him recover from his illness. However, firm in faith, the youth did not lose heart. Having learned about the miracles that were performed at the pillar of St. Nikita, the prince immediately got ready to set out on the road together with his neighbor boyar - senior comrade and adviser Theodore (with whom he would later suffer martyrdom for the faith of Christ in the Golden Horde).

Prince Michael's faith in the possibility of healing through the prayers of the holy saint of God Nikita was great, but it was subjected to a difficult test. Several fields (the field is about a kilometer) from the monastery, the prince stopped to rest and ordered the tents to be pitched. At this time, one monk approached him, who called himself a monk of the Nikitsky Monastery. To the prince’s question about the Monk Nikita, the monk gave an answer that discouraged the prince: “It was in vain, prince, that you undertook such a difficult path. Nikita will not be able to heal your illness. He is nothing more than a flatterer; he only deceives and deceives the people.” After some time, another monk appeared and plunged the prince into even greater sadness, slandering the monk. The prince was about to return, but the boyar Theodore, realizing that the appearance of these false monks was the machination of crafty spirits, insisted on continuing the journey. And the third monk met them - not far from the monastery. He said that blessed Nikita had died, and pointed to the prince the shovel that he was holding in his hands and with which he had allegedly just filled up the grave of the deceased. And again, boyar Theodore insisted on continuing his journey, not succumbing to cowardice and the slander of the evil ones. In sight of the monastery, Prince Mikhail ordered the tents to be pitched, and the boyar Theodore went to the monastery.

Upon arrival at the monastery, the prudent boyar found the Monk Nikita on his pillar, in a stone cap, in iron chains, in unceasing prayerful work, in constant wakefulness, and became even more strengthened in the belief that the holy ascetic was able to heal his prince. With deep humility, he approached the Monk Nikita for blessing and told the saint about the prince’s illness, about the long and difficult path and about the temptations that befell them in last days. Having listened carefully to the boyar, the Monk Nikita gave him some instructions and handed him his staff to give to the sick prince: leaning on this staff, the prince himself should come to the Stylite. Boyar Theodore returned to the tent and handed the saint’s staff to Mikhail Vsevolodovich.

As soon as the blessed Prince Michael took the staff in his hands, he immediately felt so healthy that he himself, without outside help, came to the pillar of St. Nikita to accept his blessing. He also told Saint Nikita about the demonic temptation. The Monk Nikita commanded the demon, who had tempted the prince in monastic forms, to appear before everyone in a visible form and so stand before everyone at his pillar for three hours, after which the saint ordered him not to harm people anymore, and the demon again became invisible. “The monk commanded that demon to remain diligently at the wall of the pillar for three hours. The demon told him his charms and swore to the saint not to do dirty tricks on people,” this is what is said about this in the Life. Having listened to the prince, the Monk Nikita gave him instructions in piety and sent him back to the city of Chernigov in peace.

Grateful Mikhail Vsevolodovich, having given thanks to the Lord, who gave His saint, St. Nikita, the grace of healing ailments, insight and the power to cast out demons, rewarded the monastery with many gifts. And in the place where he received the saint’s staff, he ordered to erect a cross in memory of the miracle of his healing. This is how the Degree Book tells about this event: “Prince Mikhail ordered to install honest cross in that place, where he was quickly forgiven from a serious illness. And we received the blessing, having left the monastery contentedly, and went home, giving praise to God and his prayer book and the miracle worker Nikita. That honorable cross still stands today, with the inscription intact.” This was May 16/29, 1186, eight days before the martyrdom of St. Nikita the Stylite. Later, a wooden chapel was erected on that site, and in 1702 it was replaced with a stone one. This chapel stands to this day on the edge of the Borisoglebsky old city cemetery, testifying to the great miracle of St. Nikita.

The news of Prince Mikhail's healing quickly spread throughout the city, followed by the news of the prince's rich gifts to the monastery. The relatives of the Monk Nikita also learned about this and hurried to the monastery in order to beg at least something for themselves from those gifts. The monk talked with them for a long time about the vanity and futility of collecting worldly wealth, about its great harm to human souls, about the unspeakable beauty of the Kingdom of God and the wrath of God on unrepentant money lovers - everything turned out to be in vain. They, having received nothing of the supposed princely gifts and valuing the spiritual gifts - the instructions of the monk, at nothing - became hardened in heart. The evil enemy easily penetrated into them, and their minds were darkened and their eyes were blinded - they were seduced by the shine of the saint’s iron chains: if they shine like that in the spring sun, then they are certainly not made of rough iron, but of precious silver, with which the prince honored the righteous .

On the night of May 24/June 6, 1186, the attackers secretly entered the monastery and approached the pillar, which had some plank fencing and a canopy that protected the monk from rain in summer and snow in winter. Probably, the Monk Nikita guessed the intentions of the night guests, who began to fiercely break down the wooden fence. But he did not raise an alarm, did not try to stop and reason with the criminals, for everything had already been said, and he humbly handed over his mortal body, exhausted by many deeds, into their greedy hands, thereby betraying himself to the will of God. How beasts of prey, the robbers rushed at the saint and killed him with a strong blow to the head. So through criminal human hands The enemy took revenge on the saint of God for his shame from him and powerlessness, having exhausted all possible means to tempt the saint. Thus, by the providence of God, we received another Heavenly patron of the Nikitsky monastery, the city of Pereslavl and the entire Russian land.

Not without difficulty, the villains removed the crosses and chains from the murdered elder, wrapped them in the matting they had stored and got out of the monastery unnoticed. Unpursued by anyone, they began to run in horror away from the monastery, not making out the road and losing track of time, and came to their senses only when they reached the banks of the Volga. Here they decided to inspect their prey. Finally realizing that instead of the coveted silver they had obtained iron through a serious crime, the madmen threw what they had mined into the river.

At dawn, the monastery bell ringer, as usual, went to the Monk Nikita for a blessing, but seeing him lying without signs of life, bloodied, and the saint’s pillar broken, he rushed as fast as he could to the abbot. The brothers came running along with the sigumen. Singing and crying, they lifted the remains of the ascetic and, with candles and lamps in their hands, carried them to the temple. All the inhabitants of the city, leaving their work, hurried to the tomb of Saint Nikita. The only consolation in the general grief was that at the saint’s grave, many suffering people received healing: this was a guarantee of the saint’s heavenly intercession for all who came with faith and love to honor his memory. They buried Saint Nikita near the altar of the Church of the Great Martyr Nikita.

Icon of St. Nikita the Stylite in his life. 17th century Collection of the Pereslavl Museum.

In those years, on the banks of the Volga, near Yaroslavl, there was the Peter and Paul Monastery. The pious elder Simeon labored in it. That morning it happened to him after performing morning rule go to the river bank. He saw something unusual and strange: approximately in the middle of the river, just above the monastery, the crest of a high wave seemed to be illuminated with light. The old man protected himself sign of the cross, returned to his cell and said a prayer there, and then went ashore again.

The wonderful phenomenon not only did not disappear, but seemed to become even brighter, still remaining in the same place. The elder told his archimandrite about what he had seen on the river. But, noticing distrust in him, led by the will of God, he went ashore with some of the townspeople. When they sailed to the middle of the river, they saw a miracle: iron chains and crosses were floating in the water, like dry wood. With prayerful singing they were brought to the Peter and Paul Monastery. To the joy and amazement of the brethren and pilgrims, the transfer of the chains was accompanied by many healings of the sick, who touched the shrine with prayer and faith.

The rumor about the discovery of chains from Yaroslavl quickly spread throughout the surrounding area, and then reached Pereslavl. The joy of the Nikitsky monks knew no bounds. They hastily equipped several of the brethren for the journey, who transferred the shrine to the Nikitsky Monastery and laid it at the tomb of St. Nikita.

The veneration of St. Nikita the Stylite in Pereslavl-Zalessky began immediately after his suffering death. Tales about him lifetime miracles and the miracles that took place at his tomb very quickly spread throughout other Russian principalities and were passed on from generation to generation.
Reliquary with the holy relics of Nikita the Stylite and his chains in the Annunciation Church...

Pereyaslavl Nikitsky Monastery

Icon of St. Nikita Stylite

When the Rostov-Suzdal land was given to one of the sons of Vladimir Monomakh, Grand Duke George (Yuri) Dolgoruky, as an inheritance, the light of Christ’s faith shone with special force in that land. The first and main concern of this prince was the construction of cities and temples of God.
The Grand Duke, having settled residents near Lake Kleshchina (Lake Pleshcheyevo), found a monastic monastery on one of the hills and near it a town surrounded by a high earthen rampart. He had the desire to improve it and laid a stone church in it to the glory of the Transfiguration of the Lord. But then, over time, according to economic calculations, George ordered the town and the church built in it to be moved to the bank of a small river called Trubezh.
The sudden death of the prince suspended both the structure of the city and the final construction of the white stone Church of the Transfiguration. Only under his son, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Andrei Bogolyubsky, was it finally rebuilt and decorated “in Pereyaslavl new.”
To cover the prince's expenses, increased collection of taxes was required. All this fell heavily on the shoulders of the residents of Pereslavl. These gatherings were led by a native of Pereslavl, Nikita, who was distinguished by his cruel character from a young age. He mercilessly robbed the inhabitants, caused a lot of evil, collecting huge sums of money for the prince and for himself. Due to his dexterity and ability to get along with the rulers of the city, he was not afraid of denunciations or punishment for lies. The luxurious feasts Nikita arranged for the city authorities, and the valuable gifts he made, gave Nikita every opportunity to spend his time cheerfully and carefree, not paying attention to the fact that many shed bitter tears because of his selfishness, greed and oppression. He had friends just like himself. This went on for many years. But the merciful Lord, who wants to save all sinners, led Nikita to repentance.

Nikita Stolpnik

One day, having finished his studies, he evening service came to church and heard the following words of the prophet Isaiah read there: “Thus says the Lord: wash and be clean, take away wickedness from your souls... Learn to do good... deliver the offended, judge the orphan (protect the orphan) and justify the widow" ( Isa. 1, 16-17). These words penetrated the depths of the sinner’s heart and shook him. In these words, Nikita heard the voice of God addressed directly to him, and now all his untruths and iniquities instantly appeared before him. With horror, he now saw before him not the icons of saints, but the sorrowful faces of those offended by him; he no longer heard reading and singing, but the cries and groans of those to whom he caused suffering. With heart trembling, Nikita jumped out of the temple and, deeply concerned, returned to his home.
Nikita spent the whole night without sleep, worried about his sinful life. The next day, out of his habit, he went to his friends, had fun in their company and asked them to dine with him. Over a delicious dinner with expensive drinks, in the company of a cheerful company, Nikita thought of completely forgetting the words of the Prophet heard in church, which so greatly excited his soul, and completely drowning out his gloomy thoughts.
When his wife began to prepare dinner for the guests, she suddenly saw that blood was foaming in the boiling cauldron, and human heads, then a hand, then the soles of feet were floating to the surface. In horror, she called her husband, and Nikita saw the same thing. Suddenly, his sleeping conscience awoke in him, and he clearly realized that with his extortions he was acting like a murderer. And, “being overcome by great fear,” he left his wife, children, and unjustly acquired wealth and left home.
Three miles from Pereyaslavl there was a monastery in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Nikita (now the Nikitsky Monastery), and the shocked man came there terrible vision Nikita. With tears, he fell at the feet of the abbot: “Save the perishing soul!” Then the abbot decided to test the sincerity of his repentance and gave him the first obedience: to stand at the monastery gates for three days and confess his sins to everyone who came. With deep humility and sincere repentance, Nikita performed his first obedience. Three days later, the abbot remembered him and sent one monk to see what he was doing at the monastery gate, but the monk did not find Nikita in the same place, but found him lying in a swamp: he was covered with mosquitoes and midges, his body was covered in blood. Then the abbot himself and his brethren came to the voluntary sufferer and asked: “My son! What are you doing to yourself?” “Father! Save the perishing soul!” Nikita answered. The abbot dressed Nikita in a hair shirt, brought him into the monastery and tonsured him as a monk.

St. Nikita the Stylite of Pereyaslavl and the Holy Martyr. Nikita.

In commemoration of the severity of lawlessness past life, he put heavy iron chains (chains) and a stone cap on himself, spent days and nights without sleep, being in prayer and fasting. At the sites of his monastic exploits, the Monk Nikita dug two deep wells (still preserved), but, desiring greater feats of repentance, he built a pillar for himself. It was a round, pillar-shaped pit or just a cave, so the pillarhood of St. Nikita was, in essence, a retreat. And he entered it to mortify earthly desires and passions in his flesh, and to elevate his spirit to God.

The above-kladeznaya chapel and bathhouse at the source of Nikita the Stylite.

The Lord accepted a pure sacrifice from Nikita and was pleased to glorify him here on earth, sending him the gift of healing.
The rumor about Nikita's great exploits and his gifts of grace reached the distant Principality of Chernigov, where at that time Grand Duke Mikhail Vsevolodovich was seriously suffering from paralysis of all limbs. This Prince, ever-memorable in Rus' for his martyrdom at the hands of the Tatars for the name of Christ, was ill almost from a young age. Therefore, as soon as he learned about the Monk Nikita, he immediately got ready, together with his boyar Theodore, on the road to Pereslavl.
A few kilometers before Pereslavl, Mikhail Vsevolodovich ordered his servants to pitch a camp tent to rest from fatigue, and then come to the ascetic. But as soon as the tents were pitched, the Prince noticed one monk heading towards him.
“Where are you coming from and where are you going, honest father,” the prince asked the monk.
- From the monastery, my son, from the very monastery in which Nikita lives, on the pillar; I’m going shopping for the monastery; and you, child, where are you from and where are you going? - the monk asked in turn. The prince said who he was, where he was going and why.
“It’s in vain, prince, you undertook such a long and difficult journey,” the monk objected, “Nikita cannot heal your illness; “He is nothing more than a flatterer, he only seduces and deceives the people,” the monk said with confidence and, bowing to the prince, went on his way.
Such a review of the monk about the Monk Nikita could not help but strike the Prince’s heart with deep sadness. After some time, another monk appeared before the Prince and made the same speech about Nikita. After much thought and doubt, the prince, listening to his boyar, ordered his tent to be taken down and moved forward.
Now the holy monastery appeared, to which the Prince was on his way. Having not reached this monastery a little, the prince, seeing it on a small hill, ordered to pitch a camp tent again, so that from here he could send his faithful boyar to the Monk Nikita and notify him of his arrival. But before the boyar went to the monk, a monk again approached the prince’s tent, no longer looking young, with an iron shovel on his shoulder. The prince asked the monk where he was from, where he was going and why. Answering these questions, the monk, to the great surprise of the prince, said that the Monk Nikita had died, and, as if to assure the prince of this, he pointed to his shovel, with which the saint’s grave was supposedly now covered. Boyar Theodore, in order to dispel all doubts, hastened to go to the monastery.
Upon arrival at the monastery, the boyar found the great ascetic on his pillar, in a stone cap, in iron chains, in unceasing prayerful work, in constant work on himself. Having listened carefully to the boyar6, Nikita gave him some instructions and handed him his staff to give to the sick prince, so that he, leaning on this staff, would come to the monastery. The boyar hastened to return to the prince, and as soon as the prince accepted the staff from him, he immediately felt a lot of strength in himself, and without the help of others, relying only on the staff, to the surprise and joy of everyone, he himself went to the monastery to Nikita. Having reached the holy monastery, the prince approached the miracle worker in trepidation and expressed his gratitude to him for his healing from the illness. It was May 16, 1186.

Chernigov chapel at the cemetery of Pereslavl-Zalessky.

The Chernigov chapel was erected in 1702 on the site where one of the Chernigov princes, Mikhail Vsevolodovich, received healing thanks to the feat of prayer of the Pereslavl saint Nikita the Stylite.

Chapel Pillar of St. Nikita Stylite

Chapel Pillar of St. Nikita Stylite




Icon of Nikita the Stylite in the chapel

People began to flock to the monastery of the monk, to his wonderful pillar. different people. Great Companion He gave everyone what they asked for, no one left him without one or another favor. At night, some of his relatives came to him with a request to pray for them and, seeing the heavy chains on him, which had become clean and shiny from long rubbing against the body, they thought that they were silver. They planned to kill the saint. And on the night of May 24, 1186, they dismantled the covering of the pillar, killed the ascetic, removed the crosses and chains from him, wrapped him in rough canvas and disappeared.
Before the morning service, the sexton, who came to Nikita for a blessing, discovered a dismantled roof and informed the abbot about it. The abbot and the brethren hurried to the pillar of the monk and saw the murdered saint, from whose body a fragrance emanated. Solemnly, with singing and candles, the honest body of the ascetic was buried at the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Nikita, on the right side of the altar. At the same time, all the sick received healing. Nikita's killers with their prey fled further and further from the Nikitsky Monastery. Not pursued by anyone, they nevertheless did not dare to stop, even if only to inspect their prey. The fear of being chased drove them further and further. Exhausted by fear, the killers finally reached the banks of the Volga River and here, not yet crossing to the other side of the river, on one of its hills, they decided to inspect their prey. But, unfolding it, to their surprise and horror, they saw that instead of silver they had mined iron. Annoyed, the killers threw their prey into the waves of the river.
That same night, Simeon, the elder of the Yaroslavl monastery in the name of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, saw three bright rays of light over the Volga. He reported this to the abbot of the monastery and the elder of the city. The council of priests and numerous townspeople who had gathered to the river saw three crosses and chains “like a tree floating in the waters of the Volga.” After this, with prayer and triumph, these wonderful objects were removed from the river and transferred to the Peter and Paul Monastery. The bringing of these chains and crosses into the monastery was accompanied by many miracles. With reverence and prayers, the chains were transferred to the monastery of the Great Martyr Nikita and placed at the tomb of Nikita. At the same time, new healings occurred.
Around 1420-1425, Saint Photius, Metropolitan of Moscow, blessed the discovery of the relics of Saint Nikita. The abbot of the monastery and the brethren performed a prayer service, then opened the birch bark with which the incorrupt body was wrapped, but suddenly the grave was covered with earth, and the relics remained hidden. A terrible storm suddenly broke out over the people and threw everyone who was digging it out of the grave; the earth that was at the top of the grave instantly fell back into it and completely hid the relics of the saint. Because of this storm, many fell and received injuries on their bodies, and some even lost their minds from great fear.
So until 2000, the relics of St. Nikita remained in the ground.
In 2000, the relics of St. Nikita the Stylite were discovered with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II. Now they are in the Annunciation Church and, together with Nikita’s chains, are available for worship by believers.

Reliquary with the relics of Nikita the Stylite in the Nikitsky Monastery of Pereslavl.

Ark with the relics of St. Nikita the Stylite. Ascension David's Hermitage.

Now the relics of Nikita the Stylite rest in the Annunciation Church, and the saint’s chains are also attached to the shrine. And in September 2004, through the labors and prayers of the inhabitants, parishioners and benefactors of the monastery, the domes of the temple that had collapsed during the period of atheistic timelessness were restored and golden crosses shone again over the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Nikita.

Annunciation Church of the Nikitsky Monastery.

Today there are about ten brethren working in the monastery. Every day everything is done daily cycle services, a prayer is offered, on which the whole world stands. The inhabitants of the monastery carry out active spiritual and educational work in Pereslavl schools. In addition, a lot of attention is paid to social service, caring for homeless and disadvantaged people.

Chain chains of St. Nikita the Stylite in the Annunciation Church


Chains and ark with the relics of Nikita the Stylite in the Annunciation Church


Small chains and the cross of St. Nikita

We owe the safety of the chains of St. Nikita the Stylite (large and small) to Father Theophan, the last rector of the temple located near the Nikitsky monastery Life-Giving Trinity. He lived with his blind wife Claudia and his son Boris, who was sick from birth, in the Borisoglebskaya Sloboda. Due to difficult family circumstances, the new government spared him for some time and did not arrest him. Trinity Church was the last to be closed. But in October 1939, Father Feofan was arrested, despite his advanced age - he was then well over eighty. After the arrest of the abbot, his son Boris was sent to a boarding school for the mentally ill, and his wife died three months later.

Shortly before his arrest, Father Theophan, knowing that after the closure of the Nikitsky Monastery, the chains of St. Nikita were kept by the watchman, asked two nuns he knew, Althea and Glafira, to take the chains to themselves, and they took care of these shrines at the risk of their lives. The nuns had to wander, hiding during the day with various friends, and spend the night in a small cell under the bell tower of the Trinity Church. The chains, carefully wrapped, were reverently kept in a special wicker box, locked with a padlock. Believers who secretly came to the nuns had the opportunity to venerate these shrines. The modest offerings of these people were the main source of food for the nuns.

In 1942, nun Althea was killed, and the shrine continued to be guarded by nun Glafira. But soon the chains were transferred for storage to the Church of the Intercession, with the blessing of its rector, Father Alexy Gromov, since he believed that the chains would be safer here. Nun Glafira was also soon killed under unclear circumstances and buried next to nun Althea near the Trinity Church. The nun Misaila, who returned from exile, settled in her cell. In 1945, a third mound appeared near the graves of nuns Althea and Glafira: nun Misaila rested next to her predecessors.

In the Church of the Intercession, the chains of St. Nikita were kept by nun Antonia. The Church of the Intercession was never closed, but all the other churches in the city and in its environs were closed and many of them were destroyed (during the years of Soviet power in Pereslavl, out of forty churches, more than twenty were blown up, the rest were rendered “unchurched.”).

The Church of the Intercession survived, apparently because its rector, Father Alexy, joined the Renovationist Church, which was encouraged by the Soviet government at that time. He was sent from the city of Vladimir, he had big family(mother Antonida and three sons), and, probably, for the sake of saving his family, he showed cowardice and joined the “living” false church. Priest Alexy Gromov served in a practically empty church: the Orthodox residents of Pereslavl did not recognize the Renovationist Church. Nun Antonia, a professional regent, agreed to serve with Father Alexy for the sake of the saints. Over time, the news about the chains of St. Nikita began to attract pilgrims to the Church of the Intercession, seeking spiritual strengthening through the prayers of St. Nikita.

Gradually, the liturgical life in the Church of the Intercession became more and more intense, but this was caused by unfortunate circumstances: more and more often, “funerals” from the front began to come to the residents of the city, and people went to bury their dead relatives in the only Church of the Intercession that was then in operation.

In 1949, Father Alexy brought public church repentance, was forgiven and left with his family for Vladimir. Subsequently, all three of his sons - Pavel, Boris and Oleg became Orthodox priests. After him, priests who were sent by the Trinity-Sergius Lavra from among the young people who graduated from the seminary served in the Church of the Intercession.

In 1953, for several months, Archimandrite Tavrion (Batozsky) was the rector of the Church of the Intercession. By that time, the large chains of St. Nikita had already been transferred to the Pereslavl Museum: its then director, although he was a non-believer, managed to get the chains to the museum, realizing that they had great historical and cultural value. Small chains remained in the Intercession Church, but storing them there was risky. Soon Father Tavrion was transferred to Jelgava near Riga, to the Spaso-Preobrazhensk Hermitage. Before his departure from Pereslavl, a pilot acquaintance came to him from Riga, who took small chains to Jelgava. Many believers knew about this and went to the Spaso-Preobrazhensk Hermitage to venerate the chains.

He came to Father Tavrion from Yaroslavl spiritual son, Hieromonk Sebastian, who was the secretary of the diocese under Archbishop Sergius of Yaroslavl and Rostov (Larina, † 1967). Subsequently, Father Sebastian, for health reasons, left the Yaroslavl diocese and settled in the Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya hermitage near his spiritual father. When the Nikitsky Monastery was returned to the Church, Father Sebastian made sure that the chains were returned to their original place, and the shrine was brought to the Nikitsky Monastery.

Large chains were kept in the museum's storerooms and were inaccessible to believers. After the resumption of services in the Nikitsky Monastery, the then director of the museum, Mikhail Mikhailovich Semenov, a believer and a noble man, donated the chains to the monastery.

So the Nikitsky Monastery again found one of its main shrines.

Days of remembrance: - June 5 (Cathedral of Rostov-Yaroslavl Saints);
- June 6.
Male babies born June 6 and in the coming days, by church tradition named after St. Nikita the Stylite.
Nikita is asked to drive away evil spirits, for healing in relaxation of the body with insomnia, loss of appetite and deprivation of any members.

Prayer to St. Nikita the Stylite, Pereslavl Wonderworker

Oh, all-honorable head, reverend and blessed father, venerable martyr Nikita! Do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, good father and chosen one of Christ, as if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King, and do not remain silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love. Remember us, unworthy, at the Throne of the Almighty and do not stop praying for us to Christ God: for you have been given the grace to pray for us. We do not think that you are dead, even though you have passed away from us in body, but even after death you remain alive. Do not depart from us in spirit, preserving and keeping us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the demonic, our good intercessor and prayer book. Even though your relics are always visible before our eyes, your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the heavenly powers at the Throne of the Almighty God rejoices with dignity. Knowing that you are truly alive and alive after death, we bow down to you, and we pray to you, and we pray to you, praying for us to the Almighty God for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance and the unrestrained passage from earth to Heaven, and bitter ordeals, and the princes of the air, and eternal torment, we will be delivered, and we will be heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven with all the righteous who have pleased Him from all eternity, our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with His Beginning Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Troparion to St. Nikita, Stylite of Pereslavl. Troparion, tone 4.
In the Orthodox sense, having hated youthful desires and embraced valiant morals, you have conquered the enemy, and in prudence you have pleased God, and from above you receive from Him the gift of miracles, to drive away demons, to heal ailments, the most glorious Nikita, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

IN TROPARION, TONE 4.
You were the namesake of the martyr of Christ, O Reverend One, you endured many deeds and labors for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of the chain you wore, O Blessed One, pray for Him now for us, Reverend Nikita, to heal our spiritual and physical passions, with faith and love those who ever honor your memory.

KONDAC, VOICE 8.
For the sake of Christ, you endured the necessary death from your slaves, and you received the crown of incorruption from Him, and you grant healing to those who come with faith from your honorable tomb, O Venerable Nikita, prayer book for our souls.

Venerable Nikita the Stylite of Pereyaslavl and Venerable Macarius of Unzhensk.

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