What do Ilya Muromets pray for. Miraculous relics of Ilya Muromets. Sensational research. Mentions of Muromets in the books of saints

06.11.2019

Ilya Muromets is the most famous hero of the Russian epic. It is difficult to find such a person in Russia who would never have heard of this glorious hero from the ancient city of Murom. January 1 - the memory of St. Ilya of Muromets.

Russian chronicles do not mention the name of Ilya Muromets. On the other hand, he is the main character not only of our epics, but also of German epic poems of the 13th century, based on earlier legends. In them, he is represented by a mighty knight, a princely family, Ilya the Russian. The envoy of the Roman Emperor Erich Lassota, who visited Kyiv in 1594, left a description of the tomb of Ilya Muromets, located in the heroic chapel of St. Sophia Cathedral. For the famous hero and his comrade Dobrynya Nikitich, a special chapel was built, that is, they were given the same honor as the Grand Dukes. At that time, the heroic tomb was already empty; the remains of the famous Ilya were transferred to the Antoniev cave of the Kiev-Pechersky monastery. In 1638, these relics were described by the monk of this famous Lavra, Athanasius Kalnofoysky, who determined that Ilya Muromets lived 450 years ago, that is, in 1188. The remains of the hero are still buried in the Near Caves.

Ilya Muromets was officially canonized in 1643 among 69 other saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The memory of the holy hero is celebrated on January 1 according to the new style. The earliest image of St. Ilya of Muromets that has come down to us is an engraving from the Kiev-Pechersk patericon, laid out by the Pechersk "painter" Ilya in the middle of the 17th century.

The Moscow pilgrim John Lukyanov left a curious description of the relics of Ilya Muromets, whom he worshiped in 1701: “Here I saw the brave warrior Ilya Muromets, incorruptible, under the cover of golden growth like today's large people; his left hand was pierced with a spear; the ulcer is all to know on the hand. According to eyewitnesses, the remains are a well-preserved mummy that belonged to a rather tall man (about 180 cm). Only both feet are missing. In addition to a deep rounded wound on the left arm, the same significant damage is visible in the left chest area. It seems that the hero covered his chest with his hand, and with a blow of a spear it was nailed to his heart. The relics are dressed in monastic clothes. Above the tomb is the image of St. Elijah of Muromets.

The first study of the remains of the hero was carried out in 1963. In that atheistic era, the commission concluded that the mummy belongs to a person of the Mongoloid race, and the wounds were imitated by the monks of the Lavra.

In 1988, the Interdepartmental Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Ukrainian SSR conducted an examination of the relics of St. Elijah of Muromets. To obtain objective data, the most modern technique and ultra-precise Japanese equipment were used. The research results are amazing. The age was determined - 40-55 years, such defects of the spine were revealed, which allow us to speak about the transfer of the hero in his youth paralysis of the limbs. It was established that the cause of death was an extensive wound in the region of the heart. Unfortunately, the dating of death was established very approximately - XI-XII centuries. Additional work is required to clarify. But this definition does not diverge from the well-known mention of the time of the life of Ilya Muromets in 1188. Thus, the opinion of the Church that Ilya Muromets lived under Vladimir Monomakh, and not under Vladimir the Red Sun, as narrated in epics, is confirmed.

The fact of the presence of the revered relics of the famous hero was also reflected in the epic texts themselves. So, the end of the epic “Ilya Muromets and Kalin Tsar” is interesting: “From these Tatars and from the filthy ones, his horse was petrified and heroic, and relics and saints were made from the old Cossack Ilya Muromets.” Everyone remembers from childhood that passersby Kaliki prophesied to the famous hero that "death in battle is not written for him." Therefore, in epics and fairy tales, the death of the hero is told differently: either he turns to stone alone or with other heroes, then he lies alive in a coffin and remains there forever, then he floats away somewhere with Dobrynya on the Falcon Ship, and since then there has been no news about him . But as the examination of the relics showed, the Kalik prophecy, unfortunately, did not come true.

Saint Ilya Muromets was not composed of a canonical life. But there is his epic biography from birth and healing to death. The largest number of epics in all Russian folklore is dedicated to him. There are about 13 independent stories about the glorious Elijah in the classical epic. In addition, fairy tales and Cossack epic songs of the original content are composed about him, in which the well-known Ileyka Muromets (Gorchakov) from the city of Murom, a supporter of False Dmitry, influenced the image of the ancient hero. Popular versions of stories about Ilya Muromets are also known.

The usual beginning of epic tales, where Ilya leaves “Whether from that city from Murom, from that village from Karacharov”, it would seem, leaves no room for doubt that he comes from the ancient Russian city of Murom, where not far from him there still exists the ancient village of Karacharovo. But doubts about the origin of the epic hero arose both in the last century and in our time. They are trying to connect the famous hero with the Chernihiv region, where there are the cities of Moroviysk and Karachev, and where there are also legends about Ilya Muromets. But if we turn to an ordinary geographical map, we can see that these two cities are separated by hundreds of kilometers and it is absurd to talk about the “Morovian city of Karachev”. Meanwhile, it is impossible not to notice that Murom, Karachev, Chernigov, Moroviysk and Kyiv lie on the same line. This is exactly the same “straight path” that the hero traveled from his native Murom to Kyiv “through those forests, Brynsky, across the Smorodinnaya River”, through the village of Nine Oaks, not far from Karachev. That is, there is no contradiction between classical epics and Karachev legends. It is also worth noting that the ancient city of Murom was part of the Chernigov Principality for quite a long time. The confinement of the name of the epic hero to the city of Murom is consistent with both epic and historical reality. Murom and the Principality of Murom were quite significant both in the times of Kyiv, Vladimir-Suzdal, and in the times of Muscovite Russia to become the birthplace of Ilya Muromets.

The memory of Ilya Muromets has always been kept in his homeland - in the village of Karacharov and the city of Murom, where there was no doubt about his real existence and origin. It is known that epics about him were recorded mainly in the north, and Cossack songs - in the south. At home, in the center of Russia, there were special local prose legends about the beloved hero. They began to be fixed only from the beginning of the 19th century. Murom local historian A.A. Titov, the author of the Historical Description of the City of Murom, wrote in 1833 that Vladimir the Great determined the best governor in Murom, perhaps because “the Russian hero Ilya Muromets, who was born in the village of Karacharovo, is two versts from Murom, known to us from verbal legends and some, although unofficial, but plausible notes, voluntarily went to Kyiv to serve Grand Duke Vladimir.

Local legends telling how Ilya Muromets changed the course of the Oka River by leaving oaks in it are referred to by well-known folklore researchers of the 19th century Orest Miller and Fyodor Buslaev. Moreover, the records of the legends were sent to them directly from Murom. Local residents especially revered the springs, which, according to legend, arose from the blows of the hooves of the horse of Ilya Muromets. There were many of them, but the chapel at the church of Elijah the Prophet was especially revered, since, according to legend, Ilya himself laid it. This church was revered by the people of Ilinskaya not in memory of the biblical prophet, but in memory of their beloved hero. It should be noted that there is even a belief that “thunder comes from the fact that Ilya Muromets rides six stallions.” The Trinity Church in the village of Karacharovo, according to legend, was also founded by the hero. At its base he placed several oak trees, which he pulled out from the river and brought up a steep mountain.

In the homeland of Ilya Muromets, there were stories about his fight with the dragon. There is no such plot in epics, it is known only in a fabulous version. Local historian A.A. Yepanchin in the late 1960s. recorded an interesting version of this story, according to which Ilya Muromets accomplishes a feat by killing a dragon in another state, and then returns to his homeland and marries the beautiful daughter of Murom Prince Gleb.

In the pre-revolutionary "The Tale of the Strong and Glorious Knight Ilya Muromets", he is credited with the extermination of dragons - prehistoric animals, whose bones were found in the vicinity of Murom. It is said that Ilya Muromets, nicknamed Gushchin, lived near the village of Karacharova in a forest that was impassable at that time. This nickname - Gushchin became generic, and then family for part of the peasants of this village. In the 19th century there was an opinion that the Karacharov peasants by the name of Ilyushin were also descendants of the famous hero.

Church veneration of St. Ilya of Muromets in his homeland, both in the 19th century and in the 20th century, was limited only to the usual mention of him on the day of memory, along with other Kiev-Pechersk saints. In recent decades, church veneration of Ilya Muromets has become especially widespread both in the hero’s homeland and throughout the country. In the village of Karacharovo, the temple of Guria, Samon and Aviv was restored. In this temple on January 1, 1993, on the day of the memory of the saint, an icon of the saint with a particle of the relics of Ilya Muromets was solemnly installed. The image was executed by the Murom icon painter Igor Sukhov, commissioned by the descendants of the hero, the numerous Gushchins.

Ilya Muromets is a fairly famous, but very, very mysterious hero, about whom many interesting legends and epics have been and are still being composed. It is almost impossible to find a person who would not have heard about the hero's feats of arms. Most often, people's knowledge about Ilya Muromets is drawn from a small number of Russian folk tales, but the truth, oddly enough, remains in the shadows.

The complex and multifaceted image of the hero, even some scientists and philosophers, is slightly misleading. The relics of Ilya Muromets have been carefully studied for a long time. What this led to will be discussed below.

Truth or fiction?

Already about 200 years have been spent by scientists trying to at least get closer to unraveling the secrets of the hero’s personality, however, most attempts remain in vain. People living in the distant 16th-19th centuries did not experience a shadow of doubt in the fact that Ilya Muromets actually existed and performed feats. It is also known that the Russian hero was in the position of a warrior and served in the regiment of the prince of the glorious city of Kyiv. Ancient Russian legends do not give any way to doubt the origin of the hero, whose hometown is considered to be Mur. Nevertheless, historical information says that his true homeland is the village of Karacharovo, located in the Murom region. Perhaps these data do not contradict each other. After all, it is not without reason that the city of Murom keeps the relics of Ilya Muromets. The address of the monastery where they rest is st. Lakina, 1.

Homeland of the hero

However, modern figures of historical sciences believe that in fact Muromets was born and lived for a long time in the Chernihiv region. Not far from this place there are such settlements as Karachev and Moroviysk, where they remember the heroic deeds and life and do not get tired of arguing to this day. If you look at this information with knowledge of geography, you can understand that the information is absurd, since these cities are many hundreds of kilometers apart.

Why is the hero - Muromets?

Nevertheless, it is worth taking into account the fact that these three cities, that is, Murom, Chernigov and Karachev, are located approximately in the same direction from Kyiv.

Accordingly, this territory could well become the place of the most famous military achievements of the ancient Russian hero of epics. Still nearby is the village of Nine Oaks, passing by which the Russian hero Ilya Muromets got to the place of service. Accordingly, there are no significant differences between official history and folk epics and legends. Also a very remarkable fact is that Murom was a part of the Chernihiv Principality for a very long time. Comparison of the name of the city and the name of the epic hero is quite reasonable, since the cities of Murom and Chernihiv were for a very long time a significant part of both Vladimir-Suzdal, and Moscow, and Kievan Rus. These places are still considered the historical homeland of the knight. It is not for nothing that a particle of the relics of Ilya Muromets is kept in Murom today.

The first mention of Muromets

Oddly enough, the ancient Russian chronicles do not have information about Ilya Muromets, while even in distant Germany this historical hero is rightfully recognized as one of the main faces of the poetic works of the 18th century, which are based on earlier epic creations. In these writings, Ilya Muromets appears before readers in the form of a mighty warrior and knight Ilya the Russian. As for official documents, the name of Muromets is first found in them back in 1574.

The exploits of the hero Ilya Muromets

Since Ilya was a convinced Christian by religion, brought up according to all the laws and canons of faith in Jesus, before going on exploits, he bows to his parents and the whole family to the ground. Having bowed, Ilya asked his father and mother for blessings and parting words. The legends explain that Ilya's mother and father, despite their own weakness and weakness, agreed to the exploits of their son and let him go on a long journey, only giving a handful of his native land of the city of Murom as a keepsake. Even parents took an oath from their son that people who adhere to Christianity would not die from his sword. Ilya Muromets confirmed the loyalty to the word given to his parents by the fact that all Christians remained alive, and justice reigned on the territory of Russia and truth triumphed.

Significant battles

As soon as Muromets heard approval from the lips of his parents, his path lay in the Vladimir principality, from where the process of his ministry began. The hero was the only one who decided to go to the prince in the most difficult times for Russia. Having met the robbers, Ilya chose to avoid the war and fired an arrow from a bow into a centuries-old oak that grew very close. An arrow that hit right in the middle of the tree broke the oak into tiny pieces, which shocked the robbers, and they, bowing in chorus and expressing respect, let the knight go forward without starting the battle.

Historical data says that the next battle in which Ilya won was the battle with the Nightingale the Robber, a mythical creature that symbolizes the pagan beginning. That is why the hero, who truly believes in the existence of Christ, tried to wage a fierce duel with the robber. As proof that the hero was an adherent of the Christian faith, many historians and great figures of fine arts are trying to capture a knight with a weapon in the form of a cruciform spear.

Prince's Reception

Remembering the instructions of his mother, Muromets, before each battle, made attempts to convince the enemies to end everything peacefully. Thus, it can be argued that the famous knight has almost unlimited endurance, patience and mercy.
Most of the stories about the military service of Ilya Muromets originate from the moment of a noble feast in the palace of Prince Vladimir. The hero got to this feast as soon as he was in Kyiv. The guests had the opportunity to sit down at any place at the table, and Ilya, before sitting down and starting the festivities, prayed at the icons and bowed at the feet not only of the prince and the princely nobility, but of all those present. They received the hero with all cordiality and honors, and all thanks to the fact that the hero was able to protect the people of Russia from the violent attacks of the Nightingale the Robber and his assistants.

Ilya Muromets - Messenger of Christ

In fact, the hero was on his way to the possessions of Vladimir Monomakh, and not to Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, as many scriptures say. This can be judged by the fact that faith in Christ was already popular not only within Russia, but also abroad, and specifically in Asian countries. And this, as you know, simply could not happen immediately after the sacrament of the Baptism of the Russian people took place.

Many folk tales already contain information about the Lord of the Black Sea, who was the father of another famous hero, Alyosha Popovich. Faith in Christ in this area took root among the population far from immediately. Exclusively thanks to Ilya Muromets and his assistants-bogatyrs, battles with cruel commanders were carried out in the steppe area.

Just at that time, the truth spread among the people that divine power does not lie in physical strength, but in truth and the struggle for justice. It is a great success that even today people can feel all the power of the hero by touching his holy relics. Kievo-Pecherskaya preserves them with all reverence.

The mystery of the death of Ilya Muromets

Ilya Muromets belonged to the family of commoners and was a kind of thorn in the eye of the principality. Therefore, the honest name of the hero was defamed and even deleted from the annals as an example of the triumphant return of the Russian peasant, who fought for the peace of the Russian people.

brutal vandalism

Ilya of Muromets was buried in that place in St. Sophia Cathedral, where all representatives of the nobility dreamed of being buried, but they simply did not have the opportunity to do so. Perhaps that is why the burial place of Ilya Muromets was mercilessly destroyed, while all the neighboring tombs remained safe and sound. This injustice on the part of the authorities towards the hero of Russia was made known in his own manuscripts by the ambassador of the head of the Holy Russian Empire named Rudolf 2nd Erich Lasota, who happened to pass by the outskirts of Kyiv and past the city itself from May 7 to May 9, 1594. It is said that Erich followed to Kyiv with diplomatic purposes. At that time, the miraculous relics of Ilya Muromets were kept in the church named after Gury, Samon and Aviv, which underwent reconstruction.

Relics in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

At that time, the servants of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra began to take care of the condition of the buried body. In this monastery, the body of the hero is now. His monument is signed with a modest combination of the words "Ilya from Murom". Memorial Day of the Knight is celebrated on December 19 according to the old version of the calendar, and on January 1 - according to the new one. It is worth mentioning that on January 1, in the homeland of the hero Ilya Muromets, an icon dedicated to the hero was brought to the local cathedral. It was accompanied by an ark, in which a small particle of the relics of the famous savior of Russia was kept. Precisely because the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (Ukraine) has a lot of secret materials, many historians and even ordinary people have the opportunity to at least slightly open the veil of the mystery of the life and death of the great military fighter.

Mentions of Muromets in the books of saints

In 1638, an interesting book was first published, the author of which was one of the monks of the Lavra named Athanasius of Kalnofoysky. When writing the book, Athanasius took into account all the saints, including several lines devoted to the life and military exploits of Muromets. It was clarified that the period of the life of the hero lasted as much as 450 years, starting from 1188. The events that happened in those days are literally overflowing with drama.

The struggle for the principality

In the period from 1157 to 1169, the city of Kyiv became a place of intense civil strife for the title of Prince of Russia. Just think, during this time, the rule of Mother Russia changed hands about 8 times! And in 1169, Russia was devastated by Andrei Bogolyubsky, who, by the way, took away from the territory of Russia the consecrated face of Ilya Muromets, considered the greatest icon and carrying divine power and strength. This miraculous icon is still known as the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. From 1169 to 1181, as many as 18 princes were in charge of Kyiv, some of whom ascended the throne more than once. Also, the Polovtsians (Kipchaks, Kumans) entered the struggle for reigning, who in the period from 1173 to 1190 intensively robbed the state treasury and even committed murders.

Cause of death of the hero

When the doctors of that time conducted a study of the relics of Ilya Muromets in order to find out the cause of death, it was found out that the hero died precisely because of one of such armed attacks by the Polovtsy. As Sergei Khvedchenya, who is a journalist for the Vokrug Sveta publication, suggested, this happened in 1203 due to the raid of the Polovtsy and Rurik. Kyiv was conquered by force, the Lavra was burned to the ground, and most of the possessions were simply plundered, not disdaining any values. As the compilers of chronicle documents say, there has never been such a robbery on the territory of Russia.

Faithful Servant

Having reached Ilya Muromets, he took tonsure and became one of the clergy of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In the documents, the hero is recorded as "Ilya, nicknamed Muromets." As for the true name, it is so unknown to anyone. Naturally, the hero could not remain indifferent to the fact that the symbol of the Orthodox faith, which had already become a native monastery, could suffer.

In the fight for justice

Studying the holy relics of Ilya Muromets, experts said that the hero fought until the last moment, not wanting to give in to the enemy under any circumstances. As evidenced by their conclusion, compiled on the basis of the results of the inspection, Ilya Muromets received only 2 wounds: one fell on his hand, and the second, although it was insignificant, but by fate hit right in the heart of the knight. In addition, the feet of both legs are missing from the corpse, and there is also a round-shaped wound on the left arm, and another serious injury is noticeable on the surface of the chest on the left side. From this we can conclude that, before dying, the hero tried to cover the area with the cross with his hand. At the sight of this, it seems that from the blow of the spear, the hand was literally "nailed" to the chest. Being in the Lavra, you can see that Muromets is buried in the robe of a white monk. Above the coffin of Ilya Muromets is an icon with his image.

For the first time, for the purpose of a detailed study, the relics of Ilya Muromets in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra were disturbed in 1963. During the Soviet era, the assembled commission erroneously determined that the wounds on the surface of the corpse were skillfully imitated by the servants of the monastery, who bore the rank of monks. And also the members of the Soviet commission took the hero not for a Russian person, who Ilya always was, but for a Mongol.

To thoroughly investigate the relics of Ilya Muromets, Soviet scientists used the most modern equipment brought from Japan. The results of the manipulations were simply amazing. An interesting fact is that the palm of Muromets pierced by a spear was seen back in 1701 by a wanderer named Ivan Lukyanov. It was not possible to identify the remaining parts of the body, since the body was wrapped in a white veil from head to toe.

The relics of Ilya Muromets. Where else are they?

Another refuge for the holy relics of the hero was one of the cathedrals of the Transfiguration Monastery in Murom. Here, in a separate room in a decorated sarcophagus, a piece of the body of a knight is preserved. Relics can be applied at almost any time. It is available to everyone.

Even after his death, the epic hero helps people. They say that the relics of Ilya Muromets in Murom are able to heal diseases of the spine and paralysis.

According to medical experts, Ilya Muromets lived in the 12th century, and life expectancy was approximately from 1148 to 1203. The growth of the epic hero was slightly above the average - 1 meter 77 centimeters, but at that distant time a man of such height was considered a giant. This is confirmed even 350 years later, when a merchant from Germany named Martin Gruneweg happened to pass by the capital. Seeing the relics of Ilya Muromets, the merchant fell into a real stupor from the unprecedented strength and greatness of the defender of the Russian land. And this is justified, since the hero Ilya Muromets really had a truly powerful appearance: in the shoulders, a muscular torso, wide cheekbones. In a word, everything in the body of the hero inspired confidence and calmness. The strength and power of the hero were inherited by the Karacharov descendants of Ilya, the men of the Gushchin family, who could easily move the train from its place.

Today, you can venerate the relics of the famous Russian hero in several places. Some of them were accepted by the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (Murom). The remaining particles are stored in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

When I first came to the caves of the Pechersk Lavra and heard that the miraculous relics of Ilya Muromets rest here, I could not believe my ears. Can not be! The same Muromets - the hero of folk tales and epics? Isn't this a mythical and collective image of the Russian hero, the defender of the Russian lands?
It was hard for me to imagine that Ilya Muromets was not a myth, but a real person, a historical figure. However, the caves of the Lavra kept clear evidence of this.

Sensational Research

In 1988, the Interdepartmental Commission conducted a study of the relics of St. Elijah of Muromets. The results were amazing. He was a strong man who died at the age of 45-55, tall - 177 cm. The fact is that in the 12th century, when Ilya lived, such a person was considered quite tall, because the average height of a man was 165 cm. Moreover, on the bones of Ilya, scientists found traces of many battles - multiple fractures of the clavicles, broken ribs, traces of a spear, saber, sword. This confirmed the legend that Ilya was a mighty warrior, a participant in fierce battles.

But most of all, scientists were struck by something else: they argue that, in full agreement with folk legends, Ilya really could not walk for a long time! According to the researchers, the reason for this was a serious illness - bone tuberculosis or poliomyelitis. This caused the paralysis of the legs.

Ilya Muromets was born approximately between 1150 and 1165. And he died at the age of about 40–55 years, as is assumed, during the capture of Kyiv by Prince Rurik Rostislavich in 1204, when the Pechersk Lavra was defeated by the Cumans, allied with Rurik. The cause of death was, apparently, a blow of a sharp weapon (spear or sword) to the chest.

Curse and Miraculous Healing

The story was passed from mouth to mouth among the people. As if the grandfather of Ilya Muromets was a pagan and, not recognizing Christianity, once cut the icon. Since then, a curse has fallen on his family - all boys will be born crippled.

After 10 years, Ilya was born, and it seemed that the curse was fulfilled: the boy could not walk since childhood. All attempts to cure him were unsuccessful. But Ilya did not give up, he stubbornly trained his arms, developed his muscles, becoming stronger, but, alas, he still could not walk. Years passed, and, probably, more than once it seemed to him that he needed to come to terms with fate: he would forever remain a cripple.

But when Ilya turned 33, something inexplicable happened. The day came that abruptly and forever changed his life. The prophetic elders entered the house - passerby Kaliki (poor wanderers), and asked the boy to give water. He explained that he could not walk. But the guests persistently repeated the request, which sounded like an order. And Ilya, suddenly feeling an unprecedented strength, for the first time stood on his feet ...

What is it? Miraculous healing? Maybe. But how did the strange guests manage to heal the seemingly hopelessly ill? There are various assumptions about this. For example, that the wanderers were sorcerers and magicians and knew the secrets of ancient conspiracies.

And other scientists suggest that it was a case of self-healing, which science is not yet able to explain ...

Be that as it may, Ilya got to his feet after 33 years of immobility. And the scientists who conducted the study of the relics confirm that the bone tissue of this person was miraculously restored. Moreover, according to their conclusion, after thirty years he led an active lifestyle, which is fully consistent with the epics.

Murom or Morovsk?

Regarding the place of birth of Ilya, there are also different versions. The most common is that he comes from the village of Karacharovo, near the city of Murom. This village, located on the banks of the Oka, still exists today.

But some researchers claim that Ilya was born not far from Kyiv - in Morovsk (Moroviysk) near Chernigov, which in ancient times was called Murom. Since the legends say that Ilya reached Kyiv very quickly, in one day (which is hardly possible in the case of the city of Murom, which is located about 1500 km from Kyiv), this version is very plausible. Yes, but according to the epics, Ilya happened from the village of Karacharovo It turns out that not far from Chernigov was the ancient city of Karachev. Moreover, not far from Karachev, the Smorodinnaya River flows, and on its banks is the ancient village of Devyatidubye. Local old-timers point to the place where the nest of the Nightingale the Robber was allegedly located. And now on the bank of the Currant there is a huge stump, which, according to legend, was preserved from nine oaks.

The exploits of Russian Hercules

After a miraculous healing, Ilya Muromets, as befits heroes and heroes, performs numerous feats. His most famous feat is the victory over the Nightingale the Robber.

Researchers believe that the Nightingale the Robber is not a fabulous monster, but also a real historical figure, a robber who hunted in the forests on the way to Kyiv. And this robber was nicknamed the Nightingale because he announced his attack with a whistle (or, perhaps, gave a signal to his gang to attack with a whistle). Later, Ilya Muromets performed many other feats, participated in battles, defending the Russian land from enemies. Contemporaries noted his incredible, inhuman strength, so in the memory of people he remained, probably, the greatest Russian hero. Suffice it to recall the painting "Three Heroes", in which Ilya Muromets is depicted in the center - as the strongest and most powerful.

In epics and legends, three heroes - Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich - often perform feats together. But in fact, they never met. They were separated by centuries - Dobrynya Nikitich lived in the 10th century, Alyosha Popovich - in the 13th century, and Ilya - in the 12th century. But when legends are passed down from one generation to another for centuries, they acquire new details, famous characters begin to perform new feats, and time frames gradually blur and shift. Contrary to legends, Ilya Muromets never served Prince Vladimir the Great. They simply could not meet, because they lived in different centuries. Ilya served Prince Svyatoslav, protecting Russia from the Polovtsians.

But if this is true, and Ilya Muromets is a historical figure, then why is there not a word about him in the annals? Firstly, not so many written sources have survived from those times, which is quite natural, if we remember what a turbulent history Russia has experienced. Hordes of conquerors burned and completely destroyed cities more than once. In one of the fires, the books of the Pechersk Lavra once burned down.

And secondly, there are references in foreign sources. For example, in the Germanic epic poems, written down in the 13th century, but based on earlier legends, the great hero Ilya the Russian is mentioned. The legend says that in one fierce battle Ilya almost died, but miraculously survived and vowed to retire to a monastery, devote himself to God and never again take up a sword. Ilya came to the walls of the Lavra, took off all his military armor, but could not throw the sword and took it with him. He became a monk of the Pechersk Lavra and spent all his days in his cell in prayer.

But one day the enemies approached the walls of the monastery, and Ilya saw with his own eyes the death of the abbot of the Lavra, who was struck down by a mortal blow. And then Ilya, despite the vow, again took up the sword. But he felt that his legs again refused to serve him. He still managed to shield himself from the fatal blow with a spear, but his strength was already leaving him ...

Was it really so? It is unlikely that we will ever know. But one thing is certain: scientists have established that Ilya really died as a result of a blow to the chest with a spear and that he apparently tried to stop the spear on the fly, and this slightly weakened the blow. But the resulting wound did not heal and eventually became the cause of the death of Muromets.

Life after death

Ilya Muromets is one of the few people who managed to survive his death, leaving a noticeable mark in the memory of people and having a huge impact on subsequent generations.

But not only a memory remained from Ilya. The body of Ilya Muromets, like the remains of many other monks buried in the caves of the Lavra, is imperishable and is in a state of mummification. But, unlike the bodies of the Egyptian pharaohs, it became so not due to processing with special compounds, but for a reason unknown to science. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that if the body does not decompose, but turns into relics, this is a special gift from God, which is given only to the saints.

It should be noted that the Orthodox Church, unlike scientists, never doubted the authenticity of the relics. Ilya Muromets was canonized already in 1643 and became one of the 69 saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Who is Ilya Muromets really? A myth or a real person who became a legend during his lifetime? A man who managed to change his fate and managed to do so much?

They say that the relics of Ilya Muromets are able to heal those who suffer from diseases of the spine and whose legs are paralyzed. Ilya continues his service to people even after his death...

MOSCOW, Jan 1— RIA Novosti, Sergey Stefanov. The first of January is a significant date not only from the point of view of the New Year. On this day, the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Elijah of Muromets of the Caves, who lived in the 12th century, and today has become the heavenly patron of the Strategic Missile Forces, Long-Range Aviation and border guards. In the people's memory, Ilya Muromets is, first of all, the famous Russian hero, the hero of many epics and fairy tales. Whether we are talking about the same person and how the epic hero ended up in the church calendar - in the material of RIA Novosti.

Bylinny Ilya Muromets

Legends about the winner of the Nightingale the Robber developed during the time of Kievan Rus. Epics tell that Ilya was from the village of Karacharovo near Murom, from a simple peasant family.

Since childhood, he was paralyzed: "Ilya sat in the seat and did not have walking at his feet." According to legend, at the age of 33, he was cured of the disease by the “passing kaliks” who appeared to him - holy wanderers, who gave him healing water to drink. They also predicted Ilya that he would become a great hero and "death in battle is not written for him." After that, the fellow received "great power." In gratitude for the miraculous healing, he uprooted the oaks and laid a small wooden church in honor of the Holy Trinity on the high bank of the Oka (now this church in the center of Karacharovo is being revived).

Taking a blessing from his parents for feats of arms, Ilya Muromets went to Kyiv. There he fell into the squad of the Kyiv prince and guarded the borders of Russia from numerous enemies, not knowing defeat. "Ilya from Murom" said that he "does not need either silver or gold", that for him there is only one reward - "to serve Russia, to defend it from enemies." The duel of the bogatyr with the Nightingale the Robber is allegorically interpreted as a battle of a Christian with a pagan force that prevents him from "being in time for lunch in the capital city of Kyiv."

Epics speak of the death of Ilya Muromets in different ways: somewhere he turns to stone along with other heroes, somewhere he lies alive in a coffin and remains there forever, and somewhere he sails away on a "falcon-ship" - and there is no more about him news.

Saint Elijah Pechersky

Ilya Muromets lived in the 12th century, and there is very little reliable information about him. "It was almost 800 years ago - the information is extremely scarce. These are some random grains on the basis of which certain hypotheses are built," says the well-known church missionary, author of numerous books, Hieromonk Macarius (Markish).

The existing lives (biography) of Ilya Muromets take literally one or two paragraphs. So, the church calendar on the Pravoslavie.ru portal tells that the Monk Elijah of the Caves, nicknamed Chobotok (that is, a boot), was a native of the city of Murom, "asceticated" in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and died around 1188.

As the life of Saint Elijah tells, he "died with the fingers of his right hand folded for prayer, as is customary now in the Orthodox Church: the first three fingers together, and the last two - bent to the palm." During the struggle with the Old Believer schism in the 17th-19th centuries, this fact from the biography of the saint served as serious evidence in favor of a three-finger build (the Old Believers advocated two-finger).

According to legend, Muromets got his nickname after he managed to fight off the Polovtsy who attacked his monastery with one boot.

"Sinaksar" (collection of lives), compiled on Athos, adds to this that "Saint Elijah, originally from the village of Karacharova in the Murom land, was distinguished by fearlessness from a young age." Entering military service, he became "one of the most courageous and illustrious warriors of the Kyiv prince."

The "Synaxar" also says that Elijah retired to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra after many years of service, led there "the holy life of a recluse" and "died in peace." His miraculous relics "are incorruptible" in the Near Caves of the Lavra.

Ilya Muromets was canonized about half a millennium after his death - in 1643 he was canonized as a saint along with other Kiev-Pechersk ascetics. Now it is also included in the Cathedral of the Murom Saints.

And what about the documents?

Is the hero of the Russian epic Ilya Muromets connected with a real historical person, is it possible to talk about the hero and Saint Elijah as one person? Head of the Department of Philology of the Moscow Theological Academy and leading researcher at the Institute of World Literature, Doctor of Philology Vladimir Kirillin believes that "these are, strictly speaking, more questions of faith than knowledge."

"We know that the relics of Ilya Muromets are stored in the caves in Kyiv, the place of his burial is even indicated on the old diagrams. And this is all that is known about him. There are the same reasons to identify him with the epic Ilya Muromets, as well as to distinguish between these characters. No there is no documentary evidence that the Kiev-Pechersk Ilya Muromets is the same hero who is discussed in our old epics," Kirillin told RIA Novosti.

The name of Ilya Muromets is not found in the ancient Russian chronicles. Although in the "Tale of Bygone Years", as the expert notes, the main attention is paid to the acts of princes and "events of state significance", nevertheless, in some cases it also tells about people of humble origin, people from the people. However, there is no mention of Muromets.

However, the famous epic hero must have some real prototype. “In folklore there is such a scientific idea that behind every legend and every tradition there is some kind of distant reality. But what exactly it was, of course, is now impossible to determine,” admits Vladimir Kirillin.

Epics, according to him, are "a rather late record": they began to be recorded in writing only in the 19th century, at the earliest - at the end of the 18th century, and they are talking about very old events, dating back to the era of Vladimir Svyatoslavich - the baptizer of Russia.

"From the time when the events took place and were somehow creatively rethought in the X-XI centuries, until the moment of direct recording of the texts, another seven or eight centuries passed. Of course, during this time, the poetic ideas of the people about those distant events have changed greatly. Folk memory she kept everything, but each performer of epics not only blindly reproduced the existing text, but, due to some natural talents, could decorate it and supplement it with something new. Such is the folklore tradition, "says Kirillin.

The hagiographic material - descriptions of the life of saints - is not distinguished by 100% historical authenticity. According to Hieromonk Macarius (Markish), hagiography is, first of all, "a pious, soulful story", "an instructive text". In the life, however, there may be some kind of "reconstruction" of events that is not confirmed by facts, or a certain "editing", "folk art", introduced into the historical canvas. And the story goes on by itself.

Meanwhile, in a documentary source, the name of the hero of Ancient Russia was first mentioned in the second half of the 16th century, in the description of his tomb by a foreign ambassador. And in the archives of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, the earliest evidence found dates back to 1638: in the book of one of the Lavra monks about the ascetics of this monastery, several lines are dedicated to Ilya Muromets.

Examination of the remains

Modern research has made it possible to more accurately represent the appearance of the monk-hero and, perhaps, revealed the secret of his death. In 1988, an examination of the remains of the saint was carried out by an interdepartmental commission of the Ministry of Health of the Ukrainian SSR, as reported by the media.

It was found that this is a man of strong build, 177 centimeters tall (for his time - much higher than average), aged 40-45 years. His remains date back to the 12th century. Forensic experts also revealed defects in the spine - confirmation of a serious disease of the musculoskeletal system suffered in his youth.

Specialists also found a spear wound on the arm of Ilya Muromets, as well as a similarly shaped extensive wound in the heart area. She, presumably, became deadly. Perhaps, defending himself from enemies, the unarmed monk covered his chest with his hand, and the blow of the spear pierced his hand and heart.

It is known that at the end of the XII century, several devastating raids on the Kievan lands were made by nomads. The Polovtsy also destroyed the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. Ilya Muromets could have died during one of these invasions.

Reverence among the troops and among the people

Why was a resident of the monastery canonized? In the Russian Orthodox Church, this question is answered that canonization is “not an award, but a statement of fact,” when the Church “testifies that a person has become famous for his holiness.”

“Yes, certain conditions are needed for canonization: facts of pious veneration, miracles, and so on,” remarks Hieromonk Macarius. “But note: this is all the practice of recent times. With respect to them there was no conciliar act - their holiness has been known since antiquity, and it is simply attested to by the general church veneration. And in relation to Ilya Muromets there is no "quality mark". heritage".

There are not many churches in Russia dedicated to this saint. In the 1990s, churches in his honor were built in the city of Murom itself and in the village of Vlasikha near Moscow, on the territory of the General Headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces (the Orthodox military-patriotic club "Ilia Muromets" also operates here). And on May 9, 2006, the Ilyinsky Church was consecrated in the Belgorod region, not far from the famous "Prokhorovka" - the third military field of Russia.

In the homeland of Ilya Muromets, in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in the city of Murom, there are also his relics, more precisely, a small part of them - the left hand. The tomb with a sculptural image of a Russian hero is installed in a separate room of the cathedral with a low ceiling and rounded vaults. To her, as well as to the relics of St. Elijah in the caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, according to the classic, "the folk trail does not overgrow." It is believed that the prayer worship of Ilya Muromets helps to heal diseases of the spine and paralysis.

Miraculous relics of Ilya of Muromets In 1988, the Interdepartmental Commission conducted a study of the relics of St. Ilya of Muromets. The results were amazing. He was a strong man who died at the age of 45-55, tall - 177 cm. The fact is that in the 12th century, when Ilya lived, such a person was considered quite tall, because the average height of a man was 165 cm. Moreover, on the bones of Ilya, scientists found traces of many battles - multiple fractures of the collarbones, broken ribs, traces of a spear, saber, sword. This confirmed the legend that Ilya was a mighty warrior, a participant in fierce battles. But most of all, scientists were struck by something else: Ilya really could not walk for a long time! According to the researchers, the reason for this was a serious illness - bone tuberculosis or poliomyelitis. This caused the paralysis of the legs. Ilya Muromets was born approximately between 1150 and 1165. And he died at the age of about 40–55 years, as is assumed, during the capture of Kyiv by Prince Rurik Rostislavich in 1204, when the Pechersk Lavra was defeated by the Cumans, allied with Rurik. The cause of death was, apparently, a blow of a sharp weapon (spear or sword) to the chest. The Curse and Miraculous Healing The story was passed from mouth to mouth among the people. As if the grandfather of Ilya Muromets was a pagan and, not recognizing Christianity, once cut the icon. Since then, a curse has fallen on his family - all boys will be born crippled. After 10 years, Ilya was born, and it seemed that the curse was fulfilled: the boy could not walk since childhood. All attempts to cure him were unsuccessful. But Ilya did not give up, he stubbornly trained his arms, developed his muscles, becoming stronger, but, alas, he still could not walk. Years passed, and, probably, more than once it seemed to him that he needed to come to terms with fate: he would forever remain a cripple. But when Ilya turned 33, something inexplicable happened. The day came that abruptly and forever changed his life. The elders entered the house - passerby Kaliki (poor wanderers), and asked the boy to give water. He explained that he could not walk. But the guests persistently repeated the request, which sounded like an order. And Ilya, suddenly feeling an unprecedented strength, for the first time got on his feet ... Ilya got on his feet after 33 years of immobility. And the scientists who conducted the study of the relics confirm that the bone tissue of this person was miraculously restored. Moreover, according to their conclusion, after thirty years he led an active lifestyle, which is fully consistent with the epics. Feats of Russian Hercules After miraculous healing, Ilya Muromets, as befits heroes and heroes, performs numerous feats. His most famous feat is the victory over the Nightingale the Robber. Researchers believe that the Nightingale the Robber is not a fabulous monster, but also a real historical figure, a robber who hunted in the forests on the way to Kyiv. And this robber was nicknamed the Nightingale because he announced his attack with a whistle (or, perhaps, gave a signal to his gang to attack with a whistle). Later, Ilya Muromets performed many other feats, participated in battles, defending the Russian land from enemies. Contemporaries noted his incredible, inhuman strength, so in the memory of people he remained, probably, the greatest Russian hero. Suffice it to recall the painting "Three Heroes", in which Ilya Muromets is depicted in the center - as the strongest and most powerful. In epics and legends, three heroes - Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich - often perform feats together. But in fact, they never met. They were separated by centuries - Dobrynya Nikitich lived in the 10th century, Alyosha Popovich - in the 13th century, and Ilya - in the 12th century. But when legends are passed down from one generation to another for centuries, they acquire new details, famous characters begin to perform new feats, and time frames gradually blur and shift. Contrary to legends, Ilya Muromets never served Prince Vladimir the Great. They simply could not meet, because they lived in different centuries. Ilya served Prince Svyatoslav, protecting Russia from the Polovtsians. The Orthodox Church, unlike scientists, has never doubted the authenticity of the relics. Ilya Muromets was canonized already in 1643 and became one of the 69 saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The body of Ilya Muromets, like the remains of many other monks buried in the caves of the Lavra, is imperishable and is in a state of mummification. But, unlike the bodies of the Egyptian pharaohs, it became so not due to processing with special compounds, but for a reason unknown to science. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that if the body does not decompose, but turns into relics, this is a special gift from God, which is given only to the saints. From the relics of Ilya Muromets there are healings of those who suffer from diseases of the spine and whose legs are paralyzed. Ilya continues his service to people even after his death...