Boris and Gleb on horseback. Biography of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb Icon of Saints Boris and Gleb

The holy noble princes-martyrs Boris and Gleb (in holy Baptism - Roman and David) are the first Russian saints, canonized by both the Russian and Constantinople Churches. They were the younger sons of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (+ July 15, 1015). Born shortly before the Baptism of Russia, the holy brothers were brought up in Christian piety. The eldest of the brothers - Boris received a good education. He loved to read Holy Scripture, the writings of the holy fathers, and especially the lives of the saints. Under their influence, Saint Boris had an ardent desire to imitate the feat of the saints of God and often prayed that the Lord would honor him with such an honor.

Saint Gleb was brought up with his brother from early childhood and shared his desire to devote his life exclusively to the service of God. Both brothers were distinguished by mercy and kindness of heart, imitating the example of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, merciful and sympathetic to the poor, sick, and destitute.

Even during the life of his father, Saint Boris received Rostov as an inheritance. Governing his principality, he showed wisdom and meekness, caring first of all about the planting of the Orthodox faith and the establishment of a pious way of life among his subjects. The young prince also became famous as a brave and skillful warrior. Shortly before his death, Grand Duke Vladimir summoned Boris to Kiev and sent him with an army against the Pechenegs. When the death of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir followed, his eldest son Svyatopolk, who was at that time in Kiev, declared himself the Grand Duke of Kiev. Saint Boris at that time was returning from a campaign, without meeting the Pechenegs, who were probably frightened of him and left for the steppes. When he learned of his father's death, he was very upset. The squad persuaded him to go to Kiev and take the throne of the Grand Duke, but the holy prince Boris, not wanting internecine strife, disbanded his army: “I will not raise my hand against my brother, and even against my elder, whom I should consider as a father!”

However, the cunning and power-hungry Svyatopolk did not believe Boris's sincerity; in an effort to protect himself from the possible rivalry of his brother, on whose side the sympathies of the people and the army were, he sent assassins to him. Saint Boris was informed of such treachery by Svyatopolk, but did not hide himself and, like the martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity, readily met death. The assassins overtook him when he was praying for Matins on Sunday, July 24, 1015, in his tent on the banks of the Alta River. After the service, they broke into the tent to the prince and pierced him with spears. The beloved servant of the holy Prince Boris, George Ugrin (born Hungarian), rushed to the defense of his master and was immediately killed. But Saint Boris was still alive. Coming out of the tent, he began to pray fervently, and then turned to the killers: "Come, brethren, finish your service, and may there be peace to brother Svyatopolk and you." Then one of them came up and pierced him with a spear. The servants of Svyatopolk took the body of Boris to Kiev, on the way they met two Varangians sent by Svyatopolk to speed things up. The Varangians noticed that the prince was still alive, although he was barely breathing. Then one of them pierced his heart with a sword. The body of the holy martyr Prince Boris was secretly brought to Vyshgorod and laid in a church in the name of St. Basil the Great.

After that, Svyatopolk just as treacherously killed the holy prince Gleb. Slyly summoning his brother Murom from his inheritance, Svyatopolk sent vigilantes to meet him in order to kill Saint Gleb on the way. Prince Gleb already knew about the death of his father and the villainous murder of Prince Boris. Deeply grieving, he preferred death to war with his brother. Saint Gleb's meeting with the murderers took place at the mouth of the Smyadyn River, not far from Smolensk.

What was the feat of the holy noble princes Boris and Gleb? What's the point in being like this - without resistance to die at the hands of murderers?

The life of the holy martyrs was sacrificed to the main Christian good deed - love. "Whoever says, 'I love God,' but hates his brother, is a liar" (1 John 4:20). The holy brothers did something that was still new and incomprehensible to pagan Russia, accustomed to blood feud - they showed that evil cannot be repaid with evil, even under the threat of death. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28). The Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb gave their lives for the sake of observing obedience, on which the spiritual life of a person and, in general, all life in society is based. “Do you see, brethren,” remarks the Monk Nestor the Chronicler, “how high is obedience to an older brother? If they had resisted, they would hardly have been worthy of such a gift from God. There are many young princes now who do not submit to the elders and are killed for resisting them. But they are not like the grace that these saints were rewarded with.”

The noble princes-passion-bearers did not want to raise a hand against their brother, but the Lord Himself took revenge on the power-hungry tyrant: “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay” (Rom. 12:19).

In 1019, Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev, also one of the sons of Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles, gathered an army and defeated Svyatopolk's squad. By God's providence, the decisive battle took place on the field near the Alta River, where Saint Boris was killed. Svyatopolk, called the Accursed by the Russian people, fled to Poland and, like the first fratricide Cain, did not find peace and shelter anywhere. Chroniclers testify that even a stench emanated from his grave.

“Since that time,” the chronicler writes, “sedition in Russia has subsided.” The blood shed by the holy brothers for the sake of preventing internecine strife was that fertile seed that strengthened the unity of Russia. The noble princes-passion-bearers are not only glorified by God with the gift of healing, but they are special patrons, defenders of the Russian land. Many cases of their appearance in a difficult time for our Fatherland are known, for example, to St. Alexander Nevsky on the eve of the Battle of the Ice (1242), Grand Duke Dimitry Donskoy on the day of the Battle of Kulikovo (1380). The veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb began very early, shortly after their death. The service to the saints was compiled by Metropolitan John I of Kiev (1008-1035).

The Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise took care to find the remains of St. Gleb, which had been unburied for 4 years, and buried them in Vyshgorod, in the church in the name of St. Basil the Great, next to the relics of St. Prince Boris. After some time, this temple burned down, but the relics remained unharmed, and many miracles were performed from them. One Varangian stood reverently at the grave of the holy brothers, and suddenly a flame came out and scorched his feet. From the relics of the holy princes, a lame lad, the son of a resident of Vyshgorod, received healing: Saints Boris and Gleb appeared to the lad in a dream and signed the cross on his sick leg. The boy woke up from sleep and stood up completely healthy. The noble prince Yaroslav the Wise built a five-domed stone church on this site, which was consecrated on July 24, 1026 by Metropolitan John of Kiev with a clergy cathedral. Many churches and monasteries throughout Russia were dedicated to the holy princes Boris and Gleb, frescoes and icons of the holy martyr brothers are also known in numerous churches of the Russian Church.

Baptizing Russia with Holy Baptism, the son of Svyatoslav and the grandson of Igor, who glorified Russia a lot, had 12 sons from four wives. The eldest, Vysheslav, died during the life of the prince in 1010, the second was Izyaslav, the third was Svyatopolk, the one who became the fratricide of Boris and Gleb, and about whom St. Dmitry of Rostov wrote about the unloved son of Vladimir, calling him "cursed", and there were also Vysheslav from a Czech wife, another from Svyatoslav and Mstislav, and from a Bulgarian wife Boris and Gleb. When the sons grew up, the father seated them to reign: Yaroslav to Novgorod, Svyatopolk to Pinsk, Boris to Rostov and Gleb to Murom.

However, Boris and Gleb - the youngest ones - Vladimir kept with him for a long time, in Kiev. Boris was brought up in Christianity, received the Holy Spirit at baptism, and he was given the holy name Roman, in the name of St. Roman the Melodist. According to the description, he was good-looking, bright in heart, virtuous in disposition. Dmitry Rostovsky also calls him "blissful and hasty." Taught to read and write, from childhood he read the lives and sufferings for the faith of early Christian saints, praying that the Lord would grant him the same saving fate. Gleb, in baptism David, in honor of the king-psalmist, being constantly next to his brother, also imbued with the Christian spirit and loved his brother, wanting to take from him an example of kindness and piety. Svyatopolk retained a pagan outlook. Cruel and passionate, he envied his father's love for his younger brothers and feared that his father would not leave the Principality of Kiev to him, and therefore he began to plot evil against Boris early.

Holy Blessed Prince Boris

The baptism of Russia is usually attributed to the year 988 after Christ, although some historians believe that it took place in 990 or 991. Nevertheless, 28 years after this event, when St. Vladimir was no longer young, he suffered a serious illness, and at the same time the Pechenegs moved to Russia. Prince Vladimir, saddened by the fact that he himself could not lead the troops to repulse the enemy force, called Boris from Rostov, and he immediately came to his father.

Saint Vladimir, unable to lead the army himself, gave Boris many soldiers and sent him to battle with the Pechenegs, and the son gladly submitted to his father's will.

But, obviously, having heard about the great army going to defend the Russian borders, the Pechenegs retreated, and approaching the place where the battle was expected, Boris did not meet them. When he returned with a whole army, he was met by a messenger with the sad news that Vladimir, his father, Vasily, had died in baptism. This news was aggravated by the fact that Svyatopolk hid the death of his father from everyone, secretly dismantled the floor of the chambers and, wrapping the body in a carpet, lowered it on ropes. Then, according to the then custom, he put him on a sleigh and took him to the Kiev Church of the Tithes, built and decorated at the behest of St. Vladimir himself in the name of the glory of the Mother of God, and secretly left him there.

When Boris found out about this, weakness fell upon him, he burst into tears, lamenting bitterly about his father, whom he dearly loved and honored with all his heart, seeing in him his great spiritual support, since at that time there was no priesthood in Russia, to which he could have resorted, except for the father who believes in Christ. In his grief, he understood that now he was defenseless before Svyatopolk, from whom his father, as best he could, saved Boris during his lifetime.

On his way back towards the death that he already assumed, Boris walked, remembering the holy lines of Holy Scripture: “Whoever says: I love God, but hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4; 20), and also: “In love there is no fear, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). He also knew that many who loved him, when he returned to his father's house, would persuade him to expel Svyatopolk in order to preserve both fame, and wealth, and the throne of the Prince of Kiev, but he also knew that this would not be an act of a brother, and even more more - it will not be an act of a Christian, alien to mortal temptations and worldly fuss ...

Like any person, he was afraid of death, but he was supported by the idea that he would accept death in the name of the Lord, he prayed about this even in his adolescence. And then joy descended on him, and then he continued on his way to Kiev with a heart strengthened by God's covenants and constant prayer to Him for the salvation of his soul.

The atrocity of Svyatopolk

By this time, Svyatopolk had taken the place of Vladimir in Kiev, bribed the people of Kiev with many gifts and sent a messenger to Boris, hypocritically promising that he would live with him in brotherly love and worthily share his father's inheritance. In fact, he was burning with the desire to exterminate all the heirs of St. Vladimir in order to single-handedly inherit his father's princely throne.

Svyatopolk secretly arrived at Vyshgorod at night, summoned the Vyshgorod governors and, having secured their loyalty, sent them to kill Boris, but in such a way that this evil was committed as secretly as much evil that he had already created.

Saint Boris then stood with tents on the Alta River, and the squad told him to go to Kiev and occupy the Kiev throne, since all the army of Vladimir was with him. However, Boris, who was still called blessed, replied that he would never raise his hand against his older brother, whom he must now honor as a lost father. Then the squad left him with the servants and the priest, defenseless and full of humility before the inevitable.

It was a Saturday. Boris ordered Vespers to be served, and in the tent he devoted himself to prayer, asking God to strengthen him. On Sunday, he washed, put on his shoes and ordered to serve matins, he himself continued the prayer and then he heard a clatter near the tent. As soon as in prayer he entrusted his fate to the Lord, when the people of Svyatopolk burst into the tent and pierced him with their swords. When the body was being taken to the forest, those who were carrying it saw that he was not dead, but only seriously wounded. Svyatopolk was sent to inform about this, and he sent two Varangians to meet him, and they committed evil, piercing the heart of the prince with swords. Still secretly, the body of Boris was brought to Vyshgorod and buried near the church of St. Basil.

Holy Blessed Prince Gleb

But that was not enough for Svyatopolk. He understood that sooner or later his atrocity would be discovered. It was necessary to destroy everyone who could find out about that and disgrace him as a fratricide in front of the whole world. Gleb was not yet informed of the death of his father, since Saint Boris was already in Heaven, and there were no other messengers, and knowing this, Svyatopolk sent a messenger to tell Gleb that his father had fallen ill and was calling him. Gleb, having gathered a small squad, moved to Kiev. At the Volga, his horse stumbled and limped, Gleb had to linger, from Smolensk he was already sailing in a boat along the Smyadyn River. Meanwhile, the news of the death of St. Vladimir and the fratricide committed by Svyatopolk reached Yaroslav the Wise, who informed Gleb about this. The young prince wept for his loved ones, and while he was mourning them, he was overtaken by assassins sent by Svyatopolk. At first, believing with a pure heart that these were friends coming to him with a kiss, he rejoiced, but they pulled the boat towards them and burst into it, holding drawn swords in their hands.

The saint began to exhort them, saying that he had done nothing wrong to them, he asked them to spare his youth, for he did not inflict any offense on them or on his brother. But, seeing that they were adamant, Saint Gleb knelt down, remembered in his last prayer his father, the brother of the slain, and offered up a prayer to the Lord. Then he turned to the executioners and said: “Do as you are commanded,” as Christ once uttered these words and after him His holy martyrs often uttered, turning to their tormentors.

Then Gleb's senior cook, also persuaded by Svyatopolk, cut Gleb's throat like a lamb. His body was thrown in a deserted place so that it could not be found, but the miracles of the Lord, which came from the holy relics of Boris and Gleb, had already begun, and often angelic singing was heard from that place and the flickering light of a candle was visible, but look for it for the time being no one came up until then.

Reunion of the Holy Brothers

Only when the right-believing Prince Yaroslav the Wise became aware of the murder of the brothers and the death of Vladimir, did he, indignant, go to Svyatopolk and, by the will of God, defeated him. Having defeated Svyatopolk, he began to ask where the brothers were laid. They knew about Saint Boris that he was lying in Vyshgorod, but the news about Gleb was inaccurate: they only knew that he had disappeared somewhere near Smolensk, only the priests said that singing was heard somewhere in those places and burning candles were visible, and Yaroslav I realized that there lies the body of the murdered Gleb. There he found him. With reverence, with incense and candles, his body was transferred to Vyshgorod, surprised that after a long stay unburied, his body was not touched by decay or forest predators. Saint Gleb was buried next to Boris, so that both in earth and in heaven, spiritually united, they would be close from now on and forever.

What a miracle happened

Many miracles happened at the resting place of the brothers - the blind began to see, the lame began to walk without difficulty and pain, bent in the camp - they straightened up, although the priests tried not to give out the resting place of the miraculous relics. But the saints worked miraculous healings wherever churches and temples were created in their holy names, even in the most remote places, where the glory of their spiritual and bodily feat of keeping God's commandments of brotherly love, both in the blood family and among all people, reached ...

But the Lord could not allow His treasure to remain almost secret for so long. Where the holy brothers were laid, a shining pillar was often seen and sweet singing was heard. Once the Varangians came to that place, and one of them stepped into the place of the coffin, and then a flame came out of it and scorched the Varangian's feet. The burns were so severe that since then the barbarians have bypassed that place.

There was a case when, due to an oversight, a candle was left, it fell, and the church caught fire, but all the utensils were taken out by people who arrived in time, and only the dilapidated building burned down. Obviously, that was the will of God - it was time to build a new church in the name of the Holy Brothers and remove their bodies from the earth. Yaroslav, having learned that the church had burned down, called on Metropolitan John, told him about his brothers, their death and the miracles coming from the tomb, gathered many people and went with them in procession to Vyshgorod. There, on the site of the burnt church, a small temple was erected. After the prayers at the all-night service, the grave was opened.

What was the surprise of everyone when in the raised and open coffin they saw the bodies of the saints, still bright in face and fragrant, untouched by any decay. The bodies of the saints were transferred to a new temple and laid already above the ground, in the right aisle.

Here are a few examples of miracles that are given in the "Lives" of St. Dmitry of Rostov.

The Vyshgorod gardener Mironeg suffered from dry feet and walked with the help of a wooden leg that he had made for himself. He came to the tomb of the saints and prayed long and fervently to them, asking for healing. He returned home, and at night he had a dream that the martyr princes appeared to him and asked what he was praying for. He told them about his grief. Then they crossed his dry leg three times and left. The next morning the gardener woke up healthy and glorified God and his saints. After some time, a certain blind man came to the tomb of the saints and, kissing it, applied dry eyelids to it and prayed for healing. And when he got up from his knees, he was already sighted.

When Mironeg told Yaroslav and Metropolitan John about these miracles, they rejoiced, and Yaroslav, on the advice of the metropolitan, ordered to build a beautiful church. It had five chapters and was decorated with paintings. Also, at the prince's command, icons were painted, in front of which faithful Christians could glorify the holy names of Roman and David - Boris and Gleb. After the construction of the church, the holy relics of the brothers were transferred to the new church in a procession, setting their celebration on July 24 (O.S.) 1021 on the day when St. Boris was killed.

On the same day, when the Divine Liturgy was served, a lame man came to the temple, he hardly walked, but crawled with strength, but after praying to God and the saints, His legs of the lame man got stronger again, and he left the temple, being completely healthy. And, seeing that, the Metropolitan and Yaroslav again gave praise to the Lord.

And here is evidence of how the holy princes Boris and Gleb helped their descendants, who defended the Russian land from the invasions of foreigners.

It is known that when the noble prince Alexander Yaroslavich, nicknamed Nevsky, waged war with the Swedish invaders, one of his governors, Philip, bypassing the night guard, saw a sailing ship at dawn. In it - the holy princes Boris and Gleb in rich clothes, the faces of the rowers were not visible - they were, as it were, in half-darkness. Philip heard Boris tell Gleb that they should go and help their relative Alexander in the battle against the enemy. Struck, the governor came to Alexander and told him about what he had seen. On the same day, Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedish army and returned with great honor to Veliky Novgorod, to his princely throne.

The chronicles also preserved such evidence: when the Moscow prince Dmitry Ioannovich waged war with Mamai, his night watchman Foma saw how a large bright cloud appeared at a height, countless regiments seemed to be coming from the east, and from the south two bright youths appeared with swords in their hands. They were Boris and Gleb. They sternly asked the governor of the Tatars - how did they dare to raise a hand against the Fatherland, given by the Lord to Russia, and to the last they flogged all the enemies.
That's what happened in reality. Before the battle, Prince Dmitry offered a prayer to God and defeated Mamai through the prayer of the holy princes Boris and Gleb, just as Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk before, his great-grandfather Alexander defeated the Swedes.

And many, many more miracles happened through the prayer of the holy great martyrs Boris and Gleb. Probably, in Russia today there is not a single city where there would not be the smallest church built in their holy name. Many of them were destroyed after the revolution, for example, in 1933 the Church of Saints Boris and Gleb on Povarskaya in Moscow was destroyed, now the Gnesins State Musical Institute is in this place. Also, there is no longer a church of Boris and Gleb on Vozdvizhenka, although a monument to the saints has been erected there. The wonderful church of the saints in Rostov, where Boris reigned, was destroyed. And these losses are innumerable. But there are aisles and icons of saints in almost all churches. And the memory of the holy brothers Boris and Gleb will forever be preserved among the people, and they are always with us, ready to offer their fervent prayers to the Lord. They will not refuse anyone who comes to them with true faith in God and with a pure heart.

The meaning of the icon

Like any image of the great martyrs, the saints depicted on the icon give us a special example of spiritual achievement. Saints Boris and Gleb gave their lives in order not to betray humility and obedience, virtues that are among the most important for the Christian attitude to life. By their martyrdom, they confirmed the New Testament principle - one cannot repay evil for evil, in contrast to the Old Testament “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”, and even more so from the pagan one, when a head could be demolished for a broken eye. They became the first saints in Russia, which had not yet completely departed from paganism, who, by their spiritual feat, exalted them in accordance with the gospel word: “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ...” (Matt. 10; 28).

Photo kudago.com/ icon painter Viktor Morozov

On August 6, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of remembrance of the holy noble princes-passion-bearers Boris and Gleb.

Who are Boris and Gleb?

Princes Boris and Gleb (baptized Roman and David) are the first saints canonized by the Russian Church. They were the younger sons of the Kiev Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich (Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir). The brothers were born shortly before the Baptism of Russia and were brought up in the Christian faith.

Why is the day of Saints Boris and Gleb celebrated several times?

Indeed, there are several days a year dedicated to the memory of Saints Boris and Gleb. So, on May 15 - the transfer of their relics to the new church-tomb in 1115, which was built by Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich in Vyshgorod, on September 18 - the memory of the holy Prince Gleb, and on August 6 - the joint celebration of the saints.

What feat did the saints accomplish?

The lives of the saints were sacrificed for love. Boris and Gleb did not want to raise a hand against their brother and support the internecine war. The brothers chose death as a sign of their boundless love for Christ, in imitation of his cross torment. The feat of Boris, as well as his brother Gleb, lies in the fact that they voluntarily abandoned the worldly, political struggle in the name of brotherly love.

How did Boris and Gleb die?

Vladimir, shortly before his death, called Boris to Kiev. He gave his son an army and sent him on a campaign against the Pechenegs. Soon the prince passed away. His eldest son Svyatopolk arbitrarily declared himself the Grand Duke of Kiev. Svyatopolk took advantage of the fact that Boris was on the campaign. However, the saint was not going to oppose this decision. He dismissed his army with the words: "I will not raise my hand against my brother, and even against my elder, whom I should consider as a father!"

But Svyatopolk was still afraid that Boris would want to take the throne from him. He ordered to kill his brother. Boris knew about this, but did not hide. He was attacked with spears right during prayer. It happened on July 24, 1015 (August 6, according to a new style) on the banks of the Alta River. He said to his killers: "Come, brethren, finish your service, and may there be peace to brother Svyatopolk and to you." The body of Boris was brought to Vyshgorod and secretly laid in a church in the name of St. Basil the Great.

Soon Svyatopolk killed the second brother. Gleb lived in Murom at that time. Gleb also knew that they wanted to kill him, but the civil war for him was worse than death. The killers overtook the prince at the mouth of the Smyadyn River, near Smolensk.

Why were Boris and Gleb canonized?

Boris and Gleb were canonized as martyrs. The martyr is one of the ranks of holiness. A saint who was martyred for the fulfillment of God's commandments. An important part of the feat of the martyr is that the martyr does not hold a grudge against the murderers and does not resist.

When writing the text, materials from the site were used

"A true passion-bearer and a true listener to the gospel of Christ"

August 6 Church honors Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb. The holy noble princes-passion-bearers Boris and Gleb were the younger sons of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles. They were born shortly before the Baptism of the Russian Land and were brought up in the spirit of the Christian faith. The eldest of the brothers - Boris received a good education. Gleb shared his brother's desire to devote his life exclusively to serving God. The brothers were distinguished by mercy and kindness, imitating the example of their father, Prince Vladimir, who was merciful and sympathetic.

Life of Princes Boris and Gleb

Boris and Gleb were the sons of the Grand Duke Vladimir of Kiev (c. 960 - 07/28/1015) from his wife, the Byzantine princess Anna (963 - 1011/1012) from the Armenian dynasty, the only sister of the ruling emperor of Byzantium, Basil II (976-1025 gg.). At holy baptism, Boris received the name Roman, and Gleb - the name Davyd. From early childhood, the brothers were brought up in Christian piety. They loved to read the Holy Scriptures, the works of the holy fathers. They ardently desired to imitate the feat of God's saints. Boris and Gleb were distinguished by mercy, kindness, responsiveness and modesty.

Even during the life of Prince Vladimir, Boris received Rostov as inheritance, and Gleb - Murom. Governing their principalities, they showed wisdom and meekness, caring first of all about the planting of the Orthodox faith and the establishment of a pious way of life among people. The young princes were skillful and brave warriors. Shortly before his death, their father, Grand Duke Vladimir, summoned his elder brother, Boris, and sent him with a large army against the godless Pechenegs. However, the Pechenegs, frightened by the strength of Prince Boris and the power of his troops, fled to the steppes.

After the death in 1015 of Vladimir the Great, his eldest son from a Greek woman, the widow of the Kiev prince Yaropolk Svyatoslavich (? -11.06.978), Svyatopolk (c. 979 - 1019) declared himself the great Kiev prince. Upon learning of the death of his father, Prince Boris was very upset. The squad persuaded him to go to Kiev and take the throne, but the humble Boris dismissed the army, not wanting internecine strife:

I will not raise my hand against my brother, and even against my elder, whom I should consider as a father!

Svyatopolk was a rather cunning and power-hungry man, did not believe the sincerity of the words of his brother Boris and saw him only as a rival, on whose side the people were. Immediately Svyatopolk decided on a terrible crime, sending assassins to Boris. Boris was informed of this, but did not hide. Remembering the deeds of the first Christian martyrs, he readily met death. The murderers sent by Svyatopolk overtook Boris at morning on Sunday, July 24 (S.S.), 1015, in their tent on the banks of the Alta River. After the service, the criminals broke into the prince's tent and pierced Boris with spears.

The servant of the holy Prince Boris, George Ugrin, rushed to the defense of his master, but was immediately killed. However, Boris was still alive. Coming out of the tent, he began to pray, and then turned to the murderers:

Come, brethren, finish your service, and may there be peace to brother Svyatopolk and to you.

Then one of the assassins came up and pierced him with a spear. The servants of Svyatopolk took the body of Boris to Kiev, on the way they met two Varangians sent by Svyatopolk to expedite the matter. The Varangians noticed that the prince was still alive, although he was barely breathing. Then one of them pierced his heart with a sword. The body of the martyr Prince Boris was secretly brought to Vyshgorod and laid in a church in the name of St. Basil the Great.

After that, Svyatopolk decided to kill his younger brother, Gleb. Svyatopolk summoned Gleb from Murom and sent combatants to meet him so that they would kill him on the way. At this time, Prince Gleb learned about the death of his father and the fratricidal crime of Svyatopolk. Grieving over this, Gleb, like Boris before, preferred martyrdom to fraternal war. The killers met Gleb at the mouth of the Smyadyn River, not far from Smolensk. The murder of Prince Gleb took place on September 5, 1015. The murderers buried Gleb's body in a coffin consisting of two hollowed-out logs.

Martyrdom of princes Boris and Gleb

The life of the passion-bearers, the Russian princes Boris and Gleb, was sacrificed to the main Christian good deed - love. The brothers showed by their will that evil must be repaid with good. This was still new and incomprehensible to Russia, accustomed to blood feud.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (Matthew 10:28).

Boris and Gleb gave their lives for obedience, on which the spiritual life of man is based. " You see, brethren- says the Monk Nestor the Chronicler, - how high is obedience to the elder brother? If they had resisted, they would hardly have been worthy of such a gift from God. There are many young princes now who do not submit to the elders and are killed for resisting them. But they are not like the grace that these saints were rewarded with.».

The Russian princes-passion-bearers did not want to raise a hand against their brother, but the power-hungry Svyatopolk was punished for fratricide. In 1019, Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev (c. 978 - February 20, 1054), the half-brother of Boris and Gleb, one of the sons of Prince Vladimir, gathered an army and defeated Svyatopolk's squad.

By God's providence, the decisive battle took place on the field near the Alta River, where Prince Boris was killed. Svyatopolk, called the Accursed by the Russian people, fled to Poland and, like the biblical fratricide Cain, did not find peace and refuge anywhere. Chroniclers testify that even a stench emanated from his grave.

« Since then- writes the chronicler, - subsided in Russia sedition". The blood shed by the brothers Boris and Gleb in order to prevent internecine strife turned out to be the fertile seed that strengthened the unity of Russia.

Veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb

The noble princes-passion-bearers Boris and Gleb are not only glorified by God with the gift of healing, but they are special patrons, defenders of the Russian land. Many cases of their appearance at a difficult time for our Fatherland are known, for example, to the holy prince Alexander Nevsky on the eve of the Battle of the Ice (1242), Grand Duke Dimitry Donskoy on the day of the Battle of Kulikovo (1380). They also tell about other cases of intercession of saints during wars and armed conflicts in later times.

The veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb began very early, shortly after their death. The service to the saints was compiled by Metropolitan John I of Kiev (1008-1035).

The Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise took care to find the remains of Prince Gleb, which had been unburied for 4 years, and buried them in Vyshgorod, in the church in the name of St. Basil the Great, next to the relics of St. Prince Boris. After some time, this temple burned down, but the relics remained unharmed, and many miracles were performed from them.

One Varangian stood reverently at the grave of the holy brothers, and suddenly a flame came out and scorched his feet. From the relics of the holy princes, a lame youth, the son of a resident of Vyshgorod, received healing: the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb appeared to the youth in a dream and made a sign of the cross on his sore leg. The boy woke up from sleep and stood up completely healthy.

Right-Believing Prince Yaroslav the Wise built a five-domed stone church on the site of the burnt church, which was consecrated on July 24, 1026 by Metropolitan John of Kiev with a clergy cathedral.

The year 1072 is considered to be the year of the canonization of the holy martyrs. They became the first Russian saints. However, it is known that the Greek bishops, who at that time headed the Russian Church, were not particularly enthusiastic about the glorification of Russian saints. But a large number of miracles emanating from the relics of the holy martyrs, and popular veneration did their job. The Greeks finally had to recognize the sanctity of the Russian princes. In folk tradition, the holy princes, first of all, appear as protectors of the Russian land. Quite a few prayer books were composed in honor of the saints, including the unique, famous Hagiographic Paremias, which were preserved in Russian Divine Services until the beginning of the 17th century.

The number of icons, copper castings and other images of Saints Boris and Gleb is enormous. In almost any historical museum dedicated to ancient Russian icon painting, today you can find icons of saints of various sizes and levels of icon painting skill.

The Old Believer icons of Boris and Gleb are also known. So, after the church schism, cast icons of saints became widespread, of which there are about 10 different options.

Several cities and towns are also named after the saints.

The following days of veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb have been established:

May 15 - the transfer of the relics of the holy martyrs of the Russian princes Boris and Gleb, in holy baptism they were named Roman and Davyd (1072 and 1115);
June 2 - the first transfer of the relics of the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb (1072);
August 6 - joint celebration of Saints Boris and Gleb;
August 24 - transfer of the old shrines of the holy martyr princes Boris and Gleb from Vyshgorod to Smolensk (1191);
September 18 - Dormition of the holy and noble Prince Gleb, brother of Saint Boris in the flesh (1015).

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Troparion, tone 2

A true passion-bearer, and a true listener to the Gospel of Christ, the chaste Roman, with the gentle Davyd, does not resist the enemy of the existing brother, who kills the body, but the soul is unable to touch. Yes, the evil lover of power is crying, but you, rejoicing with the faces of angels, stand before the Holy Trinity. Praying for the power of your relatives to be pleasing to God, and for the sons of the Russians to be saved.

Kontakion, tone 3

Today, the most glorious memory of the noble passion-bearer of Christ, Roman and Davyd, summons us to the praise of Christ our God. By that, the relics flowing to the race, the gift of healing is acceptable, by the prayers of the saint, you are a divine doctor.

Temples in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb

Interestingly, the veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb in ancient Russia was much more widespread than even the veneration of the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga. This is especially noticeable in the number of churches built in the name of these saints. Their number reaches several tens.

The construction of churches in honor of the holy Russian princes Boris and Gleb was extensive throughout the history of the Russian Church. In the pre-Mongolian period, this was, first of all, the church in Vyshgorod, where pilgrimages were constantly made.

In honor of Saints Boris and Gleb, monasteries were created: Novotorzhsky, in Turov, Nagorny in Pereslavl-Zalessky. By the beginning of the 70s. 11th century on the places of death of both princes, wooden churches were built, which over time were replaced by stone ones. One of the centers of veneration for princes Boris and Gleb was the monastery on Smyadyn. In the XII century. Borisoglebsky Cathedral, which still exists today, was erected in Chernigov.

Similar stone buildings appeared in Ryazan, Rostov-Suzdal, Polotsk, Novgorod, Gorodnya and others.

The dedication of temples and monasteries to Boris and Gleb did not stop in subsequent times. Borisoglebsk churches were built: in Rostov, Murom, Ryazan, in the village of Luboditsy (now the Bezhetsky district of the Tver region). Several churches were dedicated to Boris and Gleb in Novgorod: on the gates of the Kremlin, "in Plotniki".

A significant number of Borisoglebsk churches existed in Moscow and the suburbs of the city: at the Arbat Gate, on Povarskaya Street, the upper temple of the church in Zyuzin, as well as in the Moscow region.

In the XIV - early XX centuries. there were monasteries in the name of Boris and Gleb: Ushensky on the banks of the Ushn River near Murom, in Novgorod “from Zagzenye”, in Polotsk, on the Sukhona River in the Totemsky district of the Vologda province, in Solvychegodsk, in Mozhaisk, in Pereslavl-Zalessky “on the sands”, in Suzdal, in Chernigov.

In 1660, the monks of the Mezhigorsky Transfiguration Monastery received a letter from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich to build a monastery “on the blood” of Boris, but the monastery was not created for unknown reasons. In 1664, the archpriest of the Assumption Cathedral of Pereyaslav, Grigory Butovich, erected a stone cross here. At the end of the XVII century. a temple in the name of Boris and Gleb is mentioned not far from the place of Boris's death.

At present, the first in Russia, the Novotorzhsky Borisoglebsky Monastery in the city of Torzhok, Tver Region, the Borisoglebsky Monastery on the Mouth in the village of Borisoglebsky, Yaroslavl Region, the Borisoglebsky Monastery in Dmitrov, Anosin in the name of Boris and Gleb, the Borisoglebsky Convent in the Istra District of the Moscow Region, Borisoglebsky convent in the village of Vodiane, Kharkov region, Ukraine.

In the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, the Russian Old Orthodox Church and other Old Believer accords, there is not a single church dedicated to the holy princes - passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. Which, admittedly, testifies to the decline in the veneration of Russian saints in the Old Believers. At the same time, it should be noted that the martyrs are still revered in the South Slavic countries, and new churches and monasteries in the name of these saints are periodically opened in the Moscow Patriarchate.

This is how the chronicle tells about this (translation by D. Likhachev): “When Boris, having set out on a campaign and not meeting the enemy, returned back, a messenger came to him and told him about the death of his father. He told how his father Vasily had died (this name was given to Vladimir in holy baptism) and how Svyatopolk, concealing the death of his father, dismantled the platform in Berestovo at night and, wrapping the body in a Carpet, lowered him on ropes to the ground, took him on a sleigh and put him in the Church of the Holy Virgin. And when Saint Boris heard this, his body began to weaken, and his whole face was wet with tears, shedding tears, unable to speak. Only in his heart did he think like this: “Alas for me, the light of my eyes, the radiance and dawn of my face, the bridle of my youth, the mentor of my inexperience! Alas, my father and my lord! To whom shall I resort, to whom shall I turn my gaze? Where else can I find such wisdom and how can I manage without the instructions of your mind? Alas for me, alas for me! How did you go down, my sun, and I was not there! If I were there, I would remove your honest body with my own hands and betray it to the grave. But I did not carry your valiant body, I was not honored to kiss your beautiful gray hairs. O blessed one, remember me at your resting place! My heart burns, my soul confuses my mind, and I don’t know who to turn to, who to tell this bitter sadness? Brother, whom I revered as a father? But he, I feel, cares about worldly fuss and plots my murder. If he sheds my blood and decides to kill me, I will be a martyr before my Lord. I will not resist, for it is written: "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." And in the epistle of the apostle it is said: "Whoever says, 'I love God,' but hates his brother, is a liar." And again: "There is no fear in love; perfect love casts out fear." So what will I say, what will I do? Here I will go to my brother and say: “Be my father - after all, you are my elder brother. What command me, my lord?"

And thinking so in his mind, he went to his brother and said in his heart: “Will I even see my younger brother Gleb, like Joseph Benjamin?” And he decided in his heart: “Thy will be done, Lord!” I thought to myself: “If I go to my father’s house, then many people will persuade me to drive my brother away, as I did, for the sake of glory and reign in this world, my father until holy baptism. And all this is transient and fragile, like a web. Where will I go after my departure from this world? Where will I be then? What answer will I get? Where will I hide my many sins? What did my father's brothers or my father gain? Where is their life and the glory of this world, and scarlet, and feasts, silver and gold, wine and honey, plentiful dishes, and frisky horses, and decorated mansions, and great, and many riches, and countless tributes and honors, and boasting of their boyars . All this seemed to have never happened: everything with them disappeared, and there is no help from anything - neither from wealth, nor from many slaves, nor from the glory of this world. So Solomon, having experienced everything, having seen everything, mastering everything and gathering everything, said about everything: “Vanity of vanities - all is vanity!” Salvation is only in good deeds, in true faith and in unfeigned love.”

Going his own way, Boris thought about his beauty and youth, and shed tears all over. And he wanted to hold back, but he couldn't. And all who saw him also mourned his youth and his physical and spiritual beauty. And each in his soul groaned from the sorrow of his heart, and all were seized with sorrow.

Who will not mourn, presenting this pernicious death before the eyes of his heart?

His whole appearance was dull, and his holy heart was contrite, for the blessed one was truthful and generous, quiet, meek, humble, he pitied everyone and helped everyone.

This is how the blessed Boris thought in his heart and said: “I knew that evil people would incite my brother to kill me and he would destroy me, and when he sheds my blood, I will be a martyr before my Lord, and the Master will receive my soul.” Then, forgetting mortal sorrow, he began to comfort his heart with God's word: "He who sacrifices his soul for me and my teaching will find and keep it in eternal life." And he went with a joyful heart, saying: “Lord, Merciful, do not reject me, who trusts in you, but save my soul!”

What was the feat of the holy noble princes Boris and Gleb? What's the point in being like this - without resistance to die at the hands of murderers?

In 1019, Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev, also one of the sons of Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles, gathered an army and defeated Svyatopolk's squad.

Let us turn again to the chronicle: “Blessed Boris returned and spread his camp on Alta. And the squad told him: "Go, sit in Kiev on your father's princely table - after all, all the soldiers are in your hands." He answered them: “I cannot raise my hand against my brother, besides, also the oldest, whom I honor as a father.” Hearing this, the soldiers dispersed, and he was left only with his youths. And it was the Sabbath. In anguish and sadness, with a dejected heart, he entered his tent and wept in contrition of heart, but with an enlightened soul, plaintively exclaiming: “Do not reject my tears, Lord, for I trust in you! May I be rewarded with the fate of Your servants and share the lot with all Your saints, you are a merciful God, and we praise You forever! Amen".

He remembered the torment and sufferings of the holy martyr Nikita and saint Vyacheslav, who were killed in the same way, and how her own father was the murderer of Saint Barbara. And he remembered the words of the wise Solomon: "The righteous live forever, and from the Lord is their reward and adornment from the Most High." And only these words comforted and rejoiced.

Meanwhile, evening came, and Boris ordered Vespers to be sung, and he himself entered his tent and began to perform the evening prayer with bitter tears, frequent sighing and continuous lamentations. Then he went to bed, and his sleep was disturbed by dreary thoughts and sadness, bitter, and heavy, and terrible: how to endure torment and suffering, and end life, and save faith, and accept the prepared crown from the hands of the Almighty. And, waking up early, he saw that it was already morning time. And it was Sunday. He said to his priest: "Get up, start matins." Himself, putting on shoes and washing his face, began to pray to the Lord God.

Those sent by Svyatopolk came to Alta at night, and came close, and heard the voice of the blessed martyr, singing the Psalter at matins. And he had already received the news of the impending murder of him. And he began to sing: “Lord! How my enemies have multiplied! Many rise up against me" - and the rest of the psalms to the end. And, having begun to sing according to the Psalter: “Crowds of dogs surrounded me and fat calves surrounded me,” he continued: “Lord, my God! I trust in you, save me!” And then the canon sang. And when he finished matins, he began to pray, looking at the icon of the Lord and saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! Like you, who appeared on earth in this image and, of your own free will, allowed yourself to be nailed to the cross and accept suffering for our sins, grant me the opportunity to accept suffering in this way!

And when he heard an ominous whisper near the tent, he trembled, and tears flowed from his eyes, and said: “Glory to you, Lord, for everything, for you have honored me with envy for the sake of accepting this bitter death and enduring everything for the love of your commandments. You didn’t want to avoid torment yourself, you didn’t want anything for yourself, follow the commandments of the apostle: “Love is long-suffering, believes everything, does not envy and does not exalt itself.” And again: "There is no fear in love, for true love casts out fear." Therefore, Lord, my soul is always in your hands, for I have not forgotten your commandment. As the Lord wills, so be it." And when they saw the priest Borisov and the youth serving the prince, his master, embraced by sorrow and sadness, they wept bitterly and said: “Our merciful and dear lord! What goodness you are filled with, that you did not want to oppose your brother for the love of Christ, and how many soldiers you kept at your fingertips! And, having said this, she was sad.

And suddenly he saw those rushing to the tent, the gleam of weapons, drawn swords. And without pity the honest and many-merciful body of the saint and blessed was pierced. Passion-bearer of Christ Boris. The accursed ones struck him with spears: Putsha, Talets, Elovich, Lyashko. Seeing this, his youth covered the body of the blessed one with himself, exclaiming: “Let me not leave you, my beloved sir, where the beauty of your body fades, here I will be able to end my life!”

He was a Hungarian by birth, named George, and the prince rewarded him with a golden hryvnia [*], and was loved by Boris immensely. Then they pierced him, and, wounded, he jumped out of the tent in a daze. And those standing near the tent spoke: “Why are you standing and looking! Having begun, let us complete what has been done to us.” Hearing this, the blessed one began to pray and ask them, saying: “My dear and beloved brothers! Wait a bit, let me pray to God." And looking up at the sky with tears, and sighing to grief, he began to pray with these words: “Lord, my God, many-merciful and merciful and merciful! Glory to Thee, for having granted me to escape from the seductions of this deceitful life! Glory to Thee, generous giver of life, for vouchsafed me a feat worthy of the holy martyrs! Glory to you, Lord-Love of Man, that you made me fulfill the innermost desire of my heart! Glory to Thee, Christ, glory to the immeasurable, Thy mercy, for you directed my groans to the right path! Look from the height of your holiness and see the pain of my heart, which I suffered from my relative - because for your sake they kill me on this day. I was made equal to a ram ready to be slaughtered. After all, You know, Lord, I do not resist, I will not contradict, and having under my hand all the soldiers of my father and all whom my father loved, I did not plot anything against my brother. He raised as much as he could against me. “If the enemy reproached me, I would endure it; if my hater slandered me, I would hide from him. But you, Lord, be a witness and judge between me and my brother and do not condemn them, Lord, for this sin, but accept my soul in peace. Amen".

And, looking at his killers with a sorrowful look, with a haggard face, shedding tears all over, he said: “Brothers, when you start, finish what was entrusted to you. And may there be peace to my brother and to you, brothers!”

And all who heard his words could not utter a word from fear and bitter sadness and abundant tears. With bitter sighs, they lamented and wept plaintively, and each one groaned in his soul: “Alas for us, our merciful and blessed prince, guide to the blind, clothing to the naked, staff to the elders, mentor to the foolish! Who will direct them now? I didn’t want the glory of this world, I didn’t want to have fun with honest nobles, I didn’t want greatness in this life. Who will not be amazed at such great humility, who will not humble himself, seeing and hearing his humility?

And so Boris rested, betraying his soul into the hands of the Living God on the 24th day of the month of July, 9 days before the August calendars.

They also killed many youths. They could not remove the hryvnia from George, and, having cut off his head, they threw it away. Therefore, they could not identify his body.

Blessed Boris, wrapped in a tent, put on a cart and taken away. And when they were riding in the forest, he began to raise his holy head. Upon learning of this, Svyatopolk sent two Varangians, and they pierced Boris in the heart with a sword. And so he died, assuming an unfading crown. And, having brought his body, they laid it in Vyshgorod and buried it in the ground near the church of St. Basil.
Svyatopolk, called the Accursed by the Russian people, fled to Poland and, like the first fratricide Cain, did not find peace and shelter anywhere. Chroniclers testify that even a stench emanated from his grave.

Life of Princes Boris and Gleb

Martyrdom of princes Boris and Gleb

Veneration of Saints Boris and Gleb

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Temples in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb

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