Nika Kravchuk

Saints, saints, martyrs - what are different saints called?

It is not difficult to notice that different saints in the church are called differently: there are apostles, martyrs, saints, saints, confessors, passion-bearers... How to distinguish them? And is it necessary, if they have already been granted the Kingdom of Heaven?

All these names indicate the way these people came to God, how they used the talents given to them. The Orthodox Church honors the saints of God in various ranks: prophets, apostles, equal to the apostles, saints, saints, martyrs, great martyrs, holy martyrs, confessors, faithful, unmercenaries, fools for Christ's sake and passion-bearers.

ABOUT prophets we know from the Old Testament. These are those ascetics who received a special gift from God - to know the Will of the Creator about people and the destinies of the world. The Lord revealed the future to them.

For example, from the Old Testament we know about the so-called four Great Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel. Particularly revered in our time are Saint Elijah and John the Baptist. The Church also knows the names of the wives whom God awarded such a gift (Righteous Anna belongs to them).

Apostles- followers of Christ and, in fact, the first preachers of Christianity. From ancient Greek this word is translated as ambassadors, that is, messengers of Jesus. The Church especially honors the memory of the 12 apostles, among whom Peter and Paul are considered the supreme ones.

But this is far from a complete list. In fact, there were much more disciples and followers of Christ, so they call the number 70 or even 72. The names of most of them are not present in the Gospel, so a complete list was compiled already in the 4th-5th centuries on the basis of Holy Tradition.

Those saints who lived several centuries after the first sermons of Christianity, but also worked to spread the teachings of the Church, are called equal to the apostles. For example, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles Princes Vladimir and Olga.

Saints It is customary to call representatives of the third degree of priesthood - bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs who have pleased God with their service to the flock. There are a lot of them in the Orthodox Church, but the most revered are Nicholas of Myra, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom (also called ecumenical teachers, who expounded the Orthodox teaching on the Holy Trinity).

Reverends They call those who served God in the monastic rank. Their most important work is fasting and prayer, taming their own will, humility, and chastity.

There are a lot of saints who shone in this face, because it is difficult to find a monastery that has its own history, but does not have saints of God. Another question is that time must pass for the saints to be canonized. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is known by the Venerable Fathers of Pechersk. Famous and especially glorified are Seraphim of Sarov and Sergius of Radonezh.

The greatest number of saints came to the Kingdom of Heaven as martyrs. They endured terrible suffering and death for their faith. There were especially many such confessors during the time of persecution of Christians.

Those who have suffered particularly severe torment are called great martyrs. For example, the healer Panteleimon, Varvara and Catherine. There is also holy martyrs(accepted death in holy orders) and venerable martyrs(they suffered while in monastic vows).

Confessors are those who openly recognized themselves as Christians (confessed), but did not die a martyr’s death. Many confessors appear during persecutions for the faith.

The faithful are called saints of Christ, who were monarchs in the world (for example, princes or kings) and pleased God with their righteous lives. For many, they are associated with Alexander Nevsky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, Dmitry Donskoy and others, glorified in the Russian Church. In fact, this image of saints arose in the Church of Constantinople (they glorified the Byzantine emperors and their wives).

Unmercenary had a special gift from the Almighty - they could heal from physical and spiritual illnesses, but they did not take money for their help (for example, Kosma and Damian).

For Christ's sake holy fools- perhaps one of the most interesting and difficult paths to God. These people deliberately put on the guise of madness, although they had nothing to do with clouding of reason. They lived on the street, led a very modest and unpretentious life: they endured the hot sun and scorching frost, ate small portions of alms, dressed in rags, that is, they did not take care of themselves at all. For this, God gave them a special gift - to see the spiritual illnesses of other people.

Therefore, the holy fools engaged in denunciation, they could even directly tell the king if they saw that he was getting bogged down in vices. In addition, they hid their virtues, and for revealing the iniquities of others they often suffered insults or even beatings (although, for example, in Rus' they were considered “God’s people”, therefore beating a holy fool was considered a great sin, but human malice violated this unwritten rule). A striking example of such a path to salvation is Ksenia of Petersburg.

Sometimes fools for Christ's sake are also called blessed (for example, St. Basil the Blessed), but this word has different shades of meaning.

Passion-bearers they call those people who did not die a natural death, but, being Christians, suffered not for their faith, but for a righteous way of life, or gave their own lives for the well-being of others. Princes Boris and Gleb were considered the first passion-bearers in Rus'. Representatives of the family of the last emperor of Russia, Nicholas II, who led a truly Christian life, but were killed as representatives of the monarchy, were also canonized in this rank of saints.

We also know the names of some saints who are called righteous. Usually these are laity (also representatives of the white clergy) who led a righteous life and kept the commandments. This includes the forefathers (these include the Old Testament patriarchs) and godfathers (primarily the parents of the Virgin Mary - Joachim and Anna), as well as the righteous John of Kronstadt, Simeon of Verkhoturye and others.

The example of all these saints indicates that the paths to God can be very different, but one thing is fundamental: the presence of boundless faith and its reinforcement with good deeds, following the Gospel commandments.

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Why was the Holy Royal Family “glorified” in the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearers” in 2000? Why did the mouthpiece of the world behind the scenes - the Anti-Defamation League - trumpet with glee on this occasion: “It is very important that the decision on canonization in the FORM (!) in which it was adopted by the [bishops'] council BECOME KNOWN to the widest circle of laity and clergy "(International Jewish newspaper No. 30 (311) for 2000). What is the reason for such reactions? Have the Kabbalists really repented and turned to Christ? Or are there other reasons for such joy of the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ? We will find answers to all these questions if we understand the meaning of the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer”. What does the Order of Holiness “Passion-Bearer” mean? The Order of Holiness “Passion-Bearers” in the Orthodox Church refers EXCLUSIVELY to those Holy Saints of God who, for the Glory of the Name of God, endured bloody or bloodless temptations through the deceit and goiter of their fellow believers, Orthodox Christians. Those. Passion-bearers are those who suffered at the hands of their Orthodox brethren.

Two main meanings of the word “passion-bearer” There are two main meanings of the word “passion-bearer” and these meanings should in no case be confused or confused with each other: 1) The general naming of all Christian Martyrs. In the Liturgical Texts of the Orthodox Church we can often find the term “Passion-Bearer”, which is used in the meaning of “one who endured the saving PASSION (suffering/temptation/torment) of Christ.” “Beloved, do not be surprised if you relish the temptations that come your way, as they happen to you that are alien to you, but since you are partakers of CHRIST’S PASSION, rejoice, for even at the revelation of His Glory you will rejoice with joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13). In this sense, ALL the Holy Saints of God are called Passion-Bearers, for “there is a narrow gate and a strait path that leads into the Life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:16). And especially the Holy Martyrs, who endured bloody suffering and death for Christ. 2) This is a SPECIAL ORDER OF HOLINESS. Chin is a Church Slavonic word denoting order, plan, charter, dignity, rank, dignity. The Order of Holiness is a special characteristic that expresses the spiritual ESSENCE of the feat by which a person pleased God and glorified His Holy Name. In this sense, the Church of Christ calls “Passion-Bearers” EXCLUSIVELY those Pleasers of God who, for the Glory of the Name of God, suffered from their own fellow believers - Orthodox Christians. When we talk about the Saints as a whole, about their many-sorrowful life path, we call them all “Passion-Bearers,” since all of them, during their earthly wanderings, endured various saving sorrows, temptations, sufferings, and some even death for the Glory of the Name of God. However, when we talk about the Orders of Holiness, each of which briefly in one word (for example, the Blessed, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Saints, the Martyrs, the Passion-Bearers, the New Martyrs, the Reverends, the Blessed, the Unmercenary, the Righteous, etc.) expresses the spiritual essence of that or other Feat/Service that a person has undertaken and accomplished for the Glory of God, then in NO EVENT should the Rite of Holiness “Passion-bearers” be confused with the Rite of Holiness “Martyrs”, etc. Because in this case the MEANING is fundamentally distorted.

What is the PRINCIPAL difference between the Rite of Holiness “MARTYR” and the Rite of Holiness “PASSION-BEARER”? The fundamental difference between these two Rites of Holiness is that the martyrs suffered: a) for confessing the NAME of Christ; b) by the hand of PAGENTS or HEREtics; The passion-bearers suffered for a) for fulfilling the COMMANDMENTS of God; b) at the hands of ORTHODOX brothers; The Rite of Holiness “Martyrs” is used to designate Saints who pleased God by undergoing bloody or bloodless temptations for the Name of Christ at the hands of pagans or heretics. The question was always directly posed to the martyrs: if you renounce Christ - life, if you do not renounce - death. This is the spiritual essence of the Feat of Martyrdom with which the Martyrs glorified God. The height and greatness of the Martyrdom lies in the fact that even to death they testified to their loyalty to Christ and did not renounce the Orthodox Faith, being forced to do so by both caresses and threats. For example, Great Martyr Demetrius. They demanded that he renounce Christ, but for the sake of his great love and loyalty to God he did not want to do this. And for his fidelity to Christ he endured numerous sufferings, torments, and ultimately death. The essence of his feat is that even to death he remained faithful to the King of kings - the Lord Jesus Christ - and did not renounce Him even in the most severe torment. Now let's look at the Holy Pleasers of God, whom the Church glorifies in the Rite of Holiness. The Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer” is used to designate Saints who pleased God by undergoing bloody or bloodless temptations for the faithful fulfillment of God’s Commandments through the deceit and malice of their fellow believers – Fellow Orthodox Christians. Their tormentors NEVER directly demanded that the Passion-Bearers renounce Christ in order to save their lives, since the tormentors themselves were Orthodox Christians. And most importantly, the passion-bearers were killed not because of Faith, but because of worldly interests. For example, the Holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb were killed by their father Svyatopolk not because he was Orthodox, but Svyatopolk was a persecutor of Christians. Not at all! Svyatopolk killed Boris and Gleb because of LUB OF AUTHORITY and LIKE OF MERE, in order to occupy the Kiev Grand Ducal Throne. The greatness of the Feat of Saints Boris and Gleb lies in the fact that, out of love for God, they did not want to participate in the fratricidal war and bloodshed. But they thought it best to give their lives themselves in order to quench the hostility. They themselves went to Svyatopolk, because they understood that if they did not sacrifice themselves, then Svyatopolk would move his troops into their lands. and then a lot of blood will be shed. This is the greatness of the feat of the Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb. Using the example of the feat of the Holy Great Martyr George and the Holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, one can clearly see that the Rite of Holiness “Martyrs” and the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearers” are fundamentally different from each other, since the Feats of Holiness they designate are completely different in their inner essence and spiritual content. Thus, when we talk about the Order of Holiness, we must under no circumstances place a sign of identity (equality) between the Feat of Holiness of Martyrdom and the Feat of Holiness of Passion-Suffering.

History of the revelation of the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer” in the Orthodox Church In the 11th century, the question was raised in what Rite of Holiness the Holy Passion-Bearers Princes Boris and Gleb should be glorified. They definitely did not fit under the Order of Sainthood “Martyrs”, because... they were killed by their own Orthodox Christians to gather and no one demanded that the Saints consciously renounce Christ. On this occasion, the Greeks (at that time the Russian Church was the metropolitanate of the Greek Local Church), by the Grace and Mercy of God, at the command of His Imperial Majesty, assembled a Pious Council in Constantinople, at which a special Rite of Holiness was revealed by the Conciliar Reason of the Church - the Rite of Holiness “PASSIONATE”. In the Rite of Holiness, the “Passion-Bearer” began to glorify the Saints who, for the Glory of God, endured (blood or bloodless) temptations from their fellow believers, i.e. victims at the hands of their own Orthodox brethren. (Russian Saints. - M.2001, P.14; see also: Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary by Archpriest Dyachenko). Thus, starting from the 11th century, in the Orthodox Church, the Order of Holiness, Passion-Bearer, is assigned EXCLUSIVELY to those Pleasers of God who suffered martyrdom at the hands of their Orthodox brethren. Could Tsar Nicholas be the "Passion-Bearer"? The answer to this question is definitely NO! UNDER NO CONDITIONS can the Anointed One of God be killed at the hands of Orthodox Christians. Because, according to the Teachings of the Orthodox Church, anyone who even THINKS about rebellion and treason (not to mention actively raises his hand) against Christ the Lord falls under anathema and is no longer a Christian, but is a heretic and an enemy of God. The 11th anathema on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy directly states: “TO THOSE WHO THINK that the Orthodox Sovereigns [Anointed of God] are not elevated to the Thrones by God’s special Favor for Them, and at the Anointing of the Gift of the Holy Spirit for the passage of this great [Royal] Title is not poured into Them ; and Thus, to those who dare against Them for rebellion and treason, anathema, three times." And in the Approved Charter of the Pious Zemstvo-Local Council of 1613 it is said even more definitely that everyone who rebels against Christ the Lord “may he be CURSED in this century and in the future, for he will be EXCLUDED from the Holy Trinity. Whoever does not want to listen to this Council Code, his God BLESS, and will begin to say OTHER things, and to make RUMOR among people, then do not be such in whatever rank; according to the Sacred Rules of the Holy Apostles and the Seven Ecumenical Councils - the Holy Fathers, and the Local, and according to the Council Code of all things, he will be expelled, and from the Church of God EXCLUDED, and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, as a SCHISMANT of the Church of God and of all Orthodox Christianity, a REBEL and DESTROYER of the Law of God, and according to the city (i.e. civil) Laws will take revenge (i.e. righteous execution), and do not bring blessings on him from now to eternity.” I could never and never have debunked the Tsar with the Crown. Therefore, the Holy Tsar Nicholas UNDER NO EVENT could he be martyred at the hands of Orthodox Christians. Because Anyone who only thinks against God and His Anointed One is not an Orthodox Christian, but is an anathematized heretic.

The spiritual consequences of the false veneration of the Sovereign Emperor NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH in the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer” Through the wicked false veneration of the Holy King the Redeemer NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH in the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer”, the minions of Satan, in fulfillment of the will of their father - the devil - are imposed on Orthodox Christians: 1) confession of CHRIST BORDER SKY heresy; 2) confession of the heresy of ECUMENISM; 3) spiritual SUICIDE through Slander of oneself in the sin of REGICIDE How? – All this is a direct consequence of the blasphemous false veneration of the Holy King and Redeemer NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH in the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer”. Let us explain in more detail. How is the CHRIST-BEATING HERESY imposed through the blasphemous FALSE REVERENCE of Tsar Nicholas in the Rite of Holiness “PASSION-BEARER”? This heresy is set out in the so-called. "materials of the canonization" of Sovereign Emperor NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH and His Holy Royal Family at the "anniversary" gathering in 2000. Heretics-Christ-fighters reject the Dogma of the Royal Power: that CHRIST OF THE LORD, by the Grace and Grace of Christ the Lord, is the HEAD of the Earthly Military Church, the LEADER of God's Chosen People and the FATHER of the State of God's Heritage (For a summary of the Dogma of the Royal Power, see here: http://vkontakte.ru/topic-1053462_20965677 ). And therefore, they dare to JUDGE Christ of the Lord in His Royal Service, reaching even that level in their heretical madness (see: Jewish rabbis, according to the teachings of the Talmud, are “higher than God”), they dare to put themselves in the place of God and “forgive” the King for his supposed “sins” . For example, we will dissolve His friendship with the Man of God – the Holy New Martyr Grigory Efimovich, etc. In general, the purest water is insane Judaism (for more details, see How a Jew differs from a Jew and a Jew http://vkontakte.ru/topic-1053462_7162671) For heretical Christ-fighters, Tsar Nicholas is not the Anointed of God, but the “first layman” and “ slave of the church" (read: "slave of the priests"). Which is also not surprising, since the overwhelming majority of Christ-fighters are papists, in whose ideas only they – the Clergy – are “shepherds”. And the Head of the Earthly Militant, the Sovereign Shepherd of all Christians on earth - Christ the Lord - by whose command the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils are assembled and approved, Bishops are appointed/removed (including Patriarchs) for the papazhniks of all the "flocked sheep", or rather cattle, over Whom they – the papists – are “doomed” to “domination” (for more details, see about the essence of the heresy of papism http://vkontakte.ru/topic-698603_4613731). Judaizers also think along similar lines. The only difference is that the Judaizers, unlike the papists, consider themselves masters and judges of everyone and everything, even God himself. And therefore, in the heretical “canonization materials,” the position of the Judaizers completely coincided with the position of the papists. When getting acquainted with the “canonization materials”, one can clearly see that the “theological” (more precisely, demonic) justification for the false glorification of the Holy King the Redeemer NICHOLAI ALEXANDROVICH in the Rite of Holiness “Passion-Bearer” was cooked up by the papist heretics and the Judaizers together. Because they were united in the main thing - in their blasphemy against God and His Anointed One - the Greatest Russian Tsar NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH. Apparently, the papists and the Judaizers quickly found a common language. Which, in other matters, is not surprising, since they are spiritually related: the father of all heretics is the same - Satan... The fundamental point of the anti-Christ heresy in the “materials of canonization” of the Tsar is that both the papists and the Judaizers reject the ritual nature of the murder by the Kabbalists of the Holy The Royal Family and consider this crime to be the work of the Russian Orthodox People.

We can name at least one of the main reasons for this - this is the blasphemous false veneration of the Holy Redeemer NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH in the Rite of Holiness "Passion-Bearer", implanted by the servants of Satan. After all, such false veneration is one of the forms of CONFESSION of the ecumenist heresy. Through the false veneration of Tsar Nicholas, spiritual SUICIDE is imposed on us through slander of ourselves in the sin of REGICIDE. Spiritual suicide through slander of ourselves in the sin of regicide occurs when, to please the servants of Satan, we begin to confess that Tsar Nicholas was killed by Orthodox Christians. The Rite of Holiness “Passionate” applies EXCLUSIVELY to those who suffered from fellow believers. Consequently, either the Kabbalist Jews (and other evil spirits who participated in them) are our co-religionists (this option is discussed above), or... the ritual murder was committed by “Orthodox Christians” (this is the present case). The assertions that the sin of Regicide lies on the Russian Chosen People are lies and blasphemy, since the Russian People did not kill “Christ of the Lord” - the New Testament “bishops and elders” did this at the hands of Jewish Kabbalists. It is they - our New Testament "Bishops and Elders" - like once their Old Testament would-be predecessors, out of ENVY (Mark 15:10) out of people's love for the Anointed of God, they decided to kill and KILLED (Matt. 12:14; Matt. 14:5 ; Mark 3:6; Mark 11:18; Mark 14:1; Luke 19:47; Luke 22:2; John 5:16; John 5:18; John 7:1; John .8:40; John 11:53; Acts 9:23) “Christ of the Lord” by the hands of fanatical Satanists. On us - on the Russian People - there is a completely different sin - the sin of the Holy Apostles, the sin of JUDES, for we BETRAYED our Sovereign Shepherd the King-Father. The Russian Chosen People, in violation of the Council Vow of 1613 to be faithful to God's Chosen Ones - the Autocratic Tsars from the House of Romanov - like the Apostle Peter (Apostle Judas and Apostle Peter essentially committed the same sin - BETRAYED their Teacher; the difference between them is that Peter was able humble themselves and come to the Savior with Repentance, and Judas, repenting from despair, hanged himself) three times, out of cowardice, they renounced FAITHFUL service to God and His Anointed King. The sin of the Apostle Peter is the sin of renouncing Christ (we also renounced Christ, for the Anointed of God is the Earthly Christ and the living icon of His Heavenly Prototype - the Lord Jesus Christ; according to the Dogma of the VII Ecumenical Council on Icon Veneration, “the attitude to the image is to ascend to the prototype”) and grx "Bishops, scribes and elders" because of proud madness and satanic envy, who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ and His Anointed, the Holy King, to death. – These are completely DIFFERENT sins: they have different culprits, they have different degrees of severity, and most importantly, they have completely different Spiritual meaning. In no case should they be confused. Through false veneration of the Tsar, the servants of Satan pursue one very important goal: to make the Russian People themselves agree to become a SCAPHEGOAT. The true regicides are trying to pin their sin on the Orthodox – the sin of the ritual murder of Tsar Nicholas. The scapegoat - on which all sins are hung - is an integral element of Kabbalistic ritual. It is precisely this order from the world behind the scenes that is carried out by the heretical, lukewarm and false members of our Russian Orthodox Church, who instill false veneration of the Tsar. And now the question is: if we ourselves actively participate in the deeds of darkness by slandering ourselves in the sin of regicide (through false veneration of the Tsar in the Order of Passion-Bearer), then why are we surprised by those MASS spiritual SUICIDES that are committed by our brothers and sisters at the so-called “rites of conciliar repentance in regicide"?

WHY YOU CAN’T PARTICIPATE IN PSEUDO “CONFLICT” “REPENTANCE” IN THE REGICIDE OCCURRING IN TAININ Satan has always hated genuine Repentance, genuine conversion and the return of man to God. When the devil fails to knock a person off his feet, he tries to “knock him off the right road” and direct him along the wrong (soul-destructive) path. One of these “newfangled” ways was pseudo “conciliar” pseudo “repentance” for the regicide. These so-called rites of “conciliar” “repentance” (or rather slander) are the most real DEMNITY and spiritual SUICIDE. Why? FIRST, there is NO sin of Regicide on the Russian People. We are burdened with a more SERIOUS sin - the sin of TREASON, the sin of violating the Council Vow of 1613. They killed the Tsar - completely different people. Regicide is the sin of the Jewish Kabbalists. The sin that these CONSCIOUS servants of the devil are trying to pin on us. So that we OURSELVES take upon themselves their sin, and in a practical way, and bear God’s punishment for it. After all, from the Word of God we see that when we repent of a sin that we did not commit: on the one hand, we slander ourselves, on the other, we will be responsible for the sin that we take upon ourselves. In the Holy Scriptures we have an extremely strong and instructive example of how terrible and soul-destructive false (i.e., repentance for a sin we did not commit) “repentance” for regicide is. Let's open the second book of Kings and read what happened to the man who slandered himself in the sin of regicide. “After the death of Saul, on the third day a man came from Saul’s camp.. Having come to David, he fell to the ground and worshiped [him]. And David said to the young man who told him: How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? And said the boy who was telling him, "I came by chance to Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul fell on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen overtook him. Then he looked back and, seeing me, called me. And I said, "Here I am." He said to me: who are you? And I said to him: I am an Amalekite. Then he said to me: come to me and kill me, for mortal anguish has seized me, my soul is still within me. And I came to him and killed him, for I knew that he would not live after his fall: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his hand, and brought them to my master here. Then David took his clothes and tore them, and all the people also, Those who were with him mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son, because they fell by the sword. And David said to the servant, Why were you not afraid to lift up your hand to destroy the CHRIST OF THE LORD? And David called one of the youths and said to him: Come, kill him. And [he] killed him, and he died. And David said to him [to the youth who slandered himself in the regicide]: YOUR BLOOD IS ON YOUR HEAD (i.e., for the sin that you took upon yourself, you will answer), for YOUR mouth HAS WITNESSED against you (since you yourself took upon yourself this sin, which you did not commit), when you said: for I have killed the Christ of the Lord" (2 Samuel 1:1-16).

SECONDLY, anyone who raises his hand against the Anointed One of God falls under the 11th anathema on the Week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the curse of the Pious Zemstvo-Local Council of 1613 (http://www.ic-xc-nika.ru/texts/Alexandrov_M/Dokument... ). Thus, those who take upon themselves (through the Sacrament of Repentance) the sin of murdering God’s Anointed One, knowing or not, themselves (by their own stupidity) put their heads “under the sword” of God’s curse. Those. they simply go under anathema. In this case, it is appropriate to remember how the true Christ-killers (the Bishops and elders of Israel, who out of envy betrayed the Lord to death) vilely “hanged” their sin - deicide - on the common Jewish people. “When the morning came, all the HIGH PRIESTS and the elders (i.e., those in power and the rich) of the people had a meeting about Jesus, to put HIM TO DEATH; and having bound Him, they took Him away and handed Him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor. On the feast of [Easter ] the governor had the custom of releasing to the people one prisoner whom [the people wanted].At that time they had a famous prisoner called Barabbas: so, when they had assembled, Pilate said to them: whom do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ ? For he knew that [the Bishops and Elders] betrayed Him OUT OF ENVY. But the HIGH PRIESTS and the elders aroused the people to ask Barabbas, and to destroy Jesus. Pilate, seeing that the confusion was increasing, took water and washed his hands before the people, and said: I am innocent of the blood of this righteous One, behold, and ALL THE PEOPLE answered and said, “HIS BLOOD BE ON US and ON OUR CHILDREN” (Matthew 27:1-25). This is how, succumbing to demonic seduction on the part of the Bishops and “elders,” the common Jewish people took upon themselves a monstrous sin - the sin of deicide. “Such is reckless rage,” says Saint. John Chrysostom, - such is the evil passion... let it be that you cursed yourself; Why are you bringing a curse on your descendants too?!” The most terrible thing is that the retribution for this curse, which the Jewish people, through UNREASON, being deceived by their “blind leaders” (Matt. 15:14), turned out to be effective and “was fulfilled in the further history of the Jews, who have since been scattered throughout the world , in those countless “pogroms” to which they were constantly subjected, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy (chap. 28:49-57; 64-67)” (St. Averky Taushev). “The Jews take upon themselves and their children the monstrous sin of deicide; This retribution soon befell them when the Romans exterminated them and their children. However, UNTIL NOW the Jews, like the children of those who killed the Lord, bear His blood on themselves. For for lack of faith in the Lord they are persecuted by everyone and there is no mercy for them” (Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria). So why do we Russian people, to the “calling drum” of today’s New Testament Bishops and “elders,” take upon ourselves the sin of killing the earthly Christ – the Anointed of God, who is the living icon of the Lord Jesus Christ?! Does the example of the Jewish people teach us nothing?! The sage was truly right when he said: “The times are still the same, only the faces change.” Like, since it happened 2000 years ago, why not try it now?!!

According to Christian doctrine, “there is one God without sin,” all people, even the greatest righteous people, commit sins. Nevertheless, the church singles out people who, through prayer and good deeds, have received special honor before God and have acquired holiness.

Canonization of saints- elevation to the rank of saints. Conditions for canonization - there must be a cult of veneration of the saint, miracles from relics, objects, incorruptibility of relics, the flow of myrrh from consecrated icons in the church, evidence of the holiness of life.

Holiness(“holiest of all saints”) - only one Mother of God, the Virgin Mary.

Apostles – this is a special rite of holiness. The Apostles are joined by the Equal-to-the-Apostles - they, like the Apostles, brought Christianity to entire nations (the Russian Orthodox Church venerates Princess Olga and Prince Vladimir as Equal-to-the-Apostles).

Prophets – Old Testament prophets Moses, Elijah the Prophet, etc.

Righteous - canonized laymen (Abraham, righteous Juliana, etc.).

Reverends – canonized monks (St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Seraphim of Sarov).

Saints – canonized highest church hierarchs (patriarchs, metropolitans) - Metropolitan Peter (14th century), Patriarch Tikhon (died in 1925).

Martyrs – those who died for the faith, the most massive rank of holiness (Great Martyr Tatiana, Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia - 2nd century, the new martyrs of Lenin-Stalin times have now been canonized)

The faithful - canonized rulers (kings, princes) - Boris and Gleb, Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy.

Passion-bearers –“those who endured the passions”, who died deeply as Christians, but not for the faith - like royal passion-bearers, Nicholas II and the royal family were canonized.

Blessed - canonized holy fools, there were especially many of them in Rus', this is a unique contribution of Russian Orthodoxy to Ecumenical Orthodoxy (“fool” is a disease of God, holy fools in Christ walked naked, pretended that they were terrible sinners, but in fact they did not sin even in women’s baths ). Basil the Blessed. In Rus' there were many deceivers who only played the role of holy fools, but in fact were not holy fools in Christ - they, naturally, were not canonized (example: Grishka Rasputin)

Until 1054 the church was united and Orthodox both in the West and in the East (the popes sometimes even saved Orthodoxy, since heresies often developed in the East, in Byzantium).

1054 – Great Schism(schism) of churches - the eastern part remained Orthodox, the western part became Catholic.

XVI century – Reformation- split in the Western Church between Catholics and Protestants. Thus, three Christian denominations have emerged: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

The main differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

Differences in the sacraments:

Baptism - for the Orthodox, complete immersion of the person being baptized (in the same way as the first Christians baptized), for Catholics - sprinkling.

Communion - for the Orthodox - as in the first centuries of Christianity - full communion for everyone (both priests and laity are given both bread and wine), for Catholics - only bread for the laity, since 1965, lay Catholics can demand full communion for themselves; consecrated bread is also different - Orthodox have leavened bread, Catholics have unleavened bread

Confirmation - for the Orthodox immediately after baptism, for Catholics - anointing only upon reaching the age of ecclesiastical majority (not earlier than 12-14 years)

repentance - among the Orthodox they see the person confessing, among the Catholics - in the booths.

2. B management churches - Catholics have the sole head of the entire Catholic Church throughout the world (the Pope), while Orthodox Christians have the principle of autocephaly - self-government of local churches (Greek, Bulgarian, Russian, etc.).

3. Chief holiday- For the Orthodox, Easter, for Catholics, Easter was eclipsed by Christmas.

4. Days of fasting- The Orthodox tradition of early Christianity is Wednesday and Friday, the Catholics have Saturday. One of the Ecumenical Councils noted this violation of apostolic custom in the Western Church.

5. Liturgy(service with communion) for Catholics - only in Latin, for Orthodox - in national languages ​​(since 1965, Catholics have allowed services in national languages, but Latin remains the main language). The Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, is recognized as divinely inspired.

6. Celibacy(celibacy) - in Orthodoxy only for monks, among Catholics - and for priests (in Orthodoxy priests are married).

7. B rituals and symbols– Orthodox Christians cross themselves with three fingers from right to left, Catholics – with five fingers from left to right, the main cross is four-pointed for Catholics, eight-pointed for Orthodox Christians.

8. Catholics introduced new dogmas, which are not in Orthodoxy:

About the infallibility of the Pope (in Orthodoxy only the Ecumenical Council is infallible).

About purgatory (in Orthodoxy there is only heaven and hell).

About the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (according to Orthodox doctrine, she was conceived in the usual way and was subject to original sin).

On the supererogatory merits of saints (hence the centuries-old practice of indulgences)

About the filioque (the insertion of “and from the Son” into the Creed - that the Holy Spirit comes not only from God the Father, as the Orthodox believe, but also from God the Son). Hence the special technique of Catholic prayer - getting used to the role of the crucified Christ. Artificiality in worship - organ, sculptures in churches. In Orthodoxy there is “smart” (heartfelt) prayer, getting used to the role of Christ is combined with pride, there is no organ or sculptures, there are only icons and spiritual choral singing.

All these differences exist with very great similarities between the two faiths. It is very important that Catholics and Orthodox Christians mutually recognize the grace of priests, the canonicity of their ordinations, the reality of each other’s sacraments (if a Catholic priest converts to Orthodoxy or vice versa, he is not re-ordained, but immediately made a priest - it is considered that he has already been ordained).

Geography of Christian denominations:

Orthodox countries– Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia (Armenia is close to Orthodoxy, but there are certain differences).

Catholic countries– Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Philippines, all of Latin America, Lithuania.

Protestant countries– England, USA, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Canada, Australia, Estonia.

There are the most Catholics in the world, the least Orthodox (this is what happened historically)

The church divides the entire host of righteous people into the so-called ranks of holiness: princes, saints, saints, holy fools, holy laymen and wives.

A special place both in the history of Russian culture and among the saints canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church is occupied by Prince Vladimir (? -1015 son of Prince Svyatoslav, Prince of Novgorod (from 969), Grand Duke of Kiev (from 980), who received the nickname " "Red Sun." What is remarkable about this prince and how did he take his place in the pantheon of Russian saints?

To answer these questions, it is necessary to analyze the situation that developed in Kievan Rus by the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries. During his lifetime, Prince Svyatoslav transferred the Kiev throne to his son Yaropolk, another son Oleg became the Drevlyan prince, and sent Vladimir to Novgorod.

In 972, with the death of Prince Svyatoslav, civil strife broke out between his sons. It all started with the fact that the Kiev governor essentially initiated the campaign against the Drevlyans, which ended in the victory of the Kyivans and the death of the Drevlyan prince Oleg. During the retreat, he fell into the fortress moat and was trampled by his own warriors. Having learned about these events, Prince Vladimir gathers Scandinavian mercenaries, kills his brother Yaropolk and seizes the Kiev throne. If Yaropolk was distinguished by religious tolerance, then Vladimir at the time of the conquest of power was a convinced pagan. After defeating his brother in 980, Vladimir built a pagan temple in Kyiv with idols of especially revered pagan gods, such as Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog and others. In honor of the gods, games and bloody sacrifices with human sacrifices were held. And Vladimir began to reign in Kyiv alone, says the chronicle, and placed idols on the hill behind the tower courtyard: a wooden Perun with a silver head and a golden mustache, then Khors, Dazhdbog, Stirbog, Simargl and Mokosh. And they made sacrifices to them, calling them gods... And the Russian land and that hill were defiled with blood" (around 980). Not only those close to the prince, but also many townspeople treated this approvingly. And just a few years after the reign in Kiev, in 988-989, Vladimir himself accepted Christianity, and also converted his subjects to it. But how did a convinced pagan suddenly believe in Christ? It is unlikely that he was guided only by an understanding of the state benefits of Christianity.

Perhaps this was caused by repentance for the atrocities committed, fatigue from the wild life. Metropolitan Hilarion of Kiev, monk Jacob and chronicler St. Nestor (11th century) named the reasons for Prince Vladimir’s personal conversion to the Christian faith, pointing out the action of the calling grace of God.

In his “Sermon on Law and Grace,” St. Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kiev, writes about Prince Vladimir: “A visit from the Most High came upon him, the All-Merciful Eye of the Good God looked upon him, and reason shone in his heart. He understood the vanity of idolatry’s delusion and sought the One God ", who created everything visible and invisible. And especially he always heard about the Orthodox, Christ-loving and faith-strong Greek land... Hearing all this, he was kindled in spirit and desired in his heart to be a Christian and to convert the whole Earth to Christianity."

At the same time, Vladimir, as an intelligent ruler, understood that a power consisting of separate principalities that were always at war with each other needed some kind of super idea that would unite the Russian people and keep the princes from internecine strife. On the other hand, in relations with Christian states, the pagan country turned out to be an unequal partner, with which Vladimir did not agree.

Regarding the question of the time and place of the Baptism of Prince Vladimir, there are several versions. According to the generally accepted opinion, Prince Vladimir was baptized in 998 in Korsun (Greek Chersonese in Crimea); according to the second version, Prince Vladimir was baptized in 987 in Kiev, and according to the third - in 987 in Vasilkov (not far from Kyiv, now the city of Vasilkov). Apparently the second one should be considered the most reliable, since the monk Jacob and the Monk Nestor agree on the year 987; monk Jacob says that Prince Vladimir lived 28 years after baptism (1015-28 = 987), and also that in the third year after Epiphany (i.e. in 989) he made a campaign against Korsun and took it; the chronicler Reverend Nestor says that Prince Vladimir was baptized in the summer of 6495 from the creation of the world, which corresponds to 987 from the Nativity of Christ (6695-5508 = 987). So, having decided to convert to Christianity, Vladimir captures Chersonesus and sends messengers to the Byzantine Emperor Vasily the Second demanding that he give him the emperor’s sister Anna as his wife. Otherwise, threatening to approach Constantinople. Vladimir was flattered to become related to one of the powerful imperial houses and, along with the adoption of Christianity, this was a wise step aimed at strengthening the state. The people of Kiev and residents of the southern and western cities of Rus' reacted calmly to baptism, which cannot be said about the northern and eastern Russian lands. For example, to conquer the Novgorodians, it even took an entire military expedition of the Kievites. The Christian religion was considered by the Novgorodians as an attempt to infringe on the ancient primordial autonomy of the northern and eastern lands.

In their eyes, Vladimir seemed to be an apostate who had violated ancestral liberties.

First of all, Prince Vladimir baptized 12 of his sons and many boyars. He ordered all the idols to be destroyed, the main idol, Perun, to be thrown into the Dnieper, and the clergy to preach a new faith in the city.

On the appointed day, a mass baptism of Kiev residents took place at the confluence of the Pochayna River into the Dnieper. “The very next day,” says the chronicler, “Vladimir with the Tsaritsyn and Korsun priests went out to the Dnieper, and countless people gathered there. Enter the water and stand there alone up to the neck, others up to the chest, the young ones near the shore up to the chest, some were holding babies, and the adults were wandering, while the priests performed prayers, standing still. And joy was visible in heaven and on earth over so many souls being saved... People Having been baptized, they went home. Vladimir was glad that he knew God and his people, looked at the sky and said: “Christ God, who created heaven and earth! Look at these new people and let them, Lord, know You, the true God, just as Christian countries have known You. Establish in them a right and unwavering faith and help me, Lord, against the devil, so that I may overcome his wiles, trusting in You and Your strength."

This most important event took place, according to the chronicle chronology accepted by some researchers, in 988, according to others - in 989-990. Following Kiev, Christianity gradually comes to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Novgorod, Rostov, Vladimir-Volynsky, Polotsk, Turov, Tmutarakan, where dioceses are created. Under Prince Vladimir, the vast majority of the Russian population accepted the Christian faith and Kievan Rus became a Christian country. The Baptism of Rus' created the necessary conditions for the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Bishops headed by the Metropolitan arrived from Byzantium, and priests came from Bulgaria, bringing with them liturgical books in the Slavic language; Temples were built, schools were opened to train clergy from the Russian environment.

The chronicle reports (under 988) that Prince Vladimir “ordered to cut down churches and put them in the places where the idols had previously stood. And he built a church in the name of St. Basil on the hill where the idol of Perun and others stood and where the prince and others performed their services for them. people. And in other cities they began to build churches and appoint priests in them and bring people to Baptism in all cities and villages." With the help of Greek craftsmen, a majestic stone church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Tithe) was built in Kiev and the saints were transferred to it relics of Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. This temple symbolized the true triumph of Christianity in Kievan Rus and materially personified the “spiritual Russian Church.”

Many of Vladimir’s orders designed to strengthen Christianity were imbued with a pagan spirit. At first, Vladimir tried to embody the Christian ideal, refused to use criminal penalties, forgave robbers, and distributed food to the poor. Vladimir's merit is that, through the adoption of Christianity, he put Kievan Rus on a par with powerful European states and also created conditions for cooperation between Rus and other Christian nations. The Russian Church became a unifying force for residents of different lands, since a multinational state, such as Rus' in those days, could develop not on the basis of a national, but on the basis of a religious idea. Orthodoxy brought with it to Rus' many of the achievements of Byzantium, such as stone architecture, icon painting, frescoes, chronicle writing, school and copying of books. Thanks to the combination of these factors, Rus' entered the community of civilized states, which served as an impetus for the spiritual and cultural development of Rus' at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries. Under Vladimir, defensive lines were built along the Desna, Osetr, Trubezh, Sula and other rivers, Kyiv was re-fortified and built up with stone buildings. After his death, Prince Vladimir was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. His memorial day is celebrated on July 15.

It is significant that one of the first Russian princes canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church were Vladimir’s beloved sons, princes Boris of Rostov and Gleb of Murom. However, they were glorified not as “autocrats”, but as “passion-bearers*”. Their glory consisted in their voluntary renunciation of power and self-sacrifice, on which the Russian state of the era of Yaroslav the Wise was established. From now on, all Russian princes were called upon to follow this model of behavior of a Christian prince, whose religious duty was to sacrifice himself for the salvation of his people. In the eyes of ancient Russian people, the principality, at the foundation of which a sacrifice was made, received an advantage over others, for it gained firm hope of salvation from enemies through the prayers of the prince buried in the city. It was the princely tomb, as a sacred place containing miraculous remains, that turned out to be the “point” around which a feeling of another reality arose, growing into church veneration.

A striking example is the history of the canonization of the Yaroslavl princes Vasily and Constantine. In 1501, after a fire in the Yaroslavl cathedral, two coffins were found with remains identified with the brothers Vasily and Konstantin, information about which is not contained in any chronicle. Soon a church celebration was established for them, and the monk Pachomius wrote a life of a legendary nature, presenting the princes as heroes who died during the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The attitude towards the tomb temples was also special. Thus, a significant number of legends are associated with the tomb of the Moscow princely dynasty - the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral, which was perceived as the place of residence of the souls of the princes buried here. It is no coincidence, apparently, that in this connection the custom arose of taking an oath to the dead fathers in the temple to be “at one” with their brothers, as well as the custom of asking the graves of their ancestors for help in military campaigns. This attitude towards the place of the princely burial was largely due to the fact that the ancient Russian people saw in the prince, first of all, their common ancestor, the “father of the people,” whose very purpose was to serve the clan, the world, and the fatherland. An expressive episode is contained in one of the editions of the life of Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky.

In 1571, during the invasion of Moscow by the Crimean Khan Devlet Girey, the monk of the Nativity Monastery in Vladimir prayed near the shrine with the relics of Alexander Nevsky. Suddenly he clearly saw the holy princes Boris and Gleb enter the temple and call on Alexander Yaroslavich to rise to the defense of the fatherland. Then the three of them go to the Assumption Cathedral for Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vsevolod, Georgy and Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Then they rush to Rostov for Peter of Ordynsky and, thus, gather the “holy army” for the defense of their native land.

The entire host of holy princes, depending on the feat they suffered in life, is divided into several groups. The first group consists of princes equal to the apostles, the essence of whose feat is the spread of Christianity. This is, first of all, the holy Prince Vladimir, the baptist of Rus', and his grandmother, the holy princess Olga. Constantine, the enlightener of the remote pagan land of Murom, was also ranked among the rank of Equal-to-the-Apostles princes.

The second group consists of monastic princes. The humble worker of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery was Prince Nikola Svyatosha (12th century), in the distant northern Spaso-Kamenny Monastery the Zaozersky Prince Andrei labored, who in his early youth took monastic vows (15th century). The most numerous is the group of passion-bearing princes. Here, princes who became victims of political murders are glorified (Andrei Bogolyubsky, Igor Kievsky - 12th century), and princes who died on the battlefield (Georgy Vsevolodovich - 13th century), and princes who suffered martyrdom defending the Christian faith (Mikhail Chernigovsky , Vasilko Konstantinovich, Roman Olgovich - 13th century).

Most of the princes awarded heavenly glory lived during the era of the Mongol-Tatar invasion, when historical circumstances obliged them to follow the example of Boris and Gleb (Mikhail Tverskoy, Mikhail Chernigovsky, Alexander Nevsky). In the era of the formation of a centralized state, princely sanctity dries up. From the moment the Byzantine state ideal was adopted by the Russians, not a single Moscow ruler was canonized.

However, from this moment the development of the process of sacralization of royal power began. Within it, attempts were repeatedly made to introduce the tsars into the host of Russian holiness by virtue of the sacrament of anointing performed on them, the most important component of the rite of coronation. However, the initiatives that came from the tsarist government itself were not destined to become a phenomenon of significance for popular religiosity. In these attempts to glorify monarchs, or rather in the literary basis that was created for this, the most important component, so necessary for popular recognition of the holiness of the sovereign, was missing - the sacrifice he made to his people, the fatherland. And in the 20th century. The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family were glorified as passion-bearers.

The ranks of the heavenly powers and saints in Orthodoxy. Heavenly hierarchy.

Since the creation of the world and man, there have always been creatures that hinder people, and those that help. Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim - perhaps there is not a single person on earth who has not heard about these disembodied forces. Since ancient times, people have known about the existence of angels, they were revered, and continue to be revered in many religions; angels are revered by almost all peoples of the world. Angels are mentioned more than once in the Holy Scriptures; their actions are described in fulfilling the will of God, helping the righteous, as well as protecting people from troubles and misfortunes with their angelic cover. But angels are mentioned not only in the main Christian book, information about them was also left by the Holy Fathers, to whom heavenly beings appeared more than once and conveyed to them the will of the Almighty; they are called angels, that is, messengers.

The Lord endowed his disembodied messengers with many gifts and powerful powers, with the help of which God’s spiritual essences can influence the world of things and man, but only according to the will of the Lord and his desire, fulfilling his will. With all their essence, angels love their Creator and remain in tireless gratitude to him for the bliss in which they reside, and this bliss cannot be compared with anything. There are a lot of angels, sometimes a person’s mind gets lost in their countless numbers. In fact, everything is much simpler, because among the heavenly angels there is their own harmony, order and hierarchy, which is described in the work of the disciple of the Holy Apostle Paul - the passion-bearer and martyr Dionysius the Areopagite. According to the writings of Saint Dionysius, the heavenly hierarchy has three degrees, each of which has three ranks, respectively, a total of nine spiritual entities:

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones - are distinguished by their closeness to the Almighty God. Dominance;
2. Forces and Powers - emphasize the basis of the universe and world dominion;
3. The principles - Archangels and Angels - are distinguished by their closeness to every person.

Our Lord Jesus Christ pours out his love on all his angels, starting with the highest ranks, therefore the ranks of angels are in complete harmony and subordination of the lower ranks to the higher ones, according to the hierarchy.

Seraphim - this name means “Flaming, Fiery.” They are always close to the Lord, of all the angels they are closest to the Heavenly Father. They burn with divine and great love for the Lord, transfer it to other faces, inflaming them. This is their main purpose and their main task.

Cherubim - This name means "Chariot". The prophet Ezekiel saw them in the form of a lion, an eagle, an ox and a man. This means that Cherubim combine intelligence, obedience, strength and speed, are God's chariot and stand before the throne of God. Cherubim know everything that the Lord allows His children to know; through them God sends wisdom and knowledge into the world.

Thrones are spiritual entities shining with the light of knowledge of God. God Himself rests on them not sensually, but spiritually, and carries out His just judgment. Their purpose is to help the children of God, to be honest and to act only in justice.

Dominions - rule over subsequent ranks of angels. Their direct purpose is to protect from the fall, tame obstinacy, conquer the thirst for temptation and piously control your feelings.

Powers were created by the Lord in order to work miracles, to bestow the gifts of clairvoyance, healing from illnesses, and miracles to the holy saints of God and the righteous holy fathers. They help people to endure hardships and hardships, bestow wisdom, fortitude and prudence.

Authorities- They are endowed with special power by the True God, they are able to tame the actions and power of Satan. Their direct purpose is to protect earthly inhabitants from the machinations of the devil, to protect ascetics in their pious life, and to pacify the natural elements.

Beginnings- lead the lower degree of angels, direct their actions to fulfill the will of God. They rule the universe, the world and the peoples inhabiting the earth. They teach earthlings to live not for their own benefit, but for the glory of God.

Archangels- created to bring good news to the world of people, to reveal the mystery of the Christian faith, and to convey the will of the Lord to people. They are conductors - Revelations.

Angels- the main defenders of ordinary people, every person has, they guide him on the righteous path, protect him from evil spirits and evil spirits, keep him from falling and help the fallen rise.

According to the Holy Scriptures, Archangel Michael, the heavenly warrior and commander-in-chief of the angelic army, is placed above all the angelic ranks. Led by the Archangel Michael, the Divine Angels cast down the proud angel and everyone who followed Satan into the underworld. The great warrior of the heavenly forces, Archangel Michael, took part in many heavenly battles and defended the people of Israel in troubles and adversity.

In addition to the disembodied forces, there is a distribution of all saints into ranks of holiness, which are understood in different categories, namely:

1. Old Testament Saints - Holy Fathers and Prophets
2. New Testament Saints - Apostles, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlighteners, Saints, Great Martyrs and Martyrs, Confessors and Passion-Bearers, Reverends, Fools, Faithful, Silverless.

So, who are these New Testament saints?

The True God created his spiritual essences intelligent and strong, and distributed them according to the type of service. According to merit, lifestyle and degree of holiness - Old Testament and New Testament Saints are distributed.