The peculiarity of the appearance of the Apostle Paul among the other disciples of Christ is that he was not an apostle either from 12 or from 70 and did not meet Christ before the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension, but he met Christ who “ascended into heaven and those who sit at the right hand of the Father” (Creed). As Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh writes about the holy Apostle Paul: “... He is also a witness of Christ, and a witness of something extremely important: the fact that a person who did not believe in Christ before, hated Him, persecuted Him, suddenly found himself face to face with Christ resurrected." The shortest, shocking path from a furious persecutor to His wisest and most devoted servant on the missionary path of the apostle - the paths and Providence of the Lord Almighty are truly inscrutable...
The Holy Apostle Paul was born in the 5th century AD in the city of Tarsus in the province of Cilicia, a historical region located in southeastern Turkey. His parents, noble and pious Jews from the tribe of Benjamin, came out of Roman slavery and became free people, received Roman citizenship, and with it all the rights and privileges of Roman citizens, which were inherited by their son Saul, named so, obviously, in honor of the biblical king. Tarsa was known as a city equal in status as a center of education and culture to Athens and Alexandria. Researchers of the life of the Apostle Paul write that in his youth, based on the manner of presenting his thoughts, grace, depth, volume of formulations, he apparently received a fair education: he was familiar with ancient literature, spoke equally Aramaic - the language of the Pharisees, Latin and Greek. The theology of the Torah was taught to him by the famous Rabbi Gamaliel the Great, which the Apostle himself says in “Acts”: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, raised in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, carefully instructed in the law of my fathers” (Acts 22: 3). By the way, it is known about the teacher of the young Pharisee Saul, the righteous Gamaliel, that he was very tolerant of Christianity, eventually accepted Holy Baptism, and the celebration of his honorable name is now celebrated on August 2/15 - the day of the transfer of the relics.
The fact that Saul was preparing to become a rabbi is also known from the text in “Acts” (18:3): while studying with Gamaliel, he also mastered sewing tents - rabbis did not have the right to take money for their service to God, so they were forced to learn what -or craft in order to be able to feed themselves.
Based on the evidence given in the Acts, he was part of the Sanhedrin and witnessed the death of the first martyr Archdeacon Stephen (Acts 7:54-59) among those who approved his execution, and even guarded the clothes of those who stoned Stephen. According to Acts, young Saul received the right to persecute Christians, which he zealously carried out (Acts 8:3). The apostle himself, in the purity and frankness of his repentance, ardently lamenting, speaks about this already at the trial of King Agrippa during his first arrest: “It’s true, I thought that I should act a lot against Jesus of Nazareth. This is what I did in Jerusalem; Having received power from the high priests, I imprisoned many saints, and when they were killed, I gave my voice to it. And throughout all the synagogues I tormented them many times and forced them to blaspheme Jesus, and, being too furious against them, I persecuted them even in foreign cities” (Acts 26:9-11).
The meeting with the risen Christ of the Pharisee Saul happened on his way to Damascus, where he followed with a letter requested from the high priest in order to take into custody and transport to Jerusalem for the trial of the Sanhedrin all who professed Christ's teaching in Damascus. However, as he approached Damascus, in broad daylight, “light from heaven, surpassing the radiance of the sun,” fell on Saul, shining on him and everyone who was with him. Seeing such a sign, Saul fell to the ground, and a voice addressed him with the words: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? He said: Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!” It is difficult for us to imagine what would happen to us if we heard Christ’s direct address to us, and would we experience such a shock? It is not surprising that Saul came to the state in which he was brought, according to God's command from heaven, to the city - for three days he did not see anything around him, did not eat or drink, being in unceasing prayer.
At the same time, in Damascus, Ananias, an apostle from the age of 70, who was there, had another vision: the Lord appeared to him and ordered him to go and find a Tarsian named Saul in the house of Judas, and lay his hand on him so that he could receive his sight. The notoriety of Saul, a persecutor of Christians, had long spread, and Ananias told the Lord about this, but “the Lord said to him: go, for he is my chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15). Ananias went and did as the Lord directed, and Saul woke up, and “suddenly he received his sight, and stood up and was baptized, and having eaten food, he was strengthened” (Acts 9:18-19). About the Baptism of Saul, St. John Chrysostom says that he became “from a wolf - a lamb, from thorns - grapes, from tares - wheat, from an enemy - a friend, from a blasphemer - a theologian.”
However, Saul did not succeed in strengthening his good name immediately; in order to gain it, he had to endure rejection by many. Wanting to join the disciples of Christ, he came to Jerusalem, but Christians shunned him, not believing that such extraordinary changes could happen to a person like him so quickly. Saul found support from the Apostle Barnabas, who knew everything that happened to him, how boldly he preached about Christ in Damascus, how the Jews, outraged by his Baptism, watched over him, trying to kill him, and how other disciples saved him by letting him out of the window in a basket along the wall (Acts 9:19–25). Barnabas told the other apostles about this, and the apostolic brethren sent Paul through Caesarea to Tarsa.
The next time we meet Saul in the pages of Acts is before his first missionary journey from the spring of 45 to the spring of 49. According to the Acts, Saul went out to serve with the Apostle Barnabas from Antioch and, coming to Cyprus, converted the proconsul Sergius Paulus to the faith of Christ, and from now on he himself began to be called Paul. During this time, Barnabas and Paul founded many communities - in Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. The Holy Apostle Paul took part in the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, held in 51, where the Apostle Peter uttered an ardent word against the pagans' observance of the Mosaic law of purification through circumcision, arguing that the change in their soul and consciousness was already great enough. He said that they, like the baptized Jews, were given a testimony of God, “who made no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). The apostles Barnabas and Paul, who by that time had completed their first missionary journey, spoke about the miracles performed by the Lord through them when they preached among the pagans, which became a wonderful confirmation of the speech of the Apostle Peter at the Council.
From 51 to 54, accompanied by the Apostle Silas, the Apostle Paul set out on his second missionary journey. Having first gone through the churches he had founded earlier, he moved to Macedonia and there founded communities in Philippi, Thessaloniki (Thessalonica) and Veria. In Lystra he was joined by his beloved disciple Apostle Timothy; there are two wonderful letters to him, from which it is clear that the Apostle Paul had truly fatherly feelings towards this young apostle, teaching, warning and blessing him, repeatedly addressing him “my son”, "beloved son"
He preached in Athens and Corinth, in the third apostolic campaign, which lasted from 56 to 58, he again visited the churches of Asia Minor - the apostle always passed through all the communities he had previously founded in order to maintain and strengthen the faith and observe how God's institutions were observed here .
His first imprisonment happened in Jerusalem under the Jewish king Agrippa and the Roman proconsuls Felix, then Festus in 59. At his request, the holy apostle, as a Roman citizen, was sent to Rome. On the way near Malta, the ship was wrecked, the journey was delayed, and the apostle arrived in Rome only in 62. In Rome, the Apostle Paul was in favor with the authorities of that time and therefore could preach relatively freely. From here, in 63, he sent out Epistles with Tychicus to the Philippians, to the Colossians, to the Ephesians, and then to the Jews of Palestine.
Further, the description of the life of the holy Apostle Paul, according to the “Acts”, already ends; historians disagree about his future fate. Some believe that he was executed by order of Nero. Others claim that this happened later, and then, after two years of imprisonment, the Senate and the Emperor released him from custody, after which the apostle again went on a trip to the east with his disciple Titus, visited Crete, where he left Titus to work in the rank of bishop of the Cretan Church with the commission to ordain elders throughout the island. This is confirmed by his instructions in the Epistle to Titus on the episcopal ministry.
In the spring of 65, he again visited other cities in Asia Minor, in Miletus. Later, he ordained the Apostle Timothy to the rank of Apostle of Ephesus, but, apparently, he himself did not visit Ephesus. Arriving in Corinth, he stayed there for some time, and then met on the way with the Apostle Peter, and together they walked through Dalmatia and Italy to Rome, where Peter remained, and Paul in 66 moved west to Spain.
In 67, the Apostle Paul returned to Rome. There he continued his sermon, but so zealously that it also touched the court of Emperor Nero - Nero’s beloved concubine was converted to the faith of Christ. After contacting her, she refused to continue prodigal life. According to the Legend of St. John Chrysostom about him, this was the reason for his next detention, condemnation and execution.
Unlike the crucified Peter, who was not a citizen of Rome, Paul was beheaded, according to legend, around the year 67 of Christ at a place called the Salvian Springs on the Ostian Way. His honorable remains were buried by pious Christians near Rome, and a sign was placed at this place. Saint John Chrysostom, in the Legend of the Life of the Holy Apostle Paul, wrote that angels flocked to this place and demons were turned away, and many, many flocked here to worship. Later, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Constantine the Great, following the advice of St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome, built a small church here in 324, which was then completed by Emperor Valentinian. The church is called San Paolo fuori le Mura.
Scientists carried out a carbon analysis of the remains buried in the sarcophagus under the altar, and established their age - the period between the 1st and 2nd centuries after the birth of Christ. They did not dare to open the sarcophagus - such ancient remains could collapse upon contact with external environment, therefore, the research was carried out using the probing method. At the same time, particles of thin expensive linen, purple in color, particles of blue fabric, silver and gold plates were discovered. Under the cover of the altar Christian temple The relics of a noble Roman and Christian were buried, which, taking into account the time of burial, made it possible to establish that the sarcophagus contained the relics of the Holy Apostle Paul, as announced by Pope Benedict XVI.
Meaning of the icon
Most often, the supreme apostles Peter and Paul are depicted on the icon together, but there are also separate iconographic images. The image of the Apostle Paul became known to us from the very detailed description, given by Nicephorus Callistus, a church historian of the first half of the 14th century, a monk of the Sophia Monastery in Constantinople: “Paul was small in stature, indirect and somewhat bent, his face was clear and showed signs of for long years, his head was bald, there was a lot of pleasantness in his eyes, eyebrows raised up and as if running apart, his nose was long with a pleasant unevenness, his beard was thick and quite long, with gray hair in places, just like his head.” From what source Nikephoros Callistus took it, what served as the original, is unknown, but this description became the verbal basis for the iconography of his image. However, John Chrysostom also argued that the Apostle Paul was small in stature, but in this small and seemingly unattractive man lived a soul filled with universal wisdom and greatness, which the meeting with the risen Christ endowed it with.
“The chosen vessel of Christ, teacher of languages, world-wide preacher, witness of heavenly heights and heavenly goodness, subject of attention and wonder of Angels and men, great ascetic and sufferer, who bore the wounds of his Lord on his body, the holy Supreme Apostle Paul, and again and besides the body , taken to the third heaven! - this is how Saint Demetrius of Rostov calls the Holy Apostle Paul in the Chetya-Menaia: o last event The holy Apostle Paul himself says that he “was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is impossible for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:2-4).
“The one who calls Pavlov’s soul the sea and the sky will not sin: the sky in purity, the sea in depth. In this sea there are no precious grains, but there are things more precious than any pearl. Whoever wishes to go deeper into this sea will find in it all the treasures that are hidden in the Kingdom of Heaven,” St. John Chrysostom testifies about him. In addition to the walking paths he traveled, the length of which is unimaginable, because at that time there were no transport opportunities that exist in our modern times, he left 14 Epistles, the cumulative wisdom of which is immeasurable.
It is impossible for us to fully imagine the incredible amount of work done by the apostles, and most of all by the Apostle Paul, and all the trials and hardships they endured. In the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle writes: “Five times the Jews gave me forty stripes, minus one; Three times I was beaten with sticks, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, and spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea. Many times I was on travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from fellow tribesmen, in dangers from pagans, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers between false brothers, in labor and in exhaustion, often in watching, in hunger and in thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor. 11: 24-27).
Persecuted, hungry, tired of dusty roads, beaten and still carrying the victorious, saving word of Christ, they can become the most inspiring example for us, who are already living in the third millennium from the Nativity of Christ. And this is a direct and unsophisticated indication of how the Holy Spirit acts on earth through those whom the Lord God chooses as His chosen vessels; the Apostle says about this: “If I must boast, I will boast in my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord, blessed forever and ever, knows that I do not lie” (2 Cor. 11:30-31).
The apostle himself more than once draws everyone’s attention to the fact that his preaching consists “not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power” (1 Cor. 2:4). With the word of the Apostle Paul, with the power given to him by the Spirit of God, miracles happened: Simon the Magus was struck by blindness (Acts 13:11), the young man Eutychus, who fell from a third-floor window, was resurrected (Acts 20:9-12), people were healed by touch to his things, including the mentally ill (Acts 19:12).
A detailed description of his missionary campaigns is set out in the “Acts,” which every Christian should read and study: knowledge about the lives of saints enriches us, strengthens us in the faith unparalleled, and that is why the words spoken about him by Saint Demetrius of Rostov are so remarkable and instructive: “So, not let us only marvel at Paul, but let us also imitate him, so that after our departure from this life we will be worthy to see him and share with him the ineffable glory that will be the lot of us all, according to the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory , honor and power now, always and forever. Amen".
The Apostle Paul supposedly lived in 5/15 - 64/68.
Paul was not one of Jesus' 12 direct disciples and spent the first part of his life involved in the persecution of Christians. Paul's experience with the risen Jesus Christ led to his conversion and became the basis for his apostolic mission. Paul created numerous Christian communities in Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula. Paul's letters to communities and individuals form a significant part of the New Testament and are among the major texts of Christian theology.
Paul was born in the main city of Cilicia, Tarsus, from noble parents and enjoyed the rights of a Roman citizen. First wore Jewish name Saul, which meant “begged for, begged for,” and only after turning to Christ began to be called Paul.
By origin he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, and by upbringing and religion he belonged to the Pharisee sect. Raised in Jerusalem by the famous teacher Gamaliel, Saul became a zealot for the national law. At that time, in Jerusalem and in the surrounding cities, the holy apostles spread the gospel of Christ, and they often had long disputes with the Pharisees.
Saul zealously persecuted Christians, participated in the stoning of the holy protomartyr Stephen (despite family ties), and led the persecution of the apostles and their followers. He obtained authority from the Jewish high priests to go to Damascus, where there were many Christians, and bring them in chains to Jerusalem for torture.
“When Saul was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him (so suddenly, strongly and dazzlingly that he fell to the ground), and at the same instant he heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul! why are you persecuting me?” " Full of amazement, he asked: “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; it is difficult for you to go against the pricks.”5 Saul asked in awe and horror, “Lord, what do you have me do?” And the Lord said: “Get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do”” (Acts 9:4-6).
Saul became a new man, receiving from the mouth of the Lord the appointment and title of apostle. Soon he was baptized, became Paul, and immediately began preaching in the synagogues about Jesus. And everyone who heard was surprised (at this change in the thoughts of the “persecutor of the Church of Christ”) and said: “Isn’t this the same one who persecuted in Jerusalem those who call on this name?” and did he come here for this purpose, to bind them and lead them to the high priests? (Acts 9:21)
Having received instructions from the Lord about the gospel, the Apostle Paul began to preach the faith of Christ among the Jews and especially among the pagans, traveling from country to country and sending out his letters (14 letters of the Apostle Paul), which he wrote on the way and which are still there, according to St. John Chrysostom, “protect the Universal Church like a wall built of adamant.”
Enlightening the nations with the teachings of Christ, the Apostle Paul undertook long journeys. In addition to his repeated stays in Palestine, he visited Phoenicia, Syria, Cappadocia, Galatia, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, Caria, Lycia, Phrygia, Mysia, Lydia, Macedonia, Italy, the islands of Cyprus, Lesbos, Samothrace, Samos, preaching about Christ. Patmos, Rhodes, Melite, Sicily and other lands.
The power of his preaching was so great that the Jews could not oppose anything to the power of Paul's teaching (Acts 9:22); the pagans themselves asked him to preach the word of God and the whole city gathered to listen to him (Acts 13:42-44). The gospel of the Apostle Paul quickly spread everywhere and disarmed everyone (Acts 13, 49; 14, 1; 17, 4, 12; 18, 8). His sermons reached the hearts of not only ordinary people, but also learned and noble people (Acts 13, 12; 17, 34; 18, 8). The power of the word of the Apostle Paul was accompanied by miracles: his word healed the sick (Acts 14:10; 16:18), struck a magician blind (Acts 13:11), raised the dead (Acts 20:9-12); even the things of the holy apostle were miraculous - by touching them miraculous healings, A evil spirits left the possessed (Acts 19:12). For his good deeds and fiery preaching, the Lord awarded His faithful disciple “the rapture to the third heaven.” According to the holy Apostle Paul’s own admission, he “was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words that it is impossible for a person to retell” (2 Cor. 12:2-4).
For spreading the faith of Christ, the Apostle Paul suffered a lot and was beheaded in Rome under Nero in 64 (according to another version - in 67-68).
The veneration of the holy apostles Peter and Paul began immediately after their execution. The place of their burial was sacred to the early Christians. In the 4th century, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great erected churches in honor of the holy supreme apostles in Rome and Constantinople.
In the Russian Church, the veneration of the apostles Peter and Paul began after the Baptism of Rus'. According to church tradition, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir brought from Korsun an icon of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, which was subsequently presented as a gift to the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. In the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral, wall paintings depicting the apostles Peter and Paul date back to the 11th-12th centuries. The first monastery in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul was erected in Novgorod on Sinichaya Mountain in 1185. Around the same time, the construction of the Petrovsky Monastery in Rostovo began. The Peter and Paul Monastery existed in the 13th century in Bryansk.
The names of the apostles Peter and Paul, received at holy baptism, are especially common in Russia. Many saints of Ancient Rus' bore these names.
Any icon store has an icon in its assortment Mother of God iconographic type "Tenderness" ("Eleusa"). This type also includes a rather rare image of the Mother of God - the Leaping Ugreshskaya icon, which for many years was one of the main symbols of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya monastery (modern Dzerzhinsk in the Moscow region). Women who want to have children are primarily keen to buy the icon “Leaping” or “Leaping of the Baby”, since this image of the Mother of God symbolizes the fullness and happiness of Motherhood.
Icon Leaping Ugreshskaya - Russian ancient icon, written from the Greek model. She depicts the Mother of God with the Child of God sitting on Her right side and supported by both Her hands. The Child Jesus is depicted in a “playful” pose, simultaneously clinging to His Mother and facing the worshippers. The Most Holy Theotokos pressed her cheek to the cheek of the Infant God in tenderness, her gaze full of bright sadness.
In the “Leaping” icons, the pose of the Infant Jesus resembles the scene of the Presentation, in which the Infant God, drawn by His sacrificial destiny, stretches from the hands of the Mother of God into the hands of Simeon the God-Receiver, who proclaims His passionate path. It is not known for certain how the Ugreshskaya Leaping icon appeared in the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, but the date of its appearance is considered to be 1793. Official holiday was established in 1795 on November 7th. Icon for a long time stood in the Assumption Church of the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, attracting many believers to bow. But in 1918, the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya monastery was destroyed, and the Ugreshskaya Leaping icon was lost. Only in 2003 a miracle happened that no one expected - unknown woman wished to donate an icon Holy Mother of God monastery It turned out that the woman’s family had once purchased this icon from a collector who claimed that the image was somehow connected with the Nikolo-Ugreshsky monastery. The monks who arrived at the pious woman’s apartment saw an icon of the Mother of God, very similar in description to the lost one. When the found image was delivered to the monastery and placed in its original place, everyone saw that this was the lost icon of the Leaping of Ugreshskaya.
The icon in the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya monastery was greeted as the patroness of Heaven, the most valuable shrine. In a solemn religious procession she was carried into the Transfiguration Cathedral, where a festive prayer service was served in honor of the benefactors. Now the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos stands in the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral. Presumably, the icon will soon be placed, as before, in the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Together with the returned holy icon, the former greatness and holiness returned to the Nikolo-Ugreshsky monastery. Once again, numerous believers have found a revered shrine that helps in prayers for motherhood and the birth of healthy children. Pregnancy and the birth of a child are amazing events that show the divine greatness of life, which is why it is so important to spend this period in prayer. If it is not possible to attend church, you can pray at home, in front of the “Leaping” icon of the Mother of God.
The teachings of Christ did not immediately become known to the whole world. It took time to spread the gospel across countries and continents. And also the people who preached it, they are called apostles. Saints Peter and Paul in Orthodoxy are called the supreme ones; they are the most famous disciples of Jesus.
Biography
In fact, these two people met after Christ ascended to heaven. Here are some interesting facts:
- Paul never saw Christ while he was on earth. Being a zealous Jew, Saul even brutally persecuted Christians. There is a version that he participated in the execution of the first martyr Stephen.
- Peter and his brother were the first to be called by the Savior. An uneducated fisherman from the outskirts of the empire, with a hot temper - today the Apostle Peter is known everywhere.
- Peter became the first apostle to confess Christ as the Son of God.
- Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus and remained blind for several days, followed by his conversion.
The holy apostles Peter and Paul, although their fates were not similar, became teachers for many and converted thousands of people to Christ during their lifetime.
Veneration in temples
In Orthodoxy there is a special religious holiday, which is preceded by summer fasting - the day of the apostles Peter and Paul. Therefore, the saints can often be seen together on the icon, since both of them did a lot for the formation of the Church of Christ. What can you pray for before doing this? The request can be anything, but there are some traditions.
- Both help those who want to gain faith and facilitate the assimilation of the Word of God.
- St. Paul patronizes students and heals those who suffer from spiritual and mental illnesses. During his lifetime, he resurrected the dead. He will also take care of those who start their own business, if it is useful to others - after all, the apostle was known for working a lot.
- St. Peter helps those who are suffering from fever or other physical ailment. He is the patron saint of sailors and fishermen.
You can pray briefly, or read an akathist - it depends on the disposition of your soul. It is important that the person praying understands that the Lord fulfills only those desires that are pleasing to His will. After all, saints cannot contradict the Creator; they are spiritual mentors of believers. The power to perform miracles was given to them as a reward from God for faith and work on themselves.
The end of life's journey
Most of the apostles ended their lives tragically. The fact is that in those distant times Christianity was only a small sect. The rulers considered the followers of the new religion dangerous and felt a threat to power. Therefore, they tried to destroy everyone who considered Christ God and baptized people into their faith.
For example, Peter, already in old age, was taken into custody and executed by crucifixion, like Christ. Only true faith can withstand such a severe test. The apostle asked his executioners to turn him upside down, so as not to become like his Teacher. After all, after his famous renunciation, he felt unworthy to die in the same way as the Teacher.
The Cathedral of the Apostle Peter was erected above the place of execution, to all famous place in Rome. Much later, archaeologists found scientific evidence The fact that this is really it, after a long search, the remains of a holy Christian teacher were also discovered.
Paul also faced a painful death - but he was formally a citizen of Rome, even though he was a Jew by birth. Therefore, a more “honorable” execution was applied to him - beheading. After all, only people of the lower class, robbers, and vagabonds were crucified.
Church tradition claims that the apostles were killed on one day. Paul was taken out of the city - on the site of his death, Tsar Constantine erected a temple. Scientists have confirmed that the relics at its base belong to a noble Roman citizen.
Temples of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
In Russia there are several famous churches of the Apostles Peter and Paul:
- The cathedral in Moscow (belongs to the ELCR), built at the very beginning of the last century. The building was built in eclectic style and is part of cultural heritage our country. Many come here on excursions to listen to the organ or worship. The temple is active and services are held there. different languages. At the cathedral there is also a complex of church buildings that make up a single architectural ensemble - a chapel, houses for the clergy and two religious schools.
- The cathedral in St. Petersburg, belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church, is located on the territory of Peterhof, in a picturesque place. The location was personally chosen by Emperor Alexander III. The Church represents shining example Russian style, with tent domes and multi-colored paintings. Construction progressed slowly, the consecration took place in 1905. It was attended by royal family. The cathedral was closed by the Bolsheviks shortly before the start of World War II. Only in 1974 was the value of the building as a cultural monument recognized. In the early 90s, the temple was returned to the church and re-consecrated.
The people also love these saints; even many kings bore the names Peter or Paul. It was hard for them life path, but the reward with which Christ awarded them in heaven is also great. Through the prayers of the apostles, may the Lord have mercy on us!
Prayer to the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
O holy apostles Peter and Paul, do not be separated in spirit from us, sinful servants of God (names), so that we may not be completely separated from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on all of us for your prayers for the sake of, and may He destroy the handwriting of immeasurable sins ours, and may he, together with all the saints, be worthy of the blessed Kingdom and marriage of His Lamb, to whom be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship forever and ever.
Holy Supreme Apostle Peter, the rock of faith, on Christ, the cornerstone, established in the Church by confession! Pray, and I, always shaken by intelligent thoughts and carnal lusts, on that same Christ, the living, chosen, honest Stone, ordained by faith, I am always fulfilled by love in a spiritual temple, in a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God to Jesus Christ. Holy Supreme Apostle Paul, chosen vessel of Christ, full of the grace and glory of God! Pray to the Creator who has power over creation, that I, now a destroyed vessel, will create for Himself a vessel in honor, sanctified and useful, prepared for every good thing. Amen.
Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - churches, icons, prayer was last modified: June 14th, 2017 by Bogolub
The holy apostles Peter and Paul are most often depicted together with each other, holding a church or, less often, hugging. Orthodox icon Peter and Paul is deeply respected, because it depicts the supreme apostles who have special role in the Christian faith.
Canonical image
The Holy Apostle Peter is depicted in the icon as wise old man with a short beard, sometimes with curly hair. His outer clothes are always golden in color, his under clothes are dark blue or blue-green. Right hand he blesses or holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. In his left hand he holds a scroll with the text or gospel words: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God” (Matthew 16: 16).
The Holy Apostle Paul on the icon is depicted with a high forehead, slightly bald, with dark hair, and a wide beard. He usually holds a scroll, sometimes as a single book or as 14 rolls tied together. His outer clothing is brown or dark purple, and his chiton is light, blue or blue-green.
How does the icon of Peter and Paul help?
In front of the apostles Peter and Paul on the icon they pray mostly for matters related to faith, because they were active disseminators and preachers of Christianity. Even now they can help strengthen one's faith and become more righteous. ordinary people. The prayer can be performed to each saint separately or to two at once; if you turn to one person, there is nothing terrible in this; it is even possible to more competently differentiate prayers depending on the goal.
If the emphasis is on the image of Peter in the icon and prayer to this apostle, then he is often approached with requests to be confirmed in the faith, and also fishermen who are assisted by the saint turn to him. In turn, Saint Paul on the icon serves as an image to which people turn in order to receive blessings and help in their studies. After all, Pavel was a deeply educated person and is secretly considered an assistant in various matters related to study and education.
As such, the icon of Peter and Paul is considered miraculous and can grant healing. Sincere faith can do miracles, which is why you should not limit yourself too strictly. It is permissible to ask an icon for almost anything within the framework of the Orthodox faith.
History of the Saints
The story of each of these saints is a unique story of faith and devotion to Christ. They had completely different paths to faith, but at the same time they eventually became one of the most revered saints. As a rule, there is an icon of the apostles Peter and Paul in almost every church.
Peter was a fisherman for many years and met Christ while working, so to speak, on his own professional activity. He became a follower of the Savior and eventually became one of the twelve apostles, and after the Resurrection he preached in different countries.
Paul, in turn, for many years was an opponent of Christ and blasphemed his faith. However, after the Savior miraculously appeared to him, Paul believed and became an apostle. Although he is not one of the 12 or 70 apostles, he is considered the supreme apostle - this is his special title.
As a result, each of them was executed in Rome on the same day in 67. That is why the apostles Peter and Paul are often depicted on icons in each other’s arms. They cling to their cheeks just as Christ clings to his own Mother on the Tenderness icon, where the soul’s desire for spiritual world, and not just the relationship between an adult and a child.
The apostles, in turn, symbolize the unity of people in the church and the unifying faith
They also symbolize opposing characters, because Peter was essentially a simpleton who sincerely believed, and Paul was educated person, and he believed with all the power of his mind. This is the meaning of the icon of Peter and Paul, and if you look at how such an image helps, then you need to note the help of the holy image in the ability to guide another person on the true path.
If someone close to you has deviated from the faith and gone astray (in a metaphorical sense), you should turn to this image, which can help you unite with another person on the basis of a common faith.
Prayers before the icon of the apostles Peter and Paul
O glorification of the apostles Peter and Paul, who gave up their souls for Christ and fertilized His pasture with your blood! Hear your children's prayers and sighs, now offered by your brokenhearted hearts. Because we are darkened by lawlessness and for this reason we are covered with troubles, like clouds, but with the oil of a good life we are greatly impoverished and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who is boldly trying to plunder the heritage of God. O strength! Bear our infirmities, do not separate from us in spirit, so that we may not be separated in the end from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on us all, for your prayers for the sake of your prayers, may He destroy the handwriting of our immeasurable sins and may He be honored with all the saints of the blessed The Kingdom and Marriage of His Lamb, to Him be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship, forever and ever. Amen.
Probably one of the most recognizable in Christian iconography. Their features are easy to remember: Peter’s short, curly, gray beard or Pavel’s high, receding forehead. Even a person barely familiar with Tradition will always guess that “with the keys” is Peter, because it is he who meets the dead at the gates of heaven.
The iconography of these saints is quite diverse. Their images appear in Christian art very early, apparently along with the emergence of this art itself. The apostles were depicted in gospel scenes, for example, on the reliefs of early Christian sarcophagi and in the fresco cycles of the catacombs. There are also stories dedicated to their lives, for example, “The Taking of Peter into Custody” or “The Extraction of the Source of Water in the Mamertine Prison.”
Meet symbolic images, dedicated important topic the apostles receiving spiritual power. For example, in the central part of the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, Christ is depicted sitting on a heavenly throne, presenting the Apostles with the Law and the keys. These keys, figuratively interpreted as the keys of the gate, symbolize the right the apostles received from the Lord to judge a person’s life: “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”(Matt. 18:18).
There are also known individual images of the apostles found in different types fine arts: in monuments of monumental painting, in works easel painting, in decorative and applied arts. Obviously, the original legend quite accurately described the appearance of the apostles Peter and Paul. In any case, already the earliest surviving images convey those character traits, which were then reproduced by artists over the centuries right up to the present day. The pronounced portrait details can be explained by the fact that the very first images were created from the words of those who saw the apostles with their own eyes, however, the works are so early period unknown to us.
Frescoes in the catacombs of St. Thecla. 2nd floor IV – 1st half of the 5th century. Rome. Combined fragments
A special group consists of images of Peter and Paul together. In early versions, the apostles are most often depicted shoulder-length, in profile. The emergence of this iconographic variant is explained by the significance for the Church of the preaching of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul and their missionary works. In addition, the image is also associated with circumstances last days and the death of the apostles, executed on the same day. One of the amazing monuments of early Christian art - the bottom of a glass vessel with an image made in gold - presents the theme of the heavenly glorification of the apostles. Christ crowning them is depicted between the apostles.
On the other bottom there is no image of Christ, but one large crown is placed above the profile half-figures of the apostles. The scene in which the Lord glorifies one or another saint by giving him a crown is quite common in Christian art. The image of the crown of martyrdom and holiness correlated with the theme of victory over sin and death, the theme of triumph, therefore the iconography of such a plot was borrowed from ancient art, where there was a scheme for depicting the winners of competitions and military triumphs.
The image of the apostles Peter and Paul in a single composition is also found in the decorative decoration of churches, especially in those areas where the architecture suggests a symmetrical solution.
Since the apostles were executed on the same day, their memory, accordingly, began to be celebrated by the Church on one day - July 12 (June 29). Julian calendar). Liturgical practice inevitably influenced the spread of the “common” image of the two apostles: it is logical to create a single icon as a holiday icon, and not two separate ones.
Icon from the village of Pyalma, Pudozh district. Mid – 2nd half of the 15th century. Museum fine arts Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk
In the Middle Byzantine period, the apostles were “assigned” certain colors robes. Peter has a blue (blue) tunic and a yellow (ochre) cloak. Pavel has a blue tunic and a cherry cloak. In Western European art, Paul is traditionally depicted with a sword, since as a Roman citizen he was not subjected to a long execution - crucifixion, but was executed by beheading. The sword in the apostle’s hand is a sign of his torment and victory over death, as is the cross, usually depicted in the hands of martyrs.
The development of the altar barrier and the subsequent emergence of a high iconostasis became the reason for the creation of many icons of the apostles Peter and Paul, which were part of the Deesis rank. One of the most famous images of this kind is the icon that has come down to us from the so-called Zvenigorod rank, created by.
Peter, Paul and Peregrina (Church Triumphant). The bottom of the funeral vessel. III century Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Appearance of St. ap. Peter and Paul Rev. Peter, Tsarevich Ordynsky. Late 18th – early 19th centuries. Rybinsk Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
El Greco (Domenico Theotokopouli). Apostles Peter and Paul. 1587 – 1592 State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
