Sergii of Russia

The Trinity Monastery of St Sergii

5km to the northeast of Moscow lies the town of Sergiev Posad (Zagorsk in the Soviet era). Although it is nowadays an industrial centre with a population of over 100,000, its fame rests on the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergii (a Lavra is the highest rank of Orthodox monastery, and there are only four in all Russia), the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the Vatican, which has a complex of medieval buildings to rival those of the Kremlin.

The monastery is named after St. Sergii of Radonezh, a 14^th century monk from Rostov whose pious, ascetic existence attracted numerous followers to the hermit's retreat he had established in the forests around Moscow. The wooden monastery built by Sergii and his followers was razed by the Tartars shortly after his death, but his tomb survived and, in 1422, the year of his canonization, work began on the construction of the Trinity Cathedral.

This imposing, white-stone building, with unusual sloping walls and gold dome, became a blue-print for Russian church architecture and the inspiration for the Kremlin's Cathedral of the Assumption. In 1458 a brick chapel was added to house the tomb of Sergii's successor, Nikon of Radonezh. Inside the Cathedral there is a silver shrine containing the relics of St. Sergii, and an iconostasis with many works by Andrei Rublev.

ST. SERGIUS OF RADONEZH

(c.1314 - 1392)

Feast Days: July 5th & September 25th

St. Sergius of Radonezh is the patron saint of Russia, father of northern Russian monasticism, and founder of theHoly Trinity Monastery (see the article, Sergiev Posad). Few people have had such a profound influence on Russian life as St. Sergius and his monastery. He was a great mystic and ascetic, whose life spanned much of the 14^th century, at the time that Russia was occupied by the Mongol Tartars. Even as a child the future saint was devoted to the Holy Trinity and sought the monastic life. After the repose of his parents, in 1334 the 20-year-old youth went into the deep forest, about 45 miles northeast of Moscow, to seek spiritual solitude as in a desert. He lived a very austere ascetic life, marked by extreme poverty, hard physical labor, and profound humility and simplicity. After a few years of solitude in the forest, disciples started to gather around him, and Russia wasforever changed. Through the labors of St. Sergius’ disciples, the northern forest wilderness blossomed with numerous monasteries, which were to play a very significant role in the subsequent life of Russia (and America). In St. Sergius’ great humility, he rejected all honors: only reluctantly did he accept ordination as priest and appointment as abbot of his own monastery; and he flatly refused to accept the office of Metropolitan of Moscow. The many spiritual gifts granted to him include powerful and effective prayer, clairvoyance, spiritual direction, and numerous visions. He reposed in 1392.

St. Sergius’ church, monastery and life’s work were dedicated to the Holy Trinity (icon to the left). The Holy Trinity expresses the unity between the three Persons of the One God, and hence, also symbolizes the spiritual vision of the restoration of all things to their original unity, including Russia. St. Sergius recognized that the Russian Church and the Russian people were united, and that unification of Russia lands was required for their mutual well-being. Thus, with St. Sergius’ spiritual guidance and blessing, the Grand Prince of Moscow, St. Dimitri Donskoi, united the fragmented Russian principalities under Moscow’s leadership, and in 1380, defeated the Mongol Tartars. As a result, Moscow became the center of Russian life, and St. Sergius and his Holy Trinity Monastery have been looked to for guidance and support ever since.

St. Sergius’ original wooden Holy Trinity Church burnt down and was replaced in 1422 by a white stone church (photo to the left), for which St. Andrei Rublev (see theSaints' Lives article) did much of the iconographic work, including his most famousHoly Trinity icon (see the icon above). This icon is an eloquent expression and testimony to St. Sergius’ spiritual vision of the beauty of salvation.

In theprocess of building the stone church, St. Sergius’ relics were uncovered, and it was discovered that after 30 years, his relics remained incorrupt. His relics were placed in a reliquary in his Holy Trinity Church (photo to the right), readily accessible for veneration. Ever since the discovery of his incorrupt relics, untold numbers of healings and other miracles have occurred. Every day, all day long, pilgrims come and venerate St. Sergius’ relics, and are profoundly touched by being in St. Sergius’ presence.