Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Wonderworker (†1612).

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Patriarch of Moscow (1606-1612).

Reliable information about the young years of Patriarch Hermogenes (in the world - Ermolai) has not been preserved. There are versions about his origin from the Vyatka townspeople or the Don Cossacks.

For the first time in written sources, the name Ermolai appears in connection with his priestly service in the late 1570s. He was the rector of the Gostinodvorskaya St. Nicholas Church in the city. In 1579 he participated in the transfer of the newly appeared icon to this temple Mother of God Kazan, found after a fire in the city.

In 1587, after the death of his wife, whose name history has not preserved, Yeromlay became a monk (most likely in the Chudov Monastery in), taking the name Hermogenes. Soon after this, he became archimandrite of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in.

In 1589, Hermogenes was consecrated as bishop to the see of Metropolitan of Kazan and Astrakhan. In this post he became an active promoter of the policy of Christianization of the non-Russian population of the Volga region.

In July 1606, a council of Russian hierarchs elected Hermogenes Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. In this post, he proved himself to be a devoted supporter of the tsar: he supported him in suppressing the uprising of the southern cities, and desperately opposed his overthrow.

Patriarch Hermogenes was an ardent opponent of the “Seven Boyars”. He tried to organize the election of a new tsar from the Russian family (he was the first to propose a candidacy). Reluctantly, he agreed to recognize the son of the Polish king as king, on condition that he Orthodox baptism and the withdrawal of Polish troops from. After the Poles refused to fulfill these conditions, Patriarch Hermogenes, from December 1610, began sending letters to cities calling for a nationwide uprising against the interventionists. The occupiers put Hermogenes under house arrest, and then forcibly removed him from the patriarchal throne and took him into custody in the Moscow Miracle Monastery.

The Poles besieged in the Kremlin more than once sent envoys to Hermogenes demanding that he order the Russian militias to retreat from the city, threatening him in the process death penalty. The patriarch responded with a decisive refusal to all attacks by the invaders.

After nine months of imprisonment, on February 17 (27), 1612, Patriarch Hermogenes died a martyr from hunger and thirst. He was buried in the Chudov Monastery. In 1654 he imperishable relics were moved to the Moscow Kremlin. In 1913, Patriarch Hermogenes was canonized as a martyr.


At the Gostinodvorsky Church in the name of St. Nicholas. According to contemporaries, the priest Ermolai even then was “a man highly adorned with wisdom, elegant in book teaching and renowned for the purity of his life.”

Kazan Metropolitan

Possessing an extraordinary literary talent, the saint himself composed a legend in the year about the appearance of the miraculous icon and the miracles performed by it.

Patriarchate

Metropolitan Ermogen was elected to the primatial see, and on July 3 of the year he was elevated to the Patriarchal throne by the Council of Saints in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. Metropolitan Isidore presented the Patriarch with the staff of St. Peter, the Moscow Wonderworker, and the Tsar presented the new Patriarch with a panagia decorated precious stones, white hood and staff. According to the ancient rite, Patriarch Ermogen made the procession on a donkey. At this time he was over 70 years old.

Having become a patriarch, he did not at first play a prominent role in government affairs, thanks to the disagreements that soon arose between him and Tsar Vasily, who aroused little sympathy in Hermogenes, adamant in his convictions, direct and decisive in his actions. With the deposition of Shuisky, the most important period of the Saint’s activity began, which now coincided in its goals with the aspirations of the majority of the Russian people.

In the era of severe turmoil, when “vacillation” gripped the majority of Moscow government officials and they, forgetting about the state, sought first of all personal gain, Saint Hermogen was one of the few people among the central government who retained their convictions and firmly put them into practice. When the candidacy of Prince Vladislav was put forward, St. Ermogen agreed to it only on the condition that Vladislav accepted the Orthodox faith and he himself wrote about this to King Sigismund. Anticipating, however, that the king had other plans, the Patriarch behaved very hostile towards the Poles; protested against the entry of the Polish army into Moscow, and even after the boyars allowed Hetman Zholkiewski in, he treated him and Gonsevski, who replaced him, very coldly.

The Church activity of the High Hierarch is characterized by an attentive and strict attitude towards divine services. Under him, the following were published: the Gospel, Menaion Monthly: September, October, November and the first 20 days of December, and also in the year the “Big Church Charter" At the same time, Saint Hermogenes did not limit himself to blessing the publication of books, but carefully monitored the correctness of the texts. With the blessing of Saint Hermogenes, the service to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was translated from Greek into Russian and the celebration of his memory was restored in the Assumption Cathedral. Under the supervision of the High Hierarch, new presses were made for printing liturgical books and a new printing house was built, which was damaged during the fire of the year when Moscow was set on fire by the Poles.

Possessing an outstanding mind, Saint Hermogen worked a lot in monastery libraries, primarily in the rich library of the Moscow Chudov Monastery, where he copied the most valuable from ancient manuscripts historical information, forming the basis of chronicle records. In the writings of the Primate of the Russian Church and his archpastoral letters there are constantly references to Holy Bible and examples taken from history, which testify to a deep knowledge of the Word of God and erudition in church literature of that time. With this erudition, Patriarch Hermogenes combined his outstanding abilities as a preacher and teacher.

Concerned about the observance of the liturgical rite, Saint Hermogen composed a “Message of discipline to all people, especially priests and deacons, on the correction of church singing.” The “Message” denounces the clergy for committing hazing church services- polyphony, and the laity - lack of reverence during worship.

Troparion

The first throne of the Russian land / and the vigilant prayer book for it to God! / You laid down your soul for the faith of Christ and your flock, / you established the power of our kings / you delivered our country from wickedness. / We also cry out to you: / save us with your prayers, Hieromartyr Hermogenes, our father.

Troparion to Glorification

The day of a bright triumph has arrived, / the city of Moscow rejoices, / and with it Orthodox Rus' rejoices / with spiritual songs and songs: / today is a sacred triumph / in the manifestation of the honest and multi-healing relics / of the saint and wonderworker Hermogenes, / like the unsetting sun rising with radiant rays, / dispelling the darkness of temptations and troubles / from those who cry out truly: / save us, as our representative, the great Hermogenes.

Proceedings

  • “The Legend of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the miraculous healings that took place from it”;
  • “The message of punishment is to all people, especially to the priest and deacon about the correction of church singing.”

Used materials

  • Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron.

Patriarch Hermogenes (Hermogenes, 1530-1612) is the third Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', who occupied the throne from 1606 to 1612. He proved himself to be one of the patriots of Russia, who actively opposed the Polish invasion during the Time of Troubles. He resolutely opposed traitors to the motherland and supporters of union with Catholics. During the invaders' stay in Moscow, he was forcibly deposed from his patriarchal post and imprisoned in the Chudov Monastery. The Church venerates Hermogenes as a hieromartyr and guardian of the faith, who did not betray Russian Orthodoxy during the difficult years of the Time of Troubles.

Hermogenes (in the world Ermolai) was born around 1530, around the time when Ivan the Terrible was born. Little is known about the early period of the life of the great compatriot. There are versions about his belonging to the Don Cossacks, as well as the famous boyar dynasties of the Golitsyns and Shuiskys.

In his adolescence, he went to Kazan, where he was in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, which strengthened his religious views. At the end of the 70s. XVI century Ermolai served parish priest in the Gostinodvorsky Church in the name of St. Nicholas. As contemporaries of the future patriarch recalled, he stood out for his excellent knowledge of books and was “decorated with wisdom.”

The biography of Hermogenes includes an interesting episode related to miraculous phenomenon Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This happened in the summer of 1579, when there was intense heat and dryness in Kazan, which caused a severe fire. The fire from St. Nicholas Church spread to the Kremlin, and then to residential buildings. At this time, the daughter of local archer Daniil Onuchian, Matrona, had a dream three times that an icon of the Mother of God was kept underground. At first no one believed her, but after a threat that the girl might die from disobedience, her family went to the indicated place and found the shrine. After this it was organized Procession and the icon was solemnly transferred to Blagoveshchensky cathedral. Hermogenes was also a participant in this event, during which two blind men were healed.

Moving to Moscow

After the death of his wife in 1587, whose name has not been preserved, Hermogenes went to the Moscow Miracle Monastery, where he was tonsured a monk. Two years later he was consecrated (ordained) to the rank of bishop, and soon, under the patronage of the first Patriarch Job, Hermogenes was appointed Metropolitan of Kazan and Astrakhan.

In 1591, Hermogenes wrote a letter to Job, in which he indicated that in Kazan the commemoration of Orthodox soldiers who died during the capture of the city was not carried out, and proposed to introduce memorable date. In response, Job signed a decree ordering a memorial service to be held on the Saturday following the Intercession. Holy Mother of God.

Saint Hermogenes continued to serve the church, spreading Orthodoxy among the Tatars and other Turkic peoples. In 1592, he took part in the transfer of the remains of Kazan Archbishop German from the capital to the Assumption Monastery of Sviyazhsk, and three years later he wrote short life Saints Barsanuphius and Gurias. In 1595, he visited Uglich to attend the opening of the relics of the local appanage prince Roman Vladimirovich.

At the beginning of the Troubles

After the death in 1598 of the childless Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich the Blessed (1584-1598), the Rurik dynasty was suppressed and (1598-1605), who had previously been the brother-in-law of the late monarch, came to power. Hermogenes was present at the election of the new king and took part in the national prayer held at the walls of the Novodevichy Convent.

After the accession of False Dmitry I (1605-1606) to the throne, the Metropolitan began to participate in the work of the Boyar Duma, but showed himself to be a consistent opponent of Otrepiev. He categorically did not accept the election of Patriarch Ignatius and put forward a demand to convert the failed wife of False Dmitry I, a Polish adventurer, to Orthodoxy.

The murder of Otrepiev in May 1606 and the subsequent rise to power (1606-1610) seriously changed the fate of Hermogenes. On the initiative of the new king, Patriarch Ignatius was deposed, lost his episcopal rank and sent to prison in the Chudov Monastery. Hermogenes was quickly elected in his place, since Shuisky was afraid of Fyodor Romanov (Filaret) who was present in Moscow. On July 3, 1606, the Moscow Council confirmed him in this rank. Stubborn and tough in character, Hermogenes was often in confrontation with Shuisky, but always defended him, believing that he was consecrated by the royal crown and this must be taken into account.

Apogee of the Time of Troubles

Past peasant war under the leadership, the appearance of False Dmitry II near Moscow along with the Polish invaders undermined confidence in the tsar. In February 1609, a conspiracy arose with the participation of 300 people, headed by R. Gagarin and G. Sumbulov. They intended to achieve the resignation of Shuisky and forcibly dragged Hermogenes to the Place of Execution so that he would support the overthrow of the tsar. However, the patriarch demonstrated a strong will and did not succumb to the persuasion of the rebels. Unable to rouse the people to fight, the instigators of the conspiracy went to the camp of False Dmitry II. Hermogenes sent them two letters calling on them to return and repent of their deeds.

Shuisky's deposition nevertheless took place in July 1610, but even then the patriarch defended him to the last, cursing and not recognizing the forcible tonsure of the monarch. After Vasily was placed in the Chudov Monastery, he continued to insist on his return to the throne. Hermogenes strongly condemned the Seven Boyars, which replaced Shuisky, and tried to organize the elections of the Russian monarch. After the election of Vladislav Sigismundovich as Tsar in absentia, he agreed with a heavy heart to recognize him subject to the following conditions:

  • withdrawal of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army from Russian territory;
  • his adoption of Orthodoxy.

During the outbreak of the Polish intervention, Hermogenes openly opposed the invaders, calling on the Russian people to come to the defense of the country. With his blessing, a copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was transported from Kazan, which later became the main shrine of the militia.

After the capture of Moscow, Hermogenes found himself in the hands of enemies, showing in this situation an unbending will and strong character. They forcibly renounced his patriarchal rank and put him under arrest in the Chudov Monastery. When he was in prison, the Poles repeatedly demanded that Hermogenes order the militia to stop trying to take the city, but all their exhortations were unsuccessful. Instead, he addressed a final message to the country's patriots, blessing them to fight against the occupiers.

Patriarch Hermogenes died martyrdom February 17 (27), 1612, suffering from unbearable hunger and thirst. The case for which the saint fought was completed on October 24, 1612 by the II militia led by K. Minin and D. Pozharsky. They managed to expel him from Moscow, and in February 1613, the Russian Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov (1613-1645) was elected to the throne, which Hermogenes really wanted.

Memory of Hermogenes in art

The name of the great patriarch was mentioned in the anonymous work “New Tale of the Orthodox Russian state", written approximately in 1611. She called for a fight against the Polish invaders and condemned the traitors who took their side. G. Dmitriev’s opera “Saint Hermogenes” is dedicated to Hermogenes; his historical role is presented in the performance of the Moscow Theater of Russian Drama “ The Royal Way" Among the most significant paintings about the patriarch, the painting by P. Chistyakov, written in 1860, “Patriarch Hermogenes refuses the Poles to sign the letter,” stands out.

The most famous monument to Hermogenes was erected in the Alexander Garden on the initiative of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. It represents a four-meter bronze figure of the patriarch, located on a marble pedestal. On its sides there are bronze bas-reliefs with scenes of famous historical subjects. In one of them, Hermogenes expelled the Poles and the boyars who acted with them, who demanded submission and recognition of the citizenship of Vladislav Sigismundovich. It is interesting that they wanted to erect a monument to the patriarch on Red Square back in the 19th century on the site of the current Lenin mausoleum, but then these plans were not destined to come true.

In 1913, on the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church, Hermogenes was canonized as a holy martyr. His relics were placed in a new shrine, created on the initiative of Nicholas II and his wife. Every year on March 2, the day of remembrance of the famous patriarch, who gave his life for the freedom of his country, is celebrated.

Patriarch Hermogenes of Moscow and All Rus' since 1606. Leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and active participant in political affairs; patriarch from 1606 to 1612.

It was he who inspired the popular uprising that put an end to the Time of Troubles. Hermogenes was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1913.

Life of Hermogenes

IN Holy Synod 1589, in which the patriarchate was established in Moscow, Hermogenes was appointed metropolitan of the newly elected city of Kazan. He was a supporter of the policy of forced conversion to Christianity of the non-Russian peoples of the Volga region.

From 1605 to 1612 Hermogenes most actively supported the interests Orthodox Church, because he understood that the power of the church depended on the support of the king.

In 1606, Hermogenes was summoned by False Dmitry I to take part in the Senate that had recently been held in Moscow. There he learned about the tsar's intentions to marry a Catholic woman, Marina Mniszech, and firmly objected to such a union. After this he was exiled from the capital, and only a few months later he returned with great honors, when the false king was overthrown.

When Vasily IV was elected tsar, Hermogenes became the patriarch of Moscow. During the anti-feudal uprising of peasants led by I. I. Bolotnikov in 1606-1607. Hermogenes united the people of the church to fight the rebels, who were declared heretics and excommunicated.

In 1610, Shuisky was overthrown, Hermogenes proposed the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov for the throne of the Tsar instead of the Polish Prince Vladislav. But Vladislav still became king and Hermogenes demanded that he convert to the Orthodox faith. In the winter of 1610, Hermogenes protested the boyars' proposal to swear allegiance to the Polish king Sigismund III.

The feat of Patriarch Hermogenes

At the end of December 1610, Moscow was occupied by Polish feudal lords, then Hermogenes sent letters to the cities of Russia, calling for an uprising of the entire people against the Poles. He counted on the support of the armed units of P.P. Lyapunova.

When the volunteer army finally approached Moscow, he challenged the Polish invaders. Despite the fact that he was facing the death penalty, he cursed Catholics and supported Lyapunov. After this, he was arrested and thrown into the Chudovsky Monastery.

There he heard about a new volunteer army, assembled by Kuzma Minin and under the command of Prince Pozharsky, and blessed them both. Following this, the patriarch was beaten and died of hunger.

The Russian Orthodox Church in troubled times

At the beginning of the 17th century. The spiritual expansion of the Catholic world unfolded against Orthodox Rus', which took the form of Polish intervention under the leadership of self-proclaimed pretenders to the Russian throne. They sought to impose on the Russian people not only foreign political domination, but also a religious yoke, which even the Mongol conquerors did not dare to do at one time.

The boyar aristocracy, which repeatedly violated the duty of public service for the sake of the triumph of its oligarchic interests, was ready to come to terms with the Polish prince Vladislav becoming the Russian throne, without even demanding from him firm guarantees of preservation Orthodox foundations spiritual and social life of Rus'.

Finally, the Russian people, who had so often been deceived by their secular rulers, were increasingly drawn into a bloody civil strife that threatened to burden the conscience of millions of Russian people terrible sin fratricidal war and open up the dangerous prospect of complete ethnic disappearance.

It was at this tragic moment in Russian history, when the country began to lose the concept of national statehood and found itself on the verge of a historical catastrophe, that the Lord placed a holy man, His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, at the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Temple of Hermogenes in Chertanovo

The construction of the Temple of Hermogenes began with the consecration of the stone that lay on that site by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in the spring of 2012.

The new temple expresses the faith of the Russian people that Rus' will never give in to another faith, but will forever remain Orthodox, because in Orthodoxy is the salvation of Rus'.

That memory of Saint Hermogenes, which awakens in our people a bright, confident and holy love for the Motherland, also gives rise to the desire to peacefully organize the life of the state, and in years of danger - to defend the borders of the Motherland, like Hermogenes.

Can Hermogenes be called a patriot?

Hermogenes, who etched on the tablets with his blood national history the image of a real Russian patriarch. He saved his country and his people from the destruction that threatened them.

Placed on the patriarchal throne in 1606, during the short reign of the boyar protege Vasily Shuisky, Patriarch Hermogenes initially perceived his high priestly service not only as a church mission, but also as a national mission.

Well aware of the helplessness of the state and the political greed of the temporary boyar rulers who were fighting for power, Saint Hermogenes recognized in the intrusive Polish diplomacy the future death of both the Russian Church and the Russian state.

Based on the conviction inherent in all outstanding High Hierarchs of the Russian Church that in Russian Orthodoxy lies the possibility of the national prosperity of the Russian people, Patriarch Hermogenes, who was then imprisoned in Moscow captured by the Poles, with his pastoral messages addressed the Russian people with an appeal - in the name of salvation Orthodoxy to rise to the struggle against foreign and heterodox invaders.

The Russian people everywhere responded to the patriotic call of St. Hermogenes, but were even more ignited in their struggle by the personal asceticism of the patriarch-martyr, managed to carry out the prayerful will of the archpastor and, in the name of preserving the Orthodox Church, defended the national independence of their Fatherland.

Hieromartyr Ermogen, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', came from the Don Cossacks. According to the testimony of the Patriarch himself, he was initially a priest in the city of Kazan at the Gostinodvorsky Church in the name of St. Nicholas. He soon became a monk and from 1582 was the archimandrite of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in Kazan. On May 13, 1589, he was consecrated bishop and became the first Metropolitan of Kazan.

During the service of the future Patriarch in Kazan, the appearance and discovery of the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God took place in 1579. While still a priest, he, with the blessing of the then Kazan bishop Jeremiah, transferred the newly appeared icon from the place of its discovery to the church in the name of St. Nicholas. Possessing an extraordinary literary talent, the saint himself composed in 1594 a legend about the appearance of the miraculous icon and the miracles performed by it. In the legend, he humbly writes about himself: “I then... although I was stony-hearted, I nevertheless shed tears and fell to the image of the Mother of God, and to miraculous icon, and to the Eternal Child, the Savior Christ... And at the command of the Archbishop, with the other holy crosses I went with the icon to the nearby church of St. Nicholas, which is called Tula...” In 1591, the saint collected in Cathedral newly baptized Tatars and for several days instructed them in the Christian faith.

On January 9, 1592, Saint Hermogen sent a letter to Patriarch Job, in which he reported that it was not happening in Kazan special commemoration Orthodox soldiers who laid down their lives for the faith and the Fatherland near Kazan, and asked to establish a specific day of memory of the soldiers. In response to Saint Hermogenes, the Patriarch sent a decree dated February 25, which prescribed “for all Orthodox soldiers, killed near Kazan and within the borders of Kazan, to perform a memorial service in Kazan and throughout the Kazan Metropolis and the Sabbath day after the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and include them in the large synodikon read on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.” Saint Hermogenes showed zeal for faith and firmness in observance church traditions, cared about enlightening the Kazan Tatars with the faith of Christ.

In 1595, with the active participation of the saint, the discovery and discovery of the relics of the Kazan miracle workers took place: Saints Guria, the first Archbishop of Kazan and Barsanuphius, Bishop of Tver. Tsar Theodore Ioannovich (1584-1598) ordered the construction of a new stone church in the Kazan Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery on the site of the previous one, where the saints were buried. When the coffins of the saints were found, Saint Hermogenes came with a council of clergy, ordered the coffins to be opened and, seeing the incorrupt relics and clothes of the saints, informed the Patriarch and the Tsar. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Job (1605) and by order of the king, the relics of the newly-minted miracle workers were placed in the new church. Saint Hermogen himself compiled the lives of Saints Gurias and Barsanuphius, bishops of Kazan.

For his outstanding archpastoral works, Metropolitan Hermogenes was elected to the primatial see, and on July 3, 1606, he was elevated by the Council of Saints to the Patriarchal throne in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. Metropolitan Isidore presented His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes with the staff of St. Peter, the Moscow Wonderworker (December 21, 1326), and the Tsar presented the new Patriarch with a panagia decorated with precious stones, a white hood and a staff. According to the ancient rite His Holiness Patriarch Ermogen made a procession on a donkey around the walls of the Kremlin.

The activities of Patriarch Hermogen coincided with a difficult period for the Russian state - the invasion of the impostor False Dmitry and the Polish king Sigismund III. Patriarch Ermogen was not alone in this feat: he was imitated and helped by selfless Russian people. With special inspiration, His Holiness the Patriarch opposed the traitors and enemies of the Fatherland who wanted to enslave the Russian people, introduce Uniateism and Catholicism in Russia, and eradicate Orthodoxy. When the impostor approached Moscow and settled in Tushino, Patriarch Ermogen sent two messages to the rebellious traitors. In one of them he wrote: “...You forgot the vows of our Orthodox faith, in which we were born, baptized, raised and grew up, transgressed the kiss of the cross and the oath to stand until death for the House of the Most Holy Theotokos and for the Moscow state and fell to your falsely imaginary to the Tsar... My soul hurts, my heart hurts, and all my insides are tormented, all my limbs are shaking; I cry and cry out with sobs: have mercy, have mercy, brothers and children, your souls and your parents, departed and living... Look how our fatherland is being plundered and ruined by strangers, how holy icons and churches are being desecrated, how the blood of innocents is being shed, crying out to God. Remember against whom you take up arms: is it not God who created you? not on your brothers? Are you ruining your Fatherland?... I conjure you in the Name of God, leave your undertaking while there is time, so as not to completely perish.”

In another letter, the High Hierarch urged: “...For God’s sake, know yourself and be converted, bring joy to your parents, wives and children, and all of us; and let us pray to God for you”...

Soon, God's righteous judgment was carried out on the Tushinsky thief: he suffered the same sad and inglorious fate as his predecessor; he was killed by his own confidants on December 11, 1610. But Moscow continued to remain in danger, since there were Poles and traitorous boyars loyal to Sigismund III in it. Letters sent by Patriarch Hermogenes to cities and villages excited the Russian people to liberate Moscow from their enemies and elect a legitimate Russian Tsar. Muscovites started an uprising, in response to which the Poles set the city on fire and took refuge in the Kremlin. Together with Russian traitors, they forcibly removed the holy Patriarch Hermogenes from the Patriarchal throne and placed him in custody in the Chudov Monastery. On Easter Monday 1611, the Russian militia approached Moscow and began a siege of the Kremlin that lasted several months. The Poles besieged in the Kremlin more than once sent envoys to the Patriarch demanding that he order the Russian militias to move away from the city, threatening him with the death penalty. The saint answered firmly: “Why are you threatening me? I fear only God. If all of you, Lithuanian people, leave the Moscow state, I will bless the Russian militia to go from Moscow, but if you stay here, I will bless everyone to stand against you and die for Orthodox faith" Already from prison, the holy martyr Hermogenes addressed his last message to the Russian people, blessing the liberation war against the conquerors. But the Russian governors did not show unanimity and coherence at that time, so they could not take the Kremlin and free their High Hierarch. He languished in severe captivity for more than nine months and on February 17, 1612 he died a martyr’s death from hunger.

The liberation of Russia, for which Saint Hermogen stood with such indestructible courage, was successfully completed through his intercession by the Russian people. The body of the Hieromartyr Hermogenes was buried in the Chudov Monastery, and in 1654 it was transferred to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral.

Sources:
Menaion, March. M., 1996.
Patriarch Hermogenes, Series “Moscow Saints”. M., 1996.
Prot. Lev Lebedev. Patriarch Hermogenes in the book. Patriarchs of Moscow.
Mit. Macarius. History of the Russian Church, vol. VI., part 1, part III. Patriarch Hermogenes. M., 1996.



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