The ever-increasing number of churches and all kinds of sects makes it difficult for some to question which of them is the true Church and whether there is even one true Church in our time.

Perhaps, some think, the original apostolic Church gradually fragmented, and the churches that now exist possess only fragments of its former spiritual wealth - grace and truth. Given this view of the Church, some believe that it can be restored from existing Christian denominations through collusion and mutual concessions. This view lies at the heart of the modern ecumenical movement; which does not recognize any church as true. Maybe, others think, the Church, in principle, never had anything in common with the official churches, but always consisted of individual believers belonging to different church groups. This latter opinion is expressed in the doctrine of the so-called “invisible church” put forward by modern Protestant theologians. Finally, for many Christians it is unclear: is the Church needed at all when a person is saved by his faith?
All these contradictory and, in essence, incorrect opinions about the Church stem from a misunderstanding of the central truth of the teaching of Christ - about the salvation of man. When reading the Gospel and the Apostolic Epistles, it becomes obvious that, according to the Savior’s thoughts, people are called to save their souls not alone and separately, but together, making up a single, grace-filled Kingdom of goodness. After all, the kingdom of evil, headed by the prince of darkness, acts united in its war against the Church, as the Savior recalled when he said: “If Satan drives out Satan, then he is divided with himself, how can his kingdom stand?” (Matthew 12:26)
Nevertheless, with all the diversity of modern opinions about the Church, the majority of sensible Christians agree that in apostolic times the true Church of Christ existed as a single society of those being saved. The Book of Acts of the Holy Apostles tells about the emergence of the Church in Jerusalem, when on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of the Savior, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire. From that day on, the Christian faith began to quickly spread in different parts of the communal Roman Empire. As it spread, Christian communities - churches - began to emerge in cities and villages. In everyday life, due to the vast distances, these communities lived more or less separately from each other. However, they considered themselves to organically belong to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. They were united by a single faith and a single source of sanctification, drawn from the grace-filled sacraments (baptism, communion and laying on of hands - ordination). At first, these sacred actions were performed by the apostles themselves. However, soon there was a need for helpers, and the apostles selected worthy candidates from members of Christian communities, who were ordained bishops, presbyters and deacons. The apostles charged bishops with the responsibility of monitoring the purity of Christian teaching, teaching believers to live piously and ordaining assistants for themselves in the person of new bishops, priests and deacons. Thus, during the first centuries, the Church, like a tree, constantly grew and spread across different countries, enriched with spiritual experience, religious literature, liturgical prayers and chants, and later with the architecture of churches and church art, but always preserving the essence of the true Church of Christ .
The Gospels and Apostolic Epistles did not appear immediately and not everywhere at the same time. For many decades after the emergence of the Church, the source of instruction was not Scripture, but oral preaching, called Tradition by the apostles themselves (1 Cor. 11: 16 and 15:2, 2 Thess. 2: 15 and 3: 6, 1 Tim. 6: 20 ). Tradition is a single doctrinal tradition. In the church it has always been decisive in the question of what is right and what is wrong. Whenever anything arose that was not in agreement with the apostolic tradition, whether in matters of faith, sacramental administration, or government, it was recognized as false and rejected. Continuing the apostolic tradition, the bishops of the first centuries painstakingly checked all Christian manuscripts and gradually collected the works of the apostles, the Gospels and epistles, into one collection of books, which was called the New Testament Scriptures and, together with the books of the Old Testament, constituted the Bible in its present form. This process of collecting books was completed in the 3rd century. Controversial books, not in all agreement with the apostolic tradition, presented as apostolic, were rejected as forged and apocryphal. Thus, the apostolic Tradition was of decisive importance for the formation of the New Testament Scripture - this written treasure of the Church. Now Christians of all denominations use the New Testament Scriptures - often arbitrarily, without reverence, without realizing that they are the property of the true Church - a treasure carefully collected by it.
Thanks to other written monuments that have come down to us, written by the disciples of the holy apostles, we know many valuable details about the life and faith of Christian communities in the first centuries of the Christian era. At that time, faith in the existence of one, holy, apostolic Church was universal. Naturally, the Church then had its visible side - in “love suppers” (liturgies) and other services, in bishops and priests, in church prayers and songs, in laws (apostolic canons) regulating the life and relationships of individual churches, in all manifestations of the life of Christian communities. Therefore, we must admit that the doctrine of the “invisible” church is new and incorrect.
Having agreed with the fact of the existence of a real, unified Church in the first centuries of Christianity, is it possible to find a historical moment when it fragmented and ceased to exist? The honest answer must be no! The fact is that deviations from the purity of the apostolic teaching - heresies - began to arise even in apostolic times. Gnostic teachings, which mixed elements of pagan philosophy into the Christian faith, were especially active at that time. The apostles in their epistles warned Christians against these teachings and directly stated that the adherents of these sects had fallen away from the faith. The apostles treated heretics as dry branches broken off from a church tree. In the same way, the successors of the apostles, the bishops of the first centuries, did not recognize as legitimate the deviations from the apostolic faith that arose during their time, and stubborn adherents of these teachings were excommunicated from the Church, following the instructions of the apostles: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you the wrong gospel, what we have preached, let (he) be accursed” (i.e., let him be excommunicated, Gal. 1: 8-9).
Thus, in the first centuries of Christianity, the question of the unity of the Church was clear: the Church is a single spiritual family, bearing since apostolic times the true teaching, the same sacraments and the continuous succession of grace passing from bishop to bishop. For the successors of the apostles there was no doubt that the Church was absolutely necessary for salvation. She preserves and proclaims the pure teaching of Christ, she sanctifies believers and leads them to salvation. Using figurative comparisons from the Holy Scriptures, in the first centuries of Christianity the Church was thought of as a fenced “sheepyard” in which the Good Shepherd - Christ - protects his sheep from the “wolf” - the devil. The Church has become like a Vine, in which believers, as branches, receive the spiritual strength necessary for Christian life and good deeds. The Church was understood as the Body of Christ, in which each believer, as a member, must render service necessary to the whole. The Church was depicted as Noah's Ark, in which believers cross the sea of ​​life and reach the pier of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Church was likened to a high mountain, rising above human errors and leading its travelers to heaven - communication with God, angels and saints.
In the first centuries of Christianity, believing in Christ also meant believing that the work He accomplished on earth, the means that He gave believers for salvation, could not be lost or taken away through the efforts of the devil. The Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles definitely taught about the presence of the Church until the very last times of the world’s existence: “In the days of those (pagan) kingdoms, the God of Heaven will erect a Kingdom that will never be destroyed... It will crush and destroy all kingdoms, and will stand forever,” the Angel predicted to the prophet Daniel (Dan. 2:44). The Lord promised the Apostle Peter: “On this rock (of faith) I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
In the same way, if we believe the promise of the Savior, we must recognize the existence of His Church in our days and until the end of the world. We have not yet indicated where it is, but we are only expressing a fundamental position: it must exist in its holy, integral, real nature. Fragmented, damaged, evaporated, it is not the Church.
So where is she? By what signs can one find it among the many modern Christian branches?
First, the real Church must contain intact the pure Christian teaching preached by the apostles. Bringing the Truth to people was the purpose of the coming of the Son of God to earth, as He said before His suffering on the cross: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the Truth; everyone who is of the Truth listens to My voice” (John 18:37). The Apostle Paul, instructing his disciple Timothy on how he should fulfill his episcopal duties, writes in conclusion: “That you may know, if I hesitate, how you ought to act in the house of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the Truth. ”(1 Tim. 3:15). It is with regret that we must admit that in the matter of doctrine we see great discord among modern branches. In principle, it is necessary to agree that not everyone can teach correctly. If, for example, one church claims that Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ, and another that it is not, then it is impossible for both to be right. Or, if one church believes in the reality of the spiritual power of the sign of the cross, and another denies this power, then it is obvious that one of them is mistaken. The true Church must be one that does not diverge in anything in matters of faith from the Church of the first centuries of Christianity. When a person impartially compares the teachings of modern Christian churches, he, as we will see later, must come to the conclusion that only the Orthodox Church professes the intact faith of the ancient Apostolic Church.
Another sign by which the true Church can be found is the grace or power of God, with which the Church is called to illuminate and strengthen the believers. Although grace is an invisible force, there is, however, an external condition by which one can judge its presence or absence, this is apostolic succession. Since apostolic times, grace has been given to believers in the sacraments of baptism, communion, laying on of hands (confirmation and ordination) and others. The co-celebrators of these sacraments were first the apostles (Acts 8: 14-17), then the bishops and elders. The right to perform these sacraments was transferred exclusively by succession: the apostles ordained bishops, and only they were allowed to ordain other bishops, priests and deacons. Apostolic succession is like a sacred fire, which from one candle lights others. If the fire goes out or the chain of apostolic succession is broken, there is no longer any priesthood or sacraments, the means of sanctifying the believers are lost. Therefore, since apostolic times, they have always carefully monitored the preservation of apostolic succession, so that a bishop is ordained without fail by a true bishop, whose ordination goes back successively to the apostles. Bishops who fell into heresy or led an unworthy lifestyle were deposed, and they lost the right to perform the sacraments and ordain successors for themselves.
In our time, there are only a few churches, the appearance of apostolic succession of which is beyond doubt - these are the Orthodox Church, the Catholic and some non-Orthodox Eastern churches: Coptic, Armenian, etc. (which, however, fell away from the purity of the apostolic teaching back in times of the Ecumenical Councils). Christian denominations, which fundamentally deny the need for priesthood and apostolic succession, already by this one sign differ significantly from the Church of the first centuries and therefore cannot be true.
Of course, a spiritually sensitive person does not need external evidence of the action of God’s grace when he vividly feels its warm and pacifying spirit, which he receives in the sacraments and services of the Orthodox Church.
The next sign of the true Church is its suffering. If it is difficult for people to figure out which Church is true, then the devil, her enemy, understands this very well. He hates the Church and is trying to destroy it. Getting acquainted with the history of the Church, we see that, indeed, its history was written with the tears and blood of martyrs for the faith. The persecution began with the Jewish high priests and scribes back in apostolic times. Then there are three centuries of persecution in the Roman Empire by Roman emperors and regional rulers. After them, the Muslim Arabs raised the sword against the Church, then the crusaders who came from the West. They so undermined the physical strength of Byzantium, this stronghold of Orthodoxy, that it could not resist the Turks who flooded it in the 14th and 15th centuries. Finally, the atheist communists surpassed everyone in their cruelty, exterminating more Christians than all previous persecutors combined. But here’s a miracle: the blood of the martyrs serves as a seed for new Christians, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church, as Christ promised.
Finally, a true and relatively easy way to find the Church of Christ is historical research. The True Church must continually go back to apostolic times. To apply the principle of historical research, there is no need to delve into all the details of the development and spread of Christianity or the subtleties of religious doctrine. It is enough to find out when this or that Church arose. If it arose, say, in the 16th century or some other century, and not in the apostolic time, then it cannot be true. On this one basis, it is necessary to reject the claims to the title of the Church of Christ of all denominations originating from Luther and his followers, such as Lutheran, Calvinist, Presbyterian, and more recent ones - Mormon, Baptist, Adventist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentecostals and others like them. These denominations were not founded by Christ or His apostles, but by false prophets - Luthers, Calvins, Henrys, Smiths and other innovators.
The purpose of this brochure is to acquaint the Orthodox reader with the history of the emergence of the main modern Christian branches and with the essence of their teaching in order to help see how they differ from the one holy and apostolic Church founded by Christ. During the “Christological disputes” from the 4th to the 8th centuries, several heretical movements fell away from the Church - Arians, Macedonians, Nestorians, Monophysites and Monophylites, iconoclasts and others. Their teachings were condemned by the Ecumenical Councils (of which there were seven), and these heresies do not pose a danger to an Orthodox person. Therefore, we will not talk about them here.
Let's start by saying a few words about the Orthodox Church.

In July of this year, the canonization of the Athonite elder John of Vyshensky will take place. Who can become a saint, what are the criteria for canonization and how to know holiness, answers Archimandrite Tikhon (Sofyichuk), Chairman of the Commission for Canonization of the Kyiv Diocese.

– Father, how are saints canonized?

– The history of the Orthodox Church is the history of its holiness. Each Local Church only fully realizes its spiritual calling when it not only reveals within its fold the ascetics of piety, but also collectively glorifies these saints as canonized saints.

The Church gave the Christian world a great host of devotees of piety, martyrs and confessors.

The Church calls saints those people who, having been cleansed from sin, acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit and demonstrated His power in our world.

Each saint with his own special life shows the path to holiness and acts as an example of those walking along this path. The Church teaches: saints of God, making up the ranks of the saints, pray before the Lord for living brothers in faith, to whom the latter pay prayerful honor.

The canonization procedure was developed and strictly regulated relatively recently. In the I–IV centuries. the veneration of saints was determined by the community and legitimized by the bishop. Later, the veneration of saints and the general church dissemination of such veneration was determined by the inclusion of the name of a deceased member of the community in the list of martyrs (martyrology). When veneration assumed a universal, i.e., church-wide character, it was confirmed by the head of the Local Church.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, canonization was performed locally by diocesan bishops. The first example of a conciliar decision on canonization is the decrees of the church councils of 1547 and 1549.

Councils of 1547 and 1549 Modern icon

– What are the conditions for canonization?

– Canonization is the recognition by the Church of any deceased ascetic of piety as one of its saints. The word “canonization” (Latin canonizatio – to take as a rule), borrowed from Western theological language, is used in the Russian Church along with the expression “canonization” (“containment”, “incorporation” into the ranks of saints). Greek hagiology uses a term meaning "proclamation" (saint).

The basis on which the deceased righteous are canonized as saints was formed in the Ancient Church. Over time, one or another basis has gained priority, but in general they remain unchanged.

The term “canonization” - a Latinized transcription of the Greek verb meaning “to determine, to legitimize on the basis of a rule” - was introduced into circulation by Western theologians quite late. In the Greek Church there is no exact analogy for this term, therefore in such cases it used the phrase “canonization” or “containment, inclusion in the ranks of saints.”

The main condition for the glorification of saints at all times was the manifestation of true sanctification, the holiness of the righteous. Evidence of such holiness could be:

1. The Church’s faith in the holiness of the glorified ascetics as people. Those who pleased God and served the coming of the Son of God to earth and the preaching of the holy Gospel.
2. Martyrdom for Christ or torture for the faith of Christ.
3. Miracles performed by a saint through his prayers or from his honest remains-relics.
4. High church primate and hierarchal service.
5. Great services to the Church and the people of God.
6. A virtuous, righteous and holy life, not always evidenced by miracles.
7. In the 17th century, according to the testimony of Patriarch Nektarios of Constantinople, three signs were considered conditions for the presence of true holiness in people:

a) Orthodoxy is impeccable;
b) the fulfillment of all virtues, followed by confrontation for faith even to the point of blood;
c) God's manifestation of supernatural signs and wonders.

8. Often, evidence of the holiness of a righteous person was the great veneration of him by the people, sometimes even during his lifetime.
Along with the faces of the saints, according to the nature of their church service - martyrs, saints, saints, fools for Christ's sake - the saints also differed in the prevalence of their veneration: local church, local diocesan and general church. Today, only locally revered saints are distinguished, whose veneration does not extend beyond the boundaries of any diocese, and church-wide saints, revered by the entire Church. The criteria for glorifying church-wide and locally revered saints are the same. The names of saints glorified by the entire Church are communicated to the Primates of the fraternal Orthodox Local Churches for inclusion in the calendar.

– What is the practice of glorifying the saints today?

– The practice of glorification is as follows: first, the Diocesan Commission for the Canonization of Saints considers materials on glorification. If the decision is positive, they are transferred to the synodal commission, which, if approved, sends them to the Synod. The day of the decision of the Holy Synod is included in the calendar as the day of glorification of the saint. Only after this is an icon painted for the saint and a service compiled. As for the locally revered saints, the difference is only in the degree of glorification within the earthly Church. They also write the icon and service. In the Orthodox Church, canonization is celebrated with a solemn service in honor of the newly glorified saint.

The petition and documents of the ascetic of the faith are submitted to the ruling bishop to study the possibility of canonization. Attached are materials testifying to the person’s holiness. A detailed biography of the ascetic is being compiled, fully reflecting the feat of faith. Documents are sent on the basis of which the biography is compiled: all archival copies, medical evidence of healings, memories of archpastors, pastors and laity about the pious life and gracious help of the ascetic revealed during his life or after his death. The question of the veneration of the ascetic by the people requires especially careful coverage.

Meeting of the Commission for the Canonization of Saints at the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Photo: canonization.church.ua

It is worth recalling the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of December 26, 2002 “On the streamlining of practices related to the canonization of saints in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church.” Then it was decided that when preparing the canonization of saints, the following circumstances should be taken into account:

1. Materials for the canonization of an ascetic must be carefully prepared and considered by the diocesan commission for the canonization of saints in accordance with the decision of the 1992 Council of Bishops.
2. The publication of unverified materials related to the life, exploits and suffering of clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church is unacceptable. With the blessing of the ruling bishop, all evidence must be verified locally. The ruling bishop can give a blessing for the publication of such materials only after personally familiarizing himself with their content.
3. The practice of collecting signatures in dioceses for the canonization of certain persons is unacceptable, since it is sometimes used by various forces not for church purposes.
4. There should be no haste in the canonization of recently deceased revered clergy and laity. It is necessary to carefully and comprehensively study the documentary materials of their life and ministry.
5. The relics of canonized ascetics are acquired with the blessing of His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine. The ruling bishop must report on the results of the acquisition of holy relics to His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

6. The relics of uncanonized ascetics cannot be displayed in churches for veneration.

In our time, when considering cases of canonization of victims for Christ, it is necessary to apply additional criteria, taking into account the circumstances of the era. In each specific case concerning the glorification of one or another confessor of the faith of the twentieth century, the commission carefully studies archival materials, personal testimonies, if sometimes it is possible to find and interview eyewitnesses of the events or those who, without being eyewitnesses themselves, keep memories of these people or their letters , diaries and other information.

The subject of careful study is the interrogation materials. All persons who suffered during the years of persecution were subsequently rehabilitated by the state. The authorities recognized their innocence, but one cannot conclude from this that all of them can be canonized. The fact is that people who were subjected to arrests, interrogations and various repressive measures did not behave the same in these circumstances.

The attitude of the repressive authorities towards the ministers of the Church and believers was clearly negative and hostile. The man was accused of monstrous crimes, and the purpose of the prosecution was one - by any means to obtain a confession of guilt in anti-state or counter-revolutionary activities. The majority of clergy and laity denied their involvement in such activities and did not admit either themselves or their loved ones, acquaintances and strangers to be guilty of anything. Their behavior during the investigation, which was sometimes carried out with the use of torture, was devoid of any slander or false testimony against themselves and their neighbors.

At the same time, the Church finds no grounds for the canonization of persons who, during the investigation, incriminated themselves or others, causing the arrest, suffering or death of innocent people, despite the fact that they themselves suffered. Cowardice shown in such circumstances cannot serve as an example, for canonization is, first of all, evidence of the holiness and courage of the ascetic, which the Church of Christ calls on its children to imitate.

Copies of archival investigative cases in which the ascetics were convicted should be attached to the description of the life of a martyr or confessor. Namely: a questionnaire of the arrested person, all protocols of interrogations and confrontations (if any), an indictment, a “troika” verdict, an act of execution of the sentence or another document certifying the time, place and circumstances of the ascetic’s death. If the martyr or confessor was arrested several times, then it is necessary to submit copies of the above materials from all criminal investigation cases.

There are many other aspects to the issue of glorifying a martyr or confessor, which can only be partially reflected in the materials of investigative cases, but without a decision from the relevant authorities it is impossible to glorify a person. It requires special attention to clarify a person’s attitude to the schisms that took place at that time (Renovationist, Gregorian and others), behavior during the investigation: was he a secret informant of the repressive authorities, was he called as a false witness in other cases? Establishing these facts requires a lot of work from many people - members and employees of diocesan commissions for the canonization of saints, the work of which is organized and controlled by the ruling bishop.

The archives of the state, whose funds contain documents about the history of the Church and the persecution of it, unfortunately, only recently and not in full became available for research. The history of the 20th century Church has only just begun to be studied. In this regard, researchers are discovering many facts that were previously unknown, as well as their religious and moral side, which many were not even aware of. Therefore, the strictness of the Church’s position in matters of glorifying new martyrs and confessors is dictated not by bureaucracy and formalism, but by the desire to avoid mistakes due to incomplete information and to make the right decision.

– Why in ancient times were martyrs glorified immediately after death, without a meeting of the commission or the Synod?

– In the Ancient Church, the main list of revered saints consisted of the names of martyrs - people who voluntarily offered themselves as a “living sacrifice”, testifying to the glory and holiness of God. Therefore, already in the 2nd century in church sources one can find several evidence of celebrations along with days of remembrance of gospel events and days of remembrance of martyrs. The number of saints in the Church in the period before the Ecumenical Councils can be judged from the surviving calendars, martyrologies and minologies. The most ancient of them are the martyrologies of the 3rd–4th centuries. in its main part there is a translation of Latin court records, the so-called proconsular acts (Acta Proconsuloria), or some processing of them. These acts, by order of Emperor Constantine, were kept in all major cities of the empire. In addition to the actual acts of the Roman authorities from this time (I–IV centuries), the first attempts on the part of the Church to write the lives of this or that martyr, testifying to his veneration, have also been preserved. So, for example, in the acts of the martyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch (+107 or 116), it is said that the compiler of the description of the martyrdom of Ignatius noted the day and year of his death in order to gather on this “day of remembrance of the martyr” for agapes dedicated to the holidays days or days in honor of this saint.

Records about saints in the Ancient Church are quite brief, since in the Roman court, which usually took place in the presence of “notaries” - stenographers, only the questions of the judges and the answers of the accused were recorded. Often Christians bought these records. For example, in the acts of the martyrs Tarakh, Provos and Andronikos (who suffered in 304), it is noted that Christians paid the Roman authorities 200 denarii for them.

These court records took the form of an interrogation record. First, they indicated the name of the proconsul in whose region the trial was held, then the year, month and day, and sometimes the time of day of the trial, and, finally, the interrogation itself, which was a dialogue between the judge, his servants and the accused. At the end of the interrogation, the proconsul called for it to be read aloud, then the judge and his assessors made a decision and read the sentence. The execution of the sentence was carried out in the absence of a judge.

From this diagram it is clear that only the interrogation of the martyr was fully described in the court records and his testimony and death were reported; there should not have been any other details in them. Later, with the increase in the number of holy martyrs in the Church, these proconsular acts were placed in special collections-minologues, in which the sufferings of each martyr on the day of his memory were noted by month.

Such historical sources perfectly illustrate the veneration and celebration of a dead Christian as a saint. All those who suffered for Christ were counted among these; without any investigation of their lives, they were included in the lists of saints by virtue of their feat - cleansing by martyrdom. At times, the Church, already knowing about the upcoming interrogation of an arrested Christian, sent an observer to him for trial as a saint, obligated to record the feat of testimony of the interrogated. At some episcopal sees, even special persons were appointed for this purpose. Thus, Pope Clement appointed seven deacons to this ministry in a certain area of ​​the city of Rome. These records were called passio (suffering), later they were combined with the minologi, and their readings were placed according to the days of the Roman calendar. By their number, one can determine the number of saints in the Ancient Church, as well as which feat of holiness was revered in the Church before others. Thus, in the oldest Western calendar, which belonged to a certain Dionysius Philocalus and known as the Bucherian calendar, 24 days of remembrance of martyrs are noted, in addition to this - the feast of the Nativity of Christ and a list of holy popes. By the end of the 4th century, after the era of persecution, “the calendar was full,” that is, the number of saints in the year had increased so much that there was not a single day that did not have the memory of its saint. For the most part, most of them were martyrs. Asterius, Bishop of Amasia, speaks about this: “Behold, the whole universe is filled with the circle of Christ’s ascetics; there is no place or season without their memory. Therefore, if any lover of the martyrs wanted to celebrate all the days of their suffering, then for him there would not be a single day in the year that was not festive.”

However, such a complete ancient Christian calendar has not survived to this day. In the oldest, now known calendars of Western origin, which were called martyrologium (martyrdom), - Gothic, Carthaginian and others, memories are not distributed over all numbers of the year. In the most ancient eastern calendar, compiled in 411–412. in Syria, there are more “memories” of saints, but also not on all days of the year. However, it should be noted that all these calendars were compiled only for individual dioceses, and martyrs from one date were not included in another due to their remoteness.

– Some today want to canonize one outstanding figure, without wanting to understand his life, others want another, patriots need a holy warrior, the military needs a general, etc. There are many wonderful and even outstanding personalities in our history, but holiness is It's a completely different matter.

– Every nation has its own heroes whom it reveres and looks up to, wanting to imitate their feat. The Church also has its own Heroes of the Spirit - these are saints. We recently celebrated the feast of All Saints who shone in the Russian land. And there is nothing wrong with the fact that people want to see their compatriots close in time as role models. It is important that there are no vanity or any other pragmatic reasons for glorifying this or that ascetic, because this can divide people. Such cases occurred during the time of the Apostle Paul (I am Cephas, I am Pavlov), divisions were also observed in the Church, when some revered St. Basil the Great more, calling themselves Basilians, others – St. Gregory the Theologian, calling themselves Gregorians, and others – Ionnites, revering the saint more. John Chrysostom, but these three saints appeared in the 11th century to Metropolitan John of Euchaitis and stopped the discord between their admirers, saying that they were equal before God. On this occasion, the feast of the Three Saints was established on January 30.

The saints are one in the Lord and want us to achieve holiness and unite with God - this is the highest veneration for them, since this, according to the Apostle Paul, is the good will of God: “The will of God is your sanctification...” (1 Thess. 4 :3). When we perform funeral services for deceased Orthodox Christians, we pray: “With the saints, rest the soul of your departed servant...” But this does not mean that all Orthodox deceased Christians, even if they occupied high church, military or public positions, can serve as an example for imitation and veneration like saints. The Church is not a legal organization where everything is decided according to earthly laws. The Church is a living organism that lives by the Holy Spirit. This is why canonization commissions have been created within the Church and dioceses, which, based on the above criteria, determine whether to venerate this or that ascetic or not. Holiness reveals itself, and people only state this fact, which is no longer needed by the saints, since they are already glorified by God, but by us for prayer help and as an example to follow.

Saints are those people who, having been cleansed from sin, acquired the Holy Spirit and demonstrated His power in our world. Those whose pleasing to God was revealed to the Church as a reliable fact, whose salvation was revealed even now, before the Last Judgment, are revered as saints.

We are all called to holiness. And indeed, we are sanctified in the Church, whose Head and Firstfruits is the Lord Jesus Christ: “If the firstfruits is holy, then the whole is holy, and if the root is holy, then so are the branches” (Rom. 11:16). At the Divine Liturgy before Holy Communion we hear a cry referring to us: “Holy to holies!” Just as a star differs from a star, so in the firmament the saints differ in their degree of holiness. Some people internalize this holiness by becoming saints, others do not. Everything depends on the free will of man.

Interviewed by Natalya Goroshkova

May 2 - Day of Remembrance Saint Matrona of Moscow . Matrona Nikonova has died May 2, 1952 . This saint lived among people until quite recently, performing healings and numerous miracles. Just 47 years after his death May 2, 1999 Saint Matrona was canonized as a locally revered saint of the Moscow diocese (the church-wide canonization took place in October 2004).

Today we would like to talk about how the church glorifies a person as a saint.

Canonization (Greek “legitimize”, “take as a rule”) is the recognition by the Church of any of its members as saints with corresponding veneration. However, this does not mean that only those people who were canonized are saints, because there were many saints who died in obscurity.

Canonization usually occurs after the death of a person; this procedure is very long and painstaking. To do this, a special commission examines the biography of the righteous man and decides whether he is worthy of canonization.

Currently collecting materials for canonization in the Russian Orthodox Church Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints.

The rite of canonization of Blessed Elder Matrona

The commission studies the life, exploits, works of the canonized person, the memories of contemporaries about him, facts confirming miracles, if any, and also studies the relics of the righteous.

So what are the criteria for canonization?

At all times, the main condition for glorification was the manifestation of true sanctification, the holiness of the righteous. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna in his report “On the question of the procedure for canonization of locally revered saints in the Russian Orthodox Church at the diocesan level” at the Local Council from October 1, 1993 outlined the following signs of the holiness of Orthodox ascetics:

1. The faith of the Church in the holiness of the glorified ascetics as people who pleased God and served the coming of the Son of God to earth and the preaching of the Holy Gospel (on the basis of such faith the forefathers, fathers, prophets and apostles were glorified).

2. Martyrdom for Christ, or torture for the faith of Christ (this is how, in particular, martyrs and confessors were glorified in the Church).

3. Miracles performed by a saint through his prayers or from his honest remains - relics (venerables, silent men, stylites, martyrs, holy fools, etc.).

4. High church primate and hierarchal service.

5. Great services to the Church and the people of God.

6. Virtuous, righteous and holy life.

7. In the seventeenth century, according to the testimony of Patriarch Nektarios, three things were recognized as the cause of true holiness in people:

a) Orthodoxy is impeccable;

b) the fulfillment of all virtues, followed by confrontation for faith even to the point of blood;

c) God's manifestation of supernatural signs and wonders.

8. Often, evidence of the holiness of a righteous person was the great veneration of him by the people, sometimes even during his lifetime.

Have a certain significance in the issue of canonization power(however this is not a requirement). According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, the relics of saints are both completely preserved (incorruptible relics) and individual particles from the bodies of the righteous glorified by God. The very name of their relics in Church Slavonic means "power", "strength", that is, some miraculous, supernatural manifestations of them, which became evidence of their involvement in Divine grace.

Also evidence of holiness is the figure that is sometimes miraculously formed on the relics of saints.

When glorifying as a saint, it is important for us that from the point of view of the Church, it is not canonization that makes a person a saint, but his feat. Canonization recognizes the merits of the ascetic, as well as the confidence in his salvation, because, glorifying the righteous, the Church stops praying for him and begins to pray to him.

We call saints saints not for the complete absence of sins, but for an adequate attitude towards them, for the desire to cleanse themselves of vices and devote their lives to God. In this sense, the saints are an example for Christians.

At first glance, it seems that it is thanks to the people that this or that person is canonized, because the first step to canonization is the veneration of the righteous during his lifetime, and then after his death. Actually this is not true. The holiness of a person is determined not by people, but, as it were, by the Lord himself. God sends people visible signals of the holiness of this person (for example, the healing of a sick person at the grave of a saint or the insight of a saint during his lifetime).

Queue to the icon of St. Matrona of Moscow in the Pokrovsky Monastery

Most often, after a positive decision Synodal Commission about canonization and blessings His Holiness Patriarch, a saint first becomes locally respected (in monasteries and dioceses), and as veneration and church-wide saints Next, the day of celebration of the new saint is set, a service is drawn up, an icon is written, as well as a life.

If a saint is canonized in one of the Local Orthodox Churches, his name is reported to the heads of all the others. In these Churches, a decision may be made to include the newly glorified saint in the church calendar (the names of the glorified locally revered saints are not included in the general church calendar, and their services are not printed in general church service books, but are published in a separate publication locally).

According to the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church, saints, saints of God, making up the face of saints, pray before God for their living brothers in faith, who, in turn, pay them prayerful honor.

Some ascetics, famous for their insight and miracles, were revered by all the people; sometimes even during their lifetime, temples were built in their honor. For the most part, saints were first made locally venerated (in monasteries or dioceses), and then, as their miracles increased, their honoring became church-wide.

The veneration of saints became a custom from the very first days of the existence of the Christian Church. Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, Chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, in his report “On the canonization of saints in the Russian Orthodox Church,” delivered at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on June 6–9, 1988, noted that “by the end of the first millennium, the Orthodox Church had a fully formed list of universal saints, celebrated by each Local Church. The fame of individual local saints grew, and temples began to be built for them.”

In the history of the canonization of saints of the Russian Orthodox Church, five periods are distinguished: from the Baptism of Rus' to the Makariev Councils; the Makariev Councils themselves (1547 and 1549); from the Makariev Councils to the establishment of the Holy Synod; synodal and modern periods.

The rules that guided the Russian Orthodox Church when canonizing ascetics are in general terms reminiscent of the rules of the Church of Constantinople. “The main criterion for canonization was the gift of miracles manifested during the life or after the death of the saint, and in some cases, the presence of incorruptible remains. The canonization itself had three types. Along with the faces of saints, the Russian Church distinguished saints by the nature of their church service (martyrs, saints, saints, etc.) and by the prevalence of their veneration - local church, local diocesan and national.”

The right to canonize local church and local diocesan saints belonged to the ruling bishop with the knowledge of the Metropolitan (later the Patriarch of All Rus') and could be limited only to an oral blessing for the veneration of a local ascetic.

The right to canonize church-wide saints belonged to the Metropolitan, or Patriarch of All Rus', with the participation of the Council of Russian Hierarchs.

In monasteries, the veneration of ascetics could begin by decision of the council of monastic elders, who later presented the matter to the local bishop for approval.

“The church celebration of the memory of the saint was preceded by the work of the diocesan authorities to certify the authenticity of miracles at the tomb of the deceased (and often in the incorruption of the relics), and then a solemn service was established in the local church and a day was appointed to honor the saint, a special service was compiled, an icon was painted, and “Life” with depictions of miracles certified by the inquiry of the Church authorities.” In addition to the conciliar veneration and celebration of the days of saints glorified by God, Christians celebrated the memory of ascetics who had not yet been canonized by the Church with a special service - a requiem. “Since church memory is folk memory, it was often precisely this that provided material for the canonization of this or that saint. In this sense, the constant (at all times) and ubiquitous (in many parishes and dioceses) prayerful memory of the repose of ascetics with the saints was often the first step towards the canonization of this ascetic. At the same time, numerous testimonies about such saints were sometimes replete with a large number of stories about the miracles they performed.”

In the Russian Orthodox Church, the canonization of saints was a confirmation of the already existing facts of popular church veneration of deceased ascetics of piety: the church authorities sanctified this veneration and solemnly proclaimed the ascetic of faith and piety a saint.

Canonization has always been thought of by the church consciousness as a fact of manifestation in the Church of the holiness of God, acting through a blessed ascetic of piety. Therefore, at all times, the main condition for glorification was the manifestation of true sanctification, the holiness of the righteous. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, in his report at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, sets out the following signs of the holiness of Orthodox ascetics:

"1. The faith of the Church in the holiness of the glorified ascetics as people who pleased God and served the coming of the Son of God to earth and the preaching of the Holy Gospel (on the basis of such faith the forefathers, fathers, prophets and apostles were glorified).
2. Martyrdom for Christ, or torture for the faith of Christ (this is how, in particular, martyrs and confessors were glorified in the Church).
3. Miracles performed by a saint through his prayers or from his honest remains - relics (venerables, silent men, stylites, martyrs, holy fools, etc.).
4. High church primate and hierarchal service.
5. Great services to the Church and the people of God.
6. Virtuous, righteous and holy life.
7. In the seventeenth century, according to the testimony of Patriarch Nektarios, three things were recognized as the cause of true holiness in people:
a) Orthodoxy is impeccable;
b) the fulfillment of all virtues, followed by confrontation for faith even to the point of blood;
c) God's manifestation of supernatural signs and wonders.
8. Often, evidence of the holiness of a righteous person was the great veneration of him by the people, sometimes even during his lifetime.”

Despite the variety of reasons and grounds for the canonization of saints in various historical eras of the existence of the Church, one thing has remained unchanged: every glorification of saints is a manifestation of the holiness of God, it is always carried out according to the good will and will of the Church itself.

The relics had a certain significance in the matter of canonization. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, the relics of saints are both completely preserved (incorruptible relics) and individual particles from the bodies of the righteous glorified by God. Their very name relics in Church Slavonic it means “power”, “strength”, that is, some miraculous, supernatural manifestations of them, which was evidence of their involvement in Divine grace. “The occurrence of miracles or miraculous manifestations (the flow of peace) from relics in the Russian Church was often the beginning of the glorification of the saint. However, the relics of saints were often worn out of the ground after canonization, from which we can conclude that the presence of holy remains remained only one of the possible conditions for the glorification of a saint.”

Any canonization was preceded by preparatory work on the study of the lives, works and exploits of the person being canonized. This obligatory condition was observed both during individual and group glorification of the saints of God. In each individual case, the Church, having examined the exploits of the person being canonized, determined the grounds for his canonization. After this, a determination was made to canonize the proposed ascetic as one of the holy saints of God. In studies related to the proposed canonization, the results of studying the lives, miracles, works and exploits of all the below-named ascetics were presented. Their diverse exploits of spiritual improvement are intended to illuminate the path to salvation for the modern Christian. “The work to prepare this canonization revealed the need for further study of the issue of glorifying saints, both those who lived in the last century and those who completed their ascetic life and exploits in modern times. They are like stars in the firmament above the Russian land; but it takes enough time and in-depth work to present their lives and exploits for the edification of the faithful.”

The canonizations of saints carried out in the Russian Orthodox Church over the last period are evidence of the revival in it of the tradition of glorifying ascetics of faith and piety, interrupted for many decades, which has been inherent in the Church throughout its entire historical existence.

The Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, small in composition, formed at the meeting of the Holy Synod on April 10–11, 1989, cooperating with the episcopate, clergy and laity, plays a kind of coordinating role in the process of studying and preparing the canonization of ascetics of the faith.

Depending on the extent of the prevalence of veneration of the ascetic, he is ranked among the locally revered or church-wide saints, “but the criteria for canonization remain the same.”

As is known, the grounds for canonization were formed over the course of centuries of church history. The basis for canonization are: “tireless preaching of the word of God, martyrdom and confession for Christ, zealous hierarchal service, high righteous life, impeccable Orthodoxy. The criteria for canonization are popular veneration of ascetics, gifts of miracles witnessed during the life of the saint or after his death, and, often, although not necessarily, the presence of holy relics.” “Canonization should serve to strengthen faith, unite members of the Church in love and harmony, it should not create any reasons for confusion and division. Based on these approaches, the Commission carefully and carefully studies all materials that come to its disposal and only after that provides them to His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod.”

Enrollment as a locally revered saint is carried out with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, and as a general church saint - by the Bishops' or Local Council. “Thus, the canonization of saints expresses the conciliar mind of the Church.”

At a meeting of the Commission for the Canonization of Saints, held on March 18–19, 1993, based on the discussion, the following position was developed: “In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, the right to canonize local church and local diocesan saints belonged to the ruling bishop with the knowledge and blessing of the Primate of the Church - the Metropolitan, and later - the Patriarch all Rus'. Evidence of holiness in the Church is the preaching of the word of God, martyrdom and confession for Christ, hierarchical service, high righteous life, and impeccable Orthodoxy. In the approach to the canonization of locally revered saints, the same criteria were used as in the general church glorification: the holiness of this or that ascetic of the faith is certified by his popular veneration, the gift of miracles of the saint during his life or after death, and often by the presence of incorruptible relics.”

The church glorification of the saint was preceded by the work of the diocesan authorities to certify the authenticity of miracles associated with his name and to examine the relics.

Then liturgical texts were compiled in honor of this saint, icons and lives were written describing his deeds and miracles. “This practice of canonization of saints at the diocesan level, which has developed in the Russian Orthodox Church, must be restored and adopted in the work of diocesan commissions for the canonization of saints to collect and study materials on the canonization of ascetics of faith and piety, the decision to create which was made at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Churches March 31 - April 4, 1992.”

On October 1, 1993, the Holy Synod heard a report by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, Chairman of the Commission for the Canonization of Saints, who presented a document to this Commission - “On the issue of the procedure for the canonization of locally revered saints in the Russian Orthodox Church at the diocesan level.” The Holy Synod approved the procedure for the canonization of saints presented by the Commission and recommended its strict implementation in all dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. In connection with the beginning of the activities of canonization commissions in a number of dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, organized in accordance with the decision of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church from March 31 to April 4, 1992, it was necessary for them to clarify the procedure for the canonization of locally venerated saints at the diocesan level. The conciliar decision to create diocesan commissions for canonization was preceded by the Decree of the Holy Synod of March 25, 1991 on the collection at the diocesan level of materials about the life and exploits of martyrs and confessors of the faith of the 20th century. It noted that the collected materials should be sent to the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints for further study with a view to the canonization of Russian martyrs and confessors. Diocesan canonization commissions should be guided by this Synodal Definition. The diocesan commission collects information about the life, exploits, miracles and veneration of this ascetic among the people. His life and the text of the deed regarding his canonization are being compiled, and his icon is being painted. Liturgical texts are compiled and submitted to the Synodal Liturgical Commission for consideration. The collected materials are sent by the diocesan bishop to the Synodal Commission for Canonization. After considering them in the Synodal Commission and if there are sufficient grounds for canonization, His Holiness the Patriarch blesses the canonization of a locally revered ascetic of the faith and his veneration in a given diocese, which is reported to the diocesan bishop. The canonization of a locally venerated saint is carried out by the diocesan bishop in the order established in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The names of glorified, locally revered saints are not included in the general church calendar, and their services are not printed in general church service books, but are published in a separate publication locally.

Remembering the trials that befell the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th century, I would like to especially note the growing veneration among the people of the martyrs and confessors of the faith, who laid down their holy lives for Christ and the Church. The report of Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, Chairman of the Holy Synod Commission for the Canonization of Saints, read at the Council of Bishops on November 29 - December 2, 1994, states that “no genuine suffering disappears in the memory of the Church, just as the Christian feat of everyone does not disappear without a trace deceased in Christ, for whom a fervent prayer is offered at the funeral or requiem service: And do it for him(or to her) eternal memory". And therefore, the Church carefully preserves the “Lives” (biographies) of the holy sufferers and exhorts believers to reverently venerate them, edified by their great love for the Lord. “Among Christians of righteous life, the Church especially singles out those sufferers whose life and especially death most clearly and clearly testifies to their deepest devotion to Christ. Such sufferers are called by the Church holy martyrs, confessors, passion-bearers. The word “passion-bearer” used in the Slavic and Russian languages ​​is a non-literal translation of that Greek word, which among the ancient Greeks meant “who has won a competition and wears the signs of this victory as a reward.” In Orthodox hymnography, this word is translated into Slavic and Russian languages ​​either as “victorious” or “passion-bearer.” In the consciousness of the church people, the bishops, clergy and laity who suffered during the years of persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church performed feats of martyrdom and confession. The name “new Russian martyrs” has already come into widespread use. “Having canonized Patriarch Tikhon, the Council of Bishops in 1989 glorified the Saint primarily for his confessional stand for the Church at a difficult time for her.” Tens of thousands of clergy and millions of Orthodox laity suffered from the mass repressions of the 1930s. “But the impression of chance in the choice of a victim is incompatible with the Christian worldview, for which there is no chance. The Lord said: “Are not two small birds sold for an assarium? And not one of them will fall to the ground without the will of your Father; But even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29-30).

We believe, therefore, that Christians who died under torture in the name of Christ, who prayed to Him before being shot in prison basements, who died with thanksgiving to God for everything, from hunger and hard work in the camps, were not victims of a tragic accident, but laid down their lives for Christ ".

The canonization of the new martyrs, which the Russian Orthodox Church is moving towards, should serve not to divide, but to unite the church people. Therefore, the choice of holy ascetics proposed for church glorification should be indisputable and self-evident. “I believe that it is our duty, the archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church,” said Metropolitan Yuvenaly at the Council of Bishops, “to everyone in their diocese to treat such a spiritual movement with sensitivity and reverence, giving it church leadership and preparing in their dioceses materials for the canonization of the new martyrs of Russia.” .

That is why the Council of Bishops, held from March 31 to April 4, 1992, decided “to form in all dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church commissions for the canonization of saints to collect and study materials for the canonization of ascetics of faith and piety, especially martyrs and confessors of the 20th century, within each diocese ".

In the event that the veneration of a local saint goes beyond the boundaries of a given diocese, the question of his church-wide canonization is submitted to the judgment of His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod after study by the Synodal Commission. “The final decision on church-wide glorification belongs to the Local or Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Between meetings of such Councils, the issue can be resolved at an enlarged meeting of the Holy Synod, taking into account the opinion of the entire episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

The Commission for the Canonization of Saints at the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church prepared two documents - “On the procedure for the canonization of locally revered saints in the Russian Orthodox Church at the diocesan level”, which were recommended at the meetings of the Holy Synod on March 25 and October 1, 1993 “for strict implementation in all dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church." The principles of canonization specified in these documents should determine the activities of diocesan canonization commissions. Over the past two years, in a number of dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, canonizations of locally revered saints have been carried out at the diocesan level. The revival of the process of canonization of saints in dioceses testifies to the never-ending veneration of the saints of God among the church people. At a meeting of the Holy Synod on February 22, 1993, chaired by the Patriarch, a report was heard from His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Chairman of the Commission for the Canonization of Saints, which presented the results of a discussion of issues of liturgical practice related to the veneration of locally revered saints.

“In the event that there is a troparion and kontakion for a locally revered saint, but there is no service, then services to this saint can be performed according to the General Menaion. If there is no troparion and kontakion for a locally revered saint, then general troparions, kontakions and services can be used according to the nature of his asceticism. As for the compilation of new troparions, kontakia and services for a given ascetic, this initiative can come from the ruling bishop, who must turn to His Holiness the Patriarch with a draft of the corresponding services or with a request for the compilation of such to the Divine Service Commission. If there is a troparion and kontakion for a locally revered ascetic, compiled in the past, then it is necessary to conduct a study to see whether these troparion and kontakion are a trace of the local veneration of him as a saint established in the past. If it is impossible to be convinced of this, then he should perform the requiem without using the existing troparion and kontakion.”