ᐉ Orthodoxy in Lithuania. Orthodox Lithuania -

Story

Before the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

According to the remark of the modern Lithuanian academician Z. Zinkevičius, the Eastern Christian wave in Lithuania in the 11th-14th centuries “... was extremely intense and left deep traces in the history of the entire Lithuanian people. (...) It reached Lithuania much earlier than the Western wave of Christianity. (...) Eastern Christianity greatly influenced the formation of the worldview and culture of the Lithuanian people long before the official baptism of Lithuania. (...) Apparently, the initiators of the introduction of Christianity of the Western rite in Lithuania, the Grand Dukes Jagiello and Vytautas, had previously also been baptized according to the Eastern rite.” Z. Zinkevicius calls the Catholic baptism of Lithuania at the end of the 14th century “in principle, already repeated.”

After the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Metropolis

The image of the saint on the frame of the Lavrishevsky Gospel.

It is reliably known that the second Grand Duke of Lithuania Voishelk (ruled 1264-1267) and the next Grand Duke of Lithuania (son-in-law of Voishelk) - Shvarn Daniilovich (1267-1270) were Orthodox. Many relatives and associates of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania were Orthodox: for example, according to the Lithuanian chronicle, the son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Troyden (1270-1282) Rimund was Orthodox; and according to the Galician-Volyn chronicle, all four brothers of Troyden were Orthodox. The sons of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Viten (1295-1316) were also Orthodox. According to the Lithuanian metric, the sister of Grand Duke Gediminas was Orthodox; she had her own monastery in Vilna. Around 1258, Grand Duke Voishelk founded the Lavrishevsky Monastery near Novgorod, in which at the end of the 13th century a unique monument of Belarusian medieval literature was created - the illustrated Lavrishevsky Gospel, now kept in Poland.

Since the founding of the Lithuanian Metropolis (the beginning of the 14th century), the Orthodox parishes of Lithuania, which at that time were numerous in the ethnically Baltic lands of the Kovenshchina and Vilkomyrshchyna, were subordinate to it. Scientists (I. Marzalyuk) drew attention to the fact that the Russian written monument “Names of all Russian cities,” created around 1375, lists “cities” in the Vilna, Vilkomir and Kovno region: Vilna, Merech, Medniki, Kernov, Moishogolu, Vilkomir, Old Troki, New Troki, Kovno, Punyu and Perelai; Meanwhile, science has proven that the “cities” in the list “Names of all cities” were the centers of church parishes that paid tribute to the metropolitan. Thus, no later than the 14th century, a developed network of Orthodox parishes existed in the Baltic lands of Lithuania. At the beginning of the 14th century, in the grand ducal residence of Troki there were churches of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Ascension. In Vilna in the first half of the 14th century there were many Orthodox churches.

Orthodoxy in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania played an outstanding role in the highest strata of society and cultural circles, providing education, including to the Baltic nobility from the grand ducal circle. Back in the 17th century, historians noted that in Lithuania, Catholic priests adhere to the ancient custom of wearing beards, as Orthodox priests do, and wear the fur hats of Russian boyars.

From the beginning of the 14th century (according to G. Geltser, based on the painting of the dioceses of the See of Constantinople - from 1300) in Lithuania (the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) there was a separate Lithuanian metropolis, subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. From time to time, Lithuanian dioceses were subordinate to the Galician metropolitans and the metropolitans of Kyiv and All Rus'. In 1352-1355, the Lithuanian metropolitan bore the title of Metropolitan of “Kyiv and All Rus'”. In 1378-1406, the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Rus' was Cyprian, who had previously been the Metropolitan of Lithuania. From 1458, the Lithuanian dioceses were subordinate to the Kyiv metropolitans (in the union until 1470), who bore the title of metropolitans of “Kyiv, Galicia and All Rus',” until 1596, when the Kyiv metropolitanate fell into the union.

In the 15th-16th centuries, with the establishment of Catholicism in the lands of Lithuania, Orthodox magnates fought for their rights. On October 15, 1432, they obtained from King Jogaila the issuance of a privilege, which equalized the rights of Orthodox nobles with Catholics (thus, almost completely ending the discriminatory provisions of the Gorodel privilege of 1413). The privilege of 1434 of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Zhigimont Keistutovich was confirmed by the privilege of 1432; The Orthodox nobility received class equality in rights with Catholics, but, as before, the participation of Orthodox Christians in the highest institutions of government was limited. However, historians pointed out that in practice these restrictions were almost not observed, since their compliance in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was practically impossible; for example, the privilege of 1563 on the full admission of Orthodox Christians to the highest state institutions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (which fully extended to the Orthodox the same privileges that Catholics enjoyed according to the Gorodelsky Privilege) was already signed by a number of Orthodox senior state officials acting at that time. In addition, the act of 1563 itself indicated that despite the act of Jogaila and Vytautas of 1413 on the admission of only Catholics to high government positions, Orthodox nobles all this time carried out faithful service and occupied responsible government positions, both in Panah-Rada and and “inde” (that is, in other state institutions); and this explained the abolition of the restrictions of the Gorodel privilege.

The fact that in practice the restrictive provisions of the Gorodel Privilege were practically impossible to implement, and the grand ducal government not only understood this, but also legally secured the full equality of Orthodox and Catholics, shows the first Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1529, in the very first lines of which we read:

«...from the affections of our rulers, they want to bestow the right

Christians, all the prelates and princes and lord of the banner, a noble knight of the highest gentry and all the post-polity and their subjects, and the Tubyl of the land of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which would have been the herd and encampment for a long time, all their rights and instilled in the church,
so the Latin law, like the Greek " .
In 1592, a royal charter was adopted stating that secular authorities should not interfere in the affairs of the Orthodox Church.
Orthodox brotherhoods in the cities of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were also approved by separate royal charters. The position of the Orthodox Christians worsened after the conclusion of the Union of Brest.

Notes

Zinkevičius, Zigmas. Krikščionybės ištakos Lietuvoje: Rytų krikščionybė vardyno duomenimis. — Vilnius: Katalikų akademijos leidykla, 2005. p. 76-77, 85-86. (Summary - in Russian).
D. Baronas. The oldest traces of Russian presence in Vilnius. // Balts in antiquity and the Middle Ages: languages, history, culture / Rep. ed. M. V. Zavyalova. - M., 2000.
M. N. Tikhomirov. Russian chronicle. M.: Nauka, 1979. p. 95; Nasonov A. N. “Russian land” and the formation of the territory of the Old Russian state. M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1951. p. 142.
Orthodox churches in Lithuania. Holy Spirit Monastery. Vilnius, 2006.
Vinogradov A. A. Orthodox shrines of Vilna. - Vilna. Vilen. Holy Spirits. brotherhood, 1906.
Kozlovsky I. The fate of the Russian language in Lithuania and Zhmudi. - Vestn. Zap. Russia, 1869, vol. IV, book. 11, p. 51.
Gelzer H. Ungedruckte und ungenugend veroffentlichte Texte der Notitiae Episcopatuum, ein Beitrag zur byzantinischen Kirchen - und Verwaltungsgeschichte. // Munchen, Akademie der Wissenschaften, Hist., l, Abhandlungen, XXI, 1900, Bd. III, ABTH; Pavlov A.S. About the beginning of the Galician and Lithuanian metropolitanates and about the first metropolitans there according to Byzantine documentary sources of the 14th century. // Russian Review. 1894. book. 5 (May). With. 236-241; Shevchenko I.I. Some remarks on the policy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in relation to Eastern Europe in the 14th century. // Slavs and their neighbors. Vol. 6. The Greek and Slavic world in the Middle Ages and early modern times. Moscow, 1996. p. 134-135.
The Great Principality of Lithuania: Encyclopedias ў 2 Tamakhs. vol. 1. - Minsk: BelEN, 2006. p. 442.



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Shrines

The relics of saints and miraculous icons in Lithuania are found in churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

mchch. John, Anthony and Eustathius of Vilna (XIV century).

Catholic Ostrobramskaya Gate Chapel:

original "Ostrobramskaya" ("Vilna") icon of the Mother of God.

FUCK. Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary:

original “Trakai” icon of the Mother of God.

original “Surdeg” icon of the Mother of God.

Catholic Pozhaisky Monastery:

original "Pozhayskaya" icon of the Mother of God.

Chronology of events

*** He invited the first Catholic monks to Lithuania back in. book Gediminas in his letter of 1323. But pagan traditions remained strong in Lithuania for a very long time.

The pagan heritage preserved in the conservative rural hinterland was noted by ethnographers of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society in the fundamental works “Russia - Complete Geographical Description” (1905) edited by Semenov-Tianshansky and “Picturesque Russia” (1882) by A. Kirkor.

1377 Dies in. Prince Olgerd. According to the will, bypassing traditional inheritance, new c. Jagiello becomes prince. Keistut, Olgerd's brother, who ruled rather autonomously in Troki, was relegated to the background.

Jagiello was 30 years old and he was looking for ways to modernize the country and was ready to accept Christianity. Keistut was 80 years old and was a strong opponent of baptism.

1381 The Civil War begins in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which lasted intermittently until 1392. Keistut and Vitovt against Jagiello. During the war, both sides repeatedly turn to the Order for help, offering Samogitia as payment for services.

1385 The Krevo Union was concluded - an agreement on the dynastic union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland through marriage. book Jagiello with Queen Jadwiga. Jagiello, staying in. Prince of Lithuania, becomes King of Poland, ruling both states from Krakow. According to the terms of the alliance, Jagiello undertakes to convert Lithuania to Catholicism.

1387 Jagiello returns to Vilnia and carries out the “baptism of Lithuania”, establishing the first farn churches in Vilkomir, Meishagol, Medniki, Nemenchyn, Krevo, Gaina, Oboltsy and Lida (?). A little later, churches were founded in Bystritsa (1390), Oshmyany (1391), Fara Vytautas in Grodno (1389) and the Church of St. Rokha on Golden Hill in Minsk (1390s).

The baptism of Samogitia (Zhmudi) took place in the 15th century, after its final annexation to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - the result of the Great War of 1409-1411 with the Order (Battle of Grunwald)

Orthodoxy in Lithuania

Lithuania is a predominantly Catholic country. Orthodoxy here is still a religion of national minorities. Orthodox believers living in this Baltic state are dominated by Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians. There are very few Orthodox Lithuanians, but they still exist. Moreover, in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, there is the only Orthodox parish in the country, which serves in the Lithuanian language. The community of St. Paraskeva, on Dijoji Street in the central part of the capital, is cared for by Archpriest Vitaly Mockus, an ethnic Lithuanian. He also serves at the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vilnius and is the secretary of the diocesan administration.

Modernity

In modern Lithuania, Orthodoxy is mainly practiced by the believing Russian-speaking population of the country (8%), primarily Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, so it is most represented in the country's large cities: Vilnius, Klaipeda, Visaginas. Lithuanians (83%) and Poles (7%) mostly profess Catholicism. For Orthodox Lithuanians, there are Orthodox churches in Vilnius and other cities, where services are performed and sermons are read, including in the Lithuanian language.

Metropolitan Innokenty (Vasiliev) of Vilna and Lithuania noted in 2018: “Formally, we are indeed the second largest religious denomination, but in fact we are a religious minority. We are only about 4.5%, but despite this, we are not strangers here, and we are treated with respect by both the authorities and representatives of other faiths. We feel like an integral part of the entire society of the entire country. The main task for us is to preserve our spirituality, tradition and all that heritage, which, in fact, constitutes this concept - Orthodoxy"[12].

Excerpt characterizing the Christianization of Lithuania

As always, even then, high society, uniting together at court and at large balls, was divided into several circles, each with its own shade. Among them, the most extensive was the French circle, the Napoleonic Alliance - Count Rumyantsev and Caulaincourt. In this circle, Helen took one of the most prominent places as soon as she and her husband settled in St. Petersburg. She visited gentlemen of the French embassy and a large number of people, known for their intelligence and courtesy, who belonged to this trend. Helen was in Erfurt during the famous meeting of the emperors, and from there she brought these connections with all the Napoleonic sights of Europe. In Erfurt it was a brilliant success. Napoleon himself, noticing her in the theater, said about her: “C'est un superbe animal.” [This is a beautiful animal.] Her success as a beautiful and elegant woman did not surprise Pierre, because over the years she became even more beautiful than before. But what surprised him was that during these two years his wife managed to acquire a reputation for herself “d’une femme charmante, aussi spirituelle, que belle.” [a lovely woman, as smart as she is beautiful.] The famous Prince de Ligne [Prince de Ligne] wrote eight-page letters to her. Bilibin saved his mots [words] to say them for the first time in front of Countess Bezukhova. To be received in the salon of Countess Bezukhova was considered a diploma of intelligence; young people read Helen's books before the evening so that they would have something to talk about in her salon, and the secretaries of the embassy, and even envoys, confided diplomatic secrets to her, so Helen had strength in some way. Pierre, who knew that she was very stupid, sometimes attended her evenings and dinners, where politics, poetry and philosophy were discussed, with a strange feeling of bewilderment and fear. At these evenings he experienced a feeling similar to that which a magician should experience, each time expecting that his deception would be revealed. But was it because stupidity was precisely what was needed to run such a salon, or because the deceived themselves found pleasure in this deception, the deception was not discovered, and Elena Vasilyevna Bezukhova’s reputation as d’une femme charmante et spirituelle was so unshakably established that she could speak the greatest vulgarities and stupidities, and yet everyone admired her every word and looked for a deep meaning in it, which she herself did not even suspect. Pierre was exactly the husband that this brilliant, society woman needed. He was that absent-minded eccentric, the husband of a grand seigneur [great gentleman], not bothering anyone and not only not spoiling the general impression of the high tone of the living room, but, with his opposite to the grace and tact of his wife, serving as an advantageous background for her. During these two years, Pierre, as a result of his constant concentrated occupation with immaterial interests and sincere contempt for everything else, acquired for himself in the company of his wife, who was not interested in him, that tone of indifference, carelessness and benevolence towards everyone, which is not acquired artificially and which therefore inspires involuntary respect . He entered his wife's living room as if he were entering a theatre, he knew everyone, was equally happy with everyone and was equally indifferent to everyone. Sometimes he entered into a conversation that interested him, and then, without consideration of whether les messieurs de l'ambassade [employees at the embassy] were there or not, mumbled his opinions, which were sometimes completely out of tune with the present moment. But the opinion about the eccentric husband de la femme la plus distinguee de Petersbourg [the most remarkable woman in St. Petersburg] was already so established that no one took au serux [seriously] his antics. Among the many young people who visited Helen’s house every day, Boris Drubetskoy, who was already very successful in the service, was, after Helen’s return from Erfurt, the closest person in the Bezukhovs’ house. Helen called him mon page [my page] and treated him like a child. Her smile towards him was the same as towards everyone else, but sometimes Pierre was unpleasant to see this smile. Boris treated Pierre with special, dignified and sad respect. This shade of respect also worried Pierre. Pierre suffered so painfully three years ago from an insult inflicted on him by his wife that now he saved himself from the possibility of such an insult, firstly by the fact that he was not his wife’s husband, and secondly by the fact that he did not allow himself to suspect. “No, now having become a bas bleu [bluestocking], she has abandoned her former hobbies forever,” he said to himself. “There was no example of bas bleu having passions of the heart,” he repeated to himself, from nowhere, a rule he had learned, which he undoubtedly believed. But, strangely, the presence of Boris in his wife’s living room (and he was almost constantly) had a physical effect on Pierre: it bound all his limbs, destroyed unconsciousness and freedom of his movements. “Such a strange antipathy,” thought Pierre, “but before I even really liked him.” In the eyes of the world, Pierre was a great gentleman, a somewhat blind and funny husband of a famous wife, a smart eccentric who did nothing, but did not harm anyone, a nice and kind fellow. During all this time, a complex and difficult work of internal development took place in Pierre’s soul, which revealed a lot to him and led him to many spiritual doubts and joys. He continued his diary, and this is what he wrote in it during this time: “November 24th. “I got up at eight o’clock, read the Holy Scriptures, then went to office (Pierre, on the advice of a benefactor, entered the service of one of the committees), returned to dinner, dined alone (the Countess has many guests, unpleasant to me), ate and drank in moderation and After lunch I copied plays for my brothers. In the evening I went to the countess and told a funny story about B., and only then did I remember that I shouldn’t have done this when everyone was already laughing loudly. “I go to bed with a happy and calm spirit. Great Lord, help me to walk in Your paths, 1) to overcome some of the anger - with quietness, slowness, 2) lust - with abstinence and aversion, 3) to move away from vanity, but not to separate myself from a) public affairs, b) from family concerns , c) from friendly relations and d) economic pursuits.” “November 27th. “I got up late and woke up and lay on my bed for a long time, indulging in laziness. My God! help me and strengthen me, that I may walk in Your ways. I read Holy Scripture, but without the proper feeling. Brother Urusov came and talked about the vanities of the world. He talked about the new plans of the sovereign. I began to condemn, but I remembered my rules and the words of our benefactor that a true Freemason must be a diligent worker in the state when his participation is required, and a calm contemplator of what he is not called to. My tongue is my enemy. Brothers G.V. and O. visited me, there was a preparatory conversation for the acceptance of a new brother. They entrust me with the duty of a rhetorician. I feel weak and unworthy. Then they started talking about explaining the seven pillars and steps of the temple. 7 sciences, 7 virtues, 7 vices, 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. Brother O. was very eloquent. In the evening the acceptance took place. The new arrangement of the premises contributed greatly to the splendor of the spectacle. Boris Drubetskoy was accepted. I proposed it, I was the rhetorician. A strange feeling worried me throughout my stay with him in the dark temple. I found in myself a feeling of hatred towards him, which I strive in vain to overcome. And therefore, I would truly like to save him from evil and lead him onto the path of truth, but bad thoughts about him did not leave me. I thought that his purpose in joining the brotherhood was only the desire to get closer to people, to be in favor with those in our lodge. Apart from the grounds that he asked several times whether N. and S. were in our box (to which I could not answer him), except that, according to my observations, he is incapable of feeling respect for our holy Order and is too busy and satisfied with the outer man, so as to desire spiritual improvement, I had no reason to doubt him; but he seemed insincere to me, and all the time when I stood with him eye to eye in the dark temple, it seemed to me that he was smiling contemptuously at my words, and I really wanted to prick his naked chest with the sword that I was holding, pointed at it. . I could not be eloquent and could not sincerely communicate my doubts to the brothers and the great master. Great Architect of nature, help me find the true paths that lead out of the labyrinth of lies.” After this, three pages were missing in the diary, and then the following was written: “I had an instructive and long conversation alone with brother V., who advised me to stick to brother A. Much, although unworthy, was revealed to me. Adonai is the name of the Creator of the world. Elohim is the name of the ruler of all. The third name, the spoken name, has the meaning of Total. Conversations with Brother V. strengthen, refresh and confirm me on the path of virtue. With him there is no room for doubt. The difference between the poor teaching of the social sciences and our holy, all-embracing teaching is clear to me. Human sciences subdivide everything - in order to understand, kill everything - in order to examine it. In the holy science of the Order, everything is one, everything is known in its totality and life. Trinity - the three principles of things - sulfur, mercury and salt. Sulfur of unctuous and fiery properties; in combination with salt, its fiery arouses hunger in it, through which it attracts mercury, seizes it, holds it and collectively produces separate bodies. Mercury is a liquid and volatile spiritual essence - Christ, the Holy Spirit, He." “December 3rd. “I woke up late, read the Holy Scripture, but was insensitive. Then he went out and walked around the hall. I wanted to think, but instead my imagination imagined an incident that happened four years ago. Mister Dolokhov, after my duel, meeting me in Moscow, told me that he hopes that I now enjoy complete peace of mind, despite the absence of my wife. I didn’t answer anything then. Now I remembered all the details of this meeting and in my soul I spoke to him the most vicious words and caustic answers. I came to my senses and gave up this thought only when I saw myself in the heat of anger; but he didn’t repent enough of it. Then Boris Drubetskoy came and began to tell various adventures; From the very moment he arrived, I became dissatisfied with his visit and told him something disgusting. He objected. I flared up and told him a lot of unpleasant and even rude things. He fell silent and I only realized it when it was already too late. My God, I don’t know how to deal with him at all. The reason for this is my pride. I put myself above him and therefore become much worse than him, for he is condescending to my rudeness, and on the contrary, I have contempt for him. My God, grant me, in his presence, to see more of my abomination and act in such a way that it would be useful to him too. After lunch I fell asleep and while falling asleep, I clearly heard a voice saying in my left ear: “Your day.”