Saints and righteous servants of God, as a rule, belong to the priesthood or monasticism, like Nikolai Ugodnik or Alexander Svirsky, they were dedicated to God from childhood, like the Matronushka of Moscow. All righteous people are distinguished mainly by the feat of a miserable existence, the maximum rejection of all the benefits of society. Staying in fasting, hunger and cold is a common life for the saints whom Orthodox believers have heard about and worship.
What is the Christian feat of a handsome sailor, a nobleman by birth, decorated with the orders of an admiral, who dedicated his life to serving the Motherland? Why was the warrior canonized after death?
Start of service
His diligent attitude towards service did not go unnoticed among the experienced sailors of the Baltic Fleet, where the young midshipman was sent. Having successfully mastered the secrets of maritime practice, Fedor was transferred to the Azov squadron.
In 1775, on the Black Sea, by decree of the Empress, the creation of a regular Russian fleet began, the admiralty of which was located in Kherson, where Fyodor Ushakov was sent in 1783 with the rank of captain of the second rank.
Two years later, the newly created fortress of Sevastopol met the ship "St. Paul", commanded by captain of the first rank Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov.
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH
Fyodor Ushakov was born (13) February 24, 1745 in the village of Burnakovo in the Yaroslavl region into an impoverished noble family. Ushakov’s remarkable relative was his uncle Fyodor Sanaksarsky, with whom he is often confused. Admiral Ushakov inherited from his uncle boundless faith in God, as well as the ability to humbly endure all life changes, even not the most successful ones. Daily prayer and regular fasting remained forever in the life of the admiral. In addition to Fyodor Fedorovich, three more brothers grew up in the family: Semyon, Gavrila and Ivan. As soon as the boy turned 16, he was sent to the Naval Gentry Corps of Cadet, where he distinguished himself for his success in the field of history and military sciences. Fedor Fedorovich graduated from the St. Petersburg building fourth in academic performance. In 1763, Ushakov became a midshipman, and a year later a corporal. In 1766, Fedor graduated from the naval cadet corps and went to serve in the Baltic as a midshipman.
Admiralty
Emperor Paul I, who ascended the throne after the death of Catherine, awarded Fyodor Ushakov the rank of admiral and plenipotentiary representative of Russia in the future republic of the Seven United Islands, which later became Greece.
Hagiographic icon of the holy warrior Theodore Ushakov
The reign of the wise representative was accompanied by peace, silence and tranquility. Supporting the military land actions of the Russians under the leadership of Suvorov, the sailors defeated the French in Bari, after which a prayer service was served at the relics of Nicholas the Savior.
After the liberation of Malta, by order of the emperor, the Black Sea squadron returned to Sevastopol.
The year was 1800, and a year later, as a result of a coup, Alexander I ascended to the throne of the Russian Empire, changing the fate of the Russian navy.
After being transferred as commander of the Baltic Fleet, Fyodor Fedorovich lived in St. Petersburg, his house was known to everyone in need. Some received help in the form of food and clothing, others left with the necessary advice, orphaned nephews were constantly under the care of a loving uncle.
The policy of the emperor, who signed an agreement with the French, resonated with pain in the admiral’s heart, and at the end of 1806 he received a positive response to his resignation.
“My spiritual feelings and sorrow, which have depleted my strength and health, are known to God - His holy will be done. I accept everything that happened to me with the deepest reverence.”
Temple of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov
Admiral of the Russian Fleet Feodor Ushakov was born on February 13, 1745 in the village of Burnakovo, Romanovsky district, Yaroslavl province and came from a poor but ancient noble family. His parents' names were Feodor Ignatievich and Paraskeva Nikitichna, and they were pious people and deeply religious.
The birthday of the future admiral of the Russian Fleet - February 13 - falls between the celebration of the memory of two great martyrs: Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Tyrone (February 8 and 17), - and the whole life of the Russian naval commander, from infancy to the day of his death, passed under the beneficial influence of his uncle, the Monk Theodore of Sanaksar, a great warrior in spiritual warfare. The Monk Theodore was born and raised in the same village of Burnakovo, from here he left in his youth to serve in the capital’s guard, but then, striving with his soul for another service, wanting to acquire the title of warrior of the Heavenly King, he fled from the capital to the deserted Dvina forests, so that he could God to work, strengthening himself in the feat of fasting and prayer; was found and brought to the Empress, who, having heeded the Providence of God for the young ascetic, deigned to leave him in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, where he took monastic vows in 1748 - and this was an exceptional event for the noble Ushakov family, coupled with subsequent news about his monastic service to God was a constant subject of conversation among relatives and served as an edifying example for them.
The large Ushakov family belonged to the parish of the Church of the Epiphany-on-Ostrova, located three miles from Burnakovo on the left bank of the Volga. Theodore was baptized in this temple, and there was also a school for noble children, where he learned to read and write. Feodor Ignatievich and Paraskeva Nikitichna, being very pious, considered the development of high religious feelings and strict morality to be the main condition for raising children. These feelings, aroused by the examples of the family and especially his own uncle-monk, were deeply imprinted in the heart of the growing youth, preserved and became dominant throughout his subsequent life.
At the age of sixteen, Theodore was presented to the heraldry office for inspection, where he showed that “he was trained in Russian literacy and writing... he, Theodore, wants to join the Naval Cadet Corps as a cadet.”
The Naval Cadet Corps was located in St. Petersburg, on the corner of the Bolshaya Neva embankment and the 12th line of Vasilyevsky Island.
At the time of Feodor Ushakov’s admission, the Naval Corps was an institution that had not yet been set up for proper educational life. The sciences were taught well enough to form a serviceable naval officer, but there was no internal order or proper monitoring of the morality of the young men. The cadets were left to their own devices, and given the tendency of teenagers to imitate and act like youth, bad comrades could have more influence than good ones. In addition, many hopes in the matter of education were placed on the rod. But unfavorable school conditions did not affect the young man Theodore; the good qualities of his character, which he brought to the corps from his own family, protected him from damage. The future admiral, distinguished by his good studies and good morals, diligently comprehended the sciences taught to him, showing a special inclination for arithmetic, navigation and history, and five years later he successfully, one of the best, graduated from the Naval Corps and received officer rank.
After graduation from the Naval Corps, Feodor Ushakov was sent to the Baltic Sea Fleet. The first years of naval service were spent in intensive training under the guidance of experienced sailors. Thanks to his diligence, inquisitive mind, zealous attitude to work and high spiritual qualities, the young midshipman Feodor Ushakov successfully completed this first school of maritime practice and was transferred to the south, to the Azov flotilla.
At the end of the 17th – beginning of the 18th century, the state task of returning the Black Sea coast to Russia was put forward. In 1775, under Empress Catherine II, a decision was made to create a regular battle fleet on the Black Sea. In 1778, a little above the mouth of the Dnieper, the Admiralty was established, and the port and city of Kherson were founded. In August 1783, captain of the second rank Feodor Ushakov also arrived in Kherson.
At this time, a plague epidemic began in the city. A quarantine was established in Kherson. At that time, it was believed that the plague spread through the air. To ward off the pestilence, fires were lit in the streets and houses were fumigated, but the epidemic intensified. All teams were taken to the steppe. There were not enough doctors; their responsibilities were taken over by commanders. Captain Feodor Ushakov began to firmly establish a special quarantine regime. He divided his entire team into artels. Each had its own tent made of reeds, on the sides of which sawhorses were installed to ventilate the laundry. At a considerable distance there was a hospital tent. If a sick person appeared in the artel, he was immediately sent to a separate tent, and the old one was burned along with all his belongings. The rest of the artel workers were transferred to quarantine. Communication between one artel and another was strictly prohibited. Ushakov himself tirelessly monitored all this. As a result of the energetic actions of Feodor Ushakov, the plague disappeared in his team four months earlier than in others. During the most intense time of the epidemic, he did not send anyone to the hospital, which was overcrowded with patients, and saved many from death, using them in his command. Here, of course, his exceptional abilities to solve the most difficult and unexpected problems were revealed; but, mainly, the great love of Feodor Ushakov for his neighbors was reflected here, a merciful, compassionate love that suggested to him the most correct decisions.
For his skillful actions and efforts, Feodor Ushakov was promoted to captain of the first rank and awarded his first Order of St. Vladimir, fourth degree.
By a treaty between Russia and Turkey on December 28, 1783, Crimea was finally annexed to Russia. And then Catherine II issued a decree on the construction of new fortifications on the southern borders, among which it was necessary to build “the great fortress of Sevastopol, where Akhtiyar is now and where there should be an Admiralty, a shipyard for the first rank of ships, a port and a military village " In August 1785, captain of the first rank Feodor Feodorovich Ushakov arrived in Sevastopol from Kherson on the 66-gun battleship "St. Paul".
On August 11, 1787, Türkiye declared war on Russia. The Sevastopol fleet was ordered to act decisively. Soon the first general battle took place. The Turkish fleet consisted of 17 battleships and 8 frigates, and in the Russian squadron, the vanguard of which was commanded by Ushakov, there were only two battleships and ten frigates. On July 3, 1778, near the island of Fidonisi, a battle became inevitable. The Turkish fleet with all the power of its line began to descend on the Russian ships. And then Ushakov’s vanguard detachment, “using diligence and art,” added sail and with a decisive maneuver deprived the commander of the Turkish fleet, Eski-Hasan, from capturing the Russian ships and boarding them. They, in turn, having discovered their disastrous situation, without waiting for any signal, rushed to flee “with great haste.” Victory was for the Russian squadron.
In this battle, for the first time in open battle, the small Russian fleet won a victory over superior enemy forces. Commanding only the vanguard, Feodor Ushakov actually led the battle of the entire SR cadre, and his personal courage, skillful mastery of tactics, outstanding qualities as a commander and high spiritual character decided the battle in our favor. In his humility, Feodor Ushakov in his report did not attribute the success to himself, but paid tribute to the courage and desire for victory of his subordinates: “All the gentlemen on the team of the ship “St. Paul” entrusted to me are chief officers and lower ranks, each in his own way They fulfilled the positions assigned to them by me with such excellent diligence and brave spirit that I consider it a necessary duty to attribute to them all worthy praise for that ... "
Feodor Ushakov, having received the rank of rear admiral, was appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet at the beginning of 1790.
In 1791, the Russian-Turkish war ended with the brilliant victory of Rear Admiral Feodor Ushakov at Cape Kaliakria. Turkey intended to deal a decisive blow to Russia in order to force it to conclude a peace beneficial to Turkey. The Sultan called for help from a fleet from African possessions, which became famous under the leadership of the Algerian Seit Ali. Seit-Ali boastfully promised to bring Rear Admiral Ushakov, the culprit of Turkey’s recent defeats, to Constantinople in chains. On July 31, on the approaches to Cape Kaliakria, Ushakov discovered a Turkish fleet anchored in a line under the cover of coastal batteries. The appearance of the Russian squadron was a complete surprise for the Turks - they were seized by panic. Ushakov, being in the wind and taking advantage of the confusion in the enemy’s camp, made an amazingly resourceful decision and led his fleet between the Turkish ships and the incessantly scorching coastal battery, cutting off the ships from the shore. The battle flared up with amazing force. The Turkish fleet was "completely defeated to the extreme" and once again fled from the battlefield.
Great! “Your fleet is no more,” they reported to the Turkish Sultan. He was so frightened by the sight he saw and the news of the crushing defeat of his fleet that he immediately rushed to make peace with Russia.
On December 29, 1791, a peace treaty was signed in Iasi. The Russian state, having strengthened its position in the south, “stood firmly on the shores of the Black Sea that it had conquered.”
For such a famous victory, Rear Admiral Feodor Ushakov was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.
At the beginning of the war, Feodor Ushakov took over the main command over the port and city of Sevastopol. Upon the conclusion of peace with Turkey, he immediately began repairing ships and building various small vessels; According to his orders and with his tireless personal participation, marinas were built on the shores of the bays.
Freed for a time from military affairs, the illustrious admiral, who “was extremely committed to the faith of his fathers,” now had the opportunity to devote himself more to prayer: a precious testimony has been preserved about his life in Sevastopol, when he “listened to matins and mass every day , Vespers and before prayers, he was never involved in the consideration of military court cases; and when pronouncing the sentence, he spared the husband, the father of a large family; and he was filled with extraordinary kindness...” For his services to the throne and the Fatherland, Catherine II presented him with a gift of extraordinary beauty, a golden folding cross with the relics of holy saints. In the same year, Feodor Ushakov was awarded the rank of vice admiral.
In 1796, Emperor Paul I ascended the Russian throne.
This was the time when revolutionary France, having trampled on the laws of God and man and killed the monarch, “turned to the conquest and enslavement of neighboring powers.” Vice Admiral Ushakov received an order to put the Black Sea Fleet on alert. The complexity of the situation for Russia was that there was no clarity from which enemy - Turkey or France - to defend its southern borders. France incited Turkey to war with Russia, and the Turks, of course, wanted to return the lands seized by Russia; but, on the other hand, the proximity to the French in the Balkans became much more dangerous for the Ottoman Porte than the loss of Crimea. Soon, Sultan Selim III accepted the Russian Emperor's proposal for an alliance against France and turned to Paul I with a request to send an auxiliary squadron. Feodor Ushakov received the Highest command to “immediately follow and assist with the Turkish fleet against the evil intentions of France, as a violent people who destroyed not only within their own faith and God-established government and laws... but also among neighboring peoples who, by misfortune, were they are defeated or deceived by their treacherous suggestions..."
Vice Admiral Ushakov was appointed commander of the joint forces. The Turks, knowing his skill and courage from their own experience, completely entrusted their fleet to him.
Thus began the famous Mediterranean campaign of Vice Admiral Feodor Ushakov, in which he showed himself not only as a great naval commander, but also as a wise statesman, a merciful Christian and a benefactor of the peoples he liberated.
The first task of the squadron was to capture the Ionian Islands, located along the southwestern coast of Greece, the main of which, Corfu, having already the most powerful bastions in Europe, was still significantly fortified by the French and was considered impregnable. The indigenous inhabitants of the islands occupied by the French were Orthodox Greeks, and on Corfu there was (still to this day) a great Christian shrine - the relics of St. Spyridon of Trimythous. Feodor Ushakov acted wisely: he, first of all, addressed a written appeal to the inhabitants of the islands, calling on them to assist in “overthrowing the intolerable yoke” of the atheist French. The response was widespread armed assistance from the population, inspired by the arrival of the Russian Orthodox squadron. No matter how the French resisted, our landing force liberated the island of Tserigo, then Zante, and Cephalonia with decisive actions.
From the very beginning of the joint campaign, especially when they turned to hostilities, it turned out that the Turkish auxiliary squadron's assistance was less than trouble and trouble. The local population of the islands opened their doors to the Russians - and slammed them in front of the Turks. It was not easy for Feodor Feodorovich, and he showed a lot of prudence, patience, and political tact in order to comply with allied agreements and keep the Turks from their inherent outrages - mainly from unbridled barbarity and cruelty.
Vido Island was taken. And the next day, February 19, 1799, the fortress of Corfu fell. It was a day of great triumph for Admiral Feodor Ushakov, a triumph of his military talent and strong will, supported by the courage and skill of his subordinates, their trust in their victorious leader and his confidence in their unshakable courage. It was a day of triumph of the Russian Orthodox spirit and devotion to its Fatherland. Having learned about the victory at Corfu, the great Russian commander A.V. Suvorov exclaimed: “Hurray! To the Russian fleet! Now I say to myself: why wasn’t I at least a midshipman at Corfu?” and the next day after the surrender of the fortress, when French flags, keys and the banner of the garrison were brought to the commander-in-chief on the ship “St. church to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord God... And on March 27, the first day of Holy Easter, the admiral appointed a great celebration, inviting the clergy to carry out the relics of the Saint of God Spyridon of Trimifunt. People gathered from all villages and nearby islands. When the holy relics were taken out of the church, Russian troops were placed on both sides of the path along which the procession went; the tomb was supported by the admiral himself, his officers and the first official archons of the island; the holy relics were surrounded around the fortifications, and at this time rifle and cannon fire was fired from everywhere... The people rejoiced all night.”
Emperor Paul I promoted Theodore Ushakov to admiral for the victory at Corfu. This was the last award he received from his sovereigns.
Having given thanks to God, Theodore Feodorovich continued to carry out the tasks assigned to him. It was necessary to form a new statehood on the liberated islands, and Admiral Ushakov, as the plenipotentiary representative of Russia, without compromising his Christian convictions, managed to create a form of government in the Ionian Islands that would ensure “peace, quiet and tranquility” for all the people. Thus was formed the Republic of the Seven United Islands, the first Greek nation-state of modern times.
At the same time, by God’s permission, Theodore Feodorovich had to endure great moral suffering. First of all, some Turkish military commanders, angered by the strict measures of the Russian admiral, who resolutely suppressed the cruelties and sacrilege of the Turks, who robbed churches and destroyed iconostases, began to slander Theodore Ushakov, accusing him before the Russian envoy in Constantinople Tomara of the fact that the admiral was wrong distributes the prize money received for the victory among the allied squadrons, besides appropriating them for himself... Honest and non-covetous Feodor Feodorovich had to explain himself.
There was something else: the best qualities of Theodore Ushakov as a Christian warrior, for example, his mercy towards prisoners, came into conflict with the interests of state power.
And finally, the position of the Russian squadron itself, which needed to continue military operations against the French, remained difficult in many respects. First of all, the food supplied by the Turks from Constantinople was of very poor quality, and was not delivered on time; These “and other various circumstances,” the admiral wrote, “plunge me into great despondency and even complete illness. In all of ancient history, I don’t know and I can’t find any examples of when any fleet could be in the distance without any supplies and in such an extreme situation as we are now... We do not want any reward, as long as our servants, those who serve so faithfully and zealously would not be sick or die of hunger.” These words of his, full of grief and bewilderment at what is happening, are worth a lot. What helped Russian sailors resist so many trials? Undoubtedly, their Orthodox spirit, their loyalty to the Tsar and the Fatherland, the great example of the commander-in-chief and their universal love for him - “our father Theodore Feodorovich.”
Meanwhile, his mission in the Mediterranean has not yet ended. In Northern Italy, the Russians, led by the glorious Suvorov, crushed the “invincible” army of the French. Suvorov asked Admiral Ushakov from the south to provide him with all possible support. And so, being in close cooperation, they beat the French Republicans on land and at sea. Two great sons of Russia - they showed the whole world what the Russian army is.
The capture of Malta was imminent, but then, at the end of 1799, Admiral Feodor Ushakov received an order from Emperor Paul I to return the squadron entrusted to him to his homeland, to Sevastopol...
On October 26, 1800, the squadron of Admiral Feodor Ushakov entered the Sevastopol Bay.
On the night of March 11, 1801, Emperor Paul I was killed by conspirators. His son Alexander I ascended to the Russian throne. Russian politics changed. Soon Admiral Feodor Ushakov was transferred to St. Petersburg. At the Court, the prevailing opinion was that a large fleet was unnecessary for “land” Russia. The then Minister of the Navy said about the fleet that “it is a burdensome luxury.” In 1804, Feodor Feodorovich compiled a detailed note about his service to the Russian fleet, in which he summed up his activities: “Thanks be to God, during all the aforementioned battles with the enemy and throughout the existence of this fleet under my command at sea, the preservation of the Most High Goodness one ship from Onago was not lost and not a single person from our servants was captured by the enemy.”
Continuing to serve as the chief commander of the Baltic Rowing Fleet, and in addition the head of the St. Petersburg naval teams and the chairman of the qualification commission “for the promotion to the class ranks of skippers, sub-skippers, non-commissioned officers and clerks of the Baltic and Black Sea ports,” formed at the Naval Cadet School corps, Feodor Ushakov tried to fulfill these duties with zeal and diligence, as was generally characteristic of him in any business. With pain, he followed what was happening in Europe: one of the stages of the Franco-Russian war was nearing completion, peace was being prepared in Tilsit; Emperor Alexander I became an ally of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Ionian Islands will be transferred to the “evil” French. Feodor Feodorovich had to survive this too.
On December 19, 1806, he submitted his resignation to the Emperor.
After retiring from official affairs, he lived for some time in St. Petersburg. But the admiral’s soul, which had sought the Lord from infancy, asked for peace, solitude, and prayer. He made a decision filled with deep meaning: he chose to live in the quiet village of Alekseevka, in Temnikovsky district, near the Sanaksar Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery, where during the years of his military exploits his uncle, the Monk Theodore, prayed for him. There is no doubt that their prayerful communication was never interrupted. That is why the admiral’s soul rushed here, to the holy monastery, because here he labored for the Lord and the person most spiritually close to him on earth rested here. The monk and the sailor - they were both soldiers of Christ, both did one thing: they zealously served the Lord - in the field to which He called them.
The testimony of the then abbot of the monastery, Hieromonk Nathanael, about the final period of the earthly life of Theodore Feodorovich has been preserved: “Admiral Ushakov, a neighbor and famous benefactor of the Sanaksar monastery, upon his arrival from St. Petersburg, led a solitary life in his own house, in the village of Alekseevka, a distance of about three miles from the monastery through the forest, who on Sundays and holidays came for pilgrimage to the monastery for the services of God at any time. During Great Lent he lived in a monastery cell, for his fasting and preparation for the Holy Mysteries for a whole week, and every long service with the brethren in the church he stood unforgivingly and listened reverently; from time to time he donated significant benefits to the monastery from his zeal; He also gave constant merciful alms and help to the poor and beggars.”
The admiral spent the rest of his days, according to the same hieromonk Nathanael, “extremely abstinent and ended his life as a true Christian and faithful son of the Holy Church should on the 2nd day of October 1817 and was buried at his request in the monastery next to his relative from the nobles, the first -the head of this monastery, Hieromonk Theodore, whose last name is Ushakov.”
Almost two centuries passed after the righteous death of Theodore Feodorovich. His ascetic and highly spiritual life, his virtues were not forgotten in his native Fatherland. Russian warriors and naval commanders, the Orthodox Russian army lived by his covenants.
During the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945, the military glory of Feodor Feodorovich Ushakov was remembered; his name, along with the names of the holy noble prince-warriors Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donsky, inspired the defenders of the Motherland to feat. The military order of Admiral Ushakov was established, which became the highest award for sailors.
When, in 1944, the question arose about the burial place of Admiral Ushakov. A state commission was created, which ordered excavations on the territory of the Sanaksar monastery and the opening of the grave of Admiral Ushakov near the wall of the cathedral church. The honorable remains of Theodore Feodorovich turned out to be incorrupt, which was noted in the corresponding document of the commission.
In August 2001, Feodor Ushakov was glorified as a saint. This famous admiral became the first professional military man in Russia to be canonized. According to Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, it is no coincidence that it was the Russian Orthodox Church that decided to canonize the famous naval commander. “Not a single fleet in the world has its own saint, because not a single fleet in the world has gone through such suffering,” the Metropolitan explained. According to the metropolitan, the canonization of Theodore Ushakov was “his return to the arms of his admiral students.” “God does not give money to build ships. He gives the fleet a saint who will help him, and he gives the sailor a spiritual friend, mentor and patron,” said Metropolitan Kirill.
Final years of life
Having resigned, the righteous warrior settled in the village of Alekseevka, not far from the Sanaksar monastery, where his uncle once served.
Hieromonk Nathanael shared his memories of the years of life in solitude of the glorious admiral of Russia. According to him, Ushakov lived without excesses, often came to prayer services. During Lent, the holy warrior lived within the walls of the monastery, standing with the monks during all services.
The monastic treasury was more than once replenished with significant sums from the zealous believer Ushakov.
The Council of Bishops recognized the legendary admiral as a saint
Due to health reasons, the admiral was unable to join the militia in 1812, when the war with Napoleon began, but he helped in the rear by establishing a hospital with his savings and thereby helping the front.
A faithful parishioner of the Orthodox Church, a true Christian, died on October 2, 1817 and was buried near St. Feodor, his uncle.
The meaning of the name Fedor
You can immediately name a dozen or even more names that are considered Russian, although it would be more correct to call them simply familiar to us. The name Fedor is one of the first on this list and, of course, there is nothing Russian about it. Fedor in Greek sounds like Θεόδωρος and is made up of two words: “θεός”, which means “God” and “δῶρον” - “gift”. Fedor is “given by God,” “God’s gift.”
The name Fedor, as researchers note, became popular in the early Christian era. thanks to the martyrdom of two holy warriors Theodore Stratelates and Fedor Tyrone. However, even in ancient times it cannot be said that the name Fedor was rare. This name was glorified by ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians, actors, and even the simple blacksmith Theodore from the island of Samos, thanks to whom the method of casting bronze sculptures became widespread.
Despite the seeming organic nature of the name Fedor in Russian culture, this name is known in many countries. True, in Europe and America the name Fedor sounds slightly different: Theodore - in English, German and French, Teodoro - among the Spaniards, Tudor - among the Romanians, and quite unusually - Tivadar - among the Hungarians. The diminutive form of the name also varies. If in Russian it is Fedya, then in European languages we meet the most daring forms from Theo and Teddy (it turns out the famous Teddy bear is simply Fedya) to Derk, Doru and Lakis. Moreover, the name Fedor has a twin brother: Dorofey. This Greek name is made up of the same words, "θεός" and "δῶρον", only put together in reverse order.
In Russia, the name Fedor, although considered common, was popular until the beginning of the 20th century. Its widespread use is associated with the church tradition of naming babies according to the calendar. Moreover, the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of at least forty saints with the name Feodor. It is quite understandable that after the revolution, interest in this name in our country fell sharply. Researchers noted the last peak in popularity in 1920, but even then the percentage of newborns with the name Fedor did not exceed 2%. Until the beginning of 2000, the name Fedor was regarded by experts as rare and rarely used. But times began to change. In 2001, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized the righteous warrior Fyodor Ushakov, whose memorial day is celebrated on August 5.
BATTLE NEAR THE ISLAND OF FIDONISI (1788)
On July 14, 1788, in a battle near Zmeiny Island (otherwise called Fidonisi), thanks to the resourceful actions of 4 frigates under the command of Ushakov, Turkish ships outnumbered Russian forces several times (the Turkish squadron consisted of 15 battleships, of which five were 80-gun ), suffered a crushing defeat and were forced to flee.
The tactics of the talented captain of brigadier rank were quite simple: not to allow a ring to close around the Russian ships; to impose battle on the Turkish flagship, appointed to lead the entire course of the attack. The ability to discern the enemy’s intentions only by certain signs of formation and maneuvers, to instantly make an intelligent decision, as well as amazing courage and rejection of standard techniques and methods became a special feature that distinguished Ushakov from a number of other officers. This was the first victory of the fleet, a victory over significantly superior enemy forces, which had great psychological significance. Already in 1789 he was awarded the rank of rear admiral.
BATTLE OF CAPE KALIAKRIA (1791)
The battle at Cape Kaliakria took place on July 31, 1791. The ratio of the sides was 2:1 in favor of the Turks. Ushakov’s flagship ship “Rozhdestvo Khristovo”, having become the forefront, entered into battle with four ships, preventing them from developing an attack. At the same time, the ships “Ioann Predteche”, “Alexander Nevsky” and “Fedor Stratilat”, which came to the rescue, entered the battle and “unitedly” attacked the Turkish fleet, carrying out a powerful fire defeat of the enemy. The unexpected appearance of the Russian fleet led the enemy “to confusion.” The Turkish ships were so cramped that they fired at each other. Soon the Turkish resistance was broken and they fled. After the brilliant Russian victory at Cape Kaliakria, peace was concluded on terms favorable to the Russian Empire, and the successful commander was awarded the rank of vice admiral.
COMMANDER IN CHIEF
In 1798, after the death of the Empress, Emperor Paul I appointed Ushakov to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet. Here Fyodor Fedorovich, who almost became a world celebrity, was entrusted with assisting the anti-French coalition. Former opponents have become allies. The Turkish government instructed its commanders not only to obey the talented commander, but also to diligently learn from him. Luck did not leave Ushakov in the Mediterranean either. Within a short time, Russian forces, together with the Turkish fleet, liberated the Ionian Islands from the French presence. During the actions, not only the vice admiral’s leadership abilities were revealed, but also his diplomatic talent. For example, the commander-in-chief was helped to take the impregnable fortress of Corfu by local residents, whom he approached on the eve of the attack. In 1799, the flotilla successfully occupied cities on the Italian coast, while Suvorov won brilliant victories on land. Thanks to Suvorov and Ushakov, the authority of the Russian military forces soared to unattainable heights. In 1799, Fyodor Fedorovich was finally awarded the rank of admiral. However, already in 1800 Russian ships were recalled to Sevastopol, due to the deterioration of relations between the allies.
