Writer and preacher Kirill Turovsky: biography, literary activity

Cyril II
(+ c. 1183), Bishop of Turov, Saint. Commemoration on April 28 and in the Cathedral of Belarusian Saints

Born in the 30s of the 12th century in the city of Turov on the Pripyat River to wealthy parents.

From an early age, Saint Cyril read the Holy Books with zeal and achieved a deep understanding of them. He studied not only from the Russians, but also from the Greeks. In adulthood, Saint Cyril renounced his inheritance and took monastic vows at the Turov Boris and Gleb Monastery. He labored a lot in fasting and prayer and taught the monks complete obedience to the abbot: a monk who is not in obedience to the abbot does not fulfill his vow and therefore cannot be saved.

Three works of St. Cyril on monastic life have been preserved, one of which - “The Legend of the Chernoris Rite from the Old Law and from the New” - can be dated back to the time of his stay in the monastery.

After some time, Saint Cyril withdrew into seclusion on a pillar, where he further intensified his exploits and “expounded many Divine Scriptures.” Many turned to him for advice in spiritual life.

The holiness of life and high enlightenment of Saint Cyril attracted everyone’s attention to him, and he was elected to the See of Turov. In 1169, Saint Cyril took part in the council that condemned Bishop Theodore, who occupied the Vladimir-Suzdal See [1] and tried to separate from the Kyiv Metropolis. Saint Cyril denounced Theodore's heresy and composed many letters to the holy prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, in which he taught and instructed him about church unrest in the Rostov land.

Out of love for solitude, Saint Cyril left his see (until 1182, under which Bishop Lawrence of Turov is already mentioned) and devoted himself entirely to writing spiritual works. From his contemporaries he received the name of the Russian Chrysostom.

The saint himself humbly said about himself:
“I am not a reaper, but a gatherer of grain;
I am not an artist in book matters... If I were speaking on my own, you would be doing well without coming to church. But I proclaim to you the Word of the Lord, I read to you the letter of Christ... I distribute the words of God, better than gold and expensive stones, sweeter than honey and honeycomb, and you are deprived of them without coming to church... but you who come, I praise and I bless you." Died on April 28 around 1183.

The first steps on the path to salvation

Born into a famous wealthy family in the city of Turov, located on the Pripyat River.

He was taught to read and write as a child, and probably received an age-appropriate education.

Having neither predilection nor desire for material wealth, most of all he was carried away by thoughts about the highest objects of existence.

With great diligence, Kirill studied sacred, soul-saving books. Over time, he became an expert in the Holy Scriptures, accepting them not only with his mind, but also with his heart.

When the time came, by God's providence and by the arrangement of his own will, he renounced the rich inheritance and retired to the Boris and Gleb monastery located near Turov.

Here, under the guidance of experienced mentors, he studied and became involved in ascetic work, here he took vows and took monastic vows.

While asceticizing in the monastery, Cyril prayed a lot, exhausting his body with fasts and vigils. Gradually he grew in perfection, becoming a grace-filled vessel of the Holy Spirit.

The brethren marveled at his fiery zeal, determination, and deep humility, and he served as an example to them.

One of the main rules of St. Cyril’s behavior in the monastery was uncomplaining obedience to the abbot. He himself repeatedly expressed, quite sharply, that those who do not have obedience to the abbot cannot be saved.

Motivated by ever-increasing zeal and not content with the standard of ordinary, albeit strict, monastic life, Blessed Cyril, following the example of the holy ascetics-pillars, imprisoned himself in a pillar.

During this period of his life, he composed several important teachings that became known to a wide audience, and he himself gained fame and fame.

Turov

The city of Turov is located in the Gomel region, in the Zhitkovichi district. This is one of the most ancient cities in Belarus. Turov is located thirty kilometers from the regional center of Zhitkovichi and 263 kilometers from the city of Gomel.

Until now, the former greatness of the city, unfortunately, has not been preserved. Although even without architectural attractions it has excellent tourism potential. Not only Belarusians, but also many Russians come to Turov to venerate the Holy Cross. Many pilgrims are also interested in the recently installed monument to Kirill of Turov. It is consecrated according to the tradition of the Orthodox Church and attracts many pilgrims.

The Principality of Turov was very developed in a cultural, political and economic sense. And Turov was its administrative center. A diocese was founded there in the tenth and early eleventh centuries. Later, after its destruction by the Turks, it was moved to Pinsk. In the second half of the twelfth century, the Principality of Turov became feudal and fragmented. The political significance was lost. And Turov entered the Principality of Lithuania for some time.

Bishop's activities

After the death of the Turov archpastor, the brethren wanted to see Kirill in the vacant place. The prince and the city residents wanted the same. Heeding the requests of the residents and expressing personal agreement with Kirill’s candidacy, the Metropolitan elevated him to the rank of bishop and consecrated him bishop of the city of Turov.

Having become an archpastor, Blessed Kirill increased his exploits even more. At the same time, he approached with full responsibility the fulfillment of the main tasks facing him as a bishop.

He paid great attention to the struggle for the purity of Orthodoxy.

In the role of a fighter, he was present at the Council of 1169, which condemned Bishop Theodore, a man of bad life and bad thoughts, “famous” for his deviation into heresy and many atrocities. The saint personally participated in exposing Theodore. According to some evidence, he personally betrayed him to the bishop's curse.

One of Bishop Kirill's activities was preaching. He preached actively in the temple and through written works.

The works of St. Cyril enjoyed considerable popularity. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky himself, known for his influence on other princes and his piety, loved to read them. Some of the messages composed by Blessed Kirill were intended specifically for the Grand Duke.

Excerpt characterizing Kirill Turovsky

Looking at him, Napoleon said, smiling: “II est venu bien jeune se frotter a nous.” [He came young to compete with us.] “Youth doesn’t stop you from being brave,” Sukhtelen said in a breaking voice. “Excellent answer,” said Napoleon. - Young man, you will go far! Prince Andrei, who, to complete the trophy of the captives, was also put forward, in full view of the emperor, could not help but attract his attention. Napoleon apparently remembered that he had seen him on the field and, addressing him, used the same name of the young man - jeune homme, under which Bolkonsky was reflected in his memory for the first time. – Et vous, jeune homme? Well, what about you, young man? - he turned to him, - how do you feel, mon brave? Despite the fact that five minutes before this, Prince Andrei could say a few words to the soldiers carrying him, he now, directly fixing his eyes on Napoleon, was silent... All the interests that occupied Napoleon seemed so insignificant to him at that moment, so petty seemed to him his hero himself, with this petty vanity and joy of victory, in comparison with that high, fair and kind sky that he saw and understood - that he could not answer him. And everything seemed so useless and insignificant in comparison with the strict and majestic structure of thought that was caused in him by the weakening of his strength from the bleeding, suffering and the imminent expectation of death. Looking into Napoleon's eyes, Prince Andrei thought about the insignificance of greatness, about the insignificance of life, the meaning of which no one could understand, and about the even greater insignificance of death, the meaning of which no one living could understand and explain. The emperor, without waiting for an answer, turned away and, driving away, turned to one of the commanders: “Let them take care of these gentlemen and take them to my bivouac; let my doctor Larrey examine their wounds. Goodbye, Prince Repnin,” and he, moving his horse, galloped on. There was a radiance of self-satisfaction and happiness on his face. The soldiers who brought Prince Andrei and removed from him the golden icon they found, hung on his brother by Princess Marya, seeing the kindness with which the emperor treated the prisoners, hastened to return the icon. Prince Andrei did not see who put it on again or how, but on his chest, above his uniform, he suddenly found an icon on a small gold chain. “It would be good,” thought Prince Andrei, looking at this icon, which his sister hung on him with such feeling and reverence, “it would be good if everything were as clear and simple as it seems to Princess Marya. How nice it would be to know where to look for help in this life and what to expect after it, there, beyond the grave! How happy and calm I would be if I could now say: Lord, have mercy on me!... But to whom will I say this? Either the power is indefinite, incomprehensible, which I not only cannot address, but which I cannot express in words - the great all or nothing, - he said to himself, - or this is the God who is sewn up here, in this palm, Princess Marya? Nothing, nothing is true, except the insignificance of everything that is clear to me, and the greatness of something incomprehensible, but most important! The stretcher started moving. With each push he again felt unbearable pain; the feverish state intensified, and he began to become delirious. Those dreams of his father, wife, sister and future son and the tenderness that he experienced on the night before the battle, the figure of the small, insignificant Napoleon and the high sky above all this, formed the main basis of his feverish ideas. A quiet life and calm family happiness in Bald Mountains seemed to him. He was already enjoying this happiness when suddenly little Napoleon appeared with his indifferent, limited and happy look at the misfortune of others, and doubts and torment began, and only the sky promised peace. By morning, all the dreams mixed up and merged into the chaos and darkness of unconsciousness and oblivion, which, in the opinion of Larrey himself, Doctor Napoleon, were much more likely to be resolved by death than by recovery. “C’est un sujet nerveux et bilieux,” said Larrey, “il n’en rechappera pas.” [This is a nervous and bilious man, he will not recover.] Prince Andrei, among other hopeless wounded, was handed over to the care of the residents. At the beginning of 1806, Nikolai Rostov returned on vacation. Denisov was also going home to Voronezh, and Rostov persuaded him to go with him to Moscow and stay in their house. At the penultimate station, having met a comrade, Denisov drank three bottles of wine with him and, approaching Moscow, despite the potholes of the road, he did not wake up, lying at the bottom of the relay sleigh, near Rostov, which, as it approached Moscow, came more and more to impatience. “Is it soon? Soon? Oh, these unbearable streets, shops, rolls, lanterns, cab drivers!” thought Rostov, when they had already signed up for their holidays at the outpost and entered Moscow. - Denisov, we’ve arrived! Sleeping! - he said, leaning forward with his whole body, as if by this position he hoped to speed up the movement of the sleigh. Denisov did not respond. “Here is the corner of the intersection where Zakhar the cabman stands; Here he is Zakhar, and still the same horse. Here is the shop where they bought gingerbread. Soon? Well! - To which house? - asked the coachman. - Yes, over there at the end, how can you not see! This is our home,” said Rostov, “after all, this is our home!” Denisov! Denisov! We'll come now. Denisov raised his head, cleared his throat and did not answer. “Dmitry,” Rostov turned to the footman in the irradiation room. - After all, this is our fire? “That’s exactly how daddy’s office is lit up.” – Haven’t gone to bed yet? A? How do you think? “Don’t forget to get me a new Hungarian at once,” Rostov added, feeling the new mustache. “Come on, let’s go,” he shouted to the coachman. “Wake up, Vasya,” he turned to Denisov, who lowered his head again. - Come on, let's go, three rubles for vodka, let's go! - Rostov shouted when the sleigh was already three houses away from the entrance. It seemed to him that the horses were not moving. Finally the sleigh took to the right towards the entrance; Above his head, Rostov saw a familiar cornice with chipped plaster, a porch, a sidewalk pillar. He jumped out of the sleigh as he walked and ran into the hallway. The house also stood motionless, unwelcoming, as if it did not care about who came to it. There was no one in the hallway. "My God! is everything alright? thought Rostov, stopping for a minute with a sinking heart and immediately starting to run further along the entryway and familiar, crooked steps. The same door handle of the castle, for the uncleanness of which the countess was angry, also opened weakly. One tallow candle was burning in the hallway. Old man Mikhail was sleeping on the chest. Prokofy, the traveling footman, the one who was so strong that he could lift the carriage by the back, sat and knitted bast shoes from the edges. He looked at the opened door, and his indifferent, sleepy expression suddenly transformed into an enthusiastically frightened one. - Fathers, lights! Young Count! – he cried out, recognizing the young master. - What is this? My darling! - And Prokofy, shaking with excitement, rushed to the door to the living room, probably to make an announcement, but apparently changed his mind again, returned back and fell on the young master’s shoulder. -Are you healthy? - Rostov asked, pulling his hand away from him. - God bless! All glory to God! We just ate it now! Let me look at you, Your Excellency! - Is everything all right?

The last period of the saint's earthly life

At the end of his earthly life, around 1180-1182, Saint Cyril, driven by the desire for prayerful solitude, divine thought and contemplation, left the episcopal see and retired.

During this period, he continued to engage in writing, enlightening the children of God and fighting errors.

The strength of his writing and preaching talent was such that he was subsequently given the nickname Russian Chrysostom. The works of the saint were reproduced in collections along with the works of famous Ecumenical Fathers.

The works that have come down to us (unfortunately, some of them have been lost) still enjoy respect and high authority.

Saint Cyril rested peacefully in the Lord on April 28, 1183.

Creations

St. Cyril probably composed words for the entire annual cycle of the Lord's holidays, but not all of them have survived. The teachings of St. Cyril were placed in collections along with the ancient patristic works.

The most complete collection of works of St. Cyril of Turov, published by Bishop Eugene of Turov in 1880, includes:

1. Word on the Flower-Bearing Sunday, from the Gospel story;
2. Word for Holy Pascha on the luminous day of the Resurrection of Christ, from prophetic legends;
3. A Word for the New Sunday of Pascha, about the renewal of the Resurrection, and about Artos, and about St. Thomas testing the side of the Lord;
4. The word about the removal of the body of Christ and about the myrrh-bearers, from the Gospel story, and the praise of Joseph on the 3rd week of Easter;
5. The Word about the Paralytic from Genesis and from the Gospel, on the 4th Sunday after Passover;
6. A Word about the Blind Man and the Envy of the Jews, from the Gospel, on the 5th Sunday of Passover:
7. Word on the Ascension of the Lord, on the Thursday of the 6th Sunday after Easter, from prophetic instructions and about the resurrection of Adam from hell;
8. Word on the Saints Father 318, from the Holy Books, an indication of Christ, the Son of God, and praise by the Father of the Holy Council of Nicaea, on the Sunday before Pentecostia;
9. Parable of the Blind and the Lame;
10. A parable about humanity's soul, and about the body, and the transgression of God's commandments, and about the resurrection of the human body, and about future judgment, and about torment;
11. Tales about the monk rank, from the Old Testament and the New, bearing its image, and accomplishing this deed;
12. The Tale to Vasily the Abbot: a parable about the Belorized man, and about monasticism, and about souls, and about repentance;
13. Message from a certain elder to the Blessed Basil Archimandrite about the schema;
14. four prayers for Sunday (after Matins, hours and 2 after Vespers);
15. four prayers for Monday;
16. four prayers for Tuesday;
17. five prayers for Wednesday (after Matins, hours and - 3 after Vespers);
18. three prayers for Thursday (after Matins, Hours, Vespers);
19. four prayers for Friday (after Matins and 2 after Vespers);
20. six prayers for Saturday (2 after Matins, 1 after hours and 3 after Vespers);
21. prayer canon;
22. confession and remembrance.

Subsequently, the “Word on the Enlightenment of our Lord Jesus Christ” was revealed. It is known that the saint also compiled the “Great Canon of repentance to the Lord according to the chapters of the alphabet.” As a theologian, Saint Cyril of Turov saw his task as revealing the true, hidden meaning of this or that text of Holy Scripture.

Troparion

Piety to the zealot and zealot, / praise of monks and pillars, / to the saint of the Turov flock, most glorious, / teacher of gold, / enlightening the ends of Russia with the bright teaching of his God-mind, / in prayer to God, the gracious hastener of sinners, / Cyril the Wise of God, pray to Christ God / to strengthen us , your compatriot, / in Orthodoxy, piety and unanimity.