Peter and Fevronia of Murom. eternal love story
Blessed Prince Peter was the second son of Murom Prince Yuri Vladimirovich. He ascended the Murom throne in 1203. A few years earlier, Saint Peter fell ill with leprosy, from which no one could cure him. In a dream vision, it was revealed to the prince that he could be healed by the beekeeper’s daughter, the pious maiden Fevronia, a peasant woman from the village of Laskovoy in Ryazan land. Saint Peter sent his people to that village.
When the prince saw Saint Fevronia, he fell in love with her so much for her piety, wisdom and kindness that he vowed to marry her after healing. Saint Febronia healed the prince and married him. The holy spouses carried love for each other through all trials. The proud boyars did not want to have a princess of ordinary rank and demanded that the prince let her go. Saint Peter refused and the couple were expelled. They sailed on a boat along the Oka from hometown. Saint Febronia supported and consoled Saint Peter. But soon the city of Murom suffered the wrath of God, and the people demanded that the boyars beg the prince to return back with Saint Fevronia.
The holy spouses became famous for their piety and mercy.
They died on the same day and hour, June 25, 1228, having previously taken monastic vows with the names David and Euphrosyne. The bodies of the saints were laid in one coffin.
Saints Peter and Fevronia are an example of Christian marriage. With their prayers they bring down Heavenly blessings on those entering into marriage.
For several years now, on July 8, the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity is celebrated in all Russian cities. The date of the celebration was not chosen by chance and coincides with the memorial day of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom. The life of Orthodox spouses is an example of Christian marriage and a symbol of ideal family relationships.
“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” was written in the 16th century by the monk Ermolai-Erasmus (Ermolai the Pregressful), and the work immediately became the favorite reading of literate people, was distributed in a huge number of copies, and was passed on from mouth to mouth. So in ancient Russian literature For the first time, the genre of a love story with a mixture of pagan and Orthodox plots appeared. The full text of the story is known only to narrow specialists, and the story of incredible love that has gone into the world is remembered and retold to this day.
One day, Prince Peter was struck by terrible leprosy. All attempts to cure the patient were in vain: no one could cope with the disease. When the prince despaired and resigned himself, he had a prophetic dream: Peter dreamed that there lived in the world a girl named Fevronia, who could heal him.
The Life of Saints Peter and Fevronia. Autograph of Ermolai (Erasmus) (RNB. Solov.. No. 287/307. L. 134)
Saint Febronia. Artist Alexander Prostev
Fevronia hands over the vessel with the medicine and explains how to receive healing. Fragment of a 17th century icon
Unlike Peter, who was the son of Murom Prince Yuri, Fevronia was from a simple peasant family. She lived with her beekeeper father in the Ryazan village of Laskovo. From an early age she studied the properties of plants and had the gift of healing; she knew how to tame even wild animals, and they obeyed her. Young woman amazing beauty and kindness came to the heart of the young prince, and he promised to go down the aisle with her after recovery. Fevronia restored the prince to health. But he, frightened unequal marriage, did not keep his promise to get married. Soon the illness returned and attacked Peter with renewed force.
When the messengers came to Fevronia for the second time, she did not refuse help and again healed the young prince. Repenting, Peter married the deliverer and was happy with her until the end of his days. As legends say, the spouses honored each other all their lives, lived without deception, in peace and harmony.
After the death of his elder brother, Peter assumed the princely throne. The boyars supported and respected the noble ruler, but could not come to terms with the fact that next to him on the throne was a girl from a lower class. The smart and beautiful Fevronia was haunted by the envy of the boyars' wives. They tried to slander her and persuaded her husbands to kill her. One fine day, the prince was given a condition: he had to choose between power and his beloved wife. Peter abdicated the throne and left Murom with his wife.
Peter and Fevronia of Murom. Artist Alexander Prostev
Peter and Fevronia return to Murom. Icon
Icon of the Blessed Saints Peter and Fevronia.Icon of the Blessed Saints Peter and Fevronia.
Life in exile was not easy, but the wise princess did not lose spirit, always found a way out of difficult situations and supported her dejected husband. Peter never ceased to treat Fevronia tenderly and never once reproached her for being the cause of their hardships.
Soon the Murom boyars realized that without a knowledgeable ruler they would not be able to maintain order in the city. Having come to their senses, they sent messengers for the princely couple with a request to lead the government again. After consulting with his wife, Peter returned to his native land.
So Peter and Fevronia lived in perfect harmony until they turned gray at the temples, “praying incessantly and giving alms to all the people under their authority, like a child-loving father and mother. They had equal love for everyone, did not like cruelty and money-grubbing, did not spare perishable wealth, but grew rich in God's wealth. And they were for their city true shepherds, and not as mercenaries. And they ruled their city with justice and meekness, and not with rage. They welcomed strangers, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and delivered the poor from misfortunes.”
Having grown old, they took monasticism under the names Euphrosyne and David. Having settled in different monasteries, they corresponded with each other. They prayed to God to grant them death on the same day so that they could continue their journey together in heaven. The couple even prepared a double coffin, in which only a thin partition would separate their bodies. Tradition says that their prayers were heard and they reposed at the same hour - June 25, 1228 according to the old style (July 8 according to the current calendar). But the will of the deceased was not fulfilled; the spouses were buried separately. But twice the inexplicable happened, and the bodies incredibly ended up together. After this, the clergy buried Peter and Fevronia together near the Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God.
300 years after the death of Peter of Murom and his wife Fevronia were canonized. The Orthodox Church proclaimed them the patrons of the family and included July 8 in the Orthodox calendar as their day of remembrance. In the 90s, residents of Murom attributed the celebration of their city to this day. Now the relics of Saints Peter and Fevronia are in a single coffin - in the Holy Trinity Convent in the city of Murom. Many pilgrims flock to them to bow and ask for intercession. Those who fall with faith to the shrine containing the relics receive healing.
The life of Peter and Fevronia of Murom is the clearest example of beneficence and devotion. The memory of the holy noble princes Peter and Fevronia of Murom is celebrated by the Church twice a year: on July 8 (June 25, old style), on the day of their righteous death, and on September 19 (September 6, old style), on the day of the transfer of the relics. You can learn more about the pair of saints by reading our article!
Life of Peter and Fevronia of Murom: history
Peter and Fevronia of Murom are spouses, saints, the brightest personalities of Holy Rus', who with their lives reflected its spiritual values and ideals.
The life story of the holy wonderworkers, the faithful and reverend spouses Peter and Fevronia, has existed for many centuries in the traditions of the Murom land, where they lived and where their venerable relics were preserved. Over time, real events acquired fabulous features, merging in people's memory with the legends and parables of this region. Now researchers are arguing about which of the historical figures the life is written: some are inclined to believe that these were Prince David and his wife Euphrosyne, in monasticism Peter and Fevronia, who died in 1228, others see them as the spouses Peter and Euphrosyne, who reigned in Murom in the 14th century.
I wrote down a story about blgv. Peter and Fevronia in the 16th century. priest Ermolai the Preregrenny (monastically Erasmus), a talented writer, widely known in the era of Ivan the Terrible. Preserving folklore features in his life, he created an amazingly poetic story about wisdom and love - the gifts of the Holy Spirit with a pure heart and humbleness in God.
St. Peter was the younger brother of the lord who reigned in the city of Murom. Pavel. One day, trouble happened in Pavel’s family - due to the devil’s obsession, a snake began to fly to his wife. The sad woman, who succumbed to demonic power, told her husband everything. The prince ordered his wife to find out the secret of his death from the villain. It turned out that the adversary’s death was “destined from Peter’s shoulder and Agrikov’s sword.” Having learned about this, Prince. Peter immediately decided to kill the rapist, relying on God’s help. Soon, during prayer in the temple, it was revealed where Agrikov’s sword was kept, and, having tracked down the serpent, Peter struck him down. But before his death, the snake sprinkled the winner with poisonous blood, and the prince’s body became covered with scabs and ulcers.
No one could heal Peter from a serious illness. Enduring the torment with humility, the prince surrendered to God in everything. And the Lord, providing for His servant, sent him to the Ryazan land. One of the young men sent in search of a doctor accidentally walked into the house, where he found a lonely girl named Fevronia, the daughter of a tree frog, at work, who had the gift of insight and healing. After all the questions, Fevronia ordered the servant: “Bring your prince here. If he is sincere and humble in his words, he will be healthy!”
The prince, who could no longer walk himself, was brought to the house, and he sent to ask who wanted to cure him. And he promised him that if he cured him, he would receive a big reward. “I want to cure him,” Fevronia answered bluntly, “but I don’t demand any reward from him. Here is my word to him: if I do not become his wife, then it is not proper for me to treat him.” Peter promised to marry, but in his heart he was lying: the pride of the princely family prevented him from agreeing to such a marriage. Fevronia scooped up some sourdough, blew on it and ordered the prince to wash himself in the bathhouse and lubricate all the scabs except one.
The blessed maiden had the wisdom of the Holy Fathers and prescribed such treatment not by chance. Just as the Lord and Savior, healing lepers, the blind and the paralytic, healed the soul through bodily ailments, so Fevronia, knowing that illnesses are allowed by God as a test and for sins, prescribed treatment for the flesh, implying a spiritual meaning. Bath, according to St. To Scripture, the image of baptism and cleansing of sins (Eph. 5:26), but the Lord Himself likened to leaven the Kingdom of Heaven, which will be inherited by souls whitened by the washing of baptism (Luke 13:21). Since Fevronia saw through Peter’s wickedness and pride, she ordered him to leave one scab undone as evidence of sin. Soon, from this scab, the whole illness resumed, and the prince returned to Fevronia. The second time he kept his word. “And they arrived at their patrimony, the city of Murom, and began to live piously, without breaking God’s commandments in anything.”
After the death of his brother, Peter became autocrat in the city. The boyars respected their prince, but the arrogant boyars’ wives disliked Fevronia, not wanting to have a peasant woman as their ruler, and taught their husbands evil things. The boyars tried to level all sorts of slander against the princess, and one day they rebelled and, having lost their shame, offered Fevronia, taking whatever she wanted, to leave the city. The princess wanted nothing but her husband. The boyars rejoiced, because everyone secretly set their sights on the princely place, and they told their prince about everything. Blessed Peter, having learned that they wanted to separate him from his beloved wife, chose to voluntarily renounce power and wealth and go into exile with her.
The couple sailed down the river on two ships. A certain man, sailing with his family along with Fevronia, looked at the princess. The holy wife immediately guessed his thoughts and gently reproached him: “Draw water from one side and the other of the boat,” the princess asked. “Is the water the same or is one sweeter than the other?” “The same,” he answered. “So female nature is the same,” said Fevronia. “Why do you, having forgotten your wife, think about a stranger?” The convicted person was embarrassed and repented in his soul.
In the evening they moored to the shore and began to settle down for the night. “What will happen to us now?” - Peter thought sadly, and Fevronia, a wise and kind wife, affectionately consoled him: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, the Creator and Protector of all, will not leave us in trouble!” At this time, the cook began to prepare dinner and, in order to hang the cauldrons, cut down two small trees. When the meal was over, the princess blessed these stumps with the words: “May they become big trees in the morning.” And so it happened. With this miracle, she wanted to strengthen her husband, foreseeing their fate. After all, if “there is hope for a tree that, even if it is cut down, it will live again” (Job 14:7), then a person who hopes and trusts in the Lord will have a blessing both in this life and in the next.
Before they had time to wake up, ambassadors from Murom arrived, begging Peter to return to reign. The boyars quarreled over power, shed blood and were now again looking for peace and tranquility. Blzh. Peter and Fevronia humbly returned to their city and ruled happily ever after, giving alms with prayer in their hearts. When old age came, they took monasticism with the names David and Euphrosyne and begged God to die at the same time. They decided to bury themselves together in a specially prepared coffin with a thin partition in the middle.
They died on the same day and hour, each in his own cell. People considered it impious to bury monks in the same coffin and dared to violate the will of the deceased. Twice their bodies were carried to different temples, but twice they miraculously found themselves nearby. So they buried the holy spouses together near the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and every believer received generous healing here.
Have you read the article Life of Peter and Fevronia of Murom. You might be interested in:
(The Life of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom in the painting of Alexander Prostev - “What God has joined together, let not man separate”)
The story of Peter and Fevronia (patrons of family and marriage) is a story of fidelity, devotion and true love, capable of sacrifice for the sake of a loved one.
The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity is the name of the holiday, which is celebrated on July 8, according to the Orthodox calendar.
The love story of this married couple is described in detail by the greatest author of the 16th century, Ermolai Erasmus, in the ancient Russian "Tale of Peter and Fevronia." According to the Tale, the couple reigned in Murom at the end of the 12th - beginning of the 13th centuries, they lived happily and died on the same day.
(Always together)
The blessed Prince Peter was the second son of Murom Prince Yuri Vladimirovich. He ascended the Murom throne in 1203. A few years earlier, Saint Peter fell ill with leprosy - the prince's body was covered with scabs and ulcers. No one could heal Peter from a serious illness. Enduring the torment with humility, the prince surrendered to God in everything.
(illness of Prince Peter of Murom)
In a dream vision, it was revealed to the prince that he could be healed by the beekeeper’s daughter, the pious maiden Fevronia, a peasant woman from the village of Laskovoy in the Ryazan land. Saint Peter sent his people to that village.
(Dream of Prince Peter of Murom)
They decided to bury themselves together in a specially prepared coffin with a thin partition in the middle. Marriage vows, even after tonsure, remain valid for them, because they also fulfill their last promise to each other - to die at the same time.
They died on the same day and hour, June 25, 1228, each in his own cell.
(Extinguished candle)
(Left handicrafts)
People considered it impious to bury monks in the same coffin and dared to violate the will of the deceased. Twice their bodies were carried to different temples, but twice they miraculously found themselves nearby.
So they buried the holy spouses together in one coffin near the Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, the Lord glorified not only His saints, but also once again sealed the holiness and dignity of marriage, the vows of which in this case turned out to be no lower than monastic vows.
(Two candles)
Peter and Fevronia were canonized at a church council in 1547. Saints' Day of Remembrance is June 25 (July 8).
Saints Peter and Fevronia are an example of Christian marriage. With their prayers they bring down Heavenly blessings on those entering into marriage.
The holy noble princes Peter and Fevronia are revered by the Church as the patrons of Christian marriage. It is they who should pray for peace to be sent into the family, for strengthening marital ties, and for achieving family happiness.
(The message presents the works of Alexander Prostev - Light of Love)
And finally, I suggest you watch the documentary:
Released: 2008
Director: Arthur Widenmeyer
Released by: Studio Ostrov
Duration: 25 minutes
Blessed Prince Peter, monastically David, and Princess Fevronia, monastically Euphrosyne, Murom
The good-faithful Prince Peter was the second son of the Mu-ro-prince Yuri Vla-di-mi-ro-vi-cha. He ascended the Murom throne in 1203. Several years before this, Saint Peter fell ill with a disease for which no one could cure him. In the dream vision of the prince, it was discovered that he could be healed by the daughter of a bee, fortunately -va Feb-ro-nia, peasant de-rev-ni Las-ko-voy in the Ryazan land. Saint Peter sent his people to that village.
When the prince saw Saint Feb-ro-nia, he loved her so much for her goodness, wisdom and kindness that he made a vow to marry sitting on it after the treatment. Saint Feb-ro-nia married the prince and married him. The holy spouses carried love for each other through all trials. The proud bo-yars did not want to have a princess of simple rank and demanded that the prince let her go. Saint Peter left the hall and drove the spouses out. They sailed on a boat along the Oka River from their native city. Holy Feb-ro-nia under-keep-liv-va-la and comfort-sha-la of St. Peter. But soon the city of Mu-rom suffered the wrath of God, and the people demanded that the prince return along with Saint Fev-ro-ni. to her.
The holy spouses were blessed with goodness and sweetness. They died on the same day and hour, June 25, 1228, having previously received monastic haircut with the names Da-vid and Ev-fro-si -nia. The bodies of the saints were in the same coffin.
Saints Peter and Fev-ro-nia are the example of Christian sovereignty. With their prayers they bestow Heavenly blessings on those entering into marriage.
