MOROZOVA FEODOSIYA PROKOPYEVNA - the dea-tel-ni-tsa of the early Russian old-ro-ob-ryad-che-st-va.
Daughter of near-nothing P.F. So-kov-ni-na, genus-st-ven-ni-ka Ma-rii Il-i-nich-ny Mi-lo-slav-sky (from the genus Mi-lo-slav-sky), trans- the howl of Tsar Aleksei Mi-hi-lo-vi-cha.
In 1649, she married for the battle-ri-on Gle-ba Iva-no-vi-cha Mo-ro-zo-va (from the old Moscow boyar family Mo-ro-zo-vyh). Ov-do-vev (1661/1662), F.P. Morozov, together with his son, in a lu-chi-la, great state of being. From that time on, no pre-yes-wa-was under the vi-gum of bla-go-ches-tia, but-si-la vla-sya-ni-tsu.
Du-hov-nick F.P. The frosty pro-to-pop Av-va-kum, who for some time lived in her house (1664), called her to even more as-ke- tiz-mu and active support-ke-sta-ro-about-row-che-st-va. After from-the-rights of Av-va-ku-ma in reference to Me-zen F.P. Morozova became-la after-before-wa-tel-but you-step against the reforms of pat-ri-ar-ha Ni-ko-na.
According to the order of Tsar Alexei, Mi-hai-lo-vi-cha ar-khimandrite Chu-do-va of the Io-a-kim monastery (bu-du-shchi pat-ri-arch) before -at-no-small-torture-ki vra-zoom-le-niya F.P. Morozova.
After tai-no-go po-stri-ga (with the name Feo-do-ra), co-vert-shyon-no-go at the end of 1670 ygu-me-nom Do-si-fe-em , F.P. Morozova began to remove herself from church services and secular ce-re-mo-nies (from-ka-za-la-day-st-to-wat in January 1671 for a wedding -be Tsar Aleksei Mi-hi-lo-vi-cha with Na-tal-her Kiril-lov-noy Na-rysh-ki-noy). But the new admonitions of the tsar with the threat of na-ka-za-niya are not for-zy-me-whether action.
November 16 (26), 1671 F.P. Morozov and her sister, Princess E.P. Uru-so-wu for-ko-va-li and for-key-chi-li into custody; at the do-pro-se in the Chu-do-vom monastery, se-st-ry za-vi-li that they won’t partake of li-tour-gi-her in a new way about-rya-du.
At the beginning of 1672, F.P. Morozov, Uru-so-vu and their one-but-mouse-len-ni-tsu M. Yes-ni-lo-vu subjected to cruel torture, during some -ryh their uve-shche-val pat-ri-arch Pi-ti-rim. In spite of the steps-no-thing-st-in of the tsa-roar-na Iri-na Mi-hai-lov-na, Tsar Alex-this Mi-hai-lo-vich from-great-vil F .P. Morozov and her supporter in the Bo-rov-sky ost-horn.
In January 1675, the Uzbeks managed to see people close to them, among them was the author of the life of F.P. Morozova, her elder brother F.P. So-kov-nin. For this, they took away books, icons, clothes, food, and food, to-let-tiv-shih certificates -nie-str-lec-kih hundred-no-kov times-zh-lo-wa-whether in the sol-yes-you and subjected to an in-urgent exile-ke.
In June 1675, all the prisoners were transferred to a deep earthly prison; oh-ran-no-kam, under fear of death, would-lo-for-pre-s-but-give them food. On August 10 (20), 1675, a royal decree was issued, depriving F.P. Morozov of all land authorities.
Soon, the Uzbeks died from hunger and is-thing-ing.
At the pre-la-gai-mom place of the end of the knots in Bo-rov-sk, an old-ro-ritual chapel-ov-nya was erected. The old-ro-ob-row-tsy celebrate-well-pa-myat the holy pre-do-but-mu-che-ni-tsy and is-po-ved-ni-tsy Feo-do-ry (F .P. Morozova) 24 September.
Is-to-ria F.P. Mo-ro-zo-howl breath-no-vi-la hu-doge-no-ka V.I. Su-ri-ko-va on the creation of a lot-on “Boya-ry-nya Mo-ro-zo-va” (1887, State Tretyakov Gallery).
A life
Theodosia, daughter of the okolnichi Prokofy Sokovnin, like her father, was close to the royal family. Most likely, she was one of the court ladies who accompanied the queen. It was this situation that helped her at the age of 17 to marry Gleb Ivanovich Morozov, a relative of the tsar. Gleb's brother, Boris, was incredibly wealthy, but died childless in 1662. Theodosius was 30 years old. Boris's fortune passed to Gleb, who also died soon after. The little son Vanya became the heir, but in fact the estate was managed by the mother.
Boyar Morozova visits Archpriest Avvakum in prison (19th century miniature)
The most magnificent estate of the Morozovs, the Zyuzino estate, was one of the first in Russia to be equipped according to the European model. Here is how her estate with Sergei Solovyov is described on behalf of her contemporaries: “At home, she was served by about three hundred people. There were 8,000 peasants; many friends and relatives; she rode in an expensive carriage, arranged with mosaics and silver, six or twelve horses with rattling chains; a hundred servants, slaves and slaves followed her, protecting her honor and health.
Religion
At this time, Patriarch Nikon carried out a reform of the Orthodox Church: the church rite and books were unified according to the modern Greek model. All those who are baptized with two fingers were hastily anathematized in 1656 - this was the reason for the split (of course, there are more reasons). These actions fit perfectly into the course towards the centralization of state administration: one state, one religion with one, single rite. However, such sharpness and rigidity could not please the Old Believers, who considered Russian Orthodoxy higher than Greek. This is due to the signing of the Union of Florence by the Greeks, the fall of Constantinople and the concept of "Moscow is the third Rome."
The coarse sheep's wool of the sackcloth pricked the skin. If there was not enough wool, the ascetics put on a sackcloth made of metal hooks.
Feodosia Morozova was not just an opponent of Nikon. She was an ardent supporter of Archpriest Avvakum, an apologist for the Old Believers, with whom she closely communicated. Left a widow at the age of thirty, she "pacified the flesh" by wearing a sackcloth. However, Avvakum reproached the young widow with the fact that she did not “humble” the flesh enough and wrote to her: “Stupid, insane, ugly gouge out those eyes with a shuttle like Mastridia” (calling, following the example of the Monk Mastridia, to get rid of love temptations, gouge out your own eyes ). Morozova performed home prayers “according to ancient rites”, and her Moscow house served as a haven for the Old Believers persecuted by the authorities. But her support for the Old Believers, judging by the letters of Avvakum, was insufficient: “Alms flow from you, like a small drop from the abyss of the sea, and even then with a caveat.”
Not a gloomy fanatic, but a hostess and mother busy with her son and household chores
Academician Alexander Panchenko, examining Morozova's letters to Avvakum, writes that they do not contain arguments about faith and believes that Feodosia "is not a gloomy fanatic, but a housewife and mother, busy with her son and household chores."
Alexei Mikhailovich and Nikon in front of the tomb of St. Philip
The quietest Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who supported the reforms, tried to influence the noblewoman through her relatives and entourage, as well as taking and returning estates. The high position of Morozova and the intercession of Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna kept the tsar from decisive actions. Feodosia Morozova was repeatedly present in the "New Rite Church" at the service, which the Old Believers considered as a forced "little hypocrisy." But after a secret tonsure as a nun under the name of Theodora, which took place at the end of December 1670, Morozova began to move away from church and social events.
Death
On February 1, 1671, according to the new style, Feodosia Morozova, under the pretext of illness, refused an invitation to the wedding of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Natalia Naryshkina. This angered the monarch. He sent to her first the boyar Troekurov, and then Prince Uvarov with a demand to accept the church reform: Morozova refused both.
On the night of November 16 (26), 1671, Archimandrite Joachim of the Chudov Monastery came to Morozova’s house by order of the tsar. He interrogated Theodosia and her sister Evdokia Urusova while they lay in bed, showing their contempt. After interrogation, the sisters were shackled, but left at home. After 11 or 12 days they were transferred to the Chudov Monastery, from where they were sent to the Pskov-Caves Monastery. Morozova's son soon died, two brothers were exiled, and their property was confiscated.
Chapel-monument in Borovsk at the alleged place of detention of Feodosia Morozova and Evdokia Urusova
At the end of 1674, they tried to force the Morozov sisters to renounce the Old Believers by torture on the rack. They didn't back down. They would have been burned, but the intercession of the boyars saved them. The sisters were sent to Borovsk, where they were imprisoned in an earthen prison, in which they starved to death. Before her death, Theodosia asked the jailer to wash her shirt in order to die in a clean shirt.
November 15, 1675 (according to the new style) died Feodosia Morozova. And I bow my head and with great reverence offer a prayer to the Lord for such a great soul, a woman, accepting suffering for faith.
Reading the Life of Boyarina Morozova, I think about how I would behave in her place. And with bitterness and shame I realize that my soul is cowardly and timid, changeable and unfaithful, prone to temptations and attached to the earthly, perishable things of this passing world.
Feodosia Prokopievna Sokovnina was born into the family of a royal courtier. She was married to the boyar Gleb Ivanovich Morozov, who was close to Tsar Alexei. Famous and fabulously wealthy. But her soul is looking for higher truth neglecting earthly goods. After the death of her husband, she leads a monastic life, exhausting herself with fasting, wearing a sackcloth. She is jealous of the old faith of her fathers, her soul rejects the innovations of Nikon's reform, and her favorite spiritual teacher is Archpriest Avvakum, persecuted and subjected to church court. Noblewoman Morozova is not afraid of being persecuted, she is not afraid of physical violence. Unshakable faith gives her strength and courage.
When I read a poem Anna Akhmatova, then very clearly in my mind I see a picture when the noblewoman Morozova is being taken to conclusion. She shows great strength and heroism.
And here is how this historical fact is described by another poet, Varlam Shalamov.
Say goodbye to sleepy Moscow And a wide banner with two fingers Icons bow before her, | From that land she will not be at peace, Rising above the enslaved crowd, This is a marvel to the new age |
I re-read the historical materials about the torture to which the boyar Morozova was subjected. And my heart is crying. No exhortations to accept the new rites had any effect. And then the tormentors hung a chain around the noblewoman's neck, put her in prison, tortured her on the rack, beat her with whips.
Changed feasts and chambers
On the gloomy damp casemate,
Her soul is rich in faith,
She really is more expensive than the chambers.
In prison, she learned about the death of her only son Ivan and wept bitterly. And then they put her in an earthen pit, where she died of complete exhaustion. These terrible events took place in the city of Borovsk.
This is how this fragile woman was treated by people who believed that they were doing it for the good, in the name of innovations and reforms, believing that they were serving God in this way. At the same time, drowning out the voice of conscience, which in the quiet voice of Christ called to love each other.
And in conclusion, I will again give an excerpt from Anna Akhmatova's poem.
And she believes she won't die
The idea of free prayer
The time will come and raise
Her monument instead of a rack.
Boyar Morozova Feodosia Prokopyevna (born 21 (31) May 1632 - death 2 (12) November 1675) - supreme palace noblewoman. She was arrested for adherence to the "old faith", exiled to the Pafnutyevo-Borovsky monastery and imprisoned in the monastery prison, where she died of starvation.
What is known about Feodosia Prokopyevna
The appearance of the noblewoman Morozova in the national memory is connected with the painting of V. Surikov, beloved by the people. Even the writer V. Garshin, having seen the artist’s canvas 100 years ago at the exhibition, predicted that descendants would not be able to “imagine Feodosia Prokopyevna otherwise than as she is depicted in the picture.” It is difficult for a contemporary to be impartial, but we understand that Garshin, as it turned out, was a good prophet. Many people imagine the noblewoman Morozova as a stern, elderly woman, as in a picture, who fanatically threw up her hand in two fingers. Well, Surikov knew history well and, in the main, did not go against the truth, but the details of fiction were necessary for him for the sake of symbolic generalizations.
Boyarynya Morozova was not old - look at the dates of her life. The noblewoman was arrested 4 years before her death, then she was not even forty, but the people’s memory could capture the martyr for the idea only as a lived, wise and alien to any frivolity.
Why did the glory of the noblewoman Morozova cross the centuries? Why, among the thousands of sufferers for the faith, this particular woman was destined to become a symbol of the struggle of the schismatics against the "Nikonians"?
On the canvas of the artist, Feodosia Prokopyevna addresses the Moscow crowd, to common people - to a wanderer with a staff, to an old beggar woman, to a holy fool, to all those who actually represented the social stratum of fighters against new rites. However, Morozova was not an ordinary disobedient. The Chudov Monastery, where she was taken, was in the Kremlin. It is not known whether the tsar watched from the palace passages, how the people saw off his favorite, how she proclaimed an anathema to the "wicked", but there is no doubt that the thought of Morozova haunted him, did not give him rest.
Painting by V. Surikov "Boyar Morozova"
Rod Morozov
The boyar was too close to the throne, she knew the king too well, and besides this, the Morozov family was one of the most noble. There were less than ten such high-ranking families in Russia, at least the Romanovs, to whom Alexei Mikhailovich belonged, had no more rights to the throne than any of the Morozovs. One can guess to what extent the tsar felt uncomfortable when he ordered the arrest of the noblewoman. However, there were other things to worry about as well.
The Morozov brothers, Boris and Gleb, were relatives of the Tsar's father Mikhail, and in their youth they served as sleeping bags for the elder Romanov, this was an exceptional position at court. When, in 1645, 17-year-old Alexei was crowned the throne, Boris Morozov became his closest adviser. It was the boyar who chose the wife of Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya for the sovereign and played the first role at the wedding - he was with the sovereign "in his father's place." After 10 days, Boris Morozov, a widower and an elderly man, married the second marriage to the tsarina's sister Anna and became the tsar's brother-in-law.
From his exceptional position, he was able to extract everything he could. And if the possession of 300 peasant households was considered a good fortune for a gentleman of that era, then Morozov had more than 7,000 of them. Unheard of wealth!
The career of Gleb Ivanovich, a very ordinary person, completely depended on the success of his brother. The younger Morozov married the unborn 17-year-old beauty Feodosia Sokovnina, who was very friendly with the queen. Boris Ivanovich died without heirs, and all his vast fortune went to his younger brother, who also soon died, making his widow and boy Ivan Glebovich the richest people in the Russian state.
1) Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov
2) Boyar Morozova visits Archpriest Avvakum
The life of the noblewoman Morozova
Boyar Morozova was surrounded not only by wealth, but by luxury. Contemporaries recalled that she rode out in a gilded carriage, which was driven by 6-12 best horses, and 300 servants ran behind. In the Morozov estate of Zyuzino, a huge garden was laid out, where peacocks walked. Considering all this - Morozova's successful marriage, luxurious life, personal friendship with the royal family - one can understand Archpriest Avvakum, who saw something absolutely exceptional in the fact that Feodosia Prokopievna renounced "earthly glory". The boyar in reality became an ardent opponent of church reforms. The temperament of a public figure raged in her, and she was fully able to realize herself, defending the old faith.
The house of a rich and influential noblewoman turned into the headquarters of opponents of innovations, critics of making corrections to church books, the leader of the schismatics came here, lived for a long time, receiving shelter and protection. For days on end, Morozova received wanderers, holy fools, priests expelled from monasteries, creating a kind of opposition party to the royal court. The noblewoman herself and her own sister, Princess Evdokia Urusova, were blindly devoted to Habakkuk and listened to the fiery preacher in everything.
But it would be wrong to assume that the noblewoman Morozova was a fanatic and a "blue stocking". Even Avvakum noticed that she had a cheerful and affable character. When her old husband died, she was only 30 years old. The widow "tormented" the body with a hair shirt, but the hair shirt did not always help to pacify the flesh. Avvakum in letters advised his pupil to gouge out her eyes in order to get rid of the temptation of love.
The archpriest also accused the noblewoman of stinginess in relation to their common cause, but, most likely, it was not just stinginess, but the prudence of the hostess. Morozova selflessly loved her only son Ivan and wanted to give him all the wealth of Morozova safe and sound. The letters of the noblewoman to the disgraced archpriest, in addition to discussions about faith, are filled with purely female complaints about her people, discussions about a suitable bride for her son. In a word, Feodosia Prokopievna, possessing an enviable strength of character, had completely human weaknesses, which, of course, makes her asceticism even more significant.
The boyar, being a close friend of the sovereign's wife, had a strong influence on her. Maria Ilyinichna, of course, did not oppose her husband's reforms of the church, but with her soul she nevertheless sympathized with the rites of her parents and listened to the whispers of Theodosia Prokopievna. Alexei Mikhailovich hardly liked this, but the tsar, who loved his wife, did not allow attacks against the noblewoman, although the latter became more and more intolerant of innovations and openly supported the tsar's enemies.
1669 - the queen died. For another two years, Alexei Mikhailovich was afraid to touch the rebellious noblewoman. As you can see, grief over the untimely departed wife affected, but most of all the sovereign was wary of the indignations of the old boyar families, who could see in the encroachment on Feodosia Prokopyevna a precedent for reprisals against high-ranking families. In the meantime, Morozoav took the tonsure and began to be called the nun Theodora, which, of course, increased her fanaticism and "standing for the faith." And when in 1671 the tsar, finally consoled, played a wedding with Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, the boyar Morozova did not want to come to the palace, citing illness, which Alexei Mikhailovich considered an insult and neglect.
Torture of noblewoman Morozova - drawing by V. Perov
Arrest
It was then that the sovereign remembered all past grievances to the boyar Morozova; apparently, the fact that the tsar, like a mere mortal, did not like the girlfriend of his beloved wife and, like any man, was jealous of her, also had an effect. The autocrat brought down on the recalcitrant noblewoman all his despotic power.
On the night of November 14, 1671, Morozov was escorted in chains to the Chudov Monastery, where they began to persuade her to take communion according to the new rite, but the old woman Theodora answered firmly: “I won’t take communion!” After being tortured, she and her sister were sent away from Moscow to the Pechersky Monastery. There, the content of the prisoners was relatively tolerable. At least the noblewoman could keep in touch with her friends. Servants could visit her, bring food and clothes.
Archpriest Avvakum continued to convey instructions to his spiritual daughter. And she just needed warm, compassionate support - her only, dearly beloved son died at the boyar's. The grief was also increased by the fact that she could not say goodbye to him, and what was it like for her, the nun Theodora, to find out that her son was communed and buried according to new "impious" rites.
The new Patriarch Pitirim of Novgorod, who sympathized with the supporters of Avvakum, turned to the autocrat with a request to release Morozova and her sister. In addition to considerations of humanity, there was also a share of political intent in this proposal: the imprisonment of the noblewoman, firm in her faith, her sister and their friend Maria Danilova made a strong impression on the Russian people, and their release would rather attract to a new rite than intimidation. But the sovereign, not cruel by nature, this time turned out to be adamant. Again, the version suggests itself that some personal resentment against Morozova burned him, and perhaps he felt embarrassed in front of Feodosia Prokopyevna because of his marriage to the young beauty Naryshkina and wanted to forget about the past. However, what to guess? ..
Death of the noblewoman
After considering the circumstances of the execution of the hated noblewoman, Alexei Mikhailovich decided that the prisoners should not be burned at the stake, because “death is red in the world,” but ordered the Old Believers to be starved to death by throwing them into the cold pit of the Borovsky Monastery. All the property of the noblewoman Morozova was confiscated, her brothers were first exiled, and then they were also executed.
The drama of Morozova's last days defies description. Poor women, driven to despair by hunger, asked the jailers for at least a piece of bread, but were refused. Princess Urusova was the first to die on September 11, followed by Feodosia Prokopyevna on November 1 from exhaustion. Before her death, she found the strength to ask the jailer to wash her shirt in the river so that, according to Russian custom, she would die in a clean shirt. Maria Danilova suffered the longest, for another whole month.
The once great Morozov family ceased to exist.
November 15 (November 2, according to the old style) is the day of memory of one of the most famous and remarkable women in Russia - the holy venerable martyr Theodora, in the world of the boyar Feodosia Prokopievna Morozova (1675).
Among the martyrs of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, one of the first places was taken by the noblewoman Feodosia Prokopievna Morozova with her sister, Princess Evdokia Urusova.
Feodosia Prokopievna was born on May 21, 1632 in Moscow. Her father, Sokovnin Prokopiy Fedorovich, was a roundabout, was in family ties with the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, Maria Ilyinichnaya. Theodosia was one of the courtiers who accompanied the queen.
At the age of seventeen, the girl was married to Gleb Ivanovich Morozov, a representative of a noble boyar family, related to the Romanov family.
Feodosia Prokopyevna occupied the place of a riding noblewoman, had great influence in Moscow.
A representative of the Old Believer faith, Morozova always treated the poor and holy fools favorably, gave them alms. In addition, adherents of the Old Believers often gathered in her house to pray according to the old Russian canons at the ancient icons. The woman closely communicated with Archpriest Avvakum and did not accept the reforms of Patriarch Nikon.
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not like the beliefs of the riding noblewoman, he repeatedly tried to influence Morozova through relatives, but the noblewoman stood her ground.
On the evening of November 16, 1671, Archimandrite Joachim came to Morozova with the duma clerk Hilarion. The sister of the noblewoman, Princess Evdokia Urusova, was also in the house. To show their disrespectful attitude towards the guests, Theodosia and Evdokia went to bed and answered the questions of those who came lying down. After interrogation, the women were shackled and left under house arrest. Two days later, Morozova was transferred first to Chudov, and then to the Pskov-Caves Monastery.
After the imprisonment of the noblewoman, her only son Ivan died, two brothers were exiled, and all the property was transferred to the royal treasury.
At the end of 1674, Morozova was transferred to the Yamskaya yard. There she was tortured on the rack to force her to give up her religious beliefs, but the woman remained unshakable. The richest and most influential Muscovite in the past died on November 2, 1675 from exhaustion. Shortly before her death, she asked the guards to wash a shirt in the river in order to die in clean clothes.
On the night of November 1st to 2nd, the saint reposed in the Lord.
Marya Danilovna, who until that time had been languishing in prison among notorious criminals, was transferred to her place, and no more than a month later she also passed away. The old nun Melanya and her associate nun Justinya were burned at the stake. Many other women were killed and tortured during the reign of the "quietest" king.
In this way, that ill-fated church “reform”, alien to the Russian people, was imposed, the tragic consequences of which we are still experiencing.
