Year of publication of the book: 1547

The book of Ermolai - Erasmus “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”, along with “”, is considered one of the best examples of ancient Russian creativity. It was written after the canonization of Saints Peter and Fevronia at the Moscow Council. The main characters of the story themselves supposedly lived in Murom and died in 1228. The full title of the work is “The Tale of the Lives of the New Saints, Miracle Workers of Murom, the Blessed and Reverend and Worshipful Prince Peter, named in the monastic rank of David, and his wife, the Blessed and Reverend and Worshipful Princess Fevronia, named in the monastic rank of Euphrosyne.”

The plot of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” briefly

In “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” you can read about the events unfolding in the city of Murom. Prince Peter rules in this city. The devil ordered the winged serpent to fly to Peter's wife for fornication. In front of everyone, the serpent appeared in the guise of Peter, and in front of his wife in its true guise. The prince's wife said that a snake had taken possession of her by force. But the prince did not know what to do. And he then ordered his wife to ask the serpent how to destroy him. By cunning, the woman asked the snake what his death would be like. The serpent assured that he would die from “Petrov’s shoulder and Agrikov’s sword.” The prince had a brother Peter, but no one knew where to get Agrikov’s sword.

The prince's brother loved to visit churches alone. During one of these campaigns, a youth approached him and offered to show Agrikov a sword. Peter did not hesitate and took it out of the altar wall between the slabs. He told his brother about this, and everyone began to wait for the right moment. And this moment did not fail to happen. Every day Peter went to his brother and daughter-in-law to pay them respects. And then one day he went to his brother, and from him he went to his daughter-in-law. But Peter was already there. Then he returned to his brother’s chambers and told him not to leave here. He took the sword of the Agrics and struck the snake with it. The snake took on its natural form, but before dying, it splashed Peter with its blood. And in those places where the serpent’s blood got in, Peter developed terrible ulcers. Not a single doctor could cope with these ulcers.

Further in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” summary you will find out how the main characters met. Peter went to the land of Ryazan, where there were many good doctors. One of the princely youths wandered into the village of Laskovo and entered the house of the tree frogs. This was the name given to the honey collectors who climbed trees for it. In this house he met Fevronia, who charmed him with her wisdom and words. He told her about Peter’s trouble and the girl agreed to help. But only with one condition. If she cures Peter, she will be his wife.

Disdainful of the girl's words main character"Tales of Peter and Fevronia of Murom." He made a promise, but had no intention of marrying the tree frog’s daughter. The girl took a bowl of sourdough bread, blew on it three times and ordered the prince to heat the bathhouse. And those places that are covered with the ulcer, anoint with leaven, except for one. It seemed too simple to the prince and he ordered to give the girl a bunch of flax. While he was in the bathhouse, he ordered a shirt, clothes, and a scarf to be sewn from it. The servant conveyed Peter's words to the girl. She also ordered to cut off a log of wood and make a weaving mill from it while she combed out a bunch of flax. Peter marveled at such words and ordered them to convey that this was impossible. Then Fevronia told me to tell you that you couldn’t even sew a shirt from a bunch of flax.

Peter carried out Fevronia’s orders exactly. And the very next day he was healed. He sent gifts to the girl, who Fevronia did not accept, and he himself went to Murom. But from that one ulcer that he did not anoint, new ones came from him and they became the same as before. Then he returned again to the girl and asked to cure him again. Fevronia, not at all offended, set the same conditions. This time Peter was cured and took the girl as his wife. They returned to Murom and lived piously.

Further in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” you can read about how Prince Paul died and Peter took his place on the throne. But Fevronia’s class offended the wives of the boyars. Then they began to slander her, saying that she was collecting crumbs from the table. But when the prince decided to check it, fragrant incense was found in his wife’s hands. Then the boyars began to ask the prince to choose a new wife. But Peter ordered the boyars to ask Fevronia about this. And when, during the feast, all the boyars as one began to ask Fevronia to leave, she said that she would leave only with the prince. The boyars were happy. After all, everyone saw themselves as an autocrat. Peter did not dare to break the laws of God.

The boyars quickly assembled ships and Peter and Fevronia sailed along the Oka. One man sailed with them, whose wife was on the same ship. He looked at Fevronia with a thought, but the saint immediately understood this thought. She told him to drink water first from the right side of the boat, and then from the left. And she asked which water tastes better. The man replied that it was the same. “So female nature is the same,” Fevronia answered him. In the evening they stopped for the night. The cook cut down several small trees to install the vat. The saint came up and said that in the morning these would be big trees. And so it happened. And in the morning messengers arrived from Murom. They asked the prince to return. After all, the boyars, as in , carried out a terrible massacre, trying to sit on the throne. Prince Peter and Fevronia returned to Murom and ruled wisely.

When the time came for them to perform a pious performance, Peter and Fevronia began to pray that they would die on the same day. And they even ordered themselves to make two coffins with a thin partition from one stone. While main character“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” worked on the faces of saints for the Church of the Most Pure Mother of God. She received news from her husband that he would soon die and asked her to return. Fevronia asked to wait. And so twice. The third time she went to her husband and they died on the same day, June 25.

But people decided to break the prince’s covenant. Separate coffins were built for them and placed in separate parts of the city. But in the morning both bodies lay in their double coffin. Then people once again separated Peter and Fevronia, but in the morning they were together again. So they remained together in the city church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” on the Top books website

“The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” is popular to read largely due to the presence of the work in school curriculum. Nevertheless, this allowed the work to take a high place in our fall 2016, and also be represented among. And most likely we will see this example of Old Church Slavonic writing more than once on the pages of our website.

You can read online on the Top books website “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”.

The development of the hagiographic genre leads to the 40s. XVI century to the creation of an original monument that took on both the features of the hagiographic genre and folklore elements. We are talking about a work that, undoubtedly, is one of the masterpieces of ancient Russian literature.

The author of the work, as established relatively recently, was the Pskov priest and publicist Ermolai-Erasmus. “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia” was, apparently, intended for inclusion in the grandiose hagiographical collection - “The Great Menaion-Chets”. However, Metropolitan Macarius was guided by strict regulatory requirements. The original life of Ermolai-Erasmus did not meet these criteria, significantly diverged from the classical canon of life, and therefore was not included in the hagiographical “encyclopedia” of Macarius. In the book tradition it existed independently of the “Minya-Chetih”.

The life was dedicated to locally revered Murom saints: Prince David (Peter) and his wife Euphrosyne (Fevronia), who probably lived in the 13th century. and were canonized at the council of 1547 as “new miracle workers” (the real historical prototypes of the princely couple have not been precisely established). "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom" is a small ensemble consisting of four short stories. The first three are connected to each other in a cause-and-effect way, the fourth is connected in a logical-chronological way. It is significant that the first three parts contain plots based on oral traditions, and the last one goes back to the traditions of hagiography itself.

Summary of "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom"

The first part plays the role of a kind of exposition. Here it is told that an unclean spirit in the guise of a “flying serpent” began to visit the wife of the Murom prince Pavel. The princess managed to find out the secret of the “serpent”: he can only die from “Petrov’s captivity and Agrikov’s exchange.” The deliverer must be Prince Paul's brother, Peter. The hero is helped by a wonderful youth who points to the place where the weapons are stored. In the altar well between the “ceramides” of the temple, the main character finds a wonderful sword and on the appointed day appears in Paul’s chambers to kill the evil one. But the “serpent” takes the form of Paul, and only with the help of cunning does Peter manage to destroy the demon. However, the werewolf “sprinkled blessed Prince Peter with his blood.” The prince's body was covered with ulcers. From that moment on, he seeks healing.

He learned that there were many skilled doctors in the Ryazan land. It is there that the prince himself is going. One of his youths comes to the village of Laskovo to a deserted peasant yard. In the house, a “wonderful vision” appears before the prince’s servant: a beautiful weaver girl is sitting in the room, and “in front of her is a hare galloping.” The conversation between the servant and the peasant woman Fevronia follows the canons of fairy-tale prose. A wise commoner asks riddles that the servant cannot answer. Fevronia undertakes to heal the prince. The only condition of the agreement is the indispensable marriage of Peter to Fevronia. The prince is perplexed: “How can a prince who is a tree-dweller get a wife!” However, he relies on his cunning and agrees with Fevronia’s demands. At the same time, he tries to test the girl’s wisdom and orders her to weave clothes and “Ubrusets” from a bunch of flax. In response, the peasant woman asks the impossible: to build a weaving mill from a torch split from a small log. The prince marvels at Fevronia's wisdom. She heals him with a miraculous ointment, but prudently leaves one ulcer unhealed.

The prince has recovered and is ready to reward the wise girl by sending her gifts. However, he does not agree to marriage. Fevronia rejects the prince's gifts. Peter returns to Murom. However, an untreated ulcer causes the terrible disease to recur, and from one “scab” many new wounds are formed. This time Peter accepts the healer’s conditions, and Fevronia becomes the Murom princess.

After the death of Paul, Peter inherits the throne in Murom. The prince's boyars, at the instigation of their envious wives, begin to persecute Fevronia as rootless and unworthy of great honor. The persecutors are unhappy that the princess behaves at the table like a peasant woman, collecting bread crumbs in her palm.

The prince again decided to test the wise woman. One day Peter “took me by the hand and, reconnaissance, saw good-smelling Lebanon and incense.” This is how the first miracle occurs: the crumbs supernaturally transform in the princess’s hand into incense and incense. The persecution of the boyars nevertheless does not stop. They demand that the prince expel Fevronia from the city. The princess is ready to submit to the persecutors, but at the same time she asks to fulfill only one condition: “Give it to me, if I ask you.” The mad boyars, “ignorant of the future,” agree. Fevronia is ready to leave the city, but only together with Prince Peter. Peter considers his wife’s desire to be completely legitimate, explaining his decision to leave Murom by the need to live according to the Gospel commandments: a husband cannot expel his wife without sufficient grounds; It is better to give up power than to violate the Divine order.

The couple leaves Murom on ships, going down the Oka. On the boat Fevronia miraculously unravels the evil intent of an unkind person, and during a stop on the shore, blesses the damaged trees. In the morning the trees blossomed and were decorated with lush foliage. This episode is preceded by a semantically important scene: for some time Peter doubted the correctness of his decision, but Fevronia calms him down. A wise woman knows the future: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, Creator and Provider of everything, will not leave us in the lowest state of being!”

Meanwhile, in Murom, the boyars began internecine warfare. They did not share power. The people of Murom ask the prince and princess to return. Thus, true intelligence and knowledge of the hidden secrets of God overcomes recklessness and evil intent. Peter and Fevronia become good patrons of the city, rule “without vice,” and condescend to the pleas of the unfortunate.

In the last novella, Ermolai-Erasmus talks about the miraculous death of the faithful spouses. Shortly before their death, Peter and Fevronia take monastic vows. The prince retires to a men's monastery, and the princess labors in a nunnery. Like true righteous people, the heroes of the story know the hour of their death. Peter is the first to prepare for death. He sends the message to blessed Fevronia, named Euphrosyne: “I want to leave my body, but I’m waiting for you.” At this time, the former princess embroiders the sacred cover (“air”) for the temple. She asks Peter, Davyd in monasticism, to wait: the work is not yet completed. For the second and third time, Righteous Peter sends a messenger to the nunnery. Fevronia managed to complete only the faces of the saints, but this time she stops work and, having stuck a needle into the bedspread and winding a thread around the needle, goes to God at the same time as her former husband.

Miraculous foresight and fidelity continue after death. The saints bequeathed to bury themselves in one place, but people violated their will. The bodies of the saints were placed in separate coffins, but the next day the bodies ended up in a common, pre-prepared coffin. The miracle is repeated, and people no longer dare to contradict the Divine will. This concludes “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” (summary).

Probably each of us has heard the names of Peter and Fevronia, the Murom miracle workers, who with their story of eternal love became a symbol of married life . They were able to embody ideals in it Christian virtues: meekness, humility, love and fidelity.

Murom has been keeping the legend of the life and death of the wonderworkers Peter and Fevronia for several centuries. They spent their entire lives on Murom land. And that's where they are now stored.

The story of their unusual life, over time, was embellished with fabulous events, and their names became a symbol of marital devotion and true love.

The legend of Peter and Fevronia was immortalized in the sixteenth century by the monk Erasmus, known in worldly life under the name of Ermolai the Sinner. He created a beautiful story dedicated to true eternal love, forgiveness, wisdom and true faith in God.

After the church decided to canonize the princes, Metropolitan Macarius ordered their names to be immortalized on paper. As a result, “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia” was written.

This happened in 1547, when the holy Murom spouses were canonized at a church council.

Peter was the younger brother of the blessed Paul, who reigned at that time in Murom. Once a misfortune happened in their family: the prodigal serpent, turning into Paul, began to visit the prince’s wife. And this obsession lasted for a long time.

The poor woman could not resist the power of the demon and succumbed to him. After which she told the prince about her meetings with the snake. Paul ordered his wife to find out from the devil's messenger the secret of his death. It turned out that the demon would die from the shoulder of Peter and Agrikov’s sword.

Pavel shared the secret of the serpent with his brother, after which Peter thought about how he could destroy his adversary. And only one thing stopped him: he did not know what kind of sword he was talking about.

Peter always loved to go to churches alone. And then one day, he decided to go to a church that was located outside the city, in a convent. During prayer, a youth appeared to him and offered to show Agrikov the sword. The prince, wanting to kill the snake, replied that he wanted to know where the sword was kept and followed him. The youth led the prince to the altar and pointed to a crack in the wall where the weapon lay.

The delighted Peter took the sword, and then went to his brother to tell him about the miracle that happened to him. From that very day he waited for the right moment to settle accounts with the serpent.

One day, Peter went into the bedchamber of Paul’s wife and found there a serpent who had taken the guise of his brother. Having made sure that it was not Paul, Peter plunged his sword into him. The serpent died, having taken on its true form, but its blood got on Peter's body and clothes. From then on, the prince began to get sick, and his body was covered with wounds and ulcers. He tried to be healed by various doctors on his land, but none of them were able to save the prince from the disease.

Life of Saint Fevronia

Peter came to terms with his illness, placing his fate in the hands of the Almighty. The Lord, loving his servant, sent him to the lands of Ryazan.

One day, the prince’s youth found himself in the village of Laskovo. He approached one of the houses, but no one came out to meet him. He went into the house, but again did not see the owners. Walking further into the upper room, the boy was amazed by an unusual sight: a girl was working on a canvas, and a hare was jumping in front of her.

Seeing the young man enter, she complained that it was bad if there were no ears in the house, and no eyes in the upper room. The boy did not understand the girl’s mysterious speeches, and asked her about the owner of the house. Her answer struck him even more; she said that his mother and father had gone to cry on borrowed time, and his brother had gone to look into the eyes of death. The young man again did not understand the girl’s words and told her about this, asking her to clarify the mysterious speeches.

Surprised that he could not understand so simple words, the girl explained to him that if she had a dog, he would have heard that someone was coming and warned about it, because the dog is the ears of the house. Ochami, she called the child who could see the guest and also warn the girl. The father and mother, as it turned out, had gone to the funeral to mourn the deceased, so that when they died, they would come to mourn them. So there is cry on loan. And the brother, being a tree climber, went to collect honey. He will have to climb tall trees and look at his feet so as not to fall. So it turns out that he is looking death in the face.

The youth marveled at the girl’s wisdom and asked her name. “Fevronya,” the girl answered.

The young man told her about the misfortune that befell Prince Peter, saying that the Lord had sent him to these lands to seek healing. So he came by order of the prince to find out about the doctors here in order to find someone who would cure the prince.

After listening to the boy, the girl ordered the prince to be brought to her, warning that he could be cured only if he was true to his words and kind in heart.

Meet the Saints

Peter could no longer walk on his own. Therefore, when they brought him to the house, he asked the servant to find out who would undertake the treatment. He promised to reward the one who healed him generously.

Fevronia said that she herself wanted to treat him, and she did not need a reward. But if he wants to be healed, he must marry her, otherwise she will not help him. The prince decided to deceive Fevronia, promising to marry, and after being cured, to abandon his promise.

The girl took the leaven from the bread, blew on it and gave it to the prince, telling him to go to the bathhouse, and then smear all the ulcers with this mixture, and leave one.

The prince decided to test the girl’s wisdom. He handed her a small bundle of flax, telling her to weave a scarf and a shirt for him while he was in the bathhouse. The servant handed this bunch to the girl along with the prince's order.

Fevronia asked the servant to bring a small log, after which she chopped off a sliver from it and gave it to the prince. Together with the sliver, she gave Peter the order to make a loom and all the equipment from this piece of wood, so that she could weave clothes for him on this loom. And it needs to be done in the time it takes her to tear the flax.

The servant gave the prince a sliver of wood, conveying the girl’s answer. Peter sent the servant back to the girl, saying that it was impossible to make a machine out of a piece of wood chips. After listening to the prince’s answer, Fevronia replied: “How can you make clothes for a man from a small amount of flax in such a short time?”

The servant conveyed the girl’s answer to the prince, but Peter was surprised at her wisdom.

Listen to the akathist to Peter and Fevronia

Miraculous healing of Peter

The prince did everything as the girl told him: first he washed himself, then he smeared all the scabs except one with leaven from bread. Coming out of the bath, he no longer felt pain, and his skin was free of scabs.

It was not by chance that the wise Fevronia, following the experience of her ancestors, prescribed him such treatment. The Savior, while healing the sick and healing bodily wounds, also healed the soul. So the girl, knowing that illnesses are given by the Almighty as a punishment for some sins, prescribed treatment for the body, in fact healing the prince’s soul. And since Fevronia foresaw that Peter would deceive her, driven by his pride, she ordered him to leave one ulcer.

The prince was amazed at such a quick healing and sent rich gifts to the girl in gratitude. Peter refused to take a commoner as his wife, since his pride and princely origin interfered with him. Fevronia did not take anything from the gifts.

Peter returned to Murom recovered, and only one scab remained on his body, reminding him of his recent illness. But as soon as he returned to his patrimony, the disease overtook him again: from the scab that remained on his body, new ulcers appeared. And after some time, the prince was again covered with ulcers and scabs.

Re-healing and wedding

And again Peter had to return to the girl for healing. Approaching her house, he sent a servant to her with words of forgiveness and a prayer for healing. Fevronia, without malice or resentment, simply answered that the prince could be healed only if he became her husband. Peter decided to take her as his wife and promised this time sincerely.

Then Fevronia, as the first time, prescribed exactly the same treatment for the prince. Now, having recovered, the prince immediately married the girl, making Fevronia a princess.

Returning to Murom, they lived happily and honestly, following the word of God in everything.

After Paul died, Peter took his place, heading Murom. All the boyars loved and respected Peter, but their arrogant wives did not accept Fevronia. They did not want to be ruled by an ordinary peasant woman, and therefore persuaded their husbands to do dishonest things.

According to the slander of their wives, the boyars slandered Fevronia, trying to discredit her, and even started a riot, inviting the girl to leave the city, taking everything she wanted. But Fevronia only wanted to take her lover, which greatly pleased the boyars, since each of them wanted to take Peter’s place.

Marital fidelity

Saint Peter did not break God’s commandment and separate from his wife. Then he decided to leave the principality and all his treasures and go into voluntary exile with her.

Peter and Fevronia set off along the river on two ships.

One young man, who was with his wife in the same ship with the princess, fell in love with Fevronia. The girl immediately understood what he was dreaming about and asked him to pour water into a ladle and drink it, first from one side of the ship, then from the other.

The man complied with her request, and Fevronia asked if the water from the two ladles was different. The man replied that one water is no different from another. To which Fevronia said that female nature is also no different and conquered him because he dreams of her, forgetting his own wife. The convicted man understood everything and repented in his soul.

When evening came, they went ashore. Peter was very worried about what would happen to them now. Fevronia, as best she could, consoled her husband, talking about the mercy of God, making him believe in a happy outcome.

At this very time, the cook broke a couple of small trees in order to cook food with their help. When dinner was over, Fevronia blessed these branches, wishing that by morning they would turn into mature trees. This is exactly what happened in the morning. She wanted her husband to strengthen his faith by seeing this miracle.

The next day, ambassadors arrived from Murom to persuade the princes to return. It turned out that after their departure, the boyars could not share power, shed a lot of blood, and now they want to live in peace again.

Lives of the faithful spouses

The holy spouses, without any malice or resentment, accepted the invitation to return and ruled Murom for a long time and honestly, following the laws of God in everything and doing good deeds. They helped all people in need, treating their subjects with care, just as tender parents treat their children.

Regardless of their position, they treated everyone with the same love, suppressed all malice and cruelty, did not strive for worldly wealth and rejoiced in the love of God. And people loved them, because they refused to help anyone, fed the hungry and clothed the naked, healed illnesses and guided the lost on the true path.

Blessed death

When the couple grew old, they simultaneously accepted monasticism, choosing the names David and Euphrosyne. They begged God for mercy to appear before him together, and ordered people to bury them in a common coffin, separated by a thin wall.

On the day when the Lord decided to call David to himself, the pious Euphrosyne was embroidering images of saints in the air in order to donate her needlework to the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos.

David sent a messenger to her with the news that his time had come and promised to wait for her in order to go together to the Almighty. Euphrosyne asked to be given time so that she could finish the work for the holy temple.

The prince sent a messenger a second time to say that he could not wait for her long.

When David sent a message to his beloved wife for the third time, saying that he was already dying, Euphrosyne left the unfinished work, wrapped a thread around the needle and stuck it in the air. And she sent the news to her blessed husband that she would die with him.

The couple prayed and went to God. This happened on June 25 according to the old calendar (or July 8 according to the new style).

Love is stronger than death

After the couple died, people decided that since they had taken the haircut at the end of their lives, it would be wrong to bury them together. It was decided to bury Peter in Murom, while Fevronia was laid to rest in a convent located outside the city.

Two coffins were made for them and left overnight for funeral services in different churches. The coffin, carved from a stone slab, made at their request during the couple’s lifetime, remained empty.

But when people arrived at the temples the next morning, they discovered that the coffins were empty. The bodies of Peter and Fevronia were found in a coffin, which they had prepared in advance.

Foolish people, not understanding the miracle that had occurred, again tried to separate them, but the next morning Peter and Fevronia ended up together.

After the miracle repeated, no one began to try to bury them separately. The princes were buried in a single coffin, near the Church of the Holy Mother of God.

Since then, people in need of healing have constantly come there. And if they seek help with faith in their hearts, the saints give them health and family well-being. And the story of the eternal love of Peter and Fevronia of Murom is passed down from generation to generation.

Initially, the coffin of the saints was located in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the city of Murom. Then, when the communists came to power, they gave the remains of the princes to the local museum. The cathedral church was destroyed in the 1930s.

But already at the end of the eighties the shrine was returned to the Church.

In 1989, the relics were returned to the Church. And since 1993, the shrine with the relics of Saints Peter and Fevronia has been in the Trinity Cathedral of the Murom Holy Trinity Monastery.

Day July 8th - Feast of Peter and Fevronia

The memory of the noble princes Peter and Fevronia is celebrated on June 25 (July 8, new style). Every summer on this date (July 8), believers celebrate an amazing holiday dedicated to boundless love and eternal devotion.

In 2008 Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, officially established itself as a national holiday. On this day, Orthodox Temples hold a service dedicated to the holy spouses and once again remind all believers of their life, which is an eternal example of fidelity and love for all families.

That is why this holiday is also called the Day of Peter and Fevronia of Murom.

You can find out more about the Holy Trinity Monastery, where the miraculous relics of the blessed princes Peter and Fevronia are currently kept.

And another amazing holiday is celebrated on Murom land. On August 23, 2004, the Day of Charity and Mercy was held for the first time. It took place with the blessing of Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Rus' in the Murom Diocesan Monastery (Murom, Vladimir Region).

In 1604 (400 years ago), the holy righteous Juliana Lazarevskaya (Osoryina), famous for her amazing mercy and ascetic life in the world, died. And ten years later, it was on this day, August 10/23, 1614, that the relics of the saint were found. In the same year, righteous Juliana was canonized.

Therefore, it is no coincidence that the choice of the day for the establishment of a new social and church holiday for our country fell on August 23 - the day of the discovery of the relics of the holy righteous Juliana Find out more about these attractions!

/ “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom”

It was in the glorious Russian city of Murom. At that time, Prince Pavel ruled there. And then one day a misfortune befell him. The Devil sent a serpent to the prince’s wife to persuade her to commit fornication. He appeared before the princess in the guise of Prince Paul himself.

Pavel’s wife did not hide this from her husband and told him everything. The prince began to think about how to protect the honor of his wife and kill the damned snake. Pavel thought for a long time, but nothing came to his mind. He did not know how to defeat the devilish creature. Then the prince suggested to his wife that during their next meeting she herself should find out from the serpent what he would die from. The princess understood everything and agreed.

Soon there was a meeting between the princess and the snake. Having charmed the latter, the princess asked the snake from whom he would accept his death. The serpent, not suspecting anything, proudly answered: “I am destined to die from Peter’s shoulder and from Agrikov’s sword.” The princess remembered these words and conveyed them exactly to her husband. At first, Pavel was perplexed by what he heard.

Prince Paul had a brother Peter, to whom he told this story. Peter immediately volunteered to fight the serpent, but, like the prince, he did not know what Agrikov’s sword was.

One day Peter went to the church, which was located in a convent outside the city, to pray. In the church, a youth turned to Peter and showed him where Agrikov’s sword was located. Peter took it and went to the city to Prince Paul. The brothers began to wait for the snake to appear. The snake was gone for a long time.

After some time, Peter came to visit Paul and his wife. He noticed the prince in the princess’s room, but asked the servants where the prince was now, Pavel realized that it was the serpent who had taken on the image of the prince. A fight ensued. Paul managed to crush the devil's creature. Drops of blood splashed from the snake's body and fell on Prince Peter. Ulcers immediately appeared in those places. Peter became seriously ill and no one could heal him.

Peter learned that there were many healers in the Ryazan land and decided to go there to seek healing. The princely retinue arrived in a village called Laskovo. One of the prince’s youths began to walk around the village asking for the doctor. The youth approached one of the houses and called out to the owners, but no one answered. Then the young man entered the house. A girl was sitting in the upper room talking to a hare. This surprised the young man very much. A conversation began between them, but the boy did not understand a word. Then he asked her name. The girl said her name was Fevronia. Then the young man told her the story that happened to Prince Peter.

Fevronia replied that she could heal the prince. The girl will agree to do this if only the prince will take her as his wife.

The youth conveyed the girl’s words to the prince. He became angry and said that he would thank her generously. Fevronia stood her ground. Then the prince decided to deceive the girl, saying that he agreed to her conditions.

Fevronia handed over the ointment for the prince and told him to heat the bathhouse and smear all the ulcers, except one, with this ointment. Peter did just that.

After taking the bath, Peter immediately felt that he was on the mend. The ulcers began to disappear. The prince sent generous gifts to Fevronia, but the girl did not accept them.

The prince went back to Murom, leaving Fevronia in the village. After some time, the ulcers again covered Peter's body. He confessed again to the village to Fevronia. The healing conditions were the same. Peter accepted them. And again Fevronia’s ointment helped the prince.

After this, Peter took Fevronia as his wife and they went back to the city of Murom.

Soon Paul died, and Prince Peter became an autocrat in the glorious city of Murom.

The boyars' wives were very unhappy with the fact that they were subordinate to Fevronia. They began to persuade their husbands to get rid of the princess. The boyars began to spread rumors and gossip about Fevronia, as if she did not honor traditions, did not respect the Lord. That, getting up from the dinner table, collects crumbs in his sleeve. Prince Peter decided to check whether the boyars were telling the truth. He invited Fevronia to dinner. After the meal, the princess collected the crumbs in her hand. Peter, approaching her, looked at what was in her palm, but saw only incense and incense. After this incident, the prince never checked his wife again.

The boyars continued to be angry. After a while, they again came to the prince and began to ask him to send Fevronia out of the city. Peter thought and told them to go to the princess and make her such an offer. He promised to do as she said.

The boyars were delighted and threw a feast. During the feast they began their drunken speeches. With one voice they turned to Fevronia, promising any riches if she left the city. The princess said that she was ready to fulfill their request, but on one condition. The enthusiastic boyars, not suspecting trouble, immediately agreed. Fevronia said that she would leave the city only with Prince Peter. The boyars replied that if the prince himself accepted such conditions, they would release them.

Peter could not do otherwise, because he lived according to God's laws. He accepted his wife's proposal. The boyars were delighted. Each of them secretly wanted to ascend to the throne.

Prince Peter and Fevronia were put on two ships and sent out of the city. By evening the ships landed on the shore. Peter and Fevronia began to prepare for the night. Peter thought what would happen to his city now. Fevronia replied that God will not leave anyone in trouble.

In the morning, nobles came to Peter’s camp and began to ask the prince to return to Murom. The boyars killed each other in the struggle for the princely throne.

So Peter and Fevronia returned to the city of Murom.

In the event of their death, Peter and Fevronia bequeathed to be buried in a common coffin made of solid stone. Before their death, the prince and princess took monasticism. The prince was given the church name David, and Fevronia - Euphrosyne. And they prayed to the Lord to accept death in one day. It happened on the twenty-fifth of June.

After the death of the prince and princess, people disobeyed their last will and decided that Prince Peter should be buried at the Church of the Most Pure Mother of God, and Fevronia at the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. Having made separate coffins for them, they put their bodies in them and left them overnight until the morning.

When the sun rose, the individual coffins were empty, and the bodies of the prince and princess ended up in their common coffin, made during their lifetime. They separated them again, placing them in different coffins. The next day the story repeated itself. Then people decided not to separate Peter and Fevronia anymore and buried them in a common coffin near the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin.

The life of Peter and Fevronia of Murom is a story of eternal love, fidelity and sacrifice. Under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the couple were canonized for their piety and exemplary observance of marital vows. Their relics are the main shrine of Murom, to which many pilgrims flock. Among them are ordinary people and Russian tsars.

Their magical love story came to light in 1547, being told by the monk Erasmus and then recorded in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia.” This work is one of the outstanding examples of literature of the 16th century. Favorite themes are intertwined in the plot folk art: the tale of the wise maiden(as in the tales of Vasilisa the Wise) and the story of the vile snake.

Peter

Peter was the brother of Murom Prince Pavel. One day, grief happened in the family. A demon in the guise of her husband began going on dates with Paul’s wife. The woman suffered from obsession for a long time, and told everything to her husband. Paul had to protect his family, but the snake is not so easy to kill. For this, Agrikov’s sword turned out to be needed.

The prince shared his grief with his brother, and he began to look for weapons. He went to church for help and turned to God in prayer. Some time later, a boy appeared in front of him and pointed out that the sword Peter so needed lay in the wall right next to the altar. Delighted Peter took the weapon and first told everything to Pavel, and then went to his wife. Imagine his surprise when he saw his brother in his daughter-in-law’s chambers. Since the prince could not be in two places at the same time, Peter pierced the devil's messenger with a sword. The enemy took on his real form and died, but his poisonous blood fell on the body of the winner, covering it with ulcers and scabs. Not a single doctor was able to help.

Fevronia

Fevronia was the daughter of a beekeeper. Extraordinarily beautiful, smart and kind, since childhood she had healing powers and insight, studied herbs, and got along with animals.

When Peter had a vision in a dream that the beekeeper’s daughter could help him, he had already come to terms with his misfortune. But the servants searched all over the world for a doctor for him. One of the boys ended up in the Ryazan village of Laskovo. Something attracted him to the peasant's house, and he entered the upper room without being greeted by anyone. There he saw a girl who had not expected his arrival and was upset that there were no ears or eyes in the house. She meant a dog that would warn about a guest by barking, and a child that would tell who was coming to them. But the boy did not understand her and asked a question about where the household members were. The answer was even more florid. They say that the parents went to cry on loan, and the brother went to look into the eyes of death.

The guest, despairing of understanding her, asked for an explanation. It turned out that the father and mother went to the funeral, so that later they would come to their grave, and the brother went to climb dangerously tall trees for honey. The young man was impressed by the hostess's speech. After talking, he learned that her name was Fevronia, and told her about the prince’s illness. After listening carefully to the story, the girl said that she could help.

Acquaintance

By the time they found Fevronia, Peter was already so sick that he could not get up on his own. When he was taken to the girl, he promised a generous reward for treatment, but she needed a special reward. Fevronia promised to help only if he marries her. The young man did not intend to do this, but promised for the sake of a chance for healing. Then she blew on the leaven and ordered that after the bath all the wounds except one should be smeared with it.

The prince agreed, but decided to play a trick on the girl, telling her to weave a scarf and a shirt for him from a small bunch of flax while he washed. Fevronia responded by passing a piece of wood through the servant with a request to make a machine out of it so that she could complete the assignment. Peter replied that this was impossible. To this she said that his request was the same. The prince was pleasantly surprised by her intelligence.

Healing

The prince followed Fevronia's advice and as soon as he did everything she told him, his skin cleared up and the pain went away.

But it was no coincidence that Fevronia ordered to leave one ulcer untouched. She knew that Peter was planning a deception and treated his body, trying to heal his soul. The bath symbolized the rite of baptism, and the treatment was supposed to save the prince not only from leprosy, but also from pride. After all, although the prince was grateful for the miraculous recovery, he refused to marry a commoner, deciding that rich gifts would be enough for the girl. Fevronia did not accept such gratitude, and Peter, who returned home, again began to be covered with scabs, multiplying from the ulcer left behind.

Peter had no choice but to return to the healer. He was afraid of her anger and resentment, but they were not there, she only asked that the promise be fulfilled. Peter sincerely said that this time he would not deceive. Fevronia repeated the treatment, and the prince became healthy again. He returned to Murom with the future princess, Fevronia, whom he later fell in love with very much, just as she loved him.

When the time came for Paul to go to God in 1203, Peter headed Murom. He was a good ruler, but the residents did not like his choice of wife. The boyars slandered Fevronia, and when this did not help, they rebelled. Wanting to immediately get rid of the commoner, they ordered her to take everything she wanted, if only she would get away as soon as possible. The choice of the princess pleased the boyars who were aiming for the throne, because all she needed was Peter.

Loyalty

This state of affairs did not anger the Murom prince, because he could not part with his wife and betray his love. He voluntarily left all his wealth and power, going with his beloved wherever he looked.

That's how they got on the ship, where besides them there was also a married couple. The young man looked at Fevronia, and she again showed her wisdom. She asked the man to scoop up two ladles river water on both sides of the ship and try them. He did not find a difference in taste and asked why such a request was made. The girl explained that female nature is also the same as this water, thereby forcing the would-be lover to repent.

When the journey ended, Peter despaired, and his wife could not console him. Then she decided to show him a miracle. Seeing a couple of broken trees, she blessed them, and by morning they turned into healthy ones.

Not even a day had passed before good news came from Murom. The boyars very much asked the spouses to return to reign, since they themselves only shed blood and could not share power. Peter and Fevronia accepted the request.

The further life of Peter and Fevronia

The 25-year reign of Peter and Fevronia was long and happy. They did good, helped those in need, and gave love and care to all residents. Their reign was not marred by either the thirst for money, or quarrels and discord. People loved and respected them very much for this. Shortly before their death, the couple took monasticism with the names David and Euphrosyne.

There is no reliable information about whether there were children from their love. According to the chronicles, David and Euphrosyne had three children: Svyatoslav, Yuri and Evdokia. They also had a grandson Oleg, but they all died before their parents. One way or another, all Murom residents can be considered their spiritual children.

Death

The couple loved each other so much that they could not imagine life alone and prayed to God to let them die on the same day. The subjects were ordered to bury both in one coffin.

When he felt his death approaching, he sent a messenger for his wife. At this time, Euphrosyne was doing needlework for the temple and asked for time to finish the embroidery. The messenger was sent a second and third time until the wife had to quit her job and convey the news to her husband that she would not leave him. The couple spent their last minutes before their death in prayer and passed away at the same time. This happened in 1228.

After life

When the couple was found dead, people disobeyed the request to bury them together. It was decided that since they took monastic vows, Peter, as a legitimate prince, would be buried in Murom, and Fevronia’s grave was to be in a monastery outside the city. Leaving a coffin for two, which had been prepared in advance, they made a separate one for each, and for the funeral service the deceased were in different churches.

Imagine the surprise of the people when the bodies of the dead were not found in the morning where they were left. They ended up in their common coffin. People were surprised, but again made an attempt to separate the spouses. However, in the morning the miracle of love repeated itself. After this, the will of the princes was fulfilled, and they are buried in a single coffin.

  • a song about the battle of Zigurd with the serpent Fafnar and the union of the hero with the things of the maiden;
  • the saga of Ragnar and Ladbrok;
  • the story of Tristan and Isolde.

Historical figures

Erasmus, who in worldly life bore the name of Ermolai the Sinful, was a biographer. There is no doubt that his story was based on real events. But about those who are known as Peter and Fevronia, is not known for certain. They could be the following people.

Memory

The grave was located near the Church of the Virgin Mary. Under Soviet rule, they were moved to a museum, and the Cathedral was destroyed. The shrine was returned to the Church in 1989. Now a particle of the relics, along with the icon, is in the Moscow Church of the Ascension. There are weekly services dedicated to these saints. Part was stolen in 2012. Another part is located in the Murom Monastery. The flow of pilgrims never stops there who ask Peter and Fevronia for recovery and family well-being. The legend about their life still lives, although so many years have passed.

Peter and Fevronia Day

  • According to the old style, the holiday was celebrated on June 25.
  • Now, according to the new style, their memorial day is celebrated on July 8. It was then that their relics were transferred to the Nativity Cathedral, and the holy spouses died in April. For the Slavs, mowing and swimming began on July 8th. Before him, it was impossible to enter the water without looking back. It was believed that mermaids lived on the shore. Saints were already revered then, and due to the coincidence of the two holidays, the day was called Fevronia the Rusalnitsa.
  • September 19 is also considered their holiday in memory of the transfer of the relics in 1992. This holiday is intended for those who would like to get married on the day of these saints, since July 8 falls on Petrovsky, only engagements took place on this day.

Monuments

After the approval of a national holiday in honor of the saints, monuments are erected to them as a reminder of the example of an ideal marital relationship. They are often visited by those getting married. The opening of monuments usually occurs on July 8th. Such large quantity sculptures is not dedicated to any other Orthodox saint.

Relationship to history

In 2008, on the initiative of Murom residents with the assistance of Svetlana Medvedeva, the Day of Remembrance of Saints became an official national holiday. This holiday is a Russian alternative to Valentine's Day on February 14th. The symbol is chamomile - such a simple, sunny and beloved flower. Also, July 8 is Murom City Day.

Despite this, some believe history hypocritical and based on blackmail. But if you read it carefully, you can see that the Lord brought the paths of the saints together. Fevronia was a seer and knew that life with Peter was destined for her by God. And indeed, the saints lived pious lives, helped many people, and sincerely loved and supported each other. This is what should be the basis of any happy and strong family.