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Ilya Muromets (full epic name - Ilya Muromets, son of Ivan) is one of the main heroes of the ancient Russian epic epic, a hero who embodies the people's ideal of a hero-warrior, a people's defender.
Ilya Muromets appears in the Kiev cycle of epics: “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”, “Ilya Muromets and the Poganous Idol”, “The Quarrel of Ilya Muromets with Prince Vladimir”, “The Battle of Ilya Muromets with Zhidovin”. Most historians believe that the birthplace of Ilya Muromets is the village of Karacharovo near Murom (Most epics about Ilya Muromets begin with the words: “Is it from the same city on Muromlya, From that nun village and Karachaev..." According to some historians Russian Empire and modern Ukrainian historians of his small homeland there was an ancient village of Moroviysk in the Chernigov region (the modern village of Morovsk, Kozeletsky district, Chernigov region of Ukraine), which leads from Chernigov to Kyiv. This conclusion is based on the possibility of merging the image of Ilya of Murom with the Venerable Ilya of Pechersk in the folk epic.
Epic biography of Ilya Muromets
A large number of stories dedicated to Ilya Muromets makes it possible to present in a more or less complete form the biography of this hero (as it seemed to the storytellers).
According to epics, the hero Ilya Muromets until the age of 33 (the age at which Christ died and was resurrected) “did not control” his arms and legs, and then received miraculous healing from the elders (or passers-by). Who they are is omitted in all Soviet publications; in the pre-revolutionary edition of the epic it is believed that the “Kaliki” were Christ with two apostles. Kaliki, having come to Ilya’s house when there was no one else there, asked him to get up and bring them water. Ilya replied to this: “I have neither arms nor legs, I’ve been sitting on a seat for thirty years.” They repeatedly ask Ilya to get up and bring them water. After this, Ilya gets up, goes to the water carrier and brings water. The elders tell Ilya to drink water. Ilya drank and recovered, after the second drink he feels an exorbitant strength in himself, and they give him a third drink to reduce it. Afterwards, the elders tell Ilya that he must go into the service of Prince Vladimir. At the same time, they mention that on the road to Kyiv there is a heavy stone with an inscription, which Ilya must also visit. Afterwards, Ilya says goodbye to his parents, brothers and relatives and goes “to the capital city of Kyiv” and comes first “to that motionless stone.” On the stone was written a call to Ilya to move the stone from its fixed place. There he will find a heroic horse, weapons and armor. Ilya moved the stone and found everything that was written there. He said to the horse: “Oh, you are a heroic horse! Serve me with faith and righteousness.” After this, Ilya gallops to Prince Vladimir.
Historical prototype
Additional information
The date of death, if we take the basic theory (the strongman Chobitok from Murom), is 1188.
Age (according to the examination of the relics of St. Elijah of Murom) - 40-55 years.
Homeland of Ilya Muromets
Version-1 (most historians) - the village of Karacharovo near Murom.
Version-2 (According to some historians of the Russian Empire and modern Ukrainian historians) - the village of Moroviysk in the Chernigov region (the modern village of Morovsk, Kozeletsky district, Chernigov region of Ukraine), which leads from Chernigov to Kyiv.
Let's look at a modern map.
Version-1.
The village of Karacharovo near Murom (microdistrict of the city of Murom Vladimir region, formerly a village on the southern outskirts of Murom). The distance to Chernigov on modern roads (via Moscow) is 1060 km. Ilya most likely received armor, weapons and a horse in Moscow. On modern roads, the distance Murom - Moscow is 317 km, Moscow - Chernigov - 738 km.
The first reliable chronicle mention is considered to be the indication of the Ipatiev Chronicle on Saturday April 4, 1147, when the Rostov-Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky (1090s - May 15, 1157) received his friends and allies led by the Novgorod-Seversk prince in a town called Moskov Svyatoslav Olgovich. In 1156, new wooden fortifications were built here.
Version-2.
The village of Moroviysk in the Chernigov region (the modern village of Morovsk, Kozeletsky district, Chernigov region of Ukraine), which leads from Chernigov to Kyiv. The distance to Chernigov is 62 km on modern roads. Morovsk-Kyiv - 94 km. Chernigov-Kyiv - 149 km.
Question - If he was going to Kyiv to visit Prince Vladimir, then why make such a detour? To drive enemies away from Chernigov? Then where did he get his military license? Were armor, weapons and a horse, which were worth a fortune, lying under every stone?
To which prince Vladimir did Ilya Muromets go?
Based on the date of death (1188) and age (50 years), then the date of birth of Ilya Muromets is 1138. Then the year of healing (he was healed at the age of 33) was 1171. Here it is necessary to make adjustments for the period of rehabilitation - not immediately, after 33 years of “sitting” he became a hero. It is also necessary to take into account that the acquisition of military skills does not come overnight. It's still a few years away. But in general, these dates can be taken into account for now.
In 1171, Prince Vladimir Mstislavich, a controversial personality, took the throne in Kyiv.
Vladimir Mstislavich (1132 - May 30, 1171) - Prince of Dorogobuzh (1150-1154, 1170-1171), Prince of Vladimir-Volyn (1154-1157), Prince of Slutsk (1162), Prince of Tripoli (1162-1168), Grand Duke Kyiv (1171). Son of Mstislav Vladimirovich the Great from his second marriage, Machesic.
In 1171, after the death of Gleb Yuryevich, Davyd and Mstislav Rostislavich called their uncle Vladimir to the great reign in Kyiv. Secretly from Yaroslav Izyaslavich and Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir came to Kyiv, leaving Dorogobuzh to his son Mstislav. Andrei Bogolyubsky demanded that Vladimir leave Kyiv. Vladimir died after reigning for less than three months, without waiting for his forced expulsion from the great table.
Conclusion
Considering that Ilya Muromets took monastic vows before 1182. (up to 44 years old), then in 10 years he accomplished many feats of arms that so many epics were written about him:
Finding strength by Ilya Muromets (Healing of Ilya Muromets)
Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor
Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber
Ilya Muromets and Idolishche
Ilya Muromets in a quarrel with Prince Volodymyr
Ilya Muromets and Goli Kabatskie (rarely exists as a separate story, usually attached to stories about a quarrel with Vladimir)
Ilya Muromets on the Falcon-ship
Ilya Muromets and the robbers
Three trips of Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets and Batu Tsar
Ilya Muromets and Zhidovin
Ilya Muromets and Tugarin (about the wife of Ilya Muromets)
Ilya Muromets and Sokolnik
Ilya Muromets, Ermak and Kalin Tsar
Kama massacre
Ilya Muromets and Kalin the Tsar
Duel between Dobrynya Nikitich and Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich
He had a bright personality! Bogatyr!
He is a hero who embodies the ideal of a courageous warrior and hero. He appeared in the Kiev cycle of epics, thanks to which all adults and children know about the glorious warrior-hero. It is worth saying that those preserved in the Kiev-Pechersk monastery indicate that the glorious warrior actually existed. You need to get acquainted with the biography mythical hero, which once captivated many adults and children.
The glorious warrior who personified bravery and courage was Ilya Muromets. The character's biography is quite interesting, so many people who are interested in history know everything about the character's life, his successes and failures.
The legend about the grandfather of Ilya Muromets
A popular and well-known character in the epic epic is Ilya Muromets. The character's biography begins with a legend associated with his grandfather. According to her, the grandfather of the glorious warrior was a pagan and refused to accept Christianity. Once he cut through an icon with an ax, after which a curse was placed on his family. All the boys that are to be born will be crippled.
Ten years passed, after which my grandfather’s grandson Ilya was born. Unfortunately, the terrible curse placed on his family was fulfilled. Ilya Muromets could not walk. He tried to get to his feet, but all his attempts were unsuccessful. Soon the future warrior began to train his arms, but even after that he was still unable to get to his feet. Probably, he was visited many times by the thought that he would forever remain a cripple and would not be able to walk like everyone else.
The hero of chronicles and epics, whom every child and adult knows, is Ilya Muromets. The biography of a warrior is quite interesting and fascinating. Let's get to know her further.
Biography of Ilya Muromets (summary). Legend of restoration
Ilya was born near the city of Murom in the village of Karacharovo, where he lived his life until he was 33 years old. On the birthday of Muromets, prophetic elders came to his house and asked for water. On this day the impossible happened. Muromets explained to the guests that he could not get up, but they seemed not to hear anything that the future warrior wanted to explain to them. They insisted on their own and asked for it until Ilya felt unprecedented strength and for the first time in his life stood on his feet.
Surprisingly, the scientists who examined the relics of Muromets confirmed that the bone tissue was completely restored, and this cannot but be called a miracle.
The way to Kyiv
Finally, the elders told Ilya that he should go to Prince Vladimir to serve. But they warned that on the way to the capital he would see big stone with an inscription. Muromets went and saw him on his way. A call was written on the stone for the warrior to try to move it from its place. Here he found a horse, armor and weapons.
Fight between Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber
As you know, after his recovery, Ilya Muromets accomplished many feats. The main and most revered of them was with the Nightingale the Robber. He occupied the road to Kyiv and did not allow anyone to enter it. Nightingale the Robber was a bandit who stole and raided on the road. It is known that this nickname was given to him for his ability to whistle loudly.
The exploits of Muromets
It is worth saying that Ilya Muromets committed huge amount exploits, and also participated in numerous battles, defending his native land. His contemporaries said that the warrior had superhuman strength, and this is probably why in people’s memory he remained the most powerful warrior.
A famous character that all adults and children know and remember is Ilya Muromets. The biography of this person is filled with various mysteries. They remain unsolved to this day.
With whom did Ilya Muromets participate in the exploits? Biography (briefly)
It is worth noting that in epics and legends it was often mentioned that Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich often performed feats. However, in reality, these characters never met, much less participated in battles together. They lived in different centuries. It often happens that when legends are passed down from generation to generation, they become more and more overgrown with new untrue details.
One of the most famous and popular characters in legends and epics is Ilya Muromets. Biography for children usually excludes the facts that the numerous information that is on at the moment known about the legendary warrior, is not true.
Ilya Muromets is a great and glorious warrior who possessed superhuman strength, performed a huge number of feats and participated in battles for his beautiful homeland. There are several facts that confirm that he actually existed. Ilya Muromets managed to survive his death and leave a huge mark in the memory of people, and they still consider him the greatest and strongest glorious warrior. Who really is Ilya Muromets? Myth or real character?
Epic hero or real historical figure?
Ilya Muromets is the most famous, but at the same time the most mysterious hero of the Russian epic. It is difficult to find a person in Russia who has never heard of this glorious hero from the ancient city of Murom. Most know about him only what they remember from childhood from epics and fairy tales, and are often amazed at the complexity and ambiguity of this image. Scientists of various specialties have been struggling to resolve the mysteries associated with it for almost two centuries, but mysteries still remain.
Our ancestors XVI – early XIX centuries there was no doubt that Ilya Muromets was a real historical figure, a warrior who served the Kyiv prince.
The usual beginning of epic tales, where Ilya leaves “Whether from that city from Murom, from that village from Karacharovo,” would seem to leave no room for doubt that he comes from the ancient Russian city of Murom, where not far from him there still exists the ancient village of Karacharovo. But doubts about the origin of the epic hero arose both in the last century and in our time. They are trying to connect the famous hero with the Chernigov region, where there are the cities of Moroviysk and Karachev, and where there are also legends about Ilya Muromets. But if we turn to the usual geographical map, it is clear that these two cities are separated by hundreds of kilometers and talking about the “Morovian city of Karachev” is absurd. Meanwhile, it is impossible not to notice that Murom, Karachev, Chernigov, Moroviysk and Kyiv lie on the same line. This is precisely the same “straight path” that the hero used to travel from his native Murom to Kyiv “through those forests, Brynskie, across the Smorodinnaya River,” through the village of Nine Oaks, not far from Karachev. That is, there is no contradiction between classical epics and Karachev legends. It is also worth noting that ancient city Murom was part of the Chernigov principality for quite a long time. The association of the name of the epic hero with the city of Murom is fully consistent with both epic and historical reality. Murom and the Murom principality were quite significant both during the times of Kyiv, Vladimir-Suzdal, and Muscovite Rus', to become the birthplace of Ilya Muromets.
Meanwhile, Russian chronicles do not mention his name. But he is the main one actor not only our epics, but also German epic poems of the 13th century, based on earlier legends. In them he is represented as a powerful knight, the princely family Ilya the Russian. In the documentary source the name of this famous hero first mentioned in 1574 The envoy of the Roman Emperor Erich Lassota, who visited Kyiv in 1594, left a description of the tomb of Ilya Muromets, located in the heroic chapel of the St. Sophia Cathedral.
The mystery of the death of Ilya Muromets.
There can be one explanation for this fact: the name of the commoner was an eyesore to the noble boyars and the princes of the Golden Age who relied on him Kievan Rus. That is why it was erased from the chronicles as an undesirable and even outrageous precedent of the dizzying rise of a simple peasant.
Moreover, he was buried in the aisle of the main temple of Kievan Rus - Sophia of Kyiv - the grand-ducal tomb (where not all princes were buried). The boyars could not even dream of burial in Sofia of Kyiv, since for them it was an unheard-of honor!
Probably for this reason late time the tomb of the “peasant boyar” was destroyed, while the tomb of his fellow chapel member, the son of the Drevlyan prince Mal, Dobrynya Nikitich, “survived.” This significant “memory” on the part of those in power regarding the unborn defender of the Russian Land was reported in his diaries by the ambassador of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, Erich Lasota, who was passing through Kyiv from May 7 to 9, 1594, on his way to the Cossacks on a diplomatic mission.
By that time, the care of the remains of the legendary man had taken upon itself Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he rests to this day, in the Near Caves, under a modest inscription above the tomb “Ilya from Murom.”
By church calendar Memorial Day of Ilya Muromets, son of Ivanovich, December 19 according to the old style, or January 1 according to the new style. By the way, it was on January 1, 1993, in the homeland of Ilya Ivanovich, in the village of Karacharovo, that the icon of the Venerable Ilya of Muromets was solemnly installed (with a reliquary inserted into it containing a particle of the relics of the hero, transferred at one time by the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra) in the newly built church of Guria, Samon and Aviva.
And it is thanks to the archival materials of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra that we at least approximately know the dates of the life of the popularly beloved warrior.
In 1638, the Lavra’s printing house published the book “Teraturgima” by the monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Afanasy Kalnofoysky. The author, describing the lives of the Lavra saints, devotes several lines to Ilya, specifying that the hero lived 450 years before the book was written, that is, in 1188.
The events of those distant years are extremely dramatic. In the years 1157-1169, Kyiv became the arena of internecine conflicts over the right of the great reign. During this period alone, 8 princes changed on the Kiev throne; in 1169, the capital city was devastated by Andrei Bogolyubsky (by the way, who took away the icon from Sofia of Kyiv, now known as the icon Our Lady of Vladimir), and from 1169 to 1181 Kiev was ruled by 18 princes, some of them even several times. In addition, the Polovtsians intervened in the struggle for grand-ducal power, carrying out devastating raids on the Kyiv lands in 1173 and 1190.
And when examining the body of Ilya Muromets by forensic medicine specialists, it turned out that the epic hero became a victim of one of these raids. According to Sergei Khvedchenya (Around the World magazine, No. 1, 1994), this sad event occurred in 1203 during a devastating raid on Kyiv by the united troops of Rurik and the Polovtsians. The city was then taken by storm, the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery and St. Sophia Cathedral plundered most of capitals were burned to the ground. According to the chroniclers, “such devastation had never happened in Kyiv before.” By that year, the hero, in his declining years, had become a monk in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, so, probably, Ilya, nicknamed “Muromets”, became a monk there when he was tonsured - his true name was not preserved in church chronicles. And naturally, the former warrior could not stand aside, defending the symbol of Old Russian Orthodoxy and his monastery.
A medical examination of the hero's mummified remains, carried out already in the 20th century, showed that, judging by his wounds, he did not become easy prey for his enemies. Several wounds were found on the body of Ilya Muromets, of which only one was serious - on the arm from a spear, and the fatal one was also a spear, but in the area of the heart. Only both feet are missing. In addition to the deep round wound on the left arm, the same significant damage is visible in the left chest area. It seems that the hero covered his chest with his hand, and with a blow from a spear it was nailed to his heart. The relics are dressed in monastic clothing. Above the tomb there is an image of St. Elijah of Murom.
The first study of the remains of the hero was carried out in 1963. Then, in that Soviet atheistic era, the commission concluded that the mummy belonged to a person of the Mongoloid race, and the wounds were imitated by the monks of the Lavra. In 1988 The interdepartmental commission of the Ministry of Health of the Ukrainian SSR conducted an examination of the relics of St. Elijah of Muromets. To obtain objective data, the most modern techniques and ultra-precise Japanese equipment were used. The research results are amazing.
It is curious, but back in 1701, the wandering priest Ivan Lukyanov, who visited the catacombs of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, noted: “... I saw the brave warrior Ilya of Muromets incorrupt under a golden veil, his left hand was pierced by a spear.” The pilgrim could not see the other wound on his chest because of the gilded veil.
Medical experts dated the remains of the warrior who died with honor in battle to the 12th century, and according to Sergei Khvedchenya, the time period of Ilya Muromets’ life was from 1148 to 1203.
WITH modern point sight, the height of the hero was slightly above average - 177 cm, but in the 12th century such a man was considered a giant (and even 350 years after the death of Ilya Muromets, in 1584, a passing Lviv merchant Martin Gruneweg was amazed by the “relics of the giant” of ancient Russian history) .
However, Ilya Muromets’s physique really differed from ordinary people- he was “well-cut and firmly built” - “sloping fathoms in the shoulders,” as they used to say in the old days. The phenomenal strength of the hero was inherited by his distant descendants - the family of Karacharov villagers Gushchins, who, like their great ancestor, in the last century could easily move a load that was beyond the strength of a horse.
Anatomists noted in the lumbar region of Ilya’s body a curvature of the spine to the right and pronounced additional processes on the vertebrae, which made it difficult for the hero to move in his youth due to pinched nerves of the spinal cord. By the way, the epics tell about the same thing, noting that “for thirty years Ilya sat sitting and could not walk in his legs.” And only the “passing kaliki” - folk healers - set Ilya’s vertebrae and gave him a healing herbal decoction, blessing him for feats of arms.
The fact of the presence of the revered relics of the famous hero is reflected in the epic texts themselves. The end of the epic “Ilya Muromets and Kalin Tsar” performed by the storyteller Shchegolenkov is so interesting: “from these Tatars and from the filthy ones, his horse and heroic horse became petrified, and the relics and saints of the old Cossack Ilya Muromets became.” Everyone remembers from childhood that passing Kaliki prophesied to the famous hero that “death in battle is not written for him.” Therefore, in epics and fairy tales the death of a hero is told differently: either he is petrified alone, or with other heroes; then he goes into the coffin alive and remains there forever; Then, together with Dobrynya, he sails away somewhere on the Falcon Ship, and since then there has been no news of him. But as the examination of the relics showed, the Kalik prophecy, unfortunately, did not come true.
Experts determined the age of the epic hero to be 40-45 years plus 10 years due to his specific disease. Using the method of reconstructing the soft parts of the face from the skull of the famous anthropologist M. M. Gerasimov, the leading expert in this field, criminologist and sculptor S. Nikitin, recreated a sculptural portrait of Ilya Muromets.
According to Sergei Khvedchenya: “the portrait was clearly a success for the master. He is the embodiment of calm strength, wisdom, generosity and peace. There is no remorse in his eyes, he fought for a just cause and did not live his life in vain. Strong hands the hero does not rely on damask sword, and on the monastic staff as a symbol recent years his life spent in the monastery."
The saint of God, the Venerable Elijah of Muromets, nicknamed Chobotok, lived in the 12th century and died as a monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra around 1188. Memory according to the church calendar - December 19 Art. Art. / January 1st Art.
Very little reliable information about the life of this saint has survived to this day. He came from a simple peasant family. In childhood and adolescence he suffered from paralysis, but was miraculously healed. Before his tonsure, he was a member of the princely squad and became famous for his military exploits and unprecedented strength. Resting in the Anthony Caves are the relics of St. Elijah show that for his time he really had a very impressive size and was a head taller than a man of average height.
He is the main character not only of our epics, but also of German epic poems of the 13th century, based on earlier tales. In them he is represented as a powerful knight, the princely family Ilya the Russian. The relics of the monk no less clearly testify to his vivid military biography - in addition to a deep round wound on his left arm, the same significant damage can be seen in the left chest area. It seems that the hero covered his chest with his hand, and with a blow from a spear it was nailed to his heart. After a completely successful military career and, apparently, as a result of a serious injury, Elijah decides to end his days as a monk and takes monastic vows at the Theodosius Monastery, now the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. It should be noted that this is a completely traditional step for Orthodox warrior- change the iron sword to the spiritual sword and spend your days fighting not for earthly goods, but for heavenly ones. St. Elijah is not the first and not the last warrior to do this. Among our compatriots, in this regard, we can recall the great commander Rev. Alexander Nevsky, as well as professional warriors Peresvet and Oslyabyu, who passed obedience under the supervision of Rev. Sergius of Radonezh and those who died heroically on the Kulikovo Field.
Absence in Kiev-Pechersk Patericon life of St. Elijah indirectly indicates that the holy warrior did not spend much time in monastic exploits. This gives reason to assume that the tonsure of Elijah Muromets took place during the time of the abbess of St. Polycarp of Kiev-Pechersk (1164-1182), and under the leadership of this same great ascetic it happened spiritual growth new warrior of Christ. It is known that Rev. Polycarp enjoyed great respect from Grand Duke Rostislav Mstislavovich. IN Lent the prince used to invite him to his place every Sunday Reverend Abbot with the twelve brethren of the Theodosian monastery for soul-searching conversations. It is quite possible that one of the participants in these conversations was the former glorious warrior Rev. Elijah.
In the 19th century, some researchers questioned the possibility of identifying St. Elijah of Pechersk with the epic hero of the same name. However, there is no doubt that for our Orthodox ancestors it was one person. For example, a pilgrim of the 18th century (Leonty) in his notes says: “We see the brave warrior Ilya of Murom, incorruptible under the cover of gold; he is as tall as today’s large people; his left hand is pierced by a spear, the ulcer is all over; and his right hand is depicted with the sign of the cross.”
During Soviet times, they took great effort on the de-Christianization of the image of St. Ilya Muromets with the aim of turning him into “the embodiment of the people’s ideal of a hero-warrior.” So, for example, a well-known episode of the epic was subjected to a characteristic cleansing, when “passing Kaliki” came to the motionless Ilya of Muromets, who ultimately healed Ilya. Who they are is omitted in all Soviet publications. In the pre-revolutionary edition of the epic, “Kaliki” is Christ with two apostles.
In 1988, the Interdepartmental Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Ukrainian SSR conducted an examination of the relics of St. Elijah of Muromets. To obtain objective data, the most modern techniques and ultra-precise Japanese equipment were used. The research results are amazing. The age was determined - 40-55 years, spinal defects were identified that allow us to talk about our hero suffering paralysis of the limbs in his youth (strictly in accordance with life); It was established that the cause of death was an extensive wound in the heart area. Unfortunately, the dating of the death was established very approximately - the 11th-12th centuries. An interesting fact is that Rev. Elijah rests in a prayer position, folding the fingers of his right hand in the same way as is customary now in Orthodox Church- the first three fingers together, and the last two bent towards the palm. During the period of struggle against the Old Believer schism (XVII-XIX centuries), this fact served as strong evidence in favor of the three-fingered constitution.
Ilya Muromets was officially canonized in 1643 among sixty-nine saints of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The Russian army considers the holy hero their patron. In 1998, on the territory of one of the military units in the Moscow region, a wonderful temple was erected and consecrated in the name of St. Elijah of Murom.
In our time, the epic image of Elijah of Murom continues to attract attention, including among non-church people. I would like to believe that at the same time, the living face of a man who sincerely devoted his entire life and all his exploits to the glory of God will not disappear behind the type of invincible warrior. I would like to learn from Rev. Elijah's amazing sobriety and prudence, thanks to which we could, like him, being great and capable in earthly affairs, not forget about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Epics about Ilya Muromtse familiar to most of us from childhood. But not everyone knows that the hero was by no means an epic character, but a very real person.
To look at Ilya Muromets, all you have to do in Moscow is go to Tretyakov Gallery or, as a last resort, find a reproduction of Viktor Vasnetsov’s painting “Bogatyrs”. Ilya Muromets is depicted in the middle. He sits in chain mail on a black horse. He looks warily from under his leather-gloved hand, on which hangs a huge mace. A gray strand emerges from under the helmet. The hero is no longer young, you can feel not only calm, confident strength in him, but also life experience.
Painting by Vasnetsov Three Bogatyrs
There's a shield behind my back, left hand on a long spear. On the left in the picture, on a white horse, is another hero, Dobrynya Nikitich, with a pointed helmet on his head and a brown beard almost waist-length. In his left hand there is a huge shield, with his right hand the hero pulls out a sword. He is not only strong, but his eyes glow with intelligence and wisdom. The youngest of the trio of epic heroes is Alyosha Popovich. He is in the picture on the right. One hand holds a bow, the other holds a harp from behind. He is handsome, singer and musician. He has rings on his fingers. If he doesn’t take you by force, he will overcome you with resourcefulness and ingenuity. The heroes stand on the border of the forest and the field, from where the enemies of the Russians - the Polovtsians or the Pechenegs - may appear. The sky in the picture is alarming, gray.
In the first version, the picture had a long title: “Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha Popovich on a heroic outing - they take note in the field to see if there is an enemy somewhere, if they are offending anyone somewhere.” Now it is more often called simply “Three Heroes”.
The Story of Three Bogatyrs
Historians say that in real life the three epic heroes could hardly have met. Dobrynya lived at the end of the 10th century and was the governor of the Kyiv prince Vladimir the Red Sun, who was his uncle. The Suzdal boyar Alexander Popovich, a century and a half younger, served at the end of his life the Kyiv prince Mstislav the Old and died with him in the Battle of Kalka in 1223. In the epics, Ilya, like Dobrynya, also serves Vladimir, but here historical facts indicate that he lived later, during the 12th century.
However, this is not so important. Vasnetsov painted an artistic picture, not a historical canvas. All three characters on it have one thing in common - they are heroes of epics. However, Ilya Muromets still stands out among them.
The life story of Ilya Muromets
In 1643 he was canonized and since then remains the only holy epic hero. The memory of the Monk Ilya Muromets is celebrated on January 1. However, it is not mentioned in ancient Slavic manuscripts. Perhaps simply because Muromets was not of princely blood.
The Orthodox Church did not compile his “official biography” - his canonical life. We know more about Ilya from epics than from surviving historical documents. However, more epics are dedicated to Ilya than to any other Russian hero, and they quite accurately convey to us the details of the life of Muromets. In fact, epics tell us about Ilya from his birth to his death.
For example, Ilya leaves “either from that city from Murom, from that village from Karacharovo.” There is such a city on the map, and such a village has survived. The Oka flows nearby. The epics say that Ilya once changed its course by throwing several oak trees into the river. Maybe. Residents of Karacharovo show visitors the ruins of the Trinity Church, which, according to legend, was founded by the legendary hero. He based it on several oak trees, which he brought from the river bank to a steep mountain.
By the way, the ancients bog oaks three girths at the bottom of the Oka are still found today.
Old-timers of the village will definitely point out the springs, which, according to legend, arose from gallops - the blows of the hooves of Ilya Muromets's horse. Small children in Karacharovo are told that “thunder occurs because Ilya Muromets rides six stallions.” The local Gushchin dynasty considers Ilya their distant ancestor. They say that the house where Ilya was born stood almost in the forest itself, in the thick of trees. This is where the nickname first arose - Gushchiny, and then the surname came.
Now at the birthplace of the epic hero there is a house at number 279 on Priokskaya Street. This is what the locals think. Many descendants of Muromets were distinguished by their remarkable strength. Born in late XIX century, Ivan Afanasyevich Gushchin easily pulled a cart loaded to the top with firewood. During fist fights, he was only allowed to push with his shoulders. Without calculating the force of his blow, he could simply kill a person.
The epic storytellers missed one point. According to legend, the hero was predicted that “death in battle is not written in his hands.” Therefore, in fairy tales, at the end of his life, the hero either turns to stone along with his faithful horse, or floats away somewhere and no longer gives news of himself. In fact, Ilya fell in battle against his enemies. This can be stated almost exactly.
The fact is that the relics of the hero are kept in one of the caves. An image of St. Elijah of Murom hangs above the tomb. The inscription at the head reads: “Ilya from the city of Murom.” The holy remains were studied. The results are impressive. Ilya's height was determined to be 177-180 centimeters.
In the 12th century, such a person looked almost like a giant. Ilya was broad-shouldered and had a heroic build. In the old days they said about people like him - slanting fathoms in the shoulders. As is known from the epics, Ilya sat on the stove for thirty years and three years and was healed by the walking Kalikas, that is, wandering monks.
The epics mention that Ilya sat in jail for 30 years. Indeed, the child was sick since childhood - he could not walk. He resigned himself to his weakness and only prayed to God. But one day, “walkers” appeared in his hut and asked him to bring them something to drink. Wanting to please the elders, Ilya suddenly stood up...
He just trusted the Kaliki that he could do it. And it worked! At the request of the elders, Ilya himself drank the water, receiving “great power.” So the paralyzed Ilya Chobotok turned into the hero Ilya Muromets, whom our land so needed - that was the time of endless raids on Rus'.
Surprisingly, this impressive episode is backed up by science.
Researchers found a curvature of the spine to the right in Ilya’s lumbar region. In addition, abnormal processes were found on the vertebrae. This suggests that the hero had a displacement of the vertebrae in childhood (possibly from birth or as a result of injury). In other words, in his youth Ilya suffered paralysis of his legs, from which he was later able to recover. Most likely, the calicoes simply replaced his displaced vertebrae.
How Saint Ilya Muromets died
Ilya Muromets died in January 1188. And after 500 years he was canonized: to this day he incorruptible relics You can worship in the Anthony Caves of the Lavra.
The cause of the hero's death is a large wound in the heart area. This area is covered right hand. It also shows signs of serious damage. It seems that in his last battle Ilya covered his chest with his hand, and with a blow from a spear it was nailed to his heart. Perhaps in his declining years Ilya settled in the monastery of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. However, he did not have to end his days in quiet prayers.
In 1203, the Polovtsy raided Kyiv. The city was taken, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the monastery and plundered. Ilya could not stay away during these events. He joined the ranks of the city’s defenders and died a heroic death.
The relics of Ilya were carefully studied by specialists in our time, and it turned out that in fact the height of the hero was
unusually tall for his time - 177 centimeters. Signs of bone and joint disease were also found, as well as traces of wounds received in battle.
What do they pray to Ilya Muromets for?
They pray to Saint Ilya of Murom, first of all, for healing from bodily weakness, for recovery after strokes.
Prayer to St. Ilya Muromets
Oh holy reverend father Ilie! Holy intercessor of Rus', mighty warrior, spiritual and physical warrior who appeared to her, who faithfully served in his life for the good of the Russian people and the glorification of the Christian God, and after his repose did not leave his intercession for us, ask, holy, from the All-Merciful Lord for our Fatherland Tsar, peace and prosperity, the well-being of the Church, deliverance for Orthodox people from the wicked, victory for Russian soldiers in battles and victory against enemies plotting evil for the Church and the Orthodox Fatherland, intercede for us all, and we also ask you, Holy One of God, to grant us reason from God, yes let us know our sins, and spiritual strength, let us repent of our sins, and bodily strength, so that we may be able to correct our lives and revive Holy Rus', and pass from it into the Kingdom of Heaven, and there, with you and all the saints, we will be honored to continually praise the glorified God in the Trinity Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen!
