Monastery in our days

MIRACLE IN THE PRODIGY SAVVINO-STOROZHEVSKIJ PRIORY

FRENCHMEN IN ZVENIGOROD - BATTLE NEAR THE PRIORY- APPEARANCE OF SAINT SAVVA TO PRINCE EUGENE BEAUHARNAIS

After the battle of Borodino both armies moved rapidly to Moscow along the old Smolenskij road. The Fourth corps of Napoleonic troops under the command of viceroy of Italy, prince Eugene Beauharnais, separated from the main army in Mozhajsk, moved through Ruza to Zvenigorod - small town in Moscow province, located in 17000 feet from the capital.

Frenchmen in the environs of Zvenigorod. Lithography by Albert Adam.

"The enemy corps is moving along the Zvenigorodskij road ... is it possible that he didn't find his death from Moscow's Home Guard, when he dared to invade the capital", - writes M.I. Kutuzov to F.V. Rastopchin on August 30, 1812.

Directed to Zvenigorod the detachment of brigadier general F.F.Vincengerode had delayed in the town the corps of viceroy for six hours. The skirmish took place not far from priory, where the Frenchmen were placed. Beside the priory "we have to halt our offensive. The heights became overgrown with weeds.... were occupied by cossacks",- recalls the general fon Trejzing. On the lithographies of 1812, made by German artist Adam, who accompanied the corps of prince Eugene, you can see a moment before the beginning of the battle.

The brigadier general Vincengerode reports the following to the emperor Alexander about this skirmish: "On August 31 the viceroy attacked me in Zvenigorod. My cossacks fighted bravely and two of the most brave staff-officers were gravely wounded; we have taken captives, and have not lost a single person, but later in the night I ordered to continue the retreat."

Having seized Zvenigorod, French corps spent a night (August 31-1 September), divided: one part remain in the town, the another - in the priory.

Icon "Saint Savva Storogevskij on the background of the priory" Beginning of the XIX century.

It was founded by disciple of Saint Sergey Radonezhskij. The priory was ravaged many times in the epoch of Troublous Times. It was revived by care of the tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, who gave large sums for the renewal of the priory, but the epoch of the tsar Aleksey Mixajlovich Romanov became "golden age" in its history. At period of his reign the priory was a country residence of the tsar, gained the status a laurel (monastery of the first rank) and is considered as one of the most rich monasteries of Russia. On January 1652 it has occurred the ceremony of transportation of the remains of Saint Savva Storogevskij. It spent 245 years in the ground and on January 19, it was prescribed in new shrine in the Rozhdestvenskij cathedral near south gates, guiding to altar. Since that time "the zeal of the tsar Aleksey Mixajlovich towards the priory increased even more". After brilliant bloom in the middle of XVII century and relatively successful condition during XVIII century, once again hard luck came to the priory.

During six weeks the priory was the territory occupied by the Frenchmen. In the first night of enemy's stay in the priory the posts of sentry were put around it, fearing the sudden hold up of cossacks. By the order of prince Eugene the guard was exposed beside cathedral also, but in spite of this, main temple of monastery of XV century, where was kept the shrine of priory - the remains of Saint Savva Storogevskij - all this was ravaged. The following day, there were robbed the palace buildings, church, sacristy, library and archive.

The ravaging of temples, priories during the war of 1812 was a usual deal for conquerors. In many churches it was accompanied by the profanation of the remains. The main temple of Russia - Uspenskij Cathedral in Moscow Kremlin was transformed by Napoleonic soldiers to the stable. The multiple descriptions of the church monuments of the rescued capital often contains the same detail - profanation of the Throne. In the altar of a Moscow church one Napoleonic officer has made a bedroom, covered by throne cloths. The witnesses of this similar outrage - the Moscow clergy - try to stop the ugliness but many of them payed for this by their life. An event that had happened near one Moscow church, could become the epigraph to not created Russian history of priories and temples in 1812. A priest trying to rescue the Saint Gifts from outrage, came out of the church decided to place it to the more secluded place. Having done several steps he was stopped by French soldiers. They began to take the Saint Gifts away and then the priest cried in the last to hope: "God! Save yourself!" And the Frenchmen left the old man alone. Many other similar cases are known, which indicates the courage and dead earnest of Russian clergy.

In 1812 the Savvino Storogevskij priory shared the fate of many Russian monasteries, but in spite of the general ravaging of the priory, the remains of Saint Savva Storogevskij rest untouched. The archimandrite of the Zvenigorodskij priory Augustan in his rapport to Saint Synod about the condition of the priory stressed that "the remains of Saint Savva kept in the priory remained as it was before and the hand of impious didn't touch it". The monks have known the reason of this inviolability only 27 years later. Only in 1839, then the son of viceroy Eugene Beauharnais, duke Maximilien Leuchtenberg has arrived in Russia for the first time and then announced about night appearance (phenomena) of Saint Savva to his father. Earl Novosiltsev, aide-de-camp of the Moscow military general-governor was the first one who heard this story. From Novosiltsev the story about what had happened in the Zvenigorodskij priory, became known to the historian and writer M.P. Pogodin. The memories of Eugene Beauharnais were placed in his book published in 1874 "Common words about complicated things" under headline "Episode from life of prince Eugene, viceroy of Italy" (this story was sent to N. D. Xvowinskaya by the deceased P. P. Novosiltsev when he was the governor of Ryazan).

In 1839, during the reign of the emperor Nikolas I, there were great manoeuvres on the field of Borodino, in the memory of famous battle on this field in 1812, on August 26. P. Novosiltsev was aide-de-camp of the Moscow military governor, prince D.Golitsin. During the moving of the troops, which have been presenting the battle of Borodino memorable to all who have participated in it^[*], Novosiltsev accidentally met duke Maksimilien Leuchtenberg, son of the hero of this battle, prince Eugene, former viceroy of Italy. The duke exchanged warm greetings with Novosiltsev and proposed him to go further together. Talking about the battle and about the company of 1812 in general, which was so fatal for the French troops. The duke asked Novosiltsev where and how far from here the priory of Saint Savva is situated. Such question from the person, who had never been in Russia, surprised Novosiltsev; and really, how could the duke hear about such deserted place, situated near small town Zvenigorod? Earl said the duke that there was nothing interesting to see in this priory; and its better to see Svyatotroickij Sergieva Laurel where there were a lot of remarkable things and historical recollections, and proposed the duke to be his guide. The duke having smiled, thanked for his courtesy and said: "You are probably surprised that I knew about the priory of Saint Savva in spite of the fact that there's nothing remarkable in it. You would be surprised even more when I'll say to you that I, the catholic, want to bow yours Saint Savva. I gave the promise to the dying person, to my father. I gave my word of honor that if someday the Fate will bring me to Russia, I'll certainly find the place, where Saint Savva is buried and bow to him. Do you want to know why he demanded so? Listen. My father, prince Eugene, as probably you know, during the invasion of emperor Napoleon in Russia, was in his army and commanded the 4-th corps, which consisted from Frenchmen and Italians. When Napoleon entered Moscow and he ordered to protect it from guerrillas, which done big harm by their unexpected appearances in the different points. One morning my father was told that the Russian troops (it was the cavalry of general Vincengerode) appeared in the environs of Zvenigorod. He ordered the advance-guard of his corps with sufficient amount of artillery to come forward to that place, where the enemy was shown. He accompanied this advance garde by himself, wanted to study in details the surroundings of Moscow, and if succeeded to seize the enemy unawares. But having made more than 10 miles and having sent the mounted patrols to all sides- but in vain; probably the Russian guerrillas, having heard from their own emissaries, about the appearance against them the significant number of troops, retired and hided in the woods. As if the troops of my father were tired after the big march, he ordered to stop the further search and placed the troops on the bivouacs near one priory, which there was in the sight of them.Then he and some generals went to the priory, where they occupied rooms in the monastic cells. They found several hided monks to which they did not do any harm, and asked only to bring them some bread and some food. That night the guard was placed around the priory and around the camp also to be ready at the slightest alert. There was already 10 hours in the evening.

Appearance of Saint Savva to prince Beauharnais. Newspaper "Peterburgskij listok"(Leaflet of Petersburg)".

My father, tired from the long march on horseback, went to special room, where the bed was prepared to him. Taking off his cloths he laid down and slept by the sleep of just. He can not remained exactly was it in his dreams or not, but he saw that the door in his room is opening and a man in black long cloth enters slowly into, approaches to him so close that he could see under a moon light the features of his face. He seems old with grey beard.

He examined prince for a minute and finally said with the calm voice: "Did not order your troops to plunder the priory and particularly carry anything out from the church. If you live up your promise, God will save you, and you return to your fatherland save and sound". Having said this, old man quietly came out of the room. The prince having waked at dawn, recalled this vision, which introduced him so vividly, as it was real. He called his aide-de-camp immediately and ordered him to prepare the troops to move back to Moscow with strict prohibition to enter the priory. Having released his aide-de-camp, the prince decided to examine the church, where the guards have already been standing. Entered the temple he saw the sepulchre and the icon which has the resemblance with the person, introduced him that night. To his question whose icon is this, one of the monks answered that this is the icon of Saint Savva, founder of the priory, whose body lied in this sepulchre. Having heard this, the prince bowed to it with veneration and wrote the name of Saint Savva into his memorable book. Later on he had participated in all battles of the napoleonic campaigns: from the battle of Maloyaroslavetz, during the retreat of French army from Russia and in campaigns of 1813 in Germany. Not in one battle the prince was wounded; the words of old man came true: he returns successfully to the fatherland, and even after "fall" of Napoleon Eugene Beauharnais preserved respect and love of everyone".

Interesting fact: almost all Napoleon's marshals were killed in the battles or have violent death. Mortier, who exploded Moscow Kremlin during the departure of the Frenchmen from the capital was himself blasted by infernal machine, which ought to kill the king Louis-Phillip when he reviewed the troops in Paris; Junot died from madness; Ney and Murat were shooted; Bertier was thrown from the balcony of his castle in Bamberg; marshal Bessier was killed at Lutzern during the cavalry attack; marshals Duroc and Poniatovski were also killed in the battles.

The Duke of Leichenberg kept his promise (given to his father). He visited the priory of Saint Savva and bowed his remains.

This memorable night vision of the appearance of Saint Savva to prince Eugene took place probably within the precincts of grandiose Tsarist Palace, which nowadays is raised from ruins by the force of the Zvenigorodskij museum. The museum hopes to place here the unique composition - "Galley of reigning persons" with portraits all tsars and emperors, who had ever visited his priory. Of course, the heros of this story will occupy the adequate place there.

Monastery today

[*] One of the heroes of the battle of Borodino, earl M. Vorontsov who was chief of the consolidated division of grenadiers which has lost almost all soldiers by the end of the battle explained to emperor Nicolas I, during the manoeuvres of 1839, how it was. And when this above named division passed by, the emperor noticed: "Caesar, morituri te salutant "(grec. Emperor, you are greeted by whose who are going to the death).

SHLEINA, OLGA.
"HOLIDAY OF FINDING FATHERLAND". The Booklet.
© Zvenigorodskij historian-architectural and artistic museum, 1994.
© 2000, The team of the Project 1812. This material for "electronic" publication was prepared by by Helene Bobrova, Vadim Kutikov, Oleg Poliakov. Translated by Maxim Gontcharov.