Kuksha Pechersky (died in 1113 [1] or after 1114 ; according to another source - in 1110 [2] ) - hieromonk of the Kiev-Pechersky monastery , holy martyr [3] .
Content
Biography
The study of Kuksha's biography at the beginning of the 20th century was carried out by historian and local historian V. M. Kashkarov. In his opinion, the life of the holy martyr Kuksha was compiled “solely on the basis of the information communicated by St. Simon , Bishop of Vladimir. " Perhaps he came from a noble Vyatichsky family (princes or elders) [4] , and therefore returned after feats in the Pechersky Monastery to his relatives in order to preach the Christian faith to them. Together with his student, Nikon preached to the Vyatichs who lived on the Oka River in the territory of the present Oryol and Kaluga Regions, for which he was killed by them [2] . The death of Kuksha, as reported by Bishop Simon to the Cave monk Polycarp, received the sight of Rev. Pimen Postnik : “in the middle of the church he said publicly: our brother Kuksha is killed today at dawn . And having said that, he died ... ”
V. M. Kashkarov suggested that Bishop Feoktist “took care to deliver the body of the murdered martyr to the Kiev Pechersky Monastery ” [5] . Kuksha was buried in the nearby caves of the monastery.
The life of Kuksha Pechersky tells about his many miracles.
Modernity
The Orthodox Church commemorates the baptizer of the Oryol Territory on October 11 (September 27 according to the old style) ( Cathedral of the Reverend Fathers of Kiev Pechersk Caves ) and September 9 (August 27 according to the old style), as well as September 22 ( October 5 ) at the Tula Saints Cathedral [ 6] , in the Cathedral of Ryazan Saints on June 10 (23) .
Modern scholars have allegedly called the site of the death of Kuksha and his student the city of Serensk on the Seren River, a tributary of Zhizdra (the current Meshchovsky district of the Kaluga region), but most likely because this city was undoubtedly on the path of the preachers and, moreover, well researched by archaeologists; obvious traces of the Christian sermon were found on Serensky settlement, in particular, crosses, including a cross with chiseled enamel of the 11th – 12th centuries, probably of Kiev origin. Another place of death of the saint is called the Mtsensk district of the present Oryol region: here, near the village of Frolovka, there is the so-called “Suffering” well, which rumor connects with the name Kukshi, is located 15 kilometers from the city of Mtsensk , Oryol Region . At this place there is a holy spring, at which a solemn prayer service is held annually on September 9.
The name of the holy martyr Kuksha is now the Orthodox gymnasium in Orel .
On August 6, 2009, on the initiative of the Archbishop of Orel and Liven Panteleimon, a decision was made to venerate the martyr Kuksha as the patron saint of the Oryol-Liven Diocese .
Notes
- ↑ Holy Martyr Kuksha, Vladyka Vyatichi // Kaluga Church and Public Herald. - 1913. - No. 25. - S. 6.
- ↑ 1 2 Arseny (hegumen ) Historical description of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery. - Tver: Printing House of the Provincial Government, 1895. - 88 p.
- ↑ In the article, the Reverend Martyr ( V. Zhivov Holiness. A Brief Dictionary of Hagiographic Terms) is referred to as the Reverend Martyr, however, in the official editions of the Russian Orthodox Church (see “The Orthodox Church Calendar” for different years) is called the Holy Martyr.
- ↑ Leonid (Cavelin) , archim. Church-historical research on the ancient region of Vyatichi // Readings in Imp. Society of Russian History and Antiquities. - 1862. - Book. 2. - M., 1862. - S. 8
- ↑ Markina I.V. Enlightener of the Vyatichi // Moscow Journal. - 2015. - No. 4 . - ISSN 0868-7110 .
- ↑ Cathedral of Tula Saints . The official calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. Date of treatment August 28, 2014.
Literature
- Kuksha, saint // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- Kuksha // Russian Biographical Dictionary : in 25 volumes. - SPb. - M. , 1896-1918.