St. Alexius is a man of God. Reverend Alexy, man of God

From childhood, the boy stood out for his meek character, remarkable mind, sensitive heart and had a special desire for spiritual life: prayer, fasting, church services, reading spiritual literature, visiting holy places. The parents rejoiced at such inclinations of their son, but were afraid that he might go to a monastery. They decided to marry him to a beautiful girl from the royal family, hoping that by doing this they would be able to keep their son in the world.

But Alexy was not thinking about family happiness. Seeing the decline of morals in Rome, he prepared for the life of a Christian ascetic. However, seeing the grief of his father and mother, he, like a loving son, decided to fulfill their request. The young couple were also married in the Church of the Martyr Boniface on the Aventine Hill in Rome. That same day in the evening, Alexy told his young wife about his firm decision to devote his life to God and, disguised as a commoner, secretly left home. This action was not easy for him. He mourned the separation from his parents and wife, but the desire for spiritual achievement was stronger than these feelings. He prayed that he, a noble Roman, the owner of untold wealth and thousands of slaves, would be able to endure all the sorrows, humiliation and suffering that the last slave was subjected to in Rome. He wanted to experience for himself all the centuries-old untruths of Iron Rome and atone for it.

Alexy boarded a ship bound for Asia Minor. Arriving there, he visited the cities of Laodicea and Colossae, with which the memory of the Apostle Paul is associated, and then his path lay to Palestine and Egypt. Wandering through the Holy Land, he prayed that the Lord would bless him with a life of hardships and exploits for His glory. After this, Alexy arrived in the city of Edessa, where the shroud with the Image of the Lord Not Made by Hands was kept.

Contact with the great shrine inspired him so much that he decided to stay in this city. Having distributed the last money, putting on rags, he began to lead the life of a homeless beggar, begging for alms on the porch of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, remaining day and night in unceasing prayer. This was the beginning of the feat that he himself chose for himself. Alexy decided to be a hermit among people, to represent a desert amid the noisy bustle of the city. He rejected all concerns about the comforts of life and ate only bread and water. If he received alms, he shared it with other beggars who were most in need. With his soul, Alexy constantly strived for Heaven, but his eyes were always cast down to the ground. He lived like this for seventeen years.

The inhabitants of Edessa became accustomed to the beggar, noting that no one prayed more earnestly than him and no one was more humble than him. One day, the Mother of God appeared to the church watchman in a dream and revealed that the beggar Alexy, standing at the temple, was a man of God who was worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. After this vision, which became known to everyone, the townspeople began to treat the beggar with special reverence. Soon after this, the secret holy life of Alexy became known to all the townspeople, they rushed to see the saint and express their respect to him. But the glory from people troubled the heart of the ascetic; he was burdened by these honors. And Alexy decided to continue his feat in another place.

He secretly left Edessa, boarding a ship that was sailing to Cilicia. However, on the way, a storm unexpectedly broke out, and the sea carried the ship to the shores of his native Italy. Saint Alexy, seeing the Providence of God in this, went to his father’s house, hoping to remain unrecognized, because his appearance had changed greatly from many years of harsh life. Having met his father, he asked him for shelter. He, not recognizing his son, felt sympathy for the poor wanderer, gave him a place in the entryway of his house and ordered him to carry food from the master's table. Alexy remained to live in his home. Out of envy, the servants often insulted the beggar and laughed at him, but he accepted all the bullying silently and humbly. Also, with great patience, he endured the suffering that squeezed his heart at the sight of his relatives crying for him. Alexy invisibly lived his inner, spiritual life, eating only bread and water, in tireless prayer for people. So another seventeen years passed. Only when he sensed the approach of death, the saint wrote a letter in which he outlined his life in detail and left evidence confirming his identity.

On that day, Pope Innocent celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Apostles. Emperor Honorius and many people were present at the service. Suddenly, at the end of the service, a wonderful voice was heard from the altar: “Seek the man of God, so that he may pray for Rome and all her people.” People began to prayerfully ask for directions on where to look for this person. And they received the answer: “There is a man of God in the house of Euthymian, look there.” Emperor Honorius and Pope Innocent came to Euthymian's house and told about what had happened, but the owner of the house did not know who they were talking about. One of the servants recalled a beggar who lived under the stairs, who prayed and fasted a lot. Everyone hurried there and saw the lifeless body of the saint. His face shone with heavenly grace and was like the face of an angel. The ascetic held a letter in his hand. From him everyone learned who the man of God was. The parents and wife fell sobbing to the body of their newfound son and husband.

Revered icon of St. Alexy, man of God. Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy to all who mourn." Moscow

Meaning of the icon

In Rus', the Life of St. Alexy, the Man of God began to spread widely from the 10th century and became one of the most beloved. This poor righteous man became for the Russian people a symbol of renunciation of temporary earthly material goods, an image of humility, meekness and non-covetousness.

The famous Athonite elder Joseph the Hesychast said that true righteousness does not have a bell that would ring and attract attention. True righteousness is always humble, it is not flaunted, and people can often learn about the power of this spiritual life only after the death of a saint.

Both in Europe and in Rus', Saint Alexy became the hero of numerous spiritual poems. Rimsky-Korsakov's cantata was dedicated to him. In the famous literary work “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” by Alexander Radishchev, the story of St. Alexy is told in the song of a blind soldier who begs for alms in the city of Klin. Many icon painters in different centuries sought to capture the image of the great ascetic.

In our time, perhaps someone would regard the act of Saint Alexy as the step of a madman. Why does he make such a decisive and irrevocable choice: secretly leaving the home where he is loved to lead the harsh life of a homeless wanderer? This can be understood by remembering that already in his youth Saint Alexy reached spiritual heights and acquired the grace of God. He understood that, spending his life in the world, it would be difficult for him to preserve the main treasure that he had acquired - the hidden life with God. Heavenly gifts are incomparably higher than earthly blessings, therefore, for a person who has known the joy of connection with the Highest, the choice is obvious.

Saint Alexy showed great lessons to the world through the example of his life. He became a hermit among people, alien to temptations among possible temptations, he became a man of God among those who had forgotten God. He revealed the dignity of the human soul in the midst of poverty despised by people and showed that even in these poor creatures, in whom the powerful of this world hardly see the image of man, the grace and great power of God can manifest themselves.

The diseases of our time are strong, but the counteraction to these diseases is also strong - the moral deeds of saints who have shone through the centuries. Great are the hardships to which they voluntarily subjected themselves in the name of higher spiritual aspirations, in order to show the world the triumph of the spirit over temporary worldly pleasures.

On a sunny day in the summer of 377, a man entered the Mesopotamian city of Edessa. He wandered the streets for a long time, talking with people, until he finally found himself near the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Here, turning to the watchman, he asked:

“Great grief befell my master, the Roman senator. I have served him for many years, and I cannot say a single bad word about him. He is kind and merciful, he always helps those in need. And such a misfortune... For many years he and his wife, there were no children. Finally, the Lord heard their prayers - a son was born. How they loved him, how they cared for him. And the boy always pleased his parents. He recently reached adulthood. His father found him a beautiful bride of royal blood, they got married. And the night after The young man disappeared from the wedding feast.

He's young. Well dressed. It is clear from him that he is from a noble family. He's originally from Rome. So you haven't seen anyone here who fits my description? ".

“No. We have more and more simpler people here, or even sick people and beggars. Look for yourself. This one, for example. He came to us recently - look, he’s wearing only rags. He lives on alms and prays from morning to night!”

In this beggar, the servant could not recognize the same young man who, leaving after the wedding, gave his young wife his gold ring and said: “Keep this, and may the Lord be between you and me until He renews us with His grace.” Alexy, that was the young man’s name, was raised in love for God from childhood, and it was to Him that he decided to devote his entire life. He went to the city of Edessa, where the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands was kept - a face imprint left by Jesus Christ Himself on the canvas. There, in the vestibule of the temple - in fasting and prayer - the saint spent 17 years. When in a vision the Most Holy Theotokos pointed out to the church watchman Alexy as a man of God, the inhabitants of Edessa began to venerate him. Confused by the popular respect shown to him, Alexy secretly fled from Edessa and headed to the homeland of the Apostle Paul, to the city of Tarsus. But the ship lost its course and landed near Rome. The saint saw God's providence in this and headed to his father's house.

Years of wandering changed Alexy's appearance beyond recognition and no one recognized him. The monk lived for another 17 years in a closet under the stairs of his home. Often he had to endure humiliation and insults from servants, but he accepted everything with humility. His food consisted of bread, water and constant prayer.

One Sunday after the Divine Liturgy, a miracle happened in the cathedral. All those present heard a voice: “Seek the man of God, so that he may pray for Rome and all her people.” He ordered to look for his voice in the senator's house. Many people, along with the emperor and the Pope, went there, but did not find Saint Alexis alive. In his hand the monk held a scroll with a description of his entire life, which he compiled, knowing that the hour of death was approaching.

The life was read, and the father, mother and wife recognized Alexy. Many believers came to venerate the saint’s body, and many miracles and healings were performed.

In Rus', the story of Alexy, the man of God, has always been especially loved by the people. Remembering the history of the saint, Russian people try to welcome the poor and wanderers and ask them for prayer.

The Monk Alexy was born in Rome into a family of pious and poverty-loving Euthymian and Aglaida. The couple were childless for a long time and tirelessly prayed to the Lord for the gift of offspring. And the Lord consoled the couple with the birth of their son Alexy. At the age of six, the boy began to study and successfully studied secular sciences, but especially diligently read the Holy Scriptures. As a young man, he began to imitate his parents: he fasted strictly, gave alms, and secretly wore a hair shirt under rich clothes. The desire to leave the world and serve the One God ripened early in him. However, Alexy's parents were going to marry him and, when he reached adulthood, they found him a bride.

After the engagement, being left alone in the evening with his bride, Alexy took the ring off his finger, gave it to her and said: “Keep this, and may the Lord be with us, arranging a new life for us with His grace.” And he himself secretly left home and boarded a ship sailing to Mesopotamia.

Once in the city of Edessa, where the Image of the Lord Not Made by Hands was kept, Alexy sold everything he had, distributed the money to the poor and began to live at the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos on the porch and feed on alms. The monk ate only bread and water, and distributed the alms he received to the weak and elderly. Every Sunday he received Holy Communion.

Relatives searched everywhere for the missing Alexy, but to no avail. The servants sent by Euthymian to search also visited Edessa, but did not recognize their master in the beggar sitting on the porch. From strict fasting, his body dried up, his beauty disappeared, and his eyesight became weak. The blessed one recognized them and thanked the Lord for receiving alms from his servants.

The inconsolable mother of Saint Alexius shut herself up in her room, incessantly praying for her son. His wife grieved along with her mother-in-law.

The monk lived in Edessa for seventeen years. One day, the sexton of the church where the monk labored had a revelation about him: The Mother of God commanded through Her holy icon: “Bring into My Church the man of God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; his prayer ascends to God like a fragrant censer, and the Holy Spirit rests on him ". The sexton began to look for such a person, but for a long time he could not find him. Then he turned in prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, asking Her to resolve his perplexity. And again there was a voice from the icon, announcing that the man of God was that beggar who was sitting on the church porch. The sexton found Saint Alexis and brought him into the church. Many learned about the righteous man and began to revere him. The saint, avoiding fame, secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia. But the Providence of God judged otherwise: the storm carried the ship far to the west and washed up on the coast of Italy. The blessed one headed to Rome. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father for permission to settle in some corner of his yard. Euthymian placed Alexy in a specially constructed room at the entrance to the house and ordered him to be fed from his table.

Living in his parents' house, the blessed one continued to fast and spend days and nights in prayer. He humbly endured insults and ridicule from his own father’s servants. Alexy's room was opposite the windows of his bride, and the ascetic suffered greatly hearing her cry. Only immeasurable love for God helped the blessed one to endure this torment. Saint Alexy lived in the house of his parents for seventeen years and was notified by the Lord of the day of his death. Then the saint, taking the charter, described his life, asking forgiveness from his parents and bride.

On the day of the death of Saint Alexis, Pope Innocent (402-417) celebrated the liturgy in the cathedral church in the presence of Emperor Honorius (395-423). During the service, a wonderful Voice was heard from the altar: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Everyone present fell to the ground in fear. The voice continued: “Find the man of God departing into eternal life, let him pray for the city.” They began to search all over Rome, but did not find the righteous man.

From Thursday to Friday, the Pope, performing an all-night vigil, asked the Lord to indicate a saint of God. After the liturgy, a voice was heard again in the church: “Look for the man of God in the house of Euthymian.” Everyone hurried there, but the saint had already died. His face shone like the face of an Angel, and in his hand was clutched a charter, which he did not let go of, no matter how hard they tried to take it. The body of the blessed one was placed on a bed covered with expensive bedspreads. The pope and the emperor knelt down and turned to the monk as if he were alive, asking him to unclench his hand. And the saint fulfilled their prayer. When the letter was read, the father, mother and bride of the righteous man with tears bowed to his honest remains.

The body of the saint, from which healings began to take place, was placed in the middle of the square. All of Rome gathered here. The Emperor and the Pope themselves carried the saint's body into the church, where it remained for a whole week, and then was placed in a marble tomb. Fragrant myrrh began to flow from the holy relics, providing healing to the sick.

The honorable remains of Saint Alexis, a man of God, were buried in the church of Saint Boniface. In 1216 the relics were found. The life of Saint Alexis, the man of God, has always been one of the favorites in Rus'.

[Greek ̓Αλέξιος ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ] († c. 411), St. (memorial: March 17, memorial: July 17, siren: November 3). The legend of A. ch. B., one of the most revered in Orthodoxy. world of saints, began to take shape in Christ. East - in Syria, then became widespread in the Middle Ages. European hagiographic tradition. Now recognized as the oldest sire. The version of the life tells how an unnamed young man from a noble and wealthy Rome. family, before the wedding, he left his bride (without seeing her), fled from home and boarded a ship, which took him to Syrian Seleucia.

From there he went to Edessa, the largest city in the North. Mesopotamia. There the young man gave away all his money, put on sackcloth and settled on the porch of the temple. The father's servants who arrived in the city, sent by him to search for his son to all corners of the world, did not recognize the young man as a wretched beggar. After spending 17 years in prayer and fasting, A. ch. B. died in a homeless shelter and was buried in a common grave. Soon after this, the sexton of the church where the saint labored told the bishop the story of the life of the “man of God” (Syr.), which he told him before his death. The bishop ordered the relics of such a great saint to be reburied with honor, but his body miraculously disappeared from the grave, where only a pitiful funeral sackcloth was found. Since Ravbula (412-435) is named Bishop of Edessa, it can be assumed that the life was written, probably on the basis of oral tradition, in the 2nd half. V - beginning VI century

Earlier than the 9th century. sir. the legend became famous in K-pol (possibly in connection with the resettlement of Syrian Akimite monks there), where early Greek appeared. version of life. It was this that St. probably used. Joseph the Songwriter († 886), compiling a canon for the saint, in which his name, Alexy, was first mentioned. According to this version, the saint, trying to hide from the fame that had spread in Edessa about his righteous life, left the city. Arriving in Laodicea, he boarded a ship bound for Tarsus, but on the way he was caught in a storm and ended up in Rome. Realizing that this was a sign of God, he asked for shelter in the house of his parents (their names are given: Euthymian and Aglaida), but did not reveal himself to them. For 17 years, A. ch. B. labored under the guise of a beggar, being in constant fasting and prayer, enduring bullying from servants and hearing the sobs of his mother and bride (with whom, according to this version, he managed to get married before his flight). Feeling the approach of death, the saint outlined in detail in a letter everything that happened to him. At this time, in the church, where a service was going on in the presence of “the archbishop and both emperors” and there were many people, a voice was heard from the altar: “Look for the man of God! Let him pray for hail.” After a two-day search, the same voice pointed to Euthymian’s house, where the body of A. ch. B. was found. After reading the biography he left behind, the relatives indulged in inconsolable sobs. Honest relics according to imp. orders were transferred to the temple for worship, and miraculous healings began throughout the city. According to one hypothesis, Byzantium is near Rome. hagiographers could mean “New Rome” - K-pol.

Based on early sir. and Greek hagiography was created (probably around the 10th century) 2nd Sir. version, in which there is a mechanical combination of the Edessa legend with the sire. Byzantine translation. life led to the “double death” of the saint: first in Edessa, then in Rome, the explanation for which was pointed to a miracle with an empty grave (unknown in the Polish tradition). In the 1st Arab. (karshuni) version an attempt is made to reconcile both traditions by removing or smoothing out noticeable contradictions, while the 2nd Arab. the edition goes back exclusively to the Polish version and completely ignores the original Edessa. In the 10th century Greek appeared. adaptation of the life in the collection of Simeon Metaphrastus. In addition, several are known. Greek versions, as well as a number of lat. editions of the life, in which, in addition to the names of A. ch. B. and his parents, the names of the saint’s bride (Adriatic), the archbishop (Pope Innocent I) and the emperors (Arkady and Honorius) are named.

In the West, the veneration of A. ch. B. is not attested in ancient hagiographical and liturgical monuments, but undoubtedly already existed by the 10th century. Its wide spread is associated with the arrival in Rome in 977 of Metropolitan, who was expelled from his see. Sergius of Damascus. Having received from the Pope the Church of St. Boniface on the Aventine Hill (where, according to one version of his life, A. Ch. B. was married on the eve of his flight from home), Metropolitan. Sergius founded a monastery there for the Greeks. and lat. monks, mentioned in sources since 987 under the name of Saints Bonifatius and A. Ch. B. (Nerini F. De templo et coenobio sanctorum Bonifacii et Alexii historica monumenta. R., 1752. P. 378, 381). In 1216, the discovery of the relics of A. Ch. B. was announced here and they were solemnly transferred to the upper church, which led to a dispute with the canons of the Cathedral of St. Peter, where, according to one version of his life, the saint was buried.

In the Middle Ages. In Rome, pilgrims were shown the “Chambers of Euthymian,” as reported in the “Note on Rome” by an unknown Russian participant. delegation at the Ferraro-Florence Council (SKKDR. Issue 2. Part 2. P. 150) (the building has not survived). In Greek The monastery of Agia Lavra in Kalavryta (Peloponnese) houses the head of A. ch. B., according to legend, donated to this monastery by the imp. Manuel II Palaiologos in 1414; A. ch. B. was revered here as a protector against epidemics. In 1773, the Albanians plundered the monastery and sold St. head to Larisa, where after several. years old, the abbot found her. Anthimus returned the laurels to the monastery (ΘΗΕ. Τ. 2. Στλ. 132). In Rus', in the Novgorod Cathedral of St. Sophia, there was the hand of A. ch. B., stolen from Rome by a Novgorod merchant, according to a legend of the 17th century. In the inventory of the St. Sophia Cathedral of 1749, there is a silver gilded ark with the relics of A. ch. B., located in front of the main iconostasis of the cathedral, on the left side of the royal doors (Inventory of the property of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral of the 18th - early 19th centuries. Novgorod, 1993. Vol. 2. pp. 36-37). Currently time the relics of A. ch. B. are not in the St. Sophia Cathedral.

The study of the hagiographic tradition associated with A. ch. B. began with the first scientific publication of lat. Lives of the Bollandists in ActaSS (Iul. T. 4. 1725. P. 238-270). Then it was noticed that in the lat. Arabic translation version (Ibid. P. 262) the part with the return to Rome is missing, and the saint is not named by name, but Mar Risha (Sir. - Mr. Prince). G. Massman and D.V. Dashkov proceeded from the fact that the legend about A. Ch. B. is of Polish origin and its source is the canon of St. Joseph the Songwriter. The now recognized opinion about the primacy of the ancient sire. versions of the life were first expressed in 1889 by G. Pari and A. Amiot. As H. Drivers later showed, the image of the nameless “man of God” is highly characteristic of the ser. understanding of holiness.

A particular problem is the attitude of the Byzantines. legends about A. ch. B. to the legend about St. John Kushchnik (mem. January 15). The main events of the legend about this saint, who lived in K-pol in the 1st half. V century, coincide with the life of A. ch. B. - escape on the wedding day, return and life in his home unrecognized. A number of scientists consider these saints to be one and the same person, however, the life of A. Ch. B. does not coincide in everything with the history of St. John.

There are many known translations of the life of A. ch. B., dating back either to lat. versions (German, Old French, Provençal, Old Norse), or to Greek. edited by Metaphrast (ancient Georgian and ancient Armenian). With zap. The “songs” of A. ch. B., which probably appeared in the 11th century, are closely connected with the hagiographic tradition. in Normandy and passed from there to England and Germany (Conrad's poem from Würzburg, etc.). In the West, A. Ch. B. was considered the heavenly patron of the brotherhood of Alexians (Zellites), who were involved in caring for the poor and their burial (see also Lollards).

The most ancient glory. a lengthy version of the life (RNB. F. n. I. 46, 12th century; BAN 34.3.27, mid-17th century), dating back to the Greek. edition, in which there are elements of both Byzantine and Lat. traditions (BHG, N 51), was translated to the end. XI century and soon became widespread in Rus'. 2nd glory edition (RGB. Trinity No. 9, XIV-XV centuries) made using more extensive Greek. versions. A short life of A. Part B. was translated in the 12th century. as part of Prologue Constantine of Mokisia, transferred for the second time to the 1st half. XIV century (apparently by the Serbs on Mount Athos) as part of the Stishnoy Prologue. In the 16th century ancient glory extensive life, corrected according to Greek. texts (BHG, N 51 and 52), as well as a short life are included under March 17 in the VMC. New translation of the life from Greek. language, made in 1659 by Arseny the Greek, published in the Anthologion (1660) and Prologue (from 1660).

A. V. Muravyov, A. A. Turilov

Hymnography

Accepted today time in Orthodox The Church's adherence to A. ch. B. is already contained in the Menaions of the Studio edition (for example, RNL. Greek No. 227-3. L. 18-19, XII century). Canon A. Part B. (2nd tone), compiled by St. Joseph the Songwriter, has an acrostic: “I praise you, the man of God, blessed one.” In the Menaion, published by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1978-1989, the hymnography of A. ch. B. is supplemented to the vigil service (Minea (MP). March. Part 2. pp. 33-51). According to the manuscripts of Christ. East (Sinait. gr. 609. Fol. 66v - 68v, XI century; Sinait. gr. 611. Fol. 106-108v, XIV century) in the series “Analecta Hymnica Graeca” a canon was published (4th plagal, t e. 8th, tone) Herman, absent from the printed Menaion (Ταμεῖον. Ν 534. Σ. 177-178). Sophronius (Evstratiadis) separate editions of the sequences of A. ch. B. are known, carried out in Venice (1837) and in Patras (1866, 1875, 1888, 1913); He also reports that in one of the manuscripts of the Kafsokalivitsky monastery on Athos, a service is written out that is different from that placed in the Greek. printed Menea.

Source: BHO, N 36-44; BHG, N 51-56; BHL, N 289-301; ActaSS. Iul. T. 4. Venetiis, 17482. P. 238-270; JSV. March. pp. 329-341; Massmann H. F. Sanct Alexius" Leben. Quedlinburg; Lpz., 1843; La vie de Saint Alexis: Poème du XIe siècle et renouvellements des XIIe, XIIIe et XIVe siècles / Éd. G. Paris. P., 1872, 1974r; Schipper J. Englische Alexiuslegenden des 14. und 15. Jh. Strassburg, 1877; Amiaud A. La légende syriaque de Saint Alexis, l "Homme de Dieu. P., 1889; Das Leben des hl. Alexios von Konrad von Würzburg / Hrsg. R. Henczynski. B., 1898; Esteves Pereyra F. M. Légende grecque de l "Homme de Dieu saint Alexis // AnBoll. 1900. T. 19. P. 241-253; R ö sler M. Die Fassungen der Alexius-Legende. W.; Lpz., 1905; Adrianova V. P. . Life of Alexy, the man of God, in ancient Russian literature and folk literature. Pg., 1917 [glory]; Dunn J. Life of Saint Alexis // Revue Celtique. 1920/1921. T. 38. P. 133-143; Serva, 1933; Serva es F. W., Bripius J. De laudibus sancti Alexii. Köln, 1966; Cerulli E. Les vies éthiopiennes de saint Alexis l"Homme de Dieu. Louvain, 1969. Vol. 1-2. (CSCO. T. 298-299; Aethiop. 59-60); The life and deeds of the man of God Alexy // Byzantine legends / Intro. art., trans., note. S. V. Polyakova. M., 1994. pp. 156-161; VMC. March, days 12-25. pp. 789-796.

Lit.: Bessonov P. Kalikas are walking. M., 1861-1864; Dashkov D. Poems and stories about Alexei the man of God // Conversations in OLRS. 1868. Issue. 2; Sergius (Spassky). Monthsword. T. 1. P. 451; T. 2. P. 77; T. 3. P. 109-110, 511; Duchesne L. Notes sur la topographie de Rome au Moyen-âge // Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire d'École française de Rome. 1890. T. 10. P. 225-250; Plaine F. La vie syriaque de S. Alexis et l "authenticité substantielle de sa vie latine // Revue des questions hist. 1892. T. 51. P. 560-576; Kirsch J.-P. Alexis (1) // DHGE. T. 3. Col. 379-381; Petit L. Bibliographie des acolouthies grecques. Brux., 1926. P. 4-6; Gaiffier B. de. Intactam sponsam relinquens: À propos de la vie de St. Alexis // AnBoll. 1947. T. 65. P. 157-195; Muryanov M. F. Alexey the man of God in the Slavic review of Byzantine culture // TODRL. 1968. T. 23. P. 109-126; Stebbins C. E. Les origines de la légende de Saint Alexis l"homme de Dieu // Revue belge de philologie et d"histoire. 1973. T. 51. P. 497 sv.; Gieysztor A. La légende de S. Alexis en Occident: Un idéal de pauvreté // Études sur l "histoire de la pauvreté / Sous la dir. de M. Mollat. P., 1974. T. 1. P. 125-139; Mohr W Alexius // TRE. Bd. 2. S. 264-266; Drijvers H. Die Legende des heiligen Alexius und der Typos des Gottesmannes im syrischen Christentum // Typos, Symbol, Allegorie bei den östlichen Vätern und ihren Parallelen im Mittelalter. Eichstätt , 1982. S. 187-217; Storey Ch. An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to Alexis Studies (La Vie de Saint Alexis). Genève, 1987; Paykova A. V. Legends and tales in the monuments of Syrian hagiography // PPS. 1990. Issue 30 (93); Bobrov A. G. Life of Alexei God // SKKDR. Issue 1. pp. 129-131; Ivanov S. A. Byzantine foolishness. M., 1994. pp. 44-49; Esbroeck M . van . La Vie de St. Jean le Pauvre ou le Calybite en version géorgienne // OrChr. 1998. Vol. 82. P. 153-183; idem . Le monachisme syriaque // Le monachisme syriaque aux premières siècles de l"Église (2e - début 7e siècle). Liban, 1998. P. 71-80; Benevich G. AND . The Life of St. Alexy, the Man of God (overcoming foreignness in the context of church tradition) // Foreign: experiences of overcoming. M., 1999. P. 95-159; Turilov A. A . The Legend of the Hand of Alexy, the Man of God, in Novgorod // Relics in the Art and Culture of the Eastern Christian World. M., 2000. pp. 171-179.

A. Yu. Nikiforova

Iconography

The earliest supposed image of A. ch. B. was preserved on one of the fragments of a fresco in the crypt of Rome. c. Saints Boniface and A. Ch. B. on the Aventine Hill (8th century). Already in ancient monuments the similarity in appearance of A. Ch. B. and St. is noticeable. John the Baptist: for example, in a miniature in London, the so-called. Feodorovskaya, Psalms, 1066 (Lond. Add. 19 352. Fol. 165r). Rus. Iconographic originals of the 16th-18th centuries. they also note this similarity, describing the saint as follows: “Aki the Forerunner, hands to the heart, robe and green game” (Sofia original. RNL. Sof. No. 1523, 2nd quarter of the 17th century); “in the image, with the braid and hair, like John the Baptist, one wild robe, a beggar’s rags, holding his hands to his heart; in another he writes: in his left hand there is a scroll, and in it is written: “Behold, leave father and mother, wife and family, and friends, villages and estates”” (Filimonov. P. 295); “beard with tufts” (Stroganov original, last third of the 18th century). In "Erminia" by Dionysius Furnoagrafiot, beginning. XVIII century, it is also said that A. ch. B. “is like the Forerunner” (Part 3. § 13. No. 72).

In Minology for February-March (GIM. Sin. gr. No. 183. Fol. 211r, 2nd quarter of the 11th century), performed in K-field, probably for the emperor. Michael IV, the death of A. Part B is represented. The Emperor is depicted at the saint’s bed. Honorius, taking from the hands of A. ch. B. a scroll with his biography, at the head of the head is a priest performing incense, and a saddened youth in the clothes of a courtier, at the feet is the grieving father of the saint. The depicted scene corresponds to the edition of the life included in the K-Polish Synaxarion. This is the only one in Byzantium. art example of a plot composition dedicated to A. ch. B.

Afterwards in handwritten Minologies, individual images of the saint are placed (for example, the Minology created in Thessalonica in 1327-1340 - Okhon. Bodleian. F.1. Fol. 32v; Greek-Georgian manuscript of the 15th century - RNL. O. I. 58. L 104). Similar images are found in cycles of icon minologies (for example, the Facial Minology for the year on 6 icons, the Sinai hexaptych from the Monastery of Catherine the Great on Sinai, late 11th - early 12th centuries), in monumental paintings of the 12th-15th centuries. (for example, the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Gardenitsa in Laconia (Peloponnese), 1st half of the 12th century; the Cathedral in Montreal (Italy), 1180-1190).

In temple paintings, the image of A. ch. B. is usually presented in narthexes in a row of monks, ascetics and ascetics, for example. in c. Ascension in Mileshevsky Monastery (Serbia), 30s. XIII century, - half-length image in the 2nd tier to the south. wall, next to St. John Kushchnik; in c. Our Lady of Studenica Monastery (Serbia), 1208-1209. (updated in 1568), - in growth in the lower zone of the narthex mural (Neman's Priprita); in c. St. Petra near Berende (Bulgaria), XIV century. Often A. ch. B. is depicted in calendar cycles of paintings, which are also located in the narthex, but are also found in the main volume of the temple, for example. c. Assumption of the Treskavac monastery (Macedonia), between 1334 and 1343; c. Simeon the God-Receiver of the Zverin Monastery in Novgorod, con. 60s - early 70s XV century

In Rus', one of the earliest images of A. ch. B. was in the painting of the conch of the altar c. Spasa on Nereditsa near Novgorod (1199), where A. ch. B. and an unknown saint are presented in prayer on the sides of the Edessa image of the Mother of God “Incarnation”; in the frescoes of 1378 by Theophanes the Greek in c. Savior on Ilyin A. Ch. B. is presented in height in the altar room to the east. north-east border pillar; in c. Assumption on Volotovo Field, 80s XIV century, - in the deacon to the east. southeast edge pylon. The saint was depicted in an ocher tunic to the knees, with his arms bare to the elbows in front of his chest or, as in c. Spasa on Ilyin, with his right hand pulled to the side with his palm open upward. In the air “Spas on the ubrus with those coming”, 1389 (State Historical Museum), he is presented among the selected saints, under the Deesis. The saint is depicted waist-deep with his arms spread to the sides. Image of A. ch. B. in the north. The wall opens with a row of 25 saints, depicted semi-figured on the altar barrier (pre-altar wall) of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (painting 1482 or 1514-1515), above the entrance to the Peter and Paul chapel there is an image of the Savior “Good Silence” with his hands crossed on his chest, this gesture repeated in the figure A. ch. B.; next to A. Ch. B. there are images of the monks Parthenius of Lampsaki, John Climacus, John Kushchnik. In the murals of 1547–1551. Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (which preserved the program of the original painting of 1508) life-size image of A. Ch. B. to the north. southeast edge the pillar is also included in a number of images of saints, located on the altar barrier, adjacent sections of the walls and altar pillars; nearby, to the north Vima wall, represented by St. Alexy, Metropolitan Moscow.

In Russian icon paintings, images of A. ch. B. often had a patronal character: in the middle there is a folding of 1491 with the image of the Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother of God (TG) from c. prophet Elijah in Sandyry near Kolomna - half-figures A. ch. B. and mts. Thekles below are in round medallions; on the Deesis icon. XV - beginning XVI century (GRM) from the Guslitsky Monastery in the town of Kurovskoye, Moscow region. (originally located in the Metropolitan Alexy Church in the Moscow Miracle Monastery) A. ch. B. is depicted as the saint of the same name, St. Alexia; on the field of the Novgorod icon “Savior, the Watchful Eye”, 2nd floor. XVI century (Tretyakov Gallery) - among selected saints; on the Rostov-Suzdal icon “The Exaltation of the Cross, the Protection of the Virgin Mary and Selected Saints”, 1565, master D. I. Usov (Tretyakov Gallery). The image of A. ch. B. is especially often found on icons of the middle - 2nd half. XVII century, where the saint - the heavenly patron of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - was depicted with St. Mary of Egypt (the first wife of the Tsar, M.I. Miloslavskaya, was named after her) or with MC. Natalia (heavenly patroness of N.K. Naryshkina - the 2nd wife of the sovereign): icon “Reverend Alexy, Man of God, and Mary of Egypt,” 1648, work by Ya. T. Rudakov (Yakov Kazanets) from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin ( GMMK); “Venerable Mary of Egypt, St. Alexy, man of God, St. Alexy, Metropolitan Moscow, and martyr. Theodore Stratelates, coming to the Trinity of the New Testament", 2nd half. XVII century (SPGIAHMZ); "First Ecumenical Council" 2nd half. XVII century (Tretyakov Gallery) from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (in the fields of A. Ch. B. and MC Natalia). There are also individual images of A. ch. B. against the background of a landscape, for example. on the icon gray XVII century (SPGIAHMZ) from the palace Alekseevskaya church. With. Vozdvizhensky - the monk is presented upright, with his hands folded on his chest; on the icon 2nd floor. XVII century (Tretyakov Gallery) - in prayer to the Savior against the backdrop of Moscow, showing the image of the Third Rome. Icon gray - 2nd half. XVII century (GMMK) from the funerary iconostasis of the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (probably moved after the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from the Annunciation Cathedral): A. ch. B., dressed in an ocher-colored tunic with a picturesque cut of created gold, is facing the right hand blessing him from the cloud Lord's the saint's hands are raised in a gesture of acceptance of grace (the fingers of the right hand are folded in a name). In the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral (opposite the royal prayer place that previously stood at the south-eastern pillar) there is an icon with images of St. John the Baptist and St. Petra, approx. 1683 (GMMK), to the Crimea between 1745 and 1761. image A was added. Part B. (patron of the father of the co-rulers John V and Peter I Alekseevich) and 3 scenes below, including “The Repose of Alexy, the Man of God.”

In zap. in art, scenes from the life of A. ch. B. were mainly depicted: for example, in the painting of the 11th century. in the underground center San Clemente in Rome; in miniatures of manuscripts of the 12th century. (eg, Stuttgarter Passionale. Stuttg. hist. 2° 58. Fol. 12v, ca. 1130), which shows maids pouring dirty water on a saint sitting on a beggar’s bed; The Pope worshiping A. ch. B., reclining on his deathbed. This tradition was continued in stained glass windows and frescoes of the 14th-15th centuries, and in engravings of the 16th-18th centuries.

Iconography: Erminia DF. P. 174; Filimonov G. D. Iconographic original of the Novgorod edition according to the Sophia list of the late 16th century. M., 1873. P. 83; aka. Iconographic original. P. 295; Trenev D. K., Popov N. D. Miniatures of Greek menology No. 183 of the Moscow Synodal Library. M., 1911; Laty š ev. Menol. Fasc. 1. 1911. P. 245-252; Demus O. The Mosaics of Norman Sicily. L., 1949. P. 118; Onasch K. Ikonen. B., 1961. S. 396. abb. 121; Antonova, Mnyova. Catalog. T. 1. pp. 238-239. Cat. No. 273. ill. 208.11; T. 2. pp. 35-36. Cat. No. 380; C. 52. Cat. No. 399; P. 300. Cat. No. 770; Muryanov M. F. On the cultural relations between Rus' and the West in the 12th century. // Ricerche slavist. , 1966. Vol. 14. P. 29-41; aka. Alexey the man of God in the Slavic review of Byzantine culture // TODRL. 1968. T. 23. P. 109-126; Der Nersessian S. L "illustration des psautiers Grecs du Moyen Âge: Londres, Add. 19.352 (fol. 165r) // Biblioth. d. Cah. Arch. P., 1970. Vol. 5. Fasc. 2. fig. 265; Mnyova H. E. Murals of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin in 1508 // DRI. M., 1970. P. 195: table 5:23, 24; Krausen E. // LCI. Bd. 5. Sp. 90-91; Мujoviћ. Menolog 205, 277-279; Der Nersesyan S. Moscow menology // Byzantium. Southern Slavs and Ancient Rus'. Western Europe: Art and Culture: Collection of articles in honor of V. N. Lazarev. M., 1973. P. 105-106; Vzdornov G. I. Frescoes of Theophan the Greek in the Church of the Transfiguration in Novgorod: To the 600th anniversary of the existence of frescoes, 1378-1978. M., 1976. P. 63, 126-127. ill. 72-73; Laurina V. K. Restoration work in the State Russian Museum // PKNO, 1976. M., 1977. pp. 179-180, 182; υ τοῦ Θεολόγου Γαρδενίτσας // Λακονικαὶ Σπουδαί. 1977. Τ. 3. Σ. 64. Fig. 22; Spatharakis J. Corpus of dated illuminated Greek manuscripts to the year 1453. Leiden, 1981. Vol. 1. N 237; Vol. 2. P. 60. Fig. 427-429; Tomekovich S. Les saints eremites et moines dans le décor du nartex de Mileševa // Milesheva and the history of the Srp people: Meђunar. scientific stingy with the occasion of the gray hair and standing for centuries. Juni, 1985. Beograd, 1987. pp. 51-65. Fig. 3, 22; Babiћ G., Kopaћ V., ћirkoviћ S. Studenica. Beograd, 1986. P. 158. Sl. 125; Malkin M. G . Two pictorial ensembles of Dionysius and his successors // DRI. M., 1989. S. 123-131; Kachalova I. I . Monumental painting // Kachalova I. Ya., Mayasova N. A., Shchennikova L. A . Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin: To the 500th anniversary of a unique monument of Russian culture. M., 1990. S. 35-36; Shchennikova L. A . Easel painting // Ibid. P. 49; Markina N. D. A new work by Yakov Kazants from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin // GMMK: Materials and Research. M., 1991. Issue. 8. P. 48-60; Š ev č enko N . P. The Walters" "Imperial Menologion" // J. of the Walters Art Gallery. Baltimore, 1993. Vol. 51. P. 43-64, ill; idem. Imperial Menologion: The Glory of Byzantium: Art and culture of the middle Byzantine era, A. D. 843-1261: Catalog / The Metropolitan Museum of Art. N. Y., 1997. N 56; Tolstaya T. V. Images of saints on the altar barriers of Russian churches of the 15th-16th centuries // Art of Ancient Rus': Problems of iconography. M ., 1994. P. 23-44; Aiuto R. D. Nuovi elementi per la datazione del Menologio Imperiale: i copisti degli esemplari miniati // Atti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Cl. di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche. Rendiconti. Ser. 9. R., 1997. Vol. 8. Fasc. 4. P. 715-747; Markelov. Saints of Ancient Rus'. T. 1. P. 540-541. No. 274. T. 2. P. 312- 313. Ill. 31; Pivovarova N. V. Frescoes of the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa in Novgorod: Iconographic program for painting: candidate thesis. St. Petersburg, 1999. pp. 14-15; aka. To the origins of the ideological plan for painting the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa in Novgorod (1199) // DRI: Rus' and the countries of the Byzantine world, XII century [in print].

T. B. Fat

Euthymian lived in Rome - a very rich and noble man, the first person in the imperial palace. He was fair, merciful and generously rewarded the poor. Every day in his house three tables were set for orphans, widows, strangers and travelers. His wife Aglaya was pious and God-fearing, but they did not have a son due to her infertility. They grieved and were sad, not having an heir. Every day they distributed alms and, through diligent prayers and petitions, asked the Lord to grant them a son-heir.

God, in his goodness, sent them a son, who was named Alexy. In extreme joy, they thanked the Lord and from then on decided to live in purity and holiness, so that both themselves and the son given to them would be pleasing to God. When the boy grew up, he was given to ministers of church sacraments and liberal sciences; by God's grace, he succeeded in all philosophical pursuits, and most of all spiritual ones. After some time, the parents decided to marry their son, a maiden from the imperial family was chosen as the bride, and they were married in the Church of St. Martyr Boniface. The holiday day was spent in fun and joy. In the evening, having come to his wife’s bedchamber, Alexy began to teach his wife and talked to her a lot about the shrine, then he gave her his gold ring and ribbon (the head of the belt with which he girded himself), wrapped it all in an embroidered purple scarf and said: “Take and keep this until the Lord wills, and may the Lord be among us."

Afterwards, he took part of his property and went to the sea, boarded a ship and, with God’s help, reached Laodicea, and from there he headed to Syria, to the city of Edessa, where there was a miraculous image of our Lord Jesus Christ on canvas. Arriving at the place, he distributed everything he had to the poor, and, dressed in wretched clothes, sat down with the poor in the vestibule of the Church of the Holy Mother of God. Every Sunday he received the Holy Mysteries and from the alms that were given to him, he took for himself what he needed, and gave the rest to the poor.

In Rome, after his departure, a thorough search was carried out, and when Alexy was not found, his father sent his servants to all ends of the earth to look for his son. Some of them were also in Edessa, they saw him sitting with other beggars, but, having given him alms, they walked away without recognizing him. Alexy glorified God for this: “Lord, I thank You, who called me and arranged it in such a way that I accept alms from my servants in Your name; I pray, grant the work that You began to be accomplished in me.”

From the day her son disappeared, the mother sat on the floor of her bedroom and wept sorrowfully, saying: “As the Lord lives, I will not leave my place until I find out what has become of my son.” And the bride said to her father-in-law: “I will not leave your house, but I will be like a turtledove, which does not mate with anyone when her husband is captured. This is how I will behave until I find out what happened to my sweetest husband.”

And Alexy, the man of God, stayed in that porch for seventeen years, leading a temperate and holy life. And after this God wished to reveal his feat. One day, the icon of the Holy Mother of God that was there spoke to the church sexton: “Bring the man of God here, he is worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the spirit of God rests on him, and his prayer, like fire, rises to the face of God.” The sexton went out, looked for him and did not find him, returned back and began to pray to God: let him show him this man. And again the same icon said: “The one who sits at the entrance is he.” The delighted sexton came out, saw him and fell at his feet, begging him to go inside the church. After this, everyone learned about him and began to honor him, but the man of God fled from human glory: secretly leaving Edessa, he came to Laodicea and boarded a ship to sail to Tara Calicia, where he thought to live in obscurity at the temple of St. Paul. By God's providence, however, the wind picked up the ship and drove it to the Roman harbor. When Alexy the man of God realized where he had arrived, he said in his heart: “As the Lord lives! I will not be a burden to anyone and I will go straight to my father’s house, because they will not recognize me there.” Having gone ashore, he walked and saw his father coming towards him from the palace and many people following him. And he cried out [to his father]: “Servant of God, look at me and show mercy, for I am poor and a stranger, order to receive me in your house, so that I can eat crumbs from your table, and God will bless your years and have mercy on the one who has you on someone else's side."

Listening to this, the father remembered his son and, moved, called him to him, and said to the servants: “Which of you will take care of this man? As the Lord lives, I will make him free, and from my house he will receive an inheritance.” When the minister was appointed, the father ordered Alexy to be brought and a bed set up for him at the entrance to the house, so that he himself, entering and leaving the house, could see him and that they would give him food from the table and would not oppress him in any way. Alexy continued his ascetic life, without weakening his constant prayers, fasts and vigils. The servants began to mock him, poured slop on his head and insulted him in every possible way. But the man of God endured everything with joy, out of love for the Lord. So he spent another seventeen years unrecognized in his father’s house. When he felt that his life was over, he demanded a paper and a cane from the servant assigned to him and described his life in order - how he abandoned marriage, how he went to wander, how he returned to Rome against his will and how he endured many dishonors in the house my father.

After this, the Lord wished to reveal his feat and greatness, and on Sunday, after a solemn service in the temple, a voice was heard from heaven: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Hearing this voice, everyone was overwhelmed with great fear and, falling on their faces, exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy!” And again the voice said: “Look for the man of God to pray for Rome. After all, at dawn on Friday he will give up the ghost.” And then everyone went and began to look for him, but not finding him, they gathered on Friday in the temple and asked God for mercy - to show them where the man of God was. And they heard a voice: “Look for Euthymian in the house.” They began to say to Euthymian: “You had such grace in your house and did not show it to us?” But he answered this: “As the Lord lives! I don’t know.” And immediately calling the steward of his house, he asked him: “Do you know anyone in my house who has such grace?” He replied that he did not know. Then the emperors Arcadius and Honorius went with Archbishop Innocent to the house of Euthymian and carefully asked about the man of God.

The owner and his servants arrived before them to give orders, and with lamps and censers went out to meet the emperors and the archbishop. At this time, the servant of the man of God approached Euthymius and said: “Look, my lord, is this not the one to whom you assigned me. After all, I saw many of his wondrous deeds: he communed the Holy Mysteries every Sunday, killed himself with fasts and from servants "I accepted yours with joy and endured many dishonors and annoyances." Hearing this, Euthymian ran to him, but found him already dead. Approaching, he opened his face and saw that it was shining like a lamp, like the face of an angel of God, and in his hand he had a small note, which Euthymius wanted to take and could not. Amazed and frightened, he returned to the emperors and said: “We have found the one we were looking for.”

The emperors and the archbishop then went together with Euthymius to the place where Alexius the man of God lay, stood in front of the bed and said: “Although we are sinners, we hold the helm of government. The archbishop is the common father. Give us a charter so that we know that in it's written." Afterwards, the archbishop came up, took the note from his hand and gave it to Etius, the archivist of the Holy Roman Church, to read. And so, in complete silence, it was read in front of everyone.

As soon as he heard the words of the charter, Euthymian fell unconscious, then, getting up, tore his clothes and began to tear his gray hair, pull his beard, scratch himself and, falling, cry out: “Alas for me, Lord my God! Why did you do this to me, why did you grieve my soul so much?” mine, why did you give me sighs and groans for so many years? I was waiting to someday hear Your voice and receive news from You, wherever you were, and now I see you, the guardian of my old age, lying on my bed and silent. Alas for me! What Will I put consolation in my heart?" Then his mother, hearing it, came out... in torn clothes, with loose hair, with her eyes turned to the sky. The crowded people prevented her from approaching the body, and she shouted: “Let me go to the man of God, let me look at the consolation of my soul, let me look at my son!...”. His bride also came running in thin clothes and said with tears: “Alas for me! Today is a sad day for me, today I have become a widow. I have no one to look up to, no one to lift my eyes to. Now my mirror has broken, and my hope has perished. From here begins grief that has no end." The people, seeing this, shed tears.

Then the archbishop and the emperors placed the body on a decorated stretcher and carried it to the center of the city. The people were told that the man of God had been found. And everyone rushed towards the holy body. By touching him, the paralytic were immediately healed, the blind received their sight, demons were cast out...

The emperors, seeing these miracles, themselves undertook to carry the bed together with the archbishop, so that they themselves could be sanctified from this body. They ordered a lot of gold and silver to be scattered through the streets so that the crowd would be seduced by the money and allow it to be carried into the church, but the people neglected the love of money and pressed more and more to touch the sacred body. So, with great difficulty, they brought it to the temple of St. Boniface the Martyr, and for seven days they offered praise to God and made an ark of gold and precious stones. This sacred body was placed in it on the seventeenth day of the month of July.

The Ark began to smell fragrant. Then people joyfully offered up great thanks to God, who deigned to give His people such help, from which every sincerely asking person undoubtedly receives what he asks for.

Saint Alexius, the man of God, reposed on March 30 (17 according to the Old Style) in the year 411. His honorable remains were buried in the Church of St. Boniface on the Aventine Hill in Rome, where Alexy was once married. Subsequently, above the church of St. Boniface built another (more extensive) church of St. Alexia the man of God, into which the relics of both saints of God were transferred in 1216.