REALITIES OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY IN SERAPION'S "WORDS"

Abstract

The article examines the teachings ("words") of the ancient Ukrainian preacher and writer of the 13th century, Serapion. Attention is focused on his reflection of the historical, social and religious realities of this tragic century for Russia. In particular, the emphasis is on the fact that Serapion created his "words" when he was performing a missionary task in the north of Russia (Volodymyr-on-Klyazmi, Suzdal). That is why his works reflect the peculiarities of the life of local tribes, the specifics of Christianization in these lands. As a Christian missionary who came to the north of Russia from Kyiv, where he was the archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery, Serapion was struck by the absence of the Orthodox faith here, and the prevalence of immoral and barbaric customs. In his "words" he exposes the customs of the local population, considers them anti-Christian. With his preaching, he not only seeks to spread the Christian faith, but also fights against the beliefs of people who have not yet come to know God. Serapion sees the reason for the "lack of faith" of the local people not in the consequences of the Mongol-Tatar invasion, but in their adherence to old beliefs and a negative attitude towards Christianity. Depicting the customs of the northern tribes, the ancient Ukrainian preacher gave a description of that ethnic group, which later formed a community that called itself "Russians" a century later. In the mentality of ethnic groups living on the northern outskirts of Russia, Serapion saw not just a different morality and other customs, which he perceived as barbaric and cruel, but a real threat to the Slavic part of Russia. The former Kyiv bishop could hardly have predicted that in a few centuries Muscovy, which arose on the basis of the mentioned ethnic groups, would grow stronger and start waging wars with all its neighbors, building an evil empire.