Kitezh-grad is a flooded invisible city of the righteous located, according to legend, at the bottom of Lake Svetloyar, they say sometimes a powerful sound is heard from the depths of the lake, reminiscent of the clear sound of a bell. The lake is located one and a half kilometers from the village. Vladimirskoe Voskresensky district, on the river. Lyunda, within the boundaries of the Nizhegorodskoe Povetluzhie reserve.
This lake is in the form of an ideal oval - the largest (length - 410 m, width - 315 m) and deep (maximum depth - about 36 m) in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Its area is about twelve hectares. The water in Svetloyar is very clean, not overgrown with mud, it can be kept in vessels for years, while maintaining its purity, transparency and taste.
There is still no consensus on how the lake came into being. Someone insists on the glacial origin theory, someone defends the karst hypothesis. There is a version that the lake appeared after a meteorite fell. The word "Svetloyar" itself can be translated as "Bright Lake".
And this city of Big Kitezh has become invisible and is being protected by the hand of God, - so at the end of our century of many rebellious and worthy tears, the Lord covered that city with his hand, it is said in "The Tale and Examination of the Secret City of Kitezh."
It is believed that Kitezh miraculously escaped the conquerors during the Mongol-Tatar invasion of the 13th century: for preparing to besiege the settlement of Batu, the city became invisible and then sank to the bottom of Lake Svetloyar along with all the inhabitants.
The legend is ambiguous. And people interpret it in different ways. Someone claims that Kitezh went under water, someone - that he sank into the ground. There are adherents of the theory that the city was closed from the Tatars by the mountains. Others believe that he ascended into the sky. But the most interesting theory is that Kitezh simply became invisible.
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Struck by the power of the "Russian miracle", the Tatars rushed to run in all directions. But God's wrath overtook them: whom the animals devoured, who got lost in the forest, or simply disappeared without a trace, taken away by a mysterious force.
The city has disappeared. According to legend, he must "manifest" on the day of the Last Judgment. On the day when the dead rise from their graves, Kitezh will rise from the water. But you can see it and even achieve it now. A person in whom there is no sin will discern the reflection of church domes and white stone walls in the waters of Lake Svetloyar.
A very interesting legend, but is it a legend or a real story? Maybe the legendary Kitezh should be looked for not in the lake, but in its surroundings? If you look at satellite images of the area where Lake Svetloyar is located, then just 2600 meters away, in the thicket of the forest, on a hill, you can see the remains of a large city. Walls, streets, ditches … The length of this city is 420 meters, the very 200 fathoms which are mentioned in the annals. Width 280 meters. You can see for yourself this place in Google Earth at the coordinates: 56 ° 47'45.88 "N 45 ° 4'10.58" E
Here is what is written in the ancient chronicle source "The Legend of Kitezh-Grad":
At the request of its inhabitants, the faithful prince Georgy Vsevolodovich ordered to build on the shore of the lake of that Svetloyar a city named Big Kitezh, for that place was unusually beautiful, and on the other side of the lake there was an oak grove.
And with the advice and command of the Blessed and Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, they began to dig ditches to strengthen this place. And they began to build a church in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord, and the second church in the name of the Dormition of the Most Holy Lady of our Mother of God and the ever-virgin Mary, and the third church in the name of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary. In the same churches, Prince George ordered to make side-altars in honor of other feasts of the Lord and theotokos. Likewise, he ordered to write the images of all the saints.
And that city, Big Kitezh, was a hundred fathoms long and wide, and this first measure was small. And the blessed Prince George ordered to add another hundred fathoms in length, and the measure of that city became two hundred fathoms in length, and a hundred fathoms in width. And they began to build that stone city in the year 6673 (1165), the month of May on the first day, in memory of the holy prophet Jeremiah and others like him. And that city was being built for three years, and it was built in the year 6676 (1167), the month of September on the thirtieth day, in memory of the holy martyr Gregory, Bishop of Great Armenia.
"The book called the chronicler was written in the year 6646 (1237) September on the fifth day"
There was this holy noble and great prince George Vsevolodovich, the son of the holy noble and great prince Vsevolod, the wonderworker of Pskov, who was named Gabriel in holy baptism. This holy noble and great prince Vsevolod was the son of the great prince Mstislav, the grandson of the holy and equal to the apostles great prince Vladimir of Kiev, the autocrat of the Russian land. The Holy Noble and Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich is the great-grandson of the Holy Noble and Grand Duke Vladimir.
And the holy noble Prince Vsevolod first reigned in Veliky Novgorod. But at one time the Novgorodians murmured against him and decided among themselves: our prince, unbaptized, owns us, baptized. And they made a council, and they came to it, and drove it out. He came to Kiev to his uncle Yaropolk and told him everything for which he was expelled by the Novgorodians. And he, having learned about this, gave him the possession of Vyshgorod. And here the Pskovians already begged him to reign with them, and he came to them in the city of Pskov. And for some time he perceived the grace of holy baptism, and was named in holy baptism Gabriel. And he remained in great burnishing and abstinence, and after one year he departed into eternal rest, 6671 (1163), the month of February on the eleventh day. And he was buried by his faithful son and Grand Duke George. And there were many miracles from his holy relics for the glory and praise of Christ our God,and all the saints. Amen.
This holy noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, upon the repose of his father, prince Vsevolod, named in holy baptism Gabriel, remained in his place at the prayer of the Pskovites. It was in 6671 (1163). The holy right-believing and grand duke Georgy Vsevolodovich deigned to go to the blessed prince Mikhail of Chernigov. And when the right-believing and grand duke George came to the right-believing prince Mikhail, he bowed to the right-believing prince Mikhail and said to him: “Be good, oh, the right-believing and great prince Mikhail, for many years, shining with piety and faith in Christ, in everything he became like our great-grandfathers and great-grandmother our, the faithful Grand Duchess, Christ-loving Olga, who has acquired the most precious and great treasure - Christ and the faith of his holy prophets and apostles and holy fathers,and to the faithful Christ-loving king and equal to the apostles great-grandfather, our Tsar Constantine. " And the blessed prince Mikhail said to him: “Be healthy too, oh blessed and grand duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, came to me with good advice and an unenviable eye. After all, what did Svyatopolk gain because of envy of our grandfathers, who desired power and killed his brothers, the faithful and great princes! He commanded to pierce Boris with a spear, and to slay Gleb with a knife, in the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, did not become opposed to their brother, their enemy. The Lord, however, glorified his holy saints, noble princes and great miracle workers Boris and Gleb. "oh noble and grand duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, came to me with good advice and an unenviable eye. After all, what did Svyatopolk gain because of envy of our grandfathers, who desired power and killed his brothers, the faithful and great princes! He commanded to pierce Boris with a spear, and to slay Gleb with a knife, in the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, did not become opposed to their brother, their enemy. The Lord, however, glorified his holy saints, noble princes and great miracle workers Boris and Gleb. "oh noble and grand duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, came to me with good advice and an unenviable eye. After all, what did Svyatopolk gain because of envy of our grandfathers, who desired power and killed his brothers, the faithful and great princes! He commanded to pierce Boris with a spear, and to slay Gleb with a knife, in the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, did not become opposed to their brother, their enemy. The Lord, however, glorified his holy saints, noble princes and great miracle workers Boris and Gleb. "Kill Gleb with a knife, in the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, did not become opposed to their brother, their enemy. The Lord, however, glorified his holy saints, noble princes and great miracle workers Boris and Gleb. "Kill Gleb with a knife, in the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, did not become opposed to their brother, their enemy. The Lord, however, glorified his holy saints, noble princes and great miracle workers Boris and Gleb."
And Prince George and Prince Michael gave each other a kiss, and celebrated spiritually, and rejoiced; and the noble and grand duke George said to the noble prince Mikhail: "Give me a letter, in our Rus, along the fortified places of the church of God, to build and cities." And the noble and Grand Duke Michael said to him: “As you like, build up God's churches for the glory and praise of the holy name of God. For such a good intention of yours you will receive a reward on the day of the coming of Christ."
And they feasted for many days. And when the right-believing prince George decided to return to his inheritance, then the right-believing prince Mikhail ordered the letter to be written and put his hand to the letter. And when the faithful prince George went to his homeland and the city, then the faithful prince Mikhail with great honor let him go and saw him off. And when both princes were already on the way and bowed to each other goodbye, then the faithful Prince Michael gave a letter. The faithful prince George took the letter from the faithful prince Michael and bowed to him, and then he answered him.
And Prince George went through the cities, and when he arrived in Novgorod, he ordered to build a church in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and the ever-virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164). From Novgorod he went to Pskov, his city, where his father, the faithful prince Vsevolod, reposed, and in holy baptism Gabriel, the miracle worker of Novgorod and Pskov. And he went from Pskov-grad to Moscow, and ordered to build a church in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of our Mother of God. and the ever-virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164). And he went from Moscow to Pereslavl-Zalessky, and from Pereslavl-grad to Rostov-grad. At the same time, the Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky was in the city of Rostov. And the blessed prince George ordered to build a church in the city of Rostov in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and the ever-virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164), the month of May on the twenty-third day. In the days of Grand Duke George, ditches began to be dug under the foundation of the church and the buried relics of St. Leonty of Christ, Bishop of Rostov, the miracle worker, who converted people in Rostov City to the faith of Christ and baptized them from small to large, were found. And the blessed Prince George rejoiced with great joy, and glorified God, who had given him such a valuable treasure, and sang a prayer service. And he ordered Andrew, Prince of Bogolyubsky, to go to the city of Murom and build a church in the city of Murom in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and the ever-virgin Mary.who gave him such a valuable treasure, and a prayer service was sung. And he ordered Andrew, Prince of Bogolyubsky, to go to the city of Murom and build a church in the city of Murom in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and the ever-virgin Mary.who gave him such a valuable treasure, and a prayer service was sung. And he ordered Andrew, Prince of Bogolyubsky, to go to the city of Murom and build a church in the city of Murom in the name of the Assumption of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and the ever-virgin Mary.
The noble and grand duke himself went from the city of Rostov and arrived in the city of Yaroslavl, which stands on the banks of the Volga River. And he sat down in a plow, and drove down the Volga, and landed on the shore near Small Kitezh, which stands on the banks of the Volga, and rebuilt it, and all the people of the city began to pray to that noble Prince George that the image of the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Fedorovskaya was transferred to the city to them. He fulfilled the request. They began to sing a moleben to the Most Holy Theotokos. And when they finished and wanted to carry that image to the city, the image did not leave its place, did not move at all. The noble prince George, seeing the will of the Most Holy Theotokos, who chose a place for herself here, ordered to build a monastery in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos Fedorovskaya on that place.
The most faithful prince George himself went from that place by dry road, and not by water. And he crossed the Uzolu river, and the second river, named Sandu, and the third river, named Sanogtu, and the fourth he moved, named Kerzhenets, and came to the lake, named Svetloyar. And I saw that place, unusually beautiful and crowded; and at the request of its inhabitants, the noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich ordered to build on the shore of the lake of that Svetloyar a city named Big Kitezh, for that place was unusually beautiful, and on the other side of that lake there was an oak grove.
And with the advice and command of the Blessed and Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, they began to dig ditches to strengthen this place. And they began to build a church in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord, and the second church in the name of the Dormition of the Most Holy Lady of our Mother of God and the ever-virgin Mary, and the third church in the name of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Lady of Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary. In the same churches, Prince George ordered to make side-altars in honor of other feasts of the Lord and theotokos. Likewise, he ordered to write the images of all the saints.
And that city, Big Kitezh, was a hundred fathoms long and wide, and this first measure was small. And the blessed Prince George ordered to add another hundred fathoms in length, and the measure of that city became two hundred fathoms in length, and a hundred fathoms in width. And they began to build that stone city in the year 6673 (1165), the month of May on the first day, in memory of the holy prophet Jeremiah and others like him. And that city was being built for three years, and it was built in the year 6676 (1167), the month of September on the thirtieth day, in memory of the holy martyr Gregory, Bishop of Great Armenia.
And went to Small Kitezh, which is on the banks of the Volga, the faithful Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich. And after the construction of the cities of those, Small and Large, he commanded to measure in the fields, how much distance they have between themselves. And at the behest of the faithful Prince George, they measured one hundred fields. And the noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, having learned this, gave glory to God and the Most Holy Theotokos and also ordered the chronicler to write the book. And the faithful and Grand Duke George himself ordered the entire service to be served. And having sung a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos Fedorovskaya, after completing that service, he sailed in his plow on his way to the aforementioned city of Pskov. The people saw him off with great honor; and, saying goodbye to him, they let him go.
But the blessed prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, having arrived in his city, formerly called Pskov, spent many days in prayer, and in fasting, and in vigil, and gave a lot of alms to the poor, and to widows, and orphans. And after the construction of those cities he lived seventy-five years.
It was in the year 6747 (1239). By the allowance of God, for our sins, the wicked and godless Tsar Batu came to Russia in war. And he ravaged cities, and burned them with fire, and he also ravaged the churches of God, and burned them with fire. He betrayed people to the sword, but he stabbed little children with a knife, and defiled young virgins with fornication. And there was a great cry.
But the faithful Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, hearing about all this, wept bitterly. And, having prayed to the Lord and the blessed mother of God, he gathered his army, and went against the wicked king Batu with his soldiers. And when both armies entered the battle, there was a great slaughter and bloodshed. At that time, the faithful prince George had few soldiers, and the faithful prince George ran from the wicked king Batu down the Volga to Small Kitezh. And for a long time the faithful prince George fought with the wicked king Batu, not letting him into his city.
When night fell, then the faithful Prince George went secretly from this city to the Great City of Kitezh. The next morning, when that wicked king woke up, he attacked the city with his soldiers and captured it. And he beat and chopped all the people in this city. And, not finding the faithful prince in that city, he began to torture one of the inhabitants, and he, unable to endure the torment, opened the way for him. The same wicked chased after the prince. And when he came to the city, he attacked it with many of his soldiers and took the city of Big Kitezh, which is on the shore of Lake Svetloyara, and killed the faithful Prince George, the month of February on the fourth day. And that wicked king Batu left the city. And after him they took the relics of the right-believing prince Georgy Vsevolodovich. And after that devastation, the cities were desolate, Small Kitezh, which is on the banks of the Volga, and Big, which is on the shore of Lake Svetloyara.
And Big Kitezh will be invisible until the coming of Christ, which also happened in former times, as the lives of the holy fathers testify, the patericon of Monasia, and the patericon of Skete, and the patericon of the alphabet, and the patericon of Jerusalem, and the patericon of the Holy Mountain, and these holy books, in which the lives of the holy fathers are written, we agree that the hidden abode is not one, but there are many monasteries, and in those monasteries there are many many holy fathers, like the stars of heaven who shone with their lives. As the sand of the sea is impossible to disappear, it is impossible to describe everything. It is about them, foreshadowing in the holy spirit, that the blessed prophet David the king, astonished, cries out in the holy spirit, in the inspired book of his Psalter says: “The righteous, like a palm tree, blooms and, like a Lebanese cedar, rises; planted in the house of the Lord, they bloom in the courtyards of our God. " And also the same prophet King David:“Exalted to me are your thoughts, O God, how great is their number; if I begin to count them, they are more numerous than the sand. " About them, having foreseen with the holy spirit, the blessed apostle Paul in his epistle speaks, foresight; This word addresses us: "They wandered in sheepskin and goat skins, enduring hardships, sorrows, anger, those that the whole world was not worthy of." Saint John Chrysostom spoke the same word; in his teaching he speaks in the third week of fasting. The same word is addressed to us, foreseeing, by St. Anastasius from Mount Sinai. The same apostolic word turns to us, foresight, and our venerable father Hilarion the Great, about the saints, he writes: “And it will be the same in the last times: there will be hidden cities and monasteries, because the Antichrist will begin to reign in peace, Then they will run to the mountains, and in nativity scenes, and in earthly abysses. " And the benevolent God will not leave then who wants to be saved. Through diligence, and tenderness, and tears, a person receives everything from God. The divine lips announced the Savior himself in the Holy Gospel that "everything who has and wants to be saved will be given."
And after the murder of the saint and noble and Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich, and after the burial of his honest relics, in the sixth year, that Tsar Batu came to fight in the Russian kingdom. The faithful prince Mikhail of Chernigov with his boyar Theodore went against Batu Tsar. And when both armies fought, there was a great bloodshed. And that wicked Tsar Batu killed the faithful and Grand Duke Mikhail of Chernigov with the boyar Theodor in the year 6750 (1241), the month of September on the twentieth day. And after the murder of the right-believing prince Mikhail of Chernigov, two years later, that wicked king Batu killed the right-believing prince Mercury of Smolensk in the year 6755 (1246), the month of November on the twenty-fourth day. And there was a desolation of the Moscow kingdom, and other monasteries, and that city of Big Kitezh in the year 6756 (1248).
"The Tale and Punishment of the Secret City of Kitezh"
If a person promises to truly go into him, and not falsely, and from his zeal he will begin to fast, and shed many tears, and go into him, and it is better to die by starvation, and not leave him, and endure many other sorrows and even death die, know that such a god will save, that every step of his will be known and recorded by an angel. For he went on the path of salvation, as evidenced by books such as the Patericon of Skete. There was a certain father, and he converted a harlot from fornication. The harlot went with him to the monastery. And she came to the gates of that monastery and died. And she was saved. And the other also went into the wilderness with her father and died. And the angels took her soul, and took her up the stairs to heaven.
The same with that person. If he happens to die, he will judge according to the divine Scripture. For that one who flees is spiritually similar to one who escapes from the Babylonian harlot, the dark and full of filth of this world, about which St. John the Theologian wrote in his Book of Revelation. He speaks of the end times as of a wife sitting on a beast with a seven-headed head, naked and shameless. In her hands, she holds a cup full of all filth and stench, and gives it to those who live and love it in the world, first of all to patriarchs, kings, and princes, and governors, and to all rich rulers, and to all people in this world. vain, loving its sweetness.
The one who wants and wishes to be saved should flee from the world and its sweetness. As the same John said, foreseeing with the holy spirit: "The wife will run into the wilderness, and the serpent will chase her trail, the one that perverts from the right path who wants to live humbly and spiritually." And that accursed serpent teaches to walk a wide and long way, the path of wickedness, and misleads from the right path, and seduces, and orders to live a corrupted life, and frightens those who walk along the right path.
But the one who wants, and seeks, and desires salvation, that person is most enlightened by the grace of God, and helps him, and teaches, and leads him to a perfect spiritual, humble life. For no one has ever been abandoned by the Lord anywhere. Whenever he called, he was heard. And when he asks, will not it please them? And what will he not ask for, will he not find from him? For the Lord accepts everyone who comes to him, with joy and calls everyone. After all, usually even the forces in heaven do not see the face of God. And when a sinner on earth repents, then all heavenly powers clearly see the face of Christ, and the glory of his deity is revealed, and his face is seen. For one for the sake of a sinful soul that repents, joy is in heaven to all the powers of heaven and to all his saints. And the powers are angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, beginnings, and power, and dominion. And the saints are who: prophets, and apostles, and saints,and saints, and the righteous, martyrs, and martyrs, and other saints. For the sake of the only sinner of repentance, there is joy to all the powers of heaven and to all his saints.
And not wanting, not striving, not wanting to receive salvation for himself, the Lord does not compel by need and bondage. But by zeal and by the will of the heart, God does everything to man. When someone with an unfeigned mind and unshakable faith makes a vow and will not think of anything vain in himself, then even if he returns back without telling either his father, mother, sisters, or brothers, then the Lord opens the way and directs him into such a blessed and quiet haven through the prayers of our reverend fathers that they work day and night incessantly. The prayer of their lips is like a fragrant censer. They also pray for those who want to be saved with a sincere heart, and not with a false vow. And if anyone wants to be saved and prays, whoever turns to them, such is accepted with joy as being instructed by God.
And anyone who wants to go to such a holy place has no intention of having a wicked and depraved one that confuses the mind and leads to the side of the thoughts of the person who wants to go. Keep a close watch on the thoughts of the wicked, striving to separate them from the place. And do not think about this and that. The Lord will direct such a person to the path of salvation. Or a notification will come to him from the city of this or from the monastery that both the city and the monastery are hidden. There is also a chronicler-book about the monastery. I will return to the first word.
If he goes, and begins to doubt, and praise everywhere, then the Lord will close the city to such. And he will seem to him a forest or an empty place. And he will not receive anything like that, but only his labor will be in vain. And temptation, and reproach, and reproach to him will be for this from God. The execution will take place here and in the next century, condemnation and pitch darkness for the fact that such a holy place was outraged, over a miracle that appeared at the end of our century: the city became invisible, just as in former times there were many monasteries that became invisible, about this was written in the lives of the holy fathers, you can read it in more detail.
And this city of Big Kitezh has become invisible and is being guarded by the hand of God, - so at the end of our century of many rebellions and worthy tears the Lord covered that city with his hand. And he became invisible through the prayers and requests of those who worthily and righteously fall to him, who will not see the sorrow and sorrow from the beast-antichrist. Only day and night grieve about us, about our retreat, our entire state of Moscow, because the Antichrist reigns in it and all his commandments are bad and unclean.
The fathers tell about the desolation of the city, and they heard from the former fathers who lived after the destruction of the city and a hundred years after the impious and godless Tsar Batu. For he ruined all that Zauzol land and burned villages and villages with fire. And the whole Zauzol country was overgrown with forest. And from that time that city and the monastery became invisible.
We wrote this book-chronicler in the year 6759 (1251), and approved it by the council, and handed over to the holy church of God for strengthening to all Orthodox Christians who want to read or listen to, and not blaspheme this divine scripture. If any person outrages or laughs at this, approved by us, scripture, let him know that he did not blaspheme us, but God and his most pure mother, our mistress of the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary. In whom she is glorified, and glorified, and remembered her great name, the mother of God, those she also observes, and keeps, and covers with her hand, bringing prayer for them to her son: “Do not leave in my contempt, dear son, petitions. You, who washed the whole world with your blood, have mercy on these people, and preserve and observe those who call on my name with unquestionable faith and a pure heart. And therefore the Lord covered them with his hand, which we both wrote and confirmed,and notified.
And to this our decree neither add nor subtract nor change in any way, not a single dot or comma. If someone adds or changes in any way, let it be, according to the holy fathers legend, cursed, according to legend who informed and approved this. If anyone thinks this is unfaithful, then read the previous holy lives and see that there was a lot in the old days of this. Glory in the Trinity to the glorified God and his most pure Mother of God, who observes and keeps the place, and to all the saints. Amen.