The ideal hero warrior, the hero was Ilya Muromets. He, according to legend, was born an ordinary peasant, but then became the defender of the Russian land from enemies. Interestingly, it is mentioned not only in ours, but also in European legends.
According to legend, he was born in the village of Karacharova, near the city of Murom. According to some researchers, his prototype was a real person, but it is not yet known who exactly. There are two versions - this is Elijah Pechersky or Ileiko Muromets.
There are several epic stories dedicated to this national hero. One of the waterfalls on Bear Island was named after him, ships, armored trains, airplanes carried his name, well-known artists painted pictures where he was one of the central characters.
10 interesting facts about Ilya Muromets will help you figure out why this hero was so loved and revered by the people.
10. It was first mentioned in 1574
A famous person was Filon Semenovich Kmita-Chernobyl, who remained in history as the Orsha headman and Smolensk governor. In the period from 1573 to 1574, he corresponded with the King of Poland and the statesmen of the Principality of Lithuania.
30 sheets of this correspondence have been preserved. These are official reports, as well as discussions about the acute social issues of the Commonwealth, etc.
In one of his letters to Ostafy Volovich, he writes about the epic hero Ilya Muravlenin, who, according to him, defended Russian lands. The letter is dated 1574, i.e. it was then that this hero was first mentioned in a written source.
9. Elijah Pechersky - a possible prototype
Many are sure that the image of Ilya Muromets was taken from the monk of the Kiev Pechersky Monastery Elijah Pechersky. He was born in the village of Karacharova, located near Murom, presumably in 1143.
His father was a peasant Ivan, Timofeev's son, and his mother was Euphrosyne, daughter of Jacob Guschina. From early childhood to thirty years, he was paralyzed, but then healed. He had an interesting nickname Chobotok. Once called shoes.
According to legend, the hero was somehow attacked by many enemies. He had no weapons at hand, so he began to defend himself with his boot and was able to defeat everyone. And received after this nickname. He was distinguished by great strength and became famous for his exploits.
There is not much information preserved about this person, because he lived a long time ago, in the XII century, all that came down to us were random snippets from which they are trying to recreate the whole story.
8. Ileiko Muromets - a possible prototype
In the XVII century, Ilya Korovin from Murom was known, who was nicknamed Ileika Muromets. He fled to the Cossacks, and after a while became a member of the robber Cossack detachment.
His ataman Bodyrin decided to make his raids legal, for which he called Ileika the nephew of the king, Peter. According to his legend, Tsar Fedor had not a daughter, but a son, who was replaced in infancy and given up for education. And now he goes to Moscow to help the "uncle."
Few believed that this rude and ill-mannered man was a prince, but he played this role for a long time, until he was executed in 1608.
7. The hero is spoken of in a 13th century Germanic poem
German philologist Karl Mullengof found that Ilya Muromets is also in the medieval literature of his people. In the 1220s - 1230s, the knightly poem Ortnit became famous. It mentions a certain hero, "Ilya Russian».
He was, according to legend, the uncle of the protagonist, King Ortnith. He agrees to accompany him on a difficult trip, but first he asks for permission to visit Russia to see his family and bring 5,000 soldiers with him. He commands the army of the young king.
6. Up to 33 years old was paralyzed (according to epics)
There is an epic about the healing of a hero: until 33 years old, he owned his legs and arms until he was miraculously healed by the magi. They came to the house when there was nobody but the sick person and asked to bring them some water. But the young man replied that he could not do this.
Then they repeated their request, and when he did everything, as they said, they ordered her to drink. After that, Ilya was healed, and also gained incredible strength.
5. The most famous feat - the battle with the Nightingale the Robber
The nightingale the robber was depicted either in the form of a man, or as a mysterious huge creature with bird wings. He had his own tower in which his family lived. He hit his enemies with a terrible whistle.
Ilya Muromets went to Kiev on a direct road, where the Nightingale the robber liked to sit and killed everyone with his whistle. He tried to defeat the hero, but could not, he won.
4. Was a monk
One of the prototypes of Ilya Muromets - Ilya Pechersky, was wounded in the chest in one of the battles at the Polovtsy. The wound was fatal. Elijah, obeying the call of his heart, decided to spend the rest of his days in the monastery, took tonsure. He chose the Kiev-Pechersk Assumption Monastery.
It was so accepted at that time. Many warriors began a spiritual life, performing spiritual feats shortly before their death. He led the holy invisible life of a recluse, and died in peace.
3. Died during the defense of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra
It is believed that Elijah Pechersky could die during the capture of Kiev. In January 1203, Prince Rurik Rostislavich attacked this city. The Polovtsy, who were his allies, defeated the Pechersk Lavra.
According to another version, he himself went as a monk to Theodosiev Monastery after a severe wound, which later became the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Given the fact that there is no life of Elijah, we can say that he did not spend so much there. In the Near Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra you can still visit the relics of St. Elijah.
In 1988, they examined his relics. She found that the legendary Elijah was a tall man - 180 cm, which is very much for the Middle Ages. The cause of death was a blow from a sharp gun, which hit him in the chest, although the hero tried to cover it with his hand (passed through it). Allegedly, he died at the age of 40-55 years.
2. Buried in the Lavra and canonized
The miraculous relics of the saint remain incorrupt, located in the Near Caves (Kiev Pechersk Lavra). A small part of them (the middle finger, which was on the left hand) was transferred to the Transfiguration Monastery, located in Murom.
He was canonized about 500 years after his death, in 1643. Like other Kiev-Pechersk ascetics, he was canonized.
What caused canonization? In the Russian Orthodox Church, this is not a presentation of the award, but simply a statement of fact. If there is evidence that someone has become famous for his holiness, they canonize him. It is believed that if you visit the relics of St. Elijah, you can heal spinal diseases and paralysis.
1. According to ancient legends, associated with thunder and springs
The Slavs had their prophet Elijah, who was considered the lord of thunder, rain, lightning and harvest. They said that he rides across the sky in a chariot, releases lightning and thunders, i.e. he adopted many of the qualities of the pagan god Perun.
The story of Elijah the Prophet echoes the tales of Ilya Muromets, but there are some differences. For example, the fact that he was taken alive to heaven. Often confused these two heroes of folk legends, in fact, Ilya the prophet is a different person who lived in the kingdom of Israel, in the IX century BC. e.