Abstract: The article examines a special genre of sermons that were delivered on the solemn days of honouring the august persons on various occasions. The works of this genre, belonging to St. Theophan the Recluse, their central ideas, images, problems, topical in our time. Particular attention is paid to St. Theophan’s understanding of power, its essence, the foundations of Russian sovereignty, the responsibility of the emperor for the fate of people and the future of the country. The article presents the main threats to the Russian monarchical system, describes the perniciousness of Western influence on the entire life of Russian society. The author shows that the saint was opposed to progress detached from God, spoke positively about state reforms designed to improve social life in the country, but warned about the danger of a false understanding of the freedoms given to human.
References
Zosima (Shevchuk), arkhimandrit. Sviatitel' Feofan Zatvornik na Vladimirskoi zemle [Saint Theophan the Recluse on the Vladimir land]. Feofanovskie chteniia [Theophanov readings]. 2013, Issue VI, pp. 72‒80. (In Russ.)
Zosima (Shevchuk), arkhimandrit. O znachenii lichnosti i trudov sviatitelia Feofana v obshchestvennoi zhizni Vladimirskoi i Suzdal'skoi eparkhii [On the significance of the personality and works of St. Theophan in the public life of the Vladimir and Suzdal dioceses]. Feofanovskie chteniia [Theophanov readings], 2019, Issue XII, pp. 15‒23. (In Russ.)
Smirnov P. A. Preosviashchennyi Feofan, ego podvigi v zatvore i obshchestvenno-istoricheskoe znachenie ikh [His Grace Theophan, his exploits in seclusion and their social and historical significance]. Tambov, 1904, 76 p. (In Russ.)
Shcherbakova M. I. Problemy podgotovki nauchnogo izdaniia epistoliarnykh istochnikov: datirovka, atributsiia, kommentarii [Problems of preparing a scientific publication of epistolary sources: dating, attribution, commenta]. Feofanovskie chteniia [Theophanov readings]. 2018, Issue XI, pp. 100–104. (In Russ.)