War and Peace in Sermons of Stefan Yavorsky

Abstract

The article examines the ideas of the Stefan Yavorsky, church leader of the Petrine era, in the most mythologized period of his life (1707–1712). The study reveals, mainly on the material of the unstudied manuscript preaching heritage, the features of the author's providential interpretation of the Great Northern War as a punishment of society for sins and similar explanations for the lack of peace and victory. Unlike panegyric texts, Yavorsky's accusatory sermons are filled with moral and didactic content. The preacher found numerous examples of violation of Christian commandments in Russia (mainly among the state elite) and called on listeners to eradicate sin, repentance and, in fact, social harmony (peace with neighbor and God). It is demonstrated that the famous sermon of 1712 on the day of St Alexius of Rome which is considered the culmination of Stefan Yavorsky's oppositional moods, mainly contained the ideas he had previously expressed and only summed up the preacher's reflections on ways to improve society. © 2023 Aquilo. All rights reserved.