BeautyandtheMilitarySaint:TheCaseofAlexanderNevsky

SergeiA.Holodny1
Itisashardandsevereathingtobeatruepoliticianastobe
trulymoral.
FrancisBacon
Inthecurrentlypoliticalclimate,leadersareoften
thoughtofasbeingwithoutmoralprinciples,whosedecisions
stemfromthelatestpollsandimagemakers.2Asidefromthe
compromiseofethicalprinciplesandtheubiquityofpersonal
moralfailings,theroleofapoliticianisinevitablyfraughtwith
difficultdecisions,includingsendingsoldierstotheirdeaths
duringwartime.3,4,5,6Theprinciplesthatguidepoliticalleaders
oftenappeartobepragmatismandselfinterestratherthanthe
goodofthosewhotheyprofesstogovern.Suchacultureseems
incompatiblewithChristianideals.
Specifically,theChristianidealofBeauty,which
accordingtoDostoyevskysPrinceMyshkinwillsavethe
world,seemsalmostaxiomaticallyirresolublewiththe
standard,currentviewofapoliticalormilitaryleader.Images
associatedwithshrewdpoliticalmaneuveringormodern(andfor
thatmattermedieval)warfareappeardiametricallyopposedto
internalandexternalgrace,calmandbeautydepictedin
Orthodoxiconsandhymnography.Incontrasttothe
professionofamonkoraphysician,whichseemmore
compatiblewithsaintliness,thejobofbeingapoliticalor
militaryleaderbyitsverynaturedemandscompromise.
1

IwouldliketothankProfessorVeraShevzovforhervaluableassistanceand
guidanceinthepreparationofthisessay.Iwouldalsoliketothank
ArchimandriteCyrilHovorunandEugeniaTemidisfortheirhelpinidentifying
sources,MaestroPeterFekula,ProfessorPeterBouteneffandElizabeth
Ledkovskyforhelpwithliturgicalquestionsandtranslations,ElenaHolodny
foreditorialassistanceandProfessorAndreiHolodnyforhisideas.
2
BalzD,JohnsonH.TheBattleforAmerica.Viking.NewYork.2008.
3

McGreeveyJ.TheConfession.HarperCollins.NewYork.2006.

ElkindP.Client9:TheRiseandFallofEliotSpitzer.Penguin.NewYork.
2010.
5

LiftonRJ.TheAtomicbomb:voicesfromHiroshimaandNagasaki.M.E.
Sharpe.Armonk,NY.1990.
6

HerringGC.LBJandVietNam.UniversityofTexasPress.Austin,TX.1994.

Orthodoxhagiography,however,isfilledwithexamples
ofmilitaryandpoliticalleaderswho,intheOrthodox
understanding,successfullycombinedcareersasstatesmenand
militaryleaderswithsaintlylives.Thispaperfocusesonthe
thirteenthcenturysaint,AlexanderNevsky,whowasableto
governhiscountrysuccessfullyindifficulthistorical
circumstancesandyet,accordingtotheOrthodoxChurch,was
abletoremaintruetotheChristianideal.IntheOrthodoxview,
SaintAlexanderwasabletoresolvetheinherenttensionbetween
thedemandsofhispoliticalandmilitaryresponsibilitiesandthe
requirementsofasaintlylife,includingasenseofbothinnerand
outerbeauty.
Orthodoxiconographyandhymnographyappeartobe
ideallysuitedtodepicttheresolutionofthistension.Aniconor
hymn,ontheonehanddepictsactualhistoricaleventsfromthe
livesofthesaint;yet,iconsandhymnsasworksofart,are
inherentlyobjectsofbeautybytheirverynature.Inaddition,
iconsorhymnsideallydepictnotonlytheouterorphysical
circumstancesofanindividualsexistencebutalsotheinner
conflictswhichpervadedthelifeofthesaintandhis(orher)
victoryinthisspiritualstruggle.7Thispaperwillexaminehow
theharmonioussolutiontotheapparenttensionofapoliticaland
militarycareerandasaintlylifeisdepictediconographicallyand
hymnographicallyinthefigureofAlexanderNevsky,
consideringinparticulartheseeminglyirreconcilableconcepts
ofbeautyandpolitical/militaryprowess.
Historicalbackground
AlexanderYaroslavovichNevskylivedinatimeofgreat
perilforRussiaaswellasforOrthodoxyingeneral.Hewasborn
inPereslavlZalesskyin1220,sixteenyearsafterthegreatsack
ofConstantinoplebytheLatinCrusadersin1204.Hediedin
1263,twoyearsaftertherecaptureofthecapitalofthe
ByzantineEmpirebyMichaelVIIIPalaeologous.
In1236,attheageof16,Alexanderbecametheprince
ofNovgorod.Duringthefirstfewyearsofhistenure,Russian
landwasdevastatedandsubjugatedbytheMongolsunderthe
leadershipofKhanBatu,thegrandsonofGenghisKhan.In1237
and1238,KhanBatucapturedanddestroyedessentiallyallof
7

LosskyV,OuspenskyL.TheMeaningofIcons.St.VladimirsSeminary
Press.Crestwood,NY.1999.

themajorcentersofnorthernRus,includingVladimir.By1240,
KhanBatuannihilatedKievandthesouthernpartofRus.
DuringBatuscampaign,Novgorodwassparedprobably
becauseitssurroundingterrainwasinhospitabletotheMongol
cavalry.
SensingtheweaknessoftheRussianland,Swedesand
GermansattackedNovgorodandPskovfromtheWest.In1240,
AlexanderNevskyandhisnumericallyinferiorforces
decisivelydefeatedtheSwedisharmyontheNevaRiver.For
thisvictory,AlexanderwasgiventhetitleNevsky.In1242
NevskydefeatedtheLivonianKnightsonLakeLadoga.
AlexanderNevskyresistedtheeffortsoftheCatholic
ChurchandotherpoliticalforcesintheWesttoformanalliance
againsttheMongolsandinsteadchosetobecomeavassalofthe
Mongoloverlords.Hispolicyofappeasementoftheconquerors
fromtheEast,includingthecollectionoftaxesfromhisown
peopleandthesuppressionofantiMongoluprisings(for
exampletheNovgoroduprisingof1259)whileavoidinginternal
warswassuccessfulingainingarespitefromdevastating
Mongolianforays.8Hissuccessinthisdiplomaticendeavor,
whichearnedhimtheeternalloveofhispeople,ishighlighted
bythesubsequentfailureofensuingrulerstoachievetheseaims.
9
Forexample,AlexanderNevskystwosons,Dimitriand
Andrei,foughtendlesswarsagainsteachotheronRussian
territory.Inthisstruggle,eachofthecombatantsbrought
Mongolarmiestodevastatenotonlyeachotherbutalsothe
Russianlanditself.10Thechroniclersdepictedthestarkcontrast
betweentheruleofAlexanderNevskyandthatofhischildren.
ThewordsofMetropolitanArchbishopCyrilpronouncedat
AlexanderNevsky'sfuneralprovedprophetic:'Mychildren,
youshouldknowthatthesunoftheSuzdalianlandhasset.
TherewillneverbeanotherprincelikehimintheSuzdalian
land.'Andthepriestsanddeaconsandmonks,thepoorandthe

FirstNovogorodianChronicle.Synodaldocument.1368.(asreferencedin
Schenk.AleksanrdNevskyp68and82).
9

AlexanderNevskywasdeclaredthemainheroofRussiashistorybypopular
vote.Kommersant24September2008.
10

KaramzinNM.HistoryoftheRussianState(IstoriaGosudarstva
Rossiakago)bookI,tomeIV,chaptersVandVI,pp81103,Moscow184244,
reprintedKhigaMoscow1989.

wealthy,andallthepeoplesaid:'Itisourend."11Alexander
Nevskywasconsideredalocalsaintimmediatelyafterhis
untimelydeath.12,13TheRussianOrthodoxChurchofficially
canonizedhimin1547.
TheHagiographicLifeofAlexanderNevsky
MuchofwhatweknowaboutSt.AlexanderNevskyis
fromamanuscriptentitledTaleoftheLifeandCourageofthe
PiousandGreatPrinceAlexander(Nevsky),whichwaswritten
soonafterhisdeath(henceforthreferredtoastheLife). 14
Whenreadingthischronicle,oneisstruckbythecombinationof
detaileddescriptionsofthebattlescenesandofextensivequotes
andallusionstoreligioustextsandancient,secularhistory.
Zenkovskyunderstoodthistomeanthatthechroniclehadat
leasttwodifferentauthorsanexperiencedwarrioranda
learnedchurchman.15,16However,thedichotomybetweenthe
militaryandpoliticalworldandthereligious/ethicalandesthetic
mindsetassumedbyZenkovskyisanartificialconstructofthe
modernmindanddidnotexistinthemedievalworld.Incontrast
toperhapscontemporaryexpectations,militaryandpolitical
leadersatthattimewereexpectedtobepiousandgodly.
CurrentscholarshiprejectstheopinionsofZenkovsky
andSerebryankyandacknowledgesthesymbioticrelationship
betweenmilitary/politicalandthereligious/estheticinmedieval
personagessuchasAlexanderNevsky.Contemporary
researchershaveemphasizedthatthestylisticmeldingofthe
strictlyfactualhistoricalnarrativewiththespiritualdimensionis
11

Begunov,K.(translator)SecondPskovianChronicle.Isbornik.Moscow,
1955.
12

Karamzin.HistoryoftheRussianStatebookI,tomeIV,chaptersVandVI,
p58.
13

SchenkFB.AleksanrdNevskyinRussianCulturalReminiscence:saint,
statesmanandnationalhero.NovoyeLiteraturnoyeObozreniyeMoscow
2007(translatedfromtheoriginalGerman)p58.
14

ZenkovskySA(editorandtranslator).MedievalRussiansEpics,
Chronicles,andTales.Meridian.NewYork.1963.pp224236.Zenkovsky
usestheversionfromtheSecondPskovianChronicle,publishedinPskovskie
Letopisi,volIIMoscow.1955,pp1116.
15

SerebryankyN.ThelivesofoldRussianprinces.Proceedingsofthe
ImperialHistoricalandArcheologicalSociety.St.Petersburg1915,tome245,
book3,p151.(asreferencedinSchenkAleksanrdNevsky.p79).
16

SchenkAleksanrdNevskyp60.

anessentialcharacteristicofthehagiographyoftheperiod.
17,18,19,20,21
Indeed,thehistorian,WernerPhilippgoesasfarasto
maintainthattheauthoroftheLife,indepictingthedeedsof
AlexanderNevsky,actuallycreatedanewtypeofsaint. 22As
opposedtothe"Lives"ofpriorRussianprincelysaints(suchas
BorisandGlebandIgororMichaelofChernigov),the"Life"of
AlexanderNevskydoesnotdescribemartyrdomfortheChristian
faithorforavertingafratricidalwar.Rather,theLifeservesto
canonizethegodlikeruleoftheprince,and,inthisway,the
successfulresolutionofeveryday,earthconcernswithpious
responsibility.23AlexanderNevskyachievessainthoodthrough
hisdeedsforthegoodofsociety(obschedstvennoyesluzheniye).
Phillipsawthesacredandthepoliticalasindissolubly
intertwinedinthefigureofAlexanderNevsky. 24
Thelinkingofthespiritualandthetemporalis
emphasizedintheLifethroughamiraculousvisionoftwo
RussiansaintsBorisandGleb,whowerewitnessedtobe
hasteningtotheaidofourrelativeAlexanderpriortothe
battleagainsttheSwedes.25Why,however,wasitthesaints
BorisandGlebwhoweredepictedinthevision?Theirmilitary
achievementswererathermodestduringtheirownlifetimes.The
answercanbegleanedfromatextualanalysisoftheoriginal
LifeofAlexanderNevsky.PriortohisbattlewiththeSwedes,
Alexanderwascautionedbyadvisorsagainstimmediately
attackingtheinvaders,sincetheenemywasnumericallysuperior
17

SchenkAleksanrdNevskyp60.

18

OkhotnoikovaVI.ChronicleontheLifeofAlexanderNevsky(Povesto
ZhitiiAleksandraNevskago).p354355(asreferencedinSchenkAleksanrd
Nevskyp789).
19

PhilippW.Verhaltnis.p10(asreferencedinSchenkAleksanrdNevskyp
79).
20

LilienfeldF.DasherzzumVerstandneigen.AltrussischeHeiligedes
Beginns.Freiburg,1989.p9.
21

Begunov.DieVitadesFuerstenAleksandrNevskijinderNovgoroder
Literatur.p9395.(asreferencedinSchenkAleksanrdNevskyp79).
22

PhilippW.HeiligkeitundHerrschaft.p66(asreferencedinSchenk
AleksanrdNevskyp81).
23

Phillip.HeiligkeitundHerrschaft.p67.

24

Schenk.AleksanrdNevsky.p634.

25

ZenkovskySA.MedievalRussiansEpics.p228.SeealsoKaramzinNM.
HistoryoftheRussianStatebookI,tomeIV,chaptersI,p18.

totheforcesofAlexandersNovgorodians.Accordingtothe
Life,AlexanderNevskyreplied,Godisnotinstrengthbutin
truth(NevsileBogavpravde).Hence,beingonthesideof
truthwasmoreimportantthanatacticalmilitaryadvantage.
Aninterestingcontrastisthemostfamousphrasesaidby
AlexanderNevskyinthe1938filmofthesamenamebySergei
EisensteinatStalinscommission.26InEisenstein's
interpretationofhislife,AlexanderNevskystatesWhocomes
touswiththesword,shalldiebythesword(ktoknamsmechom
pridet,otmechaipogibnet).Thesewords,howeverdistortthe
followingverseintheGospel:Thencamethey,andlaidhands
onJesusandtookhim.And,behold,oneofthemwhichwere
withJesusstretchedouthishand,anddrewhissword,andstruck
aservantofthehighpriest's,andsmoteoffhisear.Thensaid
Jesusuntohim,Putupagainthyswordintohisplace:forallthey
thattaketheswordshallperishwiththesword(Matthew26:51
53).Accordingly,Eisensteinalteredtheoriginalmeaningof
Christswords,whichadmonishedtheApostlePeterafterhis
violent,illadvisedandfutileattempttodefendJesusfromthe
arrestingRomanssoldiers.InEisensteins(Stalins)version,
physicalpowerpredominatesandallmentionoftruth(pravda)is
eliminated.Instarkcontrast,intheoriginaldescription,written
soonaftertheactualbattle,AlexanderNevskyclearlysubjugates
strengthtotruth.ForAlexanderNevsky,faithfulnesstohis
idealstrumpedstrategic,militaryconsiderationseventhoughhe
wasamilitaryandpoliticalleader,soontoengageanumerically
superiorenemyforceonthefieldofbattle.
TheLiturgicalCelebrationofAlexanderNevsky
TheRussianOrthodoxChurchcelebratesthefeastdayof
SaintAlexanderNevskytwiceduringtheyear:first,ontheday
ofhisrepose(November23,OldStyle,December6,newStyle)
and,second,ontheoccasionofthetransferofhisrelicstoSt.
Petersburgin1724(August30,OldStyle,September12,New
Style).ArchimandriteVikentii,theabbotoftheNativity
Monastery,originallycomposedthefirstservicesoonafterthe
firstopeningoftherelicsofAlexanderNevskyin1380.This
servicewaseditedaround1540bynobleman(boyarin)Mikhail
(accordingtootherversionsVasilii)Tuchkov,inpreparation
26

BordwellD.TheCinemaofEisenstein.HarvardUniversityPress.
Cambridge,MA,1993.p289.

forhiscanonizationin1547bytheMetropolitanMakariiof
Moscow(14821563).Thesecondservicewaswrittenin1724
duringthereignofPetertheGreat.27
ThereareinterestingdistinctionsintheChurchservices,
whichreflectdifferencesintheidealsandobjectivesofRussian
societyduringthesetwoeras.Theearlierversionwaswritten
whenreligion(specificallyOrthodoxy)playedadominantrolein
thelivesoftheRussianpeople.Assuch,itcanbearguedthat
thisearlierversionmostlikelywasamoreaccuratereflectionof
thetimesofthesainthimself.Thesecondservicewaswritten
duringthewaningofreligiouslifeandtheriseoftheRussian
Empire.Consequently,theearlierversionismoreconcerned
withtheinner,spirituallife.IntheprePetrineservice,for
instance,thesaintisreferredtoas"venerable"(prepodobnyi)as
wellas"mostfaithful"or"pious"(blagovernyi),whereasinthe
laterversion,heisreferredtoexclusivelyas"mostfaithful.
Interestingly,blagovernyiisatermessentiallyreservedfor
princesandotherhighrulers.Thetermprepodobnyiusually
referstomonksandpriests.Therefore,theearlierchurchservice,
whilepraisingNevsky'sstatesmanship,alsoemphasizedhis
saintlylife.Thelaterversionsubtlyhighlightedhispoliticaland
militarydeedsinstead.
Thedifferentemphasesofthetwoservicesareeven
evidentintheirtitles.Theearlierversionhighlightsthat
AlexanderNevskybecameamonkattheendofhislife.Thetitle
oftheserviceincludes:whosemonasticnamewasAleksei
(narechennogovoinotsekhAlkseia).Thisdetailisabsentinthe
laterversion.Therearenumberofpossiblereasons.Itishardto
overestimatethedominationofPetertheGreatoverthepolitical
andculturalmilieuofRussiaatthattime.Peterwasnotwell
enamoredwithmonastics,asevidencedbyhismonasticreforms.
28
Therefore,theauthorofthePetrineserviceprobablythoughtit
wisetodeemphasizethefinaldecisionofPetersglorious
ancestortotakemonasticvows.29
27

SpasskyFG.RussianLiterature(Russkoyeliteraturnoyetvorchestvo).
PublishingCounciloftheRussianOrthodoxChurch.Moscow.2008.Originally
publishedinParisbytheSt.SergiusInstitutein1951.Referencedasfrom
http://www.klikovo.ru/db/book/msg/17693onDec1,2011.
28
MassieRK.PetertheGreat:HisLifeandWorld.AlfredA.Knopf.New
York.1980.p788.
29

Also,PetertheGreatsson,whorebelledagainsthisfatherandmethis
untimelydemise(probably)atPetersbehest(Massie.PetertheGreat.pp704

Inreadingthefirstservicetothesaint,oneisalmost
overwhelmedbyfrequentreferencestotheinterweavingof
spiritualandphysicalbeauty,acharacteristiccurrentlynotoften
associatedwitheitherpoliticalormilitaryleaders.Forexample,
weseethedirectuseofthewordbeautyinthefollowing
phrases:You[AlexanderNevsky]arebeautifiedmostbrightly
bypietyandfaith"(blagochestiemiveroiupresvetloukrashen)
(thirdsticheron,atthelittlevespers).30You[Alexander
Nevsky]arebrightlybeautifiedbygooddeeds,charityandpurity
andbecamethevesseloftheHolySpirit(blagimidelisvetlo
ukrashenyesi,milostinyamiIchistotoiusosudSvyatogoDukha
bilyesi)(thirdsticheronatLity);injoyandbeauty(vradostei
krasote)(kanon,song4troparion3);Youshinelike
beautifullylikeastar(Yakozvezdasiyayakrasno)(Kanon,song
7troparion4).Thesenumerousexamplesillustratetheorganic
linkingofChristianvirtues,includingethicsandesthetics,
which,intheearlierservice,blendseamlesslywiththemilitary
andpoliticalachievementsofAlexanderNevsky.Moreover,it
canbeeasilyarguedthattheglorificationoftheharmonious
coexistenceofestheticvalueswithpoliticalsuccessinamajor
politicalfiguresuchasAlexanderNevskyactuallyservedto
extollhisdescendantstoemulatetheirancestors
accomplishments.
Aremarkableexamplereferencesthebeautyof
AlexanderNevskyactuallysinginginChurchduringtheservice:
YouwerethebeautyofChristsChurchanddecoratedHerwith
yoursinging,ogloriousone.Evennowwepraytoyou:rescue
thosewhosingofyoufromphysicalandspiritualwarfare,o
Alexander(TserkvibylesiKhristovoikrasota,peniembosiiu
ukrasilesipreslavne.Inynyemolimtia:svobodinyotvsiakiia
707)wasnamedAleksei.Thecomposeroftheservicesubtlyavoidedthe
mentionthenameofPetersson,evenifitwasthemonasticnameofhis
famouspredecessor.Insupportofthiscontention,itisinterestingtonotethat
thePetrineservicecontainsaseeminglyoutofplacereferencetoAbsalom,the
sonofKingDavid,whorebelledagainsthisfather(2Samuel14:25).However,
thereferencebecomesunderstandablewhenoneappreciatestheanalogyto
PetertheGreatsownsontsarevichAlekseiPetrovich(sticheronatLity,on
Bothnowandever).
30
ThequotationsfromtheChurchservicehereandfurtheraretakenfrom
http://orthlib.rureferencedinDecember1,2011andwhichrepresentsthe
currentstandardoftheRussianOrthodoxChurch(Moscow.PublishingCouncil
oftheRussianOrthodoxChurch(Izdatelskisovetrusskoipravoslavnoitserkvi)
2002.Thetranslationsarebytheauthor.

braniboritelya,poiushchimti,Aleksandre)(Kanon,song1,
troparion3).Thisisaninterestingmetaphorofdefeatingones
demonsthroughtheestheticvalueofsinginginChurch.Herethe
composeroftheservicereferencesAlexanderNevskystriumphs
inactual,physicalwarfare(bran)aswellasinspiritual(or
unseen)warfareandextollsthesainttointercedeonthebehalfof
thosewhocurrentlysinghispraises.31Thisexample,fromthe
Kanonagainartisticallyweavestogethertheconceptofbeauty
(thistimeontheformofsinginginChurch)withthevictoriesof
thesaintonboththespiritualandphysicsbattlefields.
ThefollowingexcerptfromtheChurchserviceexplicitly
coalescesAlexanderNevskysprincelypositionwithessential
Christianvaluesandbringstheseentitiestogetherintoone
indivisiblewholeinthefigureofAlexanderNevsky.Opious
father,AlexanderyouwerenamedbyGodtowearthecrown,
andwerebrightlybeautifiedbypietyandtruth,charityand
chastity(PrepodobneotcheAleksandebogimenitventsenosets
bilyesi,prepodobiyemipravdoiusvetloykrashen:milostinyami
zheIchistotoiu)(fourthsticheron,littlevespers).Alexander
Nevskywasaprince(literally,Godappointedcrownwearer
bogimenitventsenosets)whileatthesametimeapersonmade
beautifulbypietyandtruth,charityandchastity.
ThePetrineservicealsodiffersfromtheearlierservice
bytheunremittingpresenceofImperialandmilitaryreferences.
TheconstantallusionstothemartialsuccessesofAlexander
Nevskyturntheattentionofthefaithfullistenertothe
accomplishmentsofthereigningTsar,PetertheGreat.For
example,AlexanderNevsky(sticheronaposticha,onBothnow
andever)ishailedasamilitaryleaderandabuilder,akinto
PetertheGreat.Referencestomiracles,beauty,healing,and
monasticismaremissing.Thesurvivingmentionsofbeautyin
thesecondservicearedirectquotationsfromthefirstservice.
The1724Serviceiscoupledwithanotherfeast:the
commemorationoftheestablishmentofpeacebetweenthe
RussianEmpireandtheSwedishCrown.Thisfeast
commemoratesthevictoryoftheRussianEmpireoverSweden
(in1721),whichdefinitivelyestablishedRussianpresenceinthe
31

ScupoliL,(editedandrevisedbyTheophantheRecluseandNicodemusof
theHolyMountain).UnseenWarfare:TheSpiritualCombatandPathto
ParadiseofLorenzoScupoli.St.VladimirsSeminaryPress,Crestwood,NY.
1997.

BalticSeaandsignificantlysolidifiedtheheretoforeprecarious
positionofthefledglingcapitalofSt.Petersburg.32Theservice,
consequently,consistsoftwointerwovennarratives:oneorSt.
AlexanderNevskyandtheotherforthevictoryovertheSwedes
andtheglorificationofPetertheGreatoftenbyname.
Frequently,thereferencestothetwoleadersdovetail,makingit
difficultforsomebodystandinginchurchandnothavingthetext
infrontofthemtodifferentiatebetweentheglorificationofthe
twoleaders.BothclaimedvictoriesovertheSwedes,secured
theBalticSeaandweregreatleaders.One,however,wasa
canonizedsaintandtheotherwasacontemporaryruler. 33The
sycophanticmetaphorsandsimilesforPetertheGreatare
numerousinthisservice.Forexample(sticheronatLity,on
Bothnowandever)comparesAlexanderNevskytoPeterthe
Greatfleshfromflesh(PetertheGreatwasadirectdescendant
ofAlexanderNevskySH)andpowerfrompower(plotot
ploti,ivlastotvalsti).
Shlyapkinexpressestheopinionthatthecanonizationof
AlexanderNevskyin1547andthehagiographycomposedat
thattimeweredonetosupportthecruel,imperialisticpoliciesof
IvanIVandthefalteringdynastyafterhisdeath.34However,this
opiniondoesnotseemreasonable.First,AlexanderNevskywas
canonizedduringtheAllRussianCouncilof1547.IvanIVwas
crownedinJanuaryofthatyearattheageof16.Duringthe
firstfewmonthsofhisreign,therewerenosignsoffuture
troubles.ItismuchmorelikelythatMetropolitanMakariithe
editoroftheGreatMenaionReaderwhooversawthe
canonizationof38otherRussiansaintsspearheadedthe
canonizationofAlexanderNevsky.ThecompilationoftheGreat
MenaionReader,includingthepreparationofdocumentsforthe
canonizationsuchalargenumberofsaints,wasalaborious,
timeconsumingtaskthatcommencedpriortotheelevationof
IvanIVtothethrone.Fromanalysisoftheservicecomposedin
1380andeditedin1547forthecanonizationofAlexander
Nevsky,itisclearthatthemainemphasisofthislaterserviceis
ontheChristiancharacteristicsofthesaint,nottheleastofwhich
32
33

Massie.PetertheGreat.pp.735743.
Massie.PetertheGreat.pp.373382.

34

ShlyapkinIA.IconographyofSaint,Pious,GreatprinceAlexanderNevsky
(IkonographiaSvatogoBalgovernagoVelikagoknyazaAleskandaNevskago).
TypgraphiaAleksandrova.Petrograd.1915,pp1112.

10

arebeauty,pietyandchastitywithanaccentuationonhis
monasticism.ThereisclearglorificationofAlexanderNevskys
martialanddiplomaticachievementsinthe1547service,butan
exultationofthedynastyandcomparisonstoalivingTsaronly
appearinthePetrine(1724)version.
ShlyapkinreferencesthevenerationoftherelicsofSaint
AlexanderbyIvanIVpriortothetakingofKazanasevidenceof
thesupportoftheChurchoftheruleofIvanIV.35Thetakingof
Kazan,thecapitaloftheTatarKhanateofKazan,byIvanIVin
1552wasseenasagreatstrategicandpoliticalvictory,which
solidifiedthegrowingregionalinfluenceoftheRussianstateand
emphasizedthewaningpoweroftheTatars,Russias
conquerors.ThevenerationoftherelicsofAlexanderNevskyby
IvanIVimmediatelyproceedingthisvictory,however,cannotbe
seenasareasonforthecanonizationofthesaintasthemilitary
triumphoccurred(1552)aftertheactualcanonization(1547). 36
AmuchlatercompositionTheAkathisttotheholy,
piousgreatprinceAlexanderNevskywrittenin1852expresses
muchofthesamesentimentasthe1548service(ratherthanthe
1724service).37Anakathistisahymndedicatedtoasaintoran
iconoftheMotherofGod.Originatinginthefifthcentury,the
akathistexperiencedarevivalinlatenineteenthcenturyRussia
asanexpressionofbothpublicandprivatepiety. 38TheAkathist
isamuchshortercompositionandcanbesungatanytime,
whereasthestandardservicesaregenerallyreservedforthe
actuallyfeastdayofthesaintinquestion.AlreadytheAkathist's
openingphrasespresenttheresolutionofthetwoseemingly
irreconcilablecharacteristics:warrior(voyevoda)and
beautificationorornamentation(ukrasheniye):Thechosen
35

ShlyapkinIA.IconographyofAlexanderNevsky.pp1112.

36

Also,theChurchatthattimewasfarfromthehandmaidenoftheState.
MetropolitanPhilipofMoscow,theprimateoftheRussianOrthodoxChurch
waskilledbyMaliutaSkuratovin1569ontheordersofIvanIV(BulgakovS.
HandbookforChurchServers.January9.Kharkov,Russia.1900,p.22.).Also,
IvanIVpersonallybeheadedKornili,thehegumenofoneofthemajorRussian
monasteriesthePskovPechorskimonasteryonFebruary20,1570ironically
notfarfromtheplaceofAlexanderNevskysvictoryovertheLivonian
KnightsontheIceofLakeLadoga.
37

PopovA.OrthodoxRussianAkathists(Pravoslavniyerusskiyeakafisti).
KazanStateUniversityPress.Kazan.1903.pp149153.
38

ShevzovV.PoeticizingPiety:theIconofMaryinRussianAkathesoi
Hymns.St.VladimirsTheologicalQuarterly.2000;44:343373.

11

warrioroftheRussianLand,thebrightbeautificationofthe
OrthodoxChurch,theholy,pious,greatprinceAlexander
Nevsky(IzbrannomuvoyevodezemleRossiiskiya,svetlomu
ukrasheniuTserkvepravoslavniya,svyatomublagovernomu
velikomuknyaziuAleksandruNevskomu)(Kondakion#1).
Modernhistoriansfailtotakestockofsuchliterarydevices.39,40
However,theChurchliturgyisrepletewithexampleswhereat
firstseeminglyincompatiblefeaturesarecombinedtoemphasize
acertaincharacteristicofthesaintslife.Afamousexampleis
thetropariontoSt.NicholasofMyrainLycia(alsothegeneral
tropariontohierarchs):Youhaveattainedgreatheightsthrough
humilityandgreatprosperitythroughpoverty(smireniye
visokoye,nishchetoiubogatoye).Inananalogousmanner,the
AkathistservicetoAlexanderNevskyemphasizestheunityof
hisChristiancharacteristicswithhissuccessasaruler.Rather
thanbeingahindrance,itisbecauseoftheseChristian
characteristics,includingbeauty,piety,truth,charityandchastity
thatGodgrantsAlexanderNevskytheabilitytobean
outstandingstatesman
AlexanderNevskyandhisIcon
St.IsaactheSyrianoncewrote:Speechistheorganof
thispresentworld.Silenceisthemysteryoftheworldtocome.
41
Speechrepresentstheuniquehumanabilitytochronicleour
temporalstates,whilesilencerepresentsthateternalmoment
ofbeholdingtheDivine.Thus,giventhatunderstanding,one
mightviewArt,specificallyOrthodoxiconography,as
maintainingamysteriousabilitybymeansofbeautytoactasa
bridgeandsimultaneouslyconnecttobothrealms.Ontheone
hand,iconsdepictstoriesofthelivesofsaints.Theicon,
therefore,fastensitselftoacertaintimeperiodinwhichthat
figurelived.Thisbindinggivestheiconthequalityofspeech
becauseitactivelytellsastoryofthepast.Saintsstrovetosee
Godandeternaltruths,consequentlycreatingacertain
movementintheicons.Iconographerssaturatetheiriconswith
universalsymbolsoftheworldtocome,inorderforothersto
39

IsahoM.TheImageofAleksandrNevskiyinMedievalRussia:Warriorand
Saint.TheNorthernWorld.Brill.Leiden.2006.
40
ShlyapkinIA.IconographyAlexanderNevsky.
41

asquotedin:WareK.TheOrthodoxWay.StVladimirsSeminaryPr.
Crestwood,NY.1995.p.178.

12

alsoseewhatthesaintssaw.Thus,iconsmanageconcurrentlyto
speakoftheindividualandtoseetheuniversal,givingan
onlookertheabilityalsotoseethetruthsthroughtheicons
storytelling.42
InRussianecclesiasticalculture,beautyhadacentral
positioneversincePrinceVladimirchosetheGreekfaithin
988asthenewreligionforhisrealminalargepartdueto
estheticconsiderations:
ThenwewenttoGreece,andtheGreeksledustothe
edificeswheretheyworshippedtheirGod,andweknew
notwhetherwewereinheavenoronearth.Foronearth
thereisnosuchsplendororsuchbeauty,andweareata
losstodescribeit.WeonlyknowthatGoddwellsthere
amongmen,andtheirserviceisfairerthanthe
ceremoniesofothernations.Forwecannotforgetthis
beauty.Everyman,aftertastingsomethingsweetis
afterwardsunwillingtoacceptthatwhichisbitter. 43

Theconceptofbeautypossessestheuniqueabilityto
uniteseeminglyoppositethings.Inthisparticulartextwesee
thatthemenknewnotwhether[they]wereinheavenoron
earthindicatingthattwoopposingrealmswereblendedtogether
whentheyexperiencedsomethingbeautiful.Becausebeautycan
disintegratetheboundarycreatedbetweenbinaryoppositions,it
hasremainedcentralinRussianOrthodoxiconography(which
oftendealswithopposingideassuchasthepolitical/military
versustheethical).
Theiconographicrepresentationofsaintswhowerealso
powerfulpoliticiansbegstheinitialquestionCanapolitician
reallybesaint?andWhatroledoestheconceptofbeautyhave
inthelifeofastatesman?InlightofSt.Isaacsquote,however,
wemightviewapoliticalsaintvisavisthe"speechandsight"
dichotomy.Intermsofspeech,apoliticianormilitaryleader
participatesinconquests,reforms,andothermiscellaneous
endeavors,givingtheiconographeranabundanceofstoriesto
42

LosskyV,OuspenskyL.TheMeaningofIcons.St.VladimirsSeminary
Press.Crestwood,NY.1999.
43
CrossSH,SherbowitzWetzorOP(translatorsandeditors).TheRussian
PrimaryChronicle:LaurentianText.TheMediaevalAcademyofAmerica.
Cambridge,MA.1953.

13

chronicle.Intermsofsight,thepoliticalfiguretraditionally
standsforcertainidealsandattemptstomovehispeopletowards
thoseideals.Undoubtedly,thereexistsatensionbetweenthe
careerofthesaintwhoisalsoastatesmanandhisspirituallife;
thattensionismirroredbytheoverlapoftimeandeternity.
Whileamodernmisconceptionassertsthatthefrictionleadsto
negativeeffects,inactuality,thedoublesidedpressurecanin
certaincircumstancesmoldleadersintomenandwomenof
character.Theidealsforwhichtheystruggledarethen
crystallizedinOrthodoxiconographicart.
InprePetrineiconsAlexanderNevskywasoccasionally
depictedasamonkinagreatskhema(monasticgarbofthe
strictestorder)forexampleintheSophiaCathedralinNovgorod
midXVIcenturyandoccasionallyasaprince.Iconographic
instructionsrecommendportrayingthesaintinthefollowing
manner:Inaschema[monasticheaddress]andmonastic
vestments,withalockofcurlyhairprotrudingfromunderneath
theheaddress,himselfbroadshouldered(vskhime,rizi
predodobnocheskiye,kudretsividet,malenkoispodskhimi,sam
plechisttelom).44Thedirectivetoportrayalockofcurlyhair
protrudingfromunderneaththeheaddressofthestrictest
monasticorderisverytelling.Suchadepictionwouldbe
exceptionallyunusualforpersonwhospentthemajorityofhis
lifeasamonk.InthecaseofAlexanderNevsky,however,the
interplayoftheunrulylockofhairandtheskhemamightbe
readasanartistictestamenttotheresolutionofthetension
betweenhisprincelydutiesandearthlylifeontheonehandand
hisdeepChristianityontheother.Onecanthinkofthelockof
curlyhairasrepresentingthelifeofAlexanderNevskyasa
forcefulandsuccessfulrulerwhorefusestobecontained;yet,in
thisiconographicrepresentation,thefactthatAlexander
Nevskysheadiscoveredinthemonastictraditionimplieshis
strivingforamoral,Christianlife.
AfterPetertheGreat,iconographerswereinstructedto
portrayAlexanderNevskyinprincelygarb(UkazoftheHoly
Synod,datedJune15,1724)goingasfarastoforbidhis
portrayalinmonasticgarb:..henceforth,itisforbiddento
depictthissaintasamonastic(otninetogosvyatogov
44

LibraryoftheRussianAcademyofScience.StroganoffIconographic
School,#60.P56,asreferencedintheKalividzeNV.AlexanderYaroslavich
Nevsky.OrthodoxEncyclopedia.VolI,p544.

14

monasheskoipersoneotniudnepisat).45EveninpostPetrine
icons,however,AlexanderNevskyisdepictedashavinghis
crownplacedonthetablebehindhimandwithahaloaroundhis
head,showingthespiritualfirstandthepoliticalsecond,while
maintainingtheimportanceofbothaspects.Withhiseyesgazing
upandintothelight,heappearsimmersedinthelightofGod.
Conclusion
Orthodoxiconographyandhymnographydepictnotonly
physicalreality,butalsoonesinteriorlifeandspiritualbeauty.
Specifically,earlymanuscriptsandiconographicdepictionsof
AlexanderNevskydepictbothasuccessfulstatesmananda
saint.Thetensionofbeauty,chastity,charityandpietyonthe
onehandandmilitaryprowessandstatesmanshipontheotherin
thelifeanddeedsofAlexanderNevskyisresolvedthroughan
artisticmediuminbothiconographyandhymnography.

45

CompletecollectionoftheordersanddirectivesregardingtheOrthodox
religionoftheRussianEmpire.(Polnoyesobraniyepostanovleniii
rasporyazheniipovedomstvupravoslavnogoispovedaniyaRossiiskoiimperii.)
Tome4,p148.No1318and1328.St.Petersburg1876,(asreferencedin
SchenkAleksanrdNevskyp164).

15