A word of praise by prince Semyon Shahovsky to the Ustyug saints

Abstract

Introduction. The article is devoted to an episode from the life of the Russian writer, poet, theologian of the first half of the 17th century, Prince Semyon Ivanovich Shakhovsky. The authors focus on the events of his stay in the Russian North in the town of Solvychegodsk in 1647-1648. At this time, Shakhovskoy wrote a word of praise to the Ustyug saints Procopius and John.Materials and Methods. First, the work used a biographical method, with the help of which the events of Shakhovsky’s life and the text of his praise to the Ustyug saints were analyzed. The analysis of the work was based on hermeneutic principles accepted in science. The conclusions were compared with the events of Shakhovsky’s life by induction. Analysis. The creative heritage of Prince Shakhovsky is rich and varied. The words of praise he wrote to the Ustyug saints are rarely considered among his creations. Indeed, the surviving handwritten book indicates that the test was “copied” by Shakhovsky. However, we have reason to believe that the writer’s involvement in the text was more significant. His conversion to the lives of local saints was due to personal problems. In 1646 Shakhovskoy fell into disgrace and was sentenced to deportation from Moscow to Yakutsk. He stayed temporarily in Solvychegodsk. A popular riot broke out in this place on June 22, 1648. Saving a Moscow official from the wrath of the crowd, the prince risked his life. Results. So, Shakhovskoy, in a difficult life situation, turned to the instructions of the Ustyug saints and set about creating a special word of praise for them. The first publication of this text is offered as an appendix to the article. The degree of Shakhovsky’s authorship requires a new study with reference to textual analysis.

Keywords

• semyon shakhovskoy
• procopius of ustyug
• russian north
• political struggle
• popular revolt
• solvychegodsk