Patriarchal Literary Prize. The Patriarchal Literary Prize is a center of gravity for great literature

The prize winners were Boris Tarasov, Boris Ekimov and Priest Nikolai Blokhin

Text: Tatyana Vladykina/RG
Photo: Arkady Kolybalov/RG

On May 18, at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize named after Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles, were awarded. The winners were Boris Tarasov, Boris Ekimov and Priest Nikolai Blokhin.

I hope that the prize will allow us to identify new authors and recognize writers who continue the best traditions of Russian literature in their work,” the Patriarch said, summing up the results of the competition. Before the award ceremony, His Holiness criticized some.

Today, sometimes literature becomes simply a means of making money, and texts appear that cannot in any way be called literature, and sometimes they are simply pure hackwork: literary, stylistic, semantic,” said the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. He admitted that such texts make him feel ashamed.

In this feeling, he is supported by the majority of previous laureates, meetings with whom took place on the eve of the ceremony. One of them, writer Alexey Varlamov, told RG about what the prize is given for and what is special about it.

The award is not given for separate work, but for the writer’s total contribution to , says the writer. — In my opinion, this prize is important for its desire to reunite form and content, to reunite meaning and style. With its value-based approach to literature, to the affirmation of human dignity, to the affirmation of goodness, mercy, in general, everything that we rely on, thanks to which we exist, which Russian literature has always defended. At the same time, it is necessary that this be said not declaratively, not verbosely, in good Russian language, with taste, with that degree of intonation penetration when the writing profession and craft do not contradict good intentions, so that these good intentions are supported by literary skill. The situation is remarkable in that today a lot of books are published by church publishing houses. The church has something that, unfortunately, has been lost in the secular system of books - a fairly well-established book distribution system. In church shops, along with religious literature, with holy scripture, prayer books, literature on church history, both classical and modern are for sale. And, of course, this literature is of a certain kind and variety. I think that getting into short list The Patriarchal Literary Prize can serve as admission to the church-going reader.

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The Patriarchal Literary Prize was established by the Holy Synod in 2009. It was first awarded in 2011, the first laureate was the writer Vladimir Krupin. IN different years The winners were Olesya Nikolaeva, Viktor Nikolaev, Alexey Varlamov, Yuri Loshchits, Stanislav Kunyaev, father Nikolai Agafonov. Last year the winners were Yuri Bondarev, Alexander Segen and Yuri Kublanovsky.

On May 11, 2017, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' led the seventh ceremony of electing and awarding laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize named after Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius.

Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church were present at the ceremony: the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church; first vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow; ; viceroy; Chairman of the Publishing Council; ; Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate; Chief Editor ; Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; employees of the Publishing Council, the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate and other synodal institutions, clergy and monastics.

The event was also attended by members of the House of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize, Russian literary scholars, journalists, representatives of government and public organizations, cultural figures.

Applications for the Patriarchal Literary Prize are accepted on September 14, 2016. During the seventh award season, 50 applications were received from various regions of Russia, as well as from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Latvia. March 28 this year at a meeting of the House of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize, a short list of nominees for 2017, which included:

Irina Anatolyevna Bogdanova;
Dmitry Mikhailovich Volodikhin;
Vasily Vladimirovich Dvortsov;
Viktor Ivanovich Likhonosov;
Boris Fedorovich Sporov;
Alexander Borisovich Tkachenko;
Archpriest Yaroslav Shipov.

Bishop of Molodechno and Stolbtsovsky Pavel, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Belarusian Exarchate;
Yu.M. Loschits, writer, publicist and literary critic, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize;
K.P. Kovalev-Sluchevsky, professor at the Institute of Journalism and literary creativity, writer.

Then the election of the laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize took place: members of the House of Trustees filled out voting ballots. The ballots were transferred to the Counting Commission. Members of the Counting Commission counted the votes, filled out the protocol and handed it over to His Holiness the Patriarch.

His Holiness the Patriarch presented the laureates with a diploma and badges of the Patriarchal Literary Prize.

All the 2017 award nominees were also invited to the stage - I.A. Bogdanova, D.M. Volodikhin, V.V. Dvortsov, A.B. Tkachenko, to whom the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church presented honorary diplomas.

A choir took part in the musical accompaniment of the ceremony. orphanage“Otrada” at the Nikolsky Chernoostrovsky Monastery in Maloyaroslavets Kaluga region.

At the end of the evening there was a concert.

The Patriarchal Literary Prize was established by the Holy Synod on December 25, 2009 () with the aim of encouraging writers who have made a significant contribution to the establishment of spiritual and moral values in life modern man, families and societies that created highly artistic works that enriched Russian literature. This prize has no analogues in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Local Orthodox Churches.

On May 18, 2016, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' led the sixth ceremony of electing and awarding laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize named after Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, reports Patriarchia.ru.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church: Chairman of the Publishing Council, Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Kliment, first vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for Moscow, Metropolitan of Istra Arseny, Metropolitan of Tambov and Rasskazovsky Theodosius, abbot of the St. Andrew's Stavropegic Monastery, Bishop of Dmitrov Theophylact, chairman of the Publishing Council of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Bishop of Molodechno and Stolbtsovsky Pavel, executive secretary of the Patriarchal Council for Culture, abbot of the Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery, bishop Egoryevsky Tikhon, employees of the Publishing Council and other synodal institutions, clergy and monastics.

The event was also attended by Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation S.V. Zheleznyak, first deputy leader of the faction " United Russia", coordinator of the Inter-factional deputy group of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in defense of Christian values S.A. Popov, Chairman of the Union of Writers of Russia V.N. Ganichev, President of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples V.A. Alekseev, members of the House of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize, Russian literary scholars, journalists, leaders and representatives of public organizations, cultural figures.

Before the ceremony began, creative meetings of some of the laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize of past years with the guests of the event took place.

A special issue of the magazine of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, “Orthodox Book Review,” dedicated to the Patriarchal Literary Prize and the 2016 nominees, was distributed to all those present. The issue contains photographs, biographical information, excerpts from works and interviews, as well as selected bibliography nominees.

The Soyuz TV channel broadcast live from the Hall of Church Councils.

The choir of the Valaam Monastery took part in the musical accompaniment of the ceremony, opening the evening with the performance of the troparion of the Resurrection of the Lord.

The ceremony began with a screening of the film, dedicated to history Patriarchal Literary Prize named after Saints Cyril and Methodius.

50 candidates were submitted for the title of laureate of the award in 2016.

March 3 this year At a meeting of the House of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize, an expanded list of candidates for the 2016 prize was determined.

Participants in the meeting of the Prize's Chamber of Trustees, which took place on April 12 under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, approved the short list of nominees for the 2016 award, which included:

priest Nikolai Blokhin;
Gromov Alexander Vitalievich;
Ekimov Boris Petrovich;
Karpov Alexey Yurievich;
nun Euphemia (Pashchenko);
Sergeev Valery Nikolaevich;
Tarasov Boris Nikolaevich;
Archpriest Andrey Tkachev.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the participants of the ceremony with the Primate's word.

Then the election of laureates took place Patriarchal Prize, which were determined by secret vote of members of the House of Trustees of the award. The counting of votes was carried out by the counting commission, which included: A.N. Varlamov, writer, philologist, researcher of the history of Russian literature of the 20th century, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize in 2013; V.A. Voropaev, literary critic, professor at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov; V.N. Nikolaev, writer, laureate of the Great Literary Prize of Russia, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize 2012.

His Holiness the Patriarch presented each laureate with a diploma and badges of the Patriarchal Literary Prize.

The 2016 award winners addressed words of gratitude to His Holiness, members of the award's House of Trustees and all participants in the ceremony.

Then the award nominees were invited to the stage, and the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church presented them with certificates and memorable gifts.

His Holiness again addressed those gathered:

“Dear laureates! Dear nominees! Dear participants of the ceremony!

I congratulate all of us on this bright, kind and, as it seems to me, very necessary event for our people.

We celebrated the creative path of wonderful authors. Through this award, I hope many people will recognize their names. Therefore my special word gratitude to the award participants - both laureates and nominees.

I would like to wish you, dear writers, God’s help in your difficult task, so that you always have the strength to burn the hearts of people with a verb, so that you always have the courage to see the truth and, if necessary, fight for the truth. So that you always have enough health, despite your age and external circumstances of life, to fully reveal your abilities for the benefit of the Church and the Fatherland.

Christ is Risen!"

At the end of the evening there was festive concert, in which the winner of the All-Russian competition “Voice”, Hieromonk Photius (Mochalov), and the choir of the Valaam Monastery ( artistic director A. Zhukov), soloists musical theaters, laureates of international vocal and performing competitions instrumental music.

The Patriarchal Literary Prize was established by the Holy Synod at a meeting on December 25, 2009 (magazine No. 115) with the aim of encouraging writers who have made a significant contribution to the establishment of spiritual and moral values in the life of modern man, family and society, who have created highly artistic works that have enriched Russian literature. This prize has no analogues in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Local Orthodox Churches.

The first laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize in 2011 was the writer Vladimir Krupin. In the second award season (2012), the winners were Olesya Nikolaeva and Viktor Nikolaev. In 2013, the awards were awarded to Alexey Varlamov, Yuri Loshchits and Stanislav Kunyaev. In the fourth award season (2014), the winners were Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov, Valentin Kurbatov and Valery Ganichev. In 2015, the prize was awarded to Yuri Bondarev, Yuri Kublanovsky and Alexander Segen.

In the Moscow studio of our TV channel, Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk answers questions from viewers.

- The topic of our today's program is “Patriarchal Literary Prize.” Who and how was it founded?

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill took the initiative to establish such a prize in 2009; at a meeting at the Publishing Council, he said: “We need to find forms of encouragement for modern authors who write in moral themes and on topics that lead people to God, promote goodness, love, harmony, and peace in the life of our society.” We consulted, then took the blessing from His Holiness the Patriarch to develop a program for presenting the Patriarchal Prize. In December 2009, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church established this prize, and this year we will be presenting it for the sixth time.

- What is the main goal of this award? What goals are pursued besides promotion?

The main goal is to encourage writers not only financially (the prize also has a material component), but also to support them in their creative work. Now the market system dominates in our country - not only in everyday life, but also in the world of creativity. Mostly books are sold that make a profit, but in them there is a dominance of debauchery, debauchery, and violence. Books about goodness, our culture, and the spiritual values of our people are published in smaller editions, and the writers who create these works are not in such demand. Our task, on behalf of believers, is to thank the authors who write on good topics.

It is impossible for modern man to live without fiction. In the old days, in the 14th - 17th centuries, there was no fiction; people read the lives of saints, the Psalter, “The Ladder,” stories about ascetics, and epics. And only from the time of Peter I did fiction appear. Now it plays a big role in human life and society. Without a book it is impossible to imagine cultural and developed person Therefore, the Patriarchal Literary Prize is intended to support those creators who write on good topics.

- The main provisions of the award say that its material part is allocated from the church budget.

That's right, there are no special projects or sponsors supporting this award. The church lives on voluntary donations; this is the contribution of many people. The award rewards those who contribute spiritual formation our society. The work of art has big influence on people's consciousness. Let us remember the recent Soviet past: many of the intelligentsia came to faith by reading F.M. Dostoevsky, A.S. Pushkin. Not only in the 19th, but also in the 20th century, many writers connected their work with the Church. They didn't write to Soviet time about God and the Church directly, but they talked about goodness and gospel truths. Through this, people developed love for their culture and came to the Church.

- How are the laureates of the Patriarchal Prize determined?

There is a certain procedure for submitting documents. Heads of Local Orthodox Churches, dioceses, self-governing Churches that are part of the Russian Orthodox Church, literary communities, magazines, and heads of regions can recommend for the award. On their initiative, a list is formed, and then the House of Trustees selects a Council of Experts, which is updated every year. They process submitted applications and get acquainted with the works. Most of the candidates are famous writers, but there are also new names that are not very well known in Moscow.

The Council of Experts is reviewing the entire list of candidates for nomination. This year there were fifty-four applications. The panel of experts recommended eight writers, who were shortlisted (shortlisted). This is done by the House of Trustees, which is headed by the Patriarch. Several meetings take place: at the first meeting, the common list, the Council of Experts approves, at the second meeting - a shortlist, the third meeting will take place in the Hall of Church Councils, where the selection and presentation of signs to the laureates of the Patriarchal Prize will take place. Voting takes place openly, without booths, everyone receives a ballot and marks their choice. The counting commission sits right there, which enters the result into the protocol, which is handed over to the Patriarch. He announces the names of the laureates.

- Are there any favorites this year?

It is very difficult to say who will become the laureate, because all the people are interesting.

- Can you name the names of the experts?

This year the expert jury is headed by Yuri Mikhailovich Loschits, poet, prose writer, and publicist. The jury includes: Abbot Evfimy (Moiseev), rector of the Kazan Theological Seminary; Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov, writer, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize; Alexey Nikolaevich Varlamov, writer, member of the Union of Writers of Russia, Dmitry Mikhailovich Volodikhin, Russian historian, writer, literary critic, doctor historical sciences; Maria Alexandrovna Gorodova, Orthodox writer, correspondent, columnist " Russian newspaper"; Victor Miroslavovich Guminsky, doctor philological sciences; Vladimir Alekseevich Kotelnikov, Doctor of Philology; Olesya Aleksandrovna Nikolaeva, poetess, writer, laureate of the Patriarchal Prize; Alexander Yurievich Segen, famous writer, laureate of the Patriarchal Prize.

- Among the nominees there are priests, for example Andrei Tkachev. Are there any other clergymen?

This year there are two priests on the list of nominees: Father Andrei Tkachev, writer, preacher, missionary, and Father Nikolai Blokhin. An interesting personality, he came to the Church at an age; with the blessing of Metropolitan Pitirim and Father John Krestyankin, he was engaged in publishing Orthodox literature and its distribution. For this he was sentenced to four years more than a year. He himself says that if he had not been convicted, he would not have become a writer. While in prison, he began to write. The purpose of all the artistic works of Father Nikolai is to lead a person to God, to show that life is not accidental, to point out man’s responsibility for his salvation.

I have in my hands the magazine “Orthodox Book Review,” which came out today. There is a wonderful story by Father Nikolai, “Parishioner.” He describes an ordinary life story; there are many of these in Rus'. The priest arrived at the temple, at the first service there were only two people - two women. The priest began to talk to them and asked them to come to the next service with their husbands. One says that she does not have a husband, and the other says that she has best husband. As a result, it turned out that the priest is from the same village where this woman lives. He remembered her and her husband. It turns out that he drank and often beat his wife, but this woman is ready to endure and believes that she must save him. “This is my cross, I have to carry it,” she says. The policeman suggests putting him in prison, the neighbors advise her to get a divorce and leave him, but she is afraid that he will die. The woman believes that he was given to her because of her sins and she must carry her cross. Which actual topic! After all, we grumble when we bear the burdens of our neighbor...

Other nominees include nun Euphemia (Pashchenko), famous writer, physician Writes interesting essays and notes. I remember very much interesting work about God's world. A bird sang wonderfully in the park. A man sat and thought: “What a creation of God! Why is she singing? Probably makes me happy." Another person reasoned: “What kind of bird is this? Sparrow? Definitely not a nightingale. He sings better!” The third person heard the singing and thought: “What kind of crow has come to us? Incomprehensible singing! The author reflects on who is right and how people evaluate the world around them differently. The world was created by God for man. Mother Euphemia writes about how we should perceive the world around us.

If you think about it, you can see that everything in the world is focused on man. The sun shines, rivers, water - everything for a person. The Monk Macarius of Egypt beautifully said in the 4th century: “The sun, stars, moon, forest, rivers, seas, the entire animal world, the earth were created for man to live. And man was created so that God could live in him.” Mother Euphemia wants to convey this to her reader. People of the Church write on such important topics for modern people, because most people do not know the Bible, but through such works they learn who the Creator is and where everything comes from.

I also want to name the names of Alexander Gromov, Boris Ekimov, Alexey Karpov. Alexey Karpov has a big series history books, he published “Life wonderful people" This is Boris Tarasov, a wonderful person who has done a lot for the development of literature, teacher Literary Institute, was its rector; Valery Sergeev, who wrote about the early Russian Middle Ages, is the author of a book about the life of St. Andrei Rublev, published in the series “The Life of Remarkable People.” This interesting people, which convey to the modern Russian the concepts of God, goodness, show traditions, historical path our people, the Orthodox Church.

- Secular writers - nominees for the Patriarchal Prize- believers?

They are all Orthodox.

The regulations say that the prize was established for writers who have made a significant contribution to the establishment of spiritual and moral values in the life of a modern person, family and society. But morality exists not only in the Orthodox faith...

So far we have not had non-Orthodox writers, although this is possible. If the author does not want to connect himself with the Church and faith, the question arises: without knowing and understanding the Gospel, is it possible to understand Russian culture? Is it possible to make a positive contribution to its development? The peculiarity is that Russian culture is Orthodox by nature; it arose with the adoption of Christianity. Prince Vladimir brought faith, language and culture to our land. This year we celebrate the millennium of the Russian presence on Mount Athos, which had a profound impact on spiritual state Russia, the spiritual development of our country, monasteries, which were centers of education and culture for many centuries. It is very difficult to separate our culture from Orthodoxy.

- What about Soviet writers? You said that they wrote about morality.

Absolutely right. They were believers at heart, they grew up in Orthodox families, V Orthodox culture, their parents were Orthodox, they were all baptized. But they could not write about God. Now we are learning a lot. Marshal K. Zhukov was a Soviet commander, and he had an icon of the Kazan Mother of God. He was a believer at heart, but could not declare it. Take M. Sholokhov: you can see many Orthodox elements in his work. The Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples published a series of books “A.S. Pushkin and Orthodoxy", "F.M. Dostoevsky and Orthodoxy,” including “S. Yesenin and Orthodoxy", "M. Sholokhov and Orthodoxy". Mikhail Sholokhov describes Orthodox traditions, moreover, Christian commandments, although he could not openly write about God.

- Are books by Orthodox writers published by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church?

The Publishing Council is not involved in publishing activities, we only regulate them. They are published by publishing houses, including the publishing houses of the Moscow Patriarchate, Sretensky Monastery, and Nikeya. Our task is to assign the stamp. This is not censorship. We grant this publisher the right to distribute books through the church network. Our duty is to protect the parishioner from bad literature. If you don’t have a vulture, you need to think about whether this book is worth reading. The stamp is assigned not only to theological and catechetical books, historical, spiritual, but also to fiction. There are a lot of books that pass through us that I would recommend reading.

I recently read from Father Nikolai Agafonov how a young man walked towards faith. He served in the army, and he did not have any spiritual books, but only anti-religious literature, from which he learned about God, discarding the husks of propaganda. Question from a TV viewer: “I’m 85 years old, I don’t hear anything, I pray to the Lord two hundred times and to the Mother of God the same amount. Am I doing the right thing?

Praying is right, but I advise going to church; if you can’t get there, ask a priest to come who can administer unction to you and commune you with the Holy Mysteries of Christ and explain how to pray. If you can read, he will give you a prayer book and the Gospel. Be sure to contact the priest.

- Where can I buy works by the Patriarchal Prize nominees? Only in the church shop?

No, something was published and sold on the church network. But for the most part - in secular stores. We always contribute to the publication of works by laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize. We have books by Father Nikolai Agafonov, Viktor Nikolaev, Olesya Nikolaeva. We cannot force the publishing house to release certain books; we recommend it. It all depends on the work. Publishing houses operate on a commercial basis, even church ones. If it's not profitable, they can't publish. We recommend those authors who are worthy of the Patriarchal Literary Prize, or those books that have received awards from the “Enlightenment through Book” competition. In addition to the Patriarchal Prize, we support writers and publishers in this competition. There are twelve nominations, including “Fiction”, “ Historical literature", "Children's literature". These books are also present on the church network.

Question from a TV viewer from Moscow: “I visit the Kaluga region, there are a lot of Old Believers there, especially in the villages, they have home churches, but I don’t go there. Will Orthodox chapels be built?”

Yes, a large temple will soon be restored there. Now Kirov has its own diocese - Pesochnya (this is the old name of the city). I will convey your request to Bishop Pesochensky and Yukhnovsky Maximilian. There is a project to make at least a small chapel in every village.

- Sometimes you go to a bookstore - there is a variety of literature. But you don’t see what you need.

It is almost impossible to find Orthodox literature in secular stores. In Moscow, we talked with representatives of a number of stores so that they could separate Orthodox literature from other literature. There used to be a section religious literature, there were Orthodox authors and some dubious philosophical ones, occult teachings. A number of book chains have dedicated a section for Orthodox literature, but there is a problem: what is put in a prominent place is what is quickly bought. Naturally, people have a stereotype that they can only buy Orthodox literature in church. And in secular stores they buy technical or entertainment literature. Nobody goes to a bookstore on Arbat to buy a Bible, so they don’t pay as much attention to it there.

We propose to the Patriarch to expand the network of Orthodox bookstores. Not only in Moscow, but also in major cities regions should have large Orthodox bookstores. Orthodox souvenirs can also be sold there, because opening a store is quite expensive. You can distribute both e-books and videos. We are trying to implement this project.

- In some church stores you can also find classical literature.

Yes, these are both the “golden” and “silver” centuries of Russian literature, and modern authors, laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize. Here is another question: not all churches, cities and parishes are equally supplied with literature. It depends on the parish and diocese. The Publishing Council cannot do anything here. With the blessing of the Patriarch, we have prepared a list of literature that should be present in every Moscow church; this is about two hundred to four hundred titles, including fiction. I think this will contribute to the development of the book business. People will know that in the temple, in addition to several prayer books and akathists, there will be good set books that you can buy for yourself or give as a gift. This good gift. If we give a book young man, he will definitely read it. Through reading he learns about God and truth.

- Nowadays a book is a rare gift. It is more convenient to download the book and read it on the device monitor.

Yes, but the perception of a book is completely different - electronic and printed. You take a small magazine and perceive the text, every word, in a completely different way, understand the topic more deeply, and become a participant in the events described. Electronics is a completely different perception.

One of the victories Soviet state- victory over illiteracy. Soviet Union was one of the most reading countries. Now the picture is depressing. Russia is getting lower in this ranking. Reading is becoming less popular. The problem lies in our schools, as Patriarch Kirill noted at a meeting of the trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize. He noted that at school they stop understanding literature and reading. I noticed that the teaching of literature there is fading away. How do you strive to solve this problem within the framework of the work of the Publishing Council?

Why did Russia lose its primacy in the list of the most reading countries? Development e-books, the advent of the Internet attracted some of the reading people. But it is not main reason. Reading people in Soviet times were mainly people between the ages of eighteen and thirty and schoolchildren.

We are now experiencing a demographic crisis. Since the beginning of the 90s, there have been half as many children born in Russia as in Soviet times. We have lost people of reading age, the country has aged, and this also has an effect. Advances in technology have also affected reading.

But this is a crisis not only of the school, but also of the family. Nowadays there is little reading in the family. A common situation in a Moscow family: everyone comes home and everyone goes to their “gadget.” Some go to the TV, some go to the tablet, some go to the phone - parents come first. Children do not see their parents reading, do not see books in their hands - only TV, the Internet. The child, while small, leafs through the book, and then demands a phone, smartphone, tablet, etc. His parents give him this. They pay off the child. After dinner, a loving parent will gather the children, take a book, read the Gospel, the life of a saint, a fairy tale, and talk. The child grows up - he will take " Captain's daughter", read it again and talk. They go to church with the whole family; it won’t be a punishment for a child to go to church while dad watches TV.

Today I see that children do not know what saint they are named after. Why not tell your child about his patrons? Grandparents' Angel Day - let's read about the patron saints. Children don't see an example! Trying to reform the school system for twenty-five years, we have lost the main thing - Russian literature. I was shown a textbook about five or six years ago: for studying A.S. One and a half pages are allotted to Pushkin! On thirteen pages - modern prose, the work of the author, a former drug addict, with all the appropriate jargon and corresponding descriptions. What is this for? This is not an introduction to life. The school is designed to teach: you need to read A.S. Pushkin, classics of the 19th - 20th centuries, modern authors. Take the works of Nikolai Agafonov and read them! Children do not see this example at home. And the school doesn't give it. We need to increase the hours spent studying literature. This is the basis.

Literature of the 19th - 20th centuries is an example of the Russian word. We must teach to love great things Russian word. Everywhere our writers are valued and known, but our youth are practically not familiar with the work of F.M. Dostoevsky, but popular among her circles Western writers. This is a mistake in reform school system. The President of Russia ordered the creation of a Literature Committee, and Patriarch Kirill headed it. The school should increase the study of literature and history.

- I would like to hear instructions from you, what do you recommend reading?

I wish God's help. Tomorrow we will celebrate writers who have worked for the benefit and development of our national culture, so I wish to read more. Remember: main book our life - the Gospel. We must learn to read the Gospel daily, this is the word of God, it was read by the great classics. In Kaluga we held the event “The Gospel is the book of life. We read together during Lent.” Let's turn to this eternal book. My teacher called the gospel “the oxygen of eternity.” Let us breathe it in order to gain eternal life.

Christ is Risen!

Presenter Sergey Platonov
Recorded by Yaroslav Truntseva

In September, the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church opens the seventh season of the Patriarchal Literary Prize. Applications from applicants for this award will be accepted until February 2017. About how modern literature reflects the spiritual state of a person, about the connection different eras reflects Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. His article is dedicated to the work of this year's Patriarchal Literary Prize laureates - priest Nikolai Blokhin, prose writer Boris Ekimov, literary critic Boris Tarasov.

There are different periods in history. One is called gold, the other, for example, silver or bronze. The secular culture of Russia knows two special eras of its heyday, called the golden and silver ages. Obviously, both periods are associated with the desire of society to comprehend the surrounding reality and its tragic experience (be it the war with Napoleon or the Russian revolutions of the early twentieth century), turning to spiritual potential of the Russian people, to those most important values that were once the basis and still determine the uniqueness of the civilizational development of Russia. This was reflected in the development philosophical thought, and in various types art, especially in domestic literature.

In the current post-Soviet era, the need for self-identification is also acutely felt, which, in particular, is reflected in the search for national idea, unifying the beginnings for modern Russian society. Russian Orthodox Church, which has been preserved for centuries the most important values Russian civilization, supports that modern Russian literature that helps find answers to these pressing questions. In this regard, let’s try to think about how the modern period of the history of Russian literature differs, considering the work of the latest nominees for the Patriarchal Literary Prize named after Saints Cyril and Methodius.

Prose writers became its new laureates this year Boris Nikolaevich Tarasov, Boris Petrovich Ekimov And Priest Nikolai Blokhin. These are people different fates, but there is a palpable common component in their work. With a variety of topics and genres of works, all three authors broadcast to the modern reader the eternal norms of Christian ethics, as an active, practical part of the worldview that our people have adopted since the Baptism of Rus' by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. And another unifying principle is the fact that they all experienced Soviet era, when a direct and frank presentation of religious views and even kind word against the Church was persecuted by the atheist state.

Priest Nikolai Blokhin V Soviet years, then not yet a priest, was arrested and spent several years in prisons and camps for the illegal publication and distribution of Orthodox literature. It was then, in prison, that he wrote his first story, “Grandma’s Glass.” He even jokes that prison made him a writer. Today he is the author of many books well known to Orthodox readers: “The Deep Mire,” “Give Up Your Brother,” “The Chosen One,” “Paul,” “Frontier,” “The Christmas Tale,” “Vladimirskaya.”

The perception of any sorrows as a source of human rebirth, as a motivating principle for his internal change, runs through the entire work of the author. This leitmotif was internally suffered, understood by priest Nikolai Blokhin personally life experience. It is no coincidence that he said exactly this in his response at the ceremony of awarding the laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize.

The theme of the Christian faith, its acquisition, Baptism as the greatest sacrament and the main event in a person’s life, the choice between faith and its denial, between yielding to sin and fighting it occupies central place in the works of priest Nikolai Blokhin. It is this that is the main core around which other themes, ideas, and characters are located. It is to her that everything in the narrative is subordinated. For example, in the stories “Grandma’s Glasses” and “The Chosen One,” the author depicts how deeply people, including the youngest, very children, changed when they believed and received Baptism, how differently they began to look at the world, at themselves, at those around them. The reader gets the impression that the adult characters are divided primarily on the basis of faith or lack of faith, that this is precisely their defining feature. This is why coming to faith radically changes the adult characters as well.

I have heard that Blokhin’s heroes lack psychologism, which is why they are somewhat schematic and even unreliable. But, in my opinion, most of them are not without the main thing - internal change, as a result of spiritual choice. Lack of subtlety in the story emotional experiences can be explained by the fact that the writer, when creating his characters, sought to focus the reader’s attention on the main thing - to show the responsibility of the person himself for his own choice.

This choice is always alternative: either acceptance of the Savior, the desire to follow Christ, read the Gospel, the lives of the saints, try to follow their example, or unbelief, or even a willingness to communicate with dark forces... According to the author, it is this choice as the focus of spiritual life every person at any age is at the center of the story. He is the main thing that the author wants to tell the reader about, and everything else is secondary, less important. That is why some “schematism” and a lack of “psychologism” in individual images are possible here.

There is an element of fantasy in the books of priest Nikolai Blokhin. It is intertwined with reality, and in the living fabric of his works they cannot be separated.

Often, only children, with their spontaneity, better than anyone else, grasp the essence of what is happening and can express it. In my opinion, the most striking example of this is Alyosha from the story “Give Back Your Brother.” The child, not understanding what the adults intend to do, not knowing at all that what the adults intended (termination of pregnancy) is possible, intuitively senses trouble. Feeling afraid that something is threatening his future brother, he turns to adults (parents and hospital doctors) with the most important request for him: “Give me your brother!” And these words of the child “wake up” the elderly doctor, who thought that over the years of working in such a hospital he had become accustomed to everything. Then he admits that “he hasn’t run like that since the war,” when he found and caught up with Alyosha to tell him that his brother was alive, that he wasn’t killed...

The theme of suffering for faith and readiness for this suffering, the determination to endure it with God's help, but not to retreat, occupies a significant place in the work of Priest Nikolai Blokhin. Here you can remember the teacher Julia, Zoya and Seva-Sevastyan from the story “The Chosen One”.

Of the works of priest Nikolai Blokhin, the most artistically powerful, in my opinion, is the story “The Deep Mire,” which tells about the events of the Civil War. Reality in it is intertwined with elements of fantasy, each character has his own story, and it is not immediately and not always clear to the reader why suddenly this particular hero sees a mysterious monastery, a place of salvation for many, when other people do not see it. One of the most important thoughts in this story is the hope for the possibility of repentance, which remains with a person even when it is obvious that he has committed terrible atrocities, and by earthly standards this cannot be forgiven. In this regard, the first thing that comes to mind is the Red Army commander Vzvoev, who also suddenly saw that monastery and even found himself in it.

The writer conveys to the reader the idea of the importance of preserving Orthodoxy by every living generation, despite the obstacles inherent in its time. This is very important not only for us living today, but also for our descendants. Spiritual succession is the essence of the history of our people as a whole and the individual families that make it up, which, like a baton, pass on the Orthodox faith and virtuous life from one generation to another.

The writer who became this year's Patriarchal Prize laureate Boris Petrovich Ekimov- one of the best prose writers not only of our time, but, as it seems to me, of all Russian literature. His works are written at the highest artistic level. This is exemplary (so to speak) prose created in best traditions Russian literature. I remember how many years ago I first read Boris Petrovich’s stories, and they made a very special, unforgettable impression on me.

Each period of the country's history is reflected in its own way in its secular culture. Various works of art: painting, musical and literary works and the like - are the most valuable and detailed evidence of the era in which they were created. To a large extent, it is from them that descendants can judge the period as a whole, the development of culture and society, and what worried the people who lived then. Someday our descendants will judge our time by cultural heritage of our era, including the literary works of contemporary authors. I think that among the best, worthy prose works The books of Boris Petrovich Ekimov will remain in history.

Most of his works on the subject can be attributed to village prose . But they all tell not only about the villagers, they are about all people. Love to small homeland, beauty native nature, habit and craving for rural labor, to one’s land, joy, sorrow, worries, relationships between relatives and fellow villagers - all this is in the works of B.P. Ekimova. One of his collections (“Return”) has the subtitle “Stories about Living Life.” Exactly this precise definition the essence of all the writer’s prose.

There are many themes in his works, they are intertwined with each other into a complex artistic whole, they cannot be divided into components or separated from each other. When asked what, for example, one of the best stories in all Russian literature, “The Shepherd’s Star,” is about, it is impossible to give a monosyllabic answer. It is better to advise you to read it.

The novels and stories of Boris Ekimov are permeated Christian spirit, including those in which there is no direct mention of Christian realities. Let me again remember “The Shepherd Star” and its main character Timofey, for whom the moral principle “thou shalt not steal” is so natural that it does not even occur to him that he can appropriate other people’s sheep. At first he cannot even think that this is exactly what the owner who hired him as a shepherd intended. Timofey himself does not take what belongs to others.

“I don’t even need someone else’s,” he removed the money. - No matter how many times I passed, thank God I wasn’t flattered. But what about... People are crying somewhere, and we will crow with happiness, - he said weakly, but still hoping to convince . “You can’t thrive on other people’s tears.”

The whole image of the village simpleton, in which the greatness of the Russian spirit is focused, appears before the reader in the same lively, uncontrived, whole way. Timofey is truly responsible for his work, remembers the advice of the old shepherd, from whom he himself once learned. He lives in full force only in his small homeland, near his native farm, where he is surrounded by nature that is close to his heart, so familiar and at the same time the most beautiful.

But for all his simplicity, Timothy has wisdom. He is not offended by the owner's teenage son, who at first behaves somewhat arrogantly. Over time, Timofey becomes a truly close person to this boy. Unobtrusively, he convinces the teenager that it is impossible to spoil the growing bread. You cannot let a herd into the field, because even if the authorities are ready to turn a blind eye to this, a person should not act against his conscience:

“Don’t waste your bread. Poisoning bread is a great sin.”

The story “The Mistress” clearly illustrates how yielding to one sin leads to a whole chain of subsequent ones. main character Olga is widowed and wants to find her happiness with Mikhail, a childhood friend who has long had a wife and children. Dreaming of destroying someone else's family and living together with someone else's husband, Olga goes further and further along the path of untruth, hardening her heart. She kicks the mother of her deceased husband out of the house in which she lived all her life, despite the fact that her mother-in-law always helped her raise her daughters and took on the hardest work. Olga forces her to move to another village to live with her daughter, where she is not very welcome, and then refuses to take her back. When the old woman asks with tears to let her spend her last earthly years in this house, Olga emphasizes that now they are strangers. All the injustice and soullessness of Olga’s persistent desire to remain the only mistress in the house is exposed by her relationship with own daughter Rosa, who insists that Grandma Akulina (“Baba Kulya”) live with them. After all, for her, “babanechka” is the dearest and most beloved person.

The story “Talk, Mom, Speak...” is about complete mutual understanding and true love between a long-grown daughter and mother. Both are able to feel from a distance what is especially important to a loved one, and give him exactly that. Both know, remember and take care of what their loved one loves and values.

Even if these works do not directly talk about Christianity, such was the era, but moral values are spelled out everywhere in them.

The 2016 Patriarchal Prize laureates included Boris Nikolaevich Tarasov- writer, philosopher, literary critic, Doctor of Philology, professor of the M. Gorky Literary Institute, who headed it as rector for many years, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation.

In the “Life of Remarkable People” series, Boris Nikolaevich Tarasov published two books. This fictional biographies Christian thinkers Pascal and Chaadaev. I believe that most readers appreciate this probably oldest book series, which dates back to 1890. It was from this time that the publishing house F.F. Pavlenkov began to publish biographical and artistic-biographical books under a general title. Later, in the 30s of the 20th century, the series was resumed by Maxim Gorky.

Both books by Boris Tarasov are in demand by readers and have been reprinted several times. The wide readership, in my opinion, knows both thinkers somewhat “one-sidedly”: one as a scientist, the other as a contemporary of Pushkin, the addressee of his lines, a man whom the government declared crazy for his writings. Other aspects of their activities remain as if in the shadows. Meanwhile, Chaadaev himself considered himself a Christian thinker. In the books of B.N. Tarasova B. Pascal and P.Ya. Chaadaevs are revealed as versatile, deep personalities. Boris Nikolaevich has done a tremendous amount of work. He studied and analyzed many sources, resulting in his books that were very informative and entertaining.

In addition to those mentioned biographical works Boris Tarasov published whole line educational books (“In the world of man”, “Where history is moving”, “Historiosophy of F.I. Tyutchev in the modern context”, “Man and history in Russian religious philosophy and classical literature", "The Mystery of Man" and the Mystery of History (unread Chaadaev, unheard Dostoevsky, unidentified Tyutchev)", "Dostoevsky and modern world”, etc. He also prepared a two-volume book “Nicholas the First and His Time” and a one-volume book “Knight of the Autocracy”), the titles of which indicate the author’s constant interest in the history of Russian literature and its connections with religious philosophy.

I would like to particularly focus on the book by B.N. Tarasov “Where is history moving (Metamorphoses of people and ideas in the light Christian tradition)". In it, the author consistently pursues a relevant idea: when they try to replace Christian values with some other values, even the most seemingly good, humane, humane ones, nothing truly good and bright comes out as a result. All attempts to replace Christian values, Christian norms, Christian views with any others supposedly aimed at the good of individuals and all humanity, which have been undertaken more than once in history and are being undertaken in our time, do not lead to anything good. If the basis is not laid Christian hierarchy values, if these values are distorted, then everything done on such a foundation most often turns out to be evil for humans and the surrounding world, although, as it seemed, those who tried to build on such a foundation were pursuing good goals.

In the book by B.N. Tarasov “Where History is Moving” we're talking about about famous domestic writers, philosophers and political figures of the XIX century (Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I, Westerners, Slavophiles, soilists, F.I. Tyutchev, A.S. Pushkin, P.Ya. Chaadaev, K.N. Leontyev, L.N. Tolstoy) and about their contemporaries. Exploring their heritage in the most various aspects: cultural, literary, philosophical, social - the author analyzes the problems they faced and ways to solve them in the complex context of Russian and world history.

At first glance, it may seem that the 19th century is fairly well studied and is largely known to most people. Domestic and world history of this century, as well as the classics of Russian literature in our country are studied at a school desk. This period of history is widely represented in research, popular science and fiction. But it should be noted that ideas about it in our society are, as a rule, superficial, insufficient and, importantly, contain a significant number of cliches.

The special value of the works of B.N. Tarasov is that he consistently, on a strictly scientific basis, destroys many templates. One of the most bright examples— attitude towards Emperor Nicholas I, assessment of his personality and the period of his reign. From a school history course, most students learn that this was an era of reaction, stagnation in all areas of life, and the emperor himself is perceived by them as a strangler of all freedom, an “offender” best poets, writers and in general thinking people- as "Nikolai Palkin". Opposing this cliché, Boris Nikolaevich Tarasov convincingly shows that the figure of the emperor was not so unambiguously gloomy, and the years of his reign cannot be characterized only as a time of complete darkness in all spheres of life. The researcher gives many examples from the life and work of the emperor, which convince the reader that Nicholas I had many positive qualities that were important and necessary for governing the state, and his deeds for the benefit of the country are numerous and undeservedly forgotten.

I consider it very valuable that B.N. Tarasov does not go to the other extreme, maintaining a critical assessment historical figures. It happens that authors who write about someone undeservedly forgotten or who has received an undeserved “dark halo” in history become too carried away with apologetics and create in their works an unrealistically positive, to some extent “inanimate” image. In the studies of B.N. Tarasova is preserved historical truth, heroes remain real people having both advantages and disadvantages. The author does not idealize the actions of the heroes of his books, does not present them in a “favorable” light, and does not select justifications for any of their actions. He recognizes not all the thoughts and actions of those he writes about as true.

Thanks to the works of B.N. Tarasov presents the reader with a much more real, versatile 19th century with all its contradictions, with many interesting and important people who lived at that time. The author does not just list facts and write about emperors, writers, philosophers, he gives the reader the opportunity to comprehend historical and cultural patterns and the significance of Christian values, norms, and traditions in history.

In conclusion, it should be noted that this year’s Patriarchal Literary Prize laureates in their own way reflect the diversity of modern literature, rooted in the Orthodox worldview. Years of atheistic censorship in Russian culture have not weakened creative potential writers who broadcast Orthodox moral principles and beliefs. And today we need more such writers. I don’t know what the contemporary period of Russian literature will be called. But its distinctive feature, in my opinion, is the interest of many talented authors in the spiritual laws of existence and their manifestation in the realities of our time.