* Binterim. Denkwiiidigkeiten d. Christ-katolishen Kirche. Bd. IV. Theil. 1. S. 611-614.

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Let's turn to the history of travels to St. The Earth in Christian times. We know very little about Christian travelers in St. John's Day. The earth in the first three centuries of the Church. Several reasons for this phenomenon can be indicated. First of all, there were not so many Christians in these centuries as in the following centuries: there were fewer Christians, and there were fewer travelers to the Holy Scriptures. Earth. Further, the persecution of the Christians of these centuries was a condition that did not predispose to travel: travel to holy places is a kind of self-denial; but self-denial was given many reasons for persecution, so that the feat of travel was less necessary than in quiet times. With the change of circumstances, especially much travel began in the fourth century: it was the time when peace was established in the Church with the accession of Constantine the Great; a quiet time gives more convenience and opportunity to undertake journeys than an anxious time, when pagan emperors reigned. Further, the places sanctified by the sufferings of Christ were deliberately desecrated by the pagans through the construction of pagan temples on them; in Jerusalem it was difficult to find what they came here for; the holy places were desecrated. Let us also add that many shrines, with which the memory of Christ's sufferings were connected, were hidden, under a bushel: the cross of Christ, the cave of His burial were not yet opened. All of this may explain why we know so little about travels to St. John's Cathedral. Earth for the first three centuries. However, bliss. Jerome, who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries, has left us clear evidence that the journeys to St. The earth began very early and took place all the time until the fourth century, when this podvig became commonplace. He says: "It would be long to count now how many evangelists there have been in all the time from the Ascension of the Lord to the present day, how many martyrs, how many men most skilful in church teaching have gone to Jerusalem. They all thought that there would be less religiosity in them, less knowledge, and that they would not attain the highest virtue if they did not worship Christ in those places where the First Gospel shone from the cross." True, we cannot confirm the truth of Jerome's words with numerous examples; but there is no reason to doubt that the travelers to St. They were found before the fourth century, although they may have been few: Jerome had a good knowledge of the history of the Christian East. The oldest testimony about travelers in St. We find the land in Eusebius. It tells of a journey here by a bishop from Cappadocia, in the second century. Here are the words of Eusebius: "Alexander received a revelation in one night. Following the divine command, he went from Cappadocia to Jerusalem to pray and visit the holy places, and was received by the brethren very friendly, so that they did not want to let him go home, referring equally to the revelation he had seen that very night." Alexander, bishop of Cappadocia, remained in Jerusalem, becoming co-ruler with the aged local bishop Narcissus (Church History. VI, 11). From the time of the third century, one can also point to a traveler who visited St. The earth, we mean the Alexandrian teacher Origen. Although Origen's arrival in Palestine had other motives than the desire to venerate the holy places (Eusebian Church History. VI, 19), but he does not lose sight of this purpose, and later he himself testified that he was in Jerusalem with the intention of beholding and reverently honoring the feet of the Saviour, His apostles and prophets (in the Commentary, on John Toth. 6. Sar. 24). Unfortunately, from the history of the Church up to the fourth century, it is only possible to point to these examples of travelers in the Holy Scriptures. Earth. The reason for this, in part, lies in the fact that ancient writers in their writings noted only those travelers who were famous in some way, were famous persons, and did not consider it their task to notice all travelers who are not known in history.

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* Creations of Bl. Jerome. T. I. P. 11. Kiev, 1879. We will quote the same edition below, namely volumes II and III (letters).  ** Augusti. Op. cit. S. 102.

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The fourth century of the Christian Church, on the contrary, presents numerous examples of journeys to the Holy Scriptures. Earth. How many of the most famous persons "with youthful speed," as Eusebius put it, rush to Jerusalem, how many glorious teachers of the Church hasten to this holy place, how many unknown simple believers flow to the same goal! At the head of all the famous travelers in St. The land was to be built by the mother of Constantine the Great, St. Helena. Eusebius says of her: "Acknowledging that it was her deed to repay God the debt of her pious disposition, and also intending to thank Him for her son-king and her grandsons, this old woman of extraordinary intellect hastened to the East with youthful rapidity, and with royal solicitude surveyed the wondrous land, cities and villages, in order to perform due worship of the feet of the Lord, and, according to the words of the prophet,  "to worship in the place where His nose stands" (Psalm 131:7)." His stay in Jerusalem and St. Helena marked the earth with the construction of various churches (which we will talk about below). The country, seeing the humiliation of the Saviour, made such an impression on the royal personage that with great humility she wanted to serve God where He had self-abasementd Himself. Helen, according to Eusebius, leaving all the ornaments proper to her dignity in the most modest clothes, so as not to be recognized, mingled with the mass of the people and distributed generous alms (Life of Const. III, 42, 45). And according to the historian Rufinus, Helen's humility extended even further. While in Jerusalem, she invited the virgins who lived there to her table, and she herself served them at the table as a simple slave (Hist. Eccles. Lib. I. Cap. 8). The example of the Empress, who made a trip to St. From that time on, travelers to St. The earth flows from different countries, from the most remote places, and often in large masses. The historian Sozomen testifies that especially many Christians flocked to Jerusalem in those days when the celebration of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross was celebrated. From the time of the consecration of the temple, built under Constantine the Great on Golgotha, this feast was celebrated annually, was very solemn and lasted 8 days. "On the occasion of this celebration," the historian notes, "many people flock there to visit the holy places, from almost all the sunflowers" (II, 26). Blessed Jerome, who himself visited the holy places of Palestine in the second half of the fourth century and lived there for a long time, testifies that at that time a multitude of Christians began to flow to Palestine from various places. He writes: "The best Christians in the world come together here. Every one of the best men of Gaul is hurrying here. The remote Briton has just begun to succeed in religion, leaving the West for a place so famous from rumor and from biblical memories. And what about the Armenians, the Persians, the peoples of India and Ethiopia, the country near Egypt teeming with monks, Pontus, Cappadocia, Syria, and Mesopotamia? They, in the words of the Saviour: "For where there is a corpse, there shall the eagles be gathered" (Matt. 24:28), - flock to these places and present to us a spectacle of all kinds of virtues" (Works I, 11-12). St. At the end of the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom said in one of his church discourses: "Tell me, where is the tomb of Alexander (Alexander the Great)? Point out and tell me when he died? Even their own people do not know Alexander's sepulchre, but even barbarians know the sepulchre of Christ and the tombs of the servants of the Crucified One. These coffins are more brilliant than the royal palaces, not only in the size and beauty of the buildings, but, what is much more important, in the zeal of those who flock to them. In the intercession of the already deceased, both the skin-maker and the fisherman, the one who is clothed in the diadem has need"*.

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* Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians (Moscow, 1851). P. 324.

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Let us convey information about the most remarkable pilgrims in St. Earth in the IV century, about which we have more detailed information. The first pilgrim should be called an unknown Christian who traveled from the Gallic (French) city of Bordeaux to St. John's. Land in 333. This wanderer is remarkable for the fact that he left behind his "Travel Notes" (Itenerarium). This diary is the first historical monument of its kind. He is distinguished by simplicity and sincerity; it is evident that the writer of the diary made the most gratifying impressions of his travels*. Of the holy men, who were famous for their lofty life, and for their deeds for the benefit of the faith and the Church, and for their works, he undertook journeys to St. The land of St. Gregory of Nyssa, brother of Basil the Great. His thoughts and feelings from this journey to the Holy Trinity. The earth, he himself expounds in his works. In spite of something unfortunate that he had encountered in Palestine, the general impression was most gratifying to him. Thus, he writes in his works: "The monuments of the Lord's great love for us, which were shown to me on the spot, were the subject of the greatest joy and gladness; for the feast of God was revealed to me: both in the fact that I saw the salvific traces of the presence here of God, Who gave us life, and in the fact that I met here souls in whom the same signs of the Lord's grace are spiritually contemplated. And so, inasmuch as I have seen with my sensual gaze the holy places, and I have seen in you (to whom the Holy Father wrote) the obvious signs of such places, I have been filled with such joy that no word can convey." An equally remarkable traveler to the Holy Land was, as we mentioned above, Bl. Jerome, glorious both in the height of his life and in his influence on the Western Church of that time, and a tireless writer and theologian. He was not only in the Holy Trinity. But he lived here for a long time and even died (f 420) in Bethlehem. The stay in the Holy Trinity. The Earth had a deep impression on the soul of this alien from the distant West. In Jerusalem, he was especially pleased with the decorum, humility, and brotherly love that distinguished the pilgrims who came here from everywhere to venerate the greatest Christian shrine. These wanderers seemed to be transformed. Without a doubt, the sacred memories filled their souls with inexplicable delight. But let us give the floor to the witness Jerome: "No matter how different the voices (of pilgrims from different places) are, the religion is one. There are so many different folk choirs, almost as many singing choirs. But there is no dispute between them because of self-interest, or because of the motives of pride: a common emulation for humility. Let it be the very last, he is revered as the first. There are no differences, nothing striking in clothes. No matter how much one pleases to walk, there is neither blame nor praise. Not eating is exalted, and moderate satiety is not condemned. Everyone stands or falls to his Lord. No one judges another, lest he be condemned by the Lord. And gnawing each other's teeth, which is so common in other countries, is not the case here. There is no luxury, there is no entertainment" (Tv. II, 12). Jerome made an equally gratifying, soothing, edifying impression from his stay at the place of the Savior's birth, in Bethlehem. Here "all simplicity," he wrote, "and only the singing of psalms breaks the silence. Turn anywhere: the farmer, walking behind the plough, sings hallelujah; the sweaty reaper amuses himself with psalms, and the husbandman, cutting the vine branches with a crooked knife, sings something from David. Such are the songs in this country, and these are the favorite songs, as the people say" (Ibid., 14). The simple, idyllic life in Bethlehem, with the singing of sacred hymns during even ordinary work, transported the thought of the traveler visiting the place of the Nativity of Christ to the time when the shepherds glorified the Redeemer and the choirs of angels praised this glorious event. Knowing what a difficult task it is to travel to St. John's Cathedral. In order to provide comfortable accommodation for those who came to Bethlehem, Jerome set up a hospice at the monastery at his own expense. "Pilgrimship," he wrote, "lies in our hearts, and we gladly receive all those who come, because we are afraid that Mary, having come here with Joseph (i.e. travelers in general, such as these holy persons were in their time in Bethlehem), will not be left without shelter." The example of the valiant pilgrim in St. The earth in the fourth century is represented by a pious Roman matron named Paula, later the companion of Jerome. Nothing could restrain her from the journey she had planned to Palestine: not even her love for her children, who had not yet reached adulthood. Religious feeling won over the feeling of motherly love in her. Jerome describes in touching and pictorial features the moment when Paula had to board a ship in a harbor in Italy to set off on a long journey and take one last look at her children parting from their mother. "Here she is, Paula, going down to the harbor; she is accompanied by her brother, relatives, relatives, and what is most precious of all, by children who want to conquer the most merciful mother with their love. The sails have already been unfurled, and the ship under the oars of the oarsmen is reaching the depths. Little Toxosius stretches out his pleading hands from the shore. Ruffina, already a bride, begs with silent tears to wait for her marriage. And despite this, she, i.e. Paul, raised her clear eyes to heaven, conquering love for children with love for God. She did not recognize herself as a mother in order to prove that she was a servant of Christ. Her intestines turned upside down, and she seemed to be torn apart in the struggle with sorrow. To be in the hands of enemies and to endure the severe calamities of captivity is not so painful as to be separated from parents from their children" (Tvor. III, 21-22). Arriving at St. Paula gave herself up with all her being to religious feeling, aroused in her with extraordinary force by the spectacle of everything that was then open to the gaze of the traveler. Jerome, a witness of her walking through Jerusalem, describes Paula's spiritual mood as follows: "Here she went around all the places with such fervor and love that she would not have been able to tear herself away from the first if she had not hastened to the rest. How many tears she shed there, how many groans and sorrows she poured out, all Jerusalem is a witness, God Himself, to Whom she prayed, is a witness." III, 25). St. The earth had such a powerful influence on the heart of this pilgrim from a distant land that she decided to stay here forever, in Bethlehem. From that time on, her whole life was devoted to works of charity, since she was rich. She built cells and monasteries and inns in Bethlehem "along the road by which Mary and Joseph did not find where to lay their heads" (Ibid., 34). Paula herself became the abbess of the convents she had established in Bethlehem and introduced into them the strict monastic order. Jerome says of Paula's monasteries: "She divided into three communities and monasteries the multitude of virgins which she had gathered from different countries, but she divided them in such a way that, being divided in work and food, they were united in psalmody and prayer." At certain hours, they gathered for common prayer. "Coming first herself or among the first, she encouraged others to come. In the morning, at the third, sixth, and ninth hour, in the evening and at midnight, they sang the Psalter according to the rule." In addition to prayer, "they zealously continued the work distributed among them, and prepared clothes for themselves or others." Those of noble birth were not allowed to have any stranger as a concubine, in order to avoid distraction. "For all there was one garment" (Tvor. III, 43). In the ascetic labors of the strict nun Paula she lived in Bethlehem for twenty years; here she died, in the words of Jerome, "ascending from little Bethlehem to the heavenly kingdoms" (Ibid., 57-58). This traveler in St. She found such peace for her soul here that she did not think at all to return to the world and died where the salvation of Christians was born. Of the travelers who visited St. Earth in the V century, let us note the ascetic Peter of Galatia, about whom Blg. Theodorite. This writer does not so much describe any circumstances from Peter's journey as acquaint him with the feelings and thoughts that filled the soul of this traveler when he did what he said. Theodoret writes: "Peter initially asceticized in Galatia; from here he went to Palestine to survey the places where the salvific sufferings had taken place, and there to worship the Saviour God and to saturate his eyes with the contemplation of the desired objects. For those who are passionately attached to someone usually feel joy not only when they see him, but also take pleasure in seeing his house, clothes, and shoes. This blessed man (Peter), being embraced by love for Christ, applied to himself the words from the Song of Songs: "I am wounded by love" (5:8), and as if wishing to see at least the shadow of the Bridegroom, he turned to the places that poured forth for all people the currents of salvation***** The feelings and ideas that filled Peter's soul were, of course, the feelings and ideas that constituted the most valuable aspect of such a feat as the journey that many undertook at that time to Jerusalem and its environs.

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* From these "Travel Notes" below we will convey what we find necessary. These Notes (Itenerarium) were translated into Russian in 1882 and published in the second issue of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Collection (this edition also contains variants of the text that are useful for a clearer understanding of the monument).  ** The Works of St. Gregory of Nyssa. Moscow, 1871. Vol. VIII (letters). Pp. 461-462. We will quote the same volume below.  The life of bl. Jerome (at the first volume of the Russian translation of his works). PP. LXXXVIII-LXXXIX.  These words can rightly be applied to Jerome himself, as do the describers of his life (for example, the compiler of the Life of Jerome in the first volume of the Russian translation of the works of this teacher of the Church, p. LXXXIV).  The history of God-lovers. St. Petersburg, 1853. Hl. 9.

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