ThecompatibilityofpoliticalandmilitaryprowesswithChristianbeautyas

depictedinmedievaliconographyandhymnographyofSaintAlexanderNevsky

Itisashardandsevereathingtobeatruepoliticianastobetrulymoral.
FrancisBacon

Introduction:
Inthecurrentworldclimate,politicalleadersarealmostuniversallythoughtofas
beingwithoutmoralprincipleswhosedecisionsstemfromthelatestpollsandimage
makers.Asidefromthecompromiseofethicalprinciplesandubiquityofpersonalmoral
failings,theroleofapoliticianisinevitablyfraughtwithexceptionallydifficultdecisions,
includingkillingpeopleorsendingsoldierstotheirdeathsduringwartime.Often,the
principleswhichguidepoliticalleadersappeartobepragmatismandselfinterestrather
thanthegoodofthosewhotheyprofesstogovern.Suchacultureseemsincompatible
withtheidealsthataChristianissupposedtoexhibit.
Specifically,theChristianidealsofBeauty,whichaccordingtooneof
Dostoyevskyscharacters,willsavetheworld,seemsalmostaxiomatically
incompatiblewiththestandard,currentviewofapoliticalormilitaryleader.Images
associatedwithshrewdpoliticalmaneuveringormodern(orforthatmattermedieval)
warfareappearalmostdiametricallyopposedtointernalandexternalgrace,calmand
beautydepictedinOrthodoxiconsorinOrthodoxhymnography.Incontradistinctionto
theprofessionofamonk,aphysicianoranacademicspecialistinByzantinetheology,

whichseemmorecompatiblewithsaintliness,thejobofbeingapoliticalormilitary
leaderbyitsverynaturedemandscompromise.
Orthodoxhagiography,however,isrepletewithexamplesofmilitaryandpolitical
leaderswho,intheOrthodoxunderstanding,successfullycombinedcareersasstatesmen
andmilitaryleaderswithsaintlylives.Inthispaper,wewillfocusonSaintAlexander
Nevskywhowasabletogovernhiscountrysuccessfullyinexceptionallydifficult
historicalcircumstancesandyetaccordingtotheOrthodoxChurchwasabletoremain
truetotheChristianideal.Inhislife,SaintAlexanderwasabletoresolvetheinherent
tensionbetweenthedemandsofhispoliticalandmilitaryresponsibilitiesandthe
requirementsofasaintlylife,includingasenseofbothinnerandouterbeauty.
Orthodoxiconographyandhymnographyappeartobeideallysuitedtodepictthe
resolutionofthistension.First,aniconorhymn,asreligiousartandpoetryareinherently
supposedtobeobjectsofbeauty.Second,aniconorhymnissupposedtodepictnotonly
theouterorphysicalcircumstancesofanindividualsexistencebutalsotheinner
struggles,whichpervadedthelifeoftheparticularsaintaswellashisorhervictoryin
thisspiritualstruggle.
Thefocusofthepaperwillbeonhowtheharmonioussolutiontotheapparent
incompatibilityofapoliticalandmilitarycareerandasaintlylifeisdepicted
iconographicallyandhymnographically.Wewillalsodiscuss(seeminglyirreconcilable)
conceptsofbeauty(especiallyinnerbeauty)andpolitical/militaryprowesswhichagain,
optimallywouldbothbepresentinaniconofasaintofthistype.

Historicalbackground:
AlexanderYaroslavovichNevskylivedinatimeofgreatperilforRussiaaswell
asforOrthodoxyingeneral.HewasborninPereslavlZalesskyin1220sixteenyearafter
thegreatsackofConstantinoplebytheLatinCrusadersin1204.Hediedin1263,two
yearsaftertherecaptureofthecapitaloftheremnantsoftheByzantineEmpireby
MichaelVIIIPalaeologous.
In1236,AlexanderbecametheprinceofNovgorod(attheageof16).Duringthe
firstfewyearsofhistenureinNovgorod,theRussianlandwasdevastatedandsubjugated
bytheMongols,undertheleadershipofKhanBatu,thegrandsonofGenghisKhan.In
1237and1238,KhanBatucapturedanddestroyedessentiallyallofthemajorcentersof
northernRus,includingVladimir.By1240,KhanBatuannihilatedKievandthe
southernpartofRus.DuringBatuscampaign,Novgorodwassparedprobablyduetoits
inaccessibilityandsincethesurroundingterrainwasinhospitabletotheMongolcavalry.
SensingweaknessoftheRussianland,theSwedesandGermansattacked
NovgorodandPskovfromtheWest.In1240,AlexanderNevskyandhisnumerically
inferiorforcesdecisivelydefeatedtheSwedisharmyontheNevaRiver.Forthisvictory,
AlexanderwasgiventhetitleNevsky.In1242NevskydefeatedtheLivonianKnightson
LakeLadoga.
AlexanderNevskyresistedtheeffortsoftheCatholicChurchandotherpolitical
forcesintheWesttofromanallianceagainsttheMongolsandinsteadbecameavassalof
theMongoloverlords.HispolicyofappeasementoftheconquerorsfromtheEast,
includingthecollectionoftaxesfromhisownpeopleandsuppressionofantiMongol

uprisings(forexampletheNovgoroduprisingof1259)whileavoidinginternalwars
(mezhduusobnayabran)wassuccessfulingainingarespiteforthelongsuffering
RussianpeoplefromdevastatingMongolianforays.Hissuccessinthismostdifficult
diplomaticendeavor,whichearnedhimtheeternalloveofhispeopleishighlightedby
thesubsequentfailuretoachievetheseaimsbyensuingrulers.Forexample,theendless
warsofAlexanderNevskystwosons,DimitriandAndreieachofwhombrought
MongolarmiestodevastatenotonlyeachotherbuttheRussianlanditself(Karamzin,
tomeIV,chapters56,pp81103,Moscow184244,reprinted1988).Inthissensethe
wordsofMetropolitanArchbishopCyrilsaidathisfuneralprovedprophetic,'My
children,youshouldknowthatthesunoftheSuzdalianlandhasset.Therewillneverbe
anotherprincelikehimintheSuzdalianland.'Andthepriestsanddeaconsandmonks,
thepoorandthewealthy,andallthepeoplesaid:'Itisourend."Begunov,K.,translator,
SecondPskovianChronicle,("Isbornik",Moscow,1955)pp.1115.AlexanderNevsky
wasconsideredalocal(mestopochitayemi)saintimmediatelyafterhisuntimelydeath.
HewascanonizedbytheentireRussianOrthodoxChurchin1547.

Distortionoftheimage:
DuringthehistoryofRussia,theimageofAlexanderNevskyhasbeen
manipulatedtotheendsofvariousinterestedpartiesbothintheImperialandSoviet
periods.Forexample,in1724PetertheGreatcommandedatranslationoftherelicsof
AlexanderNevskytothenewmonasterybuiltinthesaintshonorinSt.Petersburg.
AlthoughAlexanderNevskywasoneofthemostvenerated(pochitayemi)saintsin

Russia,thetimingoftransferoftherelicsofsuchagreatsaint,historicallyseenasa
defenderofRussiafromGermanandSwedishaggressiontothenewlybuilt,butstill
precariouscapitaloftheRussianEmpirecaneasilybeseenashavingbothpoliticaland
militarysignificance.ThereverenceofAlexanderNevskyprogressedinthelateimperial
period,as3outofthelast5czarswerenamedafterthissaint.AplethoraofRussian
OrthodoxcathedralsnamedafterthedefenderofRussiainforeigncapitalsisalso
probablysignificant(Paris,Sofia,Tallinn).
InSoviettimes,notwithstandingtheofficialseverantiChurchpolicies,thecultof
AlexanderNevskywasrevivedjustbeforeandespeciallyduringWWII.
Cinemagraphically,thisisbestdepictedinthe1938filmdirectedbySergeiEisenstein,
withthemusicalscorebySergeiProkofiev.
Recentscholarship,especiallyintheWesthasrecentlycometoamoreskeptical
ordeconstructivistapproachtoAlexanderNevsky(Isoaho2006).Forexample,ithas
beenaverredthat(Fennell,theCrisisofMedievalRussia1983)theimportanceandscale
oftheBattleontheIcedepictedinEisensteinsfilmhasbeenoverestimated.
Ourcontemporaries,however,oftenseehistoricalpersonagesanddeedsthough
theprismofourowntimes.Itisaxiomatictosaythatthemedievalmindsetisradically
differentfromourown.ThishasbeenemphasizedbyDimirtiSergeevichLikhachev,in
theWestintheacademicworksofCSLewisandTolkien.Thisiscertainlytruewhen
speakingabouttheidealofaruler.Hence,thegoalofaninvestigatoristounderstand
historicalfiguresintheirowntimeandcontexts,howtheyenvisionedthemselves,their
ownstrugglesandvictoriesandhowtheircontemporariessawthem.Therefore,wewill

analyzetheearliestwrittenworksaboutANaswellastheearliestremaining
hymnographicandiconographicrepresentationsofthissaint.

TaleoftheLifeandCourageofthePiousandgreatprinceAlexander(Nevsky)
MuchofwhatweknowaboutSt.AlexanderNevskyisfromamanuscriptentitled
TaleoftheLifeandCourageofthePiousandGreatPrinceAlexander(Nevsky)(English
translationZenkovsky,Meridian1963)whichwaswrittensoonafterhisdeath.When
readingthischronicle,oneisstruckbyadetailedandknowledgeabledescriptionofthe
battlescenesontheonehandandextensivequotesandallusionstoreligioustextsand
ancienthistoryontheother.Zenkovskytookthistomeanthatthechroniclehadatleast
twodifferentauthorsawarriorandachurchman.However,thisdichotomybetweenthe
military/politicalworldandthereligiousmindset,whilecompletelyunderstandableinour
currentworld,wasartificialinthemedievalworld.Incontrasttotoday,militaryand
religiousleadersatthattimewereexpectedtobeandinfactappearedtobeand
occasionallywerepiousandgodlymensuchasSaintAlexander.
TheLifealsodescribesamiraculousvisionoftwoRussiansaintsBorisandGleb,
whowerewitnessedtobehasteningtotheaidofourrelativeAlexanderpriortothe
battleagainsttheSwedes.AninterestingquestioniswhywasitSaintsBorisandGleb?
Theirmilitaryachievementswererathermodestduringtheirownlifetimesalthough.
WhynotSt,Vladimir?OrYaroslavtheWise?Theanswercanbegleanedfromatextual
analysisoftheoriginalLifeofAlexanderNevskywhencomparedtolaterdistortions.
PriortohisbattlewithSwedes,hewascautionedbyadvisorsagainstimmediately

attackingtheSwedes,sincetheenemywasnumericallysuperiortotheforcesof
Novgorodians.AccordingtotheLife,AlexanderNevskyreplied,Godisnotinstrength
butintruth.(NevsileBogavpravde).Hence,beingonthesideoftruthwasmore
importantthanatacticalmilitaryadvantageandsuccessinthesecondproceedsfromthe
firstandnottheotherwayaround.
AninterestingcontrastisthemostfamousphrasesaidbyANinthe1938filmof
thesamenamebySergeiEisensteinatStalinscommission.Inthisinterpretationofhis
life,AlexanderNevskysaysWhocomestouswiththesword,shalldiebythesword
(ktoknamsmechompridet,otmechaIpogibnet).Inrealitythisallegedquoteisa
disfiguringofthefollowingverseintheGospel.Thencamethey,andlaidhandson
Jesusandtookhim.And,behold,oneofthemwhichwerewithJesusstretchedouthis
hand,anddrewhissword,andstruckaservantofthehighpriest's,andsmoteoffhisear.
ThensaidJesusuntohim,Putupagainthyswordintohisplace:foralltheythattakethe
swordshallperishwiththesword(Matthew26:5153).Therefore,Eisensteincompletely
distortstheoriginalmeaningofChristswordswhichinactualityadmonishedtheApostle
Peterafterthelattersviolent,illadvisedandfutileattempttodefendtheCreatorofthe
universeagainstthearrestingRomanssoldiers.
InEisensteins(Stalins)version,physicalpowerpredominatesInthisversion,
thereisnomentionofTruth(withacapitalT)oreventruth(withalowercaset).In
theoriginaldescription,writtensoonaftertheeventsthemselves,inthepreludetothe
famousbattle,ourprotagonistsclearlysubjugatestrengthtotruth.

Thetwoservices:
TheRussianOrthodoxChurchcelebratesthefeastdayofSaintAlexanderNevsky
twiceduringtheyear.Onceonthedayofhisrepose(November23,OldStyle)andthe
secondtimeforthetranslationofhisrelicstoSt.Petersburgin1724(August30,Old
Style).ThefirstservicewascomposedduringthemidXVIcentury,whilethesecond
servicewaswrittenduringtheearlyXVIIIcentury.Thereareinterestingdistinctionsin
theChurchservices,whichreflectdifferencesintheidealsandobjectivesofRussian
societyduringthesetwoeras.Theearlierversionwaswrittenwhenreligionand
specificallyOrthodoxyplayedadominantroleinthelivesoftheRussianpeople,
includingherleadership.Assuch,itcanbeconvincinglyarguedthatthisearlierversion
mostlikelywasamoreaccuratereflectionofthetimesoftheSainthimself.Thesecond
servicewaswrittenduringthewaningofreligiouslifeandtheriseoftheRussianEmpire.
Consequently,theearlierversionismuchmoreconcernedwiththeinner,spirituallife
Forexample,intheprepetrineservice,thesaintisreferredtoasreverend(prepodobni)
aswellasblagoverni,whereasinthelaterversion,heisreferredtoexclusivelyas
blagoverni.Blagoverniisaninterestingterm.Ontheonehanditisusuallytranslated
aspious;however,thistitleisessentiallyreservedforprincesandotherhighrulers.
Thetermprepodobniusuallyreferstomonksandpriests.Therefore,theearlierChurch
servicewhileclearlypraisinghisstatesmanship,alsounderlinedhissaintlylife,whilethe
laterversionsubtlyemphasizinghispoliticaldeeds.
Similarly,eventhetitleoftheserviceisdifferent.Theearlierversionhighlights
thatAlexanderNevskybecameamonkattheendofhislifebyincludingnarechennogo

voinotsekhAlkseiameaningthathewasrenamedAlekseiwhentonsuredamonk.
Thisdetailisabsentinthelaterversion.

IconographyasthedepictionofinnerChristianbeauty:
St.IsaactheSyrianoncewrote:Speechistheorganofthispresentworld.
Silenceisthemysteryoftheworldtocome(asquotedinWareTheOrthodoxWayp.
178)Thespeechrepresentstheuniquehumanabilitytochronicleofourtemporal
states,whilethesilencerepresentsthateternalmomentofbeholdingabsoluteTruth.
Thus,giventhatunderstanding,onemightviewArt,specificallyOrthodoxiconography,
asmaintainingamysteriousability,knownasBeauty,toactasabridgeand
simultaneouslyconnecttobothrealms.Ontheonehand,religiousiconspaintstoriesof
thelivesofsaintsallpeoplewhowereveryrealand,therefore,theiconfastensitself
toacertaintimeperiodinwhichthatfigurelived.Thisbindinggivestheiconthequality
ofspeechbecauseitactivelytellsastoryofthepast.SaintsstrovetoseeGodand
eternalTruths,consequentlycreatingacertainmovementintheicons.Iconographers
saturatetheiriconswithuniversalsymbolsoftheworldtocome,ortheideal,inorder
forotherstoalsoseewhatthesaintssaw.Thus,iconographymanagestoconcurrently
speakoftheindividualandtoseetheuniversal,givinganonlookertheabilitytoalso
seetheTruthsthroughtheiconsstorytelling.
Asweexploretheiconographicrepresentationofsaintswhowerealsopowerful
politicians,wereturntoinitiallycynicalquestionCanapoliticianreallybesaint?seeps
intoourminds.But,ifwereturntoSt.Isaacsquote,apoliticalsaintbecomestheperfect

candidateforthespeechandsightdichotomy.Intermsofspeech,apolitician(orprince,
etc.)participatesinconquests,reforms,andothermiscellaneousendeavors,givingthe
iconographeranabundanceofstoriestochronicle.Intermsofsight,thepoliticalfigure
traditionallystandsforcertainidealsandattemptstomovehispeopletowardsthatideal.
Undoubtedly,thereexistsagreattensionbetweenthecareerofthesaint,whoisalsoa
statesmanandhisspirituallife,butthattensionismirroredbythesimultaneousoverlap
oftimeandeternity.Andwhileamodernmisconceptionassertsthatthefrictionleadsto
negativeeffects,inactuality,thedoublesidedpressurecanincertaincircumstancesmold
leadersintomenandwomenofcharacter.Theidealsforwhichtheystruggledarethen
crystallizedinOrthodoxiconographicart.
InprepetrineiconsAlexanderNevskywasoccasionallydepictedasamonkina
greatskhima(forexampleintheSophiaCathedralinNovgorodmidXVIcentury)
andoccasionallyasaprince.AfterPetertheGreat,iconographerswereinstructedto
portrayhiminprincelygarb(UkazoftheHolySynodJune15,1724).However,even
inpostpetrineicons,AlexanderNevskyisdepictedashavehiscrownplacedonthetable
behindhimandahaloaroundhishead,showingthespiritualfirst,andpoliticalsecond,
althoughmaintainingtheimportanceofbothaspects.Withhiseyesgazingupandinto
thelight,onecaninferthatheisspirituallybeingimmersedinthelightofGod.

Conclusion:
IconsandChurchhymnsdepictnotonlyphysicalreality,butalsotheinnerreality
andspiritualbeauty.Ratherthandisplayingjustsymbolicorevensanitizedversionsof

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historicaleventsandpersonages,aschargedbycritics,theseformsofartstrivetoand
actuallyachieveaccuratedescriptions.Specifically,asdemonstratedinthispaper,and
notwithstandingthedistortionsandbiasesoflatereras,thecharacterofAlexander
Nevsky,animminentlysuccessfulstatesmanandasaintcanbegintocomeintofocus
throughanalysisoftheearliestmanuscriptsandiconographicdepictionsandthrough
understandingthespiritualmindset,ofhistime.OnecanonlyhopethattheChristian
leadersofthepastcanserveasmodelsforcontemporariesinOrthodoxcountriesaswell
asinnonOrthodoxcountriestoguideourownuncertainpresent.

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