In what war did Kornilov become famous? Biography

Wedding in the Orthodox Church is one of the seven main sacraments, and believers try to observe the rules for it as carefully as possible. Wedding, along with baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion, priesthood and consecration of oil, constitute the center of spiritual life and embody the fullness of a person’s entry into church life. You will read everything that the bride and groom need to know before such an important step as a wedding in our detailed article. It will also be of interest to those who have already performed the sacrament, but want to learn more about it.

The meaning of a wedding in the Orthodox Church

According to the Christian worldview, two people are united in a union sanctified by God and become one flesh. That is why divorces, which are so common today in Christian circles, are considered an unnatural phenomenon, as if a mother decided not to live with the child she gave birth to. Sometimes such a rupture is associated with amputation of a limb or organ - a painful process that makes a person disabled.

The Lord created Adam and Eve and blessed them to multiply and fruit the earth. Adam immediately recognized the spiritual and physical relationship with his wife: the first thing he did when he saw Eve was call her his flesh and blood, because he fell in love with her:

“And the man said, Behold, this is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she will be called woman, for she was taken from [her] husband” (Gen. 2:23).

Therefore, before taking this step, people must realize the seriousness that they are promising to God by this act.

Young love, as well as long-awaited love, is characterized by haste and seeing one’s partner in “rosy” colors. The virtues that any person has - since everyone is created in the image of God and inherited perfect traits from Him - a loving person perceives exaggeratedly and it seems to him that the object of love is perfect. At the same time, his shortcomings - which everyone also has, since we were all subjected to original sin and its consequences in the form of illness, death and passions - seem to be smoothed out and do not lend themselves to rational analysis.

Therefore, in a church where young people have come to talk with the priest about the upcoming event, you can encounter an unexpected reaction from the church minister. So, if the priest observes the charter of the holy fathers and honors traditions, then he will advise lovers to wait at least a year before the wedding, during which time they can get to know the person better in different circumstances and experience their feelings in practice.

At the same time, this year is not blessed to live an intimate life. In the case when the newlyweds came after an established relationship and confronted the priest with a fait accompli, he explained to them that early sexual intimacy before legal marriage leads to unfavorable consequences for future relationships and their strength.

After an explanatory conversation, if the young people have realized their guilt, the priest invites them to fast for three days, then confess their sins and receive communion. On the eve of the wedding, the newlyweds must take communion in order to feel this day as the most important in life - the day when two destinies become one destiny, two souls become one soul and two bodies become one body.

How to prepare for a wedding?

First you need to choose the day and place for the wedding and notify the priest in advance. It must be remembered that not every day of the year the Orthodox Church is allowed to perform this sacrament.

The sacrament of weddings is not performed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, since these days precede fasting, which believers observe on Wednesday and Friday. Also, the sacrament is not performed on Saturday, since Sunday (and the church day begins at 20:00 the day before) is Little Easter, a sanctified day.

You also cannot get married on the days of the fasts established by the Ecumenical Councils - these are 4 fasts a year with a total duration of 5-6 months with different frequencies.

As a rule, the Orthodox Church of Russia has established a centuries-old tradition of getting married on Red Hill - this is the name of the holiday on the first Sunday after Easter. This day is called Antipascha in the church calendar and marks the beginning of the period of nationwide wedding festivities, which occurred en masse in Rus' at all times.

The sacrament is also not performed on the eve of single fast days - for example, September 11 on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist; on special days of joy and celebration after Lent and Nativity - on Christmastide and Bright Week; before and during the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

After choosing the day, it is necessary to begin preparation, which, first of all, does not include the external preparation of individual items, inviting guests and the plan of events for the celebration - but the internal state of the newlyweds, which consists of preparing for the sacrament of Confession and. Both sacraments necessarily precede such an important event. After all, the Lord calls the Kingdom of Heaven a wedding feast, and Communion at such a feast on the wedding day is a communion of God’s love and strengthening for the entire future journey together in life.

The priest sets the time for the wedding immediately after the liturgy, which is held every morning. Ideally, if the newlyweds manage to defend the liturgy and receive communion at it immediately on the eve of the celebration. After all, it is much more important to spend your energy on contributing to the sacrament than to save it for evening festivities (which it is advisable to avoid and leave guests as early as possible for privacy).

What do you need for a wedding in a church?

The rules for preparing for a wedding in the Orthodox Church lie mainly in internal awareness and responsibility for this step. In the understanding that there is no turning back and all difficulties of character, adjustments, disagreements cannot now be a reason for dissolving the union that God has sanctified.

This is a serious step, but many today take it frivolously, without calculating the strength and strength of their feelings. Unfortunately, such people do not understand that after the breakup of a married union, it will be more difficult to make the next family harmonious and they should take care of what they have.

And secondly, it is necessary to prepare an outfit, documents, items for the sacrament and other things needed on this day.

What is needed for a wedding in the Orthodox Church, list:

Marriage registration certificate. According to the rules established by the Holy Synod, marriages that are not registered with the registry office cannot be married. Such conditions are dictated primarily by the seriousness of the newlyweds’ intentions, because after the revolution and the collapse of the Russian Empire, the church lost its authority to influence the rights and obligations of the parties; the function of regulating legal relations is now performed by the registry office.
Icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. What icons are needed for a wedding? Any images and settings will do, but the main thing is that you can pick them up without any problems. This pious tradition used to mean the blessing of parents for marriage and was passed on by inheritance - on the bride’s side an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, and on the groom’s side an icon of the Savior. The blessing of parents had sacred value and was sacredly observed.
Gold wedding rings. Previously, a woman's wedding ring was silver, recalling that in a Christian family a woman is a helper to her husband and submits to her loving spouse. The husband had a gold ring, which corresponded to the symbolism of the royal metal - like Christ, the husband is obliged to love his wife, who symbolizes the Church. It is the husband who will be responsible for his family before God at the Judgment.
Wedding candles. They can be purchased on site at the temple. They are a symbol of the grace of the Holy Spirit, who is invisibly present and sanctifies.
White board. This can be either an ordinary purchased white towel or a hand-embroidered cloth by the bride (which was often practiced in the past). Can also be purchased locally at the Temple. It is laid on the floor and raised up at a certain point in the process of the sacrament. The plat symbolizes the purity of thoughts and aspirations of those getting married.
Some churches have a fixed donation amount for the sacrament. The cost must be paid before the sacrament so as not to forget about it after. If there is no fixed fee, then you can leave a voluntary donation after the wedding. It should be remembered that the state does not provide church workers with salaries and their living depends on our donations.
Decent appearance of the wedding couple. The girl (woman) should have a headdress (scarf or a fuller veil for a wedding), covered shoulders, the outfit should be modest, covering the knees and not have a deep neckline. A man must wear trousers. Shorts, breeches and other shortened options that expose legs are not allowed for men in the temple. It is better to choose light, pastel colors for the bride's dress. Traditionally, a pure, chaste girl emphasizes her innocence with an absolutely white dress and fresh flowers in her hands. It is better to choose comfortable shoes for the bride, with flat soles, so that you can perform the service without any problems.

Since the church has lost its legal civil power to regulate legal matters, the presence of witnesses is not mandatory and is rather a matter of pious tradition. The witnesses were guarantors of the spouses and knew them well. They invited witnesses who were experienced and had their own families, who could give practical advice in difficult situations.

What wedding rules in the Orthodox Church do you need to know?

The priest chosen by the newlyweds to conduct their sacrament will clearly explain how to prepare for a wedding in the Orthodox Church. But the general rules remain the same.

A marriage registered by the registry office is a graceless, but not lawless cohabitation. This form is respected by the church and is permitted in cases where a church marriage cannot be performed. But it cannot be accomplished in several cases:

when a civil marriage was registered more than three times, according to church canons it is impossible to marry more than three times;
when one or both spouses do not belong to the Orthodox Church, are not baptized, or are not brought in voluntarily;
when there was no actual dissolution of the marriage with the previous spouse: for civil registration, a certificate of divorce is required, for church registration - the blessing of the bishop for entering into a new marriage;
when the bride and groom are related by blood or spirituality - including if they are godparents of the same person;
The rules for the age of those getting married in the Orthodox Church are limited to the upper threshold of 60 years for a woman and 70 for a man, the lower threshold: 16 years for a girl and 18 for a guy.

During preparation for the wedding, all controversial issues in matters of worldview should be discussed so that the sacrament is performed with a pure heart.

How long does a wedding take in a church? 40-60 minutes.

What to do with wedding candles and other attributes after the wedding?

From such family heirlooms you can arrange a small collection. For this purpose, a separate box is created, where attributes are placed after weddings, baptisms and other memorable family events. The box can be shown to children, illuminating for them the details of a significant day, refreshing your own memory and plunging into memories of happy events. You can also place various souvenirs brought from the pilgrimage there.

Wedding candles can be lit during prayer to ask God for something important for the family, for special gratitude to Him, or at other times.

All of these things are reminders of important milestones in the family's development and are part of the emotional life of family members. However, in themselves they do not carry sacred value. If for some reason the relics are no longer needed, they can be eliminated in a special way. Since the items took part in the holy rite, it is better to burn them yourself or hand them over to the church with a request to dispose of the consecrated candles and items that participated in the sacrament.

Seeing the symbols of the wedding in front of them, spouses can, through memories, find ways of mutual understanding when difficult moments arise, through tangible evidence of their union, which they entered into before God, the spouses remember the importance of the family hearth and draw new strength to go through life together hand in hand. hand.

The rules of weddings in the Orthodox Church consist, first of all, of a moral basis, which consists of purity of intentions, the absence of selfish and dishonest goals and a firm determination to unite with a loved one. The purpose of such a union is to receive from the Lord the gift of like-mindedness for Christian life and raising children. You can learn more about weddings from the book.

The wedding ceremony has quite ancient roots, it dates back to the 9th-10th centuries and has not only beautiful content, but also carries a deep meaning. A wedding is a rite that unites a man and a woman in the face of God for eternal love and fidelity, turning marriage into a sacrament related to spiritual existence.

The essence of a wedding

In the modern world, unfortunately, many people misinterpret the very essence of the sacrament and treat it as a fashionable and beautiful event that can brighten up the solemn wedding day. Without even thinking about the fact that a wedding is not a simple formality. Only those people who believe in the eternity of marriage on earth and in heaven should take this step. And such a decision can be made only with mutual consent, as a conscious and well-thought-out act. We should not forget that the rite refers to one of the seven sacraments, as a result of which the grace of the Holy Spirit is transmitted to a person, and this happens in an invisible way.

Wedding rules

If, nevertheless, the relationship in a couple is time-tested, the feelings are deep, and the desire to perform the ceremony is well weighed, then it is worth familiarizing yourself with the conditions without which a wedding is impossible. The rules are mandatory:

The basis for a wedding is a marriage certificate.
The main role in the family is given to the husband, who must love his wife selflessly. And the wife must obey her husband of her own free will.

It is the husband who has the responsibility to maintain the family's connection with the church. Debunking is allowed only in the most urgent situations, for example, when one of the spouses cheats or in case of mental illness. By the way, the latter can also become a reason for refusal of a wedding.

In ancient times, there was a custom when young people submitted a petition to a priest for a wedding, he announced this at a people's meeting, and only after a lapse of time, if there were no people who could report the impossibility of marriage, was the ceremony held.

The total number of weddings a person has throughout his life cannot exceed three times.

Only baptized young people and their witnesses are allowed to participate in the ceremony; everyone must wear a pectoral cross.

If one of those getting married does not know whether he has been baptized or not, it is imperative to discuss this issue with the priest. As a rule, a positive answer is possible if the young people agree to give birth and raise children, following Orthodox traditions.

Age restrictions: a man must be at least 18 years old, and a woman must be at least 16.

Wedding is a primordial Christian rite, therefore people professing another religion (Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc.), as well as atheists, are not allowed to participate in it.

A ban on weddings is imposed if the bride and groom are related, even in the fourth generation. And it is undesirable to enter into a marriage between godparents and godchildren.

If one of the newlyweds has a secondary marriage, the wedding is prohibited.

But circumstances such as the wife’s pregnancy, or if the newlyweds do not have parental blessings, are not grounds for refusing the wedding.

When can the wedding take place?

According to the Orthodox calendar, weddings can be held throughout the year, with the exception of days of major fasts - Nativity (from November 28 to January 6), Great Lent (seven weeks before Easter), Peter's Lent (from the second Monday after Trinity to July 12), Dormition ( from August 14 to 27), Maslenitsa, on the eve of all major church holidays. Wedding ceremonies are held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. But, according to popular belief, Wednesday and Friday are not suitable for performing the sacrament. It’s also better to avoid getting married on the 13th.

But the happiest periods for marriage are considered to be the periods after the Intercession in the fall, from Epiphany to Maslenitsa in the winter, between Petrov and the Dormition Lent in the summer, and on Krasnaya Gorka in the spring.

Many couples want to get married on the day of official marriage registration, but this cannot be called correct. Priests, as a rule, dissuade young people from such hasty actions. It is best when couples get married on their wedding anniversary or after the birth of children. The later this happens, the more conscious this act will be. The wedding year will be a memorable event that will testify to the sincerity of feelings and confidence in family ties.

Preparation for the wedding

Of particular importance is the process of preparation for such a ritual as a wedding in the Orthodox Church. The rules are also present here.

The very first thing that needs to be done is to decide on the church and the priest who will conduct the ceremony. This is quite a responsible task, since the choice must be made with the soul. Young people in the temple should feel comfortable and calm, only in this way will the whole process be of truly great significance. Whether it will be a small church or a majestic cathedral depends primarily on the wishes of the couple; absolutely the entire atmosphere of the holy place should harmoniously fit not only into the spiritual essence of the ceremony, but also correspond to the mental state of the young couple who have decided to link their fate forever.

You also need to talk to the priest, discuss not only organizational issues, but also take a closer look at each other, find a common language - this is also very important for the ritual. Many priests pay special attention to talking with the newlyweds; sometimes they may advise postponing the procedure or holding off, then the priest’s advice should be heeded.

Also, what is important, not all priests have the right to perform wedding ceremonies; for example, those who have been tonsured as monks and are under canonical prohibitions are prohibited from doing so. Sometimes the ceremony, at the request of a young couple, can be performed by a clergyman from another church or cathedral, if, for example, he is their spiritual father.

carrying out the ceremony

It is necessary to agree with the priest on the date and time for which the Orthodox wedding is scheduled. The rules of church life oblige this. Sometimes several couples can get married in a church at the same time; this nuance also needs to be discussed. You should be concerned if several cameramen will be taking photos and videos at the wedding, so that there is no confusion and this does not spoil the entire ceremony.

A week before the wedding, the newlyweds must begin to fast: do not eat meat, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, and abstain from marital intimacy. Before the wedding, the newlyweds must attend a divine service, confess and receive communion.

It is also necessary to take care in advance about purchasing the Mother of God, which must be consecrated, wedding rings, which must be given to the priest before the ceremony, candles, two white towels and four handkerchiefs. It should be noted that according to church canons, rings should be bought for the groom from gold, for the bride from silver. As a rule, the acquisition of all necessary attributes is entrusted to witnesses.

The tradition of use in the ritual also has ancient historical roots. Since ancient times, parents blessed their children using holy icons: a son - Christ the Savior, a daughter - the Virgin Mary, thus giving instruction on the true path.

It is customary to leave a reward for performing a wedding ceremony; you should also ask the priest about money. If the couple does not have the financial ability to pay the entire amount, you can talk about it. Sometimes the amount is not announced at all, and the priest offers to give alms to the church, in the amount that is possible for the newlyweds.

Choosing an outfit for the bride

Regarding the bride's wedding dress, which she will wear to a wedding in the Orthodox Church, the rules are as follows:

the dress should not be very tight or short, but too fluffy and chic outfits are also not suitable;
In no case should the shoulders, neckline or arms above the elbows be exposed;
you can use a cape that will cover exposed parts of the body;
the outfit should be white or another pale color;
the head must be covered, for this a scarf or veil is used;
Do not use too bright makeup or a rich aroma of perfume;
instead of a wedding bouquet, the bride should have

You should also take care of your shoes in advance; closed-toe shoes with low heels are best, because the wedding ceremony lasts about an hour, the bride should feel comfortable throughout this time.

There is a very interesting belief. The bride's dress must have a long train. According to folk legend, the longer the train, the more time the young people will be together. If a train is not provided in the outfit, it can be attached only for the duration of the wedding.

Also, when a wedding takes place in an Orthodox church, the rules apply to the appearance of all guests present. Women should wear dresses or skirts with their knees covered; they should also not expose their neckline or arms; their heads should be covered with a scarf or scarf. It is not necessary for all wedding guests to be present at the wedding ceremony; these can be people who truly believe in the sacrament of the ceremony and treat this process sincerely. To maintain formality, it is better not to attend such events, but to come only to the banquet.

Wedding ceremony

The wedding always begins only after the service. The ceremony consists of two stages: the first is the betrothal, the wedding is the second stage. In the past they were separated by time. After the engagement, the couple could separate if there were reasons for it; the wedding could take place only if the feelings were strong and sincere, because the husband and wife chose each other not only for earthly life, but forever. In the modern rite, both components of the ceremony occur on the same day.

Engagement

The engagement takes place at the entrance to the church. The bride stands on the left hand of the groom. The priest reads a prayer, after which he blesses the couple three times and gives lighted candles to their hands. He reads the prayer again and betroths the newlyweds with rings. The rings are changed from the young man's hand to the bride's hand three times, as a result the groom's gold ring remains on the bride's hand, and her silver ring on the finger of the future husband. Only now can the couple call themselves bride and groom.

Wedding

The priest takes the couple into the temple and places them in front of the lectern on a white towel. The man and woman are asked whether they came here of their own free will and whether there are any obstacles to getting married. Witnesses take the crowns in their hands and hold them over the heads of the bride and groom. It should be noted here that this is not so easy to do, especially if the witnesses are short and the young people are tall, and the ceremony time is no less than forty minutes in city churches, and if the ceremony is held in a monastery, then more than an hour. Therefore, it is advisable to choose higher witnesses. After the prayers are read, the newlyweds are brought out a cup of wine, which they must drink three times as a symbol of the fact that from that moment everything in the couple will be shared equally - both happiness and bitterness.

The bride should be warned: while drinking wine from a cup, a situation may arise when the veil is very close to the candle and ignition occurs. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to worry in advance about the length of the veil, which should not be too long.

The hands of the newlyweds are tied with a white towel and they are circled around the lectern three times. At this time the church choir is singing. The priest leads the couple to the altar and reads an edification for eternal life together. After the wedding, all the guests begin to congratulate the newlyweds, and the bell rings, signaling the birth of a young family.

If the newlyweds want to capture a wedding for a long time, photography and video shooting can be done with the permission of the priest. It is best to agree on exactly where the operator should be and how best to stand or move. Usually, churches and cathedrals have quite specific lighting, therefore, in order to ensure that the quality of the shooting does not disappoint later, it is advisable to contact a good specialist. There are cases when photography is strictly prohibited, then in order for a memorable event to remain in the family archives, you can take photographs against the backdrop of a cathedral or temple.

Royal wedding

There is one more ancient custom that should be mentioned in order to bring some historical clarity - royal weddings. This ritual was performed during the coronation ceremony of monarchs, and Ivan the Terrible was the first to start it. The crown that was used went down in history under the name known to everyone - the Monomakh cap. The obligatory attributes of the action were barmas, an orb and a scepter. And the process itself had a sacred content, the main essence of which was the sacrament of anointing. But this ritual has nothing to do with marriage.

The name of Vice Admiral Kornilov occupies a worthy place among Russian naval commanders. The defense of Sevastopol, of which he was the organizer and leader, is an example of joint actions of the navy and army. The experience of using steam ships to assist ground forces, the use of active defense and the participation of the civilian population in it was important.

Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov was born on February 13, 1806 in the Tver province in the family of a retired naval officer. At the age of fifteen he entered the Naval Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg, after which (1823) he served on the ships of the Baltic Fleet.

Midshipman Kornilov received his baptism of fire on the ship Azov in the naval battle of Navarino on October 20, 1827 and in the Russian-Turkish war of 1828–1829, where he distinguished himself as a brave and active officer. Azov commander M.P. Lazarev, having noticed extraordinary abilities in the young officer, has not let him out of his sight since then.

M.P. Lazarev created in the Naval Department of that time his own special school, his own tradition, his own direction, which had absolutely nothing in common with those dominant in the rest of the fleet. He also trained a galaxy of talented students who continued and strengthened these traditions: Kornilov, Nakhimov, Istomin and others. Having headed the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Lazarev appointed Kornilov as commander of the brig Themistocles.

In a letter to the Chief of the Main Naval Staff, Lazarev noted that this officer had all the qualities that distinguish the commander of a warship, that he would “support the honor of our flag.” This apt assessment of the famous naval commander was confirmed by the entire subsequent service of V. A. Kornilov. Already at the age of 32, Vladimir Alekseevich became the chief of staff of the Black Sea squadron. A year later, in 1839, while continuing to perform these duties, he was appointed commander of the 120-gun battleship "Twelve Apostles".

Soon this ship became the best in the fleet. Then Kornilov was sent to England, where he supervised the construction of steamships for the Russian fleet. Here he became thoroughly familiar with the design of steam frigates and clearly saw their advantages and capabilities. On December 6, 1848, V. A. Kornilov became a rear admiral and was appointed chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet.

70-year-old Lieutenant General M.B. Berkh, renamed vice admiral, was appointed commander of the fleet. However, the newly minted “land” admiral deliberately shifted the entire burden of the commander’s responsibilities to Kornilov.

Meanwhile, a terrible time was approaching. Sultan Türkiye, incited by England and France, was intensively preparing for war. Knowing about these preparations, the command of the Black Sea Fleet developed several options for action plans in case of war, but none of them were approved. Only thanks to the foresight of Vice Admirals V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov, the fleet was completely ready for the start of the war. On the initiative of Vladimir Alekseevich, two so-called practical squadrons were formed: the first was commanded by Vice Admiral P. S. Nakhimov, the second by Vice Admiral F. A. Yuryev. The remaining ships were brought together into several independent detachments. A separate detachment was made up of steam frigates.

The squadrons alternately maneuvered between the Crimea and the Turkish coast, conducting reconnaissance in the Bosphorus area, covering the Caucasian coast. In addition to conducting reconnaissance and providing communications, steam frigates were responsible for supplying sailing ships. The war started by Turkey on October 16, 1853, began for it with a series of defeats.

The squadron of P. S. Nakhimov destroyed the Turkish Black Sea Fleet in the Battle of Sinop on November 30, 1853. This event accelerated the entry of England and France into the war. Convinced that Turkey was unable to wage a successful war against Russia, the allies sent their combined fleet into the Black Sea on January 4, 1854.

On the morning of September 13, 1854, the telegraph reported that a huge Allied fleet was heading directly for Sevastopol. V. A. Kornilov and P. S. Nakhimov from the tower of the maritime library saw a countless mass of ships in the distance. It was impossible to count them accurately from a distance. In reality, the enemy armada numbered about 360 pennants. These were both military ships (sailing and steam) and transports with an army, artillery and convoys.

This entire huge mass was shrouded in fog and smoke. The admirals looked at this bulk for a long time through telescopes. It brought glory and death to both of them.

Of course, the Russian fleet was significantly inferior to the Allied fleet, but the Russian sailors were full of desire to attack the enemy. However, the commander-in-chief of the ground and naval forces in Crimea, A. S. Menshikov, who blindly followed the tsar’s orders, opposed this.

After the defeat on the Alma River, Menshikov withdrew his army to the Kache River, opening the way for the enemy to defenseless Sevastopol.

Sevastopol was then saved by the gross mistakes of the allied high command, which did not dare to immediately attack the defenseless city from land, as well as the determination of Kornilov, Totleben and Nakhimov.

On September 25, the fleet base was declared under siege, and a day later, Vice Admiral V. A. Kornilov took command of the garrison.

Under his leadership, ground defense fortifications were created in a short time, all ships were assigned firing positions that provided effective support for ground forces with artillery fire in the most important areas. The city was turned into an impregnable fortress.

On October 17, 1854, at sunrise, the first assault on Sevastopol began. The cannons thundered at sunrise. Three admirals - Kornilov, Nakhimov and Istomin - from dawn directed the return fire of Russian batteries and drove around the bastions. On the fifth bastion, Kornilov and Nakhimov met and spent a long time there under the hellish fire of the enemy.

This was the last meeting of the wonderful Russian naval commanders. At twelve o'clock on the Malakhov Kurgan, Vladimir Alekseevich was mortally wounded by a cannonball. His last words were: “Defend Sevastopol!”

The defenders of the city followed the behest of their leader. The long-term defense of the city went down in the history of our Motherland as one of the outstanding military events of the 19th century and as an example of the high heroism of Russian soldiers, who for 349 days waged a successful fight against the superior forces of the states of Western Europe.

On October 8, 1827, in the Battle of Navarino, midshipman Kornilov, commanding three guns on the lower deck, distinguished himself - “he was one of the most active, efficient and executive officers,” according to Lazarev. Awarded the Order of St. Anne 4th class, the French Order of St. Louis, the English Order of the Bath and the Greek Order of St. Savior. In 1828 he was promoted to lieutenant. Until 1830 he served on the Azov in the Mediterranean Sea; upon returning to his homeland, Kornilov was awarded new awards - the Order of St. Anne, 3rd class. and a silver medal on the St. George Ribbon - “for excellent diligent service and activity during the Turkish War of 1828-1829.” In 1830, he was assigned to the tender "Swan" under construction, on which he conducted two campaigns in the Baltic. In January 1833, at the request of Vice Admiral M.P. Lazarev, Kornilov was transferred to the Black Sea Fleet. Already in the spring of this year, on the ship "Memory of Eustathius", being an officer for special assignments under the commander of the squadron M.P. Lazarev, he took part in the actions of the Russian fleet to provide military assistance to Turkey in the war with Egypt, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 3- th st. and the Turkish gold insignia. In 1834 he became the commander of the brig Themistocles, which was sent to Constantinople at the disposal of the Russian mission in Turkey. The 28-year-old captain showed the traits of a demanding commander who managed to rally and train the crew in a short time. The captains of foreign ships admired the excellent order on the ship, the organization of service and the training of the crew. In 1835, while carrying out instructions from the Russian ambassador in Greece, he met there the painter K.P. Bryullov, the artist G.G. Gagarin, the archaeologist V. Davydov, and the architect M. Efimov. K.P. Bryullov and G.G. Gagarin returned to Russia on the Themistocles. Along the way, Bryullov painted a portrait of Kornilov. In the spring of 1835, Kornilov received the rank of captain-lieutenant and soon took command of the corvette Orest, and two years later - the frigate Flora. On January 1, 1838, V.A. Kornilov was appointed commander of the Twelve Apostles battleship under construction. According to the order established by M.P. Lazarev, the ship’s commander was obliged to personally monitor its construction. On the initiative of Lazarev and Kornilov, the ship "Twelve Apostles" was armed with bomb guns for the first time in the Russian fleet - 68-pound bomb guns were cast for this ship. Kornilov developed and issued a number of orders, instructions and instructions relating to all aspects of the organization of service on the ship. The service routine he developed was recognized as exemplary and introduced by Lazarev on all ships of the Black Sea Fleet. M.P. Lazarev highly praised the ship “Twelve Apostles”: “We can definitely say that there is hardly another similar ship in any other fleet.” Simultaneously with his participation in the construction of ships, Kornilov went on voyages as chief of staff of Lazarev’s squadron, prepared action plans for the squadron, developed tasks for each ship, and monitored their implementation.

In 1838, he participated in the landing on the Caucasian coast: he developed a landing plan and commanded half of the rowing ships when transporting troops from the ship to the shore. For distinction during the occupation of the town of Tuapse on the Abkhazian coast, he was promoted to captain of the 2nd Rank. In 1839, he participated in the landing at the mouth of the Subashi and Shakhe rivers, was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 2nd class, and in 1840 - in military operations in the Tuapse and Psezuape region. During these voyages and campaigns, interaction between the fleet and ground forces was practiced, which was successfully used during the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. In 1842-1845. Kornilov was on practical voyages on the battleship "Twelve Apostles". For excellent service on September 11, 1845 he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class. In 1846, he was sent to England to order and supervise the construction of the steamship-frigate "Vladimir" and to carry out other assignments, and became acquainted with the latest improvements in the designs and mechanisms of steam and iron ships at British shipyards. In 1848, Kornilov returned to Russia on the frigate Vladimir. On December 6, 1848, he was promoted to rear admiral with a stay in the Black Sea Fleet to carry out special assignments of the Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports and with the right to sit, in his free time from official duties, in the General Presence of the Black Sea Quartermaster. In 1849, Kornilov was introduced, and in 1850, approved as chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet. In Kornilov’s nomination for this position, M.P. Lazarev wrote: “We have a lot of rear admirals, but is it easy to elect one who combines knowledge of maritime affairs and the enlightenment of the present time, who could be trusted without fear in critical circumstances and the honor of the flag and the honor of the nation?" As chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet, Kornilov developed a vigorous activity: he conducted practical exercises for detachments of ships, constant inspections of ships and ports, created a school for cabin boys of the Black Sea Fleet, and developed a draft Naval Charter. Vladimir Alekseevich was a well-educated officer: he read a lot, was interested in inventions, technical innovations in shipbuilding; translated into Russian the books “Naval Service in England”, “Artillery Exercise”. In 1840, he drafted a manual on signal flags and published the book he compiled, “States of Armament and Spare Supply of Military Vessels of the Black Sea Fleet of All Ranks.” For this work he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav, 2nd class. with the Imperial crown, promoted to captain of the 1st rank. V.A. Kornilov was a member of the Committee of Directors of the Sevastopol Maritime Library, serving as secretary and treasurer. He was in charge of the Committee's funds, economic affairs, issuing books and magazines, conducted correspondence, and actively participated in the development of a new library charter.

After the death of Admiral M.P. Lazarev in 1851, Vladimir Alekseevich practically became the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. By the Highest Decree he was included in the Imperial retinue; together with Emperor Nicholas I, he hosted fleet reviews. On October 2, 1852, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral with the appointment of adjutant general to the emperor and retention in his present position. But these high appointments did not prevent Kornilov from being on voyages and personally conducting maneuvers and exercises. In February 1853, Kornilov made the transition from Odessa to Constantinople in the retinue of the Ambassador Extraordinary Prince A.S. Menshikov and then sailed on the steamship Bessarabia to Greek waters to inspect ships docked in foreign ports. Having his flag on the ship "Twelve Apostles", he went to sea and carried out various maneuvers in the Sevastopol roadstead - attacking the enemy fleet, attacking individual ports, taking troops and landing them to help the ground coastal forces. At the beginning of the Crimean War on November 18, 1853, commanding a detachment of steam ships, he took part in the Battle of Sinop. His contribution to the victory in this battle was marked by the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class, and the renaming of the captured Turkish steamer Pervaz-Bahri to Kornilov. With the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Kornilov, as a person capable, due to his energy and initiative, of taking charge of the defense of the city, was entrusted with managing the defense of the northern part of Sevastopol, and then with practical leadership of the entire garrison (Kornilov was appointed chief of staff of the troops located in the city). Colleagues wrote that Vice Admiral Kornilov “combined the interaction of all branches of defense: engineering, naval, land and artillery” and that “one can, without fear of being accused of bias, say that the entire unprecedented defense of Sevastopol was created by Kornilov.” The honor of creating a defensive line in depth, consisting of seven bastions, armed with 610 guns, with garrison personnel distributed over distances and ready to meet the enemy fully armed, belongs to Kornilov, the most energetic and selfless person from a whole galaxy of defenders of Sevastopol who were in many ways similar to him, who , like the admiral, believed: “We have nowhere to retreat, the sea is behind us, the enemy is ahead.”

The repulsion of the first bombardment of Sevastopol on October 5, 1854 brought the city’s defenders the consciousness of their strength and a sense of victory. But this day was overshadowed by the mortal wound of Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov on Malakhov Kurgan. The details of this day in the life of the admiral were described in detail by Lieutenant Commander A.P. Gendre in his memoirs: “About six and a half o’clock in the morning, when the enemy began bombing Sevastopol, Kornilov headed to Bastion No. 4, which was the center of the defensive line. After staying on it for some time, he set off to bastion No. 5 and at ten o'clock returned to bastion No. 4, from there, following along the defensive line and visiting the adjacent batteries and bastion No. 3, he arrived at the Alakhov Kurgan. Having made the necessary orders, he decided to leave, but at 11:30. was mortally wounded by an enemy cannonball, crushing his left leg near his stomach. The officers lifted him up and laid him behind the parapet between the guns. The admiral’s last words were: “Defend Sevastopol,” after which he lost consciousness, without uttering a single groan. A. Kornilov was transferred to the hospital on the Korabelnaya side (opposite the Lazarevsky barracks, now the territory of the military unit on Lazarevskaya Street), but even in the last minutes of his life, all the thoughts and hopes of the admiral were turned to the fleet, to Sevastopol, to the defenders. He told those gathered: “My wound is not so dangerous, God is merciful, I will still survive the defeat of the British.” But the wound was fatal. The admiral managed to say: “God bless Russia and the sovereign, save Sevastopol and the fleet.” The admiral's last words, spoken through force, were "Hurray! Hurray!" in response to the news brought about the downed English batteries. Kornilov died at half past three in the afternoon on October 5. Admiral P.S. Nakhimov, in a letter to the Chief Quartermaster of the Black Sea Fleet and Ports, Rear Admiral N.F. Metlin, about the death of V.A. Kornilov wrote: “Vladimir Alekseevich does not exist. He died as a hero. Tomorrow it’s up again. I don’t know , what will happen to Sevastopol without him - both in the fleet and in action on the shore..."

Funeral of V.A. Kornilov

The funeral took place on October 6, 1854. They were described by Lieutenant-Commander A.P. Gendre, a former flag officer of V.A. Kornilov: “At noon they brought his body into St. Michael’s Church, and at 6 o’clock in the evening the funeral service was performed. At 5 1/ At 4 o'clock in the evening on October 6, the sad sounds of a memorial service for Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov were heard in the St. Michael's Cathedral. The canonade thundered around, but no vain words were spoken in the church during the service, at the end of which those present said goodbye to the deceased, the boss, like children say goodbye to their beloved father, untimely. abducted by death. It was getting dark. The funeral procession set off along Catherine Street, past the Peter and Paul Church. Many officers with bare heads walked silently behind the coffin, which carried away so many brilliant hopes; everyone sought the honor of carrying the ashes of the admiral who had accomplished a lot in a short time, the admiral from whom the Black Sea Fleet. rightly expected even more in the future - but those who were lucky enough to lift the precious burden reluctantly gave up their place. The picture was gloomy: amid the heavy roar of cannons, the crack of exploding bombs and the whistling of cannonballs, two battalions and four field guns silently moved; the darkness of the night, which quickly gave way to twilight, was illuminated by the flames of torches and the fiery flights of bombs; grief was written on all faces. We were approaching the familiar crypt, where lay the one whom subordinates had looked at with reverence for almost a quarter of a century, whose memory lives in the hearts of the Black Sea sailors, whose name is recorded in the annals of the Russian Fleet. At the crypt... the feelings of those present could not be expressed in tears: a kind of numbness appeared on their faces, everyone seemed to be afraid of the thought of the future, and the ships, crossing their yards, lowering their flags and pennants, looked gloomily at the opening grave, ready to swallow them too themselves, and everything around them, everything - even the very name of the Black Sea Fleet!" Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov was buried second after M.P. Lazarev in the crypt of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, which was under construction. Sailors and soldiers were the first to honor the memory of the admiral: on Malakhov Kurgan, on the spot where he fell, struck by a cannonball, they laid out a cross of bombs, digging them halfway into the ground. “The glorious death of our dear, venerable Kornilov,” wrote Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich to Prince A.S. Menshikov, “deeply upset me. Peace be upon him! They ordered him to be placed next to the unforgettable Lazarev. When we live to calm times, we will erect a monument in the place where he was killed, and the bastion will be named after it." The decree of Nicholas I was carried out: the bastion was named after the admiral; in 1895 a monument was erected according to the design of Lieutenant General A.A. Bilderling and sculptor I.N. Schroeder. Destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, the monument was restored for the 200th anniversary of Sevastopol in 1983 according to the design of the People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR, sculptor M.K. Vronsky and Honored Architect of the Ukrainian SSR V.G. Gnezdilov. On the site of the hospital where the admiral died, destroyed in 1854-1855, a chapel was built; in 1905 a memorial plaque was installed; in 1966 - a plaster bust of V.A. Kornilov (author - sailor I.I. Shtanov). The memorial plaque “The last apartment of V.A. Kornilov. 1854” was placed in 1905 on the house of retired lieutenant Volokhov on the Central City Hill (now L. Pavlichenko St., 8). In 1974, in one of the niches of the building, the panorama “Defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855.” A bust of Kornilov was installed (author - sculptor N.P. Petrova). In the center of Sevastopol, between Artillery Bay and Bolshaya Morskaya Street, there is the Kornilovskaya embankment, which received its name at the request of the Sevastopol public administration in 1886. Currently, at the beginning of the embankment there is a memorial sign perpetuating the name of Vice Admiral Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov (opened in October 2001 .). A bay in the Sea of Japan and a bank (a separate elevated part of the seabed) of the Baku archipelago in the Caspian Sea are named after Kornilov.