ИСТИНА

The story “The Trinity Sergius Lavra” by A. Kuprin and “Bogomolye” (Pilgrimage) by I. Shmelev are devoted to the religious theme of pilgrimage that is connected with the themes of Orthodox religion and Russian mentality. Pilgrimage takes very important place in the life of Russian religious people. The heroes of the novels in the end of pilgrimage met with the Trinity Sergius Lavra that helps them to feel and understand the national spirit and history of their motherland. Describing the monastery writers use bright and warm colors, powerful sounds and pleasant smells. All these images have positive symbolic meaning. The aim of pilgrims is to clear from sins so they should to refuse from secular matters and avoid bad situations. History, fate and religious life of country are shown through their subjective perception and spiritual life. In their books we see pilgrimage, world of monastery and Sergiyev Posad from child point of view. The monastery is presented like measure of viability. The pilgrims after pilgrimage received new moral status and their souls became renewed. First-person storytelling, story about journey, truthfulness, sequence of actions, spiritual aims of pilgrimage, concept of spiritual place, description of topography, subjective perception of author make Kuprin’s and Shmelev’s novels close to the ancient religious genre of ‘seyahatname’ (hojeniye/hojdeniye). In Russian literature and philosophy St. Sergius Radonezhsky became a symbol of religious values, spiritual wholeness, measure of morality and ability to join spiritual and secular matters. Specially attention in the novels is paid to ability of St. Sergius to resist problems.