| Champion of the Arena—Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov That piety so characteristic of all levels of society in Holy Russia. was rapidly evaporating from the nineteenth century high society intelligentsia when God raised up from its very midst a true ascetic and Church writer, Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. In him was combined a rare eloquence of style and a profound understanding of the Christian life of struggle through which he was able to inspire many souls, blinded by Western " enlightened " ideas, to return to the saving enclosure of the Church. Bishop Ignatius was a prolific writer best known in the English-speaking Orthodox world for his masterful work, The Arena, in which he skilifully instructs those engaged in the arena of spiritual combat-out of which he himself emerged such a glorious victor. A chapter from Pr. Nicholas Deputatov " s book, The Awareness of God, contains a brief life of Bishop Ignatius, together with short selections from his writings. This has been translated below for the edification and inspiration of those struggling in the arena of unseen warfare today. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov Born into a noble family of wealthy landowners, Bishop Ignatius was sent as a youth to the St. Petersburg Military School, a renowned institution which enjoyed the patronage of Tsar Nicholas I. He was a brilliant student, but his heart was not in his studies. Only a few years after graduation as a commissioned engineer, he fell seriously ill and used this as an excuse to request a discharge from the army. Drawn to religion from an early age, he was now able to fulfill his childhood dream of entering upon the monastic life. He spent four years in various monasteries as a novice, forming a close bond with Elder Leonid of Optina, before being tonsured in a small monastery near his native Vologda and ordained to the priesthood soon thereafter. It was not long, however, before the Tsar inquired about the officer whom we remembered as such a gifted cadet. On learning what had become of him, the Tsar immediately sent after him with the following instructions: |
| Conference Mariking the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Royal Martyr Nicholas II to Take Place in late October. A conference dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth and the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Russia’s last tsar, Royal Martyr Nicholas II will be held in Colchester, England in late October. The conference will be held at St. John of Shanghai Orthodox Church in Colchester, England on Saturday, October 27. Five speakers, including Royal Russia founder Paul Gilbert, Archpriest Andrew Philips (ROCOR), Nikolai Krasnov, authors Frances Welch and Marilyn Swezey will present seven lectures on Nicholas II. “This conference will bring together people from all over Britain, Europe and abroad, to share and discuss one of the most documented and maligned monarchs in world history,” writes Royal Russia Founder and conference organizer Paul Gilbert. Topics include “A Century of Treason, Cowardice and Lies,” “Why Nicholas II is a Saint in the Russian Orthodox Church,” “Nicholas II and the Sacredness of a Monarchy,” “Nicholas II in Post-Soviet Russia,” and several more. For more information about this historic event, please visit the conference web site Code for blog Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. For example, 5 euros a month is it a lot or little? A cup of coffee? It is not that much for a family budget, but it is a significant amount for Pravmir. If everyone reading Pravmir could donate 5 euros a month, they would contribute greatly to our ability to spread the word of Christ, Orthodoxy, life " s purpose, family and society. Also by this author Today " s Articles Most viewed articles Functionality is temporarily unavailable. Most popular authors Functionality is temporarily unavailable. © 2008-2024 Pravmir.com |
| Rasputin Recent Russian (=Non-Soviet) scholarship has proved that Gregory Rasputin was the object of the most awful slander and gossip. Why? Because the slanderers wanted to justify their hatred for the Monarchy through the Rasputin legend. Research by authors like A.N. Bokhanov has taken place in the archives, not in gossip and pornographic forgeries. Rasputin was purposely misrepresented in a Russia without censorship (unlike Western Europe), but also without laws against defamation. He had to be demonised by those who hated him because he was a real Christian. Russia did not fall because of Rasputin, but because of those who slandered rasputin and the government of the Tsar with him. Absurdly accusing Rasputin of virtually running the country during the War, the fantasy which they projected, most of these slanders came from degenerate aristocrats or wealthy, power-hungry bourgeois. Rasputin had no political influence on the independently-minded Tsar; he lived in Siberia until 1914 and visited the Imperial Family only when the Tsarevich was ill. ‘Rasputin’ does not mean ‘debauched’, it means he who lives where there are no roads. He was not mad, or a mystic, or a heretic, or a horse-thief, or a monk; he was a pious married layman with three children. One daughter, Matrona, died in Los Angeles in 1977; a great grand-daughter is alive and well and lives in Paris. He was not a depraved drunkard who was very rich. True, he had peasant manners, but then he was a peasant. Money given to him by the rich, he generously gave to others and to his village church. He died, or rather was cruelly murdered, in poverty. Rasputin was recommended by St John of Kronstadt and Bishop Theophan (Bystrov) for his sincerity. A devout Orthodox Christian, with a miraculous gift of healing, he spent much of his time in monasteries and at prayer. He was a pious peasant healer, sent by Providence to heal the Tsarevich, who performed miracles. Jealous and idle aristocrats tried to corrupt him with alcohol, and he was murdered by them. Among these aristocrats was the transvestite occultist Yusupov, and British secret agents. Yusupov, a great admirer of Oscar Wilde, was a cowardly homosexual who had shirked his military duties. He was not only a cold-blooded murder, but also a liar. Rasputin’s murder dismayed Russian peasants, of whom Rasputin had been one, for they felt that it meant that corrupt aristocrats would always stop any of them from getting close to the Tsar. |
| The cult points to other deficiencies in the image of every Russian or Soviet leader since 1917, including Putin’s. Most obviously, Nicholas and Alexandra with their son and daughters are a family: Putin, by contrast, is divorced and his daughters’ lives are something approaching a state secret. Even today, nearly a hundred years after their awful death, the slain Romanovs stand for a model of family life otherwise absent in Russian public culture. (It’s easy to mock, but in a society with one of the world’s highest divorce rates, such models might be more important than we like to think.) Whether as models of Gandhian nonviolence or as an ideal family, however, the cult of Russia’s Holy Imperial Martyrs can never fully escape its inevitable political significance. Rather, with their images scattered the length and breadth of Russia, it appears both to sanctify and romanticize that “symphony” of church and state—a term of sixth-century Byzantine origin—that, since his 2009 enthronement, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has presented as the model for twenty-first-century Russia. According to this ideal, church and state do not compete, as in the history of the West, so much as cooperate for the greater good of both, and the salvation of ruler and ruled alike. Significantly, Kirill has called Putin’s presidency a “miracle.” From this angle, those looking for the autocrat’s eternal return might consider themselves vindicated. For haven’t the benign and docile Nicholas and his sweet and loving family become nothing but props in the latest act of that capricious Russian state with whose heavy hand Stalin’s and now Putin’s images titillate foreigners? Yet before his elevation to the patriarchal throne, Kirill seemingly belonged to that party of churchmen lukewarm about Nicholas and his family’s canonization. The homely character of Nicholas’s official life reflects the compromise reached with the cult’s enthusiasts: the tsar would be canonized but his cult would emphasize his personal virtues. It would glorify the man, not the imperial institution. |
| Examiner of possible Romanov “Ekaterinburg remains” says there is evidence of them belonging to royal family Moscow, July 3, 2017 Photo: http://orthodoxchristiansupply.com The ongoing examinations of the “Ekaterinburg remains” supposedly belonging to the last royal family of Russia have revealed circumstantial evidence that they may in fact belong to the family. “We found traces of a blow from a sword on the head [ presumably of Nicholas II—Interfax ],” said famous Russian criminologist Vyacheslav Popov in an interview published on pravoslavie.ru . Popov participated in the study of the remains found near Ekaterinburg which were buried in St. Petersburg’s Peter and Paul Fortress as the alleged remains of the royal family, and is now participating in forensic and anthropological research as part of a renewed criminal case about the murder of St. Tsar Nicholas II and his sainted family. As the expert noted, in 1991 they had meticulously searched for traces of blows on the supposed skull of Tsar Nicholas, but mistakenly looked on the wrong side, thinking the then-tsarevich was struck on the left side by a saber in the 1891 attempt on his life by one of the police escorting him while on visit to Japan. According to him, modern x-ray studies have revealed, however, two longitudinal grooves which are evidence of a healed injury. “We… studied the structure of the bone tissue, which is different at the edges. It’s safe to say that this is a fracture made while the person was still alive, it’s an old fracture, and it corresponds to a blow from an elongated cutting instrument, for example a saber,” reports Popov. Moreover, dental examinations confirm that the five remains found near Ekaterinburg in 1991 are in fact those of relatives. “These five people, especially the four women, represent one family. The girls have a special tooth and jaw structure. For example, the fourth lower right tooth of each of them is turned. This is an important sign of kinship. The second sign of connection is an hereditary tooth condition. Tooth decay began early in all of them. The youngest girl has fillings in nearly all her teeth,” Popov continued. |
| Tweet Нравится Church takes custody of Tsarevich Alexey, Grand Duchess Maria Romanovs " alleged remains - Russian government Source: Interfax-Religion Moscow, December 23, 2015 It has been decided that the alleged remains of Tsarevich Alexey and Grand Duchess Maria Romanovs be handed over by the Russian State Archive into the protective custody of the Russian Orthodox Church, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday. " The inter-agency working group on issues relating to the inquiry and burial of the alleged remains of Tsarevich Alexey and Grand Duchess Maria Romanov, which are kept at the Russian Federation State Archive, jointly with the Russian Orthodox Church has decided to pass the alleged remains of Tsarevich Alexey and Grand Duchess Maria Romanovs into the protective custody of the Russian Orthodox Church before the end of the inquiries conducted as part of the criminal case N252/404516-15 of the assassination of members of the Russian Imperial House in the Urals and in Petrograd in 1918-1919, " the spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Interfax. " At present, the International Center for Genetic-Epigenetic Studies of the Institute of Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is conducting comparative analyses of the remains of the Emperor Alexander III and those of the Emperor Nicholas II as part of the criminal inquiry. The initial results of these analyses are expected in January 2016, " the spokesperson said. Interfax-Religion 24 декабря 2015 г. Предыдущий Следующий Смотри также Remains of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Are Authentic Say Investigators Remains of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Are Authentic Say Investigators Although investigators are already convinced that the samples are genuine, further tests will be conducted in an attempt to provide irrefutable evidence of the veracity of the remains, including comparisons with blood samples taken from the clothes worn by Emperor Alexander II on March 1, 1881, the day of his assassination, which have been kept in the State Hermitage Museum. |
| One of the new bishop’s first acts was to raise Abbot Dmitri of Yeletsky Monastery – the future holy hierarch of Rostov – to the rank of Archimandrite. Thus, inheriting the cathedra held before him by a saint, he passed along his first gift of grace to another saint. It should be said that St. John held the memory of his predecessor, Vladyka Theodosius, in great reverence. Once, during a time of severe illness, St. Theodosius of Chernigov appeared to him in a dream and said: “Serve tomorrow and you will be in good health.” The next day, while serving the Divine Liturgy, Bishop John did in fact feel better. This miraculous healing served as the beginning of St. Theodosius of Chernigov’s renown as a grace-filled saint of God. The wondrous spiritual connection between these two holy hierarchs was revealed by the Lord through their very canonizations. Both were glorified two hundred years after their repose. Moreover, the solemn opening of the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov was the first to take place during the reign of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, and that of St. John of Tobolsk was the last during this holy Sovereign’s reign. Another case of heavenly assistance by St. Theodosius of Chernigov to St. John is also known. The saint’s intercession saved Bishop John from the slander of the traitor Mazepa, who tried to falsely denounce him before Peter I. The Tsar saw through everything and St. John’s innocence was fully established. Several extant royal gramotas demonstrate the special favor in which Peter I held Vladyka John, as does the emolument he received from the Tsar. During this period several great holy hierarchs labored in the Russian Orthodox Church: Sts. Mitrophan of Voronezh, Dmitri of Rostov, and Theodosius of Chernigov, all of whom Vladyka John knew personally, serving for him as constant examples of the spiritual and ascetic life. Shortly after he began administering the Chernigov Diocese, St. John founded a theological seminary that his contemporaries referred to as the “Athens of Chernigov.” This theological school became widely known in Russia; it was essentially the first Russian seminary and served as the model for seminaries that opened in other dioceses. Vladyka himself served as its Professor of Latin. St. John’s teaching experience is reflected in Peter the Great’s Spiritual Regulation, in which we read: “Foolishly do many say that learning is the begetter of all heresies. Good and sound learning is the source of great benefit, both for the Fatherland and the Church.” |
| Having discussed also the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty, the archpastors decreed: 1. To decree to the abbots and abbesses and rectors of the monasteries and parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to commemorate the Royal Passion-Bearers during the dismissal of Liturgies in the following manner: “The Holy Righteous Passion-Bearers Tsar-Martyr Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexei, Tsarevnas Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia; Holy Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara and those martyred with them,” to commence on January 1/14 until the end of 2013. 2. And before the veneration of the cross during the first Sunday of Great Lent, to sing Eternal Memory to the Righteous Tsars and Tsarinas of the Romanov Dynasty and to “all members of the family of the All Russian Royal House,” in accordance with the Rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. 3. The general celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty will be held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toronto, Canada, on September 5-8, 2013, to coincide with a Russian Orthodox conference and a session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. At the proposal of Bishop Peter, the Synod decided: “To instruct the clergymen of all monasteries and churches of the Russian Church Abroad, on the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, to prayerfully mark the 200th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon, commemorating Righteous Tsar Alexander Pavlovich and all the Orthodox leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the Faith, the Tsar and Fatherland.” Discussing the practice of divine services in the Russian Church Abroad, the members of the Synod of Bishops noted the importance of preserving traditions inherited from the holy fathers, founders of the part of the Russian Orthodox Church located abroad, and carefully examining persons preparing for ordination into the clerical ranks and those wishing to be received into the bosom of the Russian Church Abroad. |
| “Inevitably, however, it was the mother who bore the greater burden during her son’s illnesses, not to mention the incessant worry even when he was relatively healthy. Nor could she escape the guilt born of the knowledge that she was the cause of her son’s suffering and of the extra burden of worry about his dynasty’s future which had been placed on her husband’s shoulders. Physically frail and always very highly strung, the Empress poured her last drop of energy into watching over her son and nursing him duringhis attacks… The effort cost the Empress dear. She was often too ill and exhausted to play the role of a monarch’s consort, incurring great odium as a result. Moreover, the strain of Alexis’ illness pushed his mother close to nervous collapse. As the Grand Duchess Olga commented, ‘the birth of a son, which should have been the happiest event in the lives of Nicky and Alicky, became their heaviest cross. " ” Shortly after the birth of Alexis, according to the Procurator Lukyanov, the Tsar went to the metropolitan of St. Petersburg and asked for his blessing that he abdicate from the throne and become a monk. But the metropolitan refused to bless this. The tragedy of Alexis’ haemophilia was followed by a succession of other tragedies, even a small number of which would have broken a lesser man. But for the Tsar they only served to further refine the nobility of his soul. First there was the disastrous war with Japan of 1904-05 during which most of the Russian fleet was lost. At this time also, sensing public disappointment with the defeat, the nihilistic enemies of Christ seized the moment and instigated mutinies, strikes, riots and assassinations. Here was a whole class of society who were, in the words of St. Paul, “… lovers of theirown selves, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, heady, highminded…” (II Timothy 3.2-4). |
| “I fear nothing until 1918…” The emperor forgave the commander of the battery and the officer who ordered the shooting because by the mercy of God there had been no serious injuries. Only one policeman had been very slightly wounded. His name was- Romanov… Dominic Lieven writes: “Between 1895 and 1901 the Empress had given birth to four daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Anastasia. The four little girls were beautiful, healthy and lively children who were greatly loved by their parents. Nicholas was a fine father and the family circle was full of love, warmth and trust. If the Emperor had a favourite it was probably Tatiana, whose personality came closest to that of her mother. Olga, his eldest daughter, was the most thoughtful, sensitive and intelligent of the four. Marie, the third, with huge grey eyes and a warm-hearted, simple, friendly manner, was always the easiest to get on with at first acquaintance. Anastasia, born in 1901, was notorious as the family’s comedian. Under Russian law, however, no woman could inherit the crown. Had Nicholas died before 1904, the throne would have gone to his kind-hearted but weak-willed younger brother, the Grand Duke Michael. Since Michael was a bachelor in 1904 an subsequently contracted an illegal and morganatic marriage, the Romanov inheritance would then have passed to a younger brother of Alexander III,the Grand Duke Vladimir, and his descendants. Tension and mutual dislike between the ‘Vladimir branch’ and the imperial couple were never far below the surface in the twentieth century. Much therefore hung on the life of the little boy born in August, 1904. All the more horrifying was the discovery that the child had haemophilia. “In the Edwardian era there was no treatment for haemophilia and little way of alleviating the terrible pain it periodically caused. The chances were against a haemophiliac living into middle age, let alone being able to pursue a normal life. For any parents who loved their children as intensely as the imperial couple did, the physical and emotional strain of a haemophiliac son was bound to be great. In the case of Nicholas and Alexandra, however, matters were made worse by the fact that it was considered unthinkable to admit that the future autocrat of all the Russias was incurably ill and quite possibly doomed to an early death. The natural sympathy and understanding which might have flowed to the parents had therefore to be foregone. Moreover, however harrowing one of Aleksei’s periodic illnesses might be,a monarch – let alone a Russian autocrat – had always to keep up appearances. It says something for Nicholas’s extraordinary self-control that, adoring Aleksei as he did, he nevertheless never let the mask slip. As Alexandra herself once wrote to him, ‘you will always keep a cheery face and carry all hidden inside.’ |
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