They pray for the fate of Russia, as well as for forgiveness for the death of Nicholas II and his family.

In 1991, the Russian emigrant Iya Dmitrievna Shmit entered into an inheritance, it was small, and she decided to donate it to a good cause. She thought for a long time and could not understand what exactly to spend the money on. One night she had a dream in which she saw the image of the Great Russian Tsar, the martyr Nicholas II. When she woke up, all doubts disappeared from her, she knew where she would spend the money. She turned to the icon painter Pavel Tikhomirov, who lived at that time in California. They studied the pictures for a long time, drew the images of the king she saw in the Monomakh's hat and with a scepter and an orb in his hands.

The icon was painted several years before the martyrs of the royal families were canonized. To the right of the sovereign was depicted his heavenly patron - Nicholas the Wonderworker, and to the left the righteous Job the Long-suffering.

One of the lithographs with the image of Nicholas II, Iya Dmitrievna handed over to her brother Hegumen German in the Ryazan St. Nicholas almshouse. After the abdication of Nicholas II from the throne, exactly 80 years later, on March 15, 1997, this event happened.
The image of Tsar Nicholas II wandered from temple to temple, but did not stay anywhere for a long time. The first monastery to receive the icon was Novodevichy.

A week later, the icon was transferred to the Church of the Ascension of the Lord on the Gorokhove Field. For several months the image streamed myrrh, and akathists were read before it. On the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (February 28, 1999), the lithograph was handed over to the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pyzhy. The icon was received solemnly, the carpet was laid, the bells rang, all the parishioners prayed at that time. On this day, the image of the Sovereign was very myrrh-streaming.

The first healing from the icon was with retired colonel Alexander Mikhailovich Vytyagov. For the first time, he heard about the icon of Nicholas II on the radio, and asked his relatives to take him to this temple, to this icon. The fact is that Alexander Mikhailovich suffered greatly during the Great Patriotic War, he had many wounds, and after a while he lost his sight. He has been blind for 15 years. When the icon was received in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, it was brought to Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, who at that time was the rector of the temple. Turning to the rector for help, he led him to the miraculous icon, covered him with a towel, which was all saturated with myrrh, and began to pray. Waking up in the morning, Alexander Mikhailovich looked around his room and shouted loudly what he saw. All the household members ran to him and could not get enough of the miracle.

There have been a large number of healings from diseases. The stories of people, passed from mouth to mouth, drove the glory ahead of the icon itself. People sought to get to the image as soon as possible in order to get help in solving their problems.
One man told about how he received grace from the icon of the Sovereign. Somehow he fell ill, he had a high temperature, which did not go astray, the medicines did not help, and his arm even began to be taken away. He could not work, but he had to feed his family. Once he came to the temple and began to pray to the martyr Nicholas II for healing, and then kissed the shrine. He immediately felt relieved and was able to work the next day.

There is another recorded case already in Ukraine. One woman suffered from ascites for a very long time, all the fluid accumulated in her stomach. The stomach was huge, so the poor woman suffered greatly from pain and heavy breathing. When she arrived at the temple, she prayed for a long time. After she clung to the miraculous image, her stomach fell down. The doctors were shocked and could not explain it. The woman prayed and thanked God and Nicholas II for the relief of her suffering, and soon she died quietly and calmly.

One of the most tragic pages in the history of Russia in the 20th century was the murder of the royal family, dictated, as the Bolsheviks claimed, by "revolutionary necessity." The victims of this inhuman logic were not only Nicholas II, who became the last representative of the three-hundred-year-old Romanov dynasty, but also his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, their four daughters aged 17 to 23, and the heir to the throne, 14-year-old Tsarevich Alexei. People who remained loyal to them in this last hour were also killed: both family members and those from their inner circle.

History of the icon

The sin of killing the anointed of God weighed heavily on Russia for many decades, and only at the turn of the millennium, in 2000, the murdered Emperor Nicholas II and his family were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as royal martyrs. To glorify the new saints, icons of the Romanov royal family appeared.

However, the icon of the Romanovs serves not only to glorify the innocently killed, but also to repent of the people guilty of the sin of apostasy from the anointed of God and leaving him, along with innocent children, in the hands of enemies. This sin is aggravated by the fact that neither the family nor those close to him tried to resist during the arrest and detention, humbly accepting the Will of God with Christian meekness. This sin, which still weighs on Russia, will have to be repented of by more than one generation.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the icon of the holy royal martyrs is today in almost every Orthodox church, and many believers have at home. This is the meaning of the icon of the royal martyrs - to remind all of us, both believers and non-believers, of the martyrdom of the royal family, which was accomplished in the name of peace on Russian soil and once again confirmed the inviolability of the foundations of Orthodoxy in the Russian state.

Iconography of the royal martyrs

First of all, it should be emphasized that the iconography of the Romanov family is based on authentic photographs of the royal family. Nicholas II, as you know, was fond of photography himself, and many photographs of his family have been preserved in the archives.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia ranked the royal family among the holy martyrs back in 1981, and icons of the royal martyrs immediately began to appear, having a portrait resemblance to photographs. So, the icon of the Tsar Martyr Nicholas II shows the face of the Tsar, well known to us from the photo.

It is impossible to forget, however, that together with the king, his entire family, including innocent children, was martyred, so the icon of the royal family became no less widespread. The canon for writing such images has not yet developed, so the icon painters went in two ways. Some depict the royal family as it is depicted in photographs.

Others follow the traditions of Orthodox icon painting and depict the royal martyrs in the way it is customary to paint saints: in appropriate clothes and with faces, although they have a portrait resemblance, but still slightly stylized in the icon painting style.

On the icon, created abroad, not only the royal martyrs are immortalized, but also all who remained faithful to them until the hour of death, as well as other martyrs who suffered for their loyalty to Christ's Teaching and the Orthodox Church.

How the icons of the king and the royal family protect

One can evaluate the reign of Nicholas II in different ways, but his high moral principles have never been questioned. He was a wonderful family man, lived by himself and raised his children in the spirit of piety and fidelity to Christ's commandments, did charity work and made generous donations for the construction of churches. Therefore, the icon of Nicholas II is prayed for the protection and preservation of peace in the family, for deliverance from family problems, from problems with children and loved ones, but not only. She is asked to be protected from the enemies of our Motherland, including those who are trying to undermine its Orthodox foundations; strengthen patriotic feelings.

The icon of Tsar Nicholas was widely known, exuding myrrh and working miracles of healing, so believers often have a question: where is the myrrh-streaming icon of Tsar Nicholas now? Currently, this miraculous icon is in the Moscow church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi.

What helps the icon of the royal family of the Romanovs

For each person bearing the name of one of the royal martyrs, he (or she) will become their patron saint. These names are: Nikolai, Alexandra, Alexei, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.

Prayer in front of such an icon helps to maintain mutual respect between generations and close relations between relatives, to raise children in piety, fidelity to Orthodox principles and patriotism, and prayer in front of the miraculous myrrh-streaming icon of Nicholas II helps to find healing.

Veneration of the Romanov Martyrs icon July 4/17 - the day of the death of the royal family and January 25 / February 7 - Celebration of the Council of the New Martyrs who suffered for the Christian faith after the 1917 revolution.

Prayer before the Icon of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexei, Princesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia

What shall we say, about the Holy Passion-Bearers of the Kingdom, Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexander, Tsesarevich Alexy, Tsarevna Olgo, Tatiano, Maria and Anastasia! Lord Christ vouchsafe you angelic glory and incorruptible crowns in His Kingdom, but our mind and tongue will not understand how to praise you according to your property.
We implore you with faith and love, help us with patience, thanksgiving, meekness and humility to carry our cross, placing hope in the Lord and betraying everything in the hands of God. Teach us purity and chastity of heart, yes, according to the words of the apostle, we always rejoice, we pray without ceasing, we give thanks for everything. Warm our hearts with the warmth of Christian love. Heal the sick, instruct the young, make the parents wiser, give joy, consolation and hope to the grieving, turn the erring to faith and repentance. Protect us from the wiles of the evil spirit and from all slander, misfortune and malice.
Do not leave us, the intercession of your supplicants. Pray to the All-Merciful Master and the Most Pure Virgin Mary for the Russian power! May the Lord strengthen our country through your intercession, may it grant us all that is useful for this life and vouchsafe the Kingdom of Heaven, where, together with you and with all the saints of the Russian land, we will glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

HOLY ROYAL PASSION BEARERS (†1918)

July 17 is the day of remembrance of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers of the Most Pious Autocratic Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich, the Wife of His Most Pious Sovereign Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the Heir of the Blessed Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, the Blessed Grand Duchesses Olga Nikolaevna, Tatiana Nikolaevna, Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna.

On the night of July 16-17, 1918, a terrible atrocity was committed - in Yekaterinburg, in the basement of the Ipatiev House, the Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich, His Family and faithful people, who voluntarily remained with the Royal prisoners and shared Their fate, were shot.

The Day of Remembrance of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers allows us to see how it is possible for a person to follow Christ and be faithful to Him, in spite of any life's sorrows and trials. After all, what the holy Royal Martyrs endured goes beyond the boundaries of human understanding. The sufferings endured by them (suffering not only physical, but also moral, moral) exceed the measure of human strength and capabilities. Only a humble heart, a heart completely devoted to God, was able to bear such a heavy cross. It is unlikely that anyone else's name was so slandered as the name of Tsar Nicholas II. But even very few with such meekness and with such complete trust in God endured all these sorrows, as the Emperor did.

Childhood and youth

The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna (daughter of the Danish King Christian VII). He was born on May 6 (19), 1868 on the day of rights. Job the Long-suffering near St. Petersburg, in Tsarskoye Selo.

The upbringing he received under the guidance of his father was strict, almost harsh. "I need normal healthy Russian children"- such a requirement was put forward by the Emperor to the educators of his children. And such an upbringing could only be Orthodox in spirit. Even as a small child, the Heir Tsesarevich showed a special love for God, for His Church. He was deeply touched by every human sorrow and every need. He began and ended the day with prayer; knew the rank of church services well, during which he liked to sing along to the church choir. Listening to stories about the Passion of the Savior, he sympathized with Him with all his soul and even pondered how to save Him from the Jews.

He received a very good education at home - he knew several languages, studied Russian and world history, was deeply versed in military affairs, and was a widely erudite person. The best teachers of that time were assigned to him and he turned out to be a very capable student.

At the age of 16, he was enrolled in active military service. At the age of 19 he was promoted to junior officer, and at the age of 24 he was promoted to colonel of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. And in this rank, Nicholas II remained until the end.

A serious test was sent to the Imperial family in the fall of 1888: a terrible wreck of the royal train took place near Kharkov. The wagons crashed down the high embankment. By the Providence of God, the life of Emperor Alexander III and the entire August family was miraculously saved.

A new test followed in 1891 during the Tsarevich's journey through the Far East: an assassination attempt was made on him in Japan. Nikolai Alexandrovich almost died from a saber blow of a religious fanatic, but the Greek Prince George knocked down the attacker with a bamboo cane. And again a miracle happened: only a slight wound remained on the head of the Heir to the Throne.

In 1884, the wedding of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich with Princess Elizabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt (now glorified in the face of saints, the Martyr Elizabeth, commemorated July 5) was solemnly celebrated in St. Petersburg. Young Nicholas II was then 16 years old. At the celebrations he saw the young sister of the bride - Alix (Princess Alice of Hesse, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England). A strong friendship began between the young people, which then turned into a deep and ever-growing love. Five years later, when Alix of Hesse again visited Russia, the heir matures the final decision to marry her. But Emperor Alexander III did not give his consent. "Everything is in the will of God,- the heir wrote in his diary after a long conversation with his father, - Trusting in His mercy, I calmly and humbly look to the future.

Princess Alice - the future Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna - was born on May 25, 1872 in Darmstadt. Alice's father was Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, and her mother was Princess Alice of England, the third daughter of Queen Victoria. In infancy, Princess Alice - at home her name was Alix - was a cheerful, lively child, receiving the nickname "Sunny" (Sunny) for this. The children of the Hessian couple - and there were seven of them - were brought up in deeply patriarchal traditions. Their life passed according to the rules strictly established by their mother, not a single minute should have passed without work. The clothes and food of the children were very simple. The girls themselves lit the fireplaces, cleaned their rooms. Mother tried from childhood to instill in them qualities based on a deeply Christian approach to life.

For five years, the love of Tsarevich Nicholas and Princess Alice was experienced. Being already a real beauty, to whom many crowned suitors wooed, she answered all with a decisive refusal. In the same way, the Tsarevich answered with a calm but firm refusal to all the attempts of his parents to arrange otherwise his happiness. Finally, in the spring of 1894, the august parents of the heir gave their blessing for the marriage.

The only obstacle was the transition to Orthodoxy - according to Russian laws, the bride of the Heir to the Russian throne must be Orthodox. She took it as an apostasy. Alix was a sincere believer. But, brought up in Lutheranism, her honest and direct nature opposed the change of religion. For several years, the young princess had to go through the same rethinking of faith as her sister Elizabeth Feodorovna. But the full conversion of the princess was helped by the sincere, ardent words of the heir, Tsarevich Nicholas, poured out from his loving heart: "When you find out how beautiful, fertile and humble our Orthodox religion is, how magnificent our churches and monasteries are, and how solemn and majestic our services are, you will love them and nothing will separate us."

The days of their engagement coincided with the dying illness of Emperor Alexander III. 10 days before his death, they arrived in Livadia. Alexander III, wanting to pay attention to the bride of his son, despite all the prohibitions of doctors and family, got out of bed, put on a dress uniform and, sitting in an armchair, blessed the future spouses who crouched at his feet. He showed great affection and attention to the princess, which the queen later recalled with excitement all her life.

Accession to the throne and beginning of reign

The joy of mutual love was overshadowed by a sharp deterioration in the health of his father, Emperor Alexander III.

Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich ascended the throne after the death of his father - Emperor Alexander III - October 20 (old style) 1894 . On that day, in deep sorrow, Nikolai Alexandrovich said that he did not want the Tsar's crown, but accepts it, fearing to disobey the will of the Almighty and his father's will.

The next day, amidst deep sadness, a ray of joy flashed: Princess Alix converted to Orthodoxy. The rite of its accession to the Orthodox Church was performed by the All-Russian pastor John of Kronstadt. During the Anointing, she was named Alexandra in honor of the Holy Martyr Queen.

In three weeks, November 14, 1894 took place in the Great Church of the Winter Palace wedding Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich and Princess Alexandra.

The honeymoon passed in the atmosphere of requiems and mourning visits. "Our wedding, - the Empress later recalled, was, as it were, a continuation of these memorial services, they just dressed me in a white dress.

On May 14 (27), 1896, the coronation took place Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II Alexandrovich and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

By a fatal coincidence, the days of the coronation celebrations were overshadowed tragedy on the Khodynka field where about half a million people gathered. On the occasion of the coronation May 18 (31) festivities were scheduled on the Khodynka field. In the morning, people (often families) began to arrive on the field from all over Moscow and the surrounding area, attracted by rumors about gifts and the distribution of valuable coins. At the time of the distribution of gifts there was a terrible stampede that claimed the lives of more than a thousand people. The next day, the Emperor and Empress attended a memorial service for the dead and provided assistance to the families of the victims.

Tragedy on Khodynka May 18, 1896

The tragedy on Khodynka was considered a gloomy omen for the reign of Nicholas II, and at the end of the 20th century it was cited by some as one of the arguments against his canonization (2000).

royal family

The first 20 years of the royal couple's marriage were the happiest in their personal family life.The royal couple was an example of a truly Christian family life. The relations of the August Spouses were distinguished by sincere love, cordial understanding and deep fidelity.

Born in autumn 1895 first daughter- Great Princess Olga . She had a very lively mind and prudence. It is not surprising that her father often consulted with her, even on the most important issues. Holy Princess Olga loved Russia very much and, like her father, she loved the simple Russian people. When it came up that she might marry one of the foreign princes, she did not want to hear about it, saying: "I don't want to leave Russia. I am Russian and I want to remain Russian."

Two years later, the second girl was born, named in holy Baptism Tatyana, two years later Maria, and two years later Anastasia .

With the advent of the children, Alexandra Feodorovna gave them all her attention: she fed, bathed herself daily, relentlessly visited the nursery, not trusting her children to anyone. The empress did not like to remain idle for a minute, and she taught her children to work. The two eldest daughters, Olga and Tatyana, worked with their mother in the infirmary during the war, acting as surgical nurses.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna gives instruments during the operation. Behind are Vel. Princesses Olga and Tatiana.

Habout the cherished desire of the Royal couple was the birth of the Heir. The long-awaited event happened August 12, 1904 , a year after the pilgrimage of the Royal family to Sarov, to the celebration of the glorification of St. Seraphim. But just a few weeks after birth Tsarevich Alexy It turned out that he had hemophilia. The child's life hung in the balance all the time: the slightest bleeding could cost him his life. Relatives noted the nobility of the character of the Tsarevich, the kindness and responsiveness of his heart. "When I am King, there will be no poor and unfortunate, he said. - I want everyone to be happy."

The Tsar and Tsaritsa brought up children in devotion to the Russian people and carefully prepared them for the forthcoming work and feat. “Children should learn self-denial, learn to give up their own desires for the sake of other people,” the Empress believed. The Tsarevich and the Grand Duchesses slept on hard camp beds without pillows; dressed simply; dress and shoes passed from older to younger. The food was the simplest. The favorite food of Tsarevich Alexei was cabbage soup, porridge and black bread, "which,- as he said - all my soldiers eat."

The surprisingly sincere look of the Sovereign always shone with genuine kindness. Once the Tsar visited the cruiser "Rurik", where there was a revolutionary who swore an oath to kill him. The sailor did not fulfill his promise. "I couldn't do it, - he explained. “These eyes looked at me so meekly, so kindly.”

The faces that stood close to the court noted the lively mind of Nicholas II - he always quickly grasped the essence of the issues reported to him, an excellent memory, especially for faces, and the nobility of his way of thinking. But Nikolai Alexandrovich, with his gentleness, tact in handling, modest manners, gave the impression to many of a man who did not inherit the strong will of his father.

The sovereign was unmercenary. He generously helped those in need from his own funds, without thinking about the size of the requested amount. "He will soon give away everything he has,"- said the manager of the office of His Majesty. He did not like extravagance and luxury, and his dresses were often mended.

Religiosity and a view of their power. Church politics

The emperor paid great attention to the needs of the Orthodox Church, generously donated to the construction of new churches, including those outside Russia. During the years of his reign, the number of parish churches in Russia increased by more than 10 thousand, more than 250 new monasteries were opened. The emperor personally participated in the laying of new churches and in other church celebrations. During the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, the church hierarchy had the opportunity to prepare the convocation of the Local Council, which had not been convened for two centuries before.

The personal piety of the Sovereign manifested itself in the canonization of the saints. During the years of his reign, St. Theodosius of Chernigov (1896), St. Seraphim of Sarov (1903), St. Anna Kashinskaya (the restoration of veneration in 1909), St. Joasaph of Belgorod (1911), St. Hermogenes of Moscow (1913) year), St. Pitirim of Tambov (1914), St. John of Tobolsk (1916). The emperor was forced to show special perseverance, seeking the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Sts. Joasaph of Belgorod and John of Tobolsk. Nicholas II highly honored the holy righteous father John of Kronstadt. After his blissful death, the Tsar ordered a nationwide prayer commemoration of the deceased on the day of his repose.

The imperial couple was distinguished by deep religiosity. The Empress did not like secular communication, balls. The upbringing of the children of the Imperial Family was imbued with a religious spirit. Brief services in the court temples did not satisfy the Emperor and the Empress. Especially for them, services are performed in the Tsarskoye Selo Feodorovsky Cathedral, built in the Old Russian style. Empress Alexandra prayed here in front of the lectern with open liturgical books, closely following the service.

Economic policy

The Sovereign marked the beginning of his reign with deeds of love and mercy: prisoners in prisons received relief; there was great debt forgiveness; significant assistance was provided to needy scientists, writers and students.

The reign of Nicholas II was a period of economic growth: in 1885-1913, the growth rate of agricultural production averaged 2%, and the growth rate of industrial production was 4.5-5% per year. Coal mining in the Donbass increased from 4.8 million tons in 1894 to 24 million tons in 1913. Coal mining began in the Kuznetsk coal basin.
The construction of railways continued, the total length of which, which was 44 thousand km in 1898, by 1913 exceeded 70 thousand km. In terms of the total length of railways, Russia surpassed any other European country and was second only to the United States.

In January 1887, a monetary reform was carried out, which established the gold standard for the ruble.

In 1913, all of Russia solemnly celebrated the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty. Russia was at that time at the pinnacle of glory and power: industry developed at an unprecedented pace, the army and navy became more and more powerful, agrarian reform was successfully implemented, and the country's population increased rapidly. It seemed that all internal problems would be safely resolved in the near future.

Foreign policy and the Russo-Japanese War

Nicholas II treated the duties of the monarch as his sacred duty. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was a model politician for him - at the same time a reformer and careful guardian of national traditions and faith. He became the inspiration for the first world conference on the prevention of wars, which was held in the capital of Holland in 1899, and was the first among the rulers to speak out in defense of universal peace. During the entire reign, the Sovereign did not sign a single death sentence, not a single request for pardon that reached the Tsar was rejected by him.

In October 1900, Russian troops, as part of the suppression of the uprising in China by the troops of the Alliance of Eight Powers (Russian Empire, USA, German Empire, Great Britain, France, Japanese Empire, Austria-Hungary and Italy), occupied Manchuria.

The lease of the Liaodong Peninsula by Russia, the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the establishment of a naval base in Port Arthur, the growing influence of Russia in Manchuria clashed with the aspirations of Japan, which also laid claim to Manchuria.

On January 24, 1904, the Japanese ambassador presented the Russian Foreign Minister V. N. Lamzdorf with a note announcing the termination of negotiations, which Japan considered "useless", the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia; Japan withdrew its diplomatic mission from St. Petersburg and reserved the right to resort to "independent actions" to protect its interests, as it deemed necessary. On the evening of January 26, the Japanese fleet attacked the Port Arthur squadron without declaring war. On January 27, 1904, Russia declared war on Japan. The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) began. The Russian Empire, having an almost threefold advantage in population, could field a proportionally larger army. At the same time, the number of Russian armed forces directly in the Far East (beyond Baikal) was no more than 150 thousand people, and, taking into account the fact that most of these troops were connected by the protection of the Trans-Siberian Railway / state border / fortresses, it was directly available for active operations about 60 thousand people. From Japan, 180 thousand soldiers were put up. The main theater of operations was the Yellow Sea.

The attitude of the leading world powers to the beginning of the war between Russia and Japan split them into two camps. England and the United States immediately and definitely took the side of Japan: the illustrated chronicle of the war that began to appear in London even received the title "Japan's Struggle for Freedom"; and American President Roosevelt openly warned France against her possible action against Japan, declaring that in this case he "would immediately take her side and go as far as necessary."

The outcome of the war was decided by the naval battle of Tsushima in May 1905, which ended in the complete defeat of the Russian fleet. On May 23, 1905, the emperor received, through the US ambassador in St. Petersburg, President T. Roosevelt's proposal for mediation to conclude peace. Under the terms of the peace treaty, Russia recognized Korea as a sphere of influence of Japan, ceded to Japan South Sakhalin and the rights to the Liaodong Peninsula with the cities of Port Arthur and Dalniy.

Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War (the first in half a century) and the subsequent suppression of the Troubles of 1905-1907. (subsequently aggravated by the appearance of rumors about the influence of Rasputin) led to a fall in the authority of the emperor in the ruling and intellectual circles.

Revolution of 1905-1907

At the end of 1904, the political struggle intensified in the country. The impetus for the beginning of mass demonstrations under political slogans was the execution by the imperial troops in St. Petersburg of a peaceful demonstration of workers led by priest Georgy Gapon January 9 (22), 1905 . During this period, the strike movement assumed a particularly wide scope, unrest and uprisings took place in the army and navy, which resulted in mass demonstrations against the monarchy.

On the morning of January 9, columns of workers with a total number of up to 150,000 people moved from different areas to the city center. At the head of one of the columns with a cross in his hand was the priest Gapon. When the columns approached the military outposts, the officers demanded that the workers stop, but they continued to move forward. Electrified by fanatical propaganda, the workers stubbornly rushed to the Winter Palace, ignoring warnings and even cavalry attacks. To prevent the accumulation of a crowd of 150,000 in the city center, the troops were forced to fire rifle volleys. In other parts of the city, crowds of workers were dispersed with sabers, sabers and whips. According to official figures, 96 people were killed and 333 wounded in just the day of January 9. The dispersal of the unarmed procession of workers made a shocking impression on society. Messages about the execution of the procession, which greatly inflated the number of victims, were distributed by illegal publications, party proclamations and passed from mouth to mouth. The opposition placed all responsibility for what had happened on Emperor Nicholas II and the autocratic regime. The priest Gapon, who fled from the police, called for an armed uprising and the overthrow of the dynasty. The revolutionary parties called for the overthrow of the autocracy. A wave of strikes, held under political slogans, swept across the country. The traditional faith of the working masses in the tsar was shaken, and the influence of the revolutionary parties began to grow. The slogan “Down with the autocracy!” gained popularity. According to many contemporaries, the tsarist government made a mistake by deciding to use force against unarmed workers. The danger of a rebellion was averted, but irreparable damage was done to the prestige of the royal power.

Bloody Sunday is undoubtedly a black day in history, but the role of the tsar in this event is much lower than the role of the organizers of the demonstration. For by that time the government had already withstood a real siege for more than a month. After all, Bloody Sunday itself would not have happened if it were not for the atmosphere of a political crisis that the liberals and socialists created in the country.(author's note - the analogy with today's events involuntarily suggests itself). In addition, plans became known to the police to shoot the sovereign when he went out to the people.

In October, a strike began in Moscow, which swept the whole country and grew into the All-Russian October Political Strike. On October 12-18, more than 2 million people went on strike in various branches of industry.

This general strike, and above all the railroad strike, forced the emperor to make concessions. On August 6, 1905, the State Duma was established by the Manifesto of Nicholas II as "a special legislative advisory institution, which is given the preliminary development and discussion of legislative proposals." The manifesto of October 17, 1905 granted civil liberties: personal inviolability, freedom of conscience, speech, assembly and association. Trade unions and professional political unions, Soviets of Workers' Deputies arose, the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Revolutionary Party were strengthened, the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Union of October 17, the Union of the Russian People, and others were created.

Thus, the demands of the liberals were met. The autocracy went to the creation of parliamentary representation and the beginning of the reform (Stolypin agrarian reform).

World War I

The World War began on the morning of August 1, 1914, on the day of remembrance of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Blessed Diveyevo Pasha Sarovskaya said that the enemies of the Fatherland started the war in order to overthrow the Tsar and tear Russia apart. "He will be higher than all the kings," she said, praying for the portraits of the Tsar and the Royal Family along with the icons.

On July 19 (August 1), 1914, Germany declared war on Russia: Russia entered the world war, which ended for her with the collapse of the empire and dynasty. Nicholas II made efforts to prevent the war in all the pre-war years, and in the last days before it began, when (July 15, 1914) Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and began bombing Belgrade. On July 16 (29), 1914, Nicholas II sent a telegram to Wilhelm II with a proposal to “transfer the Austro-Serbian question to the Hague Conference” (to the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague). Wilhelm II did not reply to this telegram.

Emperor Nicholas II at headquarters

The First World War, which began with two heroic deeds of Russia - the salvation of Serbia from Austria-Hungary and France from Germany, pulled the best people's forces to fight the enemy. Since August 1915, the sovereign himself spent most of his time at headquarters, away from the capital and the palace. And so, when the victory was so close that both the Council of Ministers and the Synod were already openly discussing the question of how the Church and the state should behave in relation to Constantinople liberated from Muslims, the rear, finally succumbing to the flattering propaganda of the atheists, betrayed its Emperor. An armed uprising began in Petrograd, the tsar's connection with the capital and his family was deliberately interrupted. Treason surrounded the sovereign from all sides, his orders to the commanders of all fronts to send military units to suppress the rebellion were not executed.

Abdication

Intending to personally find out the situation in the capital, Nikolai Alexandrovich left the headquarters and went to Petrograd. In Pskov, a delegation from the State Duma came to him, completely cut off from the whole world. The delegates began to ask the sovereign to abdicate in order to calm the rebellion. They were joined by the generals of the Northern Front. They were soon joined by the commanders of other fronts.

This request was made on their knees to the Tsar and his closest relatives. Without violating the oath of the Anointed of God and without abolishing the Autocratic Monarchy, Emperor Nicholas II transferred the Tsar's power to the eldest of the family - brother Michael. According to recent studies, the so-called. The “manifesto” of renunciation (signed in pencil!), drawn up contrary to the laws of the Russian Empire, was a telegram from which it followed that the Sovereign had been betrayed into the hands of enemies. He who reads, let him understand!

Deprived of the opportunity to contact the headquarters, with his family, with those whom he still trusted, the tsar hoped that this telegram would be perceived by the troops as a call to action - the release of the Anointed of God. To the greatest regret, the Russian people could not unite in a sacred impulse: "For the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland." A terrible thing happened...

How correctly the Sovereign assessed the situation and the people around Him is evidenced by a short entry, which has become historical, made by Him in his diary on that day: "All around treason, and cowardice, and deceit." Grand Duke Mikhail refused to accept the crown, and the monarchy in Russia fell.

Icon of the Mother of God "Sovereign"

It was on that fateful day March 15, 1917 in the village of Kolomenskoye, near Moscow, there was a miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God, called "Reigning". The Queen of Heaven is depicted on it in royal purple, with a crown on her head, with a Scepter and Orb in her hands. The Most Pure One took upon Herself the burden of Tsarist power over the people of Russia.

During the abdication of the sovereign for several days, the empress did not receive news from him. Her agony during these days of mortal anxiety, without news and at the bedside of five seriously ill children, surpassed everything that one can imagine. Having suppressed in herself the infirmity of a woman and all her bodily ailments, heroically, selflessly, she devoted herself to caring for the sick, with full hope in the help of the Queen of Heaven.

Arrest and execution of the royal family

The Provisional Government announced the arrest of Emperor Nicholas II and his August wife and their detention in Tsarskoe Selo. The arrest of the Emperor and Empress did not have the slightest legal basis or reason. The commission of inquiry appointed by the Provisional Government harassed the Tsar and Tsarina with searches and interrogations, but did not find a single fact convicting them of treason. When asked by one of the members of the commission why their correspondence has not yet been published, he was answered: "If we publish it, the people will worship them as saints."

The life of the prisoners was subjected to petty constraints - the Sovereign was announced by A.F. Kerensky that he should live separately and see the Empress only at the table, and speak only in Russian. Guard soldiers in a rude form made remarks to him, access to the palace of persons close to the Imperial family was forbidden. Once, the soldiers even took away a toy gun from the Heir under the pretext of a ban on carrying weapons.

July 31 the royal family and a retinue of devoted servants were sent under escort to Tobolsk. At the sight of the August Family, ordinary people took off their hats, crossed themselves, many fell on their knees: not only women, but also men wept. The sisters of the Ioannovsky Monastery brought spiritual literature, helped with food, since all the means of subsistence from the Royal Family were taken away. Restrictions on the life of the Prisoners intensified. Mental anxieties and moral suffering had a strong effect on the Sovereign and Empress. They both looked haggard, gray hair appeared, but the spiritual fortress in them still remained. Bishop Germogen of Tobolsk, who at one time spread slander against the Empress, now openly admitted his mistake. In 1918, before his martyrdom, he wrote a letter in which he called the Royal Family "the long-suffering Holy Family."

All the royal martyrs undoubtedly realized the approach of the end and were preparing for it. Even the youngest, Saint Tsarevich Alexy, did not turn a blind eye to reality, as can be seen from the words that somehow escaped from him: "If they kill, then just don't torture". This was also understood by the devoted servants of the sovereign, who courageously followed the royal family into exile. "I know that I will not get out of this alive. I only pray for one thing - that they do not separate me from the sovereign and let me die with him,"- said Adjutant General I.L. Tatishchev.

The royal family on the eve of the arrest and, in fact, the collapse of the Russian Empire. Anxiety, excitement, sorrow for the once great country

The news of the October coup reached Tobolsk on 15 November. In Tobolsk, a "soldier's committee" was formed, which, striving in every possible way to assert itself, demonstrated its power over the Sovereign - either they force him to remove his shoulder straps, or they destroy the ice hill arranged for the Tsar's children. From March 1, 1918, "Nikolai Romanov and his family are being transferred to a soldier's ration."

Their next place of confinement was Yekaterinburg . There is much less evidence left about the Yekaterinburg period of imprisonment of the Imperial family. Almost no letters. Living conditions in the "special purpose house" were much more difficult than in Tobolsk. The royal family lived here for two and a half months among a gang of impudent, unbridled people - their new guards, being subjected to bullying. Guards were placed in all corners of the house and watched every movement of the prisoners. They covered the walls with obscene drawings, mocking the Empress and the Grand Duchesses. They were on duty even near the door to the toilet, and they were not allowed to lock the doors. In the lower floor of the house, a guardroom was arranged. The dirt was terrible. Drunken voices bawled revolutionary or indecent songs all the time, to the accompaniment of fists banging on the piano keys.

Uncomplaining obedience to the will of God, gentleness and humility gave the royal passion-bearers the strength to endure all suffering. They already felt that they were on the other side of life and, with prayer in their souls and on their lips, they were preparing for their transition to eternal life. AT Ipatiev house a poem was found written by the hand of Grand Duchess Olga, which is called "Prayer", its last two quatrains say the same:

Lord of the world, God of the universe,
Bless us with prayer
And give rest to the humble soul
In an unbearable terrible hour.
And at the threshold of the grave
Breathe into the mouth of your servants
Inhuman forces
Pray humbly for your enemies.

When the Royal Family was captured by the godless authorities, the commissars were forced to change guards all the time. Because under the miraculous influence of the holy prisoners, being in constant contact with them, these people involuntarily became different, more human. Conquered by the royal simplicity, humility and philanthropy of the crowned passion-bearers, the jailers softened their attitude towards them. However, as soon as the Urals Cheka felt that the protection of the royal family was beginning to be imbued with good feelings for the prisoners, they immediately replaced it with a new one - from the Chekists themselves. At the head of this guard stood Yankel Yurovsky . He was constantly in touch with Trotsky, Lenin, Sverdlov and other organizers of the atrocity. It was Yurovsky who, in the basement of the Ipatiev House, read the order of the Yekaterinburg Executive Committee and was the first to shoot right in the heart of our holy Tsar-Martyr. He shot at children and finished them off with a bayonet.

Three days before the murder of the royal martyrs, a priest was invited to them for the last time to perform a service. Batiushka served the mass, according to the rank of the service, it was necessary to read the kontakion "Let me rest with the saints ..." in a certain place. For some reason, this time the deacon, instead of reading this kontakion, sang it, and the priest also sang. The royal martyrs, moved by some unknown feeling, knelt down...

On the night of 16 to 17 July the prisoners were lowered into the basement under the pretext of a quick move, then suddenly soldiers with rifles appeared, the “verdict” was hastily read out, and immediately the guards opened fire. The shooting was chaotic - the soldiers were given vodka before that - therefore the holy martyrs were finished off with bayonets. Servants died together with the Royal Family: doctor Yevgeny Botkin, maid of honor Anna Demidova, cook Ivan Kharitonov and lackey Trupp, who remained faithful to them to the end. The picture was terrible: eleven bodies lay on the floor in streams of blood. After making sure that their victims were dead, the killers began to remove jewelry from them.

Pavel Ryzhenko. In the Ipatiev house after the execution of the royal family

After the execution, the bodies were taken outside the city to an abandoned mine in the tract Ganina pit, where they were destroyed for a long time with the help of sulfuric acid, gasoline and grenades. There is an opinion that the murder was ritual, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the walls of the room where the martyrs died. One of them consisted of four cabalistic signs. She spelled it like this: Here, by order of the satanic forces. The king was sacrificed for the destruction of the State. All nations are informed of this." Ipatiev's house was blown up in the 70s.

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov in the magazine "Russian House" for 2003. writes: “We know that the majority among the top of the Bolshevik government, as well as the organs of repression, such as the sinister Cheka, were Jews. Here is a prophetic indication of the appearance from this environment of the “man of lawlessness”, the Antichrist. by origin a Jew from the tribe of Dan. And his appearance will be prepared by the sins of all mankind, when dark mysticism, debauchery and criminality become the norm and law of life. We are far from thinking to condemn any nation for its nationality. In the end, Christ Himself came out of this people according to the flesh, His apostles and the first Christian martyrs were Jews. It's not a matter of nationality..."

The very date of the savage murder is not accidental - July 17th. On this day, the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy noble prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who, with his martyr's blood, consecrated the autocracy of Russia. According to the chroniclers, the conspirators killed him in the most cruel way. Saint Prince Andrei was the first to proclaim the idea of ​​Orthodoxy and Autocracy as the basis of the statehood of Holy Russia and was, in fact, the first Russian Tsar.

On the significance of the feat of the royal family

The veneration of the Royal Family, already begun by His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon in a prayer for the dead and a word at a memorial service in the Kazan Cathedral in Moscow for the murdered Emperor three days after the Yekaterinburg assassination, continued throughout several decades of the Soviet period of our history. During all the time of Soviet power, violent blasphemy poured out on the memory of the holy Tsar Nicholas, nevertheless, many among the people, especially in emigration, from the very moment of his death, revered the martyr tsar.

Countless testimonies of miraculous help through prayers to the Family of the last Russian Autocrat; popular veneration of the royal martyrs in the last years of the 20th century became so widespread that in 2000 By the Russian Orthodox Church, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and their children Alexei, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia numbered among the holy martyrs . Their memory is celebrated on the day of their martyrdom - July 17th .

Why was the royal family canonized?

Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov

Historical facts do not allow us to speak of members of the royal family as Christian martyrs. Martyrdom presupposes for a person the possibility of saving his life through renunciation of Christ. The sovereign family was killed precisely as the sovereign family: the people who killed them were quite secularized in their worldview and perceived them primarily as a symbol of imperial Russia they hated.

In historical notes about Nicholas II, and in his life, a rather restrained, and sometimes even critical assessment of his state activities is given. Bloody Sunday on January 9, 1905, the problem of the attitude of the sovereign and the empress towards Rasputin, the problem of the emperor's abdication - all this is evaluated from the point of view of whether this prevents canonization or not.

If we consider the events of January 9, then, firstly, we must take into account that we are dealing with mass riots that took place in the city. They were unprofessional suppressed, but it was really a mass illegal performance. Secondly, the sovereign did not give any criminal orders that day - he was in Tsarskoye Selo and was largely misinformed by the Minister of the Interior and the mayor of St. Petersburg. Nicholas II considered himself responsible for what happened, hence the tragic entry in his diary, which he, having learned about what had happened, left in the evening of that day: "Hard day! Serious riots broke out in St. Petersburg as a result of the desire of the workers to reach the Winter Palace. The troops had to shoot in different parts of the city, there were many killed and wounded. Lord, how painful and hard!”

As for the renunciation, it was a politically unquestionably wrong act. Nevertheless, the guilt of the sovereign is to some extent expiated by the motives that guided him. The emperor’s desire to prevent civil strife with the help of abdication is justified from the point of view of morality, but not from the standpoint of politics ... If Nicholas II had suppressed the revolutionary uprising by force, he would have gone down in history as an outstanding statesman, but it would hardly have become a saint.

All this allows us to take a somewhat different look at the figure of the last king. However, the Church is in no hurry to justify Nicholas II in everything. A canonized saint is not without sin.

Five reports were submitted to the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, devoted to the study of the state and church activities of the last Russian sovereign. The commission decided that the activities of Emperor Nicholas II in themselves do not provide sufficient grounds for both his canonization and the canonization of members of his family. However, the reports that determined the final - positive - decision of the Commission were the sixth and seventh: "The Last Days of the Royal Family" and "The Attitude of the Church towards Passion-Bearing".

It is the last period of the life of members of the royal family, spent in captivity, and the circumstances of their death that contain serious grounds for glorifying them in the guise of martyrs. They became more and more aware that death was inevitable, but they managed to keep the spiritual world in their hearts and at the moment of martyrdom gained the ability to forgive their executioners.

The family of Nicholas II was glorified in the rank of passion-bearing characteristic of the Russian Church. The drama of passion-bearing, “non-resistance to death” lies precisely in the fact that it is precisely weak people, who often sinned a lot, who find the strength in themselves to overcome weak human nature and die with the name of Christ on their lips. In this rank, Russian princes and sovereigns are traditionally canonized, who, imitating Christ, patiently endured physical, moral suffering or death at the hands of political opponents. By the way, there are not so many canonized sovereigns in the history of the Russian Church. And of the Romanovs, only Nicholas II was glorified as a saint - this is the only case in the 300 years of the dynasty.

The well-known Moscow archpriest, a deeply convinced monarchist father Alexander Shargunov spoke very accurately about the internal, ideologically deep, purely spiritual and timeless foundations of the feat of the royal family:

As you know, today's detractors of the Sovereign, both left and right, constantly blame him for his abdication. Unfortunately, for some, even after canonization, this remains a stumbling block and temptation, while this was the greatest manifestation of his holiness.

Speaking of the holiness of Tsar Nicholas Alexandrovich, we usually have in mind his martyrdom, connected, of course, with his entire pious life. The feat of his renunciation is the feat of confession.

To understand this more clearly, let us recall who sought the abdication of the Sovereign. First of all, those who sought to turn Russian history towards European democracy, or at least towards a constitutional monarchy. The socialists and Bolsheviks were already a consequence and an extreme manifestation of the materialist understanding of history.

It is known that many of the then destroyers of Russia acted in the name of its creation. Among them there were many, in their own way, honest, wise people who even then were thinking "how to equip Russia." But it was, as Scripture says, earthly, spiritual, demonic wisdom. The stone that the builders then rejected was Christ and Christ's anointing. The anointing of God means that the earthly power of the Sovereign has a Divine source. The renunciation of the Orthodox monarchy was a renunciation of divine authority. From power on earth, which is called upon to direct the general course of life towards spiritual and moral goals - to the creation of conditions that are most favorable for the salvation of many, a power that is “not of this world”, but serves the world precisely in this, higher sense.

Most of the participants in the revolution acted, as it were, unconsciously, but it was a conscious rejection of the God-given order of life and God-established authority in the person of the Tsar, the Anointed of God, just as the conscious rejection of Christ the King by the spiritual leaders of Israel, as described in the Gospel parable of the evil vinedressers. They killed Him not because they did not know that He was the Messiah, the Christ, but precisely because they knew it. Not because they thought it was a false messiah to be eliminated, but precisely because they saw that it was the true Messiah: "Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours." The same secret Sanhedrin, inspired by the devil, directs humanity to have a life free from God and from His commandments, so that nothing prevents them from living as they want.

This is the meaning of "treason, cowardice and deceit" that surrounded the Sovereign. For this reason, Saint John Maksimovich compares the suffering of the Sovereign in Pskov during the abdication with the suffering of Christ Himself in Gethsemane. In the same way, the devil himself, in person, was present here, tempting the Tsar and all the people with him (and all mankind, according to the exact word of P. Gilliard), as he once tempted Christ Himself in the wilderness with the kingdom of this world.

For centuries, Russia has been approaching Yekaterinburg Golgotha. And here the ancient temptation was revealed in full. Just as the devil sought to trap Christ through the Sadducees and Pharisees, setting up snares unbreakable by any human tricks, so through the socialists and Cadets the devil puts Tsar Nicholas before a hopeless choice: either apostasy or death.

The king did not depart from the purity of God's anointing, he did not sell the divine birthright for the lentil soup of earthly power. The very rejection of the Tsar occurred precisely because he was a confessor of the truth, and it was nothing else than the rejection of Christ in the person of the Anointed One of Christ. The meaning of the Sovereign's abdication is the salvation of the idea of ​​Christian power.

It is unlikely that the Tsar could have foreseen what terrible events would follow his abdication, because outwardly he abdicated in order to avoid senseless shedding of blood. However, by the depth of the terrible events that were revealed after his abdication, we can measure the depth of suffering in his Gethsemane. The king was clearly aware that by his renunciation he was betraying himself, his family and his people, whom he dearly loved, into the hands of enemies. But the most important thing for him was the fidelity to the grace of God, which he received in the Sacrament of Chrismation for the sake of the salvation of the people entrusted to him. For all the most terrible misfortunes that are possible on earth: hunger, disease, pestilence, from which, of course, the human heart cannot but tremble, cannot be compared with the eternal “weeping and gnashing of teeth” where there is no repentance. And as the prophet of the events of Russian history, St. Seraphim of Sarov, said, if a person knew that there is eternal life, which God gives for fidelity to Him, he would agree for a thousand years (that is, until the end of history, along with all the suffering people) to endure any torment. And about the mournful events that followed the abdication of the Sovereign, the Monk Seraphim said that the angels would not have time to receive souls - and we can say that after the abdication of the Sovereign, millions of new martyrs received crowns in the Kingdom of Heaven.

You can do any kind of historical, philosophical, political analysis, but spiritual vision is always more important. We know this vision in the prophecies of Saint Righteous John of Kronstadt, Saints Theophan the Recluse and Ignatius Brianchaninov and other saints of God, who understood that no emergency, external state measures, no repressions, the most skillful policy is not able to change the course of events if there is no repentance by the Russian people. It was given to the truly humble mind of the holy Tsar Nicholas to see that this repentance would, perhaps, be bought at a very high price.

After the renunciation of the Tsar, in which the people took part with their indifference, hitherto unprecedented persecution of the Church and mass apostasy from God could not help but follow. The Lord has shown very clearly what we lose when we lose the Anointed One of God, and what we gain. Russia immediately found satanic anointed ones.

The sin of regicide played a major role in the terrible events of the 20th century for the Russian Church and for the whole world. There is only one question before us: is there an atonement for this sin, and how can it be carried out? The Church always calls us to repentance. This means, to the realization of what happened and what kind of continuation it has in today's life. If we really love the Tsar-Martyr and pray to him, if we are truly looking for the moral and spiritual revival of our Fatherland, we must spare no effort in order to overcome the terrible consequences of mass apostasy (apostasy from the faith of the fathers and trampling on morality) in our people .

There are only two options for what awaits Russia. Either by the miracle of the intercession of the Royal Martyrs and all the new martyrs of Russia, the Lord grants our people to be reborn for the sake of the salvation of many. But this will happen only with our participation - despite the natural weakness, sinfulness, impotence and lack of faith. Or, according to the Apocalypse, the Church of Christ is waiting for new, even more formidable upheavals, in the center of which there will always be the Cross of Christ. Through the prayers of the Royal Passion-Bearers, who lead the host of new martyrs and confessors of Russia, may it be given to us to endure these trials and become partakers of their feat.

With his feat of confession, the Tsar shamed democracy - “the great lie of our time”, when everything is determined by a majority of votes, and, in the end, by those who shout louder: We do not want Him, but Barabbas, not Christ, but the Antichrist.

Until the end of time, and especially in the end times. The Church will be tempted by the devil, like Christ in Gethsemane and Calvary: "Come down, come down from the Cross." “Depart from those demands of human greatness that Your Gospel speaks of, become more accessible to everyone, and we will believe in You. There are circumstances when this must be done. Come down from the cross, and things will go better for the Church.” The main spiritual meaning of today's events is the outcome of the 20th century - the increasingly successful efforts of the enemy so that "salt loses its power", so that the highest values ​​of mankind turn into empty, beautiful words.

(Alexander Shargunov, Russian House magazine, No. 7, 2003)

Troparion, tone 4
Today, blessed people, let us lightly honor the Sedmeritsa of the honest Royal Passion-Bearers of Christ One home church: Nicholas and Alexander, Alexy, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. They were not afraid of the bonds and sufferings of many different things, from the God-fighting death and desecration of bodies, and improved boldness to the Lord in prayer. For this sake, let us cry out to them with love: O holy martyrs, listen to the voice of repentance and groaning of our people, affirm the Russian land in love for Orthodoxy, save from internecine warfare, ask God for peace and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 8
The election of the Tsar of the Kings and the Lord of the Lords from the line of the Tsars of Russia, the blessed martyr, the torment of the soul and bodily death for Christ received, and crowned with heavenly crowns, crying out to you as our merciful patron with love and thanksgiving: Rejoice, O Royal Passion-Bearers, for Holy Russia before God diligent prayer book .

Prayer to the Holy Passion-Bearer Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II
O holy great Russian Tsar and passion-bearer Nicholas! Listen to the voice of our prayer and raise to the Throne of the all-seeing Lord the groans and sighs of the Russian people, once chosen and blessed by God, now fallen and apostatized from God. Resolve perjury, hitherto gravitating over the Russian people. It is grievous for a sinner who has departed from the King of Heaven, who has left the Orthodox faith to trample on the wicked, who has transgressed the conciliar oath and has not prevented the murder of yours, your Family and your faithful servants.

Do not obey the Lord’s command: “Do not touch my anointed ones,” but to David saying: “He who stretches out his hand against the Anointed of the Lord, will not the Lord smite him?” And now, worthy of our deeds, it is acceptable, even until this day, the sin of the royal blood of shedding weighs on us.

To this day our holy things are defiled. Fornication and iniquity do not fail us. Our children are betrayed to reproach. Innocent blood cries out to heaven, shed every hour in our land.

But see the tears and contrition of our hearts, we repent more, like the people of Kiev once before Prince Igor, who was tortured by them; like the people of Vladimir before Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who was killed by them, and we ask: pray to the Lord, may he not turn away from us to the end, may he not deprive the Russian people of his great chosenness, but may he give us the mind of salvation, in order to rise us from the depths of this fall.

Imashi bo, Tsar Nicholas, boldness is great, you shed your blood for your people, and you laid down your soul not only for friends, but also for your enemies. For this sake, stand now in the Non-Evening Light to the King of Glory, as a faithful servant of Him. Be our intercessor and intercessor, and protector. Do not turn away from us, and do not leave us to be trampled by the wicked. Grant us the strength to repent, and incline the justice of God to mercy, may the Lord not destroy us to the end, but may He forgive and graciously have mercy on all, and save the Russian land and its people. May it deliver our Fatherland from the misfortunes and misfortunes that have befallen, revive faith and piety, and restore the throne of the Orthodox Tsars, if the prophecies of the saints of God come true. And may the Russian people throughout the universe glorify the all-glorious name of the Lord and faithfully serve Him until the end of time, singing the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and forever and ever. A min.

passio) in the name of . But mainly this name refers to those saints who did not accept martyrdom for the Christian faith, in contrast to the martyrs and great martyrs, perhaps even from their relatives and co-religionists - by virtue of them,. Accordingly, in this case, the special nature of their feat is emphasized - malice, which is one of the commandments. So, in particular, the holy martyrs, saint, reverend, who lived in. In the year the last Russian emperor and his family, by decision of the Ural Council in the year, were canonized as martyrs.

Briefly, the feat of passion-bearing can be defined as suffering for the fulfillment of the Commandments of God (and), in contrast to - which is suffering for witnessing in (faith in) during times of persecution and when persecutors try to force them to renounce the faith (from Wikipedia).

Accordingly, in this case, the special nature of their feat is emphasized - good-naturedness and non-resistance to enemies.

In 1928 they were canonized as saints of the Catacomb Church.
In 1981 they were glorified by the Russian Church Abroad.
On August 20, 2000, they were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, revealed and unmanifested.

Memorial Day: July 4 (17) - the day of execution.
Romanov's iconography is very interesting due to the fact that a single canon for writing their images has not yet been developed. Therefore, each icon painter creates as he sees fit. The first were Western icon painters, and it is abroad that you can most often find icons of the Romanovs. Now, in Russia, almost every church has its own icon dedicated to the Romanov martyrs.

Many years went to the sanctity of the members of the royal family and their close associates - their service to Russia was expressed in good deeds and mercy. So during the war, the daughters of the Romanovs and the Empress herself could often be seen in hospitals and infirmaries, in shelters and almshouses. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna abandoned worldly life in favor of helping the poor and destitute. Their immediate environment followed suit.
ST. ROYAL PASSION BEARERS
with the icon of the Mother of God REGULATORY serafim-library.narod.ru
Icon of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, made by the sisters of the Novo-Tikhvin Convent by order of the Moscow Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral.
The second icon is similar. Author Philip Moskvitin. Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Biryulyovo. She streams myrrh
Two tendencies of icon painters are obvious: the first is to dress the royal family in ancient Russian attire of the 16th-17th centuries, and then the icons are identified by the mustaches of Nicholas and the number of people on the board. They are no more different from other images of any saints.

The second trend is to leave them in the clothes of the early twentieth century, and sometimes in military uniforms and nurses' aprons. But icon painters, apparently, are confused by the resulting stylistic inconsistency - halos do not fit well with tunics, so the first option comes across more often.

Icon with portraits of the family of royal martyrs

Icon "Holy royal martyrs"

icon of the holy royal martyrs


Holy Royal Martyrs. They are all dressed in white - white is a symbol of the fact that they are in the kingdom of heaven, a designation of the uncreated light. In the heavens above them is the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God. The Sovereign Mother of God is one of the officially “miracle-working” icons of the Mother of God of proper Russian origin; was found, according to the report of Metropolitan Tikhon of Moscow, on March 2, 1917 in the basement of the Ascension Church of Kolomna. On the icon is an image of Christ kneeling at the Virgin, in the hands of the Virgin are royal regalia, a scepter and an orb. According to a number of Orthodox, the symbolic meaning of the appearance of the Sovereign icon is that the death of the constitutional monarchy of Russia was sent to the people as a punishment, but the Mother of God herself keeps the symbols of royal power, which gives hope for repentance and the revival of Russia and the Russian state.

Iconographic images of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II
The image of Tsar Nicholas II was painted in America in 1997, on the eightieth anniversary of the bloody revolution in Russia. It was written by the Orthodox icon painter Pavel Tikhomirov for a charitable organization. Colored lithographs were made from the icon, and the proceeds from their sale were sent to help those in need in Russia ... This icon streamed myrrh in many churches

Icon "Saint Martyr Nicholas in Lives"

PRAYERS to the Holy Royal Martyrs:

Blessed are you, Lord God our Father, and praised and glorified is your name forever, as if you are righteous about all, even you have done for us, and all your works are true and your ways are right, and your judgments are true, and you have made true destinies for all Thou hast brought upon us, as if we had sinned and lawless, departed from Thee, and sinned in all, and did not obey Thy commandments, lower obedience, lower co-creator, as if Thou commanded us, that it would be good for us, and delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies , vile - apostates, an unrighteous and crafty man more than all the earth.
And now there is no way for us to open our mouths, muzzle and reproach by Thy servant and those who honor Thee. Do not betray us to the end of Thy name for the sake of and do not destroy Thy covenant, and do not leave Thy mercy from us, as, Master, we will be humbled more than all the language and Esma of humility throughout the earth today, sin for our sake and bear during this time the chief, the prophet and the leader. And now we follow with all our hearts and fear You and seek Your face, do not disgrace us, but do with us according to Your meekness, and according to the multitude of Your mercy, and prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints, deliver us according to Your miracles, and give glory to your name, O Lord, and let them be put to shame who are your evil servants, and let them be ashamed of all power, and let their strength be broken, and let everyone understand that you are our God, one and glorious in the whole world. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Princesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia

What shall we say, about the Holy Passion-Bearers of the Kingdom, Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexander, Tsesarevich Alexy, Tsarevna Olgo, Tatiano, Maria and Anastasia! Lord Christ vouchsafe you angelic glory and incorruptible crowns in His Kingdom, but our mind and tongue will not understand how to praise you according to your property.
We implore you with faith and love, help us with patience, thanksgiving, meekness and humility to carry our cross, placing hope in the Lord and betraying everything in the hands of God. Teach us purity and chastity of heart, yes, according to the words of the apostle, we always rejoice, we pray without ceasing, we give thanks for everything. Warm our hearts with the warmth of Christian love. Heal the sick, instruct the young, make the parents wiser, give joy, consolation and hope to the grieving, turn the erring to faith and repentance. Protect us from the wiles of the evil spirit and from all slander, misfortune and malice.
Do not leave us, the intercession of your supplicants. Pray to the All-Merciful Master and the Most Pure Virgin Mary for the Russian power! May the Lord strengthen our country through your intercession, may it grant us all that is useful for this life and vouchsafe the Kingdom of Heaven, where, together with you and with all the saints of the Russian land, we will glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the royal martyrs
Oh, holy passion-bearer Tsar Martyr Nicholas! The Lord has chosen His anointed one, in a hedgehog mercifully and the right to judge by your people and the guardian of the Church of the Orthodox being. For this sake, with the fear of God, you performed the royal service and care for the souls. The Lord, testing you, like Job the Long-suffering, let reproach, bitter sorrow, betrayal, betrayal, alienation from your neighbors and abandonment in the spiritual anguish of the earthly kingdom. All this for the good of Russia, like her faithful son, having endured, and, like a true servant of Christ, accepting martyrdom, you reached the Kingdom of Heaven, where you enjoy the Highest glory at the Throne of all the Tsar, together with your holy wife, Tsarina Alexandra and royal children Alexy, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. Now, having the boldness of the greatness of Christ the King, pray that the Lord forgive the sin of the apostasy of our people and give forgiveness of sins and instruct us in every virtue, may we acquire humility, meekness and love and be vouchsafed to the Kingdom of Heaven, where together with you and all the saints, the new martyrs and Russian confessors let us glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Materials used from sites -

Somewhere far away in the Urals,
Where the sky rested granite,
On a dark night, like a victim, in the basement
The Anointed One of God was killed.
He was killed with his children and wife,
With a handful of servants faithful to the grave,
And since then over the unfortunate country
Blood is shed and darkness thickens.
Many years behind the iron curtain
The country is locked like a convict -
There he sneers at the black mass
Satan over the crucified Christ.
Thus came the change of government
And the stripping of Your royal robes...
Like You, right - only lies and treason
Replaced our old motto.
Satan became the power of the helm,
Covering Your royal footprint,
The country has gone through a lot of grief,
And there is no “freedom” even for the dead.
We are sinners, Russian Tsar, before God,
Before You, we are also sinners,
We owe you a lot.
You suffered for the truth and "us"...
But there is a time and a measure for everything,
After the night comes the dawn
And the Lord will shame the savage
For the murder of Russia and the Tsar.
The freedom provocateur will be cursed,
The seventeenth year will be cursed,
And you, Sovereign Emperor,
Will honor as a saint, the people.
And in the forest, on the distant Iset,
He will build a temple of marble,
For everyone in the world to know
That the righteous was martyred there.
(V. A. Petrushevsky 1930)

In 1981, the Romanovs, who died in the Ipatiev House and in a mine near Alapaevsky, were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and in 2000 they were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, though with some reservations and are currently referred to by it as " Royal Passion-Bearers". The caveats are that the Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize servants and courtiers who died with the royal family as martyrs.
I don’t know how things are now with this, because, as we remember, in 2007 a joint act on canonical communion between the two churches was signed and, therefore, apparently the saints are now common. Is it so? Couldn't find an answer. Many still do not accept the holiness and martyrdom of the Romanovs, but nevertheless this is already a fait accompli, which is reflected both in icon painting and in existing akathists and prayers to the royal martyrs.

Prayer to the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Princesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia

What shall we say, about the Holy Passion-Bearers of the Kingdom, Tsar Nicholas, Tsarina Alexander, Tsesarevich Alexy, Tsarevna Olgo, Tatiano, Maria and Anastasia! Lord Christ vouchsafe you angelic glory and incorruptible crowns in His Kingdom, but our mind and tongue will not understand how to praise you according to your property.
We implore you with faith and love, help us with patience, thanksgiving, meekness and humility to carry our cross, placing hope in the Lord and betraying everything in the hands of God. Teach us purity and chastity of heart, yes, according to the words of the apostle, we always rejoice, we pray without ceasing, we give thanks for everything. Warm our hearts with the warmth of Christian love. Heal the sick, instruct the young, make the parents wiser, give joy, consolation and hope to the grieving, turn the erring to faith and repentance. Protect us from the wiles of the evil spirit and from all slander, misfortune and malice.
Do not leave us, the intercession of your supplicants. Pray to the All-Merciful Master and the Most Pure Virgin Mary for the Russian power! May the Lord strengthen our country through your intercession, may it grant us all that is useful for this life and vouchsafe the Kingdom of Heaven, where, together with you and with all the saints of the Russian land, we will glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Romanov's iconography is very interesting due to the fact that a single canon for writing their images has not yet been developed. Therefore, each icon painter creates as he sees fit. The first were Western icon painters, and it is abroad that you can most often find icons of the Romanovs. Now, in Russia, almost every church has its own icon dedicated to the Romanov martyrs.

Icon "Cathedral of the Holy New Martyrs of Russia from the Beaten Atheists"

New Passion-bearers of Russia, confessing the earthly field, having received boldness in suffering, pray to Christ, who has strengthened you, and we, when the hour of trial comes upon us, will perceive the courage of the gift of God. For you are the image of those who kiss your feat, as neither sorrow, nor narrowness, nor death from the love of God could separate you.
But first, I will make a small digression and it concerns those who rightfully became the new saints according to the combined version. These are those who died during the execution in the Ipatiev House: Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich, 50 years old; Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, 46 years old; their daughters - Olga, 23; Tatyana, 21 years old; Maria, 19; Anastasia, 17 years old; and heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, aged 14. And their loyal subjects: Yevgeny Botkin, medical doctor; Ivan Kharitonov, cook; Alexei Trupp, valet Anna Demidova, maid. And also those who died in the mine near Alapaevsk: Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna; Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich; princes - John Konstantinovich; Konstantin Konstantinovich; Igor Konstantinovich; Vladimir Pavlovich Paley; (son of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich from his morganatic marriage to Olga Pistohlkors); Elizabeth Feodorovna's cell attendant Varvara (Yakovleva); Fyodor Semyonovich Remez, manager of the affairs of Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich (the situation with him is not very clear, allegedly even ROCOR did not recognize him as a martyr, but why???). Such an official mournful list, which did not include a few more names of those people who were also in the last days with the royal family and were destroyed by the Bolsheviks. On the above icon of Western writing, just all of the list is presented in the form of holy martyrs.

Icon "Martyrs of the Ipatiev House and Martyrs of the Alapaevsk Mine"

August sisters of mercy - Tatyana, Olga and Alexandra

For many years, members of the royal family and their entourage went to holiness - their service to Russia was expressed in good deeds and mercy. So during the war, the daughters of the Romanovs and the Empress herself could often be seen in hospitals and infirmaries, in shelters and almshouses. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna abandoned worldly life in favor of helping the poor and destitute. Their immediate environment followed suit.

Life physician of the royal family Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin and retinue who followed with the royal family to Tobolsk

It is not surprising that often in iconography one can see unusual robes on women - these are costumes or nuns or sisters of mercy. And so it was until their very last hour.

Small icon "Royal Martyrs"

As mentioned above, there is no uniformity in the iconography of the Romanovs, and therefore icons are sometimes somewhat "strange", for example, the icon of the martyr Tsar Nicholas in the image of John the Baptist. The head on the platter is a direct allusion to suffering for the faith. In addition, this icon is characterized by the presence in the side hallmarks as St. Gregory Rasputin.

But still, there are more icons of the royal family familiar to the eye: there are both separate images and icons depicting the entire royal family together.

Icon "Holy Blessed Tsar-Martyr Nicholas"

Chosen from birth as a passion-bearer and incarnation of Christ's love, we sing praiseworthy, as if most of all to the one who loved his Fatherland, but you, as if you had boldness to the Lord, enlighten our darkened minds and hearts, let us call you: Nicholas, the God-crowned king and the great passion-bearer!

Icon "Saint Martyr Nicholas in Lives"

Icon "Martyr Tsar Saint Nicholas" (Western script)

Prayer to Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II

Lord God Almighty! We bow our necks and our hearts and bow our knees before Thy Servant, humiliated, slandered and tortured with the silent consent of our fathers, the Great Martyr Emperor Nicholas and others like him who suffered.
We repent, as once the people of Kiev before Prince Igor, who was tortured by them, as the people of Vladimir before the great prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who was killed by them, and boldly ask: for the blood of your saints grant repentance to us, free our Fatherland from the misfortunes and misfortunes that have befallen, revive the Russian land, autumn with Your glory and grant her the Orthodox Tsar, may the prophecies of your saints come true and may the Russian people sing glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Icon-portrait "Empress Alexandra Feodorovna"

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra the New

O holy martyr Empress Alexandro the New, merciful intercessor of orphans, mother of the cross, with your generous right hand, illuminate us, who are now praying to you, and ask the All-Generous and Merciful God, His name is Love, rich mercy and wake up: in the existing brother - purity and love holy guardian; children of small and youth - a wise nurse; orphans and mourners - compassionate comforter; the sins of the overwhelmed compassionate clinic; from tempted enemies - a strong protector; and to all those who ask for your intercession - merciful before God and the Queen of Heaven intercessor; Most of all, pray, our holy mother and queen, to grant us the grace of the All-Holy Spirit; yes, in this life we ​​are protected and saved, with you we will be honored forever to glorify the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom glory befits with His All-Good Father and the Holy Most Generous Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Icon "Blessed Martyr Tsarevich Alexei"

Prayer to the Great Martyr, Right-Believing Tsarevich Alexei

O passion-bearer, Holy Tsarevich Alexy! O new Tsarevich Demetrius, like this one, who concludes his House! About Gabriel of Bialystok and other babies, accuser of the Jews, like! O Artemy, the youth, neglected by the people, the next! We are known, like a militia army, surrounded by rebellious ones, by you from the impenetrable swamp, unhinderedly exterminated. These same harassment, priest, with boldness to Elijah the Thesbite, like a stammering prayer for salvation, I am not glorified by people. Now behold your kingdom, about which you spoke: Whenever I be king, there will be no lie around me - today the kingdom of the father of lies appears, for even now you do not reign in the hearts of your people. Ubo yourself, O prince, come and stand here with us, make us wise, even if we are not leading: you are a fair doctor, leading us more than we need to our salvation. Veme is your compassion, Veme is your meekness, Veme is your love for your people: help your existing people in long-term illness, do not let them be lovingly left before Holy Russia, but you yourself, as if weigh, take boldness for our salvation. Amen.

Icon "Holy Royal Martyrs"

Prayer (based on the prayer "one martyr") to the royal martyrs princesses Anastasia, Olga, Tatyana, Maria
Oh, Holy New Martyr Blessed Princess of Russia Olga (Tatiana; Maria; Anastasia); you stand with your soul in heaven at the Throne of the Lord, on the earth, given to you by grace, you perform various healings; then look mercifully on the coming people and praying before your most pure image and asking for your help; Forgive the Lord your holy prayers for us and ask us - the forgiveness of sins, the sick - healing, the grieving and the distressed - ambulance, implore the Lord, may he give us a Christian death and a good answer at his terrible judgment, may we be honored and together with you and all the new martyrs and passion-bearers of our land, glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Icon "The New Martyr Elizabeth" (Western script)

Icon "Holy Martyr Elizabeth"

Prayer to the Holy Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Monk Varvara
O Holy New Martyrs of Russia, Grand Duchess Elisaveto and her sister of the cross, the most honorable nun Varvaro, who ended her way in many torments, having fulfilled the Gospel commandments by deed in the monastery of Mercy, for the sake of the Orthodox faith, striving to death in these last times, and good fruit in the patience of passions Bringing Christ! Pray to Him, as the Conqueror of death, that he may establish the Russian Orthodox Church and our Fatherland, redeemed by the blood and suffering of the new martyrs, and will not let our property be plundered by the enemy of Russia. This crafty enemy, arm yourself with us, although destroy us in internecine wars, sorrows, unbearable sorrows, illnesses, needs and fierce troubles. Beg the Lord to put down all their feeble audacity; Strengthen faith in the hearts of Russian people, and when the time comes for us to test, we will accept the gift of courage with your prayers, rejecting ourselves and taking up our cross, we will follow Christ, crucifying our flesh with passions and lusts. Save us from all evil, sanctify the paths of our life, grant unfeigned repentance, silence and peace to our souls, ask the Lord for all of us bitter ordeals and eternal torment to be delivered and the heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven to be with all the saints who have pleased God from the ages, but rejoicingly give praise , honor and worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Icons "Royal Martyrs"

Prayer to the royal martyrs

Oh, holy passion-bearer Tsar Martyr Nicholas! The Lord has chosen His anointed one, in a hedgehog mercifully and the right to judge by your people and the guardian of the Church of the Orthodox being. For this sake, with the fear of God, you performed the royal service and care for the souls. The Lord, testing you, like Job the Long-suffering, let reproach, bitter sorrow, betrayal, betrayal, alienation from your neighbors and abandonment in the spiritual anguish of the earthly kingdom. All this for the good of Russia, like her faithful son, having endured, and, like a true servant of Christ, accepting martyrdom, you reached the Kingdom of Heaven, where you enjoy the Highest glory at the Throne of all the Tsar, together with your holy wife, Tsarina Alexandra and royal children Alexy, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. Now, having the boldness of the greatness of Christ the King, pray that the Lord forgive the sin of the apostasy of our people and give forgiveness of sins and instruct us in every virtue, may we acquire humility, meekness and love and be vouchsafed to the Kingdom of Heaven, where together with you and all the saints, the new martyrs and Russian confessors let us glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
As we can see, everything is very non-standard and far from the canons. Time will tell whether our church will ever develop a single type of icons of the royal martyrs, but for now there are a few more interesting iconographic works on this topic.

Icon "Removal of the Fifth Seal" Author A.Belov

It is based on the biblical story from the book "The Revelation of St. John the Theologian", chapter 6. When John ascended to heaven, he saw the throne with the Creator sitting on it and, at the right hand of the Lord, a scroll written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. The Lamb opens the seals one by one, and visions appear before John's eyes, symbolizing the history of God's people, the struggle between good and evil, the coming of Christ, the Last Judgment, etc. “When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who were killed for the Word of God ... They shouted: “... Sovereign and Lord of all! ... How long will you delay judgment and retribution for our blood to the inhabitants of the earth? » Each of them was given a white robe, and they were asked to wait some more time until their brothers and friends who performed the same ministry as they were destroyed, so that the number of martyrs would reach its full number.

Icon "Holy Tsar-redeemer Nicholas"

And the icon, which is called “Waiting for the coming victorious king,” can become a logical conclusion, although it is also doubtful due to the fact that some very odious personalities are present on it.

Icon "Waiting for the coming victorious king"

To write the material, photographs were used from the book "Memories of the Royal Family and Its Life Before and After the Revolution" by T. Melnik (nee Botkina), published in 1921 in Belgrade.

Icon "Holy royal martyrs"