Miraculous myrrh-streaming icon of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II Romanov

Childhood
On the sixth of May, according to the old style, or the eighteenth according to the new style, on the day of memory of the holy righteous Job the Long-suffering in the year 1868 from the Nativity of Christ, a new heir to the throne, the eldest son of the emperor, appeared in Tsarskoye Selo in the royal Romanov dynasty Alexander III and his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna. The boy was baptized with the name Nikolai. A little later, on May 25 / June 7, 1872, in Darmstadt, the capital of one of the small German duchies in the family of the Grand Duke Ludwig of Hesse-Darmstadt and the third daughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Alice of England, Princess Alice Victoria Elena Louise Beatrice, the future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, was born .

The idea that the most august heirs and heirs were brought up in conditions of effeminacy and permissiveness, as a rule, is very far from the truth - future sovereigns and their crowned spouses received a strict, even harsh upbringing, a serious education - both scientific and spiritual.

It is known that Alexander III did not order to indulge his heirs: “I need normal healthy Russian children,” he said. This phrase contains all the fundamental components of such an upbringing - healthy, which means hardened, stable, not accustomed to all sorts of excesses, respectful to the elders and ready to protect the younger ones. The Russians - especially emphasized by the emperor - means they were brought up in their native Orthodox faith, but how could it be otherwise, if the time could come for each of them to become the anointed king.

Tsarevich Nikolai spent his childhood in Gatchina, received a comprehensive education, in addition to the compulsory Greek and Latin, knew several European languages, Russian and world history. The future monarch was trained by prominent scientists, public and military figures - professors of St. Petersburg University and the Academy of the General Staff. Like all noble heirs, from birth he was enrolled in the lists of several military regiments at once, in 1884 he entered the real military service, in 1887 he continued his regular service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment and, before ascending the throne, commanded the first battalion of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment with the rank of colonel. At the same time, from childhood, the future Russian sovereign showed special love of God, strictly observed all traditions Orthodox Church and carried through his whole life the Christian ideals laid down in him from childhood.

Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt, homely Alix, for her cheerful and mobile disposition received the nickname Sunny, Sunshine. And the seven ducal children were not spoiled barchuks: they dressed simply, and the strict mother tried so that the children would not be left idle. The girls themselves cleaned the rooms, kindled the fireplace themselves, and so on. And, of course, all were brought up in Christian piety, but in the Protestant denomination. When Alix was 6 years old, her mother, Alice of England, passed away - her life was taken away by diphtheria, which then could not be treated. The death of her beloved mother Sunny endured hard, but her grandmother, Queen Victoria, took the children, especially the youngest, under her loving care, which softened the irreparable loss for them. Now Alix received upbringing and education in the English royal house.

royal couple
In 1884, the first meeting between Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich and Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt took place: her older sister, the future Martyr Elizabeth Feodorovna, was married to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the fifth son of Alexander II. First, a friendly sympathy arose between the crown prince and the princess, which grew stronger over the years, then turned into mutual feeling, and in 1889, the adult crown prince Nikolai Alexandrovich asked his father and mother for blessings for marriage with the German princess. And - was refused by the emperor. His Majesty believed that the son was still too young to start a family. The next five years did not change the decision of the heir to the throne, but strengthened his determination, and even the severity of his father could not resist her: in 1894, Alexander III gave the highest blessing on the marriage union with Alice of Hesse. For young people, this was a great joy, Princess Alice was embarrassed by the possibility of such a marriage - the bride of the heir to the throne had to convert to the Orthodox faith, and Alix was brought up in Protestantism and confident in her religion.

However, everything changed very quickly. By that time, the health of Alexander III was already deteriorating. In the autumn of the same year, the emperor and his family went to the Crimea, to the Livadia residence, but there was no improvement, and on October 20, Alexander III died, and the next day, in the same place, in the palace church, Princess Alice, through the sacrament of anointing, was reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church with the name Alexander Fyodorovna.

Mourning for the deceased emperor did not become an obstacle to marriage - the throne of the State was not supposed to be empty for a long time, they decided to hold the marriage, but extremely modestly, and it took place on November 14, 1894. Alexander III had developed his own program to prepare Tsarevich Nicholas for the succession to the throne, but his departure did not allow it to be completed in full, and the young tsar took on his shoulders all the burden of ruling such a complex politically dysfunctional state at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: “Twentieth century ... even more homeless, / The darkness is even more terrible than life, / Even more terrible and huge / The shadow of Lucifer's wing ... ”, wrote A.A. Block.

The young emperor, at the time of his ascension to the throne, was not fully introduced to the course of state affairs. He comprehended the science of being a monarch in practice, trusting the reports of ministers, and his lively mind, excellent education, military discipline, which left an imprint on everything, and infinite faith in the holiness of the Russian State, entrusted to him by the providence of God and the sacrament of chrismation to the kingdom, helped him. However, everyone noted that, unlike the strict, stern father, Nicholas II was softer, tactful, very modest in manners, and many among themselves noted that he did not have the steel will of Alexander III. The father’s main instruction for the young sovereign was his words: “I bequeath you to love everything that serves the good, honor and dignity of Russia. Protect autocracy, remembering that you are responsible for the fate of your subjects before the Throne of the Most High. Faith in God and the holiness of your royal duty be the foundation of your life for you. Be firm and courageous, never show weakness. Listen to everyone, there is nothing shameful in this, but obey yourself and your conscience, ”and for the last Russian monarch, the sanctity of his duty to Holy Russia, Russia was immutable, as was his confidence that all of her vast people also believe in the sanctity of the Anointed One of God. Time has shown how wrong he was when the temptation of false freedom turned out to be stronger than priesthood and faith...

In 1896, at the end of mourning, a coronation took place in Moscow, a wedding to the kingdom through the sacrament of chrismation. Nicholas II understood with all his heart what it means to be the Anointed of God, accepting this grace as the highest responsibility before the Lord and people: “Then the king stood in an exalted place and made a covenant before the face of the Lord - to follow the Lord and keep His commandments and His revelations and the charters of His whole heart and with all my soul” (2 Kings 23; 3).

A year after the marriage in 1895, Grand Duchess Olga was born into the royal family, in 1897 - Tatiana, in 1899 - Maria and in 1901 - Anastasia. The most august spouses loved their daughters, rejoiced at them, the girls grew up in love, but reasonable - Alexandra Fedorovna raised her daughters, like her mother, not white-handed. Having accepted Orthodoxy, the Empress followed him heartily and therefore watched the growth of her daughters in piety and a virtuous life. However, Their Majesties prayed to God to give them an heir, so that the royal family would not be interrupted.

In 1903, the royal family visited the Sarov monastery to take part in the celebrations on the occasion of the glorification of St. Seraphim, and a year later Tsarevich Alexei was born, but the boy, as it soon turned out, was seriously ill - he was diagnosed with hemophilia, a rare disease expressed in blood incoagulability . Alexandra Fedorovna suffered deeply, and in connection with the disease that had opened, everything was done to protect the baby from all possible risks.

The Empress Empress, the daughter of a German duke and an English princess, and now the wife of the Anointed of God Tsar of the Russian State, fell in love with Orthodoxy with all her soul and raised all her children in this way. Attending services on Sundays and holidays, observance of all fasts was mandatory. But this religiosity, sometimes surpassing the formal execution church traditions other, even the most well-born nobility, was not just a tribute, the duty of kings to please God. She came from the very heart of the august couple. Numerous pilgrimages and venerations of holy relics and venerated icons, visits to churches and monasteries in Russia during trips necessary for state affairs were an integral, spiritually necessary part of their lives. Nikolai Alexandrovich and Alexandra Feodorovna considered unacceptable the brevity of services in the home church of the palace and were present at special sovereign services in the Tsarskoye Selo Feodorovsky Cathedral, where the empress prayed earnestly in front of the lectern with liturgical books, following the course of the entire service.

The piety of the last sovereign is evidenced by the fact that more saints were canonized under him than in the previous two centuries. From 1896 to 1916 such ascetics of Orthodoxy as Saint Theodosius of Chernigov, Reverend Seraphim Sarov, St. Joasaph of Belgorod, St. Hermogen of Moscow, St. Pitirim of Tambov, St. John of Tobolsk, the Holy Princess Anna Kashinskaya was restored to veneration. During the reign of Nicholas II, a lot of funds were donated for the construction of new churches and the restoration of dilapidated ones - 10,000 churches were built and equipped and 250 new monasteries were created, the sovereign himself was repeatedly present at the laying and consecration of others. St. John of Kronstadt was highly revered by the royal family, and after his death, the emperor ordered that he be celebrated every year by a nationwide prayer commemoration.

Under Tsar Nicholas II, the synodal system of governing the Church was preserved, but under him the church hierarchy had the opportunity to discuss the necessary issues and prepare the convocation of the Local Council.

What was taken for the gentleness of Nikolai Alexandrovich's temper was in fact nothing more than his desire to follow the spiritual and moral principles of Christianity, which is not always compatible with the need to rule, and sometimes quite harshly. However, the Russian tsar also sought to introduce personal moral and ethical standards into state activity, which were based on the principles of Christian morality, mindful of his father’s order: “Let faith in God and the sanctity of your royal duty be the basis of your life for you,” and also: “... obey himself and his conscience."

Relations in the family were cordial, mutually trusting. Everyone loved and protected each other - and the mother, near whom, when she was unwell, there was certainly one of her daughters, and Alyoshenka, the center of attention of all members of the family, the sovereign himself was everything for everyone - father, mentor, friend. What the illness of the Tsarevich was was not subject to disclosure, but when in 1912 the heir's health deteriorated sharply, it was said about that, and prayers for his health were served throughout Russia. Alexandra Fedorovna, being deeply religious, endlessly prayed to the Lord to grant her son healing from an incurable disease, and at that time Grigory Rasputin appeared in her entourage, who played an ambiguous role in the fate of Russia, and royal family. In any case, both the Grand Duchess, the Reverend Martyr Elizaveta Feodorovna, who accepted monasticism after the death of the wife of the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich from the bomb of the Social Revolutionary Kalyaev, and the fighter against "Rasputinism" Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir, who was also in the rank of the First Member of the Holy Synod, later canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the guise of a holy martyr, they tried to protect both the empress and royal family.

At the turn of the century
In foreign policy, the Orthodox worldview of Nicholas II was reflected in the proposal of Russia, and if you call a spade a spade, the sovereign himself, to convene and hold a conference where issues of maintaining peace and reducing armaments could be brought up for interstate discussion. This proposal became historically important for many years to come. The proposal was accepted, as a result, the Hague Conference of 1899 was convened, and then, almost on the threshold of the First World War, the Hague Conference of 1907, which had a huge impact on the course of all public peacekeeping activities of the 20th century, tormented by two world wars and many brutal local military conflicts.

Internal unrest, the revolutionary situation of 1905-1907, provoked by Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese campaign, Russia's involvement in international unrest and World War I, which broke out in 1914 ... Truly, the burden that fell on the shoulders of Nicholas II, still a very young man, was great …

Nevertheless, in February 1913, Russia celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty as a prosperous country. In the spring, the royal family went on a trip to the ancient Russian cities, where devotion to the Anointed One of God and reverence for the royal sovereignty were strong and sincere, in contrast to the capitals, where revolutionary moods went underground, but did not subside. However, at that time they could not get the degree of popular support they needed in order to shake the Russian statehood. Russia became a strong state - industry developed successfully, the army and navy grew stronger, agrarian reform bore fruit. All this was the result of sound state government.

Russia's entry into the First World War began unexpectedly: Austria attacked Serbia, Nicholas II found it necessary to stand up for the Orthodox Christian brothers, and in July 1914 Germany declared war on Russia. This war then became the First World War, since almost all major European states were involved in it, becoming either opponents or allies of Russia. Russia suffered a defeat in East Prussia because it became necessary to provide military support to the allied France. The war dragged on. By the way, the royal decree in those years was strictly prohibited the sale of alcohol - a unique case in world practice, when usually the main anesthetic for people in difficult times was just a glass of alcohol.

His Majesty increasingly visited Headquarters, under his vigilant care were all areas - military and rear. The Empress and her eldest daughters, Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatyana, completed nursing courses and devoted themselves to caring for the wounded in the Tsarkoselsk infirmary.

In August 1915, Nicholas II went to Mogilev to fulfill his duty to God and the Fatherland as the commander-in-chief of the troops, and as a reasonable commander, he made all decisions together with the military council. He was constantly at Headquarters, and Tsarevich Alexei often visited him. From the empress, he received news from the capital about how the ministers were doing business in his absence.

The tsar returned to Tsarskoye Selo in January and stayed there until the end of February, the situation in the country was heating up. The revolutionaries felt that the moment of revenge was coming. On February 22, 1917, the tsar went to Headquarters - it was a good time for the spring offensive and the possibility of defeating the German troops. But this moment was used by internal opponents of the autocracy. Accidentally or deliberately, but there were interruptions in the delivery of grain to Petrograd. This was used as a sign of the beginning of the unrest - the revolutionary forces quickly fueled the panic, followed by strikes, rallies and processions with the slogans "Down with the war!", "Down with the autocracy!" In the Duma, the Social Revolutionaries unleashed a debate criticizing the tsarist government, there was no question of any Christian virtues, especially since the virus of atheism had already penetrated the minds and souls of many public figures. Power is what the fight was about.

On February 25, the tsar received a report about the unrest, sent part of the troops to Petrograd, and he himself decided to go to Tsarskoye Selo, obviously in order to be closer to the scene and worried about his wife and children. 150 miles before Tsarskoye Selo, the tsar's train was stopped, since all roads to Petrograd were blocked by the rebels. On March 1, the tsarist train arrived in Pskov.

The sovereign and the command could not reliably know what kind of confusion was going on in the Duma, on which the sovereign placed the hope that the Duma leaders would be able to control the situation, and revolutionary confusion was already going on in the capital. The emperor spoke on the phone with the chairman State Duma M.V. Rodzianko was ready to do anything to calm the unrest, but Rodzianko said that it was already too late. Either it was necessary to bring in the main troops and suppress the uprising by force, or to abdicate the throne.

Until now, historians argue whether the sovereign acted correctly, but he acted as a Christian sovereign. The military campaign against Petrograd meant one thing - the beginning civil war against the background of participation in the world and the death of the country. Abdication is the only way to save Russia, which everyone around convinced the tsar, and next to the tsar were, first of all, the commanders of the fronts. If his family were close to him, how much easier it would be to make this bitter decision. The tsar decided to abdicate for himself and for the heir in favor of his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich.

After the sovereign's abdication, representatives of the Provisional Government escorted the sovereign to Tsarskoe Selo. The last appeal of the emperor to the army was full of dignity, nobility and humility. He called for loyalty to the Provisional Government, which, in essence, betrayed him, to the performance of military duty until victory, but this message did not reach the troops, since the Provisional Government did not benefit from the demonstration of such qualities that raised the personality of Nikolai Alexandrovich as a sovereign and a person in public eyes and discredited the current rulers. Nobility would denounce dishonor.

From the personal diary of the sovereign: “My renunciation is needed. The bottom line is that in the name of saving Russia and keeping the army at the front in peace, you need to decide on this step. General D.N. He said to Dubensky: “If I am an obstacle to the happiness of Russia and me, all who are now at the head of her social forces If they ask me to leave the throne and pass it on to my son and brother, then I am ready to do it, I am even ready not only to give my kingdom, but also to give my life for the Motherland.

The provisional government, a completely artificially created, politically unviable body, lasted in power a little more than six months. On October 26/November 8, it was arrested.

... In Tsarskoye Selo, where Nikolai Aleksandrovich was brought under arrest on March 9, the family spent five months. Divine services, reading, joint meals. Of the clergy with the royal family, Fr. Afanasy Belyaev, who kept the notes, they preserved his memories of the royal family, their participation in divine services, which he calls reverent and touching. “You need to see for yourself and be so close in order to understand and make sure how the former royal family zealously, in the Orthodox way, often on their knees, prays to God. With what humility, meekness, humility, wholly surrendering themselves to the will of God, they stand behind the divine services. Impression from the children's confession: “Give, Lord, that all children are morally as high as the children of the former Tsar. Such gentleness, humility, obedience to parental will, unconditional devotion to the will of God, purity in thoughts and complete ignorance of earthly dirt - passionate and sinful, amazed me ... "

Tsarskoye Selo conclusion
The same purity, kindness, and spiritual light are exuded by the letters of Alexandra Feodorovna. From a letter to cornet S.V. Markov: “It hurts, it’s hard on the soul, but grief cleanses us. Remember the life and suffering of the Savior, and your life will seem to you not as black as you thought. Months passed, and Athanasius noted in his diary that the guards were increasingly irritable and rude to the royal family. From a spiritual point of view, this is understandable - it was the same irritation that caused meekness, humility, faith and spiritual strength, despite suffering, among those who kept under arrest and tortured the first Christians.

From the diary of Athanasius about the prayer of the deposed sovereign: “Now the humble servant of God Nicholas,<…>benevolent to all his enemies, not remembering insults, praying earnestly for the prosperity of Russia, deeply believing in her glorious future,<…>tearfully asks for forgiveness for his voluntary and involuntary sins.

Meanwhile, the commission to investigate the activities of the Russian Emperor completed its work, and no signs of guilt were found. This was not part of the plans of the Provisional Government, and the august family was not released, but sent away, to Tobolsk, supposedly to avoid unrest if the tsar was released. This happened on August 1, 1917, and even then it was obvious how temporary the Provisional Government itself was. The day before departure took place Divine Liturgy, on which both the entire royal family and the remaining servants prayed together. All together they asked God for help and intercession, for they foresaw that this path was the Way of the Cross for all Christians at the time of persecution.

In Tobolsk, for the first time in a long time, they were able to go to church on Christmas Day Holy Mother of God. Then days passed without information, without any news about what was happening in Russia. What came, unequivocally testified that the country is heading into the abyss of civil discord. Kerensky's refusal to Kornilov's proposal to lead troops to Petrograd doomed Russia to state chaos. The sovereign's sacrifice for the good of the state, about which no one thought or cared, turned out to be in vain, and he understood this with bitterness and pain.

On October 25, a revolution took place, the Bolsheviks came to power, the sovereign wrote about this in his diary that this time was “much worse and more shameful than the events of the Time of Troubles.” At first, the attitude towards the prisoners was quite tolerant, but then a soldier's committee was formed, which considered it its duty to indicate to the "former tsar" his true position, for example, on March 1, an order was received to transfer the Romanov family to a soldier's ration.

Nevertheless, Alexandra Fedorovna writes in her diary words full of faith in God, in His mercy over Russia and in her bright future. How much noble forgiveness is in the one that had great earthly power, but, having lost it, did not lose faith in the power of the Lord, accepting everything that fell to the lot of her family and Motherland: “How I want to share everything with my beloved sick person, survive everything and with follow him with love and excitement, and with the Motherland. I felt like her mother for too long to lose this feeling.<….>. She hurt us, offended, slandered<...>, but we still love her deeply and want to see her recover, like a sick child with bad, but also good qualities, and the motherland ... "

“When will all this end? Whenever God wants. Be patient, dear country, and you will receive a crown of glory, a reward for all suffering.<... >How to live if there is no hope? We must be cheerful, and then the Lord will give peace of mind. It hurts, annoyed, insulting, ashamed, you suffer, everything hurts, it is punctured, but there is silence in your soul, calm faith and love for God, who will not leave His own and hear the prayers of the zealous and have mercy and save ... "

After information was received about the decision to conclude a separate peace with Germany, the tsar did not hide his disappointment, and when the Germans demanded that the Bolsheviks extradite the royal family to them, the former Princess Alice Victoria Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt, and now Empress Empress Alexandra Fedorovna Romanova, stated: "I'd rather die in Russia than be saved by the Germans."

Last months. Ipatiev house
On April 22, a detachment led by Commissar Yakovlev arrived from the capital. A few days later, Yakovlev says that he must take the sovereign away. The tsar believed that they wanted to take him to Moscow to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, so he said: "I'd rather let my hand be cut off than sign this shameful treaty." Fearing for her husband, Alexandra Feodorovna decided to go with him, taking Princess Mary with her. The rest of the daughters remained for the time being in Tobolsk under the ailing Tsarevich Alexei.

However, they were not taken to Moscow, but to Yekaterinburg, where the rest of the Grand Duchesses and the Grand Duke were later taken. There is practically no information about their stay in the Ipatiev House. It is only known that Archpriest John Storozhev served there twice. Here is some of the fragmentary information. About the divine service on May 20/June 2: “The deacon spoke the petitions of the litanies, and I sang. Two female voices sang along with me (I think Tatyana Nikolaevna and one of them), sometimes in a low bass and Nikolai Alexandrovich ... They prayed very zealously ... "His impression of the sovereign in last days life: "Nikolai Alexandrovich<…>made an impression on me with his firm gait, his calmness, and especially his manner of looking intently and firmly into the eyes ... "

Living conditions under arrest in Ipatiev's house were much worse than in Tobolsk. Commissar Avdeev, under whose supervision the royal family was there, was always drunk and looked for ways to humiliate the prisoners. Upon arrival, the royal couple was rudely searched. Their food was taken away, they smoked in front of them, releasing smoke in their faces. They slept on the floor, which could not but affect the health of their son, thank God, the doctor Evgeny Botkin was nearby, who tried to mediate between them and the soldiers. Of the servants, who, in essence, ceased to be a servant, but were a faithful support, 4 people remained: Anna Demidova, I.S. Kharitonov, A.E. Troupe and boy Lenya Sednev.

Everyone understood that their death was a matter of time, and from the lips of the Grand Duke it once sounded: “If they kill, if only they don’t torture ...” Occasionally they were allowed to write letters, here are the lines from the preserved letter of Princess Olga: “Father asks you to tell everyone those who remained devoted to him, and those on whom they can have influence, so that they do not avenge him, since he has forgiven everyone and prays for everyone, and so that they do not avenge themselves, and that they remember that the evil that now in the world, it will be even stronger, but that it is not evil that will conquer evil, but only love.

Seeing this meekness, this gentleness, the guards became softer, even treating the prisoners with understanding, and Avdeev was no exception. As soon as this became known, Avdeev was replaced by Commissar Yurovsky, and Chekists and partly Austro-German prisoners were placed as guards.

Exodus
And at the threshold of the grave
Breathe into the mouth of your servants
Inhuman forces
Pray humbly for your enemies.
So Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna wrote in her poem...

1/14 July Fr. John Storozhev performed a divine service in the Ipatiev house, which was the last for the royal family, and on the night of July 16-17, Yurovsky woke up all those arrested and said that they were going to another place, because the city was restless. After a while, everyone was taken to a basement with one barred window. Everyone carried small things and pillows in their hands, the sovereign carried his son. Alexandra Fedorovna asked to bring two chairs, the chairs were brought, pillows were placed on them, the empress and Alexei Nikolaevich sat down on them. There was no anxiety, because they began to get used to all sorts of sudden moves. A few minutes later, Yurovsky returned, apparently having given the last orders to the executioners, went almost close to the tsar and said: “Nikolai Alexandrovich, by order of the Ural Regional Council, you will be shot with your family.” It was so unexpected that the emperor asked again: “What? What?" At that moment, Yurovsky shot him several times almost at point blank range, the others burst into the room, everyone already knew who his victim was, and it was all over.

The remains of the royal family and everyone who was with them were taken out and put in a truck, the running engine of which was supposed to drown out the shots.

Before sunrise, the dead were taken to the forest near the village of Koptyaki, they tried to get rid of the possibility of identification, and then they threw them into that now memorable mine - Ganina Yama.
Thus ended the earthly path of the last sovereign of the land of Russia, Nicholas II, his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and their children.

The tutor of the Tsarevich, Pierre Gilliard, writes: “Their true greatness did not stem from their royal dignity, but from that amazing moral height to which they gradually rose.<…>And in their very humiliation, they were a striking manifestation of that amazing clarity of the soul, against which all violence and all fury are powerless and which triumphs in death itself.

After the announcement of the execution of the royal family, His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon blessed the archpastors and pastors to perform memorial services for the former sovereign. On July 8/21, 1918, during a divine service in the Kazan Cathedral in Moscow, he said: “The other day a terrible thing happened: the former sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich was shot ... We must, obeying the teaching of the word of God, condemn this case, otherwise the blood of the executed will fall on us, and not just those who committed it. We know that he, having abdicated the throne, did this, bearing in mind the good of Russia and out of love for her.

The meaning of the icon
The iconography of the holy royal martyrs-passion-bearers is undergoing its formation today, but it became relevant almost earlier than the canonization of the most august-passion-bearers took place in the Russian Orthodox Church. During the entire Soviet period, following the call of Patriarch Tikhon for the all-Russian commemoration of the martyred royal family, many kept houses in the red corner, where icons and photographs of the royal family are usually placed. Prayer books were composed, according to the wishes of Patriarch Tikhon, memorial services were conducted, and in Synodal Commission after the canonization of saints, since 1980, petitions began to arrive in Russia for the canonization of at least the murdered innocent royal children, whom there was nothing to reproach. According to Vladyka Yuvenaly, Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna, there were 22,873 signatures under the petitions of bishops, clergy, and ordinary laity, received over three years. The petitions, among other things, described miracles associated with the names of the holy martyrs of the Romanov dynasty.

The commission considered petitions from 1992 to 1996, as a result, a decision was made: “Behind the many sufferings endured by the Royal Family over the last 17 months of life, which ended in execution in the basement of the Yekaterinburg Ipatiev House on the night of July 17, 1918, we see people who sincerely sought to embody the commandments of the Gospel in their lives. In the suffering endured by the Royal Family in captivity with meekness, patience and humility, in their martyrdom, the light of Christ's faith that overcomes evil was revealed, just as it shone in the life and death of millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered persecution for Christ in the 20th century.

It is in understanding this feat of the Royal Family that the Commission, in complete unanimity and with the approval of the Holy Synod, finds it possible to glorify in the Cathedral of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in the face of the Passion-Bearers Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatyana, Maria and Anastasia.

On August 14, 2000, at a meeting in the hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior at the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, when voting by standing up, it was unanimously decided - to glorify the royal family in the face of saints as part of the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, revealed and unmanifested, of which there are 860 people. The rite of canonization took place on August 20 of the same year. The servants and Dr. Botkin, who went with them to death out of love and devotion, are forever immortalized by name in their lives. With them are also other court people from among those close to the king.

The opinion of the Church about the rightness or wrongness of the abdication of Nicholas II from the throne, to which he ascended as the Anointed of God, was as follows: abdication in favor of a brother was not a renunciation of the will of the Lord: “The spiritual motives for which the last Russian Sovereign, who did not want to shed the blood of his subjects, decided to abdicate the Throne in the name of inner peace in Russia, gives his act a truly moral character.

The whole family was canonized by the Orthodox Church Abroad as martyrs-passion-bearers a little earlier, in 1981.

What a miracle happened
Now there is evidence of numerous miracles that took place due to prayer requests for protection to them and from their icons already created by that time. Healings of the sick, families on the verge of their destruction, myrrh-streaming icons with images of the emperor and members of his family were recorded.

We will tell about one such miracle in more detail. In 1998, the doctor Oleg Belchenko was presented with an icon of the Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II. A deeply religious person, he prayed before her every day, and suddenly spots began to appear on the icon, similar to blood stains. The doctor brought the icon to the Sretensky Monastery, and during the prayer service, a wonderful fragrance began to spread from the icon - the icon began to stream myrrh. Myrrh-streaming was witnessed in other temples and monasteries. As an example of healing, one can cite how 87-year-old pensioner Alexander Mikhailovich, who had been blind for a long time, received his sight when a towel with a small amount of the world flowing from the icon was applied to his face.

After this miracle, the icon was placed on the altar, and then the icon visited other dioceses, where cases of healing from such diseases as severe hepatitis, pancreatitis, fractures, etc. were also noted. In one of the Moscow churches, during a prayer service, all liturgical books and fragrant for a few more days.

Finally
... In one of his sermons on the canonization of the holy royal family, speaking about the feat of life of the sovereign, Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh quoted the words of St. John Chrysostom that "anyone can rule and rule, but only an emperor can give his life for his people." And further: “The burden of centuries of Russian lies fell on him; he was crushed by the weight of all the injustice, all the evil, the cruelty that has accumulated in our history century after century. He died, not wanting to throw off this burden from his shoulders, wanting to share with his people all the consequences of the tragic from the beginning to the end of Russian history.

Let us pray with the whole world to the Holy Royal Family before its icon for the unity and strength of both our families and everything Russian state. May they, with their prayers, protect us and our borders and contribute to the prosperity of Russia with their prayers at the Throne of the Lord.

Gubareva O. V.

A great event in the mystical life of our Fatherland is approaching - the glorification of Emperor Nicholas II and his family. Undoubtedly, it will be the beginning of the repentance of the Russian people before God for the sin of apostasy from their king and betraying him into the hands of enemies.

Even the smallest sin, just a thought allowed in the heart, alienates a person from his Creator, darkens his soul. The same one that gravitates over Russia is special, because it is directed against the anointed of God. The Holy Scripture directly says that even if God Himself turns away from His anointed one, no one dares to shed his blood, just as the prophet David did not raise his hand against King Saul, who was looking to kill him (1 Sam. XXIV, 5-11; XXVI, 8-10).

This sin is becoming more and more recognized by Orthodox people. The veneration of St. royal martyrs. Many icons of the royal family are painted. But, unfortunately, in the majority - with violations of the iconographic canons of the Orthodox Church. At the same time, they are mindlessly replicated. In the newspaper "Rus Pravoslavnaya" (No. 2 (20), 1999), for example, two controversial iconographies are reproduced at once. One of them is “The Removal of the Fifth Seal” (it is described in detail in the work of O. V. Gubareva), the other is a sketch of the image of the martyr king. This image is of an extremely low artistic level and is simply ugly. In addition, the king-martyr on this drawing is named as “St. Tsar Redeemer Nicholas. Of course, we can talk about the sacrificial, redemptive nature of the sovereign's martyrdom, but directly calling him "redeemer" on icons is an impermissible heresy. There is no such order of saints in the Church. Redeemer we call only our Lord Jesus Christ. It is unlikely that such an icon will find a response in the hearts of believers.

The kind of anarchy that exists now in the creation of icon-painting versions of the royal family is only a reflection of the general situation in modern icon painting. In many ways, this is a legacy of past centuries, when iconography was strongly influenced by secular Western art and its study in theological schools was limited to the narrow framework of church archeology. It is only now that some theological institutions are beginning to treat this problem more carefully, as there is a growing understanding that the revival of spirituality is unthinkable without a genuine revival of icon painting. It is no coincidence that the ancient holy fathers called the icon the first step towards the knowledge of God and celebrated the victory of icon veneration over iconoclasm with the all-church feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (843).

In the middle of the 16th century, a Council was convened in Moscow, designed to stop the process of destruction of ancient piety that was just beginning. His definitions (“Stoglav”) contained a number of provisions concerning the preservation of the existing order in icon painting. First of all, it was about the need to supervise the behavior of icon painters, who began to turn their ministry into a craft. “Cursed be the work of God with negligence. And those who no longer painted icons without studying, self-will, and not in the image, and those icons were exchanged cheaply ordinary people, ignorant settlers, then such icons should be banned. Let them learn from good masters, and to whom God will give to write on image and likeness, and he would write, but to whom God would not give, and such icons would not concern the case, but the name of God would not be blasphemed for the sake of such a letter. Stoglav also noted the need for spiritual control over the canonicity of icon painting: “Also, the archbishops and bishops within their borders, in all cities and villages, and in monasteries, test the icon painters and examine their letters themselves, and each of the saints, having elected the best painters and masters in his limit, order them to watch all the icon painters and so that there are no thin and disorderly in them; and archbishops and bishops look over the masters themselves, and protect them and revere them more than other people.<…>Yes, and that the saints have great care, each in his own area, so that the icon painters and their students write from ancient models, and from self-thinking they would not describe the Deities with their own guesses..

There is no doubt that many of the decrees of the Council of 1551 have not lost their value for our time. Let me speak in favor of establishing supervisory boards in the dioceses under the ruling apxepee, which include specialists in church art and, perhaps, issue some kind of permission to artists, icon painters, and architects for the right to work for the Church. Such measures, it seems to me, can also change situations where the quality and canonicity of wall painting and interior decoration, the construction of iconostases in new churches, the restoration of old and the writing of new icons depend not so much on the financial capabilities of the parishes, but on the personal tastes of the elders and rectors.

Church art is a charitable and very serious matter, about which much is said in Holy Tradition. Especially for us Russians, it is a sin to forget about this, because everyone knows that it was with the beauty of the Church that Russia was baptized. The appeal to the Holy Tradition and strict adherence to the teaching of the Church on the icon-painting image is the main advantage of the work of O. V. Gubareva. The author, in a calm and balanced tone, points out common mistakes in domestic and foreign iconography, not limited, however, only to criticism, but offers his own version of the depiction of St. royal martyrs. In my opinion, the new iconography is excellent. Nothing to take away and nothing to add. The author's comment indicates that a great and thorough work was carried out, with love for the work and the fear of God. The image undoubtedly reflects the martyrdom of the saints and their earthly service. Only the drawing of the future icon already evokes a prayerful feeling.

The found strict solemn composition and good proportions make it possible to paint both large temple and domestic images. In addition, its traditionally closed construction makes it possible, if necessary, to supplement the icon with hagiographic hallmarks or images of other new martyrs in the margins. The careful attitude of the author to the idea of ​​the icon-painting depiction of the royal family that has already developed in the church people is also pleasing.

I would like the icons painted according to this drawing to be accepted by every Orthodox Christian.

I hope that the work of O. V. Gubareva will be the beginning of a serious conversation about the place of the icon and its language in modern life Russian Orthodox Church.

Hieromonk Konstantin (Blinov)

At present, there are several iconographies of the holy royal martyrs that are widely circulated. In connection with their upcoming canonization, new ones appear. But how correctly do they reveal the feat of the sovereign and his family? Who determines their content and what is guided by?

There is an opinion that to engage in icon painting one does not need to have any special knowledge - it is enough to master the technique of writing and be a pious Christian. This can really be limited if you use good samples. But Nicholas II is the only martyr tsar in the entire history of the Church. There is no example and feat of his family. Therefore, it is quite difficult to write an icon worthy of these saints, and main reason in the fact that the authors of the iconography or do not know patristic doctrine of the image, or exists for them separately from creativity. Hence - a formal approach to the search for historical analogies, to the compositional and color system, to the use of the so-called "reverse perspective".

Therefore, before a direct analysis of specific icon-painting works, let us turn to the Holy Tradition.

The teaching of the Church about the icon-painting image can be found in many holy fathers, but, basically, it is set forth in the Acts of the VII Ecumenical Council (787), in the writings of St. John of Damascus († end of the 7th century) and St. Theodore the Studite († 826), who formulated their teaching in opposition to the Christological heresy of iconoclasm. At the Council, it was determined that the correct veneration of icons is, first of all, the true confession of Christ and the Holy Trinity, and honest icons should be created not by artists, but by holy fathers. It was recorded in Acts that " icon paintingnot at all invented by painters, but on the contrary, there is an approved statuteand tradition of the Catholic Church”; in content they are equal to the Holy Scriptures: "What's the story expresses by letter, then same the painting itself expresses with colors…”, “the image in everything follows the Gospel narrative and explains it. Both are beautiful and worthy of reverence, for they mutually complement each other.(Acts of the Ecumenical Councils. Kazan, 1873. Vol. VII). And in order to subsequently avoid any attempts to introduce innovations into the teaching of the Church, this last of the Ecumenical Councils decided: “What is preserved in the Catholic Church according to Tradition does not allow either addition or decrease, and whoever adds or subtracts something is threatened with a great punishment, because it is said: Cursed is he who transgresses the limits of his fathers (Deut. XXVII, 17)”.

If one of the first theologians, Origen († 254), counted up to three semantic levels in Holy Scripture, and the subsequent ones distinguished at least six in it, then the icon is just as multifaceted and deep. Only her images are not verbal, but artistic and are created by a special, not similar to literary, language of painting.

Rev. Theodore Studite, generalizing and logically completing the entire patristic experience in icon painting, gave a definition of icons, and also pointed out their difference from any other human creation. An icon, he teaches, is a work of art created according to the laws of artistic creation established by God Himself, for “God is called the Creator and Artist of everything,” who creates according to the laws of His Absolute Beauty. This is not just a picture or a portrait, the purpose of which is only the image of the created World, reflecting the Divine Beauty. In the face of the saint, the icon painter seeks to capture only the One in whose image he is, everything that is of the flesh is swept aside. To achieve such a lofty goal, the creator of the icon must have the gift of spiritual vision and adhere to certain artistic rules, which St. Theodore the Studite also cites in his writings (Priest V. Preobrazhensky. Rev. Theodore the Studite and his time. M., 1897).

For example, the saint writes, when Christ was visible, in Him, in His human nature, those who looked at Him according to their possibilities, His Divine Image was also contemplated, which was revealed in full measure only at the moment of the Transfiguration. And it is precisely the transfigured body of Christ that we see on His holy icons. "One can see in Christ His image (eikon) dwelling in Him, and in the image - Christ contemplated as an archetype."

For saints who have achieved Christ's perfection in something, the image of God also becomes visible to those around them and shines in the flesh. The visible image of God Theodore Studite calls " seal likeness." Her imprint, he says, is the same everywhere: in the living saint, in his image and in the Divine nature of the Creator, the bearer of the very print. Hence - the connection of the icon with the Prototype and its wonderworking.

The task of the creator of the icon is to recognize this seal in the old man and portray her. At the same time, the icon painter should not introduce anything superfluous and invent something new, remembering that the icon is always realistic and documentary.(For the holy fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the very existence of the icons of Christ was confirmation of the authenticity of His incarnation.)

Ancient icons were always painted strictly within the limits established by the holy fathers according to the canons consecrated by the Church and were considered miraculous from the moment of writing, and not because of their prayerfulness.

In Russia, the understanding of the spiritual creativity of the icon painter was preserved for quite a long time. The first, not canonical, but human sophistication icons painted appear only by the middle of the 16th century. Allegory, which is widespread in the West, noticeably predominates in them, and symbolic images Holy Scripture are no longer comprehended and do not find a pictorial interpretation, according to the conciliar teaching, but are depicted directly. They were forbidden to be written by the Moscow Councils; St. Maxim Grek († 1556), Patriarch Nikon († 1681) smashed them as heretical. But our difficult National history– The Time of Troubles, the Schism, the reforms of Peter the Great that destroyed the Patriarchate, and much more pushed the issue of icon veneration far beyond the main interests of the state and the Church.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the discovery of the Russian icon. In 1901, Nicholas II approved the Trusteeship Committee for Russian icon painting. However, the revolution and the persecution of the Church that followed it set back icon painting and church art in general for a long time.

The current inattention to the ancient teachings of the Church is sometimes explained by arguments of this kind: it is completely unnecessary, moreover, it is alien to the Church itself, invented by art critics, and distracts believers from the “true” icon veneration. As evidence, many miraculous shrines are cited, in which not only the canon is not observed, as, for example, in the Kozelshchanskaya icon Mother of God, written in a Catholic pictorial manner, but there are even images that are forbidden to be written (for example, the God of Sabaoth in the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God). But after all, it was not to the disgrace of the ancient canons that these icons were glorified by God in the last three centuries? Such reflections lead to hidden iconoclasm and even Protestantism, since God works miracles where people pray to Him, including outside churches and without icons. His condescension to human weaknesses and imperfections never meant the abolition of patristic Tradition.

Today, when on Russian soil is reborn again Orthodox faith and thousands of new icons are being painted, the restoration of the forgotten patristic teaching has become an urgent task. Having studied Holy Tradition, under the guidance of ancient books, one can not create (like the holy fathers), but compose new canonical images; to interpret the already existing icon-paintings in different ways, comprehending them symbolically and mystically.

Consider some of the most common iconography of St. royal martyrs. One of the first images, painted in the Russian diaspora, depicts the saints tsar and tsarina standing on both sides of Tsarevich Alexei and holding a cross over his head. Their daughters are written in the margins, holding candles in their hands (Illustr.: Alferyev E. E., Emperor Nicholas II as a man strong will. Jordanville, 1983). This and some other icons of the royal martyrs reflected the search for a compositional solution in historical analogies.

The most famous iconography, on which the holy king and queen are present, is the image of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross: St. Emperor Constantine and St. Empress Elena stands on both sides of the Patriarch holding the Life-Giving Cross on his head. In ancient images, the Patriarch forms a kind of temple, on the dome of which the Sovereigns Equal to the Apostles erect a cross. This is a symbolic image of the building on earth of the Church: the Body of Christ crucified on the Cross, with which we are united by the priesthood, which received special grace for this on the day of Pentecost. The literal repetition of the composition with the replacement of the figure of the Patriarch by the image of Tsarevich Alexei deprives the image of symbolic figurativeness. There are only certain associations with the beginning of the way of the cross in Russia and the sacrifice of a pure youth.

Starting from this, in almost all subsequent iconographies, the figure of the heir to the throne becomes the center of the composition. Placing the image of Tsarevich Alexei, the villainously murdered innocent child, in the center of iconography is humanly understandable, but mystically incorrect. The center of the image should be the king, anointed to the kingdom in the image of Christ.

Also, the image of the empress and the grand duchesses in the vestments of the sisters of mercy is perceived very earthly, and the sovereign with the heir - in military uniform. Here, the desire to emphasize their modesty, selfless service in the world and thereby confirm their holiness is obvious. But still, the sovereign and his family were killed not because they had military ranks and worked in the hospital, but because they belonged to the reigning house. It must be borne in mind that in the Church (and therefore on icons), according to the biblical tradition, clothes have symbolic meaning. Saints are God's chosen ones who have come to marriage feast His Son in wedding clothes(Mt. XXII, 2-14). Gold, pearls, precious stones depicted on them are all symbolic signs of Heavenly Jerusalem, as it is described in the Gospel.

The same iconographic error on some icons appears to be an open scroll in the hands of Nicholas II with words from the Book of Job inscribed on it. Any icon, no matter who is imprinted on it, is always turned to Herself. Holy Trinity, which means that the text cited on the scrolls should speak only about God. The scroll itself, as a rule, is held by the one who wrote it: the prophet, evangelist, saint or reverend. Everything that reminds of the earthly path of the saint himself is given in the margins or in stamps. But the main thing is that it is not at all necessary to introduce into the iconography some details that indirectly confirm the holiness of the royal martyrs, since the icon does not prove, but shows the holiness of those who stand on it.

But still, the allegory used in the named foreign iconographies is consecrated, although not by Tradition, but time, which cannot be said about many newly painted icons. Of particular note is the icon from the iconostasis of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery“The removal of the fifth seal”, which is completely unacceptable and does not fit into either the canons or the traditions (Ill.: Bonetskaya N. Tsar-Martyr. Edition of the Sretensky Monastery. M., 1997).

The royal martyrs are depicted here under the Throne of Christ the Almighty in some kind of black cave; all, except for Nicholas II, who is alone in red, are dressed in white clothes. Below, in the margins, is the text of the apocalyptic vision of St. Apostle John the Theologian. Verbal images are transferred to the icon without proper understanding and interpretation. Such an interpretation far from patristic closes all the deep mystical meanings of Revelation. Hence - the literary name, while usually the icons are named after the saints depicted on it, or according to the holiday associated with the event of Sacred History. After all "in the image is prototype and one in the other with a difference in essence. Therefore, the image of the cross is called the cross, and the icon of Christ is called Christ, not in its own, but figurative sense.(St. Theodore Studit).

The proposed iconography “The Fifth Seal Removed” is neither an image of saints, because although they are recognizable, they are not even named, nor an icon of a holiday, because this event does not directly exist either in the life of the past or future century. This is a vision that carries mysterious images of future historical events.

On VII Ecumenical Council the holy fathers clearly ordered to adhere to the obligatory historical basis of any image: “Seeing icon painting, we come to remember their charitable(Christ, Mother of God and saints) life." The word “remembrance” in the mouths of the holy fathers is devoid of everyday connotation, it has an exclusively liturgical meaning, because the sacrament of the Eucharist itself is established in the remembrance of Christ: “ Ciecreate in remembrance of me"(Luke XXII, 19). But how can one unite in eternity with vision? How can you pray to him? This question was a stumbling block for believers, when from the middle of the 16th century icons with a complicated symbolic and allegorical plot began to appear, requiring written explanations on the image (for example, the famous “Four-part” icon of 1547 from the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin). These icons had to be deciphered as paintings by contemporary German mystics (Bosch), which is why they were banned.

But still, if the icon painter wanted to capture an apocalyptic vision, why did he depict the royal martyrs in it, turning them into nameless saints? And if he wanted to consecrate the feat of Nicholas II and his family, why did he turn to the Apocalypse? The history of the Church does not know such an image of martyrs. The canonical image of the one who testified for the faith is in a cloak and with a cross in his hand. Some great martyrs, glorified by special miracles, have their own additional attributes. So, the Great Martyr George - in armor and often in the form of the Victorious on a white horse, striking a serpent with a spear; Great Martyr Panteleimon - with oil in his hand; Great Martyr Varvara - in royal clothes. But such details are written in icons to reveal the peculiarities of the ministry of the saints, that is, they help to most fully perceive how the saint revealed God in himself, how he became like Christ.

The feat of Nicholas II is special. He is not just a martyr - he is the murdered anointed of God, and we will not find historical analogies in icon painting. We know other revered murdered kings. This is Constantine XI, who died during the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, when the citizens of Byzantium refused to defend themselves and the king, with a small detachment of people loyal to him, went to the defense of the capital to die along with his state. It was the conscious death of the king for the Fatherland. Two more are from Russian history of the 19th century: Paul I and Alexander II. But all of them were not canonized as saints.

It is impossible to depict Nicholas II simply as a martyr who suffered for his faith. Even a priest who was killed for the word of God is already commemorated by the Church as a holy martyr, and Nicholas II was the king, He was anointed with the world to the kingdom and accepted a special sacred service. “The king, by nature, is similar to the whole person, but by power, he is similar to the Most High God”(teacher Joseph Volotsky († 1515). "The Enlightener"). St. Simeon of Thessalonica (first half of the 15th century) wrote: “Being imprinted with peace, the seal and the anointing of the Existing King of all, the King is clothed with power, delivered in His image on earth and accepts the grace of the Spirit communicated by the fragrant world.<…>The King is sanctified from the Holy One and is consecrated by Christ into the King of the sanctified. Then the King supreme ruler of all, puts a crown on the head, and the Crowned One bows his head, paying the debt of obedience to the Lord of all– God.<…>Having passed the temple, which signifies the local life, he enters the Royal Doors of the sanctuary, where he stands near the Priests praying for him: may he receive the kingdom from Christ. Soon afterwards, he is worthy of the Kingdom of Christ itself in the pledge that he accepts.<…>Entering the sanctuary, as if into heaven, The Tsar partakes of the very Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus Christ our God, and by holy communion he is made holy as a Tsar. (St. Simeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki. A Conversation on the Sacraments and Sacraments of the Church // Works of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki. St. Petersburg, 1856. Series “Writings of the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, Related to the Interpretation of Orthodox Divine Services”).

The king is the image of Christ the Almighty, and the earthly kingdom is the image of the Kingdom of Heaven. The rite of acceptance by the king of his state is called the crowning of the kingdom, that is, the king is married to the state in the image of the apocalyptic vision of St. John, where the Heavenly Jerusalem appears as the Bride of the Lamb: Andone of the seven angels came to me<…>and said to me, Come, I will show you a wife, the bride of the Lamb. And lifted me up in spirit to the great and high mountain and showed me the great city, holyJerusalem, which descended from heaven from God.<…>The saved nations will walk in his (Lamb's) light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it.<…>And nothing will be cursed; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.”(Rev. XXI, 9-10; XXI, 24; XXII, 3). It is in the image of this heavenly marriage, about which St. Paul says: "This mystery is great"(Eph. V, 32) is marriage between a man and a woman. If Christ speaks of this earthly union: "And the two shall become one flesh"(Matt. XIX, 5), how immeasurably greater is the unity of king and kingdom. The king personifies the entire state and its people, like Christ, who is the whole Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, on icons, the feat of Nicholas II should be comprehended through his earthly ministry.

The judgment is known that Nicholas II abdicated the throne and therefore in Last year his life was not a king, but an ordinary person. But from an ecclesiastical point of view, his renunciation was formal: signing the papers does not destroy the power of the sacrament. (Married spouses, for example, cannot get married in the 3AGS, can a crowned king do this?)

Nicholas II is often reproached for not cracking down on troublemakers. But is the power of Christ a tyranny? If the power of the king is its image, then it can only be based on the love and loyalty of the subjects to the sovereign. The king himself, like the Heavenly Father, is always the redeemer of the sins of his people. The sovereign, by his abdication, only recorded the fact of the collapse of the state cathedral. The words that he then wrote in his diary: “There is treason, and cowardice, and deception all around,” is evidence of this. He did not retract his vows given at the wedding; the kissing of the cross and vows were violated by the people.

In the "Diploma approved on the election to the Russian throne as Tsar and Autocrat of Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov", which, of course, Nicholas II knew well, it is said that “the entire consecrated cathedral, and the sovereign boyars, and the entire royal synod, and the Christ-loving army, are Orthodox Christians», "Let the writing in it be unforgotten throughout generations and generations and forever," kissed the cross of allegiance to the Romanov family. “And whoever does not want to listen to this conciliar code, God wills it well, and will begin to speak differently", will be excommunicated from the Church as a "schismatic" and "a destroyer of the law of God", and "put on an oath." Nicholas II was always aware of his royal service and at the end of his life did not refuse it. On the contrary, he died like a king and a martyr. The Sovereign meekly accepted the sin of national apostasy and redeemed it with blood, as the King of kings, Christ. Christ delivered humanity from the oath imposed on it for the fall of the forefathers, the king became like Christ by his sacrifice, freeing the people and future generations from the curse.

Another earthly ministry of Nicholas II should be reflected in the icon: He was the head of the family cathedral, which shared his martyrdom with him. Just as God sent His Only Begotten Son to die, so the sovereign did not look for ways to evade God's will, he sacrificed his life, being able to educate in his children and strengthen in his wife the same obedience to God. In his small family cathedral, he embodied the Christian ideal, which he strove to achieve throughout Russia.

Given all of the above, it is possible to develop an iconography project that would to some extent reflect the feat of Nicholas II in accordance with the teaching of the Church on the image (ill. 1).

The sovereign should be depicted against a golden background, which marks the light of Heavenly Jerusalem, with a cross in his hand, in royal robes and in a mantle, which is the sacred garment of the king, placed on him after the sacrament of chrismation as a sign of his obligations to the Church. On his head should not be an imperial crown, which is a symbolic image of the power and estate of the emperor, but a more historically and mystically true Monomakh's cap. All clothes and robes should be covered with golden assists (rays of Divine glory) and adorned with pearls and precious stones. His place, as the universal head, is in the center of the icon and above the others. Considering the peculiarity of the royal ministry, it would be possible to right hand fold it in paternal blessing. On both sides of the sovereign are members of his family, in royal robes, in martyr's cloaks and with crosses. The queen, as married with Nicholas II to the kingdom, should have a crown on her head. The princesses have heads covered with scarves, from under which hair can be seen. Over them, it is appropriate to wear diadems, like the Great Martyr Barbara, who was also of the royal family. The prince can be depicted as on most icons: in princely robes and a martyr's crown, only of an older model (like the great martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica).

The second plan in icons is usually symbolic. Although, as a rule, it is present in holiday icons, the complexity of the iconography, in which it is necessary to reflect the unity of the feat, royal dignity and family ties depicted, requires auxiliary symbolic signs. Therefore, it makes sense to inscribe the figure of Nicholas II in the image of the temple - so often the icons depict Christ (“Assurance of Thomas”), the Mother of God (“Annunciation”) and any king, even a villain (for example, Herod on the fresco “Massacre of the Innocents” in the monastery of Chora) because every king is the image of his kingdom. The temple is an image of the bodily temple of the sovereign, mystically absorbing the entire cathedral of subjects for whom he suffered and now prays in heaven. On the icons, in order to emphasize the special connection of the saints with the central image, architectural extensions are placed behind them, rhythmically and compositionally associated with it. It seems that this is also appropriate here: the symbol of the temple then acquires a new meaning - a family cathedral.

To give the icon another, ecclesiological meaning, on both sides of the temple one can depict the worshiping archangels Michael and Gabriel with their hands covered as a sign of reverence. Its architecture, as if continuing the figures of the upcoming king, queen and their children, becomes the image of the Throne prepared, the Church of the future age, growing and strengthening on the blood of the martyrs.

Often on the icons, the architecture of the second plan appears recognizable (for example, St. Sophia in the "Protection"). The new iconography should depict not the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, as on one of the existing icons, but the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo. This cathedral was built by the sovereign at his own expense, was a prayer temple for his family and in the architectural design embodied the ideas of Nicholas II about Holy Russia and the cathedral statehood, which he sought to revive. In addition, since the idea of ​​catholicity is laid down and even deliberately emphasized in the very architectural image of this temple, it fits very naturally into the artistic and symbolic structure of the icon.

The most interesting for the image is the southern facade of the temple. Many architectural details and two extensions opening on the sides: the bell tower and the porch of the royal entrance help to emphasize the unity of all those present in the central figure of the sovereign. He stands along the axis of the dome of the temple, as the head of all, on a dais, symbolizing the throne: both royal and sacrificial. A small cupola next to the officer's entrance, which appears above the image of Tsarevich Alexei, becomes a sign distinguishing him as the heir to the throne.

In order for the icon not to become an image of the Feodorovsky Cathedral, it is necessary to present it with a certain degree of conventionality, from two perspective points, so that at the edges of the icon its architecture turns out to be, as it were, turned towards the center. In terms of volume, it should not occupy more than a third of the entire composition. And in color - it is filled with transparent, almost white ocher with ocher trimmings and golden domes and roofs.

The hardest part, of course, is writing faces. An icon that became famous for miracles during procession in Moscow on the day of the 80th anniversary of the martyrdom of Nicholas II and his family (Illustr.: God glorifies His saints. M., 1999). According to eyewitnesses, she registered anew over a pale, almost monochrome, enlarged photocopy. Compared to the original, the colors of the clothes have changed on it, and most importantly, the faces of the saints.

The proposed iconography does not pretend to be the only possible interpretation of the feat of the holy royal martyrs. It was created with the hope of its discussion by the clergy and interested laity.

1999

The materials of this publication have been submitted to the Commission of the Holy Synod for the canonization of saints.

Interview of Deacon Andrey Kuraev to Vsluh magazine

Olga Sevastyanova: Father Andrei, in your opinion, why was the canonization of the royal family so difficult and difficult?
O. Andrey Kuraev: The fact that it was difficult and difficult, it seems to me absolutely natural. The circumstances of the last years of the life of the Russian emperor were too unusual. On the one hand, in the ecclesiastical understanding, the emperor is an ecclesiastical rank, he is the bishop of external affairs of the church. And, of course, if a bishop himself resigns his rank, then this can hardly be called a worthy act. It was with this that the main difficulties were connected, above all doubts.

O.S. That is, that the king at one time renounced, saying modern language, did not benefit his historical image?

A.K. Undoubtedly. And the fact that the canonization still took place ... The Church's position here was quite clear: it was not the form of the reign of Nicholas II that was canonized, but the image of his death, if you like, leaving the political arena. After all, he had every reason to be embittered, furious, recent months his life, being under arrest, boil with anger and blame everyone and everything. But none of this happened. We have his personal diaries, diaries of his family members, memoirs of guards, servants, and we see that nowhere is there a shadow of a desire to take revenge, they say, I will return to power and I will nail you all. In general, sometimes the greatness of a person is sometimes determined by the amount of losses suffered by him.

Boris Pasternak had such lines about great era, “about a life that looks poor, but great under the sign of losses”. Imagine, on the street in the crowd, we see an unfamiliar woman. I look - a woman as a woman. And you tell me that she suffered a terrible grief: her three children died in a fire. And only this misfortune is able to distinguish her from the crowd, from all those similar to her, and elevate her above those around her. It's the same with the royal family. There was no other person in Russia who would have lost more than Nikolai Aleksandrovich Romanov in 1917. In fact, then he was already the ruler of the world, the owner of the country that practically won the First world war. And tsarist Russia undoubtedly won it and became the number one power in the world, and the emperor had big plans, among which, by the way, was abdication, oddly enough. There is evidence that he told very trusted people that he would like to introduce a constitution in Russia, a parliamentary monarchy, to transfer power to his son Alexei, but in the conditions of the war he simply did not have the right to do so. So he thought in the 16th year. And then the events flowed a little differently. In any case, the image of the martyr turns out to be very Christian. In addition, when we are talking about our attitude towards last emperor, one must take into account the symbolism of the Church's perception of the world.

O.S. And what is the symbolism?

A.K. The 20th century was a terrible century for Russian Christianity. And you can not leave it without summing up some results. Since this was the age of martyrs, there were two ways to go about canonization: try to glorify all the new martyrs, in the words of Anna Akhmatova, “I would like to call everyone by name, but they took away the list and did not recognize everyone.” Or to canonize a certain Unknown Soldier, to honor one innocently shot Cossack family, and with it millions of others. But this way for the church consciousness would probably be too radical. Moreover, in Russia there has always been a certain identity “king-people”. Therefore, given that the royal family could again say about themselves in the words of Anna Akhmatova:

No, and not under an alien sky,
And not under the protection of alien wings -
I was then with my people,
Where my people unfortunately were...,

canonization of the martyr king Nicholas II- this is the canonization of "Ivan the Hundred Thousand". There is also a special overtone here. I will try to explain this almost with a personal example.

Let's say I was visiting in another city. Stayed with my father. Then we had a heated discussion with this priest: whose vodka is better - Moscow-made or local. We found a consensus only by agreeing to go through trial and error. We tried, tasted, agreed, in the end, that both are good, and then, before going to bed, I went out for a walk in the city. Moreover, under the windows of the priest there was a city park. But the priest did not warn me that satanists were gathering under the windows at night. And in the evening I go out into the garden, and the Satanists look at me and think: what a well-fed calf our lord sent as a sacrifice to us! And they kill me. And here is the question: if something similar happened to me, and, I emphasize, I myself did not strive for martyrdom, I was not very spiritually prepared, I tasted vodka and met my death like that, to determine my posthumous fate at God's judgment, whether does it matter what I was wearing that day? Secular reaction: what difference does it make what he wears, the main thing is what is in his heart, in his soul, and so on. But I think that in this case it is much more important what the clothes were. If I were in civilian clothes in this park, it would be “everyday life”. And if I walked in church clothes, then people whom I personally do not know, who have no personal claims against me, they threw out on me the hatred that they have for the Church and for Christ. In this case, it turned out that I suffered for Christ. It's the same with the royal family. Let lawyers argue among themselves whether Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov was a tsar in 18 or just a private individual, a retired colonel. But, in the eyes of the people who shot him, he certainly was an emperor. And then they wrote memoirs all their lives and told the pioneers about how the last Russian tsar was killed. Therefore, it is obvious to the Church that this man is a martyr for our faith, as well as his family.

O.S. And family too?
A.K. Likewise. It is possible for the ruler of Russia, Nicholas II, to present some political claims, but what do children have to do with it? Moreover, in the 80s there were voices that, they say, let's at least canonize children, what are they to blame for?

O.S. What is the sanctity of a martyr in the church's understanding?

A.K. The holiness of a martyr is a special holiness. This is the sacredness of one minute. In the history of the church there were people, for example, in ancient rome when a theatrical execution was staged in the arena, during which Christians were executed in all seriousness. They choose the most filthy jester and, in the course of action, another jester, in the clothes of a priest, baptizes him. And when one jester baptizes another and says these sacred words: "a servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." And when, after the words of prayer, grace really descended on the jester, who portrayed a Christian, and he began to repeat that he had seen God, that Christianity was true, the tribunes at first laughed, and then, realizing that this was not a joke, they killed the jester. And he is revered as a martyr... Therefore, the holiness of a martyr is something different than the holiness of a saint. The Reverend is a monk. And his whole life is taken into account. And for a martyr, this is a kind of photo finish.

O.S. And how does the Church feel about the fact that in different centuries all sorts of false Anastasias arose?

A.K. For an Orthodox person, this is speculation on a shrine. But if it were proven, the Church would recognize it. A similar case in the history of the Church was, however, not connected with the royal names. Any Orthodox person knows the story of the seven youths of Ephesus who hid from the persecution of Emperor Julian in the caves, where they fell into a lethargic state and woke up 150 years later. hundreds of years. It has never been a problem for the Church to accept among the living people who were considered dead. Moreover, it is not resurrected, but dead. Because there were cases of a miraculous resurrection, and then a person disappeared, was considered dead, and after some time appeared again. But, in order for this to happen, the Church will wait for confirmation from secular science, secular expertise. With Buddhists, such issues are resolved more easily. They believe that the soul of the deceased Dalai Lama reincarnates into a child, into a boy, children are shown toys, and if a two-year-old boy, instead of a shiny rattle, suddenly reaches for the old cup of the former Dalai Lama, it is believed that he recognized his cup. So the Orthodox Church has more complex criteria.

O.S. That is, if a hundred-year-old old woman appeared now and said that she was a princess, she would be believed for a long time to be normal, but would they take such a statement seriously?

A.K. Undoubtedly. But, I think genetic testing would be enough.
O.S. And how do you feel about the story of the “Ekaterinburg remains”?

A.K. Is this what is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the remains found in the Yekaterinburg region? From the point of view of the state commission, which was headed by Boris Nemtsov, these are the remains of the royal family. But the church examination did not confirm this. The Church simply did not participate in this burial. Despite the fact that the Church itself does not have any remains, it does not recognize that those bones that are buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral belonged to the royal family. The Church expressed its disagreement with this public policy. And not the past, but the present.
O.S. Is it true that before the royal family, no one was canonized in our country for a very long time?

A.K. No, I wouldn't say that. Beginning in 1988, Andrei Rublev, Ksenia of Petersburg, Theophan the Recluse, Maxim Grek, and the Georgian poet Ilya Chavchavadze were canonized.

O.S. And there were cases of canonization associated with the Great Patriotic War, besieged Leningrad?
A.K. No, oddly enough, I haven't come across anything like this yet. Still, a martyr is not the one who sacrificed himself, even if it was religiously motivated, died terrible death, innocently injured. This is the one who faced a clear choice: faith or death. During the war, people in most cases did not have such a choice.

O.S. Did the king have a cardinal choice?

A.K. This is one of the most difficult issues of canonization. Unfortunately, it is not completely known to what extent he was attracted, to what extent something depended on him. Another thing is that every minute he was able to choose whether to feed his soul with revenge or not. There is another aspect of this situation. Church thinking is precedent thinking. What happened once can serve as an example to follow. How to explain this to people so that they do not take an example from him? It's really difficult. Imagine: an ordinary school principal. She has converted to Orthodoxy and is trying to educate the children in her school accordingly. Excursions turn into Orthodox pilgrimages. invites dad to school holidays. Chooses Orthodox teachers. This causes dissatisfaction of some students, parents, teachers. And then the higher authorities. And then some deputy invites her to his place and says: “You know, a complaint against you. Violate the law on secular education, invite a priest. Therefore, you know, so that now there will be no scandal, write a letter of resignation now, don’t worry about the school, here Sarah Isaakovna is standing, she perfectly understands how Russian children should be educated, and how they should not be educated. She will be appointed to your place, and you will sign a waiver of the position. What is this director to do? She is an Orthodox person, she cannot give up her beliefs so easily. But, on the other hand, she remembers that there was a man who humbly gave up power. And the children will be taught by Sarah Isaakovna, who will educate them at best - in a secular version, at worst - simply anti-Christian. Therefore, I consider it very important to explain here that in the case of the emperor, this would be foolishness.

O.S. Like this?

A.K. A holy fool is a person who violates church and secular laws in order to fulfill the will of God. At that moment, obviously, the will of God was that Russia should go through the way of the cross, which it had to go through. At the same time, each of us still should not push Russia to take this step. Simply put, if there is the will of God, then one must be ready to fulfill it in the most unexpected way. And we must also remember that foolishness and orphanhood, in this case- foolishness, does not cancel the law. The law is clear: the position of the emperor is that he is given a sword, so that he can defend his people and his faith with the power of the state sword. And the task of the emperor is not to fold the sword, but to be able to wield it well. In this case, Emperor Constantine XXII, the last Byzantine emperor, who, when the Turks had already broken through the walls of Constantinople in 1453, took off his royal regalia, remained in the clothes of a simple soldier and, with a sword rushing into the midst of opponents, he found his death there. This behavior is much clearer to me than renunciation, refusal. So the behavior of Emperor Constantine is the law, this is the norm. The behavior of Emperor Nicholas is foolishness.

O.S. Well, in Russia there were many all kinds of blessed ones, but so that ...

A.K. Those were beggars. And this is the king.

O.S. Does time mean anything to the church? After all, many years have passed, generations have changed ...

A.K. That is what means a lot. Moreover, canonization cannot take place earlier than 50 years, so that the memory can stand.

O.S. As for the canonization procedure itself, is it a big responsibility for the one who makes this decision?

A.K. The decision is made by the Council, that is, by all the bishops. Not only Russia, but also Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Central Asia… There were discussions about canonization at the Council itself

O.S. So, the royal family was simply included in some special lists, or were there other procedures?

A.K. No, there was also the blessing of an icon, a prayer… This is very important, because in the early 1990s other prayers already appeared, both literary and theologically completely illiterate.

O.S. I have heard the expression “an unprayed icon”. Is it possible to consider an icon depicting the royal family as “prayerful” How do believers treat it?

A.K. Suppose the church does not know such an expression. And the icon has already become familiar in homes and churches. She is approached by a variety of people. The canonization of the royal family is the canonization of the family, which is very good, because we have almost no holy families in the holy calendar. What is important here is that this the large family about which we know a lot. Therefore, this nepotism is dear to many people.

O.S. Does the Church really believe that everything was smooth and right in this family?

A.K. No matter how many opinions there are, no one seems to have accused anyone of adultery.

Olga Sevastyanova spoke with Deacon Andrei Kuraev.

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 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
You too, 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 bear 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 receive the gift of God's courage. For you are the image of those who kiss your feat, as neither sorrow, nor narrowness, nor death from the love of God can 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, supposedly 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 sometimes “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 towards the Lord, enlighten our darkened minds and hearts, let us call you: Nicholas, God-crowned king and 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 heads 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 Tsarina-Martyr 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 thy kingdom, about which thou hast spoken: Whenever I am king, there will be no lie around me—today the kingdom of the father of lies appears, for until 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, like weigh, take boldness for our salvation. Amen.

Icon "Saints 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 for forgiveness of sins, for the sick - healing, for the grieving and distressed - ambulance, implore the Lord to 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, having died their way in many torments, having fulfilled the Gospel commandments by deed in the monastery of Mercy, striving for the sake of the Orthodox faith to death in last times this, and good fruit in the patience of the passions brought to 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 Orthodox Church. 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 glory of the Highest 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 grant forgiveness of sins and instruct us in every virtue, may we acquire humility, meekness and love and be vouchsafed 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 show whether our church will ever develop a single type of icons of the royal martyrs, but for now there are still a few 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, 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 white clothes 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"

The glorification of Emperor Nicholas II and his family was the beginning of the repentance of the Russian people before God for the sin of apostasy from their king and betraying him into the hands of enemies.

Even the smallest sin, just a thought allowed in the heart, alienates a person from his Creator, darkens his soul. The same one that gravitates over Russia is special, because it is directed against the anointed of God. The Holy Scripture directly says that even if God Himself turns away from His anointed one, no one dares to shed his blood, just as the prophet David did not raise his hand against King Saul, who sought to kill him.

This sin is becoming more and more recognized by Orthodox people. The veneration of St. royal martyrs. Many icons of the royal family are painted. But, unfortunately, in the majority - with violations of the iconographic canons of the Orthodox Church. At the same time, they are mindlessly replicated. The newspaper "Rus Pravoslavnaya" (No. 2 (20), 1999) reproduced two controversial iconography at once. One of them is “The Removal of the Fifth Seal” (it is described in detail in the work of O. V. Gubareva), the other is a sketch of the image of the martyr king. This image is of an extremely low artistic level and is simply ugly. In addition, the king-martyr on this drawing is named as “St. Tsar Redeemer Nicholas. Of course, we can talk about the sacrificial, redemptive nature of the sovereign's martyrdom, but directly calling him "redeemer" on icons is an impermissible heresy. There is no such order of saints in the Church. Redeemer we call only our Lord Jesus Christ. It is unlikely that such an icon will find a response in the hearts of believers.

The kind of anarchy that exists now in the creation of icon-painting versions of the royal family is only a reflection of the general situation in modern icon painting. In many ways, this is a legacy of past centuries, when iconography was strongly influenced by secular Western art and its study in theological schools was limited to the narrow framework of church archeology. It is only now that some theological institutions are beginning to treat this problem more carefully, as there is a growing understanding that the revival of spirituality is unthinkable without a genuine revival of icon painting. It is no coincidence that the ancient holy fathers called the icon the first step towards the knowledge of God and celebrated the victory of icon veneration over iconoclasm with the all-church feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (843).

In the middle of the 16th century, a Council was convened in Moscow, designed to stop the process of destruction of ancient piety that was just beginning. His definitions (“Stoglav”) contained a number of provisions concerning the preservation of the existing order in icon painting. First of all, it was about the need to supervise the behavior of icon painters, who began to turn their ministry into a craft. “Cursed be the work of God with negligence. And those who have been painting icons without studying, self-will, and not according to the image, and those icons have been exchanged cheaply for ordinary people, ignorant settlers, then such icon painters should be banned. Let them learn from good masters, and to whom God will give to write in the image and likeness, and he would write, but to whom God will not give, and such icons would not concern, but for the sake of such a letter the name of God is not blasphemed. The Stoglav also noted the need for spiritual control over the canonicity of icon painting: the best master painters, to order that they watch all the icon painters and that there are no thin and disorderly ones in them; and archbishops and bishops look over the masters themselves, and protect them and revere them more than other people. Yes, and that the saints have great care, each in his own area, so that the icon painters and their students write from ancient models, and from self-thinking they would not describe the Deities with their own guesses.

There is no doubt that many of the decrees of the Council of 1551 have not lost their value for our time. Let me speak in favor of establishing supervisory boards in the dioceses under the ruling apxepee, which include specialists in church art and, perhaps, issue some kind of permission to artists, icon painters, and architects for the right to work for the Church. Such measures, it seems to me, can also change situations where the quality and canonicity of wall painting and interior decoration, the construction of iconostases in new churches, the restoration of old and the writing of new icons depend not so much on the financial capabilities of the parishes, but on the personal tastes of the elders and rectors.

Church art is a charitable and very serious matter, about which much is said in Sacred Tradition. Especially for us Russians, it is a sin to forget about this, because everyone knows that it was with the beauty of the Church that Russia was baptized. The appeal to the Holy Tradition and strict adherence to the teaching of the Church about the icon-painting image is the main advantage of the work of O. V. Gubareva. The author, in a calm and balanced tone, points out common mistakes in domestic and foreign iconography, not limited, however, only to criticism, but offers his own version of the depiction of St. royal martyrs. In my opinion, the new iconography is excellent. Nothing to take away and nothing to add. The author's comment indicates that a great and thorough work was carried out, with love for the work and the fear of God. The image undoubtedly reflects the martyrdom of the saints and their earthly service. Only the drawing of the future icon already evokes a prayerful feeling.

The found strict solemn composition and good proportions make it possible to paint both large temple and domestic images. In addition, its traditionally closed construction makes it possible, if necessary, to supplement the icon with hagiographic hallmarks or images of other new martyrs in the margins. The careful attitude of the author to the idea of ​​the icon-painting depiction of the royal family that has already developed in the church people is also pleasing.

I would like the icons painted according to this drawing to be accepted by every Orthodox Christian.

I hope that the work of O. V. Gubareva will be the beginning of a serious discussion about the place of the icon and its language in the contemporary life of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Hieromonk Konstantin (Blinov)

At present, there are several iconographies of the holy royal martyrs that are widely circulated. In connection with their upcoming canonization, new ones appear. But how correctly do they reveal the feat of the sovereign and his family? Who determines their content and what is guided by?

There is an opinion that to engage in icon painting one does not need to have any special knowledge - it is enough to master the technique of writing and be a pious Christian. This can really be limited if you use good samples. But Nicholas II is the only martyr tsar in the entire history of the Church. There is no example and feat of his family. Therefore, it is rather difficult to write an icon worthy of these saints, and the main reason is that the authors of iconography either do not know the patristic teaching about the image, or exist for them separately from creativity. Hence - a formal approach to the search for historical analogies, to the compositional and color system, to the use of the so-called "reverse perspective".

Therefore, before a direct analysis of specific icon-painting works, let us turn to the Holy Tradition.

The teaching of the Church about the icon-painting image can be found in many holy fathers, but, basically, it is set forth in the Acts of the VII Ecumenical Council (787), in the writings of St. John of Damascus († end of the 7th century) and St. Theodore the Studite († 826), who formulated their teaching in opposition to the Christological heresy of iconoclasm. At the Council, it was determined that the correct veneration of icons is, first of all, the true confession of Christ and the Holy Trinity, and honest icons should be created not by artists, but by holy fathers. In the Acts, it was written that “icon painting was not invented by painters at all, but, on the contrary, is an approved statute and tradition of the Catholic Church”; in content, they are equal to Holy Scripture: “What the narrative expresses in writing, the same painting expresses with paints ...”, “the image follows the Gospel narrative in everything and explains it. Both are beautiful and worthy of reverence, for they mutually complement each other” (Acts of the Ecumenical Councils. Kazan, 1873. Vol. VII). And in order to subsequently avoid any attempts to introduce innovations into the teaching of the Church, this last of the Ecumenical Councils decreed: punishment, because it is said: Cursed is he who transcends his fathers (Deut. XXVII, 17).

If one of the first theologians Origen († 254) counted up to three semantic levels in Holy Scripture, and the subsequent ones distinguished at least six in it, then the icon is just as multifaceted and deep. Only her images are not verbal, but artistic and are created by a special, not similar to literary, language of painting.

Rev. Theodore Studite, generalizing and logically completing the entire patristic experience in icon painting, gave a definition of icons, and also pointed out their difference from any other human creation. An icon, he teaches, is a work of art created according to the laws of artistic creativity established by God Himself, for “God is called the Creator and Artist of everything,” creating according to the laws of His Absolute Beauty. This is not just a picture or a portrait, the purpose of which is only the image of the created World, reflecting the Divine Beauty. In the face of a saint, the icon painter seeks to capture only the One in whose image he is, yet that of the flesh is swept aside. To achieve such a lofty goal, the creator of the icon must have the gift of spiritual vision and adhere to certain artistic rules, which St. Theodore the Studite also cites in his writings (Priest V. Preobrazhensky. Rev. Theodore the Studite and his time. M., 1897).

For example, the saint writes, when Christ was visible, in Him, in His human nature, those who looked at Him according to their possibilities, His Divine Image was also contemplated, which was revealed in full measure only at the moment of the Transfiguration. And it is precisely the transfigured body of Christ that we see on His holy icons. "One can see in Christ His image (eikon) dwelling in Him, and in the image - Christ contemplated as a prototype."

For saints who have achieved Christ's perfection in something, the image of God also becomes visible to those around them and shines in the flesh. The visible image of God Theodore Studite calls it the "seal of likeness". Her imprint, he says, is the same everywhere: in the living saint, in his image and in the Divine nature of the Creator, the bearer of the seal itself. Hence - the connection of the icon with the Prototype and its wonder-working.

The task of the creator of the icon is to recognize this seal in the old man and depict it. At the same time, the icon painter should not introduce anything superfluous and invent something new, remembering that the icon is always realistic and documentary. (For the holy fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the very existence of the icons of Christ was confirmation of the authenticity of His incarnation.)

Ancient icons were always painted strictly within the limits established by the holy fathers according to the canons consecrated by the Church and were considered miraculous from the moment of writing, and not because of their prayerfulness.

In Russia, the understanding of the spiritual creativity of the icon painter was preserved for quite a long time. The first, not canonical, but human sophistication icons painted appear only by the middle of the 16th century. Allegory, which is widespread in the West, noticeably predominates in them, and the symbolic images of Holy Scripture are no longer comprehended and do not find a picturesque interpretation, according to the conciliar teaching, but are depicted directly. They were forbidden to be written by the Moscow Councils; St. Maxim Grek († 1556), Patriarch Nikon († 1681) smashed them as heretical. But our difficult domestic history - the Time of Troubles, the Schism, the reforms of Peter I, which destroyed the Patriarchate, and much more - pushed the issue of icon veneration far beyond the main interests of the state and the Church.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the discovery of the Russian icon. In 1901, Nicholas II approved the Trusteeship Committee for Russian icon painting. However, the revolution and the persecution of the Church that followed it set back icon painting and church art in general for a long time.

The current inattention to the ancient teachings of the Church is sometimes explained by arguments of this kind: it is completely unnecessary, moreover, it is alien to the Church itself, invented by art historians, and distracts believers from the “true” icon veneration. As evidence, many miraculous shrines are cited, in which not only the canon is not observed, as, for example, in the Kozelshchanskaya icon of the Mother of God, painted in a Catholic pictorial manner, but there are even images that are forbidden to be written (for example, the God of Hosts in the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God) . But after all, it was not to the disgrace of the ancient canons that these icons were glorified by God in the last three centuries? Such reflections lead to hidden iconoclasm and even Protestantism, since God works miracles where people pray to Him, including outside churches and without icons. His condescension to human weaknesses and imperfections never meant the abolition of patristic Tradition.

Today, when the Orthodox faith is once again being revived on Russian soil and thousands of new icons are being painted, the restoration of the forgotten patristic teaching has become an urgent task. Having studied the Holy Tradition, under the guidance of ancient books, one can not create (like the holy fathers), but compose new canonical images; to interpret the already existing icon-paintings in different ways, comprehending them symbolically and mystically.

Consider some of the most common iconography of St. royal martyrs. One of the first images, painted in the Russian diaspora, depicts the saints tsar and tsarina standing on both sides of Tsarevich Alexei and holding a cross over his head. Their daughters are written on the margins, holding candles in their hands (Illustr.: Alferyev E.E., Emperor Nicholas II as a man of strong will. Jordanville, 1983). This and some other icons of the royal martyrs reflected the search for a compositional solution in historical analogies.

The most famous iconography, on which the holy king and queen are present, is the image of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross: St. Emperor Constantine and St. Empress Elena stands on both sides of the Patriarch holding the Life-Giving Cross on his head. In ancient images, the Patriarch forms a kind of temple, on the dome of which the Sovereigns Equal to the Apostles erect a cross. This is a symbolic image of the building on earth of the Church: the Body of Christ crucified on the Cross, with which we are united by the priesthood, which received special grace for this on the day of Pentecost. The literal repetition of the composition with the replacement of the figure of the Patriarch by the image of Tsarevich Alexei deprives the image of symbolic figurativeness. There are only certain associations with the beginning of the way of the cross in Russia and the sacrifice of a pure youth.

Starting from this, in almost all subsequent iconographies, the figure of the heir to the throne becomes the center of the composition. The placement of the image of Tsarevich Alexei, the villainously murdered innocent child, in the center of iconography is humanly understandable, but mystically incorrect. The center of the image should be the king, anointed to the kingdom in the image of Christ.

The image of the empress and the grand duchesses in the vestments of the sisters of mercy is also perceived very earthly, and the sovereign with the heir - in military uniform. Here, the desire to emphasize their modesty, selfless service in the world and thereby confirm their holiness is obvious. But still, the sovereign and his family were killed not because they had military ranks and worked in the hospital, but because they belonged to the reigning house. It must be borne in mind that in the Church (and therefore on icons), according to the biblical tradition, clothes have a symbolic meaning. Saints are God's chosen ones who came to the wedding feast of His Son in wedding clothes (Mt. XXII, 2-14). Gold, pearls, precious stones depicted on them are all symbolic signs of Heavenly Jerusalem, as it is described in the Gospel.

The same iconographic error on some icons appears to be an open scroll in the hands of Nicholas II with words from the Book of Job inscribed on it. Any icon, no matter who is imprinted on it, is always turned to the Most Holy Trinity, which means that the text given on the scrolls should speak only about God. The scroll itself, as a rule, is held by the one who wrote it: the prophet, evangelist, saint or reverend. Everything that reminds of the earthly path of the saint himself is given in the margins or in stamps. But the main thing is that it is not at all necessary to introduce into the iconography some details that indirectly confirm the holiness of the royal martyrs, since the icon does not prove, but shows the holiness of those who stand on it.

But still, the allegory used in the named foreign iconographies is consecrated, although not by Tradition, but by time, which cannot be said about many newly painted icons. Of particular note is the icon from the iconostasis of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery "The Removal of the Fifth Seal", which is completely unacceptable and does not fit into either the canons or traditions.

The royal martyrs are depicted here under the Throne of Christ the Almighty in some kind of black cave; all, except for Nicholas II, who is alone in red, are dressed in white clothes. Below, in the margins, is the text of the apocalyptic vision of St. Apostle John the Theologian. Verbal images are transferred to the icon without proper understanding and interpretation. Such an interpretation far from patristic closes all the deep mystical meanings of Revelation. Hence - the literary name, while usually the icons are named after the saints depicted on it, or according to the holiday associated with the event of Sacred History. For “the archetype appears in the image, and one in the other with a difference in essence. Therefore, the image of the cross is called the cross, and the icon of Christ is called Christ, not in its own, but in a figurative sense.

The proposed iconography “The Fifth Seal Removed” is neither an image of saints, because although they are recognizable, they are not even named, nor an icon of a holiday, because this event does not directly exist either in the life of the past or future century. This is a vision that carries mysterious images of future historical events.

At the 7th Ecumenical Council, the holy fathers clearly ordered to adhere to the obligatory historical basis of any image: “Seeing icon painting, we come to remember their God-pleasing (Christ, Mother of God and saints) life.” The word “remembrance” in the mouths of the holy fathers is devoid of everyday connotation, it has an exclusively liturgical meaning, because the sacrament of the Eucharist itself is established in remembrance of Christ: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke XXII, 19). But how can one unite in eternity with vision? How can you pray to him? This question was a stumbling block for believers, when from the middle of the 16th century icons with a complicated symbolic and allegorical plot began to appear, requiring written explanations on the image (for example, the famous “Four-part” icon of 1547 from the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin). These icons had to be deciphered as paintings by contemporary German mystics (Bosch), which is why they were banned.

But still, if the icon painter wanted to capture an apocalyptic vision, why did he depict the royal martyrs in it, turning them into nameless saints? And if he wanted to consecrate the feat of Nicholas II and his family, why did he turn to the Apocalypse? The history of the Church does not know such an image of martyrs. The canonical image of the one who testified for the faith is in a cloak and with a cross in his hand. Some great martyrs, glorified by special miracles, have their own additional attributes. So, the Great Martyr George - in armor and often in the form of the Victorious on a white horse, striking a serpent with a spear; Great Martyr Panteleimon - with oil in his hand; Great Martyr Varvara - in royal robes. But such details are written in icons to reveal the peculiarities of the ministry of the saints, that is, they help to most fully perceive how the saint revealed God in himself, how he became like Christ.

The feat of Nicholas II is special. He is not just a martyr - he is the murdered anointed of God, and we will not find historical analogies in icon painting. We know other revered murdered kings. This is Constantine XI, who died during the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, when the citizens of Byzantium refused to defend themselves and the king, with a small detachment of people loyal to him, went to the defense of the capital to die along with his state. It was the conscious death of the king for the Fatherland. Two more are from Russian history of the 19th century: Paul I and Alexander II. But all of them were not canonized as saints.

It is impossible to depict Nicholas II simply as a martyr who suffered for his faith. Even a priest who was killed for the word of God is already commemorated by the Church as a holy martyr, and Nicholas II was the king, He was anointed with the world to the kingdom and accepted a special sacred service. “The tsar, by nature, is similar to the whole person, but by power he is like the Most High God” (St. Joseph Volotsky († 1515). “Illuminator”). St. Simeon of Thessalonica (first half of the 15th century) wrote: “Being imprinted with the world, seal and anointing of the Existing King of all, the King is clothed with power, is put in His image on earth and receives the grace of the Spirit imparted by the fragrant world. The King is sanctified from the Holy One and is consecrated by Christ into the King of the sanctified. Then the King, as the supreme ruler of all, puts a crown on the head, and the Crowned One bows his head, paying the debt of obedience to the Lord of all - God. Having passed the temple, which signifies life here, he enters the Royal Doors of the sanctuary, where he stands near the Priests praying for him: may he receive the kingdom from Christ. Soon afterwards, he is worthy of the Kingdom of Christ itself in the pledge that he accepts.<...>Having entered the sanctuary, as if into heaven, the Tsar partakes of the very Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus Christ our God, and with holy communion is consecrated as a Tsar” (St. Simeon, Bishop of Thessaloniki. Conversation about the sacred rites and sacraments of the Church // Works of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki. St. Petersburg, 1856. Series "The Scriptures of the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, Related to the Interpretation of Orthodox Divine Liturgy").

The king is the image of Christ the Almighty, and the earthly kingdom is the image of the Kingdom of Heaven. The rite of acceptance by the king of his state is called the crowning of the kingdom, that is, the king is married to the state in the image of the apocalyptic vision of St. John, where Heavenly Jerusalem appears as the Bride of the Lamb: “And one of the seven angels came to me<...>and said to me, Come, I will show you a wife, the bride of the Lamb. And he lifted me up in spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, holy Jerusalem, which descended from heaven from God.<...>The saved nations will walk in his (Lamb's) light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it.<...>And nothing will be cursed; but the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it” (Rev. XXI, 9-10; XXI, 24; XXII, 3). It is in the image of this heavenly marriage, about which St. Paul says: "This mystery is great" (Eph. V, 32), is a marriage between a man and a woman. If Christ says of this earthly union: “And the two shall become one flesh” (Mt. XIX, 5), then how immeasurably greater is the unity of king and kingdom. The king personifies the entire state and its people, like Christ, who is the whole Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, on icons, the feat of Nicholas II should be comprehended through his earthly ministry.

The judgment is known that Nicholas II abdicated the throne and therefore in the last year of his life he was not a king, but an ordinary person. But from an ecclesiastical point of view, his renunciation was formal: signing the papers does not destroy the power of the sacrament. (Married spouses, for example, cannot get married in the 3AGS, can a crowned king do this?)

Nicholas II is often reproached for not cracking down on troublemakers. But is the power of Christ a tyranny? If the power of the king is its image, then it can only be based on the love and loyalty of the subjects to the sovereign. The king himself, like the Heavenly Father, is always the redeemer of the sins of his people. The sovereign, by his abdication, only recorded the fact of the collapse of the state cathedral. The words that he then wrote in his diary: “All around is treason, and cowardice, and deceit,” is evidence of this. He did not retract his vows given at the wedding; the kissing of the cross and vows were violated by the people.

In the “Diploma approved on the election of Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov to the Russian throne as Tsar and Autocrat”, which, of course, Nicholas II knew well, it is said that “the entire consecrated cathedral, and the sovereign boyars, and the entire royal synclite, and the Christ-loving army, and there are Orthodox Christians”, “may the writing in it be unforgettable for generations and generations and forever”, kissed the cross for loyalty to the Romanov family. “And whoever does not want to listen to this conciliar code, God wills it, and will begin to speak differently”, will be excommunicated from the Church as a “schismatic” and “a destroyer of the law of God”, and “will put on an oath”. Nicholas II was always aware of his royal service and at the end of his life did not refuse it. On the contrary, he died like a king and a martyr. The Sovereign meekly accepted the sin of national apostasy and redeemed it with blood, as the King of kings, Christ. Christ delivered humanity from the oath imposed on it for the fall of the forefathers, the king became like Christ by his sacrifice, freeing the people and future generations from the curse.

Another earthly ministry of Nicholas II should be reflected in the icon: He was the head of the family cathedral, which shared his martyrdom with him. Just as God sent His Only Begotten Son to die, so the sovereign did not look for ways to evade God's will, he sacrificed his life, being able to educate in his children and strengthen in his wife the same obedience to God. In his small family cathedral, he embodied the Christian ideal, which he strove to achieve throughout Russia.

Considering all that has been said, it is possible to develop an iconography project that would to some extent reflect the feat of Nicholas II in accordance with the teaching of the Church about the image.

The sovereign should be depicted against a golden background, which marks the light of Heavenly Jerusalem, with a cross in his hand, in royal robes and in a mantle, which is the sacred garment of the king, placed on him after the sacrament of chrismation as a sign of his obligations to the Church. On his head should not be an imperial crown, which is a symbolic image of the power and estate of the emperor, but a more historically and mystically true Monomakh's cap. All clothes and robes should be covered with golden assists (rays of Divine glory) and adorned with pearls and precious stones. His place, as the universal head, is in the center of the icon and above the others. Considering the peculiarity of the royal service, one could fold the fingers of his right hand in paternal blessing. On both sides of the sovereign are members of his family, in royal robes, in martyr's cloaks and with crosses. The queen, as married with Nicholas II to the kingdom, should have a crown on her head. The princesses have heads covered with scarves, from under which hair can be seen. Over them, it is appropriate to wear diadems, like the Great Martyr Barbara, who was also of the royal family. The prince can be depicted as on most icons: in princely robes and a martyr's crown, only of an older model (like the great martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica).

The second plan in icons is usually symbolic. Although, as a rule, it is present in holiday icons, the complexity of the iconography, in which it is necessary to reflect the unity of the feat, royal dignity and family ties depicted, requires auxiliary symbolic signs. Therefore, it makes sense to inscribe the figure of Nicholas II in the image of the temple - so often the icons depict Christ (“Assurance of Thomas”), the Mother of God (“Annunciation”) and any king, even a villain (for example, Herod on the fresco “Massacre of the Innocents” in the Chora Monastery) because every king is the image of his kingdom. The temple is an image of the bodily temple of the sovereign, mystically absorbing the entire cathedral of subjects, for whom he suffered and now prays in heaven. On the icons, in order to emphasize the special connection of the saints with the central image, architectural extensions are placed behind them, rhythmically and compositionally associated with it. It seems that this is also appropriate here: the symbol of the temple then acquires a new meaning - a family cathedral.

To give the icon another, ecclesiological meaning, on both sides of the temple one can depict the worshiping archangels Michael and Gabriel with their hands covered as a sign of reverence. Its architecture, as if continuing the figures of the upcoming king, queen and their children, becomes the image of the Throne prepared, the Church of the future age, growing and strengthening on the blood of the martyrs.

Often on the icons, the architecture of the second plan appears recognizable (for example, St. Sophia in the "Protection"). The new iconography should depict not the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, as on one of the existing icons, but the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo. This cathedral was built by the sovereign at his own expense, was a prayer temple for his family and in the architectural design embodied the ideas of Nicholas II about Holy Russia and the cathedral statehood, which he sought to revive. In addition, since the idea of ​​catholicity is laid down and even deliberately emphasized in the very architectural image of this temple, it fits very naturally into the artistic and symbolic structure of the icon.

The most interesting for the image is the southern facade of the temple. A lot of architectural details and two extensions opening on the sides: the bell tower and the porch of the royal entrance help to emphasize the unity of all those present in the central figure of the sovereign. He stands along the axis of the dome of the temple, as the head of all, on a dais, symbolizing the throne: both royal and sacrificial. A small cupola next to the officer's entrance, which appears above the image of Tsarevich Alexei, becomes a sign distinguishing him as the heir to the throne.

In order for the icon not to become an image of the Feodorovsky Cathedral, it is necessary to present it with a certain degree of conventionality, from two perspective points, so that at the edges of the icon its architecture turns out to be, as it were, turned towards the center. In terms of volume, it should not occupy more than a third of the entire composition. And in color - it is filled with transparent, almost white ocher with ocher trimmings and golden domes and roofs. 0