NOTE: All of the articles pertaining to Nicholas II and his family which were originally published in my Royal Russia News blog, have been moved to this Nicholas II blog. This article was originally posted on 3 September 2018 in my Royal Russia News blog – PG

On 2nd September 2018, a new monument to Emperor Nicholas II, was unveiled in the village of Efimovsky, situated in the Boksitogorsky district of the Leningrad region. The opening of the monument is timed to the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Imperial Family.

The monument was established on the grounds of the church in the name of the Holy Prophet Elijah. The church was constructed in 1908, for which half of the necessary sum for its construction was paid by Nicholas II from his personal funds.

A large area was arranged for the monument. It is situated at the end of a wide avenue, lined with flower beds. The monument is situated between an old pine tree, which symbolizes the glorious past of the House of Romanov, and a very young birch tree, which symbolizes hope for the future restoration of the tsar’s throne in Russia. The bust of the Sovereign is turned to face the church, which he helped build.

The bust is mounted on a high granite pedestal, standing on a pile of collapsed Golgotha ​​stone. The inscription on the monument reads: “Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. In gratitude for the building of the church of the holy prophet Elijah of God. In memory of the 100th anniversary of the martyr’s death.”

The opening of the monument was attended by the head of the local administration Sergei Ivanovich Pokrovkin, which gave the event a state status. The consecration of the monument was performed by the priest of the church, Fr Mikhail Lomakin and Archpriest Father Gennady Belovolov. After the consecration, a prayer was offered to the Holy Royal Martyrs at the monument. The ceremony ended with the singing of the former national anthem “God, Save the Tsar”, to the accompaniment of the accordion.

Father Mikhail thanked the head of the Alley of Russian Glory Foundation Mikhail Leonidovich Serdyukov for the charity donation of the bust. Serdyukov made busts of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsesarevich Alexei specially for the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Tsar’s Family, and is willing to donate them to those who wish to establish them in significant places in Russia.

This event is important not only for the village of Efimovsky, but also for the whole of Russia. The fact is that in this year of this tragic year marking the 100th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of Russia’s last emperor and tsar, virtually no events were held at the state level, a program for the memorialization of the memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs was not realized, and very few monuments were established to the Tsar-Martyr.

Such monuments are very necessary for Russia, since the monuments are considered by some as a “public canonization” to the memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs. Although the Moscow Patriarchate canonized the Imperial family 18 years ago, there still remains great disagreement among many Russians with regard to the reign of the last Russian Tsar, a lack of understanding of his deed and service, condemnation and denigration of his image.

Thanks to such monuments, we return the name of Nicholas II to our public consciousness, we affirm the tsar’s idea among the people, we conclude the tragic century, which lived without a tsar on the Russian throne.

© Paul Gilbert. 5 November 2019