NOTE: this page was updated on 9th November 2023, with an ENGLISH-language version – PG

The Museum of Emperor Nicholas II in Moscow have produced a new documentary to mark the 110th anniversary of the pilgrimage ofEmperor Nicholas II to ancient Russian cities during the Romanov Tercentenary in 1913.

“The Great Pilgrimage of Emperor Nicholas II” is a one-hour documentary – featuring seven vintage newsreels filmed filmed between 15th to 28th May 1913, when Nicholas II and his family visited 12 ancient Russian cities, which included Vladimir – Suzdal – Bogolyubovo – Nizhny Novgorod – Kostroma – Yaroslavl – Rostov – Petrovsk – Troitskaya Sloboda – Pereslavl-Zalessky – Sergiev Posad – Moscow. * Watch the video located at the bottom of this post. CLICK on the [cc] for ENGLISH subtitles.

The film is based on the materials of the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents (RGAKFD), the Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA), the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) and the Library of Congress of the United States.

During the Soviet years, a significant part of the pre-revolutionary newsreels of the Imperial Family were destroyed, leaving only small fragments of most of the films. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian State Archives of Film and Photo Documents carried out painstaking work to restore many of these. This was possible that some of newsreel fragments had been stored on different reels, making it possible to restore and edit many of these historic newsreels. In total, some 300 fragments were restored to their original.

The documentary is complemented by musical accompaniment recorded in in the early 20th century, including “God, Save the Tsar!”. The music for the documentary was taken from old gramophone records and wax rollers. They include segments of marches, hymns, waltzes, operas, folk songs, balalaika, bell ringing and church chants.

If you listen closely to the audio you will hear the voice of Nicholas II at [9:35] thanking the regiment as they march past him in Nizhny Novgorod.

Many detractors of Russia’s much slandered Tsar continue to spread the myth that Nicholas II was not popular with the Russian people. This nonsense is quickly debunked by the newsreel footage which shows thousands of people flocking to get a glimpse of the Tsar in each city visited. You can see them cheering and making the sign of the cross as the Tsar passes by.

CLICK on the image above to watch this video.
Duration: 60 minutes. Language: English

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Numerous scenes depicts the Sovereign being greeted with the traditional bread and salt, meeting local dignitaries, kissing icons, visiting churches and monasteries, reviewing his troops, and much more.

NOTE: the numbers in the brackets [ ] below, correspond to their exact location in the newsreels – PG

The church seen in the opening of the film at [0:46] is Nicholas II’s favourite church at Tsarskoye Selo: the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral .

16 May: Vladimir, Suzdal and and Bogolyubovo [1:12] – in this newsreel, is a splendid view of the Imperial Train.

17 May: Nizhny Novgorod [6:34] – at [7;57] we see the Tsar and his family taking part in a religious procession – at [9:35] if you listen closely to the audio you will hear the voice of Nicholas II thanking the regiment as they march past him.

19 & 20 May: Kostroma [10:51] – in this newsreel, we see the Ipatiev Monastery – the birthplace of the Romanov Dynasty – at [12:10] the Imperial Family arrive in Kostroma on the steamship “Mezhen“, where they see the riverbank lined with people, all of whom have come to get a glimpse of their Batushka Tsar. Many can be seen bowing and making the sign of the cross, some of them even wading into the river – at [15:32] the Imperial Family take part in a religious procession at the Ipatiev Monastery – at [15:46] Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna descend the staircase of the Trinity Cathedral – at [17:13] the Tsar leaves the Romanov boyar palace – at [17:38] Tsesarevich Alexei is carried in the arms of the Cossack Alexei Petrovich Pilipenko (1887-1972) .

21 May: Yaroslavl [25:41] – at [26:51 the Imperial Family arrive by boat at a specially made pier and pavilion at Yaroslavl.

22 May. Rostov [32:01] – at [35:22] once again, we see Alexei being carried in the arms of the Cossack Alexei Petrovich Pilipenko. He helps the Tsesareich into the awaiting carriage, and you can clearly see that he has trouble walking, and instead hops on one leg to seat himself – the Tsar sits next to him.

23 & 24 May. Petrovsk – Pereslavl-Zalessky – Troitskaya Sloboda – Sergiev Posad [38:33] – at [42:28] Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Emperor Nicholas II, Tsesarevich Alexei, and one of his sisters get into a waiting carriage at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius – the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church – in Sergiev Posad – at [42:57] the other three grand duchesses are joined by their aunt Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna in the second carriage.

24 to 27 May. Moscow [43:12] – at [43:46] Nicholas II enters Moscow on horseback through the Triumphal Arch – the same gate he entered the city for his coronation in 1896 – at [45:01] “God, Save the Tsar!” is performed – at [47:48] the Tsar and his family stop to pray at the Iverskaya Chapel at the Resurrection Gate, which leads into Red Square. Again, we see Alexei being carried in the arms of the Cossack Alexei Petrovich Pilipenko – at [48:27] Emperor Nicholas II crosses Red Square on horseback – he is greeted by thousands of Muscovites – at [49:26] the Tsar walks past St. Basil’s Cathedral, and enters the Kremlin on foot – at [50:09] is the famous procession seen in many English-language documentaries, of the Imperial Family, their relatives and entourage walking towards the Assumption Cathedral, where Nicholas II was crowned in 1896 – at 51:28] the Imperial procession walks past the Chudov Monastery – at [53:01] the Imperial Family visit the Chambers of the Romanov Boyars – at [55:05] the Imperial Family arrive at the Novospassky Monastery, taking part in a religious procession at [56:25] – Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich can be seen at [56:45].

© Paul Gilbert. 26 October 2023