Holy Royal Martyrs | Nicholas II

Akathist to Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II

An akathist is a hymn dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. The word akathist itself means “not sitting.” The akathist par excellence is that written in the 6th century to the Theotokos. In its use as part of the Salutations to the Theotokos service (used in the Byzantine tradition during Great Lent).

The Trisagion Prayers are often said as a prelude to the akathist hymn. The akathist hymn itself is divided into thirteen parts, each of which has a kontakion and an oikos. The kontakion usually ends with the exclamation: “Alleluia!” Within the latter part of the oikos comes an anaphoric entreaty, such as “Come!” or “Rejoice!” The thirteenth kontakion (which does not have a corresponding ikos) is usually followed by the repetition of the first ikos and kontakion. After the thirteen kontakia and ikoi, additional prayers are added, such as a troparion and another kontakion. In some akathists, Psalms are also included.

Source: Most Piour Tsar: Icons, Frescoes and Holy Images of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II (2023)

PHOTO: a woman reads an akathist to the Holy Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II. She is standing in front of the monument to Nicholas II – the first installed in post-Soviet Russia in 1993 – on the grounds of the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral at Tsarskoye Selo.

Kontakion 1

O passion-bearer chosen from birth, Christian love incarnate: we chant hymns of praise to thee, as one who loved thy homeland more than all the good things of this world. As thou hast boldness before the Lord, enlighten thou our benighted minds and hearts, that we may cry out to thee:

Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Ikos 1

The Creator of the angels sent thee to the Russian land as an angel of innocence and of admonition to thy people, for He chose thee after the example of His only-begotten Son, as a sacrifice of redemption for the sins of thy people; and, marveling at this providence of the Almighty concerning thee, in repentance we cry out to thee:

Rejoice, emulation of Christ! Rejoice, whole-burnt offering! Rejoice, adornment of the Russian tsars! Rejoice, confirmation of honesty and fidelity! Rejoice, sure hope of the oppressed! Rejoice, indestructible foundation of faith! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 2

The all-good Mother of God, in her domain beholding our land defiled by the abomination of decadence, chose thee from birth as the most pure man of Russia, for its purification, that we all, chanting a funeral hymn, may cry out: Alleluia!

Ikos 2

In His foreknowledge, the pre-eternal Mind appointed the much-suffering Job as an example for thy life and salvation, joining thy birth to the commemoration of that righteous one. And we, mindful of our sins and iniquities, with trepidation of heart and contrite soul, cry out to thee thus:

Rejoice, thou that didst endure accusation and temptation from thy people! Rejoice, thou that didst keep thy faith until the end! Rejoice, model of meekness! Rejoice, beacon of righteousness! Rejoice, observer of reverence toward God! Rejoice, rule of humility! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High overshadowed thee, O divinely crowned Nicholas, who proposed a war to chastise the falsely-reasoning West, that the world might cry out to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 3

Zealous in admonishing the erring, O right-believing tsar, thou didst love the erection of churches, the glorification of the relics of the holy favorites of God, the instilling of enlightenment and the protection of the dispossessed from constraint, that the Christian world might cry out to thee such things as these:

Rejoice, thou that with the holy hierarch Nicholas didst share a name on earth! Rejoice, thou that dost pray with the venerable Seraphim in heaven! Rejoice, instiller of Orthodoxy! Rejoice, bearer of the light of Christ! Rejoice, teacher of Christian patience! Rejoice, defender of Orthodox Christians! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 4

Thou didst not fear the tempest of mindlessness and outrage, O passion-bearer Nicholas, when, rejecting a dishonorable truce, thou didst endure calumny, imprisonment and death, crying out to God Almighty: Alleluia!

Ikos 4

Hearing of the tumults of the Russian realm and beholding the destruction of Christians, thou didst pray without ceasing that the all-good Theotokos save Orthodox Russia. Wherefore, we cry to thee:

Rejoice, fragrant incense of prayer! Rejoice, inextinguishable lamp of faith! Rejoice, admonition of the violent through thy meekness! Rejoice, consolation of the disconsolate amid sorrows! Rejoice, lover of heavenly things! Rejoice, zealot for righteousness! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 5

Thou hast been shown to be a divinely guided star for Russians in the diaspora, O Tsar Nicholas; for, gathering them together in thy name, thou dost point the way to the rebirth of the Russian land, that we may hear angels crying out: Alleluia!

Ikos 5

Perceiving that thy meekness and humility availed naught, but that yet greater discord resulted, thou didst set thy hope on the all-pure Mother of God and didst place thy fate in the hands of the Almighty, that He chastise the mindless, that they chant unto thee:

Rejoice, vanquisher of pride! Rejoice, bearer of a heavenly crown! Rejoice, insuperable bulwark for the weak! Rejoice, invincible power for the bold! Rejoice, superabundant love of thy native land! Rejoice, beauteous sacrifice for the Russian land! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 6

The ends of the earth proclaim thy glory, and thy saying hath gone forth for all ages, that thou didst have naught which thou couldst not give up for thy people, thus teaching them to chant unto God: Alleluia!

Ikos 6

Thou didst shine upon the Russian land more brightly than the sun, O Tsar Nicholas, defending its Orthodox people even unto the death, that all that turn to thee might be converted to Christ, for Whose sake we cry out to thee such things as these: Rejoice, light which hath come forth from the East! Rejoice, model for Orthodox kings! Rejoice, inextinguishable splendor of righteousness! Rejoice, unwaning radiance of meekness! Rejoice, fatherly chastiser of sinners! Rejoice, filial glorification of the righteous! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 7

Desiring to establish the Orthodox Faith on earth, thou didst move thy holy kingdom to the defense of the oppressed, that all may cry out to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 7

The most blessed Mother of God appointed thee a new Noah, a steward of salvation for the Russian people, that, mindful of all thy labors, we may unceasingly chant unto thee such things as these:

Rejoice, pilot of the ship of Russia! Rejoice, comforter of Slavs amid their misfortunes! Rejoice, defense of the land of Serbia! Rejoice, nourishment of Russians! Rejoice, preacher of the love of peace! Rejoice, restorer of enlightenment! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 8

A strange wonder do we see in thee, O Nicholas, when thou art repeatedly saved by the right hand of the Most High and, with thy children and kinfolk, art led like a lamb to the slaughter, that we may cry out to God, the Preserver of all: Alleluia!

Ikos 8

Thou hast been wholly shown to be a defender of all Christians, O divinely chosen Nicholas, and thou dost show forth twofold assistance for the Slavic peoples, moving them to chant to thee in praise:

Rejoice, defense of the oppressed! Rejoice, chastisement of the oppressors! Rejoice, refuge of the afflicted! Rejoice, aid of the persecuted! Rejoice, champion of Christians in thy repose! Rejoice, peacemaker in thine aspiration! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 9

With all manner of wonders did the Lord reveal His good pleasure to the Russians, until they angered the Lord exceedingly; but, led by thee to the habitations of the righteous, together we chant unto God: Alleluia!

Ikos 9

Mute as fish, the most eloquent of orators cannot describe the loftiness of thy patience; and, contemplating the depth of our fall, we cry out in contrition of spirit:

Rejoice, unassailable patience! Rejoice, unshakeable loyalty! Rejoice, destruction of pride! Rejoice, enlightener of the foolish! Rejoice, thou that in thy life and repose hast given an example to the faithful!
Rejoice, thou that didst suffer for thy sins on earth! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 10

Christ, Who alone knoweth men’s hearts, Who hath founded the Church upon the blood of His martyrs, desiring that all men be saved, appointed thee, O passion-bearer Nicholas, for the founding of a new house of the Russian realm, that all therein might cry out: Alleluia!

Ikos 10

Thou art a bulwark for all that have recourse to thee in faith and dost reveal an unassailable wall of defense for the Orthodox world, teaching all that are of thy blood to glorify thee thus:

Rejoice, revelation of heavenly things on earth! Rejoice, thou that dost fill them that lack! Rejoice, splendor which hast shown forth in the Russian land! Rejoice, river which dost water all the parts thereof! Rejoice, teacher of humble-mindedness! Rejoice, instiller of faith and piety! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 11

Offering up hymnody to the all-holy Trinity even unto the moment of thy death, thou didst finish the course of thy life and keep the Faith; and thereby thou dost move all Orthodox Christians to chant: Alleluia!

Ikos 11

Sent to our land as a bestower of light, like an unblemished lamb thou art offered for the redemption of our sins, that all might unceasingly glorify thee:

Rejoice, sacrifice beloved of God! Rejoice, inexhaustible abundance of love! Rejoice, boast of loyalty! Rejoice, invisible radiance of the Spirit! Rejoice, reflection of wisdom! Rejoice, hope of the hopeless! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 12

Divine grace, which healeth the infirm, foresaw thee as an inexhaustible healing for thy subjects that cry out to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 12

Hymning thy sufferings, O passion-bearer Nicholas, we bow down before thy patience, as to the power of the Almighty Trinity made manifest in thee, that together we may all cry out:

Rejoice, beloved child of Christ! Rejoice, thou that didst lead thy innocent children and thy faithful servants to Christ! Rejoice, thou that didst make thy consort righteous! Rejoice, thou that didst draw thy people toward the truth! Rejoice, thou that didst not put the honor of thy homeland to shame! Rejoice, thou that hast acquired the Kingdom of Heaven! Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Kontakion 13

O most wondrous and all-glorious passion-bearer Nicholas: watch over thine earthly kingdom and thy people, for we are at a loss to make any reply concerning our sins; and entreat thou the Almighty, that He not enter into judgment over us, but vouchsafe us peacefully to chant: Alleluia!

(Repeat Kontakion Thirteen 3 times)
(Then continue below)

Kontakion 1

Rejoice, O Nicholas, divinely crowned tsar and great passion-bearer!

Ikos 1

Prayer

O holy passion-bearer Tsar Martyr Nicholas! The Lord has chosen thee as His anointed one to judge with mercy and righteousness thy people and to be the guardian of the Orthodox Kingdom.

This royal service and the care for souls thou hast completed with the fear of God. Testing thee as gold in the furnace, the Lord has allowed bitter sorrows to come upon thee, as to the much suffering Job, by depriving thee of thy royal throne and sending upon thee martyric death. Having meekly endured all this, like a true slave of Christ, thou art partaking of the highest glory at the Throne of the God of All, together with the Holy Martyrs, the holy Tsarina Alexandra, the holy youth Crown Prince Alexis, and the holy princesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia and with the faithful servants of thine, as well as with the holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth and with all the Royal Martyrs and the Holy Martyr Barbara.

For as having great boldness before Christ King, for whose sake thou hast endured everything, pray with us, that the Lord might forgive the sin of thy people, who did not stop thy slaughter, as King and Anointed One of God, that the Lord will deliver the suffering land of Russia from the fierce and godless ones, who came upon it because of our sin and apostasy, and that He will restore the throne of Orthodox Tsars, and to us will grant forgiveness of sins and will instruct us on every good deed, that we might acquire humbleness, meekness and love, as these Martyrs have done, that we will be vouchsafed the Heavenly Kingdom, where together with thee and all the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, we might glorify Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Chapel dedicated to Nicholas II and his family opens at Murmansk airport

Posted on June 7 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Chapel of the Holy Passio-Bearers
Tsar Nicholas II and his family at Murmansk Airport

On 4th May 2026, a chapel dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family opened in the airport of the Russian Arctic city of Murmansk. The small chapel is located in the second hall of the terminal, immediately after the check-in counters.

According to Archpriest Vladimir Semenov of the Murmansk Diocese: “Work on the chapel began in December 2025. Now, we must complete the decoration of the interior. The date of the it’s consecration has yet to be announced.”

Recall that on 31st May 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree naming Murmansk Airport after the founder of the city, Nicholas II.

Murmansk was the last city founded in the Russian Empire. Russia’s first ice free port was founded here in 1916 by Nicholas II and named Romanov-on-Murman. It was officially named Murmansk during the Soviet years.

Prior to that, residents of the Russian Arctic city had voted in favour of naming the airport in honour of Russia’s last Tsar, who received 68,260 votes (48%).

More than 5.5 million people took part in the ‘Great Names of Russia’, a national competition in which the Russian people could cast votes to rename 42 of the country’s major airports.

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Since 2019, great efforts have been made to draw attention to Murmansk residents and visitors of Nicholas II’s connection to the Arctic city . . .

Exhibition dedicated to Nicholas II opens at Murmansk Airport

In November 2020, a permanent photo exhibition dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II opened in the main terminal building of Murmansk Airport – [the link above features 12 photos]

There have been proposals for the square in front of the airport terminal, however, whether these plans come to fruition remains to be seen . . .

New monument of the Imperial Family to be installed at Murmansk Airport

On 26th January 2023, a St Petersburg architecture and landscaping firm, published an artist’s concept of the new square in front of the Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport, the highlight of which will be a major sculptural composition depicting the last Russian Imperial Family.

On this day – Nicholas II and members of his family were handed over to the Ural Soviet

Posted on April 30 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: “Transfer of the Romanov family to the Ural Soviet” (1927)
Artist: Vladimir Nikolayevich Pchelin (1869-1941)

On this day – 30th April (O.S. 17th April) 1918, Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Maria were handed over to the Ural Soviet in Ekaterinburg. It was at this point, that their fate was sealed.

Recall that on 26th (O.S. 13th) April 1918, Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, their daughter Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna were brought from Tobolsk to Ekaterinburg. They arrived in Ekaterinburg on 30th April 1918, whereupon they were handed over the Ural Soviet.

They were accompanied by five faithful retainers: Dr. Eugene Botkin Botkin, Prince Vasily Dolgorukov, maid Anna Demidova, valet Terenty Chemodurov, sailor Ivan Sednev, all of whom voluntarily accompanied the Imperial Family. The only one who survived the regicide was Chemodurov.

Nicholas II wrote the following in his diary:

“At 8.40 we arrived in Ekaterinburg. We stood for three hours in one station. There was a heated dispute between the local commissars and our own. In the end, the first prevailed and the train was moved to another goods terminal. After standing there for an hour and a half, we got off the train. Yakovlev handed us over to the local regional commissar, with whom we drove by motor through empty streets to the accommodation which has been prepared for us—the Ipatiev house. Slowly our people and our things began to arrive, but they would not let Valia through.

“The home is pleasant and clean. We have been given four large rooms. We were not able to unpack our things for a long time, as the commissar, the commandant and the guards captain had not had time to inspect our trunks. Then the inspection was like a customs search, just as strict, right down to the last capsule in Alix’s travelling medicine kit. This annoyed me so much that I expressed my opinion sharply to the commissar. By 9 o’clock we had at last settled in.

“This is how we installed ourselves: Alix, Maria and I together in the bedroom, sharing the dressing room, Demidova in the dining room, Botkin, Chemodurov and Sednev in the hall. The duty officer’s room is by the entrance. In order to go to the bathroom of W.C., it was necessary to go past the sentry at the door of the duty office. There is a very high wooden pallisade built all around the house, about two sajens from the windows, all along there was a line of sentries, in the little garden also.”

Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia and Tsesarevich Alexei joined their parents the following month. They were accompanied by more retainers, including valet Aloysius Trupp, the cook Ivan Kharitonov, Ivan Sednev’s nephew Leonid Sednev and Klimenty Nagorny, among others.

To mark this solemn anniversary, the Ekaterinburg Diocese prayerfully celebrates the memory of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers. Orthodox Christians will fill churches today, offering prayers to the Tsar and his family Many Ekaterinburg residents will also honour the memory of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, by taking part in a Cross Procession along the so-called “Path of Sorrow”, which passes through the places associated with the final days of Russia’s last Tsar and his family in the Ural capital.

The Path of Sorrows begin with the place where Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna and their five faithful retainers disembarked from the train on 30th April 1918. Here, near the Shartash-Yekaterinburg-II Railway Station, a Memorial Cross and a foundation stone were installed. There are plans to build a church in honour of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God on this site – one of the three miraculous icons that appeared during the reign of Nicholas II.

Then the Path of Sorrow follows Vostochnaya Street, where the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Port Arthur” was built at the intersection with Shevchenko Street. In 2008, during the Cross Procession, a memorial stone was laid at this place, and in 2017, the construction of the church was completed. Here, according to historical records, on 23rd May (new style), 1918, Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, abd the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia Nikolaevna arrived by train. They too, were subsequently placed under arrest, and then taken to the Ipatiev House.

PHOTO: the Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land

Not far from the railway station, in Nevyansky Lane, there is an Orthodox church in honour of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God. It was consecrated in 2011 by Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye. In 1918, the Yekaterinburg-I Railway Station was located here, where on 30th April (new style), 1918, the train carrying Nicholas II, his family members and their five retainers stood for several hours, before proceeding to the the Shartash-Yekaterinburg-II Railway Station, where they disembarked.

The last point of the Path of Sorrow is the Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land on Tsarskaya Street. It was here on this site, that Emperor Nicholas II, his family and four faithful retainers met their death and martyrdom. The church was erected on the site of the Ipatiev House, where the regicide took place on the night of 16/17 July 1918.

In the Lower Church sanctified in honour of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, there is the “Imperial Room” – a side-chapel of which the altar allegedly rests on the site of the murder room in the basement of the Ipatiev House. The decoration of the room received the blessing of the Metropolitan of Ekaterinburg and Verkhoturye Kirill. It was timed to coincide with the events marking the 100th anniversary of the death and martyrdom in July 2018, in which more than 100,000 attended.

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The following NEW title was compiled and edited by independent researchers and Romanov historian Paul Gilbert was published in August 2024.

This fascinating new study features 14 chapters on this tragic event, which include the memoirs of a British intelligence officer and journalist, and two First-English translations. In addition, 11 chapters were written by Paul Gilbert, based on new documents sourced from Russian archival and media sources over the past decade.

Please refer to the link provided for further details about the content of this new title . . .

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS TITLE

NEW BOOK – ‘The Romanovs. The Path of Holiness and Golgotha’

Posted on April 28 by Paul Gilbert

Large hard cover. 208 pages. Richly illustrated throughout. Russian edition only

The long-awaited edition of Романовы. Путь святости и Голгофы (The Romanovs. The Path of Holiness and Golgotha), has been published by the AST Publishing House. The Russian-language book is the result of many years of research by Dmitry and Ekaterina Ostroumov, dedicated to the Romanov dynasty and the spiritual path of the Holy Royal Martyrs Nicholas II and his family.

The publication is based on the exhibition dedicated to Russia’s last Tsar and his family, which opened in January 2025, in the Museum to the Royal Passion-Bearers. The permanent exhibition takes up the entire ground floor of the Church of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers in the Russian city of Dno, situated 114 km from Pskov.

The exposition project, which went from a temporary exhibition to a permanent memorial museum. It was here that on 14th (O.S. 1st) March 1917, the Imperial Train carrying the Tsar stopped. The following day, Nicholas II abdicated the throne. The event marked the beginning of his Way of the Cross.

Today, the museum preserves unique archival materials that reveal not only the historical, but also the spiritual aspects of the life of the last Russian Emperor and his family. The museum is a tribute of the deepest respect to their sacrificial feat. The scale of the project attracted the attention of the AST Publishing House, which proposed to transfer the exhibition concept to a book forma.

The large hard cover pictorial is based on authentic documents, diary entries, letters and rare photographs. The album recreates the history of the Romanov dynasty, covering the path from the calling of Mikhail Romanov in 1613 to the glorification of the Imperial Family as passion-bearers by the Moscow Patriarchate in 2000.

The main topic of the book, however, is the last Tsar and his family – from the upbringing of the heir Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich [future Emperor Nicholas II] to a martyr’s death in 1918. Particular importance is attached to the inner world of the Holy Royal Martyrs, their family way of life, their piety and sincere service to the Fatherland.

“Understanding the person of the Tsar in the Russian state today is important not only in its political and administrative significance, but also in its sacred function,” says Dmitry Ostroumov, co-author of the book. “This album, through immersion in the history of the Imperial Family, allows us to take a deeper look at this key role of the bearer of the Tsar’s life and reign.”

Through the fate of each family member, the reader comes closer to understanding the sacred depth of the monarch’s service, where earthly government and heavenly calling are inseparable, and a look into the past helps to see what often remains hidden behind the vanity of time.

The album Романовы. Путь святости и Голгофы (The Romanovs. The Path of Holiness and Golgotha) is currently available for purchase in Russian book shops, online stores, and the official website of the AST Publishing House.

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PLEASE NOTE: This post is for information purposes only. This book is ONLY available in Russia, there is NO English edition available, nor is there one planned. I regret that I do not know any booksellers who offer this book.

The current sanctions imposed by the West on Russia forbid financial transactions, therefore it is not possible to order this title from a Russian bookseller online – they will not accept Western credit cards, nor can you use PayPal, Western Union, etc. Although there are numerous Russian bookshops in the West, please note that some countries such as the United States now impose a 40% tariff on books being imported from Russia.

It is very unlikely that we shall ever see an English edition of this book. Having said that, if and when the sanctions are lifted, and English-speaking tourists return to Russia in the numbers prior to 2022, the Russian publisher may just issue an English language edition of what looks like something many of us would like to add to our personal libraries – myself included!

“They Suffered for the Faith”: Russia honours the memory of Nicholas II and his family

Posted on February 8 by Paul Gilbert

On the Day of Remembrance of the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church

There is a day in the Orthodox calendar when the faithful remember those who suffered during the years of persecution of the Church. This feast day changes from one year to the next. That is, the established date of 7th February (25th January according to the Old Styke Julian calendar) may change depending on the day of the week. Since the feast is always celebrated on Sunday, this year it falls on 8th February.

The Russian Church spoke with the cleric of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Slonim, Priest Nikolai Savitsky.

The meaning of the holiday

On Sunday, divine services will be held in Orthodox churches in memory of the New Martyrs and Confessors. These are the faces (categories) of holiness in Christianity, indicating the feat of faith.

“A martyr is someone who died for Christ, and a confessor is someone who endured persecution for the faith, but survived,” explains Priest Nikolai Savitsky. — On 8th February, the church commemorates the New Martyrs — those who suffered in the twentieth century. At the moment, 1623 saints are known, but research continues. Clergy are given access to personal files and archives. The history of the church is studied, new facts are discovered. It takes time to confirm them — this is very serious and painstaking work. When people did not deviate from their faith until their last breath, they are then considered. We must then learn about them in order to perform glorification.

On the Day of Remembrance of the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors, it is important to read the biographies of several saints in order to understand how much they suffered.

Vneration of the Tsar’s family

There is an icon of the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, in the center of which the Tsar’s family is among the saints. Recall that Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna and their five children (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Tsesarevich Alexei) were the last Imperial Family of Russia. After the abdication of Nicholas II from the throne on 15 March 1917 (O.S. 2 March) 1917, the family was initially held under house arrest in the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, before being sent into exile to Tobolsk. Then they were transferred to Ekaterinburg, where they were shot in the Ipatiev House on the night of 16/17 July 1918.

“Yes, history needs to be studied, but it is so twisted and distorted that it is very difficult to get to the bottom of the truth. Nevertheless, the Tsar’s family are glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church – after this fact, questions should disappear,” the priest emphasizes. – The Emperor, his wife and children were canonized in 2000 as passion-bearers. These are saints who suffered during their lifetime or were martyred, but not for confessing their faith in Jesus Christ. As a rule, they became victims of the hatred and deceit of their enemies for other, very different reasons. Virtue is that they met death without malice and resistance. In order to further increase the evil in the world by their resistance, in truly Christian humility and love for those who have hurt them. In this love, the passion-bearers became like Christ, Who humbly accepted crucifixion, death and forgave His tormentors.

Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, pray to God for us!
Святые царственные страстотерпцы, молите Бога о нас!

FURTHER READING

Prayer to the Holy Martyred Tsar Nicholas II

Ekaterinburg prepares for Tsar’s Days 2025

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Paul Gilbert

The Ekaterinburg Metropolis are currently preparing for Tsar’s Days – 2025, which will be held in the Ural capital and in Alapaevsk from 11th to 21st July. This year marks the 107th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of Emperor Nicholas II, his family and their four faithful retainers on 17th July 1918. It also marks the 107th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of Grand Duchess Eliabeth Feodorovna and other Romanov family members in Alapaevsk on 18th July 1918.

Metropolitan Evgeny of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye noted the importance of the upcoming memorial events, which traditionally bring together tens of thousands of faithful from across Russia and abroad.

The central event of Tsar’s Days is the Divine Liturgy held on the night of 16/17 July, followed by a 21-km [13 miles] Cross Procession, from the Church on the Blood in central Ekaterinburg to the Monastery of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers at Ganina Yama. for which “the whole of Russia gathers” in the Ural capital.

This years’ Tsar’s Days is part of the 24th International Festival of Orthodox Culture, which will be held over a 10-day period from 11-21 July. Aside from divine services and religious processions, the festival will feature many events in honour of the Holy Royal Martyrs, including bell ringing, concerts and musical evenings, as well as exhibitions and conferences hosted by well-known historians, theologians and authors.

Preparations for the Tsar’s Days are being carried out by the Ekaterinburg Metropolia with the support of the regional and city authorities.

Once again, Porosenkov Log will not included in this year’s Cross Procession. Porosenkov Log is where the remains of the Imperial Family were exhumed in two separate graves in 1991 and 2007 respectively. Due to the fact that the Moscow Patriachate does not yet recognize the Ekaterinburg Remains as those of the Imperial Family. Their official recognition rests with the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The veneration of Nicholas II

The veneration of Nicholas II and his family actually began just days after their murder in July 1918. During the Soviet years, such activity would most certainly have been suppressed, forcing the faithful to honour the Holy Royal Passion-Beaers in secret.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, everything changed, when in 2000, some 300 faithful gathered at the sight of the Ipatiev House in Sverdlovsk [Ekaterinburg]. In 2002, the first Cross Procession in memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs was held in the Ural capitlal, attracting 3,000 faithful. The procession has been held every year since, the most important being in 2018, the year marking the 100th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of the Imperial Family.

FURTHER READING:

What is Tsar’s Days? + PHOTOS and VIDEO

Exhibition dedicated to Nicholas II and his family opens in Istra

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Paul Gilbert

Earlier this month, a unique outdoor exhibit dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family opened on the grounds of the Mironositsky Church [the Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women] in the Russian city of Istra [Moscow oblast].

The Tsar’s Crown, featured 8 posters, which provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the life of the Imperial Family during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and their death and martyrdom.

The exhibition ran until June 15, and has now moved to the St. George Church in the city of Dedovsk.

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

On this day – Nicholas II is handed over to the Ural Soviet in Ekaterinburg

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Paul Gilbert

прибытие святой царской семьи в екатеринбуре. 30 април 1918 год. великий вторник старстной седмицы. 78 дней до убиения святых царственных страстотерпцев.

Arrival of the Holy Royal Family in Yekaterinburg. April 30, 1918. Great Tuesday of Holy Week. 78 days before the murder of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers.

Today marks a very sad anniversary . . . it was on this day – 30th April (O.S. 17th April) 1918, Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Maria were handed over to the Ural Soviets in Ekaterinburg

Nicholas II wrote the following in his diary:

PHOTO: “Transfer of the Romanov family to the Ural Soviet” (1927)
Artist: Vladimir Nikolayevich Pchelin (1869-1941)

“Christmas in the circle of the Tsar’s Family” held in Penza region

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: local actors perform the roles of the Imperial Family

On 11th January 2025, a *Christmas event dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family was held in the House of Culture in the village of Narovchat, Penza Region. Christmas in the Circle of the Tsar’s Family marked the traditions of celebrating the Nativity of Christ in the circle of the family of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers and Imperial Russia.

* Recall that Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 14th January, according to the Old Style Julian Calendar

The event was organized by the nuns of the Trinity-Scanov Monastery, the pupils of the monastery Sunday School, the pupils of the Bishop’s Children’s Choir of the Penza Diocese and the staff of the Penza Museum of Local Lore.

The guests of honour included Metropolitan Seraphim of Penza and Nizhnelomovsk, Bishop Mitrofan of Serdobsk and Spassky, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Penza Region Sergey Vyacheslavovich Bychkov, and acting head of the Narovchat district Sergey Viktorovich Skudin.

Guests were greeted in the lobby by the pupils of the Sunday school and the nuns of the Trinity-Skanov Monastery, who sang carols and praises to the newborn Christ child.

On stage the private world of the Imperial Family was revealed. Local actors read aloud the personal letters of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra to each other, which revealed to the audience the tender and loving image of the Imperial Family.

An Imperial Ball was held, which focused on the splendour of the Russian Imperial Court in the early 20th century. Elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen performed waltzes and polkas to live music of the era – all of which created an inspiring atmosphere of the holiday.

At the end of the solemn event, all participants received gifts from the abbess of the Trinity-Scanov Monastery, Abbess Innocent.

Also during the event, an exhibition of photographs courtesy of the Sretensky Monastery “The Royal Family: Love and Mercy” was opened. The exhibition features photographs reflecting the life and work of the Imperial Family.

In addition, the White Flower Festival was celebrated, which offered guests many skillful crafts made by the nuns, delicious pastries and much more. The tradition of the White Flower Festival was initiated by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her children at the beginning of the 20th century.

New museum dedicated to Nicholas II and his family opens in Pskov region

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: entrance to the exhibition which takes up the entire ground floor of the
recently constructed Church of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers in Dno

On 26th December 2024, a new museum dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family was officially opened and consecrated in the Church of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers in the Russian city of Dno, situated 114 km from Pskov.

Recall that on the same day, a new monument to the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers was unveiled and consecrated on the grounds of the church.

Metropolitan Matthew of Pskov and Porkhov performed the rite of consecration of the museum to the Royal Passion-Bearers. The museum takes up the entire ground floor of the church. Admission to the museum is FREE to all!

PHOTO: His Eminance performs the rite of consecration of the museum to the Royal Passion-Bearers

The interiors of the museum are a wonderful example of modern exhibition spaces, designed in the Neo-Russian Style [aka the Russian Revival Style], characteristic of the early twentieth century and beloved by Russia’s last Tsar.

The museum is divided into two halls. The first hall, which is painted burgundy-green, combined with dim lighting. Burgundy is the colour of the Imperial Porphyry, green is the colour of the monk. In this hall, the exposition explores the life of the Imperial Family from Emperor Nicholas II’s and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s childhood to the tragic vents of 1917. Two stands describe the history of the House of Romanov – from the calling to the throne of Mikhail Feodorovich in 1613 and to the death and martyrdom of Nicholas II 305 years later.

Archival photographs and documentary materials, diary entries, testimonies of contemporaries, statements by prominent public and church figures reveal in detail the life of the Imperial Family. They tell about their service to Russia, their close family relations, and the historical context of the events of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, the exposition explores the cultural, scientific, and political life of the Russian Empire during the era of Nicholas II.

PHOTOS: four double-sided mobile stands display documents and
photos which explore the life of Emperor Nicholas II and his family

The photographs and documents are displayed on four double-sided mobile stands on small wheels with stoppers. At the northern and southern walls there are carved white-stone lecterns with carvings, under which relics of the era of Emperor Nicholas II are placed. In the eastern part of the hall there is a passage through three brass decorative arches which leads to the White Hall. Between the arches, there are four kiot stands made of white stone with carvings (initials), glass, lighting and a carved finial, dedicated to the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Nikolaevna. The ceiling is dark, with diffused and directional track lighting.

In the White Hall there is information about the Way of the Cross of the Imperial Family – the period from the events at the Dno station, the Tsar’s abdicated in March 1917, to the murder of Nicholas II and his entire family on 17th July 1918 in Ekaterinburg and the subsequent history of the veneration and glorification of the Imperial Family as saints. Extensive textual and illustrative material makes it possible to speculatively walk this path together with the Royal Passion-Bearers, to come into spiritual contact with the last year of their lives, to see the light of the Paschal victory in the darkness of the Ipatiev House.

CLICK on the photos below to enlarge and see in greater detail . . .

Also in the White Hall there are stands dedicated to the faithful retainers, who voluntarily followed the Imperial Family into exile and shared their sufferings, showing an example of loyalty to duty; stands dedicated to the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, the Alapaevsk Martyrs, who were murdered by the Bolsheviks the day after the Imperial Family; two kiot stands dedicated to Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich; and stands dedicated to the memory, glorification and modern veneration of the Holy Royal Martyrs.

The hall is crowned by a large carved icon case with an icon of the Royal Martyrs, visible from the very entrance to the burgundy-green hall. The saints are depicted in white robes with a reference to the apocalyptic image of martyrs overcoming earthly sufferings and faithful to Christ (Revelations 6:9-12).

The White Hall is also used as a venue for small gatherings. The 4 white stands can be rrolled to the sides, thereby freeing up the central space of the hall. Attached to the ceiling in this room is a screen that can be opened in the eastern part of the hall, with a projector at the entrance to the burgundy-green hall. Folding chairs which are stored in the adjoining utility room, provide for guests attending lectures, films and other events.

CLICK on the photos below to enlarge and see in greater detail . . .

The museum is a project of love and deepest respect to the Holy Royal Martyrs and their feat on the Cross, which formed the basis of the feat of faith of all the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church and the preservation of the Holy Russian spirit in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

The opening of the new museum in Dno is the fourth such museum in Russia dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II and his family, the other three are the Museum of the Holy Royal Family in the Tsarsky Cultural and Educational Center, situated in the Patriarchal Compound of the Church on the Blood (Ekaterinburg); the Museum of the Family of Emperor Nicholas II (Tobolsk); and the Museum in Memory of Emperor Nicholas II and His Family (Kotelniki-Moscow).

PHOTO: icon of the Royal Martyrs in the White Hall