Paul Gilbert

On this day – 17th July 1998 – Nicholas II was buried in St Petersburg

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Paul Gilbert (far right) joins 50 Romanov descendants, at the funeral of Nicholas II, in St. Petersburg on 17th July 1998. Photo by D. Koscheev, from the book The Last Bow (1999)

It was 25 years ago today – 17th July 1998 – that the earthly remains of Emperor Nicholas II, his wife, three of their five children and their four faithful retainers were buried in St. Catherine’s Chapel – a side chapel of the SS Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

I was honoured to attend this historic event, thanks to the kindness of a descendant of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, who was living in New York at the time. It was through her efforts that she arranged for me to attend the funeral in St. Petersburg, through the Director of the Romanov Family Association in Russia Ivan Artsishevsky (1950-2021), who served as head of the working group on the reburial of Emperor Nicholas II, his family and servants.

It is interesting to note that the only Romanov descendants who did not attend the burial were Princess Maria Vladimirovna, her son Prince George Mikhailovich-Hohenzollern, and her mother Princess Leonida Georgievna (1914-2010). To this day, Maria and her son do not recognize the Ekaterinburg Remains as those of Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family.

Just prior to the funeral on the 17th, I was invited to join more than 50 Romanov descendants in the lobby of the Astoria Hotel. It was here that I met Princes Nicholas (1922-2014) and Dimitri (1926-2016) Romanovich Romanov. From here, I travelled on a special coach with the Romanov’s to the Peter and Paul Fortress. I recall the coach driving along the Embankment which was lined on both sides by thousands of people who had gathered to watch the drive past. Many of them held icons of the Holy Royal Martyrs, others kneeled on the street, making the sign of the cross as the coach passed.

By the time the coach arrived at the Fortress, hundreds of people had assembled on the square in front of SS Peter and Paul Cathedral. The Romanov family descendants walked in silence along the path into the Cathedral. Bells tolled from the SS Peter and Paul Cathedral and soldiers gave a 19-gun salute.

Yeltsin attends, calls for repentance

PHOTO: Russian president Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007) and his wife Anastasia Iosifovna Yeltsina bow their heads at the crypt of the last Russian Emperor and his family

The Romanov family members were joined by Russian president Boris Yeltsin, Prince Michael of Kent of Great Britain, family members of the Oldenburg dynasty from Germany and diplomats from more than 50 countries.

Addressing the funeral ceremony, Yeltsin described the murder of the Russian Imperial family as one of the most shameful pages in Russian history, and urged Russians to close a “bloody century” with repentance. “Today is a historic day for Russia. For many years, we kept quiet about this monstrous crime, but the truth has to be spoken,” he added.

Yeltsin said he had no choice but to attend this funeral in consideration of the fact that the funeral presented a historical chance for the Russian people to exculpate themselves from the sins of their fathers, and the sins of the murder of their Romanov family

St. Catherine’s Chapel

PHOTO: view of St. Catherine’s Chapel, the current resting place for Emperor Nicholas II and his family

In the weeks leading up to the burial, a complete reconstruction of St. Catherine’s Chapel was carried out. In 1997, specialists from the Restorer and Olko firms carried out the work, which included painting the walls and plafond of the chapel. A two-tiered crypt (depth 1 m 66 cm, length 2 m 70 cm, width 1 m 70 cm) was built near the only window in the southern part of the chapel. The seal-tight crypt was waterproofed, thus providing ideal conditions for the preservation of the remains.

On the lower tier are the coffins of the family’s four faithful retainers, and on the upper tier are the coffins of the Emperor, Empress and their three daughters Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia. An openwork lattice divides the crypt into two parts. The coffins were made of Caucasian oak, their surface is covered with a wax-turpentine mixture. Inside, the coffins are upholstered with copper sheet, and on top – a cover of white velour on silk white cords. On the lid of the coffin of Emperor Nicholas II there is a cypress cross (grown in the garden of the Livadia Palace in Crimea) and a model of a sword based on a 1909 model. The rest of the coffins of members of the Imperial Family have lids decorated with bronze, gilded, crosses. The coffins of the servants are decorated with silver-plated eight-point Orthodox crosses. As the valet Aloysius Trupp was a Catholic, a four-point cross decorates his coffin. The side decoration of the coffins consisted of: a brass board engraved (on which the names, title, place of birth and place of death (according to the Julian calendar) and the date of burial are embossed), as well as double-headed eagles for the seven coffins of members of the Imperial Family. Each coffin was secured with brass (non-oxidizing) screws. Lead plates were laid in the lid and in the coffin itself along the perimeter at the place of their connection, making them airtight after closing the coffin.

The coffins were made in strict accordance with the historical traditions of the burial rites of Russian monarchs. After the burial, the crypt was covered with reinforced concrete slabs, through the rings of which a steel chain closed on the lock was threaded. A temporary wooden tombstone was erected over the grave, and later replaced by a marble one. Memorial plaques with epitaphs were placed on the walls of the chapel. Later, the historical coating of the aisle, Mettlach tiles – was also restored.

PHOTO: the Head of the Russian Imperial House Prince Nicholas Romanovich (1922-2014) throws a handful of earth into the grave

At the present time, the crypt in the Catherine Chapel holds a total of 9 coffins:

  1. Emperor Nicholas II Alexandrovich (burial of remains on 17th July 1998)
  2. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (burial of the remains on 17th July 1998)
  3. Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna (burial of the remains on 17th July 1998)
  4. Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna (burial of the remains on 17th July 1998)
  5. Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna (burial of the remains on 17th July 1998)
  6. family-physician Dr. Eugene Botkin (burial of remains on 17th July 1998)
  7. maid Anna Demidova (burial of remains on 17th July 1998)
  8. valet Aloysius Trupp (burial of remains on 17th July 1998)
  9. cook Ivan Kharitonov (burial of remains on 17th July 1998)

It was not until 2007, that the remains of Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, which consisted of 44 bone fragments, were discovered in a second grave at Porosenkov Log, near Ekaterinburg. In December 2015, their remains were transferred from the State Archives of the Russian Federation to the Lower Church of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow, where they remain to this day.

The fate of the Ekaterinburg Remains currently rests with the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Once the members of the Council have confirmed the authenticity of the Ekaterinburg Remains as those of the Imperial Family, it is then that the entire family’s remains will be buried together.

The question of whether or not the Imperial Family’s remains are buried together in St. Catherine’s Chapel remain a mystery. The chapel is part of SS Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is a museum, whereby an admission must be paid to enter. No person should ever have to buy a ticket to enter a House of God! So, will the Imperial Family be reburied with great pomp and ceremony in another location? There has been numerous suggestions of reburying their remains in a newly built cathedral in Ekaterinburg or the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral – Nicholas II’s favourite church at Tsarskoye Selo. Please click HERE to read my article The Fate of the Ekaterinburg Remains, in which I discuss this further.

The Burial of the Romanovs | 17 July 1998 VIDEO – duration: 26 minutes

© Paul Gilbert. 17 July 2023

NEW BOOK: A Day in the Life of Russia’s Last Tsar

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan
*Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $25.00 USD

English. 242 pages with 225 black & white photos

Aside from his many duties as God’s anointed Emperor and Tsar of All the Russia’s, Nicholas II took on many other roles from one day to the next: a dutiful husband and loving father, a devoted son and brother, a friend, a sportsman, a diplomat, an ambassador, a dedicated military leader, a devout Orthodox Christian, among others.

This richly illustrated pictorial explores the day-to-day duties of Russia’s last monarch. It is divided into six sections: the Tsar and His Family; Sports, Leisure and Holidays; the Tsar and the Church; the Tsar and Russia; the War Years; and the Tsar Under House Arrest. Each section features full-size historic images which reflect his day to day duties and activities. In total, this unique album includes more than 200 photographs from the author’s private collection.

The publication of this album is timed to coincide with the 155th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Nicholas II on 19th May [O.S. 6th May] 1868 and the 105th anniversary of the death and martyrdom [17th July 1918].

About the author

Paul Gilbert is a British born researcher and writer, specializing in the study of the life and reign of Emperor Nicholas II.

He has travelled extensively in Russia since 1986, visiting archives and historic sites associated with Russia’s last Tsar.

In 1998, he attended the Tsar’s funeral in St. Petersburg, and in 2018, he took part in the events marking the 100th anniversary of his death and martyrdom in Ekaterinburg.

©  Paul Gilbert. 14 July 2023

‘The Empress’s Balcony’ and ‘The Empress’s Chair’ become bestsellers on AMAZON

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

On 16th June 2023, ‘The Empress’s Balcony in the Alexander Palace‘ and ‘The Empress’s Chair in the Alexander Palace‘ claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 positions on Amazon’s ‘New Releases in Historical Russia Biographies’ Bestseller list. My two latest books held these spots for 10 consecutive days in a row – setting a new record for any of my previously published books.

Based on the number of posts on my Facebook page, both titles have been well received and enjoyed by readers from all over the world. One Australian reader wrote: “Who would have thought a chair and balcony could be the subject of a book, but you did it!”

Each richly illustrated pictorial features a new 8-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ paperback format with glossy cover. The price is $12.99 USD, both titles are available from AMAZON in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland and Japan.

The Empress’s Balcony – 110 pages – is a unique pictorial dedicated to the famous balcony where the Imperial Family spent so much time together and a favourite spot for family photographs.

The text on pages 3 to 14 explores the history and restoration of the Maple Drawing Room, which led out onto the balcony. It explains the construction of the iron grille balcony in 1896, and why it was dismantled between 1947-49 by the Alexander Palace’s new Soviet caretakers. The selection of nearly 100 vintage photographs presented in this album, are all we have left of this once happy and peaceful sanctuary for the Imperial Family while they were in residence at Tsarskoye Selo. Click HERE to order.

The Empress’s Chair – 120 pages – explores yet another iconic spot found in Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s favourite room: the Mauve Boudoir.

The text on pages 3 to 14 explores the history and restoration of the Mauve Boudoir. More than 100 black and white photographs record nearly 30 members of the Imperial Family, their relatives and guests, all posing in the iconic corner chair. Neither the Mauve Boudoir of the Empress’s chair survived, however, both have recently been recreated. Click HERE to order.

© Paul Gilbert. 28 June 2023

New books on the Romanovs scheduled for 2023

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

In response to the numerous queries I have been receiving over the past few months with regards to the new book projects which I have been working on over the past year, I decided to provide the following update . . .

Many of you may recall that 2022 was not a good year for me due to health reasons. In April, I was diagnosed with Stage-2 cancer; in May, I had surgery to remove the tumour; in June, I was at home recovering; followed by six months of chemotherapy, which left me both weak and tired. Never, in my life have I ever felt so sick. As a result, my research and writing suffered, delaying publication of the titles pictured above by months.

My chemo ended on 11th January, however, I continue to endure side effects. According to my oncologist, it could take up to two months for my body to flush all the toxins, and any where from six to twelves months before I start to feel my old self again.

Despite that, I am now looking forward to returning to my two favourite passions in life: researching and writing about the life, reign and era of Russia’s much slandered tsar Nicholas II.

Below, is a short summary of each of the titles scheduled for publication this year:

Nicholas II. Photographs – will be my most ambitious publishing project to date, with 200+ pages and richly illustrated with more than 200 high-quality black and white photos of Nicholas II – most of them full-page!

My book will be divided into 12 parts + an interesting foreword on the many albums and individual photos held in archives and private collections; Nicholas’s own interest in photography; efforts to preserve and restore images currently held in Russian archives; and much more.

This beautiful album is a labour of love, and my personal tribute to the memory of Russia’s last emperor and tsar. I am so proud of this book, and trust that this book will one day become a much coveted and sought after collectors title.

The Lost World of Imperial Russia. Volume II – the second volume of my recently published book, which will feature MORE photographs of the the Russian Empire during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, from 1894 to 1917.

The cover will feature a photo of Andrei Alexeevich Kudinov (1852–1915), who served as bodyguard to Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich (later Alexander III). In December 1878, he was assigned to Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna; he stayed at this post when she became Empress in 1881 and continued until his death.

Volume II will be issued in hard cover and paperback editions, 240 pages, richly illustrated with more than 400 vintage black and white photos!

Sovereign No. 12 – After an absence of nearly four years, I am pleased to announce that my semi-annual periodical ‘Sovereign: The Life and Reign of Emperor Nicholas II’ will resume publication next year. The next issue – the No. 12 issue – will be published in January 2023.

This new issue will feature the following full-length articles – among others, that have yet to be announced:

[1] Mikhail Rodzianko: Gravedigger of the Russian Empire by Andrei Ivanov

[2] Nikolai Sokolov’s Report to Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna on the Investigation into the Deaths of Emperor Nicholas II and his Family

[3] Memorial Museums to Nicholas II in Post-Soviet Russia by Paul Gilbert

[4] They Were the Last to Help the Tsar’s Family in Ekaterinburg by Abbess Dominica (Korobeinikova)

[5] Loyal to Their Sovereign: Generals Who Did Not Betray Nicholas II in 1917 by Paul Gilbert

[6] Family Disloyalty: Nicholas II and the Vladimirovichi by Paul Gilbert

Olga: Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna – this book is a tribute to one of the most beloved and respected members of the Russian Imperial Family: Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna (1882-1960).

The first part explores her Russian, Danish and Canadian years respectively; the second part explores her love of painting – Olga painted more than 2,000 in her life; the third is about her work and dedication as a nurse during WWI; the fourth is an interview with her daughter-in-law Olga Kulikovsky-Romanoff (1926-2020), who shares her husband Tikhon’s anecdotes and details about his mother: the Grand Duchess of Russia.

Richly illustrated with more than 100 black and white photos. 

Anna: Anna Alexandrovna Taneeva-Vyrubova – Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova (née Taneyeva), was born on 16th July 1884. She is most famous as the lady-in-waiting, the best friend and confidante of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

This new book features 7 chapters, including a synopsis of Vyrubova’s memoirs – published in the 1920s; her home in Tsarskoye Selo; an interview with Anna in 1917; her life in exile in Finland; efforts to have her canonized, among others.

Vyrubova died in exile on 20th July 1964, at the age of 80. She was buried in the Orthodox section of Hietaniemi cemetery in Helsinki.

Illustrated with more than 60 black and white photographs

The Imperial Train of Emperor Nicholas II – the first English language book about the Imperial Train will explore the Tsar’s luxurious mode of transport on rails. It will feature detailed descriptions – including vintage photos and floorplans – of the train’s interiors. It also tells about the fate of the Imperial Train, the Imperial Railway Pavilions constructed solely for the use of the Imperial Train, and much more.

Traitor to the Tsar! Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich and Nicholas II – is the first comprehensive study to thoroughly examine the relationship between Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich and his first cousin Tsar Nicholas II. It is based primarily on documents and letters retrieved from Russian archival and media sources, many of which will be new to the English reader.

Grand Duke Kirill, was clearly a man who lacked a moral compass. In this book I discuss his entering into an incestuous marriage with his paternal first cousin and a divorcee, Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1905, defying both Nicholas II by not obtaining his consent prior, and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Kirill’s act of treason during the February Revolution of 1917, is well known and for which he is most vilified. It was in Petrograd, that Kirill marched to the Tauride Palace at the head of the Garde Equipage (Marine Guard) to swear allegiance to the Russian Provisional Government, wearing a red band on his uniform. He then authorized the flying of a red flag over his palace on Glinka Street in Petrograd.

In June 1917, Grand Duke Kirill was the first Romanov to flee Russia. His departure was “illegal”, as Kirill was still in active duty as a rear admiral in active military service in a country at war, he had abandoned his honour and dignity in the process.

In 1922, Kirill declared himself “the guardian of the throne”, and in 1924, pompously proclaimed himself “Emperor-in-Exile”, creating a schism in monarchist circles of the Russian emigration.

I further explore Kirill and Victoria’s alleged Nazi affiliations during their years in exile, as well as Kirill’s shameful infidelity, of which his wife would never forgive him.

* * *

Please NOTE that I do not have publication dates, bindings (on some titles), page counts, and prices at this time. In addition, the book covers and titles shown are subject to change without notice. ALL of these titles will be made available on AMAZON. Each new publication will be announced here on my blog, my Facebook page and also via my bi-weekly news updates.

© Paul Gilbert. 1 February 2023

Paul Gilbert resumes sale of personal royal library

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

Now that my chemo is over and done with, I can now resume the sale of the remaining books from my personal library. I have about 300+ titles remaining in my collection on Russian, European and British royalty – some titles of which are very rare and/or in mint or very good condition.

In preparation for my planned move back to England in the summer of 2025, I have been forced to sell the bulk of my personal library, which originally consisted of more than 2,000 new, rare and second-hand titles on the royal houses of Russia, Europe and Britain.

The ONLY books that I will be taking with me to England, are my collection of titles on the life, reign and era of Nicholas II.

I have created a special online bookshop for the sale of my collection [see link below]. The titles listed are all one-of-a-kind, there are no duplicates! Books will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. The condition of each book varies and is noted with each listing. Titles are available in a variety of languages: English, French, German and Russian. Please check individual listings before ordering.

ALL prices are in US dollars! Payment can be made securely online with a credit card or PayPal. I will also accept payment by personal check or money order in USD. Shipping rates are for Canada and United States orders ONLY. ALL sales are FINAL!

Please take a moment to review my current catalogue, bearing in mind that I still have many additional titles on European and British royalty to add over the coming weeks ahead.

Additional titles will be added on a regular basis, so please bookmark or check back for new listings. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by email – royalrussia@yahoo.com

© Paul Gilbert. 20 January 2023

Nicholas II Conference cancelled . . . again!

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

How unfortunate that my first post for 2023 should be a negative one . . . it is with much disappointment that I find myself forced to cancel the Nicholas II Conference which I was planning for September of this year.

Shortly after announcing the event several months back, I began to receive hate-filled messages and emails from “Russophobes” in the UK, who threatened to “disrupt” the Conference. Most of these messages were generously peppered with profanity – which reflected their bigoted and hateful anti-Russian sentiment.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, the church – where the Conference was to be held – in Colchester, England had been targeted by anti-Russian thugs. The police even had to get involved!

The Conference had no political agenda, whatsoever, which begs the question “WHY” would thugs target an event dedicated to the study and appreciation of Russia’s last Tsar?

While I understand the anger towards Putin for ordering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I fail to understand any connection between Putin and Nicholas II, especially given that more than a century separates their lives.

After further discussion, Father Andrew Phillips and I have decided to postpone the September Conference for the time being. I was really looking forward to hosting this event, however, we will now have to be patient and wait until such time as it is deemed safe. What a sad world we live.

*Some readers may recall that I was planning a similar Conference to be held at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York in 2020, however, I was forced to cancel this event due to COVID. Father Theophylact (Clapper-DeWell) and I both agreed that the health and safety of those planning to attend should be our priority.

© 3 January 2023

Paul Gilbert reflects on 2022

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Paul Gilbert holding a copy of his book The Lost World of Imperial Russia: The Russian Empire During the Reign of Emperor Nicholas II, published in September – I am so proud of this publishing project!

No one will be happier to see this year come to end than myself. Without exaggerating, 2022 has been the worst year of my life. Every month seemed to present a fresh bombshell:

February – Russia’s declaration of war against Ukraine hit me very hard;
March – I was forced to cancel my September trip to Ekaterinburg and Tobolsk;
April – I was diagnosed with Stage-2 Colon Cancer;
May – I underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor;
June – post-surgery recovery at home;
July – I began 6-months of chemotherapy;
September – I experienced sadness and grief following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II;
October – the death of my 16-year-old dog and faithful companion ‘Maggie’ was a profound personal loss;
December – I was forced to cancel the Nicholas II Conference (planned for September 2023) following threats from “Russophobes”

Despite the challenges that 2022 brought to my doorstep, I still managed to maintain a positive attitude. I am so very grateful that I had my books and writing to distract me during these challenging months. My commitment to clearing the name of the Russia’s much slandered Tsar gave me something positive to focus on, especially during my recovery and chemotherapy. I was still able to write articles for my blog and posts for my Facebook page from the comfort of my favourite chair.

Much of positive attitude I attribute to my faith. When I was diagnosed with cancer back in April, rather than give in to fear, I placed my health in God’s hands. My faith was empowered even further by the prayers and words of love and support that I received from the thousands of people around the world who follow my posts on Facebook every day.

My chemotherapy will end on January 12th, at which time I look forward to a healthier new year. Not only am I making plans to travel again, I have some very interesting new books planned for publication in 2023, including the revival of my semi-annual periodical SOVEREIGN.

Happy New Year! С Новым Годом!

© 31 December 2022

Nicholas II: News from Russian Media & Archival Sources

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $20.00 USD

English. Large 8-1/2″ x 11″ format, 256 pages, 300+ black & white photos

In this book, you will find more than 130 articles and news stories about exhibitions, new monuments, portraits, polls on Nicholas II’s popularity in post-Soviet Russia, updates on the restoration of the Alexander Palace, events marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Nicholas II and the 100th anniversary of his death and martyrdom, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ekaterinburg remains and much more.

These articles and news stories were originally published in Sovereign (2015-2020) and Royal Russia (2011-2020). Both of these periodicals are no longer published, the back issues out of print, therefore, I am pleased to offer these important materials in one concise volume. They are complemented with more than 300 black and white photographs, many of which have never been published in any Western newspaper, magazine or book. Each article has been sourced from Russian media and archival sources, and translated into English.

While this collection of articles and news stories, may not appeal to every one, it will prove a valuable research tool for those studying the life and reign of Nicholas II, particularly as he is perceived in modern-day Russia.

Paul Gilbert’s Romanov Bookshop on AMAZON

I have published more than 30 titles to date through AMAZON – featuring one of the largest selections of books on Nicholas II, the Romanov dynasty and the history of Imperial Russia. These include both new titles and reprints of titles which have out of print for years.

Please CLICK on the BANNER or LINK above to review my current selection of titles in hardcover, paperback and ebook editions. Listings provide a full description for each title, pricing and a Look inside feature.

© Paul Gilbert. 7 November 2022

© Paul Gilbert. 2 December 2022

BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Lost World of Imperial Russia’

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

Book review by Mikhail Smirnov, published on Russian Faith

A Great Book for those Interested in Orthodox Culture

I had the opportunity to review the new book, “The Lost World of Imperial Russia“, by Russian historian, Paul Gilbert. This book is available at Amazon for a decent price and I do recommend it for your Orthodox library. There are indeed a number of illustrated books on Russia, but this one is from a purely Orthodox perspective, that captures key elements of the Orthodox empire of Russia. Saints such as John of Kronstadt, and many others, are displayed in the book. Many churches and ecclesial events are also displayed…pictures that are very hard to find and very helpful for those who research Russia and plan on visiting Russia. I intend to bring this book the next time I visit, primarily because, again, it is most purely Orthodox.

It’s certainly a good coffee table book, but the more I look at it the more I see it as a travel book. It’s approximately 8.5×11, so it’s not too big, and not very heavy. Most importantly it has the right stuff in it for those who really want to experience Russia in the way we believe it should be experienced.

On that note of experiencing Russia, I would like to add that what Paul reveals here is foundational for Orthodox Christians or those seeking Orthodoxy, but from my experience, the more miraculous experiences happen from how you “live and leave” these areas. Many of these places are holy sites, where saints dwelled and worked, and where angels still dwell and work. So, locating the right place, as you can find in this book, and then praying and maybe even spending time at these places will enable you to experience the grace of God when you need it in everyday life.

Get the book, not necessarily to see nice pics, but to begin your journey to Holy Russia. The war will clear soon and it will be relatively easy to travel there. Open the book, pray to God, and then go!

© Mikhail Smirnov. 16 November 2022

Proceedings of the 1st International Nicholas II Conference

Posted on by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION @ $30.00 USD

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE HARD COVER EDITION @ $40.00 USD

I am pleased to offer the proceedings of the 1st International Nicholas II Conference, in both hard cover and paperback editions, available exclusively from AMAZON.

The original edition of these proceedings published in 2018 is out of print. This NEW edition, has been revised and updated, featuring three additional articles, plus a comprehensive bibliography featuring more than 100 English-language titles on the life, reign and era of Russia’s much slandered Tsar.

In addition, this new edition also features full-colour photographs of the event, illustrated with 50 colour and black and white photographs.

* * * * *

In the autumn of 2018, people from nearly a dozen countries gathered in Colchester, England for a conference marking the 150th anniversary of the birth and the 100th anniversary of the death martyrdom of Russia’s last Tsar.

Five speakers, including Paul Gilbert, Archpriest Andrew Philips (ROCOR), Nikolai Krasnov, authors Frances Welch and Marilyn Swezey presented seven papers on Nicholas II.

Lectures included “A Century of Treason, Cowardice and Lies,” “Why Nicholas II is a Saint in the Russian Orthodox Church,” “Nicholas II and the Sacredness of a Monarchy,” “Nicholas II in Post-Soviet Russia,” among others.

The Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov Society UK were kind enough to provide 10 exhibit banners from the society’s mobile exhibition Romanovs During the First World War: Charity and Heroism. Click HERE to read a short summary of the Nicholas II Conference, held in Colchester, England on 27th October 2018.

The conference was timed to coincide with two exhibitions, held in London: The Last Tsar: Blood and Revolution at the Science Museum and Russia: Royalty and the Romanovs at the Queen’ Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

© Paul Gilbert. 6 September 2022