Posted on 10/08/2015 4:13:04 AM PDT by marshmallow
Moscow, October 8, Interfax - The Russian Church may canonize the doctor of Russia's last emperor Nicholas II Yevgeny Botkin and his three servants.
A proposal to this effect was made by the Yekaterinburg diocese. The issue is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the Holy Synod, Archpriest Alexy Kulberg, first aide to Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye Kiril, told Interfax-Religion.
"We have no information that the life of these four loyal servants of the tsar was sinful and that they did anything in the course of their lives that would tarnish them as Christians. Enough materials have been collected on their life an death, which indicate not only the highest quality of life of these people as citizens, but also the fact that they lived a good, righteous Christian life," he said.
"The loyalty that those people manifested by following the tsar's family to Tobolsk and Yekaterinburg is not 'just words'," he said.
"Read the story of the tsar's family after the tsar's abdication, how people who before that had come in crowds, trying to get the slightest benefit from the tsar's family, instantly turned a way, disappeared, and shunned their acquaintance with the tsar's family. They felt that it smelled of blood and retreated. But the four servants stayed loyal and voluntarily gave their lives, fulfilling the Christian commandment on love and faithfulness," he said.
The priest said that people in the Urals have a special attitude to Yevgeny Botkin, as well as the other three tsar's servants who suffered together with the tsar's family.
"That attitude is reflected in the interior of the Church-on-the-Blood built on the site of the Ipatyev house. In the southern apse of this church, there are memorial boards with the names of the emperor, the empress and their children, and on the opposite, northern apse, there are memorial boards with the names of their faithful servants," he said.
The representative of the diocese expressed hopes that the names of Yevgeny Botkin and the tsar's servants "will soon be said in prayers that are different from the request to rest their souls with the saints at memorial services."
In 1981, the Russian Church Outside of Russia canonized Yevgeny Botkin along with the servants of the tsar's family (cook Ivan Kharitonov, footman Aloise Trupp and maid Anna Demidova), who were shot and killed in the Ipatyev house. In 2000, the Russian Church canonized the new Russian martyrs and confessors Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna and their five children.
The members of the tsar's family, their doctor and three servants were martyred in the early hours of July 17, 1918 in the house of engineer Ipatyev. Liturgies have been served in the Church-on-the-Blood, which was built on the site where the tsar's family was killed on the 17th day of every month since September 2012. Sacred processions take place from the Church-on-the-Blood to Ganina Yama (21km) every year on July 17 after the divine service.
Oh my..... the Russian Orthodox Church as an odd definition of who they Canonize (or choose as “Saints”).
They say the Tsar and his family and loyal servants died as martyrs. I assume that means they died for a cause. There is no evidence that the “cause” they died for was Jesus Christ. Their cause was “the Tsar and his rule”. Did he lead a Christ-like life? Wikipedia says, “he was called Nicholas the Bloody because of the Khodynka Tragedy, anti-Semitic pogroms, Bloody Sunday, his violent suppression of the 1905 Revolution, his execution of political opponents and his perceived responsibility for the Russo-Japanese War.”
So if this is their definition of “Saint” and thus someone who they pray to hoping for intervention with the Savior, just what does that say for the practice of Canonization?
There’s no doubt of the heroism of Nicholas II’s servants who followed the family into exile and death. And what a terrible death. One was the little prince’s tutor, I believe. Thank you for posting. I’ve been fascinated with this story since the publication of the book “Nicholas and Alexandra.”
They are heavy into the political arena. They have canonized a number of politicians. As you are aware, here politicians are generally minions of satan, but it could be different in russia.
My mother had that book sitting out in the living room for years, back when one had a living room. How many times I dusted it ...
I agree: the servants are exemplars of loyalty and self-sacrifice.
Khodynka wasn't the Tsar's fault, and neither was Bloody Sunday.
“They say the Tsar and his family and loyal servants died as martyrs.”
Actually the Imperial Family are officially considered to be “Holy Passion Bearers.” That said, they are widely acclaimed as martyrs among the laity and the Russian Church Abroad.
Thank you for that info. Can you explain to me exactly what a “Holy Passion Bearer" is and how one attains that title? I am curious. Thanks
I never said that the Lenin was better than the Tsar, nor do I think the murder of the Tsar and his family was in any way right or good. I was just trying to point out that I have a difficult time imagining how anyone can think of Nicolas as a “Saint” ..... why would this man be elevated to such a position in God’s eyes? And furthermore, declaring this sinful man “Canonized” shows the ridiculousness of the whole Canonization process.
By the way, you seem to have excuses for most of his brutality. Do you also have an excuse for his anti-Semitic pogroms?
Yes, NRx, I read that in Wiki too. Just words, no real explanation as to why or how. Millions of people bravely face death, but were not declared “passion bearers”.
It is said that Nicolas faced his death in a Christ-like manner”. No he did NOT actually. Christ died as a “sacrificial lamb” for your and my sins. Christ went willingly to the cross to accomplish this act of atonement which affords us Grace. Nicolas’s death did in no way atone for anyone’s sin. If you believe he faced death in a Christ-like way, then you really do not fully understand what Christ did when he died on that Cross.
You are missing the point again. When the Orthodox Church recognizes someone for facing death in a "Christ-like manner", they are not claiming that the person was dying to atone for anyone sins but that they faced their fate with humility.
I am always amazed by Christians who jump to criticize what they do not understand. Christ certainly expected better of us.
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