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Posted on 03/03/2015 6:32:33 PM PST by NRx
The construction of a church in honour of Tsar Nicholas II and his family has been completed in Moscow.
The ground breaking and initial construction began three years ago, in March of 2012. On March 8, 2013 the Head of the Russian Imperial House, HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna visited the site of the new church during an official visit to Moscow. The grand duchess lit a candle in memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs, and then took the time to speak and have tea with local parishers.
The first liturgy was held on July 17, 2014 in a temporary chapel situated immediately adjacent to the site of the main church. Since that time, regular worship and liturgies continued to be held in the temporary chapel.
A temporary iconostasis has now been installed in the church. The final phase of construction, which includes finishing touches on the church’s facades, and landscaping will be carried in the Spring. A church bell is currently being made in the Tutaev plant.
The church is part of an ambitious plan by the Russian Orthodox Church to construct 200 new churches in the nation’s capital.
The Church of the Holy Royal Martyrs is situated at 6th Novopodmoskovny lane. d.7., in the northwest suburbs of Moscow, it can accommodate up to 200 worshipers.
I think most Catholics would object to the Russian royal family being declared “saints” by the Orthodox.
Maybe, but it isn’t really their call. The Orthodox object to a great many Catholic Saints.
They tend to view us Lutheran’s as odd half brothers of the Catholics who make good beer.
Well since Rome didn’t consult with us before beatifying Cardinal Stepinac, a man whose name is a curse word to most Orthodox, I am not sure what the grounds for complaint are.
Beer is good and manufacturing the better stuff can cover a multitude of sins. :-)
Beautiful edifice.
The Russian royal family were disposed for being opulent monarchs out of touch with the people, rather than being disposed for being examples of Christian virtue. Basically its the difference between naming Thomas More as a saint (a political leader who was executed for refusing to renounce his faith) vs. making King Louis XVI of France a saint (a political leader who was executed for being an opulent monarchs out of touch with the people, NOT because he happened to be a member of the Roman Catholic Church). Thomas More deserves to be named a saint, Louis XVI does not.
The Romanovs were members of the the Russian Orthodox Church, but they weren't executed because of this, nor are their lives anything particularly "saintly"
Of course Catholics have no ability to complain, as they have no jurisdiction over which Russian Orthodox Christians are declared "saints" by their church.
But the difference in perspective illustrates why a Romanov "Sainthood" shouldn't be listed in the same religious "caucus"
Actually if you do some research I think you will find that the Imperial Family was devoutly religious. Nicholas II and his family were originally glorified by the Russian Church Abroad during the 1980’s as martyrs. But the Moscow Patriarchate has officially labeled them as Passion Bearers and canonized them for the heroic manner in which they accepted their suffering while in Communist captivity. The term martyr however is by far the more popularly invoked among the Russian people and clergy.
I would also note in passing that your criticisms of the Czar and his family could easily be applied to the Emperor Karl (Hapsburg) of Austria-Hungary who has been beatified and who enjoys a popular devotion, especially among Traditional Catholics.
It’s only propaganda if it isn’t true. I can’t comment on Saint Nikolai Velimirovich of Ohrid as I am not familiar with his biography. But I will look into it.
That makes it even more problematic, since their "devoutly religious" background is best known throughout the world because of the Czarina's close support of Rasputin. Some Orthodox have even suggested sainting Rasputin himself. I could argue that Marie Laveau, the famed "voodoo queen" of New Orleans, was a "devoutly religious" Catholic, but people would vehemently object to her canonization, for obvious reasons.
“It’s only propaganda if it isn’t true.”
No. I realize that many public school grads think that, but technically propaganda is in itself not necessarily true or false.
Merriam Wesbter:
2: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.
3: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect.
I used the word propaganda correctly. It was “a public action” by the communist government meant to “further [their] cause or to damage an opposing cause [the anti-communist Catholic Church].” Now, I also believe the information, the propaganda in this case, to be lies, half-truths, mischaracterizations, etc. But, having said that, that does not mean all propaganda is lies. Get a good dictionary if you don’t have one.
“I can’t comment on Saint Nikolai Velimirovich of Ohrid as I am not familiar with his biography. But I will look into it.”
His is an interesting case. He was also a very interesting man. He suffered a great deal at the hands of the Nazis. He could not go home to a country in the hands of the communists. Stepinac suffered at the hands of the communists. When Stepinac was diagnosed with polycythemia, a blood disorder which leads to excessive red blood cell counts, he joked “I am suffering from an excess of reds.”
I have rarely read a statement that contained so many factual falsehoods and calumnies in so few words. The idea that any Orthodox Christians (excluding the mentally ill) would support the canonization of someone as demonic as Gregory Rasputin is one that could only find fertile ground among the rabidly anti-Orthodox.
“I think most Catholics would object to the Russian royal family being declared “saints” by the Orthodox.”
That’s a bit odd. Why? And why would anyone of another faith need to care what the Catholics think? Catholics don’t exactly worry about what other people think about their decisions.
So spreading truth, if the intent is to defame, is propaganda. lol,,,,
In a very extreme sense, I see what you mean, but broadcasting objective truth is not normally termed propaganda.
Reminder to donate $5 or $10 to end the Freepathon.
I never claimed a majority of Orthodox Christians support canonization of Rasputin or even that it is a mainstream idea that is gaining adherents. Notably, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church has vocally spoken out against it, so its unlikely to ever happen. However, there is a SMALL segment of Orthodox Christianity that supports the idea. I doubt they are "rabidly anti-Orthodox" against their own religion, anymore than the existence of Vatican II deniers who claim every Pope after Pius XII is a false Pope (a viewpoint held by a small but vocal minority of Catholics) are a myth made up by "rabidly anti-Catholic" groups.
If you think I'm making this up to "smear" Orthodox Christians as a whole, take it up with numerous reports about the idea being floated within Orthodox Christianity:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/836816/posts?page=53
http://sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=9219
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/orthodox-church-takes-on-rasputin/240577.html
Beats me. The thread is labeled "Catholic/Orthodox caucus", rather than simply "Orthodox caucus". Apparently Catholics ARE supposed to care about the Romanovs being named "saints" by the Orthodox.
Your explanation is too facile. The Romanovs of the last days were not self serving monsters but dedicated to Russia and their people Nicholas by his own admission was not properly trained to rule. He and his family were destroyed by true monsters Lenin and the Bolsheviks
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