Canonization of the Romanovs explained

The canonization of the Romanovs (also called "glorification" in the Eastern Orthodox Church) was the elevation to sainthood of the last imperial family of Russia – Tsar Nicholas IIhis wife Tsarina Alexandraand their five children OlgaTatianaMariaAnastasiaand Alexei – by the Russian Orthodox Church.

The family was killed by the Bolsheviks on 17 July 1918 at the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.^[2] The house was later demolished. The Church on Blood was built on this siteand the altar stands over the execution site.^[3]

Canonization

On 1 November 1981Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (the younger brother of Nicholas II) and his secretaryNicholas Johnsonwere canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.^[4] The two men were both murdered at Perm on 13 June 1918.^{[5] [6]}

On 15 August 2000the Russian Orthodox Church announced the canonization of Nicholas II and his immediate family for their "'humblenesspatience and meekness'" during their imprisonment and execution by the Bolsheviks.^[7]

On 3 February 2016the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Nicholas II's personal physicianEugene Botkinas a righteous passion bearer.^[8]

Controversy

See also: Tsarebozhiye. The canonizations were controversial for both branches of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1981opponents noted Nicholas II's perceived weaknesses as a ruler and said that his actions had led to the Bolshevik Revolutionwhich caused so much damage for Russia and its people. One priest of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad noted that martyrdom in the Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to do with the martyr's personal actions but was instead related to why he or she was killed.^[9] Other critics noted that the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad appeared to be blaming Jewish revolutionaries for the deaths and equating the political assassination with a ritual murder.^[10]

Others rejected the family's being classified as new martyrs because they were not killed because of their religious faith. There was no proof that the execution was a ritual murder. Religious leaders in both churches also had objections to canonizing the Tsar's family because they perceived him to have been a weak emperor whose incompetence led to the revolutionand the suffering of his people. They said he was at least partially responsible for his own murder and the murders of his wife and children. For these opponentsthe fact that the Tsar was said to bein private lifea kind man and a good husband and father did not override his poor governance of Russia.^[9]

Despite their official designation as "passion-bearers" by the August 2000 Councilthe family are referred to as "martyrs" in Church publicationsiconsand in popular veneration by the people.^{[11] [12]}

Since the late 20th centurybelievers have attributed healing from illnesses or conversion to the Orthodox Church to their prayers to Maria and Alexeias well as to the rest of the family.^{[13] [14]}

See also

• Martyrs of Alapayevsk
• Tsarebozhiye

External links

• In Memory of the Royal Martyrsby St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
• The Royal Martyrs of Russia (Fr. Nektarios Serfes)
• New MartyrsConfessorsand Passion-Bearers of Russia
• Video of the canonization of 1 November 1981 by the Russian Church Abroad
• Video of the canonization of 20 August 2000 by the Moscow Patriarchate

Notes and References

1. Web site: Church in Montenegro Marks Centenary of Romanovs' Deaths. 24 May 2018.
2. Web site: 2019-07-17 . On This Day in 1918 the Romanov Family Was Killed . 2023-06-15 . The Moscow Times . en.
3. News: 2003-07-16 . Church marks killing of Russian tsar . en-GB . 2023-06-15.
4. Web site: The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia - Official Website . 2024-11-19 . synod.com.
5. Web site: Yegorov . Oleg . 2018-08-01 . Who among the Romanovs survived the Red Terror a century ago? . 2023-06-15 . Russia Beyond . en-US.
6. Web site: Bychkova . Xenia . 2019-08-01 . Tsar Nicholas II And Thailand . 2024-11-19 . The Postil Magazine . en-US.
7. News: 2000-08-15 . Nicholas II And Family Canonized For 'Passion' . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-15 . 0362-4331.
8. Web site: Определение Освященного Архиерейского Собора Русской Православной Церкви об общецерковном прославлении ряда местночтимых святых / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru . 2023-06-15 . Патриархия.ru . ru.
9. MassieRobert K.The Romanovs: The Final ChapterRandom House,1995pp. 134-135
10. KingGregand WilsonPennyThe Fate of the RomanovsJohn Wiley and SonsInc.p. 495
11. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/mainnews000923.htm "Patriarch Aleksy Visited the Place Where the Remains of the Royal Martyrs Had Been Burned"
12. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/tsarcanonization.htm GROUNDS FOR CANONIZATION OF THE TSAR FAMILY
13. Web site: SerfesNektarios . 2000. Miracle of the Child Martyr Grand Duchess Maria. The Royal Martyrs of Russia. February 252007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200120115234/http://www.serfes.org/royal/miracleofmaria.htm . 2020-01-20.
14. Web site: SerfesNektarios . 2000. A Miracle Through the Prayers of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexis. The Royal Martyrs of Russia. February 252007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200120115414/http://www.serfes.org/royal/miracleprayers.htm. 2020-01-20.