Russia, the Third Rome

[Alex]

Church of the Savior on Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia​

	November 27th 1998
	Tick. Tick. Tick. Her coronation ceremony was still many hours away yet despite this and the fact that the coronation was not for him, his nerves were on edge and he was anxious for the future - her’s and all of Russia’s. Viktor had been staring at the clock since he awoke and it seemed the longer he stared at it, the faster the minutes flew by. One moment it was dawn, the next it was late morning, and now the sun was high in the cloudy winter sky as midday had arrived. The snow came and went and came again, nothing more than a light snow. They had been staying at Kikin Hall since their gathering at St. Petersburg, nestled near the Neva River that flowed through the old capital. The building was a tangerine orange, adorned with white engaged pillars, and many many windows. It was Ivana herself who chose the building, first built in 1714 for one of Peter the Great’s closest comrades - something she knew, of course. She had a thing for showmanship, he realized early on, enjoying the special meaning in everything she did. Tick. Tick. Tick. It was time to go. There were hundreds of people waiting to escort them from the front door; cavalry squadrons, military officers, members of their government, and both police and soldiers to keep the thousands of pro-monarchists that had gathered along the pathway from the Kikin Hall to the coronation location: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Ivana’s coronation was to be the first outside of Moscow and the first in over a hundred years. Supporter or not… this was a historical moment. At first the coronation was to be delayed until they reached Moscow but supporters in the capital and the Kremlin had assured that the Romanov regalia reached them in St. Petersburg alongside the arrival of Patriarch Alexei II - such an opportunity was not something they could pass up on. For her to be crowned by the Patriarch himself - to be supported by the Church would cement her claim and her rule over Russia. A silver-grey Tersk stallion awaited her at the center of the gathered mass. Tall and elegant she was in her black and white clothing, strong and stern she seemed in the saddle of her horse. The daughter of Tsars, daughter of Tsarinas, the Empress-to-be of All Russia. When her horse stepped forward the ringing of hundreds of bells rang across St. Petersburg, those in the streets cheered and yelled her name and some even cried from joy and excitement. Behind them, a dozen officers of the military followed with a large canopy that carried the many regalia of the Romanovs. The Chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the Sword of the State, Banner of State, the State Seal, the Purple Robe of the Tsars, the Orb, the Sceptre, and the Great Imperial Crown - all arranged in a strict order. They reached the church after half an hour of marching alongside the Neva River. Awaiting them at its entrance were Orthodox prelates, chief among them was the Patriarch Alexei II. When Ivana climbed the stairs, the Patriarch reached out his hand, holding a cross. The Romanov bowed her head and laid her lips against the object whilst one of the prelates sprinkled her with holy water. The holy men and Ivana were the first to enter the church, then went in those carrying the regalia and followed the rest of them. All the rest; police, soldiers, her personal guards, and the pro-monarchist gatherers had to remain outside of the church - including those who worked for the news. The ceremony itself was highly sacred and was not to be seen by the public nor broadcasted across Russia and the world. It was a beautiful site inside the church. The floors were covered in mosaics of blue, gold, red, and white; six great pillars held up the tall ceiling, both of which were adorned with iconostasis; and great chandeliers hung from the ceiling and lit up the large room. There was not a single inch of wall, ceiling, or floor that was lacking in religious markings. As the attendants found their spots, the priests collected the regalia before them and venerated each piece three times before taking their place on the cathedral dais where a throne had been placed for the coronation. Ivana had taken this time to change from her winter clothing to more appropriate attire, returning to the room when the ceremony was ready for its next time. She had removed her expensive, high-quality coat and boots in replace of a simple grey kosovorotka, a piece of clothing she was adamant in wearing during the ceremony. When the Tsarina-to-be returned and took her place before the cathedral dais, the holy men began to sign the 101st palm as one of them placed the Chain around her neck. It was a beautiful echo and when the song was finished, it was Ivana’s voice that resonated across the church’s walls. "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.” Ivana began her Creed. ”And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us humanity, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was made man; he was crucified for us, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And the Holy Ghost. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; I look for the resurrection of the dead, and life of the world to come. Amen." When her words finished, they handed her a book which she kept at her side for later use. Further blessings and scripture lessons were read before the ceremony carried on. Now the Chain was removed from her and two prelates robed her in the Purple Robe of the Tsars. Bowing her head, she had hands laid upon her by the Patriarch as he read two more prayers over her. Rising, a prelate handed her the Imperial Crown of Russia. Viktor could sense her hesitation, closer than she had ever been to this moment, such a precious thing that commanded so much authority. Made of two arches, nearly five thousand diamonds, over seventy pearls, and the largest red spinel he had ever seen. The hesitation lasted only a moment before she grasped it and placed the crown on her own head. As she did, the Patriarch recited yet another prayer. ”Most God-fearing, absolute, and mighty Lady, Tsarina of all the Russias, this visible and tangible adornment of thy head is an eloquent symbol that thou, as the head of the whole Russian people, art invisibly crowned by the King of kings, Christ, with a most ample blessing, seeing that He bestows upon thee entire authority over His people." As the Patriarch recited the prayer, the prelates placed the Orb and the Scepter in each of her hands. ”God-crowned, God-given, God-adorned, most pious and great Sovereign, Empress of All the Russias. Receive the scepter and the orb, which are the visible signs of the autocratic power given thee from the Most High over thy people, that thou mayest rule them and order for them the welfare they desire." As the prayer finished, the church’s choir erupted into prayer: Many Years. From outside, the sounds of bells began to ring and the snapping sound of a 101-gun salute quickly followed by the cheers of thousands of pro-monarchists chanting “Long live the Tsarina!” and “Long live the Empire!”. With the Crown on her head and the Orb and Scepter in her hands, she read from the prayer book given to her previously. ”Lord God of our fathers, and King of Kings, who created all things by Thy word, and by Thy wisdom has made humanity, that they should walk uprightly and rule righteously over Thy world; Thou hast chosen me as Tsarina and judge over Thy people. I acknowledge Thy unsearchable purpose towards me, and bow in thankfulness before Thy Majesty. Do Thou, my Lord and Governor, fit me for the work to which Thou hast sent me; teach me and guide me in this great service. May there be with me the wisdom which belongs to Thy throne; send it from Thy Holy Heaven, that I may know what is well-pleasing in Thy sight, and what is right according to Thy commandment. May my heart be in Thy hand, to accomplish all that is to the profit of the people committed to my charge and to Thy glory, that so in the day of Thy judgment I may give Thee account of my stewardship without blame; through the grace and mercy of Thy Son, Who was once crucified for us, to Whom be all honor and glory with Thee and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, unto ages of ages. Amen.” With her words over, the Orb and Scepter were taken from her hands and she removed the Crown from her head. The prelates and the Patriarch would follow quickly with the Divine Liturgy before their Tsarina joined them before the Royal Doors of the iconostasis, which had been opened as she ascended. Standing before the Patriarch, she knelt and he anointed her with holy chrism; on her forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, breast, and both sides of her hands. ”The Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Alexei II said before she rose again. Once on her feet again she recited her coronation oath: to rule Russia with justice and fairness, to uphold its laws, and uphold the rights of its citizens. Following her oath, they escorted her through the Royal Doors into the altar where he lost sight of her as the Church continued its ceremony. It only took a moment before she walked back into the main room, however, seating herself upon the throne that had been brought in for her. The Patriarch commanded that all those attending to now give her homage. Traditionally it would begin with her consort but she had none and her mother and father were deceased… The only family to have attended her coronation was Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich and his household (all others refusing to attend with the current succession issues of the Romanovs) and thus they gave homage first: the Prince himself, his wife, and then his four children. Then it was Viktor himself as her Prime Minister, first him then his wife, followed by his two sons. Following him and his family were military officers who had sworn themselves to her and various other important people from across Russia - perhaps over a hundred in total. When the ceremony itself had concluded, they moved back to the main entrance of the church where all the cameras and the majority of the supporters had gathered. Their Tsarina was between the Patriarch and himself as they exited back outside. It was the Patriarch who introduced her to Russia and the world. ”By the Grace of God, Empress of All the Russias; Tsarina of Adygea, Altai, Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Chechnya, Chuvashia, Crimea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Khakassia, Komi, Mari El, North Ossetia-Alania, Sakha, Tatarstan, Tuva, and Udmurtia; Lady of Pskov and Grand Princess of Smolensk; Princess of Keralia, Tver, Yugra, Perm, Kirov, Bolgar, and others; Lady and Grand Princess of Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Beloozero, Udorsky, Obdoria, Kondia, and all of the northern countries; Master and Lady of Kabardia; Sovereign and Ruler of the Circassian and others, Her Imperial Majesty, Catherine the Third of Romanov!” Fluently, Catherine III bowed her head to the Russian people. All those that had gathered yelled out in praise, chanting her name, wishing her a long life… all the whilst the bells throughout St. Petersburg rang. Russia, for the first time in just over eighty-one years, had a crowned monarchy.