The Mystical Meaning of the Murder of the Royal Family

There are so many untrue versions of the story of the Royal Martyrs.   Rather than fill my head with probable stories, I decided early on not to read anything that was not put out by our ROCOR synod.  Very little ever came to us in English.

Finally we have here the true story.  (And as a surprise added bonus we also have in here the truth about Rasputin.)  

From The Great Synaxaristes, July pp. 72–126.

https://app.box.com/s/yo3acs1fxcljuqilyxhfy0e94r2wltqj

On pp. 73-74 here is a translation of an excerpt from a letter written by St, John S&SF:

In 1963, Saint John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco (b. 1896–d. 1966) made a reply to those who slander both Imperial Russia and the martyred Tsar Nicholas II and the terrible regicide in Ekaterinburg.  He asks, "Why was Tsar Nicholad II persecuted, slandered, and killed?"  He answers:

"Because he was Tsar — Tsar by the grace of God.  He was the bearer and incarnation of the Orthodox world-view: that the Tsar is the servant of God, the anointed of God, and that to God he must give an account for the people entrusted to him.  He must give an account for all his deeds and actions, not only those done personally but also those committed in the office of Tsar.  Thus did the Orthdoox Russian people believe, this has the Orthodox Church taught, and this did Tsar Nicholas acknowledge and sense.  

He was thoroughy penetrated by this awareness; he viewed his bearing of the imperial crown as a service to God.  He kept this in mind during all his important decisions, during all the responsible questions that arose.  This is why he was so firm and unwavering in those questions about which he was convinced that such was the will of God; he stood firmly for that which seemed to him necessary for the good of the realm of which he was head.  And when he saw that it had become impossible for him to perform his service as Tsar, according to his conscience, he laid down the imperial crown, like Saint Boris the Prince, (see July24 this volume) not wishing to become the cause of discord and bloodletting in Russia.  The self-sacrifice of the Tsar did not bring benefit to Russia,  But on the contrary, it gave an even greater opportunity for committing crime without punishment,  It brought about inconceivable sorrow and suffering.  But Tsar Nicholas displayed in his sorrows and sufferings a greatness of spirit that likened him to the Righteous Job.  The malice of Nicholas' enemies did not abate.  He was dangerous for them even them, for he was the bearer of the consciousness that the supreme authority should be obedient to God, and should receive sanctification and strength from Him to follow God's commandments.  He was a living incarnation of faith in the divine providence that works in the destinies of nations and peoples, and directs rulers faithful to God unto good and useful actions.  Therefore, he was intolerable for the enemies of the Faith and for those who strive to place human reason and human faculties above everything...  Tsar Nicholas II was a servant of God by his inner world outlook, by his conviction, by his actions; and he was thus in the eyes of the whole Orthodox Russian people.  The battle against him was closely bound up with the battle [of the Soviets] against both God and the Faith.  In a word, he became a martyr, having remained faithful to the Ruler of those who rule [cf. 1Tim. 6:15], and accepted death in the same way as the martyrs acccepted it."

Every Orthodox home library should have this set of The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church.

https://secure.holyapostlesconvent.org/hacwebstore/

,