On July 4/17 (July 17 is the date on the civil calendar), we remember the Royal Martyrs of Russia, Tsarmartyr Nicholas II, Tsaritsa Alexandra, the Grandduchess martyrs Olga, Maria, Tatiana and Anastasia, and the Tsarevich Alexei. In this article are some indications of the spiritual qualities of the Royal Martyrs.

The faith of the Tsar-Martyr.
(Orthodox Russia, 1967, no. 10, p. 4)

Alexander Petrovich Izvolsky, the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1906 to 1910, wrote the following in his reflections about the armed revolt that broke out on the night of July 19-20, 1906, in Kronstadt:

"…On that day, July 20, when the mutiny had reached its culminating point, I was by the Emperor in Peterhof... The line of reinforcements could be seen from the window... We clearly heard the sound of the canons... I could not detect the slightest sign of agitation in his features... After the briefing the Emperor said: If you see me in such a calm state, this is because I have an unshakable faith that the fate of Russia, my own fate and the fate of my family are in the Lord’s hands. No matter what happens, I will bow before His will."

An Eldress’ prophecy.
(Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, Her Majesty’s Lady-in-Waiting, p. 171)

"In December of 1916, Her Majesty [Empress Alexandra] traveled for an emotional rest to Novgorod for a day, with two Grand Duchesses and a small suite. She visited field hospitals and monasteries and attended the Liturgy at the St. Sophia Cathedral. Before her departure the Tsaritsa visited the Yurievsky and Desyarina Monasteries. In the latter she visited Eldress Maria Mikhailovna in her tiny cell, where the aged woman had lain for many years in heavy chains on an iron bed. When the Tsaritsa entered, the Eldress held her withered hand out to her and said, ‘Here comes the martyr, Tsaritsa Alexandra!’ She embraced her and blessed her. In a few days the Eldress reposed."

Elder Anatole the Younger (Potapov) of Optina.

Elder Anatole said to Prince N.D. Zhevakhov, before his being named to the post of Assistant Ober-Procurator of the Holy Synod in 1916: "There is no greater sin than to oppose the will of God’s Anointed. Protect him, for the land of Russia and the Orthodox Faith are supported by him... But..." Fr. Anatole became lost in thought, and tears appeared in his eyes. With great emotion he finished his unspoken thought, saying, "The destiny of the Tsar is the destiny of Russia. If the Tsar rejoices, then Russia will rejoice. If the Tsar weeps, then Russia will also weep... Just as a man with his head cut off is no longer a man, but a stinking corpse, so also Russia without a Tsar will be a stinking corpse" (N. D. Zhevakhov, Recollections of the Assistant Ober-Procurator of the Holy Synod, vol. 1).

On another occasion Elder Anatole was visiting Moscow, on February 27, 1917. Everything had already become very bad and uncertain. An unbridled mob was rioting in the streets, and one couldn’t make out what they were talking and screaming about. What was happening? What was to come? But the Elder said, "There will be a storm. And the Russian ship will be smashed to pieces. But people can be saved even on splinters and fragments. And not everyone, not everyone will perish. One must pray; everyone must repent and pray fervently. And what happens after a storm?" Someone said that after a storm comes a calm. "So it is," said the Elder. "And there will be a calm." At this everyone said, "But there is no more ship, it is shattered to pieces; it has perished, everything has perished!" "It is not so," said Fr. Anatole. "A great miracle of God will be manifested. And all the splinters and fragments, by the will of God and His power, will come together and be united; and the ship will be rebuilt in its beauty and will go on its own way as foreordained by God. And thus this will be a miracle evident to everyone" (Orthodox Russia, 1970, no. 1, p. 9).

Vision of St. Seraphim.
(Abbot Seraphim, Orthodox Tsar-Martyr, 1920, p. 135-136)

"In May of 1917 in Sarov Hermitage, a respected elder-archimandrite recounted the following remarkable vision to me:

"At a time of his profound sorrow over the sufferings of the Royal Family, when he was praying for them with tears, he fell asleep during his prayers. He saw himself in Tsarskoe Selo, and over the Alexander Palace there stood a bright, radiant pillar that reached up to heaven. Then the elder went up to the palace, where he saw a wondrous vision. The Emperor was sitting at a desk, occupied with writing. Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich was sitting at another small table reading books. Close by, the Empress and her daughters were sitting and doing handiwork, and among them was the radiant Elder, St. Seraphim, the Wonderworker of Sarov, giving them spiritual instruction and consolation. When Elder Seraphim saw the archimandrite he went up to him and said, ‘Don’t be too grieved. Father, don’t be despondent; God will not abandon His chosen and beloved children. He has the power to snatch them away from evildoers, but He desires for them, not earthly happiness, but heavenly. It is easier for the Lord to send legions of angels to destroy all their enemies than it is for us to speak a word, but He only takes away their enemies’ reason, so that they destroy themselves. The Lord has sent me for a while to console, strengthen and protect the Royal sufferers, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and they have need of our heavenly assistance in difficult moments of sorrow. Look at the resplendent light that emanates from the faces of the Royal sufferers — this is a sign that they are under God’s special care, as righteous ones. Just as, from the beginning of the world, the righteous have been vilified, wronged and slandered by iniquitous people — followers of the first liar and deceiver, the devil; so also have these righteous Royal sufferers been vilified, humiliated, slandered and wronged by evil people, instigated by the same universal evildoer who rose up against the righteous ones and against our Creator and God Himself, Christ, the Giver of life. Look at the face of the Empress and you will see that the light emanating from her face is brighter than the others — this is a sign that she has borne more slanders and false accusations than anyone, from followers of the universal slanderer.’ This vision made such a powerful impression on the archimandrite that when he related it he could not restrain his tears."