July 17/4 - memory of the Holy Royal Martyrs and those killed with Them.translated

From the Word of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco before the memorial service for Tsar-Martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich

In one day, the greatness and glory of the Russian Power, the stronghold of peace throughout the world, collapsed. The signature of the Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich on the act of abdication of the Throne is a historical boundary separating the great and glorious past of Russia from its dark and painful situation now.

What happened that day?

The people’s retreat from the Anointed One of God, the retreat from the power submissive to God, the deviation from the oath of allegiance given before God to the Sovereign, the Anointed One of God, and his betrayal to death.

Deprived of power, and then of freedom, is the one who gave all his strength in the name of God to serve Russia.

For dozens of years, the dark forces of evil waged a struggle against the Anointed One of God, against state power faithful to God. The same forces killed the Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich, the Tsar-Liberator.

That crime sobered up the people, shook up the whole country, and that moral upsurge gave the opportunity to Sovereign Emperor Alexander III the Peacemaker to rule Russia with a strong hand.

Two decades of peaceful life and development in Russia have passed and a new conspiracy has emerged to overthrow Tsarsky...