435. Речь пред вступлением Его Императорского Величества, Государя Императора Александра Николаевича в Успенский Собор

(Said on August 8th; printed in the Addendum to the Works of the Holy Father of 1863 and in the Moscow Gazette.) Most pious Sovereign! Before the face of “the God of... peace” (Heb. 13:20) Welcoming You, out of duty and according to our hearts, we call from above peace to Your spirit, concerned about Royal concerns, Your house and Your kingdom. But the God of peace also calls Himself “the God of armies” (1 Samuel 17:45) and the God of the people adopted by Him by faith. The peace of Your people is disturbed by disturbances occurring on one of the borders of Your great kingdom, in a small nation, which has already been condemned more than once for its disturbances, which exists as a kingdom only by the mercy of Your predecessors, and which repays Your multiplied mercies with ingratitude, rebellion, and sedition. And, most unexpectedly, from some countries, even those not adjacent to us, a voice is heard as if for their peace of mind this nest of worries needs to be strengthened and expanded. Your truth and goodness are insulted! The dignity of Russia has been insulted! Can love for the Fatherland, loyalty to the throne be indifferent to this? And therefore, the spirit of the sons of Russia rises up and calls out to You from everywhere, representing the readiness of the entire people to defend the truth. The spirit of the sons of faith rises up and calls out to the God of Orthodox Russia, to the God of truth, “that He may bring forth Thy truth, like light,” and Russia, “and Thy destiny” with it, “like noonday.” (Ps.37:6): yes, despite the evildoers of the truth, He will again “bless His people with peace” (Ps.28:11); and if they challenge him, “O God, create strength, and He will humble those who afflict us” (Ps. 59:14). You might be interested in: