Высота всероссийской славы о. Иоанна. Высочайший вызов его в Ливадию для молитвы и напутствования Государя Императора Александра III-го

WE have seen what great glory the great man of prayer for the Russian land began to receive from the Lord. All of Russia recognized him, and he began to receive numerous invitations from everywhere, even from remote places in Russia, to come and pray. All of Russia began to be illuminated by his glory, like a church filled with the fragrance of censer and incense. In many places in Russia he received generous contributions to churches and churches. parish schools, charitable institutions, etc., many places in Russia were blessed by his personal visits and prayers, all of Russia was decorated with his portraits, which were placed on the icons along with the royal ones. In my travels around the Russian land, I met, says Kruglov, portraits of Fr. John both in luxurious offices and in peasant shacks. They are hung in a place of honor, where the common man hangs only those who are dear to him. I had to visit a wealthy peasant in the Saratov province. He has a portrait of Fr. John hung next to the portraits of the Tsar and Queen, “This is our prayer book, father,” the owner said reverently: “he prays to God for the Tsar and Queen, for the entire reigning House... To them, perhaps, the Russian land and we are all strong and alive... May the Lord prolong his days!..” One woman who participated in a trip with Fr. in 1891. John to the North and back, writes the following about his return journey with the respected shepherd. On July 7, at 7 pm, Father John left Arkhangelsk. The entire shore was dotted with people, and two steamships with the public saw him off for a long time. The journey to Sura was happy for me; but the way back was truly a royal way, because it was sanctified by the personal presence of the great lamp of God, whose name is sacredly revered by all Orthodox Rus', which I saw with my own eyes at every step. Only the people can greet the dearly beloved Tsar as genuinely and sincerely as he met and saw off Father John everywhere. Wherever the ship landed, everywhere, as if from the earth, crowds of people instantly appeared and rushed to the priest for a blessing. Honoring by the people Fr. John was distinguished by a powerful, enormous spontaneous character. Obviously, the believing Russian people here vaguely confessed the truth about the all-Russian, even more universal, significance of Fr. John. On about. John's words came true with which the church blessed St. Basil the Great: “Your broadcast went out into all the earth, because it received your word... the royal priesthood, reverend father.” Father John became known throughout Russia, his portraits were placed along with the royal ones because he, being an All-Russian shepherd, a man of prayer and a shield of the Orthodox faith, through such activities brought him closer to the exploits of the All-Russian Emperor, Who is the anointed of God, the herald of the will of God, the defender and guardian of Orthodoxy. At that time, the ever-memorable Sovereign Emperor Alexander III reigned. Tsar Alexander III was a powerful not only political, but also ecclesiastical, spiritual and moral force of the Russian people. We will not list here His many important state affairs - let us recall here His great merits for Orthodoxy, let us remember His concerns about improving the life of the clergy, about the religious education of the people through parochial schools, concerns about the spread of Orthodoxy among the Empire, etc. The Orthodox Russian Church will never forget in its prayers the Great Sovereign Emperor Alexander III. A special bright moment in her life is associated with His name. The deceased Sovereign was in the full sense the Most Pious Sovereign, not only a sincere, faithful, obedient Son of the Orthodox Church, the guardian and executor of its statutes, but also a zealous, firm, unrelenting patron of it in its many different needs and difficulties, a defender of the Orthodox faith from the criticism of its enemies, a champion in the cause; the spread of Orthodoxy among people of other faiths and foreigners; He sincerely rejoiced at every excitement and manifestation of religious feeling and consciousness in the Russian people; and by His sympathetic response to this awakening further strengthened it and supported its further development. It can be said without exaggeration that the needs of the Orthodox Church in Russia occupied the attention of the late Sovereign almost more than many other state needs; at least, the first ones always seem to us to be in the foreground, although their satisfaction did not interfere with the implementation of other plans in managing the state mechanism and went in connection with the implementation of the latter. While in Bialowieza in 1894, Sovereign Emperor Alexander III wished that His presence at Divine services in a simple rural parish Church (located a few steps from the Bialowieza Palace) would not disrupt the normal flow of church services. The church elder in this church was the manager of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. He said that during the first divine service in the presence of the Emperor, he did not dare to go around the worshipers with a plate for the church collection of money. After mass, the Tsar asked him if this collection was really not carried out in their church. The manager of the forest explained to the Emperor that he considered it inconvenient to disturb Him. The Emperor deigned to order that the collection be carried out henceforth and in general not violate parish customs in any way. At the next service, the church warden with a plate, followed by a church watchman with a mug, walked around the entire church. The Tsar, the Empress, and all the great princes put their contribution on a plate and in a mug, and the collection was, of course, huge. Next to the chervonets lay on the plate five and three ruble bills from the retinue, and copper nickels and pennies from the peasants. In front of the images, thick ruble wax candles and tiny yellow wax candles glowed, apparently offerings from the royal family and peasants. At the end of mass, the Tsar approached the cross, and the priest handed him a prosphora, as it used to be done in rural churches” (Historical Vestn. 1901, February, 490 countries). The great zeal of the Pious Monarch Emperor Alexander III for the Orthodox faith and the spread of religious education among the people was crowned with a great reward from the King of heaven and earth Himself, the Lord Almighty. During one journey undertaken by the Monarch for the benefit of the state, the Lord of hosts and the King of glory showed him a special, unprecedented sign of His Providence, preserving Him and His August family unharmed in the midst of great danger. The great Divine reward given from the high heavenly villages to the Most Pious Monarch Emperor Alexander III for His royally powerful zeal for the Orthodox faith. This is a wondrous salvation, this “crown of God’s favor” resting on the deceased. Sovereign Emperor Alexander III was for Russia a ray of spiritual light and warmth that descended from heaven to earth, reflected in many icons, churches, monasteries and chapels built and presented to those built in memory of this event, and a ray again ascending from earth to heaven in numerous prayerful feelings and deeds awakened among the people by these religious buildings. Through this, Sovereign Emperor Alexander III turned out to be a conductor of the Grace of God for Russia. Father John of Kronstadt, as we saw above, was also a dispenser and conductor of the Grace of God. Obviously, between the Sovereign Emperor Alexander III and Fr. John of Kronstadt had a close inner spiritual affinity. Finally, this invisible, spiritual affinity manifested itself outside, apparently precisely in Livadia, where, by the Highest Command, Fr. John in October 1894, during the illness of the Sovereign Emperor Alexander III, which will now be discussed in detail. Illness and last days of the life of Sovereign Emperor Alexander III Emperor Alexander III, who had a naturally strong physique, was distinguished by extraordinary strength. A mighty hero in His height and appearance, calm, temperate and peace-loving in His disposition, leading a correct lifestyle, He promised Russia a long life. But the Crown Bearer, who created the power, wealth and prosperity of Russia, experienced a lot of excessive anxieties, mental hardships, and endured too many extraordinary labors. It was they who strained the strength of the Bogatyr Tsar, and they led Him to an untimely grave. The life of Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich from a young age was a difficult and sorrowful path. In 1865, He was an eyewitness to the illness, suffering and premature death of his beloved Friend, Elder Brother, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich. In 1872, Alexander Alexandrovich suffered from typhus in a very severe and dangerous form. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 and 1878, He shared with the army all the difficulties of military life and was more than once exposed to serious wartime dangers in an enemy country. During the entire reign of Emperor Alexander II, He, with the entire Royal Family, constantly experienced anxiety and heartbreak as a result of the development of state sedition. With pain in his heart, He endured multiple attempts on the life of the Crowned Father and, finally, experienced the full horror of the terrible crime on March 1, 1881. He endured so much worry and excessive labor even after that! Having taken up the heavy burden of rule, the Sovereign, with extraordinary attention to His Royal duties, worked tirelessly, not sparing His strength at all. He was engaged in government affairs both in the morning and in the evening. The Tsar experienced a lot of emotional worries and suffering during the difficult time of national disasters, in 1891 and 1892, when 23 provinces were exhausted from hunger. Finally, how easy was it for the Emperor to endure the terrible shock, as a man and as the Father of the Family, during the train crash on October 17, 1888! All these emotional unrest, heartache and excessive work, with a lack of refreshing and strengthening sleep, imperceptibly, gradually undermined the Tsar’s health. He began to feel unwell for a long time, but did not like to be treated and avoided talking about His illness. Therefore, no one suspected that the health of the Most August Worker was broken, unreliable, and death was not far from Him. The Tsar’s illness was revealed to everyone, and even to Himself, completely unexpectedly. She was hidden in Him and manifested herself occasionally and not strongly. Back in August 1893, the Emperor became very weak from excessive nosebleeds and suffered from feverish inflammation of the windpipe all autumn. In January 1894, the Emperor suffered from severe influenza, which began with severe heart attacks, to which He paid no attention. Meanwhile, this was already the third attack of the disease. Professor Zakharyin, who was treating the Emperor, drew the August Patient’s attention to the extreme need not to tire Himself with studies, to give Himself more time to sleep and to avoid catching a cold. He then examined the Emperor at the beginning of June and found him in good condition. But already at the beginning of July, the Tsar’s health deteriorated so much that it raised alarm among those around him. Professor Zakharyin, called to Peterhof, found signs of kidney disease and consistent heart damage in the Patient. The emperor suffered from insomnia, constantly felt bad taste and often felt nauseated. The position of the Royal Sufferer inspired extreme fears. In August, the doctors presented Him with their report on the illness that had befallen Him. They, however, softened their verdict regarding the fatal significance of Monarch's disease, but did not hide the fact that it passes extremely rarely, and that restoration of health and continuation of life is possible only with the strictest observance of known conditions and the prescribed lifestyle. The conditions and lifestyle of the Sovereign, according to Professor Zakharyin, since the January influenza, were the same: constant fatigue from mental activities, insufficient sleep and frequent exposure to the air in all weathers. So, it became obvious that there was no longer any hope for the recovery of the Sovereign Emperor. The extremely cold and damp summer of 1894 had a fatal influence on the development of the disease, on the rapid progression of the disease leading to death. Meanwhile, the Emperor did not take care of Himself. He stayed in Peterhof until August 18, continued his usual activities and, unable to bear the heat, always sought coolness. Back on August 7, in Krasnoe Selo, while touring the troops, He galloped up to 12 versts. The works of the Tsar-Autocrat were great and varied, and his concepts of the Tsar’s duties and the duty of the Monarch were high! The Emperor adhered to the belief that he should be constantly alert and always active. The Tsar put his duty to the state in the foreground and continued to work, not paying attention to His illness. Relying entirely on the Providence of God, without whose will nothing is accomplished, the Emperor submitted himself to the will of God and, while he still felt the strength within himself, devoted himself to serving Russia, sparing no effort. At the same time, He made incredible efforts to appear healthy, calm and not disturb those close to Him. Such was the moral state of the Emperor at that time. It remained the same throughout the further development of the disease, until His very death. Meanwhile, subsequent circumstances were not in favor of the August Patient. The Sovereign's move from Peterhof to the southwest of Russia, where He usually spent the autumn, was not accompanied by the expected consequences. In Belovezha, where the Emperor went on August 18, the weather was damp, unfavorable for His illness. Then, in Spala, where the Emperor moved, the weather was fresh and cold. These circumstances required great caution on the part of the August Patient. Meanwhile, in Bialowieza and Spala, the Emperor forgot the doctors’ instructions. Due to his habit of moving in the fresh air, He constantly sought coolness and spent time, for the most part, in the open air. The hunt in Spala, among the swamps, weakened the Emperor even more. The painful phenomena intensified and prompted the doctors to speed up the Emperor’s departure to the warm climate of the southern Crimea. At the insistence of the doctors, the Emperor immediately went from Spala to Sevastopol, from there he went on the Volunteer Fleet steamer "Eagle" to Yalta and then arrived in Livadia. The long journey by rail to Sevastopol, the ride on the ship, as well as the meeting ceremonies in Sevastopol and Yalta tired the Sick Tsar. He lost a lot of weight and turned yellow. In Yalta, going out onto the pier, He received a guard of honor, said a few words to those participating in the meeting, and headed towards the crew on the arm of the Empress, who carefully supported Him. In Livadia, where Their Majesties arrived on September 21, the Tsar and the Royal Family occupied the Small Palace, where the Tsar lived while still the Heir Tsarevich. When other Highest Persons came to Livadia, they were given a room in the Grand Palace. The weather in Yalta and Livadia was beautiful, which rarely happens there in the month of October. The sky was often cloudy, but the days were calm and warm. However, observant people believed that such weather would not last long, and it was said in society that doctors were suggesting the island of Corfu in the Ionian archipelago as a winter station for the August Sick. But the thought of parting with Russia, apparently, was extremely difficult for the Patient, and the Sovereign Emperor responded to the doctors’ proposal that he would never leave Russia. He loved His country so passionately that even concern for health could not force Him to reconcile with temporary separation from His people. The first days of his stay in Livadia were a time of necessary rest for the Emperor. Soon He felt better; on Sunday, September 25, the day of St. Sergius, He was in the court church for the liturgy, and after that he went to Ai-Todor to see Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna. In the following days, the Emperor took several walks in a carriage, visiting, among other things, Massandra. But soon the Patient showed signs of weakening - loss of appetite and sleep, decline in heart activity and swelling of the legs. The Emperor’s strength was melting away every day, but He tried to be cheerful and did not go to bed. The following Sunday, October 2, the Emperor, the Empress and Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna went to the Wuchang-Su waterfall. The Emperor warmly responded to the bows of oncoming travelers. On the same day, with the permission of the Sovereign, Professor Grubbe arrived from Kharkov to Livadia to thank His Majesty for the highest attention shown to the professor during his illness. He was received by Their Majesties on the morning of the 3rd. Having learned from Grubbe that he had rested and received further treatment in Yalta in the summer, the Emperor asked the professor how long he had stayed in this place, and whether his stay there had brought him any benefit. Grubbe replied that he stayed in Yalta for about five weeks and that, although it was very hot in July, there was still some benefit. To this, His Majesty remarked: “And I’ve been here for ten days, and every day I’m getting worse.” On the 4th, the Emperor went for a ride with the Empress, but felt very ill during the trip. This was His Majesty's last walk. On the same day, a medical examination of the Patient took place, carried out by professors Leiden, Zakharyin, Velyaminov and Girsch. The next day, after a meeting of professors regarding the examination of the August patient, on October 5, terrible news spread throughout Russia by telegraph: “a deterioration is noticed in the health of the Sovereign Emperor: general weakness and weakness of the heart are increasing.” This ominous message, like a death knell, resonated painfully in the Russian heart. Everyone immediately felt that Russia was facing an unimaginable misfortune. The terrible premonition soon began to be confirmed by further disappointing news about the Tsar’s illness. From then on, the decline in strength and the deterioration of the illness proceeded unequally: sometimes the August Patient felt better, but then it became heavier than before. On October 6th there was no change in the state of the Emperor’s health, but on the 7th the night passed with Him almost without sleep. In the morning and afternoon, the swelling of the legs, which has appeared recently, has increased; general weakness and heart activity continued to remain in the same state. On October 8, Saturday, the Emperor rested a little, his appetite and health were somewhat better. On this day and the next one, the Patient had a noticeable increase in strength. On the 8th, the arrival of Her Majesty Queen of the Hellenes Olga Konstantinovna and Her Most August Mother, Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, was expected in Livadia. Her Highness had the beneficent idea of ​​inviting with her the highly revered Kronstadt shepherd, Fr. Ioanna Sergiev. At 9 o'clock in the morning They arrived in Yalta on the warship "Memory of Mercury". The most august Persons were met on the pier by His Imperial Highness the Heir Tsarevich, and the pastor-prayer-book, Fr. John went straight to the Small Church at the palace to serve a health mass. As the beloved shepherd passed through Yalta, good wishes and blessings rushed towards him from all sides, and his clear and joyful appearance revived everyone’s hopes for the mercy of God and for the effective power of nationwide prayer for the Ailing Tsar. At the request of the population. John then served the Divine Liturgy daily in Yalta and in the surrounding villages. Countless crowds flocked to him for prayer. In the evening of the same day, the August Brothers of the Sovereign, the Grand Dukes Sergius and Pavel Alexandrovich, arrived in Livadia. The news of Father John's stay in Crimea quickly spread throughout the entire district, and soon the house where he lived began to besieged by people eager to see the respected shepherd. The predominant element, of course, were Russians, but quite a few Tatars and Karaites were also noticed, who, of course, did not appear for the sake of curiosity alone. The crowd usually began to gather around three in the morning and stayed on duty until six, when the priest appeared at the entrance, devoting a long time to receiving everyone who was eager to receive his blessing. The foreigners approached him last and, just like the Russians, humbly bowed their heads. Father John laid his hands on them and asked them about their needs and sorrows, without at all touching on the issue of religion. It was necessary to see them to understand what these people were going through and experiencing when they sought consolation from an Orthodox priest... A sick Tatar, paralyzed, was brought to Father John in Crimea. They were carrying him from somewhere far away; he had an exhausted, tired look, his eyes wandered restlessly and seemed to be looking for salvation in everyone who he turned to. The young Tatars who carried it on their shoulders asked me in broken Russian: - What, Bachka, is God’s doctor at home? - Tell him that we have business to do with him... - But wait, Father will come out soon... - Tell him to hurry up, otherwise the old man is in serious pain... Father John did not have to wait long. Approaching a group of Muslim believers who surrounded the stretcher on which the sick man lay motionless, he spoke to them affectionately... The old Tatar man tried to smile, but the smile was not given to him. Father John laid his hands on his head. The crowd became silent for a moment and it was clear that they were experiencing some new sensations, incomprehensible, but exciting the blood and awakening thoughts. This touching scene made a strong impression on everyone present... The next morning, October 9, Sunday, the Sovereign Emperor felt able to begin the greatest spiritual consolation that His soul had long thirsted for - He expressed a desire to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. About the fulfillment of this pious desire of the August Patient and in general about His condition on October 9th, we find the following fairly detailed information, published by His Majesty’s confessor, Fr. Protopresbyter Yanyshev, November 5, 1894. “The Sovereign Emperor was thinking about the possibility of His imminent death back on October 9 and spoke very definitely about this when he received me on that day after mass. When I allowed myself to ask His Majesty to completely calm down from state affairs and worries and, having surrendered Himself entirely to the will of God, to partake of the Holy Mysteries, He accepted this offer with joy and repeatedly repeated gratitude and only regretted that he could not prepare for this great sacrament as He, together with His August Family, did when he was healthy, in Great Lent. “Amidst the prayers, which I immediately began, the Emperor, dressed as usual, as if healthy, knelt and made prostrations. He remained in this position until the end of confession. He received the Holy Mysteries in the presence of the Empress, who herself, together with me, helped the Emperor climb onto the sofa, sitting on which the Emperor was honored with Holy Communion.” On this day and the next one, the August Patient experienced strong, albeit comforting, sensations. On October 10, Monday, He wished to see Father John Sergiev in order to pray with him, and in the evening of the same day the Highly Named Bride of the Sovereign Heir Tsarevich, Princess Alice of Hesse, would arrive in Livadia. By order of His Majesty, a solemn meeting was arranged for Her in Livadia with a guard of honor and music. Her August Sister, Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, deigned to arrive with Princess Alice. The Emperor, despite His serious illness, tried to appear cheerful and calm. To meet and receive Princess Alice, He demanded a uniform and, despite the difficulties caused by swelling of the legs, went to meet the Bride of the First-born Son and with a cordial, purely fatherly welcome immediately showed Her that He was meeting Her as a daughter dear to His heart. The meeting of the Sovereign with Princess Alice had long been desired, and the joy of the meeting was the cause of great excitement for the Sick Monarch. The doctors were afraid of this, but the night of the 11th passed safely. Venerable Kronstadt pastor and prayer book, Fr. John Sergiev, with deeply touching features, conveys the following details regarding performing home prayer with the Sick Monarch, in a letter published after the death of the Sovereign. “I was called at 11 o'clock in the morning. Walking to the Tall Patient, I thought: how could I better, more heartily greet the Tsar, who is seriously ill? And not long before that, I read the letter of the holy Apostle Paul to his disciple Timothy, and in it, especially in my position, words seemed especially suitable for my first greeting to the King, expressing the greatness of the Lord - the King of kings, from whom all kings receive their power and authority over the nations (1 Tim. 6:15-16). I remembered these words. I enter His Majesty's office. The Emperor met me standing, in his overcoat, although the swelling in his legs did not allow Him to stand. And I greeted Him like this: “Sir! May the all-blessed God bless You, the blessed and only strong King of kings and Lord of lords, the only one who has immortality, Who dwells in the unapproachable light, Whom no man has seen or can see, To Whom is honor and eternal power. Amen". After this, I thanked the Emperor for deigning to invite me to Livadia and see His Person. He deigned to say that He “did not dare to invite Himself to such a distant land of Russia” (he is so delicate and modest in view of His greatness), “but when Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna invited Me” (His words) “to invite you to Livadia, I gladly agreed and thank you for coming. Please pray for Me. “I (He said) am very unwell.” I replied that “I consider it necessary in my heart to pray for your precious health, especially in these days of your illness. All of Russia is praying for you.” He then moved into another room, invited me to pray with Him, and knelt down. I said three prayers. His Majesty prayed with feeling, bowing his head and going deep into Himself. When I finished, He stood up, thanked me and asked me to continue to pray. The Emperor was alone; when I was leaving, the Empress entered the room and greeted me graciously.” From October 12 to the 17th, the Emperor was so much better that they began to hope, if not for a complete recovery, then at least for a slight improvement that would allow the Patient to live, with certain precautions and strict adherence to the doctors’ instructions, for many more years. A particularly good sign was considered to be the absence of drowsiness during the day, good sleep at night, appetite and increased heart activity, which were detected on October 15. The improvement in the health of the Sovereign Emperor caused general revival and joy in Livadia and Yalta. Crowds of people walking appeared on the streets, everyone’s faces brightened, everyone’s soul felt like a holiday. The news was bought in great demand and read with delight. On Monday, October 17, Yalta became especially lively in the morning. The streets of the city were filled with flags, and bells rang in the air, calling everyone to pray for the Tsar. Civil and military authorities, officials of various departments, in festive uniform, hurried to the church of God. The churches were full of people, especially Livadia, in Oreanda, where the Kronstadt archpriest Fr. John Sergiev. The Russian people, remembering the miraculous salvation of the Tsar and his Family on this day in 1888, now prayed for His salvation from a new formidable danger, from a serious illness. In the palace church of Their Majesties, the Empress, the Greek Queen with her Family, the Heir Tsarevich with His August Bride and other Members of the Imperial Family, as well as all the persons who were on the Imperial train at the time of the crash, listened first to the memorial service for the dead, and then to the thanksgiving prayer. Of course, it was hard for all those praying to feel that for the first time the Sovereign Emperor was not among them, but the more fervently the heartfelt prayer was offered for Him. On this day, the Most August Sick One was honored for the second time, during his illness, to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ the Savior. He was commended by Father John Sergiev, who (in the same letter) provides the following information about the performance of this sacred duty by the Sick Tsar. “I did not consider my mission completed until I myself communed with the High Sick. I myself am in dire need of daily communion of the Holy Mysteries and consider it a great deprivation if I do not receive communion. How much a sick person needs this all-life-giving sacrament, if not every day, then after a certain interval! And I, having served the Liturgy in Oreanda on October 17, in the presence of the Highest Persons, went with the Cup of Life, together with the protodeacon, to the palace to the Sick. Having entered His room with the Holy Cup, I uttered aloud the words of the church song: “Behold, the King of glory enters, behold, the secret sacrifice is completed; Let us draw near with faith and love, so that we may be partakers of eternal life.” When I said the words of the prayer: “I believe, Lord, and confess...”, the Tsar pronounced each word separately and with feeling and reverently accepted the Holy Mysteries from the Chalice: a tear of tenderness dripped onto His chest... The Tsar received great consolation from the grace of Christ. It was 9 o'clock in the morning when we left the palace. The Empress brought me back to Herself and thanked me for giving communion to the Sick. She was not there when the Emperor took communion. The very next Sunday, when she received communion through St. Confirmation to the Holy Orthodox Church The Highly Named Bride of the Heir to the Tsarevich deigned to take communion with her and the Empress, whose soul, depressed by grief, longed for consolation and joy in holy communion. Then, in the following days, October 18 and 19, the Patient began to get worse; I was again invited by the Empress and the Heir to pray for the Sick in a special room in which a large miraculous icon of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child was placed, which I did. The entire Royal Family was on their knees and praying with tears.” On the memorable day of October 17, everyone wanted to believe and hope that the relief that the August Sufferer felt from the 12th served as a good omen. Everyone was especially encouraged and pleased by the news that the Emperor, who had given up his work due to weakness of strength, had once again taken up his work. Indeed, the Emperor studied in His office even at night. And on the 17th, after reading the current affairs, He wrote on them his own decisions and determinations. But bright hopes were again darkened by sad news. Even on the night of the 17th, the Emperor slept less and felt weaker throughout the whole day; ate little; the usual cough that the Patient had suffered from for a long time intensified, and some blood appeared in the sputum. By the evening of the 17th, the Tsar became worse, and He spent the night of the 18th so hard that the Royal Family, awaiting the end, did not disperse and remained in neighboring rooms. On October 18, there was a significant deterioration in the health of the Sovereign Emperor. Hemoptysis, which began the previous day, increased with increased coughing at night. Signs of inflammation appeared in the left lung. The situation was becoming dangerous. Bloody sputum continued to separate throughout the day. The Patient developed chills, the pulse was weak, and breathing became difficult. There was almost no appetite, the swelling increased significantly. The Emperor felt great weakness, but he courageously fought against His illness, was calm, and His usual vigor and willpower did not leave Him. As usual, a courier left Livadia on October 18 with a large package of reports reviewed by the Emperor. During the night from October 18 to 19, the Emperor slept for several hours. The separation of bloody sputum decreased somewhat. On the morning of the 19th, putting on a starched shirt and drinking tea, the Great Toiler of the Russian Land wanted to do business, but could not, feeling a complete loss of strength. During the day, however, He looked through some papers, and on some of them He made a handwritten note: “In Livadia” and “Read.” Inflammation continued in the Tsar's left lung, the pulse was weak, breathing was difficult and was facilitated only with the help of oxygen. The Emperor ate little, felt very tired and went to rest more often than before. Despite all this, the Emperor did not complain or lose his composure; on the contrary, he tried to encourage and console the surrounding Family; only in the most painful moments did He ask, if possible, to ease His suffering. Of course, at this time the Royal Sufferer was not mistaken in assessing His dangerous situation and understood it clearly; all the more worthy of surprise is the firmness of spirit with which He awaited the approach of His death. On October 19, Father John modestly celebrated his name day. On this day he got up at five o'clock in the morning and went to Yalta to serve the liturgy in the cathedral. Even the day before, that is, on the 18th, they began to bring welcoming telegrams... The influx of telegrams continued throughout the night and the entire next day: in Livadia, Fr. John received 289 of them. From these telegrams one can see how great is the glory of Fr. John within the boundaries of our fatherland - it is clear with what deep faith all of Russia regards his prayers... Where did the telegrams come from? There were forms with notes from Kazan, Voronezh, Astrakhan, Moscow, Yekaterinoslavl, Sergiev Posad, Slavyansk, Dubno, Kyiv, Letichev, Novobrzhesk, Art. Konstantinovka, Rostov-on-Don, Odessa, Nikolaev, Staritsa, Kerch, Kursk, Tiflis, Yaroslavl, Riga, Stavropol-Caucasus, Penza, Art. Razdelnaya, Smolensk... Not only big cities, but villages, towns, stations - everyone sent their greetings to the dear shepherd. It is impossible to list these greetings completely: this would require a whole book. How great is people’s faith in the power of Fr. John?.. This is clearly evident from a whole series of telegrams, the reading of which can bring tears to the eyes of the most callous person. “I’ve had a sore throat for two years, food won’t go away, I live on milk and water, the doctors refused to use it, they recommend surgery. Bless me, I ask you to serve a prayer service, for I have seven children.” “Great grief has befallen us poor people; the last piece of bread is being taken away. I ask you with tears in your eyes to pray to God for us, for a change in this misfortune.” “My husband has been without a position for ten years, I have four children. I’m suffering... Pray to find a position.” “Father, I ask you to pray for the return of sanity to my husband.” “Pray for the recovery of your only dying little son.” “Pray, I am sick, I had one son, there was hope, my breadwinner has now drowned. I’m suffering, poverty, help.” These telegrams hardly require any comments! All of them are signed with their own names - we do not consider ourselves entitled to cite them. Here's another telegram. “Pray for the health of the Muslim Galidul.” A Muslim asks an Orthodox priest to pray for his health!! Was there a similar example in Russia before Father John? No, a thousand times no. True, Muslims were baptized and converted to Christianity, but for a sick Muslim to turn away from Allah and Mohammed and resort to the help of the Savior - this is an unprecedented phenomenon! Popularity o. John extends far beyond the borders of Russia. This was proven by a whole series of letters received by the venerable shepherd during his stay in Livadia: from Rome, Naples, Venice, Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Graz. The content of all the letters is exactly the same, in each of them there is a patient or a sick woman who has heard about the miraculous power of the prayers of Fr. John, they turn to him with requests for help against the ailments that beset them. The difference of religions does not play any role here: Catholics and Lutherans turn to the pastor with the same faith in the great power of his intercession for them before the throne of the Most High, as do the most convinced Orthodox. Let's take any of these letters. For example, a letter from Graz. “Your Reverence,” a certain Caroline R-r, the daughter of a landlady, writes to Father John: “for more than ten years I have been suffering from a severe nervous disorder, which sometimes drives me to despair. Doctors are absolutely not helping me - my only hope is your help. A week ago I read an article in our newspaper that described in detail your deeply Christian life and reported information about the miraculous power of your prayers. I ask you not to refuse to pray for me and for my poor old mother, who for eight years has been suffering from severe leg disease, depriving her of the ability to walk, robbing her of sleep and appetite. I firmly believe that the Lord will hear your prayers and free us from these diseases... I also ask you to tell us the day when you will pray: we want, firstly, to add our prayers to yours, and secondly, to make a feasible donation in favor of our poor. With my hands raised to the sky, I beg you: do not refuse to fulfill our request, heal us, unfortunate sufferers!..” Other German letters from Berlin and Munich, and Italian letters from Rome, Naples and Venice, have approximately the same content. The 20th of October was approaching, a fatal day for the August Sick and immeasurably sorrowful for the whole of Russia. On this day, Almighty God was pleased, in His inscrutable ways, to interrupt the precious life of the Royal Sufferer. In the evening, on the eve of the Emperor’s death, the doctor, Professor Leiden, announced to the Emperor that He needed to lie in bed for four days, to which the Patient agreed. But, having gone to bed, the Emperor soon felt uneasy and wanted to put his feet down. Doctor Velyaminov said that he needed to ask Leyden, who came and made the August Sufferer more comfortable. He placed pillows under His knees and persuaded Him not to get up, but to at least wait until dawn. The doctors remained for some time, but since the Emperor insisted that the Empress rest, they left, and the Empress lay down for two hours. Waking up, She saw that the Patient continued to worry. More than once He asked Her to look out the window to see if it was dawn. He spent the night painfully and without sleep. At about seven o'clock the Emperor was helped to put on His ordinary indoor jacket and move to a chair, not far from the balcony door, in the bedroom, where He remained until His death. The day was gloomy and cold. The sky was covered with clouds; In the morning a light rain began to fall, the wind rose, the raging sea seemed to groan from strong excitement. Everything promised bad weather. It was as if nature itself felt the onset of the fatal outcome of the illness of the Sufferer King. This change in weather had a strong effect on the Patient. His strength began to leave Him, blood appeared in his throat, breathing became more and more difficult, and more and more often he had to resort to the help of oxygen. At seven o'clock the Tsar ordered the Heir to the Tsarevich to be called to Him and for about an hour deigned to talk with Him alone. The Empress was in the next room, but soon the Tsarevich came to say that the Emperor was calling Her. Entering, She found Him in tears, and He said to Her: “I feel My end!” To this the Empress exclaimed: “For God’s sake, don’t say this, you will be healthy.” “No,” said the Royal Sufferer, “this is going on too long: I feel that death is near.” He tried to encourage and console the Most August Spouse in Her grief, tenderly telling Her: “Be at peace! I am completely calm,” and consoled Her with the love of the Children and all subjects. The Empress, seeing that the Royal Sufferer’s breathing was difficult and that He was weakening, sent for the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and other August Persons, who, at the beginning of the tenth hour, all gathered around the Sick. The Emperor did not lose consciousness for a minute and still found the strength to pronounce friendly words to the assembled Members of the Royal Family. The gracious Monarch devoted his most gracious, heartfelt attention to each of the present Members of the Imperial House. Remembering that October 20 is the birthday of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, the Tsar wished to congratulate Her. When, in turn, Her Royal Majesty, Olga Konstantinovna, approached the Patient, He extended his hand to Her and weakly said: “Olga Konstantinovna”! as always, and they kissed. At this time, the August Sister of the Sovereign also arrived at the Small Palace directly from abroad. Duchess of Coburg Maria Alexandrovna. Amid the conversation with His Family, the Tsar did not for a minute forget about His soul and about God, before Whose Face he was soon preparing to appear. Feeling a spiritual need to go deeper into prayer, He said clearly: “I would like to pray.” Immediately after this, the Heir Tsarevich went into the next room and told His Majesty’s confessor, Protopresbyter Yanyshev, who was there, about the Sovereign’s desire. Then the confessor entered the August Patient and began to read prayers. “Among the prayers,” writes Father Yanyshev, which I read, standing to the side, somewhat ahead of the Emperor, with his face turned to the icon, I hear His rather firm voice: “I would like to join.” I immediately went to the church of the Grand Palace, in which the prepared Holy Gifts were kept, and in a free carriage that happened to be nearby, I returned to the Small Palace. Here, near the Sovereign, the Tsarevich himself prepared a table on which I placed the Holy Gifts, and the reading of the usual prayers began, amid the deep silence of those present. The Tsar repeated the pre-communion prayer: “I believe, Lord, and I confess,” word by word, with a clear awareness of the meaning of each word and with heartfelt tenderness. When, at the end of the sacred rite, I wanted to immediately leave so that the Sovereign could remain exclusively among His Family, He was pleased to stop me in order to repeatedly repeat His Royal “thank you” and certainly kiss the priestly hand, which He raised with effort to His lips. At the same time, I involuntarily leaned towards His ear, with all my heart I expressed mutually reverent gratitude to His Majesty, not only for the clergy, but first of all for the Holy Church, of which He was an unfailingly faithful Son and a steadfast defender, and for all classes of the Russian people, to whom He devoted all His concerns and donated His strength; to this I allowed myself to express the firm hope that in the heavenly villages He is destined for an everlasting kingdom of glory and bliss with all the saints.” The August Sick One was honored with Communion of the Holy Mysteries at ten o'clock in the morning, after which all the Highest Persons present began bidding farewell to Him. His Majesty's confessor retired to the next room where the doctors were. At eleven o'clock the Patient's position became especially difficult, and it seemed that the fatal moment was approaching. Heart activity continued to decline and shortness of breath increased; but the bodily strength of the Mighty King once again triumphed over the evil illness, and His Majesty again felt some relief. Reinforcing His strength by inhaling oxygen at certain insignificant intervals, the Emperor remained in full and clear consciousness all the time. Around the same time, He wished to see Father John of Kronstadt, who was then serving mass in Oreanda. Before the arrival of the prayer pastor, the Emperor expressed a desire to rest. Only the Empress, the Tsarevich with the Highly Appointed Bride and the Royal Children remained with the August Patient. Other Highest Persons from His Majesty's room went into the next room, and the doors to it were locked. To the most august Persons who left the room of the Sufferer-Tsar, Doctor Leyden told the little comforting news that the Patient’s lungs were worse than his heart. During this difficult time for everyone, together with the Royal Sufferer, His Most August Wife suffered more than others with heartache and languished. “It’s terribly painful to look at our dear Empress!” With such mournful words, the Queen of the Hellenes defines the grave state of the Empress, describing the last hours of the life of the Peacemaker Tsar. In response to the call, the Tsarsky soon appeared at the Small Palace. John of Kronstadt. “I hastened to appear,” he writes, “immediately after the celebration of the liturgy and remained in the Highest presence until the very blessed death of the Sovereign. At the request of the Empress, I read a prayer for the healing of the Sick One and anointed His feet and other parts of His body with oil. This oil from the lamp from the revered miraculous icon, at the request of the zealous, was delivered through one of the Yalta priests for the anointing of the August Sick. Having accepted this pious zeal with sincere faith, the Sovereign Emperor expressed the desire that I lay my hands on His head, and I held them for a long time. The Emperor was fully conscious, asked me to rest, but I said that I did not feel tired and asked Him: “Isn’t it hard for Your Majesty that I keep my hands on your head for a long time?” But He told me: “On the contrary, it is very easy for Me when you hold them.” Then He was pleased to say: “The Russian people love you.” “Yes,” I answered: “Your people love me.” “He loves,” answered the Emperor: “because he knows who you are and what you are” (His original words). Although it may not be modest on my part to include these words, but since every word of the dying Monarch is dear to Russia and characterizes His great, humble, kind, sympathetic soul, I did not consider it fair to omit them, although I confess that I am not worthy of such a kind word from my Great Sovereign.” The anointing of the Sick Sovereign with oil, performed by the Kronstadt pastor-prayer-man, was supposed to bring great spiritual consolation to the August Sufferer, although it could not replace the holy sacrament of consecration of oil, for which His soul thirsted. The pious Monarch, in the last days of His life, sincerely wished to accept the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing and was only waiting for this long-performing sacred rite, albeit a small strengthening of His rapidly declining strength. During the last hours, the Sovereign, surrounded by His Family, without losing consciousness for a minute, continued to talk with the Empress and Children in a weakening voice. He often kissed the Empress, but in the end he said: “I can’t even kiss You!” and he was breathing with great difficulty. The children were kneeling near Him, as was the Empress, holding His hands, which were beginning to grow cold. The Emperor kept asking them to sit down, saying that they would get tired. Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich stroked the hand of the Father, who, looking at Him with tenderness, said: “Dear!”, but immediately groaned: “It’s hard, very hard!” Shortly before the death of the Emperor, Fr. John prayed again, while the activity of the Patient’s heart grew weaker and his breathing became less frequent. The Empress, who did not leave her Suffering Spouse day or night, remained faithful to Her feelings and duty with unshakable firmness until the last minute. Serving Russian women for twenty-eight years, as a model and example of a Spouse, She was near Him until the last breath of the August Sufferer; The Empress sat on the left side of His chair, on a bench, almost kneeling. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Tsar's pulse increased, and His gaze seemed to come to life... Even three minutes before his death, it was clear that the Tsar wanted to say something and, turning to Professor Leiden, who was monitoring the pulse, said: “oxygen!” But before Leiden had time to fulfill the desire of the Dying Man, the Sovereign Emperor, supported by the shoulders of the Heir Tsarevich, bowed his head on the shoulder of the Empress, closed his eyes and quietly rested in Bose. It was two hours and fifteen minutes in the afternoon. Such was the righteous, truly Christian, peaceful death of the Most Pious of the Monarchs, Alexander III! He gave up His spirit to the Most High Master, bequeathing to His people the blessing of peace and the covenant of a good life. He died as he lived, as simple Russian people part with their lives, strong in their clear conscience, their ardent faith in God and in the immortality of the soul. Shepherd-prayerist, Fr. John of Kronstadt, a witness and eyewitness to the blessed death of the Tsar the Peacemaker, depicts it with such bright features: “He died quietly. The entire Royal Family silently, with submission to the will of the Almighty, knelt down. The soul of God’s Anointed One quietly departed to the Lord, and I took off my hands from His head, on which cold sweat appeared. Peace to Your soul, Great Sovereign and faithful servant of the King of those who reign! Don't cry and don't complain, Russia! Although you did not beg God for healing for your King, you did beg for a quiet, Christian death, and a good end crowned His glorious life, and this is most precious!” The Emperor died in the circle of His Family, in the arms of the Empress and His Firstborn Son. At the moment of the Monarch’s death, His head rested on the right shoulder of the Empress, who was kneeling on the left side of the chair and holding the left hand of her Spouse in Her hands. The right hand of the Sovereign rested on his knees, and at the moment of his death, His kneeling Firstborn, now the Reigning Sovereign Emperor, bowed His head to it. The Empress remained like this for a long time without tears or movement, like a marble statue, while the Relatives, Members of the August House, officials of the Court and court servants said goodbye to the Late Tsar. Meanwhile, His Majesty’s confessor, Protopresbyter Fr. The Yanyshevs read a prayer for the repose of the soul of the late Great Sovereign in God. The Imperial Standard on the Small Palace quietly lowered, followed by the flags on ships in the harbor as a sign of nationwide grief, and the news of the death of the dear and unforgettable Tsar quickly spread from Livadia to Yalta. Then, soon the residents of remote villages, listening to the shots that rarely came from the cruiser "Memory of Mercury", learned that the suffering of the beloved Monarch was over. At four o'clock in the afternoon, on the square in front of the Little Church of Livadia, Protopresbyter Yanyshev read the Highest Manifesto, in which Emperor Nicholas II announced to His people about the death of the Tsar-Peacemaker and about His accession to the Ancestor Throne; then he swore an oath to serve the new Sovereign of Russia of the Royal Family, the officials of the Court and the troops. After taking the oath, the Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke George Alexandrovich were the first to approach the Holy Cross and the Gospel, followed by the other Grand Dukes. After Them, the first ranks of the Court, the Retinue, the court ranks, the troops located in Livadia and His Majesty’s Own convoy took the oath.