339. Беседа в день священного коронования и помазания на царство Благочестивейшего Государя Императора Александра Николаевича

(Said in the Assumption Cathedral on August 26; printed in the Works of the Holy Father in 1857 and in the collection of 1861) This day is brighter than many: because it reflects the light of the day that happened a year before, which illuminated Russia with the light of the royal crown, and spread over it the fragrance of the royal sacred anointing. Come back, unforgettable day. Get closer to our vision. Then we looked at you with the most eye of a rejoicing heart. Now we have more leisure to look at you with the eye of a reflective mind. Let us remember that this was the memorable Borodino day, on which Russia alone confronted all of Europe, on which the spirit of conquest and dominance, which had hitherto known no barriers, fell headlong against the wall, meeting the spirit of love for the Tsar and the Fatherland. This day deservedly has the honor of being the day of the Tsar's crown, and a solemn witness of the people's love for the Tsar. Let us remember that clear and quiet morning. It was as if it had been deliberately prepared to appear as a mirror and image of the Tsareva’s soul. Let us remember the wonderful closeness in and around the Kremlin at that time, which expressed the heartfelt desire for the Tsar of the entire population of Moscow and, if possible, through representatives, of the entire Russian people, or more precisely, of all the peoples of the All-Russian kingdom. Is there a strong enough word that would describe the general delight of that time? - And let it not be found. This unfound word is both audible and understandable to you: since the heartfelt exclamations of that time still have a faithful echo in faithful hearts. I would especially like that every son of Russia would now see with the mental eye in the same light, as we then with the mental and sensory eye saw our Most Pious Tsar and His Most Pious Spouse, and what happened to Them in this sanctuary in the most sacred moments of the sacred day. How humble Their greatness appeared before the face of the King of kings, and at the same time how majestic Their humility! What reverence for the shrine! What animation of prayer! What heavenly silence in the church, when the crowned King alone knelt, and a burning prayer for a blessing from above on Him and on His kingdom shone from His heart, and eyes, and lips, and quietly ignited all hearts; poured them into one censer, into one fragrant incense; and, without a doubt, he was invisibly received by the Guardian Angel of Russia, “and the smoke of incense arose through the prayers of the saints from the hand of an Angel before God” (Rev. 8:4). Let us look at this now with the eye of a rejoicing heart, but also, as I said, with the eye of a reflective mind. How the King, blessed for the kingdom by the Parent and the law of succession to the throne, strives to win the highest blessing and sanctification! How the Holy Church strives for its part to assimilate the highest blessing and sanctification to the Tsar! The Orthodox Church begins the ceremony of the royal wedding by inviting the Most Pious “Emperor” to pronounce publicly the Orthodox confession of faith. What does this mean? “This means that the Church, just as it is itself founded unshakably on the rock of faith, also desires to establish both the royal dignity and the desired blessed reign unshakably on the rock of faith. Truly, if to our Lord Jesus Christ, who rules over all according to Divinity, as a result of the merit of saving suffering and resurrection, in a new way, as the God-man, “was given,” according to His own saying, “all power on earth” as “in heaven” (Matthew 28:18); if He, according to the word of the Seer of Mysteries, is “the prince of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5): then the king and the kingdom can be truly blessed and prosperous only when they are pleasing to Him and His supreme dominion; and they can be pleasing to Him only when they rightly profess and actively preserve faith, which is the power, means and goal of His dominion. This truth was actively recognized by our Most Pious Sovereign at his royal wedding. Oh, if only all the sons of the kingdom were inspired by this truth, and especially all those called by a special title and position to serve the sovereign will of the Tsar and the good of the kingdom! The Holy Church envelops the entire rite of the royal wedding as if with a cloud of spirit, as if it were filled with the fragrance of a sacred censer, with abundant prayer. Every sign of majesty accepted by the Tsar, purple, crown, scepter, orb, she overshadows with the Divine name of the Most Holy Trinity. And this is not enough. In order to assimilate the King to a more internal, mysterious sanctification, she places on him with sacred anointing “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit”: she brings him closer to the very table of the Lord, and in the person of the priests and clergy, strengthens him for the great feat of reigning with the Divine food of the body and blood of the Lord. Looking mentally at this as sacred as a majestic spectacle, who would not think with reverence how great truly is the significance of the Orthodox Royal Majesty. It is overshadowed, embraced, imbued with sanctification from above. It seems to me that here recently I heard the ancient Jerusalem prophetic voices from the face of God: “I have lifted up the chosen one from my people; ...with holy oil... anointing him; “My truth and My mercy are with him” (Ps. 89:20–21, 25); - “Do not touch My anointed” (Ps. 104:15). But the advantage of having a God-crowned and anointed King should only dispose us to revere Him, and rest in the hope of God’s protection and help to Him, and through Him to us? - No. That's not all. A fair advantage entails a corresponding duty. With the receipt of a gift comes the obligation to be grateful; For the honor received, there is an obligation to preserve it through dignity. According to the judgment of Jesus Christ Himself, “to him much will be given, and much will be required of him” (Luke 12:48). So, if we are given a sanctified King by God, then just as he is obliged to keep himself worthy of the received sanctification, so we are all obliged to show ourselves worthy of the sanctified King, so that the beneficent favor of the Most High Heavenly Majesty, through the earthly Majesty, will extend without barriers to the entire kingdom and people. Does anyone really think that it is fitting for the all-holy, all-righteous, all-pure God, through the King sanctified by Him, to patronize a people who neglect holiness, who carelessly plunge into the abyss of sins and impurities, who do not think about becoming the people of God through faith and virtues? – This incongruity is refuted by common reason and moral sense. Orthodox Russians! Thanks to God for the King given to us, let us be attentive to what is required of us, so that this sacred gift will be completely beneficial for us. Let those who strive, not only in name and word, but also in deed and truth, be faithful to the Heavenly King: for only in this way will our loyalty to our Most Pious Autocrat be pleasing to Him, blessed by God, satisfactory for our Christian conscience, truly useful to the fatherland. Amen. You might be interested in: