414. Речь Благоверной Государыне, Великой Княгине Марии Николаевне при вступлении Ее Высочества в Свято-Троицкую Сергиеву лавру

(Said on May 25; printed in the Moscow and Provincial Vedas. 1852) The Prophet writes: “Blessed is he who has relatives in Jerusalem” (Is. 31:9), of course, in heavenly Jerusalem; because earthly Jerusalem itself is discontentedly blissful. Your Imperial Highness, possessing the advantages of a High Family on earth, nevertheless recognizes it as desirable, through faith and prayer, to find companions among the citizens of heavenly Jerusalem, always ready to bring us into the favor of the Heavenly King; and therefore, with the zeal of faith, you desired to draw closer to the blessed and beneficent heavenly Citizen, our Reverend Father Sergius, and accepted His blessed name for your son, and this is not the first time you have visited Him in the place of His earthly rest, imbued with heavenly activity. It is edifying for us to see this and comforting to unite our humble prayers with your prayer, so that the heavenly blessing that you inherited from your pious parents, with the promotion of living and active faith, will abundantly extend to your family in the times to come. You might be interested in: