Novosibirsk, Russia, September 18, 2017
Photo: ansobor.ru The priest called on all Christians who were present at the consecration of the monument to pray to the holy martyrs that they would forgive the people’s callousness, negligence, rigidity in sins, and unwillingness to be corrected, that they were unable to protect the monument from the desecration of vandals.
The monument to the Royal Martyrs was initially consecrated on July 16 this year by Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk and Berdsk. The monument was attacked less than two weeks later when a 31-year-old Novosibirsk man placed a ladder against the newly-consecrated monument, and, having climbed up it, dealt several blows with an axe. Security officers happened to pass by at the time and were able to detain the vandal and hand him over to the police. Motive and cost of damages are yet to be established.
Specifically, the head of the tsarevich was damaged, while the statue of the tsar was not.
“You remember what was written on the banner that until recently hung over the south door of the cathedral: ‘Forgive us, Your Majesty!’” Fr. Alexander said, addressing the flock. “It’s not just a beautiful phrase. It’s a prayer of deep repentance, but repentance should be confirmed not only by a broken spirit, but by outward acts. As in the 90s we restored churches destroyed by the Bolsheviks, so today we are restoring what they have destroyed more recently. This is one of the forms of our repentance,” the priest continued.
“The tsar’s murder was not some political assassination. By that time the emperor had no political power. But he remained anointed of God, the center of spiritual power in the country, and therefore to spiritually decapitate Russia, the Bolsheviks killed him and his entire family. It was a blow to the soul of the Russian people,” Fr. Alexander emphasized.
The cathedral rector also emphasized that Tsar Nicholas is a role model for all Christians. His deep humility before the executioners, his patience, bravery, strength, and his enduring state in faith are Christian qualities that were the reasons for his canonization.
“Grant us, O our Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of the holy Royal Passion-bearers, a clear mind, a strong faith, and love for our history, our Fatherland, and our fellow man!” Fr. Alexander concluded.
After the consecration, Fr. Alexander received an email greeting and congratulations from Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, which is deeply symbolic as the king of Bulgaria is a relative of Tsar Nicholas II.
