October: Day 17: Teaching 4: Commemoration of the Miraculous Rescue of the Sovereign Emperor on October 17, 1888

October: Day 17: Teaching 4:
Commemoration of the Miraculous Rescue of the Sovereign Emperor on October 17, 1888
 
(Lessons From This Event:
a. God's Mercy To Our Tsars, and
b. We Must Revere the Sovereign)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Few years have passed since that saving moment, namely, October 17, 1888, when the most merciful Lord showed us all His rich mercy, preserving our Tsar, now reposed in God, and His entire august family from a terrible, inevitable death during their journey by rail in the south of our fatherland. Terrible was that moment, terrifying was that moment, but God's mercy is ineffable and His right hand is mighty.

Truly, only the great God, the worker of miracles, performed before our very eyes one of the great, ancient wonders of His omnipotence and His goodness: He, the most merciful, sent His angel to preserve the life of our beloved Monarch, the now most pious Dowager Empress, and Her Children. And so, amidst all the horrors of that shattering event, that terrifying scene of destruction, ruin, and death—the crash of splintering locomotives, the roar of rain, the whistling and howling wind, the groans and cries of the wounded, the mutilated and mangled corpses of the slain, the angel of death hovering over each one's head — our Tsar and His entourage remained safe, sound, and unharmed.

On the other hand, in the descriptions of this terrible event, what do we see in the actions of the Royal Persons? What majesty of the Tsar, what moral strength and power were revealed in the Tsarina and all members of the Royal Family during these terrible moments! The joy of life, the integrity of the Family, the joy of personal happiness do not drown out their feelings of compassion, pity, and active love for the unfortunate victims of this terrible catastrophe. As soon as the moment of the terrible disaster had passed, and the Tsar and Tsarina, forgetting their terrible fright, their own bruises and wounds, and only assured of the safety of their children, rushed with their own hands to render aid to those who had suffered a cruel fate, those who had died on the spot, or those who were wounded, maimed, and lay under a pile of rubble. They helped carry the maimed, refreshed the inflamed heads of the wounded, bandaged wounds, wiped away blood with their hands... They encouraged everyone with gracious attention, kind words, and heartfelt participation.

II. Such, brethren, is the event we commemorate!

a) It is highly significant as a manifestation of God's special power and mercy toward the Anointed of God, whom the Lord visibly saved from imminent death. Therefore, let us firmly believe that "in the power of the Lord the King will rejoice, and we will greatly rejoice in his salvation" (Psalm 20:1), for He answered him from the holy heavens with the saving power of His right hand (Psalm 18:7). If the Lord so loves His Anointed One, as His faithful servant and a man after our own heart, then should we not all the more revere and love Him to the point of being ready to lay down our lives for Him, zealously and steadfastly fulfill His laws and pray for Him daily, not only here in church, but also at home, crying out: "Lord, save the Tsar, save and protect from all enemies visible and invisible, from all misfortunes, personal, family, and state, our beloved, our dear Tsar Nicholas Alexandrovich" - praying that the Lord would keep Him under His protection and never cease to pour out blessings on Him and on his entire August House.

b) Revere, O Orthodox, the greatness and humility of your King and Queen, and learn from them true love for one's neighbor and self-sacrifice, knowing that in him who "abides in love, God Himself abides" (1 John 4:16). And where God is, there is truth, there is light, life, and joy, there is peace and God's favor.

III. Let us, O righteous sons of the fatherland, raise our minds, let us lift our hearts to heaven, from whence came the Lord's help to us; let us unite our souls in one prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for His ineffable mercy shown to us.

"Lord, save the King and hear us on that day in which we call upon You." Amen. 

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.