Through
the words of Archbishop Averky (who reposed in 1976) and the Coronation Service
of the Russian Tsars, let us consider which system is more fitting for a
Christian people - a Christian kingdom whose traditions are sanctified by the
grace of God in His Church, or a pluralistic representative republic, whose chaotic,
divisive, frenzied, warlike character we see on display nearly every day in the
news in the [u.] S. (but which is especially manifest during national
elections).
Archbishop
Averky declared,
The idea of monarchy itself, in the return to which
as the historic and immemorial form for governing Russia many rightly see
salvation, is holy and dear to us not for itself, but only insofar as it is
supported by our Orthodox faith and Church - insofar as our czar is an
"Orthodox Czar," as we sing in our old national anthem; insofar as he
is not just formally and officially, but in actual fact the first son and also
the exalted Protector and Defender of the Orthodox Faith and Church; insofar as
he is really the "Anointed of God" who has received special gifts of
grace in the Mystery of anointing performed over him by the Church to be the
"King and Judge of the People of God," as he himself confesses in the
prayer he reads before everyone in the church during his sacred coronation.
Therefore he enters the altar through the royal doors and receives Holy
Communion before the holy throne of God as an equal of the other sacred
ministers, which, of course, could not be done by any other monarch who was not
orthodox and who did not respond to the demands of the Church, who was not
sanctified with grace by the Church.
This is decisively confirmed for us by the
ever-memorable Fr. John of Kronstadt, who said, "Who places earthly kings
on their thrones? He Who alone sits on the throne of fire from eternity, and
alone, in the true sense, rules over all creation - heaven and earth with all
the creatures which inhabit them. From Him alone is royal power given to the
kings of the earth; He crowns them with the royal diadem... Be silent, dreaming
constitutionalists and parliamentarians! `Depart from me, Satan! Thou art an
offense unto Me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those
that be of men' (Matt. 16:23), said the Lord to Peter who denied Him. Depart
also, you who oppose God's command. It is not your task to order the thrones of
earthly kings. Away, bold ones who do not know how to govern yourselves, but
are always quarreling with each other... Authority, power, courage, and wisdom
is given the Czar from the Lord to govern his subjects" (Sermon, 1907). '
Source: http://archbishopaverky.blogspot.com/2012/12/on-monarchy.html,
accessed 24 Nov. 2014
Regarding
the Coronation Service of the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Nektarios said,
The Tsar was and is anointed by God. This mystery
is performed by the Church during the coronation, and the Anointed of God
enters the Royal Doors[8]
into the altar,[9]
goes to the altar table and receives the Holy Mysteries as does the priest, with the
Body and Blood taken separately.[10]
Thus the Holy Church emphasises the great spiritual
significance of the podvig (struggle) of ruling as a monarch, equalling
this to the holy sacrament of the priesthood... He (the Tsar) is the
sacramental image, the carrier of the special power of the Grace of the Holy
Spirit.
During
the Service, the Russian Metropolitan would pray,
O Lord our God, King of kings and Lord of lords,
who through Samuel the prophet didst choose Thy servant David and didst
anoint him to be king over Thy people Israel; hear now
the supplication of us though unworthy, and look forth from Thy holy dwelling
place and vouchsafe to anoint with the oil of gladness Thy faithful servant N.,
whom Thou hast been pleased to establish as king over Thy holy people which
Thou hast made Thine own by the precious blood of Thine Only-begotten Son.
Clothe him with power from on high; set on his head a crown of precious stones;
bestow on him length of days, set in his right hand a scepter of salvation;
establish him upon the throne of righteousness; defend him with the panoply of
thy Holy Spirit; strengthen his arm; subject to him all the barbarous nations;
sow in his heart the fear of Thee and feeling for his subjects; preserve him in
the blameless faith; make him manifest as the sure guardian of the doctrines of
Thy Holy Catholic Church; that he may judge Thy people in righteousness and Thy
poor in judgment, and save the sons of those in want and may be an heir of Thy
heavenly kingdom. [Aloud] For Thine is the might and Thine is the
kingdom and the power, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And
also the following:
To Thee alone, King of mankind, has he to whom Thou
hast entrusted the earthly kingdom bowed his neck with us. And we pray Thee,
Lord of all, keep him under Thine own shadow; strengthen his kingdom; grant
that he may do continually those things which are pleasing to Thee; make to
arise in his days righteousness and abundance of peace; that in his tranquility
we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. For Thou
art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls and bodies and to Thee we
ascribe glory: to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
At
the Tsar’s crowning:
Most God-fearing, absolute, and
mighty Lord, Tsar of all the Russias, this visible and tangible adornment of
thy head is an eloquent symbol that thou, as the head of the whole Russian
people, art invisibly crowned by the King of kings, Christ,
with a most ample blessing, seeing that He bestows upon thee entire authority
over His people.
At
the Tsar’s receiving the orb and scepter:
God-crowned, God-given, God-adorned, most pious Autocrat and
great Sovereign, Emperor of All the Russias. Receive the sceptre and
the orb, which are the visible signs of the autocratic power given thee from
the Most High over thy people, that thou mayest rule them and order for them
the welfare they desire.
The
Tsar, having become ‘wedded’ to his people through the Coronation Service, had
a prayer to offer to God within it as well:
Lord God of our fathers, and King of Kings, Who
created all things by Thy word, and by Thy wisdom has made man, that he should
walk uprightly and rule righteously over Thy world; Thou hast chosen me as Tsar
and judge over Thy people. I acknowledge Thy unsearchable purpose towards me,
and bow in thankfulness before Thy Majesty. Do Thou, my Lord and Governor, fit
me for the work to which Thou hast sent me; teach me and guide me in this great
service. May there be with me the wisdom which belongs to Thy throne; send it
from Thy Holy Heaven, that I may know what is well-pleasing in Thy sight, and
what is right according to Thy commandment. May my heart be in Thy hand, to
accomplish all that is to the profit of the people committed to my charge and
to Thy glory, that so in the day of Thy judgment I may give Thee account of my
stewardship without blame; through the grace and mercy of Thy Son, Who was once
crucified for us, to Whom be all honor and glory with Thee and the Holy Spirit,
the Giver of Life, unto ages of ages. Amen.
Source of Coronation Service quotes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_the_Russian_monarch,
posted 18 Nov. 2014, accessed 24 Nov. 2014
Human society is not well; it is overrun with evil ideas of what the good life is in politics, family, and much else. But by humbling ourselves, by learning from societies that were and are Christian in more than just name (for whom the Faith was and is more than simply a thin covering for rank commercialism and other sins), we can begin to heal, with the help of God.
(Thanks
to J for sharing the path to the Archbishop Averky site.)
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