Alexander and Maria moved into the Anichkov Palace, after their marriage. They lived there for fifteen years. In those fifteen years they saw much of Father Stephanje. Not only because they couldn't bare to do without him for long periods, but they had the need to baptise their children. This was a duty that Father Stephanje was only to happy to carry out.
The first of Alexander and Maria's children was Nikolas. He was born two years after Maria and Alexander were married. His official title would be Tsarevitch Nikolas Alexandrovitch Romanov. He would one day be Tsar, and the last Tsar that Russia would ever have again. By the time that young Nikolas was born, Father Stephanje had been tontured once again. He was now a Priest. He remained at the Cathedral of Saint Petersburg. The sounding of the bells would always draw the attention of a different crowd, with different feelings, whenever they were heard from within Anichkov Palace walls. Nikolas was baptised in the Cathedral. It was not a major event, but a crowd had gathered to see the young Tsarevitch and the pretty Maria.
All the time, news spread of how the young Grand Duchess was spending her time reading Russian history, and learning the language. The admiration of a nation was deepening ever more. Any news of the young Grand Duchess was welcomed. Good news was always savoured and treasured, bad news always brought an uproar against the cause. Maria had become the gem of Russia, not the gem of a man.
Barely a year after Nikolas, Alexander Alexandrovich was born. Yet another baptism, yet another crowd and yet more love and admiration for the children and the Grand Duchess. Father Stephanje was just as proud. He was still at the Cathedral, but was now taking on more and more responsibility. He continued to visit Anichkov whenever he could, and he visited his uncle in Moscow, and his parents. Whilst they all loved him, they could not, still, understand why he'd taken Ordination above Coronation. Whilst this no longer bothered Father Stephanje, it was the reason he tried to visit only when he could. His duty was to a different king, and that took priority over everything else. It was his vocation.
By the time that George Alexandrovich was born, Father Stephanje was an Archimandrite, below the rank of Bishop, but above the rank of Priest. He was the secretary to the Patriarch, and still the celebrant Priest at the Cathedral of Saint Petersburg. Nikolas was now 3 years old, Alexander 2. They had heard the bells of the Cathedral ringing enough times, that they, too, became slaves to the beauty of the noise. They had seen Father Stephanje enough, and attended church every sunday enough, to identify the ringing bells with him. They always brought smile and laughter to the boys faces. It was a sight to brighten anyone's day. Alexander and Maria looked forward to it. The servants would all linger a moment or two longer, outside of the doors to the room, to hear the laughter.
By this stage Alexander and Maria stopped caring how few, or how many, children they would have. They would have as few, or as many, as they were meant to. Like the rest of the nation, however, Maria joked that she didn't want any more, if they would all be boys. Birthdays passed, vacations to Crimea also passed. Father Stephanje, and the sunday attendance, however, was one thing that the boys had grown to accustomed to give up. To long without Father Stephanje was like having no air, or happiness, in life. Seemingly, he was apart of them, as much they were apart of him.
Four years passed after George, when Maria, and Russia, got her wish. The first girl was born to the couple. The name they decided, would be Catherine. However, Nikolas, who was now 7, and Alexander, who was 6, had returned from a day out with Father Stephanje. They spoke of some names of the Saints in the Church. One that Father Stephanje loved very much was Xenia. The boys, completely in love with Father Stehanje, loved the name too. Thus, so as not to upset the boys, Maria and Alexander, also content with the name, called their girl Xenia.
Father Stephanje was surprised when he heard the story afterwards. He cried. The boys were sweet. He loved them as if they were his own. He was connected to them the same way he was connected to Alexander and Maria. He loved them all. They were his life, and his death. He lived for them, but he died for them, whenever he tried to make them see the Christian way of living.
c. John Apotsis 2008- 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment