A Curse For Life Pt.6: Crowns

Life continued rather normaly after the baptism of Olga. The Bishop visited whenever he could, and the family was always over- joyed to see him. As the year rolled on Bishop Stephanje brought more and more news of the ailing Patriarch. For a while, Bishop Stephanje didn't visit as he took on some of the responsibilities of the Patriarch, which required him to travel to other cities in the country. He didn't stop writing to the family, however, and they never stopped feeling as though he was there with them.

By Christmas it was assured the Patriarch was dying. However, it was known that for the time- being he still had life in him. Thus, he travelled around the nation to all the major parishes in all the diocese of Russia. Being left some work to take care of, Bishop Stephanje remained in Saint Petersburg. However, he travelled to Moscow on the occasion to take care of work for the Patriarch there as well. Being busy as he was, Bishop Stephanje didn't notice the year come to a close.

Christmas arrived. With it, the times slowed, seemingly, to a grinding halt. All the running stopped, and it seemed that the Bishop actually had a head. The children made fun of him, thus, saying he'd been running around like a chicken without its head. He laughed with them and made fun of them when they were told to mind their manners by Alexander.
"You're just as bad as them!" Alexander would say exasperatedly. Bishop Stephanje would smile broadly. He had a particular way of smiling, which Xenia, when she was old enough, told him she loved very much. The Bishop was flattered and told her such.
"My heart is yours Xenia. You've stolen it with words sweet enough to match cupids arrows." Little Xenia was very proud of herself afterwards.

The Bishop spent more and more time at Anichkov Palace as the New Year approached. Afterwards, however, the church calendar was in preparation for Easter. Thus, Bishop Stephanje was, once again, on the move. The Patriarch, opting to stay in Moscow, was being taken care of his third bishop. This allowed Bishop Stephanje time to focus mainly on liturgising and resting. However, whilst his body rested, his mind never stopped thinking and praying for his Patriarch. The children, in love with the Bishop, in their innocence, asked if they could pray for the old Patriarch too. The gesture was sweet, and the Bishop didn't stop the children. Indeed, it was his job to encourage them to be as christian as possible. Xenia, however, he was told, was the most diligent. She never went to sleep, or begun her day, unless she'd said a small prayer for her Bishop Stephanje, or the Patriarch.

It was before Easter begun, however, that the Bishop Stephanje was summoned to the bedside of the bed- ridden Patriarch to administer the last rite. The family was summoned to Moscow as well. Four hours after administering the prayers of the last rite the Patriarch rested in the Lord. It was as the Imperial family was entering the Kremlin Palace that they heard the bells of the Patriarchal Palace announcing the passing of the Holy Father. They all stopped, standing there, on the steps to the Katherine Palace, in the winter cold. They bowed their heads in respect and made the sign of the cross on themselves.

For the next forty days Bishop Stephanje, and indeed, all Russia, was in mourning. Black was the colour everywhere. Euologies were given in every church in every village in every city all around the country. The Imperial family, out of respect, wore black arm- bands, the women never left without wearing a veil. Xenia, seeing the distress of her Bishop, was equally just as distressed. With NIkolas, Alexander and George by her all the time, however, little Xenia was kept pre- occupied. It was Bishop Stephanje, however, who continued to stress. Now Russia was without a Tsar, and without a Patriarch.

A month out from Easter Russia's clergy was summoned to Moscow. They all gathered at the Patriarchal Palace. Day after day for a whole week the gates were locked. Crowds gathered outside. It was the equivalent to the election of a Pope for Rome. The country was at a stand- still. All watched and waited for the curtains to part and for the doors of the top balcony to open, whereupon, the newly elected Patriarch would greet the crowd. On monday the news was announced by an attendant of the Palace. He stood in the centre of the courtyard, an equal distance from the doors to the Palace, and the gates. There was a hush over the crowd as all strained to listen.
"After the first day of voting the news is such: there are five distinct candidates. The Holy Synnod of the Patriarchate of Russia is numbered at 30 members. The five candidates have a number of votes which clearly identify them as the only five candidates up for election from the Holy Synnod. The candidates are: The Bishop Stephanje, secretary to the late Patriarch, and Bishop of Saint Petersburg; 8 votes. The Bishop Anastasius, second secretary to the late Patriarch, and Bishop ot Ykaterinburg; 7 votes. The Bishop Pantalaemon, third secretary to the late Patriarch, and Bishop of Omsk; 7 votes. The Bishop Victor of Novosibirsk; 4 votes, and the Bishop Alexei of Novgorod; 4 votes. This concludes the first round of preliminary voting." With that final message left to comfor the people in some way, the attendant turned on his heel and marched back into the Palace.

The Bishop Stephanje was safe. He was, so far, the sole candidate sure of a spot in the running for the Patriarchal position. Votes would now be cast to break the ties that had occured. Tuesdays votes were announced at the end of the day.
"The second day of voting has concluded and the votes are thus: The Bishop Anastasius; 9 votes. The Bishop Alexei; 7 votes. The Bishop Pantalaemon; 8 votes,and the Bishop Victor; 6 votes. At the end of the second day the cadidates for the Patriarchate of Russia are: The Bishop Stephanje of Saint Petersburg, the Bishop Anastasius of Ykaterinburg and the Bishop Pantalaemon of Omsk. The second round of preliminary voting is over, and now begins the voting for the Patriarch." Just as soon as the last syllable had left his lips, the attendant was gone again.

The Bishop Stephanje never stopped praying. He prayed so much, he was barely seen at all. He barely spoke to any of his fellow bishops, or even ate. He spent his time sitting in the chapel of the Palace. Just sitting, not really doing anything, just sitting. At the end of the second day he was nervous. He knelt before an icon of Saint Nektarius, a Greek saint, and his favourite, and prayed for guidance. It was when he was sitting observing the picture that he had the urge to chant. His heart longed for it. He opened his mouth and begun to chant.
"O virgin pure, immaculate
O lady Theotokos.
O rejoice, O bride unwedded.

O virgin mother, Queen of all
and fleece which is all dewy.
O rejoice, O bride unwedded.

More radiant than the rays of sun,
and higher than the heavens
O rejoice, O bride unwedded.

Delight of virgin choruses,
Superior to angels.
O rejoice, O bride unwedded."

His voice echoed softly throughout the chapel. His heart was beating fast, but the Bishop continued to chant. He was chanting to the heavens from the heart. He was releasing his stress, his angst, his worry onto the Lord above. He was praying from the heart. The sound was sweet, pure, angelic. He only stopped because he noticed that he'd drawn a crowd.

The Bishops Pantalaemon and Anastasius were walking towards the gardens together, talking, when they'd heard the sweet sound coming from the chapel. They stopped to listen, and knowing who it was, couldn't resist entering. They listened to him from the second verse onwards. It was the first time they were hearing such a sweet sound from their fellow bishop. It drew them both to tears of joy; they were happy for some reason. Happy to be alive, happy to have been elected for this life, happy to be listening and praising God. At the same time they were upset and distressed. They had lost their Patriarch, they were without a guide...they were alone. They stared at each other. Slowly the came together. They were all about the same age. Bishop Pantalaemon was just a year older than Bishop Anastasius and Bishop Stephanje. They didn't say anything, just watched each other for a while. Then as one, they all begun from where Bishop Stephanje had left off. The sound is indescribable. If ever you are blessed to hear such a trinity chant: with love, with joy, with sadness, and all from the heart, towards the Lord they believe in, you will know the awesome feeling, which will take you to the heavens itself.

It only took up to thursday for the Holy Synnod to decide who its Patriarch was. In fact, thursdays vote was considered a waste of time by many, as wednesdays voting ended with one candidate holding five votes over the second and ten over the third. However, others thought that another vote would be best, just to be safe. It was the older members who wanted the re- vote on thursday, and it was requested, mainly because these elderly members were afraid of the fact that their new Patriarch was to be one of three very young members. These new and young additions meant change. It was this "change", and what it implied for them, and for the Church or Russia, that they feared so much. The re- vote occured, however, surprisingly, though, the result turned out exactly the same. Bishop Stephanje; 15 votes. Bishop Pantalaemon; 10 votes, and Bishop Anastasius; 5 votes.

Friday morning, at five- thirty in the morning, with the crowd still outside, as though it had never left, the bells of the Patriarchal Palace, all 23 of them, rung joyously. A message had been sent to all the major cities in Russia, at five- thirty across the country, the bells of each major Church and Cathedral rung joyously. The new Patriarch had been elected by the grace and love of God. Saint Petersburg Cathedral's bells rung in the Patriarchal pattern. The citizens of Saint Petersburg were all woken from sleep. Some jumped, some woke slowly. In the end they all couldn't believe their ears. Their own, their very own Bishop Stephanje had been chosen as Patriarch. It was a sight never seen before. Saint Petersburg was alive and wide awake. Children, young adolescents, parents and adults; they all ran out onto the streets cheering their Stephanje on. They ran to the Cathedral, the gates were open and the Cathedral doors open as well. They solemnly entered and lit candles of prayer and thanks to God for electing and choosing their Bishop, as his Patriarch of Russia.

All of Russia knew that she was now with a religious leader again. New borns across the nation were given the name Stephanje, others chose not to give their new- borns a name, until the newly elected Patriarch was enthroned, in which case he would take up another name. Thus, some children were named Stephanje, others would be named after the Patriarch, whatever name he chose. That sunday, in Saint Basil's Basilica, in Moscow's Red Square, Bishop Stephanje was enthroned and crowned the new Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, by the Grace of God. Standing before the congregation, and before the entire country, the Bishop Stephanje took up the name Tikhon. Thus, he stepped up the three steps, and stood on the Patriarchal Throne; Tikhon, By the Grace of God, newly elected Archbishop of Moscow and Patriarch of the Holy Orthodox Church of Russia and the Ukraine.

Tikhon was vested in royal purple vestments. The entire ensemble was made out of purple velvet and was inlaid with gold threaded designs of the ecclesiastical two- headed eagle and crosses. His Patriarchal mitre was also inlaid with purple velvet and icons of the four gospel writers. On the front, and in the centre was a gold design of the Russian- style cross. Three crosses were presented to Tikhon, who took them one by one, said the prayer he was supposed to say before wearing it, then placed it over his head. One was a simple golden piece, with rubies which were a deep red they almost looked purple when the sun reflected off them at different angles. The other was a crucifix of Jesus, however, the image was of Jesus at his ascension into heaven. The other was a like a single- pieced locket, and it had an icon of the Virgin Mary inside, protected by a piece of glass.

Once on the Throne he summoned the Bishop Pantalaemon and requested the Bishop, humbly, to be his second, and secretary. The Bishop Pantalaemon, with- holding tears, accepted the offer. Then Tikhon summoned the Bishop Anastasius and asked him to be his third, and second secretary. The Bishop accepted the offer. To Pantalaemon, Tikhon presented a new mitre and named him the Metropolitain of Saint Petersburg. To Anastasius, he presented three new Crucifixes and named him the Arch- priest of Saint Petersburg. This change of positions represented the change of "power", so to speak. Moscow, being the first city, or the city of the Patriarch, as Rome was the city of the Pope, so to, did the other cities have a heirarchy. Naturally, Saint Petersburg was the city of the Patriarch, as he came from it, so naturally, it became the post of his second. Hence, the city of the second, became the post of the third.

c. John Apotsis 2008- 2009