This refers to the Masonic organizations that prepared the Great French Revolution of 1789, and then caused the counter-revolution of Napoleon Bonaparte. (Ed.)

Alexander I (1777-1825), Emperor from 1801 (Editor's note)

Sermon on the Day of the Accession to the Throne of Nicholas Pavlovich, the Most Pious Sovereign Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, Delivered in the Kiev-Sophia Cathedral on November 20, 1832

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

And in the lives of individuals, and even more so in the lives of nations, there are days which, whenever they return, evoke many different memories and feelings. Such, by the way, are the great days of succession of kings and rulers of the people; days on which centuries often depend. Such is the present day of the accession of the new autocrat to the throne of Russia, the throne which more than once gave a beneficial direction to the events of the whole world and to this day remains the main bulwark against the world's unrest. Which of the sons of the Fatherland can meet this day without many important memories and deep feelings? Who even among the foreign sons can meet him indifferently at the thought of the immeasurable consequences of the succession of the Russian crown-bearers? - This is the day by which not two reigns, but, perhaps, two universal epochs are connected with each other.

To gather together all the memories, to follow all the feelings that are aroused in the souls of the sons of the Fatherland today, would mean, on the one hand, to encroach on the immensity, and on the other, to go beyond the boundaries of Christian conversation. But there are memories and feelings that cannot but be aroused in the heart of every true son of the Church and Fatherland, and the absence of which in any would be a sign of inexcusable indifference. The exposition of such thoughts and feelings can serve as a substitute for instruction that is edifying for all. Let's devote a few minutes to this.

The first feeling on this day, according to the instructions of the Church herself, should be a feeling of humility, reverence and gratitude before the inscrutable Providence of God, which disposes of the fate of kingdoms and peoples. A Christian loves to turn his gaze to heaven in all events in life; all the more can his eyes and heart turn to heaven at the remembrance of such a great event as the accession to the throne of an autocrat. In fact, the lot of the rule of the most extensive kingdom in the world proceeded (now) from the right hand of the King of kings and was entrusted to the hand of the God-chosen ruler of the people - what a sacred moment! - Whose eye, except God's, was then watching over the fate of the king and the kingdom? Who, besides the Omniscient, knew a number of great events that were to take place later? If ever, then at this decisive time people only assumed, but God Himself disposed. It was the hour of God's most special Providence for our Fatherland. Where, therefore, should thoughts turn first of all when remembering this great event, if not to the place where it first began and was predestined, to the Throne of the Almighty? From there, from this holy height, the Christian expects on such occasions to hear what the Lord says about the fate of his homeland (Psalm 84:9), speaking in the great events of the world.

What was said about us on this occasion, what lesson was taught to us by Providence? - A lesson, as we said, of humility and gratitude.

Providence in general loves to admonish mortals about their shortcomings by contrasting His fates with their considerations and hopes. But it seems that this opposition has never been so palpably revealed as in the regal change that we remember. Who could have expected it so soon and so suddenly? What entreaties did not invoke long life on the head of the beloved crown-bearer? (Alexander I). This head, apparently crowned with earthly glory and the blessings of Heaven, combining in herself the hopes not only of the Fatherland, but also of the entire enlightened world, did not apparently vouch for her own strength? But the Supreme judged otherwise! When no one on earth thought about it, a great change had already been brought about in Heaven: it was determined that our hopes should suddenly be transferred to another head, that the fulfillment of great plans should be entrusted to the right hand of another..

Should not such a great suddenness of the heavenly determinations about our Fatherland, their striking contrast to our hopes and considerations, lead us to the thought that this terrible betrayal of the right hand of the Most High was the result of the discrepancy between our ways and the destinies of God? That the King of Heaven, by a striking change in our earthly rulers, wanted to impress upon all of us a lesson of humility and repentance? - The Church, as the mystery of God's destinies, heard the instructive voice of God most clearly in this case; and this is why she confesses so loudly before God in the presence of all on this day: "Those who have sinned, O Lord, and the wicked, and Thy utter abhorrence, are worthy of Thy utter abhorrence; For this reason Thou hast punished us with a brief visit to our sorrows" (the words of the prayer read during the moleben).

Thanks be to Providence that our sorrow was so brief and the wrath of heaven was dissolved by such mercy that the feeling of repentance, aroused by the memory of great deprivation, involuntarily degenerates into a feeling of gratitude at the thought of a new acquisition, which then followed.

In fact, it is no small mercy of God: having lost a good and wise king, to soon receive another, equally worthy! The prophet, on behalf of God, once threatened the people of Israel that they would remain for a long time without kings and rulers (Hos. 3:4). And our Fatherland has more than once realized, by the saddest experience, what it means for a long reign to be without a head. We (this time - ed.) did not know this misadventure! The new angel of the kingdom was already on guard when the old one departed to the place of eternal rest. There were several days of perplexity, but how majestic are these days! Hitherto we have known only prophets who denied and said to the Lord: "Choose another who is mighty, and make haste to him" (Exodus 4:13). Here they saw the legitimate heirs of the kingdom, passing on one another a crown - the first in the world! *