russia-insider--2020-09-03--Dear European Men: You Are Pathetic Pussies - Iben Thranholm (Video)

Immigrants are behaving like the Kennedys on Spring Break , and women are getting worried ...
In Europe , the few remaining men who are not actually gay , act like they are .
This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019 The gender-bending Europeans are finally getting their comeuppance .
They are having their asses kicked and their women fondled by normal red-blooded Syrians and Libyans whom they were stupid enough to bomb into total social collapse .
Yes , that would be you Cameron , Hollande , Sarkozy , and Merkel .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts , or hand out instructional cartoons to immigrants explaining to them that one should n't grope the womenfolk , which most likely simply convinced the immigrants that they can grope all they want because only a wuss would think of something so stupid .
I don ’ t know if Iben Thranholm gets as much hate mail as I do ( though I suspect that she probably does ) , but I will say that I totally agree with her : the modern European culture has “ de-masculinized ” European men no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is good to see somebody , especially two thoughtful women like Naouai and Thranholm , having the courage to speak the truth and not be terrorized by the “ you are blaming the victim ” mob .
Of course , neither Naouai nor Thranholm are excusing the thugs who are how regularly assaulting women all over Europe , but they are explaining , at least in part , why such mass assaults are possible in the first place ( the mindset of these thugs ) and why so many men ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or looked away .

Immigrants are behaving like the Kennedys on Spring Break, and women are getting worried...
In Europe, the few remaining men who are not actually gay, act like they are.
This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019
The gender-bending Europeans are finally getting their comeuppance.
They are having their asses kicked and their women fondled by normal red-blooded Syrians and Libyans whom they were stupid enough to bomb into total social collapse.
Thranholm: Feminine EU men unable to defend their women from healthy virility of Middle Eastern cultures
Yes, that would be you Cameron, Hollande, Sarkozy, and Merkel.
Their response has been to cover up the facts, or hand out instructional cartoons to immigrants explaining to them that one shouldn't grope the womenfolk, which most likely simply convinced the immigrants that they can grope all they want because only a wuss would think of something so stupid.
via The Saker:


russia-insider--2020-09-05--The Tsar's Photographer and His Amazing Preservation of Russian History

100 photos , 100 years old or older , 100 years after Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky completed his historic quest to capture the beauty , diversity , and spiritual power of Tsarist Russia This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019 This post first appeared on Russia Insider Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky was a Russian chemist and photographer famous for his pioneering work in color photography in the early twentieth century .
In 1905 Gorsky set himself to the task of photographically documenting the Russian Empire with the primary aim of educating Russian schoolchildren on the diverse history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famous color photograph of renowned author Leo Tolstoy in 1908 , Gorsky received an invitation to present his work to Tsar Nicholas II and his family .
So impressed was the Tsar that he commissioned Gorsky 's plan and provided him with funding and a specially-outfitted dark room rail car for his work .
From 1909 to 1915 Gorsky tirelessly traversed the Russian empire capturing thousands of shots of virtually every walk of Russian life .
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the completion of his historic mission , we are publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vivid glimpse into Tsarist Russia on the eve of the Communist Revolution .
84-year-old Pinkhus Karlinsky was the supervisor of the Chernigov floodgate over the course of 66 years - 1909 Assumption Cathedral in Tobolsk , rampart and part of fence - 1912 Austrian prisoners of war at a barracks near Kiappeselga - 1915 Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God at the Ipatevsky Monastery - 1910 Cathedral of the Transfigured Savior and Church of the Entry to Jerusalem in Torzhok - 1910 Foreman of the Chakva tea factory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the time of Peter the Great near the Kivach Waterfall near the river Suna - 1915 Chapel where the city of Belozersk was founded in ancient times - 1909 Children sitting on a hill near a church and belltower in the countryside near White Lake in northern Russia - 1909 Church of the Resurrection of the Blood - between 1909-1915 Church of the Holy Mother of God in Tobolsk - 1912 Church of the Resurrection in the Grove in Kostroma - 1910 View of Dalmatov from the monastery belltower - 1912 Joining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1912 Courtyard of the Church of the Resurrection - between 1909-1915 Entrance to the Church of the Resurrection in Kostroma - 1910 Exit from the yard of the Church of St. George at the Riurik fortress Staraya Lagoda - 1909 Family working iron mines in the Bakaly Hills with shovels and horse-drawn carts - between 1909-1915 Column fresco in the Church of St. John Chrystosom in Yaroslavl - 1911 Overview of Artvin from the small town of Svet - between 1909-1915 View of Liksansky Palace from the Kura River - between 1909-1915 View @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1911 View of Shakh-i-Zendi Mosque in Samarkand - between 1909-1915 Georgian woman standing next to a tree - between 1909-1915 Gospel belonging to the nun Varsanofiya , governess of the Tsarevna , in Trinity Monastery in Alexandrov - 1911 Group of Greek tea harvesters in Chavka - between 1909-1915 Iconostasis at the Winter Church of the Fedorov Mother of God in Yaroslavl - 1911 Treasures in the vestry of the Ipatevsky Monastery in Kostroma - 1911 Jewish children with their teacher in Samarqand - between 1909-1915 Production shop for scabbards at the Zlatoust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men in Central Asia , possibly for a game of Bayga - between 1909-1915 Workers laying concrete for a dam over the Oka River - 1912 Locomotive and coal car at a railroad yard - between 1909-1915 Horseman on the Golodnaya Steppe - between 1909-1915 Man sitting on a log next to a hut for woodcutters - 1912 The last Emir of Bukhara , Mohammad Alim Khan - 1911 Mother of God-Odigitria in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in Smolensk - 1912 Mullahs at a mosque in Aziziya Batum - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waterfall on the Suna River - 1915 Hotel in Gagra with chauffeur in front - between 1909-1915 Night camp by a rock on the banks of the Chusovaya - 1912 Kyrgyz family on the steppe - between 1909-1915 An old man in Samarqand holding a brace of birds - between 1909-1915 Ordezh River near Siverskaya Station in Petersburg Province - between 1909-1915 Handcar outside Petrozavodsk on the Murmansk Railway - between 1909-1915 Guests standing near Catherine 's Spring at a spa at Borzhom - between 1909-1915 Rafts on Peter the Great Canal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irtysh River at Tobolsk - 1912 Sergei Gorsky with two Cossaks in Murman - 1915 Settler 's family in village of Grafovka - between 1909-1915 Stork in a nest in Bukhara - between 1909-1915 Tile stove in the prince 's chamber in Rosta Veliky - 1911 Tow rope bridge in the village of Lava - 1909 Trinity Cathedral in the city of Lalaturovsk - 1912 Trinity monastery in the city of Tumen - 1912 Tsar Aleksei Mikhaelovich 's gospel and Tsar Mikhael Feodorovich 's sacremental vessels in Trinity Monastery in Alexandrov - 1911 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Zlatoust arms plant - 1910 Two men and two boys in Samarqand - between 1909-1915 Two men with a boat in Ostrechiny - 1909 View of Tbilisi from St. David Church - between 1909-1915 View of Dalmatov Monastery from the Iset River - 1912 Weighing station at the Chakva tea factory - between 1909-1915 Woman in Purdah standing next to a wooden door - between 1909-1915 Woman spinning yarn in the village of Izvedod - 1910 Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in the village of Pidma - 1909 Young women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - traditional wooden houses along the Sheksna River near Kirillov - 1909

100 photos, 100 years old or older, 100 years after Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky completed his historic quest to capture the beauty, diversity, and spiritual power of Tsarist Russia
This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019
This post first appeared on Russia Insider
Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky was a Russian chemist and photographer famous for his pioneering work in color photography in the early twentieth century.
In 1905 Gorsky set himself to the task of photographically documenting the Russian Empire with the primary aim of educating Russian schoolchildren on the diverse history and culture of the realm. After his famous color photograph of renowned author Leo Tolstoy in 1908, Gorsky received an invitation to present his work to Tsar Nicholas II and his family. So impressed was the Tsar that he commissioned Gorsky's plan and provided him with funding and a specially-outfitted dark room rail car for his work.
From 1909 to 1915 Gorsky tirelessly traversed the Russian empire capturing thousands of shots of virtually every walk of Russian life. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the completion of his historic mission, we are publishing 100 of his best shots, giving a vivid glimpse into Tsarist Russia on the eve of the Communist Revolution.
'War and Peace' author Leo Tolstoy - 1908
84-year-old Pinkhus Karlinsky was the supervisor of the Chernigov floodgate over the course of 66 years - 1909
Dagestani couple - between 1909-1915
Assumption Cathedral in the Dalmatov Monastery - 1912
Assumption Cathedral in Tobolsk, rampart and part of fence - 1912
Austrian prisoners of war at a barracks near Kiappeselga - 1915
Young boy standing next to a gatepost - 1910
Bukharan bureaucrat - between 1909-1915
Cathedral in Shadrinsk - 1912
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God at the Ipatevsky Monastery - 1910
Cathedral of the Transfigured Savior and Church of the Entry to Jerusalem in Torzhok - 1910
Foreman of the Chakva tea factory, Lau Dzhen Dzhau - between 1909-1915
Chapel from the time of Peter the Great near the Kivach Waterfall near the river Suna - 1915
Chapel where the city of Belozersk was founded in ancient times - 1909
Children sitting on a hill near a church and belltower in the countryside near White Lake in northern Russia - 1909
Church of the Resurrection of the Blood - between 1909-1915
Church of the Holy Mother of God in Tobolsk - 1912
Church of the Resurrection in the Grove in Kostroma - 1910
View of Dalmatov from the monastery belltower - 1912
Joining of the Irtysh and Tobol rivers - 1912
Courtyard of the Church of the Resurrection - between 1909-1915
Dagestani couple - between 1909-1915
Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir - 1911
Drying nets on Lake Seliger - 1910
Entrance to the Church of the Resurrection in Kostroma - 1910
Exit from the yard of the Church of St. George at the Riurik fortress Staraya Lagoda - 1909
Carpet merchant in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Family working iron mines in the Bakaly Hills with shovels and horse-drawn carts - between 1909-1915
Farmers taking a rest from haying - 1909
Russian forest - 1910
Column fresco in the Church of St. John Chrystosom in Yaroslavl - 1911
Overview of Artvin from the small town of Svet - between 1909-1915
View of Liksansky Palace from the Kura River - between 1909-1915
View of Nikolaevsky Cathedral from the southwest - 1911
View of Shakh-i-Zendi Mosque in Samarkand - between 1909-1915
Georgian woman standing next to a tree - between 1909-1915
Girl with berries - 1909
Sergei Gorsky at the Karolitskhali River - 1912
Gospel belonging to the nun Varsanofiya, governess of the Tsarevna, in Trinity Monastery in Alexandrov - 1911
Group of Greek tea harvesters in Chavka - between 1909-1915
Hay storage at the Viazovaya Station - 1910
Iconostasis at a church in Borodino - 1911
Iconostasis at the Winter Church of the Fedorov Mother of God in Yaroslavl - 1911
Treasures in the vestry of the Ipatevsky Monastery in Kostroma - 1911
Borodino Museum - 1911
Jewish children with their teacher in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Production shop for scabbards at the Zlatoust arms plant - 1910
Boat Yard in Kareshka - 1909
Large gathering of men in Central Asia, possibly for a game of Bayga - between 1909-1915
Workers laying concrete for a dam over the Oka River - 1912
Locomotive and coal car at a railroad yard - between 1909-1915
Horseman on the Golodnaya Steppe - between 1909-1915
Man sitting among bamboo trees - between 1909-1915
Man sitting on a log next to a hut for woodcutters - 1912
Melon vendor in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Mills in Tobolsk Province - 1912
The last Emir of Bukhara, Mohammad Alim Khan - 1911
Artistic casting at Kasli Iron Works - between 1909-1915
Monks planting potatoes at Gethsemane Monastery - 1910
Mother of God-Odigitria in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in Smolensk - 1912
Mullahs at a mosque in Aziziya Batum - between 1909-1915
Sergei Gorsky near the Kivach Waterfall on the Suna River - 1915
Hotel in Gagra with chauffeur in front - between 1909-1915
Night camp by a rock on the banks of the Chusovaya - 1912
Kyrgyz family on the steppe - between 1909-1915
Noviy Afon Monastery Ponds - between 1909-1915
An old man in Samarqand holding a brace of birds - between 1909-1915
Ordezh River near Siverskaya Station in Petersburg Province - between 1909-1915
Handcar outside Petrozavodsk on the Murmansk Railway - between 1909-1915
Skuritskhali River - between 1909-1915
Guests standing near Catherine's Spring at a spa at Borzhom - between 1909-1915
Rafts on Peter the Great Canal in Shlisselburg - 1909
Right bank of the Irtysh River at Tobolsk - 1912
Hauberk and helmet of St. Dalmat - 1912
Sart fields in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Sergei Gorsky with two Cossaks in Murman - 1915
Settler's family in village of Grafovka - between 1909-1915
Steam engine 'Kompaund' with Schmidt super heater - 1915
Stork in a nest in Bukhara - between 1909-1915
Tile stove in the prince's chamber in Rosta Veliky - 1911
Tow rope bridge in the village of Lava - 1909
Trinity Cathedral in the city of Lalaturovsk - 1912
Trinity monastery in the city of Tumen - 1912
Tsar Aleksei Mikhaelovich's gospel and Tsar Mikhael Feodorovich's sacremental vessels in Trinity Monastery in Alexandrov - 1911
Tsarist gifts to the Goritsky Monastery - 1909
Two men and a woman standing outside the Zlatoust arms plant - 1910
Two men and two boys in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Two men with a boat in Ostrechiny - 1909
Shir-Dar madrasa in Samarqand - between 1909-1915
Solovetsky Monastery - 1915
View of Tbilisi from St. David Church - between 1909-1915
View of Dalmatov Monastery from the Iset River - 1912
View of Tobolsk from Assumption Cathedral - 1912
Village of Kolchedan - 1912
Weighing station at the Chakva tea factory - between 1909-1915
Woman in Purdah standing next to a wooden door - between 1909-1915
Woman spinning yarn in the village of Izvedod - 1910
Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in the village of Pidma - 1909
Young woman in Malorossi (Ukraine) - between -1909-1915
Young women offer berries to visitors to their izbas - traditional wooden houses along the Sheksna River near Kirillov - 1909


russia-insider--2020-09-05--The Transgender Delusion and Widespread Effeminacy Will Lead to Totalitarianism

This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019 As a nation of economically dependent people relies upon a government for aid , alms , and financial support , a nation of weaklings and cowards , dependent upon the physical protection of others , does the same .
Economic self-reliance is but one kind of independence ; there are other types .
Physical safety is another form of independence , and an often overlooked and underconsidered one .
People may look to power/authority , typically governmental power/authority , for both physical and economic security .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those who can not defend themselves or safeguard their own rights and interests , are more likely to tolerate police state tactics , mass surveillance , heavily armed policemen , unthinkably intrusive laws , etc .
The social condition of widespread debility and pusillanimity can enable the growth of a powerful state , just as diversity can .
Diverse societies are unstable and mistrusting societies .
Mistrusting and unstable societies are societies that require a potentate to stay together and in order .
Diversity , like widespread physical weakness , effeminacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statism to take root and grow .
Granted , those accustomed to violence , namely the rough , the violent themselves , may tolerate statist tactics as well , mostly on account of their own natural comfort with violence and brutality .
However , they are generally less likely to crave such tactics and need such tactics in the same way that those who can not put in their own work will .
Weaklings are notorious for loving cruelty in the service of their own causes , and for preferring a highly controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state of liberty .
While some might argue that transgenderism masculates women to the same extent it emasculates men , thus leading to no net loss , this is not so .
Women can not be men .
Not really .
Masculine women , pumped up on male hormones or delusions of physical strength , are not really comparable to men .
A masculine woman , except in the rarest of cases , is a cheap substitute for a real man , as a feminine or “ gender dysmorphic ” man is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A gender dysmorphic biological female can not fight like a man and a gender dysmorphic biological male can not breed like a woman .
Both are basically dead weight everywhere but in Hollywood movies .
Thus , you really just lose men and women and never gain any .
Ultimately , it is fine to see transgenderism as a form of mass hysteria ( think 17th Century Dutch “ tulip mania ” ) , because it is .
And it is fine to have a problem with teachers normalizing transgenderism amongst the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and whose identities are unformed , since they are highly impressionable and easily disoriented , and liable to be manipulated or deceived and led on errant paths to misery and ruin .
Just as it is fine to see the proliferation of those who identify as transgender , and the normalization of this bizarre and delusional pathology , as a function of the moral nihilism and relativism that defines our times .
Indeed , one might even argue that the number of transgender folk is increasing rapidly for the same reason that hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debacle , are increasing rapidly , namely because everyone wants to be a victim and everyone wants to enjoy the many benefits of victimhood .
The self-same Cultural Marxist social forces are incentivizing these two unrelated phenomena .
Nevertheless , the normalization of transgenderism ( and to a lesser extent homosexuality ) , serves another purpose , and we must not discount that purpose as being another motivation leftist elites possess for normalizing these things and flooding us with incessant propaganda and conditioning concerning them .
An effeminate and weak ( and especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more inclined to look to government for security .
Thus , when the Cultural Marxist power structure seeks to normalize these bizarre behaviors and pathologies , it not only weakens the people , it strengthens itself .
A nation of weaklings and girlie men is an invitation to statism and totalitarianism .
The weak and cowardly can not defend themselves .
They will not defend themselves .
They will thus look to government for safety and security .
This is likely another very important reason why the Cultural Marxists who rule over us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now even calling masculinity itself “ toxic ” .
They desire a nation of damsels ever in distress .
Damsels can not defend themselves from external threats .
They can not defend themselves from minor threats posed by common , albeit violent criminals , who fancy themselves eternal victims no matter how many innocents they victimize , and they especially can not defend themselves from tyrannical Marxist threats , which fancy themselves liberal democratic governments , no matter how illiberal or anti-democratic they have become .

This article from our archives was first published on RI in March 2019
As a nation of economically dependent people relies upon a government for aid, alms, and financial support, a nation of weaklings and cowards, dependent upon the physical protection of others, does the same. Economic self-reliance is but one kind of independence; there are other types. Physical safety is another form of independence, and an often overlooked and underconsidered one. People may look to power/authority, typically governmental power/authority, for both physical and economic security. People who do not feel safe and secure, those who can not defend themselves or safeguard their own rights and interests, are more likely to tolerate police state tactics, mass surveillance, heavily armed policemen, unthinkably intrusive laws, etc.
The social condition of widespread debility and pusillanimity can enable the growth of a powerful state, just as diversity can. Diverse societies are unstable and mistrusting societies. Mistrusting and unstable societies are societies that require a potentate to stay together and in order. Diversity, like widespread physical weakness, effeminacy, and timidity, is fertile soil for statism to take root and grow. Granted, those accustomed to violence, namely the rough, the violent themselves, may tolerate statist tactics as well, mostly on account of their own natural comfort with violence and brutality. However, they are generally less likely to crave such tactics and need such tactics in the same way that those who can not put in their own work will. Weaklings are notorious for loving cruelty in the service of their own causes, and for preferring a highly controlled environment where they are safe, to a state of liberty.
While some might argue that transgenderism masculates women to the same extent it emasculates men, thus leading to no net loss, this is not so. Women can not be men. Not really. Masculine women, pumped up on male hormones or delusions of physical strength, are not really comparable to men. A masculine woman, except in the rarest of cases, is a cheap substitute for a real man, as a feminine or “gender dysmorphic” man is a cheap substitute for a real woman. A gender dysmorphic biological female can not fight like a man and a gender dysmorphic biological male can not breed like a woman. Both are basically dead weight everywhere but in Hollywood movies. Thus, you really just lose men and women and never gain any.
"The Roses of Heliogabalus" by Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Ultimately, it is fine to see transgenderism as a form of mass hysteria (think 17th Century Dutch “tulip mania”), because it is. And it is fine to have a problem with teachers normalizing transgenderism amongst the young, those whose minds are plastic and whose identities are unformed, since they are highly impressionable and easily disoriented, and liable to be manipulated or deceived and led on errant paths to misery and ruin. Just as it is fine to see the proliferation of those who identify as transgender, and the normalization of this bizarre and delusional pathology, as a function of the moral nihilism and relativism that defines our times. Indeed, one might even argue that the number of transgender folk is increasing rapidly for the same reason that hate hoaxes, like the recent Jussie Smollett debacle, are increasing rapidly, namely because everyone wants to be a victim and everyone wants to enjoy the many benefits of victimhood. The self-same Cultural Marxist social forces are incentivizing these two unrelated phenomena.
Nevertheless, the normalization of transgenderism (and to a lesser extent homosexuality), serves another purpose, and we must not discount that purpose as being another motivation leftist elites possess for normalizing these things and flooding us with incessant propaganda and conditioning concerning them. An effeminate and weak (and especially a confused and delusional) population is more inclined to look to government for security. Thus, when the Cultural Marxist power structure seeks to normalize these bizarre behaviors and pathologies, it not only weakens the people, it strengthens itself.
A nation of weaklings and girlie men is an invitation to statism and totalitarianism. The weak and cowardly can not defend themselves. They will not defend themselves. They will thus look to government for safety and security. This is likely another very important reason why the Cultural Marxists who rule over us are normalizing transgenderism and homosexuality, and now even calling masculinity itself “toxic”. They desire a nation of damsels ever in distress. Damsels can not defend themselves from external threats. They can not defend themselves from minor threats posed by common, albeit violent criminals, who fancy themselves eternal victims no matter how many innocents they victimize, and they especially can not defend themselves from tyrannical Marxist threats, which fancy themselves liberal democratic governments, no matter how illiberal or anti-democratic they have become.


russia-insider--2020-09-06--Never Offer a Russian a Cold Beverage: Russia’s Liquid Kryptonite Explained

This article from our archives was first published on RI in February 2017 When you visit or live in a foreign country , it 's always the little differences that stand out the most .
And if you spend more than one week in Russia , you will quickly discover that Russians are not keen on drinking cold beverages .
It 's not their cup of tea .
Tea is their cup of tea .
And it should be very hot tea .
Ideally with lemon .
Spasibo .
Sure , they 'll have a cold beer , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of like moldy bread water ; it 's delicious , just trust us on this one ) .
But you will almost never see a Russian chugging an ice-filled 80oz Big Gulp .
( As a result , diabetes is not nearly as prevalent over here . )
If you 're at a Russian cafe and order water , your waiter will ask you two important questions : 1 .
Would you like carbonated water ?
and 2 .
Are you a freak who prefers cold water ?
The moral of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skills are n't that great , it 's always easier to just order vodka with every meal .
Russians drink hot beverages .
It does n't matter what season it is .
We have a Russian acquaintance who told us a pleasant anecdote about a recent business trip he took to the United States : Our Russian friend was flying from JFK to LAX .
It was July .
Hot , humid , extremely sticky .
You get the idea .
When it was his turn to receive beverage service , our Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot , steamy cup of tea ( with lemon , of course ) .
She immediately replied to him : `` Oh — you must be Russian ! ''
In fact , there 's even a traditional Russian method of drinking hot tea , `` Пить из блюдца '' , which basically involves pouring your tea into a saucer and slurping it in order to decrease serious bodily harm .
We know at least one Russian who is so fond of hot tea that she burnt her lips and did n't even know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had basically melted off her face .
Luckily there are many patient Russians who are part of the RI family ; Russia expert and long-time Russian Elizabeth Curry was kind enough to explain why Russians are so weird : Yes , apparently Russians do n't drink cold water because they 're afraid of getting sick .
Seriously .
These people will jump into freezing lakes , but wo n't drink a cup of ice water ?
Because they 're afraid of catching cold ?
And these are the same people who crushed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
If Hitler had known about Stalin 's Achilles ' heel — an ice cold Fanta — the Axis Powers might have conquered the whole world .
Oh well .
According to our Russian Russia expert , if you ca n't deal with Russia 's many delightful quirks : too bad !
( Elizabeth finds a much more poetic way of saying this . )
Of course , there 's another way of looking at this strange phenomenon : Why are Americans so obsessed with cold drinks ?
We demand answers .

This article from our archives was first published on RI in February 2017
When you visit or live in a foreign country, it's always the little differences that stand out the most.
And if you spend more than one week in Russia, you will quickly discover that Russians are not keen on drinking cold beverages. It's not their cup of tea. Tea is their cup of tea. And it should be very hot tea. Ideally with lemon. Spasibo.
'If it's cold it kills'
Sure, they'll have a cold beer, or a glass of chilled kvas (it's sort of like moldy bread water; it's delicious, just trust us on this one). But you will almost never see a Russian chugging an ice-filled 80oz Big Gulp. (As a result, diabetes is not nearly as prevalent over here.)
If you're at a Russian cafe and order water, your waiter will ask you two important questions: 1. Would you like carbonated water? and 2. Are you a freak who prefers cold water?
The moral of this story is that if your Russian language skills aren't that great, it's always easier to just order vodka with every meal.
Russians drink hot beverages. It doesn't matter what season it is. We have a Russian acquaintance who told us a pleasant anecdote about a recent business trip he took to the United States: Our Russian friend was flying from JFK to LAX. It was July. Hot, humid, extremely sticky. You get the idea.
When it was his turn to receive beverage service, our Russian comrade asked the flight attendant for a hot, steamy cup of tea (with lemon, of course). She immediately replied to him: "Oh — you must be Russian!"
In fact, there's even a traditional Russian method of drinking hot tea, "Пить из блюдца", which basically involves pouring your tea into a saucer and slurping it in order to decrease serious bodily harm. We know at least one Russian who is so fond of hot tea that she burnt her lips and didn't even know until her dentist asked why her lips had basically melted off her face.
What's the deal, Russia? We demand answers.
Luckily there are many patient Russians who are part of the RI family; Russia expert and long-time Russian Elizabeth Curry was kind enough to explain why Russians are so weird:
Yes, apparently Russians don't drink cold water because they're afraid of getting sick.
Seriously. These people will jump into freezing lakes, but won't drink a cup of ice water? Because they're afraid of catching cold?
And these are the same people who crushed a million (rough approximation) SS divisions? If Hitler had known about Stalin's Achilles' heel — an ice cold Fanta — the Axis Powers might have conquered the whole world.
Oh well. According to our Russian Russia expert, if you can't deal with Russia's many delightful quirks: too bad! (Elizabeth finds a much more poetic way of saying this.)
Of course, there's another way of looking at this strange phenomenon: Why are Americans so obsessed with cold drinks? We demand answers.


russia-insider--2020-09-07--Russians Are Big Kissers. Here's How to Do It Right

This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017 Many Americans comment on how much in-your-face PDA ( public display of affection ) there is in Russia .
My cousin said that Russia is “ just the worst country to be single in , ” because every day you ride the train and watch couples hug and kiss , kiss a LOT .
But the confusion does n't end there .
After spending time in Russia , I get awkward even when somebody goes for the simple greeting kiss .
Inside , I ’ m wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed to kiss their cheeks .
In America , one peck is more than enough .
But then French people kiss your cheek twice ; would they think that I ’ m insinuating something if I go for the third one by habit ?
Because the standard Russian greeting kiss is the triple kiss , in which you kiss the other person three times , alternating cheeks .
Traditionally , this symbolizes the Trinity , so many Russians unknowingly , greet each other in the name of the Father , Son and Holy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s kiss culture history ?
To continue reading this article , check out the full version on Russian Faith !

This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017
Many Americans comment on how much in-your-face PDA (public display of affection) there is in Russia. My cousin said that Russia is “just the worst country to be single in,” because every day you ride the train and watch couples hug and kiss, kiss a LOT.
But the confusion doesn't end there. After spending time in Russia, I get awkward even when somebody goes for the simple greeting kiss. Inside, I’m wondering just how many times I’m supposed to kiss their cheeks. In America, one peck is more than enough. But then French people kiss your cheek twice; would they think that I’m insinuating something if I go for the third one by habit?
Because the standard Russian greeting kiss is the triple kiss, in which you kiss the other person three times, alternating cheeks. Traditionally, this symbolizes the Trinity, so many Russians unknowingly, greet each other in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit daily.
But what is Russia’s kiss culture history?
To continue reading this article, check out the full version on Russian Faith!


russia-insider--2020-09-06--This Amazing Island Monastery Has Finally Been Noticed by the West

This article from our archives was first published on RI in August 2017 This old staging area for Ivan the Terrible 's Invasion of the Tatar-Mongolian capital of Kazan is home to a beautiful monastery .
The whole island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
Check out this video by our youtube channel along with some beautiful pictures below .
The architecture blends Neo-Byzantine ( far right in the back ) with the national Russian piered construction ( center ) .
Dormition Cathedral represents a typical Russian style of church with three distinctive piers .
The dome is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed to the typical onion shape ) , and gables is reminiscent of Ukrainian Baroque , which inspired similar patterns in Moscow Baroque .
The large church is named in honor of `` The Mother of God - the Joy of those who Sorrow '' .
It 's architecture is distinctly Byzantine inspired .
Notice how it 's domes are large and egg shaped compared the smaller Russian onion dome on the left .
The church itself is round , cave-like , and enveloping compared to the shaper verticality of the Russian style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fortress by Ivan the Terrible .
The cities name `` Sviyazhsk '' is written in medieval Russian starting on the fourth line from the bottom , the word begins with the `` C '' immediately after the `` oy '' and ends with the second letter `` O '' on the third line .

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russia-insider--2020-09-07--Russians Don't Do Nursing Homes - Abhor the Idea

The vast majority of Russians insist parents should be cared for by their children - at all costs .
Only in rare cases would this occur , i.e .
no kids ...
This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017 This article originally appeared on : Russian Faith , a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia .
See their introductory video at end of article .
In America , we have been brought up to consider nursing homes inevitable , like winters in New York .
You live your life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can , stretching the seams to make youth last as long as possible .
But once you are old and gray and senile , you do the right thing and make way for the young .
You ’ ve had your fun , now let them have theirs .
No modern person has time to waste and naturally , everybody hates “ leeches.
” So you quietly make your way to the nursing home , not ‘ wanting to be a burden to anybody ’ Yes , usually it ’ s horrible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is nothing waiting for you , except maybe checkers and visits .
And Death .
But it ’ s just the way things are .
Everyone is accepting of the common tragedy .
On one of my first visits to Russia , I was talking to a single mother who struggled to support two kids in Moscow .
She was also taking care of her senile , sick , and rather difficult father .
I asked her whether she had considered giving him to a nursing home or at least hiring someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a small sum .
She , genuinely horrified , said “ How ?
How can I give my Dad away ?
For some other stranger to change his sheets ?
” I remembered her every time I asked Russians about old age and retirement homes .
Most of them seemed repulsed by the idea .
I then started looking up forums online to see whether it was just people in my circle .
Nope .
Online , even private nursing homes publicly mourn Russians ’ inability to understand the convenience and humanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really believe that sending parents to a nursing home is wrong and ungrateful and downright shameful .
Of course , part of this comes from the fact that in Russia , most nursing homes present a deplorable picture .
But that ’ s not the whole story .
Surely if the society believed that this was something they were convinced was necessary , better and more nursing houses would appear to meet the demand .
The fact remains that the people in Russian nursing homes are usually either people without relatives or parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
Polls in Russia suggest that exponentially more people intend to keep their aging parents at home .
And while Americans tend to use rational and practical language to explain the nursing home phenomenon , Russians will often use emotional and ethical language on the question , using words such as “ duty ” “ love ” and “ right thing ” … rather old-fashioned explanations in our day .
Some Russian Christians argue that a loving family will naturally want to keep the parents : giving them away would be like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , maybe , because parents have already invested time and love into you .
They say that facing and dealing with the inconvenience and annoyance that an old person may cause teaches people patience and sacrifice .
Kids learn from the start to take care of people , to suffer inconvenience for a higher good .
Besides , Russians believe that illness and age actually bring people closer to God , by helping them realize their dependence , weakness , and need for Him .
But for most Russians , nursing house hatred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal , unspoken logic : you take care of your parents , your kids will take care of you , a generational chain of mutual service .
And even if that ’ s not what happens , Russians have a deep sense that that ’ s how it should be .
For them , what it comes down to is this : do you sacrifice your own comfort for your parents or do you sacrifice your parents for the sake of your own comfort ?
Should this 75-year-old Grandpa be in a home @ @ @ @

The vast majority of Russians insist parents should be cared for by their children - at all costs. Only in rare cases would this occur, i.e. no kids...
This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017
This article originally appeared on: Russian Faith, a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia. See their introductory video at end of article.
In America, we have been brought up to consider nursing homes inevitable, like winters in New York. You live your life, as brightly, as vividly as you can, stretching the seams to make youth last as long as possible. But once you are old and gray and senile, you do the right thing and make way for the young.
You’ve had your fun, now let them have theirs. No modern person has time to waste and naturally, everybody hates “leeches.” So you quietly make your way to the nursing home, not ‘wanting to be a burden to anybody’
Yes, usually it’s horrible, terrifying, lonely. The sense that there is nothing waiting for you, except maybe checkers and visits. And Death. But it’s just the way things are. Everyone is accepting of the common tragedy.
On one of my first visits to Russia, I was talking to a single mother who struggled to support two kids in Moscow. She was also taking care of her senile, sick, and rather difficult father.
I asked her whether she had considered giving him to a nursing home or at least hiring someone to help her take care of him for a small sum.
She, genuinely horrified, said “How? How can I give my Dad away? For some other stranger to change his sheets?”
I remembered her every time I asked Russians about old age and retirement homes. Most of them seemed repulsed by the idea. I then started looking up forums online to see whether it was just people in my circle. Nope. Online, even private nursing homes publicly mourn Russians’ inability to understand the convenience and humanity of nursing homes.
Predominantly, Russians really believe that sending parents to a nursing home is wrong and ungrateful and downright shameful.
Of course, part of this comes from the fact that in Russia, most nursing homes present a deplorable picture. But that’s not the whole story.
Surely if the society believed that this was something they were convinced was necessary, better and more nursing houses would appear to meet the demand.
The fact remains that the people in Russian nursing homes are usually either people without relatives or parents who have cut all ties with their children. Polls in Russia suggest that exponentially more people intend to keep their aging parents at home.
And while Americans tend to use rational and practical language to explain the nursing home phenomenon, Russians will often use emotional and ethical language on the question, using words such as “duty” “love” and “right thing” … rather old-fashioned explanations in our day.
Some Russian Christians argue that a loving family will naturally want to keep the parents: giving them away would be like giving a helpless child away. Worse, maybe, because parents have already invested time and love into you.
They say that facing and dealing with the inconvenience and annoyance that an old person may cause teaches people patience and sacrifice. Kids learn from the start to take care of people, to suffer inconvenience for a higher good.
Besides, Russians believe that illness and age actually bring people closer to God, by helping them realize their dependence, weakness, and need for Him.
But for most Russians, nursing house hatred is just instinctive, based on an internal, unspoken logic: you take care of your parents, your kids will take care of you, a generational chain of mutual service. And even if that’s not what happens, Russians have a deep sense that that’s how it should be.
For them, what it comes down to is this: do you sacrifice your own comfort for your parents or do you sacrifice your parents for the sake of your own comfort?
Should this 75-year-old Grandpa be in a home? Enjoy :)
A video introducing Russian Faith


russia-insider--2020-09-08--The Cossacks, Part 2: Protecting Pochaev Monastery from Fascists and Heretics

In 2003 , Neo-Nazis thought it would be a great idea to attack Pochaev - they got a lesson in Cossack Glory at sabre point This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017 This is the preview of the second part of an article which originally appeared on : Russian Faith , a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia .
For an Intro video to Russian Faith , see the end of the article .
Editor 's Note : This is part 2 of my series about Cossacks defending Pochaev Lavra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ) One of the terrifying moments in the history of the great Pochaev Monastery happened very recently .
On October 5th of 2003 , the members of the UNA-UNSO , a fascist group now merged with the Right Sector ( a radical nationalist group in Ukraine ) came to cause strife , armed with improvised weapons .
No one really knows what their ultimate goals were , but one of them was definitely to cause mass havoc .
Another thing is certain : they wanted to expel the canonical church , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monastery .
Either way , they were armed and prepared to attack .
When word went out that the Lavra was in danger , a great host answered the call to defend it .
By the time the fascists arrived , standing in their way were the true walls of Pochaev , the Christian faithful : a veritable army on the march .
The entire brotherhood was on procession with almost 300 of the faithful and seminarians .
It is actually not uncommon for Pochaev to have cross processions that number in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true of all the Russian lands .
At the vanguard of the procession were also Pochaev 's special defenders : the Cossacks , armed with their faithful sabres , the favorite weapon of their forefathers !
Lead by Ataman Dmitro Sahaidak , the leader of the Zaporozhian Host in Ukraine , the Cossacks were upon them !
Ataman Sahaidak with his mace , the symbol of Cossack authority .
Though perhaps people had thought the Cossacks and their great battles belonged to the Middle Ages , there they were again in 2003 : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cossacks stormed the fields until reaching Pochaev .

In 2003, Neo-Nazis thought it would be a great idea to attack Pochaev - they got a lesson in Cossack Glory at sabre point
This article from our archives was first published on RI in October 2017
This is the preview of the second part of an article which originally appeared on: Russian Faith, a new website with news about the Christian renaissance in Russia. For an Intro video to Russian Faith, see the end of the article.
Editor's Note: This is part 2 of my series about Cossacks defending Pochaev Lavra in Western Ukraine (See part 1 here)
One of the terrifying moments in the history of the great Pochaev Monastery happened very recently. On October 5th of 2003, the members of the UNA-UNSO, a fascist group now merged with the Right Sector (a radical nationalist group in Ukraine) came to cause strife, armed with improvised weapons.
No one really knows what their ultimate goals were, but one of them was definitely to cause mass havoc. Another thing is certain: they wanted to expel the canonical church, which is loyal to Russia, from the monastery.
Either way, they were armed and prepared to attack.
When word went out that the Lavra was in danger, a great host answered the call to defend it. By the time the fascists arrived, standing in their way were the true walls of Pochaev, the Christian faithful: a veritable army on the march. The entire brotherhood was on procession with almost 300 of the faithful and seminarians.
It is actually not uncommon for Pochaev to have cross processions that number in the tens of thousands, and that is true of all the Russian lands.
At the vanguard of the procession were also Pochaev's special defenders: the Cossacks, armed with their faithful sabres, the favorite weapon of their forefathers! Lead by Ataman Dmitro Sahaidak, the leader of the Zaporozhian Host in Ukraine, the Cossacks were upon them!
Ataman Sahaidak with his mace, the symbol of Cossack authority.
Though perhaps people had thought the Cossacks and their great battles belonged to the Middle Ages, there they were again in 2003: like distant thunder from the past, the Cossacks stormed the fields until reaching Pochaev.


russia-insider--2020-09-08--The Extraordinary Story of Alexander Nevsky, the 13th C. Prince, Russia's Most Popular Leader Ever

“ He who comes to us with the sword will die by the sword.
” Nevsky laid down the standard for how Russia would conduct diplomacy .
This article from our archives was first published on RI in January 2018 This article originally appeared on a new site about the Christian renaissance in Russia , called Russian Faith .
Their introductory video is at end of this article .
This article is part of a series ‘ Russian Christian Military Heroes ’ , which illustrates the close interrelationship of the church , state , and military in Russian history .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is best to keep church and state separate , Russians believe the opposite - that this is , in fact , harmful , and that society is best served by a close cooperation , poetically described as a ‘ symphony.
’ THANK YOU to everyone who voted in our poll !
By popular request , the next article in this series will be about Saint Dmitri of the Don .
This article , however , was planned to coincide with the Saint Alexander ’ s feast day , and it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dmitri , as I always considered him related in many ways to Saint Alexander Nevsky .
Thank you to my friend who inspired me to write this article - Будь здорова Hail and take heed , this is the tale one of the most famous Russian Heroes in history , second only to perhaps Vladimir of Kiev , the Baptizer of All Rus ’ .
Few leaders have captured the hearts and minds of the Russians like Alexander Nevsky , who was voted Russia ’ s greatest leader of all time in 2008 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even amongst the non-religious .
He was a Champion Victorious against the Swedish hosts and the Teutonic Knights .
He is the Shining Prince of Vladimir , and the Unsetting Sun of the Suzdalian lands .
His story is one of the earliest examples of Russian military resistance against impossible odds .
He is also the subject of one of the greatest Russian films in history .
( Posted at the bottom of the article with English subtitles ) Alexander Nevsky was a man who chose his faith over his power and freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throne of God .
Read these words of the Second Pskovian Chronicle ( an ancient Slavic manuscript ) to get an idea of what a colossus we are speaking of : Alexander was born on the 13th of May , 1221 , in the years after the direct unity of Kievan Rus ’ was broken , and Rus ' lands lived up to their Norse name “ Kingdom of Cities.
” Each Prince ruled his city-state , not unlike ancient Greece , though to be fair , Russia was so vast , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparable to the size of England .
After the death of Yaroslav the Wise , Kievan Rus ’ was consumed by constant infighting for the thrones of the major cities , principally for Kiev , but also for Vladimir-Suzdal , and Novgorod , among others .
Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest , High King of Vladimir , under whose reign the city reached its height of power and influence .
Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir was the prototype for the one in Moscow .
This is important , as Vladimir-Suzdal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source from which Moscow , and by extension , the modern Russian State , had its origin .
Alexander was the Great , Great , Great , Great , Great Grandson of Saint Vladimir , Equal-to-the-Apostles , and Baptizer of All Rus ’ and the 7th Great Grandson of Saint Olga .
That ’ s a lot of greats for this Saint !
He was born shortly before the first Mongol attacks on the Russian lands , the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223 , and he lived through the full-scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything for Rus ' .
Rus ' suffered from the typical struggle of human history .
It was the inability of our Princes to unite , and their pride , which were among the key factors that made the Mongol invasion successful , and resulted in our downfall in those days .
Alexander taught us to conquer pride with the Russian Faith , putting it above all else .
No one expected this younger son of the Ruler of Vladimir-Suzdal to gain the throne of one of the major city-states , let alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was elected to the Throne of “ Lord ” Novgorod .
No , I don ’ t mean his title was Lord Novgorod , Novgorod is a city with a mind and title of its own .
Great Novgorod Kremlin - the monument to 1000 years of Russian History can be barely seen just above the Cathedral 's farthest right dome , as a black orb with statues .
Alexander has his own carving on the monument .
The Cathedral is considered one of the oldest Churches in all Rus ' .
Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city-state , and the site where Rurik landed , beginning recorded Russian history .
The city was allegedly a merchant ’ s paradise , a “ free ” city ruled by merchant lords who elected their sovereign from amongst the Rurikids .
It was also a member of the international Hanseatic trade league .
Novgorod chose Alexander to rule them in their time of need , to battle against the Swedes ; this would be the first , but not the last time he saved the city .
His Majesty , The Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age 19 , he repelled the invading army on the River Neva where the city of Saint Petersburg currently stands ( then a barren swamp ) .
Before the battle , he reminded his men , “ The power of God is not in numbers , but in truth.
” A soldier of Alexander 's called Philip later saw an omen , a vision of Saints Boris and Gleb , sons of Vladimir the Great and Protomartyrs of Russia .
Boris said : “ Brother Gleb , let us help our kinsman Alexander.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredible victory there on the Neva , and for this , he was called Nevsky – of the river Neva .
The Battle of the Neva was featured in a recent Russian film : And how did the Novgorod Republic repay their Hero ?
By deposing him and sending him away , when greedy Boyars grew jealous .
With humility , he departed , though it wouldn ’ t be long until he was recalled .
In the hour of their need , they called for the man they slandered and cast away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Teutonic Knights and other Catholic crusaders were emerging in the western marches of northern Rus ’ , a looming threat perhaps more sinister than even the Mongols .
To understand the context of Prince Alexander ’ s struggle against the Teutonic Knights , one must realize this was happening during the “ Northern Crusades.
” The Catholic church was expanding its power northward into the territory of the modern Baltic states , originally , to fight pagans .
The Vatican saw the internal strife in Rus ’ , and just as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Middle East , they changed their mission from fighting heathens , be they Muslims or pagans , to murdering Orthodox Christians and plundering our lands .
This map shows the extent of Catholic expansionism in the North .
Lake Peipus , the site of Alexander 's greatest battle , is located in the North West in the Novgorod Republic .
This is one of the earliest examples of the West ( for lack of a better term ) , interfering with Russia , in a most cynical and insidious way .
This occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his cardinals ) offered to Alexander an alliance against the Mongol Empire , under whose yoke Russia had been suffering in captivity .
The alliance would carry with it the intolerable condition that Russia convert to Roman Catholicism .
At first , this sounds like a great offer , especially to those who are not religious and/or have no understanding of Geopolitics ; however , these events set the precedent for Russia ’ s mistrust of the west .
[ See this article for more on that mistrust ] Non-Religious people will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which religion you practice , ” and the Geopolitically illiterate are unable to read the writing on the wall : It ’ s a setup !
Malbork Castle , the largest castle in the world , built by the Teutonic Order in Poland .
The Moscow Kremlin , though larger , is a Citadel , not a castle .
The size of this fortress , dwarfing Windsor Castle , is a testimony to how dedicated the Vatican was to occupying Slavic lands .
To be fair , the Vatican had no love for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mongols would invade Catholic lands , however , they also had no love for the Orthodox .
Make no mistake , the Pope agreed to fight the Mongol horde to the death…of the last Russian .
Even if Russia won , are we to believe the Vatican would just walk away , and leave us to govern our now Roman Catholic converted lands in peace ?
These are the same people who embarked on the crusades to lend military aid to the Eastern Roman Empire and then sacked Constantinople – the largest city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Don ’ t believe me ?
Still think the Catholics would have lived at peace with Russia ?
Simply look to history , in these same Northern Crusades , years later , the Teutonic Knights would wage war against their fellow Catholics , and Russia 's fellow Slavs – the Poles .
The Battle of Grunwald in the 15th century , when Poland finally defeated the Teutonic Order .
Some of their best troops were Russian soldiers from Smolensk whose fathers fought with Alexander .
The Battle was considered such a great Slavic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Germans would take revenge for it at the `` Second '' Battle of Tannenberg , as they called Grunwald centuries later .
And what if Russia lost , even with Catholic aid ?
Which country would the Mongols rape and pillage before moving on to Rome ?
Saint Alexander was wise and foresighted ; he understood all of this .
Moreover , there is a theory that the Pope ’ s envoys later arranged for Alexander ’ s father to be poisoned at the Horde , to provoke a conflict .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ close attention to what Alexander did , as it set the standard and precedent for how Russia would react to such situations even in the present day .
Russia will make any sacrifice to protect it ’ s core values , the individuals will sacrifice their lives to protect the community , it is not the community which exists to protect the individual .
He not only resisted their provocations , but Alexander also did something controversial : he paid tribute to the Mongols .
He accepted their rule over him humbly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not worship their Gods or break the Orthodox Faith .
Some historians regard this as a political or diplomatic move , a choice of a lesser evil , and from a political point of view his actions were incredibly wise , however , in Orthodoxy , we have another view .
The great Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski had some wise words to this effect in his The Witcher series , popular in Poland and Russia , and world famous for the video game franchise .
The Protagonist , Gerald of Rivia famously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , captures perfectly the Orthodox mindset : Likewise in Orthodoxy , we do not choose between Satan and Beelzebub , evil is always evil .
What Alexander did , in my opinion , was choose the only option to save Russia .
In a way , this makes him no different than all the other great Russian Heroes , yet Alexander would be remembered as the Archetype for all Russian Heroes in the great work `` The Life of Alexander Nevsky . ''
His self-sacrificing nature , yet unbreakable in his will and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his worldview makes him characteristic of the values we admire most .
So it was that he entered the horde as a lamb to the slaughter , but he returned as a Lion of Rus ' .
He understood that , realistically , Russia could not fight the Mongols at this time .
The disunion in his lands was too great .
His actions saved Russia to fight another day .
He couldn ’ t stop the Mongols yet , but he could stop the Catholics from destroying Orthodoxy and Russia until his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His choice to ally , or at least make peace with , the Mongols , and fight the West is often touted by both Pro-Russian Eurasianists and Russophobic racial supremacists who consider Russia an Asian culture , as an example of Russia definitively aligning itself with Asia against Europe – against Western Civilization .
A new Church of Alexander Nevsky in Moscow near MGIMO , the most prestigious university for international relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry .
Ironic how Alexander Nevsky was a trailblazer and pathfinder for Russian diplomacy .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no better place .
But this conclusion about Russian eastern alignment is untrue .
Saint Alexander was faithful to the classical vision of Western Civilization , a civilization supposedly built on Greco-Roman political foundations , and Christian Faith .
And what does the Christian Faith teach us – to humble ourselves even unto death : if an enemy strikes us , turn the other cheek , do not resist him , give him whatever he wants , even your life .
These are the words Saint Sergius of Radonezh , wonderworker of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Don , Alexander 's descendent , before his own battle with the Mongols : But Christianity has another value , give them whatever they want – except for your Faith .
Never surrender your faith for any reason .
Do not give your faith for your life , but rather your life for your faith .
And so it was that Alexander ’ s choice was obvious .
The Mongols did not want his faith ; they cared not for what God he worshipped .
It was clear what they wanted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not wage war on them .
The easiest thing a Christian can give .
What was this worthless gold and silver to the Russian Orthodox Faith ?
But what did the West want ?
Money and a chance to meddle in the affairs of a people not their own .
The Mongols wanted money and peace – Pax Mongolica .
The Vatican wanted money for a war against the Mongols and that alone , maybe…maybe Russia could have won .
But the West wanted something we could not give – something priceless .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Faith .
Alexander braved the road to the Horde in order to make peace .
All Russian rulers under the Tatar Yoke had to have the permission of the Horde to rule , and if the Horde did not like them for the smallest reasons , they would often kill them without warning when they arrived .
There , he was expected to perform any matter of pagan signs before the Khan , but he refused , prepared to die in the way of Saint Michael of Chernigov if need be : Ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alexander was ready to defend the Faith .
The German Knights bragged about enslaving the entire Slavic nation , but if only they knew God himself arrayed his armies against them to liberate the oppressed peoples , they would have fled rather than face the slaughter coming for them .
Alexander soon recaptured the city of Pskov , where the knights had massacred the inhabitants , and turned his eyes to end their tyranny .
He prayed , asking God to help him “ in his strife against a boastful nation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and my forefather Yaroslav the Wise against Svyatopolk the Accursed.
” His great battle against the knights took place on April 5 , 1242 , on the frozen shores of Lake Peipus , and was the subject of a famous movie with a phenomenal musical score written by the great Russian composer Prokofiev .
The Battle on the Ice was the bite of white-fanged winter to the throat of the German army .
Like a millstone smashed upon the ground , their bones were shattered beneath Russian axes and their bodies sunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victorious and spoke his famous words The Vatican then offered him that aforementioned deal against the Mongols , which he refused , ever guarding his faith as well as his lands .
The Battle on the Ice as depicted in the `` Life of Alexander Nevsky '' He traveled with his Father to the Horde where the latter died , but Alexander lived on to defend the Russian land and the uneasy peace with the Horde .
He resisted every attempt of the Vatican to provoke that war between Russia and the Horde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered the ideal model of a Russian Ruler .
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia , Bulgaria , was created in honor of Russian soldiers fallen during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 , as a result of which Russia won Bulgaria her freedom from Ottoman occupation .
By 1259 , Alexander became the dominant Russian ruler , Sovereign of Kiev , Vladimir , and Novgorod , and at his death , the sun set upon the Russian lands as the chronicles tell : Prior to his death , the Saint took monastic vows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ march of Alexander Nevsky .
The Saint undertook one final journey in the 18th century , when Peter the Great transferred his relics and silver sarcophagus form Vladimir-Suzdal to his new capital in Saint Petersburg .
Saint Petersburg was built upon the Neva river , where hundreds of years before , he fought the Swedes and earned his title `` Nevsky - Of the Neva . ''
His relics were processed through the new capital and laid in the great Alexander Nevsky Lavra , one of the Five Lavras ( Great Monasteries ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the resting place of Nevsky and Dostoevsky The Lavra is the holiest place in Saint Petersburg , being the second Lavra in modern Russia proper , after Trinity Sergius Lavra .
The other three Lavras , from oldest to youngest : Kiev Caves , Pochaev , and Svyatogorsk are located in modern Ukraine .
Now Saint Alexander keeps perpetual vigil at Nevsky Lavra , over Russia 's Northern Capitol , on the same river where he defended her in the Bygone Years .
And so , the life of Alexander Nevsky passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was long and far-reaching , his son Daniel of Moscow would become the father of all Moscow ’ s rulers .
Alexander never lived to see Russia free of Tatar-Mongol rule , but amongst those descendants in Moscow would arise Dmitri of the Don who would finally begin the fight to free Russia .
The Labors of Saint Alexander paved the way for Russia to fight another day , and so that someday , another Hero arose to cast off the Mongol Yoke .
Dmitri Donskoi finished his ancestor 's work and liberated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all the world believe the western sun fell hard on the Russian lands and darkness overshadowed them , but through the labors of Saint Alexander , little sparks of national awakening would begin to dance across the vast steppes , gathering up into a flame of the Russian Faith .
Under Dmitri of the Don , Alexander ’ s Great Great Grandson , Russia would rise again like the Firebird .
Christ revealed you , O Blessed Alexander / As a new and glorious worker of wonders ; / A man and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And a divine treasure of the Russian Land .
/ Today we assemble in faith and love / To glorify the Lord by joyously remembering you .
/ He granted you the grace of healing , / Therefore entreat Him to strengthen your suffering spiritual children , / And to save all Orthodox Christians .
We honor you as a most radiant , spiritual star , / Rising up from the east ; going down in the west !
/ As you enriched the Russian people with good works and miracles , / @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in faith , O Blessed Alexander .
/ Today as we celebrate your falling asleep , we ask you to beseech the Lord / That He may strengthen his suffering servants and save all Orthodox Christians !

“He who comes to us with the sword will die by the sword.” Nevsky laid down the standard for how Russia would conduct diplomacy.
This article from our archives was first published on RI in January 2018
This article originally appeared on a new site about the Christian renaissance in Russia, called Russian Faith. Their introductory video is at end of this article.
Editors Note:
This article is part of a series ‘Russian Christian Military Heroes’, which illustrates the close interrelationship of the church, state, and military in Russian history. In contrast to the uniquely American idea that it is best to keep church and state separate, Russians believe the opposite - that this is, in fact, harmful, and that society is best served by a close cooperation, poetically described as a ‘symphony.’
THANK YOU to everyone who voted in our poll! By popular request, the next article in this series will be about Saint Dmitri of the Don. This article, however, was planned to coincide with the Saint Alexander’s feast day, and it is perhaps providential that you all choose Saint Dmitri, as I always considered him related in many ways to Saint Alexander Nevsky. Thank you to my friend who inspired me to write this article - Будь здорова
Hail and take heed, this is the tale one of the most famous Russian Heroes in history, second only to perhaps Vladimir of Kiev, the Baptizer of All Rus’. Few leaders have captured the hearts and minds of the Russians like Alexander Nevsky, who was voted Russia’s greatest leader of all time in 2008.
His name inspires awe and reverence even amongst the non-religious. He was a Champion Victorious against the Swedish hosts and the Teutonic Knights. He is the Shining Prince of Vladimir, and the Unsetting Sun of the Suzdalian lands. His story is one of the earliest examples of Russian military resistance against impossible odds. He is also the subject of one of the greatest Russian films in history. (Posted at the bottom of the article with English subtitles)
Alexander Nevsky was a man who chose his faith over his power and freedom, therefore winning high favor before the Throne of God.
Read these words of the Second Pskovian Chronicle (an ancient Slavic manuscript) to get an idea of what a colossus we are speaking of:
“By the will of God, Prince Alexander was born from the charitable, people-loving, and meek the Great Prince Yaroslav, and his mother was Theodosia. As it was told by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Thus sayeth the Lord: I appoint the princes because they are sacred and I direct them.’ “… He was taller than others, and his voice reached the people as a trumpet, and his face was like the face of Joseph, whom the Egyptian Pharaoh placed as next to the king after him of Egypt. His power was a part of the power of Samson and God gave him the wisdom of Solomon … this Prince Alexander: he would defeat but was never defeated …”
Alexander was born on the 13th of May, 1221, in the years after the direct unity of Kievan Rus’ was broken, and Rus' lands lived up to their Norse name “Kingdom of Cities.”
Each Prince ruled his city-state, not unlike ancient Greece, though to be fair, Russia was so vast, many cities could extend their rule over territories comparable to the size of England. After the death of Yaroslav the Wise, Kievan Rus’ was consumed by constant infighting for the thrones of the major cities, principally for Kiev, but also for Vladimir-Suzdal, and Novgorod, among others.
Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest, High King of Vladimir, under whose reign the city reached its height of power and influence.
Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir was the prototype for the one in Moscow.
This is important, as Vladimir-Suzdal and the legacy of Alexander, is the source from which Moscow, and by extension, the modern Russian State, had its origin.
Dormition Cathedral in Moscow
Alexander was the Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandson of Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and Baptizer of All Rus’ and the 7th Great Grandson of Saint Olga. That’s a lot of greats for this Saint!
He was born shortly before the first Mongol attacks on the Russian lands, the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223, and he lived through the full-scale Mongol invasion of 1237, which changed everything for Rus'.
Rus' suffered from the typical struggle of human history. It was the inability of our Princes to unite, and their pride, which were among the key factors that made the Mongol invasion successful, and resulted in our downfall in those days. Alexander taught us to conquer pride with the Russian Faith, putting it above all else.
No one expected this younger son of the Ruler of Vladimir-Suzdal to gain the throne of one of the major city-states, let alone Vladimir; however, the young Alexander was elected to the Throne of “Lord” Novgorod. No, I don’t mean his title was Lord Novgorod, Novgorod is a city with a mind and title of its own.
Great Novgorod Kremlin - the monument to 1000 years of Russian History can be barely seen just above the Cathedral's farthest right dome, as a black orb with statues. Alexander has his own carving on the monument. The Cathedral is considered one of the oldest Churches in all Rus'.
Lord Novgorod the Great was a unique Russian city-state, and the site where Rurik landed, beginning recorded Russian history. The city was allegedly a merchant’s paradise, a “free” city ruled by merchant lords who elected their sovereign from amongst the Rurikids. It was also a member of the international Hanseatic trade league.
Novgorod chose Alexander to rule them in their time of need, to battle against the Swedes; this would be the first, but not the last time he saved the city.
His Majesty, The Republic of Novgorod the Great and Powerful
At age 19, he repelled the invading army on the River Neva where the city of Saint Petersburg currently stands (then a barren swamp).
Before the battle, he reminded his men, “The power of God is not in numbers, but in truth.”
A soldier of Alexander's called Philip later saw an omen, a vision of Saints Boris and Gleb, sons of Vladimir the Great and Protomartyrs of Russia. Boris said: “Brother Gleb, let us help our kinsman Alexander.”
Alexander led the army to an incredible victory there on the Neva, and for this, he was called Nevsky – of the river Neva. The Battle of the Neva was featured in a recent Russian film:
And how did the Novgorod Republic repay their Hero? By deposing him and sending him away, when greedy Boyars grew jealous.
With humility, he departed, though it wouldn’t be long until he was recalled. In the hour of their need, they called for the man they slandered and cast away, and he returned to their aid.
Teutonic Knights and other Catholic crusaders were emerging in the western marches of northern Rus’, a looming threat perhaps more sinister than even the Mongols.
To understand the context of Prince Alexander’s struggle against the Teutonic Knights, one must realize this was happening during the “Northern Crusades.”
The Catholic church was expanding its power northward into the territory of the modern Baltic states, originally, to fight pagans. The Vatican saw the internal strife in Rus’, and just as they had done in the Crusades in the Middle East, they changed their mission from fighting heathens, be they Muslims or pagans, to murdering Orthodox Christians and plundering our lands.
This map shows the extent of Catholic expansionism in the North. Lake Peipus, the site of Alexander's greatest battle, is located in the North West in the Novgorod Republic.
This is one of the earliest examples of the West (for lack of a better term), interfering with Russia, in a most cynical and insidious way.
This occurred when the Roman Curia (the Pope and his cardinals) offered to Alexander an alliance against the Mongol Empire, under whose yoke Russia had been suffering in captivity. The alliance would carry with it the intolerable condition that Russia convert to Roman Catholicism.
At first, this sounds like a great offer, especially to those who are not religious and/or have no understanding of Geopolitics; however, these events set the precedent for Russia’s mistrust of the west. [See this article for more on that mistrust]
Non-Religious people will say, “what does it matter which religion you practice,” and the Geopolitically illiterate are unable to read the writing on the wall: It’s a setup!
Divide and Conquer.
Malbork Castle, the largest castle in the world, built by the Teutonic Order in Poland. The Moscow Kremlin, though larger, is a Citadel, not a castle. The size of this fortress, dwarfing Windsor Castle, is a testimony to how dedicated the Vatican was to occupying Slavic lands.
To be fair, the Vatican had no love for the Mongols; they had reasonable concerns Mongols would invade Catholic lands, however, they also had no love for the Orthodox. Make no mistake, the Pope agreed to fight the Mongol horde to the death…of the last Russian.
Even if Russia won, are we to believe the Vatican would just walk away, and leave us to govern our now Roman Catholic converted lands in peace?
These are the same people who embarked on the crusades to lend military aid to the Eastern Roman Empire and then sacked Constantinople – the largest city in Christendom – four crusades later.
Don’t believe me? Still think the Catholics would have lived at peace with Russia? Simply look to history, in these same Northern Crusades, years later, the Teutonic Knights would wage war against their fellow Catholics, and Russia's fellow Slavs – the Poles.
The Battle of Grunwald in the 15th century, when Poland finally defeated the Teutonic Order. Some of their best troops were Russian soldiers from Smolensk whose fathers fought with Alexander. The Battle was considered such a great Slavic victory over the Germans that in WW1, the Germans would take revenge for it at the "Second" Battle of Tannenberg, as they called Grunwald centuries later.
And what if Russia lost, even with Catholic aid? Which country would the Mongols rape and pillage before moving on to Rome?
Saint Alexander was wise and foresighted; he understood all of this. Moreover, there is a theory that the Pope’s envoys later arranged for Alexander’s father to be poisoned at the Horde, to provoke a conflict.
All those interested in Russia should pay close attention to what Alexander did, as it set the standard and precedent for how Russia would react to such situations even in the present day. Russia will make any sacrifice to protect it’s core values, the individuals will sacrifice their lives to protect the community, it is not the community which exists to protect the individual.
He not only resisted their provocations, but Alexander also did something controversial: he paid tribute to the Mongols. He accepted their rule over him humbly, and without protest, though he would not worship their Gods or break the Orthodox Faith. Some historians regard this as a political or diplomatic move, a choice of a lesser evil, and from a political point of view his actions were incredibly wise, however, in Orthodoxy, we have another view.
The great Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski had some wise words to this effect in his The Witcher series, popular in Poland and Russia, and world famous for the video game franchise. The Protagonist, Gerald of Rivia famously said these words which in my vision, captures perfectly the Orthodox mindset:
“Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling… makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another, I’d rather not choose at all.
Likewise in Orthodoxy, we do not choose between Satan and Beelzebub, evil is always evil. What Alexander did, in my opinion, was choose the only option to save Russia.
In a way, this makes him no different than all the other great Russian Heroes, yet Alexander would be remembered as the Archetype for all Russian Heroes in the great work "The Life of Alexander Nevsky." His self-sacrificing nature, yet unbreakable in his will and resolve to preserve the Russian faith and his worldview makes him characteristic of the values we admire most.
So it was that he entered the horde as a lamb to the slaughter, but he returned as a Lion of Rus'.
Nevsky before the Horde
He understood that, realistically, Russia could not fight the Mongols at this time. The disunion in his lands was too great. His actions saved Russia to fight another day. He couldn’t stop the Mongols yet, but he could stop the Catholics from destroying Orthodoxy and Russia until his sons would overcome the horde someday.
His choice to ally, or at least make peace with, the Mongols, and fight the West is often touted by both Pro-Russian Eurasianists and Russophobic racial supremacists who consider Russia an Asian culture, as an example of Russia definitively aligning itself with Asia against Europe – against Western Civilization.
A new Church of Alexander Nevsky in Moscow near MGIMO, the most prestigious university for international relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Ironic how Alexander Nevsky was a trailblazer and pathfinder for Russian diplomacy. If you want to study international relations there is no better place.
But this conclusion about Russian eastern alignment is untrue. Saint Alexander was faithful to the classical vision of Western Civilization, a civilization supposedly built on Greco-Roman political foundations, and Christian Faith.
And what does the Christian Faith teach us – to humble ourselves even unto death: if an enemy strikes us, turn the other cheek, do not resist him, give him whatever he wants, even your life. These are the words Saint Sergius of Radonezh, wonderworker of all Russia would say to Saint Dmitri of the Don, Alexander's descendent, before his own battle with the Mongols:
“Scripture teaches us that if enemies want honor, gold, or glory, we give it, and God will lift them up to see your humility, and will suppress their unyielding pride.”
But Christianity has another value, give them whatever they want – except for your Faith. Never surrender your faith for any reason. Do not give your faith for your life, but rather your life for your faith. And so it was that Alexander’s choice was obvious.
The Mongols did not want his faith; they cared not for what God he worshipped. It was clear what they wanted, money, and a guarantee he would not wage war on them. The easiest thing a Christian can give. What was this worthless gold and silver to the Russian Orthodox Faith?
But what did the West want? Money and a chance to meddle in the affairs of a people not their own.
The Mongols wanted money and peace – Pax Mongolica. The Vatican wanted money for a war against the Mongols and that alone, maybe…maybe Russia could have won.
But the West wanted something we could not give – something priceless. They wanted to take away our Orthodox Faith.
Alexander braved the road to the Horde in order to make peace. All Russian rulers under the Tatar Yoke had to have the permission of the Horde to rule, and if the Horde did not like them for the smallest reasons, they would often kill them without warning when they arrived.
There, he was expected to perform any matter of pagan signs before the Khan, but he refused, prepared to die in the way of Saint Michael of Chernigov if need be:
“O King,” he said, bowing before the Khan, “I bow before you because God has favored you with authority, but I shall not bow before any created thing. I serve the One God. Him alone do I honor, and Him alone do I worship.” Batu Khan was so impressed by the courage and handsome demeanor of the young prince that to everyone’s amazement he accepted his refusal and received him with due honor. Source: Pravoslavie.ru
Ensuring that the Mongols would not trouble Russia, Alexander was ready to defend the Faith.
Nevsky at Novgorod
The German Knights bragged about enslaving the entire Slavic nation, but if only they knew God himself arrayed his armies against them to liberate the oppressed peoples, they would have fled rather than face the slaughter coming for them.
Alexander soon recaptured the city of Pskov, where the knights had massacred the inhabitants, and turned his eyes to end their tyranny. He prayed, asking God to help him “in his strife against a boastful nation as [God] helped Moses against Amalek, and my forefather Yaroslav the Wise against Svyatopolk the Accursed.”
His great battle against the knights took place on April 5, 1242, on the frozen shores of Lake Peipus, and was the subject of a famous movie with a phenomenal musical score written by the great Russian composer Prokofiev.
The Battle on the Ice was the bite of white-fanged winter to the throat of the German army. Like a millstone smashed upon the ground, their bones were shattered beneath Russian axes and their bodies sunk beneath the frozen waters.
Alexander was victorious and spoke his famous words
“Those who come to us with a sword will die by that sword”.
The Vatican then offered him that aforementioned deal against the Mongols, which he refused, ever guarding his faith as well as his lands.
The Battle on the Ice as depicted in the "Life of Alexander Nevsky"
He traveled with his Father to the Horde where the latter died, but Alexander lived on to defend the Russian land and the uneasy peace with the Horde. He resisted every attempt of the Vatican to provoke that war between Russia and the Horde. For his actions, he would be considered the ideal model of a Russian Ruler.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria, was created in honor of Russian soldiers fallen during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, as a result of which Russia won Bulgaria her freedom from Ottoman occupation.
By 1259, Alexander became the dominant Russian ruler, Sovereign of Kiev, Vladimir, and Novgorod, and at his death, the sun set upon the Russian lands as the chronicles tell:
"Returning from the Golden Horde, the Great Prince Alexander, reached the city of Nizhny Novgorod, and remained there for several days in good health, but when he reached the city of Gorodets he fell ill … Great Prince Alexander, who was always firm in his faith in God, gave up this worldly kingdom ... And then he gave up his soul to God and died in peace on 12 November [1263], on the day when the Holy Apostle Philip is remembered ...
Silver Sarcophagus of Alexander Nevsky
At this burial, Metropolitan Archbishop Cyril said, 'My children, you should know that the sun of the Suzdalian land has set. There will never be another prince like him in the Suzdalian land.' And the priests and deacons and monks, the poor and the wealthy, and all the people said: 'It is our end.'
Prior to his death, the Saint took monastic vows, though this was not the final march of Alexander Nevsky. The Saint undertook one final journey in the 18th century, when Peter the Great transferred his relics and silver sarcophagus form Vladimir-Suzdal to his new capital in Saint Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg was built upon the Neva river, where hundreds of years before, he fought the Swedes and earned his title "Nevsky - Of the Neva."
His relics were processed through the new capital and laid in the great Alexander Nevsky Lavra, one of the Five Lavras (Great Monasteries) of the Russian Church.
Nevsky Lavra, the resting place of Nevsky and Dostoevsky
The Lavra is the holiest place in Saint Petersburg, being the second Lavra in modern Russia proper, after Trinity Sergius Lavra. The other three Lavras, from oldest to youngest: Kiev Caves, Pochaev, and Svyatogorsk are located in modern Ukraine.
Now Saint Alexander keeps perpetual vigil at Nevsky Lavra, over Russia's Northern Capitol, on the same river where he defended her in the Bygone Years.
The Great Silver Sarcophagus of Alexander Nevsky
And so, the life of Alexander Nevsky passed into song and legend. His legacy was long and far-reaching, his son Daniel of Moscow would become the father of all Moscow’s rulers.
Alexander never lived to see Russia free of Tatar-Mongol rule, but amongst those descendants in Moscow would arise Dmitri of the Don who would finally begin the fight to free Russia. The Labors of Saint Alexander paved the way for Russia to fight another day, and so that someday, another Hero arose to cast off the Mongol Yoke.
Dmitri Donskoi finished his ancestor's work and liberated Russia from the Tatar Yoke
The Mongols and all the world believe the western sun fell hard on the Russian lands and darkness overshadowed them, but through the labors of Saint Alexander, little sparks of national awakening would begin to dance across the vast steppes, gathering up into a flame of the Russian Faith. Under Dmitri of the Don, Alexander’s Great Great Grandson, Russia would rise again like the Firebird.
The Famous Film with English Subtitles
Hymns to Saint Alexander Nevsky:
Christ revealed you, O Blessed Alexander / As a new and glorious worker of wonders; / A man and a prince well pleasing to God / And a divine treasure of the Russian Land. / Today we assemble in faith and love / To glorify the Lord by joyously remembering you. / He granted you the grace of healing, / Therefore entreat Him to strengthen your suffering spiritual children, / And to save all Orthodox Christians.
We honor you as a most radiant, spiritual star, / Rising up from the east; going down in the west! / As you enriched the Russian people with good works and miracles, / So now enlighten us who remember you in faith, O Blessed Alexander. / Today as we celebrate your falling asleep, we ask you to beseech the Lord / That He may strengthen his suffering servants and save all Orthodox Christians!
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