Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in 1896. Nicholas' mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna can also be seen seated on the dais at left.
The coronation of the emperor of Russia (generally referred to as the Tsar) from 1547 to 1917, was a highly developed religious ceremony in which they are crowned and invested with regalia, then anointed with chrism and formally blessed by the church to commence his reign. Although rulers of Muscovy had been crowned prior to the reign of Ivan III, their coronation rituals assumed overt Byzantine overtones as the result of the influence of Ivan's wife Sophia Paleologue, and the imperial ambitions of his grandson, Ivan the Terrible.[1] The modern coronation, introducing "Western European-style" elements, replaced the previous "crowning" ceremony and was first used for Catherine I in 1724.[2][3] Since tsarist Russia claimed to be the "Third Rome" and the replacement of Byzantium as the true Christian state,[4] the Russian rite was designed to link its rulers and prerogatives to those of the so-called "Second Rome" (Constantinople).[5]
While months or even years could pass between the initial accession of the sovereign and the performance of this ritual, church policy held that the monarch must be anointed and crowned according to the Orthodox rite to have a successful tenure.[6] As the church and state were essentially one in Imperial Russia, this service invested the Tsars with political legitimacy; however, this was not its only intent. It was equally perceived as conferring a genuine spiritual benefit that mystically wedded sovereign to subjects, bestowing divine authority upon the new ruler. As such, it was similar in purpose to other European coronation ceremonies from the medieval era.
Even when the imperial capital was located at St. Petersburg (1713–1728, 1732–1917), Russian coronations were always held in Moscow at the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kremlin. The last coronation service in Russia was held on 26 May 1896 for Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, who would be the final Tsar and Tsaritsa of Russia. The Russian Imperial regalia survived the subsequent Russian Revolution and the Communist period, and are currently on exhibit in a museum at the Kremlin Armoury.
Starting with the reign of Ivan IV, the ruler of Russia was known as "Tsar" rather than "Grand Prince"; "Tsar" being a Slavonic equivalent to the Latin term "Caesar". This continued until 1721, during the reign of Peter I, when the title was formally changed to Imperator (Emperor). Peter's decision reflected the difficulties other European monarchs had in deciding whether to recognize the Russian ruler as an emperor or a mere king, and reflected his insistence on being seen as the former.[7] However, the term "Tsar" remained the popular title for the Russian ruler despite the formal change of style, thus this article utilizes that term, rather than "Emperor".
The Cathedral of the Dormition, where Russian coronations were held.Entry doors to Dormition Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin.
^Muscovy, Sections "The Evolution of the Russian Aristocracy" and "Ivan IV". For crownings of earlier rulers of Muscovy, see Alfred Rambaugh Rambaud on the Rise of the Grand Princes of Moscow Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine.
^Scenarios of Power. Princeton University Press.
^"Museums of the Moscow Kremlin: ASSUMPTION CATHEDRAL".
^Moscow the Third Rome[full citation needed]. See also Moscow Becomes the Third Rome.
^Wortman, pg. 10. A political theory prevalent amongst many Orthodox Russians into the twentieth century postulated that there were three "Romes": the first (Rome) had allegedly apostatized from true Christianity after the Great Schism of 1054 between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy; the second (Constantinople) had equally apostatized by accepting Roman Catholicism at the Council of Florence and had subsequently fallen to the Turks; Moscow and "Holy Russia" were the third Rome, and (according to this doctrine) "a fourth there shall never be". A History of Russia, Chapter 1: Medieval Russia, Section "Ivan the Great".
^New York Times, May 31, 1896. Quoted in Wortman, Introduction. See also Blech, Annalise, The Russian Orthodox Church: History and Influence Archived 2012-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, University of Texas at Austin, 2008, pg. 9.
^Francois Veldi, The Title of Emperor, section "Russia". See also Chancery of the Committee of Ministers, St. Petersburg: Statesman's Handbook for Russia: 1896, Section "On the Prerogatives of the Sovereign Power".
and 28 Related for: Coronation of the Russian monarch information
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but...
instead of Thai script. Thecoronationofthemonarchof Thailand is a ceremony in which they are formally consecrated by anointment and crowning. The ceremony...
for thecoronationofthemonarchsofRussia from 1762 until theRussian monarchy's abolition in 1917. The great imperial crown was first used in the coronation...
A coronation crown is a crown used by a monarch when being crowned. In some monarchies, monarchs have or had a number of crowns for different occasions...
the presence ofthe country's legislature. King Zog I, self-proclaimed monarchof Albania, was ritually crowned on 1 September 1928. His coronation attire...
Peter was an absolute monarch, an autocrat who remained the ultimate authority and organized a well-ordered police state. Most of Peter's reign was consumed...
Russias, was the official title oftheRussianmonarch from 1721 to 1917. The title originated in connection with Russia's victory in the Great Northern...
The Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is the most celebrated divine liturgy in the Byzantine Rite. It is named after its core part, the anaphora attributed...
Emperor ofthe Romans") after their and coronation as German king. Before being crowned emperor by the pope, a monarch first had to win the support ofthe majority...
form ofthe Basilean anaphoric family, and is influenced by the traditions ofthe rite ofthe Church of Jerusalem, as the Mystagogic Catecheses of Cyril...
House at the Tower of London, which include thecoronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs. Symbols of over 800 years of monarchy, the coronation...
such as those of Ukraine and Slovenia, that use a form ofthe Byzantine Rite as their liturgy. It is unique in that it is based on the Eastern Christian...
The Liturgy ofthe Presanctified Gifts is a Byzantine Rite liturgical service which is performed on the weekdays of Great Lent wherein communion is received...
Thecoronationof Emperor Nicholas II and his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was the last coronation during theRussian Empire. It took place on Tuesday...
ofthe cathedral rite remained in use; therefore, the rite as practiced in monasteries everywhere resembles theRussian recension, while non-Russian non-monastic...
ofthe cathedral rite remained in use; therefore, the rite as practiced in monasteries everywhere resembles theRussian recension, while non-Russian non-monastic...
ofthe cathedral rite remained in use; therefore, the rite as practiced in monasteries everywhere resembles theRussian recension, while non-Russian non-monastic...
The Polychronion is chanted for the secular authorities (Orthodox monarchs are mentioned by name, non-orthodox leaders are mentioned by title), the church...
in the common use by the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. From this texts derives all the versions used in the Byzantine Rite, such as theRussian and...
throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions ofthe Church." Consecration ofRussiaCoronationoftheRussianmonarch Monarchist Party Theotokos of Port...
Thecoronationof George V and his wife, Mary, as king and queen ofthe United Kingdom and the British Dominions took place at Westminster Abbey, London...
included 16 monarchs, 70 heads of state, and 10 prime ministers. Many of these guests also attended thecoronation reception on 5 May and thecoronation concert...
Global Information
