St. Alexandra's Day is celebrated according to the church calendar simultaneously with the feast of the Great Martyr George - April 23. This date has been known since the 10th century, it was recorded in the Typicon of the Great Church. The date is associated with the death of the saint on April 21, 303, but the commemoration began two days later.
The Life of the Holy Martyr Alexandra
The Orthodox Saint Alexandra is mentioned in the life of the Great Martyr George the Victorious as the queen and wife of the Roman emperor Diocletian (303) - an ardent follower of idolatry and a persecutor of Christianity, according to whose orders all churches were to be destroyed, church books to be burned, and church property departed the state. Every Christian had to make sacrifices to the emperor and the pagan gods. For refusal, they were subjected to torture, imprisonment and the death pen alty.
At a meeting of the king and princes about the murder of innocent Christians, St. George was not afraid to speak out against this outrage. The spears used to drive the saint out of the meeting became soft as tin and did no harm to the martyr. George was sentenced to the wheel. After the execution of the sentence, the Angel of the Lord healed his wounds. Each time after the sophisticated torture and torment thatinvented by Diocletian for George the Victorious in retaliation for his firm Christian faith, the great martyr was miraculously healed, crying out to God in prayer. With the help of God, he raised the dead and cast out demons from idols. Observing the deeds of George the Victorious, Saint Alexandra came to believe in Christ and began to openly confess her faith. At the feet of the martyr, she boldly ridiculed the pagan gods, thereby incurring the wrath of her husband.
For refusing to serve idols, Diocletian sentenced Christ's confessors to death in the form of beheading with a sword. Saint Alexandra meekly followed George, reciting prayers to herself and gazing at the sky. On the way, she asked for rest and, leaning on the building, quietly died. It happened on April 21, 303 in Nicomedia.
Patron of Russian monarchs
Saint Alexandra was especially revered in the family of Russian monarchs as the patroness of two empresses: Alexandra Feodorovna - wife of Nicholas I, Alexandra Feodorovna - wife of Nicholas II. During their reign in Moscow, a number of churches were built and consecrated in the name of Empress Alexandra.
Temple in honor of the Great Martyr in Peterhof
In 1854, the church of St. Alexandra on Babiy Gon began to be built. During the ceremonial laying on August 11, with the participation of Emperor Nicholas I, a stone was laid from the holy banks of the Jordan. In the future, this temple will become a favorite place for prayer of the imperial family. The five-domed stone church was distinguished by its unique beauty. The architecture of the temple used one of the most beautifulelements of ancient Russian architecture - "kokoshniks".
The carved wooden iconostasis - a gift from Emperor Nicholas I - was a real decoration of the church. A lot of money was spent on the construction of the temple. Transporting materials up the mountain required considerable expense. The solemn consecration of the Church of the Holy Martyr Alexandra was attended by Nicholas I and members of the royal family. In his speech at the end of the divine service, the emperor thanked everyone who participated in the construction.
The Church of St. Alexandra on the Babigon Heights was designed for about 500 worshipers. The church had a tabernacle made of red Siberian jasper, utensils made of precious stones, gold and silver.
Temple destruction
Divine services in the church in the name of St. Alexandra took place until 1940, until a proposal was made to turn this holy place into an entertainment club. But the war did not allow the plans to be carried out. The temple was repeatedly shelled, and bombings caused significant damage to the church.
After the war, the temple was transferred to the state farm workshop, the basement was adapted for a vegetable store. Only in 1991 the building was returned to the diocese. By the beginning of the restoration, the Church of the Holy Martyr Alexandra was a sad sight: the five-domed completion was lost, the head of the large dome and small domes were missing, the tent of the bell tower with the dome was demolished, the picturesque decoration of the temple and the carved iconostasis disappeared, the spiral staircase was destroyed, there were no windows or doors.
Restoration of the temple
In 1998, for the first time after such a long break, a Divine service was performed in the church of the holy martyr Alexandra. This significant event took place on a patronal feast day. And a year later, from April 1999, divine services in the temple began to be performed regularly. Until now, work is underway to restore its original appearance.
Other churches in the name of St. Alexandra
In St. Petersburg there is also the Putilov Church, built in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the martyr Empress Alexandra. In 1925 it was closed, the domes and crosses were demolished. Subsequently, the church was turned into a club, in 1940 it was transferred to the regional motor transport school, and after the war - to a haberdashery enterprise.
In the 90s, the process of returning the building of the Russian Orthodox Church began. In 2006, the 100th anniversary of the Putilov Church was celebrated. In the same year, the first service after an 80-year break was held. Now services are regularly held in the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Martyr Empress Alexandra.
In honor of the holy martyr, many metropolitan military schools were consecrated before the revolution. The Alexander Military School used to be on Znamenka. His church was built in honor of Saint Alexandra. In 1833, the church at the Alexandrinsky Palace in the Neskuchny Garden was consecrated in the name of Alexandra of Rome. Muromtsevo, Vladimir region. Temples consecrated in her honor are also abroad. For example, in Armenia, Ukraine, Germany, Finland, Hungary.
Icons
Saint Alexandra, whose icon is located in St. Petersburg in Peterhof, in the Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood), the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery, in the State Tretyakov Gallery, in the Holy - The St. Nicholas Monastery in Saratov and in other churches in Russia and abroad, was an example of love for God and piety. The Great Martyr is usually depicted on icons in royal clothes and a crown, often with a cross in her hand. There are many single images.
We also see the face of Queen Alexandra on other icons and murals in temples. So, the martyr is depicted on the icon "Selected Saints", which is located in the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Art. Andrei Rublev. The icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Holy Empress Alexandra is located in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The image of the martyr is in the Bryullov mosaic in the main iconostasis of St. Isaac's Cathedral, in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood) and in other places.
What helps the saint
Empress Alexandra of Rome is prayed for the salvation of the soul and deliverance from all evil, strengthening the faith. The Great Martyr will help all those who suffer, looking for an answer to difficult life questions, and protect them from betrayal. Strong marriage effect of icons depicting a saint, which helps to strengthen the bonds of marriage, maintain good relations in the family.
