Word IX. On the Day of the Translation of the Holy Relics of the Right-Believing Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky, Which Took Place in 1724 Under Emperor Peter I, From Vladimir to Petersburg

Rejoice today, O Russian people, exult, O rulers and authorities: for flesh of your flesh, and power of your power, the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky exults with the Angels in heaven, and summons all his kinsmen and rulers, and those under their authority, to a spiritual celebration; and prays to the Lord for all. (Doxastikon at the Litia).

On what occasion, dear brothers and sisters, were the relics of the holy right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky translated from the city of Vladimir to Petersburg?

After Emperor Peter the Great concluded the long-desired peace with Sweden in 1721, it pleased him, having built up his new capital of Petersburg, for its holy adornment and for the greater glorification of the exploits of the holy prince, to translate his incorrupt and wonder-working relics from the city of Vladimir—which was accomplished with fitting honor. The Sovereign himself, with his whole household, the ranks of his court and the whole Synod, together with the consecrated clergy, went out to meet the holy relics, which arrived by water; they carried them and laid them in the newly built holy monastery of the Life-Giving Trinity, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and by synodal decree appointed this event to be celebrated every year on August 30, forever. The commemoration of his falling asleep, however, is kept on November 23.

Here, then, is a brief account of his lineage and his life. The right-believing and Christ-loving Prince Alexander was the son of the Grand Prince of Russia Yaroslav, great-grandson of the Grand Prince Vsevolod, son of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, who enlightened the whole Russian land with holy baptism. When his father Yaroslav governed the region of Vladimir, and St. Alexander lived and ruled in Novgorod, our neighbors across the border, the Swedes, came by the Baltic Sea to the mouth of the Neva in ships, with a great army, together with their king, with the intention of conquering our land of Izhora, Ladoga, Great Novgorod, and all of Russia as it then was. Having stopped with his ships at the mouth of the Neva, the king, proud of his martial strength, sent his envoys to Novgorod, to Prince Alexander, with these words: if you will, submit to me—but if not, know that I am already within the borders of your land, and will soon conquer it.

The Grand Prince, having no army ready at hand and no chance to inform his father Yaroslav quickly of his danger—placed, by himself, all his hope in God, with prayer to the Most Holy Mother of God and with an invocation for help of his kinsmen, the passion-bearers Boris and Gleb—and, without gathering a military force, went out with a small war-band against the numerous army of the Swedes.

Having come to the river Neva, he took up his position not far from the enemy. With the Grand Prince at that time was a certain pious voevode of Izhora, Philip, to whom the night watch was entrusted, and who was ordered also secretly to learn the number and strength of the enemy. Having seen the numerous enemy host, and being in perplexity and fear, Philip returned to St. Alexander to tell him what he had seen. As he walked along the shore of the gulf, at sunrise, he saw near the shore a vessel, and standing in it comely men in scarlet (red) garments, who had laid their hands upon one another’s shoulders, while the oarsmen sat as though covered with a mist.

One of the mysterious men said: brother Gleb! let us hasten to help our kinsman against his enemies; and the other answered: yes, brother Boris! Hearing this, Philip, in fear at what he had seen and heard, at once hastened to tell the right-believing prince all that he had seen and heard, and the prince, on hearing this, glorified God and the Most Pure Mother of God and the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb.

And when Alexander’s war-band joined battle with the enemy, a great multitude of them were slain, and St. Alexander himself wounded the Swedish king in the face; and the defeated Swedes, in small numbers, turned to shameful flight. Thus the right-believing prince, by the help of God and of the Mother of God and of the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb, won a glorious victory, and delivered the land of Izhora and Great Novgorod from the enemy, and from this victory was surnamed Nevsky. Of his other victories we will not now speak, so as not to prolong this word.

Glory to God, who gave Russia so wondrous a prince in faith, courage, wisdom, and piety, so fearless a warrior and victor!

Why, then, could we not now conquer our pagan enemies, with our brave army?

Let us say it plainly: from unbelief in God, from the decay of morals, and from the senseless Tolstoyan teaching, resist not evil, in following which Port Arthur surrendered in shameful capitulation, and our warships passed into shameful captivity, with all their equipment.

What a glorious teacher for the whole Russian army, and for all military and other authorities, is the holy right-believing Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky! But who among the intelligentsia now reads of his exploits, and who believes the miracles told of him? It is from this unbelief, and from our own proud, self-important reason, and from our own conceit in our military strength, that we suffer every kind of defeat and have become a laughingstock to the whole world! A fearsome lesson has been given by God to the Russian intelligentsia, who do not believe in God, and who deify themselves. Learn, O Russia, to believe in Almighty God, who governs the destinies of the world, and learn from your holy forefathers faith, wisdom, and courage. Amen.