An Unknown Response to the Demise of Emperor Alexander III: A Letter from Archimandrite Nikon (Rozhdestvensky) to S. A. Rachinsky

Abstract

The article introduces hitherto unknown archival material from еру Manuscript Department of the Russian National Library, which relates to the early responses of contemporaries to the death of Emperor Alexander III and the accession of his son to the throne. The researcher publishes a full letter from Archimandrite (later Archbishop) Nikon (Rozhdestvensky) to the famous teacher Rachinsky. Quotes from letters from other persons (O. A. Novikova, N. M. Gorbov, V. N. Lyaskovsky), as well as an unpublished poem dedicated to the arrival in Russia of the future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with its theme of farewell to the dying sovereign, supplement it. The author of the article restores the history of the relationship between Archimandrite Nikon and Rachinsky, focusing on the episode of 1895 when the priest supported the teacher on the pages of the newspaper. The article characterizes Nikon’s letter as a valuable church-historical and literary source.

Keywords

• alexander iii
• nikolai ii
• nikon (rozhdestvensky)
• s. a. rachinsky
• unpublished letter
• correspondences
• archival documents
• history of russia