Physical Characteristics/Features of the Romanovs

[Pravoslavnaya]

Dear Annie and Georgiy  --

You make some interesting observations about how icons of the Holy Royal Martyrs represent the heights of the children 'as they were in 1913'.   Since several of our Orthodox icons almost tell stories about the feasts and saints, this seems apropos.  The story the family icon might tell might be 'Among our saints was the last Tsar, who modeled his life on the most pious of the Tsars before him and upheld the idea of "Holy Russia".  That explains why he is shown wearing the ancient crown.  His Empress wears not Russian paisley but tartan plaid; she was descended from English royalty and converted when she married for love.  They were blessed with four lively and industrious daughters and then with the son they had longed for, whom they all surrounded with their protection, as he was the youngest - yet bravely bore a cross as heavy as those of his parents.'

Icons of St. Alexei by himself tend to portray him a bit older -- as the adolescent he was at the time of his murder, with what I consider varying degrees of spiritual appeal.  Most of these can readily be seen at:

www.alexis-romanov.narod.ru/cherkov/ikona.htm

My favorite one of the three has the blue background, but this one is impossible to find.  Sofrino produces another icon of the Tsarevich-Martyr that basically pastes his face as colorized from a photo of him at Stavka upon a disproportionate body in a white uniform and an Imperial Mantle.

[Annie]

Thanks for the pic dates, and the explaination of the Holy Martyr pics and icons!

[RichC]

Perhaps one could tell proper height by measuring the bones found in the 1990's -- all except the two missing children.  That information must be available somewhere.

[Abby]

Yes, that would be a good idea, but I am pretty sure that the bones were in fragments and had been cut, and the scientists could only make a rough estimate of height based on the femurs.

[Sarai_Porretta]

FOTR discusses the forensic study of the skeletons' heights.

For Olga, it says "When Maples went to examine the remains to estimate height, he found that the leg bones - one of the primary indicators used to gauge how tall a person may have been - had been cut into sections by the Russians. He was forced to measure the bones of the arms, a less reliable method, and estimated her height at roughly 64.9 inches" (pg. 424). So according to this more unreliable method, her height was 5'4" - nearly 5'5".

It also says, "Of the sisters, Tatiana seems to have been the tallest, though Marie had come close as her final growth cycle was completed. They seem to have been within an inch or two of each other. Olga was somewhat shorter than both, perhaps by as much as two or three inches. None of the sisters, however, was as short as Anastasia, who was several inches shorter than Olga" (pg. 428).

[Kyra_K]

 I was asked a question about the Romanovs having a history of being 6 fingered or did having 6 fingers belong to an  " Orthodox Pope line" ( that's a direct quote)?

I said I would ask because I had never heard that about the Romanovs and my Orthodox Church history isn't exactly up to par.

 

Kyra                                    

[ferngully]

where did you hear that? sounds interesting
selina             xxxxxxxxxxx

[Kyra_K]

 Because I was a History teacher, family and friends usually call me for answers to questions. And this was a question someone came up with. And I never heard of such a thing about the Romanovs til the question was asked.
It's intriguing to say the least...lol.



Kyra

[ferngully]

that sounds interesting, but i don't know, its possible...if anne bolyen had it, anyone could
selina                 xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[mariefeodorovna]

It was very unlikely that Anne Boleyn ever had a sixth finger, Henry VIII would not have married someone with such a prominent deformity, as he had a paranoia about such things.  

[bluetoria]

It was very unlikely that Anne Boleyn ever had a sixth finger, Henry VIII would not have married someone with such a prominent deformity, as he had a paranoia about such things.  

This is of minor significant but I read somewhere (where??) that on one finger Anne Boleyn had a sort of extra finger nail which gave the impression of an extra finger growing out of it. This was later used by her enemies - when she was being accused of being a witch & having bewitched Henry - who claimed it was a 'teat for suckling the devil.' (It was this that also gave rise to the totally unfounded rumour that she had 3 breasts - a story which persists to this day.)

[Jane]

bluetoria is correct.  Anne Boleyn did not have a sixth finger but a nail deformity (thus her preference for French sleeves).  I know a number of modern historians have debunked that myth.  bt, any chance you read it in Alison Weir's book?

I am unaware of any Romanovs having eleven fingers--gads, given the nature and spiritual overtones of Orthodoxy, I would imagine we would have by now.

[bluetoria]

 bt, any chance you read it in Alison Weir's book?

Alison Weir! Yes, that's it, thanks Jane! It's a brilliant book!  

[Jane]

I agree with you.  I think she is very talented.

[Georgiy]

did having 6 fingers belong to an  " Orthodox Pope line" ( that's a direct quote)?

Well, the only Orthodox Popes were the Pope of Rome up to 1054 AD, and (from the early Church to the present day), the Pope of Alexandria. It seems a very strange quote. Apart from the Pope of Alexandria, we normally refer to Popes as Patriarchs, and indeed the Alexandrian Pope is also called (more correctly) Patriarch of Alexandria and Africa.