How likely is Russia to become a monarchy again?

[BorbonFan]

How likely is Russia to become a monarchy again? Very likely, given that Russia - officially or unofficially - has always been a monarchy, be that either Christian or Atheist, with the power concentrated largely in the hands of a single man, be that either Tsar or president of the Russian Communist Party.

A visionary Russian writer affirms that a restoration is quite likely.

Vladimir Voinovich: "Russia has been unable to cope with freedom"
By Ilya Milstein

The country will not go back to the Soviet system. But it could return to a more distant past, even to monarchy, says the author of "The Soldier Ivan Chonkin" and "Moscow-2042".

In an article published by the German magazine Der Spiegel recently, Vladimir Voinovich supposed that Russia would become a monarchy again. The author is not the first to say this. A monarchy is against the constitution, however, his words should be heeded. The point is that so far his forecasts have very often come true.

For example, at the very low point of stagnation he predicted the speedy and inevitable collapse of the Soviet Empire. And some time later, contemplating the future, he discerned the figure of a new leader in it. He would be a relatively young man who had taken an active part in the "August revolution" of 1991, spoke good German, had served in the KGB and had been its agent in Germany. All this was said by the writer back in 1985.

In short, there is every reason to talk with Vladimir Voinovich about the future of Russia, especially on the eve of the parliamentary elections, let's hope not the last ones. (...) (New Times)

[BorbonFan]

There are a number of prophecies announcing the restoration of Monarchy in Russia, including, some believe, the Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse).

Starets Lavrentii (+1950):

Schema-Archimandrite Feofan related that Batiushka Lavrentii would joyfully say, with a smile: “The Russian people will repent of deadly sins: that they allowed ... [antichristian] impiety to hold sway in Russia; that they did not defend God’s Anointed Tsar, the Orthodox churches and monasteries, and all that is holy and sacred in Russia. They despised piety and came to love demonic impiety. But there will be a spiritual upheaval! And Russia, together with all the Slavic nations and lands, will constitute a mighty Tsardom. She will be governed by an Orthodox Tsar, by God’s Anointed One. Because of him, all schisms and heresies will vanish away in Russia. There will be no persecution of the Orthodox Church. The Lord will have mercy on Holy Russia because the dreadful time preceding that of antichrist has already taken place in her. Even antichrist himself will fear the Russian Orthodox Tsar - Samoderzhets [Tsar - Autocrat]. But all the other nations, save only Russia and the Slavic lands, will be ruled by antichrist and will undergo all the horrors and torments written of in Holy Scripture. In Russia, however, there will be rejoicing and a blossoming of faith -- but only for a short while, for the Dread Judge will come to try both the living and the dead.”

Link: http://members.cox.net/orthodoxheritage/Starets%20Lavrentii.htm

Regarding the return of a tsar, Archbishop Theophan of Poltava wrote in 1930, "The coming of Antichrist draws nigh and is very near. The time separating us from him should be counted a matter of years and at most a matter of some decades. But before the coming of Antichrist Russia must yet be restored-to be sure, for a short time. And in Russia there must be a Tsar forechosen by the Lord Himself. He will be a man of burning faith, great mind and iron will. This much has been revealed about him." 21

When so many of the predictions of righteous Russian sufferers have come to pass, all their words must take on added importance. A theme repeated by many is that the restoration of Russia will be temporary. It will be a "flowering before the end," a brief return to true Christian beliefs and practices. And it will presage a wave of worldwide repentance prior to the appearance of Antichrist.

Heavenly Silence

Father Seraphim Rose linked Revelation's "heavenly silence" to Russia's period of quiet before the final storm: "In the book which most thoroughly describes the events to occur at the end of the world, the Apocalypse of St. John the Theologian, at the opening of the seventh seal, which precedes the final plague to come upon mankind, it is said that there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour (Apoc. 8:1). Some have interpreted this to mean a short period of peace before the final events of world history-namely…when the preaching of world-wide repentance will begin with Russia." 22

This repentance is a sign that evil, regardless of its apparent power, is not stronger than good. Satan can and will be defeated, but only by those who are willing to suffer for Christ. Those who endure crucifixion for the Lord's sake will certainly be resurrected. "It is a law of the spiritual life that where there is Golgotha - if it is genuine suffering for Christ-there will be resurrection," Father Seraphim Rose assures us. "This resurrection first of all occurs in human hearts, and we do not need to be too concerned what outward form it might take by God's will. All signs point to the fact that we are living at the end of the world, and any outward restoration of Holy Orthodox Russia will be short-lived." 23

The world at large gloats over communism's apparently untimely end and rewards itself with complacency. It has no idea that the fractured societies left in communism's wake are but decoys, left to divert suspicion from the true arena of conflict. The revolution is not over, nor have we in the West "won," for the battle is ultimately spiritual in nature.

Link: http://www.geocities.com/kitezhgrad/prophets/rus-miracle.html

Other prophecies concerning Orthodoxy and Russia: http://www.geocities.com/kitezhgrad/prophets/index.html

God bless!
Bourbon Fan

[Robert_Hall]

Tell all that to Russians- IN RUSSIA and they would laugh at you.
Although it may be likely that the current constitution may be amended/altered, it will not be in favour of a monarchy.
 The only ones who express an interest in such an anachronistic establishment seems to those outside of the country with no knowledge of the reality of actually living there.
 My opinion- watch Putin.

[BorbonFan]

You speak in the name of the Russians, you claim to know what they want, yet you are not one of them, nor do you live in Russia. You bring no proofs, no quotes to support your allegations. Your post is, therefore, just pure personal opinion, full of hatred for an "anachronistic" institution and, implicitly, for its legitimizing source - Orthodox Christianity. Such biased, full of hatred views that are not supported by any factual sources do not belong on this forum.

[Robert_Hall]

I have never said these are anything other than my opinions garnered from personal experience and familiarirty with  Russians who DO live there. I have been to Russia several times and do know, indeed have become very good friends with REAL Russians, not romantic monarchists. Ask anyone of us who have experienced  Russia and you will find the same opinion- monarchy is a fantasy.
 Btw, I have NEVER expressed hatred towards anyone. I suggest you temper your own language.

[BorbonFan]

Suggestion taken. At my turn, I suggest you show more respect for the expert opinions of people far more knowledgeable in Russian matters than you are, such as Vladimir Voinovich from whom I quoted, and watch your language, too. You only met a few Russians who are not representative for all of Russia.

Let us now consider some further prophecies representative for Russia's main cultural heritage - Orthodoxy -, all of which announce the restoration of Monarchy:

1. Hieromonk Anthony of St. Sabbas’ Monastery, based on Anonymous Greek Prophecies (8th or 9th century): “The last days have not yet arrived, and it is completely wrong to consider that we are on the threshold of the coming of the antichrist, because one last flourishing of Orthodoxy is still to come, this time in the whole world, headed by Russia. This will take place after a terrible war in which either one half or two thirds of humanity will perish, and which will be stopped by a voice from heaven: ‘And the Gospel will be preached throughout the world’.  “1) For until that time there will have been preached, not the Gospel of Christ, but the Gospel distorted by heretics.   “2) There will be a period of universal prosperity - but not for long. “3) In Russia during this period there will an Orthodox tsar, whom the Lord will reveal to the Russian people. “And after this the world will again be corrupted and will no longer be capable of correction. Then the Lord will allow the enthronement of the Antichrist.” [191]

2. Another Anonymous Prophecy from St. Sabbas’ Monastery (8th or 9th century): "At various times this great people [the Russians] will fall into sin and for this will be chastised through considerable trials. In about a thousand years [i.e. in the 1900s] this people, chosen by God, will falter in its Faith and its standing for the Truth of Christ. It will become proud of its earthly might and glory, will cease to seek the Kingdom and will want paradise not in Heaven but on this sinful earth. "However not all this people will tread this broad and pernicious path, though a substantial majority will, especially its governing class. On account of this great fall, a terrible fiery trial will be sent from on high to this people which will despise the ways of God. Rivers of blood shall flow across their land, brother shall slay brother, more than once famine shall visit the land and gather its dread harvest, nearly all the churches and other holy places shall be destroyed or suffer sacrilege, many shall perish.  "A part of this people, rejecting iniquity and untruth, will pass over the borders of their homeland and will be dispersed like unto the people of the Jews all over the world. Nevertheless the Lord will not show His wrath on them to the uttermost. The blood of thousands of martyrs will cry to the heavens for mercy. A spirit of sobriety will grow among this chosen people and they will return to God. At last this period of cleansing trial, appointed by the Righteous Judge, will come to an end, and once more Holy Orthodoxy will shine forth and those northern lands will be resplendent with the brightness of a faith reborn. "This wonderful light of Christ will shine forth from there and enlighten all the peoples of the earth. This will be helped by that part of the people providentially sent ahead into the diaspora, who will create centres of Orthodoxy - churches of God all over the world. Christianity will then be revealed in all its heavenly beauty and fullness. Most of the peoples of the world will become Christian. And for a time a period of peace, prosperity and Christian living will come to the whole world... "And then? Then, when the fullness of time has come, a great decline in faith will begin and everything foretold in the Holy Scriptures will occur. Antichrist will appear and the world will end."[192]

3. Monk Abel the Prophet (+1831). In a conversation with Tsar Paul I (+1801), after prophesying the destinies of all the Tsars from Paul I to Nicholas II: “What is impossible for man is possible for God. God delays with His help, but it is said that he will give it soon and will raise the horn of Russian salvation. And there will arise a great prince from your race in exile, who stands for the sons of his people. He will be a chosen one of God, and on his head will be blessing. He will be the only one comprehensible to all, the very heart of Russia will sense him. His appearance will be sovereign and radiant, and nobody will say: ‘The Tsar is here or there’, but all will say: ‘That’s him’. The will of the people will submit to the mercy of God, and he himself will confirm his calling… His name has occurred three times in Russian history. Two of the same name have already been on the throne, but not on the Tsar’s throne. But he will sit on the Tsar’s throne as the third. In him will be the salvation and happiness of the Russian realm.” (Source)   

[Robert_Hall]

Oh brother, you are really  delving into the incense and candlewax.
 What a batch of nonsense. Yes- I do know people in Russia who would laugh at your presumptions. And, I am quite familiar with Orthodox teachings and tradiitions. I have seen  this sort of postings in the past, it tends to be mis-leading and ill-informed.  I would suggest experience is the better teacher in cases such as yours. You obviously have none.
 Rather than get into a cat fight, I would recommend anyone interested to  look to the postings of those of us who have  been to Russia, not the delerious dreamers who wish it to be somthing that never was.

[BorbonFan]

"Oh brother, you are really  delving into the incense and candlewax. What a batch of nonsense. (...) delerious dreamers who wish it to be somthing that never was."

Such utter disrespect for the faith of hundreds of millions and for their saints and prophets is offensive to the Orthodox Christians, whose spirituality you clearly do not understand nor respect, despite your travel to Russia, does not belong on this forum. Once again, please, watch your language.

Not only realists, such as the successful writer and astute political observer Vladimir Voinovich, but also idealists, such as many Orthodox Saints, see the restoration of Monarchy as inevitable. Russia has always been, officially or unofficially, a Monarchy, be that either Christian or Atheist.

Here is another prophecy by the greatest Russian Saint, Seraphim of Sarov, which announces the "glory" which Russia will once again enjoy, as well as the restoration of the French and Austrian Monarchies, the former with its new capital at Rheims, the latter under the rule of the Habsburgs and thanks to the help of Russia:

4. St. Seraphim of Sarov (+1833): “There will one day be a Tsar who will glorify me [Nicholas II glorified St. Seraphim in 1903], after which there will be a great disturbance in Russia, much blood will flow because they will rise up against this Tsar and autocracy, but God will magnify the Tsar”.
"More than half a century will pass. Then evildoers will raise their heads high. This will happen without fail: the Lord, seeing the impenitent evil of their hearts, will allow their enterprises for a short time. But their sickness will rebound upon their own heads, and the unrighteousness of their destructive plots will fall upon them. The Russian land will become red with rivers of blood...
“Before the birth of the Antichrist there will be a great, protracted war and a terrible revolution in Russia passing all bounds of human imagination, for the bloodletting will be most terrible: the rebellions of Ryazan, Pugachev and the French revolution will be nothing in comparison with what will take place in Russia. Many people who are faithful to the fatherland will perish, church property and the monasteries will be robbed; the Lord's churches will be desecrated; good people will be robbed of their riches and killed, rivers of Russian blood will flow... But the Lord will have mercy on Russia and will bring her along the path of great sufferings to glory."
“Constantinople and Jerusalem will be inhabited by the combined powers of Russia and the others. At the division of Turkey almost all will go to Russia, and Russia with the united forces of many other States will take Vienna, and about 7 million native Viennese will remain under the house of the Hapsburgs, and there the territory of the Austrian empire will be constructed. To France for her love for the Mother of God, the holy Madonna, will be given up to 17 million Frenchmen with its capital in the city of Rheims, while Paris will be completely destroyed… When the Russian Empire will receive 170 million into its dominion, we must expect the appearance of the Antichrist. 1) The Antichrist will be born in Russia between Petersburg and Moscow, in that great town which will be formed after the union of all the Slavic tribes with Russia. It will be the second capital of the Russian Kingdom and will be called ‘Moscow-Petrograd’, or ‘the City of the End’, which name will be given to it by the Lord God, the Holy Spirit, Who foresees everything from afar. 2) Before the birth of the Antichrist an Eighth Ecumenical Council must be convened of all the Churches under the One Head, Christ and under the one Protecting Veil of the Mother of God [according to St. Nilus the myrrh-gusher: “a last and eighth Ecumenical Council to deal with the disputes of heretics and separate the wheat from the chaff]. Its aim will be to unite and reunite all the holy Churches of Christ against the growing antichristian tendency under a single Head, Christ the Life-Giver, and under a single Protecting Veil of His Most Pure Mother, and to deliver to a final curse against the whole of Masonry and all the parties similar to it (under whatever names they may appear), the leaders of whom have one common aim: under the pretext of complete egalitarian earthly prosperity, and with the aid of people who have been made fanatical by them, to create anarchy in all states and to destroy Christianity throughout the world, and, finally, by the power of gold concentrated in their hands, to subdue the whole world to antichristianity in the person of a single autocratic, God-fighting tsar - one king over the whole world." (Source)

[WhiteEagle]

BorbonFan,

I have read prophecies about a great future Ecumenical Council that will bring all Christians into the unity of the Church.  However, how does this relate to the 15-year occupation of Rome by the Russians?  This 15-year period is supposed to be for the purose of the Roman Church shedding its heresies and returning to Holy Orthodoxy (along with the Protestants, I assume).  If Orthodox Christianity triumphs between 2019 and 2033, wouldn't that render this Ecumenical Council, superfluous?  Please explain how all this works together.  Thanks. 

God bless.

Adam

[BorbonFan]

Hello, Adam,

According to St. Methodius, during the 15 year period of conquest of the "city of seven hills" (Rome) by the "blonde nation" (Russia), "the dormant snake will incur a spiritual death." It doesn't say anything about the spreading of Orthodoxy westwards. Catholicism is clearly the "dormant snake," which has been poisoning Christianity with its heresies making it suffocate slowly, in convulsions (Protestantism), as opposed to the active snake of Islam, which seeks an active destruction and conversion of Christendom -- see, for instance, the churches and monasteries of Kosovo destroyed by the Muslim Albanians since 1999. Thus, the Catholic Church will die spiritually. And this is easy to see how: priests will no longer graduate from seminaries in sufficient numbers, believers - most of them deprived of priests and Eucharist in their parishes - will stop going to Catholic churches and attend instead Orthodox or protestant ones, while the cathedrals of Rome itself as well as of the Catholic West will have largely been destroyed by the Muslims invaders. This "spiritual death" will force the Catholic hierarchs to pay close attention to the wondrous signs of God manifest in the battle for Byzantium and in the enthronement of His chosen Emperor, and thus admit to their mistakes and return to the unaltered Orthodox faith of the Church's first millenium. Thus, the return of Catholicism to Orthodoxy will take place after the battle of Byzantium, after 2033. Nothing in St. Methodius' prophecy suggests a return before the liberation of Byzantium.

God bless!
Borbon Fan

[WhiteEagle]

BorbonFan,

Thanks for your response.  Catholicism is, indeed, already on its way to a spiritual death.  The liberalism left in the wake of Vatican II is reducing the once prominent Catholic Church to an utter disgrace. Without firm leadership, this will only accelerate in the coming years.  I can see how Catholicism will die a spiritual death by 2033.

However, I'm having a hard time comprehending this 15-year interim period.  Will Felipe VI convert to Orthodoxy during this time?  How will the Russians occupy Rome - will they actually stay there to watch the Vatican?  Will Christian civilization be rebuilt in Europe any during this time, or will this simply be a time of watching Catholicism die and brandishing the swords for the next conflict?  I don't mean to be cute, but these 15 years seem very odd and are hard to fit into any of the prophecies I've read.  I hope you can clarify things.   

God bless.

Adam                 

[BorbonFan]

BorbonFan,

Thanks for your response.  Catholicism is, indeed, already on its way to a spiritual death.  The liberalism left in the wake of Vatican II is reducing the once prominent Catholic Church to an utter disgrace. Without firm leadership, this will only accelerate in the coming years.  I can see how Catholicism will die a spiritual death by 2033.

However, I'm having a hard time comprehending this 15-year interim period.  Will Felipe VI convert to Orthodoxy during this time?  How will the Russians occupy Rome - will they actually stay there to watch the Vatican?  Will Christian civilization be rebuilt in Europe any during this time, or will this simply be a time of watching Catholicism die and brandishing the swords for the next conflict?  I don't mean to be cute, but these 15 years seem very odd and are hard to fit into any of the prophecies I've read.  I hope you can clarify things.   

God bless.

Adam                 

I completely agree with you: Vatican II was a suicidal move on the part of the Church. But its troubles had started much earlier, as early as with Pope Leo the Great, who had put himself at the head of a Papal Army against the barbarians of Attila who were threatening Rome. The Church was never called to rule temporaly, but rather only spiritually, as Christ's kingdom is not of this world. The bloody and many times dirty work of politics was to be the job of the Caesar, not of the Church, as Christ clearly pointed out: "Render to the Caesar that which belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God." To maintain their earthly rule, the Popes were forced to agree to a number of deadly alterations to the Dogma and the Canon, beginning with the worst - Filioque - devised to win back (in lack of a mighty army) the Spaniards deceived by Arianism, going through the forced celibate of the clergy, implemented only since Lateran II in the XII century in order to stop the hemorrhaging of the Church's property onto the married clergy's offspring, and ending with the horrible butchery of the ancient Latin Mass enforced by Vatican II. All these self-inflicted wounds have been bleeding the Catholic Church to a slow, painful, and certain death. It is only a matter of when, not if this death will happen.

As to the 15 year interval of Russian rule in Rome, I confess that I do not know why it will take so long for the Catholic Church to return to Orthodoxy. All I can do is make suppositions. Could it be because during this long time interval, the liberation wars against the Muslims will be continuing throughout Europe, making it logistically hard for the Church clergy to convene into a large ecumenical council and agree to union? Could it be perhaps because of the stubbornness and pride of its cardinals? Because of the opposition of the liberals within? Because of the opposition of the strong surviving Catholic communities outside Europe (Africa, S America) who would perceive union as a betrayal of their faith? I do not have an answer. All I know from St. Methodius' prophecy is that the return to Orthodoxy is not mentioned before the liberation of Byzantium.

Felipe's possible conversion to Orthodoxy is much easier to foretell than the previous issue. Prince Felipe's mother has been raised a devout Orthodox as Princess of Greece. In terms of morals, Felipe ressembles her rather than his liberal father, known to have had a number of mistresses. He is known to have voiced strongly conservative Catholic opinions about marriage, against adultery during his master studies at Georgetown University. He is also very close to his Greek royal cousins, with whom he spends his summer vacations, which I am sure can only help get Felipe closer to their Orthodox faith. All these suggest to me that Felipe's conversion to Orthodoxy is something very, very possible.

God bless!
Borbon Fan

[WhiteEagle]

BorbonFan,

Thanks for your response.  I, too, can see Felipe's conversion happening.  As you pointed out, he has many Orthodox influences around him.  However, I don't see the Moslem wars continuing during the 15-year interim period.  The Catholic prophecies are unanimous in affirming that the Great Monarch (Felipe VI) will vanish all enemies during his wars.  These victories are mentioned as happening in a 3-4 year (at most, 7 year) period.  This also leads to problems in fitting the 15-year stalemate into a prophectic timeline, since none of the prophecies allude to Felipe VI finishing the job of conquest after a break of a decade or more, nor a length of time between the re-conquest of Europe and the victory of the Apostolic Church.  Everything happens (including the war being taken to the Middle East and the conquest of Byzantium) in a clear succession according to these prophecies. 

I have read your quotation of Emperor Leo VI - the Wise and don't find it convincing.  He did say ""In six centuries minus about twenty years you will become powerful again."  He said, "about" twenty years, I don't find it convincing to say that he predicted 2033 as opposed to say, 2020 or so.  Also, your interpretation of Agathanghelos seems highly subjective.  If one tries a number of combinations, one will eventually hit upon a desired combination.  I don't think I'm convinced on your interpretation of these two prophecies.  However, I'd like to read the entire prophecy of St. Methodius (if this isn't too much trouble), for comparison.  Thanks.

God bless.

Adam   

P.S. You can send me the prophecy via a private message, if that would be more appropriate.   

   

       

[BorbonFan]

Hello, Adam,

I am not sure about the accuracy of Leo VI's prophecy. I have not found it in an original text nor book, but only quoted by somebody else on the internet. Plus, he is not a saint of the Orthodox Church, just as Nostradamus isn't one either in the Catholic Church. Therefore, their prophecies carry much less weight than those of recognized saints or monks.

Monk Agathanghelos is referenced in the book from which I got St. Methodius' prophecy. However, his prophecies aren't fully quoted in there. I found his prophecies only as quoted by somebody else over the internet. Same goes for the interpretation of his "golden tenth" -- it is not mine, but that same somebody else's.

Therefore I would not lend too much credence to the two prophecies - that of Leo VI and Agathanghelos - until I see them in an authorized Church book. The internet can have many inaccurate versions. Until then, I still think 2033-2037 is a rough approximation for the liberation of Byzantium, according to these two prophecies. 2033 if we go with Leo's 580 year prediciton as being exact, 2037 if we go with Leo's estimation of "six centuries minus about twenty years." 2037 can be confirmed by Agathanghelos, if we add 120 ("golden tenth") to 1917 rather than 1914, as 1917 - the year of the atheist Russian bolshevik revolution - is the beginning of the sufferings for Russia's and E Europe's Orthodoxy under communism.

I will try to translate St. Methodius' prophecy, but as it is rather long, it may take me a few days. It is worth noting that the succession of events in it is the same as in your prophecies: Muslim invasion of Europe, chasing out of the invaders, all the way to Middle East (including a landing in a Muslim-ocupied Israel),  followed by the liberation of Byzantium.

If you don't mind, what are the Catholic prophecies to which you lend credence, which speak of the Great Monarch, of the fate of Byzantium and Europe, or of the reunification of the Church?

God bless!
Borbon Fan

[Yoyo22]

P.S. You can send me the prophecy via a private message, if that would be more appropriate.   

       

Please do as your religious prophecies belong more on a religious site than on a history site discussing the return of the monarchy in Russia. Remember that not (if not most) people on this board are not Orthodox and some (catholics) might not be too thrilled about the things you are writing about their religion.