Correspondence, Diaries, Journals and Her Bible

[Kalafrana]

Serious researchers can get access to the Royal Archives at Windsor without much difficulty. They do vet what you write, however!

Ann

[..dlnec1]

I am an Anglican, we have always used the KJV of Bible, thought these days I do enjoy the Jerusulem Bible, I consider myself a Catholic, albeir a Anglo-Catholic. If you were to come to my church for Sunday Mass you would see that we use the Roman Missal, but we are still Church of England, but I am not a protestant, as I understand Anglicanism we are catholic but not attached to Rome. Henry the VIII and Elizabeth I would have been appauled to be thought of as protestant.

I am sure Alexandra would have used the KJV, a Russian Friends of mine usues the KJV. I have the Russian Orthgodox liturgy in English, it is very similar to the Roman Missal.

[Kalafrana]

Alexandra would certainly have used the King James Bible. I believe the Hesse family was officially Lutheran - presumably she would have used their Bible (not sure which one that is) as well, at any rate before she married.

Once in Russia she did become more Orthodox than the Orthodox.

Ann

[Olga Maria]

In the letter of Alexandra to her friend Lili Dehn (from the APTM website), she mentions of a drawing. So below the letter in this post is the drawing she’s talking about. She’s really good in drawing, IMO.


29th November, 1917.
Tobolsk.

My Dearest,
I am for such a very, very long time without news of you, and I feel sad. Have you received my post card of the 28th October?
   Everybody is well—my heart is not up to much, fit at times, but on the whole it is better. I live very quietly and seldom go out as it is too difficult to breathe in frozen air. Lessons as usual. (News from Petrograd) " T " is as always. Zina has been to see her and O. V., who is very sad, she is always praying. Father Makari passed on on the 19th July.
   Rumours have it that Gariainoff has married, but we do not know whether it is true. (Speaking of herself the Empress writes) Aunt Baby drew this herself*. How is Titi?—Granny—I want to know such, such a lot. How is Count Keller? Have you seen him in Kharkoff? The present events are so awful for words, shameful and almost funny, but God is merciful, darling. Soon we shall be thinking of those days you passed with us. My God, what remembrances!
   Matresha has married, they are now all in P., but the brother is at the front. I read a lot, embroider and draw (I have to do it all with my spectacles, am so old). I think of you often and always pray fervently for you and love you tenderly.
I kiss you very, very much. May Christ protect you.
Your countryman is at Vladivostok and Nicholas Jakovlevitch (one of the wounded) is, I think, also in Siberia. I am so lonely without you all. Where is your husband and his friends? We are still expecting Ysa (Buxhoeveden) and the others. I kiss Titi tenderly. Write, I am waiting so. Verveine (toilet water) always reminds me of you.

*The drawing Lili Dehn is speaking of:

[Olga Maria]

14/27 April 1918
Alexandra wrote to the children from Ievlevo: “Terribly sad without you. How is Little One sleeping and how does he feel, I hope to God he gets well soon. The journey has been vile: frozen mud, large, deep puddles, ruts—simply unbelievable; what's more, by turn each carriage lost a wheel, and so on, it was nice when this happened to get a rest from the jostling. A change of horses every four hours in the villages” (GARF, f. 673, op. 1, d. 78, l. 3–30b).

[matushka]

I tried to takea picture of this Holy Gospel, owned by Alexandra at the end of her life:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v695/clairecher/?action=view&current=2010t081.jpg

It is near Moscow, in the church of the Holy New Martyr at Butovo, with an icon.

[Silja]

Alexandra would certainly have used the King James Bible. I believe the Hesse family was officially Lutheran - presumably she would have used their Bible (not sure which one that is)


Ann

The Luther Bible I assume, which is used by German Protestants.

[Queen_Missy]

I have found Alix's letter to Queen Victoria written after her father's death in German and in Russian: in Alexandra - die letzte Zarin - and in Elisabeth Heresh's book - does anyone have the English original?

From Heresh's book http://www.e-reading.club/bookreader.php/1023250/Heresh_-_Aleksandra.html#n_40
Letter from Alix to Queen Victoria, 18.3.1892, RAZ 174/23.

"«…я едва могу писать, чувствую себя совершенно разбитой. Эта невосполнимая потеря кажется мне почти невыносимой, неизвестно, как жить дальше тому, у кого отняли солнечный свет. И все же надо набраться мужества и попытаться быть, как Он, и делать то, чего желал бы Он. О, как ужасно[38] мы за ним скучаем, с каждым днем все сильнее. (…) Для меня никогда не было большего ангела, такого хорошего, такого любезного, доброго, любимого. Он был всем для меня, и чем больше мы оба бывали вместе, тем ближе я ему становилась, и все же мы не смогли его уберечь. (…) Но мы должны смириться с этой утратой, ибо я уверена, что наш небесный отец не взял бы его от нас, если бы не хотел избавить от дальнейших страданий на земле (…)

Бедный милый Эрни так неожиданно оказался в таком положении[39], какая большая ответственность легла на его молодые плечи. Он такой мужественный и дельный, милый парень. Ему я теперь должна пожертвовать всю себя и попытаться помочь, насколько это в моих силах, и я уверена, что Ты, любимая бабушка, всегда готова даровать ему совет и любовь, когда в том будет необходимость…»"