Russian Orthodoxy and the Romanovs

[Vasillisos Markos]

Dear VM: I guess then GD Elisabeth should be considered a 'passion bearer' instead of 'martyr' or 'saint'. So, I guess that means that 'passion bearers' can be canonized in the Russian Orthodox church?

My dear Alexey,

I am not sure if the Russian Orthodox Church "canonizes" people as passion bearers or not--I am ignorant on most religious practices other than Roman Catholicism. I read somewhere that the Royal Family were considered passion bearers but whether that means the church employs a process of naming them so or whether the head of the orthodox church can simply call them that is a mystery to me.

 

[katherine2001]

You are entitled to your opinion, COUNTESS. GD Elisabeth did beome a nun with her own convent, order and church. But, I think she can be classified as a 'martyr' instead of a 'saint'.. Alexandra converted to Orthodoxy and seemed very pious, but wasn't what one outside of Russia considered a saint. Neither was Nicholas. But Elisabeth is the only one who should be considered as a canonized saint. Every Christian religion has different rules for what they believe and practice. It seems to me that the Imperial Family should have done more 'saintly' things. But then again, I guess it doesn't take much more than dying to become a saint in Russian Orthodoxy!

There are several categories of saints in Orthodoxy, martyrs and passion bearers being two of the categories. They are saints whichever category they fall into. They would be canonized as saints whichever category they are given when they are canonized.

GD Elizabeth is categorized as a Martyr. The title on the back of my icon of her is "St. Elizabeth the New Martyr".

 

[Dmitry Kurbsky]

Are they considered "saints" or "passion bearers" by the Russian Orthodox Church?

Saints and passion bearers, because to be a passion bearer is one of the forms of sainthood.