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'''Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna of Russia''' (Елизавета Фёдоровна), née ''Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Luise Alice of Hesse and by Rhine'' ([[February 24]], 1864 – [[July 18]], 1918), was the wife of [[w:Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia|Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia]], the fifth son of Emperor [[w:Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II of Russia]] and [[w:Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse)|Maria Alexandrovna]] (née Princess Marie of Hesse-Darmstadt). After the assassination of her husband, she went on to found a convent dedicated to [[ministering to the poor]]. She was later martyred by the Bolsheviks, and more recently she has been glorified as a new martyr. == Early life and Marriage ==[[Image:queenvictoriafamily.jpg|thumb|Queen Victoria with Princess Victoria, Elizabeth, and Alix (the future Tsaritsa Alexandra)]] Elizabeth was the second child and daughter of Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, a daughter of Queen Victoria. She was also the elder sister of [[Alexandra Fyodorovna]], the last empress of Russia. Elizabeth was affectionately called '''Ella''' by her family.

Orphaned at the age of 14, she was partly brought up by her grandmother, Queen Victoria. <ref>Ludmila Koehler, ''Saint Elisabeth the New Martyr'', (New York: The Orthodox Palestine Society, USA, 1988), p. 12.</ref> Having had an English mother and then living in England, she and her sister Alexandra were most comfortable speaking English, and most of the letters exchanged between Tsar Nicholas, Tsaritsa Alexandra, and the Grand Duchess Elizabeth are written in English. Elizabeth once caught the eye of her elder cousin WilliamII, II but Elisabeth she flatly rejected him and instead married [[Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia|Grand Duke Sergei]] of Russia in June 1884.

== Conversion == [[Image:Elisabeth Fyodorovnaelizabethsergei.jpggif|thumb|Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna as and her husband Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich]] Of her conversion to Orthodoxy, Metropolitan Anastassy recalls: :''The grand duchess, of her own volition decided to unite herself to the Orthodox Church. When she made the announcement to her spouse, according to the account of one of the servants, tears involuntarily poured from his eyes. The Emperor Alexander III himself was deeply touched by her decision. Her husband blessed her after Holy [[Chrismation]] with a precious [[icon]] of the Savior, "[[Image Not-made-by-hands|Not Made by Hands]]" (a copy of the miraculous icon in the Chapel of the Savior), which she treasured greatly throughout the remaining course of her life. Having been joined to the Faith in this manner, and thereby to all that makes up the soul of a Russian, the grand duchess could now with every right say to her spouse in the words of the Moabite Ruth, "Your people have become my people, and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16).''<ref>Metropolitan Anastassy, [http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/duchess.aspx ''Life of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth''], ''Orthodox Life'', vol. 31, no. 5 (Sept.-Oct., 1981), pp. 3-14.</ref> Like many converts to the Orthodox Faith, the Grand Duchess had to deal with the negative reaction of her family. :"Once the decision was reached, it proved a difficult task to make it known to her relatives. She writes to them at this time that she is "intensely happy," but that it pains her to cause grief to her beloved family. And yet her determination was firm, "I am sure God's blessing will accompany my act which I do with such fervent belief, with the feeling that I may become a better Christian and be one step nearer to God." Explaining the reasons for her decision, she writes in a letter: "Above all one's conscience must be pure and true... many will -- I know -- scream about (it), yet I feel it brings me nearer to God... You tell me that the outer brilliance of the church charmed me... in that you are mistaken -- nothing in the outer signs attracted me -- no -- the service, the service, the outer signs are only to remind us of the inner things." <ref>Ludmila Koehler, ''Saint Elisabeth the New Martyr'', (New York: The Orthodox Palestine Society, USA, 1988), p. 25.</ref> The Kaiser is thought to have been behind the claim that her husband had forced her to convert, but Elizabeth explained that it would be "lying before God" to "remain outwardly a nun after Protestant." <ref>Ludmila Koehler, ''Saint Elisabeth the New Martyr'', (New York: The Orthodox Palestine Society, USA, 1988), p. 26.</ref> Of all her family, Queen Victoria showed the most understanding, and provided her with moral support for her decision. <ref>Ludmila Koehler, ''Saint Elisabeth the New Martyr'', (New York: The Orthodox Palestine Society, USA, 1988), p. 26.</ref> The Grand Duchess was received by Chrismation on Lazarus Saturday, 1891, and then during that Holy Week she was able to receive Holy Communion with her husband for the first time. == Assassination of her husband== Tragically, Elizabeth's deathhusband was assassinated with a bomb on [[February 18]], 1905, while on duty in the Kremlin, by Social-Revolutionary (SR) Ivan Kalyayev.  :"''Grand Duchess Elisabeth heard the explosion and felt the shock; she rushed outside and saw the dismembered body of her husband strewn around the square. She knelt in the snow and helped collect the remains and, almost incredibly found the strength to arrange for the transportation to a hospital of the grand duke's coachman, who had been severly wounded. Visiting the dying man later, she told him that the grand duke was well and safe, and had in fact sent her, enabling the man to die peacefully."''<ref>Ludmila Koehler, ''Saint Elisabeth the New Martyr'', (New York: The Orthodox Palestine Society, USA, 1988), p. 30.</ref>

Tragically, Elizabeth:"''The lofty spirit with which she took the tragedy astounded everyone: she had the moral strength even to visit in prison her husband's husband was assassinated [[February 18]]assassin, 1905Kaliaev, while on duty in the Kremlinhoping to soften his heart, by socialist-revolutionary Ivan Kalyayevwith her Christian forgiveness. 'Who are you?' he asked upon meeting her. Afterwards'I am his widow,' she replied, 'why did you kill him?' 'I did not want to kill you, Grand Duchess Elizabeth became a [[nun]]' he said. 'I saw him several times before when I had the bomb with me, giving away her jewelry but you were with him and selling her most luxurious possessionsI could not bring myself to touch him.' 'You did not understand that by killing him you were killing me,' she said. With the proceeds Then she opened the Martha and Mary Home in Moscow began to foster talk of the [[prayer]] and charity horror of devout womenhis crime before God. For many years The Gospel was in her hands and she helped begged the poor criminal to read it and orphans left it in this Moscow homehis cell. Here there arose a new vision of a [[diaconate]] for womenLeaving the prison, the Grand Duchess said: 'My attempt was unsuccessful, but, who knows, one that combined intercession perhaps at the last minute he will understand his sin and action in the heart of a disordered worldrepent. In April 1909 Elizabeth and seventeen women were dedicated as Sisters of Love and Mercy' "''<ref>Fr. Their work flourishedDemetrios Serfes, [http: soon they opened a hospital and a variety //www.serfes.org/lives/grandduchess/life.htm ''Life of other [[philanthropy|philanthropicthe Holy Royal Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth'']] ventures arose., March 27, 2007</ref>

In 1918== Life as a nun, devoted to the Communist government exiled her to [poor ==[Yekaterinburg]] and then to [httpImage://enElisabeth Fyodorovna.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alapaevsk Alapaevsk], where she was violently killed by the local Bolsheviks on [[July 18]], 1918, along with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Romanov; the Princes Ioann Konstantinovich, Konstantin Konstantinovich, Igor Konstantinovich, and Vladimir Pavlovich Paley; Grand Duke Sergei's secretary, Fyodor Remez; and [[Nun Barbabarajpg|thumb|Varvara Yakovleva]], a sister from the Grand Duchess ElizabethFyodorovna as a nun after her husband's convent. They were herded into the forest, pushed into an abandoned mineshaft, into which grenades were then hurled. An observer heard them singing Church [[hymn]]s as they were pushed into the mineshaft. After the Bolsheviks left, he could still hear singing for some time. The last thing Elizabeth did as she lay dying in the mineshaft was to bandage the wounds of Prince Ioann with her handkerchief. Later the White Army briefly recaptured this area, and her [[relicsdeath]] were recovered and the account of the person who witnessed it recorded. Her relics were first taken by the White Army to Beijing and placed in the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, and then they were taken to [[Jerusalem]] and placed in [http://www.jerusalem-mission.org/convent_magdalene.html the Church of St. Mary Magdalene], which she and her husband had helped to build.

She was Afterwards, Grand Duchess Elizabeth became a [[Glorification|glorifiednun]] by , giving away her jewelry and selling her most luxurious possessions. With the [[ROCOR|proceeds she opened the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] Martha and Mary Home in 1981, and by Moscow to foster the [[Russian Orthodox Churchprayer]] as a whole in 1992 as ''New-Martyr Elizabeth''and charity of devout women. Her principal [[shrine]] in Russia is For many years she helped the [[Ss. Mary poor and Martha Convent]] she founded orphans in this Moscow home. Here there arose a new vision of a [[Moscowdiaconate]]. She is for women, one that combined intercession and action in the heart of the 10 20th-century martyrs from across the a disordered world who are [http://en.wikipediaIn April 1909 Elizabeth and seventeen women were dedicated as Sisters of Love and Mercy.org/wiki/ImageTheir work flourished:Westminster_Abbey_C20th_martyrs.jpg depicted in statues above the Great West Door] soon they opened a hospital and a variety of other [http://www.westminster-abbey.org/tour/martyrs/4_elizabeth_of_russia.htm Westminster Abbey] in [[Londonphilanthropy|philanthropic]]ventures arose.

Her feast is celebrated on == Martyrdom ==In 1918, the Communist government exiled her to [[w:Yekaterinburg|Yekaterinburg]] and then to [[July 5w: Alapaevsk|Alapaevsk]] (, where she was martyred violently killed by the local Bolsheviks on [[July 18]], according 1918, along with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Romanov; the Princes Ioann Konstantinovich, Konstantin Konstantinovich, Igor Konstantinovich, and Vladimir Pavlovich Paley; Grand Duke Sergei's secretary, Fyodor Remez; and Nun Barbara Yakovleva, a sister from the Grand Duchess Elizabeth's convent who had refused to leave her Abbess. They were herded into the forest, pushed into an abandoned mineshaft, into which grenades were then hurled. An observer heard them singing Church [[New Calendarhymn]]s as they were pushed into the mineshaft. After the Bolsheviks left, which he could still hear singing for some time. The last thing Elizabeth did as she lay dying in the mineshaft was [[July 5]] on to bandage the [[Julian Calendar|Old Calendar]]wounds of Prince Ioann with her handkerchief. She is also commemorated on Later the White Army briefly recaptured this area, and her [[feastrelics]] were recovered and the account of the [[New Martyrs person who witnessed it recorded. Her relics were first taken by the White Army to Beijing and Confessors placed in the Church of St. Seraphim of Russia]]Sarov, celebrated on the Sunday nearest and then they were taken to [[January 25Jerusalem]] (which was and placed in [http://www.jerusalem-mission.org/convent_magdalene.html the date Church of the martyrdom of [[Hieromartyr Vladimir of Kiev|Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev]St. Mary Magdalene], the first of the new martyrs)which she and her husband had helped to build.

== Glorification ==[[Image::Elizabeth the New Martyr.jpg|right|thumb|250px|St. Elizabeth]]She was [[Glorification|glorified]] by the [[ROCOR|Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] in 1981, and by the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] as a whole in 1992 as ''New-Martyr Elizabeth''. Her principal shrine in Russia is the [[Ss. Mary and Martha Convent (Moscow)|Ss. Mary and Martha Convent]] she founded in Moscow. Most of her relics remain in [[Gethsemane]], but in in 2004, a reliquary containing portions of her relics, as well as those of the Nun-Martyr Barbara, were taken to Russia, and visited 61 dioceses of the Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and were venerated by over 10 million people.<ref>From Sedmitza.ru, as posted on the Official Web site of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, [Troparionhttp://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/news05/elizfed.html ''The Relics of Holy New Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna and Nun Varvara are Greeted at Christ the Savior Church''], February 22, 2005</ref> A portion of these relics were given to the Ss. Mary and Martha Convent, and remain there.<ref>From Interfax/Sedmitza.ru, as posted on the Official Web site of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/news05/evpressconf.html ''Press Conference Held on the Visit of the Holy Relics of SS Elizaveta and Varvara to Russia''], Tone 4February 25, 2005</ref> She is also one of the 10 20th-century martyrs from across the world who are [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Westminster_Abbey_C20th_martyrs.jpg depicted in statues above the Great West Door] of [http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/grand-duchess-elizabeth Westminster Abbey] in London.

::''Causing meeknessHer [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[July 5]] (she was martyred on [[July 18]], humility and love according to dwell in thy soulthe [[New Calendar]], / thou didst earnestly serve which was [[July 5]] on the [[Julian Calendar|Old Calendar]]). She is also commemorated on the sufferingfeast of the [[New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia]], / O holy passion-bearer Princess Elizabeth; / whereforecelebrated on the Sunday nearest to [[January 25]], with faith thou didst endure sufferings which was the date of the martyrdom of Metropolitan [[Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kiev and death for ChristGallich|Vladimir of Kiev]], with the martyr Barbara. // With her pray for all who honor you with lovefirst of the new martyrs.''

::==Hymns==[[KontakionTroparion]], Tone 4::Causing meekness, humility and love to dwell in thy soul, :Thou didst earnestly serve the suffering, :O holy passion-bearer Princess Elizabeth; :Wherefore, with faith thou didst endure sufferings and death for Christ, with the martyr Barbara. :With her pray for all who honor you with love.

[[Kontakion]], Tone 4::''Taking up the Cross of Christ, / thou :Thou didst pass from royal glory to the glory of heaven, / praying :Praying for thine enemies, O holy martyr Princess Elizabeth; / and :And with the martyr Barbara thou didst find everlasting joy. // :Therefore, pray ye in behalf of our souls.''

==TitlesNotes==*''Her Grand Ducal Highness'' Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine (1864 - 1884)<div class="small"><references />*''Her Imperial Highness'' Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna of Russia (1884 - 1918)</div>

*[[Wikipedia:Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna]] (some material included) ==See also==*[[Philanthropy]]*[[Almsgiving]]