There is breaking news that the four devoted persons who followed the Romanovs into captivity and shared their brutal fate in the Ipatiev Mansion may be canonized: That would be Dr.Yeveny (Eugene) Botkin, Nyuta (Anna Demidova), Ivan Kharitonov, the chef, and Alexei Trupp, the Tsarina's personal valet. At least two of this suite feared execution: Dr.Botkin anticipated it but remained to care for the family- not just Alexei, but also chronically ill Alexandra, and even Nicholas II who had been so healthy but suffered from the enforced inactivity (Deprived of his very active life and exercise routines, Nicholas developed hemorrhoids and required bed rest and compresses). Kharitonov, the chef left behind a large family to cook for the very limited diet of Alexandra: macaroni (vermicelli!) - she could only tolerate her English biscuits, pasta, hot chocolate and coffee. She picked at anything else. In retrospect, her high carbohydrate diet may have aggravated her many conditions- neuralgia, arthritis, the aftereffects of so many pregnancies within a short time (she had more than 5 pregnancies- as she suffered a few miscarriages, an imagined pregnancy that swelled her abdomen) and her old leg injuries from childhood. Alexandra was in very poor health all her life. Dr.Botkin himself was sick- with excruciating kidney disease- It seems the good doctor passed kidney stones on the journey to Ekaterinburg. Yet he was determined to help the family. He was also deeply depressed by his son's death in battle. Alexei Trupp, Alexandra's personal valet, was not Russian Orthodox, but a Catholic. They were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, but not yet the Russian Orthodox Church within Russia. That is the issue being examined along with their remains, right now. Anastasia Hendrikova was a Countess who was lady-in-waiting and also unofficial governess to the girls and Anastasia Hendrikova were also devoted to the family and were imprisoned and shot in the forest outside Perm on September 04, 1918. Mlle Schneider was not Russian Orthodox either- She was a Lutheran. If the new tests concur with the findings expected, the Ipatiev massacre suite may be canonized in Russia. I don't believe the remains of Mlle Schneider and Countess Hendrikova were ever found- the proof of their murder stems form the witness report of the valet Alexei Volkov who escaped the death march on Sept 04, 1918 but heard the shots. Prince Valia Dolgoruky, the Tsar's aide and best friend, was never found either- he arrived at Yekaterinburg station and was presumed executed as no one ever saw him again.
There is breaking news that the four devoted persons who followed the Romanovs into captivity and shared their brutal fate in the Ipatiev Mansion may be canonized: That would be Dr.Yeveny (Eugene) Botkin, Nyuta (Anna Demidova), Ivan Kharitonov, the chef, and Alexei Trupp, the Tsarina's personal valet. At least two of this suite feared execution: Dr.Botkin anticipated it but remained to care for the family- not just Alexei, but also chronically ill Alexandra, and even Nicholas II who had been so healthy but suffered from the enforced inactivity (Deprived of his very active life and exercise routines, Nicholas developed hemorrhoids and required bed rest and compresses). Kharitonov, the chef left behind a large family to cook for the very limited diet of Alexandra: macaroni (vermicelli!) - she could only tolerate her English biscuits, pasta, hot chocolate and coffee. She picked at anything else. In retrospect, her high carbohydrate diet may have aggravated her many conditions- neuralgia, arthritis, the aftereffects of so many pregnancies within a short time (she had more than 5 pregnancies- as she suffered a few miscarriages, an imagined pregnancy that swelled her abdomen) and her old leg injuries from childhood. Alexandra was in very poor health all her life. Dr.Botkin himself was sick- with excruciating kidney disease- It seems the good doctor passed kidney stones on the journey to Ekaterinburg. Yet he was determined to help the family. He was also deeply depressed by his son's death in battle. Alexei Trupp, Alexandra's personal valet, was not Russian Orthodox, but a Catholic. They were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, but not yet the Russian Orthodox Church within Russia. That is the issue being examined along with their remains, right now. Anastasia Hendrikova was a Countess who was lady-in-waiting and also unofficial governess to the girls and Anastasia Hendrikova were also devoted to the family and were imprisoned and shot in the forest outside Perm on September 04, 1918. Mlle Schneider was not Russian Orthodox either- She was a Lutheran. If the new tests concur with the findings expected, the Ipatiev massacre suite may be canonized in Russia. I don't believe the remains of Mlle Schneider and Countess Hendrikova were ever found- the proof of their murder stems form the witness report of the valet Alexei Volkov who escaped the death march on Sept 04, 1918 but heard the shots. Prince Valia Dolgoruky, the Tsar's aide and best friend, was never found either- he arrived at Yekaterinburg station and was presumed executed as no one ever saw him again.