'For the coronation of Catherine the Great (Catherine II) in 1762, court jewelers Ekhart and Jeremia Pauzie decided to create a new crown, known as the Great Imperial Crown which used the style of a mitre divided into two half-spheres with a central arch between them topped by diamonds and a 398.72-caret red spinel from China.
This nine-pound crown was used in all coronations from Paul I to Nicholas II—although the latter tried (but failed) to replace it with Monomakh's Crown for his ceremony.
It survived the subsequent revolution, and is today exhibited in a Kremlin museum.
For the actual crowning new ruler directed the Metropolitan to hand him the Imperial Crown.
The Tsar took the crown from the Metropolitan's hands and placed it upon his own head, as the prelate invoked the name of the Holy Trinity.
This was in keeping with the custom inherited from the Byzantine Emperors, and was intended to indicate that the imperial power, which the Tsars viewed as the direct continuation of the Christian Roman Empire (or Byzantium), came directly from God.
The prayer of the Metropolitan or Patriarch, similar to that of the Patriarch of Constantinople for the Byzantine Emperor, confirmed the imperial supremacy:
"Most God-fearing, absolute, and mighty Lord, Tsar of all the Russias, this visible and tangible adornment of thy head is an eloquent symbol that thou, as the head of the whole Russian people, art invisibly crowned by the King of kings, Christ, with a most ample blessing, seeing that He bestows upon thee entire authority over His people."
Next the Tsar received his sceptre and orb, given to him by the Metropolitan (who again invoked the Christian Trinity) with these words:
"God-crowned, God-given, God-adorned, most pious Autocrat and great Sovereign, Emperor of All the Russias. Receive the scepter and the orb, which are the visible signs of the autocratic power given thee from the Most High over thy people, that thou mayest rule them and order for them the welfare they desire."
The Coronation was in Assumption Cathedral, Kremlin Moscow.
It is interesting to learn from this article where the above commentary was taken, that the spinel on top of the crown of Catherine The Great came from China. China is an Asia and so the connection with the Crown of Asia is made and being shown to be a physical reality.
Catherine is the westernised name of Ekaterina.
The original Great Imperial Crown was made up of slightly less than 5,000 diamonds with a 400-carat red spinel in the middle. The new white gold crown is encrusted with 11,000 triple excellent quality ideal cut polished diamonds, with a natural red tourmaline at its epicenter.
Tourmaline is mined chiefly in Brazil and Africa. Tourmaline is also mined in Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Malawi.'
It is unknown where the tourmaline is from in the replica Grand Imperial Crown. A thought came that it could be from Afghanistan, with the Royal tombs and the Athena Ring found there.
A couple of years ago I was guided to discover an article referring to someone with the name of my father's father. The author stated the man had never been to Russia. Actually my father's family have traveled extensively and worked in Russia. His family married into Russian Aristocracy.
My father's family lived in Paris and around France.
People from the Holy Orthodox Church are being divinely guided and serving Christ, whether they are aware of it or not. If mistakes are made, Christ will put wrongs right.
Peace, love and best wishes
Pauline Maria
No Copyright infringement intended
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourmaline
http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/news.aspx?boneid=918&objId=12125
http://petersrussia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/tsar-nicholas-ii.html
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