The Tsar who faked his own death - the curious case of Alexander I and St Feodor Kuzmich

#tsar #russianhistory #imperialrussia #russianorthodox #saint

Tsar Alexander I of Russia died in 1825 in a remote town in southern Russia. Persistent rumours began shortly after his death that he didn't die in 1825, but faked his own demise so that he could retire, rumours that seem to be confirmed when his tomb was opened in 1921 and it was found to be empty. In 1836 a man called Feodor Kuzmich came to the attention of the authorities, he was a gentle man, who was seemingly well-educated and refined and had a story to tell, although he was guarded about his past. He spent his last twenty years living the life of a hermit and in constant prayer and developed a reputation for holiness which in time led to him being declared a saint by the Orthodox Church. Rumours at the time were circulating claiming that St Feodor Kuzmich was really Tsar Alexander I, but was he?

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