The following text was taken from the official program for the marriage of Nicholas and Alexandra. I recently found a rare original copy of this book on the Internet and I am happy to share it with everyone here. Lined in light blue silk moire with a red ribbon book-marker, it was published for attendees of the event and was bound in red leather stamped in gold with the Imperial eagle. The text appeared first in Russian and then in French. This translation from the French was done by Rob Moshein, and we should all thank him for this translation. We also want to thank Timothy F. Boettger for providing us the proper forms of titles and of address. This text is for non-commercial purposes and cannot be reproduced or used without permission.

Bob Atchison

Approved by HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR

The Minister of the Household of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR

Count Vorontsov-Dashkov.

I.

A salvo of 21 cannon shots fired from the fortress of St. Petersburg will announce the day of the solemn celebration of the marriage of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR with HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA.

II.

The dignitaries enumerated hereafter, previously informed by the IMPERIAL COURT, will come together at the Winter Palace at 11 1/2 o'clock in the morning and shall take their places afterwards as follows: the Holy Synod and the Clergy, in The Palace Church; the Council of the Empire, the Ministers, the Ambassadors, the Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary, also the Members and Ladies of the Diplomatic Corps, in The Hall of St. George, from where the Masters of Ceremonies will conduct them to the Church; the Mistress of the Court, the Ladies of Honor, the Maids of Honor of the Bedchamber of HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS, the Mistresses of the Court of THE GRAND DUCHESSES, the Maids of Honor of HER MAJESTY and the Maids of Honor of THE GRAND DUCHESSES, as well as the Court Ladies of the FOREIGN PRINCESSES, the Senators, the State Secretaries, the Honorary Trustee, the Officers and Gentlemen of the Court, in the Concert Hall; the Military Household of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR, those of theAUGUST FOREIGN SOVEREIGNS, THE FOREIGN PRINCES and THE GRAND DUKES, the General Officers, the Admirals, as well as Officers of the Guard, of the army and of the navy, in the Nicholas Hall and in the Small Antechamber; the Ladies presented, the Dignitaries of the four first classes, the Nobility, the Officers and the retired Civil Servants having entry to the Court, in the Armorial Hall, the Mayor of St. Petersburg, the Mayors of other cities, the Notables of Commerce both Russian and Foreign, in the Field Marshals' Hall.

The Dignitaries are to be in Full Dress Uniform, the Ladies Russian Court Dress.

III.

When the Ladies of Honor of HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS after having assisted the toilette of the AUGUST FIANCEÉ shall return to the Concert Hall, the Minister of the Court shall then make his report to HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR.

IV.

THE AUGUST FIANCEÉ OF HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR, will be wearing a crown and will be clothed in a brocade mantle of cloth of gold lined with ermine. The train shall be carried by four Secondary Officers of THE IMPERIAL COURT and the back of the train - by the Grand Chamberlain.

V.

A salvo of 51 cannon shots will announce the procession of the IMPERIAL CORTÉGE from the interior apartments to the Church.

VI.

The Cortége shall follow the following order:

1) The Ushers of the Court and the Ushers of the Chamber, two in a row, the junior ones in front.

2) Two Masters of Ceremonies of the Court of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, with staffs.

3) The Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Court of OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY with staff.

4) The Gentlemen of the Bedchamber of the Court of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, two in a row, the junior ones in front.

5) The Chamberlains of the Court of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, two in a row, the junior ones in front.

6) The Secondary Officers of the IMPERIAL Court, two in a row, the junior ones in front.

7) The on duty Marshal of the Court of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, with staff

The Great Officers of the IMPERIAL Court, two in a row, the junior ones in front.

The Grand Marshal of the Court of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, with staff

HER MAJESTY THE SOVEREIGN EMPRESS and

HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS and THE AUGUST FIANCEÉ, HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA.

HIS MAJESTY THE SOVEREIGN EMPEROR, followed by the Minister of the IMPERIAL Court and the on duty: Aide-de-Camp-General, the Major-General of the Suite of HIS MAJESTY and the Aide-de-Camp

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF DENMARK.

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE HELLENES.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE HELLENES.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF HESSE.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF SAXE-COBURG and GOTHA.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS GRAND DUCHESS MARIA ALEXANDROVNA, DUCHESS OF SAXE-COBURG and GOTHA.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES, Heir to the British Throne

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE HEREDITARY PRINCE OF ROMANIA.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE WALDEMAR OF DENMARK.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE GEORGE OF GREECE.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF YORK.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS IRENE OF PRUSSIA.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE MICHAEL ALEXANDROVICH.

HIS HIGHNESS THE DUKE JOHN-ALBERT OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKE VLADIMIR ALEXANDROVICH, THE GRAND DUCHESS MARIE PAVLOVNA and THE GRAND DUKES CYRIL VLADIMIROVICH, BORIS VLADIMIROVICH and ANDREW VLADIMIROVICH.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE ALEXEI ALEXANDROVICH.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKE SERGE ALEXANDROVICH and THE GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH FEODROVNA.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE PAUL ALEXANDROVICH.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS ALEXANDRA IOSEPHOVNA.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE CONSTANTINOVICH and THE GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH MAVRIKIEVNA.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE DMITRI CONSTANTINOVICH.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS VERA CONSTANTINOVNA, DUCHESS OF WURTEMBERG.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE MICHAEL NIKOLAEVICH.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKES NICHOLAS MIKHAILOVICH and GEORGE MIKHAILOVICH.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKE ALEXANDER MIKHAILOVICH and THE GRAND DUCHESS XENIA ALEXANDROVNA.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE SERGE MIKHAILOVICH.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS OLGA ALEXANDROVNA.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS HELENA VLADIMIROVNA.

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE EUGENE MAXIMILIANOVICH ROMANOVSKY, DUKE OF LEUCHTENBERG.

THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE PRINCE GEORGE MAXIMILIANOVICH ROMANOVSKY, DUKE OF LEUCHTENBERG and THE PRINCESS ANASTASIA NIKOLAEVNA ROMANOVSKY, DUCHESS OF LEUCHTENBERG.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS MARIE MAXIMILIANOVNA OF BADEN and HIS GRAND DUCAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE WILLIAM OF BADEN.

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS EUGENIA MAXIMILIANOVNA OF OLDENBURG.

THEIR GRAND DUCAL HIGHNESSES THE PRINCES ALEXANDER PETROVICH, PETER ALEXANDROVICH and CONSTANTINE PETROVICH OF OLDENBURG.

THEIR GRAND DUCAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKES GEORGE GEORGIEVICH and MICHAEL GEORGIEVICH OF MECKLENBURG-STERLITZ.

HER GRAND DUCAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS HELENA GEORGIEVNA OF SAXE-ALETENBURG, DUCHESS OF SAXONY, and HIS HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT OF SAXE-ALTENBURG, DUKE OF SAXONY.

The Grand Mistress of the Court, the Portrait Ladies of Honour and the Maids of Honour of the Bedchamber of the EMPRESS, the Grand Mistresses of the Court of the GRAND DUCHESSES, the Maids of Honour of HER MAJESTY and the Maids of Honour of the GRAND DUCHESSES, and also the Ladies of the Court of the Foreign Princesses; - The Senators, the Secretaries of State, the Honorary Curates, as well as those of the other Dignitaries and the Ladies, meeting at the Palace.

VII.

Upon their entry to the Church, HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR, HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS, the FOREIGN SOVEREIGNS, the Foreign Princes and the Princesses, THEIR IMPERIAL HIGHNESSES THE GRAND DUKES and THE GRAND DUCHESSES will be received by the Metropolitan of Saint Petersburg and of Ladoga, who, assisted by Members of the Holy Synod and the Clergy of the Court, are to be presented to them the Cross and Holy Water.

VIII.

The Gospels and the Cross, laid down upon a pulpit, shall be placed before the Holy Door.

IX.

When HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR shall have reached the stage prepared for this at the center of the Church, HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS will escort to there THE AUGUST FIANCEÉ of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR.

Once HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS shall have retaken Her place, the Clergy will proceed with the Divine Office.

X.

At the designated moment for the ritual, the Archbishops of the Court will carry, upon plates of gold, the wedding rings, placed there previously upon them by the Grand Master of Ceremonies.

XI.

The Chaplain of THEIR MAJESTIES will place the rings upon the finger of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR and of THE AUGUST FIANCEÉ, whilst pronouncing the common prayers.

XII.

The wedding Ceremony having finished, the AUGUST PERSONS designated to bear the Crowns above the AUGUST FIANCEÉS shall approach the stage.

XIII.

At that moment shall begin the nuptial benediction, during the course of it, during the litany which follows the reading of the Gospel, the prayers shall be said for the first time "For THE EMPEROR and HIS WIFE THE EMPRESS most ORTHODOX ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA."

XIV.

The nuptial benediction being finished, the AUGUST NEWLYWEDS, will approach HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS MARIA FEODROVNA to present to HER their THANKS. After which, THEIR MAJESTIES the AUGUST NEWLYWEDS, will receive the congratulations of THE FOREIGN SOVEREIGNS, THE FOREIGN PRINCES, THE FOREIGN PRINCESSES, AND THE GRAND DUKES AND GRAND DUCHESSES.

XV.

Immediately after, the Metropolitan, assisted by the Members of the Holy Synod and the Clergy of the Court, will proceed to the offering of thanksgiving. At the moment where the Singers of the Court intone the hymn "Te Deum laudamus", a salvo of 301 cannon shots will fire from the fortress of Saint Petersburg.

XVI.

The religious Ceremony finished, THEIR MAJESTIES the AUGUST NEWLYWEDS, and HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS MARIA FEODROVNA will receive the congratulation of the Holy Synod and the Clergy of the Court.

XVII.

After the finish of the offering of thanksgiving the Diplomatic Corps, all of the Dignitaries and the Ladies present at the Church will be invited by the Master of Ceremonies to retake their places in the Halls of the Palace.

The Diplomatic Corps will return to the Peter the Great Hall.

XVIII.

THEIR MAJESTIES, THEIR AUGUST HOSTS, the GRAND DUKES and the GRAND DUCHESSES will return to the apartments of THEIR MAJESTIES, observing the order of the entry of the Cortége, with the only difference that HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR escorts HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA.

XIX.

THEIR MAJESTIES, the AUGUST NEWLYWEDS will be pleased, during the procession of the Cortége, to accept congratulations, which shall be presented to THEM in the following order:

In the Memorial Hall of Peter the Great - by the Diplomatic Corps; in the Armorial Hall - by the Ladies of the city, the civil Dignitaries, and the Nobility; in the Field Marshals' Hall - by the Mayors and Notables of Commerce; in the Small Antechamber and the Nicholas Hall - by Military Household of HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR, the suites of the FOREIGN SOVEREIGNS and PRINCES, the suites of the GRAND DUKES, the Generals, the Admirals and the Officers; in the Concert Hall - by the Council of the Empire, the State Secretaries, the Honorary Trustees, the Ladies of the Court, the Dignitaries, the Great and Secondary Officers of the Court and the Gentlemen of the Court.

XX.

Upon the return to THEIR apartments, THEIR MAJESTIES THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA will descend to the steps upon the word of the HIS MAJESTY and they will mount into gala carriages to be led to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan.

THEIR MAJESTIES will be received at the entrance to the Church by the Metropolitan of Saint Petersburg and Ladoga, who, assisted by the High Clergy, will present them with the Cross and Holy Water.

After an offering of thanksgiving THEIR MAJESTIES shall bow before the Holy Icon of Our Lady of Kazan.

XXI.

Upon leaving the Cathedral THEIR MAJESTIES will return to the Anitchov Palace.

At THEIR arrival at the Palace the AUGUST NEWLYWEDS will be received by HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS MARIA FEODROVNA in the apartments of THEIR MAJESTIES.

XXII.

The troops, under orders of HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE Commanding the troops of the Guard and the Military District of Saint Petersburg will line the length of the streets between the IMPERIAL Winter Palace and the Anichkov Palace.

XXIII.

The day of the celebration of the IMPERIAL Marriage the offerings of thanksgiving shall be celebrated in all Churches. The bells will sound throughout the day.