How a Peasant Reached the Palace

Name: How a Peasant Reached the Palace
Genre: Documentary

A pilgrimage transforms an impoverished Siberian into the mysterious holy wanderer welcomed by Russia's elite.

This episode needs All Access, from $4.99 a week.

Transcript

One Siberian peasant would become one of Russia's most influential men.
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was born on January 22nd, 1869, in western Siberia.
He grew into an illiterate peasant, yet became a valued czarist adviser.
Rasputin experienced a religious conversion during a pilgrimage to a monastery in 1897.
The road ran long and cold, the domes waiting in mist.
Afterward, people called him a pilgrim, wanderer, or monk.
Afterward, Rasputin was variously known as a pilgrim, wanderer or monk.
But Rasputin never held an official position in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Even his published writings were transcriptions of words he spoke aloud.
In 1903, the Siberian wanderer first arrived in St. Petersburg.
In 1905, Rasputin returned to St Petersburg once more.
After visiting St. Petersburg, Rasputin met senior figures in the church.
Two Montenegrin princesses interested in mysticism befriended Rasputin.
A still face in lamplight, the doorway dark.
Both princesses were married to cousins of Tsar Nicholas II.
Grand Duchess Militsa took Rasputin to Tsarskoe Selo on November 1st, 1905.
Rasputin's alleged prophetic letter was said to predict deaths of royal children if nobles killed him.
The letter has been called a forgery, written later and passed off as his.
Snow blew across the gates as the carriage rolled toward the palace.
He would become a frequent visitor to this family.

Then Grand Duchess Militsa opened the palace doors and brought the Siberian wanderer face-to-face with the Romanovs.

All Access is $4.99 a week, $14.99 a month or $39.99 a year. The annual plan starts with three days free.

Renews until you cancel. Terms · Privacy