Prince St. Alexander Nevsky (XIII century), who received his nickname for his victory over the Swedes on the Neva river, has a double merit of being one of the most highly revered saints in the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as one of the most famous and wise statesmen in the history of the Russian nation.

This point has been expressed by His Grace Hilarion, Head of the Russian Church External Relations Department, in his TV program “The Church and the World”, on account on the recently celebrated 800^th anniversary of Prince St. Alexander.

“He has become a symbol of resistance, of survival, of political wisdom, and a symbol of holiness,” noted Metropilitan Hilarion. By no coincidence, Emperor Peter the Great revived his memory in his quest for a political and moral ideal for the new Russia, and it was revived again in 1941 when Nazi Germany attacked the USSR.

”Also by no coincidence, there exist today the Russian State award of Prince Alexander Nevsky, and the Russian Orthodox Church award of Prince St. Alexander,” added the Metropolitan. He referred to a recent sermon of Patriarch Kirill where he spoke on the great responsibility of those in power, referring to the Prince as the example of personal holiness coupled with the earthly power.