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The Imperial Family of the Russian Empire were finally laid to rest in Vyborg today.

On the morning of July 16, thousands of Romanovans began the pilgrimage to Vyborg in honour of the Saintly and Royal Family of the Russian Empire. Exactly 102 years after their brutal demise, the family would finally be laid to rest in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration. The police, along with help from various units of the Romanovan Patriotic Front, closed roads to ensure the safety of those making the pilgrimage to the capital.

Great crowds formed on the roads all over the nation as the people made their way to Vyborg. Many of them holding religious symbols, images of the Saintly family and flags of the Russian Empire. Some devout individuals even went barefoot, miles after miles on rough asphalt. When one person was asked why they would put themselves through the pain, they responded saying "it is merely a fraction of the pain our beloved Saintly family went through in their last moments at the hands of beasts."

Meanwhile at Seleznyovo International Airport, the first of the international representatives were beginning to arrive. Countries of a wide range of ideologies, cultures and geographic locations were to be present. The Princess of Romanovskaya, Zephyrine, spoke about in particular the socialist states represented at the funeral services saying "here they are honouring the death of a royal family that stood against their very ideology. Their presence here shows great maturity and we are very pleased to see them representing their people with dignity and respect."

Pilgrims from Korela walking through the countryside
on their way to the funeral ceremony in Vyborg

By 11:00pm, most of the city of Vyborg had come to a standstill as crowds filled all the major roads, as well as the large square outside the Cathedral of the Transfiguration. Seven vintage Cadillac hearses were all parked directly outside of the cathedral, the remains of the Imperial family ready to be carried inside to their final resting place. Thousands of flowers were been left by the guard rails close to the hearses, as well as messages of good will and cuddly toys specifically for the children of the Imperial Family. At 11:30, the funeral service began and bells rang out at the cathedral, then the city fell silent.

Each coffin was unloaded one by one, with a male member of the Romanov family along with 5 funeral directors carrying each coffin inside to the cathedral. A choir sang hymns inside the church as the remains were carried in, with the proceedings inside being broadcast on TV as well as on big projectors across the city for the crowds outside to watch. Once all the coffins were placed at the altar, the Metropolitan of Vyborg and all Romanovskaya, Alexy III, began the funeral service.

Alexy III spoke about the Saintly nature of the Imperial Family, the significance they still hold to all Russian people and how the values they upheld helped in the development of Romanovskaya and made it the free, peace loving nation it is today. He spoke about the long suffering the Imperial Family have gone through, not just their demise but their long wait to be laid to rest and join Christ and the Archangels in Gods kingdom. H.S.H. Prince Dmitri Dmitrievich Romanov, who had been involved in the repatriation of the Imperial Family from the beginning, said a few words about each of the members of the Imperial Family. He also spoke about how he hoped that having the Imperial Family laid to rest will finally close a a painful and shameful chapter of Russian history.

Princess Zephyrine watching proceedings inside the cathedral.	Inside the cathedral during the funeral service.	Crowds walking down Petrogradsky Prospect in Vyborg.

As the clock struck 12:00am on July 17, the cathedral fell silent and the bells rang out for one minute. It marks the time, 102 years later, when it is assumed the Imperial Family met their violent demise at the hands of communist revolutionaries. At 12:01am, the choir began to sing "God Save the Tsar!". Thousands of Romanovans who had lined the streets outside, sang along as they watched the proceedings on the large projections. The Metropolitan Alexy III then blessed each member of the family as they made their final journey to join the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven. The coffins were then moved one by one into the tombs at the rear of the cathedral.

Members of the Romanov Family each placed their hands on each coffin to say their final goodbyes, with Princess Zephyrine kissing each coffin, as the tombs were then sealed one by one. With that, the funeral service came to and end. The Romanov Family greeted the guests inside the church, thanking in particular the foreign dignitaries in attendance. Everybody then made their way outside where the Princess interacted with some of the public as the rain began to fall. She thanked them all for coming and said she believed the Saintly and Imperial family will watch and protect all Romanovans with the help of the Lord and the Archangels for the loyalty they have shown to the Family.