Russia 1858

The above article appeared in one of the masonic newspapers of the day in 1856. Clearly, the importance of freemasonry re-opening in Russia by Tsar Alexander II (whose father had banned freemasonry) was ‘big’ news and important to the whole of Europe: it was often described as the general pardon. The Tsar was responsible for other reforms, including reorganizing the judicial system, setting up elected local judges, abolishingcorporal punishment, promoting local self-government, imposing universal military service, ending some privileges of the nobility, and promoting university education. He also sold Alaska to the US and was assassinated in 1881 in St. Petersburg.

Cathedral of the Saviour on Spilled Blood was erected on the spot where Alexander II was assassinated, as a memorial.