The tragic consequences of shameless affair and its poisoned fruits - Grigorij Rasputin and Georgij Gapon

The reforms of Peter the Great, subordinated the structure of the church to the government in many aspects. Catherine the Great continued Peter's policy about relations with the Church. She has secularized all the church properties and established secular jurisdiction for the convents.
Successive tsars increasingly subordinated the church hierarchy to themselves, while relying on the authority of the Church to legitimize their power.
The Orthodoxy was also unscrupulously exploited to the political struggle inside and outside the country. A characteristic example is a war with Napoleon. At the behest of Tsar, Orthodox Church called Napoleon the Antichrist and urged the nation to fight a holy war between good and evil.

Religious and moral pressure on believers, aimed at mobilizing them to fierce fighting was also emphasized at the activity of the Holy Alliance as well as during the Crimean War (1853-1856).
Orthodox church was an important instrument of an expansion, not only by supporting military actions but also conducting missionary activities both on the annexed land and abroad.
The schools run by the monks taught obedience to the Tsar, the Russian tradition and culture. Evangelizing activity was carried out on a large scale throughout the world, including Palestine, China, and America.
The period in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, starting from the rule of Peter the Great and completed by the 1917 revolution could be summed up, that the affair with the regime, never ends well. Completely subordinated to the regime church and the instrumental use of the faith and its followers discouraged some intelligence from the mainstream of Russian Orthodoxy. Russians began to seek the new authority, spiritual renewal, symbolism and mystical experiences.
In the nineteenth century, the centers of spiritual life become monasteries and hermitages. The best known are Monastery Sarovo and hermitage in Optino.

Hermits who lived there, have become symbols of the true faith, asceticism, a return to the roots of the Orthodox Church. The conviction of the need for spiritual renewal of Russia, are visible in the philosophy of Soloviev and literature of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.

Based on the longing for simplicity as well as the faith in the mystical ability of the ascetic monks, was created the cult of Rasputin. Grigorij Rasputin appeared at the tsarist court in 1905. He was presented as a mysterious healer, holy man, and a spiritual guide. Rasputin was supposed to treat suffering from hemophilia Tsarevich Alexei. Some historians argue that his success in the treatment of Tsarevich, Rasputin obtained by using hypnosis.
There is not much information about the previous period of his life. He was born in approx.1869. Was known as a hooligan, a horse thief, vagabond. Apparently, during the attempted theft, he was heavily battered and experienced internal changes. He began to wander the holy places, struck a moralist post as well as learned some quackery and healed people. He has also claimed that he has the gift of clairvoyance.
The man with such a dubious past, however, was the most influential person in the court of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II. Rasputin, called "tsar without a crown" was a favorite of the Empress as well as the majority of St. Petersburg ladies. Despite the repulsive appearance, lack of personal hygiene and boorish behavior was the most desirable man in St. Petersburg. The fame of the lecher, who can indulge in carnal pleasures for many hours with multiple partners at the same time, opened for him many doors and hearts. For dozens of venerable ladies, he was both spiritual and body guide.

Even more surprising is the political career of this illiterate peasant. Without a doubt, he was the most influential man at the court of Nicholas II.  Representatives of the St. Petersburg's elite and diplomacy, terrified with an unlimited contract of confidence signed with him, interceded with Tsar about Rasputin. Nicholas II answered them, that"better three Rasputins than one attack of Tsarina's hysteria". Unwillingness to Rasputin took public nature, after the next losses of Russian troops in skirmishes with the Germans during the First World War. Rasputin was suspected of deliberately advising Tsar ineffective military strategy and accused of being a German spy. In the end, Rasputin became someone so influential, that it was decided by his opponents to liquidate him immediately. Initially, he was given a large dose of cyanide in his wine, but surprisingly it didn't work. Then it was concluded to finish him off with the dagger, but he was still alive. Finally, he was shot several times. As he was still breathing, the assassins bound him and thrown under the ice on the Neva river. This happened on December 30, 1916 year.

Ten years earlier there was made another political murder of a clergyman, which is very significant for religious relations in Russia at that moment. Orthodox priest Griegorij Gapon, labor activist, led a demonstration of workers' with a petition to Tsar Nicholas II. The peaceful demonstration was fired upon by the military and under the name "Bloody Sunday" went down in history as the beginning of the 1905 revolution.

The role of the mysterious monk who gained the trust and sympathy of the workers aroused a lot of suspicions. Griegorij Gapon already in 1902 has reported to the secret police - Okhrana and offered his services. Gapon enjoyed great authority among the workers. He proposed the creation of the controlled labor movement, in support of the Tsar. By creating cheap eateries, organizing moralizing talks and direct material support to the poorest workers, police had hoped to solidify support among workers for the Tsar.

On the cold January morning 1905 the workers, women, and children singing, with portraits of Nicholas II and icons in the hands went into the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. At the head of the marchers walked Gapon dressed in priestly robes. On the road, the peaceful march was stopped by the army. When manifesting refused to disperse, soldiers opened the fire killing hundreds of people.
After the demonstration, Gabon, surprisingly alive, went abroad, where he met with prominent leaders of the proletariat. After returning to Russia, Okhrana proposed him generous gratification for denunciations of the labor activists. Gabon agreed, not knowing that group of proletarians is listening to this conversation behind the wall. He was murdered on March 28, 1906.
Life of two best-known Russian Orthodox clergy on the beginning of the twentieth century, confirms that even the most passionate and promising romance with power does not end well. Dripping in gold Orthodox Church and its stinking rich hierarchy, for a generous remuneration offering support to autocracy and oppression of the subjects, lost public confidence. Church moving away from its role, weakened its authority and took out the holiness,  creating the crowds of ordinary crooks, who based on the social need of the sacred, were splashing in the profane.