Actually the spouse of the Heir had to convertod to the orthodox faith. Therefore there as many debates by the critics of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirowna, that her great-grandmother the famouse Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna did not convert at the time of her marriage in 1874 but only about 30 years later when it became apparent that the succession could fall to her son
Thanks for your detailed answer. The situation with Orthodox Christians must have been extremely difficult and tricky, since most such persons in western Europe were precisely foreign royals. Conversely, I would imagine that most Protestant Christians in Russia were likely foreign royals.
Do you know if Lutheran chapels were built specifically for such persons? Czar Paul was careful not to make too many demands on religion in his Fundamental Laws: only dynasts had to be Orthodox -- not spouses.
Unless, of course, one were the spouse of the sovereign or heir: in that case, conversion was expected -- if not required. So the record was mixed on the German Lutheran princesses who married into the extended imperial family: some converted (voluntarily), while others did not.
Grand Duchess Vladimir, born Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was actually resistant to conversion -- but eventually caved into pressure, because her family found themselves increasingly closer to the throne. It wasn't until more than 30 years of marriage; but she finally relented in her opposition to Orthodoxy by joining the Russian church. For this, Czar Nicholas II commended his "Aunt Miechen".
But until that point, she had been a staunch Lutheran: I'm assuming that there had to be chapels for her and others like herself, who became Romanovs by marriage but not yet Orthodox Christians ...
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