This extravagant person became famous for her discourses on religion. While her ideas were discussed in the light, the lady managed to be creative and help the poor.
A person's life is often invaded by forces beyond his control. The adventures of our heroine were caused only by her irrepressible energy and search for high ideals. Whether she found the truth she was striving for is not known. It is only clear that sharp turns inspired her to be creative and good deeds.
Childhood
Peter Protasov enjoyed the success of his sister Anna. This lady had a repulsive appearance, but knew how to keep secrets. For such a successful combination, Empress Catherine II made her a chamber-maid of honor and never parted with her. In order not to squander the family property, the nobleman married his distant relative and became the father of five daughters. Alexandra was born in 1774 and was the eldest.
Shurochka was 8 years old when her mother died. The father asked his powerful sister to take care of his heirs. He wanted his daughters to make a career as court ladies. The aunt took the children to her place and took up their upbringing. The Catherine era encouraged education for women, because Anna Protasova's nieces studied at home according to a program that was not inferior to the university one. The sisters mastered Latin and Greek, knew the history of the Russian state very well. Patriotic sentiments reigned in the house - everyone spoke Russian among themselves, did not shy away from national holidays.
Youth
Before the bright eyes of the empress, Sasha was presented in adolescence. She was not pretty, but she was smart. In 1791 the girl was brought into the state of maid of honor. The empress did not approve of the loneliness of Anna Protasova, many times she tried in vain to arrange her marriage. It was impossible to cope with an independent peer, but it was possible to arrange the personal life of her young niece.
Soon after appearing at the court of Alexander, she was sent down the aisle. The groom was Prince Alexei Golitsyn, the equestrian and secret adviser. They found a husband for the girl, focusing on the ranks and nobility of the young man. Catherine the Great was well versed in people - the family turned out to be friendly and large. Unfortunately, the happiness did not last long - in 1800, our heroine was widowed.
Difficult period
Having been the wife of a prince and becoming a princess, Alexandra, before her sisters, achieved the goal that Anna Protasova had outlined for her heirs. This energetic old woman outlived Pavel Petrovich and already from the grandson of her patroness Alexander I begged for princely titles for her still unmarried nieces.
The widow Mrs. Golitsyna did her best to raise her five children. Her four sons have chosen military service. When Napoleon's troops moved to Russia, the elder was in the army. The boy went through the whole war safe and sound and took part in a trip abroad. The mother's happiness knew no bounds, now she had time for herself.
Spiritual search
When the hard times were over, the princess turned to the topic of religion that had long interested her. At her aunt's house, she became acquainted with Orthodoxy, but now she wanted to know more about Catholicism. The enlightened woman read the works of the holy fathers and met with priests. The result of this quest was the conversion to Catholicism in 1818.
This decision of the mother shocked one of Alexandra's daughters, Lisa. The girl rebelled. She wrote with her own blood a solemn vow to fight the Roman church and introduced it to the world. The scandal in the noble family did not last long. The wise parent invited her eccentric daughter to find out more about the "enemy". The result was Elizabeth's acceptance of Catholicism. The exalted young lady not only changed her faith, but also took monastic vows.
Preacher
Too emotional theological discussions in the Golitsyn family made Alexandra famous. Russian aristocrats who converted to Catholicism turned to her for support. It was from the princess that Sophia Svechina asked for advice. This lady moved to Paris because her choice of faith was not accepted at home. Alexandra did not approve of this decision. She advised Sonya to return and contribute to the popularization of Christ's ideas through good deeds.
Golitsyna herself was a missionary in Rome. She combined sermons with charity work. When Alexandra Petrovna was told that the blind and paralyzed poet Ivan Kozlov was dying of hunger in St. Petersburg, she hurried to his aid. The fate of this man deeply touched the woman: he, like her son, was a participant in the war of 1812, having lost his sight and mobility, he found consolation in creativity. Alexandra Golitsyna took care of the unfortunate.
Heritage
Alexandra Golitsyna was a landmark of St. Petersburg, it seemed that she had no secrets. However, few people knew that the aristocrat finds time for literary creativity. When the princess died in September 1842, her heirs began to sort through the papers of their mother and found interesting sketches on the topic of religion and memoirs.
The friends of the deceased were able to convince Rome that the philosophical reasoning and prayers of Alexandra Golitsyna would be of interest to a wide range of readers. Their first publications came out thanks to the relatives of the princess. The author's vivid biography attracted the interest of Russian Catholics to them, today it is the literary heritage of a bygone era.
