12. An Ability to Soothe a Suffering Child
Tsarevich Alexei was a hemophiliac – a disease whose sufferers bleed uncontrollably from even minor cuts – and had arrived at death’s door as a result on various occasions. Doctors could offer no cure, and were often unable to alleviate the symptoms or ease the poor child’s suffering. Rasputin arrived at a time when Alexei’s parents, particularly his mother, were driven to desperation by their only son’s ailment. Rasputin had developed a reputation as a faith healer by then. When the Tsarevich suffered a severe bout of internal bleeding in 1907 and the doctors could offer no relief, Tsarina Alexandra asked him to pray for her son. He arrived at the palace at night and began praying. The following morning, Alexei had stopped bleeding. Rasputin’s standing with the Tsarina rose dramatically.
