The book by the famous St. Petersburg Orthodox publicist Alexei Bakulin presents the reader with a fresh, often paradoxical, view of the history, culture and modernity of Russia. Winner of the All-Russian Prize named after. A.K. Tolstoy presents readers with his selected articles on both the most topical and eternal, enduring topics. Everything in Russia in one way or another refers to its imperial mission, which should be understood not in the traditional European, but in a special, deep interpretation. There can only be one Empire in the world - all other countries that call themselves by that name and claim such a role, They are very mistaken about themselves. Like a drop of dew, the Empire - the earthly anticipation of the Kingdom of Heaven - is reflected in every day of Russian history, in every human soul, in every work of Russian art. Ultimately, this is the idea that the author wants to convey to his readers, albeit in a somewhat unusual way.