Press Release on the Visit of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, to Russia for the Divine Services and Celebrations on the Occasion of the Enthronement of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, 30 January – 3 February 2009
On 30 January – 3 February, 2009, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, made an official visit to Russia for the enthronement of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who was elected to that office by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on 27 January 2009.
On 30 January, Her Imperial Highness arrived from Madrid in Moscow. In the evening, the Grand Duchess met with representatives of the administration of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society and the International Orthodox Education Center of the Moscow Patriarchate.
On 31 January, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met with His Eminence Archbishop Kirill of San Francisco and Western America. Among other things, she discussed her upcoming pilgrimage to San Francisco to venerate the relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, who, all his life, had been a faithful intercessor and mentor to the emperor-in-exile, Kirill Vladimirovich, and to Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich. Then Her Imperial Highness met with His Eminence Archbishop Sergei of Samara and Syzran’, who had last year been raised to the Order of St. Anna, and who received from the Grand Duchess the devices of the Order, second class.
After her meetings with the archbishops, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna went to the Cultural Center of the Armed Forces of Russia, where the ceremony took place elevating V. E. Churov, the Chairman of the Central Elections Commission of the Russian Federation, to the Order of St. Anna, second class. After a luncheon in honor of the newly-decorated knight, Her Imperial Highness visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where, in the Church Council Hall, there took place a celebration in honor of the 50-th birthday of Professor S. N. Baburin, the chancellor of the Moscow State Trade and Economics University, of which Her Imperial Highness is a trustee.
31 January 2009: At the Cultural Center of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation 
31 January 2009: At the Cultural Center of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Conferring the Order of St. Anna upon V. E. Churov
The Grand Duchess warmly congratulated Prof. Baburin and conferred upon him the Imperial Military Order of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker, second class. In the second half of the day, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met at her hotel with the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York; with the mitered Archpriest Mikhail Protopopov, the administrator of the ROCA’s Diocese of Australia and New Zealand; and with His Grace Bishop Nikon, who is a member of the Order of St. Anna, second class. During this meeting with the Grand Duchess, Metropolitan Hilarion gave Bishop Nikon fragments of the holy relics of the Holy Royal Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and of the nun Barbara, which Archpriest Mikhail Protopopov had brought with him for the Church of the Dormition «v Veshniakakh». Then the Grand Duchess listened to reports from members of her chancellery and met with a delegation of the Russian Nobility Association, headed by Prince G. G. Gagarin, and with K. K. Nemirovich-Danchenko and Iu. V. Myshonskov, of the Inter-Regional Russian Monarchist Movement. In the evening, a dinner in honor of the Grand Duchess was hosted by the newly-elevated knights of the Imperial Order of St. Anna.
31 January 2009: Conferring the Order of St. Anna on Archbishop Sergei of Samara 
31 January 2009: At the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
Conferring the Order of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker on Prof. S. N. Baburin 
31 January 2009: Head of the Russian Imperial House, First Hierarch of the
Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York,
Bishop Nikon, Archpriest Mikhail Protopopov
On 1 February, the Head of the Russian Imperial House attended the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior during which took place the enthronement of His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. His Holiness himself gave Her Imperial Highness communion and received her congratulations on his election. A reception followed the enthronement, after which Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna returned to her hotel, where she had numerous working meetings and discussions.
1 February 2009: The Grand Duchess with the Patriarch 
1 February 2009: Patriarch Kirill gives the Grand Duchess communion.
1 February 2009: In the Cathedral of Christ the Savior 
1 February 2009: In the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
1 February 2009: At the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The Grand Duchess at the Reception after the Enthronement
On 2 February, Her Imperial Highness visited the Pilgrimage Center of the Moscow Patriarchate, where the General Director of the Center, S. Iu. Zhitenev, presented a portrait by the Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation, I. G. Mashkov. Afterward, the Grand Duchess was introduced to her relative, Pavel Eduardovich Kulikovskii, the Grandson of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna from her morganatic marriage with Colonel N. A. Kulikovskii, and to his wife, Liudmila Anatol’evna. Then the Pilgrimage Center held a reception in honor of the Head of the House of Romanoff, at which were present the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, L. K. Sliska; Hegumen Luke (Bocharov), who arrived with her; Ia. N. Shchapov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and his wife; P. E. and L. A. Kulikovskii; members of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery; representatives of the Russian Nobility Association, headed by Prince G. G. Gagarin; and representatives of the organization “For Faith and Fatherland” and of other social and civic groups. In the second half of the day, Her Imperial Highness arrived at a reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where again she expressed to His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Russian Imperial House’s joy at his election and its readiness to help him bear the Cross of patriarchal service.
2 February 2009: P. E. Kulikovskii offers a toast
at the Reception at the Pilgrimage Center 
2 February 2009: At the Reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior 
2 February 2009: At the Reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Also during the reception, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna exchanged greetings with Prime Minister V. V. Putin and with the Chief of Staff of the President of the Russian Federation, S. E. Naryshkin; and spoke with hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church; with the director of the Central Muslim Spiritual Directorate, the Chief Mufti of Russia, Talgat Tadzhuddin; and with the Director of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Rawil Gaynetdin; and with representatives of other religious traditions in Russia; with the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation, L. K. Sliska; with the Chairman of the Central Elections Commission of the Russian Federation, V. E. Churov; with the mayor of Moscow, Iu. M. Luzhkov; and with other state and civic leaders.
2 February 2009: At the Reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
2 February 2009: At the Reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
On 3 February, the Grand Duchess went to Church of the Intercession on Izmailovo Island, where she venerated the Feodorov Icon of the Mother of God and other icons (including the icons of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker and of the holy martyrs and warriors for Christ), which had been given to the church and were commissioned, with the approval of Her Imperial Highness, by the Knights' Councils of the Imperial Orders of St. Anna and St. Nicholas. Then a intercessory prayer service (moleben) was served for the health of Her Imperial Highness and the entire Imperial Family by the rector of the Church of the Intercession, Archpriest Vladimir Bushuev; by the rector of the Church of Our Lady the «Life-Bearing Spring» in Tsaritsyno; the rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Krylatskoe; and by the confessor of the clergy of Moscow, Mitered Archpriest Georgii Breev.
3 February 2009: At the Church of the Intercession 
3 February 2009: At the Church of the Intercession
Then there took place a ceremony bestowing the Order of St. Nicholas the Wonder-Worker and commemorative medals in honor of the blessing of the Fedorov Icon of the Mother of God. From the Church of the Intercession, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna went to Domodedovo Airport, where, before her departure, she met with His Eminence Metropolitan Fedor of Akhaltsikh and Tao-Klardzhet, with the Director of the Office of External Affairs of the Georgian Patriarchate, Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdid and Tsaish; and with His Grace Bishop Sergei of Ussuriisk, after which she departed for Madrid.
3 February 2009: Farewells at Domodedovo Airport.
The Grand Duchess with Bishop Sergei of Ussuriisk 
3 February 2009: Farewells at Domodedovo Airport.
The Grand Duchess with Metropolitan Fedor and Metropolitan Gerasim