The Director of the Chancellery of the Russian Imperial House and the Chancellery’s Head of the Office of Relations and Cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church travel to Kostroma

On February 20, 2013, the Director of the Chancellery of the Russian Imperial House, Alexander N. Zakatov, and the Chancellery’s Head of the Office of Relations and Cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church and other Religious Organizations, Alexander IurievichKorolev-Pereleshin, traveled to Kostroma to make preparations for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles, of the reestablishment of the Russian state, and of the ascension to the throne of the House of Romanoff.

In the morning of February 20, immediately upon arrival in Kostroma, A. N. Zakatov and A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshinwent to the Holy Trinity-Ipatiev Monastery, where they attended a moleben [an intercessory prayer service—trans.], which was served before the miracle-working Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God (which had been brought in procession to the walls of the Ipatiev Monastery in 1613 by the Great Embassy, which had been sent to Kostroma from the Assembly of the Land in Moscow). The moleben was served by clergy led by the abbot of the monastery, Hegumen Peter (Eryshalov). Other clergy present included Archpriest DimitriiSazonov (of the Kineshma Diocese and Chair of the inter-regional civic organization “The Romanoff Legacy”) and Archpriest VasiliiMarchenko (of the Yaroslav Diocese), both of whom arrived in Kostroma to take part in events related to the roundtable “The Monarchist idea in the Twenty-First Century.”

At the conclusion of the service, A. N. Zakatov and A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin went to the Holy Epiphany Cathedral, where there venerated the miracle-working Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. Then A. N. Zakatov presented the Imperial medal “For Diligence and Assistance” to A. V. Chuev, the President of the Center for Modernization and Economic Developmentand a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the political party “A Just Russia,” who had come to Kostroma for the roundtable. 

In the afternoon, A. N. Zakatov and A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin met with history students at the N. A. NekrasovKostromaState University. They gave a presentation to the students on the history and current state of the Russian Imperial House, and answered numerous questions from the students.

Then followed the roundtable “The Monarchist Idea in the Twenty-First Century,” which was held in the building housing the offices of the City Administrator and City Council of Kostroma, and was sponsored by the organization “The Romanoff Legacy.”Among the experts giving presentations were A. N. Zakatov, A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin, Archpriest VasiliiMarchenko, Archpriest DimitriiSazonov, and A. V. Chuev. A lively and interesting exchange of opinions among all those present followed the formal presentations.

The roundtable was led by the Chairman of the Kostroma Center for Regional Studies, N. V. Sorokin. Othersparticipatingintheroundtableincluded: the ruling bishop of the Russian Orthodox Old Ritualist Church, His Grace Bishop Vikentii (Novozhilov); the Head of the Kostroma branch of the political party “United Russia,” V. K. Vnukov; the Chair of “Multinational Kostroma,”—the regional branch of the Assembly of Peoples of Russia for the Kostroma District, K. N. Babaev; the Chair of the Kostroma branch of “The Russian Public Organization for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars,” M. V. Kozlov; the Dean of the School of History at Kostroma State University, Dr. A. I. Belov; the Chair of the Union of WomenoftheKostromaDistrict, G. V. Popova; the Vice-Chair of the Union of Cossacks of Kostroma, A. G. Mitrov; the Chairman of the Kostroma Nobility Association, G. N. Maslova; the Rabbi of Kostroma, Nisson Mend Ruppo; the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Party for the Spiritual Transformation of Russia, I. G. Bozhko; the Chairman of “The Organization of Russian Pathfinders,” I. A. Efromov; the Director of the Romanoff Library of Kostroma, A. N. Efimova; Professor O. V. Smurova of the Kostroma State Technical University; and others.

The following topics were discussed at the roundtable: the role of the Russian Imperial House and, in general, of other historical institutions in the modern world; the coming visit to Kostromaof the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia; the state of monarchy in the world today; the relationship between the Church and government as a pathway to the rebirth of Russia; the reign of the House of Romanoff in historical perspective; the spiritual trials of the Holy Royal Passion-Bears; the influence of monarchist ideas on society and on the inpidual; and the sacrifices of Ivan Susanin as a model for instilling patriotism in young people.

After the roundtable concluded, A. N. Zakatov and A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin met with the City Administrator of Kostroma, V. V. Emets.

In addition to participating in the roundtable and the other events mentioned above, the Head of the Office of Relations and Cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin, worked to arrange with all parties concerned an agreement on the program of activities that would take place during Her Imperial Highness’s upcoming visit to Kostroma from March 8 to March 9, 2013.He met with Abbot Peter (Eryshalov) of Ipatiev Monastery and they agreed on the details of the Grand Duchess’s visit to the monastery. He met withthe Secretary of the Kostroma Diocese, ArchpriestValeriiBunteev (who istemporarily administering the Diocese during the absence, due to illness, of His Eminence ArchbishopAleksei of Kostroma and Galich), and agreed with him on the details of Her Imperial Highness’s visit to the Holy Epiphany Cathedral to venerate the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, as well as other relics. It was also agreed that there would be services in a church in the birthplace of IvanSusanin—in the village of Domnino of the Susanino Municipal District.A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin also met with E. A. Chugunov and I. V. Rogovof the Regional Department of Culture, and discussed all the essential details and questions associated with the Grand Duchess’s time in Kostroma. The final program for the visit to Kostroma of the Head of the Russian Imperial House was formalized during a meeting with the First Deputy Governor of the Kostroma District, A. A. Anokhin, who is overseeing for the Kostroma Regional Administration all matters related to the visit of Her Imperial Highness. A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin additionally met with the First Deputy Governor of Kostroma District for Social and Economic Affairs, I. V. Korsun.

That evening, the Director of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery, A. N. Zakatov, and Archpriest DimitriiSazonovgave alive interview on Kostroma public television [ORT “KIT”—trans.]