The three-volume work was made possible by the support of the Center for Veterans’ Assistance and Patriotic Education of Young People, called the “Connections through Generations [Sviaz’ pokolenii],” and the Imperial Society of the House of Romanoff. The book is the result of many years of work by the author in the archives of the Russian Imperial House in Exile, and in the archives of the Russian Federation. Additional support for the book was provided by the association “Russian-Estonian Cultural Dialog.”

The first volume contains the author’s introduction to the history of the Russian Imperial House in exile, and a survey of its legal and historical status, its public activities, and its relationship with Orthodox hierarchs and clergy. Volume 1 also includes indices for all three volumes, and photo reproductions of historical documents. Volume 2 contains historical documents for the period 1921-1934, and volume 3 includes documents for the period 1935-2013. The three volumes include all presently-known and previously unpublished letters from Athonite monks to the Imperial Family and all public addresses and statements of the monastic monarchist organization on Mount Athos. The book also includes the Addresses of the Heads of the Russian Imperial House in exile, correspondence with patriarchs and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the first hierarchs of local Orthodox Churches, with St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, with currently ruling monarchs, and with the heads of other Imperial and Royal houses in exile.

Those present at the book launch had the opportunity to peruse the books, and to learn more about the various events taking place in Russia and abroad to mark the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles and the ascension of the House of Romanoff.

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, A. N. Zakatov, and the publisher of the book, S. V. Mashin, all took questions from those in the audience. The presentation was chaired by the President of the Guild of Book Publishers, Professor B. S. Yesenkin, PhD, who emphasized that this work, which enjoyed the support of the House of Romanoff, will be enormously significant for the objective study of the history of Russia (for more information, see www.bgshop.ru).

After the presentation concluded at Biblio-Globus, the Grand Duchess went to the Central House of Writers, where the presentation ceremony for the literary prize “Heritage” took place. The prize was established by the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia and the Literary Club of the Central House of Writers to recognize the winners of a literary competition, which had been sponsored by Her Imperial Highness.

The venue for the competition was the literary websites Stikhi.ru and Proza.ru. At present, more than 600,000 authors have published more than 20 million works on these websites.

The jury for the competition was composed of members of the Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church, and members of the Russian Nobility Association.

More than 600 authors from Russia, the USA, Europe, and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States took part in the competition.

The jury decided to award three first prizes. The 150,000 Ruble prize was divided equally among all three winners.

The three laureates of the “Heritage” prize were:

Alexandra Plokhova

Boris Prakhov

and

Iuliia Studenikina

The awards ceremony was opened by Dmitrii Kravchuk, the head of both websites (Stikhi.ru and Proza.ru), who described the background of the prize and the several stages of the competition.

Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria of Russia gave a brief welcoming speech to the participants and other guests at the ceremony, thanking all involved for their efforts to make this event a success and wishing everyone good luck in competition.

Speeches were also given by members of the jury, after which the awards ceremony began.

The winners and finalists in the competition all received certificates, personally presented to them by Grand Duchess Maria of Russia. The winners also received the Imperial Medal “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory.”

The special certificates which were awarded were provided by Iurii Myshonkov, who originated the idea for the competition and was one of its chief organizers, and by Nikolai Ermilov, the author of the book Dynasty [Dinastiia], which is about the Romanoff dynasty.

After the official ceremonies concluded, several of the poems by finalists and other poets in attendance were read aloud.

For the Stikhi.ru account of these ceremonies, see: http://www.stihi.ru/nasledie/.

For the Proza.ru account of them, see: http://www.proza.ru/nasledie/

See also: http://www.chaspik.spb.ru/culture/vruchena-literaturnaya-premiya-nasledie/; and http://biatris7.livejournal.com/957342.html.

That evening, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, visited the International Foundation of Slavic Letters and Culture, where she attended the grand opening of the Imperial Hall, which had been renovated with the support of the All-Russian social organization “For Faith and Fatherland.”

Her Imperial Highness was met at the entrance of the Foundation by its Vice-President, S. V. Medvedko, by the head of the Legal Department of the Executive Council of the organization “For Faith and Fatherland,” and by the organization’s chaplain, Hieromonk Nikon (Levachev-Belavenets).

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia met with S. V. Medvedko in the office of the Foundation’s president, where he described for Her Imperial Highness the various kinds of activities in which the International Foundation of Slavic Letters and Culture engages.

There then followed an investiture ceremony. For his services to the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Imperial House, the Vice-Chairman of the Office of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov) was invested into the Imperial Order of St. Anna Third Class. The Order in the Third Class was also bestowed upon National Artist of the Russian Federation A. V. Petrenko, for his outstanding contributions to Russian cinema. The St. Anna Medal was awarded to the international chess grandmaster L. S. Belavenets. The Imperial Medal “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory” was presented to S. V. Medvedko; to A. M. Kovalev; to the head of the Department of Culture of the Executive Council of the organization “For Faith and Fatherland,” O. N. Borisov; and also to the organizers of the “Officer’s Assembly” banquet, the couple S. V. and L. V. Osipov.

After these ceremonies, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, accompanied by the heads of the Foundation and of the organization “For Faith and Fatherland,” went to the Imperial Hall, which resembles a seventeenth-century vaulted chamber and is decorated with Imperial flags and portraits of Russia’s emperors, empresses, and Heads of the Russian Imperial House in exile. The Imperial Hall played host to a grand banquet, at which were present all those who had received awards; the heads of the Foundation and of the organization “For Faith and Fatherland”; Professor S. N. Baburin; and members of H.I.H.’s Chancellery.

On May 13, 2013, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia made a one-day visit to the city of Dmitrov. Her Imperial Highness was invited to visit the city by its mayor, V. V. Gavrilov.

After laying flowers at the eternal flame memorial to the veterans of the Second World War, the Grand Duchess attended services at the Dormition Cathedral in Dmitrov, which is this year celebrating its 500th anniversary. The Dean of the Dmitrov diocese, Archpriest Afanasii Chornoguz, served a prayer service, or moleben, and described for the Grand Duchess the history of, and holy relics preserved in, this ancient church.

Then Grand Duchess Maria of Russia met with students at the Dmitrov “Logos” School, where she met with upper classmen.

The school occupies a building constructed in 1876 and was founded by Grand Duchess Maria of Russia’s great-great-grandfather, Emperor Alexander II, whose sketches were exhibited in the nearby G. K. Zhukov Central Regional Library in Dmitrov. The exhibit featuring these sketches was formally opened by Her Imperial Highness. These unique drawings were presented to the Zhukov Library by the Solzhenitsyn Center for the Study of the Russian Diaspora. Her Imperial Highness also visited a second exhibit at the library entitled “Anonymous Photographs of Russia in the Era of Nicholas II.”

After touring the exhibits and meeting the library staff, the Grand Duchess left a comment in the guest book for the library, noting the highly professional caliber of the exhibits and wishing the staff health, happiness, and strength of spirit in their work. Her Imperial Highness also presented several unique publications to the library for inclusion in its collection, including a book about the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles and the ascension to the throne of the House of Romanoff. The Grand Duchess was in turn presented with a copy of a DVD containing the documentary film The Romanoffs in the Dmitrov Region, which was produced by the staff of the library.

Afterward, the Grand Duchess visited the newly opened surgical wing of the Dmitrov City Hospital, and then met with many civic leaders of the city of Dmitrov in the main building of the museum “Dmitrov Kremlin.”

The meeting began with an investiture ceremony, where Orders and Medals of the Russian Imperial House were awarded to several prominent residents of the city. Among those so honored were: V. V. Gavrilov, the Mayor of Dmitrov; E. V. Vinograova, the Deputy Mayor; plus several doctors and educators. The St. Anna Medal was awarded to the Director of the Zhukov Library, Zinaida Ivanovna Zlotnikova.

Also at this time, certificates and commemorative gifts were presented to the winners of the knowledge quizzes “Greatness, Courage, and Honor,” which was a competitive knowledge test in February-April 2013 for junior and senior high school students, was dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanoff and sponsored by the Dmitrov Central Regional Library and the Moscow Region Committee for the Celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff.

All of the winners of this knowledge quiz competition had the honor of receiving their certificates and other awards directly from the Head of the Russian Imperial House, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia.

Those educators who helped prepare their students to participate in the knowledge quiz competition were not left out. Irina Alexandrovna Fedina, the Assistant Director for Instruction at the Chernovsky School; Konstantine Valerievich Levashov, a history teacher at the Dedenevsky School; and Sergei Vladislavovich Zhukov, a history teacher at the Dmitrov School no. 10, were all presented with the Imperial Medal “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory,” along with accompanying certificates.

See here for video of Grand Duchess Maria of Russia’s visit to Dmitrov on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/66175631.

On May 14, 2013, the Head of the House of Romanoff visited Moscow State University.

In the University’s Imperial Hall, Her Imperial Highness met with students and professors, a meeting which was arranged by members of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery, by the Dean’s Office, the History faculty, and the Russian Nobility Association.

Founded by Empress Elizabeth I as a way to fulfill the educational goals of her father, Emperor Peter I, the Moscow Imperial University for many centuries enjoyed the support and attention of members of the Imperial Family. It was precisely this close relationship between the university and the House of Romanoff that became the major theme of the welcoming address of the Dean of the university, Academician V. A. Sadovnichii. The founding of the university, the establishment of the first Russian scientific schools, the flowering of Russian science and education—all these milestones in the history of the university were made possible by the patronage of the Imperial House and were harmoniously woven into the history of the Russian state.

V. A. Sadovnichii said that the visit of the Head of the Russian Imperial House to the University of Moscow was significant for the preservation of tradition and for the continuation of the historical legacy of the university in Russian culture generally.

Speaking to those assembled in the university’s Imperial Hall, the Grand Duchess emphasized the role the university has played over many centuries, and continues to play, in the education of Russia’s young people and in the formation of the “better elements” of society, who, by their education and talents, have enriched the nation.

In her remarks, the Head of the House of Romanoff particularly singled out the historic anniversaries being celebrated this year which are extraordinarily important in the history of Russia. First and foremost, Her Imperial Highness notes that these celebrations are “not about honoring the dynasty, although the ascension of the dynasty to the throne was, to be sure, a crucial event in Russian history. It is about the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles.” This date is a timeless symbol of the unity of the Russian people, of its efforts for the sake of the nation’s salvation. As the Grand Duchess noted, thanks to these efforts, the Russian state was established anew.

Observance of traditions and devotion to the interests of Russia are among the main priorities of the Imperial Family identified by the Director the H.I.H.’s Chancellery, A. N. Zakatov, in his speech on dynastic continuity in the House of Romanoff. Zakatov outlined for the audience the main stages in the history of the Imperial House abroad, as well as the key areas of activity of Grand Duchess Maria of Russia in support of all the peoples “who constituted the single civilization that was the Russian Empire.” Zakatov emphasized that the mission of the Grand Duchess in her capacity as Head of the Russian Imperial House is to “remind all our peoples of their common roots, and to facilitate mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation between them.”

Academican S. P. Karpov, the Chairman of the History Department at the University of Moscow, offered next a thorough and detailed analysis of the history of Russia through the lives of some of the most prominent members of the Imperial Family. Continuity and tradition over the 304 years of Romanoff rule were the main principles that guided members of the Imperial House in the areas of education and culture. Peter I, Elizabeth I, Catherine II, Paul I, Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Nicholas II—these names are indelibly inscribed in the history of education in our nation.

An investiture ceremony took place at the close of the official portion of the gathering, where several prominent figures in education and society who were present were given Imperial awards. The Imperial Order of St. Anna was presented to Academician V. A. Sadovnichii, Dean of the University of Moscow, and to the Director of the State Archive of the Russian Federation, Professor S. V. Mironenko—“for achievements in service to the State and in recognition of efforts for the betterment of society.” The Imperial anniversary Medal was presented by Grand Duchess Maria of Russia to V. A. Sadovnichii; to the Chairman of the History department, S. P. Karpov; and also to the Academic Secretary of the University of Moscow, O. V. Raevkaia.

In turn, the Dean of the University of Moscow, V. A. Sadovnichii, presented to the Grand Duchess an album with a collection of engravings by Filipp Vigel drawn from the collection of the library of the University of Moscow, which includes engraved portraits of Russia’s sovereigns from the House of Romanoff.

The First Vice-Marshall of the Russian Nobility Association, A. Iu. Korolev-Pereleshin, presented to the History Department’s Library a set of valuable publications on the history of the Russian Imperial House.

At the conclusion of these events, the Grand Duchess, along with representatives of the University of Moscow; the rector of the University’s Church of the Holy Martyr Tatiana, Archpriest Vladimir Vigilianskii; and the well-known Orthodox philanthropist S. Iu. Rudov, together visited an exhibit entitled “The Triumph of the Empire of the Romanoffs.” The exhibit, which was organized by the Charity Foundation of St. Basil the Great, was housed in the University’s church. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia attended a short prayer service, or moleben, which marked the opening of the exhibit. Afterward, the Grand Duchess presented the Imperial Medal “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory” to Archpriest Vladimir Vigilianskii. Commenting on the significance of the exhibit, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia noted that the exposition transports visitors to the pages of the history of the Russian state, the memory of which should be passed on over the generations, creating a sense of pride and love for one’s native land.

For more on these events, see the following websites:

http://www.msu.ru/news/?2013-05-21_16-09.1998909

http://www.psy.msu.ru/news/events/romanova/

http://www.hist.msu.ru/News/20130514.htm

From Moscow State University, the Head of the House of Romanoff made her way to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where she was greeted by the Dean, Professor A. S. Sokolov. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia toured the halls and classrooms of the conservatory. Later, in the Dean’s office, Her Imperial Highness presented the Imperial anniversary Medal to A. S. Sokolov.

In the afternoon, Her Imperial Highness received in audience His Eminence Archbishop Kirill of San Francisco and Western America, along with several others traveling with him. During their conversation, the two discussed the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles in those countries where a substantial number of Russians reside today. They also discussed the participation in these celebrations of the Grand Duchess and her son, Grand Duke George of Russia.

Later, the Head of the Russian Imperial House visited the museum complex “Palaces of the Romanoff Boyars.” In the house that once belonged to her ancestors, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia and the Director of the museum, G. K. Shutskaia, toured the newly opened exhibits, which were set up in time for the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the ending of the Time of Troubles, the reestablishment of the Russian state, and the ascension to the throne of the House of Romanoff.

After touring the museum, an investiture ceremony was held, during which the Grand Duchess presented Imperial Orders and the commemorative Imperial Medals “400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff” and “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory.”

His Eminence, Archbishop Kirill of San Francisco and Western America was invested with the Imperial Order of St. Anna First Class. Along with the devices of the Order of St. Anna, the Grand Duchess awarded His Eminence with the two Imperial commemorative Medals, and conveyed to him other awards to be given to His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, to the clerical administration of the Diocese of San Francisco, and to leading figures in the Russian community in California.

Others awarded with Imperial Orders and Medals included: V. E. Churov, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission; A. K. Levykin, the Director of the State Historical Museum; Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatiokin), the abbot of the Ascension Monastery of the Caves in Nizhni Novgorod; G. K. Shutskaia, the Director of the Museum of the Palaces of the Romanoff Boyars; and other civic and cultural figures.

That evening, the Head of the Russian Imperial House had dinner with His Eminence Archbishop Kirill and with P. A. Karakozov, who was traveling with the archbishop. During their conversation at dinner, Archbishop Kirill described for Grand Duchess Maria of Russia the life of the Church in San Francisco, and continued his discussion with Her Imperial Highness about the plans for the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanoff in the Russian diaspora.

On May 15, 2013, the Head of the Russian Imperial House left Moscow for Omsk. That evening, a dinner in Her Imperial Highness’s honor was attended by the Governor of Omsk Province, V. I. Nazarov; His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Omsk and Tara; the Vice-Chairman of the provincial government of Omsk and Minister of Culture for Omsk Province, V. P. Lapukhin; the Minister of Education for Omsk Province, S. G. Alekseev; and the Principal of the Omsk Cadet Corps and Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel N. V. Kravchenko.

On May 16, 2013, the Grand Duchess visited the Dormition Cathedral in Omsk. After a short prayer service, or moleben, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir gave a brief speech welcoming the Her Imperial Highness to the city. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia thanked His Beatitude for serving the moleben and for his warm welcome, then presented His Beatitude with the Imperial Medals “Anniversary of the Nation’s Victory” and “Commemorative Medal of the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff.” The Grand Duchess then venerated the relics of the Holy Martyr Silvester, Archbishop of Omsk and Pavlodar (1860-1920).

The Head of the Russian Imperial House then went from the Dormition Cathedral to the Omsk Cadet Corps, whose students took the lead in arranging the visit of Her Imperial Highness to Omsk. The Grand Duchess toured the school’s chapel and museum, acquainted herself with its curriculum, and met with teachers and students. The cadets lined up for inspection nd parad