On December 12, 2021, at the request of the Russian Nobility Association in France, His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe, served a memorial service, or panikhida, at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky on the rue Daru (8th arrondissement in Paris), for the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, and his spouse, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna.

• The memorial service (panikhida) for Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and Grand Duchess Leonida Georgieva. Photo by David Nivière. The memorial service (panikhida) for Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and Grand Duchess Leonida Georgieva. Photo by David Nivière.
• 2021-12-12 Venerating the Holy Icons in the Cathedral 2021-12-12 Venerating the Holy Icons in the Cathedral
• 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John presenting the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky to the Grand Duke 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John presenting the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky to the Grand Duke
• 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John presenting the Medal of the Venerable Martyr Maria of Paris (Maria Skobtsova) to H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John presenting the Medal of the Venerable Martyr Maria of Paris (Maria Skobtsova) to H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna
• 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John, the Grand Duke George, and Princess Victoria Romanovna 2021-12-12 Metropolitan John, the Grand Duke George, and Princess Victoria Romanovna
• 2021-12-12 Parishioners and visitors with the Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria Romanovna after the memorial service 2021-12-12 Parishioners and visitors with the Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria Romanovna after the memorial service
• 2021-12-12 Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria Romanovna at the candle table (kanon) for the commemoration of the dead 2021-12-12 Grand Duke George and Princess Victoria Romanovna at the candle table (kanon) for the commemoration of the dead
• 2021-12-12 The Grand Duke and Her Serene Highness, with (on the left) Prince Stefan Beloselsky-Belozersky and (on the right) Prince Joachim Murat, Prince of Pontecorvo 2021-12-12 The Grand Duke and Her Serene Highness, with (on the left) Prince Stefan Beloselsky-Belozersky and (on the right) Prince Joachim Murat, Prince of Pontecorvo
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Attending the service were H.I.H. Tsarevich and Grand Duke George of Russia and his spouse, H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanov, representatives of the Russian and French aristocracy, and parishioners of the cathedral.

At the conclusion of the service for Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, Metropolitan John presented to Grand Duke George the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, the highest award of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe, and to Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanov, Director of the Russian Imperial Foundation, the Medal of the Venerable Martyr Maria of Paris (Maria Skobtsova) in recognition of her “charitable work and care for others.”

The Grand Duke expressed his profound gratitude to His Eminence and thanked the members of the Russian Nobility Association for their ongoing support of the Russian Imperial Foundation.

That evening, the Grand Duke and Her Serene Highness attended a reception in memory of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich and Grand Duchess Leonid Georgievna, which raised 40,000 euros to support the charitable programs of the Russian Imperial Foundation.