August 20 (August 7 according to the Julian Calendar), the feast day of the Imperial Order of St. Anastasia the Alleviatrix of Captives (http://imperialhouse.ru/.../title/award/award2/249-2.html) is the day the first Tsaritsa of the House of Romanoff, Anastasia Romanova, wife of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, reposed in the year 1560. An intercessory prayer service, or moleben, was served before the Holy Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir in the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, part of the State Tretiakov Gallery, for the health of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, her son and heir, H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia, and his spouse H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna. A Litya, or commemoration service for the dead, immediately followed in remembrance of Tsaritsa Anastasia Romanovna and all the Tsars and Emperors, Tsaritsas and Empresses, and Grand Dukes and Grand Duchesses of the Imperial House of Romanoff.
The services were officiated by the rector of the church, Archpriest Nicholas Sokolov, Archdeacon Nicholas Platonov of the Holy Epiphany Cathedral, and deacon Aleksei Riakhkovsky.
After the Litya sevice, Archpriest Nicholas Sokolov delivered a moving sermon. Then the Director of the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, Alexander N. Zakatov, and the Head of the Office of Heraldry of the Chancellery, Stanislaw V. Dumin, read several official decrees elevating several of those present to the dignity of knights of the Imperial Russian Orders of Chivalry and awardees of Imperial medals. They then presented the insignia of the Orders and medals to each person being so honoured.
Svetlana Iosifovna Sokolova, the wife of Archpriest Nikolai Sokolov and Director of the Choral Department of the State Tretyakov Gallery, was elevated to the dignity of a Dame of the Imperial Order of St. Anastasia the Alleviatrix of Captives.
Insignia of the Imperial and Royal Order of St. Stanislav were presented to the military veteran and founder and participant in many charity and cultural projects sponsored by the Imperial House, Igor Ivanovich Poleniachenko (First Class); his assistant, the historian (Cand. Technical Sciences) Vladimir Igorevich Pasynkov (Second Class); and the expert advisor to the Foundation for the Support and Development of Education, Creativity, and Culture, Ivan Alekseevich Kantemirov (Third Class).
The Medal of the Imperial Order of St. Anna was awarded to the philanthropist Lilia Grigorievna Shalunova (of Novonikolaevsk/Novosibirsk).
The Hereditary Imperial Medal (in bronze) “In Memory of the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff” was awarded to the Vice-President of the non-profit MASP BRIKS, honorary member of the Russian Academy of Artists, and member of the Association of Art Experts (AIS), Grigorii Anatolievich Gaponov.
The Director of the Museum of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearer Emperor Nicholas II, Vice-President of the Russian Club for Culture and Art, master-level artist and restorationist, Alexander Vasilievich Renzhin; and member of the Russian Union of Artists (RSKh) and of the Moscow Union of Artists (MSKh), Andrei Ilich Madekin each received letters of gratitude from the Head of the Imperial House of Russia.
Attending the services were His Excellency the Ambassador of Slovakia to the Russian Federation, Mr. Lubomir Regak; the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the Support and Development of Education, Creativity, and Culture and Dame of the Imperial Order of St. Anastasia, Elena Valerievna Baiakhchian; the founder of the P. M. Tretiakov Foundation, editor-in-chief of the journal Russian Art, and Dame of the Order of St. Anastasia Elena Vladimirovna Bekhtieva; the Purser of the Smolensk Zosima Hermitage and the Head of the Office for Historical and Memorial Activities of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery, Hieromonk Nikon (Levachev-Belavenets); the Vice-Chair of the Council of Veterans of the Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Russian Federation and knight of the Russian Imperial Orders of Chivalry, Iurii Alekseevich Strelnikov; the President of Media Alians, expert advisor to the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, creator of various media platforms, antiquist and collector, Igor Vladimirovich Gorodnichy; and the activist in a range of social and cultural projects, Margarita Stanislavovna Shpital’naya.
After the conclusion of the ceremony, I. I. Poleniachenko congratulated the Director of the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, Alexander N. Zakatov, on his 50th birthday, and, on behalf of the knights of the Imperial Russian Orders of Chivalry, presented him an icon of Holy Venerable St. Sisoes the Great (on whose feast day, July 6/19, Alexander Zakatov was born).
A luncheon followed the service and investiture ceremony.