News Release of the Official Visit to Portugal of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, 6-9 November 2003

On 6-9 November 2003, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna made an official visit to Portugal on the invitation of the Head of the Portuguese Royal House, His Royal Highness Infante Dom Duarte III Pio, Duke of Braganza, on the occasion of the celebration of the 600-th anniversary of the House of Braganza.

On 6 November, the Grand Duchess and her party were met at the Lisbon Airport by the personal representative of Infante Dom Duarte, Dom Felipe, Count of Rio-Grande, by the vice-chancellor of Portuguese royal orders, Count de Gondar, and by other members of the organizing committee for the official visit.

The Grand Duchess and His Royal Highness Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza, warmly greeted each other in the town of Sintra, near Lisbon. The Grand Duchess toured the ancient royal palace, visited the offices and exhibit hall of the company Sousa Pedro—one of the largest Portuguese industrial firms which has operations in a number of countries (Angola, Great Britain, Poland, France, the Czech Republic) and has just concluded a contract for supplying equipment in Russia. For many years this company has participated in philanthropic and other projects, along side the Royal House of Portugal.

The head of the company, Mr. Carlos Sousa Pedro, gave Her Imperial Highness a commemorative silver metal, and representatives of the Sintra town government gave her a book with photos of the town and region.

At the formal luncheon in Sintra (Albarraque) which followed, the Duke of Braganza, representatives of the Portuguese nobility, and executives of the firm Sousa Pedro were in attendance.

In the evening, in Lisbon, there was a formal dinner organized in honor of the visit to Portugal of the Head of the Russian Imperial House. Besides the Duke of Braganza, representatives of the Portuguese nobility, and business leaders, there was also in attendance the first secretary of the Russian Embassy in Portugal, A. V. Pavlovskii. The Duke of Braganza and Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna exchanged formal statements of greeting and gifts; with enormous gratitude, the Duke accepted an Orthodox icon of Holy Royal Passion-Bearer Nicholas II.

The Duke of Braganza and Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna noted in their comments the similar fates of Portugal and Russia: in both countries in the 20-th century, the monarchies were overthrown leading to many tragedies, including repression against Christians. But despite this, the Portuguese people, like the Russian people, have preserved their faith, their devotion to their traditions, and their loyalty to their historic dynasties.

At the conclusion of the evening, the Head of the Portuguese Royal House awarded Her Imperial Highness with the Grand Cross (first degree) of the oldest Portuguese dynastic order: the Royal Order of St. Michael of the Wing (Ordem de Sao Miguel da Ala, founded in 1171).

The Grand Duchess spent the night at the villa Junta Patino in Estoril, near Lisbon, where she visited several exhibits of the works (sculptures) of Salvador Dali.

The next day, 7 November, began with a tour of the city of Santarem. During a visit to the ancient town cathedral, the director of a local orphanage offered a touching greeting to Her Imperial Highness and gave her flowers. Afterward, the Grand Duchess and her party arrived in Ourem. The historical-cultural foundation Fundacao no Castello de Ourem, which is under the sponsorship of the Duke of Braganza, has for many years played an important role in the restoration work on the Ourem castle, which is directly connected to the first generations of the current Portuguese dynasty. The Grand Duchess visited the Museum of the House of Braganza in the castle, which contains numerous artifacts from the history of the Portuguese Royal House. Together with David Katarino, mayor of Ourem, the Grand Duchess visited the cathedral and the tomb of Count Alfonso IV of Ourem (1403-1470), one of the ancestors of the House of Braganza. Afterward, Her Imperial Highness and the mayor viewed the works of local artists and sculptors in exhibits honoring the 600-th anniversary of the House of Braganza. At that time, city leaders presented to the Grand Duchess a commemorative medal with the city’s coat-of-arms.

In the evening, there was a formal dinner for the Head of the Russian Imperial House organized by the knights of the Portuguese Royal Order of St. Michael of the Wing. At the dinner were also present many members of an academic conference then taking place in Ourem on Count Alfonso IV and his times. Her Imperial Highness presented a gift of an icon of St. Michael the Archangel to the knights of the Order.

The Grand Duchess spent the night in the Old House (Casa Alta), a part of the Castle of Ourem that has already underwent restoration.

On 8 November, the Grand Duchess and her party visited several historic locations, including the Monasteries of Fatima and Batalha. In her conversation with the bishop of Leiria-Fatima, Her Imperial Highness reminded him of the persecutions which the Russian Orthodox Church suffered during the years of the Bolshevik dictatorship, and she offered to the bishop an icon of the Russian Holy New Martyrs. The Grand Duchess expressed the hope for the development of good relations between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, emphasizing that the Russian Orthodox Church considered Catholic efforts to proselytize in Russia an impediment to these good relations.

In the town of Nazare, on the Atlantic seacoast, the Grand Duchess visited the statue to Vasco da Gamma, then attended a farewell banquet. Afterward, the Grand Duchess set off for Lisbon, where she stayed in the York House Hotel.

On 9 November, after a brief excursion about the city of Lisbon, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna departed by plane for Madrid.

The visit of Her Imperial Highness was conducted in a warm and friendly atmosphere, which is characteristic of the relations between these two friendly dynasties.

From the Chancellery of Her Imperial Highness
S. V. Dumin
Master of Heraldry