On 9 January 2005, in Madrid, H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna was awarded the Russian Orthodox Church’s Order of Holy Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles

From the Chancellery
of the Russian Imperial House 

On 9 January 2005, in Madrid, in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, His Grace Archbishop Innokentii of Korsun, who had arrived from Paris, served a thanksgiving moleben and awarded the Order of the Holy Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles, to H.I.H. Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna.

Her Imperial Highness was awarded the Order by His Holiness, the patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, on the occasion of Her 90-th birthday.

His Grace Archbishop Innokentii stated that this highest of Church awards was given to the dowager Grand Duchess by His Holiness the patriarch for Her “constant support for the Orthodox Church and for Her many acts of charity.”

After the awarding of the Order, H.I.H. Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna gave a speech in which She expressed Her gratitude to His Holiness, Patriarch Aleksei II. Her Imperial Highness said that even in the darkest days, the Russian Imperial House never lost hope of reestablishing ties with the Motherland, and She said that She was only happy that the Lord permitted Her to witness the rebirth of Russia.

At the ceremony, there was present the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, who came to the cathedral along with Her Most August Mother, and with M. Kamynin, the Russian ambassador to Spain.

In an interview with the Russian News Agency (RIA) “Novosti,” His Grace Archbishop Innokentii discussed the significance of the activities of the Dowager Grand Duchess, saying, in part: “the very fact that the Grand Duchess is an active parishioner of the Moscow Patriarchate itself has enormous religious and political significance.” 

A. N. Zakatov
Personal Secretary of the Imperial Family
Director of the H.I.H.’s Chancellery