Press Release concerning the Official Visit of the Head of the Russian Imperial House H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna to Russia on 4-11 September 2005

On 4-11 September 2005, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, made an official visit to Russia. Her Imperial Highness’s visit was at the invitation of Governor V. F. Chub of the Rostov District and coincided with the celebration of the 200-th anniversary of the city of Novocherassk and the Second International Congress of Cossacks.

The grand duchess arrived in Moscow from Madrid on 4 September. On 5 September, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met with members of her Chancellery and her other representatives, hearing reports of their activities and issuing instructions. In the evening, the Knight’s Council of the Military Order of St. Nicholas the Wonderwork arranged for a reception in honor of Her Imperial Highness at the dinner theater “Amphitheatre.” Also at the reception was His Eminence Archbishop Arsenii of Istrin, vicar of the Moscow eparchate.

On 6 September, the grand duchess visited the city of Krasnogorsk. After her arrival, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met with the head of the Krasnogorsk District, B. E. Rasskazov, and then went to the Krasnogorsk Zverev factory, where she presented the devices for the Order of St. Nicholas to those newly knighted for their contributions to the military industrial capacity of Russia. After this, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna went to the Russian State Archive of Photo and Movie Images, where the archivists showed to Her Imperial Highness a collection of photo documents of her August great-grandfather, Grand Duke Vladimir Aleksandrovich, and also showed her movie reels of the coronation of royal martyr Emperor Nicholas II in 1896. In the evening, the grand duchess visited the museum-farm “Arkhangel’skoe.”

On 7 September, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna visited the Center for Folk Arts in Izmailovo. During the afternoon, the grand duchess was present for a thanksgiving reception held by the Charity of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, the “Myrrh-Bearing Women of Russia.” During the second half of the day, Her Imperial Highness met with several delegations and individuals, discussing and making decisions about various social, cultural, and charitable matters. In the evening, at the restaurant “Yar,” a dinner was held in honor of the grand duchess, during which Her Imperial Highness discussed again with those gathered how the Russian Imperial House could continue and expand its charitable activities in Russia.

On 8 September, the Head of the Russian Imperial House and those accompanying her flew out of Vnukovo airport to Rostov on the Don. At the airport in Rostov on the Don, Her Imperial Highness was met by the deputy governor of the Rostov District, the ataman of the Don Host of Cossack, V. P. Vodolatskii, and by delegations from the provincial government and the clergy of the eparchy of Rostov and Novocherkassk. After settling in at her residence “Green Grove,” Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna visited the diocesan offices of the Rostov Eparchy, where she met with Archbishop Panteleimon of Rostov and Novocherkassk. Then, together with Archbishop Panteleimon, whom Her Imperial Highness and members of her august family have known since the time of her visit to the Russian far north in 1995, the grand duchess went by boat to the stanitsa [large Cossack town] of Starocherkasskaia, where she visited the Ataman’s palace and other sites. In the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Don, Archbishop Panteleimon served a intercessory prayer service [moleben] for the health of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, for her august mother, Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, and for her son and heir, Grand Duke Georgii Mikhailovich. Accompanied by the archbishop and other clergy, the grand duchess then visited the Monastery of Our Lady of the Don.

On 9 September, in the Rostov governor’s offices, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met with the Rostov governor, V. F. Chub. The discussion touched on the topics of the rebirth of Cossack traditions, on development in the Rostov region, on erecting monuments to the history and culture of the area, and on the return from abroad of national artifact including Cossack banners and holy relics and icons. For his efforts in strengthening the security of Russia and especially for his role in the rebirth of the Cossack traditions, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna bestowed on the governor of the Rostov on the Don District, V. F. Chuba, the Military Order of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, in the first degree. Afterward, the grand duchess to the Rostov Oncological Research Institute (ORI—otherwise known as the Mariinskii Hospital) where, accompanied by Archbishop Panteleimon, she visited the hospital facilities, the Institute’s church and chapel, and spoke with the administrative personnel of ORI, with doctors, and with patients. The grand duchess was enormously impressed with the high quality of the facilities at the Mariinskii Hospital and with the professionalism of its administration and doctors, their genuine concern not only for the physical well-being but also the spiritual health of all the patients. The Head of the Russian Imperial House then visited the Theological Institute, then went to the Regional Museum where she toured the exhibit “Scythian Gold.” During the second half of the day, the Head of the Russian Imperial House paid a visit to the Russian State University of Communications (RSUC) where she met and spoke at length with students and professors and attended a short concert program prepared for her. The grand duchess noted that she felt enormously gratified seeing how the traditions of Russian pedagogy were so well supported at RSUC, and how the technology and pedagogical methods in place here matched, if not exceeded, world standards. The grand duchess herself tried out some of the equipment that is used to train future communications engineers. The visit ended with a moleben for the health of the Imperial Family in the Church of the Holy Apostle Peter and Paul. After the moleben, the grand duchess visited the upper church of St. John of Kronstadt, which is under construction. In the evening, the deputy governor of the Rostov District, the ataman of the Don Cossacks, V. P. Vodolatskii, hosted a dinner in honor of Her Imperial Highness, at which were present the atamans of all the Cossack Hosts of Russia, who had gathered for the Second Global Congress of Cossacks. The Head of the Russian Imperial House welcomed the spirit of unity displayed by the Cossack representatives and expressed her hope that in the not too distant future all Cossacks would unite on the basis of traditionalism, legality, and the priority of state and national interests.

On 10 September, the Head of the Russian Imperial House traveled to Novocherkassk. At her entry into the city, Her Imperial Highness was met by representatives of the Novocherkassk provincial government and by the honorary guard of cadets of the Alexander III Cossack Cadet School. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna attended Divine Liturgy at the Host’s Cathedral of the Ascension, after which she took part in the unveiling of the monument “Peace and Accord” on Cathedral Square. The grand duchess was present at the governor’s inspection of the municipal guard and cadet regiments, after which she presented the devices for the Imperial Military Order of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on prominent members of the Cossacks of Russia, including the Deputy Governor of Rostov District and ataman of the Don Cossacks, Cossack General V. P. Vodolatskii; the Deputy Chair for the government of the city of Moscow, the prefect for the south-eastern district of the city of Moscow, president of the regional group “Rostovians” in Moscow, Colonel of Supply V. B. Zotov; the mayor of the city of Novocherkassk, Major-General A. P. Volkov; mayor of the city of Azov, Major of Supply S. L. Bezdol’nyi. The grand duchess attended a historical-theatrical production, then took part in the opening of the Second Global Congress of Cossacks. After delivering her “Address of the Head of the Russian Imperial House to the Cossacks of Russia” in Novocherkassk on this same day, Her Imperial Highness personally addressed the delegates to the Congress with a call for genuine and unbreakable unity, in which the great strength of the Cossacks lies. Before her departure from the Second Global Congress of Cossacks, in the Alexander III Cossack Cadet School, the Advisor for Cossack Affairs to the President of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General G. N. Troshev, presented to Her Imperial Highness on behalf of all present a winebowl.

The grand duchess visited the Alexander III Cossack Cadet School accompanied by the chief of the School, Lieutenant-General N. G. Antonenko. The grand duchess spoke with the leaders, with the chaplain, with the teachers, and with the cadets of the School, and visited the museum and even tasted the food at the School’s cafeteria. Then the Head of the Russian Imperial House visited the Ataman’s Palace and the Museum of the Don Cossacks, where the was arranged a special tour for her. In the evening, the grand duchess was present at a festive reception and celebratory concert in honor of the 200-th anniversary of the city of Novocherkassk.

On 11 September, the Head of the Russian Imperial House met in her residence “Green Grove” with the head of administration of the Azov District, V. N. Bevziuk. The grand duchess awarded the chief of the Alexander III Cossack Cadet School, Lieutenant-General N. G. Antonenko with the medal with the monogram of Her Imperial Highness in the first degree, and bestowed upon the head of administration of the Azov District with the Order of St. Nicholas in the third degree. That afternoon, the grand duchess returned to Moscow and later flew to Madrid.

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