Moscow, 5 December. INTERFAX.RU. The House of Romanov deeply mourns the passing of Patriarch Aleksei II, according to the director of the chancellery of the Head of the House of Romanoff, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, Alexander Zakatov.

“This is a terrible blow for all Orthodox Christians. The Imperial Family has lost its spiritual father and a long-time and wise friend,” Zakatov said. “The Grand Duchess deeply loved the patriarch as a daughter. From the very beginning [of his reign], when the Grand Duchess’s father, Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, was still alive, Patriarch Aleksei II always supported the Imperial House with his prayers and wise advice. Since the time that members of the Imperial House have been making trips to Russia, it has always been to him that they have turned for advice and support,” Zakatov said.

The Head of the House of Romanoff will come to Moscow for the Patriarch’s funeral.

Moscow, 5 December. The Head of the House of Romanoff, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirnovna, will fly to Moscow to pay her respects to Patriarch Aleksei II, according to INTERFAX.RU.

“On Saturday, Her Imperial Highness, will fly to Moscow, postponing her other planned engagements,” according to the director of the chancellery of the House of Romanoff, Alexander Zakatov. It has yet to be officially announced when the funeral will take place, but either Sunday or Monday is most likely. The grand duchess will in person pay her last respects to the patriarch and join in prayer for him,” Zakatov said. Earlier, Zakatov issued a statement that the death of Aleksei II was a terrible blow for the House of Romanoff, which had lost “its spiritual father and a long-time and wise friend.”