The Head of the House of Romanoff has issued an Official Communiqué on the Celebrations of the Day of National Unity and on the Occasion of a Panikhida [requiem] at the Church of the Icon of the Mother “of the Sign” on Romanoff Pereulok for all the victims of the Russian Revolution and Civil War

On 12 October 2009, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna wrote a letter expressing her thanks to His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for the warm note of congratulations he sent on the occasion of the 95-th birthday of Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna.

On 4 November 2009, on the Day of National Unity, during a meeting with His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill, at the opening ceremonies for the exhibition “Orthodox Russia,” the director of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery, A. N. Zakatov, presented the Patriarch with the aforementioned letter from the Grand Duchess. In addition, the Patriarch was presented with the book “In the Basement of the Ipat’ev House,” which contains documents and other materials concerning the rehabilitation of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, which was proclaimed on 1 October 2008 by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, a decision that enjoyed the total moral support of the Russian Orthodox Church and the personal support of the Patriarch himself. Patriarch Kirill expressed his approval of the book’s contents and again noted the importance of the ruling legally rehabilitating Emperor Nicholas II and other members of his family, who have already been glorified by the Holy Church as Passion-Bearers, and of the Holy New Martyr Elizabeth Fedorovna, and also of those other members of the Russian Imperial House and their faithful servants, who shared the sufferings and same sad fates of the Imperial family, all of whom being senselessly executed by the enemies of God.

FROM THE HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL HOUSE

To His Holiness
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

Your Holiness!

With all my heart, I thank you for the warm letter of congratulations you sent to my Most August Mother, Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna, on the occasion of her 95-th birthday.

Your letter is for my mother the most treasured and joyful greeting that she has received from Russia. The words of your letter, expressing love, spiritual encouragement, and support, instilled in her a new vigor that is helping her to cope ever more courageously with the ailments connected with her advanced age. My mother asked me to convey to Your Holiness how she always cherishes the memory of her meetings with you, that she prays that God will send down to you strength for your great service, and how she appreciates your attentive and caring relationship both with her, and with Our Imperial House.

Entrusting myself and Our entire Family to your archpastoral prayers, I remain, respectfully and affectionately, yours,

H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovn

Madrid, 12 October 2009