The Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, is deeply saddened to announce the death, on September 30/October 13, 2024—the feast day of St. Gregory the Enlightener of Armenia and the birthday of Emperor-in-Exile Kirill I Vladimirovich—of Archpriest Nikolai Nikonovich Strukov, the honorary rector of the Church of St. Panteleimon in the city of Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region, and the Senior Dean of the Zhukovsky Church District of the Moscow Eparchy. He was 84 years old.
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Archpriest Nikolai Strukov
Archpriest Nikolai Strukov
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Fr. Nikolai attending a ceremony at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 2016
Fr. Nikolai attending a ceremony at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 2016
https://imperialhouse.ru/en/allnews-en/news/2024-10-19-memory-eternal-archpriest-nikolai-nikonovich-strukov-1940-2024.html#sigProIddeceaef6cc
The future Archpriest Nikolai Nikonovich Strukov was born on November 17/30, 1940, in the village of Zhilino, in the Lyubertsy District of the Moscow Region. In 1964, he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Engineering and Land Management. In 1991, he was ordained to the priesthood, and in 1994 was appointed rector of the church of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon in Zhukovsky. In August 2013, he was appointed the Senior Dean of the newly established Zhukovsky deanery of the Moscow Diocese.
Having received a secular education as an engineer specializing in “planning and development of populated areas,” Father Nikolai became an outstanding builder of churches. Through his efforts and care, he led efforts to build five new churches in the city of Zhukovsky—churches dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and the Ascension of the Lord. Under his leadership, liturgical life in these churches was established and thrived.
Father Nikolai made a significant contribution to the spiritual, moral, and patriotic education of young people. He helped to build the first comprehensive public school in the Moscow Region with a Russian ethno-cultural curriculum in Zhukovsky, which more than 600 children currently attend; he created a museum complex comprised of 10 distinct exhibition galleries, including: polytechnical exhibits, the history of the city of Zhukovsky, Russian aviation and space science, radio electronics, minerals, Russian folk decorative arts, church history and archaeology, the life of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, the writer N. D. Teleshov and the history of the Bykovskaya Hospital, and a collection of elephant figurines and art. Fr. Nikolai was also one of the organizers and strongest advocate of the Children’s Aerospace Display (DAKS).
Fr. Nikolai built and maintained the local Alms-House, which was also the location of the Elizavetinsky branch of the St. Alexis Central Clinical Hospital, operated by the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In February 2021, Fr. Nikolai became the honorary rector of the Church of St. Panteleimon in Zhukovsky and the father-confessor for the Kolomna Diocese. In that same year, he was awarded the title of “Honoured Citizen of Zhukovsky.”
Fr. Nikolai’s many achievements have been rewarded with numerous liturgical and hierarchical awards, Church orders, and medals.
In 2016, in recognition of his services to the Holy Church and the nation, his active social and charitable work, his contribution to the preservation of the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and the growth of the spiritual and physical health of its citizens, his work on education and the religious upbringing of children and youth, the Head of the Russian Imperial House of Romanov, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, awarded Archpriest Nikolai Nikonovich Strukov the Imperial hereditary medal “In Memory of the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanoff. 1613-2013.”
The funeral service for the newly reposed Archpriest Nikolai took place on October 2/15, 2024, in the church of the Transfiguration of the parish of St. Panteleimon in Zhukovsky, immediately following the Divine Liturgy. With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna, the funeral was officiated by the Dean of the Ramenskoye-Zhukovsky deanery, Fr. Dimitry Denisov, and concelebrated by the Dean of the Lyubertsy Church District of the Podolsk Diocese, Fr. Vyacheslav Novak, as well as numerous other clergy. The prayer of absolution was read by the oldest cleric of the Ramenskoye-Zhukovskiy deanery, the rector of the Church of the “Life-Giving Spring” Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Bykovo, Archpriest Alexei Ponomarev. The responses were sung by the choir of the church of St. Panteleimon, under the direction of choir directors Konstantin Gerasimenkov and Larisa Yazova.
The church could not accommodate the large number of the faithful who came to say their final good-byes to the reposed pastor. Relatives, spiritual children and parishioners, friends and colleagues, the Head of the Zhukovsky city district B. E. Aubakirov and other representatives of the city administration all gathered to pray for Fr. Nikolai. Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna sent a message of condolences, which was read aloud by the Dean of the Ramenskoye-Zhukovsky deanery, Fr. Dimitry Denisov.
Fr. Nikolai was laid to rest behind the altar of the church of St. Panteleimon.
Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, Grand Duke George of Russia, and his spouse, Princess Victoria Romanovna extend their deepest condolences to Fr. Nikolai’s family, fellow clergy, spiritual children, and all his many friends and acquaintances.
May the Lord grant eternal rest to His newly reposed servant, Archpriest Nikolai, in His Kingdom.
Information on the life and death of Fr. Nikolai (in Russian) may be found here:
http://eparchia.patriarchia.ru/db/text/6165499.html?ysclid=m2f0rpz93v558586231
https://mosmit.ru/news/2024/10/15/217421/?ysclid=m2f07h81te977432564