2022-12-06 The Baptism of the Grandson of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich
On this day, 6 December (23 November by the Julian Calendar) 2022, the feast day of Grand Prince St. Alexander Nevsky, His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich—grandson of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, and son of H.I.H. The Heir, Tsesarevich, and Grand Duke George of Russia, and his spouse, Her Serene Highness Princess Victoria Romanovna—was baptized into the Holy Orthodox Church.
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Chrismation were performed in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, and were served by His Eminence Metropolitan Dionysius of Voskresensk, along with Mitred Archpriest Michael Protopopov, who came from Australia to help officiate at the services; Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko, the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Circle of Kindness charity; Hieromonk Nikon (Levachev-Belavenets), the head of the Office for Historical and Memorial Activities of the Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery; and clergy from the New Saviour Monastery in Moscow, Fr. Ioann Ignatov and Fr. Vladimir Ignatov.
Attending the services were the newly-baptized prince’s relatives: his grandmother, the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia; his parents, H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia and H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna; his paternal grandfather, Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (in Orthodoxy, Mikhail Pavlovich) and his wife, Princess Nadia; and his maternal grandfather and grandmother, His Excellency Ambassador Roberto Bettarina and his wife, Mrs. Carla Bettarini.
After the conclusion of the services, the Imperial Family were presented “measured icons” of Grand Prince St. Alexander Nevsky.
The first icon, which is a pious gift from the faithful friends and supporters of the Imperial Family in St. Petersburg and Moscow, was brought from St. Petersburg by Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko. It contains a fragment of the holy relics of Grand Prince St. Alexander Nevsky, and was sent as a blessing to Prince Alexander Georgievich by His Eminence Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, who, on 1 October 2021, officiated at the marriage of the parents of His Serene Highness in St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
The second measured icon is a gift by the Knights of the Russian Imperial and Royal Orders. The tradition of painting measured icons (icons of the heavenly patron of the newly baptized, “written” to the same height as the newborn) developed during the reign of the House of Rurikovich and was inherited by the first rulers of the House of Romanoff. After the reign of Peter I the Great, however, the custom of painting measured icons largely disappeared. In our day, this ancient Russian Orthodox tradition has been revived.
After the presentation of the icons, a festive meal was held in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral for all those present.
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His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich was born in Moscow on 21 October 2022.
This happy occasion in the Imperial Family is the first to take place in Russia after the 1917 Revolution.
