THREE DAYS OF COMMEMORATION ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT
From Friday 6th to Sunday 8th July 2018 the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov Society organised a very full programme of events on the Isle of Wight. The co-organisers were East Cowes Town and Barton Manor. These events were designed to commemorate the martyrdom of the last Russian Imperial Family and the Grand Duchess herself which took place almost exactly a century earlier.
The Island was chosen because of the presence of the former Royal residence Osborne House, which was visited several times by Elizabeth and her sister the Empress, and because of the solemn State Visit of the Imperial Family to Cowes by sea in 1909. The latter was the last time any of the Imperial Family were to see Britain.
The centenary events commenced on Friday afternoon with the preview of the exhibition at Barton Manor. This comprised a display of over one hundred and fifty photographs illustrating events in the lives of the Emperor, the Empress and their children from their earliest years until their imprisonment in the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg. A special focus was on the connections between the Russian and British Royal Families and the two reciprocal state visits: to Reval in the Baltic in 1908 and to Cowes in 1909. Mrs Dawn Haigh-Thomas, the owner of Barton Manor and a historian, spoke about the background of these visits and the Royal gathering at Barton. David Gilchrist, a trustee of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Society, introduced the exhibition which was prepared by combined efforts of the Chairman of the Society Dr Maria Harwood and her Russian colleagues: archival specialists, historians and the designer, Alla Milanovich, whose art and skills made the photographs look perfect but still authentic. Mr Wynne-Parker, the Chairman of the British branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, spoke about the Grand Duchess Elizabeth who was Head of the Society after the assassination of her husband Grand Duke Sergei. The aim of the Society was to assist Russian pilgrims to the Holy Land and to look after the Russian properties there, one of which – The Church of St Mary Magdalen in Gethsemane – became the last resting place for the Grand Duchess herself. All the speakers noted the extent of the material presented and importance of the exhibition for understanding of Russian-British Royal links.
In addition to the photographs a collection of artefacts and relics were displayed, which included the crocheted rug made for the Tsarevich Alexis by his sisters, plates from the dinner service of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, a china Easter Egg with her monogram, a bound Gospel book which travelled together with her coffin from Alapaevsk to Jerusalem, a wimple worn by one of the Sisters of her Convent, one of the cups made to commemorate the coronation of Nicholas II and distributed in large numbers, and many other precious items, documents and original photographs which had been brought from Australia, Germany, Russia and Jerusalem.
Central to all theses treasures was the reliquary containing major relics of Saint Elizabeth and her faithful companion the nun Barbara. This reliquary accompanied us to all the services and events of the weekend. It had been brought by Mother Maria of the Orthodox Convent of Saint Elizabeth near Munich.
On Friday evening a concert was held in the East Cowes Town Hall. The concert was eloquently introduced by James Vaux, radio presenter. In the first part we were listening a gifted Bloomsbury string quartet playing pieces by Beethoven, Britten and Scriabin to pay tribute to the cultural background of Ella and Alix – and in the second, the nuns’ choir of the Saint Elizabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus, conducted by composer and choirmaster nun Yuliana (Denisova), sang a series of liturgical and spiritual works. The concert was well-attended and highly appreciated.
The following day was the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist and began early with the Divine Liturgy served in the East Cowes’ parish church of Saint James, by Bishop Irenei of Sacramento. The bishop oversees the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in Britain and was assisted by Archpriest Andrew Phillips from the Orthodox church in Colchester and Mitred Archpriest Michael Protopopov from Australia. The Minsk nuns sang the choir parts very memorably. Many Orthodox pilgrims were able to confess and receive Holy Communion.
At 11.30 on the same morning the commemorative cross was unveiled. The cross is an impressive piece of grey granite, three metres high and containing the bronze figures of the Royal Martyrs and Saint Elizabeth. The sculptor of this beautiful work, Elena Bezborova, a Moscow artist, was present.
Speeches came from representatives of the Isle of Wight authorities and the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Society. The Naval Ambassador of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Yury Melenas, and His Highness Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich, representing the Romanov Family Association, also said moving words.
Unfortunately, Her Royal Highness Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia was unable to attend due to a recent family bereavement.
The Lord Lieutenant of the County, Major General Sir Martin White, and Prince Rostislav then unveiled the monument. This was followed by a moleben (prayer service) presided over by Bishop Irenei, with more spiritual singing from the Minsk sisters. The bishop blessed the Cross with Holy Water. A concert of a local choir followed and finally the Imperial Russian and British National Anthems were played. The ceremony, led by the organiser from East Cowes, David Hill, and the Secretary of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Society, Paul Oxborrow, was attended by 200 people, many had arrived from the mainland from different parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Britain.
On Saturday afternoon a series of interesting talks were held. Father Andrew Phillips spoke about Father Nicholas Gibbes, the English tutor of the Imperial children, as “the first disciple of Tsar Nicholas II”. A lively discussion followed.
Frances Welch, author of the newly published book “The Imperial Tea Party” then spoke about visits to Britain by the Russian Imperial Family and illustrated her talk with interesting photos. David Gilchrist, one of the Society’s trustees, spoke eloquently on the meaning the Tsar’s life and showed us some fascinating photos and reconstructed film footage of Nicholas II and of life aboard the Imperial yacht “Standardt”(presented to us by the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents).
At 6pm Orthodox Vespers was served in St Mildred’s Royal church in Whippingham, where Queen Victoria once worshipped. Bishop Irenei led the service. The nuns sang. A local visitor was heard to remark that it was the most spiritual experience of his life. Members of the Society Janett and David McNeal guided people to the Lois and Victoria Mountbatten grave, HRH Prince Phillip’s grandparents. Victoria was an elder sister of Grand Duchess Elizabeth.
Sunday was the last day of our events.
The Holy Liturgy was served in the chapel at Carisbrooke Castle in the centre of the Isle of Wight. The Minsk nuns sang beautifully as before and many received Communion. The rest of the day was free for those who wanted to visit the exhibition or to see the items offered for sale by he nuns.
There was an optional conducted visit to Osborne House and in the afternoon a vivid storytelling performance by Anna Conomos at Barton Manor entitled “The Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov”. All were moved by this and especially the children.
The three-day event was brought to a close with a wonderful garden party hosted by Dawn Haigh-Thomas in the garden of her lovely home, Barton Manor.
Acknowledgements
We wish to thank the East Cowes authorities, especially the Mayor Peter Lloyd and Councillor Karl Love for their active support for the project.
Our especial thanks to Mr David Hill for his selfless work over many months to bring this entire project to reality.
We are very grateful to our sponsors: our trustee Natalia Yurova, Nikolai Orlov, Andrei Leonovich, Ludmila Ananyeva and Dmitry Lebedev.
The exhibition was made possible with the help of the Society for the Development of Historical Education “Double Headed Eagle” (Moscow).
We especially thank the owners of Barton Manor, Alex and Dawn Haigh-Thomas, who allowed us to use the buildings on their estate and who organised the opening of the exhibition.
The members of East Cowes Heritage Centre, Sarah and David Burdett, provided us with great help in preparing the exhibition room.
The Vicar of the United parishes of Whippingham and East Cowes, Rev Susan Patterson, kindly allowed us to use both churches for Orthodox worship. We are most grateful for this.
The Abbot Xavier and Guestmaster Father Nicholas of Quarr Abbey offered free accommodation to the nuns from Minsk.
