September 19, 2013
Boston, MA: Romanov 400th Anniversary Celebrations to be held at Holy Epiphany Church

With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, and New England Dean Archpriest George Larin, Holy Epiphany Church in Boston, MA will host the New England Deanery’s celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty.

On Monday, November 4, the feast day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, divine services will be led by Fr. George, in concelebration with parish rector Archpriest Victor Boldewskul and clergy from the New England region. All are invited to attend. The All-Night Vigil will be held on Sunday, November 3 at 6:00 PM; hours and Divine Liturgy on Monday morning, November 4 at 9:00 AM.

Holy Epiphany’s jubilee celebrations will conclude on Sunday, November 10, when Holy Martyr Tsarevich Alexey Parish School will perform a play honoring their patron saint and the 400th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty after Liturgy in the parish hall.

The House of Romanov ruled Russia for 304 years, beginning in 1613 with Tsar Michael Romanov. Their reign brought an end to the Time of Troubles, years of bitter civil war by false claimants to the throne, and the occupation of Russia by Poland-Lithuania. It was under the leadership of the Romanovs that St. Petersburg – a crown jewel among European cities – was founded and made the new capital, Russian borders were expanded to the Himalayas and the Pacific Ocean, and Napoleonic tyranny was crushed. Perhaps most significant for the Orthodox world at large was the reign of Tsar-Liberator Alexander II, who oversaw not only the abolition of serfdom, but the end of the Turkish yoke in Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Romania. Despite nationwide celebrations in 1913 heralding the 300th Anniversary of the Dynasty and its long service to the realm, Romanov rule ended with the Russian Revolution in 1917, with the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the subsequent martyric death of his family in 1918.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese