Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
Western European Diocese

8 avenue Douglas Haig
Versailles (S. et O.)

7 April 1960
No 804 / 248
Bright Wednesday

Decree to the Clergy of the Diocese

Today at approximately 3.00 pm THE GRAND DUCHESS KSENIYA ALEKSANDROVNA PASSED AWAY in England.

Born on the Feast of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Mother of God, she was a pledge of well-being and joy for the family of the Great Russian Tsar Alexander III the Peace-Maker and, together with them, for the whole of Russia.

Deeply pious and close to the spirit of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, she bore the trials that fell to her lot after the collapse of the Russian Empire with strong faith and hope in God, suffering in her soul for Her ardently loved Homeland and the whole Russian people, firmly believing in their coming rebirth through the Orthodox Church.

Preparing herself for her repose she partook of the Holy Mysteries every day during the illness that preceded it and she offered up her soul to God in the Radiant Days of Easter Week , leaving behind her the memory of a devout Russian Princess.

Calling on all the clergy to commemorate her at every liturgy until Pentecost, we offer up prayers for her repose.

Archbishop John

(Notice the use of the term ‘Tsar-Martyr’ 21 years before his glorification and also the prophecy that Rus will be reborn through the Church. The Russian original of this prophetic decree, signed and stamped by Archbishop John, is to be found with other decrees and relics of St John in his church in Colchester, England).