CANADIAN DIOCESE: November 28, 2017
Our Lady of Smolensk Parish Hosts a Concert in Memory of the Royal Family

A benefit concert titled “100 Years Ago,” dedicated to the memory of the Holy Royal Passion-bearers was held in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday, November 26, 2017. Performing were artists from Russia, Canada, Mexico, Italy and the USA: opera singers Larisa Skrinskaya, Cesar Bello, Ernesto Ramirez and Sergei Martseniuk; conductor William Shookhoff and the renowned bayan-player Alexander Sevastian. “God Save the Tsar,” the Russian hymn from 1833-1917, opened the event. Several letters and journal entries from Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra were read.

Classics works by Russians in the Fatherland and abroad were performed. Attending were not only emigres from Russia and the CIS, but members of the Monarchist League of Canada and native Canadians. Of note were Russian Consul General Kirill Mikhailov and his wife, and First Secretary of the Russian Embassy to Canada, Mikhail Tolchenov and his wife.

Proceeds from the concert are to benefit the construction of a memorial chapel to the August Passion-Bearers: Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexei, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. The parish of Our Lady of Smolensk in Jackson Point, ON, and its Rector, Priest Maxim Abroskin, took the initiative to build the chapel. His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada consecrated the foundation, located next to the parish church, on August 6, 2017.

Construction is expected to be completed by July 17, 2018, when the Russian Orthodox Church will mark the sad anniversary, the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Royal Family.

Fr Maxim thanked the Consul General and all the performers for their contribution to the future memorial to Russian history in Canada.