The first wedding of a descendant of the royal dynasty in more than a hundred years will take place on October 1. The church blessing of the marriage will take place in St. Isaac's Cathedral. NEVSKIE NEWS found out how much the ceremony costs and who can repeat it.
A native of Spanish Madrid, a descendant of the Romanov dynasty, Georgiy Mikhailovich will marry Italian Rebecca Bettarini in St. Petersburg. The ceremony will take place in St. Isaac's Cathedral on October 1, 2022; the couple previously got married in Moscow. The choice in favor of the Northern capital was not made by chance: traditionally, the city on the Neva is very close to the Imperial family and since ancient times has been considered the cultural alma mater of our Fatherland.
- Fine. This is a completely hypothetical situation. In the early - mid-nineties, there was quite a lot of talk here, among experts, about the possibility of restoring the monarchy and what role it could play in Russia. If we imagine such a situation theoretically... What role could the institution of monarchy play in Russia?
— First of all, we need to remember that only the Russians themselves can decide what our state will be like.
- Of course.
— Today, the main issue is ensuring the continuity of culture and history, charitable deeds that already existed. We must remember the House of Romanov, which had extensive experience in charitable affairs. We are returning to such traditions, and these are points where we can help Russia, our homeland, where we can try to be useful. And everything else is the decision of the Russians.
— About charitable activities. This is the Rus Foundation, this is a children's hospice, this is the cancer research fund you established. What is the volume of work in these areas, what are the specific results?
— Specific results? During the pandemic, the Rus food fund, where I head the governing board, opened four new branches in the regions of Russia - in Pskov, Chelyabinsk, Kostroma and Lipetsk. This is the first food bank.
- How is it structured, how does it work?
— We receive food from various sponsors and companies that we are constantly looking for. There are large companies like Danon and Pepsi Cola and Unilever that provide us with large quantities of food, and our volunteers distribute all this to the regions in which we already work. By the way, we will have to officially open a warehouse in St. Petersburg; due to the pandemic, we have not yet been able to, but we are already working there. We helped many families, elderly people, people who were very afraid to leave the house, who were generally in a very difficult situation. We work closely with government social services to synchronize lists of those in need.
— What about oncology and the Imperial Fund?
— We have different projects. And with a biomedical center in Luxembourg, with hospitals in Paris, an Italian hospital, which is supported by the Vatican and has a huge number of experts with whom we communicate, exchange information, do online training so that experts from Italy can teach our youth, students and doctors. A year ago, we organized a competition in St. Petersburg for young people and students, sent them to one of the American clinics to study new technologies and bring them here. We help children's hospices and do cultural and social projects. We help the children's hospice of Father Alexander Tkachenko. We see him often, he has a lot of experience. And it is a great honor for us that we help and support these initiatives. A children's hospice was recently opened in Moscow. This is important work, which I hope will spread to different regions of Russia.
— How much does your status help in the activities that you conduct in Russia?
- Interest Ask. Well, of course it helps, because people often meet with us. Suddenly, for many, the information becomes new that, it turns out, the Romanov family has not dissolved, there are living representatives. And, in principle, this is, in modern language, a trigger that will interest people in any field to get to know each other, and then this is a starting point for us to get to know people and start collaborating. And find projects together.
— Are there any bureaucratic obstacles or others that you have to face in your daily activities?
- Like everyone else, I think. The status of the Grand Duke does not help much in solving bureaucracy. That is, we are ordinary citizens here.
— In charitable activities, what social forces and public organizations do you interact and collaborate with in Russia?
— The federal program “We are together”, which started just during the pandemic. In principle, it united many social initiatives and allowed them to exchange experiences. It was precisely the volunteer assistance that was provided by the Rus Foundation to a significant extent that was increased due to this general information system of the “We Are Together” project.
In fact, such a unified information base was created. I don't think anyone lost from this.
— You met Victoria Romanovna quite a long time ago, even a very long time ago, as far as I understand?
- Yes, a very long time ago. We were friends for a long time, I saw her parents very often. Victoria Romanovna's father was the Italian ambassador in Brussels, and we both worked in the European Union. So we already had a very good, homely, family relationship. Her parents, like my mother, always supported us. Maria Vladimirovna has known Victoria Romanovna for a long time, they treat each other very well, her mother also consults with us very often, they are on the phone for an hour every day. And now, when we are preparing for the wedding, I am constantly on the phone with my mother.
Wedding sets
In addition to spiritual preparation, attention should also be paid to the external side. The sacrament will require certain attributes.
Photos of the wedding set
Here's a list of what's included in the wedding package:
- Icons: the Savior and the Mother of God. They are selected in the same style. A wedding pair of icons becomes a family amulet for many years , carefully stored and passed on from parents to children.
- Wedding rings are a symbol of eternal love. They must be given to the priest in advance so that he can consecrate them.
Gold ring, SL (price on link)
- Candles that the newlyweds hold in their hands throughout the ceremony.
- The towel on which the newlyweds stand remains in the church after the ceremony. It should be white and symbolizes a cloud that seems to lift the couple to heaven. After all, marriages take place there.
- The union towel is a symbol of marriage, with which the priest ties the hands of the bride and groom.
- Handkerchiefs used by witnesses to hold the wedding crown over the head of the bride or groom. The crown is a symbol of God's blessing.
Photo of the wedding crown
- Handkerchiefs for candles. The candles are lit throughout the ceremony to prevent wax from dripping onto the bride’s hands and elegant dress; the candle is wrapped in a handkerchief.
- Wine (Cahors). After the Lord's Prayer, the young drink from the same cup. This symbolizes the complete unity of the spouses, their willingness to drink together all the joys and sorrows of life. After this, the priest circles the couple three times around the lectern. The circle is a symbol of eternity.
Wedding towel
Any manufacturer offering wedding accessories takes into account all the wishes of customers. The factory-produced set is high-quality, elegant and includes everything you need. However, given the exceptional importance of the event, which usually happens only once in a lifetime, it is better for the bride herself to make towels and handkerchiefs with her own hands, embroider them, putting her soul and the desire for a happy family life into every stitch. In addition, the ornament embroidered on a towel is not simple; each of its elements carries a certain meaning.
Previously, girls from an early age and before marriage prepared their dowry, sewed, embroidered
Based on the quality of the handicraft, the groom's relatives assessed the skill and talent of the future wife at the bride's show.
DIY dowry
What is the price
In addition to documents and blessings, the wedding will also require some financial expenses. From the point of view of the canons, the ritual can be performed in any temple. However, according to established tradition, weddings are not held in St. Petersburg at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. At the same time, there is no clear prohibition on weddings; all issues are resolved individually.
pixabay.com/Bairyna
Anyone can conduct a ceremony in St. Isaac's Cathedral You need to register for the wedding in the temple. The celebration of the sacrament in the very heart of the city especially attracts visitors. As the parish clarified for the publication, tourists are fascinated by the beauty of St. Isaac's, which is why couples choose it. For the ceremony you need to prepare to give 20 thousand rubles - this is the donation amount announced in the temple.
the Kazan Cathedral will cost twice as much . The sacrament is performed on certain days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, if they do not fall on holidays.
“To sign up, you need to come to our cathedral, find a religious consultant from 11 to 17, choose a date and sign up. We sign up immediately upon payment of the full cost,” temple representatives clarified.
The number of weddings in the Kazan Cathedral decreased after the start of the pandemic: the ceremony was often performed for couples from other regions. It happens that four sacraments are performed in one day, and sometimes there are none.
“Today one couple was married, they were both 70 years old, they had been married for 50 years, it was a golden wedding, they were congratulated. They had been alone all week. There is no pattern,” shared a representative of the Kazan Cathedral.
The ceremony in the Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God will cost approximately the same amount: nine thousand rubles is the amount that is announced to everyone who wants to hold the event.
Nevskie News / Anna Karpova
Another beautiful temple is located in Kronstadt. This is the Stavropegial St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral . Registration for the wedding is carried out according to the wedding calendar, the ceremony is carried out with the participation of the choir. The donation amounts to 13 thousand 100 rubles.
In the Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle on Vasilievsky Island, prices are not directly announced, but in the church shop there is a tattered, laminated price list for services. Carrying out the sacrament costs 7 thousand rubles. in the Vladimir Cathedral will cost 9 thousand rubles.
Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedral
One of the largest cathedrals in the city, it is a huge four-domed building with four white Corinthian porticoes and seats more than 3,000 people. The height of the cathedral is 80 meters, its bright blue domes decorated with stars are visible from a distance of 20 km from the city. Memorial plaques with the names of heroes of the Russian-Turkish war are mounted in the walls of the temple, and bronze statues of angels are installed in the niches.
The main shrine of the temple is the icon of the Holy Trinity, painted in the 15th century. In memory of the Russian-Turkish war, a monument “Military Glory” was erected in front of the temple, with a total height of 30 meters, with a bronze eagle at the top holding a palm wreath in its paws. It was built from the barrels of captured Turkish cannons.
This spacious and majestic temple will be a worthy place for a wedding ceremony.
