Ella's grave in Jerusalem & her relics

[LisaDavidson]

AFAIK, the Grand Duchess remains in Jerusalem.

[Ilana]

I have been to Ella's place of burial in Jerusalem.  It is in the Church of St. Mary Magdalen in Eastern Jerusalem.  From the terrace you see a wonderful view of the old city of Jerusalem.  She is in a coffin on one side of the iconostasis of the church while her attendent Barbara (Varvara) is on the other side.

The top of her coffin is clear glass and you can see her body.  Her face is covered by a lace hankerchief and her hands and feet have mits on them... but you can see the outlines of her face -- it's very, VERY spooky.

The nuns there are charming and love it when someone shows up who can tell them something about their beloved Ella.

Prince Alice of Greece and Denmark (nee Battenberg) is also there....

[BobAtchison]

Beneath the main church at Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow the nuns showed me the crypt that Grand Duchess Elizabeth had made at the time of the construction of the church for her eventual entombment.  It is exactly as it was in 1917.

I don't know what her wishes were - did she have a will or put them in writing somewhere?

It would seem to me that she would have wanted be be in the convent, although I certainly don't advocate moving her or Barbara.  I hope I will be able to visit them someday.

Bob

[Jorgesaenz]

I read somewhere that there was some document by Grand Duchess Elizabeth asking to be buried in her convent in Moscow. I can't recall now where I read about that -however, Lubov Millar ("Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia, New Martyr of the Communist yoke", New York, Nikodemos Orthodox Publication Society, 5th pr., 1999, page 131), states that in 1914 a sepulchre chapel dedicated to the Heavenly Powers and All Saints was built under the main church of the convent, and that "At the time, Elizabeth Feodorovna thought her remains would find their final resting place there. She often descended into the chapel for solitary prayer... "

[Jorgesaenz]

From Zoia Belyakova's book, "The Romanovs. The way it was", Saint Petersburg, Ego Publishers, 2000, page 105:

"... the Will & Testament of Grand Duchess Elizabeth, testifying her sole wish, was authorized by the Emperor, and dated June 4th, 1911: "I request that I be buried in a crypt... of the Church of Our Lady's Shrine which I built on my own land property, in Bolshaya Ordynka Street, Moscow, at the Community of Mercy. A special place has already been arranged, and it is known to Father Mitrophani and Mother Superior." Elizabeth specifies the feature of entombment in great detail. Her Will ended with a request that wreathes should not be lain on the tomb, nor on the catafalque, nor on her grave. instead, the money would be better used if offered for the Community's needs."

[BobAtchison]

Well, that closes the question for me - thanks!

Bob

[Jorgesaenz]

I didn't say I had seen the primary source document. Just quoted from Belyakova's book. She quotes as a source for the Grand Duchess testament the Russian Government Historical Archives in Saint Petersburg.  

[LisaDavidson]

Rodger:

I do not care for your tone. I think it's fine for you to question someone's sources, but the way you do it is offensive to me and perhaps others.

Mr. Saenz is sincerely interested in the Romanovs and I think you owe him an apology.

[Robert_Hall]

Rodger, I must agree with Lisa. It seems you are mocking sincere posts. While yours are full of sarcasm & obscure dna reports. Must of us on this discussion board have no idea how to read such things, while you keep pushing the stuff.
Honest opinion is fine- I have my own at dis-agreement with the consensus, but I do respect the others.
You do indeed owe an apology, especially on this weekend.
Cheers,
Robert

[Janet Whitcomb]

Sorry, Rodger, you are super, but this time I also agree with Lisa.  We do like to kid around on this site, but in this case Mr. Saenz is citing his reference and does sound sincere. And not to put words into the mouths of others, but Ella herself would undoubtedly prefer a more welcome approach,  especially at this time of year.  

Okay, everyone--Happy Passover! Happy Easter!  And as we appreciate how comparatively lucky all of us are at this time, perhaps it would be a good idea to say some prayers on behalf of those whose lives are in jeopardy.

[Louise]

Speaking of Ella. I have been looking  for any article on line that had the Prince of Wales dedicate a memorial for Ella. For the life of me I can't remember where the dedication was. St Paul's Cathedral or Westminister Abbey?

Happy Easter.

Louise

[Janet_Ashton]

Speaking of Ella. I have been looking  for any article on line that had the Prince of Wales dedicate a memorial for Ella. For the life of me I can't remember where the dedication was. St Paul's Cathedral or Westminister Abbey?

Happy Easter.

Louise

It was Westminster Abbey. Same to you :-)

Janet

[Janet_Ashton]

It was Westminster Abbey. Janet

As an addendum to this....though I think it was actually Prince Philip rather than Prince Charles who was present at the unveiling of the statue on the West Front of the Abbey, Charles recently commissioned a piece of music from John Taverner called "Elizaeth, full of grace" which it seems is dedicated to both his grandmother and to Ellla.

Janet

[Namarolf]

A theological question, may be out of ignorance.... I believed England's church didn't approved "statues" of saints and the Orthodox church only accepted icons -so how come they have that statue in Westminster's abbey? Or was it just placed there the same way they could have placed Mother Theresa or Mahatma Gandhi -i. e., not as religious character but for what she did for people?

[BobAtchison]

Charles has a personal, spiritual devotion to Elisabeth (I hope someday he will feel the same about Alix).  It is said that Phillip has returned to his Orthodox roots.

Bob