“Please accept the expression of my deep devotion”: letters of archpriest Georgy Grabbe to Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich (1948–1959)
Abstract
This paper makes public the letters of archpriest Georgy Grabbe (later bishop Grigory 1902–1995), the long-term ruler of the Synodal offi ce of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. The letters are addressed to Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, who in 1938 assumed the duties of the head of the Russian imperial house. The authorities of the Russian Church Abroad were playing with the idea of a monarchy, but they did not dare to directly support any of the branches of Romanov dynasty. In this regard, the correspondence of archpriest George, who was a supporter of Vladimir Kirillovich, is of great interest. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the bias of the author of these letters. Thus, archpriest George explains in his own way the reasons why the Russian Church Abroad did not introduce the commemoration of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich in the churches of Russian emigration. Archpriest George Grabbe also writes about the reasons why the Russian Church Abroad cannot take the initiative to proclaim Vladimir Kirillovich Emperor. It contains important information about the attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to the morganatic marriage of Grand Duke with Leonida Georgievna Bagration-Mukhranskaya. Several documents deal with the problems of Russian refugees after World War II, the problems of the fl ock and parishes, which Vladimir Kirillovich tried to help. The letters contain information regarding the relocation of Russian refugees to South America. Many of the published materials shed light for the fi rst time on events that were not refl ected in the offi cial documents of the Russian Church Abroad.
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