New monument to Russian empress unveiled
A monument to Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna was unveiled on Saturday in the village of Usovo, just outside Moscow, in a ceremony marking the bicentennial anniversary of her birth.
The monument, which depicts her alongside her two youngest children, Grand Dukes Sergey and Paul, was installed on the premises of Ilyinskoye-Usovo, the Romanov family imperial estate, which the empress used to own.
The estate partially survived the collapse of the Russian Empire and the turbulent 20th century, and was eventually turned into a museum.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by senior officials, scientists, and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monument was sanctified by Foma, the bishop of Odintsovo and Krasnogorsk.
“It is very nice that we are trying to preserve everything that is connected with our history, our culture, traditions and heritage,” the governor of Moscow Region, Andrey Vorobyev, said during the ceremony.
Born Princess Wilhelmine Marie of Hesse and by Rhine, Maria Alexandrovna, was the spouse of Russian Emperor Alexander II and the mother of his successor, Alexander III. Known for her ardent support of humanitarian causes, she was among the founders of the Russian Red Cross Society and also advanced public education in Russia, establishing, among other things, a primary school for peasant children at her estate.
