On March 22nd, 2012, the Hermitage Theatre hosted a Ceremonial session of the Saint Petersburg branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, dedicated to the 130-year anniversary of its founding.
S.V. Stepashin, the Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society and Chairman of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Y.A. Grachev, Deputy Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, O.B. Ozerov, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and member of the board of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society participated in this session.
Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky was elected Chairman of the Saint Petersburg branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.
Yevgeny Ilyich Zelenev, the Dean of the Department of Oriental Studies of Saint Petersburg State University was elected Deputy Chairman of the Saint Petersburg branch.
An exhibit event entitled The Hermitage and the Holy Land was opened in the foyer of the Hermitage Theatre especially for this occasion.