The Club constantly supports foundation and development of new branches of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society, because it is the most important large-scale system-engineering project of the Russian World, the center of which is Russian Jerusalem. New branches, including Kaluga’s one, unite the Church, the authorities and the society in localities, involving them into international community of the Russian World.
At information support of the Club, in the frames of the project “The Romanovs’ Dynasty in Kaluga Land”, which is carried out with the blessing of Kliment, Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk, the actions of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society are performed during all the May. They are devoted to celebration of memorial dates: 100-year anniversary of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna presence in Kaluga Land, 130-year anniversary of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society and 400-year anniversary of the Romanovs’ House.
On May, 27, the Club took part in opening the exhibition “The Romanovs: the 400-year anniversary of serving Russia”. It is extremely important that the exhibition united the photos of simple family life of the Emperor’s family, understandable for everybody, documents from archives and modern book editions. The life of our country during two centuries is shown here. It was obvious for the guests of the exhibition that, regardless of time and social formation, we are the same people. It was pleasant not only to see a great number of young Kaluga volunteers, but also to meet a serious attitude of Orthodox youth to the future of Russia, its role in the world and their desire to contribute to the rebirth of our Motherland.
We also took part in the 4th International scientific-practical conference “At the beginning of the Russian statehood”. There we were impressed by speeches of the clergy, state structure representatives, Kaluga region governor A. D. Artamonov. All the speakers stressed that the basis of the Russian statehood is the Orthodox faith and the experience of crises overcoming, that is, the experience of returning towards the basic values of the Orthodox world outlook.
The Club also took part in opening a memorial plaque at the Kaluga city railway station. The plaque is dedicated to the arrival of the saint priest Ioann of Kronstadt in Kaluga on the 14th of May, 1895. The saint in his time belonged to the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society. It is very important for our Club that the saint priest came here as philanthropist and contributed a substantial sum of money for building the house for invalids.
After these three actions we, together with the head of the Kaluga branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society V. N. Gorokhovatsky, went to the sacred place for every Orthodox person – to the Cross constructed near the ruined St. Sergy’s monastery built by the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna in memory of her husband Sergey Alexandrovitch Romanov killed by terrorists.
Our Club is considering the possibility of erecting a one-day temple here and participating in building of a wayside inn for pilgrims and visitors to Kaluga Land. We know that the Government of the Kaluga Region is now solving the question of reconstruction the complex of St. Sergy’s monastery including the hotel for pilgrims, the invalid house and a canteen for the travellers. There also exists a joint project of the Kaluga branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society and our Club: not only to resurrect the sacred place, but also to develop it using modern technologies.
The Club Board member V. N. Zyukin said, “It is very important for us to participate in the projects that unite the Church, the authorities and the society for the benefit of all Russia. Our Club greets the development of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine society in the regions; we shall support and develop cooperation with the Society in regional branches. We see here significant perspectives and use for rebirth of great Russia.”