The Moscow Kremlin Museums held the 32nd International Christmas Educational Readings

The 26th session of the section “Ecclesiastical Antiquities” during the 32nd International Educational Readings
Morning session of the section “Ecclesiastical Antiquities” of the 32nd International Educational Readings
Morning session of the section “Ecclesiastical Antiquities” of the 32nd International Educational Readings
Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Moscow Kremlin Museums A. L. Batalov and Vicar of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Abbot of the Solovetsky Monastery of the Resurrection of Saviour, Director of the State Historical Architectural and Natural Museum-Site of the Solovky, and Honorary Chairman of the session Porphury Ozersky
Morning session of the section “Ecclesiastical Antiquities” of the 32nd International Educational Readings
Vicar of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Abbot of the Solovetsky Monastery of the Resurrection of Saviour, Director of the State Historical Architectural and Natural Museum-Site of the Solovky, and Honorary Chairman of the session Porphury Ozersky
V. P. Grebenyuk, DLitt , Head of the Humanities Department of the Russian Foundation of Fundamental Research
Participants of the Educational Readings
Participants of the Educational Readings
T. V. Atamuratova with a report “Monasteries within the Kremlin Walls, Membership and Household: from Secularization to Revolution”
Yu. M. Zybalov with a report “The 17th-century Icon ‘Saint Tsars Constantine and Helena, Equal to the Apostles, with Saints on the Margins’ from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums”
Archpriest Nilolay Skurat,
Cleric of the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Moscow, Docent and Secretary of the Scientific Council of the Sretensky Ecclesiastical Academy, with a report “Church of the Annunciation at the Zhytnyi Yard of the Moscow Kremlin”
N. A. Pavlova with a report “Funeral Satin Bands from the Burials of the Resurrection Cathedral”
N. A. Smirnova with a report “The Preserved Heritage of a Vanished Cenoby. Liturgical Vestments from the Sacristy of the Crysostom Monastery in Moscow in the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums”
M. Yu. Gorkova with a report “The Preserved Heritage: the 17th-century Liturgical Vestments from the Crysostom Monastery in Moscow in the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums”
M. G. Rakitina with a report “Tsarina Eudoxia Lukyanovna and the Commemoration of the Royal Ancestors”
Yu. N. Buzikina with a report “Fresco ‘The Vision of St Gregory the Theologian” in the system of wall-paintings in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin”
A. G. Barkov with a report “New Findings of Ancient Wall-Paintings in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin”
T. V. Zhitkova with a report “The 17th-century Icon in Cover ‘Christ the Pantocrator’ from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums”
I. A. Sterligova with a report “The Lost Panagias of the Patriarch’s Sacristy”
S. V. Zverev with a report “The Indication of a Divine Origin of the Russian Monarchs’ Power on the Coins of the 16th-20th Centuries”
I. G. Sharkov with a report “Eulogia of the Holy Land and the Mount Athos, Brought to the Don in the 19th-early 20th century: History of Veneration and Artistic Value”
Conservator of cultural and historical monuments at the Shakhtinskaya Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, active member of the International Public Organisation “Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society”, secretary of the Rostov department of Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society
L. A. Shchennikova and D. S. Pershin with a report “The 16th-century Icon ‘St John the Baptist’ from the Entry into Jerusalem Side Chapel of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin”
I. A . Maslennikova with a report “The Icon ‘Dormition of the Virgin, with Life Scenes’ from the Veneration Tier of the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Questions on the Dating, Authorship and Origin”
M. K. Pavlovich with a report “On the History of the Church of ‘St John Climacus under the Bells’ in 1812- late 1920s"
M. V. Vilkova with a report “The Heritage of the Childless Boyars Morozovs – Lost Gravestones and Preserved Relics”
Participants of the Readings on a Guided Tour round the Moscow Kremlin Museums

On 25-26 January 2024, the Cross Chamber of the Patriarch’s Palace hosted the 26^th session of the section “Ecclesiastical Antiquities” of the 32nd International Educational Readings. The theme of this year is “The Orthodox and National Culture: Losses and Acquirements of the Past, Image of the Future”.

Deputy Director for the Scientific Work of the Moscow Kremlin Museums A. L. Batalov, Vicar of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Abbot of the Solovetsky Monastery of the Resurrection of Saviour, Director of the State Historical Architectural and Natural Museum-Site of the Solovky, and honorary chairman of the session Porphury Ozersky and V. P. Grebenyuk, DLitt, Head of the Humanities Department of the Russian Foundation of Fundamental Research addressed the audience with a welcoming speech.

Losses and acquirements are part of the history of each state and each city in the Middle Ages. Losses can be natural – due to the invasions and fires. The evidence of the art pieces that had been lost was preserved either in charters of grand princes and tsars or in other acts. There are also artificial losses – those, programmed by the struggle of the present against the undesirable or ideologically extraneous past,” said A. L. Batalov regarding the theme of the conference.

“Our section is dealing with the research of the art pieces. Philosophers say that there are three levels of existence: object, subject and existence of the works of culture. The last one is related to the authorship. Of course, it is hardly possible to reveal the masterpiece without understanding the author’s intention, his inner world, which is reflected in the item. Only in case we manage to get into this world, the art piece will uncover itself to us,” Archbishop noted.

V. P. Grebenyuk underlines that a lot of churches were built from the moment of return, and Russian scientists started active studies of the church culture and spiritual heritage, leaving Europe far behind.

Members of the staff of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, State Tretyakov Gallery, State Research Institute for Restoration, Central Andrey Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art, representatives of the Church-scientific Centre “The Orthodox Encyclopedia”, and Sretensky Ecclesiastical Academy spoke at the conference.

The conference finished with a guided tour around the Armoury Chamber and the architectural ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin for the participants of the conference.