Blessing of a Memorial in St.Petersburg

On July 13 of this year, with the blessing of Bishop Victor of Paris and Western Europe there was a ceremony at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg. The service was the blessing of a plaque and Cross at the gravesite of the Cadets of Vladimir Academy.

What is the significance of this? This is a reminder to all Russian youth who fervently love their homeland. This is a reminder to the Russian people who in the first days of the October Revolution, stepped in to fight the godless Communists. The words on the plaque attest to this: "Here lie the cadets of the Vladimir Academy, the first to go forward in defense of their Homeland against the Communists."

The blessing was served by Hieromonk Gerasim (Shironosov), Rector of the St. Ginnadi, Archbishop of Novgorod Parish. In attendance were some 30 faithful from ROCOR as well as other local Churches.