Foundation of Chapel of Tsarevich Alexei in Peterhof

 The foundation of the Chapel of Holy Royal Martyr Tsarevich Alexei was laid on December 12 in the Znamenka estate in Peterhof. Rector of the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostles Archpriest Alexy Koltsov placed the foundation stone, reports the Voda Zhivaya(Living Water) information agency.

The prayers for the foundation of a chapel, which will be read with the blessing of the Church hierarchy, is still to take place, but due to oncoming winter the construction is going quickly, and the walls have begun to be filled.

This is a rare case when a chapel is being built at the initiative of the people. Many anonymous people have contributed to this work by their fervent prayers to God and their care. This site is very symbolical for the people: over the last ten years, the Cross procession, which lasts for many days, has come to this destination with an icon of Tsarevich Alexei from Tsarskoye Selo. Other Cross processions through Russia, including sea processions, visited this place as well.

The Nizhnyaya Dacha, where the tsarevich was born, is currently not accessible for the celebration of services: it is situated on the territory of the State Peterhof Museum Reserve. There are also the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, where Tsarevich Alexei was baptized, the Church of Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, and the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord there. No services are held in all these churches, though two of them are absolutely ready for services. The policy of the State Museum Reserve is such: "There are and will be no church services". That is why it was necessary to look for an opportunity to perform services as near to the birthplace of the Holy Royal Martyr as possible—the intersection of Tchaikovsky Street and Nizhnyaya Road.

The chapel’s opening is scheduled for the 100th anniversary of Holy Tsarevich Alexei’s birth.

 Source: pravoslavie.ru