North America’s first chapel-monument to Royal Martyrs to open in Canada in September

Parishioners of the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) in Ontario have been hard at work erecting a monument to Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II and his holy family.

The parish in Jackson’s Point, a summer resort harbor in the township of Georgina, on Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto, is currently planning to open the chapel-memorial to the Royal Martyrs in September, in this year of the 100th anniversary of their execution, reports the parish website.

It will be the first such monument in North America.

His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada visited the Church of the Smolensk Icon on Sunday, taking part in the procession in honor of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. During his visit he also consecrated a new dome and cross and an icon of the Royal Martyrs for the chapel, currently under construction.     

The initiative of parish rector Fr. Maxim (Abroskin) to build the chapel was supported by hisparishioners and the Orthodox of the Greater Toronto area, and they began raising funds a year ago. The foundation stone was consecrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, in August of last year.

Parishioners have undertaken the building of the chapel on their own, and the dome was delivered from Russia. A large, 6-ft high icon of the Royal Martyrs was painted in America, and the kiot for the icon was made by a cabinetmaker parishioner of the Smolensk Icon Church.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia also consecrated a Church of the Royal Passion-Bearers in Alapaevsk, where the Grand Duchess Elizabeth was martyred, during the 100th anniversary celebrations from July 14 to 17.

Another church was consecrated in their honor in Dnipro, Ukraine, just yesterday.

A new monument to the holy Royal Martyrs was also consecrated in time for their 100th anniversary on the grounds of St. Seraphim’s Cathedral in Kirov, Russia, 600 miles northwest of Moscow. Meanwhile, a memorial cross in honor of the Royal Martyrs was opened on the other side of the world, on the Isle of Wight.

Source: Orthochristian.com