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Princess Elena Kantakouzene , nee Gorchakov.

Tamara Polyakova in a series of "Notes of a Pilgrim " tells the amazing places once more to our common homeland. She visited the Moldovan city of Attack and near the Church of St.. Archangel Michael found the resting place of Princess Elena Mikhailovna Cantacuzino , nee Gorcchakova .

Holy - Dormition Monastery is located near the town of attacks ( Moldova). Every day he is visited by hundreds of pilgrims. Driving through the streets of Kandy , few of them stop at the white-stone church of St.. Archangel Michael.

Once our bus made an emergency stop at the site near the temple. So I decided to explore the temple. Fresh wind blew over , open the side of the Dniester , the church stands on a hill overlooking the whole space . The architecture reminiscent of the best cathedrals of St. Petersburg. Login decorated Tuscan columns , a sweeping staircase . The facade is crowned by an icon of St.. Metrophanes Voronezh , after whom the temple was originally lit .

My attention was caught by a modest headstone and a grieving angel and the inscription : " Here lie the remains of Princess Elena Mikhailovna Kantakouzene , nee Princess Gorcchakova ( 1794 - 1854gg ) ."

The excitement and surprise came over me : is it really Princess Elena Gorchakov , whose young Alexander Pushkin dedicated humorous poem during her visit to Tsarskoye Selo ( she came to visit his brother - Lyceum Alexander Gorchakov ) ? And why her grave was in Moldova, thousands of miles from St. Petersburg? After Gorchakovs - the oldest noble family , leading from start Rurik in the 31st generation. So I decided to find out whether this is the tomb of the very Gorcchakova ?

It turned out that this is the case . Elena , indeed, one of the daughters of Prince Gorchakov , MA Brother, AM Gorchakov , a prominent Russian diplomat , the Chancellor of the Russian Empire, Commander of the Order of St.. An. Andrew.

Her life story is so impressed , I wanted to talk about it.

Young Elena Gorchakov on one of the social balls in St. Petersburg, meets a young Russian officer of Greek origin , member of the Patriotic War of 1812, Prince George Cantacuzino and falls in love with him. Cantacuzenus meets her affection and offers his hand and heart . This can be read in LN Tolstoy s novel "War and Peace ": " ... at the balls to make two marriage. Two pretty princess Gorchakovs find suitors, and got married . "

After the wedding, the young family arrived in Chisinau, in the family home Kantakouzene . In this southern edge of the princess brought love. Here, she will experience joy and profound happiness , and in consequence - the drama and sorrow. During this period, the provincial Chisinau was energetic preparations for the liberation of Greece from the Orthodox spiritual oppression of the Ottomans . Three centuries of oppression and the oppression of the foreign yoke was intolerable to the Greeks and prompted the desire to take up arms. House Kantakouzene brothers , George and Alexander , was bustling center of Greek opposition secret society " Filiki - Etheria ." One of its leaders , and was the husband of Helen - George Matveevich Kantakouzene . The Greeks collected their insurgency in Odessa, melted down from there by sea to Greece. In Bessarabia, the same process was carried out through Skulyany . June 17, 1821 Prince George Kantakouzene troops were defeated in the Battle of the River Prut . After that, the Turks began to terror against the Greeks. Measures taken by the Turkish government , not only breathing vengeance against the rebels , but also hatred against Christianity . Nobody knew no mercy , destroyed and desecrated Christian shrines , many Greeks were victims of brutal repression , even in Constantinople . But this first stage of the struggle led to the movement of all people, gave faith in the possibility of liberation from Ottoman rule.

After the defeat of the Greek uprising Kantakouzene family moved to the family estate , located in the attacks . One can imagine the heartfelt sorrow experienced young woman. She prayed for their fallen comrades , strongly supported her husband , raised her children . From the nearby town of Mogilev -Podolsky , they often came to visit their friend - Major-General Nikolai Mitrofonovich Cerkez . By the end of the life of Elena M. Mitrofanovich together with Nicholas and his family became churchwarden of a new church in the Holy Dormition Monastery (village Kalarashovka ) . Raising the Church of St.. Archangel Michael, they recalled the far northern city of Peter , the heroes of the Russian army , relatives and close friends.

This church was praying the memory of those who died for their country . Sam St.. Mitro said that " ... Gods great mercy to the fallen soldiers , many sins are forgiven them , it is a great honor rightfully rewarded ." Archbishop Mitrofan was a patriot . Being the Bishop of Voronezh , he maintained , is far nebogomolnogo , Tsar Peter I in his pursuit of a powerful navy to march on Azov to the decisive battles against the Ottomans . In 1711, Peter the Great , in preparation for the Prut campaign , is a military camp on the left bank of the Dniester River , opposite

Soroca fortress. And who knows, perhaps, at this stage of the struggle against the Turks Russian Emperor asked his " beloved elder" care and admonition .

Providence of God knows no time , no territorial boundaries. On the right bank of the Dniester River and still stands the church of St. . Metrophanes Voronezh . And coming to church, we Orthodox Christians unite in prayer for a family , children, the strengthening and preservation of the Orthodox faith , for their country .

If you re ever in the attacks , be sure to visit the church of St.. Arch. Michael , you will open ogradku , bow in prayer and remember this amazing woman , Princess Elena Mikhailovna Kantakouzene . It was a selfless and vibrant Russian woman . The most important motivation in her life was always - Love, Faith , Fatherland , marriage and maternal duty.

P.S. Cantacuzino - Byzantine noble family since the 11th century . Special influence acquired in the 15th century , when the Emperor John VI was Cantacuzenus . He handed the Vatopedi Monastery Christian shrine - Belt of the Virgin. Most of the Cantacuzino last century belonged to the military aristocracy . Bessarabian branch begins with Matvei Kantakouzene .

It is a pity that this part of history today expunged from the history books .