Ceremony on 17 July 2008 at the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg
In respectful remembrance of the tenth anniversary of the solemn reburial in St Petersburg of the victims of the massacre that took place in Yekaterinburg and of the ninetieth anniversary of the tragedy suffered by the Imperial Family and their suite, a solemn memorial service was held on 17 July 2008 at the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral.
Presiding was HH Prince Dimitri Romanov who was surrounded by close relatives and friends of the Imperial Family and a large public that had arrived from many parts of Russia as well as from abroad.
The religious service was officiated by the Most Reverend Archbishop Constantine assisted by a large group of St Petersburg's clergy.
Flanking the nave stood a detachment of Cossacks composed by descendants of the Convoy of His Majesty as well as by a unit from the school of cadets of Rostov on the Don.
The previous day the State investigators had officially announced that the genetic tests had concluded that the human remains discovered not far from the Old Koptiaki road near Yekaterinburg were indeed those of the Tsarevich Alexis Nicolaievich and of the Grand Duchess Maria Nicolaevna.
"I greeted this announcement with great joy and sense of spiritual fulfilment.
Details relating to the forthcoming burial procedure will have to be discussed by a Russian State commission and by the Moscow Patriarchate, but my relatives and I strongly believe that it is only natural for members of a family to be buried and rest in peace together" Prince Dimitri was quoted to say to the press.
