The Closing of the Exhibition of the Moscow Novodevichy Monastery “The Great Russian Northern Route: The Golden Thread of Centuries” took place in Paris

DECR Communication Service, 06.03.2026.

On February 28, 2026, a solemn closing ceremony was held in Paris for the exhibition “The Great Russian Northern Route: The Golden Thread of Centuries,” dedicated to unique Russian UNESCO World Heritage sites located along the Great Russian Northern Route.

The exhibition had been held since January 16 in the halls of the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, and was timed to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Novodevichy Stavropegial Convent in Moscow.

At the closing ceremony, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Russia to UNESCO, R.Zh. Alyautdinov, delivered an address. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Paris, the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris, and the Novodevichy Monastery for the preparation and realization of this unique exhibition.

R.Zh. Alyautdinov noted that the Novodevichy Monastery was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004, and in 2024 marked the 500th anniversary of its founding. This date was included in the UNESCO calendar of commemorative dates for 2024–2025.

“I would like to wish that this exhibition continues its journey abroad, introducing foreigners to the richness of Russian culture,” R.Zh. Alyautdinov said in conclusion.

In her response, the abbess of the Novodevichy Monastery, Abbess Margarita (Feoktistova), expressed deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Ambassador of Russia to France A.Yu. Meshkov, R.Zh. Alyautdinov, the head of the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris A.I. Kotlova, and the clergy of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Paris for their assistance and support in preparing and holding the exhibition.

Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to become acquainted with Russian UNESCO World Heritage sites, churches, monasteries, and national parks. The exhibition was also dedicated to people of creative professions living in twelve Russian regions located along the route of the “Great Russian Northern Route,” reports Patriarchia.ru with reference to information from the website of the Novodevichy Monastery.

The exhibition featured unique works by the gold-embroidering sisters of the Novodevichy Monastery - objects of church art recreated from models preserved in Russian state museums, which had previously belonged to the Novodevichy Monastery and were made by the monastery’s gold embroiderers in the workshops of Tsarina Irina Godunova.

On February 27, Abbess Margarita (Feoktistova) was received at his residence by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to France, A.Yu. Meshkov. The Ambassador noted the positive resonance of the exhibition and proposed to continue work in the field of cultural initiatives, within which it would be possible to develop a concept for the implementation of joint church-state projects in France aimed at popularizing the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of Russia. The draft concept is planned to be submitted to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for consideration and approval.

Abbess Margarita conveyed to A.Yu. Meshkov her gratitude for his personal contribution to the realization of the exhibition “The Great Russian Northern Route” in Paris.

In turn, A.Yu. Meshkov expressed deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for supporting the unique project held at the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris and other spiritual initiatives carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church and the Embassy in France.

Photo: website of the Novodevichy Monastery