MOSCOW: June 13, 2007
The 40 th Day of the Repose of Mstislav Rostropovich is Marked in the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Krylatsk

On June 5, 2007, prayers were made for the restful repose of servant of God Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich during Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Krylatsk. This was the 40 th day after the death of the great Russian musician. His daughters, relatives and friends were in attendance. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov of Moscow, Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov, Chief Physician Gennady Onischenko and other political and cultural figures also came to honor Rostropovich.

It is noteworthy that it was the fortieth day after his death that the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in this new church, performed by priests of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia—Protopriest Victor Potapov of Washington, DC, and Priest Viktor Zozulej (Frankfurt, Germany). Forced to flee his homeland during the communist era, Mstislav Leopoldovich keenly suffered the division between the two parts of the Russian Church.

At the conclusion of Liturgy, a moleben was performed, and an icon of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco containing a portion of his relics was blessed. The icon was a gift from Fr Victor, Rector of St John the Baptist Cathedral in the US capital, which was established by St John himself.

After the moleben, the clergymen, relatives and guests went to Novodevichy Cemetery, where the musician was buried. A pannikhida was then served over his grave.