Mother Alexandra Papers

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Register of the Mother Alexandra 78054 1 papers Title: Mother Alexandra papers Date (inclusive): 1883-1990 Collection Number: 78054 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives Language of Material: In English, French, and Romanian Physical Description: 4 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 6 phonotape cassettes(2.5 Linear Feet) Abstract: Writings, correspondence, clippings, and photographs, relating to the Romanian royal family and to the Romanian Orthodox Church in the United States. Includes photocopies of correspondence of Queen Marie of Romania. Hoover Institution Library & Archives Access The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Acquisition Information Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1978. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Mother Alexandra papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Biographical/Historical Note Mother Alexandra was born in 1909 as Princess Ileana of Romania, the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie. Ileana married Archduke Anton of Austria and lived in Sonnberg, Austria. She gave birth to six children, whom she moved in 1944 to Romania. She founded a hospital there in memory of her mother, Queen Marie and worked with the war-wounded and the surrounding population until 1948, when the Romanian royal family left the country for exile. In 1961, Mother Alexandra entered her novitiate at the Monastery of the Veil in Bussy-en-Othe, France. She took orders in 1967 and was sent to the United States to found an all English-speaking monastery open to women of all ethnicities. Mother Alexandra became the first abbess of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Scope and Content of Collection The Mother Alexandra papers consists of writings, correspondence, clippings, sound recordings, and photographs, relating to the Romanian royal family and to the Romanian Orthodox Church in the United States. Includes photocopies of correspondence of Queen Marie of Romania and of the correspondence and memoir of Prince Nicholas of Romania. The Writings series documents lectures and articles given by Princess Ileana of Romania, as well as her work translating poems after taking orders as Mother Alexandra. The Correspondence series document Mother Alexandra's role as abbess, in addition to her travels as Princess Ileana and relationships with European royalty, particularly the British royal family. The scrapbooks and general file record Princess Ileana's travels in the early 1900s with her mother, Queen Marie. The bulk of the photographic file dates from Mother Alexandra's life and travels before taking orders. It includes formal portraits, landscapes and architectural prints, photographic postcards, and art reproductions. Subjects and Indexing Terms Audiotapes Romanians -- United States United States Romania -- Court and courtiers Biserica Ortodoxă Română

cassette cabinet Sound recordings Physical Description: 6.0 sound_cassettes

Mutual Broadcasting System program Viewpoint 05 April 1958 Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010412 Scope and Contents note Princess Ileana of Romania is the guest/interviewee. She talks about communism in Romania and fighting it.

onsite digital Panel recording 29 March 1960-03 April 1960 Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010413 Scope and Contents note Videotaped: March 29, 1960 Broadcast: April 3, 1960 Moderator: Ronald Wulkan Panelists: Jane Ellis Ball, Richard Larkin, Pittsburg editor, Busineswork editor TFX, Higgens, executive director, Foreign Policy Association

onsite digital Princess Ileana of Romania lecture 'Courage' 20 May 1953 Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010410 Scope and Contents note Given in Evanston, Illinois, on Wednesday, May 20, 1953.

onsite digital Princess Ileana of Romania radio broadcast 'I Saw It Happen' undated Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010399

onsite digital Princess Ileana of Romania religious lecture 'Exile' 17 May 1953-18 May 1953 Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010406 Scope and Contents note Given in Chicago, Illinois, on May 17, 1953 and Evanston, Illinois, on May 18, 1953.

onsite digital Princess Ileana of Romania talk to ETS-Wives Group undated Access Use copy reference number: 78054_a_0010395 Scope and Contents note Religious talk with question and answer session. Incomplete, missing conclusion of the talk.

Photographs 1880s-1937, undated

box 4, folder 1 Envelope A: 72 prints depicting King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania and their children, before and right after World War I, including prints of King Alexander of Yugoslavia, husband of Princess Marie, as well as prints of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Queen Marie's parents box 4, folder 2 Envelope B: 28 prints depicting Princess Ileana of Romania, youngest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie; her husband Anton, Archduke of Austria and their children; her sisters and friends, as well as prints depicting Princess Ileana speaking in Munich for Radio Free Europe (with prints of the Iron Curtain) box 4, folder 3 Envelope C: 17 prints depicting Reverend Mother Abbess Alexandra, former Princess Ileana of Romania, Superioress of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania

box 4, folder 4 Envelope D: 22 prints relating to the 1906 Exhibition in Bucharest commemorating 40 years of King Carol I reign; the 10 years festivities of Greater Romania in 1929; the coronation ceremony of King George VI and Queen Elisabeth of Great Britain in the Abbey of Westminster, May 12, 1937 box 4, folder 5 Envelope E: 42 prints and postcards of the royal castles of Bran, Balcic (with prints of Queen Marie), and Sinaia; the Cotroceni Palace in Bucarest and the property of Copaceni box 4, folder 6 Envelope F: 27 prints relating to Queen Marie's visit to Morocco in 1933 and 26 postcards of the turn of the century depicting Bucharest and Romanian countryside and folklore 1933 box 4, folder 7 Envelope mG: 1 print of Queen Elizabeth of Romania; 1 print of Laszlo's portrait of Queen Marie; 5 prints of Princess Helen and her son, King Michael box 2 Envelope mH: 2 prints of Queen Marie box 4, folder 8 Dora M. 1929 box 4, folder 9-10 Unidentified portraits 1920, undated box 4 Identity cards 1926, 1940 Scope and Contents Includes formal portraits and landscapes.

box 4 Postcards: art reproductions undated box 5 Postcards: landscapes and architecture undated box 5 Postcards: portraits undated box 5 Cartes de visite undated box 5 Cabinet portraits undated box 5 Portraits undated box 5 Landscapes undated box 5 Abbaye Royale d'Hautecombe undated box 5 Nice and Bucharest 1929 box 5 Unidentified landscapes and buildings undated Correspondence 1883-1982

box 1, folder 1-13 Correspondence 1952-1977 box 1, Christmas cards from royalty 1965-1982 folder 14-15 box 3, folder 1 Family correspondence 1959-1973 box 3, folder 2 Mother Eudoxia, Abbess of the Russian Convent at Bussy, France 1970-1974 box 3, folder 3 Alleluyeva, Svetlana (Stalin's daughter) 1969-1973 box 3, folder 4 Mackworton-Young, Robert 1968-1971 box 3, folder 5 Queen Marie's correspondence 1883-1936 box 3, folder 6-7 Prince Nicholas of Romania, correspondence and papers 1963-1980 Scope and Contents Includes copy of his memoir.

Writings 1953-1985

box 3, folder 8 On the Orthodox Church 1957 box 3, folder 9 Lectures - Religious 1953-1956 box 3, folder 10 On Queen Marie 1970-1973, undated box 3, folder 11 Poems from Communist Prisons, collected by Zahu Pană, translated by Mother Alexandra 1985 General file 1920-1991

box 3, folder 12 Documents of Importance 1931-1975 box 3, folder 13 Funeral of King Alexander of Yugoslavia 1934 box 3, folder 14 Miscellany 1920, 1938, undated box 3, folder 15 Will 1990 May 9 box 3, folder 16 "Life Transfigured:" Special Issue in Memory of Mother Alexandra 1991

Scrapbooks

box 2 Proceedings: Address of Princess Ileana of the Fortnightly Club 1956 December 4 box 2 Clippings relating to the death of Ferdinand I of Romania 1927 box 2 2 scrapbooks of clippings relating to Queen Marie of Romania's visit to the United States 1926 box 2 Clippings relating to the Romanian royal family 1930-1959 box 2 Clippings relating to the Romanian royal family 1926-1957