Mother Alexandra papers, 1883-1990

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Summary

Creators:
Marie, Queen, consort of Ferdinand I, King of Romania, 1875-1938 and Alexandra, Mother, 1909-1991
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.
Extent:
4 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 6 phonotape cassettes (2.5 Linear Feet)
Language:
In English, French, and Romanian
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Mother Alexandra papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:

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.

Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1978.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Mother Alexandra papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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