On May 22, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin led the ceremony of awarding state awards of the Russian Federation in the Catherine Hall of the Moscow Kremlin.
Among the awardees are Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the mother of 12 children, M.E. Ilyashenko (wife of Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko, rector of the Church of the All—Merciful Savior. Skorbyashensky Monastery in Moscow) and the mother of 11 children, I.V. Ilyashenko (wife of Priest Philip Ilyashenko, cleric of the patriarchal Compound at the Church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir of Moscow State University and St. Tikhon's University, Vice-rector for Social and Missionary Work at St. Tikhon's Orthodox University for the Humanities).
For his great contribution to the realization of national tasks and the strengthening of spiritual traditions, Metropolitan Clement was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
"I would like to thank you for this high award, and to congratulate you on your holiday — today is St. Nicholas Memorial Day. And yet we continue the Easter days. Christ is Risen! Russian Russian Orthodox Church wishes you God's help and expresses special gratitude for the fact that you preserve our Fatherland, protect it, protect Russian traditional culture, Russian spirituality, the Russian language and address your word especially to the youth," said Bishop Kliment, addressing the President after the award ceremony.
"We recently celebrated the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. This is a good lesson for our young Russians and those who live outside of Russia and belong to the Russian world — to remember the feat of our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers for them, to learn to love, defend their Homeland, love their culture, and love the spiritual foundations that underpin our statehood and our entire lives. Thank you. Christ is Risen!" the bishop added.
M.E. Ilyashenko and I.V. Ilyashenko were awarded the title of "Mother Heroine" for their great achievements in strengthening the institution of family and parenting.
Before presenting the awards, Vladimir Putin, in particular, said: "Maria Evgenyevna Ilyashenko and Irina Valeryevna Ilyashenko are with us today. They represent different generations of a large family with many children. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law devoted themselves to raising children, and each rightfully earned the title of "Mother Heroine."