Rebirth of Tambov Eparchy orthodox traditions in the ministration period of St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky) (as exemplified in narrative materials)

We present a memories witnesses collection of the life and ministration of St. Luke – a famous scientist, renowned surgeon, doctor of medicine, professor, winner of the Stalin Prize of the first degree. The topic throughout all of the analyzed data is the significance of the personal contribution of the Bishop of Tambov St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky) to the revival of the Tambov Eparchy: the renewal of the successive tradition of the church life, the return of previously closed churches to believers, the decoration of the interior of churches, strict selections in the recruitment of cadres, innovations in church missionary ministration, preaching. At the same time, witnesses testify that the nationwide fame of the archpriest-surgeon was a response to his ministration as a surgeon-consultant for Tambov evacuation hospitals, thanks to which, many people he healed came to faith, following the high example of the archpastor. The voice of witnesses provides a detailed picture of military life, under which conditions St. Luke had to restore a destroyed eparchy. Recorded, collected together and processed oral memories, legends and testimonies about the exploits of the ministration of St. Luke in Tambov, taken as a whole, colorfully illustrate the events that are not generally accepted in official documents and studies. It is also valuable that in the current decade a lot of previously unknown evidence of the Tambov period of ministration of Archpriest Luke was discovered, among which particular interest shown in memories of direct witnesses to the saint's archpastoral exploit. We present the memories of the prior of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, an honorary citizen of the city of Tambov – archpriest Nikolai Stepanov and his wife Nina Petrovna Stepanova, whose mother, being a nurse, helped Luke in surgeries; testimonies of the famous Tambov ethnographer Valentina Andreyevna Kuchenkova, who in her childhood was brought to the Pokrovsky Cathedral for blessing. We also consider testimonies of: Roza Petrovna Sebyakina, Raisa Semyonovna Muravyova, Valentina Ilinichna Dobronravova, Tamara Ivanovna Komarova, Nina Vasilyevna Malina, Zoya Vladimirovna Illarionova, Valeria Pavlovna Bogoyavlenskaya, Lyudmila Alekseevna Taganova, Lyudmila Alekseevna Ivanova. Fragments of diary entries from 1944–1945 are published for the first time. They were written by Vyacheslav Tikhonovich Grozdov, son of the famous Tambov surgeon, Tikhon Mitrofanovich Grozdov. Thanks to the acquaintance and communication with daughter of V.T. Grozdov – Marina Vyacheslavovna Ganieva, there is an opportunity to study these diaries by museum specialists, who take an active part in the creation of the house-museum of St. Luke in the city of Tambov. All surviving memories and witness accounts of the earthly exploits of the ministration of St. Luke are a living chronicle, preserving the sincere memory of a kind, merciful archpastor – healer of suffering people. 

St. Luke, Tambov Eparchy, World War II, archpriest, memories, witnesses, diaries, evacuation hospital, ministration