Today, on June 11, is memorial day of outstanding Russian saint, who saved thousands of people during lifetime and is now saving our souls. Prominent scholar and lexicographer, who left rich highly artistic scientific and spiritual heritage
Saint Luke (in secular life Valentin Felixovich Boino-Yasenetsky) was born in 1877 in Kerch in noble family of Polish origin. He had graduated from medical faculty of Kiev university. Doctor of medicine, surgeon, specialist in purulent surgery. He had four children and having become a widower, he entered the Church.
Even in his secular life, the Saint spoke with scientific refutation of materialism and atheism. For his views he had been arrested three times, was exiled, but onced after meeting with I.Stalin his disturb was stopped. Despite the vicissitudes of life, St.Luke didn’t interrupt service to God and people, he healed and preached Orthodoxy in all conditions.
At the beginning of war in 1941, bishop Luke being in exile in Krasnoyarsk wired Kalinin (official of that time): «Please, let me unterrupt my exile and send me to hospital. After the war I’m ready to get back here». In hospital evacuated in Krasnoyarsk the saint worked 9-10 hours daily, making up to 5 complex operations each day. Treatment he combined with the Bishop’s mission.
In 1943 he became constant member of permanent Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, in 1946 – Archbishop Crimean and Simferopol. In 1995 he was caninized by Crimean Diocese, and in 2000 he was acknowledged as saint all over Russia. In 1945 he was partially appreciated by the authorities: he received medal «For valiant labor in the great Patriotic war» and « Stalin prize of the 1st degree for outstanding achievements in medicine”.
St.Luke peacefully laid to rest on May 29, 1961 (June 11 by new style), his tomb became place of healing and pilgrimage.
«Sketches of purulent surgery» 1934
«Spirit, soul and body» 1944
Source
Endocrinology health. Neumyvakin I.P., Neumyvakina L.S. – St-Petersburg, Dilya Publishing House, 2015
History of Russia. 1917-2004: textbook for University students / A.S.Barsenkov, A.I.Vdovin. – Moscow, Aspect Press, 2006.
Pravoslavie.ru, http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/54169.htm
