June 11/May 29 – memory of St. Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea, Confessor.translated

Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky, 1877–1961, Crimea) – Archbishop of Simferopol, an outstanding surgeon, a world-famous scientist.

Saint Luke (in the world Valentin Feliksovich Voino-Yasenetsky) for many years worked as a zemstvo doctor in various parts of Russia - from the south to the extreme points in the north of the country. In the midst of anti-religious propaganda, a professor, chief physician of a large hospital in Tashkent, and a surgeon takes holy orders. “When I saw the blasphemous carnivals and mockery of our Lord Jesus Christ, my heart screamed loudly: “I cannot remain silent!” And I felt that it was my duty to defend the insulted Our Savior with preaching and praise His immeasurable mercy for the human race,” he recalled. In 1923, Father Valentin (Voino-Yasenetsky) took monastic vows with the name Luke and was He was ordained a bishop. He went through camps for professing the Orthodox faith, took part in the Great Patriotic War, and in 1946 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop and was awarded the right to wear a diamond cross on his hood.

After graduating from high school, eighteen-year-old Valentin was given the New Testament. This is how the saint remembers this:...