A Word about Archbishop Demetrius (Sambikin)

On March 17 (meaning 1908. Note IPPO.Ru), an honorary member of the Society (since 1892. Note IPPO.Ru) Dimitri (Sambikin), Archbishop of Kazan, died of lobar pneumonia. A native of the Voronezh diocese, who completed his theological education at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy with a master's degree in theology, due to a painful health condition, at first he took a modest position as a librarian of a public library in his native Voronezh, and then in 1866 as a teacher at a local theological seminary and a parish priest. For his teaching abilities and fruitful literary activity, after widowhood, in 1872 he was elected rector of the Tambov Theological Seminary, with his elevation to the rank of archimandrite in 1877. In 1881, his love for his homeland drew him to serve in his native Voronezh seminary. As an exemplary teacher, rector pr. Demetrius left behind the most wonderful memory, which was reflected with particular expressiveness in the warm, deeply felt funeral tributes and numerous obituary-memoirs spoken and written after his death by his many grateful students. In 1886, St. Demetrius changed his pedagogical service to the diocesan one, being consecrated Bishop of Balakhninsky, vicar of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. Successively later occupying the chair of the Bishop of Balta, the Podolsk vicar, independent episcopal sees - Podolsk, Tver and Kazan, as a man of a bright mind, broad views, noble character, always sociably approachable, very lively, energetic, deceased and in diocesan service he enjoyed the sympathy of the clergy subordinate to him. Distinguished by the steadfastness and certainty of his convictions, which he could not and did not want to compromise, and being a skilled administrator, he at the same time gained fame for himself as a zealous man of prayer, who loved the splendor of the liturgical rite and the beauty of church churches. While still at school, having begun to study the monuments of his native antiquity, he acquired the skill and taste for literary scientific pursuits. The late archpastor achieved honorable fame for his numerous literary works on hagiology, hagiography, liturgics and historical antiquity of the dioceses where he served in his diocesan and pedagogical service. Scientific works of the arch. Demetrius's degree in hagiology earned him an honoris causa and the highest academic degree of Doctor of Church History. In his scientific research, the late archpastor devoted time to issues of Palestinian hagiology and Palestinian studies in general. Several works in this area of ​​expertise have come from his prolific pen. Willingly and with complete readiness, the Bishop carried out the instructions of the Council of the Society related to his scientific activities. Very weighty and favorable critical remarks of the arch. Demetrius on the Palestinian Monthly Book, which was prepared for publication by the Palestine Society, was prevented from its publication, and this monthbook remains unpublished to this day. As the chairman of the departments of those dioceses in which the late bishop served as a priest (Tver and Kazan departments of the IOPS. Note IPPO.Ru), he left behind a grateful memory. Distinguished by his lively responsiveness and energetic, fruitful activity aimed at satisfying the various urgent needs of the Society, he zealously contributed to the achievement of the good goals that it pursues. Society will never forget the extremely sympathetic response of the Bishop on the significant day of his 25th anniversary, celebrated on May 21, 1907. Archbishop Dimitri of Kazan not only brightly celebrated this celebration in the Kazan Department, but published a special collection on Palestine studies, “Jerusalem and the Holy Land,” in which a very meaningful word, “On the merits of the Palestine Society,” belongs to his prolific pen.