140 years since the birth of Professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy N.N. Glubokovsky

In December 2003, a significant date was celebrated in St. Petersburg - the 140th anniversary of the birth of professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, St. Petersburg University and academician of the Sofia Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Theology Nikolai Nikanorovich Glubokovsky (1863–1937). N. N. Glubokovsky was born on December 6/19, 1863 in the village of Kichmengsky Gorodok, Vologda province, into a poor priest’s large family. At the age of two he lost his father. He received his primary education at the Kobyl parochial school (1870–1873), then studied at the Nikolsky Theological School (1873–1878), at the Vologda Theological Seminary (1878–1884) and at the Moscow Theological Academy (1884–1889), which he graduated with exceptional success and was retained as a professorial fellow in the department of general church history. His scientific studies were supervised by the famous Church historian Professor A.P. Lebedev, under whose guidance N.N. Glubokovsky wrote his master's work on Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus. In 1891, N. N. Glubokovsky presented the essay “Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Kirre” to the Academic Council of the Moscow Theological Academy and was awarded a master’s degree in theology. From 1890 he taught at the Voronezh Theological Seminary, and in 1891 he was transferred to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, to the department of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, with the rank of associate professor. In 1897, the young scientist defended his doctoral dissertation at the Moscow Theological Academy, “The Gospel of the Apostle Paul according to its origin and essence.” In 1898, N. N. Glubokovsky was elected ordinary professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. After the Academy was closed in 1918, he taught at the Petrograd Theological Institute. In 1921 he emigrated to Finland, then to Germany, in 1922 to Czechoslovakia, and a year later to Serbia. From 1923 until his death on March 18, 1937, the famous and respected scientist worked at the Department of Holy Scripture of the New Testament at Sofia University in Bulgaria. N. N. Glubokovsky wrote numerous works, including major works, brochures, newspaper and magazine articles. Among them are in-depth scientific research and judgments on current issues of church life and spiritual education. In addition, Nikolai Nikanorovich took an active part in church and social activities. He discussed issues of reform of theological education, analyzed the problems of the life of the Russian Orthodox Church in connection with the upcoming Local Council, and much more. On December 1, 2003, an exhibition dedicated to the memory of the outstanding scientist and theologian was opened at the Russian National Library. With the blessing of Archbishop Konstantin of Tikhvin, Rector of St. Petersburg Theological Schools, on behalf of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Vice-Rector for Educational Work Hegumen Damian (Zaletov) took part in the opening of the exhibition. At the opening of the exhibition, the floor was given to the guest of honor, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria Tsvetan Nochev. He told those present about the deep spiritual and cultural ties between Bulgaria and Russia, starting with the activities of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius and the works of Saint Cyprian, Metropolitan of Kyiv. Mr. Consul General emphasized the mutual nature of cultural exchange between our countries, which was especially clearly manifested in the works of the Russian biblical scholar and church historian N. N. Glubokovsky during his stay in Bulgaria, at the Theological Faculty of Sofia University. Hegumen Damian, in turn, thanked the directorate and staff of the Russian National Library for organizing a wonderful exhibition and preserving unique documents that constitute an invaluable historical memory. Hegumen Damian emphasized that the scientist’s multifaceted talent allowed him to focus not only on office work, but also to participate in the work of commissions to resolve pressing issues of church life. N. N. Glubokovsky took an active part in correcting the translation of the New Testament, in resolving issues related to the reform of theological education, and the restoration of the Patriarchate in Russia. All his works were fundamental in nature, enjoyed high scientific authority and well-deserved recognition. The scientist’s works are extremely in demand in our time, this is evident from the fact that many of N. N. Glubokovsky’s scientific works have been republished and have become reference books for people studying the Holy Scriptures and Russian theology. At the end of his speech, Abbot Damian expressed the hope that such exhibitions will become regular and will serve to establish fruitful cooperation between the National Library and Theological Schools in studying the life and heritage of Russian scientists and theologians. This wish was soon put into practice: on December 8, a group of students visited the exhibition at the Russian National Library on a tour. On December 19, an exhibition dedicated to the 140th anniversary of N. N. Glubokovsky opened in the library of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It presents more than 100 lifetime editions of the scientist’s works on issues of exegesis, Church history, rare church periodicals, copies with dedicatory inscriptions of the author, photographs of the scientist, his teachers, colleagues, contemporaries, places associated with his life and work. At the invitation of the director of the library of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor V.P. Leonov, the opening of the exhibition was attended by representatives of the Bulgarian consulate, the vice-rector for educational work of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, Abbot Damian (Zaletov), ​​and several students of the theological school of the Northern capital. After the opening of the exhibition, guests of the library of the Russian Academy of Sciences visited the hall of Slavic literature. Hegumen Damian warmly thanked the organizers of this event for their very important and useful work. Father Vice-Rector also noted that the exhibitions currently being held in St. Petersburg and Moscow on the occasion of the anniversary of the great scientist and church leader will serve to further study his works and return undeservedly forgotten names and scientific achievements. On December 20, with the blessing of Archbishop Konstantin of Tikhvin, an exhibition, also dedicated to the anniversary of the famous scientist, opened at the Church Archaeological Museum at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, which raised N.N. Glubokovsky. The exhibition was the result of joint work by employees of the Russian National Library and the Church and Archaeological Museum of St. Petersburg Theological Schools. The library of St. Petersburg Theological Schools contains many lifetime publications and books with autographs of the author-celebrator. This created the opportunity to organize an exhibition dedicated to N. N. Glubokovsky, no less significant in terms of volume and richness of content, in theological schools of the Northern capital. Everyone was able to visit the exhibition. The opening of the exhibition was preceded by a cathedral memorial service for Nikolai Nikanorovich, held in the academic church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. Hegumen Damian, who headed the service of the memorial service, addressing the students of the Theological schools, especially emphasized the need for Christian remembrance of our teachers and mentors and called on all those present to offer prayers for the ever-memorable servant of God Nicholas. At the end of the memorial service at the Church-Archaeological Museum of the Theological Academy, researcher of the Russian National Library T. A. Bogdanova, who has been studying the heritage of N. N. Glubokovsky for more than twenty years, held an introductory conversation for the students of the Theological schools who came to the opening of the exhibition. Vice-Rector for Educational Work and Head of the Church-Archaeological Museum of the Theological Academy, Hegumen Damian, noted that solving a difficult task - to convey to a wide audience the facts of ascetic life, self-sacrifice, high service to God and people, to preserve in its entirety the memory of the mentors of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy - is the sacred duty of its living teachers and students. Hegumen Damian called on all those interested in church history, especially students of the academy, who will have to choose the topic of a candidate’s or thesis work, to use the beneficial material that opens up for them. A unique opportunity is provided, thanks to the proximity of archival funds storing information about the history of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and its professors who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Russian school of theology, to create scientific works of the highest level. The exhibition aroused keen interest among students. After the end of the excursion, a dialogue between interested parties and a discussion of possible topics for scientific dissertations of students of St. Petersburg Theological Schools took place. The collections of the Russian National Library contain many works of professors of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The Glubokovsky Fund is the most voluminous, it has up to 2,500 storage units. Funds of significant volume reflect the activities of such scientists as Palmov, Dmitrievsky, Brilliantov, Plotnikov. The library also houses less significant funds of fifteen other professors of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The library staff welcomed the intention of the students, future theologians, to reflect in their final works the history of the Theological Schools of St. Petersburg, so little studied, but extremely rich in interesting facts. With the permission of the library management, students of theological schools will be able to have access to the information necessary for writing scientific papers. The exposition of exhibitions organized at the Russian National Library and the Church-Archaeological Museum of St. Petersburg Theological Schools included the original works of N. N. Glubokovsky, including notebooks with handwritten lectures on the course of the Sacred History of the New Testament, which are still awaiting their publication and close study by specialists in the field of theology. N. N. Glubokovsky is rightfully considered one of the outstanding specialists in the field of church history. According to N.V. Pokrovsky, he is “Hercules of Russian theology.” The exhibition included his fundamental works, in particular his master's thesis on Blessed Theodoret. N. N. Glubokovsky, while working on it, dealt not only with the works of Blessed Theodorit himself, while translating 268 letters, subsequently published in the 7th and 8th volumes of the works of Blessed Theodorit, but also became familiar with the primary sources that the holy father himself used. Most of the scientist’s works are distinguished by scrupulous conscientiousness. N. N. Glubokovsky was the successor of A. P. Lopukhin in the preparation and publication of the Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia, volumes 6–12 of which were published under his editorship. At the same time, he also proved himself to be a talented organizer - the team of employees grew under him from thirty to two hundred people. He managed to captivate the work of such outstanding scientists as Kondakov, Sobolevsky, Shakhovskoy. Among the books presented at the exhibition by N. N. Glubokovsky, one should especially highlight “Orthodoxy in its essence,” dedicated to Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, as well as the book “On issues of the Theological School (secondary and higher) and on the educational committee at the Holy Synod.” Of great interest are also the remaining sheets of paper in the manuscript, covered in the scholar’s ​​beaded handwriting, entitled “General instructions on the issue of correcting the Slavic and Russian translations of the New Testament.” The students were presented with photographs depicting relatives, mentors and teachers, patrons and associates of the outstanding Russian theologian. In ancient and recent photographs taken by participants of the scientific expedition, students could see those corners of Russia with which the scientist’s life was closely connected, from the Vologda land - the birthplace of N. N. Glubokovsky to Belgrade, and then Sofia, where the scientist’s grave is now located in the Russian section of the cemetery. It is of interest that one of Nikolai Nikanorovich’s older brothers, Matvey, is the founder of the famous Russian magazine “Science and Life”. The tragedy associated with the execution in 1919 of another brother, Alexander, a graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy, prompted N. N. Glubokovsky to look for opportunities to leave Russia. This was not so easy to do, and only a mutual acquaintance with M. Gorky (Peshkov), prompting the Soviet writer to intercede for N.N. Glubokovsky, helped resolve the issue of departure positively. A significant period of the scientist’s life is associated with the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, where he worked as a professor from the 90s of the 19th century until the closure of the Theological schools by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Exhibits in the Russian National Library, the Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Church-Archaeological Museum of St. Petersburg Theological Schools are not the only ones that emphasize interest in the personality and works of N. N. Glubokovsky. In Moscow, in the Synodal Library, an exhibition dedicated to the life and scientific heritage of the outstanding Russian theologian also opened.