Deacon
On March 4 (17), 1882, on the day of the blessed Prince Vyacheslav of Czech, in the provincial city of Perm, a son was born to the family of Georgy Avksentievich Lukanin, who was named Vyacheslav. His father served for many years in the home church of Cyril and Methodius at the Perm Theological School, where he taught the Russian language. Vyacheslav, being a weak child from birth, often fell ill, but he chose the spiritual path and entered the Perm Theological School.
Vyacheslav had a beautiful, strong voice, which was noticed by his teachers, who encouraged his vocal talents. He became the “senior of the choir” in the school church. He studied with difficulty, often missing classes due to illness, but his love for church singing captivated him. After graduating from the school in 1889, he entered the choral conducting courses at the Perm Diocese.
In 1901, Vyacheslav was blessed by Bishop Peter of Perm to join the archbishop's choir. The parishioners of the Motovilikha factory asked him to organize a folk choir at their church. Vyacheslav accepted this good deed and continued to serve in the theological school and seminary. In 1902, he was appointed psalmist at the factory church of the Holy Trinity in Kizel, where he took charge of the church choir.
In 1903, Vyacheslav married Maria Gordeevna Galkina, and they had a daughter, Galina. The Lukanin family had nine children, three of whom died in infancy. On March 25 (April 7), 1905, he was ordained a deacon. In 1910, Vyacheslav received personal praise from Bishop Palladius for the excellent performance of the choir.
On November 26 (December 8), 1912, Vyacheslav was ordained to the rank of deacon. He continued to manage the church choir and in 1913 received the “Jubilee Cross” on a Vladimir ribbon. In 1915, he organized church-singing courses in the village of Usolie, which were held at a high level.
On June 27, 1916, he was transferred to the Srebryansky factory, where he submitted a request to be transferred to the inactive clergy. In 1918, he was appointed to the Nevyansk factory, where he served in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. In the summer of 1918, under the conditions of revolutionary terror, Father Vyacheslav was arrested and killed by Red Army soldiers behind the altar of the cathedral while he was praying.
August 16, 1918, became fateful for Father Vyacheslav. He was buried near the altar of the right side of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. Saint Martyr Vyacheslav of Nevyansk was canonized in the rank of New Martyrs by the Hierarchical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on July 17, 2002. The consecration of the restored cathedral coincided with the day of the martyr's death of the saint.
