Saint Luke
Saint Luke (Valentin Felixovich Voyno-Yasenetsky) was a famous Russian surgeon, a spiritual writer, a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, and archbishop of Simferopol and the Crimea from May 1946.
He was born on April 15, 1877 in Kerch, in an impoverished noble family. In 1889, they moved to Kiev. The father was a devout Catholic but did not impose his views on the family. The Orthodox traditions were brought to the children by their mother, who was also actively engaged in charity.
After graduating from gymnasium, Valentin chose between art and medicine, ultimately opting for the latter as it seemed more beneficial to society. He was deeply interested in the problems of ordinary people and aimed to become a rural doctor.
In 1904, Valentin Voyno-Yasnetsky married Anna Vasilyevna Lanska, a deeply religious Sister of Mercy. Their marriage lasted until 1919 when Anna Vasilyevna died of tuberculosis.
The death of his wife only strengthened Valentin's religious views. He regularly attended church services, was an active parishioner, and gave lectures on the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. When offered to take holy orders, he readily accepted. He was consecrated as an archbishop in 1942.
As a prominent religious figure, Luke was repeatedly subjected to political repression. In total, he spent 11 years in exile.
Archbishop Luke died on June 11, 1961. In 1995, he was canonized, and in 1996, his holy relics were found, which are now kept in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Simferopol.
In Greece, St. Luke is revered almost as much as in Russia: more than thirty chapels are dedicated to him, and a local surgical society bears his name. In Greek iconography, St. Luke is often depicted with a set of surgical instruments lying beside him.
