Homily on Theophany by St. Luke of Simferopol

The Baptism of Christ, the Great Feast of Theophany (Source)

Homily on Theophany by St. Luke of Simferopol

The Gospel reading of Theophany provides a word of Christ of great importance. And on this I wish now to turn your attention for a bit.

This great event of the Theophany of the Lord was preceded by the preaching on the banks of the Jordan River by John, the Forerunner of the Lord, the greatest among those born of women. His fiery preaching of repentance, for which he prepared beforehand for twenty years in the desert of Judea, attracted to him a great multitude of people. The fiery word of his preaching set ablaze the hearts of men, whom he baptized in the waters of the Jordan to purify their sins.

But on that great day, to his great astonishment, among the others who were coming to be baptized was Him Who he had never seen, but was Him Whom he revealed would come to baptize him with the Holy Spirit. And having fallen at His feet, he told Him with reverence: "I have need to be baptized by You, and You come to me?" (Matthew 3:14)

We, hope are truly baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire, could not understand why the sinless Son of God went to His servant John and asked to be baptized by him with the baptism of repentance, in order for Him to be loosened from sins that He did not possess, if Christ had not responded to the question of the Forerunner in this way: "Let it be so, for thus we will fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15)

O, our Lord! We venerate You and Your Forerunner, and we thank You from the depths of our hearts for teaching us to respect and honor "all righteousness", and to hate any type of injustice, for this comes from the devil. Every righteousness, even the most insignificant righteous act, is blessed by God. You received baptism from John in the Jordan River for the remission of sins, because You wished to fulfill whatever was seen beforehand in the plan of God. The descent into the waters of the Jordan served as a seal of repentance for those who were coming to be baptized. For repentance from one's whole heart in those who received the baptism of John, received from God remission of their sins...

Therefore, the baptism of John was righteous. Our Savior was not speaking only about this righteousness to John, however, in order to silence him and to answer his question, but He was speaking about every righteousness, in other words, regarding the plan of God. With His Divine Word, He sanctified and blessed every truth and simultaneously condemned every injustice.

Think, my beloved, people of the spirit as myself, communicants of the little flock of Christ, how much injustice exists in the word! What a great sin is war, when the faithful, and especially Christian people kill each other! If the murder even of one person is punished by death in many peoples, then, how much will our Lord punish those who have led the murder of tens of millions of people?! Any sin is injustice, and war is the greatest injustice, which we all must despise...

The Baptism of our Lord has for us an exalted meaning as well, for we have the revelation of the Holy Trinity. At the instant when the Lord stood up from the water, from Heaven was heard the voice of God the Father, Which bore witness to the Son, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased." (Matthew 3:17) And the Holy Spirit "in the form of a dove", descended from Heaven upon the head of the Pre-eternal Son of God. This Theophany has great importance, as it is also called besides the Baptism of the Lord. He Himself, the tri-hypostatic God, revealed the divinity of His Second Person, of the incarnate Word of God. God--Father and Holy Spirit as well--were revealed as well to mankind together with the Savior of the race of men...

O, Son of God! O, our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ! To Your works of love, to Your countless wonders, please do another wonder: draw close with Your right hand to my stony heart and turn it to a "heart of flesh". Amen.

-From the Words and Homilies of St. Luke of Simferopol, Vol. II., Published by Orthodox Kypseli

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Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Crimea: The Meaning of Sorrows

Christ healing the Ten Lepers (source)

 
St. Luke of Crimea: The Meaning of Sorrows
Continuously, people ask why the Lord God sends them sorrows and many times very great trials. It is very important for every Christian to understand that our sorrows are sent according to the will of God, Who is always good and saving. Most of the time, they are not sent to us as punishments for our sins, but in order for us re-orient our paths and our hearts, or they are sent as a response to requests that we offer to God. People many times expect God to accomplish what they ask in prayers to Him in the manner that they think is best. God, however, continuously responds to our prayers in a totally different manner, and not according to how they wished or could imagine.

If they would ask, for example, for God to give them humility, they might imagine that slowly, day by day, humility would grow within their hearts under the beneficial affection of God. The Lord, however, continuously works in a different way: He sends them an unexpectedly harsh blow, which wounds their pride and their ego and which humbles them. Frequently, our God sends afflictions, and we complain and in no way think that, the majority of the times, this is a great beneficence of God, and most likely is the response of God to our prayers, with which we entreated Him to strengthen our faith.

Do you know recognize that, many times, our Lord sends us terrible bodily afflictions and wounds our body in order to strengthen us spiritually? This occurred with the Venerable Pimen the Much-suffering, who lived in asceticism in the Monastery of the [Kiev] Caves, and whose whole life was found on the bed of pain, enduring an incurable sickness, and through this manner, he reached sanctity. Other people, who give great significance to earthly goods, seek from the Lord to increase their wealth. And the Lord responds to them with the destruction of their properties with fires, and in this manner, He helps to turn them away from their attachment to earthly things and from their greed, and to correct their deviations from the correct path, which is taught to us by the Lord's Beatitudes.
  
God treats us like His true sons, whom He chastens for their good. The sorrows that are sent to us by the Lord, we must receive as St. Peter says: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you." (I Peter 5:6). If we cannot, despite all our efforts, come to understand the reason that God sends us sorrows, then at least let us humble ourselves below the mighty hand of God, and He will lift us up at the proper time, in order for us to understand His paths, with which He is leading us for this reason. We must, with great humility and without the smallest complaining, accept all the trials and sorrows that are sent to us from God, having the humble conviction that, with these, God is guiding us, and not that He is pouring His wrath upon us. (Isaiah 27:4) We usually think that the Lord is angry with us, and this is why He is sending us sorrows. No. Never think that God is angry. "God is love." (I John 4:8). And perfect love is foreign to any form of injustice.
 
But many times, when our God gives us a harsh blow, through which He humbles us and then later exalts us, we complain against God. Do you understand, however, what a serious sin is complaining against God? When we complain against God, it means that we perceive Him as unjust, we perceive that He has not treated us properly and that He must act towards us in a different manner. However, is it not a serious sin to condemn God for injustice and to slander Him? See, therefore, how great a sin is complaining against God. Because of this: "Conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile." (I Peter 1:17). We must pray greatly for our mistakes and for our impediments on our path to the Kingdom of the Heavens. But even more than that, we must have fear to break that great commandment of Christ: "Judge not, that you might not be judged." (Matthew 7:1). And complaining against God is not only judging God, but also condemning Him.
  
Let us lay aside judging those unfortunate people who willingly destroy themselves, whom our Lord Jesus Christ does not correct nor chasten, because they are not able to be corrected and are incurable. We only seek His help on our path towards salvation, that we might glorify Him and ever honor Him, together with His beginningless Father and the Lord Spirit. Amen.
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St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea (source)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Paraklesis to St. Luke the Surgeon (Greek)

Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon of Simferopol (in Greek), for healing of soul and body, served in the Church of St. Panteleimon, Ampelokipi, Thessaloniki (source)

  

Sts. Nektarios of Pentapolis and Luke of Simferopol, two great hierarchs and Wonderworkers of the 20th century (source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The love of St. Luke of Crimea for St. Seraphim of Sarov

St. Seraphim of Sarov (source)

  
"I preached a lot and inspired all of you to have much love for St. Seraphim of Sarov, such that, after every service, we chant all together his hymn before his icon."
-St. Luke of Simferopol

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Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Movie "Healing Fear", the Life of St. Luke the Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol in Crimea

Here is a link to the film "Healing Fear", the dramatic retelling of the life of St. Luke of Simferopol the Blessed Surgeon. It is a very poignant movie, and though previously was published online with Russian, Greek and Romanian subtitles, now it is available with English subtitles. May St. Luke help all those who are persecuted for Christ throughout the world, help all those who are sick and suffering, and intercede to heal the pains, wounds and divisions of the people of Ukraine!

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Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Service of the Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries

The Synaxis of the Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries (source)

  
Note: This is an in-progress translation of a liturgical service in praise of the Holy Wonderworking and Unmercenary Physicians. This is a translation of a Greek text, which places their feast on October 17th (that of Sts. Cosmas and Damian from Arabia, along with their brothers and fellow unmercenary martyrs Sts. Leontios, Evtropios and Anthimos). The traditional 20-numbered band of Holy Unmercenaries in the Greek tradition of course is by no means exclusive. There are of course female Holy Unmercenaries (Sts. Philonilla, Zenaida, Hermione, and even St. Anastasia Pharmakolytria in some traditions. There are other Saints not necessarily known as physicians in their lifetimes, but are known for many wondrous cures and therefore are sometimes numbered with the Unmercenaries (such as Sts. Vlasios, Spyriodon, Artemios, etc.) Finally, there have been later additions to the holy band of Unmercenaries through the passage of time, most notably St. Luke the Surgeon of Simferopol, who reposed in the 20th century. As a result, let this not serve as a fixed or exclusive service, but one in prayer to our Lord to heal our many physical, psychological and spiritual afflictions with His mighty arm, through the intercessions of His healing Saints, who left behind every earthly repose, "placing all their hope in heaven" (from the Idiomelon to the Holy Unmercenaries), while giving their lives in love for their fellow men.

Also note, a vespers text exists from the Russian tradition which places this feast on the first Sunday of November (likely in proximity to the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian of Asia Minor who celebrate November 1st). As such, I have begun by translating the Matins text and may proceed to the Vespers and the Matins Canon at some point. Finally, note that the translation is not set to the Byzantine meter of the Prosomoia. May the Saints pray for us all and heal our world!

Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries (source)

  

Matins

 

After the First Stichologia, the Kathisma in the First Tone. Your tomb, O Savior.

Let us celebrate, O godly-minded ones, the divine and joyous memory of all the sacred Unmercenaries, who are our patrons, and let us praise them out of duty, for they have become the common protectors and saviors of all those in dangers, who speedily deliver all those who hasten to them in faith.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

O unwedded and Pure One, Theotokos Maria, the only protection and covering for the faithful in dangers and trials and terrible circumstances, deliver all of those who place their hope in you, having you, O Lady, as a savior for our souls through your divine intercessions.

After the Second Stichologia, the Kathisma in the Third Tone. The beauty.

Unemptying wealth of sympathy and goodness is poured out upon us by the divine Unmercenaries, and no mind of mortals, nor mellifluent tongue can tell of the surpassing ocean and the true streams of their many wonders. Therefore we cry out to them: Rejoice, O eternal springs.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

At the beauty of your virginity, and the resplendency of your chastity, Gabriel stood amazed and cried to you, O Theotokos: What are the appropriate words of praise to present to you? What name shall I call you by? At a loss and perplexed am I. And so as I was ordered I cry to you: rejoice, O you Who are full of grace!
  

Panagia Glykophylousa, surrounded by a multitude of the Holy Unmercenaries, Physicians and Healers of Christ (source)

  

After the Polyeleos, the Katisma in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone. The wisdom.

Paradoxically you received from Christ the gifts of heavenly wonders, and you heal all of our passions freely, for within you has shown forth the grace of the Spirit, working the power of divine healings. Therefore, you have inherited incorruptible good things through your unmercenary minds, O God-bearing Unmercenaries. Intercede with Christ God, that forgiveness of offenses be granted to those who celebrate you holy memory with fervor.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.

Let us all praise the Queen and Mother of the Creator of all, and let us magnify her with our voices and cry out to her in hymns: O Virgin and All-hymned cause of joy, save those who honor you, and protect all those in temptations of all kinds and illnesses and trials through your intercessions, for, as the Mother of God, you have boldness. Entreat that healing of afflictions be granted to those who cry out to you. Intercede to your Son and God that your servants might be granted forgiveness.

Then the Hymns of Ascents in the Fourth Tone, followed by the Prokeimenon:

To His Saints who are in His earth, the Lord has been shown wondrous.
Verse: God is wondrous in His Saints.

 

Matins Gospel of the Feast of the Holy Unmercenaries Sts. Cosmas and Damian (November 1st)

 

Psalm 50.

 

Glory.

Through the intercessions of the Unmercenaries, O Lord of mercy, wash away my many personal offenses.

Both now.

Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Lord of mercy, wash away my many personal offenses.

Then the Idiomelon in the Second Tone.

Verse: Have mercy on me, O God...
The choir of the Saints rejoices unto the ages, for their have inherited the Kingdom of the heavens, while the earth that has received their Holy Relics breathes forth fragrance, for they became the servants of Christ, and have come to dwell in eternal life.

Then the Priest says the, "O God, save Your people..." Followed by the Canons to the Theotokos and the Holy Unmercenaries (to be translated at a later time).
  

Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries (Source)

  

Kontakion in the Second Tone.

You have received the grace of remedies, spread strength over those in need, glorious, wonderworking Physicians; but by your visitation, cast down the insolence of enemies, healing the world by wonders.
 

The Oikos.

The word of the wise Physicians surpasses all understanding and wisdom; for having received grace from the Most High, they invisibly bestow strength on all; therefore on me too they have bestowed the grace of narration, to sing their praise as God-bearing, well-pleasing to God and healers, who grant multitudes of cures; for they rescue all from pains, healing the world by wonders.

  

Synaxarion
On this day (October 17th) we honor the Synaxis of all the Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries (twenty in number).

Verses
I ever honor together the Unmercenaries,
Being gathered here in their church.
The twenty-numbered band of the Unmercenaries,
O choir, save those you entreat you.
Twenty, therefore, Unmercenaries, I ever hymn.
  
Then, the Katavasies of the Theotokos, followed by the 9th Ode.

  

Exaposteilarion in the Third Tone. In the Temple in Spirit.

Receiving the grace of healing from God, blessed Unmercenaries, you cure diseases and heal all those who faithfully have recourse to your divine shrine, and therefore with one voice, we worthily call your holy memory blessed.

 

Another for the Saints in the Fourth Tone. The Disciples gathered.

Together with Saints Kosmas, let us hymn Sampson, Panteleimon, the Damians, Ermolaos, Cyrus and John, Thalelleos, Aniketos, Tryphon, Diomedes, Leontios, Eutropion, Anthimos, with Mokios, Julian, and let us praises the Twenty and celebrate their joyous memory in a godly manner.

 

Theotokion in the same tone.

Let us hymn with a godly mind the Mountain of God, the Palace, and Lamp-stand, and Container, and Ark, and Altar, the Rod and fiery divine Throne and Gate, the Temple and Bridal Chamber, the Pure Virgin, from whom God became incarnate without change and in a manner surpassing nature, and deified our fallen nature, uniting it with the ineffable.

 

Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries (source)

  

Then, the Praises, followed by the Prosomoia in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.

What shall we call you?

What shall we call you, O Unmercenaries? Heaven, for you related the glory of God. Liturgists, for you ceaselessly glorified Him. Bodiless, for you put off the flesh. Stars, for you shine upon the ends of the earth. For many are your names, and even more are your accomplishments. Intercede that our souls be saved.

 

What shall we call you, O glorious ones? Physicians, for you heal the afflictions of mortals. Rivers, for you fill the earth with wonders. Saviors, for you save everyone from dangers. Lights, for you enlighten many. Many are your graces, and even greater are your awesome deeds. Intercede that our souls be saved.

 

What shall we name you, O wise ones? The uprooters of passions or the sower of virtues, noetic paradises, or fruitful plans, sending forth gifts, and nourishment, and granting incorruption to all. Many are your graces, and unemptying are your healings. Intercede that our souls be saved.

 

Your temple has been shown to be a river as from Eden, which surrounds the world, pouring forth and watering healings for the faithful, granting grace freely to those who cry out to you with fervor and in faith: Many are your wonders, O all-blessed Unmercenaries. Intercede that our souls be saved.

 

Doxastikon of the Praises in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.

(Modeled after the Doxastikon: "The Choir of the Holy Fathers", from the Sundays of the Holy Fathers)

The multitude of the Holy Unmercenaries, who have been gathered from the ends of the earth to rejoice on this joyous day, and whom we hymn harmoniously today together at their sacred shrine, in which they stand invisibly, together with Christ Who crowned their sacred heads, and grants to them the unending grace of wonders. To them let us cry out melodiously: O divine assembly, hoplites inspired by God, in the Lord's army, ever-shining stars of the noetic firmament, the unassailable towers of mystical Sion, the fragrant flowers of Paradise, the fervent physicians of the sick, the boast of the Martyrs, the pride of the Righteous, ceaselessly intercede on behalf of our souls.

 

Both now. Theotokion.

O Lady, do you receive from your servants their entreates, and deliver us from every danger and trial.

 

Then the Great Doxology, followed by the Apolytikion of the Saints in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.

O Holy Unmercenaries and Wonderworkers, visit our infirmities. Freely you have received, freely give to us.

 

The Epistle and Gospel from the feast of the Holy Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian (see November 1st).

 

Megalynarion for the Holy Unmercenaries.

You received the gift from God of healing the afflictions of the faithful, and speedily delivering from the gravest passions those who call upon you, O Unmercenaries.

  

The Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries (Source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke's Smile

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

  
Maya Prozorofskaya, the granddaughter of St. Luke the Surgeon, writes:
"Grandfather had an amazing smile. A sweet smile not only with his lips, but one that shown on his whole face. Many times his laughter was contagious. He told funny stories about children and animals. Judging from photographs of him, many perceive that the Saint was serious and austere. But he was not like this. He was sweet, accessible, good, sensitive, compassionate."
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Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol: "We must resist their evil works..."

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

  
"The enemy of men, the devil and his angels, the demons, know very well how to whisper into our ear and to pass on to us evil under the guise of the good and to hypnotize our conscience. If that which passes into our mind corresponds to our hidden desires and our passions, then very easily they will be understood by our heart. We must resist their evil works. We can do this more easily if we manage to think of how much these things that we hear correspond with the Will of God and if we shut our ears to the devil."
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"Holy people hate sin and do not accept the sin that tortures them. They are righteous and do not commit sin because they hate sin, not because they fear a God Who is a punisher."
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-St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol the Blessed Surgeon
  

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol: "Let us always entreat God for everything that we need without any hesitation..."

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

  
Let us always entreat God for everything that we need without any hesitation and without having within us the thought that it does not suit the grandeur of God to entreat Him for our daily needs. Like little children we should always stretch out our hands to God seeking everything without hesitation. With the hope and the faith that children have, let us wait for His help, of course if that which we are seeking is according to His will.
-St. Luke of Crimea the Blessed Surgeon
  
(source)
  

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol on the Raising of Children

Christ blessing the Children (source)

 
"Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."
(Mark 10:29-30)

This word of the Lord is not a lie. I confirm to you that, when I left my children and entrusted them to God, He took care of them.*** My children grew up well and I think that even I couldn't raise them so well. And my Lord granted me a hundred-times more children. He gave me all of you. He gave me your hearts, because I know how much you love me and I return your love with my own fervent love. So many children has God given to me!

And your own children must be educated. But do not only make plans for their education in outward wisdom, in the wisdom of this world.  They should learn at the same time the wisdom from above, and the highest truth. They should learn the law of God and the commandments of Christ, to learn with reverence how to always have the memory of God and the true Christian path. Only then will your children not be lost on the ways of human wisdom. Only then, above all else, they will have Christian wisdom, the knowledge of God. In this way, therefore, we must educate our children.

You will have to give an account before God for the evil examples that you give to your children, for the arguments that occur before their eyes, for the chatter that they hear you say. If you yourselves do this, then what will your children learn from you?
  

Christ blessing the children (source)

  

We must begin this effort from the beginning, because only very small children easily receive our advice and suggestions. Their soul is like a soft candle, which every one of your words or deeds make an indelible impression on, whether good or evil.

"A small plant, wherever you train it, that shape it will take, and a new container will bring forth either fragrance or stench based on what you fill it with, placing in it either perfumes or filth." (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk)

Mother, the most beloved person for the child, the source of tenderness and nourishment, stands in prayer before the icon of Christ. The child looks at her then at the icon and does not need long explanations about what is happening. Here is the first and silent lesson of godly knowledge. This is the first and most significant lesson of piety. This lesson you can and you must give to your children.

There is no greater responsibility for the mother, no holier work, for which you will have a responsibility before God, than the raising of your children. To God you will have to give a word if you are negligent before this work. And from now you will begin your tortures and you will shed bitter tears and you will groan seeing your children.

Therefore: "Do not neglect one of these little ones." (Matthew 18:10) You must take care of your children, that you might be for them an example of the true Christian life, and then the blessing of the Lord will be with all of you and with your children unto the ages of ages.
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***Note: St. Luke was forced to leave his children when he was exiled and tortured on behalf of Christ.
 

Icon of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon of Simferopol and Crimea, from the newly-built and beautiful Church of Sretensky Monastery (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke the Surgeon: "There is no end to Repentance..."

St. Luke the Surgeon (source)

 
A few quotes of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon, Archbiship of Simferopol:
 
There is no end to Repentance, because Repentance is an unending road. 
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St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

 
Take care of your children, so you might be for them an example of the true Christian life, and the Blessing of the Lord will be with all of you and your children unto the ages of ages.
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St. Luke of Crimea (source)

  
The most important thing in life is to always do good. If you can't do great deeds for people, at least try to do something small.
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St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

   

It is not right to speak of the former years and to bless them and to curse our own age. We must know that in every age and in every place, people who actually seek their Salvation, find it.
(source)
 

St. Luke the Surgeon (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Spiritual Last Will and Testament of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon of Simferopol

St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol of Crimea (source)

 

THE SPIRITUAL LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SAINT LUKE

It is with a great deal of joy that we publish “The Spiritual Will “ of Saint Luke, which up until recently was unknown and unpublished.  It had been kept by the niece of St. Luke, Maria Dimitrievna, who lives in Symferoupolis and  she had the special blessing to have lived with the Saint for the last fifteen years of his life.

When in 1946 when Saint Luke undertook the shepherding of the Archbishopric of Symferoupoleos in the Crimea, he took up residence in a small residence on Gospitalnagia Street opposite the Church of the Holy Trinity.  The small apartment had many rooms.  It was a time immediately following the war and a fearful majority of the people in all of the Soviet Union lived in horrible conditions.  There was poverty, want, and starvation that plagued the people.  Saint Luke made great efforts to alleviate the pain of the people.  But in doing this he did not forget his family.  He invited some of them to Symferoupolis to take up residence in his apartment house and the neighboring houses.  His relatives and their children helped the Saint and stood by his side in this effort.  The experiences of interacting with the Saint are many and the memories are vivid.  The person who specifically helped the Saint in his philanthropic outreach was his niece Vera Prozorovavkagia, the daughter of Vladimir and the mother of Maria.  Many personal items of Saint Luke were preserved by the family of Vera and when the museum of the Saint was established in the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, the family gave these to the museum.  A very few items remained with his niece.  One of these things that was left with her was the Spiritual Will of the Saint which was left in the care of Maria Dimitrievna.  The Spiritual Will is directed to his children, to his nieces and nephews, and the grandchildren of the Saint.  We must note here that along with their father, the four children suffered also.  They endured being orphaned by both of their parents (the mother died and the father was in jail or exile) and then they were persecuted.  They were considered the children of the enemy of the people and they encountered many difficulties.  It is understandable that they would consider inconceivable the decision of their father to seek holy orders.  Through all the terrible things that the family suffered, they blamed the Church.  And the question that always burdened their souls, as well as many people who knew him was; why would a famous and successful professor of surgery make such a difficult decision to be ordained a priest and especially during the persecution of the Church?  How could such a successful scientist dedicate himself to the service of an idea of the past, the Church that belongs to the past?  What did this immensely brilliant surgeon have to gain from the priesthood?

In many of his letters the Saint tries to defend himself and explain to his children the reason he decided to take that road of martyrdom.  The children indicate that they do not understand him.  And this was also another cross that Saint Luke had to carry.   Right up to the moment of his death, he did not stop admonishing and praying for his children who along with that whole generation  had been so influenced by antireligious propaganda.

His letter to his oldest son Michael is very emotional written during the mid 40’s.  “Remember Michael that my monastic life and the oath that I gave; my position in the Church, my decision to serve the Lord constitute for me the greatest, holiest and foremost responsibility.  Sincerely and from the depths of my heart I abandoned the world and my career, which certainly, could have been very successful, but now does not have any meaning for me.  All my joy and all my life is to serve the Lord, in Whom I believe.”

In the summer of 1956 the Saint is in the city of Alousta in the Crimea.  He had lost his eyesight.  He was almost at the end of his 84th year of life and he felt that his strength was failing him.  He therefore decided to write his Spiritual Will  for his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. It is his one last effort to help his children abandon the trap of atheism. He wanted them to stand against the antichristian movement of the time. He wanted them to discover that the greatest truth is Jesus Christ and the best way to live is by observing His commandments and serving the needs of the least of all Christ’s children, their suffering fellow humans beings.   We have the feeling that the Spiritual Will of the Saint is even today extremely timely.  It is directed to all of us, the spiritual children of Saint Luke who we honor and love.

May we also imitate his example.  And according to his promise, his intercessions and prayers will protect us now that he stands before the throne of our God and Creator.

Archimandrite Nektarios, Holy Pascha, 2009.

   

St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon (source)

***

TO MY THREE SONS, MY DAUGHTER, MY GRANDCHILDDREN AND MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN
MY SPIRITUAL WILL

I am now 79 years old. My heart is weak and my strength is failing me and it is evident that my time of departure from this world is near.  St. Paul left a will to all the Christians. “Become followers of me, as I am of Christ.”  I certainly do not dare to say this to all the Christians but to you, my children; I can say follow my example just as I have followed the example of the Apostle Paul.  My life has been tough and difficult but never did I pray to God to make it easy.  Because “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” MT.7:14.

For more than twenty five years my life was identified with the work of a rural surgeon and professor of surgery. And for eleven years I suffered persecution for the name of Christ by being jailed and exiled.  From 1944 I combined the toilsome ministry of being a Bishop along with the healing the wounded at Tambor and only in 1946 did I stop being a surgeon and I continued as a Bishop.

Amongst most of the people it was inconceivable to understand how a great surgeon, who was honored with the First Prize of Stalin, could abandon a profession in surgery and become a Bishop.  Yet there was nothing unusual about that because from my youthful years, the Lord destined me to the high position of service to Him and to the people.

When I finished high school I received from the dean of the school my high school diploma. I placed this in the Book of the New Testament.  I had read the New Testament before but now, when I read it again, I heard the words of Christ that were directed to the Apostles say: “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (MT 9:37-38) My heart responded and I cried out in silence: “Oh Lord! Are you lacking workers?”

Many years went by.  I became a doctor of medicine and I thought that I would write the book “A Treatise on surgery in treating festering wounds.” When I made that decision, the following strange thought came to mind:  “When that book is finished, it will be signed by a Bishop.”  I could not understand from where that thought came. But a few years later, I understood that it was a thought that was sent to me by God because after my first arrest, in the office of the head jailer, the first edition of my book was published and on the facing page I wrote: “Bishop Luke, “A Treatise on surgically treating festering wounds.”  

Two more years went by.  I was in my first exile to Siberia, in the city of Geniseisk.  A monk suddenly came to meet me from Krasnogiarsk.  In this city, all the priests had compromised the faith and the faithful of the canonical Church had sent the monk to be ordained a priest but not to me at Geniseik but to Minousinsk, to a non-canonical orthodox bishop.  But there was an unexplainable force which directed him to me at Geniseisk.  When this monk saw me, he was startled and froze. He could not speak. He revealed to me, that when he saw me, he knew clearly that I was the same hierarch that he saw in an unforgettable dream ten years ago. That Bishop ordained him to the priesthood. At that time I was just a country doctor in the city of Perezlavl, Zaleski.

The Lord God has blessed me with different talents.  In high school, I finished my studies in the School of Fine Arts in Kiev.  I was very talented in artist and I decided to enter the Academy of Fine Arts in Leningrad.  But in the middle of exams I abandoned this effort because I thought that I should serve God and His people, in work that is more beneficial than art.  Even though at that time it was clear to me the direction my art would take if I didn’t abandon it; it would  purely be a religious direction or I would follow in the footsteps of V. Vasnetsof and Nesterof.

From that time theological issues concerned me very much.  The driving force in my character was a strong desire to serve God and His people, only because of that. But in spite of my opposition toward the physical sciences, I took exams for medical school at the University of Kiev and I graduated with honors.

My talent was revealed at the university in anatomy and surgery and my fellow students didn’t want to hear that I desired to become a rural doctor.  They had decided unanimously that I would become a professor of anatomy or a surgeon.  From what you now know, they had prophesied my future correctly.

As a rural doctor, I worked for thirteen years twelve to fourteen hours a day.  I was thinking seriously of abandoning the rural hospital in order travel to distant villages where the people were poor and dying because of the lack of medical help.  But the Lord had decided differently for me.  He sent me to Tashkent where I was one of the organizers of the University of Middle Asia and became a professor of topographical anatomy and the chief surgeon.  This was at the beginning of the decade of the 1920s.

During the years of the antireligious demonstrations during which they derided the Lord Jesus Christ, my heart was saying: “I cannot keep silent.”At that time there was a clergy-laity congress taking place in Tashkent.  I was present and during the discussions on some important issues I made an impassioned speech.  That speech made a great impression on Bishop Innocent of Tashkent and at the end of the congress he said to me; “Doctor, you must become a priest.”  That was something that was completely unexpected by me but the words of the Hierarch brought forth a calling through his lips and I did not hesitate one second in answering him: “Of course, Your Eminence, if that is the will of God, I will become a priest.” And the following Sunday, I, the professor of medicine, with a borrowed robe, appeared before the Bishop who was standing on his throne and I was ordained a sub-deacon and then during the course of the Divine Liturgy I was then ordained a deacon.  Within two weeks I became a priest and the pastor of the Cathedral Church.

One and a half years before that great event in my life, my wife and your mother died.  The smallest of you, Valentine, was then six years old and the oldest was fourteen. 

Two years and four months later, the Lord made me worthy of being elevated to the rank of Bishop.  It was divine providence for me and for you, my children that was revealed to us at that time when the Lord called your mother to eternal life by allowing her to get sick with tuberculosis. By this happening to her the road was opened for me to enter monastic life and the hierarchical ministry.  All the responsibility for you, my children, I gave over to the care of the Lord and truly, I was not made a liar by believing in Him.  Your care and upbringing was provided for by sending me an unknown woman, Sofia Sergakevna Veletskagia, who during the times I was jailed and the three times I was sent into exile she provided for your care. With a great deal of self-sacrifice and love she lifted the heavy cross for your care during those years of the plague. She raised you successfully and gave you a good education. 

Later on all three of you and my daughter, with the protection and the help of your guardian angels, completed your advanced studies.  Michael for some time now has become a professor, while Aliosa and Valia are teachers in the medical and biological sciences and in a little while they will become professors.
   

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

   

The Lord accepted all the sacrifices which I have offered Him and not only did He accept them but He changed and corrected many of them.  I abandoned doing any more surgeries so that I could spend more time preaching about Jesus Christ.  I was not concerned with the fame of a surgeon which certainly I deserve.  While this glory is important and belongs to God, the new freedom I had increased the power and content of my sermons. My well-known and famous book “The Treatise on surgery for festering wounds” was completed while I was in exile and when I was Archbishop.  My determination to sacrifice everything for the glory of Him, the Lord gave me another talent, that of preaching.  The nine volumes of my sermons have been recognized by the Spiritual Academy of Moscow as unique in contemporary ecclesiastical theology and a treasure of commentary on the Holy Bible.  And I, a self-taught theologian was chosen to be a member of the Spiritual Academy of Moscow.  For the Church, my sermons will have greater meaning than my “Treatise on the surgery for festering wounds.”

In addition to this, the miraculous events which I spoke about earlier which were directed by the Lord without my realizing it led me mystically to the Hierarchical ministry.   I often physically felt the presence of God in my communion with Him, in my spiritual life and in my prayers.       

But if I have not said enough for any of you to convince you of these things  then I think his (Michael’s) involvement with the physical sciences have bewitched him so much that he does not want to hear those things that I have lived; the things I have undeniably felt many times.

In other words, I will tell you just the way it is, how astonishing and clearly the Lord God reveals His desire for those who fear Him and love Him.  When I was in Leningrad for an operation, during the time of a memorial service, the Lord in a miraculous and shocking way caused me to tremble with fright when He gave me this command: “Shepherd my sheep, feed my lambs.”  The years have since gone by and I, under the spell of a cunning diabolical spell, forgot that command of God and Satan again placed in my soul that great urge to return to surgery.  And this is why the Lord punished me by allowing the retina in my eye to tear.  My eye was operated on twice unsuccessfully by professor Ontintsof because God’s punishment had to remain with me.  

The day after the second operation, when I was laying flat with my eyes bandaged, the strong urge to do surgery again overwhelmed me when the Lord sent me a shocking dream: I was in a Church without lights.  The only lit up place was the altar.  A little beyond the altar was a casket of a saint.  They had placed on the altar a wooden board and on this was a naked human body.  In the back and next to the altar I saw students and doctors smoking cigarettes and I was teaching them anatomy of the human body. 

I was then startled by a noise and when I turned my head, I saw that the covering of the saint’s casket fell off.  The saint sat up in the casket, he turned and looked at me with a look of pain and shock.  I finally realized the great burden of my sin, of my disobedience to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ to “shepherd my sheep and feed my lambs.”  For the last fourteen years I begged the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive me remembering clearly my dramatic dream with the body and the dead person lying on the Holy Altar.  Lately I have been informed by God that my sin has been forgiven. Day after day, I see the body less and less on the Holy Altar where it finally disappeared completely.  

And now, my children let me offer to you my last will and testament.  I believe deeply in God and I have built my whole life upon His commandments.  And I bequeath to you that you offer your lives to God and build all things upon the commandments of Christ.

For a long time and with great determination I sailed through life against the current of the world and to you my children I bequeath that you sail against the current, as difficult at that may be.  Turn your attention and your heart away from the great majority of human beings who pursue not the higher goals but those which are easy to acquire.  Do not accede to the great majority of people who live according to their own thinking and with the mind of their leaders.  They anchor their lives not with the commandments of Christ but on the directives of people who have the power to lead them not to the Kingdom of Heaven but to the riches of the earthly kingdom.

The purpose of life is to seek after the highest truth and to never divert from that road even when they force you to serve the purposes of the lowest form of  truth by trampling upon the truth of Christ.

You should be ready even to be martyred since you are sailing against the current.  Keep your faith firmly in your thoughts, in your husbands and in your wives just the way I kept it.

In your scientific endeavors and in your efforts to study the mysteries of nature, you should not look for your own glory but only to lessen the pain of your sick and helpless fellow human beings.

Remember that I, your father, sacrificed all my life in doing these things.  Imitate me just the way I imitated the Apostle Paul and do not work for your stomach but to help those who without your help cannot free themselves from the tortures of poverty and lies.

If you fulfill all these things that I bequeath to you, the blessing of God will come upon you in harmony with the  words of David the prophet. “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember his commandments to do them.” (Psalm 103: 17-18.)                     

I have always prayed for that blessing and grace of God in my life for you my children, my grandchildren and my great grandchildren and surely I will always pray for your eternal life when I will stand before the throne of my God and your God, my Creator and your Creator.  That time is most likely near because my heart and my strength have been weakened. 

Your father
Alousta, July 22, 1956

Translation by: 
Fr. Constantine J. Simones, 
Waterford, CT USA.

(source)

   

St. Luke the Surgeon (source)

   

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!