By Archpriest Evgeny Vorshevsky, Cherkasy
Each of the clergy of our Church considered it a great honor to have communication with Archbishop Luke, to receive his blessing, and to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with him. I would like to share my memories of a meeting with Vladyka, which took place in Alushta due to a happy circumstance for me.
In 1958, the late Bishop of Kirovohrad Innocent was appointed to participate in the episcopal consecration in Odessa, whom I accompanied to Odessa as diocesan secretary. The service of the Divine Liturgy was led by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. On the same day, His Holiness the Patriarch sent Bishop Innocent to Simferopol on ecclesiastical affairs to Archbishop Luke. We already knew that Vladyka Luke, who had previously been unable to see with one eye, now had became blind in the other.
We arrived in Simferopol in our diocesan car the next morning - on the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. We did not find the owner of the house: he was at a small dacha, which he rented in the city of Alushta. At the bishop's house we were offered a cup of tea. His Eminence Luke occupied a very modest apartment on the second floor, consisting of two small rooms. One room housed the bishop's cell, the second, which served as a reception room, dining room and office, all the walls from floor to ceiling were occupied by shelves with books - the personal library of the archbishop.
After tea, we went to Alushta, where outside the city on the seashore there was a small house in which Vladyka Luke spent his summer time. His apartment here also consisted of two small rooms. I remember a modest lunch and dinner were served outdoors in a small front garden. Archbishop Luke lived in Alushta with one person who served him. His diocesan secretary came with a report every other day. The Bishop meticulously delved into all diocesan affairs. We were present during such a report and were amazed at the memory and awareness of His Eminence Luke, his practical insight and extraordinary ability to make the right decision.
We immediately noted that Archbishop Luke walked around his apartment, house and front garden without a staff. He himself took the things he needed, rearranged the plates, helped himself to food, took the books he needed from the shelves, etc. He asked Vladyka Innocent in detail about the Kirovohrad diocese, about our trip to Odessa, about the ministry of His Holiness the Patriarch and about the consecration that took place.
Living in Alushta, Vladyka Luke no longer accepted the sick. As a doctor, he was a subtle diagnostician and accurately determined the outcome of the disease. We were told that local clinics sometimes referred the most seriously ill patients to the blind professor, Archbishop Luke, so that he could make a correct diagnosis. One day, parents brought their sick son to the Master. The Bishop, having felt him, unmistakably identified his illness and then asked to take him out of the room, calling his parents, he told them: “Trust in the Lord. I must tell you the truth: not even ten days will pass before your son will leave you for the heavenly abodes.” Everything happened as Vladyka Luke predicted.
On the evening of August 18, we went to the all-night vigil in the church in Alushta. A solemn meeting was arranged between the two bishops. Vladyka Luke was not led by the arm. He apparently was guided by the sound of Bishop Innocent's steps. Having accepted the holy cross from the rector of the temple, Archbishop Luke gave it to His Grace Innocent to kiss, and then to us, the clergy.
The solemn all-night vigil began. Vladyka Luke read the prayers of the lamp lighting in a low voice from memory, although they held a service book in front of him, along which he ran his fingers from time to time. Bishop Innocent came out for the litia, and both bishops came out for the polyeleos. The censing of the entire church was performed by Archbishop Luke, supported on the steps and at some turns in the church by subdeacons. The Festal Gospel was also read by Vladyka Luke, he read without a single mistake, from time to time running his fingers over the text, which was not convex, as books for the blind are printed, but ordinary. Bishop Innocent anointed them with consecrated oil, but Archbishop Luke anointed the clergy: he lightly touched each one and literally anointed them in the middle of the forehead.
During the all-night vigil, His Eminence Luke listened to every word, every hymn. He immersed himself in prayer and stood in spirit not on earth, but in heaven at the Throne of God.
Living in Alushta, Vladyka Luke no longer accepted the sick. As a doctor, he was a subtle diagnostician and accurately determined the outcome of the disease. We were told that local clinics sometimes referred the most seriously ill patients to the blind professor, Archbishop Luke, so that he could make a correct diagnosis. One day, parents brought their sick son to the Master. The Bishop, having felt him, unmistakably identified his illness and then asked to take him out of the room, calling his parents, he told them: “Trust in the Lord. I must tell you the truth: not even ten days will pass before your son will leave you for the heavenly abodes.” Everything happened as Vladyka Luke predicted.
On the evening of August 18, we went to the all-night vigil in the church in Alushta. A solemn meeting was arranged between the two bishops. Vladyka Luke was not led by the arm. He apparently was guided by the sound of Bishop Innocent's steps. Having accepted the holy cross from the rector of the temple, Archbishop Luke gave it to His Grace Innocent to kiss, and then to us, the clergy.
The solemn all-night vigil began. Vladyka Luke read the prayers of the lamp lighting in a low voice from memory, although they held a service book in front of him, along which he ran his fingers from time to time. Bishop Innocent came out for the litia, and both bishops came out for the polyeleos. The censing of the entire church was performed by Archbishop Luke, supported on the steps and at some turns in the church by subdeacons. The Festal Gospel was also read by Vladyka Luke, he read without a single mistake, from time to time running his fingers over the text, which was not convex, as books for the blind are printed, but ordinary. Bishop Innocent anointed them with consecrated oil, but Archbishop Luke anointed the clergy: he lightly touched each one and literally anointed them in the middle of the forehead.
During the all-night vigil, His Eminence Luke listened to every word, every hymn. He immersed himself in prayer and stood in spirit not on earth, but in heaven at the Throne of God.
In the morning, the archpastors arrived at the temple to serve the Divine Liturgy. The church was filled with believers, among whom were many vacationers. As the day before, Vladyka Luke himself, without outside help, got out of the car and headed towards the entrance to the temple. He firmly walked along the path laid out for him, then listened and read the entrance prayers, and venerated the icons. Anyone who did not know about the Bishop’s blindness would not have thought that the archpastor celebrating the Divine Liturgy was blind in both eyes. Archbishop Luke carefully touched the paten with his hand, correctly blessed the Holy Gifts during their transubstantiation, and did not touch them with either his hand or vestments. Vladyka read all the secret prayers from memory and only in two cases did he move his finger over the text of the service book. The Bishop himself took communion and gave communion to the clergy. We looked at all this as a manifestation of God's guidance, who gives wisdom even to the blind.
Archbishop Luke himself laid down the holy antimension and finished serving the Liturgy. Before the dismissal, he went out to preach a sermon. The entire temple froze in anticipation. And then the preacher’s lips opened. Having told the story of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, His Eminence Luke spoke further about the illumination of a believer by the Divine light, similar to that of Tabor. The archpastor emphasized that a believer, devoted to the Lord and loving Him, can never be blind, for he is illuminated by God’s special light, giving him special vision, special joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. Archbishop Luke supported his sermon with texts of the Holy Scriptures, naming individual books, chapters and verses, which were read by the rector of the temple, who stood next to the Bishop. Every word of the preacher came from the depths of his heart and was filled with deep faith and devotion to the will of God. Crying and quiet sobs were heard from all sides of the temple. The words of the archpastor fell like ripe grains and penetrated deeply into the hearts of the listeners. Everyone felt renewed after the preaching with such power of spirit and faith.
We stayed in Alushta with Archbishop Luke for one more day - August 20, after which our stay with our hospitable host in Alushta ended.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Archbishop Luke himself laid down the holy antimension and finished serving the Liturgy. Before the dismissal, he went out to preach a sermon. The entire temple froze in anticipation. And then the preacher’s lips opened. Having told the story of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, His Eminence Luke spoke further about the illumination of a believer by the Divine light, similar to that of Tabor. The archpastor emphasized that a believer, devoted to the Lord and loving Him, can never be blind, for he is illuminated by God’s special light, giving him special vision, special joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. Archbishop Luke supported his sermon with texts of the Holy Scriptures, naming individual books, chapters and verses, which were read by the rector of the temple, who stood next to the Bishop. Every word of the preacher came from the depths of his heart and was filled with deep faith and devotion to the will of God. Crying and quiet sobs were heard from all sides of the temple. The words of the archpastor fell like ripe grains and penetrated deeply into the hearts of the listeners. Everyone felt renewed after the preaching with such power of spirit and faith.
We stayed in Alushta with Archbishop Luke for one more day - August 20, after which our stay with our hospitable host in Alushta ended.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.