Historical reference

 Simferopol & Crimean diocese

 

        

The history of Orthodoxy in the Crimea goes back to the times when the word of Apostle Andrew was heard for the first time. The preaching of a Saint Apostle yielded on our land a heavy harvest & in the 1^st centuries from the Nativity here dwell multitudes of Christians.

By VII-XIX centuries a few orthodox dioceses were founded on the peninsula: Surozhskaya, Korsunskaya, Gotfskaya, Bosporskaya, and Fullskaya.

Their successor in the word of God & salvation of human souls has become Tauric {nowadays Simferopol & Crimean} diocese.

         In 1859 the report of Holy Synod was forwarded to the Emperor Alexander II in which the dwellers of the Crimea solicited the foundation of Russian Orthodox Church in Tauric diocese, which united parishes located in the Crimea & some other areas of Tauria. 

         On November 1859 the Resolution of the tsar was issued “Be it so” & the same year the diocese was founded.

Within the period of less than 10 years more than a hundred parishes were founded, the monasteries reanimated their activity; theological establishments were founded for male & female learners.

         In 1873 Tauric theological seminary was founded & within the seven years of its existence the seminary prepared many priests.

Among the people , who were the leaders of the diocese in various years were prominent personalities , true zealots of piety: bishop of Tauria & Simferopol  Guriy {Karpov}, during his leadership the Tauric theological seminary was founded, the magazine “Tauric diocese news” was issued;  archbishop Dmitry {Abashidze}, Saint Luke {V.F.Voyno-Yasenetsky}.

         Since 1992 the diocese is led by Metropolitan of Simferopol & Crimea Lazarus {Shvets}. During the leadership of sovereign 9 monasteries were founded, somewhere about 500 parishes, recommenced the issuing of diocese newspaper, the Simferopol theological school was founded, the Saint Luke was canonized {V.F.Voyno-Yasenetsky}.

To honor the Saint the monument is erected in Simferopol, a square is named after him.  Glorified are also the new martyrs of the Crimea led by the Saint martyr Porphyries. An activity is going on to restore the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, which had been blown up in 1930.

         Within the last years in the Crimean diocese alive and social, beneficial and enlightening works are being carried out on the level of the diocese as well as on a parish one.