S596W - St Luke the Surgeon
Saint Loucas from Symferoupolis and Krimea, known in the Orthodox Church as Saint Loucas the Doctor, was Russian, born in 1877 at the Krimea peninsula. He was a professor of anatomy and surgery at the University of Tashkent. He was a prominent doctor with over 40 publications of scientific works, recognized by the medical community. He got married and had 4 children but at the age of 38 he lost his wife, a nurse, from tuberculosis. He never remarried and never stopped visiting her grave, whenever conditions allowed it. Apart from being a prominent doctor, Saint Lucas was a Christian. He was operating his patients with the icon of the Virgin Mary in front of him while before each surgery he made the sign of the cross at the incision, using a cotton soaked in iodine. In 1921 he was ordained priest and in 1923 bishop of Tashkent combining both his priestly and medical duties. His Christian faith led him to difficult and tormenting paths from 1922 till his death. During the World War II, even though he was persecuted by the official state, Saint Lucas continued offering his medical services and remained a bishop till his death. He was offering his medical assistance and advice to thousands of people who needed it, without any hesitation. At various times he was being prosecuted, imprisoned, exiled in Siberia, enduring to such torments caused by his enemies that only a miracle could keep him in life. Saint Lucas was carrying in him the miracle of his Christian faith and could heal people in need, when he was no longer able to perform surgery. He passed away on June 11 1961. In November 1995 he was proclaimed a Saint by the ruling of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Size: 15 x 8
This icon comes with a small stand and packaged in a jute satchel.
