The Most Reverend LAZARUS, Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea

In the world- Rostislav Pylypovych Shvets

Born 22.04.1939

Name Day - March 21

Consecration Date - 18.04.1980

Chairs Cathedra since 1992

Metropolitan of Simferopol and the Crimea was born on April 22, 1939 in the village of Komaryn Krements district of the Ternopil region in the family of peasants.

After graduation from school he became a novice in the Holy Spirit Hermitage of the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra, and later - in the Holy Dormition Convent of Zhyrovtsi of the Diocese of Minsk. In 1957 he entered the Minsk Theological Seminary.

Throughout 1958-1961 he did his military service in the Soviet Army.

In 1964 he graduated from the Odesa Theological Seminary, and in 1968 - form the Leningrad (St.Petersburg) Theological Academy, received the scientific degree of a Candidate of Theology for the research paper "Orthodox Theological Analysis of the Protestant Theologists' Interpretations of the books of the prophet Daniel".

From 1968 till 1971 he took his postgraduate course in the Moscow Theological Academy, worked the executive assistant to the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

On March 5, 1972 he was ordained to the holy diaconate, and on March 12 - to the holy priesthood. He performed his pastoral ministry in the Holy Protection Convent and the St. Vladimir Cathedral of Kyiv

In 1975 he was appointed clergyman of the Diocese of Argentine, where he held the office of the Secretary to the Archbishop of Argentine and the South America.

From 1978 - protopresbyter.

On April 1, 1980 he was tonsured a monk and on April 7 of the same year he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

He was consecrated bishop on April 18, 1980 and appointed Bishop of Argentine and the South America, the Patriarch Exarch of the Central and South America.

In 1985 elevated to the rank of Archbishop and appointed administrator of the Ivano-Frankivsk Diocese. The same year appointed to the Argentine Cathedra again.

In 1989 he was appointed Archbishop of Ternopil and Kremenets; in 1991 - of Odesa and Izmayil, later on the same year - of Odesa and Kherson, and in 1992 - Archbishop of Symferopol and Crimea.

In 2000 he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the UOC from January 24, 2007 he was appointed rector of the Tavriysk Theological Seminary (Journal №75).

Activity at the Cathedra

2007 is the 15^th anniversary of Metropolitan Lazar's tenure of the cathedra. All this time Vladyka spent in diligent and multifold labour for the benefit of the Holy Mother Church.

Thus, for the first time for more than 1000 years in the Crimean land the triumphant glorification of a new saint - Archbishop Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) took place. In 1996 his holy relics were found to be incorrupt. In the centre of Simpheropol near the representative office of the President of Ukraine in the Republic of Crimea the monument in honour of the Holy Hierarch was founded, and in its opening ceremony in 1997the Ukrainian bishops with His Beatitude, the Most Blessed Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr at the head took part. Also one of the gardens in Simpheropol was given the name of the eminent Crimean Archpastor.

In 1997, with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the UOC the synaxis of the New Martyrs of the Crimea was glorified, with the Holy Great Martyr Porphyrius (Gulevich) at the head. In 2000 by the Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church the Holy Hierarch Luke and the synaxis of the new martyrs of the Crimea were enlisted to the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and the Confessors of Russia for the all-church veneration.

In 2001 the restoration works in the reopened Chersonese St. Vladimir Cathedral were completed. Then His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr in co-celebration with Vladyka Lazar and in the presence of two presidents - the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and of Russia Volodymyr Putin performed the rite of consecration of the domical cross, after which the cross was installed on the central tower of the cathedral. On April 3, 2004 the main altar of the cathedral was consecrated.

In the Diocese of Simpheropol and the Crimea functions the Department of Social Ministry which coordinates charitable work, cooperation with the health protection agencies and the social services of the Crimea. The Fellowship of the Orthodox Doctors was organized. The partnership agreement between the Diocese of Symferopol and the Ministry of health protection was signed. From now on the diocese has a right for free treatment for sick parishioners in the largest hospitals of the Crimea, preferentially from the most distant villages.

At the Holy Trinity Convent the diocesan charity fund and the refectory for the poor are kept, where every day about 300 persons get the free food. This newly created parish took under patronage the Bilogirsk tuberculosis dispensary.

The missionary group of mercy, which consists of parishioners of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, provides hot dinners every day (the believers prepare them at home by turns), provides clothes, spiritual literature, crosses and icons to the wards for serious patients and homeless at the city hospital № 7. Many parishes perform such activities. In most of the secondary schools not only the Christian ethics is taught but also the special course "Bases of the Orthodox Culture of the Crimea" according to the program approved by the Ministry of Education and science of the Autonomy.

The diocese prepared and published a special handbook on this subject. Regularly on the basis of the Crimean Republican Institute of Post-graduate Pedagogical Education the advanced training is held for the teachers of the special courses. Often the Church Pedagogical Seminars and conferences take place. One of such conferences took place a few months ago in the big Assembly Hall of the Rada of Ministers of the Autonomy with participation of the administration of the Supreme Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of the Rada of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, of the Ministry of Education, of directors and teachers of the Crimean schools.

In all the schools of Crimea the regional quizzes on the Bases of the Orthodox Culture were held among the senior pupils, and shortly before in Simpheropol the All-Crimea competition of the experts in the Orthodox culture of the Crimea "What? Where? When?" was held, where the strongest team out of 24 was defined. The winner of the competition was the team of pupils from the distant villages of the Kirovske Deanery, situated at about 100 km from Simpheropol. So, we have all reasons to state that the competition is popular among the teenagers. The Fellowship of the Orthodox Pedagogues of the Crimea that coordinates the educational activity in the area also promotes it.

April 27 is the 130^th anniversary of St.Luke, Archbishop of Simpheropol and the Crimea. The first issue of the Chronicles "Orthodoxy and Medicine" published with the blessing of Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr will be dedicated to the anniversary of this great God-pleaser. This magazine will be edited by the Diocese together with the Ministry of Health Protection of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Crimean State medical University. In November 2007 the International Church Medical conference, dedicated to the prominent scientific medical paper of the Holy Hierarch - "The Outline of the purulent surgery", for which he received the Stalin's award in the years of persecutions.

Traditionally, for more than 10 years from the moment of glorification of this God-pleaser on his commemoration day June11, lots of pilgrims from the near and far abroad gather in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Convent where Archbishop Luke served and where his holy relics rest. It has become a good tradition for the Crimean medical workers and the students of the Crimean Medical University after S.I. Georgievskyi to come to the prayer to the shrine with his relics on June 10, on the eve of his commemoration day. After the Moleben with akathist the ruling bishop performs the rite of sanctifying the medical gowns. The doctors consider the Holy Hierarch to be their heavenly patron. In many countries of both CIS and Eastern Europe (Greece, Byelorussia, Russia) medical fellowships in honour of the Holy Hierarch Luke are organized.

In the Diocese of Simpheropol and the Crimea the latest volume of sermons of the Holy Hierarch is being prepared, the collections of materials of the Church medical conference "Science and Religion", which took place in 2006 as well as the collection of the duly documented testimonies of the wonderworking of the Holy Hierarch.

In 2005 and 2006 the I and II International Church Historical Conferences "Spiritual Inheritance of the Crimea" dedicated to the memory of the Venerable John, Bishop of Goths, and 150th anniversary of the Sts Kosma and Damian Monastery. Numerous scientific workers and priests from the Crimea, Ukraine and Russia took part in the events.

In 2007 according to the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church the Tavriysk Theological Seminary founded 135 years ago by Archbishop Gurias (Karpov) was reopened. The Holy Hierarch spent many years in the Orthodox Mission in China, where he was engaged in the translations of the liturgical texts and the books of the Holy Scripture into Chinese. The Diocese of the Crimea presented the materials of the life history of the Holy Hierarch Gurias for canonization to the holy synod of the UOC. The theological heritage of the Holy Hierarch, his sermons and translations are of the special interest for the scientists.

One of the important points in the succession of the spiritual feat of the Crimean saints is the revival of the temples and the ancient monasteries, which has preserved in the great number in the territory of the Crimean Diocese. Today in the Crimea more than 500 parishes and 8 monasteries are open. Thus within 16 years since the day of proclaiming the independence of Ukraine the number of parishes has more than 100 times increased. This period can be compared only to the one after proclamation of the Milanese edict in times of the Holy Equal to the Apostles emperor Constantine.

Awarded

1989 - the Order of the Holy and Equal to the Apostles prince Vladimir of the 2^nd degree.

For the service in Argentine bestowed the orders of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh of the 2^nd and 3^rd degrees. The government of this country awarded Vladyka Lazarus by the medal "San-Martino". He received the state Certificate of Merit from the Embassy of the USSR in Argentine.

Awarded by the government of the USSR for the peace-making activity with the Order "Friendship of Peoples".

Awarded by His Beatitude Volodymyr, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine by the Order of the Venerable Theodosius and Anthony of Pechersk.

Awarded with the Orders "For Merits" of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd degrees by the President of Ukraine (1997, 2000, 2002).

2004 - the Certificate of Merit of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine.

2006 - the Honourable Cross "Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky" from the Ukrainian Fund of Scientific economical and Legal Cooperation.