The Akathist to Saint Luke the Surgeon (English)

Saint Luke of Crimea (1877–1961) was a renowned surgeon, bishop, and confessor of the faith in Soviet-era Russia. Born Valentin Voyno-Yasenetsky, he became a pioneering doctor and medical professor, even while secretly becoming a monk and later bishop during intense anti-religious persecution.

Despite arrests, torture, and exile by the Soviet regime, he continued to practice medicine and serve the Church, performing surgeries and preaching wherever he was sent. His deep faith, scientific brilliance, and compassion earned him great respect. He died in 1961 and was canonised in 2000.

His feast day is celebrated on June 11, and he is venerated as a saint who united science, faith, and courage in times of darkness.