Pastoral ministry of protopriest Konstantin Ruzhytsky in Sloviansk (1916–1945)

Abstract

The article deals with the pastoral ministry of mitrophoros protopriest Konstantin Ivanovich Ruzhitsky in Slavyansk, where the future rector of the Moscow theological schools spent most of his life (1916–1945). The main stages of father Konstantin's ministry are analysed on the basis of archival materials. Having successfully graduated from the Moscow theological academy in 1916 as a first class (3rd in the roll), Konstantin Ruzhitsky married, became a priest, and was then appointed a staff pastor in the Trinity cathedral in Slavyansk. Father Konstantin was often appointed by the clergy to fill important church administrative posts. Already in his first year of service he was appointed treasurer of Izyum branch of the Kharkiv eparchial soviet, and in 1932 he was appointed Commissioner of Donetsk oblast eparchy and Supervisor of religious and moral life of its parishes. By 1936 authorities of the Ukrainian SSR had closed all churches on the territory of Stalin region. Having found himself without a place of service, father Konstantin performed church services in the homes of believers, which was not forbidden to do until 1938. After occupation of Slaviansk, German authorities allowed Holy Trinity cathedral to open, and father Konstantin was appointed rector. During the war prot. Konstantin was dean of Slavyansk district. In July 1942 there was a meeting of monastics in Holy Trinity cathedral under direction of father Konstantin Ruzhitsky, at which it has been decided to open Svyatogorsk Holy Dormition lavra. Following the liberation of Slavyansk by the Red Army, fr. Konstantin Ruzhitsky appealed to the clergy and the believers of Donbass to donate funds for the construction of the st. Dimitry Donskoy tank column and to help the wounded soldiers. In a letter to Stalin, protopriest Konstantin Ruzhitsky reported the opening of a bank account to collect donations. For his patriotic work, the Soviet government awarded Father Konstantin a medal «For Valorous Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945».