Alexandria, Ukraine, November 28, 2019
Researchers have discovered new documents that shed more light on the life of St. Barsanuphius of Kherson, a zealous missionary priest who suffered under communist persecution.
In particular, local historian and representative of the Department for Canonization in the Diocese of Alexandria of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Olga Bozhko, found metric documents recording the saint’s date of birth and Baptism, reports the diocesan press service.
It was previously believed that St. Barsanuphius was born on August 15, 1880 in the village of Lozovatka in the Kherson Governorate, but according to the metrical records, he was born on August 18, 1883 and baptized on August 19.
In the newly-discovered metric records, “there were lines (number 36) that on August 18, 1883 was born, and on August 19 baby Basil received the Sacrament of Baptism, the son of Gregory Petrovich and Tatiana Ivanovna Yurchenko. The Baptism was celebrated by Fr. Vasily Buzhenitsky in the presence of nobleman Semyon Savich Rudkovsky and Maria Nikolaevna Maksimenkova,” the diocesan message states.
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The Union of Orthodox Journalists provides biographical information on St. Barsanuphius:
Photo: alexandria-eparhia.org.ua St. Barsanuphius (in the world Vasily Grigorievich Yurchenko), was born in the village of Lozovatka, Elisavetgrad County, Kherson Governorate, (now the Kirovograd Region and Province), in a pious family. His parents Gregory and Tatianawere Orthodox believers.
In 1915 he entered the Kherson Pastoral and Missionary Seminary. In his first year, he took monastic vows with the name Barsanuphius in honor of St. Barsanuphius, Bishop of Tver, on March 24, 1916. Upon finishing seminary, he remained at the St. Gregory’s Monastery there.
In 1920, the monastery suffered a common fate of looting and repression, and the monastery was closed. Fr. Barsanuphius was arrested. After some time he was released and was appointed as parish priest in the village of High Bueraki near Elisavetgrad (Kirovograd), where his sincere and zealous service soon gained universal respect, both among the faithful and the clergy.
In 1923, the diocesan hierarch, Bishop Onuphry (Gagalyuk), appointed him to the city of Alexandria as a missionary for the fight against Renovationism throughout the district.
In 1926, Fr. Barsanuphius was appointed rector in the city of Pervomaisk in the Odessa Diocese, where there was not a single church faithful to Orthodoxy.
On November 9, 1951, the ruling Bishop appointed him rector of the Trinity Church of Staraya Zburyevka in the Kherson Oblast.
On June 25, 1954, Archimandrite Barsanuphius was appointed rector of the St. Catherine Cathedral of Kherson—his final church.
In the last days of his life, Fr. Barsanuphius was very ill. He knew that the Lord would soon call him to Himself, and he began to prepare for death. After confessing and communing of the Holy mysteries of Christ, the Monk Barsanuphius peacefully departed to the Lord on October 17, 1954, the day of his Heavenly patron.
On March 28, 2007, the relics of St. Barsanuphius were found, which now rest in the Holy Spirit Cathedral of Kherson.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Archimandrite Barsanuphius was canonized as a saint on April 18, 2008. He is commemorated on October 4/17.
