Died one of the oldest clergymen of the diocese of Kherson


Cleric of the Kherson diocese, Archpriest Maxim Rusnachenko

Archpriest Maxim Rusnachenko departed to the Lord after a long illness on July 9, on 83 year of life.

The funeral of father Maxim will take place on July 11 in the Ilinsky temple of Skadovsk, the press service of the diocese.

Archpriest Maxim V. Rusnachenko was born on 28 April 1935 in the village Gallicano, Belgorod-Dniester district of Odessa region. In 1950 he graduated from high school. After finishing the 1st course of the Odessa Road mechanical College, decided to spend her entire life devoted to the service of the Lord and in 1951 he became a novice of the monastery of the Dormition in Odessa.

In 1953 he entered the Odessa Theological Seminary. As a student of the 3rd year at the Seminary, he was ordained a deacon and appointed a cleric of the Dormition Church of the Dormition monastery in Odessa. After finishing Seminary in 1957 by Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa Boris (Vic) was ordained a presbyter and was appointed clergyman of the Church of the Nativity of the blessed virgin Mary of Odessa.

In 1958 he was appointed rector of a house of worship in honor of the PDP. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Skadovsk, Kherson region (now the Church in honor of Elijah the prophet), where 50 years served as rector.

Through his pastoral labours of the modest house of worship eventually became comfortable temple, the only place where residents of the city of Skadovsk and surrounding villages could receive spiritual rebirth in the Sacraments and pastoral care.

Father Maxim has held the post of head of Skadovsk district. He has received many Church awards: the rank of Archpriest (1968), the right to wear a cross with decorations (1980), the right to wear a miter (1992), the right to serve divine Liturgy with open Royal doors till the prayer “our father” (2007), was also awarded the Order of St. Sergius III degree (1988).

In 2008, in connection with old age, Archpriest Maxim filed a petition for the release of him from the post of Abbot Elias Church.

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