Turning to the spiritual foundations of healing in Russia and striving to carefully preserve the connection between generations, the Association of Russian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, together with the “Russian Museum of Medicine” of the National Research Institute of Public Health named after N.A. Semashko, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the ARPM, opened the exhibition «Holy Healers», dedicated to St. Luke (V.F. Voyno-Yaseetsky) and the doctor, passion-bearer, the righteous Evgeny Botkin, in the Kaliningrad Church of holy unmercenaries and wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian, initiating the activities of the «Orthodox Medical Cultural and Educational Center named after. Saint Luke».

Priest Sergiy Vasilevsky, rector of the church, noted the significance of the event both for the church and for the entire Kaliningrad diocese, and gave the floor to the head of the ARPM, Victor Dmitriev.

“Opening the exposition, we must remember the wonderful words of the remarkable doctor, canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin: “The doctor must be devoted to God, the Motherland and the Profession.” I am sure that this exposition will become the basis of the Orthodox Medical Cultural and Educational Center, which will bring together people of different generations who are interested in or have already connected their lives with the noble, complex, but endlessly demanded sphere — medicine,” Victor Dmitriev said.

“Now is the time when doctors are back at the forefront. They treat and save our soldiers and, together with our army and the country, are fighting for our lives,” said Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov, Senator from the Kaliningrad Region, in his speech.

The floor was taken by the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Health Committee Badma Bashankaev, a representative of the medical dynasty. He emphasized the sacred significance for any doctor of two names, namely Valentin Voyno-Yasenetsky (St. Luke) and Evgeny Botkin (Passion-bearer Evgeny the doctor). “In surgery there is always a share of something higher. And when you believe in that and give the patient the opportunity to communicate with a clergyman of any confession, he gains peace of mind and understanding that he is not alone in the fight against the disease, ”he concluded.

Anna Popova, Deputy Minister of Health of the Kaliningrad Region, emphasized that the opening of such an exhibition is not only an interesting, but also a significant event. “We all know that many saints in their earthly life chose the profession of a doctor and it was for their selfless unselfish work in healing people that they were canonized by the church as saints. Hundreds of patients who came to them with various ailments, they saved their lives, restored health, light and joy of life,” said a representative of the Kaliningrad Ministry of Health.

Father Sergiy said that the Orthodox Medical Cultural and Educational Center has plans for excursions for students of Orthodox Sunday and general education schools, students of medical educational institutions of the Kaliningrad region, the use of the center as a platform for lectures, seminars, training programs related to medicine, the improvement of the health of the nation.