The Last of the Mohicans: Dmitry Ignatiev celebrated a double anniversary
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90th anniversary of his birth and half a century anniversary of serving as rector
On one gloomy February day, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Frankfurt am Main looked especially solemn. Here they honored a truly unique person, whose life can become an example to follow. Mitred Archpriest Dimitri Leonidovich, Count Ignatiev, celebrated two big events at once: the 90th anniversary of his birth and the half-century anniversary of serving as rector of the churches of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Frankfurt am Main and All Saints in Bad Homburg. The last of the Mohicans, the aristocratic embodiment of the tragic and rebellious 20th century, one of the few representatives of the priesthood who preserved the traditions and special manner of worship of the 19th century.
It was no coincidence that he became a priest: his fate was predetermined by the inheritance of faith and devotion to the cause of the church. Archpriest Dimitry Ignatiev is a descendant of prominent representatives of the Russian aristocracy and clergy. Born in Paris, into an aristocratic family, he has noble roots. Among his direct relatives is the famous commander Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov, but Ignatiev’s first ancestor, included in the family tree, was in the service of the son of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, Daniil Alexandrovich. Another of the relatives, though through his brother, Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, Saint of All Rus’, was the regent of the young Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy. Dimitry Ignatiev’s great-grandfather, Nikolai Pavlovich, is a general, an outstanding Russian diplomat, and a national hero of Bulgaria. In 1860, on behalf of Russia, he signed the Beijing Peace Treaty, thanks to which the country gained access to the Sea of Japan and the current Primorsky Territory. By the way, he was included in the hundred most outstanding diplomats in the world.
In Paris, Count Ignatiev received higher theological education at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, after which he devoted his life to serving God and people. Arriving in Germany after studying, he became the initiator of the Orthodox movement in various cities, organizing services in German and attracting new parishioners to Orthodoxy. The first places of service were parishes in Darmstadt and Saarbrücken. During these years, the Darmstadt Russian nursing home housed 119 lonely elderly people, each of whom required pastoral care and assistance. For them, he was a spiritual support and accompanied almost everyone on their last journey.
In addition to his church activities, Archpriest Dimitri showed himself as an active participant in public life. He not only builds temples, but also builds bridges between cultures and peoples by doing charity work. The brilliant tradition of holding Russian balls has not been interrupted for 21 years practically since 1993, which allowed the Ignatiev couple to create a charitable foundation. Using the funds raised at that time (about one million German marks), they purchased and personally delivered to Russia: 12 artificial kidney machines, the latest medical equipment for the rehabilitation of stroke patients, an ultrasound machine, an intensive care unit, a water purification system for hemodialysis and other expensive medical equipment for hospitals in Peterhof, Bad Homburg’s sister city. These are thousands of lives of compatriots actually saved.
As a Russian clergyman who knew the languages and native culture, Ignatiev became a link between the two countries. For three years in the late 1980s, he invited children from the Minsk region who suffered from the Chernobyl disaster to Germany. They conducted a three-week health course in the forests and suburbs of Bad Homburg. During this time, 78 people visited him!
And during the years of the pandemic, the temple did not stop its work, being a huge spiritual support for all parishioners. A truly unique event was the broadcast of services from the Church of St. Nicholas in Frankfurt am Main during Lent. Literally risking his health, 86-year-old Father Dimitri then taught everyone an example of spiritual fortitude, strength and devotion to the Church of Christ. These services were watched by Orthodox Christians on all continents.
His initiatives to create Orthodox parishes in German and organize intercultural exchange contributed to strengthening the spiritual connection between people of different nationalities. The contribution of Archpriest Dimitry to the spiritual life of Russian-speaking believers abroad is undeniable. His lectures on Orthodoxy in German and Russian attract not only members of the community, but also people far from church life, giving them spiritual enlightenment and support.
The anniversary events associated with his personality and ministry emphasize the importance of his role in the preservation and development of the Orthodox Church abroad. The service of Archpriest Dimitry Ignatiev has become a symbol of fidelity, devotion and love for God and neighbor, which inspires many believers in different parts of the world. So, at the holiday dedicated to honoring the legend – the last male representative of the Ignatiev family, the oldest active priest of the German diocese of the ROCOR – numerous guests gathered. Among them are many parishioners, people grateful to the clergyman for opening the way to Orthodoxy for them. In his honor, musical works were played, including the romances he loved so much, poems were read and words of gratitude were spoken for his truly pastoral labors. Praise was offered and wishes were made to spend the coming summers in health and prosperity. Congratulations arrived from Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, France, England – you can’t count them all. For the archpriest personifies the true values of Orthodoxy and serves as an example for all who strive for spiritual growth and selfless service to God and neighbor.
The staff of the publishing house “MK-Germany” joins all the wishes and is proud of its many years of friendship with Dimitry Leonidovich.
Newspaper headline:
The Last of the Mohicans
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