Preacher of the word of god: the choir director ministry of proto-deacon Pavel Gerasimov (1930-2002)

This article is dedicated to one of the outstanding choir directors of the Soviet era, ProtoDeacon Pavel Gerasimov (1930-2002), who left a significant legacy in the culture of Saint Petersburg. The foundation of the article is based on documents from the family archive of Father Pavel, provided by his spouse Lyudmila Alexandrovna Gerasimova, along with an interview recorded with her in May 2023. Various facts from Father Pavel’s life, supported by archival documents, are presented. The article showcases the spiritual and educational as well as concert activities of the choir of the clergy of the Leningrad Metropolis, established at the initiative of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov; 1929-1978) in 1971. It also includes a translation of a newspaper article titled “Sang som kan rubba berg,” recounting the performance of the clergy choir in Finland as part of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. Additionally, the article sheds light on the creative development and choir directing practice of Lyudmila A. Gerasimova in various churches in Saint Petersburg.