Anna Akhmatova’s Funeral within the church life of the 1960s in Leningrad

The funeral service for A.A. Akhmatova was organised in Leningrad by her son L.N. Gumilev with the help of Priest Vasily Butylo. Initially, it was planned to hold the funeral ceremony at the Transfiguration Cathedral. However, after L.N. Gumilev and Fr. Vasily had visited Vicar Bishop of Tikhvin Philaret (Vakhromeyev) St Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany was chosen. The service was officiated by Archpriest Alexander Medvedsky, the only clergyman of the city awarded with the Patriarch’s Cross, together with Deacon Pyotr Kolosov. G.S. Zharinov, Leningrad Plenipotentiary on Religious Affairs, forbid to let more than one priest and a big church choir take part in the service as well as to light up large chandeliers. The two last prohibitions were ignored. The involvement of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Ladoga in realization of the most worthy funeral ceremony is discussed in the article.