Yevgeny Isaakovich Tyumentsev was the priest of the Church of Hodigitria in Kuznetsk who married F.M. Dostoevsky to M.D. Isaeva of Kuznetsk. Photo of the end of the 19th century. A copy.
Yevgeny Isaakovich Tyumentsev (1828, Tobolsk — August 21, 1893, Kuznetsk) was born and raised in a clergy family, in 1852 he graduated from Tobolsk Theological Seminary with a first-class diploma. Having started serving as a priest in the Barnaul district, he was appointed dean of the Church of Hodigitria in Kuznetsk a few months later at his own request. Father Yevgeny served in that church for forty years. In addition to his immediate duties, Father Yevgeny served as a ‘municipal deputy and admonisher’ at the City Hall, by order of the governor-general of Western Siberia he was appointed teacher of Religious Education (1864) in the district school. Long-lasting teaching activities of Father Yevgeny were quite successful, as was his priestly work. In the 1960s, Tyumentsev organized a choir of boys from among his gifted students, which they used during the ceremonial services in the Church of Hodigitria and the Transfiguration Cathedral. He was one of the few priests of the diocese composing his own sermons highly appreciated by Platon, bishop of Tomsk. For his ‘special diligence in preaching the word of God, and excellent zeal in pastoral duties’ he received numerous awards and promotions from both local bishops and bishops of Tomsk. In 1881, he was awarded a pectoral gold cross by the Synod. In all the reports on Kuznetsk diocese priest Tyumentsev received the best comments on his activity during forty years of service. Character reference of Father Yevgeny of the early 60s from the Clerical Ledgers given by the head of the diocese: ‘Person of a perfectly good behaviour. He holds services on all Sundays, holidays, and very often, on simple days without fail, holds both services in the temple of God, and occasional offices in the parish with good will and pleasure, exhorts the parish people diligently, is sober, humble, and very sensitive to the proper décor of the temple.’ In 1885, archpriest Yevgeny Tyumentsev was approved to the position of the head of the diocese. Completion of the construction of the Iberian Chapel, the new chapel of St. Frol and St. Laurus, erection of prayer houses, churches, opening of parish schools in rural parishes - all this is directly related to the activities of the archpriest Y. Tyumentsev. The huge moral authority of Father Yevgeny all around the region is evidenced by the growth of the temple’s income even at the expense of the inhabitants of distant uluses, and increase of the list of donors to the temple. Father Yevgeny was a personal example to the parishioners in all his way of life. Father Yevgeny died in 1893, at the age of 65. With the permission of Macarius, bishop of Tomsk, he was buried with high honors within the frame of the Church of Hodigitria.
Yevgeny Isaakovich Tyumentsev (1828, Tobolsk — August 21, 1893, Kuznetsk) was born and raised in a clergy family, in 1852 he graduated from Tobolsk Theological Seminary with a first-class diploma. Having started serving as a priest in the Barnaul district, he was appointed dean of the Church of Hodigitria in Kuznetsk a few months later at his own request. Father Yevgeny served in that church for forty years. In addition to his immediate duties, Father Yevgeny served as a ‘municipal deputy and admonisher’ at the City Hall, by order of the governor-general of Western Siberia he was appointed teacher of Religious Education (1864) in the district school. Long-lasting teaching activities of Father Yevgeny were quite successful, as was his priestly work. In the 1960s, Tyumentsev organized a choir of boys from among his gifted students, which they used during the ceremonial services in the Church of Hodigitria and the Transfiguration Cathedral. He was one of the few priests of the diocese composing his own sermons highly appreciated by Platon, bishop of Tomsk. For his ‘special diligence in preaching the word of God, and excellent zeal in pastoral duties’ he received numerous awards and promotions from both local bishops and bishops of Tomsk. In 1881, he was awarded a pectoral gold cross by the Synod. In all the reports on Kuznetsk diocese priest Tyumentsev received the best comments on his activity during forty years of service. Character reference of Father Yevgeny of the early 60s from the Clerical Ledgers given by the head of the diocese: ‘Person of a perfectly good behaviour. He holds services on all Sundays, holidays, and very often, on simple days without fail, holds both services in the temple of God, and occasional offices in the parish with good will and pleasure, exhorts the parish people diligently, is sober, humble, and very sensitive to the proper décor of the temple.’ In 1885, archpriest Yevgeny Tyumentsev was approved to the position of the head of the diocese. Completion of the construction of the Iberian Chapel, the new chapel of St. Frol and St. Laurus, erection of prayer houses, churches, opening of parish schools in rural parishes - all this is directly related to the activities of the archpriest Y. Tyumentsev. The huge moral authority of Father Yevgeny all around the region is evidenced by the growth of the temple’s income even at the expense of the inhabitants of distant uluses, and increase of the list of donors to the temple. Father Yevgeny was a personal example to the parishioners in all his way of life. Father Yevgeny died in 1893, at the age of 65. With the permission of Macarius, bishop of Tomsk, he was buried with high honors within the frame of the Church of Hodigitria.
