Priest Ivan Smirnov played an important part in Sergei Esenin’s character building. He married the poet’s parents and christened him. Esenin’s sister Ekaterina wrote about the priest: “Rather short, with large facial features and intelligent brown eyes, he knew how to get along with people so well that no one in the entire neighbourhood could say anything bad about Father Ivan.”
Smirnov came to Konstantinovo Village in 1877 and was rector of the Kazan Church for 46 years. “Father Ivan was a special topic because he was a special person. As they would say now, he was an unconventional priest. He was such a simple man, he knew how to approach a person. He had an easy way with people. He would drop in, chat for a while, have some tea. He was always sober, always sympathetic to people. So everyone went to him to talk about their business, ” recalled Nikolai Kalinkin, a local resident.
Priest Smirnov taught Sergei God”s Law in 1904—1909 and gave him a reference for admission to the Spas-Klepikovskaya teacher”s secondary school. In the Smirnovs' house, Esenin met his first love — Anna Sardanovskaya, the priest”s grand-niece.
This photo was kept in the family archive of Lidia Kashina, an estate owner in Konstantinovo. Esenin dedicated his poem Green Hairstyle to Lidia. It was also she who largely became the prototype of the main character in the poem Anna Snegina.
The back of the photo has an inscription: “To Lidia Ivanovna Kulakova, most highly educated, noblest, most honourable and kind, of a truly remarkable standing, as a souvenir from Priest Ivan Yakovlevich Smirnov, rector of the Kazan Church in Konstantinovo, Ryazan District, whose co-worker responsible for management and decoration of this church is Mr Ivan Petrovich Kulakov, our valiant supporter having superior internal and external qualities. Always confident in, and grateful for, your best wishes addressed to me.” 28 September 1903. Signed: “I wish you a great future destiny.”
Smirnov came to Konstantinovo Village in 1877 and was rector of the Kazan Church for 46 years. “Father Ivan was a special topic because he was a special person. As they would say now, he was an unconventional priest. He was such a simple man, he knew how to approach a person. He had an easy way with people. He would drop in, chat for a while, have some tea. He was always sober, always sympathetic to people. So everyone went to him to talk about their business, ” recalled Nikolai Kalinkin, a local resident.
Priest Smirnov taught Sergei God”s Law in 1904—1909 and gave him a reference for admission to the Spas-Klepikovskaya teacher”s secondary school. In the Smirnovs' house, Esenin met his first love — Anna Sardanovskaya, the priest”s grand-niece.
This photo was kept in the family archive of Lidia Kashina, an estate owner in Konstantinovo. Esenin dedicated his poem Green Hairstyle to Lidia. It was also she who largely became the prototype of the main character in the poem Anna Snegina.
The back of the photo has an inscription: “To Lidia Ivanovna Kulakova, most highly educated, noblest, most honourable and kind, of a truly remarkable standing, as a souvenir from Priest Ivan Yakovlevich Smirnov, rector of the Kazan Church in Konstantinovo, Ryazan District, whose co-worker responsible for management and decoration of this church is Mr Ivan Petrovich Kulakov, our valiant supporter having superior internal and external qualities. Always confident in, and grateful for, your best wishes addressed to me.” 28 September 1903. Signed: “I wish you a great future destiny.”
