Fr. Dimitry Klepinin

Last month, I mentioned Mother Maria Skobtsova. Today I ran across a biography of Father Dimitry Klepinin, who helped her in her ministry in Paris.

Here's an excerpt from the story:

A German officer named Hoffman had collected a large amount of evidence on how Jews had been helped by Mother Maria and Fr. Dimitry. He was prepared to question the priest for a long time, and was astonished when Fr. Dimitry told him frankly about everything he had done.

Hoffman said curtly, "And if we release you, will you promise never again to aid Jews?"

Dimitry answered, "I can say no such thing. I am a Christian, and must act as I must."

Hoffman stared at him in disbelief for a moment, and then struck Dimitry across his face. "Jew lover!" he screamed. "How dare you talk of those pigs as being a Christian duty!"

The frail Dimitry recovered his balance. Staying calm, he raised the Cross from his cassock and faced Hoffman with it.

"Do you know this Jew?" he said quietly.

The blow he received knocked him to the floor.

Thanks to Havdala for her link to the description of Pascha in Paris in 1942.