Mikhail Z. Morgulis () (October 1, 1941 – November 16, 2021) was a

Russian-language Russian is an East Slavic language belonging to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is one of the four extant East Slavic languages, and is the native language of the Russians. It was the ''de facto'' and ''de j ...

writer, editor and theologian. He was among the first Americans to broadcast

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...

s in Russian to millions of people living behind the

Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...

in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other former republics of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and to Russian-speaking audiences in the United States and Canada.

Personal life and education

Mikhail Morgulis was born in

Kyiv, Ukraine Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

. His father, Zinovii Morgulis (), was a journalist who published in Russian and Ukrainian newspapers and journals. His mother, Lubov Sadanovska was a medical doctor. Morgulis studied at the Naval College.He studied and graduated Kyiv University. He studied and graduated with MA from

Norwich University Norwich University is a private university in Northfield, Vermont, United States. The university was founded in 1819 as the "American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy". It is the oldest of six senior military college, senior militar ...

(

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

, USA) where he was a teaching in their Russian School during summers. Also a DMin from Seminary. In 1971 Mikhail Morgulis married Tatiana Titov (). They have three children, Val, Z, and Nikola.

Career

In 1972 Morgulis won a coveted award sponsored by the Ukrainian Union of Soviet Writers and the

Soviet Ministry of Culture The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until it dissolved in 1991. During its existence, it was the largest country by are ...

for his collection of stories entitled ''It's Hope's Turn'' (''Очередь за надеждой''). In 1977 he emigrated from the Soviet Union, going first to Vienna and then Rome before settling in New York City. There he wrote for The ''New Russian Word'' (''Новое Русское Слово'') and ''Russian Thought'' (''Русская Мысль'') in Paris. At the same time he worked in a

relief organization Emergency management (also Disaster management) is a science and a system charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actua ...

for Soviet immigrants. His articles and stories also appeared in the journals ''Continent'' (''Континент''), ''Time and Us'' (Время и Мы), ''The World'' (''Мир''), ''The New Journal'' (''Новый журнал'') and ''Panorama'' (''Панорама''), as well as in the literary almanacs ''Three Anniversaries for Andrei Sedykh'' (''Три юбилея Андрея Седых'') and ''Kaleidoscope'' (''Калейдоскоп''). In the 1980s he edited two literary journals, ''Literary Abroad'' (''Литературное зарубежье'') and ''Literary Courier'' (''Литературный курьер''), both intended to offer an opportunity for Russian-language writers and readers in exile, primarily in the United States. In 1982, by an invitation from Slavic Gospel Association, he moved to Chicago where he helped establish the Slavic Gospel Press which published over 100 works in Russian and Ukrainian, including copies of the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

and translations of text by

C.S. Lewis CS, C-S, C.S., Cs, cs, or cs. may refer to: Job titles * Chief Secretary (Hong Kong) * Chief superintendent, a rank in the British and several other police forces * Company secretary, a senior position in a private sector company or public se ...

, G.K. Chesterton,

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer (; 4 February 1906 – 9 April 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, neo-orthodox theologian and anti-Nazi dissident who was a key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the s ...

and others. Mikhail also began a series of spiritual radio broadcasts to the Soviet Union, beginning with his own literary novellas, ''Farewell, Cranes'' (''До свиданья, журавли''), and ''The Fate of the Clown'' (''Судьба клоуна'') that later appeared as audio-albums. In 1990, he was one of the first Americans to broadcast Christian programming on Soviet television. In 1991 he visited Russia with a delegation of American spiritual leaders and they met with president of USSR

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...

and other political figures. He prayed in the Kremlin and in the KGB headquarters. Mikhail Morgulis continued his work through Christian Bridges International (Международный Христианский Мост) and founder of Spiritual Diplomacy Foundation (Духовная Дипломатия) located in

North Port, Florida North Port is a city located in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 74,793 at the 2020 US Census, up from 57,357 at the 2010 US Census. It is a principal city in the North Port– Bradenton–Sarasota, Florida Met ...

. He wrote and participated in an active ministry. He served as the Honorary Consul of Belarus in North Port, Florida.

Published books

*1989 ''Return to the Red Planet: 22 Days in Gorbachev's Backyard'' (Scripture Pr Pubns) . *1991 ''Dreams of My Life'' (''Сны моей жизни'') (Zoloti vorota) . *1993 ''The Sermon of the Good Samaratin'' (''Притча о добром самаритянине'') (Moscow). *1994 ''What is the Most Terrifying Thing?'' (''Что самое страшное?'') (Moscow). *1995 ''The Cross and Love'' (''Крест и Любовь'') (Sacramento). *1996 ''Russia, between Sword and Cross''. With Melissa Rose Marshall. *2001 ''Spiritual Diplomacy: real-life stories'' (''Духовная Дипломатия: невыдуманные истории''). *2005 ''Yearning for Paradise'' (''Тоска по раю''). (Moscow). *2006 "Country of Mum flowers, mountains and blessings" ("Cтрана хризантем гор и благословений") (New York) *2012 ''It Was a Dream'' (''Это был сон'') (Moscow). ("Unost")

References

External links

US BELARUS OBSERVER

Spiritual Diplomacy

Article in Russian American Business

Мorgulis TV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgulis, Mikhail 1941 births 2021 deaths Christian writers Russian-language writers Television evangelists Ukrainian writers in Russian American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Sermon writers People from North Port, Florida