Vitalij Zadvornyj, Director of the Museum of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God and Lecturer at Sfi, Has Fallen Asleep in the Lord

On April 10, at the age of 71, Vitalij Leonidovich Zadvornyj, Director of the Museum of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Lecturer at Saint Philaret’s Orthodox Christian Institute, and Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, departed to the Lord.

Vitalij Zadvornyj was born on October 31, 1954, in Moscow. He spent several years of his childhood with his parents in Poland. After receiving a technical education at the Moscow State Automobile and Road Construction University (MADI), he pursued postgraduate studies at the Institute of the History of Natural Science and Technology. In 1992, he successfully defended his Candidate of Philosophical Sciences dissertation at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. His topic was "Witelo: 13th Century Philosopher and Natural Scientist".

Since 2002, Vitalij Zadvornyj had led the Institute of European Civilization, and from 2005 he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Catholic Encyclopedia. He authored several books on the history and philosophy of the Catholic Church and wrote more than 500 articles on Christianity in Europe.

At SFI, Vitalij Zadvornyj taught  "The History of Western Christian Confessions" for the undergraduate theology programme and read lectures on  "Christianity across History" for the Faculty of Religious Studies. Students and staff of the Institute will remember Vitalij Leonidovich for his genuine care and concern for others, his joyful spirit, and his outstanding professionalism.

Eternal Memory to the servant of God, Vitalij!