At the invitation of Bishop Theodore of Pokrovsky and Novouzensky, Honored Artist of Russia, theater and film actor, and TV presenter Yuri Grigoriev visited the Pokrovsky Diocese.
The Pokrovsky Diocesan Educational Center hosted a meeting between Engels schoolchildren and a television legend whose voice and smile are familiar to millions of Russians. For many adults, he has always remained the kindest "Uncle Yura" from his childhood favorite shows "Good Night, kids!" and "Shishkin Forest." Today, the artist continues to delight the audience with his talent: he serves in the Russian Academic Youth Theater (RAMT) and he is actively engaged in educational activities on the TV channel "My Joy".
The meeting with the guys was like a lively interactive dialogue. Yuri Gerasimovich immediately found a common language with the children's audience, turning communication into an exciting game. Together with the artist, the students went on a journey through the world of childhood: they recalled their favorite Russian folk tales and their characters, guessed the plots of good Soviet cartoons. The audience was actively involved in the process: the guys enthusiastically guessed tricky riddles, competed in erudition, and interactive games helped create an atmosphere of sincere fun.
In addition, Yuri Gerasimovich introduced schoolchildren to the TV channel "My Joy", which creates bright and informative programs for children.
The meeting flew by in one breath, the guys received a lot of positive emotions. Yuri Gerasimovich, in turn, noted the curiosity and openness of the Engels schoolchildren, emphasizing that such meetings inspire. "You know, when grown-ups come up to me and say: "Uncle Yura, thank you for my childhood," is the best reward. And meetings with young people give strength and help me move on, it's important for me to see how the current guys live, what they dream about and how they look at this world."
At the end of the meeting, Elena Gosteva, a primary school teacher at school No. 12, and Anastasia Plokhykh, the mother of one of the students, thanked the artist for his visit to Pokrovsk and presented him with memorable gifts. "When we found out that Yuri Gerasimovich was coming, we were delighted. We watched his shows when we were very young, and today we returned to our childhood. We hope that this meeting will remain in the memory of our students for a long time. This is a rare opportunity for children to communicate live with a person who knows how to speak with children in the same language — the language of sincerity and kindness," the teacher added.
In the evening of the same day, a creative meeting with the artist took place at the Pokrovsky Diocesan Educational Center.
Yuri Gerasimovich came out to the audience not just as an artist performing a program, but as a good old friend, and every viewer became a part of this sincere conversation. The actor told about his childhood and parents, remembered how his path to the profession began. Yuri Gerasimovich admitted that there had never been any artists in his family and the choice of a creative path came as a surprise to the family: "It's interesting that my mother herself dreamed of becoming an actress, but life turned out differently. As a result, I became an artist."
The audience enjoyed listening to the guest's stories about his first steps on stage, about filming and about the people who helped shape his talent. Summing up an impressive life, Yuri Gerasimovich shared with the audience the main conclusion: "I have celebrated many anniversaries: 70 years of life, 50 years in the theater, 30 years on television. And looking back, I realized one thing: the most important thing in life is love. Which is what I sincerely wish each of you."
At the end of the evening, Bishop Theodore thanked the guest for his visit. "There are people you meet in life, and each such meeting becomes an important milestone — a significant event that leaves a mark on the soul. For many of us, you are such a person. God grant that there will be many more such joint meetings ahead," said the archpastor.