Natalia Bolshakova-Minchenko

Natalia Bolshakova-Minchenko (1st of February 1952, Pyatigorsk, Russian SFSR) – the founder and the chief editor of the literary-theological almanac «Christianos», the chairwoman of the International Alexander Men Charitable Foundation.

She studied at theatre higher education institutions in Minsk and Yaroslavl.

In 1982, she graduated from the Maxim Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow.

She is the author of several dozen articles (including works on theatre studies, literary studies, and theology) published in Latvia, Russia, France, Romania, Italy, and the Czech Republic, as well as two books: “Christianity is Realizable on Earth” – the history of the foundation and life of the Monastery of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God in Bussy-en-Othe (France), 2006; and “The Life and Ministry of Bishop Methodius of Campania (Kulmann)”, 2009.

Her research focuses on the history of the Christian Church in the 20th century; the creative legacy of Mother Maria (Skobtsova) (1891–1945); the biblical scholar and theologian Archpriest Alexander Men (1935–1990); and the history of the Russian émigré community.

She has edited more than 20 books.

She is the founder and chairperson of the Alexander Men Charitable Foundation in Riga (established in December 1990), which in 1994 was registered as the International Alexander Men Charitable Foundation. In 2005, the Foundation was reorganized into an “Association.”

She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the literary-theological almanac “Christianos.” Since 1991, together with her husband, Vasily Minchenko — technical editor and production manager of all the Association’s publications — they have annually published “Christianos” and other spiritual literature. As of 2022 (inclusive), they have published 31 issues of the almanac and 24 books.

Natalia Bolshakova-Minchenko and Vasily Minchenko are organizers and participants of numerous international conferences in the fields of culture, religion, and theology in Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and France.

She has lived in Riga since 1977.