The saint doctor

The presentation of the book “Il santo medico di Mosca. Friedrich Joseph Haas” written by Fr. G. Marani will be organized on May, 16 in the Pontifical Oriental Institute. A STILL ALIVE MEMORY. Nowadays, in the beginning of the new century memory about this person is still alive. Every year on the November, 2 on the day of prayer about the souls of the faithful late Moscow catholic believers go to Dr. Haas’s tomb. The charity center named after D. Haas has been functioning during some years in Moscow. “Otchiyi dom” (“Ancestral Home”) film studio made a documentary about the doctor. Russian writers Lev Kopelev and Aleksandr Nezhnii published the books “Saint doctor Fedor Petrovich” and “The gates of charity”. Archbishop Kondrusiewicz confirmed the prayer for the beatification of Dr. Haas, the process which has already started in Archdiocese in Koln. HAAS IN MOSCOW. Year 2003 in Moscow was a year of commemoration of Dr. Haas. There were held many events – conference in the Academy of Medicine, demonstration of the documentary with the introduction of the President of USSR M. Gorbachev on the television and different ecclesial events. Among them in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mother of God the Conference dedicated to 150 anniversary had place. Cardinal I. Maisner, Msn. H. Moll, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz participated in the Conference. Archpriest V. Chaplin (Russian Orthodox Church), A. Yudin (Dr. of history) and some other famous persons presented their reports about life of Dr. Haas. Today the German school in Moscow, Moscow scout team, Funds and philantropical and Charity organizations have his name. Among their aims we can mention keeping the memory of Dr. Haas, developing relations between Germany and East European countries, providing poor people with the necessary goods, helping seek and so on. BIOGRAPHY. Friedrich Joseph Haas was born on the 24th of August, 1780 near Colon in the family of doctors. He finished the course of medicine in Vienna and was especially interested in ophthalmology. He was very active not only in practice but also in the theory – he developed the medical science, researching the healing power of Caucasian mineral springs. He worked as a doctor in some Moscow hospitals. But his main activity was the work as a prison doctor. Primarily he was a member of Tutorial Prison Council and then, in 1829-1853 he was a chief medical officer of prison hospitals. He gave everything he had to the prisoners and because of his philanthropy finally he received the name “the saint doctor”. At that time with the help of D. Haas the severe living conditions in prisons were cancelled. He was a professional, he had his own method of treatment, which seemed to be very specific. According to the doctor the best medicines were good spirits, rest and moderate diet. But he was successful in curing people. He died on the 16th of August and was buried in Vvedenskoe Cemetery in Moscow. He dedicated his life to “unhappy” people. The right way to the happiness is not in the desire to be happy but in making other people happy. In 1909 in the yard of the house where doctor lived and where he founded the hospital the monument to Dr. Haas was opened. On its base there are the words: “Hasten to make good” – the motto of whole his life. In 1910 Policy (Haas) hospital was renamed in the Hospital of the Emperor Alaxander III. Memory about the doctor was kept in the hearts of many people. In 1910 and 1911 near the monument children holidays were organized. They gathered together 2600 children from orphanage and schools participated. But the main keepers of this memory in Moscow always were doctors, prisoners and simple moscovites.