Why did this Soviet ship bear a biblical name?
The navy of the Russian Empire often chose religious names for its ships and one of them somehow ended up in the Soviet navy.
In August 1941, the separate floating anti-aircraft battery No. 3 came to the defense of Sevastopol. This specialized warship had an extremely unusual name - ‘Ne Tron Menya’ (‘Touch Me Not’).
It goes back to the Gospel story of the first appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection. Mary, who recognized the Savior, extended her arms to him, to which he said: "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father" (John 20:17).
Of course, Soviet sailors did not choose a name from the Bible. The ship was named in honor of an armored floating battery of the Russian Imperial Navy, built in 1864, which, after nearly 80 years of service, sank from hull corrosion on the Neva River in Leningrad.
However, the Russian Navy often chose names from the Bible, and the name ‘Touch Me Not’ was one of the most popular. It was carried by no less than six ships, the first of which was laid down in the time of Peter the Great in the early 18th century.
The Soviet floating anti-aircraft battery steadfastly defended Sevastopol for more than ten months. On June 19, 1942, a few weeks before the city fell, it was badly damaged by an air raid. Shortly thereafter, its remaining armament was removed and the crew was recalled.
