One day after the diocesan congress, at which Valentin Felixovich was present as a guest and made a heated, lengthy speech on some issue, Bishop Innokenty (Pustynsky) of Turkestan and Tashkent approached him. Taking her by the arm, he led her around the cathedral. He praised the speech, noted its sincerity and depth. Then, stopping, he suddenly said,
"Doctor, you should be a priest.
Voino-Yasenetsky had never thought about the priesthood before. But he accepted the bishop's words as a call from God and answered:
— All right, my lord! I will be a priest, if it pleases God!