The article is dedicated to the memory of Marianna Mikhailovna Shakhnovich (1957-2025), an outstanding scientist, teacher, and organizer of science. M. M. Shakhnovich played a great role in the lives of many colleagues and students, and educated more than one generation of religious scholars. Marianna Mikhailovna's scientific life from the very beginning of her professional career was connected with St. Petersburg University, especially with the Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies, of which she was the head for a quarter of a century. M. M. Shakhnovich made a great contribution to the development of religious studies teaching in schools and Universities in Russia. She showed up outstanding organizational skills in her sensitive scientific guidance and editorial work. Her main area of research was the Ancient philosophy of religion, primarily the Epicurean tradition and its reception in European culture. Being a leading expert in Russia on epicureanism, M. M. Shakhnovich nevertheless did not limit her research to this topic: her legacy also includes works on the history of Russian religious studies, on the history, anthropology and philosophy of religion. She defended a secular approach to the study of religion, and believed that a religious scholar should have a wide range of knowledge, starting with the command of languages. The State Museum of the History of Religion takes a special place in Marianna Mikhailovna's development as a scientist, for she considered it one of the most important scientific institutions that contributed to the development of the science of religion. Marianna Mikhailovna's works revived interest in the legacy of Soviet religious scholars, and also convincingly demonstrated that the study of religion in Russia is an organic and prolific part of Russian culture, and modern religious studies should build on the rich Russian scientific tradition.