The Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of South Russia
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THE HOLY NEW MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS OF SOUTH RUSSIA Vladimir Moss © Copyright: Vladimir Moss, 2008 1. HIEROMARTYR VLADIMIR, METROPOLITAN OF KIEV........................4 2. HIEROMARTYR DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF IZMAIL .................................21 3. HIEROMARTYR NICODEMUS, BISHOP OF BELGOROD ......................22 4. HIEROMARTYR BASIL, ARCHBISHOP OF CHERNIGOV......................26 5. HIEROMARTYR TIKHON, ARCHBISHOP OF VORONEZH..................29 6. HIEROMARTYR NICHOLAS, BISHOP OF NIZHNE-CHIRSK ...............31 7. HIEROMARTYR NAZARIUS, METROPOLITAN OF KURSK.................32 8. HIEROMARTYR PETER, ARCHBISHOP OF VORONEZH ......................34 9. HIEROMARTYR BARLAAM, BISHOP OF MAIKOP.................................54 10. HIEROMARTYR BASIL, BISHOP OF PRILUKY .......................................63 11. ARCHBISHOP AGATHANGELUS OF YEKATERINOSLAV .................72 12. HIEROCONFESSOR AMBROSE, BISHOP OF PODOLSK.......................74 13. HIEROMARTYR MACARIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF YEKATERINOSLAV ..................................................................................................................................76 14. HIEROMARTYR ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF SKVIRSK ........................88 15. HIEROMARTYR PAUL, BISHOP OF STAROBELA.................................90 16. HIEROCONFESSOR ALEXIS, BISHOP OF RYLSK...................................98 17. HIEROMARTYR PROCOPIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF ODESSA AND KHERSON..............................................................................................................99 18. HIEROMARTYR ALEXIS, BISHOP OF VORONEZH ............................122 and those with him .............................................................................................122 19. HIEROMARTYR PACHOMIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF..............................156 20. HIEROMARTYR JOASAPH OF BAKHMUT AND DONETSK ............163 21. HIEROMARTYR DAMASCENE, BISHOP OF GLUKHOV...................167 22. HIEROMARTYR PORPHYRIUS, BISHOP OF SIMFEROPOL ..............222 23. HIEROMARTYR BISHOP GEORGE (BUKIN).........................................223 24. HIEROMARTYR ARCADIUS, BISHOP OF LUBNY...............................224 25. HIEROMARTYR PARTHENIUS, BISHOP OF ANANIEV ....................235 26. HIEROMARTYR ABERCIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF ZHITOMIR .............253 27. HIEROMARTYR INNOCENT, BISHOP OF THE DON .........................256 28. HIEROCONFESSOR ANTHONY, SCHEMA-ARCHBISHOP OF TAURIS.................................................................................................................257 29. HIEROMARTYRS ALEXIS OF ROVNO, MANUEL OF BELOTSERKOV’ AND PANCRATIUS OF BELGOROD.............................................................260 30. HIEROCONFESSOR GABRIEL, BISHOP OF AKKERMAN..................262 31. ARCHBISHOP ANTHONY (GALYNSKY-MIKHAILOVSKY) .............263 32. HIEROCONFESSOR SCHEMA-METROPOLITAN GENNADIUS (SEKACH) ............................................................................................................277 33. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF VORONEZH PROVINCE .....319 34. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF KURSK, KHARKOV, POLTAVA, BELGOROD AND CHERNIGOV REGIONS............................349 35. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF ODESSA, KHERSON AND CRIMEA PROVINCES .......................................................................................390 36. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF YEKATERINOSLAV (DNEPROPETROVSK) AND YELISAVETTGRAD (ZINOVIEVSK) REGIONS .............................................................................................................437 37. HIEROMARTYRS AND HIEROCONFESSORS OF KIEV PROVINCE ................................................................................................................................452 38. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF WESTERN UKRAINE AND MOLDAVIA.........................................................................................................522 39. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF THE DON, KUBAN AND STAVROPOL REGIONS ....................................................................................540 40. HIEROMARTYRS AND MARTYRS OF THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS......................................................................................................586 1. HIEROMARTYR VLADIMIR, METROPOLITAN OF KIEV Metropolitan Vladimir, in the world Basil Nikiforovich Bogoyavlensky, was born on January 1, 1848 in the village of Malaya Morshka in the Morshansky uyezd of Tambov province. His father, Nicephorus, was a priest who later himself suffered a martyr's death. He finished his studies at Tambov theological seminary. Unpretentiousness which bordered on timidity, complemented by eagerness and diligence in schoolwork, were the most distinctive characteristics of the child and future metropolitan. In a book dedicated to the memory of the late Metropolitan Anthony Vadkovsky, who was formerly from the same district as Metropolitan Vladimir, there appears the following story about an incident in the latter's childhood. Once Basil Bogoyavlensky's father went with him to the home of Alexander Vasilyevich Vadkovsky, the future Metropolitan Anthony. When he saw A.V. Vadkovsky's older brothers, who were theologians, Basil Bogoyavlensky was so frightened by these important persons that he ran into the barn and hid under a carriage, where they had great difficulty finding him. Basil continued his education at the Kiev Theological Academy, from where he graduated among the top graduates in his class with the degree of candidate of theology in 1874. Several professors of the Department of Church Practices even suggested that he stay at the Academy to prepare for a professorial post. While he was still a student at the Academy, Basil ventured into the field of literature as a writer and translator. By his efforts G. Hageman's work on logic was translated from German and published in Kiev in 1874. On leaving the Academy, on June 7, 1874, Basil became a teacher of homiletics, liturgics and pastoral theology at the Tambov theological seminary. A year later, he was appointed to teach Holy Scripture in the seminary. He also taught German at the seminary and gave lessons in geography in the girls' high school in the diocese and later in the local girls' gymnasium. After seven years of work in education, Basil decided to dedicate himself to serving the Church as a priest. On January 13, 1882 he was ordained a priest for the Pokrov cathedral in Kozlov, Tambov diocese, and soon thereafter became a parish priest in that city. In 1883 he became rector of the Trinity church in Kozlov and the dean of the churches of Kozlov. He spent much time in preaching and in instructing the local clergy. On February 8, 1886, after the deaths of his wife and only child, Fr. Basil was tonsured into the mantia with the name Vladimir, and the next day was raised to the rank of archimandrite, being appointed superior of the Holy Trinity monastery in Kozlov. On October 6, 1886, he was transferred to Novgorod and appointed superior of the St. Anthony monastery in Novgorod. On June 3, 1888, Archimandrite Vladimir was consecrated Bishop of Stara Russa, a vicariate of the Novgorod diocese in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Both in Kozlov and in Novgorod Bishop Vladimir, in addition to carrying out his duties as vicar bishop under Metropolitan Isidore of St. Petersburg and Novgorod, laboured much over the preaching of the word of God and thus brought great benefits to the people. He frequently and zealously instructed the people, for he gave this priority. His sermons attracted his listeners' attention by their unusual simplicity, sincerity and candour. At this time he also began trying to organize all the preaching in Novgorod and in his diocese by gathering together all of the parish clergy. He was particularly interested in instituting informal dialogues between priests and lay people in addition to the sermons delivered during services. This practice was initiated, and Bishop Vladimir attached very great significance to it. He was always fondly remembered in Novgorod, and he similarly cherished pleasant memories of his service in Novgorod to the end of his days. On January 19, 1891, Bishop Vladimir was appointed Bishop of Samara and Stavropol. His rather brief term of service in Samara (less than two years) constitutes a special chapter in the life of the martyr-metropolitan. It coincided with a famine in Samara, which was followed by a cholera epidemic. During these terrible calamities that befell the Samara region, Bishop Vladimir put exceptional energy into developing various means of helping the people. Through the work of a special committee which he established, he organized widespread assistance for the hungry, cooperated with the parish relief organization, and recommended that arrangements be made for partially and fully subsidized dining halls and tea rooms to feed the hungry. In all of this he not only acted as an organizer and leader of the clergy, but was also actively involved in the work. In his sermons and printed appeals he prompted the clergy and the local populace to assist their unfortunate brothers who were suffering from the famine. In his sermons and various publication, he tried to communicate to the people a healthy, proper attitude toward the epidemic and suggested effective ways of fighting against it. He organized and served at gatherings for the purpose of praying for deliverance from this terrible misfortune. He also conducted funeral services at the cemeteries for those who had died during the epidemic, and fearlessly appeared among the worshippers in places where