the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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15. HIEROMARTYR HABBAKUK, BISHOP OF OLD UFA
and those with him
Bishop Habbakuk, in the world Gregory Antonovich Borovkov, was born
in Ufa in May, 1892, and was a teacher of physics in a school in Ufa.
According to one source, he was an anarchist in his youth. In 1916 he
graduated from the physico-mathematical faculty of Kazan University and
was intending to devote his life to scientific work. From 1918 he taught
physics in a commercial school, and then in a school. His meeting with Bishop
Andrew (Ukhtomsky) changed his intentions. In 1919 Bishop Andrew
ordained him to the diaconate, but he continued to combine work for the
Church with teaching physics. In 1922, on a trip to Moscow to defend Bishop
Andrew, he was tonsured into the mantia and ordained to the priesthood. He
served in a monastery and churches of the yedinovertsy in the diocese of Ufa.
He was an ascetic and ate neither fish nor eggs. On November 18, 1922 he was
consecrated secretly, at night, as bishop of Old Ufa, a vicariate of the Ufa
diocese, by Bishops Andrew (Ukhtomsky) and Nicholas (Ipatov) – or,
according to another source, Bishops Andrew, Mark (Bogolyubsky) and
Trophimus (Yakobchuk). This consecration was later recognized by Patriarch
Tikhon.
On December 27 (or 30), 1922 he was arrested, and on May 16, 1923 was
condemned for “combining Church serving with teaching in school, the
teaching of the Word of God in school, anti-Soviet activity among the young
and the organization in Ufa of religious circles of youth”. In accordance with
article 121 (58-10), he was sentenced to three years’ exile in Ust-Sysolsk,
Zyransk region, Komi SSR. In July, 1926 he returned to Ufa. He fought against
renovationism and also rejected the declaration of Metropolitan Sergius in
1927. From July to December, 1927, in the absence of Archbishop Andrew, he
was temporarily administering the Ufa diocese, a decision that was confirmed
by the Congress of clergy and laity (of “Orthodox Oldchurchmen”) that he
organized in Ufa between October (or September) 16 and 19. Bishop
Habbakuk was also Archbishop Andrew’s choice, but Metropolitan Sergius
appointed Bishop John (Poyarkov) of Davlekanovsk.
On the third day after the conference (or on December 10, according to
another source) Bishop Habbakuk was arrested and condemned in
accordance with article 58-10 to five years in the camps. However, on March
16, 1928 the OGPU released him under guard, depriving him of the right to
live in Moscow and six other cities and confining him to one domicile for
three years. He was exiled first to Chelyabinsk, and then to Ulyanovsk.
According to one (doubtful) source, Bishop Habbakuk signed the acts of
the so-called “Nomadic Council” of 1928, which anathematized sergianism.
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