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the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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"Christ is risen!" shouted <strong>the</strong> priest.<br />

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The sound <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> response was mixed with <strong>the</strong> sound <strong>of</strong> a gunshot.<br />

"He is risen indeed!" was heard by <strong>the</strong> priest already not from his own<br />

parishioners, not in <strong>the</strong> earthly church, but in <strong>the</strong> Heavenly Church, with <strong>the</strong><br />

angels chanting <strong>the</strong> Resurrection <strong>of</strong> Christ...<br />

*<br />

On March 6, <strong>the</strong> Bolsheviks shot Priest Kuryachy, from <strong>the</strong> Novo-<br />

Astrakhan sloboda, Starobelsky uyezd.<br />

*<br />

Priest Nicetas Tikhonovich Pazukhin was born on May 23, 1885 into a<br />

peasant family. He was educated at home, and on May 2, 1895 he passed <strong>the</strong><br />

examination for becoming a teacher and church reader. On June 13, 1905 he<br />

became a reader in <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Alovo, Alatyr uyezd, Simbirsk province. On<br />

April 29, 1906 he was transferred to <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Chirkovo, Alatyr uyezd. He<br />

was also teacher <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Law <strong>of</strong> God. He was well-known for his kindness,<br />

intelligence, generosity and hospitality, and had a good library. On October<br />

16, 1911 he was ordained to <strong>the</strong> diaconate, and began to serve in <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong><br />

Nikolayevka, Alatyr uyezd. On April 15, 1915 he was ordained to <strong>the</strong><br />

priesthood, and began to serve in <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Koshelevka, Karsunsky uyezd,<br />

Simbirsk province. Fr. Nicetas was married to Maria, who came from a poor<br />

but pious family. In 1919 she was only a little more than twenty years old.<br />

They had three daughters.<br />

In March, 1919 a parishioner came to <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> Fr. Nicetas and said:<br />

“Batyushka, you have to hide – in Pogorelova <strong>the</strong>y’ve arrested <strong>the</strong> whole<br />

church council <strong>of</strong> ten people.” He replied: “I can run, but what will happen to<br />

my wife and children?” And so he remained. He put his older daughters on a<br />

bench, read a prayer and made <strong>the</strong> sign <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cross over <strong>the</strong>m. Soon Red<br />

Army soldiers came one by one into his hut. Fr. Nicetas’ daughter Elizabeth<br />

remembers: “Fr. Nicetas gave <strong>the</strong>m tea and milk, and cut some bread for <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

The Red Army soldiers did not refuse. They stacked up <strong>the</strong>ir rifles – <strong>the</strong> whole<br />

wall was full <strong>of</strong> weapons. They ate and drank, and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y said: ‘You’re<br />

wanted in <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice, come with us.’ Batyushka’s wife Maria, on hearing shots,<br />

jumped out onto <strong>the</strong> porch. A woman neighbour came up to her: ‘Matushka,<br />

<strong>the</strong>y’ve shot your [husband] and ten o<strong>the</strong>r people. They’re lying on <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

backs.’ Matushka began to rush about, she took her youngest daughter out <strong>of</strong><br />

her cradle and wanted to run to <strong>the</strong> shooting, but <strong>the</strong> Red Army commander<br />

got hold <strong>of</strong> her: ‘You can’t help him at all, think about your children, o<strong>the</strong>rwise<br />

you, too, will be shot.’ They buried Fr. Nicetas and eleven o<strong>the</strong>r villagers in a<br />

common grave in <strong>the</strong> village cemetery. A cross without any names was<br />

473

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