the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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Christians]” and of “spreading rumours about the difficult times and the
persecution against religion”. He was sentenced to be shot in accordance with
articles 58-10, 58-11 and 58-7.
In the prison they accepted - rarely, but at any rate sometimes - small
parcels of provisions and clean clothing. As always, on March 31, matushka
with her elder daughter Olga brought a small parcel, but on that day they did
not accept it. On asking why, she received no reply. Then matushka, Olga and
some other people who had also brought parcels for their relatives, began to
wait for the moment when they would be able to hand over their parcels. And
then, at about three in the afternoon, all of them were driven away, the doors
of the prison were opened and they led out the arrestees - between 25 and 30
people, among whom was Fr. Macarius. On seeing his wife and elder
daughter, he waved at them from a distance. He looked completely healthy.
The group was led to the building of the GPU and taken inside, while the
relatives who ran after them were ordered to go home. They were told to come
the next day at nine o' clock, and everything would be explained to them.
But some did not obey, and surrounded the GPU building waiting. They
were given several warnings by the guards, and then some of them were
arrested. Among these was the wife of Fr. Macarius and his daughter. Having
held them in the basement until morning, they were given a certificate saying
that Fr. Macarius had died in prison. Then they were very severely forbidden,
under threat of arrest, not to tell anyone where they had been or what they
had seen.
Fr. Macarius' wife asked:
"Where is the body of my husband? I would like to bury it."
The prison boss who issued the certificate swore and said:
"There's nothing to worry about, Soviet power will give him the burial he
deserved."
Then he ordered them to go away before it was too late. Then they learned
that this group had contained, basically, the priests of Orenburg and the
surrounding district who had been the most popular among believers, as well
as some steadfast true Christians who had got in the way of Soviet power.
And all these people, who the previous day had been healthy and fit, and who
had walked calmly and quickly from the prison to the GPU building,
suddenly, the next day, "died in prison", a fact that was confirmed by
certificates given out to the relatives. Later the rumour spread secretly that all
of them had been herded into a basement room in the GPU and gassed. That
was why no body was given to any of the relatives.
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