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the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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596<br />

Ufa province, he became rector <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church. He brought up nine children.<br />

During <strong>the</strong> revolution he saved a red commissar in his basement, which<br />

meant that <strong>the</strong> Reds did not kill him when <strong>the</strong>y burst into <strong>the</strong> village.<br />

However, in 1920 <strong>the</strong>y arrested him, cast him into prison in Belebeyev and<br />

sentenced him to death. The prison boss was <strong>the</strong> same man whom he had<br />

saved earlier. He was released from prison, but again arrested and shot. It is<br />

said that <strong>the</strong>y fired at him five times, but each time <strong>the</strong> bullet bounced <strong>of</strong>f him<br />

as if repulsed by some invisible power. Then <strong>the</strong>y went up to him and shot<br />

him point-blank and killed him.<br />

*<br />

Protopriest Alexander Alexandrovich Solovyev was born in 1870 in<br />

Cheboksary, Chuvashia. In May, 1922 he was shot.<br />

*<br />

In <strong>the</strong> ancient town <strong>of</strong> Zilair in Bashkiria, shortly after <strong>the</strong> revolution,<br />

Priest Raphael and Deacon Terence were serving <strong>the</strong> Divine Liturgy. A<br />

detachment <strong>of</strong> Bolsheviks broke into <strong>the</strong> church wanting to take hold <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

church-servers, but <strong>the</strong> people prevented <strong>the</strong>m, and <strong>the</strong> priest prevailed upon<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to allow him to complete <strong>the</strong> service. The deacon was terrified and ran<br />

away, while <strong>the</strong> priest remained to complete <strong>the</strong> Liturgy. But <strong>the</strong> Bolsheviks<br />

could not wait for <strong>the</strong> end. They took hold <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> priest, tied his legs to <strong>the</strong> tail<br />

<strong>of</strong> a horse, and, with one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m sitting on <strong>the</strong> horse, <strong>the</strong>y dragged <strong>the</strong> priest<br />

out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> town. They dragged him over <strong>the</strong> stumps and bushes to <strong>the</strong> edge <strong>of</strong><br />

a pit, and <strong>the</strong>n threw him into it.<br />

The next day <strong>the</strong> priest appeared in a dream to <strong>the</strong> deacon in shining white<br />

vestments with a golden crown on his head and said:<br />

"Bro<strong>the</strong>r! So you were afraid <strong>of</strong> your crown! It's waiting for you, in <strong>the</strong><br />

morning go and get it."<br />

In <strong>the</strong> morning <strong>the</strong> deacon got up, recounted his vision and... went to <strong>the</strong><br />

Bolsheviks. They took hold <strong>of</strong> him and led him out to <strong>the</strong> place where <strong>the</strong>y<br />

had cast <strong>the</strong> remains <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> priest. Several pious laymen were also led out<br />

with <strong>the</strong> deacon. They killed <strong>the</strong>m and threw <strong>the</strong>m into <strong>the</strong> pit, which was<br />

filled with rubbish and animal excrement.<br />

In time a light began to appear over <strong>the</strong> place <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> burial. And <strong>the</strong>n a<br />

spring appeared, which gushed out bubbles in abundance. The water<br />

brea<strong>the</strong>d, as it were; it gushed out air bubbles under great pressure, forming a<br />

little pool about 450 square metres in area, and breathing as it were in one<br />

place. It was very pleasant to <strong>the</strong> taste. And it remained at a constant cold<br />

596

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