Basil Nikolsky

Holy Hieromartyr Basil Nikolsky, a priest, was born on 27 December 1877 in the village of Nesterovo, Bogorodsk district, Moscow province, in the family of the psalm-⁠reader Eugene Nikolsky. He completed the whole course of the theological school and, after examination, received the title of teacher in a parish school. From 1894 to 1909 he was a teacher, then from May 1909 to December 1910 a psalm-⁠reader. In 1910 he was ordained deacon for the church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Dubrovo, and in March 1924 priest for the same church. In 1926 he was appointed dean of the churches of the Orekhovo-⁠Zuevo district, and in 1932 also of those of the Pavlovsky Posad district. In October 1929 he was made archpriest.

In 1931 the authorities closed the church of the Exaltation, and by decision of the diocesan administration, together with the community of the faithful, Father Basil was moved to the cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Zuevo and appointed its rector. He was dean and rector of the cathedral until 1934, then remained on the cathedral staff. In 1935 he received the cross with ornaments. During the mass persecution he was arrested on 16 November 1937 and held in Taganka prison. Two false witnesses said that they had heard him speak against Stalin's constitution and the Stakhanovite movement. On 19 November he was interrogated and answered every question that he did not admit guilt. The same day the indictment was drawn up and the file was sent to the NKVD troika. On 21 November 1937 the troika sentenced him to death. Archpriest Basil Nikolsky was shot on 27 November 1937 at the Butovo firing range and buried in an unknown common grave.

He is commemorated on 27 November, on 29 May (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the New Martyrs of Butovo, and on 5 September (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the Saints of Moscow, all in the new style.