John Smirnov

Holy Hieromartyr John Smirnov, a priest, in the world Ivan Mikhailovich Smirnov, was born on 4 August 1884 in the village of Sutka in the Mologa district of the Yaroslavl province. He graduated from the theological school at Poshekhonye, received ordination as a priest and served at the church of the village of Kolegaevo, Nekouz district.

He fulfilled his duty as a shepherd with zeal and in his sermons urged the parishioners to live by the Law of God and to gather in unity around the Church of Christ. These sermons drew the attention of the authorities. On 23 October 1937 Father John was arrested and accused of "systematic counterrevolutionary propaganda, calls for the overthrow of the government and spreading of provocative rumours". He firmly denied any connection with counterrevolutionary activity.

On 2 November 1937 the troika attached to the NKVD Directorate for the Yaroslavl region sentenced him to death. He was shot on 6 November 1937 in the Yaroslavl region, and the place of burial is not known. He was rehabilitated on 19 May 1989. The Council of Bishops of the Russian Church in August 2000 numbered him among the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.

The Church commemorates him on 6 November, the day of his death, in the new style, on 5 June in the Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl, and on the movable day of the synaxis of the new martyrs.