Michael Trubnikov

Holy Martyr Michael Trubnikov (Mikhail Dormidontovich Trubnikov) was born in 1855. He was a retired captain of the second rank and, until the Bolshevik coup, a justice of the peace and head of the zemstvo. He was shot in 1918, together with Bishop Varsonophius (Lebedev) of Kirillov, Abbess Seraphima (Sulimova) of the Ferapontov monastery and the laymen Nikolai Burlakov, Anatoly Barashkov and Philip Maryshev.

In the spring of 1918 the authorities ordered an inventory of church property in all the monasteries, and Bishop Varsonophius was arrested and taken by Red Guards to Kirillov. There he met Abbess Seraphima and the other prisoners. People said that the times were such that an arrest could end in shooting. The bishop answered, "I do not fear violent death, but I dare not think that the Lord will find me worthy of a martyr's end." He spent the whole night in prayer. On Sunday, 15 September, at about five in the morning, Bishop Varsonophius, Abbess Seraphima and four laymen, among them Michael Trubnikov, were led out of the prison and taken toward Goritsy, accompanied by a squad of twenty executioners. In the monastery the early liturgy was beginning; the bishop asked to go in to receive Communion, but was not allowed. They walked along the ancient road from the time of Saint Cyril, the bishop in front, staff in hand, the abbess close beside him, then the laymen. By a verst post, five versts from Goritsy and two from Kirillov, the executioners ordered them to stop and turn off the road to the right. Then there was no more doubt that they were being led to be shot.

"Here is our Golgotha," said the hierarch as he drew near the place of execution. The abbess swayed, and the bishop held out a hand, supported her and said, "Mother, take courage. You are a spiritual person, we must go to death without fear, as to a wedding feast, with joy. A time will come when we shall be envied." One of the condemned began to speak sharply against those who had condemned them, but the hierarch stopped him: "After the example of the Saviour we must forgive all; into the other life we must pass in peace with all." The condemned were set facing Mount Zolotukha and with their backs to the Kirillo-⁠Belozersky monastery. The bishop stood between Abbess Seraphima on the right and Michael Trubnikov on the left. Every evening after Compline Abbess Seraphima asked forgiveness of her sisters, bowed to the ground and said, "Forgive me, wretched one." Now, turning to the killers, she said quietly, "Forgive me, wretched one." The executioners thought she was calling them wretched, and fired and killed her. Then five volleys rang out, one after another, and all were killed, only the hierarch remained standing, praying with hands raised; he read the prayers for the departing soul, and when he had finished said "Amen" and heard one of the executioners shout, "Lower your hands." "I have finished," answered the hierarch, "you finish too." With these words he turned his face to the monastery, blessed it and lowered his hands. Then came a shot from close range, and the bishop fell dead.

The grave for the slain was dug by merchants. That day the monks of the monastery, headed by the abbot Theodoret, petitioned the authorities to move the bishop's body into the monastery, but the Reds prevented the transfer and the grave was filled in again. The same day, in the evening, with the monastery gates closed, Bishop Misail (Krylov), who was living in retirement in the monastery, performed the funeral service for the slain, in the absence of the bodies.

Michael Trubnikov is commemorated on 15 September, the day of his death, in the new style, with the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church (a movable day) and, on 11 July, with the Synaxis of the Saints of Vologda (a movable day).