Peter Zhukov

Holy Martyr Peter Zhukov gave his life in April 1918, in the village of Gnezdovo in Tver province, defending the church against the plunder of its goods. He suffered together with Prokhor Mikhailov and other villagers of his parish.

On 27 March 1918 the commandant of the Nikulino district, two armed Red Guards and several members of the district committee came to the priest of the Sign of the Mother of God church in Gnezdovo, Vyshny Volochyok district, with an order to make an inventory of the church property. They listed everything of silver and copper as well as the vestments, and took all the money, twenty-⁠three rubles and thirteen kopecks, with two savings books of two hundred rubles, although the wooden church was new and poor. Four days later the head of the committee who had issued the order was seized by the peasants and sent under guard to the neighbouring committee, but on the way, on a bridge, he threw himself into the water and drowned. The peasants saw in this a punishment from God.

In April, at the district assembly, the parishioners of Gnezdovo reproached the Red Guards for the unlawful seizure of the church's goods. Peter Zhukov and Prokhor Mikhailov defended the church with special zeal. The guards arrested nearly thirty people on the spot, shut them in the committee building, beat them, and then led them to Vyshny Volochyok. On the road they tortured them cruelly, and before the town ten of them had been killed. Peter Zhukov was struck at the committee until his head was all wounds and his fingers were broken; at the seventh verst his tormentors ended his life, cutting his cheeks, tearing out his tongue and shooting him. Prokhor Mikhailov was beaten for two days and received eight bayonet wounds on the way.

On 8 April the bodies of the new confessors of Tver were buried with honour in their parish. Bishop Seraphim (Alexandrov) of Tver blessed that the event be made known throughout the diocese and that memorial services be served in all churches of the towns and villages.

St Peter is commemorated on 19 April, on 18 July (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the Saints of Tver and on 7 February (a movable date) in the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, in the new style.