St. Petersburg, Russia, December 28, 2022
Photo: mitropolia.spb.ru
On August 25, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church added three more names to the Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors, including Hiero-Confessor Mikhail Soyuzov (+1922).
And on December 22, his holy relics were uncovered at the Smolensk Cemetery in St. Petersburg, reports the St. Petersburg Metropolis.
Photo: mitropolia.spb.ru
Before the uncovering, a moleben was served by Archpriest Evgeny Shogenov. The uncovering took place with the participation of His Grace Bishop Nazary of Kronstadt and His Grace Bishop Siluan of Peterhof.
The unearthed remains held a now largely decayed blessing cross and Holy Gospel, which are placed into the hands of priests during burial. Fragments of vestments were also found.
The holy relics were transferred to the Resurrection Cathedral to be washed and placed in a reliquary.
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Hiero-Confessor Mikhail Soyuzov was born on May 12, 1869, in the family of a priest in the Novgorod Province. He graduated from the Novgorod Seminary, and later from the St. Petersburgh Theological Academy.
At the request of St. John of Kronstadt himself, Mikhail became was appointed as reader at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt. He was ordained to the diaconate on October 10, 1893, and to the priesthood on April 28, 1895, and was sent to the serve at the St. Alexander Nevsky Church in the 2nd Cadet Corps, again at the recommendation of St. John of Kronstadt.
During WWI, by Fr. Mikhail’s labors, an infirmary for wounded soldiers and a shelter for children of wounded and killed officers were opened. His wife also served as a nurse helping wounded soldiers.
Fr. Mikhail was first arrested a week after the declaration of the “Red Terror” on September 13, 1918, without charges. He was released a month later. He was arrested again on May 20, 1922, after some of his parishioners attempted to stop authorities from seizing church valuables. He testified that neither he nor Metropolitan Benjamin had encouraged the people to cause any unrest. Rather, Fr. Mikhail called on his flock to show “love, peace, meekness, and kindness.”
Having deflected accusations away from Met. Benjamin, on July 5, 1922, Fr. Mikhail was sentenced to three years in strict isolation. He died in a prison hospital on October 19, 1922. He is buried at the Smolensk Cemetery, not far from the Chapel of St. Ksenia of St. Petersburg.
His feast is celebrated on October 6/19.
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