Archimandrite
Archimandrite Alexander (Georgy Andreevich Urodov) was born in 1882 in the family of a peasant from the village of Nevezhkino in the Penza province. After finishing the zemstvo school, he became a chanter in the parish church. In 1901, having embarked on a journey to the city of Sarov, he remained at the Sanaksar Monastery, where he decided to dedicate his life to monastic labors. On August 30, 1911, he was tonsured into monasticism with the name Alexander. In 1913, he was ordained as a hieromonk, and in 1915, he was elected as the abbot of the Sanaksar Monastery and elevated to the rank of igumen.
In 1917, the revolution began, and in 1918, he was removed from the position of abbot. On March 27, 1918, he was arrested and expelled from the monastery. On April 3, 1922, he was appointed as the abbot of the Semiezerna Desert with elevation to the rank of archimandrite. In 1922, he was held accountable in the case of the confiscation of church valuables but continued to fight against Renovationism. On October 31, 1928, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in a concentration camp and three years of exile in the Urals.
After his exile, he found himself in the Vyatka diocese. On August 5, 1935, he was appointed to the village of Sobolevo, where he labored for 26 years. In 1955, he recognized the election of Patriarch Alexy and restored communion with the Patriarchal Church. On August 14, 1961, he departed to the Lord. His holy relics now rest in the Sanaksar Monastery.
