Archbishop
Archbishop Alexander Shchukin was born in 1891 in Riga to a priest, Fr. Ioann Shchukin. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy in 1915. In 1917, during a difficult time for the Orthodox Church, he began to ask his father for a blessing to pursue the monastic life. After his tonsure at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he took the name of St. Alexander of Svir.
In 1923, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Lyskovsky. After his father's arrest in 1918, he served alongside him. In 1929, he was arrested and sent to the Nizhny Novgorod prison for his sermons defending religious truths. In prison, he continued to pray and guide others. In 1930, he was sent to the Solovetsky camp, where he worked as a guard and accountant.
After his release, he could not return to the Nizhny Novgorod diocese and was appointed to Oryol, where he became an archbishop. In the conditions of persecution against the Church, he continued to preach, which led to the revival of religious life in the city. In 1937, he was arrested again and accused of counter-revolutionary activities. Not admitting his guilt, he was sentenced to death and executed on October 30, 1937.
After his death, many remembered the saint, and a large crowd gathered for his funeral, which testified to his spiritual influence and love for his flock.
