Schemanun
St. Alexander (in the world Maria Afanasyevna Chervyakova) was born in 1873 in the city of Kursk. Her father was an economist in the Noble Assembly. In the early 1920s, amidst the destruction of monasteries, she took the monastic vows in schema with the name Alexander. Schema-nun Alexander became known as a pious and discerning elder. In the last years of her life, she suffered from illness and nearly lost her sight, but her humility and patience served as an example of Christian disposition. Many people came to her, including monks and priests, asking for prayers and advice. She provided assistance to those in need, distributing everything she received to those who required it. Schema-nun Alexander was arrested on August 26, 1937, and imprisoned in Butyrka prison. During the interrogation, she denied the accusations of counter-revolutionary activity, confirming only that people sought her counsel. On October 8, the NKVD troika sentenced her to execution. Schema-nun Alexander was shot on October 13, 1937, and buried in an anonymous common grave.
