Martyrs
Saint Martyr Father Philosopher Nikolaevich Ornatsky was born on May 21, 1860, in the village of Novaya Erga of the Cherepovets district of the Novgorod province in the family of a rural priest. He studied at the Kirillov Spiritual School and the Novgorod Spiritual Seminary, graduating from the Saint Petersburg Spiritual Academy in 1885. That same year, he entered into marriage with Elena Zaozerskaya and accepted the priesthood. He served as the rector of the church at the Prince of Oldenburg's shelter, and later in the church at the Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers from 1892 to 1912.
For many years, he was the chairman of the “Society for the Dissemination of Religious and Moral Enlightenment in the Spirit of the Orthodox Church.” In 1893, he was elected as a member of the Saint Petersburg City Duma from the clergy, participating in the establishment of night shelters and almshouses, as well as in the construction of 12 churches. He lived modestly, having ten children, and gave private lessons to support his family.
He was the editor and censor of spiritual journals, actively preached, and called for the unification of Russians around the churches. During World War I, he gave his apartment for a hospital, while he and his family moved to a government building. His sons, Nikolai and Boris, served in the army.
In January 1918, after the execution of Saint Martyr Peter Skipetrov, he organized the protection of the shrines of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. On August 9, 1918, he was arrested along with his sons. Parishioners gathered, demanding his release, but he was transferred to the Kronstadt prison. Around October 30, 1918, he was executed along with his sons and other prisoners, delivering a sermon on the way to execution.
He was canonized among the ranks of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia at the Jubilee Archpastoral Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2000.
