Bishop
On January 17, 1918, a new bishop, Herman (Kosolapov), was appointed to the Voskresensk Diocese, becoming one of the first victims of Bolshevik terror. He was born on October 22, 1882, in Saratov, into the family of a state councilor. After graduating from the Saratov First Male Gymnasium, he entered the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy in 1902, where he took monastic vows in 1905, adopting the name Herman. Since 1916, he had been the rector of the Vladimir Theological Seminary.
On December 11 (24), 1917, the Soviet government issued a decree transferring all church schools to the Commissariat of Education, leading to the closure of theological educational institutions. On January 17, 1918, he was consecrated as Bishop of Voskresensk, and on February 11 (24), 1918, his ordination took place.
In September 1918, after the arrest of priest Mikhail Platonov, Bishop Herman called upon the parishioners to fight for their pastor. On September 16, 1918, he was arrested and accused of 'staging the prohibition of worship by the Soviet authorities.'
After a show trial in October 1918, Bishop Herman was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. However, due to violations in the case, his sentence was overturned, and he was released. In January 1919, a new court session took place, resulting in his conviction once again.
In 1919, amidst the advance of A.I. Denikin's troops, Bishop Herman and other clergy were sentenced to death for anti-Soviet agitation. On the night of October 10, 1919, Bishop Herman was executed along with other clergymen. According to tradition, they performed the burial service for themselves within the walls of the Saratov prison.
The veneration of these martyrs began immediately after their death. In 1999, it was established that Bishop Herman and his companions were repressed unlawfully. On December 26, 2006, Bishop Herman and priest Mikhail Platonov were canonized as saints among the new martyrs and confessors of Russia.
