Bishop
He was born on November 12 (24), 1878, in Kolomna, Moscow Province. His father, Alexei Mikhailovich Lebedev, was a protodeacon, and his mother, Maria, came from a family of a local priest. There were many children in the family, and the mother instilled in the future saint the seeds of faith and prayer. After her early death, the father raised the children in the fear of God.
Aleksandr successfully graduated from the Kolomna Spiritual School and entered the local theological seminary, where he demonstrated his abilities and became a rule-maker. In 1898, he graduated from the seminary and entered the Christmas Bobrenev Male Monastery. Later, in Kazan, he became a student of the Kazan Spiritual Academy, which he graduated from in 1903 with the first degree. He worked as a teacher at the Simbirsk Spiritual Seminary and then at the Moscow Cadet Corps and gymnasium.
In 1923, he was ordained as a bishop. As the abbot of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, he showed steadfastness in defending Orthodoxy during difficult times. His sermons were filled with deep prayerful sentiment and addressed spiritual truths.
In 1924 and 1927, he was arrested but courageously endured the trials. He did not accept the Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius, remaining faithful to the canonical Church. In 1928, he left the Lavra and returned to Kolomna, where he continued his theological work.
In 1937, he was arrested again and accused of anti-Soviet activities. During interrogations, he did not betray anyone and did not admit his guilt. On September 13, 1937, he was sentenced to death and received the martyr's crown four days later.
