Presbyter
On 14 October 1888, a boy named Yakov was born in the village of Belenitsino in Vladimir Province. From an early age, he loved the Church, had a fine singing voice and served as a cantor. He eventually left his home and devoted himself entirely to serving his parish.
In 1919, he was drafted into the Red Army, where he served as the head of the military choir. After his discharge, he was ordained a priest, while in 1921 he was appointed to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration at the Spaso-Gennadiev Monastery. Deeply concerned for the suffering and hungry population, he devoted all his strength to glorifying God and caring for those in need. His prayers resonated in the hearts of the faithful and the number of parishioners began to grow.
Despite his humble origins and limited formal education, the saint impressed those around him with his enlightened presence. He was an avid reader and showed a keen interest in sciences. In 1930, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in a forced-labour camp. He served his sentence in Kazakhstan, leaving his family without any source of income.
In 1934, he returned from exile. However, the priest's position in Runovo was already occupied. Following the death of the parish priest, he returned to the church. On 5 August 1937, he was arrested once again, accused of belonging to a counter-revolutionary group. Despite firmly declaring his innocence, he was executed on 26 August. The location of his burial remains unknown.
By decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was recognised as a New Martyr and Confessor of the Faith.
