Martyr John was born in 1876 in the village of Rykovo, Vladimir province. After finishing the village school, he moved to Moscow, where he worked as a clerk. Living on Donskaya Street, he became a parishioner of the Church of the Transfiguration. His apartment housed his brother and sister, and their life resembled a monastic community. On November 2, 1937, John was arrested and imprisoned in Butyrka prison. During the interrogation, he stated that he did not support the anti-Soviet sentiments of Alexey Gavrin, who had visitors seeking religious assistance. John confirmed that he revered the monk Aristocles and did not share the worldview of the Soviet authorities. He was accused of active participation in a counter-revolutionary group and was sentenced to death by shooting on November 23. John Emelyanov was shot on December 10, 1937, and buried in an unmarked grave at the Butovo shooting range.
