Saint John was born in 1873 into the family of the chanter Leo Pankov. Since 1900, he worked as a teacher at a men’s school in Livny, Orlov Province. After his ordination to the priesthood, he served at the Trinity Church in the village of Usty-Nugry from 1915, while continuing to teach in elementary schools.
In 1918, after the atheists came to power, Priest John faced persecution from soldier Tikhon Kutuzov, who had seized the mill belonging to the Optina Monastery. On Holy Saturday, Kutuzov, being drunk, came to the priest to ask for forgiveness. However, on the first day of Easter, April 22, the peasants came to insult the priest and the saint. Kutuzov opened fire, killing two of them. In response, the crowd attacked and killed him.
On the morning of April 26, Priest John was falsely accused of starting the rebellion. He was executed by shooting along with his sons, Nicholas and Peter. Their bodies remained unburied for a week and were then buried near the church. The priest’s property was looted, and even the Holy Altar of the church was desecrated.
