Presbyter
The hieromartyr John was born on January 1, 1894, in the small town of Karolen in the Verro district of the Livonia Governorate, into a family of Orthodox peasants. After completing his studies at the Riga Ecclesiastical School, he entered the Riga Theological Seminary, but his education was interrupted by the First World War. In 1916, despite having a deferment, he was mobilized and enrolled as a cadet at the Vladimir Military School, after which he served at the front.
On October 13, 1918, Ivan Mikhailovich was ordained a priest and assigned to the Church of All Saints in the village of Penuya, Pernov district of the Livonia Governorate. The parish was small and united all the Orthodox Estonians of the surrounding villages. The church, built in 1875, could hold no more than three hundred people. To complete his pastoral training, Fr. John was sent to the neighboring church in the village of Karksi-Nuiya.
In December 1918, having learned of his parents’ illness, Fr. John set out for home. Stopping in the city of Valk, which was occupied by units of the Red Army, he was immediately arrested and sent to prison to establish his identity. The next day, an investigator questioned the priest and, based on his answers, sent an inquiry; soon a reply was received from the Karolen volost executive committee confirming the priest’s identity. In addition, the local authorities described Fr. John as a defender of the interests of workers and peasants.
However, closeness to ordinary working people and steadfastness in choosing the priestly path were the worst “recommendations” in the eyes of the godless who had come to power. On January 29, 1919, Priest John was shot and buried at the Tartu cemetery.
