Hieromonk
Venerable Martyr Cyril (in the world, Kuzma Trofimovich Vyaznikov) was born in 1872 in the village of Staro-Nikolskoye, in Usman District, within the Diocese of Voronezh. In 1915, he entered the Ascension St. David's Hermitage as a novice. That same year, he was tonsured as a monk and received the name Cyril. He served as a sacristan and was later ordained a hieromonk.
In 1926, he returned to the Voronezh region and began serving at one of the churches in the Boguchar District. In 1929, he returned to his native village of Staro-Nikolskoye, where he settled in his sister's home and earned his livelihood by working as a tailor.
In February–March 1930, he was arrested along with other clergy from the region, as part of the so-called “Buyevit affair.” During the interrogations, he stated that he led a strictly monastic life and had never come into conflict with the existing authorities. Nevertheless, he was sentenced to death.
Venerable Martyr Cyril (Vyaznikov) was executed on 2 August 1930 near Voronezh, together with several other prisoners.
In August 2000, he was numbered among the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia following a decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.
His feast day was established as 2 August (20 July according to the Julian calendar), the day of the Synaxis of the Saints of the Diocese of Voronezh and the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church.
