Archbishop
Saint Mitrophan (in the world, Ivan Vasilievich Krasnopolsky) was born on October 22, 1869, in the settlement of Alexeyevka, Voronezh province. He studied at a rural school and was the top student. After graduating from the Spiritual School, he entered the Voronezh Spiritual Seminary, where he married in 1890 and was ordained as a deacon. After the death of his wife in 1893, he entered the Kyiv Spiritual Academy, where in 1896 he took monastic vows with the name Mitrophan.
In 1902, he was appointed inspector of the Irkutsk Spiritual Seminary, and in 1907 he became the Bishop of Gomel. In 1912, he was confirmed as the Bishop of Minsk and Turov, where he actively fought against Catholic propaganda. During World War I, he expanded his charitable activities, organizing assistance for civilians and establishing diocesan hospitals for the wounded.
On July 11, 1916, he was appointed Bishop of Astrakhan. From the first day of his ministry, he showed concern for his flock, organizing assistance for refugees and creating hospitals. In March 1917, after the February Revolution, he urged his flock to obey the Provisional Government, feeling anxious about the spiritual state of society.
In Astrakhan, he faced revolutionary movements among the clergy, but his authority allowed him to maintain the trust of his flock. In 1917, he actively prepared for the All-Russian Local Council, advocating for the restoration of the Patriarchate and the canonization of Saint Joseph, the Metropolitan of Astrakhan. The Council decided on his canonization on April 18, 1918.
On June 8, 1918, he was arrested and accused of counter-revolutionary activity. Despite petitions for his release, he was not freed. On the night of his execution, June 23, 1918, he was shot. His body was secretly buried by believers with honors.
