Presbyter
Saint Martyr Nicholas was born on September 1, 1876, into a family of clergymen. From early childhood, he was involved in church life, singing in the choir and reading the hours. In 1887, he entered the Vyatka Theological School, and in 1898, he became a student at the Vyatka Theological Seminary. In 1899, he was ordained as a priest and served in the village of Zagorie in the Vyatka province.
Father Nicholas cared for his parishioners, helping them in difficult times and engaging in the moral upbringing of the youth. In 1923, he was arrested on suspicion of counter-revolutionary activities but was soon released. Despite the repressions, he continued his ministry and in 1927 moved to the Podolsky district of the Moscow region, where he served in the Protection Church.
In 1937, mass arrests began, and Priest Nicholas was also arrested. He did not confess to the charges brought against him. On November 3, 1937, he was sentenced to the highest measure of punishment - execution by shooting. On November 5, 1937, the sentence was carried out at the Butovo firing range near Moscow. He was rehabilitated on February 21, 1994.
The memory of Saint Martyr Nicholas is commemorated on October 23 (November 5) and January 25 (February 7), if this day coincides with a Sunday.
