Presbyter
Nikolai Chernyshev was born in 1853 into a priest's family. His father, Andrei Ivanovich, was an enlightened man, known for his sermons and research in the field of local lore. Nikolai became a priest after graduating from the Vyatka Theological Seminary in 1875 and dedicated his life to enlightening the people, for which he was awarded the Order of Saint Anna, 3rd class.
During the Russo-Japanese War, Father Nikolai actively participated in the work of the Red Cross Society. He founded the Votkinsk Society of Sobriety and became its chairman, fighting against drunkenness. Father Nikolai was an honorary member of the Votkinsk Society of Musical and Dramatic Arts named after P.I. Tchaikovsky.
In Father Nikolai's family, there were four children. In 1917, during the revolution, he was arrested by the Bolsheviks and spent time in prison until January 2, 1919, when they were taken out and shot by the pond. His daughter Varvara, who embraced her father, shared the fate of a martyr with him.
After the liberation of Votkinsk in 1919, the people held a farewell for Father Nikolai and Varvara in the Blagoveshchensky Cathedral. They were buried at the walls of the Transfiguration Church. They are included in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church with the designation of the commemoration day on January 2.
