Presbyter
Saint martyr Priest Nikolai Fedorovich Kazansky was born in 1874 in the village of Dmitrovka, Tavrida province. After graduating from the Theological Seminary, Nikolai Fedorovich got married and accepted the priestly rank. He served in his native Tavrida province. The revolution found Father Nikolai in Simferopol, where he was a cleric of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
In 1922, he was arrested for protesting against the confiscation of liturgical items and sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment. From 1922 to 1925, he was in prison in Nizhny Novgorod. After his release, he resumed serving in Simferopol, preaching against Renovationism, which led to another arrest.
He spent several years in confinement, and in the early 1930s returned to Simferopol and served in the All Saints Church. He united around him faithful clergy and laypeople, guiding their spiritual life. During this time, the church warden, a secret collaborator of the NKVD, reported on the clergy.
After Father Nikolai's third arrest, he was held in prison for 3 months. Upon his return, he spoke about the persecutions against the Church and urged prayers for the imprisoned. For this, he was arrested during the 'Case of Bishop Porphyrius.' During interrogations, he answered briefly and maintained a brave demeanor.
He was accused of mentioning persecuted clergy during the liturgy. Father Nikolai confirmed this and also stated that the Soviet power is anti-Christian. He belonged to the Tikhonov orientation and did not recognize Renovationism. He was sentenced to 5 years of exile in the Krasnoyarsk region.
He refused to remove his priestly vestments, for which he was arrested for the fifth time and received another 10 years without trial. Father Nikolai's health deteriorated, and he was placed in a colony for invalids. In 1939, he sent a complaint to the head of the NKVD, but to no avail. In 1942, Priest Nikolai Kazansky passed away in confinement in Ustyvytlage.
