Nikolai Chernyshev was born in 1853 in the family of a priest. His father, Andrei Ivanovich, was an educated man engaged in local history. Nikolai became a priest after graduating from the Vyatka Theological Seminary in 1875. For 25 years, he was involved in educational activities and was awarded the Order of Saint Anna of the 3rd degree. During the Russo-Japanese War, he actively participated in the work of the Red Cross Society.
Father Nikolai was an educated and respected man, having founded a society of sobriety and being an honorary member of the musical and dramatic arts. He enlightened the people by preaching the Word of God, for which he earned respect and love. He had four children and lived with his youngest daughter Varvara, who worked as a teacher.
In 1917, during the revolution, the Bolsheviks seized power in the village, and executions and terror began. Father Nikolai became an opponent of the Bolsheviks and was arrested along with his daughter Varvara. They spent time in prison until January 2, 1919, when they were taken out and shot by the pond.
After the execution, in April 1919, the people of Votkinsk found their bodies and held a memorial service at the Blagoveshchensky Cathedral. Nikolai Chernyshev and Varvara were canonized as saints, and their memory is honored on January 2.
