Presbyter
Vladimir Alexeyevich Smirnov was born in May 1877 in the village of Sosnovy Bor, Moscow Oblast. His father was a deacon of the church. He received his education at the Moscow Theological Seminary and at the Law Faculty of Moscow State University. In 1917, he became a priest, serving in the church at the Ivanovsky Monastery. Later, he was transferred to Moscow, where he served in the churches of the Holy Seven Ecumenical Councils and the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. In March 1930, he was sentenced to exile from Moscow, and on December 28, he was arrested on charges of 'anti-Soviet agitation.' He was exiled to the Northern Territory for 3 years. After his term of exile, he served in the church of the village of Yaropelets. On November 28, 1937, he was arrested again and accused of 'anti-Soviet agitation.' On December 5, he was sentenced to the highest measure of punishment. On December 10, 1937, he was shot at the Butovo firing range.
