http://orthodox.cn/saints/vladimirizvolsky_en.htm
published originally in Russian by pravostok.ru
February 21, 2008
Hieromonk Nikanor (Lepeshev)
English Translation by Liubov Afonina
Martyrs of the Far East: Holy Martyr Archpriest Vladimir Izvolsky
Archpriest Vladimir Ivanovich Izvolsky (memory on May 3/16)
(The archive of Federal Security Service Directorate of the Khabarovsk
Territory, file No. P-94276)
The archpriest Vladimir Ivanovich Izvolsky was born in 1890 in the Tula
province. The only thing we know about his family is that it belonged to
clerical order. Brought up in Orthodox traditions, the future Martyr
consciously chose devotion to God and to His Church as his course of life.
After he graduated from the Theological Seminary, he got married and was
consecrated a priest, and then was appointed a teacher of the Solikamsk
Theological School. In 1918 after liquidation of that school Fr. Vladimir
petitioned the Chief of the Russian Spiritual Mission in China archbishop
Innokenty (Figurovsky) for a new position. Soon afterwards he was enrolled
on Mission's staff and was sent to Urumqi (formerly Dihua) in Northwest
China.
Fr. Vladimir went to China in May 1919, when the army of Kolchak conquered
Solikamsk. He crossed the border with detachment of Kolchak's army, which
he
joined in Omsk - the army of the White General started retreating. The way
to Urumqi wasn't easy: on the way, in Onahai, he had typhus. But, God
willing, in spite of difficulties Fr. Vladimir got to the destination.
In 1924 the Chief of the Mission sent him to Changchun in Northeast China
to
become a rector of a church.
Fr. Vladimir also started working as a volunteer director of Changchun
gymnasium for children of Russian emigrants, besides teaching them the law
of God and Latin.
At that time numerous Russian political refugees were moving to China, and
many of them were in need. In order to help them in the midst of white
emigrants a charitable organization called "International committee" was
established. The committee's functions included the establishment of
orphan's houses, homes for invalids, comprehensive schools, industrial
schools, ambulance stations, chemists shops, free canteens, libraries etc.
The committee basically performed the work for charitable donations. One
of
the main contributor was the famous Russian patron Elizaveta Nikolaevna
Litvinova, who was the widow of the well-known merchant S.V. Litvinov.
The bishop of Hankou Jonah (Pokrovsky) became the head of the committee.
He
was an eminent pastor and preacher, man of faith and wonderworker, he had
a
spiritual connection with elderly monks of the Optina Hermitage and the
Sedmiezersk Hermitage, while alive he has already been honoured as a
saint.
(In 1996, Bishop Jonah was glorified by the Russian Orhodox Church Abroad,
memory October 7(20). ref.: Koncevich I.M. "The Optina Hermitage and its
time", 1995, pp.
580-589). Bishop Jonah noticed Fr. Vladimir Izvolsky's pastoral zeal,
considered him as a man who thought and felt the same way as him, so he
made
him his assistant. About that time, Fr. Vladimir was elevated to the rank
of
Archpriest for his zealous service to the Church.
In October 1925 Bishop Jonah reposed. According to his will, supported
with
directions of the Chief of the Mission, in November of that year
Archpriest
Vladimir Izvolsky was transferred from Changchun to the town of Manzhouli
and was appointed the chairman of the International Committee in place of
him.
The new chairman appeared to be the worthy successor of Bishop Jonah. At
that time Fr. Vladimir was appointed the metochion's steward of one of the
Russian monastery in Manchuria.
He often had to go on Committee business to Beijing to the Chief of the
Mission Archbishop Innokenty, and to Shanghai to Innokenty's vicar Bishop
Simon (Vinogradov). In 1927 in Shanghai Fr. Vladimir has met such eminent
white emigrants as former Russian Counsul-General in China V.F. Grosse,
and
General M.K. Diterihs, who formerly was the main helper of Admiral A.V.
Kolchak and was responsible for his administration in Far East.
His tireless active service to God and neighbors was the background for
his
main feat in his mortal life - the feat of martyrdom in Christ's name. On
January 10, 1930 soon after the Sino-Soviet conflict on the Chinese
Eastern
Railway, Archpriest Vladimir Ivanovich Izvolsky was taken out of China and
sent to Habarovsk by counterintelligence agents of the Unified State
Political Department's Permanent Mission of the Far East Region. They
brought the indictment against him pursuant to infamous article 58,
paragraph 4: "participation in counterintelligence organizations".
By "counterintelligence organization" the Soviet government meant the
Charitable International Committee, as it helped indigent white emigrants
and their children. During the interrogation Fr. Vladimir was also accused
of "his escaping to China with the detachment of Kolchak's army in 1919".
As
well he was accused of "making counerintelligence leaflets", by which
interrogators meant spiritiul leaflets, devoted to the memory of Bishop
Jonah. Besides, he was inculpated in "distribution of monarchial and
fascist
literature", that were books published by Russian emigrants.
During the inquisition they also mentioned Fr. Vladimir's "contacts with
eminent white emigrants" - the only meeting with Grosse and Diterihs in
Shanghai. They as well remarked he frequently served offices for the dead
-
the executed Imperial Family and Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich.
He was also charged with "giving monetary assistance to Chinese policemen
funded from white emigrants", by what they meant sending 25 rubles as
reward
for detecting theft from the church. Policemen refused to take the money,
but instead just asked Fr. Vladimir for blessing. But this fact wasn't
found
extenuatory. Habarovsk KGB serviceman remembered that in the early 1920s
when Fr. Vladimir was still living in Urumqi, he had posted the
Proclamation
by the Holy Patriarch Tikhon near his church. That proclamation invoked
defending the Church from the heathen.
Fr. Vladimir during all the interrogations was acting very brave. "In
respect to politics, I should say, I am not a supporter of the Soviet
government", - he directly declared at his last questioning. According to
decree of May 14, 1930 by the Unified State Political Department,
Archpriest
Vladimir Ivanovich Izvolsky was sentenced to death by firing squad. The
martyr died on May 16, 1930.
Holy Hieromartyr Vladimir, pray for us!
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