Martyr Vasily (Ivanov)
The commemoration date is February 4/17
Included in the Cathedral of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia
And in the Cathedral of the New Martyrs of Butovo
Vasily Sergeyevich Ivanov was born in 1869 in Moscow in family of the smith. He has graduated from city school. Since early years he has begun to study blacksmithing as his father.
Vasily Sergeyevich lived not far the Pokrovskiy convent and, apparently, was among constant parishioners. In 1916-1917 he rented 2 land plots of 205 in size of square, located behind the Pokrovskiy outpost.
Before the revolution of 1917 he organized a forge workshopwith 10 workers. Besides, Vasily Sergeyevich owned a house with twenty four apartments. He rented out the rooms. It brought him a sufficient income. He owned a smithy till 1930 when he began to work as the smith in artel.
Nevertheless, the appliances were important for him, he cared about his own soul. Despite cruel persecutions, which were developed against Church by the godless power, Vasily Sergeyevich was not afraid to take the most active part in life of temples. In 1918-1919 Vasily Sergeyevich Ivanov was a member of church council of Moscow Pokrovskiy convent.
During long time he was the member of church council of the temple of prelate Nikolay in Studentsakh which was located near Pokrovskiy convent in Taganskaya Street.
Until 1920, Vasily Sergeyevich's had two houses which he leased to residents, – this year houses have been nationalized.
Since 1925, he began to rent them and rented until 1928. From 1925 to 1928, he had a forge workshop where two or three persons worked.
On March 26, 1932 Vasily Sergeyevich was arrested on a charge of anti-Soviet activity and imprisoned in Butyrsky isolation center in Moscow.
Answering the questions of the investigator of OGPU Bulyzhnikov, Vasily Sergeyevich told:
– I, being in church council, fulfilled the churchwarden's duties. I took active part in life of church as truly believing Christian.
– Whether you plead guilty to the charge brought to you? – the investigator has asked.
– No, I don't plead guilty.
The inhabitant of the house Samsonov was called as a witness, he said: "I know Ivanov since 1916. I moved to this house when Ivanov was the owner of this house... Ivanov is very reserved, certainly, is incited against the Soviet power... takes active part in church affairs, sometimes priests visit him, but more often he goes to them".
On June 22, 1932 the troika of OGPU has sentenced Vasily Sergeyevich to three years of exile probationary; he has been released from custody and has come back home. He lived at that time in one of apartments belonging to him once at home on Bolshaya Kalitnikovskaya Street. The temple, close to the house at the Kalitnikovsky cemetery, has been occupied by Renovationists, and Vasily Sergeyevich was a parishioner and the member of church council of the temple of Rise on Gorokhovskaya Street.
After the Church was cut to pieces, when not only sacred and clergymen were arrested but also many of the believing laymen, the staff of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs has made the not. The staff wrote that Vasily Sergeyevich "spreads counterrevolutionary provocative rumors. He talks about persecution against the Church in the USSR. He also collects for rendering financial support to the clergy and monkhood, which was exiled for counterrevolutionary activity".
According to this reference, Vasily Sergeyevich has been arrested and imprisoned on January 18, 1938 in Tagansky prison in Moscow. The reference on arrest was written out by the same Bulyzhnikov holding at this time a position of the chief of the 8th office of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs.
On January 28, interrogations have begun.
– What do you do at present? – The investigator has asked.
– Recently I, as the believing person, have the churchwarden's position in church on Gorokhovskaya Street.
– Why don't you participate in life of church which is located near your house, and were elected to the structure of three to churches which is located on the opposite end of the city?
– I belong to sincere Christians, the church close to my house belongs to Renovated churches which I don't recognize and therefore I also was elected in that church in which I am and which I recognize.
– The album with photos of the former imperial family of Romanov is withdrawn from you at a search. Whom does this album belong to?
– The album with portraits of the former tsar Nikolay Romanov, as well as other members of Romanov family belongs to me.
– What for did you store the album?
– I am a monarchist. That corresponds to my religious beliefs as the Orthodox. Church considers the tsar the Anointed sovereign of God.
– what do you feel anbout the Soviet power?
– I recognize the Soviet power, as well as any power, and I submit to it.
– Do you share the view of the Soviet power completely?
– I can't share all outlooks of the Soviet power as I am the believer, and the Soviet power – the power godless, denying God in general .
– Did you share your thought with other people?
– I told nothing about the relation of the Soviet power to religion because they can see the relation of the Soviet power to Church, religion and believers.
– You give false testimonies. The investigation has information that you spread counterrevolutionary provocative rumors among people around you. Do you confirm it?
– I don't deny what I consider: from the Soviet power there is a persecution on religion and believers, but I spoke to nobody about it, and these are only my internal beliefs.
– Did you show discontent on the Soviet power?
– I did not show discontent on the Soviet power.
– The investigation knows that you said to the acquaintances that the Soviet power has ruined all. Why do you hide it from the investigation?
– I did not say that the Soviet power has ruined all of us.
On February 3 two inhabitants of the house in which Vasily Sergeyevich lived have been interrogated; they have shown that he is "the person religious to fanaticism. Among surrounding persons he spreader false counterrevolutionary rumors about allegedly available persecution on clergy and believers in the Soviet Union. He said: "Up to what we have lived, for each word can put in prison, and later subject to tortures; if you are the believer, then you will be also arrested and put in prison, and later sent to the remote places of the Soviet Union"". The renovated priest Pavel Paradizov serving in the church of the Kalitnikovsky cemetery occupied by Renovationists in Moscow was one of witnesses. The perjurer has signed all indications necessary for the investigation, having stipulated Vasily Ivanov as the person who is hostile to the Soviet power, considers that "the clergy is arrested innocently only because they are priests".
On February 14, 1938 the three of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs across the Moscow region according to Art. 58-10 of UK RSFSR has sentenced the churchwarden to execution for "counterrevolutionary propaganda". He was shot on February 17, 1938 and was buried in an unknown common grave.
Vasily Sergeyevich Ivanov was canonized to New martyrs and confessors of Russia.
by the resolution of the Sacred Synod of July 17, 2002 .
And in the Cathedral of the New Martyrs of Butovo