Alexey Neidgart

Alexey Nedgart was born on September 13, 1863 in Moscow in a family of a councilor Boris Alexanderovich Nedgart. Alexey Nedgart became a member of the State Council in 1906 (the Lower chamber of the Russian parliament at that time). He represented the Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod and was well known for his charity work. Mr. Nedgart was a member of the Feodorovsky cathedral’s construction committee and was appointed to lead it on March 4, 1914. At the very beginning of World War I, Alexey Nedgart became a chairman of “The committee of temporary aid for war victims” on September 16, 1914. The committee gave material support to the victims, helped individuals reunite with their families and helped war refugees return home. The committee also provided education for victim’s children, helped victims find jobs and took care of the sick and the elderly. Alexey Neidgart and the priest Alexey Porfiriev—rector of the Nizhniy Novgorod cathedral—were arrested on June 7, 1918, falsely accused in devising a counter-revolutionary plot. Both were executed by shooting on November 6, 1918. Alexey Neidgart and Alexey Porfiriev were vindicated by the public prosecutor’s office of the Russian Federation in 1991.

Archimandrite Lev (Yegorov)

Archimandrite Lev was born Leonid Michailovich Egorov on February 26, 1889 in a small village Opechensky Posad, in Novgorod province. He was the rector of the Feodorovsky cathedral on the 300th anniversary of the Romanov family, from October 1926 until the Cathedral’s closure in 1932. Archimandrite Lev was well known as one of the founders and leaders of the Aleksander Nevsky brotherhood. He was executed by shooting on September 20, 1937. There is no information regarding the place of his execution and burial in his case documents. Many believers of different parishes of St. Petersburg kept the memory of Archimandrite Lev’s deeply devoted church and ascetic life. On May 7, 2003 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church proclaimed Archimandrite Lev (Yegorov) one of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.

Ekaterina Arskaya

New martyr Ekaterina Andreevna Arskaya was born on April 1, 1875 to the family of a St. Petersburg merchant. The October revolution brought in significant changes in her life, as her husband, an officer of the Tzars’ army and a senior man of the Smolny cathedral, died from epidemic cholera in 1920. She also buried each of her five children. Ekaterina had no means for living and was close to dying from hunger. She was a devout believer and a faithful member of the Feodorovsky cathedral’s parish until its closure in 1932. Ekaterina was arrested on February 18, 1932 and showed unbelievable courage during her cross-examination. She spent three years in concentration camps but was set free before her appointed time. Ekaterina lived for a short while in Borovichi until 1937 when she was arrested and tortured again. Ekaterina Arskaya was executed by shooting on December 17, 1937. On May 7, 2003 she was proclaimed one of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Kira Obolenkskaya

Kira Obolenskaya was born on March 6, 1889 in the Vlodavsky district of Sedletsk province. When she turned 10 years old, her father took her to St. Petersburg to study at the Smolny institute of noble maidens, one of the most privileged educational institutions at that time. She graduated in 1904 and began tutoring privately. Being an educator was a main calling for her life. Kira Obolenskaya was an active member of the Feodorovsky cathedral’s parish until its closure in 1932. She was arrested on October 21, 1937 and was subsequently questioned and tortured for three weeks, yet did not agree with the false accusations. Kira Obolenskaya was executed by shooting on December 17, 1937. On May 7, 2003 she was proclaimed one of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.