Hieromartyr Anthony (Bystrov)

Hieromartyr Anthony (Nikolai Mikhailovich Bystrov) was born in 1858 in Vologda province into a priest's family. He graduated from the Vologda seminary, was ordained priest in 1882 and, widowed a year later, became a monk in 1888. He led several monasteries of the Vologda diocese, including the Korniliev-Komelsky Monastery and the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vologda.

In 1910 he was consecrated Bishop of Velsk, vicar of the Vologda diocese, and in the early 1920s St Tikhon appointed him to the see of Arkhangelsk. A firm opponent of the Renovationist schism, he was arrested in 1922 and exiled to the Narym region until 1926; on his return he again governed the Arkhangelsk diocese and was raised to the rank of archbishop.

On 23 January 1931 he was arrested with a group of clergy, many of them exiles, and accused of organizing aid for exiled priests. He refused to incriminate anyone or to become an informer, and in prison shared his food with fellow prisoners and read them the Gospel. He fell ill and died in prison in Arkhangelsk on 16 July 1931. He was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on 26 December 2006 and is commemorated on 3 July (16 July New Style).