Hieromartyr Konstantin Bogoyavlensky

Hieromartyr Konstantin Stefanovich Bogoyavlensky was born in 1896 into the family of a teacher who later became a deacon in Yekaterinburg. He studied at the Yekaterinburg Theological School and the Perm Theological Seminary, whose rector at the time was the future Hieromartyr Pimen (Belolikov). In 1917 he graduated with first-class honours, was ordained priest and sent as third priest to the village of Merkushino in the Verkhoturye district, where the relics of St Simeon of Verkhoturye had been found.

In the summer of 1918 peasant uprisings broke out in the district in response to mobilization, grain requisitions and confiscations. Although Father Konstantin did not take part in the procession to Verkhoturye that the Red Army dispersed, he was arrested as an organizer of a "counter-revolutionary uprising" and sentenced to death. On 27 July (14 July Old Style) 1918 four condemned men were shot publicly; on the way Father Konstantin sang the funeral service for himself and the others. They were made to dig their own grave and were shot in the head.

His incorrupt remains were found on 31 May 2002 during the restoration of the Archangel Michael church in Merkushino, where they now rest. In 2002 he was numbered among the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church. Feast: 14 (27) July.