Slobodskoy, Kirov Province, Russia, November 1, 2024
Photo: вятская-епархия.рф
The glorification of a New Martyr of the Russian Orthodox Church from Vyatka was celebrated on Wednesday, October 30.
At its session 
Another New Martyr canonized by Russian Orthodox ChurchThe Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate resolved to canonize another saint among the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church.
“>in late July, the Holy Synod of the Russian Church resolved to canonize Hieromartyr Alexei Lopatin, who was martyred by the godless authorities in 1918.
He was also included in the Synaxis of the Saints of Vyatka, which was celebrated on Wednesday. The service at the Cathedral of St. Catherine in Slobodskoy, Kirov Province, including the glorification of St. Alexei, was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Vyatka, reports Patriarchia.ru.
Before Communion, Archpriest Andrei Lebedev offered a homily about the day’s festivities. He recounted how St. Alexei served until his martyrdom in 1918, when he was executed for defending the Church during persecutions. He explained how the nuns of Piksur Мonastery later documented St. Alexei’s life story, leading to his canonization. Finally, he urged the congregation to celebrate with Paschal joy and bring their families back to the Church, remembering those who preserved the faith in difficult times.
Photo: вятская-епархия.рф
At the end of the service, Met. Mark addressed the faithful with an archpastoral word:
Dear brothers and sisters, our Synaxis of Saints of the Vyatka Land has been joined by another ascetic of piety: By the decision of the Holy Synod, for the height of his pious life and steadfastness in confessing the faith during the years of persecution, the new martyr St. Alexei Lopatin has been numbered among the saints. And as we have heard in the prayers, the New Martyrs and Confessors are the adornment of our land. Indeed, this is so because, by showing steadfastness in faith, demonstrating the height of pious life and through fulfillment of Christ’s commandments and life in Christ, they became heirs of eternal life with God, not only here on Earth did they come into the joy of communion with God, but also in the Heavenly Kingdom. Looking upon their way of life, imitating their way of life, we too will have hope through their prayers to become heirs of eternal life with God.
***
Photo: sr.isa.ru Archpriest Alexei Lopatin was born in 1868 in Kukarka, Vyatka Governorate, and graduated from the Vyatka Theological Seminary.
From 1890 until October 1916, Fr. Alexei served in the Holy Transfiguration Church in the village of Verkhovino. From 1906, he served as the dean of the 4th deanery district of the Orlov district and was a law teacher in several schools.
The pastor repeatedly participated as a deputy in the Vyatka Diocesan congresses and was a member of the preparatory commission for conducting diocesan congresses. In addition, Fr. Alexei was a member of the Vyatka Brotherhood of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Orthodox Missionary Society, the Orlov Guardianship of Public Sobriety, and so on. For his work, the pastor was awarded various Church honors. In October 1916, Fr. Alexei was appointed rector of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Slobodskoy and elevated to the rank of archpriest, and in February 1917, he became the dean of local city churches.
In January 1918, Bishop Nikander of Vyatka and Slobodskoy sent Fr. Alexei the “Appeal of the Holy Council to the Orthodox People Regarding the Decree of the People’s Commissars on Freedom of Conscience” adopted by the Council of the Orthodox Russian Church of 1917-1918, calling for unity in defense of Orthodox holy sites and relics.
According to the bishop’s instructions, this appeal was to be read in the churches of the city of Slobodskoy and the faithful were to be called to defend the holy faith. Fulfilling the bishop’s instructions, Fr. Alexei convened a deanery meeting on January 30 during which he condemned the persecutions of the Church that were then beginning. In conclusion, Fr. Alexei invited the members of the assembly to discuss ways to protect the Church against violence from the local Soviet authorities. The clear and courageous position of the clergy of Slobodskoy was largely due to the firmness of Fr. Alexei.
On Sunday, April 21, 1918, Fr. Alexei delivered a sermon to the parishioners of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, in which, narrating the life of St. Mary of Egypt, he compared the modern life of the Russian people to the first half of this saint’s life. He said: “We have abandoned the precepts of our ancestors; we have ceased to fulfill our Christian duties.”
On the same day, the Red Guards arrested Fr. Alexei twice and took him to investigative commission. At the request of the parishioners, the pastor was initially released, but at midnight he was arrested again and transferred to the Vyatka Correctional House. Fr. Alexei behaved courageously during interrogations, denying all the charges against him.
At the request of Bp. Nikander, Fr. Alexei was released along with other arrested Vyatka pastors for the Paschal holiday. However, on May 23, 1918, his apartment was searched, followed by a repeated arrest. The Ural Cheka sentenced Fr. Alexei to the highest measure of punishment, and the pastor was shot on August 25, 1918, in the city of Vyatka.
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