Hieroconfessor Boris, Archbishop Of Ryazan

Hieroconfessor Boris (Sokolov) was born in Kaluga province. In 1905 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and was appointed head of the Obsharovsky church-teacher school. In 1907 he was tonsured into the mantia and was appointed assistant overseer of the Klevansky theological school. On June 27, 1911 he was appointed overseer of the Arzamas theological school, on February 4, 1912 - overseer of the Volsk theological school, and on June 13, 1914 - overseer of the Toropets theological school. From August 12, 1914 to 1917 he was rector of the Saratov theological seminary in the rank of archimandrite. In 1918 he became superior of the Dormition Zheltikov monastery in Tver diocese. On November 21, 1919 he was consecrated Bishop of Yuryev, a vicariate of Vladimir diocese, and on December 9, 1919 became Bishop of Staritsy, a vicariate of the Tver diocese. Not later than September 14, 1921 he became Bishop of Rybinsk, a vicariate of the Yaroslavl diocese. In May, 1922 he was arrested, and on June 25 was condemned for "hiding church valuables" and sentenced to seven years in prison. However, in 1922 or 1923 he was released. In July, 1923 he became Archbishop of Ryazan and Zaraisk. >From the end of 1923 to the beginning of 1924 he actively resisted the renovationist schism in Ryazan. In 1924 he was arrested and sent to Moscow, where he lived without right of departure until 1925. In April, 1925 he took part in the burial of Patriarch Tikhon and signed the act passing the leadership of the Church to Metropolitan Peter. In September, 1925, after returning to Ryazan, he was again arrested and transferred to the Butyrki prison in Moscow. In the same year he fell seriously ill and was exiled to Yaroslavl province for three years. He died in exile in the village of Perlovka on February 8/21, 1928.

(Sources: Ikh Stradaniyami Ochistitsa Rus', Moscow, 1996, p. 62; M.E. Gubonin, Akty Svyateishago Patriarkha Tikhona, Moscow: St. Tikhon's Theological Institute, 1994, p. 964; Za Khrista Postradavshiye, Moscow: St. Tikhon's Theological Institute, 1997, p. 181)