Nicholas, Bishop And Hieroconfessor Of Vyazniki

Bishop Nicholas (Nikolsky) was born on February 20, 1879. He was ordained to the priesthood and was protopriest of the Orel Resurrection Church. In 1920 he graduated from the Petrograd Theological Academy with the degree of candidate of theology. On September 26 / October 9, 1921, he was consecrated bishop of Yeletz by Bishop Seraphim (Ostroumov) and other bishops in Orel. He remained in Yeletz until July 6/19, 1926, when he was deprived of his freedom until September, 1927. It is possible that he was on Solovki during this period. According to one source, he was in Butyrki prison from 1925 to June, 1926, and in exile in Tver province from June, 1926 until 1928, when he was released without the right to live in the six main cities of the U.S.S.R. In September, 1927 he became bishop of Vyazniki. He refused to commemorate Metropolitan Sergius and belonged to the "Danilovsky" group. According to one (dubious) source, in 1928 he expressed, through the priest Theodore, his agreement with the decisions of the so-called "Nomadic Council" of the Catacomb Church, but refused to sign them. He died in Moscow on April 21 / May 4, 1928.

(Sources: M.E. Gubonin, Akty Svyateishago Patriarkha Tikhona, Moscow: St. Tikhon's Theological Institute, 1994, p. 984; Pravoslavnaya Zhizn', N 10 (55), October, 1995, p. 24; Lev Regelson, Tragediya Russkoj Tserkvi, 1917-1945, Moscow: Krutitskoye patriarsheye podvorye, 1996, p. 580; Ikh Stradaniyami Ochistitsa Rus', Moscow, 1996, pp. 71-72; Bishop Ambrose (von Sievers), "Katakombnaya Tserkov': Kochuyushchij Soboer 1928 g.", Russkoye Pravoslaviye, N 3 (7), p. 7; "Episkopat Istinno-Pravoslavnoj Katakombnoj Tserkvi 11922-1997gg.", Russkoye Pravoslaviye, N 4(8), p. 5)