Below is an account of the Forty Martyrs of Russia who perished in a frozen lake while being held in the gulags, and the sole survivor, Elder Nikolai Guryanov (1909-2002), who saw the souls of his fellow athletes being taken by Angels and himself was granted at the time of their martyrdom an appearance of the Theotokos who kept him alive to complete his mission.
The account comes from Elder Nikolai Guryanov himself. The martyrdom of the Forty Martyrs of Russia is reminiscent of the sacrifice of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste who were martyred in a similar manner in the frozen lake of Sebaste in the year 320.
In August 1931, Nikolai was sentenced to three years of exile in the Northern Territory of Russia. According to the Elder's words, recorded by his spiritual children, the reason for his arrest was his bold word in defense of the faith and desecrated shrines. That's how he ended up in Syktyvkar, where he participated in the construction of a railway. Sometimes he had to work in icy water, which caused prisoners to die. Working in inhumane conditions, Nikolai undermined his health. In addition, he permanently injured his legs while working with railway sleepers.
The Elder could not forget one particular terrible night. Here is how he told it himself:
"We were all led to a lake covered with a crust of ice. They all wanted us to renounce the faith. There was a bitter frost, in which no one could stand for a long time even in warm clothes. They ordered us to undress and get into the water, so we obeyed. There they left us, putting out dogs to guard us, who were constantly being changed because it was so cold.
I stood, with people around me – bishops, priests, laity. We all prayed silently. The strengthening of God became felt, I began to mentally say the Jesus Prayer. I constantly kept the joy of the Mother of God in my mind. At some point I got warm.
Each of us tried to huddle into each other, but where! We all understood that sooner or later we would go to the Lord. Some recited the Psalter from memory, but we could no longer speak with our lips —the cold was fierce, our whole bodies were numb, and even breathing was difficult.
With time people began to stiffen and sink into the icy water. Their heads like flowers in the frost, falling, falling … One could only sob, as the last convulsions ran throughout the whole body – and then the soul flew away to the Throne of God. All were martyrs. Not one person denied the Lord! I saw angels descending and taking their souls.
And to me, the Heavenly Queen came and said, ‘Do not stop praying, it will save and heal you. I have asked the Lord to keep you on earth, it is needed for the strengthening of the Church of God. My grace and My Son will be with you unto the ages.’ The Mother of God encompassed me in such a Light and fiery warmth, so that I stood beneath her protecting veil and remained unharmed. I was left the only survivor.
The next morning they dragged me out and took me to the leader, who, now unsmiling, said: 'Did your God help you?'
'I believe and confess the Most Holy Trinity and the Mother of God!' I confessed.
'Pray for my daughter, she is very sick,' said the leader. This man became a believer from one day to the next."
Remembering this story, the Elder always wept.
Only the great prayer warrior, the chosen one of God, Father Nikolai, survived this torture; all the other sufferers died. The priest revealed to his spiritual children that he was “warmed by the Jesus Prayer” and did not feel the cold. He often said: “I love the cold and do not feel it.” The priest always walked lightly dressed, in any frost, and never bundled up.
The account comes from Elder Nikolai Guryanov himself. The martyrdom of the Forty Martyrs of Russia is reminiscent of the sacrifice of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste who were martyred in a similar manner in the frozen lake of Sebaste in the year 320.
In August 1931, Nikolai was sentenced to three years of exile in the Northern Territory of Russia. According to the Elder's words, recorded by his spiritual children, the reason for his arrest was his bold word in defense of the faith and desecrated shrines. That's how he ended up in Syktyvkar, where he participated in the construction of a railway. Sometimes he had to work in icy water, which caused prisoners to die. Working in inhumane conditions, Nikolai undermined his health. In addition, he permanently injured his legs while working with railway sleepers.
The Elder could not forget one particular terrible night. Here is how he told it himself:
"We were all led to a lake covered with a crust of ice. They all wanted us to renounce the faith. There was a bitter frost, in which no one could stand for a long time even in warm clothes. They ordered us to undress and get into the water, so we obeyed. There they left us, putting out dogs to guard us, who were constantly being changed because it was so cold.
I stood, with people around me – bishops, priests, laity. We all prayed silently. The strengthening of God became felt, I began to mentally say the Jesus Prayer. I constantly kept the joy of the Mother of God in my mind. At some point I got warm.
Each of us tried to huddle into each other, but where! We all understood that sooner or later we would go to the Lord. Some recited the Psalter from memory, but we could no longer speak with our lips —the cold was fierce, our whole bodies were numb, and even breathing was difficult.
With time people began to stiffen and sink into the icy water. Their heads like flowers in the frost, falling, falling … One could only sob, as the last convulsions ran throughout the whole body – and then the soul flew away to the Throne of God. All were martyrs. Not one person denied the Lord! I saw angels descending and taking their souls.
And to me, the Heavenly Queen came and said, ‘Do not stop praying, it will save and heal you. I have asked the Lord to keep you on earth, it is needed for the strengthening of the Church of God. My grace and My Son will be with you unto the ages.’ The Mother of God encompassed me in such a Light and fiery warmth, so that I stood beneath her protecting veil and remained unharmed. I was left the only survivor.
The next morning they dragged me out and took me to the leader, who, now unsmiling, said: 'Did your God help you?'
'I believe and confess the Most Holy Trinity and the Mother of God!' I confessed.
'Pray for my daughter, she is very sick,' said the leader. This man became a believer from one day to the next."
Remembering this story, the Elder always wept.
Only the great prayer warrior, the chosen one of God, Father Nikolai, survived this torture; all the other sufferers died. The priest revealed to his spiritual children that he was “warmed by the Jesus Prayer” and did not feel the cold. He often said: “I love the cold and do not feel it.” The priest always walked lightly dressed, in any frost, and never bundled up.
