Yesterday, on November 23, in the Cathedral of Borispol, near Kiev, Ukraine, a new twentieth century saint — Priest-Martyr Michael Podielsky — was canonized in the course of the Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Beatitude Onuphrios, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, with scores of the Orthodox clergy.

Fr. Michael was ordained a priest in 1925 when simply being an Orthodox Christian, let alone a priest, was a challenge to the ruling atheist authority. In 1930, he was arrested for the first time and had to move to another town. He resisted the demands to close the church, unflinchingly contining his service.

On November 19, 1937, he was arrested again. The Communist Secret Police charged him with “anti-Soviet agitation”. Under examination, according to the record, he was calm, courageously denying any accusations. Within twenty-four hours he was sentenced to death by gunshot, and all his possessions were confiscated.

At midnight, November 27, Fr. Michael was put to death, as recorded by Secret Police documents. His body, along with the bodies of other victims, were buried in a pit in the Bykovnia Forest.