On the 30th Anniversary of the Repose of Bishop Gury (Pavlov)

Alexey Rodionov | January 8, 2026

 

January 7, 2026, marked exactly 30 years since the repose of Bishop Gury (Pavlov), a cleric of the Greek Old Calendarist Auxentian Synod. Perhaps I am mistaken, but it is precisely Gury (Pavlov) who, more than anyone else, embodied in his life all the heights and abysses of catacomb service. That is to say, it is hardly possible to find a more zealous catacombist than he. He embodied both the best traits of this mindset — deep ideological conviction, self-sacrifice, modesty, willingness to suffer for an idea, complete absence of careerist tendencies — as well as its worst, such as provincialism (in the worst sense of the word), suspiciousness, entirely unnecessary rigorism, and, ultimately, the inability to emerge from the “catacombs” into open ministry even after the end of the period of persecution. I do not know whether he was the salt of the earth (I would like to believe he was), but as a light to the world — not quite. I present to your attention his biography, compiled with consideration of the latest publications. It must be said that, unfortunately, there are not very many publications about him. Among them stands out the fictionalized biography "Zealot of the Secret Church: Bishop Gury of Kazan and His Co-prayerful Companions. Life Accounts and Documents" (2008), compiled by Lidiya Iskrovskaya, as well as the works of Andrey Berman, based on research in the Chuvash archives.

 

 

The future Bishop Gury (in the world Semyon Pavlovich Pavlov) was born on April 15/28, 1906, in the village of Srednie Kibechi, Tsivilsky Uyezd, Kazan Governorate, into a simple Chuvash family [2, pp. 15–16]. Until 1921, Semyon Pavlov lived with his parents in the village, working as a shepherd. In 1921, Semyon left home and went to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in the village of Maly Sundyr, 40 km from the city of Cheboksary. A year later, after the monastery was closed by the authorities, he moved to the Makaryev Monastery near Sviyazhsk. After this monastery was also closed, Semyon Pavlov began wandering from monastery to monastery, transferring from one to another as they were being shut down. Thus, he spent time in the Raifa Monastery and the Sedmiezernaya Hermitage near Kazan, in the Odigitrievsky Monastery in the Bakalinsky District of Bashkiria, and in the Trinity Monastery of Alatyr. [7]

In 1930, in Ufa, Semyon Pavlov, selected as a clerical candidate from the “Union of the Orthodox Church,” passed the examination for priestly office. Bishop Benjamin (Troitsky) of Ufa tonsured him a monk with the name Gury and ordained him to the rank of hierodeacon. A few months later, Hierodeacon Gury was ordained to the rank of hieromonk. Under the conditions of that time, it was very important for the church opposition to appoint steadfast opponents of the “Declaration” to parishes. Therefore, Bishop Benjamin, at the request of Hieromonk Gury himself, sent him to Alatyr, under the authority of Bishop Mitrophan (Grinyov) of Alatyr, Vicar of the Simbirsk (Ulyanovsk) Diocese, who was temporarily administering the Chuvash Diocese. [7]

Bishop Mitrophan of Alatyr appointed Hieromonk Gury rector of the church in the village of Shutnerovo. On the way to Chuvashia, Hieromonk Gury was robbed, and most importantly, his priestly identification was stolen. Since Gury had no means to return to Ufa, he decided to stop in Ulyanovsk, where Bishop Avvakum was in exile. “Having heard me out, Avvakum blessed and exhorted me to stand firm in Orthodoxy, to defend the Orthodox faith, and to have no dealings with the Renovationists,” Hieromonk Gury later recalled. In 1931, the authorities decided to put an end to the activities of the “Union of the Orthodox Church.” Several active priests, including Hieromonk Gury, were arrested and imprisoned in a concentration camp for three years. On May 6, 1933, Hieromonk Gury (Pavlov) escaped from Svirlag. The geography of Fr. Gury’s wanderings under illegal conditions is impressive: [7]

“For about a year, that is, until 1934, I wandered through the Leningrad region. I must say that in 1932, when I was in the city prison of Cheboksary, one of my relatives—whom exactly I did not see—brought me a parcel. The parcel had a false bottom. Underneath the second layer were a cross, a small icon, a birth certificate, and a certificate from my place of birth. In the suitcase, openly, there was also an epitrachelion and a prayer book. In the Leningrad region, I passed myself off as a priest. Going from one village to another, I would locate believers and go to them for alms or shelter. In the same way, for about a year and a half I wandered through the Moscow region. In 1935 or 1936 I came to the Chuvash ASSR. I was at home, in Srednie Kibechi. <...> Upon learning that I was being sought, I went to Bashkiria. Before that, that is, before visiting Srednie Kibechi, I had also been in the Gorky region, where I likewise visited the faithful. In Ufa I learned that Bishop Benjamin was imprisoned. From Bashkiria I moved on to the Tatar ASSR. <...> From Kazan I went to the Mari ASSR. I was once again in the Leningrad region, and in the Moscow and Gorky regions. I visited the Chuvash ASSR in 1938, 1945, 1949, and in 1951. In 1949 I was in Kiev. … During the war I also went into hiding, just as I did before and after the war.” [7]

“The news of the war, as far as I remember, reached me in the Gorky region. In January 1942, I moved from the Gorky region to the Bashkir ASSR. In the spring or summer of 1943, I moved to Tatarstan; in the summer of 1944 — to the Mari ASSR, and shortly after the war I returned home to the village of Srednie Kibechi, but I was forced to go into hiding again, since I was being sought as an escapee.” [7]

“In 1935, while in the village of Srednie Kibechi with the nun Maksimova Anisiya, I sewed myself a new epitrachelion, cuffs, and several church veils to replace my worn ones. From her I also took several liturgical books: a Trebnik (Book of Needs), a collection of hymns, and a Kanonnik. I bought a book on confession, a chalice in the form of a small cup, and a spoon for Communion in Kazan; the processional cross I made myself.” [7]

“The last time I was in Bashkiria was in 1943 or 1944. While still in prison, through the convicted Hieromonk Agafobus <…> I learned that Bishop Rufim was heading the Ufa diocese — I knew him slightly. I also knew Monk Simeon, who took part in my ordination as a godfather. Arriving in Ufa in 1934 or 1935, I indeed searched for Rufim and Simeon. Rufim had been arrested by that time, and Simeon had died. Thus, in Ufa, in Birsk, and generally on the territory of Bashkiria, I found none of my acquaintances.” [7]

“In the Kiev Caves Lavra I met with the Lavra’s treasurer, a hieromonk, to whom I asked about the possibility of entering the Lavra. He replied that one needs a passport for this. I asked the same question to a certain schema-monk of the Lavra. He said the same thing. With this schema-monk I also spoke about the legally operating Church, and I expressed my own doubts as well as those of some believers who did not recognize the legitimacy of the legal Church. The schema-monk replied that the legally operating Church must be recognized. Since on the territory of the Lavra they watch for suspicious persons and for foreigners — of whom there are very many — I left there on the fourth day. I stayed in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for two days, had no meetings there. I prayed and left, because there they check documents, and I have none except for a forged certificate.” [7]

In 1946, Hieromonk Gury was arrested, but thanks to a forged certificate of release, he was freed under amnesty. Having unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a genuine identity document, he once again went into hiding, fearing that the authorities would discover he was an escaped convict. In 1949, Gury was arrested again in the village of Shikhazany and brought to trial for escaping from the camp. The court sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment but immediately released him under amnesty. Upon learning that the prosecutor had decided to challenge the court's verdict, Fr. Gury considered it best to disappear. [7]

On December 23, 1951, another arrest of Hieromonk Gury followed — this time in the house of a True Orthodox Christian woman, Tatyana Ignatyeva, in the city of Tsivilsk: during the search, he was discovered under a bed. Hieromonk Gury was charged with connections to the “church-monarchist underground ‘TOC’ — ‘True Orthodox Christians of the One Holy Apostolic Church,’” with the “implantation” of TOC groups in the territory of the Chuvash ASSR and the leadership of their anti-Soviet activity. [7]

During the investigation, in interrogations, Hieromonk Gury conducted himself firmly — even defiantly. The case file contains several notes stating that “the accused Pavlov demonstratively refused to sign,” and “the arrested Pavlov ceased answering without giving a reason.” Hieromonk Gury was also unafraid of making sharp statements against the Soviet authorities: “I do not recognize the Soviet government or any of its godless organizations, including the kolkhozes, where people are forced to work on religious feast days, thereby being compelled to renounce God. I do not recognize the legally operating church, where the godless government is glorified.” [7]

“According to our teaching, according to the convictions of True Orthodox Christians, the lawful authority on earth was the authority of the Tsar — the anointed of God, the defender of true Orthodoxy. Soviet power, however, in our conviction, is a punishment from God sent down upon people. All organizations created by Soviet power are godless organizations. I was asked about my attitude toward trade unions. I said that on the first page of the trade‑union card there is the inscription: ‘Trade unions are the school of communism.’ Communism is godlessness; therefore, a True Orthodox Christian must avoid joining godless trade unions. I was asked regarding participation in elections to the Soviets. I instructed that it is better not to participate in elections, but if a True Orthodox Christian is forced against his will to take part in elections, then he must cross out the ballot.” [7]

During the investigation, Hieromonk Gury tried not to disclose information about True Orthodox Christians known to him (insofar as this was possible in his situation), especially those who were living illegally. Only after a series of confrontations, when it became clear how extensive the MGB’s knowledge was, did Hieromonk Gury allow himself to be more forthcoming. Nevertheless, in his testimony he mainly named those individuals who were either already imprisoned, or whose whereabouts were unknown, or about whom the investigative authorities already had prior knowledge. [7]

On April 11, 1952, the Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Chuvash ASSR sentenced Semyon Pavlovich Pavlov “on the basis of Articles 58.10, part 2, and 58.11 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, with the application of the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 26, 1947 ‘On the Abolition of the Death Penalty,’ to imprisonment in a corrective labor camp for a term of 25 years, with deprivation of electoral rights for five years after the completion of the sentence, and with the confiscation of items seized at the time of Pavlov’s arrest to be transferred to state revenue.” Along with Hieromonk Gury, his co-workers in faith — Tatyana and Maria Ignatyeva and Matryona Rybkina — were sentenced to 10 years. In 1955, the sentence was revised: Hieromonk Gury’s term was reduced to 10 years, and his companions were released from the camps. On June 18, 1956, Hieromonk Gury was also released. [7]

After his release, Hieromonk Gury returned to his native region and continued his service as a catacomb pastor. Traveling throughout Chuvashia under the guise of a carpenter or stove-builder (he had mastered these trades), he provided spiritual care to his spiritual children. In the early 1960s, Hieromonk Gury finally managed to acquire a small house at the Tyurlema station. This house he fully renovated, establishing a church within it. It had an altar, a proper iconostasis, and all the necessary items for divine services. [7] He practiced only written confession (apparently out of fear of being overheard) and allowed the laity to commune themselves out of concern over surveillance. [6, p. 66] Oleg Uryupin-Molenko, who saw Gury in September 1990, recalled: “In an exceedingly modest room that served as a prayer space for a large family, we saw Father Gury. Like everyone who happened to meet him, we were struck to the depths of our souls. A bent elder, small and frail, yet at the same time so majestic, noble, filled with inner dignity. Even among people far from the Church, he involuntarily inspired a sense of reverence. It seemed as if he did not belong to the present time — so completely was everything in him alien to the surrounding ‘Soviet reality.’ He was as if from another era, appearing as a living witness of Orthodox Russia, of which we had only a vague notion as a hopelessly ‘departed Rus’, tragically lost by our fathers and grandfathers.” [1]

At the end of 1990, Hieromonk Gury, at the invitation of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov), visited the United States and de facto established Eucharistic and ecclesiastical communion with the Russian Church Abroad. At the session of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops held on May 2/15, 1990, Bishop Lazar (Zhurbenko) petitioned for the elevation of Hieromonk Gury (Pavlov) to the rank of archimandrite “for his many years of pastoral activity under difficult conditions of persecution against the True Church.” This proposal was accepted, and soon thereafter the catacomb Hieromonk Gury was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by the hierarchs of ROCOR. However, in the subsequent discussion of the conditions for the ordination of Archimandrite Gury to the episcopate, it was proposed that Archbishop Lazar (Zhurbenko) — who laid claim to leadership in the “catacomb church” — would participate in his consecration. As soon as Archimandrite Gury learned of this, he declared that he would not accept such a consecration, since Bishop Lazar had been ordained a deacon in the Moscow Patriarchate, and such an “antichrist seal cannot be washed away — neither by catacomb priestly nor even by ROCOR episcopal ordination.” [3, p. 293]

In the summer of 1991, Hieromonk Gury entered into negotiations with the leadership of the “Holy Orthodox Church of North America” (the “Boston Synod”), at that time an autonomous structure within the “Auxentian” Synod of the Church of the GOC of Greece. With the blessing of Archbishop Auxentios (Pastras) of Athens, President of the “Auxentian” Synod of the GOC of Greece, Metropolitan Maximus (Vallianatos) of Cephalonia, Bishops Ephraim (Spanos) of Boston and Makarios (Katre) of Toronto, on July 15/28, 1991, consecrated Archimandrite Gury (Pavlov) Bishop of Kazan in the Resurrection Church in Worcester, USA. [2, p. 315] Soon after, Gury was appointed head of the newly established Exarchate of the “Auxentian” Synod of the GOC of Greece in Russia. [3, p. 293] On October 24, 1991, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR was compelled to prohibit Archimandrite Gury from serving. [6, p. 68]

However, he in no way realized himself in episcopal ministry, refraining not only from conducting episcopal ordinations, but also priestly and diaconal ones. Until his repose, Bishop Gury (Pavlov) refrained from communion both with the “Auxentian” Synod of the GOC of Greece and with the leaders of the Russian catacomb movement. His following numbered approximately 5,000 and was notable for its multinational composition, including Russians, Germans, Tatars (Kryashens), Chuvash, Yakuts, Khanty, Mansi, and representatives of other peoples of the Russian North.

In 1995, the “Auxentian” Synod appointed a new head of the Russian Exarchate — a cleric of the “Boston Synod,” Protopresbyter Victor Melehov, who resided permanently in the USA. [3, pp. 293–294] Bishop Gury reposed on January 7, 1996, at 22:30, at the age of 89. [2, p. 121] He was buried in a very simple manner, just as he had requested: “To be buried modestly and quietly, so that no one around would know.” And so it was done. They even led the hired horse and sleigh from the neighboring village into the courtyard. There, the farewell was made, and the coffin lid was closed. Then the coffin was taken by sleigh to the cemetery. [2, p. 122]

 

References [all in Russian]:

1. “The Last Grace-filled Russian Bishop” on the website of Oleg Uryupin-Molenko:

https://omolenko.com/zhitiya/guriy.htm

2. Zealot of the Secret Church: Bishop Gury of Kazan and His Co-Prayerful Companions. Life Accounts and Documents. Comp. L. E. Sikorskaya. — M.: Bratonezh, 2008. — 336 p. — (Series: “New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Before the Godless Authority”). — ISBN 978‑5‑7873‑0501‑6.

https://histor-ipt-kt.memo.ru/BOOKS/Guriy/guriy.pdf

3. Slesarev A. V. The Old Calendarist Schism in the History of the Orthodox Church (1924–2008). — M.: Publishing House of the Krutitsy Podvorye. Society of Lovers of Church History, 2009. — 562 p. — (Materials on the History of the Church).

4. Berman A. G. “Bishop Gury (Pavlov): Notes Toward the Biography of a Catacomb Hierarch” // Pages from the History of Orthodoxy in Chuvashia in the 20th Century. — Cheboksary, 2009. — pp. 57–69. — 132 p.

https://krotov.info/spravki/1_history_bio/20_bio/1996_pavlov.htm

5. Berman A. G. “Church Samizdat in Chuvashia in the 1950s” // Regional Studies in the Middle Volga Region: Experience, Problems, Prospects, materials of the All-Russian Scientific-Practical Conference, Cheboksary, November 24, 2023. — Cheboksary: Chuvash State Pedagogical University named after I. Ya. Yakovlev, 2023. — pp. 284–291.

6. Kostryukov A. A. “The Russian Church Abroad and the Beginning of the ‘Free Church’ (1990–1995)” // Bulletin of PSTGU. Series II: History. History of the Russian Orthodox Church. — 2024. — Issue 120. — pp. 57–78.

https://periodical.pstgu.ru/ru/pdf/article/8482

7. Berman A. G. Orthodoxy in Chuvashia in the Second Half of the 20th Century: Historical Essays and Documents. — Cheboksary: Chuvash State Pedagogical University named after I. Ya. Yakovlev, 2025. — 394 p. — ISBN 978‑5‑88297‑812‑8.

 

Russian source: https://rocor-observer.livejournal.com/367701.html