First hieromartyr of the earth Kobrinskoy

Kobrin → Creativity of fellow countrymen → Marchuk Nina Grigoryevna

Memory on March 28

"And having lit a candle, do not put it under a vessel,
but on a candlestick, it also shines all in the house"
(Mf.5.15.)
 

It will be a question of the archpriest of the lake Nikolay Piskanovskom who died of tortures in prison of Arkhangelsk of 28.03.1935.

The small homeland of the lake of Nikolay – the village Zbirogi, near Brest. It in Strigovska Simeonovska served church. From the known priestly sort Kotovichy his wife Claudia with whom he got acquainted in the village Stradech …
However, about everything one after another.

Both the father, and the grandfather of the lake of Nikolay were priests. He was born on May 1 (on new style) 1887 in the village Zbirogi (nowadays Brest district). The father – Iaky, mother – Maria Kadlubovskaya. In a family there were two brothers and four sisters.

The church in which Piskanovskiye's priests served carried the name Paraskev Friday. Was under construction in 1610 on money of the princess Agata Sapega as the uniatsky temple of the village Zbirogi. Since 1866, after the known events of 1863-1864, the church became orthodox. In 1920 it is screwed to Catholics and restored in 1925. After 1945 it is again transferred to Orthodox Christians. Church still wooden. Did not burn, it was not plundered. Several icons of the 18th century which "remember" priests Piskanovsky remained. As Pyotr serving thirty years in this temple told me the lake, he saw (and remembers) in church books of record of the lake of Iakim Piskanovsky, prior of the temple from 1900 to 1916. In 1909 the lake Nikolay Piskanovsky ended the Brest-Lithuanian theological seminary and it was sent the psalm reader to Strigovsky church, to 7 km from Kobrin.

Time "kept" a greeting card of the father Iakim to the son: "To its nobleness, strigovsky psalm reader Nikolay Piskanovsky …"

And several words about Strigovska Simeonovska of church. It is constructed of a tree in 1808 at the expense of the landowner Lastovsky. Stood in the center of the village, near the brisk road on Kobrin. Two-dome: silvery color of a dome gilded crosses crowned. The roof is duo-pitch, from a tin. On a belfry there were several bells. Inside the temple was painted by blue paint. Today's old residents still remember many icons and a magnificent church chandelier, with an interesting prehistory. Neither Napoleonic soldiers, nor kayzerovets, nor the Polish campaign, nor fascists, nor guerrillas, nor "Khruschev's thaw" touched church. The trouble happened in near "Brezhnev's". Closed it in 1962. Used under the school gym. It burned down on November 7, 1975, roofing felts incidentally, roofing felts purposely. One God knows that.

And so. In 1913 the psalm reader of Simeonovsky church of the village of Strigovo of the lake Nikolay Piskanovsky marries Claudia Petrovna Kotovich, the daughter of dear archpriest from the village of Stradich of the Brest County. By then it is ordained in deacons and transferred to Saint Nicholas's temple, in the Brest fortress. There he also got married.

The garrison cathedral of Saint Nicholas was under construction in 1851-1856 at the expense of officers of the Brest fortress and army clergy. But in 1872 it was reconstructed (on the height did not answer strategic objectives of fortress). From the beginning of military operations (1915) the temple was military hospital. Since March 18, 1921 the temple at rimo-Catholic, and since 1922 – St. Kazimir's church. Since 1939, with arrival of Red army, the cathedral is converted into garrison club. In the Great Patriotic War the temple was dilapidated. So it staid till 1994, before return of its orthodox church.

Since 1995 the temple was repaired, and there are church services. In 1999 the temple decorated a new cross, in 2001 on a belfry lifted a bell weighing 1 ton, and in 2004 the new seven-level church chandelier decorated internal space of the temple.

Due to the approach of the germano-Austrian troops (fall of 1915), the garrison hospital of the temple is transferred to Odessa. There also Piskanovsky' family, already with the little daughter Ksenia moves. It is evacuated as well the diocese where the hospital temple enters. And the department is transferred to Moscow. At that time it was headed by the lord Tikhon (Belavin). Here to it for ordination in priests the island Nikolay was called from Odessa. Ordination took place in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. And in 1918 the hospital in Odessa was liquidated. And the island Nikolay went the second priest to the Ukrainian village of Pavlysh. Here on November 12, 1918 they gave birth to the son Nikolay.

Time was vague. There were various gangs. Two times threatened it with execution. At the beginning of the 20th year in the neighboring village of Ivanovka killed the priest, and his place was taken by the island Nikolay. Then there was a temple Alexandria. There is also the first arrest of the lake of Nikolay. Then there were next arrests, resettlements from place to place. And after Voronezh it was banished to the Solovki.

(O. Nikolay was a stoyatel for the God's truth. And despite the short stay in these or those places, quickly got general respect and love of believers. Had worthy his name, an approximate pious family in Christian life, all loved).

The archpriest of the lake Nikolay Piskanovsky from 1928 to 1931 was in the 4th otd. The Solovki concentration camp (on the island of "Solovki"). It worked in so-called "Rybzverprom" where spun networks, creating Iissusova a prayer.

 Father Nikolay Piskanovsky

The father Nikolay was a confessor of all "catacomb" clergy and laymen in a concentration camp. It was deeply honored by all bishops who did not adopt declarations of the metropolitan Sergiya. According to the survived prisoner of the Solovki concentration camp I. M. Andreevsky, from his memoirs published abroad: "Once the lake Nikolay received a note from the wife: "we always rejoice, thinking of your sufferings for Christ and his Church. Rejoice also you about that also we were honored to be driven for the Lord again and again".

Also I. M. Andreevsky's story about secret services on the Solovki is very remarkable: "So, for example, in Great Chetvertok 1929 the service with reading 12 Gospel was made in our chamber of doctors, in the 10th company. To us came, allegedly on the case of disinfection, the Lord Victor and the lake Nikolay. Then, katakombno, served church service, having closed a door on a latch...

On Friday when we, doctors, just returned to the chambers after 12 hour working days, to us the island Nikolay came and reported: Church service – a burial rank – will take place and will begin in an hour. "where?" – the Lord Maxim asked. "In a big box for drying of fish which is about the wood... Conditional knock 3 and 2 times. It is better to come on one"...

In half an hour the Lord Maxim and I left our company and were sent to the specified "address". Asked patrols of the admission us twice. We, doctors, had them. But as others: Lord Victor, Lord Illarion, Lord Nektary and lake Nikolay? … The lord Victor served as an accountant at rope factory, the Lord Nektary – fished, the others – spun networks …. Here and wood edge. There is a box, 4 sazhens long. Without windows. The door is hardly noticeable. Light twilight. The sky in dark clouds. We knock 3 and then 2 times. Nikolay opens for the island. Vladyka Victor and Vladyka Illarion already here... In a few minutes also the Lord Nektary comes. The interior of a box turned into church. On a floor, on walls fir-tree branches. Several candles glimmer. Small paper icons. Small, in a palm size, the shroud is buried in verdure of branches. The praying people 10. Is later came 4-5 more, from them - two monks... Church service began. In a whisper. It seemed that we had no bodies, and there were only one souls... I do not remember as we went "home", i.e. to the companies. The Lord covered!

The light matins were appointed in our chamber of doctors. To 12 o'clock in the morning, under different urgent pretexts by medical part, without any written permissions, all who were going to come gathered the person about 15 … After matins and a mass sat down to break the fast. On a table there were Easter cakes, Easter, colored eggs, snack, wine (liquid yeast with cranberry extract and sugar). About 3 hours dispersed …"

Dmitry Sergeyevich Likhachev writes about the Solovki period to lives of the lake of Nikolay with big honoring in "Memoirs": "It was impossible to call it cheerful, but always in the most difficult circumstances it radiated internal tranquility. I do not remember it laughing or smiling, but always the meeting with it was some consolatory. And not only for me".

Now about the spouse of the lake of Nikolay.

Claudia Petrovna Piskanovskaya will spend in USLONE more than three years, but on islands she will not get, having passed a stradny way on "business trips" of continental Karelia (like a cancer tumor of the Solovki GULAG, and it will be developed in a terrible zone of Belomorkanal soon).

Nevertheless, Claudia Petrovna happened to meet the husband on transit point. I will add. After arrest of the mother Claudia, her mother-in-law Maria Ivanovna took away grandsons from Voronezh to the daughter Ekaterina Iakimovna in Korosten (near Zhytomyr).

However we will return to destiny of a family of Piskanovsky. Son Kolya already school student of the senior classes. Also he came to Arkhangelsk to visit the father. (The certificate to that the remained photo dated 1933). Also his mother Maria Ivanovna visited the lake to Nikolay.

And the wife – Ksenia Petrovna, was released from camp in the spring of 1934 and already all went to Arkhangelsk. O. Nikolay received medical treatment a little at this time (thanks to efforts of the wife and friends), he worked as the watchman at city brick-works, and they lived on the apartment at one poor woman.

The last arrest of the Arkhangelsk group of churchmen began in May, 1934. Seized with the first OGPU the lord Serafim. The turn reached the lake of Nikolay in September. Charge: "Belonging to truly orthodox church". Painful interrogations, confrontations follow.

This time the undermined organism did not sustain. On April 10 (on new style) 1935 in prison hospital of the lake Nikolay died. Began to strive on receiving by a family of a body deceased. Except a family, also the staff of city hospital, Dmitry Vasilyevich Nikitin, professor, once personal doctor of the writer Lev Tolstoy, Dmitry Likhachev (subsequently the academician, "icon" of science of the USSR), Vsevolod Volkov (Savva Morozov's great-grandson) and many others took part in efforts.

Will bury the island of Nikolay on city cemeteries of Arkhangelsk. Mogilka is designated by a fencing and a cross with an inscription. The same Dmitry Likhachev whom on the Solovki still Nikolay met by the student the island and helped it to survive with that hell into which both of them were driven by destiny kept it.

Thousands of convicts lie bezizvestny on Northern Dvina. And the mogilka of the lake of Nikolay was kept, look after it. Also kneel down, asking help. And he hears asking and helps them. Unless it not a miracle?

Epilog
And the future of a family of Piskanovsky deserves the description. Me the destiny gave to Kohl an opportunity to touch life of the lake of Nikolay, I will make It since I consider that the Orthodox community of the small homeland of the lake of Nikolay has to know about this, extremely dukhopodjyomny, stories.

The Russian Foreign orthodox church on a cathedral 1/14 of November, 1981 of the lake of Nikolay Piskanovsky glorified in the new hieromartyr's face. Claudia Petrovna with the daughter will be arrested on "church business" again in 1937 and sent to camp on the Pinega River, in the Arkhangelsk region. And in 1940 the daughter Ksenia will be judged in camp again and will add term.

The son Kolya Piskanovsky will graduate from school with a gold medal and in 1938 will enter the Moscow institute of engineers of the railroad. He regularly tried to send to camp of a parcel of mother and the sister though itself lived on a grant and beggarly extra earnings.

But the Second World War began. Camps cancel both letters, and parcels. And the camp is transferred to depth of the country – in the Komi ASSR. Prisoners are practically not fed. The son Kolya together with the institute is evacuated to Tomsk where he in the spring of 1943 brilliantly defends the degree project, and directed to work to Perm. By then correspondence with camp is restored. And hopelessly sick lagernik under the act are released.

But in Perm Claudia Petrovna is not registered. It is attributed in the village in 25 km. from Perm. The sister Ksenia still in camp. And Claudia Petrovna is fatally sick. And on March 29, 1944 she dies. In May, 1945 the son Nikolay Piskanovsky comes to postgraduate study and comes back to Moscow. Studies, works and strives with parcels in camp to the sister. But itself gets sick with tuberculosis, is hospitalized and dies.

The sister Ksenia is released from northern camps only in 1947, and gives birth to the daughter Natasha. But in 1949 she is arrested again and directed in Rybinsk camp, and her daughter is hidden at themselves by orthodox compassionate "grandmothers". Ksenia is released from camp only in 1955 and reunites with the daughter. They live in peace and friendship. The daughter Natasha receives profession of the engineer and works in Ufa.

Ksenia Nikolaevna died in 1997. Her daughter Natasha is living, and lives to Tutaev, near Yaroslavl.
And what on the small homeland of the hieromartyr of the lake Nikolay Piskanovsky?

In the village Stradech of the Brest County after the priest Pyotr Vasilyevich Kotovich, the father of the wife of the lake Nikolay, Fyodor (Dmitriyuk), subsequently the lord Flavian, the archbishop Gorkovsky and Arzamazsky served in St. Sofya's temple from 1919 to 1927 the priest of the lake.

The temple in which Kotovich and Dmitriyuk served in the last war burned down, but quarter of the century to that is restored (with the same name). The new prior of Sacred and Sofiyevsky church of the village Stradech – the lake Nikolay Golovko.

And here in the village Zbirogi the temple stands four hundred years (of course it was under repair, and more than once). Near the temple about twenty burials of priors of the temple and members of their families remained. Graves are designated by crosses. But none of Piskanovsky I did not find an inscription.

Also Iakim Piskanovsky's house did not remain. But there is a photo: the lake Nikolay and lake Iakim on a shop near the house. On the place of the estate of Piskanovsky quarter of the century to that the new housing is constructed. The Strigovsky Simeonovsky temple is on a photo and in memory of old residents. There is more. I learned about the hieromartyr of the lake Nikolay Piskanovskom from phone call from Arkhangelsk from Sergey Shishelov recently.

He asked me, and I agreed, to make investigation and to bring history of life of this family, distressful for belief, to Orthodox community.

Why I, and why Sergey?

Sergey is a businessman (from his words). Pulled hard on its failures (few years to that) only after a worship to a mogilka and requests at the lake of Nikolay left in anywhere. Sergey himself also on an equal basis with others began to look after a mogilka. Found for archive of the lake of Nikolay, found his granddaughter Natasha. By the way. They (residents of Arkhangelsk) asked for permission to arrive to us, on the small homeland of the new martyr of the lake Nikolay.

And we wait for them. And why I? Sergey Kotovichey read my material about Simeonovsky church of the village of Strigovo and about a family on the website "Tourist Kobrin" (http://ikobrin.ru) with which help he contacted me. And its appeals to other instances did not yield result. I "met halfway". There is more.

The clergy of the Ukrainian Exarchate canonized the lake of Nikolay. But its roots at us, in Kobrin district!?
 

Nina Marchuk

November, 2013

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