New martyrs of the 20th сentury: Metropolitan Anatoly of Odessa
Hieromartyr Anatoly began his career as a scholar and educator and ended it as a martyr and confessor. What lessons can we learn from his life?
Early years
The future hieromartyr Anatoly, Metropolitan of Odessa and Kherson, was born on August 20 (according to other sources, on the 19th) 1880 in the town of Kremenets (according to different sources, in Kovel) in the Volhynian province. His name in the world was Andrei Grigoryevich Grisyuk. His father was a minor official, a bookkeeper in the Kremenets district treasury.
The family, which included two other children besides Andrei, daughters Raisa and Sofia, lived in poverty. The children had to help with housework and perform tasks from an early age.
Looking ahead, it is worth noting that poverty accompanied him throughout most of his life; even after becoming a bishop, he spent very little on himself, and being a bishop in the 1930s was far from a financially rewarding position.
Education and beginning of church work
His career before the 1917 Revolution was a typical path for a Russian hierarch in the 19th to early 20th century. A pious young man who showed aptitude in a theological school entered a seminary, then an academy. Next came monasticism, ordination, taking positions in spiritual education and finally – episcopal consecration.
The future Metropolitan Anatoly had a similar experience. First, he studied at the Kremenets Theological School, then, from 1894 to 1900, at the Volhynian Theological Seminary. In the same year, he entered the Kiev Theological Academy. In his third year of study, in August 1903, Andrei Grisyuk was tonsured a monk at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, taking the name Anatoly, and was ordained a hierodeacon. In May 1904, he was ordained a hieromonk. In 1904, he graduated from the Kiev Academy and stayed there to teach, first as a professor stipendist and a year later as an acting docent of the Department of General Church History.
What was unusual in this story was that Andrei Grigoryevich took church historical science very seriously.
In addition to general church history and patrology, his scientific interests included early Eastern, in particular, Syrian monasticism. Metropolitan (at the time Archbishop) Antony (Khrapovitsky) commented on his academic and pedagogical abilities: “Hieromonk Anatoly is a gifted, and although still very young, widely knowledgeable teacher in church history. He becomes an expert not only in the history of church events but also in theology in general, that is, in Holy Scripture and patrology. With a well-developed, precise, and sharp language, he manages in the course of one lecture to present many events, to give strong characteristics, and explain the essence of even the most abstract subjects, such as theological disputes of the 4th century.”
During his studies, he mastered the main European languages, as well as some Eastern ones, and could directly work with the originals of ancient manuscripts. In 1905-1906, Hieromonk Anatoly was on a mission with the Russian Archaeological Institute in Constantinople, where he conducted scientific research. The result of this work was a study titled “A Historical Outline of Syrian Monasticism up to the Mid-6th Century”, for which he received a Master of Theology degree in 1911. This was not merely a passable dissertation for obtaining the degree but a substantial contribution to the field.
One review of his work says: “A thorough acquaintance with the primary sources and extensive literature on this subject, a deep insight into the spirit of Syrian asceticism, clarity of thought, and vividness of language distinguish the author’s work and make it a valuable contribution to the literature on this subject.”
In August 1911, Father Anatoly was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite, and a few months later, he was awarded the prestigious academic prize of Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov), which was given for outstanding scientific work.
In October 1911, the council of the Kiev Theological Academy considered the issue of awarding Father Anatoly, a docent and archimandrite, the title of extraordinary professor of the Academy. During this discussion, Professor F. Titov made an interesting statement. Speaking in favour of granting Archimandrite Anatoly the desired title, he pointed out his broad academic activities and his outstanding teaching abilities, and added: “Finally, all members of the council are, no doubt, aware of the extremely difficult financial situation in which he finds himself …”
But why could a lecturer at the Theological Academy, a docent and an archimandrite be in such a situation? This, of course, is just speculation, as we do not know all the circumstances, but, most likely, Father Anatoly did not accept offerings, did not assist applicants with admission or further studies, did not make acquaintances with rich townspeople, who, in turn, did not invite him to perform services, and devoted all his time and energy to students and academic work.
In 1912, Father Anatoly was awarded the title of extraordinary professor and also received the Professor V.F. Pevnitsky Prize for his sermons delivered during the Passion services throughout Lent. In June 1912, he was appointed inspector and extraordinary professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, and a year later, he was appointed rector of the Kazan Theological Academy. In this position, he was entitled to the rank of bishop, and in 1913, on the feast day of the Apostles Peter and Paul, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Chistopol, vicar of the Kazan Eparchy. In 1914, World War I began.
World War I
At this point, it is worth pausing to say a few words about this war, as it affected the lives of all those who lived at that time. We are also experiencing a war now, though not on such a large scale, and we can partly understand the situation from a century ago. Who was the aggressor and who was the victim in World War I? Let every person decide that for themselves, but here are a few bare facts: Russia was the first country to decide on large-scale mobilisation. It refused to cancel it to ease tensions at Germany's request.
At the beginning of the war, Russia attacked East Prussia, i.e., it invaded the territory of another country, and Russian expeditionary forces fought far beyond the borders of Russia. Thousands of wounded, destitute, and homeless people appeared.
What should a Christian do in this situation? How should they act, what should they call for, whom should they support?
Regardless of whether your country is right or not, a Christian must, under any circumstances, obey the commandment of Jesus Christ to love God and one's neighbour and must perform acts of mercy for those people who happen to be near, without considering whether they fought for a just cause or not. This is exactly what Bishop Anatoly did.
In the Kazan Eparchy, he initiated and organised many charitable institutions. For instance, he headed the Kazan Committee for Aid to the Needy, calling on the clergy and laypeople to help the families of soldiers who had gone to the front and were left without breadwinners. He established a hospital for the wounded at the Kazan Theological Academy and facilitated the opening of similar hospitals at monasteries. In a short time, almost all the parishes in the eparchy established committees to assist the needy.
By the autumn of 1915, Russia had been suffering defeats, and the front line began to shift into Russian territory. By then, approximately 3 million people had been forced to leave their homes. Kazan, like many other cities, was flooded with refugees. In these conditions, Bishop Anatoly made every effort to provide assistance. The eparchial congress decided that all the clergy of the Kazan Eparchy should make a monthly contribution to help the refugees.
Life under persecution
However, soon a new and even more terrifying disaster struck. The October Revolution of 1917 occurred, marking the beginning of unprecedented persecution of the Church. In 1918, the Bolsheviks issued a decree to cease the activities of all religious educational institutions. However, the decree contained a loophole that allowed for "private religious education". Some seminaries and academies took advantage of this.
Bishop Anatoly also approached the Kazan Department of Public Education, requesting permission to conduct classes privately with students. His request was granted, and Bishop Anatoly was issued an official stamp. The Bolsheviks confiscated the Academy's building, so all lessons were held at the teachers' homes. Meetings of the Academy Council were held at Bishop Anatoly's apartment. For a while, the Academy was maintained using funds from better times, but soon it had to rely on contributions from the parishes that made payments to support the Academy.
Although the Academy existed legally, it was not favoured by the Soviet authorities.
In 1921, the punitive authorities intercepted Bishop Anatoly's correspondence with Patriarch Tikhon, which discussed the activities of the Kazan Academy. An order was given to cease these activities. On March 26, 1921, Bishop Anatoly was arrested. He and the Academy's teachers were subjected to interrogation. Since the Academy, though functioning privately, was operating legally with the notification of the Soviet authorities, Bishop Anatoly was given a comparatively light sentence: one year of forced labour.
After his release in February 1922, His Eminence Anatoly was appointed to the Samara Eparchy. But even here, the Bolsheviks did not leave him in peace. After a year of service in Samara, they not only came to search his residence but also planted a package with anti-Soviet propaganda supposedly from him. The appeals bore his signature and seal. However, Bishop Anatoly managed to prove that this was a crude forgery, with which he had no connection, and he was released after spending nearly six months in prison.
Immediately upon his release, Patriarch Tikhon elevated Bishop Anatoly to the rank of Archbishop, and just a few weeks later, in September 1923, the Samara OGPU arrested him again, accusing him this time of spreading anti-Soviet rumours. His punishment was exile to Turkmenistan, to the city of Krasnovodsk, for three years. In one of his letters from exile, he wrote: "As for us, we are now not so much studying ancient Church history as we are becoming victims of the tragedy of the modern Russian Church history... We are making history, not writing it…"
The Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius
On returning from exile in 1927, Archbishop Anatoly returned to the Samara Eparchy and was appointed a permanent member of the Holy Synod under the deputy of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). Here, too, we should make a brief digression and say what 1927 was significant for in our church history. This year saw the famous Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), in which he pledged full loyalty of the Church to the godless Soviet regime.
This Declaration caused great confusion within the Church and led to major divisions, which remain unresolved to this day. Many bishops, clergy, and laity rejected the Declaration, with many pointing out that Metropolitan Sergius had greatly exceeded his authority as the deputy of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens.
The Patriarchal Locum Tenens himself, Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky), who was in exile at the time, wrote to Metropolitan Sergius in December 1929, upon learning of these events: "It is difficult for me to list all the details of the negative attitude towards your administration, which has led to protests and cries from the faithful, from the hierarchy to the laity. The picture of the Church’s devastation is truly shocking. My duty and conscience do not allow me to remain indifferent to such a grievous phenomenon. I am compelled to ask Your Eminence to correct the error made, which has put the Church in a humiliating position, caused strife and division, and tarnished the reputation of its primates. Likewise, I ask you to eliminate other activities that have exceeded Your authority."
However, Metropolitan Sergius did not heed the request of the hierarch he served as deputy. What followed was a phenomenon later referred to as "Sergianism": submission (including in ecclesiastical matters) to the godless authorities, who sought to destroy the Church. Supporters of Metropolitan (later Patriarch) Sergius argued that, albeit in a humiliating way, he was attempting to save the Church from total destruction.
Moreover, if at the beginning it was assumed by default that after the 1927 Declaration, only those who did not agree with it would be subjected to repression, then later it became clear that neither support for the Declaration, nor loyalty to Soviet power, nor closeness to Metropolitan Sergius could save them from reprisals.
Ministry in the Odessa Eparchy
This situation directly affected the Holy Martyr Anatoly. He was a hierarch who not only accepted and approved the 1927 Declaration but also personally signed it alongside Metropolitan Sergius. Even after a wave of misunderstanding and criticism against Metropolitan Sergius arose among the clergy and faithful, Bishop Anatoly remained one of his close associates. In 1928, he was appointed to the Odessa Eparchy. There, he faced a new wave of repression against the Church, which the Bolsheviks began in 1929.
Across the country, including the Odessa Eparchy, churches were closed, and priests were arrested and imprisoned. By 1931, very few priests had remained free in Odessa; the rest had been shot or thrown into prison. The Transfiguration Cathedral, the military Saint Sergius Cathedral, the church of St. Nicholas in the port, and many other churches in Odessa were blown up. Most of the remaining churches were turned into warehouses or repurposed for other uses.
There is testimony that during this period, in 1934 or 1935, Vladyka Anatoly, by then promoted to the rank of Metropolitan, expressed the opinion that the church policy of Metropolitan Sergius was mistaken. However, it is not possible to confirm or deny this testimony. During this time, he was frequently taken for interrogations, including at night, where he was threatened and subjected to intense psychological pressure. He endured all of this with patience and even petitioned for the release of imprisoned clergy, a dangerous act at the time.
According to eyewitnesses, Metropolitan Anatoly led a very modest and even impoverished lifestyle. He walked on foot to services and for his duties. He was very kind-hearted, gentle, and always calm. But his most prominent feature was his constant prayerful focus, which he maintained almost all the time.
The final arrest and martyr's death
By 1936, the authorities had closed almost all the churches in Odessa. Bishop Anatoly served at the St. Demetrius Church, the only remaining functioning church. On the night of 27-28 July 1936, he was arrested and immediately transferred to Kyiv. There, he was held in prison for six months under very harsh conditions before being sent to Moscow. Interestingly, one of the charges brought against him was that he allegedly had contacts with representatives of the Catholic Church and had negotiated with them conversion to Catholicism, as well as anti-Soviet propaganda. Bishop Anatoly categorically denied these charges, stating that he firmly adhered to the Orthodox faith, had no intention of converting, and had never been in contact with any Catholic figures.
The sentence handed down to him by the NKVD troika (three officials who issued sentences to people after simplified, speedy investigations and without a public trial) in January 1937 appeared, at first glance, to be lenient: "only" five years in a labour camp. However, at that time, the NKVD troikas did not hesitate to issue death sentences. In Bishop Anatoly's case, however, the five years in the labour camp amounted to a death sentence, and a torturous one at that. The reason for this was his deteriorating health, which had worsened significantly during his imprisonment. He had an advanced stomach ulcer, which had become aggravated in prison, and he was almost entirely unable to use his legs. Despite this, he was sent in a convoy to the north, to the Komi Republic.
Part of the journey had to be made on foot. The sick and weakened Metropolitan Anatoly could barely walk, often falling, and the guards would prod him with their rifle butts. If he lost consciousness, they would allow him to travel for a short distance in the back of a truck before forcing him to continue walking. He was assigned to general labour in the Kyltovo agricultural colony, but soon he fell ill with croupy pneumonia and almost lost his eyesight. According to the camp administration's report, "He does 62% of his work. Due to old age, he works poorly but he tries."
In early 1938, he was placed in the camp hospital, where he died on 23 January. Just before his death, the Gospel was wrenched away from his hands, but they could not take the cross from him. The Bishop died holding it in his hands.
Afterword
Metropolitan Anatoly’s life teaches us to accept all circumstances with humility and to fully surrender ourselves to God's will. We must never, under any circumstances, depart from the Church or compromise with our conscience. Furthermore, we should seek to use the talents God has given us, whether in science, education or in aiding the victims of war.
It is both symbolic and very fitting that in the host of the new martyrs and confessors, we glorify both supporters of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) and critics of his church policy. This demonstrates that the Church of Christ is united, despite existing differences, and that what unites it is faithfulness to Christ, His commandments, and the teachings of the Church.
Holy Priest-Martyr Anatoly, pray to God for us.
