In 2000, at the Local Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, several hundred saints who were named new martyrs and confessors of Russia were canonized. A few years later, at different times, some more Russian saints were added to the faces of the holy martyrs.
New martyrs and confessors of Russia are called holy martyrs who have been persecuted for the Christian faith in Russia since the Soviet period. After the revolution of 1917, people who hated the Orthodox Church came to power in the old days. Many monasteries and temples closed and collapsed. The clergy was persecuted. There were numerous cases of killings not only of the clergy, but also of ordinary people who professed the Orthodox faith. Several thousand believers, both in holy dignity and the laity, suffered from the Soviet authorities. Among the slain spiritual and individuals and laity stood out people known for their holy life. Such the Orthodox Church calls the New Martyrs of Russia. Russian confessors are those who did not accept death due to torment, but suffered greatly during the years of persecution. There were many such holy people. Many archpastors, ordinary priests, deacons, and laity were sent to various exiles and prison sentences for professing Christianity.
Among the new martyrs and confessors of Russia there are holy martyrs. These are holy martyrs, vested with the holy dignity of the bishopric or priesthood. Among these, we can distinguish Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin), Metropolitan of Kiev Vladimir (Epiphany) and many others.
Other new martyrs may be referred to as martyrs. These are holy monks tortured by the Soviet authorities. Priests in monastic tonsure who were killed during the persecution in Russia after 1917 can also be called martyrs. Among them can also be called hundreds of names. For example, Appolinaria Verkhotursky, Gabriel of Optina and others.
A special place among the new martyrs is the royal family of Nicholas II. Emperor Nicholas, his wife and children are called royal martyrs.
Among the faces of the new martyrs, holy women can be distinguished. For example, Princess Elizabeth and the nun Barbara, the new martyr Evdokia, the abbess Mogilev Esther, the abbess Margarita Svyato-Ilyinsky. Many abbesses of convents and ordinary novices and laity are also canonized by the Church as new martyrs and confessors of Russia.
It is difficult to talk about the total number of saints of the new martyrs, because the exact numbers of the killed saints are unknown. However, it can be argued that several thousand new martyrs and confessors of Russia have already been glorified in the face. It is worth mentioning that the possibility of the glorification of new martyrs of that period in the Russian Orthodox Church is not ruled out.
