On November 20, the day of remembrance of the Holy Hieromartyr Mikhail Gusev, the Diveyevo monastery celebrates a patronal feast. One of the side chapels of the Kazan Cathedral was consecrated to brothers the Hieromartyrs Mikhail and Jacob Gusev. The vigil service, paraklesis with the blessing of water prayer service and the Divine Liturgy were held there.

Holy Hieromartyr Mikhail (Gusev) was born on October 25, 1890 into the family of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery’s priest John Gusev. Upon graduation from the seminary, Fr. Mikhail served at the Diveyevo monastery until it was closed in 1927.

On August 31, 1937 the priest was arrested; he was only 47 at the time. On the eve of his arrest, Fr. Mikhail was summoned twice to come to the NKVD where he was offered to defrock himself, but he turned them down. He left a note to his wife: “Neither cry nor grumble for the time is near. We lived to see the fulfillment of the Savior’s words.”

Father Mikhail was charged with organizing, heading and recruiting of a contra-revolutionary religious fascist group at the Kulebaky District. He was also accused of directing “religious propaganda efforts to disrupt the activities of the party and government.” During the investigation, Father Mikhail was expected to confess his guilt and presented with the evidence: a host of “witness accounts.” All of the prosecutor’s attempts were left futile as the priest held on stoically categorically denying charges and saying: “I have nothing to confess.”

On November 11, 1937, the NKVD troika tribunal in the Gorky Region condemned him to death by firing squad with confiscation of property.

Batiushka was executed November 7/20, 1937, on the eve of his Name day, the feast of the Synaxis of Archangel Michael and other Bodiless Powers.

On October 6, 2001, the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church resolved to add the name of Holy Hieromartyr Mikhail Gusev to the already glorified Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of the 20^th century.