On November 20, the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery marked the day of remembrance of Diveyevo’s Hieromartyr Mikhail Gusev with the festive church services. One of the side altars of the Our Lady of Kazan Church was consecrated in memory of the Hieromartyrs Mikhail and John Gusev.

Hieromartyr Mikhail Gusev was born on October 25, 1890 into the family of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery’s priest, Fr. John Gusev. Upon completion of the seminary course, he served at the Diveyevo monastery.

On August 31, 1937, at the age of 47, he was arrested. On the eve of his arrest, father Mikhail was summoned to NKVD twice and received an offer to defrock himself, which he turned 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.”

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 and categorically denied charges saying: “I have nothing to confess.”

Father Mikhail 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.