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|  Photo of New Martyr Evgeny wearing the cross around his neck that he refused to take off, for which he was beheaded | Photo of New Martyr Evgeny wearing the cross around his neck that he refused to take off, for which he was beheaded |
|  Icon of New Martyr Evgeny in red cloak which he is always seen wearing when making visitations to people (especially to children and soldiers) after his martyrdom | Icon of New Martyr Evgeny in red cloak which he is always seen wearing when making visitations to people (especially to children and soldiers) after his martyrdom |
|  Icon of New Martyr Evgeny in red cloak holding the cross | Icon of New Martyr Evgeny in red cloak holding the cross |
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The New Martyr Soldier Evgeny of Chechnya (1977-1996) Canonized on May 23rd, the day of his martyrdom When one of our associates was in Moscow last year, just about every parish bookstall had a Xeroxed notice about a young soldier named Evgeny, who had been captured by the Chechnens along with five of his buddies.Chechnens promised to spare the young Russians their lives if they converted to Islam. The others agreed, but Evgeny refused, insisting that he was an Orthodox Christian. The Chechnens beheaded him and subsequently sent his severed head to his mother as a sort of memento. This young lad had been recognized everywhere as a (Moscow & environs, Sergiev Posad, Murom, Diveevo, Arzamas) martyr, in a spontaneous, popular movement of piety. His picture was everywhere, usually with the caption "Martyred Soldier Evgeny". He was martyred on his [19]th birthday, 6 months after he started his service.Chechnen field commander Rusland Haihoroev beheaded Evgeny, after Evgeny denied conversion to Islam and refused to give up his cross (which by the way was part of the medal for bravery). Many months his mother searched for his body, and finally after paying $500, was shown the forest where he was buried. She found the bodies of 4 more boys along with his. A giant wooden cross has since been erected on his grave. His own cross, the one that he refused to give up, his mother, Lubov Radionova, has donated to St. Nicholas Church in Ordinka, Moscow.The New Martyr Evgeny the Soldier was canonized on [May 23rd]. A Church in his name is to be build in Hankala, near Groziniy. It will be the only Orthodox Church in Chechnya.Source: Orthodox Heritage. The Greek Orthodox Brotherhood of St. Poimen. Florence, Arizona. Volume 01, Issue 1 January 2003 p. 4.
Wikipedia entry
"From Village Boy to Soldier, Martyr and, Many Say, Saint", The New York Times, November 21, 2003"Boy soldier who died for faith made 'saint'", The Daily Telegraph, January 24, 2004 "The First Saint of the Chechen War", RIAN, October 5, 2004"Russian Soldier Goes Through Chechen Captivity Hell", Pravda Online, January 8, 2003
"A Drive to Turn a Soldier Into a Saint", The Moscow Times, October 19, 2004
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|  Cross over New Martyr Evgeny's Grave | Cross over New Martyr Evgeny's Grave |
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