On 18 April 1993, three inhabitants of Optina Hermitage — Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov), Monk Trophim (Tatarinov), and Monk Therapont (Pushkaryov) — were brutally murdered by a Satanist. These three men were deemed worthy of martyrdom on Pascha. Who were these brave men and what were they like?
Hieromonk Vasily, born Igor Ivanovich Roslyakov, entered the world on 23 December 1960 in Moscow. His father was a military man, and his mother was a textile weaver. From his early years, Igor excelled in swimming and eventually became the best player in the European Championship among youth water polo teams. He later graduated from the Journalism Department of Moscow State University and nurtured a devotion to writing poetry.
A chance meeting with a local translator during a competition in the Netherlands inspired Igor to start correspondence. However, during the “Cold War” era, such interactions were frowned upon by the authorities, who accused him of “communication with foreign citizens” and banned him from travelling abroad. Distraught, Igor sought consolation from a priest, a meeting that sparked his first visit to a church and left him inspired.
Igor Roslyakov as a Child and a Student
Igor began to immerse himself in prayer and the writings of the holy fathers. Despite concerns from his fellow athletes that fasting might weaken him, he confidently asserted, “The main thing is to have spiritual strength,” a principle he demonstrated through his athletic performance.
In 1985, Igor celebrated Pascha for the first time. Overwhelmed with joy at the festive table with parishioners of St Nicholas Church in Moscow, he expressed a poignant wish: “It would be good to die on Easter, to the ringing of church bells.”
Learning about the revival of Optina Pustyn, Igor spent his holidays there, helping restore the holy monastery. This experience ignited his desire to remain there permanently. After becoming a novice, Igor received the blessing to stay in the skete, a humble wooden shack once occupied by the revered 19th-century Russian elder Ambrose (Grenkov) of Optina. Initially, Igor assisted with cleaning the grounds, working in the icon shop, reading the Psalter, and keeping watch at the monastery gates.
Igor Roslyakov Participating in the Restoration of Optina Pustyn in the Late 20th Century
On 29 April 1989, on Great and Holy Saturday, Igor was accepted into the monastery’s brotherhood. Reflecting on this, he wrote in his diary, “God’s mercy is granted freely, but we must offer the Lord all that we have.” On 5 January 1990, novice Igor was tonsured into monasticism, receiving the name Vasily (Basil) in honour of Saint Basil the Great.
Father Vasily often spoke humbly of himself, saying, “Although I am weak, my heart longs for the age-old monastic exploits in which our holy fathers sought salvation.”
His cell was a testament to his ascetic lifestyle: his bed was a cot covered with boards and a piece of felt, with bricks from the crypt of the Venerable elder Joseph of Optina as a pillow. Instead of a chair, he used a thick log. His bookshelf was laden with theological works by the Holy Fathers, and one wall was adorned with a reproduction of the Holy Trinity by the Venerable Andrei Rublev.
Father Vasily’s Monastic Cell
Father Vasily’s prayer life was intense; he spent hours making low earth bows in his cell at night, using his father’s old coat to muffle the sound. He adhered to a strict prayer rule, reading the Vespers with canons daily. If he missed his daily prayers, he compensated by praying at night, even while travelling. Father Vasily relished church services and served as a canonarch.
During Lent, he ate once a day, usually consuming vegetables or sour berries with a small amount of bread. Known for his humility, he always considered himself a novice, taking joy in being spiritually guided.
Father Vasily had a gentle and loving way of comforting and rejoicing in the successes of others.
Igor Roslyakov as a Novice
On 8 April 1990, Father Vasily was ordained a hierodeacon, becoming one of the monastery’s most esteemed preachers.
Hierodeacon Vasily (Roslyakov) at a Water Blessing Service at St John the Baptist Skete, Optina Pustyn
On 23 August 1990, he was tonsured into the small Schema in honour of Vasily the Blessed, a Moscow fool for Christ. On 21 November 1990, on the feast of the Synaxis of Archangel Michael, he was ordained a hieromonk. After his ordination, he ceased writing poetry and began composing church hymns and canons instead.
Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov) Welcoming Pilgrims
On Great and Holy Friday, two days before Father Vasily’s death, he experienced a profound spiritual moment during a divine service. He suddenly paused while stepping onto the solea to proclaim stichera and fell silent. At that moment, the choir sang in his stead, “Heaven at this was amazed, and the sun hid its rays.” Father Vasily remained discreet about the details of this experience.
On Holy Saturday, Father Vasily spent the entire day hearing confessions. The combination of severe fatigue, the responsibilities of the services, sleepless nights, and strict fasting (he ate nothing at all during Holy Week) took its toll on his health. Visibly pale and struggling to maintain balance, he leaned on the analogion for support. After being sprinkled with holy water by the hieromonk consecrating the Pascha cakes, he smiled, feeling somewhat relieved, and remarked, “It’s much better now,” before returning to his confessional duties.
Before the Paschal liturgy, Father Vasily was tasked with preparing the proskomidia. Normally adept at this duty, he found it unusually difficult this time. Urged by the dean to hasten, he responded, “I’m sorry, I can’t. It’s so hard, as if I were cutting through my own flesh.”
Pascha, 18 April 1993: Fr Vasily in the Holy Cross Procession at Optina Pustyn
At the Liturgy’s conclusion, Father Vasily served as canonarch despite his exhaustion. Noticing his weariness, a brother from the choir suggested, “Have some rest, father. We can manage on our own.”
But Father Vasily firmly replied, “I am fulfilling my obedience,” and continued with the Paschal sticheron: “May God arise, and His enemies be scattered!” He firmly believed it was better to die in obedience than to relinquish it.
Monk Trophim (born Leonid Ivanovich Tatarnikov) hailed from the village of Dagan in the Irkutsk region. Born on February 4, 1954, into a large family, Leonid’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in their children from a young age, assigning each their own responsibilities. From his youth, Leonid, affectionately known as Lenya, cherished reading, fitting it into his schedule only at night after a day of work.
Lenya Tatarnikov at Age 5
As Leonid matured, he pondered increasingly about the meaning of life. Although not initially deep in faith, he acknowledged the existence of God. After completing school, Leonid attended a railway college and began working as a train driver. Reflecting later as a monk, he likened the railway vanishing into the distance to the transience of earthly life.
Known for his resourcefulness and cheerfulness, Leonid was a favourite among his peers. Despite his carefree demeanour, he exhibited a unique inner seriousness. During a moment of introspection about his life, Leonid realised that the most important human endeavour was to learn true love for others.
Leonid at Age 15
In 1972, Leonid was drafted into the army. After his military service, he worked for Sakhalin Fisheries. Uninterested in money and possessions, Leonid spent his earnings on gifts for relatives during his long voyages abroad, entrusting the remainder of his income to his mother.
Leonid Tatarnikov During Military Service
Leonid’s interests were diverse: he studied art photography, collected rare books, engaged in yachting, danced in a folk ensemble, learned shoemaking, and even worked as a cobbler. He later took jobs on a farm and as a firefighter.
Leonid Tatarnikov on a Fishing Trawler
In the mid-1980s, Leonid moved to Biysk in the Altai Mountains to live with his uncle. There, he began attending Sunday and holiday services regularly and eventually served as an acolyte.
One Trinity Sunday, while walking to the Biysk Cathedral with a friend, Leonid noticed something glistening in the grass — an icon of the Holy Trinity depicting three angels in white robes. Overwhelmed by the sight, Leonid knelt before the icon and exclaimed, “Oh, Lord, is this really my death?!”
He never elaborated on these words, leaving others to wonder if he had seen a prophetic sign of his monastic path or a divine revelation of his future martyrdom.
Dormition Cathedral, Biysk
Leonid diligently recorded his sins and thoughts daily, confessing them to a priest. He devoted his time to reading the Scriptures, praying earnestly, and fasting rigorously. An experienced priest, seeing Leonid’s desire to emulate the ancient holy fathers, recommended that he join the revival at Optina Pustyn monastery.
Familiar with and deeply loving the Optina elders, Leonid first visited the monastery in August 1990 with a group of pilgrims. Initially assigned to work in the cowshed, he later served variously in the church, pilgrimage guesthouse, prosphora bakery, bell tower, book-binding workshop, and even repaired watches.
Photo 1: Leonid with Nephews
Photo 2: Leonid Tatarnikov Before Embarking on Monastic Life
Reflecting on his varied life experiences, Leonid remarked, “Life has taken its toll on me. I used to wonder what it was all for. But it turns out everything was needed to apply my modest experience here in the monastery to serve God and people. Glory to You, Lord! How wisely You arrange everything!”
Leonid welcomed pilgrims to the monastery like family. Remembered for his approachability rather than strict asceticism, he could converse on any topic, though his discussions always circled back to the necessity of repentance.
On February 27, 1991, during the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, Leonid donned a cassock, visibly radiating joy — a smile that reportedly did not fade for two weeks. He immediately gave away all his secular belongings when he became a novice.
Novice Leonid Tatarnikov by a Forest Lake as a Novice
On September 25, 1991, he was tonsured into the rassophore and received the name Trophim. Father Trophim attended church services daily while avoiding any outward show of special piety. He had a profound devotion to the Mother of God, often spending hours in fervent prayer to Her.
Cell of Monk Trophim
From the onset of his ecclesiastical life, Trophim fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, abstaining even from water. He spent the first and last weeks of Lent without food, eating only once daily during the remaining weeks. Despite the demands of his numerous duties, he never allowed himself any indulgences, viewing fasting as a joy that “lends wings to the soul.” Known for his undaunted spirit, simple lifestyle, and affable nature, Trophim embodied the serene joy of monastic discipline.
Father Trophim consistently sought opportunities to assist others. After completing his daily tasks, he often visited nearby villages to plough vegetable gardens. During lunch, he found time to help elderly women by chopping firewood, fetching water, or engaging in comforting heart-to-heart conversations before returning to his fieldwork. He was dearly loved by the “babushkas” in the surrounding villages, and whenever possible, he purchased white headscarves to give them as gifts.
Father Trophim never overlooked the misfortunes of those around him. If he noticed someone distressed or crying, he would approach them to initiate a conversation, offering cheer and spiritual comfort, leaving them feeling warmed and consoled.
Monk Trophim (Tatarnikov)
In the late summer of 1992, while assisting a local resident, Trophim expressed a premonition about his fate, “You know, brother, my heart feels that I’m going to die soon.”
“What’s wrong with you, father? You’re a strong man. Why should you die?” the resident asked.
Trophim paused, seemingly reluctant to elaborate, then gazed upwards and responded, “I don’t know, brother.”
He straightened up and added confidently, “But if God wills, I’ll live another six months.” He then returned to his work.
During the service of Great Monday before his last Pascha, Father Trophim stepped out of the sanctuary and suddenly sat down on a step. The troparion was being read at that moment: “Prepare thyself, O my soul, for the Exodus. The coming of the inexorable Judge is at hand.”
Lowering his head, Trophim murmured quietly, “I am ready, O Lord!”
Monk Trophim as Senior Bell Ringer
On Great and Holy Friday, during the procession of the Holy Shroud, monks Trophim and Therapont unexpectedly rang the Paschal chime instead of the funeral bell. As the chief bell-ringer, Monk Trophim was asked to explain this apparent error. His only response was, “Forgive me.” The reason for this unusual act remained a mystery to all.
Monk Therapont (born Vladimir Leonidovich Pushkarev) entered the world in the village of Kandaurovo in the Novosibirsk region on September 17, 1955. He was baptised secretly, like many children of his era. From an early age, Vladimir was a calm, gentle boy — neighbours often referred to him as “an angel of a child.” As he matured, Vladimir increasingly sought solitude, driven by a growing desire for privacy and reflection.
Photo 1: Vladimir Pushkarev as a First Grader
Photo 2: Vladimir Pushkarev with Sister Natalia in Childhood
At sixteen, Vladimir learned to play the guitar and joined a local band. However, over time, he found that music lessons increasingly saddened him. Reflecting later in life on this period, he remarked, “I realised it was a mistake... We are called to worship God, not idols — singers and musicians.”
Vladimir’s spiritual journey took a significant turn following an encounter with a woman who had survived a car accident and experienced clinical death. She described seeing angels and being sent back to earth by the Lord. Intrigued by her story, she advised Vladimir to read the works of St. Ignatius Bryanchaninov, the life of St. Job of Pochaev, and the teachings of Elder Silouan of Athos.
In 1980, Vladimir enrolled in Divnogorsk Forestry Technical College. After graduating, he moved to the Khabarovsk region to work as a gamekeeper, escaping the worldly bustle he wished to avoid. During this period, he spent three years in near-total solitude before relocating to his uncle’s home in Rostov-on-Don.
Vladimir Pushkarev in His Youth
During a holiday visit home in the summer of 1988, Vladimir found himself deeply contemplating his future. In a discussion about life’s meaning with friends, he unexpectedly revealed, “If you only knew the sufferings I went through to come to Christ.”
He shared how, while living alone in the taiga, he faced attacks from demonic forces but countered these challenges with fervent prayer.
In Rostov, Vladimir began regularly attending services at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, where he also served as an acolyte. He once confided to his flat’s landlady, “It would be good to be among those who suffered for Christ and accepted martyrdom for Him. I wish I could be counted worthy of it!”
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, Rostov
Vladimir worked various jobs, including as a janitor at the cathedral, where a nun once advised him to visit the Trinity-Sergius Lavra to seek guidance from the elders. Following this advice, he met with Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov), who encouraged him to forsake worldly life.
Heeding this counsel, Vladimir travelled to the recently reopened Optina Pustyn monastery. There, he immediately felt a deep sense of belonging. Abandoning all secular pursuits, Vladimir immersed himself in the study of the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the holy fathers. He was particularly drawn to books about the Jesus Prayer, from which he diligently made notes.
The spring of 1991 was significant for Vladimir. On April 7th, Pascha coincided with the Annunciation, a phenomenon known as Kyriopascha. On this auspicious day, Vladimir Pushkarev became a novice and embraced monastic life fully, never removing his cassock even to sleep, as per monastic custom. He frequently read from a book by Venerable John Cassian the Roman, seizing every free moment for spiritual reading. Monastery brethren often remarked on his angelic demeanour, noting his gentle words and actions.
On his cell wall, Vladimir displayed a quote from Venerable Anthony the Great: “It suffices for us to care about ourselves and our own salvation. Seeing and hearing a brother’s shortcoming, treat it as if you were deaf and dumb—not seeing, not hearing or speaking, not showing your wisdom, but being considerate, judicious and foresighted.”
On October 1, 1991, during the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, Vladimir was tonsured into monasticism. He received the name Therapont after the Venerable Therapont of Belozersk.
Father Therapont (Pushkarev) with Monastery Brethren
Despite his many responsibilities in the monastery, he maintained rigorous prayer practices, often praying late into the night and attending the midnight service daily.
Therapont’s dedication to prayer was profound. Often, he would go to bed with his fellow monks, only to rise secretly for solitary prayer. One night, a cell-mate followed him to an empty room where Therapont made deep bows and recited the Jesus Prayer in a whisper. As his prayers intensified, he began to call out, “Lord, have mercy!” more frequently, continuing even as he collapsed from exhaustion. Yet even from the floor, he persisted in his prayers until the bell signalled the time for midnight prayer.
“Night prayer warms the soul and makes you feel a certain sweetness all day long,” Therapont often remarked. He approached the Great Lent of 1993 intensely dedicated to prayer and ascetic practices.
Therapont was tasked with making boards for icons and carving crosses. Just before Pascha, he decided to carve a tonsuring cross for himself but encountered difficulties. Troubled, he asked a fellow monk for help, “Listen, brother, something strange is happening to me: I wanted to carve a cross for myself, but I can’t do it. I have carved so many crosses for others, but I can’t carve one for myself. Can you make me a cross?”
Tonsuring Cross Crafted by Fr Therapont
The brother agreed to help, but God had destined for Therapont not a wooden cross but the most precious one—a martyr’s cross.
In the days leading up to Pascha, Father Therapont began distributing his personal items, unexpectedly giving away even his tools for carving crosses. He expressed to one of the brothers, “It is so good here, on this holy land of Optina! For some reason, I wish that this Pascha would be eternal and never end, that its joy would always remain in my heart.”
He sighed, looked up at the sky, and, with a gentle smile, said, “Christ is Risen!”
“His words instilled such ease and joy in my heart,” the brother later recalled, “as if they were spoken not by a man but an angel.”
New Martyrs of Optina Pustyn Hieromonk Vasily, Monk Trophim, Monk Therapont
The Easter service of 1993 felt different. Despite the festive mood, many felt an unusual heaviness, almost a premonition of trouble.
After taking communion and immersing himself in prayer by the icon of the Optina elders, Father Therapont stayed behind in the church after the Paschal service concluded while others left for the festive meal.
Monk Trophim, after the service, joined the brethren in the refectory. Showing a dyed Easter egg to his neighbour, he explained,
“You see, this egg is from last year; it has been in my cell since last Pascha. A simple egg would have long gone rotten, but this consecrated Easter egg is still fresh.”
He broke the egg, let his neighbour smell it to confirm its freshness, crossed himself, ate half, and shared the rest.
He then went to the church to find Father Therapont, and together they proceeded to the bell tower to ring the Paschal chime, proclaiming the joyous message: Christ is risen!
New Martyrs of Optina Pustyn Monks Trophim and Therapont at the Bell Tower
While ringing, Trophim, with his back to Therapont, suddenly heard him fall silent. At the same moment, he felt a sharp blow to his back. With his last strength, he struck the large bell and collapsed.
After the service, Father Vasily went to the Skete to hear confessions. Hearing the interrupted bell, he rushed to the bell tower. Encountering a man on the way, he inquired, “Brother, what happened?”
The man mumbled a response and pretended to head towards the skete tower but then turned abruptly, drawing a long blade and stabbing Father Vasily in the back.
The attacker fled over the monastery wall into the forest, leaving behind his bloody sword engraved with “Satan. 666.”
After Father Vasily was found barely alive, he was laid in the Presentation Church next to the relics of the Venerable Ambrosius of Optina until the ambulance arrived. Despite efforts, the severe wounds and blood loss were fatal. By the end of the Skete Liturgy, it was announced that Father Vasily had succumbed to his injuries, causing profound grief among the congregation.
Presentation Cathedral, Optina Pustyn
Father Philip (Pertsev), who transported the martyrs’ bodies to the morgue, shared his experience: “We were left alone with them and felt something completely inexplicable. Despite the tragedy, my heart seemed ready to burst from joy while standing next to their bodies. How could this be possible? As we removed their vestments soaked in blood and saw their dreadful wounds, we looked upon their lifeless faces and yet felt an overwhelming joy.” It was such a palpable miracle that the monks began singing the Paschal stichera right there in the morgue.
Under interrogation, Nikolai Averin, the murderer of the Optina brothers, admitted that he had specifically targeted the monks. He detailed his motives to the investigators, revealing that he had been planning the crime for several years. He claimed that “voices in his head” had driven him to commit the murders.
Funeral and Burial of the Three Optina Martyrs
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II sent a telegram to the Abbot of Optina Pustyn, expressing Paschal joy and sorrow: “Christ is risen! I share the joy of Pascha with you and the monastery brethren! Along with this joy, I share my grief over the tragic death of three residents of the Optina Hermitage. I pray for the repose of their souls. I believe that the Lord, who called them on the first day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ through martyrdom, will count them among the partakers of the eternal Pascha in the days of His eternal Kingdom. My soul is with you and the brethren.”
Chapel in Honour of the Resurrection of Christ Over the Graves of the Optina Martyrs Vasily, Trophim, Therapont
In 2005, a chapel in honour of the Resurrection of Christ was erected over the graves of the three monks who had suffered martyrdom. Many pilgrims receive grace through prayers to the new martyrs of Optina, and the monastery brethren are actively gathering evidence for the future canonisation of these slain ascetics.
Photo 1: Nun Maria (formerly Nina Andreevna Tatarnikova)
Photo 2: Nun Vasilissa (formerly Anna Mikhailovna Roslyakova)
Remarkably, six years after Fr. Vasily's martyrdom, his mother Anna Mikhailovna, initially opposed to her son’s monastic life, embraced monasticism herself, taking the name Vasilissa. She passed away peacefully on 25 May 2022 at the age of 101. Similarly, Monk Trophim’s mother, Nina Andreevna, became a nun with the name Maria. She outlived her beloved son by 28 years and departed to the Lord on 13 July 2021.
