New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church

Shortly after the October Revolution the Local Council on 5 (18) April 1918 passed a resolution: "Set across Russia in the annual memorial on 25 January or next Sunday as day of all confessors and martyrs who died in the current fierce years of persecution".

Prelude to the glorification of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia affected by years of revolutionary turmoil and the Bolshevik terror, was the canonization of Patriarch Tikhon on October 9, 1989.

In June 1990 during the Local Council Archbishop Herman (Timofeev) of Berlin was the first bishop who openly declared: "We may not deny the countless martyrs for the faith, we must not forget them".

March 25, 1991, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church adopted the resolution: "On the resumption of Remembrance services for confessors and martyrs who suffered for their faith in Christ, established by the Local Council" on 5 (18) April 1918.

[2] More names continue to be added to list of New Martyrs, after the Synodal Canonization Commission completes its investigation of each case.