Ioann Yefimovich Rybin

Ioann Yefimovich Rybin was born in 1877 in the village of Zhuravlino, Novo-Nikolaevsky District, Samara Province, in a peasant family. He served as a psalmist and singer.

In 1924, he was ordained a deacon, and in 1925, a priest. He served in the Samara Province.

In 1929, the People's Court of the Zhuravlevo District sentenced him to exile with confiscation of property for "non-payment of the garnet tax."

In exile, he served in the church of the village of Tavolzhanskoye, Novocherkassky District, Karaganda Region.

In 1931, the Akmolinsk People's Court sentenced him to 5 years of exile. Details of his exile and location are unknown.

In 1933, upon returning from exile, he served again in the village of Tavolzhanskoye.

In 1933, the Akmolinsk People's Court convicted him for "non-compliance with grain and meat deliveries and non-compliance with state obligations for the delivery of potatoes," sentencing him to 3 years in prison. He served his sentence in the Akmolinsk prison.

He was released early from prison after one and a half years due to health reasons. Upon returning from prison, he resumed his service in the village of Tavolzhanskoye. According to the investigation file, he "began organizing illegal services in the homes of collective farmers and at his own house. He urged collective farmers to observe religious rites and holidays and held prayer meetings at his house."

On August 31, 1937, he was arrested by the Akmolinsk District NKVD on charges of "conducting anti-Soviet agitation at believers' meetings."

During interrogation, Father Ioann Rybin did not deny that he "held meetings at home, where there were 20 women, read the Gospel, and those gathered prayed to God," but he denied any anti-Soviet conversations. The indictment stated: "Priest Ioann Rybin did not admit guilt, stating that he did not conduct religious gatherings and did not engage in anti-Soviet agitation."

On September 14, 1937, he was sentenced by the troika of the Karaganda Regional NKVD to execution by shooting.

He was executed on October 19, 1937.

On February 2, 1966, he was rehabilitated by the Prosecutor's Office of the Tselinograd Region for the 1937 charges.

He was canonized as a saint of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia for general church veneration at the Jubilee Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2000.