Ioann Mikhailovich Granitov

Ioann Mikhailovich Granitov was born on June 25, 1875. He graduated from the Ryazan Theological Seminary on June 13, 1897.

From September 12, 1897, he served as a teacher at the parish school of the village of Kreshchenskoye-Baev Ryazan Uyezd.

On June 30, 1899, by the resolution of His Grace Arkady, he was accepted into the Turkestan Diocese and appointed as the priest of the village of Vysokoye, Chimkent Uyezd.

On August 6, 1899, he was ordained as a deacon by Bishop Meletius of Ryazan, and on August 8 of the same year, he was ordained as a priest. By the order of October 15, 1899, he was appointed as a teacher of the Law of God at parish schools in the Turkestan region.

On December 31, 1902, he was awarded the nabedrennik by His Grace Arkady, Bishop of Turkestan.

By the resolution of His Grace Paisius, Bishop of Turkestan, dated May 28, 1903, he was appointed dean, a position he held until July 17, 1904, until a new division of deaneries. He received a letter of gratitude from His Grace Paisius.

On September 28, 1905, he was awarded the purple velvet skufia. On February 22, 1908, he was transferred to the village of Sazanovka (now Ananyevo) in Przhevalsk Uyezd.

On March 19, 1909, on the occasion of the Emperor’s birthday, he was awarded the kamilavka.

On March 14, 1912, by the decision of the Holy Synod, "for services to the spiritual department," on the occasion of the Emperor’s birthday, he was awarded the pectoral cross. At this time, Father Ioann served as the rector of the Nikolaev Church in the village of Sofiyskaya (now the city of Talgar), Vernensky Uyezd, Semirechye Oblast.

On October 2, 1916, "for outstanding service and special efforts during wartime circumstances," by the Emperor's decree, Father Ioann Granitov was awarded the Order of Saint Anna, III degree.

He was accused of "counter-revolutionary speeches against Soviet power throughout its existence in Semirechye, hiding grain stocks."

During his arrest, his beard was torn out. Before his execution, he was tortured, his eyes were gouged out, and the chain of his pectoral cross was used to saw his neck. During the torture, he shouted to the Christians in the next room: "Do not renounce God!"

He was executed by shooting in the village of Sofiyskaya on the night of February 11-12, 1920. He was buried in an unknown grave near the village of Talgar.

He was glorified as a saint of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in August 2000.