Lev was an Eastern Orthodox priest and archimandrite who lived from 1889 to 1937. Born Leonid Mikhailovich Egorov, he was the brother of Metropolitan Gurij. After studying at the Petrograd Theological Academy, he entered monastic life at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. He became well known for his missionary work among the poor and for leading the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood. Throughout his ministry, he faced repeated arrests and periods of exile by Soviet authorities due to his religious leadership and social activities.
Life and ministry
Following his monastic tonsure, Lev engaged in intensive missionary efforts alongside his brother. In 1919, he helped organize the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood. He later served as a dean in Leningrad and as the rector of the Feodorovskaya Icon Cathedral. Despite facing various legal challenges and a period of exile in the Orenburg and West Kazakhstan regions, he continued his charitable and social work through the Brotherhood.
Imprisonment and death
In 1932, Lev was sentenced to ten years in a labor camp. While working in Siberian mines, he faced harsh conditions and additional sentences for alleged agitation. He was eventually transferred to the Akhpun department, where he continued heavy labor. In 1937, following a fabricated criminal case, he was sentenced to death and executed in Temirtau on September 20.
Veneration
The Russian Orthodox Church recognized his martyrdom in July 2003, when the Holy Synod glorified him as a hieromartyr. He is remembered for his dedication to the faith and his service to the people during a period of intense religious repression.