Michael Blagievsky was a Russian archpriest who lived from 1874 to 1937. Born Michael Ioannovich Kobozev in the village of Spas-Leonovschina, he dedicated much of his life to religious education and service. After serving in various capacities, including as a teacher and a deacon, he was eventually elevated to the rank of protopriest. His life ended during the Soviet era when he was arrested and executed by the Bolsheviks in Ryazhsk. He is now honored as a saint within the Russian Orthodox Church.
Life and service
After completing theological studies, Kobozev worked as a teacher at several parochial schools. He was ordained a deacon in 1898 and later became a priest. Throughout his ministry, he was recognized for his teaching abilities, receiving a silver medal for his work. Following the Revolution, he served in different locations, including Ranenburg and Dmitrievsky Borovok, before his arrest in 1937 on charges of counter-revolutionary activity.
Martyrdom and veneration
In December 1937, Kobozev was sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad. He was posthumously exonerated by the Soviet government in 1989. In 2005, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a new martyr, adopting the name Blagievsky in honor of the village where he previously served. His feast day is observed on December 23, the date of his death.