Valentin Nizkovsky1

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Valentin Victorovich Nizkovsky

A Life of Service

1891 -1943

The highest of distinctions is service to others.

King George VI

alentin Victorovich Nizkovsky was born in Tobolsk to a clerical family in1891. His father Victor Nizkovsky was a deacon in the Russian-OrthodoxChurch1 and Valentin Victorovich was probably brought up closely

attached to the rituals and beliefs of the Orthodox Church.In the Russia of the late 19th and early 20th century there were 66 diocese led

by three metropolitans, 14 archbishops and 50 bishops. The clergy of the

Russian-Orthodox church were generally divided into two groups, those whowore white vestments and those who wore black or brown. The highestecclesiastical positions usually went to members of the black clergy.

The white clergy on the other hand were made up of popes, who were in factpriests, deacons or chaplains and all other lower clergy. Every parish washeaded by a pope (head priest) assisted by a deacon. The pope and the deaconwere always referred to as Father. The lower clergy usually consisted of thepsalmodist, the carilloneur and the sacristan.

It was required that the pope or head priest, as well as the deacon, be marriedbut members of the white clergy could only marry once. It was also the rule thatwhen a pope died his wife was expected to enter a nunnery.

In his book Confessions of a Heathen, (1918) Alexander Blok wrote, but I am aRussian, and Russians always have church on their minds. Few are indifferenttowards her, some hate her intense, others love her but always with pain in theirhearts.2

The term Orthodox as used in reference to the Russian-Orthodox Church isalways spelled with a capital O and should not be confused with the same wordspelled with a small o. The word Orthodox does not imply rigid adherence tospecific practices. Orthodox Christians of the Russian Church were not chainedto many dogmas, as was the orthodox Jew. The Russian-Orthodox Church grewout of the Byzantine Churches and had been autonomous since 1448. In fact, itwas in 1988 that the Russian-Orthodox Church celebrated the thousandth

anniversary of Christianity in Russia. The church held a firm hold on the majorityof the Russian people and in the 18th and early 19th centuries it leaders were wellrespected for their austere and Christian way of life.

In appearance, both within and without, the Russian-Orthodox Church wasdistinctive. It was usually square and surmounted by a large onion shaped dome.There were often four smaller domes surrounding the central part of the church.Within the church there were no pews and the congregation either stood orkneeled throughout the service.

V


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St Nicholas Russian Orthodox ChurchBrisbane, Australia


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This icon was made in Harbin in 1896. It belonged to Father Valentin Nizkovsky.

There was also no organ or any other form of musical instrument. These werenot allowed and in their place was the choir. The choir dominated the servicesinging beautiful Byzantine chants or hymns. The bass singer was particularlyimportant to the choir and it was often that a deacon might be hired on thestrength of his bass singing voice.


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The interior of the Russian church was particularly distinctive because the wallswere covered by icons. The wall that was most important was the iconostaswhich separated the main body of the church from the sanctuary which lay within.The iconostas was often completely covered by icons. An icon was not intendedto be a portrait, although it often represented the Mary and the Christ child, but

rather an object of worship. It was customary to pray facing an icon and itspurpose was to remind the believer of the spiritual world that lay beyond. Iconsbrought the worshiper closer to heaven.

It was anachronistic that a church representing such a broad cross section ofthe Russian people would conduct its services in a language that many did notunderstand. This language was called Church Slavonic and was a very old formof Russian that derived from the early founders of Christianity in Russia, Cyrillusand Methodius.

It was into this faith that Valentin Victorovich was ordained on September 24,1914:

on the premises of the Tobolsk Theological Consistory. Candidate ValentinNizkovsky [was] assigned according to a Petition by Varnava, the Bishop of Tobolskand Siberia, for a position of deacon with an ordainment to priest with the Church ofthe Holy Theotokos of Slobodo-Suersk in the Tobolsk Diocese

3

In the Examination of a Candidate record Valentins age is stated as 23. Hewas a graduate of the Tobolsk Theological Seminary; an institution which stillexists and trains priests for the Russian-Orthodox Church. As it was properpractice for him to be married he, as was the case with many other candidatesfor ordination, had sought out a bride and the record states that Valentin wasmarried (the first marriage) to maiden Augusta Kaidalova, daughter of [a] nonstaff sexton4 of Orthodox faith.5 The record goes on to state that Valentine

Nizkovsky testified to the following that:

[He] belonged to [the] Orthodox faith, [and] didnot associate with the Raskolniks(Schismatics) or Sectarians.

[he] hadnot been involved in criminal activities, [and had] not been convicted toserve a jail sentence, and generally [had] no obstacles to ordainment.

[He had] not suffered from contagious or incurable illness, or physical defects whichwould prevent [him] serving as a priest.

[He was] seeking ordainment to serve for the Lords glory and save souls, with asincere intention to serve the Holy church, according to the teachings of the Holy

fathers, church regulations, spiritual order and decrees of HIS MAJESTY THEEMPEROR.

6

In return for the privilege of ordainment as a priest in the Russian-Orthodoxchurch Valentin Victorovich pledged to:

a) perform any religious rites or prayers according to the Churchs rules and withreverence, remaining satisfied with voluntary donations of parishioners, and not to miss


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divine service on Sundays, Holy Days and Great Feasts, liturgies as well as requiredservices;

b) consolidate my parishioners in the truths of faith and piety, preaching GodsWord to them in good times and any times; assist in teaching their children the truths offaith and piety in every possible way, through opening of parish schools and teaching theLaw of God;

c) rule my own home, that is bring up my own children and household as it is properfor a warden of the altar, preventing their conduct from giving reasons to tempt theparishioners, as well as take good care of the clergy, widows and orphans in my charge;

d) behave in the holy altar and in the temple as it is required by the holiness of thesite, causing the others to respect the sanctuary;

e) be devout in my service, as it is fitting for my high title, being in fear to discredit itand drive the parishioners to temptation by my unworthy conduct;

f) wear garments solely appropriate for ecclesiastic persons, decent andunpretentious, not to cut hair and beard, keep the fasts set by the Orthodox Church, and

not to do anything disgraceful, such as indulging in insobriety, card-playing, smokingtobacco, attending theatre performances, extortion, etc.

g) I pledge to maintain constantly the beauty of my temple and practice correctchurch-keeping ways, and not to ask to be transferred to a different parish without a validreason;

h) remembering that a clergyman does not do anything without the will of hisBishop, I pledge to abide by all decisions of my clerical Superiors unconditionally, andequally keep all church records in proper order;

i) I will not join any political societies without permission of the authority andblessing of my Bishop;

j) I will devoutly keep the stavlennaya gramota in a safe place and in my memory.

k) in order to keep the gift of ecclesiastical grace aflame within myself, in addition todivine services and sacraments, I pledge to engage myself in reading Gods Word, theworks of the Holy Fathers, and other theological authors, so they would constantly remindme of my adopted high title. For this I pledge to have the following books on my desk:the Holy Bible, the Book of Rules of Holy Fathers and Sobors, and the Book of ParishPresbyter Duties, and if possible, the works of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great,St. Tikhon Zadonsky;

l) pledge to keep a copy of this examination for constant guidance, therefore I will not useignorance of my duties as an excuse, and I pledge that I will abide by the oath given tothe confessor, the gramota and the guide of a newly appointed priest.

Signed by Valentin Nizkovsky7


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The Order of St. Anne was established by Duke Charles Frederick in 1735 and named forhis wife the Grand Duchess Anne Petrovna of Russia, daughter of Peter the Great (shewas not exactly a saint). It became a Russian order when Charles Peter Ulrich (Peter III)ascended the Russian throne. There were 3 classes: Knights Commanders, Commanders,and Companions, while members of what really was a 4th class have enamelled

medallions on their sword hilts together with an inscription "FOR BRAVERY", and worethe riband of the Order as a sword knot. There were also medals of the Order. Like theOrder of St. Vladimir, it was originally intended as a civil decoration, but after 1855, "withswords" was awarded for war services.

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St Nicholas Church Harbinwww.han-yuan.com/shudian/far/farindex.htm

St Alexis Church Harbin


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Pectoral Cross Presented to Father Valentin NizkovskyBy

Archbishop Mefodii

Archbishop Mefodii and Father Valentin Nizkovsky


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Father Valentin Victorovich Nizkovsky

Father Valentin NizkovskyAnd

Augusta Constantinovna Nizkovsky


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25th

Anniversary Congratulatory DocumentFrom Staff and Congregation of St Alexis Church


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Valentin Victorovich had completed his training in Tobolsk on June 15, 1914.8

This was not auspicious timing given the cataclysm that was about to befallEurope, and in particular Russia, in the form of World War I. His ordination tookplace on September 25, 1914 presided over by Reverend Varnava, the Bishop ofTobolsk and Siberia. This was followed on September 26, 1914 by his ordination

as a priest, and his appointment to a vacant deacon position with a church atSlobodo-Suersk, Yalutorovosk Uzed.9

Here he took up the task of Bible teacher and was given charge of 7 parishschools. On November 15, 1916 he was transferred to the position of prior of StNicholas Church in Slobodo-Kazansk, Yalutorovosk Uzed.10 He continued to be abible teacher at three schools under the Ministry of Education. His progressthrough the church hierarchy was rapid and on January 1st, 1917 he was electedby the Synod and Laymen Clerical Assembly to the position of archpriest of the4th Yalutorovosk Rural District of the Tobolsk Diocese. Here he remained untilNovember 20 of 1919.11

Valentin and Augustas world by this time would have been turned upside

down. The war had brought defeat and disaster to Russia. Revolution had begunin March of 1917 bringing briefly to power the Provisional Government ofAlexander Kerensky. This was followed in October by the Bolshevik Revolutionled by Lenin. From this point onward Russia slid into civil war as the dividedforces of the White Army attempted to stem the tide of the Red Armycommanded by Leon Trotsky. By May-June of 1919 this tide had turned againstthe Whites in Siberia when Kolchaks Southern Army, and then his Western Armysuffered major defeats.

Various changes in command of the White Armies did little to alter the situationon the Siberian Front which continued to deteriorate. By September of 1919civilian refugees and White Army deserters were fleeing to the east in increasingnumbers. Towns became overcrowded and the transportation system wasparalyzed. In quick succession the Third Red Army took the towns of Tobolsk,Ishim and Petropavlovsk. Finally on the 14th of November 1919 the city of Omsk,which had been the headquarters for the Military Command of the White Army,fell.

In herAutobiographyAugusta Nizkovsky writes:

In 1919 my father died and we went to Tobolsk where we remained for forty days. Whenwe returned [Yalutorovosk] to the village our house had already been occupied by soldiersand we were unable to get in so we left with the White Army for Olesk. All of this was verytraumatic. It was not long after this that my youngest daughter died of dysentery and myhusband Valentin, left for the Headquarters of the White Army.

12

Augusta Nizkovskys account in her Personal History Statement variessomewhat in terms of timing. Here she states:

In 1918 we began a gradual move to the east with the White Armies from the bolshevics[sic] advance. At that time my husband and his father (Victor Nizkovsky) were in the White

Army as clergymen. On horse back we retreated from the city of Yalutorovosk. On the wayto the east, I fell sick, having two daughters on hand, and decided to be left alone, as thedeath only could expect of my husband from bolshevics [sic], as he was a clergyman.

13


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Father Valentins Church Service Recordshows that from November 20, 1919to 1922 he was Regimental Priest with the Omsk Regiment.14 His last militaryappointment appears to have been in 1922 when he was attached to theHospital Camp Church.15 This was, however, in accordance with a decree by the

Harbin Diocesan Council. Father Valentins military career was short butdistinguished. The personal information section of the Church Service Recordindicates that Valentin Nizkovsky was decorated three times between November8, 1920 and June 7, 1921. In 1920 he was awarded a skuphia16 by Mikhail, theBishop of Vladivostok and the Maritimes. This award was made on the writtenrecommendation [No. 61] of the Chief [military] Priest.17 The second award wasalso in 1920 and was purely military in nature. The Order of St. Anne was madeeither for a distinguished career in the civil service or for valour while in militaryservice and was highly prized. The Order of St. Anne was presented in fourclasses, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. 1st class entitled the recipient to claim hereditarynobility while the other three classes conferred personal nobility. It is unfortunate

that the circumstances of the time rendered elevation to the nobility virtuallymeaningless. Father Valentine was presented with the Order of St. Anne 3 rd

Class.18 If the order was made for military service it was usually presented withswords, although it is not certain if this would have been appropriate in the caseof a priest. Father Valentins third award was a military decoration but otherwisenot described. It was presented for his participation in the Great Siberian Marchand was officially identified as No. 7958 of June 7, 1921. 19

The final months of the White Army were marked by a considerable degree ofchaos and confusion. There was no Great Siberian March but rather a longretreat across Siberia to the east. Although the White Army was probably largerthan the Red Army it was badly divided and, in general, poorly led. Itscommander, Admiral Kolchak, was captured and executed on the 7th of February1920. His forces during the early months of 1920 were in full flight and arrivedpiecemeal in the Maritime Province.

Only that part of the [White] Armys remnant now under the command of General VasilyKappel held together and, abandoning their trains, in a five week retreat- or Ice March asit came to be called fought their way past partisan bands toward Lake Baikal. On January26 Kappel himself succumbed to frostbite and pneumonia.

20

We can be reasonably certain that Father Valentin was with General Kappelsforce. In a document presented to him in 1940 by the staff and parishioners of St.

Alexis Church in Harbin on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination

as a priest mention is made to the crown of thorns worn by Valentin Victorovichin the form of lingering typhoid fever contracted during the Ice March.21 We alsoknow from this document and other records that his health was seriouslyimpaired and that he never fully recovered.

General V.O. Kappel was one of the few capable generals in command ofWhite forces. Some historians believe that his army was still a fighting forcewhen it arrived in the Far East but the political situation was confused and Alliedintervention near an end. There remained pockets of armed resistance to the


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Red Army until the mid 1920s but for all practical purposes the war was over andthe White Army dispersed.

It is not known when or under what circumstances that Father Valentin madehis escape out of Siberia into Manchuria. There was a steady stream of refugeesboth civilian and military that flowed into northern Manchuria. Among these

refugees were a great many clergymen, most of whom who had retreated withthe White Army. Many, like Father Valentin, had been military chaplains. Most ofthese priests eventually arrived in Harbin where conditions for the continued workof the Russian-Orthodox Church were near normal. In 1922 the Diocese ofHarbin was formed by church authorities and Archbishop Mefodii was appointedto head up this part of the Russian church abroad.

The Church Service Recordfor Father Valentin is vague during the period 1920to 1924. His attachment to the Hospital Camp Church was made by the HarbinDiocese and here he remained until June 21, 1924 when under decree No. 11/5of the Harbin Diocesan Council he was attached to St. Nicholas Church in OldHarbin. 22

St Nicholas was a small church and very unlike the magnificent cathedral, St.Sophia, which dominated Harbin. It was a wooden structure set in the centre of amajor intersection of the downtown area of Harbin. St Nicholas was cruciform inshape with a wooden dome and has been described as a little bit of old Russiatransplanted to China. Sadly, it was destroyed during the Chinese CulturalRevolution in 1966.

On October 29, 1924 Father Valentin was appointed as bible teacher to theFrench Orphanage.23 This posting was followed on January 12, 1925 by apersonal decision of Archbishop Mefodii to send Father Valentin as prior toSvyato-Vedenskaya Church at Fuljarzd Station on the Chinese EasternRailway.24 It was here that Father Valentine was reunited with his wife Augustaand daughter Militza.

Father Valentins work during this period did not go unnoticed or unrewarded.In 1925 he was presented with a kamelaukion25 by His Eminence ArchbishopMefodii.26 This honour was followed in 1926 by the presentation of a pectoralcross by Archbishop Mefodii.27 Also in 1926 he was sent an official letter ofhonours (a gramota) by the Archpriestly Synod Outside of Russia following awritten recommendation by the Archbishop.28

In herAutobiography Augusta Nizkovsky makes it clear that conditions inFuljarzd Station were less than ideal. She remarks on the low salary and thenecessity of giving up a small room that they all shared placing them temporarilyon the street. She finally took it upon herself to go directly to the Archbishop toplead her husbands case. The result of her intervention was a transfer further upthe rail line to the small town of Hailar. Hailar was an important centre of theRussian-Orthodox Church and in the 1920s there were two churches in thecommunity. In Hailar Father Valentin was the second priest and presumably thismeant some increase in salary. The Church Service Recordshows the transferas effective October 11, 1927 as second priest with the Sapso-Preobrazhenskaya Church.29 He also became the Bible teacher at the HailarPublic School.30 In 1930 the second priest position in Hailar was eliminated and


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Father Valentin became a non-staff31 priest of St. Modyagou-Alexiy32 Church inHarbin.

In herAutobiography Augusta glosses over this posting and states only thatFather Valentin was given a post as the third priest in the village of Modyagouwhere he was to teach Religious Studies at the Pedagogical School.33 Three

years went by and Father Valentin continued on as a non-staff priest at St Alexisbut on February 23rd, 1933 the parishioners of this church saw fit to take mattersinto their own hands and made an appeal to Archbishop Meletii.

PETITION TO MELETI, ARCHBISHOP OF HARBIN AND MANCHURIA

From parishioners of St. Alexiys Temple in Modyagou

Father Valentin Nizkovsky has been serving as a non-staff priest here at the Modyagou St.Alexiys Temple for over three years now.

We, the undersigned parishioners, have grown accustomed to him, we have come to loveand deeply respect him for his pastoral work, true Christian virtue and zealous service. Inall our emotional troubles, we have always found complete appeasement and relief afterconversations with Father Valentin and his prayers on our behalf. Father Valentin is dearto us, and for us it would be a great delight to see him serving in the position of the secondpriest of our temple.

An appointment of a priest from a different parish to our temple would be a great afflictionfor us, as that would discount Father Valentins sacrificial service.

Therefore we are approaching Your Eminence with our humblest request to designateFather Valentin for this position.

We ask you to trust that only our love to this modest shepherd of ours and his invisiblecontributions to this parish have caused this necessity to address Your Eminence with thishumblest request, and we may cherish the hope that You will grant our request and thusgive us a great joy.

February 23rd, 1933

PARISHIONERS OF ST. ALEXIYS TEMPLE IN MODYAGOU34

The response to this appeal was prompt and the decision clear.

PRIEST VALENTIN NIZKOVSKY IS APPOINTED TO THE STAFF POSITION OF

DEACON WITH ST. ALEXIYS CHURCH IN MODYAGOU35

Father Valentins economic situation was, no doubt, improved by thisappointment but his health remained precarious. The following petition was sentto Victor, Bishop of Beijing and China sometime after the marriage of Militza, hisdaughter, to Victor Shoshin. Unfortunately the letter is undated. (Militza andVictor Shoshin were married November 24, 1936.)


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PETITION TO VICTOR, BISHOP OF BEIJING AND CHINA

From Valentin Nizkovsky, priest of St. Alexiy Church of Modyagou, Harbin

According to information I have, there is an opening for a second priest in the Tsindaoparish in your jurisdiction. Would it be possible for Your Grace to appoint me to that vacantposition?

My motives for this request are as follows: first, according to my doctors advice, a changeof climate is necessary for me due to health reasons; second, my own daughter is inShanghai, who is married to Victor Georgievich Shoshin, and being close to them would behighly desirable for myself and my wife, especially considering the fact that there is onlyone daughter in our family.

It is my duty to inform Your Grace that I completed the full course of Tobolsk TheologicalSeminary in 1914 and was ordained the same year.

36

There is no evidence to indicate that this petition was granted. There is also noresponse to be found in Father Valentins papers. Another petition had been sent

to Archbishop Meleti in November of 1935. This petition also makes reference tothe state of Father Valentins health.

PETITION TO MELETI, ARCHBISHOP OF HARBIN AND MANCHURIA

From Valentin Nizkovsky, priest of St. Alexiy Church of Modyagou, Harbin

I humbly request to be granted a holiday to visit Shanghai with the purpose of blessing mydaughter before her entering lawful matrimony and on my way consult the professors at theJapanese hospital in Dairen regarding my weak health.

RESOLUTION: There are no obstacles on my part to grant priest Father Valentin

Nizkovsky a three-week holiday.

Signed by Prior of St. Alexiy Church, Modyagou, Harbin, Archpriest. Father MikhailRoosting

November 3/16, 1936 35237

The year 1940 was the 25th anniversary of Father Valentins ordination inTobolsk. This event brought forth an outpouring of congratulatory messages fromhis parishioners and other organization with which he worked.

TO ARCHPRIEST VALENTIN NIZKOVSKY

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Father Valentins service to the Church of Christas an ordained priest, the doctors and personnel of Dr. Kazem-Beks Monastery Hospital(18 Krestovozdvizhenskaya St, Modyagou, City of Harbin) are sending their best greetingsand wishes of good health, strength of spirit and flesh, to continue with your work for manyyears to come.

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YOUR BLESSING DEAR FATHER VALENTIN VICTOROVICH

Twenty-five years have elapsed from the time when you started the path of working for thechurch of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ.

You have spent one quarter of a century in front of the altar in the hardest years of all thatwere ever lived through by humanity.

You began your church work in 1915 having finished the Spiritual Seminary in your nativecommunity in Tobolsk.,

You are a modest fulfilling, sociable priest and have been noted by the elders who havegiven you the calling of overall priest of the churches in your area because of your attentiverelationship to your position.

Your simplicity and good nature in dealing with people around you bring to you an overalllove and respect.

The terrible wave of the nations breakup tossed you with your subject priests in 1919 fromtheir native lands to the boundless spaces of rugged Siberia.

Because of your faith in the truth and hope in the Lords help you gave your love to thedowntrodden and to your wrecked motherland. You were driven into the ranks of the White

Army which entered into the uneven fight with the worldwide evil Comintern.

The famous Ice Campaign has left you like a crown of thorns in the form of typhoid feverwhich from time to time causes you overall weakness.

Like an ardent hope the White Army scattered into the world but did not lower its standardsbefore the Red beasts.

Finally you maintained the great spirit of Christs loving warriors and together with your co-workers settled in blessed Manchuria.

Here you have reached the 26th

year of your standing on Gods guard.

And so we who are your nearest priests and pastors the congregational council of the Saint Alexiy Church, the management council, the educators of the Harbin Spiritual Seminaryand the members of the Modyago Congregation have become convinced through our longassociation with you that those valuable qualities that were noted for in the first years ofyour priesthood have not left you in spite of all the vagaries of all your subsequent hardworking life and instead have multiplied and strengthened. For this reason we are happy tomake this jubilee greeting to you, dear Father Valentin.

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May you receive from the leadership of the flock the heavenly rank of priest and archpriest.Blessings are passed to you for all your good deeds over many, many years.

May 20, 1940

YOUR REVERENCE, DEAR FATHER VALENTIN

Please accept our heartfelt congratulations on the memorable anniversary of your serviceto the Christian Orthodox Church and wishes of good health for many long years to come.


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Your spiritual children,

Yuzefovich Charity for the Poorest Children

M. N. Yuzefovich, founder of the Charity

June 2, 194040

RUSSIAN HOUSENamed after Crown Prince Alexey Nikolaevich

Peoples School, Advanced Peoples School, and OrphanageHARBIN

June 2, 1940

Dear Father Valentin,

Best greetings and deepest respect on the occasion of 25 years of serving the RussianOrthodox Church; our heartfelt wishes to continue your ministerial duties.

What is left for us, Russian people existing in dispersion - Just the Russian OrthodoxChurch and its good shepherds? You are one of such good shepherds, first working in thehomeland providing direction and consolation for warriors, now continuing this work acrossthe border.

You have been instrumental in the first years of the Russian House.

May the Lord help you in the future in your hard work of serving the Church and helpingyour neighbours. We can see how much love you have conciliated from your faith in Christ.

With sincere respect,

Principal Secretary41

There can be little doubt that Father Valentin was held in high esteem by thecommunity and that all wished him many more years of productive service. Thiswas not, however, to be. His health continued to deteriorate and on January 1,1943 Augusta sent the following postcard to her daughter and family inShanghai. The message is somewhat contradictory but the implications are clear.On the 1st of January 1943 Augusta sent the following card to her daughter andson in law in Shanghai. She was clearly alarmed at the state of her husbands

health and at a loss, as to what she should do. Medical treatment in Harbinseems to be in the broad area of alternate medicine and it is not surprisingFather Valentin is close to death.


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Postcard sent by Augusta Nizkovsky to Militza Shoshin in ShanghaiJanuary 1, 1943


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Endnotes Chapter 6

1Examination of a Candidate prior to Ordination, Valentine Victorovich Nizkovsky, 1914.

2Alexander Bloc, Confessions of a Heathen, 1918, p.

3Examination of a Candidate, 1914.

4In her Autobiography Augusta Nizkovsky states that My father was a deacon in the church and

when his first wife died he decided to leave the active priesthood. This was may have beenbecause of his intent to remarry.5

Examination of a Candidate, 1914.6

Ibid.7

Ibid.8

Church Service Record, Valentin Victorovich Nizkovsky.9

The location of this church was about 75 km south-east of Tyumn.10

Church Service Record.11

Ibid.12

Autobiography, Augusta Nizkovsky, 22 March 1967.13

Personal History Statement, Mrs. A.C. Nizkovsky, May 8, 1950.14


Ibid16

A form of ceremonial headgear presented to priests for distinguished service.17 Church Service Record.18

Ibid.19

Ibid.20

Benson Bowbrick, East of the Sun (New York, Poseidon Press, 1920), p. 409.21

25th

Anniversary Congratulatory Document, Valentin Victorovich Nizkovsky, March 20, 1940.22


Ibid.24

Ibid25

A tall cylindrical hat worn by Russian priests.26

Church Service Record27

Ibid.28

Ibid.29

Ibid.30 Ibid.31

This appears to have been a supernumerary position used for record keeping purposes.32

This church is variously referred to as St. Alexis, St. Alexei or St, Alexiy.33

Autobiography. 1967.34

Petition of the Parishioners of St. Alexiys Temple in Modyagou, 23 February 1923.35

Decree of Harbin Diocesan Council, February 22, 1933.36

Petition to Victor Bishop of Beijing and China, undated.37

Petition to Meletiy, Archbishop of Harbin and Manchuria, November 3/16, No. 352.38

Letter from Dr. Kazem-Beks Monastery Hospital, 2 June 1940.39

Congratulatory Letter from the Staff and Parishioners of St Alexis Church and the educators ofthe Harbin Spiritual Seminary, May 20, 1940.40

Congratulatory Letter from Yuzefoich Charity for the Poorest Children, June 2, 1940.41

Congratulatory Letter from Russian House, June 2, 1940.

Documents

Valentin Nizkovsky1