They say that when Vladyka (Bishop) Anthony Galynsky-Mikhailovsky was still at liberty, a Baptist preacher by the name of Tikhon Galynsky went with his books to the house of Vladyka with the intention of converting him to his faith.
When he came to the door he heard Vladyka telling his novice nun to go and meet "the servant of God Tikhon" - although he could not know who was coming to the door at that moment. In the end, instead of his planned sermon, the Baptist repented before Vladyka and after a discussion put away his books and accepted the Orthodox Faith.
In prison they met again. Tikhon declared that he would go to the firing-squad instead of Vladyka because the life of a bishop was more important than his own. Such a swap was possible at that time because people's identities were checked according to their passports, in which there was no photograph. So when Vladyka's name was called out, Tikhon went in his place, and received the crown of martyrdom.
Before his death, however, he secured a promise from Vladyka that on leaving prison he would take care of his wife and two daughters. Later, Archbishop Anthony carried out this promise. He told the wife about the martyric death of her husband, and she sheltered him in her house...
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| The Catacomb Archbishop Anthony Galynsky-Mikhailovsky (†1976) |
As for Vladyka Anthony, he was born between 1887 and 1889. As a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Catacomb Church, he spent many years in the Soviet death camps, undergoing many hardships for his Orthodox confession.
It is written concerning him, "He was terribly tortured in the prisons and camps. They broke his arms, knocked out his teeth, pulled the hair out of his beard, dragged him by the legs over concrete steps with his head banging against each of them."
He was also sentenced to be shot three times. But the Lord preserved his life...
Vladyka Anthony ordained about 25 priests for the Catacomb Church, and is known to have had the gift to prophesy as well as to cast out demons.
This much-suffering Bishop of the Catacomb Church is also known to have corresponded with St. John Maximovich of the Russian Church Abroad, who became his spiritual father.
Archbishop Anthony reposed in 1976 in Kiev.
He once said to a nun: "My whole life has been a martyrdom".