Yevgeny Rodionov

Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Rodionov (; 23 May 1977 – 23 May 1996) was a Russian soldier who was taken prisoner of war by Chechen rebels in the First Chechen War and later executed in captivity. He has gained much admiration throughout Russia for the circumstances of his death, as his execution allegedly resulted from his refusal to remove his cross necklace, convert to Islam and defect to the enemy side. Despite widespread popular veneration, he has not been glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church as a New Martyr due to lack of evidence about his death. Still, icons depicting him are installed in many churches across Russia, in St. Valery church in Chișinău, in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Frankfurt in Germany, and in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tacoma, Washington, United States.

Early life Yevgeny Rodionov was born on 23 May 1977 in the village of Chibirley, Kuznetsky District, Penza Oblast, to Lyubov Vasiliyevna and Aleksandr Konstantinovich Rodionov. His father was a carpenter and furniture maker. His mother had a degree in furniture technologies.

In 1978, he was baptized as a Russian Orthodox at the age of one year, but wore no cross necklace until the first one was given to him in 1988 or 1989, while attending church together with his grandmother. His mother disapproved, but Yevgeny never removed the cross; later he began wearing it with a small string instead of the original chain.

Military service and capture

Though Rodionov aspired to be a cook, he was conscripted into the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on 25 June 1995. His training took place in 2631 Military Unit of Russian Border Troops in Ozersk, Kaliningrad Oblast. On 10 July 1995, he took the military oath.

An unconfirmed, unsourced report detailing the events leading to Rodionov's death was published by Pravda.ru on 23 May 1996.

Rodionov's cross was given to St. Nicholas Church in Pyzhy.

Aleksandr Rodionov, Yevgeny's father, died 5 days after his son's burial.

Veneration

Yevgeny Rodionov was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage. A popular movement within the Russian Orthodox Church has sought his canonisation as a martyr. According to his mother and some supporters, Rodionov was executed because he refused to remove his cross necklace and convert to Islam. Some Russian soldiers have reportedly prayed before his image.

Opponents of this decision, such as priest Alexander Shargunov, argue that popular veneration and reported miracles at Rodionov's grave justify canonisation, and that captivity differs from combat death.

Unofficial icons Despite the lack of official canonisation, icons depicting Rodionov in military dress with a cross have been produced and are displayed in some churches, including in Russia, Moldova, Germany, and the United States.