Source: http://www.rocor.org/news/rocor/index.html

"On Sunday, September 1/14 early in the morning, the Rector of the Church of The Holy Nun-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth (ROCOR) in St. Petersburg, Russia, Archpriest Alexander Zharkov, was murdered under circumstances that are not yet known. [since then, the Associated Press has reported that his assasination was at the direct command of the Russian Patriarch.] His body was found near Tsarskoye Selo at 8:00 AM. Police have determined that he was shot in the heart in Gatchina, the suburb of St. Petersburg where he resided. His body was then transported to Tsarskoye Selo where it was left. We ask your holy prayers for the martyred Archpriest Alexander, and for our persecuted brethren, who are subjected to persecution, violence, and murder.

"Father Alexander Zharkov was accepted into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) on June 11, 1997 from the Moscow Patriarchate, after he could no longer tolerate the continued involvement by the Moscow Patriarchate in the ecumenical movement.

"A week ago, on September 6, 1997 (n.s.), armed militia stormed the chapel at the Hospital of the Holy Nun-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth during Divine Liturgy and, in the presence of the faithful, verbally abused the two clergymen there, using the foulest language imaginable. One of the priests, Fr. Alexei Tarkhov, was stood up against the wall (while wearing his vestments) and forcibly searched. The other priest, Fr. Alexander Zharkov, was threatened with violence if he did not give up the keys to the chapel, which does not belong to the Moscow Patriarchate and was built by the efforts of the hospital morgue staff and the parishioners. The militia claimed that their goal was to shut down this parish of the Russian Church Abroad.

"The authorities confiscated all the finances of the parish and forbade any activities, claiming the parish lacked registration. One should note, that during the past seven and a half years, the city authorities have blocked all efforts at obtaining registration by communities loyal to the Church Abroad.

"After a long interrogation at the chapel, the clergymen were taken to the local police precinct, where they were futher interrogated for several hours, in an attempt to have them reveal details about other communities of the Church Abroad. Finally they were released, but told that they could not participate in any financial operations, including selling religious literature or candles, or receiving remuneration for their services. The interrogators stated that this action was taken on the initiative of the local diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate. The two priests were told that there future activities would be closely scrutinized by government authorities.

"A week later, one of the two priests has been found murdered.

"O Holy New-Martyrs, pray unto God for us!"