Career
After brilliant university studies at Saint-St. Petersburg (where he obtained the ‘gold medal’) Martinov undertakes a long journey across Europe. In France he meets among others Father Xavier de Ravignan. He is ordained priest the 20 September 1851.
This deprived him of all class and property rights, and effectively prevented his returning home.
Appointed at the ‘Saints Cyril and Methodius Society’, he worked in collaboration with Ivan Gagarin, Eugene Balabin, and others in making the Russian and Slavic religious and historical heritage better known in Western Europe. Living in France, he was engaged in religious journalism and archaeology (mostly Russian), writing extensively in French journals, and keeping people abreast of Russian scientific and literary life under the title «Courrier russe».
Residing at times in Paris, at times in Versailles, Martinov was all through his life a ‘writer’ and journalist at the service of the "Saints Cyril and Methodius’ apostolate. In particular he founded in 1866 the ‘Slavic Library’ which in the course of times became one of the richest in Western Europe.
In 1870 Martinov was in Rome for the Vatican I Council as theologian and expert invited by Pius IX. In 1883 he was appointed by Leo XIII consultant of the "Propaganda Fide" Congregation, for Oriental affairs
Ivan Martinov died in Cannes (France) on 26 April 1894.
