Deacon Alexander Sulakov of Christ the Saviour Sobor here was killed in an automobile accident on October 4, 2005, in Odessa, Ukraine. His father, the Very Rev. Pavel Sulakov, was also killed, and his brother, Alexei Sulakov, was injured.
Deacon Alexander was born in Bolshie-Korani, Ukraine, on August 15, 1965.
He graduated from secondary school in Odessa and from the Odessa Medical College as A doctor’s assistant. In 1990, he graduated from the Odessa Theological Seminary, after which he continued his studies at the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, from which he graduated in 1994. He had served as sacristan in the Odessa cathedral and as a reader and preacher in his father’s church. His father had rebuilt several churches in the Odessa Diocese, following perestroika.
With his wife, Anna Poloudennaya, and children Iuri and Elizabeth, he immigrated to Canada, where he began retraining to work as a nurse. During the course of his studies, he was ordained to the holy diaconate on August 27, 2000, by His Grace, Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada, at Toronto’s Christ the Saviour Sobor, to which he was assigned as deacon. In the face of many challenges, he completed his nursing studies and was immediately employed.
At the time of his death, Deacon Alexander was visiting Odessa. He, his father, and his brother had just completed a service at a cemetery and were in transit to visit an ailing uncle when their car was struck by a truck.
Funeral services will be celebrated in the Odessa cathedral by His Eminence, Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Ismail, with interment in the late Father Pavel’s parish cemetery.
May the memory of Deacon Alexander and his father be eternal!