catholicmartyrs - Fr. Epiphany Akulov

Igor Aleksandrovich Akulov was born in 1897 in Tver Province to a family of Orthodox peasants. In 1918 he was graduated from the regular high school. Since 1920 he was a postulant at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, and at the same time he studied at the Petrograd Theological Institute. He was tonsured as a monk with the name of Epiphany on 2nd July 1921. After that he met Blessed Leonid Feodorov he joined the Catholic Church. In summer of 1922 he was ordained as priest. Since August, 1922 he was vicar of the Byzantine rite parish of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Petrograd. He was arrested in 1923, and in 1924 he was sentenced to prison for 10 years. In 1927 he was freed before his sentence was up and sent to an exile. After the liberation he served in various churches in Leningrad. In 1935 he was arrested again for a short time. In 1937 he was arrested, condemned to be shot, and then shot on 25th August 1937. He was buried in the Levashov desolate area near the city of Leningrad. The faithful of St. Petersburg cherish the memory of the martyrdom of Fr. Epiphany and they are convinced of his sanctity.

“The endless grace of God didn’t forsake us at this point and sent to us a young hero monk Epiphanies. He found himself among us when the struggle for the Church was in full swing, but he wasn’t frightened and didn’t withdraw from it. Protestantism and rationalism had no influence on him. He was an excellent priest.”
Blessed Leonid Fiodorov (1922).

While Fr. Epiphanius was imprisoned, he corresponded with his elderly mother. In his letters he tried to persuade her to remain as a steadfast Catholic.

“Remember them who have ruled over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follows, considering the end of their conversation.”
(Heb. 13:7)

The prayer for the beatification of the Servant of God Fr. Epiphany Akulov

O God Almighty, Your Son suffered on the Cross and died for the salvation of people.
Imitating Him, Your Servant Fr. Epiphany Akulov loved You from the bottom of his heart, served You faithfully during the persecutions and devoted his life to the Church. Make him known in the assembly of Your blessed, so that the example of his faithfulness and love would shine before the whole world. I pray to You through his intercession, hear my request ………………through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The prayer has to be used in private, as well as in public, out of the Holy Mass.
+ Archbishop Thaddeus Kondrusiewich, St. Petersburg 05.04.2004
Postulator asks to inform about the graces received through the mediation of the Servant of God.
Address: Fr. Bronislav Chaplicki, 1st Krasnoarmyskaya, D.11, 198005, St. Petersburg, Russia.