Alexander Sokolov

Saint Hieromartyr Alexander Sokolov (1881 to 1938) was an archpriest in the village of Pavelitsevo, in the Dmitrov district, and was shot on 17 February 1938, at Butovo. He is commemorated on 17 February, on 29 May with the new martyrs of Butovo, and on 5 September with the saints of Moscow.

He was born on 8 August 1881 in the village of Ramenye, Volokolamsk district, into the family of the priest Paul Sokolov. In 1892 he finished the village school, in 1898 the church school at Volokolamsk, in 1904 the Bethany seminary, and for a year was a teacher. In 1905 he was ordained deacon, in 1907 priest and served in churches of the Moscow diocese. He was raised to archpriest. In 1934 he was appointed rector of the church of the Saviour in the village of Pavelitsevo, Dmitrov district.

On 26 January 1938 he was arrested and imprisoned at Taganka in Moscow. A false witness said at the interrogation that the priest organized processions with prayer services through Pavelitsevo and other villages, which drew the farm workers away from the harvest. At the interrogations Father Alexander did not admit guilt. On 11 February 1938 the NKVD troika sentenced him to death. Archpriest Alexander Sokolov was shot on 17 February 1938 and buried in an unmarked common grave at the Butovo firing range near Moscow.