In the Franciscan monastery in Bulgaria, in the town of Rakovski, the brother of Atanaza Sulik, the ruler of this monastery, who is an oasis of Catholicity and Polishness, went to the home of Lord. Earlier, Atanaza's brother served in Turkey for 30 years, with the hazard of his life, where respective of his fellow brothers died at the hands of Muslim extremists.
The Beginnings of Life
Atanazy Sulik, or Marian, due to the fact that Atanazy is simply a spiritual name, was born in March 1938. He was born in a large peasant household surviving in a large village called Jasionówka, which had urban rights from the beginning of the 17th century until the mid-19th century. Jasionówka was then located in Białystok Voivodeship. While Germany and the Soviets attacked Poland in September 1939, Marian was small more than a year old, so his early childhood was marked by the stigma of a cruel war.
From the home of the Suliks in war struggles, with weapons in hand, attended the older brother of Mariana – Witold, who as a soldier of the underground of independency fought against Germany and later with the Soviets and UB. Witold Sulik ps. “Plug” belonged to a squad commanded by Zygmunt Kalinowski, who operated in the AK circuit later WiN Sokółka. In March 1946, Witold, with a branch in the woods, suffered severe pneumonia. Somehow, he got to his household home where his parent treated him.
That's erstwhile UB and russian officers came into the house. As his brother Marian recalled: “ I was 8 at the time. I remember that exactly. – said Atanazy while in Poland. – My brother Witold was at our home at the time. He was severely ill: he was in bed in a 40-degree fever, and his parent took care of him. In early March the army arrived: any Poles, but more Soviets... I remember, they came home this morning. They made a killing, all the equipment was blown, searched all corner. Then they took their brother. We've never seen Witold again. We had no thought what happened to him.It’s okay. ”
It was only after many years that IPN historians established. Witold was transported to the UB office in Sokolka, where he was bestially beaten during interrogations. Then, the judgement of the communist court in Białystok sentenced the “Low” to death penalty. He was shot in the back of the head on 19 March in the basement of the UB Criminal and Investigation Prison in Białystok. The bodies were not issued to the family, but at night, along with the bodies of another murdered underground soldiers, they were taken out of prison and buried. Where? A small later.
As it is known from past lessons, the AKs families did not have easy after the war. – After our brother was arrested, our household was persecuted for many years by communists. We had problems at school, UB long years “loved” our lives. Thank God we survived. Brother Atanaza mentioned.
Marian discovers a calling and goes on missions
In the early 1950s, Marian Sulik discovered a vocation to spiritual life. He wanted to be a missionary. Therefore, he first thought about joining the Salesians, but yet chose the Franciscan order, which besides carries out missions around the world. First of all, he was motivated by the figure of Saint Maximilian Kolbe and his mission to sow the Word of God by publishing Catholic writings. Marian decided that he would not learn to be a spiritual priest, but would become a brother, for he wanted to work as much as possible on printing machines that released Catholic magazines. He chose his spiritual name and has since been – Atanazym, in honor of Saint Athanaz, a heresy slayer.
Immediately after the conclusion of the spiritual formation, the superiors directed Brother Atanaze to the home of the spiritual name Mary Immaculate in the Italian city of Santa Severa. He stood by the printing machine, from which the newest numbers of the celebrated “The Immaculate Knight” came down. These were versions intended for the Italian Polonia. After respective years of service in Italy, Brother Atanaza went on missions to Brazil, where all his forces focused on building Brazilian Niepokalanów and releasing “The Knight of the Immaculate” in Portuguese. This work led to 8 years.
He was later asked by his superiors for a fewer weeks' aid at a monastery in Turkey. God changed this “several weeks of help” into 32 years of very fruitful work, full of dedication to this local Church, surrounded by the “Muslim sea”. A fewer fellow brothers of Brother Atanaze, preaching Christ, died at the hands of extremists there.
He could yet bury his brother's remains in a dedicated land.
In August 2021, Atanaza's brother came to Poland to receive his brother Witold Sulik's recognition note, "Plow" of the AK soldier, at the Presidential Palace, during a ceremony organized by the IPN. His remains, along with the remains of another murdered AK soldiers, were discovered in 2019 during IPN search work conducted in the Pietrasz estate, on private property in Białystok.
For all these long years, Atanaza's brother prayed for the soul of his Witold and wondered where the communists had hidden his body. erstwhile Brother Atanaze of IPN called and heard that Witold's body had been found and identified, he was very happy. – What happened is an incredible joy for our family. erstwhile I got a call from the I.P.N. that my brother's burial was found, I had to sit down with emotion. It was, and it is, an indescribable joy. After so many years, we can pray over Witold's grave. He managed to reconstruct his memory and dignity. Thank you.– said the moved brother of Atanaza, during the ceremony of giving recognition notes.
Brother Atanaza goes to the Father's House
The last fewer years of his life, Brother Atanaza survived in a monastery in Bulgaria, in the town of Rakovski. There are many Polish people in this area. Although wellness was bad, Brother Atanaza continued to spread God’s Word through Catholic writings. In Bulgaria, he supervised the printing of the periodical “Ave Mary”. He worked in the Lord's vineyard as hard as he could. He left for the Father's home on July 25, 2024. His body will be brought to Poland to the parent monastery of the Franciscans in Niepokalanów. The ceremony mass in the Immaculate Basilica will begin on 7 August at 11 a.m. The body of Atanaze's brother will rest, among his fellow brothers, in the cemetery in the Monastery Niepokalanów.
The Franciscans said beautifully to Brother Atanaze: “We thank God for the gift of the spiritual and missionary vocation of Brother Atanaze Sulik. Br. Atanazy is simply a gift not only for our community, which enriches us with its presence, experience and wisdom. It is besides a gift to others and a evidence that it is worth sacrificing your life for Christ, for his mission."
Adam Białous
