Fr. Eugene Yalov died in a car accident on June 15, 2015, leaving behind his wife, Matushka Svetlana, and their two children, Liza, born in 2009 and Kolya, born in 2013.

Matushka lives in a small parish apartment in the city of Dimitrov, north of Moscow. Her quiet life is noticed only by those close to her, who remember Fr. Eugene as a kind, sympathetic, and reliable pastor. Only they know how hard it is for Matushka, who herself, like a child, is in need of care and supervision.

She can’t find a job because employers don’t want to take on someone with two small children who are often ill. She takes care of Liza and Kolya, and, in fact, it seems like she has completely disappeared into them.

Life stopped like a clock at that intersection and in that fateful moment.

Matushka’s life is consumed by medicine and drinking water according to a precise schedule, because both Kolya and Liza have kidney problems that are easily exacerbated. Kolya gets sick practically every two weeks and often has to stay in the hospital. They still have a lot of examinations and treatment to undergo, which is just another financial burden for the unemployed Matushka Svetlana.

Perhaps it was the trauma of losing their father that affected their health, because the children used to be healthy. Now Matushka’s life is essentially a rotating schedule of whose turn it is to go in for treatments.

The family doesn’t have its own housing, but lives in an apartment provided for them. They don’t foresee getting their own housing either, due to the economic situation in the city itself and the fact that such a family can’t get a mortgage or loan. They were in line when Father was alive, but now no one will approve them.

Matushka is grateful that at least they’re not being kicked out of their apartment for now and she doesn’t have to go around to other people’s houses with two sick children.

Matushka Svetlana’s dream is for the children to grow up, become healthy and strong, and stop being sick, which would be a relief for everyone.

In June 2015, Fr. Eugene was on leave. He could have just stayed at home with his family, but with a reputation as a reliable priest, he was asked to go help hear confessions in a nearby monastery for its patronal feast, so he went.

Although he had returned from a pilgrimage just the day before and was very tired, and probably would have preferred to stay with his wife and children, he couldn’t refuse to help the monastery.

The road was slippery that day, and as luck would have it, a new traffic light had just been installed at the intersection, which no one was told about, and Father didn’t notice it. He died instantly, barely having any time to see the truck heading towards his car.

Father’s long-awaited son and older daughter were left without a father. Kolya was just two years old at the time of the accident.

Fr. Eugene Alexandrovich Yalov was born on March 3, 1978, in the city of Uralsk in Kazakhstan. There he received a trade school education.

Having fervent love for God and desiring to serve the Church, he helped out at the parish in Uralsk from a young age. He wanted to study theology, so in 1998, the future pastor moved to Russia to enter the Ryazan Theological School, where he combined his studies with obedience as a subdeacon under Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan and Kasimov.

After graduating from the theological school, he started studying at the Moscow Theological Seminary and then the Academy. During his studies in the Academy, he was ordained to the diaconate and the priesthood by Archbishop Eugene of Verey.

After graduating from the Academy in 2008, Fr. Eugene served on the Education Committee of the Yakut and Saratov Dioceses.

In 2010, he was received as a cleric of the Moscow Diocese and appointed to the Church of the Meeting of the Lord in Dmitrov. He earned the great love of the clergy and his parishioners during his five years of service in the Moscow Diocese.

He organized the youth movement in the parish and was active in the life of the Sunday School and the Orthodox Heritage municipal library in the Dmitrov District. Fr. Eugene was also a member of the Diocesan Commission for Organizing Summer Vacations and Activities for Families.

Священник: Fr. Eugene Yalov
Матушка: Matushka Svetlana Yalova
Место жительства: Dmitrov city, Moscow region, Russia.