Astramovič Alaksandar, Rev. (also spelled Astramovich; Астрамовіч Аляксандар), writer, religious and political leader. Pen-name: Andrej Ziaziula. He was born into a poor peasant family in the village of Navasady, Ašmiana region, on November 26, 1878. He finished grammar school in Ašmiana. It was not easy for him to continue further studies because of his outspoken awareness of his Belarusian identity. However, he was able to get to St. Petersburg where he entered the Roman Catholic Theological Seminary. Graduated from the Seminary in 1910 and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest. Established working contacts with Professor Epimach-Šypiła and the larger Belarusian community in St. Petersburg and in Belarus. Was one of the organizers of Belarusian students in St. Petersburg and of the newspaper Biełarus which was oriented mainly to Belarusians of the Roman Catholic faith. Fr. Astramovič was from the beginning of his religious career one of the first Belarusian Roman Catholic priests who began working for the introduction of the Belarusian language into Church services. Working and studying in St. Petersburg, Fr. Astramovič maintained close contacts with the newspaper Naša Niva and the Belarusian leadership in Belarus. He was one of the most active contributors to Naša Niva. His writings which strongly emphasized national and political motives, contributed enormously to the political awakening of Belarusians. He took an active part in the political activities of 1917-1918. Fr. Astramovič died on January 17, 1921.
References: Božym Šlacham, Paris, no. 3(42), May-June 1951, pp. 10-12; Enc. Lit. i Mast. Biełarusi, vol. 2, 1985, p. 543.
