[ladleliDypenue]

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday afternoon, Protopresbyter Elias Wen reposed at the age of 110. He may well have been the oldest priest in the entire Russian Church. When biographical information on him is posted somewhere, I will add the link to this thread. For the time being, news about his funeral services and a photograph of him can be found on our Diocesan website, http://www.wadiocese.com/wad.php.

I only knew Father Elias for about 15 years (since he was 95!), but I had the joy of spending time with him on occasion when we lived down the street from each other in San Francisco. There are a few things I learned from him that will stay with me always.

Father Elias was ethnically Chinese but had grown up in a Russian colony in China. He retained many attitudes and habits from his Chinese heritage that helped him live a long life, and he was much beloved in our Cathedral community for his pastoral gifts. He continued to hear confessions until he was in his late 90s when it became clear that his hearing was no longer adequate to do this. Until about 10 years ago, he would also frequently participate in Sunday and Feastday services. Until the last few years of his life, he lived in an upstairs apartment with no elevator. He kept up his daily exercise until well after age 100. When his eyesight became really bad, his son Misha would accompany him on his daily walks. When we were neighbors, and I would encounter Father Elias on a walk or on his way to church, I would ask for a blessing, and somehow he knew it was me, although he could barely hear or see me. After Father Elias could no longer live in the apartment, I would see Misha and ask how Father was doing. Usually, Misha's reply was "luche vcyekh" (Russian for "better than everybody").

Upon hearing that Father Elias had reposed, my first thought was that he deserves a good rest and that he is probably still doing "better than everybody."

May our Lord remember our beloved Protopresbyter Elias for all eternity!