[Anaedilla]

Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia has fallen asleep in the Lord.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/wo...h.html?_r=1&hp

May his memory be eternal!

Sbdn. Anthony

[vipBrooriErok]

Interesting how the New York Times uses "brutal discrimination" to describe the persecution of the Orthodox Church by the Communists.

[occalmnab]

Memory eternal.

reader seraphim

[D6Ri5u13]

Memory Eternal!

[refsherne]

I just saw the news on Russian TV.

God grant rest to his soul.

[Annevecenqp]

Pray for inspired leadership
Rest Well

[finnmontserrat]

Αίωνία ή μνήμη!

[metropropuskruww]

Our Orthodox church holds prayer for the repose of the dead, especially the first forty days, as being most important for the deceased soul....

In that light, I lovingly pray for the beloved Patriarch of Moscow, Alexei II--that our most merciful and loving God will forgive him all his sins, and bring him into Paradise.

May his memory be eternal!

In Christ, our Hope,
Alice

[TodeImmabbedo]

May his memory be eternal.

[arerrurrY]

Memory Eternal!

[mazabotman]

I spoke earlier today with my wife who is still in Moscow. Everyone is shocked and upset at this news. The Patriarch was much loved. 'Memory eternal!' We pray for a successor who will be strong in his defence of the Orthodox faith and who will seek to protect Holy Russia, her Church and her people from all enemies, visible and invisible, external and internal.

[limpoporanique]

Since everything happens to a purpose in the sight of God it is striking that His Holiness served the services for the feast of the Entry of the Mother of God before his repose.

He then served a moleben before the relics of St Tikhon Patriarch & Confessor in which he said the following as almost his last public words.

“I am convinced”, said the Patriarch, “that through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God, the Lord strengthened St Tikhon in his Patriarchal service as a confessor. To his lot fell the most difficult and trying time at the beginning of the persecution and of the repression. He appeared as an intercessor for all of us before the Throne of God. St Tikhon, the newmartyrs and the confessors of the Church of Christ pray for and aid in the restoration of Holy Orthodoxy in our Russian land.”


These words could also in their own way refer to His Holiness.

Vechnaya Pamyat! Memory eternal!


In Christ- Fr Raphael

[TodeImmabbedo]

Does anyone know if OCN or Ancient Faith Radio will broadcast any of the memorial services planned?

[metropropuskruww]

Dear Father Raphael,

Bless, Father.

Thank you for sharing those words of Patriarch Alexei II, of blessed memory. Though I am not Russian, I do pray with all Russian Orthodox that Orthodoxy will once again become a strong and shining beacon of Christian light for the rest of our increasingly immoral and depraved Western world.

In Christ,
Alice

[D6Ri5u13]

I know I've already commented but...

This is really very shocking. I read a few years ago that His Holiness Patriarch Alexi II had heart problems, so the manner of his passing - sudden and without warning - shouldn't be overly surprising. It's just that I always feel that a Patriarch, Bishop or Abbot, should repose with good warning, dispensing wisdom from his deathbed. Silly, I know. Fr. Raphael's words are comforting; it is all within God's plan.

I hope I am not being disrespectful when I ask, what happens next? When will the election of the next Moscow Patriarch begin?

[geraint.faughn]

Memory eternal. Lord have mercy.

[Oriesssedleli419]

This was really shocking news. The late Patriarch was scheduled to come to Vienna, Austria, in a few days to re-consecrate the renovated Russian church of Saint Nikolaos during a Liturgy concelebrated with 14 bishops. It should have been a great day for all Orthodox in Vienna.

Memory eternal.

[mazabotman]

Patriarch Alexey's last public act was to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. He died of a heart attack the following morning. His body is to be buried at the Cathedral of the Theophany at Yelokhovo, Moscow next Tuesday morning, 9 December.

[mazabotman]

My wife has just told me that on Friday evening, some 600 monasteries and churches of Moscow were tolling their bells. She said it was a most moving event.

[D6Ri5u13]

A collection of photographs of His Holiness Patriarch Alexi, including very early ones of his youth:

http://www.orthodox.cn/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1529