Archimandrite John (Krestiankin), the elder of the Pskov Caves Monastery of blessed memory, was prayerfully commemorated at the monastery yesterday, February 5, on the 14th anniversary of his repose in the Lord.
His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov, who personally knew Fr. John, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Michael’s Cathedral in the Holy Dormition Pskov Caves Monastery on the day of the great elder’s repose together with His Grace Bishop Porphyry of Odintsovo, reports the press service of the Pskov Diocese.
The Liturgy was sung by the monastery’s parish choir and brothers’ choir.
The service was attended by Abbess Sophia (Silina) of the Resurrection Novodevichy Monastery in St. Petersburg, the monastery brethren and parishioners, and numerous pilgrims and spiritual children of Archimandrite John.
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, Met. Tikhon addressed the congregation with an archpastoral homily in which he called on the people to emulate the faith of Fr. John, who ever maintained a true spiritual connection with God.
Fr. John fulfilled all the commandments of God “all the days of his long and beautiful 95 years of life, beginning with his infancy in the Church and ending with the final moments of his life, which we are remembering today,” His Eminence preached about his own spiritual father.
Following the service, His Eminence served a memorial litiya for the ever-memorable Fr. John at the entrance to the God-created caves and at the Elder’s grave.
Photo credit: Pskov diocese
