Saint-Laurent-en-Royans, France, January 12, 2018
Photo: afonit.info The burial of the beloved patrologist, theologian, and spiritual father Schema-Archimandrite Placide (Deseilles) took place yesterday at the Monastery of St. Anthony the Great, a podvoriye of the Athonite Simenopetra Monastery, in Saint-Laurent-en-Royans, France, reports Russian Athos.
As reported yesterday, Fr. Placide reposed on Nativity, January 7, following a battle with pneumonia. He was 92 years old.
Photo: afonit.info The last farewell to the beloved monk was attended by about 300 monastics and laity from various monasteries and Orthodox parishes throughout France, many of whom were spiritual children of the elder, thanks to whom they adopted Orthodoxy or monasticism. The funeral was also attended by Archimandrite Elijah, the confessor of Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Terrasson, France, a Simenopetra podvoriye.
Photo: afonit.info The funeral was also attended by over 30 clergy from various Local Orthodox Churches in France.
Photo: afonit.info Before the funeral itself, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archbishop Job (Getcha) of Telmessos, a spiritual child of Fr. Placide.
Photo: afonit.info The funeral rite was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis)of France, vicar of the Western European Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He was concelebrated by Abp. Job, Metropolitan Joseph (Pop) of the Romanian Diocese of Western and Southern Europe, the Romanian hierarch in France Bishop Mark (Alrik).
Photo: afonit.info Fr. Placide had a strong connection with the Romanian Orthodox Church, having visited Fr. Cleopas Ilie, Fr. Petroniu Tănase, Fr. Teofil Părăian, Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae, and other Romanian Orthodox elders. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania sent a letter to Met. Emmanuel, expressing his sorrow for the loss of “one of the distinguished personalities of French Orthodoxy, a founder of monasteries, author and translator,” recalling that Fr. Placide professed “Orthodox values at a time when France was facing accentuated secularist trends and major challenges to the Christian family and culture.”
Photo: afonit.info The elder’s burial lasted about three hours. The consolatory message of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was read out by Met. Emmanuel, who also delivered a sermon, noting the important milestones of the ascetic elder’s life, and his contribution to the revival of modern Orthodoxy and monasticism.
Photo: afonit.info The burial was followed by a memorial meal, during which Bp. Mark read out the aforementioned condolences of Pat. Daniel of Romania.