Svyatogorsk, June 28, 2019
Photo: svlavra.church.ua
The brethren of the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra in Ukraine paid their respects and bid farewell to the eldest members of their community yesterday, with abbot Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk serving the Divine Liturgy and funeral for Schemamonk Selaphiel (Zheleztsov).
Fr. Selaphiel was born in 1926 and reposed on Wednesday at the age of 93 in the Skete of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. His body was then transferred to the Dormition Cathedral, where his funeral was served, reports the monastery website.
Met. Arseny recalled the reposed’s many labors and the prayerful podvig of his life, and his unhypocritical love for all. He loved all, expecting nothing in return, His Eminence commented. Even in his old age and with his illnesses, Fr. Selaphiel asked for obediences to fulfill so as not to “gratuitously eat of the monastery’s bread.”
Photo: svlavra.church.ua
Then the abbot and all the brethren offered Fr. Selaphiel their last kiss. Fr. Selaphiel’s daughter Nadezhda and His Eminence Archbishop Alypy of Krasnolimansky.
Following the services in the cathedral, Fr. Selaphiel’s body was carried to the All Saints’ Skete where he had labored for many years, and then buried in the monastery cemetery, with all present throwing three handfuls of dirt into the grave.
Photo: svlavra.church.ua
A memorial meal in honor of Fr. Selaphiel was then offered both in the skete and in the main monastery.
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Schemamonk Selaphiel was born Alexander Efimovich Zheleztsov on October 27, 1926 in the Kharkov Province to a peasant family. He attended school up through 7th grade.
Fr. Selaphiel was married with three children and a beekeeper by profession. He joined the monastery in 2004, with 38 years’ experience in beekeeping under his belt. He lived in the Skete of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius and labored in the apiary at the Skete of All Saints, teaching the other brethren how to keep bees. He also participated in the ceaseless reading of the Psalter.
He was tonsured as a monk with the name Savvaty on April 24, 2005 and was tonsured into the Great Schema on April 16 the following year with the name Selaphiel in honor of the archangel, whose name means “prayer to God.”
May his memory be eternal!
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