Svyatogorsk, Donetsk Province, Ukraine, June 7, 2022
Photo: pravlife.org
The funeral for several monastics of Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra was served on Friday, under the sound of constant shelling and explosions.
Archimandrite Galaktion, Monk Aristokly, and Nun Barbara were killed when the monastery was shelled on June 1. Hierodeacon Alypy later died in the hospital. Hieromonk Amphilochy remains in critical condition, and Hieromonk Joasaph, Monk Spiridon, and Nun Ioanna are also in the hospital.
The monastics were preparing for Vigil for the feast of the Ascension when the monastery was struck. Mother Barbara was at the main monastery after its Skete of the Joy of All Who Sorrow Icon of the Mother of God, where she lived, was severely damaged by shelling. Four of the monastery sketes have suffered serious damage.
It was initially planned to bury the deceased monastics on Thursday, June 2, but this proved impossible due to the shelling, reports the Donetsk Diocese.
Photo: pravlife.org
Their funeral was served the next morning by His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Svyatogorsk, the abbot of the holy monastery. “The service was celebrated with incessant explosions from hits on churches, buildings, and the territory of the Lavra.”
The monastics were then buried behind the altar of the Holy Dormition Cathedral.
It’s incomprehensible how the monastics and hundreds of refugees sheltered at the monastery, including the elderly and children, could be seen as enemies to anyone, the diocese writes.
“The madness of what’s happening” teaches not to hope in the authorities, but only in God and the Most Holy Theotokos, the report concludes.
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