Chaplain of Russian Airborne Forces dies in Kherson

Kherson, November 7, 2022

Archpriest Mikhail Vasiliev. Photo: kp.ru Archpriest Mikhail Vasiliev. Photo: kp.ru     

Archpriest Mikhail Vasiliev, known as the “paratrooper Batiushka,” died in Kherson yesterday morning while carrying out his pastoral duties among the troops of the war in Ukraine.

Fr. Mikhail, 51, was a cleric of the Moscow Diocese, serving as rector of the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara and St. Ilia of Murom at the headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces in the village of Vlasikha, outside of Moscow, reports the Russian Orthodox Church.

According to Hieromonk Dmitry Pershin, editor-in-chief of the Sretenie TV company, Fr. Mikhail was hit by shrapnel.

He was a “courageous, resolute, and self-sacrificing pastor,” says Patriarch Kirill in his condolences. Fr. Mikhail “did a lot to affirm soldiers in the Orthodox faith and introduce them to Church Tradition,” the Russian primate notes.

“The deceased fulfilled his pastoral duty to the end, never abandoning his spiritual children, even at the cost of his own life,” Pat. Kirill writes. Fr. Mikhail served as a chaplain and on various peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, Bosnia, Abkhazia, Kyrgyzstan, the North Caucasus, and Syria.

Just two weeks before his repose, Fr. Mikhail was the guest on “Answers From a Priest” on the Orthodox TV channel Spas, encouraging Russian men to embrace the call to military duty.

“How can you relate to a woman who, having conceived a baby, kills him instead of giving birth? How should we relate to a man who shirks his military duty?” Fr. Mikhail asked rhetorically in the context of the mobilization that was announced in Russia in September and which led to thousands of men fleeing the country.

“In the same way, this man is quite likely, I dare say, to shirk his marital duties,” Fr. Mikhail said.

And turning to mothers who fear the loss of a son, Fr. Mikhail said: “I understand perfectly well that in most cases, the Lord has given every lady by nature to give birth to many children. If a lady, fulfilling this commandment of God to be fruitful and multiply therefore refuses the wide array of artificial means of pregnancy termination, then obviously she’ll have more than one baby, in most cases. This means it won’t be so painful and scary for her to part with a son, even for a while.”

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11/7/2022

See also
Church shelled in Donetsk, one killed, priest and warden wounded Church shelled in Donetsk, one killed, priest and warden wounded Church shelled in Donetsk, one killed, priest and warden wounded Church shelled in Donetsk, one killed, priest and warden wounded
The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Holy Annunciation Church in the Kuibyshev district of Donetsk. Medal of Courage awarded to Russian military chaplain who perished in border village shelling Medal of Courage awarded to Russian military chaplain who perished in border village shelling Medal of Courage awarded to Russian military chaplain who perished in border village shelling Medal of Courage awarded to Russian military chaplain who perished in border village shelling
He died on March 24 while serving as a chaplain with soldiers in the Russian village of Zhuravlevka, Belgorod Province, just 25 miles north of the Ukrainian city of Kharkov. According to Russian reports, the village was hit when the Ukrainian army fired from a Smerch rocket launcher. Bishop wounded during shelling undergoes surgery in Donetsk Bishop wounded during shelling undergoes surgery in Donetsk Bishop wounded during shelling undergoes surgery in Donetsk Bishop wounded during shelling undergoes surgery in Donetsk
The Monasteries of St. Basil and St. Nicholas are a focal point in the current conflict, as they continue to follow the traditions of their found Elder Zosima (Sokur, †2002), who was strongly in favor of Russian-Ukrainian spiritual unity.
Comments
Panagiotis11/9/2022 4:15 am
+++ May Father Mikhail's Memory Be Eternal +++. He is in Paradise now! A great Priest, a brave Man, and an Orthodox Martyr. We are in the midst now of a Monumental Battle. On one side are the no good sinister internationalists, who are in possession of great wealth and power. They planned this war in the Ukraine long before it started . It is sad that they are using our Orthodox Brothers in the Ukraine as pawns in a chess match. They are great deceivers and masters of lies and propaganda. They have brainwashed so many people with a never-ending stream of anti-Russian propaganda. Their God is money and power. They have unbelievable power in governments and news media and financial institutions. They hate Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church because they are both conservative and speak the truth about the no good liberal garbage movements.. On the other side are The Devout Conservative Orthodox People, including my Russian Orthodox Brothers and the Russian Orthodox Church. It is no coincidence that the devious internationalists are trying to destroy the largest and most conservative of the Orthodox Churches, which is the Russian Orthodox Church. If they can weaken the Russian Church then they will be able to weaken any Orthodox Church. Why do they do this? It is simple my friends, it is the Orthodox Church that is the True Church and that will speak the truth about their false Messiah or Antichrist. Therefore the Church and our Orthodox People have to be weakened before their false Messiah, i.e. the Antichrist, arrives on the scene. Read what our Church Fathers like Archbishop Averky and the Greek Elders said about the Antichrist or false Messiah. Put the pieces of the puzzle together. I beg my Orthodox Brothers not to be brainwashed by the no good liberal internationalists. Who will stand up now and be a Man and speak the truth? Remember when the Antichrist or false Messiah arrives he will present himself as a good person, and anyone who dares speaks the truth about him will be subject to persecution. The internationalists and their puppets will intimidate anyone who speaks out against the Antichrist or false Messiah. Don't be afraid to speak the truth! For those that know the truth, do not be discouraged by the many victories in the past of the internationalists. Remember that the internationalists lost the Spanish Civil War, when no good internationalists came from all over the world and infested Spain. But God was with Conservative Catholic Spain, and they defeated the no good internationalist communist garbage. Glory be to our True God Jesus Christ! Just my humble opinion.
Therapon11/8/2022 9:54 pm
Memory eternal. A warrior priest who received the greatest gift a Christian could desire...the Holy crown of Martyrdom for Christ's sake. This man of God's life was permitted by Christ to be ended right after he communed and after administering Holy Communion to the warriors on the front lines fighting the agents of satan (nato, nazis and the other godless sons of the devil). What a Holy and blessed way for a Christian life to end. Thank you Holy Russia for fighting the godless, Christ hating tyrants that are trying to usurp creation from the creator! We love you, support you and are praying for your victory over the god hating, homosexual promoting, child molesting monsters. Glory to the Holy and triune God!
Petroc11/7/2022 6:09 pm
Rest in peace brother
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