Sviatohirsk Lavra prays for murdered monk on 40th day after death

Memorial service for the murdered monk Varsonofiy at the Sviatohirsk Lavra. Photo: svlavra.church.ua

At the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, the monastery brethren gathered to serve a panikhida for Monk Varsonofiy (Turianskyi) on the 40th day after his murder.

The memorial service was held in one of the Lavra churches immediately after the Midnight Office. In the sermon, the words of the Holy Apostle Paul were quoted: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). The brethren noted that Monk Varsonofiy remained faithful to his monastic calling to the very end and bore witness to his faith in Christ in the face of death.

Monk Varsonofiy was killed on August 23, 2026, in an armed attack on the monastery brethren near St. Nicholas Church. Monk Gregory and monastery worker Andrii Kiriienko were seriously wounded in the same attack. On the day of his death, Monk Varsonofiy received the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and his final words were: “Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ that I am a monk.”

On August 25, the Lavra brethren held the funeral service for the departed monk and buried him behind the altar of the Dormition Cathedral. On the 40th day after his death, the monastery brethren called on all the faithful to offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the newly departed Monk Varsonofiy.

The tragedy at the Sviatohirsk Lavra caused deep sorrow among Orthodox Christians around the world. Patriarch Porfirije, Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Rastislav, Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia; and Metropolitan Timotheos of Bostra of the Jerusalem Patriarchate sent condolences and assurances of prayer to the brethren.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Bishop of Stuttgart explained why the murder in Sviatohirsk is being hushed up.

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