On October the 2^nd we marked 50 years since His Eminence Archbishop Panteleimon of Edmonton and Canada, the first bishop of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada, passed away.

Memorial services were taking place this year on Sunday, September 30^th, after the Divine Liturgy at the parishes where the regularly scheduled services were conducted. 

On the 50^th Anniversary of the passing of Vladyka Panteleimon, the clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada summoned all the faithful parishioners to offer their holy fervent prayers to the Lord of Life and Death for the repose of his soul with the saints.

Eternal memory to Archbishop Panteleimon, a zealous servant of God and a good shepherd.

Below you can read  Archbishop Panteleimon’s obituary, which was written by the Very Reverend Alexis Sokolovsky, former priest of St. Mary’s Church in Nisku, and was translated by Victor Lopushinsky, Secretary of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.  

Archbishop  Panteleimon (in the world Peter Rudyk) was born on June 16 in1898, in the village Lipovtsy,  Lvow Province  in Galicia. He entered  the Brotherhood of Pochaev Lavra (monastery) in 1912, and later studied Orthodox Theology in the Warsaw University. In 1920 he took monastic vows and was professed under the name of Panteleimon in honour of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. On June 21, 1922 he was ordained priestmonk.

He was raised to the rank of Archimandrite in 1929, and appointed Father Superior of the Pochaev Lavra of the Dormition  in 1933. He was ordained Bishop of  Lvow on March 29, 1941, in the Holy Theophany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow.

During the German occupation of the Ukraine, Bishop Panteleimon served  as administrator of Kiev Diocese.  By a decision of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis   and the Holy Synod of August 8, 1959,   he was appointed Archbishop of Edmonton and Canada  and served the Canadian Parishes until his death.

At 5:30 in the morning of October 2, 1968, the earthly life of His Eminence Archbishop Panteleimon ended suddenly and unexpectedly at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Only ten days earlier, Archbishop Panteleimon had returned from a much desired visitation and pilgrimage to Mt. Athos in Greece, a thousand years old monastic retreat for monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Only two months earlier, on July 25, 1968, in good health and highly elated by the forthcoming trip, Archbishop Panteleimon departed by airplane from the International Airport in Edmonton. Archbishop Panteleimon had received special blessings and approval for this journey from His Holiness Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople and from His Holiness Patriarch Alexis  of Moscow and All-Russia. At long last Archbishop Panteleimon was realizing a life-time wish to offer his prayers at the monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mt. Athos, to pray there on the day dedicated by the Eastern Orthodox Church to the memory of the great spiritual physician Saint Panteleimon who lived in the early part of the fourth century.

The great desire of Archbishop Panteleimon to visit and to pray at the holy monastery of Saint Panteleimon on the day of his patron saint, can be fully appreciated. And so, August 9, the day the Orthodox Church has dedicated to the memory of Saint Panteleimon, became a highlight in the life of Archbishop Panteleimon. Now in his seventieth year, his pilgrimage was made under strenuous circumstances. For a number of years his diabetic condition had contributed to a weakening heart condition. The mid-summer climate of Mt. Athos was definitely more severe in heat than the mild, dry climate of western Canada. His pilgrimage on Mt. Athos involved numerous and prolonged Divine Liturgies in numerous monasteries which could only be reached on foot and by long winding mountain trails. All these, including the long airplane flights to and from Mt. Athos, undoubtedly reflected their toll in the sudden heart failure that took away his life just after his 70^th birthday which was on June 16, 1968.

During the course of his two-month trip, Archbishop Panteleimon, visited London, Salonika and Athens in Greece, as well as Paris, and he finally returned to Edmonton in the evening of September 22. In three  days, on September  26, he convened  a meeting of the Diocese Council. Already feeling, somewhat weak, nevertheless he gave a full report of his visitation to Mt. Athos and joyfully presented to the clergy present, memorable relics of the Holy Mt. Athos. In the evening of the same day he participated in the Vigil for the feast of The Elevation of the Holy Cross in St. Barbara’s Cathedral in Edmonton. It was obvious that his physical stamina had weakened.

The next day, the holy day of The Elevation of the Holy Cross, Archbishop Panteleimon was unable to participate at the cathedral.  By  September 28, the Archbishop’s health had weakened so much that he was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital by the rector of the cathedral, Very Rev. John Margitich.

Medical diagnosis revealed a critical weakening of the heart and complete rest was prescribed. All visitors were banned and only the Archbishop’s personal attendant, Archdeacon Dimitri Schur, was permitted visiting privileges. After midnight of October 1, the condition of Archbishop Panteleimon weakened rapidly and at 5:30 in the morning of October 2, life departed from the body of His Eminence. The tragic news was immediately telephoned to the residence of Very Rev. John Margitich where the news were received by Matushka Margitich because only two days earlier Father John had flown to New York having received an emergency call from the bedside of his critically-ill mother. Matushka Margitich forwarded the sad news to Father John in New York, who then informed His Eminence Archbishop Jonathan, Exarch for North and South America.

Archbishop Jonathan set October 6 for the final burial service. On October 2, Father John flew back to Edmonton and on the morning of October 3, he served the first Requiem Liturgy at the residential chapel of Archbishop Panteleimon.

By noon of October 2, the body of His Eminence was taken from the hospital to his residence where in the presence of four priests, its preparation and hierarchical vesting were completed. Very Rev. Boris Grigori, Very Rev. Dorimedont Tovstiuk, Hegumen Germogen Cherkashin and Archdeacon Dimitri Schur performed the vesting and then served the first Requiem Panichida led by Very Rev. Alexis Sokolovsky who also was present at the vesting. Also present were a small number of very close personal friends of His Eminence.

On October 2, a telegram was forwarded to His Eminence Metropolitan Nikodim in Moscow informing the Moscow Patriarchate of the death of Archbishop Panteleimon.

Following the first Reqieum prayers, an orderly reading of the Holy Gospel was continued by the priests who were present at the residence.

At 9 o’clock in the evening of October 2, the body of His Eminence, fully vested was placed in a coffin, and transferred to the South Side Memorial Chapel. Starting with October 3 until October 6, Divine Liturgies and Parastasis were celebrated daily. The first such Liturgy was served by Very Reverend Alexis Sokolovsky at the residential chapel of His Eminence. The second Liturgy was served on October 4, in St. Barbara’s Cathedral by the rector of the cathedral, Very Reverend John Margitich. The third Liturgy was served on October 5, by Hegumen Germogen Cherkashin, also in St. Barbara’s Cathedral. Throughout all of the above days, each evening at 7 o’clock, Requiem Panichidas were served by the priests of the Edmonton-Canada Diocese of the Patriarchal Russian Orthodox Church of America.

On Saturday, October 5, at 2 p.m. Archbishop Jonathan, Patriarchal Exarch for North and South America arrived at Edmonton’s International Airport where he was greeted at the plane by the rector of St. Barbara’s Cathedral, Very Rev. John Margitich, and by Victor Lopushinsky the assistant president of the Cathedral Board. In the lobby of the airport His Eminence was welcomed by the clergy of the diocese, members of the cathedral and Mrs. Anastasia Holden. For his brief visit to Edmonton, Archbishop Jonathan stayed at the residence of the late Archbishop Panteleimon.

In the evening of October 5, Archbishop Jonathan, as Patriarchal Exarch, conducted the service of the All-Night Vigil, assisted by the clergy of the Diocese among whom was the oldest priest of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada, and that was Very Reverend Andrew Kokolsky, in his 90th year of life.

Also participating was the pastor, Archmandrite Peter of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Edmonton.

Following the All-Night Vigil service but proceeding the Requiem, His Eminence the Exarch spoke briefly to the congregation ,explaining his mission relating to the funeral of the late Archbishop Panteleimon. In this respect he was acting on the instructions of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis  to assume the spiritual leadership of the Edmonton- Canada Diocese. During the evening services the responses were sung solemnly by the Cathedral Choir under the direction of Mr. William Holden the choir director of  St. Barbara’s Cathedral. The cathedral was filled to capacity by the mourning Orthodox Christians.

On Sunday, October 6, at 10 a.m., upon his arrival at the Cathedral, Archbishop Jonathan was welcomed at the entrance by the Sunday School children and Mrs. Anna Boris of the parish Sisterhood who presented a bouquet of red roses to His Eminence. Mr. John Herchek, president of St. Barbara’s Cathedral greeted His Eminence the Exarch with the traditional custom of bread and salt, and the message of welcome was expressed by Very Reverend John Margitich, the rector of the cathedral.

Pontifical Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence the Exarch and assisted by the clergy of the Diocese. An emotionally touching aspect of the Pontifical Divine Liturgy was the solemn and devoted aspect of the intonation of the Liturgy by Archdeacon Dimitri Schur whose former Archbishop Panteleimon reposed in his grave but whose service to God sustained his strength and will to execute completely all the requirements of the burial services. His conduct is the perfect model of sacrifice and devotion in the Orthodox Church.

During the Liturgy, in addition to the Requiem Litany for the newly reposed Archbishop Panteleimon, there was also a Requiem Litany for Anna Margitich, the mother of Father John, news of her falling asleep in the Lord had just arrived prior to the commencement of the morning Liturgy.

Following the Divine Liturgy the sisterhood of the Cathedral served a refreshing dinner to all present.

At 2 o’clock in the afternoon the final burial service was begun, and continued until 5 in the evening. His Eminence Archbishop Jonathan expressed a solemn eulogy at the grave of the newly reposed Archbishop Panteleimon. He conveyed the condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis. He expressed gratitude for the services of the late spiritual leader of the Edmonton-Canada Diocese and requested all the mourners at the funeral to join him in their concluding prayers for the heavenly repose of the soul of Archbishop Panteleimon.

The singing and reading of the Psalter by the priests, and assisted by the solemn singing of the cathedral choir continued until 5 p.m. at which time the body of the reposed was carried by the clergy in procession around the cathedral, and then the funeral procession continued by hearse and automobiles, a distance of 16 miles, to the church and cemetery of St. Mary at Nisku (Rabbit Hill) on the northwest edge of the International Airport. At an earlier time Archbishop Panteleimon had requested that, in time of his death, his body would be buried at the above church which is one of the very first Russian Orthodox churches founded by the immigrant pioneers at the beginning of the 20th century.

A great number of people followed the funeral cortege which extended over a distance of a mile. An honour guard of city motorcycle police escorted the hearse leading the procession. At the Church of St. Mary (which is a completely rural setting), the ringing church bell announced the arrival of the procession, and in the church entrance His Eminence the Exarch was greeted with bread and salt by the church president, John Borys, the sisterhood presented flowers, and the pastor of the church, Very Reverend Alexis Sokolovsky welcomed His Eminence. The body and coffin of Archbishop Panteleimon were carried into the church where followed the reading of the Holy Gospel concerning Lazarus and read by His Eminence the Exarch. Then followed a Requiem Litany and a procession around the church and the laying to rest of the remains of Archbishop Panteleimon in a grave that had been blessed earlier by His Eminence the Exarch. It was already past 6 o’clock and the darkness of early autumn had almost completely covered the quiet countryside as the final refrains of “Eterhal Memory” drifted peacefully into the quiet night.

At this time Very Reverend John Margitich extended appreciation and thanks to the management and personnel of South Side Memorial Chapel for their understanding and prolonged services. Also the pastor of St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Very Rev. Alexis Sokolovsky, thanked his parishioners and all others present for their kindliness and prayers and the fulfillment of their Christian duties for all their participations on behalf of Archbishop Panteleimon. The sisterhood of the church very kindly received all present with lunch served at the nearby parish hall in appreciation of their presence at the concluding burial service, thus commemorating “the destiny of all the world”.

Many acts and messages of sympathy were received by His Eminence Archbishop Jonathan, Exarch of North and South America, and by the Administration of the Edmonton-Canada Diocese, and personally by Archdeacon Dimitri Schur. These messages came from: His Eminence Metropolitan Nikodin of the Moscow Patriarchate, from His Eminence Metropolitan Stephan of the Orthodox Church of Poland, from His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, retired and living in Paris, from Archmandrite Mark, pastor and parishioners of St. Nicholas Church in San Francisco, from the Edmonton Chapter of the World Council of Churches, from Dr. E. J. Thompson of the United Church of Canada, from the two former priests who had served the Canadian Diocese, from 1962 to 1967,Very Reverend Eugene Bartchewsky  and from Very Reverend Constantine Stakhovsky, and from other priests and many members of the Russian Patriarchal Orthodox Church who were personally acquainted with Archbishop Panteleimon.

May the Heavenly Father bestow His many rich mercies on all who participated personally and to all who expressed their bereavement in the repose of His Eminence Archbishop Panteleimon.

May the newly-presented servant of God be received with the just and repose with the righteous!

(Taken from Canadian Orthodox Messenger, 1968-4)