|
The
Parish of the Resurrection in Medon Sees their Good Pastor, Protopriest
Michael Artzimovich,
Off to His Final Journey
On Wednesday,
24 December, one of the eldest clergymen of the Western European
Diocese, the Rector for many years of Resurrection Church in Medon,
France, Protopriest Michael Artzimovich, reposed in the Lord.
On Monday, 29 December, the newly-reposed Fr. Michael was placed
in his coffin. The rite was performed by His Grace Bishop Ambroise
of Geneva and Western Europe along with Protopriest Vladimi de Skalon
(Buenos Aires, Argentina), Protopriest Michael Gudkoff (Paris),
and members of the reposed's family. The coffin was then taken to
the Medon church, where Vladyka Ambroise performed the Office of
the parting of the soul from the body. Following the service, Vladyka
began to read the Gospel, and parishioners then read the Gospel
all night by turn until the very beginning of the hours before the
funeral liturgy.
Divine liturgy was headed by Bishop Ambroise along with Protopriest
Vladimir de Skalon, Protopriest Michel Castelbajac, Protopriest
Dimitry Ignatieff (Frankfurt, Germany), Protopriest Michael Gudkoff
(rector of the Medon church) and Priest Eugene Sapronoff (Brussels,
Belgium) along with Protodeacon Andre Meillassoux. All the choir
singers of the Medon parish attended the liturgy in order to honor
their former rector. Besides the family, many parishioners received
Communion.
The funeral began at 11 am. Priest Quentin Castelbajac participated
as well. Several senior officers of the National Organization of
Vitiazi, including its Head, attended in uniform. The coffin and
floor were covered with wreaths. In his eulogy, Bishop Ambroise
reminded the worshipers that we only recently celebrated the memory
of the Holy Forefathers. Both the Forefathers and Fr. Michael devoted
their lives to the will of God with faith and humility. He gave
his entire life to the Church and to the Vitiaz youth group.
His service to the Church began long ago--Fr. Michael was a subdeacon
to Metropolitan Anastassy of blessed memory. He was accomplished
in the hierarchal services. He was ordained in Germany when he retired
from civil work. Afte the illness of the rector of the Medon church,
Protopriest Alexander Trubnikoff, the parish invited Fr. Michael.
Bishop Ambroise consoled the parishioners, saying that the Nativity
of Christ will be in a week--we can raise our prayers for Fr. Michael
then and he will be with us, he will pray to God for us.
Despite the fact that it was a weekday, a great many people of different
generations came to pay their respects. Everyone loved Fr. Michael.
Almost all who attended went on to the famous Russian cemetery in
St. Genevieve-de-Bois. The family of the reposed and his friends
lowered the coffin into the ground during the singing of the funerary
hymns. The late priest's family organized a memorial trapeza luncheon
at the hall of the cemetery.
When I departed
from Munich, I informed our young hieromonk that it will be difficult
and sad for me to say goodbye with my beloved spiritual father.
The hieromonk replied; "But why? Go, you will see..."
And indeed I saw that paying my respects to Fr. Michael was not
sad--I don't know why. I spent the entire night in the church with
Fr. Michael. It turns out that he died suddenly in a nursing home
from heart failure. As a result of our prayers for him, the Lord
spared him long suffering. Eternal memory to our batiushka Fr. Michael!
-M.F.
|
