On Monday, February 5, 2007, the first year anniversary of the falling asleep in the Lord of the ever-memorable Elder, Archimandrite Ioann (Krestyankin) of the Holy Dormition Monastery of the Caves in Pskov, Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Dean of St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church joined the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Tikhon, the monastic brotherhood and visiting clergy in concelebrating the memorial service (panikhida) in the monastery’s Sretensky church, the place where the holy elder’s funeral took place one year ago.
Following the panikhida in the church, which was celebrated by visiting Metropolitan GAVRIL of Lovchansk of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the clergy processed to the caves “made by God” where Father Ioann is buried to serve a memorial litya in front of his tomb. Afterwards, the Metropolitan and concelebrating clergy participated in a memorial meal in honor of the holy elder which was followed by another litya in the cell of Archimandrite Ioann.
May God grant rest eternal and blessed repose to his servant, the ever-memorable Elder Archimandrite Ioann, and may his memory be eternal!
