Speech before the cathedral pannikhida for the repose of the soul in God of the late Eminence Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, November 23, 1867

You have heard, brethren, the sad news: the oldest and most famous of the Russian hierarchs, His Eminence Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, has died!.. I consider it unnecessary to explain to you what a great loss our Church and Russia suffered with the death of this most valiant archpastor. The general sorrow at the news of his death, your present meeting to pray for the blessed repose of his soul, clearly show that you understand well what we have lost in the famous Moscow and, one might say, all-Russian hierarch. Who was Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow? This was one of the most enlightened, wisest and most pious men of our time, who rightly gained great fame and great respect not only in Russia, but throughout the entire Christian world. He was a versatile and learned writer - a historian, theologian, exegesis and speaker - who with his words and writings shed a lot of spiritual light and edification not only in our fatherland, but also in other countries where his works were read. He was a most active archpastor, a skilled administrator and a profound jurist, who took an active part in the improvement of not only the diocese entrusted to him, but also the entire Orthodox Church, and brought it much benefit in various respects. He was a strong zealot of the Orthodox faith, a strict guardian of patristic traditions and a great spiritual ascetic who set in himself a high example of true piety and Christian virtues to others. Such was Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow! But I depicted it briefly and incompletely, to the best of my knowledge and understanding; but to describe in detail and accurately his qualities, life, activities and the great services he rendered to the Church and the Fatherland, I will not have enough time or strength. – How can we not grieve, or, better said, how can we not grieve our Church and Russia, that they have lost such a radiant lamp, such a wise mentor, a faithful servant and a zealous prayer book, which constituted their glory and adornment? One thing that can moderate our grief over the death of the most valiant hierarch is the thought that this archpastor, who served in the rank of hierarch for more than fifty years and reached a good old age, worked hard enough for the Church of Christ, and therefore the Lord considered it timely to recall him from this world in order to save him from labors that were not commensurate with his weakened strength, and to give him a heavenly reward for them. With this thought and in a feeling of sincere gratitude for the good done by the late archpastor of the Orthodox Church and our Fatherland, let us, brethren, offer fervent prayers to the Lord, that He may rest the soul of this faithful servant of His in His heavenly abodes and honor it with the reward prepared in heaven for good workers in His earthly abode. And together let us pray that the spirit of the deceased archpastor will not become impoverished among the hierarchs of our Church, but will manifest itself in them purely as the spirit of Elijah once did in Elisha the prophet, and may they, following his example, strive for a good deed, for the glory of God, for the good of the Orthodox Church, for the salvation of their own and the flocks entrusted to them. Amen.