Our dear brother and servant of the Church of God, Hieromonk Filotej, a long-standing clergyman of our Diocese, has fallen asleep in the Lord.
His blessed repose was marked at the New Gracanica Monastery, where the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and monastic funeral service were celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop of New Gracanica–Chicago and Metropolitan of Midwestern America Longin and His Grace Bishop of Kostajnica Seraphim, with the presence of His Grace Bishop Sava, retired Bishop of Slavonia, together with many clergy, monastics, and faithful.
Father Filotej was an example of the Gospel way of life, distinguished by meekness, humility, and simplicity of heart, faithfully imitating Christ the Savior. He began his service in his native Šumadija (Monastery of Jošanica), and continued it with the same dedication on the North American continent. He was a devoted and humble servant, always ready to help, never complaining under the burdens of life, carrying his monastic cross with patience and love.
Homily of Metropolitan Longin
His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Longin addressed those gathered with moving words over the coffin of the newly-departed Father Filotej:
“Your Graces, reverend fathers, brothers and sisters,
Today we are gathered here in this monastery church to pray to God for the blessed repose of His newly-departed servant and our brother, Hieromonk Filotej.
We see today a great number of clergy and faithful assembled, joining together in prayer in this holy act, asking God to be merciful to his soul.
Father Filotej, more than most clergy in our Diocese, was deeply loved and respected by priests, monks, and the faithful. Therefore, parting with him is painful for all of us, but we firmly believe and pray to God to receive him into the place where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no sighing.
If anyone among us possessed evangelical simplicity, humility, and meekness, it was Father Filotej. And as our Savior Christ said:
‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:28–30)
In the same way, Father Filotej, like Christ, bore his life’s cross—monastic and priestly-monastic—for decades. He patiently endured all of life’s difficulties, never complaining, but always praying to God, humbly bearing every burden.
He faithfully served the Holy Orthodox Church, beginning in his native Šumadija at Jošanica Monastery, and continuing here in our Diocese among our people on the North American continent. He faithfully served Bishop Firmilian, who was sick and confined to bed or wheelchair, as well as other hierarchs. He was a loyal helper also to Metropolitan Irinej and to all others, always ready to respond quickly and assist. And so the Lord was merciful to him, not allowing him to linger long in illness, but receiving him into His embrace.
We all prayed to God and wished that he might recover, for we still need people and servants like him here. But the Lord surely knew what was better and easier for him, for his soul, and what was most saving.
The most perfect Christian prayer is when we say: ‘O God, You know what we desire, what we love, and what we would like, but let Your will be done.’ And when we pray in this way, then the Lord arranges everything exactly as it should be, for salvation, for eternity, for the Kingdom of Heaven.
And therefore today, although we are deeply saddened, although we feel emptiness, and although we know that Father Filotej will be missed, we are nevertheless assured that the Lord has received him into His embrace.”
The clergy and faithful together raised prayers for the repose of the soul of the newly-departed hieromonk, in the firm faith that the Lord has received His faithful servant into His embrace.
May the Lord grant eternal rest to His servant, Hieromonk Filotej, and make his soul dwell among the righteous.
Memory Eternal!
