(Source) A saint has reposed! Elder Ephraim, the former Abbott of Philotheou Monastery and founder of St. Anthony’s Monastery in Arizona (as well as numerous other monasteries), fell asleep in the Lord. The Greek news site linked above states he fell asleep last night, December 7, 2019, at 10pm (the feast of St. Ambrose of Milan).
From the photos it appears he is currently resting in the chapel of St. Panteleimon which is located in the house where he lived at the monastery. His funeral, it states, is set to take place Wednesday, December 11.
If you click here, at the bottom of the article there is a short video of what appears to be one of the fathers reading the Psalter over Elder Ephraim.
To think how many members of his spiritual family in Christ are waiting for him: his spiritual father St. Joseph, his “big brother” St. Ephraim of Katounakia, Elder Arsenios, Gerontissa Makrina, his mother Gerontissa Theophano, his spiritual son Fr. Ephraim from Xerapotamou (who was killed in a car accident)… the list goes on. What a spiritual banquet they will have together!
Pray for him, brothers and sisters, until the Church begins to publicly pray to him. He was a pillar of Orthodoxy, a Shepherd of the last times, an Apostle to an age of apostasy!
May we have his blessing!
matushka constantina
Though I visited twice I was unable to be consoled by this saintly man. Please pray for us all Elder Ephraim wonderworker.
Matushka, Thank you for letting us know. I am sad and stunned. I knew he was getting older and that his health has been declining but I never imagined a world without him. I was blessed to have visited his monastery in Arizona on two occasions and my memories of him are so precious to me. May his memory be eternal. May the Lord have mercy on us.
In Christ, Christina in Alabama
A holy and solemn time! Yes, I think so many of us feel that indeed a Saint has died and DV in the future will be officially a Saint of our church! Thank you for explaining these pictures as I would not have known otherwise. May we have his blessing and prayers!