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On June 10, 2015, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR), celebrated the requiem service for the late DECR staffer Artem Borzov.

In his address after the service the DECR chairman said in particular,

‘Our family of the department for external church relations suffered a great loss in the person of just a young man, reader Artemiy, whose life was interrupted suddenly and tragically. Today we have lifted up a prayer for the repose of his soul and asked the Lord to forgive him all sins, voluntary and involuntary, because there is none that does not sin.

‘We remember Artem as a very kind person who readily responded to anyone’s request. He did his duty in the department not because it was his professional duty but because he thus wanted to serve the Lord, for from his youth he had decided to dedicate his life to God. Artemiy wanted to become a priest and was preparing for it, but the Lord has not ordained that he assume a holy order here on earth except that of reader to which he was vowed after graduation from the seminary.

Let us ask the Lord that He may give rest to the soul of His faithful servant in the dwellings of the righteous. And let us remember Artem and try to be like him – kind, loving, industrious, conflictless and conscientious in fulfilling church obediences placed on us by the Lord.

‘Eternal memory be to the late servant of God Artemiy. May the Lord give him rest and put him among the righteous and may He have mercy for us, for He is good and loves mankind’.

DECR Communication Service