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/ 'Moldovan elder Paisiy Velichkovsky, St.
His life, teaching and influence on Orthodox monasticism' - Protopriest Sergius Chetverikov /
GRAVE WEEPING for Elder Paisiy
by all his spiritual children
(Compiled by hieromonk John Diakovsky, a native of the city Luboch. Diakovsky was of "high learning", a preacher at St. Sofia [Church] in Kiyv, he died 4 months after Paisiy)
A.
1. The image of your face, O Paisiy wonderful,
Could draw an artist, of a simple [not difficult] art,
But the goodness of mind was so most-amazing
That no one could depict in words.
Your mind is convenient only to the Light of Sun,
You were one and only like the sun.
B.
7. Your pious spirit burned as fire,
By dogmas teaching you glowed for the whole Church,
You have imposed monks with truth of the statutes,
Fo healthy they grew with talks and manners.
You revealed teachings, dividing into faces,
To praise the Creator in different tongues.
Accepting the new splendor of the church,
You learned the best way to serve Him.
Reading and singing appeared so beautiful,
As if raised from a sleep, the whole world was amazed.
C.
17. The church decorator went to great
lengths,
So much witty and a house-Builder,
Not a small thing done without advice,
Not a word that needed left unanswered,
Knowing to truthfully hold the measure in his hands,
He depicted the unseen of God’s Providence alive.
Not neglecting his own, though he was in power,
He has not taken even the slightest belonging to another.
He diligently looked at the good workers,
Whoever asked bribe he wrote good in the heart.
Long-suffering and prudent in everything,
You have rightly been named wonderful, Paisiy.
D.
29. Your shoulders bore so great burden,
As so many wisemen could not bear.
With bright face, your image was of high-rank,
Even monarchs had no shame to work for you.
You talk is meek, with humble advice,
Dissolved by the salt of grace.
Your words are faithful and were true,
In evidence tears not false streamed down.
E.
37. Magnanimous in need, not proud in
honor,
You equally blessed the Most High without flattery.
The shameful flattery you wisely deflected,
You promptly escaped the worldly vanity.
You skillfully exposed the enemy in effect,
Never mouthing his nasty word.
F.
43. You were a joy to strangers, peace for
over-laboured,
Doctor for the sick and healing to brain damaged.
Charity stemmed out of you as a river,
God plentified the meagre in your hand.
G.
47. Аll virtue lived in you in full experience,
And you had insatiable love for paternal books,.
Days and nights you spent sleepless for their sake,
Leading from the dark of negligence unto the light.
You loved to translate these into many languages,
So they may know the feat of the ancient, the last outcries.
H.
53. The country was amazed at the marvelous
word,
They flocked ready to receive benefit for their souls.
With a firm hope they thronged to you,
With full joy they walked back to their homes.
I.
57. Our heart desires to glorify you unto
the ages,
Alas, a dark year came to extinguish your light.
Your light is not extinguished, no, but only hidden down,
From land of circle you resettled to the circle of luminaries.
J.
61. Shine brightly in the firmament, shed eternal
rays,
God has arranged His abode in you.
Your memory is blessed, in glory may it abide
Brilliant, until the world is standing.
65. We, the spiritual children, born of
you,
Taken from the dark of ignorance into the holy light,
We thank the Most High for ever living,
Giving us you as shepherd, all drawing up on-high.
To your pleas, O Father, we entrust all of us to you,
To your dead you, as alive, we bow our heads.
Forget not to pray for your flock,
72. So we may enter joy eternal, be our intercessor.
Amen.
Note. The kind of numbering of the verses made by the author of the "Weeping" apparently notes the most significant years in the life of the Elder: birth, admission to the School, removal from the world, tonsure into the mantle, acceptance of the priesthood... The total number of verses corresponds to the number of the years of the elder’s earthly life.
