Metropolitan Ioann of Yoshkar-Ola and Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan conducted the funeral service for Protopriest Vitaly Timofeev.

      On May 12, the day of remembrance of the nine martyrs of Kizik, a funeral service for the cleric of the Kazan diocese, the honorary rector of the Varvarinsky church, the newly departed protodeacon Vitaly Timofeev, took place in the temple of the great martyr Barbara in the city of Kazan. Father Vitaly passed away to the Lord on May 10 at the age of 72. The funeral liturgy in the Varvarinsky church was conducted by Metropolitan John of Yoshkar-Ola and Mari El, with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan. Metropolitan Anastasius (Metkin) prayed in the church, under whose blessing the deceased clergyman had served as rector of the Varvarinsky church since December 1994. After the liturgy, Bishop Anastasius addressed the faithful with words of comfort:

      Christ is Risen!

      Dear bishops, dear fathers, brothers, and sisters! Today we bid farewell to eternity our beloved clergyman, a man of my generation. We began our ministry together at a time when everyone knew each other and treated one another as brothers. This holy temple was revived through the labors, efforts, and prayers of Father Vitaly. I remember the distant years when this church was handed over to the faithful. Father Vitaly worked hard to make the church a house of prayer again, so that a good Orthodox community could gather here.

      We all thank the Lord today for allowing us to serve together at the altar. I also thank the Lord for the fact that during my archpastoral ministry in Kazan, I had such good and faithful clergymen by my side. Such priests as Father Vitaly did not need to be prompted or specially instructed… They firmly believed that the dark forces would not overcome the Church of God, that the gates of Christ's Church would never close to the faithful.

      Today we ask the Lord to grant rest to the soul of His faithful servant among the righteous. We believe that it will be so. We hope for God's love. The Lord loves every person and will not forsake those who have faithfully served at His altar. We believe that through the prayers of all the people gathered in the church today, the Lord will grant Father Vitaly the bliss of paradise in eternal dwellings.

      For Father Vitaly, the transition to eternity is Pascha, it is a meeting with the Risen Christ. This meeting also awaits us. We hope that it will be no less joyful for us, for we all have a good intercessor at the Throne of God. Through the prayers of the entire fullness of the Church, through the prayers of Father Vitaly, may the Lord help us come to salvation, to eternal Pascha.

      Christ is Risen!

      The funeral service for the newly departed protodeacon Vitaly Timofeev was conducted by Metropolitan John of Yoshkar-Ola and Mari El and Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan. The archpastors were assisted by clergymen of the Kazan diocese. The hymns were performed by the clergy choir under the direction of Deacon Maxim Ivanchuk. In the church prayed the widow of the deceased clergyman, his relatives and close ones, spiritual children, and numerous parishioners.

      After the funeral, Metropolitan Kirill addressed the faithful:

      Christ is Risen!

      Dear Bishop John! Honorable fathers, dear brothers and sisters! Dear Mother Olga, Father Nikolai, the entire large family of Timofeevs! Today we have all gathered in this holy temple to send our dear Father Vitaly on his journey across the earth.

      Bishop Anastasius, coming today to say goodbye to Father Vitaly, spoke wise and kind words. Recently, we have indeed been saying goodbye more and more often to people who can be called the creators of an era. These people began to serve God during the years of active godlessness; they often came to the house of God not because of something, but in spite of it. In times of hardship, they prayed for the preservation of our state — and largely thanks to their prayers, our country has endured to this day.

      During a period of immense destruction — state, social, and national — these people, with enthusiasm, revived many churches. We are in one of those churches today. This church was revived through the labors and cares of all the parishioners, but at the head of these labors was our Father Vitaly.

      Today we sincerely thank God for giving us the opportunity to communicate with such people as Father Vitaly — kind, selfless workers of the Lord's altar. We thank God that despite our indifference and laziness, we still have the opportunity to pray together in the church and perform the Divine service.

      In the 90s, there was no money, no building materials, there was much that was lacking... But there was great enthusiasm, there was strong faith. And this faith, this desire to serve God overcame all human weaknesses. Today everything around seems stable. But the seemingly stable life is full of indifference, apathy, and unwillingness to work. There is no desire in us to move forward and take even the slightest steps to affirm what has been done in previous years.

      By human standards, Father Vitaly left us too soon. What is 71 years for a person? We know that Father Vitaly was seriously ill. And this illness helped him overcome the weaknesses that every person has. And today at the coffin, we remember only the best and kindest — all that Father Vitaly did not for praise, but for the salvation of his immortal soul and the souls of the people who, together with him, built this parish.

      The heavenly patroness of this holy temple, the great martyr Barbara, saves from sudden death. Father Vitaly was the rector here for 30 years, and Saint Barbara is undoubtedly his intercessor. We hope that the great martyr Barbara will take our Father Vitaly by the hand and lead him to the Throne of the Heavenly King. And we only give him our last bow and say: until we meet again, Father Vitaly, in eternal life.

      Each of us has his own path. Today Father Vitaly has returned to the Father's house, while we are still wandering through this sea of life and do not know when we will reach the last shore of our lives. The Kingdom of Heaven to Father Vitaly, eternal rest with the saints.

      Father Vitaly will rest just a few steps from the church where he lovingly served. And anyone who wishes to pray at his grave will be able to do so without leaving their beloved church of the holy great martyr Barbara.

      To all of you, a low bow for your love for our dear Father Protodeacon Vitaly. In hope of the immortality of our souls, today we say to each other the eternally living words: Christ is Risen! Truly, Christ is Risen!

      Metropolitan Kirill thanked Metropolitan John for the prayers:

      Dear Bishop! We are very glad that you were able to come to us and send your brother on his journey across the earth. Come again, serve God! This is your native land, and the doors of all churches and altars are always open to you.

      After the funeral, those gathered bid farewell to the newly departed clergyman. Then the coffin with Father Vitaly's body was carried around the church, after which a memorial litany was performed.

      Protodeacon Vitaly Timofeev was buried on the grounds of the church of the great martyr Barbara. Special prayers for the repose of his soul are being offered in all the churches and monasteries of the Kazan diocese.