The remains of Archbishop Feofan (Bystrov) of Poltava and Pereyaslavl were delivered to St. Petersburg on July 23, 2022. The coffin with the ashes of the bishop was brought from France, Pravlife writes.

Archbishop of Poltava and Pereyaslavl Feofan (in the world – Vasily Dmitrievich Bystrov) was born on December 31, 1873 in the family of a priest with. Support of the Luga district of the St. Petersburg province. He took monasticism and holy orders in 1898, was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in 1901, and was ordained bishop in 1909.

In 1905 he was introduced to Emperor Nicholas II and appointed confessor of the royal family. Fulfilled this obedience for 6 years. In 1910 he accepted the Taurida department, in 1912 he was transferred to the Astrakhan department. In 1913 he headed the Poltava diocese.

“The reason for these translations was a misunderstanding that arose between Bishop Feofan and members of the royal family regarding the assessment of the personality of Grigory Rasputin. The fact is that it was to Bishop Feofan that Rasputin was indebted for approaching the royal family, for which Vladyka later repented, ”the biographical note on the website of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, of which Bishop Feofan served as rector in 1909-1910, says.

In 1920, already being an archbishop, he emigrated to Constantinople, then moved to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and, finally, to France, where he led the life of a real recluse. On February 19, 1940, he reposed in the Lord and was buried in the public cemetery of the town of Limre.

In 2016, at the request of the relatives and followers of Archbishop Theophan of Poltava and Pereyaslavl, the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad agreed on the transfer of the ashes of the bishop to St. Petersburg.

On July 21, 2022, the reburial process began. After the removal of the remains of Archbishop Theophan, a panikhida was served at the cemetery of the city of Limre, which was celebrated by Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, temporarily administrator of the Korsun diocese. On the same day, the remains of Archbishop Feofan were sent to St. Petersburg.

At the Pulkovo airport, the coffin was met by distant relatives of the bishop and representatives of the public organization Ladder (Latvia), who helped bring the ashes to Russia. After customs clearance, the coffin with the remains of Archbishop Feofan was brought to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and installed in the crypt of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where he will stay until July 28.

According to TASS, by agreement with the local authorities, the remains of Archbishop Feofan should be interred on the territory of the Literary Mostki necropolis museum at the Volkovskoye cemetery.