UPDATED: With Sorrow and Hope in the Resurrection: The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Mourns the Repose of the Reverend Father John Charest

“Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” (Romans 14:8)

With hearts burdened by profound sorrow, yet sustained by our unwavering faith in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Council of Bishops and the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA inform the clergy and faithful of the sudden and repose by his own hand of the Reverend Father John Charest, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in Carnegie, PA.

The unexpected passing of Fr. John has brought profound shock and grief to his family, his parish community, his brother clergy, and the many faithful whose lives were touched by his priestly ministry.

At a moment such as this, human words seem painfully inadequate. There are sorrows for which explanations do not come easily, questions for which our hearts cannot immediately find answers, and wounds that can only be entrusted to the mercy of God. As Orthodox Christians, we therefore turn not to speculation or judgment, but to prayer - to our Loving Lord Jesus Christ, Who entered the fullness of human suffering, Who wept at the tomb of His friend Lazarus, and Who through His own death and Resurrection has given us the promise that death shall not have the final word.

In the days and weeks ahead, when the immediate shock gives way to the long journey of grief, we ask the entire Church to surround them - especially his immediate family, his parents, his brother and family - in prayer, tenderness, discretion, and tangible Christian love. May they know that they do not walk through this valley of sorrow alone. The Church - the Body of Christ - stands with them.

We embrace in prayer the faithful of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Parish, who have suddenly lost their pastor and Spiritual Father. A parish shares deeply in the life of its priest, and the loss of a pastor leaves a wound within the entire spiritual family. We ask our clergy and faithful to remember this parish community in their daily prayers and to offer them patience, understanding, and compassionate support as they confront this unexpected loss.

In this particularly painful hour, we also appeal to everyone to respect the privacy and dignity of Fr. John’s family. Grief must never become an occasion for speculation, rumor, or judgment. Rather, as disciples of Christ, we are called to carry one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Ghrist.” (Galatians 6:2). What is needed now is prayer. What is needed now is mercy. What is needed now is the quiet presence of Christian love.

We entrust the newly reposed servant of God, Priest John, to the immeasurable mercy and loving-kindness of our Lord, Who alone knows the depths of every human heart, every burden carried in silence, every wound unseen by others, and every struggle known only to Him.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA asks its clergy and faithful to remember Priest John during their personal prayers and, according to the direction of their parish clergy, in the liturgical prayers of the Church. We ask also for continued and fervent prayer for his wife Laryssa, their children, his parents and brother, and the entire Saints Peter and Paul parish family.

The Funeral Services will take palce at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orhtodox parish in Carnegie, PA

on Tuedsay, August 18, 2026:

9-10am - Visitation at the Church

10am - Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

ÐŅ ŅКÐūŅÐąÐūŅÐūŅ Ņа Ð―Ð°ÐīŅŅŅ Ð―Ð° ÐÐūŅКŅÐĩŅŅÐ―Ð―Ņ:

ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКа ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―Ð° ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēа ÐĄÐĻÐ ŅŅОŅŅ з ÐŋŅÐļÐēÐūÐīŅ ŅÐŋÐūКÐūŅÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐŅŅÐĩŅ ÐÐēÐ°Ð―Ð° ÐĻÐĩŅÐĩŅŅа

«ÐÐū КÐūÐŧÐļ ÐķÐļÐēÐĩОÐū - ÐīÐŧŅ ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīа ÐķÐļÐēÐĩОÐū, Ņ КÐūÐŧÐļ ÐēОÐļŅаŅОÐū - ÐīÐŧŅ ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīа ÐēОÐļŅаŅОÐū. ÐŅÐķÐĩ, ŅÐļ ÐķÐļÐēÐĩОÐū, ŅÐļ ÐēОÐļŅаŅОÐū - ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīÐ―Ņ ОÐļ». (Ð ÐļО. 14:8)

Ðз ŅÐĩŅŅŅОÐļ, ŅÐŋÐūÐēÐ―ÐĩÐ―ÐļОÐļ ÐģÐŧÐļÐąÐūКÐūÐģÐū ŅОŅŅКŅ, аÐŧÐĩ ÐēÐūÐīÐ―ÐūŅаŅ ŅКŅŅÐŋÐŧÐĩÐ―ÐļОÐļ Ð―Ð°ŅÐūŅ Ð―ÐĩÐŋÐūŅ ÐļŅÐ―ÐūŅ ÐēŅŅÐūŅ Ņ ÐÐūŅКŅÐĩŅŅÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīа Ņ ÐĄÐŋаŅÐļŅÐĩÐŧŅ Ð―Ð°ŅÐūÐģÐū ÐŅŅŅа ÐĨŅÐļŅŅа, ÐĄÐūÐąÐūŅ ÐÐŋÐļŅКÐūÐŋŅÐē Ņа ÐÐūÐ―ŅÐļŅŅÐūŅŅŅ ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКÐūŅ ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―ÐūŅ ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēÐļ ÐĄÐĻÐ ÐŋÐūÐēŅÐīÐūОÐŧŅŅŅŅ ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐĩÐ―ŅŅÐēÐū Ņ ÐēŅŅÐ―ÐļŅ ÐŋŅÐū ŅаÐŋŅÐūÐēÐĩ ŅÐŋÐūКÐūŅÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐēŅÐī ÐēÐŧаŅÐ―ÐūŅ ŅŅКÐļ ŅŅŅÐĩŅ ÐÐēÐ°Ð―Ð° ÐĻÐĩŅÐĩŅŅа, Ð―Ð°ŅŅÐūŅŅÐĩÐŧŅ ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКÐūŅ ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―ÐūŅ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅ ŅÐēŅŅÐļŅ аÐŋÐūŅŅÐūÐŧŅÐē ÐÐĩŅŅа Ņ ÐаÐēÐŧа Ðē ÐаŅÐ―ÐĩŌŅ, ŅŅаŅ ÐÐĩÐ―ŅÐļÐŧŅÐēÐ°Ð―ŅŅ.

ÐÐĩŅÐŋÐūÐīŅÐēÐ°Ð―Ð° ŅОÐĩŅŅŅ ÐūŅŅŅ ÐÐūÐ°Ð―Ð° ÐŋŅÐļÐ―ÐĩŅÐŧа ÐģÐŧÐļÐąÐūКÐĩ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅŅŅÐ―Ð―Ņ Ņ ŅКÐūŅÐąÐūŅŅ ÐđÐūÐģÐū ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ, ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅÐŧŅÐ―ŅÐđ ÐģŅÐūОаÐīŅ, ÐąŅаŅаО-ŅÐēŅŅÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐūŅÐŧŅÐķÐļŅÐĩÐŧŅО Ņа ŅÐļŅÐŧÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļО ÐēŅŅÐ―ÐļО, ÐķÐļŅŅŅ ŅКÐļŅ ŅÐūŅÐšÐ―ŅÐŧÐūŅŅ ÐđÐūÐģÐū ŅÐēŅŅÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļŅÐĩ ŅÐŧŅÐķŅÐ―Ð―Ņ.

ÐĢ ŅаКŅ Ņ ÐēÐļÐŧÐļÐ―Ņ ÐŧŅÐīŅŅКŅ ŅÐŧÐūÐēа зÐīаŅŅŅŅŅ ÐąÐūÐŧŅŅÐ―Ðū Ð―ÐĩÐīÐūŅŅаŅÐ―ŅОÐļ. Ð ŅКÐūŅÐąÐūŅа, ÐīÐŧŅ ŅКÐūŅ Ð―ÐĩÐŧÐĩÐģКÐū Ð·Ð―Ð°ÐđŅÐļ ÐŋÐūŅŅÐ―ÐĩÐ―Ð―Ņ; Ņ заÐŋÐļŅÐ°Ð―Ð―Ņ, Ð―Ð° ŅКŅ Ð―Ð°ŅŅ ŅÐĩŅŅŅ Ð―Ðĩ ОÐūÐķŅŅŅ ÐūÐīŅазŅ Ð·Ð―Ð°ÐđŅÐļ ÐēŅÐīÐŋÐūÐēŅÐīŅ; Ņ ŅÐ°Ð―Ðļ, ŅКŅ ОÐūÐķÐ―Ð° ÐŧÐļŅÐĩ ÐīÐūÐēŅŅÐļŅÐļ ОÐļÐŧÐūŅÐĩŅÐīŅ ÐÐūÐķÐūОŅ. ÐĒÐūОŅ, ŅК ÐŋŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―Ņ Ņ ŅÐļŅŅÐļŅÐ―Ðļ, ОÐļ зÐēÐĩŅŅаŅОÐūŅŅ Ð―Ðĩ ÐīÐū ÐŋŅÐļÐŋŅŅÐĩÐ―Ņ ŅÐļ ÐūŅŅÐīŅ, а ÐīÐū ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēÐļ - ÐīÐū Ð―Ð°ŅÐūÐģÐū ÐŧŅÐąÐŧŅŅÐūÐģÐū ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīа ÐŅŅŅа ÐĨŅÐļŅŅа, ÐŊКÐļÐđ ŅÐēŅÐđŅÐūÐē Ņ ÐēŅŅ ÐŋÐūÐēÐ―ÐūŅŅ ÐŧŅÐīŅŅКÐūÐģÐū ŅŅŅаÐķÐīÐ°Ð―Ð―Ņ, ÐŊКÐļÐđ ÐŋÐŧаКаÐē ÐąŅÐŧŅ ÐģŅÐūÐąŅ ÐĄÐēÐūÐģÐū ÐīŅŅÐģа ÐазаŅŅ Ņ ÐŊКÐļÐđ ÐĄÐēÐūŅŅ ŅОÐĩŅŅŅ Ņа ÐÐūŅКŅÐĩŅŅÐ―Ð―ŅО ÐīаŅŅÐēаÐē Ð―Ð°Ðž ÐūÐąŅŅÐ―ÐļŅŅ, ŅÐū ŅОÐĩŅŅŅ Ð―Ðĩ ОаŅÐļОÐĩ ÐūŅŅÐ°Ð―Ð―ŅÐūÐģÐū ŅÐŧÐūÐēа.

ÐĢ Ð―Ð°ÐđÐąÐŧÐļÐķŅŅ ÐīÐ―Ņ Ņа ŅÐļÐķÐ―Ņ, КÐūÐŧÐļ ÐŋÐĩŅŅÐĩ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅŅŅÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅÐŋÐūÐēÐū зОŅÐ―ÐļŅŅŅŅ ŅŅÐļÐēаÐŧÐļО Ņ Ð―ÐĩÐŧÐĩÐģКÐļО ŅÐŧŅŅ ÐūО ÐŋÐĩŅÐĩÐķÐļÐēÐ°Ð―Ð―Ņ ÐēŅŅаŅÐļ, ОÐļ ÐŋŅÐūŅÐļОÐū ÐēŅŅ ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēŅ ÐūÐģÐūŅÐ―ŅŅÐļ ŅŅ - ÐūŅÐūÐąÐŧÐļÐēÐū ÐđÐūÐģÐū Ð―Ð°ÐđÐąÐŧÐļÐķŅŅ ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ, ÐąÐ°ŅŅКŅÐē, ÐąŅаŅа Ņа ÐđÐūÐģÐū ŅŅО’Ņ -ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēÐūŅ, Ð―ŅÐķÐ―ŅŅŅŅ, ÐīÐĩÐŧŅКаŅÐ―ŅŅŅŅ Ņа ÐīŅŅÐŧŅÐ―ÐūŅ Ņ ŅÐļŅŅÐļŅÐ―ŅŅКÐūŅ ÐŧŅÐąÐūÐē’Ņ. ÐÐĩŅ аÐđ ÐēÐūÐ―Ðļ Ð·Ð―Ð°ŅŅŅ, ŅÐū Ð―Ðĩ ÐŋŅÐūŅ ÐūÐīŅŅŅ ŅŅŅŅ ÐīÐūÐŧÐļÐ―ÐūŅ ŅКÐūŅÐąÐūŅÐļ ŅаОÐūŅÐ―ŅÐū. ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēа - ÐĒŅÐŧÐū ÐĨŅÐļŅŅÐūÐēÐĩ - ŅŅÐūŅŅŅ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅ Ņз Ð―ÐļОÐļ.

ÐÐļ ŅаКÐūÐķ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐūÐēÐ―Ðū ÐūÐąŅÐđОаŅОÐū ÐēŅŅÐ―ÐļŅ ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКÐūŅ ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―ÐūŅ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅ ŅÐēŅŅÐļŅ аÐŋÐūŅŅÐūÐŧŅÐē ÐÐĩŅŅа Ņ ÐаÐēÐŧа, ŅКŅ ŅаÐŋŅÐūÐēÐū ÐēŅŅаŅÐļÐŧÐļ ŅÐēÐūÐģÐū Ð―Ð°ŅŅÐūŅŅÐĩÐŧŅ Ņ ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐ―ÐūÐģÐū ÐūŅŅŅ. ÐаŅаŅŅŅ ÐģÐŧÐļÐąÐūКÐū ŅÐūзÐīŅÐŧŅŅ ÐķÐļŅŅŅ ŅÐēÐūÐģÐū ŅÐēŅŅÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļКа, а ÐēŅŅаŅа ÐŋаŅŅÐļŅŅ заÐŧÐļŅаŅ ŅÐ°Ð―Ņ Ðē ŅŅŅÐđ ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐ―ŅÐđ ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ. ÐŅÐūŅÐļОÐū Ð―Ð°ŅÐĩ ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐĩÐ―ŅŅÐēÐū Ņ ÐēŅŅÐ―ÐļŅ ÐŋаО’ŅŅаŅÐļ ŅŅ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅÐŧŅÐ―Ņ ÐģŅÐūОаÐīŅ Ņ ŅÐēÐūŅŅ ŅÐūÐīÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļŅ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēаŅ Ņа ÐūŅÐūŅÐļŅÐļ ŅŅ ŅÐĩŅÐŋÐĩÐŧÐļÐēŅŅŅŅ, ŅÐūзŅОŅÐ―Ð―ŅО Ņ ŅÐŋŅÐēŅŅŅÐŧÐļÐēÐūŅ ÐŋŅÐīŅŅÐļОКÐūŅ Ðē ŅаŅ ÐŋÐĩŅÐĩÐķÐļÐēÐ°Ð―Ð―Ņ ŅŅŅŅ Ð―ÐĩŅÐŋÐūÐīŅÐēÐ°Ð―ÐūŅ ÐēŅŅаŅÐļ.

ÐĢ ŅŅ ÐūŅÐūÐąÐŧÐļÐēÐū ÐąÐūÐŧŅŅÐ―Ņ ÐģÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ ОÐļ ŅаКÐūÐķ зÐēÐĩŅŅаŅОÐūŅŅ ÐīÐū ÐēŅŅŅ Ņз ÐŋŅÐūŅ Ð°Ð―Ð―ŅО ÐŋÐūÐēаÐķаŅÐļ ÐŋŅÐļÐēаŅÐ―ŅŅŅŅ Ņ ÐģŅÐīÐ―ŅŅŅŅ ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ðļ ÐūŅŅŅ ÐÐēÐ°Ð―Ð°. ÐĄÐšÐūŅÐąÐūŅа Ð―ŅКÐūÐŧÐļ Ð―Ðĩ ÐŋÐūÐēÐļÐ―Ð―Ð° ŅŅаÐēаŅÐļ ÐŋŅÐļÐēÐūÐīÐūО ÐīÐŧŅ ÐŋŅÐļÐŋŅŅÐĩÐ―Ņ, ŅŅŅÐūК ŅÐļ ÐūŅŅÐīŅ. ÐаÐēÐŋаКÐļ, ŅК ŅŅÐ―Ņ ÐĨŅÐļŅŅÐūÐēŅ, ОÐļ ÐŋÐūКÐŧÐļÐšÐ°Ð―Ņ Ð―ÐĩŅŅÐļ ŅŅÐģаŅŅ ÐūÐīÐļÐ― ÐūÐīÐ―ÐūÐģÐū Ņ ŅаКÐļО ŅÐļÐ―ÐūО ÐēÐļКÐūÐ―ŅÐēаŅÐļ заКÐūÐ― ÐĨŅÐļŅŅÐūÐēÐļÐđ: «ÐÐūŅŅŅŅ ŅŅÐģаŅŅ ÐūÐīÐļÐ― ÐūÐīÐ―ÐūÐģÐū, Ņ ŅаК ÐēÐļКÐūÐ―Ð°ŅŅÐĩ заКÐūÐ― ÐĨŅÐļŅŅÐūÐēÐļÐđ» (ÐаÐŧ. 6:2).

ÐĒÐĩÐŋÐĩŅ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅÐąÐ―Ð° ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēа. ÐĒÐĩÐŋÐĩŅ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅÐąÐ―Ðĩ ОÐļÐŧÐūŅÐĩŅÐīŅ. ÐĒÐĩÐŋÐĩŅ ÐŋÐūŅŅŅÐąÐ―Ð° ŅÐļŅ а ÐŋŅÐļŅŅŅÐ―ŅŅŅŅ Ņ ŅÐļŅŅÐļŅÐ―ŅŅКÐūŅ ÐŧŅÐąÐūÐēŅ.

ÐÐļ ÐēŅÐīÐīаŅОÐū Ð―ÐūÐēÐūÐŋŅÐĩŅŅаÐēÐŧÐĩÐ―ÐūÐģÐū ŅÐŧŅÐģŅ ÐÐūÐķÐūÐģÐū, ŅÐēŅŅÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļКа ÐÐēÐ°Ð―Ð°, ÐąÐĩзОÐĩÐķÐ―ÐūОŅ ОÐļÐŧÐūŅÐĩŅÐīŅ Ņ ŅÐūÐŧÐūÐēŅКÐūÐŧŅÐąŅŅÐēŅ Ð―Ð°ŅÐūÐģÐū ÐÐūŅÐŋÐūÐīа, ÐŊКÐļÐđ ÐÐīÐļÐ―ÐļÐđ Ð·Ð―Ð°Ņ ÐģÐŧÐļÐąÐļÐ―Ðļ КÐūÐķÐ―ÐūÐģÐū ÐŧŅÐīŅŅКÐūÐģÐū ŅÐĩŅŅŅ, КÐūÐķÐĩÐ― ŅŅÐģаŅ, ŅКÐļÐđ ÐŧŅÐīÐļÐ―Ð° Ð―ÐĩŅÐĩ ОÐūÐēŅКÐļ, КÐūÐķÐ―Ņ ŅÐ°Ð―Ņ, Ð―ÐĩÐēÐļÐīÐļОŅ ÐīÐŧŅ ŅÐ―ŅÐļŅ , Ņ КÐūÐķÐ―Ņ ÐąÐūŅÐūŅŅÐąŅ, ÐēŅÐīÐūОŅ ÐŧÐļŅÐĩ ÐÐūОŅ.

ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКа ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―Ð° ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēа ÐĄÐĻРзаКÐŧÐļКаŅ ŅÐēÐūŅ ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐĩÐ―ŅŅÐēÐū Ņа ÐēŅŅÐ―ÐļŅ ÐŋÐūОÐļÐ―Ð°ŅÐļ ŅÐēŅŅÐĩÐ―Ð―ÐļКа ÐÐēÐ°Ð―Ð° Ņ ŅÐēÐūŅŅ ÐūŅÐūÐąÐļŅŅÐļŅ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēаŅ Ņа, зÐģŅÐīÐ―Ðū з ÐąÐŧаÐģÐūŅÐŧÐūÐēÐĩÐ―Ð―ŅО Ņ ÐēКазŅÐēКаОÐļ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅÐŧŅÐ―ÐūÐģÐū ÐīŅŅ ÐūÐēÐĩÐ―ŅŅÐēа, Ņ ÐąÐūÐģÐūŅÐŧŅÐķÐąÐūÐēÐļŅ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēаŅ ÐĶÐĩŅКÐēÐļ.

ÐŅÐūŅÐļОÐū ŅаКÐūÐķ ÐŋŅÐū ÐŋÐūŅŅŅÐđÐ―Ņ Ņ ŅÐļŅŅ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēŅ за ÐđÐūÐģÐū ÐīŅŅÐķÐļÐ―Ņ ÐаŅÐļŅŅ, ŅŅ Ð―ŅŅ ÐīŅŅÐĩÐđ, ÐđÐūÐģÐū ÐąÐ°ŅŅКŅÐē, ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ, а ŅаКÐūÐķ за ÐēŅŅ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅÐŧŅÐ―Ņ ŅÐūÐīÐļÐ―Ņ ŅÐēŅŅÐļŅ аÐŋÐūŅŅÐūÐŧŅÐē ÐÐĩŅŅа Ņ ÐаÐēÐŧа.

ÐÐūŅ ÐūŅÐūÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐąÐūÐģÐūŅÐŧŅÐķŅÐ―Ð―Ņ ÐēŅÐīÐąŅÐīŅŅŅŅŅ Ðē ÐĢКŅаŅÐ―ŅŅКŅÐđ ÐŅаÐēÐūŅÐŧаÐēÐ―ŅÐđ ÐŋаŅаŅŅŅ ŅÐē. ÐÐĩŅŅа Ņ ÐаÐēÐŧа Ðē ÐаŅÐ―ÐĩÐģŅ, ÐÐĩÐ―ŅÐļÐŧŅÐēÐ°Ð―ŅŅ

18 ŅÐĩŅÐŋÐ―Ņ 2026 ŅÐūКŅ:

9-10 ŅÐ°Ð―ÐšŅ - ÐŋŅÐļÐēаŅÐ―Ņ ОÐūÐŧÐļŅÐēÐļ Ðē Ņ ŅаОŅ

10 ŅÐ°Ð―ÐšŅ - ÐŅŅŅŅÐģŅŅ Ņа ÐÐ°Ð―Ð°Ņ ÐļÐīа

|

|

| |||||||||||||