Fr Ephrem Lash died on 15 March, aged 85. A priest of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, he was for many years the Orthodox representative to the General Synod, and was responsible for the translation of many Orthodox liturgical texts into contemporary English. He was made an Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne of Constantinople in 2004, and in 2006 he moved to London, where he ministered at the Church of Ss Anthony the Great and John the Baptist, Holloway.
The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Corbyn, pays his respects
His parish released the following statement:
It is with great sadness that we announce the repose of our much beloved parish priest, and Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, Father Ephrem. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday 15th March 2016 having gone home from the Church services for the beginning of [Orthodox] Lent and spending a lovely afternoon with the parishioners.
Father Ephrem served in our parish from 2006. Although a well-renowned scholar, an Athonite monk of the Monastery of Dochiariou, a learned man of Oxford, for us he will always be our simple parish priest, who looked after his flock well, and was proud of his ‘old ladies’. Father Ephrem brought much light, love and laughter to our community.
He will be remembered for his wit, his kind care and concern for all, regardless of who they were or where they came from and his cheerful character. He will be deeply missed by us all, but everybody here feels privileged to have met him and thankful that he passed through our lives.
May your rest be with the righteous! Memory Eternal, good and faithful servant of the Lord!
His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain led the funeral rites on 31 March. Memory Eternal! ND
Archbishop Gregorios looks on as the body is censed