Fr. Andrei Trishin, the rector of Holy Trinity Church in the village of Zaluzhnoe in the Voronezh Metropolia, reposed on June 17, 2020, at the age of 37. His wife, Matushka Svetlana, was left to take care of their young son.

After the death of her husband, Matushka was evicted from the rectory. She didn’t have her own place because they had lived in parish apartments while Father was serving, so she had to go live with her mother.

She isn’t currently working because she is off on maternity leave. She is a history teacher by profession, but can’t go to work because she has no one to leave her young son with, and kindergartens don’t take one-year-olds. And after the loss of his father, the child needs the care of his mother, otherwise he would be completely alone, like an orphan. Matushka wants to give him enough love for both parents.

In the spring of 2020, Father’s health suddenly began to deteriorate rapidly. He had always been healthy by nature. He never got sick or went to the doctors, so his illness came out of the blue.

On Pascha, Matushka noticed strange changes in Father’s speech. The hospitals weren’t taking anyone due to the quarantine, and she didn’t know where to turn. Everyone refused to help. With an infant in arms, she tried to get to see the doctors, to arrange at least some kind of examination and treatment. But not receiving proper treatment, Father developed a brain hematoma and fell into a coma.

The doctors in the ICU fought for his life for more than three weeks. While he was sick, he really wanted to see his son. He would lose consciousness, then come to and ask to see his son again.

Andrei Sergeevich Trishin was born in Voronezh on July 20, 1982.

The parents of the future pastor were loyal to the Church, and his mother sometimes went to the services. He also had a priest in his family—his great uncle Archpriest Alexei Kulichikhin, which influenced Fr. Andrei’s path in life.

While still in school, Fr. Andrei helped serve in the altar. He met his future wife at seminary while doing his obedience working in the flower beds. Svetlana was studying to be a choir director, and the future priest invited her to the theater. It seemed unusual for a seminarian to invite a girl not to go for a walk, but immediately to go to the theater. After that, they never went to the theater again, but that night proved fateful for them.

Matushka remembers her husband with a smile and gratitude. Everything in their life was easy and joyful, and for all his seriousness, Andrei had a subtle sense of humor.

He was ordained as a priest on January 8, 2006. On February 8, 2008, he was appointed rector of his final parish—the Church of the Lifegiving Trinity in the village of Zaluzhnoe, where he ended his earthly journey.

As his parishioners noted, Fr. Andrei was a very diligent pastor, approaching any and all work very responsibly. All the churches where Father served as rector were in need of repairs, but he never lost heart and often did the work with his own hands.

He never turned off his phone, and his parishioners would even sometimes call him with their needs in the middle of the night or early in the morning. His homilies were amazingly clear and concise, touching the hearts and souls of his parishioners.

Matushka Svetlana helped him in everything, and Fr. Andrei was a very sensitive, attentive, and caring spouse. Only one thing overshadowed their life together: they had no children. Medical exams were inconclusive. Father fervently prayed that they would be granted children, and the Lord did not leave their expectations unfulfilled.

After 15 years of marriage, the long-awaited child was born. After the birth of their son, Sasha, Father underwent a significant internal change, as if he had suffered some huge shock in his life.

This shock was then replaced with some kind of premonition of his imminent departure from this life, only he pitied his son: How would he survive without him? He took great care of his wife and child, and his son was like a light in the dark for him.

Fr. Andrei was buried in his hometown, in the Borovoe village cemetery next to his grandmother.

Священник: Fr. Andrei Trishin
Матушка: Matushka Svetlana Trishina
Место жительства: District center Olkhovatka, Voronezh region