On October 20, 2022, after a severe & prolonged illness, rector-emeritus of the Church of All Saints who Shown Forth in the Russian Land at the Patriarchal Metochion in Pine Bush, NY,  Archpriest Nikolai Babijtchouk, reposed in the Lord.

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The future pastor was born on October 10, 1957 in the village of Kizya in the Kamianets-Podilsk district of the Khmelnytskyi province to a family of workers.

After graduating from school and serving in the army, he married Ekaterina Dudchak, who was a faithful companion and assistant to Fr. Nikolai in all places of his ministry. Fr. Nikolai and Matushka Ekaterina raised three daughters, who became faithful helpers in his parish service.

On March 8, 1985, as a student at the Moscow Theological Seminary, he was ordained by its rector, Bishop Alexander (Timofeev) of Dmitrov, to the diaconate, and on October 6 of the same year, a priest.

In 1987, after graduating from seminary, he served in the parishes of the Khmelnytskyi diocese. By the decision of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in February 20, 1989, he was appointed rector of the Church of all Saints who shown forth in the Russian Lands at the Patriarchal Metochion in Pine Bush, New York, of the Patriarchal parishes in the United States of America, where he served until his repose.

Fr. Nicholas’ zealous service was celebrated by the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church with many ecclesiastical and church-wide awards, including the right to wear a mitre, which Fr. Nicholas was awarded by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on Holy Pascha, 2010.

Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA & Canada, expresses his sincere condolences to Matushka Ekaterina, the rector of the church, Priest Artemy Kulikovsky, children, relatives and spiritual children of Fr. Nikolai, and he calls on the clergy and faithful of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States to lift up their prayers for the newly repose.

Eternal & grateful memory to Archpriest Nikolai!