Jiva Pati Dasa Brahmacari passed away peacefully at 10.22 am on February 8th in Watford Hospital. He was surrounded by devotees.

For the last two months he’d had a persistent chest infection and a cough and was under the care of two doctors. On being admitted to Watford Hospital on Friday 1st he was diagnosed as having septicaemia. This led to kidney failure and he was placed on dialysis. Liver complications led to further organ failure and on Tuesday 5th he was placed on a ventilator. On Thursday the doctors were still hopeful of his recovery, but on Friday morning they told the devotees that Jiva Pati’s time was short.

At the time of his passing, he was decorated with flower garlands and other sacred items, with many Brahmacaris from the ashram surrounding him. Srila Prabhupada’s voice was playing and the joined voices of the devotees sang in kirtan. Srutidharma and Pranabandhu stood to either side of him.

Jiva Pati came to the UK in 1979 from Chicago. He served Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda for decades as a pujari, for eleven hours a day, seven days a week, from waking the Deities in the morning to putting them to rest at night. At 69 years, he was the oldest male priest at Bhaktivedanta Manor.

There will be three nights of kirtan to mark his passing beginning this evening and ending on Sunday evening, 7.30 until 9.30 pm. On Friday night there will be some words from Chandramauli Swami from 8.45-9.00pm followed by kirtan for the arati.

The dates and location of the Funeral Service will be announced imminently. As part of the Funeral Service Jiva Pati’s body will be brought the Manor and devotees will have an opportunity to pay their last respects. The cremation will be held thereafter. The Memorial Service will take place at the Manor and a celebration of Jiva Pati Prabhu’s life, the event will conclude in a feast in his honour.