On March 18, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia performed the funeral rite for his confessor, as well as the long-term confessor of the Optina Monastery, Schiarchimandrite Ilia (Nozdrin), who died on March 15 at the age of 94.
The coffin with the body of the newly deceased Father Elijah was installed on March 16 in the Optina Pustyn Church in Kazan. On March 16 and 17, funeral litanies were celebrated in all the churches of Optina Pustyn, and believers had access to the Kazan Church to say goodbye to the deceased elder around the clock.
Before the funeral service began, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill delivered a speech dedicated to the late Father Elijah.
The funeral service was attended by: Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Feognost of Kashira, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism; Metropolitan Nikander of Vladimir and Suzdal, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Department of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Tikhon of Oryol and Bolkhov; Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia; Metropolitan Feodor of Volgograd and Kamyshinsky; Bishop Nectarius of Livensky and Maloarchangelsky; Bishop Joseph of Mozhaisk, Vicar of Optina Desert; Bishop Alexy of Ramenskoye, Personal Secretary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; the monks of Optina Pustyn in holy orders, clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The funeral service in Optina Pustyn was attended by: Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Budget and Financial Markets A.D. Artamonov; Governor of St. Petersburg A.D. Beglov; Governor of the Kaluga Region V.V. Shapsha; Governor of the Orel Region A.E. Klychkov; Chairman of the Arbitration Court of the Central District A.V. Orlov; Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Kaluga Region G.S. Novoseltsev; Chief Federal Inspector for the Kaluga Region D.M. Kolozin; Deputy Head of the World Russian People's Council S.Y. Rudov; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the All-Russian public Movement "Orthodox Russia" M.M. Ivanov.
Hierarchs and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, the inhabitants of Optina Desert, and many believers who came to the monastery to say goodbye to Father Elijah prayed in the temple. 
Liturgical hymns were performed by the fraternal choir of the Vvedensky Stavropol Monastery of Optina Pustyn under the direction of Hierodeacon Gideon (Fedorov).
The service was broadcast live on the TV channels "Spas" and "Soyuz". Numerous believers prayed for the repose of the newly deceased Father Elijah, watching the broadcast of the divine service on large screens installed on the territory of the monastery.
According to tradition, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill read out and placed in the hands of the deceased a letter with a prayer of permission.
Before the burial, Father Elijah's body was surrounded by the Kazan Temple.
His Holiness celebrated the requiem mass at the grave of the newly deceased.
Archimandrite Eli (Nozdrin) He was buried on the territory of Optina Desert next to the Chapel of the Resurrection of Christ.