Pasted below is the officla statement printed on the homepage of the Community of Saint John website, acknowledging Elias' death.

Dear friends,
It is with great sadness that we have to inform you of the death of our brother Elias (Frederik Boudewijn Leyds).
Our brother was found dead on Wednesday morning in his room in Oisterwijk, where he had lived since 2021. An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing.

In view of the contact with our brother in the last few weeks (he was present at various activities of the brothers, made plans for camps in the mountains, etc.), this news has surprised and shocked us.

Brother Elias was born in Eindhoven on December 13, 1958. He began his novitiate in 1987 in France, where he also received his theological training. He was ordained a priest in 1994. After his education he was sent to Enschede (1992-1997), Vilnius (Lithuania, 1997-2005) where he worked as a prison chaplain, Nalchik (Russia, 2005-2007), during which time he also wrote many columns for the Katholiek Nieuwsblad. After a sabbatical in Australia, I moved to Utrecht (since 2009). From 2013 to 2018 he was program director at Radio Maria. In 2020, he founded a Dutch branch of the Catholic television channel EWTN.

We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our brother and ask you to entrust him to God's mercy in your prayers. We also ask for your prayers for his family and the brothers in the Netherlands.

The Brothers of St. John