14/09/2009
Photographs from the diocesan celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God are now online, in the cathedral photo gallery.
This is likely to be the last year on which the cathedral's patronal feast is to be celebrated on the feast of the Dormition as our cathedral is to be renamed for the Nativity of the Mother of God when the upper church is consecrated, which is hoped to be during the earlier part of next year.
When the London parish of the Dormition became divided after the difficulties following the revolution, both communities retained the dedication of the Dormition and went on to establish the cathedrals of their respective dioceses. Now that the Russian church has been reunited and relations between the parishes have been normalised, there is the unusual situation where there are two cathedrals in the same city, under the same church, with the same dedication. Not only was this the cause of some confusion but it means that on the major feast of these churches serves to highlight the divisions of the past, as clergy and people have loyalties to their own church and are unable to celebrate the feast with their brothers and sisters at the sister parish. These difficulties should be resolved with the new dedication.
