Photo Gallery Updated

01/09/2011

Photographs of recent events in the life of the diocese have now been added to the diocesan website, and may be viewed here.  If you would like news or photographs from your church's events to be added to the diocesan website, please send them to Michael Astley at subdeaconmichael@rocor.org.uk.  It is best if photographs are sent as e-mail attachments.

Many years to Archpriest Vladimir!

04/08/2011

On the feast of the Holy Royal Martyrs, His Eminence Archbishop Mark elevated Priest Vladimir Vilgerts to the rank of Archpriest.  Father Vladimir has been a faithful and hard-working servant to the Church and particularly to the cathedral parish since his installation as associate rector of the cathedral.  He is an asset to our diocese.  Please pray for him in his ministry that it may continue to bear fruit.

Feast of St Wandregesilius in Mettingham

02/08/2011


At 5 o' clock on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 3rd of August (21st July by the Church calendar), the new icon of St Wandregesilius will be blessed at the Church of the Mother of God: the Joy of All Who Sorrow, in Mettingham.  This will be followed by afternoon tea and Vespers.


On the following day, being the 22nd of July in the Church calendar and the heavenly birthday of St Wandregesilius, a festal Divine Liturgy will be served at the church at 10 o' clock, following the Hours.  Please arrive early for Confession.


The Life of St Wandregesilius, as well as the canon to him, is available from the Mettingham Orthodox Trust.  Please contact Deacon Andrew Bond directly.

Archpastoral Visitation

04/07/2011

His Eminence Archbishop Mark will visit the diocese from Friday, the 15th until Sunday, the 17th of July.  During this visit he plans to visit the parish of St Elisabeth in Wallasey and the cathedral parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God, in London.  Sunday the 17th is the feast of the Holy Royal Martyrs, and the patronal feast of the lower church at the cathedral.  Monday, the 18th, is the feast of St Elisabeth the New-Martyr, and festivities will be observed on the previous Saturday.

Vladyka Mark will serve the following services:

Friday, 15th July

6 p.m. - Great Vespers at St Elisabeth's

Saturday, 16th July

9 a.m. - Hours, Blessing ofthe Iconostas, and Divine Liturgy, with Cross-Procession, followed by bring-and-share lunch.

5 p.m. - Vigil at the cathedral of the Dormition.

Sunday, 17th July

10 a.m. - Hours and Divine Liturgy, followed by Trapeza.

It is a great blessing to have our bishop with us for this special time in the life of two of our parishes.

Colchester Patronal Feast

28/06/2011

The parish of St John the Wonderworker will celebrate its patronal feast this upcoming weekend.

The Vigil will be served at 5.30 p.m. on Friday, the 1st of July.  The Lesser Blessing of the Waters will be take place at 9 o' cock on the morning of Saturday, the 2nd of July, with the Divine Liturgy and Cross-Procession at 10 o' clock.

Services will be followed by a festal meal to which all are invited.  For further details, please contact Fr Andrew Phillips through the directory.

An Appeal for Musical Help

09/06/2011

The Monastery of St Pantaleimon in Clacton-on-Sea hopes to begin regular public services, including at least the Divine Liturgy on Sundays, to serve the people of the area.  However, this will require a competent and dedicated singer, familiar with the system of eight tones and the structure of the services, to assist on the kliros.  Detailed knowledge of how to construct the services is not essential as Fr Sergei is able to assist with this but, for the stability of the worshipping community, it is necessary that this role be taken on by somebody who is able to commit to regular attendance, whether this be weekly, fortnightly, or whatever other arrangement can be made.

If you or anybody you know may be able to offer this service of love to the Church, please contact Fr Sergei through the directory.

Two New Missions

25/05/2011

Two new missions have recently been launched within our diocese, both dedicated in honour of St Nicholas, the Wonderworker of Myra.

The first is an outreach effort of the cathedral parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and is based in Cardiff.  The Liturgy is served on one Saturday each month in the Greek Orthodox church of St Nicholas.

The second is a satellite mission of the Wallasey parish of St Elisabeth the New-Martyr, based in Liverpool.  The Liturgy will be served occasionally, as announced, at the Anglican parish church of Our Lady and St Nicholas.

Photographs from the first Liturgies of both missions may be viewed here and here, and contact details may be found in the directory.

Please pray for the clergy and people of these missions as they seek to reach out to isolated Orthodox people and to bring new people into the Ark of Salvation.

The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, and icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; therefore, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty.  O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

-tropar, tone 4

The Jordanville Prayer Book

09/06/2011

The 1960 version of the Jordanville Prayer Book, containing the translations of Archimandrite Lazarus (Moore), is in print by permission of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, of pious memory. The cloth-bound facsimile reprint has been published by St George Orthodox Information Service and retails at £14.50 per copy.

SGOIS/Orthodox News, The White House, Mettingham, Suffolk NR35 1TP

StGeorgeOIS@aol.com

Paschal Epistle

24/04/2011

Christ is risen!

The Paschal Epistle of Archbishop Mark is now in the articles section of the website.

Diocesan Service of Holy Unction

04/04/2011

The time of year is again approaching when Orthodox Christians come together during the season of Great Lent to participate in the Mystery of Holy Unction.  It will be celebrated in our diocese on Saturday, the 9th of April, being the 27th of March in the Church calendar and the Saturday of the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God.  This will take place at 2 o' clock in the afternoon at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs, in Chiswick, West London.

 

The service consists of seven epistles and seven Gospels, each reminding us of the healing brought to us by Christ.  In his general Epistle, St James, the Brother of the Lord, exhorts the local churches, saying 'Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord' (James 5:14).  Acknowledging our physical and spiritual sickness, we come to God in prayer, asking for healing of our souls and bodies, for the sake of our salvation.

 

In a time when the world presents us with all manner of alternative therapies, self-help books, and new age healing techniqies, relying on man's own power to heal himself, it is important for us Christians to remind ourselves that it is Christ Who heals us; it is Christ Who redeems fallen creation, with its suffering and pain; it is Christ alone Who has conquered the power of sin and death by his glorious Resurrection.  Therefore, it is to Christ that we must turn for healing of our souls and bodies; it is in the incarnate Christ that we must trust to raise us beyond the mire of fallenness through his Resurrection and Ascension, and it is to Christ that we must pray with compunction and humility.

 

Because Holy Unction is intrinsically bound to the physical and spiritual healing that we receive in the life of the Church, we must approach this Mystery as we would Holy Communion, and seek to free ourselves of the sins that separate us from the fullness of life in Christ.  Therefore, it is proper that we should confess our sins and be absolved before we are anointed.

 

May this anointing strengthen us in our pilgrim journey into the fullness of life in Christ, at the will of the Father, and through the power of the Holy and life-creating Spirit.