Colchester Patronal Feast

22/05/2012


The Colchester parish of St John of Shanghai will celebrate its patronal feast on the 30th of June (being the Saturday after the 19th of June by the Church calendar).  The Episcopal Divine Liturgy will be served by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk at 9.45 a.m. and will be followed by a Cross-Procession.


All are welcome.  Details of the location of the church may be found in the directory.


Please note that the London cathedral parish is planning to make a pilgrimage to St John's church for this occasion.  Anybody interested in joining this pilgrimage should contact Reader Nicolas Mabin.  Here are further details in English and Russian.

The Gloucester Mission

18/05/2012

Our Mission in Gloucester has launched a vibrant new website detailing its services, mission, and activities.  It has a wealth of resources, including links to many other useful websites.  This is a new site and the mission welcomes feedback.

Please note that the next Liturgy of the mission will be on Saturday, the 9th of June at 10 a.m.

Visitation of the Kursk Icon of the Mother of God

01/05/2012

With joy we announce that the wonder-working Kursk Icon of the Mother of God (Our Lady of the Sign) will visit our diocese next week.  The itinerary is below:

Wednesday, 9th May

• 6.30 p.m. - Moleben with Akathist at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, Chiswick.

Thursday, 10th May

•  6.30 p.m. - Moleben with Akathist at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, Chiswick.

Friday, 11th May

• 5.30 p.m. - Moleben with Akathist at the church of St Elisabeth the New-Martyr, Wallasey.  The icon will remain in church for veneration until shortly after 7 p.m.

Saturday, 12th May

• 11 a.m. - The icon will be received at the church of St John of Shanghai, Colchester. Molebens and prayers will be offered until the icon's departure at 2 p.m.
• 5 p.m. - All-night Vigil at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, Chiswick.

Sunday, 13th May

• 10 a.m. - Episcopal Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, Chiswick.

Tuesday, 15th May

• The icon will visit the Greek Orthodox church of St Nicholas in Cardiff and our Cheltenham Mission. Details to be confirmed.
• 6.30 p.m. - Moleben with Akathist at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, Chiswick.

For those seeking directions, address details of all churches in our diocese may be found in the directory.

Upcoming Liturgies of our Missions

24/03/2012

The Divine Liturgy will be served at our missions in Cheltenham and Liverpool next month.

Liverpool: 7th April (25th March) by the Church calendar, at 10.15 a.m. This will be at the Anglican church of Our Lady and St Nicholas.  This is the feast of the Annunciation.

Cheltenham: 21st April (8th April by the Church calendar), at 10 a.m.  This will be at the Greek Orthodox Church of St John Chrysostom.  This is the Saturday of Bright Week.

Further details of both locations may be found through the directory.

"Te Deum" Concert in Cheltenham

23/02/2012

Te Deum, an a capella quartet of singers, will hold a charity concert in Cheltenham on Thursday, the 15th of March at 7.30 pm. The concert, in support of the Sue Ryder Hospice at Cheltenham, will take place at the Greek Orthodox Church of St John Chrysostom, Bentham, GL51 4UT, near Cheltenham.

Tickets are £10 on the door. The Te Deum ensemble specialises in Russian choral works - both sacred and secular - and the singers, all of whom are professional musicians, also support the parish choir of our Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, in Chiswick.

The concert is promoted by the ROCOR mission in Cheltenham: the Russian Orthodox Community in Gloucestershire & Cotswolds, in conjunction with Gloucestershire Churches Together. 

Cheltenham Liturgy

23/02/2012

The next Liturgy of the mission in Cheltenham will take place on Saturday, the 10th of March, 2012, at 10 am at the Greek Orthodox Church, Bentham Lane, Bentham, GL51 4UT.  Following the services refreshments and Russian & Ukrainian food will be served in accordance with the Church rules of fasting.

The webpage of the mission is here, and the Facebook group is here.  You can also follow the mission on Twitter: RussiansInGlos

Other contact details may be found on the directory page.

The College of Our Lady of Mettingham

14/02/2012

The Mettingham Orthodox Trust is been registered with charity status as of the 6th of February this year.  In time, and with the blessing of Archbishop Mark, the church activity of propagating the Gospel through teaching, hospitality, and the making available of Orthodox items, as well as the restoration of devotion to the Mother of God in the Waveney Valley area, will operate under the title of the College of Our Lady of Mettingham.

If you would like to know more or indeed contribute to the work of the College, please contact Deacon Andrew Bond through the directory page.

A new icon of Our Lady of Mettingham has been painted and will be a focal point of devotion once it has been blessed, at a date to be announced.  The beautiful icon is by the hand of Efrem Carrasco and incorporates elements of the image of the Mother of God that was commonly venerated in Mettingham in mediaeval times.  May it be a channel of grace to all who who honour the Mother of God through it.

Troparion - tone 4

Rejoice, Our Lady and All-Pure Virgin Mary,

for thou art enthroned once more

as Mettingham's joy and Waveney's glory.

Guide and protect us, we pray thee,

strengthening our faith in thy Son,

leading us into the Way of salvation,

since thou art both Mother of God and Queen of Heaven.

New Western Rite Website

22/01/2012

The stavropegial communities of the Western Rite Vicariate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia have launched a new website, giving an introduction and points of contact for those interested in becoming Orthodox in the Western Rite.

These missions and study societies are directly under the omophor of Metropolitan Hilarion of New York and Eastern America, and operate on the territory of the Great Britain Diocese with the agreement of Archbishop Mark of Great Britain.  They are cared for by Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, the Episcopal Vicar for ROCOR's Western Rite Vicariate.

Please pray that this witness of the Orthodox Faith will add to the existing efforts to bring souls to Christ.

Christmas Epistle

06/01/2012

Achbishop Mark's Christmas Epistle to the Diocese is now available to be read online.

Cheltenham Mission

06/01/2012


The next Liturgy of the Cheltenham Mission will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the 28th of January.  Full details may be read here.