Dear brothers and sisters,
St John’s was certainly a very joyful place today, with so many children in church, and the blessing of hearing confessions of those old enough to do so and to commune them with the Holy Mysteries. It was also young Vanya’s nameday, though we didn’t realise this until we had gone to trapeza.
We wish Vanya, as well as all of our Natalias ‘Many Years’.
Your prayers are asked for the newly arrived children from Ukraine, as some of them have just started school here in Wales, with so much that is new unfamiliar – especially language! We especially ask your prayers for Vanya, Misha and Denys, asking God to bless them – and all of our children – in their studies, through the prayers of St Nicholas and all the saints.
Our congregation also had plenty of new faces today, including the two young Ukrainian sopranos on the kliros, and the newly arrived Ukrainian faithful who are now part of our parish family.
The greatest surprise was to have unexpected visitors from London, and to be able to welcome them to the Liturgy and community.
Before I joined parishioners for trapeza, I celebrated a memorial for the newly-departed Larissa, and ask you to remember her in your prayers, together with the newly-departed Metropolitan Kallistos, Ioann, Valentina, Valentina, and Alexander.
We also pray for the soul of the newly-departed Queen Elizabeth, and for the new King, as he ascends the throne.
On Monday 19th September, the royal funeral will be broadcast on a big screen in St John’s Church, and any Orthodox parishioners who would like to join the Canton parish on this occasion are most welcome. A book of condolence may be found before the votive candle stand on the altar-step, and parishioners are welcome to add their condolences to those of the local community.
Next Sunday will be the feast of the Uncovering of the Relics of the Holy Wonder-Workers Peter and Febronia of Murom, with the variables to be found at Orthodoxaustin:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DNU3ert2yl2oVbuBWxIZZapj2WqZHtOT/view
Confessions will be heard on Friday afternoon and in the early evening before our 19:00 catechesis session in St Mary Butetown. May I please have requests for confession before 22:00 on Wednesday.
The New Church Year begins on Wednesday this week, and we will pray for God’s blessing of the New Indiction with an evening service in the Chapel of St David and St Nicholas, in Llanelli.
Thank you to all who made today such a joyful celebration of Faith, especially those who looked after our new visitors so warmly, and congratulations to all who communed of the Holy Mysteries. Поздравления с причастием!
May God bless you, and the week ahead.
In Christ – Hieromonk Mark