Weekly News – 1st September

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Dear brothers and sisters, 

Greetings, as we continue to celebrate the octave of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, with today’s feast of her icon “The Giver of Reason.”

Thanks to all who laboured for the feast and this Sunday’s service.

We were very happy to celebrate Dormition in the Oratory Church, earlier in the week, with Great Vespers on Tuesday and the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday. 

Thanks to Father Mark the Younger, for taking the lead on the feast, which was well attended for a weekday, and thanks to those who provided a lovely lunch in the church hall.

As you know, the second day of the feast took us to London, for José’s baptism in the lower cathedral, with Father Mark acting as José’s godfather.

It was a wonderful occasion, and one for which we have been praying, crowned with the joy of José and Mary’s wedding on Friday, and Father Mark communing them with the Most Pure Mysteries at the Saturday Liturgy.

Having time with José and Mary before their departure for mountain-life in Spain was a blessing, as was the opportunity to sit down with Chiswick friends for unrushed meals and much conversation about our parishes and spiritual life.

Though I had expected to concelebrate today, the morning developed in such a way that I read and sang, greatly enjoying being on the kliros.

We were pleased to serve a litia to the Saviour and the Mother of God, before her “Giver of Reason” icon, praying for our children and students for the new term, as they begin their studies. We very much hope that the new university term will bring more young people to the parish, and look forward to welcoming back those still on vocation.

After the thanksgiving prayers, Father Mark and I offered molebens for different parishioners, something that we are always happy to do, not to mention memorial services.

Father then performed his first baptism, for five-month-old Afanasia whose family live in Carmarthenshire. We congratulate them on this joyful occasion.

I am presently in Wells – a stone’s throw from Glastonbury – where I will spend some days in pilgrimage and prayer, resting and reading.

Please forward any prayer requests, as I will be serving molebens and memorial services, beginning this evening with a moleben to the Mother of God, in honour of the “Giver of Reason” icon.

On my return to Wales, I will celebrate Great Vespers in the Oratory Church, on Friday, and will be available to hear confessions.

We are greatly looking forward to welcoming José and Mary in Cardiff next Sunday: the feast of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

The New Church Year, on Saturday 14th September, will be celebrated in Cheltenham, with our monthly Liturgy in Prestbury United Reformed Church at 10:30.

The next Great Feast of the Church’s year will be the Nativity of the Mother of God, the cathedral altar-feast, on Saturday 21st September, new-style. It would be good to have parishioners to participate in the celebration of the feast in the cathedral.

This is one of the special occasions that brings people together from many parishes in the British part of our diocese, and a wonderful chance to meet brothers and sisters and to get to know our clergy.

The greeting of the bishop will be at 09:00, followed by the Hours, Hierarchical Liturgy and trapeza. 

At the end of the month, we will celebrate the Exultation of the Cross, with a Liturgy provisionally arranged for Friday 27th September, in the Oratory Church – subject to having singers.

The following day, Saturday 28th September, our Wessex Liturgy will be celebrated in the Chapel of St Lawrence in Warminster at 10:30. 

After a busy September, our next pilgrimage will be our much-anticipated return to Lazarica – the magnificent church of St Lazar in Birmingham’s Bournville – to honour the Mother of God and venerate her Trojeručica-Hilandarska icon.

Last year’s visit made a great impression on parishioners, but our students were unable to come, due to on-line problems buying train tickets. 

We hope that October will see everyone wishing to attend to be part of this return pilgrimage to the beautiful shrine and the wonderful parish, and for us to organise car shares well in advance.

Saturday Liturgy at Lazarica is at 09:00.

Please pray for José and Mary, and for Afanasia. We pray to God to grant them many, blessed years! Многая и благая лѣта!

We also ask for prayers for Lazarus and Liz, as they prepare to move from Poole to Cardiff in a few weeks, and for travellers, Jessica-Anne and her daughter Mary-Louisa, and Allan and Olga.

We continue to pray for the newly departed Archimandrite Germogen and for Jovana.

Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

Let The Heavens Rejoice! The Dormition of the Mother of God

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“Heaven receives thy soul with joy. The heavenly powers greet thee with sacred canticles and with joyous praise, saying: “Who is this most pure creature ascending, shining as the dawn, beautiful as the moon, conspicuous as the sun? How sweet and lovely thou art, the lily of the field, the rose among thorns; therefore the young maidens loved thee. We are drawn after the odour of thy ointments. The King introduced thee into His chamber. There Powers protect thee, Principalities praise thee, Thrones proclaim thee, Cherubim are hushed in joy, and Seraphim magnify the true Mother by nature and by grace of their very Lord. Thou wert not taken into heaven as Elias was, nor didst thou penetrate to the third heaven with Paul, but thou didst reach the royal throne itself of thy Son, seeing it with thy own eyes, standing by it in joy and unspeakable familiarity.”

First Homily on the Dormition: St John of Damascus

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings for the glorious feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, wherein the Saviour’s victory over death and the opening of the gates of paradise is realised in the translation of the Theotokos from death to life, and from earth to heaven.

It is our summer Pascha, in which we celebrate the rising and ascension of the Mother of God, who follows in the wake of her beloved Son, the first-fruit of the dead, called forth from her sleep by the Giver of Life, who trampled down death by death, bestowing life upon those who dwell in the graves, beginning with His own beloved mother.

When we contemplate the holy icons of her Dormition, the voice and tradition of the Church prompts us to appreciate that this wondrous event was one in which heaven and earth were united as the Mother of God, the Second Eve, was laid in the tomb and subsequently translated from earth to heaven.

We can easily forget how the heavens rejoiced, as the All-Pure Virgin was translated to glory, untouched by corruption, and exalted above the angelic ranks, as she who is “more honourable than the cherubim, and truly more glorious than the seraphim.”

Rather than seeing the feast only from an earthly perspective, focussing upon Gethsemane and the apostles, we must raise our minds to contemplate the glory of the Dormition and Assumption of the Mother of God from the perspective of the dwellers of heaven, appreciating that the angelic hosts and the saints of the Old Covenant eagerly awaited the arrival of the Theotokos.

We see Gethsemane, the Mother of God upon her deathbed, the apostles assembled by the angels and brought to Jerusalem from the “ends of the earth”.

We see them bidding farewell to the Mother of the Lord, forewarned of her Dormition three days earlier by the Archangel Gabriel; we reflect upon their hymns and prayers as they carry the Mother of God on the funeral bier to her sepulchre, and though knowing that the Lord received her all-pure soul, we easily fail to appreciate the joyful anticipation of those abiding in the heavens, and of the celestial attendants and celebration around her falling asleep.

St Jacob of Serug reminds us that the apostles were not the only assembly to gather around her deathbed and to perform the entombment of the Mother of God – as we see in the holy icons – as angelic hosts descend to participate in the rites in which the Theotokos was laid in her sepulchre, before being received, body and soul, into heaven, glorified by her Son and Lord.

St Jacob describes the joyful and expectant citizens of heaven, as the Dormition united the earthly and heavenly realms; a door from mortality to immortality; a concelebrated union of apostles and angels in the burial of the All-Pure Virgin, translated from temporality to eternal blessedness and glory:

“The ranks and companies and host of the sons of light; the tumult of the watchers and the fiery assemblies of flame; the fiery Seraphim, with their dense wings of flame, with legions and their heavenly battalions; the mighty Cherubim, who were yoked to his chariot; they trembled with wonder while singing praises with their hosannas.

The followers of Gabriel, assemblies more fiery than flame, were variously changed in their natures.

The followers of Michael, full of motion in their descent, were keeping the feast, exulting and rejoicing this day with their alleluias.

Heaven and the air were filled with the praise of the heavenly ones, who went forth and descended to the place of earth.”

In the first canon for the feast, St Cosmas of Maiuma goes so far as to write not simply of the angelic presence at the burial of the Mother of God, but seeing her entombment primarily celebrated by the angels, rather than the apostles:

“The choir of angels buried thy body, which had received God, gazing upon it with fear, and exclaiming with a loud voice: O Theotokos who ascendest to thy Son in the heavenly mansions, thou ever savest thine inheritance!”

Writing in the late second century, Melito of Sardis, narrated the descent of the Lord to the Tomb of the Virgin in Gethsemane, and the rolling away of the stone by the Great Taxiarch, the Archangel Michael, before the Saviour called His mother forth from her sepulchre:

“He ordered the archangel Michael to bring the soul of St. Mary. And, behold, the archangel Michael rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb; and the Lord said: Arise, my beloved and my nearest; thou who hast not put an corruption by intercourse with man, suffer not destruction of the body in the sepulchre. And immediately Mary rose from the tomb, and blessed the Lord, and falling forward at the feet of the Lord, adored Him, saying: I cannot render sufficient thanks to Thee, O Lord, for Thy boundless benefits which Thou hast deigned to bestow upon me Thine handmaiden. May Thy name, O Redeemer of the world, God of Israel, be blessed for ever.”

Furthermore, looking beyond the earthly and temporal, we may contemplate not only the angelic hosts rejoicing, but also the righteous-dead of the Old Testament, delivered from Hades by the Victorious Saviour in the harrowing of hell.

Unlike the holy forefathers, patriarchs and prophets (whom we see looking down upon the Dormition from the heavens in some icons), the Mother of God is not simply with her Son by spiritual presence, but also physically, through her translation in both body and soul: a sign and promise to all of humanity of the resurrection, to be fulfilled at the end of the ages.

St Jacob contemplates the joy of the righteous departed, some of them forebears of the Mother of God, as they see her assumed, glorified and welcomed into the heavens where they dwell, awaiting the resurrection of their own bodies.

He calls them to rejoice in the translation (metastasis) of the Mother of God: for Adam and Eve to rejoice as their daughter is welcomed into the eternal rest where they dwell; to Noah and Abraham, as their daughter visits them in their dwelling-place; to Jacob, seeing that the daughter sprouted from his root has called him into life; to the twelve patriarchs because she had visited them; to Judah, for this daughter who has given life is his descendent; to Joseph and Moses, as the Virgin calls all mankind to life, and to Aaron, Eleazar the priest and all the tribes of the sons of Levi with their priesthood.

He calls upon David the renowned forefather of both the Mother of God and the Saviour to rejoice, because his daughter has placed a glorious crown upon his head; to Samuel with Jeremiah, because the Mother of God, the daughter of Judah, drops dew on their bones; to Ezekiel, for the fulfilment of prophecy; and to the prophet Isaiah, because the Mother of God whom he prophesied has visited him in the place of the departed righteous ones.

Through St Jacob‘s poetic reflections, we see the celestial welcome, as angels and the righteous-departed rejoice as the Mother of God, is borne to heaven.

St John of Damascus reflects upon the reaction of Adam and Eve, as first-father and first-mother, who, remembering their own disobedience, joyfully see their restoration in their daughter’s entrance into heaven in both body and soul.

Through the Saviour’s Life-Giving death and Resurrection, the anticipated resurrection of the dead becomes a reality before them, as her Dormition and entrance into heaven becomes the sign of the opening of the gates of paradise, which they themsleves had closed, and the Mother of God becomes the ladder from earth to heaven.

“Then Adam and Eve, our first parents, opened their lips to exclaim, “Thou blessed daughter of ours, who hast removed the penalty of our disobedience! Thou, inheriting from us a mortal body, hast won us immortality. Thou, taking thy being from us, hast given us back the being in grace. Thou hast conquered pain and loosened the bondage of death. Thou hast restored us to our former state. We had shut the door of paradise; thou didst find entrance to the tree of life. Through us sorrow came out of good; through thee good from sorrow. How canst thou who art all fair taste of death ? Thou art the gate of life and the ladder to heaven. Death is become the passage to immortality. O thou truly blessed one!”

Raised to her heavenly place with her Son at the throne of glory, the words of the Psalmist were fulfilled: “The Queen didst stand at my right-hand, arrayed in a vesture of inwoven gold, adorned with various colours.” (Ps 45:9)

What is this vestment of inwoven gold, with the images of coloured embroidery and jewels?

Her vesture, prophetically described by King David, is her life of holiness and purity, adorned by the virtues of the spiritual life: “…a vessel containing every grace, the fulness of all things good and beautiful, the tablet and living icon of every good and all uprightness…” (St Gregory Palamas)

As such, she shows how we must seek to live our lives in honest contemplation of eternity, beyond the grave and beyond the dread judgement, “when the books will be opened, and all hidden things revealed.”

As the Hodegetria, “Who Shows the Way”, the life of the Mother of God was such a life of dedicated holiness, humility and obedience, showing Christians the way to live, and through doing so in preparation for the age to come, her Dormition shows Christians the way to die.

Let us seek to follow the great and saving example of the Mother of God in our lives, weak and feeble though we are, honouring her and her Holy Dormition by seeking to clothe ourselves in sanctity and adorning ourselves with spiritual virtues in the manner in which we live and prepare for the age to come, and in the way we face the certainty of death.

May our lives bring joy and exultation to the heavenly powers, and to the Mother of God, herself, as the Mother of the Church and protectress of Christians.

Having been translated from her earthly tomb, she has no need of our flowers, sweet smelling herbs, candles and incense, but rather calls us to offer lives striving for grace, and for good and beautiful things and uprightness: lives which make the heavens rejoice; lives following the steep, ascending path from earth to heaven, obediently following in the footsteps of the Saviour, as “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

“If we purify our mind with the body, we shall possess her grace. She shuns all impurity and impure passions. She has a horror of intemperance, and a special hatred for fornication. She turns from its allurements as from the progeny of serpents . . . She looks upon all sin as death-inflicting rejoicing in all good. Contraries are cured by contraries.

She delights in fasting and continence and spiritual canticles, in purity, virginity, and wisdom. With these she is ever at peace, and takes them to her heart. She embraces peace and a meek spirit, and love, mercy, and humility as her children. In a word, she grieves over every sin, and is glad at all goodness as if it were her own.

If we turn away from our former sins in all earnestness and love goodness with all our hearts, and make it our constant companion, she will frequently visit her servants, bringing all blessings with her, Christ her Son, the King and Lord who reigns in our hearts.”

                                                          Second Homily on the Dormition: St John of Damascus

Wishing you a radiant joyful feast! Amen.

Parish News: 25 August

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Dear brothers and sisters,

What a wonderful weekend this has been, and how blessed we are to have continued celebrating the after-feast of the Transfiguration not only in Cardiff, but also in the ancient church of St Laurence in Bradford-on-Avon.

Our pilgrimage to honour St Laurence brought pilgrims together from across the geographical breadth of the parish – from Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, from Bath and North East Somerset, from Chippenham and Warminster, from Poole, and the western reaches of the Kennet and Avon Canal – with Aleksandra visiting from London, and Orthodox visitors from Kent and East Anglia.

It was wonderful that such geographically scattered people gathered under the high roof of the ancient church, united in the Liturgy and the communion of the Lord’s Body and Blood. The Liturgy itself was a sign of unity, as was the lovely shared meal and time chatting between services.

Our day started wet and grey, and the smallness of the windows and narrow high doorways made for a dark interior, to which our eyes needed to adjust as we entered the ancient church. However, as we prepared the sanctuary and nave for worship, the interior came to life with candlelight, with our flower-decked icons flanking the high narrow entrance to the sanctuary – lit so beautifully by the seven-branched candelabrum generously bought by the chair of trustees of St Lawrence’s in Warminster, for our use in Wessex liturgies. It looked wonderful in the high, dark sanctuary, giving us much-needed light to celebrate upon the stone altar.

Our Liturgy followed the confessions of most of our pilgrims who partook of the Holy Mysteries. We congratulate them, and hope that the Grace of the Liturgy continues to give them strength.

It was wonderful for the church to resound with Orthodox chant, with incense smoke rising to the heights of the tall, narrow temple, and a blessing to honour the Holy Martyr Laurence the day after his feast. The reading of his canon during our afternoon moleben was a joy, with the refrains enthusiastically resounding in the now bright and sunny nave, with the Serbian and Athonite melodies of the ectenias greeting the steady stream of afternoon visitors.

For most of the visitors who came in and out during our services, it was probably their first living encounter with Orthodox Christianity, and stresses the importance of our pilgrimages in taking the Church into the world, where it can be encountered in all of its beauty.

We had hoped for a picnic outside, but the weather resulted in a picnic in the body of the church as the clouds gave way to blue sky and sun, so that by the time we chanted a joyful moleben to St Laurence after lunch, it felt like summer, once more.

Some of us enjoyed a short walk along the river to the ancient tithe-barn and a visit to the community orchard before sitting outside chatting over refreshments for an hour, enjoying the tea-time sun.

Thanks to all who contributed to such a wonderful, memorable day.

It is heartening to see the determined teamwork following our parish elections, and the hard work being invested in our community, whether in South Wales or across the Severn, among our Wessex faithful. The month since Father Mark’s ordination has seen great positivity, with parishioners being so proactive and generous in parish life.

Today’s Liturgy continued the after-feast, with the traditional blessing of fruit at the end of the service, and we were pleased to once again welcome our new visitors who have been with us over the last two or three weeks. Trapeza after Liturgy is proving so important in getting to meet new people, welcome them and introduce them to our community. Many thanks to our sisters, and all who have been helping with our post-Liturgy meal.

The last few days of the Dormition Fast are before us, and we will celebrate the Summer-Pascha, the Dormition of the Mother of God, on Wednesday. I will celebrate Great Vespers in the Oratory Church in Swinton Street on Tuesday at 15:00, and will hear confessions if needed after our service. The Hours and Divine Liturgy will then be celebrated there at 10:30 on Wednesday morning, and I am glad that Father Mark the Younger will be with us, allowing me to hear confessions whilst he performs proskomedia. We will share a bring-and-share lunch after Liturgy, as we have on previous Liturgy days.

Father Mark and I will spend the second and third days of the Dormition in London, where Germaine’s husband Jose will be baptised on Thursday, before their Orthodox Church wedding on Friday. Please keep them in your prayers.

When we assemble again, in St John’s, we will celebrate the after-feast of the Dormition Mother of God, and the Sunday of Dormition marks the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Enlightener of Minds” – “Pribavlenie Uma.”

Most of you will be aware of the repose of Branka’s grandmother, Jovana, who was remembered together with the newly reposed Archimandrite Germogen and handmaiden of God, Liubov in a litia after Liturgy. Please keep them, as well as Branka, Stefan and Tara in your prayers. Memory Eternal!

I very much look forward to celebrating Dormition and its after-feast with you!

Asking you forgiveness for Christ’s sake.

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

Canon to St Laurence

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Ode 1, Irmos: O Thou who wast born of the Virgin, / drown I implore Thee, in the depth of dispassion / the triune nature of my soul, / as Thou didst the mighty strongholds of the warriors, / that in the mortality of my flesh / as on a timbrel / I may chant a hymn of victory.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Taking delight in the garden of sweetness and joining chorus with the angelic hosts as is meet, as a warrior of Christ, pray thou that He grant effulgent radiance unto me who hymn thee, O blessed Laurence.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Entering upon the feats of honoured torment, O Laurence, in steadfastness of soul thou didst show thyself to be a victorious spiritual athlete, magnificently arrayed in the crown of righteousness and a diadem of victory.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As thou wast a child of the light and of the day, thou hast shone forth upon us sensibly like the sun from the west, illumining the ends of the earth with a most splendid radiance, O all-glorious martyr Laurence.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Delivered from the bonds of Hades and corruption, and from the condemnation of the law, by thine honoured birth giving, O most holy Virgin, we cry to thee in thanksgiving: Rejoice, O thou who art full of joy, thou saving portal of grace!

Ode 3, Irmos: The bow of the mighty hath waxed feeble / and the weak have girded themselves with strength: / therefore is my heart established / in the Lord.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

With the Cross as thy standard, thou didst valiantly array thyself against the enemy, and wast shown to be crowned with victory, O right-wondrous one.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Protected by the law of Christ, as one invincible thou didst oppose the laws of the impious with courageous endurance, O all-blessed one.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Strengthened by the power of God, thou didst destroy the feebleness of polytheism and didst elucidate the pre-eternal divinity of Christ.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Equal to the Father and the Spirit in nature, essence and divinity, and to men also, was the Word Who didst become incarnate of thee, O all-immaculate one.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Sessional Hymn, in Tone 8, Spec. Mel – “Of the Wisdom …”: Having amassed heavenly riches and brought them to the poor, thou didst distribute them, and gave thy bread also to the hungry, and thereby having acquired life incorruptible, thou didst shine forth in thy confession of Christ, O glorious one. Wherefore, having courageously suffered under the law, thou didst receive from God a crown for thy labours, O spiritual athlete Laurence. Entreat Christ God, that He grant forgiveness of sins unto those who with love honour thy holy memory. Repeat sessional hymn.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Sessional Hymn of the feast, same tone: On the holy mountain thou didst show forth the lightning of the divine majesty hidden under the flesh of Thy nature, O Christ our Benefactor, shining forth upon the 1disciples who were with Thee. And comprehending Thine unbearable glory, they cried out: Holy art Thou! For though unapproachable, thou wast seen by the world in the flesh, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.

Ode 4, Irmos: He who sitteth in glory upon the throne of the Godhead, / Jesus the true God, / is come in a swift cloud / and with His sinless hands he hath saved those who cry: / Glory to Thy power, O Christ.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

For love of the Word, the servant of the Word, adorned with eloquence and spirituality, hath been slaughtered, and now reigneth in righteousness with the Word, enjoying gladness and His glory.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Piously fighting off the slumber of impiety with divine vigilance, O sacred martyr of Christ, by thy martyr’s stand thou didst cut off from thine eyes the sleep which is unto death.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Protected by the true armour of piety against the proponents of the impious opposition, for the sake of the Faith thou didst utterly cast down the memory of them by thy love of morality.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Having put aside all the defilement of the primeval food, we are nurtured with the Grain of Life from heaven, Which arose from the earth from the Virgin. Let us hymn her as the mediatress of good things.

Ode 5, Irmos: The wicked will not behold Thy glory, O Christ, / but we who rise early to hymn Thee shall behold Thee, / the Only-Begotten effulgence of Thy Father’s divinity, / O Lover of mankind.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thine eyes fixed with unwavering vision upon divine beauties, O right wondrous Laurence, Thou didst spurn all the beautiful things on earth and the cruel pangs of thy body.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Having recognised Christ, Who became a servant for us, through gifts received from the Father, and having become His servant, thou didst depart unto Him through the shedding of thy blood, O most blessed one.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O blessed one, thou didst offer thyself unto Christ as a sacred oblation and a magnificent adornment; and having adorned the tabernacle of heaven, thou dost now abide there delighting in radiance.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The only-begotten Son, of the same essence and like unto the Father, of His own will becameth akin to mankind, the Most High being incarnate from thy womb, O Virgin Mother.

Ode 6, Irmos: I have reached the depths of the sea / and the tempest of my many sins hath engulfed me; / but do Thou raise up my life from the abyss / O Greatly-Merciful One.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Kindling a material fire, thou didst prepare thyself as sweet food for the King of all, Who loveth and craveth our salvation, O all-glorious one.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thou didst draw nigh wholly to the light of the ruling Trinity, and being radiant, as God’s servant, thou dost illumine those who hymn thee, O spiritual athlete.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Strengthened with divine power, lying on the heated grill thou didst endure torment for the love of Christ, enkindling thy soul with fire and spiritual dew.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Virgin Mother, thou wast the place of God’s lodging, an animate throne, the holy mountain, the ark, the divinely wrought tabernacle, and the golden candle-stand.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Kindling thy heart with divine fire, / thou didst utterly reduce the fire of the passions to ashes, / O God-bearing martyr Laurence, / thou confirmation of spiritual athletes; / and in the midst of thy sufferings / thou didst cry aloud with faith: // Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ!

Ikos: Assembling, O ye faithful, with hymns let us all honour the spiritual athlete Laurence, who shone forth in the world like a steady beacon, as an initiate of ineffable mysteries; for by his supplications we are delivered from grievous transgressions. And having cleansed our hearts, let us glorify Christ Who glorifieth him who is mighty amid sufferings and who saith: Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ!

Ode 7, Irmos: Thou didst save the children of Abraham in the fire / and slay the Chaldeans, / who unjustly entrapped the righteous ones. / O supremely hymned Lord, God of our fathers, / blessed art Thou.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Fore-chosen to celebrate the Mysteries and serve the Word, thou wast shown to be a sacred vessel and oblation of the temple of heaven, chanting unto the Creator: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Covered by the law of the life which is in Christ, O most blessed Laurence, thou didst not bow thy mind to those who imposed laws of death and corruption, but chanted: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Clad in a body as one who manifestly felt no pain, O most blessed one, with valorous mind, and as one most noetically rich, thou didst dare the all-devouring fire, crying aloud: O supremely hymned Lord God of our fathers, blessed art Thou!

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Thou wast shown to be the noetic eastward portal of the Most High Who, in a manner beyond speech and understanding, appeared to mankind on earth through thee, O Bride of God: the blessed God of our fathers.

Ode 8, Irmos: O almighty Redeemer of all, / having descended and bedewed the children / in the midst of the flame, / Thou didst teach them to sing: / All ye works bless and hymn the Lord.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

In thy steadfastness of mind thou wast mightier than the unbearable flame, burning as if in another’s body, O blessed one, yet chanting with faith: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Like unto the three children, thou didst quench the burning embers of the fire with the dew of divine grace, crying aloud and chanting: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As Christ was thine enlightenment, He girded thee about with His own might, and led thee up to Himself as thou didst piously chant: All ye works bless and hymn the Lord!

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

A rod sprung forth from the root of Jesse wast thou, and in a manner past nature thou gavest rise to Christ my God and Lord, the Flower of the Godhead. Let all works bless thy birthgiving, O Virgin!

Ode 9, Irmos: Eve dwelt under the curse of sin / because of the infirmity of disobedience; / but thou, O Virgin Theotokos, / hast through the Offspring of thy pregnancy / blossomed forth blessing upon the world. / Wherefore, we all magnify thee.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Thou didst offer thyself as a perfect sacrifice and incense pleasing unto the Master, being tried by the fire of suffering like gold in a crucible; whereby thou didst become a foremost adornment of the Church, O right wondrous one.

Holy Archdeacon Laurence, pray to God for us.

Deified by the direct sight of God and by a higher union, O Laurence, in word and by divine vision thou wast radiantly illumined by the uttermost Light. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

Glory be to Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Thou didst shine forth from the West like the sun, O blessed one, O great and most glorious wonder; illumining all the Church with thy beams, O right wondrous one; and warming all with the fervor of faith. Wherefore, we all call thee blessed.

Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The prophets, beholding images of thy birthgiving, O all-immaculate one, were instructed thereby from afar by divine inspiration, loudly proclaiming it to the world, and we now marvel at their fulfilment.

Troparion, Tone 4: In his sufferings, Thy martyr Laurence O Lord, / received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; / for, possessed of Thy might, / he set at naught the tyrants and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. // By his supplications save Thou our souls.

 

St Laurence’s Day – Happy Feast!

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As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Martyr, let us read the words of St Ambrose, who wrote of Laurence as an ideal example of the diaconal ministry, and pray the canon to the saint. We look forward to also honouring St Laurence with tomorrow’s pilgrimage to Bradford-on-Avon.

“And let us not pass by St. Laurence, who, seeing Sixtus his bishop led to martyrdom, began to weep, not at his sufferings but at the fact that he himself was to remain behind. With these words he began to address him: “Where, father, are you going without your son? Where, holy priest, are you hastening without your deacon? Never were you wont to offer sacrifice without an attendant. What are you displeased at in me, my father? Have you found me unworthy? Prove, then, whether you have chosen a fitting servant. To him to whom you have entrusted the consecration of the Saviour’s blood, to whom you have granted fellowship in partaking of the Sacraments, to him do you refuse a part in your death? Beware lest your good judgment be endangered, while your fortitude receives its praise. The rejection of a pupil is the loss of the teacher; or how is it that noble and illustrious men gain the victory in the contests of their scholars rather than in their own? Abraham offered his son, Peter sent Stephen on before him! Father, show forth your courage in your son. Offer me whom you have trained, that you, confident in your choice of me, may reach the crown in worthy company.”

Then Sixtus said: “I leave you not nor forsake you. Greater struggles yet await you. We as old men have to undergo an easier fight; a more glorious triumph over the tyrant awaits you, a young man. Soon shall you come. Cease weeping; after three days you shall follow me. This interval must come between the priest and his levite. It was not for you to conquer under the eye of your master, as though you needed a helper. Why do you seek to share in my death? I leave to you its full inheritance. Why do you need my presence? Let the weak disciples go before their master, let the brave follow him, that they may conquer without him. For they no longer need his guidance. So Elijah left Elisha. To you I entrust the full succession to my own courage.”

Such was their contention, and surely a worthy one, wherein priest and attendant strove as to who should be the first to suffer for the name of Christ. When that tragic piece is played, it is said there is great applause in the theatre as Pylades says he is Orestes, while Orestes declares that he is really himself. The former acted as he did, that he might die for Orestes, and Orestes, that he might not allow Pylades to be slain instead of himself. But it was not right that they should live, for each of them was guilty of parricide, the one because he had committed the crime, the other because he had helped in its commission. But here there was nothing to call holy Laurence to act thus but his love and devotion. However, after three days he was placed upon the gridiron by the tyrant whom he mocked, and was burnt. He said: “The flesh is roasted, turn it and eat.” So by the courage of his mind he overcame the power of fire.

Such gold the holy martyr Laurence preserved for the Lord. For when the treasures of the Church were demanded from him, he promised that he would show them. On the following day he brought the poor together. When asked where the treasures were which he had promised, he pointed to the poor, saying: “These are the treasures of the Church.” And truly they were treasures, in whom Christ lives, in whom there is faith in Him. So, too, the Apostle says: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7). What greater treasures has Christ than those in whom He says He Himself lives? For thus it is written: “I was hungry and you gave Me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in” (Matt. 25:35). And again: “What you did to one of these, you did it unto Me” (Matt. 25:40). What better treasures has Jesus than those in which He loves to be seen?

These treasures Laurence pointed out, and prevailed, for the persecutors could not take them away. Jehoiachim, who preserved his gold during the siege and spent it not in providing food, saw his gold carried off, and himself led into captivity. Laurence, who preferred to spend the gold of the Church on the poor, rather than to keep it in hand for the persecutor, received the sacred crown of martyrdom for the unique and deep-sighted vigor of his meaning. Or was it perhaps said to holy Laurence: “Thou should not spend the treasures of the Church, or sell the sacred vessels”? ”

Weekly News – Transfiguration

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Dear brothers and sisters,

How sad it is that this second day of the feast of the Transfiguration is overshadowed by the Verkhovna Rada passing a resolution aiming to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Only yesterday, I wrote that the way of the Cross is the way that leads us upwards to the Mountain of the Transfiguration and to the Saviour, Who calls us into His glory in the radiance of His Kingdom. Though its personal Golgotha, the struggle that faces the Church in Ukraine, will ultimately lead the Church into Christ’s radiant glory, but the times ahead may be hard and painful, and our prayers are needed. Our thoughts are particularly with our temporary parishioners from Ukraine, who are children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Despite this sorrowful event, we rejoice in the feast of the Saviour’s Transfiguration, celebrated with the Divine Liturgy and a lunch in the Oratory Church, yesterday. A dozen of us gathered to celebrate the feast, with some of enjoying lunch in the church hall after the service.

Our sincere thanks go to Father Sebastian, who came to church to greet the faithful before Liturgy, having heard the joyful news that the Hawaiian Myrrh-Weeping icon of the Mother of God will be coming to Cardiff on 12 November, on which evening a moleben will be offered before the icon, in honour of the Mother of God. St John’s will be in use that evening, so by providence, and perhaps the will of the Mother of God, her icon will – once more – be venerated alongside the relics of the Holy Protomartyr, Alban, as happened in St Alban’s Abbey, on the day when Father Mark was made a reader. Please mark this much anticipated visit on your calendar. The icon will be brought by His Grace, Bishop Irenei, and we greatly look forward to welcoming him and the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Father Mark and I felt greatly blessed to travel to Cheltenham, where we celebrated the feast of the Holy Youths of Ephesus, with Father Mark the Younger celebrating the Divine Liturgy, whilst I looked after confessions, helped in the oltar and sang on the kliros with our sisters, reduced in number, due to summer holidays. It was a lovely celebration, and it was lovely to have lunch together, and to then bless mama Galina’s flat and to relax and have tea before our journey back to Wales. Though the Cheltenham visits make for a long day, and can be very tiring, we felt greatly blessed, invigorated and enthusiastic, returning home with a newly found energy and great appreciation for the love and devotion among the members of our little Gloucestershire community. Glory to God!

In Cardiff, on Sunday, Father Mark and I continued the pattern which will now be repeated, alternating the main celebrant, with the concelebrant offering the homily. It was good to see parishioners who have been away for a while and to welcome our new youngsters, and to see such warm conversation as people introduced themselves and made the acquaintance of our new faces. Thanks to all, who made it another lovely Liturgy, and looked after everyone with such warmth and kindness.

We must congratulate Kolya on his exam results, and forthcoming study in Bristol, and your prayers are asked for our students who are still travelling during the summer vacation, as well as for Sveta as she heads off for some summer teaching.

This week will see confessions on Thursday, on which day vespers for the feast of St Laurence will be chanted in the Oratory Church. Please get in touch if you wish to arrange confession.

We will celebrate the feast of St Laurence a day late in Bradford-on-Avon on Saturday (24th August), honouring the hieromartyr in the beautiful Anglo-Saxon Church dedicated to him, with the Hours and Divine Liturgy beginning at 09:00. We hope that the weather will allow us to celebrate a picnic lunch, before serving a moleben to St Laurence in the afternoon. I am told that some of our cathedral youth will be making the journey, and hopefully helping with the singing.

Looking forward to next week, the Divine Liturgy for the Dormition of the Mother of God will be celebrated in the Oratory Church on Wednesday 28th August, on which day there will be two Fathers Mark to serve, making confessions and proskomedia rather easier. A bring-and-share lunch will follow the Liturgy.

Being the afterfeast of the Transfiguration, we will repeat the blessing of fruit after this Sunday’s Liturgy, so please feel free to bring fruit to mark the second feast of the Saviour – the “Apple Saviour” – “Яблочный Спас”.

I hope that the Dormtion fast, in preparation for the Summer Pasha – the Dormition of the Mother of God – is proving spiritually fruitful for you.

Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.

Hieromonk Mark

Synaxarion for the Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus

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On the fourth of this month, we commemorate the Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus, Maximilian, Exacustodianus, Iamblicus, Martinian, Dionysius, Antoninus and Constantine.

Verses: The sevenfold choir of Martyrs I honor, / Who showed the world the rising of the dead. / On the fourth the seven who rose from the dead together died.

These Saints flourished during the reign of Emperor Decius, who in the year 252 distributed all their belongings to the poor, and they entered a cave in which they hid. After supplicating God to be released from the bond of the body, so as not to be handed over to Emperor Decius, they delivered their souls to God. When Emperor Decius returned to Ephesus, he had requested of them to come and sacrifice to the idols, but he learned that they died in the cave, so he ordered that the door of the cave be obstructed. From that time three hundred and seventy-two years passed, until the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Theodosius the Younger, in the year 446.

At that time there began to spread a heresy, which said there was no resurrection of the dead. When Emperor Theodosius saw the Church of God troubled, and many Bishops had fallen into error due to this heresy, he wondered what to do. Wherefore he dressed in a garment made of goat’s hair, spread himself on the ground and mourned, supplicating God to reveal to him the solution to this heresy. The Lord did not overlook his tears, but hearkened to him in the following manner. The landholder of that mountain, where the cave of the Holy Seven Youths was located, at that time wanted to build a stable for his sheep. As he was rolling stones from the cave in order to build his stable, the door of the cave opened, and by God’s command the seven Youths who had died in the cave were resurrected, and they conversed between each other, as if they had reposed the previous day, without changing at all, so that not even their clothing was ruined at all from the natural moisture and humidity of the cave. Having therefore risen, they remembered that Emperor Decius sought for them in order to torture them, about which they spoke among themselves. Maximilian said to the rest: “If perhaps, brethren, we are captured by Decius, let us stand with courage, and not betray our noble faith. You brother Iamblicus, go to purchase some bread, and purchase even more, since last night you purchased little bread, which is why we went to sleep hungry. Learn also what Decius is deliberating about us.”

Iamblicus therefore went to the city of Ephesus, where he saw the sign of the honorable Cross on the door and he was amazed. Seeing the same in other places, and observing the buildings and houses to have been changed, and the people were different, he thought he was having a vision, or had come into a state of ecstasy. However, as he went to the bread-sellers, he purchased breads, and having given the coins, he set out to return back to the cave. Yet he saw how the bread-sellers were showing the coins to each other, so they turned towards him and said that he had found a treasure, for the money he gave clearly testified that he had found a treasure, for it had engraved on it the image of the emperor Decius from long ago. When Iamblicus heard this, he became terrified, and because of his fear was unable to speak, thinking that he had been recognized by them, and would in turn be handed over to Emperor Decius. He therefore begged them, saying: “I beg you, my lords, you have my coins, take also your breads, and allow me to withdraw.” The bread-sellers said to him: “Show us the treasure you found, and make us also partners of the find, otherwise we will hand you over to be killed.”

Seeing the Saint standing there in his thoughts, they put a chain around his neck, and dragged him to the open market. Taking him to the proconsul of Ephesus, they presented him for examination. When the proconsul saw this, he said: “Tell us, O young man, how you found this treasure, and how much is there, and where.” Iamblicus responded that he never found a treasure, but the money he had he received from his parents. “What then has come together,” he said, “and has followed me, I do not know.”

The proconsul again asked him: “From what city are you from?” The Saint responded: “I am from this one, if this is Ephesus.” “And who are your parents?” asked the proconsul; “let them come to us, and when they reveal the truth, then we will believe you.” Iamblicus replied: “So and so is my father, so and so is my grandfather, and so and so are my relatives.” The proconsul responded: “The names you said are strange and unsubstantial, and not of the present custom. Thus with these we cannot believe you.” Iamblicus said: “If you do not believe me who speaks the truth, then I do not know what else to say.” The proconsul replied: “Irreverent one, your money testifies by its inscription that it was produced more than three hundred years ago, during the reign of Decius the emperor, and you as a young man are attempting to deceive us?” Then Iamblicus fell at the feet of those who were there, and begged them, saying: “I beg you my lords, tell me, where is the emperor Decius, who was in this city?” They told him that currently it is not Decius, for he deliberated many years prior. And Iamblicus said: “This is why my lords you are in astonishment; but do now follow me to a cave, and from these signs you will come to believe my words. For I am sure, that we fled because of Decius, and yesterday when I came to buy breads, I saw that Decius had entered the city.”

These things were spoken by the Saint. The Bishop of Ephesus, whose name was Marinos, heard these things, so he said to the proconsul: “I think a wonderful thing will follow from this proposal, therefore let us follow him.” Hence the Bishop and the proconsul and many people followed him, and when they arrived at the cave, Iamblicus first entered it, followed by the Bishop, who when he turned to the right side of the door of the cave, saw a chest sealed with two seals, which was put there by the [secret] Christians Rufinus and Theodore, who were sent there with others by Decius, in order to obstruct the door of the cave. It was they who wrote the synaxaria of the Saints, and wrote their names on plaques of lead. Reading these words, all were astonished. Entering the deeper part of the cave, they found the Saints, and fell at their feet. Sitting down, they questioned them. The Saints narrated, first, their own purpose, then their brave deeds before the emperor Decius. Wherefore all were astonished and glorified the God of wonders. Then the proconsul with the Bishop wrote an account to the emperor Theodosius, and reported to him all of the above. The emperor received the letter, and was filled with joy over the news, and with much speed went to Ephesus. Entering the cave, he fell to the ground and washed the feet of the Saints with his tears. And he rejoiced and was glad in his soul, for the Lord did not overlook his request, but showed him with his own eyes the resurrection of the dead. While the emperor was conversing with the Saints, together with Bishops and other authorities, the Saints began to get a little tired, and before everyone, they delivered their souls into the hands of God.

Then the emperor gave precious garments of gold and silver, and ordered that seven chests be made of the same, to have the relics of the Saints placed in. But that night, the Saints appeared to the emperor and said: “Leave us, O Emperor, in this cave, in which we arose.” After many Bishops and authorities gathered, the emperor had the relics of the Saints placed in the ground of the cave, as they revealed to him in the vision. And making a joyous feast, he gave hospitality to the poor of Ephesus, and brought joy to all the people, lovingly honoring them in very expensive and royal ways. He redeemed also from he prisons the imprisoned Bishops, for they proclaimed the resurrection of the dead. This was followed by a common feast, glorifying and blessing our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father Mark’s Homily: Matthew 9:7-35

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Thanks to Father Mark “the Younger” for Sunday’s Homily.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s Gospel we are told of encounters Christ has with those in need, and through this reading we are taught again about the power of true faith.

Firstly – Christ continuing his journey, after healing the woman with an issue of blood and raising Jairus’s daughter from the dead encounters  blind men on the road.

The  blind men had followed Jesus and were crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Here we can see that their faith was already active and alive. We naturally understand this to be the case because they have heard or witnessed the previous miracles that Christ had performed. So, whilst they could not see physically, they possessed something greater, a spiritual sight – and it was this that would ultimately bring about the healing they fervently petitioned for. 

However, unlike some of the other miracles we are told that Christ did not immediately heal the men and continued the short remainder of his journey to the house he was visiting …. with the spiritually emboldened blind men following Him, continuing their petitions to be healed.

They recognised Jesus as the Son of David – the promised and prophesised Messiah. What is important for us to understand is how they persisted in their plea.

This persistence in prayer is something we must learn and adopt in our spiritual lives. Often we pray but we do not receive what we ask for immediately, and we are tempted to give up. We need to be mindful that the Lord may delay his answer not out of spite or egotistic control – but out of love –  to allow us to reveal the sincerity and depth of our faith, not only to Him but also to ourselves. He desires that we approach Him not just with our lips, but with a heart full of faith of trust and persistence.

When Jesus finally turns to the blind men, He asks them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” And they responded, “Yes, Lord.”

Their answer was simple, but it carried the fullness of their faith in Him as the Messiah. Jesus then touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you” and immediately their eyes were opened.

These blind men submitted themselves to God with their unwavering faith, and it was according to their faith that they received their sight.

The Gospel then continues with a Second healing: the healing of a man possessed by a demon that had made him mute.

We know little of this man, but the power of evil is clearly evident in his long and continual suffering – but once the demon was cast out, with light replacing the darkness the man spoke, and we are told the crowd “marvelled”. Everyone that is except the Pharisees.

It was in this healing that the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the prince of demons. That only evil commands evil. They could not see the truth that He (Christ) is the Messiah – our God and Saviour. They could not see the truth or the light because their hearts were blinded by pride, by envy, by spite and by jealousy

 “Divine grace is resisted by those who are puffed up with pride, but is eagerly received by those who know their weakness and seek God’s help”. (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

The blind men and the man possessed, in their humility and torment received healing, while the Pharisees in their arrogance, rejected the very source of life – the God they purported to worship so grandly and publicly.

It’s a significant reminder to us of the importance of humility and the dangers of pride. We may be different colours, may have different opinions, different lives but are all made in Christs Image and should all profess the same faith and submit ourselves fully to His love and mercy.

Therefore in order to receive the fullness of both physical/spiritual healing and Grace that Christ offers freely, we must come before Him in humility with an open and contrite heart, acknowledging our need for His mercy.

Finally… after the miracles of healing

It’s easy to overlook to huge but simple statement in the final phrase in what appears to be what we call a “filler or throw away statement”

We hear that Christ “went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction”.

It is in this last phrase that we are again reminded that the mission of Christ is not just about healing (be it physical blindness or casting out demons and breathtaking miracles), but it is to bring the light of truth to all humanity, to heal the sickness of sin, and to restore us to the fullness of life in Him which was taken from us by the falling of Adam.

We see a convergence with John’s Gospel where he writes about Christ. “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

Christ Himself is the Truth: truth in action!  Christ healing the sick; Christ casting out demons; and Christ teaching humanity the way of salvation.

Therefore, let us, follow the example of the blind men in today’s Gospel. Let us approach Christ with firm unwavering faith, dogged persistence and absolute humility, trusting that He is the truth and that He can heal us, not just physically but spiritually.

Then as we receive His Grace, let us give glory to God, recognising that all good things come from Him and through Him.

Amen.

Supplicatory Canons During the Dormition Fast

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Dear brothers and sisters, having encouraged parishioners to take up a devotion to the Mother of God during the approaching Dormition Fast, recommending chanting a supplicatory canon each day/evening, I have been asked about the supplicatory canons to the Mother of God.

Whilst Greek tradition preserves the tradition of alternately chanting the greater and lesser supplicatory canons to the Mother of God during the days of preparation for the Dormition, Russian tradition lacks the use of greater canon and only the lesser canon is to be found in Slavic prayerbooks.

However, the octeochos contains a different canon for EVERY evening, so that allowing for our eight week cycle of services, there are fifty six supplicatory canons, as previously posted on our blog.

You can, of course,  simply use the Supplicatory Canon in your prayerbook in your evening prayers, but if anyone would like to use the canons proper to each evening in English during the Fast, the links follow below.

This week is Tone 6 in the octoechos cycle, so we go from Tone 6, through Tone 7, and part way through Tone 8.

As our liturgical days start in the evening, and the canons are for evening use, we start on Tuesday evening – which, liturgically, is already Wednesday!

We have yet to post the Dormition canons by the great hymnographers, Saints Cosmas of Maiuma and John of Damascus, and will do so. Ideally, these can then be prayed on the Eve of the Dormition.

Tuesday – Eve of Wednesday 1/14 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/tuesday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vi

Wednesday – Eve of Thursday 2/15 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/wednesday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vi

Thursday – Eve of Friday 3/16 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/thursday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vi

Friday – Eve of Saturday 4/17 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/friday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vi

Saturday – Eve of Sunday 5/18 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/saturday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Sunday – Eve of Monday 6/19 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/sunday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Monday – Eve of Tuesday 7/20 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/monday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Tuesday – Eve of Wednesday 8/21 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/tuesday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Wednesday – Eve of Thursday 9/22 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/wednesday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Thursday – Eve of Friday 10/23 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/thursday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Friday – Eve of Saturday 11/24 August : https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/friday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-vii

Saturday – Eve of Sunday 12/25 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/saturday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-viii

Sunday – Eve of Monday 13/26 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/sunday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-viii-2

Monday – Eve of Tuesday 14/27 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/monday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-viii

Tuesday – Eve of Wednesday – Dormition: 15/28 August: https://russianorthodoxchurchcardiff.com/tuesday-evening-compline-supplicatory-canon-in-tone-viii

Weekly News – 11 August

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Sunday 11 August N.S.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today saw the celebration of the Nativity of St Nicholas in Cardiff after the feast of the Smolensk icon in Warminster yesterday.

In my homily in Warminster, I reflected upon the life of the Smolensk icon, being carried in battle against the Mongol Hordes and against the invading French Army of 1812, stressing that, as Vladyka recently pointed out to us, the ceaseless Christian war is actually one that exists in each of our lives – not against worldly powers and regimes, but against sin and temptation.

As an Hodegetria Icon in which the Mother of God is ‘she who shows the way’, pointing to Christ as the very centre of her and our lives, it is through her example and guidance, following that iconographic hand in Her Smolensk icon, to concentrate upon Christ as the focal point and meaning of lives obedient to the Law of God, determined by the Gospel, and fighting against sin and temptation, that we will gain the real victory.

A great example of this is to be seen in St Nicholas, whose very name means Victor, or Winner – as explained to our youngsters at the end of Liturgy. The Mother of God and the Holy Wonderworker Nicholas show us that there is no victory unless we fight and labour for Christ.

If there is no battle, we will be spiritually crushed and lose the crown prepared for us by the Saviour, Who was victorious over hades, death and Satan through in His Life-Giving Passion and Glorious Resurrection. Victory was gained through the Cross, reminding us that without struggle and fighting for the Kingdom of Heaven, there will be no victory. The Cross is our weapon and token of victory, but only if it is lived and embraced!

Thank you to all who laboured for our weekend celebrations, especially for such generous hospitality and support whilst travelling away from home. It was lovely to have new people to join us for Liturgy, and wonderful that parish hospitality embraced them as they stopped to have lunch and  chat, and to have our young people engage and make them welcome.

It was a blessing to have Father Mark the Younger preach the homily at Liturgy, an we are grateful for such a well expressed encapsulation of the Sunday Gospel, highlighting that like the blind men, we need to follow Christ, keeping up with him and being persistent in our prayers when He may not respond to them in our time, rather than His time. Thank you, Father!

This Wednesday, the feast of the All-Merciful Saviour and the Procession of the Cross marks the beginning of the Dormition Fast, and Vespers will be chanted in the Oratory Church on Tuesday, the eve of the feast at 15:00. This is the first feast of the Saviour in August, known to us as the ‘Honey Saviour’ – ‘medovy spas’.

To once more quote St Nikolai Velimirovich:

“This feast was instituted by a mutual agreement of the Greeks and Russians at the time of the Greek Emperor Manuel and the Russian Prince Andrew in commemoration of the simultaneous victories of the Russians over the Bulgarians and the Greeks over the Saracens [in 1164]. In both of these battles, crosses were carried by the armies from which heavenly rays shone. It was therefore instituted that, on August 1, the Cross be carried first to the middle of the Church of the Divine Wisdom [Hagia Sophia] and after that, along the streets for the people to venerate as a commemoration of the miraculous help of the Cross in previous battles. This was not an ordinary cross but the true Honourable Cross which was kept in the church of the imperial court. On July 31, the Honourable Cross was carried from the imperial court to the Church of the Holy Wisdom of God and from there it was carried along the streets for the consecration of the earth and the air. Finally, on August 14, it was again returned to the church of the imperial palace.”

As most parishioners will be at work on the feast, we will bless honey after next Sunday’s Liturgy, so please bring your honey, honey-cakes, mead, poppy seeds and poppy-seed cakes and any other festal fare to be blessed, so that we can rally “taste and see how good the Lord is.”

Rather than vespers, Thursday will see the chanting of a moleben to St Vasily the Blessed of Moscow, in our usual Thursday afternoon 3 o’clock gathering in the Oratory Church. Please message me if you’d like confession on Thursday.

Saturday is our monthly Cheltenham visit, with the Hours and Liturgy in Prestbury United Reformed Church at 10:30. We look forward to Father Mark’s first priestly celebration on Cheltenham, and will perform the honey blessing at the end of the service.

Monday 19th August (6th Old Style) is the feast of the Transfiguration, and will be marked by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and blessing of new fruits in the Oratory Church at 10:30. I know that Masha very much wants to remain in Cardiff on Sunday night to be with us for the Transfiguration in Liturgy, so if anyone is able to offer a night’s hospitality, please get in touch with her.

As previously announced, Saturday 24th August will be see our Wessex pilgrimage to the Saxon church of St Laurence in Bradford-on-Avon, with the Hours at 09:00, followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:30. Weather permitting we will have a picnic lunch in the churchyard after the service.

Please think about what you can take on during the short fast ahead of us, in order to dedicate the thirteen days – fourteen with the feast of Dormition – to the Mother of God. If possible, read a supplication canon in her honour every day. Use these days to spiritually prepare for our Summer Pascha, when we will celebrate the falling asleep, resurrection and assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos into heaven.

May God bless you.

Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.

Hieromonk Mark