The afterfeast of the Dormition of the Mother of God continues, and I hope that we are all continuing to keep the feast in our homes.
Our Cardiff celebrations came at the end of a busy week which began with a pastoral visit to our Wessex parishioners, with our end of month gathering for supper and compline by candlelight in the Chapel of St Lawrence in Warminster. It was a very peaceful and prayerful evening and is becoming an important part of our liturgical life in the west of England.
Thanks to all who contributed to our Dormition celebrations, which saw Great Vespers in the Oratory on the eve of the feast, the Divine Liturgy in St Philip’s on the day and compline with the akathist for the Dormition in Nazareth House, and yesterday’s Divine Liturgy, followed by the moleben to the Mother of God for our children as they prepare to return to school for the new school year.
Given that yesterday was the feast of the “Pribavlenie Uma” icon of the Mother of God – the Giver / Addition of Mind (Understanding) – it was the perfect day to seek her blessing and pray for the nurturing of our young scholars in their learning.
This unusual wonderworking icon is associated with the House of the Mother of God, taken from Nazareth when the Saracens invaded the Holy Land, and rebuilt in Loreto, in the Marche region of Italy.
The Holy House was visited by the emissaries of Great Prince Vasily III, and its ancient stones, lowliness and simplicity had a powerful and profound affect upon the entourage, who described the ancient, dark image of the Mother of God to the Moscow iconographers, who painted an icon based on the description and who even reproduced the niche in which the Loreto image of the Mother of God stands, and even the hanging lamps. The Church is blessed to have a beautiful akathist to the Mother of God in honour of the icon.
Despite Fr Mark’s absence, set up and putting away, and our last few Sunday services have gone smoothly, and thanks are due to those who have arrived early to help over the last few weeks, though it is still noticeable that only a relatively small number of people make it their business to set up and pack away. It seems that it’s still presumed that there will always be others to do so, which is not necessarily the case in summers like this one, in which a fair number of parishioners have been away on travels and holidays.
In future, post-Liturgy trapéza will be blessed when packing up is completed, so that we can concentrate on one task at a time and fairly share not only the obediences, but also the Lord’s blessing on those who labour for His sake.
I will be away on a short pilgrimage in Glastonbury for the next two days, having performed the Lesser Blessing of water and several house blessings yesterday evening, keeping today as an extended celebration of the Loretskaya – Pribavlenie Uma icon with prayers in the abbey, where the devotion to the Mother of God arrived at the same time it reached Muscovy, after the penultimate abbot of Glastonbury, Richard Beere, visited the Holy House of Loreto around the same time as the Russian emissaries.
Back in Cardiff, on Thursday – the eve of the Leave-Taking of Dormition – we will again chant the akathist to the Mother of God in honour of her Dormition, meeting in Nazareth House at 18:00. Given my journey to Birmingham to celebrate in Lazarica, Friday’s service will be at noon, and we will chant a moleben to St Irenaeus of Lyons, heavenly patron of our bishop. Confessions will be heard before and after the services.
If anyone would like to join me in Lazarica, on Saturday, Divine Liturgy will be at 09:00.
As announced on our WhatsApp page, the Kursk Root icon will arrive in Cardiff on Saturday 15th November to be greeted at the Oratory before Great Vespers at 19:00. The icon will grace our Liturgy the following morning and will then visit local homes.
On Monday 17th November, the icon will travel to Wessex for home visits before an evening moleben in Warminster at 18:30.
Tuesday 18th November will see home visits in Swansea and Llanelli, before an evening service at 19:00. The icon will then fly with us to Geneva in the morning.
We already have requests for home visits, and very much look forward to the icon travelling around the parish, though we must remind you that the icon will not be able to visit homes with dogs, according the sacred tradition and rules of the Church. Please get in touch to request a visit, and we will do our best to get to as many parish homes as possible – ideally all on our list!
We ask your prayers for Pavel and Brigid among the sick; for Nataliya as she prepares to travel to Greece; for Irina and her daughters as they travel to Ukraine to visit their family; for Anastasia and Tomasz as they explore property on Aberystwyth; for Masha and Neil as they get closer to their house move; for our children and students as the new term approaches; and for Allan and Olga, for a buyer for their house.
Greetings from Wessex, where I look forward to this evening’s end of month gathering of west of England Cardiff parishioners in the chapel of St Lawrence, in Warminster. We will meet at 18:30 for supper, and before we celebrate Small Compline, I will give a short talk on the liturgical canons, which have a central role in liturgical and wider prayer life.
We enjoyed a joyful weekend, with the great blessing of Saturday’s baptisms in the Oratory garden, with the beautiful setting among the fruit trees and flowers feeling more like the cloister of a little Italian monastery, rather than a church courtyard in Splott. Many thanks to our Oratorian friends for allowing the use of this wonderful setting, and also for the chance to celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration in the church a few days before.
In the course of a fortnight, we have celebrated five of the seven holy mysteries in the Oratory: baptism, chrismation, confession, the eucharist and marriage!
Tuesday’s feast set the tone for the week, as whilst contemplating the uncreated light of Tabor we celebrated the enlightenment of Zlata and Nicodemus, whom we congratulate, and for whom we pray for “Many, blessed years!”
God calls us to be sharers in the glory that was revealed to the disciples on the Mountain of Vision, and baptism is the beginning of this ascent to the life of the heavenly kingdom.
Many thanks to Branka and Joanna for their indefatigable energy in organising the occasion, and to Stefan, for his able assistance.
Yesterday, it was good to bless homegrown produce in the repeated traditional Transfiguration blessing of new produce, having enjoyed the blessing of honey only the week before. “O taste and see, the Lord is good!”
Looking forward to this week’s feast of the Dormition, we will chant Great Vespers in the Oratory Church at 15:00, on Wednesday, but despite having booked the use of St Philip’s in advance (as announced in church) and having confirmation, last minute uncertainty remains regarding Thursday Liturgy, due to pre-wedding preparations involving cleaning. Please keep an eye out for updates by email and on social media. I have been told that I will receive confirmation today, but obviously have to be patient and wait.
As announced, we will have our usual Thursday evening service and confessions in Nazareth House, with vespers for the feast of the Icon of the Saviour “Not Made by Human Hands” at 18:00. I will be available to hear confessions both before and after the service.
Thanks to those who arrived at St Philip’s extra early yesterday morning, to assist with setting up the church to allow me to hear confessions at an early, decent time. As I had to perform proskomedia AND hear confessions, this was a great help. Next Sunday, I will again arrive early at St Philip’s to arrange the sanctuary at 7:45.
Reflecting current tradition, we will celebrate the feast of the icon of the Mother of God «Прибавление ума» / “Enlightener of Minds” (or Giver of Reason) on Sunday, though the feast was originally kept on Dormition. As we approach the new school term, we will serve a litia for our school children and students at the end of Liturgy.
As well as praying for Father Mark, Matushka Alla and Yuriy on their current travels, please also remember Panagiotis, who returns from Greece tomorrow, and our sister, Anastasia, soon to return from Russia.
Many thanks to all who contributed to this weekend’s joyful services, with the belated blessing of honey for Thursday’s feast of the All-Merciful Saviour.
As well as blessing honey after our Cheltenham and Cardiff Liturgies, it was lovely that we were also treated to traditional poppy seed cakes for the feast!
Thank you to our sisters who baked these festive treats.
It was good that everyone was able to take blessed honey from the Cardiff Liturgy, with individual pots for the faithful: an excellent idea!
We were very happy to have visitors from the Bristol parish and a few new faces on this festive Sunday, and it was a joy to welcome Branka and the twins, and Svetlana back from their Serbian and Russian journeys.
We look forward to Transfiguration Liturgy in the Oratory Church on Tuesday, at 10:45, and will bless fruit at the end of Liturgy. We will also perform a blessing on Sunday at the end of Liturgy.
As Fr Mark the Younger said at the end of Liturgy, tomorrow morning will see the funeral of our former parishioner, Sofya, with the service and burial in Mumbles. May the Lord God remember her in His Kingdom! Memory Eternal!
I will not be in Cardiff this Thursday, but will be in the Oratory as usual on Friday. We will have our usual afternoon service at 15:00, and I will be available to hear confessions before and after the service.
On Saturday, we will celebrate a triple baptism in the fathers’ garden at Oratory Church at noon, and look forward to the newly baptised communing at our Sunday Liturgy. I will be available to hear confessions after the baptism, around 15:00.
As you know Father Mark the Younger will be away on Sunday, so I will be at St Philip’s extra early, to set up for proskomedia at 7:45 so that confessions may begin at 08:30. Please try to confess on Friday or Saturday if possible, to ease Sunday confessions.
Monday will see our end of month evening gathering in Warminster, with a shared supper in the Chapel of St Lawrence at 18:30, followed by compline with the supplicatory canon to the Mother of God. Then, on Thursday 28 August, the Divine Liturgy for the Dormition will be celebrated in St Philip’s at 10:00.
Please ensure that the ongoing days of the Dormition Fast are dedicated to the Mother of God, and ensure that every day is blessed with a prayerful offering to her, as we prepare for her feast: our “Summer Pascha”.
We must begin our week by congratulating Adam and Juliana on their marriage in the Oratory Church yesterday and wish them many blessed years of married life.
We are indebted to the Oratorian Fathers for their generous hospitality, and especially to Father Alexander for registering the marriage.
Special thanks also to Masha and Kolya for their beautiful singing and to matushka and Joanna for the flowers and linens.
The combination of Liturgy and wedding made for a busy and slightly challenging day, and we look forward to a rather more relaxed Sunday, next week – with trapeza as usual.
Thanks to all who contributed to our Liturgy for the feast of the Smolensk and Suprasl icons of the Mother of God, and to our Wessex faithful for Saturday’s celebration of the feast of St Panteleimon in Warminster. It was a beautiful celebration, with the joy of welcoming friends from the South Coast and Reading.
Given our usual Wednesday fast, tomorrow is our deadline for using up non-fasting foods before the Dormition Fast commences on Thursday: the feast of the Procession of the Life-Giving Cross and the All Merciful Saviour,
We will have our customary Thursday service in Nazareth House, and will serve a moleben for the feast at 18:00, and confessions will be heard before and after the service.
We will also have our Friday afternoon prayers, at 15:00 in the Oratory, and due to pastoral needs, confessions will be heard after our prayers.
Next Saturday sees our monthly Cheltenham visit, when we shall belatedly mark the feast of the All-Merciful Saviour, with the blessing of honey at the end of Liturgy.
As usual the Hours and Liturgy will commence at 10:00 in Prestbury United Reformed Church, Deep St, Cheltenham GA52 3AN.
We look forward to spending time together over our bring-and-share lunch after Liturgy.
After Liturgy on Sunday, we will chant a litia in honour of the Life-Giving Cross and the feast of the All-Merciful Saviour, with the blessing of honey, and poppy seed and honey cakes.
We will celebrate Transfiguration Liturgy in the Oratory Church on Tuesday 19 August, commencing the Hours at 10:45. Experience has shown that a little extra time is needed after Mass.
Due to a requiem mass on the Dormition, it will now not be possible to celebrate the feast in the Oratory as intended, so I have asked if we might do so in St Philip’s.
I echo the advice of previous years, to honour the Mother of God in some way on each day of the Dormition Fast, and ask the guidance of the Mother of God each and EVERY day regarding our parish’s need for an Orthodox Temple. Our means are limited, but if God so wills, He will make it happen, but we must prayerfully demonstrate our trust and faith in Him, and in the prayers of the Theotokos, the Patroness and Protectress of our parish.
Please endeavour to pray the troparion and kontakion of the Kazan Icon…
Troparion, Tone IV: O earnest helper, Mother of the Lord Most High,/ thou dost entreat Christ, thy Son and our God, in behalf of all,/ and causest all to be saved who have recourse to thy mighty protection,/ O Lady, Queen and Mistress,/ help us all who, amid temptations, sorrows and sickness,/ are heavy laden with many sins,/ who stand before thee and with tears pray to thee with compunctionate soul/ and contrite heart before thine all-pure image,/ and who have unfailing hope in thee:/ grant deliverance from all evils,/ and things profitable unto all, O Virgin Theotokos,/ and save us all, for thou art the divine protection// of thy servants.
Kontakion, Tone VIII: O ye people, let us flee to that calm and good haven, the speedy helper/ and ready and fervent salvation, the protection of the Virgin,/ and let us make haste to prayer and speed to repentance./ For the all-pure Theotokos poureth forth upon us inexhaustible mercies;/ she goeth before to help us and delivereth ,her good-hearted and God-fearing servants// from great misfortunes and evils
Тропарь, глас 4: Засту́пнице усе́рдная,/ Ма́ти Го́спода Вы́шняго,/ за всех мо́лиши Сы́на Твоего́ Христа́ Бо́га на́шего,/ и всем твори́ши спасти́ся,/ в держа́вный Твой покро́в прибега́ющим./ Всех нас заступи́, о Госпоже́ Цари́це и Влады́чице,/ и́же в напа́стех и в ско́рбех, и в боле́знех, обремене́нных грехи́ мно́гими,/ предстоя́щих и моля́щихся Тебе́ умиле́нною душе́ю/ и сокруше́нным се́рдцем,/ пред пречи́стым Твои́м о́бразом со слеза́ми/ и невозвра́тно наде́жду иму́щих на Тя,/ избавле́ния всех зол,/ всем поле́зная да́руй/ и вся спаси́, Богоро́дице Де́во:/ Ты бо еси́ Боже́ственный покро́в рабо́м Твои́м.
Кондак, глас 8: Притеце́м, лю́дие, к ти́хому сему́ и до́брому приста́нищу,/ ско́рой Помо́щнице, гото́вому и те́плому спасе́нию, покро́ву Де́вы,/ ускори́м на моли́тву и потщи́мся на покая́ние:/ источа́ет бо нам неоску́дныя ми́лости Пречи́стая Богоро́дица,/ предваря́ет на по́мощь и избавля́ет от вели́ких бед и зол/ благонра́вныя и богобоя́щияся рабы́ Своя́.
Finally, given the number of confessions before Liturgy, may we remind parishioners that they should be brief and succinct. If longer confessions are needed and parishioners are unable to come during the week, please ask and I will gladly hear confessions after Liturgy, reserving communion, as needed.
Vladyka has blessed confessions during Liturgy as an economia, given our circumstances, but clergy should not ordinarily miss any part of the Liturgy.
With Father Mark the Younger away on Sunday 24 and Sunday 31 August, please try to confess before if you wish to commune. On those Sundays there will be little chance for me to hear confessions, given that I will have to celebrate proskomedia.
Ode I, Irmos: Having traversed the depths of the Red Sea with dryshod feet, Israel of old vanquished the might of Amalek in the wilderness by Moses’ arms stretched out in the form of the Cross.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
O most praised and glorious martyr Parasceva, pray that, by thy petitions to the Lord, grace may be granted us who hymn thy radiant memory.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Thinking to break the power of thine endurance, O martyr, with threats the governor commanded thee to worship graven images; yet by thy wise words thou didst set his audacity at nought.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Casting down the wiles of the enemy with the weapon of the Cross, thou wast shown to be the beauty of the martyrs, and thou didst preach the pious Faith, as a martyr vanquishing the cruelty of the rulers.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Word was born of thine all-pure blood, O Mistress, receiving animate flesh; and with divine power He hath restored us who fell through the venom of the deceiver.
Ode III, Irmos: Thy Church rejoiceth in Thee, O Christ, crying aloud: Thou art my strength, O Lord, my refuge and my consolation!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
The divine Spirit made steadfast what was weak and showed the divine radiance of thy soul to be most splendid.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Strengthened by the power of Christ, O martyr of Christ, like the hardest of diamonds thou didst endure pitiless lashings with leather cords.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With love for God, in the arena thou didst steadfastly endure the flogging of thy body with scorpions and countless other beatings.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou alone, O Mother of God, wast the bestower of heavenly blessings upon those on earth; wherefore, we say to thee: Rejoice!
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Kontakion, Tone VIII: Come, ye faithful, and let us melodiously sing a hymn to the passion-bearer Parasceva, for she shineth forth miracles in the world, dispelling the darkness of deception and granting abundant grace to the faithful who chant: Rejoice, O much suffering martyr!
Sessional Hymn, Tone V: Having consecrated thyself for Christ from earliest childhood, thou didst please Him, the Savior of all, as a martyr; and steadfastly trampling the audacity of the tyrants underfoot, thou didst endure sufferings with manliness. Wherefore, Christ, crowning thee, led thee into the heavenly bridal-chamber of glory. O right wondrous Parasceva, entreat Christ God, that He grant us remission of sins.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: All of us, the generation of men, call thee, the Virgin, blessed, who alone among women gavest birth unto God in the flesh without seed; for the fire of the Godhead dwelt within thee, and with milk thou didst nurture the Creator and Lord as a babe. Wherefore, we, the race of angels and men, glorify thine all-holy birthgiving as is meet, and cry out to thee together: Entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of offenses unto those who with faith worship thine all-holy birthgiving!
Ode IV, Irmos: Beholding Thee lifted up upon the Cross, O Sun of righteousness, the Church stood rooted in place, crying out as is meet: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Having received healings, gifts and visions, O glorious one, thou dost ever pour forth streams of grace upon those who honor thee with faith and have recourse to thy temple.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Truly lacking any blemish and defilement, but having acquired sanctification of body, thou didst behold the angels, and with them didst cry out: Glory to Thy power, O Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
How fearful was the sign of the dread day, when the suffering of the Savior was depicted in thy womanly body, and thou didst behold the Cross, the reed, the crown [of thorns] and the sponge.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou didst conceive without knowing wedlock, O Virgin, and even after giving birth thou wast shown to be virgin still. Wherefore, with unceasing voices and unwavering faith we cry out to thee: Rejoice, O Mistress!
Ode V, Irmos: Thou hast come, O my Lord, as a light into the world: a holy light turning from the darkness of ignorance those who hymn Thee with faith.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Thou didst struggle, O honorable one, and before the tribunal didst intellectually best the all-wise rhetors of the tyrant, preaching Christ.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Possessed of a steadfast mind, with unwavering thought thou didst put to shame all the worship of the idols by thine understanding of the Scriptures.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Joining chorus with the divinely wise virgins, thou wast vouchsafed a noetic bed and bridal-chamber, O glorious Parasceva.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Bride of God, we find thee to be an unbreakable sword against the enemy, for we have acquired thee as our anchor and hope of salvation.
Ode VI, Irmos: I will sacrifice to Thee with a voice of praise, O Lord, the Church crieth unto Thee, cleansed of the blood of demons by the blood which, for mercy’s sake, flowed from Thy side.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
The great slab of rock which was set upon thy breast and the nails which pierced thy hands did the Lord speedily remove with His divine hand and the coming of His angel, O glorious martyr.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
We glorify thee as a new protomartyr Thecla, for thou didst preach to all, didst enlighten many with the divine word, and didst lead unbelievers to the divine Faith.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Thy mellifluous mouth opened, boldly teaching the knowledge unto all, O treasury of divine dogmas, Parasceva, adornment of the martyrs.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: O wonder stranger than all other wonders! For the Virgin, conceiving in her womb Him Who encompasseth all things, without knowing man, was not restricted.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone IV, Spec. Mel. “Thou hast appeared today…”: Finding thy temple to be a source of spiritual healing, O most honored one, therein all the faithful honor thee aloud, O glorious and venerable martyr Parasceva.
Ikos:The Bridegroom, summoning thee as His bride, adorned thee with the crown of immortality, O divinely wise and most praised Parasceva, and hath numbered thee among the honorable martyrs who have received their crowns. Rejoicing with them, be thou mindful of those who celebrate thy holy feast and come together in thy temple; for standing forth now therein, with all our soul we offer thee hymns, O glorious and venerable martyr Parasceva.
Ode VII, Irmos: The children of Abraham in the Persian furnace, afire with love of piety more than with the flame, cried out: Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory, O Lord!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Preserved by the Lord before the tribunal of the ungodly, O martyr, thou didst firmly strengthen thy hands; and consumed by the flame, then thou didst sing, saying: Blessed art Thou, O my God and Lord!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
The burning fire in no-wise consumed thee, but burned up the ungodly, O maiden; and Christ preserved thee unharmed, as of old with His mighty hand He preserved the fearless youths in the midst of the thunderous fire.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
“Let the demonic idols and gods perish, who did not fashion the whole earth and heaven with wisdom!”, thou didst cry. “Christ the Lord is the Creator of all things!”, thou didst proclaim.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Theotokion: Rejoice, O sanctified and divine habitation of the Most High! For through thee, O Theotokos, hath joy been granted those who cry: blessed art thou among women, O most immaculate Mistress!
Ode VIII, Irmos: Stretching forth his hands, Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the pit; and the young lovers of piety, girded about with virtue, quenched the power of the fire, crying out: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Thou didst show them to be not gods, but lying demonic apparitions, O martyr, and didst in every way trample them underfoot and didst utterly destroy them, unceasingly crying out in gladness unto Christ: Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord!
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
When the temple of the idols quaked on earth at thy coming, O honored one, Apollo fell and the idols were pierced through by the power of the precious Cross wherewith thou wast mystically protected; and with great boldness thou didst cry out: All ye works, bless ye the Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Wounded by Thy beauty and love, O Christ, the pure Parasceva endured the burning of the fire, crying out: Suffering steadfastly now in the fragrance of Thy divine myrrh, I run unceasingly after Thee, glorifying Thy divine name.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
the Mother of God. Thou wast the abode of the Godhead, O all-pure one, yet wast not consumed by the fire of the unapproachable Light. Wherefore, we all glorify thee, O Mary Bride of God.
Ode IX, Irmos: Christ, the Chief Cornerstone uncut by human hands, Who united the two disparate natures, was cut from thee, the unquarried mountain, O Virgin. Wherefore, in gladness we magnify thee, O Theotokos.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Thou didst spurn this fleeting and transitory life, O divinely wise martyr, having beheld the inconceivable beauty of thy Bridegroom, and been manifestly tortured for Him. Wherefore, thou didst receive an imperishable crown, O good virgin.
Holy Great-Martyr, Parasceve, pray to God for us.
Having heard the voice of God answering the pleas of thy heart from heaven, O Parasceva, thou didst vigilantly finish the race, O honored martyr, fleeing to Him when thy precious head was cut off.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Entreat Christ, O Parasceva, that He grant victory over the enemy, remission of sins, and deliverance from misfortunes unto all who with most fervent faith come to thy divine temple.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou wast shown to surpass the cherubim and to be more exalted than the heavens, O pure Virgin Mary, having given birth to the Angel of great Counsel, the coming Judge of all, Who with the Father is equally without beginning.
Troparion, Tone I: Possessed of a readiness in accord with thy name, O namesake thereof, thou didst choose as a companion a faith equal to thy name, O victorious Parasceva; wherefore, thou pourest forth healings, and prayest for our souls.
I am grateful to Vladyka for the invitation to preach in the cathedral on the altar-feast of the lower church, and the first anniversary of Father Mark the Younger’s priestly ordination.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is a great joy for us to gather together in this holy temple, whose dedication honours the Royal Martyrs, and as we celebrate their sacred memory, we look beyond the horror and violence of their martyrdom to appreciate the priceless treasure that God has granted to the whole Orthodox people by calling the Imperial Family to enter the mystery of Golgotha, and to drink from the cup of suffering and martyrdom, as they were conformed to the image of the Saviour, as we heard in the Apostol reading from St Paul’s letter to the Romans:
“We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestine to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8: 29-30)
As God lovers, the Lord called the Royal-Martyrs “according to His purpose”, and in their suffering for that Divine purpose – contrary to the wisdom of the world – they were conformed to the image of Christ, the Suffering Servant and Man of Sorrows, Who pured Himself out for His people, until He was without beauty or comeliness, as foreseen by the holy prophet, Isaiah.
In the Gospel for the feast, we heard,
“If the world hates you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15:18-20)
The world vision, according to Lenin and the Bolsheviks, was at odds of the world represented by the Royal Martyrs: of Christian Monarchy defending and promoting the Christian Faith and the Church; of society built upon the precepts of the Gospel and the Law of God; of national life shaped by the Church, its Divine Services, and Christian Tradition shaped by the rhythms and celebrations of the fasts and feasts, and the seasons of the liturgical year.
As a visible embodiment of Orthodox authority and Orthodox Sacred Tradition, itself, Christian governance and sacred-monarchy, the Royal Martyrs were an impossible threat to the Marxist-Leninist vision, and had to be destroyed as much by propoganda lies, deception, as by the demonic, frenzied and hate-filled violence which brought their earthoy lives to their bloody end.
But, because the lives of the Royal Martyrs were based on eternal, heavenly truths, on the truth of faith, and were filled with the Light of Christ, their place in the life of the former empire and their love for their people could not be extinguished – even if their people had betrayed and forsaken them.
The lies, propaganda, obscene and solacious stories banded about in American and British newspapers, and the Russian proletarian press on the eve of the revolution seem infantile, two-dimensional and flimsy compared to the innumerable miracles through which God has glorified the Royal Martyrs since their martyrdom.
In the 1990’s, after a cross had been set up on the site of the Ipatiev House, it was illumined by a heavenly light, as the clouds opened and rotated above the Cross, and no snow fell within the large circle of light which fell upon the ground around the site of the martyrdom.
In the same decade, a former guard of the “Museum of the Workers’ Revenge” in the Ipatiev House signed an affidavit describing how she would hear beautiful church-singing from the basement room of execution, and that light shone from beneath the door during the night.
On November 7 1997, the anniversary of the Revolution, an icon of the Tsar-Martyr began to weep myrrh, and the following May, during a procession to mark the Tsar’s birthday, another icon began to weep myrrh during a procession.
Through the prayers of the Royal Martyrs, the godless have been brought to Faith; hardened hearts have been softened; the young have been delivered from depression, despair and lives heading towards self-destruction; addicts have been delivered from alcohol and drugs; childless women have been granted children; students have received help in studies; soldiers and refugees have been delivered from capture, death and great dangers; families have been reconciled and healed; the sick and infirm have been made whole.
For Orthodox Christians the resultant false ‘histories’ and mythologies necessary to dehumanise the Royal Martyrs, to justify unspeakable violence, and to desensitise the Russian people and the wider world to the horrors of the Ipatiev House and the Four Brothers Mine are an irrelevance and distraction from the glorious works of grace wrought by God through His saints.
We encounter the sanctity, rightness, and righteousness of the Royal Martyrs through their miracles, and to those of Faith, the lies and salacious stories bandied in the newspapers in America, Britain, and the Russia ‘proletarian-press’ on the eve of the revolution, seem two-dimensional, flimsy and ridiculous compared to the miracles through which Almighty God has glorified the Royal-Martyrs ever since their martyrdom.
To return to the Apostol, “…whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified”– and despite the lies the world invented and wrote about them, God has glorified the Royal Martyrs through countless miracles and outpourings of grace, and raised them up not only as exemplars of Christian living, endurance and Christ-like humility – but as powerful intercessor for the Church of Christ.
Reassured by the love of God through their deep, profound faith and their relationship with Him, the Royal Martyrs truly reflect the words of the Apostol: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Romans 8:35)
In 1917, the Empress-Martyr wrote,
“Everything can be endured if you feel His (God’s) presence and love and if you believe in Him steadfastly in everything…
One must ever thank God for all that He gives, and even if He took it away, then perhaps, when one endures without a murmur, all will be even brighter. One must always hope…
If we, as Christian people can reflect the inspiring spiritual fortitude, constant hope in God and immense faith, refusing to lose our trust in His love, then that Divine love will flow into the workd through us, with a joy the shocks and challenges evil, violence, and cruelty with the Mind of Christ, so that we can join the Apostle Paul, with the Royal Martyrs and all the saints in confessing “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)
Emulating the Royal Martyrs in faith, in life, and in death, let us put aside earthly cares, knowing that all things are in the hands of God, and that whatever may happen to us in life, His love remains immeasurable and immovable; His inscrutable will always seeks what is needful for us in the eternal scheme of His providence and wisdom, rather than according to the fickle standards and measures of success in the world
In all things, He seeks our transformation, through the restoration of His image and likeness, calling us to be with Him in the endless glory of life of the age to come- together with the Royal Martyrs and all of His saints.
Let us hasten to the Royal Martyrs, seeking their help and intercession, but more than that, let us emulate their faith, love, courage and immovable trust in God in our own lives.
Canons of the Theotokos, with the acrostic “O thou who art full of grace, grant me the grace to chant the words of a most simple hymn”, in Tone VIII.
Ode I, Irmos: Having passed through the water as upon dry land, * and having escaped the malice of the Egyptians, * the Israelites cried aloud: * Unto our God and Redeemer let us sing.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O omnipotent Trinity, three-sunned Unity! Having illumined my soul, heart and mind and sanctified them with grace, I pray Thee Who art supremely good, lead me up to Thy divine love and teach me to hymn with devotion the compassion of the blessed Ever-virgin.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O good Mother of the good King, who dost readily hearken to the petitions of all and art almighty in thy benefactions, shine forth the grace of thy light upon us and fill us with grace today, O thou who art full of the grace of God, that we may begin to chant hymnody unto thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
For the choirs of the angels the glorification of thy present feast is the cause of joy, O Sovereign Lady, for today they are moved to praise. But what shall we, who are clay, offer unto thee? If not only our fervent hymns of thanksgiving.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We chant unto thee the cry of the archangel: Rejoice, O pure one! And even though we are unworthy, O Lady, accept this hymnody instead of goodness, illumining us with the light of thy mercy and granting grace unto all.
Second Canon, in Tone IV. Irmos: I shall open my mouth, * and be filled with the Spirit, * and utter discourse to the Queen and Mother; * and be seen radiantly keeping festival, * joyfully praising her wonders.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Christ, Bestower of light, on this notable day of the most glorious appearance of the icon of her who gaveth birth to Thee, grant that I may keep splendid festival and may ever hymn her miracles with gladness, in fear and joy.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Virgin who hast given birth in the flesh to the light-bestowing Word of God, the Wisdom of the Father: enlighten the profound darkness of mine ignorance and provide me with the words to hymn thy wonders.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Today are the assemblies of the faithful enlightened and the hordes of the heretics put to shame, O Sovereign Lady, seeing thine icon traversing the air like the sun, destroying the gloom of impiety and illumining the faithful.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With God, O divine Bride, thou alone art our greatness and boast; for through thee are we saved from misfortunes, to thee do we flee, and we pray earnestly: O Sovereign Lady, from everlasting torment deliver thy servants who hymn thy wonders!
Ode III. Canon I, Irmos: O Christ fortify me on the rock of Thy commandments, * Thou who in the beginning didst establish the heavens with understanding * and didst establish the earth upon the waters, * for there is none holy save Thee, O only Lover of mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Come ye faithful, and behold a most glorious sight, looking upon the most pure Virgin, who with reverence shineth forth on high in her most pure image, illumining with grace us who reverently chant: There is none more pure than thee, O Lady!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The mind of each of the faithful is hallowed by thy grace, O Theotokos, and exalted by the wondrous coming of thine icon. Grant unto us, thy servants, who honor it with piety and glorify thee with faith, O Lady, to partake thereof.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Bride of God, grant that we may tread the heavenly path unassailed, strengthening us to do godly works; that leaving the path of the evil one’s wiles by thy help, O Virgin, we may have a share in eternal glory.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
With the beams of Christ the true Light, the Creator of the angels, Who shone forth ineffably from thee, O Mother of God, and with thine own grace, illumine the souls and hearts of us who are in darkness. O thou who art full of grace, sanctify us, guiding us to the love of heavenly light.
Canon II, Irmos: O Theotokos, thou living and plentiful fount, * establish in spiritual fellowship those who sing hymns to thee, * and in thy divine glory * grant them crowns of glory.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Christ Jesus, pre-eternal King Who art full of mercy, illumine us with the appearance of the most pure image of Thee and the Ever-virgin who gaveth birth to Thee, and grant us forgiveness of sins and deliverance from misfortunes.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
When the people beheld thy most pure icon invisibly borne aloft by the angels and suspended in the air amid radiance, O Sovereign Lady, illumined with the light of thy mercy they were filled with ineffable joy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O God-loving hierarchs and priests, kings and princes, and all the people, radiantly join chorus today, for a radiant beam hath shone forth on high, holding the true Light depicted in the flesh. With Him she hath come down to us, granting enlightenment to all the world.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Through thy most precious icon did the Creator of all work wonders of old and save the Imperial City from the incursions of aliens. So also be thou a protection and help for the land of Russia, O Sovereign Lady and Queen, saving it from all the assaults of the enemy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn, Tone IV: Thy most pure image, O Lady, truly more precious than the ark of old, shining more brightly than an electric cloud, emitteth rays of thy mercy revealing them to all, in every place, in abundance, and with the grace of God mercifully preserveth those who honor its most glorious coming. And fervently rejoicing therein, O Sovereign Lady, we keep festival and glorify thy maternal loving-kindness toward us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The foregoing is repeated.
Ode IV. Canon I, Irmos: Thou, O Lord, art my strength and Thou art my power, * Thou art my God and Thou art my joy, * Thou Who, while never leaving the bosom of Thy Father, * hast visited our poverty. * Therefore with the Prophet Habbakuk I cry unto Thee, * ‘Glory to Thy power, O Lover of mankind!’
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The Creator and Fashioner of all, Who upholdeth all things by His omnipotent power, hath today arrived most gloriously, O pure Virgin, borne on thine arm in His and thy divine and miraculous image, for the salvation and healing of all mankind.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Come, ye faithful, let us bow down before the ineffable gift of God, the icon of Christ the light and the most pure Virgin, and with love let us fall down, crying aloud: For the sake of the kind Ever-virgin who hath given birth to Thee, O Benefactor, send down grace and mercy upon us, Thy servants.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Queen of the angels, noetic ark: God hath adorned and glorified thy most pure image with ineffable miracles and grace beyond that of the ark of the law, and hath commanded even the angels to venerate it. With them, O all-hymned one, do thou pray to Him on behalf of us who glorify His saving providence, that we also may obtain thy salvation.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O all-good and immaculate helper given by God in His grace unto all of us Christians, entreat Him, that He overlook our countless sins and deliver us from flaming retribution and the outermost darkness, and from every torment.
Canon II, 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.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Let all the earth and the air be glad today, and let the sea cause joy to rain down, for by the miraculous journey of the most precious image of the Mother of God the land of Russia hath been most gloriously illumined.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
As behooveth servants, the ranks of the angels minister to thee, the Queen of all, and reverently honor thy most precious icon, hymning thee, the most holy Virgin. But how can we, the lowly, hymn thee, the all-pure one, as is meet?
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We cry out to thee the hymn of the archangel: Rejoice, O Bride of God, the Lord is with thee! Rejoice, thou joy of the angels and gladness of all mankind who truly glorify thee! Save the souls of those who hymn thee, O pure Theotokos!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Birthgiver of God, bestower of joy: fill thou with ineffable joy those who with faith glorify thee and hymn thee with all their soul O Virgin, and grant them never- waning light, O Sovereign Lady who art full of grace.
Ode V. Canon I, Irmos: O God my spirit seeketh Thee early at dawn, * for the light of Thy commandments proceedeth Thy coming: * with them illumine our minds, O Master, * and guide us on the path of life.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In thy merciful good pleasure, O thou who art full of grace, today thou hast graciously enlightened our land with thy godly appearance, and hast sent down the mystical illumination of thy light upon the world, guiding the faithful to the light of heavenly glory, O Theotokos.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
We have become darkened by our thoughts and weighed down by our sins, O Sovereign Lady, and we are at a loss how to confess thy radiant grace and mercy; but illumine us, O most holy Virgin, visit us and make us rich through thy mystical gifts of divine desires, directing us to the light of the right path.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Go thou before those who, from every direction, hasten to thy most honored icon, O Mother of God, who bow down before it with fervor and call upon thee with faith in every place; and save all from every misfortune, delivering them from cruel infirmities, and driving away evil spirits, imparting tranquility and health unto all, O Sovereign Lady.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Forsake us not, neither disdain us, O Birthgiver of God, who are cruelly vexed by grievous thoughts, vile memories and the wicked enemy; but enshroud us with thy grace, protecting us from them and helping us, O blessed of God, saving us from all their assaults.
Canon II, Irmos: All creation stands in awe of thy divine glory; * for thou, O Virgin who hast not known wedlock, * didst contain within thy womb the God of all, * and gave birth to the timeless Son, * bestowing peace, upon all who hymn thee.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In the wilderness, O Mother of God, the reverent man was deemed worthy to behold thee manifestly with the holy hierarch, and he received from thee the words of thy good pleasure, for the great confirmation and furthering of the salvation of the world, O Queen.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Wretched am I, O all-pure one, and unworthy of the grace to behold thee now; yet grant that I may behold thee in the future, and meet thy Son Who shall come in glory, and hear the divine voice crying in the kingdom of heaven.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
We flee to thy goodness, O pure Virgin, and direct the eyes of our hearts towards thee; and bending our knees while weeping, we entreat thee; disdain not our sighing, and be thou a protection and helper for us on the day of judgment.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art an intercessor for all Christians, O most pure Mother of God. Hearken to our supplication; look upon us, O all-hymned one, save thy city and monastery, and illumine thy flock with the radiance of the grace of thine aid.
Ode VI. Canon I, Irmos: I will pour out my prayer unto the Lord, * and to Him will I proclaim my grief; * for my soul is filled with evils, * and my life unto Hades hath drawn nigh, * and like Jonah I pray unto Thee: * Raise me up from corruption, O God.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In the most glorious arrival of thine icon, O Queen, the expanse of air and our land hath been filled with the grace of thy miracles and divine gifts, unto the confirmation of piety and of all the faithful, O all-hymned one. Thereby are our adversaries humbled today, and those who glorify thee are made firm in might.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O city of God, holy habitation, Virgin Bride of God: from the assaults of the adversary and all the attacks of the enemy preserve thy holy dwelling, and all cities and lands where Christians dwell, who hymn thee with love and with faith honor thy most precious image.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Mother of God, ever grant sanctification, health and salvation to the souls and bodies of us who piously venerate thy divine icon, reverently and fearfully kissing it with both mouth and heart, faithfully hymning thee with all our soul.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Having acquired thee as a mighty protection and an unassailable rampart, O Ever– virgin Theotokos, after God it is on thee that we, the faithful, set our hope; and we earnestly pray: by thy power show forth the darts of the enemy and all the wiles of the demons to be as impotent and ineffective as those of children, O our mighty helper.
Canon II, Irmos: Celebrating the divine and solemn feast * of the Mother of God * O ye divinely wise, * let us come, clapping our hands, * and glorify God who was born of her.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O thy most wondrous miracle, O Sovereign Lady! For disobeying thy command, a man was caught up in horror from the pinnacle of the church, but, by thy mercy, O all-merciful one, he found himself on the ground, unharmed.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
No one hath disobeyed the commands of God as have I, wretch that I am. Wherefore, falling down before thee, I pray, O Sovereign Lady; before I perish utterly, guide me to the path of truth, and save me, O pure one.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Mother of God, who hast given birth unto Him Who endured crucifixion on the tree of the Cross for our sake, ever beseech Him that we who commemorate His holy suffering may do His divine will and become heirs to the eternal good things.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O pure Virgin Sovereign Lady, deliver us from all cruel circumstances, entreating Him Who nailed our sins to the Cross, and grant that we may worthily stand at His right hand when He shall come in His glory.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone VIII: O ye people, let us make haste to the Virgin Theotokos and Queen, * giving thanks to Christ our God; * and gazing with compunction upon her miraculous icon, * let us fall down and cry out to her: * O our Sovereign Lady Mary, do thou visit this land in the miraculous appearance of thy precious icon, * save our Orthodox hierarchs and all Christians in peace and prosperity, * showing us to be inheritors of the life of heaven. * For to thee do we cry with faith: ** Rejoice, O Virgin, thou salva- tion of the world!
Ikos: Beholding the most wondrous appearance of the Mother of God, let us ascend to the summit of the virtues and lift our mind up to heaven; for she hath come, traversing the heavens, that she may draw up to the heights those who cry aloud to her saying: Rejoice, O blessed Virgin, chosen by God from among all generations; rejoice, Queen of heaven, Mother of the Lord God, the Creator of all! Rejoice, Object of the angels’ most joyous hymnody; rejoice, sight most desired by all the world! Rejoice, immovable foundation of the Faith of piety; Rejoice, most splendid knowledge of grace; rejoice, goodwill of God towards mankind! Rejoice, thou who hast led mortals to God; rejoice, consolation of our oppressed souls! Rejoice, speedy help for all the faithful; rejoice, intercessor given by God to the Christian people, whom do thou earnestly preserve from all misfortunes and evils, that we may cry out to thee: Rejoice, O Virgin, salvation of the world!
Ode VII. Canon I, Irmos: Once in Babylon the fire stood in awe * of God’s condescension; * for which sake the youths in the furnace, * dancing with joyous steps as in a meadow, chanted: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thine image, O Sovereign Lady, which even the angels revere, ever shineth with ineffable grace and power; for today thou dost illumine mortals with its gifts, guiding them to the heavens, and leading them to everlasting life, in thine ineffable goodness, O thou who art full of grace.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The mouths of orators are in nowise able to confess thy godly manifestation, the most glorious arrival of thine icon, and the abyss of thy miracles, O pure one. What then shall we, who are coarse, say? Only: have mercy and save us, O all-merciful Lady!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O renowned helper of the faithful and bestower. of all good things: accept us who fall down in faith and cry out to thee with love: Have mercy upon us, O Sovereign Lady, have mercy upon us; and today, as in the age to come, be thou our helper and aid!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O merciful Mother of God, open unto us today the portals of thy mercy, and snatch us from the jaws of the noetic wolves who would devour us and destroy us utterly. Have mercy, we pray thee, O Lady, have mercy! Turn not away from thy servants who have been put to shame!
Canon II, Irmos: Refusing to worship created things * in place of the Creator, * the divinely wise youths bravely trampled down the threatening fire * and rejoicing they sang aloud: * O supremely hymned Lord and God of our Fathers, Blessed art Thou.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O the wonder! Thine only-begotten Son, the God of all, preserved thy most pure image unharmed amid the flame, O Mother of God; for it was found, shining with grace more brightly than the sun, illumining the faithful who chant with faith: Blessed art Thou, O God!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Theotokos, the ranks of heaven rejoice with those born on earth on thy splendid festival. With the light of thy radiance, O most pure one, illumine us who celebrate it and who stand with fear before thy most pure image; and save us all.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Queen, thou hast given birth in the flesh to the Word of God, the King of heaven, One of the Trinity. Beseech the Godhead, O Sovereign Lady, that victory be granted to our Orthodox hierarchs over all heresies and schisms; and to all the faithful aid, forgiveness of sins and salvation of soul.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In that thou hast given birth to the Benefactor of all, O pure one, with thy light- giving and divine grace cover thy servants, who hymn thee and pray to thee with unwavering faith; protect and preserve us from all the assaults of the enemy.
Ode VIII. Canon I, Irmos: O Thou who dost cover Thy chambers on high with the waters, * Thou Who hast set the sands to bound the sea * and Who upholdest all things: * the sun doth sing Thy praises, * the moon giveth Thee glory, * every creature offereth a hymn unto Thee, * as their Fashioner, throughout the ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
The excellent ranks of heaven piously reverence thy most pure image, and its most wondrous arrival, O all-pure one, which is shown forth as most glorious under the heavens and hath moved the Orthodox people to lift up their voices in hymnody and glorify thy Son as Creator of all, throughout the ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Chanting most glorious hymns today, with devotion we lovingly bow down before thine image, which is revered even by the angels, O Sovereign Lady and Queen. With thy divine grace cover our Orthodox hierarchs, who glorify thee; strengthen them against heresies and schisms, and maintain their authority in peace.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Rejoice, O all-blessed and all-immaculate one, cause of joy! Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, our might, rampart and refuge of salvation! Save us, thy servants, who have no help than thee before God; for in thee do we trust, and thee do we hymn throughout the ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thee do we have, with God, as the sole preserver of our life and our mighty hope of salvation. O tenderly compassionate one, we beseech thee to mediate for us until the end, that we may be delivered from the reckoning which is to come, and may find thy Son and God merciful on the day of judgment.
Canon II, Irmos: The Offspring of the Theotokos * saved the holy children in the furnace. * He who was then prefigured hath now been born on earth, * and He gathereth all creation to hymn thee: * all ye works praise ye the Lord * and supremely exalt Him throughout all ages.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O thy most glorious wonders, O pure one! For the builders of thy holy church, who were buried beneath the stones for three days, were found alive and unharmed, preserved by thy protection; and they sent up cries of praise to thee, the Queen of all.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thou gavest life instead of death to one who had died, O Theotokos. Wherefore, O Bride of God, preserve unharmed by the enemy us, who have been slain because of our many sins, and lead us up to the better life, saving our souls.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Today all the faithful are filled with joy and gladness because of thine icon, O Theotokos, for thou hast been revealed to be a cause of life for those in the jaws of death, an ever-flowing fountain pouring forth gifts of healing and imparting salvation unto all.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-praised one, accept the supplication of the people who have come together from all places, fittingly to hymn the glorious arrival of the most pure image of thee and the Babe Whom thou didst bear, the true God; and fulfill their petitions.
Ode IX. Canon I, Irmos: Heaven was stricken with awe, * and the ends of the earth were filled with amazement, * for God hath appeared in the flesh, * and thy womb was rendered more spacious than the heavens. * Wherefore, the ranks of men and of angels * magnify thee as the Theotokos.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Thine icon, O Lady, traveling upright a path through the luminous air, and radiantly traversing invisible ways, moved by God, hath illumined with grace on earth the faithful who cry with faith: Truly thou art higher in honor than all others, O pure Virgin!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
In nowise are we able to fittingly adorn the accounts of thine exalted miracles with rhetoric, O pure Queen; we can only pray fervently to thee, that having entreated thy Son, the Master and King of all, Who hath given thee to us as a most glorious helper, He may deem us worthy of His heavenly kingdom.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O thou who art full of the grace of God, accept from us this song of hymnody in thanksgiving for thine ineffable tender compassion, fulfilling those of our petitions which are profitable; and lead us all up to the heights of heaven, for we cry out to thee with faith: Truly thou art higher than all, O all-immaculate Virgin!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
All of us, the generations of mortals, joyously call thee blessed, O Theotokos, for thou hast filled us all with joy by the most glorious arrival of thine icon, O most pure one. And bowing down before it today, we entreat thee with compunction: in the age to come, O Lady, forget not to grant thy servants the joy of the elect!
Canon II, Irmos: Let every mortal born on earth, * radiant with light, in spirit leap for joy; * and let the host of the angelic powers * celebrate and honor the holy feast of the Mother of God, * and let them cry aloud: * Rejoice! O all-blessed Theotokos, * thou pure Ever-Virgin.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
Who doth not marvel at the appearance of thy most precious icon, O Lady; who is not amazed? For thou didst send it, as a light-bearing gift, through the air to the land of Russia, which hymneth thee with joy and magnifieth thee with faith.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
O Sovereign Lady, who hast given ineffable joy to the world through the manifestation of thy most pure icon; from every grief deliver those who bow down before it with faith and kiss it with fear. O most holy one, save and have mercy upon all, and grant us the kingdom of heaven.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Sovereign Lady, who hast given birth to God Who is the Lover of mankind, in thy love for us thou hast visited us in thy divine icon; and ever having recourse to it and gazing upon its magnificence, we cry out to thee with compunction: O Theotokos, ever save thine inheritance!
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With humble lips have I offered thee this meager hymnody, O most hymned one; but though I am coarse and full of sin, and am unworthy to hymn thee as is meet, yet I trust fervently in thy compassions, in that thou hast given birth to the Savior of the whole world. Disdain this not, O Queen, but accept it and save me.
Troparion, Tone IV: Today thy most precious icon hath shone forth upon us in the air * like the most radiant sun O Lady, * illumining the world with rays of mercy; * and Russia, reverently receiving it from on high as a gift of God, * doth glorify thee O Mother of God as the Sovereign Lady of all, * joyously magnifying Christ our God Who was born of thee. * Him do thou entreat, O Lady, Queen and Theotokos, * that He preserve all cities and lands where Orthodox Christians dwell, * unharmed by all the assaults of the enemy, * saving those who with faith worship before the all-honored image of Him and thee, ** O Virgin who knewest not wedlock.
Greetings as we celebrate the Nativity of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John, the bridge between the old and new covenants, who (after the Mother of God) we hold up as first in honour among the saints.
May we all seek to emulate the Forerunner in being prophets, challenging falsehood and speaking the truth as authoritarianism seeks to silence those courageous enough to speak out against tyranny, in a world in which even standing in silence can now warrant arrest in Britain, whether praying near an abortion clinic, or standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the wake of the genocide they face each and every day.
As more and more Herods sit upon their thrones (or green House of Commons benches) in shameless godlessness and tyranny, the world needs prophetic voices like the Forerunner to call it to realisation and repentance, and as a first step to simply say NO!
We should all honour the Forerunner, as we celebrate his nativity and, if possible, read the canons or an akathist.
After a quiet few weeks, yesterday was a lively and busy celebration of not only the feast of the Vladimir Icon of Mother of God, but also our annual celebration of the memory of St Calogèro the Hermit, following his feast last week.
Again it was a joy to welcome the Citro family from our London cathedral parish, and Nicolò from Bologna, who just happened to be visiting Cardiff and came to his first Orthodox Liturgy, yesterday of all days. We send our greetings to Father Efraim Augello, painter of our icon of St Calogèro, and matushka Olympiada.
Dio benedica tutti voi e le vostre famiglie!
Thanks to our choir who sang well and laboured much, chanting the moleben as well as the Liturgy. Thanks also to those who fed the faithful!
It was wonderful to have so many confessing and communing, and it made clear why we need two priests, despite the relatively small size of our parish.
This week will see our usual Thursday and Friday services.
Compline and an akathist hymn to the Mother of God will be chanted in Nazareth House on Thursday, and the Akathist Hymn to the Cross in the Oratory on Friday.
I will be happy to hear confessions before and after the services on both days.
We look forward to celebrating the feast of St Peter and St Paul on Saturday, when the Divine Liturgy, and the blessing of bells will be celebrated in Warminster.
Confessions will be heard from 10:00 and the Hours and Liturgy will commence at 10:30, followed by the blessing of the bells in the medieval tower.
We will have our customary bring-and-share lunch after the services, and look forward to breaking the Fast.
Address: Chapel of St Lawrence, High St, Warminster BA12 9AG.
At yesterday’s anointing with oil from the Hawaiian Myrrh-Weeping icon, one of our visitors asked about its significance, which is a good question, given that we take so much for granted in our Orthodox life.
We are greatly blessed that God touches us with His Divine Grace, and not only through the Holy Mysteries, but also through wonderworking icons and the relics of the saints.
We have so many wonderworking icons, particularly of the Mother of God, but very few of them are myrrh-bearing.
We look forward to the visit of the Kursk-Root icon of the Mother of God in the autumn, and many people will, no doubt ask, what “signs” are manifested by the icon. The simple but wonderful answer is the countless miracles wrought by the Mother of God, century by century.
Some people seem surprised when they are told that there is no sensory surprise when we are visited by the Kursk-Root Icon: no perfume and no exuding myrrh, “just” a continuous outpouring of grace, which is the quiet, steadfast reality of nearly all wonderworking icons.
So… given the usual quieter reality, what IS the meaning of myrrh-weeping icons or, indeed, myrrh-weeping relics, such as those of St Demetrios or St Symeon the Myrrh-Gusher, as well as the myrrh-weeping relics in the holy Kiev-Caves Lavra?
Even before the Church’s equation of oil and mercy, which both come from the same root in Greek, this connection was already established in the Old Testament, as can be seen in the Psalms with their oil-mercy references.
God’s instruction for consecrated oil to be used in anointing as the sign of His Grace, sanctifying power, mercy, and goodness, shows this as part of the sacred-patterns of Faith and His relationship with the Old Israel.
This understanding was later reflected in the sacramental life of the Church, which experiences the manifest reality of God’s Grace and power by the operation of the Holy Spirit through the elements of creation: in the waters of baptism, the myron of chrismation, the transformation of bread and wine into the Saviour’s Body and Blood.
Additionally God touches us through the sanctity of holy places, through the relics of the saints and through miraculous icons, and just as He manifests His mercy and grace through the various anointings in the life of the Church, so He likewise manifests this same mercy and grace through the miraculous gift of myrrh.
The myrrh which weeps from icons and relics of the saints is sometimes a sign of God’s Grace in specific times of need, trial and sorrow: a sign of God’s mercy and love to encourage and strengthen us, showing us that He is glorified not only in the lives of His saints, but even in their sacred relics in which the Grace of the Holy Spirit still abides, or from their sacred icons, through which a connection and communion is established between the faithful and God’s saints.
Those of us who have witnessed such miraculous blessings, with our eyes and our noses, simply know that God continues to console and heal us, banishing sickness and making the seemingly-impossible possible through the anointing of myrrh from holy icons and sacred relics, and the Grace received in this Divine gift.
Glory to God!
Finally, I would like us all to reflect upon the fact that despite our present lack of vigil services, the evening before receiving Holy Communion should be spent prayerfully. The Church’s expectation is that those communing will have been to the service the evening before communion and will have been in Church from the beginning of the Hours before Liturgy has even started.
Not only does this banish the question, “How late can I arrive in Liturgy and still commune?” but also challenges our pre-communion routines. As we have no possibility of celebrating the vigil, it is incumbent on us all to find a spiritual way to spend evenings before Communion.
In our own icon corners we can ALL pray the canons and prayers before communion, but just as importantly, we can all pray compline or the Rule of the 12 Psalms, read the Psalms, pray akathist hymns, or simply say the Jesus Prayer.
Some of the faithful, of course, have no choice but to be at work. That’s both understandable and different.
Whatever we may be able to do, we need to be clear that for those receiving Holy Communion, the previous evening is NOT an evening for the pub, gaming, the cinema, social entertainments or gatherings, sitting in front of the computer, mobile phone or television: it is a time for withdrawal, preparation and prayer!
If this is a challenge, then people need to commune less often, and with far greater prayer, care and spiritual focus.
Holy Communion must never become part of a regular routine, but must always be a pilgrimage to the Gate of Heaven, which is the place where we stand before the chalice and meet the Saviour in the Mysteries if His True Body and Blood. Our attitude must be like Moses, standing with bared feet before God’s Presence in the Burning Bush:
“For our God is a consuming Fire, and they, therefore, who with faith and fear draw near to the God and King and Judge of us all, shall burn and scorch their sins; and It shall enlighten and sanctify their souls. But It shall burn and scorch with shame, the souls and bodies of them that draw near with unbelief.”
(St John Chrysostom)
Pray for Alexander presently in Georgia, for Natalia as she visits family in Ukraine, and for Svetlana, Richard, Anna and Sophia on their forthcoming Belarussian and Russian travels.
Dear brothers and sisters, having written the news email, I’m afraid that I’ve somehow wiped it from my draft documents, and apologise for the lateness of this rewritten post.
After Thursday and Friday memorial services for the departed servants of God, Nikolai and Lyudmila, Saturday saw our pilgrimage to Bournville’s church of St Lazar to mark the feast of St Vitus and the martyrdom of St Lazar and his Christian Serbian warriors by the Ottomans at the battle of Kosovo Polje.
We were greatly blessed to be able to venerate the relics of both St Lazar and St Vitus, and once more extend our thanks to Fr Nenad and his community.
Thanks to those who contributed to Sunday’s Liturgy and trapéza.
It was good to welcome parishioners back from their travels, as well as new and recent worshippers.
Having travelled to Wessex, I gave a talk on the senses in Orthodox worship in the minster church of St Denys in Warminster yesterday evening, and was happy to have some parishioners join me.
Our next celebration in Warminster will be on Saturday 12 July, and after our Liturgy for the feast of St Peter and St Paul, I will consecrate the bells in the restored medieval tower of the Chapel of St Lawrence. It will be something of a rare occasion and a real joy to perform the rite of the “baptism” of the bells, with their intended dedications to Saint Alfred the King, St Aldhelm and St Birinus.
We very much hope that parishioners from Cardiff and its environs will join us.
This Thursday will see a return to Nazareth House for our evening akathist at 18:00, with the opportunity for confessions before and after the service.
Friday afternoon’s Oratory service will be at 15:00, with confessions afterwards. Next Sunday, following Liturgy, there will be a litia to St Calogèro the Hermit, whose icon was sent as a gift from Sicily whilst we were in Newman Hall.
His feast falls today according to the patristic calendar, but since receiving the gift of his icon, we have honoured his memory on the Sunday after his feast.
Venerable Father, Calogèro, pray to God for us!
Of your charity we ask your prayers for Matrona (unwell), for Nathalie (currently homeless due to a fire), Porphyrios’s sick father, Paul (non-O), for Anastasia (travelling), for the newly departed Valery, and for the departed Vladimir and Vladimir, whose anniversaries fall at this time.
We also ask your prayers for the newly ordained priest, Razvan, who was a friend of our parish during our sojourn in Newman Hall. Axios! Many years!
Having celebrated Pentecost and the memory of All Saints who have been glorified by God for their holy lives, as living temples of the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing for us to have continued our celebration of holiness with the celebration of All Saints who shone forth in the lands of Rus.
Looking upon the icon of the feast, we see men, women and children of all ages, all strata of society, and of different ethnic and cultural groups of the ancient Rus lands and the later empire.
Martyrs, holy fools, venerable monks and nuns, hierarchs, confessors, royal saints, princes, nobles, and righteous lay people all bear witness to different paths to holiness, and the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested in those obedient to Christ in spiritual labours.
It was a very great joy for us to baptise Adam and Juliana (Serwa) on Friday evening, before their first Liturgy participating in the worship of the Church as newly-baptised Christians, and partaking of the Holy Mysteries. We congratulate them both and wish them many, blessed years of life in Christ, into Whose death and resurrection they were initiated in their baptismal burial and arising.
Yesterday was blessed with the visit of the Cardiff clergy and several sisters to Cheltenham for our June Liturgy in Prestbury, where our celebration honoured the Yaroslavl icon of the Mother of God. Our next visit will be on Saturday 19 July.
Thanks to all who contributed to our Cardiff Sunday Liturgy, at which it was good have Llanelli parishioners and welcome old friends.
May we make the important request that those who start doing jobs actually finish what they are doing, especially in the kitchen, which is constantly left in a messy state that others have to then rectify? We greatly appreciate help, but half completed jobs simply create stress for others, especially when it is presumed that tasks have been completed, and we discover – at the last minute – that this is not the case.
I think we unfortunately need to repeat that whilst everyone is keen to eat at trapéza, few people contribute to our shared lunch, putting pressure on those who constantly bring food week by week. This is meant to be a “bring-and-share” lunch. The clue is in the name.
This week is affected by events in Nazareth House and the Oratory, with no possibility of our usual Thursday evening service in Cathays or Friday service in St Alban’s.
However, we will chant a memorial service for Lyudmila, Valery and our other faithful departed in the Oratory on Thursday afternoon at 15:00, after which I will hear confessions.
A group of us is looking forward to visiting Lazarica on Saturday. Though Vidovdan, the feast of St Vitus and the battle of Kosovo will principally be celebrated the following day, Saturday is actually the calendric feast and our visit allows us to be in our own parish on Sunday. Liturgy commences at 09:00.
We will celebrate the Sunday of All Saints of the British Isles next weekend, honouring the saints who have sanctified our islands since the Roman Empire reached to England and Wales.
As well as asking your continued prayers for the newly departed Lyudmila and Valery, please pray for our oltarnik, Panagiotis, who flies to Greece on Tuesday, for McKenna as her pregnancy gathers pace and for dad-to-be Joe, for our cathedral friend Nathalie after the fire which has left her homeless, and for our newly baptised young people, Adam, Juliana (Serwa) and Macarius (Chris).
Wendy, who is the St Philip’s equivalent of Branka, is keen for local parishioners to know that they are very welcome to the coffee morning at St Philip’s each Wednesday from 09:00 to 11:00.
Finally, can we all please ensure that no parking obstructs residents’ drive-ways on Sundays?
Dear brothers and sisters,
If anyone would like to join me in Lazarica, on Saturday, Divine Liturgy will be at 09:00.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Canons of the Theotokos, with the acrostic “O thou who art full of grace, grant me the grace to chant the words of a most simple hymn”, in Tone VIII.
Dear brothers and sisters, 
Next Sunday, following Liturgy, there will be a litia to St Calogèro the Hermit, whose icon was sent as a gift from Sicily whilst we were in Newman Hall.
