A day after the Church celebrated the summer feast of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, we belatedly kept the feast in Cheltenham, celebrating the Divine Liturgy in Prestbury, mindful of the wonderful visits the Wonder-Working icon has made to our little community over the years.
Though we only had our customary small congregation, most of those present were with us in the same chapel the last time the icon visited us in March 2021. We also remember the very special visit of the icon with our late Metropolitan Hilarion, of blessed memory.
Rather than preach a homily, at the end of Liturgy, a little time was spent talking to the children about the icon, its pictorial scheme and how miracles have been granted through its physical presence at the heart of our Church and in our scattered communities.
Given that we only have one Liturgy a month, we are generally starting late, as nearly all worshippers wish to confess and commune, so we will discuss amending the service time – though I worry that this will simply result in people coming for confession later. I will discuss this with parishioners when making home visits over the next few weeks.
We would like to thank our devoted parishioners who had been busy before the Liturgy, as always: prosphora-baking, cooking and cutting flowers, and then fulfilling the various obediences for our monthly mission Liturgy, with a wonderful Lenten lunch, with mama Galyna’s pickles and mama Lyuba’s baking!
During Great Lent, and the other fasts of the Church Year, it is customary for all Orthodox Christians to go to confession to their priest. Properly this should be done several times a year, the exact frequency depending upon how often one is blessed to receive the Holy Mysteries and on the counsel and blessing of one’s spiritual father. As a preparation for this sacramental confession and to help one examine one’s conscience before coming to confession, the following questions are sometimes distributed in parishes and, although of course the list is not exhaustive, it may be a help to those of our readers who are Orthodox Christians.
Sins Against God
Do you pray to God in the morning and evening, before and after meals?
During prayer have you allowed your thoughts to wander?
Have you rushed or gabbled your prayers? or when reading in church?
Do you read the Scriptures daily? Do you read other spiritual writings regularly?
Have you read books whose content is not Orthodox or even anti-Orthodox, or is spiritually damaging?
Have you pronounced the name of God without reverence, joking? Have you asked God’s help before starting every activity?
Have you made the sign of the Cross carelessly, thoughtlessly? Have you sworn? Have you murmured against God?
Have you sinned by forgetting God?
Have you been slack in attending church?
Have you consecrated even part of the feast days, particularly Sundays and the Twelve Great Feasts, to God?
Have you tried your best to attend church on these days? or have you spent them more sinfully than ordinary days?
If unable to attend church for some reason, have you nonetheless tried to devote some part of these days to prayer and spiritual reading?
Have you joined with people not of the Faith in prayer, or attended their worship services?
Have you kept the fasts?
Have you behaved irreverently in church, or before the clergy and monastics?
Have you laughed or talked in church, or moved about unnecessarily, thus also distracting other people from prayer?
Have dressed modestly and in a becoming manner when in church?
Have you tried to pay reverent attention to the readings, hymns, and prayers in church?
Have you striven to pray with the service, crossing yourself, etc., or have you rather simply stood and day-dreamed?
Have you prepared for the services beforehand, looking up the Scriptural readings, making sure you have the texts to follow the service etc., especially if the service will be in a language you do not readily understand?
Have you ever left church after the Divine Services, and particularly after receiving the Holy Mysteries and immediately engaged in light talk and thus forgotten the blessings and graces you have received?
Have you been ashamed of your Faith or the sign of the Cross in the presence of others?
Have you made a show of your piety?
Have you used your Orthodox Faith or its teachings merely to browbeat others or belittle them?
Have you used it as a shield or excuse for your own inadequacies rather than humbling yourself?
Have you believed in dreams, fortune telling, astrology, signs and other superstitions?
Do you give thanks to the Lord for all things?
Have you ever doubted God’s providence concerning yourself?
Do you at least try to perceive His purpose in all the things that come upon you?
Sins Against Your Neighbours
Do you respect and obey your parents?
Have you offended them by rudeness or contradiction?
(These two apply also to priests, superiors, teachers and elders.)
Have you insulted anyone?
Have you quarrelled or fought with anyone? Have you hit anyone?
Are you always respectful to old people?
Are you ever angry, bad tempered or irritable?
Have you called anyone names? Do you use foul language?
Have you derided any that are disabled, poor, old or in some way disadvantaged?
Have you entertained bad feelings, ill will or hatred against anyone?
Have you forgiven those who have offended you?
Have you asked forgiveness from those whom you have offended?
Are you at peace with everyone?
Have you left the needy without help when you could have helped?
Have you attended the sick or elderly when they have asked you to do so?
Have you shown kindness and attention to all, remembering that God is expecting just such an attitude from you?
Have you hit animals without a cause or been cruel to them, or neglectful of those in your care?
Have you stolen anything?
Have you taken or used other people’s things without asking?
Have you kept money or things that were lent you without returning them?
Have you wasted your employers’ time or resources? Have you taken things from work for your own use, used the firm’s phone or other facilities for your own purposes without permission or repayment?
Are you obstinate, and do you always try to have your own way?
Have you been inconsiderate of other people’s feelings?
Have you tried to have your revenge against those who have offended you?
Have you harboured resentment? Have you deceived people?
Have you gossiped?
Have you told untruths?
Have you judged and condemned others?
Have you taken pains before approaching for confession to be reconciled with all?
Sins Against Yourself
Have you been proud? Do you boast of your abilities, achievements, family, connections or riches?
Do you consider yourself worthy before God?
Are you vain, ambitious? Do you try to win praise and glory?
Do you bear it easily when you are blamed, scolded or treated unjustly? Do you think too much about your looks, outward appearance and the impression you make?
Have you sinned in thought, word or deed, by a look or glance, or in any other way against the seventh commandment? (Adultery, fornication, all extra-marital sexual relationships with others, masturbation, engaging in unnatural sexual acts, fantasising, pornography, etc.)
Have you envied anyone anything? Have you been over-sensitive?
Have you been lazy? Have you done your duties heartily?
Have you wasted your time, energy or abilities in things that do not profit the soul?
Have you become obsessive about anything? Have you been despondent or listless?
Have you had thoughts of committing suicide?
Have you brought a curse on yourself or others or ill-wished them, being impatient?
Have you a weakness for alcohol? Have you drunk too much, or become dependent on drink?
Have you taken drugs, other than necessary medicines? Have you smoked?
Have you watched television too much or indiscriminately? Have you given yourself up to any other similar pastime which wastes your time and energy and might have harmed you?
Have you been greedy, either with regard to food or to possessions?
Have you indulged in comfort-eating? Have you become accustomed to eating between meals?
Have you been picky about your food, or wasteful of foods, forgetting that so many people are without proper nourishment? Have you been extravagant? Have you been wasteful?
Do you care for and seek first the salvation of your soul, the spiritual life and the kingdom of God, or have you put earthly considerations in the first place?
Is there any other sin, which burdens your conscience, or which you are ashamed to tell?
Anyone preparing for confession must ask God to help his resolve to tell all his sins. A penitent should prepare for confession and collect his thoughts regarding his sins at least a day before confession. The most valuable thing in the eyes of God is the confession of the sin which weighs most on the conscience.Continue reading →
Given that today is the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast, I should have sent out the weekly parish news last night – as a reminder – but after the rigours of the previous four days I was falling asleep whilst at the computer.
Having celebrated the Sunday of All Saints in Cardiff yesterday, we now have the month long Apostle’s Fast until the feast of the Holy Chief Apostles, Peter and Paul, on 29 June / 12 July (at least for those following the Patristic Calendar).
We should be reducing our food to one formal meal a day, and remember that it is both normal and fine to have periods of hunger during fasting periods.
During the coming week, our food is vegan until the weekend, when fish is permitted, and the typikon envisages:
Monday: By monastic charter, strict fast (bread, vegetables, fruits)
Tuesday: Food with oil, wine permitted.
Wednesday: By monastic charter, strict fast (bread, vegetables, fruits)
Thursday: Food with oil, wine permitted.
Friday: By monastic charter, strict fast (bread, vegetables, fruits)
Saturday: Fish wine and oil permitted
Sunday: Fish wine and oil permitted
We should fast as strictly as possible, with the fasting guidelines as our ideal, though some of our parishioners have health issues that have been discussed, so that economia can be applied and blessed. Strictly keeping to the rules, particular regarding no oil on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays may be unsustainable for some parishioners for domestic and practical reasons, but those who can keep to this are encouraged to do so. However, there is no excuse for wine and alcohol when it is not allowed by the typikon.
As I have stressed many times – it is not our local tradition to eat shell-fish and sea-food (whatever happens in other local Churches), as there is nothing particularly ascetical about sitting down to a sea-food risotto, octopus stew or pan-fried squid. The fast should be a challenge, and monotony is totally acceptable. In the fast, we eat to live, NOT to enjoy – even tough we find ourselves enjoying the simplest foods and realising the joy of what is simple and basic.
A major problem in the “Lesser” Fasts, is keeping spiritual momentum, and making them a time of spiritual growth and focus when they do not have the clear thematic shape of the other fasting seasons of the year. Having celebrated the Sunday of All Saints, it would be good for us to do what I touched upon in my homily, and use this period to connect with the saints, ensuring that we read the life of one of the daily saints EVERY day during the fast, and chant their troparion and kontakion. As well as this, we might make our spiritual reading-matter hagiographical, putting aside other books so that we may read longer lives of the saints – for which there are so many wonderful books available.
Lets ensure that we don’t just drift through this fasting period aimlessly and casually. Seize the opportunity to invigorate spiritual life, through the prayers and examples of the saints. Be inspired and act!
After the busy-ness of the last week, I shall be trying to rest a little in the week ahead, with confessions on Thursday (email requests by Wednesday noon, please) and Deacon Mark and I will be celebrating the Liturgy in Cheltenham on Saturday, with the Hours at 10:00 and the Liturgy at 10:30. We are still worshipping in Prestbury United Reformed Church – Deep St, Cheltenham, GL52 3AW.
I would like to remind parishioners that those communing of the Holy Mysteries should be in church from the beginning of the Liturgy, and that the Gospel is the traditional ‘absolute’ cut-off point for communicants. I appreciate that some parishioners are making long-journeys and some are at the mercy of public transport, which often goes wrong, so economia is applied. However, parishioners living in Cardiff have little or no excuse to be arriving at Liturgy after the beginning of the service.
One of our sisters is kindly making small prosphora to offer for commemorations at Liturgy, as in the local East Slavic Churches it is the tradition to offer one or two loaves with our lists of names or commemoration books. Though the vast majority of our commemorations are made before the arrival of the faithful, due to times restrictions, this does not prevent the offering of prosphora – traditionally one for the living and one for the departed. We need to get into the habit of this everyday liturgical practice.
Finally, an immense thank you to those who have worked so hard over the weekend – particularly for our pilgrimage. Everything was a wonderful offering to the Lord, given with joy and gladness.
May He bless those who laboured so willingly for the parish as His chosen flock, to His praise and glory, and in honour of His favoured daughter, St Melangell. May she intercede for us.
There are few things better for deepening parish spiritual life and the bonds of spiritual kinship than pilgrimages, with their shared journeys, common prayer and Liturgy, eating together and making one another cups of tea, chatting, discussing spiritual matters, sharing life’s challenges, helping one another, motivating one another, and even enduring one another – snoring, funny little mannerisms, and sometimes irritating habits: all making for deepening human relationships, as well as the divine-human relationship in a powerful and palpable way.
The tangible blessings, shared joy, common strength and developing shared spiritual-identity, all eclipse the plethora of virtual Orthodox projects that characterise an internet-Orthodoxy, which, in some cases, is becoming a dangerous and deceptive surrogate for the experiential reality of the Church – with physical contact with people in the flesh; shared spiritual experience in the same place; and the physical and localised reality of the Holy Mysteries celebrated in a real setting, at arms’ length from one another in the physically manifest sobornost of the Church.
The act of pilgrimage, as an expression of the solidarity and shared Faith of a community requires the investment of time, effort, and resources.
It demands arrangements with destinations, planning services, pilgrim activities and meals, journey routes, possibly accommodation, and coordinating the pilgrims.
It requires packing cars with the multitude of things needed for Liturgy, possibly sleeping bags and tents with the whole paraphernalia of camping, changes of clothes, groceries, bug-spray and first aid kits… and so much more.
It has a cost that necessitates going out of our comfort zone, and is no quick and easy or tick-box exercise. And… through all of this, working together, we receive such blessings from God.
Over the last five months, our parish pilgrimages – to Llandaff, on our doorstep, Llanthony and Capel-y-ffin, Mathern and Tintern, Glastonbury and Pennant Melangell have spiritually strengthened our parish, as well as uniting us with friends who travel from afar.
This weekend’s pilgrimage brought friends from Poole and Cambridge – people willing to make long and tiring journeys to worship God and honour the saints. Even some regular parishioners had to travel from Wiltshire and Somerset to honour St Melangell, whose feast fell on Friday according to the Patristic Calendar, and which we celebrated a day late, on Saturday.
Our Deacon, constantly reminds the community that spiritual life is never meant to be easy or convenient, but that it demands effort, sacrifice and the endurance of inconvenience and hardship. We are never in doubt that our Cardiff ROCOR parishioners accept this, given the number travelling from the Forest of Dean, Mid-Gloucestershire, Bath and Wiltshire, but the wonderful experience of the weekend made this even clearer – with nineteen pilgrims travelling from South Wales and Wessex on a long and winding journey into the depths of Montgomery, in order to honour St Melangell in her ancient sanctuary and to celebrate her feast.
What a wonderful celebration it was, though our Liturgy was very simple, compared to our usual rather more imposing Liturgies: only one priest, one oltarnik, one singer and one reader – but, all supported by the prayers of the other pilgrims.
Most of those present had prepared to receive the Holy Mysteries and made their confessions before and during the Hours.
It was a joy to chant the hymns to St Melangell and celebrate the Liturgy in the once-wild place of her God-centred life, where the labours of eremitical reclusion and its spiritual fruits made her an earthly angel and a heavenly woman.
Our celebration and joyful fellowship spilled out into the churchyard, where our sisters arranged a table for a picnic lunch, with warm conversation (chilled wine and hot tea!) and we were well-aware of the growing bond between regular pilgrims, who want to be together and enjoy being together – to share lives, Faith, time, labours and energy within the context of the spiritual family of our parish.
This will no doubt continue, month after month, as we make further pilgrimages to holy places, whether on our doorstep or further away, bringing us closer to one another, closer to the saints, and – above all – closer to God, whose Presence makes the holy places of His saints His sanctuaries: places of encounter, where the foretaste of His Kingdom calls us to follow in the footsteps of the saints: to live in a way that challenges the world, and to be holy to the Lord.
Arriving in Pennant Melangell at dusk on Friday, it was a joy to be greeted by the shrine church in its ancient llan, with yew trees possibly older than the Christian presence in the valley – knowing that at any hour during the night, I could walk down the lane from the pilgrim shepherd’s hut, push open the great door and pray in the chancel of the church, beside the imposing arcaded-shrine containing St Melangell’s relics.
After supper in the beudy bach *, I did so, heading down the lane in the long, late midsummer twilight, to pray beside the shrine, casting light on the high gabled-canopy with a single candle. The owls in the wooded valley sides were the only audible sound apart from the chanting of night prayers. Even as I returned along the lane, the sky was still not dark, though the last light over the mountains was to fade within minutes – the owls continuing, with the breeze gently stirring the grass in the neighbouring meadow, and the sound of the river beyond the boundary of trees.
There are few places where we can experience such peace, free from the encroaching noise and disruption of the world: a place where the chink of a teacup on a saucer, or the bang of a closing window seems not only loud, but intrusive; places that make us tread softly and carefully, not wishing to assault the gentle quietness which envelopes us with the mundane noises of the world; places in which to turn the pages of a book slowly, pray softly, and wash the supper things noiselessly.
In this enclosure of peace, it was wonderful to wake to the gentle buzzing of bees, frantically tumbling from yellow poppy to yellow poppy, and oddly amplified in the enclosed tube of fox-glove flowers. Such was the number of bumble bees that the borders hummed with their industrious presence.
Of course, the ascetical fathers likened monastics to honey-bees, collecting the sweet nectar of divine grace through their spiritual labours, and this image can be used for the monastics who laboured at Pennant Melangell in lives of constant spiritual industry for the sake of the Kingdom of God, so much so that the sweetness of God’s Grace still touches the constant stream of pilgrims who come to honour St Melangell and to seek her intercessions and merciful care.
Our great blessing was to do this by celebrating her feast – albeit a day late – by offering the sacrifice of the Holy and Divine Mysteries no more than an arm’s length from the raised stone chest containing her sacred relics.
In this sacred celebration, we entered not only into communion with the Saviour, through His Body and Blood, but in the offering of the Eternal Sacred Banquet, we entered more deeply into fellowship and communion with St Melangell, herself, and all of the saints from ages past.
Seeking her intercessions, we joined our prayers with hers, as a common and shared offering of prayer and praise to the Great High-Priest, honouring her memory in our hymns and commemoration, as one who offered herself as a sacrifice of prayer and praise to the Lord.
It was a great honour and blessing to be able to celebrate the Liturgy, and we were touched and humbled by the great warmth and hospitality afforded to our pilgrims who had travelled from Wilstshire, Dorset and Cambridge, as well as our South Wakes parishioners.
My prayer is that St Melangell’s example, and the reality of her intercessions, will touch each and every one of our pilgrims, affording them strength and courage, so that like her and the wise-virgins of the Gospel for her feast, we may all be ever-vigilant and watchful in lives dedicated to Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church.
Glory to God, for affording us such a great blessing, and thanks to Him for the saints, as our guides and exemplars.
* ‘little cow house’ – converted for use by pilgrims
Dear brothers and sisters: greetings for the feast – s prazdnikom!
Though half-term holidays slightly dented attendance for the feast of Pentecost-Trinity, we nevertheless had in excess of forty souls – including the children – for our celebration, with vespers on Saturday evening, the Hours and Liturgy on Sunday, and the culmination of the feast in vespers with the kneeling-prayers. This made for long, but blessed hours of prayer in church, and it was wonderful that so many confessed and communed. We congratulate them all on their reception of the Most Pure Mysteries.
Though I thanked those who laboured for the feast in my pastoral greetings, I will, nevertheless, repeat our gratitude for all who contributed to our first Troitsa in Nazareth House since 2020.
As parishioners are now uncomfortably aware, the heat in the chapel is both uncomfortable and problematic. It has been made clear that the heating and radiators will not be turned off during the summer, and the incursion of pigeons makes it impossible to open the side-windows, which lack bird-grills. We are looking at ways to mitigate the heat, and have to be open in saying that if the heat becomes impossible – especially for clergy in layers of vestments – we will regrettably have to rethink our liturgical arrangements.
This coming Saturday will see our parish pilgrimage to Pennant Melangell, the day after St Melangell’s feast-day, and we greatly look forward to celebrating the Divine Liturgy at her shrine. We will celebrate the Liturgy at 11:00, and having celebrated the proskomedia around 10:00, I will hear confessions before the service. Those who confessed on Sunday will be blessed to commune at the pilgrimage Liturgy.
Confessions will also be heard in Cardiff earlier in the week, as I shall be in Nazareth House on Thursday, as usual. Please email me by noon on Wednesday to arrange a slot.
Given journey-time back from Pennant Melangell, there will be no evening service or confessions in Cardiff on Saturday.
As Deacon Mark reminded parishioners at Liturgy, confessions may be heard in Cardiff from just after 10:00 on Sundays, and we need to try and avoid a “pile up” of parishioners in the twenty to twenty-five minutes before Liturgy – so please plan journeys to try and arrive before 10:30 to avoid congestion. To be clear,I will not hear confessions just before Communion, as this inevitably results in the sudden appearance of a queue of individuals. Our parish has far more time for confessions than most parishes – on Thursday, Saturday AND Sunday, with some arranged confessions on Friday mornings some weeks. By the time we come to Holy Communion, there really should be no need for outstanding confessions. Also, confession and communion after Liturgy is an economia, and should not be taken for granted or thought of as normal.
Many of you know, our undergraduate students are now at the end of their present academic year, and for Aldhelm and George the end of their undergraduate degrees. Our masters students have dissertations to complete, so the summer will not be a time of leisure for them. Our prayers are with them all as they seek work or look forward to further studies in the autumn. Prayers are also asked for our oltarnik Alexander “the Younger” as he prepares for his remaining exams.
We congratulate Kyle on his job success and forthcoming employment and life in Cheltenham, and we continue to follow Toby’s journeyman travels in central Europe – greatly missing him in the parish.
At this time, we also keep Nataliya and Mike in our prayers on their Kazakh and Uzbek travels, and we also pray for God’s blessing upon Germaine’s search for employment in Southern Spain, after having moved south from Pamplona.
Remember that this week is a fast free week, but that Monday of the following week will see the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast, which will last from 12thJune till after Liturgy on 12thJuly (28th June on the Patristic Calendar) – the Feast of the Chief Apostles, Peter and Paul. Please check your calendars for fasting rules during month-long fast.
We look forward to celebrating the Sunday of All Saints, next weekend, with the variables for the Liturgy at:
Ode I, Irmos: Delivered from cruel bondage, Israel traversed the impassable sea as if on dry land. On seeing the enemy drowned, in joyfulness they sang a hymn to God Who worketh wonders with His upraised arm; for He is glorified.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Divine Holy Spirit, Who distributest gifts unto all men and doest all things by Thy will, inspire me with Thy luminous gift, that I may glorify Thee Who art one with the Father and the Son.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Comforter, Who hast given the heavenly Powers the grace of Thy sanctifying breath, cleanse my mind from filth and show it to be filled with Thy holiness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Holy Spirit of God, in Whom we believe, Fountain of life and Stream of divine goodness, enliven my deadened mind, and by Thine energy raise it up to hymn Thy benevolence.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Virgin, thou didst become the temple of God by the descent of the Holy Spirit, Who by His creative power gave thee the power to bear a child. O thou that art full of grace, rejoice, for thou hast borne in the flesh the unoriginate Word.
Ode III, Irmos: To the Son Who was begotten of the Father without change before all ages, and Who in the latter times was without seed made flesh of the Virgin, to Christ our God let us cry aloud: Thou hast raised up our horn; holy art Thou, O Lord.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Since by nature He possesseth a comparable power of volition, as God, the Holy Spirit doth preserve the heavenly Powers which are beyond this world and doth teach them to cry out unceasingly: Holy art Thou, O Lord.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
In never-silent praises let us glorify the Spirit, Who in a rushing wind poured forth the light of His grace upon those divine spokesmen, the Apostles; and in harmony with the incorporeal choirs let us exclaim: Holy art Thou, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Since we understand that in the Holy Trinity there is a single dominion, a single Godhead and power, a single principle and kingdom, we raise our voices in the thrice-holy hymn and exclaim: Holy art Thou, O Lord.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-pure one, thou chariot bearing God and His luminous residence, thou wast made higher than the Cherubim; for thou didst carry God in thine arms; therefore, we all sing a hymn to thee, O pure one: Rejoice, thou that art blessed.
Ode IV, Irmos: As a Rod of the root of Jesse and a Flower from his stem, Christ sprang from the Virgin. From the praiseworthy mountain overshadowed by the forest came the fleshless God, incarnate of her that knew not wedlock. Glory to Thy power, O Lord.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Giving us great gifts, the All-Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles as divine, as good, as filling all, as deifying, as sanctifying, as creative of all things, lordly and self-acting.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Sitting upon the Father’s throne, O Christ, Thou hast sent down the Comforter unto Thy disciples, even as Thou didst promise, O Saviour, and He came as God. Thou didst send Him Who was no stranger to Thee, Him Who is the Maker of all and Who proceedeth from the Father.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Of old the All-Holy Spirit taught the tongues of the Prophets to speak of things yet to come; and now by the tongues of the all-wise Apostles He also declareth the great deeds of God, having come Himself in the sound of a storm-like rushing wind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Mother of God, we call thee the gate of the noetic Light, through which Christ came to us. He is revealed as beautiful in the brightness of Divinity, while covered by the garment of the flesh. Though as God He is invisible, now He is visible as one of us.
Ode V, Irmos: As Thou art God of peace and Father of mercies, Thou hast sent unto us Thine Angel of great counsel, granting us peace; thus, guided towards the light of the knowledge of God, and rising out of the night at the dawn, we glorify Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Thou Who art the Spirit of wisdom and the fear of God, the Spirit of truth, counsel and understanding, the Spirit Who bestowest peace, make Thine abode in us, so that, sanctified by Thine abiding, and rising out of the night at the dawn, we may glorify Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Thou Who upholdest all things and Who art Lord of all, Thou Who keepest creation from falling, give us sanctification and illumination, so that, filled to the full with Thy gift of light, and rising out of the night at the dawn, we may glorify Thee, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
He Who in ancient times traced the Law for Moses now setteth forth clearly the doctrines of the New Testament and the law of grace, as the divine Comforter, by writing them in the hearts of the Apostles at His coming, as the Lover of mankind.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
By thy childbirth, O Virgin, thou hast annulled the curse of Eve, the mother of us all, and hast made the blessing of Christ to shine upon the world; therefore, we rejoice, and with our lips and lives we truly confess thee and bless thee as the Theotokos.
Ode VI, Irmos: The sea monster cast forth Jonah from its belly, whole and entire as it had swallowed him; and the Word, having dwelt in the Virgin and taken flesh, came forth from her and kept her uncorrupted; for as He Himself suffered no corruption, He also preserved His Mother free from harm.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Fulfilling Thy promise to Thy disciples, O Christ, Thou didst send them the Spirit, Who conferreth the working of great wonders and bestoweth tongues of fiery form, that they may fill the flocks of the nations with the knowledge of Thee.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Come to us, O Holy Spirit, making us partakers of Thy holiness, of the light that knoweth no evening, of the divine life and of the distribution of gifts most fragrant; for Thou art the River of the Godhead, proceeding from the Father through the Son.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Save them that in faith hymn Thy coming, which befitteth God, O Comforter Who proceedest [from the Father] through the Son; and as Thou art loving and kind, cleanse them from every impurity, and show them to be worthy of Thy refulgence; and by Thy light, most divine in its appearance, make them unblemished mirrors.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
All the choirs of the Prophets were initiated into the mysteries by God, and they foresaw and made known the ineffable mystery of the divine Incarnation of God the Word from thee, O Virgin Mother; for thou hast made manifest the ancient Light most true.
Ode VII, Irmos: The children who were brought up together in the good faith scorned the impious decree; they feared not the threat of the fire, but, standing in the midst of the flames, they sang: Blessed art Thou, the God of our fathers.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Now the promise foreordained by Christ hath been fulfilled; for the division of tongues showed the disciples the arrival of the Spirit, radiant with the light of One of the supremely-divine Persons of the Trinity.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Of old the irrational concord of the nations was shattered, but now they have truly been gathered together into one assembly by the action of the honourable and divine Spirit Himself, One of the Persons of the supremely-divine Trinity.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
When the breath of the Holy Spirit had rushed in from above, the Apostles of Christ made known the great deeds of God in a most glorious manner, chanting harmoniously: Blessed art Thou, the God of our fathers.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The three youths in the furnace manifested an image of thy childbirth; for even as they remained unharmed by the fire, thou wast kept pure when thou didst receive in thy womb the unbearable Fire of the blessed God of our fathers.
Ode VIII, Irmos: A wonder exceeding great showed in an image the furnace dripping with dew; for it burned not the children whom it had received, even as the fire of the Godhead scorched not the pure Virgin when it had entered into her; therefore, let us raise our voices in song: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Holy Spirit Who proceedest from God the Father, bestow holiness upon all that believe in Thee; for Thou art holy and givest men holiness; therefore, let us raise our voices in song: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
As our Benefactor Thou liberally givest the gift of goodness unto them that hymn Thee, O Comforter; for Thou art the Giver of good things and an Ocean of goodness; therefore, let us raise our voices in praising Thee: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit is true and life-giving, acting of His own accord and by His own power; He divideth the distribution of gifts as He willeth, as the unoriginate Lord Himself Who cometh of His own calling; therefore, let us raise our voices in worshipping Him: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Who will not marvel at the exceeding expanse of Thy loving-kindness, O Word without beginning? Though Thou art rich, Thou didst become poor for our sake and didst take up Thy dwelling in the womb of the holy Virgin; therefore, let us raise our voices in song: Let all creation bless the Lord and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.
Ninth Ode IX, Irmos: Rejoice, thou boast of virgins! Rejoice, Mother most pure, whom we and all creation magnify in divine hymns.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Lo! Thou hast sent down unto us another Comforter, Who is consubstantial with Thee, O Word, and shareth Thy Father’s throne.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Save from temptations those who honour Thee with one accord, O Comforter, and who glorify Thy pre-eternal existence.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Come to us, O Comforter, with Thine ineffable glory, giving us a full measure of Thy consolation as we speak of Thee in true theology.
Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O all-immaculate bride of God, by thy prayers deliver from temptations those who worthily honour thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings as we celebrate the feast of Pentecost-Trinity.
It was a great blessing to celebrate in Nazareth House, having not celebrated this sacred day under its roof since 2020, and we extend our thanks to our servers, singers, and the sisters who made floral posies for everyone to hold during Vespers with the kneeling prayers, as is our custom.
Having celebrated Great Vespers yesterday evening and today’s Liturgy, our second Vespers was punctuated with the recurring call, “Again and again, on bended-knee, let us pray to the Lord…” with the solemn prayers of Pentecost, in which we prayed for forgiveness, correction and amendment of life; for fortification and the visitation of God’s Grace; for confirmation in the power of the Holy Spirit; for guidance and direction, so that we might think aright and walk in God’s paths with wisdom and understanding; and for sanctification and protection.
In the second kneeling-prayer, we asked,
“Grant unto my thoughts the Spirit of Thy wisdom, bestowing upon my foolishness the Spirit of understanding; overshadow my doings with the spirit of Thy fear, and renew a right spirit within me, and with Thy governing Spirit establish my sliding thoughts, so that being daily guided by Thy Spirit in things profitable, I may be enabled to keep Thy commandments, and ever to bear in mind Thy glorious Coming…”
Of course, our services and prayers, once more begin with the prayer personally athe addressing the Holy Spirit, “O Heavenly King”, in which we continually pray for the indwelling of the Comforter, as the Spirit of Truth and Giver of Life, and it is incumbent on each and every one of us to seek to make ourselves worthy vessels for this indwelling, through prayer, repentance, fasting, and the works of the Gospel – struggling against and putting aside all that defiles and darkens us, and obscures the image and likeness of God in us: putting aside impurity to gain purity; rejecting falsehood to be filled with truth; banishing darkness to be filled with light.
Otherwise, how can we be so daring and audacious to ask the Holy Spirit to “Come and dwell in us…” – bodies of mere clay, in lives beset by weakness, sin and error?
How can we ask this awesome Gift and Presence, unless we are struggling for purity and holiness, in repentance and active spiritual life, attuned to the Lord, struggling in the way of truth, righteousness and love – in lives as He wishes and wills us to lead and live?
And yet, as I reminded the faithful in the homily, in our baptism, we were each sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and made its heirs and recipients.
So – strengthened and encouraged by this wonderful free-gift from God, let us labour to make ourselves, our hearts and bodies a seemly place for God’s Divine Indwelling, which He desires for us – impossible though it seems – as the realisation of the baptismal mystery and promise in us, and in our lives.
St Seraphim reminds us that, “Acquiring the Spirit of God is the true aim of our Christian life, whilst prayer, fasting, almsgiving and other good works done for Christ’s sake are merely means for acquiring the Spirit of God.”
So, let us labour tirelessly in such ways, and by all possible means, to make this acquisition and indwelling of the Holy Spirit the reality of our lives in God and for God, that God may live in us, and, through us, may also dwell as the Comforter and Life-Giver in the world in which we dwell, through His mercy and love.
On this feast of the Holy Equals of the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, we greet and congratulate the Elenas, Helenas, Jelenas, Alyonas, Olyenas, Elenis and Helens among our parishioners in Cardiff and Cheltenham, our many friends in London, in Walsingham and across our Orthodox communities in Britain. May God grant them all many, blessed years!
We also remember our departed Llanelli sister, Eleni, on this coincidence of her nameday and the soul-sabbath. Memory Eternal!
Canon of the saints, 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.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
O Thou Who alone art the King of heaven, through the entreaties of Thy favoured ones, free Thou my lowly soul from sin, which now reigneth within me.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
As one who loved the kingdom on high, O blessed Constantine, believing with a pure mind, thou didst worship the King and Master of all.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Illumined with divine light, O divinely wise Helena, thou didst truly forsake the darkness of ignorance and most sincerely enslave thyself to the King of the ages.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Lady, thou portal of the divine East, open unto me the door of repentance, and by thine intercession deliver me from the gates of deadly sin.
Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, Creator of the vault of Heaven * and Builder of the Church, * do Thou strengthen me in Thy love, O Summit of desire, * O Support of the faithful, * O only Lover of mankind.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Thou didst strive to receive heavenly rewards; wherefore, O divinely wise father, thou didst follow Him Who called thee, forsaking the darkness of the falsehood bequeathed to thee, and didst become a luminary through the divine Spirit.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Having cleaved unto Christ and set all thy hope on Him, O most honoured one, thou didst attain unto His sacred places, wherein the Supremely good One, having become incarnate, endured His most pure sufferings.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Burning with divine desire, O divinely blessed one, thou didst uncover the precious Cross, the weapon of salvation, the insuperable victory, the hope of Christians, which had been hidden in malice.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having fallen away from my sacred citizenship, O most pure one, I have become like a beast and am wholly condemned. O thou who hast given birth to the Judge, deliver and save me from all condemnation.
Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.
Sessional Hymn of the saints, in Tone VIII, Spec. Mel.: “Of the Wisdom …”: Having stretched forth thy senses toward heaven and acquired the beauty of the stars, thou wast taught by them the mysteries of the Lord of all; and the weapon of the Cross shone forth in their midst, signifying that in which thou shouldest conquer and achieve dominion. Wherefore, opening the eyes of thy soul, thou didst read the writings and learn about the image. O most honored Constantine, entreat Christ God, that He grant remission of sins unto those who celebrate thy holy memory with love. (Twice)
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, Tone VIII: Having conceived the Wisdom and Word in thy womb without being consumed, O Mother of God, thou hast given birth for the world unto the Nourisher of all and Fashioner of creation; and thou didst bear in thine arms Him Who holdeth all things. Wherefore, I beseech thee, O all-holy Virgin, and glorify thee with faith: May I be delivered from transgressions, and, on the day of judgment when I shall stand before the face of my Creator, O pure Virgin Sovereign Lady, grant me thine aid; for thou canst do all things whatsoever thou dost will, O thou who art all-hymned.
Ode IV, Irmos: O Lord, I have heard the mystery of Thy dispensation; * I have considered Thy works, * and I have glorified Thy Divinity.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Christ the Lord pursued thee from heaven, as He had Paul of old, O Constantine, teaching thee to worship Him as the only King.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
With a most radiant sign of stars, O blessed one, Christ the Sun illumined thee, showing thee to be a luminary for the darkened.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O blessed one, thou wast God-loving in nature and right wondrous in thy divine works; wherefore, we glorify thee with faith.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Ever-virgin who hast given birth to the Sun of righteousness, illumine my soul, which hath been darkened by sins.
Ode V, Irmos: Rising early we cry to Thee, O Lord; * save us, for Thou art our God, * and we know none other besides Thee.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Having risen at dawn unto the never-waning Sun and Master, O divinely wise emperor, thou wast filled with light.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Wearing love and perfect loving-kindness like a robe of royal purple, thou hast now made thine abode in the kingdom on high.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O Helena, thou hast joined the choirs of the incorporeal ones, having pleased God by thy virtuous works.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Cleanse thou my soul, which hath been defiled by carnal pleasures through the treachery of the serpent, O Virgin.
Ode VI, 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 gloriously didst thou assemble the divine choir of the God-bearing fathers,
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
O Constantine, and through them make steadfast the storm-tossed hearts of all, that they might glorify the Word as equal in honor and co-enthroned with the One Who begat Him.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Having believed on the living Lord Who giveth life unto all, O Helena, thou didst spurn the abominable worship of vain idols and joyously received the kingdom of heaven.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Guided by Thy hand, O Word, through Thee the sovereigns thrust aside the most profound darkness of ignorance and the tempest of cruel godlessness, and arrived, rejoicing, at the calm havens of piety.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Heal thou my heart, which hath grown incurably sick and hath been grievously wounded by the sting of the evil one, O Maiden, and by thine entreaties grant healing unto me, and save me who trust in thee, O most pure one.
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 III: Spec. Mel.: “Today the Virgin …”: Today Constantine and his mother Helena * have revealed the Cross, the most precious Tree, * which putteth to shame all the Jews * and is the weapon of faithful kings against the adversary. ** For our sake the great standard hath appeared, terrible in battle.
Ikos: Let us honor Constantine, and Helena his mother; for, hearing the words of David, they recognized the three parts of the Cross in the cedar, the pine and the cypress, upon which the suffering of the Savior was accomplished. And having found it, in preparation to display it before the people, they set it before all the Jews, hidden because of their hatred and jealousy; revealing it to be the great justification. Wherefore, they have been revealed to all as victors, bearing the invincible trophy, the great standard, terrible in battle.
Ode VII, Irmos: The Hebrew children in the furnace * boldly trampled upon the flames, * changing the fire into dew, they cried aloud: * ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, throughout the ages’.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Keeping Thy precepts, Constantine submitted to Thy law. Wherefore, he hath cast down hordes of the iniquitous, crying out to Thee: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God!
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
The Tree which hath drawn all from the pit of destruction, O right wondrous one, and which was buried out of malice, thou didst disclose unto us, burying the most pernicious demons forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
By godly works thou didst make thy heart a temple of God, O Helena, and didst likewise build sacred churches for Him, where for our sake He endured His most pure sufferings for our sake.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Willingly committing sins, and enslaved by unseemly habits, I flee now to thy tender compassion. O most holy Sovereign Lady, save me who am in despair!
Ode VIII, Irmos: In his wrath the Chaldean Tyrant made the furnace blaze, * with heat fanned sevenfold for the servants of God; * but when he perceived that they had been saved by a greater power * he cried aloud to the Creator and Redeemer, * ‘O ye youths bless, O ye priests praise, * O ye people, supremely exalt Him throughout all ages’.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Arrayed in loving-kindness as in a robe and in goodly meekness as in cloak, O glorious one, thou wast adorned with a mind perfect in the virtues as with a crown; and having been translated from earth to the kingdom on high, thou dost cry aloud: O ye priests bless; O ye people supremely exalt Christ throughout all ages!
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Beholding thee rejoicing with thy divinely wise son, in the kingdom of God, O glorious Helena, we magnify Christ Who hath shown us your honoured festival, which illumineth us more brightly than the rays of the sun, wherefore we chant with faith: O ye people supremely exalt Christ throughout all ages!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Wondrous is thy desire and godly thy character, O glorious Helena, thou boast of women! For having attained unto the places where the precious sufferings took place, thou didst adorn them with all-beauteous temples of the Master of all, crying: O ye people supremely exalt Christ throughout all ages!
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Theotokos, enlighten the eyes of my soul, which have been blinded by many crimes; grant peace to my mind and heart, which have been vexed by multifarious pleasures, I pray, and save me who cry: O ye priests bless; ye people supremely exalt the pure one throughout all ages!
Ode IX, 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.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
The tomb wherein thy sacred and precious body doth lie, O Constantine, doth ever pour forth the radiance of divine healings upon those whoever approach it in purity, driving away the darkness of divers passions and illumining those who praise thee with never-waning light.
Holy Equals to the Apostles, Constantine and Helena, pray to God for us.
Having finished thy life in holiness, thou hast now made thine abode with the saints, full of sanctity and enlightenment. Wherefore, ever pouring forth rivers of healings, thou dost burn up our sufferings, giving drink to our souls, O blessed Helena.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
O unoriginate and immortal King, Thou hast vouchsafed Thy heavenly kingdom to the holy Helena and the great Constantine, whom of old thou didst grant to reign piously on earth, and who loved Thee in purity, O Lord. By their supplications have pity on us all.
Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Having conceived, thou hast given birth to the King and Creator of all, O Virgin. And, lo! as a Queen thou standest forth now at His right hand. Wherefore, I beseech thee: at the hour of judgment deliver me from the left side, and number me with the sheep on the right.
Troparion, Tone VIII: Beholding the image of Thy Cross in the sky, * and like Paul receiving a call not from men, * Thine apostle among kings placed the imperial city in Thy hands, O Lord. * Do Thou ever preserve it in peace, ** through the supplications of the Theotokos, O Thou Who alone art the Lover of mankind.
Despite parishioners being away for half-term, it was good to have a fairly well attended Liturgy, with faces that we haven’t seen since our move from St John’s – some of our Ukrainian faithful having been home for family reasons, before returning to the safety of Cardiff and the Valleys. It was a joy to see them, and especially to see so many confess and commune. We congratulate all who partook of the Holy Mysteries.
We also congratulated oltarnik Alexander on his nameday, the feast of St Alexander of Rome on Thursday, and sang mnogaya leta for him, and for Norman and Anne who have celebrated milestone birthdays. We also congratulate Nataliya on her birthday, which I did not realise was yesterday.
Following Liturgy and trapeza, we were very happy to welcome baby Stylian and his family, for the celebration of his baptism, which was a joyful and blessed British-Bulgarian-Romanian celebration. We look forward to his first reception of the Holy Mysteries, and pray that God will grant him, his godfather Cristian and his family many blessed years. We now look forward to a double baptism on Sunday 11 June.
Last Thursday saw a handful of us celebrate the Lord’s Ascension, and the texts of today’s Liturgy reminded us that it iss the after-feast, on which we celebrated the memory of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, at Nicea in 325.
This coming Wednesday, we will also commemorate the Fathers of the other Ecumenical Councils, and in my homily, I reflected on how the conciliar understanding of the Saviour’s divinity and humanity are celebrated in the feast of the Ascension, in which Christ as God returns to the glory which He possessed in eternity before creation, and yet put aside in the Divine Humility and selfless-love of the Incarnation, but also ascending into this glory with the humanity He shares with us, and which is now worshipped by the angels and saints in heaven – to which He calls us in the fullness of our humanity in the life of the age to come.
Next Sunday will bring the celebration of Pentecost-Trinity, in which we will mark the birthday of the Church, and pray on bended-knee in vespers, for the gift of the All-Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. I know that our sisterhood will be making posies for our worshippers to hold during vespers, according to our tradition, but we also encourage you all to bring branches and greenery for this wonderful feast.
Sadly, train strikes at the end of the week affect my travels using public transport. This will mean that our discussion group on prayer will not happen this Friday.
I will hear confessions on Thursday in Nazareth House, and around vespers on the eve of Pentecost-Trinity, on Saturday. Vespers will be at 17:00 and I would prefer to hear confessions before the service, as I am yet unsure of my travel method.
Would those requiring confessions please email me as soon as possible, and most definitely by noon on Wednesday.
Having celebrated the Sunday of All Saints in Cardiff yesterday, we now have the month long Apostle’s Fast until the feast of the Holy Chief Apostles, Peter and Paul, on 29 June / 12 July (at least for those following the Patristic Calendar).
