The Canon to the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

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First Canon, the acrostic whereof is: “I hymn the divinely-crowned company of martyrs,” the composition of John the Monk, in Tone II:

Ode, Irmos: Come, O ye people, * let us sing a song to Christ our God, * Who divided the sea, * and made a way for the nation * which He had brought up out of the bondage of Egypt; * for He hath been glorified.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

With hymns inspired by God I praise the divinely-crowned regiment of the martyrs of Christ, radiantly celebrating the annual commemoration of the forty, for He hath been glorified!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Rejecting every title on earth, the forty desired the title of Christian, wherefore they now dwell in the Highest.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Living in Christ and despising the flesh and the world, ye put off the old man and this transitory vesture, and clothed yourselves in the garment of incorruption.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Who is able fittingly to recount thy conceiving which surpasseth telling? For thou, O most pure one, hast given birth in the flesh to God, the Savior of us all, Who hath revealed Himself unto us.

Second Canon, The acrostic whereof is: “I hymn the divinely-crowned regiment of martyrs,” the composition of Theophanes, in the same tone:

Ode I, Irmos: Come, O ye people, * let us sing a song to Christ our God, * Who divided the sea, * and made a way for the nation * which He had brought up out of the bondage of Egypt; * for He hath been glorified.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

By your supplication, O ye forty martyrs, render God well-disposed towards us who call upon you with the pure love of our hearts.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Enlightened in the heavens with the rays of the splendor of the three-fold Sun, O ye forty martyrs, protect us who hymn you on earth, frozen over by the winter of temptations.

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

O forty martyrs, invincible and unshaken rampart of piety and the Church: do ye now pacify that which doth grievously trouble the Christian calling.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Virgin Theotokos, Mother who hath not known a man, thou hast given birth unto the Creator and Lord Who is supra-naturally over all and Who, for our sake, took upon Himself our flesh.

Ode III, Irmos: O Lord, who didst slay sin upon the tree, * firmly establish us in Thee, * and in the hearts of us who hymn Thee * plant the fear of Thee.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Disdaining the army and life, the comeliness of their bodies and wealth, the glorious forty martyrs inherited Christ instead of all of these things.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

When the forty martyrs were beaten mercilessly with stones at the command of the tormentors, through the Spirit of God the stones were hurled back against those who commanded that they be beaten.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

The serpent of him who invented blasphemy spake through the lips of the tormentors, but his God-opposing mouth hath been broken by the rocks hurled against the martyrs.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Without seed didst thou conceive God in thy womb, giving birth to Him who was ineffably incarnate; upon Whom the hosts of Heaven dare not gaze, O pure Ever-virgin.

Another Irmos: O Lord, who didst slay sin upon the tree, * firmly establish us in Thee, * and in the hearts of us who hymn Thee * plant the fear of Thee.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

O ye martyred company and united chorus of crowned martyrs: standing before the Master, ever save us who sing your praises.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Battered by the lake of the passions and by the waves of grievous temptations, we flee to you, Christ’s forty warriors.

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

Warmed in the bosom of Abraham and adorned with glorious apparel, pray ye that Christ grant forgiveness unto those who are bound by the winter of evil circumstances.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Virgin Bride of God: be thou the confirmation, refuge and protection of those who have recourse unto thee in faith and confess thee to be the Mother of God.

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

Sessional Hymn, Tone VIII: Spec. Mel. “Of the Wisdom …”: Having served Christ in martyrdom as warriors, and having cast down the enemy through suffering, in your deeds ye fulfilled the words of the Prophet: ye went manfully through fire and water, finding refreshment, and life incorruptible. Wherefore, adorned with heavenly crowns, ye rejoice with the choirs of the bodiless ones, O blessed and all-praised passion-bearers. Entreat Christ God, that He grant forgiveness of sins unto those who honor your holy memory with love. (Twice)

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

Theotokion in Tone VIII: From the snares of enemies visible and invisible, * we have been overcome by the storms of our innumerable sins, * and fleeing unto the safe harbor of thy goodness O pure one, * we have thee as our rampart and sure protection. * Wherefore we thy servants beseech thee * to ceaselessly make fervent supplication, O most pure one, * unto Him who seedlessly became incarnate from thee, * that those who worthily hymn thee ** may be granted the remission of their sins.

Ode IV, Irmos: I have heard report of Thy dispensation, O Lord, * and have glorified Thee * Who alone art the Lover of mankind.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

“O ye most iniquitous ones, ye have been made to vainly offer such a poor bargain!” said the sufferers.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Sharpened swords and wild beasts, fire and the cross did the tormentors offer to the saints of Christ.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

“The fire of Gehenna is frightful to us, but we are not afraid of any of our fellow servants here present,” said the athletes.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

“Let our arms be cut off, let our feet be burned,” the holy ones cried out, “for we shall receive them back incorruptible.”

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

We beseech thee, O most pure one who didst conceive God without seed: ever pray for thy servants.

Another, Irmos: I have heard report of Thy dispensation, O Lord, * and have glorified Thee * Who alone art the Lover of mankind.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

O martyrs, through God ye have become our illumination, for ye have clothed yourselves in undimmed splendor.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

O divinely elect and crowned assembly of martyrs, pray that those who hymn you be delivered from misfortunes.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

O holy ones, having been deemed worthy to behold the unwaning light of Christ, ye shine forth upon those who sit in darkness.

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

Shining with the noetic radiance of Christ, O ye glorious ones, guide us to the divine illumination.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Hymning Him Who was incarnate from thy womb, O pure one, we glorify thee as the Mother of God.

Ode V, Irmos: O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: * guide us in the light of Thy commandments, * for we know none other God than Thee.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Through the most mindless savagery of the tormentors, the spiritual athletes, condemned to spend the night in the open air in the cold, chanted a hymn of thanksgiving unto God.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Rejoicing, the forty martyrs endured the painful ice, standing in the lake, yet were strengthened with the hope of divine crowns.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

The serpent which before had made its nest in the waters, and now driven out, became an object of scorn for the forty martyrs of Christ, for he was deprived of his deadly strength.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

To thee who hast given birth to Christ, the Creator of all, do we cry aloud: Rejoice, O pure one! Rejoice, thou who hast shone forth the Light upon us! Rejoice, thou who didst contain the infinite God.

Another Irmos: O Lord, Bestower of light and Creator of the ages: * guide us in the light of Thy commandments, * for we know none other God than Thee.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

From the raging of the heretics do ye now deliver the honorable Church of Christ, O forty martyrs; for, having been born within Her, ye have passed on to great dignity and glory.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Appearing to us, the forty divinely splendid martyrs of Christ like fiery beacons light the salvific way of piety for the faithful.

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

Passing over from earth to the shelter of Heaven, where ye stand before Christ, the Judge of the contest, O martyrs, deem me worthy to acquire divine joy.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Maiden Sovereign Lady, thou didst truly bear God as thy divine Offspring, as a mystery inscrutable and incomprehensible to all, passing all understanding.

Ode VI, Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, * I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Thy compassion: * Raise me up from corruption, O God.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

With joy the author of enmity snatched him that fell away from the forty as did the wretched Judas from the twelve apostles, and mankind from Eden.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Being shameless, the devil rageth in vain, for as of old by the thief and Matthias, so now by one in the office of guardsman, the tyrant hath also been rent asunder.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Vain-minded and worthy of lamentation is he who missed both lives, for thawed by the fire, he departed into the unquenchable flames.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

O Virgin, thou hast given birth without knowing a man, and remainest forever a virgin, revealing the images of thy Son and God, the true Deity.

Another Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, * I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Thy compassion: * Raise me up from corruption, O God.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

O mighty ones, ye have been revealed to be watchful and vigilant preservers of the human race, offering up supplications, and set forth as helpers of the grieving.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Shining forth in the Church of Christ in your unexcelled beauties, O all-praised ones, deliver those who honor you with love from all temptations.

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

Of old ye became destroyers of the deception of the demonized persecutors, O most eminent ones; and now be our ready help and rampart.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

On thee have I placed my hope of salvation, O Ever-virgin Mother; and Thee have I appointed as the steadfast and unshakable intercessor of my life.

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

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

Kontakion, Tone VI: Having fully left the army of the world, * ye cleaved unto the Master in the heavens, * O forty passion-bearers of the Lord; * for, having passed through fire and water, * O blessed ones, * ye received glory from the heavens as is meet ** and a multitude of crowns.

Ikos: Unworthy as I am, I fall down before Christ Almighty, our Creator and God, Who sitteth upon an unapproachable throne, Who stretched out the heavens as it were a curtain, Who established the earth, Who gathered the waters in the bodies thereof, Who created all things out of nothing, Who granteth breath and life unto all, Who receiveth hymnody from the archangels, is worshipped by the angels and is glorified by all; and offering up entreaty, I beg the grace of eloquence, that even I may piously hymn the saints whom He Himself showed forth as victors, granting them glory from the heavens and a multitude of crowns.

Ode VII, Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped on the plain of Dura, * Thy three children spurned the impious command, * and, cast into the midst of the flame, * they were bedewed, and sang: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

The guard set over the forty martyrs was struck with awe, beholding their crowns; and, rejecting that which bound him to life, taking wing with the love of Thy manifest glory, with the martyrs he sang: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Hastening to the soul-destroying bath, he that loved his life died; but he that loved Christ, being a most exemplary apprehender of those things which he beheld, sang with the martyrs as in a bath of incorruption: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

When the noetic fire flared up in the minds of the forty, the most subtle madness of the impious was consumed, as it were melting wax. And to Thee, O Christ, they sang: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

The power of Thy Cross, as exceeding splendid and magnificent, O Christ, doth weave crowns for the forty martyrs with opposites; for, having passed through fire and water, they cry out in incorruption: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

On Mount Sinai Moses foresaw thee, O pure one, as a burning bush which, without being consumed, bore the unbearable radiance of the ineffable Being, Who as One of the holy Hypostases, hath united Himself to the coarseness of our flesh.

Another Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped on the plain of Dura, * Thy three children spurned the impious command, * and, cast into the midst of the flame, * they were bedewed, and sang: * O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Your annual commemoration hath radiantly dawned, O ye who are most rich, shining far, radiant with the splendor of the Fast. And celebrating it with faith, we chant with you: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

To all ye have been revealed to be as ones loosened from the passions and beacons shining from afar, the cleansing of the world, the destruction of deception, clear-voiced proclaimers of the truth and expellers of falsehood, chanting: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Ye have been revealed to us as noetic beacons shining forth, O martyrs; for ye save the tempest-tossed and guide those who sail and are battered by the storm of life, chanting unto Christ: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

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

Beautiful to God and desirable to the angels is the divinely assembled and most splendid regiment of the forty martyrs inspired by God, the godly and awesome company which crieth out, saying: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

A beacon of light, a luminous cloud and a hallowed place hast thou been revealed to be, O thou who knewest not wedlock, for thou didst ineffably receive the Word, the Holy One of those who are holy. And chanting unto Him, we cry aloud: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Ode VIII, Irmos: God Who descended into the fiery furnace * with the Hebrew children, * and transformed the flame into dew, * do ye works hymn, * and supremely exalt as Lord throughout all ages.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Savagely inciting every creature against the athletes, the enemy hath been put to shame by them all, for the forty martyrs unceasingly hymn and supremely exalt the Lord throughout all ages.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Cruelly were the members of your bodies crushed for Christ, and ye were offered unto God as a divine holocaust; with the angels ye ever hold chorus, O martyrs, hymning Christ throughout all ages.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

With steadfast intent the Christ-loving mother took upon her shoulder him to whom she had given birth; and she offered him up as the fruit of piety, a martyr among martyrs, emulating the sacred action of Abraham.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

“Make thy journey running straight to everlasting life, O my son,” the Christ- loving mother cried out to her Christ-loving child, “for I could not bear to see thee appear in second place before Christ, the Judge of the contest!”

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The Son Who is not parted from the bosom of the Father, yet made His abode in thy maternal womb, O pure Virgin Bride of God, do we hymn and supremely exalt throughout all ages!

Another Irmos: God Who descended into the fiery furnace * with the Hebrew children, * and transformed the flame into dew, * do ye works hymn, * and supremely exalt as Lord throughout all ages.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Ye steadfastly gave yourselves over to a painful death in the midst of winter, O valiant ones; and now, having passed on to the true life which is hidden in Christ, ye ask for salvation and forgiveness for us.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Having passed over from earth to the heavens, O crowned spiritual athletes, ye chorus of victorious martyrs of the Church, ask for us salvation and deliverance from misfortunes, passions and evil circumstances.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Rending asunder the bonds of death, the Savior hath given victory over death to His martyrs, for, warmed by the cold, the forty sang, asking for salvation for all the faithful.

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

Through prayer the divine choir of passion-bearers manifestly drive the assaults of dangers, the attack of the passions and the temptations of the demons away from those who hymn Christ throughout the ages.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Mortals given over to the dust of mortality and to corruption hast thou alone raised up, O pure Lady, Virgin Birthgiver of God, having given birth to Christ our God, the Author of life.

Ode IX, Irmos: God the Word, God of God, * Who by ineffable wisdom came to create Adam anew * after his grievous fall to corruption through eating * and Who took flesh beyond all telling from the Holy Virgin for our sake, * Him we faithful with one accord magnify in song.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Stripped naked and beaten with stones for the sake of Christ, ye endured the wintry air, icy water and crushing of your limbs; and having been consumed by fire, O ye forty martyrs, ye shine forth in the rushing river like beacons.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Having acquired the Cross as a staff of divine power, the forty spiritual athletes cried out to Christ: O Master, almighty Conqueror, crown us by Thine own hand, that we all may unceasingly magnify Thee with hymns!

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

The pain of the ice and boundless cruelty of the cold did ye endure, O forty martyrs; but paradise is sweet, for the bosom of the Patriarch Abraham doth warm you in the eternal mansions.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Manifest as conquerors by your sufferings, and having received crowns from the divine right hand of the Master, O forty martyrs, pray ye now that peace be granted to the world and victory and salvation to us.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

The multitudes of angels entreat thy Son, O Virgin Bride and Mother. Accept thou our supplication, O thou who alone art the hope of the faithful; grant peace to the world, and victory and salvation unto us who love thee.

Another, Irmos: God the Word, God of God, * Who by ineffable wisdom came to create Adam anew * after his grievous fall to corruption through eating * and Who took flesh beyond all telling from the Holy Virgin for our sake, * Him we faithful with one accord magnify in song.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Supra-natural illumination and ineffable joy and glory have ye been deemed worthy to receive; and now, O soldiers of Christ, ye forty martyrs, from temptations, misfor- tunes and the wickedness of the enemy deliver those who honor you with love.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Having received power and might from the heavens, O ye that are most spiritually rich, fellow prisoners of Christ, in that ye have become dispellers of falsehood, drive away all the ephemeral gloom of idolatry and enlighten the world, O ye forty martyrs.

Holy forty martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us.

Adorned with the comeliness of an honorable martyrdom, and sharing in divine life, O forty martyrs, warriors of Christ, ye truly rejoice, united to the most radiant and pure Light.

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

Standing now before Christ with the boldness of piety, and illumined with the light of the Godhead, O glorious forty martyrs, earnestly beseech Him, that those who praise you be illumined with the thrice-luminous radiance.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Virgin, portal of divine Light, with the immaterial rays of thy light illumine the manifest twilight of my soul, and grant that I who magnify thee faithfully and lovingly with hymns, O pure one, be delivered from everlasting fire.

Troparion, Tone I: By the pangs which Thy saints, suffered for Thee, * hearken unto us, O Lord, * and heal all our diseases, ** we beseech Thee, O Lover of mankind.

The Sunday of the Veneration of the Life-Giving Cross

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Dear brothers and sisters,

After a wonderful pilgrimage to Capel-y-ffin and Llanthony, yesterday, Mid-Lent was celebrated in the parish today with the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Veneration of the Life-Giving Cross, just days after we gathered before the Cross to chant the akathist to the Lord’s Passion, as we will again after Thursday confessions.

As expected, Mothering Sunday dented service attendance, though one of our trustees confirmed that there were still around forty souls gathered for Liturgy. We venerated the Cross at the end of the service, and express our profound thanks to matushka Alla for the floral frame in which it was placed. Spasi Gospodi!

Thanks also go to our choir, reduced to three voices today by commitments and illness, and to our oltarniky. Young Stefan served his tenth Liturgy this morning, and given his confidence and knowledge, it is hard to believe that he has only served for two and a half months.

We rejoice that when we next celebrate the Divine Liturgy, we will have three newly-enlightened members of the parish and partakers of the Holy Mysteries, after the baptism of Dan, Mo, and Germaine on Saturday afternoon – and look forward to welcoming them to the chalice of the Holy Mysteries by their baptismal names of Patrick, Brigid and Mary. Please pray for them as they approach the mystery of Holy Baptism and Chrismation, and as they prepare to for confession and communion of the Lord’s Holy and Life-Giving Body and Blood.

Today brought the joyful news that another of our students wishes to be admitted to the catechumenate in the next few weeks, after faithful attendance in both the Cardiff parish and its Cheltenham mission. Glory to God!

It was very interesting to talk with brothers of the parish in a local café regarding the place of Father Seraphim (Rose) of Platina in the spiritual journeys of those coming to Holy Orthodoxy, and – interestingly – of the spiritual characteristics of the communities encountered that frown upon their parishioners reading his works: in a word, renovationsist and modernist pick-and-mix parishes that don’t really make sense to those seeking traditional, patristic Orthodoxy. I am heartened to hear of the traditional spiritual reading of our parishioners – with a good appreciation of the Holy Fathers, including those of the 19th and 20th centuries like St Ignaty Brianchaninov, St Theophan the Recluse and St Paisios the New. I have also been struck by the appreciation of the lives of the Holy Fools among the brothers of our parish – and as a great admirer of the yurodivy, I am very pleased by this.

After Liturgy, I was glad to see that our oltarnik, Oswald, continues to gain parish support for his icon stall, having ensured I left with an icon of St Gerasimos and the lion. His icons are now sold by White Horse Wares, from whom we have bought excellent candles and gifts – https://whitehorsewares.co.uk

Looking ahead to this week, confessions will be held late on Thursday afternoon, and due to the commitments of some of our parishioners we will chant Compline and the Akathist to the Passion of the Saviour at the later time of 19:00.

Given the worsening situation of the persecuted Church in Ukraine, I would like to draw parishioners’ attention to the open letter written by His Grace, Bishop Irenei, which may be found on the diocesan webpage (in English and Russian):

https://orthodox-europe.org/content/open-letter-persecution-in-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR2YRLJZ5j_9rY1R7dArdqpBp0mhnDEcPpY_AajU4HIFYK63YRariiPIUiI

All of our parishioners are called upon to redouble their prayers for the suffering Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and for the Brotherhood of the Kiev-Caves Lavra in particular. The clergy of the diocese will serve molebny for the Lavra Brotherhood on 29th March, the day the state-persecutors have set as the deadline for the monks to vacate the Lavra.

I will post the canons to the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev-Caves Lavra on our Facebook page, so that parishioners may pray them for the sake of the persecuted brotherhood.

As mentioned, Saturday afternoon will see the baptism of Dan, Mo and Germaine. We will gather in St Nicholas at 14:00 and anyone wishing to attend should email me for details.

Next Sunday celebrates the memory of St John of the Ladder, with our celebration commencing with the Hours at 10:40, followed by the Divine Liturgy. The variables for the service may be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O4cW5PW9eIeDfGGD5ZAJj5XOtTB20yEU/view

Having discussed Holy Week with Sister Anna, I will publish service details in the next few days.

May God bless you all, and give you strength for the second half of the Great Fast. If things have flagged a bit, take encouragement from this Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross to regain momentum and spiritual direction.

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

Our Parish Pilgrimage to Capel-y-ffin and Llanthony

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Dear brothers and sisters,

I was incredibly happy to finally be able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with a small band of parish pilgrims in Little St Marys’s at Capel-y-ffin this morning.

After the suspension testing journey from Hay-on-Wye, with the wild and beautiful terrain (under a dramatic cloudscape) of the Brecon Beacons falling away or rising on the sides of the narrow road snaking over the mountains, the pot-holed and weathered lanes brought us to Capel-y-ffin, our arrival heralded by the sight of the lopsided belfry immortalised in Eric Ravilious’s  ‘Wet Afternoon’, painted in 1938.

However, this arrival was on a sunny spring morning and it was wonderful to arrive at the gate of the little churchyard and see parishioners already there, all of whom seemed to have made the smoother journey up the valley from Abergavenny.

They had come with icons, candles and flowers – using the window ledges and surfaces to bring the visual signs of Orthodox liturgical life to St Mary’s.

Whilst the clergy arranged the little sanctuary for the Divine Liturgy, Father Richard Williams – the incredibly welcoming and personable priest-in-charge – talked a little about the history of the site, starting well before the building of the present church, including the appearance of the Mother of God there in the years after the Norman Conquest, before the bells rang out over the narrow valley, announcing the joyful tidings that the Holy Liturgy would make this little sanctuary the place where heaven and earth would conjoin in the celebration of the Holy Mysteries.

Having bidden Father goodbye, so that he could be back in Hay in time for the Angelus, the little congregation were able to see and hear the vesting prayers and proskomedia at close quarters, before an intimate and simple Liturgy in the tiny church, celebrated in English, Welsh and Slavonic – though a little Greek also crept in at the Trisagion.

The sun poured in through the clear glass windows, and during the epiclesis it was wonderful to look up and see the sides of the valley to the east beside the trees in the churchyard.

The Liturgy in the simplicity of the church was a great blessing and a source of great joy and peace, knowing that St David had founded a monastic settlement a few miles down the valley, and after a lovely picnic lunch at Capel-y-ffin, we descended to Llanthony, where the medieval ruins of the priory give no hint of the earlier Celtic foundation.

After chanting a litia to St David in the parish church where we celebrated Liturgy in the past, we visited the medieval ruins and were happy to sit down together in the little pub in the vault of the former abbot’s lodging and enjoy hot drinks and chips. This was a very enjoyable time of fellowship, and I hope that we will be able to enjoy Llanthony in the summer time, sitting among the ruins to picnic and enjoy ice-creams and Herefordshire cider, as some of have in the past!

Our thanks go to Father Richard for his hospitality and encouragement to always feel at home and welcome at Capel-y-ffin, and to our parish sisters Melangell and Mary for their fine organisational skills in helping it all happen.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to god for us!

With love in Christ – Hieromonk Mark

Happy Name Day, James!

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It is with great joy that we greet our young parishioner, James, as he celebrates his first name day on this feast of St James the Faster.

James is one of our devoted parishioners who travels all the way from Wiltshire for Liturgy, having been baptised in Chippenham last autumn, and one of the group of young brothers who have made such a positive impact on our parish.

Dear James – May God grant you many, blessed years!

 

Saint James the Faster lived a life of asceticism near the Phoenician city of Porphyrion in the sixth century. For fifteen years, he lived in a cave devoting himself to monastic deeds, and he received the gift of wonderworking from the Lord. Under his influence many of the local inhabitants were converted to the Christian Faith.

News of the ascetic spread everywhere, and so went to another place so that he would not fall into temptation. He found a new cave, and lived there for thirty years. The devil set terrible snares for the ascetic. James healed a young girl from demonic possession, but then fell into sin with her. In order to conceal his sin, he killed the girl and threw her into a river.

Distraught over this sin, he repented for what he had done. For a long time he hid himself away in the wilderness, bereft of shelter and peace, tormented by the pricks of conscience, and he was on the point of forsaking the monastic life and returning to the world. But the immeasurable mercy of God, against which the sins of this world cannot prevail, and which desires salvation for all mankind, would not permit the ruin of this monk who had toiled so many years for the Lord. 

The Lord thwarted the devil’s intent to destroy the ascetic, and returned him through repentance to the path of salvation. Wandering about the wilderness, James saw a monastery, and entering it, he confessed his sin before the igumen and the brethren. The igumen urged him to remain with them, fearing that he would ultimately fall into despair. But James went off and again he wandered the wilderness for a long time.

Finally the All-Beneficent Providence of God brought him to a certain desert-dweller filled with grace and wisdom. Lifting the burden from him, the desert-dweller suggested that James remain with him. But James would not remain with the Elder, though encouraged and given hope by him, and he secluded himself in a cave and there for ten years offered repentance to God, weeping and wailing, and asking forgiveness for the sin he committed. The Lord heard the prayers of the penitent monk and granted him His mercy. James reacquired his gift of wonderworking. He remained in the cave until the time of his death. He was also buried there.

The Orthodox Church in America

3/2/2017

 

 

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus! Happy St David’s Day!

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Dear brothers and sisters, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus!

Greetings and congratulations as we celebrate the feast of St David, with the blessing of the sun shining, blue sky, plum blossom and the first leaves unfurling in the hedgerows – in Carmarthenshire, at least.

Our holy father, St David was born into the fading legacy of ‘Romanitas’ in Celtic Britain, as the memory and culture of Rome faded and grew ever dimmer with the incursion of  Germanic invaders and the passing of time, and his life and ministry connected Wales to both of the ancient patriarchates of Rome and Jerusalem, a wonderful link to both East and West.

The Jerusalem connection was reflected in the pilgrimage of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Damian I, together with the First-Hierarch of our Russian Church Abroad, to St David’s in 1925.

I am always in awe of this visit on the part of our First-Hierarch, Metropolitan Anthony, as a sign of our Church’s devotion to the ancient saints of the west.

Let us turn to St David to pray for Metropolitan Anthony’s successor, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine and for the suffering and persecuted Ukrainian Church.

St David’s memory is one of continuity through the life of our nation, even though protestantism airbrushed and renovated our great patron saint, transforming him into an image of its own making and desire – a comfortable and charismatic image, that does not particularly challenge or prompt serious spiritual questions.

For us Orthodox Christians, who have preserved the patterns of ancient monasticism whose hierarchs are still first and foremost men of prayer and intense spiritual life; who still uphold the ascetic traditions of ancient Christianity; who take prayer and fasting seriously, and who are not worried by long hours of liturgical-prayer – the spiritual world of St David is not far from us and our experience of the Christian life.

But, do we live up to his testament – “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do”?

We know the things he did, simply from the fact that he was a monk and bishop: being humble, loving and merciful; seeking to serve and protect others; immersing himself in prayer and interceding for the world; fiercely opposing doctrinal falsehood; embracing the discipline of fasting and struggling to overcome the bodily weaknesses that damage us spiritually – in short, spiritual warfare.

The list may sound daunting, but when we break it down to individual actions, decisions and scenarios, all is rather more straightforward for us in imitating him…

Do I choose or even try to be generous, loving, and merciful?

Do I try to live a simple, godly, prayerful and devout life – praying, fasting, serving Christ by serving others and putting them before me?

Do I try to ‘police’ my thoughts, actions and words in the struggle for purity and the restoration of God’s image in me?

Do I seek reconciliation and forgiveness, labouring for peace in my family, street, community or workplace?

Do I try to imitate the Saviour in thought, word and deed?

Do I show humility and obedience by embracing the Traditions and teachings of the Church, even though I may find some of the things difficult and challenging – or do I pick and choose, doing it my own, self-determined way?

We may be doctrinally steadfast and unshakeable, but are we doing the little things? This constant challenge and questioning is a key to the road-map to the Kingdom of Heaven, embracing and joyfully reflecting the way of the saints, which is none other than a reflection of Our Saviour, the  ‘Way, the Truth and the Life’.

For St David, Christianity is not simply believed, but a life of doing and action, realised and proved in details and little things, and it is in doing the seemingly little things that we remain steadfast in our Faith and are then able to do the big things.

Real Christianity is not an impressionistic picture painted in approximate, broad and wide brush strokes, but one in which Faith is realised in the small details of living the Gospel in our daily lives, in our families and communities.  

Be joyful! Be steadfast! Live the Gospel by doing these little things!

May God bless you all, and have mercy upon us, through the prayers of St David and all of the saints of Wales.

In Christ – Fr Mark.

The Canon to St David of Wales: Feastday 1/14 March

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Ode I, Irmos: With an upraised arm Christ drowned the chariots of Pharaoh and his power, and saved Israel, who sent up the hymn: Let us sing unto our wondrous God!

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Deign Thou to fill my mouth with eloquence, O Christ, that I may praise the wondrous David, who enjoineth us, saying: Let us sing unto our wondrous God!

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

A youth comely and full of divine grace, thou didst undertake to study well the Scriptures, O holy David, that thou mightest sing unto our wondrous God.

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

Verily did thy fellows behold a dove with beak of gold playing at thy holy lips, O glorious David, teaching thee to sing the praises of our wondrous God.

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

In voices of exultation let us hymn the all-pure and immaculate Theotokos, that, saved by her supplications, we may sing unto our wondrous God.

Ode III, Irmos: All the heavens, which were established by Thee, O Word and Power of God, confess Thine ineffable glory and the creation of Thine all-accomplishing hands; for there is none holy save Thee, O Lord.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Despising the vanity of the world, O sacred one, thou didst flee to the venerable Paulinus, great among ascetics, and he taught thee to cry out to the Master of all: There is none holy save Thee, O Lord!

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Destroying his bodily eyes by constant weeping, the elder Paulinus fell blind; but, full of the power of the Word of God, the holy David healed him, crying out: There is none holy save Thee, O Lord!

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

Replete with the grace of God, David most great set it as his holy task to build many churches and to establish many monasteries, wherein the pious might sing: There is none holy save Thee, O Lord!

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

O the heavenly glory of thine ineffable birthgiving, O holy Virgin and Mother For in manner beyond the comprehension of man thou gavest birth to thine own Creator, the Word and Power of God.

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

Sessional hymn, in Tone I: Withdrawing from the tumults of the world, O holy David, thou didst willingly bend thy neck beneath the yoke of Christ, submitting in obedience to the holy Paulinus, who trained thee to contend with skill against the adversary of our race. Glory to the Judge of thy contest! Glory to Him Who gave thee the victory over Satan! Glory to Him Who hath awarded thee the wreath of victory!

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: Stretching forth thy divine hands wherewith thou didst bear the Creator Who in His goodness became incarnate, O all-holy Virgin, beg thou that He deliver from temptations, sorrows and tribulations us who praise thee with love and cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt within thee! Glory to Him Who came forth from thee! Glory to Him Who hath delivered us by thy birthgiving!

Stavrotheotokion (replaces the Theotokion of Wednesdays and Firdays): In awe at Thy great and awesome forbearance, O Saviour, the all-pure one lamented bitterly and cried out to Thee Who wast crucified on the Cross by the iniquitous and Whose side was pierced with a spear by the soldiers: Glory to Thy love for man! Glory to Thy goodness! Glory to Thee Who by Thy death hast rendered man immortal!

Ode IV, Irmos: Thy virtue hath covered the heavens, O Christ, and all things have been filled with Thy praise, O Lord.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Pious men offered up praise to Christ at Glastonbury when the holy David restored the monastery there.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Poisonous had the waters at Bath become, but by the power of Christ, David made them fit for use again.

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

Enlightening all the Britons, everywhere the holy one went he built churches, wherein to praise the Lord.

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

The Theotokos was full of the beauty of all the virtues; wherefore, the heavens resound with her praises.

Ode V, Irmos: Enlighten me who rise at dawn out of the night, I pray, O Thou Who lovest mankind, and guide me in Thy precepts; and teach me to do Thy will, O Saviour.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Having filled the land with monastic habitations, the pious David made his abode in Menevia, where he taught the Saviour’s sacred precepts unto all..

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Mortifying all carnal-mindedness, O God-bearer, rising at dawn out of the night thou didst show thyself to be a worthy model of all the Christian virtues.

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

Imitating the austerities of the ascetics of the Thebaïd, thy monks, bending their will to thine, O saint, committed themselves to fasting and constant prayer.

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

Rising at dawn out of the night, I beg the merciful Mother of God with tears and sighs, that by her intercession I may learn to do the will of her Son.

Ode VI, Irmos: With all my heart I cried out to the compassionate God, and He heard my cry from the uttermost depths of hades, and hath led my life up from corruption.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Abstaining from all but bread and pulse, and slaking their thirst with water alone, led by thee thy monks attained deliverance from corruption.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Constant was thy mental prayer, O saint, for thou didst follow the injunction of the Apostle to pray without ceasing; and God led thee up from hades.

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

Leading the sheep of thy flock like a good shepherd, O wondrous pastor, thou didst drive from them the demonic wolves, delivering their souls.

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

Every true Christian crieth out in anguish to the compassionate Bride of God; and, hearkening to our pleas, she entreateth her Son to lead up their life from corruption.

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, in Tone IV: O thou who didst willing take up thy cross and follow Christ the Lord, and didst fill thy land with new communities dedicated to Him, send down from heaven the grace of God, O great and wondrous David, that we Christians may prevail over all heresies, having thee as an invincible ally amid our struggle for piety.

Ikos: Let us now fittingly praise David, the bishop of Christ, for he was called by God from his mother’s womb to sanctify the people of Wales, and by them was chosen to be their chief bishop; and conducting his ministry in a God-pleasing manner, he brought multitudes to salvation by the gifts of the Spirit which abode in him; wherefore, he is the great boast of all the Welsh, and an invincible ally amid our struggle for piety.

Ode VII, Irmos: We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have dealt unjustly before Thee. We have neither done nor acted as Thou hast commanded us. But forsake us not utterly, O God of our fathers.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Sinful and iniquitous is the accursed heresy of Pelagius, who belittled the power of divine grace and exalted the feeble efforts of man’s will; but David set his blasphemy utterly at nought.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Like mute fish did the defenders of Pelagius become, being utterly silenced when the holy one made clear the doctrines of piety by the grace and power wherewith Christ filled his godly mouth.

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

Inspiring the faithful of Wales to turn from heresy and embrace the Truth, David was acclaimed as a champion of piety, who would in nowise forsake the true worship of the God of our fathers.

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

Knowing the magnitude of our sinfulness and the multitude of our iniquities, we would despair of all mercy; but forsake us not utterly in thy supplications, O all-immaculate and merciful Lady.

Ode VIII, Irmos: In the flame the youths gave the command to hymn God the Father and Creator, the consubstantial Son and the Spirit of God: Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages!

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Ever did the holy David exhort his flock to worship the All-holy Trinity the unoriginate Father, His only-begotten Son, and the all-holy Spirit in Orthodox manner exalting Him supremely for all ages.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Having taken up the saving yoke of Christ with single mind, bear it to the end, the holy David cried out to his brethren, and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep it and fulfill.

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

O the love of the saint for the sheep which Christ, the Chief Shepherd, had given into his care! For, dying, he earnestly besought them to bless the Lord and exalt Him supremely for all ages.

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

Lambent is the light of thy grace, and though the furnace of our fiery passions rageth mightily, rescue us from its flames, O Mother of our God Who is exalted supremely for all ages.

Ode IX, Irmos: Finding everlasting deliverance from the dread sentence brought upon our race by our first father Adam, with the bodiless ones we glorify thine Offspring Who was begotten from on high, magnifying thee, the Theotokos, with hymns.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Ye saints of Wales, like bees returning with all speed to the hive at the approach of a storm were ye, forewarned by God that thy father and bishop David would soon depart to his Master and Creator; wherefore, ye magnified him with hymns.

Hierarch of Christ, David, pray to God for us.

Dying in body, O holy bishop, thy pure soul took wing, and the venerable Kentigern beheld it, soaring aloft, upborne to the heights of heaven by the hands of angelic beings; wherefore, we praise and glorify thy holy memory with hymns of joy.

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

Empty now lieth thy holy tomb, O protector of Wales, and over the ages thy precious relics have been dispersed near and far; yet in spirit thou abidest with all the saints of the Most High, ever sending heavenly aid to us who magnify thee with hymns.

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

When we must needs stand before the dread tribunal of thy Son and give answer for our countless crimes, O daughter of Adam and Mother of Christ, stand thou with us, and plead for us who magnify thee, the all-holy Theotokos, with hymns.

Troparion, Tone III: Let the Christians of Wales join in gladsome chorus, uplifting their voices in joyous jubilation, as we celebrate the feast of the wondrous David, their holy father and enlightener, who now dwelleth with the saints on high, and doth ever earnestly intercede for us sinners.

Troparion, Tone I: Having worked miracles in thy youth, founded monasteries and converted the pagans who had sought to destroy thee, O Father David, Christ our God blessed thee to receive the episcopate at the place of His Resurrection. Intercede for us, that our lives may be blessed and our souls may be saved.

A Busy Weekend in Cardiff and Cheltenham

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Here we are at the end of another busy weekend of services and fellowship in Cheltenham and Cardiff, having been blessed to hear confessions, serve the Liturgy, enjoy meals with parishioners and to spend plenty of time with our students and young people.

Yesterday was a long one, but we were very glad to have been able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Parental Saturday, also offering a panikhida for “the souls of all our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters who from the ages have fallen asleep in the true faith, and in hope of resurrection and life eternal…”, especially remembering the newly-departed priests Stephen and John, the warrior Ioann, and Viktoria, who was laid to rest on Friday.

As usual, we shared a sociable and joyful trapeza before a local house-blessing and a visit to All Saints, Pittville, to collect parish belongings remaining since we last worshipped there in summer 2021. It was lovely to see Father Robert, who will be moving to the parish of St Agnes, Kennington, in April.

The need to set up the chapel at Nazareth House and an hour and a half of confessions saw a stop-off in Cardiff, finally arriving home fourteen hours after the morning departure – fifteen for Father Deacon Mark, for whom the driving on such a long day and in such awful weather must have been tiring and challenging.

Praise God that we see such dedication and such a profound understanding of diakonia – driving, setting up the church, leading the kliros as our usual singers were away, putting everything away again, more driving, setting up another church, and yet even more driving. And then… we started again today!

Such dedication and labour is indicative of the character of the clergy and idea of service in our diocese. We most certainly do not become clergy in ROCOR for an easy, comfortable life, with regularity, and routine, or with a sense of entitlement – especially given that all but three of us in the British part of the diocese have secular work in addition to serving parishes! Or clergy live to serve, however tiring and challenging that service might be.

How blessed we are!

Today was blessed with the Hours and Liturgy for the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas in Nazareth House, and we were pleased to welcome new visitors as well as returning visitors who have discovered us in the last few weeks. Trapeza allowed friendly social interaction, and the chance to welcome new faces, and social time was extended when a group of us made our way to the nearest café, enjoying time together, with much musical talk between some of our musicians, largely about traditional chant systems – and we have so much musical expertise within the community!

I was very pleased that our oltarnik Oswald’s icon-stall continues to receive lots of support from parishioners, and was very glad that my ordered “Weep Not For Me O Mother” was ready, as well as wonderful icons of St Brigid being added to those on sale.

This week will see confessions on Thursday, before compline at 18:00, and I would like those needing to confess to email me by 12:00 on Wednesday.

Saturday will see our pilgrimage to Capel-y-ffin slightly higher up the valley of the Honddu from the site of St David’s Celtic foundation at Llanthony. We will assemble there at 10:30 to  set up for the Hours and Liturgy at 11:00. It looks like we will fill the little church, given the numbers who have indicated their intention to join us.

We are very grateful to Fr Richard for the warm hospitality extended to us in allowing the use of Little St Mary’s at Capel-y-ffin, and hope to visit to St Mary’s Church in Hay-on-Wye, part of the same ministry area to which Capel-y-ffin belongs, as well as enjoying the bookshops and cafés.

Unbelievably, Sunday will mark the middle of Lent, with the Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, and the following weekend will be a baptismal one, when we will welcome Dan, Mo and Germaine into the Church – thanks be to God!

Many thanks to all who made the weekend’s celebrations so joyful and warm, especially our singers – who have started preparing for Pascha – and our parish sisters who fed so many people, and also supported the clergy with food. It was a joy to share some of this with students this evening – with Serbian cooking going down very well!

I pray that you will maintain the impetus of the Great Fast, and continue to struggle for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

May God bless you all.

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

The Commemoration of the 1st & 2nd Findings of the Head of St John the Forerunner

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The Canon to the Forerunner, in Tone VI:

Ode I, Irmos: When Israel walked on foot in the sea as on dry land, * on seeing their pursuer Pharaoh drowned, * they cried: * Let us sing to God * a song of victory.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Come, ye faithful, and with spiritual odes let us glorify the Forerunner, the voice of the Word, weaving hymns with a right laudable tongue and an almighty spirit, though our lips be impure.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

With peaceful tranquility the Church of Christ hath been calmed, and with countless multitudes it is prosperously tended, chanting its yearly hymns unto thee, O Forerunner.

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

Assembling, O ye faithful, let us all honor with hymns, as is meet, the God-bearing head of the Forerunner which hath been given unto us by God as an inviolate treasure.

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

O pure one, who received the Creator, as He Himself desired, beyond understanding assuming flesh seedlessly from thy womb, thou hast truly been shown to be the Sovereign Lady of creation.

Ode III, Irmos: There is none as holy as Thou, * O Lord my God, * who hast exalted the horn of The faithful O good One, * and strengthened us upon the rock * of Thy confession.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

A barren womb put thee forth as a divine off-shoot, a glorious attendant to the Bride which is the Church of the nations, betrothing Her to Christ, the true God and Bridegroom.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

O Forerunner John, the wretched adulteress could not stop thy divinely eloquent voice with the sword, for from the earth thou hast revealed thy divine head to us.

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

The city of Jerusalem, desiring thee and radiantly celebrating, keepeth festival, having found thy head as a hidden treasure and an inexhaustible wellspring of healings, O Forerunner.

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

The wonder of thy divine birthgiving surpasseth the order of nature; for in a manner transcending nature thou didst conceive God in thy womb and, having given birth, dost ever remain a Virgin.

Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Sessional Hymn, in Tone VIII:  Like a treasure laid up in a hiding place was the head of the Forerunner preserved, the voice of the Word was hidden in a cistern; but like a grain of wheat planted in the depths of the earth it blossomed forth, yielding the fruit of divine life. The discovery thereof we all honor, glorifying Christ Who hath given it the grace to pour forth healings. (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: Secretly pondering in his mind that which was commanded, * the incorporeal one presented himself without delay * in the house of Joseph, * and said unto her who knew not wedlock: * “He Who bowed the heavens down by His descent * shall be immutably contained wholly within thy womb! * And beholding Him assuming the guise of a servant in thy womb, * I am afraid to cry to thee: ** Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded!”

Ode IV, Irmos: Christ is my power, * my God and my Lord, * the holy Church divinely singeth, * crying with a pure mind, * keeping festival in the Lord.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Clearly thou wast the seal of the Old Covenant and the prophets, O thou who art most rich, and preaching unto the ends of the earth, thou hast been revealed as the adorner of the bridal chamber of the New Covenant, O Forerunner.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

O Forerunner rejoicing, thou didst endure the covering of thy precious and glorious head with coarse rags, as with a garment of royal purple.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

By thy divine instructions, O John, a poor man, and a homeless wanderer, hath revealed thy divine head to be an abundant treasure.

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

O Forerunner, ever pray that the city of Jerusalem which honoreth thee be illumined with the radiance of the divine Spirit, and that it rejoice with the incorporeal ones in thy divine memory.

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

Eating hath shown me to be a dead plant, O most pure one, but the Tree of Life Who revealed Himself through thee, hath raised me up and made me an heir to the nourishment of paradise.

Ode V, Irmos: Illumine with Thy divine light, I pray, O Good One, * the souls of those who with love rise early to pray to Thee, * that they may know Thee, O Word of God, * as the true God, * Who recalleth us from the darkness of sin.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

O Baptist, thou wast not a reed shaken by the trying winds of enmity, but an unshakable pillar for the people of God; for thou didst manifest thyself by the power of Elijah and the Spirit.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

He that rejected the Godhead and belittled the glory of Christ, Who was baptized of thee, concealing thy divine grace, is rightly kept from the fold of God.

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

Thou hast opened up the portal of a bountiful and divine wellspring which poureth forth the waters of divine grace upon those who with love hymn thee, O glorious Forerunner, gladdening all with the streams of healing.

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

Bearing the noetic beauty of thy soul thou didst become the Bride of God, sealed in thy virginity, O pure one, enlightening the world with the radiance of purity.

Ode VI, Irmos: Beholding the sea of life surging with the tempest of temptations, * I run to Thy calm haven, and cry to Thee: * Raise up my life from corruption, * O greatly Merciful One.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Christ called thee a true prophet, and the most exalted of the prophets, the Baptist and Forerunner of Life; for thou didst behold Him Whom the Law and the prophets foretold.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

The fountain of miracles, the treasury of grace, thy sacred head, O Baptist, Prophet and Forerunner, could not bear to be concealed, and, having revealed itself, it poured forth springs of healing.

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

The Christ-loving and right glorious city hath set before itself thy precious and divine head, O Forerunner, as richly praiseworthy, and a radiantly adorned shield of salvation.

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

Moses, great among the prophets, prefigured thee in the ark, the table, the candlestick and the jar, signifying the incarnation of the Most High which took place through thee, O Virgin Mother.

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, in Tone II: O prophet of God and Forerunner of grace, * having obtained thy head from the earth like a most sacred rose, * we ever receive healings, * for now, as of old, ** thou dost preach repentance in the world.

Ikos: Thou wast exalted above all mankind, O John, as the Lord Himself bore witness. Hence, I fear to offer thee hymns of praise; yet, inspired by love, I have made bold to begin a hymn. Wherefore, deem me not to be an unworthy helper, that I may crown thy holy head, O thrice blessed one; for thou hast preached repentance to the world.

Ode VII, Imos: An Angel made the furnace bedew the holy Children. * But the command of God consumed the Chaldeans * and prevailed upon the tyrant to cry: * O God of our fathers, blessed art Thou.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

The Offspring of the Virgin called thee the greatest among those born of women, for thou didst live for Him on earth like an incorporeal one, an equal to the angels, crying out: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

From within the barren womb of thy mother, thou didst recognize Him Who had taken up His abode within the Virgin’s womb, O Forerunner; and, with the voice of thy mother, leaping up, thou didst cry out to Him: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Out of the wilderness thou didst appear like a radiant dawn, an angel of light, taught by the most holy Spirit, teaching us to cry out: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

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

Having acquired thee as a treasure, O ever-memorable one, this city is now truly blessed among all cities, O Forerunner of Christ. Wherefore, keeping festival it crieth aloud: O God of our fathers, Blessed art Thou!

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

Through thee, O Virgin Mother, a radiant Light hath shone forth upon the whole world, for thou didst give birth unto God, the Creator of all. Him do thou beseech, O most pure one, that He send down great mercy upon us, the faithful.

Ode VIII, Irmos: Thou didst make flame bedew the holy children, * and didst burn the sacrifice of a righteous man with water. * For Thou alone, O Christ, dost do all as Thou willest, * Thee do we supremely exalt throughout all ages.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

The Forerunner was sent as the voice of the Son of God, crying out to barren hearts, making steadfast the pious faith in Him Who is God, Whom we supremely exalt throughout all ages!

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Even now the Forerunner saith: Prepare ye the way of the Lord! For, having come for the sake of our sanctification, He maketh His abode in our hearts with the Father and the Spirit, throughout all ages.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

When the voice of the Father was heard, and the divine Spirit was seen by the eyes of man, John the Forerunner, laying his hand upon Thee, O Christ, became a God- bearer in every way.

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

Thou wast sanctified from the womb by the Spirit of God, and shown to be a prophet while yet carried in the womb; and now, thou hast been shown to be the delight of the city that seeketh thee in the bosom of the earth, O prophet.

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

The golden candlestick prefigured thee who hast ineffably received the unapproachable Light which illumineth mankind with the knowledge of Himself. Him do we supremely exalt throughout all ages!

Ode IX, Irmos: It is impossible for mankind to see God * upon Whom the orders of Angels dare not gaze; * but through thee, O all-pure one, * did the Word Incarnate become a man * and with the Heavenly Hosts * Him we magnify and thee we call blessed.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Being clearly one who kept the Ten Commandments, O Forerunner, thou wast rightly honored by Christ with ten-fold gifts. Wherefore, knowing thee to be a friend of the Word, we bless thee as an initiate of the mysteries of the Spirit.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

Thou wast revealed to be a prophet of Christ and an apostle, an angel and forerunner, the Baptizer of God Incarnate, a priest and faithful martyr, a preacher to those bound in Hades, a rule for virgins, and an offspring of the desert.

Holy and great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for us.

The unbelieving soul of the priest hath been reproved by the miracle of the withered hand; for when his faith blossomed anew after thy head appeared, O blessed one, his outstretched hand was renewed.

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

The ranks of angels have truly proclaimed thy prophetic appearance to him who beheld thee, emulating the divine announcement of Gabriel which the sacred Zacharias received before thy birth.

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

Let us draw forth the healing of our passions, making haste to the glorious temple of the Forerunner; for choirs of angels, the souls of all the righteous, the Sovereign Lady and John the Baptist enter therein, bestowing healings.

Troparion, in Tone IV: The head of the Forerunner, which hath shone forth from the earth, * sheddeth rays of incorruption and healing upon the faithful. * Assembling a multitude of angels on High, * it calleth upon the human race below ** to send up glory with one voice to Christ God.

Liturgy – the Time to Talk to God, Not One Another!

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In the Liturgy and every service of the Church, we come to Church to talk: to talk to God, not to one another!

As soon as we enter the church, even if no prayers have started, we must be mindful that this place and this time are set aside for Him. They are holy to the Lord, and we must each struggle to protect that holiness. One of the major obstacles to this is habitual and needless talking and chatter.

Rather than chatting before the Liturgy in church, let us keep silence and join ourselves to the praying of the Hours with heart and mind, standing before the Lord with humility and the fear of God.

If someone we know comes and stands by us, let us be glad and joyful, but let the verbal or physical greeting wait until an appropriate time, not during prayers.

When we are waiting to commune, we do not talk in the queue, but stand in silent submission, with our arms folded – mindful of the wonder of Christ’s mercy in coming to us, despite our unworthiness and faults.

If we have communed, when we go for zapivka or stand at the front of the church before the moving of the Holy Gifts to the preparation table, we do not chatter or socialise, but rather contemplate that not only has God revealed Himself to us, but that Christ our God has entered into the very temples of our bodies, silently mindful that we have become living tabernacles of His Presence.

In the Tabernacle and the first Temple, the Ark of the Covenant only contained the manna from heaven, but when we commune, we contain the Bread of Heaven, Christ Himself. He is within us!

Even if we have not communed, we still silently honour the Lord’s self-giving and self-emptying love expressed in His Presence in the Holy Gifts, and – neither sitting nor talking – we are silently mindful that Christ our King and God is in our midst, as we stand before Him.

During the Thanksgiving Prayers, unless we are reading on the kliros, we remain in silence – mindful of our debt to the living and loving Lord for giving Himself to us, to cleanse us, heal us, and vivify us. This too is not a time for talking even if we have not received the Holy Gifts. The Church is still praying, and the Church is giving thanks for the wonder of the Liturgy and the Holy Mysteries – the great token of God’s inexhaustible love for the Church and every soul within it.

We are all stewards of the Divine Liturgy, and we must all work together to preserve its holiness and ‘otherness’, in which we have put aside all earthly cares, so that we may receive the King of all, invisibly escorted by the ranks of angels.

So… do not be shy in Liturgy. If people are talking whilst the Church is praying, turn to them and politely signal for them to be quiet. If necessary, quietly ask them to stop talking. If they persist, please approach the starosta/church-warden.

In Liturgy, we talk to God, not to one another. There is ample chance for that once Liturgy has finished.

When trapeza is blessed, this is the time for friendly, warm conversation; for greeting one another; for welcoming new faces; for catching up and socialising – and this is a blessed and cherished opportunity to enjoy one another’s company, having dedicated our words and voices during the Liturgy to God.

The Week Ahead

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Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you to all who supported Sunday’s celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, with our joyful Liturgy and moleben. It was a wonderful celebration of the Faith.

I am happy that Sister Anna has agreed to the use of the chapel for a Lenten service at 18:00 each Thursday, following confessions. We will gather again this week, and for evening prayers with the canon/akathist of repentance. May I ask those wishing to make their confession to email me by noon on Wednesday, indicating whether staying for the service as well.

Deacon Mark and I will be celebrating the Divine Liturgy in Cheltenham on Saturday, with our service at Prestbury United Reformed Church commencing with the Hours at 10:00, followed by the Liturgy at 10:30 and a panikhida for the Memorial Saturday.

Deacon Mark and I will return home via Nazareth House to set up for Sunday, and confessions may also be heard at 18:00, for those unable to confess on Thursday.

Without wishing to sound like a school-master, may I reinforce what was said after Liturgy?

There should be NO casual conversation or unnecessary talking during services, and it is not appropriate to go and verbally greet or chat with friends at this time. We can smile, nod and mouth a hello and enjoy the ample chance to catch up after the service.

As soon as the blessing has been pronounced for the Hours, this is liturgical time and the prayer of the Church, not free time for conversations or even private prayers and devotions.

The same goes for the thanksgiving prayers after Liturgy. Despite what was said at the end of Sunday’s service, there were still those who chatted audibly during those prayers.

There should most definitely be no talking during Holy Communion, let alone sitting down to chat. Unless age or health deems it necessary, we do not sit in the Lord’s Presence in the Holy Gifts!

We need to be careful that we do not adopt a casual attitude to being in church, but need to be mindful that even though Nazareth House is not an Orthodox temple, it nevertheless becomes the sacred-place in which the Lord comes to give Himself to us in the Holy Mysteries, where the Church offers the greatest sacrifice of prayer and praise to the Lord in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

We wish our services to be prayerful, and without unnecessary noise, movement or distraction, so let us all work together to ensure this.

Looking forward to next Sunday, we will be celebrating the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas, and the variables may be found at –

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b7R8C9zWGNVn9uSPpgOfs9v_9TfX1KFK/view

May God bless you all.

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark