Category Archives: Parish News

Parish News

Today in Cheltenham

Posted on by

Dear brothers and sisters,

Deacon Mark and I were very struck by the beauty and prayerfulness of today’s service in Cheltenham, where a dozen of us gathered to chant the Hours and Typika, during which most of those present confessed and communed of the Holy Mysteries.

After the Typika, we offered a short litia in honour of the Venerable Fathers buried in the Far Caves of St Feodosiy in the Kiev-Caves Dormition Lavra, and then celebrated the feast with a conversation-filled lunch in the little meeting room, where we were able to congratulate Natalia on her nameday (which was also her birthday, and her son’s 16th birthday). Many years to them both!

It was wonderful to stand with three generations of one of our Cheltenham families as they chanted together at the kliros, and a special joy to be with our Exeter parishioners who have been able to be with us for the last two Liturgies due to rail industrial action.

I was particularly touched by the loving and warm concern shown by the matriarchs of the parish when I felt off-colour before the service, realising that as they commandingly sat me down and set about ‘dealing’ with my headache and the blood-circulation of my hands, they were praying fervently, so that I could hear the words of the hymn to the Mother of God, ‘Pod tvoya milost’ / Under thy merciful care…’

Our Cheltenham services are always striking in their warmth and and the bond that unites our small parish-family, but today so overflowed with heart-warming love that it felt that the Lord was allowing us to experience it in a very real and palpable way – as a grace and gift to lift and restore us. Glory to God!

I must also admit that today brought me a new personal-experience of the little chapel in Prestbury, where we currently worship in nonconformist bareness and simplicity.

As we entered, its characteristic smell was a joy and comfort, reflecting how the familiarity of the Victorian red-brick tabernacle with its features and furnishings imperceptibly becomes part of our lives – with today as a realisation of how special it is.

It is, of course, very different from the High Victorian and High-Church splendour of All Saints, Pittville, but in its own quiet way it has become just as special, and I now happily anticipate turning the street corner in Prestbury and seeing the polychrome brickwork of the chapel and its characteristic tower. It really feels like a pilgrimage, with all of the joys and blessing that a pilgrimage brings!

Heartfelt thanks go to our parishioners, and especially mama Galina and mama Liuba, as well as to Oksana and her family for singing at the kliros. Spasi Gospodi!

As some parishioners are away on the expected weekend planned for next month’s service, we now hope that our next Cheltenham Liturgy will be a week earlier, on Saturday, 8 October, when we will celebrate the repose of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh.

May God bless you all!

In Christ – Hieromonk Mark

Confessions This Week

Posted on by

Dear brothers and sisters,

May I ask those requiring confessions this weekend to email me by Thursday evening. I shall hear local confessions on Saturday afternoon in St Mary’s, and the timing will depend on the number of those confessing.

As some of the faithful are in London on the March for Life, on Saturday, I will arrange an alternative time for their confessions. Anyone else not free on Saturday should also email me (realistically needed by Wednesday lunchtime to allow weekday arrangements to be made).

Several Sundays each month will see Father Luke celebrating in Llanelli, so please do not presume that it will simply be possible to turn up to church on Sundays and join the confession queue. On these Sundays, once the  proskomedia begins, there will be no confession queue, as the only priest will be celebrating Liturgy.

Also, I will be limiting confessions after Liturgy, as the parish priest MUST be able to spend time with the faithful. Once again, this is becoming difficult, as shown by the Sunday before last, when I did not finish till 15:30, by which time everything was packed away and parishioners gone.

This coming Sunday, with no deacon, as per last Sunday, I must lay the prokomedia table and arrange the altar, limiting my time to hear confessions. I already have four confessions to hear, with the possibility of a few more. However, these should be confessions for non-locals, who travel a significant distance to Liturgy or our older parishioners.

As this Sunday will be the Sunday after Dormition, we will celebrate the icon of the Mother of God ‘Прибавление ума / Pribavlenie Uma’, known in English as the ‘Giver of Reason’ or ‘Addition of Mind’. A short moleben to the Mother of God in honour of her icon will be offered at the end of the Liturgy.

May God bless you, and may your week continue in the joy of the Dormition.

In Christ – Fr Mark

From Transfiguration to Dormition

Posted on by

Dear brothers and sisters,

What a busy three days we had from Friday to Sunday, with Friday ‘s Transfiguration Liturgy in Butetown, Saturday Liturgy in Cheltenham, and yesterday’s Liturgy in Canton.

Our Cardiff celebrations brought worshippers from Bath, Stroud, Chippenham, Warminster and the Forest of Dean, in addition to our locals. It also meant that we were able to bless the home-grown fruit and produce of three English counties as part of our Transfiguration celebrations!

Though our Cheltenham Liturgy only brought a dozan of us together, it was a joyful occasion, with a second blessing of fruit and produce and a wonderful meal with everyone around the table chatting, welcoming new arrival from Khmelnitsky.

Having had the blessing of been able to celebrate services with the faithful in Wiltshire in the last fortnight, and then Cheltenham, being able to serve the faithful in their home environs is a great blessing, and I think all who have provided transport for making this possible.

Sunday was certainly one of my busier days, and such was the volume of confession that they exceeded time before proskomedia, continuing whilst Deacon Mark prepared the chalice for communion, and also after Liturgy. Together with spiritual counsel to individual parishioners this lasted until 15:30, by which time virtually everyone had gone.

I am sorry that I was unable to socialise, eat and talk with parishioners at trapeza, but it was simply not possible, given pastoral needs on an unusually busy day. However, in future, this needs managing, as the only time we are all together is for Sunday Liturgy and trapeza, and the faithful must have the opportunity to talk to there priest.

Some of you will remember how days like yesterday became normal when we first came to St John’s, so that I hardly ever had time with parishioners after Sunday Liturgy. This must not be allowed to be ‘normal’.  It is both amusing and apt that in Cheltenham, our matriarch. ‘mama Galina’, will not allow eating unless the priest is sitting at the table, insisting that this is the rule, and that everything else must wait until after trapeza.

Such a long ‘priest-day’ is, of course, the result of our not being able to enter St John’s until 10:15ish, leaving only 45 minutes before the Hours and proskomedia.

As I’ve commented before, in Nazareth House, I could be in the church two and a half hours before the Hours, having had hours to hear confessions the previous evening. This allowed ninety minutes for confession on Sundays, as proskomedia – apart from the day’s zapisky – had been completed before anyone arrived.

Since those days in Cathays, we have also gained parishioners from Gloucestershire, Northeast Somerset and Wiltshire, whose confessions are not possible in the week, as is the same for some of our older South Wales parishioners. They must have time for confession on Sunday morning.

The almost impossible juggling is one of the main reasons we need the use of a building with early access. Ideally, at least an hour is needed for the proskomedia, not twenty-five to thirty minutes, plus time to say the entrance prayers a vest before doing so. The present situation puts a strain on both time and clergy and needs to be appreciated by those confessing. This is why we have been so blessed to have Father Luke’s assistance and patience on so many Sundays, when he hears many confessions.

On the confessional theme, this week’s confessions will be on Thursday, in St Mary’s, Butetown, as the church will be unavailable on Friday. May I ask for requests by noon on Wednesday, to allow time to email those confessing.

Saturday will see Tracey’s baptism at 14:00 at Menna’s home in St Nicholas in the Vale, with our service for the eve of the Dormition at the end of the afternoon.

On Sunday, our Dormition Liturgy will be celebrated with the Hours, at 11:00, in St John’s Church, Canton. The variables may be found, as usual, at Orthodox Austin:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RHx1G1Usjf_-Z1zc6v4a7CLlp1YpsYTh/view

You are encouraged to bring herbs and flowers to place around the plaschanitsa of the Mother of God, as it is traditional for us to bless them to distribute to the faithful at the end of Liturgy!

I also encourage you to continue to dedicate this second week of the Dormition Fast to the Mother of God, and will continue to post the English translations of each evening’s Supplicatory Canon – not that they have to be only in the evening, but can be prayed at any time!

Remember that the afterfeast of the Transfiguration lasts until Friday, and try to include the troparion and kontakion – possibly other hymns of the feast – in your daily prayers.

Praying that the All-Merciful Lord may bless and protect you – Hieromonk Mark

Celebrating the Transfiguration in Butetown

Posted on by

Friday saw a joyful Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Butetown.

Being a workday, there were only twenty of us, but those celebrating brought so much fruit and home-grown produce, that one of the large Victorian tables flanking the gates in the screen at the west end was more or less filled with baskets and bags.

Father Luke concelebrated, and a few oltarniky and singers fulfilled their important obediences so that we could celebrate the feast simply, but joyfully.

The abundance of grapes, fruit and produce was blessed at the end of the Liturgy, which was followed by a festive lunch in the parish hall, in which fish, wine and oil were very much enjoyed as a consolation during the Dormition Fast.

Several people commented on how joyful our celebrations are when celebrated at St Mary’s, and the little parish hall is always a place of wonderful fellowship, friendship, and sharing.

Thank you all who made the feast such a joyous and warm celebration, and to Father Dean and the parish for their wonderful hospitality.

Our Forthcoming Baptism

Posted on by

Dear brothers and sisters, as we look forward to the wonderful feast of the Dormition, Tracey’s baptism draws near.

She will be baptised with the name Mary (in honour of the Mother of God) at 14:00 on the afternoon of Saturday 27th August, at Melangell’s home, in St Nicholas in the Vale, which proved itself an excellent ‘baptismal station’ on the Saturday of the Ascension.

Tracey extends a warm invitation to parishioners to participate in this event, and Melangell would appreciate confirmation of numbers. So, if you are able to attend, please email asap – menna135@yahoo.co.uk .

After the baptism and refreshments, we will also celebrate our evening service for the Dormition, with the feast being the newly-baptised Mary’s name day!

May God bless you all!

In Christ – Fr Mark

Butetown Today

Posted on by

It was wonderful to celebrate the Nativity of the Forerunner with the Divine Liturgy in the church of St Mary Butetown this morning.

We were enveloped in great peace, as a few of us gathered at the nave altar, with the beautiful simplicity of two-voices singing prayerfully and quietly on the kliros.

The Liturgy was punctuated only by the mewing of sea-gulls and children’s voices from the school playground, and the church was bathed in summer sun, reflected on the holy vessels and icons.

Following the Liturgy, we enjoyed a simple lunch in the parish room, celebrating our starosta’s nameday, happy that Father Dean could join us for a short time in his very busy day. We thank him for his generosity and open-door to the parish.

“His name is John.”

Activities over the next few days

Posted on by

Dear brothers and sisters,

We were greatly blessed to make a local pilgrimage to the Oratorian Church yesterday, serving a moleben before the shrine and relics of St Alban, before venerating a portion of the relics and having refreshments in the parish hall. We are grateful to the Oratorians for their limitless generosity, making this and so many other activities possible.

We look forward to our Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of St John the Forerunner, on Thursday, when we will serve the Liturgy in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Butetown, at 10:30. Those attending are invited to bring refreshments to share after the Liturgy, with fish, wine and oil being permitted for the feast.

On Friday, our catechesis, our group will meet in the parish room at St Mary, Butetown, at 19:00, continuing our study of the Holy Mysteries.

Confessions will also be heard before catechesis, and those requiring confession (unless already discussed) are asked to email me as soon as possible and no longer than Thursday lunchtime (14:00) – otetzmark@hotmail.com

I would like to take this opportunity to tell parishioners that, despite being told that we would be able to return to the chapel of Nazareth House imminently, sadly, there has been NO answer to the invited email requesting this. I have discussed the matter with the Oratorian Fathers, as chaplains to the house, and will be exploring an alternative channel of communication.

Those of you who have been at Liturgy over the past few weeks will be aware of the unsociable behaviour of certain locals who have taken advantage of the goodwill and generosity of the parish, not only behaving in a threatening way that has worried and alarmed our parishioners, but also raising serious concerns surrounding security and safeguarding.

Also, there have been problems with smoking (by these individuals) in the church porch during the Liturgy, and parishioners are feeling increasingly uncomfortable entering and exiting church.

Given that our parish has children and vulnerable adults and, following recent problems surrounding the fabric of a building that is NOT ours, we must consider the well-being of our parishioners, the security of the church, and the security of the Liturgy, itself.

We ask that parishioners arrive for the Liturgy on time, as the church doors will be closed early in the Liturgy, and parishioners arriving late may have to wait for the door to be answered to gain access.

Parishioners are beginning to feel threatened in church, and we must do everything possible to make everyone feel safe and secure. This means taking measures that we would not usually wish to take, or even envisage.

The Sunday Hours commence at 11:00, fillowed by the Divine Liturgy and I pray that we will have a quiet celebration without disruption.

May God bless you all!

In Christ – Fr Mark

St Alban’s Day Thanks

Posted on by

Our profound thanks go the Very Revd Father Sebastian Jones Cong.Orat., and the brethren of the Cardiff Oratory, for their characteristic warmth and hospitality in welcoming a small group of parishioners to the Oratory Church of St Alban on the Moors, this afternoon.

We were privileged to pray at the shrine of St Alban, offering a moleben before his sacred relics and icon, venerating the Protmartyr’s relics, then chatting over refreshments in the parish hall.

It was just over a year ago, in June 2021, that the portion of St Alban’s relics in the Oratory Church were presented and enshrined by the Abbot of St Michael’s Benedictine Abbey in Farnborough, which is blessed with one of the Protomartyrs thigh-bones, saved during the reformation, and evacuated to the continent to escape desecration and destruction. 

Since the Oratorian Fathers were granted the parish of St Alban on the Moors, and especially since they were replaced as University chaplains (with the resultant Orthodox exodus from Newman Hall), we have been continually blessed to have the use of the Oratory Church for confessions and shrine-prayers.

Troparion, Tone 3: With faith, piety and devotion let us hasten to the sacred shrine of the wondrous martyr Alban, the first in Britain to shed his blood for Christ the Lord, for Whom he willingly laid down his life; and let us pray that through his supplications our souls may find mercy and salvation.

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 2: Imbued with courage and bravery from on high, the glorious martyr Alban stood undaunted before the tyrant and boldly confessed Christ as the only God of all; and he utterly refused to offer sacrifice to false deities. Wherefore, having laid down his life for the Lord, he maketh earnest entreaty in behalf of our souls.

Holy Protomartyr, Alban, pray to God for us!

The Nativity of St John the Forerunner

Posted on by

This Thursday, we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Nativity of St John the Forerunner in the Church of St Mary the Virgin at 10:30, followed by refreshments in the parish room.

The Church of St Mary the Virgin, North Church St, Butetown, Cardiff CF10 5HB.

The Feast of St Melangell – Nameday Greetings

Posted on by

As we celebrate the feast of the Venerable hermitess, Melangell, we send our greetings to Pennant Melangell where Melangell (Menna) is celebrating her nameday on pilgriamge just a matter of days after her baptism, and to Mother Melangell  in Walsingham.

We pray that the Lord may grant them many years, and we wish them a joyful and grace-filled feast.

Venerable Mother, Melangell, pray to God for us!

Troparion, Tone 8: Preferring the rigours of monasticism to worldly status and marriage, 0 pious Melangell, though wast fifteen years on a rock, emulating the example of the Syrian Stylites. Wherefore, 0 Saint, pray to God that He will give us strength to serve Him as He wills, that we may be found worthy of His great mercy.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Praise, glory and honour are thy due, 0 righteous Melangell, for in consecrating thy virginity to Christ, thou didst give us a model of Christian living. Wherefore we who keep thy festival pray for grace to amend our lives according to thy example, glorifying God in every word and deed.