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FROM THE HOMILY ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE: ST EPHREM THE SYRIANYou have a spiritual nature; the soul is the image of the Creator; honour the image of God, by being in agreement with all men. Remember death, and be not angry, that your peace be not of constraint. As long as your life remains to you, cleanse your soul from wrath; for if it should go to Sheol with you, your road will be straight to Gehenna. Keep not anger in your heart; hold not fury in your soul; you have not power over your soul, save to do that which is good. You are bought with the blood of God; you are redeemed by the passion of Christ; for your sake He suffered death, that you might die to your sins. His face endured spitting, that you might not shrink from scorn. Vinegar and gall did He drink, that you might be set apart from wrath. He received stripes on His body, that you might not fear suffering. If you are in truth His servant, fear your holy Lord; if you are His true disciple, walk in your Master's footsteps. Endure scorn from your brother, that you may be the companion of Christ. Display not anger against man, that you be not set apart from your Redeemer. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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17/03/2024 - Homily: A Journey of Obedience ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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18/02/2024 - Homily - Blessed Curiosity ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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25/02/2024 - Homily - Christ making Saints from Sinners ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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03/03/2024 - Homily - Courage to turn back to Christ ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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PRAYING WHILST ANGRY WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR IS BLASPHEMY - FROM THE “HOMILY ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE” BY ST EPHREM THE SYRIANThis is the first commandment: that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, and with your strength as much as you are able.The sign that you love God is this: that you love your neighbor. If you hate your neighbor, your hatred is really for God.It is blasphemy if you pray to God while you are angry. For your heart also convicts you that you multiply words in vain. Your conscience rightly judges that your prayers do you no good.Christ, as he hung on the height of the tree, interceded for his murderers. But you, who are dust, born of the clay—rage fills you whenever you like! You keep anger against your brother, and yet you dare to pray? Even the person stand­ing right beside you, though he is not neighbor to your sins, the stain of your sin reaches out to him, and his petition is not heard.Leave off anger and then pray. Unless you would provoke further, restrain your anger, and then supplicate. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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FROM THE “HOMILY ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE”, BY ST EPHREM THE SYRIAN“Be a lover of poverty, and be desirous of neediness. If you have them both for your portion, you are an inheritor on high. Despise not the voice of the poor and give him not cause to curse you. For if he curse whose palate is bitter, the Lord will hear his petition. If his garments are foul, wash them in water, which freely is bought. Has a poor man entered into your house? God has entered into your house; God dwells within your abode. He, whom you have refreshed from his troubles, from troubles will deliver you. Have you washed the feet of the stranger? You have washed away the filth of your sins. Have you prepared a table before him? Behold God eating [at it], and Christ likewise drinking [at it], and the Holy Spirit resting [on it]: Is the poor satisfied at your table and refreshed? You have satisfied Christ your Lord. He is ready to be your rewarder; in presence of angels and men He will confess you have fed His hunger; He will give thanks unto you that you gave Him drink, and quenched His thirst.” ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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SMALL COMPLINE WITH THE CANON TO ST DAVID: 1/14 MARCH @ 19:00 IN NAZARETH HOUSETomorrow evening, after confessions in Nazareth House, Small Compline will be chanted at 19:00, with the canon to St David of Wales after the supplicatory canon to the Most Holy Mother of God. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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THE FIRST WEEK OF GREAT LENTCompline and the Great Canon of Repentance, the work of St Andrew of Crete, will be chanted on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the first week of Great Lent (18th,19th, 20th and 21st March) at 16:00 in the Oratory Church of St Alban, in Swinton Street, Splott. We will pray at the shrine of St Alban, venerating his sacred relics at the end of the evening office, a traditional time for the veneration of our icons and sacred relics.We extend our thanks to Father Sebastian.On Friday 22nd Compline and the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God will be chanted in the Chapel of St David and St Nicholas, in Llanelli, and the following morning we will celebrate our pilgrimage Divine Liturgy for the Saturday of St Theodore in Margam Abbey at 10:30. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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10/03/2024 - Homily: Christians not heroes! ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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FROM THE “HOMILY ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE”, BY ST EPHREM THE SYRIANSearch not out the faults of men; reveal not the sin of your fellow; the shortcomings of your neighbours, in speech of the mouth repeat not. You are not judge in creation, you have not dominion over the earth. If you love righteousness, reprove your soul and yourself. Be judge unto your own sins, and chastener of your own transgressions. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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03/03/2024 - Homily: Having the shameless courage to turn back to Christ, like the prodigal. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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25/02/2024 - Homily: Christ making saints from sinners through the mystery of repentance. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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18/02/2024 - Homily: Blessed curiosity ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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THE AKATHIST OF THANKSGIVING: “GLORY TO GOD FOR ALL THINGS”I know that whilst the akathist hymn “Glory to God for all things” is well know to most of our parishioners, we have quite a few youngsters and new-comers who may not have discovered it.On such a beautiful, bright, warm spring day, of blue sky, white clouds, plum blossom, hazel catkins, sunny daffodils and gorse flowers - in South Wales, at least - how can we not echo the sentiments of Metropolitan Tryphon of Dmitrov, written by him in the gulag, based on the final words of St John Chrysostom in his own imprisonment.www.saintjonah.org/services/thanksgiving.htm ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Small Compline, with the Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Mother of God will be chanted at 19:00 after confessions in Nazareth House tomorrow: Thursday 7th March.Any further requests for confessions should be sent before 18:00, this evening. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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From the “Homily on Admonition and Repentance”, by St Ephrem the SyrianIf you are angry against your neighbour, you are angry against God;and if you bear anger in your heart, against your Lord is your boldness uplifted. If in envy you rebuke, wicked is all your reproof. But if charity dwell in you, you have on earth no enemy. And if you are a true son of peace, you will stir up wrath in no man. If you are just and upright, you will not do wrong to your fellow. And if you love to be angry, be angry with the wicked and it will become you;if to wage war you seek, lo! Satan is your adversary; if you desire to revile, against the demons display your curses. If you should insult the King's image, you shall pay the penalty of murder;and if you revile a man, you revile the image of God. Do honour to your neighbour, and lo! You have honoured God. But if you would dishonour Him, in wrath assail your neighbour! ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Dear brothers and sisters, as the Great Fast approaches, we very much hope that there can be a repetition of the complete reading of the Psalter each day of the fast, with parishioners and friends pledging to read a kathisma of the Psalter each day.In an ideal situation, we would have twenty people praying the Psalter, meaning that each person would read one kathisma each day, in rotation.I would stress that the point is that the whole Psalter is read each day, and not for readers to have kathisma catch-ups because they have fallen behind. If you would like to participate in this Lenten offering, may I ask you to contact oltarnik Alexander: psaltergroup@fastmail.com ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Let’s not forget the food-bank at St John’s, and the hungry people that need our help. By bringing an item or two, we bring Christ’s love to those who are financially and materially struggling! Also, to offer alms on behalf of our departed kin, for the repose of their souls is a fundamental part of our Orthodox Tradition, so we can bring solace to the living and departed by our Christian charity in fulfilling the Law of Christ. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee!Rublevian inspiration realised in textiles and embroidery in an English country church! ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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The wonderful historical layers (mediaeval, post-reformation, Georgian and Victorian) of parochial life glimpsed on an English church-crawling outing with Wessex parishioners yesterday, reminded us that we are not taking the message of Orthodox Christianity into a vacuum or void, but MUST be sympathetic to the successive centuries and layers of spiritual life and experience that have shaped communities outside Orthodoxy - mindful and respectful of people’s ways of understanding and approaching Faith, and the local cultural-language of Christianity that has evolved over the centuries. Only by having respect for the past will we find people’s hearts and souls open to the message of Faith. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Dear brothers and sisters, despite the hour and not being back very long from our February pilgrimage-day, and a house-blessing, I would like to thank all who gathered in the Oratory Church to honour the holy protomartyr of Britain, St Alban, and to venerate the portion of his sacred relics enshrined there.Through the good offices of our dear friends, the fathers and brothers of the Cardiff Oratory, we were also able to share lunch in the church hall, whilst being entertained to a selection of light piano music by our brother, Aldhelm.It was a blessing to be with so many of our South Wales young parishioners, who formed the bulk of our group, and to share the occasion with them, as well as visiting Caerleon, where we had hoped to chant vespers, but were defeated, having found the amphitheatre closed, despite a varying range of later closing times hovering in cyberspace. Our profound thanks go to the fathers and brothers of the Cardiff Oratory, who have been constant and generous in their much appreciated support for our community. We commend them to the prayers of Saints Alban, Amphibalus, Julius and Aaron. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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Several of us have been drawing inspiration from a translation of a 14th century Arabic life of St Moses the Strong (the Ethiopian), with his sayings and hymns written in his honour.As we approach the Great Fast, we anticipate the celebration of St Mary of Egypt, who is held up by the Church as the ‘icon of repentance’, and we see such a similar exemplar in the life of the 4th century Abba Moses, who left behind a life of brigandry and violence to embrace the monastic life of the desert in the shadow of the great elder Isidore of Pelusium. His life recounts the great struggles he had in accustoming himself to his new life, with thoughts of fornication and temptations wracking him and making his spiritual struggle long and arduous.In his icons, we often see him carrying an intentionally leaking sack of sand on his shoulders, recalling his refusal to judge his brother, as he said, "My sins run out behind me and I do not see them, but today I am coming to judge the errors of another."Venerable Father, Moses, pray to God for us! ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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How well we remember seeing the Myrrh-Weeping Hawaiian icon drip myrrh before our very eyes. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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LOCAL PILGRIMAGE: SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY Dear all, as requested in this week’s news email, I would be most grateful to know if anyone coming to our local Oratory Church / Caerleon pilgrimage is able to offer lifts to our non-drivers. Xenia and Isaac from Cheltenham and our students will be reliant upon lifts if they are to visit Caerleon, as well as venerating St Alban’s relics in the Oratory Church.Our moleben to St Alban will be offered in the Oratory Church, in Swinton Street CF24 2NT at 10:30, after which we will have a bring-and-share lunch in the church hall, before visiting the Roman remains in Caerleon, where prayers and hymns will honour Saints Julius and Aaron. ... Click Here To See MoreClick Here To See Less
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