Llanelli – Sunday 13/26 October
Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings as we celebrate the Translation, into Moscow, of the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1648).
The last nine or ten days have been a strange whirlwind of cramps, aches, pains, temperatures, sleeplessness, delirium, feeling better, then worse, then better again. Despite a continuing wheeze, it seems that normality is returning, after the first normal night’s sleep of the whole period.
So, I look forward to returning to parish life, but ask that you keep an eye on announcements, as I will decide on possible usual services later in the week, as the week unfolds.
Monday update: I learned today that industrial action on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will result in no First Bus services. Rather difficult, given the first and last hour of each journey is by road and First Bus!
Thanks to all who have been keeping in touch, and equally, thanks to those who have been sending commemorations and requests for prayers. Sick clergy can still pray, and the extra time to do so is a hidden blessing and consolation during sickness.
Next Saturday is St Demetrios Saturday, and will see our rearranged Cheltenham Liturgy, in Prestbury United Reformed Church, at 10:00. This is a memorial day, and will see the commemoration of the faithful departed.
Saturday is also the feast of the Holy Great-Martyr Varus of Egypt, to whom we pray for our non-Orthodox departed ones, making it a doubly special day for remembering the departed.
Sunday will see the rearranged baptism of baby Ezra straight after Liturgy, and even though Joe was only baptised last advent, we will welcome Ezra as a second generation Orthodox Christian in the Melhuish family, reflecting that he has been with us in Liturgy and parish life all through McKenna’s pregnancy!
As Father Mark the Younger has already requested, a personal lunch box to go with a cup of tea or coffee will ensure sustenance, but also participation in this wonderful event.
We pray for the newly departed Dumitru, and for Daniel, as he flies to Romania: memory eternal!
Thanks to Father Mark the Younger for another very early Sunday start, to ensure that everything worked smoothly, and thanks to all who contributed to today’s celebration.
As some of you have seen in our diocesan news, the Kursk-Root Icon is already travelling around our continental communities, and we greatly look forward to welcoming it to our own parish and its missions.
As shrine-priest for our Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, I look forward to welcoming the icon in Walsingham on Thursday 13 November.
It will be a joy to welcome the Icon to England’s Nazareth, and to serve the Divine Liturgy in our tiny shrine chapel in the presence of the Icon on Friday 14th November.
After the Icon’s visit to the College of Our Lady of Mettingham, and Divine Liturgy in its lovely garden church on Saturday 15th November, Father Paul and I will drive from Suffolk to Cardiff, where the Icon will be greeted before Vespers in St Philip’s at 19:00. We will serve the Divine Liturgy in the presence of the Icon on the morning of Sunday 16th November, before local home visits.
After some morning visits in the Cardiff area on Monday 17th November, the Icon will visit Wessex homes before an evening service in the Chapel of St Lawrence, in Warminster.
We are pleased that we will be able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the chapel the following morning, Tuesday 18th November, on which day an evening service will be held in the Chapel of St David and St Nicholas, in Llanelli, at 19:00.
The following day – Wednesday – we will travel with the Icon to Geneva, where the diocesan clergy convocation will assemble from Wednesday to Friday.
The next month will certainly be busy and challenging, and we place ourselves very much in the hands of the Mother of God. May she help us and strengthen us!
May God bless you.
In Christ – Hieromonk Mark