Dear brothers and sisters,This THURSDAY, the feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist is a FAST DAY, to honour the memory of his martyrdom.
We look forward to our usual Thursday evening service in Nazareth House at 18:00, with confessions before and after the service, and will have a moleben and confessions in the Oratory at 15:00, on Friday.
On Saturday – the feast of the Deposition of the Robe of the Theotokos and of St Aidan of Lindisfarne – we will celebrate the Hours and Divine Liturgy in the Chapel of St Lawrence, in Warminster, commencing at 10:30. We will have our customary shared lunch after the service.
As we try to move forward in acquiring our own building we ask you to pause each evening, ideally at 20:00, to pray for the foundation of an Orthodox temple for our community, to join in prayer by agreement and offer the much loved prayer to the Mother of God, “O Theotokos, our most gracious Queen…”
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Thou hast said by Thy pure lips that “If two or three agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them in by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Inscrutable are Thy words, O Lord. Thy love of mankind knows no limits. Thy mercy is without end. We, Thy servants, pray in accord for the foundation of an Orthodox Holy Temple for our community. Help us in all our works, today, tomorrow, and on any day, that these may be to Thy glory. But not as we will, but as Thou dost will. Thy will be done. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and through the prayers of trhe Most Holy Theotokos, and of all thy saints. Amen.
O Theotokos, our most gracious Queen, our hope, haven for orphans and intercessor for strangers, joy of those who sorrow, protection of the oppressed! Thou seest our misfortune, thou seest our sorrow. Help us, for we are weak; guide us, for we are gone astray; feed us, for we are strangers. Thou knowest our offence: resolve it as thou wilt, for we have none other help than thee, none other intercessor, nor gracious comforter save thee, O Mother of God, to preserve and protect us unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Царице моя преблагая, надеждо моя Богородице, приятелище сирых и странных предстательница, скорбящих радосте, обидимых покровительнице! Зриши мою беду, зриши мою скорбь, помози ми яко немощну, окорми мя яко странна. Обиду мою веси, разреши ту, яко волиши: яко не имам иныя помощи разве Тебе, ни иныя предстательницы, ни благия утешительницы, токмо Тебе, о Богомати, яко да сохраниши мя и покрыеши во веки веков. Аминь.