Dear brothers and sisters, happy feast and again, happy nameday to our Alexanders! S prazdnikom!
By now Nataliya and Sveta are back from Georgia, having had a few extra days of blessing after Joanna and I returned for our Sunday service.
Georgia made an immense impression on us, with its unique Orthodox culture and history of ancient Christianity.
We visited so many – perhaps even an initial “too many” holy places… with Samtavro repeatedly calling us back, unexpectedly, during our blessed days of pilgrimage.
We return feeling not only the blessing of St Nino and St Gabriel, but also of the the thirteen Assyrian holy fathers who preached the faith across the Georgian lands, having been blessed with the opportunity to venerate the relics of a number of them.
It was our great joy and honour to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the St Alexander Nevsky Church in Tbilisi (a real home-from-home) and ancient monastery churches, and to chant services of supplication and Paschal hymns in each holy place.
As we look forward to our new church, we asked the intercessions of the Mother of God, of the Holy Great-Martyr George, and all of the saints of the Georgian lands.
We have returned deeply touched by the depth of love and generosity shown by the Georgian people, the wonderful welcome of clergy and monastics, and the spiritual joy even of passersby in the street… and – unexpectedly- with the blessing of His Holiness, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III, elected on our first day.
We entrust our parishioners and friends to the intercession of the Georgian saints, especially our exam-laden students, those who are unwell, and our young people preparing for marriage in July.
May St Nino, St Gabriel, and all the Georgian God-pleasers pray for them before the Lord’s throne of glory.
Despite missing being in Georgia, it was a joy to return to our Cardiff flock and share the celebration of the Divine Mysteries, even if the bank holiday made for another quiet week, with the much felt absence of Father Mark, matushka and the ever-energetic Yurchik!
After a couple of weeks of celebrating the Divine Liturgy in ancient Georgian churches, yesterday’s Liturgy back in Cardiff was quite a constrast.
Having only having to unfold vestments, vest and make proskomedia commemorations, we once again had the task of setting up from scratch, and packing everything away again. We very much look forward to this being a thing of the past.
Though we were rather thin on the kliros, we appreciated having four adult servers, and it was a blessing to bring the newly-gifted carved icon of the Kazan Mother of God, so kindly and unexpectedly given to us on our first visit of the first day.
Having prayed for the repose of the soul of our sister, Lyudmila at this time of the anniversary of her repose, we ask you to keep her in your prayers.
We look forward to this week’s Thursday service at 18:00 in Nazareth House, and Friday service at 15:00 in the Oratory Church, before my brief visit to Lazarica to see Father Nenad and his wonderful flock, and give them a Bible study session about the day of Pentecost.
Having returned for Trinity-Pentecost, we look forward to not only the Divine Liturgy, but also vespers with the kneeling prayers, so think about something on which to kneel!
Given the double service, we will await Branka’s instruction as to whether we will limit refreshments to beverages and cake.
Though I am the last one to proffer any health advice, I hope that we will all be careful and cautious during the current heatwave… which may test our endurance in Nazareth House on Thursday.
May God bless you all.
In Christ – our Ascended Saviour, God and Lord.
Hieromonk Mark
