Dear brothers and sisters.
Happy feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, and happy nameday to matushka Alla! Many, blessed years! Многая и благая лета!
Thanks to those who made yesterday’s Annunciation Liturgy such a joyful celebration, and provided a lovely lunch, enjoyed together in the lower sacristy.
The feast followed an unusual weekend, with Father Mark the Younger serving alone in Cardiff, whilst I – through pastoral need – served not only in another parish, but another jurisdiction.
With Father Nenad leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain, I was the last possibility to cover for him in Lazarica and ensure the Divine Liturgy not only for the Serbs, but for the many Russians, Belorussians and Ukrainians who worship and commune in St Lazar’s each weekend.
It was a blessing and joy, and I am grateful to Father Mark for his positive insistence that I should help.
Father Mark was pleased that all went smoothly at St Faith’s, with parishioners ensuring a quick and efficient set up and take down.
It is good to hear that numbers were back to normal after a quiet few weeks.
As you are aware, the Sunday anticipated the centenary of the death of Partiarch St Tikhon, through his foresight our Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia owes its canonical existence, and this was marked by the litia at the end of the Liturgy and observed in Father Mark’s homily.
Later this week, we will chant the akathist to the Divine Passion in Nazareth House at 18:00, and the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified will be offered in the Oratory at noon on Friday.
After the Friday Liturgy, I will travel to Wessex to celebrate the Lazarus Saturday Liturgy in the chapel of St Lawrence in Warminster Market Place at 10:30 on Saturday.
This coming Sunday – Palm Sunday – will see our first service in St Philip’s, which is not an ideal day to arrive, but we hope that this will begin a more settled period in parish life, despite some concerns about the narrowing time window in which the building is available.
We should stress that despite services being earlier than we have previously celebrated, 09:00 is an entirely normal and standard time for the Hours. Our prime concern is for those travelling long distances!
Of necessity Sunday confessions will begin at 08:30, with the Hours commencing at 09:00. We need to exit the building by 13:00.
Please see the repeated following times for Holy Week and Pascha:
- 13 April: Palm Sunday. 09:00 Hours and Divine Liturgy.
- 16 April: Holy Wednesday 18:30. The Service of the Oil – Holy Unction.
- 17 April: Holy Thursday 18:30. Holy Friday Matins – the Service of the Twelve Passion Gospels.
- 18 April: Holy Friday – Vespers at 15:00 and evening service – the Matins of Holy Saturday – at 18:30.
- Easter night – (Saturday 19th into Sunday 20th), 23:30. Midnight office and procession, followed by matins and Liturgy.
Holy Communion wil be reserved for our parishioners unable to attend in the night, and we will agree a time to celebrate the Paschal Hours and commune them in the morning.
As St Philip’s is used in the afternoon, I will seek permission to celebrate Paschal Vespers in the Oratory at 13:00.
There will be additional services in Father Luke’s home chapel at which I shall assist.
Please think about when you will make you confession ready for Pascha.
The clergy will hear confessions before our evening services in Holy Week, and those receiving Holy Unction will need to have made a recent confession. If required, I will hear confessions after Palm Sunday Liturgy.
On the subject of trapéza, we are very aware that the cooking, preparation and offering of food is often falling upon a tiny group of sisters, and we ask that this responsibility is assumed fairly by the parish as a whole.
I know that the sisters who feed us are very happy to do so, but encourage all who able to bring an offering for the table to do so and consider asking Branka for ideas.
From Sunday, we will put a donation basket on the table, so that we each have the option of contributing this way, knowing that sometimes three or four of our sisters are shouldering the expense of feeding a parish.
May God bless you in these remaining days of the feast. Struggle on and increase that struggle if it has become wrak or lax!
Asking your forgiveness, for Christ’s sake.
Hieromonk Mark
