Dear brothers and sisters,
Having spent time preparing for Deacon Mark’s ordination, this week’s news is not only a little late, but being sent from the passenger seat of Deacon Mark’s car, as he, matushka, Yuriy and I travel to London. I will return on Friday, to be able to celebrate Great Vespers for the summer feast of the Kazan Icon in the Oratory Church, on Saturday afternoon.
It is a great joy to have so many of the faithful travelling to London for the ordination, and being able to share this wonderful occasion on the altar feast of the lower cathedral. There will be over thirty of the Cardiff faithful from South Wales and Wessex, as well as former South Wales faithful who now live in the South West and West of England.
Those who have booked the bus from Deacon Mark’s office in Morganstown should remember that 05:30 is departure time, and not assembly time. The bus will leave at 05:30 and will collect additional faithful at Premier Inn, at the Coldra junction in Newport at 06:00. Return to South Wales will be at 15:00.
The newly-ordained priest Mark will remain in London until Saturday, taking his first steps of priestly celebration, and I will remain with him until Friday.
After a demanding few days in London, Sunday’s summer feast of the Kazan Icon will be low key, especially given the absence of parishioners already away due to family commitments or on holiday. We pray for Nataliya as she prepares to travel; for Svetlana, Anna and Sofia, who are in Russia; and for Svetlana (Bromley) who is working away at the moment. We will keep the Autumn feast as our altar feast, when parishioners can be together.
We greatly look forward to Sunday’s Liturgy, and Father Mark’s first priestly Liturgy in Cardiff, with Father Luke and some of the Llanelli faithful joining us. As Fr Mark will be able to perform the proskomedia, there will be much more time for confessions. So… I will hear confessions in St Alban’s Church on Saturday and St John’s from 10:10 on Sunday.
I shall be in Norfolk from Monday to Friday the following week, fulfilling my summer Walsingham duties, and look forward to enjoying some time on pilgrimage.
May I please make a plea for help setting up on Sundays, as some weeks see us with hardly any assistance. Given that Father Mark the Younger will now be performing proskomedia, his attention will be needed in preparing the Holy Gifts and not on moving and arranging furniture/furnishings.
Thanks to all who contributed to our services over the end of week and weekend, when we celebrated a joyful Liturgy for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Oratory Church, with the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles in Warminster the following day, and then – of course – the Sunday of All Russian Saints in Cardiff.
We also celebrated the baptism of baby Yuriy from Basingstoke, baptised in Cardiff soo that his father’s relatives could be part of the celebration. Thanks to our sisters, who stayed in church till the end, carrying baptismal water to the garden, as well as feeding the clergy.
May God bless you all.
Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.
Hieromonk Mark