Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings from Wessex, where I look forward to this evening’s end of month gathering of west of England Cardiff parishioners in the chapel of St Lawrence, in Warminster. We will meet at 18:30 for supper, and before we celebrate Small Compline, I will give a short talk on the liturgical canons, which have a central role in liturgical and wider prayer life.
We enjoyed a joyful weekend, with the great blessing of Saturday’s baptisms in the Oratory garden, with the beautiful setting among the fruit trees and flowers feeling more like the cloister of a little Italian monastery, rather than a church courtyard in Splott. Many thanks to our Oratorian friends for allowing the use of this wonderful setting, and also for the chance to celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration in the church a few days before.
In the course of a fortnight, we have celebrated five of the seven holy mysteries in the Oratory: baptism, chrismation, confession, the eucharist and marriage!
Tuesday’s feast set the tone for the week, as whilst contemplating the uncreated light of Tabor we celebrated the enlightenment of Zlata and Nicodemus, whom we congratulate, and for whom we pray for “Many, blessed years!”
God calls us to be sharers in the glory that was revealed to the disciples on the Mountain of Vision, and baptism is the beginning of this ascent to the life of the heavenly kingdom.
Many thanks to Branka and Joanna for their indefatigable energy in organising the occasion, and to Stefan, for his able assistance.
Yesterday, it was good to bless homegrown produce in the repeated traditional Transfiguration blessing of new produce, having enjoyed the blessing of honey only the week before. “O taste and see, the Lord is good!”
Looking forward to this week’s feast of the Dormition, we will chant Great Vespers in the Oratory Church at 15:00, on Wednesday, but despite having booked the use of St Philip’s in advance (as announced in church) and having confirmation, last minute uncertainty remains regarding Thursday Liturgy, due to pre-wedding preparations involving cleaning. Please keep an eye out for updates by email and on social media. I have been told that I will receive confirmation today, but obviously have to be patient and wait.
As announced, we will have our usual Thursday evening service and confessions in Nazareth House, with vespers for the feast of the Icon of the Saviour “Not Made by Human Hands” at 18:00. I will be available to hear confessions both before and after the service.
Thanks to those who arrived at St Philip’s extra early yesterday morning, to assist with setting up the church to allow me to hear confessions at an early, decent time. As I had to perform proskomedia AND hear confessions, this was a great help. Next Sunday, I will again arrive early at St Philip’s to arrange the sanctuary at 7:45.
Reflecting current tradition, we will celebrate the feast of the icon of the Mother of God «Прибавление ума» / “Enlightener of Minds” (or Giver of Reason) on Sunday, though the feast was originally kept on Dormition. As we approach the new school term, we will serve a litia for our school children and students at the end of Liturgy.
As well as praying for Father Mark, Matushka Alla and Yuriy on their current travels, please also remember Panagiotis, who returns from Greece tomorrow, and our sister, Anastasia, soon to return from Russia.
Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.
May God bless you.
Hieromonk Mark
