Dear brothers and sisters,
How sad it is that this second day of the feast of the Transfiguration is overshadowed by the Verkhovna Rada passing a resolution aiming to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Only yesterday, I wrote that the way of the Cross is the way that leads us upwards to the Mountain of the Transfiguration and to the Saviour, Who calls us into His glory in the radiance of His Kingdom. Though its personal Golgotha, the struggle that faces the Church in Ukraine, will ultimately lead the Church into Christ’s radiant glory, but the times ahead may be hard and painful, and our prayers are needed. Our thoughts are particularly with our temporary parishioners from Ukraine, who are children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Despite this sorrowful event, we rejoice in the feast of the Saviour’s Transfiguration, celebrated with the Divine Liturgy and a lunch in the Oratory Church, yesterday. A dozen of us gathered to celebrate the feast, with some of enjoying lunch in the church hall after the service.
Our sincere thanks go to Father Sebastian, who came to church to greet the faithful before Liturgy, having heard the joyful news that the Hawaiian Myrrh-Weeping icon of the Mother of God will be coming to Cardiff on 12 November, on which evening a moleben will be offered before the icon, in honour of the Mother of God. St John’s will be in use that evening, so by providence, and perhaps the will of the Mother of God, her icon will – once more – be venerated alongside the relics of the Holy Protomartyr, Alban, as happened in St Alban’s Abbey, on the day when Father Mark was made a reader. Please mark this much anticipated visit on your calendar. The icon will be brought by His Grace, Bishop Irenei, and we greatly look forward to welcoming him and the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Father Mark and I felt greatly blessed to travel to Cheltenham, where we celebrated the feast of the Holy Youths of Ephesus, with Father Mark the Younger celebrating the Divine Liturgy, whilst I looked after confessions, helped in the oltar and sang on the kliros with our sisters, reduced in number, due to summer holidays. It was a lovely celebration, and it was lovely to have lunch together, and to then bless mama Galina’s flat and to relax and have tea before our journey back to Wales. Though the Cheltenham visits make for a long day, and can be very tiring, we felt greatly blessed, invigorated and enthusiastic, returning home with a newly found energy and great appreciation for the love and devotion among the members of our little Gloucestershire community. Glory to God!
In Cardiff, on Sunday, Father Mark and I continued the pattern which will now be repeated, alternating the main celebrant, with the concelebrant offering the homily. It was good to see parishioners who have been away for a while and to welcome our new youngsters, and to see such warm conversation as people introduced themselves and made the acquaintance of our new faces. Thanks to all, who made it another lovely Liturgy, and looked after everyone with such warmth and kindness.
We must congratulate Kolya on his exam results, and forthcoming study in Bristol, and your prayers are asked for our students who are still travelling during the summer vacation, as well as for Sveta as she heads off for some summer teaching.
This week will see confessions on Thursday, on which day vespers for the feast of St Laurence will be chanted in the Oratory Church. Please get in touch if you wish to arrange confession.
We will celebrate the feast of St Laurence a day late in Bradford-on-Avon on Saturday (24th August), honouring the hieromartyr in the beautiful Anglo-Saxon Church dedicated to him, with the Hours and Divine Liturgy beginning at 09:00. We hope that the weather will allow us to celebrate a picnic lunch, before serving a moleben to St Laurence in the afternoon. I am told that some of our cathedral youth will be making the journey, and hopefully helping with the singing.
Looking forward to next week, the Divine Liturgy for the Dormition of the Mother of God will be celebrated in the Oratory Church on Wednesday 28th August, on which day there will be two Fathers Mark to serve, making confessions and proskomedia rather easier. A bring-and-share lunch will follow the Liturgy.
Being the afterfeast of the Transfiguration, we will repeat the blessing of fruit after this Sunday’s Liturgy, so please feel free to bring fruit to mark the second feast of the Saviour – the “Apple Saviour” – “Яблочный Спас”.
I hope that the Dormtion fast, in preparation for the Summer Pasha – the Dormition of the Mother of God – is proving spiritually fruitful for you.
Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.
Hieromonk Mark
