Parish News

On the weekend 19-20 December as well as the two Sundays before Nativity, i.e. 27 December and 3 January, we will carry out a traditional Russian Charity Fair in the church house. There you will find icons, religious books in Russian and English, children books, toys, gifts, CDs, second hand clothes. You will also be able to enjoy tea and coffee from a genuine wood-burning Russian Samovar, accompanied by sweet and savoury bites. All the proceeds will go towards the maintenance of the Church and the Church house.

The Fair will start at 1pm, or immediately after the morning Liturgy service, and will close at 5pm.

If you would like to help the Fair in any way, e.g. by donating unwanted things, preparing food or assisting with running the fair on the day, please contact Mrs Elena King (tel. 07920 227 923) or Ms Oxana Proshina (tel. 07894 320 435)

On Nov. 7, there will be a work day to prepare for the consecration of the Ikonostasis and Panikadila. Together we will clean the upper and lower churches, the rectory and the surrounding grounds. Help is also needed in the kitchen. Work will begin immediately after the Demetrius Saturday panikhida. We ask all parishioners to come insofar as they are able on to help in our common cause on this day.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 the consecration of the new iconostasis and panikadila will take place in the upper church. The arrival in Great Britain of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Russian Church Abroad has been timed to coincide with this event. Metropolitan Hilarion's program includes visiting Russian Orthodox parishes in Liverpool, Mettingham and Colchester, a moleben before the relics of the Holy Martyr St. Alban, a meeting with Metropolitan Kallistos and Orthodox students at Oxford, as well as a visit to Westminster Abbey.

You can view the entire program of Metropolitan Hilarion's stay HERE.

On Friday, Nov. 13 His Eminence Vladyka Hilarion will serve an All-Night Vigil in our church with concelebration by Archbishop Mark of Germany and Great Britain, Bishop of Sourozh Elisey and Archbishop of Kerch Anatoly. The next day, Saturday Sept. 14, His Eminence will celebrate the Divine Liturgy, which will begin with the greeting of the Metropolitan at 9:45 a.m. After the Liturgy and a short break the consecration of the Ikonostasis and Panikadila will start. After this there will be a ceremonial lunch for invited guests.

In the evening of Nov. 14 His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion and Vladyka Mark will serve an All Night Vigil in the church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Ennismore Gardens. The vigil in our church will begin somewhat later than usual, at 17:30.

On Sunday Nov. 15 the morning service will begin with the greeting of the Metropolitan at 10:00 a.m., with Hours and Liturgy following. After Liturgy there will be a celebratory parish lunch.

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion departs for New York on Sunday after lunch.

On 15 November there will also be a concert of a Russian male-voice ensemble KONEVETS from Saint Petersburg, Russia. They will perform Russian sacred music and folk songs. Tickets are 8 pounds (concessions 5 pounds). Part of the proceeds of the concert will go to the needs of the Konevets Monastery in Russia.

The Konevets Quartet has already toured extensively and to a wide success in multiple countries, including Russia, the UK, France, America, Canada, and other countries. Read more about them here. If you would like to invite friends please download a leaflet about this concert in English or in Russian.

A lot has happened since the last posting in August, we have held our Parish feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, when Vladika Mark paid us a fleeting visit. It is unfortunate that the feast coincided with August Bank Holiday which meant our numbers were considerably down on the previous year. Our revamped Church School has restarted on the 12th September and it is very encouraging that the number of pupils enrolling have increased over last year. The lessons are held on a Saturday, and cover Russian culture, literature, language, music and religious knowledge. It is still not too late for pupils to join the classes, and the fees are very modest compared to other Russian schools. Please contact Svetlana or James for details.

As promised, our new Iconastas was delivered in 38 separate packages early in September. Work started immediately in constructing the main frame, which on its own is breathtaking, reaching to within a few centimetres of the roof of the Church. Those who have seen the woodcarving and Icons say that the completed structure will be a masterpiece of Iconography. The Iconastasis is in the style of the 14th Century of Northern Russia and was painted at the St Sergius of Radonezh, Holy Trinity Lavra in Russia. The Monastery is world famous for its collection Icons painted by St Andrei Rublev. An invitation has been extended to our first Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion which he has gracious accepted. Plans are now underway for him to come London for a pastoral visit and to bless the new Iconastas.

Vladika Mark has belssed that the Icons from the old Podvoria Iconastas have been donated to Fr Paul Elliott's new Church, St. Elisabeth Orthodox Church, Wallasey, Cheshire.

Fr Nicholas has been away since early September in Russia accompanying a delegation and Metropolitan Hilarion with the first visit to Russia of the miraculous Kursk root Icon of the sign. This is first time since the Russian revolution the Icon has visited Russia. Thousands upon thousands were present when the Icon visited the city of Kursk where a moleben was held in the City centre in the presence of clergy, civil authorities and a sea of believers.

Back home, this coming weekend is the celebration of the Exhalation of the Precious and Life Giving Cross. Saint Andrew of Crete writes: 'The Cross is exalted, and everything true gathers together, the Cross is exalted, and the city makes solemn, and the people celebrate the feast."

The feast has a number roots: The Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, which contains the both site of the Crucifixion and of the Tomb of our Saviour was consecrated on 13 September 335 and on the following day, 14 September, the festal celebration of the Exaltation of the Venerable and Life-Creating Cross was established. On this day is remembered also another event connected to the Cross of the Lord - its return back to Jerusalem from Persia after a 14 year captivity. During the reign of the Byzantine emperor Phokas (602-610) the Persian emperor Khozroes II in a war against the Greeks defeated the Greek army, plundered Jerusalem and led off into captivity both the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord and the Holy Patriarch Zacharios (609-633.) The Cross remained in Persia for 14 years and only under the emperor Herakles (610-641), who with the help of God defeated Khozroes and concluded peace with his successor and son Syroes - was the Cross of the Lord returned to Christians from captivity. With great solemnity the Life-creating Cross was transferred to Jerusalem. Emperor Herakles in imperial crown and porphyry (purple) carried the Cross of Christ into the temple of the Resurrection. Alongside the emperor went Patriarch Zacharios. At the gates, by which they ascended onto Golgotha, the emperor suddenly stopped and was not able to proceed further. The Holy Patriarch explained to the emperor that an Angel of the Lord blocked his way, since He that bore the Cross onto Golgotha for the expiation of the world from sin, made His Way of the Cross in the guise of Extreme Humiliation. Then the Emperor removing the crown and porphyry, donned plain garb and without further hindrance carried the Cross of Christ into the church.

We are fortunate that our Church is able to display for the feast a substantial piece of the Precious and Life-giving Cross for veneration by the faithful. This is done during the Vigil service on Saturday evening. On Sunday at the end of the Liturgy, the faithful venerate the Cross in the centre of the Church rather than coming up to the priest. It is acceptable to prostrate before the Cross on this Sunday, which is never normally done on a Sunday, except on the Sunday of the Cross in Great Lent. We should never kneel or prostrate on Sunday as it was on a Sunday that Christ rose from the dead and brought us to Salvation.

The day is kept as a fast day, although wine and oil are permitted. Remember also that the Crossis the instrument of destruction over the Devil, who at this time lurks seeking to cause temptation and disruption both materially and spiritually. While the precious Cross is out in the Church, we should be careful over decisions we take, be it moving, changing jobs or any other intentions. It’s best to wait on God to direct our ways and intentions. Save Oh God Thy People, and bless Thine Inheritance.

Friday 14th August (new style) is the feast of the Procession of the Precious Cross, this is a feast which goes back to the time when the precious wood of the Venerable Cross was carried through the streets of Constantinople for the blessing of the city at the beginning of August. This was done because disease was more common in August. On the eve of the feast, the relic of the Sacred Cross was taken out of the imperial treasury, and laid upon the altar of the Great Church of Hagia Sophia. From this time until the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Cross was carried through the city in procession, offering it to the people to venerate. The Baptism of Rus, was performed on this day in 988.

Friday is also the first day of the Dormition Fast, which is a short two week fast that ends on the feast of Dormition. The fast is kept as a strict vegan fast, which means no dairy products, meat, fish, oil (which includes any fried food) or alcohol from Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sundays, oil, and alcohol is permitted, and on the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour (19th August new style) we are allowed fish. In addition from abstinence for food, we should also abstain in the flesh and be more attentive in prayer.

This coming celebration of the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God in our Church could be the last time since the Russian Revolution that we keep our as our patronal or principal feast. For over 200 hundred years the London Russian Orthodox Church in this country has kept this as the feast of the diocese. Once the Cathedral in Harvard Road is consecrated to the glory of God, the feast of the dedication will change to the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, which is on the 8 / 21 September. Our Church will then move from being dedicated to the last Great Feasts of the Church to become the First Great Feast of the Liturgical Church year. It will be up to us members of the Parish to become beacons and torchbearers of the Russian Orthodox Church in this country. This will give us a new beginning, a new start in our mission to go out into all the nations to proclaim the Glory of God and of His blessed Mother.

Thanks be to God for His great love to us, the Iconastasis will be delivered and constructed in September, along with the new Chandelier. During this time the Upper Church will be out of commission, and most of the services will be celebrated in the lower Church.

It is hoped that His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, first Hierarch on the Russian Church Abroad and of Eastern America, will pay a pastoral visit to our Church during the second week of November, the exact details of his visit are being planned. During his stay Metropolitan Hilarion expects to bless the new Iconastasis and Khoros, and we will be doubly blessed by the presence of our Archpastor Archbishop Mark.

Fr Nicholas has been invited to join a party of clergy who will escort the miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign of Kursk. This Icon has been the heavenly Patron and Protector of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia since leaving Russia after the Revolution. Please pray for those involved in the visit. Fr Nicholas will be away for almost 3 weeks, so please contact Fr Peter on Pastoral matters. It is hoped that it will be possible for a Russian speaking priest to hear confessions and to serve the Liturgy.

During the time of the Dormition Fast it is a good practice to read the Akathist service to the Mother of God