The Shepherd, March 2009
GIFTS OF ICONS
MRS. CHRYSANTHY LEMOS has kindly donated three icons to the Brotherhood; a large antique folk icon of the Deisis with panels of the Great Martyr Demetrios and Sts Constantine and Helena; a Russian icon of the Mother of God of Three Hands; and an icon of St Therapon.
Constantine and Alexandra Militaru generously commissioned and gave us a large icon of the Mother of God with the Christ Child, which now hangs on the east wall in the sanctuary.
OUTING
ON THE TUESDAY of Cheesefare Week, the Brotherhood had a pre-lenten treat. We visited three exhibitions in London. First, we went to the excellent “Byzantium” exhibition at the Royal Academy, which is one that each and every Orthodox Christian should endeavour to see. It was spoiled perhaps only by the woeful inadequacy of the labelling. As people gather round exhibits, it may have been more sensible to provide either larger or several signs labelling them, so that more people could read them at once. Also Greek terms (in transliteration) were used which were meaningless to the majority of visitors. Looking as if we might know something about it, while we were there, we were asked by other visitors what various things meant. The fathers then went on to visit the exhibition of Tatiana Kolibaba’s icons at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in London at Ennismore Gardens. This is a small exhibition in their church hall, but, though she lives in Russia, she has painted many icons of the saints of the British Isles, whom she loves. It was uplifting to find the Cathedral open and people there looking after it and visitors - for so many years its doors had always been firmly shut. Lastly we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the Wealth of the Tsars exhibition, in which among other things they displayed the coronation robes of the holy Tsar Martyr Nicolas II. Our thanks to the sisters at the Convent of the Annunciation for providing us with free parking in London on this day - well, almost free: they did sensibly put us to work on our return, changing their altar vestments ready for lent.
THANKS
IN TRYING to get straight after Christmas and Theophany, we neglected to thank all those of you who contributed so splendidly to the Christmas Parish Breakfast, providing foods, preparing the hall, washing and cleaning up afterwards, and especial thanks to Elena Holden for organising everyone ready for the day and for arranging the meals rota throughout the year. God bless you all, & all of those of you who throughout the year help us with the running of the church & the parish.
PRACTICAL TIP
ALMSGIVING is always enjoined upon us as Christians, & especially so during the Great Lent, but let us also not forget to train our children to give alms. Often parents thoughtlessly do everything for their children, forgetting that by doing this they are depriving them of a learning experience. But from the earliest age, give them money to put in the alms box in church, to give to beggars, to contribute to charities, so that they grow up with a lively concern for the needs of others & begin to understand their Christian responsibilities in this respect.
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