The Shepherd, April 2009
SiR UK* NEWS
* Synod in Resistance Churches in the UK
BISHOP SOFRONIE’S VISIT
HIS GRACE, Bishop Sofronie of Suceava, of the Romanian Traditionalist Synod under the presidency of Metropolitan Vlasie, paid a pastoral visit to the large numbers of his flock now resident in England at the beginning of Lent. While here, he heard the confessions of many of the faithful and gave them pastoral counsel, and on the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas (2nd / 15th March), he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Edward’s Church. He was assisted by Fathers Alexis and Stephen Fretwell, with Hierodeacon Sabbas, and in the service we used Romanian, English, Slavonic and Greek. The church was packed for the occasion, almost to paschal standards! His Grace also kindly gave us some beeswax candles and distributed icons to the clergy and monastics here. At the end of the service he heard more confessions before joining us for a light meal, and then setting off for London to speak with more of his parishioners, before returning to Romania the next day.
SAINT EDWARD’S FEAST
THE DAY of the martyrdom of St Edward always falls within Great Lent. It is believed that he was, in fact, purposely slain during Lent, before he could marry and beget an heir. Because this feast falls in the fasting period, we celebrate our main feast on the anniversary of the Enshrinement of the Sacred Relics here at Brookwood in September (3rd / 16th), but it is also fitting that we commemorate the day of the Saint’s martyrdom. On Monday 17th / 30th March, the eve of the day, in the evening we celebrated a Vigil Service according to the lenten typicon, and on the day itself, Tuesday 18th / 31st March, we had the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts and the Lesser Blessing of Waters. Our small weekday congregation was joined on both occasions by friends from the Convent in London, from two Moscow Patriarchate churches in London, by a distinguished visitor from the Serbian Orthodox Church, and by some Roman Catholic friends of our community. Thanks to the generosity of the women of the parish, for which we are very thankful, we were able to offer everyone who came a buffet lunch after the Liturgy. Our thanks to all who joined us in prayer and who contributed in various ways to the celebration. God bless you all through the prayers of Saint Edward.
FUNERAL OF DIMITRIOS LEMOS
DIMITRIOS, the son of one of our benefactresses, Chrysanthy Lemos, who regularly attends Divine service at the Convent of the Annunciation in Willesden, died on the afternoon of the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas. He had suffered for many years from MS. He received the Holy Mysteries at home shortly before he was admitted to hospital, and a few days before his repose he was anointed with the Holy Unction by the fathers from Brookwood, while in St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. The funeral was chanted at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom in Bayswater, on Friday, 20th March. His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios, His Grace Bishop Theodoritos, and three priests and a deacon officiated. Archimandrite Panteleimon, despite his infirmity, was vested and helped with the chanting. He retains a strong chanting voice, and it was a blessing to renew our frienship with him. Mourners filled the greater part of the Cathedral. At the end of the service, His Eminence preached a homily, and with his blessing and that of our own Bishop, at the request of the family, Father Alexis then spoke a few words in English. He and Fr Sabbas had attended, representing our Brotherhood and the Convent. Dimitrios was laid rest later that afternoon in the Cemetery at Hendon in a family plot. For the long sufferings that he endured in this life, may he now be granted a recompense in Paradise.
Again our thanks to the sisters of the Convent for allowing us to stay parked in their drive after the Liturgy, and to Christakis Cleovoullou for taxiing us to the Greek Cathedral and the Cemetery and back, and again to the Sisters for greeting us on our return with a very welcome bowl of soup and a High Tea.
Naturally we wrote thanking His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios for his kindness in permitting Fr Alexis to speak in his Cathedral, and he replied with a most beautiful letter to Saint Edward’s, saying among other things: “The Archbishop and all the Archdiocese loves you and appreciates and respects what you are doing for the Orthodox people living in this hospitable country. So, I take this opportunity to congratulate you for your pastoral and other services for the glory of the Triune God and to ascertain you that we will be happy to see you at the Archdiocese, not only at funerals but also on more joyful occasions.”
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