The Shepherd, May 2009
SiR UK NEWS
BISHOP AMBROSE’S PASTORAL VISIT
AS REGULAR READERS KNOW, the Synod in Resistance communities in the United Kingdom were formerly part of the Russian Church Abroad, which has not had a resident Bishop in this country since 1985. Of necessity, we became accustomed to the Bishop visiting for a few days on special festal occasions, but playing very little rôle in the pastoral life of the communities here. It came as a tremendous blessing then, when this year His Grace Bishop Ambrose of Methoni kindly volunteered, not only to come over for the dedication feast of the Convent, the Annunciation, but to stay in England for two weeks so that he might help with the Holy Week and Paschal services.
His Grace arrived at Gatwick from Athens on 24th March / 6th April, the eve of the Annunciation. He was met by members of the Brotherhood, and was taken straight to the Convent where he was hospitably greeted by Mother Vikentia and her Sisters. Having got him safely back to his native land, he was appropriately treated to tea! At the festal Vigil service which followed, His Grace stood in the altar, presiding over the ceremonies and vesting for the liti and the polyeleos. At the end he addressed the congregation, saying that the next morning he would speak in English but would now speak in Greek and Romanian for those there whose native languages these are. Afterwards, the Sisters invited us to a Supper, and the Bishop stayed in London while the fathers from Brookwood returned to the brotherhood. On the following day, the Bishop presided at the celebration of the Liturgy and preached in English. In his sermon, he pointed out that in receiving the Angel’s salutation, the Virgin referred to herself, not simply as a handmaid of God, as so often translated, but as the slave of God, showing her extraordinary and exemplary humility and submission to God’s will.
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