Monday, August 27, 2018
Children’s camp in England
During August 2018, an informal children’s camp was held in England, where Bishop John contributed with teaching Law of God classes. The children experienced communal camp life, daily church services, living in tents and taking their turn in a roster of duties.
Everyone sang and read at the services together.
We had our meals together, during which we listened to reading from an edifying children’s book.
Daily blessing of porridge at breakfast!
The children had lessons every day. This years’ theme was the Divine Liturgy.
Vespers in candlelight.
The children prayed every morning and evening in the improvised barn-chapel, which they themselves helped decorate.
View of the altar in the barn-chapel.
Finding the spot in the service book…
The altar server with the censer ready.
We celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday and at the end of the camp.
The children baked their own prosphoras, which were offered at the Liturgy.
In addition to other excursions, we made a pilgrimage to the monastery of St Fursey, a 7th century Irish missionary monk who established a monastery on the site of an earlier Roman fortress.
Troparion of St. Fursey of Burgh Castle, Tone 5
Establishing thy monastery in a Roman fortress / thou didst teach men that the Orthodox Faith is a true bastion / against the onslaughts of every evil force, O Father Fursey. / Wherefore pray to God for us / that we may all be bastions of the Faith / standing firm against the rising tide of falsehood, / that our souls may be saved
The walls of the huge Roman fortress where St Fursey built his monastery.
Group photo of the pilgrims.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Transfiguration at the Convent of the Annunciation in London
On the great feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, Bishop John visited the historical Convent of the Annunciation in London, UK. The Convent was established in the 1950s by St. John of Shanghai and San Fransisco and nuns from the Holy Land, guided by the ever-memorable Abbess Elizabeth (Ampenoff).
The Midnight Office, Hours and Liturgy were read and chanted in Slavonic, Arabic and English, and attended by faithful of diverse national backgrounds. Bishop John blessed the grapes and fruits brought by the people. After the service, the sisters invited the parishioners for tea.
Newly-ordained priest Nicolae Capitanu (Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania) services the large population of Old Calendar Romanian faithful in London.
Friday, August 17, 2018
Bishop John visits St Edward Orthodox Monastery
On Sunday 30.7./12.8. Bishop John visited the St Edward Orthodox Monastery near London, England. By God’s providence, the relics of the 10th century Orthodox Martyr, saint Edward the King of England, are venerated in this monastery since 1988. The monastery is located in peaceful surroundings within the Brookwood cemetery.
At the Divine Liturgy Archimandrite Alexis, Priest Borislav and Hierodeacon Sabbas (GOC) concelebrated. Parishioners of many nationalities attended the service, which was chanted in English, Greek, Romanian and Slavonic.
The brotherhood kindly offered a meal and opportunity to speak with the people after the service.
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Great Saturday and Annunciation feast at the Annunciation Hermitage
This year the feast of the Annunciation fell on Great Saturday, according to the typikon of St Savvas, which is used in the Russian Church.
The festal hymns for the “beginning of our salvation” were combined with the hymns to the very culmination of our Saviour’s great self-emptying Passion for the salvation of us all.
All present stood around the tomb and chanted the moving lamentations together in English.
The next morning we read the hours, then the Old Testament prophesies of the Resurrection of Christ at the Liturgy of St Basil the Great.
The Gospel at the Liturgy of St Basil the Great.
Vladyka blessed wine and bread for our refreshment, but we did not serve a festal meal in the trapeza, keeping the fast until the Resurrection of Christ.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Pilgrimage to Romania
Please see: Internet Sobor article for full view of photos.
Bishop John, bishop Glicherie (Abbott of Slatioara monastery), bishop Anfim.
The bishops travelled to Niamets to venerate the relics of the venerable Paisius Velichkovsky (n.s. church)
Visit to Varatec monastery (n.s.), where there live 700 sisters:
In the old calendar monastery Dobru, 100 sisters struggle under the guidance of Abbess Barbara:
In the Annunciation monastery at Moisa live Abbess Alexandra and 35 sisters:
Further travel to the skete of the Holy Mhyrrbearing Women, where Abbess Tatiana leads about 30 sisters:
Thereafter we travelled to bishop Sofronie, to the monastery of St Glicherie the Confessor:
Bishop Sofronie, bishop John, bishop Anfim, bishop Glicherie
Further on to bishop Demosfen and the monastery Bratitel Suceava. Here lives Abbess Ierusalima and 300 sisters:
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Bishop Ambrose visits Annunciation Hermitage
On Thursday 11/24 November, Bishop Ambrose and a small group of pilgrims visited the Annunciation Hermitage.
Monday, July 11, 2016
For those who find it hard to drive to church…
Thousands of faithful walk for days, for hundreds of kilometres, in all weather, praying and keeping a fast joyously and in happiness, praying for the assistance of the Mother of God of Pochaev.
We should not presume we are more righteous than others! We do not see such examples of piety in the west any more. We should humble ourselves and understand that God acts in mysterious ways in drawing people to piety and a Christian life.
Although massive demonstrations of faith are uplifting and touching, they are not the essence of life in the Church.
The main path for us, according to Saint Ignaty Brianchaninov, is to endure sorrows without grumbling, with the understanding that everything God allows is for our spiritual healing and growth. Presumption, self-righteousness and judgement are the great modern spiritual diseases, which totally prevent spiritual growth…If we have these illnesses, even if we have some outward virtues, we will not gain entry into the Heavenly Kingdom! We should read the writings of the Holy Fathers to find out whether these diseases are present in our hearts - and follow their advice on how to uproot them.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Children’s camp at St Sava Free Serbian Orthodox Monastery
The annual St Sava children’s camp completed its sessions on Friday 9/22.1.2016. More than 30 children participated. Archimandrite Christophor, Abbott John (ROCA) and Hieromonk Simeon, along with others, gave lessons and participated in activities over five days. The great blessing of water: Getting newly blessed Holy Water: Raising the flags and singing national anthems: Diving into the pond after Archimandrite Christophor threw the Holy Cross into the water: Vespers for St John the Baptist Services in the Church: Group photo: Activities: Performing
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Feast day of Saint Hariton
On Sunday the 28.9/11.10, the feast day of Saint Hariton was celebrated by pilgrims and monastics at the Annunciation Hermitage.
Saint Hariton the Confessor offers us an example of faith in God in unexpected and perhaps challenging moments in our lives. Whatever happens to a Christian is from God and is exactly what is needed for his personal salvation.
Read a life of the venerable confessor here.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Exaltation of the Cross - Camp
From September 25-27, a group of young people came to the Annunciation Hermitage for a camp.
They made and erected a Cross on “Mount Tabor” above the monastery.
Carpentry skills by the boys were put to good use. Some of the boys helped with the iconography, whilst the rest had the difficult task of digging a deep hole in the rocky ground. The tropar and other hymns to the Cross were sung.
The participants had five lectures and discussions on the Law of God.
They prayed at the services morning and evening, and took part of Holy Communion.
A competition - the teams were handed the first question, which started them off on a search for ongoing clues hidden all over the monastery property. Competing team members share experiences on the challenges of the competition track - quick decisions had to be made during the race.
A campfire with discussions about ancient Rome, the first Christians, and tall tales.
