Свеправославна Литургија у цркви Светог Саве у Лондону
On Pentecost Monday, the Pan-orthodox Liturgy was celebrated at St Sava’s Church in London.
The Eucharistic assembly was led by his Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and concelebrating with him were: Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Dositey of Great Britain and Scandinavia, Serbian Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Dmanisi, Agarak-Tashiri, and Great Britain and Ireland: Zenon (Iaradzhuli), Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius (Muresan), Romanian Church, The Right Reverend Athanasios (Theocharous), Bishop of Tropaeou The Most Reverend Kallistos (Ware), Metropolitan of Diokleia, a Professor at Oxford University, was also present at this great event of the pan-orthodox union.
By serving the Holy Liturgy together, the unity of the Church of Christ in the British Isles had been witnessed to. Following a festive lunch, the annual Episcopal conference was held, where all the important current issues to the Orthodox believers had been discussed. Archbishop Elisey brought the relics of St Teophan the Recluse for veneration. The holy relics had been brought to England by the nuns from the Russian Vishenski monastery where the relics repose. The veneration of the relics brought much joy to the clergy and the faithfull for which we are very grateful to Vladyka Elisey and the Russian Church.
His eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira gave a sermon and thanked his host for hospitality by saying: “Dear brothers, dear fathers in Christ, We thank you dear brother for your hospitality, for the welcome, for this special day for Christianity, particularly the Orthodox Christians who celebrate Pentecost and the feast of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes the Church. In this spirit we are here, to ascertain and make and aid, humanly speaking, the unity of the Orthodox Church. So we are very grateful to Bishop Dositej, to pray together, to share the Holy Communion, for the Holy Communion makes the Church. For this is why we are here. The Church was made by the Wisdom, by the martyrdom, and by the Holy life of saints, but the Archmartyr is Christ in Whose Name we are here today. We have to be strong, faithful, to the message of resurrection in order to overcome the difficulties we face as human beings, the Church, the society, the world. Pray for the peace of the world, pray for the peace of the Church, pray for the unity of the Church, pray for the people”.
Bishop Dositey thanked Archbishop Gregorios and said: "Your Eminence, Thank you for coming and for filling our hearts with joy. We hope in the future there will be many more occasions like this, because it is very important to represent the unity of The Orthodox Church before the world and this Holy Liturgy is one of those signs. Thank you all for taking part in praying with us today and may your prayers guide and help all those who need them in the world. Once again, thank you for coming and remember me in your holy prayers too".
‘Behold, how good and how pleasant is for brothers to dwell together in unity’ (Psalm 131:1) – we felt the true meaning of King David’s words at this spiritual event, where all our Orthodox Arch-hierarchs in the UK concelebrated together and prayed in many languages but in the same Holy Spirit and in the one Holy Orthodox Faith.
On behalf of their local churches and their faithful, the Archbishops and Bishops have sent a message of condolences to the British Prime Minister Theresa May as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mr Justin Welby for the recent terrorist attacks and loss of innocent lives which have shaken England in the past months.
Source: spclondon.org
