Dormition 2021

On Sunday, August 29th, we celebrated the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God at St Joseph's Centre in Ashurst, near Southampton, a place we fell in love with when we had outdoor Liturgies there last year. We are most grateful to Fr Desmond for welcoming us back again.

Fr Joseph celebrated, assisted by Fr Deacon Victor and the servers Aleksandr and Ivan. Matushka Sarah and Paula sang the service.

A short moleben for the beginning of the school year was served after the Liturgy and the children were blessed.

We enjoyed a bring and share picnic and time of fellowship in the beautiful grounds of St Joseph's, after which Fr Joseph celebrated a thanksgiving moleben for our parishioners Paul and Tatiana, who were recently married. Altogether a blessed and joyful celebration of the 'summer Pascha'.

More pictures of the day in our Photogallery.

Pilgrimage to the Isle of Weight - 17 July 2021

On July 17th, the Feast of the Royal Passion-Bearers the Tsar Nicholas, Tsaritsa Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexis and the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, our Parish, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, organised a pilgrimage to places associated with them on the Isle of Wight.

The Divine Liturgy was served in the Church of St Mildred, built by Queen Victoria near Osborne on the Isle of Wight, one of her favourite retreats. Her granddaughters Alexandra and Elizabeth, the future Tsaritsa and Grand Duchess of Russia respectively, often stayed with her there following the early death of their mother, Princess Alice. Doubtless they prayed in this church. The Tsar and his family visited his cousin, King Edward VII, here in 1909.

The Liturgy was served by Archpriest Joseph Skinner, assisted by Deacon Viktor Nikiforov. Matushka Sarah and Paula Nicholson, Warden of the Parish of St Silouan, sang the service. Pilgrims came not only from Southampton but also from Portsmouth, Brighton and London.

After the Liturgy we enjoyed a picnic and time of fellowship in the beautiful grounds of the church.

The day concluded with a moleben and Akathist to the Royal Passion-Bearers, together with the Venerable Martyr, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, at the memorial to them in East Cowes erected three years ago. We were joined by representatives of the local community including Karl Love, Deputy Mayor of East Cowes. They expressed the hope that an Orthodox community would soon be established on the Isle of Wight.

More pictures in our Photogallery.

Holy Week and Easter 2021

This year a full cycle of the Holy Week Services were celebrated in our Parish for the first time.

A beautiful Cross made by parishioners was blessed before the Matins Service of the 12 Gospels, and our catechumen, David, was baptised. The midnight Pashal Liturgy was a joyous celebration for our community.

Christ is Risen!

More Pictures in our Photogallery

Sunday 30th August

At our outdoor liturgy that week, as the season begins to change, the children were blessed for their return to school.

Spiritual Reading for Lent

https://orthodox-europe.org/2020/03/18/desert-fathers-readings