08 March 2009

Sunday of Orthodoxy in the Community of Saint George in London

The community of Saint George in London celebrated the  Sunday of Orthodoxy in the presence of its shepherd His Eminence Metropolitan John. This year's celebration was unique in that other Orthodox communities in Britain were invited.
On Sunday evening, March 8, 2009, all the hierarches and priests of the Orthodox churches (Greek, Russian, Serbian, Romanian,  Ukranian, and representatives of the Orthodox monasteries) gathered in the Antiochian cathedral of Saint George to celebrate Great Vespers, and different choirs from these churches participated in the service, each with hymns from its own tradition.

At the end of the service a procession with holy icons took place, and His Eminence Metropolitan John delivered a talk in which he greeted the brethren and attendants, and emphasized the necessity of proclaiming the belief in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. He then presented the hierarches and choirs with souvenirs to mark this exceptional meeting in our church, and  prayed for their health and holiness. Following this, the assembly gathered for a generous agape meal which the parish council had organized to celebrate  this blessed event.