Archbishop Elisey met with the Bishop of London

On Thursday, February 11th, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, the Diocesan Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britan and Ireland, had a meeting with the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres, at the latter's official residence in Dean's Court near St Paul's Cathedral. 

Among the subjects discussed was the forthcoming meeting between His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus and His Holiness, Pope Francis. Bishop Richard expressed his appreciation of the historic significance of this meeting, which was due to address an issue of great importance, the increasing persecution of Christians in many countries around the world. In his view, this was a matter of urgent concern not only for the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches but for Christians of all traditions.

Noting the Russian Church's own experience of martyrdom in the 20th century, His Grace assured Vladyka Elisey that prayers for a successful outcome of the meeting would be offered at the service that he would be conducting in St Paul's Cathedral on the day  on which it was due to take place. 

JOINT PRESS RELEASE of Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh and Archbishop Antonio Mennini

London 11/02/2016

Before the meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, Catholics and Orthodox in the United Kingdom as well the believers all over the world gather in prayer, well aware that through this epochal gesture it is offering to humanity – in this moment of severe tensions and conflicts – an extraordinary testimony, unique – of how it is possible to rediscover today – way of peace and unity. A testimony which, after all, by the will of God is placed in the journey of grace which both Churches are making. 

This meeting doesn’t mean that problems between the two Churches have disappeared – they continue to exist and respectful diplomacy and theological commissions will continue to work in order to resolve them – but it marks a new beginning, concentrated on sharing the sufferings of entire peoples, and in particular of Christian communities in the Middle East, which ask help and solidarity and a preoccupation with the defense of Christian values. 

A meeting, therefore, which is of historic significance, because it seals the encounter between the Heads of two Churches who have never met in history, who represent two cultural and spiritual traditions that for ages were considered in contrast, while they are complementary and are a chance of mutual enrichment, not only for themselves but for the whole of society in which they live and work. 

For all these reasons, we are confident that this meeting will be of great social value also for nonbelievers, becoming a moment of rejoicing for respectful populations, as the Popes and the Patriarchs in history prayed for years during which they longed for this. But it will also require the work of ecclesiastical communities, to regain consciousness of what this would mean: a way to discover the true love granted by Christ, which eliminates every division and burns resentments, divisions, recrimination, misunderstandings and mutual sufferings.

We prayfully wish for the success of this forthcoming meeting.

+ Archbishop Antonio Mennini, 

Apostolic Nuncio in Great Britain 

+ Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh,

Diocesan Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain 

On Thursday, Feb. 11th, a relic of the Holy Apostle Barnabas will be in the London Cathedral throughout the day.

On Thursday, Feb. 11th, around 9am, part of the holy relics of the holy Apostle BARNABAS will be brought to the London Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God of the Diocese of Sourozh. A moleben to the saint in the presence of his holy relic will be celebrated after the Divine Liturgy, around 11 am.

At 6pm the Vigil for the holy Apostle Barnabas will be celebrated together with the service for the Three Holy Hierarchs appointed by the typicon. The holy relic will remain in the Cathedral until 9 pm.

Press conference at DECR on Patriarch Kirill's forthcoming visit to Latin America

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR), held a press conference on February 5, 2016, at the DECR. The meeting with Russian and foreign mass media reporters was devoted to the Primatial visitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Latin America, which will take place from February 11 to 22, 2016, His Holiness will visit the Republic of Cuba, Republic of Paraguay and Federative Republic of Brazil.

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The 300th anniversary of Russian Orthodoxy in the British Isles

The Russian Orthodox Church marks 300 years of its presence in the British Isles in 2016.

In December, 1716 divine services started to be celebrated in the church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in London, which was established by the Russian Embassy for the Russian citizens who regularly visited England due to the development of business and diplomatic relationships between the two Empires. From that time Russian Orthodoxy began to spread across Great Britain and Ireland.

In his Christmas message, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh said, "I call upon our compatriots and all whose church life has its origin in the Russian Church to mark this significant date by the strengthening of our unity. With deep gratitude I greet all those who endeavour to preserve the Orthodox traditions which we have inherited from our predecessors and spiritual teachers."

Exhibitions, presentations, seminars, conferences, icon exhibitions, concerts and performances of church choirs relating to the event are planned during the Jubilee year. The consecration of the Dormition Cathedral of the Sourozh Diocese in London will be the culmination of the celebrations. It will take place in October this year after the major refurbishment is completed, 60 years after the first consecration of Cathedral in the Orthodox tradition.

"I hope that our Jubilee will give a spiritual impulse to the reconciliation and strengthening of the unity of the different ecclesiastical jurisdictions which feel themselves to be heirs of the common tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, which found shelter for its children in the British Isles 300 years ago", - Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh noted in his message to the faithful.

Pilgrimage to Moscow

Our St Elizabeth’s Community near Bodiam undertook a very important and long awaited pilgrimage to the holy places of Moscow connected with our heavenly patrons: the Holy Martyr Grand Princess Elizabeth and the Nun Barbara, together with all the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. more

Christmas message of Elisey Archbishop of Sourozh

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF

E L I S E Y

ARCHBISHOP OF SOUROZH

TO THE PASTORS AND ALL FAITHFUL CHILDREN

OF THE DIOCESE OF SOUROZH

OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

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CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF PATRIARCH KIRILL OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF PATRIARCH

KIRILL OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA

In this was manifested the love of God toward us,

because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world,

that we might live through him. (1 Jn 4:9) 

Your Eminences the archpastors, esteemed fathers, 

all-honourable monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!

It is with a heart overflowing with joy in the Son of God who has come in the flesh that I address all of you and congratulate you on the radiant and life-bearing feast of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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A group of pilgrims of the Diocese of Sourozh visited Bari for the Feast of St Nicholas

A pilgrimage to the holy relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari on the occasion of his feast day took place from 17th -19th December, 2015. The main group of 10 pilgrims, led by Archpriest Joseph Skinner, was made up of parishioners of our cathedral who serve the church community in various ways according to their abilities, devoting much time and effort to their work. Some other parishioners made their way independently.

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Priestly ordination in the Dormition Cathedral

On November 8th, 2015, the 23^rd Sunday after Pentecost, on the feast day of the Great Martyr   Demetrius of Thessalonika, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh together with Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch and other Cathedral clergy celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Diocese of Sourozh.

Memorial prayers for all warriors who had lost their lives in world wars were said during the Liturgy together with memorial prayers for those who had been killed in the airplane crash over the Sinai Peninsula.

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Archpastoral visits to Nottingham and Tunbridge Wells

 

A pilgrimage to the city of York

A pilgrimage to the city of York took place on the 28th of October 2015 with the blessing of Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh. The trip was made by children of the parish school of the Dormition Cathedral.

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Episcopal Assembly for Britain and Ireland had a meeting

On Friday October 23rd, Archbishop Elisey attended a regular meeting of the Episcopal Assembly for Britain and Ireland which took place at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs in Chiswick. 

The bishops agreed pastoral guidelines for clergy in relation to mixed marriages as well considering the work done to date on the question of the recognition of the pre-Schism saints of Britain and Ireland. 

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Festive celebrations on the Patronal Festival of the London Dormition Cathedral

On 28th August 2015, the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of  God was celebrated in the Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy was headed by His Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh. His Eminence Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, together with clergy of the Cathedral and the diocese concelebrated.

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Cathedral Newsletter resumes publication

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, the monthly newsletter of the Cathedral of the Dormition and All Saints is being published again. The publication was established by the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony in the middle of the twentieth century. The renewed version will be a source of the latest parish news and information about significant events and also aims to address questions of interest to Orthodox Christians today.

Cathedral Newsletter is published in both Russian and English. The content of the two versions overlaps but is not identical. It is produced by a group of volunteers headed by Archpriest Joseph Skinner, Secretary of the Diocesan Department for Media and Publishing. Parishioners are welcome to send feedback to the email address given in the Newsletter.

The online version is available here.

Metropolitan Anthony prayerfully remembered by the Diocese of Sourozh

On the 4^th of August 2015, on the occasion of the 12^th anniversary since the repose of ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony, the founder of the Diocese of Sourozh, a memorial service was held at the grave of Vladyka Anthony at the Old Brompton cemetery in West London.

The service was headed by Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, who served with Metropolitan Anthony for many years as his Assistant Bishop.  Clergy from the London Cathedral also took part in the remembrance service.  The panikhida was attended by a number of parishioners of the Diocese of Sourozh, many of whom knew Metropolitan Anthony personally, who gathered to pray for Vladyka Anthony.

The Head of the Sourozh Diocese took part in the service commemorating 1000 years since the repose of St Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, in the Yekaterinburg Metropolia

The Head of the Sourozh Diocese participated in festivities held during 7-10 July 2015 in the Yekaterinburg Metropolia in commemoration of 1000 years since the repose of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

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Archibishop Elisey's visit to Penza

Оn the 2^nd of July 2015 on the Metropolitan of Penza and Nizhnylomovskogo Seraphim’s invitation Archbishop of Sourozh Elisey came to Penza to participate in the events dedicated to the memory day of Archbishop Seraphim of Penza and Kuznetsk (Tikhonov). 

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Annual conference of the Sourozh Diocese took place in Hertfordshire

The annual conference of the Diocese of Sourozh took place during 5-7 June 2015 in Hertfordshire.  The topic of this year’s conference was Mission of the Church today.  The work of the conference was headed by the Archbishop of Sourozh Elisey.  In his address to the participants of the conference, Vladyka highlighted the importance of developing missionary service in the present world. 

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The Miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God to visit the Dormition Cathedral

On 21st June at 18:00 the Miracle-working ‘‘Kursk-Root’’ Icon of the Mother of God ‘‘of the Sign’’ will visit the Dormition Cathedral.

A Moleben with the Akathist to the Mother of God will be celebrated in front of the Miracle-working Image.

The Holy Icon will be at the Cathedral till 9 pm.