« The Parish of Sts Constantine and Helen in York celebrated its patronal feast »

On June 7, 2025, the clergy and faithful of the Parish of Sts Constantine and Helen in York celebrated its patronal feast. The celebration of the day of remembrance of Sts Constantine and Helen, celebrated by the Church on June 3 (May 21, old style), was postponed to the coming Saturday.

The festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Rector of the parish, Priest Anatoly Vikhrov, co-served by Deacon Paul Wood, a cleric of the Church of Sts Aidan and Chad in Nottingham. The service traditionally took place in one of the oldest churches in York - the church of St Mary Bishophill Junior, the construction of which dates back to the 10th century, before the division of the united Church.

At the end of the Liturgy (since on this day the Church celebrates Trinity Parental Saturday) a panikhida was served for all departed Orthodox Christians. 

In continuation of the pious tradition of celebrating divine services in York Cathedral on the patronal feast day, founded by the first rector of the parish, Archpriest Gennady Andreyev (now Bishop Matthew of Sourozh), a moleben was served in one of the chapels of the main Anglican church of the city. York Cathedral is the largest of the Gothic churches in northern Europe, and is the home to the seat of Archbishop of York, the third hierarch of the Church of England (after the monarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury). Historical chronicles that have come down to our time indicate that the original wooden church was built in 627. Subsequently, it was repeatedly destroyed by fires and foreign invasions.  The cathedral acquired its final appearance by 1472. The episcopal see existed in York even during the times of Celtic Britain. In particular, bishops from York were present at the First Council of Nicaea (325). In York in 306, the son of Caesar Constantius Chlorus, Constantine, was proclaimed Augustus, the Roman Emperor, by the army. A monument to the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, who stopped the persecution of Christianity, is located next to the York Cathedral.

In York Cathedral, the clergy and parishioners of the Orthodox parish were met by Canon Precentor James Milne, who gave a tour of the cathedral and led them to the chapel to serve a moleben to the holy equal-to-the-apostles Constantine and Helen.

LPAt the end of the service, Priest Anatoly Vikhrov addressed the Orthodox believers with a sermon and expressed gratitude to Canon James Milne, who was present, for the opportunity to conduct an Orthodox service in the city's historic church, expressing hope for continued inter-Christian cooperation in the future.

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