« On the eve of the Feast of the Laudation of the Most Holy Theotokos, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated Matins at Dormition Cathedral in London »
28-03-2026 
On March 27, 2026, the eve of Saturday of the 5th week of Great Lent - the Feast of the Laudation of the Most Holy Theotokos (Akathist Saturday), His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh celebrated Matins with the reading of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos at Dormition Cathedral in London.
His Grace was assisted by Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky; Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk, Dean of the Diocesan District of South East England; Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh; Archpriest Nikita Kozlov; and Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the Cathedral Choir under the direction of Dmitry Tugarinov.
The evening service on the eve of the feast of the Laudation of the Most Holy Theotokos is distinguished by its special solemnity - it is celebrated with the reading of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. According to Tradition, this Akathist was first read at night in Blachernae, a suburb of Constantinople, after the miraculous deliverance from a siege in 860 - the enemy fleet was destroyed by a storm that arose after the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos was lowered into the sea. The Akathist to the Laudation of the Theotokos is a thanksgiving prayer to the Mother of God. To this day, it is the only Akathist included in the liturgical charter and included directly in the church service.