May 2010

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian Tradition
in Western Europe

Deanery of
Great Britain
and Ireland

The Orthodox Parish of
St Aidan
& St Chad,
Nottingham

Extracts from Parish Newsletter, May 2010

FATHER DAVID’S LETTER

Paschal Joy

It is impossible to exaggerate the greatness of Paschal Joy, and the more we are involved in the Church, the more we shall be aware of it. All the provisions of the Church in Word, Sacrament and the gathering together to Worship guarantee this. For, the New Creation on the 8th day is the Church. The Kingdom of Heaven is the Church. The Ark of Salvation is the Church. In the Creed we say ' In one holy catholic and apostolic church; I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins'. Nowhere else can this be found with certainty.

St Nicholas Cabasilas wrote this in his book 'Life in Christ':

Man is separated from God by the triple barrier of nature, sin and death. Our Lord's mission on earth was to enable this to be changed so that we might be fully possessed of God and be directly united to Him by the fact that He, Christ, set aside each barrier in turn....

By His incarnation, Christ united human nature with Divine nature, thus giving to man's nature - which had been corrupted at the Fall - the potential of being united with Divinity.

. By His death, Christ took upon Himself the sentence of sin; but since He was wholly innocent of sin, He abolished the sentence for all mankind. Thus He overcame the spiritual consequences of sin; spiritual death, separation from God. This enables man to actualize the potential for Divine union which Christ gave to man at His incarnation.
By His resurrection, Christ overcame the physical consequences of sin - physical death. Thus He made all of humanity subject to future resurrection in an incorruptible body, and likewise made all of nature subject to future renewal in a state of incorruption.

At Pascha we celebrate the fact that life has changed for ever if we stand with Christ and keep to the promises made to us at our baptism. Hence we sing:

As many of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, Alleluia (God be praised).

But Pascha is also the Springtime of the year. Winter has passed and we look forward to flowers and shrubs and, hopefully, in our climate, warm summer days. There really is a return to the beauty of nature as it was at the beginning in the Garden of Eden. I remember being in Kew Gardens some years ago, sitting in the area where all the azaleas were in full blossom; spiritually, I knew that these shrubs and trees were the descendants of their early ancestors and here was indeed a glimpse of how it had been in the Garden of Eden. We sing in Psalm 19 (18):

The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament shows his handiwork,

One day telleth another: and one night certifieth another.
There is neither speech nor language: but their voices are heard

among them

Their sound is gone out into all lands; and their words into the ends of the world.

So let us be joyful also at this time when Our Lord, God Himself, accomplished all that he had set out to do - our nature restored, separation from God overturned and death with no more dominion over us. In the Springtime of the year, the first days of the rest of our life we sing aloud:

Christ is Risen from the Dead, trampling down death by death and to those in the tombs bestowing life.

Christ is Risen, Khristos Voskrese, Christos Anesti!

News and Notes : Fr David

Clean Monday, 2010

This year the first day of Great Lent on the Old Calendar was a feast day and not a fast day. The Feast of the Meeting in the Temple occurred on this day, 15th March, and created an interesting variant of normal Lenten practice

This occurred because Lent was very early this year, it has not happened for the last 50 years and will not occur again for a further 500 years!

Apologies if any of you fasted on Clean Monday when this was not prescribed this year! But I hope you went out to fly your kites.

(In some parts of Greece Clean Monday is called Five-times-clean Monday. As well as the kite flying some children might make a Kyria Sarakosti, (Lady Lent). This is a paper doll with seven legs to represent the seven weeks of Lent. Every week, a leg is cut off to show how many weeks remain until Easter) Ed

Radonitsa

On Tuesday, 13th April, the day of Radonitsa, Fr David accompanied by Reader Julian served a Panikhida in the West Chapel of the Wilford Hill Cemetary. They visited the nearby graves of Tikhon Leary, Michael Brook and other Orthodox Christians of blessed memory to proclaim and sing the joy of the Resurection.

"Christ is Risen..... Khristos Voskrese" echoed across the park on a fine sunny day, a day of joy in itself.

Afterwards they visited Red Hill and sang a shortened Pahikhida at the grave side of Ellen Ivas whilst remembering Simeon and Eleanor Mitchell and all other Orthodox resting there. Many of these are of the old Russian community who were the first Orthodox to proclaim their faith in Nottingham in recent centuries. The first Greeks in Nottingham worshipped with them until they obtained their own church.

A joy of Orthodoxy is that we can remember and be tangibly aware of all who have been wonderful and active members of our church on earth and are now resting with Our Lord and continuing to support us as much as they are able.

Christ is Risen!

Bishop's visitation

Our Bishop, Archbishop Gabriel of Comane, will be with us over the weekend of 28 - 29 August, 2010. This will be our celebration of the Feast of the Dormition with vigil at 5.00 p.m. on Saturday evening and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning . Because this is a fifth Sunday in the month, it may be possible to begin the Liturgy at 11.00 a.m. This will be confirmed later. It is a bank holiday weekend but it is hoped that all will be able to be present to meet our bishop who is a very delightful and impressive person. Belgian by birth but now living in Paris in rue Daru..

Social Programme

The newly appointed sub committee will soon announce details of a proposed social programme for this year. It is hoped that many events may be done jointly with the Parish of St Leodegarius.

Already a Birthday Party at Barbara’s, a Garden Party in the Church, and a concert in the Autumn are being thought through. Please speak to Margaret Handley (Tel. 9609393 ), Sue Thompson or Daniella Staritadeva if you have any suggestions.

New Time for Liturgy

On the 3rd Sunday During the summer months we shall begin the Liturgy on the Third Sunday of each month at 8,00 a.m.! This will enable all who attend to be away from Church by 10.00 a.m. To enjoy long summer days. Margaret Handley has kindly offered to serve breakfast afterwards at her home but please bring contributions to this. The Liturgy on the first Sunday will be at

12.15 p.m as at present. See how you like this arrangement.

Mount Athos Icon

Fr David has miniature copies of the Mother of God Icon ' Portiatissa' from Iviron Monastery. Mount Athos. If you would like one of these, please speak to him and receive this gift from the monks and be anointed with the holy oil from this special shrine so well know throughout out the Orthodox world.

Book Cupboard and Bookstall

A new cupboard is being made to house he bookstall. This will be at the west end of St Leodegarius and will be open at all times when we meet there. Remember that it you order your books through the bookstall, a generous discount can often be given.

Pilgrimage to Crowland Abbey

(arranged by Fr Dennis and Fr George of Edlington )

Saturday June 12th. Liturgy at 11.00.a.m.

Followed by veneration of the relics of St Theodore

Bring a packed lunch - coffee, tea and soft drinks are available in the church café. If the weather is fine the liturgy will be held in the abbey ruins. Please bring your own folding chair if you find standing difficult.

BOOK REVIEW

Bearers of Unfading Light by Tatiana Yudina - Bluestone Books 2010. 509 pages. ISBN 978-1-84426-792-7 Price:£14.99

Translated by Mike Whitton

Tatiana Yudina was moved by two icons in a Cambridge church when she attended the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies. Her enquiry into their provenance led her to discover the remarkable life of the icon painter - Julia Nickolaevna Reitlinger (1898 - 1988) - or Sister Joanna,

as she is known in the Church.

Bearers of Unfading Light uses (the quite brief) autobiography of Sister Joanna as the backbone, as it were, of the story of the coming of Russian Orthodoxy to the West, fleshed out by her interaction with Father Sergii Bulgakov, her life in Paris from 1925 to 1945, her connection with The Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius, and a very full collection of letters from and to Father Alexander Men.

As the plot progresses, it is further commented on by the author in order to explain the context so that the reader can readily make sense of it all.

It is a fascinating story, a story which sheds great light on our own history as part of the Orthodox Church in this country.

However, this book is much more than a history; rather, as its title suggests, it is a detailed record of the inner growth in holiness in Sister Joanna as well as in the many people with whom she is in contact. Here again the author usefully inserts her own understanding, sometimes a summary of, say, Fr Sergii's teaching, sometimes to expound a liturgical or spiritual point (helpfully, never in a preachy way!)

But how does the reader know who is talking at any given point?

A vertical line down the left-hand side indicates the author's input; other bits are indicated by the type-face: for example, the text is italicised whenever Sister Joanna's autobiography is being quoted.

What we are given is really several books in one: we are introduced to Fr Sergii Bulgakov not just as a theologian but more as a human being with his hopes and disappointments; we learn of the origins of the Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius through the enthusiasm of Dr Nicolas Zernov working with Anglican priests and bishops; we eavesdrop on the extensive correspondence of Fr Alexander Men with Sister Joanna.

In addition to all that we have a brilliant and detailed section on the rules and art of icon-writing. Sister Joanna's increasing deafness was compensated by her flair for painting.

However, in the 1920s and 1930s icons scarcely existed in the West, and in the East had degenerated to a point of the almost complete neglect of iconographical principles. Thus she had to begin everything as if 'from nought'.

This allows Tatiana Yudina to give a fascinating history and explanation of the canons by which iconographers work. She emphasises how essential is unceasing prayer in this since 'through it is given the grace of contemplating the Divine, otherwise a real temptation exists to original thinking with carnal intent, self-esteem.'

With the many reproductions both in colour and monochrome this would make a book in its own right but it gains from being part of this work because it shows the intertwining of the spiritual influence of Fr Sergii and Fr Alexander with Sister Joanna's own spiritual growth.

I find it impossible to do justice to this extensive work because it is so wide-ranging and goes into such spiritual depth that a brief review like this can only hint at it. Suffice it to say that this should be read by everyone in our Deanery and beyond, in order both to trace our own ecclesial origins and to learn from the spiritual experiences described here in such an attractive and sympathetic

way.

Fr Edwin Hunt

Excerpt from Tatiana’s book:

The “Chersonese Icon” of the Mother of God

The feast of the “Chersonese Icon” of the Mother of God is celebrated on 9/22 October. According to tradition, it was painted by the evangelist Luke and was brought from Korsun (Chersones) in the X century by Prince Vladimir the Great, who had received aptism there from the Greek archbishop, to Kiev. After that, the icon was moved to Novgorod and later to Moscow.

Another legend has it that the icon was brought to Rus’ from Ephesus by the efforts of princess Predslava of Polotsk, Euphrosine in monastic life, in the XII century. The type represents a variety of the “tenderness” icon, of which the defining difference was that the figures of the Theotokos and the Infant were depicted only as far as the chest, not the waist. Two variants existed of the Chersonese: in one the figures are shown turned to the left (in relation to the viewer) and in the other to the right.
In comparison with ancient Russian examples, the icon painted by Julia Nikolayevna seems absolutely canonical: the Theotokos is a symbol of the Church of Christ, and the Infant is the incarnate Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”; (John 1:1; Prov. 8:22). Here, as in all icons of a similar subject, all secondary details are completely missing: the entire background surface is filled with representations of the halos, faces and hands of the Theotokos and Christ.

The Most Pure One embraces the Infant with her left hand, and wraps His shoulder in the mathory, while with her right hand she tenderly presses His head to her cheek, so that their faces seem to fuse together into a single whole. With his left hand, the Saviour grabs sharply at the edge of Mary’s tunic, as if pulling her towards him, and in his right hand He holds a rolled-up scroll. The intimate character of the interpenetrability and identity of the Theotokos- Church and the Son- Word is symbolically expressed in that close embrace, so full of tenderness, even more strongly in comparison with other “Tenderness” icons.

The position and gestures of the hands, the placing of the fingers also have an emphatically symbolic significance. The two middle fingers of the Divine Infant’s left hand are tucked in toward the palm, so that the remaining three serve to indicate the Trinity. And, in contrast, the two middle fingers of the Theotokos’ left hand are extended; painted in dark ochre, they stand out distinctly on the red background of Christ’s little shirt, indicating the dual nature of the Incarnate One: Fully God and Fully Human.

The gesture of the Theotokos’ right hand has several symbolic meanings: her fingertips touch her Son’s cheeks with human tenderness, at the same time as pointing to Him as the future way of salvation, and simultaneously receiving from Him in her open palm the priceless gift – the goal of the Incarnation – the Word-Flesh:

“And the word became flesh and dwelt with us, full of grace and truth” Jn.1:14; Mt1:16; 2 Cor. 3:9, Heb 2:11).

The Saviour’s gaze is turned to Mary’s face, but the tiny snow-white scroll in his little hand seems like the Bread of Communion, which He raises almost to the very lips of the Theotokos. She is not looking at her Son. Her tender, reflective, pure gaze is turned deeply inward. In the silence, the Most Pure One hears the Word.

The Eucharistic theme is not usually given expression in images of the Theotokos. Here it actually dominates, and is expressed with genial simplicity, precision and strength – corresponding to the service for the feast of the Chersonese icon, in which sorrowful and penitential prayers alternate with joyful faith in the unceasing presence of the Theotokos, and in the mercy of the Son of Man, who gave himself as a free-will sacrifice.

The scroll of the Word – the Bread of Life – is the centre of the icon in terms of colour as well as of composition. Painted strictly in the horizontal centre, it shines with light-bearing whiteness, so that the gaze is focused before all else on this detail of the icon, at once the smallest in measure and the most important. On the whole, the subject has no tragic tension: the faces are devoid of any strictness or severity, such as is characteristic, for instance, of the Vladimir icon. The lines are outstandingly rounded, and the colouring is

warm and soft. Around the coffee-brown background of the middle is a pistachio- green field. The bright ochre halo of the Theotokos “goes out” onto the upper part of that, and in its lower part completely merges with the Divine Infants’ halo. The golden radiance of the halos illuminates the faces, or rather shines through them. A light touch of purple adds nobility to the brown colour of the Queen of Heaven’s marthory.

Mount Athos

This account is based on the views of two pilgrims who have returned recently from different monasteries. Both regarded their experiences as a glimpse of Paradise.

1. Is access easy? Only tracks or are there good roads?

Arrival is generally by boat via one of two routes. Taxis, minibuses or 4x4s take pilgrims to the appropriate monastery. There are new roads under construction. The EU seems to be giving big money for development of the area but there are losses as the area is losing some of its character.

2. Were there any formalities to be completed on arrival?

You have to show a permit at your selected monastery. Applications for this permit have to be made several months in advance to the Pilgrims’ Office in Thessaloniki. If you have no permit you are not allowed on the boat to Mt Athos.

On arrival at the chosen monastery the Guest Master provides you with tsipourou which is a drink something like raki, Greek coffee and a delightful sweetmeat called loukoumi.

3. Were there any conditions imposed?

Different monasteries have different guidelines and routines. Personal supplies of alcohol apart from that which is served at meals is frowned on. Swimming in the sea does not meet with approval.

Only male dogs are allowed but cats and kittens are plentiful. The wild life includes wild boar, lots of frogs and many nightingales.

4. Where did you stay? How many monks and how many visitors?

The ratio changes. In Winter there are few visitors but at festival times the visitors vastly outnumber the monks.

5. What was your sleeping accommodation like?

The visitors generally sleep in dormitories with four or five men You have a bed, a chair and, maybe a table. Your possessions are kept in your suitcase or on your bed. A visiting priest will probably be given a single room and a bishop might get a suite.

Ablutions vary from hot showers in private cubicles to sinks and cold water. In some places the water is switched on only at certain times.

6. What was the normal timetable/routine?

Many variations here and things can be more strict during Lent. This is a non-Lent routine.

The monks get up at 4.00a.m, (could be earlier) summoned by the noisy hammering of a plank called a ‘talanton’ and pray until 6.30a.m. The pilgrims/workers may pray for a shorter time. A meal is served at 7.00a.m. and this could be fish soup or bean stew with bread, fruit, feta and house wine. Mountain tea was an alternative. This was made from local herbs and was very refreshing. The meals are eaten in silence apart from the reading by a monk. The workers e.g. the footpath clearers work from 8.00a.m until 3.00p.m. They are given a packed lunch which could be bread, olives and halva. Bring your own water.

The workers arrive back at the monastery at about 4.00pm for vespers and veneration of the relics. They will be joined by the new pilgrims. This is followed by a period of relaxation and talking to the new arrivals. A meal is served similar to the first meal of the day. Meals seem to be regarded as fuel and not as a gastronomic delight. They are to be eaten quickly: After grace there is the first bell that means you can start the meal. After the second bell you can start on the wine and after the third bell the meal ends. It was not uncommon to stuff bread or fruit into a pocket to be finished a little later. This meal is followed by a short compline after which everybody drifts off to bed.

7. How did you find the night services?

After acclimatisation they were wonderful. Walking to the church along a dark path and seeing the stars in full glory (no light pollution here) was an experience in itself. Inside the church had a

wonderful warm glow from the candlelight and oil lamps. This light was reflected from the gold or silver decoration on the icons and different coloured shadows fell from the coloured glass of the oil lamps. There was a boat shaped hand held censer with very pure sounding bells and two choirs chanted antiphonally which made the night services very special occasions. At first light, the birds could also be heard joining in the dawn chorus.

8. Did everybody stand the whole time?

Mostly. There were stalls around the walls so these offered some degree of comfort.

9. What did you do in your spare time?

Sunday was the day for talking, walking and contemplation. Some people walked to the taverna in a nearby hamlet and sampled the local beer and a meal. Some souvenir shops would be open selling such things as icons, books, prosphora seals,

prayer ropes, honey and local wine from the monasteries.

10. Do the monks share the ‘housework’ and is there a monk chef?

In the Serbian monastery there is a scheme where possible pre- novices come from E. Europe and experience life in the monastery. They work as cleaners, kitchen assistants or in the laundry but the monks do most of their own washing. Some of the monks work as labourers and drive tractors or look after tools. In other communities the manual workers tend to live outside the monastery.

11. Is there a freezer or dish washer?

Not known. Most of the washing up is done by hand. The plates, cutlery and beakers at some monasteries are of stainless steel.

12. Did you notice anything surprising?

Yes, there is a problem with wild boar. The footpath repairers find them very annoying. The newly laid stones are upturned by the boars as they find the grubs underneath truly delicious. According to Athenite law the boars are now a protected species. However, some of the young men living outside the monastery go on hunting .

MAY DAY

As a world-wide day of celebration, the first of May probably ranks second only to New Year's day.

In many European countries May Day has now taken on a political significance and has become Labour Day with May Day parades with bright banners, balloons and big demonstrations in the cities.

In pre-Christian Europe, among rural folk, May Day was celebrated as the beginning of Spring season, honouring the pagan fertility gods and deities of the crops and fields.

The day marked the victory of spring over winter and darkness made way to sunlight.

May Day in Britain originally was the Celtic holiday 'Beltane' or 'Beltaine', - the spring fire festival.

Beltane

Beltane was widely celebrated until the 18th century in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In recent years, the festival has been revived in some places. The Beltane ceremony would be performed on a hill, where according to tradition, a giant bonfire would be lit and a Druid priest would offer sacrifices to the gods. Cattle would be driven through the fires, as Celtic people believed that this would purify them and bring good luck for the following year. The night before Beltane, people in the village would extinguish the fires in their houses and the materials for lighting the sacred Beltane fire would be gathered. After lighting the bonfire, a big feast would be prepared for the villagers and after eating, the people would sing and dance around the fire. Towards the end of the night, a special cake baked with eggs called the Beltane cake would be produced and eaten. Beltane fire was considered to be lucky and at the end of the night, every man in the village would take some of the fire home with him to re-light the fire in his house.

Spring fire festivals were held in many parts of Europe. It was believed that they dealt with evil spirits, witches and demons that tended to roam around and gather together on hilltops for their annual meeting.

Other May Day Customs

Flowers and garlands abound.

Since the ancient days in England there prevailed a custom of "bringing in the May." People would go to the woods in the early dawn and gather flowers to decorate their houses. Of course there was also dancing around the maypole, and the crowning of the May Queen, In France there is the La Fête du Muguet, and the tradition is to give the ones you love a little bouquet of lily-of-the-valley, for good luck and to celebrate the arrival of spring. In some areas of Greece May 1st is another day when kites are flown. In other regions people pick wildflowers for the wreaths that hang on their front doors until the 23rd of June, when the dried up wreaths are finally burned in a big bonfire.

St Melangell

The story goes that in 604 Prince Brochwel was out hunting. His hounds chased a hare into a bramble thicket but they came out howling. The prince investigated and came across a maiden at prayer with the hare in her safekeeping. The prince discovered that the maiden was Melangell who was an Irish princess who had fled to Wales some years ago to avoid a forced marriage. Prince Brochwel was so impressed by her beauty and godliness that he offered the valley to her as a sanctuary for people and animals. A nunnery was founded and Melangell became the abbess.

During some excavations to St Melangells church in 1958, under the floor of the area where it was believed that the saint was buried, it is thought that some skeletal relics of Melangell were unearthed. These bones were re-interred in the shrine.