The British Orthodox Church
Recent Ordinations
On 10 February 2001 at the Chapel of Saint Luke's College, Heavitree Road, Exeter, Devon, John Howard Newton STUART was ordained Deacon at the hands of Abba Seraphim.
Abba Seraphim in Egypt
On 17 February Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Subdeacon Peter Farrington, flew into Cairo airport where they were met by Shenouda Mamdouh and driven to Saint Mark's Centre in Nasr City.
The next day they visited Father Mats Högelis, the Pastor of the Swedish Chiurch in Cairo. Father Mats and his wife, Deaconess Kirsten, are to return to Sweden this Spring where he will take up his new post as Principal of Helsjöns Folkhögskola at Horred. Later Abba Seraphim and his party visited the churches of Old Cairo: the Church of the Virgin Mary Al-Mo'allaqah 'the Hanging Church', the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, Abū Sargah, Sitt Barbara, Saints Cyrus & John, the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Convent of Saint George, where they were given lunch. Also visiting Saint George's Convent was His Grace Bishop Cherubim of Kena, with whom they shared a time of fellowship. They travelled to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and in the evening Abba Seraphim gave a talk to a youth meeting at Saint Bashnouna's Church in Fumm al-Khalig. They later visited Leila, the church vestment maker, at Ezbekiah before setting off in the evening to drive to Sinai.
Driving through the night they arrived at the Monastery of Saint Catherine around 4.00 a.m. on 19 February and ascended Mount Sinai (Gebel Musa) by camel, arriving at the summit shortly before dawn. It was an appropriate place to begin the observance of Great Lent and having descended the Mountain, Abba Seraphim and his party visited the church and holy places within the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine. On the return journey they visited the small Greek Orthodox convent of nuns near the site of the ancient Archbishopric of Pharan in Sinai.
On 20 February they drove to the Monastery of Saint Mina at Mareotis (Maryut) in the Western Desert, where they prayed at the tombs of Pope Kyrillos VI and the late Bishop Mina Ava Mina. After lunch they visited the nearby archaeological site of the ancient city and basilica which had grown around the shrine of Saint Mina. The water table here has risen alarmingly in the past couple of years causing alarming damage so that some ruins have collapsed into underground cisterns.
In the evening they were given a guided tour of some of the impressive monastic enterprises, which included the Bindery where Coptic manuscripts and rare printed books are carefully restored and recorded on microfilm; the Computer Department and the extensive Printshop. All these activities are conducted to the highest professional standards. Before leaving the monastery they took tea with Father Kyrillos, the amīn ad-dair (Prior) of Saint Mina's.
They then travelled to Saint Bishoy's monastery in the Wadi al-Natrun and were received at the Papal Residence by Father Mauritius, before taking supper and retiring for the night.
On 21 February, after breakfast, they visited the Shrine of Saints Bishoy and Paul of Tamouth in the ancient monastery church. Returning to Cairo they took lunch with Shenouda Mamdouh's parents and his brother, Bishoy. Before attending the weekly Papal Lecture in the Cathedral they prayed at the Shrine of Saint Mark. After the lecture they were received by His Holiness Pope Shenouda in the Papal Residence and spent about ninety minutes with him. Before returning to Nasr City Abba Seraphim called on Shenouda Mamdouh's grandmother and great aunt in their home near to the Cathedral to greet them and pray for them.
On 22 February they visited the Churches of Hārat Zuwailah: The Convent of Nuns of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary (Lower Church), the Church of Saint Mercurius and the Church of Saint George (Upper Church) and the Convent of Nuns of Saint George. They also visited the nearby Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Shenouda (formerly a Greek Catholic Church) in which a large quantity of relics of the Martyrs of Akhmin are displayed for veneration. At the Convent of Saint Theodore (Amīr Tādros) in Hārat ar Rūm they were received by the Abbess, Mother Adrosius, before Abba Seraphim celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Nuns of the Community. After taking lunch Abba Seraphim and his party visited Khan el-Khalili and then visited a family marking the fortieth day after the repose of their mother, where he spoke words of comfort and prayed for the family.
On 23 February the party travelled out to 'Patmos' on the outskirts of Cairo on the Suez Road, where His Grace Bishop Boutros has established a centre for the handicapped and elderly. Abba Seraphim had last visited 'Patmos' in March 1996, shortly before it was attacked by Egyptian soldiers and several of its buildings destroyed. Matters having been subsequently resolved, building resumed and progress has been considerable. After taking tea with the bishop they visited many of the centre's activities and met some of the staff working there. As it was a Friday large groups of people were visiting and Abba Seraphim and his party were warmly welcomed.
In the afternoon they visited the Church of Saint Stephen and the old Cathedral at Ezbekia, before travelling to Saint George's Church at Cleopatra, where Abba Seraphim spoke to a large Youth gathering. In the evening a number of pastoral and social meetings were made.
Abba Seraphim returned to London on 24 February.
Cairo Secretariat
On 23 February, acting on the nomination of H.H. Pope Shenouda, Abba Seraphim appointed Mr. Shenouda Mamdouh Abdou as his Egyptian Secretary. The Cairo Secretariat of the British Orthodox Church is located at 242A Tereet El-Gabal Street, 11321 Zeitoun, Cairo, Egypt. Telephone: (+20) 2 603 0314. Mobile (+20) 12 356 8197. Email: cop@idsc.net.eg
Armenian Supreme Patriarch in London
Catholicos Karekin II at the British Library On 1 March His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch & Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by His Beatitude Torkom II, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, paid a brief visit to London for the Opening and Private View of the British Library's exhibition "Treasures from the Ark: 1700 Years of Armenian Christian Art" which had been made possible by the generosity of Vatche and Tamar Manoukian and the Manoukian Charitable Foundation.
Arriving at the British Library the two Patriarchs (who were accompanied by Bishop Nathan, Armenian Primate for Great Britain) were greeted by Abba Seraphim, Father Sergius Scott, Father Antonious Thabet Shenouda, Dr. Aziz Abdul-Nour, Secretary of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches and other representatives of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
The exhibition was opened by the Right Hon. Robin Cook, M.P., Foreign Secretary, and a reception followed its formal opening. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian was also present and introduced Armenia's new Ambassador to Great Britain, Vahram Abajanian, to representatives of the local Armenian community.
Lenten Lecture
Father Sergius Scott attended St. Mary of Sion Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Clapham Road, North Clapham, London on 19 March as the guest of Father Teguhan Tekle Mariam Edwards, the priest in charge. Father Sergius had the opportunity to examine and admire many fine Ethiopian ikons and to have fellowship with other members of the Ethiopian clergy serving in London before attending a Lenten lecture in the church by His Grace Bishop Nathan Hovannisian, the Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Great Britain.
Historic Oriental Orthodox Liturgy
On 2 April the members of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches met at Archangel Michael & Saint Anthony's Coptic Orthodox Centre at Stevenage to celebrate their unity in an historic Liturgy, hitherto a rare event in England if not the first. The rite used was Coptic Saint Basil largely in English but with some prayers recited in Armenian, Arabic, Ge'ez and Malalayam. Presiding over the Liturgy was His Eminence Archbishop Yegishe Gizirian, the Council's chairman and until last year Armenian Primate in Britain. He was assisted by Abba Seraphim and Their Graces Bishops Angaelos (Coptic Orthodox General Bishop) and Nathan Hovhannisian (Armenian Orthodox Primate of Great Britain). Among the priests participating were: Fathers Shnork Bagdassarian (Armenian Orthodox); Sergius Scott (British Orthodox); Antonious Thabit, Bishoy Boushra, Mikhail Ibrahim, Zakaria Botros, Iohanna Morgos, Ishak Ibrahim, Shenouda, Philopateer (Coptic Orthodox); Yohannes Sibhatu (Eritrean Orthodox); Kes Berhanu Bisrat, Tekla Mariam Lewis, Habte Mariam Field, Testa Mikael Lewis (Ethiopian Orthodox) and M.S. Skariah (Indian Orthodox).
Bishop Angaelos hosted a luncheon for the participating priests and bishops and commemorative photographs were taken in the church.
Holy Week & Pascha
Holy Week services and Paschal celebrations were held in Babbingley, Bournemouth, Cusworth, Maidstone and Sidmouth. Abba Seraphim officiated at Babbingley on Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday (8 April), at Maidstone on Holy & Great Friday and at Bournemouth for the Paschal Vigil followed by visits to the graves of former church members on Pascha morning (15 April).
Pope Shenouda in England
Pope Shenouda flew into London's Heathrow airport on 19 April en route to America. Accompanied by General Bishops Rueiss and Selwanes he travelled straight to the Coptic Church Centre at Stevenage, where he was greeted by most of the Coptic clergy in Britain including Abba Seraphim and Bishops Missael, Anthony, Angaelos, Gabriel of Austria and Marcos the Eritrean. Following a clergy lunch His Holiness spoke on Pastoral Responsibility. Fathers Sergius Scott, Anthony Clements and Simon Smyth with Deacon Mark Saunders attended from the British Orthodox Church.
Prayer Service for Armenian Martyrs
On 24 April Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Father Sergius Scott, attended Saint Sarkis Church in Iverna Gardens, Kensington (London) for the annual commemoration of the one and a half million Armenians who were murdered in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Among other church leaders also present were Archbishop Gregorios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain; Coptic General Bishop Angaelos El Amba Bishoy; Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Armenian Primate of Great Britain; Archbishop Yegishe Gizirian; Bishop Marcos, General Secretary of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and the Suffragen Bishop of Basingstoke. Other clergy also attended from the Greek Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Anglican Church.
Deacon Brendan earns doctorate
On 6 April Deacon Brendan French graduated from the University of Sydney as a Doctor of Philosophy. After six years of full-time study, during which he won an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship, Deacon Brendan completed his thesis in the Department of Studies in Religion last August and waited a nervous six months for the examiners' reports to be submitted. In the end, he was blessed with highly congratulatory responses - with several academics eager to publish the text. Deacon Brendan's thesis dealt with responses to the crisis of faith which erupted in the nineteenth century in the wake of such challenges as evolutionary theory and philosophical materialism. At 850 pages, and 300,000 words, the thesis was a very large undertaking, and Deacon Brendan has asked that his thanks be sent to all those who supported him with their prayers.
Ordination in Brittany
It was with great joy that we learned of the ordination of an old friend from many years, Deacon Daniel Myard who has become a priest of the Eglise Copte Orthodoxe Franēaise. The ceremony took place on 8 April at the Ermitage St. Marc at Le Revest-les-Eaux near Toulon and was performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Marcos, assisted by Abba Athanasios. Roger Bédier was also ordained as a Reader for the first canonical Oriental Orthodox community in Brittany.
Abba Seraphim returns to Egypt
Accompanied by Father David Seeds and Mr. David Pratt of the Portsmouth Parish, Abba Seraphim returned to Egypt for his twenty-second visit on 26 May. They were met at Cairo airport by Shenouda Mamdouh and travelled to Saint Mark's Centre at Nasr City, which was to serve as their base during their stay. Their arrival coincided with an unprecedented heat wave in Cairo, during which temperatures reached over 105° F. Fortunately they left Cairo early the next morning and travelled to Alexandria, where they stayed at the BLESS Retreat House in Abu Talaat, (some 34 km. outside the city) which is situated on the coast and enjoys refreshing breezes and sea air.
After lunch Abba Seraphim's party travelled into Alexandria and walked the route of the ancient Soma and Canopic Way. They also viewed the imposing Bibliotheka Alexandria designed by a Norwegian-Austrian team of architects, which is nearing completion. Later they visited Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, praying at the tomb of Saint Mark and the early Alexandrian Popes. From here they travelled to Saint George's Church at Sporting to pray at the tomb of the late Father Bishoy Kamel in the church as well as visiting the stained glass workshops.
On Monday, 28 May they visited the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria followed by the Roman Theatre and Baths at Kom el Dikka. In the afternoon they visited the gardens of the Montazah Palace and the Salamlek Hotel, both built by the Khedive Abbas II.
On Tuesday, 29 May they visited the Swedish Institute which is situated on the Grand Corniche and were received by Dr. Inga Brandell, the Deputy Director. They also received a preview of the Institute's current exhibition "Artas: Portrait of a Palestinian Village - Then & Now in Photos" and met Mia Grondahl, a freelance journalist and photographer who has renewed a photograph biography of the village and its people begun by the distinguished Finnish-Swedish anthropologist Dr. Hilma Granqvist in 1925. From here they visited the magnificent Graeco-Roman Catacombs at Kom El Shogafa and the Acropolis of the Ptolomies, where they viewed Pompey's Pillar and the Temple of Serapis, which had been sacked by Christians in 391 A.D.
On Wednesday, 30 May they travelled back to Cairo, where the temperature had fallen slightly. That evening they visited the home of Shenouda Mamdouh's grandmother, aunts and cousins in Abbesseya.
On Thursday, 31 May they visited St. Mina's Church at Fam El- Khalig to view the current state of restoration and were much impressed by the new baptistery. They were received by Father Gabriel Kamil and Mr. Emil Maruny. From here they visited the Nilometer and Khan El Khalili. Later Abba Seraphim visited a student hostel for Coptic male students in Zeitoun and then Miss Haifa at her home in Heliopolis, where part of the house is now a hostel for Coptic female students, who came to greet Abba Seraphim and his party.
Back at Saint Mark's Centre in Nasr City they dined with Metropolitan Marcos and Bishop Athanasios of the Eglise Copte Orthodoxe Franēaise, accompanied by two of their priests, one of whom was Father Daniel Myard who has been a friend of Abba Seraphim's for over twenty years. After dinner His Holiness Pope Shenouda visited the Centre to salute His Holiness Patriarch Philipos and wish him a safe return to Asmara and Abba Seraphim and his party were able to pay their respects to both Patriarchs.
On Friday, 1 June Abba Seraphim spent the morning reading in the Dominican Library and later rejoined the party which travelled to Old Cairo where they visited the historic sites including St. George's Greek Orthodox Church, the Church of the Virgin Mary Al-Moallaka ('the Hanging Church', the Churches of St. Barbara of St. Sargis and the Ben Ezra Synagoge before visiting St. George's Coptic Orthodox Convent, where they took lunch.
On Saturday, 2 June Abba Seraphim joined the other members of the Holy Synod for the annual meeting held under the presidency of Pope Shenouda, after which all the Metropolitans and Bishops gathered for a commemorative photograph and took lunch together. In the evening they returned to Saint Mark's Cathedral for the Raising of Incense and the nomination of new bishops. After Vespers Abba Seraphim joined Metropolitan Marcos and Bishop Athanasios for a meeting with Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, General Secretary of the Holy Synod, to discuss issues relating to the European bishops.
On Sunday, 3 June, being the Feast of Pentecost, Abba Seraphim joined the other Bishops and clergy for the Divine Liturgy during which His Holiness Pope Shenouda ordained new bishops and priests. The temperature had risen over the past couple of days but although it was hot in the Cathedral there was providentially no return to the extreme temperatures of the previous week ! In the evening Abba Seraphim and his party took a felucca on the Nile to enjoy the cool of the evening. They returned to London the next morning (4 June), travelling on the same flight as Bishops Missael of Birmingham and Serapion of Los Angeles and were greeted at Heathrow airport by Father Antonious Thabet.
Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Wite
Fathers Martin Lee and Simon Smyth, with Deacon John Stuart, led a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Wite in the Church of Saint Candida and Holy Cross at Whitchurch Canonicorum in Dorset. By kind permission of the Rector, the Liturgy of Saint James was celebrated. This shrine is a rare pre-reformation site which escaped destruction and still houses the saint's relics.
Armenian Church consecrated
On 10 June Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Father Sergius Scott, attended the consecration of St. Yeghiche Armenian Church in Cranley Gardens, Kensington. The consecration was performed by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch & Catholicos of All Armenians, assisted by a number of Armenian bishops. The renovation of the church was made possible through the generosity of Vatche & Tamar Manoukian. A number of diplomatic and ecumenical guests attended including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Suffragen Bishop of Kensington, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Bishop Angaelos. The Armenian National Choir sang during the service.
Snippets
On 26 February Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Father Sergius Scott, was among the ecumenical guests for the Rite of Welcome at Westminster Cathedral to greet His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor upon his return from a recent Consistory in Rome at which he had been appointed as Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Other Orthodox guests included His Grace Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian accompanied by Father Shnork Baghdassarian, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Father Sergei Hackel of the Russian Diocese of Sourozh.
A report in Arabic concerning the British Orthodox Church at Babbingley appeared on the front page of Al-Ahram (Cairo) on 12 March 2001 under the title 'A Church Gift from H.M. The Queen.'
On 3 June Watani International carried a half page interview with Abba Seraphim. The interview, with Ikladious Ibrahim, had previously appeared in Congregation Newsletter No. 68 (15 April 2001)
On 10 June the Rev'd Robert Gribbend, Professor of Liturgy & Mission in the United Faculty of Theology in Melbourne lunched with Abba Seraphim and his household at the Church Secretariat at Charlton.
On 20 June Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Father Sergius Scott, attended the patronal festival at St. Alban's, Holborn, at which the Archbishop of York was principal celebrant and preacher.
Abba Seraphim has given his blessing to a new venture for the re-publication of important Orthodox texts which are no longer in print. Under the imprint of the British Orthodox Press, managed by Subdeacon Peter Farrington, the first of these was published at the end of 2000: John Cassian, The Conferences of John Cassian: The Wisdom of the Desert, 494 pp. (softcover). ISBN: 07388-2933-1. Copies can be obtained from Xlibris Corporation by email: Orders@Xlibris.com
Left to right: Father Sergius Scott, Father Antonious Thabet, Abba Seraphim, Catholicos Karekin II, Dr. Aziz Abdul-Nour,
Patriarch Torkom II & Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian
