tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89639064184572793212024-03-05T02:43:30.190-08:00St Nicolas & St FinnanShielfoot, Acharacle, Ardnamurchan, Argyll, Scotland. PH36 4JZorthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-9725614109836031282012-04-13T22:57:00.002-07:002012-04-13T22:57:28.986-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZijVFIEd9jxOnJb_WkzJ0oCpI6OdujCirskKVory58FDGro1vGyiDKyq1PRTv9VNw-B3-WGwWdaoFghXclZ4ayGAskSg96jrZEbl9xoUUYN0SKkKCkCkaaEzTxVnnR_wXQIx3x5ygl_F/s1600/prayersoftheday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZijVFIEd9jxOnJb_WkzJ0oCpI6OdujCirskKVory58FDGro1vGyiDKyq1PRTv9VNw-B3-WGwWdaoFghXclZ4ayGAskSg96jrZEbl9xoUUYN0SKkKCkCkaaEzTxVnnR_wXQIx3x5ygl_F/s1600/prayersoftheday.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>£5.99 </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">from <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/mother-thekla-and-edited-by-fr-christopher-wallace/prayers-of-the-day-in-the-orthodox-church/paperback/product-20049437.html">Lulu</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">or from Fr Christopher Wallace,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shielfoot, Acharacle,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ardnamurchan, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Argyll</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scotland PH36 4JZ</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #f4f4f4; font-family: 'PT Sans';"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><br />
</span></span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-59968964605742206672012-04-04T03:15:00.004-07:002012-04-04T03:16:43.369-07:00IonaFr Christopher will be celebrating the Liturgy in St Oran's Chapel on Iona on Sunday 29th April as part of the annual spring retreat organised by Rdr Ignatios from Fort Augustus.orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-24746431365044921632012-03-26T02:00:00.002-07:002012-03-26T03:22:24.957-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">St Finnan's Day</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nOf7uGMizp2z04qnuOb9uwnWRqxz0HgZcicZqb2T4dsGwani-Z3rBGUm9pAWjXax8VAH_w6xsSskWLW4z6KrmgHkMDlzpOOhcAPkBgFPe6Ss4rqJnmNnBtJYWFz4qo3e-RELOp7Os1jM/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nOf7uGMizp2z04qnuOb9uwnWRqxz0HgZcicZqb2T4dsGwani-Z3rBGUm9pAWjXax8VAH_w6xsSskWLW4z6KrmgHkMDlzpOOhcAPkBgFPe6Ss4rqJnmNnBtJYWFz4qo3e-RELOp7Os1jM/s1600/7.JPG" /></a></div><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">March 16th 2012</b><br />
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<dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span></span></dd><dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On this day, four brave faithful members of the Orthodox Church of Saint Finnan and Saint Nicolas in Ardnamurchan, placed their trust in their priest and travelled 15mins by hired boat to Saint Finnan’s Isle – or the Green Isle as it is known locally in Loch Shiel, for a Moleben to Saint Finnan whose memory we kept that day.</span></dd><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_eoSl2r-Fnl-YVJK1O3LR1i0B5D4nthDVY3EAJphzKOoU2WW_UYrWnvtNRHIiYCsrP1Nr-fqMDg7HkNkdZlT5-EBHa5LfhO3ZsdAQmowVap4_62QyjS6AmmACTBQPRvse6pyGjDfUvn6/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_eoSl2r-Fnl-YVJK1O3LR1i0B5D4nthDVY3EAJphzKOoU2WW_UYrWnvtNRHIiYCsrP1Nr-fqMDg7HkNkdZlT5-EBHa5LfhO3ZsdAQmowVap4_62QyjS6AmmACTBQPRvse6pyGjDfUvn6/s640/2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></dd><dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keeping vigil on the forecast we were blessed with a good spell which allowed us to get to the island and back – dry. With a great rush of cold wind the skies opened as soon as the Gospel was announced and the rain ended as we sang Glory to Thee O Lord, Glory to Thee.</span></dd><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIPY3D-67cbJ46peR3NYdXX2nClac926zH2o9UaDl8yJdTraryz3UVJitW2lzSWwPUbqIkI24VsuGYnTjBAFSLiTzmZY6LyJNYUtm1_LmcmsJqwEG6TlSI2suRkl9FJ8UPkn9ouCY9qQF/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIPY3D-67cbJ46peR3NYdXX2nClac926zH2o9UaDl8yJdTraryz3UVJitW2lzSWwPUbqIkI24VsuGYnTjBAFSLiTzmZY6LyJNYUtm1_LmcmsJqwEG6TlSI2suRkl9FJ8UPkn9ouCY9qQF/s640/5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></dd><dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prayers were also said for the many local people buried on the Green Isle – Memory Eternal! We were blessed with the water from Theophany which came from the loch at the time.</span></dd><dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saint Finnan was a disciple of Saint Columba. As a bishop he was also a leper who counted his worms as his friends. He wanted to visit Rome and in a dream was afforded a vision of what the Holy City would look like. He told Saint Columba who was astounded at the accuracy of his disciple Saint Finnan – Apostle of Moidart at whose prayers, visit us O Lord.</span></dd><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPlTeyrVfxRBMmp1Lqb2Rd4CSVcG4nxVlnqmPSBlbbMkOh3lpRMLZHv3AdgcmpyNFn4jA8naWOhnsnkvnUOv_Ha0R_v_5PyHyUuzxXvJRv1Psz56j3o6HHkylXlbJxZp_xl1fEpsCVEvN/s1600/Green+Isle+Mar+2012+008+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPlTeyrVfxRBMmp1Lqb2Rd4CSVcG4nxVlnqmPSBlbbMkOh3lpRMLZHv3AdgcmpyNFn4jA8naWOhnsnkvnUOv_Ha0R_v_5PyHyUuzxXvJRv1Psz56j3o6HHkylXlbJxZp_xl1fEpsCVEvN/s640/Green+Isle+Mar+2012+008+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></dd><dd style="margin-bottom: 0.5cm;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A safe return trip enabled to have a joint picnic and Liturgy the following day.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>With thanks to Anna and Stefan for the photographs.</i></span></div></dd>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-88734039945645313952012-03-21T01:04:00.002-07:002012-03-21T01:05:10.951-07:00CancellationThe Liturgy for the Annunciation of the Mother of God at Shielfoot has been cancelled due to difficulties with travel.orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-72042373804481479442012-03-05T00:14:00.003-08:002012-03-06T01:51:31.106-08:00<b>NB - THE LITURGY PLANNED FOR THE 11th OF MARCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.</b><br />
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<b>However there will be a Liturgy on 25th March for the Annunciation.</b>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-71396444655388438622012-01-09T10:09:00.001-08:002012-01-09T10:09:31.572-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1V8Sq_P17laNz3dsksQp7jTYclnNIwyDoCcOar9xIx7nHCWvo0NRU7Gsna7Hjv9ZIigrQvwgmnoTTxqZG0G7fZsmemvIQxhJwXHCj3-r6yAV8szd_ZdJHAqtpcQloIDHb07fsy_jdlE4/s1600/viewer.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1V8Sq_P17laNz3dsksQp7jTYclnNIwyDoCcOar9xIx7nHCWvo0NRU7Gsna7Hjv9ZIigrQvwgmnoTTxqZG0G7fZsmemvIQxhJwXHCj3-r6yAV8szd_ZdJHAqtpcQloIDHb07fsy_jdlE4/s640/viewer.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-55622234766188750932011-12-12T04:22:00.001-08:002011-12-12T04:22:49.253-08:00Dunblane 13 November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IGeJ1YpVQKNGNc_2tduXmZkxuvnT0w3Lt79lnZ963Yw2EHMJv9pL2lHuIj8fWY8PGvyV2VjVfo-zeUY5GkCiGvgHjH38xz3NtVuoeuPU_gkfLENYw-Ss8Gc7aIxxhe8IDQIWRnc_OOq2/s1600/IMG_2175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IGeJ1YpVQKNGNc_2tduXmZkxuvnT0w3Lt79lnZ963Yw2EHMJv9pL2lHuIj8fWY8PGvyV2VjVfo-zeUY5GkCiGvgHjH38xz3NtVuoeuPU_gkfLENYw-Ss8Gc7aIxxhe8IDQIWRnc_OOq2/s640/IMG_2175.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">L to R: Hieromonk Stephen, Archbishop Gabriel, Archimandrite Raphael and Hieromonk David.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Dunblane for the ordination of Dcn Christopher Wallace to the priesthood, Mark McBeth to the diaconate and the elevation of Fr Alexander Williams to Archpriest.</span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-37278739697533103512011-09-27T11:45:00.001-07:002011-09-27T11:56:08.262-07:00<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Father Stephen Robson's obituary for Abbess Thekla is available </span><a href="http://exarchate.org.uk/sites/default/files/Mother%20Thekla%20obiit%20Fr%20Stephen.pdf"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on the Deanery site.</span>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-48641071204186637952011-09-24T07:41:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:15:50.267-07:00Visit from Fr John<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were once again blessed to welcome Father John from Edinburgh into our home for a 10 days </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in August. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Father John served Matins and Vespers each day and a Liturgy on Sunday 28th August when friends </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from Glasgow and new acquaintances from Mull joined the community.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpHDgFewobdFXACxnOe8pgdoeByXenbldeWq3iY8YYKsorVzLyHIehcW3MkPSGHTdnQ8aQr1JOtR1oWIVe75Uk1B0PPsOZOrs3vyUk8dB5Af7z2Kdvfonp1zypacF7KX8EE-2bGeQtjAu/s1600/FrJ3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpHDgFewobdFXACxnOe8pgdoeByXenbldeWq3iY8YYKsorVzLyHIehcW3MkPSGHTdnQ8aQr1JOtR1oWIVe75Uk1B0PPsOZOrs3vyUk8dB5Af7z2Kdvfonp1zypacF7KX8EE-2bGeQtjAu/s400/FrJ3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At one time Father John served the monastery of the Assumption near Whitby. Mother Thekla was </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">very fond of Father John and spoke highly of him and always remembered to have her love sent to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Father John when we visited her at the Infirmary in Whitby.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ikon Fr John holds was bought in an antique shop near Fatima in Portugal about 30 years ago. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla and Mother Katherine looked after the ikon where she hung on the wall in the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">refectory of the Monastery for many years.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla translated the inscription the reverse and apparently this Kazanskaya was given to a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Captain in the Russian Army and suggests that one day it might be returned to Stravropol.</span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-80288717114988943852011-08-12T12:06:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:17:42.827-07:00An Obituary for Mother Thekla<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Russia 1918 - England 2011</span></em></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Mass – up hill” the blown-over sign announced. Being a simple minded over focused spotty-faced spike I decided that I needed to be at church on August 15th 1974. Having escaped from Whitby YHA where I was working during a vacation from University, I had ventured to Robin Hood’s Bay on a beautiful but windy North Yorkshire day.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was greeted by Mother Katherine who told me that they were staying in Saint Bede’s House until their monastery was finished. Mother Maria was resting upstairs and Mother Thekla was digging potatoes at the Monastery a few miles away. But you aren’t Anglicans nor Romans are you? No – we are Orthodox.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few days later I met with Mother Maria and Mother Thekla. The three of them sang “It is meet to call Thee Blessed………” before a wonderful potato based lunch of huge proportions.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many of us found out eventually Mother Thekla loved digging potatoes, cleaning the goat shed, tending the graves because this meant she had her very own space and it wasn’t invaded or taken over; even to the end Mother Thekla was incredibly shy. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My love of Orthodoxy was confirmed on that day in Robin Hood’s Bay yet in the desert of Northern England struggled to get anywhere with the Orthodox Church which did not involve learning a special church form of either Greek or Russian. Mother Thekla suggested that a few important things could be learned in Greek or Russian but as we lived and worked in the UK then services would surely all be in English one day. Well, they certainly were at the Monastery where translations were in full swing and wonderful exploration “ Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Deathless have mercy on us.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From that day on I saw the progression of The Monastery’s ikon corner from “up hill” to the stable in a remote farm which was converted into a beautiful church, a printing works, a goat herders paradise with the cleanest goat shed this side of Whipsnade Zoo and Goat Cheese manufacturing.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla always said that Babinka (Katherine) was my favourite. Mother Thekla so loved to tease. The monastery’s baby was what I was called after my reception into the newly formed Greek Church in Middlesbrough; I was aged 21. John Tavener was another late-orthodox-onset monastery-adoption baby. This is exactly how Mother T saw the few of us who managed to brave the storms to get there; children, for we were there to be protected, nurtured and educated.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Putting aside her shyness, Mother T would feel free to ask favours. Do you know anyone who wants to buy a Printing Press? Can you drive us to Oxford for Easter? Do come for the liturgy at Christmas – we have bought sausages. Chris dear – you simply must come a help us deal with Fr---- a Roman priest – do you think he will be daft enough to ask us what time we get up in the mornings? (he did). She may have been shy but she also had a mischievous twinkle of the eye and an ability to make those around her guffaw while she remained quiet and aloofly calm.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think that Mother Thekla would agree that I am faced with a simple paradox; how can one write an obituary for someone who remains so real.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One does not have to travel very far through Mother Thekla’s words to be hit by the constant reality of her faithful life. God is real of course and therefore so are the mysteries and therefore so is faith and prayer. The reality of the Orthodox faith was exactly that at the Monastery and Mother Maria, Mother Katherine and Mother Thekla latterly, worked tirelessly to present this in English to the faithful.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla could be stern and occasionally quite blunt in her dealings with people who simply did not grasp what it is meant, for example, to be natural in church. I was constantly called an idiot and marched into Mother Maria’s room for a lesson - usually ending up in them telling me how to stroke Nimmy, the wondercat, without getting scratched and where the <em>the</em> Monastery was in relation to Whitby Abbey and the Paraclete – a wonderful geographic-theologic triangle for debate, though the north window.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hell was a reality for Mother. She once tearfully confided that she felt that the most frightening thing which ever happened to her was being incarcerated after a medical misdiagnosis. The loss of her Monastery and many treasured possessions, including her little dog Kip, was a dreadful trial for her. Mother had it in her heart to forgive and forgive she did. “Who am I to look at the crucified Christ on Holy Friday and not forgive?” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who – indeed?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marina Scharf was born during the revolution in Russia the day after Nicholas II, and the royal family was murdered. Baptised as “a horrid sight” ( her brother Andrew claimed ) in a flower vase, the family escaped to London eventually but without her father. He miraculously appeared to them again many months later after jumping onto a coal barge bound for Newcastle from France.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Educated at City of London School for girls, Marina rather fancied a stage life. She auditioned for RADA but decided on teaching after graduating from Cambridge with an MA in English and Russian. During the war years she worked for Bletchley Park – on Enigma. She then worked for the Ministry of Education and Senior English Mistress at Kettering Girls High School. Influenced by God she became a “secret” nun visiting Mother Maria in St Mary’s West Malling where Mother Katherine was the Anglican Novice Mistress. Mother Maria with Thekla and Katherine appealed to Archbishop Anthony to set up a convent and he thought that the life would be too hard. Appealing to Archbishop Athenagoras they won their first Monastic home near Milton Keynes before being chased away by a developing and expanding golf course. They moved to Normanby near Whitby in sight of the ruined great Abbey in 1974. There were irregular liturgies when Fr Kallistos, Fr Simeon (Ephrem), Fr Wladimir could get to the Monastery. Later in the Monastery’s history Father Ephrem lived, for a few years, in a separate part of the buildings and services then were far more regular. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In her final years at the Infirmary of the Order of the Holy Paraclete in Whitby she saw many visitors and old friends. She was cared for by a team who loved her and teased just as much as she did them. She taught them some Russian words in exchange for her learning some Whitspeak. She was often tired and occasionally frail but she loved to be at the Liturgy in Saint Anne’s House in York. Father Stephen visited her each week and shared with Ann taking Mother to and from the York church. She loved them both dearly and “didn’t know where she would be without them.” In many ways these were perhaps the most settled part of her life. It was very comforting for us all to know that she was safe. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Thekla will now re-join her two desert sisters at Saint Hilda’s Priory – a truly tangible reality. Also in reality Mother has gone from this life to the life which knows no age and yet will still be there for us when we need her. She leaves us not just a wonderful legacy of Orthodox wisdom in words; many of us have been and will continue to be influenced by Mother Thekla’s stunning intellect and devout practicality. A truly inspirational figure, may she always be for us an anchor on the other side.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can now however imagine her twinkling, “Is this all I am worth – not even three pages of A4? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Really! – I ask you.” </span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-77669389826861220562011-08-07T19:12:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:16:05.029-07:00Memory Eternal, Mother Thekla!<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beginning of a feast never again to end...</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Sunday 7th August, Mother Thekla of the Monastery of the Assumption at Normanby, passed from death to life everlasting.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The monastic life is a vocation to the centre, to enter into the centre and remain in the centre. When he is led to his profession, the monk of the Eastern rite sings: open wide thy arms, O Father, to me. The profession signifies his taking up into being-loved of God and consciously now he experiences this as the beginning of a feast never again to end. The cantor sings, as if he is witness, what happens in heaven, how the coming home is being feasted at the Father's hearth.</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother Maria (Gysi), founder of the Monastery of the Assumption.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from 'Sceptrum Regale, Life towards the Transcendent.'</span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-17969289809834751322011-05-18T08:38:00.000-07:002011-09-24T08:04:01.490-07:00Pascha 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: orange;">Christ is Risen!</span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Kristus nousi Kuolleista!</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Kristos Anesti!</span></strong></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
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</span><strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana;">Kristos Voskresse! </span></strong><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: black;">From the Wednesday in</span> <span style="color: black;">Holy Week Deacon Christopher and Diaconissa Elizabeth</span><span style="color: black;"> were in Finland with the blessing of Archbishop Gabriel, attending services in Helsinki. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52nW1ZnbFUmKZCoYry3XKpJja5wWV7iLzPkUUbAvAhOqSwkgCUzVrFfZKzOhaas39MaIpbgJ99gMBYILCl9JLnTfIikM8N5WB-HXpajIu8v-UkYF-bEHAvPaVl8X22IMCyDI7WDpI_ItE/s1600/IMGP1642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" height="358" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52nW1ZnbFUmKZCoYry3XKpJja5wWV7iLzPkUUbAvAhOqSwkgCUzVrFfZKzOhaas39MaIpbgJ99gMBYILCl9JLnTfIikM8N5WB-HXpajIu8v-UkYF-bEHAvPaVl8X22IMCyDI7WDpI_ItE/s400/IMGP1642.jpg" width="400" /></strong></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span arial,="" font-family:="" sans-serif;?="" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" verdana,="" white;=""><span style="color: black;">We were able to attend The Washing of Feet with Metropolitan Ambrose in Uspensky Cathedral, the service of the Twelve Gospels in Holy Trinity Church in Helsinki and the Good Friday Procession of the Shroud in Helsinki. The Finns certainly live Orthodoxy and the services were very well attended. </span><span style="color: black;">They also sing like angels. </span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j5dXWFbEretT84JBy9nDgfCfuIgwOUsKMRAY3cu6c9XIYoqyh4tvoPMBqDD7vzKAnoZVQ71UmBuXV18Fj24OakXwd1ReO33qJXIix8k1bBhCijOpj0WlbFCxAdOjX8z0YVRAMxuTfX3S/s1600/IMGP1658-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j5dXWFbEretT84JBy9nDgfCfuIgwOUsKMRAY3cu6c9XIYoqyh4tvoPMBqDD7vzKAnoZVQ71UmBuXV18Fj24OakXwd1ReO33qJXIix8k1bBhCijOpj0WlbFCxAdOjX8z0YVRAMxuTfX3S/s400/IMGP1658-1.jpg" width="360" /></strong></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">The celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the children of the Helsinki parish, in Uspensky cathedral, was a wonderful highlight. Over a thousand children each day of Bright week arrive attend. The Tuesday service we attended was a noisy, yet beautiful occasion and it was delightful to see the children in long lines, arms crossed and smiling faces coming to receive Holy Communion.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JbdypLhfT1vrDTPTxobgLgvW7cxXjwXOy2PAYrwfhyDvsfe-qfwAIIN_oA9qYBjd5-bwGXazIEloZ6YDCpScB5qyTs6pfFjnKid56qKCiTBUbZPqMhx_p-mpxRQWZ3siidW2lyCH_n_2/s1600/IMGP1694-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JbdypLhfT1vrDTPTxobgLgvW7cxXjwXOy2PAYrwfhyDvsfe-qfwAIIN_oA9qYBjd5-bwGXazIEloZ6YDCpScB5qyTs6pfFjnKid56qKCiTBUbZPqMhx_p-mpxRQWZ3siidW2lyCH_n_2/s400/IMGP1694-1.jpg" width="376" /></strong></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxevwLSIxfy-zrw1Qdri9UF-7C5vwwyXzDKRlqHKdMDA1jWwxM0Qe0W3NWmyhuMrwoVdY7fwRn6CGxSYP93GXlKQE-cT8CzV-xfIBm5q5SkYDbLb9pjvXaL_TYgF2KoPusiMKa182L3o2V/s1600/IMGP1695-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" height="348" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxevwLSIxfy-zrw1Qdri9UF-7C5vwwyXzDKRlqHKdMDA1jWwxM0Qe0W3NWmyhuMrwoVdY7fwRn6CGxSYP93GXlKQE-cT8CzV-xfIBm5q5SkYDbLb9pjvXaL_TYgF2KoPusiMKa182L3o2V/s400/IMGP1695-1.jpg" width="400" /></strong></a></div><div align="center"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Thanks to our friends Irene and Aleksi Usano we were able to see much of the </span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Finnish country side around Helsinki as well as partake of some exquisite Easter fare.</span></span></div></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-80031981695521879032011-02-11T08:52:00.000-08:002011-05-18T09:05:22.922-07:00New ikons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtOXfFh9Q4QgW1C-jeNAyglhMd7SeslyJ3XlnShyphenhyphenp4rEL0xfB8YCMOKeyiiDsXic7zEgMXLqedU5onwvdZaLplVVWDdDohf76rv7_DKD6K587xD41xdOR0rXRKRfpMkjJ_UTgk4uYxVAC/s1600/New_ikons_Feb_2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtOXfFh9Q4QgW1C-jeNAyglhMd7SeslyJ3XlnShyphenhyphenp4rEL0xfB8YCMOKeyiiDsXic7zEgMXLqedU5onwvdZaLplVVWDdDohf76rv7_DKD6K587xD41xdOR0rXRKRfpMkjJ_UTgk4uYxVAC/s400/New_ikons_Feb_2011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">New ikons of Christ All-mighty and the Mother of God. They were painted by the late Father John Ross and recently gifted to the Community by Nan Ross. </span>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-55129080377566626932010-12-06T09:02:00.000-08:002011-05-18T09:04:56.570-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-XbKqM_WB18VsSuRO-HyunKwkmLludbDHycYhVHodpMuF2JuJD5aw4u6vr1elV2o9d2zwFvOAfHAsl7l8rULDEBz7i3QYnFxK8H7NfTNLPhDD8G-jyAGlMH9haiwWVkEw6JGf0cJS5Cv/s1600/StNicholas1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-XbKqM_WB18VsSuRO-HyunKwkmLludbDHycYhVHodpMuF2JuJD5aw4u6vr1elV2o9d2zwFvOAfHAsl7l8rULDEBz7i3QYnFxK8H7NfTNLPhDD8G-jyAGlMH9haiwWVkEw6JGf0cJS5Cv/s400/StNicholas1-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Patronal Feast of Saint Nicholas<br />
A very quiet and peaceful patronal feast. <br />
Weather was too awful for anyone to get here but they were all remembered.<br />
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Holy Saint Nicholas pray for us!</span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-84925568850842251482010-11-27T09:06:00.000-08:002011-05-18T09:07:33.674-07:00A doubly-Blessed day...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The 17th wedding anniversary of Deacon Christopher and Diaconissa Elizabeth.<br />
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And Stefan and Anna told us of their plans to be married in January.</span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-6722702715654532010-11-14T09:08:00.000-08:002011-09-22T01:29:37.456-07:00Visits to Yorkshire<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fr Christopher and Diaconissa Elizabeth went south to Yorkshire to combine two visits.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOBNhdgzIx8yWEEHaTOohD2D8Ap732opQCbGAdM0KYohAy50jO5tneIUDC8RGWkpskgHy9fbRkG9A95MHUR0vW_ribdiJZ9xJqdw2sKDGSMIcFJsFzCj_HUtJ6nKlI_5a8rdjFkhmBXVF/s1600/Diaconissa-and-MThekla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOBNhdgzIx8yWEEHaTOohD2D8Ap732opQCbGAdM0KYohAy50jO5tneIUDC8RGWkpskgHy9fbRkG9A95MHUR0vW_ribdiJZ9xJqdw2sKDGSMIcFJsFzCj_HUtJ6nKlI_5a8rdjFkhmBXVF/s400/Diaconissa-and-MThekla.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mother Thekla and Diaconissa Elizabeth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Firstly to Mother Thekla who as always welcomed us with a huge smile and open arms. She is a little frailer, yet well and comfortable in the Infirmary of the Order of the Holy Paraclete in Whitby. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Mother Thekla’s wonderful sense of humour prevails. As does her poignant and crystal clear sense of Orthodoxy and how it should be a perfectly natural way of life and worship.<br />
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Once again we made a visit to the graves of Mother Maria and Mother Katherine which are also at the Paraclete in Whitby.</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTv-jQmQZaP8xQP3G21Ah5RxM7Mixz3YwPYrO0wZK_cBfjIgPiQpQgzZ-DU7SArRUDgvZyYghW2ciFCZNhu1b2rCN-F9uZE-siBLW-xUEzjz2Ls8sBPbfESWPfv5zrT9CAZKv3OApb2FV/s1600/StAnnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTv-jQmQZaP8xQP3G21Ah5RxM7Mixz3YwPYrO0wZK_cBfjIgPiQpQgzZ-DU7SArRUDgvZyYghW2ciFCZNhu1b2rCN-F9uZE-siBLW-xUEzjz2Ls8sBPbfESWPfv5zrT9CAZKv3OApb2FV/s400/StAnnes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chapel, St Anne's, York</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The second visit was to the Liturgy at <a href="http://exarchate.org.uk/st-annes-house-and-chapel-york">St Anne’s House</a> in York. A wonderful occasion as ever ; full of joy and love in the Lord. It is always a pleasure to be at Saint Anne’s; a place so redolent of prayer and worship with its fill of ikons and their lamps, relics of the Saints and a cosmopolitan mix of worshippers. </span></div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-539360693994314952010-09-05T09:13:00.000-07:002011-05-18T09:14:52.632-07:00Mnogaya lyeta!<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Diaconissa Elizabeth celebrated her Name Day today.</span>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-62163690258712338022010-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:002011-05-18T09:22:41.086-07:00Repose of Leon Liddament<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is with great sadness for us but joy in the loss of his suffering that we learn that Leon Liddament died on Friday 3rd September 2010.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We have very special connections with Walsingham and Leon in particular. Deacon Christopher has known the Brotherhood of Saint Seraphim for 40 years. Father David celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the day of the National Pilgrimage which meant that many people from over these islands could witness the embrace of the Spirit through Orthodoxy.</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZorCACrqcd11Gl6kXuelM06rU3R5V6AUlt2enB3XGrCRzIS11UkzTN7OxUOxpaesyrC2dAw-wmg80ca01KDUvNvKgh7gn9cZYW_hprA-ZJ5UH4mPOxGPpEVxR1J7DIkDqzNUAsA7CZe18/s1600/leon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZorCACrqcd11Gl6kXuelM06rU3R5V6AUlt2enB3XGrCRzIS11UkzTN7OxUOxpaesyrC2dAw-wmg80ca01KDUvNvKgh7gn9cZYW_hprA-ZJ5UH4mPOxGPpEVxR1J7DIkDqzNUAsA7CZe18/s400/leon.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Two years ago Deacon Christopher, after a prolonged illness, embarked on an ikon course with Leon. Sadly it was the last time we saw each other; although we had visited Walsingham earlier this year Leon was too ill to receive visitors.<br />
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He was a kind and gentle man, staunchly Orthodox and a brilliant ikonographer. </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">The ikons on the ikonastasis in this Community’s church were the result of Leon’s patience with Deacon Christopher.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">A Panikhida was served for Leon this morning.</span></span></span></span></span></span>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8963906418457279321.post-43321962050864369882010-08-16T15:34:00.000-07:002011-05-18T09:22:06.435-07:00Visit of Fr John<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJERNS1lSvo7729oMSWdquVO43mnqYg0NsIy7wiEsyEo8vXQLTlD9fJtwgPfz9vXLzI5k78NZNf4LCjSwmNn9TVSsIu7mHcMbhHbGVy4YwK2rUO7sXGaBmxEoIZfVeGn5NHjaIWWRfqERY/s1600/frjohn4-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJERNS1lSvo7729oMSWdquVO43mnqYg0NsIy7wiEsyEo8vXQLTlD9fJtwgPfz9vXLzI5k78NZNf4LCjSwmNn9TVSsIu7mHcMbhHbGVy4YwK2rUO7sXGaBmxEoIZfVeGn5NHjaIWWRfqERY/s400/frjohn4-1.jpg" width="322" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">The Community was very blessed in August as Father John Maitland Moir from Edinburgh, came to stay for a week’s rest after the Feast of the Dormition Liturgy which we attended in Edinburgh. He may be a little frail but he kept us on our toes with daily Matins and Vespers even after the four hour journey from the capital to home. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Saint Florus and Laurus’ day and was attended by a clutch of faithful worshippers.<br />
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It is some four years since the Liturgy had been celebrated here and we are indebted to Fr. John for his loving care and attention to us. He married Deacon Christopher and Matushka Elizabeth in the old Edinburgh Chapel nearly 17 years ago and we have maintained very close contact with him ever since.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
We look forward to seeing him here again soon.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>orthodoxscotlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05706641987926802426noreply@blogger.com0