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Consecration of Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in London
A brief report from the British Orthodox Church website
http://britishorthodox.org/1188/consecration-of-new-syriac-orthodox-cathedral/
Saturday, 3 July was a memorable day for the Syriac Orthodox community in the United Kingdom as His Holiness Mohoran Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwass, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, had come to L0ndon to consecrate their new Cathedral of St. Thomas in Acton. The Cathedral, situated at 7-11 Armstrong Road, Acton, London, W3 7JL, had been built in a mere six months at the cost of around 1.8 million pounds. It was an amazing story of a community pulling together under the dynamic leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Athanasios Thoma Dawood. The Church is situated on the first floor with a spacious community hall below it and offices and clergy lving accommodation upstairs.
To the ringing of bells, His Holiness Patriarch Zakka was borne into the Cathedreal on his throne, carried on the shoulders of several burly deacons, whilst the congregation clapped, the women ululated and the children threw flower petals. The proceedings opened with words of welcome and the gratitude of the community (largely Syriac Orthodox from Iraq) expressed in their warm statements about British hospitality and the singing of the British National Anthem. Among messages received were one from H.M. The Queen, The Right Hon. Gordon Brown and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Patriarch was accompanied by a large retinue of Syriac Orthodox metropolitans and clergy and relics of St. Thomas had been brought from Mosul for the new Cathedral. Among the ecumenical guests were HE Archbishiop Gregorios of Thyateira (Oecumenical Patriarchate), HE Metropolitan John of Western & Central Europe (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch), the Archbishop of Westminster (Mgr. Vincent Nichols), The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe (Right Rev’d Geoffrey Rowell). The Oriental Orthodox clergy, who joined the Syriac Metropolitans in the sanctuary, included HE Archbishop Antonios of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) and from the Coptic Orthodox Church HE Metropolitan Seraphim (who read the Epistle in English),HG Bishop Missael of Birmingham, HG Bishop Antony of Scotland, Ireland & NE England, HG Bishop Elia of Khartoum and HG Bishop Angaelos (General Bishop for UK). A number of priests from the Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Armenian and Malankara churches were also present. British Orthodox clergy attending were Father Sergius Scott, Fr. Simon Smyth, Fr. Seraphim Mina and Fr. Peter Farrington.The Church was packed to overflowing and the service was relayed on a closed circuit tv in the downstairs hall. Following the anointing of the walls and altar with the Holy Myron, Mor Athanasios expressed his gratitude to those who had supported the venture and special reference was made to Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo and the Barnabas Fund on whom the Patriarch bestowed a pectoral cross and a high church decoration. In his address, Patriarch Zakka highlighted the spiritual significance of the new church.
http://britishorthodox.org/1188/consecration-of-new-syriac-orthodox-cathedral/
Saturday, 3 July was a memorable day for the Syriac Orthodox community in the United Kingdom as His Holiness Mohoran Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwass, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, had come to L0ndon to consecrate their new Cathedral of St. Thomas in Acton. The Cathedral, situated at 7-11 Armstrong Road, Acton, London, W3 7JL, had been built in a mere six months at the cost of around 1.8 million pounds. It was an amazing story of a community pulling together under the dynamic leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Athanasios Thoma Dawood. The Church is situated on the first floor with a spacious community hall below it and offices and clergy lving accommodation upstairs.
To the ringing of bells, His Holiness Patriarch Zakka was borne into the Cathedreal on his throne, carried on the shoulders of several burly deacons, whilst the congregation clapped, the women ululated and the children threw flower petals. The proceedings opened with words of welcome and the gratitude of the community (largely Syriac Orthodox from Iraq) expressed in their warm statements about British hospitality and the singing of the British National Anthem. Among messages received were one from H.M. The Queen, The Right Hon. Gordon Brown and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Patriarch was accompanied by a large retinue of Syriac Orthodox metropolitans and clergy and relics of St. Thomas had been brought from Mosul for the new Cathedral. Among the ecumenical guests were HE Archbishiop Gregorios of Thyateira (Oecumenical Patriarchate), HE Metropolitan John of Western & Central Europe (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch), the Archbishop of Westminster (Mgr. Vincent Nichols), The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe (Right Rev’d Geoffrey Rowell). The Oriental Orthodox clergy, who joined the Syriac Metropolitans in the sanctuary, included HE Archbishop Antonios of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) and from the Coptic Orthodox Church HE Metropolitan Seraphim (who read the Epistle in English),HG Bishop Missael of Birmingham, HG Bishop Antony of Scotland, Ireland & NE England, HG Bishop Elia of Khartoum and HG Bishop Angaelos (General Bishop for UK). A number of priests from the Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Armenian and Malankara churches were also present. British Orthodox clergy attending were Father Sergius Scott, Fr. Simon Smyth, Fr. Seraphim Mina and Fr. Peter Farrington.The Church was packed to overflowing and the service was relayed on a closed circuit tv in the downstairs hall. Following the anointing of the walls and altar with the Holy Myron, Mor Athanasios expressed his gratitude to those who had supported the venture and special reference was made to Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo and the Barnabas Fund on whom the Patriarch bestowed a pectoral cross and a high church decoration. In his address, Patriarch Zakka highlighted the spiritual significance of the new church.
Comments
http://antiocheurope.org/Ar/News-2010/UK/Consecration_the_Syriac_Church_in_London.html
You can even spot me by the altar in a couple of them.
Father Peter
In this page,رجنازة المتقدم في الكهنة الأب مايكل هاربر , I read "Metropolitan Diokleya(spelling?) representatives of the Archbishop of Tyatariya (spelling?) and Great Britain and Greek Orthodox church" . I have never heard of this branch and I wonder if it is another British Orthodox Church under the patriarchate of the Greek OC?
In the second picture, I think I see Fr Peter on the Pulpit.I have seen isolated elevated pulpits in other non-Orthodox churchs, but never in Orthodox churchs. Although the church where the funeral is taking place does look somewhat Eastern, I do wonder if such pulpits are common ??
I am not sure what you mean by a pulpit. There wasn't one in the church. The wooden covered structure is the altar and is common in many Orthodox Churches. SORRY I see you were linking to a different page. That was the funeral of the Eastern Orthodox convert priest Father Michael Harper who was part of the Antiochian Church in the UK. This is their Church. It was previously an Anglican Church, but I have seen quite a lot of pulpits in Orthodox Churches. I think it would be quite normal in a large building so that a preacher could be heard. Here is the pulpit from the Hanging Church in Cairo for instance....
[img width=300]http://stephaniedaly.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/img_5858.jpg[/img]
Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain is the senior Greek Orthodox bishop in the UK. Thyateira is an historic see in Greece. All of the Greek bishops in the UK are named after ancient Greek towns that no longer exist.
But he was mentally very alert and gave a 15 minute homily.
Father Peter
and some video from the BBC.
http://www.syrianchurch.org/
I think we need one in Belgium also.