Posted on 03/16/2002 4:58:13 PM PST by Spar
Welcome!
This website is a modest attempt to bring together documents and links related to the the history, theology and life of the Orthodox Churches of the British Isles — from their origins to their eclipse by the Norman Conquests of the 11th and 12th centuries, to their revival today. Please navigate through this site by selecting from the menu at the left.
Rev. Deacon Geoffrey Ready Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission
Historical and Theological Studies of the Celtic and Old English Churches
Life of Saint Pádraig (Patrick) the Enlightener of Ireland
Saint Bede the Venerable Home Page
Orthodox Churches in the British Isles Today: Re-awakening an Ancient Past
Orthodox Ireland - Information on Orthodoxy and Orthodox churches in Ireland
A Land of Saints - A review of some Orthodox pilgrimage sites in Britain
Orthodox Iona - Annual pilgrimage to the monastic island
I hope this posting generates some nice and spiritual discussions.
Or should it be New Calendar Orthodox Ping?
Saint Patrick was born in the late fourth century. His father was Calpurnius, a Briton and a deacon; his mother, Concess, was a Frank
I read this to state that Patrick was half Briton (Celts of the big island) and half Germanic (Franks being one of the Germanic tribes of the mainland). History trivia=the Patron Saint of Ireland wasn't Irish! Oh well. No disrespect intended, and I trust none taken.
The Russian Synod (and perhaps the Serbs) commemorate St. Harold, Last Orthodox King of England, and his companions who died at Hastings as a martyr.
Walsingham, the site of the principal Marian shrine in England is now largely an Orthodox town (!!).
Of course this year, the more important Forgiveness Sunday happens (for New Calendar Orthodox) to coincide with the feast of St. Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland.
If I have in any way offended you, my brothers and sisters, forgive me. (A 'virtual' Forgiveness Vespers is a new tradition on many Orthodox discussion sites.)
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
One of King Harold's daughters married Vladimir Monomach, Prince of Kiev.
Certainly, Nicholas and Alexandra were Christians. Certainly they were Orthodox. Maybe, they were even saints. That they were regarded for so long as "political criminals" is a direct outgrowth of a terrible notion of governance: lay investiture of bishops. You would not have had to accept Roman appointments (and I feel confident you would not) of your bishops to avoid this. Could you not have convened synods beyond Russia's borders of Orthodox religious leaders to name some of your genuinely holy men to be Russian bishops? Otherwise, how do you avoid your ancient Church becoming a marionette of whoever happens to be running government?
Whatever the truth may have been as to Nicholas and Alexandra (and that truth may well have been sainthood), it did not change after their deaths according to which gang of Marxist hooligans happened to wield the most effective bunch of weapons from rifles to the battleship Aurora.
Did Tito also have a say in the appointment of Serbian Orthodox bishops in Serbia? Why? How do you choose bishops here since the US government is certainly prohibited by its own First Amendment from having a say in who your bishops will be.
I concede that I am not always respectful in my posts but these are, I think, fair questions and deserve candid answers.
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Saint Breandán (Brendan) the Navigator "When the Church in the British Isles begins to venerate her own saints, the Church will grow" (Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia)