« Festive celebrations on the Patronal Festival of the London Dormition Cathedral »
30-08-2015
On 28th August 2015, the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God was celebrated in the Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy was headed by His Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh. His Eminence Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, together with clergy of the Cathedral and the diocese concelebrated.
At the Small Entrance, Archpriest Benedict Ramsden was granted a high Patriarchal award - the right to celebrate with open Royal Doors until the Cherubic hymn in recognition of his many years of faithful service to the Church.
At the Liturgy Vladyka Elisey ordained to the diaconate Pavel Kviatkevich. The newly-ordained deacon will be serving together with Archpriest Benedict Ramsden in the Newton Abbot Parish of the New Martyrs Elizabeth and Barbara.
Amongst the other guests were Archimandrite Antoniy (Sevryuk), Rector of the Stavropegic parish of the Great Martyr Katherine in Rome and Secretary of the Administration of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy, Hieromonk Afanasy (Potapov), a member of the clergy of St Katherine’s, and Archpriest Raphael Armour, Rector of the Parish of St Ephrem the Syrian in Cambridge.
In his sermon, Vladyka emphasised the joy of the Feast of the Dormition. We do not speak of the death of the Mother of God, but rather of her Dormition or falling asleep. She was resurrected to eternal life in the Kingdom of her Son and she thereby reveals our destiny, which by her maternal intercession we hope to achieve.
At the end of the service, Archbishop Elisey warmly welcomed Archpriest Dmitry Karpenko, who has been assigned to the clergy of the Diocese of Sourozh. Father Dimitry was previously Secretary of the diocesan administration of the Gubkin Diocese (Belgorod District, Russia). He is also a member of the Inter-Conciliar Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church and has a special interest in missionary work.