« A group of Orthodox youth from the Dormition Cathedral in London visited Oxford »

On October 26, 2024, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, a group of Orthodox youth from the Dormition Cathedral in London traveled to Oxford.

A cleric of the London Cathedral, Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky, took part in the trip.

The visit began with a visit to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, where the guests were warmly greeted by the Rector of the church, Dean of the diocesan district of Central England of the Sourozh Diocese, Archpriest Stephen Platt. Father Stephen spoke about the ancient saints of the undivided Church who laboured on Oxford soil, shared the history of the emergence of the community of the Russian Orthodox Church in Oxford, and introduced the pilgrims to the shrines of the church. After tea, representatives of the youth activists of the Oxford parish conducted a tour of the historical center of the city.

The youth visited one of the most famous and largest colleges of Oxford - Christ Church, founded in 1524. On the territory of the university complex is the ancient Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Christ Church Cathedral), the foundation of which dates back to 1122. The cathedral contains the tomb of St. Frideswide, Abbess of Oxford (+727), who has been revered for over a thousand years as the patroness of of Oxford, built around the monastery she founded. At the beginning of the 15th century, Oxford University declared St. Frideswide its heavenly intercessor, which she continues to be to this day. A moleben was served at the tomb of St. Frideswide, after which Father Stephen gave a tour of the church and told about the life of the patron saint of Oxford.  All participants were given small icons of the saint as a keepsake - copies of the icon painted by the icon painters of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, presented to the cathedral by one of the Russian students of Oxford University.

In the evening of the same day, the participants of the trip were able to attend the Sunday all-night vigil at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Oxford, after which they departed for London.

Those wishing to take part in the events and initiatives of the youth group of the Dormition Cathedral in London are invited to contact us by email: sourozh.youth@gmail.com

The group meets in the cathedral library every Sunday (except the fourth Sunday of the month) at 13:00.

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