« The annual conference of the Diocese of Sourozh was held in Derbyshire »

On May 31-June 2, 2024, the annual conference of the Diocese of Sourozh was held at the Hayes Christian Conference Center in Swanwick, Derbyshire. Forum theme “Being the Church Today: Tradition and Mission”. 

The conference was attended by Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe, Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, clergy and laity of the Sourozh diocese.

The annual diocesan conference provides all participants with a unique opportunity to spend a weekend in prayerful unity and fruitful discussion of pressing church issues. The conference is held in the countryside and is open to all members of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain and Ireland and from abroad.

The tradition of holding the conference was established in the 1970s by the ever-memorable Metropolitan of Sourozh Anthony (Bloom). Distinguished speakers from Russia, Great Britain and other countries are invited to the conference. 

In 2024, among the speeches there were reports by Archpriest Andrew Louth - “Tradition in Orthodox Theology”, Hieromonk Giovanni (Guaita) - “Archpriest Alexander Men as a Peacemaker”, Hegumen Deiniol (Davis) - “The Missionary Labours of our Local Saints”, Professor O.V. Chervinskaya - "The Orthodox element in classical Russian literature." Discussions and round tables were held as part of the conference. The moderator of the meeting was the clergyman of the Dormition Cathedral in London, Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky. 

On the morning of Sunday, June 2, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated, in the center’s chapel, by Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe and Bishop Matthew of Sourozh. Concelebrating with the Archpastors were Secretary of the Sourozh diocese, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, the diocesan clergy, and guests of the diocese in holy orders. The diaconal rank was headed by the clergyman of the Dormition Cathedral in London, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch. The liturgical hymns were performed by the combined choir of diocesan parishes and communities under the direction of Sarah Skinner.

Upon the dismissal of the Liturgy, the Archpastors served a litia for ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) and the active participants in the past diocesan conferences who had come to rest over the past year.

Following the Liturgy, the Moscow Theological Academy certificates of completion were issued to the students of distance Orthodox Theology education courses in English.

Then Vladika Matthew warmly thanked Metropolitan Nestor for his visit to the Sourozh diocese and for his participation in the conference and, as a sign of gratitude, presented Vladyka Nestor a memorial panagia and a bouquet of flowers.

At the final meeting of the conference, Metropolitan Nestor and Bishop Matthew addressed those present with greetings and brief messages.  The total number of conference participants was 120 people.

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