« Archpastoral visit to St Peter and St Paul Parish in Portsmouth »

On July 14, 2024, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh made an archpastoral visit to the parish of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Portsmouth. 

At the entrance to the church, the Archpastor was met with bread and salt by the parish churchwarden, Ekaterina Belova. 

During the Divine Liturgy, His Grace was assisted by Dean of the diocesan district of South-West England, Rector of the parish, Archpriest Joseph Skinner, Protodeacon Ioan Sîlnic and Deacon Victor Nikiforov. 

The liturgical hymns were performed by the parish choir under the direction of Sarah Skinner.

Following the prayer behind the ambo, the Right Reverend Vladyka and the concelebrating clergy performed glorification to the chief Apostles, after which Protodeacon Ioan Sîlnic, in connection with the recently held patronal feast day, proclaimed many years. 

In consideration of his hard work for the good of the Holy Church, the parish church warden E.A. Belova and altar servant N.G. Makarov were awarded Bishop's diplomas. 

Archpriest Joseph Skinner warmly thanked Vladyka Matthew for the long-awaited archpastoral visit and, as a sign of gratitude, presented, on behalf of the parish, an icon of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' with a particle of his holy relics. The icon was brought from the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow. 

In turn, Bishop Matthew expressed gratitude to the Rector, clergy and parishioners of the community in Portsmouth for their warm welcome and donated the liturgical Gospel, published in English by the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate with the participation of the Diocese of Sourozh.

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