Fr Theophan's Visit
Dates of Services in St Pancras Church, Exeter:
Saturday 5th October / Sunday 6th October - Fr Porphyrios is in Paris for a meeting of Deans of our Diocese
Saturday 19th October Great Vespers at 5pm / Sunday 20th October Divine Liturgy at 10.30am
Saturday 2nd November Great Vespers at 5pm / Sunday 3rd November Divine Liturgy at 10.30am
Saturday 16th November Great Vespers at 5pm / Sunday 17th November Divine Liturgy at 10.30am
The Spirituality of Mount Athos Residential Conference on 11 – 13 October 2024 at Madingley Hall, Cambridge
Dear Friends
Please find attached a programme, information and a booking form about the forthcoming Friends of Mount Athos (FOMA) Residential Conference on the Spirituality of Mount Athos, to be held at Madingley Hall, Cambridge on 11th to 13th October 2024. There are places available. If you would like to attend please send the completed booking form to treasurer@athosfriends.org
Press release from the Archdiocesan Council of April 3, 2024 Concerning “THE DECLARATION OF THE 25th WORLD CONGRESS OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE RUSSIAN WORLD”, the work of which was made public on March 27, 2024. The Council of the “Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe” wishes to recall that the reference to the Russian tradition in its title echoes first and foremost the precise circumstances and conditions of its beginnings: the Russian Revolution and what followed, namely the establishment of an atheist regime that in turn led to a significant emigration from Russia into Western Europe and more particularly into France. Secondly, the heritage of the Russian Orthodox spiritual tradition, as it was reasserted in particular by the Council of Moscow (1917-1918), included in its concerns pastoral care, help for migrants, and mission in the new lands that welcomed them. This led quite naturally to the Archdiocese occupying a privileged ecclesial space of witness and mission, from that point to the present. In light of the Russian spiritual and theological renaissance in Orthodox liturgy and ecclesiology initiated by the St Sergius Institute as founded by Metropolitan Evlogius, the Archdiocese has favoured a warm welcome and openness to others – which underlies the European dimension of the Archdiocese, including its multiethnic nature and its multilingual approach to liturgy. It is by this open and unifying witness, exhibited in the spiritual testimony of Metropolitan Evlogius who said, ‘freedom of the spirit in the Church is sacred’, that many members of the Archdiocese—lay and clergy alike, along with others—have been able to reach out to Orthodox of other nationalities and jurisdictions. While continuing to attend to the faithful from the first emigration and their descendants, the Archdiocese has also extended pastoral care to indigenous Westerners who come to confess the Orthodox faith locally. A lively and creative fidelity to the Russian tradition, both spiritual and theological, pays particular attention to knowledge of God through the eschatalogical significance of the Incarnation, where the coming together of the divine and human is understood as reconciliaiton and as restoration of likeness. This above all is witness to the Orthodox faith here and now, in the world, ‘so that the world may come to believe’ (John 17:21). From this perspective, just as in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3:28), so neither is there Russian, nor Ukrainian, nor Moldovan, French, German, Polish, Italian, American. Neither is there West nor East, there is no cross-border Russian people. There are no people bringing redemption other than all the baptized, who together constitute ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation’ (1 Peter 2:9), the Church. The word that the Church brings is not of culture, of social or demographic management, of ethnic regulation or a geopolitical program. The Church brings the Good News: ‘Make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you (peace: “be ye artisans of peace”; unity: “be one”, love: “love one another”). And I am with you always until the end of time.’ (Matthew 28:20).
We are a community within the Archdiocese of Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate).
Our Archdiocese has its origins in emigrations from Russia as a result of political changes there during the early part of the 20th century and the persecutions that followed. Out of this, something remarkable developed; an Archdiocese of the Russian Orthodox Church with parishes and communities in many Western European countries which bring together people from so many different places and backgrounds. It is the legal successor and direct continuation of the “Provisional Administration of Russian Parishes in Western Europe” founded by Saint Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and entrusted to Metropolitan Evlogy with the agreement of Saint Metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd.
For a fuller history of the Archdiocese see archeveche.eu/en
The composition of our congregation in Exeter reflects the rich history of the Archdiocese; it includes English, Greeks, Lithuanians, Russians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Belarusians, Estonians, Americans and others. The community serves grassroots Orthodox across the Southwest of England.
Clergy
Archibishop of Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe
His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna
He lives beside our St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, in the Rue Daru, Paris.
Priest-monk
Hieromonk Porphyrios (Porphyry)
A founder of the community and is a serving priest in the Church.
Upcoming Events
Events
St Pancras Church
This remarkable medieval building is one of the most early Christian sites in Britain. It belongs to our friends from The Parish Of Central Exeter. Please follow the link to find out more about the fascinating history of the building.
‘Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him… (John 1:38-9).
For Orthodox Christians, the heart of the Christian life is an encounter with God in Jesus Christ His Son, and through the presence of the Holy Spirit; an encounter that is at once deeply personal - unique to every individual - and yet communal, rooted in the tradition and the life of the Church. Whilst this encounter is realised in various ways in Christian experience, for the Orthodox it is perhaps quintessentially embodied in the Divine Liturgy: the worship of the gathered community of the Church with the Eucharist at it centre. In the worship of the Church, God invites encounter, speaking to the heart and giving of Himself in what the Orthodox refer to as the ‘Mysteries’.
If you would like to learn more about Orthodox Christianity, its teaching, culture, and life, there is no better or more appropriate place to start than the Liturgy itself. We therefore invite you to come and participate in, and experience something of, our worship - in the Lord’s words, to ‘come and see’.
The Divine Liturgy and Vespers services usually take place on the first and third Saturday / Sunday of each month.
Prayer at Home
The Sunday Typika: for use by laity at home The following service, known as the ‘typika’, may be said by laity at home when unable to attend the Divine Liturgy or when, in the case of our parish, the Liturgy is not celebrated every Sunday. The service comprises much of the ‘fixed’ material of the Divine Liturgy, in other words, the psalms and other largely Scriptural material sung or chanted by the choirand reader at every Divine Liturgy. It also includes the Epistle and Gospel readings which you would normally hear at the celebration of the Liturgy, although you will need a church calendar and a copy of the New Testament to look up the specific readings appointed for the Sunday, as these change each week. Making time to pray the typika is a valuable way to honour the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord when we cannot attend church. It also provides a way to bring our Christian community together spiritually when it is not possible for us to gather in person. Celebrating this service at home enables us to participate in the Church at worship. Alongwith our everyday morning and evening prayers, it also helps us to embed the life of the Church, and the rhythm of the liturgical year, within our own homes and family lives. The service is said standing in front of the icons, or if no icons are present, then simply facing east. The mark + indicates that the Sign of the Cross is made at this point.‘Bow’ refers to a bow from the waist, touching the floor with the right hand. Traditionally,full prostrations to the ground are not made on Sundays, since on this day we celebrate theresurrection of Christ. + Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us andsave us. Amen. Glory to you, our God, glory to you. O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, who is everywhere present and fills all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of Life, come and abide in us and cleanse us from all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. + Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us (x3). + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake. Lord have mercy (x3). + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to theages of ages. Amen. + Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Lord have mercy (x12). + O come let us worship and fall down before our King and our God (bow). + O come let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God (bow). + O come let us worship and fall down before Christ himself, our King and our God (bow). + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever and to theages of ages. Amen. The Typical Psalms and The Beatitudes Psalm 102 Bless the Lord, O my soul. Blessed are you, O Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of his benefits. He forgives all your iniquities; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from corruption and crowns you with mercy and compassion. He satisfies your desire with good things; your youth will be renewed like an eagle’s. The Lord performs deeds of mercy and judgement for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his wishes to the children of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and full of mercy. He will not always be wrathful, nor will he be enraged for ever. He has not dealt with us according to our iniquities, nor rewarded us according to our sins. For, like the height of heaven above the earth, the Lord has made his mercy prevail over those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he taken our sins from us. As a father takes pity on his children the Lord has taken pity on those who fear him. For he knows of what we are made; he has remembered that we are but dust. As for man, his days are but as grass, he will blossom like a flower of the field. For when a wind has passed over it, it will be no more and will know its place no longer. But the mercy of the Lord is for ever and ever upon those who fear him. And his justice is upon their children’s children,Upon those who keep his covenant and remember his commandments to do them. The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, all you his Angels, powerful in strength, who perform his word and listen to the voice of his words. Bless the Lord, all you his Powers, his Ministers who do his will. Bless the Lord, all you his works. In every place of his dominion, bless the Lord, my soul. + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit … Psalm 145 Praise the Lord, my soul. I shall praise the Lord while I live;I shall sing to my God as long as I exist. Do not trust in rulers and in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation. His breath shall go out of him, and he shall return to his earth; On that day all his thoughts shall perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob; His hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, Who keeps truth forever, who executes justice for the wronged, who provides food for the hungry. The Lord frees those bound. The Lord restores those broken down. The Lord gives wisdom to the blind. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord keeps watch over strangers. He shall adopt the orphan and the widow, but he shall destroy the way of sinners. The Lord shall reign for ever: your God, O Zion, to all generations.… both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Only begotten Son and Word of God, who, being immortal, condescended for our salvation to take flesh from the holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change became man; Christ our God, you were crucified, trampling down death by death, being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit: save us! The Beatitudes In your kingdom remember us, O Lord, when you come in your kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Remember us, O Lord, when you come in your Kingdom (x3). The Prokeimenon appointed for the day (if you don’t have access to the appropriate text,the prokeimenon may be omitted, in which case go straight to the Epistle reading). The Epistle appointed for the day (i.e., the reading from Acts or the Letters of the NewTestament appointed for the Sunday. Reference to the correct reading can be found in mostchurch calendars). The Alleluias (if you don’t have access to the Alleluia verses appointed for the day, simply say ‘Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!’ before reading the Gospel). The Gospel reading (reference to the Gospel reading appointed for the particular Sunday can be found in most church calendars). The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to...Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you. Gospel reading…Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you. The Troparia before the Creed (Symbol of the Faith) The heavenly choir praises you saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of your glory. Come to him and be enlightened and your faces shall not be ashamed. The heavenly choir praises you saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of your glory. + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit …The choir of holy Angels and Archangels with all the Heavenly Powers praises you saying:Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of your glory.… both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The Creed (Symbol of the Faith) I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made; for our sake andfor our salvation he came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man; he was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate and suffered and was buried; he rose again on the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; he is coming againin glory to judge the living and the dead; and his kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with Father and Son is together worshipped and glorified; who spoke through the Prophets. And in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church; I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins; I await theresurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen. Forgive, remit, pardon, O God, our sins, both voluntary and involuntary, in deed and word, in knowledge and ignorance, committed by night and by day, in mind and thought. Forgive us them all, for you are good and the lover of mankind. + Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen. Kontakion in the tone appointed for the Sunday (the resurrectional kontakia in the eight tones can be found in most Orthodox prayer books or online; the correct tone to select for each Sunday is listed in most church calendars). Lord, have mercy (x40). At every time and at every hour, in heaven and on earth you are worshipped and glorified, O Christ God, long-suffering, great in mercy, great in compassion, loving the just and merciful to sinners, calling all to salvation by the promise of blessings to come; Lord, accept our entreaties at this hour and direct our lives to your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our ideas, and deliver us from every distress, evil,and pain. Compass us about with your holy Angels, that protected and guided by their host we may reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your unapproachable glory; for you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen. + Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; both now and for ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. More honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word, true Mother of God we magnify you. Blessed is the Name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore (x3). Psalm 33 I will bless the Lord continually; his praise will always be in my mouth. My soul will be praised in the Lord; let the meek hear it and rejoice. Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my afflictions. Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his afflictions. The angel of the Lord will encamp round those who fear him, and deliver them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed the one who hopes in him! Fear the Lord, all you his holy ones, for those who fear him never want. The rich have become poor and gone hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good. Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is there who wants life, loves to see good days? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the just, and his ears towards their supplication. The Lord’s face is set against those who do evil, to destroy their memory from the earth. The just cried and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their afflictions. The Lord is close to those who are broken-hearted, and will save the humble in spirit. The afflictions of the just are many, but the Lord will deliver them from them all. The Lord guards all their bones; not one of them will be broken. The death of sinners is evil, and those who hate the just will go astray. The Lord will rescue the souls of his servants, and no one of those who hope in him will go astray. The Theotokion It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and most pure and the Mother of our God. + More honourable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim; without corruption you gave birth to God the Word, true Mother of God, we magnify you. The Dismissal +Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy and saveus. Amen. Acknowledgement The translation above has been adapted from the typika provided by the OrthodoxCommunity of St. Constantine, York (https://yorkorthodox.org/wp/praying-at-home-2/typika/), which in turn makes use of service material previously made available online byArchimandrite Ephrem Lash, for use by English-speaking Orthodox Christians in worship andprivate prayer. This material should not be used for any other purpose and should not bereprinted for commercial or personal gain. A debt of gratitude is owed to Fr. Michael Alexander of St. Constantine’s and to Archimandrite Ephrem: eternal memory!
Contact Us
St Pancras' is located within the Guildhall Shopping Center close to the cathedral green. The church is within walking distance of several multi-story car parks and public transport drop of points within the city center.
St Pancras Church
Guildhall Shopping Precinct
High Street
Exeter
EX4 3HP
On reaching the city center, please follow signs for the Guildhall Shopping Center.
There are two Train stations within walking distance of the church:
1. Exeter St Davids (20-minute walk, 5-minutes by taxi)
2. Exeter Central (5-minute walk)
There are two bus stops within walking distance of the church:
1. City Center bus top (5-minute walk)
2. Exeter bus and coach station (10-minute walk)
Please follow the road direction to the city centre. On reaching the city center, please use one of the many car parks available for public use. Listed below are some of the nearest long stay car parks and postcode for sat nav use:
• Guildhall Shopping Center Car Park: EX4 3HP (5-minute walk)
• John Lewis Car Park: EX4 6AE (10-minute walk)
• NCP Car Park Exeter Marker St: EX1 1BW (4-minute walk)
Please stop on North Street near the Guildhall shopping center to drop off passengers.