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 On 28th August, the Dormition of the Mother of God (according to the civil calendar) and the patronal feast of the Cathedral parish in London, Matthew Steenberg was ordained to the holy diaconate by Bishop Elisey of Bogorodsk. St Nicholas’ Parish had no liturgy on the feast-day itself; instead Fr Stephen drove a minibus to the Cathedral to enable as many of our parishioners as possible to attend the ordination of their parish deacon.
It was a joyful event; the patronal feast of the Cathedral was celebrated by Archbishop Innokenty and assisted by Archbishop Anatoly and Bishop Elisey. The service was also prayerfully attended by Metropolitan Kallistos who remained in the sanctuary. The restored Cathedral looked particularly festive in the August sunshine and the singing was simple and prayerful. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the mixture of English and Church Slavonic and it was heartening to see that the whole congregation joined in with the service -- both by crossing themselves and singing along -- irrespective of the language used.
A lavish buffet was prepared by the Cathedral parish after the liturgy, and our parishioners were able to congratulate their new deacon in person, mingle with old friends, as well as meet some new ones, as everyone was very welcoming.
 Deacon Matthew joined the minibus party on the return journey (he had travelled to London separately on the eve of the feast) as did Hieromonk Nikanor from Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East who was returning to Oxford to continue with his programme of visiting early Christian sites in Britain.
On the way home, responding to a number of requests, Fr Stephen stopped briefly to pray at the grave of Metropolitan Anthony at the Old Brompton Cemetery.
This was a rare opportunity for many of the Oxford pilgrims, and a completely unmissable one for those (like Fr Nikanor) who had come from further afield. Above all, it seemed particularly appropriate for the newest cleric of the Diocese to pray at the grave of its founder at the start of his ministry, and all agreed that it was a fitting conclusion to a very memorable day.
 Deacon Matthew assisted at his first Liturgy on the following day, Wednesday 29th August, the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God and the commemoration of the translation of the icon ‘Not-Made-with-Hands’ from Edessa to Constantinople which is one of the feasts of the Chapel of Christ the All-Merciful Saviour where the Liturgy took place.
May the Lord God richly bless Deacon Matthew’s ministry and grant him many years! AXIOS! |
