Part Two: Hope It seems he has decided Hosea 2:15 To curb some wild ideas But do my eyes deceive me Replanting the first garden A snowdrop braves the air I will give her her And rolling back the years. vineyards from there, Where once grew my Father’s garden And the Valley of Achor When I could “stop and stare.” His House is to be restored as a door of hope;
Through a certain sacrifice Grass sprouting through the concrete She shall sing there, Exchanging human progress There’s moss upon the wall As in the days of her For Paradise. Mould is marbling the plastic youth,
Where sturdy trees stood tall. Fr. Jonathan As in the day when she came up from the land of Big Brother will not like it Egypt. This creational attack [New King James Version] As this edition goes to the press, preparations are well Is this the sign from Father underway for the enthronement of our new bishop, That “He” is coming back. Metropolitan John (Yazigi) as the Antiochian Orthodox hierarch in Europe in Paris on 20th / 21st September. A full account will appear in the next edition of “Cornerstone.”
Date Event and Place Programme Contact Metropolitan John is known to many of us already and his visits to the UK in the early years of this decade are recalled with much affection. His qualities as a Metropolitan John Saturday 4th Pilgrimage to the Shrine of 10.30 am: Hours and Details: Christian pastor became immediately apparent. His October 2008 St. Winifride, Holywell, Divine Liturgy then Fr. Pancratios humility, encouragement, directness and good humour * “Sayedna” is an North Wales procession to Well for 0151 639 6509 put all of us at our ease. Here was a man we thought, in affectionate and respectful blessing. the future, who could lead us. How prescient such form of address for a sentiments eventually turned out to be! bishop in the Middle East. Some years later we are now ready to welcome our new Archbishop and Metropolitan. We know that his ministry among us will lead to many exciting developments. We know that some things need to Special Issue on Pilgrimage Monday 27th to Thursday 30th October 2008 change and we are happy to rely on the Spirit-formed Page 2: Pilgrimage in good judgement of our new bishop to help us make at "Ivy House" - St. Denys Retreat Centre, 2-3 Church Street, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 8PG those changes. Above all we know that as an Tradition & the nun Egeria The full monastic office with explanatory talks from Archimandrite Kyril Jenner Archdiocese we shall be cared for and led forward with Page3: The Pilgrimage to details — see Fellowship Web Site: http://www.ofsjb.org/future.htm or call 0117 970 6302 a positive vision for mission. Welcome to Europe St. Bertram of Ilam Sayedna John! Page 4: The Life of St. For details of the Deanery parishes, contributions to Cornerstone and extra copies of this Metropolitan John will be enthroned in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, 7 Rue Georges Bizet, 75116 Paris on Bertram magazine, please contact the Editor:- Saturday 20th September (invitations now closed) and Pages 5-7: Walsingham Revd. Fr. Gregory Hallam, 29 Willis Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK3 8HQ there will be a Hierarchical Liturgy in the Cathedral on Tel: 0161 476 4847 Mobile: 07780 970884 Email: [email protected] the Sunday morning in the Cathedral, 21st September Page 5: The Ark of Antioch at 10.00 am. Please pray. Deanery Web Site: http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk Pages 7-8: Progress and Publication: September, December, March, June. Contributions by 15th of the previous month. Fr. Gregory Hope & Events
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He replaced the wood with develop pan-Orthodox assistance for all who ask plastic pilgrimages, conferences, for it. Hermetically sealed The holy bishop of the city retreats and so on. They will For Catholics (Anglican and Installed a brand new car park was a truly devout man, both certainly have much The practice of pilgrimage goes back into far antiquity, Roman), Walsingham has Where once there was a field. monk and confessor. He goodwill from the Anglicans into the Old Testament record itself. The first sacred become the English welcomed me and said, "My and Roman Catholics, and places of journeying were connected with God’s Lourdes. May we pray that, daughter, I can see what a one hopes they will be able He said “ We must have in the same way, the progress ” appearance at Sinai and the appointed shrines of Israel. long journey this is on which to tap into the extensive Walsingham Icon of the My house it had to go. Later, such pilgrimages suppressed in favour of the holy your faith has brought you -- resources of those two Mother of God may become My self contained new flat-let city of Jerusalem and the Temple at the great feasts of - right from the other end of groups, for the benefit of all. for the Orthodox the the earth. So now please let Has a motorway below. Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. Hymns were My personal prayer is that English Tenos Icon, the us show you all the places sung by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem and these are Orthodox Christians in our English Vladimir Icon, the Christians should visit here." He fluoridised the water substantially recorded for us in Psalms 119 to 133. islands – and beyond – will English Saidnaya Icon? And sanitised the loo support St Seraphim’s The first Christians, who were of course mainly Jews, May Walsingham and the He digitised the entrance Trustees both financially kept these feasts and pilgrimages but after the whole Orthodox community And computerised the view. So, loving ladies, light of my and spiritually. Walsingham of Britain and Ireland be destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 pilgrimages in the heart, this is where I am has enormous potential for blessed by the present work Empire were quieter affairs in times of persecution. the good and prosperity of He restricted general access writing to you. My present of the devoted Trustees of St Visiting the tombs of the martyrs and indeed plan is, in the name of Christ the Orthodox Church in this To the country, towns and Seraphim’s. May the prayers parks, celebrating the Eucharist over them established new our Lord, to travel to Asia, country, for her work and of the Mother of God bring He introduced league tables patterns of pilgrimage. since I want to make a influence. There have of us to Christ our true and So everything has marks. pilgrimage to Ephesus, and course been many Orthodox only God. May Orthodox After the legalisation of the Church in the Edict of the martyrium of the holy pilgrims there over the pilgrims begin again to fill Milan (313 AD) and particularly after the and blessed Apostle John. eighty years or so of the Our mother gave us presents the Way to England’s reconsecration of Jerusalem to the worship of God, revived pilgrimage, but She took a gentle lead, If after that I am still alive, Nazareth. pilgrimages to the Holy Land once again became a much needs to be done to My older sibling changed all and able to visit further that develop Orthodox Father Alexander Haig popular aspect of Christian faith and life. It is entirely places, I will either tell you pilgrimage there. St Helen of Colchester He tells me what I need. due to such a pilgrimage by a Spanish nun named about them face to face (if Further, it is a place of Egeria in 381 —384 AD that we have the earliest eye God so wills), or at any rate He moves me round on wheels witness record of the worship of the Church in and write to you about them if my spiritual joy and power, now which can bring Christians around the Middle East at the time. plans change. Where once I roamed so free together – a place where I’m belted in for safety In any case ladies, light of my they concentrate not on Throughout the history of the people of God pilgrimage Big brother cares for me. heart, whether I am "in the themselves and their has played an essential spiritual role in reviving faith body" or "out of the body," problems (as in ecumenical Part One: Progress and drawing us closer to the saints and martyrs of the He keeps his eye on welfare please do not forget me. discussions), but on Christ Church. In these days travelling is not so arduous, nor He has terraced the front garden our God and his Holy I’m lucky to live here The roses have all gone even so dangerous so something of the sacrifice of those Mother. It is in Christ that Monitored and medicated journeys has been lost to us. Nonetheless the spiritual we shall be brought Where now there is a garage In this sterile atmosphere. benefit remains so whether now it is to St. Catherine’s together. It is by the prayers The sun on flowers once shone. on Mount Sinai, Mount Athos, Jerusalem, Rome, Iona of the Panagia that we may But I’d like to feel beneath my feet or Lindisfarne, pilgrims are blessed by their travelling come closer. In Walsingham He ripped up lawn and hedges The grass I walked upon labours and devotion. The Deanery is committed to we can learn to pray. In And built a new brick wall Walsingham we can learn of But he terraced the front playing its part in restoring and extending pilgrimages He started laying poison garden the love of God’s Mother, in Great Britain and Ireland. In this issue we look at So nothing grew at all. and experience her And the roses have all gone. two important English sites, Ilam and Walsingham.
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Seraphim’s is of entering upstairs in the Anglican that manifestly holy place in shrine just along the road, the 1960s, and praying there and the Orthodox parish in the quiet of a warm, church of the Holy sunny afternoon to the Transfiguration merely a There are literally hundreds of places of music of the gently snoring mile away. Yet St pilgrimage in Britain witnessing to the good and holy Father in his Seraphim’s has retained its thousands of Orthodox saints of these monastic cell through the sanctity and its slightly Isles in the First Millennium. An wall - the richness, the bizarre attraction (there is a important site in Derbyshire is Ilam where naturalness, the homeliness beautiful little Russian of living Orthodoxy! Years dome atop the former the great ascetic St. Bertram had a cell. later, we as a family also station booking hall), and The countryside is stunningly beautiful joined in Sunday Liturgies clearly everyone feels it and would have been very remote in the there and the would be disloyal to let it go. 8th century. Every year the parish of St. congregational coffee In any case, it can certainly The Tomb of St. Bertram Michael, Audley organises a pilgrimage to afterwards at the Sue Ryder have a distinct purpose as a his shrine and spring. This year the café. Yes, St Seraphim’s and pilgrimage centre for some income to maintain numbers were up again with over 60 Father David are part of my Orthodox pilgrims, and a the building. The Trustees own extended (forty-year!) place for promotion of the are also reviving the Friends pilgrims making the journey. Read about journey to our holy Faith, Orthodox faith among of St Seraphim’s to create a St. Bertram on page 4. consummated when as a visitors from other body of people who will family we finally entered the denominations or none. support the foundation From the Fathers of the Desert: Church in 1995. (Yet, twelve financially, morally, and For some years, St years later, I still find it hard spiritually. They will no Abba John the Dwarf Seraphim’s has somehow no longer to feel entirely at doubt soon be advertising It was said of Abba John the Dwarf that he lacked a sense of direction, home in the Anglican for new members. but recently things have withdrew and lived in the desert at Scetis with shrine.) suddenly and decisively The village of Walsingham, an old man of Thebes. His Abba, taking a piece that most delightful of holy The Divine Liturgy (Fr. Samuel) St Seraphim’s still enshrines changed. Until now the of dry wood, planted it and said to him, 'Water the lovely Holy Icon of the building has been rented places, was where the Holy it every day with a bottle of water, until it Mother of God in the from the County Council. Mother of God appeared to Walsingham manner – she This year the Trustees have, the Lady Richeldis in bears fruit.' Now the water was so far away is seated, Christ enthroned in a real act of faith, actually England’s “Orthodox times”, that he had to leave in the evening and return just at the time the great on her left arm, holding a managed to buy it. For this the following morning. At the end of three lily in her right hand. The they have had to take out a schism between East and years the wood came to life and bore fruit. church has been faithfully considerable mortgage, and West began to tear maintained since Father are appealing for gifts to Christians apart. Then the old man took some of the fruit and David’s death by a band of help pay it off. Walsingham has long been a carried it to the church saying to the brethren, dedicated stalwarts who wonderful pilgrimage centre In the past, the gifted 'Take and eat the fruit of obedience. ' have managed to keep it for Anglicans and Roman iconographer Leon open and to run a small Catholics. The result of the Liddament has plied his The Spring of St. Bertram shop for icons there. In a present Orthodox activity is trade in the basement of the way St Seraphim’s is not that it is now set to become chapel, but he has now needed as a place of one also for the nation-wide moved out to a studio in the Orthodox worship, for there Orthodox community, in a “O holy Bertram, ascetic of the Mercian woods, forsaking worldly wealth, thou didst High Street. This leaves two are both the Orthodox far more organized form units to let as give thyself to God. Through fasting and prayers by the Manifold, thou didst acquire chapel of the Mother of God than previously. accommodation, bringing the riches of the age to come. Pray to Christ for us, that we too may be found worthy the Life-giving Spring The Trustees hope to of His Kingdom.” 6 3
prayer and many pagans him to turn stones into ARK OF ANTIOCH were converted to bread. Bertram prayed Christianity by the rather that the bread by Fr. Jonathan Hemmings example of his life. would be turned to stones. In 1516 it was said Bertram approached that those stones were the court of Mercia but still in the church at did not reveal his royal Barthomley. By the lineage. He asked for a courtesy of the vicar of grant of land for the Barthomley, we have one Blessed Ark of Antioch’s rich treasure building of a hermitage. of the “stones” beside the This land was granted Has shared her wealth in greater measure. icon of St. Bertram in St. near modern day The Church entrusted with salvation Michael’s church at Stafford. Historians Bertram was a prince of Audley. Is found this day in every nation. record the name of the Mercia around the 8th On 1 August His Grace Bishop BASIL of hermitage as Bethnei. Bertram was known in The Light of Life who is the Word century. (His life was Amphipolis served a Hierarchical Liturgy at the the area as a wise and City of God where first was heard written in the 1516 A New King came to Church of St Seraphim in Walsingham, Norfolk holy man. Many sought for its (Old Style) patronal feast. He also edition of the Nova the throne. Not being a The name of Christian in the way. him out for spiritual ordained Dr Christopher Knight (a one-time Legenda Angliae.) religious man, he advice. As seen Anglican priest) as Deacon and Ian Randall as When night became believers day Thinking he might have a demanded back the land throughout the history, Reader. It was altogether a happy occasion. To those who sit in darkness still religious calling, he on which the hermitage holy men and women travelled to Ireland where stood. It was decided that Two Antiochian parishes were represented. Who learn in truth the Father’s will. beset by people Father George Hackney from All Saints of such saints as Patrick and the matter should be constantly and needing to Lincoln and I from St Helen of Colchester This Holy Light new folk, receive! Columba had lived. In settled by man to man refresh their souls seek attended, both of us with some of our lay This Holy Faith revealed, believe! Ireland he fell in love and combat. Bertram prayed solitude in quiet people, mine including some from St Fursey’s. eloped with a beautiful for someone to come In ages past and now restored unpopulated places. princess. He brought her forward to fight for the St Seraphim’s was founded in the old railway Bertram found a cave By God’s great mercy unction poured back to Mercia travelling hermitage. A man who station by the late Archimandrite David of near the present day blessed memory. As for many others, St Through saints whose apostolic mission while she was pregnant. was a dwarf came village of Ilam in Seraphim’s has long held a place in my They lived a nomadic life, forward and Bertram, Impart today holy tradition. Derbyshire. He lived affections. Indeed, Walsingham as a whole and it is thought that the remembering David and there until his death. holds a special place in the hearts of me and my We have heard the gospel call baby was born in the Goliath, accepted his family – I was a Priest Associate of the Anglican From Christ who in His chosen Paul shelter of the forest near offer. The dwarf was agile The Tomb in the church shrine; there I took Khouria Hilary to ask her to Stafford. Tragedy and quick and the of the Holy Cross in Ilam marry me; there before the altar of St George Brought good news to those in prison occurred while Bertram we had our engagement blessed; there in the hermitage kept its land. is still a place of Proclaim anew that Christ is Risen ! was away hunting for pilgrimage and St. Sisters’ cottage we spent family holidays, the Bertram is also linked food. Wolves came and Bertram’s prayers are children roaming freely in the peace and Bright Orient Star reflecting glory to the village of security of the Hospice garden and the shrine killed both his wife and sought by many who Equip to preach the gospel story Barthomley near Audley church. Even if a trifle exotic (to say the least!), his child. come there. in present day Cheshire. Walsingham and its shrine was so often a place Bless we pray Archpastor John Overcome with grief, It is said that Bertram, (From St. Michael’s, of holiness and sanity, which gave stability and That under him we may be one he renounced royal having dedicated his life Audley parish web site: - strength in difficult Anglican times. http://www.stmichaels- May we who sing and He who hears heritage and turned again to Christ, was sought out It was also one of the places we had contact audley.org.uk/) to God. He sought a life of by the devil who tempted with a living Orthodoxy. My first memory of St Grant our Master Many Years ! 4 5