« Archpastoral visit of bishop Matthew of Sourozh to the Rocks Farm Bishop's metochion. »

On April 13, 2024, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh paid an archpastoral visit to the Bishop’s monastery metochion of the Venerable Martyr Elizabeth in Rocks Farm, near Bodiam, East Sussex County.

Concelebrating with his Grace Vladyka during the Divine Liturgy were Dean of the diocesan district of South-East England, Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk, Secretary of the Sourozh diocese, Archpriest Dimitry Nestoupenko, cleric of the metochion, Priest Serghei Fedorenco, and cleric of the Dormition Cathedral in London, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.

The divine service was celebrated according to the special rite of the “Kissing” feast, approved in 1883 by the Holy Synod at the request of the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin).

The liturgical chants were performed by a combined choir under the direction of Marina Bezmenova.

At the small entrance, in recognition of his diligent pastoral labours, Priest Serghei Fedorenco, on the proposal of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, was awarded the Patriarchal liturgical award of the Russian Orthodox Church - the right to wear the epigonation (palitza).

At the end of the Liturgy, Dean Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk and the elder sister of the metochion, nun Martha (Persianinova), addressed the Archpastor with welcoming words. After that, Vladyka Matthew delivered a sermon and congratulated the parishioners and pilgrims on the feast. Bishop Matthew presented the icon of St. Spyridon of Trimythous the Wonderworker as a gift to the metochion. Copies of icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, whose original is kept in the Dormition Cathedral in London, were distributed to everyone present at the divine service.

In connection with the anniversary date, the metochion's ktitor, E.A. Dmitrieva, was awarded the Bishop's honour letter.

At the end there was a meal, after which Bishop Matthew inspected the territory of the metochion and got acquainted with current affairs.

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