No.

130
September2017

TheOrthodoxParish
oftheHolyandLifeGivingCross,
Lancaster,UK.

TheStavronian
amonthlymagazine&newsletterpublicisedbythe'HolyCrossSynodia'

TheParishoftheHolyandLifeGivingCross,
belongstotheAntiochianOrthodoxChristianArchdioceseoftheBritishIslesandIreland.
ThePatriarchateofAntiochisthirdsenioroftheOrthodoxChurches.
ThePatriarchisHisBeatitudeJohnX.

ThediscipleswerefirstcalledChristiansinAntioch
(Acts11:26)
ECCLESIASTICALNEWYEAR,
SEPTEMBER1st
O Word of the Father from before the
ages, Who, being in the form of God,
broughtest creation into being out of
nothing; Thou Who hast put the times
and seasons in Thine own power: Bless
thecrownoftheyearwithThygoodness;
give peace unto Thy churches, victory
unto Thy faithful hierarchs, fruitfulness
untotheearth,andGreatMercyuntous.
SlavonicfrescodepictingChristblessingthe
Creation
ENTHUSIASM
ThefaithoftheChurchisexperiencedat
the Holy Liturgy where the saints in
heavenjoinwiththosecalledtobesaints
onearthinworshippingtheHolyandLife
Giving Trinity. At the beginning of the
HolyLiturgyandatvariouspointswithin
it,thepresiding priestlifts hishandsin
holinessbeforeaHolyGod.
Sadly,holinessforsomeinthewest
isoftenseenassomewhatembarrassing;
in order to accommodate the taste for
secularinfluences,amoredilutedGospel,
humourbasedandworldcentredalterna
tive is sought by some traditions to
deflect any perceived piety. Mark 8:38;
Thosewhoareashamedofmeandofmy
word in this adulterous and sinful
generation, ofthemtheSon ofManwill
also be ashamed when he comes in the
gloryofhisFatherwiththeholyangels.
The doctrine and living tradition of
ourOrthodoxChristianity isdynamicin
the lives of the true believers. We are
called to share the holiness of God (1
Peter 1:16) You shall be holy for I am
holy.Thisisproclaimedatthebreaking
of the Body of Christ: The Holy things
arefortheHolyasthepriestsayswhen
hedividestheLambattheEucharist.
Holiness may be expressed in a
varietyofwaysasweseeinthelivesof
thesaints.Somearecalledtobeapostles
and evangelists to proclaim the faith,
some are divinely inspired prophets,
some are confessors who suffered
martyrdom for their faith, some are
ascetics like monks and nuns who by
their discipline of put on the angelic
habit. Some are fools for Christ
renouncing the world refusing to
compromise the Kingdom of Heaven.
Some saints have been soldiers, others
rulers,evengardenersandbakers.Some
havebeencalledfromutterdepravityto
utterrepentance,othershavelivedinthe
desertorintreesoronpillars.
Whattheyhaveincommonistheir
lovingzealforGod.Thislovewasboth
trusting and enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is
the hallmark of this golden stream of
followersofChrist.Thewordenthusiam
has its origin from being in God; En
Theosenthousiasmos,i.e.divineinspira
tion.Thesaintspossessaneagerintense
joy in their relationship with Christ, a
vigorous energy to serve Him and a
fervourofspirittodoHiswill.
 Onecanseethislivelinessandverve
inthelivesoflittlechildrenwhoeagerly
engagewithlife.Intheclassroom,itisso
apparent when one sees them throwing
theirhandsintotheairinordertoanswer
aquestionorinvolunteeringtodoajob
fortheteacher.Thesaintsandprophets
are equally engaged. Isaiah 6:8; Then I
heardthevoiceoftheLordsaying,Whom
shallIsend,andwhowillgoforus?AndI
said,HereamI;sendme!
Oh that we were so eager to listen
andtoserveourTeacherOurLordJesus
ChristandtodoHiswill;ifwewere,then
we could be called His saints. Matthew
18:24; He called a child, whom he put
among them, andsaid, Truly Itell you,
unless you change and become like
children,youwillneverenterthekingdom
of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like
thischildisthegreatestinthekingdomof
heaven.
Wemustbecomelikelittlechildren
Sendme!Fortosuchbelongthekingdom
ofGod!
FrJonathan
SUBHUMANITYTHE
PHILOSOPHYOFTHE
ABSURD
Thepresentageis,inaprofoundsense,
anageofabsurdity.Poetsanddramatists,
painters and sculptors proclaim and
depict the world as a disjointed chaos,
andmanasadehumanizedfragmentof
thatchaos.Politics,whetheroftheright,
theleft,orthecenter,cannolongerbe
viewed as anything but an expedient
whereby universal disorder is given, for
themoment,afaintsemblanceoforder;
pacifistsandmilitantcrusadersareunited
inanabsurdfaithinthefeeblepowersof
man to remedy an intolerable situation
bymeanswhichcanonlymakeitworse.
Philosophersandothersupposedlyrespo
nsible men in governmental, academic,
and ecclesiastical circles, when they do
not retreat behind the impersonal and
irresponsible faade of specialization or
bureaucracy, usually do no more than
rationalizetheincoherentstateofconte
mporarymanandhisworld,andcounsel
a futile commitment to a discredited
humanistoptimism,toahopelessstoicism,
to blind experimentation and irrational
ism,ortocommitmentitself,asuicidal
faithinfaith.
But art, politics, and philosophy
todayareonlyreflections oflife,andif
theyhavebecomeabsurditisbecause,in
large measure, life has become so. The
moststrikingexampleofabsurdityinlife
in recent times was, of course, Hitlers
new order,whereinasupposedlynor
mal,civilizedmancouldbeatoneandthe
sametimeanaccomplishedandmoving
interpreterofBach(aswasHimmler)and
a skilled murderer of millions, or who
mightarrangeatourofanextermination
camptocoincidewithaconcertseriesor
an exhibition of art. Hitler himself,
indeed, was the absurd man par excel
lence,passingfromnothingnesstoworld
ruleandbacktonothingnessinthespace
of a dozen years, leaving as his monu
ment nothing but a shattered world,
owinghismeaninglesssuccesstothefact
thathe,theemptiestofmen,personified
theemptinessofthemenofhistime.
Hitlers surrealist world is now a
thingofthepast;buttheworldhasbyno
meanspassedoutoftheageofabsurdity,
butratherintoamoreadvancedthough
temporarily quieterstage of the same
disease.Menhaveinventedaweaponto
express, better than Hitlers gospel of
destruction, their own incoherence and
nihilism; and in its shadow men stand
paralyzed, between the extremes of an
external power and an internal power
lessnessequallywithoutprecedent.Atthe
same time, the poor and underprivile
ged of the world have awakened to
conscious life, and seek abundance and
privilege;thosewhoalreadypossessthem
waste their lives in the pursuit of vain
things,orbecomedisillusionedanddieof
boredom and despair, or commit sense
less crimes. The whole world, it almost
seems, is divided into those who lead
meaningless, futile lives without being
awareofit,andthosewho,beingaware
ofit,aredriventomadnessandsuicide.
[]
Soitistoowithabsurdism;itisthe
negativesideofapositivereality.There
is,ofcourse,anelementofincoherencein
our world, for in his fall from Paradise
man brought the world with him; the
philosophyoftheabsurdisnot,therefore,
founded upon a total lie, but upon a
deceptive halftruth. But when Camus
definesabsurdityastheconfrontationof
mansneedforreasonwiththeirrationa
lity oftheworld,whenhebelieves that
manisaninnocentvictimandtheworld
the guilty party, he, like all absurdists,
hasmagnifiedaverypartialinsightintoa
totallydistortedviewofthings;andinhis
blindnesshasarrived attheexactinver
sionofthetruth.Absurdism,intheend,
is an internal and not an external
question; it is not the world that is
irrationalandincoherent,butman.
If,however,theabsurdistisrespon
siblefornotseeingthingsastheyare,and
not even wishing to see things as they
are,theChristianisyetmoreresponsible
forfailingtogivetheexampleofafully
coherent life, a life in Christ. Christian
compromise in thought and word and
negligenceindeedhaveopenedtheway
to the triumph of the forces of the ab
surd,ofSatan,ofAntichrist.Thepresent
age of absurdity is the just reward of
ChristianswhohavefailedtobeChristi
ans.
And theonly remedy forabsurdism
liesatthis,itssource:wemustagainbe
Christians.Camuswasquiterightwhen
hesaid,Wemustchoosebetweenmira
clesandtheabsurd.Forinthisrespect
Christianity and absurdism are equally
opposed to Enlightenment rationalism
and humanism, to the view that reality
can be reduced to purely rational and
human terms. We must indeed choose
between the miraculous, the Christian
viewofthings,whosecenterisGodand
whose end is the eternal Kingdom of
Heaven,andtheabsurd,theSatanicview
ofthings,whosecenteristhefallenself
andwhoseendisHell,inthislifeandin
thelifetocome.
We must again be Christians. It is
futile, in fact it is precisely absurd, to
speak of reforming society, of changing
thepathofhistory,ofemergingintoan
age beyond absurdity, if we have not
Christinourhearts;andifwedohave
Christinourhearts,nothingelsematters.
Itisofcoursepossiblethattheremay
be an age beyond absurdity; it is more
likely, perhaps and Christians must
always be prepared forthis eventuality
thattherewillnotbe,andthattheageof
absurdityisindeedthelastage.Itmaybe
thatthefinaltestimonyChristiansmaybe
able to give in this age will be the
ultimate testimony, the blood of their
martyrdom.
Butthisiscauseforrejoicingandnot
fordespair.ForthehopeofChristiansis
not in this world or in any of its
kingdoms that hope, indeed, is the
ultimateabsurdity;thehopeofChristians
isintheKingdomofGodwhichisnotof
thisworld.
Fr.SeraphimRose
NAMESOFDEPARTED PARISHNEWS
LOVEDONESTOBE
We congratulate the newly illumined
REMEMBEREDTHISMONTH AngelinaMargaretonherBaptism,Chris
mation and Reception into the Holy
Sept.1:Pericles Orthodox Church and wish her many
Sept.29:Georgios years!!

MEMORYETERNAL!

Pleasesendusthenamesofyourdepar
ted loved ones and date of their depar
tureinorderforthemtoberemembered.

THESOLDIEROENGUSAND
SAINTCIARAN
The soldier Oengus and two teams of
soldiers where heading to the King of
Connaught, in Ireland, to serve in his
army. As they where passing through a
place named Loch Ree from the West,
theyarrivedattheportofInisClothrann.
AtthattimeStCiaranwasatthatisleand
told them: Bring to me the soldier
Oengus,becauseheisamanfullwiththe
OLDSTAVRONIANCORNER
grace of God. So Oengus went to him.
We are so very grateful to those who
Where are you going? St Ciaranasked
remember usintheir prayers and show
him. To the king of Connaught said
theirloveasgenerousbenefactorsofour
Oengus.Ithinkitwouldbebestforyouto
Parish. We would like to thank Costas
signonecontactwiththeKingofheaven
Papaconstantinou from Cyprus, for his
andearth!Tobecomeamonk,asoldierof
kind donation of the Icon of Christ the
Christ!Ciarantoldhim.Ifthisisformy
HighPriest.PaulMorgankindlybrought
good,IwilldoitsaidOengus.Itissaid
itforusfromCyprus.Wehopetomakea
Ciaran. After this conversation Oengus
CathedrafortheBishopandplaceiton
becameamonkandfollowedStCiaran.
theChair.WealsothankEutychiaSchini
fromCyprusforherofferofCommunion
TakenfromtheMartyrologyofStOengus
wine,candlesandbooksforthechildren.
May our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
ChristosVasilopoulos
givethereward!
Kozani,Greece

TheiconofChristtheHighPriest,donated
byCostasPapaconstantinoufromCyprus
PaulMorganandFrJonathanpresenting
theiconofChristtheHighPriesttothe
faithful.
MAJORCELEBRATIONSTHIS
MONTH
st
1Sept:TheEcclesiasticalNewYear
th
8Sept:TheNativityofourMostHoly
LadytheTheotokosandEverVirginMary
th
9Sept:TheHoly&RighteousAncestors
ofGod,JoachimandAnna
th
11Sept:St.EuphrosynustheCook
th
14Sept:TheExaltationofthePrecious
andLifeGivingCross
th
16Sept:TheGreatMartyrEuphemiathe
Allpraised
th
17Sept:MartyrSophiaandherthree
daughters,Faith(Pistis,Vera),Hope
(Elpis,Nadezhda)andLove(Agape,
Lyubov)
th
19Sept:St.TheodoreofTarsus,
ArchbishopofCanterbury
th
24Sept:St.SilouantheAthonite
th
25Sept:St.Sergius,Abbotand
WonderworkerofRadonezh
th
26Sept:TheFallingAsleepofSt.John
theEvangelistandTheologian
th
28Sept:St.LiobaofWimborne,Abbess
ofBischofsheim(782)
For the lives of Saints please visit the
CalendaroftheGreekOrthodoxArchdi
oceseofAmerica:www.calendar.goarch.org
 ServicesatStMartin'sinSeptember*
Sat.2nd 15:00 Memorial,Confessions,SynaxarionandGreatVespers
Sun.3rd 10:00 HoursandDivineLiturgy
Sat.9th 15:00 Memorial,Confessions,SynaxarionandGreatVespers
Sun.10th 10:00 HoursandDivineLiturgy
Wed.13th 18:30 DivineLiturgyandVenerationoftheHolyandLifeGiving
CrossfollowedbyafastingParishmeal
Sat.16th 15:00 Memorial,Confessions,SynaxarionandGreatVespers
Sun.17th 10:00 HoursandDivineLiturgy
Sat.23rd 15:00 Memorial,Confessions,SynaxarionandGreatVespers
Sun.24th 10:00 HoursandDivineLiturgyfollowedbyParishlunch
Sat.30th 15:00 Memorial,Confessions,SynaxarionandGreatVespers
*Helpsettingupthechurchisgreatlyappreciatedandstartshalfanhourbeforetheservice.

Godcaresforeveryone.Despairisineffectalackoffaith
St.GeorgeKarslides

Forfurtherinformationpleasecontact:
FatherJonathanHemmings
67SibseyStr.,Fairfield,Lancaster,LA15DQ
Tel:+441524840759,+441524580600
Email:frjah@yahoo.co.uk
www.orthodoxlancaster.org.uk
www.antiochianorthodox.co.uk
ThefollowingblogsofOldStavroniansareavailableinRomanian,ConstiintaOrtodoxa,in
English,Orthodoxcityhermit,andinGreek,Orthodoxyrainbow.

TopandbottomsketchesarecreatedattheHolyMonasteryofTheAnnunciationoftheTheotokosChios,Greece,courtesyofFrTheodosiosDendrinos,Ithaca,Greece.
ThesketchofChristbyPhotisKontoglouwasscannedfromtheOrthodoxcalendaroftheApostolikiDiakoniaoftheChurchofGreece.