Northernmost parish in our Archdiocese

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Jean, from February 12th to 17th, Protodeacon Ioann Drobot traveled to Glasgow at the invitation of His Excellency Bishop Augustine to prepare for the Metropolitan’s upcoming pastoral visit to the northernmost parish in our Archdiocese, after Bergen in Norway. The warm welcome from Bishop Augustine and the members of his parish more than made up for the chill of the Scottish winter.

What is most striking at first glance is the number of young people in this community (Photo1). This is primarily due to Bishop Augustine’s ability to welcome each individual and find a place for them within the community. The second reason is the geographical location of the parish’s central hub in the heart of Glasgow University, in a building loaned by the Church of Scotland. This building also houses a student restaurant adjacent to the church dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel. ( https://www.glasgoworthodox.org)

In this tiny church, which can accommodate no more than 60 people, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (Photo 2). When it is crowded, the faithful occupy the churchyard and the corridor leading to the church. While more than 20 people received Communion on Thursday, February 12, the following Saturday more than 40 parishioners received the Holy Gifts, not counting the presence of about ten catechumens preparing to be baptized at the end of Great Lent.

Every Monday evening there is a Bible study meeting. That Monday, the topic was the Gospel reading for Judgment Sunday. On Tuesdays, a film club is organized by Brother Basil, a Greek novice, the parish handyman, an eminent film buff, and an excellent cook. Wednesday evenings are dedicated to catechism classes, Thursdays to choir rehearsals, while Fridays feature a Jesus Prayer vigil broadcast worldwide via the internet. Saturday evenings are for Sunday Vespers, and Sunday evenings are for another prayer vigil, also broadcast online. Each event of the week provides an opportunity for people from very diverse backgrounds and walks of life to meet and share experiences. These gatherings continue into the evening over a bowl of soup, a cup of tea, or coffee.

This Saturday, a meeting was organized between parishioners and Father Jacob Siemens, who came especially from Cardiff to present the project for distance theological training in English. (All the necessary information can be found on the website https://orthodoxstudies.co.uk ) (Photo 3). This presentation aroused great interest among the audience and was followed by numerous questions, which Father Jacob answered with both pastoral and scholarly precision. Then, Protodeacon Ioann gave a presentation on the episcopal office and the changes that would take place in the Glasgow parish following the elevation of Bishop Augustin to the episcopate. He concluded with a brief presentation on the meaning of liturgical chant in the Orthodox Church. The evening continued with a dinner featuring Scottish culinary specialties.

The following day, Sunday, February 15th, the first episcopal liturgy in Glasgow was celebrated, with Bishop Augustine officiating on a weekday without a deacon, according to the presbyteral rite. The liturgy took place in a building rented by the parish, located near the city’s botanical gardens (Photo 4). This four-story building, currently being renovated, can accommodate several hundred worshippers. It includes a reception area (Photo 5), a children’s play area (Photo 6), a library (Photo 7), a cinema (Photo 8), a gym (Photo 9), and a room for coffee and refreshments (Photo 10). Free parking is available next to the building, which is significant in Glasgow, as parking costs €2 for 15 minutes throughout the city (Photo 11).

The liturgy was concelebrated by Bishop Augustine, Father Jacob Siemens, and Father James Burns, who came especially from Northampton, along with Protodeacon Ioann. The role of subdeacon was filled by two parish servers, Igor and Simeon (Photos 12,13). More than 150 people attended the celebration, two-thirds of whom received Holy Communion. Representatives from other Orthodox parishes in Glasgow were present, as well as members of Bishop Augustine’s family (Photo 14). Hieromonk Tikhon (Vassiliev), Doctor of Theology, lecturer, and researcher at Oxford University, had traveled from Oxford. The hymns were sung by a choir of about twenty people under the direction of Andrew Hammond, who had successfully prepared his choir for this first episcopal liturgy. The hymns were performed in English, Slavonic, and Greek; the Lord’s Prayer was read in seven languages.

The liturgy was traditionally followed by a feast that lasted until evening, as the community found it difficult to part after such a celebration.

This trip also provided an opportunity to visit some of the holy sites in the Glasgow area, as Scotland was Christianized from the 5th century onwards. In particular, the village of Luss on Loch Lomond (Photo 15). It was there, near Bantry Bay, that Saint Kessog, the first martyr of Scotland , was martyred in 520. This place was chosen by Bishop Augustine for the baptism of adults, and it is there that catechumens will be baptized on Lazarus Saturday (Photos 16,17,18).

The parish of Glasgow, through its openness to the modern world, its welcoming spirit, and its witness to the Orthodox faith, is a magnificent testament to the continuity of Orthodoxy from its arrival in these lands in the 5th century to the present day, despite the vicissitudes of history. Scotland’s return to Orthodoxy is a return to Truth and to its historical source.

Protodeacon Jean DROBOT