Pastoral visit of Bishop Augustine of Taldom to Regensburg, Germany

His Grace Augustine, Bishop of Taldom, visited the Community of the Transfiguration of Christ and the Brotherhood of the Theotokos, the Sign, in Regensburg, Germany, from Monday, 17th to Friday, 21st August. With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Jean of Dubna, this was the first visit of a hierarch to these communities since they were established within the Archdiocese almost three years ago.

 Bishop Augustine was welcomed by Hieromonk Gregory (Rector) and Hieromonk Samuel (Igumen) at Munich Airport on Monday evening. The next morning, he prayed at the Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Fr Gregory, in the monastery chapel, before having breakfast with young parishioners and enjoying a walking tour of the old city of Regensburg, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the Alte Kapelle, he prayed before a Byzantine icon of the Theotokos, traditionally said to have been gifted by Pope Benedict VIII to Kaiser Heinrich II in 1014, and visited the memorial to Saint Methodios, Equal of the Apostles and Teacher of the Slavs, who was imprisoned in Bavaria for his missionary activities in the vernacular. He also venerated the relics of Saint Erhard (d. ca. 715), the first missionary bishop to the ducal court at Regensburg. 

 On Tuesday evening, Bishop Augustine was formally received at the church and prayed at the All-Night Vigil for the community’s altar feast, which was served by Fr Samuel. On Wednesday, His Grace presided at the Divine Liturgy, at the end of which the community presented him with a framed woodcut print Deisis, made by parishioner Sebastian Schieder. A community lunch and fellowship followed. On Thursday, the monks took the bishop for an excursion to Bamberg, to venerate the many sacred relics there, visit some of the churches, and see the historically-important vestments made from Byzantine brocade, in which Pope Clement II was interred in the cathedral in 1047. On Friday morning, Bishop Augustine celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the monastery chapel, before departing Germany from Munich Airport in the afternoon.

His Grace stayed with Fathers Samuel and Gregory in their small monastery, which afforded many opportunities to pray, talk, and eat together. They discussed at length the need to find sustainable ways to perpetuate the traditions of the Archdiocese, and the challenge of supporting and expanding monastic life in modern Western Europe. Bishop Augustine also had the chance to talk with parishioners, including inquirers and catechumens—two of whom will be baptised in the Danube at the end of the month—and recently-illumined faithful. He was impressed by the depth of their conviction and the seriousness with which they take their spiritual life. He also took note of the community’s need to find a larger space in which to worship, having outgrown its rented commercial unit, and the struggle of the fathers to fully realise their monastic vocation, under obedience to their spiritual father, Schi’Archimandrite Gabriel (Bunge), while also serving the mission community and needing to support themselves through secular employment.

 Before his departure, Hieromonks Samuel and Gregory expressed their gratitude to Bishop Augustine for having travelled from Scotland to visit them and giving them so much of his time and attention. The warm, fraternal presence of His Grace in Regensburg offered great consolation and encouragement to both the community and the monastic brotherhood as they continue their missionary efforts at the eastern-most edge of the Archdiocese.