Beloved brothers and sisters,
This is Community Bulletin #40 of Saint Ignatius Parish in Belfast
Contents of this Bulletin:
- This Week in the Life of the Church: From Holy Fathers to Pentecost
- A Pastoral Word: Church as Family
- News and Announcements: Faith & Fellowship this week, Catechesis, YAM
This Week in the Life of the Church
We are in one of the most important weeks of the Church year.
This week opened with the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. It is not accidental that the Church remembers these Fathers at the conclusion of the Paschal season, just before Pentecost.
At the First Ecumenical Council, the Fathers defended the Orthodox faith against the Arian heresy, which denied the full divinity of Christ and His consubstantiality with the Father.
Why does this matter for us? Because our salvation depends on it. If Christ were not truly God, our salvation as communion and union with God through Him would not be possible. As the Lord Himself says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
If Christ was merely a creature, then the Cross, Death, and Resurrection would not bring salvation. The Church reminds us in the hymnography: “Neither an angel nor a man, but the Lord Himself saved us.”
This weekend, we approach the great Feast of Pentecost, when we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birth of the Church.
Before Pentecost, however, the Church gives us a special day of remembrance: the Saturday of Soulsm which is day of the universal commemoration of all the faithful departed. On this day, we gather to pray for all Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep in the Lord: our parents and grandparents, relatives and friends, those known and loved to us, and even those who have been forgotten and have no one left to pray for them.
Why does the Church place this commemoration before Pentecost? Because Pentecost is not only the celebration of the Holy Spirit descending upon the Apostles, but the revelation of God’s saving work extended to the whole Church, both living and departed. The grace of God and the hope of resurrection embrace all who belong to Christ. As members of the Church, we believe we are not separated from our departed loved ones. The Church is one Body in Christ, embracing both the living and those who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection.
Death is universal, and whenever we encounter it, whether standing beside a grave, remembering a loved one, or hearing of someone’s passing, we are reminded of the fragility of earthly life and moved to repentance. At the same time, we do not respond with despair, but with prayer and hope.
Through the memorial service, we entrust our beloved departed to the infinite mercy and love of God, praying that He grant them rest “in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, where all sickness, sorrow, and sighing have fled away.”
The Lord calls each person to Himself in different ways and at different times, young or old, healthy or infirm, suddenly or after long illness. He alone knows the mysteries of each human soul. Therefore, the Church invites us not to speculate, but to pray.
Thanks be to God, we will gather for several beautiful services this weekend:
Saturday, 30 May – 10:00 am
Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Saturday of Souls, followed by the Memorial Service
Please bring the names of your departed Orthodox loved ones on Saturday so that we may remember them together in the Memorial Service.
Saturday, 30 May – 5:00 pm
Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia for the Feast of Pentecost, followed by fellowship in the church kitchen
Sunday, 31 May – 10:00 am
Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Pentecost, followed by our Festal Parish Lunch
Church Address: Cullen Memorial Hall, Methodist Complex, 381 Donegall Road, Belfast, BT12 6GR
Please make every effort to attend these services!
I will also be available for Confession:
Saturday: before Vespers (4-5 pm), and again after Vespers
Sunday: 8:30–9:45 am before the Divine Liturgy
Saints and Feasts of the Week
*The saints named here accompany the days of the week as living witnesses of Christ. Only the principal saint or feast of each day is listed here, in keeping with the liturgical order of the Church.
- Sunday, 24th of May – Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council
- Monday, 25th of May – Third Finding of the Head of the Forerunner and Baptist John
- Tuesday, 26th of May – St. Augustine of Canterbury, Evangelizer of England
- Wednesday, 27th of May – St.Bede the Venerable
- Thursday, 28th of May – Hieromartyr Eutychius, bishop of Melitene
- Friday, 29th of May – St. Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian monastery at Constantinople
- Saturday, 30th of May – Saturday of Souls
- Sunday, 31st of May – Sunday of Pentecost
Hymns of the Week
*The hymns listed here are those that shape the prayer of the Church for the week, following the liturgical order and hierarchy. They are offered as an aid to prayer and may be used, as each is able, in personal prayer or a simple prayer rule at home.
RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE SEVEN
When Mary stood at Thy grave, looking for Thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above Thy revered tomb. And the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led Hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world, O Thou, Who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee.
APOLYTIKION OF THE ASCENSION IN TONE FOUR
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Thy Disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, making them confident through the blessing that Thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
APOLYTIKION OF THE HOLY FATHERS IN TONE EIGHT
Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise Who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to Thee.
APOLYTIKION OF SOULS SATURDAY IN TONE EIGHT
O Thou Who by the depth of Thy wisdom dost provide all things out of love for man, and grantest unto all that which is profitable, O only Creator: Grant rest, O Lord, to the souls of Thy servants; for in Thee have they placed their hope, O our Creator and Fashioner and God.
KONTAKION FOR THE DEPARTED IN TONE EIGHT
With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is neither sickness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting.
Epistle and Gospel Readings:
*The Epistle and Gospel of the Sunday that begins the current liturgical week
- Epistle: Acts 20:16-18, 28-36
- Gospel: John 17:1-13
The Sunday and daily Scripture readings may be read online via the Archdiocesan website: https://www.antiochian-orthodox.com/calendar
A Pastoral Word: Church as Family
As we approach the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, I would like to reflect on the Church as family.
The image of family is deeply rooted in our faith. In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Our Father.” If God is our Father, and we all share one Father, then we are truly brothers and sisters in Christ, adopted children of the Most High God (Galatians 4:4-7)
Our closest spiritual family is our parish. Here, our unity is strengthened not only through prayer, but especially through gathering together in the Divine Liturgy and partaking of the same chalice, receiving the precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This unity grows further through mutual care, friendship, support, and concern for one another.
Yet the family of the Church extends beyond our own parish. We belong to an archdiocese, to a patriarchate, and ultimately to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Wherever we go, we encounter the same faith, the same prayers, and the same spiritual bond that unites us in Christ.
One beautiful example of this spirit of family was the Archdiocesan Retreat held over the recent long weekend, from Friday 22 May to Monday 25 May.
Sixty five participants from parishes across the archdiocese gathered at the Othona Community retreat centre to spend time together in fellowship, prayer, meals, talks, spiritual activities, and shared moments of rest and joy. It was truly beautiful to witness.
For me, one of the most moving moments came simply from looking out of the window onto the playground and green spaces of the retreat centre. Children from different families and different parishes were playing together naturally, laughing and spending time with one another as if they had always known each other. It was a small but powerful reminder of what the Church can be when we truly live as one family in Christ.
I pray that next May the faithful from our parish of St Ignatius will be able to participate in the retreat and experience this spirit of fellowship and unity too.
I am sharing below the daily reports from the Retreat 2026 posted on Archdiocesan Facebook, together with photographs, so that you may see a glimpse of the retreat for yourselves:
Retreat 2026, Day 1: https://www.facebook.com/archdiocesebii/posts/pfbid02dLeyswTkuk93ABbY5oNpFAsfCDvak8UKXK4sFWNyvV9aHsrbygZvmoXwadAvw3ECl
Retreat 2026, Day 2: https://www.facebook.com/archdiocesebii/posts/pfbid0i3uB8Ei37xTxGg4g6puFVF6pZwK7QzAaAW9MLi1gqVShHg2Schm17knKPxTLMoPJl
Retreat 2026, Day 3: https://www.facebook.com/archdiocesebii/posts/pfbid02UJfZBYF6bKHK2dewevmvRECt9xo7VSduQ3pQ9Rtj1sgQh4eumBRW4HaUFcqtMCv3l
Retreat 2026, Day 4: https://www.facebook.com/archdiocesebii/posts/pfbid04mkvvapsRRK986ZKE9KHtTSvKfmtLAAyoAwyAG7qowvyt4HMjDYh7pNpVsk7Cbp8l
May our family grow stronger and continue to flourish in Christ!
News and Announcements
- Enrolment into online Catechesis Group – Over the last months, a few new inquirers have joined our community, and we are now beginning our next online Catechesis Group. The group is intended for those who wish to learn about the Orthodox Christian faith in a structured way, with the intention of being received into the Church upon completion of the course.
The group will begin in early June, following the Feast of Pentecost.
If you would like to join, please contact Fr Dmitry by Friday, 29th of May, by email or text message (WhatsApp also available): fr.dmitry@saintignatiusbelfast.orgor +44 7479 630020
Once I have the list of participants, I will add everyone to a group chat, and we hope to hold our first session the following week.
You can read a two-page summary with the general information and structure of the course here: https://saintignatiusbelfast.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/SaintIgnatiusChurchDocuments/EXajoI_JwEpLvW9Gf5YYphQBHTSM8ZgfMxfdIW6HbvCcpQ?e=7FJZhe - Young Adult Ministry (YAM) Belfast – Looking for volunteers to join the YAM Committee. Following the recent conversation between Adib Ferzli and the youth of our parish about establishing Young Adult Ministry (YAM) at our parish, we are now looking for a few young adults to help form the YAM Belfast Committee.
YAM is a place of encounter, learning and fellowship for young adults seeking to live their faith within the Church. Its aim is to help young adults grow together in Christ through prayer, talks, discussions, social gatherings, and service activities. The general age range for YAM is 18-35 years old. Minor diversions both below and above that range are fine as far as participation is beneficial for those in question.
We are seeking volunteers willing to help plan activities, prepare programmes, coordinate events, and assist with the organisation of the ministry. Skills in areas such as social media, poster design, administration, or finances are appreciated, but most importantly we are looking for enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and a desire to help build a strong Orthodox Christian fellowship for young adults in our parish.
If you are interested in helping, please contact Fr Dmitry by Friday, 29th of May, by email or text message (WhatsApp also available): fr.dmitry@saintignatiusbelfast.org or +44 7479 630020 - Have you visited our Parish Library yet? Our library offers a growing collection of Orthodox books for adults and children: spiritual classics, lives of the saints, theology, Church history, and books for young readers. A good spiritual book can deepen our understanding of the faith and accompany us in our spiritual life.
You can browse the catalogue and request books online through the parish website. All the information about borrowing books, together with the online request form, can be found here: https://saintignatiusbelfast.org/library
Our librarians, Michael and Porphyrios, will be happy to help if you are looking for something to read. You can contact them at: library@saintignatiusbelfast.org
