Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is Born!
This is weekly newsletter #29 of the St Ignatius Parish in Belfast.
Contents of this Newsletter:
- Message from Metropolitan Silouan: Pastoral Wishes for the New Civil Year
- News and Announcements: Schedule of Services and more
- Feast of Circumcision of Christ, St Basil the Great and New Civil Year
Message from Metropolitan Silouan: Pastoral Wishes for the New Civil Year
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we approach the New Civil Year, I would like to share with you a reflection based on a short homily preached last Sunday by His Eminence, Metropolitan Silouan, at the St George’s Cathedral in London.
His Eminence, as our father and chief shepherd, invited the faithful to take a few quiet moments before the New Year – just five or ten minutes of calm and honest reflection – and to ask themselves, two simple questions:
- What good have I done in the past year?
- And what bad have I done in the past year? No one else needs to know the answers.
This is a conversation between you and God. Upon reflecting on the above questions, His Eminence encouraged to ask ourselves: how we can do more of the good in the year ahead and how we can struggle not to repeat the things that were bad? Sayedna Silouan reminded us that this is not something we can achieve by our own strength alone.
We need the help of the Holy Spirit. We need prayer, the services of the Church, and the Holy Mysteries, so that the grace of God may dwell more fully within us. Only when we are united to God, attentive to His Word and His Will, can we truly grow, doing more good and turning away from bad, from what leads us away from Him.
May this simple but profound reflection guide us as we enter the New Year, and may God grant us repentance, strength, and His abundant grace!
News and Announcements: Schedule of Services and more
- Online Faith & Fellowship Meetings this Wednesday, 31st December 2025, 7:00 PM: Join us on this special night as we pray a short Doxology for the New Civil Year, and then have a conversation about the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ and St Basil the Great. Zoom link: https://ucl.zoom.us/j/97707660214
- Reader’s Service in Church, 4th January 2026, 11:00 AM: Please make effort to attend the first service of the new year in Church, on Sunday, 4th January. It is our traditional Reader’s Hours and Typika Service (without the priest), followed by the light refreshments and fellowship.
- Next Services in Church with priest – 17th and 18th January: We will meet for our regular weekend of services on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th January. On Saturday, Great Vespers will be served at 5:00 PM, followed by fellowship with tea, coffee, and biscuits in the kitchen. On Sunday, Orthros will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by the Divine Liturgy at 11:00 AM, after which we will have the Great Blessing of the Waters and a parish lunch.
- Full Schedule of Services January – March 2026: You can find the latest schedule of services at the church for the coming months on our website. A downloadable poster and an online calendar are also available here: https://saintignatiusbelfast.org/services
- Parish Library is now open – I remind you that that our parish library is now open! The library offers a growing collection of Orthodox books on various subjects for both adults and children, which you are welcome to borrow and read. You can browse the catalogue online, check the borrowing terms, and even place an order for a book at: saintignatiusbelfast.org/library. Our librarians, Michael and Porphyrius, will be glad to assist you and can be contacted at library@saintignatiusbelfast.org.
Feast of Circumcision of Christ, St Basil the Great and New Civil Year
On the 1st of January the Orthodox Church celebrates Feast of the Circumcision of Christ and memory of St Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia.
You can read the Synaxarion (a short description of the feast and its meaning) here: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/812
A Divine Liturgy for the feast will be celebrated at St George’s Cathedral, London, on 1st January at 11:00 AM. Those who wish may follow the service via the live broadcast here: https://www.facebook.com/StGeorgeOrthodoxAntiochianOfLondon/
Blessed Feast!
I also wish you all a blessed New Civil Year. As His Eminence encouraged us, may we strive to sin less and to do more good works in the year ahead, using wisely the time God has given us. Not wasting our health, our resources, or our energy, but living with purpose and love for God and the neighbour.
In particular, I pray that we may reflect on how we can contribute to building up our church community here in Belfast. How each of us can help bring us closer to having a permanent priest, regular weekly services, our own place of worship, and a strong parish life. May we continue to grow as a true spiritual family, supporting one another and living in love.
May God grant you and your families many healthy years! Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Dmitry